Key structure

Abstract

The utility model provides a key structure, which includes a base plate, a key cap, and a lifting mechanism, wherein the projection of the key cap on the base plate includes a rectangular part and a protruding part, the protruding part protrudes from the long side of the rectangular part, the key cap has a plurality of bracket connecting parts, the lifting mechanism supports the key cap on the base plate in a vertical direction, the projection of the lifting mechanism on the base plate overlaps with the protruding part, the lifting mechanism includes an outer bracket and an inner bracket, the inner bracket and the outer bracket are pivotally connected with each other relative to a rotation axis, the base plate is connected with the outer bracket and the inner bracket, the key cap is connected with the outer bracket and the inner bracket via the plurality of bracket connecting parts, wherein the bracket connecting part closest to the protruding part among the plurality of bracket connecting parts has an axis groove, the axis groove is pivotally connected with the outer bracket or the inner bracket, the projection of the axis groove on the base plate and the protruding part are located on the same side of the projection of the rotation axis on the base plate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to a key structure, in particular to a key structure with a non-rectangular key cap. Background Art

[0002] In addition to square keys (such as numeric keys, letter keys, etc.), keyboards also have long keys (i.e. rectangular keys with unequal adjacent sides, such as function keys, blank keys, etc.), and non-rectangular keys (such as the Enter key). The keycap of each key moves up and down relative to the base plate via its lifting mechanism. During use, the user may press any position of the keycap, causing the keycap to be easily subjected to uneven force. If the lifting mechanism cannot effectively transmit the pressing force, it is difficult for the keycap to move up and down smoothly. This problem will be more serious for long keys and non-rectangular keys. Utility Model Content

[0003] The utility model provides a key structure, the lifting mechanism of which can provide better support for the key cap and can effectively transmit the pressing force, thus helping the key cap to move up and down smoothly.

[0004] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the utility model proposes a key structure, which includes a base plate, a keycap, and a lifting mechanism, the projection of the keycap on the base plate includes a rectangular part and a protruding part, the protruding part protrudes from the long side of the rectangular part, the keycap has a plurality of bracket connecting parts, the lifting mechanism supports the keycap on the base plate in a vertical direction, the projection of the lifting mechanism on the base plate overlaps with the protruding part, the lifting mechanism includes an outer bracket and an inner bracket, the inner bracket and the outer bracket are pivotally connected to each other relative to a rotation axis, the base plate is connected to the outer bracket and the inner bracket, the keycap is connected to the outer bracket and the inner bracket via the plurality of bracket connecting parts, wherein the bracket connecting part closest to the protruding part among the plurality of bracket connecting parts has an axis groove, the axis groove is pivotally connected to the outer bracket or the inner bracket, the projection of the axis groove on the base plate and the protruding part are located on the same side of the projection of the rotation axis on the base plate.

[0005] As an optional technical solution, the inner bracket is pivotally connected to the shaft groove.

[0006] As an optional technical solution, the rotation axis is parallel to the long side of the rectangular part.

[0007] As an optional technical solution, the rotation axis is parallel to the short side of the rectangular part.

[0008] As an optional technical solution, the projection of the rotation axis on the base plate passes through the protruding portion.

[0009] As an optional technical solution, the key structure also includes an elastic member, which is arranged between the base plate and the key cap, wherein the outer bracket is an annular outer frame, the inner bracket is pivotally connected to the inner side of the annular outer frame, and the inner bracket has an opening, which is at least partially located between the rotating axis and the axis groove, and the elastic member passes through the opening.

[0010] As an optional technical solution, the projection of the inner bracket on the base plate overlaps with the protruding portion, and the projection of the outer bracket on the base plate is located within the rectangular portion.

[0011] As an optional technical solution, the outer bracket is an annular outer frame, and the inner bracket is pivotally connected to the inner side of the annular outer frame.

[0012] As an optional technical solution, the annular outer frame has a keycap connecting portion and a base plate connecting portion relative to the keycap connecting portion, the outer bracket is connected to the keycap via the keycap connecting portion, and the outer bracket is connected to the base plate via the base plate connecting portion, the keycap connecting portion and the base plate connecting portion both extend parallel to the rotation axis, and the ratio of the extension width of the base plate connecting portion to the extension width of the keycap connecting portion is between 0.5 and 0.8.

[0013] As an optional technical solution, the annular outer frame has a keycap connecting portion and a base plate connecting portion relative to the keycap connecting portion, the outer bracket is connected to the keycap via the keycap connecting portion, the outer bracket is connected to the base plate via the base plate connecting portion, the keycap connecting portion and the base plate connecting portion both extend parallel to the rotation axis, and the base plate connecting portion is a plastic connecting portion.

[0014] As an optional technical solution, the inner bracket has a supporting portion, the projection of the supporting portion on the base plate is located within the protruding portion, and when the key cap is not pressed, the supporting portion contacts the bottom surface of the key cap.

[0015] As an optional technical solution, the inner bracket has a first side frame and a second side frame, the first side frame and the second side frame are arranged along the rotation axis, the first side frame has a first keycap connecting portion, the second side frame has a second keycap connecting portion, the inner bracket is connected to the keycap via the first keycap connecting portion and the second keycap connecting portion, the annular outer frame has a base plate connecting portion, the outer bracket is connected to the base plate via the base plate connecting portion, the first keycap connecting portion, the second keycap connecting portion and the base plate connecting portion all extend parallel to the rotation axis, and the extension width of the first keycap connecting portion and the extension width of the second keycap connecting portion are both greater than 1.5 times the extension width of the base plate connecting portion.

[0016] As an optional technical solution, the projection of the key cap on the base plate is slightly L-shaped as a whole.

[0017] As an optional technical solution, the outer contour of the projection of the inner bracket on the base plate is generally similar to the outer contour of the projection of the key cap on the base plate.

[0018] As an optional technical solution, the outer contour of the projection of the outer bracket on the base plate is generally similar to the outer contour of the projection of the key cap on the base plate.

