Solid-state key and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a solid-state key and electronic equipment, the solid-state key comprises a key cap and a feedback mechanism, the feedback mechanism comprises an elastic support member, a pressure sensor and a piezoelectric structure, the elastic support member comprises a first elastic beam, and two ends of the first elastic beam are used for being connected to an external structural member; the key cap comprises a key body and two spaced guide columns connected to the key body, the two guide columns are connected to the first elastic beam, the pressure sensor and the piezoelectric structure are connected to the first elastic beam and are in communication connection with each other, and the first elastic beam can generate elastic deformation when the key cap is pressed; and the pressure sensor is used for collecting a pressure signal applied to the keycap through the elastic deformation of the first elastic beam and enabling the piezoelectric structure to generate piezoelectric driving force so as to carry out tactile feedback. The arrangement of the piezoelectric structure reduces the requirement for the installation precision of the feedback mechanism, thereby reducing the adjustment cost, improving the consistency in the production process of the solid-state key, and reducing the mass production difficulty.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of solid-state buttons, and more particularly to a solid-state button and an electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] To improve interaction efficiency, buttons on electronic devices are typically solid-state buttons. To enhance the realism of these buttons, they usually integrate a feedback mechanism to provide tactile feedback. However, this feedback mechanism generally uses an electromagnetic structure to achieve tactile feedback, and its performance is easily affected by assembly. Therefore, extremely high assembly precision is required, resulting in high post-calibration costs and significant challenges in mass production. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a solid-state button and an electronic device, which solves the problem that the performance of the feedback mechanism of the solid-state button is easily affected by assembly and that mass production is difficult.

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

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a solid-state button, including a keycap and a feedback mechanism. The feedback mechanism includes an elastic support, a pressure sensor, and a piezoelectric structure. The elastic support includes a first elastic beam, the two ends of which are connected to an external structural component. The keycap includes a key body and two guide posts, both connected to the key body and spaced apart. Both guide posts are connected to the first elastic beam. The pressure sensor and the piezoelectric structure are both connected to the first elastic beam and are communicatively connected to each other. The first elastic beam can undergo elastic deformation when the keycap is pressed. The pressure sensor is used to collect the pressure signal applied to the keycap through the elastic deformation of the first elastic beam and output the pressure signal to obtain a piezoelectric control signal. The piezoelectric structure can generate a piezoelectric driving force under the control of the piezoelectric control signal to provide tactile feedback.

[0006] In this application, the piezoelectric structure has advantages such as small thickness, simple structure, minimal deformation affecting the internal structure generating piezoelectric driving force, relatively low requirements for assembly structure dimensions, and ease of integration. This reduces the requirements for the installation accuracy of the feedback mechanism, thereby reducing calibration costs. Simultaneously, the solid-state button does not require adjustment of the mounting cavity height during assembly, and the first elastic beam does not need to be segmented, shortening the assembly chain, reducing assembly difficulty and errors, and improving consistency in the solid-state button production process, thus reducing mass production difficulty. The two guide posts ensure that the contact point between the keycap and the first elastic beam avoids the midpoint of the first elastic beam, thereby increasing the stiffness of the solid-state button that the finger needs to overcome during pressing, improving the pressing feel.

[0007] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, both the keycaps and the piezoelectric structure are symmetrically arranged relative to the central axis extending perpendicular to the length of the first elastic beam. This ensures high assembly consistency between different solid-state keys and reduces mass production difficulty.

[0008] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the length of the piezoelectric structure is less than the distance between the two guide posts, and the piezoelectric structure is located between the two guide posts along the length of the first elastic beam. The piezoelectric structure can be directly connected to the first elastic beam. If the piezoelectric structure is located on the side of the first elastic beam facing the keycap, the two guide posts restrict the length of the piezoelectric structure to be less than the distance between the two guide posts. If the piezoelectric structure is located on the side of the first elastic beam away from the keycap, its placement between the two guide posts allows it to avoid the guide posts in the pressing direction, preventing the impact force from directly acting on the piezoelectric structure through the guide posts when the keycap is subjected to an impact, thus preventing the piezoelectric structure from breaking. The piezoelectric structure can also be indirectly connected to the first elastic beam; this is not limited here.

[0009] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the guide post abuts against the first elastic beam via a first elastic pad. The abutment of the guide post against the first elastic beam allows the first elastic beam to be in a free state, eliminating the need for the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure to overcome the stiffness of the keycap, thereby improving the feedback force transmitted to the fingers and increasing the efficiency of converting the piezoelectric driving force into feedback force. Simultaneously, it eliminates the need for connecting the keycap to the first elastic beam, simplifying assembly. The first elastic pad also improves the consistency of feedback force between solid-state keys.

[0010] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the elastic support further includes a second elastic beam and a conductor. The conductor includes at least one conductor block made of a rigid material, which is connected to the side of the first elastic beam opposite to the keycap and is at least partially located between the two guide posts. The second elastic beam is connected to the side of the conductor opposite to the first elastic beam and is spaced apart from the first elastic beam. A piezoelectric structure is connected to the second elastic beam. The second elastic beam is capable of elastic deformation under the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure and drives the first elastic beam to elastically deform through the conductor to provide tactile feedback.

[0011] In this application, the piezoelectric structure is indirectly connected to the first elastic beam via a second elastic beam and a conductive element. When a piezoelectric driving force is applied, the piezoelectric structure causes the second elastic beam to deform. The second elastic beam can then pull the middle of the first elastic beam downwards via the conductive element, thereby transmitting feedback force to the finger. Since the conductive element is located between the two guide posts in the left-right direction, under the same piezoelectric driving force, the deformation of the second elastic beam can be concentrated and transmitted to the middle of the first elastic beam via the conductive element, thus converting more piezoelectric driving force into feedback force. This improves the transmission efficiency of the piezoelectric driving force into feedback force, thereby increasing the feedback force transmitted to the finger. Furthermore, since the second elastic beam is spaced apart from the first elastic beam, when the phone is dropped and the keycap is impacted, the impact force will not act directly on the piezoelectric structure, but will be buffered by both the first and second elastic beams, further reducing the possibility of the piezoelectric ceramic breaking. Meanwhile, due to the addition of the second elastic beam, the stiffness of the elastic support increases. Therefore, under the same impact force, the elastic deformation of the elastic support in this embodiment is reduced, thereby improving the reliability of the piezoelectric structure.

[0012] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the feedback mechanism further includes two connecting columns, both connected between the first and second elastic beams and arranged sequentially along the length of the first elastic beam. Two guide columns and a conductive element are located between the two connecting columns along the length of the first elastic beam, with the conductive element positioned between the two connecting columns. In this way, the arrangement of the two connecting columns restricts the deformation at both ends of the second elastic beam, thereby ensuring that the point of maximum deformation of the second elastic beam is located in the middle of the second elastic beam.

[0013] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the two connecting posts are respectively connected to the two ends of the second elastic beam. This increases the length of the region where the second elastic beam deforms under the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure, thereby increasing the deformation of the first elastic beam, so that the keycap also increases its displacement.

[0014] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, both the first and second elastic beams extend along straight lines and are parallel to each other. The two connecting columns, the conductive element, the second elastic beam, and the piezoelectric structure are all symmetrically arranged with respect to the central axis of the first elastic beam. This improves the consistency of feedback force between different solid-state buttons and reduces the difficulty of mass production.

[0015] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the piezoelectric structure is connected to the side of the second elastic beam opposite to the first elastic beam. The length of the piezoelectric structure is greater than the length of the two guide posts but less than the length of the second elastic beam. The piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure is positively correlated with the length of the piezoelectric structure. Therefore, the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure can increase with the increase of the length of the piezoelectric structure, thereby increasing the feedback force transmitted to the finger.

[0016] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the piezoelectric structure is connected to the side of the second elastic beam facing the first elastic beam, and the conductive element is connected to both the first elastic beam and the piezoelectric structure. In this case, the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure can also drive the deformation of the second elastic beam. The second elastic beam, through the conductive element, pulls the middle of the first elastic beam downwards, causing the keycap to move downwards, thus transmitting the feedback force. The second elastic beam also serves to protect the piezoelectric structure.

[0017] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the conductive element includes a conductive block connected between the first and second elastic beams, the length of which is less than the distance between the two guide posts. The inclusion of a conductive block reduces the stiffness of the elastic support, thereby reducing the difficulty of pressing with the finger.

[0018] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the conductive element includes multiple conductive blocks, all connected between the first elastic beam and the second elastic beam, and arranged sequentially along the length of the first elastic beam. The arrangement of multiple conductive blocks can improve the stiffness of the elastic support, preventing the solid-state button from feeling too soft, and simultaneously increasing the feedback force transmitted to the fingers.

[0019] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, multiple conductive blocks are located between the two guide posts and are spaced apart. This allows the multiple conductive blocks to collectively pull the middle of the first elastic beam to deform, improving the efficiency of converting piezoelectric driving force into feedback force.

[0020] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, at least a portion of the conductive block is fixedly connected to one of the first and second elastic beams and abuts against the other. This reduces the stiffness of the elastic support that the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure needs to overcome, allowing the second elastic beam to achieve excessive deformation, thereby increasing the keycap displacement and the feedback force transmitted to the fingers.

[0021] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, at least a portion of the conductive block abuts against the first or second elastic beam via a second elastic pad. The second elastic pad can improve the contact tightness of the conductive block, thereby improving the consistency of assembly and feedback force between different solid-state buttons.

[0022] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the length of the first elastic beam is approximately equal to the length of the second elastic beam. The longer the second elastic beam is, the greater the deformation it undergoes, thereby increasing the feedback force transmitted to the finger.

[0023] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the guide post passes through the first elastic beam and is connected to the first elastic beam by a fastener, thereby improving the reliability of the connection between the keycap and the first elastic beam. The second elastic beam is spaced apart from the guide post and the fastener to prevent the impact force from being directly transmitted to the second elastic beam through the guide post when the keycap is hit, which could lead to the piezoelectric ceramic breaking.

