Bottom plate, keyboard and preparation method of bottom plate

Abstract

The invention provides a bottom plate, a keyboard and a preparation method of the bottom plate. The density of the bottom plate is smaller than or equal to 5 g / cm < 3 >, and the yield strength of the bottom plate is larger than or equal to 220 MPa and smaller than or equal to 320 MPa; the bottom plate is a titanium alloy plate; the bottom plate is provided with a first long edge and a second long edge which are arranged oppositely, through holes are formed in the bottom plate and comprise the first hole and the second hole, the first hole is adjacent to the first long edge, and the second hole is adjacent to the second long edge. The sum of the sizes of the side walls, close to the second long sides, of the second holes in the length direction of the bottom plate is smaller than the sum of the sizes of the side walls, close to the first long sides, of the first holes in the length direction of the bottom plate; the through hole further comprises a third hole, the third hole is adjacent to the second long edge, and the side wall, close to the second long edge, of the third hole is roughly flush with the side wall, close to the second long edge, of the second hole. According to the bottom plate, the keyboard and the preparation method of the bottom plate, the light and thin requirements can be met at the same time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of terminals, and in particular to a base plate, a keyboard, and a method for preparing the base plate. Background Art

[0002] A keyboard generally consists of a casing, keycaps, a bracket assembly, a base plate, etc. The base plate, as a supporting structure, needs to have a certain strength. In related technologies, the base plate is made of stainless steel with a thickness of about 0.2mm. However, the use of stainless steel for the base plate will result in a relatively heavy weight, affecting the "light" experience. If the base plate material is changed to aluminum alloy, the thickness of the base plate will double, affecting the "thin" experience. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present application provides a base plate, a keyboard, and a method for preparing the base plate, which improves the problem that the base plate of the existing keyboard cannot meet the requirements of being both light and thin at the same time.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0005] In a first aspect, a base plate is provided. The base plate is applied to a keyboard, and the keyboard further comprises a key cap assembly disposed on the base plate, wherein the key cap assembly comprises an elastic element. The density of the base plate is less than or equal to 5 g / cm 3 , and the yield strength of the base plate is greater than or equal to 220 MPa, and less than or equal to 320 MPa. That is, the base plate can be made of a material with a density less than that of stainless steel and a yield strength equivalent to that of stainless steel, or greater than that of stainless steel, such as titanium metal, titanium alloy, composite material, etc. In this way, at the same thickness, the base plate provided by the embodiment of the present application can be lighter than the stainless steel base plate, and the yield strength can be no less than that of the stainless steel base plate, thereby reducing the weight of the base plate without increasing the thickness, and at the same time having a higher supporting strength, so that the base plate and the structure on the base plate (such as the hook structure) can achieve stable support for the keycap assembly, meet the needs of use, and achieve multiple goals at one stroke.

[0006] In some embodiments, the baseplate is a titanium alloy. This alloy offers a low density and high yield strength, ensuring both the baseplate and keyboard are lightweight and thin while maintaining the required strength. Testing has shown that baseplates made of titanium alloy and stainless steel of equivalent thickness can be 12g or more lighter, significantly enhancing the keyboard's lightweight and convenient feel.

[0007] In some embodiments, the base plate has a first long side and a second long side arranged opposite to each other, and a through hole is opened on the base plate, the through hole includes a first hole and a second hole, the first hole is adjacent to the first long side, the second hole is adjacent to the second long side, and the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of each second hole close to the second long side in the length direction of the base plate is smaller than the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of each first hole close to the first long side in the length direction of the base plate; the through hole also includes a third hole, the third hole is adjacent to the second long side, and the side wall of the third hole close to the second long side is roughly flush with the side wall of the second hole close to the second long side.

[0008] The setting of the third hole can make the difference between the side lengths of the holes close to the first long side and the side lengths of the holes close to the second long side smaller or even equal, that is, the side lengths of the holes on both sides of the base plate are equivalent, which can balance the internal stress of the punched holes (including the through holes and the third holes) on the base plate on both sides, and can improve the problem of inconsistent deformation of the two long sides (the first long side and the second long side) of the base plate to a certain extent, reduce the risk of warping of the base plate, and make the first long side, the second long side and the short side connecting the first long side and the second long side as close to the same plane as possible after stamping, which can improve the flatness of the base plate to a certain extent.

[0009] In some embodiments, the third hole satisfies the following condition: a + b = c; a is the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of each second hole near the second long side along the length of the base plate, b is the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of each third hole near the second long side along the length of the base plate, and c is the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of each first hole near the first long side along the length of the base plate plus or minus a preset value, where the preset value is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 5% of the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of the first holes near the first long side along the length of the base plate. When the third hole satisfies the above condition, the side lengths of the holes near the first long side and the holes near the second long side are comparable, and the stresses on both sides of the base plate are comparable, thereby reducing the risk of warping on both sides of the base plate.

[0010] In some embodiments, the bottom plate is a cold stamped part stamped from the front side to the back side. The bottom plate is manufactured using a cold stamping process, which has the advantages of high efficiency, precision, plasticity, and economy.

[0011] In some embodiments, a recessed structure is provided on the back of the base plate. This recessed structure can increase the surface area of ​​the back. Furthermore, when the base plate is subjected to a downward impact force, the area where the recessed structure is located generates outward expansion potential energy to offset at least part of the potential energy of the base plate's upward bending, thereby flattening the front and back surfaces of the base plate.

[0012] In some embodiments, the recessed structure includes a groove structure, which is located between the through-hole and the sidewall of the bottom plate, with two extended ends of the groove structure connecting the through-hole and the sidewall of the bottom plate. The provision of the groove structure can break the stress on the back surface at the groove structure, thereby transferring the stress on the middle portion of the back surface to the sidewall of the bottom plate, thereby reducing the risk of warping in the corners or other areas of the bottom plate and making the bottom plate smoother.

