Key and electronic device

Abstract

The present application provides a key and an electronic device. The key comprises a frame, a sensor, a reinforcing member, and piezoelectric ceramic; the sensor is arranged at the side of the reinforcing member facing away from the piezoelectric ceramic; the piezoelectric ceramic is arranged at the side of the reinforcing member facing away from the frame; the reinforcing member comprises a fitting portion and connecting portions arranged at two ends of the fitting portion; the connecting portions are connected to the frame; and at least one connecting portion is provided with a hollow structure.

Description

Key and electronic device

[0001] The present application claims priority to the Chinese patent application No. 202410848861.9, filed on June 27, 2024, to the Chinese Patent Office, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of keys, in particular to a key and an electronic device. BACKGROUND

[0003] In the field of consumer electronics, piezoelectric ceramics are studied by many ceramic manufacturers and mobile phone manufacturers as driving modules of keys. However, piezoelectric ceramics are generally made of brittle materials, which are prone to cracks or even breakage in falling, affecting product performance.

[0004] In view of this, it is necessary to provide a new key and an electronic device to solve or at least alleviate the above technical defects. TECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0005] The main purpose of the present application is to provide a key and an electronic device, which aims to solve the technical problem that the piezoelectric ceramic sheet in the key is prone to breakage in the prior art. TECHNICAL SOLUTION

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, according to one aspect of the present application, a key is provided, which comprises a frame, a sensor, a reinforcing member and a piezoelectric ceramic, the sensor is arranged on the side of the reinforcing member away from the piezoelectric ceramic, the piezoelectric ceramic is arranged on the side of the reinforcing member away from the frame, the reinforcing member comprises a bonding portion and a connecting portion arranged at both ends of the bonding portion, the connecting portion is connected with the frame, and at least one of the connecting portions is provided with a hollow structure.

[0007] In some embodiments, the connecting portion comprises a hollow segment and a connecting segment, the hollow segment connects the connecting segment and the bonding portion, the hollow structure is arranged on the hollow segment, and the connecting segment is connected with the frame.

[0008] In some embodiments, the hollow structure comprises a notch formed on the hollow segment.

[0009] In some embodiments, the hollow segment comprises a plurality of spaced connecting strips, the notch is formed between adjacent two connecting strips, and each connecting strip connects the connecting segment and the bonding portion, respectively.

[0010] In some embodiments, the connecting strip is a straight line or a corrugated strip.

[0011] In some embodiments, the side of the connecting strip facing the bonding portion is curved to form a recessed groove.

[0012] In some embodiments, the hollowed-out section comprises a plurality of connection strips arranged in a staggered manner, and the plurality of connection strips are formed with the plurality of notches.

[0013] In some embodiments, the hollowed-out section comprises a plurality of connection strips connected in a Z shape, and the plurality of connection strips are formed with the plurality of notches.

[0014] In some embodiments, the hollowed-out structure is formed by at least partial inward recessing of the connection section.

[0015] In some embodiments, the connection section is provided with a connection hole, the frame body is provided with a mounting hole, and the key further comprises a threaded member, which sequentially passes through the connection hole and the mounting hole to connect the connection section and the frame body.

[0016] In some embodiments, the connection section is welded to the frame body.

[0017] In some embodiments, the piezoelectric ceramic is bonded to the abutting portion.

[0018] In some embodiments, the hollowed-out structure is arranged on both of the connection portions.

[0019] In some embodiments, the frame body comprises a middle frame, a key cap, and a limiting member, the key cap is mounted to the middle frame, the limiting member is arranged on a side of the key cap facing the reinforcing member, and the limiting member abuts against the key cap.

[0020] According to another aspect of the present application, the present application also provides an electronic device comprising the key described above. Advantages

