A key assembly and an electronic device including the same

Abstract

The disclosure discloses a key assembly and an electronic device comprising the same. The key assembly comprises: a switch assembly mounted on a mainboard; a movable support movably connected with two fixed parts oppositely arranged on the inner side surface of a mounting groove; a roller partially arranged in the mounting groove, with both ends of a roller shaft connected to the movable support; the roller drives the movable support to move towards the direction of the switch assembly in a pressing state, so that the roller or the movable support abuts against the switch assembly; an elastic member is fixedly mounted in the mounting groove at one end and connected with the roller or the movable support at the other end; the elastic member provides a restoring force for the movement of the roller away from the switch assembly; and a rotation angle sensor is used for detecting the rotation angle of the roller. The scheme can not only save the space occupied by the key assembly, but also improve the sensitivity of the key assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the technical field of electronic devices. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a button assembly, and further to an electronic device including a button assembly. Background Technology

[0002] With the booming development of the electronics industry, people's daily lives are increasingly inseparable from the convenience brought by electronic products. Related electronic products achieve functions such as volume control, multimedia file playback, and pause by rotating knobs or pressing buttons. A common button assembly structure involves the knob's rotation shaft passing through an encoder and fixed to a support plate, with the support plate and button connected by a spring.

[0003] However, such button components not only take up a lot of space, affecting product costs, but also tend to be unresponsive, leading to operational errors.

[0004] In view of this, there is an urgent need to provide a button assembly and electronic device solution for electronic devices, so as to reduce the space occupied by the button assembly and improve the sensitivity of the button assembly. Utility Model Content

[0005] In order to at least solve one or more of the technical problems mentioned above, this disclosure provides a button assembly and an electronic device including the button assembly that reduce the space occupied by the button assembly and improve the sensitivity of the button assembly in several aspects.

[0006] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides a button assembly. The button assembly is disposed in a mounting slot and includes: a switch assembly mounted on a motherboard; a movable bracket movably connected to two fixed portions disposed opposite each other on the inner side of the mounting slot; a roller partially disposed in the mounting slot, with both ends of the roller shaft connected to the movable bracket; the roller, in a pressed state, drives the movable bracket to move towards the switch assembly, causing the roller or the movable bracket to abut against the switch assembly; an elastic element, one end of which is fixedly mounted in the mounting slot, and the other end connected to the roller or the movable bracket; the elastic element provides a restoring force for the roller to move away from the switch assembly; and a rotation angle sensor for detecting the rotation angle of the roller.

[0007] In some embodiments, the rotation angle sensor is positioned toward the roller; or the rotation angle sensor is coaxial with the roller.

[0008] In some embodiments, the movable bracket is a U-shaped component; the U-shaped component includes a sliding part and two connecting parts vertically disposed at both ends of the sliding part, and the two ends of the roller shaft are respectively connected to the two connecting parts; the connecting part or the fixing part has a through hole with a certain extension length along the direction of roller movement; the movable bracket moves along the extension direction of the through hole toward the switch assembly, so that the sliding part contacts the switch assembly.

[0009] In some embodiments, the button assembly further includes a fixing bracket, the fixing bracket including a support plate disposed below the movable bracket, wherein the fixing part is vertically disposed on both sides of the support plate.

[0010] In some embodiments, a clearance portion is provided at the middle position of the elastic member body, and a rotation angle sensor is installed on the sliding portion corresponding to the clearance portion; the rotation angle sensor is disposed opposite to the rotation axis of the roller.

[0011] In some embodiments, the support plate has at least one through-hole limiting groove; the elastic element includes: an elastic element body having a certain extension length and being fixedly connected to the side wall of the sliding part near the roller; at least one elastic sheet being connected to the lower end of the elastic element body and extending downward, with its extended end inserted into the limiting groove.

[0012] In some embodiments, a clearance portion is provided at the middle position of the elastic element body, and the rotation angle sensor is mounted on the sliding portion corresponding to the clearance portion; the rotation angle sensor is disposed opposite to the rotation axis of the roller.

