Key of electronic equipment and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of structures, and discloses a key of electronic equipment and the electronic equipment. The key provided by the invention comprises a key cap and a trigger piece, wherein the trigger piece can comprise a rod part and a head part which are connected in sequence. The head portion is located at one end of the trigger member facing the key pressing direction, and the rod portion is located between the keycap and the head portion. The outer diameter of the head part can be larger than that of the rod part, so that the part, protruding out of the rod part, of the head part can form a hanger. When the key is installed on the electronic equipment, the rod portion is arranged in an installation hole of the electronic equipment in a penetrating mode, and the hanging lug of the head portion can be hung on the first end face of the installation hole. Through the arrangement, the mounting hole is machined in the middle frame in a drilling mode in the pressing direction, the mounting requirement of the key on the middle frame can be met, a hanging lug stretching groove does not need to be machined in the middle frame, and therefore a blind hole does not need to be machined in the front face or the back face of the middle frame. Therefore, the protection structures on the front and back surfaces of the middle frame are not damaged, and the protection performance of the electronic equipment is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of structural technology, and in particular to a key of an electronic device and the electronic device. Background Art

[0002] Electronic devices are usually provided with side buttons, such as volume buttons, power buttons, etc. When the electronic device detects that the user presses the side button, the corresponding volume adjustment, screen lock, etc. functions can be implemented. Among them, the side button usually includes a hanging ear, and when the hanging ear of the side button is embedded in the hanging ear stretching groove of the middle frame of the electronic device, the side button can be fixed on the middle frame.

[0003] However, opening an ear-hanging stretching groove on the middle frame of the electronic device will break the waterproof path of the middle frame, resulting in poor waterproof performance of the electronic device. Summary of the invention

[0004] Some embodiments of the present application provide a key of an electronic device and an electronic device. The present application is introduced from multiple aspects below, and the embodiments and beneficial effects of the following aspects can be referenced to each other.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a key of an electronic device, comprising: a keycap and a trigger member, wherein the trigger member is connected to the keycap and is located on the side of the keycap facing the pressing direction of the key; the trigger member comprises a rod and a head connected in sequence along the pressing direction of the key, and the head is located at one end of the trigger member; wherein the trigger member is used to trigger the switch of the electronic device through the head when the key is pressed; wherein the key is used to be installed on the electronic device, and when the key is installed on the electronic device, the rod is inserted into a mounting hole on the electronic device, and the head is located on the outside of the mounting hole and opposite to the first end face of the mounting hole; and the head has a hanging ear protruding from the rod along a first direction, the first direction is perpendicular to the pressing direction, and the hanging ear can be hung on the first end face in the opposite direction of the pressing direction.

[0006] In some embodiments, the outer diameter of the head of the trigger member may be larger than the outer portion of the rod, so that the portion of the head protruding from the rod along the first direction can form a hanging ear.

[0007] In addition, the middle frame of the electronic device may include a first mounting groove for embedding the keycap, and a through hole may be provided on the bottom wall of the first mounting groove, and the through hole may form a mounting hole for passing the rod. In other words, the mounting hole may extend from the bottom wall of the first mounting groove to the inner surface of the middle frame along the pressing direction. It can be understood that the inner surface of the middle frame may form a first end surface of the mounting hole, and the bottom wall of the first mounting groove may form a second end surface of the mounting hole.

[0008] When the key is mounted on an electronic device, the key cap can be embedded in the first mounting groove, and the stem can be inserted into the mounting hole. The head is located outside the mounting hole, and the hanging ear can be hung on the first end surface of the mounting hole in the opposite direction of the pressing direction. It can be understood that when the hanging ear is hung on the first end surface, the first end surface can cooperate with the hanging ear to limit the movement of the key in the opposite direction of the pressing direction, thereby preventing the key from falling off the middle frame.

[0009] Thus, through the above arrangement, by drilling the mounting holes in the middle frame along the pressing direction, the installation requirements of the buttons on the middle frame can be met, without machining the hanging ear stretching grooves in the middle frame, and thus without machining blind holes on the front or back of the middle frame. In this way, the protective structures on the front and back of the middle frame will not be damaged, which is conducive to improving the protective performance of the electronic device, for example, the waterproof performance of the electronic device can be improved.

[0010] In a possible implementation of the first aspect above, the material of the head may be a deformable material; the rod portion may include a first rod portion and a second rod portion connected in sequence along a pressing direction, and the second rod portion is connected to the head portion; wherein an outer diameter of the first rod portion is greater than an outer diameter of the second rod portion, and when the button is installed on an electronic device, a first gap is provided between the second rod portion and the hole wall of the mounting hole, and the first gap is used to accommodate at least part of the material of the head portion after deformation in a direction opposite to the pressing direction.

[0011] In some embodiments, if the material of the head is a deformable material, when the key is pressed, the middle area of ​​the head is supported by the rod so as to contact and press the switch, and part of the edge area of ​​the head may collapse and deform in the opposite direction of the pressing direction. Therefore, in some embodiments of the present application, the rod may include a first rod and a second rod, and the outer diameter of the first rod is greater than the outer diameter of the second rod.

[0012] Thus, when the rod is inserted into the mounting hole, a first gap will exist between the second rod and the wall of the mounting hole. At this time, if the head is deformed in the direction opposite to the pressing direction, at least part of the material of the head after deformation in the direction opposite to the pressing direction can be accommodated by the first gap, thereby preventing the material in this area from being damaged due to excessive squeezing.

[0013] In a possible implementation of the first aspect above, the key further includes a sealing ring, which is sleeved on the outside of the rod and is used to seal a gap between the rod and a hole wall of the mounting hole.

[0014] In some embodiments, to facilitate the installation of the button, a small gap may exist between the rod and the hole wall of the mounting hole, for example, a gap of 0.05 mm to 0.1 mm. To prevent water vapor and the like from entering the interior of the electronic device through the gap, a sealing ring may be provided between the rod and the hole wall of the mounting hole to seal the gap. The amount of interference between the sealing ring and the hole wall of the mounting hole may be 0 to 0.02 mm.

[0015] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the sealing ring and the rod portion may be connected in one piece, for example, the sealing ring and the rod portion may be an integral structure directly injection molded.

[0016] In addition, the sealing ring and the rod can also be detachably connected. For example, the rod can be injection molded first, and then the sealing ring is sleeved on the rod.

[0017] In a possible implementation of the first aspect above, the key may further include a rebound column, which is connected to the keycap and is located on a side of the keycap facing a pressing direction of the key.

[0018] In a possible implementation of the first aspect above, the rebound column may include a first rebound column and a second rebound column; and along a first direction, the first rebound column and the second rebound column are respectively located on both sides of the trigger member, and the first direction is perpendicular to the pressing direction.

[0019] In some embodiments, the rebound column may be formed of an elastic material. In this case, when the key is pressed, the rebound column may be in a compressed state; when the user stops pressing the key, the rebound column may rebound to an extended state, thereby driving the key to rebound to its original position before being pressed.

[0020] In a possible implementation of the first aspect above, the key includes a first material layer and a second material layer, the second material layer is located on the side of the first material layer facing the pressing direction, and the hardness of the second material layer is less than the hardness of the first material layer; wherein the second material layer is at least used to form the head, and the first material layer is at least used to form the keycap.

[0021] In some embodiments, the first material layer may be metal or hard glue, and the second material layer may be soft glue.

[0022] In a possible implementation of the first aspect above, the rod portion may include a core body and a sleeve sleeved outside the core body, the first material layer is also used to form the core body, and the second material layer is also used to form the sleeve.

[0023] In this way, by making the core body with the first material layer, the stem can support the head. And by making the sleeve with the second material layer, the stem can press the head with a larger elastic force, so that the head presses the switch with a larger elastic force, so as to quickly press the switch to the on position, which is beneficial to improve the response speed of the electronic device to the user's key pressing operation.

[0024] In a possible implementation of the first aspect above, the material of the first material layer is a metal material or a material used for injection molding; or the material of the second material layer is a material used for injection molding.

[0025] In a possible implementation of the first aspect above, the material of the first material layer may include polycarbonate, polyetherimide, or a composite material of polycarbonate and glass fiber; or, the material of the second material layer includes thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, thermoplastic polyester elastomer, or liquid silicone rubber.

