Keyswitch Distance Detection for Thin Keyboard Volume Reduction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional mechanical keyswitches have long operation strokes and large structural volumes due to the need for significant deformation of an actuating spring, making them unsuitable for thin-typed electronic products and lacking in sensitivity adjustment.

Innovation Solution

A keyswitch with a distance detecting unit that includes a keycap, base, supporting component, and recovering component, where the distance detecting unit is used to determine the relative movement between the keycap and base, allowing for adjustable sensitivity and precision by setting a threshold, replacing the actuating spring to reduce structural volume.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If an actuating spring is used to provide resilient recovering force for keycap actuation, then the keyswitch can provide hand feeling, but the operation stroke becomes long and the structural volume becomes large

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehand feelingVSAvoidstructural volume

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical actuating spring system with an electronic distance detecting unit that uses optical or electromagnetic fields to detect keycap movement. This substitution eliminates the need for large mechanical components while maintaining the keyswitch functionality, thereby reducing structural volume while preserving hand feeling through electronic feedback

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If the keycap must move a specific distance to actuate the electronic switch, then the keyswitch can reliably detect actuation, but the operation stroke becomes long

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveactuation detectionVSAvoidoperation stroke

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical displacement-based switching with an electronic distance detecting unit that can detect keycap movement at any position within its range. This allows the keyswitch to reliably detect actuation with a much shorter operation stroke, as the electronic detector can sense movement over smaller distances compared to mechanical spring deformation requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the detection parameter from mechanical displacement threshold to electronic distance measurement with adjustable sensitivity. The distance detecting unit can be configured to trigger at different movement thresholds, allowing reliable actuation detection with minimal keycap movement, thereby reducing the operation stroke while maintaining detection reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20170244409A1Keyswitch and keyboard with distance detecting function

Publication Date: 2017.08.24 PIXART IMAGING INC

AI summary

A keyboard with a distance detecting function includes a plurality of keyswitches, and each keyswitch includes a keycap, a base, a supporting component, a recovering component and a distance detecting unit. The base has a guide slot structure. The supporting component has a first end connecting to the keycap, and a second end movably assembled with the guide slot structure. The recovering component is disposed between the supporting component and the guide slot structure. The distance detecting unit is detachably disposed on the base, and adapted to detect a movement of the keycap relative to the base for determining whether the keyswitch is actuated.