[0013] In some embodiments, the button assembly further includes a damping structure; the damping structure includes a first damping element disposed on the rotation axis of the roller, and a second damping element disposed inside the roller or on an elastic element.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first damping element is a gear and / or a silicone bushing disposed on a rotating shaft between the end of the roller and the connecting portion; the second damping element is at least one pawl connected to the end of the elastic body and extending in the direction of the rotating shaft, the pawl having a protruding structure on the side near the rotating shaft, the protruding structure engaging with the gear and / or abutting against the silicone bushing.

[0015] In some embodiments, the claw includes a first claw structure and a second claw structure; the second damping member has an extension portion connected to the end of the elastic body and extending in the direction of rotation axis, the extension portion having a plate-like structure; the first claw structure is connected to the extension end of the extension portion and extends in the direction of rotation axis; the second claw structure is connected to the extension end of the first claw structure and extends obliquely away from the rotation axis in the direction of the opposing claw, wherein the protrusion structure is disposed inside the second claw structure.

[0016] In some embodiments, the extension is parallel to the connecting portion and is spaced apart from the connecting portion;

[0017] The extension has bent portions at both ends that extend toward the connecting portion. At the end of the extension, the bent portion continues to extend toward the rotation axis to form a first claw structure. At the end of the extension of the first claw structure, it extends obliquely toward the opposite claw direction away from the rotation axis to form a second claw structure.

[0018] In some embodiments, the roller has a cavity structure inside, the first damping element is a gear on a rotating shaft disposed in the cavity structure, and the second damping element is a snap-fit ​​structure connected to the inner wall of the roller, the snap-fit ​​structure meshing with the gear on the rotating shaft.

[0019] In a second aspect, this disclosure provides an electronic device having the aforementioned button assembly.

[0020] In some embodiments, the electronic device is a headset, the headset including a housing, wherein at least 15-35% of the volume of the rollers is provided to protrude from the outer surface of the housing.

[0021] In some embodiments, the housing has an opening for some of the rollers to protrude, and at least the housing containing the opening is a transparent / semi-transparent housing.

[0022] In the button assembly of the electronic device provided above, this embodiment is fixed to a movable bracket via a roller, and the movable bracket can move relative to the mounting slot. Thus, when an external force is applied to the roller, the movable bracket moves towards the switch assembly and abuts against it. When the external force disappears, the movable bracket returns to its original position under the force of an elastic element. This solution not only saves space occupied by the button assembly but also improves its sensitivity. Attached Figure Description

[0023] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will become readily apparent upon reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, several embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated by way of example and not limitation, and like or corresponding reference numerals denote like or corresponding parts, wherein:

[0024] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the button assembly disclosed herein installed on an electronic device is shown;

[0025] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the button assembly disclosed herein installed on an electronic device is shown;

[0026] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the key component structure disclosed herein is shown.

[0027] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the fixing bracket and elastic element in the button assembly disclosed herein is shown;

[0028] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the engagement between the elastic element and the gear in the button assembly disclosed herein is shown.

[0029] In the image: 100, button assembly;

[0030] 1. Roller; 2. Movable bracket; 3. Fixed bracket; 4. Switch assembly; 5. Elastic element; 6. Rotation angle sensor;

[0031] 101. Rotating shaft; 102. Gear;

[0032] 201. Sliding part; 202. Connecting part; 2021. Connecting hole;

[0033] 301, Support plate; 3011, Limiting groove; 302, Fixing part; 3021, Fixing hole;

[0034] 501. Elastic element body; 502. Elastic sheet; 503. Extension; 504. Bending part; 505. Claw;

[0035] 5051, First claw structure; 5052, Second claw structure; 5053, Protrusion structure. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0037] It should be understood that the terms “comprising” and “including” used in this disclosure and claims indicate the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components and / or collections thereof.

[0038] It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. As used in this disclosure and claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used in this disclosure and claims refers to any combination and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items, and includes such combinations.

[0039] As used in this specification and claims, the term "if" may be interpreted, depending on the context, as "when," "once," "in response to determination," or "in response to detection." Similarly, the phrase "if determined" or "if [described condition or event] is detected" may be interpreted, depending on the context, as "once determined," "in response to determination," "once [described condition or event] is detected," or "in response to detection of [described condition or event]."

[0040] The specific embodiments disclosed herein will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] like Figure 1-5 As shown, this utility model provides a button assembly for an electronic device.

