Touch keyboard with keys

Abstract

The touch keyboard comprises a supporting plate, a plurality of elastic bodies, a plurality of keycaps and a capacitive touch panel. The elastic body is arranged on the supporting plate in the mode of protruding out of the top face of the supporting plate, the key cap is arranged at the top end of the elastic body, the bridge is arranged between the supporting plate and the key cap, and the capacitive touch panel is arranged on the bottom face of the supporting plate and used for sensing the position and the moving track of a conductive object (such as a finger) when the conductive object gets close to the key cap. Therefore, according to the touch keyboard, the capacitive touch panel is arranged below the supporting plate, the hole breaking requirement of the capacitive touch panel can be reduced or even omitted, touch dead angles are reduced, and the effect of improving touch accuracy is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to touch keyboards, and more particularly to a touch keyboard with buttons. Background Technology

[0002] The key-type touch keyboard disclosed in CN 202694270 U uses an aluminum plate as a support on the bottom surface of a capacitive circuit board. A pivot on the top surface of the aluminum plate passes through a corresponding through-hole in the capacitive circuit board, assembling the bridge, capacitive circuit board, and aluminum plate into a single unit. However, placing through-holes in the capacitive circuit board increases the touch dead zones, making the touch accuracy of the capacitive circuit board more susceptible to interference, thus reducing the performance of the key-type touch keyboard. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main objective of this invention is to provide a touch keyboard with buttons that can increase touch accuracy and improve performance.

[0004] To achieve the aforementioned main objectives, the touch keyboard of the present invention includes a support plate, a plurality of elastomers, a plurality of keycaps, a plurality of bridges, and a capacitive touchpad. The support plate has a top surface and a bottom surface; the elastomers are disposed on the support plate in a manner protruding from the top surface of the support plate; the keycaps are disposed at the tops of the elastomers, and when the keycaps are compressed, the elastomers accumulate elastic restoring force, and once the pressure on the keycaps is removed, they can return to their original position by the elastic restoring force released by the elastomers; the bridges are disposed between the support plate and the keycaps to improve the tactile feedback and even out the pressure on the keycaps; the capacitive touchpad is disposed on the bottom surface of the support plate to sense the position and movement trajectory of a conductive object approaching the keycaps.

[0005] As can be seen from the above, the touch keyboard of the present invention places the capacitive touch panel below the support plate, which can reduce or even eliminate the need for holes in the capacitive touch panel, thereby reducing touch dead zones and increasing touch accuracy.

[0006] Preferably, the bottom end of each elastomer can directly abut against the top surface of the support plate, or abut against an elastic film disposed on the top surface of the support plate. The elastic film can be integrally formed with the elastomers to improve the structural strength.

[0007] Preferably, the support plate has multiple through holes penetrating the top and bottom surfaces, each elastic body is housed in one of the through holes, and the bottom end of each elastic body directly abuts the top surface of the capacitive touch panel. Such a structural configuration can reduce the thickness and shorten the distance between the keycap and the capacitive touch panel, thereby improving the sensing accuracy of the capacitive touch panel.

[0008] Preferably, a conductor element is provided on the top surface of the support plate or the top surface of the capacitive touch panel. The capacitive touch panel has a wireless area corresponding to the conductor element. The wireless area can prevent the conductor element from interfering with the signal of the capacitive touch panel, thereby improving the sensing accuracy.

[0009] Preferably, at least one of the keycaps, the bridges, and the elastomers is provided with a conductive element, and the conductive element is used to assist the signal sensing of the capacitive touchpad.

[0010] Preferably, the support plate has multiple openings penetrating the top and bottom surfaces, each opening corresponding to a conductive element. The openings allow the conductive element to be closer to the capacitive touchpad when the keycap is pressed, thereby improving the sensing accuracy of the capacitive touchpad.

[0011] Detailed descriptions of the construction, features, assembly, and usage of the touch keyboard with buttons provided by this invention will be given in the subsequent detailed descriptions of embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will understand that these detailed descriptions and the specific embodiments listed for implementing this invention are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the touch keyboard according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a partial exploded perspective view of the touch keyboard according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 3 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the touch keyboard according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the support plate and support base according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the touch keyboard according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 6 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the touch keyboard according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of the elastomer and elastic film provided for the touch keyboard according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 8 This is a partial exploded perspective view of the touch keyboard according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 9 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the touch keyboard according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 10 This is a perspective view of the touch keyboard according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 11 This is a partial exploded perspective view of the touch keyboard according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 12 This is a perspective view of the touch keyboard according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 13 This is a partial exploded perspective view of the touch keyboard according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 14 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the touch keyboard according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 15 This is a perspective view of the touch keyboard according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 16 This is a partial exploded perspective view of the touch keyboard according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 17 This is a perspective view of the touch keyboard according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 18 This is a partial exploded perspective view of the touch keyboard according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 19 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the touch keyboard according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] The meanings of the markings in the above figures are as follows:

[0032] 10: Touchscreen keyboard;

[0033] 11: Touchscreen keyboard;

[0034] 12: Touchscreen keyboard;

[0035] 13: Touchscreen keyboard;