[0024] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, a pressure sensor is provided and positioned on the side of one guide post facing away from the other. This positions the pressure sensor close to the point of maximum stress at the end of the first elastic beam, improving the sensitivity of the pressure sensor's acquisition.

[0025] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, two pressure sensors are provided, one near each end of the first elastic beam. Two pressure sensors improve the accuracy of the obtained pressure values, and the pressing position can be determined from the pressure values ​​collected by each sensor, which can be applied to the detection of sliding operations.

[0026] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the two pressure sensors are located on opposite sides of the central axis of the two guide pillars, facing away from the first elastic beam. This results in both pressure sensors having high sensitivity.

[0027] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the piezoelectric structure includes at least one piezoelectric ceramic. This piezoelectric ceramic can generate a piezoelectric driving force via the inverse piezoelectric effect, thereby transmitting a feedback force to the finger.

[0028] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the piezoelectric structure includes multiple piezoelectric ceramics stacked along the extension direction of the central axis of the first elastic beam. The more layers of piezoelectric ceramics, the greater the piezoelectric driving force generated by the piezoelectric structure, and the greater the feedback force provided. Users can select the number of piezoelectric ceramic layers according to the feedback force requirements.

[0029] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device, including a device body and a solid-state button as described in the above embodiments, wherein the solid-state button is disposed on the device body. By providing this solid-state button, the electronic device can provide users with a greater tactile vibration feedback, thereby improving the user experience.

[0030] In some possible implementations of the second aspect, the main body of the device includes a mid-frame, a bottom shell, a display screen, and a processor. The bottom shell and the display screen are respectively disposed on both sides of the mid-frame. The mid-frame includes a support portion located between the bottom shell and the display screen, and a frame portion connected to the support portion and surrounding the bottom shell. Solid-state buttons are disposed on the frame portion, wherein a feedback mechanism is disposed on the inner side of the frame portion, and a keycap is disposed on the outer side of the frame portion and passes through the frame portion to connect with the feedback mechanism. Both the pressure sensor and the piezoelectric structure are communicatively connected to the processor. The solid-state buttons are located on the side of the electronic device for easy operation by the user's fingers. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a mobile phone provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A side view of the phone in the image;

[0033] Figure 3 For the assembly structure of solid-state buttons in related technologies Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction within the dashed box;

[0034] Figure 4 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction within the dashed box;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a partial structural diagram of the feedback mechanism in an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a displacement contour plot of a solid-state button in one embodiment of this application under a pressing force of 1N in the z-axis direction;

[0037] Figure 7 This is a displacement cloud diagram of a solid-state button in one embodiment of this application under the piezoelectric driving force of a piezoelectric structure in the z-axis direction.

[0038] Figure 8 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction within the dashed box;

[0039] Figure 9 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction within the dashed box;

[0040] Figure 10 This is a displacement cloud diagram of a solid-state button in another embodiment of this application under a pressing force of 1N in the z-axis direction;

[0041] Figure 11 This is a displacement contour map of a solid-state button in another embodiment of this application under the piezoelectric driving force of a piezoelectric structure in the z-axis direction;

[0042] Figure 12 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction within the dashed box;

[0043] Figure 13 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction within the dashed box;

[0044] Figure 14 This is a linear relationship diagram between the feedback force and the center distance between the two conductive blocks in the solid-state button of this application embodiment;

[0045] Figure 15 This is a displacement cloud diagram of the solid-state button in the embodiment of this application when the pressing force is 1N and the center distance between the two conductive blocks is 0mm.

[0046] Figure 16 This is a displacement cloud diagram of the solid-state button in the embodiment of this application when the pressing force is 1N and the center distance between the two conductive blocks is 10mm.

[0047] Figure 17 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction within the dashed box;

[0048] Figure 18 for Figure 17 Displacement contour map of solid-state buttons under the piezoelectric driving force of piezoelectric structure;

[0049] Figure 19 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction within the dashed box;

[0050] Figure 20 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction within the dashed box;

[0051] Figure 21 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction within the dashed box;

[0052] Figure 22 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction within the dashed box;

[0053] Figure 23 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction within the dashed box;

[0054] Figure 24 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction within the dashed box.

[0055] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0056] 90. Mobile phone; 91. Mid-frame; 911. Bezel; 92. Display screen; 901. Mounting cavity; 902. Perforation; 903. Mounting slot; 9011. Stepped structure; 9011a. Tabletop;

[0057] 90', Mobile phone; 911', Frame; 912', Bracket; 912a', Support plate; 912b', Support column; 901', Mounting cavity; 100', Solid-state button; 10', Keycap; 11', Keycap; 12', Guide post; 20', Feedback mechanism; 21', Spring; 211', Steel sheet; 212', Silicon steel; 22', Pressure sensor; 23', Electromagnetic structure; 231', Coil; 232', Magnetic block; 31', First fastener; 32', Second fastener;

[0058] 100. Solid-state key; 10. Keycap; 11. Key body; 12. Guide post; 121. First elastic pad; 122. Fastener; 20. Feedback mechanism; 21. Elastic support; 211. First elastic beam; 2110. Screw hole; 2111. Connecting hole; 212. Second elastic beam; 213. Conducting component; 2131. Conducting block; 2132. Second elastic pad; 214. Connecting post; 22. Pressure sensor; 23. Piezoelectric structure; 210. Connecting structure; 210a. Screw; s. Central axis; 30. Flexible circuit board; 31. First circuit board section; 32. Second circuit board section; 33. Third circuit board section. Detailed Implementation

[0059] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0060] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "inner" and "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0061] To facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used in the embodiments of this application to distinguish identical or similar items with essentially the same function and effect. For example, the first limiting part and the second limiting part are only used to distinguish different limiting parts and do not limit their order. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and the terms "first" and "second" are not necessarily different.

[0062] It should be noted that in this application, the terms "in one embodiment" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described as "in one embodiment" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design solutions. Specifically, the use of terms such as "in one embodiment" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0063] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0064] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0065] This application provides an electronic device. This electronic device includes, but is not limited to, mobile phones (candybar or multi-folding phones, where multi-folding phones include multi-screen folding phones and deformable phones capable of sliding, flipping, rotating, and other transformations), tablet computers, laptops, desktop computers, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants, PDAs), Ultra-mobile Personal Computers (UMPCs), in-vehicle devices, wearable devices (such as headphones, smart bracelets, smart glasses, virtual reality (VR) / augmented reality (AR) devices), home appliances (such as electric toothbrushes, flashlights), gaming devices (such as game controllers, joysticks, and mice), and multimedia players. Furthermore, this electronic device can also be used in industrial applications such as automobiles, elevators, automatic control equipment, and assembly line pressure detection equipment.

[0066] For ease of explanation, the following embodiments will use a mobile phone (candybar phone) as an example.

[0067] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a mobile phone provided in one embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the mobile phone 90 includes a main body and buttons. The main body includes a mid-frame 91, a display screen 92, and a bottom shell 93. The bottom shell 93 and the display screen 92 are respectively disposed on both sides of the mid-frame 91. The bottom shell 93 and the mid-frame 91 together form a cavity, within which electronic devices, circuit boards, chips, and other control components are disposed. The mid-frame 91 includes a support portion and a frame portion 911. The support portion is located between the bottom shell and the display screen 92. The frame portion 911 is connected to the support portion and surrounds the bottom shell. Buttons can be disposed on the frame portion 911. A feedback mechanism is disposed on the inner side of the frame portion 911, and the keycap is disposed on the outer side of the frame portion 911, passing through the frame portion 911 and connected to the feedback mechanism. The user inputs commands by operating the buttons or touching the display screen 92. The control components control the electronic devices to perform corresponding functions or control the display screen 92 to display corresponding images based on the received commands. In other embodiments, the buttons can be disposed on the bottom shell or the shell on the side of the display screen 92; this is not limited here.

[0068] Mobile phones typically have two or more buttons, such as volume buttons, power buttons, and camera buttons, to perform different functions. These buttons are generally physical buttons, using a traditional mechanical structure. Users input commands by pressing the buttons. When a button is pressed, the internal mechanical structure changes, triggering an electrical signal. These physical buttons produce a distinct tactile feedback and provide a "click" sound. However, these physical buttons usually have a single function, requiring users to repeatedly press the button to input a specific command, resulting in low interaction efficiency. This is especially true for the volume buttons on mobile phones, which are typically large and occupy a prime location on the bezel of the phone.

[0069] To improve interaction efficiency, buttons on electronic devices can be set as solid-state buttons 100. Solid-state buttons 100 can utilize the capacitance, inductance, or other electronic sensing technologies, taking advantage of the capacitance or inductance characteristics of objects (such as fingers) to detect button triggering. When a finger or other charged object approaches the solid-state button 100, it causes a change in capacitance or inductance, which is then recognized as a touch action. Solid-state buttons 100 commonly found on mobile phones 90 use pressure sensors to achieve touch or press sensing. These solid-state buttons 100 can not only intelligently recognize the user's press commands but also the pressure intensity, duration, and press location on the button, thus enabling actions such as light press, heavy press, click, and swipe. Furthermore, by cooperating with applications on the UI (User Interface), the interactive functions of the buttons can be significantly expanded.

[0070] To enhance the realism of the solid-state button 100, a feedback mechanism is typically integrated into it to provide tactile feedback. The control component includes a processor that controls the button's tactile feedback. When a user presses the solid-state button 100, the feedback mechanism senses the pressure and, under the processor's control, provides tactile feedback by transmitting a feedback force to the finger, creating a tactile vibration sensation. This achieves human-computer interaction and improves the user experience. The feedback force refers to the pressure change felt by the finger after pressing the solid-state button 100 and triggering the feedback mechanism. This feedback force can be directed towards or away from the finger; due to the slight vibration, the perceived vibration is similar. For ease of description, the following embodiment uses an example of feedback force directed away from the finger.

