Elastic strip of keyboard and method for producing the same

Abstract

Elastic strips of a keyboard and a method for producing the same. An elastic sheet is produced by using a mold, wherein the elastic sheet has a plurality of rows of elastic domes formed thereon. Then, the elastic sheet is cut into a plurality of elastic strips, each of which has only one row of elastic domes.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for producing elastic strips of a keyboard, including the steps of: 
 (a) producing an elastic sheet by using a mold, wherein the elastic sheet has a plurality of rows of elastic domes; and    (b) cutting the elastic sheet into the elastic strips, each of which has only one row of elastic domes.    
     
     
         2 . A method for producing elastic strips of a keyboard as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein recesses are formed on the elastic sheet and between the elastic domes in step (a).  
     
     
         3 . A method for producing elastic strips of a keyboard, including the steps of: 
 (a) producing an elastic sheet by using a mold, wherein the elastic sheet has a plurality of rows of elastic domes;    (b) cutting the elastic sheet into a plurality of pieces, each of which has only one row of elastic domes; and    (c) cutting the pieces into the elastic strips.    
     
     
         4 . A method for producing elastic strips of a keyboard as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the pieces further have connecting portions connecting the elastic domes, and cut portions connecting the elastic domes and the connecting portions; wherein the cut portions are thicker than the connecting portions, and in step (c) the cut portions are removed.  
     
     
         5 . A method for producing elastic strips of a keyboard, including the step of: 
 (a) producing an elastic piece by using a mold, wherein the elastic piece has only one row of elastic domes.    
     
     
         6 . A method for producing elastic strips of a keyboard as claimed in  claim 5 , further including the step of 
 (b) cutting the elastic piece into a predetermined shape.    
     
     
         7 . A method for producing elastic strips of a keyboard as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the elastic piece has connecting portions connecting the elastic domes, and cut portions connecting the elastic domes and the connecting portions; wherein the cut portions are thicker than the connecting portions, and in step (b) the cut portions are removed away.  
     
     
         8 . An elastic strip of a keyboard including only one row of elastic domes.  
     
     
         9 . An elastic strip as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein recesses are formed on the elastic strip and between the elastic domes.  
     
     
         10 . A keyboard, including: 
 a foundation sheet;    a circuit membrane assembly disposed on the foundation sheet;    a plurality of elastic strips disposed on the circuit membrane assembly, each of the elastic strips having only one row of elastic domes;    a plurality of cap supports; and    a plurality of key caps movably mounted on the foundation sheet via the cap supports for pushing the elastic domes so that the elastic domes push against the circuit membrane assembly.    
     
     
         11 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the elastic strips further have connecting portions connecting the elastic domes; and on the connecting portions are formed recesses corresponding to edges of the key caps.  
     
     
         12 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the elastic strips further have connecting portions connecting the elastic domes; and notches are provided on edges of the key caps corresponding to the connecting portions.  
     
     
         13 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the elastic strips further having connecting portions connecting the elastic domes; recesses are formed on the connecting portions corresponding to edges of the key caps; and notches are provided on the edges of the key caps corresponding to the recesses.  
     
     
         14 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the elastic strips further have protrusions facing the circuit membrane assembly, and first through holes are formed on the circuit membrane assembly to receive the protrusions.  
     
     
         15 . A keyboard as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein second through holes are formed on the foundation sheet to receive the protrusions.  
     
     
         16 . A method for producing an elastic strip of a keyboard, including the step of: 
 (a) preparing a mold in which first spaces, second spaces smaller than the first spaces and third spaces are provided and communicate with one another;    (b) filling the mold with molten material to form the elastic strip which has cut portions formed in the first spaces, connecting portions formed in the second spaces and elastic domes formed in the third spaces; and    (c) removing the cut portions from the elastic strip.