[0042] The button assembly is disposed in the mounting slot and includes: a switch assembly 4, mounted on the motherboard; a movable bracket 2, which is movably connected to two fixed parts disposed on the inner side of the mounting slot; a roller 1, which is partially disposed in the mounting slot, with both ends of the roller shaft connected to the movable bracket 2; the roller, in the pressed state, drives the movable bracket to move towards the switch assembly 4, so that the roller or the movable bracket abuts against the switch assembly; an elastic element 5, one end of which is fixedly installed in the mounting slot, and the other end is connected to the roller 1 or the movable bracket 2; the elastic element provides a restoring force for the roller to move away from the switch assembly; and a rotation angle sensor for detecting the rotation angle of the roller.

[0043] The button assembly 100 provided by this utility model allows the movable bracket 2 to move and touch the switch assembly 4 when an external force is applied to the roller 1. When the external force disappears, the movable bracket 2 returns to its original position under the force of the elastic element 5. This design eliminates the need for a mechanical encoder, reducing the size of the button assembly 100 and saving space.

[0044] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a button component.

[0045] In this embodiment, the button assembly is disposed in the mounting slot. Specifically, the button assembly 100 includes: a switch assembly 4, mounted on the motherboard; a movable bracket 2, which is movably connected to two fixed parts disposed on opposite sides of the mounting slot; a roller 1, partially disposed in the mounting slot, with both ends of the roller shaft connected to the movable bracket 2; the roller, in a pressed state, drives the movable bracket to move toward the switch assembly 4, causing the roller or the movable bracket to abut against the switch assembly; an elastic element 5, one end of which is fixedly mounted in the mounting slot, and the other end connected to the roller 1 or the movable bracket 2; the elastic element provides a restoring force for the roller to move away from the switch assembly; and a rotation angle sensor for detecting the rotation angle of the roller.

[0046] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in the solution provided in this embodiment, the button assembly 100 includes a switch assembly, a movable bracket, an elastic element, and a rotation angle sensor, all fully disposed in the mounting groove, and a roller partially disposed in the mounting groove. Since the roller is partially installed in the mounting groove and partially protrudes from it, during use, the user can perform corresponding operations on the roller protruding from the mounting groove to issue corresponding control commands to the button assembly.

[0047] The mounting slot disclosed herein has an opening, and the roller 1 is partially disposed within the mounting slot, partially protruding from the opening. The button assembly includes a main board on which a switch assembly 4 for receiving touch signals and issuing control commands is mounted, the switch assembly 4 being spaced apart from the roller 1. The roller has a roller shaft passing through its axis, and both ends of the roller shaft are connected to both ends of a movable bracket. The movable bracket 2, on which the roller is mounted, is movably connected to two fixed portions 302 disposed opposite to each other on the inner side of the mounting slot, thereby allowing the movable bracket 2 to move relative to the fixed portions 302. The button assembly also includes an elastic element, one end of which is fixedly mounted in the mounting slot, and the other end connected to the roller 1 or the movable bracket 2. The button assembly also includes a rotation angle sensor 6 disposed facing the roller for detecting the rotation angle of the roller.

[0048] In use, users can issue control commands to the switch assembly by performing corresponding operations on the roller 1 protruding from the mounting slot. For example, users can adjust the volume by rotating the roller 1 and switch different modes by touching the switch assembly 4. Specifically, when the user rotates the roller, the rotation angle sensor in the mounting slot detects the rotation angle of the roller and sends the detection result to the control terminal. The control terminal then issues the corresponding volume adjustment control command based on the received signal. When the user wants to switch different modes, they need to press the roller into the mounting slot. The roller drives the movable bracket to move towards the switch assembly position against the elastic force of the elastic element. Once the roller or movable bracket abuts against the switch assembly, no further pressing force is applied, and the roller and movable bracket move back to their initial positions under the restoring force of the elastic element. When the switch assembly receives the touch signal, it issues a mode switching control command based on the signal.

[0049] In the solution provided in this embodiment, since the roller 1 is small in size, there is no need to set a support shaft and spring between the roller 1 and the switch assembly 4, thus reducing the size of the button assembly 100 and saving space. In addition, since the sliding part 201 of the movable bracket 2 can directly contact and press the switch assembly 4, the sensitivity is higher.