[0019] As an optional technical solution, the outer bracket and the inner bracket are plastic brackets.

[0020] The utility model provides a key structure, which improves the pressing feel by changing the position of the bracket connection part so that it is placed in the direction of the structural weak area. At the same time, the inner bracket and the outer bracket of the lifting mechanism are designed to overlap, so that the bracket connection part is as close to the structural weak area as possible, and the inner bracket extends as far as possible toward the structural weak area, further improving the pressing feel, effectively transmitting the pressing force, and helping the keycap to move up and down smoothly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The specific implementation of the utility model is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a key structure according to a first embodiment;

[0023] Figure 2 It is a partial exploded schematic diagram of the key structure of the first embodiment;

[0024] Figure 3 It is an exploded schematic diagram of the key structure of the first embodiment;

[0025] Figure 4 is an exploded schematic diagram of the key structure of the first embodiment at another viewing angle;

[0026] Figure 5 It is a top view of the bottom plate of the key structure of the first embodiment, on which the outline projection of the lifting mechanism and the key cap on the bottom plate is drawn;

[0027] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the key structure of the first embodiment, and its cross-sectional position is as follows Figure 1 As shown by the midline X1-X1;

[0028] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an outer bracket of a lifting mechanism of a key structure of the first embodiment;

[0029] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of an inner bracket of a lifting mechanism of a key structure of the first embodiment;

[0030] Fig. 9 is a partial exploded schematic diagram of a key structure according to a second embodiment;

[0031] Fig.10 An exploded schematic diagram of the key structure of the second embodiment;

[0032] Fig.11 It is a top view of the bottom plate of the key structure of the second embodiment, on which the outline projection of the lifting mechanism and the key cap on the bottom plate is drawn;

[0033] Fig.12 is a partial exploded schematic diagram of a key structure according to a third embodiment;

[0034] Fig.13 is an exploded schematic diagram of the key structure of the third embodiment;

[0035] Fig.14 It is a top view of the bottom plate of the key structure of the third embodiment, on which the outline projection of the lifting mechanism and the key cap on the bottom plate is drawn. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] In order to more clearly illustrate the utility model, the utility model is further described below in conjunction with preferred embodiments and drawings. Similar components in the drawings are represented by the same reference numerals. Those skilled in the art should understand that the content described below is illustrative rather than restrictive, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of the utility model.

[0037] See also Figures 1 to 4. The key structure 100 according to the first embodiment is different from a general rectangular key (such as a keyboard's numeric key, letter key, blank key, function key, etc.), for example, it can be but not limited to the Enter key of a keyboard. The key structure 100 includes a keycap 110, a base plate 120, a lifting mechanism 130, a switch circuit board 140 and an elastic member 150. The keycap 110 is disposed on the base plate 120. The lifting mechanism 130 is connected between the keycap 110 and the base plate 120, and supports the keycap 110 on the base plate 120 in a vertical direction Dv1 (indicated by a double-headed arrow in the figure), so that the keycap 110 can move up and down relative to the base plate 120 via the lifting mechanism 130 (i.e., move parallel to the vertical direction Dv1). The switch circuit board 140 is superimposed on the base plate 120 and is located below the keycap 110. In practical applications, the switch circuit board 140 may be, but is not limited to, a thin film circuit board (e.g., formed of a layered plate structure, with switch circuits formed on the upper and lower substrates, and an insulating layer sandwiched between the upper and lower substrates); it is represented by a single plate-like member in the figure to simplify the drawing. The switch circuit board 140 has a switch 1401 (the position in the figure is represented by a circle with hatching). The elastic member 150 is aligned with the switch 1401 and is disposed between the key cap 110 and the switch circuit board 140, and passes through the lifting mechanism 130. In practical applications, the elastic member 150 may be, but is not limited to, a rubber protrusion. The key cap 110 may be pressed to move toward the bottom plate 120 and squeeze the elastic member 150 so that the elastic member 150 triggers the switch 1401.

[0038] The lifting mechanism 130 includes an outer bracket 1301 and an inner bracket 1302. The outer bracket 1301 and the inner bracket 1302 are pivotally connected to each other relative to a rotation axis 130a (indicated by a chain line in the figure). The keycap 110 has a plurality of bracket connecting portions 1101, 1102, and 1103 on its bottom surface 1104. The keycap 110 is pivotally connected to the shaft portion 1303 of the inner bracket 1302 via the bracket connecting portion 1101. In the first embodiment, the bracket connecting portion 1101 is realized by two oppositely disposed hooks, and an axis groove 1101a is formed between the two hooks. The axis portion 1303 is cylindrical and rotatably accommodated in the axis groove 1101a (for example, the outer diameter of the axis portion 1303 is the same as the inner diameter of the axis groove 1101a), thereby realizing the pivotal connection between the inner bracket 1302 and the bracket connecting portion 1101. In addition, the keycap 110 is rotatably and slidably connected to the outer bracket 1301 via the bracket connecting parts 1102 and 1103. The bracket connecting parts 1102 and 1103 are slightly different in structure, but both provide a slide groove so that the outer bracket 1301 can be rotatably and slidably connected thereto.

[0039] The bottom plate 120 has a plurality of support connection parts 1201, 1202. The bottom plate 120 is rotatably and slidably connected to the inner support 1302 via the support connection part 1201, and is rotatably and slidably connected to the outer support 1301 via the support connection part 1202. In addition, the bottom plate 120 also has a plurality of limit parts 1203, and the limit parts 1203 are adjacent to the support connection part 1202. The limit parts 1203 can prevent the outer support 1301 from being separated from the support connection part 1202. In addition, in the first embodiment, the support connection parts 1201, 1202 are slightly different in structure, but both provide a slide groove so that the outer support 1301 and the inner support 1302 can be rotatably and slidably connected thereto. The sliding range provided by the bracket connection portion 1201 (in the horizontal direction Dh1 (indicated by a double-headed arrow in the figure) perpendicular to the rotation axis 130a and the vertical direction Dv1) is larger than the sliding range provided by the bracket connection portion 1202. The bracket connection portion 1202 and the stopper portion 1203 can jointly provide a nearly pivotal connection structure for the outer bracket 1301, which helps to stabilize the movement of the lifting mechanism 130 relative to the bottom plate 120 (including that when stationary, the lifting mechanism 130 is not easy to shake relative to the bottom plate 120 along the horizontal direction Dh1).

