Key for touch key and mobile phone shell comprising same

Abstract

The utility model relates to a key for a touch key and a mobile phone shell containing the same, which belong to the technical field of digital accessories, the key comprises a conductive key shell, a conductive layer is arranged in the conductive key shell, and the left side and the right side of the conductive layer are provided with a blocking conductive layer and an insulating layer on the inner side of the conductive key shell. According to the key for the touch key and the mobile phone shell comprising the key, the use problem that the key protection part of the current conventional metal mobile phone shell cannot meet the function of the touch key in a novel mobile phone can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of digital accessories, in particular to a key for a touch key and a mobile phone shell containing the key. Background Art

[0002] Mobile phone cases, an indispensable electronic accessory in modern life, primarily protect phones from accidental damage like scratches, collisions, and drops. Furthermore, with the growing demand for personalization, mobile phone cases have become an important vehicle for showcasing a user's unique taste and style. Mobile phone cases come in a wide variety of materials, including silicone, plastic, metal, wood, glass, and, in recent years, the eco-friendly, biodegradable materials that have become popular. Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, silicone cases are soft, durable, and offer excellent drop resistance, while glass or metal cases offer a more premium feel and a degree of protection.

[0003] Specifically, the touch buttons on newer phones may not only be limited to simple presses but may also involve touch-based interactions such as sliding. This requires phone cases to protect the phone while not interfering with or diminishing the sensitivity and accuracy of these touch functions. Traditional metal phone cases' button guards are unable to meet the needs of touch button functionality in current phones due to the inherent conductivity of metal. Simply removing this area from the phone case's structure would leave the touch buttons unprotected, making them susceptible to scratches and damage, impacting the user experience. Utility Model Content

[0004] In order to overcome the defects of the prior art, the present invention proposes a button for a touch key and a mobile phone case containing the same, which can solve the problem that the button protection of the current conventional metal mobile phone case cannot meet the use of the touch key function in the new mobile phone.

[0005] To achieve this purpose, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] The present invention provides a keypad, comprising a conductive key housing, wherein a conductive layer is disposed within the housing, and barrier conductive layers are disposed on both sides of the conductive layer, and an insulating layer is disposed within the housing. It should be noted that the insulating layer in the above technical solution may be a layer composed of a substantial insulating material or a layer composed of air, i.e., a method of preventing the conductive layer from contacting the housing by other means. The housing may be a metal housing or a housing made of other conductive materials.

[0007] An optimal technical solution of the present invention is that the conductive layer and the insulating layer are integrally formed to form a single-channel conductive part, and the single-channel conductive part and the conductive key housing are internally interference-fitted.

[0008] An optimal technical solution of the present invention is that a protective layer is provided on the top of the conductive key housing, and the upper end of the conductive layer is in close contact with the protective layer.

[0009] A preferred technical solution of the present invention is that a conductive adhesive layer is provided between the conductive layer and the protective layer.

[0010] The preferred technical solution of the present invention is that a conductive film layer is provided on the protective layer.

[0011] A preferred technical solution of the present invention is that the conductive film layer is an indium tin oxide film.

[0012] An optimal technical solution of the present invention is that the thickness of the protective layer is 0.2-0.5 mm.

[0013] An optimal technical solution of the present invention is that the width of the conductive layer is 0.7-1.1 mm and the depth is 1.0-2.5 mm.

[0014] An optimal technical solution of the present invention is that the insulation width of the insulation layer is 0.2-0.5 mm.

[0015] The utility model also provides a mobile phone case, comprising a mobile phone shell, on which a button according to the above technical solution is arranged.

[0016] Beneficial effects of the utility model:

[0017] The present invention provides a touch-sensitive key and a mobile phone case containing the same. This conductive key case not only provides sturdy outer protection but also conducts touch signals by adding a conductive layer within it. The conductive layer is crucial, allowing the user's touch operation to be smoothly transmitted to the sensor elements within the phone, thereby activating the touch key. To further ensure accurate touch signal transmission and avoid unnecessary interference, insulating layers are carefully placed on both sides of the conductive layer. These insulating layers effectively block direct contact between the conductive layer and the inner surface of the conductive key case, preventing potential signal short circuits or interference. This design preserves the protective and aesthetic qualities of a metal phone case while ensuring the proper function of the touch key. This expands and innovates the functionality of traditional metal phone cases for new mobile phone applications, satisfying users' demand for a seamless integration of phone protective cases with new phone features. The present invention's key can be added to existing phone cases that have eliminated the touch key structure, directly improving the touch key protection of existing phone cases by directly adding this unit. The design has promising application prospects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative labor.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional diagram of the mobile phone case of Example 1;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a partial exploded view of the mobile phone case of Example 1;

[0021] Figure 3 A three-dimensional diagram of the key of Example 1;

[0022] Figure 4 It is a right side view of the button of Example 1;

[0023] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Cross-sectional view along AA direction;

[0024] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the button of Example 1;

[0025] Figure 7 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the single-channel conductive member of Example 1.

