button

Abstract

The present invention provides a key. The key comprises a base plate, a support element, a spring arm, and a keycap. The keycap has a bump. The support element is disposed on the base plate, the spring arm is connected to the support element and corresponds to the bump on the keycap, and the keycap is connected to the support element. When the keycap moves toward the base plate, the bump on the keycap presses against the spring arm. The spring arm, upon being pressed by the bump, elastically deforms and releases from the bump. When the spring arm releases from the bump, it strikes the keycap, producing a sound.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an input device, in particular to a key. Background Art

[0002] Many keyboards currently available are membrane circuit keyboards. These use elastic components to trigger the membrane circuitry beneath the keys to generate keystroke signals, unlike mechanical keyboards, which rely on the contact and conduction of metal components within the keys. Therefore, the sound produced by membrane circuit keyboards when pressed is typically the sound of the keycap hitting the base plate. This sound is quiet and low. In contrast, membrane circuit keyboards do not produce the bright, rubbing sound of metal components like mechanical keyboards, nor do they produce the noticeable vibration felt when pressed.

[0003] Many users, however, desire to enjoy the crisp click and noticeable vibration of mechanical keyboards when using membrane keyboards. However, adding these sound- and vibration-generating mechanisms to a membrane keyboard significantly alters the key structure, increasing key height and weight, raising production costs, and making assembly difficult. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the problems of the prior art, the present invention proposes a keypad. This keypad incorporates an acoustic mechanism without significantly altering the original membrane circuit keyboard structure. The keypad's pressing action produces a bright sound and a noticeable vibration. Furthermore, the acoustic mechanism can be extended from the original keypad components, without significantly increasing costs or complicating assembly, and without affecting the key's activation function.

[0005] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides a key, comprising: a base plate; a circuit layer, arranged on the base plate; an elastic element, arranged on the circuit layer; a supporting element, arranged on the base plate and surrounding the elastic element; an elastic arm, connected to the supporting element; and a keycap, covering the elastic element and connected to the supporting element, the keycap having a protrusion, which corresponds to the elastic arm; wherein, when the keycap moves toward the base plate, the protrusion presses the elastic arm, and the elastic arm is elastically deformed after being pressed by the protrusion and is released from the pressure of the protrusion, and when the elastic arm is released from the pressure of the protrusion, it hits the keycap and makes a sound.

[0006] Preferably, the supporting element has an outer frame and an inner frame, the outer frame surrounds the inner frame, and the elastic arm is connected to the outer frame.

[0007] Preferably, the supporting element has a stopper, which is arranged on the outer frame of the supporting element and located below the elastic arm.

[0008] Preferably, the elastic arm has a connecting portion, a striking portion and a toggling portion, the connecting portion is connected to the supporting element, the striking portion corresponds to the keycap, and the toggling portion corresponds to the protrusion of the keycap.

[0009] Preferably, the striking portion of the elastic arm protrudes toward the keycap.

[0010] Preferably, the protrusion of the keycap has a pressing portion, the pressing portion corresponds to the toggling portion of the elastic arm, and the pressing portion is used to press the toggling portion of the elastic arm.

[0011] Preferably, the keycap has an inner ring wall and an inner surface, the protrusion of the keycap is arranged on the inner ring wall, and the inner surface faces the striking portion of the elastic wall.

[0012] Preferably, when the keycap moves toward the base plate, the keycap squeezes the elastic element, and the protrusion of the keycap presses the elastic arm. After the elastic element touches the circuit layer, the elastic arm separates from the protrusion and hits the keycap.

[0013] Preferably, when the elastic restoring force of the elastic arm is greater than the pressing force of the protrusion, the elastic arm is separated from the protrusion and the elastic deformation is released, so that the elastic arm hits the keycap.