[0050] The solution in this embodiment further includes: the movable bracket has a U-shaped structure; it has a sliding part and two connecting parts vertically disposed at both ends of the sliding part, and the two ends of the roller shaft are respectively connected to the two connecting parts; the connecting parts or the fixed parts have through holes with a certain extension length along the direction of roller movement; the movable bracket moves towards the switch assembly along the extension direction of the through holes, so that the sliding part contacts the switch assembly. The fixed bracket includes a support plate disposed below the movable bracket, wherein the fixed parts are vertically disposed on both sides of the support plate.

[0051] In one specific embodiment, the movable support 2 has a U-shaped structure, comprising a sliding portion 201 in the form of a long strip, and two connecting portions 202 connected to the sliding portion 201 and perpendicularly disposed on both sides of the sliding portion 201. The opening of the U-shaped structure faces left, meaning that the two connecting portions 202 on both sides of the sliding portion 201 extend to the left. The roller 1 is connected to the connecting portions 202 via a rotating shaft 101 passing through its center.

[0052] The button assembly also includes a fixed bracket, which includes a support plate disposed below the movable bracket, wherein the fixed part is vertically disposed on both sides of the support plate. Specifically, the fixed bracket 3 is disposed below the movable bracket 2 to support the movable bracket 2 so that the roller 1 is suspended in the air. The movable bracket 2 can move in the left-right direction along the fixed bracket 3. The switch assembly 4 is spaced apart from the sliding part 201 on the side away from the roller 1. That is, the switch assembly 4 is disposed on the right side of the sliding part 201, and when the movable bracket 2 is not subjected to external force, the sliding part 201 and the switch assembly 4 do not contact each other, i.e., there is a certain gap. The elastic member 5 provides a restoring force for the movable bracket 2, one end of which is connected to the movable bracket 2, and the other end is connected to the fixed bracket 3.

[0053] The rotation angle sensor disclosed herein is an infrared sensor. To prevent light from entering the mounting groove from directions other than the direction of the roller, which could affect the signal pickup of the rotation angle sensor, a light-shielding device is provided on the outer periphery of the rotation angle sensor. Since the front of the rotation angle sensor in this disclosure faces the roller and the rear faces the sliding part, it is only necessary to provide light-shielding devices above and below the rotation angle sensor.

[0054] In use, when the roller 1 is subjected to a rightward force, it drives the movable bracket 2 to move to the right along the fixed bracket 3 against the force of the elastic element 5, causing the outer side of the sliding part 201 to press the switch assembly 4. When the external force disappears, the movable bracket 2 moves to the left under the restoring force of the elastic element 5, returning to the starting position.

[0055] The above content is based on Figure 1 and Figure 2 The content shown is described in terms of location, and the specific location can vary depending on the button assembly 100 being set on different electronic devices.

[0056] like Figure 3As shown, in a more specific embodiment, the fixed bracket 3 is also a U-shaped structure with its opening facing upwards. The fixed bracket 3 includes a support plate 301 with a certain extension length, and two fixing parts 302 connected to both sides of the support plate 301 and extending vertically upwards. Each fixing part 302 has a through-hole 3021. Each of the two connecting parts 202 has a through hole corresponding to the fixing hole 3021, which is a connecting hole 2021. The connecting hole 2021 has a certain extension length in the direction perpendicular to the sliding part 201. During assembly, the support plate 301 is positioned below the movable bracket 2, and the two fixing parts 302 extend upwards and correspond to the two connecting parts 202. The fixing member passes through the fixing hole 3021 and the connecting hole 2021 in sequence to connect the movable bracket 2 and the fixed bracket 3. Since the fixing hole 3021 is circular and the connecting hole 2021 is elongated, the movable bracket 2 can move along the extension length of the connecting hole 2021.

[0057] In an optional embodiment, in order to make the movable support 2 move more stably, at least two fixing holes 3021 are provided on a fixing part 302.

[0058] In another embodiment, the two connecting parts have through-hole fixing holes, and the two fixing parts have connecting holes with a certain extension length in the direction perpendicular to the sliding part. This arrangement still allows the movable bracket to move relative to the fixed bracket.

