Keyboard patents

This page is a list of known keyboard patents.

Keyboard Design Patents

Criteria

This list consists of patents that meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Patent describes the physical case design

• Patent preferably does not mention the switch technology, signalling mechanism, or controller design

Patents

Assignee	Patent Number	Name	Inventor(s)	Filing Date	Relation	Notes
Fujitsu	US D279191  D279191	Keyboard	Tadashi Nakamura, Yutaka Nakano	1983/03/25	Unknown	N/A
Fujitsu	US D293243 D293243	Keyboard	Yoshinori Kakiuchi	1985/11/21	Unknown	N/A
Fujitsu	US 5486059	Keyboard having improved keytop	Seiichi Iwasa, Hideyuki Motoyama, Makoto Yoshioka	1993/02/23	Unknown	N/A
Sony	US D270453  D270453	Word processor	Masahiro Takahashi	1981/06/05	Sony OA-S3400 Keyboard	N/A
Convergent Technologies	US D267879	Computer keyboard or similar article	Leroy B. Keely, Michael J. Nuttall, William G. Moggridge	1980/10/20	Convergent 64-00164	Also the same design used for a later Burroughs keyboard
Harvey Einbinder	US 3945482	Orthogonal input keyboards	Harvey Einbinder	1973/12/14	Unknown	Layout patent
Harvey Einbinder	US 3929216	Input keyboards	Harvey Einbinder	1973/09/04	Unknown	Layout patent
Harvey Einbinder	US 4332493	Ten-finger typewriter keyboards	Harvey Einbinder	1980/06/12	Unknown	Layout patent
Zenith	US 4669053	Portable personal computer	Horst M. Krenz	1984/05/31	Unknown	Portable computer case design patent
NEC	US 4847799	Keyboard apparatus having separate working areas with thumb-operated shifting of key functions	Masasuke Morita, Toshio Shimada, Toshiro Kitazaki	1987/04/17	Unknown	Layout patent
Ergonomics, Inc.	US 5416498	Prehensile positioning computer keyboard	Alan H. Grant	1993/05/17	(Was on ebay at one point...)	Ergonomic keyboard patent

Keyboard Controller and Signalling Patents

Criteria

This list consists of patents that meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Patent describes a keyboard controlling, sensing, or computer signalling scheme (protocol) for communicating with the host device

• Patent preferably does not mention the switch technology, or overall keyboard design

Patents

Assignee	Patent Number	Name	Inventor(s)	Filing Date	Relation	Notes
ITW	US 4263582	Keyboard with an externally programmable repeat rate and repeat delay rate and repeat delay rate counter	Steve Dumbovic	1979/08/24	Unknown	N/A
Texas Instruments Inc.	US 3668407	Optical switching for keyboard encoder	Hilton Wayne Spence, Walter T. Matzen	1970/05/28	Unknown	N/A
Honeywell	US 4375036	Keyboard strobe generation system	Robert C. Miller, David B. O'Keefe	1980/06/09	Unknown	N/A
Amkey	US 4163222	Synchronous phase detected keyboard	Donald C. Gove	1977/09/29	Unknown	N/A
AT&T	US 4651133	Method and apparatus for capacitive keyboard scanning	Apparajan Ganesan, Wayne A. Weise	1984/12/24	Unknown	N/A
General Instrument	US 4599607	Acoustic keyboard	Lawrence R. Hill	1983/10/31	Unknown	N/A
Arne Bergstrom	US 4254333	Optoelectronic circuit element	Arne Bergstrom	1983/05/31	Unknown	N/A
Maxi Switch	US 4581603	Switch matrix key closure validation device and method	William E. Ingold, Dominic J. Daninger	1983/03/11	--	--

Keyboard Switch Patents

Criteria

This list consists of patents that meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Patent describes the design of keyboard switches

• Patent preferably does not mention the overall keyboard design, signalling mechanism, or controller design

