Keyboard Keycap Buffering Curved Base Plate Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing keyboards face issues with key switch activation due to reduced key stroke and pressure concentration on membrane circuit boards, leading to ineffective operation and durability problems, especially with longer keys and high-speed pressing.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a membrane circuit board with a horizontal contact portion on the keycap, increasing the contact area and incorporating a buffering portion at the base plate opening to prevent creases and enhance durability, featuring layers with through holes and gas voids for improved switch activation and pressure distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the key stroke is reduced to make the keyboard thinner, then the keyboard becomes more compact, but the switch may not be properly pressed to generate a corresponding signal when the user presses the keycap at high speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a buffering portion with a curved surface at the corner of the base plate opening. This curved buffering portion allows the membrane circuit board to deform smoothly during key pressing, ensuring proper switch activation even with reduced key stroke. The curvature distributes the pressing force and prevents abrupt stress concentration, maintaining reliability in thin keyboard designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffering portion acts as a cushioning element that is pre-positioned at the corner of the base plate opening. When the keycap is pressed, this buffering portion absorbs and distributes the impact force before it reaches the membrane circuit board and switch, ensuring reliable signal generation even during high-speed pressing with reduced stroke distance.
2Ease of operation
If a columnar body is arranged perpendicular to the bottom surface of the keycap to enable edge pressing, then key operation becomes more flexible, but the pressure is concentrated at certain area of the membrane circuit board, causing damages easily
Solution Approach 1:
The contact portion of the keycap is designed with a curved surface instead of a flat or sharp columnar shape. This curved contact surface distributes the pressing force over a larger area of the membrane circuit board, reducing stress concentration and preventing damage while still enabling flexible edge pressing operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different surface characteristics to different parts of the keycap. The contact portion has a curved surface for distributed pressure, while other parts maintain their structural integrity. This local differentiation allows the keycap to provide both operational flexibility and durability protection where needed.
3Ease of manufacture
If the corner adjoining the base plate and the opening is right-angled to simplify manufacturing, then manufacturing becomes easier, but creases are prone to be formed on the membrane circuit board, inflicting damages easily
Solution Approach 1:
The corner of the base plate opening is designed with a curved buffering portion instead of a sharp right angle. This curved geometry prevents crease formation on the membrane circuit board during key pressing, eliminating a major source of damage while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standard molding or cutting processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameter of the base plate corner from a 90-degree angle to a curved profile with a specific radius. This parameter modification eliminates the crease-forming sharp corner while preserving the structural function of the base plate and maintaining reasonable manufacturing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A keyboard includes: a membrane circuit board comprising a plurality of switches; at least one keycap provided with a plurality of contact portions, each of which corresponding to one of the plurality of switches of the membrane circuit board; and a base plate provided with a plurality of openings each of which being positioned at a location corresponding to one of the plurality of switches of the membrane circuit board and one of the plurality of contact portions of the keycap, a buffering portion being formed at a corner adjoining the base plate and one of the plurality of openings.