A pointing stick and electronic device

Abstract

The application relates to a pointing stick and an electronic device, wherein the pointing stick comprises a circuit board, a processor and a force receiving stick, the force receiving stick is connected with a detection chip which is arranged at intervals on the circuit board, the detection chip is used for detecting information of an acting force between the force receiving stick and the detection chip, and the processor is used for receiving and arranging a detection result of the detection chip to obtain a movement direction of the force receiving stick. Through the design, the structure of the pointing stick can be simplified, the sensitivity of the pointing stick can be improved, and the actual use demand can be met.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of input devices, in particular to a pointing stick and an electronic device. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the development of technology, notebook computers and the like have become commonly used electronic devices. In order to facilitate use, notebook computers are usually provided with a pointing stick to replace a mouse. A user can complete operations such as moving and clicking by actuating the pointing stick. The existing pointing stick is usually a pressure container type pointing stick, which is not only relatively complex in structure but also occupies a large space. SUMMARY

[0003] The present application provides a pointing stick and an electronic device, which are used to simplify the structure of the pointing stick and reduce the volume of the pointing stick.

[0004] The present application provides a pointing stick, which comprises:

[0005] a circuit board;

[0006] a processor, which is electrically connected to the circuit board;

[0007] a force receiving rod, which is connected to the circuit board and can move relative to the circuit board;

[0008] wherein one side of the circuit board facing the force receiving rod is provided with detection chips, the detection chips are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the circuit board, the force receiving rod is connected to the circuit board through the detection chips, the detection chips are used to detect information of a force between the force receiving rod and the detection chips, and the processor is used to receive detection results of the detection chips to obtain movement information of the force receiving rod.

[0009] In a possible implementation, the detection chip comprises a substrate and a strain resistance, at least part of the substrate is a force receiving area, the force receiving area can be elastically deformed and is connected to the force receiving rod, and at least part of the strain resistance is arranged in the force receiving area and is electrically connected to the circuit board through the substrate.

[0010] In a possible implementation, the substrate has a cavity, the force receiving area is located on a side wall of the cavity, and the strain resistance is arranged outside the cavity and in a height direction of the pointing stick, a projection of the strain resistance is located within a projection range of the cavity.

[0011] In a possible implementation, distances between each pair of adjacent detection chips are equal.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the circuit board is provided with at least four detection chips.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the detection chip includes a first detection chip, a second detection chip, a third detection chip, and a fourth detection chip, and the connection line of the first detection chip and the second detection chip is perpendicular to the connection line of the third detection chip and the fourth detection chip, and the centers of the two connection lines coincide.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the force-bearing rod includes a main body part and at least three connecting parts, the connecting parts are connected with the main body part, and protrude in a direction close to the detection chip, and the connecting parts are connected with the corresponding detection chips.

[0015] In a possible implementation, the pointing rod further includes a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket includes a body part and a mounting part connected with each other, the body part is arranged along the circumferential direction of the mounting part and connected with the circuit board;

[0016] The mounting part is provided with a limiting hole, the main body part is located on the side of the mounting part away from the circuit board, and at least part of the connecting part can pass through the limiting hole and be connected with the detection chip.

[0017] In a possible implementation, along the height direction of the pointing rod, the size of the body part is greater than the size of the mounting part, and the mounting part and the body part have a preset distance at opposite ends;

[0018] The body part is connected with the mounting part to form a recess at one end away from the circuit board, and at least part of the main body part is located in the recess.

[0019] In a possible implementation, the pointing rod is provided with a avoiding groove on the side close to the circuit board, and the connecting part is arranged in the avoiding groove.

[0020] In a possible implementation, the connecting part is bonded with the detection chip through a first bonding layer, the main body part is bonded with the circuit board through a second bonding layer, and the thickness of the first bonding layer is greater than the thickness of the second bonding layer.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the circuit board is provided with a limiting recess, and at least part of the detection chip is located in the limiting recess.

[0022] In a possible implementation, the pointing rod further includes a connecting plate, the connecting plate is connected with the side of the circuit board close to the force-bearing rod, and is used to be connected with an electronic device.

[0023] In a possible implementation, the pointing rod further includes a supporting plate, the supporting plate is connected with the side of the circuit board away from the force-bearing rod.

[0024] The application also provides an electronic device comprising the pointing stick according to any one of the preceding embodiments.