[0026] In a second aspect, the present application also provides an electronic device, comprising a shell and the button mentioned in the first aspect of the present application and any possible implementation of the first aspect, the button being mounted on the shell, and a mounting hole being provided on the shell; the rod of the button is passed through the mounting hole, and the head is located on the outside of the mounting hole and opposite to the first end face of the mounting hole; and the hanging ear of the head can be hung on the first end face of the mounting hole in the opposite direction of the pressing direction.

[0027] In some embodiments, the middle frame of the electronic device may include a first mounting groove for embedding the keycap, and a through hole may be provided on the bottom wall of the first mounting groove, and the through hole may form a mounting hole for inserting the rod. In other words, the mounting hole may extend from the bottom wall of the first mounting groove to the inner surface of the middle frame along the pressing direction. It is understood that the inner surface of the middle frame may form a first end surface of the mounting hole, and the bottom wall of the first mounting groove may form a second end surface of the mounting hole.

[0028] When the key is mounted on the electronic device, the key cap can be embedded in the first mounting groove, and the stem can be inserted into the mounting hole. The head can be located outside the mounting hole, and the hanging ear can be hung on the first end surface of the mounting hole in the opposite direction of the pressing direction. It can be understood that when the hanging ear is hung on the first end surface, the first end surface can cooperate with the hanging ear to limit the movement of the key in the opposite direction of the pressing direction, thereby preventing the key from falling off the middle frame.

[0029] Thus, through the above arrangement, by drilling the mounting holes in the middle frame along the pressing direction, the installation requirements of the buttons on the middle frame can be met, without processing the hanging ear stretching grooves on the middle frame, and thus without processing blind holes on the front or back of the middle frame. In this way, the protective structures on the front and back of the middle frame will not be damaged, which is conducive to improving the protective performance of the electronic device, for example, it is conducive to improving the waterproof performance of the electronic device.

[0030] In a possible implementation of the second aspect above, the outer diameter of the rod is smaller than the hole diameter of the mounting hole, which can facilitate the installation of the button.

[0031] In a possible implementation of the second aspect above, the key may further include a rebound column, which is connected to the keycap and is located on the side of the keycap facing the pressing direction of the key; the rebound column is opposite to the second end face of the mounting hole, and when the key is pressed, the rebound column is compressed by the second end face.

[0032] In some embodiments, the bottom wall of the first mounting groove for embedding the keycap may form the second end surface of the mounting hole.

[0033] In some embodiments, when the hanging ear is hung on the first end surface, there may be a gap between the keycap and the second end surface of the mounting hole along the pressing direction so that the keycap can be pressed and moved. That is, the distance of the gap along the pressing direction can be used as the pressing stroke of the key. Therefore, in some embodiments of the present application, when the key is installed on the electronic device, the rebound column can be embedded between the keycap and the bottom wall of the first mounting groove, so that the rebound column can be arranged opposite to the second end surface of the mounting hole.

[0034] The rebound column may be formed of an elastic material. In this case, when the key is pressed, the rebound column may be compressed by the second end surface of the mounting hole; when the user stops pressing the key, the rebound column may rebound to a stretched state, thereby driving the key to rebound to its initial position before being pressed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Figure 1A According to some embodiments of the present application, a structural schematic diagram of an electronic device is shown; Figure 1B According to some embodiments of the present application, a schematic structural diagram of a middle frame of an electronic device is shown; Figure 2A According to some embodiments of the present application, a schematic diagram (exploded diagram) of installing a first key with a hanging ear on an electronic device is shown; Figure 2B According to some embodiments of the present application, a schematic diagram (cross-sectional view) of installing a first key with a hanging ear on an electronic device is shown; Figure 3 According to some embodiments of the present application, a schematic diagram (cross-sectional view) of installing a second type of key with a hanging ear on an electronic device is shown; Figure 4A According to some embodiments of the present application, a schematic diagram (exploded diagram) of installing a third type of key with a hanging ear on an electronic device is shown; Figure 4BAccording to some embodiments of the present application, a schematic diagram (cross-sectional view) of installing a third type of key with a hanging ear on an electronic device is shown; Figure 5A According to some embodiments of the present application, a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a first type of key is shown; Figure 5B According to some embodiments of the present application, a schematic diagram of a top view structure of a first type of key is shown; Fig. 6A According to some embodiments of the present application, a first partial exploded view of an electronic device is shown; Figure 6B According to some embodiments of the present application, a first cross-sectional view of an electronic device is shown; Figure 6C According to some embodiments of the present application, a partial enlarged view of a portion of the first cross-sectional view is shown; Fig.6D According to some embodiments of the present application, a second cross-sectional view of an electronic device is shown; Fig. 6E According to some embodiments of the present application, a cross-sectional view of a first key is shown; Figure 7 According to some embodiments of the present application, a third cross-sectional view of an electronic device is shown; Fig. 8A According to some embodiments of the present application, a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of a second type of key is shown; Figure 8B According to some embodiments of the present application, a schematic diagram of a top view of the structure of a second type of key is shown; Fig. 9 According to some embodiments of the present application, a fourth cross-sectional view of an electronic device is shown; Fig.10 According to some embodiments of the present application, a schematic diagram of the manufacturing process of the second type of key is shown; Fig.11 According to some embodiments of the present application, a schematic diagram of demolding when preparing a second type of key is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The specific implementation of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] Figure 1AAn exemplary application scenario of an embodiment of the present application is shown, specifically an electronic device 10. The electronic device 10 may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, an ultra-mobile personal computer (UMPC), a handheld computer, a touch-screen TV, a large-screen device, a speaker, a netbook, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wearable device, a virtual reality device, an intelligent robot, an industrial device, etc., and the present application does not limit this. In the following, a mobile phone may be used as an example of the electronic device 10 to introduce the technical solution of the present application.

[0038] In the various figures herein, the X direction may be the width direction of the electronic device 10, the Y direction may be the length direction of the electronic device 10, and the Z direction may be the thickness direction of the electronic device 10. The X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction may be perpendicular to each other.

[0039] refer to Figure 1A , the electronic device 10 may include a display screen 101, a housing 102, and a button 20. The housing 102 may include a connected middle frame 12 and a back cover 13, and the middle frame 12 and the back cover 13 may be an integrated structure or two independent structures. The display screen 101 and the back cover 13 are respectively located on opposite sides of the middle frame 12. The button 20 may include a volume button 141 and a power button 142. The user may control the volume button 141 to adjust the volume of the electronic device 10, or control the power button 142 to turn on and off the electronic device 10.

[0040] In the embodiment of the present application, the volume key 141 and the power key 142 are used as examples of the key 20. However, it can be understood that in other embodiments, the electronic device 10 may have more or fewer keys 20. The key 20 may also be a key with other functions, such as a shutter key for shooting, a focus key, etc.

[0041] In the embodiment of the present application, the side of the electronic device 10 and its components (for example, the middle frame 12) facing the user when in use (for example, the side facing the negative direction of the Z axis) is referred to as the front side of the electronic device 10 and its components, and the side facing away from the user (for example, the side facing the positive direction of the Z axis) is referred to as the back side of the electronic device 10 and its components.

[0042] in, Figure 1BThe figure shows a partial structural diagram of the middle frame 12 in the electronic device 10. The middle frame 12 may include a middle plate 121 and a frame body 122 disposed at the edge of the middle plate 121. The display screen 101 and the back cover 13 may be located on opposite sides of the middle plate 121. The middle plate 121 may be used to install multiple components (not shown in the figure), such as a motherboard, a speaker, a camera, a microphone, etc., which are not limited in this application. The frame body 122 may constitute two side walls 122a, a top wall 122b, and a bottom wall 122c of the electronic device 10.

[0043] It can be understood that when the electronic device 10 is in use, the top wall 122 b can be located at the top end of the electronic device 10 , and the bottom wall 122 c can be located at the bottom end of the electronic device 10 .

[0044] It should be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, the button 20 can be installed on the side wall 122a of the electronic device. In this case, the pressing direction of the button 20 can be the positive direction of the X-axis.

