Key structure of keyboard device, manufacturing method and keyboard device

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of keyboard devices, and discloses a key structure of a keyboard device, a manufacturing method and the keyboard device. The key structure comprises a key cap and a key shaft corresponding to the key cap, the key cap comprises a body part and a connecting part protruding from the center, the end of the connecting part is provided with a magnetic ball, and the bottom surface of the body part is provided with a plurality of elastic pins. The key shaft comprises a base provided with a fixing frame and a shaft core penetrating through the base, the top of the shaft core is provided with a containing groove and a magnetic column, the magnetic column and the magnetic ball are magnetically attracted and combined with each other, and the elastic pins are movably connected to the fixing frame respectively, so that the key cap is supported at the combined position of the magnetic ball and the magnetic column. The application utilizes the universal structure of the magnetic ball and the cooperation of the elastic pins to maintain the balance of the body part when force is pressed, effectively reduces the friction noise of long keys, improves the smoothness of pressing, and is suitable for integrated molding by using 3D printing or packaging technology.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of keyboard devices, and more particularly to a key structure, manufacturing method, and keyboard device. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of computer peripheral technology and the e-sports industry, users have placed extremely high demands on the typing feel, response speed, and lifespan of keyboard devices (especially mechanical keyboards and magnetic switch keyboards). In the keyboard's key array, long keys such as the spacebar, Enter key, and Shift key, because their keycap length is much larger than a standard single key, are prone to keycap tilting, uneven force distribution, or key jamming when users apply pressure at an edge off-center from the key switch.

[0003] To address the stability and balance issues of long keystrokes, existing keyboard key structures typically employ "balance bars" or "satellite axes" as the primary auxiliary support mechanisms. However, both of these traditional structures have significant technical drawbacks in practical applications and product design. Firstly, traditional stabilizer bar structures primarily transmit torque by using a metal wire and a micro-clip assembly located beneath the keycaps. The drawback of this structure is its extremely high difficulty in disassembly and assembly. When replacing keycaps or performing routine cleaning, improper force angles can easily cause the plastic clips to break or the wire to deform. Furthermore, the metal wire and clips are prone to generating high-frequency friction noise (commonly known as "wire noise") under frequent keystrokes. Regular lubrication and fine-tuning by the user or assembly plant are necessary to maintain a decent feel, resulting in high overall maintenance costs and difficulty in ensuring consistency.

[0004] Secondly, the traditional stabilizer structure involves adding two auxiliary sliding rails on either side of the main key switch. While this design eliminates the need for complex wire clips, making keycap removal and maintenance relatively convenient, the large area of ​​physical friction between the cross-shaped core of the auxiliary switches and the sliding rails on the outer casing can easily lead to poor tactile feedback, sluggish rebound, or a soft, mushy feel for longer keys. More importantly, the stabilizer base is quite bulky, requiring significant space and openings on the keyboard's mounting plate and circuit board. This not only weakens the overall structural strength of the mounting plate but also severely limits the utilization of internal keyboard space, resulting in a relatively limited key layout that is difficult to meet the increasingly compact or custom-designed keyboard layouts required today.

[0005] Therefore, how to break through the technical bottlenecks of existing stabilizer bars and satellite axes, and provide a new key structure that can not only take into account smooth feel and excellent balance, but also greatly simplify disassembly and assembly, eliminate tedious periodic lubrication and adjustment, and significantly save keyboard layout space, has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In response to the shortcomings of existing technologies, such as uneven force on long keys leading to tilting and key jamming, and the fact that existing auxiliary support mechanisms, such as the balance bar structure which is difficult to disassemble and assemble, prone to friction noise and highly dependent on manual adjustment, while the satellite axis structure has the disadvantages of high physical friction leading to sluggish feel, large space occupation which weakens the strength of the positioning plate and restricts the keyboard layout, the purpose of this invention is to provide a key structure, manufacturing method and keyboard device for a keyboard device. It aims to achieve ultimate smoothness and balance of long keys through a brand-new magnetic self-adaptive universal pivot and integrated elastic pin design, while greatly simplifying the assembly structure and freeing up internal space of the keyboard.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes the following technical solution: A key structure for a keyboard device, characterized in that it comprises: at least one keycap, including a body portion and a connecting portion protruding from the center of the bottom surface of the body portion; a magnetic ball is provided at the end of the connecting portion; the end of the connecting portion may have a receiving cavity; the receiving cavity has an opening; the magnetic ball is received within the receiving cavity with a portion of its spherical surface exposed outside the opening; the aperture of the opening is smaller than the diameter of the magnetic ball; and a plurality of elastic pins are provided on the periphery of the bottom surface of the body portion, with portions of the elastic pins embedded within the body portion to form a seamless connection between the elastic pins and the body portion. The keycap is integrally connected to the key shaft, including a base and a core passing through the base. The base has at least one fixing frame, and the core is slidably and repositionably disposed on the base. The top of the core has a receiving groove, and a magnetic column is disposed in the receiving groove. The top of the magnetic column is exposed and magnetically attracted to the magnetic ball. A plurality of elastic pins are movably connected to the fixing frame of the base so that the keycap maintains the balance of the body part with the joint between the magnetic ball and the magnetic column as the support center when the keycap is pressed.