[0025] The application relates to a pointing stick and an electronic device, wherein the pointing stick comprises a circuit board, a processor and a force receiving stick, the force receiving stick is connected with a detection chip which is arranged at a position spaced from the circuit board, the detection chip is used for detecting information of a force between the force receiving stick and the detection chip, and the processor is used for receiving and arranging a detection result of the detection chip to obtain a movement direction of the force receiving stick. Through the design, the structure of the pointing stick can be simplified, the sensitivity of the pointing stick can be improved, and the actual use requirement can be met.

[0026] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are only examples and are not limiting to the application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 A structural schematic diagram of the pointing stick provided by the application;

[0028] Figure 2 An exploded view of Figure 1 ;

[0029] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the circuit board and the detection chip provided by the application;

[0030] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the circuit board and the detection chip provided by the application;

[0031] Figure 5 A force receiving schematic diagram of the pointing stick provided by the application;

[0032] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of an existing pressure-capacitance type pointing stick;

[0033] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the detection chip provided by the application;

[0034] Figure 8 A sectional view of the detection chip provided by the application in a first state;

[0035] Figure 9 A sectional view of the detection chip provided by the application in a second state;

[0036] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the connection of the detection chip and the circuit board through an SMT process provided by the application;

[0037] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the connection of the detection chip and the circuit board through a wire bonding method provided by the application;

[0038] Figure 12 A structural schematic diagram of a force bar provided by the present application;

[0039] Figure 13 A sectional view of an embodiment of a pointing bar provided by the present application;

[0040] Figure 14 A Figure 13 A partial enlarged view of the position I;

[0041] Figure 15 A sectional view of another embodiment of a pointing bar provided by the present application;

[0042] Figure 16 A structural schematic diagram of a mounting bracket provided by the present application;

[0043] Figure 17 An exploded view of still another embodiment of a detection chip and a circuit board provided by the present application;

[0044] Figure 18 A schematic diagram of still another embodiment of a pointing bar provided by the present application;

[0045] Figure 19 A Figure 18 A partial sectional view;

[0046] Figure 20 A Figure 18 A schematic diagram in a combined state;

[0047] Figure 21 A Figure 18 A structural schematic diagram of a detection chip and a pointing bar;

[0048] Figure 22 A structural schematic diagram of various pointing bars provided by the present application;

[0049] Figure 23 A schematic diagram of an electronic device provided by the present application.

[0050] Reference signs:

[0051] A' - a pressure-capacitance pointing bar; 1' - a pressure bar; 11' - an upper electrode; 2' - a lower structural member, 21' - a lower electrode; 3' - a support structure.

[0052] A - a pointing bar;

[0053] 1 - a circuit board;

[0054] 11 - a detection chip;

[0055] 111 - a substrate;

[0056] 112 - a strain resistance;

[0057] 112a - conductive PAD;

[0058] 113 - stress area;

[0059] 114 - cavity;

[0060] 12 - first detection chip;

[0061] 13 - second detection chip;

[0062] 14 - third detection chip;

[0063] 15 - fourth detection chip;

[0064] 16 - limiting recess;

[0065] 2 - stress rod;

[0066] 21 - main body part;

[0067] 211 - first main body part;

[0068] 212 - second main body part;

[0069] 212a - avoiding slot;

[0070] 22 - connecting part;

[0071] 3 - mounting bracket;

[0072] 31 - body part;

[0073] 32 - mounting part;

[0074] 321 - limiting hole;

[0075] 33 - recess part;

[0076] 4 - rubber cap;

[0077] 5 - adhesive layer;

[0078] 51 - first adhesive layer;

[0079] 52 - second adhesive layer;

[0080] 6 - connecting plate;

[0081] 7 - support plate;

[0082] 8 - connecting piece;

[0083] 81 - solder;

[0084] 9 - lead wire.

[0085] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0086] To better understand the technical solution of this application, the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0087] It should be understood that the described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments in this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments in this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0088] The terminology used in the embodiments of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in the embodiments of this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0089] It should be understood that the term "and / or" used in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0090] It should be noted that the directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" described in the embodiments of this application are used to describe the angles shown in the accompanying drawings and should not be construed as limiting the embodiments of this application. Furthermore, in the context, it should be understood that when it is mentioned that an element is connected "upper" or "lower" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element "upper" or "lower," or indirectly connected to the other element "upper" or "lower" through an intermediate element.