[0013] In some embodiments, the back surface has a first area, a second area, a third area, and a fourth area. The first area is where the through hole is located, the second area is where the groove structure is located, the third area is where the elastic element in the keyboard is located, and the fourth area is the area of ​​the back surface excluding the first area, the second area, and the third area. The recessed structure includes a blind hole structure, which is located in the fourth area. The fourth area has a larger area, and the blind hole structure can be evenly distributed in the fourth area, thus covering a larger area of ​​the back surface. When the bottom plate is subjected to a downward impact force, the blind hole structure can balance the stress in the larger area, making the back surface of the bottom plate tend to be flat.

[0014] In some embodiments, the blind hole structure includes a plurality of blind holes arranged in an array. The blind holes are arranged in an array so that most areas of the back side of the bottom plate are provided with blind holes, thereby keeping different areas of the back side of the bottom plate flat.

[0015] In some embodiments, the distance between the blind hole structure and the sidewall of the bottom plate is greater than or equal to 0.3 mm, which can reduce the problem of dimensional changes caused by material expansion to a certain extent.

[0016] In some embodiments, the distance between two adjacent blind holes is greater than or equal to 0.8 mm and less than or equal to 1.2 mm, and the depth of the blind holes is greater than or equal to 0.01 mm and less than or equal to 0.03 mm. The length of the blind holes along the bottom plate is 0.2 mm ± 0.05 mm. The arrangement of the blind holes in this embodiment can, to a certain extent, reduce the risk of bulging and material expansion on the front of the bottom plate.

[0017] In some embodiments, the cross section of the blind hole is circular, so that the blind hole has the same size in different radial directions and the same stress conditions, which helps to ensure the flatness of the bottom plate and facilitates processing.

[0018] In some embodiments, each blind hole has the same size, which facilitates design and processing and allows for equal forces to be applied to different areas of the base plate.

[0019] In a second aspect, a keyboard is provided, comprising a keycap assembly and a base plate provided by any of the above solutions, wherein the keycap assembly is disposed on the base plate. The keyboard provided in the embodiment of the present application is characterized by being light and thin.

[0020] In some embodiments, the keyboard further includes a backlight module disposed between the keyboard assembly and the bottom plate. The backlight module enables the user to input accurately when using the keyboard in low-light conditions.

[0021] In some embodiments, the bottom plate is provided with a light-transmitting hole extending through its thickness, for allowing light emitted by the backlight module to pass through. By adopting the solution provided by this embodiment, light uniformity can be achieved, making the light transmitted through the keycap assembly softer.

[0022] In a third aspect, a method for preparing a base plate is provided, the method comprising the following steps:

[0023] Prepare the through hole and the third hole by cold stamping process;

[0024] The concave structure was prepared by cold stamping process.

[0025] By adopting the preparation method of the base plate provided in the embodiment of the present application, the through hole, the third hole and the recessed structure are obtained by cold stamping, which can simplify the process, facilitate operation, and make the base plate flat. At the same time, the obtained base plate has the characteristics of being light and thin. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a laptop computer in an open state provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0027] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a laptop computer in a closed state provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0028] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a base plate and keycap assembly in a keyboard provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0029] Figure 4 A schematic cross-sectional view of a keycap assembly in a keyboard provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0030] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a partial structure of a bottom plate in a keyboard provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0031] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the main structure of a bottom plate in a keyboard provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0032] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the rear structural view of a bottom plate of a keyboard provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0033] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the local enlarged structure at A in the middle;

[0034] Figure 9 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the local enlarged structure at B in the middle;

[0035] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of a bottom plate of a keyboard provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0036] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the combined structure of the base plate, backlight module and keycap assembly in the keyboard provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0037] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of a partial structure of a bottom plate in a keyboard provided in some other embodiments of the present application;

[0038] Figure 13 A schematic flow chart of a method for preparing a base plate provided in some embodiments of the present application.

[0039] Description of reference numerals:

[0040] 100, display; 200, keyboard; 300, hinge structure;

[0041] 210, housing; 211, base; 212, top shell; 220, bottom plate; 220a, hook structure; 221, first long side; 222, second long side; 223, light transmission hole; 224, front side; 225, back side; 250, keycap assembly; 251, keycap; 252, support assembly; 260, through hole; 261, first hole; 262, second hole; 263, rectangular hole; 264, air hole; 265, mechanism hole; 230, third hole; 270, recessed structure; 271, groove structure; 272, blind hole; 280, backlight module; 290, convex hull; 291, convex hull hole;

[0042] 2521, scissor leg; 2522, elastic element;

[0043] d1, the distance between the blind hole structure and the side wall of the bottom plate; d2, the distance between two adjacent blind holes; d3, the depth of the blind hole; d4, the length of the rectangle; X, the length direction of the bottom plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] The following describes in detail embodiments of the present application, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present application, and should not be construed as limiting the present application.

[0045] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "inside", "outside", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0046] To facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, in the embodiments of the present application, the words "first" and "second" are used to distinguish between identical or similar items with substantially the same functions and effects. For example, the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion are merely used to distinguish between different limiting portions and do not limit their order. Those skilled in the art will understand that the words "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and the words "first" and "second" do not necessarily mean that they are different.

[0047] It should be noted that, in this application, words such as "in one embodiment" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or explanations. Any embodiment or design described in this application as "in one embodiment" or "for example" should not be interpreted as being preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of words such as "in one embodiment" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0048] In this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "connected" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection, electrical connection; direct connection, indirect connection through an intermediate medium, internal communication between two components, or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on specific circumstances.