[0008] The elastic pin can be made of elastic metal, while the body part can be made of non-metallic material.

[0009] Two of the resilient pins distributed on opposite sides of the body portion may be formed by a single continuous member, the continuous member including a connecting section embedded inside the body portion and two exposed sections extending from both ends of the connecting section to the outside of the body portion, wherein the two exposed sections respectively form two resilient pins.

[0010] The keycap can be configured as an elongated keycap, the keycap having a length dimension and a width dimension, wherein the length dimension is at least 1.5 times greater than the width dimension to be elongated.

[0011] The button structure also includes at least one linkage plate, and two adjacent elastic pins are engaged with the linkage plate to form a synchronous displacement linkage relationship.

[0012] A method for manufacturing a key structure for a keyboard device, characterized by the following steps: providing at least one magnetic ball, at least two elastic metal elements, and a positioning carrier; temporarily fixing the magnetic ball and the elastic metal elements at predetermined positions on the positioning carrier; performing a molding process to cover a portion of the magnetic ball and one end of the elastic metal elements with a non-metallic material to prepare a keycap including a body and a connecting portion; wherein one end of the elastic metal element is embedded in the body to form a seamless fixed connection, and the elastic metal element is used to form a keycap. A plurality of elastic pins are formed on the other end of the body of the metal element, and the connecting part is formed on the magnetic ball to form an open receiving cavity, so that the magnetic ball is kept in a rolling and restricted position within the receiving cavity to prevent it from falling out; the positioning carrier is removed; and a key shaft corresponding to the keycap is provided, the key shaft including a base and a core passing through the base, the base having at least one fixing frame, the plurality of elastic pins being movably connected to the fixing frame of the base respectively, and the magnetic ball and the magnetic column at the top of the core magnetically attract each other.

[0013] The molding process can be an insert injection molding process or an encapsulation process. The positioning carrier is a mold assembly. After the molding process is completed, the positioning carrier is removed by an opening action.

[0014] The molding process can be a 3D printing process, with the positioning carrier as the basic support. During the molding process, a support material covering the elastic metal element is generated. Before the step of providing the key shaft, the support material is removed by physical peeling or chemical dissolution.

[0015] A keyboard device, characterized in that it comprises: a housing; a circuit board disposed within the housing; and a plurality of key structures arranged in an array on the circuit board, wherein each key structure includes a keycap exposed outside the housing; wherein at least one key structure is the key structure described in this invention.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following significant advantages: 1. Break through the spatial barriers of satellite axes, unleashing greater freedom in keyboard layout: This invention abandons the traditional bulky base and dual-side pseudo-axis design of satellite axes, directly utilizing elastic pins that are movably connected to the main spindle base bracket to maintain balance. This eliminates the need for large dedicated openings in the keyboard's positioning plate and circuit board for long keys, significantly improving the structural rigidity of the positioning plate and allowing for a high degree of freedom in the key layout design of customized keyboards.

[0017] 2. Omnidirectional magnetic adaptive support for an ultra-smooth feel: By using "magnetic ball + magnetic column" to construct an adaptive omnidirectional magnetic fulcrum, when the edge of the long button is pressed eccentrically, the magnetic ball can roll omnidirectionally within the cavity, cleverly transforming the "sliding friction" of the traditional satellite axis cross axis into "rolling friction", completely eliminating the sticking feeling and the "mushy" feeling of pressing, and ensuring a high degree of consistency between the feel of the long button and the standard single button.

[0018] 3. Replaces traditional stabilizer bars, achieving adjustment-free operation and easy disassembly / reassembly: By integrating flexible pins (which can be used with a connecting plate) into the keycaps, excellent anti-tilt torque transmission is achieved, perfectly replacing the complex steel wires and plastic clips of traditional stabilizer bars. This structure not only completely eliminates the high-frequency noise (wire noise) generated by the collision of metal wires, but also eliminates the need for tedious lubrication and adjustment at the factory and afterward, and greatly reduces the difficulty and risk of damage when users plug and unplug long keycaps.

[0019] 4. Innovative integrated coating process improves yield and structural strength: The manufacturing method of this invention utilizes 3D printing or packaging technology to simultaneously complete the limiting and covering of the magnetic ball and the seamless embedding of the elastic pin in a single process. This eliminates the assembly tolerances between traditional components, which not only improves the consistency of mass production and the structural strength of the product, but also provides a more efficient process path for customized keyboard prototyping. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] in: Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing the key structure of the keyboard device provided in this embodiment of the technical solution; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the magnetic ball, elastic metal element, and positioning carrier provided in this embodiment of the technical solution; Figure 3It is covered with non-metallic materials Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a keycap including a body and a connecting part is prepared by combining a portion of a magnetic ball with one end of an elastic metal element. Figure 4 yes Figure 3 The positioning carrier simultaneously generates a cross-sectional view of the supporting material during the 3D printing process; Figure 5 Is it removal? Figure 4 The keycap of this technical solution embodiment is formed by the positioning carrier and supporting material; Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of a continuous component in a variation where the elastic pin is integrally formed; Figure 7 yes Figure 5 A top view of the bottom surface of the keycaps; Figure 8 This is a top view of two adjacent elastic pins being snapped together on the connecting plate in a preferred embodiment; Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of the key shaft provided in this embodiment of the technical solution; Figure 10 It is Figure 5 The keycaps are combined with Figure 9 The cross-sectional view of the key structure of this technical solution embodiment is formed after the key shaft; Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional view of a mountain-shaped keycap in a variation example; Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional view of the volcano morphology keycap in a variation example; Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional view of a dinosaur-shaped keycap in a variation example; Figure 14 yes Figure 10 A cross-sectional view of the key structure under pressure during use, causing the elastic pins to deform. Figure 15 This is a cross-sectional view of the keyboard device provided in this embodiment of the technical solution.

