Switch assembly, key module, combined key, and electronic device

Abstract

The present application provides a switch assembly, a key module, a combined key, and an electronic device. Abutting parts of a terminal pair and contacts of the terminal pair are accommodated in an accommodating member of the switch assembly, the abutting parts being in contact with an elastic component, and the contacts being electrically connected to an external circuit. The two contacts of the terminal pair are adjacent to each other. An external circuit board can be electrically connected to the switch assembly by means of electrically connecting to the two contacts of the terminal pair. The external circuit board does not need to be arranged at a bottom portion of the switch assembly, i.e., does not need to be stacked together with the switch assembly, and space for filling in an adhesive does not need to be reserved on a back surface of the switch assembly, thus facilitating reduction of the width of the switch assembly. The switch assembly, the key module, and the combined key have a small volume, function reliably, and occupy a small space after installation, allowing electronic devices having the switch assembly installed therein to be further thinned in the thickness direction. The switch assembly can be widely applied to electronic devices having limited accommodating space.

Description

Switch components, key modules, combination keys and electronic devices

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on September 25, 2023, with application number 202311246836.5 and invention name “Switch assembly, key module, combination key and electronic device”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of terminal device hardware, and in particular to a switch assembly, a key module, a combination key, and an electronic device. Background Art

[0003] Thinness and lightness are the development trends of portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones, foldable screen devices and tablet computers. The thickness and weight of electronic devices are important factors affecting user experience.

[0004] The switch assembly provided on the frame of the electronic device largely limits the thickness of the electronic device. How to improve the structure of the switch assembly without reducing the functional reliability of the switch assembly to reduce the limitation of the switch assembly on further thinning of the electronic device is an issue worth considering.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present application provides a switch assembly in which both contacts of a terminal pair of the switch assembly can be accommodated in a housing of the switch assembly and used to connect the switch assembly to an external circuit. When connected to the switch assembly, the external circuit does not need to be stacked on the back of the switch assembly, allowing for a more reliable electrical connection between the external circuit and the switch assembly. No space for glue filling is required across the width of the switch assembly, which overall helps reduce the space occupied by the switch assembly across the thickness of the electronic device when used.

[0007] In the first aspect, a switch assembly is provided, comprising: a accommodating member, a spring, a push rod, a protective film, a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the accommodating member accommodates the spring, the push rod, the first terminal and the second terminal; the first terminal and the second terminal are spaced apart, the first terminal comprises a first abutting portion and a first contact, the second terminal comprises a second abutting portion and a second contact, the first contact and the second contact are used for electrically connecting the switch assembly with an external circuit; the spring and the first abutting portion are spaced apart, and the spring and the second abutting portion are in contact with the second abutting portion; the push rod is located on a side of the spring away from the first abutting portion; the protective film is located on a side of the push rod away from the spring; wherein the first contact and the second contact are adjacently arranged, the first contact and the second contact are located outside the range of the projection of the protective film on the first plane, the first contact and the second contact are located on the same side of the protective film, and the first plane is the plane where the accommodating member is located.

[0008] In some scenarios, the first terminal may also be referred to as a first connecting terminal, the second terminal may also be referred to as a second connecting terminal, and the first terminal and the second terminal may form a terminal pair. The first terminal and the second terminal being spaced apart may also be understood as the two terminals not being in contact with each other.

[0009] In a possible implementation, both the first terminal and the second terminal may be conductive metal sheets. The abutting portion and the contact point of the terminal should be understood as conductive sheets, conductive plates, or conductive blocks with a certain contact area.

[0010] It should be understood that the spring piece is made of a conductive material. In some scenarios, the spring piece may be a conductive metal sheet.

[0011] In this technical solution, the contacts of the first terminal and the second terminal are located in the same area of ​​the container. When the external circuit board is connected to the switch assembly through the contacts of the terminals, the external circuit board does not need to be set on the back of the switch assembly. In actual use, the space occupied by the switch assembly in the thickness direction is reduced. In addition, because the external circuit board does not need to be set on the back of the switch assembly, there is no need to set a filling medium on the back of the switch assembly, and there is no need to reserve space for the filling medium. The space occupied by the switch assembly in the width direction (i.e., the thickness direction of the electronic device) is reduced, which is conducive to further thinning of the electronic device.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the plane where the first contact point is located is coplanar with the plane where the first abutting portion is located, and the plane where the second contact point is located is coplanar with the plane where the second abutting portion is located.

[0013] The plane where the contact point is located is coplanar with the plane where the abutting portion is located, which should be understood as being coplanar, approximately coplanar, or substantially coplanar within the allowable range of measurement error.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the accommodating member is formed by injection molding according to the shape of the terminal, that is, the shape and size of the accommodating member are determined according to the shape and size of the terminal.

[0015] In another possible implementation, the shape and size of the terminal are determined after the shape and size of the accommodating space such as the inner groove of the accommodating member are determined.

[0016] Since the contacts and the abutting surfaces of the terminals are basically coplanar, this further ensures that the external circuit connected to the contacts does not need to be arranged below the terminals (i.e., below the switch assembly). In actual use, the space occupied by the switch assembly in the thickness direction is reduced, and the space occupied by the switch assembly in the width direction (i.e., the thickness direction of the electronic device) is reduced.

[0017] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the first terminal further includes a first connecting section, the first abutting portion and the first contact are connected through the first connecting section, the first connecting section includes a first transition portion, and the plane where the first transition portion is located is inclined with the first plane.

[0018] In a possible implementation, there may be multiple first transition portions.

[0019] It should be understood that in a possible implementation, the first connecting section may not include the first transition portion that is arranged obliquely, or in other words, the plane where the first terminal is located is parallel to the first plane.

[0020] The inclined transition portion provided on the first terminal is conducive to fully utilizing the space in the thickness direction of the container and improving the space utilization rate in the container. In addition, the inclined transition portion is also conducive to achieving a firm installation of the first terminal in the container.

[0021] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the second terminal further includes a second connecting section, the second abutting portion and the second contact are connected through the second connecting section, the second connecting section includes a fourth transition portion, and the plane where the fourth transition portion is located is inclined with the first plane.

[0022] In a possible implementation, there may be multiple second transition portions.

[0023] It should be understood that in a possible implementation, the first connecting section may not include the second transition portion that is arranged obliquely, or in other words, the plane where the second terminal is located is parallel to the first plane.

[0024] The inclined transition portion provided on the second terminal is conducive to fully utilizing the space in the thickness direction of the container and improving the space utilization rate in the container. In addition, the inclined transition portion is also conducive to achieving a firm installation of the second terminal in the container.

[0025] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the first abutting portion includes a first abutting surface, the second abutting portion includes a second abutting surface, and the distance from the first reference point on the spring sheet to the first abutting surface is greater than the distance from the first reference point to the second abutting surface.

[0026] It should be understood that the first reference point is any reference point on the spring.

[0027] In some scenarios, the above technical solution can also be understood as the first abutting surface being located on a side of the second abutting surface close to the back surface of the accommodating component.

[0028] Properly increasing the distance between the first abutting surface and the spring is beneficial to increasing the deformation travel space of the spring during the force deformation process, which is beneficial to improving the intensity of the feedback of the switch assembly to the user's pressing operation during use, thereby improving the user's experience.

[0029] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, an embedding portion is provided at one end of the first abutting portion away from the first contact point, and the embedding portion is embedded in the accommodating member.

[0030] The first abutting portion is partially embedded in the accommodating member, and the first terminal can be more firmly fixed in the accommodating member, which is beneficial to improving the functional reliability of the switch assembly.

[0031] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the second abutting portion is partially embedded in the receiving member.

[0032] The second abutting portion is partially embedded in the accommodating body, and the second terminal can be more firmly fixed in the accommodating member, which is beneficial to improving the reliability of the switch assembly function.

[0033] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the accommodating member includes a first accommodating body and a second accommodating body, the first accommodating body accommodating a first abutting portion, a second abutting portion, a spring and a push rod, and the second accommodating body accommodating a first contact and a second contact.

[0034] In a possible implementation, the first containing body is a trough body.

[0035] In a possible implementation, the second receiving body may be in the shape of a groove, a boss, or a plane.

[0036] Providing a housing within the container for accommodating other components of the switch assembly helps improve space utilization within the container and reduce the overall size of the switch assembly. Furthermore, accommodating the contacts and abutment portions of the terminal pair in two separate housings helps minimize interference with the abutment portions when the contacts connect to the external circuit board, and reduces the adverse effects of ambient moisture on the abutment portions of the terminal pair.

[0037] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, a first sub-container and a second sub-container are provided at the bottom of the first container, the second sub-container is arranged around the first sub-container, the first sub-container accommodates a first abutting portion, and the second sub-container accommodates a second abutting portion; a third sub-container and a fourth sub-container are provided at the bottom of the second container, the third sub-container accommodates a first contact, and the fourth sub-container accommodates a second contact.

[0038] In a possible implementation, the first sub-container may be in the shape of a groove, a boss, or a plane.

[0039] In a possible implementation, the second sub-container can be in the shape of a groove, a boss, or a plane. For example, the second sub-container is an arc-shaped groove or a U-shaped groove.

[0040] Further providing a first sub-container and a second sub-container for accommodating the abutment portion at the bottom of the first container body can help further improve the utilization rate of the internal space of the container. When the spring pieces and the push rod are stacked in the first container body, it can help reduce the distance between the component at the top and the bottom of the first container body after multiple components are stacked, which can help reduce the thickness of the container to a certain extent.

[0041] A third sub-container and a fourth sub-container for accommodating the contacts of the terminals are further opened at the bottom of the second container, which is beneficial to further improve the utilization rate of the internal space of the container. When a part of the external circuit board is accommodated in the second container, the distance between the upper surface of the external circuit board and the back surface of the container is shorter, which is beneficial to reducing the thickness of the switch assembly to a certain extent.

[0042] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, a first channel is provided at the bottom of the container, the first channel connects the first sub-container and the third sub-container, the first terminal also includes a first connecting section, the first connecting section connects the first abutting portion and the first contact, and the first connecting section is accommodated in the first channel.

[0043] A connecting section for accommodating the abutting portion and the contact connecting the first terminal is opened at the bottom of the container, which further improves the utilization efficiency of the internal space of the container. The connecting section does not need to occupy additional space in the width direction of the container, which is also helpful to reduce the width of the switch assembly to a certain extent.

[0044] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, a second channel is provided at the bottom of the container, the second channel connects the second sub-container and the fourth sub-container, the second terminal also includes a second connecting section, the second connecting section connects the second abutting portion and the second contact, and the second connecting section is accommodated in the second channel.

[0045] A connecting section for accommodating the abutting portion and the contact for connecting the second terminal is opened at the bottom of the container, which further improves the utilization efficiency of the internal space of the container. The connecting section does not need to occupy additional space in the width direction of the container, which is also helpful to reduce the width of the switch assembly to a certain extent.

[0046] In a possible implementation, the second accommodating body is a groove body, a first notch is formed on one side of the accommodating member, and the first notch is communicated with the second accommodating body.

[0047] In a possible implementation, the first notch is formed on another side wall of the container opposite to the second channel, or in other words, the first notch avoids the second channel.

[0048] A notch is provided in the side wall of the container, allowing the external circuit board to be directly inserted through the notch into the second container body and connected to the terminal contacts. The direction in which the first notch communicates with the container body can be perpendicular to the plane of the side wall of the container, thereby easing the difficulty of inserting the external circuit board into the notch, simplifying the assembly of the switch assembly, and, to a certain extent, reducing the complexity of creating the notch in the container.

[0049] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the first channel includes a first bending portion, an extension direction of the first bending portion is inclined to the first plane, and the first connecting section includes a first transition portion, which is in contact with the inner wall of the first bending portion.

