Patent Publication Number: US-2006018089-A1

Title: Notebook type keyboard apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a notebook type keyboard apparatus, and more particularly, to a keyboard apparatus connecting to a handheld electronic apparatus, for example, a PDA or a mobile phone, for inputting data, and can be folded to have a notebook form.  
      Nowadays, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) is a popular portable electronic apparatus. Generally, this apparatus merely comprises a LCD screen and several control buttons but with no conventional typing type keyboard. When the user needs to input data, he usually uses a touch pan to input data by writing on a screen. But, this method is not suitable for masses of text input. Thus, an external keyboard is required for input operation. When it is in use, a connection mechanism is used to connect the keyboard with the PDA. When it is not in use, the keyboard can be separated from the PDA.  
      The conventional external keyboards are usually classified into handheld type and desk-top type. However, the button size of the handheld keyboard is too small. It is inconvenient for typing operation. When it is held by hand, if the connection mechanism between the keyboard and the PDA is poor, peeling off or weak signal will be induced by the sway of them. Another way is to mount the keyboard on a planar surface for using, but it is limited by the using place. Thus, the connection and setup method of the convention keyboard and the PDA is very inconvenient. Its input operation is limited by the structure of the keyboard, that is, it can be merely held by hand or mounted on the desk for operation. It is not suitable for using on the lap directly. Therefore, it provides with no mobility, and should be improved in use.  
      Although the PDA and the mobile phone can be connected to the external keyboard for recording and processing data, the conventional handwriting notebook is still not preventable. Thus, the user needs to carry a notebook, a handheld electronic apparatus, such as PDA or mobile phone, and an external keyboard at the same time, when he is out. In other words, several equipments, which are not integrated with one another, must be carried. Thus, it is inconvenient for carrying or using. Moreover, larger space will be occupied, since these equipments are not integrated with one another, and spread everywhere while not in use.  
      Furthermore, the current PDA in common use has various operation systems, all functions of these systems are usually printed on a function plate of the keyboard to adapt to these systems. Another deficiency of the prior art is that it is confusing.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Consequentially, the main purpose of the present invention is to provide a notebook type keyboard apparatus by integrating a notebook with a keyboard, and treating the main body in the form of the notebook as a support framework for keyboard input operation. Moreover, several equipments are integrated to form a portable, foldable, easy set-up, and space-saving apparatus.  
      Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a notebook type keyboard apparatus, in which a containing slot for a handheld electronic apparatus and a wireless transmission apparatus are mounted thereon to connect to the handheld electronic apparatus for input operation.  
      Still another purpose of the present invention is to provide a notebook type keyboard apparatus, which has a replaceable function plate corresponding to various systems to prevent the user from confusion.  
      According to above purposes of the present invention, a notebook type keyboard apparatus is provided, which comprises a main body in the form of the notebook comprising a bottom plate and a cover plate, wherein the cover plate is folded or unfolded against the bottom plate, and a support rack is mounted on an outside of the cover plate to support the unfolded main body when it is set on a planar surface whereby the main body is a support framework.  
      A keyboard is pivotally mounted inside the main body, wherein the keyboard comprises a button region, a plurality of containing slots for the handheld electronic apparatuses, a wireless transmission apparatus, and a function plate. Each containing slot is used for firmly mounting a handheld electronic apparatus, such as PDA or mobile phone. The wireless transmission apparatus is a infrared ray transmission apparatus, which comprises a transmission line and an emitter, wherein the transmission line is fixed in a trench mounted on an edge of the cover plate to fix an emission direction of the emitter mounted on a front end of the transmission line to enable a receiver of the handheld electronic apparatus to successfully receive signal. A bracket is pivotally mounted on an interior surface of the cover plate, wherein the bracket can be rotated pivotally to provide the handheld electronic apparatus with different choices of setting method, and can be used for supporting a specific type handheld electronic apparatus.  
      The bottom plate is constituted by pivotal connection of a base plate and a backbend plate. The backbend plate can be bent back to a backside of the cover plate to lean the support rack against the backbend plate whereby a larger and steadier bottom support surface is formed by using the base plate and the backbend plate. Thus, the main body can be put on the lap for operation.  
      Numerous notepapers are mounted on the main body below the keyboard, a record can be written on the notepapers by pivotally and upwardly rotating the keyboard to clasp the cover plate.  
      Whereby, the present invention provides the functions of handwriting the note and inputting the record via the keyboard. These aforementioned functions are integrated to form a unitary portable keyboard apparatus. It is easy to set it up for using. When it is not in use, it can be easy folded to save space and provide with practicability.  
      A preferred embodiment is illustrated for detail description of the specific structures and operation ways of the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an outward appearance of an unfolded main body of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a schematic side view of  FIG. 1  of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a mounted PDA of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram showing the use of the bracket to support a PDA.  
       FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing the use of notepapers by overturning the keyboard to fold up and clasp the cover plate of the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram showing the operation on the lap by bending back the bottom plate of the present invention.  
       FIG. 7-1  is a front perspective view of a folded main body of the present invention.  
       FIG. 7-2  is a bottom perspective view of a folded main body of the present invention.  
       FIG. 8  is a schematic view showing the use status of simultaneously connecting to two handheld electronic apparatuses in accordance with the present invention.  
       FIG. 9  is diagram showing the setting of a bluetooth communication apparatus of the preferred embodiment.  
       FIG. 10-1  shows another method for supporting the main body of the present invention.  
       FIG. 10-2  shows another method for supporting the main body of the present invention.  
       FIG. 10-3  shows another method for supporting the main body of the present invention.  
       FIG. 10-4  is a schematic diagram showing the folded status of  FIG. 10-3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 3 , which are a perspective view showing an outward appearance, a schematic side view, and a schematic view of a mounted PDA of an unfolded main body of the present invention respectively. The present invention comprises a main body  1  in the form of a notebook. The main body  1  comprises a bottom plate  10  and a cover plate  11 , wherein a support rack  110  is pivotally mounted at an outside of the cover plate  11 . The cover plate  11  can be folded and unfolded against the bottom plate  10 . When they are in an unfolded condition, the support rack  11  can be expanded by rotation to support the cover plate  11  for setting the main body  1  on a surface of the desk to facilitate the operation.  
      A thin type keyboard  2  having a button region  20  formed thereon is pivotally mounted inside the main body  1 . A plurality of containing slots  21  are mounted at a front end of the button region  20  to fixedly hold a handheld electronic apparatus, for example, a PDA  4  or a mobile. The support provided by the cover plate  11  enable the handheld electronic apparatus to lean against the cover plate  11 . The containing slots  21  are arranged front to rear to provide the placements with various angles. The handheld electronic apparatus can be mounted in the containing slots  21  or leaned thereon to treat the containing slot  21  as a support slot. A bracket  113  is pivotally mounted on an interior surface of the cover plate  11 . The bracket  113  is folded by upward rotation, or rotated to have a horizontal plane for supporting a specific type handheld electronic apparatus such as horizontal rectangular PDA  4  or mobile phone, as shown in  FIG. 4 . A slip-proof pad  114  is mounted on a surface of the cover plate above the bracket  113  to enable the handheld electronic apparatus to lean against the slip-proof pad  114  for providing with a steadier installment.  
      A containing space  22  for an infrared ray transmission line is mounted on one side or both sides of the aforementioned containing slots  21 , wherein a plurality of outstanding wedges  221  and a connector (not shown) are mounted in the containing space  22 , and a cover  223  for coverage is mounted above the containing space  22 . A trench  111  having a plurality of fixers  112  is mounted on an inside edge of the cover plate  11 . One terminal of the infrared ray transmission line  24  is coupled with the connector in the containing space  22 . The line body is fixed in the trench  111  so that a transmitter  241  on the other terminal of the infrared ray transmission line  24  can be fixed to one of these fixers  112 . By using these fixers  112 , the infrared ray transmitter  241  can be fixed to different fixers  112  according to different location of a receiver of the PDA  4 . The redundant line body can be coiled up by using the wedges  221  of the containing space  22 . Fixers  112  of the infrared ray transmitter  241  are also mounted at a front end of the containing space  22  and a front end of the containing slots  21  to enable the receiver on the bottom of the handheld electronic apparatus mounted on the bracket  113  to receive an infrared ray signal.  
      Function plates  25  are mounted on an upper side and a lower side of the button region  20 . These function plates can be replaced to comply with various systems, for example, Palm OS, PocketPC, Symbian OS, Microsoft Smartphone, etc. When the system is switched, the function plates  25  can be replaced to prevent the user from confusion caused by printing functions of all systems in the same place.  
      Referring to  FIG. 5 , which is a schematic diagram showing the use of notepapers by overturning the keyboard to fold up and clasp the cover plate of the present invention. Numerous notepapers are mounted on the bottom plate  10  of the main body  1  below the keyboard  2 . A binder  115  is mounted on the interior surface of the cover plate  11 . When it is needed to use the notepapers  3  for writing a record down, the keyboard  2  can be rotated pivotally and upwardly to the cover plate  11 , and clasped by the binder  115 , so that the notepapers can be treated as a notebook.  
      Please refer to  FIG. 6 , which is a schematic diagram showing the operation on the lap by bending back the bottom plate of the present invention. The bottom plate  10  of the main body  1  is constituted by pivotal connection of a base plate  101  and a backbend plate  102 . The backbend plate  102  can be bent back to the backside of the cover plate  11  to lean the support rack  110  against the backbend plate  102  thereby forming a larger and steadier installment surface by using the base plate  101  and the backbend plate  102 . Thus, the main body  1  can be put on the lap for operation, which provides the present invention with more mobility.  
