Energy-saving magnetic shaft microswitch

Abstract

The application relates to the field of microswitches, and discloses an energy-saving magnetic shaft microswitch which comprises a shell, an elastic sheet arranged in the shell, a magnet moving with the elastic sheet and a Hall sensor. The key of the application is that the microswitch further comprises a pilot trigger assembly and a control circuit. The pilot trigger assembly comprises a fixed contact fixedly arranged in the shell and a movable contact arranged on the elastic sheet. The movable contact moves with the elastic sheet and is in contact with the fixed contact when the elastic sheet is in an initial position and is separated from the fixed contact when the elastic sheet is displaced. The application has the beneficial effect that the pilot mechanical contact which is closed in the initial position is introduced, and the control circuit which works according to the on-off state of the pilot mechanical contact is combined, so that the Hall sensor is powered on demand.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of microswitches, and in particular to an energy-saving magnetic shaft microswitch. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of microswitches for electronic devices, traditional mechanical microswitches mainly rely on the physical contact between a spring and metal contacts to achieve circuit switching. Long-term use can lead to decreased reliability and shortened lifespan due to contact wear, oxidation, or vibration. To improve durability and response quality, non-contact induction magnetic shaft microswitches have gradually been developed. These switches typically combine a magnet with a movable spring and incorporate a fixed Hall effect sensor. The sensor detects changes in the magnetic field caused by the magnet's displacement to output a trigger signal, thus avoiding direct wear of the mechanical contacts and significantly improving the switch's response speed and lifespan.

[0003] However, existing magnetic shaft microswitches still have a significant drawback in practical applications: their high static power consumption limits their widespread use in battery-powered portable electronic products. This deficiency stems from their basic operating principle: to ensure the real-time nature and accuracy of the trigger signal, the Hall sensor must be continuously powered throughout the device's operation, constantly monitoring the magnetic field. Therefore, regardless of whether the spring is pressed or the switch is in the triggered state, the sensing circuit continuously consumes power as long as the device is powered on. For devices that are extremely sensitive to power consumption, such as wireless mice, keyboards, and remote controls, this uninterrupted power consumption continuously drains the battery, significantly shortening the device's battery life and becoming a major constraint on achieving the design goals of thinner, lighter, and longer-lasting products.

[0004] Therefore, in the field of microswitch technology, effectively reducing static power consumption while retaining the advantages of high reliability and long lifespan of contactless triggering methods has become a research direction with significant practical value. Developing a novel magnetic shaft microswitch that can activate the sensing circuit only when needed, thereby significantly reducing standby power consumption, not only helps extend the battery life of terminal devices and improve user experience, but also further broadens the application scope of high-performance microswitches in low-power digital products, demonstrating clear technological advancement significance and market value. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this application is to overcome at least one deficiency in the prior art and to provide an energy-saving magnetic shaft micro switch that retains the advantages of magnetic shaft switches while significantly reducing their standby power consumption and is suitable for input devices such as keyboards.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application discloses an energy-saving magnetic shaft micro switch, including a housing, a spring disposed within the housing, a magnet that moves with the spring, and a Hall sensor.

[0007] The key feature of this application is that the micro switch further includes a pilot trigger component and a control circuit.

[0008] The pilot trigger assembly includes a fixed contact fixedly disposed within the housing and a movable contact disposed on the spring sheet. The movable contact moves with the spring sheet and contacts the fixed contact when the spring sheet is in its initial position and separates from it when the spring sheet is displaced.

[0009] The control circuit is electrically connected to the pilot trigger component and the Hall sensor, and is configured to control the power supply to the Hall sensor according to the contact or separation state of the moving contact and the fixed contact.

[0010] Specifically, its working principle is as follows: When the spring is in its initial, unpressed position, the moving contact remains in contact with the fixed contact. The control circuit detects this contact state and cuts off or maintains the cut-off power supply to the Hall sensor, keeping the Hall sensor in a zero-power or extremely low-power state. When external pressure is applied to the spring, causing it to displace, the moving contact moves accordingly and separates from the fixed contact. The control circuit immediately detects this separation and then connects the power supply to the Hall sensor. The Hall sensor, once powered on, begins to operate, detecting the displacement of the magnet moving with the spring and outputting a corresponding electrical signal to trigger the switch. When the external pressure is removed, the spring returns to its initial position, the moving contact re-engages with the fixed contact, and the control circuit again cuts off the power supply to the Hall sensor, causing the microswitch to re-enter the energy-saving state. Through this design, the Hall sensor only operates briefly at the moment the button is actually triggered, thus greatly reducing overall power consumption.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the housing includes a base and a shell coupled to the base. The spring and the fixed contact are disposed on the base.