[0050] In one possible implementation, there are two first bends, one located near the first sub-container and the other located near the third sub-container. Both first bends extend in a direction inclined relative to the bottom surface of the first sub-container. In another possible implementation, the first connecting section further includes a third transition portion that mates with the inner wall of the other first bend.

[0051] A bending portion is provided in the first channel, and the transition portion of the first terminal is fitted with the bending portion of the channel, so that the bending portion can play a limiting role to a certain extent, so that the first terminal fits better in the accommodating body, is less likely to be mixed, and the function of the switch assembly is more reliable.

[0052] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the second channel includes a second bending portion, the extension direction of the second bending portion is inclined to the first plane, and the second connecting section includes a fourth transition portion, which is in contact with the inner wall of the second bending portion.

[0053] In one possible implementation, there are two second bends, one located near the second sub-container and the other located near the fourth sub-container. Both second bends extend in an angled direction relative to the bottom surface of the second sub-container. In another possible implementation, the second connecting section further includes a sixth transition portion that mates with the inner wall of the other second bend.

[0054] A bending portion is provided in the second channel, and the transition portion of the second terminal is fitted with the bending portion of the channel, so that the bending portion can play a limiting role to a certain extent, so that the second terminal fits better in the accommodating body, is less likely to cause mixing, and the function of the switch assembly is more reliable.

[0055] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the first container and the second container are both trough bodies, the first container and the second container are spaced apart, and the top surface of the trough wall of the first container is located on the side of the top surface of the trough wall of the second container away from the back side of the container.

[0056] In some scenarios, the bottom surface of the first container and the bottom surface of the second container are in the same plane. The above technical solution can also be understood as that the height of the groove wall of the first container is greater than the height of the groove wall of the second container, or in other words, the depth of the first container is greater than the depth of the second container.

[0057] Since the second container needs to accommodate the external circuit board, the height of the side wall of the first container that accommodates components such as springs and push rods is set higher than the side wall of the second container. The contact connection process between the external circuit board and the terminal is not likely to have an adverse effect on the components in the first container (dust, water vapor and other adverse factors that may affect the normal operation of the switch assembly may be introduced during the connection process of the external circuit board).

[0058] In a possible implementation, the distance from the third sub-containing body to the side wall of the container is equal to the distance from the fourth sub-containing body to the same side wall.

[0059] In some scenarios, the above technical solution can also be understood as: the arrangement direction of the third sub-containing body and the fourth containing body is parallel to the plane where the side wall of the containing component is located.

[0060] The distances between the two contacts of the terminal pair and the side walls of the container are the same, which can to a certain extent reduce the length of the external circuit board that needs to be accommodated in the second container, which is beneficial to reducing the width of the second container, reducing the width of the switch assembly, and achieving further thinning of the electronic device.

[0061] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the first sub-container and the second sub-container are both trough bodies, the first sub-container and the second sub-container are separated by a first sub-container wall, and a first arc-shaped boss is provided on the top of the first sub-container wall.

[0062] In a possible implementation, the top surface of the first boss and the top surface of the second abutting portion are in the same plane.

[0063] The first boss is similar to a partition structure arranged between the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion. The spring sheet in contact with the second abutting portion is blocked by the first boss and is not easily in contact with the first abutting portion. Therefore, the arrangement of the first boss is beneficial to improving the stability of the structure and performance of the switch assembly provided in this application.

[0064] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the first container is a trough body, and the protective film cover is provided on the top surface of the side wall of the first container.

[0065] The provision of the protective film can prevent factors such as dust and water vapor outside the switch assembly from affecting the normal operation of the components in the first container, which is beneficial to improving the reliability of the switch assembly function.

[0066] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the switch assembly further includes a first connecting piece and a second connecting piece, the first connecting piece and the second connecting piece are located on the same surface of the accommodating member, the first connecting piece is covered on the second accommodating body, the second connecting piece is located at one end of the accommodating member away from the second accommodating body, and the side of the first connecting piece away from the accommodating member and the side of the second connecting piece away from the accommodating member are in the same plane.

[0067] In a possible implementation, the first connecting piece and the second connecting piece are coated with an adhesive material so that they can be used for fixed connection with other components during the installation process of the switch assembly.

[0068] The sides of the first connecting piece and the second connecting piece away from the accommodating member are coplanar, that is, they can form a plane, which is conducive to the mutual fit between the bracket set outside the switch assembly and the switch assembly, and is conducive to improving the simplicity of the switch assembly and other component combination and installation process.

[0069] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, both ends of the container further include outwardly convex and / or inwardly concave fixing structures.

[0070] Fixing structures are provided at both ends of the accommodating member, which can be used for the subsequent positioning and connection of the switch assembly with structures such as a bracket.

[0071] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the switch assembly further includes a support plate connected to the back surface of the accommodating member, and the support plate is a fiber-reinforced plate or a metal plate.

[0072] In a possible implementation, the support plate may be made of a metal material or an inorganic non-metallic material, such as a steel plate or a glass fiber reinforced plate.

[0073] The support plate plays the role of reinforcing the receiving member to a certain extent, which is beneficial to reducing the probability of deformation and damage of the switch assembly when subjected to external force, and improving the durability of the switch assembly.

[0074] For a detailed explanation of the following technical solution and related descriptions of the beneficial effects, please refer to the relevant description in the first aspect. For the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated below.

[0075] In the second aspect, a key module is provided, including a bracket, an adapter plate and a switch assembly in the first aspect and any possible implementation thereof, the bracket is used to fix the switch assembly, the adapter plate includes a third contact and a fourth contact, the third contact is electrically connected to the first contact of the switch assembly, and the fourth contact is electrically connected to the second contact of the switch assembly.

[0076] In one possible implementation, the portion of the adapter plate extending into the second slot can be called an inserting portion, the width of the inserting portion is smaller than the width of the first notch on the accommodating member, and the thickness of the transition portion is smaller than or equal to the depth of the first notch on the accommodating member.

[0077] The setting of the bracket can play a role in protecting the switch assembly to a certain extent, and the adapter plate can realize the interconnection between the key module and the external circuit. The adapter plate is accommodated in the second groove body, which is helpful to control the thickness of the key module to a certain extent.

[0078] In combination with the second aspect, in certain implementations of the second aspect, a first notch is provided on the side of the accommodating member of the switch assembly facing the adapter plate, the adapter plate includes a plug-in portion and a transition connection portion, the plug-in portion includes a third contact and a fourth contact, the plug-in portion extends into the interior of the accommodating member, the transition connection portion is connected to the plug-in portion, and the transition connection portion is at least partially accommodated in the first notch.

[0079] Providing the first notch to accommodate part of the transition connection portion helps to further reduce the volume of the key module.

[0080] In combination with the second aspect, in certain implementations of the second aspect, a first positioning portion and a second positioning portion are respectively provided at two opposite ends of the switch assembly, and a third positioning portion and a fourth positioning portion are provided on a side of the bracket facing the switch assembly. The first positioning portion and the third positioning portion cooperate with each other, and the second positioning portion and the fourth positioning portion cooperate with each other. The first positioning portion, the second positioning portion, the third positioning portion and the fourth positioning portion are used for fixed connection between the switch assembly and the bracket.

[0081] The bracket and the switch assembly can be fixedly connected in a variety of ways. For example, a notch can be opened on the switch assembly and the bracket and the switch assembly can be connected by a pin connection, which is conducive to reducing the use of fasteners, etc. and further reducing the space occupied by the button module.

[0082] In combination with the second aspect, in certain implementations of the second aspect, the bracket includes a first bracket and a second bracket, the first bracket and the second bracket are fixedly connected, the first bracket is located above the spring piece of the switch assembly, and the second bracket is at least partially located at both ends of the switch assembly; wherein, the first bracket is composed of a material with a hardness less than or equal to a first threshold, the second bracket is composed of a material with a hardness greater than or equal to a second threshold, and the first threshold is less than or equal to the second threshold.

[0083] In a possible implementation, the first bracket may be made of a relatively soft material such as silicone rubber, and the second bracket may be made of a relatively hard material such as epoxy resin glue.

[0084] The bracket is divided into multiple interconnected parts. Different parts can be set with different materials and different structures, which is conducive to realizing different functions of different parts of the bracket and improving the user experience.

[0085] The first bracket interacts with the push rod and spring portion of the switch assembly. The softer first bracket improves the user's pressing comfort during use. The second bracket can, to a certain extent, provide a buffer and load-bearing function, which helps to improve the protection of the switch assembly.

[0086] According to a third aspect, a combination key is provided, comprising: a accommodating member, an adapter plate, a first switch assembly and a second switch assembly, the first switch assembly comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal comprising a first abutting portion and a first contact, the second terminal comprising a second abutting portion and a second contact; the second switch assembly comprising a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the third terminal comprising a third abutting portion and a third contact, the fourth terminal comprising a fourth abutting portion and a second contact; a first slot body, a second slot body and a third slot body are provided on the accommodating member; the first slot body contains the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion, the second slot body contains the third abutting portion and the fourth abutting portion, the third slot body contains the first contact, the second contact and the third contact, the adapter plate extends into the third slot body and is electrically connected to the first contact, the second contact and the third contact.

[0087] In this technical solution, one container can accommodate functional components for realizing two switch assemblies, and the contacts of the terminals of the two switch assemblies can be accommodated together in one slot, which reduces the volume occupied by the switch assembly to a certain extent and is conducive to reducing the space volume occupied by the combination key.

[0088] In combination with the third aspect, in some implementations of the third aspect, the combination key also includes a third switch assembly, the third switch assembly includes a fifth terminal and a sixth terminal, the fifth terminal includes a fifth abutment portion and a third contact, and the sixth terminal includes a sixth abutment portion and a fourth contact; the accommodating member also has a fourth slot body, and the fourth slot body contains the fifth abutment portion and the sixth abutment portion; the third slot body also contains a fourth contact; and the adapter plate is also electrically connected to the fourth contact.

[0089] In this technical solution, one container can accommodate functional components for implementing three switch assemblies, and the contacts of the terminals of the three switch assemblies are accommodated together in one slot, which is beneficial to reducing the space volume occupied by the combination key.

[0090] In a fourth aspect, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a middle frame, a keycap, and the key module of the second aspect and any possible implementation thereof, wherein the keycap is fixed to the middle frame and abuts against a first bracket of the key module.

[0091] In combination with the fourth aspect, in certain implementations of the fourth aspect, the electronic device includes a first screen, a second screen, and a cover plate, the second screen is arranged opposite to the first screen, and the key module is located between the first screen and the second screen, or the cover plate is arranged opposite to the first screen, and the key module is located between the first screen and the cover plate.

[0092] In one possible implementation, the electronic device is a foldable screen device, wherein one of the first screen and the second screen is an outer screen of the foldable screen device and the other is an inner screen of the foldable screen device. The cover plate may be referred to as a back cover or back plate, and may be fixedly connected to the middle frame of the electronic device and cover the battery of the electronic device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0093] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0094] FIG2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a key module provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0095] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a key module provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0096] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of an exploded view of a switch assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0097] FIG5 is a three-dimensional view of the container provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0098] FIG6 is a top view of the container provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0099] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the AA section of the receiving member in FIG. 6 .

[0100] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a BB cross section of the receiving member in FIG. 6 .

[0101] FIG9 is an enlarged view of the C1 region in FIG7 .

[0102] FIG10 is an enlarged view of the C2 region in FIG7 .

[0103] FIG11 is a bottom view of the container provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0104] FIG12 is a three-dimensional view of a terminal pair provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0105] 13 is a top view of one terminal of the terminal pair in FIG. 12 .

[0106] 14 is a top view of another terminal of the terminal pair in FIG. 12 .

[0107] FIG15 is a three-dimensional view of the spring provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0108] FIG16 is a front view of the shrapnel in FIG15 .

[0109] FIG17 is a top view of the protective film provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0110] FIG18 is a front view of the protective film in FIG17.