[0091] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, where Figure 2 for Figure 1 The exploded view (the bonding structure between components is not shown) illustrates that this application provides a pointing stick A, which can be used in electronic devices such as laptops to replace an external mouse. Pointing stick A includes a circuit board 1, a processor, and a force-bearing rod 2. The force-bearing rod 2 is connected to the circuit board 1 and can move relative to the circuit board 1. A detection chip 11 is provided on the side of the circuit board 1 facing the force-bearing rod 2. The number of detection chips 11 can be set according to actual needs. For example, when the circuit board 1 has three detection chips 11, they can be arranged as follows... Figure 3As shown in the diagram, when circuit board 1 has four detection chips 11, it can be installed as follows: Figure 4 The circuit board 1 is configured as shown. It can be a flexible printed circuit board (FPC), a printed circuit board (PCB), or a rigid-flex board, serving as a carrier for the signal leads of the detection chip 11 and the mounting of other components. The detection chip 11 can be a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) chip, and can be a die. The detection chips 11 are spaced apart circumferentially along the circuit board 1. The force-bearing rod 2 is connected to the circuit board 1 via the detection chips 11. The force-bearing rod 2 can be a metal part or an injection-molded part. It can be bonded to the detection chip 11, which reduces the possibility of relative displacement between the force-bearing rod 2 and the detection chip 11. When the user moves the pointer A, the force-bearing rod 2 moves relative to the circuit board 1. Therefore, the force between the force-bearing rod 2 and the detection chip 11 changes. The detection chip 11 is used to detect information about the force between the force-bearing rod 2 and the detection chip 11, including but not limited to the magnitude and direction of the force. The processor can be a processor in an electronic device or a processor separately installed on the pointing stick A. The processor is electrically connected to the circuit board 1 and is used to receive the detection results of each detection chip 11, and integrate the detection results to obtain the movement direction and / or magnitude of the force of the force-bearing rod 2, thereby obtaining the movement information of the force-bearing rod 2. There are no special requirements for the type of processor, as long as it can process the relevant signals of the detection chip 11.

[0092] When the user moves the pointer A to one side, the force-bearing lever 2 will tilt in the direction of the movement, for example, as... Figure 5 As shown, when the user moves the pointer A to the right, the force lever 2 tilts to the right. The detection chip 11 located to the right of the force lever 2 experiences a pressure f1, while the detection chip 11 located to the left of the force lever 2 experiences a pulling force f2. Therefore, the processor can integrate the detection results based on the force conditions of each detection chip 11 to obtain the direction of movement of the force lever 2, and thus the direction in which the user moves the pointer A, thereby completing the corresponding operation command. When the direction of the force on each detection chip 11 is the same, for example, when each detection chip 11 is under the pressure of the force lever 2, it can be detected that the user is using the click function. Based on the specific force information, it can be determined whether it is a single click or a double click.

[0093] like Figure 6As shown, in general, the existing pointing stick is a pressure-capacitance pointing stick A', which comprises a pressure stick 1' and a lower structural member 2', the pressure stick 1' and the lower structural member 2' are connected through a support structure 3', the lower structural member 2' can be a separate component or a circuit board structure such as an FPC. A plurality of upper electrodes 11' are arranged on one side of the pressure stick 1' facing the lower structural member 2', and a plurality of lower electrodes 21' are arranged on one side of the lower structural member 2' facing the pressure stick 1', and there is a spacing between the upper electrodes 11' and the lower electrodes 21' along the height direction of the pressure-capacitance pointing stick A'. The upper electrodes 11' and the corresponding lower electrodes 21' can form a capacitor, when the pressure stick 1' is tilted under force, the distance between the upper electrodes 11' and the lower electrodes 21' will change, thereby changing the size of the capacitor, so that the tilt or movement direction of the pressure stick 1' can be obtained according to the change of the capacitor at different positions, so that the operation instruction of the user can be obtained. The existing pressure-capacitance pointing stick A' needs to leave a certain space between the upper electrodes 11' and the lower electrodes 21' to form a capacitor, so the volume of the pressure-capacitance pointing stick A' is relatively large.

[0094] In the scheme provided by the embodiment of the present application, the detection chip 11 is arranged to detect the force generated by the movement of the force stick 2, and the detection result is integrated to obtain the operation instruction of the user. Compared with the existing pressure-capacitance pointing stick, the scheme provided by the embodiment of the present application can not need to leave a preset space between the detection chip 11 and the force stick 2, so the structure of the scheme provided by the present application is simpler and occupies less space. In general, the pointing stick A is arranged between the keyboard keys of a notebook computer, reducing the occupied space of the pointing stick A is conducive to reducing the possibility of interference between the pointing stick A and the keyboard keys, so compared with the scheme of the pressure-capacitance pointing stick A', the scheme provided by the embodiment of the present application has a simpler structure, occupies less space, and is more in line with the actual use demand.

[0095] As shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4 In a possible implementation, the number of detection chips 11 can be three, four, or five or more. The distance between adjacent detection chips 11 can be equal.

