Touchpad structure and electronic device

Abstract

The application discloses a touchpad structure and electronic equipment, the touchpad structure includes the bottom plate for connecting with the face shell of notebook and touchpad assembly, the touchpad assembly corresponds the installation slot setting of face shell, the touchpad assembly includes touch control module, fixed frame and trigger module, the touch control module is set up in the installation slot, the fixed frame is set up between the touch control module and the trigger module, and pressing the fixed frame can drive the trigger module and the bottom plate to resist pressure;The edge of the fixed frame is provided with a plurality of pressure points, and the pressure points are in abutment with the lower end surface of the face shell.The application can effectively trigger when the user presses any point on the surface of the touchpad, improve the satisfaction of user experience, and then improve the competitiveness of the overall product.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of electronic devices, and more specifically, to a touchpad structure and electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] The touchpad is not only a key component of the user interface, but also a significant factor influencing user experience. With technological advancements, users' demands for touchpads have expanded beyond simple gesture recognition and cursor movement to include higher-level features such as precise press triggering and fast, stable reset responses.

[0003] In order to enable the touchpad to have good triggering capability at any point, the existing technology arranges dense pressure sensor nodes to cover the entire touch surface, so that each small area has an independent monitoring unit responsible for recording the changes in the force applied to that point. Although this method improves accuracy, it also brings problems such as increased manufacturing process complexity and increased cost. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides a touchpad structure and electronic device that enables effective triggering when a user presses any point on the touchpad surface, improving user experience satisfaction and thus enhancing the overall product competitiveness.

[0005] The touchpad structure and electronic device provided in this application adopt the following technical solution:

[0006] Firstly, this application provides a touchpad structure, which adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A touchpad structure, comprising:

[0008] The base plate is used to connect to the laptop's front cover;

[0009] The touchpad assembly is provided with a mounting slot corresponding to the front shell. The touchpad assembly includes a touch module, a fixing bracket, and a trigger module. The touch module is disposed in the mounting slot, and the fixing bracket is disposed between the touch module and the trigger module. Pressing the fixing bracket can cause the trigger module to press against the base plate.

[0010] The fixing frame has multiple pressing protrusions on its outer edge, and the pressing protrusions abut against the lower end surface of the shell.

[0011] Optionally, among the plurality of abutting protrusions, every two abutting protrusions form a group, and the two abutting protrusions in each group are centrally symmetrically arranged with the center point of the trigger module as the origin; among the plurality of abutting protrusions, at least four abutting protrusions are configured at the four corners of the fixing frame.

[0012] Optionally, at least two of the plurality of abutting protrusions are respectively disposed on both sides of the fixing frame along the length direction, and at least two of the abutting protrusions are respectively disposed on both sides of the fixing frame along the width direction.

[0013] Optionally, the trigger module includes a trigger plate and a touch element. The trigger plate is disposed on the end face of the fixing frame away from the touch module. The touch element is disposed on the touch module and electrically connected to the touch module. The trigger plate can deform to drive the touch element to press against the base plate, or drive the touch element to reset.

[0014] Optionally, the trigger plate includes a trigger part and an elastic part, the actuating element is disposed corresponding to the central area of ​​the trigger part, and the trigger part is parallel to the base plate; one side of the elastic part is connected to the trigger part, and the other side is connected to the fixing frame.

[0015] Optionally, the fixing frame is arranged in the form of a frame, and the trigger part is arranged corresponding to the central area of ​​the fixing frame; the elastic part is connected to the fixing frame, and the distance between the end of the elastic part away from the trigger part and the base plate is greater than the distance between the end of the elastic part near the trigger part and the base plate.

[0016] Optionally, one of the elastic part and the fixing frame is provided with a plurality of first connecting ends, and the other of the two is fixedly connected to the first connecting ends, and the plurality of first connecting ends are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the central axis of the elastic part.

[0017] Optionally, the trigger portion is provided with a plurality of second connection ends, the second connection ends are respectively disposed at the corner positions of the trigger portion, and the second connection ends are integrally formed with the trigger portion, and the second connection ends are fixedly connected to the elastic portion.

[0018] Optionally, the touch module includes a touch substrate and an electronic substrate, the electronic substrate is fixedly connected to the lower end face of the touch substrate, the touch substrate is fixedly mounted on the mounting frame, and the touch element is electrically connected to the electronic substrate.

