Touch panel assembly and notebook computer

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of touchpads, in particular to a touchpad assembly and a notebook computer. The touchpad assembly includes an upper cover and a stiffener. The reinforcing piece is connected to the upper cover, the reinforcing piece is used for supporting the bottom of the touch panel, the reinforcing piece is further provided with a first buckling piece, and the first buckling piece is used for being connected with the bottom cover. Wherein the upper cover and the reinforcing piece are of an integrally-formed structure. The touchpad assembly is provided with the reinforcing part connected to the upper cover, and the reinforcing part can support the touchpad at the bottom of the touchpad, so that the touchpad can be clamped between the upper cover and the reinforcing part to fix the touchpad. The touch panel can be stably installed on the upper cover. Furthermore, the upper cover and the reinforcing piece are of an integrally-formed structure, and the upper cover and the reinforcing piece can be manufactured through one mold in the process of manufacturing the touch pad assembly, so that the mold opening frequency of the structure for supporting the touch pad can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost of the touch pad assembly is low.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of touchpad technology, and in particular to a touchpad assembly and a laptop computer. Background Technology

[0002] Most existing electronic devices (such as laptops) are equipped with touchpads to facilitate various functions. The touchpad assembly is one of the more important modules within a laptop, serving as its input device. It can be considered a replacement for a mouse, using the movement of the user's finger to control the pointer. The touchpad assembly typically includes a touchpad holder to support the touchpad and reduce its movement within the laptop's casing.

[0003] Among related technologies, touchpad components have relatively high manufacturing costs. Utility Model Content

[0004] This invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. In view of this, embodiments of this application aim to provide a touchpad assembly and a laptop computer to reduce the manufacturing cost of the touchpad assembly.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, one embodiment of this application provides a touchpad assembly, including:

[0006] Top cover;

[0007] A reinforcing member is connected to the upper cover and is used to support the bottom of the touch panel. The reinforcing member also has a first fastening member for connecting to the bottom cover.

[0008] The top cover and the reinforcing member are integrally formed.

[0009] The touchpad assembly according to the embodiments of this application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0010] In the embodiment of this application, the touchpad assembly is provided with a reinforcing member connected to the upper cover. The reinforcing member supports the touchpad at its bottom, allowing the touchpad to be clamped between the upper cover and the reinforcing member for fixation. The touchpad can be installed stably on the upper cover. Furthermore, the upper cover and the reinforcing member are integrally molded, saving assembly steps and labor costs during the assembly of the touchpad assembly. Moreover, during the manufacturing process of the touchpad assembly, the upper cover and the reinforcing member can be manufactured using a single mold, reducing the number of mold openings required for the touchpad support structure and saving nearly 20,000 yuan in mold opening costs, resulting in a lower manufacturing cost for the touchpad assembly.

[0011] According to some embodiments of this application, the reinforcing member includes a connecting member and an abutting member that are connected to each other. The connecting member is connected to the abutting member and the top cover respectively. Both the connecting member and the abutting member abut against the touch panel. The first fastening member is formed on the abutting member.

[0012] The connector, the abutment, and the top cover are integrally formed.

[0013] According to some embodiments of this application, the number of connectors is multiple, and the multiple connectors are arranged at intervals along the width direction of the upper cover.

[0014] According to some embodiments of this application, the dimension of the connector along the width direction of the upper cover ranges from 12mm to 20mm.

[0015] According to some embodiments of this application, the dimension of the connector along the thickness direction of the upper cover ranges from 0.5mm to 1.2mm, and the thickness direction of the upper cover is arranged orthogonally to the width direction.

[0016] According to some embodiments of this application, there are multiple first fastening members, and the multiple first fastening members are arranged at intervals along the width direction of the upper cover.

[0017] According to some embodiments of this application, the touchpad assembly further includes a bottom cover having a second fastening member capable of engaging with the first fastening member, the bottom cover being mounted on the side of the reinforcement opposite to the touchpad.

[0018] According to some embodiments of this application, along the arrangement direction of the first fastener and the second fastener, the size of the contact area between the first fastener and the second fastener ranges from 0.4 mm to 0.8 mm.

[0019] According to some embodiments of this application, the upper cover has a downward-facing receiving groove that extends along the width direction of the bottom cover, and the bottom cover is located at the end of the second fastening member opposite to the first fastening member and disposed within the receiving groove.

[0020] This application also provides a laptop computer that includes a touchpad assembly of any of the above.

[0021] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent in the following description or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a bottom view of a touchpad assembly according to an embodiment of this application; the bottom cover is not shown in the figure.