[0036] 14: Touchscreen keyboard;

[0037] 15: Touchscreen keyboard;

[0038] 16: Touchscreen keyboard;

[0039] 20: Support plate;

[0040] 21: Top surface;

[0041] 22: Bottom;

[0042] 23: Support hole;

[0043] 24: Through hole;

[0044] 25: Opening;

[0045] 30: Elastomer;

[0046] 32: Elastic film;

[0047] 34: Mounting holes;

[0048] 40: Keycaps;

[0049] 50: Building a bridge;

[0050] 52: Sleeve hole;

[0051] 54: Support base;

[0052] 60: Capacitive touchpad;

[0053] 62: Top surface;

[0054] 64: Wireless area;

[0055] 70: Conductive element;

[0056] 71: Conductor element;

[0057] 80: Building a bridge;

[0058] 82: Support base. Detailed Implementation

[0059] The applicant hereby states that throughout this specification, including the embodiments described below and the claims, all directional terms are based on the directions shown in the accompanying drawings. Secondly, in the embodiments and drawings described below, the same element reference numerals represent the same or similar elements or their structural features.

[0060] Please see Figures 1 to 3 The touch keyboard 10 of the first embodiment of the present invention includes a support plate 20, a plurality of elastomers 30, a plurality of keycaps 40, a plurality of bridges 50, and a capacitive touchpad 60.

[0061] The support plate 20 is made of a non-conductive material. The support plate 20 has a top surface 21, a bottom surface 22, and a plurality of support holes 23 penetrating the top surface 21 and the bottom surface 22.

[0062] The elastomer 30 is made of a non-conductive material, such as rubber. The elastomer 30 is disposed on the support plate 20 such that it protrudes from the top surface 21 of the support plate 20. In this embodiment, the bottom end of the elastomer 30 abuts against the top surface 21 of the support plate 20.

[0063] In this embodiment, the keycap 40 is made of a non-conductive material. The keycap 40 abuts against the top of the elastic body 30. When the keycap 40 is compressed, the elastic body 30 is compressed and accumulates elastic restoring force. Once the pressure on the keycap 40 is removed, it can return to its original position by the elastic restoring force released by the elastic body 30.

[0064] In this embodiment, the bridge 50 is a scissor-type mechanism. The bridge 50 is fitted onto the elastic body 30 via a set of holes 52 and pivotally mounted on four support seats 54 in a vertically movable manner. Each support seat 54 passes through support holes 23 in the support plate 20 from bottom to top and is assembled integrally with the support seat 54. Therefore, the bridge 50 is positioned between the support plate 20 and the keycap 40 to improve the tactile feedback and distribute the pressure on the keycap 40 evenly.

[0065] It should be further noted that the support base 54 is not limited to being independently disposed on the support plate 20; the support base 54 can also be integrally formed and connected to the top surface 21 of the support plate 20, such as... Figure 4 As shown, this is done to improve the structural strength.

[0066] A capacitive touchpad 60 is disposed on the bottom surface 22 of the support plate 20 and is used to sense the position and movement trajectory of a conductive object (such as a finger) when it approaches the keycaps 40. It should be noted that the aforementioned conductive object does not necessarily have to touch the keycaps 40. As long as it maintains a small distance from the keycaps 40 (this distance depends on the power of the capacitive touchpad 60), the capacitive touchpad 60 can sense the position and movement trajectory of the aforementioned conductive object.

[0067] As described above, when a user's finger slides across the keycaps 40, the capacitive touchpad 60 senses the movement of the finger. When the user presses a keycap 40, the keycap 40 compresses the elastomer 30 and, through the bridging 50, provides excellent tactile feedback. Simultaneously, the capacitive touchpad 60 generates a change in capacitance, transmitting a signal that the keycap 40 has been pressed. In other words, the touch keyboard 10 of this invention can simultaneously provide both button and touch functionality.

[0068] It should be noted that the keycap 40 may be made of a conductive material to assist the signal sensing of the capacitive touchpad 60; similarly, a portion of the bridge 50 may also be made of a conductive material to assist the signal sensing of the capacitive touchpad 60.

[0069] Please see Figures 5 to 7In the touch keyboard 11 of the second embodiment of the present invention, an elastic film 32 is further provided on the top surface 21 of the support plate 20. The elastic film 32 has a plurality of mounting holes 34 for mounting the support base 54. The elastic film 32 and the elastic body 30 can be two independent pieces. In this case, the top surface of the elastic film 32 abuts against the bottom end of all the elastic bodies 30, making the movement of the elastic bodies 30 more sensitive. Alternatively, the elastic film 32 and the elastic body 30 can also be integrally formed and connected together (e.g., Figure 7 As shown in the figure, in addition to improving actuation sensitivity, it can also increase structural strength.

[0070] Please see Figure 8 and Figure 9 The touch keyboard 12 of the third embodiment of the present invention is structurally similar to that of the first embodiment described above. The difference lies in that the support plate 20 has multiple through holes 24 penetrating the top surface 21 and the bottom surface 22. The elastic body 30 is housed within the through holes 24, so that the bottom end of the elastic body 30 directly abuts against the top surface 62 of the capacitive touchpad 60. This structural configuration can reduce the overall thickness and shorten the distance between the keycap 40 and the capacitive touchpad 60, thereby improving the sensing accuracy.

