Touch panel pressing module

Abstract

The invention discloses a touchpad pressing module, which comprises a touchpad, a plurality of elastic pieces and a bottom plate, and is characterized in that the touchpad is used for sensing a touch operation; the elastic pieces are arranged below the touch panel, each elastic piece is provided with an inner positioning section, an outer fixing section and an elastic section, and the elastic sections are connected between the inner positioning sections and the outer fixing sections; the bottom plate is arranged below the touchpad, in the stacking direction of the touchpad and the bottom plate, the inner positioning section is located in the orthographic projection of the touchpad, and the outer fixing section is located outside the orthographic projection of the touchpad. The fixing section of the elastic piece of the touch panel pressing module is adjacent to or partially overlapped with the fixing point of the bottom plate, stress can be transmitted to the fixing point of the bottom plate, deformation of the bottom plate is avoided, and a certain pressing stroke is maintained.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an input device, and more particularly, to a touch panel pressing module. Background Art

[0002] Touchpads are widely used as input devices in electronic devices (such as laptops) to sense user touch operations (such as pressing or moving the pad) and thereby control the operation of the electronic device. However, current touchpads are prone to shaking or excessive variations in the pressing distance due to force transmission during the user's pressing process. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the problems in the prior art, the present invention provides a touch panel pressing module to solve the above problems.

[0004] Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a touch panel pressing module, which includes: A touch panel for sensing touch operations; a plurality of elastic members disposed below the touch panel, each of the elastic members comprising an inner positioning section, an outer fixing section, and an elastic section, wherein the elastic section is connected between the inner positioning section and the outer fixing section; and a bottom plate, the bottom plate being arranged below the touch panel, In the stacking direction of the touch panel and the bottom plate, the inner positioning segment is located within the orthographic projection of the touch panel, and the outer fixing segment is located outside the orthographic projection of the touch panel.

[0005] As an optional technical solution, the touch panel pressing module further includes a shell having a shell opening, the touch panel is arranged in the shell opening, and the bottom plate is fixed to the shell.

[0006] As an optional technical solution, the outer fixing section is adjacent to or partially overlaps the fixing point of the bottom plate and the shell, and the outer fixing section is fixed to the bottom plate or the shell.

[0007] As an optional technical solution, the shell has an inner periphery that defines the shell opening, the outer fixed section is adjacent to the inner periphery, and the length of the elastic section is less than one-quarter, one-third or one-half of the length of the long side of the touch pad, or the length of the elastic section is less than one-half of the length of the short side of the touch pad.

[0008] As an optional technical solution, the extension direction of the outer fixing section intersects with the extension direction of the elastic section.

[0009] As an optional technical solution, the touchpad pressing module further includes a plurality of limiting structures, wherein the plurality of limiting structures are respectively adjacent to the side edges of the elastic segments of the corresponding elastic members among the plurality of elastic members, and in the stacking direction, the plurality of limiting structures are located outside the orthographic projection of the touchpad.

[0010] As an optional technical solution, each of the plurality of limiting structures is composed of a fixed interference member and a movable interference member. The fixed interference member is disposed on the bottom plate, and the movable interference member extends from below the touch panel to correspond to the fixed interference member.

[0011] As an optional technical solution, the touch panel pressing module further includes a bracket, wherein the bracket is arranged between the touch panel and the base plate, and the movable interference member is arranged on the bracket or the touch panel.

[0012] As an optional technical solution, in an extension direction of the touchpad, the distance between the center and the edge of the touchpad is the touchpad radius, the distance between each limiting structure and the center of the touchpad is the limiting radius, and the limiting radius is greater than the touchpad radius.

[0013] As an optional technical solution, the touchpad pressing module further includes a shell, wherein the shell has a shell opening and an inner periphery defining the shell opening, the touchpad is arranged in the shell opening, and in the stacking direction, the multiple limiting structures overlap with the shell and have a gap between them and the inner periphery.

[0014] As an optional technical solution, the touch panel includes a switch, and the bottom plate has a trigger portion corresponding to the switch.

[0015] As an optional technical solution, the touch panel pressing module further includes a bracket, wherein the bracket is arranged between the touch panel and the bottom plate, and the upper surface of the inner positioning section abuts against the lower surface of the bracket.

[0016] The present invention also provides a touch panel pressing module, which includes: A touch panel for sensing touch operations; a plurality of elastic members disposed below the touch panel, each of the elastic members comprising an inner positioning section, an outer fixing section, and an elastic section, wherein the elastic section is connected between the inner positioning section and the outer fixing section; a bottom plate disposed below the touch panel; and The plurality of limiting structures are respectively adjacent to the outer fixing sections of corresponding elastic members among the plurality of elastic members, and in the stacking direction of the touch panel and the base plate, the plurality of limiting structures are located outside the orthographic projection of the touch panel.

