CN109390175B

CN109390175B - Three-dimensional circuit film, key thereof and manufacturing method thereof

Info

Publication number: CN109390175B
Application number: CN201710660232.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 盛延龙
Original assignee: Mitac Computer Kunshan Co Ltd; Getac Technology Corp
Current assignee: Mitac Computer Kunshan Co Ltd; Getac Technology Corp
Priority date: 2017-08-04
Filing date: 2017-08-04
Publication date: 2020-06-23
Anticipated expiration: 2037-08-04
Also published as: CN109390175A

Abstract

A three-dimensional circuit film includes a thermoplastic sheet and wiring. The thermoplastic sheet has a surface, and a thermoformed structure projecting outwardly from the surface. The wiring is printed on the surface and extends to the thermoforming structure. The thermal forming structure is provided with a hollow part beside the wiring so that the thermal forming structure is easy to collapse. Therefore, a key with the three-dimensional circuit film, a manufacturing method of the three-dimensional circuit film and a manufacturing method of the key are provided. The three-dimensional circuit film provided by the invention can be simply assembled into the required keys under the situation of the keys of the display unit, and in addition, the three-dimensional circuit film can also provide a control circuit of the display unit and can avoid the interference among the keys, thereby being quite convenient in use. In addition, the manufacturing method of the three-dimensional circuit structure and/or the manufacturing method of the key provided by the invention can simultaneously complete the processing of all keys on the keyboard in a single procedure, simplify the process, reduce the manufacturing cost and be suitable for mass production.

Description

Three-dimensional circuit film, key thereof and manufacturing method thereof

[ technical field ] A method for producing a semiconductor device

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional circuit structure, and more particularly, to a three-dimensional circuit film, a key thereof, and a method for manufacturing the same.

[ background of the invention ]

With the development of technology, computer technology is changing day by day, which drives the development of peripheral products, such as keyboard, mouse, trackball, etc., for which people, in addition to pursuing convenience, further require the enjoyment of vision and touch in the using process.

In recent years, related art using electronic paper as a display of a single key on a keyboard has been proposed, such as U.S. patent No. US9360948 and taiwan patent No. I556137, which propose a keyboard system with variable key display. However, regarding the signal circuit for controlling the electronic paper, at present, it is still necessary to connect the circuit board and the display panel respectively through the electrical connection flexible flat cable or the connector, and transmit the signal sent by the external control element to the display panel to form a circuit control path, and the structural design thereof causes complicated manufacturing process and high cost.

In addition, in order to adopt various displays, such as electronic ink displays, organic electroluminescent displays, thin film transistor liquid crystal displays, etc., so that a single key can display symbols suitable for different languages or use situations in a changeable manner, the conventional keyboard needs to be modified to accommodate and control the display, and the modification is easy to increase the thickness and complexity of the key structure.

[ summary of the invention ]

In one embodiment, a three-dimensional circuit film includes: a thermoplastic sheet and wiring. The thermoplastic sheet has a surface and an outwardly projecting thermoformed structure. The wiring is printed on the surface and extends to the thermoforming structure.

In some embodiments, the thermoformed structure has a cutout beside the wiring to make the thermoformed structure susceptible to collapse.

In some embodiments, the cabling may include a connecting section and a climbing section that are joined end to end, the connecting section being located at a top of the thermoformed structure and the climbing section being located at a side wall of the thermoformed structure.

In one embodiment, a key with a three-dimensional circuit film comprises: display element, connecting seat and above-mentioned three-dimensional circuit film. The display unit has a display surface and a bonding surface. The bonding surface is provided with an electrode. The connecting seat is provided with a bearing surface, an engaging surface and a conducting path penetrating through the bearing surface and the engaging surface. The bearing surface is used for bearing the display unit. The conductive path is electrically connected to the electrode. The thermoforming structure of the three-dimensional circuit film is positioned below the clamping surface, and the wiring of the three-dimensional circuit film is electrically connected with the conductive path.

In some embodiments, the key with the three-dimensional circuit film may further comprise a rubber dome (dome), and the rubber dome is accommodated in the thermoforming structure.