[0049] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application more clear, this application is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0050] Laptops, desktop computers, industrial computers, stenotype machines, and other terminals are essential tools for daily work and entertainment. Keyboards are the primary input device for these terminals, allowing users to enter English letters, Chinese characters, numbers, punctuation marks, and more, issuing commands and inputting data. As society evolves, users are demanding increasingly thin and lightweight keyboards.

[0051] A keyboard generally includes a shell, keycaps, a bracket assembly, a base plate, etc., wherein the base plate is arranged in the shell, and the keycaps are connected to the base plate by the bracket assembly so that they can be raised and lowered, and at least part of the keycaps are exposed outside the shell. The base plate serves as a supporting structure, connecting the shell and the keycaps, etc., and needs to have a certain strength. In the related art, the base plate is made of stainless steel with a thickness of about 0.2mm. However, the use of stainless steel for the base plate will result in a larger weight, affecting the "light" experience. If the material of the base plate is changed to aluminum alloy, the thickness of the base plate will double, affecting the "thin" experience. Lightness and thinness are important competitive advantages of some terminals (such as laptops, mobile phones, etc.), and they must be promoted when they are launched on the market.

[0052] Based on this, the embodiment of the present application provides a bottom plate, which is used to be set on the keyboard of the terminal, and the density of the bottom plate is less than or equal to 5g / cm 3 , the yield strength is greater than or equal to 220 MPa and less than or equal to 320 MPa, that is, the base plate can be made of a material with a density lower than that of stainless steel and a yield strength comparable to or greater than that of stainless steel, such as titanium, titanium alloy, composite materials, etc. In this way, at the same thickness, the base plate provided by the embodiment of the present application can be lighter than a stainless steel base plate, and the yield strength can be no less than that of a stainless steel base plate, thereby reducing the weight of the base plate without increasing the thickness. At the same time, it can also have a high supporting strength, so that the base plate and the structure on the base plate (such as the hook structure) can provide stable support for the keycap assembly, meeting the needs of use, achieving multiple goals at one stroke.

[0053] The base plate provided in the embodiments of the present application can be used in keyboards and terminals having keyboards. The terminals may include, but are not limited to, laptop computers, desktop computers, industrial computers, stenotype machines, calculators, and the like. For ease of explanation, the following embodiments will be described using a laptop computer as an example of a terminal in one embodiment of the present application.

[0054] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a laptop computer in an open state provided in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a laptop computer in a closed state provided in some embodiments of the present application. The laptop computer includes a display 100 and a keyboard 200.

[0055] The display 100 is an output device of the laptop computer, used to display images, videos, etc. The display 100 can be, but is not limited to, a thin film transistor (TFT) display, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a mini organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a micro organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED) display, etc.

[0056] The keyboard 200 is an input device for the laptop computer, used to input commands and data. The keyboard 200 is generally connected to the display 100 via a hinge structure 300. The end of the keyboard 200 and the display 100 close to the hinge structure 300 can be rotated around the hinge structure 300, so that the end of the keyboard 200 and the display 100 away from the hinge structure 300 is relatively close to or relatively away from each other, so that the laptop computer can be in different states such as closed or open. When the laptop computer is in the open state (such as Figure 1 As shown in FIG), the display 100 and the keyboard 200 form an angle greater than 0°. Figure 2 As shown in FIG, the display 100 covers the keyboard 200, and the display surface of the display 100 is opposite to the keyboard surface of the keyboard 200.

[0057] The hinge structure 300 generally has only one rotation axis, which generally extends along the length of the laptop. In some embodiments, the hinge structure 300 may also have multiple rotation axes, such as in a flippable laptop where the display 100 can rotate 360° around a pivot point on the keyboard 200.

[0058] like Figure 1 As shown, the keyboard 200 generally includes a housing 210 and a keycap assembly 250. In addition, as Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 The keyboard 200 generally includes a bottom plate 220, a circuit board assembly (not shown), a battery (not shown), and the like.

[0059] It is understandable that Figure 3Only one keycap assembly 250 in the keyboard 200 is schematically shown. The keyboard 200 is usually provided with multiple keycap assemblies 250. The shapes and structures of different keycap assemblies 250 can be the same or different, and can be specifically set according to usage requirements.

[0060] The housing 210 is used to protect the internal structure of the keyboard 200, and the housing 210 is provided with a storage space. The material of the housing 210 includes but is not limited to plastic and metal. The housing 210 can be a whole structure or can be formed by assembling multiple parts. Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the housing 210 includes a base 211 and a cover 212. The base 211 is located on the side facing away from the display 100 and provides support. The cover 212 covers the upper surface of the base 211 and is configured to contact the display 100 when closed. The base 211 and the cover 212 can be fixed together by plugging, snapping, screwing, etc., forming a storage space between them.

[0061] The base plate 220 is used to support the keycap assembly 250. The base plate 220 is disposed within the housing 210 and is generally connected to the base 211. Alternatively, the base plate 220 may be connected to the housing 212, depending on the intended use. The base plate 220 may be secured to the base 211 or the housing 212 by plugging, snapping, screwing, riveting, or the like. Generally, the base plate 220 is a generally rectangular flat plate made of metal. In other embodiments, the base plate 220 may also have other shapes, such as an irregular shape or a plate with curved edges, depending on the intended use.