[0017] As an optional technical solution, the plurality of limiting structures are each composed of a fixed interference member and a movable interference member, the fixed interference member is arranged on the bottom plate, and the movable interference member extends from below the touch panel and is used to interfere with the fixed interference member in the stacking direction.

[0018] As an optional technical solution, the touch panel pressing module further includes a bracket, which is arranged between the touch panel and the base plate, wherein the upper surface of the inner positioning section abuts against the lower surface of the bracket, and the movable interference member is arranged on the bracket.

[0019] As an optional technical solution, the touch panel pressing module further includes a shell, wherein the shell has a shell opening, the touch panel is arranged in the shell opening, and the outer fixing section is fixed to the bottom plate or the shell.

[0020] As an optional technical solution, the inner positioning section, the elastic section and the outer fixing section of each elastic member are arranged in sequence from top to bottom along the stacking direction.

[0021] As an optional technical solution, the multiple limiting structures are symmetrically arranged around the center of the touch panel.

[0022] Compared to the prior art, the fixed section of the elastic member of the touchpad pressing module of the present invention is adjacent to or partially overlaps the fixed point of the base plate, which can transmit the force to the fixed point of the base plate, avoiding deformation of the base plate and maintaining a certain pressing stroke. Furthermore, the limiting radius of the limiting structure of the touchpad pressing module of the present invention is larger than the pressing radius of the force point, effectively reducing the tilt angle of the touchpad and improving the consistency of the pressing stroke between the center and the surrounding areas of the touchpad. In addition, the distance between the force point and the fixed point of the elastic member is relatively short, which makes it easy to control the direction of force transmission and reduce the deflection of the touchpad during the lifting and lowering process.

[0023] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, but this does not limit the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional diagram of a touch panel pressing module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a plan view of a touch panel pressing module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is an exploded diagram of a touch panel pressing module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 4 and Figure 5 1 and 2 are respectively an exploded schematic diagram of a bracket and an elastic member according to an embodiment of the present invention and a bottom plan schematic diagram after being combined.

[0028] Figure 6 and Figure 7 They are respectively schematic diagrams of the decomposition and assembly of a limiting structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 8 FIG. 1 is an exploded diagram of a touch panel pressing module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 9 and Figure 10 1 and 2 are exploded schematic top and bottom views of a touch panel pressing module and a housing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 11 and Figure 12 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams of a touch panel pressing module in a non-pressed state and a pressed state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] 13A to 13C Schematic diagrams of the touch panel pressing module according to different embodiments of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] In order to provide a further understanding of the purpose, structure, features and functions of the present invention, the following detailed description is given in conjunction with the embodiments.

[0034] The present invention provides a touchpad push module that can be used in any suitable electronic device requiring touch / press input / control, such as, but not limited to, laptop computers and tablet computers. In other embodiments, the touchpad push module can be a standalone device externally connected to a non-portable or portable electronic device. Users can thereby manipulate the touchpad push module by sliding or pressing their fingers, thereby controlling the operation of the electronic device.

[0035] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 is a cross-sectional diagram of a touch panel pressing module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a touch panel pressing module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the touchpad pressing module 1 includes a touchpad 10, a plurality of elastic members 20, and a base plate 30. The touchpad 10 is used to sense touch operations. The plurality of elastic members 20 are disposed below the touchpad 10, and each of the plurality of elastic members 20 has an inner positioning segment 21, an outer fixing segment 22, and an elastic segment 23. The elastic segment 23 is connected between the inner positioning segment 21 and the outer fixing segment 22. The base plate 30 is disposed below the touchpad 10. In the stacking direction of the touchpad 10 and the base plate 30 (e.g., the Z-axis direction), the inner positioning segment 21 is located within the orthographic projection of the touchpad 10, and the outer fixing segment 22 is located outside the orthographic projection of the touchpad 10. From another perspective, in the stacking direction of the touchpad 10 and the base plate 30 (e.g., the Z-axis direction), the inner positioning segment 21 overlaps with the touchpad 10, while the outer fixing segment 22 does not overlap with the touchpad 10, that is, the outer fixing segment 22 protrudes from the side of the touchpad 10.