[0019] Secondly, this application provides an electronic device that adopts the following technical solution:

[0020] An electronic device includes the aforementioned touchpad structure and front cover.

[0021] As can be seen from the above technical solutions, the embodiments of this application have the following advantages:

[0022] When force is applied to the touch module, it is evenly transmitted to the mounting bracket when applied to the central area. The mounting bracket then moves the trigger module toward the base plate until it contacts and presses against the base plate, thus establishing a circuit connection and enabling touch operation. When force is applied to the edge area of ​​the touch module, it is concentrated at the edge of the mounting bracket, specifically at the pressure protrusions. Pressing down on one of these protrusions causes them to move upwards, but they remain stationary due to the surface cover's restraint. This causes the pressed protrusion to move the trigger module toward the base plate and trigger it. Similarly, all other protrusions are activated in the same way. This ensures that pressing any point on the touchpad surface triggers the touchpad effectively, improving user experience and enhancing the overall product's competitiveness. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device disclosed in this application;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of an electronic device disclosed in this application from another perspective;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a touchpad disclosed in this application, highlighting the mounting bracket, trigger plate, and actuator.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a hidden base plate for a touchpad disclosed in this application;

[0028] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the overall structure of a touchpad structure disclosed in this application.

[0029] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0030] 100. Touchpad structure; 110. Base plate; 120. Touch module; 121. Touch substrate; 122. Electronic substrate; 130. Fixing bracket; 131. Pressing protrusion; 140. Trigger module; 141. Trigger plate; 1411. Elastic part; 1412. Trigger part; 1413. First connecting end; 1414. Second connecting end; 1415. Weight reduction hole; 142. Actuator; 200. Face shell; 210. Mounting slot. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] This application provides a touchpad structure and electronic device that enables effective triggering when a user presses any point on the touchpad surface, improving user experience satisfaction and thus enhancing the overall product competitiveness.

[0033] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application 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 the present application, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present application. Furthermore, the technical solutions of various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present application.

[0034] The terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments described herein can be implemented in a sequence other than that illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0035] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2This is one embodiment of an electronic device in this application. The electronic device includes a touchpad structure 100 and a front cover 200. The front cover 200 is provided with a mounting groove 210 for accommodating the touchpad structure 100, and the touchpad structure 100 is correspondingly disposed in the mounting groove 210. Specifically, the touchpad structure 100 includes a base plate 110 and a touchpad assembly. The touchpad assembly is disposed on the upper end surface of the base plate 110, and the touchpad assembly is correspondingly disposed in the mounting groove 210 of the front cover 200. There is a gap between the base plate 110 and the front cover 200 to accommodate the touchpad assembly. The base plate 110 is used to connect with the front cover 200, and the touchpad assembly is assembled to the front cover 200 through the base plate 110. In this embodiment, the base plate 110 is parallel to the front cover 200, and the base plate 110 is fixed to the front cover 200 by screws passing through it.

[0036] Please see Figures 3 to 5 To ensure the touchpad structure 100 has good triggering capability at any point, the touchpad assembly includes a touch module 120, a mounting bracket 130, and a trigger module 140. In this embodiment, the mounting bracket 130 is a rectangular frame structure, and the center points of the touch module 120, the trigger module 140, and the mounting bracket 130 are all located on a straight line. The touch module 120 is disposed within the mounting slot 210 and is located above the mounting bracket 130 for user interaction. The trigger module 140 is used to press against the base plate 110 to form a circuit. The mounting bracket 130 is disposed between the touch module 120 and the trigger module 140, and applies force to the touch module 120 to press the mounting bracket 130, thereby causing the trigger module 140 to press against the base plate 110. The mounting bracket 130 has multiple pressing protrusions 131 on its outer edge, and the pressing protrusions 131 abut against the lower end surface of the faceplate 200.