Patents

Assignee	Patent Number	Name	Inventor(s)	Filing Date	Relation	Notes
Apple Computer, Inc.	US 4525613	Spiral spring keyboard switch with hairpin spring tactile feedback	Gary C. Butts	1984/01/20	Apple hairpin spring
SMK	US 5117077	Keyboard switch	Hidemasa Sakurada	1991/04/30	—
ITW	US 4017850	Magnetic keyswitch with two-piece support assembly	Edward W. Wanatowicz, Jr.	1976/02/02	—
ITW	US 4227163	Electrical keyswitch	Raymond Barnoski	1979/03/05	—
ITW	US 4295012	Secretarial shift mechanism for an electric keyboard	Robert J. Keeler, Stanley E. Filipiak	1980/02/04	—
SMK Co.,Ltd.	US 5306886	Keyboard switch	Kazunori Yamada	1992/06/15	—
SMK Corporation	US 5430267	Keyboard switch	Kumio Ozeki; Fumio Watanabe; Haruo Yoshida; Yosuke Sakai	1993/12/01	—
SMK Co.,Ltd.	US 4866228	Key switch with multiple contact points	Osamu Kamishima	1987/11/20	SMK clicky switch
Fujitsu Limited	US 4370533	Keyboard switch and process for production thereof	Seisuke Kamei; Hideo Nabetani; Ryohei Kinshita	1980/12/05	Fujitsu Leaf Spring (Contained)
Fujitsu Limited	US 4529849	Push-button and a keyboard comprising the same	Seisuke Kamei; Toshiaka Tanaka; Kazutoshi Hayashi; Akira Tanaka; Ryohei Kinoshita	1984/04/03	Fujitsu Leaf Spring
Fujitsu Limited	US 4803316	Push button switch using dome spring and switch element thereof	Kazutoshi Hayashi; Hideo Nabetani; Toshiaki Tanaka; Kazushi Ishida	1986/10/16	Fujitsu Peerless without dome?
Alps Electric	US 4153829	Pushbutton switch assembly	Taneo Murata	1977/02/16
Alps Electric	US 4186290	Push button switch	Katsuyuki Matsuo	1978/12/26	Alps vertical plate spring
Alps Electric	US 4249053	Push button switch	Kotaro Tsutsui	1979/10/04
Alps Electric	US 4249055	Push button switch	Katsuyuki Matsuo	1979/05/23	Alps vertical plate spring
Alps Electric	US 4596912	Push-button switch	Yoichi Hattori	1985/02/20
Alps Electric	US 4642433	Pushbutton switch with aural confirmation of operation	Taneo Murata	1985/07/11	Alps SKCM Blue
Alps Electric	US 4760225	Push button switch having a frame member for preventing solder penetration of switch contacts	Yasunari Takano	1987/01/14	Alps common mount low profile
Alps Electric	US 4920245	A push-button switch with uniform on and off timings	Yasunari Takano; Mitsushiro Okada	1988/06/30	Alps SKCL/SKCM series
Alps Electric	US 4935591	Push button switch	Kyoichi Kaneko	1988/08/04
Alps Electric	US 4613737	Low profile pushbutton switch with tactile feedback	Akio Nishijima	1984/09/04	Alps plate spring
Alps Electric	US 4514608	Locking type pushbutton switch	Taneo Murata	1983/12/05	Alps SKCL Lock
International Business Machines	US 4689608	Magnetically snap actuated contact keyboard apparatus	Frank J. Bolda, John P. McKnight, Russell J. Sturm	1985/01/22	—
The Keyboard Company (Datanetics)	US 4341934	Actuator for keyboard switches	Michael Muller	1980/11/21	—
The Keyboard Company (Datanetics)	US 4418257	Keyboard switch	Michael Muller, Gary C. Butt	1981/11/23	—
Topre Corporation	US 4482932	Keyboard switch	Hiroshi Hasegawa	1981/10/19	Topre switch
Topre Corporation	US 4584444	Keyboard switch	Takao Nagashima	1986/04/22	Topre switch
Topre Corporation	US 4659879	Key Switch	Hiroshi Hasegawa	1985/12/24	—
Topre Corporation	US 4851626	Key switch device	Takao Nagashima	1988/06/24	Topre conductive switch
Cherry Electrical Prod Corp,Us	US 3770923	Alternate-action switch actuator with pawl stop plate also providing a guide for stroke-control means	J Us Habecker	1972/01/14	Cherry M6 alternate action
