CN103325604B - Button and apply its keyboard - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a key and a keyboard using the same. The button includes a base, a keycap, a support structure, a first magnetic element, a second magnetic element and a switch element. The keycap is arranged on the base. One end of the support structure is movably connected to the keycap, and the other end is movably connected to the base, so as to drive the keycap to move up and down relative to the base. The first magnetic element is arranged on the base. The second magnetic element can attract each other with the first magnetic element and has a convex point, and one end of the second magnetic element is connected to the keycap or the supporting structure. The switching element is located under the base. When the keycap is not pressed, the first magnetic element attracts the second magnetic element, and when the keycap is pressed and moves downward, the first magnetic element is separated from the second magnetic element, so that the bump contacts the switch element. The button of the present invention produces a pressing step feeling through the adsorption and separation of the magnetic element, and serves as the driving force for the reset of the keycap.

Description

Keys and the keyboard to which they are applied

technical field

The present invention relates to a key and a keyboard using the same, and in particular to a key using magnetic force to generate a feeling of pressing a paragraph and a keyboard using the same.

Background technique

Even though the touch panel has been widely used in various electronic devices, the keyboard is still one of the indispensable input devices for the electronic devices in terms of general usage habits. Along with the thinning trend of portable electronic devices, the demand for thinning keyboards also arises accordingly.

The known keyboard keys are often provided with elastic components such as rubber domes, which can trigger a switch to send an electric signal when pressed, and can also provide a tactile feeling to let the user know that the key has been actuated. However, the rubber bowl has a certain volume, so a larger button height needs to be designed to provide space for accommodation. At the same time, the life of the rubber is limited, and after a certain number of deformations, it is easy to become elastically fatigued, making the keys useless.

Contents of the invention

The invention relates to a key and a keyboard using the same. The key is small in size and has a long service life.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a key is provided, which includes: a base, a keycap, a supporting structure, a first magnetic element, a second magnetic element, and a switch element. The keycap is arranged on the base; one end of the supporting structure is movably connected with the keycap, and the other end is movably connected with the base, so as to drive the keycap to move up and down relative to the base; The first magnetic element is arranged on the base; the second magnetic element can attract each other with the first magnetic element, the second magnetic element has a bump, and one end of the second magnetic element is connected to the keycap or The support structure; the switch element is located under the base; wherein, when the keycap is not pressed, the first magnetic element attracts the second magnetic element, and when the keycap is pressed and moves downward, the The first magnetic element is separated from the second magnetic element such that the bump contacts the switch element.

As an optional technical solution, the supporting structure is a scissors foot structure.

As an optional technical solution, the scissors foot structure has an inner ring and an outer ring, and one end of the second magnetic element is rotatably connected to the inner ring.

As an optional technical solution, the second magnetic element is pivotally connected to the position where the scissors foot structure is connected to the base, and the included angle between the second magnetic element and the scissors foot structure is not 0 or 180 degrees.

As an optional technical solution, the second magnetic element includes a connecting portion and a magnetic portion, the connecting portion is rotatably connected to the keycap or the support structure, the magnetic portion can attract each other with the first magnetic element, and the connecting portion The included angle between the magnetic part and the magnetic part is not 0 or 180 degrees.

As an optional technical solution, the protruding point is located at the junction of the connecting portion and the magnetic portion.

As an optional technical solution, the second magnetic element has a limiting mechanism for limiting the rotation angle of the second magnetic element.

As an optional technical solution, the first magnetic element is a magnet.

According to another specific embodiment, the present invention provides a keyboard, which includes: a housing; and a plurality of keys, the plurality of keys are arranged on the housing, and one of the plurality of keys is the above-mentioned key.

The keys of the above-mentioned embodiments of the present invention generate a step-by-step pressing feeling through the adsorption and separation of the magnetic elements, and serve as the driving force for the reset of the key cap. It can maintain a certain pressing feel while reducing the height and volume of the keys. In addition, since the magnetic force does not have the problem of elastic fatigue, the keys of the above embodiments can greatly prolong their lifespan compared with similar elastic elements such as rubber bowls.

In order to have a better understanding of the above-mentioned and other aspects of the present invention, the preferred embodiments are specifically cited below, together with the accompanying drawings, and are described in detail as follows:

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a keyboard according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is an exploded perspective view of one of the keys 120 in FIG. 1 ; FIG. 2B is a bottom view of the supporting element 123 in the key 120 of FIG. 2A .

FIG. 3A shows a cross-sectional view of the key 120 in FIG. 2A when it is not pressed, and FIG. 3B shows a cross-sectional view of the key 120 when it is pressed.

FIG. 4A shows a cross-sectional view of the key 220 according to another embodiment of the present invention when it is not pressed; FIG. 4B shows a cross-sectional view of the key 220 when it is pressed.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the button 320 when it is not pressed according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed ways

Please refer to FIG. 1 , which shows a schematic diagram of a keyboard 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The keyboard 100 includes a casing 110 , a bottom plate (not shown) and a plurality of keys 120 . The base plate is disposed in the casing 110 , and the button 120 is disposed on the casing 110 .

