Hinge Spring Counterweight for Thin Laptop Keyboard Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic apparatuses with hinge mechanisms face challenges in reducing the load on mechanism parts while maintaining a thinner design, as the difference in load between key depression and key ascension leads to potential damage or malfunction, and increasing component size or strength is not feasible for achieving thinner designs.
Innovation Solution
An electronic apparatus with a projecting/retracting mechanism that includes a sliding member and an auxiliary elastic member, which cancels out the urging force of the elastic member during key depression, reducing the load on mechanism parts and preventing damage or malfunction without increasing component size or strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the chassis is made thinner to achieve a compact design, then the thickness is reduced, but the load on the key depressing mechanism and hinge mechanism increases leading to potential damage or malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hinge spring that acts as a counterweight mechanism to offset the load applied to the hinge mechanism during keyboard operation. The hinge spring provides a restoring force that balances the downward force generated when keytops are pressed, thereby reducing the net load on the hinge mechanism and preventing damage while maintaining a thin chassis design.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge spring is pre-loaded to provide an initial restoring force before any keyboard operation occurs. This preliminary action ensures that the hinge mechanism is already prepared to counteract the load from key depression, preventing excessive stress on the mechanism components during normal use.
2Reliability
If the size and strength of mechanism parts are increased to prevent damage, then the reliability improves, but the chassis thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the size and strength of mechanism parts, the patent uses a hinge spring to provide a counterbalancing force that reduces the load on existing components. This allows the mechanism to operate reliably with smaller, thinner parts that would otherwise be insufficient to handle the operational loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the force parameters of the system by introducing a spring with specific elastic properties. The spring constant and pre-load force are optimized to provide the necessary counterbalancing effect, allowing the mechanism to function reliably without increasing component dimensions.
3Ease of operation
If keytops are made to project from the chassis surface to ensure ease of operation, then the ease of operation improves, but the chassis thickness must be increased to avoid interference with the display assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the keytop projection dynamic rather than static. The keytops can project from the chassis surface when pressed for ease of operation, but automatically return to a retracted position when not in use. This dynamic behavior allows the keytops to provide tactile feedback during operation while avoiding interference with the display assembly when the chassis is closed.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge spring is pre-loaded to automatically return keytops to their retracted position after pressing. This preliminary restoring action ensures that keytops do not remain projected and interfere with the display assembly, while still providing the necessary projection during keyboard operation for usability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution allows for a thinner and smaller chassis design by evenly distributing the load across the mechanism parts, preventing breakage or malfunction and maintaining operational ease.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member which urges the movable member in a direction for projecting from the outer surface
Implementation Method 2
an auxiliary elastic member which urges the sliding member in a direction that causes the sliding member to slide in the one direction
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an electronic apparatus for reducing the load on mechanism parts and thickness, including a main unit chassis having keytops; a display chassis pivotably connected with the main unit chassis by hinge mechanisms; rubber domes urging the keytops in a direction to cause the keytops to project from an upper surface; an X slider sliding in the main unit chassis in synchronization with the pivoting movements of the main unit chassis and the display chassis; a key depressing mechanism and a link mechanism, causing the keytops to retract from the upper surface when the X slider slides in one direction, and causing the keytops to project from the upper surface when the X slider slides in the opposite direction; and an auxiliary elastic member urging the X slider in a direction to cause the X slider to slide in the one direction.