[0071] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Side view of the phone in the image. Figure 3 For the assembly structure of solid-state buttons in related technologies Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along direction AA within the dashed box. For example... Figure 3As shown, the solid-state button 100' is mounted on the frame portion 911'. The side of the frame portion 911' facing the receiving cavity is the inner side of the frame portion 911', and the side of the frame portion 911' facing away from the receiving cavity is the outer side of the frame portion 911'. A bracket 912' is provided on the inner side of the frame portion 911'. The bracket 912' includes a support plate 912a' and two pillars 912b'. The two pillars 912b' are respectively connected to the two ends of the support plate 912a' facing the frame portion 911', and are respectively connected to the frame portion 911' through a first fastener. A mounting cavity 901' is formed between the frame portion 911' and the bracket 911'. The solid-state key 100' includes a keycap 10' and a feedback mechanism 20'. The feedback mechanism 20' is disposed within the mounting cavity 901'. The keycap 10' includes a key body 11' and two guide posts 12'. The key body 11' is located outside the frame portion 911'. The two guide posts 12' are connected to the key body 11' and pass through perforations on the frame portion 911' to connect with the feedback mechanism 20'. The feedback mechanism 20' and the keycap 10' are arranged opposite to each other in the pressing direction of the keycap 10'.

[0072] The feedback mechanism 20' includes a spring 21', a pressure sensor 22', and an electromagnetic structure 23'. The two ends of the spring 21' are connected to the middle frame. The two guide posts 12' of the keycap 10' are both connected to the spring 21'. The pressure sensor 22' is located between the end of the spring 21' and the guide post 12' near that end. The electromagnetic structure 23' includes a coil 231' and a magnetic block 232'. The coil 231' is connected to the middle of the spring 21' and is located on the side of the spring 21' facing the support plate 912a'. The magnetic block 232' is connected to the side of the support plate 912a' facing the spring 21' and is opposite to and spaced apart from the coil 231' in the pressing direction of the keycap 10'. Specifically, the spring 21' includes two steel plates 211' and a silicon steel 212' connected between the two steel plates 211'. The opposite ends of the two steel plates 211' are connected between the frame portion 911' and the support column 912b' through the corresponding first fasteners 31'. The two ends of the silicon steel 212' are respectively connected to the corresponding steel plates 211' and the corresponding guide posts 12' through the second fasteners 32'. The pressure sensor 22' is connected to the steel plate 211'. A magnetic post protruding towards the support 912' is formed in the middle of the silicon steel 212'. The coil 231' is wound on the magnetic post. The magnetic block 232' is spaced apart from the magnetic post. When the keycap 10' is pressed by the finger 80, it can move towards the support plate 912a'. The spring 21' undergoes elastic deformation as the silicon steel 212' approaches the support plate 912a'. The pressure sensor 22' can collect the pressure value based on the stress generated by the elastic stretching of the steel sheet 211'. When the pressure value reaches a certain threshold, the processor sends a corresponding control signal to the electromagnetic structure 23', so that an attractive or repulsive electromagnetic force is generated between the coil 231' and the magnetic block 232'. This electromagnetic force is transmitted to the user's finger 80 through the spring 21' and the keycap 10', so that the user can feel the vibration. In this way, the electromagnetic structure 23' realizes the transmission of feedback force through electromagnetic principles.

[0073] For the feedback mechanism 20', the magnitude of the feedback force generated by the electromagnetic structure 23' is usually related to the distance between the coil 231' and the magnetic block 232'. However, the silicon steel 212' connected to the coil 231' needs to be assembled with the steel sheet 211', and the steel sheet 211' is then assembled with the middle frame. When it is necessary to adjust the position of the magnetic block 232' to adjust the distance between the coil 231' and the magnetic block 232', it is necessary to adjust the distance between the bracket 911' and the middle frame. The assembly chain of the feedback mechanism 20' is relatively long, and the error accumulation is relatively large. The performance of the feedback mechanism 20' is easily affected by the assembly. In order to ensure the consistency of the feedback force between different solid-state buttons 100', the internal processing error of the feedback mechanism 20' needs to be controlled within about 10um. Therefore, the post-calibration cost of the feedback mechanism 20' is high, and the mass production is difficult.

[0074] To solve or improve the above problems, this application provides a solid-state button 100, which aims to reduce the size requirements of the feedback mechanism 20 and improve the consistency of feedback force between different solid-state buttons 100, so as to reduce the difficulty of mass production.

[0075] Figure 4 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along direction AA within the dashed box. For example... Figure 4 As shown, a mounting cavity 901 is formed on the inner side of the frame portion 911. This mounting cavity 901 can be formed by hollowing out the inside of the frame portion 911, or it can be formed by splicing two structural components; no limitation is made here. The solid-state button 100 includes a keycap 10 and a feedback mechanism 20. The feedback mechanism 20 is disposed within the mounting cavity 901, and the keycap 10 is disposed on the outer side of the frame portion 911, passing through the frame portion 911 and connected to the feedback mechanism 20. The feedback mechanism 20 and the keycap 10 are arranged opposite to each other in the pressing direction of the keycap 10. The keycap 10 is used for user pressing. The feedback mechanism 20 can sense different pressing pressures, pressing times, and pressing methods of the finger 80, and provide tactile feedback based on these pressures, pressing times, and pressing methods, that is, transmit corresponding feedback force to the finger 80 so that the user obtains a corresponding vibrational feel. Different pressing pressures can include light presses and heavy presses, and different pressing pressures can include long presses and short presses. Different pressing methods can include, but are not limited to, single clicks, multiple consecutive clicks (such as double clicks), and swipes. The feedback force obtained for different pressing pressures, different pressing times, and different pressing methods can be the same or different.

[0076] by Figure 4 The orientations of the structural components are shown for reference. Keycap 10 is located above feedback mechanism 20. The pressing direction of keycap 10 is downward. The up-down direction is the height direction of keycap 10 and feedback mechanism 20, and the left-right direction is the length direction of mobile phone 90, which is also the length direction of keycap 10 and feedback mechanism 20. The mounting cavity 901 has an upper cavity wall, a lower cavity wall, a left cavity wall, and a right cavity wall. Figure 4In the frame portion 911, two spaced-apart through holes 902 are formed along the vertical direction. The keycap 10 includes a key body 11 and two guide posts 12. The key body 11 is located on the upper side of the frame portion 911 (i.e., the outer side of the frame portion 911). The two guide posts 12 are connected to the lower side of the key body 11 and are spaced apart horizontally. Each guide post 12 passes through a through hole 902 and is connected to the feedback mechanism 20. The keycap 10 can move vertically relative to the frame portion 911. The through holes 902 are adapted to the guide posts 12 to guide and limit the movement of the keycap 10. When the finger 80 presses the solid key 100, the finger 80 contacts the upper surface of the key body 11, and the pressure applied by the finger 80 is downward and transmitted to the feedback mechanism 20 through the guide posts 12. It should be noted that the pressing of the finger 80 in this application includes not only pressing the key body 11 downward with the finger 80, but also sliding the finger 80 on the key body 11 in the horizontal direction.

[0077] Optional, such as Figure 4 As shown, the frame portion 911 has a mounting groove 903 on its upper surface (i.e., the outer surface of the frame portion 911). Two through holes 902 are formed at the bottom of the mounting groove 903. The key body 11 is at least partially housed within the mounting groove 903. The mounting groove 903 is used to limit the key body 11 and reduce the height of the keycap 10 protruding from the outer surface of the frame portion 911, thereby improving the aesthetics of the mobile phone 90. A waterproof sleeve can be fitted onto the guide post 12. The waterproof sleeve can seal the gap between the guide post 12 and the hole wall of the through hole 902 to prevent water from entering the mounting cavity 901.

[0078] like Figure 4 As shown, the feedback mechanism 20 includes an elastic support 21, a pressure sensor 22, and a piezoelectric structure 23.

[0079] The elastic support 21 includes a first elastic beam 211, the two ends of which are connected to the cavity wall of the mounting cavity 901. The connection methods include, but are not limited to, screwing, welding, pressing, bonding, and snapping. The first elastic beam 211 has a certain rigidity and can undergo elastic deformation. The first elastic beam 211 can be made of metal materials, such as stainless steel, iron, or copper. The two guide posts 12 of the keycap 10 are connected to the first elastic beam 211, and the two guide posts 12 are located on the left and right sides of the central axis s of the first elastic beam 211, respectively. In this way, setting only one guide post 12 in the middle of the key body 11 relative to the first elastic beam 211 can make the force on the key body 11 balanced when pressed, avoid the keycap 10 from tilting, and improve the stability of the keycap 10. In addition, the two guide posts 12 can avoid the point of maximum deformation of the first elastic beam, thereby increasing the rigidity of the solid key 100 that the finger needs to overcome when pressing, and reducing the pressing displacement, avoiding the feel of being too soft and lacking weight, and improving the pressing feel. Both guide posts 12 are fixedly connected to the first elastic beam 211 through a fixing structure, which includes, but is not limited to, adhesive, solder, and snap-fit ​​components. It should be noted that the central axis s of the first elastic beam 211 is a virtual line extending in the vertical direction and passing through the midpoint of the first elastic beam 211, rather than a structural line.

[0080] In this embodiment, the length of the first elastic beam 211 can be 25mm-35mm, and the center distance between the two guide posts 12 is 15mm-20mm. The center distance between the two guide posts 12 refers to the distance between the central axes of the two guide posts 12.

[0081] For example, stepped structures 9011 are formed on both the left and right walls of the mounting cavity 901. The platform 9011a of the stepped structure 9011 faces upward and is spaced from the upper wall of the mounting cavity 901. The length direction of the first elastic beam 211 is left-right. The left and right ends of the first elastic beam 211 are respectively connected to the platform 9011a of the corresponding stepped structure 9011 via connecting structures 210. The first elastic beam 211 is spaced from the upper wall of the mounting cavity 901 to facilitate connection between the connecting structures 210 and the ends of the first elastic beam 211. Figure 4In this configuration, the connecting structure 210 can be a screw 210a. Screw holes 2110 are provided at both ends of the first elastic beam 211, and two screws 210a are respectively inserted into the screw holes 2110 and screwed into the platform 9011a of the stepped structure 9011. Alternatively, the connecting structure 210 can be an adhesive, snap-fit, welded, or press-fit component, as long as it enables the connection between the first elastic beam 211 and the frame portion 911. The two guide posts 12 of the keycap 10 are located between the two screws 210a on the first elastic beam 211. The left guide post 12 is close to the left screw 210a of the first elastic beam 211 and spaced apart from it, while the right guide post 12 is close to the right screw 210a of the first elastic beam 211 and spaced apart from it.