[0022] Explanation of main component symbols Detailed Implementation The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] Please see Figure 1The flowchart illustrates a method for manufacturing the key structure of a keyboard device according to an embodiment of this technical solution, which mainly includes the following steps: Step S1, please refer to Figure 2 It provides at least one magnetic ball 113, at least two elastic metal elements 160, and a positioning carrier 150.

[0024] Specifically, the positioning carrier 150 is a basic platform used to provide basic physical support and three-dimensional spatial positioning for subsequent molding processes. In a preferred embodiment, depending on the molding process used, the positioning carrier 150 can be a construction platform for a 3D printing device, or a mold component or bottom fixture in an insert injection molding process.

[0025] The magnetic ball 113 is preferably a spherical element made of a permanent magnet material with high magnetic energy product (e.g., neodymium iron boron), and its surface may be selectively provided with an electroplated layer or an anti-rust coating to ensure that it is not worn in subsequent processes and maintains a stable magnetic attraction force. The elastic metal element 160 is preferably a metal wire or sheet with high yield strength and excellent fatigue resistance (e.g., spring steel, beryllium copper, or stainless steel). In this embodiment, the elastic metal element 160 has an overall C-shaped shape or a pin shape with a specific bending angle.

[0026] Step S2, for example Figure 2 As shown, the magnetic ball 113 and the elastic metal element 160 are temporarily fixed at a predetermined position on the positioning carrier 150.

[0027] During the arrangement process in step S2, the magnetic ball 113 and the elastic metal element 160 are placed on the bearing surface of the positioning carrier 150 according to a preset spatial relationship. Specifically, the magnetic ball 113 is located at the central boss of the positioning carrier 150, while the elastic metal element 160 is fixed to the base of the positioning carrier 150, and the elastic metal element 160 is symmetrically distributed around the magnetic ball 113. To ensure that the components do not shift position during subsequent overmolding processes (such as 3D printing or injection molding), magnetic adsorption, micro-clamping, or auxiliary dispensing can be used to temporarily and securely fix the components to predetermined positions on the positioning carrier 150.

[0028] Step 3, S3, please refer to Figure 3 A molding process is performed to cover a portion of the magnetic ball 113 and one end of the elastic metal element 160 with a non-metallic material to prepare a keycap 110 including a body portion 111 and a connecting portion 112.

[0029] Specifically, in this molding step, non-metallic materials (such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) plastic, or 3D printing-specific resin materials, etc.) are cured to construct the main structure of the keycap 110. One end of the elastic metal element 160 is embedded and covered inside the body portion 111; because the embedded end of the elastic metal element 160 is directly bonded to and cured with the non-metallic material in a molten or fluid state, a highly mechanically strong and seamless fixed connection is formed between the elastic metal element 160 and the body portion 111. At the same time, the other end of the elastic metal element 160, which is not covered, protrudes from the bottom surface of the body portion 111 and is exposed, thereby forming an elastic pin 114 for supporting and transmitting torque.

[0030] On the other hand, the connecting portion 112 protrudes from the center of the bottom surface of the main body 111. The molding process is precisely controlled so that the non-metallic material only covers a portion of the surface of the magnetic ball 113, thereby forming a receiving cavity 112a with an opening 112b at the end of the connecting portion 112. In a preferred embodiment, the aperture of the opening 112b is designed to be smaller than the diameter of the magnetic ball 113. This structural design allows the magnetic ball 113 to maintain a omnidirectional degree of freedom for multi-directional rolling within the receiving cavity 112a, while being physically restrained, thus making the magnetic ball 113 present a restrained and anti-detachment state.

[0031] Furthermore, depending on the process employed, the following two implementation methods can be adopted: (1) In a first preferred embodiment, if the molding process is an insert injection molding process or an encapsulation process, the positioning carrier 150 is a mold assembly. After the mold is closed, the magnetic ball 113 and the elastic metal element 160 are encapsulated and molded in one step by injecting molten non-metallic material into the mold cavity. Furthermore, after the molding process is completed, the positioning carrier 150 is removed by opening the mold.

[0032] (2) In the second preferred embodiment, such as Figure 4As shown. If the molding process is 3D printing, then using the positioning carrier 150 as a basic support, during the process of the 3D printing equipment generating the body part 111 and the connecting part 112 layer by layer, a support material 170 covering the elastic metal element 160 will be generated simultaneously. During 3D printing, the support material 170 not only provides a physical base for the suspended non-metallic material, but also temporarily wraps and protects the exposed part of the elastic metal element 160 to ensure high-precision molding quality.

[0033] Step 4, S4, please refer to Figure 5 Remove the positioning carrier 150.