[0111] FIG19 is a top view of the support plate provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0112] Figure 20 is a top view of the connecting piece provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0113] FIG. 21 is a top view of a receiving member provided in an embodiment of the present application with a pair of terminals installed therein.

[0114] FIG22 is a schematic diagram of the AA section of the switch assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0115] FIG23 is an enlarged view of the C3 region in FIG22 .

[0116] FIG24 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the first terminal, the second terminal, and the spring.

[0117] Figure 25 is a three-dimensional view of the bracket provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0118] FIG. 26 is a perspective view of the bracket in FIG. 25 from another viewing angle.

[0119] FIG. 27 is a schematic diagram of the installation method of the switch assembly and the bracket.

[0120] Figure 28 is a three-dimensional view of the adapter plate provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0121] FIG29 is a schematic diagram of the assembly method of the adapter plate in FIG28.

[0122] Figure 30 is a schematic diagram of a combination key provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0123] Figure 31 is a schematic diagram of another combination key provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0124] FIG32 is a schematic diagram of another combination key provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0125] The following describes embodiments of the present application in detail, and examples of the embodiments of the present application are shown in the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended only to explain the present application and are not to be construed as limiting the present application.

[0126] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein shall have the ordinary meanings understood by persons having ordinary skills in the technical field to which this application belongs. In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer" and the like, indicating directions or positional relationships, are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operate in a specific direction, and therefore should not be understood as limiting this application.

[0127] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" in this specification mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with that embodiment is included in one or more embodiments of the present application. Thus, phrases such as "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," and "in yet other embodiments" appearing in various places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more but not all embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "including," "comprising," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0128] Before introducing the embodiments of the present application, some professional terms that may be used in the following content are first explained.

[0129] The surface mount connection process is a technology for mounting electronic components on printed circuit boards. It is mainly divided into two types: horizontal and vertical mount connectors. Horizontal mount connectors are surface mount components without pins or short leads. They require solder paste to be printed on the circuit board. The component is then placed on the solder paste using a placement machine. Finally, the solder paste is melted in a reflow oven to firmly bond the component to the circuit board. Vertical mount connectors are direct-insert packaged components. They require holes to be punched in the circuit board. The component pins are then inserted into the holes. Finally, the pins are soldered to the circuit board using wave soldering or manual soldering.

[0130] Underfill glue is an organic adhesive used to reinforce the solder joints of electronic components on circuit boards, such as epoxy resin.

[0131] Flexible printed circuit (FPC), also known as flexible circuit board, is a printed circuit board that is characterized by light weight, thinness, softness and bendability. It is mainly used in products such as mobile phones, laptops and LCD screens.

[0132] Metal domes, also known as metal shrapnel, are mainly used in products such as membrane switches, micro switches and printed circuit boards. They have the characteristics of smooth contact, strong conductivity and stable rebound.

[0133] Terminals, also known as wiring terminals, are connectors used to achieve electrical connections. In some examples, terminals can be metal sheets encapsulated in insulating plastic.

[0134] Figure 1 shows an electronic device 10 provided in an embodiment of the present application. The electronic device 10 may include a first display screen 11, a middle frame 12, a back panel (or cover panel, not shown in the figure), a "volume +" button 21, a "volume -" button 22 and a power button 23, etc.

[0135] The middle frame 12 can be used to fix the first display screen 11 and the back panel. The middle frame 12, the first display screen 11 and the back panel can form a closed accommodation space, which can be used to accommodate other electronic components of the electronic device 10, such as: battery, motherboard, camera module, etc.

[0136] The middle frame 12 may be provided with a plurality of openings, which may be provided on one side frame, two sides framed opposite to each other, or two sides framed adjacent to each other. The plurality of openings may correspond to the aforementioned "volume +" button 21, "volume -" button 22, and power button 23.

[0137] Components for implementing the functions of the "volume +" button 21, the "volume -" button 22, and the power button 23 can be accommodated in the aforementioned accommodation space, and these components can be located near the aforementioned buttons. Alternatively, the components for implementing the functions of the aforementioned multiple buttons can be located between the first display screen 11 and the back panel of the electronic device 10.

[0138] In some examples, electronic device 10 may be a foldable screen device, which may include an inner screen and an outer screen. For example, the aforementioned first display screen 11 may be the outer screen of electronic device 10, and the inner screen of electronic device 10 may be positioned opposite the first display screen 11, i.e., located near the back panel of electronic device 10. In this case, the components for implementing the functions of the aforementioned multiple buttons may be considered to be positioned between the inner screen and the outer screen of electronic device 10.

[0139] The distance between the first display screen 11 and the back panel or the distance between the inner screen and the outer screen of the electronic device can be regarded as the thickness of the electronic device 10 (i.e., the dimension in the Z-axis direction in Figure 1). As mentioned above, factors such as the structure, size and arrangement of the related components of the buttons of the electronic device 10 determine the thickness of the electronic device 10 to a certain extent.

[0140] Figure 2 provides an exemplary schematic diagram of the structure and installation location of a first button module of an electronic device 10. The first button module can be any of the components associated with the "volume +" button 21, the "volume -" button 22, and the power button 23 of the aforementioned electronic device 10. The first button module can include a first keycap 301, a first switch assembly 302, a filler material 303, and a first circuit board assembly 304.

[0141] The first switch assembly 302 and the first circuit board assembly 304 can be connected using a patch process. When connected using the patch process, a certain gap will exist between the first switch assembly 302 and the first circuit board assembly 304. To improve the reliability and extend the service life of the first button module, an underfill can be applied between the first switch assembly 302 and the first circuit board assembly 304 and on the periphery of the first switch assembly 302 to form a filling medium 303.

[0142] As shown in FIG2 , the size of the first circuit board assembly 304 in the Z-axis direction should be larger than the size of the first switch assembly 302 in the Z-axis direction, so that when filling the bottom filling glue, the glue will not overflow to the side of the first circuit board assembly 304 facing away from the first switch assembly 302, and the filling medium 303 formed by the glue can wrap around the periphery of the first switch assembly 302.

[0143] The filling medium 303, provided to enhance the reliability of the first button module, occupies a certain amount of space in the Z-axis direction. For example, the two portions of the filling medium 303 in the Z-axis direction of the first switch assembly 302 have a Z-axis dimension of approximately 0.5 mm. Furthermore, to reduce the adverse effects of the filling medium 303 on the first circuit board assembly 304, the Z-axis dimension of the first circuit board assembly 304 must also be increased. These two factors, to a certain extent, limit the further reduction in thickness of electronic devices.

[0144] In addition, due to the limitations of the processing technology, it is difficult for the filling medium 303 to completely fill the gap between the first switch component 302 and the first circuit board component 304. In other words, even if the filling medium 303 is set, the solder pins or solder of the first switch component 302 located in the gap will still be at risk of being exposed, which also reduces the reliability of the first button module.

[0145] In order to reduce the volume of the key module as much as possible without compromising the reliability of the key module and reduce the space occupied by the key module in the thickness direction of the electronic device, the present application provides a second switch assembly 500 and a second key module 40, which are now introduced as follows.

[0146] FIG3 shows a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the second button module 40 . The second button module 40 includes a second switch assembly 500 , a bracket 600 and an adapter plate 700 , wherein the bracket 600 includes a first bracket 610 and a second bracket 620 .

[0147] The bracket 600 is arranged on the periphery of the second switch component 500. The bracket 600 can protect the second switch component 500 to a certain extent. The adapter plate 700 can be electrically connected to the second switch component 500 to realize the exchange of control signals, data signals, etc. between the second switch component 500 and the external circuit.

[0148] The following first introduces the structure of the second switch assembly 500 , and then describes the connection between the second switch assembly 500 and the bracket 600 , and the connection between the second switch assembly 500 and the adapter plate 700 .

[0149] 4 , in some examples, the second switch assembly 500 may include a protective film 510 , a push rod 520 , a spring 530 , a terminal pair 540 , and a receiving member 550 . In some examples, the second switch assembly 500 may further include a support plate 560 and / or a connecting piece assembly 570 .

[0150] The container 550 is a plate-shaped structure as a whole, and includes a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to each other. The first surface can also be called the front surface or installation surface of the container 550, and the second surface can also be called the back surface or fixing surface of the container 550.

[0151] 5 is a three-dimensional view of the container 550 , FIG. 6 is a top view of the container 550 , and FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are schematic diagrams of the AA section and the BB section of the container 550 in FIG. 6 , respectively.

[0152] A first container and a second container are provided on the first surface of the container 550, wherein the first container is used to accommodate the abutting portion of the terminal pair 540, the push rod 520, the spring 530 and other components, and the second container is used to accommodate the contacts of the terminal pair 540. The first container can be a slot body, and the second container can be a boss or a plane. In the following embodiments, the first container and the second container are both slot bodies. The specific shapes of the first container and the second container are not limited in this application. In this case, referring to Figure 5, the first container can also be referred to as the first slot body 5510, and the second container can also be referred to as the second slot body 5520.

[0153] The first and second slots 5510 and 5520 are used to accommodate the terminal pair 540. The first slot 5510 is also used to accommodate the push rod 520, the spring 530 and other components, and the second slot 5520 is also used to accommodate a portion of the adapter plate 700 connected to the terminal pair 540.

[0154] In conjunction with Figures 5 to 8, the first trough body 5510 and the second trough body 5520 can be arranged adjacent to each other and share the first trough body wall 5530. The bottom of the first trough body 5510 is provided with a first sub-container and a second sub-container, wherein the first sub-container is used to accommodate the abutment portion of the first terminal in the terminal pair 540, and the second sub-container can be used to accommodate the abutment portion of the second terminal in the terminal pair 540. The first sub-container can be any one of a trough body, a boss or a plane, and the second sub-container can also be any one of a trough body, a boss or a plane. In the following embodiments, the first sub-container and the second sub-container are both trough bodies for illustration. This application does not limit the specific shapes of the first sub-container and the second sub-container. In this case, in conjunction with Figures 5 to 8, the first sub-container can also be referred to as the first sub-trough body 5511, and the second sub-container can also be referred to as the second sub-trough body 5512.

[0155] The bottom of the first trough 5510 is provided with a first sub-trough 5511 and a second sub-trough 5512. The second sub-trough 5512 is similar to a U-shaped trough and is disposed on the periphery of the first sub-trough 5511. In other words, the second sub-trough 5512 surrounds the first sub-trough 5511. The first sub-trough 5511 and the second sub-trough 5512 are spaced apart from each other. In some examples, the first sub-trough 5511 and the second sub-trough 5512 may share a first sub-trough wall 5531.

[0156] The bottom of the second trough body 5520 is provided with a third sub-container and a fourth sub-container, wherein the third sub-container is used to accommodate the contact of the first terminal in the terminal pair 540, and the fourth sub-container can be used to accommodate the contact of the second terminal in the terminal pair 540. The third sub-container can be any one of a trough body, a boss or a plane, and the fourth sub-container can also be any one of a trough body, a boss or a plane. In the following embodiments, the third sub-container and the fourth sub-container are both trough bodies for illustration, and this application does not limit the specific shapes of the third sub-container and the fourth sub-container. In this case, in combination with Figures 5 to 8, the third sub-container can also be referred to as the third sub-trough body 5521, and the fourth sub-container can also be referred to as the fourth sub-trough body 5522.

[0157] A third sub-trough 5521 and a fourth sub-trough 5522 are provided at the bottom of the second trough body 5520. The third sub-trough 5521 is provided close to the first trough body wall 5530, and the fourth sub-trough 5522 is provided away from the first trough body wall 5530. In other words, the third sub-trough 5521 is provided close to the first trough body 5510, and the fourth sub-trough 5522 is provided away from the first trough body 5510.