[0040] See also Figure 5 , which is a top view of the bottom plate 120; wherein the projection contour of the lifting mechanism 130 on the bottom plate 120 is drawn with a thin solid line, the projection contour 1105 of the keycap 110 on the bottom plate 120 is drawn with a chain line, and the projection contours 1109, 1110, 1111 of the bracket connecting parts 1101, 1102, 1103 of the keycap 110 on the bottom plate 120 are simply indicated by chain line blocks. It should be supplemented that the aforementioned projection on the bottom plate 120 logically refers to the projection of the aforementioned components on the virtual plane containing the upper surface of the bottom plate 120. Figure 5As shown, the projection 1105 of the keycap 110 on the bottom plate 120 is slightly L-shaped as a whole, and can be logically regarded as including a rectangular portion 1106 and a protruding portion 1107, and the boundary between the two is indicated by a dotted line. The rectangular portion 1106 and the protruding portion 1107 are both long rectangles extending parallel to the rotation axis 130a or its projection 130b (indicated by a chain line in the figure), and the protruding portion 1107 protrudes from the long side 1108 (parallel to the rotation axis 130a) of the rectangular portion 1106. The projection of the lifting mechanism 130 as a whole (including the projection 1304 of the outer bracket 1301 and the projection 1305 of the inner bracket 1302) overlaps with the protruding portion 1107; wherein, the projection 1305 of the inner bracket 1302 on the bottom plate 120 overlaps with the protruding portion 1107, and the projection 1304 of the outer bracket 1301 on the bottom plate 120 is entirely located in the rectangular portion 1106. The projections 1109, 1110, 1111 of the bracket connecting parts 1101, 1102, 1103 on the bottom plate 120 are also located in the rectangular portion 1106, and the projection 1109 of the bracket connecting part 1101 on the bottom plate 120 and the protruding portion 1107 are located on the same side of the projection 130b of the rotation axis 130a on the bottom plate 120; Figure 5 The two projections 1109 (corresponding to the bracket connection part 1101) on the upper left side (from a viewing angle) are closest to the protruding part 1107 relative to the projections 1109, 1110, 1111 of the other bracket connection parts 1101, 1102, 1103. Therefore, when the portion of the keycap 110 corresponding to the protruding part 1107 is pressed, the inner bracket 1302 can provide stable support for the keycap 110 by pivoting with at least one bracket connection part 1101 adjacent thereto and can effectively receive the force of pressing the keycap 110, thereby effectively transmitting the pressing force, which helps the keycap 110 to move up and down smoothly. In addition, the outer contour of the projection 1305 of the inner bracket 1302 on the bottom plate 120 is generally similar to the outer contour of the projection 1105 of the keycap 110 on the bottom plate 120.

[0041] In addition, if Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the outer support 1301 is an annular outer frame, and the inner support 1302 is pivotally connected to the inner side of the annular outer frame. The inner support 1302 has an opening 1306 for the elastic member 150 to pass through. Figure 6 ; wherein the rotation axis 130a is indicated by a cross mark in the figure. The inner bracket 1302 has a support portion 1307. The projection of the support portion 1307 on the bottom plate 120 (refer to Figure 5) is located in the protruding portion 1107 of the projection 1105 of the keycap 110 (or at least partially located in the protruding portion 1107). The abutting portion 1307 increases the overall volume of the inner bracket 1302 (compared to the general scissor-leg bracket in which the entire inner bracket is located inside the outer bracket), which helps to improve the structural rigidity of the inner bracket 1302. In addition, in the first embodiment, the inner bracket 1302 is designed so that when the keycap 110 is not pressed, the abutting portion 1307 contacts the bottom surface 1104 of the keycap 110 (such as Figure 6 This structural configuration also helps the lifting mechanism 130 to stably support the key cap 110. However, the actual application is not limited to this.

[0042] See also Figure 7 and Figure 8 , which are schematic diagrams of the outer support 1301 and the inner support 1302 respectively. Figure 7 As shown, the outer bracket 1301 is generally in the shape of a rectangular frame. The structure can be logically regarded as being formed by two opposite long arms and two opposite short arms connected to each other. The long arms extend parallel to the rotation axis 130a, and the short arms extend perpendicular to the rotation axis 130a. The outer bracket 1301 has a keycap connecting portion 1308 (the structural scope of which is indicated by a dotted frame, which is equivalent to one of the long arms) and a bottom plate connecting portion 1309 relative to the keycap connecting portion 1308 (the structural scope of which is indicated by a dotted frame, which is equivalent to the other long arm). The outer bracket 1301 is connected to the bracket connecting portions 1102 and 1103 of the keycap 110 via the keycap connecting portion 1308, and is connected to the bracket connecting portion 1202 of the bottom plate 120 via the bottom plate connecting portion 1309. Among them, for the keycap connection part 1308, in addition to the structure on the keycap connection part 1308 for cooperating with the support connection parts 1102 and 1103 of the keycap 110, the keycap connection part 1308 as a whole can be regarded as extending with the same width parallel to the rotation axis 130a; for the bottom plate connection part 1309, in addition to the structure on the bottom plate connection part 1309 for cooperating with the support connection part 1202 and the limit part 1203 of the bottom plate 120, and the structure for avoiding the support connection part 1101 of the keycap 110, the bottom plate connection part 1309 as a whole can also be regarded as extending with the same width parallel to the rotation axis 130a. The extension width 1310 (such as Figure 7 ) is larger than the extension width 1311 of the bottom plate connection portion 1309 (as indicated in Figure 7) is larger, which helps to relatively improve the structural stability of the outer bracket 1301 after assembly when the overall structural size is limited, thereby improving the stability of the outer bracket 1301 in supporting the keycap 110. For example, when the portion of the keycap 110 corresponding to the keycap connecting portion 1308 (especially the corner of the keycap 110) is pressed, the keycap connecting portion 1308 can effectively transmit the pressing force along its extension direction (i.e., the direction parallel to the rotation axis 130a). In actual applications, the ratio of the extension width 1311 of the bottom plate connecting portion 1309 to the extension width 1310 of the keycap connecting portion 1308 can be designed to be between 0.5 and 0.8. In addition, with respect to the key structure 100 as a whole, the base plate 120 is a stationary part, and the connection between the external bracket 1301 (via the base plate connection portion 1309) and the base plate 120 is easier to maintain stability. Therefore, in actual applications, the base plate connection portion 1309 may not contain metal parts (for example, it does not contain elements for strengthening the structure there); similarly, the keycap 110 is a moving part, and the keycap connection portion 1308 of the external bracket 1301 may contain metal parts in actual applications (for example, by embedding metal parts in plastic injection parts to achieve structural strengthening there), so as to enhance its own structural stability and also enhance the stability of its connection with the keycap 110.