[0034] Specifically, after the above molding process is completed, the pre-fabricated keycap 110 needs to be separated from the basic support structure. Depending on the molding process used, the removal method falls into the following two categories: (1) If the aforementioned molding process is an insert injection molding process or a packaging process, after the non-metallic material is cooled and solidified, the positioning carrier 150, which is a mold component, can be removed by performing a mold opening action, so that the keycap 110 can be demolded smoothly.

[0035] Specifically, if the aforementioned molding process is a 3D printing process, the support material 170 must be removed during the removal of the positioning carrier 150 (i.e., removing the solidified keycap 110 from the build platform) or before proceeding to the next step of providing the key shaft 120. Specifically, the support material 170, which is generated along with and covers the exterior of the elastic metal element 160, can be completely removed by physical peeling (e.g., cutting, breaking, or tearing with tools) or chemical dissolution (e.g., immersing the support material 170 in a specific solvent). In a preferred embodiment, the support material 170 is a water-soluble resin material. After 3D printing, the support material 170 is dissolved by immersing the keycap 110 in warm water at 40°C to 60°C for 10 to 30 minutes. The surface of the elastic metal element 160 is provided with an anti-corrosion coating to prevent corrosion during the dissolution process.

[0036] After removing the positioning carrier 150 and the support material 170, as Figure 5 As shown, the keycap 110, with all temporary support structures removed, is now in its final usable form. At this point, multiple elastic pins 114 are fully exposed around the bottom surface of the body portion 111, and the magnetic ball 113 is held in a confined position within the receiving cavity 112a at the end of the connecting portion 112, thus preparing for subsequent assembly processes.

[0037] In a variation example, such as Figure 6As shown, two of the elastic pins 114 distributed on opposite sides of the body portion 111 are formed by a single continuous member 140 (e.g., an integrated metal wire or stamping in the shape of a gate, U, or bridge). The continuous member 140 includes a connecting section 141 embedded inside the body portion 111 and two exposed sections 142 extending from both ends of the connecting section 141 to the outside of the body portion 111, wherein the two exposed sections 142 respectively form two elastic pins 114.

[0038] This modified structural design offers several significant advantages. First, in terms of structural strength, the connecting segment 141, spanning and deeply embedded within the non-metallic body 111, acts as a robust internal reinforcing skeleton for the keycap 110, greatly enhancing the overall bending and torsional rigidity of long keys (especially the spacebar, whose length spans multiple standard key spacings), effectively preventing deformation of the keycap 110 under prolonged use. Second, regarding torque transmission, since the exposed segments 142 (i.e., elastic pins 114) on both sides are physically part of the same continuous component 140, when a long key experiences eccentric force (one-sided pressing), the downward torque borne by the pin on one side can be quickly and evenly transmitted to the pin on the other side via the internal connecting segment 141, thereby further enhancing the overall balance and synchronized downward effect of the key. Finally, in terms of manufacturing process, in the aforementioned steps of providing components and fixing, the use of a single continuous component 140 can effectively reduce the number of small parts to be assembled, thereby reducing the difficulty of alignment and fixing on the positioning carrier 150 and improving the mass production yield.

[0039] In this embodiment, as Figure 7As shown, the keycap 110 has four elastic pins 114, which are symmetrically distributed and evenly arranged on the outer periphery of the bottom surface of the keycap 110 body 111. This symmetrical multi-point arrangement (e.g., located on both sides or at the four corners of the elongated keycap 110) provides a highly balanced physical support surface for the large, long keys, effectively preventing severe tilting caused by localized forces. Furthermore, viewed from a top-down angle, the elastic pins 114, after extending from the body 111, exhibit a tendency to extend or bend from both sides of the body 111 towards the central connecting portion 112 (i.e., towards the location of the magnetic ball 113). This specific structural design, where the ends converge towards the center, is primarily intended for precise matching and docking with the subsequent key switch 120. During keyboard assembly, the inwardly extending end shape serves as a good physical guide, allowing the elastic pins 114 to smoothly slide in and connect to the key switches. This not only significantly reduces the difficulty of alignment when assembling and disassembling keycaps, but also allows the elastic pins 114 around the keycaps to provide a more concentrated centripetal return torque when the keycaps are pressed, further improving the smoothness of pressing. The wire diameter of the elastic pins 114 is 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm, and its exposed length is 2 mm to 8 mm. The elastic pins 114 undergo elastic deformation of 0.5 mm to 3 mm when subjected to a pressing force of 1 N to 5 N, and can completely return to their initial shape after deformation. In a variation, the keycap 110 can also be designed with two elastic pins 114, with the two elastic pins 114 located on opposite sides of the keycap 110. In fact, the configuration of the elastic pins 114 is primarily based on maintaining balanced keycap 110 pressure; as long as basic balancing functionality is achieved while meeting customization requirements, it is acceptable. (See step S5 for further details.) Figure 9 A key switch 120 corresponding to the keycap 110 is provided. The key switch 120 includes a base 122 and a spindle 121 passing through the base 122. The base 122 has at least one fixing bracket 122c.