[0082] When the keycap 10 is not under force, the first elastic beam 211 is a strip extending in a straight line in the left-right direction or a sheet extending in a plane. When the user presses the keycap 10, the keycap 10 moves downward, and the first elastic beam 211 undergoes elastic deformation, bending downward in its middle section, under the pressure of the guide post 12. The displacement of the keycap 10 is the vertical displacement of the junction of the first elastic beam 211 and the guide post 12. The displacement of the middle section of the first elastic beam 211 is greater than the displacement of the keycap 10. It should be noted that the displacement of the middle section of the first elastic beam 211 refers to the displacement of the point with the largest vertical displacement among all points of the first elastic beam 211. The greater the displacement of the keycap 10, the greater the elastic deformation of the first elastic beam 211, and the greater the displacement of the middle section of the first elastic beam 211. In the following embodiments, the elastic deformation of the first elastic beam 211 can be represented by the displacement of the middle section of the first elastic beam 211.

[0083] A pressure sensor 22 is mounted on the first elastic beam 211 and located between the two screws 210a. When the first elastic beam 211 undergoes elastic deformation, the pressure sensor 22 can collect pressure information when the keycap 10 is pressed by measuring the stress change in the first elastic beam 211. The pressure information collected by the pressure sensor 22 includes at least the pressure value when the finger 80 presses the keycap 10, and in some embodiments, it may also include the pressing time and pressing position of the finger 80 pressing the keycap 10.

[0084] In this embodiment, the pressure sensor 22 is a Wheatstone bridge pressure sensor. Of course, the pressure sensor 22 can also be a piezoresistive pressure sensor based on polymer ink printing, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) piezoresistive pressure sensor, or a metal strain gauge. It can also be a pressure sensor based on other principles such as piezoelectric or ultrasonic. If only the pressure value of the applied pressure needs to be sensed, the pressure sensor 22 can also be a piezoelectric ceramic. There are no restrictions here.

[0085] To improve the sensitivity of the pressure sensor 22 in collecting pressure information, the pressure sensor 22 can be placed at a location on the first elastic beam 211 where the stress changes significantly.

[0086] Optional, such as Figure 4 As shown, two pressure sensors 22 are provided, positioned left and right on the first elastic beam 211. The left pressure sensor 22 is near the left screw 210a, and the right pressure sensor 22 is near the right screw 210a. The pressing pressure of the finger 80 is the sum of the pressure values ​​collected by the two pressure sensors 22. When the finger 80 slides on the keycap 10, the pressure values ​​sensed by both pressure sensors 22 change with the position of the finger 80. For example, when the finger 80 slides from left to right on the key body 11, the pressure value sensed by the left pressure sensor 22 decreases, while the pressure value sensed by the right pressure sensor 22 increases. Thus, the processor can determine the position of the finger 80 based on the pressure values ​​collected by the two pressure sensors 22, and thereby apply a corresponding driving voltage to the piezoelectric structure 23.

[0087] Specifically, both pressure sensors 22 are located on the upper side of the first elastic beam 211 for ease of assembly. The left pressure sensor 22 is located between the left guide post 12 and the left screw 210a, while the right pressure sensor 22 is located between the right guide post 12 and the right screw 210a. In this way, both pressure sensors 22 are positioned at points of high stress in the first elastic beam 211 during elastic deformation, improving the sensitivity of the pressure sensors 22 in acquiring pressure information.

[0088] Of course, in other embodiments, the pressure sensor 22 may also be located between the two guide posts 12. When the finger 80 is not involved in a sliding operation, only one pressure sensor 22 may be provided. The pressure sensor 22 may also be located on the lower side of the first elastic beam 211. There are no restrictions here.

[0089] like Figure 4As shown, the piezoelectric structure 23 is disposed on the elastic support 21. The piezoelectric structure 23 is a structure made of piezoelectric material, which refers to a material that can generate an electric field due to mechanical deformation (direct piezoelectric effect) and can also generate mechanical deformation due to the action of an electric field (inverse piezoelectric effect). The piezoelectric structure 23 can deform due to the inverse piezoelectric effect and generate a piezoelectric driving force. This piezoelectric driving force can drive the elastic support 21 to undergo elastic deformation, so as to transmit feedback force to the finger 80 through the keycap 10. The piezoelectric structure 23 is located between the two guide posts 12 in the left-right direction, so that the piezoelectric structure 23 avoids the guide posts 12 in the up-down direction, avoiding the piezoelectric structure 23 and the guide posts 12 from overlapping in the up-down direction. This prevents the impact force from being directly transmitted downward from the guide posts 12 to the piezoelectric structure 23 when the keycap 10 is hit, thus avoiding the piezoelectric structure 23 from breaking and improving the reliability of the piezoelectric structure 23.

[0090] The piezoelectric structure 23 has advantages such as small thickness, simple structure, minimal deformation affecting the internal structure generating piezoelectric driving force, relatively low requirements for assembly structure dimensions, and ease of integration. Compared with the aforementioned electromagnetic structure 23', the piezoelectric structure 23 reduces the installation accuracy requirements of the feedback mechanism 20, thereby reducing adjustment costs. Furthermore, the solid-state button 100 can be assembled using universally sized mounting cavities, eliminating the need for precise dimensioning of the mounting cavity 901. The first elastic beam 211 also does not need to be segmented, shortening the assembly chain, reducing assembly difficulty and errors, and improving consistency in the solid-state button 100 production process, thus reducing mass production difficulty. Simultaneously, the piezoelectric structure 23 can avoid the guide post 12 in the vertical direction, improving its reliability.

[0091] Both the pressure sensor 22 and the piezoelectric structure 23 can communicate with the processor inside the mobile phone 90. The pressure sensor 22 can send the collected pressure information to the processor inside the mobile phone 90. After receiving the pressure information, the processor generates a piezoelectric control signal and applies a corresponding driving voltage to the piezoelectric structure 23 according to the piezoelectric control signal, so that the piezoelectric structure 23 deforms. The piezoelectric driving force generated by the deformation of the piezoelectric structure 23 drives the elastic support 21 to undergo elastic deformation, so as to transmit feedback force to the finger 80 through the keycap 10, thereby giving the user a vibration feel.

[0092] Specifically, when the pressure information collected by the pressure sensor 22 reaches the design requirements, such as when the pressure value or pressing time reaches a certain preset threshold, or when the pressing position reaches a certain preset position, the processor outputs an instantaneous driving voltage to the piezoelectric structure 23. At this time, the piezoelectric structure 23 transmits a feedback force to the finger 80. Alternatively, the processor may intermittently output multiple instantaneous voltages to the piezoelectric structure 23, allowing it to transmit multiple feedback forces to the finger 80. When the finger 80 performs different pressing operations, the magnitude of the feedback force applied by the piezoelectric structure 23 to the finger 80 can be the same or different. The number of times and the magnitude of the feedback force transmission can be selected according to design requirements and user feel. The piezoelectric driving force generated by the piezoelectric structure 23 can be controlled by applying different driving voltages. The piezoelectric driving force is positively correlated with the driving voltage; that is, the larger the driving voltage applied to the piezoelectric structure 23, the larger the piezoelectric driving force and the greater the feedback force. Conversely, the smaller the driving voltage applied to the piezoelectric structure 23, the smaller the piezoelectric driving force and the smaller the feedback force. The direction of the feedback force can be controlled by applying driving voltages of different polarities. For example, when the driving voltage is positive, the piezoelectric structure 23 contracts and deforms, and the feedback force is directed away from the finger 80; when the driving voltage is negative, the piezoelectric structure 23 stretches and deforms, and the feedback force is directed towards the finger 80.

[0093] Optionally, the piezoelectric structure 23 is adhered to the first elastic beam 211, with the adhesion surface being flat. The adhesion length of the piezoelectric structure 23 is equal to its length, ensuring that the first elastic beam 211 can deform uniformly and preventing twisting or wrinkling. Alternatively, the piezoelectric structure 23 can also be fixedly connected to the elastic support 21 in other ways, as long as the elastic support 21 does not wrinkle or twist when the piezoelectric structure 23 deforms. It should be noted that the piezoelectric structure 23 can be directly connected to the first elastic beam 211 or indirectly connected to it through other structures.

[0094] The piezoelectric structure 23 includes one or more layers of piezoelectric ceramics. When the piezoelectric structure 23 includes multiple layers of piezoelectric ceramics, the multiple layers are stacked in the vertical direction. The more layers of piezoelectric ceramics, the greater the thickness of the piezoelectric structure 23. Under the same driving voltage, the more layers of piezoelectric ceramics, the greater the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure 23. However, the keycap 10 is also more prone to breakage when impacted, and its reliability is correspondingly reduced. Therefore, in practical applications, the number of piezoelectric ceramic layers can be set according to the requirements for the feedback force and reliability of the feedback mechanism 20. Figure 4 In the solid-state button 100 shown, the thickness of the piezoelectric structure 23 can be set to 0.4mm-0.6mm.

[0095] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4As shown, the two guide posts 12 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the central axis s of the first elastic beam 211, and the central axis of the piezoelectric structure 23 coincides with the central axis s of the first elastic beam 211. Thus, after the piezoelectric structure 23 applies a piezoelectric driving force, the first elastic beam 211 undergoes symmetrical elastic deformation, ensuring that the displacement of the two guide posts 12 is the same, preventing the keycap 10 from twisting and improving the consistency of feedback force between different solid-state buttons 100. The point with the maximum displacement at any point on the first elastic beam 211 is the midpoint of the first elastic beam 211. It should be noted that the central axis of the piezoelectric structure 23 is a virtual line extending vertically and passing through the midpoint of the piezoelectric structure 23, rather than a structural line.

