Button and Keyboard with Noise Reduction Effect

Abstract

The present invention discloses a key and a keyboard with noise reduction effect. The key comprises a base plate, a key cap, a thin film circuit board and a lifting support mechanism. The key cap is arranged on the base plate in a relatively movable manner. The thin film circuit board is arranged between the base plate and the key cap. A blocking member is protrudingly arranged on a side edge area of ​​the thin film circuit board. The lifting support mechanism supports the key cap so that it moves relative to the base plate. The lifting support mechanism comprises a first supporting member and a second supporting member that are staggered. The bottom end of at least one of the first supporting member and the second supporting member stops at the blocking member when the key cap moves downward relative to the base plate, so as to avoid or mitigate the collision between the lifting support mechanism and the base plate. The key and the keyboard of the present invention can reduce the vibration and abnormal sound generated during operation, and at the same time improve the user's operating feel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a key and a keyboard, in particular to a key and a keyboard with noise reduction effect. Background Art

[0002] The keys of a traditional keyboard include a keycap, a scissor foot structure, a thin film circuit board, a reset member and a base plate. The thin film circuit board has a switch and is laid on the base plate. The scissor foot structure supports the keycap so that it can move relative to the base plate. The reset member is arranged between the keycap and the base plate to provide elastic restoring force to lift the keycap. The scissor foot structure of a traditional key is buckled to the hook of the base plate, and there is a gap between the rotating shaft of the scissor foot structure and the hook of the base plate; when the user presses the key, the scissor foot structure will directly collide with the base plate, causing greater noise and vibration of the axis of the scissor foot structure, thereby affecting the user's operating feel. Therefore, how to design a key and keyboard that can reduce vibration and abnormal sound and improve the operating feel is one of the development goals of the design industry of relevant institutions. Summary of the invention

[0003] In view of the problems in the prior art, the present invention provides a key and a keyboard with noise reduction effect to solve the above problems.

[0004] Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a key with a noise reduction effect, which includes: a base plate; a keycap, which is arranged on the base plate in a relatively movable manner; a thin film circuit board, which is arranged between the base plate and the keycap, and a blocking member is protrudingly provided on one side edge area of ​​the thin film circuit board; and a lifting support mechanism, which supports the keycap so that it can move relative to the base plate, and the lifting support mechanism includes a first support member and a second support member that are staggered, and the bottom end of at least one of the first support member and the second support member stops at the blocking member when the keycap moves downward relative to the base plate.

[0005] As an optional technical solution, the bottom end is a rotating end or a sliding end of at least one of the first support member and the second support member.

[0006] As an optional technical solution, the lower surface of the bottom end has a first surface structure and a second surface structure that are bent and connected. When the first surface structure approaches the bottom plate, the second surface structure stops at the blocking member to form interference.

[0007] As an optional technical solution, when the second surface structure stops against the blocking member, the blocking member is compressed and elastically deformed to slow down the speed of the first surface structure approaching the bottom plate and / or prevent the first surface structure from touching the bottom plate.

[0008] As an optional technical solution, the key has an elastic gasket, which is arranged on the inner surface of the keycap. When the keycap is pressed and moves downward, the top end of at least one of the first support member and the second support member stops at the elastic gasket.

[0009] As an optional technical solution, the lifting support mechanism is a scissor foot mechanism.

[0010] As an optional technical solution, the blocking member is made of a material with elastic deformation and recovery properties.

[0011] As an optional technical solution, the second surface structure has a contact point, and the distance between the contact point and the bottom plate is smaller than the original height of the blocking member before being compressed and deformed.

[0012] As an optional technical solution, the second surface structure is designed on at least one of the first support member and the second support member.

[0013] The present invention also provides a keyboard with noise reduction effect, which comprises: a plurality of the aforementioned keys, and the bottom plates of the plurality of keys are integrated.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has a key and keyboard with noise reduction effect. The key includes a keycap, a thin film circuit board and a lifting support mechanism. The keycap is arranged on the base plate in a relatively movable manner. The thin film circuit board is arranged between the base plate and the keycap. The lifting support mechanism supports the keycap so that it moves relative to the base plate. Moreover, the lifting support mechanism includes a first support member and a second support member that are staggered. Since a blocking member is protrudingly provided on a side edge area of ​​the thin film circuit board, when the keycap moves downward relative to the base plate, the bottom end of at least one of the first support member and the second support member stops at the blocking member, so as to avoid or mitigate the collision between the lifting support mechanism and the base plate. The key and keyboard of the present invention can reduce the vibration and abnormal sound generated during operation, and at the same time improve the user's operating feel.

