Touchpad Balancing Assembly for Smooth Corner Pressing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touchpads experience issues with smooth downward movement and accurate signal generation when pressed at the pivot side or corners, leading to wobbling, bending, and inconsistent operation feel.
Innovation Solution
A touchpad device with a balancing assembly comprising radially arranged balancing bars and a triggering member that directly transmits pressing force to a central switch, enhancing force transmission and reducing wobbling, bending, and stroke length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the touch panel is pivotally fixed at one side, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the touch panel cannot move downward smoothly when pressed at the pivot side or corners, causing wobbling and bending
Solution Approach 1:
The touch panel structure is segmented into multiple independent pressing regions (first pressing region with first pivot, second pressing region with second pivot, etc.), allowing each region to move independently without interfering with others, thus eliminating wobbling and bending when pressed at any location
Solution Approach 2:
The touch panel is divided into multiple pressing regions arranged in different spatial dimensions (first, second, third, fourth pressing regions), enabling multi-directional pressing operations while maintaining stable movement in each region
2Productivity
If the switch is positioned at the central region, then the force transmission path is longer, but the triggering member can be moved toward the switch to accelerate switch triggering
Solution Approach 1:
The triggering member acts as an intermediary between the pressing force and the switch. It is leaned against the swing bars and contacts the switch, efficiently transmitting force from various pressing regions to the centrally positioned switch, accelerating trigger response
Solution Approach 2:
The triggering member is pre-positioned to contact the switch and is leaned against the swing bars before pressing occurs. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when pressing force is applied, the triggering member can immediately transmit the force to accelerate switch triggering
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 solution ensures smooth and efficient operation by preventing excessive wobbling and bending, providing consistent pressing feedback, and improving user experience.
Implementation Method 1
the pressing force can be directly and quickly transmitted to the triggering member through the balancing assembly
Implementation Method 2
the triggering member can be moved toward the switch to accelerate the triggering of the switch
Data Source
AI summary
A touchpad device includes a substrate, a touch panel, a switch, a balancing assembly, and a triggering member. An inner surface of the touch panel facing the substrate has a central region. The switch is disposed between the substrate and the touch panel and corresponds to the central region. The balancing assembly is disposed between the touch panel and the substrate and includes a first balancing bar, a second balancing bar, a third balancing bar, and a fourth balancing bar. The triggering member has a top portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion is leaned against end portions of a first swing bar of the first balancing bar, a second swing bar of the second balancing bar, a third swing bar of the third balancing bar, and a fourth swing bar of the fourth balancing bar which are adjacent to the switch, and the top portion contacts the switch.