Integrally Formed Metal Dome Switch for Cost Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional metal dome switches require additional components and manufacturing steps, increasing costs and vulnerability to deformation due to lack of flexibility, and require a positioning jig for assembly.

Innovation Solution

An integrally formed metal dome switch with a touch element, connecting element, and mountable surface, where the connecting element includes flexible portions to prevent damage and eliminates the need for separate bumps and stickers by direct contact with the circuit board.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If additional components (bumps, stickers) are used for electrical connection, then electrical connection reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the touch element, connecting element, and mountable surface into a single integrally formed metal dome structure. This eliminates the need for separate bumps and stickers, reducing device complexity while maintaining electrical connection reliability through the integrated design that directly contacts the circuit board.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The integrally formed metal dome structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: the touch element provides mechanical input, the connecting element establishes electrical connection, and the mountable surface enables mounting. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components, reducing both complexity and manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If separate components are used for electrical connection, then electrical connection is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connectionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By combining multiple functional elements into a single integrally formed metal dome, the patent reduces the number of parts that need to be manufactured, stored, and assembled. This integration significantly reduces manufacturing cost while maintaining reliable electrical connection through the direct contact design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Strength

If rigid structure is used for connecting element, then structural strength is improved, but flexibility and durability decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoiddurability

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by designing the connecting element with specific flexibility characteristics in certain regions while maintaining overall structural strength. The integral formation allows for optimized material distribution, providing rigidity where needed for strength and flexibility where needed for durability, resolving the contradiction between these two properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS7199321B1Metal dome switch

Publication Date: 2007.04.03 ALTEK (KUNSHAN) CO LTD

AI summary

A metal dome switch includes a touch element protruding from a center of the metal dome switch, a connecting element integrally extended from a periphery of the touch element and a mountable surface integrally formed on the touch element. Since the touch element, the connecting element and the mountable surface are integrally formed; the manufacture cost of the metal dome switch can be reduced.