Key for hand-held intelligent controller and hand-held intelligent controller

Abstract

This invention discloses a button for a handheld smart controller and the handheld smart controller itself, including a uterine column assembly and at least one keycap. The uterine column assembly includes a bottom shell, a top shell, and at least one uterine column. The top shell is disposed on the bottom shell, and at least one limiting cavity is formed between the top shell and the bottom shell. The uterine column slides longitudinally linearly within the corresponding limiting cavity, with the upper section of the uterine column extending out of the top shell and the lower end of the uterine column extending out of the bottom shell. The keycap is disposed on the upper section of the corresponding uterine column. This invention avoids the left-right wobbling of the keycap and improves the tactile feel of the keycap by having the uterine column slide longitudinally linearly within the limiting cavity under the top shell, and by having the lower section of the uterine column slide longitudinally linearly into the lower section of the limiting cavity under the top shell.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of game controller technology, specifically relating to a button for a handheld smart controller and a handheld smart controller. Background Technology

[0002] Game controllers have always been an indispensable operating device for gamers, used extremely frequently. During gameplay, button operation plays a crucial role in the player's gaming experience. Most game controller buttons on the market use a conductive 94 structure, which can be divided into two types: carbon film and mechanical switches (see below). Figure 7A and Figure 7B As shown, the volcano-shaped keycap 91 is embedded in a hole under the faceplate 922. When the keycap 91 is pressed, it causes the guide rubber 94 to move downwards, deforming downwards to trigger the mechanical or carbon film switch 921 on the PCBA. When released, the guide rubber 94 rebounds, pushing the keycap 91 back to its initial position, thus completing the key press operation. The keycap 91 is embedded in the hole under the faceplate 922 to contact the guide rubber 94, causing the guide rubber 94 to be subjected to downward force. However, this structure has the following drawbacks: Firstly, the lower end of the keycap 91 contacts a convex and elastic rubber membrane (guide rubber 94), and there is a gap between the upper part of the keycap 91 and the hole wall of the faceplate 922, so the keycap 91 will wobble when pressed. When the user presses the key, the finger must be placed in the center of the keycap 91 and apply vertical downward force so that the lower end of the keycap 91 contacts the highest point of the rubber membrane 94 to obtain the best feel. In normal use, almost no one can achieve such precision at all times, resulting in an inconsistent feel. On the other hand, when the key pressure is not applied vertically, the keycap 91 will deflect under the force, making it more prone to friction with the surrounding hole walls or other structural components inside the bottom hole of the faceplate 922, severely affecting the smoothness of the feel and the user experience. Furthermore, the long-term contact between the lower end of the keycap 91 and the guide rubber 94 can easily lead to wear and aging. The most obvious effect is that the key will harden over time and may even become stuck. Additionally, the existing keycaps need to overcome the rebound force of the guide rubber 94 during operation, and the keycap 91 itself has a long travel distance, which can easily cause fatigue with prolonged use. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention addresses the technical problems of existing buttons, such as unstable triggering, easy friction damage and aging, and large travel distance leading to fatigue, caused by the keycaps being embedded in holes under the cover. The purpose is to provide a button for a handheld smart controller and a handheld smart controller.

[0004] The buttons for the handheld smart controller of the present invention include:

[0005] The uterine column assembly includes a bottom shell, a top shell, and at least one uterine column. The top shell is disposed on the bottom shell, and at least one limiting uterine cavity is formed between the top shell and the bottom shell. The uterine column is longitudinally linearly contacted and slidably disposed within the corresponding limiting uterine cavity. The upper section of the uterine column extends out of the top shell, and the lower end of the uterine column extends out of the bottom shell.

[0006] At least one keycap is placed on the upper section of the corresponding palace pillar.

[0007] Preferably,

[0008] The lower segment of the restricted uterine cavity is a polygonal restricted cavity;

[0009] The lower section of the uterine column is a polygonal guide block that can slide linearly in the longitudinal direction and make contact with the polygonal limiting cavity. Preferably, the uterine column is made of a rigid material, more preferably POM material or PC material coated with lubricating oil.

