CN100422910C - key structure - Google Patents

Abstract

A key structure applied to an electronic device comprises a shell, a key plate, a light guide member and a circuit board. The key plate can be accommodated in the opening of the shell, the center of the key plate is provided with a first thickness, the two sides of the key plate are provided with a second thickness, and the second thickness is larger than the first thickness. And the two ends of the plate are respectively provided with elastic arms for being fixedly connected with the shell. The light guide part is arranged below the key plate and props against the center of the key plate, so that the key plate is divided into a left side key and a right side key, and light rays below the key plate can be upwards transmitted and projected to the center of the key plate through the light guide part. The circuit board is arranged below the light guide member and is provided with two switches, and the switches respectively correspond to the left and right buttons of the button plate.

Description

key structure

【Technical field】

The invention relates to a button structure, in particular to a button structure with a thin meat design at the center.

【Background technique】

With the advancement of portable electronic products, notebook computers are light in weight and easy to carry, and have long been a necessary equipment for many young people. However, in addition to choosing the appearance of a notebook computer, you should also pay attention to practical functions. For a general notebook computer, related devices are often configured to control the movement of a cursor on the display screen, such as a mouse, a trackball, a joystick, a touch pad, and track points. Among them, the invention of the touchpad allows the user to control the position of the cursor on the computer screen and click to execute the function only by sliding the finger on the surface of the touchpad and cooperating with the buttons on the touchpad. It is a very convenient invention that has functions such as the left and right buttons of a mouse.

Please refer to FIG. 1( a ), which is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of a conventional notebook computer with a touch panel. The notebook computer 1 includes an upper casing 101 , a lower casing 102 , a display screen 11 , an operation panel 12 , and a touch element 13 . Wherein, the display screen 11 and the operation panel 12 are respectively assembled on the upper casing 101 and the lower casing 102 , and the touch element 13 is also arranged on the surface of the lower casing 102 . The user can operate the operation interface function of the notebook computer 1 by touching and pressing the touch element 13 .

Next, please refer to FIG. 1(b), which is a cross-sectional side view of AA' of the touch element in FIG. 1(a).

The internal structure of the touch element 13 includes a touch panel 131 , a fixed shaft 132 , and a circuit board 133 . Wherein, the fixed shaft 132 is placed horizontally on the casing, and both ends of the fixed shaft 132 are connected with the casing. The touch panel 131 is covered on the fixed shaft 132 . The circuit board 133 is located directly under the touch panel 131 , and there are switches 134 on two sides of the circuit board 133 . In this way, the user presses the touch panel 131 to touch the switch 134 to activate the electrical function of the circuit board 133 .

However, when the user presses the touchpad to touch the electrical switch, since the fixed shaft is fixed below the center of the touchpad, when the user presses the touchpad, the two sides of the touchpad move like a seesaw . In this way, because the existing touch panel is an elastic plate with uniform thickness, and the fixed axis is placed in the center of the touch panel, if the touch panel is pressed near the center, there will be no touch or poor touch. Situation happens. The entire plate of the existing touch panel is made with the same thickness, which easily causes the user to press the touch panels on both sides at the same time, resulting in the problem of simultaneous left and right movement, which really causes inconvenience in use.

Therefore, the inventors of the present application feel that the defects of the above prior art still need to be improved, so they devote themselves to research and design, and propose a touch element with a reasonable design and effectively eliminate the defects.

【Content of invention】

The present invention provides a button structure with a thin-walled design at the center, using the elastic plates with thin walls in the center to distinguish the thicker plates on the left and right sides of the key-press plate.

A button structure of the present invention is applied in an electronic device, and includes a casing, a button plate, a supporting part and a circuit board. Wherein the housing has an opening. And the key board is accommodated in the opening, the center of the key board has a first thickness, and the two sides have a second thickness, the second thickness is greater than the first thickness, and the two sides of the key board are fixedly connected to the casing respectively. In addition, the supporting member is arranged under the key plate, and bears against the center of the key plate, so that the key plate is divided into left and right side keys. As for the circuit board, it is arranged under the supporting member, and two switches on the left and right are arranged on the circuit board, and the switches correspond to the buttons on the left and right sides of the button plate respectively.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the key plate is gradually thickened from the center to both sides, and the upper surface of the key plate is a flat surface, while the lower surface is two slopes.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the supporting member is made of light guide material, which can transmit the light under the supporting member upwards and project it on the center of the key board. And the circuit board has a light source and is located directly under the supporting member. In addition, the supporting member further includes a supporting column, which is located at the center of the upper surface of the supporting member and is used to resist the center of the key plate.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the key plate further includes a bracket, which is located under the supporting member and has a through hole combined with the supporting member.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the key structure includes a casing, a key plate, a light guide and a circuit board. The key plate can be accommodated in the opening of the housing, and the center of the key plate has a first thickness, and the two sides have a second thickness, the second thickness is greater than the first thickness, and the two ends of the key plate are respectively fixed to the shell . The supporting member is arranged under the key board, against the center of the key board, so that the key board is divided into left and right side keys, and the light below it can be transmitted upwards and projected on the center of the key board through the light guide. And the circuit board is arranged under the light guide member, and has two switches, and the switches correspond to the buttons on the left and right sides of the button board respectively.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the key plate is gradually thickened from the center to both sides, and the upper surface of the key plate is a flat surface, while the lower surface is two slopes.

