CN115410848A

CN115410848A - Push-button

Info

Publication number: CN115410848A
Application number: CN202110592779.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 张家维; 蔡宗晋; 蔡磊龙
Original assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd
Current assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd
Priority date: 2021-05-28
Filing date: 2021-05-28
Publication date: 2022-11-29

Abstract

The invention provides a key. The key comprises a bottom plate, a supporting element, an elastic arm and a keycap. The keycap is provided with a convex block. The supporting element is arranged on the bottom plate, the elastic arm is connected to the supporting element and corresponds to the protruding block of the keycap, and the keycap is connected with the supporting element. When the key cap moves towards the direction of the base plate, the convex block of the key cap can support and press the elastic arm, the elastic arm generates elastic deformation and breaks away from the convex block after being supported and pressed by the convex block, and the elastic arm can impact the key cap to generate sound after breaking away from the convex block.

Description

Push-button

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to input devices, and particularly to a key assembly.

Background

Many of the known keyboards are membrane circuit keyboards, which use elastic elements to trigger membrane circuits under the keys to generate key signals, and not mechanical keyboards, which use metal elements inside the keys to contact each other to generate key signals. Therefore, the sound generated by the membrane circuit keyboard when being pressed is generally the sound generated by the keycap impacting the bottom plate, and the sound is quiet and low, and on the contrary, the membrane circuit keyboard does not generate bright friction sound like the metal element of a mechanical keyboard, and does not generate obvious pressing vibration hand feeling.

However, many users want to enjoy the bright sound and vibration feeling of the keys when pressing the mechanical keyboard when using the membrane circuit keyboard. However, if these structures generating sound and vibration are added to the film circuit keyboard, the key structure of the film circuit keyboard itself is greatly changed, so that the height and weight of the key are increased, the manufacturing cost is increased, and the assembly is difficult.

Disclosure of Invention

In order to solve the problems of the prior art, the invention provides a key. The keys of the invention can be added with a sound structure under the condition of not greatly changing the original film circuit keyboard structure, and bright sound and obvious vibration hand feeling can be generated by the pressing action of the original keys. Meanwhile, the sound structure added to the key of the invention can be extended from the original element of the key, thus not increasing a large amount of cost and causing difficulty in assembly, and not affecting the triggering function of the key.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a key, including: a base plate; a circuit layer disposed on the bottom plate: an elastic element arranged on the circuit layer; a supporting element arranged on the bottom plate and surrounding the elastic element; an elastic arm connected to the supporting element; and a key cap covering the elastic element and connected to the support element, the key cap having a protrusion corresponding to the elastic arm; when the key cap moves towards the direction of the base plate, the convex block presses the elastic arm, the elastic arm generates elastic deformation and breaks away from the pressing of the convex block after being pressed by the convex block, and the elastic arm strikes the key cap to make a sound after breaking away from the pressing of the convex block.

Preferably, the supporting element has an outer frame and an inner frame, the outer frame surrounds the inner frame, and the elastic arm is connected to the outer frame.

Preferably, the supporting member has a stopper disposed on the outer frame of the supporting member and located below the elastic arm.

Preferably, the elastic arm has a connecting portion, a knocking portion and a shifting portion, the connecting portion is connected to the supporting element, the knocking portion corresponds to the key cap, and the shifting portion corresponds to the protrusion of the key cap.

Preferably, the knocking portion of the elastic arm protrudes toward the keycap.

Preferably, the protrusion of the key cap has a pressing portion, the pressing portion corresponds to the toggle portion of the elastic arm, and the pressing portion is used for pressing the toggle portion of the elastic arm.

Preferably, the key cap has an inner annular wall and an inner surface, the protrusion of the key cap is disposed on the inner annular wall, and the inner surface corresponds to the knocking portion of the elastic wall.

Preferably, when the key cap moves towards the bottom plate, the key cap presses the elastic element, the bump of the key cap presses the elastic arm, and after the elastic element presses the circuit layer, the elastic arm is separated from the bump and impacts the key cap.