[0036] Specifically, the touchpad 10 can be a plate extending along the XY plane, and the touchpad 10 includes a circuit board 11 and a touch surface (such as the surface of the cover 12). The circuit board 11 can be a general printed circuit board, a flexible printed circuit board or a rigid-flex composite circuit board (Rigid-Flex PCB). The circuit board 11 has a touch circuit and a switch circuit. The touch circuit is used to sense touch operations on the touch surface, such as a human hand or a stylus, and may include a sensing unit and a sensing circuit (not shown). The switch circuit includes a switch 111 and a switch circuit (not shown) to trigger the generation of a press signal when a certain force is applied to the touch surface. The switch 111 of the touchpad 10 is arranged on the bottom surface of the circuit board 11, and is preferably located at the center C of the touchpad 10 or near the center C, but is not limited to this. Depending on the actual application, the switch 111 can be located at any suitable position on the touchpad 10. In one embodiment, the switch 111 may be a push-button switch or a micro switch, and corresponding to the switch 111 of the touchpad 10, the bottom plate 30 preferably has a trigger portion 31. The trigger portion 31 is arranged corresponding to the switch 111 (i.e., the trigger point position of the touchpad 10), so that the switch 111 complies with the user's pressing operation on the touch surface and presses against the trigger portion 31 to generate a pressing signal. In one embodiment, the trigger portion 31 may be a structure that protrudes upward in the central area of ​​the bottom plate 30 and is located directly below the switch 111, and there may be a gap or no gap between the trigger portion 31 and the switch 111. In one embodiment, the touchpad 10 includes a cover plate 12, and the touch surface may be the upper surface of the cover plate 12. For example, the cover plate 12 may be a glass plate or a polymer plate arranged on the circuit board 10 for the user to touch or press the operation.

[0037] The elastic member 20 is used to provide a restoring force to the touch panel 10, so that the touch panel 10 can be subjected to the force to perform movements such as tilting, swinging, and lifting. Figure 1As shown, the inner positioning segment 21, the elastic segment 23 and the outer fixing segment 22 of the elastic member 20 are arranged in sequence from top to bottom along the stacking direction (for example, the Z-axis direction). In one embodiment, the inner positioning segment 21 and the outer fixing segment 22 are preferably arranged parallel to the touch surface of the touch panel 10, and the elastic segment 23 extends obliquely relative to the stacking direction to connect between the inner positioning segment 21 and the outer fixing segment 22, so that the elastic member 20 has a step-like cross-section. The inner positioning segment 21 is preferably positioned below the touch panel 10, and the outer fixing segment 22 can be fixed to the bottom plate 30 and / or the housing 60 (described in detail later), so that when the touch panel 10 is pressed, the elastic segment 23 connected between the inner positioning segment 21 and the outer fixing segment 22 can be deformed relative to the inner positioning segment 21 and the outer fixing segment 22. For example, as Figure 1 As shown, the inner positioning section 21 can abut or connect to the lower surface of the circuit board 11, while the outer fixing section 22 can be fixed to the base 30. The circuit board 11 and the base 30 form a receiving space, and the elastic section 23 of the elastic member 20 can be accommodated between the circuit board 11 and the base 30, but this is not limited to this. The elastic section 23 can also partially or fully protrude downward from the base 30 when under load or when not under load.

[0038] Since the force on the touch panel 10 is usually too large, in addition to triggering the switch 111 of the circuit board 11, there is also excess force that needs to be transmitted to other locations for release. Figure 2 As shown, the multiple elastic members 20 preferably extend toward the four corners of the touchpad 10, respectively, so that the force is transmitted away from the trigger portion 31, and the excess force is absorbed by the elastic member 20 and converted into accumulated recovery force. For example, the multiple elastic members 20 can provide an upward support force of about 10 grams to 50 grams individually or collectively to achieve the following functions: (1) provide basic tactile resistance when the user presses; (2) absorb excess force during pressing and accumulate it as recovery force; (3) after pressing, push the touchpad 10 back to the unpressed position with the recovery force. For example, four elastic members 20 can be respectively arranged at the four corners of the touchpad 10, so that each elastic member 20 extends from the corner of the touchpad 10 to the corresponding corner of the bottom plate 30 along, for example, the X-axis direction, but is not limited to this. Furthermore, the extension direction of the outer fixing section 22 and the extension direction of the elastic section 23 preferably intersect. For example, the outer fixing section 22 and the elastic section 23 can be arranged in a T-shape or an L-shape, so that the outer fixing section 22 has a component perpendicular to the elastic section 23, which makes it easy to control the force transmission direction and reduce the deflection of the touch panel 10 during the lifting process. The number, shape and position of the elastic members 20 can be changed according to the actual application and are not limited to the embodiment. For example, the outer fixing sections 22 of two adjacent elastic members 20 can be connected to each other to form a U-shaped elastic member 20 (such as Figure 3 shown).

[0039] The distance between the force-bearing point (e.g., the inner positioning section 21) and the fixed point (e.g., the outer fixing section 22) of the elastic member 20 around the touch panel 10 is preferably short enough to avoid the situation where the elastic section 23 of the elastic member 20 is too long and the short pressing stroke fails to transmit sufficient pressing force to trigger the switch 111, and the pressing stroke or the pressing force needs to be increased to trigger the switch. In one embodiment, the length of the elastic section 23 is preferably less than one-quarter, one-third, or one-half of the length of the long side of the touch panel 10, or the length of the elastic section 23 is preferably less than one-half of the length of the short side of the touch panel 10. For example, if Figure 2 As shown, the length of the elastic segment 23 can be less than one quarter, one third, or one half of the length of the long side of the touch panel 10 along the X-axis, or the length of the elastic segment 23 can be less than one half of the length of the short side of the touch panel 10 along the Y-axis.