[0015] The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, but is not intended to limit the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 The figure is a schematic diagram of the appearance of a keyboard according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 It is an exploded view of the components of the keys of the keyboard according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 It is a schematic three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the structure of a key according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 forFigure 3 Schematic diagram of enlarged partial structure.

[0020] Figure 5 Schematic cross-sectional view of the structure of a key according to another embodiment of the present invention. Detailed implementation manners

[0021] To further understand the purpose, structure, features, and functions of the present invention, the following is a detailed description in conjunction with embodiments.

[0022] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 which is a schematic external view of the keyboard 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 and which is an exploded view of the components of any one of the keys 12 of the keyboard 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The keyboard 10 may include a plurality of keys 12 and a bottom plate 14. The plurality of keys 12 are respectively arranged at corresponding positions on the bottom plate 14 according to the language setting of the keyboard 10. The key 12 may include a keycap 16, a membrane circuit board 18, a lifting support mechanism 20, and a reset member 22. The keycap 16 is arranged on the bottom plate 14 in a relatively movable manner. The membrane circuit board 18 may be located between the bottom plate 14 and the keycap 16. The lifting support mechanism 20 can support the keycap 16, and the lifting support mechanism 20 passes through the membrane circuit board 18 to be movably coupled to the bottom plate 14, enabling the keycap 16 to move up and down relative to the bottom plate 14.

[0023] The membrane circuit board 18 may have a switch 26, whose position corresponds to the reset member 22. When the key 12 is pressed by force, the trigger portion in the reset member 22 can contact the switch 26 to send a triggering signal; when the external force applied to the key 12 is removed, the elastic restoring force of the reset member 22 pushes the keycap 16 upward to reset it. The lifting support mechanism 20 may be a scissor mechanism, which includes a first support member 32 and a second support member 34 that are cross-coupled. One of the tops of the first support member 32 and the second support member 34 is slidably connected to the corresponding connecting portion of the keycap 16, and the other of the tops of the first support member 32 and the second support member 34 is rotatably connected to the corresponding connecting portion of the keycap 16; one of the bottoms of the first support member 32 and the second support member 34 is slidably connected to the corresponding connecting portion of the bottom plate 14, and the other of the bottoms of the first support member 32 and the second support member 34 is rotatably connected to the corresponding connecting portion of the bottom plate 14. In the present invention, at least one of the first support member 32 and the second support member 34 will abut against the membrane circuit board 18 in a separable manner, thereby achieving a noise reduction effect.

[0024] Please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figure 3 which is a three-dimensional schematic cross-sectional view of the structure of the key 12 along the section line A-A according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 is Figure 3An enlarged schematic view of the area B shown. The flexible printed circuit board 18 may selectively project a blocking member 38 in one or more side areas 36. The flexible printed circuit board 18 will have a plurality of openings 40 for the first support member 32 and the second support member 34 to pass through and connect to the bottom plate 14; the side area 36 may be the side wall of the opening 40 of the flexible printed circuit board 18, and the blocking member 38 is a structural member extending outward from the side wall of the opening 40, but the actual application is not limited thereto. In this embodiment, the bottom end 32a of the first support member 32 will abut against the blocking member 38 when the keycap 16 moves downward relative to the bottom plate 14, so as to avoid or slow down the collision between the lifting support mechanism 20 and the bottom plate 14.

[0025] The bottom end 32a is not limited to the rotating end or the sliding end of the first support member 32, and its function depends on the design requirements. In addition, the lower surface 32b of the bottom end 32a may have a first surface structure 42 and a second surface structure 44 that are bent and connected. The first surface structure 42 may be the bottom surface close to the bottom plate 14, and the second surface structure 44 is an inclined surface between the bottom surface and the side surface of the bottom plate 14. In this embodiment, the blocking member 38 is made of a material with elastic deformation and recovery characteristics, such as rubber; therefore, when the second surface structure 44 of the bottom end 32a abuts against the blocking member 38, the blocking member 38 will be elastically deformed under pressure, thereby slowing down the speed of the first surface structure 42 approaching the bottom plate 14 and / or preventing the first surface structure 42 from touching the bottom plate 14.

[0026] For example, the present invention can set that the first support member 32 has a specific contact point on the second surface structure 44 of its bottom end 32a for abutting against the blocking member 38, and there is a distance D1 between this contact point and the bottom plate 14. The original height of the blocking member 38 before being deformed under pressure is greater than the distance D1. The allowable height H1 of the blocking member 38 after being deformed under pressure may be greater than the distance D1; in this embodiment, when the keycap 16 moves downward relative to the bottom plate 14 and the second surface structure 44 presses the blocking member 38, the first surface structure 42 of the bottom end 32a will not directly touch the bottom plate 14. Or, the allowable height H1 may be equal to or slightly less than the distance D1; in this embodiment, when the keycap 16 moves downward relative to the bottom plate 14 and the second surface structure 44 presses the blocking member 38, the first surface structure 42 of the bottom end 32a can touch the bottom plate 14 at a slow speed.