Preferably, when the elastic restoring force of the elastic arm is greater than the resisting force of the bump, the elastic arm is separated from the bump and releases the elastic deformation, so that the elastic arm impacts the keycap.

The invention utilizes the elastic arm arranged on the support element of the key and the convex block extending from the key cap to make the convex block press the elastic arm, and then the elastic arm rebounds to impact the key cap to make sound and vibration. The purpose of generating pressing sound and hand feeling without changing the original key structure is achieved.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a key according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a key usage status according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a key usage status according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

The reference numbers are as follows:

1: push-button

10: base plate

20: circuit layer

30: elastic element

40: supporting element

41: outer frame

42: inner frame

43: stop block

50: elastic arm

51: connecting part

52: knocking part

53: striking part

60: key cap

61: inner ring wall

62: inner face

63: bump

631: pressing part

Detailed Description

The following description will be made by way of example of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Please refer to fig. 1, an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and fig. 2, a schematic side view of a key assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The key 1 of the present invention includes a bottom plate 10, a circuit layer 20, an elastic element 30, a supporting element 40, an elastic arm 50 and a key cap 60. The key cap 60 has a protrusion 63. The circuit layer 20 is disposed on the surface of the base plate 10, the elastic element 30 is disposed on the circuit layer 20, the supporting element 40 is disposed on the base plate 10 and surrounds the elastic element 30, the elastic arm 50 is connected to the supporting element 40, the key cap 60 covers the elastic element 30 and is connected to the supporting element 40, and the protrusion 63 of the key cap 60 is disposed at a position corresponding to the elastic arm 50. When the key cap 60 is pressed to move the key cap 60 toward the bottom plate 10, the protrusion 63 presses the elastic arm 50, the elastic arm 50 is elastically deformed by the protrusion 63, the elastic arm 50 is separated from the pressing of the protrusion 63 after the elastic deformation, and the elastic arm 50 impacts the key cap 60 to generate sound and vibration due to the elastic capability of the elastic arm 50.

In detail, the supporting element 40 has an outer frame 41, an inner frame 42 and a stopper 43. The spring arm 50 has a connecting portion 51, a striking portion 52 and a toggle portion 53. The key cap 60 has an inner wall 61 and an inner surface 62, and the bump 63 of the key cap 60 has a pressing portion 631. The outer frame 41 of the supporting member 40 surrounds the inner frame 42, the elastic arm 50 is connected to the outer frame 41, the stopper 43 is disposed on the outer frame 41 and located below the elastic arm 50, the stopper 43 is used for stabilizing the position of the elastic arm 50, and the stopper 43 can serve as a fulcrum for supporting the elastic arm 50 to rebound under pressure. The connecting portion 51 of the elastic arm 50 is fixed to the outer frame 41 of the supporting member 40, and the striking portion 52 and the toggle portion 53 are not fixed and can be pressed to elastically swing. The knocking portion 52 of the elastic arm 50 corresponds to the inner surface 62 of the key cap 60, the knocking portion 52 extends and protrudes towards the inner surface 62, and the toggle portion 53 of the elastic arm 50 corresponds to the protrusion 63 of the key cap 60. The protrusion 63 of the key cap 60 is disposed on the inner annular wall 61 of the key cap 63, and the protrusion 63 mainly corresponds to the striking part 53 of the elastic arm 50 through the pressing part 631, so that the pressing part 631 can press the striking part 53, and the elastic arm 50 is elastically deformed.

