Low-Profile Keycap Support Structure With Anti-Detachment Sliding Slots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mechanical keyswitch designs face challenges in achieving low-profile designs due to the space occupied by the traditional hole-shaft structure, leading to instability and detachment issues in the connection between supports and the base.
Innovation Solution
A keycap support mechanism utilizing line contact between two supports, with sliding slots and obstruction blocks to prevent detachment, allowing for a stable and low-profile keyswitch structure without relying on the traditional hole-shaft structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the traditional hole-shaft structure is used to connect supports and base, then the connection structure is simple to manufacture, but the thickness of the supports increases and the connection stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional hole-shaft connection structure from the support design. Instead of using a shaft passing through a hole, the support uses a sliding portion that moves within a sliding slot formed directly in the base, eliminating the need for separate shaft components and reducing overall thickness while maintaining connection stability through the sliding slot geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates the connection function directly into the base structure by forming the sliding slot within the base itself, rather than using a separate shaft component. This merging of the guiding and supporting functions into a single integrated structure reduces the number of parts and decreases the overall thickness of the keyswitch assembly.
2Length of stationary object
If the keyswitch structure is reduced in size for low-profile design, then the thickness is reduced, but the connection structure becomes unstable and supports are easily detached
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a sliding portion as an intermediary element between the support and the base. This sliding portion engages with the sliding slot in the base and provides a stable connection point, preventing direct detachment while allowing smooth vertical movement. The sliding portion acts as a mediator that maintains connection stability even in the reduced thickness environment of low-profile designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding slot in the base is designed with self-retaining features that automatically prevent the sliding portion from detaching without requiring additional external fastening mechanisms. The geometry of the sliding slot and sliding portion creates inherent mechanical interlocking that maintains connection stability as part of the basic structure, rather than requiring separate retention systems.
3Ease of manufacture
If the hole-shaft structure is used for support connection, then the structural design is straightforward, but it occupies space that prevents low-profile design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the shaft component from the traditional hole-shaft connection, replacing it with a sliding portion that moves within a sliding slot. This removal of the separate shaft element eliminates the space it would occupy, enabling thinner support designs while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through the straightforward sliding slot geometry that can be directly formed in the base.
Data Source
AI summary
A keyswitch structure includes a keycap support mechanism and a keycap that is supported by the keycap support mechanism in a vertical direction. The keycap support mechanism includes a base and two supports. The base has two sliding slots. Each sliding slot has an opening in a horizontal direction and an obstruction block at the opening. The horizontal direction is perpendicular to the vertical direction. Each support has a sliding portion and a linkage portion. The sliding portions slide parallel to the horizontal direction in the sliding slots correspondingly. The obstruction block prevents the corresponding sliding portion from disengaging from the corresponding sliding slot. The two linkage portions push against each other in line contact, so that the two supports are mutually driven through the two linkage portions.