[0059] In one specific embodiment, the support plate 301 has at least one through-hole limiting groove 3011; the elastic member 5 includes: an elastic member body 501, which has a certain extension length and is fixedly connected to the side wall of the sliding part 201 near the roller 1; at least one elastic sheet 502, which is connected to the lower end of the elastic member body 501 and extends downward, with its extended end inserted into the limiting groove 3011.

[0060] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the elastic element 5 includes an elastic element body 501 and at least one elastic sheet 502. The elastic element body 501 has a certain extension length and is fixedly connected to the sliding portion 201 of the movable bracket 2. More specifically, it is fixed to the side wall of the sliding portion 201 facing the opening direction by screws. The elastic sheet 502 is a structure with a certain deformation capability disposed at the lower end of the elastic element body 501, connected to the lower end of the elastic element body 501, and extending downwards. The support plate 301 of the fixed bracket 3 has a limiting groove 3011 corresponding to the elastic sheet 502, and the extended end of the elastic sheet 502 is inserted into the limiting groove 3011.

[0061] In an optional embodiment, one end of the elastic sheet 502 is connected to the lower end of the elastic element body 501, and the other end first extends obliquely away from the roller 1, then extends downward parallel to the elastic element body 501, with the extended end inserted into the limiting groove 3011. In this embodiment, the elastic sheet 502 has a bending area, so that when an external force acts on the movable bracket to overcome the elastic movement of the elastic element, this structure can provide a buffering effect for the elastic element, extending its service life.

[0062] In an optional embodiment of this example, the support plate 301 is provided with two limiting grooves 3011, and the elastic member 5 is provided with two elastic sheets 502.

[0063] The solution of this embodiment also includes: the button assembly further includes a damping structure; the damping structure includes a first damping element disposed on the rotation axis of the roller, and a second damping element disposed inside the roller or on an elastic element.

[0064] In one specific embodiment, the first damping element is a gear 102 or a silicone bushing disposed on a rotating shaft 101 between the end of the roller 1 and the connecting part 202; the second damping element is at least one pawl 505 connected to the end of the elastic body and extending in the direction of the rotating shaft 101, and the pawl 505 is provided with a protrusion structure 5053 on the side near the rotating shaft, the protrusion structure 5053 meshing with the gear 102 or abutting against the silicone bushing.

[0065] In the above solution, when the button assembly 100 is installed on the electronic device, the user can operate the electronic device by sliding the scroll wheel 1. To improve the user experience, the feel can be adjusted during the sliding of the scroll wheel 1, and a damping structure is provided on the button assembly 100 to generate a damped feel during the sliding process.

[0066] Specifically, such as Figure 2 , 3As shown in Figure 5, the damping structure in this embodiment includes a first damping element and a second damping element. The first damping element is a gear 102 or a silicone bushing. The gear 102 or the silicone bushing is disposed at the end of the rotating shaft 101 of the roller 1 and abuts against the inner sidewall of the connecting part 202. The second damping element is a pawl 505 that is connected to the end of the elastic body and extends toward the rotating shaft 101. A protrusion structure 5053 is provided on the side of the pawl 505 near the rotating shaft, and the protrusion structure 5053 meshes with the gear 102 or abuts against the silicone bushing. When the first damping element is the gear 102, the gear 102 is sleeved on the end of the rotating shaft 101, with one end meshing with the roller 1 and the other end abutting against the inner sidewall of the connecting part 202. In use, the roller 1 meshes with the gear 102, causing the gear 102 to rotate. At the same time, the gear 102 moves relative to the stationary pawl, thus providing a damped feel.

[0067] In an optional embodiment, the second damping element is two opposing claws 505, with opposing protrusions 5053 on the inner side of the two claws 505. The protrusions 5053 mesh with the gear 102 or abut against the silicone bushing.

[0068] In an optional embodiment, the jaw includes a first jaw structure 5051 and a second jaw structure 5052; the second damping member has an extension 503 connected to the end of the elastic body and extending toward the rotation axis 101, the extension 503 having a plate-like structure; the first jaw structure 5051 is connected to the extension end of the extension 503 and extends toward the rotation axis 101; the second jaw structure 5052 is connected to the extension end of the first jaw structure 5051 and extends obliquely toward the opposite jaw direction away from the rotation axis 101; wherein, the protrusion structure 5053 is disposed inside the second jaw structure 5052.