In some embodiments, the key with the three-dimensional circuit film further comprises a supporting mechanism. Herein, the engaging surface is integrally formed with the engaging structure, and one end of the supporting mechanism is fastened to the engaging structure.

In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional circuit film includes: the method comprises the steps of coating conductive ink on the surface of a thermoplastic sheet by utilizing a screen printing technology to form a wiring, and forming a thermal forming structure protruding outwards at one end of the wiring by utilizing a vacuum thermal forming technology. Wherein the thermoformed structure is collapsible.

In some embodiments, the method for manufacturing a three-dimensional circuit film further includes: before the conductive ink is applied, the surface roughness of the thermoplastic sheet surface is increased to increase the adhesion of the conductive ink.

In some embodiments, the method for manufacturing a three-dimensional circuit film further includes: the thermal forming structure is hollowed out beside the wiring, so that the thermal forming structure is easier to collapse.

In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a key includes the following steps. First, conductive ink is applied to the surface of a thermoplastic sheet by a screen printing technique to form wiring. And forming a thermal forming structure protruding outwards at one end of the wiring by using a vacuum thermal forming technology. A laser cutting technique is used to form a thermal-formed structure in the side of the wiring. Then, the connecting seat is arranged on the hot forming structure. Finally, arranging the rubber dome under the hot forming structure.

In summary, the three-dimensional circuit film provided by the invention can be applied to a key switch (domeshwitch) with a rubber dome or a key switch (scissor-switch) with a supporting mechanism such as a scissors-shaped or butterfly-shaped supporting mechanism, and the three-dimensional circuit film can be used for accommodating the rubber dome and/or bypassing the supporting mechanism and providing a signal line required by controlling a display unit on or outside the rubber dome so as to upload a control signal to the display unit. The three-dimensional circuit film is easy to collapse under stress and can rebound under no stress. Moreover, the three-dimensional circuit film provided by the invention can be simply assembled into a required key under the condition of the key with the display unit, and the assembled key can meet the visual and tactile requirements of a user on the key. In addition, the three-dimensional circuit film provided by the invention can provide a control circuit of a display unit and avoid interference among keys when being applied to a keyboard with a plurality of keys, and is quite convenient to use. In addition, the manufacturing method of the three-dimensional circuit structure and/or the manufacturing method of the keys provided by the invention can simultaneously complete the processing of all the keys on the keyboard in a single procedure, for example, simultaneously complete the wiring and the hot forming structure of all the keys on the keyboard, so the process is simple, the manufacturing cost is low, and the method is suitable for mass production.

The detailed features and advantages of the present invention are described in detail in the following embodiments, which are sufficient for anyone skilled in the art to understand the technical content of the present invention and to implement the present invention, and the related objects and advantages of the present invention can be easily understood by anyone skilled in the art according to the disclosure, claims and drawings of the present specification.

[ description of the drawings ]

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a three-dimensional circuit film according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a thermoforming structure of a three-dimensional circuit film according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective cross-sectional view of fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a partially exploded perspective view of a key according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a partially exploded perspective view of the key of fig. 4 from different perspectives.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the key of the embodiment shown in fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a perspective assembly view of the key of fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the key of fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional circuit film according to a first embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional circuit film according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional circuit film according to a third embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 12 is a flow chart illustrating a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional circuit film according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a key according to an embodiment of the invention.

[ detailed description ] embodiments

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a three-dimensional circuit film 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. Referring to fig. 1, the three-dimensional circuit film 100 includes: a thermoplastic sheet 4 and wiring 5. The thermoplastic sheet 4 has an upper surface 41, a lower surface 42, and thermoformed structures 43 projecting outwardly from the upper surface 41. The thermoplastic sheet 4 may be polyester fiber (polyester) or other thermoplastic. The wiring 5 is printed on the upper surface 41 and extends to the thermoformed structure 43.

