Dovetail base assembly for keyswitches

Claim 2

A modular base assembly for constructing a keyswitch array, comprising: a foundation base module having a plurality of receptacles for receiving and supporting keyswitch elements, said receptacles grouped to form a standard typewriter key matrix; plural accessory base modules, each having at least one receptacle for receiving and supporting keyswitch elements; coupling means, comprising a flange and a recess, for coupling said accessory base modules to said foundation base module to form said keyswitch array, said coupling means including first and second contact surfaces, said first surface comprising a crush rib disposed on the sidewalls of said recess, said crush rib being adapted to deform when said base modules are coupled by engagement of said first and second contact surfaces, said second surface being more rigid than said first surface and adapted to tightly engage said first surface to provide interfering engagement between said flange and recess and to restrict movement between said flange and said recess.

Claim 3

A modular base assembly of claim 1 wherein said crush rib has a triangular shape with sides lying in planes which converge at a 60° angle.

Claim 4

The modular base assembly of claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises at least one dovetail shaped flange protruding from each of two sides of each base module and at least one dovetail shaped recess formed in each of two remaining sides of each base module.

Claim 5

A modular base assembly of claim 3 wherein said dovetail shaped flange has a substantially trapezoidal shaped cross-section.

Claim 6

A modular base assembly of claim 3 wherein said dovetail shaped flange defines a trapezoidal shaped surface.

Claim 7

A modular base assembly of claim 3 wherein said dovetail shaped recess has a substantially trapezoidal shaped cross-section.

Claim 8

A modular base assembly of claim 3 wherein said dovetail shape recess defines an opening having a trapezoidal shaped area.

Claim 9

A modular base assembly of claim 3 wherein said dovetail recess is slidingly engaged over said dovetail flange to couple adjacent base modules.

Claim 10

A modular assembly for constructing a keyswitch station array comprising: a plurality of modules each having at least one keyswitch receptacle; a plurality of vertically tapered flanges on at least one surface of each module; a plurality of vertically tapered recesses on at least one surface of each module, said recesses having an open end for receipt of said flanges, said recesses further including a crush rib disposed substantially along the vertical length of each side wall of the recess, said crush rib being deformable upon sliding engagement of the flange so as to ensure rigid mating of said vertically tapered recess and said vertically tapered flange.

Claim 11

A modular assembly for constructing a keyswitch station array comprising: a plurality of modules each having at least one keyswitch receptacle; a plurality of vertically tapered flanges on at least one surface of each module; a plurality of vertically tapered recesses on at least one surface of each module, said recesses having an open end for receipt of said flanges, said recesses further including a crush rib disposed substantially along the vertical length of each side wall of the recess, said crush rib being deformable upon sliding engagement of the flange so as to ensure rigid mating of said vertically tapered recess and said vertically tapered flange.

Claim 12

The assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein said recesses and said flanges have a dovetail configuration.

Claim 13

The assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein said module includes first and second surfaces, each having three of said flanges disposed thereon, and third and fourth surfaces, each having three of said recesses disposed thereon.

Claim 14

The assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein the crush ribs frictionally interlock said flange and said recess.

Claim 15

The assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein said frictional interlock is distributed along the length of said crush ribs.

Claim 16

A modular assembly for constructing a keyswitch array, comprising: a plurality of modules each having at least one keyswitch receptacle; and coupling means, comprising a flange and recess, for coupling pairs of said plural modules together to form said assembly, said flange including first and second contact surfaces, said recess including third and fourth contact surfaces for slideably engaging said first and second contact surfaces, respectively, said first and third contact surfaces adapted for deformable contact and said second and fourth contact surfaces adapted for rigid contact, said flange and recess correspondingly tapered to permit said flange to be partially inserted into said recess without deformation of said first and third contact surfaces, said first and third contact surfaces configured to deformably cooperate to increasingly bias said second and fourth rigidly contacting surfaces into increasingly tighter engagement as said first and third surfaces and said second and fourth surfaces slideably engage each other during further insertion of said flange into said recess, thereby accurately locating said pairs of said plural modules.

Claim 17

A modular assembly for constructing a keyswitch array, comprising: a plurality of modules each having at least one keyswitch receptacle; and coupling means, comprising a flange and recess, for coupling pairs of said plural modules together to form said assembly, said flange including first and second contact surfaces, said recess including third and fourth contact surfaces for slideably engaging said first and second contact surfaces, respectively, said first and third contact surfaces adapted for deformable contact and said second and fourth contact surfaces adapted for rigid contact, said flange and recess correspondingly tapered to permit said flange to be partially inserted into said recess without deformation of said first and third contact surfaces, said first and third contact surfaces configured to deformably cooperate to increasingly bias said second and fourth rigidly contacting surfaces into increasingly tighter engagement as said first and third surfaces and said second and fourth surfaces slideably engage each other during further insertion of said flange into said recess, thereby accurately locating said pairs of said plural modules.