[0014] The present invention utilizes an elastic arm extending from the key support element and a bump extending from the keycap. When the bump presses against the elastic arm, the elastic arm rebounds and strikes the keycap, producing a sound and vibration. This achieves the goal of producing a pressing sound and a good feel without changing the original key structure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a side view of a button according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the use status of the buttons of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the use status of the buttons of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] The reference numerals are as follows:

[0020] 1: Button

[0021] 10: Base plate

[0022] 20: Circuit layer

[0023] 30: Elastic element

[0024] 40: Support element

[0025] 41: Frame

[0026] 42: Inner frame

[0027] 43: Block

[0028] 50: Elastic Arm

[0029] 51: Connection

[0030] 52: Percussion

[0031] 53: Toggle

[0032] 60: Keycaps

[0033] 61: Inner ring wall

[0034] 62: Inside

[0035] 63: Bump

[0036] 631: Pressing part DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are given below with reference to the accompanying drawings for further explanation.

[0038] See also Figure 1 The exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and Figure 2 A schematic side view of a key according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The key 1 of the present invention comprises a base plate 10, a circuit layer 20, an elastic element 30, a support element 40, an elastic arm 50, and a keycap 60. The keycap 60 has a bump 63. The circuit layer 20 is disposed on the surface of the base plate 10, the elastic element 30 is disposed on the circuit layer 20, the support element 40 is disposed on the base plate 10 and surrounds the elastic element 30, the elastic arm 50 is connected to the support element 40, and the keycap 60 covers the elastic element 30 and is connected to the support element 40. The bump 63 of the keycap 60 is disposed at a position corresponding to the elastic arm 50. When the keycap 60 is pressed and moves toward the base plate 10, the protrusion 63 presses the elastic arm 50, and the elastic arm 50 is elastically deformed by the pressure of the protrusion 63. After the elastic deformation, the elastic arm 50 will break away from the pressure of the protrusion 63, and due to the elasticity of the elastic arm 50, the elastic arm 50 hits the keycap 60, thereby making a sound and vibration.

[0039] In detail, the supporting element 40 has an outer frame 41, an inner frame 42 and a stopper 43. The elastic arm 50 has a connecting portion 51, a striking portion 52 and a toggle portion 53. The keycap 60 has an inner ring wall 61 and an inner surface 62, and the protrusion 63 of the keycap 60 has a pressing portion 631. The outer frame 41 of the supporting element 40 surrounds the inner frame 42, the elastic arm 50 is connected to the outer frame 41, and the stopper 43 is arranged on the outer frame 41 and is located below the elastic arm 50. The stopper 43 is used to stabilize the position of the elastic arm 50, and the stopper 43 can serve as a fulcrum to support the elastic arm 50 to rebound under pressure. The connecting portion 51 of the elastic arm 50 is fixed to the outer frame 41 of the supporting element 40, and the striking portion 52 and the toggle portion 53 are not fixed and can be pressed to swing elastically. The striking portion 52 of the spring arm 50 corresponds to the inner surface 62 of the keycap 60 and extends toward the inner surface 62. The toggle portion 53 of the spring arm 50 corresponds to the bump 63 of the keycap 60. The bump 63 of the keycap 60 is disposed on the inner circumferential wall 61 of the keycap 63, and the bump 63 mainly corresponds to the toggle portion 53 of the spring arm 50 with the pressing portion 631. The pressing portion 631 can press the toggle portion 53, thereby elastically deforming the spring arm 50.