[0158] 7 , a through-hole can be formed at one end of the first slot wall 5530 near the back of the accommodating member 550 to form a first channel 5540. The first channel 5540 connects the first sub-slot 5511 and the third sub-slot 5521 located on either side of the first slot wall 5530. In other words, the first sub-slot 5511 and the third sub-slot 5521 can be connected by the first channel 5540 formed at the bottom of the accommodating member 550. The space between the first sub-slot 5511, the first channel 5540, and the third sub-slot 5521 can be used to accommodate any terminal of the aforementioned terminal pair 540, such as the first terminal.

[0159] The bottom surface of the first sub-trough body 5511 and the bottom surface of the third sub-trough body 5521 can be located above the first channel 5540, and the connecting portion between the first channel 5540 and the first sub-trough body 5511 and / or the connecting portion between the first channel 5540 and the third sub-trough body 5521 can be provided with a first bending portion 5541. The setting of the first bending portion 5541 can make the terminal accommodated in the space fit more closely with the channel, and the terminal is not prone to shaking.

[0160] 5, 6, and 8, a first notch 5523 may be defined on a side of the second slot body 5520 adjacent to the first slot body wall 5530, and a through-hole may be defined within the side wall opposite the first notch 5523 to form a second channel 5550. The second channel 5550 is used to connect the second sub-slot body 5512 and the fourth sub-slot body 5522. In other words, the second sub-slot body 5512 and the fourth sub-slot body 5522 may be connected by the second channel 5550 defined in the bottom of the accommodating member 550. The interconnected space formed between the second sub-slot body 5512, the second channel 5550, and the fourth sub-slot body 5522 may be used to accommodate the other terminal of the aforementioned terminal pair 540, such as the second terminal.

[0161] The bottom surface of the second sub-trough body 5512 and the bottom surface of the fourth sub-trough body 5522 can be located above the second channel 5550, and the connecting portion between the second channel 5550 and the second sub-trough body 5512 and / or the connecting portion between the second channel 5550 and the fourth sub-trough body 5522 can be provided with a second bending portion 5551. The setting of the second bending portion 5551 can make the terminal accommodated in the space fit more closely with the channel, and the terminal is not prone to shaking.

[0162] Figure 9 shows an enlarged view of the C1 region of the AA section in Figure 6 . A first extension 5532 may be provided on the end of the first sub-trough wall 5531, located between the first sub-trough 5511 and the second sub-trough 5512, away from the bottom surface of the first sub-trough 5511. The first extension 5532 may extend from the end of the first sub-trough wall 5531 away from the bottom surface of the first sub-trough 5511 toward the middle region of the first sub-trough 5511. When the first terminal is installed in the accommodating member 550, the first extension 5532 may cover the portion of the first terminal received in the first sub-trough 5511. Alternatively, the first extension 5532 may retain the first terminal within the first sub-trough 5511. Alternatively, a portion of the first terminal may be embedded in the first sub-trough wall 5531.

[0163] In some examples, the first extension portion 5532 can be determined according to the shape of the first sub-slot body 5511. For example, the first extension portion 5532 can be arranged around the outer circumference of the first sub-slot body 5511 to form an arc shape, etc.

[0164] 6, 7, and 9, the other wall of the first slot body 5510 opposite the first slot body wall 5530 can be referred to as a second slot body wall 5560. A second extension 5561 can be provided at one end of the second slot body wall 5560 away from the bottom surface of the second sub-slot body 5512. The second extension 5561 can extend from the end of the second slot body wall 5560 away from the bottom surface of the second sub-slot body 5512 toward the middle region of the second sub-slot body 5512. When the second terminal is installed in the accommodating member 550, the second extension 5561 can cover the portion of the second terminal received in the second sub-slot body 5512. Alternatively, the second extension 5561 can retain the second terminal in the second sub-slot body 5512. Alternatively, a portion of the second terminal can be embedded in the slot body wall of the first slot body 5510.

[0165] In some examples, the second extension portion 5561 can be determined according to the shape of the second sub-slot body 5512. For example, the second extension portion 5561 can be arranged around the outer circumference of the second sub-slot body 5512 to form an arc shape, etc.

[0166] Figure 10 is an enlarged view of the C2 region of the AA section in Figure 6. Referring to Figures 5, 9, and 10, a first boss 5533 may be provided on one end of the first sub-trough body wall 5531 away from the bottom of the first sub-trough body 5511. The first boss 5533 may be continuously provided along the first sub-trough body wall 5531 to form a substantially arc-shaped boss structure.

[0167] A third extension 5534 may be provided on the side of the first trough wall 5530 near the first sub-trough 5511. The third extension 5534 is generally stepped and located above the first channel 5540. The third extension 5534 includes a first step surface 553A, a second step surface 553B, a third step surface 553C, and a fourth step surface 553D, which are connected in sequence. The planes of the first step surface 553A and the third step surface 553C are substantially parallel. The first and third step surfaces 553A and 553C are connected by the second step surface 553B, and the plane of the second step surface 553B is substantially perpendicular to the planes of the first and third step surfaces 553A and 553C. The second and fourth step surfaces 553B and 553D are connected by the third step surface 553C, and the fourth step surface 553D is arranged at an angle to the third step surface 553C. In some examples, the extension direction of the plane where the fourth step surface 553D is located may be parallel to the extension direction of the first bent portion 5541 of the first channel 5540 close to the first sub-groove 5511 .

[0168] The top of the first protrusion 5533 can form a plane (e.g., a first plane), and the first stepped surface 5535 of the third extension 5534 can form another plane (e.g., a second plane). Both the first and second planes can be used to accommodate the spring 530 installed in the receiving member 550. In some examples, the first and second planes can be located in the same plane, or in other words, they can be connected to form a single plane. This plane formed by the first and second planes can be used to accommodate the spring 530. In some examples, the spring 530 accommodated in the first slot 5510 can contact the terminal in the second sub-slot 5512. In this case, the first protrusion 5533 can be considered a partition structure disposed between the first sub-slot 5511 and the second sub-slot 5512, preventing the spring 530 from contacting the terminal in the second sub-slot 5512 from approaching the first sub-slot 5511.

[0169] The first boss 5533 can be positioned near the first sub-slot 5511 or the second sub-slot 5512, and the specific positioning can be determined based on factors such as the shape and size of the spring piece 530. When the spring piece 530 is installed in the receiving member 550, the first boss 5533 can, to a certain extent, support the spring piece 530 or prevent it from moving.

[0170] 6 , the first and second trough walls 5530, 5560, which are disposed opposite each other, may be connected by a third and fourth trough walls 5570, 5580. In some examples, the first, second, third, and fourth trough walls 5530, 5560, 5570, and 5580 may form an integrated structure, or in other words, these four trough walls may be integrally formed through the same production process.

[0171] In some examples, the ends of the four groove walls away from the bottom of the first groove body 5510 , or the tops of the four groove walls, can form a connection surface, which can be used to be fixedly connected to the protective membrane 510 of the switch assembly 500 .

[0172] There should be a certain height difference between the top of the groove wall of the first groove body 5510 and the bottom of the first groove body 5510, or in other words, the first groove body 5510 should have a certain depth, so that on the basis of the spring piece 530 being placed in the first groove body 5510, the push rod 520 with a certain height can be stacked on the side of the spring piece 530 away from the bottom of the first groove body 5510.

[0173] Continuing with FIG10 , a fourth extension 5535 is provided on the side of the first trough wall 5530 proximal to the third sub-trough 5521. Specifically, the fourth extension 5535 is provided on the side of the first trough wall 5530 opposite the third extension 5534. The fourth extension 5535 is generally stepped and positioned above the first channel 5540. The fourth extension 5535 includes a fifth step surface 553E, a sixth step surface 553F, a seventh step surface 553G, and an eighth step surface 553H, which are connected in sequence. The plane of the fifth step surface 553E and the plane of the seventh step surface 553G are substantially parallel. The fifth step surface 553E and the seventh step surface 553G are connected by the sixth step surface 553F. The plane of the sixth step surface 553F is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the fifth step surface 553E or the plane of the seventh step surface 553G. The sixth step surface 553F and the eighth step surface 553H are connected by the seventh step surface 553G, and the eighth step surface 553H is arranged at an angle to the seventh step surface 553G. In some examples, the extension direction of the plane in which the eighth step surface 553H lies can be parallel to the extension direction of the first bend 5541 of the first channel 5540 near the third sub-groove 5521.

[0174] The third sub-slot 5521 disposed at the bottom of the second slot 5520 can be used to accommodate a portion of the aforementioned first terminal, and the fourth sub-slot 5522 disposed at the bottom of the second slot 5520 can be used to accommodate a portion of the aforementioned second terminal. Referring to Figures 5 and 7 , the third sub-slot 5521 and the fourth sub-slot 5522 can be considered to be formed by hollowing out the bottom surface of the second slot 5520 toward the back of the receiving member 550 to a certain depth. The top surfaces of the sidewalls of the third sub-slot 5521 and the fourth sub-slot 5522 can be considered to be the bottom surface of the second slot 5520. In some examples, the depth of the second slot 5520 is greater than or equal to the thickness of the connection portion between the adapter plate 700 and the terminal pair 540. In other words, the depth of the second slot 5520 is sufficient to accommodate the connection portion between the adapter plate 700 and the terminal pair 540 within the second slot 5520.

[0175] Figure 11 shows a bottom view of the container 550. In some examples, the container 550 is provided with a first fixing portion 559A and a second fixing portion 559B at two opposite ends, respectively. The first fixing portion 559A and the second fixing portion 559B can be used to connect the container 550 to the bracket 600.

[0176] For example, the first fixing portion 559A and the second fixing portion 559B can both be protruding portions, that is, the two ends of the container 550 can extend outward to form a first protruding fixing portion 559A and a second protruding fixing portion 559B, respectively. In this case, the first fixing portion 559A can also be referred to as a first protruding portion, and the second fixing portion 559B can also be referred to as a second protruding portion.

[0177] Similarly, by way of example, the first fixing portion 559A and the second fixing portion 559B can both be recessed portions, i.e., the ends of the container 550 can be recessed toward the middle region to form the first fixing portion 559A and the second fixing portion 559B, respectively, which are notched. In this case, the first fixing portion 559A can also be referred to as a first inner recess, and the second fixing portion 559B can also be referred to as a second inner recess. For example, the first inner recess and the second inner recess can be arc-shaped notches.

[0178] Also illustratively, one of the first fixing portion 559A and the second fixing portion 559B may have an outward convex structure, and the other may have an inward concave structure.

[0179] Figure 12 is a schematic structural diagram of the terminal pair 540. The terminal pair 540 may include a first terminal 5410 and a second terminal 5420. The second terminal 5420 is roughly U-shaped. The first terminal 5410 is located in the area surrounded by the second terminal 5420. The first terminal 5410 and the second terminal 5420 are spaced apart.

[0180] Referring to FIG. 13 , the first terminal 5410 may include a first abutting portion 5430 and a first extending portion 5440 , wherein the first abutting portion 5430 may be connected to the compressed spring 530 . In some examples, the first abutting portion 5430 is in the form of a thin sheet or plate, and one or more raised structures may be provided on the side of the first abutting portion 5430 facing the spring 530 , which may be referred to as abutment blocks 5431 . For example, the first abutting portion 5430 is provided with four abutment blocks 5431 , each of which is cylindrical in shape with a radial cross-section of a quarter circle, and the four abutment blocks 5431 are spaced apart from each other.

[0181] In some examples, the first abutting portion 5430 may further include an embedding portion 5432, which may be disposed at an end of the first abutting portion 5430 away from the first extending portion 5440. The embedding portion 5432 may be inserted into the gap between the first sub-slot 5511 and the first extension portion 5532 of the aforementioned accommodating member 550, thereby defining the position of the first terminal 5410 in the accommodating member 550.