Please refer to FIG. 2A , which shows an exploded perspective view of one of the keys 120 in the keyboard 100 of FIG. 1 . The button 120 is composed of a base 121 , a keycap 122 , a supporting structure 123 , a first magnetic element 124 , and a second magnetic element 125 . The keycap 122 is disposed on the base 121 for pressing by the user. The support structure 123 is located between the base 121 and the keycap 122 , and its two ends are respectively movably connected to the base 121 and the keycap 122 , which can drive the keycap 122 to move up and down relative to the base 121 . The first magnetic element 124 is disposed on the base 121 , and one end of the second magnetic element 125 is connected to the supporting structure 123 . The switch element 126 is disposed under the base 121 and is used for sending an electric signal when the button is triggered.

Please refer to FIG. 2B , which illustrates a bottom view of the supporting element 123 in FIG. 2A . In this example, the supporting element 123 is a scissors structure, including an inner ring 123a and an outer ring 123b, and the second magnetic element 125 is connected to the inner ring 123a of the scissors structure. The second magnetic element 125 is not straight, but has a curved shape, which can attract the first magnetic element 124 ( FIG. 2A ) on the base 121 . In this embodiment, the attractive force of the two magnetic elements is used to replace the traditional rubber bowl, so that the user can produce a sense of paragraph when pressing the button. How to operate the button 120 will be described below with reference to FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B .

FIG. 3A shows a cross-sectional view of the key 120 in FIG. 2A when it is not pressed, and FIG. 3B shows a cross-sectional view of the key 120 when it is pressed. As shown in FIG. 3A , the inner circle 123 a and the outer circle 123 b of the supporting structure 123 may intersect to form a shape similar to an English letter X. The upper end of the support structure 123 is movably connected to the keycap 122 , and the lower end is movably connected to the base 121 , which can drive the keycap 122 to move up and down relative to the base 121 . The "movable" here is for example sliding or rotating, and in this example, the upper end is rotatable connected to the keycap 122, and the lower end is slidably connected to the base 121 as an example, but in other embodiments, it can also be The upper end of the support structure is slidably connected to the keycap, and the lower end is rotatably connected to the base, but is not limited thereto.

As shown in FIG. 3A , one end of the second magnetic element 125 is connected to the inner ring 123a of the supporting structure 123 and can move in conjunction with it. When the button 120 is not pressed, the other end of the second magnetic element 125 is attracted to the first magnetic element 124 disposed on the base, so that the keycap 122 can be maintained at a fixed position. The first magnetic element 124 and the second magnetic element 125 can be permanent magnets with opposite polarities respectively, or one is a magnet and the other is made of magnet-attractable material, so that the two can attract each other. In other embodiments, the second magnetic element 125 can be divided into a connecting part and a magnetic part. The connecting part is used to connect the support structure, and the part in contact with the first magnetic element 124 is a magnetic part, which can be magnetized or can be magnetized. It is made of adsorbing material and has been adsorbed to the first magnetic element 124 . The magnetic part and the connecting part have an included angle that is not 0 or 180 degrees, so that the second magnetic element 125 has a bent shape.

Please refer to FIG. 3B. Since the keycap 122, the supporting structure 123 and the second magnetic element 125 are linked, when the keycap 122 is subjected to an external force (such as being pressed by the user), it must overcome the first magnetic element 124 and the second magnetic element. The attractive force between the magnetic elements 125 can make the keycap 122 continue to move downward. In detail, when the keycap is pressed downward, a clockwise torque will be generated at the edge contact point T of the first magnetic element 124 and the second magnetic element 125, and when the clockwise torque is greater than that of the first magnetic element 124 and the second magnetic element 125 When the counterclockwise torque is generated by the attractive force between the second magnetic element 125 , the first magnetic element 124 and the second magnetic element 125 can be separated, so that the keycap 122 moves downward. And when the first magnetic element 124 is separated from the second magnetic element 125, the counterclockwise torque caused by the magnetic force will become smaller and smaller as the distance increases, resulting in a sense of falling, allowing the user to feel that the button 120 has been pressed . And when the user releases the keycap, the attractive force between the first magnetic element 124 and the second magnetic element 125 can make the two attract again, and drive the keycap 122 to reset at the same time, getting back to the initial position when not being pressed (Fig. 3A).

In addition, a protrusion 127 can be further disposed on the second magnetic element 125 . As shown in FIG. 3B , when the keycap 122 drives the second magnetic element 125 to move downward to a certain extent, the bump 127 contacts the switch element (not shown) under the base 121 and sends out an electrical signal represented by the key 120 .

In addition, the second magnetic element 125 and the supporting structure 123 can be fixedly connected or rotatably connected. When a rotatable connection is adopted between the second magnetic element 125 and the support structure 123 , the rotation angle of the second magnetic element 125 can be limited by a limiting mechanism such as a protruding shaft. In this way, when the support structure 123 moves, the connection between the second magnetic element 125 and the support structure 123 will first start to rotate, and then start to move until it cannot rotate. By controlling the rotation angle, the stroke of the button 120 can be adjusted, and Feel when pressed.