[0040] To facilitate the assembly of internal components and provide guiding support, the base 122 can be configured as a two-piece housing structure, comprising a top cover 122a and a base 122b, which overlap to define an internal space for accommodating the relative sliding of the spindle 121. Furthermore, a retaining bracket 122c protrudes from the exterior of the base 122 (e.g., on the sidewall of the top cover 122a or the base 122b), the retaining bracket 122c being designed to match the resilient pins 114 of the keycap 110 to provide a locking point for subsequent movable connections.

[0041] The key stem 121 is slidably and repositionably disposed within the base 122. It is particularly noteworthy that a spring element (not shown in the figure) is disposed inside the key stem 120 (located between the bottom of the key stem 121 and the base 122b). This spring element primarily provides the repeated pressing force required for the key stem 121 to return to its initial position after being pressed, thereby achieving normal mechanical rebound of the key. Furthermore, a receiving groove 121a is recessed at the top of the key stem 121, and a magnetic post 123 is fixed within the receiving groove 121a, with the top end of the magnetic post 123 exposed upwards. This structural design prepares the physical interface for the next step, where the key stem 120 and the keycap 110 achieve a magnetically adaptive universal connection. In detail, the magnetic column 123 refers to a columnar permanent magnet or electromagnet fixedly disposed within the receiving groove 121a at the top of the shaft core, with the top end of the magnetic column 123 exposed to magnetically engage with the magnetic ball 113. In this embodiment, the magnetic attraction between the magnetic ball 113 and the magnetic column 123 should be greater than the weight of the keycap 110 and less than the maximum return force of the spring element inside the key shaft 120, to ensure that the keycap 110 maintains magnetic engagement with the key shaft 120 when not under force, and can smoothly return to its original position after being pressed. It is understood that the magnetic attraction between the magnetic ball 113 and the magnetic column 123 can be determined based on limited experiments.

[0042] Step S6, please refer to Figure 10 The multiple elastic pins 114 are respectively movably connected to the fixing frame 122c of the base 122, and the magnetic ball 113 and the magnetic column 123 at the top of the shaft core 121 are magnetically attracted to each other.

[0043] In the final assembly process, the keycap 110 is placed downwards onto the key shaft 120. During this assembly, multiple elastic pins 114 on the outer periphery of the bottom surface of the keycap 110 are guided and movably connected to the corresponding fixing brackets 122c on the periphery of the base 122. This "movable connection" mainly allows the elastic pins 114 to smoothly slide or elastically deform on the fixing brackets 122c during subsequent up-and-down movements of the keycap 110, thereby effectively releasing and transmitting the deformation stress generated during pressing. Simultaneously, as the keycap 110 is snapped shut, the magnetic ball 113 located in the accommodating cavity 112a of the central connecting portion 112 of the keycap 110 and the magnetic column 123 in the accommodating groove 121a at the top of the shaft core 121 approach each other spatially. Utilizing the strong attraction between the magnetic materials, the magnetic ball 113 automatically and precisely aligns and firmly adheres to the exposed tip of the magnetic column 123, thus smoothly achieving mutual magnetic attraction. The entire assembly process eliminates the need for cumbersome snap-fit ​​pressing and alignment, greatly reducing the difficulty of assembly and disassembly.

[0044] Through the above actions, the keycap 110 and the key switch 120 achieve a dual physical and magnetic connection, constructing the complete key structure 100 of this embodiment of the invention. In this final formed state, a highly ingenious mechanical balance system is formed between the keycap 110 and the key switch 120: the junction of the magnetic ball 113 and the magnetic column 123 essentially constitutes the "universal support center" of the entire keycap 110; while the surrounding elastic pins 114 provide multi-point tension and anti-torque support. This synergistic design of "central universal adaptive magnetic attraction" combined with "surrounding elastic mounting" allows the key to maintain a perfect horizontal position in the initial static state, laying a solid mechanical foundation for subsequent pressing operations.

[0045] Please refer to the following: Figure 10 Based on the aforementioned manufacturing method, the present invention also provides a key structure 100 for a keyboard device, which mainly includes at least one keycap 110 and a key switch 120 disposed below the keycap 110 and corresponding to the keycap 110.

[0046] In this embodiment, to highlight the advantages of the mechanical balance structure of the present invention, the keycap 110 is preferably configured as a long key, such as the space bar, Shift key, or Enter key on a standard keyboard. Specifically, the keycap 110 has a length dimension and a width dimension, and its length dimension is set to be at least 1.5 times greater than its width dimension, thus presenting a long and narrow key body shape in a macroscopic appearance. This long and narrow structure with a large span is prone to generating unbalanced torque when subjected to force on one side, and the internal structural configuration of the present invention is precisely to overcome this industry problem.