[0010] Preferably,

[0011] Each corner of the polygonal guide block has a cylindrical convex corner that forms a longitudinal linear contact with the inner wall surface of the polygonal limiting cavity. Preferably, the polygon is a polygon with 3 to 5 sides, and more preferably a quadrilateral.

[0012] Preferably,

[0013] The upper-middle section of the uterine column passes through the upper section of the limiting uterine cavity. Preferably, the upper section of the limiting uterine cavity is a circular cavity, and the upper-middle section of the uterine column is a circular cylindrical column. The lower-middle section of the circular cylindrical column passes through the circular cavity. More preferably, the diameter of the circular cylindrical column is the same as the inner diameter of the circular cavity, and the lower-middle section of the circular cylindrical column slides through the circular cavity. Or more preferably, the overall width of the polygonal guide block is greater than the inner diameter of the circular cavity.

[0014] Preferably,

[0015] The keycap has an annular groove inside, and the upper section of the cylindrical column is inserted into the annular groove to insert the keycap into the upper section of the column; preferably, the upper section of the cylindrical column is inserted into the annular groove with an interference fit, or preferably, the upper section of the cylindrical column is magnetically inserted into the annular groove.

[0016] Preferably,

[0017] The upper section of the cylindrical column is snapped into the keycap.

[0018] Preferably,

[0019] The keycap has a longitudinal limiting block on its top wall, and the upper section of the cylindrical column has a longitudinal limiting notch on its wall. The longitudinal limiting block is engaged within the longitudinal limiting notch.

[0020] Preferably, the bottom end of the uterine column is a contact column that can pass through the bottom shell.

[0021] Preferably,

[0022] The keycap is located above the faceplate and inserted into the upper section of the corresponding uterine column; or, the faceplate is provided with a ring for positioning the keycap at the shoulder strap position of the limiting uterine cavity;

[0023] Alternatively, the faceplate can be attached to the bottom shell by means of a snap-fit.

[0024] Alternatively, most of the upper section of the limiting uterine cavity is formed under the outer shell, a small portion of the lower section of the limiting uterine cavity is formed on the bottom shell, or the entire limiting uterine cavity is formed under the outer shell.

[0025] Alternatively, the at least one restricted uterine cavity may be four restricted uterine cavities.

[0026] Another object of the present invention is to provide a handheld intelligent controller having:

[0027] A controller housing has at least one button mounting hole;

[0028] A PCBA board is disposed under the housing of the controller, and the PCBA board has at least one component switch.

[0029] At least one of the aforementioned buttons is installed in a corresponding button mounting hole, and the contact post of the button is connected to the component in a switch-triggered manner.

[0030] A removable cover is provided on the upper surface of the controller housing. The cover has at least one perforation through which the upper section of the button's stem passes. The button's keycap is located above the cover.

[0031] The positive and progressive effects of this invention are as follows:

[0032] 1) The key of the handheld smart controller of the present invention is designed with a rigid uterine column that can slide vertically and linearly into the limiting uterine cavity under the shell. The key cap is attached to the upper part of the uterine column, and the lower part of the uterine column slides vertically and linearly into the lower part of the limiting uterine cavity under the shell, which avoids the left and right wobbling of the key cap and improves the feel of the key cap.

[0033] 2) This invention also features a keycap made of rigid material. When the keycap at the top is subjected to force, the keycap directly contacts the component switch via the keycap, eliminating the need to overcome rebound. This results in a shorter key travel and reduces user fatigue during operation, further optimizing the user's gaming experience.

[0034] 3) The linear contact sliding between the uterine column and the limiting uterine cavity in this invention reduces the friction between the two, and the key cap, uterine column and uterine cavity are not easy to wear and age.

[0035] 4) The keycaps and pillars are designed separately, meaning the keycaps are detachably inserted into the upper part of the pillar. This allows the keycaps and pillar components to be made of different materials for different applications, reducing the limitations of materials and processes on the product's appearance design and enhancing the product's design experience.