In order to further understand the features and technical contents of the present invention, please refer to the following detailed description and drawings related to the present invention, but the attached drawings are only for reference and illustration, and are not intended to limit the present invention.

【Description of drawings】

Fig. 1 (a) is the schematic diagram that existing notebook computer has touch panel;

Fig. 1 (b) is the AA' sectional side view of the touch element of Fig. 1 (a);

Fig. 2 (a) is the schematic diagram of the button structure of notebook computer of the present invention;

Fig. 2(b) is a schematic side view of the button structure of Fig. 2(a);

Fig. 3 (a) is the front schematic view of the button plate of the present invention;

Fig. 3 (b) is the reverse schematic view of the button plate of the present invention;

Fig. 3 (c) is the schematic diagram of the reverse side of the support member of the present invention;

Figure 3(d) is a schematic view of the front of an embodiment in which the support member of the present invention is a light guide;

Fig. 3 (e) is the schematic diagram of the bracket front of the present invention;

Fig. 3 (f) is the schematic diagram of the lower casing that bracket of the present invention is combined;

Fig. 4 (a) is the structural explosion diagram of the button structure of the present invention; And

Fig. 4(b) is a structural completion diagram of the button structure of the present invention.

【Detailed ways】

The present invention discloses a button structure, especially a button structure with a thin-walled design in the center. The thin-walled elastic plate in the center can be used to distinguish the thicker plates on the left and right sides of the pressed button plate.

Please refer to FIG. 2( a ), which is a schematic diagram of a button structure of a notebook computer according to an embodiment of the present invention. The notebook computer 2 includes an upper casing 21 , a lower casing 22 , a display screen 23 , an operation panel 24 and a button structure 25 .

The display screen 23 and the operation panel 24 are respectively assembled on the upper casing 21 and the lower casing 22 , and the button structure 25 is also arranged on the lower casing 22 . By touching the surface of the button structure 25 , the operation interface functions such as a cursor can be displayed on the display screen 23 .

Please refer to FIG. 2( b ), which is a schematic side sectional view of the key structure 25 in FIG. 2( a ). The button structure includes a lower casing 22 , a button plate 26 , a supporting member 27 and a circuit board 28 . The lower casing 22 has an opening, and the key board 26 is accommodated in the opening. The button plate 26 of the embodiment of the present invention has a first thickness 2601 at the center, and a second thickness 2602 on both sides, and the second thickness 2602 is greater than the first thickness 2601 . The supporting member 27 is disposed under the key plate 26 and abuts against the center of the key plate 26, so that the key plate 26 is divided into left and right side keys. The circuit board 28 is arranged below the support member 27, and switches 281 are respectively arranged on both sides of its upper surface, and the switches correspond to the buttons on the left and right sides of the key plate 26, and the user can touch the switch 281 by pressing the key plate 26. For ease of understanding, each element is described in detail below.

Please refer to FIG. 3( a ), b, which are schematic diagrams of the front and back sides of the above-mentioned button board 26 .

The button plate 26 is an elastic material, and gradually thickens from the center to both sides, and the upper surface of the button plate 26 is a flat surface, and the lower surface is a slope inclined from the center to both sides. There are a plurality of second protrusions 262 around the lower surface, and the second protrusions 262 are used to limit the stroke of the key plate. In addition, a plurality of third protrusions 263 facing the switches are distributed on the lower surface of the key board 26 , so that when the key board 26 moves downward, the third protrusions 263 can touch the corresponding switches.

Elastic arms 264 are respectively made on both sides of the button plate 26. As shown in the figure, the elastic arms 264 are a long ring-shaped structure. One side of this ring structure is connected to the end of the button plate 26, and the other side At least one hollow ring 2641 is made on the side. In this embodiment, three hollow rings 2641 are arranged as a representative, wherein the hollow rings 2641 are used to be fixedly connected to the casing.

Please refer to FIG. 3( c ), which is a schematic diagram of the reverse side of the support member 27 of the present invention. The support member 27 is an elongated plate structure, which is located directly below the center of the key plate 26 . The upper surface of the support member 27 has a straight first support column 271 at the center for resisting the center of the key plate 26 . Relative to the position of the first support column 271, the lower surface of the support member 27 also has a second support column 272, which is used to combine with the bracket described below, and the support member 27 on both sides of the second support column 272 A pair of fourth protrusions 273 are arranged on the lower surface, which are also used for combining with the bracket described below.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a light guide is used to replace the support in the above embodiment. Please refer to Fig. 3(d), which is a schematic front view of this embodiment. In this embodiment, the light guide element 30 is made of light guide material, and can be divided into a first support column 301 and a second support column 302 . When a light source is arranged on the circuit board 28 , the light from the light source can be transmitted upwards to the first support member 301 through the second support member 302 , and then projected on the thinner part in the center of the key plate 26 . In this way, the user can see the transmitted light from the top of the button plate.