[0037] It is understandable that when a force is applied to the touch module, if the force is applied to the middle area of ​​the touch module 120, the force can be transmitted relatively evenly to the fixing frame 130. The fixing frame 130 drives the trigger module 140 to move towards the base plate 110 until the trigger module 140 contacts and presses against the base plate 110, thereby achieving circuit connection and forming the effect of touch operation of the touch panel. When the force is applied to the edge area of ​​the touch module 120, the force is concentrated at the edge position of the fixing frame 130, that is, at the position of the pressing protrusion 131. When one of the pressing protrusions 131 is pressed down continuously, one or more pressing protrusions 131 in the fixing bracket 130 will move upward. However, these pressing protrusions 131 remain stationary due to the limitation of the face shell 200. At this time, the pressed pressing protrusion 131 will drive the trigger module 140 to press against the base plate 110 and be triggered. Similarly, the other pressing protrusions 131 are the same. Therefore, it can be effectively triggered when the user presses any point on the touchpad surface, which improves the user experience satisfaction and enhances the overall competitiveness of the product.

[0038] As an optional implementation method in the above embodiments, please refer to Figure 4 In the plurality of pressure bumps 131, every two pressure bumps 131 form a group, and the two pressure bumps 131 in each group are centrally symmetrically arranged with the center point of the trigger module 140 as the origin. It can be understood that since the two pressure bumps 131 in each group and the center point of the trigger module 140 can form a lever structure, and the center point of the trigger module 140 is the support point of this lever, when one of the pressure bumps 131 in the lever structure is pressed, the other pressure bump 131 in the lever structure moves upward and remains stationary due to the limitation of the face shell 200. At this time, the pressed pressure bump concentrates the pressure on the trigger module 140 through the lever effect, so the trigger module 140 will be subjected to a greater force, thereby making it easier to achieve triggering, improving the uniformity and reliability of triggering, and providing good touch feedback.

[0039] At least four of the multiple pressure bumps 131 are positioned at the four corners of the mounting bracket 130. These four pressure bumps abut against the faceplate 200 at the four corners of the mounting bracket 130. Two pressure bumps 131 located on the same diagonal of the mounting bracket 130 form a lever structure with the center point of the trigger module 140, and the center point of the trigger module 140 serves as the support point for this lever. It is understood that when the corner area of ​​the touch module 120 is pressed, the presence of the four pressure bumps 131 at the corners of the mounting bracket 130 concentrates the pressure on the trigger module 140 through a lever effect. Therefore, the trigger module 140 experiences greater force, making it easier to trigger. This reduces the pressing force required in the corner area of ​​the touch module 120, achieving good touch feedback in the corner area of ​​the touch module 120.

[0040] Furthermore, at least two of the multiple pressure protrusions 131 are respectively disposed on both sides of the fixing frame 130 along the length direction, and at least two pressure protrusions 131 are respectively disposed on both sides of the fixing frame 130 along the width direction. The fixing frame 130 is provided with pressure protrusions 131 along both the length and width directions. When the edge area of ​​the touch module 120 is pressed, the leverage effect formed by the pressure protrusions 131 concentrates the pressure on the trigger module 140, which is beneficial to achieving good touch feedback at the edge area of ​​the touch module 120 and further enhances the area that the touchpad structure 100 can effectively trigger.

[0041] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5The touch module 120 and the trigger module 140 are respectively disposed on the upper and lower end faces of the fixing frame 130. The touch module 120 includes a touch substrate 121 and an electronic substrate 122. The electronic substrate 122 is fixedly connected to the lower end face of the touch substrate 121, and the touch substrate 121 is fixedly disposed on the fixing frame 130. The trigger module 140 includes a trigger plate 141 and a trigger element 142. The trigger plate 141 is disposed on the end face of the fixing frame 130 away from the touch module 120. The trigger element 142 is disposed on the touch module 120 and electrically connected to the touch module 120. Specifically, the trigger element 142 is fixedly disposed on the electronic substrate 122 and electrically connected to the electronic substrate 122. The trigger plate 141 can deform so that the fixing frame 130 drives the trigger element 142 to press against the base plate 110, or drives the trigger element 142 to reset. It is understood that pressing the touch substrate 121 applies force to it, and the touch substrate 121 transmits the force to the mounting bracket 130 through the electronic substrate 122, and then to the trigger plate 141 through the mounting bracket 130. Since the trigger plate 141 can deform, under the force applied to the trigger plate 141, the mounting bracket 130 and the touch element 142 move synchronously toward the base plate 110 until they contact and press against the base plate 110 to form a passage, thereby achieving the effect of touch operation of the touch panel. When the force applied to the touch substrate 121 is removed, the trigger plate 141 can return to its original position to drive the mounting bracket 130 and the touch element 142 to move away from the base plate 110 until the touch element 142 resets, thereby separating the touch element 142 from the base plate 110.