[0036] 5) The uterine pillar assembly of the present invention adopts a modular design, which can be applied to products with different appearance shells, thereby improving versatility and reducing costs. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is an exploded perspective view of the handheld smart controller of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the handheld smart controller of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3A This is a schematic diagram of the uterine pillar assembly structure of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 3B for Figure 3A A three-dimensional exploded view diagram;

[0041] Figure 3C for Figure 3A Top view;

[0042] Figure 3D for Figure 3C AA section view;

[0043] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the installation of a single guide column according to the present invention;

[0044] Figure 5A This is a schematic diagram of the polygonal limiting block and polygonal limiting cavity structure of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 5B for Figure 5A Top view;

[0046] Figure 6A This is a schematic diagram of the keycap snap-fit ​​installation structure of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 6BThis is a schematic diagram of the keycap interference fit mounting structure of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 6C This is a schematic diagram of the magnetic keycap mounting structure of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 6D for Figure 6A Diagram showing the keycap clip installation;

[0050] Figure 7A This is a schematic diagram of the existing keycap adhesive guiding structure;

[0051] Figure 7B This is a schematic diagram of another existing keycap adhesive guiding structure. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0053] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the handheld smart controller of the present invention includes a controller housing 1, a PCBA board 2, at least one button for the handheld smart controller, namely a button 3, and a detachable cover 4. The controller housing 1 has a number of button mounting holes 11 corresponding to the number of keycaps on the button 3. The keycaps and posts of the button 3 are installed in the corresponding button mounting holes 11. The PCBA board 2 is mounted below the controller housing 1, and has several component switches 21 corresponding to the keycaps and posts of the button 3. The lower end of the keycap of the button 3 passes through the controller housing 1 and is triggered to connect with the corresponding component switches 21. The detachable cover 4 is directly placed on the upper surface of the controller housing 1, and has through holes 41 in a number and position corresponding to the number and position of the button mounting holes 11. The keycaps of the button 3 installed in the button mounting holes 11 protrude through the through holes 41 for touch operation by the player. Continuing as... Figure 2 As shown in the example, this section uses four keycap assemblies 32 as an example. The controller housing 1 has four corresponding button mounting holes. First, with the bottom facing up, insert the four keycap assemblies 32 from the bottom of the controller housing 1 into the corresponding button mounting holes 11 and fix them with screws 12. Then, cover the bottom of the controller housing 1 with the PCBA board 2 and fix it with screws 12, so that the four keycap assemblies 32 are triggered to connect with the corresponding component switches 21. Then, flip the controller housing 1 so that the front is facing up and install the corresponding keycaps 31 on the top of the corresponding keycap assemblies 32. Finally, put on the detachable cover 4 to complete the product assembly.

[0054] In this example, such as Figures 3A to 3D As shown, the uterine column assembly 32 includes a bottom shell 321, a top shell 322, and uterine columns 323. The top shell 322 is positioned above the bottom shell 321, forming four limiting uterine cavities 324 between it and the bottom shell 321, through which four uterine columns 323 can be inserted respectively. Of course, the aforementioned limiting uterine cavities 324 can be formed entirely under the top shell 322; or, as shown in this example, most of the upper section is formed under the top shell 322, while a small portion of the lower section is formed on the bottom shell 321. Furthermore, in this example, continuing as... Figures 3A to 3D As shown, the uterine column 323 is located within the corresponding limiting uterine cavity 324 formed by the bottom shell 321 and the top shell 322. The uterine column 323 is made of a rigid material, preferably POM or PC. The bottom shell 321 and the top shell 322 are also made of a rigid material with stable geometric properties and strong toughness, such as POM—a type of acetal alloy—which has good self-lubricating properties. Continuing... Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, in this example, the bottom shell 321 and the top shell 322 of the four uterine column components 32 are integrally formed. That is, the four uterine columns 323 can be installed in the four limiting uterine cavities 324 formed by the bottom shell 321 and the top shell 322, so as to realize the modular design of the entire uterine column component 32. During assembly, the four uterine columns 324 are first inserted into the inner holes of the top shell 322 that form the limiting uterine cavities 324, and then the bottom shell 321 is fastened to the bottom of the top shell 322. At the same time as the assembly of the uterine column component 32 is completed, the bottom shell 321 and the inner holes of the top shell 322 also form four complete limiting uterine cavities 324, which realizes the modular design of the uterine column component 32. This allows the entire uterine column component 32 to be integrally transplanted to products with different appearance shells, improving versatility and reducing costs accordingly. Furthermore, before assembly, lubricating grease can be applied to the inner wall of the uterine cavity 324 and the outer surface of the uterine column 323 to further reduce the impact of friction and improve smoothness and comfort.

