Key structure of electronic device
By setting a progressive expansion channel in the elastic member, light is directly projected from the light source to the keycap, the problem of uneven light projection in the prior art is solved, and more uniform light projection and more flexible keycap design are achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202311513194.0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-11-14
- Publication Date
- 2025-05-16
AI Technical Summary
Existing luminous keyboards or luminous keys face the integration of component transmission and light transmission in structural design, resulting in uneven light projection, affecting the flexibility of visual effects and keycap design.
By setting a channel in the elastic member, the light generated by the light source can be projected directly through the channel to the keycap, and the diameter of the channel gradually expands from the light source toward the keycap, ensuring that the light is projected to the keycap without obstruction.
Achieve uniform projection of light, improve visual effects, and remove design limitations caused by uneven light, providing more flexible keycap design possibilities.
Smart Images
Figure CN120015559A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of key structures, and in particular to a key structure of an electronic device. Background Art
[0002] With the rapid development of electronic technology and information industry, many electronic devices use keyboards or keys as their input devices. For luminous keyboards or luminous keys, the structural design faces the problem of integrating component transmission and light transmission. Therefore, most of the current luminous keyboards or luminous keys adopt a design in which the light source is offset, that is, the light source is not in the center of the key structure. Although this can maintain the transmission requirements of the key components, it causes the luminous effect to be biased and uneven. Simply put, because the light source is not located directly below the keycap, the light projected onto the keycap cannot be uniform, causing a visual imbalance.
[0003] The above-mentioned uneven light makes it impossible to provide unlimited designs for the patterns on the keycaps. For example, existing designers often spray a light-shielding layer on the surface of the keycaps and only leave the pattern area transparent to cover the problem caused by the uneven light.
[0004] Based on the above, how to provide an illuminating key that can take into account both component transmission and light transmission to remove the above design limitations is indeed a problem that relevant technical personnel need to think about and solve. Summary of the invention
[0005] The present application provides a key structure of an electronic device, which allows light to be directly projected onto a key cap through an elastic member, thereby achieving the better effects of both component transmission and light transmission.
[0006] The key structure of the electronic device of the present application includes a substrate, a light source, an elastic member and a key cap. The light source is disposed on the substrate. The elastic member is disposed on the substrate. The key cap is disposed on the elastic member. The elastic member has a channel for light generated by the light source to pass through the channel and project to the key cap, and the caliber of the channel gradually expands from the light source toward the key cap.
[0007] In one embodiment, the elastic member abuts against the substrate at the entrance structure of the channel and surrounds the light source, and the elastic member abuts against the keycap at the exit structure of the channel. The substrate, the elastic member and the keycap form a closed space, and the diameter of the entrance is smaller than the diameter of the exit.
[0008] In one embodiment, the divergence angle of the channel is greater than or equal to the emission angle of the light source.
[0009] In one embodiment, the elastic member has a base, a collapsed portion and an abutting portion, which are stacked layer by layer from the substrate toward the keycap with the light source as the center and away from the light source. The base abuts the substrate, the collapsed portion is adjacent to the base and the abutting portion, and the abutting portion always abuts the keycap.
[0010] In one embodiment, the thickness of the crushed portion adjacent to the base is greater than the thickness at the center of the crushed portion, and the thickness of the crushed portion adjacent to the abutment is greater than the thickness at the center of the crushed portion.
[0011] In one embodiment, the abutting portion has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to each other, the top surface is constantly abutting the keycap, and the bottom surface faces the substrate, and when the keycap is pressed, the collapsed portion is deformed and the bottom surface abuts the substrate.
[0012] In one embodiment, the elastic member has a first conductive layer disposed on the bottom surface, and the substrate has a second conductive layer facing the bottom surface, so that when the keycap is pressed, the first conductive layer is connected and electrically connected to the second conductive layer.