[0069] The extension portion 503 is parallel to the connecting portion 202 and is spaced apart from the connecting portion 202; at both ends of the extension portion 503, there are bent portions 504 extending toward the connecting portion 202; at the end of the extension portion 503, the bent portion 504 continues to extend toward the rotation axis 101 to form a first claw structure 5051; at the extended end of the first claw structure 5051, it extends obliquely toward the opposite claw direction away from the rotation axis 101 to form a second claw structure 5052.

[0070] like Figure 2-5As shown, the second damping structure is disposed on the elastic member 5. Specifically, an extension 503 with a plate-like structure is provided at the end of the elastic member body 501. The extension 503 extends parallel to the connecting portion 202 of the movable bracket 2 and moves away from the elastic member body 501. In a more specific embodiment, the extension 503 and the connecting portion 202 are spaced apart, and the upper and lower ends of the extension 503, which are disposed opposite to each other, have bent portions 504 extending toward the connecting portion 202.

[0071] The jaws include a first jaw structure 5051 and a second jaw structure 5052. Both the first jaw structure 5051 and the second jaw structure 5052 are formed by extending from a bent portion 504. Specifically, the first jaw structure 5051 is connected to the extended end of the extension portion 503 and extends towards the rotation axis 101. The second jaw structure 5052 is connected to the extended end of the first jaw structure 5051 and extends obliquely towards another jaw direction near the elastic member body 501. The protruding structure 5053 is disposed inside the second jaw structure 5052.

[0072] In one specific embodiment, an implementation scheme different from the above-described damping structure is provided. Specifically, the roller 1 has a cavity structure inside, the first damping element is a gear 102 disposed on a rotating shaft 101 within the cavity structure, and the second damping element is a snap-fit ​​structure connected to the inner wall of the roller 1, the snap-fit ​​structure meshing with the gear 102 on the rotating shaft 101.

[0073] In the above scheme, the roller 1 has a cavity structure inside, and the damping structure is set inside the cavity structure. Specifically, the first damping element is still the gear 102 set on the rotating shaft 101. The second damping element is no longer the claw structure set on the elastic body 501, but a snap-fit ​​structure connected to the inner wall of the roller 1. This snap-fit ​​structure meshes with the gear 102 on the rotating shaft 101 to form a damping feel.

[0074] In the above scheme, only one set of damping structure is set at the end of roller 1. In other schemes, two sets of damping structures can be symmetrically set at both ends of roller 1.

[0075] In one specific embodiment, an abutment is provided at the middle position of the elastic body 501, and a rotation angle sensor is installed on the sliding part 201 corresponding to the abutment; the rotation angle sensor is arranged opposite to the rotation axis 101 of the roller 1.

[0076] like Figure 4As shown, the encoder in the button assembly 100 provided in this embodiment is a rotation angle sensor 6. This rotation angle sensor 6 is mounted on the inner wall of the sliding plate on the movable bracket 2, and is positioned opposite to the rotation axis 101 of the roller 1. Since the elastic element body 501 on the elastic element 5 is also provided on the inner wall of the sliding portion 201, a clearance portion is provided on the elastic element body 501 to accommodate the rotation angle sensor 6. The rotation angle sensor 6 is positioned on the inner wall of the sliding portion 201 corresponding to the clearance portion. Because the rotation angle sensor 6 is mounted on the movable bracket 2 and can move with the movable bracket 2, its position relative to the roller 1 is fixed, thereby avoiding inconsistent detection performance when detecting the rotation of the roller 1 to achieve the rotation adjustment function.

[0077] The solutions disclosed herein, due to differences in the type and location of the sensors, allow for a greater proportion of the roller's volume to protrude from the mounting groove. For example, in one embodiment, in the unpressed state, at least 50% of the roller's volume is within the mounting groove.