[0055] Continue as Figure 3D and Figure 4As shown, the upper section of the uterine column 323, made of POM material, extends out of the face shell 322 to fix and position the keycap 31. This upper section can be prismatic, polygonal, etc. In this example, the upper-middle section of the uterine column 323 is preferably a cylindrical column 3231, while the upper section of the limiting uterine cavity 324 is a corresponding circular through cavity 3241. The lower-middle section of the cylindrical column 3231 passes through the circular through cavity 3241. In this example, to reduce the assembly gap between the uterine column 323 and the limiting uterine cavity 324, and to make the fit between the uterine column 323 and the limiting uterine cavity 324 tighter, the diameter of the cylindrical column 3231 is the same as the inner diameter of the circular through cavity 3241. For example, by controlling the injection molding deviation to a maximum allowable ±-0.1mm, the lower-middle section of the cylindrical column 3231 slides through the circular through cavity 3241. Continuing as... Figure 5A and Figure 5B As shown, the lower section of the uterine column 323 is a polygonal guide block 3233. The overall width of the polygonal guide block 3233 is larger than the inner diameter of the circular cavity 3241 of the upper section of the uterine cavity 324, to prevent excessive longitudinal sliding and provide only longitudinal space for downward pressing and sliding. Furthermore, each corner of the polygonal guide block 3233 has a cylindrical convex corner 3234 that forms a longitudinal linear sliding contact with the inner wall surface of the polygonal limiting cavity 3242 of the lower section of the uterine cavity 324. That is, continuing as... Figure 5B As shown, in vertical projection, the cylindrical convex corner 3234 of the polygonal guide block 3233 contacts the polygonal limiting cavity 3242 with two sliding points 3243. In horizontal projection, these two sliding points 3243 actually form a longitudinal linear contact. In this example, each cylindrical convex corner 3234 forms two sliding points 3243 with two adjacent inner wall surfaces of the polygonal limiting cavity 3242. On one hand, the contact between the sliding points 3243 and the longitudinal surfaces reduces friction, making the keycap 31, the pillar 323, and the cavity 324 less prone to wear and aging. On the other hand, the line connecting the two sliding points 3243 effectively prevents the pillar 323 from wobbling left and right during sliding, further improving the feel of the keycap 31 and enhancing the stability and accuracy of the pillar 323 when triggered downwards. In addition, the longitudinal linear contact point (sliding point) between the cylindrical convex corner 3234 and the polygonal limiting cavity 3242 is polished to further reduce the coefficient of friction. The combination of longitudinal linear contact design, lubrication, and polishing significantly reduces friction, allowing the pressed pillar 323 to be directly reset using the rebound force of the component switch 21. The polygonal guide block 3233 has 3 to 5 sides, while the polygonal limiting cavity 3242 has the corresponding number of sides. In this example, the polygonal guide block 3233 is preferably a quadrilateral guide block, and the polygonal limiting cavity 3242 is preferably a quadrilateral limiting cavity.