For the description of the use status of the key 1 of the present invention, please refer to fig. 3 and fig. 4 for a schematic view of the use status of the key according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to fig. 3, when the key cap 60 moves toward the bottom plate 10 by being pressed, the key cap 60 presses the elastic element 30 (not shown), and the protrusion 63 of the key cap 60 moves toward the bottom plate 10 along with the key cap 60, so that the pressing portion 631 of the protrusion 63 presses against the toggle portion 53 of the elastic arm 50, the elastic arm 50 is elastically deformed by the downward pressing force, and the stopper 43 of the supporting element 40 presses against the elastic arm 50 upward. Referring to fig. 4, after the key cap 60 is pressed to press the elastic element 30 (not shown) against the circuit layer 20 to generate a key signal (not shown), the elastic arm 50 is separated from the pressing of the pressing portion 631 of the bump 63 due to the elastic deformation, or the elastic restoring force of the elastic arm 50 is greater than the pressing force of the pressing portion 631 of the bump 63, and is also separated from the pressing of the pressing portion 631. After the elastic arm 50 is released from the pressing, the knocking portion 52 and the toggle portion 53 of the elastic arm 50 swing toward the key cap 60 due to the inertia of the elastic force, and the knocking portion 52 also moves above the protrusion 63, so that the knocking portion 52 strikes the inner surface 62 of the key cap 60, thereby generating a bright knocking sound and a vibration hand feeling.

When the key cap 60 is not pressed, the elastic element 30 pushes the key cap 60 to move in a direction away from the bottom plate 10, the protrusion 63 is driven by the key cap 60 to move away from the bottom plate 10, and the pressing portion 631 of the protrusion 63 slides over the toggle portion 53 of the elastic arm 50, so that the toggle portion 53 of the elastic arm 50 slides down along the surface of the toggle portion 631 and returns to a position below the pressing portion 631, so as to perform a next pressing operation.

The elastic arm 50 is made of a resilient metal spring strip or a plastic strip. The stopper 43 of the support member 40 is preferably disposed near the connecting portion 51 of the resilient arm 50. A metal sheet can also be added to the inner surface 62 of the key cap 60 corresponding to the location of the striking portion 52 of the elastic arm 50, so that the striking sound is more obvious.

The above-described preferred embodiments of the present invention are not intended to limit the scope of the claims, and therefore, other equivalent changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A key, the key comprising:

a base plate;

a circuit layer disposed on the bottom plate:

an elastic element arranged on the circuit layer;

a supporting element arranged on the bottom plate and surrounding the elastic element;

an elastic arm connected to the supporting element; and

a key cap covering the elastic element and connected to the support element, the key cap having a protrusion corresponding to the elastic arm;

when the key cap moves towards the direction of the base plate, the convex block presses the elastic arm, the elastic arm generates elastic deformation and breaks away from the pressing of the convex block after being pressed by the convex block, and the elastic arm strikes the key cap to make a sound after breaking away from the pressing of the convex block.

2. The key of claim 1, wherein the supporting element has an outer frame surrounding an inner frame, and an inner frame, the elastic arm being connected to the outer frame.

3. The key of claim 2, wherein the supporting member has a stopper disposed on the outer frame of the supporting member and located under the elastic arm.

4. The key of claim 1, wherein the elastic arm has a connecting portion, a striking portion and a shifting portion, the connecting portion is connected to the supporting element, the striking portion corresponds to the key cap, and the shifting portion corresponds to the protrusion of the key cap.

5. The key of claim 4, wherein the striking portion of the elastic arm protrudes toward the keycap.

6. The key of claim 4, wherein the protrusion of the key cap has a pressing portion corresponding to the toggle portion of the elastic arm, and the pressing portion is used for pressing the toggle portion of the elastic arm.

7. The key of claim 4, wherein the key cap has an inner annular wall and an inner surface, the protrusion of the key cap is disposed on the inner annular wall, and the inner surface corresponds to the striking portion of the elastic arm.

8. The key of claim 1, wherein when the key cap moves toward the bottom plate, the key cap presses the elastic element, the protrusion of the key cap presses the elastic arm, and when the elastic element presses the circuit layer, the elastic arm disengages from the protrusion and impacts the key cap.

9. The key of claim 1, wherein the elastic restoring force of the elastic arm is greater than the pressing force of the protrusion, and the elastic arm is separated from the protrusion and impacts the key cap.