[0013] In one embodiment, the base has a first oblique sidewall forming a portion of the channel and an outer sidewall facing away from the first oblique sidewall, and the collapsed portion has a second oblique sidewall forming another portion of the channel, and the second oblique sidewall extends from the outer sidewall and is connected to the abutment portion.
[0014] In one embodiment, the keycap includes a first component and a second component, the first component abuts against the elastic member and is movably fastened to the housing of the electronic device, and the second component is detachably disposed on the first component.
[0015] In one embodiment, at least one of the first component and the second component has a diffusing agent and is translucent.
[0016] Based on the above, the key structure of the electronic device is abutted between the substrate and the keycap by the elastic member, so that the keycap can have the transmission and reset functions required for the key to be pressed through the elastic member. More importantly, the elastic member has a channel, and the diameter of the channel gradually expands from the light source toward the keycap, so that the light generated by the light source can directly pass through the channel and project to the keycap. In this way, the light generated by the light source can be fully projected to the keycap without obstruction, so as to provide a visual effect of uniform light on the outer surface of the keycap. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in one embodiment of the present application.
[0018] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a key structure provided in one embodiment of the present application.
[0019] Figure 3A This is one of the partial cross-sectional structural schematic diagrams of an elastic member provided in one embodiment of the present application.
[0020] Figure 3B The second schematic diagram of the partial cross-sectional structure of the elastic member provided in one embodiment of the present application.
[0021] Figure 3C for Figure 3B Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure at A.
[0022] Figure 4A This is one of the cross-sectional structural schematic diagrams of an electronic device provided by an embodiment of the present application.
[0023] Figure 4B for Figure 4A Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure at B.
[0024] Figure 5A The second schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of an electronic device provided in one embodiment of the present application.
[0025] Figure 5B for Figure 5A Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure at C.
[0026] Description of reference numerals:
[0027] 10: Electronic devices;
[0028] 100: button structure;
[0029] 110:Substrate;
[0030] 111: second conductive layer;
[0031] 120: light source;
[0032] 130: elastic member;
[0033] 131: base;
[0034] 131a: Entrance;
[0035] 131b: first inclined side wall;
[0036] 131c: outer side wall;
[0037] 132: collapse part;
[0038] 132a: second inclined side wall;
[0039] 133: Butt;
[0040] 133a:Export;
[0041] 133c: top surface;
[0042] 133d: Bottom;
[0043] 133e: a first conductive layer;
[0044] 140: key cap;
[0045] 141: first component;
[0046] 141a: stop side edge;
[0047] 142: second component;
[0048] 200: housing;
[0049] t1, t2, t3: thickness;
[0050] TL: Channel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0051] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 This is an exploded diagram of the key structure. Please also refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 In this embodiment, the electronic device 10 includes a housing 200 and a plurality of key structures 100 disposed thereon, wherein the key structures 100 include a substrate 110, a light source 120, an elastic member 130, and a key cap 140. The substrate 110 is, for example, a circuit board, and the light source 120 is, for example, a light emitting diode disposed on the substrate 110. The elastic member 130 is disposed on the substrate 110, and is, for example, made of rubber. The key cap 140 is disposed on the elastic member 130. Furthermore, the elastic member 130 has a channel TL (indicated at Figure 2 ), so that the light generated by the light source 120 passes through the channel TL and is projected onto the keycap 140, and the diameter of the channel TL gradually expands from the light source 120 toward the keycap 140. In response to the gradually expanding feature of the channel TL, the light from the light source 120 can be directly projected onto the keycap 140 without hindrance, so that the projected light on the keycap 140 is uniform and does not deviate. In a preferred embodiment, the trend of the channel TL can be appropriately adjusted according to the emission angle of the light source 120, that is, the gradually expanding angle of the channel TL is greater than or equal to the emission angle of the light source 120, so as to facilitate the transmission of light.
