Thin-Film Keyboard Key Structure Eliminating Scissor Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

The design of laptop computer keyboards aims to be thinner and lighter, but conventional key structures with scissor mechanisms increase the thickness due to the required configuration.

Innovation Solution

A key structure featuring a bottom plate with elastic protruding portions, a liftably connected keycap, and a thin-film circuit board, where the keycap presses the elastic protruding portion to trigger electrical contacts, allowing for elastic restoration without the need for a scissor mechanism, thereby reducing overall thickness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a scissor mechanism is configured under the keycap, then the keycap can be lifted and lowered reliably, but the thickness of the keyboard module increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvekeycap lifting and lowering reliabilityVSAvoidkeyboard module thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical scissor mechanism with a membrane switch structure. The keycap is directly connected to a flexible circuit board that provides both the lifting/lowering mechanism and the electrical connection, eliminating the need for separate mechanical linkages and reducing overall thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the mechanical support function and the electrical connection function into a single integrated structure. The flexible circuit board serves both as the mechanical element that enables keycap movement and as the electrical pathway for signal transmission, reducing the number of components and thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This design provides a thinner key structure with a tactile feel through elastic deformation, eliminating the need for a scissor mechanism and simplifying configuration by positioning the trigger points in the peripheral region, thus reducing the overall thickness effectively.

Implementation Method 1

The elastic protruding portion has a protruding point, and the protruding point is in contact with the press portion... the keycap may be restored in an upward manner through a top support of the elastic protruding portion after being pressed down

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS20230127298A1Key structure

Publication Date: 2023.04.27 CHICONY ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A key structure includes a bottom plate, at least one keycap, and a thin-film circuit board. The bottom plate has at least one elastic protruding portion. The keycap is liftably connected to the bottom plate and has a press portion and at least one trigger portion. The press portion is located at a central region of the keycap and faces the elastic protruding portion, and the trigger portion is located at a peripheral region of the keycap. When the key is lowered from a first position to a second position relatively to the bottom plate, the press portion downwardly presses the elastic protruding portion, and the press portion triggers an electrical trigger point of the thin-film circuit board. The keycap is adapted to be restored from the second position to the first position through an elastic force of the elastic protruding portion.