Cherry Electrical Products Limited	EP0157035	Mechanical keyboard with membrane switch array	Allan Ellson	1984/08/22	Cherry MY
Cherry-Mikroschalter Gmbh	US 4800245	Key module for key-actuated membrane switch panels	Walter H. Mertel; Gunter Murmann	1986/07/31	Cherry MY
Cherry-Mikroschalter Gmbh	EP0233926	Key module for contact foil keyboards	Walter Hans Mertel; Günter Murmann	1986/07/31	Cherry MY
Oak Industries	US 4553009	Keyboard switch with pivotal actuator lever	Anthony J. Van Zeeland; Ronald S. Denley	1983/11/21	—	Osborne, Sun Type 3
Futaba	US 4942276	Clicked key board switch	Hideo Kato	1989/04/11	—
Futaba	US 4952762	Keyboard switch	Masaharu Koyanagi	1989/04/07	—
Burroughs Corporation	US 4314113	Keyswitch having contacts mounted on cantilever beams	Edward I. Nelson	1980/01/21	—
Burroughs Corporation	US 4479111	Photo-optical switch apparatus	Craig c. Madsen; Daniel B. Stewart; James Andree	1982/02/09	Burroughs Opto-Electric
Burroughs Corporation	US 4301345	Key switch actuation by torsion spring	Justin Balta	1980/02/26	Burroughs Opto-Electric
Oki Electric Industry Co, Ltd.	US 4755645	Push button switch	Kunimine Naoki; Hokari Shoji; Tachibana Sadao	1987/08/18	—
Oki Electric Industry Co, Ltd.	US 4927990	Spring-biased push-button switch having a spring-loaded tactile feedback feature	Kazuo Aoki; Toshimi Chiba; Sadao Tachibana; Yasushi Nagatomo	1989/03/03	—
Burroughs Corporation	US 3969600	Tactile feedback keyboard switch assembly and actuator	Dewey M. Sims, Jr.	1975/06/11	Burroughs Opto-Electric
Burroughs Corporation	US 4117430	Keyboard switch	Dewey M. Sims, Jr.	1977/03/14	Burroughs Opto-Electric
Burroughs Corporation	US 4291225	Molded plastic photo-optical keyboard	Edward L. Nelson	1979/09/14	Burroughs Opto-Electric
Burroughs Corporation	US 4379968	Photo-optical keybard having light attenuating means	Richard I. Ely; Edward I. Nelson	1980/12/24	Burroughs Opto-Electric
Scantlin Electronics	US3772684	Push button keyboard with oscillator keying	John R. Scantlin	1972/01/26	—	Quotron
Scantlin Electronics	[1]	Cam operated snap switch having wire contacts	John R. Scantlin	1966/09/20	—	Quotron
DataHand Systems, Inc.	US 5921382	Magnetically enhanced membrane switch	Dale Retter	1998/09/30	—
DataHand Systems, Inc.	US 5743666	Adjustable keyboard	Anthony VanZeeland; Dale Retter; Stefen Dikov	1997/02/25	—
DataHand Systems, Inc.	US 6677843	Magnetically coupled pushbutton plunger switch	Dennis Monroe; Anthony J. Van Zeeland	2003/06/06	—
The Singer Company	US 3693123	Improved operator touch	Egon A. Pedersen	1970/11/14	—
The Singer Company	US 3736397	Keybooard switch assembly with pushbutton magnetic latching structure for non-operative position	Egon A. Pedersen	1972/01/24	—
The Singer Company	US 3761016	Keyboard having improved magnetic actuator	Eon A. Pedersen	1972/08/23	—
Hathaway Instruments	US 3652964	Pushbutton switch and assembly	Harold B. Chamberlain	1970/11/19	—
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha	US 3678424	Keboard switch assembly	Hideo Iwashima; Satoshi Fukao	1971/05/13	—
George Risk	US 3622926	Magnetically actuatable reed switch	George Risk	1970/03/12	—
Engineering Research Applications, Inc.	US RE32419	Molded keyboard and method of fabricating same	Craig E. Rooney	1986/01/27	—
John G. Gamble	US 3848216	Solid state keyboard switch	John G. Gamble	1973/10/09	—	Hall effect switch patent
Richard A. Eckhardt	US 4480937	Breakaway leafspring actuated keyswitch apparatus	Richard A. Eckhardt	1982/08/30	—
Maxi Switch	US 4132487	Keyboard switch	Robert P. Fisher	1977/05/16	—