[0096] The equal distance between adjacent detection chips 11 is conducive to improving the detection accuracy of the detection chip 11 as a whole, thereby facilitating the integration of the detection result by the processor and reducing the calculation difficulty. When the number of detection chips 11 is less than three, the detection accuracy is low, and when the number of detection chips 11 is more than four, the cost is likely to increase and the detection result is more, and the integration algorithm is more complex.

[0097] As shown in Figure 4As shown, in a possible implementation, the number of detection chips 11 can be four, specifically, the detection chips 11 can include a first detection chip 12, a second detection chip 13, a third detection chip 14 and a fourth detection chip 15, and the connection line of the first detection chip 12 and the second detection chip 13 is perpendicular to the connection line of the third detection chip 14 and the fourth detection chip 15, and the centers of the two connection lines coincide.

[0098] Specifically, as Figure 4 shown, the first detection chip 12 and the second detection chip 13 can be symmetrically arranged about the straight line where the length direction X of the circuit board 1 is located, and the third detection chip 14 and the fourth detection chip 15 can be symmetrically arranged about the straight line where the width direction Y of the circuit board 1 is located.

[0099] Through such a design, the movement of the force receiving rod 2 can be detected, so as to obtain the movement direction of the force receiving rod 2. The detection results of the four detection chips 11 are relatively accurate, and the processor can integrate the detection results.

[0100] The forces acting on the first detection chip 12, the second detection chip 13, the third detection chip 14 and the fourth detection chip 15 are F1, F2, F3 and F4 respectively. When the pointing stick A is not actuated, the force between the force receiving rod 2 and the detection chip 11 is taken as a reference, which is 0. When the detection chip 11 is pressed, it is negative, and when the detection chip 11 is pulled, it is positive. As Figure 4 shown, taking the case that the user actuates the pointing stick A in the right upper direction 45°, i.e. in the direction between the first detection chip 12 and the fourth detection chip 15, when the user actuates the pointing stick A, the force receiving rod 2 tilts in the right upper direction, Figure 4 the direction B shown by the dashed line is the tilt direction of the force receiving rod 2, at this time, the force F1 acting on the first detection chip 12 and the force F4 acting on the fourth detection chip 15 are pressure, the force F2 acting on the second detection chip 13 and the force F3 acting on the third detection chip 14 are tension, i.e. F1 and F4 are negative, F2 and F3 are positive, the processor can determine that the force receiving rod 2 tilts between the first detection chip 12 and the fourth detection chip 15 according to the positive and negative of the detection results of each detection chip 11, so as to obtain that the user actuates the pointing stick A in the right upper direction. Further, the processor can determine the tilt direction of the force receiving rod 2 by comparing the sizes of F1 and F4, at this time, the ratio of F1 to F4 is 1, according to the force synthesis formula, the tilt angle relative to the connection line between the first detection chip 12 and the second detection chip 13 is 45°, so as to obtain that the user actuates the pointing stick A in the right upper 45°, and then the processor controls and completes the corresponding operation.

[0101] The specific configuration of the detection chip 11 can be adjusted according to the actual situation. The shape of the circuit board 1 can also be determined according to the model and structural requirements of the electronic device. For example, the shape of the circuit board 1 can be rectangular, circular, polygonal, etc.

[0102] like Figures 7 to 9 As shown, in one possible implementation, the detection chip 11 includes a substrate 111 and a strain gauge resistor 112. At least a portion of the side of the substrate 111 where the strain gauge resistor 112 is located is a force-bearing region 113. The force-bearing region 113 is capable of elastic deformation, so that when the strain gauge resistor 112 needs to deform, there is sufficient space for the strain gauge resistor 112 to deform. When the user moves or presses the force-bearing lever 2, the force-bearing lever 2 moves and causes the strain gauge resistor 112 and the force-bearing region 113 to deform. When the strain gauge resistor 112 deforms, its resistance changes. Therefore, information related to the force applied to the detection chip 11, such as its magnitude and direction, can be obtained through the change in the resistance of the strain gauge resistor 112.