[0042] In this embodiment, the actuating element 142 is preferably a metal dome switch, which is made of ultra-thin and high-hardness stainless steel (typically 0.05mm to 0.1mm thick). Its hardness ranges from HV480 to HV550, maintaining high reliability and being less prone to damage, far exceeding that of some other common actuating elements 142, and providing tactile feedback. Secondly, the metal dome switch has excellent conductivity, enabling fast and reliable signal transmission. When force is applied to the metal dome switch, it contacts the contacts on the base plate 110, thereby completing the circuit and reducing the possibility of accidental activation, further enhancing the product's usability.

[0043] Please see Figure 5The trigger plate 141 is made of metal and includes a trigger part 1412 and an elastic part 1411. The trigger part 1412 is disposed in the central area of ​​the fixing frame 130 and is parallel to the base plate 110. In this embodiment, the trigger part 1412 is fixed to the base plate 110 by screws. The actuating member 142 is disposed in the central area of ​​the trigger part 1412. The trigger part 1412 is provided with an area to avoid the actuating member 142, which is intended to provide a basis for the actuating member 142 to press against the base plate 110. One side of the elastic portion 1411 is connected to the trigger portion 1412, and the other side is connected to the fixing frame 130. The distance between the end of the elastic portion 1411 away from the trigger portion 1412 and the base plate 110 is greater than the distance between the end of the elastic portion 1411 closer to the trigger portion 1412 and the base plate 110. The elastic portion 1411 provides a restoring force to the periphery of the fixing frame 130, so that the fixing frame 130 can rebound and reset after being subjected to force, thereby driving the touch element 142 to reset, playing a supporting and restoring role. In the embodiments of this application, two elastic portions 1411 are provided, and the two elastic portions 1411 are respectively provided on both ends of the trigger portion 1412 along the length direction. The elastic portion 1411 is made of a base material with good elastic recovery characteristics, which can help the touch panel to speed up the state restoration process after the load is released. In some embodiments, the elastic portion 1411 can be made of materials such as special alloy steel sheets to promote a faster and more efficient action cycle.

[0044] Under normal circumstances, the trigger plate 141 remains horizontal and stationary, and the elastic part 1411 is in its naturally extended state. When the user presses a corner point on the touchpad, the applied pressure is transmitted through the frame structure of the fixing bracket 130 to the edge of the trigger plate 141, that is, the end of the elastic part 1411 away from the trigger part 1412. Since the elastic part 1411 is connected to the fixing bracket 130, the elastic part 1411 deforms under the pressure of the fixing bracket 130 to store energy. Furthermore, the elastic part 1411 and the touchpad... The portion connected to the trigger 1412 moves downwards synchronously until the trigger 142 presses against the base plate 110. Once the external pressure is removed, the retaining bracket 130 releases the pressure on the end of the elastic part 1411 away from the trigger 1412. The compressed elastic part 1411 quickly rebounds and returns to its original plane height, thereby causing the retaining bracket 130 to move upwards to reset, achieving separation between the trigger 142 and the base plate 110. This movement is repeated to achieve control of the trigger 142. The trigger plate 141 improves the reset speed of the trigger 142, that is, the instantaneous response after the force is released, so that the touchpad structure 100 can maintain a smooth experience even after multiple consecutive operations.

[0045] To achieve the connection between the elastic part 1411 and the fixing frame 130, one of the elastic part 1411 and the fixing frame 130 is provided with a plurality of first connecting ends 1413, and the other part is fixedly connected to the first connecting ends 1413. The plurality of first connecting ends 1413 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the central axis of the elastic part 1411. In this embodiment, the plurality of first connecting ends 1413 are disposed on the elastic part 1411 and integrally formed with the elastic part 1411. The first connecting ends 1413 are respectively disposed at the corners of the elastic part 1411, and the plurality of first connecting ends 1413 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the central axis of the elastic part 1411. The end of the first connecting end 1413 away from the elastic part 1411 is welded to the fixing frame 130. Each elastic part 1411 is provided with two first connecting ends 1413. The distance between the two first connecting ends 1413 on the same elastic part 1411 and the midpoint of the trigger part 1412 is the same. The first connecting ends 1413 on the two elastic parts 1411 are symmetrically arranged along the central axis of the trigger part 1412, so that the left and right elastic parts 1411 are completely symmetrical, avoiding the problem of uneven rebound force of the button in each corner.

