CN1365127A - Button device with scissors elastic structure - Google Patents

Abstract

A key device includes a substrate, a keycap, and a scissor-type structure disposed between the substrate and the keycap to elastically support the keycap upward. The scissor-type structure includes a first and a second arm, which cross to form the scissor-type structure. The first arm includes a lower end fixedly disposed on the substrate, and the second arm includes a lower end slidably disposed on the substrate. The key device includes an elastic element, which has a first and a second end point, the first end point abuts on the substrate, the second end point is connected to the first arm, and there is a first angle between the elastic element and the substrate, which is less than 90 degrees. When the keycap is pressed, the scissor-type structure can be used to elastically support the keycap upward.

Description

Button device with scissors elastic structure

The invention relates to a button device, in particular to a button device provided with a scissors-like elastic structure.

Please refer to FIG. 1 to FIG. 2 , FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a key device 10 in the prior art, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the key device 10 in the prior art along the section line A-A. The key device 10 includes a key cap 12 , a substrate 14 , a rubber dome 16 for elastically supporting the key cap 12 upward, and a corresponding signal sensing device 17 is disposed on the upper surface 18 of the substrate 14 . The interior of the rubber cylinder 16 further includes a pressing structure 19 which can touch the signal sensing device 17 to generate a corresponding key signal when the keycap 12 is pushed down to a predetermined position.

When the keycap 12 is pressed down, the elastic restoring force of the rubber cylinder 16 is used to make the keycap 12 return to its original position. After the keycap 12 is used for a long time, the rubber cylinder 16 will show the result of elastic fatigue, so that the keycap 12 cannot return to the original fixed position, that is to say, the life of the keycap 12 will be shortened accordingly.

In addition, due to the limitation of the material and shape of the rubber cylinder 16 , it is difficult to reduce the distance between the keycap 12 and the base plate 14 in this design, which easily leads to insufficient elastic force or poor pressing feeling. Under the current trend of thin, light and small notebook computers, this kind of design is difficult to meet the demand.

The object of the present invention is to provide a key device with a scissors-like elastic structure. In addition to being able to adjust its own elastic recovery force and having a lower keycap height, it can withstand long-term operation and prolong the life of the key structure.

The object of the present invention is achieved by providing a button device, which includes: a substrate; a keycap arranged above the substrate; a scissors structure arranged between the substrate and the keycap, The scissors structure includes a first arm and a second arm, which are used to form the scissors structure in a crossed manner, and the scissors structure allows the keycap to move up and down relative to the substrate; and an elastic The element includes a first end point and a second end point, the first end point is connected to the substrate, the second end point is connected to the first arm, and there is a first end point between the elastic element and the base plate included angle, and the first included angle is less than 90 degrees; wherein when the keycap is pressed down, the keycap drives the second end point of the elastic element to move downward, so that the elastic element moves with the first end The center point is rotated to reduce the first included angle, and at the same time, the elastic element is squeezed and deformed to provide an elastic force for supporting the keycap upward.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a button device in the prior art;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a key device of the prior art along section line A-A;

Fig. 3 is the external view of the button device of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a component diagram of the key device of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a component diagram of the scissors structure of the button device of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6A is a side view of the button device of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6B is a schematic diagram of the connection between the elastic element and the baffle of the button device in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between the displacement of the button device in Fig. 3 and the required pressing power when pressed downward;

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of the key device of the present invention jacking up;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the key device touching the pressure sensing device downwards according to the present invention.

Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 , FIG. 3 is an external view of the key device 50 of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a component diagram of the key device 50 of the present invention. The button device 50 includes a base plate 52, a key cap 54 is arranged on the top of the base plate 52, a scissors structure 56 is arranged between the base plate 52 and the key cap 54 to elastically support the key cap 54 upwards, and a thin film circuit board (membrane circuit board) 61. The button device 50 further includes a baffle 58, a block 59 approximately perpendicular to the baffle 58 is arranged above the baffle 58, a tenon 64, a pair of chute devices 66 are arranged on the upper surface 68 of the base plate 52, and a touch The pressure sensing device 62 is disposed on the thin film circuit board 61 and is used for generating a corresponding key signal when the keycap 54 is pressed down.