[0096] Figure 5 This is a partial structural diagram of the feedback mechanism in an embodiment of this application. In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the pressure sensor 22 is connected to the piezoelectric structure 23 via a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) 30. The FPC 30 is electrically connected to the processor inside the mobile phone 90. The FPC 30 includes a first circuit board section 31, a second circuit board section 32, and a third circuit board section 33. The first circuit board section 31 is positioned above the first elastic beam 211, avoiding the guide post 12. The length of the first circuit board section 31 is less than the distance between the two screw holes 2110 on the first elastic beam 211. Two pressure sensors 22 are located at the two ends above the first circuit board section 31. Two second circuit board sections 32 are provided, each connected to the first circuit board section 31 and foldable under the piezoelectric structure 23. The two second circuit board sections 32 are electrically connected to the two driving electrodes below the piezoelectric structure 23. The third circuit board section 33 is connected to the first circuit board section 31 and electrically connected to the processor inside the mobile phone 90. The downward-facing driving electrodes of the piezoelectric structure 23 prevent short circuits between the pressure sensor 22 and the piezoelectric structure 23.

[0097] In practical applications, the feedback force transmitted from the piezoelectric structure 23 to the finger 80 can be accurately measured using a load cell. This load cell is also a structural component capable of stretching and deforming under pressure. By pressing the keycap 10 with this load cell, the load cell can determine the magnitude of the feedback force based on its deformation before and after receiving the feedback force. Therefore, to achieve accurate measurement, the stiffness of the load cell should be much greater than the stiffness of the elastic support 21. Under this premise, the magnitude of the feedback force is proportional to the displacement of the keycap 10. When designing the solid-state key 100, the feedback force F... f The answer can be calculated using the following formula:

[0098]

[0099] Where, df It is the displacement of the keycap 10 caused by the feedback force generated by the piezoelectric structure 23, d p It is the displacement of keycap 10 under a pressing force of 1N.

[0100] Based on formula (1), the designer can obtain the feedback force of the solid key 100 and the stiffness of the elastic support 21 in the current design based on the displacement of the keycap 10. However, in practical applications, the deformation of the elastic support 21 under the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure 23 is also related to the stiffness of the finger 80. The stiffness of the finger 80 refers to the stiffness of the area where the finger 80 contacts the keycap 10. For example, if the fingernail of the finger 80 contacts and presses the keycap 10, since the fingernail has a large stiffness, it can be said that the stiffness of the finger 80 is large. When the piezoelectric structure 23 applies the piezoelectric driving force, the elastic support 21 will further increase the deformation based on the current deformation, that is, the keycap 10 will further displace downward. This further displacement is approximately equal to the displacement of the keycap 10 when the finger 80 continues to apply the same amount of feedback force. Therefore, the finger 80 obtains a relatively strong vibration feel. If the fingertip of the finger 80 contacts and presses the keycap 10, since the fingertip has a certain elasticity, it can be said that the stiffness of the finger 80 is large. When the piezoelectric force is applied by the piezoelectric structure 23, the feedback force can be partially or completely absorbed by the fingertip, that is, the pressure of the finger 80 is released, so that the finger 80 obtains a relatively weak vibration feel. At this time, the elastic support 21 can further increase the deformation based on the current deformation, that is, the keycap 10 moves further downward. However, due to the absorption of the piezoelectric driving force by the fingertip, the further displacement of the keycap 10 is less than the displacement of the keycap 10 when the finger 80 continues to apply the pressure of the same feedback force. Alternatively, the elastic support 21 can reduce the current deformation, that is, the keycap 10 moves upward at the current position.

[0101] Since the stiffness of finger 80 varies from person to person, and the elasticity of the fingertip decreases as the pressing force increases, the stiffness of finger 80 will increase as the pressing force increases. Therefore, when designing solid-state buttons, formula (1) needs to be modified as follows:

[0102]

[0103] Where, d f It is the displacement of the keycap 10 caused by the feedback force generated by the piezoelectric structure 23, d p It is the displacement of keycap 10 under a pressing force of 1N, k h It refers to the stiffness of the finger (80) or other parts that press the keycap (10), k bThe stiffness of the elastic support 21 is referenced to the displacement of the keycap 10. The stiffness of the finger 80 or other part pressing the keycap 10 refers to the stiffness of the contact point between the finger 80 or other part pressing the keycap 10 and the keycap 10. From formula (2), it can be seen that in k... b Under certain circumstances, k h The larger the actual feedback force F, the greater the actual feedback force F. f The closer to the feedback force measured by the force sensor, the more k h When the force is relatively small, such as an 80-degree finger swipe operation, the actual feedback force F f It will be less than the feedback force measured by a force sensor.

[0104] For ease of understanding, the feedback force is calculated using formula (1) in the following embodiments.

[0105] Figure 6 This is a displacement contour plot of the solid-state button in this embodiment under a pressing force of 1N in the z-axis direction. Figure 7 This is a displacement contour map of the solid-state button in this embodiment of the application under the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure, where the z-axis direction is the up-down direction. The end of the first elastic beam in the solid-state button is fixedly connected to the frame portion through a vertically arranged connecting piece. Figure 6 and Figure 7 It can be seen that, in Figure 4 The displacement d of keycap 10 under a pressing force of 1N for a solid-state key of size 100 is shown. p The displacement d of the keycap 10 caused by the feedback force generated by the piezoelectric structure 23 is 13.1 μm. f The piezoelectric structure 23 in this embodiment generates a feedback force F of 4.4 μm. f The feedback force is 0.36N, meaning that a pressure of 1N results in a feedback force of 0.36N. This shows that the transmission efficiency of piezoelectric driving force into feedback force is relatively low.

[0106] Figure 8 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along direction AA within the dashed box. For example... Figure 8 As shown, to improve the transmission efficiency of the feedback force generated by the piezoelectric structure 23, in some embodiments, the guide post 12 can be abutted against the first elastic beam 211. In this way, the deformation of the first elastic beam 211 is in a free state, and the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure 23 only needs to overcome the stiffness of the first elastic beam 211, without needing to overcome the stiffness of the keycap 10, thereby increasing the deformation of the first elastic beam 211 and thus increasing the feedback force transmitted to the finger 80. Experiments show that... Figure 8 The feedback force F calculated according to the above formula (1) for the solid-state button of size 100 shown. iThe value is 0.47N. It can be seen that the method of abutting the guide post 12 against the first elastic beam 211 increases the transmission efficiency of the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure 23 into feedback force, while eliminating the connection step between the keycap 10 and the first elastic beam 211, which facilitates assembly.

[0107] To ensure consistent feedback force among the solid-state buttons 100, a first elastic pad 121 is provided between the guide post 12 and the first elastic beam 211. The first elastic pad 121 can be made of flexible or elastic materials, such as colloid, foam, or rubber. Both the guide post 12 and the first elastic beam 211 are interference-fitted with the first elastic pad 121, meaning that the guide post 12 and the first elastic beam 211 can compress the first elastic pad 121 to a slight degree, so that both the guide post 12 and the first elastic beam 211 are pressed tightly against the first elastic pad 121, thereby improving the cushioning ability of the solid-state button 100 when the keycap 10 is subjected to impact force. The first elastic pad 121 can be fixedly connected to the guide post 12 and abut against the first elastic beam 211, or it can be fixedly connected to the first elastic beam 211 and abut against the guide post 12.

[0108] However, the contact force between the two guide posts 12 and the first elastic beam 211 in different solid-state buttons 100 cannot be completely consistent, resulting in poor consistency between different solid-state buttons 100. Under the same pressing force, the pressure value collected by the pressure sensor 22 and the transmission efficiency of the piezoelectric driving force converted into feedback force may be different, resulting in low mass production capability.

[0109] In the above embodiments, the piezoelectric structure 23 can be disposed above or below the first elastic beam 211. When the piezoelectric structure 23 is disposed above the first elastic beam 211, or disposed below the first elastic beam 211 and a fixing structure with a fixing guide post 12 is disposed below the first elastic beam 211, the piezoelectric structure 23 needs to be disposed between the two guide posts 12 due to the restriction of the two guide posts 12. When the piezoelectric structure 23 is disposed below the first elastic beam 211 and the guide post 12 is only fixed above the first elastic beam 211, the piezoelectric structure 23 also needs to avoid the guide post 12 in the vertical direction to prevent the impact force received by the keycap 10 in the scenario of the phone 90 being dropped from the phone from directly acting on the piezoelectric structure 23 through the guide post 12, causing the piezoelectric structure 23 to break. Based on the above two situations, the length of the piezoelectric structure 23 needs to be less than the distance between the two guide posts 12. Since the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure 23 is positively correlated with its length, under the same driving voltage, a limited length of the piezoelectric structure 23 will result in a limited piezoelectric driving force, leading to a smaller feedback force transmitted to the finger 80. To improve the feedback force transmitted from the piezoelectric structure 23 to the finger 80, the piezoelectric structure 23 should be made as long as possible. At the same time, a small distance between the guide posts 12 will result in a larger displacement and greater deformation of the middle part of the first elastic beam 211 under the same pressing force, making the piezoelectric structure 23 more prone to bending and breakage. Therefore, the distance between the two guide posts 12 should be made as large as possible. However, if the two guide posts 12 are positioned too close to the ends of the first elastic beam 211, the stiffness of the keycap 10 that the piezoelectric driving force needs to overcome will also increase, reducing the transmission efficiency of the piezoelectric driving force into feedback force. In addition, the elastic deformation of the first elastic beam 211 required for the keycap 10 to achieve the same displacement will also increase, so the pressing force required to drive the keycap 10 to achieve the same displacement will also increase accordingly, resulting in the finger 80 having difficulty pressing, a too hard feel, and a poor operating experience. At the same time, the lower cavity wall of the mounting cavity 901 needs to be provided with a flexible or elastic buffer structure, such as buffer glue or rubber pad, so that the piezoelectric structure 23 can be buffered by the buffer structure when it moves downward, avoiding direct impact on the lower cavity wall of the mounting cavity 901. However, this also results in the mounting cavity 901 needing to be set at a large height, occupying internal space of the phone 90, which is not conducive to achieving the thinning of the phone 90.