[0052] Figure 3A and Figure 3B The partial cross-sectional views of the elastic member are shown from different perspectives. Figure 3C Indicated Figure 3B A schematic diagram of the enlarged structure at A. Please also refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3A , Figure 3B and Figure 3CIn detail, the elastic member 130 of the present embodiment abuts against the substrate 110 at the entrance 131a of the channel TL and surrounds the light source 120, and the elastic member 130 abuts against the keycap 140 at the exit 133a of the channel TL, wherein the substrate 110, the elastic member 130 and the keycap 140 form a closed space, and the diameter of the entrance 131a is smaller than the diameter of the exit 133a, so that the elastic member 130 can be regarded as a cup body due to its V-shaped profile that is narrow at the bottom and wide at the top, or as an inverted dome, wherein the substrate 110 is regarded as the bottom and the keycap 140 is regarded as the top.
[0053] Furthermore, if FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C As shown, the elastic member 130 has a base 131, a collapsed portion 132 and abutting portion 133. When the elastic member 130 is disposed on the substrate 110 and surrounds the light source 120, the base 131, the collapsed portion 132 and the abutting portion 133 are equivalent to being stacked layer by layer from the substrate 110 toward the keycap 140 in sequence with the light source 120 as the center and away from the light source 120. The base 131 abuts the substrate 110, the collapsed portion 132 is adjacent to the base 151 and the abutting portion 133, and the abutting portion 133 always abuts the keycap 140. The base 131 has a first oblique side wall 131b forming a part of the channel TL and an outer side wall 131c facing away from the first oblique side wall 131b, and the collapsed portion 132 has a second oblique side wall 132a forming another part of the channel TL, and the second oblique side wall 132a extends from the outer side wall 131c and is connected to the abutting portion 133.
[0054] also, Figure 4A and Figure 5A These are cross-sectional views of the electronic device at different locations. Figure 3B , Figure 3C , Figure 4A , Figure 4B , Figure 5A and Figure 5B The contact portion 133 has a top surface 133c and a bottom surface 133d facing each other, the top surface 133c is constantly in contact with the keycap 140, and the bottom surface 133d faces the substrate 110, and when the keycap 140 is pressed, the elastic member 130 will be deformed and accumulate elastic force, wherein the collapsed portion 132 will be deformed and the bottom surface 133d of the contact portion 133 will be in contact with the substrate 110. Further, the elastic member 130 also has a first conductive layer 133e, which is disposed on the bottom surface 133d of the contact portion 133, and correspondingly, the substrate 110 has a second conductive layer 111, which faces the bottom surface 133d of the contact portion 133, so when the keycap 140 is pressed and the elastic member 130 is deformed, the first conductive layer 133e is connected to and electrically conducts with the second conductive layer 111, so as to complete the triggering of the electronic signal.
[0055] It should be mentioned that the thickness t2 of the collapsed portion 132 adjacent to the base portion 131 is greater than the thickness t1 at the center of the collapsed portion 132, and the thickness t3 of the collapsed portion 132 adjacent to the abutting portion 133 is greater than the thickness t1 at the center of the collapsed portion 132. Accordingly, the center of the collapsed portion 132 becomes the weakest part of the structure, and the main deformation of the elastic member 130 when being compressed is limited to the center of the collapsed portion 132. The collapsed position is not limited here, and it can be adjusted according to the desired feel of the key structure 100.
[0056] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 5A and Figure 5B In this embodiment, the keycap 140 includes a first component 141 and a second component 142. The first component 141 abuts against the elastic member 130 and is movably fastened to the housing 200 of the electronic device 10 through the stopper side edge 141a. The second component 142 is detachably disposed on the first component 141. Accordingly, the first component 141 is considered to be movably assembled to the housing 200 and will not fall off, and the second component 142 can be replaced and repaired according to the needs of the user. In this way, the keycap 140 will have a wider range of applications.
[0057] Furthermore, at least one of the first component 141 and the second component 142 has a diffuser and is translucent. In this way, with the corresponding arrangement of the light source 120 and the elastic member 130, the light source 120 can be regarded as being arranged directly below the keycap 140, and the gradually expanding structural feature of the channel TL can also allow the light to be directly projected onto the keycap 140. In this way, with the diffusers of the first component 141 and the second component 142, the light projected onto the keycap 140 can be evenly scattered, so that the keycap 140 presents a uniform halo visual effect.