[0103] The detection chip 11 can be made of silicon-based material, and the substrate 111 can be supported by a silicon-based wafer. Strain gauges 112 are integrated on the silicon-based wafer, such as... Figure 7 As shown, each detection chip 11 can integrate four sets of strain resistors 112, and a cavity 114 is etched on the substrate 111. Specifically, etching can be performed from the side of the substrate 111 facing the circuit board 1, and a deformable stress area 113 is formed on the side of the substrate 111 away from the circuit board 1. The opening of the cavity 114 is bonded by bonding. The material used to seal the opening of the cavity 114 can be the same as or different from the substrate 111. Figure 7 The scheme shown is only a schematic diagram of one embodiment provided in this application. The specific structure can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0104] The existing capacitive pointing stick A' exhibits a small change in capacitance under stress, resulting in a relatively small signal quantity. However, the detection chip 11 used in this embodiment, by incorporating a strain gauge 112, exhibits a larger change in capacitance under the same force, thus generating a relatively larger signal quantity. This allows the processor to obtain more information from the detection chip 11, improving the accuracy of the pointing stick A and enabling more accurate acquisition of user operations, thus better meeting actual usage needs.

[0105] The connection between the detection chip 11 and the circuit board 1 can be made by soldering or by wire bonding using through silicon via (TSV) technology.

[0106] like Figure 10As shown, in one possible implementation, the detection chip 11 can be mounted on the circuit board 1 using surface mounted technology (SMT). The detection chip 11 and the circuit board 1 are respectively provided with connectors 8, which are connected by solder.

[0107] like Figure 11 As shown, in one possible implementation, the detection chip 11 and the circuit board 1 can be connected by wire bonding, that is, the circuit board 1 and the detection chip 11 are respectively provided with connectors 8, which can be connected to PADs, and the connectors 8 of the circuit board 1 and the connectors 8 of the detection chip 11 are connected by wires 9.

[0108] By placing the strain resistor 112 in the stress region 113 of the base 111, which is capable of elastic deformation, when the force-bearing rod 2 moves, the strain resistor 112 and the stress region 113 can deform accordingly. Since at least a portion of the strain resistor 112 is disposed in the stress region 113, therefore, as Figure 9 As shown, when the strain resistor 112 and the force-bearing area 113 are subjected to pressure F, the strain resistor 112 and the force-bearing area 113 deform, causing the resistance value of the strain resistor 112 to change, thereby changing the corresponding electrical signal. The processor can obtain relevant information about the force between the force-bearing rod 2 and the detection chip 11 based on the change in the electrical signal, and thus obtain the direction in which the user moves the pointer rod A.

[0109] In one possible implementation, all strain gauges 112 can be placed in the stress area 113, that is, all strain gauges 112 are located within the projection range of the cavity 114, so that the strain gauges 112 can deform, thereby increasing the signal quantity generated by the detection chip 11 and thus improving the detection accuracy of the detection chip 11, which is more in line with actual usage requirements.

[0110] In one possible implementation, since the bottom wall of the cavity 114 is relatively thin after the substrate 111 is etched into the cavity 114, the bottom wall of the cavity 114 is prone to cracking when a conductive PAD 112a electrically connected to the strain resistor 112 is placed, which in turn damages the stress area 113, affects the detection results, and causes the detection chip 11 to fail. Therefore, the conductive PAD 112a can be placed outside the projection range of the cavity 114, that is, in the area where the substrate 111 is not etched. Since the thickness of the unetched area is relatively large, placing the conductive PAD 112a in this area can reduce the possibility of damage to the detection chip 11 during processing.

[0111] Specifically, when the force-bearing rod 2 is tilted, the detection chip 11 located in the tilt direction of the force-bearing rod 2 and the detection chip 11 located in the opposite direction of the tilt direction of the force-bearing rod 2 can generate opposite voltage signals. The processor can determine the direction of force based on the voltage signals and obtain the magnitude of the force on each detection chip 11, and then calculate the tilt direction of the force-bearing rod 2 to obtain the user's operation instructions.

[0112] like Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, in one possible embodiment, the substrate 111 has a cavity 114, the stress area 113 is located on the side wall of the cavity 114, the strain resistor 112 is disposed outside the cavity 114, and the projection of the strain resistor 112 is located within the projection range of the cavity 114 along the height direction of the pointing rod A.

[0113] By setting a cavity 114 on the substrate 111, space can be provided for the deformation of the stress area 113. The strain resistor 112 is set within the projection range of the cavity 114, which facilitates the deformation of the strain resistor 112 when the stress area 113 deforms. This is beneficial to improving the sensitivity and accuracy of detection and is more in line with actual usage requirements.

[0114] like Figure 12 As shown, in one possible implementation, the force-bearing rod 2 includes a main body 21 and at least three connecting parts 22, for example, Figure 12 Four connecting portions 22 are shown. The connecting portions 22 are connected to the main body portion 21 and protrude relative to the main body portion 21 in a direction close to the detection chip 11. The number and position of the connecting portions 22 can be set according to the number and position of the detection chips 11, and are connected to the corresponding detection chips 11.