[0012] Furthermore, the base is provided with an upper stop structure that defines the initial position of the spring piece during reset.

[0013] As a compact and reliable implementation, the fixed contact is disposed on the upper stop structure. This ensures that the moving contact can achieve stable contact with the fixed contact each time the spring is reset.

[0014] To stabilize the trigger stroke and prevent overload, the base may also be provided with a lower stop structure that limits the end position of the trigger stroke of the spring.

[0015] Regarding the specific implementation of the control circuit, an integrated or discrete approach can be adopted. One approach is to integrate the control circuit into a microcontroller, which has signal pins for detecting the state of the pilot trigger component and power supply control pins for controlling the power supply of the Hall sensor.

[0016] Another approach is to use discrete logic components for the control circuit, which can also achieve the aforementioned state detection and power control logic.

[0017] One specific form of the moving contact is a conductive point protruding from the spring sheet, such as a metal protrusion formed by electroplating or welding.

[0018] In addition, the switch typically includes a drive unit for receiving external pressing pressure, which engages with the spring to transmit the user's pressing operation to the spring.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: by introducing a pilot mechanical contact that closes in the initial position and combining it with a control circuit that operates according to its on / off state, on-demand power supply to the Hall sensor is achieved. This design reduces the static power consumption of the magnetic shaft switch to near zero during most idle periods, significantly improving energy efficiency, and is particularly suitable for power-sensitive portable and wireless devices. At the same time, this solution fully retains all the advantages of magnetic shaft switches, including no physical contact sensing, long lifespan, and high response speed.

[0020] The beneficial effects listed above are not exhaustive of all advantages. Other potential beneficial effects and detailed technical implementation methods will be further disclosed in the embodiments or other descriptive sections of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0021] A better understanding of various aspects of this disclosure will be achieved by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The positions, dimensions, and extents of the structures shown in the drawings, etc., do not always represent actual positions, dimensions, and extents. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of one embodiment disclosed in this application.

[0022] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of one embodiment disclosed in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate several embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be presented in many different ways and is not limited to the embodiments described below; in fact, the embodiments described below are intended to make the disclosure more complete and to fully illustrate the scope of protection of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. It should also be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein can be combined in various ways to provide further additional embodiments.

[0024] It should be understood that the same reference numerals denote the same elements in all the accompanying drawings. For clarity, the dimensions of certain features may be modified in the drawings.

[0025] It should be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. All terms used in this specification (including technical and scientific terms) have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art, unless otherwise defined. For the sake of brevity and / or clarity, techniques, methods, and apparatus known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail; however, where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and apparatus should be considered part of this specification.

[0026] Unless otherwise specified, the singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this specification include the plural forms. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “containing” used in this specification indicate the presence of the claimed feature but do not exclude the presence of one or more other features. The term “and / or” used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the relevant listed items.

[0027] This embodiment provides an energy-saving magnetic shaft micro switch, which is particularly suitable for input devices such as mechanical keyboards and industrial control panels that have strict requirements for power consumption. Through an original power management mechanism, it reduces the static power consumption to an extremely low level while maintaining the advantages of high precision and long life of magnetic shaft switches.

[0028] exist Figure 1 The cross-sectional structure of the switch in this embodiment is shown. Figure 2 In the explosive structure. The switch housing 1 is made of insulating material (such as engineering plastic) and includes a square base 2 and a shell 3 that snaps into the upper part of the base 2 to form a sealed inner cavity. The base 2 serves as the structural foundation for supporting and positioning all internal moving and fixed parts.

[0029] In the central region of the base 2, a long strip of metal spring 4 is fixed by a snap-fit ​​and positioning structure. This spring 4 is made of a material with good elasticity and fatigue strength (such as beryllium copper or stainless steel). One end is firmly fixed to the base 2 by screws or riveting, defined as the fixed end; the other end is suspended, defined as the freely movable contact end. The arched structure of the spring 4 gives it the ability to elastically deform in the vertical direction.

[0030] A permanent magnet 5 is securely fixed to the lower surface of the movable end of the spring piece 4 via a slot, and its position has been calibrated.

[0031] On the base 2, directly below the trajectory of the permanent magnet 5, a through hole or blind slot is provided for positioning, and a Hall sensor (not shown in the figure) is mounted opposite it. The sensitive axis of the Hall sensor is aligned with the direction of magnetic field change of the permanent magnet 5 during its movement.

[0032] It should be understood that the Hall sensor can be fixed on a circuit board 10 at the bottom of a base 2, or it can be set separately in the base 2.