[0040] In one embodiment, the touchpad pressing module 1 may further include a housing 60, wherein the housing 60 has a housing opening 61 and an inner periphery 62 that defines the housing opening 61. The touchpad 10 is disposed in the housing opening 61, and the outer periphery of the touchpad 10 is surrounded by the inner periphery 62. From another point of view, when the touchpad 10 is disposed in the housing opening 61, the side walls of the touchpad 10 and the side walls of the housing opening 61 are preferably opposite to each other. Specifically, the housing 60 can be implemented as a device housing of an electronic device, such as a keyboard upper housing of a notebook computer. The size and shape of the housing opening 61 preferably correspond to those of the touchpad 10, so that when the touchpad 10 is disposed in the housing 60, the touch surface (such as the cover 12) can be exposed from the housing opening 61 for user operation. For example, the housing opening 61 is a rectangular opening, and the inner periphery 62 is the side wall surrounding the housing opening 61.

[0041] The base plate 30 is preferably fixed to the housing 60 by a fixing member 70, so that the outer fixing section 22 of the elastic member 20 is adjacent to or partially overlaps the fixing point of the base plate 30 and the housing 60. For example, the fixing member 70 can be a bolt, a boss, etc., to be locked in the corresponding holes (such as 35) of the base plate 30 and the housing 60, but is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the fixing member 70 can be a hot-melt material, which is inserted into the corresponding holes of the base plate 30 and the housing 60 and achieves a fixing effect by hot melting and curing. In one embodiment, the outer fixing section 22 of the elastic member 20 can be clamped between the base plate 30 and the housing 60 to be fixed to the housing 60 together with the base plate 30 by the same fixing member 70, but is not limited to this. In another embodiment, the outer fixing section 22 of the elastic member 20 and the base plate 30 can be fixed to the housing 60 separately by different fixing members 70. In other words, the outer fixing section 22 of the elastic member 20 may be fixed to the housing 60 instead of the base plate 30. Specifically, because the corners of the touchpad 10 are the farthest from the center C of the touchpad 10, when force is applied to the center C, most of the excess force must be transferred / absorbed to the outer fixing section 22 of the elastic member 20 in the shortest time and distance possible to avoid directing the force toward the trigger portion 31 of the base plate 30. Therefore, the outer fixing section 22 of the elastic member 20 is preferably located adjacent to the inner periphery 62 of the housing 60 and near a corner of the touchpad 10. In embodiments where the rigidity of the housing 60 near the inner periphery 62 is less than that of the base plate 30, the outer fixing section 22 of the elastic member 20 is preferably fixed to the base plate 30, adjacent to or partially overlapping the connection between the base plate 30 and the housing 60. Thus, when the touchpad 10 is pressed, the elastic member 20 can transfer the excess force to the fixing point of the base plate 30 (i.e., the point where the base plate 30 is fixed to the housing 60), thereby preventing deformation of the base plate 30 and maintaining a certain pressing stroke. In embodiments where the rigidity of the housing 60 near the inner periphery 62 is greater than that of the base plate 30, the outer fixing section 22 of the elastic member 20 can be directly fixed to the housing 60 near the inner periphery 62. In this way, the elastic member 20 can transfer the excess force to the housing 60, thus preventing deformation of the base plate 30 and maintaining a certain pressing stroke.

[0042] In one embodiment, Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the touchpad pressing module 1 further includes a plurality of limiting structures 40, wherein the plurality of limiting structures 40 are respectively adjacent to the side edges of the elastic segments 23 of the corresponding elastic members 20 among the plurality of elastic members 20. In the stacking direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction), the plurality of limiting structures 40 are preferably located outside the orthographic projection of the touchpad 10. From another point of view, in the stacking direction, the plurality of limiting structures 40 do not overlap with the touchpad 10, and the plurality of limiting structures 40 preferably overlap with the housing 60 and have a gap G between them and the inner periphery 62. Specifically, as Figure 1As shown, in a direction (e.g., the X-axis direction, or an extension direction of the touchpad 10, which may intersect / be perpendicular to the aforementioned stacking direction), the distance between the center C of the touchpad 10 and the edge of the touchpad 10 is the touchpad radius R1, the distance between the center C of the touchpad 10 and the inner periphery 62 of the housing 60 is the opening radius R2, and the distance between the retaining structure 40 and the center C of the touchpad 10 is the retaining radius R3. Restricting radius R3 is preferably greater than opening radius R2, and opening radius R2 is preferably slightly greater than touchpad radius R1. The difference between retaining radius R3 and opening radius R2 is gap G. In one embodiment, gap G is preferably 0.5 mm to 10 mm, but is not limited thereto. In situations where the limiting radius R3 is too short, such as when the limiting radius R3 is smaller than the touchpad radius R1, or when the limiting structure 40 overlaps the touchpad 10 in the stacking direction, or when the limiting structure 40 is located within or overlaps the housing opening 61, the trigger stroke when the opposite side is pressed is too long, resulting in a significant difference in the pressing stroke between the center and the periphery of the touchpad 10, and an excessively large yaw angle of the touchpad 10. Therefore, the present invention reduces the tilt angle of the touchpad 10 by increasing the limiting radius R3 (e.g., limiting radius R3 > touchpad radius R1), achieving an ultra-short pressing stroke around the touchpad 10, and minimizing the difference in pressing stroke between the center and periphery of the touchpad 10, resulting in a high degree of consistency.