[0078] In this disclosed solution, the rotation angle sensor has at least two configuration options. One option is that the rotation angle sensor is installed in a mounting slot and faces the roller. This configuration eliminates the need to reserve space on the roller's rotation axis for installing the rotation angle sensor, thus allowing for a larger volume of the roller protruding from the housing. In one possible embodiment, the protruding volume can account for 15-35% of the total roller volume.

[0079] Another way to configure the rotation angle sensor is to mount it within a mounting slot and coaxially with the roller. This configuration requires reserving space on the rotation axis to accommodate the rotation angle sensor; therefore, the roller's volume must be significantly larger within the housing to allow space for mounting the sensor and circuitry on the roller's rotation axis. In one possible embodiment using this approach, the protruding volume of the roller can account for 10-25% of the total roller volume.

[0080] Because the disclosed solution does not install an encoder on the roller shaft side, but instead installs a rotation angle sensor on the inner wall of the sliding plate, the position of the roller in this solution is not limited by coaxial electronic components, and there is no need to consider waterproofing and dustproofing issues caused by the roller shaft-side electrical connection. Furthermore, this solution does not require consideration of the avoidance and positional relationship between the encoder and the housing, allowing for greater flexibility in the housing structure design.

[0081] In the solution provided in this embodiment, since the roller 1 drives the movable bracket 2 to press the switch assembly 4, there is no need to set a support shaft and spring, thus reducing the size of the button assembly 100. In addition, the movable bracket 2 can directly touch the switch assembly, thereby improving the sensitivity of the button assembly.

[0082] In a second aspect, this disclosure provides an electronic device. The electronic device includes the button assembly 100 described above.

[0083] In one embodiment, the electronic device may include a mounting groove formed by a housing to accommodate the button assembly 100, with an opening in the housing for a portion of the roller 1 to protrude. During installation, all components of the button assembly 100 except the roller 1 are disposed in the mounting groove, with the roller 1 partially disposed in the mounting groove and partially protruding out of the mounting groove through the opening in the housing.

[0084] Those skilled in the art will understand that the mounting slot is typically formed by multiple housings; therefore, in this design, the housing containing the opening is made transparent or semi-transparent. For example, in one specific embodiment, the housing includes a front housing, a rear housing, and side housings connected to both, wherein the opening is located on the side housing, and the side housing is transparent or semi-transparent. Of course, in other specific embodiments, not only the side housing may be made transparent or semi-transparent, but the front housing or the rear housing may also be made transparent or semi-transparent.

[0085] In the disclosed solution, since the rotation angle sensor is coaxially mounted on the inner wall of the sliding plate with the roller, the transparent structure of the housing where the opening is located will not affect the appearance.

[0086] The electronic devices described in this embodiment may include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, watches, in-ear / semi-in-ear / OWS / headphones, speakers, computers, and other devices.

[0087] The following example uses headphones as an example to illustrate the point.

[0088] The button assembly 100 discussed above is housed inside the headphones, and the switch assembly 4 is mounted on the motherboard. Correspondingly, the scroll wheel 1 is partially housed inside the headphones and protrudes slightly. Thus, users can adjust volume, switch songs, change modes, and perform other functions by sliding and scrolling.

[0089] In the disclosed solution, the roller on the button assembly is smaller, thus reducing the space occupied by the button assembly on the headphones. Furthermore, since the sensor in this solution is a rotation angle sensor, it does not need to be mounted on the roller's rotation axis like a mechanical encoder. Therefore, this solution allows for an unrestricted amount of the roller protruding from the housing; even half of its volume can protrude from the mounting slot. Of course, in actual production, to improve the human-machine interface during headphone operation, in optional embodiments, the roller 1 does not need to protrude excessively from the headphone housing. For example, at least 15.3% of the roller's volume protruding from the outer surface of the housing is sufficient, thus ensuring the overall design integrity. In one specific embodiment, the diameter of the roller 1, relative to the outer surface of the housing surrounding the roller, can be set to protrude from the housing by 1.30 mm.

[0090] In the electronic device provided in this embodiment, the rotation direction of the roller 1 can be set to be perpendicular to the housing, so that the user can operate it conveniently with one hand, thereby significantly improving the user experience.

[0091] While numerous embodiments of this disclosure have been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Many modifications, alterations, and alternatives will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and intent of this disclosure. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of this disclosure described herein may be employed in the practice of this disclosure. The appended claims are intended to define the scope of this disclosure and therefore cover equivalents or alternatives within the scope of these claims.

