Self aligning minimal gap keycaps

摘要

Keyboard keys are outfitted with alignment features whose configuration, placement and geometry on a key serve to allow the key to automatically self-locate when the key returns from a pressed down, accessed, position, to its home, resting, position. In this manner, keyboards can be designed with keys with minimal keycap gaps that reduce the perceptible variance in the keycap spacing to be ascetically pleasing with minimal manufacturing costs.

主权项

1. A keycap for a keyboard, the keycap comprising:
a configuration of at least one nub on the keycap that will assist the keycap to align with at least one neighboring keycap of the keyboard when the keycap returns from a suppressed position to a resting position on the keyboard, the at least one nub comprising a portion of a base of the keycap; a placement of a first nub on the keycap that results in the first nub touching a second nub on a first neighboring keycap of the keyboard when the keycap and the first neighboring keycap are both in their resting position on the keyboard; and a geometry for a third nub on the keycap comprising an angle that assists the keycap to align with a second neighboring keycap of the keyboard when the keycap returns from a suppressed position to a resting position on the keyboard while reducing friction between the keycap and the second neighboring keycap.