[0047] In detail, the keycap 110 mainly includes a body portion 111 and a connecting portion 112 protruding downward from the center of the bottom surface of the body portion 111. In this embodiment, a receiving cavity 112a is recessed inside the lower end of the connecting portion 112, and the receiving cavity 112a has an opening 112b facing the bottom. A magnetic ball 113 is placed inside the receiving cavity 112a, and part of the spherical surface of the magnetic ball 113 is exposed outward through the opening 112b. To ensure the reliability of the structure, the aperture of the opening 112b is limited to be smaller than the diameter of the magnetic ball 113. Through this physical limiting design, not only can the magnetic ball 113 maintain a multi-directional rolling omnidirectional freedom within the receiving cavity 112a, but it also exhibits a limited and anti-dislodgement state, effectively preventing structural disintegration during use. In a preferred embodiment, the surface of the magnetic ball 113 is provided with a wear-resistant coating (such as a nickel-copper plating or a diamond-like coating), and the inner wall of the receiving cavity 112a and the edge of the opening 112b are provided with wear-resistant bushings or have undergone surface hardening treatment. The difference between the diameter of the magnetic ball 113 and the inner diameter of the receiving cavity 112a is 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm to ensure that the magnetic ball 113 has sufficient rolling clearance in the receiving cavity 112a while avoiding excessive shaking. In addition to the connecting part 112 located in the center, the bottom periphery of the body part 111 is also provided with a plurality of elastic pins 114 for providing suspension and support around the periphery. In a preferred embodiment, the elastic pins 114 are made of an elastic metal material with high fatigue strength, while the body part 111 is made of a non-metallic material (such as plastic or 3D printing resin). A portion of the elastic pin 114 is deeply embedded within the body portion 111, resulting in a tightly encapsulated and seamless integrated connection between the elastic pin 114 and the body portion 111. This integrated molding structure completely eliminates the assembly tolerances and minute gaps that may occur with traditional gluing or snap-fit ​​assembly, greatly improving the tensile strength and overall rigidity at the joint of the elastic pin 114.

[0048] In a variation example, for example Figure 6 As shown, the two elastic pins 114 distributed on opposite sides of the body portion 111 are not independent components, but are configured as a single continuous member 140, i.e., constituted by a single continuous member 140. The continuous member 140 includes a connecting section 141 that spans and is completely embedded inside the body portion 111, and two exposed sections 142 extending from both ends of the connecting section 141 outwards from the body portion 111, wherein the two exposed sections 142 respectively form two elastic pins 114. This design provides a high-strength reinforcing skeleton inside the keycap 110, helping to evenly transmit the torque generated when force is applied to one side to the other side. Further, as... Figure 8As shown, to achieve even greater pressing smoothness and ease of assembly, the button structure 100 may further include at least one linkage plate 130. In the assembly configuration, adjacent pairs of the plurality of elastic pins 114 (e.g., two elastic pins 114 located on the same side) are engaged or confined within the linkage plate 130 to form a rigid mechanical connection between them. In a preferred embodiment, the linkage plate 130 is a long strip of metal sheet, with locking interfaces or limiting grooves at both ends for connecting two or more adjacent elastic pins 114. The exposed ends of the elastic pins 114 are provided with hooks or limiting protrusions that match the locking interfaces or limiting grooves. By embedding the hooks into the locking interfaces or the limiting protrusions into the limiting grooves, a mechanical connection is achieved between two adjacent elastic pins 114 and the linkage plate 130, so that the connected elastic pins 114 undergo synchronous displacement during button pressing. With this design, on the one hand, the linkage plate 130 can be used to force adjacent pins to generate a synchronous displacement relationship; on the other hand, when the user is repairing or replacing the keycap 110, the linkage plate 130 can be used to simultaneously engage or disengage multiple elastic pins 114 located on the same side, eliminating the tediousness of aligning them one by one and greatly improving the convenience of subsequent maintenance and replacement.

[0049] Furthermore, thanks to the high degree of freedom in manufacturing offered by the aforementioned molding processes (especially 3D printing), the keycap 110 boasts a highly customizable appearance. While ensuring that the core functional structures of the bottom surface of the body 111 (i.e., the connecting portion 112, the magnetic ball 113 within the accommodating cavity 112a, and the elastic pins 114 arranged around it) remain unchanged and that mechanical operation is stable, users or manufacturers can flexibly adjust the three-dimensional appearance contours of the top surface and periphery of the body 111 through 3D printing. Specifically: For example... Figure 11 As shown, the keycap 110 can be configured to have a mountain-like shape; for example... Figure 12 As shown, the keycap 110 can be configured in the shape of a volcano; or, as... Figure 13 As shown, the keycap 110 can be further configured to resemble a dinosaur with complex curved surfaces. This decoupled internal and external design configuration allows the key structure 100 of the present invention to not only possess excellent internal mechanical balance performance, but also to easily and quickly realize various three-dimensional miniature model-level figurine-like keycap designs at extremely low manufacturing costs (eliminating the high mold opening costs of traditional injection molds). This perfectly matches the growing demand for personalization and customization in the current mechanical keyboard market, greatly enhancing the commercial added value of the product.

[0050] The key shaft 120 mainly includes a base 122 and a shaft core 121 passing through the base 122. To facilitate the assembly of internal components and provide stable sliding guidance, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the base 122 can be substantially formed by assembling a top cover 122a and a base 122b together to define an internal cavity for relative sliding of the spindle core 121. Furthermore, at least one fixing bracket 122c protrudes from the exterior of the base 122 (e.g., on the outer wall of the top cover 122a or the base 122b). The number and position of the fixing brackets 122c are configured to correspond to the elastic pins 114 on the bottom surface of the keycap 110, providing fulcrums for the movable connection and mounting of the elastic pins 114 during assembly, thereby constructing a stable floating support structure around the keycap 110. The fixing brackets 122c are provided with slots or limiting holes, and the exposed ends of the elastic pins 114 are provided with hooks or limiting protrusions. After the hook or limiting protrusion is inserted into the slot or limiting hole, it remains engaged within the normal pressing stroke range of the button and can only be disengaged from the fixing bracket when a disassembly force exceeding the normal pressing force is applied.