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the thermoforming structure 43 of the three-dimensional circuit film 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective cross-sectional view of fig. 2. Referring to fig. 2 to 3, the thermal forming structure 43 has a hollow portion 8 beside the wiring 5 to make the thermal forming structure 43 easily collapse. Here, the hollow portion 8 is formed on the side of the thermal forming structure 43 to reduce the supporting strength of the side of the thermal forming structure 43. Therefore, when the top of the thermoformed structure 43 is pressed by an external force, the top of the thermoformed structure 43 is easily moved downward. The interior of the thermo-forming structure 43 may be a hollow space 9, so that the thermo-forming structure 43 is more easily collapsed.

In some embodiments, the wiring 5 on the thermoformed structure 43 includes a connecting section 511 and a climbing section 512, and the connecting section 511 is end-to-end with the climbing section 512. The connecting section 511 is located at the top of the thermoformed structure 43, while the climbing section 512 is located at the side wall of the thermoformed structure 43. The hollowed-out portion 8 is located on the side wall of the thermal forming structure 43. After pressing the top of the thermoformed structure 43, the thermoformed structure 43 can be restored by the support of the side walls.

Referring to fig. 1 again, in some embodiments, the wiring 5 may further include at least one connection wiring 52 and at least one contact 53 in addition to the pressing wiring 51 formed by the connection section 511 and the climbing section 512. Each of the pressing wirings 51 is located on the thermoformed structure 43. Each of the connecting wirings 52 is located in a region of the thermoplastic sheet 4 where the thermoformed structure 43 is not formed, and corresponds to one of the pressing wirings 51, respectively. Here, each connection wiring 52 directly couples the corresponding pressing wiring 51 to one of the plurality of contacts 53. Here, the contact 53 serves as a signal input/output port between the three-dimensional circuit film 100 and an external component (e.g., a circuit board). In other words, the contact 53 may be coupled to an external circuit or a connector to form an external electrical signal transmission path. In some embodiments, the contacts 53 may be located on the same side edge of the thermoplastic sheet 4 to facilitate coupling to an external circuit or connector.

In some embodiments, the stereoscopic circuit film 100 may be applied to a key to provide a transmission path of a control signal, such as a display signal of a key pattern or an on signal of a key light source. Furthermore, when the key with the three-dimensional circuit film 100 is implemented on a keyboard with a plurality of keys, the number and distribution positions of the thermoforming structures 43 formed on the three-dimensional circuit film 100 correspond to the number and positions of the keys in the keyboard. In other words, the number and distribution positions of the thermoforming structures 43 formed by the thermoplastic sheet 4 can be adjusted according to the application requirements, so that the single three-dimensional circuit film 100 can be implemented in one or more keys, even the whole keyboard. For convenience of description, the following description is given by taking the embodiment in one key as an example.

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the key 200 according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 5 is a partially exploded perspective view of the key 200 of fig. 4 from a different perspective. Referring to fig. 4 and 5, the key 200 includes the display unit 3, the connecting base 1, and the three-dimensional circuit film 100 (including a thermal forming structure 43 for example). The display unit 3 has a display surface 31 and a bonding surface 32, and the display surface 31 and the bonding surface 32 are opposed to each other and substantially parallel to each other. A plurality of electrodes 33 are disposed on the bonding surface 32, and the electrodes 33 are electrically coupled to the display surface 31. The electrodes 33 are used to control the display of the display surface 31. In this embodiment, the display unit 3 may be an electronic ink display, and the electronic ink display may display all black or all white in a partition manner. However, in other embodiments, the display unit 3 may be other types of displays in which the electrodes 33 are disposed on the lower surface. The connecting socket 1 has a receiving surface 11, an engaging surface 12 and a plurality of conductive paths 2. The receiving surface 11 is used for receiving the display unit 3. The receiving surface 11 has a plurality of upper contacts 11a corresponding to the conductive paths 2, and the engaging surface 12 has a plurality of lower contacts 11b corresponding to the conductive paths 2. Each conductive path 2 penetrates through the receiving surface 11 and the engaging surface 12, and two ends of the conductive path 2 are respectively coupled to the corresponding upper contact 11a and the corresponding lower contact 11. Here, the number and the arrangement position of the upper contacts 11a further correspond to the electrodes 33 on the display unit 3, respectively. When the display unit 3 is stacked on the receiving surface 11 of the connector 1, each upper contact 11a is aligned with and contacts the corresponding electrode 33, so that the electrode 33 is electrically connected to the upper contact 11a and electrically connected to the lower contact 11 through the conductive path 2. At this time, if the thermo-forming structure 43 of the three-dimensional circuit film 100 is aligned and disposed below the engaging surface 12, the pressing wires 51 on the thermo-forming structure 43 directly contact the lower contacts 11b on the engaging surface 12 through the connecting segments 511, so that the pressing wires 51 of the three-dimensional circuit film 100 are electrically connected to the electrodes 33 through the lower contacts 11b, the conductive paths 2 and the upper contacts 11 a. Thus, the external signal received from the contact 53 is transmitted to the electrode 33 via the connection wiring 52, the push wiring 51, the lower contact 11b, the conductive path 2, and the upper contact 11a, and the display of the display panel 31 is controlled. In other words, the stereoscopic circuit film 100 can provide signal lines required for the display to upload control signals to the display unit 3.