[0026] In the picture:

[0027] 1-conductive key shell; 2-conductive layer; 3-insulating layer; 4-protective layer; 5-mobile phone shell; 6-button. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and through specific implementation methods.

[0029] Example 1

[0030] like Figure 1-7As shown, a mobile phone case provided in this embodiment includes a mobile phone housing 5, on which is disposed the following touch-sensitive key: the key 6 includes a conductive key housing 1, the conductive key housing 1 having a conductive layer 2 disposed therein, and a barrier conductive layer 2 disposed on the left and right sides of the conductive layer 2, and an insulating layer 3 disposed on the inner side of the conductive key housing 1. This solution employs a structural design including a conductive key housing. This conductive key housing not only provides a sturdy outer shell protection but also, by adding a conductive layer within it, enables the conduction of touch signals. The arrangement of the conductive layer is crucial, as it allows the user's touch operation to be smoothly transmitted to the sensing element within the mobile phone, thereby activating the touch key. To further ensure the accurate transmission of the touch signal and avoid unnecessary interference, insulating layers are carefully arranged on the left and right sides of the conductive layer. These insulating layers effectively block direct contact between the conductive layer and the inner side of the conductive key housing, preventing possible signal short circuits or interference. This design preserves the protective and aesthetic qualities of a metal phone case while ensuring the proper functioning of the touch keys. This expands and innovates the functionality of traditional metal phone cases for new mobile phone applications, satisfying users' demand for a seamless integration of protective cases and new phone features. The key 6 can be connected to the phone case 5 using various methods, such as snaps. This allows the addition of a key 6 to the corresponding location on an existing phone case that has been stripped of the touch key structure, thereby improving the functionality of the existing phone case 5 and presenting promising application prospects. In this embodiment, the conductive key housing 1 is made of aluminum alloy, and the key 6 and phone case 5 are connected via snaps.

[0031] Preferably, the conductive layer 2 and the insulating layer 3 are integrally formed to form a single-channel conductive element, which forms an interference fit within the interior of the conductive key housing 1. By integrally forming the conductive and insulating layers to form a single-channel conductive element, the production process is simplified and manufacturing costs are reduced while significantly improving the structural stability and reliability. The single-channel conductive element design ensures precise transmission of touch signals, avoiding signal attenuation or interference caused by a complex structure. More importantly, the interference fit between the single-channel conductive element and the interior of the conductive key housing creates a tighter connection between the two, effectively preventing loosening or deformation due to long-term use or external forces, thereby extending the service life of the key. Specifically, there are commercially available products with a structure that features conductive silicone in the middle and insulating silicone on both sides, both integrally formed. During production, the conductive and insulating layers are first customized to the required key size and the size of the conductive key housing. After processing, they can be directly installed into the interior of the conductive key housing. Furthermore, the conductive layer 2 has a width of 0.7-1.1 mm and a depth of 1.0-2.5 mm. This width and depth range ensures excellent touch response. The appropriate width of the conductive layer ensures a moderate touch area, neither increasing the risk of accidental touches due to excessive width nor reducing touch accuracy due to excessive narrowness. Furthermore, the properly designed depth ensures stable and rapid transmission of touch signals when pressed, thereby improving touch sensitivity. Furthermore, this dimensional design helps improve the durability of the key. The appropriate width and depth of the conductive layer effectively distributes the pressure generated when the key is pressed, reducing the risk of single-point wear and extending the key's lifespan. Specifically, in this embodiment, the conductive layer 2 has a width of 0.9 mm and a depth of 1.9 mm. Furthermore, the insulating layer 3 preferably has an insulating width of 0.2-0.5 mm. This width range effectively isolates touch signals from interference. The appropriate width of the insulating layer ensures that adjacent conductive layers do not directly contact electrical signals, thereby preventing crosstalk and improving touch accuracy and stability. Furthermore, this width design helps reduce production costs. Precise control of the insulating layer width helps reduce material waste and improve material utilization, thereby reducing production costs. At the same time, a moderate width also helps to simplify the production process and improve production efficiency. Specifically, in this embodiment, the insulation width of the insulation layer 3 is 0.4 mm.