[0182] The first extension portion 5440 can be considered the portion of the first abutting portion 5430 extending along the first channel 5540 to the third sub-slot 5521. The first extension portion 5440 may include a first transition portion 5441, a second transition portion 5442, a third transition portion 5443, and a first contact 5444. One end of the first transition portion 5441 is connected to the first abutting portion 5430, and the other end is connected to the second transition portion 5442. The second transition portion 5442, the third transition portion 5443, and the first contact 5444 are sequentially connected, and the first contact 5444 is housed in the third sub-slot 5521.

[0183] The plane where the second transition portion 5442 lies, the plane where the first abutting portion 5430 lies, and the plane where the first contact 5444 lies are substantially parallel. The plane where the first abutting portion 5430 lies is substantially coplanar with the plane where the first contact 5444 lies. In other words, the first abutting portion 5430 and the first contact 5444 are substantially at the same height. In other words, when the first terminal 5410 is installed in the accommodating member 550, the distances from the plane where the first abutting portion 5430 lies and the plane where the first contact 5444 lies to the back surface of the accommodating member 550 are substantially equal. The distance from the plane where the second transition portion 5442 lies to the back surface of the accommodating member 550 is less than the distance from the plane where the first abutting portion 5430 lies or the plane where the first contact 5444 lies to the back surface of the accommodating member 550.

[0184] The first transition portion 5441 is inclined relative to the first abutment portion 5430, and the third transition portion 5443 is inclined relative to the second transition portion 5442. When the first terminal 5410 is installed in the accommodating member 550, the first transition portion 5441 and the third transition portion 5443 are both located at the first bend 5541 of the first channel 5540, and the second transition portion 5442 is located between the two first bends 5541. The inclination angles of the first transition portion 5441 and the third transition portion 5443 correspond to the inclination angles of the first bend 5541 at which they are located, respectively. This allows the portion of the first terminal 5410 within the first channel 5540 (i.e., the first transition portion 5441, the second transition portion 5442, and the third transition portion 5443) to fit closely within the first channel 5540.

[0185] It should be understood that the inner diameter of the first channel 5540 should be slightly larger than the width or thickness of the portion of the first terminal 5410 within the first channel 5540. For example, the spacing between the upper surface and the lower surface of the first channel 5540 should be slightly larger than the thickness of the portion of the first terminal 5410 within the first channel 5540, and the spacing between the left and right sides of the first channel 5540 should be slightly larger than the width of the portion of the first terminal 5410 within the first channel 5540.

[0186] In some examples, the first terminal 5410 may not be provided with the aforementioned inclined first transition portion 5441 and third transition portion 5443. In other words, the first terminal 5410 may be plate-shaped, and the first abutment portion 5430 and the first contact 5444 of the first terminal 5410 may all be in the same plane.

[0187] FIG14 shows a second terminal 5420, which may include a second abutting portion 5450 and a second extending portion 5460. The second abutting portion 5450 is generally U-shaped, and the second extending portion 5460 can be considered to be formed by one end of the second abutting portion 5450 extending from the second sub-groove 5512 along the second channel 5550 to the fourth sub-groove 5522. When the second terminal 5420 and the spring piece 530 are installed in the receiving member 550, the spring piece 530 can abut against the second abutting portion 5450 of the second terminal 5420.

[0188] In some examples, the second abutting portion 5450 may include a first limiting portion 5451 and a second limiting portion 5452. The first limiting portion 5451 and the second limiting portion 5452 may be disposed at both ends of the second abutting portion 5450 (i.e., the locations of the U-shaped opening). The first limiting portion 5451 and the second limiting portion 5452 may be close to each other, and the distance between the first limiting portion 5451 and the second limiting portion 5452 may be less than the distance between the U-shaped openings. In other words, the first limiting portion 5451 and the second limiting portion 5452 may be considered to be extending from both ends of the second abutting portion 5450 toward the inner side of the opening.

[0189] The U-shaped second abutment portion 5450 can be accommodated in the annular second sub-groove 5512 of the accommodating member 550. The first limiting portion 5451 and the second limiting portion 5452 can clamp the second terminal 5420 in the second sub-groove 5512. The second terminal 5420 is installed more firmly and the reliability of the second switch assembly 500 is higher.

[0190] In some examples, the second extension portion 5460 may include a fourth transition portion 5461, a fifth transition portion 5462, a sixth transition portion 5463, and a second contact 5464. One end of the fourth transition portion 5461 is connected to one end of the second abutting portion 5450, and the other end is connected to the fifth transition portion 5462. The fifth transition portion 5462, the sixth transition portion 5463, and the second contact 5464 are sequentially connected, and the second contact 5464 is accommodated in the fourth sub-slot 5522.

[0191] The plane where the fifth transition portion 5462 lies, the plane where the second abutting portion 5450 lies, and the plane where the second contact 5464 lies are substantially parallel. The plane where the second abutting portion 5450 lies is substantially coplanar with the plane where the second contact 5464 lies. In other words, the second abutting portion 5450 and the second contact 5464 are substantially at the same height. In other words, when the second terminal 5420 is installed in the accommodating member 550, the distances from the plane where the second abutting portion 5450 lies and the plane where the second contact 5464 lies to the back surface of the accommodating member 550 are substantially equal. The distance from the plane where the fifth transition portion 5462 lies to the back surface of the accommodating member 550 is less than the distance from the plane where the second abutting portion 5450 lies or the plane where the second contact 5464 lies to the back surface of the accommodating member 550.

[0192] The fourth transition portion 5461 is inclined relative to the second abutment portion 5450, and the sixth transition portion 5463 is inclined relative to the fifth transition portion 5462. When the second terminal 5420 is installed in the accommodating member 550, the fourth transition portion 5461 and the sixth transition portion 5463 are both located at the second bend 5551 of the second channel 5420, and the fifth transition portion 5462 is located between the two second bends 5551. The inclination angles of the fourth transition portion 5461 and the sixth transition portion 5463 correspond to the inclination angles of the second bend 5551 at which they are located. This ensures that the portion of the second terminal 5420 within the second channel 5550 (as well as the fourth transition portion 5461, the fifth transition portion 5462, and the sixth transition portion 5463) fits closely within the second channel 5550.

[0193] It should be understood that the inner diameter of the second channel 5550 should be slightly larger than the width or thickness of the portion of the second terminal 5420 within the second channel 5550. For example, the spacing between the upper surface and the lower surface of the second channel 5550 should be slightly larger than the thickness of the portion of the second terminal 5420 within the second channel 5550, and the spacing between the left and right sides of the second channel 5550 should be slightly larger than the width of the portion of the second terminal 5420 within the second channel 5550.

[0194] In some examples, the second contact 5464 and the sixth transfer portion 5463 are connected through the first connecting arm 5465, and the connection direction between the first connecting arm 5465 and the second contact 5464 can be perpendicular to the direction of mutual connection between the fourth transfer portion 5461, the fifth transfer portion 5462 and the sixth transfer portion 5463.

[0195] In some scenarios, the connection relationship between the aforementioned second contact 5464 and the sixth adapter portion 5463 can also be understood as: the second contact 5464 includes a right-angle connecting arm 5465, one end of the right-angle connecting arm 5465 is connected to the sixth adapter portion 5463, and the other end of the right-angle connecting arm 5465 is connected to the second contact 5464.

[0196] In some examples, the second terminal 5420 may not be provided with the aforementioned inclined fourth transition portion 5461 and sixth transition portion 5463. In other words, the second terminal 5420 may be plate-shaped, and the second abutting portion 5450 and the second contact 5464 of the second terminal 5420 may all be in the same plane.

[0197] Figures 15 and 16 are schematic diagrams of the structure of the spring piece 530. The spring piece 530 may include one or more sub-spring pieces. In the case where the spring piece 530 includes multiple sub-spring pieces, the multiple sub-spring pieces may be stacked together along the thickness direction to form the spring piece 530. Each sub-spring piece may include a pressing portion 5310, a first supporting portion 5320, and a second supporting portion 5330. The first supporting portion 5320 and the second supporting portion 5330 may be arranged on the periphery of the pressing portion 5310.

[0198] The pressing portion 5310, the first support portion 5320, and the second support portion 5330 can all be in the shape of a thin plate or a thin sheet. The first support portion 5320 and the second support portion 5330 are both fixedly connected to the pressing portion 5310. In some examples, the pressing portion 5310 can be approximately circular, the first support portion 5320 and the second support portion 5330 can both be in the shape of an arc, and the first support portion 5320 and the second support portion 5330 can be symmetrically arranged on both sides of the pressing portion 5310. The first support portion 5320 can be tilted relative to the pressing portion 5310, and the second support portion 5330 can also be tilted relative to the pressing portion 5310. For example, the angle between the plane where the first support portion 5320 is located and the plane where the pressing portion 5310 is located is α, and the angle between the plane where the second support portion 5330 is located and the plane where the pressing portion 5310 is located is β, and α=β.

[0199] The pressing portion 5310, first supporting portion 5320, and second supporting portion 5330 of the sub-spring can all be made of conductive material. When the spring 530 is installed in the container 550, the first supporting portion 5320 and second supporting portion 5330 of the spring 530 can be supported on the plane formed by the first protrusion 5533 and the third extension 5534 of the container 550, and can contact the portion of the second terminal 5420 located in the second sub-slot 5512. The pressing portion 5310 can be located above the first abutting portion 5430 of the first terminal 5410, or in other words, the pressing portion 5310 can be spaced apart from the first abutting portion 5430.

[0200] The material constituting the spring piece 530 should have an elastic modulus less than or equal to a preset threshold value, or in other words, when pressure is applied to the pressing portion 5310, the spring piece 530 can be deformed, and the angle between the plane where the first support portion 5320 is located and the plane where the pressing portion 5310 is located and / or the angle between the plane where the second support portion 5330 is located and the plane where the pressing portion 5310 is located can be reduced, and the pressing portion 5310 of the spring piece 530 can approach and contact the first abutting portion 5430.

[0201] Figures 17 and 18 illustrate the structure of the protective film 510. The protective film 510 is similar in shape to a hat. When placed over the first tank 5510, it prevents moisture, dust, and other particles from entering the tank, potentially affecting the proper functioning of the devices and components within the first tank 5510. The protective film 510 includes a top portion 5110, an eaves portion 5120, and a connecting piece 5130 for connecting the top portion 5110 and the eaves portion 5120.

[0202] The eaves 5120 can overlap the top surface of the side wall of the first trough body 5510 of the accommodating member 550, and the shape of the eaves 5120 can match the shape of the first trough body 5510. The eaves 5120 has a certain width so that the eaves 5120 can have a sufficiently large contact area when overlapping the top surface of the side wall of the first trough body 5510.

[0203] The top portion 5110 can be used to accommodate part or all of the push rod 520, and the shape of the top portion 5110 can match the shape of the push rod 520. For example, as shown in FIG14 , the push rod 520 can be cylindrical, and the top surface 5111 of the top portion 5110 can be circular, and the radius of the top surface 5111 can be slightly larger than the cross-sectional radius of the cylindrical push rod 520. The top portion 5110 can include a sidewall 5112 connected to the top surface 5111, and the sidewall 5112 is arranged around the outer circumference of the top surface 5111 and connected to the outer circumference of the top surface 5111. The end of the sidewall 5112 away from the top surface 5111 can be connected to the connecting piece 5130. The top portion 5110 provided with the top surface 5111 and the sidewall 5112 is similar to an inverted cylinder, and the cylindrical push rod 520 can be partially or completely accommodated within the cylinder. The radius of the arc formed by the end where the side wall 5112 connects to the connecting piece 5130 can be greater than the radius of the arc formed by the end where the side wall 5112 connects to the top surface 5111. This facilitates the tilting of the connecting piece 5130 and controls the size and shape of the eaves 5120. The connecting piece 5130 can be formed by combining multiple sheet-like sub-connecting pieces, which helps reduce the difficulty of manufacturing the protective film 510.