[0056] In addition, continue as Figure 4 As shown, the lower end of each uterine column 323 is a contact post 3232 extending through the bottom of the bottom shell 321 and the bottom of the controller inner shell 1. This contact post 3232, after extending, is triggered and connected to the component switch 21 on the PCBA board 2. When the keycap 31 is pressed, the uterine column 323 slides downward along the limiting uterine cavity 324, simultaneously pressing the contact post 3232 at the bottom of the uterine column 323 downward to trigger the component switch 21. Compared to... Figure 7A and Figure 7B The existing conductive rubber key structure shown requires pressing the keycap 31, which causes the conductive rubber 94 to deform downwards, triggering the component switch 921. This structure has a long key travel of 0.5mm to 1.2mm. In this example, the keycap 323, made of a rigid material, has a travel of only about 0.3mm to 0.5mm, and because it does not require overcoming rebound force when pressed, it reduces user fatigue. This further optimizes the user's gaming experience.

[0057] In this example, continuing as follows Figure 3A As shown, at the upper end of the faceplate 322, a ring 33 is also provided at the shoulder strap position of each limiting uterine cavity 324, lower than the height of the keycap 31, to position the keycap 31 and the uterine pillar assembly 32 at the center position of the limiting uterine cavity 324. The keycap 31 and the uterine pillar assembly 32 of this invention adopt a separate design, that is, the keycap 31 is a detachable keycap, allowing the keycap 31 and the uterine pillar assembly 32 to use different materials for different applications, reducing the limitations of material and process in product appearance design, and improving the different design experiences of the product. Specifically, as... Figure 6A As shown, the upper section of the cylindrical column 3231 has a protruding annular buckle 3235, while the inner diameter side wall of the keycap 31 has a corresponding groove 311. The installation process is as follows: Figure 6DAs shown, the inner diameter of the cylindrical column 3231 on the upper section of the pillar 323 is similar to that of the keycap 31. When the keycap 31 is installed into the upper section of the pillar 323, it can first penetrate a portion of the cylindrical column 3231. When it penetrates to the protruding position of the annular clip 3235, since the size of the protruding position is larger than the inner diameter of the keycap 31, further penetration will cause the protrusion of the annular clip 3235 to be squeezed by the inner hole of the keycap 31. The annular clip 3235 is preferably made of elastic plastic material so that it can buffer deformation under pressure and further squeeze as the keycap 31 penetrates until it is locked into the corresponding slot 311. On the one hand, the embedded elastic protruding annular clip 3235 forms a protruding buckle on the upper section of the keycap 31 and the pillar 323, restricting the longitudinal movement of the keycap 31 after installation. On the other hand, the elastic annular clip 3235 also makes it easy for users to disassemble or replace it themselves. The overall installation is simple and low-cost, and the installation and disassembly force can be adjusted by the elasticity of the plastic itself. It generally does not require high precision control of the product's parts dimensions. Of course, in another example, such as... Figure 6B As shown, the keycap 31 has an annular groove 312 inside. The upper section of the cylindrical post 3231 is inserted into the annular groove 312, thus inserting the keycap 31 into the upper section of the post 323. The keycap can be fixed by an interference fit between the wall thickness of the upper end of the cylindrical post 3231 and the groove size of the annular groove 312. Of course, as... Figure 6C As shown, magnets 313 or other magnetic objects that can generate mutual attraction can also be installed in the hollow cylinder of the upper section of the cylindrical column 3231 and the annular cap groove 311 of the keycap 31, thereby achieving longitudinal fixation of the keycap 31 and detachable insertion into the upper section of the corresponding column 323. The detachability of the keycap 31 allows the column assembly 32 to use different materials for different applications, reducing the limitations of material and process in product appearance design and enhancing the different design experiences of the product. To further limit the keycap 31 to the upper section of the cylindrical column 3231, a longitudinal limiting block is also provided on the lower part of the top wall of the keycap 31, while the upper section of the cylindrical column 3231 has a longitudinal limiting notch that can be correspondingly engaged with the aforementioned longitudinal limiting block.