[0045] It is understood that in other embodiments, the button 20 may also be installed at other positions of the electronic device 10, for example, on the top wall 122b of the electronic device 10. In this embodiment, the pressing direction of the button 20 may be the negative direction of the Y axis. Hereinafter, the button 20 is arranged on the side wall 122a and the pressing direction of the button 20 is the positive direction of the X axis.

[0046] Figure 2A and Figure 2B 2 shows an exemplary installation method of the button 20 in the electronic device 10 in some embodiments. Figure 2A is a partial exploded view of the electronic device 10; Figure 2B is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device 10 .

[0047] refer to Figure 2A and Figure 2B The volume key 141 includes a keycap 21, two connecting members 143, and two trigger members 22 (also referred to as Dome conductive bases). The two connecting members 143 and the two trigger members 22 are located on the side of the keycap 21 facing the pressing direction. A hanging ear 143' is provided on the connecting member 143, and the connecting member 143 and the trigger member 22 can be an integrated structure.

[0048] The power key 142 includes a key cap 21, two connecting members 143, and a trigger member 22. The two connecting members 143 and the trigger member 22 are located on the side of the key cap 21 facing the pressing direction. A hanging ear 143' is provided on the connecting member 143, and the connecting member 143 and the trigger member 22 can be an integrated structure.

[0049] Continue to refer Figure 2A and Figure 2B, in order to install the button 20 (shown in the oblique line shaded area), the middle frame 12 of the electronic device 10 may include a hanging ear stretching groove 123 and an assembly hole 124. Taking the volume button 141 as an example, when the volume button 141 is installed on the middle frame 12, the connecting member 143 and the trigger member 22 are respectively inserted into the corresponding assembly hole 124. The hanging ear 143´ on the connecting member 143 is located in the hanging ear stretching groove 123. The trigger member 22 can pass through the middle frame 12 along the X direction and be arranged opposite to the switch 1221 (shown in the cross-line shaded area) inside the electronic device 10 along the X direction. When the volume button 141 is pressed, the trigger member 22 can press the switch 1221 to trigger the switch 1221.

[0050] Among them, Figure 2B As shown, the mounting hole 124 of the hanging ear stretching groove 123 protrudes along the Y-axis direction. Therefore, when the middle frame 12 is processed, the hanging ear stretching groove 123 cannot be processed on the middle frame 12 by drilling along the X-axis.

[0051] Currently, in some examples, such as Figure 2A and Figure 2B As shown, the ear extension groove 123 can be processed by feeding from the back of the middle frame 12. For example, a blind hole 126 can be processed on the middle frame by feeding from the back of the middle frame 12 along the negative direction of the Z axis through an end knife, and the bottom end of the blind hole 126 can form the ear extension groove 123. Among them, the feeding process of the end knife can be controlled by computer numerical control (CNC) technology. It can be understood that in this processing method, the back of the middle frame 12 will have an opening 126a of the blind hole 126, and the size of the opening 126a can be the tool diameter size of the end knife.

[0052] However, the blind hole 126 will destroy the liquid protection path of the electronic device 10. Specifically, liquid or water vapor can enter the blind hole 126 from the gap between the middle frame 12 and the key cap 21, flow through the blind hole 126 to the opening 126a on the back of the middle frame 12, and further penetrate into the interior of the electronic device 10.

[0053] In addition, in this solution, the ear extension groove 123 processed by the end knife has a lot of burrs, which affects the user's hand feeling experience of pressing the key 20. In addition, when the key 20 mentioned in this solution is installed on the middle frame 12, the connector 143 needs to be plugged into the assembly hole 124 (therefore, the key 20 of this solution can also be called a "strong plug-in key"). At this time, a charge-coupled device (CCD) magnifying glass is needed to observe whether the ear 143' is fully stretched, which makes the installation process complicated. In addition, when the ear 143' hits the middle frame 12 during the stretching process, it may be squeezed and deformed. Therefore, the size of the ear extension groove 123 needs to be larger than the size of the ear 143' to reduce the possibility of the ear 143' hitting the middle frame 12 during the stretching process. In other words, it is also necessary to ensure that there is enough space (also called extra stroke) for the ear 143' to stretch when it passes through the ear extension groove 123. In addition, when the hanging ear 143' falls off the key 20 due to lack of glue, it will also cause the key 20 to fall off the middle frame 12.

[0054] Figure 3 FIG. 4 shows exemplary installation methods (cross-sectional views) of the button 20 in the electronic device 10 in some other embodiments.

[0055] refer to Figure 3 The volume key 141 includes a key cap 21 (shown in the oblique line shaded area), two connecting members 143 (shown in the oblique line shaded area) and two trigger members 22 (shown in the dotted shaded area). The two connecting members 143 and the two trigger members 22 are located on the side of the key cap 21 facing the pressing direction. The connecting member 143 is provided with a hanging ear 143'. Figure 2A , Figure 2B The difference between the illustrated embodiment and the embodiment shown is that the trigger member 22 and the key cap 21 are two independent components.

[0056] The power key 142 includes a key cap 21 (shown in the oblique line shaded area), two connecting members 143 (shown in the oblique line shaded area) and a trigger member 22 (shown in the dotted shaded area). The two connecting members 143 and the trigger member 22 are located on the side of the key cap 21 facing the pressing direction. The connecting member 143 is provided with a hanging ear 143'. Figure 2A , Figure 2B The difference between the illustrated embodiment and the embodiment shown is that the trigger member 22 and the key cap 21 are two independent components.

[0057] The middle frame 12 may include a hanging ear stretching groove 123 , a limiting bracket 127 (also referred to as a latch), and an assembly hole (not shown in the figure) for inserting a connecting member 143 and a trigger member 22 .

[0058] Taking the volume button 141 as an example, when the volume button 141 is installed on the middle frame 12, the connector 143 and the trigger 22 are respectively inserted into the corresponding assembly holes. The hook 143' on the connector 143 is located in the hook stretching groove 123. The limit bracket 127 can hook the hook 143' on the volume button 141 to further stabilize the volume button 141. The trigger 22 can pass through the middle frame 12 along the X direction and be arranged opposite to the switch 1221 (shown in the cross-hatched area) inside the electronic device 10 along the X direction. When the volume button 141 is pressed, the trigger 22 (also referred to as a guide column) can press the switch 1221 to trigger the switch 1221.

[0059] Furthermore, in this scheme, Figure 2A to Figure 2B The same scheme as shown, the ear extension groove 123 can be processed by cutting from the back of the middle frame 12. For example, a blind hole (not shown in the figure) can be processed on the middle frame 12 by cutting from the back of the middle frame 12 along the negative direction of the Z axis through an end knife, and the bottom end of the blind hole can form the ear extension groove 123. It can be understood that in this processing method, the back of the middle frame 12 will have an opening of the blind hole, and the opening size is the diameter size of the end knife. Among them, the blind hole will destroy the liquid protection path of the electronic device 10.

[0060] In addition, Figure 3 In the illustrated solution, the trigger member 22 and the key cap 21 are two independent components, and the trigger member 22 may shake.

[0061] Figure 4A and Figure 4B 2 shows exemplary installation methods of the button 20 in the electronic device 10 in some other embodiments. Figure 4A is a partial exploded view of the electronic device 10; Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device 10 .

[0062] refer to Figure 4A and Figure 4B The volume key 141 includes a key cap 21 (shown in the oblique line shaded area), two connecting members 143 (shown in the oblique line shaded area) and two trigger members 22 (shown in the dotted shaded area). The connecting member 143 is provided with a hanging ear 143'.

[0063] The power key 142 includes a key cap 21 (shown in the oblique line shaded area), two connecting members 143 (shown in the oblique line shaded area) and a trigger member 22 (shown in the dotted shaded area). The connecting member 143 is provided with a hanging ear 143 ′.

[0064] The middle frame 12 may include a hook stretching groove 123 and an assembly hole 124 for inserting a connecting member 143 and a trigger member 22 .

[0065] It can be understood that the specific connection structure of the key 20 and the installation method of the key 20 in the electronic device 10 can refer to Figure 3 The above is not repeated here.

[0066] Among them, Figure 3 The embodiment shown is different in that Figure 4A , Figure 4B In the illustrated solution, the ear extension groove 123 can be processed by cutting from the front of the middle frame 12. For example, a blind hole 126 can be processed on the middle frame 12 by cutting from the front of the middle frame 12 along the positive direction of the Z axis with an end cutter, and the bottom end of the blind hole 126 can form the ear extension groove 123. It can be understood that in this processing method, the front of the middle frame 12 will have an opening 126a of the blind hole 126, and the size of the opening 126a is the diameter size of the end cutter.