[0032] Preferably, a protective layer 4 is provided on the top of the conductive key housing 1, and the upper end of the conductive layer 2 is in close contact with the protective layer 4. The main function of the protective layer is to provide additional protection to prevent the conductive layer from being damaged by direct exposure to the outside, such as scratches, corrosion, etc. This design not only enhances the durability of the key, but also ensures the stable transmission of the touch signal. The conductive layer is in close contact with the protective layer, which can minimize the loss of the signal during transmission and improve the sensitivity and accuracy of the touch response. In addition, the protective layer can effectively isolate external interference, such as static electricity, dust, etc., creating a more stable working environment for the touch key. In this embodiment, the protective layer used is glass. Furthermore, the thickness of the protective layer 4 is 0.2-0.5mm. The precise control of this technical parameter is intended to achieve the best balance between key performance and durability. As an important component of the key structure, the thickness of the protective layer directly affects the touch feel, durability and touch signal transmission efficiency of the key. A thickness range of 0.2-0.5mm ensures the protective layer has sufficient strength and toughness to withstand the wear and impact of daily use, while maintaining a soft and uniform touch on the keys, enhancing the user experience. Furthermore, the protective layer within this thickness range effectively isolates external interference, providing a stable operating environment for the touch keys.

[0033] Preferably, a conductive adhesive layer is provided between the conductive layer 2 and the protective layer 4. The main function of the conductive adhesive layer is to enhance the connection between the conductive layer and the protective layer, ensuring that the touch signal can be transmitted smoothly and stably. The conductive adhesive layer has good conductivity and adhesion properties, and can fit tightly to the conductive layer and the protective layer to form a stable conductive channel. This design not only improves the sensitivity and accuracy of the touch response, but also enhances the stability and reliability of the structure. More importantly, the introduction of the conductive adhesive layer makes the connection between the conductive layer and the protective layer more flexible, and can adapt to button designs of different shapes and sizes, providing more design space for mobile phone manufacturers. In this embodiment, the conductive adhesive layer adopts OCA adhesive.

[0034] Preferably, a conductive film layer is provided on the protective layer 4. Specifically, the conductive film layer is coated with a layer of indium tin oxide film. ITO film has become a widely used material in the touch field due to its excellent conductivity and light transmittance. In the button design, the ITO film can effectively transmit touch signals to ensure a fast and accurate signal response. At the same time, its good light transmittance makes the button more beautiful and fashionable in appearance, in line with the design trend of modern mobile phones. In addition, the ITO film also has good chemical stability and wear resistance, can resist wear and corrosion in daily use, and extend the service life of the button. More importantly, the preparation process of the ITO film is mature and the cost is relatively low, which is conducive to reducing production costs and improving market competitiveness.

[0035] The present invention is described through preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes or equivalent substitutions may be made to these features and embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, and other embodiments falling within the scope of the claims of this application are also within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A touch key, characterized in that: It comprises a conductive key housing (1), wherein a conductive layer (2) is provided inside the conductive key housing (1); The left and right sides of the conductive layer (2) are provided with insulating layers (3) that block the conductive layer (2) and the inner side of the conductive key housing (1).

2. The button according to claim 1, wherein: The conductive layer (2) and the insulating layer (3) are integrally formed to form a single-channel conductive part, and the single-channel conductive part is interference-fitted with the interior of the conductive key housing (1).

3. The button according to claim 1, wherein: A protective layer (4) is provided on the top of the conductive key housing (1), and the upper end of the conductive layer (2) is in close contact with the protective layer (4).

4. The button according to claim 3, wherein: A conductive adhesive layer is provided between the conductive layer (2) and the protective layer (4).

5. The key according to claim 3, wherein: A conductive film layer is provided on the protective layer (4).

6. The key according to claim 5, characterized in that: The conductive film layer is an indium tin oxide film.

7. The key according to claim 3, characterized in that: The thickness of the protective layer (4) is 0.2-0.5 mm.

8. The button according to claim 1, wherein: The conductive layer (2) has a width of 0.7-1.1 mm and a depth of 1.0-2.5 mm.

9. The button according to claim 1, wherein: The insulation width of the insulation layer (3) is 0.2-0.5 mm.

10. A mobile phone case, characterized in that: The invention comprises a mobile phone housing (5), on which a button (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is arranged.

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