[0204] The surface where the push rod 520 contacts the protective film 510 can be referred to as the first contact surface, and the surface where the push rod 520 contacts the spring 530 can be referred to as the second contact surface. The first contact surface and the second contact surface are arranged opposite to each other. In some examples, in order to improve the fit between the push rod 520 and the protective film 510, a transition zone can be provided at the connection position between the first contact surface and the side wall of the push rod. The transition zone can be an arc-shaped chamfer formed by physical polishing or chemical treatment on the periphery of the first contact surface. In some examples, in order to improve the fit between the push rod 520 and the spring, the shape of the second contact surface can be determined according to the shape of the spring 530 and the side facing the push rod 520. For example, if the side of the spring 530 facing the push rod 520 is an arc surface, the second contact surface of the push rod 520 can also be a contact surface with a certain curvature and a concave surface.

[0205] In some examples, the switch assembly 500 may further include a support plate 560, as shown in FIG19, the support plate 560 may include a second notch 562 corresponding to the first notch 5523 on the accommodating member 550, a third fixing portion 561A corresponding to the first fixing portion 559A on the accommodating member 550, and a fourth fixing portion 561B corresponding to the second fixing portion 559B on the accommodating member 550.

[0206] The second notch 562 can cooperate with the first notch 5523 to accommodate a portion of the adapter plate 700. The shape and size of the second notch 562 can be substantially the same as those of the first notch 5523. The third fixing portion 561A can cooperate with the first fixing portion 559A, and the fourth fixing portion 561B can cooperate with the second fixing portion 559B. These two sets of fixing portions can jointly achieve a fixed connection between the bracket 600 and the switch assembly 500.

[0207] In some examples, the first fixing portion 559A, the second fixing portion 559B, the third fixing portion 561A, and the fourth fixing portion 561B may all be convex structures with the same shape and size.

[0208] In some examples, the first fixing portion 559A, the second fixing portion 559B, the third fixing portion 561A, and the fourth fixing portion 561B may all be concave structures having the same shape and size.

[0209] In some examples, one of the two groups of fixing structures, namely, the first fixing portion 559A and the third fixing portion 561A, and the second fixing portion 559B and the fourth fixing portion 561B, may be a concave structure, and the other group may be a convex structure.

[0210] The support plate 560 can be disposed on the back of the container 550 and can be fixedly connected to the back of the container 550. In some examples, the support plate 560 can be made of a material with excellent mechanical properties. For example, a metal material or an inorganic non-metallic material with high rigidity and hardness. For example, the support plate 560 can be a steel plate or a glass fiber reinforced plate. When the support plate 560 is disposed on the back of the container 550, it can reinforce the container 550 and reduce the probability of damage to the switch assembly 500 when subjected to external forces.

[0211] In some examples, the support plate 560 has one or more first through-holes defined in the thickness direction. These one or more first through-holes can cooperate with one or more protrusions provided on the side of the container 550 facing the support plate 560 (i.e., the back side), thereby enhancing the secure connection between the support plate 560 and the container 550. Specifically, the protrusions on the back side of the container 550 can extend into the first through-holes on the support plate 560, and the sidewalls of the protrusions can abut against the inner wall of the first through-holes.

[0212] In some examples, the switch assembly 500 may also be provided with a connecting piece group 570. In conjunction with FIG. 4 and FIG. 20 , the connecting piece group 570 may include a first connecting piece 571 and a second connecting piece 572, which are separately provided. The first connecting piece 571 may be provided adjacent to the second slot 5520, and the second connecting piece 572 may be provided adjacent to the first slot 5510. In some examples, the first connecting piece 571 may be provided over the second slot 5520. When the adapter plate 700 is partially accommodated in the second slot 5520, the first connecting piece 571 may press against the portion of the adapter plate 700 accommodated in the second slot 5520, thereby ensuring a more secure and stable contact between the adapter plate 700 and the terminal pair 540.

[0213] The second connecting piece 572 can be disposed on the end of the container 550 away from the first connecting piece 571. The second connecting piece 572 can avoid the second slot wall 5560 of the first slot 5510. In some examples, the thickness of the first connecting piece 571 and the second connecting piece 572 are equal, and the surfaces of the first connecting piece 571 and the second connecting piece 572 away from the container 550 can be substantially coplanar. When the bracket 600 is connected to the switch assembly 500, the connecting surfaces of the two can be more closely aligned, which helps to improve the reliability of the connection between the bracket 600 and the switch assembly 500.

[0214] In some examples, the first connecting piece 571 may be provided with a fifth fixing portion 573A corresponding to the first fixing portion 559A on the accommodating member 550 , and the second connecting piece 572 may be provided with a sixth fixing portion 573B corresponding to the second fixing portion 559B on the accommodating member 550 .

[0215] In some examples, the exterior of the connecting piece assembly 570 may be coated with an adhesive material. During installation of the switch assembly 500 , the connecting piece assembly 570 may be used to interconnect the switch assembly 500 with other components (eg, a bracket, etc.).

[0216] The fifth fixing portion 573A can cooperate with the first fixing portion 559A, and the sixth fixing portion 573B can cooperate with the second fixing portion 559B. These two sets of fixing portions can jointly realize the fixed connection between the bracket 600 and the switch assembly 500.

[0217] In some examples, the first fixing portion 559A, the second fixing portion 559B, the fifth fixing portion 573A, and the sixth fixing portion 573B may all be convex structures having the same shape and size.

[0218] In some examples, the first fixing portion 559A, the second fixing portion 559B, the fifth fixing portion 573A, and the sixth fixing portion 573B may all be concave structures having the same shape and size.

[0219] In some examples, one of the two groups of fixing structures, namely, the first fixing portion 559A and the fifth fixing portion 573A, and the second fixing portion 559B and the sixth fixing portion 573B, may be a concave structure, and the other group may be a convex structure.

[0220] The above describes one or more components that the switch assembly 500 may include. The following further describes the functional implementation of the switch assembly 500 with reference to a schematic diagram after the multiple components are assembled.

[0221] FIG21 shows a top view of the container 550 with the terminal pair 540 installed. The first abutting portion 5430 of the first terminal 5410 is housed in the first sub-slot 5511, and the first contact 5444 of the first terminal 5410 is housed in the third sub-slot 5521. The connection between the first abutting portion 5430 and the first contact 5444 is embedded in the first channel 5410 provided within the container 550. The second abutting portion 5450 of the second terminal 5420 is housed in the second sub-slot 5512 surrounding the first sub-slot 5511, and the second contact 5464 of the second terminal 5420 is housed in the fourth sub-slot 5522. The connection between the second abutting portion 5450 and the second contact 5464 is embedded in the second channel 5550 provided within the container 550.

[0222] The first terminal 5410 and the second terminal 5420 in the terminal pair 540 can both be made of a conductive material, such as copper. The receiving member 550 can be made of an insulating material (or a material having an electrical conductivity less than a preset threshold). The first terminal 5410 and the second terminal 5420 are separated by a portion of the receiving member 550. Therefore, in the state shown in FIG21 , the first terminal 5410 and the second terminal 5420 are not electrically connected or conductive.

[0223] FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram of the AA cross section of the receiving member 550 in a state where the protective film 510 , the push rod 520 , the spring 530 and the terminal pair 540 are all installed on the receiving member 550 .

[0224] The protective film 510, the push rod 520, and the spring 530 are stacked sequentially along the thickness direction of the container 550, wherein the spring 530 is positioned adjacent to the first abutting portion 5430 of the first terminal 5410. The protective film 510 is disposed over the first trough 5510. Specifically, the overlapping portion 5120 of the protective film 510 can overlap the tops of the first trough wall 5530, the second trough wall 5560, the third trough wall 5570, and the fourth trough wall 5580 of the first trough 5510. The top 5110 of the protective film 510, facing the first trough 5510 (the inner surface), can abut against the side of the push rod 520 facing the protective film 510 (the first contact surface), and the push rod 520 can be partially accommodated within the top 5110 of the protective film 510. The side of the push rod 520 away from the protective film 510 (the second contact surface) may abut against the side of the pressing portion 5310 of the spring 530 that faces the push rod 520. In other words, the push rod 520 may be supported on the pressing portion 5310 of the spring 530. The supporting portion of the spring 530 (including the first supporting portion 5320 and the second supporting portion 5330) may be supported on the first boss 5533 and / or the step portion 5534.

[0225] When no external force is applied, the pressing portion 5310 of the spring 530 does not contact the first abutting portion 5430. In some examples, when no external force is applied, the supporting portion of the spring 530 does not contact the second abutting portion 5450.

[0226] Figure 23 is an enlarged view of area C3 in Figure 22. The first mass point P1 on the side of the pressing portion 5310 of the spring 530 facing the first abutting portion 5430 and the second mass point P2 on the supporting portion of the spring 530 near the second abutting portion 5450 were used as research objects to examine the changes in the switch assembly 500 from the initial application of force to the removal of the external force.

[0227] For example, when the user presses the switch assembly 500, an external force F perpendicular to the thickness direction of the switch assembly 500 can act on the top 5110 of the protective film 510. Since the protective film 510, the push rod 520 and the spring 530 abut against each other, the external force F can act on the pressing portion 5310 of the spring 530 through the interaction between the protective film 510 and the push rod 520 and the interaction between the push rod 520 and the spring 530.

[0228] As previously described, an angle exists between the plane where the support portion of the spring 530 lies and the plane where the pressing portion 5310 lies, and the spring 530 can be made of a material with a certain elastic modulus. Thus, when an external force F acts on the pressing portion 5310, the pressing portion 5310 of the spring 530 deforms to a certain extent, shortening the distance between the first particle P1 located on the side of the pressing portion 5310 facing the first abutting portion 5430 and the first abutting portion 5430 until the first particle P1 displaces Δx along the negative direction of the X-axis and contacts the first abutting portion 5430, thereby achieving electrical conduction between the first terminal 5410 and the spring 530. After the external force is removed, the spring 530 gradually recovers its deformation, separating the first particle P1 from the first abutting portion 5430, and the distance between the two gradually increases until the first particle P1 returns to the initial position where the deformation of the spring 530 is zero.

[0229] In some examples, when no external force is applied, the support portion of the spring 530 contacts the second abutting portion 5450, and the spring 530 is electrically connected to the second terminal 5420. When an external force F acts on the pressing portion 5310, the support portion of the spring 530 and the second abutting portion 5450 remain in contact with each other.

[0230] In some examples, when no external force is applied, the support portion of the spring clip 530 contacts the first boss 5533 and the step 5534. In other words, the support portion of the spring clip 530 does not contact the second abutting portion 5450, and the spring clip 530 and the second terminal 5420 are not electrically connected. When an external force F acts on the pressing portion 5310, the second mass point P2 on the support portion of the spring clip 530, which is near the second abutting portion 5450, moves toward the second abutting portion 540 until the second mass point P2 displaces Δz along the positive direction of the Z-axis and contacts the second abutting portion 5450, thereby achieving electrical connection between the second terminal 5420 and the spring clip 530. After the external force is removed, the spring clip 530 gradually recovers its deformation, and the second mass point P2 separates from the second abutting portion 5450, with the distance between them gradually increasing until the second mass point P2 returns to its initial position where the deformation of the spring clip 530 is zero.

[0231] As described above, under the action of an external force, the spring clip 530 will deform, thereby causing the spring clip 530 to be electrically connected to the first terminal 5410. The spring clip 530 and the second terminal 5420 can be in an electrically connected state even when not under the action of an external force, or can be electrically connected after being deformed by an external force. In this way, under the action of an external force, the spring clip 530 can be electrically connected to the first terminal 5410 and the second terminal 5420 at the same time, that is, the first terminal 5410 and the second terminal 5420 are electrically connected.