[0067] The blind hole 126 still destroys the liquid protection path of the electronic device 10. Specifically, liquid or water vapor can enter the blind hole 126 from the gap between the middle frame 12 and the key cap 21, and flow through the blind hole 126 to the opening 126a on the front of the middle frame 12, and further penetrate into the interior of the electronic device 10.

[0068] In order to improve the liquid protection performance of the electronic device 10, in this solution, reference Figure 4A A layer of waterproof polyester film 129 (shown in the transparent oblique line shaded area) can be added to the front side of the middle frame 12 (the side where the opening 126 a of the blind hole 126 is located) to prevent liquid from entering the interior of the electronic device 10 through the blind hole 126 on the front side of the middle frame 12 .

[0069] However, if the polyester film 129 is not properly adhered to the front of the middle frame 12, for example, the polyester film 129 does not cover the opening 126a of the blind hole 126 due to offset adhesion, liquid or water vapor can still enter the blind hole 126 from the gap between the middle frame 12 and the keycap 21, and flow through the blind hole 126 to the opening 126a on the front of the middle frame 12, and further penetrate into the interior of the electronic device 10.

[0070] In addition, the flexible printed circuit (FPC) where the switch 1221 is located is usually located on the back of the middle frame 12 (that is, installed on the back of the middle plate 121). When the opening 126a of the blind hole 126 is located on the front of the middle frame 12, it is impossible to simultaneously detect whether the FPC is correctly installed and whether the hanging ear 143' is stretched on the back of the middle frame 12. Instead, it is necessary to detect whether the FPC is correctly installed on the back of the middle frame 12 and whether the hanging ear 143' is stretched on the front of the middle frame 12, resulting in an additional detection direction.

[0071] In addition, when the trigger 22 and the key cap 21 are two independent components, the trigger 22 is usually formed of a metal material with relatively high hardness. When the metal material with insufficient elastic margin contacts the switch 1221, the resulting touch will affect the user's hand feeling when pressing the key 20. Moreover, taking the power key 142 as an example, the key cap 21 and the ears 143' on both sides form a seesaw-like structure. Since the distance between the ears 143' and the trigger 22 (also called a cantilever) is relatively short, the elastic force of the trigger 22 formed by the seesaw structure is also relatively small, which affects the user's hand feeling when pressing the power key 142.

[0072] In summary, based on the above Figure 2A to Figure 4B As shown, when there is a hanging ear on the button 20, the middle frame 12 of the electronic device 10 needs to have a hanging ear stretching groove to limit the hanging ear 143' of the button 20, which results in poor liquid protection performance of the electronic device 10.

[0073] In order to solve the above problems, the present application provides a key. In the key provided in the present application, the trigger member includes a connected rod and a head, and the outer diameter of the head can be larger than the outer diameter of the rod, so that the part of the head protruding from the rod can form a hanging ear. When the key is installed on an electronic device, the rod is inserted into the mounting hole of the electronic device, and the hanging ear can be hung on the first end face of the mounting hole. Through this arrangement, the installation requirements of the key on the middle frame can be met by drilling a mounting hole in the middle frame along the pressing direction, without the need to process a hanging ear stretching groove in the middle frame, and thus without the need to process a blind hole on the front or back of the middle frame. In this way, the protective structure on the front and back of the middle frame will not be damaged, which is beneficial to improving the protective performance (for example, waterproof performance) of the electronic device.

[0074] The following is an exemplary structure of a key provided by an embodiment of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In each of the figures herein, the X direction may be the height direction of the key, wherein the positive direction of the X axis may be the pressing direction of the key. The Y direction may be the length direction of the key, and the Z direction may be the width direction of the key. The X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction may be perpendicular to each other.

[0075] It can be understood that the mutual perpendicularity in the present application is not absolute perpendicularity, and the approximate perpendicularity caused by processing errors and assembly errors (for example, the angle between the two structural features is 89.9°) is also within the scope of the mutual perpendicularity in the present application. The mutual parallelism in the present application is not absolute parallelism, and the approximate parallelism caused by processing errors and assembly errors (for example, the angle between the two structural features is 0.1°) is also within the scope of the mutual parallelism in the present application. The limitations of mutual parallelism and mutual perpendicularity will not be repeated in the following text.

[0076] In addition, it should be noted that the directional terms such as "up", "down", "left", "right", "front", "back", "top" and "bottom" in this document are exemplary positions of the various components of the keys, and do not indicate or imply that the referred components must have a specific orientation. They may change accordingly according to actual use and should not be construed as limitations on the present application.

[0077] The following introduces the button provided by the first embodiment of the present application. In this embodiment, the trigger member of the button includes a rod and a head connected in sequence, and the head can form a hanging ear. When the button is installed on the electronic device, the rod is inserted into the mounting hole of the middle frame, and the hanging ear can be hung on the first end face of the mounting hole. In this way, the button can be installed on the middle frame only by drilling a mounting hole on the middle frame along the pressing direction, without the need to process a hanging ear stretching groove in the middle frame, so that there is no need to open blind holes on the front and back of the middle frame, which is beneficial to the integrity of the protection path of the electronic device.

[0078] Figure 5A and Figure 5B The exemplary structure of the key 20 in the first embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 5A is a three-dimensional diagram of the key 20, Figure 5B is a top view of the key 20. In addition, FIG. 6A to FIG. 6C 2 is an exemplary installation method of the button 20 in the electronic device 10. Fig. 6A is a partial exploded view of the electronic device 10; Figure 6B is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device 10; Figure 6C It is a partial enlarged view of the area 60 in the cross-sectional view.

[0079] like FIG. 5A to FIG. 6C As shown, the key 20 includes a key cap 21 and a trigger 22. The trigger 22 is connected to the key cap 21, and the trigger 22 is located on the side of the key cap 21 facing the pressing direction of the key 20 (eg, the positive direction of the X axis). Exemplarily, the key 20 may be a power key.

[0080] Continue to refer FIG. 5A to FIG. 6C The trigger member 22 may include a head 221 and a stem 222, wherein the head 221 is located at one end of the trigger member 22 facing the pressing direction, and the stem 222 may be located between the head 221 and the keycap 21, and the stem 222 may be connected to the keycap 21. The stem 222 and the head 221 are sequentially connected along the pressing direction of the key 20, and the outer diameter of the head 221 may be greater than the outer diameter of the stem 222, so that the portion of the head 221 protruding from the stem 222 in a direction perpendicular to the pressing direction (e.g., the Y direction, as the first direction) can form a hanging ear 221a.

[0081] Continue to refer FIG. 6A to FIG. 6CThe middle frame 12 of the electronic device 10 includes a first mounting groove 61, and a through hole is formed on the bottom wall of the first mounting groove 61, and the through hole can form a mounting hole 62. That is, the mounting hole 62 extends from the bottom wall of the first mounting groove 61 to the inner surface of the middle frame 12 along the positive direction of the X-axis. It can be understood that the bottom wall of the first mounting groove 61 can form a second end surface 62b of the mounting hole 62, and the inner surface of the middle frame 12 can form a first end surface 62a of the mounting hole 62.

[0082] When the key 20 is mounted on the electronic device 10, the keycap 21 can be embedded in the first mounting groove 61. The rod 222 can be inserted into the mounting hole 62. The head 221 is located outside the mounting hole 62 and opposite to the first end face 62a of the mounting hole 62, and the ear 221a of the head 221 can be hung on the first end face 62a of the mounting hole 62 in the opposite direction of the pressing direction. It can be understood that when the ear 221a is hung on the first end face 62a, the first end face 62a can cooperate with the ear 221a to limit the movement of the key 20 along the negative direction of the X-axis, thereby preventing the key 20 from coming off the middle frame 12. That is, when the ear 221a is hung on the first end face 62a, the ear 221a can be installed on the middle frame 12.

