Patent landscapes › Electronics & gadgets

Is a mechanical keyboard patented?

Short answer: specific designs of a mechanical keyboard have been patented many times, but "a mechanical keyboard" as a general idea is not what is protected. What matters is the exact combination of features in your version.

What our index shows
  • 6,852 US and WO patent publications since 2000 have a title matching “keyboard” or a close variant (our index of 9.7 million patent families; one publication per family).
  • Among the 1474 best keyword matches we examined, 408 were published in 2020 or later, and the earliest was published in 2000.
  • Most frequent assignees in those matches: PRIMAX ELECTRONICS LTD (122), DARFON ELECTRONICS CORP (46), DELL PRODUCTS LP (40), DONGGUAN CITY KAIHUA ELECT CO LTD (34).
  • Most common patent classes (CPC subclasses): G06F (891), H01H (832), H03K (104), H03M (51).

Counts come from keyword matching on titles and abstracts, so they are indicative, not a legal count. Some matches are different products that share a word.

14 real patent publications related to a mechanical keyboard

  1. Conduction member of pluggable ultrathin mechanical keyboard switch WO-2025020973-A1 2025 · DONGGUAN CITY KAIHUA ELECT CO LTD
    A conduction member of a pluggable ultrathin mechanical keyboard switch, comprising a fixing seat, a balance frame assembly, and a conduction member, wherein the conduction member is a conductive elastomer, and a fixing part is pr…
    View on Google Patents
  2. Pluggable ultrathin mechanical keyboard switch WO-2025020968-A1 2025 · DONGGUAN CITY KAIHUA ELECT CO LTD
    A pluggable ultrathin mechanical keyboard switch, comprising a base, a balance frame assembly, a conduction member, and a driving rod, and further comprising a fixing plate arranged in parallel with a PCB, and snap-fit blocks resp…
    View on Google Patents
  3. Plug-in mounting structure for pluggable ultrathin mechanical keyboard switch WO-2025020974-A1 2025 · DONGGUAN CITY KAIHUA ELECT CO LTD
    A plug-in mounting structure for a pluggable ultrathin mechanical keyboard switch, comprising a base arranged on a PCB, and comprising a fixing plate arranged in parallel to the PCB and at least one fastening block respectively ar…
    View on Google Patents
  4. Pluggable mechanical keyboard switch WO-2025020969-A1 2025 · DONGGUAN CITY KAIHUA ELECT CO LTD
    Disclosed in the present invention is a pluggable mechanical keyboard switch, comprising: a base, a cover, a guide core, a restoring spring and a connection member, which are detachably mounted on a PCB, wherein the guide core ext…
    View on Google Patents
  5. Key switch mounting structure for mechanical keyboard WO-2025130556-A1 2025 · DONGGUAN CITY KAIHUA ELECT CO LTD
    A key switch mounting structure for a mechanical keyboard, comprising a PCB (1) provided on the bottom walls of shaft bodies (3) and fixing plates (41). There are provided multiple pairs of fixing plates (41), the multiple pairs o…
    View on Google Patents
  6. Multi-mode mechanical keyboard switch US-11923157-B2 2024 · ZEAL GENERATION INC
    A multi-mode mechanical key switch assembly has a housing and a stem supported in a base of the housing, the stem constrained to move, when depressed during keystroke, from a resting state and toward the base of the housing. The a…
    View on Google Patents
  7. Thin photoelectric mechanical keyboard switch US-10910172-B2 2021 · DONGGUAN CITY KAIHUA ELECT CO LTD
    A thin photoelectric mechanical keyboard switch includes a printed circuit board (PCB), a base, and a keycap. A first accommodation slot, a second accommodation slot, and a surrounding slot are provided at the base. A balancing fr…
    View on Google Patents
  8. Keyboard key with capacitive switch having mechanical and proximity switching functions US-11012069-B2 2021 · TACTUAL LABS CO
    A key switch implements a receiving switch conductor and transmitting switch conductor in the key switch. Depressing the key switch will cause the receiving switch conductor and transmitting switch conductor to approach each other…
    View on Google Patents
  9. Thin type mechanical keyboard switch US-10854400-B2 2020 · DONGGUAN CITY KAIHUA ELECT CO LTD
    A thin type mechanical keyboard switch including a base and a keycap arranged on the base is provided. The base is provided with a first side accommodating groove, a conducting component. The base is further provided with a second…
    View on Google Patents
  10. Multi-step mechanical switch for a keyboard US-2020150777-A1 2020 · LOGITECH EUROPE SA
    This disclosure describes various configurations for a keyboard having multiple key assemblies. Each of the key assemblies includes a keycap and a key stem supporting the keycap that includes a protrusion extending laterally there…
    View on Google Patents
  11. Long overtravel and overtravel adjustable composite mechanical switch for membrane keyboard WO-2019196611-A1 2019 · TRANTEK ELECTRONICS CO LTD
    The present utility model relates to a long overtravel and overtravel adjustable composite mechanical switch for a membrane keyboard, comprising an upper cover, a base matching the upper cover and a button; the upper cover and the…
    View on Google Patents
  12. Ultra-thin mechanical keyboard switch having clicking sound WO-2018064941-A1 2018 · DONGGUAN CITY KAIHUA ELECT CO LTD
    An ultra-thin mechanical keyboard switch having a clicking sound, comprising a key cap (1), a lid (2), a guide core (3) and a base (4) which are disposed sequentially from top to bottom; the base (4) is provided with a turn-on com…
    View on Google Patents
  13. Switch module of photoelectric integrated mechanical shaft keyboard US-9838006-B2 2017 · DONG GUAN LONGIDEAL IND CO LTD
    A switch module of a photoelectric integrated mechanical shaft keyboard, having a casing and a key cap a driving device, a photoelectric switch, a movable optical module and a fixed optical module. The photoelectric switch has a P…
    View on Google Patents
  14. Photoelectric keyboard switch and mechanical keyboard WO-2017219383-A1 2017 · SHENZHEN HUANGZHAOMING TECH COMPANY LIMITED
    Disclosed are a photoelectric keyboard switch and a mechanical keyboard. The photoelectric keyboard switch comprises a PCB (90), a housing (10), and a pressing shaft (20). The pressing shaft is adapted to move up and down in the h…
    View on Google Patents

What this means for your idea

Because patents cover specific combinations of features, the useful question is not “has a mechanical keyboard been patented?” but “has my combination of features been described before?” Consumer electronics are among the most heavily patented areas; the specific circuit, mounting, or interaction is what distinguishes a design.

Check your own version of a mechanical keyboard

Get the 10 closest patents to your design, charted feature by feature, in 24 hours. Order the $99 report See a sample

Or get the full $99 report: top 10 references charted feature by feature, in 24 hours.

Guides that help with this

First-look landscape. Not exhaustive. Not legal advice. This page lists keyword-matched publications from a limited database; it does not say whether any product is or isn't covered by a patent, whether a patent is still in force, or whether your idea is patentable. Consult a registered patent attorney or agent.