Keycap detection mechanism and detection method capable of effectively preventing puller block hook from breaking

Abstract

The present invention discloses a keycap detection mechanism and detection method that can effectively prevent the puller block hook from being broken, which includes a keyboard loading and unloading conveying module, a puller test head module located above the keyboard loading and unloading conveying module and including a plurality of pullers, and a visual detection module for obtaining the position of each of the pullers. The present invention uses visual detection technology to obtain the position information of all pullers, providing a basis for adjusting the position of the pullers, so that the actual position of the puller before detection is consistent with the required position coordinates, thereby ensuring that during detection, the puller can accurately extend into the gap between the keycap and the keyboard body, and will not hit other keyboard components, thereby ensuring the safety of the puller, effectively avoiding the phenomenon of the puller being damaged, greatly improving the detection efficiency, and reducing the detection cost.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of keyboard assembly equipment, and in particular relates to a key cap detection mechanism and a detection method which can effectively prevent a pull block hook from being broken. [Background technology]

[0002] The keyboard is generally assembled from an aluminum substrate, a circuit board, a scissor support frame and keycaps. The main reasons known to cause poor elasticity or pull-out force of keyboard keycaps are: 1) Poor incoming materials, such as deformation of the aluminum substrate hook, breakage of the central axis of the scissor support frame, or lack of material and collapse of the internal and external scissor keycap assembly structure, and defects in the four corners of the keycap and the internal and external scissor assembly (i.e., the written name is the water drop hole and the slide groove structure); 2) Poor assembly, such as damage to the keyboard or keycap structure due to human or poor assembly mechanical equipment during the assembly process. The above two points are the main reasons for insufficient or no elasticity of the keyboard keycaps, which will directly lead to serious impact on the service life and mechanical feel of the keyboard after it is made into a finished product. Therefore, after the keycaps are installed on the keyboard, in order to ensure the reliability of subsequent use, it is necessary to test the pull-out force of the keyboard keycaps after assembly.

[0003] The applicant has previously applied for a highly versatile keycap pull-out test device, and its patent application number is 201921536689.4. By setting up multiple pull-out test assemblies, each pull-out test assembly includes a pressure sensor, a pull-out block set at the active end of the pressure sensor and used to pull the keycap, a voice coil motor that drives the pressure sensor to move up and down frequently, and a servo motor that drives the voice coil motor to move along the X or Y axis. Through multiple pull-out test assemblies, the pull-out force detection of a row of keycaps is realized, which greatly improves the keycap installation detection efficiency. However, in actual applications, according to user feedback, it is found that the hooks on the pull-out block are prone to breakage or damage, and the pull-out block is seriously damaged.

[0004] After analysis by the applicant, the main reason for the hook being damaged is the installation error of the pulling block during installation. Each time the keycap is tested, there is actually a deviation between the actual position of the hook and the hook position recognized by the system. In addition, since the height gap between the keycap and the keyboard body is very small, a slight installation error of the hook can easily cause the hook to collide with the keycap body and damage it. In addition, since the keycap is not installed correctly and is not supported and bounced up by the elastic bracket, a collapsed keycap appears. This type of keycap is called a "dead key" in the industry. The existence of a "dead key" results in insufficient gap between the keycap and the keyboard body, so that the hook can easily collide with the "dead key" body and be damaged.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new keycap detection mechanism and detection method that can effectively prevent the puller block hook from breaking to solve the above problems. [Summary of the invention]

[0006] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a keycap detection mechanism that can effectively prevent the puller block hook from being broken. Before each pull test, a camera is used to obtain the positions of all puller block hooks, effectively preventing the hooks from being broken.

[0007] The present invention achieves the above-mentioned purpose through the following technical scheme: a keycap detection mechanism that can effectively prevent the puller hook of the pulling block from being broken, which includes a keyboard loading and unloading conveying module, a pulling test head module located above the keyboard loading and unloading conveying module and including a plurality of pullers, and a visual detection module for obtaining the position of each of the pullers.

[0008] Furthermore, it also includes a laser scanner for performing 3D contour scanning of the keycaps when the keyboard loading and unloading conveying module carries the keyboard to move.

[0009] Furthermore, the pulling test head module includes a Z-axis transfer mechanism, a support frame driven by the Z-axis transfer mechanism to move up and down, and a plurality of test head assemblies fixed on the support frame.

[0010] Furthermore, the test head assembly includes a second driving member, a first movable plate driven by the second driving member to move along the X direction, a first driving member fixed on the first movable plate, a pressure sensor driven by the first driving member to move up and down, a pulling block arranged at the sensing end of the pressure sensor, and the pulling hook arranged at the end of the pulling block, and the second driving member is controlled by a controller to fine-tune the position of the pulling hook according to the actual position of the pulling hook detected by the visual inspection module.