[0021] In the above scheme, the key comprises a frame body, a sensor, a reinforcing piece and a piezoelectric ceramic, the sensor is arranged on the side of the reinforcing piece away from the piezoelectric ceramic, the piezoelectric ceramic is arranged on the side of the reinforcing piece away from the frame body, the reinforcing piece comprises a bonding portion and two connecting portions arranged at two ends of the bonding portion, the connecting portions are connected with the frame body, and at least one of the connecting portions is provided with a hollow structure. The reinforcing piece comprises the bonding portion at the middle position and the two connecting portions at two sides of the bonding portion, the bonding portion is used for connecting with the piezoelectric ceramic, and the two connecting portions are used for connecting with the frame body respectively. In the application, the hollow structure on the connecting portion refers to a through hole or a notch formed on the connecting portion. Compared with a normal whole profile, the strength of the connecting portion with the hollow structure is smaller due to the through hole or the notch. Therefore, compared with the bonding portion, the rigidity and the strength of the connecting portion with the hollow structure are weakened. In this way, when the key falls or is subjected to heavy pressure, the piezoelectric ceramic and the reinforcing piece will be deformed due to the pressing force or the acceleration. Since the piezoelectric ceramic is connected with the bonding portion of the reinforcing piece, the strength of the bonding portion is greater than that of the connecting portion with the hollow structure. Therefore, the deformation caused by the pressing or the gravity is mainly concentrated on the connecting portion with the hollow structure, which greatly reduces the deformation amount of the bonding portion at the middle position and the deformation amount of the piezoelectric ceramic. When the vibration wave is transmitted from the two ends of the reinforcing piece to the middle position through the middle frame, the connecting portions at the two ends of the reinforcing piece with the hollow structure can hinder the transmission of the vibration wave. In this way, the vibration transmitted to the bonding portion is reduced, and then the deformation of the piezoelectric ceramic sheet is reduced, and the risk of cracks or even breakage of the piezoelectric ceramic caused by excessive deformation is reduced. The application can reduce the deformation of the piezoelectric ceramic, reduce the risk of cracks or even breakage of the piezoelectric ceramic, and improve the anti-falling and anti-impact performance of the product. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can also be obtained according to the structures shown in these drawings without creative labor for those skilled in the art.

[0023] Fig. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a key of an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Fig. 2 is another structural schematic diagram of a key of an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Fig. 3 is an exploded structural schematic diagram of Fig. 2;

[0026] Fig. 4 is a structural schematic diagram of a reinforcing piece and a piezoelectric ceramic of a key of an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Fig. 5 is a structural schematic diagram of a reinforcing piece of a key of an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Fig. 6 is a structural schematic diagram of a reinforcing piece of a key according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Fig. 7 is a structural schematic diagram of a reinforcing piece of a key according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Fig. 8 is a structural schematic diagram of a reinforcing piece of a key according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Fig. 9 is a structural schematic diagram of a reinforcing piece of a key according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Fig. 10 is a structural schematic diagram of a reinforcing piece of a key according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Fig. 11 is a structural schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0034] Explanation of reference signs:

[0035] 100, electronic device;

[0036] 10, key; 20, shell;

[0037] 1, frame; 11, middle frame; 12, key cap; 13, limiting piece; 2, reinforcing piece; 21, bonding part; 22, connecting part; 221, hollowed-out segment; 2211, hollowed-out structure; 22111, connecting strip; 22112, notch; 22113, recessed groove; 222, connecting segment; 2221, connecting hole; 3, piezoelectric ceramic; 4, sensor; 5, threaded part.

[0038] The implementation, functional features and advantages of the present application will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in conjunction with the embodiments. Embodiments of the present application

[0039] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0040] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, etc.) in the embodiments of the present application are only used to explain the relative positional relationship, movement condition, etc. between components in a certain posture (as shown in the drawings), and if the certain posture changes, the directional indications also change accordingly.

[0041] In addition, the terms "first", "second", and the like in the present application are used only for the purpose of description, and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first", "second" can be explicitly or implicitly included at least one of the features.

[0042] Furthermore, the technical solutions among the various embodiments of the present application can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the realization of a person skilled in the art, when the combination of technical solutions appears contradictory or unachievable, it should be considered that the combination of technical solutions does not exist, nor within the scope of protection claimed by the present application.

[0043] According to the piezoelectric effect of piezoelectric ceramics, when pressure is applied to piezoelectric ceramics to cause piezoelectric ceramics to deform, piezoelectric ceramics generate a voltage signal; according to the inverse piezoelectric effect of piezoelectric ceramics, piezoelectric ceramics generate bending vibration under the driving action of voltage. The combination of the piezoelectric effect and the inverse piezoelectric effect makes piezoelectric ceramics have rich application scenarios. In the field of consumer electronics, piezoelectric ceramics are mainly used as keys in electronic devices such as mobile phones, watches, augmented reality devices, and virtual reality devices. However, the keys of existing electronic devices are prone to breakage under impact such as falling or heavy pressure, resulting in product failure.

[0044] Applicants have found through careful research that existing piezoelectric ceramics generally use PZT piezoelectric ceramics (lead zirconate titanate piezoelectric ceramics), which are brittle and have weak bending resistance. When falling or under heavy pressure, cracks or even breakage are likely to occur.