In the present embodiment, the connecting base 11 is made by plastic injection molding, and the receiving surface 11 of the connecting base 1 is substantially parallel to the engaging surface 12, thereby reducing the overall thickness of the key 200.

In one embodiment, a limiting structure 13 is disposed on the periphery of the receiving surface 11, and the limiting structure 13 is used to limit the relative position between the electronic paper 3 and the connecting base 1.

In some embodiments, the display unit 3 may be a thin paper-like or sheet-like electronic paper. Here, the display surface 31 of the display unit 3 has a plurality of display sections, and the display surface 31 or the transparent keycap on the display surface 31 can be blackened by ink pigments and then the ink pigments coated on the display surface 31 or the transparent keycap can be hollow-coated in a laser inscription manner, so that when the display surface 31 generates light and shade or black and white change, the contrast brightness or color depth of symbols such as images and letters can be changed on the display unit 3 or the transparent keycap, thereby changing the degree of visibility of the hollow symbols. In an embodiment, the display surface 31 of the display unit 3 may have a plurality of display sections, and whether the symbols in each display section are displayed or not may be independently controlled to display a symbol alone or simultaneously display a plurality of symbols.

Taking 3 display partitions as an example, the 3 display partitions are respectively coupled to three first electrodes and are commonly coupled to one second electrode. And the voltage change of the repeated electrification between the first electrode and the second electrode can cause the corresponding display subarea to generate light and shade or black and white change, and the display of the symbol of the display subarea is driven. In other words, four electrodes 33 (three first electrodes and one second electrode) are provided on the bonding surface 32 of the display unit 3. The connecting socket 1 has four upper contacts 11a, four conductive paths 2 and four lower contacts 11 b. The first end of each conductive path 2 is located on the receiving surface 1 and coupled to the corresponding upper contact 11a, and the four upper contacts 11a correspond to the positions of the four electrodes 33, respectively. The second end of each conductive path 2 is located on the engaging surface 12 and coupled to the corresponding lower contact 11 b. Therefore, when the display unit 3 is overlapped with the connecting socket 1, the electrode 33 of the display unit 3 is electrically conducted to the corresponding lower contact 11b through the corresponding upper contact 11a and the conductive path 2.

At this time, the push wiring 51 on the thermo-molded structure 43 is divided into four branch wirings 51a to 51d which are not connected to each other. The connection segments 511 of the four branch wirings 51a to 51d correspond in position to the four lower contacts 11b on the engagement surface 12, respectively. Therefore, when the three-dimensional circuit film 100 is overlapped with the connection socket 1, the lower contact 11b on the engagement surface 12 is respectively attached to the connection sections 511 of the corresponding branch wirings 51a to 51d, so that the branch wirings 51a to 51d are electrically connected to the four electrodes 33 through the lower contact 11b, the conductive path 2 and the upper contact 11 a.

