Title of Invention

FLEXIBLE INPUT PANEL IN A MULTI-FUNCTIONAL PERIPHERAL

Abstract

The present invention is aimed at providing a flexible keyboard and/or LCD panel that can be adjusted or rotated .It gives the user more convenience to work on the MFP by keeping the key board at his desired position, so that it can be clearly viewed. The user can rotate the keyboard either smoothly or can rotate it in steps with the help of an advanced wheel. The user can adjust the keyboard in such a position so that he can carry out his operations in the MFP even by sitting in a chair when he wants to operate the MFP for a long time.

Full Text

FIELD OF INVENTION The invention in general relates to Multifunctional Peripherals (MFP) devices. Particularly the present invention relates to a flexible keyboard and LCD display for MFP that can be adjusted or rotated. More particularly the present invention relates to a flexible input panel in an MFP. Herein keyboard/panel shall mean and include all kind of keyboards and/or panel used to provide inputs to the MFP. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART Presently available multifunctional peripherals have an onboard LCD (Liquid Crystal Panel) panel and a keyboard. The LCD panel and the keyboard are permanently fixed to the MFP. Therefore, if a user has to operate on the MFP for a long period of time, the user has to keep standing for that period of time. Additionally, the keyboard cannot be adjusted or rotated. Hence, the keyboard is not visible to the users from all angles and heights. GB1432115A, titled" BUSINESS MACHINE WITH AN ADJUSTABLE KEYBOARD", describes a flexible keyboard for a business machine which can be set to a desired orientation through locking mechanism. The keyboard comprises a hinge about which it can be tilted to different angles and two support members, which helps in locking the keyboard to a predetermined operative position. The keyboard also comprises a mechanism for adjusting the elevation position of the keyboard. US20050139679A1, titled," Rotatable / Removable keyboard", describes a scanning device having a keypad and a display which can be desirably oriented by a user while entering the data. The adjustable keypad is rotated with respect to the body of the scanner to enhance the readability of the bar code. The invention further discloses the scanning device has a detachable face. The detachable face includes a moveable keypad and display which can be desirably positioned with respect to the scanning component. However, the scanner as mentioned in this publication is a portable barcode scanner. In Steve's Digicams - Photosmart 475, the article describes a tilting LCD panel of HP Photosmart 475 GoGo Photo Printer. The user can tilt the display panel according to his requirements and edit the photographs. However, the keyboard of the Photo Printer has not been mentioned to be of flexible type. Also, the display panel has not been disclosed as rotatable. The concept of having a flexible keyboard and/or LCD panel for an MFP has been disclosed in the patent publications GB1432115A, US20050139679A1, and the article "Steve's Digicams - Photosmart 475". But none of the above mentioned prior art explicitly discusses about the rotational adjustment of the keyboard and/or the LCD panel. The article discloses a photo printer having an LCD panel, which can be tilted to any desired angle for easier viewing. The patent publication US20050139679A1 discloses a scanning device with detachable face, wherein the detachable face includes a flexible keyboard and display. This flexible keyboard can be desirably oriented by the user to facilitate entering of data in the device. However, the scanner is a portable barcode scanner. Further, none of above mentioned prior art explicitly discusses about the rotational adjustment of the keyboard and/or the LCD panel. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary object of the present invention is to provide a multifunction peripheral (MFP) with a flexible keyboard / LCD panel that can be rotated or adjusted conveniently. The present invention provides a multifunctional peripheral (MFP) that has a flexible keyboard and a LCD panel that can be rotated or adjusted conveniently by the user. The keyboard along with the LCD panel can be rotated along an axis with the help of an advanced wheel. The advanced wheel gives two types of movement to the keyboard. With this advanced wheel the keyboard can be either rotated smoothly or step by step. The flexible keyboard together with the LCD panel can be accessed by users from different angles and heights. The keyboard can be accessed by the user even when he is sitting in a chair. This gives the user operating the MFP greater degree of convenience without the need for standing near the MFP for a long time. Accordingly the invention explains a flexible input panel in MFP adapted to be rotated and oriented as per user requirements, wherein the said panel comprises an axis along which the said panel can be rotated and at least one wheel which gives the panel two types of movement along the axis. The panel further comprises of at least one keyboard and/or at least one graphical LCD/touch screen which allows the user to navigate through different options in the MFP. The wheel is provided with a user selection means which enable smooth rotation of the panel along the axis or step by step rotation along the axis. When the user selection means is enabled, the diameter of the axis increases which makes a plurality of locking means to move upwards filling the plurality of gaps associated with the locking means enabling smooth rotation of the wheel. When the user selection means is not enabled the diameter of the axis comes to an original position which makes the plurality of locking means to move down forming gaps in the surface of the rotating wheel. The gap formation enable the step by step movement for the wheel and the panel along the axis. These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the ensuing detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig 1 shows rotatable keyboard. Fig 2 shows the detailed view of rotating wheel. Fig 3 shows the view of the keyboard after rotation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood however that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. The following description and drawings are not to be construed as limiting the invention and numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention, as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. However in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail. The present invention provides an MFP with a flexible keyboard/ LCD panel. The keyboard can be rotated or adjusted conveniently so that the user can access the MFP even while sitting on a chair. Additionally, as the keyboard is flexible it is visible to users from different heights and angles. The present invention uses an advanced wheel fixed in the keyboard for rotating the keyboard along the axis. The advanced wheel is provided with a push button, which gives two types of movement for the keyboard along the axis. When the button is pressed the keyboard gets detached from the MFP and it can be rotated along the axis smoothly. When the button is not pressed the keyboard can be rotated along the axis in steps (step by step movement). Fig 1 shows a rotatable keyboard consisting of a graphical LCD/touch screen (1), which allows the user to navigate through different options in the MFP (i.e. the User Interface), a key pad (2), the axis along which the keyboard can be rotated (3), the advanced wheel (4) which gives the keyboard two types of movement along the axis. Fig 2 explains the functioning of the advanced wheel. The advanced wheel is provided with a button (1). With the help of this advanced wheel the keyboard can be either rotated smoothly along the axis or can be moved step by step along the axis of rotation. The two types of movement of the advanced wheel can be explained in detail as follows. Smooth movement of the keyboard When the push button (1) is pressed, the diameter of the axis increases which makes the peaces (3) to move upwards; As the peaces move upwards they will fill the gaps (2) shown in fig 2. Hence the surface of the rotating wheel will be smooth. This provides smooth movement of the wheel and hence the keyboard. Step by step movement of the keyboard When the button (1) is back in its normal position (when the button is not pressed) then the diameter of the axis comes to the original position which makes the peaces (3) also to come down and gaps (2) are formed in the surface of the rotating wheel. These gaps give a step by step movement for the advanced wheel and hence the keyboard. This allows the user to rotate the keyboard step by step along the axis. Hence the keyboard can be adjusted to a position that is convenient for the user to carry out the operations on the MFP for a long time. Fig 3 shows the view of the keyboard after rotation. A user of the MFP of the present invention operates on the MFP using the flexible keyboard and LCD panel. The keyboard can be rotated or adjusted conveniently so that the user can access the MFP even while sitting on a chair. Additionally, the flexible keyboard is visible to users from all angles and heights. It will also be obvious to those skilled in the art that other control methods and apparatuses can be derived from the combinations of the various methods and apparatuses of the present invention as taught by the description and the accompanying drawings and these shall also be considered within the scope of the present invention. Further, description of such combinations and variations is therefore omitted above. It should also be noted that the host for storing the applications include but not limited to a microchip, microprocessor, handheld communication device, computer, rendering device or a multi function device. Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are possible and are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unless they depart there from. WE CLAIM, 1. A flexible input panel in MFP adapted to be rotated and oriented as per user requirements, wherein the said panel comprises an axis along which the said panel can be rotated and at least one wheel which gives the panel two types of movement along the axis. 2. The panel as claimed in claim 1 further comprises of at least one keyboard and/or at least one graphical LCD/touch screen which allows the user to navigate through different options in the MFP. 3. The panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wheel is provided with a user selection means which enable smooth rotation of the panel along the axis or step by step rotation along the axis. 4. The panel as claimed in claim 3, wherein when the user selection means is enabled, the diameter of the axis increases which makes a plurality of locking means to move upwards filling the plurality of gaps associated with the locking means enabling smooth rotation of the wheel. 5. The panel as claimed in claim 4, wherein when the user selection means is not enabled the diameter of the axis comes to an original position which makes the plurality of locking means to move down forming gaps in the surface of the rotating wheel. 6. The panel as claimed in claim 5, wherein the gap formation enable the step by step movement for the wheel and the panel along the axis. 7. A flexible input panel in MFP adapted to be rotated and oriented as per user requirements substantially described particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

2346-CHE-2007 AMENDED PAGES OF SPECIFICATION 02-09-2013.pdf

2346-CHE-2007 AMENDED CLAIMS 02-09-2013.pdf

2346-CHE-2007 EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY RECEIVED 02-09-2013.pdf

2346-CHE-2007 FORM-1 02-09-2013.pdf

2346-CHE-2007 FORM-13 02-09-2013.pdf

2346-CHE-2007 POWER OF ATTORNEY 02-09-2013.pdf

2346-che-2007-abstract.pdf

2346-che-2007-claims.pdf

2346-che-2007-correspondnece-others.pdf

2346-che-2007-description(complete).pdf

2346-che-2007-drawings.pdf

2346-che-2007-form 1.pdf