TW202443354A - Keyboard and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A keyboard and a control method of a key module thereof are provided. The keyboard includes a circuit board and a plurality of key modules. Each of the key modules includes an elastic mechanism, a keycap, a piezoelectric material and a light emitting unit. The elastic mechanism is arranged on the circuit board. The keycap is arranged on the elastic mechanism. The piezoelectric material is disposed on the circuit and disposed under the keycap. The piezoelectric material is electronically connected to the circuit board. The light emitting unit is electrically connected to the piezoelectric material. When the keycap is pressed to compress the piezoelectric material, the piezoelectric material generates an electric power to drive the light emitting unit.

Description

Keyboard and key module control method

The present disclosure relates to an electronic component and a control method thereof, and in particular to a keyboard and a control method of a key module thereof.

In order to facilitate users to carry out document work, many electronic devices are equipped with keyboards. There are many types of keyboards, including optical keyboards, capacitive keyboards, magnetic keyboards or membrane keyboards. Among them, membrane keyboards use arch mechanisms, scissor-foot mechanisms, and crouch spring mechanisms to provide pressing strokes. Users can press each key on the keyboard to input text or commands.

The present disclosure is about a keyboard and a control method of a key module thereof, wherein a piezoelectric material is arranged on the keyboard so that when the keyboard is pressed, electricity can be generated to drive a light-emitting unit. The user can clearly feel the feedback of the keyboard pressing, and it brings a better experience. In addition, the light-emitting unit does not need to use the electricity of the electronic device, so that energy consumption can be saved.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a keyboard is provided. The keyboard includes a circuit board and a plurality of key modules. Each key module includes an elastic mechanism, a key cap, a piezoelectric material and a light-emitting unit. The elastic mechanism is disposed on the circuit board. The key cap is disposed on the elastic mechanism. The piezoelectric material is disposed on the circuit board and below the key cap. The piezoelectric material is electrically coupled to the circuit board. The light-emitting unit is electrically connected to the piezoelectric material. When the key cap is pressed to compress the piezoelectric material, the piezoelectric material generates an electric force to drive the light-emitting unit.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a control method of a key module is provided. The control method of the key module includes the following steps. When a key cap is pressed from an initial position to a pressed position to squeeze a piezoelectric material, the piezoelectric material outputs an electric force. The electric force is input to a light-emitting unit to drive the light-emitting unit.

In order to better understand the above and other aspects of the present disclosure, the following embodiments are specifically described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings:

Please refer to Figures 1 to 3, which show schematic diagrams of a keyboard 100 according to an embodiment. The keyboard 100 is, for example, disposed in an electronic device (such as a laptop, a mobile phone, a radio, a radio, a car audio system), or is an independent device separated from the electronic device. The keyboard 100 includes a circuit board 110 and a plurality of key modules 120i. The user can press each key module 120i to input various texts or commands.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , when a user presses a key module 120i, the pressed key module 120i may emit light individually, while the unpressed key module 120i does not emit light.

As shown in FIG. 3 , when the user presses two key modules 120i at the same time, the two pressed key modules 120i can emit light at the same time, while the unpressed key module 120i does not emit light.

Please refer to FIG. 4, which shows a detailed structural diagram of a key module 120i according to an embodiment. Each key module 120i includes an elastic mechanism 121i, a key cap 122i, a piezoelectric material 123i and a light-emitting unit 124i. The elastic mechanism 121i is, for example, an elastic support set (or scissor legs), a spring, a spring or a rubber bump. The elastic mechanism 121i in FIG. 4 is illustrated by taking the elastic support set as an example. The elastic mechanism 121i is disposed on the circuit board 110.

The key cap 122i is disposed on the elastic mechanism 121i. The material of the key cap 122i is, for example, plastic, metal with an insulating layer on the surface, glass or acrylic.