The four branch wirings 51a to 51d are further electrically connected to the contacts 53 through the connecting wirings 52 coupled thereto, and further electrically connected to the control elements outside the three-dimensional circuit film 100. Therefore, the signals from the control elements connected to the three-dimensional circuit film 100 can be transmitted to the display unit 3 through the wiring 5 to control the display area of the display surface 31 to generate corresponding black and white or brightness change.

Although the four electrodes 33 and the corresponding branch wirings 51a to 51d are described as an example, the number of the electrodes 33 and the corresponding branch wirings may vary depending on the number of the display sections, in other words, the number of the branch wirings depends on the actual application, and the present invention includes, but is not limited to, the four branch wirings 51a to 51 d.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5, the branch wirings 51a to 51d on the top of the thermoformed structure 43 have a space therebetween to distinguish the control signals. In some embodiments, hollowed portions 8 are provided between the climbing section 512 of the branch wiring 51a and the climbing section 512 of the branch wiring 51b, between the climbing section 512 of the branch wiring 51b and the climbing section 512 of the branch wiring 51c, between the climbing section 512 of the branch wiring 51c and the climbing section 512 of the branch wiring 51d, and between the climbing section 512 of the branch wiring 51a and the climbing section 512 of the branch wiring 51d, to reduce the support strength of the side wall, thereby allowing the thermoformed structure 43 to easily collapse.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a key 200 with a three-dimensional circuit film according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 7 is a perspective assembly view of the key 200 with a three-dimensional circuit film according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the key of fig. 7, with a section view taken along line 1-1 in fig. 7. Referring to fig. 6 to 8, the key 200 may further include a key cap 1a and a rubber dome (rubber dome) 6. The key cap 1a is a plastic material having light transmittance and can protect the display unit 3. The rubber dome 6 is disposed on the signal transmission element 7, the rubber dome 6 has a bump 61 therein, the signal transmission element 7 includes an upper circuit film 71, a middle diaphragm 72 and a lower circuit film 72, and the middle diaphragm 72 has an opening 721 corresponding to the bump 61. When the keyboard 200 is pressed, the bumps 61 of the rubber dome 6 press the upper circuit film 71 downward so that the upper circuit film 71 is downward contacted and conducted with the lower circuit film 72 through the openings 721, thereby transmitting signals to external components. The rubber domes 6 are received in the thermoformed structure 43 to help the key 200 return to the pre-depressed height more easily during depression. In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 3, the thermoformed structure 43 forms a hollow space 9 therein, and the rubber dome 6 is located in the hollow space 9.

In one embodiment, the engaging surface 12 may further include four engaging structures 14, and the engaging structures 14 are configured to engage with the supporting mechanism 10 having a scissors shape or a butterfly shape to form a resettable key switch (scissor-switch). Here, the support mechanism 10 has a central depletion region 10a, and the thermo-forming structure 43 is superposed on the rubber dome 6 and inserted through the central depletion region 10 a. Wherein, the upper end of the supporting mechanism 10 is engaged with the engaging structure 14. In addition, the fixing base 10 'is disposed below the signal transmission assembly 7, and the fixing base 10' is usually a sheet metal part. In the present embodiment, the fixing base 10' includes at least one positioning frame 10b passing through the signal transmission assembly 7 and the three-dimensional circuit film 100 to be engaged with the lower end of the supporting mechanism 10. Thus, when the key 200 is pressed, the supporting mechanism 10 can make it easier for the key 200 to return to the height before the pressing. The engaging structure 14 can be integrally formed on the engaging surface 12 during plastic injection molding.

Fig. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a method for manufacturing the three-dimensional circuit film 100 according to the first embodiment of the invention. Referring to fig. 9, conductive ink is applied to the upper surface 41 of the thermoplastic sheet 4 by using a screen printing technique to form the wiring 5 (step S1).

Then, a thermoformed structure 43 protruding outward from the upper surface 41 is formed at one end of the wiring 5 by a vacuum thermoforming technique (step S2). The interior of the thermo-forming structure 43 is hollow, so that the thermo-forming structure 43 can be in a collapsed state when pressed by an external force. In one embodiment of step S2, the top of the thermoformed structure 43 has four unconnected branch wirings 51'.

