Keyboard Lifting Structure Synchronous Cover Frame and Key Cap Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing keyboard lifting mechanisms in notebook computers require a large lifting distance to prevent accidental keystrokes, which increases the overall height of the keyboard, contradicting the design goal of being light, thin, and small, and often result in an unbalanced lifting operation due to the mechanism acting on a specific area of the keyboard cover frame.
Innovation Solution
A keyboard lifting structure that uses a lifting mechanism to move the cover frame and key caps synchronously by employing driving devices with transverse slides and beveled surfaces, and drive rods with V-shaped protrusions, allowing for simultaneous upward or downward movement of the cover frame and key caps, thereby minimizing the lifting distance and maintaining a low profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the keyboard cover frame is lifted to prevent accidental keystrokes, then security against inadvertent input is improved, but the overall height of the keyboard increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of lifting only the cover frame upward to prevent accidental keystrokes, this invention inverts the approach by simultaneously lifting the key caps together with the cover frame. The driving devices transfer the lifting force from the cover frame to the key caps, causing both to move upward synchronously. This inverted approach maintains the protective function while minimizing the required lifting distance, thus reducing the overall keyboard height.
Solution Approach 2:
The driving devices act as intermediary mechanisms between the lifting mechanism and the key caps. These driving devices include slides with beveled surfaces that convert the vertical lifting motion of the cover frame into synchronized vertical motion of the key caps. This intermediary mechanism ensures that the key caps move together with the cover frame, achieving the dual benefit of accident prevention and compact design.
2Device complexity
If the lifting mechanism acts on a specific area of the keyboard cover frame, then the lifting operation is simplified, but the keyboard cover frame becomes unbalanced during lifting
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting force is segmented and distributed to multiple contact points on the cover frame through multiple driving devices. Instead of acting on a single specific area, the lifting mechanism's force is divided and transmitted through several slides positioned at different locations. This segmentation of the lifting action ensures balanced distribution of forces, maintaining the stability and balance of the rectangular keyboard cover frame during the lifting operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A keyboard lifting structure includes a base, a cover frame covering the base and providing multiple openings, key caps coupled to the base by respective linking mechanisms, driving devices disposed in the base at one side relative to the respective key caps with respective slides thereof respectively abutted against the linking mechanisms of the key caps, and a lifting mechanism disposed between the cover frame and the base for lifting or lowering the cover frame relative to the base and simultaneously causing the driving devices to move the key caps upwardly out of the cover frame or downwardly into the inside of the respective openings of the cover frame.