[0045] Accordingly, the present application provides a kind of key.

[0046] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, according to an aspect of the present application, the present application provides a kind of key 10, including frame 1, sensor 4, reinforcing piece 2 and piezoelectric ceramic 3, sensor 4 is arranged on the side of reinforcing piece 2 away from piezoelectric ceramic 3, piezoelectric ceramic 3 is arranged on the side of reinforcing piece 2 away from frame 1, reinforcing piece 2 includes bonding part 21 and connecting part 22 arranged at both ends of bonding part 21, connecting part 22 is connected with frame 1, at least one connecting part 22 is provided with hollow structure 2211.

[0047] The frame 1 represents the body part of the key 10, used to accommodate the sensor 4 and provide support or mounting position for each component. The sensor 4 is used to receive the pressing signal, and the sensor 4 and the piezoelectric ceramic 3 are respectively arranged on both sides of the reinforcing piece 2. The reinforcing piece 2 includes a fitting part 21 located in the middle position and two connecting parts 22 located at both ends of the fitting part 21. The fitting part 21 is arranged opposite to the piezoelectric ceramic 3 and can be connected with the piezoelectric ceramic 3. The two connecting parts 22 are respectively used to be connected with the frame 1. In this embodiment, the hollow structure 2211 is provided on the connecting part 22, which refers to the through hole or notch 22112 formed on the connecting part 22. Compared with the normal whole profile, the strength of the connecting part 22 provided with the hollow structure 2211 is weakened due to the through hole or notch 22112. Therefore, compared with the fitting part 21, the rigidity and strength of the connecting part 22 provided with the hollow structure 2211 are smaller. In this way, when the key 10 falls or is subjected to heavy pressure, the piezoelectric ceramic 3 and the reinforcing piece 2 will deform due to the pressing force or acceleration. Since the piezoelectric ceramic 3 is connected with the fitting part 21 of the reinforcing piece 2, the strength of the fitting part 21 is greater than that of the connecting part 22 provided with the hollow structure 2211. Therefore, the deformation caused by the pressing or gravity is mainly concentrated in the connecting part 22 provided with the hollow structure 2211, greatly reducing the deformation amount of the fitting part 21 in the middle position and the deformation amount of the piezoelectric ceramic 3. In addition, when the vibration wave is transmitted from both ends of the reinforcing piece 2 to the middle position through the middle frame 11, the connecting parts 22 provided with the hollow structure 2211 at both ends of the reinforcing piece 2 can hinder the transmission of the vibration wave. In this way, the vibration transmitted to the fitting part 21 is reduced, and the deformation of the piezoelectric ceramic 3 is further reduced, thereby reducing the risk of cracks or even breakage of the piezoelectric ceramic 3 due to excessive deformation. This embodiment can reduce the deformation of the piezoelectric ceramic 3 and reduce the risk of cracks or even breakage of the piezoelectric ceramic 3, thereby improving the anti-falling and impact resistance of the product.

[0048] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, in some embodiments, the hollow structure 2211 is provided on both connecting parts 22. The two connecting parts 22 are respectively located at both ends of the fitting part 21, and the hollow structure 2211 is provided on each connecting part 22. The impact force or pressing force can be absorbed from two positions, and the vibration wave transmitted from the frame 1 can be weakened from both sides of the reinforcing piece 2, so that the deformation amount of the piezoelectric ceramic 3 is smaller, and the anti-falling impact and anti-deformation ability of the key 10 are stronger.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, in some embodiments, the connecting part 22 comprises a hollow section 221 and a connecting section 222, the hollow section 221 connects the connecting section 222 and the bonding part 21, the hollow section 221 is provided with a hollow structure 2211, and the connecting section 222 is connected with the frame 1. The connecting section 222 is connected with the frame 1, and is used for mounting the entire reinforcing part 2 on the frame 1. Specifically, the reinforcing part 2 can be a plate structure, and the piezoelectric ceramic 3 and the sensor 4 are respectively arranged on the top surface and the bottom surface of the reinforcing plate. The reinforcing part 2 can be a whole plate, and some through holes or notches 22112 are punched on the hollow section 221 to form. The hollow section 221 serves as a transition part between the connecting section 222 and the bonding part 21, and when the vibration wave is transmitted from the frame 1 to the bonding part 21, it can hinder or change the propagation direction of the vibration wave to the bonding part 21 where the piezoelectric ceramic 3 is connected, thereby reducing the vibration deformation of the piezoelectric ceramic 3. In some specific embodiments, the piezoelectric ceramic 3 can be bonded with the bonding part 21, which can reduce the deformation of the piezoelectric ceramic 3.