[0062] The circuit board assembly is fixed in the accommodating space of the housing 210 and is communicatively connected to the display 100. The above-mentioned communication connection can be a wired connection through a wire, a flexible circuit board, etc., or a wireless connection through a wireless communication module. The circuit board assembly can be fixed in the housing 210 by plugging, snapping, screw connection, welding, etc. The circuit board assembly generally includes one or more circuit boards, each of which can be provided with multiple electronic components, and at least one circuit board is provided with a control chip. The control chip can include but is not limited to any one of a central processing unit (CPU), a multimedia application processor (MaP), etc. Each circuit board can be a hard circuit board, a flexible circuit board or a hard-soft combination circuit board. The circuit board assembly is generally stacked with the base plate 220, and can be placed above the base plate 220 or below the base plate 220, depending on the specific needs of use.

[0063] The battery is used to provide power to the electronic components in the keyboard 200 and the display 100. The battery is generally disposed on the housing 210 and is located on one side of the bottom plate 220 and the circuit board assembly, and is electrically connected to the circuit board assembly.

[0064] The keycap assembly 250 is used to input commands and data. A portion of the keycap assembly 250 is located within the housing 210, electrically connected to the circuit board assembly, and movably connected to the base plate 220. Another portion of the keycap assembly 250 protrudes from the housing 210, being exposed outside the housing 210. The housing 210 is provided with a clearance hole for the keycap assembly 250 to extend through. The keycap assembly 250 extends outside the housing 210 through the clearance hole. The circuit board assembly receives commands and data input by the keycap assembly 250 and controls the operation of corresponding modules based on these commands, thereby displaying the corresponding content on the display 100.

[0065] See also Figure 4 , Figure 4 The cross-sectional structure diagram of the keycap assembly in the keyboard provided for some embodiments of the present application. The keycap assembly 250 includes a keycap 251 and a support assembly 252. The keycap 251 is connected to the base plate 220 through the support assembly 252. There are generally multiple keycap assemblies 250, and each keycap assembly 250 is generally provided with a keycap 251 and at least one support assembly 252. One keycap 251 corresponds to at least one support assembly 252. For some larger keycaps 251, such as the keycap 251 corresponding to the space bar, there are at least two support assemblies 252. The support assembly 252 can be set in a variety of ways. In some embodiments, the keycap can be slidably connected to the surface shell 212, and at this time the support assembly 252 can only include an elastic element. In other embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5A schematic diagram of a partial structure of the base plate of a keyboard provided in some embodiments of the present application. The support assembly 252 may include a scissor leg 2521 and an elastic element 2522. When the support assembly 252 includes the scissor leg 2521 and the elastic element 2522, one end of the scissor leg 2521 is rotatably connected to the base plate 220, and the other end is connected to the keycap 251. Specifically, the base plate 220 is generally provided with a hook structure 220a that bends toward the keycap 251. This hook structure 220a only serves to limit the separation of the scissor leg 2521 from the base plate 220, but does not restrict its rotation. The bottom of the scissor leg 2521 is in rotational contact with the hook structure 220a. The scissor leg 2521 generally consists of two rotatably connected support arms, forming an "X" or scissor shape. The keycap 251 is fixed by the upper end of the scissor leg 2521, acting as a height limiter. The elastic element 2522 provides a restoring force and tactile feedback for the keycap 251. The elastic elements 2522 are usually made of rubber or silicone and are located between or around the two support arms of the scissor foot 2521. When the keycap 251 is pressed, the elastic elements 2522 are compressed. When the keycap 251 is released, the elastic elements 2522 push the keycap 251 back to its original position under the action of elastic force.

[0066] The embodiment of the present application provides a bottom plate 220. The density of the bottom plate 220 is greater than 0g / cm 3 Less than or equal to 5g / cm 3 , and the yield strength of the bottom plate 220 is greater than or equal to 220 MPa and less than or equal to 320 MPa.

[0067] In the related art, the bottom plate 220 is made of stainless steel. Common types of stainless steel include austenitic stainless steel (such as 304 stainless steel and 316 stainless steel), martensitic stainless steel (such as 410 stainless steel and 440 stainless steel), ferritic stainless steel, and duplex stainless steel. Different types of stainless steel have different chemical properties, densities, and yield strengths. For example, the density of 304 stainless steel is 7.93 g / cm 3 , the yield strength is 205Mpa; the density of 316 stainless steel is 8.03g / cm 3 , the yield strength is 310Mpa. In most cases, the density of stainless steel is 7.70g / cm 3 and 8.00g / cm 3 The yield strength is between 200Mpa and 1000Mpa.

[0068] It is understandable that for a metal material such as stainless steel that has no obvious yield phenomenon, the above yield strength corresponds to the stress value that produces 0.2% residual deformation.

[0069] The density of the bottom plate 220 provided in the embodiment of the present application is less than or equal to 5g / cm 3 , the yield strength is greater than or equal to 220 MPa and less than or equal to 320 MPa, that is, the base plate 220 can be made of a material with a density lower than that of stainless steel and a yield strength equivalent to or greater than that of stainless steel, such as titanium, titanium alloy, composite materials, etc. In this way, at the same thickness, the base plate 220 provided in the embodiment of the present application can be lighter than a stainless steel base plate, and the yield strength can be no less than that of a stainless steel base plate, thereby reducing the weight of the base plate 220 without increasing the thickness, while also having a higher supporting strength, so that the base plate 220 and the structure on the base plate 220 (such as the hook structure 220a) can provide stable support for the keycap assembly 250, meeting the needs of use and achieving multiple goals at one stroke.

[0070] In some embodiments, the bottom plate 220 is a titanium alloy plate. The bottom plate 220 is made of titanium alloy, and the density is generally 4.5g / cm 3 It is about 40% lighter than many steel materials. It is understandable that there are many kinds of titanium alloys, and only titanium alloys with a yield strength between 220Mpa and 320Mpa are selected here to prepare the bottom plate 220.

