Silent Key Switch With X-Shaped Balancing Stands
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Solution Overview
Problem
Market-available key switches are thick, difficult to press firmly from the side, and noisy, making them unsuitable for quiet applications.
Innovation Solution
A silent key switch design featuring a base body, static and dynamic contacts, a movable plate with a silencer body, and intersecting balancing stands forming an X-shaped structure, which uses a soft rubber silencer and tension spring to reduce noise and thickness, allowing for firm and quiet operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If guide rod buttons are used in market-available key switches, then the structure is simple, but the switch becomes thick and cannot be pressed firmly from the side
Solution Approach 1:
The key switch is divided into multiple functional components: a base body, a movable plate, balancing stands, and a silencer body. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, reducing overall thickness while maintaining structural integrity and side-pressability.
Solution Approach 2:
The balancing stands are arranged in an X-shaped configuration, utilizing spatial dimensionality to provide support and leverage. This allows the switch to be pressed from the side effectively while maintaining a thin profile, as the balancing mechanism operates in a different dimensional plane than the pressing direction.
2Stability of the object's composition
If guide rod buttons are mounted in the center of the bottom of the upper cover, then the structure is stable, but side pressing becomes difficult and contact connection fails
Solution Approach 1:
The movable plate and silencer body are positioned asymmetrically within the switch structure, with the silencer body extending toward the side pressing area. This asymmetric arrangement enables effective side pressing while maintaining overall structural stability through the X-shaped balancing stands.
3Productivity
If market-available key switches are used, then basic switching function is achieved, but noise is generated during contact connection
Solution Approach 1:
The silencer body, made of soft rubber material, is pre-installed on the movable plate to cushion the impact between the movable plate and the base body. This beforehand cushioning absorbs the shock during contact connection, preventing noise generation while maintaining the switching function.
Solution Approach 2:
The silencer body is made of soft rubber, a composite material that combines elasticity and damping properties. This material choice allows the switch to maintain structural integrity while absorbing impact energy silently, resolving the contradiction between functionality and noise reduction.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If a soft rubber silencer body is added to reduce noise, then noise is eliminated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The silencer body is merged with the movable plate as an integrated component, where the silencer body serves as both a noise-reducing element and part of the pressing mechanism. This merging approach adds noise reduction functionality without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
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
The design achieves a thin, quiet, and sensitive key switch operation, suitable for applications requiring minimal noise, by using a soft rubber silencer and tension spring to buffer impacts and ensure consistent contact connection.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic body is arranged between the first balancing stand and the U-shaped groove of the movable plate; the silencer body is a soft rubber and the elastic body is a tension spring
Implementation Method 2
the silencer body is a soft rubber and the elastic body is a tension spring
Data Source
AI summary
A silent key switch includes a base body, a static contact, a dynamic contact, a movable plate, a first balancing stand, a second balancing stand, and a keycap. The movable plate includes a silencer body arranged on the head of the movable plate, a U-shaped groove provided on the rear part of the movable plate, and a first slot provided adjacent to the silencer body; one end of the movable plate where the silencer body is located is abutted against the dynamic contact and the static contact; the first balancing stand and the second balancing stand intersect with each other and are pin jointed together in a superimposed way.