Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5899617?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2015-05-23 15:46:21
Document Index: 95572139

Matched Legal Cases: ['art.\n1', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 18', 'art 12', 'art  13', 'art19', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 18', 'art 12', 'art 18', 'art 18']

Patent US5899617 - Flexible component reinforcing mechanism - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA type of flexible component reinforcing mechanism, the upward extension of said flexible component forming a connector part, inside said flexible main unit is an activator body, the downward extension of the flexible component forms a base, characterized in a number of spaced reinforcing units that...http://www.google.com/patents/US5899617?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5899617 - Flexible component reinforcing mechanismAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS5899617 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 08/947,911Publication dateMay 4, 1999Filing dateOct 9, 1997Priority dateOct 9, 1997Fee statusPaidAlso published asDE29817932U1Publication number08947911, 947911, US 5899617 A, US 5899617A, US-A-5899617, US5899617 A, US5899617AInventorsChing-Cheng TsaiOriginal AssigneeChicony Electronics Co., Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (2), Referenced by (3), Classifications (7), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetFlexible component reinforcing mechanism
US 5899617 AAbstract
A type of flexible component reinforcing mechanism, the upward extension of said flexible component forming a connector part, inside said flexible main unit is an activator body, the downward extension of the flexible component forms a base, characterized in a number of spaced reinforcing units that are located at the intersection part between the flexible main unit and the connector part; said configuration is designed to form better strength on the intersection part which is the most frequently broken or damaged part of the flexible component, to significantly reduce the occurrence of broken or damaged intersection part.
1. A reinforced flexible component for a keyboard switch comprising a base portion, and a hollow flexible main unit having an upwardly extending portion extending from said base portion, said main unit having (a) a connector section formed at an upward extent of said upwardly extending portion for interface with push key, (b) a downwardly extending activator body formed on a lower surface of said main unit, and (c) a plurality of angularly spaced reinforcing members extending downwardly from a portion of said lower surface corresponding to an intersection of said upwardly extending portion with said connector section.
2. The reinforced flexible component as recited in claim 1 where each of said plurality of reinforcing members has a post-shaped contour.
3. The reinforced flexible component as recited in claim 1 where each of said plurality of reinforcing members has an elongated strip-shaped contour.
The subject invention relates to a type of flexible component reinforcing mechanism, or specifically to a type of flexible component that will form a better strength, and significantly reduce the occurrence of broken or damaged parts.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is the flexible component 10 in the push key device of a conventional computer keyboard, said flexible component 10 is made of a flexible rubber material, involving a flexible main unit 11, the upward extension of said flexible main unit 11 forms a connector part 12, in the direction away from the connector part 12 in the vertical direction inside said flexible main unit 11 is an activator body 13, the downward extension of the flexible main unit 11 forms a base 14. The flexible component 10 may be joined by the connector part 12 to the lower end of the key post 16 at the bottom of the push key 15. When the push key 15 is depressed, the key post 16 at the bottom of the push key will press down on the flexible component 10, so that the activator body 13 inside the flexible component 10 moves down to contact the film circuit (not shown in drawing) below to connect the current, when the key 15 is released, the flexibility of the flexible component 10 will reset the key 15 to its original position.
After extended use, however, said conventional flexible component 10 will no longer be used regularly because the intersection part 18 between the flexible main unit 11 and the connector part 12 would often be broken or damaged.
The primary objective of the subject invention is to present a type of flexible component reinforcing mechanism, characterized in a number of reinforcing units located at the intersection part between the flexible main unit and the connector part inside the flexible component, by the installation of the reinforcing units, the intersection part which is an easily broken or damaged part of the flexible component will have a better strength, to significantly reduce the occurrence of broken or damaged intersection part, so that the flexible component may be maintained in a normal working condition and a longer service life.
FIG. 1 is a plain sectional view of a prior art of push key.
FIG. 2 is a plain sectional view of a prior art of flexible component.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the subject invention of flexible component.
FIG. 4 is a plain sectional view of the subject invention of flexible component.
FIG. 5 is a top 0view of the subject invention of flexible component.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the subject invention of flexible component.
______________________________________10 flexible component              11 flexible main unit12 connector part  13 activator body14 base            15 push key16 key post        18 intersection part19 reinforcing unit______________________________________
As illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the subject invention relates to the presentation of a type of flexible component reinforcing mechanism, said flexible component 10 is applied to the push key device in a computer keyboard or other electronic products, said flexible component 10 is made of a flexible rubber material, shaped like a reverted bowl, said flexible component 10 is a hollow flexible main body, on the upward extension of said flexible main unit 11 is a connector part 12 that connects with the push key, in the direction away from the connector part 12 in the vertical direction inside said flexible main body 11 is an activator body 13, the flexible main unit 11 extends downward to form a base 14.
The subject invention of flexible component reinforcing mechanism relates mainly to a number of reinforcing units 19 that are equally spaced and monoblock formed at the intersection part 18 between the flexible main unit 11 and the connector part 12, said reinforcing unit 19 may be shaped like a protruding post, or like an elongated strip (as illustrated in FIG. 6) or other shapes, by means of the installation of the reinforcing units 19, the intersection part 18 that would most frequently be broken or damaged in the flexible component 10 may form better strength, to significantly reduce the occurrence of broken or damaged intersection part 18, so the flexible component 10 may maintain its normal operation and its service life may be extended.
Summing up, the subject invention with effective improvement on the weaknesses in conventional flexible components, such as easily broken or damaged intersection part between the flexible component and the connector part, and other problems that would result in failure of the flexible component to work properly, is an unprecedented new version that will fully meet the qualifications for a patent right, hence this application is filed in accordance with the Patent Law to protect the subject inventor's rights and interests. Your favorable consideration shall be appreciated.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS5718327 *Mar 5, 1997Feb 17, 1998Wu; DonaldKey switch for a keyboardUS5738450 *Aug 5, 1996Apr 14, 1998Cherry Mikroschaller GmbhKeyboard with simplified switch pad having a stabilization element* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS6761494 *Jan 15, 2003Jul 13, 2004Darfon Electronics Corp.Button apparatus with a complex elastic unitUS6894240 *Jan 20, 2004May 17, 2005Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Push switchUSRE44217 *Aug 22, 2005May 14, 2013Timekeeping Systems, Inc.Impact resistant electronic data module housing* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification400/490, 400/495, 200/512International ClassificationH01H13/702Cooperative ClassificationH01H2215/006, H01H13/702European ClassificationH01H13/702Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionSep 1, 2010FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 12Oct 18, 2006FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8Sep 10, 2002FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Oct 9, 1997ASAssignmentOwner name: CHICONY ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., TAIWANFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:TSAI, CHING-CHENG;REEL/FRAME:008846/0392Effective date: 19971002RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services