Keyboard Button Structure with Dual-Area Force Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressure sensing buttons in electronic keyboards rely solely on silicone elastomers for force detection, leading to inaccurate reflection of user pressure and low accuracy in force detection.
Innovation Solution
A button structure utilizing a scissor mechanism and an elastic body, with a piezoresistive film sensor having two pressure sensing areas, to detect pressure from both the scissor mechanism and the elastic body, providing a more accurate reflection of external force applied to the keycap.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If only silicone elastomer is used for pressure detection, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision of force detection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure detection function is segmented into two independent components: the scissor mechanism and the elastic body. Each component has its own pressure sensing area on the piezoresistive film sensor, allowing separate detection of forces from each component. This segmentation enables more accurate force measurement while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The piezoresistive film sensor acts as an intermediary that receives and measures forces from both the scissor mechanism and the elastic body. By introducing this intermediate sensing layer with multiple pressure sensing areas, the system can accurately detect and differentiate forces from different components, resolving the contradiction between simple structure and precise measurement.
2Ease of manufacture
If silicone elastomer alone determines pressure detection, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the reliability of pressure sensing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure detection system is segmented into multiple functional parts: the scissor mechanism for structural support and force transmission, the elastic body for additional force sensing, and the piezoresistive film sensor with multiple pressure sensing areas. This segmentation improves reliability by distributing the sensing function across multiple components while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modular assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a composite structure combining the scissor mechanism (rigid component) and the elastic body (flexible component), both interacting with the piezoresistive film sensor. This composite approach enhances pressure sensing reliability by capturing forces from different mechanical behaviors, while the overall structure remains manufacturable using standard keyboard assembly processes.
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 enhances the accuracy of force detection by combining pressure from the scissor mechanism and elastic body, improving the precision of the piezoresistive thin film sensor in identifying the magnitude of force applied.
Implementation Method 1
a piezoresistive film sensor having two pressure sensing areas, to detect pressure from both the scissor mechanism and the elastic body
Data Source
AI summary
A button structure comprises a keycap, an elastic body, a scissor mechanism, and a piezoresistive film sensor arranged on a support plate. The scissor mechanism and the elastic body are arranged between the keycap and the piezoresistive film sensor. The piezoresistive film sensor comprises a first pressure sensing area and a second pressure sensing area. The elastic body corresponds to the first pressure sensing area and the scissor mechanism corresponds to the second pressure sensing area, such that, when a pressure is applied to the keycap, a first pressure acts on the elastic body to generate pressure on the first pressure sensing area and a second pressure acts on the scissor mechanism to generate pressure on the second pressure sensing area.