Touch switch

Abstract

The utility model discloses a touch switch, and relates to the technical field of electronic input equipment, and the touch switch is characterized in that a pedestal and a housing are assembled through a clamping structure to form an axially constrained sealed cavity; the surface, located in the sealing cavity, of the base is a working face, the working face is provided with a contact pair composed of a movable contact piece and a static contact piece, the movable contact piece is of an arch-shaped elastic piece structure, and the free end of the movable contact piece is in separable electric connection with the contact area of the static contact piece. A sealing film covers the working area of the contact pair, the sealing film and the joint face of the base form airtight bonding, the edge of the sealing film is matched with the surface of the base to form a continuously-wrapped closed environment, and the movable contact piece, the static contact piece and the contact interface of the movable contact piece and the static contact piece are completely wrapped in the environment. According to the touch switch, contact protection and sealing reliability in a high-pollution use environment are synergistically improved, and the durability of the touch switch in a complex environment is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electronic input device technology, specifically to a tactile switch used in electronic devices such as keyboards and mice. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of electronic input devices, tactile switches, as core human-computer interaction components, are widely used in products such as keyboards and mice. Existing technologies primarily achieve conductivity through metal plating, typically employing a process of electroplating precious metal alloys such as gold and silver onto a copper substrate. The high conductivity and oxidation resistance of these precious metals ensure reliable contact. This technology has developed into a mature industry chain and can maintain stable electrical performance in normal clean environments. However, with the diversification of user environments, especially the impact of special scenarios such as smoking, existing technologies are gradually showing limitations. Research shows that gaseous substances produced by cigarette combustion contain sulfides, chlorides, and other components. When these enter the interior through the switch gap, they react chemically with the plating metal under varying temperature and humidity conditions, resulting in the formation of non-conductive substances such as silver sulfide and copper oxide on the plating surface. Although some improved solutions attempt to isolate external contaminants through completely sealed structures, such designs often require multi-layered complex encapsulation or special materials, significantly increasing the assembly precision requirements and manufacturing costs of internal components. This makes it difficult to meet the demands of large-scale industrial production for process simplification and cost control. Therefore, current mainstream products still primarily use single-layer protective structures, which have limited physical barrier capabilities. Long-term exposure to polluted environments can easily lead to abnormally high contact resistance at the contacts, causing delayed button response or complete failure. This phenomenon is particularly prominent in frequently used button areas, becoming a key factor restricting equipment reliability and lifespan. Technical improvements addressing this issue not only require balancing the contradiction between sealing performance and structural complexity but also achieving low-cost adaptation within the existing manufacturing process framework. This will both improve the durability of switches in complex environments and reduce resource consumption by simplifying the manufacturing process, thus having dual practical significance for optimizing user experience and promoting industrial technology upgrades. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this application is to overcome at least one deficiency of the prior art and provide a tactile switch that synergistically improves contact protection and sealing reliability in high-contamination environments, thereby enhancing the durability of the tactile switch in complex environments.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this application discloses a tactile switch, which consists of a base and a housing assembled by a snap-fit ​​structure to form an axially constrained sealed cavity; the surface of the base located inside the sealed cavity is a working surface, and the working surface is provided with a contact pair consisting of a moving contact and a stationary contact, wherein the moving contact adopts an arched spring structure, and its free end forms a separable electrical connection with the contact area of ​​the stationary contact.

[0005] The top of the housing is provided with a guide channel for the axial movement of the actuating component. The conductive area of ​​the base is equipped with a trigger switch assembly consisting of elastic contact pieces and fixed contact terminals.

[0006] A sealing film covers the working area of ​​the contact pair. The sealing film forms an airtight bond with the mating surface of the base. Its edges cooperate with the surface of the base to form a continuously enclosed environment, completely wrapping the moving contact, the stationary contact and their contact interface.

[0007] Furthermore, a damping buffer module is integrated at the bottom of the actuating component. The geometric contour of this module maintains a preset gap with the movement trajectory of the elastic contact plate. When the actuating component reaches the set stroke, the contact surface between the damping buffer module and the elastic contact plate forms a progressive pressure distribution, stabilizing the gradient of the operating force change within a specific mechanical response range.

[0008] To elaborate further, the snap-fit ​​structure includes circumferentially distributed snaps and matching slots on the base.

