Patent ID: 7946774

Claim:
A folding keyboard having a standard continuous spacebar, the keyboard comprising: a first keyboard portion and a second keyboard portion, the keyboard portions coupled at a fold line, the fold line located between the standard continuous space bar and an edge of the keyboard; a top case and a bottom case for each said keyboard portion; at least one membrane sheet having circuit traces connecting a plurality of contact points located adjacent to a plurality of keys; a plurality of attachments mechanisms for coupling the first and second keyboard portions at a hinge located at the fold line; a locking mechanism for releasably keeping the keyboard in a folded position; wherein the at least one membrane sheet includes at least one bridge portion defining at least one membrane fold point crossing the fold line; the bottom cases of the first and second keyboard portions define at least one cavity adjacent to the at least one narrowed bridge portion; and the circuit traces of the at least one membrane sheet cross between the first and second keyboard portions along the at least one narrowed bridge portion; and the at least one narrowed bridge portion extends through, said at least one cavity when said keyboard is in an unfolded position and a plurality of protrusions extending from at least one of the top and bottom cases of the first and second keyboard portions, the protrusions extending adjacent to the at least one narrowed bridge portion and contacting the at least one narrowed bridge portion so as to restrict the movement of the at least one narrowed bridge portion such that the at least one narrowed bridge portion remains curved substantially at all times.