Editing Space key (patent 3720801)

{{stub}}

{{infobox patent
| image     = [[file:space-key.png|frameless]]
| country   = US
| number    = 3720801
| inventor  = Makoto Yanaga
| issued    = 1973
| assignee  = [[Alps Electric|Alps Electric Co., Ltd.]]
| reference = {{cite patent|number=US3720801}}
}}

A '''space key''' or [[space bar]] is an invention by Makoto Yanaga in 1972. The main feature was the addition of a lower guide plate and a spring . It consisted of an elongated upper cover, a lower guide plate and a spring in between. A [[stabilizer]] rod pivots its ends, so upon depressing the keys any portion of the cover may actuate a switch without further inclination of the guide plate beneath. <ref>{{ cite patent | country = US | number = 3720801 | status = patent | title = Space key | pubdate =  | gdate = 1973 | fdate = 3 February 1972 | pridate =  | inventor = Makoto Yanaga | invent1 =  | invent2 =  | assign1 = Alps Electric Co., Ltd. Tokyo, Japan | assign2 =  | class = }}</ref>

==Description==

'''Space key'''
* Inventor: Makoto Yanaga
* Patent number: 3720801
* Filing date: 3 February 1972
* Issue date: 1973

==Abstract==

==Background of the invention==

==Referenced by==

*{{ cite patent | country = US | number = 3962556 | status = patent | title = Keyboard with versatile switch support structures | pubdate =  | gdate = 8 June 1976 | fdate = 10 January 1975 | pridate =  | inventor = Robert T. Kravchuck | invent1 =  | invent2 =  | assign1 = Texas Instruments Inc. | assign2 =  | class = }}
*{{ cite patent | country = US | number = 4010838 | status = patent | title = Spacer bar mechanism | pubdate =  | gdate = 8 March 1977 | fdate = 17 January 1975 | pridate =  | inventor = Dewey M. Simms, Jr. | invent1 =  | invent2 =  | assign1 = Burroughs Corporation | assign2 =  | class = }}
*{{ cite patent | country = US | number = 4384796 | status = patent | title = Keyboard space bar stabilizer | pubdate =  | gdate = 24 May 1983 | fdate = 18 March 1982 | pridate =  | inventor = Ronald S. Denley | invent1 =  | invent2 =  | assign1 = Oak Industries Inc. | assign2 =  | class = }}
*{{ cite patent | country = US | number = 4412754 | status = patent | title = Space bar for low profile keyboards | pubdate =  | gdate = 1 November 1983 | fdate = 23 September 1982 | pridate =  | inventor = Daniel R. Sparks | invent1 =  | invent2 =  | assign1 = Becton Dickinson and Company | assign2 =  | class = }}
*{{ cite patent | country = US | number = 4475832 | status = patent | title = Parallel guide for push-button switches with multiple buttons | pubdate =  | gdate = 9 October 1984 | fdate = 24 May 1983 | pridate =  | inventor = Walter Wachs | invent1 =  | invent2 =  | assign1 = Siemens Akiengesellschaft | assign2 =  | class = }}
*{{ cite patent | country = US | number = 4950093 | status = patent | title = Support mechanism for multiple-key units | pubdate =  | gdate = 17 July 1989 | fdate = 21 August 1990 | pridate =  | inventor = Wolfgang Ertl | invent1 =  | invent2 =  | assign1 = Cherry Mikroschalter GmbH | assign2 =  | class = }}
*{{ cite patent | country = US | number = 5712459 | status = patent | title = Push-type switch in particular with extended push component | pubdate =  | gdate = 27 January 1998 | fdate = 12 July 1995 | pridate =  | inventor = Wolfgang Ziegler | invent1 =  | invent2 =  | assign1 = Valeo Borg Instruments GmbH & Co. KG | assign2 =  | class = }}
*{{ cite patent | country = US | number = 6776547 | status = patent | title = Keyboard housing for a keypad of a push-button keyboard | pubdate =  | gdate = 17 August 2004 | fdate = 22 February 2002 | pridate =  | inventor = Dieter Dubois | invent1 =  | invent2 =  | assign1 = Fujitsu Siemans Computers GmbH | assign2 =  | class = }}

==Images==

<gallery widths=170 heights=250>
File:Space-key.png
File:Spacekey-1.png
</gallery>

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Patents]]