Large-stroke key device

Abstract

A large-stroke key device comprises a substrate, a thin film circuit board, an elastic body, a supporting module and a key cover. The base plate comprises a plate body and an installation module arranged on the plate body, the plate body is provided with a top face, and a retraction space extending downwards in the vertical direction is formed on the top face. The film circuit board is arranged on the top surface. The elastic body is arranged on the upper side of the thin film circuit board, and the projection of the bottom of the elastic body in the vertical direction is located in the retraction space. The supporting module is arranged on the mounting module. The key cover is arranged on the supporting module. When the key cover is pressed, the elastic body extrudes the thin film circuit board and then can further move towards the retraction space, so that the pressing stroke is increased, and the pressing feedback feeling is increased.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a button device, and more particularly to a long-stroke button device. Background Technology

[0002] A keypad device is provided for use with a keyboard of a notebook computer. The keypad device includes a substrate, a thin-film circuit board disposed above the substrate, a rubber component disposed above the thin-film circuit board, a scissor-switch pin disposed on the substrate, and a key cover disposed on the scissor-switch pin. When the key cover is pressed, the key cover causes the rubber component to compress the thin-film circuit board, generating a pressing electronic signal.

[0003] As laptops become increasingly thinner and lighter, it is quite difficult to increase the pressing distance while maintaining the overall height of the keypad. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a long-stroke button device that can improve upon at least one of the aforementioned shortcomings.

[0005] This utility model relates to a long-stroke keypad device, comprising a substrate, a thin-film circuit board, an elastomer, a support module, and a key cover. The substrate includes a plate body and a mounting module disposed on the plate body. The plate body has a top surface, on which a retractable space extending downwards in a vertical direction is formed. The thin-film circuit board is disposed on the top surface, and the elastomer is disposed on the upper side of the thin-film circuit board. The bottom of the elastomer, projected along the vertical direction, lies within the retractable space. The support module is disposed on the mounting module, and the key cover is disposed on the support module.

[0006] The large stroke button device of this utility model further includes a retractable surface that is lower than the top surface along the vertical direction, and a step surface that connects the top surface and the retractable surface and together with the retractable surface defines the retractable space.

[0007] The large-stroke button device of this utility model has two side segments on the stepped surface connected to the opposite side of the retracted surface along a first direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The retracted space has two gaps located on the two opposite sides of the retracted surface and between the side segments along a second direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the first direction.

[0008] The long-stroke button device of this utility model has each side segment extending in an arc shape along the edge of the retracted surface.

[0009] The large-stroke button device of this utility model further includes a bottom surface that is lower than the retracted surface along the vertical direction, a thickness located between the top surface and the bottom surface along the vertical direction, and a depth located between the top surface and the retracted surface along the vertical direction that is less than the thickness.

[0010] The large stroke key device of this utility model has a plate body that is lower than the retracted surface along the vertical direction. A through hole is formed on the retracted surface that extends through the bottom surface and communicates with the retracted space. The elastic body has a cover portion located between the thin film circuit board and the key cover, and a protrusion extending downward from the cover portion and aligned with the through hole along the vertical direction.

[0011] The large-stroke button device of this utility model includes a thin film circuit board comprising a pressing part, a ring frame part surrounding the pressing part, a first connecting part connecting the pressing part and the ring frame part, and a second connecting part located on the side opposite to the first connecting part and connected between the pressing part and the ring frame part. The pressing part is located between the bottom of the elastic body and the retraction space in the vertical direction. The ring frame part, the first connecting part and the second connecting part abut against the top surface of the plate body.

[0012] In the long-stroke button device of this utility model, in the projection of the pressing part and the retraction space along the vertical direction, the outline of the portion of the pressing part adjacent to the first connecting part is aligned with the outline of the retraction space.

[0013] The long-stroke button device of this utility model has a mounting module with multiple hooks and a support module with scissor feet.