[0110] Figure 9 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along direction AA within the dashed box. For example... Figure 9 As shown, in some embodiments, the elastic support 21 includes a first elastic beam 211, a second elastic beam 212, a conductor 213, and two connecting columns 214.

[0111] The second elastic beam 212 is located below and spaced apart from the first elastic beam 211. The second elastic beam 212 is connected to the first elastic beam 211 via two connecting posts 214, which are positioned lateral to lateral, with the distance between the two connecting posts 214 greater than the distance between the two guide posts 12. Specifically, the left connecting post 214 is located to the left of the left guide post 12, and the right connecting post 214 is located to the right of the right guide post 12. The middle portion of the second elastic beam 212 is connected to the first elastic beam 211 via a conductive member 213.

[0112] The conductive element 213 includes at least one conductive block 2131, which is made of a rigid material such as metal, engineering plastic, ceramic, or composite material. In this embodiment, the conductive block 2131 may be made of stainless steel. The upper and lower ends of the conductive block 2131 are respectively connected to the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212. The conductive element 213 is located between the two guide posts 12 in the left-right direction, that is, all the conductive blocks 2131 are located between the two guide posts 12 in the left-right direction. The piezoelectric structure 23 is connected to the second elastic beam 212. In this way, the piezoelectric structure 23 is indirectly connected to the first elastic beam 211 through the second elastic beam 212 and the conductive element 213. The arrangement of the two connecting posts 214 ensures that the maximum deformation point of the second elastic beam 212 is located in the middle of the second elastic beam 212.

[0113] Optionally, the second elastic beam 212 is parallel to the first elastic beam 211, and the central axis s of the first elastic beam 211 coincides with the central axis of the second elastic beam 212. The two connecting columns 214 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the central axis s of the first elastic beam 211. In this way, the elastic support member 21 can maintain symmetrical elastic deformation when it is pressed and when it is subjected to the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure 23, so as to ensure the consistency of the displacement and feedback force of the keycap 10 between the solid buttons 100.

[0114] Optionally, the connecting column 214 is connected to the end of the second elastic beam 212. By fixing the end of the second elastic beam 212 to the connecting column 214, the maximum deformation area of ​​the second elastic beam 212 can be limited to the middle of the second elastic beam 212. Of course, the connecting column 214 can also be connected to a position near the end of the second elastic beam 212, and there is no limitation here.

[0115] The second elastic beam 212 can be made of a metal material, such as stainless steel. The connecting post 214 can be formed by bending the end of the second elastic beam 212 upwards for ease of processing. The upper end of the connecting post 214 is laser-welded to the first elastic beam 211. At this time, it should be ensured that the welding temperature and duration of the two connecting posts 214 are equal to ensure consistent welding stability between the two connecting posts 214 and the first elastic beam 211, and that the elastic support 21 is symmetrical from left to right. In this embodiment, the center distance between the two guide posts 12 is 15mm-20mm, the length of the first elastic beam 211 can be 25mm-35mm, and the length of the second elastic beam 212 can be approximately equal to the length of the first elastic beam 211 to increase the deformability of the second elastic beam 212, thereby increasing the high feedback force transmitted to the finger, and also providing a larger connectable area for the piezoelectric structure 23, so as to set a longer piezoelectric structure 23. The above-mentioned approximately equal means that the length of the second elastic beam 212 is equal to the length of the first elastic beam 211 or the difference between the lengths of the two elastic beams is less than 10%. Of course, the connecting column 214 and the first elastic beam 211 can also be fixedly connected by means of crimping, screwing, etc., and there are no restrictions here.

[0116] In other embodiments, the fixed connection between the upper end of the connecting column 214 and the first elastic beam 211 may also include bonding, snap-fitting, etc., as long as a fixed connection between the connecting column 214 and the first elastic beam 211 can be achieved. The connecting column 214 may also be a structural component independent of the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212, in which case the upper and lower ends of the connecting column 214 are fixedly connected to the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212, respectively.

[0117] When the piezoelectric structure 23 is subjected to piezoelectric driving force, it can cause the second elastic beam 212 to deform. The second elastic beam 212 can pull the middle part of the first elastic beam 211 downward through the conductor 213, thereby transmitting feedback force to the finger 80.

[0118] exist Figure 9 In the illustrated embodiment, the conductive element 213 includes two conductive blocks 2131, which are the same size and symmetrically arranged with respect to the central axis s of the first elastic beam 211. The length of the two conductive blocks 2131 in the left-right direction is 2mm-4mm. The piezoelectric structure 23 and... Figure 4 The piezoelectric structure 23 in the middle is the same size.

[0119] Figure 10 This is a displacement contour plot of the solid-state button in the embodiment of this application under a pressing force of 1N in the z-axis direction. Figure 11This is a displacement contour map of the solid-state button in this embodiment of the application under the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure, where the z-axis direction is the up-down direction. The end of the first elastic beam in the solid-state button is fixedly connected to the frame portion through a vertically arranged connecting piece. Figure 10 and Figure 11 It can be seen that, for Figure 9 In the embodiment shown, the displacement d of the keycap 10 caused by a pressing force of 1N on the solid-state key 100 is... p The value is 4.62 μm, and the displacement d of the keycap 10 caused by its piezoelectric structure 23 is... f The value is 6.18 μm. According to the formula (1) above, the feedback force F is calculated to be 6.18 μm. f The value is 1.34N. It can be seen that since the conductor 213 is located between the two guide posts 12 in the left and right direction, under the action of the piezoelectric driving force of the same piezoelectric structure 23, the deformation of the second elastic beam 212 can be concentrated and transmitted to the middle of the first elastic beam 211 through the conductor 213, so as to convert more piezoelectric driving force into feedback force, thereby improving the transmission efficiency of the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure 23 into feedback force. Therefore, the feedback force transmitted to the finger 80 also increases, improving the user's vibration feel.

[0120] Furthermore, since the second elastic beam 212 is spaced apart from the first elastic beam 211, when the phone 90 falls and the keycap 10 is impacted, the impact force will not directly act on the piezoelectric structure 23. Instead, the first elastic beam 211 will absorb part of the impact force, and the remaining impact force will be absorbed by the second elastic beam 212 before being transmitted to the piezoelectric structure 23. This double buffering effect of the first and second elastic beams 211 further reduces the possibility of piezoelectric ceramic breakage. Simultaneously, due to the arrangement of the second elastic beam 212, the stiffness of the elastic support 21 is relatively higher than that of the first elastic beam 211. Figure 4 The stiffness of the elastic support 21 in this embodiment is increased, therefore, under the same impact force, the elastic deformation of the elastic support 21 is greater than that of the previous embodiment. Figure 4 The elastic deformation of the elastic support 21 is reduced, thereby improving the reliability of the piezoelectric structure 23.

[0121] Figure 12 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along direction AA within the dashed box. For example... Figure 12As shown, in some embodiments, to further improve the feedback force transmitted from the piezoelectric structure 23 to the finger 80, the piezoelectric structure 23 can be disposed on the lower surface of the second elastic beam 212, and the length of the piezoelectric structure 23 is set to be greater than the distance between the two guide posts 12. In this way, the piezoelectric structure 23 can provide a larger piezoelectric driving force, thereby increasing the elastic deformation of the second elastic element to transmit a larger feedback force to the finger 80 and improve the user experience. In practical applications, the size of the piezoelectric structure 23 can be flexibly selected according to the piezoelectric driving force requirements of the solid-state button 100.

[0122] Optionally, the first elastic beam 211 has two connecting holes 2111, and the two guide posts 12 are respectively inserted through one connecting hole 2111 and fixedly connected to the first elastic beam 211 by the snap-fit ​​member 122. This improves the connection stability between the guide post 12 and the first elastic beam 211, thereby improving the reliability of the solid-state button 100. It should be noted that the second elastic beam 212 needs to be spaced apart from the lower end face of the guide post 12 and the snap-fit ​​member 122 to prevent the impact force from being directly transmitted to the second elastic beam 212 through the guide post 12 when the keycap 10 is impacted. The distance between the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212 can be selected as 1mm-2mm, and the height of the conductive block 2131 is equal to the distance between the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212.

[0123] To reduce the stiffness of the elastic support 21, the second elastic beam 212 can be set to have a length similar to that of the first elastic beam 211. The thickness of both the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212 is 0.1mm-0.5mm. The specific thickness should be selected considering the length of the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212 and the magnitude of the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure 23.

[0124] Optionally, the thickness of the first elastic beam 211 can be set to be less than the thickness of the second elastic beam 212. This makes the first elastic beam 211 more prone to deformation. When the keycap 10 receives an impact force, the first elastic beam 211 can absorb most of the impact force, thereby reducing the impact force transmitted to the piezoelectric structure 23 and improving the reliability of the piezoelectric structure 23.

[0125] Optional, such as Figure 12 As shown, the connecting post 214 is spaced apart from the frame portion 911. At this time, the connecting post 214 on the left is located between the guide post 12 on the left and the screw 210a on the left, and the connecting post 214 on the right is located between the guide post 12 on the right and the screw 210a on the right. In this way, when the second elastic beam 212 deforms under the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure 23, the displacement of the middle part of the elastic support member 21 can be further increased due to the elastic deformation of the first elastic beam 211.

[0126] The pressure sensor 22 can be positioned between the guide post 12 and the connecting post 214 at the same end in the left-right direction. Specifically, the left-side pressure sensor 22 is positioned between the left-side guide post 12 and the left-side connecting post 214, and the right-side pressure sensor 22 is positioned between the right-side guide post 12 and the right-side connecting post 214 to improve the sensitivity of the pressure sensor 22. In this way, the pressure sensor 22 can avoid the connection point between the connecting post 214 and the first elastic beam 211 in the up-down direction, preventing damage to the pressure sensor 22 when welding the connecting post 214. Based on this, the length of the connecting post 214 needs to be relatively small.

[0127] Figure 13 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along direction AA within the dashed box. For example... Figure 13 As shown, in some embodiments, the conductor 213 includes a conductor block 2131, the central axis of which coincides with the central axis s of the first elastic beam 211.

[0128] Figure 14 This is a linear relationship diagram between the feedback force and the center distance between the two conductive blocks in the solid-state button of this application embodiment.