Please refer to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6A , FIG. 5 is a component diagram of the scissor structure 56 of the key device 50 in FIG. 4 , and FIG. 6A is a side view of the key structure 50 in FIG. 3 . The scissor structure 56 includes a first arm 72 and a second arm 74 crossing to form the scissor structure 56 . The scissors structure 56 additionally includes an elastic element 76 integrally formed with the first arm 72 and is made of plastic, the elastic element 76 and the base plate 52 have a first included angle 86 less than 90 degrees and the first arm 72 and the elastic There is a second included angle 87 between the elements 76, and the first included angle 86 decreases when the keycap 54 is pushed down.

As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6A , the first arm 72 and the second arm 74 of the scissors structure 56 have lower ends 77 and 78 respectively, and the lower end 77 of the first arm 72 passes through the tenon 64 on the upper surface 68 of the base plate 52 Fixed on the base plate 52 , the lower end 78 of the second support arm 74 is slidably disposed within the sliding slot device 66 on the upper surface 68 of the base plate 52 . The elastic element 76 of FIG. 5 includes a first end point 79 and a second end point 81. The first end point 79 abuts against the baffle plate 58 on the upper surface 68 of the substrate 52 and is limited by the stopper 59. The second end point 81 and The first arm 72 is connected. The baffle 58 is located between the tenon 64 and the pressure sensing device 62 .

The elastic element 76 further includes a ring structure 83 and a pressing structure 85 disposed at the center of the ring structure 83 . When the keycap 54 of FIG. 4 is pushed down, the annular structure 83 of the elastic element 76 will be compressed and deformed, and the distance between the first end point 79 and the second end point 81 of the elastic element 76 becomes shorter. . At the same time, the touch-pressure structure 85 of the annular structure 83 also contacts downwardly with the touch-pressure sensing device 62 to generate a corresponding key signal. When the applied force is removed, the deformed annular structure 83 tends to return to its original shape, so that the scissor structure 56 elastically supports the keycap 54 upward. That is, when the keycap 54 is pushed down, the keycap 54 drives the second end point 81 of the elastic element 76 to move downward, so that the elastic element 76 rotates around the first end point 79 to make The first included angle 86 decreases, and at the same time, the elastic element 76 is deformed to provide an elastic force to support the keycap 54 upward.

Please refer to FIG. 6B , which is a schematic diagram of the connection between the elastic element 76 and the baffle 58 . As shown in Figure 6B, the upper end of the baffle plate 58 has a stopper 59, the first end point 79 of the elastic element 76 has an engaging notch 63, and the engaging notch 63 is abutted against the bottom of the stopper 59, so The first end point 79 is movably connected under the block 59 .

Please refer to FIG. 7 . FIG. 7 is a graph showing the relationship between the displacement of the key device 50 in FIG. 3 and the required pressing force. From the foregoing discussion, the designer can select the material of the elastic element 76, whether the elastic element 76 is fixed to the first arm 72 or the second arm 74 of the scissors structure 56, or whether the elastic element 76 is fixed on the substrate 52. The upper surface 68 of the upper surface 68 and the angle between the elastic element 76 and the scissor structure 56 are used to obtain different downwardly pressed displacements and the required pressing power, so that the key device 50 is a key device with a paragraph elastic recovery force. .

Please refer to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 , FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the push button device 50 of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the push button device 50 of the present invention touching the pressure sensing device 62 downward. The button device 50 includes a base plate 52, a key cap 54 is arranged on the top of the base plate 52, a scissors structure 56 is arranged between the base plate 52 and the key cap 54 to elastically support the key cap 54 upwards, and a thin film circuit board 61 is provided. below the substrate 52 . The button device 50 further includes a baffle 58, a tenon 64, a pair of sliding groove devices 66 arranged on the upper surface 68 of the base plate 52, and a touch pressure sensing device 62 arranged on the top of the film circuit board 61 for responding to the keycap. 54 to generate a corresponding key signal. The scissor structure 56 includes a first arm 72 and a second arm 74 crossing to form the scissor structure 56 . The scissor structure 56 also includes an elastic element 76 integrally formed with the first arm 72 and made of plastic. The first arm 72 is fixed on the base plate 52 through the tenon 64 on the upper surface 68 of the base plate 52 , and the second arm 74 is slidably disposed in the sliding groove device 66 on the upper surface 68 of the base plate 52 .