[0043] In one embodiment, the plurality of limiting structures 40 are preferably each composed of a fixed interference member 41 and a movable interference member 42, and in the stacking direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction), the fixed interference member 41 and the movable interference member 42 at least partially overlap, so that when the touch panel 10 moves relative to the base plate 30, the fixed interference member 41 and the movable interference member 42 can interfere with each other to produce a limiting effect. In one embodiment, the fixed interference member 41 is disposed on the base plate 30, and the movable interference member 42 extends from the bottom of the touch panel 10 to correspond to the fixed interference member 41 and to interfere with the fixed interference member 41 in the stacking direction. For example, if Figure 1 As shown, the fixed interference member 41 and the movable interference member 42 can be implemented as a pair of hooks, wherein the fixed interference member 41 can be bent from the bottom plate 30 toward the touch panel 10 (for example, upward), and the movable interference member 42 can extend downward from the circuit board 11 of the touch panel 10 and protrude from the side edge of the touch panel 10 to be located below the corresponding fixed interference member 41. Figure 2 As shown, the plurality of limiting structures 40 are preferably arranged symmetrically about the center C of the touchpad 10. When pressing the periphery of the touchpad 10, the point of force application (i.e., the contact point between the fixed interference member 41 and the movable interference member 42) is located on the opposite side of the trigger point (i.e., the position of the switch 111 and the trigger portion 31). Furthermore, the limiting radius R3 of the limiting structure 40 is larger than the pressing radius of the force application point (e.g., the touchpad radius R1). This reduces the tilt angle of the touchpad 10 and the pressing travel around the periphery of the touchpad 10.

[0044] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 FIG1 is an exploded view of a touch panel pressing module according to another embodiment of the present invention. Only the differences between this embodiment and the aforementioned embodiment will be described below. For the same or similar details (such as the details of the touch panel 10, the elastic member 20, and the bottom plate 30), reference can be made to the relevant descriptions of the aforementioned embodiment. Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the touchpad pressing module 1 further includes a bracket 50. The bracket 50 is disposed between the touchpad 10 and the base plate 30 to enhance the structural strength of the touchpad 10. Furthermore, unlike the previous embodiment in which the movable interference member 42 is disposed on the circuit board 11 of the touchpad 10, in this embodiment, the movable interference member 42 is disposed on the bracket 50.

[0045] For details, please refer to Figures 3 to 5 ,in Figure 4 and Figure 5 The following are respectively the exploded schematic diagram of the bracket 50 and the elastic member 20 and the bottom plane schematic diagram after being combined in one embodiment of the present invention. Figures 3 to 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the elastic member 20 is implemented as a U-shaped elastic member, wherein an outer fixing section 22 extends along the Y-axis, and two elastic sections 23 are disposed at opposite ends of the outer fixing section 22 along the Y-axis. Each elastic section 23 extends upward and obliquely along the X-axis to connect with the corresponding inner positioning section 21. The elastic member 20 has a plurality of coupling holes 25. The coupling holes 25 are spaced apart along the Y-axis in the outer fixing section 22 for locking or positioning with the base plate 30 and / or the housing 60. The elastic section 23 may be provided with a slot 230 to enhance the elasticity or deformability of the elastic section 23. In this embodiment, the long axis of the slot 230 extends along the long axis of the elastic section 23 (e.g., the X-axis), but this is not limited to this embodiment. In another embodiment, one or more slots 230 may be provided locally along the short axis of the elastic section 23 (e.g., the Y-axis), resulting in the elastic section 23 having a Z-shaped or multi-bend serpentine elastic arm. The upper surface 210 of the inner positioning section 21 of the elastic member 20 is used to abut against the lower surface of the bracket 50 (eg Figure 4 57 in the figure).