[0011] Furthermore, the pulling test head module also includes a third driving member, a second movable plate driven by the third driving member to move along the X direction, and the Z-axis transfer mechanism is fixed on the second movable plate.

[0012] Furthermore, the visual detection module includes a camera, and a host computer connected to the camera circuit and having a built-in program for acquiring coordinates of a captured object by capturing pictures.

[0013] Furthermore, the host computer is in signal communication with the controller.

[0014] Another object of the present invention is to provide a keycap detection method that can effectively prevent the puller block hook from breaking, which comprises the following steps:

[0015] 1) providing a pulling test head module, which includes a plurality of test head components, wherein the test head components include a second driving member, a first movable plate driven by the second driving member to move along the X direction, a first driving member fixed on the first movable plate, a pressure sensor driven by the first driving member to move up and down, a pulling block arranged at the sensing end of the pressure sensor, and a hook arranged at the end of the pulling block;

[0016] 2) using a visual inspection module to obtain the actual plane coordinates of all the hooks, and guiding the second driving member to fine-tune the hooks according to the obtained actual plane coordinates and the hook positions set in the system;

[0017] 3) After fine-tuning of all hook positions is completed, the keyboard is transferred through the pull-out test head module by a Y-axis transfer mechanism, and each keycap stays for a set time when passing the corresponding pull hook. The pull hook hooks the keycap upward to a set height, and then retracts downward until all keycap pull-out tests are completed. Whether the keycap assembly is qualified is determined based on the changes in pressure data of the pressure sensor during the keycap being pulled up.

[0018] Furthermore, before performing the step 3), the method further includes using a laser scanner to perform a 3D profile scan on the keyboard, and using the height difference between the keycap surface and the keyboard body surface to detect whether there are defective keycaps.

[0019] Furthermore, the method also includes step 4): after completing the set number of tests, the shape images of all the hooks are obtained by using the camera, and the detection program built into the host computer is used to detect whether the hooks are deformed. If deformation occurs, the operator is reminded to replace them; if no deformation occurs, the keycap pulling test continues.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the keycap detection mechanism and detection method of the present invention that can effectively prevent the pull block hook from breaking are: using visual detection technology to obtain the position information of all pull hooks, providing a basis for adjusting the position of the pull hook, so that the actual position of the pull hook before detection is consistent with the required position coordinates, thereby ensuring that during detection, the pull hook can accurately extend into the gap between the keycap and the keyboard body and will not hit other keyboard components, thereby ensuring the safety of the pull hook, effectively avoiding the phenomenon of the pull hook being damaged, greatly improving the detection efficiency, and reducing the detection cost; on the other hand, before performing the pull-out detection, the method uses a laser scanner to perform a 3D contour scan of the keyboard to be detected to detect whether there is a "dead key" on the keyboard to be detected, effectively avoiding the "dead key" from damaging the pull hook, further ensuring the safety of the pull hook, improving the detection efficiency, and reducing the detection cost.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] Figure 1It is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of a keyboard loading and unloading conveying module in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of a test head assembly in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure of the drawing block in the embodiment of the present invention

[0025] The numbers in the figure represent:

[0026] 100 A keycap detection mechanism and detection method that can effectively prevent the puller block hook from being broken;

[0027] 1. Keyboard loading and unloading conveying module, 11. Y-axis transfer mechanism, 12. Keyboard detection fixture; 2. Drawing test head module, 21. Z-axis transfer mechanism, 22. Support frame, 23. Test head assembly, 231. First driving member, 232. Pressure sensor, 233. Drawing block, 234. Draw hook, 235. Second driving member, 236. First movable plate, 24. Third driving member, 25. Second movable plate, 26. Sensor; 3. Visual detection module, 31. Camera; 4. Laser scanner. [Specific implementation method]

[0028] Embodiment 1:

[0029] Please refer to Figure 1-Figure 4 The present embodiment is a keycap detection mechanism 100 which can effectively prevent the puller block hook from being broken, and includes a keyboard loading and unloading conveying module 1, a puller test head module 2 located above the keyboard loading and unloading conveying module 1 and including a plurality of pullers 234, and a visual detection module 3 for obtaining the position of each puller 234.

[0030] The keyboard loading and unloading conveying module 1 comprises a Y-axis transfer mechanism 11 and a keyboard detection fixture 12 driven by the Y-axis transfer mechanism 11 to move horizontally along the Y-axis.

[0031] The pull-out test head module 2 includes a Z-axis transfer mechanism 21 , a support frame 22 driven by the Z-axis transfer mechanism 21 to move up and down, and a plurality of test head assemblies 23 fixed on the support frame 22 .

[0032] The test head assembly 23 includes a first driving member 231, a pressure sensor 232 driven by the first driving member 231 to move up and down, a pulling block 233 disposed at the sensing end of the pressure sensor 232, and the pulling hook 234 disposed at the end of the pulling block 233. The first driving member 231 is preferably a voice coil motor.