The piezoelectric material 123i is disposed on the circuit board 110 and below the key cap 122i. The piezoelectric material 123i is electrically coupled to the circuit board 110. The material of the piezoelectric material 123i is, for example, a piezoelectric polymer, such as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). Such materials are flexible and have advantages such as low density, low impedance and high piezoelectric voltage constant.

The light emitting unit 124i is electrically connected to the piezoelectric material 123i. The light emitting unit 124i is, for example, a light emitting diode.

When the key cap 122i is pressed down, the elastic mechanism 121i can provide an elastic restoring force to restore the key cap 122i to its original position. When the key cap 122i is pressed, the piezoelectric material 123i is also compressed, and the piezoelectric material 123i generates an electric force E1 to drive the light-emitting unit 124i.

Please refer to FIG. 5, which shows a perspective view of the key module 120i of FIG. 4. The key cap 122i has a concave portion cvi, and a portion of the piezoelectric material 123i is disposed in the concave portion cvi. Since the piezoelectric material 123i can penetrate into the concave portion cvi, the piezoelectric material 123i can have a greater thickness. The greater the compression stroke of the piezoelectric material 123i, the greater the chance of generating a greater electric force E1.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 5 , the width of the piezoelectric material 123i is smaller than the width of the key cap 122i, so that when the key cap 122i is pressed down, the piezoelectric material 123i can be completely pressed down, so that the entire piezoelectric material 123i is compressed to generate a larger electric force E1.

Furthermore, please refer to FIG. 6, which shows a top view of the elastic mechanism 121i and the piezoelectric material 123i according to an embodiment. The elastic mechanism 121i is an elastic support assembly. The elastic mechanism 121i is located outside the piezoelectric material 123i so that the piezoelectric material 123i does not interfere with the operation of the elastic mechanism 121i.

Please refer to Figures 7 to 10. Figure 7 shows a flow chart of a control method of a key module 120i according to an embodiment, and Figures 8 to 10 illustrate each step. As shown in Figure 8, when the key cap 122i is not pressed, the piezoelectric material 123i is in a non-charged state. In step S110, as shown in Figures 8 to 9, when the key cap 122i is pressed from an initial position L1 to a pressed position L2 to squeeze the piezoelectric material 123i, the piezoelectric material 123i outputs power E1. As shown in FIG. 9, when the key cap 122i is pressed down, the piezoelectric material 123i is deformed by the external force, and polarization occurs inside the piezoelectric material 123i. Positive and negative charges appear on two opposite surfaces of the piezoelectric material 123i, and the charge density is proportional to the external mechanical force. This phenomenon is called the positive piezoelectric effect. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, when the key cap 122i is pressed down, causing the piezoelectric material 123i to deform, an electric force E1 is generated.

Next, in step S120, as shown in FIG. 9, the power E1 is input to the light emitting unit 124i to drive the light emitting unit 124i.

Then, in step S130, as shown in FIG10, the key cap 122i is returned to the initial position L1 by the elastic mechanism 121i (shown in FIG4). As shown in FIG10, when the key cap 122i is returned to the initial position L1, the piezoelectric material 123i is not compressed and is in a non-charged state.

Please refer to FIG. 11, which shows a circuit diagram of a key module 120i according to an embodiment. The key module 120i further includes a diode 125i, a capacitor 126i and a resistor 127i. The piezoelectric material 123i is connected to the light-emitting unit 124i, the resistor 127i is connected to the diode 125i, the light-emitting unit 124i is connected to the resistor 127i, and the capacitor 126i is connected in parallel to the resistor 127i and the light-emitting unit 124i. Each key module 120i has an independent circuit. Each light-emitting unit 124i can be driven independently by each piezoelectric material 123i.

Please refer to FIG. 12, which illustrates an example of a light-emitting condition of a key module 120i on a circuit board 110. In one embodiment, the key modules 120i are driven individually to emit light individually. The user can press each key module 120i independently, and only the pressed key module 120i will emit light.