[0014] The long-stroke button device of this utility model further includes a backlight module disposed below the substrate.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: by forming the retraction space on the substrate, and the projection of the bottom of the elastomer along the vertical direction is located in the retraction space, when the key cover is pressed, the elastomer can move further toward the retraction space after squeezing the thin film circuit board, so as to increase the pressing stroke and increase the pressing feedback. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of an embodiment of the large travel button device of this utility model;

[0017] Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment described above;

[0018] Figure 3This is a top view of a backlight module, a substrate, a thin-film circuit board, and an elastomer in the embodiment described above;

[0019] Figure 4 It is along Figure 3 The sectional view obtained from line IV-IV; and

[0020] Figure 5 It is along Figure 3 The sectional view obtained from line V-V in the diagram. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0022] See Figure 1 ,and Figure 2 An embodiment of the large travel key device of this utility model includes a backlight module 1, a substrate 2, a thin film circuit board 3, an elastomer 4, a support module 5, and a key cover 6.

[0023] See Figures 2 to 4 The backlight module 1, the substrate 2, and the thin-film circuit board 3 are stacked and bonded together along a vertical direction Z. The substrate 2 is located above the backlight module 1 and includes a plate 21 bonded to the backlight module 1 and a mounting module 22 disposed on the plate 21.

[0024] The plate 21 has a bottom surface 211 bonded to the backlight module 1, a top surface 212 that is higher than the bottom surface 211 along the vertical direction Z, a recessed surface 213 that is higher than the bottom surface 211 and lower than the top surface 212 along the vertical direction Z, and a step surface 214 connecting the top surface 212 and the recessed surface 213.

[0025] The retracted surface 213 is located in the center of the plate 21 and forms a through hole 215 that extends to the bottom surface 211.

[0026] The step surface 214 has two side segments 216 connected to opposite sides of the retracted surface 213 along a first direction X perpendicular to the vertical direction Z. Each side segment 216 extends in an arc shape along the edge of the retracted surface 213. The step surface 214 and the retracted surface 213 together define a flattened cylindrical retracted space 217 that connects to the through hole 215. The retracted space 217 has two notches 218 located on opposite sides of the retracted surface 213 and between the side segments 216 along a second direction Y perpendicular to the vertical direction Z and the first direction X.

[0027] The plate 21 has a thickness h along the vertical direction Z between the top surface 212 and the bottom surface 211. The retraction space 217 has a depth d along the vertical direction Z between the top surface 212 and the retraction surface 213, which is less than the thickness h. Specifically, the thickness h of the plate 21 is 0.3 mm, the depth d of the retraction space 217 is between 0.1 mm and 0.15 mm, and a diameter D1 of the retraction space 217 is 6.4 mm. In this embodiment, the retraction space 217 is a groove, but it is not limited thereto. In other variations of this embodiment, the retraction space 217 may also be a perforation extending from the top surface 212 to the bottom surface 211 of the plate 21.

[0028] The thin-film circuit board 3 includes a pressing portion 31 with an arc-shaped outline located above the retraction space 217, a ring frame portion 32 surrounding the pressing portion 31, a first connecting portion 33 connecting the pressing portion 31 and the ring frame portion 32 along the first direction X, and a second connecting portion 34 located on the side opposite to the first connecting portion 33 along the first direction X and connecting the pressing portion 31 and the ring frame portion 32. The ring frame portion 32, the first connecting portion 33, and the second connecting portion 34 abut against and adhere to the top surface 212 of the board body 21. The pressing portion 31, the ring frame portion 32, the first connecting portion 33, and the second connecting portion 34 together define a plurality of openings 35 through which the hook 221 passes. In the projection of the pressing portion 31 and the retracting space 217 along the vertical direction Z, the outline of the portion of the pressing portion 31 adjacent to the first connecting portion 33 is aligned with the outline of the retracting space 217. Specifically, the outline of the portion of the pressing portion 31 adjacent to the first connecting portion 33 is aligned with the side segment 216 adjacent to the first connecting portion 33.

[0029] The elastic body 4 is disposed on the upper side of the thin film circuit board 3 and its position is aligned with the retraction space 217 along the vertical direction Z. That is, the pressing part 31 is located between the bottom of the elastic body 4 and the retraction space 217 along the vertical direction Z. The elastic body 4 has a cover 41 that abuts against the thin film circuit board 3 and the key cover 6, and a protrusion 42 that extends downward from the cover 41 and is aligned with the through hole 215 along the vertical direction Z. The outer contour of the bottom of the cover 41 is circular and its diameter D2 is 5.4 mm, which is smaller than the diameter D1 of the retraction space 217. Therefore, the projection of the bottom of the cover 41 along the vertical direction is located within the retraction space 217.

[0030] The mounting module 22 has multiple hooks 221 disposed on the plate 21, and the support module 5 is a scissor-type module that is engaged with the hooks 221. The key cover 6 is engaged with the support module 5 and is located above the elastic body 4.

