Patent ID: 8493242

Claim:
A key assembly, comprising: a key housing; at least one key coupled to the key housing for sliding movement relative to the key housing and is positionable relative to the key housing in a first key position and its disposition in the first key position effects a transmission of a first signal associated with the first key position; a first switch located below the at least one key; a first appendage located below the at least one key for triggering the first switch, the first appendage extending towards the first switch and being tilted at an acute angle relative to a plane of the sliding movement; wherein the at least one key is moveable by sliding movement relative to the key housing between at least one other key position and the first key position, wherein the sliding movement of the at least one key from the at least one other key position to the first key position rotates the first appendage from an initial tilted position to a straightened position which triggers the first switch causing transmission of the first signal associated with the first key position.