[0058] In other embodiments not shown, the elastic member can also be selected in different colors according to the light requirements. For example, if more light scattering or reflection is required, a white elastic member can be selected to facilitate further reflection of the light when it is projected onto the elastic member, thereby improving the utilization rate of the light. Conversely, a black elastic member can be selected to absorb the light projected onto the elastic member.
[0059] In summary, in the above embodiments of the present application, the key structure is abutted between the substrate and the keycap by the elastic member, so that the keycap can have the transmission (deformation by pressing and resetting) function required for the key to be pressed through the elastic member. More importantly, the elastic member has a channel, and the diameter of the channel gradually expands from the light source toward the keycap, so that the light generated by the light source can be directly projected to the keycap through the channel. In this way, the light generated by the light source can be fully projected to the keycap without obstruction, so as to provide a visual effect of uniform light on the outer surface of the keycap.
[0060] In response to the need for the passage of the elastic member to cooperate with light transmission, the key structure further utilizes the abutment portion stacked on the outside as a press trigger, wherein a second conductive layer is disposed on the substrate 110, and the abutment portion located at the outermost periphery of the elastic member has a first conductive layer 133e facing the substrate, so that they can butt against each other and be electrically conductive when pressed. In this way, the key structure can smoothly perform the functions of structural transmission and light transmission in the elastic member as described above.
Claims
1. A key structure of an electronic device, characterized in that: The key structure of the electronic device comprises: substrate; A light source is disposed on the substrate; an elastic member, disposed on the substrate; and The keycap is arranged on the elastic member, wherein the elastic member has a channel for the light generated by the light source to pass through the channel and project to the keycap, and the aperture of the channel gradually expands from the light source toward the keycap.
2. The key structure of the electronic device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic member abuts against the substrate at the entrance structure of the channel and surrounds the light source, and abuts against the keycap at the exit structure of the channel. The substrate, the elastic member and the keycap form a closed space, and the diameter of the entrance is smaller than the diameter of the exit.
3. The key structure of the electronic device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The divergence angle of the channel is greater than or equal to the emission angle of the light source.
4. The key structure of the electronic device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic member has a base, a collapsed portion and an abutting portion, which are stacked layer by layer from the substrate toward the keycap with the light source as the center and away from the light source. The base abuts the substrate, the collapsed portion is adjacent to the base and the abutting portion, and the abutting portion constantly abuts the keycap.
5. The key structure of the electronic device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that: The thickness of the collapsed portion adjacent to the base portion is greater than the thickness at the center of the collapsed portion, and the thickness of the collapsed portion adjacent to the abutment portion is greater than the thickness at the center of the collapsed portion.
6. The key structure of the electronic device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that: The abutting portion has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to each other, the top surface always abuts against the key cap, the bottom surface faces the substrate, and when the key cap is pressed, the collapse portion deforms and causes the bottom surface to abut against the substrate.
7. The key structure of the electronic device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that: The elastic member has a first conductive layer disposed on the bottom surface, and the substrate has a second conductive layer facing the bottom surface, so that when the key cap is pressed, the first conductive layer is butted against and electrically connected to the second conductive layer.
8. The key structure of the electronic device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that: The base has a first oblique side wall forming a part of the channel and an outer side wall facing away from the first oblique side wall, and the collapsed portion has a second oblique side wall forming another part of the channel, and the second oblique side wall extends from the outer side wall and is connected to the abutting portion.
9. The key structure of the electronic device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The key cap comprises a first component and a second component, the first component abuts against the elastic component and is movably fastened to the housing of the electronic device, and the second component is detachably disposed on the first component.
10. The key structure of the electronic device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that: At least one of the first member and the second member contains a diffusing agent and is translucent.