[0051] In this embodiment, the shaft core 121 is slidably and repositionably disposed inside the base 122. Specifically, a spring element (not shown in the figure), such as a helical spring, is disposed inside the base 122 (e.g., between the bottom end of the shaft core 121 and the base 122b). This spring element provides a restoring force that allows the shaft core 121 to automatically spring back to its initial position after being pressed down.

[0052] Furthermore, a receiving groove 121a is recessed at the top center of the shaft core 121, and a magnetic column 123 is fixedly installed in the receiving groove 121a. The magnetic column 123 is axially positioned at the center of the shaft core 121. After assembly, the top end of the magnetic column 123 protrudes upward from the receiving groove 121a and is spatially opposite the magnetic ball 113 at the end of the connecting portion 112 of the keycap 110. Through the mutual attraction of the magnetic materials, the top end of the magnetic column 123 and the magnetic ball 113 achieve a stable mutual magnetic attraction, so that the keycap 110 maintains the balance of the body portion 111 with the joint between the magnetic ball 113 and the magnetic column 123 as the support center when pressed. This design not only makes the assembly of keycaps and key switches extremely simple, enabling automatic magnetic alignment and eliminating the tedious steps of precise insertion and removal required by traditional cross-shaped key switches; more importantly, this magnetic connection point directly constitutes the "universal support fulcrum" of the entire key mechanism when it is pressed. Combined with the design of the magnetic ball 113 being confined within the accommodating cavity 112a, it ensures that the key can maintain a high degree of smoothness and continuity of force transmission when pressed at any angle.

[0053] Please see Figure 14When a user's finger presses the body 111 of the keycap 110 (especially when the point of force is off-center, such as when striking one side edge of the elongated keycap 110), the downward pressing force forces the keycap 110 to shift downward as a whole. At this time, the magnetic ball 113 located in the center of the keycap 110 and the magnetic post 123 located on the key switch 120 maintain a stable magnetic attraction. The downward pressing kinetic energy is directly and without loss transmitted to the switch core 121 through the magnetic ball 113, thereby overcoming the supporting force of the spring element inside the base 122 and pushing the switch core 121 to slide smoothly downward within the base 122, triggering the key signal.

[0054] It is particularly important to note that in traditional mechanical keyboards, when long keys are pressed on one side, the switch core is easily jammed in the base due to the lever principle caused by lateral shear force (i.e., jamming). However, in the operation of this invention, the magnetic ball 113 fully functions as a "universal support center (fulcrum)" under stress. Since the magnetic ball 113 is confined within the receiving cavity 112a at the bottom of the connecting part 112 and has multi-directional rolling freedom, when the keycap 110 experiences a slight tilting tendency due to eccentric force, the magnetic ball 113 can adaptively pivot and slide slightly within its receiving cavity 112a. This universal ball joint mechanism, like the shock absorber ball joint in a car chassis, can instantly absorb and unload lateral shear force and torque, ensuring that the force transmitted to the switch core 121 always remains purely vertically downward, completely avoiding frictional jamming when the switch core 121 slides.

[0055] Simultaneously, during the pressing and sinking process, multiple elastic pins 114 located around the main body 111 are simultaneously deformed by slight downward pressure within their corresponding fixing frames 122c. These elastic pins 114, acting as a peripheral suspension system, provide multi-point anti-torque tensile force. Furthermore, they can be used in conjunction with an integrally formed continuous component 140 (… Figure 6 ) or linkage plate 130 ( Figure 8 The synchronous linkage of the keycaps allows the torque generated by the force applied to one side to be quickly transmitted and distributed to the entire bottom surface of the keycap 110, thereby generating a strong centripetal balancing force. This dynamic mechanical balance structure of "central universal pressure relief" combined with "synchronous pulling around the four sides" counteracts the warping deformation (i.e., seesaw effect) caused by pressure on one side of the long keycap, allowing the two ends of the keycap 110 to maintain a high level of stable and synchronous downward movement throughout the entire downward stroke.

[0056] Correspondingly, when the user's finger releases pressure on the keycap 110, the spring element inside the base 122 releases its compressed energy, generating an upward pushing and restoring force. This restoring force pushes the spindle 121 to slide upward within the base 122; simultaneously, due to the stable magnetic attraction between the magnetic post 123 and the magnetic ball 113, the spindle 121 synchronously pulls the keycap 110 upward to return to its original position. During this rebound process, the magnetic ball 113 also functions as an adaptive fine-tuning universal joint, and the surrounding elastic pins 114 expand upward and release elastic deformation energy, jointly guiding both ends of the keycap 110 to smoothly and synchronously return to the initial horizontal stationary position, thus completing one complete keystroke cycle.

[0057] Please see Figure 15 The present invention also provides a keyboard device 10, which mainly includes: a housing 11, a circuit board 12 disposed in the housing 11, and a plurality of key structures.