[0046] The bracket 50 preferably has a shape and size corresponding to the touchpad 10, so that the movable interference members 42 provided on the bracket 50 can protrude from the side edges of the touchpad 10 from all sides. In this embodiment, the movable interference members 42 are implemented as stepped hooks that bend downward from the plate surface of the bracket 50. Furthermore, the four corners of the bracket 50 are retracted inward relative to the movable interference members 42, so that the lower surfaces 57 of the retracted corners serve as contact surfaces for contacting the upper surface 210 of the inner positioning section 21 of the elastic member 20. Figure 5As shown, when the upper surface 210 of the inner positioning section 21 of the elastic member 20 is in contact with the lower surface 57 of the four corners of the bracket 50, the elastic section 23 is located in the retracted area next to the movable interference member 42, and the outer fixing section 22 is located outside the bracket 50. In addition, the bracket 50 has a switch hole 55 for allowing the switch 111 to pass through to correspond to the trigger portion 31 of the base plate 30.

[0047] Please refer to Figure 3 、 Figure 6 and Figure 7 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 They are respectively the decomposition and assembly diagrams of the limiting structure of an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 、 Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the bottom plate 30 has an upwardly bent fixed interference member 41 corresponding to the downwardly bent movable interference member 42 of the bracket 50, so that the fixed interference member 41 protrudes above the movable interference member 42 and overlaps in the Z-axis direction. In addition, the bottom plate 30 has an upper surface 320 for contacting with the lower surface 220 of the outer fixing section 22 of the elastic member 20, and a coupling hole 35 corresponding to the coupling hole 25 of the outer fixing section 22. Figure 7 As shown, when the bracket 50, the elastic member 20 and the base plate 30 are positioned with each other, the upper surface 210 of the inner positioning section 21 is attached to the lower surfaces 57 of the four corners of the bracket 50, the elastic section 23 is located in the retracted area next to the movable interference member 42, the lower surface 220 of the outer fixed section 22 is attached to the upper surface 320 of the base plate 30 and is located on the outside of the bracket 50, the coupling hole 25 of the outer fixed section 22 and the coupling hole 35 of the base plate 30 are aligned and connected to each other for positioning or locking, and the movable interference member 42 of the bracket 50 and the fixed interference member 41 of the base plate 30 form a limiting structure 40.

[0048] Similar to the aforementioned embodiment, the outer fixing section 22 of the elastic member 20 of this embodiment is located outside the orthographic projection of the touchpad 10 in the Z-axis direction and can be fixed to the base plate 30 and / or the housing 60. This effectively transmits the applied force to the base plate 30 or the housing 60 to prevent deformation of the base plate and maintain a certain pressing stroke. In addition, when pressing on the four sides of the touchpad 10, the force points and the fixing points of the elastic member 20 are short (i.e., the elastic section 23 has a sufficiently short length), making it easy to control the direction of force transmission and reduce the deflection of the touchpad 10 during the lifting and lowering process. The design of the limiting structure 40 / limiting radius R3 can reduce the tilt angle of the touchpad 10, allowing the four sides of the touchpad 10 to achieve an ultra-short pressing stroke, resulting in a small difference in the pressing stroke between the center and the four sides of the touchpad 10 and high consistency.

[0049] Please also refer to Figure 8 , Figure 8 FIG. 1 is an exploded diagram of a touch panel pressing module according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8As shown, in this embodiment, the cover plate 12 can be bonded to the circuit board 11 by the first adhesive layer 13 to form the touch panel 10. The length and width of the first adhesive layer 13 and the circuit board 11 can be slightly smaller than the cover plate 12. Figure 4 57) and the upper surface of the inner positioning section 21 of the elastic member 20 (eg Figure 4 The support 50 (referenced as 210 in the figure) can be welded or bonded together to form abutment or connection, and the support 50 is then bonded to the touchpad 10 via the second adhesive layer 15. Because the elastic segment 23 is connected obliquely along the stacking direction between the inner positioning segment 21 and the outer fixing segment 22, the touchpad 10 is suspended and supported by the elastic member 20, maintaining the flatness of the touchpad 10 and controlling its movement relative to the XY plane. Next, the base plate 30 is assembled to the support 50 and the elastic member 20 to form the touchpad pressing module 1. For example, the touchpad 10, suspended and supported by the support 50 and the elastic member 20, can be placed on the base plate 30 and pressed against the base plate 30, causing the elastic segment 23 of the elastic member 20 to deform. The touchpad 10, suspended and supported by the support 50 and the elastic member 20, is then moved laterally (e.g., left and right) so that the movable interference member 42 of the support 50 hooks under the fixed interference member 41 of the base plate 30. Then, the entire touch panel pressing module 1 is placed in a fixture, and the cover plate 12 and the bottom plate 30 are positioned, and then the lower surface of the outer fixing section 22 of the elastic member 20 (eg Figure 6 220 in the figure) and the corresponding upper surface of the bottom plate 30 (eg Figure 6 320) are welded or bonded. Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the touch panel pressing module (specifically, a semi-finished touch panel pressing module including the touch panel 10, the elastic member 20 and the bottom plate 30) is assembled with the housing 60 and fixed to the housing 60 so that the cover 12 is exposed from the housing opening 61 of the housing 60. Specifically, the touch panel pressing module can be Figures 1 to 3 The touchpad pressing module of any embodiment is provided, and the housing 60 has a coupling hole 65 corresponding to the coupling hole 25 / 35 of the touchpad pressing module. For example, the coupling hole 65 is preferably provided on the lower surface of the housing 60 and is adjacent to the housing opening 61 or located near the inner periphery 62. The touchpad pressing module can be fixed by the aforementioned fixing member (e.g. Figure 1 In addition, the housing 60 and the bottom plate 30 may have corresponding positioning mechanisms, such as bosses and holes, which can be aligned / positioned before being fixed by the fixing member to facilitate assembly.