[0043] In addition, if Figure 8As shown, the inner bracket 1302 has a first side frame 1312 (with a dotted line frame to indicate its structural scope) and a second side frame 1313 (with a dotted line frame to indicate its structural scope), and the first side frame 1312 and the second side frame 1313 are arranged along the rotation axis 130a. The opening 1306 is located between the first side frame 1312 and the second side frame 1313. The abutment portion 1307 is located at the first side frame 1312. The first side frame 1312 has a first keycap connecting portion 1314 (with a chain line frame to indicate its structural scope, which includes two shaft portions 1303) and a first bottom plate connecting portion 1315 (with a chain line frame to indicate its structural scope), and the first keycap connecting portion 1314 and the first bottom plate connecting portion 1315 both extend parallel to the rotation axis 130a. The second side frame 1313 has a second keycap connection portion 1316 (with a chain line frame to indicate its structural scope, which includes the other two shaft portions 1303) and a second bottom plate connection portion 1317 (with a chain line frame to indicate its structural scope), and the second keycap connection portion 1316 and the second bottom plate connection portion 1317 both extend parallel to the rotation axis 130a. The inner bracket 1302 is connected to the bracket connection portion 1101 of the keycap 110 via the first keycap connection portion 1314 and the second keycap connection portion 1316, and is connected to the bracket connection portion 1201 of the bottom plate 120 via the first bottom plate connection portion 1315 and the second bottom plate connection portion 1317. Among them, for the first keycap connection portion 1314, in addition to the structure on the first keycap connection portion 1314 for cooperating with the bracket connection portion 1101 of the keycap 110, and the structure for cooperating with the bracket connection portion 1202 and the limit portion 1203 avoiding the bottom plate, the first keycap connection portion 1314 as a whole can be regarded as extending parallel to the rotation axis 130a with the same width; for the second keycap connection portion 1316, in addition to the structure of the second keycap connection portion 1316 for cooperating with the bracket connection portion 1101 of the keycap 110, the second keycap connection portion 1316 as a whole can also be regarded as extending parallel to the rotation axis 130a with the same width.

[0044] See also Figure 2 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 , the inner bracket 1302 is pivotally connected to the inner side of the outer bracket 1301, and in terms of the structure itself, the inner bracket 1302 and the outer bracket 1301 can be placed horizontally, so the structural size of the inner bracket 1302 will also be limited by the outer bracket 1301. The first keycap connecting portion 1314 and the second keycap connecting portion 1316 of the inner bracket 1302 are located on the same side of the rotation axis 130a as the bottom plate connecting portion 1309 of the outer bracket 1301, so the extension width 1318 (such as Figure 8 ) and the extension width 1319 of the second key cap connecting portion 1316 (as indicated in Figure 8 ) will be aligned with the extension width 1311 (as indicated in Figure 7In practical applications, the extension width 1318 of the first keycap connection portion 1314 and the extension width 1319 of the second keycap connection portion 1316 can be made larger than the extension width 1311 of the bottom plate connection portion 1309 of the outer bracket 1301, so as to improve the structural stability of the inner bracket 1302 after assembly, and further improve the stability of the inner bracket 1302 supporting the keycap 110. For example, the extension width 1318 of the first keycap connection portion 1314 and the extension width 1319 of the second keycap connection portion 1316 are both larger than 1.5 times the extension width 1311 of the bottom plate connection portion 1309 of the outer bracket 1301.

[0045] In addition, if Figures 2 to 4 and Figure 6 As shown, in the first embodiment, in the horizontal direction Dh1, the abutting portion 1307 of the inner bracket 1302 protrudes from the outer bracket 1301, so in the vertical direction Dv1, the inner bracket 1302 and the outer bracket 1301 overlap at this location. The outer bracket 1301 has a recessed structure 1320 (located on the bottom plate connecting portion 1309) at the overlapping location, and the inner bracket 1302 also has a recessed structure 1321 (located on the keycap connecting portion 1314) at the overlapping location. The recessed structure 1321 of the inner bracket 1302 is opposite to the recessed structure 1320 of the outer bracket 1301. When the outer bracket 1301 and the inner bracket 1302 are overlapped, the outer bracket 1301 and the inner bracket 1302 can be interlocked with each other through the two recessed structures 1320, 1321, so that the outer bracket 1301 and the inner bracket 1302 can be placed horizontally. For example, after the outer bracket 1301 and the inner bracket 1302 are overlapped, the overall thickness is not greater than the thickness of the outer bracket 1301 or the inner bracket 1302 .