[0115] By providing the connecting part 22, it is easy to connect the force-bearing rod 2 and the detection chip 11, thereby improving the relative positional accuracy between the two. The connecting part 22 can be connected to the detection chip 11 by means of bonding or other methods to reduce the possibility of relative displacement between the two, which is conducive to improving the detection accuracy.

[0116] like Figure 13 As shown, in one possible implementation, the pointing stick A further includes a mounting bracket 3, which is connected to the circuit board 1, and the force-bearing rod 2 is mounted on the circuit board 1 through the mounting bracket 3.

[0117] By setting up the mounting bracket 3, the stability and installation accuracy of the load-bearing rod 2 can be improved.

[0118] like Figure 13 As shown, in one possible embodiment, the mounting bracket 3 includes a body portion 31 and a mounting portion 32. The body portion 31 may be annular and is arranged circumferentially along the mounting portion 32. The body portion 31 is connected to the circuit board 1, such as...Figure 14 As shown, the mounting part 32 is provided with a limiting hole 321, and at least a portion of the connecting part 22 of the force-bearing rod 2 can pass through the limiting hole 321 and contact the detection chip 11.

[0119] By providing a limiting hole 321 in the mounting part 32, the relative positional accuracy between the connecting part 22 and the detection chip 11 can be improved. The diameter of the limiting hole 321 can be larger than the diameter of the connecting part 22, so that when the pointing rod A is turned, the force rod 2 can move relative to the circuit board 1.

[0120] Specifically, such as Figure 13 and Figure 14 As shown, the limiting hole 321 and the connecting part 22 can be set one-to-one, or they can be set as follows: Figures 15 to 16 As shown, multiple connecting parts 22 correspond to one limiting hole 321, and the detection chip 11 can be set up as follows: Figure 17 As shown, the specific structure and position of the mounting bracket 3, circuit board 1, and detection chip 11 can be set according to the actual situation.

[0121] like Figure 13 As shown, in one possible implementation, along the height direction of the pointing stick A, the dimension d1 of the body portion 31 is larger than the dimension d2 of the mounting portion 32, and the mounting portion 32 and the opposite ends of the body portion 31 have distances m and n, respectively, where m and n are both greater than 0, and their sizes can be equal or unequal. Figure 14 As shown, the mounting part 32 and the body part 31 at the end away from the circuit board 1 form a recessed part 33, and the main body part 21 of the force-bearing rod 2 is located in the recessed part 33.

[0122] This design facilitates the positioning of the load-bearing rod 2 during installation, thus improving the installation accuracy of the load-bearing rod 2. Figure 13 As shown, the diameter d3 of the recessed portion 33 can be larger than the diameter d4 of the main body portion 21, so that the force rod 2 can move relative to the circuit board 1. At the same time, it can also limit the range of motion of the force rod 2, which can reduce the possibility of damage to the detection chip 11 connected to the force rod 2 due to excessive tilt angle when the force rod 2 is flicked or excessive descent distance when the force rod 2 is pressed.

[0123] like Figure 15 As shown, in one possible implementation, the pointing stick A also includes a rubber cap 4, which is connected to the end of the force-bearing rod 2 away from the circuit board 1, and the user can move the pointing stick A by using the rubber cap 4.

[0124] Adding a cap 4 improves the tactile feedback of the pointing stick A, thus enhancing the user experience. Specifically, the cap 4 can be a plastic injection molded part, silicone, or other soft material.

[0125] Specifically, such asFigure 14 As shown, during the assembly of the pointing rod A, adhesive layers 5 can be provided between the force-bearing rod 2 and the mounting bracket 3, between the detection chip 11 and the circuit board 1, and between the force-bearing rod 2 and the detection chip 11, for bonding. Specifically, thermosetting adhesive, double-sided adhesive film, etc., can be applied between the mounting bracket 3 and the circuit board 1. The detection chip 11 and the circuit board 1 can be bonded using thermosetting adhesive, double-sided adhesive, die attach film (DAF), etc. The force-bearing rod 2 and the detection chip 11 can be bonded using double-sided adhesive, thermosetting adhesive, or UV adhesive, etc.

[0126] like Figure 18 and Figure 19 As shown, in one possible implementation, the main body 21 of the force-bearing rod 2 may include a first main body 211 and a second main body 212 connected to each other, wherein the diameter d5 of the first main body 211 is smaller than the diameter d6 of the second main body 212, the second main body 212 is used to increase the contact area of ​​the main body 21 to facilitate the provision of multiple connecting parts 22, and the first main body 211 is used to receive the force applied by the user, thereby driving the pointing rod 2 to move. Figure 18 The adhesive layer 5 shown is used to bond the load-bearing rod 2 and the circuit board 1.