The elastic element 76 can be integrally formed with the second support arm 74 and is made of plastic. At this time, the first end point 77 of the elastic element 76 abuts against the stopper 59 above the upper surface 68 of the substrate 52 , and the second end point 72 of the elastic element 76 is connected to the second arm 74 .

When the keycap 54 is pushed down, the elastic element 76 will be compressed and deformed, and the distance between the first end point 79 and the second end point 81 of the elastic element 76 becomes shorter. At the same time, the touch-pressure structure 85 of the annular structure 83 also contacts downwardly with the touch-pressure sensing device 62 to generate a corresponding key signal. When the applied force is removed, the scissor structure 56 elastically supports the keycap 54 upward. That is, when the keycap 54 is pushed down, the keycap 54 drives the second end point 81 of the elastic element 76 to move downward, so that the elastic element 76 rotates with the first end point 79 as the center point. The first included angle 86 is reduced, and at the same time, the elastic element 76 is deformed by extrusion, so as to provide an elastic force for supporting the keycap 54 upward.

The advantage of the device of the present invention is that, compared with the prior art, the button device is provided with an elastic scissors-like structure for supporting the keycap of the button device, which will not cause elastic fatigue after a long time of use. It is also possible to freely design and adjust the relationship between the displacement of the downward press and the required pressing power to meet the needs of different situations. At the same time, the height of the keycaps of the keyboard can be reduced to meet the trend of today's increasingly thinner and smaller computers.

The above descriptions are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, and all equivalent changes and modifications made according to the claims of the present invention shall fall within the scope of the patent of the present invention.

Claims (10)

1. key device, it includes:

One substrate;

One keycap is arranged at the top of this substrate;

One scissor structure, be arranged between this substrate and this keycap, this scissor structure includes one first support arm and one second support arm, is used for forming this scissor structure in the mode of intersecting, and can allow relative this substrate of this keycap to do the oscilaltion campaign by this scissor structure; And

One flexible member, it includes one first end points and one second end points, and this first end points is connected on this substrate, and this second end points is connected on this first support arm, has one first angle between this flexible member and this substrate, and this first angle is less than 90 degree;

Wherein when this keycap is pressed downwards, second end points that this keycap drives this flexible member moves downward, is that the central point rotation reduces this first angle and make this flexible member with this first end points, and this flexible member extrusion simultaneously, so that the elastic force to this keycap of upper support to be provided.

2. key device as claimed in claim 1, it includes the upper surface that a chute is arranged at this substrate in addition, and the lower end of this second support arm slidably is arranged in this chute.

3. key device as claimed in claim 1, it includes the upper surface that a trip is arranged at this substrate in addition, and the lower end of this first support arm is fixed on this substrate by this trip.

4. key device as claimed in claim 1, it includes the upper surface that a chute is arranged at this substrate in addition, and the lower end of this first support arm slidably is arranged in this chute.

5. key device as claimed in claim 1, it includes the upper surface that a trip is arranged at this substrate in addition, and the lower end of this second support arm is fixed on this substrate by this trip.

6. key device as claimed in claim 1, it includes in addition, and a baffle plate is arranged at the upper surface of this substrate and between this first support arm lower end and this second support arm lower end, first end points of this flexible member is connected to this baffle plate.

7. key device as claimed in claim 6, wherein this baffle plate upper end has a block, and first end points of this flexible member has an engaging breach, and this engaging breach is connected to below this block, and this first end points is connected in below this block versatilely.

8. key device as claimed in claim 1, wherein this first support arm and this flexible member are formed in one, and have one second angle between this first support arm and this flexible member, and this second angle is reduced.

9. key device as claimed in claim 1, wherein this flexible member includes a circulus in addition, and when this keycap was pressed downwards, this circulus can be extruded distortion, caused first end points of this flexible member and the contraction in length between this second end points.

10. key device as claimed in claim 1, this key device includes one in addition and presses sensing apparatus, this presses the below that sensing apparatus is arranged at this scissor structure, and this flexible member includes a press structure in addition, pressed downwards when making this flexible member turn to a predetermined angular when this keycap, this press structure can be conflicted, and this presses sensing apparatus and produces corresponding push button signalling.

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