[0058] The plurality of button structures are arranged in an array on the circuit board 12, and each button structure includes a keycap exposed outside the housing 11. In this embodiment, the plurality of button structures are mounted on a positioning plate 13, and the positioning plate 13 is secured to the housing 11 by screws. It should be particularly noted that, among the plurality of button structures, at least one button structure is the button structure 100 of the present invention.

[0059] Furthermore, because the key structure 100 of the present invention possesses excellent mechanical conduction performance with "central omnidirectional pressure relief" and "circumferential suspension balance," it is extremely suitable for application in large-size key configurations. In this embodiment, the keycap 110 of the at least one key structure 100 is preferably configured as a long key, and the length of the long key spans the spacing of at least two standard single keys (e.g., 2U, 2.25U, 2.75U, or 6.25U spans in industry standard specifications). In practical applications, the long key can specifically be at least one of the space bar, enter key, or shift key of the keyboard device 10. With such long keys, during frequent typing or gaming, the point of force is easily deviated from the center (e.g., the thumb or little finger is often used to tap the edge of the key). By incorporating the key structure 100 of the present invention, which includes a magnetic ball 113 universal pivot and peripheral elastic pins 114, into the long key, the lateral shear force and torque generated by eccentric striking can be effectively absorbed and dispersed. This improves the jamming, friction noise, and seesaw phenomenon that are prone to occur when using satellite axes or stabilizer bars on traditional keyboards. As a result, it provides users with a high-end typing experience that maintains a high degree of consistency, stability, and smooth sinking regardless of where the keycap is struck.

[0060] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, and should all be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A key structure for a keyboard device, characterized in that, include: At least one keycap includes a body and a connecting portion protruding from the center of the bottom surface of the body. A magnetic ball is provided at one end of the connecting portion, and the end of the connecting portion has a receiving cavity with an opening. The magnetic ball is housed within the receiving cavity, with a portion of its spherical surface exposed outside the opening. The diameter of the opening is smaller than the diameter of the magnetic ball. A plurality of elastic pins are provided around the bottom periphery of the body, with portions of the elastic pins embedded within the body, so that the elastic pins and the body form a seamless, integral connection. The key switch corresponding to the keycap includes a base and a core inserted through the base. The base has at least one fixing bracket, and the core is slidably and repositionably disposed on the base. The top of the shaft core is provided with a receiving groove, and a magnetic column is provided in the receiving groove. The top of the magnetic column is exposed and magnetically attracted to the magnetic ball. The multiple elastic pins are movably connected to the fixing frame of the base, so that the keycap maintains the balance of the main body with the junction of the magnetic ball and the magnetic column as the support center when it is pressed.

2. The key structure of the keyboard device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic pin is made of elastic metal, while the body is made of non-metallic material.

3. The key structure of the keyboard device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Two of the resilient pins distributed on opposite sides of the body are formed by a single continuous member, the continuous member including a connecting section embedded inside the body and two exposed sections extending from both ends of the connecting section to the outside of the body, wherein the two exposed sections form two resilient pins respectively.

4. The key structure of the keyboard device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The keycap is configured as an elongated keycap, which has a length dimension and a width dimension, and the length dimension is at least 1.5 times greater than the width dimension to be elongated.

5. The key structure of the keyboard device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The button structure also includes at least one linkage plate, and two adjacent elastic pins are engaged with the linkage plate to form a synchronous displacement linkage relationship.

6. A method for manufacturing a key structure for a keyboard device, characterized in that, The method is used to manufacture the key structure of the keyboard device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, and the method includes the following steps: Provide at least one magnetic ball, at least two elastic metal elements, and a positioning carrier; The magnetic ball and the elastic metal element are temporarily fixed at a predetermined position on the positioning carrier; A molding process is performed to cover a portion of the magnetic ball and one end of the elastic metal element with a non-metallic material to prepare a keycap including a body and a connecting portion. One end of the elastic metal element is embedded in the body to form a seamless fixed connection, and the other end of the elastic metal element exposed in the body forms multiple elastic pins. The connecting portion is molded around a portion of the magnetic ball to form an open receiving cavity, allowing the magnetic ball to remain in a rollable and restricted position within the receiving cavity, preventing it from falling out. Remove the positioning carrier; and A key switch corresponding to the keycap is provided. The key switch includes a base and a core passing through the base. The base has at least one fixing frame, and a plurality of elastic pins are movably connected to the fixing frame of the base, and the magnetic ball and the magnetic column at the top of the core are magnetically attracted to each other.

7. The method for manufacturing the key structure of the keyboard device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The molding process is an insert injection molding process or an encapsulation process, and the positioning carrier is a mold assembly. After the molding process is completed, the positioning carrier is removed by an opening action.

8. The method for manufacturing the key structure of the keyboard device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The molding process is a 3D printing process, with the positioning carrier as the basic support. During the molding process, a support material covering the elastic metal element is generated. Before the step of providing the key shaft, the support material is removed by physical peeling or chemical dissolution.

9. A keyboard device, characterized in that, include: case; The circuit board is disposed within the housing; as well as Multiple button structures are arranged in an array on the circuit board, and each button structure includes a keycap exposed outside the housing; Wherein, at least one key structure is the key structure of the keyboard device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

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