[0050] In some embodiments, the hollow structure 2211 comprises notches 22112 formed on the hollow section 221. The reinforcing part 2 can be a whole plate, and the notches 22112 or through holes are formed on the hollow section 221 by punching or cutting, so that the strength of the hollow section 221 is reduced and smaller than the strength of the bonding part 21. In this way, when the piezoelectric ceramic 3 is pressed or impacted, the main deformation will be concentrated in the hollow section 221 with smaller strength, thereby reducing the deformation of the bonding part 21 and the piezoelectric ceramic 3. When the vibration wave comes from the frame 1 and is transmitted from both ends of the reinforcing part 2 to the middle, the hollow structure 2211 can hinder or change the propagation direction of the vibration wave, thereby reducing the deformation of the piezoelectric ceramic 3.

[0051] Regarding specific embodiments of the hollow structure 2211, at least the following are included:

[0052] Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, in some embodiments, the hollow section 221 comprises a plurality of spaced connecting strips 22111, notches 22112 are formed between adjacent two connecting strips 22111, and each connecting strip 22111 connects the bonding part 21 and the connecting section 222. The two ends of each connecting strip 22111 are connected with the connecting section 222 and the bonding part 21 respectively, and there is a space between adjacent two connecting strips 22111, which forms a notch 22112 or a through hole together with the connecting section 222 and the bonding part 21, thereby forming the hollow structure 2211 with the notches 22112 and reducing the strength of the hollow section 221. Specifically, referring to FIG. 5, the connecting strip 22111 can be a straight line, and referring to FIG. 6, the connecting strip 22111 can also be a corrugated strip.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 7, in some embodiments, the connecting strip 22111 is bent to form a recessed groove 22113 on one side of the bonding portion 21. At this time, the connecting strip 22111 is bent and presents a concave shape, like a rectangle with one side missing. This embodiment can produce greater resistance to vibration waves and has a certain elasticity, which can act as a buffer.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 8, in some embodiments, the hollowed-out section 221 includes a plurality of interlaced connecting strips 22111, which form a plurality of notches 22112. Specifically, it can include a plurality of transversely parallel connecting strips 22111 and a plurality of longitudinally parallel connecting strips 22111. Each transversely arranged connecting strip 22111 connects the bonding portion 21 and the connecting section 222, respectively. Each longitudinally arranged connecting strip 22111 is perpendicular to the plurality of transversely arranged connecting strips 22111, and the interlaced connecting strips 22111 form a plurality of notches 22112 or through holes. In this way, the hollow structure 2211 can not only reduce the strength of the hollowed-out section 221, but also effectively connect the bonding portion 21 and the connecting section 222, thereby serving as a connecting function.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 9, in some embodiments, the hollowed-out section 221 includes a plurality of connecting strips 22111 connected end to end, the plurality of connecting strips 22111 are connected end to end in a Z shape, and a notch 22112 is formed between adjacent two connecting strips 22111. The openings of the notches 22112 formed in this embodiment are alternately arranged, and the vibration waves from the frame 1 also need to be bent in a Z shape to be transmitted to the piezoelectric ceramic 3. The transmission path is increased, and the transmission direction is also changed multiple times, which is better for resisting vibration waves.

[0056] Referring to FIG. 10, in some embodiments, the hollow structure 2211 is formed by at least partial inward recessing of the connecting section 222. In this embodiment, the hollow structure 2211 is formed by partially recessing one side of a whole plate. Since the structure is bent, it can also better resist the transmission of vibration waves.

[0057] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, in some embodiments, the connecting segment 222 is provided with a connecting hole 2221, the frame 1 is provided with a mounting hole, and the key 10 further includes a threaded member 5, which is sequentially threaded through the connecting hole 2221 and the mounting hole to connect the connecting segment 222 and the frame 1. The connecting hole 2221 can be punched on the connecting segment 222 at the same time when the hollow structure 2211 is made, and one connecting hole 2221 is provided on each of the two connecting segments 222, which are mounted on the frame 1 by the threaded member 5, so as to reduce the vibration of the reinforcing member 2 and the piezoelectric ceramic 3. Moreover, the connection by the threaded member 5 is convenient for disassembly and facilitates installation and maintenance. Of course, in other embodiments, the connecting segment 222 can be directly welded to the frame 1, which has high welding strength and good connection reliability.