[0046] In addition, in the first embodiment, the outer bracket 1301 and the inner bracket 1302 are both made of a single material, such as a plastic injection molded part; however, the actual application is not limited thereto. For example, the outer bracket 1301 or the inner bracket 1302 may be a composite structure, such as adding a reinforcement part (such as a metal part, by embedding injection) to the plastic injection molded part.

[0047] In general, in the first embodiment (see also Figures 1 to 8), the lifting mechanism 130 of the key structure 100 still maintains the scissor foot bracket, which can improve assembly efficiency. The key structure 100 does not use a balance bar (which is commonly found in general long keys, such as blank keys, in a U-shape, connecting the keycap and the base plate to help the keycap move up and down smoothly), which can reduce impact noise (such as the sound generated by the balance bar hitting other components). By taking advantage of the fact that the driving performance of the support connection part 1101 (implemented by two oppositely arranged hooks, with an axis groove 1101a formed between the two hooks to provide a rotational connection) (i.e., the stability of the linkage between the support connection part 1101 and the inner support 1302) is better than the driving performance of the support connection parts 1102 and 1103 (implemented by a sliding groove structure to provide both rotational and sliding connections) (i.e., the stability of the linkage between the support connection parts 1102 and 1103 and the outer support 1301), the positions of the support connection parts 1101 and the support connection parts 1102 and 1103 are changed so that the support connection part 1101 used for pivoting is placed in a structural weak area (such as Figure 5 The inner bracket 1302 and the outer bracket 1301 of the lifting mechanism 130 are designed to overlap (for example, when the outer bracket 1301 and the inner bracket 1302 are both placed horizontally, the inner bracket 1302 will be overlapped on the outer bracket 1301), so that the bracket connection part 1101 is as close as possible to the structural weak area (for example, Figure 5 In general, the inner bracket is entirely located inside the outer bracket. At this time, the inner bracket is far from the protruding portion. The utility model adopts an overlapping design of the inner bracket 1302 and the outer bracket 1301, so that the inner bracket 1302 is as close to the structural weak area as possible (for example, Figure 5 The key cap 110 is provided with a central portion 1302 (the central portion 1303 of the key cap 110) which extends from the upper left corner of the middle key cap 110, which can also enhance the pressing feel; wherein, in actual applications, the above-mentioned designs can be selected or used simultaneously at the upper left corner and the lower left corner of the key cap 110 (both are structural weak areas). Therefore, the structural rigidity of the key structure 100 is enhanced, overcoming or effectively suppressing the problem of the existence of structural weak areas. In addition, the lifting mechanism 130 provides a space for placing the elastic member 150 (the opening 1306 of the inner bracket 1302) which can be made into a non-circular form, so that the elastic member 150 can be flexibly adjusted in position as required, such as making the elastic member 150 as close as possible to the upper left corner of the key cap 110, so as to enhance the pressing feel. In addition, in the key structure 100, the shaft groove 1101a is pivotally connected to the inner bracket 1302, but this is not limited to this in actual applications. For example, the inner bracket 1302 is changed to be connected to the bracket connecting parts 1102 and 1103, the outer bracket 1301 is changed to be connected to the bracket connecting part 1101, the abutting part 1307 of the inner bracket 1302 is changed to be formed on the outer bracket 1301, and other structures are also modified accordingly and will not be elaborated on.

[0048] See also Fig. 9 and Fig.10. The key structure 200 according to the second embodiment is also different from a general rectangular key (such as a keyboard's numeric key, letter key, blank key, function key, etc.), for example, it can be but not limited to the Enter key of a keyboard. The key structure 200 includes a keycap 210, a base plate 220, a lifting mechanism 230, a switch circuit board 240 and an elastic member 250. The keycap 210 is disposed on the base plate 220. The lifting mechanism 230 is connected between the keycap 210 and the base plate 220, and supports the keycap 210 on the base plate 220 in a vertical direction Dv2 (indicated by a double-headed arrow in the figure), so that the keycap 210 can move up and down relative to the base plate 220 (i.e., move parallel to the vertical direction Dv2) via the lifting mechanism 230. The switch circuit board 240 is superimposed on the base plate 220 and is located below the keycap 210. In practical applications, the switch circuit board 240 may be, but is not limited to, a thin film circuit board (for example, a layered plate structure, wherein the switch circuit is formed on the upper and lower substrates, and an insulating layer is sandwiched between the upper and lower substrates); it is represented by a single plate-shaped member in the figure to simplify the drawing. The switch circuit board 240 has a switch 2401 (the position in the figure is represented by a circle with hatching). The elastic member 250 is aligned with the switch 2401 and is disposed between the key cap 210 and the switch circuit board 240, and passes through the lifting mechanism 230. In practical applications, the elastic member 250 may be, but is not limited to, a rubber protrusion. The key cap 210 may be pressed to move toward the bottom plate 220 and squeeze the elastic member 250 so that the elastic member 250 triggers the switch 2401.

[0049] The lifting mechanism 230 includes an outer bracket 2301 and an inner bracket 2302. The outer bracket 2301 and the inner bracket 2302 are pivotally connected to each other relative to a rotation axis 230a (indicated by a chain line in the figure). The keycap 210 has a plurality of bracket connecting portions 2101 and 2102 on its bottom surface 2104. The keycap 210 is pivotally connected to the shaft portion 2303 of the inner bracket 2302 via the bracket connecting portion 2101. In the second embodiment, the bracket connecting portion 2101 is realized by two oppositely disposed hooks, and an axis groove 2101a is formed between the two hooks. The axis portion 2303 is cylindrical and rotatably accommodated in the axis groove 2101a (for example, the outer diameter of the axis portion 2303 is the same as the inner diameter of the axis groove 2101a), thereby realizing the pivotal connection between the inner bracket 2302 and the bracket connecting portion 2101. In addition, the keycap 210 is rotatably and slidably connected to the outer bracket 2301 via the bracket connecting portion 2102. The support connecting portion 2102 provides a slide groove so that the outer support 2301 can be rotatably and slidably connected thereto.