[0083] The outer diameter of the head 221 may also be larger than the aperture of the mounting hole 62. For example, the difference between the outer diameter of the head 221 and the aperture of the mounting hole 62 is 0.3 mm to 0.4 mm. Therefore, when the hanging ear 221a of the head 221 is hung on the first end surface 62a of the mounting hole 62, there is a certain overlap between the hanging ear 221a and the middle frame 12 outside the mounting hole 62. For example, the overlap may be 0.15 mm to 0.2 mm.

[0084] In summary, for the button 20 provided in the present application, when the button 20 is installed on the electronic device 10, the rod 222 is inserted into the mounting hole 62, the head 221 can be located outside the mounting hole 62, and the ear 221a of the head 221 can be hung on the first end face 62a of the mounting hole 62. With this arrangement, the mounting hole 62 is processed in the middle frame 12 by drilling along the pressing direction, so that the installation requirements of the button 20 on the middle frame 12 can be met, without processing the ear stretching groove in the middle frame 12, and thus without processing the blind hole on the front or back of the middle frame 12. In this way, the protective structure on the front and back of the middle frame 12 will not be damaged, which is conducive to improving the protective performance of the electronic device 10, for example, improving the waterproof performance of the electronic device 10.

[0085] In addition, the present application does not need to process the ear stretching groove on the middle frame 12 by the end knife, so the burr after the end knife processing will not be formed on the middle frame 12, and the key 20 will not be stuck on the burr and fall off from the middle frame 12, and the burr will not affect the hand feeling experience when the user presses the key 20. In addition, when installing the key 20, the key 20 can be directly inserted into the middle frame 12 along the positive direction of the X axis. At this time, the ear 221a will be directly hung on the first end face 62a, and the ear 221a can be observed by the naked eye whether it is stretched, without the need to observe whether the ear 221a is stretched through a CCD magnifying glass. In addition, the trigger 22 and the key cap 21 can be connected in one piece, and when the key 20 is installed on the middle frame 12, the trigger 22 will not shake. In addition, when the key 20 is pressed, the head 221 can be pressed directly by the rod 222, and the pressure on the head 221 is independent of the distance between the ear 221a and the rod 222. That is to say, when the key 20 is pressed, the distance between the ear 221 a and the rod 222 will not affect the pressure on the head 221 , thereby not affecting the user's hand feeling when pressing the key 20 .

[0086] For example, during the installation of the button 20, the button 20 may be placed outside the middle frame 12, and the stem 222 of the button 20 may be aligned with the mounting hole 62. Then, the button 20 may be pushed in the pressing direction, so that the head 221 of the button 20 passes through the mounting hole 62, thereby assembling the button 20 on the middle frame 12.

[0087] For example, continue to refer to Figure 6B and Figure 6C In order to facilitate the installation of the key 20, a first chamfer 62f can be provided at the edge of the mounting hole 62. The first chamfer 62f can be a 45° chamfer. During the installation of the key 20, the first chamfer 62f can guide the key 20 to facilitate the installation of the key 20. In the embodiment of the present application, the first chamfer 62f can be referred to as an assembly C angle.

[0088] In addition, continue to refer to Figure 6B and Figure 6C In order to facilitate the extension of the ear 221a after the head 221 passes through the mounting hole 62, a second chamfer 62e can be provided on the edge of the mounting hole 62. The second chamfer 62e can be a 45° chamfer or an arc chamfer. The second chamfer 62e can guide the extension process of the ear 221a. In the embodiment of the present application, the second chamfer 62e can be referred to as an auxiliary extension C angle.

[0089] For example, when the hanging ear 221a is hung on the first end surface 62a, there may be a gap 62d between the keycap 21 and the second end surface 62b along the pressing direction, so that the keycap 21 can be pressed and moved. That is, the distance of the gap 62d along the X-axis direction can be used as the pressing stroke of the key 20. In other embodiments, the gap 62d may not exist, and the surface of the keycap 21 facing the second end surface 62b is set to an elastic material, and the pressing stroke is provided by the elastic deformation of the elastic material.

[0090] For example, when the ear 221a of the head 221 is hung on the first end surface 62a of the mounting hole 62, the head 221 can be arranged opposite to the switch 1221 inside the electronic device 10, and when the button 20 is pressed, the button 20 can press the switch 1221 through the head 221, thereby triggering the switch 1221. When the switch 1221 is pressed by the pressure of the head 221, it can enter the trigger state.

[0091] It should be understood that the present application does not limit the structure and triggering method of the switch 1221. In some embodiments, the switch 1221 may be a mechanical switch, and when the switch 1221 is pressed and moves in the pressing direction, the circuit where the switch 1221 is located may be closed, so that the switch 1221 enters a triggered state.

[0092] In other embodiments, the switch 1221 may also be a sensor. For example, the switch 1221 may be a pressure sensor, and when the pressure received by the switch 1221 exceeds a preset pressure threshold, the switch 1221 may enter a trigger state. Alternatively, the switch 1221 may also be a capacitive sensor, and when the switch 1221 contacts the head 221, the switch 1221 may detect a change in the capacitance value and enter a trigger state. It can be seen that the present application does not limit the switch 1221.

[0093] In addition, in some other embodiments, the middle frame 12 may not include the first mounting groove 61, and a through hole may be directly opened on the outer surface of the middle frame 12, and the through hole may form the mounting hole 62. In other words, the mounting hole 62 may extend from the outer surface of the middle frame 12 to the inner surface of the middle frame 12 along the X direction. It can be understood that the outer surface of the middle frame 12 may form the second end surface 62b of the mounting hole 62, and the inner surface of the middle frame 12 may form the first end surface 62a of the mounting hole 62.

[0094] For the electronic device 10 not including the first mounting groove 61, when the key 20 is mounted on the electronic device 10, the rod 222 can be inserted into the mounting hole 62. The key cap 21 can be hung on the second end surface 62b of the mounting hole 62, and the ear 221a of the head 221 can be hung on the first end surface 62a of the mounting hole 62.

[0095] In addition, in some other embodiments, reference Fig.6D , the middle frame 12 may include a first mounting groove 61, a mounting hole 62 and a second mounting groove 63. Specifically, the open end of the first mounting groove 61 is located on the outer surface of the middle frame 12, and the open end of the second mounting groove 63 is located on the inner surface of the middle frame 12. A through hole is provided between the bottom wall of the first mounting groove 61 and the bottom wall of the second mounting groove 63, and the through hole can form the mounting hole 62. In other words, the mounting hole 62 extends from the bottom wall of the first mounting groove 61 to the bottom wall of the second mounting groove 63 along the X direction. It can be understood that the bottom wall of the first mounting groove 61 can form the second end surface 62b of the mounting hole 62, and the bottom wall of the second mounting groove 63 can form the first end surface 62a of the mounting hole 62.

[0096] For the electronic device 10 including the second mounting groove 63, when the key 20 is mounted on the electronic device 10, the key cap 21 can be embedded in the first mounting groove 61. The rod 222 can be inserted into the mounting hole 62. The head 221 can be embedded in the second mounting groove 63 and arranged opposite to the switch 1221 inside the electronic device 10, and the hanging ear 221a of the head 221 can be hung on the first end surface 62a of the mounting hole 62.

[0097] Further, continue to refer to FIG. 5A to FIG. 6B In some embodiments, the material of the head 221 may be a deformable material, such as a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer material. At this time, when the key 20 is pressed, the head 221 may deform and collapse due to the large pressure. Figure 7 When the button 20 is pressed, the middle area of ​​the head 221 is supported by the rod 222 so as to contact and press the switch 1221, while part of the edge area of ​​the head 221 may collapse in the opposite direction of the pressing direction.

[0098] Therefore, in this embodiment, reference FIG. 5A to FIG. 7 The rod 222 may include a first rod 222a and a second rod 222b, the first rod 222a and the second rod 222b are sequentially connected along the pressing direction, and the outer diameter of the first rod 222a is greater than the outer diameter of the second rod 222b. The first rod 222a is connected to the keycap 21, the second rod 222b is located between the first rod 222a and the head 221, and the second rod 222b is connected to the head 221.

[0099] Thus, when the rod portion 222 is inserted into the mounting hole 62, there will be an assembly gap 62c (as an example of a first gap) between the second rod portion 222b and the hole wall of the mounting hole 62, and the assembly gap 62c can also be called a soft rubber stretching storage groove. Figure 7If the head 221 is deformed in the direction opposite to the pressing direction, the assembly gap 62c between the second rod portion 222b and the hole wall of the mounting hole 62 can accommodate at least part of the material of the head 221 that is deformed in the direction opposite to the pressing direction, thereby preventing the material in this area from being damaged due to excessive squeezing.