[0129] The center distance between the two conductive blocks 2131 refers to the distance between the central axes of the two conductive blocks 2131. Figure 14 The diagram illustrates the linear relationship between the feedback force of the solid-state button 100 and the center-to-center distance of the two conductive blocks 2131 as the distance between their centers varies from 0 mm to 10 mm. A center-to-center distance of 0 mm can be considered as the two conductive blocks 2131 coinciding in the left-right direction, i.e., as shown... Figure 13 As shown, the conductive element 213 includes only one conductive block 2131, and the central axis of the conductive block 2131 coincides with the central axis s of the first elastic beam 211. Figure 14 It can be seen that when the conductive element 213 includes only one conductive block 2131, the feedback force is approximately 0.8N. The feedback force transmitted from the piezoelectric structure 23 to the finger 80 is basically proportional to the distance between the two conductive blocks 2131. That is, the feedback force increases as the distance between the two conductive blocks 2131 increases and decreases as the distance between the two conductive blocks 2131 decreases. Therefore, the closer the two conductive blocks 2131 are to the corresponding end of the guide post 12, the greater the feedback force that the piezoelectric structure 23 can transmit. If the feedback force is too small, it will result in a slight tactile sensation for the user, affecting the feedback experience of the solid-state button 100. However, if the feedback force is too large, it will cause the user to feel a momentary lack of input, which will also affect the feedback experience of the solid-state button 100. In practical applications, the feedback force can be kept between 1N and 1.4N to provide the user with a good pressing experience.

[0130] Figure 15 This is a displacement contour plot of the solid-state button in this embodiment of the application when a pressing force of 1N is applied in the z-axis direction and the center distance between the two conductive blocks is 0mm. Figure 16 This is a displacement contour plot of the solid-state button in this embodiment of the application when a pressing force of 1N is applied in the z-axis direction and the center distance between the two conductive blocks is 10mm. When the center distance between the two conductive blocks 2131 is 0mm, since the distance between the conductive blocks 2131 and the two guide posts 12 is relatively large, when the keycap 10 is pressed, the first elastic beam 211 is only supported by the middle part of the conductive block 2131, while the part connected to the two guide posts 12 can obtain a large downward displacement. This results in the distance between the point where the first elastic beam 211 connects to the guide post 12 and the corresponding position of the second elastic beam 212 being smaller than the distance between the middle part of the first elastic beam 211 and the middle part of the second elastic beam 212. Therefore, the stiffness that the pressing force needs to overcome is relatively small. Figure 15 In the middle, the displacement of keycap 10 is 10.9um. When the center distance between the two conductive blocks 2131 is 10mm, since the two conductive blocks 2131 have two guide posts 12 that are relatively close together, the deformation amplitudes of the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212 are similar. The first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212 are roughly parallel. Therefore, the stiffness that the pressing force needs to overcome is relatively large. Figure 16 In the diagram, the displacement of keycap 10 is 5.77µm. It is evident that the displacement of keycap 10 when the center distance between the two conductive blocks 2131 is 0mm is almost twice that when the center distance is 10mm. This means that the stiffness of keycap 10 when the center distance between the two conductive blocks 2131 is 0mm is only half that when the center distance is 10mm. This indicates that as the center distance between the two conductive blocks 2131 increases, although the feedback force transmitted by the piezoelectric structure 23 also increases, the stiffness of the elastic support 21 also increases. If the stiffness of the elastic support 21 is too high, it will make the solid-state key 100 difficult to press, affecting the feedback experience during sliding. As the distance between the two conductive blocks 2131 decreases, the stiffness of the elastic support 21 decreases accordingly. However, if the stiffness of the elastic support 21 is too small, the solid-state key 100 will feel too soft, resulting in a lack of weight. At the same time, pressing the keycap 10 will cause excessive deformation of the elastic support 21, which may damage the piezoelectric structure 23. In addition, according to formula (2), when the stiffness of the elastic support 21 is too small, the stiffness of the finger will play a decisive role in the magnitude of the feedback force, resulting in unstable feedback force. Therefore, based on formula (2), the stiffness of the elastic support 21 should be set slightly greater than the stiffness of the finger to obtain a more stable feedback force.

[0131] In practical applications, the distance between the two transmission blocks 2131 can be set according to the requirements of the pressing feel and the stiffness of the fingers, so that the user can get a better feedback experience.

[0132] To ensure appropriate stiffness of the elastic support 21, the center distance between the two conductive blocks 2131 can be set to 4mm-10mm, keeping the feedback force between 1N and 1.4N. Furthermore, the thickness of the first elastic beam 211 can be selected as 0.2mm. Since the thickness of the piezoelectric structure 23 is approximately 0.6mm, the thickness of the second elastic beam 212 should not be too thin. Optionally, the thickness of the second elastic beam 212 can be 0.2-0.4mm to prevent torsional deformation of the second elastic beam 212 under the action of the piezoelectric structure 23.

[0133] Furthermore, the widths of the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212 can be equal or unequal, as long as the width of the second elastic beam 212 is greater than the width of the piezoelectric ceramic, so that the deformation of the piezoelectric ceramic can be entirely applied to the second elastic beam 212. The width direction of each structural component is perpendicular to the cross-sectional view, that is, perpendicular to the length and height directions of the elastic support member 21. The width of the conductive block 2131 can also be equal to the widths of the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212 to improve the efficiency of converting the piezoelectric driving force into feedback force.

[0134] Figure 17 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along direction AA within the dashed box. For example... Figure 17 As shown, in some embodiments, the conductive member 213 includes two conductive blocks 2131, both of which can be fixedly connected to the second elastic beam 212 and abut against the first elastic beam 211. This reduces the stiffness of the elastic support member 21 that the finger 80 needs to overcome when pressing the solid button 100, making pressing easier.

[0135] Figure 18 for Figure 17 The displacement contour plot of the solid-state button in the image under the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure. Figure 18 It can be seen that the maximum displacement of the keycap 10 caused by the piezoelectric structure 23 is 10.4 μm. Under this condition, the maximum value of the feedback force is 2.36 N. It can be seen that the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure 23 only needs to overcome the stiffness of the second elastic beam 212, thereby making the deformation of the second elastic beam larger. The keycap 10 can also obtain a larger displacement, thereby improving the transmission efficiency of the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure 23 into the feedback force, thus enabling the finger 80 to obtain a larger feedback force.

[0136] Optionally, a second elastic pad 2132 is provided between each conductive block 2131 and the first elastic beam 211. The second elastic pad 2132 can be made of flexible or elastic material, such as colloid, rubber pad, or foam, to achieve a tight fit between the conductive block 2131 and the first elastic beam 211. At least one of the conductive block 2131 and the first elastic beam 211 can be interference-fitted with the second elastic pad 2132, meaning that the conductive block 2131 and the first elastic beam 211 press the second elastic pad 2132 against the first elastic beam 211 until the second elastic pad 2132 undergoes slight compression deformation. This ensures that the conductive block 2131 and the second elastic pad 2132 are pressed tightly against the first elastic beam 211, while simultaneously improving the cushioning capacity of the elastic support 21 when the keycap 10 is subjected to impact forces.

[0137] Of course, in other embodiments, both conductive blocks 2131 may be fixedly connected to the first elastic beam 211 and abut against the second elastic beam 212, or one conductive block 2131 may be fixedly connected to the first elastic beam 211 and abut against the second elastic beam 212, while the other conductive block 2131 may be fixedly connected to the second elastic beam 212 and abut against the first elastic beam 211. No limitation is imposed here.

[0138] However, since the middle part of the first elastic beam 211 is not connected to the middle part of the second elastic beam 212, the middle part of the second elastic beam 212 separates from the conduction block 2131 under the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure 23, causing the user to have a momentary feeling of pressing nothing, which affects the feedback experience of the solid button 100.

[0139] Figure 19 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along direction AA within the dashed box. For example... Figure 19As shown, in some embodiments, the conductive member 213 includes three conductive blocks 2131, which are arranged sequentially in the left-right direction. The central axis of the middle conductive block 2131 coincides with the central axis s of the first elastic beam 211. The left and right conductive blocks 2131 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the central axis s of the first elastic beam 211. The left and right conductive blocks 2131 abut against the first elastic beam 211 and are fixedly connected to the second elastic beam 212. A second elastic pad 2132 is provided between the left and right conductive blocks 2131 and the first elastic beam 211 to ensure that the left and right conductive blocks 2131 abut against the first elastic beam 211. In this way, compared to the elastic support member 21 with only one middle transmission block 2131, the elastic support member 21 increases the stiffness of the elastic support member 21 that the keycap 10 needs to overcome when it is pressed down by the contact between the left and right transmission blocks 2131 and the first elastic beam 211, thus avoiding an overly soft feel. At the same time, compared to the elastic support member 21 with the left and right transmission blocks 2131 fixedly connected to the first elastic beam 211, the stiffness of the elastic support member 21 that the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure 23 needs to overcome is reduced. Furthermore, the fixed connection between the middle transmission block 2131 and the first elastic beam 211 increases the displacement of the keycap 10, thereby improving the transmission efficiency of the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure 23 into feedback force, so that the finger 80 can obtain a greater feedback force.

[0140] Figure 20 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along direction AA within the dashed box. For example... Figure 20 As shown, in some embodiments, the conductive member 213 includes a conductive block 2131, the central axis of which coincides with the central axis s of the first elastic beam 211. The length of the conductive block 2131 in the left-right direction can be set to 4mm-10mm, so that the elastic support member 21 obtains similar stiffness and feedback force as the elastic support member 21 in the embodiment with two conductive blocks 2131. A single, longer conductive block 2131 can result in greater stiffness for the elastic support member 21 compared to two spaced-apart conductive blocks 2131. In practical applications, the stiffness and number of conductive blocks 2131 can be set according to the required stiffness of the elastic support member 21. It should be noted that the conductive block 2131 can be fixedly connected to both the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212, or it can be fixedly connected to one of the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212, and abut against the other; no limitation is made here.