[0071] The base plate 220 is made of a titanium alloy, which offers a low density and high yield strength. This ensures that both the base plate 220 and the keyboard 200 are lightweight and thin, while also maintaining the required strength. Testing has shown that base plates 220 made of titanium alloy and stainless steel of the same thickness can be 12g or more lighter, significantly enhancing the keyboard's lightweight and convenient feel.

[0072] like Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the front view of the base plate of a keyboard provided in some embodiments of the present application. In some embodiments, the base plate 220 has a first long side 221 and a second long side 222 disposed opposite each other, and a through hole 260 is formed in the base plate 220. The through hole 260 includes a first hole 261 and a second hole 262. The first hole 261 is disposed adjacent to the first long side 221. The second hole 262 is disposed adjacent to the second long side 222, and the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of each second hole 262 near the second long side 222 in the length direction X of the base plate 220 is less than the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of each first hole 261 near the first long side 221 in the length direction X of the base plate 220. The base plate 220 is also provided with a third hole 230 that passes through the base plate 220 along its thickness direction. The third hole 230 is disposed adjacent to the second long side 222, and the side wall of the third hole 230 near the second long side 222 is substantially flush with the side wall of the second hole 262 near the second long side 222.

[0073] The through hole 260 is a mechanism hole provided on the base plate 220 for mounting the key cap assembly 250, including but not limited to Figure 5 The through holes 260 are provided for preparing the bending structure 220a. These through holes 260 all penetrate the bottom plate 220 along the thickness direction of the bottom plate 220. Since the keycap components 260 are generally arranged in rows, these through holes 260 are also arranged in rows. The first hole 261 is the first row of through holes 260 adjacent to the first long side 221, i.e. Figure 6 The non-circular holes (i.e., other holes excluding the circular holes) in the area enclosed by the middle dotted line L1; the second holes 262 are the first row of through holes 260 adjacent to the second long side 222, i.e. Figure 6 The non-circular hole in the area surrounded by the middle dotted lines L2 and L3.

[0074] It is understandable that due to the different shapes of the holes, some holes only partially lie within the dotted lines. These partially circled holes are also the first holes 261 or the second holes 262. In addition, the dotted lines L1, L2, and L3 are auxiliary lines drawn for ease of understanding and are not structural lines of the bottom plate 220.

[0075] The shapes, positions and structures of the first hole 261 and the second hole 262 can be set according to the requirements for installing the keycap assembly 250 in the related art.

[0076] Since the bottom plate 220 is made of titanium alloy plate, the hardness of the bottom plate 220 is higher than that of the stainless steel plate. When the punching operation is performed through the cold stamping process, the flatness of the bottom plate 220 will deteriorate 3 times compared with the stainless steel plate, which can easily cause the bottom plate 220 to warp, affecting the subsequent installation. The third hole 230 is a through hole set to balance the flatness problem caused by the tension on the front and back sides of the bottom plate 220 to reduce the risk of warping of the bottom plate 220. That is, the third hole 230 is a through hole opened because the bottom plate 220 is made of titanium alloy, and cold stamping to prepare the through hole 260 will cause warping. It is not any structural hole on the bottom plate 220 of the keyboard 200 in the related art. The shape of the third hole 230 can be a long hole, a U-shaped hole, an arc hole, etc., which can be determined according to the needs of use. The third hole 230 can be set in an area with a large spacing between the second long side 222 and the through hole 260, such as Figure 6 The distance between the middle rectangular hole 263 and the second long side 222 is relatively large. At this time, one or more third holes 230 can be set between the rectangular hole 263 and the second long side 222, so that the sum of the dimensions of the side wall of the third hole 230 close to the second long side 222 and the side wall of the second hole 262 close to the second long side 222 in the length direction of the bottom plate 220 is close to or equal to the sum of the dimensions of the side wall of the first hole 261 close to the first long side 221 in the length direction of the bottom plate 220.

[0077] In this way, the length of the hole near the first long side 221 and the length of the hole near the second long side 222 can be relatively small or even equal, that is, the lengths of the holes on both sides of the bottom plate 220 are comparable, which can make the internal stresses on both sides of the bottom plate 220 due to the punching (including the through hole 260 and the third hole 230) similar or equal, achieving internal stress balance of the bottom plate, thereby improving the problem of inconsistent deformation of the two long sides (the first long side 221 and the second long side 222) of the bottom plate 220 to a certain extent, reducing the risk of warping of the bottom plate 220, and at the same time, after punching, the first long side 221, the second long side 222, and the short side connecting the first long side 221 and the second long side 222 can be located on the same plane as much as possible, thereby improving the flatness of the bottom plate 220 to a certain extent. The length of the hole near the first long side 221 refers to the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of each first hole 261 near the first long side 221 in the length direction of the bottom plate 220. The side length of the hole near the second long side 222 refers to the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of each second hole 262 near the second long side 222 in the length direction of the bottom plate 220, plus the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of each third hole 230 near the second long side 222 in the length direction of the bottom plate 220. Since the first hole 261, the second hole 261, and the third hole 230 are all non-circular holes with a certain length and width and are surrounded by multiple side walls, the side wall of the first hole 261 near the first long side 221 refers to the side wall adjacent to the first long side 221 among all the side walls of the first hole 261, the side wall of the second hole 262 near the second long side 222 refers to the side wall adjacent to the second long side 222 among all the side walls of the second hole 262, and the side wall of the third hole 230 near the second long side 222 refers to the side wall adjacent to the second long side 222 among all the side walls of the third hole 230.