[0058] The present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications to the present invention based on the above description. Therefore, certain details in the embodiments should not be construed as limiting the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention shall be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A button for a handheld intelligent controller, characterized in that, The buttons for the handheld smart controller include: The uterine column assembly includes a bottom shell, a top shell, and at least one uterine column. The top shell is disposed on the bottom shell, and at least one limiting uterine cavity is formed between the top shell and the bottom shell. The uterine column is longitudinally linearly contacted and slidably disposed within the corresponding limiting uterine cavity. The upper section of the uterine column extends out of the top shell, and the lower end of the uterine column extends out of the bottom shell. At least one keycap is placed on the upper section of the corresponding palace pillar; The lower segment of the restricted uterine cavity is a polygonal restricted cavity; The lower section of the uterine column is a polygonal guide block that can slide linearly in the polygonal limiting cavity. The uterine column is made of rigid material and directly contacts the component switch. After being pressed, the uterine column is reset directly by the rebound force of the component switch.

2. The button for the handheld intelligent controller as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The uterine pillars are made of POM material or PC material coated with lubricating oil.

3. The button for the handheld intelligent controller as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Each corner of the polygonal guide block has a cylindrical convex corner that forms a longitudinal linear contact with the inner wall surface of the polygonal limiting cavity.

4. The button for the handheld intelligent controller as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The polygon is a polygon with 3 to 5 sides.

5. The button for the handheld intelligent controller as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The polygon is a quadrilateral.

6. The button for the handheld intelligent controller as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The upper and middle sections of the uterine column are inserted into the upper section of the restricted uterine cavity.

7. The button for a handheld intelligent controller as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The upper section of the uterine cavity is a circular through-cavity, the upper middle section of the uterine column is a circular cylindrical column, and the lower middle section of the circular cylindrical column passes through the circular through-cavity.

8. The button for a handheld intelligent controller as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The diameter of the cylindrical column is the same as the inner diameter of the circular cavity, and the lower middle section of the cylindrical column slides through the circular cavity.

9. The button for a handheld intelligent controller as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The overall width of the polygonal guide block is greater than the inner diameter of the circular cavity.

10. The button for a handheld intelligent controller as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The keycap has an annular groove inside, and the upper section of the cylindrical column is inserted into the annular groove to insert the keycap into the upper section of the column.

11. The button for a handheld intelligent controller as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The upper section of the cylindrical column is inserted into the annular cap groove with an interference fit.

12. The button for a handheld intelligent controller as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The upper section of the cylindrical column is magnetically inserted into the annular cap groove.

13. The button for a handheld intelligent controller as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The upper section of the cylindrical column is snapped into the keycap.

14. The button for a handheld intelligent controller as described in claim 10 or 13, characterized in that, The keycap has a longitudinal limiting block on its top wall, and the upper section of the cylindrical column has a longitudinal limiting notch on its wall. The longitudinal limiting block is engaged within the longitudinal limiting notch.

15. The button for a handheld intelligent controller as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The bottom end of the uterine column is a contact column that can pass through the bottom shell.

16. The button for a handheld intelligent controller as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The keycap is located above the faceplate and inserted into the upper section of the corresponding palace pillar; Alternatively, the faceplate may be provided with a ring at the shoulder strap position of the uterine cavity to position the keycap; Alternatively, the faceplate can be attached to the bottom shell by means of a snap-fit. Alternatively, most of the upper section of the limiting uterine cavity is formed under the face shell, a small portion of the lower section of the limiting uterine cavity is formed on the bottom shell, or the entire limiting uterine cavity is formed under the face shell. Alternatively, the at least one restricted uterine cavity may be four restricted uterine cavities.

17. A handheld intelligent controller, characterized in that, The handheld smart controller has the following features: A controller housing has at least one button mounting hole; A PCBA board is disposed under the housing of the controller, and the PCBA board has at least one component switch. At least one button according to any one of claims 1 to 16 is installed in a corresponding button mounting hole, wherein the contact post of the button is connected to the component in a switch-triggered manner. A removable cover is provided on the upper surface of the controller housing. The cover has at least one through hole through which the upper section of the button's stem passes. The button's keycap is located above the cover.

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