Patent ID: 8592699

Claim:
A thin profile keyboard for a computing device, comprising: a plurality of baseplates arranged in a plurality of rows; and a plurality of keys, each of the plurality of keys associated with one of the plurality of baseplates, wherein the plurality of keys associated with a first baseplate are offset from the plurality of keys associated with a second baseplate, each key comprising: a key cap; an actuator attached to the respective baseplate, the actuator being configured to deform to activate electrical switch circuitry; and a rigid support lever having a first end attached to a bottom surface of the key cap and a second end attached to a substrate at a pivot point, wherein a portion of the support lever is positioned over the actuator and wherein when a force is applied to a top surface of the key cap, the force causes the support lever to rotate about the pivot point, causing a bottom surface of the support lever to contact and deform the actuator, wherein the rigid support lever at least partially underlies at least one of the plurality of baseplates.