[0078] In order to make the side length of the hole close to the first long side 221 and the side length of the hole close to the second long side 222 equal, in some embodiments, the third hole 230 meets the following conditions:

[0079] a+b=c;

[0080] a is the sum of the dimensions of the sidewalls of the second hole 262 near the second long side 222 in the longitudinal direction X of the bottom plate 220, b is the sum of the dimensions of the sidewalls of the third hole 230 near the second long side 222 in the longitudinal direction X of the bottom plate 220, and c is the sum of the dimensions of the sidewalls of the first hole 261 near the first long side 221 in the extension direction X of the first long side 221 plus or minus a preset value. The preset value is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 5% of the sum of the dimensions of the sidewalls of the first hole 261 near the first long side 221 in the longitudinal direction X of the bottom plate 220. The above preset values ​​can be determined based on machining tolerances or the stress conditions of the bottom plate 220. As long as the third hole meets the above adjustments, the flatness of the manufactured bottom plate 220 meets the manufacturing requirements.

[0081] When the third hole 230 meets the above conditions, the side length of the hole close to the first long side 221 is equal to the side length of the hole close to the second long side 222, and the stress on both sides of the bottom plate 220 is equal, so the deformation on both sides of the bottom plate 220 is also equal, which can reduce the risk of warping on both sides of the bottom plate 220.

[0082] For ease of preparation, in some embodiments, the bottom plate 220 is a cold stamped part that is stamped from the front side 224 toward the back side 225 .

[0083] The front side 224 refers to a side of the base plate 220 facing the keycap assembly 250 , and the back side 225 is a side opposite to the front side 224 and also opposite to the keycap assembly 250 .

[0084] The cold stamped part refers to the base plate 220 produced by cold stamping. Cold stamping is a processing method that uses a die to apply pressure to the material on a press at room temperature to cause separation or deformation, thereby obtaining a part with a certain shape, size and performance.

[0085] The bottom plate 220 is manufactured by a cold stamping process and has the advantages of high efficiency, precision, plasticity, and economy.

[0086] Because the through-holes 260 are formed by cold stamping from the front side 224 to the back side 225 of the base plate 220 during fabrication, this can lead to different stress levels on the front side 224 and back side 225 of the base plate 220. Specifically, the base plate 220 is placed on the worktable of the stamping press with its front side facing up and its back side facing down. When the base plate 220 is stamped from top to bottom, the front side 224 of the base plate 220 first contacts the punch and therefore directly bears the pressure from the punch. This pressure is concentrated and gradually increases as the punch continues to press downward. As the front side 224 is subjected to pressure, this force is transmitted downward to the interior of the base plate 220 and the back side 225. However, due to internal friction and elastic / plastic deformation of the material, the force transmission is not completely uniform. This can lead to a stress gradient within the base plate 220, with higher stress near the front side 224 and lower stress near the back side 225. Furthermore, while the back side 225 of the base plate 220 is not directly subjected to the pressure from the punch, it is supported by the press table. This supporting force counteracts the pressure from the front surface 224, thereby reducing the stress on the back surface 225 of the plate to a certain extent. However, if the support on the back surface 225 is not uniform or strong enough, the back surface 225 may still be subjected to significant stress. Based on the above factors, when the bottom plate 220 is stamped from the front surface 224 to the back surface 225, the bottom plate 220 will tend to bend upward due to the compressive stress on the front surface 224 and the support limitation of the back surface 225.

[0087] In order to reduce the above-mentioned bending tendency, the surface of the bottom plate 220 is made flat, such as Figures 7 to 9 As shown, Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the rear view structure of the bottom plate of the keyboard provided in some embodiments of the present application. Figure 8 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the local enlarged structure at A in the middle, Figure 9 for Figure 7 In some embodiments, the back surface 225 of the bottom plate 220 is provided with a recessed structure 270. The recessed structure 270 may be a groove-shaped structure (e.g., Figure 8 As shown), blind holes (such as Figure 9 The recessed structure 270 is used to balance the flatness problem caused by the different surface tensions on the front side 224 and the back side 225 of the bottom plate 220. Specifically, the provision of the recessed structure 270 can increase the surface area of ​​the back side 225, and a certain deformation space can exist between the area where the recessed structure 270 is located and the workbench of the above-mentioned punching machine. In this way, when the bottom plate 220 is subjected to a downward impact force, the area where the recessed structure 270 is located will generate outward expansion potential energy to offset at least part of the potential energy of the bottom plate 220 to bend upward, so that the front side 224 and the back side 225 of the bottom plate 220 tend to be flat.

[0088] like Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, the recessed structure 270 includes a groove structure 271 . At least one groove structure 271 is located at a corner of the bottom plate 220 , and two extending ends of the groove structure 271 communicate with the through hole 260 and the side surface of the bottom plate 220 .

[0089] The groove structure 271 is a through groove with both ends open, and is located between the through hole 260 and the outer wall of the bottom plate 220 .

[0090] The groove structure 271 is generally set at a position where the base plate 220 is warped and is not suitable for setting the third hole 230, such as in an area near a corner on the back of the base plate 220, or in other areas of the base plate 220 that are prone to warping.

[0091] It should be noted that Figure 7 Only part of the groove structure 271 is drawn in the figure. In actual products, the groove structure 271 can also be set in other areas, such as one or more groove structures can be set at each of the four corners of the bottom plate 220.

[0092] The setting of the groove structure 271 can disconnect the stress on the back side 225 at the groove structure 271, so that the stress on the middle part of the back side 225 cannot be transmitted to the side wall of the bottom plate, thereby reducing the risk of warping in the corner area or other areas of the bottom plate 220, making the bottom plate 220 tend to be flat.

[0093] like Figures 7 to 9 As shown, in some embodiments, the back surface 225 has a first area, a second area, a third area, and a fourth area. The first area is the area where the through hole 260 is located. The second area is the area where the groove structure 271 is located. The third area is the area corresponding to the elastic element in the keyboard, that is, Figure 9 The fourth region is the region of the back surface 225 excluding the first region, the second region, and the third region. The recessed structure 270 includes a blind hole structure, which is provided in the fourth region.