[0033] The test head assembly 23 further includes a second driving member 235, a first movable plate 236 driven by the second driving member 235 to move along the X direction, and the first driving member 231 is fixed on the first movable plate 236. When the hook 234 needs to be adjusted along the X axis or needs to jump a set distance to detect other rows of keyboard keys, the second driving member 235 can be used to transfer, jump or adjust the position.

[0034] The pull test head module 2 also includes a third driving member 24, a second movable plate 25 driven by the third driving member 24 to move along the X direction, and the Z-axis transfer mechanism 21 is fixed on the second movable plate 25. When all the test head assemblies 23 need to be moved in the X-axis direction as a whole, the third driving member 24 is used to achieve this, for example, moving between the keycap detection station and the position collection station of the pull hook 234, or moving between multiple keycap detection stations in the X direction.

[0035] The visual inspection module 3 includes a camera 31 and a host computer (not shown in the figure) which is connected to the camera 31 and has a built-in program for acquiring coordinates of a captured object by capturing pictures.

[0036] The camera 31 can be fixed separately below the pull test head module 2 and set at the position acquisition station of the hook 234. In this embodiment, the camera 31 is fixed on the keyboard detection fixture 12, and as the keyboard detection fixture 12 moves along the Y axis, the position images of all the hooks 234 are captured and uploaded to the host computer, and the host computer collects and processes the image information to obtain the position coordinates of all the hooks 234.

[0037] This embodiment also includes a laser scanner 4 which is arranged on the moving path of the keyboard loading and unloading conveying module 1 and performs 3D contour scanning on the keycap. The laser scanner 4 scans the contour of the keycap surface, and determines whether a "dead key" appears based on the height difference between the scanned keycap surface and the keyboard body surface. If so, the operator is notified to handle it, and the keyboard does not perform the pull-out test; if not, the pull-out test is performed normally.

[0038] This embodiment also provides a keycap detection method that can effectively prevent the puller block hook from breaking, which includes the following steps:

[0039] 1) providing a pulling test head module 2, which includes a plurality of test head assemblies 23, wherein the test head assembly 23 includes a second driving member 235, a first movable plate 236 driven by the second driving member 235 to move along the X direction, a first driving member 231 fixed on the first movable plate 236, a pressure sensor 232 driven by the first driving member 231 to move up and down, a pulling block 233 arranged at the sensing end of the pressure sensor 232, and the pulling hook 234 arranged at the end of the pulling block 233;

[0040] 2) Using a camera 31 to obtain the horizontal plane coordinates of all the hooks 234, by comparing each hook with the position coordinates of the hook 234 identified in the system, obtaining the compensation error, and performing fine adjustment in the X direction through the second driving member 235; the position coordinates of the hook 234 identified in the system are mainly the X coordinates of the keycap pulling point corresponding to the row;

[0041] 3) Use a laser scanner 4 to perform a 3D scan on the keyboard surface contour, and determine whether there is a "dead key" based on the height difference between the scanned keycap surface and the keyboard body surface. If there is, notify the operator to handle it, and the keyboard will not be pulled out for testing; if not, proceed to the next step normally;

[0042] 4) After all the positions of the hooks 234 are fine-tuned, the keyboard is transferred through the pull-out test head module 2 by a Y-axis transfer mechanism 11, and each keycap stays for a set time when passing the corresponding hook 234. At the same time, the hook 234, driven by the first drive member 231, hooks the keycap upward to a set height, and then retracts downward until all the keycap pulling tests are completed. Whether the keycap assembly is qualified is determined based on the change in pressure data of the pressure sensor 232 during the keycap being pulled up.

[0043] In this embodiment, all the test head components 23 are fixedly arranged on a support frame 22, and the support frame 22 is driven by a Z-axis transfer mechanism 21 to move up and down. A sensor 26 is arranged at the front end of the support frame 22. In step 2), the keyboard detection jig 12 carries the keyboard and moves to the rear side and lower side of the pulling test head module 2 through the Y-axis transfer mechanism 11. The sensor 26 detects that the rear end of the keyboard detection jig 12 enters the detection station, and then continues to drive the keyboard detection jig 12 to move the set distance to allow the keyboard detection jig 12 to move to the initial detection position.

[0044] In this embodiment, since the camera 31 follows the keyboard detection fixture 12 from front to back through the pull test head module 2 to obtain the horizontal position coordinates of all the hooks 234 in the pull test head module 2, in order to save the moving distance of the keyboard detection fixture 12 and reduce the transfer action, this embodiment starts the pull test of the keyboard keycap from the rear end of the keyboard. During the detection process, the keyboard moves from the back to the front. After the detection is completed, it continues to move forward to the unloading station; thereby further improving the detection efficiency. In another embodiment, the keyboard loading station and the keyboard unloading station can also be set at the two ends of the Y-axis transfer mechanism 11 respectively, and the pull test detection station is located between the keyboard loading station and the keyboard unloading station. In the process of the keyboard moving from the keyboard loading station to the pull test detection station, the keyboard surface 3D contour scanning and the position of the hook 234 are completed. Photographing.