[0009] Furthermore, the moving contact and the fixed contact are independently electrically connected to the pins of the base, and the pins extend out of the base to form exposed connection pins.

[0010] Compared with the prior art, the tactile switch of this application effectively isolates the contacts from external contaminants through a continuous encapsulation sealing structure formed by the sealing film and the base, significantly improving the switch's oxidation resistance and long-term reliability in complex environments.

[0011] The beneficial effects listed above are not exhaustive of all advantages. Other potential beneficial effects and detailed technical implementation methods will be further disclosed in the embodiments or other descriptive sections of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0012] A better understanding of various aspects of this disclosure will be achieved by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The positions, dimensions, and extents of the structures shown in the drawings, etc., do not always represent actual positions, dimensions, and extents. In the drawings:

[0013] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of one embodiment disclosed in this application.

[0014] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of an embodiment disclosed in this application, in which the sealing membrane is separated from the base. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate several embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be presented in many different ways and is not limited to the embodiments described below; in fact, the embodiments described below are intended to make the disclosure more complete and to fully illustrate the scope of protection of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. It should also be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein can be combined in various ways to provide further additional embodiments.

[0016] It should be understood that the same reference numerals denote the same elements in all the accompanying drawings. For clarity, the dimensions of certain features may be modified in the drawings.

[0017] It should be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. All terms used in this specification (including technical and scientific terms) have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art, unless otherwise defined. For the sake of brevity and / or clarity, techniques, methods, and apparatus known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail; however, where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and apparatus should be considered part of this specification.

[0018] Unless otherwise specified, the singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this specification include the plural forms. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “containing” used in this specification indicate the presence of the claimed feature but do not exclude the presence of one or more other features. The term “and / or” used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the relevant listed items.

[0019] See attached document Figure 1 and 2This embodiment discloses an exemplary structure of a tactile switch. The overall structure consists of a base 1 and a housing 5 assembled to form a sealed cavity, with axial constraint achieved through a snap-fit ​​structure. The surface of the base 1 within the sealed cavity serves as the working surface, on which a contact pair consisting of a moving contact and a stationary contact is disposed. The moving contact adopts an arched spring structure, and its free end forms a separable electrical connection with the contact area of ​​the stationary contact. The top of the housing 5 has a guide channel for the axial movement of an actuating component 6. A trigger switch assembly 3 consisting of an elastic contact piece and a fixed contact terminal is arranged in the conductive area of ​​the base 1. The moving and fixed contacts are independently electrically connected to pins 2 of the base 1, with pins 2 extending out of the base 1 to form exposed connection pins. A sealing film 4 covers the working area of ​​the contact pair. This sealing film 4 forms an airtight bond with the mating surface of the base 1, and its edges cooperate with the surface of the base 1 to form a continuously enclosed sealed environment, completely enclosing the moving contact, the stationary contact, and their contact interface. The actuating component 6 has a damping buffer module 7 integrated at its bottom, whose geometric contour maintains a preset gap with the movement trajectory of the elastic contact piece. The snap-fit ​​structure includes circumferentially distributed snaps and matching slots on the base 1.

[0020] The base 1, as the fundamental component of the entire tactile switch, has a reasonable structural design and sufficient strength and stability to support and fix other functional components. In this embodiment, the base 1 can be made of engineering plastic with excellent insulation properties and manufactured through precision injection molding. Its internal surface undergoes fine processing to ensure the accuracy of the installation position and surface quality of each component, providing a stable support platform for components such as the moving contact and stationary contact. On the working surface of the base 1, the arrangement of the moving contact and stationary contact is carefully designed. The spacing, shape, and size between them are precisely calculated to achieve optimal electrical connection performance and mechanical action characteristics.

[0021] The housing 5 and the base 1 cooperate to form a sealed cavity, protecting the internal components. The material selection for the housing 5 must consider insulation performance, mechanical strength, and compatibility with the base 1; it can also be made of engineering plastic and manufactured using injection molding. The inner wall of the housing 5 is designed with a matching groove for engaging with the latches on the base 1, achieving axial constraint. The engagement of the latches and grooves in the snap-fit ​​structure is a connection method well-known to those skilled in the art. Its specific dimensions and shape can be designed according to actual needs, but it must ensure stability and sealing after assembly, preventing loosening or detachment during switch use. Simultaneously, it should facilitate production and assembly, improving production efficiency and reducing production costs.