[0023] Figure 2This is an assembly diagram of the first fastening member and the second fastening member according to an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of a portion at position A in the middle;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a touchpad assembly according to an embodiment of this application, showing the bottom cover.

[0026] Figure label:

[0027] 100, Top cover; 100a, Receiving groove; 200, Reinforcing member; 200a, First fastening member; 210, Connecting member; 220, Abutting member; 300, Bottom cover; 300a, Second fastening member; 400, Touch panel. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0030] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0031] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0032] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0033] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "top", "bottom", "upper", "lower", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, operated or used in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0034] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0035] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the technical term "contact" should be interpreted broadly, and can be direct contact, contact through an intermediate medium layer, contact between two contacting parties with substantially no interaction force, or contact between two contacting parties with interaction force.

[0036] In related technologies, a touchpad assembly includes a touchpad, a top cover, and a bracket. The bracket is mounted on the top cover, the touchpad is mounted on the top cover, and the bracket supports the bottom of the touchpad. The bracket and the top cover are separate structures. During the manufacturing process of the touchpad assembly, molds need to be made separately for the top cover and the bracket. Mold costs are usually quite expensive, resulting in a high cost for manufacturing the touchpad assembly.

[0037] The reinforcing member 200 of this application is used to support the touchpad 400. The touchpad 400 can be clamped by the upper cover 100 and the reinforcing member 200, thereby fixing it relative to the upper cover 100. The reinforcing member 200 and the upper cover 100 are integrally molded structures, and the reinforcing member 200 and the upper cover 100 share a single mold, eliminating the need for additional mold opening, thus reducing the manufacturing cost of the touchpad assembly.

[0038] This application aims to provide a laptop computer, including a touchpad assembly, a top cover, a screen, and a power supply. The top cover is mounted on the touchpad assembly, the screen is mounted inside the top cover, and the power supply is mounted inside the touchpad assembly.

[0039] Understandably, in the technical field of laptops, the top cover is usually referred to as the A-shell, and the screen as the B-shell. The touchpad assembly includes an interconnected top cover 100 and a bottom cover 300, with the top cover 100 being the C-shell and the bottom cover 300 being the D-shell.

[0040] This application intends to provide a touchpad assembly; please refer to [link / reference]. Figures 1 to 4 The touchpad assembly includes a top cover 100 and a reinforcing member 200. The reinforcing member 200 is connected to the top cover 100 and supports the bottom of the touchpad 400. The reinforcing member 200 also has a first fastening member 200a for connecting to the bottom cover 300. The top cover 100 and the reinforcing member 200 are integrally formed.

[0041] For example, both the top cover 100 and the reinforcement 200 are injection molded parts.

[0042] For example, the touchpad assembly also includes a touchpad 400, which is mounted on the top cover 100. A reinforcing member 200 abuts against the bottom of the touchpad 400, and the reinforcing member 200 and the top cover 100 clamp the touchpad 400 in the vertical direction.

[0043] In this embodiment, the touchpad assembly includes a reinforcing member 200 connected to the upper cover 100. The reinforcing member 200 supports the touchpad 400 at its bottom, allowing the touchpad 400 to be held between the upper cover 100 and the reinforcing member 200 for fixation. The touchpad 400 can be stably mounted on the upper cover 100. Furthermore, the upper cover 100 and the reinforcing member 200 are integrally formed, saving assembly steps and labor costs during touchpad assembly. Moreover, the upper cover 100 and the reinforcing member 200 can be manufactured using a single mold, reducing the number of mold openings required for the touchpad 400 support structure and saving nearly 20,000 yuan in mold opening costs, resulting in lower manufacturing costs for the touchpad assembly.

[0044] In one embodiment, the reinforcing member 200 includes a connecting member 210 and an abutment member 220 connected to each other. The connecting member 210 is connected to both the abutment member 220 and the upper cover 100. Projected vertically, the projection area of ​​the connecting member 210 is rectangular. Both the connecting member 210 and the abutment member 220 abut against the touch panel 400, and a first fastening member 200a is formed on the connecting member 210. The connecting member 210, the abutment member 220, and the upper cover 100 are integrally formed. The fact that both the connecting member 210 and the abutment member 220 abut against the touch panel 400 significantly increases the contact area between the reinforcing member 200 and the touch panel 400, thereby providing better protection for the touch panel 400. Furthermore, the reinforcing member 200 provides relatively stable support for the touch panel 400.

[0045] For example, along the width direction of the top cover 100, the size of the connector 210 is smaller than the size of the abutment 220. The smaller width of the connector 210 can reduce the manufacturing cost of the touchpad assembly to some extent.

[0046] In one embodiment, there are multiple connectors 210, which are arranged at intervals along the width direction of the upper cover 100.