Claims

1. A key assembly provided in a mounting groove, characterized by, The button assembly includes: The switch assembly is mounted on the motherboard. The movable bracket is movably connected to two fixed parts that are oppositely arranged on the inner side of the mounting slot; A roller is partially disposed in the mounting groove, and both ends of the roller shaft are connected to the movable bracket; when the roller is pressed, it drives the movable bracket to move toward the switch assembly, so that the roller or the movable bracket abuts against the switch assembly. An elastic element, one end of which is fixedly installed in the mounting groove, and the other end is connected to the roller or the movable bracket; the elastic element provides a restoring force for the roller to move away from the switch assembly. A rotation angle sensor is used to detect the rotation angle of the roller.

2. The key assembly of claim 1, wherein, The rotation angle sensor is positioned facing the roller; or the rotation angle sensor is coaxial with the roller.

3. The button assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The movable support is a U-shaped component; the U-shaped component includes a sliding part and two connecting parts vertically arranged at both ends of the sliding part, and the two ends of the roller shaft are respectively connected to the two connecting parts; The connecting or fixing part has a through hole with a certain extension length along the direction of roller movement; the movable bracket moves along the extension direction of the through hole toward the switch assembly, so that the sliding part contacts the switch assembly.

4. The key assembly of claim 3, wherein, The button assembly also includes a fixed bracket, which includes a support plate disposed below the movable bracket, wherein the fixing part is vertically disposed on both sides of the support plate.

5. The key assembly of claim 4, wherein, The support plate has at least one through-type limiting groove; The elastic element includes: The elastic element body has a certain extension length and is fixedly connected to the side wall of the sliding part near the roller; At least one elastic piece is connected to the lower end of the elastic body and extends downward, with its extended end inserted into the limiting groove.

6. The key assembly of claim 5, wherein, An abutment is provided at the middle position of the elastic element body, and the rotation angle sensor is installed on the sliding part corresponding to the abutment. The rotation angle sensor is positioned opposite to the rotation axis of the roller.

7. The key assembly of claim 5, wherein, The button assembly also includes a damping structure; The damping structure includes a first damping element disposed on the rotation axis of the roller, and a second damping element disposed inside the roller.

8. The key assembly of claim 7, wherein, The first damping element is a gear and / or a silicone bushing disposed on a rotating shaft between the end of the roller and the connecting part; The second damping element is at least one claw that is connected to the end of the elastic body and extends in the direction of rotation. The claw has a protrusion structure on the side near the rotation axis, and the protrusion structure meshes with the gear and / or abuts against the silicone bushing.

9. The key assembly of claim 8, wherein, The jaws include a first jaw structure and a second jaw structure; The second damping member has an extension that is connected to the end of the elastic body and extends in the direction of rotation axis, the extension having a plate-like structure; The first claw structure is connected to the extended end of the extension portion and extends in the direction of rotation axis; The second claw structure is connected to the extended end of the first claw structure, and extends obliquely toward the opposite claw direction away from the rotation axis. The protruding structure is disposed inside the second claw structure.

10. The key assembly of claim 9, wherein, The extension is parallel to the connecting portion and is spaced apart from the connecting portion; The extension has bent portions at both ends that extend toward the connecting portion. At the end of the extension, the bent portion continues to extend toward the rotation axis to form a first claw structure. At the end of the extension of the first claw structure, it extends obliquely toward the opposite claw direction away from the rotation axis to form a second claw structure.

11. The key assembly of claim 7, wherein, The roller has a cavity structure inside, and the first damping element is a gear on a rotating shaft disposed inside the cavity structure. The second damping element is a snap-fit ​​structure connected to the inner wall of the roller, and the snap-fit ​​structure meshes with a gear on the rotating shaft.

12. An electronic device, comprising: The electronic device has a button assembly as described in any one of claims 1-11.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein, The electronic device is an earphone, which includes a housing, and the rollers are provided with at least 15-35% of their volume protruding from the outer surface of the housing.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein, The housing has an opening for some of the rollers to protrude, and at least the housing with the opening is a transparent / semi-transparent housing.

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