[0141] Figure 21 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along direction AA within the dashed box. For example... Figure 21 As shown, in some embodiments, the conductive member 213 includes four conductive blocks 2131, which are arranged sequentially in the left-right direction. The four conductive blocks 2131 are of equal size and symmetrically arranged with respect to the central axis s of the first elastic beam 211. The center distance between the leftmost and rightmost conductive blocks 2131 can be set to 4mm-10mm, which is approximately the same as the center distance between two conductive blocks 2131 in the above embodiment, so that the elastic support member 21 obtains stiffness and feedback force similar to those in the above embodiment.

[0142] In other embodiments, the number of conduction blocks 2131 may be three or five or more, which is not limited here. However, the more conduction blocks 2131 there are, the greater the stiffness of the elastic support 21, and the more difficult it is to achieve the connection consistency between each conduction block 2131 and the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212. At the same time, it increases the weight of the elastic support 21, which is not conducive to achieving the lightweighting of the elastic support 21. Therefore, in practical applications, the number of conduction blocks 2131 can be selected according to the requirements of the pressing feel and consistency.

[0143] It should be noted that all conductive blocks 2131 can be fixedly connected to the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212, or they can be partially fixedly connected to the first elastic beam 211 and the other part abuts against the second elastic beam 212, or partially fixedly connected to the second elastic beam 212 and the other part abuts against the first elastic beam 211. There are no restrictions here.

[0144] Figure 22 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along direction AA within the dashed box. For example... Figure 22As shown, in some embodiments, the conductive member 213 includes two conductive blocks 2131, which are arranged side by side. The length of the piezoelectric structure 23 is close to or less than the center distance between the two conductive blocks 2131. In this case, the connecting column 214 is not required. The second elastic beam 212 is connected to the first elastic beam 211 only through the conductive blocks 2131. Neither end of the second elastic beam 212 is connected to the frame portion 911. In this case, the arrangement of the second elastic beam 212 and the conductive blocks 2131 increases the stiffness of the elastic support member 21. The length of the second elastic beam 212 can be set to be relatively short. For example, both ends of the second elastic beam 212 are connected to a conductive block 2131 respectively. In this case, both conductive blocks 2131 are fixedly connected to both the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212. Of course, when there are many conductive blocks 2131, it is sufficient to ensure that at least two conductive blocks 2131 are fixedly connected to both the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212.

[0145] In other embodiments, the conductor 213 may include multiple conductors 213, with only some conductors 213 located between the two guide posts 12 in the left-right direction, and the other part not located between the two guide posts 12. In this case, the conductors 213 not located between the two guide posts 12 can abut against the first elastic beam 211 or the second elastic beam 212, thereby increasing the stiffness of the elastic support 21 while reducing the impact on the transmission efficiency of the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure 23 into feedback force.

[0146] Figure 23 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along direction AA within the dashed box. For example... Figure 23 As shown, in some embodiments, the piezoelectric structure 23 is connected to the upper side of the second elastic beam 212, and the lower end of the conductive member 213 is directly connected to the upper surface of the piezoelectric structure 23. In this case, the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure 23 can also drive the middle part of the second elastic beam 212 to move downward, thereby pulling the middle part of the first elastic beam 211 downward through the conductive member 213, thus transmitting feedback force to the finger 80. In this way, the second elastic beam 212 can protect the piezoelectric structure 23.

[0147] Figure 24 The assembly structure of the solid-state button in some embodiments of this application is in Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along direction AA within the dashed box. For example... Figure 24As shown, in some embodiments, the two connecting posts 214 are connected to the frame portion 911. In this case, the length of the connecting posts 214 can be set to be relatively large, thereby improving the connection strength between the first elastic beam 211 and the second elastic beam 212, thus improving the structural reliability of the elastic support member 21 and reducing the processing difficulty of the elastic support member 21. The connecting posts 214 can be fixedly connected to the frame portion 911 by means of bonding, pressing, or snapping.

[0148] Optionally, the two connecting posts 214 can be connected to both ends of the first elastic beam 211 respectively, and the screws 210a on the first elastic beam 211 can be screwed into the connecting posts 214. Of course, the screw holes 2110 on the elastic support 21 can also pass through the first elastic beam 211, the connecting posts 214 and the second elastic beam 212, and the screws 210a pass through the screw holes 2110 to connect with the frame portion 911, thus improving the reliability of the connection between the elastic support 21 and the frame portion 911.

[0149] It should be noted that the two ends of the second elastic beam 212 are respectively connected to the frame portion 911, that is, the two ends of the second elastic beam 212 are respectively connected to the left cavity wall and the right cavity wall of the mounting cavity 901. In this case, the connecting column 214 may not be provided.

[0150] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A solid-state button, characterized in that, The device includes a keycap and a feedback mechanism. The feedback mechanism includes an elastic support, a pressure sensor, and a piezoelectric structure. The elastic support includes a first elastic beam with both ends connected to an external structural component. The keycap includes a key body and two spaced-apart guide posts connected to the key body. Both guide posts are connected to the first elastic beam. The pressure sensor and the piezoelectric structure are both connected to the first elastic beam and are communicatively connected. The first elastic beam can undergo elastic deformation when the keycap is compressed. The pressure sensor is used to collect the pressure signal applied to the keycap through the elastic deformation of the first elastic beam and output the pressure signal to obtain a piezoelectric control signal. The piezoelectric structure can generate a piezoelectric driving force under the control of the piezoelectric control signal to provide tactile feedback.

2. The solid-state button according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the keycap and the piezoelectric structure are symmetrically arranged relative to the central axis of the first elastic beam, which extends perpendicular to the length of the first elastic beam.

3. The solid-state button according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length of the piezoelectric structure is less than the distance between the two guide posts, and the piezoelectric structure is located between the two guide posts along the length direction of the first elastic beam.

4. The solid-state button according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide post abuts against the first elastic beam via a first elastic pad.

5. The solid-state button according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The elastic support further includes a second elastic beam and a conductive element. The conductive element includes at least one conductive block made of rigid material. The conductive block is disposed on the side of the first elastic beam opposite to the keycap and is at least partially located between the two guide posts. The second elastic beam is connected to the side of the conductive element opposite to the first elastic beam and is spaced apart from the first elastic beam. The piezoelectric structure is connected to the second elastic beam. The second elastic beam can undergo elastic deformation under the piezoelectric driving force of the piezoelectric structure and drive the first elastic beam to undergo elastic deformation through the conductive element to provide tactile feedback.

6. The solid-state button according to claim 5, characterized in that, The feedback mechanism further includes two connecting columns, both of which are connected between the first elastic beam and the second elastic beam and are arranged sequentially along the length of the first elastic beam. The two guide columns and the conductive element are located between the two connecting columns along the length of the first elastic beam, and the conductive element is located between the two connecting columns.

7. The solid-state button according to claim 6, characterized in that, The two connecting columns are respectively connected to the two ends of the second elastic beam.

8. The solid-state button according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first elastic beam and the second elastic beam both extend in a straight line and are parallel to each other. The two connecting columns, the conductive element, the second elastic beam and the piezoelectric structure are all symmetrically arranged with respect to the central axis of the first elastic beam.

9. The solid-state button according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that, The piezoelectric structure is connected to the side of the second elastic beam opposite to the first elastic beam. The length of the piezoelectric structure is greater than the length of the two guide posts and less than the length of the second elastic beam.

10. The solid-state button according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that, The piezoelectric structure is connected to the side of the second elastic beam facing the first elastic beam, and the conductive element is connected to the first elastic beam and the piezoelectric structure.

11. The solid-state button according to any one of claims 5 to 10, characterized in that, The conductive element includes a conductive block connected between the first elastic beam and the second elastic beam, and the length of the conductive block is less than the distance between the two guide posts.

12. The solid-state button according to any one of claims 5 to 10, characterized in that, The conductive component includes a plurality of conductive blocks, which are connected between the first elastic beam and the second elastic beam and are arranged sequentially along the length of the first elastic beam.

13. The solid-state button according to claim 12, characterized in that, The multiple conductive blocks are located between the two guide posts and are spaced apart from each other.

14. The solid-state button according to claim 12, characterized in that, At least a portion of the conductive block is fixedly connected to one of the first elastic beam and the second elastic beam, and abuts against the other one.

15. The solid-state button according to claim 14, characterized in that, At least a portion of the conductive block abuts against the first elastic beam or the second elastic beam via a second elastic pad.

16. The solid-state button according to any one of claims 5 to 15, characterized in that, The length of the first elastic beam is approximately equal to the length of the second elastic beam.

17. The solid-state button according to claim 5, characterized in that, The guide post passes through the first elastic beam and is connected to the first elastic beam by fasteners. The second elastic beam is spaced apart from both the guide post and the fasteners.

18. The solid-state button according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure sensor is provided and is located on the side of one of the guide posts facing away from the other guide post.

19. The solid-state button according to claim 1, characterized in that, Two pressure sensors are provided, and the two pressure sensors are respectively located near the two ends of the first elastic beam.

20. The solid-state button according to claim 19, characterized in that, The two pressure sensors are located on opposite sides of the central axis of the first elastic beam, opposite to the two guide pillars.

21. The solid-state button according to claim 1, characterized in that, The piezoelectric structure includes at least one piezoelectric ceramic.

22. The solid-state button according to claim 21, characterized in that, The piezoelectric structure includes a plurality of piezoelectric ceramics, which are stacked along the extension direction of the central axis of the first elastic beam.

23. An electronic device, characterized in that, It includes a device body and a solid-state button as described in any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the solid-state button is disposed on the device body.

24. The electronic device according to claim 23, characterized in that, The main body of the device includes a middle frame, a bottom shell, a display screen, and a processor. The bottom shell and the display screen are respectively disposed on both sides of the middle frame. The middle frame includes a support portion located between the bottom shell and the display screen and a frame portion connected to the support portion and surrounding the bottom shell. The solid-state button is disposed on the frame portion. The feedback mechanism is disposed on the inner side of the frame portion, and the keycap is disposed on the outer side of the frame portion and passes through the frame portion to connect with the feedback mechanism. The pressure sensor and the piezoelectric structure are both communicatively connected to the processor.

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