[0022] The moving contact adopts an arched spring structure. This design allows it to elastically deform under external force, achieving contact and separation with the stationary contact, thus controlling the circuit's on / off state. The material selection of the moving contact is crucial to the switch's performance, requiring good conductivity, elasticity, and fatigue resistance. High-performance alloys such as beryllium bronze are typically used, manufactured through stamping and heat treatment processes to ensure stable elasticity and conductivity during long-term use, meeting the switch's lifespan requirements. The arched structure of the moving contact is precisely die-stamped, with optimized dimensions such as arch height, width, and thickness to achieve optimal elasticity and contact performance. When subjected to force from the actuating component, it rapidly undergoes elastic deformation and contacts the stationary contact; after the external force is removed, it quickly returns to its original shape, achieving reliable separation.

[0023] The stationary contact is fixed to the working surface of base 1, corresponding to the moving contact, and together they form a contact pair. The material of the stationary contact must also have good conductivity and stability. It can be made of the same material as the moving contact or other suitable conductive materials, and is formed by stamping or other processes. The shape and size design of the stationary contact must match that of the moving contact to ensure that when the moving contact deforms, the two can achieve a stable and reliable electrical connection within the predetermined contact area, while avoiding problems such as poor contact or wear caused by excessive contact.

[0024] The guide channel in housing 5 is used to guide the axial movement of the actuating component 6, ensuring the accuracy and stability of its movement. The structural design of the guide channel must take into account the size and movement trajectory of the actuating component 6. Its inner wall should be smooth and have sufficient precision to reduce friction and shaking of the actuating component 6 during movement, and improve the operating feel and reliability of the switch. The guide channel can be formed by pre-drilling corresponding holes in the top of housing 5 or by secondary processing. Its size and shape must be adapted to the shape of the actuating component 6 to ensure that the actuating component 6 can move smoothly up and down within it, while also preventing the actuating component 6 from tilting or getting stuck during movement.

[0025] The trigger switch assembly 3, consisting of a flexible contact piece and a fixed contact terminal, is arranged in the conductive area of ​​the base 1 assembly to achieve electrical connection with an external circuit. The flexible contact piece is also made of a material with good elasticity and conductivity, such as beryllium bronze. After being stamped, it is fixed to the corresponding position in the base 1. Its shape and size design must meet the contact requirements with the fixed contact terminal to ensure stable contact pressure and conductivity during switching operation. The fixed contact terminal can be made of materials with excellent conductivity, such as copper, and its surface is treated with tin plating or other anti-oxidation treatments to improve its oxidation resistance and conductivity. It is fixed to the base 1 by welding or riveting to form a reliable electrical connection with the flexible contact piece.

[0026] The sealing membrane 4 covers the working area of ​​the contact pair. Its function is to form an airtight bond with the mating surface of the base 1, completely enclosing the moving contact, stationary contact, and their contact interface, effectively isolating the contacts from external contaminants. The material selection for the sealing membrane 4 must consider its airtightness, flexibility, and adhesion to the base 1. Generally, high-performance rubber materials such as silicone rubber are used, manufactured through processes such as compression molding. The shape and size of the sealing membrane 4 must match the working area of ​​the base 1, with its edges tightly fitting the surface of the base 1 to form a continuously enclosed, sealed environment. Special adhesives and bonding processes are used to bond the sealing membrane 4 to the base 1, ensuring a strong bond and good airtightness. During switch use, there will be no detachment or leakage, thus effectively protecting the contacts from external environmental influences for a long time, improving the reliability and service life of the switch.

[0027] The damping buffer module 7 integrated at the bottom of the actuating component 6 maintains a preset gap between its geometric contour and the movement trajectory of the elastic contact piece. When the actuating component 6 reaches the set stroke, the contact surface between the damping buffer module 7 and the elastic contact piece forms a progressive pressure distribution, stabilizing the gradient of the operating force within a specific mechanical response range. The material selection and structural design of the damping buffer module 7 must meet certain mechanical performance requirements, providing appropriate buffering force and damping effect. Generally, materials such as silicone with a certain viscosity and elasticity can be used, molded into a specific geometric shape through a molding process. Its geometric contour design must be adapted to the movement trajectory of the elastic contact piece, and the size of the preset gap must be precisely calculated and experimentally verified to ensure that during the downward movement of the actuating component 6, the damping buffer module 7 can contact the elastic contact piece at a suitable position and generate a progressive pressure distribution, thereby stabilizing the gradient of the operating force, providing users with a smooth and comfortable operating feel, while reducing the impact and wear of the contact point at the moment of contact, improving the service life and reliability of the contact point.