[0232] By increasing the travel of the spring 530 in the thickness direction of the switch assembly 500 during deformation, the pressure feedback effect of the switch assembly 500 can be improved to a certain extent. Figure 24 shows a schematic diagram of the C1 region in Figure 22, which only includes the spring 530, the first terminal 5410, and the second terminal 5420. The surface of the first abutting portion 5430 of the first terminal 5410 that is close to the spring 530 can be referred to as the first abutting surface 5433, and the surface of the second abutting portion 5450 of the second terminal 5420 that is close to the spring 530 can be referred to as the second abutting surface 5453.

[0233] In order to illustrate the relative distance between the first abutting surface 5433, the second abutting surface 5453 and the spring, consider the vertical distance between any reference point R0 on the top surface of the spring 530 (the highest point on the top surface of the spring 530 is taken as an example in Figure 24) and the first abutting surface 5433 and the second abutting surface 5453, that is, the distance along the thickness direction of the switch assembly 500.

[0234] As shown in FIG24 , the vertical distance between reference point R0 and first abutting surface 5433 is d1, and the vertical distance between reference point R0 and second abutting surface 5453 is d2. In some examples, d1>d2. In some instances, the difference between d1 and d2 can be greater than a predetermined threshold value to ensure that the spring piece 530 has sufficient vertical travel space during deformation.

[0235] 25 and 26 are schematic structural diagrams of a bracket 600 of a key module 40 provided in an embodiment of the present application. The bracket 600 includes a first bracket 610 and a second bracket 620 .

[0236] The first bracket 610 may include a buffer portion 6110, a first connecting portion 6120, and a second connecting portion 6130, respectively connected to opposite ends of the buffer portion 6110. The buffer portion 6110 includes a buffer surface 6111 and an abutting surface 6112 disposed opposite each other. Referring to FIG. 3 , the buffer surface 6111 is disposed away from the switch assembly 500, while the abutting surface 6112 abuts against the protective film 510 of the switch assembly 500. In some examples, both the buffer surface 6111 and the abutting surface 6112 may be flat surfaces.

[0237] The first connecting portion 6120 and the second connecting portion 6130 are both provided with one or more connecting posts on the same side as the abutting surface 6112. For example, the first connecting portion 6120 is provided with a first connecting post 6121 on the side close to the abutting surface 6112, and the second connecting portion 6130 is provided with a second connecting post 6131 on the side close to the abutting surface 6112. The number of each of the first connecting post 6121 and the second connecting post 6131 can be multiple. For example, as shown in FIG. 25 , the number of the first connecting post 6121 and the second connecting post 6131 is two.

[0238] The second bracket 620 may include a bridging portion 6210, a first end portion 6220, and a second end portion 6230, wherein the first end portion 6220 and the second end portion 6230 are respectively connected to the ends of the bridging portion 6210. The first end portion 6220 and the second end portion 6230 may each be provided with one or more connecting holes, which may be engaged with the connecting posts on the first bracket 610. When the connecting posts on the first bracket 610 are inserted into the connecting holes on the second bracket 620, a relatively fixed connection between the first bracket 610 and the second bracket 620 may be achieved.

[0239] In some examples, as shown in FIG26 , the first end portion 6220 may be provided with a third extension portion 6221, and the second end portion 6230 may be provided with a fourth extension portion 6231. A first connection hole 6222 may be defined in the third extension portion 6221 of the first end portion 6210, and a second connection hole 6232 may be defined in the fourth extension portion 6231 of the second end portion 6230. The first connection hole 6222 may mate with the first connection post 6121 on the first connection portion 6120 of the first bracket 610, and the second connection hole 6232 may mate with the second connection post 6131 on the second connection portion 6130 of the first bracket 610. The number of first connection holes 6222 may match the number of first connection posts 6121, and the number of second connection holes 6232 may match the number of second connection posts 6131.

[0240] Continuing to refer to Figures 25 and 26, when the first bracket 610 and the second bracket 620 are assembled or connected in accordance with one or more of the above-mentioned methods, the first bracket 610 can be placed on the third extension portion 6221 and the fourth extension portion 6231, and the inner side wall of the bridging portion 6210 of the first bracket 610 facing the second bracket 620 can be called the third abutting surface 6140, and the inner side wall of the second bracket 620 abutting against the third abutting surface 6140 of the first bracket 610 can be called the fourth abutting surface 6241. In some examples, the third abutting surface 6140 and the fourth abutting surface 6241 both include multiple curved surfaces and flat surfaces, and the shapes of the third abutting surface 6140 and the fourth abutting surface 6241 can cooperate with each other so that when the first bracket 610 is installed on the second bracket 620, the two brackets can fit as closely as possible.

[0241] The second bracket 620 further includes an exposed surface 6242 disposed opposite to the aforementioned fourth abutting surface 6241 . The exposed surface may be a plane 6242 , thereby facilitating installation in an electronic device.

[0242] Figure 27 is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the switch assembly 500 and the bracket 600. In some examples, a seventh fixing portion 6223 and an eighth fixing portion 6333 can be respectively provided on the side of the first end 6220 and the second end 6230 facing the switch assembly 500. The shapes of the seventh fixing portion 6223 and the eighth fixing portion 6333 can match the shapes of the fixing portions provided on the accommodating member 550, the support plate 560 and the connecting plate group 570 on the switch assembly 500 to achieve a fixed connection between the switch assembly 500 and the bracket 600.

[0243] In some examples, the accommodating member 550, the support plate 560 and the connecting plate group 570 on the switch assembly 500 include two convex fixing portions, and the seventh fixing portion 6223 and the eighth fixing portion 6333 on the second bracket 620 can both be concave as shown in Figure 26. In this way, the convex fixing portion on the switch assembly 500 can be clamped in the concave fixing portion on the second bracket 620 to achieve relative fixation of the second bracket 620 and the switch assembly 500.

[0244] In some examples, the accommodating member 550, the support plate 560 and the connecting plate group 570 on the switch assembly 500 include two concave fixing portions, and the seventh fixing portion 6223 and the eighth fixing portion 6333 on the second bracket 620 can both be convex. In this way, the convex seventh fixing portion 6223 and the eighth fixing portion 6333 on the second bracket 620 can be clamped in the concave fixing portion on the switch assembly 500, thereby realizing relative fixation of the second bracket 620 and the switch assembly 500.

[0245] In some examples, a convex fixing portion and a concave fixing portion can be respectively provided at both ends of the switch assembly 500, and one of the seventh fixing portion 6223 and the eighth fixing portion 6333 on the second bracket 620 can be concave and the other can be convex. The two groups of fixing portions with matching shapes on the switch assembly 500 and the second bracket 620 can achieve relative fixation of the two.

[0246] In some examples, the first bracket 610 can be made of a material with a hardness less than or equal to a first threshold, such as silicone rubber, so that when the first bracket interacts with the push rod 520 in the switch assembly 500, the user can press more comfortably.

[0247] In some examples, the second bracket 620 can be made of a material with a hardness greater than or equal to a second threshold, such as epoxy resin glue or structural adhesive. The second bracket 620 can, to a certain extent, provide support, bearing, and cushioning for the switch assembly 500, thereby preventing the switch assembly 500 from deformation or damage due to external forces. Here, the second threshold is greater than or equal to the aforementioned first threshold.

[0248] It should be noted that the first bracket 610 and the second bracket 620 can also be connected to each other by more methods such as gluing, and this application does not limit this. The bracket 600 and the switch assembly 500 bracket can also be fixedly connected by more methods such as gluing, fasteners, etc., and this application does not limit this.

[0249] FIG28 shows an adapter plate 700 provided in an embodiment of the present application, and FIG29 shows a schematic diagram of an assembly method of the switch assembly 500 and the adapter plate 700 .

[0250] The adapter plate 700 may include a plug-in portion 710, a transition portion 720, and an external connection portion 730. One end of the transition portion 720 is connected to the plug-in portion 710, and the other end is connected to the external connection portion 730. The plug-in portion 710 may extend through a notch provided in the switch assembly 500 into the second slot 5520 and electrically connect to the first contact 5444 and the second contact 5464.

[0251] In some examples, the plug portion 710 is provided with a third contact 711 and a fourth contact 712, which can be connected to the connection circuit inside the adapter plate 700. When the plug portion 710 is installed on the switch assembly 500, the third contact 711 and the fourth contact 712 can respectively contact the first contact 5444 and the second contact 5464 inside the switch assembly 500, thereby achieving an electrical connection between the adapter plate 700 and the switch assembly 500.

[0252] In some examples, as shown in FIG29 , the switch assembly 500 may further include a clamping member 800. When the plug-in portion 710 of the adapter plate 700 extends into the second slot 5520, the clamping member 800 is disposed between the second slot 5520 and the plug-in portion 710. The provision of the clamping member 800 allows the plug-in portion 710 to be more securely mounted within the second slot 5520. The shape and size of the clamping member 800 may be determined based on the shape and size of the second slot 5520 on the accommodating member 550 and the shape and size of the plug-in portion 710.

[0253] For example, the clamping member 800 is in a U-shaped ring shape, and the distance h1 between the outer sides of the two arms of the clamping member 800 should be slightly smaller than the width of the slot of the second slot 5520, so that the clamping member 800 can be accommodated in the second slot 5520. The distance h2 between the inner sides of the two arms of the clamping member 800 should be slightly larger than the width of the plug-in portion 710, so that the plug-in portion 710 can be accommodated inside the clamping member 800.

[0254] There is a first spacing between the two ends of the transition connection portion 720. This first spacing is sufficient to ensure that, when the plug-in portion 710 of the adapter plate 700 extends into the second slot 5520 of the switch assembly 500, the two ends of the transition connection portion 720 can be sleeved outside the receiving member 550 and the support plate 560. In other words, the first spacing should be slightly greater than the sum of the thicknesses of the receiving member 550 and the support plate 560.

[0255] In some examples, the transition connection portion 720 can be an arc-shaped (rounded) bend or a right-angle bend, or in other words, the transition connection portion 720 can be a curved bend shape, or include multiple interconnected planes, and the multiple planes are inclined to each other, for example, an acute angle, a right angle, or an obtuse angle is formed between two adjacent planes.

[0256] The external connection portion 730 can be used to electrically connect to other circuit components or electronic elements, for example, to a circuit board that provides power to the second key module 40 .

[0257] Based on similar principles, the present application also provides a first combination key as shown in Figure 30. The first combination key can include multiple second key modules as shown in Figure 3. The adapter boards of different key modules can be connected to a circuit that can provide power to these key modules and control signal lights. The first combination key can include three key modules, namely a "volume +" key module, a "volume -" key module, and a power key module.

[0258] As shown in Figure 31, the embodiment of the present application further provides a second combination key, which may include a second key module (e.g., referred to as a fifth key module) as shown in Figure 3 and a first key pair. The adapter board of the first key pair and the adapter board of the other key module may be connected to a circuit that can provide power to them and control a signal light.

[0259] In some examples, the first key pair may include a third key module and a fourth key module, and the functional components of the third key module and the fourth key module, such as a protective film, a push rod, a spring, and a terminal pair, may be housed in a single container. The terminal pairs of the two key modules may be interconnected and then connected to an adapter board. The first key pair may include three connection contacts, and accordingly, the adapter board corresponding to the first key pair may also be provided with three connection contacts.

[0260] The abutment parts, push rods, etc. of the terminal pair of the third button module in the first button pair can be accommodated in the first groove body of the accommodating part, the abutment parts, push rods, etc. of the terminal pair of the fourth button module can be accommodated in the second groove body of the accommodating part, and the three connecting contacts of the first button pair can be accommodated in the third groove body of the aforementioned accommodating part.

[0261] For example, the third button module and the fourth button module in the first button pair may be a “volume +” button module and a “volume -” button module respectively, and the fifth button module may be a power button module.