[0094] The blind hole structure may include one or more blind holes.

[0095] The fourth region has a larger area, and the blind hole structure can be evenly distributed in the fourth region, so that a larger area of ​​the back side 225 can be covered. When the bottom plate 220 is subjected to a downward impact force, the blind hole structure can balance the stress of the larger area, so that the back side 225 of the bottom plate 220 tends to be flat.

[0096] In some embodiments, the blind hole structure includes a plurality of blind holes 272 arranged in an array. The blind holes 272 can be formed by stamping, and the cross section of the blind holes 272 can be semicircular, rectangular, etc., depending on the application requirements.

[0097] It should be noted that Figure 7 Only a portion of the blind holes 272 are drawn in the figure. In an actual product, the blind holes 272 are evenly distributed in the fourth area.

[0098] The blind holes 272 are arranged in an array, so that most areas of the back side 225 of the bottom plate 220 are provided with the blind holes 272 , thereby allowing different areas of the back side 225 of the bottom plate 220 to remain flat.

[0099] like Figure 10 As shown, Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a partial cross-section of the base plate of a keyboard provided in some embodiments of the present application. In some embodiments, the distance d1 between the blind hole structure and the sidewall of the base plate is greater than or equal to 0.3 mm. This can, to a certain extent, reduce the problem of dimensional changes caused by material expansion. Material expansion refers to the phenomenon of the base plate surface expanding, bulging, or cracking during the stamping process.

[0100] In some embodiments, the distance d1 between the blind hole structure and the sidewall of the bottom plate is greater than or equal to 0.3 mm. The distance between two adjacent blind holes 272 is greater than or equal to 0.8 mm and less than or equal to 1.2 mm, and the depth of the blind holes 272 is greater than or equal to 0.01 mm and less than or equal to 0.03 mm. The dimension of the blind holes 272 in the longitudinal direction X of the bottom plate 220 is 0.2 mm ± 0.05 mm.

[0101] The blind holes 272 are arranged in the manner provided in this embodiment, which can reduce the risk of bulging and swelling of the front surface 224 of the bottom plate 220 to a certain extent.

[0102] In some embodiments, the cross section of the blind hole 272 is circular, so that the blind hole 272 has the same size in different radial directions and the same stress conditions, which helps to ensure the flatness of the bottom plate and facilitates processing.

[0103] In some embodiments, each blind hole 272 has the same size.

[0104] This facilitates design and processing, and can ensure that the forces on different areas of the base plate 220 are equivalent.

[0105] Another embodiment of the present application further provides a keyboard 200 . The keyboard 200 includes a base plate 220 and a keycap assembly 250 provided in any of the above embodiments. The keycap assembly 250 is mounted on the base plate 220 .

[0106] The keyboard 200 provided in the embodiment of the present application is light and thin.

[0107] The keyboard 200 may be used in a variety of environments. When used in an environment with insufficient light, it is often difficult to see the symbols on the keycaps. Figure 11 As shown, Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the combined structure of the base plate, backlight module and keycap assembly in the keyboard provided for some embodiments of the present application. To improve this problem so that the user can accurately input when using the keyboard in low-light conditions, in some embodiments, the keyboard 200 also includes a backlight module 280 arranged between the keycap assembly 250 and the base plate 220. The backlight module 280 is used to provide a light source and is generally electrically connected to the circuit board assembly. It can be composed of multiple LED chips or a photoelectric panel. It is understandable that when the backlight module 280 uses LED chips, the price is usually cheaper, but since there are relatively large differences in the brightness of each LED, its backlight uniformity is difficult to ensure, and the power consumption is also relatively large. When the backlight module 280 uses a photoelectric panel, it has the advantages of uniform brightness, extremely low power consumption, long life, stable quality, foldability, and arbitrary cutting, but the price is high.

[0108] like Figure 12 As shown, Figure 12 Schematic diagram of a partial structure of a bottom plate in a keyboard provided in some other embodiments of the present application. In some embodiments, the bottom plate 220 is provided with a light-transmitting hole 223 extending through the bottom plate 220 along its thickness. The light-transmitting hole 223 is used to allow light emitted by the backlight module 280 to pass through.

[0109] In this way, the light emitted by the backlight module 280 can be irradiated to the back side of the base plate 220 through the light-transmitting hole 223, and then diffusely reflected by the structure located on the back side of the base plate 220 (such as the bottom surface of the keyboard 200 shell 210, the reflective layer, etc.), and then reflected through the light-transmitting hole 223 to the keycap assembly 250, and emitted through the light-transmitting part on the keycap assembly 250.

[0110] By adopting the solution provided in this embodiment, light uniformity can be achieved, making the light transmitted through the keycap assembly 250 softer.

[0111] Another embodiment of the present application provides a method for preparing the base plate 220 provided in any of the above embodiments. Figure 13 As shown, Figure 13 A schematic flow chart of a method for preparing a base plate provided in some embodiments of the present application.

[0112] The method for preparing the bottom plate 220 includes the following steps:

[0113] S1. Prepare the through hole 260 and the third hole 230 by cold stamping process.

[0114] Before preparing the through hole 260 and the third hole 230 , the position and shape of the through hole 260 and the third hole 230 can be designed by simulation calculation, and then the through hole 260 and the third hole 230 can be punched out by cold stamping equipment.

[0115] S2. Prepare the concave structure 270 by cold stamping process.

[0116] Before preparing the recessed structure 270 , the position, shape, etc. of the recessed structure 270 may be designed through simulation calculations, and then the recessed structure 270 may be punched out through cold stamping equipment.