[0100] Further, continue to refer to FIG. 5A to FIG. 7 In some embodiments, the button 20 may further include a sealing ring 23 , and the sealing ring 23 may be sleeved on the outside of the rod 222 .

[0101] It should be understood that, in order to facilitate the installation of the button 20, a small gap may exist between the rod 222 and the hole wall of the mounting hole 62, for example, a gap of 0.05 mm to 0.1 mm. In order to prevent water vapor and the like from entering the interior of the electronic device 10 through the gap, a sealing ring 23 may be provided between the rod 222 and the hole wall of the mounting hole 62 to seal the gap. The amount of interference between the sealing ring 23 and the hole wall of the mounting hole 62 may be 0 to 0.02 mm.

[0102] For example, reference FIG. 5A to FIG. 7 The sealing ring 23 and the rod 222 may be connected in one piece. For example, the sealing ring 23 and the rod 222 may be an integral structure directly molded by injection molding. In addition, the sealing ring 23 and the rod 222 may also be detachably connected. For example, the rod 222 may be firstly injection molded, and then the sealing ring 23 may be sleeved on the rod 222.

[0103] It can also be understood that the present embodiment does not limit the number of sealing rings 23. Figure 5A , two sealing rings 23 are sleeved on the outside of the rod 222, which can also be called double-rib sealing rings, and are sleeved on the top and middle position of the first rod 222a, respectively, but the present application is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments, more or fewer sealing rings 23 can be sleeved on the outside of the rod 222, for example, a single-rib sealing ring (i.e., a single sealing ring), a triple-rib sealing ring (i.e., three sealing rings), etc. In addition, the sealing ring 23 can be sleeved at any position outside the first rod 222a and / or the second rod 222b, and the present application does not limit it.

[0104] Further, in some other embodiments, referring to FIG. 5A to FIG. 7 The key 20 may further include a resilient column 24, which may also be referred to as an end surface anti-collapse resilient column. The resilient column 24 is connected to the key cap 21 and is located on one side of the key cap 21 facing the pressing direction of the key 20.

[0105] The resilient column 24 may include a first resilient column 24a and a second resilient column 24b, and the first resilient column 24a and the second resilient column 24b are both connected to the key cap 21. In addition, along a direction perpendicular to the pressing direction of the key 20 (for example, the Y-axis direction, which may be described as a “first direction”), the first resilient column 24a and the second resilient column 24b are respectively located on both sides of the trigger member 22.

[0106] For example, reference Figure 6B and Figure 6C When the hanging ear 221a is hung on the first end surface 62a, there is a gap 62d between the keycap 21 and the bottom wall of the first mounting groove 61 along the pressing direction, so that the keycap 21 can be pressed and moved. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the key 20 is installed on the electronic device 10, the rebound column 24 can be embedded between the keycap 21 and the bottom wall of the first mounting groove 61, and is arranged opposite to the second end surface 62b of the mounting hole 62.

[0107] For example, in this embodiment, the rebound column 24 may be formed of an elastic material. Figure 7 As shown, when the button 20 is pressed, the rebound column 24 can be compressed by the second end surface 62b of the mounting hole 62; when the user stops pressing the button 20, the rebound column 24 can rebound to a stretched state, thereby driving the button 20 to rebound to the initial position before being pressed.

[0108] In addition, in some other embodiments, a blind hole may be provided on the bottom wall of the first mounting groove 61, and the blind hole may form a mounting hole (not shown in the figure) for inserting the resilient column 24. That is, the mounting hole (not shown) may extend from the bottom wall of the first mounting groove 61 to the inside of the middle frame 12 along the X direction. It is understood that when the button 20 is installed on the electronic device 10, the resilient column 24 may be inserted into the mounting hole (not shown). This application does not limit this.

[0109] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the key 20 may be formed of a first material layer and a second material layer. For example, the material of the first material layer may be a metal material (e.g., a metal aluminum alloy); or, the material of the first material layer may also be a material used for injection molding, in which case the first material layer may also be referred to as a hard glue. Alternatively, the material of the second material layer may also be a material used for injection molding, in which case the second material layer may also be referred to as a soft glue.

[0110] For example, when the first material layer is a hard glue colloid, the material of the hard glue colloid may include any one of a variety of materials such as polycarbonate (PC), polyetherimide (PEI), a composite material of PC and glass fiber (e.g., 20% glass fiber), etc. Alternatively, when the second material layer is a soft glue colloid, the material of the soft glue colloid may be any one or more of materials such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE), liquid silicone rubber (LSR) formed by liquid injection molding (LIM) process, etc.

[0111] Among them, the hardness of the second material layer is less than the hardness of the first material layer, and the elasticity of the second material layer is greater than the elasticity of the first material layer. Therefore, in the key 20 provided in the present application, the second material layer can be located on the side of the first material layer facing the pressing direction, so that the second material layer is supported by the first material layer, and the key 20 can also press the switch 1221 with a larger pressure. For example, the keycap 21 can be formed by the first material layer, so as to be used to support the trigger member 22 and will not be deformed when the user presses the keycap 21; the head 221 of the trigger member 22 can be formed by the second material layer, so that the head 221 can press the switch 1221 with a larger pressure, so that the press switch 1221 can be quickly pressed to the on position.

[0112] It is understood that when the material of the first material layer is a metal material, the keycap 21 of the key 20 can have a high-gloss appearance effect. When the first material layer is a hard plastic colloid, the keycap 21 can achieve a high-gloss appearance effect through a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process.

[0113] For example, reference Fig. 6E The cross-sectional view of the key 20 shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the rod 222 may include a core 223 and a sleeve 224 sleeved outside the core 223. Fig. 6E In the cross-sectional view shown, the boundary line between the core 223 and the sleeve 224 is indicated by a dotted line. It should be understood that in an actual product, the dotted line may not be included.

[0114] Continue to refer Fig. 6EThe core 223 may include a first core 223a corresponding to the first rod 222a and a second core 223b corresponding to the second rod 222b. The first core 223a and the second core 223b are sequentially connected along the pressing direction, and the outer diameter of the first core 223a is greater than the outer diameter of the second core 223b. The sleeve 224 includes a first sleeve 224a corresponding to the first rod 222a and a second sleeve 224b corresponding to the second rod 222b. The first sleeve 224a and the second sleeve 224b are sequentially connected along the pressing direction, and the outer diameter of the first sleeve 224a is greater than the outer diameter of the second sleeve 224b.

[0115] Exemplarily, in this embodiment, the core 223 can be formed by a first material layer, and the sleeve 224 can be formed by a second material layer. Among them, the first material layer has a higher hardness, and the second material layer has a higher elasticity. In this way, by making the core 223 by the first material layer, the rod 222 can support the head 221. And, by making the sleeve 224 by the second material layer, the rod 222 can also press the head 221 with a larger elastic force, so that the head 221 presses the switch 1221 with a larger elastic force, so as to quickly press the switch 1221 to the on position, which is conducive to improving the response speed of the electronic device 10 to the user's key pressing operation. In addition, the rod 222 can also be entirely composed of hard rubber material, which is not limited in this application.

[0116] For example, since the second material layer has good elasticity, in this embodiment, the resilient column 24 can also be formed by the second material layer. Figure 7 As shown, when the button 20 is pressed, the rebound column 24 may be in a compressed state; when the user stops pressing the button 20, the rebound column 24 may rebound to an extended state, thereby driving the button 20 to rebound to the initial position before being pressed.

[0117] Exemplarily, since the second material layer has good waterproof performance, in this embodiment, the sealing ring 23 can also be formed by the second material layer to improve the waterproof performance of the electronic device 10.