In some embodiments, prior to performing step S1, the surface roughness of upper surface 41 of thermoplastic sheet 4 may be increased to increase the adhesion of the conductive ink, in a manner that increases the surface roughness by rubbing, for example, with sandpaper, on upper surface 41 of thermoplastic sheet 4. Or laser cutting a plurality of uneven micro-depressions on the thermoplastic sheet 4 to increase the overall roughness of the upper surface 41 of the thermoplastic sheet 4. However, the present invention is not limited to the manner of increasing the surface roughness of the upper surface of the thermoplastic sheet 4.

Fig. 10 is a flow chart illustrating a method for manufacturing the three-dimensional circuit film 100 according to the second embodiment of the invention. Referring to fig. 10, after step S2, the thermoformed structure 43 is hollowed out beside the wiring 5 (step S3), so that the thermoformed structure 43 is easy to collapse. In one embodiment of step S3, the thermoplastic sheet 4 between the branch wirings 51 'and the branch wirings 51' on the sidewall of each thermo-forming structure 43 is removed to form the hollow portions 8. Here, the thermoforming structure 43 with a hollow interior is added with the thermoplastic sheet 4 between the branch wirings 51 'and the branch wirings 51' removed, so that the thermoforming structure 43 assumes a state of being easily collapsed after being pressed.

In some embodiments of step S3, the step of hollowing out the thermoformed structure 43 is performed by laser cutting, but the invention is not limited thereto, and other cutting techniques can be used to hollow out the thermoformed structure 43, such as knife cutting or wire cutting.

The present invention does not limit the sequence of steps S2 and S3, and in some embodiments, the sequence of steps S2 and S3 may be reversed. That is, after the step S1 is performed, the thermoformed structure 43 is pierced before the wiring 5 (step S3). Next, a thermo-formed structure 43 protruding outward from the upper surface 41 is formed at one end of the wiring 5 by using a vacuum thermo-forming technique (step S2). In this manner, the three-dimensional circuit film 100 can be manufactured.

In some embodiments, the stereoscopic circuit film 100 may be applied to a keyboard having a light emitting or display function. Fig. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a method for manufacturing the three-dimensional circuit film 100 according to the third embodiment of the invention. Referring to fig. 11, after step S3, the light emitting device is further soldered to the thermal forming structure 43 (step S41), so that the light emitting device is electrically connected to the wiring 5 and receives a driving signal through the wiring 5, thereby controlling the on/off of the light emitting device, and further increasing the touch pressure and visual effect when the user uses the keyboard. Wherein the light emitting device can be, for example, a Light Emitting Diode (LED).

Fig. 12 is a flow chart illustrating a method for manufacturing the three-dimensional circuit film 100 according to the fourth embodiment of the invention. In some embodiments, referring to fig. 12, after step S3, a connecting socket 1 is further disposed on the thermoforming structure 43 (step S42), as shown in fig. 4 to 6.

Fig. 13 is a flow chart illustrating a method for manufacturing the key 200 according to an embodiment of the invention. In some embodiments, referring to fig. 13, in steps S1 to S2 of the method for manufacturing the three-dimensional circuit film 100, a laser cutting technique is used to cut out the thermal forming structure beside the wiring in step S31. After step S42 or step S3, a rubber dome 6 is further provided under the thermo-formed structure 43 (step S43), as shown in fig. 6 and 7. In other words, the rubber dome 6 is accommodated inside the thermo-formed structure 43 to provide a restoring force for the key 200, so that the key 200 is more easily restored to the height before being pressed during the pressing process.

In an embodiment, after step S3 and before step S42, the upper end of the scissors-shaped or butterfly-shaped supporting mechanism 10 is engaged with the upper end of the engaging structure 14, and the thermo-forming structure 43 is inserted into the central depletion region 10a of the supporting mechanism 10, so that the connecting socket 1 is disposed on the thermo-forming structure 43 (step S42).