[0033] With this configuration, the displacement of the spring 4 will cause a change in the relative distance between the permanent magnet 5 and the Hall sensor, thereby causing a continuous change in the magnetic field strength. The Hall sensor converts this change into a linear analog voltage signal output.

[0034] In this embodiment, a pilot trigger component and a corresponding control circuit are added inside the switch.

[0035] As an alternative embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the control circuit described above is also mounted on the circuit board 10.

[0036] Specifically, the pilot trigger assembly includes a fixed contact 6 and a moving contact 7. On the base 2, corresponding to the position of the movable end of the spring 4 after full reset, an upwardly protruding platform structure is integrally formed or additionally assembled, which constitutes an upper stop structure 8 that defines the initial reset position of the spring 4.

[0037] The fixed contact 6 is made of an alloy conductive sheet or block, which is firmly covered and fixed on the top of the upper stop structure 8 by insert injection molding or bonding. Alternatively, the fixed contact 6 can be integrated into a contact sheet to form part of the upper locking structure 8.

[0038] The moving contact 7 is a conductive point protruding from the lower surface of the movable end of the spring 4. This conductive point can be formed by selective electroplating, welding a micro metal ball, or riveting a metal protrusion. Its material is preferably a precious metal or its alloy that is arc-resistant and has low contact resistance.

[0039] The moving contact 7 moves with the spring piece and contacts the fixed contact 6 when the spring piece is in its initial position and separates from the fixed contact 6 when the spring piece 4 is displaced.

[0040] To achieve reliable contact, when the spring 4 is in its initial position, its own elastic restoring force causes the moving contact 7 to be pressed tightly against the fixed contact with a certain preload.

[0041] To further enhance the reliability of long-term use, a thin layer of conductive grease or anti-oxidation coating can be applied to the contact surfaces of the fixed contact 6 and the moving contact 7 during implementation.

[0042] On the base 2, there is also a lower stop structure located below the travel of the spring 4. This structure is usually a limiting post or platform lower than the upper stop structure 8, used to support the spring 4 when the button is fully pressed, to prevent it from being excessively deformed, and to precisely limit the maximum trigger travel.

[0043] The lower end of the drive member 9, which receives external pressing pressure, is provided with a boss that acts on the upper surface of the movable end of the spring piece 4. When the drive member 9 is pressed down, the boss directly presses against the spring piece 4, efficiently transmitting the external mechanical force to the spring piece 4, forcing the spring piece 4 to deform and displace against its own elasticity.

[0044] The control circuit is integrated into a low-power microcontroller.

[0045] The microcontroller is soldered onto a miniature printed circuit board located on one side of the base. The microcontroller has a general-purpose input / output pin configured for digital input mode, which is electrically connected to the fixed contact 6 via a thin wire. The moving contact 7 is connected to the microcontroller via a conductive spring body 4 (or a separate lead). Thus, the contact or separation of the fixed contact 6 and the moving contact 7 is directly manifested as the input pin being pulled to ground (logic 0) or becoming high (logic 1) due to an internal pull-up resistor.

[0046] The control circuit is electrically connected to the pilot trigger component and the Hall sensor, and is configured to control the power supply to the Hall sensor according to the contact or separation state of the moving contact 7 and the fixed contact 6.

[0047] In practice, one output pin of the microcontroller is configured as a power supply control pin, which is connected to the gate of a P-channel MOSFET. The source of the MOSFET is connected to the system power supply, and the drain is connected to the power input pin of the Hall sensor. When the power supply control pin outputs a high level, the MOSFET is turned off, and the Hall sensor is de-energized; when it outputs a low level, the MOSFET is turned on, supplying power to the Hall sensor.

[0048] The operation of the microswitch is entirely controlled by a microcontroller, and its logic is as follows: After the microswitch is powered on, the microcontroller first sets its power supply control pin to a high level to ensure that the MOSFET is turned off, thus cutting off the power supply to the Hall sensor. Subsequently, the microcontroller continuously and exclusively monitors the state of its input pin connected to the pilot trigger component.

[0049] When the user presses the microswitch, the actuator presses against the spring 4. Once the spring 4 undergoes a slight initial displacement, the moving contact 7 immediately separates from the fixed contact 6, causing the input pin level state to flip (e.g., from 0 to 1). The microcontroller instantly detects this state change from "contact" to "disconnect".

[0050] In practice, to eliminate physical jitter that may be caused by the movement of mechanical contacts, the microcontroller can also perform software debouncing by executing a short delay (such as 1-5 milliseconds) through the program.