[0118] In summary, the present embodiment provides a button 20, wherein the trigger member 22 of the button 20 includes a rod 222 and a head 221 connected in sequence, and the outer diameter of the head 221 is larger than the outer diameter of the rod 222, so that the portion of the head 221 protruding from the rod 222 can form a hanging ear 221a. When the button 20 is installed on the electronic device 10, the rod 222 is inserted into the mounting hole 62 of the middle frame 12, and the hanging ear 221a can be hung on the first end face 62a of the mounting hole 62. In this way, the button 20 can be installed on the middle frame 12 only by drilling a mounting hole 62 on the middle frame 12 along the pressing direction, without the need to process a hanging ear stretching groove in the middle frame 12, so that there is no need to open a blind hole on the front or back of the middle frame 12, which is beneficial to the integrity of the protection path of the electronic device 10.

[0119] Among them, in the above FIG. 5A to FIG. 7 In the schematic diagram, the button 20 includes a trigger 22. When the button 20 is installed on the electronic device 10, when the button 20 is pressed, the button 20 can press the corresponding switch 1221 through the trigger 22, thereby realizing the corresponding functions such as power on / off, screenshot, or photo taking. FIG. 5A to FIG. 7 The button 20 shown can be used as a power button, a screenshot button, a camera button, etc. of the electronic device 10, and this application does not limit this.

[0120] In the second embodiment provided in the present application, the button 20 may include two trigger members 22. When the button 20 is installed on the electronic device 10, if the user presses different areas of the button 20, the trigger member 22 at the corresponding position will press the corresponding switch 1221 inside the electronic device 10, thereby realizing different corresponding functions. For example, if the button 20 with two trigger members 22 is a volume button, when the user presses different areas of the button 20, the trigger member 22 at the corresponding position will press the corresponding switch 1221 inside the electronic device 10, thereby realizing the corresponding volume increase or volume decrease function.

[0121] The following describes a key provided by a second embodiment of the present application, which can be based on the first embodiment. In this embodiment, two trigger members 22 can be provided on the key 20 to achieve more complex functions. For example, the key 20 of this embodiment can be a volume key.

[0122] Fig. 8A and Figure 8B FIG. 2 shows an exemplary structure of the button 20 in the second embodiment of the present application. Fig. 8A is a three-dimensional diagram of the key 20, Figure 8B is a top view of the key 20. In addition, Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the installation of the button 20 on the electronic device 10 , that is, a cross-sectional view of the electronic device 10 .

[0123] like FIG. 8A to FIG. 9 As shown, the key 20 includes a key cap 21, two trigger members 22, a sealing ring 23, a first rebound column 24a, and a second rebound column 24b.

[0124] The two trigger members 22 are both connected to the keycap 21 and are both located on the side of the keycap 21 facing the pressing direction of the key 20. In addition, along a direction perpendicular to the pressing direction of the key 20 (for example, the Y-axis direction), the two trigger members 22 are located between the first rebound column 24a and the second rebound column 24b.

[0125] In addition, continue to refer to FIG. 8A to FIG. 9 Each trigger member 22 includes a rod portion 222 and a head portion 221 connected in sequence, and the outer diameter of the head portion 221 is greater than the outer diameter of the rod portion 222, so that the portion of the head portion 221 protruding from the rod portion 222 can form a hanging ear 221a. The rod portion 222 may include a first rod portion 222a and a second rod portion 222b.

[0126] Continue to refer Fig. 9 The middle frame 12 of the electronic device 10 may include a first mounting groove 61 and two mounting holes 62 .

[0127] When the button 20 is installed on the electronic device 10, the rod portions 222 of the two trigger members 22 are respectively inserted into the two mounting holes 62, the heads 221 of the two trigger members 22 are located on the outside of the mounting holes 62, and the ears 221a of the heads 221 can be hung on the first end surface 62a of the mounting hole 62 in the opposite direction of the pressing direction.

[0128] It can be understood that the specific connection method of the button 20 and the specific installation method of the button 20 on the middle frame 12 can refer to the above FIG. 5A to FIG. 7 The above is not repeated here.

[0129] In summary, for the button 20 with two trigger members 22 provided in the present application, when the button 20 is installed on the electronic device 10, the rod 222 is inserted into the mounting hole 62, the head 221 can be located outside the mounting hole 62, and the ear 221a of the head 221 can be hung on the first end face 62a of the mounting hole 62. With this arrangement, two mounting holes 62 are processed in the middle frame 12 by drilling along the pressing direction, so that the installation requirements of the button 20 on the middle frame 12 can be met, without processing the ear stretching groove in the middle frame 12, and thus without processing the blind hole on the front or back of the middle frame 12. In this way, the protective structure on the front and back of the middle frame 12 will not be damaged, which is conducive to improving the protective performance of the electronic device 10, for example, the waterproof performance of the electronic device 10 can be improved.

[0130] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the key 20 may further include a resilient member 31. The resilient member 31 is connected to the key cap 21 and is located on the side of the key cap 21 facing the pressing direction of the key 20. In addition, along a direction perpendicular to the pressing direction of the key 20 (for example, the Y-axis direction), the resilient member 31 is located between the two trigger members 22.

[0131] The resilient member 31 may include a base 311 and two third resilient columns 312. The base 311 is connected to the keycap 21 and is located on the side of the keycap 21 facing the pressing direction of the key 20. The two third resilient columns 312 are both connected to the base 311 and are located on the side of the base 311 facing the pressing direction of the key 20.

[0132] refer to Fig. 9 In order to install the button 20, the middle frame 12 may further include a third installation groove 64. When the button 20 is installed on the electronic device 10, the resilient member 31 may be embedded in the third installation groove 64. The opening end of the third installation groove 64 is located on the bottom wall of the first installation groove 61. That is, a blind hole may be opened on the bottom wall of the first installation groove 61, and the blind hole may form the third installation groove 64. It can be understood that the third installation groove 64 may extend from the bottom wall of the first installation groove 61 to the inside of the middle frame 12 along the positive direction of the X-axis, and the inside of the middle frame 12 may form the bottom wall of the third installation groove 64.

[0133] Thus, when the middle area of ​​the button 20 is pressed, the resilient member 31 can be compressed by the bottom wall of the third mounting slot 64 ; when the user stops pressing the button 20 , the resilient member 31 can drive the button 20 to rebound to the initial position before being pressed.

[0134] For example, in some embodiments, the key 20 may be formed by a first material layer (shown in a cross-hatched area) and a second material layer (shown in a diagonal hatched area). Fig. 9 In the installation diagram shown, the boundary line between the first material layer and the second material layer is represented by a dotted line. It is understood that in an actual product, the boundary line may not exist.

[0135] For example, reference Fig. 9 In this embodiment, the keycap 21, the first core 223a and the second core 223b of the stem 222, and the shell 311a of the base 311 may be formed of the first material layer. The head 221, the third core 311b of the base 311, the third resilient column 312, the resilient column 24, and the first sleeve 224a and the second sleeve 224b of the stem 222 may be formed of the second material layer. For details, please refer to the above FIG. 5A to FIG. 7 The above is not repeated here.

[0136] In summary, the present embodiment provides a button 20, and the button 20 may include two trigger members 22. The trigger member 22 includes a rod 222 and a head 221 connected in sequence, and the outer diameter of the head 221 is greater than the outer diameter of the rod 222, so that the portion of the head 221 protruding from the rod 222 can form a hanging ear 221a. When the button 20 is installed on the electronic device 10, the rod 222 is inserted into the mounting hole 62 of the middle frame 12, and the hanging ear 221a can be hung on the first end face 62a of the mounting hole 62. In this way, the button 20 can be installed on the middle frame 12 only by drilling a mounting hole 62 on the middle frame 12 in the pressing direction, without the need to process a hanging ear stretching groove in the middle frame 12, so that there is no need to open a blind hole on the front or back of the middle frame 12, which is beneficial to the integrity of the protection path of the electronic device 10.

[0137] Other details not described in this embodiment, such as the specific structure of the trigger member 22, etc., can be referred to the introduction of the first embodiment of this article and will not be repeated here.

[0138] In addition, as mentioned above, the key 20 provided by the present application may include a first material layer and a second material layer, the first material layer may be a hard glue colloid, and the second material layer may be a soft glue colloid, wherein the material of the hard glue colloid and the material of the soft glue colloid are materials for injection molding. That is, the key provided by the present application may be prepared by an injection molding process. Fig.10 and Fig.11 As shown, taking the key 20 provided in the above-mentioned second embodiment as an example, the preparation process of the key 20 provided in the present application is introduced.