In an embodiment of step S43, the lower end of the supporting mechanism 10 is fixed on the positioning frame 10b of the fixing base 10', and the positioning frame 10b passes through the signal transmission element 7 and the three-dimensional circuit mold 100 to be engaged with the lower end of the supporting mechanism 10, and the rubber dome 6 is retained between the thermal forming structure 43 and the signal transmission element 7.

In summary, the three-dimensional circuit film 100 provided by the present invention can be applied to a key switch (domeshwitch) having a rubber dome 6 or a key switch (scissoring-switch) having a scissors-shaped or butterfly-shaped supporting mechanism 10, and can accommodate the rubber dome and/or bypass the supporting mechanism, and provide a signal line required for controlling the display unit 3 on or outside the rubber dome 6 to upload a control signal to the display unit 3. The three-dimensional circuit film 100 is easy to collapse when stressed and can rebound when not stressed. Furthermore, the three-dimensional circuit film 100 provided by the invention can be easily assembled into the required key 200 when being applied to the key 200 with the display unit 3, and the assembled key 200 can meet the visual and tactile requirements of the user for the key 200. In addition, the three-dimensional circuit film 100 provided by the invention can provide a control circuit of the display unit 3 and avoid interference among the keys 200 when being applied to a keyboard with a plurality of keys 200, and is very convenient to use. In addition, the manufacturing method of the three-dimensional circuit structure 100 and/or the manufacturing method of the key 200 provided by the invention can simultaneously complete the processing of all the keys on the keyboard in a single procedure, for example, simultaneously complete the wiring and the thermal forming structure 43 of all the keys 200 on the keyboard, so the process is simple, the manufacturing cost is low, and the method is suitable for mass production.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it should be understood that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional circuit film, comprising:

a thermoplastic sheet having a surface and a thermoformed structure projecting outwardly therefrom; and

the wiring is printed on the surface and extends to the thermal forming structure, and the thermal forming structure is provided with a hollow part beside the wiring so that the thermal forming structure is easy to collapse.

2. The three-dimensional circuit film according to claim 1, wherein the wiring comprises a connecting section and a climbing section which are connected end to end, the connecting section is located at a top of the thermoforming structure, and the climbing section is located on a side wall of the thermoforming structure.

3. A key having the three-dimensional circuit film according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the key comprises:

a display unit having a display surface and a bonding surface, wherein the bonding surface is provided with an electrode;

a connecting base having a receiving surface, a locking surface and a conductive path passing through the receiving surface and the locking surface, wherein the receiving surface is used for carrying the display unit, and the conductive path is electrically connected to the electrode; and

the three-dimensional circuit film, the hot forming structure is located under the clamping face, and the wiring is electrically connected with the conductive path.

4. The key of claim 3, further comprising a rubber dome received in the thermoformed structure.

5. The key of claim 3, further comprising a support mechanism, wherein the engaging surface is integrally formed with an engaging structure, and an end of the support mechanism is fastened to the engaging structure.

6. A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional circuit film, comprising:

coating conductive ink on one surface of a thermoplastic sheet by utilizing a screen printing technology to form a wiring; and

and forming a thermal forming structure protruding outwards at one end of the wiring by utilizing a vacuum thermal forming technology, wherein the thermal forming structure can collapse, and hollowing out the thermal forming structure beside the wiring to enable the thermal forming structure to be more easily collapsed.

7. The method of manufacturing a three-dimensional circuit film according to claim 6, further comprising: prior to applying the conductive ink, increasing a surface roughness of the surface to increase adhesion of the conductive ink.

8. A method for manufacturing a key, the method comprising:

coating conductive ink on one surface of a thermoplastic sheet by utilizing a screen printing technology to form a wiring;

forming a thermal molding structure protruding outward at one end of the wiring by using a vacuum thermal molding technique;

utilizing a laser cutting technology to hollow out the thermal forming structure beside the wiring;

arranging a connecting seat on the hot forming structure; and

a rubber dome is disposed under the thermoformed structure.