[0046] In another feasible embodiment described above, a plurality of first connecting ends 1413 are disposed on the fixing frame 130 and integrally formed with the fixing frame 130. The first connecting ends 1413 are respectively disposed on the inner side of the fixing frame 130 facing the elastic part 1411, and the first connecting ends 1413 correspond to the corner positions of the elastic part 1411. The first connecting ends 1413 and the elastic part 1411 are fixed by welding.

[0047] The trigger portion 1412 is provided with a plurality of second connecting ends 1414, which are respectively located at the corners of the trigger portion 1412 and are integrally formed with the trigger portion 1412. The second connecting ends 1414 are fixedly connected to the elastic portion 1411. In this embodiment, the trigger portion 1412 is in the shape of an "I" and is made of stainless steel with a thickness of 0.5mm, which balances strength and flexibility. The I-shaped design allows it to maintain high stability while withstanding pressure, and the hollowed-out part in the middle further reduces weight without affecting functionality.

[0048] Furthermore, a weight-reducing hole 1415 is provided in the middle area between the trigger part 1412 and the elastic part 1411. The weight-reducing hole 1415 can reduce the weight of the trigger part 1412 and the elastic part 1411, and exhibit the characteristics of being thin, light, minimalist and reliable in actual use.

[0049] Please see Figure 1This application also discloses an electronic device, which includes the above-described touchpad structure 100 and faceplate 200. Since the electronic device adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0050] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. 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 of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A touchpad structure, characterized in that, include: The base plate is used to connect to the laptop's front cover; The touchpad assembly is provided with a mounting slot corresponding to the front shell. The touchpad assembly includes a touch module, a fixing bracket, and a trigger module. The touch module is disposed in the mounting slot, and the fixing bracket is disposed between the touch module and the trigger module. Pressing the fixing bracket can cause the trigger module to press against the base plate. The fixing frame has multiple pressing protrusions on its outer edge, and the pressing protrusions abut against the lower end surface of the shell.

2. The touchpad structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, Among the plurality of abutting protrusions, each pair of abutting protrusions forms a group, and the two abutting protrusions in each group are centrally symmetrically arranged with the center point of the trigger module as the origin; at least four of the plurality of abutting protrusions are arranged at the four corners of the fixing frame.

3. The touchpad structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, At least two of the plurality of abutting protrusions are respectively disposed on both sides of the fixing frame along the length direction, and at least two of the abutting protrusions are respectively disposed on both sides of the fixing frame along the width direction.

4. The touchpad structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The trigger module includes a trigger plate and a touch element. The trigger plate is disposed on the end face of the fixing frame away from the touch module. The touch element is disposed on the touch module and electrically connected to the touch module. The trigger plate can deform to drive the touch element to press against the base plate, or drive the touch element to reset.

5. The touchpad structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The trigger plate includes a trigger part and an elastic part. The actuating element is disposed corresponding to the central area of ​​the trigger part. The trigger part is parallel to the base plate. One side of the elastic part is connected to the trigger part, and the other side is connected to the fixing frame.

6. The touchpad structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The fixing frame is arranged in the form of a frame, and the trigger part is arranged in the central area of ​​the fixing frame; the elastic part is connected to the fixing frame, and the distance between the end of the elastic part away from the trigger part and the base plate is greater than the distance between the end of the elastic part closer to the trigger part and the base plate.

7. The touchpad structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, One of the elastic part and the fixed frame is provided with a plurality of first connecting ends, and the other of the two is fixedly connected to the first connecting ends. The plurality of first connecting ends are arranged symmetrically on both sides of the central axis of the elastic part.

8. The touchpad structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The trigger part is provided with a plurality of second connection ends, which are respectively located at the corners of the trigger part and are integrally formed with the trigger part. The second connection ends are fixedly connected to the elastic part.

9. The touchpad structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The touch module includes a touch substrate and an electronic substrate. The electronic substrate is fixedly connected to the lower end face of the touch substrate. The touch substrate is fixedly mounted on the mounting frame. The actuating element is electrically connected to the electronic substrate.

10. An electronic device, characterized in that, Includes the touchpad structure and faceplate as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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