[0047] For example, there are two connectors 210, which are projected in the vertical direction, and the projection areas of the two connectors 210 are arranged symmetrically about the central axis of the cover 100.

[0048] In this embodiment of the application, there are multiple connectors 210, and the abutment 220 is connected to the upper cover 100 through multiple spaced-apart connectors 210. The connection rigidity between the abutment 220 and the upper cover 100 is high, making it difficult for the abutment 220 to shift relative to the upper cover 100. The abutment 220 and the connectors 210 can abut against the touchpad 400 relatively stably. Furthermore, the spaced-apart arrangement of the multiple connectors 210 creates gaps between them, which can increase the heat dissipation capacity of the touchpad 400 to a certain extent, making the touchpad 400 more stable during operation.

[0049] It is understood that other embodiments of this application do not limit the number of connectors 210. Exemplarily, the number of connectors 210 may be a single one.

[0050] In one embodiment, the dimension of the connector 210 along the width direction of the upper cover 100 ranges from 12mm to 20mm. The width of the connector 210 affects its own strength and rigidity. When a user operates a laptop, they press the touch area with their fingers to transfer load to the touchpad 400. Since the upper cover 100 abuts against the bottom of the touchpad 400, it also provides a reaction force to the user's fingers. A suitable width for the connector 210 allows it to have high strength while maintaining low rigidity, enabling the user to easily press the touch area to perform a click action.

[0051] For example, the dimension of the connector 210 along the width direction of the cover 100 is 12mm, 14mm, 16mm, 18mm, or 20mm. It is understood that the width of the connector 210 can be obtained by measuring it with a ruler under normal temperature and pressure.

[0052] It is understood that other embodiments of this application do not limit the dimensions of the connector 210 along the width direction of the cover 100.

[0053] In one embodiment, the dimension of the connector 210 along the thickness direction of the upper cover 100 ranges from 0.5mm to 1.2mm, and the thickness direction of the upper cover 100 is orthogonal to the width direction. The connector 210 and the touchpad 400 are arranged parallel to the thickness direction of the upper cover 100. The thickness of the connector 210 affects its own strength and rigidity. When the user operates the laptop, they press the touch area with their fingers to transfer the load to the touchpad 400. Since the upper cover 100 abuts against the bottom of the touchpad 400, it also provides a reaction force to the user's fingers. The greater the thickness of the connector 210, the higher its strength and the greater its rigidity. A thickness within a suitable range allows the connector 210 to have high strength while maintaining low rigidity, enabling the user to easily press the touch area to perform a click action.

[0054] For example, the dimension of the connector 210 along the thickness direction of the upper cover 100 is 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.9 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.1 mm, or 1.2 mm. It is understood that the thickness of the connector 210 can be obtained by measuring it with vernier calipers under normal temperature and pressure.

[0055] It is understood that other embodiments of this application do not limit the dimensions of the connector 210 along the thickness direction of the cover 100.

[0056] In one embodiment, there are multiple first fastening members 200a, and the multiple first fastening members 200a are arranged at intervals along the width direction of the upper cover 100.

[0057] For example, there are three first fastening members 200a, which are formed on the abutment member 220. Along the width direction of the upper cover 100, the first fastening members 200a are formed on both opposite ends of the abutment member 220.

[0058] In the embodiment of this application, there are multiple first fastening members 200a. The first fastening members 200a can provide greater connection strength between the upper cover 100 and the lower cover. The cantilever portion of the upper cover 100 is smaller, thereby reducing the possibility of the upper cover 100 warping relative to the lower cover 300 when the upper cover 100 is assembled with the lower cover 300.

[0059] It is understood that other embodiments of this application do not limit the number of first fasteners 200a. Exemplarily, the number of first fasteners 200a may be a single one.

[0060] In one embodiment, the upper cover 100 has a threaded hole, and the lower cover 300 has a threaded hole at a position corresponding to the threaded hole in the upper cover 100. Screws can be threadedly connected to the threaded holes in the upper cover 100 and the lower cover 300, respectively. The upper cover 100 and the lower cover 300 can be connected by screws to increase the connection strength between the upper cover 100 and the lower cover 300.

[0061] In one embodiment, the touchpad assembly further includes a bottom cover 300. The bottom cover 300 refers to the housing of the laptop computer that rests on a supporting surface during use and contacts the supporting surface. Exemplarily, the supporting surface can be a desktop. The bottom cover 300 has a second fastening member 300a capable of engaging with the first fastening member 200a, and the bottom cover 300 is mounted on the side of the reinforcement 200 opposite to the touchpad 400. The first fastening member 200a and the second fastening member 300a achieve docking between the top cover 100 and the bottom cover 300, resulting in a simple connection method, providing greater connection strength, reducing relative movement between the top cover 100 and the bottom cover 300, and making the touchpad assembly more stable.