[0127] like Figure 18 As shown, the first main body 211 can be square, and the second main body 212 can be circular. The square structure of the first main body 211 facilitates its connection with the cap 4. Figure 18 The connection structure (not shown) reduces the possibility of relative rotation between the force-bearing rod 2 and the rubber cap 4 during use. The second main body 212 has a circular structure, which allows it to have a larger contact area for the connecting part 22. The shape is relatively simple and the processing difficulty is relatively low. The structure of the first main body 211 and the second main body 212 can also be designed according to actual needs. For example, the second main body 212 can have a clearance notch in the position where the connecting part 22 is not provided to reduce the volume of the second main body. Taking the second main body 212 with four connecting parts 22 as an example, the second main body 212 can be cross-shaped, which can further reduce the overall volume of the pointing stick 2 and reduce the possibility of interference between the pointing stick 2 and other components of the electronic device.

[0128] like Figure 19 As shown, in one possible implementation, a clearance groove 212a is provided on the side of the second main body 212 away from the first main body 211, and the connecting part 22 is disposed in the clearance groove 212a.

[0129] like Figure 11As shown, when the detection chip 11 is connected to the circuit board 1 by wire bonding, the connector 8 is usually above the detection chip 11, that is, on the side of the detection chip 11 facing the second main body 212. Therefore, a certain space needs to be left to avoid the wiring. By providing a clearance groove 212a on the side of the second main body 212 away from the first main body 211, the wiring is avoided, so that the wiring can be connected to the connector 8, thereby enabling the detection chip 11 to be connected to the circuit board 1.

[0130] like Figure 19 As shown, in one possible implementation, the adhesive layer 5 includes a first adhesive layer 51 and a second adhesive layer 52. The connecting part 22 and the detection chip 11 are connected through the first adhesive layer 51, and the second main body part 212 and the circuit board 1 are connected through the second adhesive layer 52. The thickness d7 of the first adhesive layer 51 is greater than the thickness d8 of the second adhesive layer 52.

[0131] By making the thickness of the first adhesive layer 51 greater than the thickness of the second adhesive layer 52, it can act as a buffer under pressure overload, thereby protecting the detection chip 11 and reducing the possibility of damage to the detection chip 11.

[0132] like Figure 19 As shown, in one possible implementation, the circuit board 1 may be provided with a limiting recess 16, and at least a portion of the detection chip 11 is located in the limiting recess 16.

[0133] This design not only facilitates the positioning of the detection chip 11 but also reduces the overall thickness of the pointing stick A, thereby reducing its overall size and facilitating installation. The positioning recess 16 can be a through hole. Typically, the circuit board 1 is relatively thin, making it inconvenient to set the positioning recess 16; therefore, a through hole design is used, allowing the detection chip 11 to be connected to the circuit board 1 via wire bonding.

[0134] like Figure 20 As shown, in one possible implementation, the pointing stick A may further include a connecting plate 6, which is connected to the side of the circuit board 1 facing the force-bearing rod 2, for mounting the pointing stick A to the electronic device. Specifically, during installation, the connecting plate 6 can be used to connect to the keyboard, housing, or other structures of the electronic device.

[0135] like Figure 19 As shown, in one possible implementation, the pointing stick A further includes a support plate 7, which is located on the side of the circuit board 1 away from the force-bearing rod 2 and is connected to the circuit board 1.

[0136] The support plate 7 is used to support the circuit board 1, providing reinforcement and reducing the possibility of damage to the circuit board 1. The support plate 7 can be a metal component, supporting the circuit board 1 while also being fixedly connected to the connecting plate 6. Specifically, the side of the circuit board 1 furthest from the detection chip 11 can be connected to the support plate 7 by adhesive bonding. Figure 21 As shown, the size d9 of the support plate 7 can be larger than the size d10 of the circuit board 1. An annular adhesive layer is provided along the circumference of the support plate 7, and the support plate 7 is connected to the connecting plate 6 through the annular adhesive layer.