[0139] in, Fig.10 The schematic diagram shows the structure obtained when each preparation process is completed when preparing the key 20. Fig.11 The figure shows the disassembly diagram of part of the mold after the key 20 is manufactured. Fig.11 Figure (a) is a three-dimensional view when the mold is removed; Fig.11 Figure (b) in FIG. 11 is a partial schematic diagram of the trigger member 22 when the mold is removed; Figure (c) in FIG. 11 is a top view when the mold is removed.

[0140] It can be understood that since the hardness of the hard plastic colloid is greater than that of the soft plastic colloid, the hard plastic colloid can be used as a stable substrate. Therefore, in this embodiment, the hard plastic colloid of the key 20 can be prepared by injection molding a hard plastic material, and then the soft plastic colloid of the key 20 can be prepared by injection molding a soft plastic material on the basis of the prepared hard plastic colloid, thereby obtaining the key 20 provided by the present application.

[0141] For example, reference Fig.10As shown in Figure (a), on a mold (also referred to as a front mold) for making a hard glue colloid, hard glue material can be poured into the middle through two hard glue gates 91 to form a hard glue colloid. In other words, the hard glue colloid can be obtained by injection molding through the two hard glue gates 91 as two side gates of the hard glue colloid.

[0142] The obtained hard plastic body may be an integrated structure of the key cap 21 , the shell 311 a of the base 311 , the first core 223 a , and the second core 223 b .

[0143] Specifically, on the hard plastic body, the key cap 21 has two grooves 21 a , and the grooves 21 a are used to embed the rod 222 of the trigger member 22 and the adjacent rebound column 24 .

[0144] The shell 311a of the base 311 is in the shape of a groove which is open on one side toward the pressing direction of the key 20. The bottom wall of the shell 311a is connected to the keycap 21 and can be used to inject soft glue into the shell 311a to obtain the third core 311b and two third rebound columns 312 of the base 311.

[0145] Next, after obtaining the hard plastic colloid of the key 20, the hard plastic colloid can be placed on a mold (also called a back mold) for making the soft plastic colloid. The soft plastic material is poured into the shell 311a and the groove 21a of the hard plastic colloid through the soft plastic gate 92 to obtain the key 20 mentioned in the present application.

[0146] Specifically, refer to Fig.10 In FIG. (b), the soft glue material can be poured in the groove 21a through the soft glue gate 92 to obtain the head 221, the sleeve 224 of the rod 222, the sealing ring 23 and the rebound column 24. In the shell 311a of the base 311, the soft glue material is poured through the soft glue gate 92 to obtain the third core 311b and the third rebound column 312 of the base 311.

[0147] It can be understood that after the soft plastic material is injected into the hard plastic colloid shell 311a and the groove 21a, the gaps in each groove shape are filled with the soft plastic material, that is, there is no gap in each groove shape. In this way, the gap of the key 20 can be reduced, so that when the key 20 is installed in the electronic device 10, the electronic device 10 can have better liquid protection performance.

[0148] Next, after the soft rubber material is obtained by injection molding, the obtained key 20 can be taken out from the mold. Fig.11 When demolding the trigger member 22, the mold 93 for molding the sealing ring 23 and the rod 222 can be moved along a direction perpendicular to the pressing direction (ie, Fig.11The slider is demoulded in the L direction shown in the figure, which can also be called slider removal or slider removal of Dome column (or slider removal of trigger member 22).

[0149] In some embodiments, the present embodiment can be injection molded by a double-shot process. That is, the mold for making the button 20 includes a hard plastic injection port and a soft plastic injection port. After the hard plastic body is made, there is no need to remove the hard plastic body. The machine can automatically move the hard plastic body to the soft plastic injection port for soft plastic injection molding.

[0150] In addition, in some other embodiments, injection molding can also be performed by a single shot process. That is, the mold for making the button 20 only includes a hard glue injection molding port or a soft glue injection molding port. After the hard glue colloid is made in the hard glue colloid mold, the hard glue colloid needs to be removed and placed in the soft glue colloid mold for soft glue injection molding. This application does not limit this.

[0151] Thus, through the above-mentioned preparation method, the prepared key 20 can have better supporting performance and elasticity, and when the prepared key 20 is installed in the electronic device 10, the electronic device 10 can have better liquid protection performance.

[0152] It can be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary introductions to the solutions of the present application, and those skilled in the art may make other modifications.

[0153] For example, the sealing ring 23 and the rod 222 may be detachably connected. In this way, when the aperture of the mounting hole 62 in the middle frame 12 for inserting the rod 222 is small, it is not necessary to sleeve the sealing ring 23 for sealing and waterproofing.

[0154] In the above description of this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, " / " means or, for example, A / B can identify A or B; "and / or" in this article is only a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships, for example, A and / or B can indicate the existence of A alone, B alone, and A and B at the same time. In addition, in this embodiment, the value of each data range includes the end value. For example, A=10 to 50 means that A can be 10 or 50.

Claims

1. A key of an electronic device, characterized in that: include: keycap; a trigger member connected to the keycap and located on a side of the keycap facing the pressing direction of the key; the trigger member comprises a rod and a head connected in sequence along the pressing direction, the head being located at one end of the trigger member; wherein the trigger member is used to trigger the switch of the electronic device through the head when the key is pressed; Wherein, the button is used to be installed on the electronic device. When the button is installed on the electronic device, the rod portion is inserted into a mounting hole on the electronic device, and the head portion is located outside the mounting hole and opposite to the first end surface of the mounting hole; Furthermore, the head has a hanging ear protruding from the rod portion along a first direction, the first direction is perpendicular to the pressing direction, and the hanging ear can be hung on the first end surface along a direction opposite to the pressing direction.

2. The key according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material of the head is a deformable material; The rod portion comprises a first rod portion and a second rod portion connected in sequence along the pressing direction, and the second rod portion is connected to the head portion; Among them, the outer diameter of the first rod portion is greater than the outer diameter of the second rod portion. When the button is installed on the electronic device, there is a first gap between the second rod portion and the hole wall of the mounting hole. The first gap is used to accommodate at least part of the material of the head after deformation in the opposite direction of the pressing direction.

3. The key according to claim 1, characterized in that: The button also includes a sealing ring, which is sleeved on the outside of the rod and is used to seal the gap between the rod and the hole wall of the mounting hole.

4. The key according to claim 3, characterized in that: The sealing ring is integrally connected to the rod portion.

5. The key according to claim 1, characterized in that: The key further comprises a rebound column, which is connected to the key cap and is located at a side of the key cap facing the pressing direction of the key.

6. The key according to claim 5, characterized in that: The rebound column includes a first rebound column and a second rebound column. Along a first direction, the first rebound column and the second rebound column are respectively located on two sides of the trigger member. The first direction is perpendicular to the pressing direction.

7. The key according to claim 1, characterized in that: The button comprises a first material layer and a second material layer, the second material layer is located on a side of the first material layer facing the pressing direction, and the hardness of the second material layer is less than the hardness of the first material layer; The second material layer is at least used to form the head, and the first material layer is at least used to form the key cap.

8. The key according to claim 7, characterized in that: The rod portion includes a core body and a sleeve sleeved outside the core body, the first material layer is also used to form the core body, and the second material layer is also used to form the sleeve.

9. The key according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The material of the first material layer is a metal material or a material used for injection molding; or The material of the second material layer is a material for injection molding.

10. The key according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The material of the first material layer includes polycarbonate, polyetherimide, or a composite material of polycarbonate and glass fiber; or, The material of the second material layer includes thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, thermoplastic polyester elastomer, or liquid silicone rubber.

11. An electronic device, characterized in that: It comprises a housing and the key according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the key is mounted on the housing, and the housing is provided with the mounting hole; The rod portion of the button is inserted into the mounting hole, and the head portion is located outside the mounting hole and opposite to the first end surface of the mounting hole; and the ear of the head portion can be hung on the first end surface of the mounting hole in the opposite direction of the pressing direction.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The outer diameter of the rod portion is smaller than the hole diameter of the mounting hole.

13. The electronic device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The key further comprises a rebound column, which is connected to the key cap and is located on a side of the key cap facing the pressing direction of the key; The rebound column is opposite to the second end surface of the mounting hole, and when the key is pressed, the rebound column is compressed by the second end surface.

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