[0062] For example, the bottom cover 300 is a one-piece molded structure, and the bottom cover 300 protrudes upward to form a second fastening member 300a. The number of second fastening members 300a corresponds to the number of first fastening members 200a, and each first fastening member 200a can be engaged with a corresponding different second fastening member 300a.

[0063] In one embodiment, along the arrangement direction of the first fastening member 200a and the second fastening member 300a, the size of the contact area between the first fastening member 200a and the second fastening member 300a ranges from 0.4mm to 0.8mm. The arrangement direction of the first fastening member 200a and the second fastening member 300a is parallel to the length direction of the upper cover 100, and the length direction of the upper cover 100 is orthogonal to both the vertical direction and the width direction. During the engagement process of the first fastening member 200a and the second fastening member 300a, an external force is applied to either the first fastening member 200a or the second fastening member 300a to induce a certain degree of elastic deformation. Then, the first fastening member 200a and the second fastening member 300a are brought closer together, and the external force is removed to achieve mutual engagement. The size of the contact area between the first fastening member 200a and the second fastening member 300a represents the amount of engagement between them. By ensuring the contact area length is within a suitable range, the connection strength between the first fastening member 200a and the second fastening member 300a can be high, while also reducing the assembly difficulty between them. This reduces the likelihood of breakage due to excessive deformation of the first fastening member 200a and the second fastening member 300a.

[0064] For example, along the arrangement direction of the first fastening member 200a and the second fastening member 300a, the size of the contact area between the first fastening member 200a and the second fastening member 300a is 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, or 0.8 mm. It is understood that the size of the contact area between the first fastening member 200a and the second fastening member 300a can be obtained by measuring with a micrometer under normal temperature and pressure conditions.

[0065] It is understood that other embodiments of this application do not limit the size of the contact area between the first fastener 200a and the second fastener 300a.

[0066] In one embodiment, the top cover 100 has a downward-facing receiving groove 100a extending along the width of the bottom cover 300. The end of the bottom cover 300 located opposite to the first fastener 200a is disposed within the receiving groove 100a. The receiving groove 100a can cover the end of the bottom cover 300 located opposite to the first fastener 200a, making it difficult for the user to see the gap between the bottom cover 300 and the top cover 100 during laptop use. This makes the laptop more aesthetically pleasing and prevents external dust from entering the touchpad assembly through the gap between the bottom cover 300 and the top cover 100.

[0067] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit it. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and all should be covered within the scope of the specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of protection.

Claims

1. A touchpad assembly, comprising: include: Top cover; A reinforcing member is connected to the upper cover and is used to support the bottom of the touch panel. The reinforcing member also has a first fastening member for connecting to the bottom cover. The top cover and the reinforcing member are integrally formed.

2. The touchpad assembly of claim 1, wherein, The reinforcing member includes a connector and an abutment that are connected to each other. The connector is connected to the abutment and the top cover respectively. Both the connector and the abutment abut against the touch panel. The first fastening member is formed on the abutment. The connector, the abutment, and the top cover are integrally formed.

3. The touchpad assembly of claim 2, wherein, The number of connectors is multiple, and the multiple connectors are arranged at intervals along the width direction of the upper cover.

4. The touchpad assembly of claim 2, wherein, The dimension of the connector along the width direction of the upper cover ranges from 12mm to 20mm.

5. The touchpad assembly of claim 2, wherein, The dimension of the connector along the thickness direction of the upper cover ranges from 0.5mm to 1.2mm, and the thickness direction of the upper cover is orthogonal to the width direction.

6. The touchpad assembly of claim 1, wherein, The number of the first fastening components is multiple, and the multiple first fastening components are arranged at intervals along the width direction of the upper cover.

7. The touchpad assembly of any of claims 1-6, wherein, The touchpad assembly also includes a bottom cover having a second fastening member capable of engaging with the first fastening member, the bottom cover being mounted on the side of the reinforcement opposite to the touchpad.

8. The touchpad assembly of claim 7, wherein, Along the arrangement direction of the first fastener and the second fastener, the size of the contact area between the first fastener and the second fastener ranges from 0.4mm to 0.8mm.

9. The touchpad assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The upper cover has a downward-facing receiving groove that extends along the width of the bottom cover. The bottom cover is located at the end of the second fastening member opposite to the first fastening member and is disposed within the receiving groove.

10. A laptop computer, characterized in that, Includes the touchpad assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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