[0050] The bottom plate 220 has a plurality of support connection parts 2201, 2202. The bottom plate 220 is rotatably and slidably connected to the inner support 2302 via the support connection part 2201, and is rotatably and slidably connected to the outer support 2301 via the support connection part 2202. In addition, the bottom plate 220 also has a plurality of limit parts 2203, and the limit parts 2203 are adjacent to the support connection part 2202. The limit parts 2203 can prevent the outer support 2301 from being separated from the support connection part 2202. In addition, in the second embodiment, the support connection parts 2201 and 2202 are slightly different in structure, but both provide a slide groove so that the outer support 2301 and the inner support 2302 can be rotatably and slidably connected thereto. The sliding range provided by the bracket connection part 2201 (in the horizontal direction Dh2 (indicated by a double-headed arrow in the figure) perpendicular to the rotation axis 230a and the vertical direction Dv2) is larger than the sliding range provided by the bracket connection part 2202. The bracket connection part 2202 and the stopper 2203 can jointly provide a nearly pivotal connection structure of the outer bracket 2301, which helps to stabilize the movement of the lifting mechanism 230 relative to the bottom plate 220 (including when stationary, the lifting mechanism 230 is not easy to shake relative to the bottom plate 220 along the horizontal direction Dh2).

[0051] See also Fig.11 , which is a top view of the bottom plate 220; wherein the projection contour of the lifting mechanism 230 on the bottom plate 220 is drawn with a thin solid line, the projection contour 2105 of the keycap 210 on the bottom plate 220 is drawn with a chain line, and the projection contours 2109 and 2110 of the bracket connecting parts 2101 and 2102 of the keycap 210 on the bottom plate 220 are simply indicated by chain line blocks. It should be noted that the aforementioned projection on the bottom plate 220 logically refers to the projection of the aforementioned components on the virtual plane containing the upper surface of the bottom plate 220. Fig.11As shown, the projection 2105 of the keycap 210 on the base plate 220 is generally L-shaped, and logically can be regarded as including a rectangular portion 2106 and a protruding portion 2107, and the boundary between the two is indicated by a dotted line. The rectangular portion 2106 and the protruding portion 2107 are both long rectangles extending perpendicularly to the rotation axis 230a or its projection 230b (indicated by a chain line in the figure), and the protruding portion 2107 protrudes from the long side 2108 of the rectangular portion 2106 (perpendicular to the rotation axis 230a); on the other hand, the rotation axis 230a is parallel to the short side 2111 of the rectangular portion 2106. The projection of the entire lifting mechanism 230 (including the projection 2304 of the outer bracket 2301 and the projection 2305 of the inner bracket 2302) overlaps with the protruding portion 2107; wherein, the projection 2304 of the outer bracket 2301 on the bottom plate 220 overlaps with the protruding portion 2107, and the projection 2305 of the inner bracket 2301 on the bottom plate 220 is entirely located within the rectangular portion 2106. The projections 2109 and 2110 of the bracket connecting portions 2101 and 2102 on the bottom plate 220 are also both located within the rectangular portion 2106, and the projection 2109 of the bracket connecting portion 2101 on the bottom plate 220 and (most of) the protruding portion 2107 are located on the same side of the projection 230b of the rotating shaft 230a on the bottom plate 220; wherein (with the projection 2304 of the outer bracket 2301 on the bottom plate 220 overlaps with the protruding portion 2107; Fig.11 (From a perspective), the upper left projection 2109 (corresponding to the bracket connection part 2101) is closest to the protruding part 2107 relative to the projections 2109 and 2110 of the other bracket connection parts 2101 and 2102. Therefore, when the part of the keycap 210 corresponding to the protruding part 2107 is pressed, the inner bracket 2302 can provide stable support for the keycap 210 through the pivot connection with the bracket connection part 2101 and can effectively receive the force of pressing the keycap 210, thereby effectively transmitting the pressing force, which helps the keycap 210 to move up and down smoothly.

[0052] In addition, in the second embodiment, the outer bracket 2301 is an annular outer frame, and the inner bracket 2302 is pivotally connected to the inner side of the annular outer frame. The inner bracket 2302 has an opening 2306 for the elastic member 250 to pass through. In addition, the annular outer frame generally extends around the inner bracket 2302 with a similar width (parallel or perpendicular to the rotation axis 230a), and the inner bracket 2302 is generally L-shaped to match the inner side profile of the annular outer frame. This structural configuration helps to allow a larger inner bracket 2302, thereby improving the structural rigidity of the inner bracket 2302. The overall outer contour of the projection 2305 of the inner bracket 2302 on the bottom plate 220 and the overall outer contour of the projection 2304 of the outer bracket 2301 on the bottom plate 220 are similar to the overall outer contour of the projection 2105 of the keycap 210 on the bottom plate 220. In addition, in the second embodiment, the outer bracket 2301 and the inner bracket 2302 are both single-material structures, such as plastic injection molding; but this is not limited to the actual application. For example, the outer support 2301 or the inner support 2302 may be a composite structure, such as adding a reinforcing member (such as a metal member, by embedding injection) to a plastic injection molded part.

