Key Structure With Concave Elastic Element for Tactile Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional slim-type keyboards with metallic triggering elements can adversely affect the tactile feel of keycaps, and there is a need for a design that balances slimness with enhanced tactile feedback.
Innovation Solution
A key structure featuring a switch circuit board, a triggering assembly, and an elastic element with a concave part and pushing part, where the elastic element is made of a soft material and positioned between the keycap and the triggering assembly to increase the movable distance and provide continuous contact, reducing collision noise and enhancing tactile feel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a metallic triggering element is used to achieve slimness, then the keyboard thickness is reduced, but the tactile feel deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure combining a soft elastic element (silicone rubber or foam material) with a rigid triggering assembly. The elastic element provides softness and tactile feedback, while the triggering assembly maintains structural integrity for slim design. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between slimness and tactile feel by integrating materials with complementary properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The soft elastic element acts as an intermediary between the keycap and the rigid triggering assembly. It mediates the force transmission while providing tactile feedback through deformation, preventing direct contact between the hard triggering element and the keycap that would otherwise degrade tactile feel in a slim design.
2Ease of operation
If a soft elastic element is used to improve tactile feel, then the keycap movable distance increases, but the keyboard thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic element is designed with a concave part that deforms in a specific dimensional pattern during key press. This controlled deformation in multiple directions allows the element to provide extended tactile travel without proportionally increasing the overall thickness of the keyboard structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the thickness and material properties of the elastic element to achieve the desired balance. By carefully controlling the parameter of the elastic element's thickness and selecting appropriate material hardness, the design achieves sufficient tactile travel distance while maintaining overall keyboard slimness.
3Ease of operation
If the elastic element deforms to increase keycap travel distance, then tactile feel is enhanced, but the structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic element is segmented into distinct functional parts: a concave part that contacts the keycap and deforms to provide tactile feedback, and a pushing part that transmits force to the triggering assembly. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function while keeping the overall structure manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic element integrates multiple functions into a single component: it provides tactile feedback through concave part deformation, transmits force through the pushing part, and supports the keycap. This merging reduces the number of separate parts needed, offsetting the complexity introduced by the deformation mechanism.
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
The design results in a slimmer keyboard with improved tactile feedback and reduced noise from collisions, as the elastic element allows for increased keycap travel distance and continuous contact with the triggering assembly, alleviating stiffness issues from metallic materials.
Implementation Method 1
When the elastic element is pushed by the keycap, the concave part is subjected to deformation, so that a movable distance of the keycap toward the switch circuit board is increased
Implementation Method 2
In response to the elasticity of the rubbery elastomer 13, the rubbery elastomer 13 is restored to its original shape to provide an upward elastic restoring force
Data Source
AI summary
A key structure includes a switch circuit board, a triggering assembly, a keycap and an elastic element. The triggering assembly is disposed over the switch circuit board. The elastic element is arranged between the keycap and the triggering assembly. As the keycap is moved, the triggering assembly is pushed by the elastic element. The elastic element includes a concave part. The concave part is located at a top end of the elastic element and contacted with the keycap. When the elastic element is pushed by the keycap, the concave part is subjected to deformation, so that a movable distance of the keycap toward the switch circuit board is increased. By using the key structure, the tactile feel of depressing the keycap is enhanced.