[0071] Please see Figures 10 to 11 The touch keyboard 13 of the fourth embodiment of the present invention is structurally similar to that of the first embodiment described above. The difference is that at least one of the top surfaces of each keycap 40, the top surfaces of each elastic body 30, and the top surfaces of each bridge 50 may be provided with a conductive element 70 (e.g., copper sheet, iron sheet, aluminum sheet, conductive ink, or conductive tape, the size and shape of which can be adjusted according to actual needs) to assist in signal amplification detection in response to height changes. The function of the conductive element 70 is to assist the signal sensing of the capacitive touch panel 60 when the keycap 40 is pressed, so as to improve the sensing accuracy of the capacitive touch panel 60.

[0072] Please continue reading. Figures 12 to 14 The touch keyboard 14 of the fifth embodiment of the present invention is structurally similar to that of the fourth embodiment described above, except that the installation position of the conductive elements 70 is different. In this embodiment, the conductive elements 70 are disposed on the bottom surface around the keycap 40, the bottom surface of the elastic body 30, and the bottom surface of the bridge 50. The size and shape of the conductive elements 70 can also be adjusted according to actual needs. In addition, the support plate 20 has a plurality of openings 25 penetrating the top surface 21 and the bottom surface 22. These openings 25 correspond one-to-one with the conductive elements 70. The openings 25 bring the conductive elements 70 closer to the capacitive touchpad 60 when the keycap 40 is pressed, thereby improving the sensing accuracy of the capacitive touchpad 60.

[0073] It should be noted that the above embodiments mainly address the case of general buttons. In special cases, if a conductor element 71 (such as a magnet, balance bar, or LED) needs to be placed on the top surface 21 of the support plate 20 or the top surface 62 of the capacitive touchpad 60, the circuitry of the capacitive touchpad 60 will change in some areas. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figures 15 to 16 In the touch keyboard 15 of the sixth embodiment of the present invention, the capacitive touch panel 60 is provided with a wireless area 64 around the corresponding conductor element 71. The wireless area 64 can prevent the conductor element 71 from interfering with the signal of the capacitive touch panel 60, thereby improving the sensing accuracy of the capacitive touch panel 60.

[0074] Please see Figures 17 to 19 In the seventh embodiment of the present invention, the touch keyboard 16 integrates the support plate 20 and the support base 82 in a single molding manner, and also integrates the keycap 40 and the bridge 80 in a single molding manner. Furthermore, the support plate 20 has multiple through holes 26 penetrating the top surface 21 and the bottom surface 22, and the top surface 21 of the support plate 20 extends upward from around each through hole 26 in a single molding manner to form a support base 82; an elastic body 30 is housed within the support base 82, and the bottom end of the elastic body 30 abuts against the top surface 62 of the capacitive touchpad 60 via the through holes 26; the bridge 80 is integrally connected to the bottom surface of the keycap 40 and is movably inserted into the support base 82 to improve the operational stability of the keycap 40. This integrated configuration simplifies the structure.

[0075] In summary, the touch keyboards 10-16 of the present invention place the capacitive touch panel 60 on the bottom surface 22 of the support plate 20, which can reduce or even eliminate the need for holes in the capacitive touch panel 60, thereby reducing touch dead zones and increasing touch accuracy, and thus improving the performance of the touch keyboards 10-16 of the present invention.

Claims

1. A touch keyboard, characterized in that, include: A support plate having a top surface and a bottom surface; Multiple elastic bodies are disposed on the support plate in such a way that they protrude from the top surface of the support plate; Multiple keycaps are located on top of these elastic bodies; Multiple bridges are provided between the support plate and the keycaps; and A capacitive touchpad is located on the bottom surface of the support plate and is used to sense the position and movement trajectory of a conductive object when it approaches the keycaps.

2. The touch keyboard according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom end of each elastic body abuts against the top surface of the support plate.

3. The touch keyboard according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom ends of these elastomers abut against an elastic membrane located on the top surface of the support plate.

4. The touch keyboard according to claim 3, characterized in that, These elastomers are integrally connected to the elastic film.

5. The touch keyboard according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support plate has multiple through holes penetrating the top and bottom surfaces, each of the elastic bodies is housed in one of the through holes, and the bottom end of each elastic body abuts against a top surface of the capacitive touch panel.

6. The touch keyboard according to claim 1, characterized in that, A conductive element is provided on the top surface of the support plate to assist the signal sensing of the capacitive touch panel.

7. The touch keyboard according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each keycap, each bridge, and each elastomer is provided with at least one conductive element, and each conductive element is used to assist the signal sensing of the capacitive touchpad.

8. The touch keyboard according to claim 7, characterized in that, The support plate has multiple openings penetrating the top and bottom surfaces, each opening corresponding to a conductive element.

9. The touch keyboard according to claim 1, characterized in that, A conductor element is disposed on the top surface of the support plate or on the top surface of one of the capacitive touch panels, the capacitive touch panel having a wireless area corresponding to the conductor element.

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