[0050] Please also refer to Figure 1 、 Figure 11 and Figure 12 The operation of the touch panel pressing module of the present invention is described, wherein Figure 11 and Figure 12 Schematic diagrams of the touch panel pressing module in the unpressed and pressed states according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 As shown, the trigger portion 31 in the center of the base plate 30 is located directly below the switch 111 on the circuit board 11. When force is applied to the center of the touchpad 10, it can descend at a relatively stable level. Ideally, the lowest point of the touchpad 10 is the contact height between the top of the trigger portion 31 on the base plate 30 and the switch 111. However, since the switch 111 typically includes a metal dome, in reality, the touchpad 10 does not stop once the switch 111 on the circuit board 11 contacts the trigger portion 31 on the base plate 30. Instead, the metal dome of the switch 111 further collapses and contacts a pair of electrodes in the switch circuit, causing the touchpad 10 to actually descend slightly further.

[0051] like Figure 12 As shown, when the edge or corner of the touchpad 10 is pressed, the touchpad 10 tilts downward, and the opposite edge of the force-bearing edge, or the opposite corner of the force-bearing corner of the touchpad 10, correspondingly tilts upward. The touchpad pressing module of the present invention is provided with multiple limiting structures 40 on the outside of the four sides of the touchpad 10 and located next to the elastic section 23 of the elastic member 20. When the four sides of the touchpad 10 are pressed, the limiting structures 40 are located on the opposite side of the force-bearing point relative to the trigger point (i.e., the position of the switch 111 and the trigger portion 31). The multiple limiting structures 40 are symmetrically arranged about the center C of the touchpad 10 and are adjacent to the corners near the inner periphery 62 of the housing 60 and the outer fixing section 22 of the elastic member 20. Therefore, by increasing the limiting structure / limiting radius R3, the tilt angle of the touchpad 10 can be reduced, and the pressing stroke around the touchpad 10 can be shortened, so that the pressing stroke around the touchpad 10 can be ultra-short, and the difference in pressing stroke between the center and the periphery of the touchpad 10 is small and highly consistent.

[0052] Please refer to 13A to 13C As shown, 13A to 13C Schematic diagram of a touch panel pressing module according to different embodiments of the present invention. Figure 13A As shown, the elastic member 20A may have an L-shaped shape. Figure 13B As shown, the elastic member 20B may have an S-shaped shape, wherein the elastic section 23B of the elastic member 20B has a first extension portion 23a and a second extension portion 23b, and the length of the first extension portion 23a is greater than the length of the second extension portion 23b. For example, the first extension portion 23a extends along the Y-axis direction to connect between the inner positioning section 21 and the second extension portion 23b, and the second extension portion 23b extends along the X-axis direction to connect to the outer fixing section 22. Figure 13CAs shown, the elastic member 20C may have a C-shaped shape, wherein the elastic segment 23C of the elastic member 20C includes a first extension 23a and a second extension 23b, with the first extension 23a and the second extension 23b having substantially the same length. For example, the first extension 23a extends along the Y-axis to connect between the inner positioning segment 21 and the second extension 23b, while the second extension 23b extends along the X-axis to connect to the outer fixing segment 22. Depending on the actual application, the shape of the elastic member 20 can be modified to enhance the deformability of the elastic segment 23 or improve the suspension support of the touch panel 10.

[0053] In summary, the fixed section of the elastic member of the touchpad pressing module of the present invention is adjacent to or partially overlaps the fixed point of the base plate, which can transmit the force to the fixed point of the base plate, avoid deformation of the base plate, and maintain a certain pressing stroke. Furthermore, the limiting radius of the limiting structure of the touchpad pressing module of the present invention is larger than the pressing radius of the force point, which effectively reduces the inclination angle of the touchpad and improves the consistency of the pressing stroke between the center and the surrounding areas of the touchpad. In addition, the distance between the force point and the fixed point of the elastic member is relatively short, which makes it easy to control the direction of force transmission and reduce the deflection of the touchpad during the lifting and lowering process.

[0054] Of course, the present invention may have many other embodiments. Without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention, those skilled in the art may make various corresponding changes and modifications based on the present invention, but these corresponding changes and modifications should all fall within the scope of protection of the claims attached to the present invention.