[0058] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, in some embodiments, the frame 1 includes a middle frame 11, a key cap 12, and a limiting member 13. The key cap 12 is mounted on the middle frame 11, and the limiting member 13 is arranged on a side of the key cap 12 facing the reinforcing member 2 and abuts against the key cap 12. The middle frame 11 is a part connected with the shell 20 of the electronic device 100 or a part of the electronic device shell 20, and is provided with a through hole. The key cap 12 is a part pressed by a hand, and partially extends out of the shell 20 through the through hole for being pressed by the hand. The key cap 12 is provided with a receiving groove for accommodating the sensor 4, and the limiting member 13 can be a limiting frame. A hole in the middle of the limiting frame is used for passing through the sensor 4, and the limiting frame is used for abutting against the outer periphery of the key cap 12 to press the key cap 12 tightly on the middle frame 11. In this way, the key cap 12 can be fixed, and the displacement impact of the key cap 12 on the piezoelectric ceramic 3 and the reinforcing member 2 under the pressing force or the drop impact is reduced, and the risk of large deformation of the piezoelectric ceramic 3 is reduced. The reinforcing member 2 and the limiting member 13 in the present application can be made of a steel sheet.

[0059] According to another aspect of the present application, the present application further provides an electronic device 100 including the above-mentioned key 10. The electronic device 100 herein can be a mobile phone, a watch, a virtual reality device, or an augmented reality device. Referring to FIG. 11, when the electronic device 100 is a mobile phone, the key 10 can be a side key arranged on the side of the mobile phone. The above-mentioned middle frame 11 can be a part of the shell 20 or integrally formed with the shell 20. Since the electronic device 100 includes all the technical solutions of any one of the above-mentioned embodiments, it at least has all the beneficial effects brought by all the above-mentioned technical solutions, which will not be repeated here.

[0060] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, and do not limit the patent scope of the present application; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that under the technical concept of the present application, the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing embodiments can still be modified, or part or all of the technical features can be replaced by equivalents; or be directly / indirectly applied to other related technical fields; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and they should be covered in the scope of the claims and the description of the present application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, each technical feature mentioned in each embodiment can be combined in any way. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A button, wherein, The button includes a frame, a sensor, a reinforcing member, and a piezoelectric ceramic. The sensor is disposed on the side of the reinforcing member away from the piezoelectric ceramic, and the piezoelectric ceramic is disposed on the side of the reinforcing member away from the frame. The reinforcing member includes a fitting portion and connecting portions disposed at both ends of the fitting portion. The connecting portions are connected to the frame, and at least one of the connecting portions has a hollow structure.

2. The button according to claim 1, wherein, The connecting part includes a hollow section and a connecting section. The hollow section connects the connecting section and the fitting part. The hollow section is provided with the hollow structure. The connecting section is connected to the frame.

3. The button according to claim 2, wherein, The hollow structure includes a notch formed on the hollow segment.

4. The button according to claim 3, wherein, The hollow section includes multiple spaced connecting strips, with a notch formed between two adjacent connecting strips, and each connecting strip connects the connecting section and the fitting part respectively.

5. The button according to claim 4, wherein, The connecting strip can be a straight strip or a corrugated strip.

6. The button according to claim 4, wherein, The connecting strip is bent toward the side of the fitting portion to form a recessed groove.

7. The button according to claim 3, wherein, The hollow section includes multiple interlaced connecting strips, and the interlaced connecting strips form multiple notches.

8. The button according to claim 3, wherein, The hollow section includes multiple connecting strips that are connected end to end. The multiple connecting strips are connected end to end in a Z-shape, and a gap is formed between two adjacent connecting strips.

9. The button according to claim 3, wherein, The hollow structure is formed by at least a portion of the connecting segment being recessed inward.

10. The button according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein, The connecting segment is provided with a connecting hole, the frame is provided with a mounting hole, and the button also includes a threaded component, which passes through the connecting hole and the mounting hole in sequence to connect the connecting segment and the frame.

11. The button according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein, The connecting section is welded to the frame.

12. The button according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The piezoelectric ceramic is bonded to the bonding portion.

13. The button according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, Both of the connecting parts are provided with the hollow structure.

14. The button according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The frame includes a middle frame, keycaps, and limiting members. The keycaps are mounted on the middle frame, and the limiting members are disposed on the side of the keycaps facing the reinforcing member, and the limiting members abut against the keycaps.

15. An electronic device, wherein, The electronic device includes the button as described in any one of claims 1 to 14.

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