[0028] In practical applications, when a user presses the actuating component 6, the actuating component 6 moves axially downward along the guide channel at the top of the base 1 assembly, and the damping buffer module 7 at its bottom gradually approaches the elastic contact piece. As the pressing force increases, the actuating component 6 continues to move downward. When the set stroke is reached, the damping buffer module 7 contacts the elastic contact piece. Due to the preset gap between its geometric contour and the movement trajectory of the elastic contact piece, as well as the damping characteristics of the silicone material, a gradual pressure distribution is generated at the moment of contact. The gradient of the operating force is stabilized within a specific mechanical response range, thereby providing the user with a smooth and comfortable pressing feel, while avoiding contact point impact and damage caused by sudden changes in operating force.

[0029] During the installation of the tactile switch, the pins 2 of the base 1 protrude from the base 1 to form exposed connection pins, which can be directly inserted into the corresponding holes on the circuit board. Electrical connection with external circuits is achieved through processes such as soldering. Since the moving contact and the fixed contact are independently conductively connected to the pins 2 of the base 1, reliable current switching control can be achieved in the circuit, meeting the functional requirements of various electronic devices for tactile switches.

[0030] Compared with existing technologies, the tactile switch in this embodiment, through the continuous encapsulation sealing structure formed by the sealing film 4 and the base 1, effectively isolates the contacts from external contaminants such as dust, moisture, and oil. In complex environments with high humidity and high pollution, its oxidation resistance is significantly improved, effectively ensuring long-term reliability. For example, in electronic devices in coastal areas, the salt spray in the air is highly corrosive, and the contacts of traditional tactile switches are easily oxidized, leading to problems such as poor contact. However, due to the protection of the sealing structure, the contacts of the tactile switch in this embodiment can maintain good conductivity for a long time, greatly extending the switch's service life, reducing equipment maintenance costs and failure rates, and improving the overall performance and stability of the equipment.

[0031] It should be noted that for parts not disclosed in detail in this embodiment, such as the specific injection molding process parameters of the base 1 and the housing 5, and the stamping die design of the moving and stationary contacts, these are all well-known technologies and existing technologies for those skilled in the art, and will not be elaborated upon in this embodiment. The focus of this embodiment is to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and implement the tactile switch technology solution of the present invention through the above detailed description, while highlighting its innovation and beneficial effects.

[0032] While exemplary embodiments of this disclosure have been described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and modifications can be made to the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Therefore, all changes and modifications are included within the scope of protection of this disclosure as defined by the claims. This disclosure is defined by the appended claims, and equivalents of those claims are also included.

Claims

1. A tactile switch, characterized by, The light touch switch is assembled by the base and the shell through the clamping structure to form an axially constrained sealed cavity; the surface of the base in the sealed cavity is a working surface, the working surface is provided with a contact pair composed of a moving contact and a stationary contact, wherein the moving contact adopts an arched spring structure, and the free end of the moving contact and the contact area of the stationary contact form a separable electrical connection; The shell top is provided with a guide channel for the axial movement of the actuating component, and the conductive area of the base is provided with a trigger switch assembly composed of an elastic contact piece and a fixed contact terminal; The working area of the contact pair is covered by a sealing film, the sealing film is gas-tightly bonded with the joint surface of the base, and the edge of the sealing film cooperates with the surface of the base to form a continuous and closed environment, so that the moving contact, the stationary contact and the contact interface are completely wrapped therein; The moving contact and the stationary contact are respectively and independently connected with the pins of the base to form exposed connecting pins.

2. A tactile switch as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that The bottom of the actuating component is integrated with a damping buffer module, and the geometric profile of the module and the motion trajectory of the elastic contact piece maintain a predetermined gap.

3. A tactile switch as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that The clamping structure includes circumferentially distributed buckles and matching clamping grooves of the base.

Images