[0262] As shown in Figure 32, the embodiment of the present application also provides a third combination key, which can be composed of a sixth key module, a seventh key module and an eighth key module that share the same container. In other words, the functional components used to implement these three key modules, such as a protective film, a push rod, a spring and a terminal pair, can be accommodated in a container. The terminal pairs of the three key modules can be connected to each other and then connected to an adapter plate. The third combination key can have 4 or 5 connection contacts, and accordingly, the adapter plate corresponding to the third combination key can also be provided with 4 or 5 connection contacts. The adapter plate of the third combination key can be used to connect a circuit that provides power supply, control signals, etc. for the third combination key.

[0263] The abutment portions, push rods, and other components of the terminal pairs of the three key modules of the third combination key can be housed in three different slots of the receiving member, respectively, and the contacts of the terminal pairs of the three key modules can be housed together in another slot of the receiving member. The third combination key can be provided with four, five, or six connection contacts.

[0264] For example, the sixth button module, the seventh button module, and the eighth button module may be a “volume +” button module, a “volume -” button module, and a power button module, respectively.

[0265] In the actual production and manufacturing process, the above-mentioned switch components, button modules and combination buttons can be prepared through different processing techniques, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0266] In some examples, the preparation process of the switch assembly can first prepare the terminal pair through a stamping process, and then form a container for accommodating the terminal pair, spring clips, push rods, etc. through an injection molding process based on the terminal pair of a determined shape. As shown in Figure 11 above, one or more openings 5513 provided on the back of the container 550 near the first groove body 5510 are positioning holes for the terminal pair 540 during the injection molding process. The first protrusion 5514 provided on one side of the first notch 5523 of the container 550 is a raised structure corresponding to the injection port in the injection molding process. After the container is formed by injection molding, a support plate, such as a steel sheet, can be further provided on the back of the container. The spring clips and push rods contained in the container and the protective film covering the top of the groove body opened on the container can then be installed on the container.

[0267] The adapter plate connected to the switch assembly can be fixedly connected to the contacts of the switch assembly by a laser spot welding process. In some examples, to strengthen the connection between the adapter plate and the switch assembly, a protective medium, such as an underfill, can be further filled around the contacts connecting the adapter plate and the switch assembly.

[0268] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A switch assembly (500), characterized in that: include: A receiving member (550), a spring (530), a push rod (520), a protective film (510), a first terminal (5410) and a second terminal (5420), The accommodating member (550) accommodates the elastic sheet (530), the push rod (520), the first terminal (5410) and the second terminal (5420); The first terminal (5410) and the second terminal (5420) are arranged at intervals, the first terminal (5410) includes a first abutting portion (5430) and a first contact (5444), the second terminal (5420) includes a second abutting portion (5450) and a second contact (5464), and the first contact (5444) and the second contact (5464) are used for electrically connecting the switch assembly (500) to an external circuit; The spring sheet (530) and the first abutting portion (5430) are spaced apart, and the spring sheet (530) is in contact with the second abutting portion (5450); The push rod (520) is located on a surface of the elastic sheet (530) away from the first abutting portion (5430); The protective film (510) is located on a side of the push rod (520) away from the spring sheet (530); Among them, the first contact (5444) and the second contact (5464) are arranged adjacent to each other, the first contact (5444) and the second contact (5464) are located outside the range of the projection of the protective film (510) on the first plane, the first contact (5444) and the second contact (5464) are located on the same side of the protective film (510), and the first plane is the plane where the accommodating member (550) is located.

2. The switch assembly (500) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first terminal (5410) also includes a first connecting section, the first abutting portion (5430) and the first contact (5444) are connected via the first connecting section, the first connecting section includes a first transition portion (5441), and the plane where the first transition portion (5441) is located is inclined with respect to the first plane.

3. The switch assembly (500) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The second terminal (5420) also includes a second connecting section, the second abutting portion (5450) and the second contact (5464) are connected via the second connecting section, the second connecting section includes a fourth transition portion (5461), and the plane where the fourth transition portion (5461) is located is inclined with respect to the first plane.

4. The switch assembly (500) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The first abutment portion (5430) includes a first abutment surface (5433), the second abutment portion (5450) includes a second abutment surface (5453), and the distance from a first reference point on the spring sheet (530) to the first abutment surface (5433) is greater than the distance from the first reference point to the second abutment surface (5453).

5. The switch assembly (500) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: An embedding portion (5432) is provided at one end of the first abutting portion (5430) away from the first contact point (5444), and the embedding portion (5432) is embedded in the accommodating member (550).

6. The switch assembly (500) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The second abutment portion (5450) is partially embedded in the receiving member (550).

7. The switch assembly (500) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The accommodating member (550) includes a first accommodating body and a second accommodating body, wherein the first accommodating body accommodates the first abutting portion (5430), the second abutting portion (5450), the spring sheet (530) and the push rod (520), and the second accommodating body accommodates the first contact (5444) and the second contact (5464).

8. The switch assembly (500) according to claim 7, characterized in that: A first sub-container and a second sub-container are arranged at the bottom of the first containment body, the second sub-container is arranged around the first sub-container, the first sub-container accommodates the first abutting portion (5430), and the second sub-container accommodates the second abutting portion (5450); A third sub-container and a fourth sub-container are disposed at the bottom of the second container. The third sub-container accommodates the first contact (5444), and the fourth sub-container accommodates the second contact (5464).

9. The switch assembly (500) according to claim 8, characterized in that: A first channel (5540) is provided at the bottom of the container (550), and the first channel (5540) connects the first sub-container and the third sub-container. The first terminal (5410) also includes a first connecting section, and the first connecting section connects the first abutting portion (5430) and the first contact (5444). The first connecting section is accommodated in the first channel (5540).

10. The switch assembly (500) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: A second channel (5550) is provided at the bottom of the container (550), and the second channel (5550) connects the second sub-container and the fourth sub-container. The second terminal (5420) also includes a second connecting section, and the second connecting section connects the second abutting portion (5450) and the second contact (5464). The second connecting section is accommodated in the second channel (5550).

11. The switch assembly (500) according to claim 9, characterized in that: The first channel (5540) includes a first bending portion (5541), the extension direction of the first bending portion (5541) is inclined with respect to the first plane, and the first connecting section includes a first transition portion (5441), and the first transition portion (5441) is in contact with the inner wall of the first bending portion (5541).

12. The switch assembly (500) according to claim 10, characterized in that: The second channel (5550) includes a second bending portion (5551), the extension direction of the second bending portion (5551) is inclined with respect to the first plane, and the second connecting section includes a fourth transition portion (5461), and the fourth transition portion (5461) is in contact with the inner wall of the second bending portion (5551).

13. The switch assembly (500) according to any one of claims 7 to 12, characterized in that: The first container body and the second container body are both groove bodies, the first container body and the second container body are spaced apart, and the top surface of the groove body wall of the first container body is located on the side of the top surface of the groove body wall of the second container body away from the back side of the container (550).

14. The switch assembly (500) according to any one of claims 8 to 13, characterized in that: The first sub-container and the second sub-container are both groove bodies, and a first sub-groove body wall (5531) is provided between the first sub-container and the second sub-container, and a first arc-shaped boss (5533) is provided on the top of the first sub-groove body wall (5531).

15. The switch assembly (500) according to any one of claims 7 to 14, characterized in that: The first container is a trough body, and the protective film (510) is covered on the top surface of the side wall of the first container.

16. The switch assembly (500) according to any one of claims 7 to 15, characterized in that: The first accommodating body and the second accommodating body are both slot bodies, and the switch assembly (500) further comprises a first connecting piece (571) and a second connecting piece (572), wherein the first connecting piece (571) and the second connecting piece (572) are located on the same surface of the accommodating member (550), the first connecting piece (571) is covered on the second accommodating body, the second connecting piece (572) is located at one end of the accommodating member (550) away from the second accommodating body, and a surface of the first connecting piece (571) away from the accommodating member (550) and a surface of the second connecting piece (572) away from the accommodating member (550) are in the same plane.

17. The switch assembly (500) according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that: Both ends of the container (550) further include externally convex and / or internally concave fixing structures.

18. The switch assembly (500) according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that: The switch assembly (500) further comprises a support plate (560), wherein the support plate (560) is connected to the back side of the container (550), and the support plate is a fiber-reinforced plate or a metal plate.

19. A key module (40), characterized in that: include: A bracket (600), an adapter plate (700), and a switch assembly (500) according to any one of claims 1 to 18, The bracket (600) is used to fix the switch assembly (500). The adapter plate (700) comprises a third contact (711) and a fourth contact (712), wherein the third contact (711) is electrically connected to the first contact (5444) of the switch assembly (500), and the fourth contact (712) is electrically connected to the second contact (5464) of the switch assembly (500).

20. The key module (40) according to claim 19, characterized in that: A first notch (5523) is formed on a side of the accommodating member (550) of the switch assembly (500) facing the adapter plate (700). The adapter plate (700) includes a plug-in portion (710) and a transition connection portion (720), the plug-in portion (710) includes the third contact (711) and the fourth contact (712), the plug-in portion (710) extends into the interior of the accommodating member (550), the transition connection portion (720) is connected to the plug-in portion (710), and the transition connection portion (720) is at least partially accommodated in the first notch (5523).

21. The key module (40) according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that: The switch assembly (500) is provided with a first positioning portion and a second positioning portion at two opposite ends thereof, respectively; the bracket (600) is provided with a third positioning portion and a fourth positioning portion on a side facing the switch assembly (500); the first positioning portion cooperates with the third positioning portion, and the second positioning portion cooperates with the fourth positioning portion; the first positioning portion, the second positioning portion, the third positioning portion and the fourth positioning portion are used for fixed connection between the switch assembly (500) and the bracket (600).

22. The key module (40) according to claim 21, characterized in that: The bracket (600) comprises a first bracket (610) and a second bracket (620), the first bracket (610) being fixedly connected to the second bracket (620), the first bracket (610) being located above the spring sheet (530) of the switch assembly (500), and the second bracket (620) being at least partially located at two ends of the switch assembly (500); Wherein, the first bracket (610) is composed of a material with a hardness less than or equal to a first threshold, and the second bracket (620) is composed of a material with a hardness greater than or equal to a second threshold, and the first threshold is less than or equal to the second threshold.

23. A combination key, characterized in that: include: a receiving member, an adapter plate, a first switch assembly and a second switch assembly, The first switch assembly includes a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal includes a first abutting portion and a first contact, and the second terminal includes a second abutting portion and a second contact; The second switch assembly includes a third terminal and a fourth terminal, the third terminal includes a third abutting portion and a third contact point, and the fourth terminal includes a fourth abutting portion and the second contact point; The receiving member is provided with a first slot body, a second slot body and a third slot body; The first groove body contains the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion, the second groove body contains the third abutting portion and the fourth abutting portion, and the third groove body contains the first contact point, the second contact point and the third contact point; The adapter plate extends into the third slot and is electrically connected to the first contact, the second contact, and the third contact.

24. The key combination according to claim 23, characterized in that: The combination key also includes a third switch component, The third switch assembly includes a fifth terminal and a sixth terminal, the fifth terminal includes a fifth abutting portion and the third contact, and the sixth terminal includes a sixth abutting portion and a fourth contact; The accommodating member is further provided with a fourth groove body, and the fifth abutting portion and the sixth abutting portion are accommodated in the fourth groove body; The fourth contact is also accommodated in the third slot; The adapter board is also electrically connected to the fourth contact.

25. An electronic device, characterized in that: include: A middle frame, a key cap and a key module as described in any one of claims 19 to 23, wherein the key cap is fixed on the middle frame and abuts against a first bracket of the key module.

26. The electronic device according to claim 25, characterized in that: The electronic device comprises a first screen, a second screen and a cover plate, The second screen is arranged opposite to the first screen, and the button module is located between the first screen and the second screen, or, The cover plate is arranged opposite to the first screen, and the button module is located between the first screen and the cover plate.

Images