Please refer to FIG. 13, which illustrates another luminous state of the key module 120i on the circuit board 110. In another embodiment, the key modules 120i can be grouped into a plurality of groups Gj. When a user presses a key module 120i in the group Gj, the other key modules 120i in the group Gj will also illuminate at the same time.

Please refer to FIG. 14, which shows a circuit diagram of the group Gj in FIG. 13. The group Gj may further include a boost circuit BT, and the piezoelectric materials 123i and the light-emitting units 124i are connected in parallel to the boost circuit BT. The boost circuit BT can convert the power E1 boosted by the piezoelectric material 123i into the driving voltage required by the light-emitting unit 124i.

According to the above embodiment, when the keyboard 100 is pressed, the piezoelectric material 123i can generate electric force E1 to drive the light-emitting unit 124i. In this way, the user can clearly feel the pressing feedback of the keyboard 100, and bring a better experience. In addition, the light-emitting unit 124i does not need to use the power of the electronic device, so as to save energy consumption.

In summary, although the present disclosure has been disclosed as above by way of embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present disclosure. A person with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of the present disclosure shall be subject to the scope defined by the attached patent application.

100: keyboard 110: circuit board 120i: key module 121i: elastic mechanism 122i: key cap 123i: piezoelectric material 124i: light-emitting unit 125i: diode 126i: capacitor 127i: resistor BT: boost circuit cvi: recess E1: power Gj: group L1: initial position L2: pressing position S110, S120, S130: steps

Figures 1 to 3 show schematic diagrams of a keyboard according to an embodiment. Figure 4 shows a detailed structural diagram of a key module according to an embodiment. Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the key module of Figure 4. Figure 6 shows a top view of an elastic mechanism and a piezoelectric material according to an embodiment. Figure 7 shows a flow chart of a control method of a key module according to an embodiment. Figures 8 to 10 illustrate each step. Figure 11 shows a circuit diagram of a key module according to an embodiment. Figure 12 shows an example of a luminous condition of a key module on a circuit board. Figure 13 shows an example of another luminous condition of a key module on a circuit board. Figure 14 shows a circuit diagram of the group of Figure 13.

110: Circuit board

120i:Keyboard module

121i: Elastic mechanism

122i:Keycaps

123i: Piezoelectric materials

124i: Light-emitting unit

E1: Electricity

Claims (10)

A keyboard includes: a circuit board; and a plurality of key modules, each of which includes: an elastic mechanism disposed on the circuit board; a key cap disposed on the elastic mechanism; a piezoelectric material disposed on the circuit board and below the key cap, the piezoelectric material being electrically coupled to the circuit board; and a light-emitting unit electrically connected to the piezoelectric material, when the key cap is pressed to compress the piezoelectric material, the piezoelectric material generates an electric force to drive the light-emitting unit. A keyboard as described in claim 1, wherein the size of the piezoelectric material is smaller than the key cap. A keyboard as described in claim 1, wherein the key cap has a recess and a portion of the piezoelectric material is disposed in the recess. A keyboard as described in claim 1, wherein the elastic mechanism is an elastic bracket set, and the elastic mechanism is located outside the piezoelectric material. As described in claim 1, the key module further includes: a diode; a capacitor; and a resistor, the piezoelectric material is connected to the diode, the resistor is connected to the diode, the light-emitting unit is connected to the resistor, and the capacitor is connected in parallel to the resistor and the light-emitting unit. A keyboard as described in claim 1, wherein the key modules illuminate individually. A keyboard as described in claim 1, wherein some of the key modules illuminate simultaneously. A control method for a key module includes: When a key cap is pressed from an initial position to a pressed position to squeeze a piezoelectric material, the piezoelectric material outputs an electric force; and The electric force is input to a light-emitting unit to drive the light-emitting unit. The control method of the key module as described in claim 8 further includes: Restoring the key cap to the initial position by an elastic mechanism. A control method for a key module as described in claim 8, wherein when the key cap returns to the initial position, the piezoelectric material returns to its original state.

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