FIG. 4A shows a cross-sectional view of the button 220 when it is not pressed according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4B shows a cross-sectional view of the button 220 when it is pressed. The difference between the button 220 and the aforementioned button 120 mainly lies in the shape and location of the second magnetic element 225 , and the rest of the similarities will not be repeated here.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the second magnetic element 225 is in the shape of a straight line, one end of which is pivotally connected to the part of the support structure 223 connected to the base 221, and there is a fixed angle θ between the two, and the included angle is not zero. Or 180 degrees, that is, the second magnetic element 225 will not be parallel to the supporting structure 223 . When the key 220 is not pressed, the other end of the second magnetic element 225 attracts the first magnetic element 224 on the base 221 to fix the position of the support structure 223 and maintain the keycap 222 at a specific height. And when the keycap 222 is pressed by an external force, the generated moment can separate the first magnetic element 224 and the second magnetic element 225 , as shown in FIG. 4B . In this way, a sense of paragraph is generated, allowing the user to know that the button has been pressed. In addition, a protruding point 227 can be provided at the connection between the support structure 223 and the second magnetic element 225, and when the button 220 is pressed to separate the first magnetic element 224 from the second magnetic element 225, the protruding point 220 can be made to contact the underlying A switching element (not shown) sends out a signal. And when the key 220 is not subjected to external force, the attractive force between the first magnetic element 224 and the second magnetic element 225 makes them attract again, which can drive the support structure 223 and the keycap 222 back to the initial position shown in FIG. 4A .

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a button 320 according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. The main difference between the button 320 and the aforementioned buttons lies in the location and quantity of the magnetic elements, and the rest of the similarities will not be repeated here.

The button 320 shown in FIG. 5 has two oppositely arranged second magnetic elements 325, 325' and corresponding two first magnetic elements 324, 324'. This symmetrical design can make the feeling of pressing segments more evenly distributed throughout the button. 320 on. It should be noted that in this example, the second magnetic elements 325, 325' are arranged inside the support structure 323 and connected with the keycap 322 instead of the support structure 323, but in other embodiments, the first magnetic The positions of the element 324 and the second magnetic element 325 can be adjusted freely, as long as they do not interfere with the movement of the supporting structure 323 .

The keys of the above-mentioned embodiments of the present invention generate a step-by-step pressing feeling through the adsorption and separation of the magnetic elements, and serve as the driving force for the reset of the key cap. It can maintain a certain pressing feel while reducing the height and volume of the keys. In addition, since the magnetic force does not have the problem of elastic fatigue, the keys of the above embodiments can greatly prolong their lifespan compared with similar elastic elements such as rubber bowls.

To sum up, although the present invention has been disclosed as above with preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art of the present invention can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be determined by what is defined by the claims.

Claims (8)

1. a button, is characterized in that comprising:

Pedestal;

Keycap, is arranged on this pedestal;

Supporting construction, one end of this supporting construction is mobilizable to be connected with this keycap, and the other end is mobilizable to be connected with this pedestal, moves up and down relative to this pedestal in order to drive this keycap;

First magnetic element, is arranged on this pedestal;

Second magnetic element, attract each other with this first magnetic element, and one end of this second magnetic element is connected to this keycap or this supporting construction, this second magnetic element comprises connecting portion and magnetic portion, this connecting portion is rotating is connected to this keycap or this supporting construction, this magnetic portion and this first magnetic element attract each other, and the angle number of degrees between this connecting portion and this magnetic portion are not 0 or 180 degree; And

Switch element, is positioned under this pedestal;

Wherein, when this keycap is not pressed, this first magnetic element adsorbs this second magnetic element, and when this keycap is pressed and moves downward, this first magnetic element separates with this second magnetic element.

2. button as claimed in claim 1, is characterized in that: this supporting construction is scissor leg structure.

3. button as claimed in claim 2, it is characterized in that: this scissor leg structure has inner ring and outer ring, one end of this second magnetic element is rotating is connected to this inner ring.

4. button as claimed in claim 2, it is characterized in that: this second magnetic element is articulated in the position that this scissor leg structure is connected to this pedestal, the angle number of degrees between this second magnetic element and this scissor leg structure are not 0 or 180 degree.

5. button as claimed in claim 1, it is characterized in that: this second magnetic element has salient point, this salient point is positioned at the junction of this connecting portion and this magnetic portion, when this keycap is pressed and moves downward, this first magnetic element separates with this second magnetic element, makes this switch element of this bump contacts.

6. the button as described in claim 3 or 1, is characterized in that: this second magnetic element has limiting mechanism, in order to limit the rotational angle of this second magnetic element.

7. button as claimed in claim 1, is characterized in that: this first magnetic element is magnet.

8. a keyboard, is characterized in that comprising: housing; And a plurality of button, this plurality of button is arranged on this housing, and one of them button of this plurality of button is the button in claim 1 to 7 described in any one.