[0117] By adopting the preparation method of the base plate provided in the embodiment of the present application, the through hole, the third hole and the recessed structure are obtained by cold stamping, which can simplify the process, facilitate operation, and make the base plate flat. At the same time, the obtained base plate has the characteristics of being light and thin.

[0118] It is understandable that before preparing the through hole 260 and the third hole 230, a substrate can be selected first. The size of the substrate is generally larger than that of the bottom plate. The main body of the bottom plate 220 can be obtained by cutting off the waste material through the blanking and shaping process. This step can be completed by punching from the front to the back of the substrate using a stamping device, or it can be achieved by cutting equipment, etc. When completed by the stamping equipment, the burr surface formed by the stamping is located on the back side 225 of the bottom plate 220, and then the flatness of the bottom plate 220 can be pre-shaped. Figure 12As shown, the air vent 264 located below the elastic element, the light-transmitting hole 223 for light transmission, and the mechanism hole 265 for preparing the bending structure can be sequentially prepared by the above-mentioned stamping method, and then the concave structure 270 can be prepared by reverse positive punching. It is best to prepare the convex hull and the convex hull hole on the bottom plate in sequence by positive and negative punching.

[0119] The main body of the bottom plate 220 is the plate body before the through-hole 260 and the third hole 230 are formed. During preparation, the through-hole 260 provided on the bottom plate 220 in the related art is first prepared to fully release stress and deformation. At the same time, the blind hole structure is prepared when the bottom plate 220 is still flat, that is, when the convex hull is prepared.

[0120] It can be understood that the blind hole structure and the groove structure 271 are both set corresponding to a certain thickness of the base plate 220, such as a base plate 220 with a thickness of 0.2 mm. When the thickness and structure of the base plate 220 change, the size and structure of the third hole 230 and the recessed structure 270 will also change.

[0121] The third hole 230 and the recessed structure 270 are provided to address the problems of flatness and dimensional lengthening caused by the use of a titanium alloy plate on the bottom plate 220. Therefore, the positions of the third hole 230 and the recessed structure 270 can be flexibly adjusted to take into account both flatness compliance and other dimensional changes.

[0122] Finally, it should be noted that the above are only specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited to them. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A base plate for a keyboard, the keyboard further comprising a key cap assembly disposed on the base plate, the key cap assembly having an elastic element, characterized in that: The density of the bottom plate is less than or equal to 5g / cm 3 , and the yield strength of the base plate is greater than or equal to 220 MPa and less than or equal to 320 MPa.

2. The base plate according to claim 1, wherein: The bottom plate is a titanium alloy plate.

3. The base plate according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The bottom plate has a first long side and a second long side disposed opposite to each other, and a through hole is formed on the bottom plate, wherein the through hole includes a first hole and a second hole, the first hole is disposed adjacent to the first long side, the second hole is disposed adjacent to the second long side, and the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of each of the second holes adjacent to the second long side in the length direction of the bottom plate is smaller than the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of each of the first holes adjacent to the first long side in the length direction of the bottom plate; The through hole further includes a third hole, which is adjacent to the second long side. A side wall of the third hole close to the second long side is substantially flush with a side wall of the second hole close to the second long side.

4. The base plate according to claim 3, characterized in that The third hole meets the following conditions: a+b=c; a is the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of each second hole close to the second long side in the length direction of the base plate, b is the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of each third hole close to the second long side in the length direction of the base plate, and c is the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of each first hole close to the first long side in the length direction of the base plate plus or minus a preset value, and the preset value is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 5% of the sum of the dimensions of the side walls of the first holes close to the first long side in the length direction of the base plate.

5. The base plate according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The bottom plate is a cold stamped part stamped from the front side toward the back side.

6. The base plate according to claim 5, characterized in that The back side of the bottom plate is provided with a concave structure.

7. The base plate according to claim 6, characterized in that The recessed structure includes a groove structure, the groove structure is located between the through hole and the side wall of the bottom plate, and two extending ends of the groove structure communicate with the through hole and the side wall of the bottom plate.

8. The base plate according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that: The back surface has a first area, a second area, a third area, and a fourth area. The first area is the area where the through hole is located, the second area is the area where the groove structure is located, the third area is the area corresponding to the elastic element in the keyboard, and the fourth area is the area of ​​the back surface excluding the first area, the second area, and the third area. The recessed structure includes a blind hole structure, and the blind hole structure is disposed in the fourth region.

9. The base plate according to claim 8, characterized in that The blind hole structure includes a plurality of blind holes arranged in an array.

10. The base plate according to claim 9, wherein: The distance between the blind hole structure and the side wall of the bottom plate is greater than or equal to 0.3 mm.

11. The base plate according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: The distance between two adjacent blind holes is greater than or equal to 0.8 mm and less than or equal to 1.2 mm, and the depth of the blind hole is greater than or equal to 0.01 mm and less than or equal to 0.03 mm; the size of the blind hole in the length direction of the base plate is 0.2 mm ± 0.05 mm.

12. The base plate according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that The cross section of the blind hole is circular.

13. The base plate according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that The size of each blind hole is the same.

14. A keyboard, characterized in that: The invention comprises a key cap assembly and the base plate according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the key cap assembly is arranged on the base plate.

15. The keyboard according to claim 14, wherein: The keyboard further includes a backlight module arranged between the keyboard assembly and the bottom plate.

16. The keyboard according to claim 15, wherein The bottom plate is provided with a light-transmitting hole penetrating along the thickness direction thereof, and the light-transmitting hole is used for allowing the light emitted by the backlight module to pass through.

17. A method for preparing a base plate according to any one of claims 5 to 13, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: preparing the through hole and the third hole by a cold stamping process; The recessed structure is manufactured by a cold stamping process.

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