Claims

1. A touch panel pressing module, characterized in that: The touch panel pressing module includes: A touch panel for sensing touch operations; a plurality of elastic members disposed below the touch panel, each of the elastic members comprising an inner positioning section, an outer fixing section, and an elastic section, wherein the elastic section is connected between the inner positioning section and the outer fixing section; as well as a bottom plate, the bottom plate being arranged below the touch panel, In the stacking direction of the touch panel and the bottom plate, the inner positioning segment is located within the orthographic projection of the touch panel, and the outer fixing segment is located outside the orthographic projection of the touch panel.

2. The touch panel pressing module according to claim 1, wherein: The touch panel pressing module further comprises a shell having a shell opening. The touch panel is arranged in the shell opening, and the bottom plate is fixed to the shell.

3. The touch panel pressing module according to claim 2, wherein: The outer fixing section is adjacent to or partially overlaps the fixing position of the bottom plate and the shell, and the outer fixing section is fixed to the bottom plate or the shell.

4. The touch panel pressing module according to claim 2, wherein: The shell has an inner periphery defining the shell opening, the outer fixed section is adjacent to the inner periphery, and the length of the elastic section is less than one-quarter, one-third or one-half of the length of the long side of the touch pad, or the length of the elastic section is less than one-half of the length of the short side of the touch pad.

5. The touch panel pressing module according to claim 1, wherein: An extending direction of the outer fixing section intersects with an extending direction of the elastic section.

6. The touch panel pressing module according to claim 1, wherein: The touch panel pressing module further includes a plurality of limiting structures, wherein the plurality of limiting structures are respectively adjacent to the side of the elastic section of the corresponding elastic member among the plurality of elastic members, and in the stacking direction, the plurality of limiting structures are located outside the orthographic projection of the touch panel.

7. The touch panel pressing module according to claim 6, wherein: The plurality of position-limiting structures are respectively composed of a fixed interference part and a movable interference part. The fixed interference part is arranged on the bottom plate, and the movable interference part extends from the bottom of the touch panel to correspond to the fixed interference part.

8. The touch panel pressing module according to claim 7, wherein: The touch panel pressing module further includes a bracket, wherein the bracket is arranged between the touch panel and the bottom plate, and the movable interference member is arranged on the bracket or the touch panel.

9. The touch panel pressing module according to claim 6, wherein: In an extension direction of the touch panel, the distance between the center and the edge of the touch panel is the touch panel radius, the distance between each limiting structure and the center of the touch panel is the limiting radius, and the limiting radius is greater than the touch panel radius.

10. The touch panel pressing module according to claim 6, wherein: The touch panel pressing module further includes a shell, wherein the shell has a shell opening and an inner periphery defining the shell opening, the touch panel is arranged in the shell opening, and in the stacking direction, the multiple limiting structures overlap with the shell and have a gap between them and the inner periphery.

11. The touch panel pressing module according to claim 1, wherein: The touch panel includes a switch, and the bottom plate has a trigger portion corresponding to the switch.

12. The touch panel pressing module according to claim 1, wherein: The touch panel pressing module further includes a bracket, wherein the bracket is arranged between the touch panel and the bottom plate, and the upper surface of the inner positioning section abuts against the lower surface of the bracket.

13. A touch panel pressing module, characterized in that: The touch panel pressing module includes: A touch panel for sensing touch operations; a plurality of elastic members disposed below the touch panel, each of the elastic members comprising an inner positioning section, an outer fixing section, and an elastic section, wherein the elastic section is connected between the inner positioning section and the outer fixing section; a bottom plate, the bottom plate being arranged below the touch panel; as well as The plurality of limiting structures are respectively adjacent to the outer fixing sections of corresponding elastic members among the plurality of elastic members, and in the stacking direction of the touch panel and the base plate, the plurality of limiting structures are located outside the orthographic projection of the touch panel.

14. The touch panel pressing module according to claim 13, wherein: The plurality of limiting structures are respectively composed of a fixed interference part and a movable interference part. The fixed interference part is disposed on the bottom plate, and the movable interference part extends from below the touch panel and is used to interfere with the fixed interference part in the stacking direction.

15. The touch panel pressing module according to claim 14, wherein: The touch panel pressing module further comprises a bracket, which is arranged between the touch panel and the bottom plate, wherein the upper surface of the inner positioning section abuts against the lower surface of the bracket, and the movable interference member is arranged on the bracket.

16. The touch panel pressing module according to claim 13, wherein: The touch panel pressing module further includes a shell, wherein the shell has a shell opening, the touch panel is arranged in the shell opening, and the outer fixing section is fixed to the bottom plate or the shell.

17. The touch panel pressing module according to claim 1 or 13, wherein: The inner positioning section, the elastic section and the outer fixing section of each elastic member are arranged in sequence from top to bottom along the stacking direction.

18. The touch panel pressing module according to claim 6 or 13, wherein: The plurality of limiting structures are symmetrically arranged around the center of the touch panel.

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