[0053] In general, in the second embodiment (see also Figures 9 to 11 ), the lifting mechanism 230 of the key structure 200 still maintains the scissor foot bracket, which can improve assembly efficiency. The key structure 200 does not use a balance bar (which is commonly found in general long keys, such as blank keys, in a U-shape, connecting the keycap and the base plate to help the keycap move up and down smoothly), which can reduce impact noise (such as the sound generated by the balance bar hitting other components). By utilizing the characteristic that the driving performance (i.e., the stability of the linkage between the bracket connection part 2101 and the inner bracket 2302) of the bracket connection part 2101 (realized by two oppositely arranged hooks, with an axis groove 2101a formed between the two hooks to provide a rotational connection) is better than the driving performance (i.e., the stability of the linkage between the bracket connection part 2102 and the outer bracket 2301) of the bracket connection part 2102 (realized by a slide groove structure to provide a rotational and sliding connection at the same time), that is, the bracket connection part 2101 used for pivoting has more structural restrictions than the bracket connection part 2102 used for sliding / rotation, which is beneficial to transmission and the stability of the pivoting structure is also higher. By changing the positions of the bracket connection part 2101 and the bracket connection part 2102 so that the bracket connection part 2101 is placed in a structural weak area (such as Fig.11In addition, the lifting mechanism 230 provides a space for the elastic member 250 (the opening 2306 of the inner bracket 2302) to be placed in a non-circular form, so that the elastic member 250 can be flexibly adjusted according to the needs, such as making the elastic member 250 as close to the upper left corner of the keycap 210 as possible, so that the pressing feel corresponding to this place is improved. In addition, in the key structure 200, the shaft groove 2101a is pivotally connected to the inner bracket 2302, but this is not limited to the actual application. For example, the inner bracket 2302 is changed to be connected to the bracket connecting portion 2102, and the outer bracket 2301 is changed to be connected to the bracket connecting portion 2101, and other structures are also modified accordingly, which will not be repeated.

[0054] See also Fig.12 and Fig.13 . The key structure 300 according to the third embodiment is also different from a general rectangular key (such as a keyboard's numeric key, letter key, blank key, function key, etc.), for example, it can be but not limited to the Enter key of a keyboard. The key structure 300 includes a keycap 310, a bottom plate 320, a lifting mechanism 330, a switch circuit board 340 and an elastic member 350. The keycap 310 is disposed on the bottom plate 320. The lifting mechanism 330 is connected between the keycap 310 and the bottom plate 320, and the lifting mechanism 330 includes an outer bracket 3301 and an inner bracket 3302, and the outer bracket 3301 and the inner bracket 3302 are pivotally connected to each other relative to a rotation axis 330a (represented by a chain line in the figure). The lifting mechanism 330 supports the keycap 310 on the bottom plate 320 in the vertical direction Dv3 (indicated by a double-headed arrow in the figure) via the outer bracket 3301 and the inner bracket 3302, so that the keycap 310 can move up and down relative to the bottom plate 320 (i.e., move parallel to the vertical direction Dv3) via the lifting mechanism 330. The switch circuit board 340 is stacked on the bottom plate 320 and is located below the keycap 310. In practical applications, the switch circuit board 340 can be, but not limited to, a thin film circuit board (for example, formed by a layered plate structure, with switch circuits formed on the upper and lower substrates, and an insulating layer sandwiched between the upper and lower substrates); it is represented by a single plate-shaped member in the figure to simplify the drawing. The switch circuit board 340 has a switch 3401 (the position in the figure is indicated by a circle with hatching). The elastic member 350 is aligned with the switch 3401 and is disposed between the keycap 310 and the switch circuit board 340, and passes through the lifting mechanism 330. In practical applications, the elastic member 350 can be, but not limited to, a rubber protrusion. The key cap 310 may be pressed to move toward the bottom plate 320 and press the elastic member 350 so that the elastic member 350 triggers the switch 3401 .

[0055] In the third embodiment, the key structure 300 is substantially the same as the key structure 200 of the second embodiment, so for other descriptions of the key structure 300, please refer to the related descriptions of the key structure 200 and its variations, and no further description is given.

[0056] See also Fig.14 , which is a top view of the bottom plate 320; wherein the projection outline of the lifting mechanism 330 on the bottom plate 320 is drawn with a thin solid line, the projection outline 3105 of the keycap 310 on the bottom plate 320 is drawn with a chain line, and the projection outline of the bracket connecting part of the keycap 310 (connected to the lifting mechanism 330) on the bottom plate 220 is simply indicated by a chain line block. It should be supplemented that the aforementioned projection on the bottom plate 320 logically refers to the projection of the aforementioned component on the virtual plane including the upper surface of the bottom plate 320. The projection 3105 of the keycap 310 on the bottom plate 320 is slightly L-shaped as a whole and includes a rectangular portion 3106 and a protruding portion 3107. The rectangular portion 3106 and the protruding portion 3107 are both long rectangles extending perpendicular to the rotation axis 330a or its projection 330b (indicated by a chain line in the figure). The projection of the lifting mechanism 330 as a whole (including the projection 3304 of the outer bracket 3301 and the projection 3305 of the inner bracket 3302) overlaps with the protruding portion 3107; wherein, the projection 3304 of the outer bracket 3301 on the bottom plate 320 overlaps with the protruding portion 3107, and the projection 3305 of the inner bracket 3301 on the bottom plate 320 is entirely located within the rectangular portion 3106. The projection 330b of the rotation axis 330a on the bottom plate 320 passes through the protruding portion 3107. On the other hand, relative to the key structure 200 (see also Fig. 9 and Fig.11 ), the rotation axis 330a of the key structure 300 of the third embodiment (with Fig.14 In terms of the perspective of rotation, the position of the key cap 310 is relatively moved upward, and this structural configuration can increase the support of the lifting mechanism 330 on the upper half of the key cap 310 (including the portion corresponding to the protruding portion 3107). In addition, in actual applications, for example, in the third embodiment, the position of the opening 3306 of the inner bracket 2306 can be relatively moved upward (so that the entire opening 3306 is located on one side of the rotating shaft 330a), so that the elastic member 350 supports the upper half of the key cap 310. This structural configuration can also increase the support of the lifting mechanism 330 on the upper half of the key cap 310.