[0045] The keycap detection method of the present embodiment which can effectively avoid the puller block hook from breaking also includes step 5): after completing the set number of detections, using the camera 31 to obtain the shape images of all the pullers 234, and using the built-in detection program of the host computer to detect whether the pullers 234 are deformed, if deformation occurs, reminding the operator to replace it; if no deformation occurs, continuing the keycap pulling detection.

[0046] The present embodiment provides a keycap detection mechanism and detection method that can effectively prevent the pull block hook from being broken. Visual detection technology is used to obtain the position information of all pull hooks, providing a basis for adjusting the position of the pull hooks, so that the actual position of the pull hooks before detection is consistent with the required position coordinates, thereby ensuring that during detection, the pull hooks can accurately extend into the gap between the keycap and the keyboard body and will not hit other keyboard components, thereby ensuring the safety of the pull hooks, effectively avoiding the phenomenon of the pull hooks being broken, greatly improving the detection efficiency, and reducing the detection cost.

[0047] The above are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, several modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the creative concept of the present invention, which all belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A keycap detection mechanism that can effectively prevent the puller block hook from breaking, characterized in that: It includes a keyboard loading and unloading conveying module, a pulling test head module located above the keyboard loading and unloading conveying module and including a plurality of pull hooks, a visual detection module for obtaining the position of each of the pull hooks, and a laser scanner for performing 3D contour scanning on the keycap when the keyboard loading and unloading conveying module carries the keyboard to move; The pulling test head module includes a Z-axis transfer mechanism, a support frame driven by the Z-axis transfer mechanism to move up and down, and a plurality of test head assemblies fixed on the support frame; the test head assembly includes a second driving member, a first movable plate driven by the second driving member to move along the X direction, a first driving member fixed on the first movable plate, a pressure sensor driven by the first driving member to move up and down, a pulling block arranged at the sensing end of the pressure sensor, and the hook arranged at the end of the pulling block; the second driving member is controlled by a controller to fine-tune the position of the hook according to the actual position of the hook detected by the visual detection module; the pulling test head module also includes a third driving member, a second movable plate driven by the third driving member to move along the X direction, and the Z-axis transfer mechanism is fixed on the second movable plate; The keyboard loading and unloading conveying module includes a Y-axis transfer mechanism and a keyboard detection fixture driven by the Y-axis transfer mechanism to move horizontally along the Y-axis; The visual inspection module includes a camera, and the camera is fixed on the keyboard inspection fixture.

2. The keycap detection mechanism capable of effectively preventing the puller block hook from being broken as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The visual detection module includes a host computer connected to the camera circuit and having a built-in program for acquiring the coordinates of the captured object by capturing pictures.

3. The keycap detection mechanism capable of effectively preventing the puller block hook from being broken as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: The host computer is in signal communication with the controller.

4. A keycap detection method that can effectively avoid the breakage of the puller hook of the puller block, characterized in that: It includes the following steps: 1) providing a pulling test head module, which includes a plurality of test head components, wherein the test head components include a second driving member, a first movable plate driven by the second driving member to move along the X direction, a first driving member fixed on the first movable plate, a pressure sensor driven by the first driving member to move up and down, a pulling block arranged at the sensing end of the pressure sensor, and a hook arranged at the end of the pulling block; 2) using a visual inspection module to obtain the actual plane coordinates of all the hooks, and guiding the second driving member to fine-tune the hooks according to the obtained actual plane coordinates and the hook positions set in the system; 3) Use a laser scanner to perform a 3D contour scan of the keyboard, and use the height difference between the keycap surface and the keyboard body surface to determine whether there is a "dead key". If there is, notify the operator to handle it, and the keyboard will not be tested for pull-out; if not, perform the pull-out test normally; 4) After all the hook positions are fine-tuned, a Y-axis transfer mechanism is used to drive the keyboard to pass under the pull-out test head module, and each keycap stays for a set time when passing the corresponding hook. The hook hooks the keycap upward to a set height and then retracts downward until all keycap pull-out tests are completed. Whether the keycap assembly is qualified is determined based on the changes in pressure data from the pressure sensor during the keycap being pulled up process.

5. The keycap detection method capable of effectively avoiding the breakage of the puller hook of the puller block as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that: Also includes step 4): After completing the set number of tests, a camera is used to obtain shape images of all the hooks, and the built-in detection program of the host computer is used to detect whether the hooks are deformed. If deformation occurs, the operator is reminded to replace it; if no deformation occurs, the keycap pulling test continues.

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