      Please refer to  FIG. 7-1  and  FIG. 7-2 , which show a front perspective view and a bottom perspective view of a folded main body of the present invention. A buckle belt  116  is mounted on a cover plate  11  of the main body  1 . A buckle  103  is mounted on the bottom plate  10 . When the main body  1  is not in use, the cover plate  11  can be folded against the bottom plate  10  by using the buckle belt  116  to clasp the buckle  103  to have a folded notebook form. It is portable, and conserves space.  
      Please refer to  FIG. 8 , which is a schematic view showing the use status of simultaneously connecting to two handheld electronic apparatuses in accordance with the present invention. An infrared ray transmission line  24  can be mounted at one side of the main body  1  and the keyboard  2  for connection with a handheld electronic apparatus. Moreover, this infrared ray transmission line can be mounted respectively on their both sides for simultaneous connection with two handheld electronic apparatuses, for example, a PDA is connected to its one side and a mobile phone is connected to the other side.  
      Please refer to  FIG. 9 , in which a wireless transmission apparatus mounted on the keyboard  2  of the present invention is a bluetooth communication apparatus. A main body  1  in the form of a notebook is provided. The main body  1  comprises a bottom plate  10  and a cover plate  11 , which can be folded or unfolded against one another. A support rack  110  is mounted on the main body  1  to provide a support for the unfolded cover plate  11 . A C type clip  12  is mounted on the main body  1 . Holes  50  are formed on a front end of a removable super thin type bluetooth keyboard  5 , thus the bluetooth keyboard  5  can be mounted on the main body  1  by installing the bluetooth keyboard  5  in the C type clip  12  through the holes  50 .  
      Please refer to  FIG. 10-1 , besides the aforementioned method for supporting the unfolded main body  1 , the support method can be performed in the following manner. A containing space  104  having a support rack  13  is mounted on a bottom of the bottom plate  10 , wherein the support rack  13  includes a central pivot pivotally connecting with an upper support plate  131  and a lower support plate  132 . When it is needed to support the main body  1 , the support  13  is drawn from containing space  104 , and the upper support plate  131  is then unfolded to lean against the cover plate  11 . When the folding operation is performed, the upper support plate  131  is rotated to fold against the lower support plate  132 , and then inserted into the containing space  104  of the bottom plate  10 . The lower support plate  132  can be used as a typing support for operation on the lap since it has a larger area.  
      Please refer to  FIG. 10-2 , which shows another method for supporting the unfolded main body, wherein holes  117  are formed on the cover plate  11 , and support shafts  105  are pivotally mounted on the bottom plate  10 . When the cover plate  11  is unfolded, the support shafts  105  can be rotated upwardly to hook the holes  117  of the cover plate  11  for supporting the main body  1 .  
      Please refer to  FIG. 10-3 , which is another embodiment of support method of the present invention, wherein a support rack and a buckle belt are included thereon to provide the support purpose after it is unfolded, and the clasping purpose after it is folded. A support rack  14  is mounted pivotally on the outside of the cover plate  11 . The support rack  14  is pivotally connected to a clasping plate  15  through a pivot. A buckle  151  is mounted on the clasping plate  15  to clasp a buckle on the bottom surface of the bottom plate  10 . When the cover plate  11  is unfolded, the support rack  14  and the clasping plate  15  are rotated backwardly to enable the clasping plate  15  to be horizontally placed on a surface of a desk, wherein the support rack  14  and the clasping pate  15  are treated as a support framework. As shown in  FIG. 10-4 , when the main body  1  is folded, the clasping plate  15  can be rotated to clasp the bottom surface of the bottom plate  10  so as to form a portable notebook.  
      The present invention integrates the notebook with the keyboard by using the aforementioned structures. When the user is out, he merely needs to carry a notebook to enable to write the note and to connect to a handheld electronic apparatus, such as PDA, by using the keyboard for input operation at the same time. Moreover, the present invention can be folded to form a portable and space-saving notebook. When it is used, the main body can be unfolded to form a support framework to facilitate operation of keyboard input, and used to mount the handheld electronic apparatus firmly. It is easy to set up the present invention to have superior utilization and practicability. Besides acting as a support framework, the main body can form a larger setting surface by bending back the backbend plate of the bottom plate for operation on the lap. Thus, the present invention has superior mobility and practicability.  
      Therefore, as is understood by a person skilled in the art, the present invention achieves the aforementioned purpose according to the above description and satisfies requirements of patent law. The application for a patent is therefore submitted.  
      As is understood by a person skilled in the art, the foregoing preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated of the present invention rather than limiting of the present invention. It is intended that various modifications and similar arrangements be included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structure.