[0031] See Figure 4 and Figure 5 Since the elastic body 4 is aligned with the retraction space 217 along the vertical direction Z, when the key cover 6 (see...) Figure 1 When the elastic body 4 is pressed and squeezed, the elastic body 4 squeezes the thin film circuit board 3, and the pressing part 31 of the thin film circuit board 3 can retract towards the retraction space 217 and abut against the retraction surface 213, causing the elastic body 4 to move downward. Since the contour of the portion of the pressing part 31 adjacent to the first connecting part 33 is flush with the side section 216 adjacent to the first connecting part 33, and the notch 218 provides space for the thin film circuit board 3 to bend downward more easily, the pressing part 31 can easily abut against the retraction surface 213, so that the bottom of the cover 41 can be evenly as close as possible to the bottom of the retraction space 217. Therefore, the large-stroke button device can effectively increase the travel depth d of the key cover 6 downward compared to the existing button device, that is, increase the travel by 0.1 to 0.15 mm. Furthermore, after the protrusion 42 of the elastic body 4 abuts against the pressing part 31, it can move together with the pressing part 31 toward the through hole 215, so that the elastic body 4 can move downward without obstruction.

[0032] In summary, the large-stroke button device of this utility model, by forming the retraction space 217 on the substrate 2, and with the bottom projection of the elastic body 4 along the vertical direction located within the retraction space 217, when the button cover 6 is pressed, the elastic body 4 can further move towards the retraction space 217 after squeezing the thin film circuit board 3, thereby increasing the pressing stroke and increasing the pressing feedback, thus effectively achieving the purpose of this utility model.

[0033] The above description is merely an embodiment of this utility model and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this utility model. Any simple equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the claims and description of this utility model shall still fall within the scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A long-stroke keypad device, comprising a substrate, a thin-film circuit board, an elastomer, a support module, and a key cover; characterized in that: The substrate includes a plate body and a mounting module disposed on the plate body. The plate body has a top surface, and a retractable space extending downward in the vertical direction is formed on the top surface. The thin film circuit board is disposed on the top surface, and the elastic body is disposed on the upper side of the thin film circuit board. The bottom of the elastic body is projected in the vertical direction within the retractable space. The support module is disposed on the mounting module, and the key cover is disposed on the support module.

2. The long-stroke keypad device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plate also has a recessed surface that is lower than the top surface along the vertical direction, and a step surface that connects the top surface and the recessed surface and together with the recessed surface defines the recessed space.

3. The long-stroke button device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The step surface has two side segments connected to the opposite sides of the retracted surface along a first direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The retracted space has two gaps located on the opposite sides of the retracted surface and between the side segments along a second direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the first direction.

4. The long-stroke button device according to claim 3, characterized in that: Each of the side segments extends in an arc shape along the edge of the retracted surface.

5. The long-stroke keypad device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The plate also has a bottom surface that is lower than the retraction surface along the vertical direction, the plate has a thickness located between the top surface and the bottom surface along the vertical direction, and the retraction space has a depth located between the top surface and the retraction surface along the vertical direction and less than the thickness.

6. The long-stroke keypad device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The plate also has a bottom surface that is lower than the retracted surface along the vertical direction, and a through hole is formed on the retracted surface that extends through the bottom surface and communicates with the retracted space. The elastomer has a cover portion located between the thin film circuit board and the key cover, and a protrusion extending downward from the cover portion and aligned with the through hole along the vertical direction.

7. The long-stroke button device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thin-film circuit board includes a pressing portion, a ring frame portion surrounding the pressing portion, a first connecting portion connecting the pressing portion and the ring frame portion, and a second connecting portion located on the side opposite to the pressing portion and connected between the pressing portion and the ring frame portion. The pressing portion is located between the bottom of the elastic body and the retraction space along the vertical direction. The ring frame portion, the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion abut against the top surface of the board body.

8. The long-stroke keypad device according to claim 7, characterized in that: In the projection of the pressing part and the retraction space along the vertical direction, the outline of the portion of the pressing part adjacent to the first connecting part is aligned with the outline of the retraction space.

9. The long-stroke keypad device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting module has multiple hooks, and the support module has scissor legs.

10. The long-stroke keypad device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a backlight module disposed below the substrate.

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