Next, please refer to FIG. 3( e ), which is a front view of the bracket 29 of the present invention. Both ends of the bracket 29 have a ㄇ-shaped cross section, and a through hole 291 is made in the center of the bracket 29, and the above-mentioned support frame 27 or the second support column 272 of the light guide 30 passes through the through hole 291 and is combined. Holes 292 are provided on the surface of the bracket 29 close to both sides of the through hole 291 , so that the bracket 29 can be combined with the fourth post 273 of the support frame 27 by locking, heat fusion or other methods. In addition, a first joint hole 293 is made on the surface of the bracket 29 adjacent to one end of the through hole 291, as shown in FIG. Wherein after the bracket 29 is combined with the supporting member 27 (or the light guide 30), the lower housing 22 is provided with a hook 2201 to catch an edge of the bracket 29, and the lower housing is also provided with the first coupling hole 293. The corresponding cylinder 2202 can be fixed by screw locking or combined in other ways.

Please refer to Fig. 4(a), (b), which are the structural exploded diagram and completed diagram of the button structure of the present invention. The button structure includes a lower casing 22 , a button plate 26 , a light guide 30 , a bracket 29 and a circuit board 28 .

The bracket 29 is combined with the light guide 30 through the through hole 291 and the second support column 272 , and the bracket 29 is also locked and combined with the column 2202 of the lower housing 22 through the first coupling hole 293 . In this embodiment, two ends of the bracket 29 can be respectively provided with hooks or screws, and the bracket can be fixed on the lower casing 22 by using the hooks or screws. At this time, the hollow ring 2641 of the elastic arm 264 of the key plate 26 can also be fixedly connected to the fifth protrusion 221 of the lower case 22 , and expose the upper surface of the key plate 26 to the opening of the lower case 22 . In addition, the switch 281 of the circuit board 28 can also be made to correspond to the third protrusion 263 of the key plate 26, and a plurality of third holes 284 around the circuit board 28 can be matched and locked to the sixth protrusion 223 of the lower casing. . In this way, not only the user can touch the left and right switches 281 by pressing the key plate 26 , but also the light source of the circuit board 28 and the light below the light guide 30 can be transmitted upwards, and the light is projected on the center of the key plate 26 .

In other embodiments of the present invention, the key plate of the key structure can be made of plastic, metal or other transparent plastic materials. This button structure is combined in the casing, and can also be applied to components with contact surfaces such as LED front frames. And the appearance of the button structure can also be treated with surface treatment (such as painting) to increase the appearance. The button plate of the embodiment of the present invention may have a thinner thickness at the center and thicker thickness at both sides, and the side also presents a ㄇ-shaped structure.

In summary, the thin-walled design of the button plate of the embodiment of the present invention has a seesaw-like tactility compared with the existing touchpad, and the thin-walled design of the key plate eliminates this shortcoming, and it can still be sensed near the center. Clear tactile feel and correct button actuation. In addition, the center of the button structure is supported by a support frame or a light guide and a bracket, which can clearly identify and analyze the touch of the left button or the right button, and there will be no problem of simultaneous left and right movement. Another advantage is that the light guide can transmit the light of the light source from the thinner part of the center of the key plate, without the need to make a hole in the center of the key plate and related light guide parts as described in the prior art, so that the light Transmit out. In other words, the above-mentioned button board not only has a single-piece design in appearance, that is, it has an aesthetic feeling of integral molding, but also makes the functions of the left and right buttons more clear through the support or light guide, and utilizes the thin-walled design of the light guide and the button board Let the light shine through for a perfect presentation.

Although the present invention has been disclosed above with preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore The scope of protection of the present invention should be defined by the scope of the appended patent application.

Claims (8)

1. A button structure, applied in an electronic device, comprising: a shell with an opening; A button plate is accommodated in the opening, the center of the button plate has a first thickness, and two sides have a second thickness, the second thickness is greater than the first thickness, and the two sides are respectively fixed to the housing; A support member is arranged under the key plate and bears against the center of the key plate, so that the key plate is divided into a left key and a right key; and A circuit board is arranged under the supporting part and has two switches corresponding to the left key and the right key of the key board respectively. 2. The button structure according to claim 1, wherein the above-mentioned button plate is gradually thickened from the center to the two sides. 3. The key structure according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the key plate is a flat surface, and the lower surface is two slopes. 4. The button structure according to claim 1, wherein each of the two sides of the button plate has an elastic arm fixedly connected to the casing. 5. The button structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, the above-mentioned supporting member is made of light-guiding material. 6. The button structure according to claim 5, wherein the above-mentioned circuit board has a light source located directly below the supporting member. 7. The button structure according to claim 1 , wherein the support member further comprises a support column located at the center of the upper surface of the support member for resisting the key plate. 8. The button structure according to claim 1, further comprising a bracket, located under the supporting member, and having a through hole combined with the supporting member.

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