[0057] Similarly, in general, in the third embodiment (see also Figure 12 to Figure 14 ), the lifting mechanism 330 of the key structure 300 still maintains the scissor foot bracket, which can improve assembly efficiency. The key structure 300 does not use a balance bar (which is commonly found in general long keys, such as blank keys, in the shape of a letter "ㄇ", connecting the keycap and the base plate to help the keycap move up and down smoothly), which can reduce impact noise (such as the sound generated by the balance bar colliding with other components). In the bracket connection part on the keycap 310, the driving property of the shaft groove is better than the driving property of the slide groove. By changing the position of the bracket connection part, the bracket connection part used for pivoting is placed in the structural weak area (such as Fig.11In addition, the space (opening 3306 of the inner bracket 3302) provided by the lifting mechanism 330 for placing the elastic member 350 can be made into a non-circular shape, so that the elastic member 350 can be flexibly adjusted according to the needs, such as making the elastic member 350 as close to the upper left corner of the key cap 310 as possible, so that the pressing feel at this place is improved. Fig.14 The position of the key cap 310 is relatively moved upward, so that the extension width of the portion where the outer bracket 3301 is connected to the key cap 310 is increased, which can increase the structural rigidity of the portion, thereby improving the pressing feel of the corresponding portion (for example, the pressing feel of the lower left corner). In addition, in the key structure 300, the key cap 310 is pivotally connected to the inner bracket 3302, but this is not limited to the actual application. For example, the inner bracket 3302 is changed to be slidably connected to the key cap 310, and the outer bracket 3301 is changed to be pivotally connected to the key cap 310, and other structures are also modified accordingly, which will not be described in detail.

[0058] In summary, the utility model provides a key structure, which improves the pressing feel by changing the position of the bracket connection part so that it is placed in the direction of the structural weak area. At the same time, the inner bracket and the outer bracket of the lifting mechanism are designed to overlap, so that the bracket connection part is as close to the structural weak area as possible, and the inner bracket extends as far as possible toward the structural weak area, further improving the pressing feel, effectively transmitting the pressing force, and helping the keycap to move up and down smoothly.

[0059] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not limitations on the implementation methods of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in the relevant field, other different forms of changes or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is impossible to list all the implementation methods here. All obvious changes or modifications derived from the technical solution of the present invention are still within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A key structure, characterized in that: The key structure includes: Base plate; A key cap, wherein the projection of the key cap on the base plate includes a rectangular portion and a protruding portion, the protruding portion protrudes from a long side of the rectangular portion, and the key cap has a plurality of bracket connecting portions; as well as A lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism supports the keycap on the base plate in a vertical direction, the projection of the lifting mechanism on the base plate overlaps with the protruding portion, and the lifting mechanism comprises: External support; as well as An inner bracket, the inner bracket and the outer bracket are pivotally connected to each other relative to a rotation axis, the base plate is connected to the outer bracket and the inner bracket, the key cap is connected to the outer bracket and the inner bracket via the multiple bracket connecting parts, wherein the bracket connecting part closest to the protruding part among the multiple bracket connecting parts has an axis groove, the axis groove is pivotally connected to the outer bracket or the inner bracket, and the projection of the axis groove on the base plate and the protruding part are located on the same side of the projection of the rotation axis on the base plate.

2. The key structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner bracket is pivotally connected to the shaft groove.

3. The key structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotation axis is parallel to the long side of the rectangular portion.

4. The key structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotation axis is parallel to the short side of the rectangular portion.

5. The key structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The projection of the rotation axis on the bottom plate passes through the protruding portion.

6. The key structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The key structure also includes an elastic member, which is arranged between the base plate and the key cap, wherein the outer bracket is an annular outer frame, the inner bracket is pivotally connected to the inner side of the annular outer frame, the inner bracket has an opening, and the opening is at least partially located between the rotating axis and the axis groove, and the elastic member passes through the opening.

7. The key structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The projection of the inner bracket on the bottom plate overlaps with the protruding portion, and the projection of the outer bracket on the bottom plate is located within the rectangular portion.

8. The key structure according to claim 7, characterized in that: The outer bracket is an annular outer frame, and the inner bracket is pivotally connected to the inner side of the annular outer frame.

9. The key structure according to claim 8, characterized in that: The annular outer frame has a keycap connecting portion and a base plate connecting portion relative to the keycap connecting portion, the outer bracket is connected to the keycap via the keycap connecting portion, and the outer bracket is connected to the base plate via the base plate connecting portion, the keycap connecting portion and the base plate connecting portion both extend parallel to the rotation axis, and the ratio of the extension width of the base plate connecting portion to the extension width of the keycap connecting portion is between 0.5 and 0.

8.

10. The key structure according to claim 8, characterized in that: The annular outer frame has a keycap connecting portion and a base plate connecting portion relative to the keycap connecting portion, the outer bracket is connected to the keycap via the keycap connecting portion, the outer bracket is connected to the base plate via the base plate connecting portion, the keycap connecting portion and the base plate connecting portion both extend parallel to the rotation axis, and the base plate connecting portion is a plastic connecting portion.

11. The key structure according to claim 7, characterized in that: The inner bracket has a supporting portion, the projection of the supporting portion on the bottom plate is located inside the protruding portion, and when the key cap is not pressed, the supporting portion contacts the bottom surface of the key cap.

12. The key structure according to claim 8, characterized in that: The inner bracket has a first side frame and a second side frame, the first side frame and the second side frame are arranged along the rotation axis, the first side frame has a first keycap connecting portion, the second side frame has a second keycap connecting portion, the inner bracket is connected to the keycap via the first keycap connecting portion and the second keycap connecting portion, the annular outer frame has a bottom plate connecting portion, the outer bracket is connected to the bottom plate via the bottom plate connecting portion, the first keycap connecting portion, the second keycap connecting portion and the bottom plate connecting portion all extend parallel to the rotation axis, and the extension width of the first keycap connecting portion and the extension width of the second keycap connecting portion are both greater than 1.5 times the extension width of the bottom plate connecting portion.

13. The key structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The projection of the key cap on the bottom plate is slightly L-shaped as a whole.

14. The key structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer contour of the projection of the inner bracket on the bottom plate is generally similar to the outer contour of the projection of the key cap on the bottom plate.

15. The key structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer contour of the projection of the outer bracket on the bottom plate is generally similar to the outer contour of the projection of the key cap on the bottom plate.

16. The key structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer bracket and the inner bracket are plastic brackets.

Images