[0051] Once the state is confirmed to be stable and separated, the microcontroller immediately sets the power supply control pin to a low level to connect the power supply to the Hall sensor.

[0052] The Hall sensor activates rapidly upon power-up, outputting an analog voltage signal corresponding to the magnet's position. The microcontroller's analog-to-digital converter channel then continuously samples this signal. Based on the sampled voltage values, the real-time displacement of the spring 4 can be accurately calculated, enabling advanced functions such as linear triggering and custom trigger points.

[0053] When the user releases the button, the spring 4 rebounds due to its own elasticity. When the spring 4 returns to its initial position, the moving contact 7 re-engages with the fixed contact 6, and the input pin level returns to normal (from 1 back to 0). Upon detecting this "contact" state, the microcontroller sets the power supply control pin high, cutting off power to the Hall sensor, and the button switch re-enters the ultra-low-power standby monitoring state. During the entire standby period, only the microcontroller's standby circuit and pin monitoring circuit operate with extremely low current; the Hall sensor consumes no power at all.

[0054] As an alternative implementation of the control circuit, the control circuit can be constructed from discrete logic elements. This approach aims to achieve the same core control logic without relying on a microcontroller.

[0055] In this discrete circuit scheme, a set of logic processing units composed of basic gate circuits or transistors is electrically connected to the pilot trigger component. This logic processing unit is configured to control the power supply to the Hall sensor based on the contact or separation state of the moving contact 7 and the fixed contact 6. Specifically, its internal logic is designed to output a control signal to turn off the power supply when the contact is detected to be in a "contact" state, and to immediately output a control signal to turn on the power supply when the contact is detected to be in a "separated" state.

[0056] This discrete logic circuit can be constructed using miniaturized surface-mount components, and its overall package size and power consumption can meet the physical constraints and application requirements of the magnetic shaft microswitch. For example, by combining basic logic devices such as inverters and NAND gates with switching elements such as field-effect transistors, a complete control loop with signal anti-jitter, level conversion, and power drive functions can be built. This loop can directly respond to the mechanical on / off signals of the pilot trigger component and reliably execute the rapid switching on and off of the Hall sensor power path, and its function is equivalent to that of the aforementioned microcontroller embodiment.

[0057] This embodiment demonstrates that the control logic of this application can be implemented not only by a microcontroller, but also directly by hardware logic circuits, which provides a flexible choice for different cost and integration requirements.

[0058] In this embodiment, the static power consumption of the magnetic shaft micro switch is significantly reduced compared to traditional magnetic shaft switches that require continuous power supply when not triggered, which is particularly beneficial for extending the battery life of wireless and portable devices.

[0059] While exemplary embodiments of this disclosure have been described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and modifications can be made to the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Therefore, all changes and modifications are included within the scope of protection of this disclosure as defined by the claims. This disclosure is defined by the appended claims, and equivalents of those claims are also included.

Claims

1. An energy-saving magnetic shaft micro switch, comprising a housing, a spring disposed within the housing, a magnet that moves with the spring, and a Hall sensor, characterized in that, Also includes: The pilot trigger assembly includes a fixed contact fixedly disposed within the housing and a movable contact disposed on the spring sheet. The movable contact moves with the spring sheet and contacts the fixed contact when the spring sheet is in the initial position and separates from it when the spring sheet is displaced. A control circuit is electrically connected to the pilot trigger component and the Hall sensor, and is configured to control the power supply to the Hall sensor according to the contact or separation state of the moving contact and the fixed contact.

2. The energy-saving magnetic shaft micro switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer casing includes a base and a housing coupled to the base, and the spring and the fixed contact are disposed on the base.

3. The energy-saving magnetic shaft micro switch according to claim 2, characterized in that, The base is provided with an upper stop structure that limits the initial position of the spring piece during reset.

4. The energy-saving magnetic shaft micro switch according to claim 3, characterized in that, The fixed contact is disposed on the upper stop structure.

5. The energy-saving magnetic shaft micro switch according to claim 3, characterized in that, The base is also provided with a lower stop structure that limits the position of the end point of the trigger stroke of the spring.

6. The energy-saving magnetic shaft micro switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control circuit is integrated into a microcontroller, which has a signal pin for detecting the state of the pilot trigger component and a power supply control pin for controlling the power supply of the Hall sensor.

7. The energy-saving magnetic shaft micro switch according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control circuit is composed of discrete logic elements.

8. The energy-saving magnetic shaft micro switch according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The moving contact is a conductive point protruding from the spring sheet.

9. The energy-saving magnetic shaft micro switch according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, It also includes a drive unit for receiving external pressing pressure, the drive unit being in drive engagement with the spring.

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