U.S. Utility Patent 4,859,820 (US4859820A)

Provided by the ASK Keyboard Patents database

Patent diagrams of AT&T's quiet key switch at rest (left) and pressed (right)
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NameQuiet key switch
InventorsCasimer Gotfryd, Stephen L. Kay, Hartland P. Klotz, Robert M. Wentzel
AssigneesAT&T
DescriptionAn invention of a membrane-driven buckling spring keyswitch designed to be quieter than IBM's 1983 predecessor (US4528431A). Compared to it, AT&T embedded a foam cylindrical core towards the bottom of the buckling spring to suppress spring whilst not affecting its operation otherwise. It is presently unknown if this design was implemented, though contemporary "floss mods" applied to IBM buckling spring keyboards achieve a similar effect.