[0027] In this embodiment, a second surface structure 44 is designed on the inner scissor feet of the scissor mechanism (i.e., the first support member 32), but the actual application is not limited thereto; the present invention can also design a second surface structure 44 on the outer scissor feet of the scissor mechanism (i.e., the second support member 34), or design a second surface structure 44 on both the inner and outer scissor feet. The variations depend on the actual requirements and will not be described separately for all possible embodiments herein. In addition, in other possible variant embodiments, the present invention can optionally design a blocking member (not shown in the drawings) on the side of the inner scissor feet of the scissor mechanism (i.e., the first support member 32) facing the flexible printed circuit board 18, and design an inclined surface structure in the side area 36 of the flexible printed circuit board 18; as long as a buffer member with a structural interference characteristic can be installed between the flexible printed circuit board 18 and the lifting support mechanism 20, it meets the design requirements of the present invention.

[0028] Please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 which is a schematic cross-sectional view of the structure of the key 12' according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the components with the same numbers as the previous embodiments have the same structure and function and will not be repeated herein. The key 12' can optionally have an elastic gasket 46, and the elastic gasket 46 is disposed at a position on the inner surface 161 of the keycap 16 adjacent to the first support member 32 and / or the second support member 34 of the lifting support mechanism 20. When the keycap 16 is pressed and moves downward relative to the bottom plate 14, the top of one or both of the support members of the lifting support mechanism 20 can abut against the elastic gasket 46 to avoid or mitigate the collision between the lifting support mechanism 20 and the keycap 16, achieving the same function as the blocking member in the foregoing embodiments.

[0029] In summary, the keys and the keyboard of the present invention have a noise reduction effect, and an interference structure is designed as a buffer between the lifting support mechanism and the flexible printed circuit board, and / or between the lifting support mechanism and the keycap. The deformation amount of the blocking member or the elastic gasket can fill the gap between the lifting support mechanism and the bottom plate or the gap between the lifting support mechanism and the keycap, effectively preventing the lifting support mechanism from directly colliding with the bottom plate or the keycap, and reducing the vibration and abnormal noise generated during the operation of the keys and the keyboard.

[0030] Of course, the present invention can also have many other embodiments. Without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make various corresponding changes and deformations according to the present invention, but these corresponding changes and deformations should all fall within the protection scope of the appended claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A key with noise reduction effect, Features Contains: Base plate; The key cap is arranged on the base plate in a relatively movable manner; A thin film circuit board is arranged between the bottom plate and the key cap, a blocking member is protrudingly arranged on one side edge area of ​​the thin film circuit board, and the thickness of the blocking member is smaller than the thickness of the side edge area; as well as The lifting support mechanism supports the keycap to move relative to the base plate. The lifting support mechanism includes a first support member and a second support member that are staggered together. The bottom end of at least one of the first support member and the second support member stops at the blocking member when the keycap moves downward relative to the base plate.

2. The key according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The bottom end is a rotating end or a sliding end of at least one of the first supporting member and the second supporting member.

3. The key according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The lower surface of the bottom end has a first surface structure and a second surface structure which are bent and connected. When the first surface structure approaches the bottom plate, the second surface structure stops against the blocking member to form interference.

4. The key according to claim 3, It is characterized in that When the second surface structure abuts against the blocking member, the blocking member is compressed and elastically deformed to reduce a speed at which the first surface structure approaches the bottom plate and / or prevent the first surface structure from touching the bottom plate.

5. The key according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The key has an elastic gasket, which is arranged on the inner surface of the key cap. When the key cap is pressed and moves downward, the top end of at least one of the first supporting member and the second supporting member stops at the elastic gasket.

6. The key according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The lifting support mechanism is a scissor foot mechanism.

7. The key according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The blocking member is made of a material with elastic deformation and recovery properties.

8. The key according to claim 3, It is characterized in that A contact point is provided on the second surface structure, and a distance between the contact point and the bottom plate is smaller than an original height of the blocking member before being deformed by compression.

9. The key according to claim 3, It is characterized in that The second surface structure is designed on at least one of the first support member and the second support member.

10. A keyboard with noise reduction effect, Features Include: A plurality of keys, each key being a key as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, and the base plate of the plurality of keys is integrated.

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