[0040] For the usage description of the button 1 of the present invention, please refer to Figure 3 、 Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the use of the key of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 When the keycap 60 is pressed and moves toward the base plate 10, the keycap 60 presses the elastic element 30 (not shown), and the protrusion 63 of the keycap 60 moves along with the keycap 60 toward the base plate 10, causing the pressing portion 631 of the protrusion 63 to press against the toggle portion 53 of the elastic arm 50. The elastic arm 50 is elastically deformed by the downward pressure. At this time, the stopper 43 of the support element 40 presses against the elastic arm 50. Figure 4 When the keycap 60 is squeezed and the elastic element 30 (not shown) contacts the circuit layer 20, generating a key signal (not shown), the spring arm 50 will be released from the pressing portion 631 of the bump 63 due to elastic deformation, or when the elastic restoring force of the spring arm 50 is greater than the pressing force of the pressing portion 631 of the bump 63, it will also be released from the pressing portion 631. After the spring arm 50 is released from the pressing portion, the striking portion 52 and the toggle portion 53 of the spring arm 50 will swing toward the keycap 60 due to the inertia of the elastic force, and the striking portion 52 will also move above the bump 63, causing it to strike the inner surface 62 of the keycap 60, thereby producing a bright knocking sound and a vibrating feel.

[0041] When the keycap 60 is not pressed, the elastic element 30 pushes the keycap 60 to move away from the base plate 10. At this time, the protrusion 63 is driven by the keycap 60 and moves away from the base plate 10. At this time, the pressing portion 631 of the protrusion 63 slides over the toggle portion 53 of the elastic arm 50, causing the toggle portion 53 of the elastic arm 50 to slide downward along the surface of the toggle portion 631 and return to the position below the pressing portion 631 to facilitate the next pressing action.

[0042] The spring arm 50 is made of a resilient metal spring strip or plastic strip. The stopper 43 of the support element 40 is preferably positioned near the connecting portion 51 of the spring arm 50. A metal sheet may also be added to the inner surface 62 of the keycap 60, corresponding to the striking portion 52 of the spring arm 50, to enhance the striking sound.

[0043] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Therefore, any other equivalent changes or modifications that do not depart from the spirit disclosed in the present invention should be included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A button, comprising: a bottom plate; A circuit layer is provided on the bottom board: an elastic element, disposed on the circuit layer; a supporting element disposed on the bottom plate and surrounding the elastic element, the supporting element having a stopper; an elastic arm connected to the supporting element, the elastic arm having a connecting portion; and a keycap covering the elastic element and connected to the supporting element, the keycap having a protrusion corresponding to the elastic arm; Among them, the stop block is arranged at a position close to the connecting part of the elastic arm and is located below the elastic arm. The stop block can serve as a fulcrum to support the elastic arm to rebound under pressure. When the keycap moves toward the bottom plate, the protrusion presses the elastic arm. After being pressed by the protrusion, the elastic arm is elastically deformed and breaks away from the pressure of the protrusion. When the elastic arm breaks away from the pressure of the protrusion, it hits the keycap and makes a sound.

2. The key according to claim 1, wherein The supporting element has an outer frame and an inner frame. The outer frame surrounds the inner frame, and the elastic arm is connected to the outer frame.

3. The key according to claim 2, wherein: The stop block is arranged on the outer frame of the supporting element and is located below the elastic arm.

4. The key according to claim 1, wherein The elastic arm has a striking portion and a toggling portion, the connecting portion is connected to the supporting element, the striking portion corresponds to the key cap, and the toggling portion corresponds to the protrusion of the key cap.

5. The key according to claim 4, wherein: The striking portion of the elastic arm protrudes toward the keycap.

6. The key according to claim 4, wherein: The protrusion of the keycap has a pressing portion corresponding to the toggling portion of the elastic arm, and the pressing portion is used for pressing the toggling portion of the elastic arm.

7. The key according to claim 4, wherein: The key cap has an inner ring wall and an inner surface. The protrusion of the key cap is arranged on the inner ring wall, and the inner surface faces the striking portion of the elastic arm.

8. The key according to claim 1, wherein: When the keycap moves toward the base plate, the keycap presses the elastic element, and the protrusion of the keycap presses the elastic arm. After the elastic element touches the circuit layer, the elastic arm separates from the protrusion and hits the keycap.

9. The key according to claim 1, wherein: When the elastic restoring force of the elastic arm is greater than the pressing force of the protrusion, the elastic arm separates from the protrusion and hits the keycap.

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