Editing Long travel elastomer keyboard

'''Long travel elastomer keyboard''' is a device with a flexible conductive elastomeric sheet with snap action rubber domes invented by Anthony J. Sobol in 1980. Its patent number 4354068 was granted on 1982.  Some rubber dome-based keyboards are manufactured under this patent. <ref> {{cite patent | country = US | number = 4354068 | status = patent | title = Long travel elastomer keyboard | pubdate =  | gdate = 12 October 1982 | fdate = 4 February 1980 | pridate =  | inventor = Anthony J. Sobol, III | invent1 =  | invent2 =  | assign1 = Texas Instruments Incorporated | assign2 =  | class = }} </ref>

==Description==

'''Long travel elastomer keyboard'''

*Inventor: Anthony J. Sobol, III
*Patent number: 4354068
*Filing date: 4 February 1980
*Issue date: 12 October 1982

==Abstract==

[[Long travel elastomer keyboard#Images|Figure 1]] - a polyester or polyimide material is used as a foldable base (10) (11) from which a conductive switch (12) and switch points (14) with registration holes (20) are implemented therein. Alternatively, other synthetic materials with conductive properties (jumper wires or as deemed appropriate) may be used as substrate (24) (26). The base is then folded (19) so the latter substrate (24) (26) interconnects the former (10). 

[[Long travel elastomer keyboard#Images|Figure 2]] shows an insulated sheet (30) that acts as a spacer between substrates (24) (26) with same material as flexible substrate (10) has holes (34) that align and register with switch points (14). These holes (34)  align the holes (20) from flexible substrate (10).

[[Long travel elastomer keyboard#Images|Figure 3]] shows an elastomer substrate (40) which is made of silicon rubber. The elastomer has a plurality of domes (42) located in the same position as the switch points (14).

==Referenced by==

* {{cite patent | country = US | number = 4527030 | status = patent | title = Keyboard | pubdate =  | gdate = 2 July 1985 | fdate = 22 November 1983 | pridate =  | inventor = Jurgen Oetsch | invent1 =  | invent2 =  | assign1 = Preh Elektrofeinmechanische Werke, Jakob Preh Nachf., GmbH & Co. | assign2 =  | class = }}
* {{cite patent | country = US | number = 4766271 | status = patent | title = Elastomer-made push button switch covering member | pubdate =  | gdate = 23 August 1988 | fdate = 24 June 1987 | pridate =  | inventor = Matsayuki Mitsuhashi | invent1 =  | invent2 =  | assign1 = Shin-Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd | assign2 =  | class = }}
* {{cite patent | country = US | number = 5574446 | status = patent | title = Keyboard | pubdate =  | gdate = 12 November 1996 | fdate = 2 March 1995 | pridate =  | inventor = Jorg Dittrich | invent1 =  | invent2 =  | assign1 = Cherry Mikoroschalter GmbH | assign2 =  | class = }}
* {{cite patent | country = US | number =  | status = patent | title = Rubber cone layer of a keyboard | pubdate =  | gdate = 2 June 1998 | fdate = 18 April 1996 | pridate =  | inventor = Ching-Cheng Tsai | invent1 =  | invent2 =  | assign1 = Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd. | assign2 =  | class = }}
* {{cite patent | country = US | number = 6259434 | status = patent | title = Tactually-activated structure | pubdate =  | gdate = 10 July 2001 | fdate = 6 January 1999 | pridate =  | inventor = Ching-Cheng Tsai | invent1 =  | invent2 =  | assign1 = Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd. | assign2 =  | class = }}
* {{cite patent | country = US | number = 6781077 | status = patent | title = Keyswitch and actuator structure | pubdate =  | gdate = 24 August 2004 | fdate = 14 December 2000 | pridate =  | inventor = Robert Olodor | invent1 =  | invent2 =  | assign1 = Think Outside, Inc. | assign2 =  | class = }}

==Images==

<gallery widths=165 heights=250>
File:Elastomer.png
File:Elastomer-1.png
File:Elastomer-2.png
File:Elastomer-4.png
File:Elastomer-5.png
</gallery>

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Patents]]