Mechanical Enterprises, Inc.	US 4600819	Switch assembly	Robert H. Twyford	1985/03/08	MEI T-15 series
Cherry Mikroschalter Gmbh	US 5488213	Low-profile keyboard key	Jorg Dittrich	1992/09/23	Cherry ML
Cherry Electrical Products Corporation	US 4467160	Low profile switch	Gunter Bauer; Gunter Murmann	1983/07/12	Cherry MX
Hi-Tek Corporation	EP0094839	Dovetail base assembly for keyswitches	Robert W. Bessier; Manuel T. Guest; Eldon R. Lancaster	1983/05/18	Hi-Tek Dovetail Series
Hi-Tek Corporation	US 4564732	Dovetail base assembly for keyswitches	Robert W. Bessier; Manuel T. Guest; Eldon R. Lancaster	1984/10/18	Hi-Tek Dovetail Series
Hi-Tek Corporation	EP0124206A1	Low profile keyswitch	Robert W. Bessire [sic]	1984/02/16	Hi-Tek Series 725
Stackpole Components Company	US 3916150	Data machine keyboard assembly with elongated key cap for actuating an electric switch	Lynn W. Abernethy; Robert H. Tillack	1974/03/04	—
Stackpole Components Company	US 3767878	Keyboard switch	Allan J. Sykora	1972/09/21	Stackpole discrete switch
Stackpole Components Company	US 3924089	Keyboard switch	Lynn W. Abernethy	1974/08/28	Stackpole discrete switch
Stackpole Components Company	US 4119821	Normally closed switch	Arthur Wayne Overton	1977/09/26	Stackpole discrete switch
Stackpole Components Company	US 4255635	Keyswitch	Dudley H. Campbell; James A. Daggerhart; Arthur W. Overton	1979/09/17	Stackpole switch grid
Stackpole Components Company	US 4342892	Keyswitch	Robert D. Ayers	1980/08/08	Stackpole switch grid
Stackpole Components Company	US 4342892	Keyswitch	Robert D. Ayers	1980/08/08	Stackpole switch grid
Westinghouse Electric Corp	US 2913688	Switching Devices	Thomas W. Slebodnik, Frank J. Rau	1956/06/28		#HaaTa!
Philips Electronics N.V./Philips Electronics Uk Limited	EP0043618	Push button switch	Laurence Harry Finlayson	1981/06/24		#HaaTa!
U.S. Philips Corporation	US 4385219	Push button switch	Laurence H. Finlayson	1981/07/01		#HaaTa!
Illinois Tool Works Inc.	US 3902032	Electrical switch with improved contact structure	Koepke; John A.	1974/06/07		#HaaTa!
Hi Tek Corp,Us	US 3751618	Push-switch with spring biased plunger	D Us Hallerberg	1972/02/23		#HaaTa!
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha	US 3900712	Keyboard switch arrangement	Satoshi Fukao	1974/01/18		#HaaTa!
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha	US 4736076	Capacitance switching device for keyboard	Isao Mochizuki, Mitsumasa Kako, Yoshihisa Masuda	1987/03/18		Image 7 might be an indication that the IBM RT domes were designed by Brother
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha	US 4760217	Keyboard having lower casing with integral upraised portion for supporting PC board, and key switch having air vent in PC board	Makoto Suzuki, Mitsumasa Kako, Satoshi Fukao	1987/02/03		Fig. 2 and 3 may be indications that IBM RT domes were designed by Brother
Sperry Rand	US 3696908	Capacitive key	Julius Gluck, Raul Lara	1970/11/09	Univac Magnetic Separation	Univac F-1355-00
Sperry Rand	US 3631472	Capacitive keying module and system	Andrew J. Lincoln	1970/01/02
IBM	US 3693059	Capacitive coupling switch and actuator	Richard H. Harris	1971/09/17
Navigation Computer Corp.	US 3664014	Universal modular printed circuit magnetic reed keyboard switch assembly	Peter A. Peroni, John Paul Jones, Jr.	1969/08/14
RAFI	DE 2914954	Sealed press button switch	Albert Wasmeier	1979/04/12	RAFI RS 74
Chen; Win-Join	US 5124514	Structure of mechanical key switch	Win-Join Chen	1991/07/08	Alps clone	Company unknown, probably Taiwan Tai-Hao or Himake