[0137] In one possible implementation, along the height direction of the pointing stick A, the pointing stick A sequentially includes: a force-bearing rod 2, a detection chip 11, a connecting plate 6, a circuit board 1, and a support plate 7. The force-bearing rod 2 includes a smaller first main body portion 211 and a larger second main body portion 212. The first main body portion 211 can be used to connect with the cap 4, and the second main body portion 212 is used to provide a connecting portion 22. Specifically, the connecting portion 22 is located within a clearance groove 212a of the second main body portion 212. The connecting plate 6 is provided with a clearance notch 61 to allow the force-bearing rod 2 and / or the detection chip 11 to pass, so that the force-bearing rod 2 can contact and connect with the detection chip 11. This connection can be achieved through adhesive bonding. The circuit board 1 is provided with a limiting recess 16, and the detection chip 11 is located in the limiting recess 16. The limiting recess 16 can be a through hole. The detection chip 11 can be adhesively bonded to the support plate 7 connected to the circuit board 1 and electrically connected to the circuit board 1 via wire bonding.

[0138] In one possible implementation, the shape of the force-bearing rod 2 can be as follows: Figure 22 As shown, for example, the main body 21 can be circular or rectangular, and the connecting part 22 can be cylindrical. The main body 21 can also have other structures; for example, it can be formed by connecting a first main body 211 and a second main body 212 of different shapes. The first main body 211 can be a rectangle with chamfers, and the second main body 212 can be circular. The specific shape of the force-bearing rod 2 can be designed according to the actual structure, including but not limited to… Figure 22 The structure shown.

[0139] Based on the pointing stick A involved in the above embodiments, such as Figure 23 As shown in the illustration, this application also provides an electronic device, which may be a laptop computer or the like. The electronic device may include a pointing stick A. Since the pointing stick A has the aforementioned technical effects, the electronic device including the pointing stick A also has corresponding technical effects, which will not be elaborated here.

[0140] This application provides a pointing stick A and an electronic device. The pointing stick A includes a circuit board 1, a processor, and a force-receiving rod 2. The force-receiving rod 2 is connected to a detection chip 11 spaced apart from the circuit board 1. The detection chip 11 is used to detect the force information between the force-receiving rod 2 and the detection chip 11. The processor is used to receive and process the detection results of the detection chip 11 to obtain the movement direction of the force-receiving rod 2. This design simplifies the structure of the pointing stick A and improves its sensitivity, making it more suitable for practical use.

[0141] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A pointing stick, characterized in that, The pointing stick includes: Circuit board; A processor, which is electrically connected to the circuit board; A force-bearing rod is connected to the circuit board and is movable relative to the circuit board; The circuit board has a detection chip on the side facing the force-bearing rod. The detection chips are spaced apart around the circumference of the circuit board. The force-bearing rod is connected to the circuit board through the detection chips. The detection chips are used to detect the force information between the force-bearing rod and the detection chips. The processor is used to receive the detection results of the detection chips to obtain the motion information of the force-bearing rod. The force-bearing rod includes a main body and at least three connecting parts. The connecting parts are connected to the main body and protrude in the direction close to the detection chip. The connecting parts are connected to the corresponding detection chips. The connecting part is bonded to the detection chip through a first adhesive layer, and the main body is bonded to the circuit board through a second adhesive layer, wherein the thickness of the first adhesive layer is greater than the thickness of the second adhesive layer.

2. The pointing stick according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection chip includes a substrate and a strain resistor. At least a portion of the substrate is a stress-bearing region, which is capable of elastic deformation and connected to the stress rod. At least a portion of the strain resistor is disposed in the stress-bearing region and electrically connected to the circuit board through the substrate.

3. The pointing stick according to claim 2, characterized in that, The substrate has a cavity, the stress area is located on the side wall of the cavity, the strain resistor is disposed outside the cavity, and the projection of the strain resistor is located within the projection range of the cavity along the height direction of the pointing rod.

4. The pointing stick according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distance between each adjacent detection chip is equal.

5. The pointing stick according to claim 1, characterized in that, The circuit board is provided with at least four of the detection chips.

6. The pointing stick according to claim 5, characterized in that, The detection chip includes a first detection chip, a second detection chip, a third detection chip, and a fourth detection chip, and the line connecting the first detection chip and the second detection chip is perpendicular to the line connecting the third detection chip and the fourth detection chip, and the centers of the two lines coincide.

7. The pointing stick according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body has a clearance groove on the side facing the circuit board, and the connecting part is disposed in the clearance groove.

8. The pointing stick according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The circuit board is provided with a limiting recess, and at least a portion of the detection chip is located in the limiting recess.

9. The pointing stick according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The pointing stick also includes a connecting plate, which is connected to the side of the circuit board facing the force-bearing rod for connection to electronic devices.

10. The pointing stick according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The pointing stick also includes a support plate, which is connected to the side of the circuit board away from the force-bearing rod.

11. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes a pointing stick as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10.

Images