Disclosure of Invention
Aiming at the defects in the prior art, the invention aims to provide the key device and the intelligent terminal with the key device, which can avoid the use of a motor, realize the low cost and the simplified system of the key and have high reliability.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a key device including: a first key assembly comprising a first magnetic component; the second key assembly is matched with the first key assembly and comprises a second magnetic part; the first key assembly can move in a direction away from the second key assembly under the action of the magnetic force of the first magnetic part and the second magnetic part.
Optionally, the first key assembly includes: a first keycap; the first magnetic component is arranged in the first keycap and is exposed on one side surface of the first keycap close to the second keycap; the second key assembly includes: the second keycap is matched with the first keycap; the second magnetic component is arranged in the second keycap and is exposed on one side surface of the second keycap close to the first keycap; the key device further comprises a driving part, and the driving part drives: the first magnetic component slides in a first direction in the first keycap; and/or the second magnetic component slides in a first direction in the second keycap, and when the driving component drives the first magnetic component and/or the second magnetic component to slide in the first direction until the magnetism of the first magnetic component and the magnetism of the second magnetic component repel each other, the first key assembly moves away from the second key assembly.
Optionally, the first keycap includes a chute extending along the first direction; the driving part comprises a sliding block, and the sliding block is accommodated in the sliding groove and can slide in the sliding groove along a first direction; the first magnetic part is fixed with the sliding block and can synchronously slide along with the sliding block.
Optionally, the first keycap further comprises a through hole extending along the first direction, and the through hole is arranged on a side surface of the first keycap far away from the second keycap; the slider comprises a boss, the boss protrudes from the surface of the slider to the outside of the first keycap through the through hole, and the boss can slide in the first direction in the through hole.
Optionally, the through hole includes a first end and a second end along the first direction, when the protruding portion slides to the first end, the first key assembly is located at a position farthest from the second key assembly, and when the protruding portion slides to the second end, the first key assembly is located at a position closest to the second key.
Optionally, the first magnetic component comprises a plurality of magnets which are arranged in the slider at intervals along the first direction, and the magnetic polarities of two adjacent magnets exposed at one end of the first keycap close to the side surface of the second keycap are opposite; the second magnetic component comprises a plurality of magnets which are arranged in the second keycap at intervals along the first direction, and the magnetic polarities of two adjacent magnets exposed at one end of the second keycap close to the side surface of the first keycap are opposite; wherein when the protrusion slides to the first end of the through hole, each magnet of the first magnetic member has the same magnetism as each magnet of the second magnetic member facing thereto.
Alternatively, when the protrusion slides to the first end of the through hole, the center line of each magnet of the first magnetic member is deviated in a direction from the second end to the first end of the through hole with respect to the center line of each magnet of the second magnetic member opposed thereto.
Optionally, two ends of the first keycap along the first direction respectively comprise a limiting groove which is concave towards the center; the second key assembly further comprises two hooks matched with the limiting grooves, and the two hooks are arranged at two ends of the second keycap respectively and clamped in the limiting grooves to limit the maximum displacement between the first key assembly and the second key assembly.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided an intelligent terminal, including: a housing; a switching circuit device disposed within the housing; and the key device is arranged at an opening of the shell and is electrically connected with the switch circuit device.
Optionally, a casing flange is disposed at the opening, and the casing flange is clamped between the first key assembly and the second key assembly.
Compared with the prior art, in the key device provided by the embodiment of the invention, because the first key assembly of the key device comprises the first magnetic part and the second key assembly comprises the second magnetic part, the first key assembly can move in the direction away from the second key assembly under the magnetic force action of the first magnetic part and the second magnetic part, so that the stretching of the key device is realized. The key device avoids the use of a motor, realizes low cost of the key and simplifies the system. In addition, damage to the key assembly caused by impact of falling of the device can be reliably prevented under the action of magnetic force between the first key assembly and the second key assembly, and the key assembly has high reliability.
Detailed Description
Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example embodiments may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of example embodiments to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar structures, and thus their repetitive description will be omitted.
The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In some instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring the invention.
The technical contents of the present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples.
Referring to fig. 1 and fig. 2, a schematic structural diagram of a key device according to an embodiment of the invention is shown. As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the key device includes a first key assembly 1 and a second key assembly 2. The second key assembly 2 is matched with the first key assembly 1. The first key assembly 1 comprises a first magnetic part, the second key assembly 2 comprises a second magnetic part, and the first key assembly 1 can move in a direction away from the second key assembly 2 under the action of magnetic force of the first magnetic part and the second magnetic part. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1 and fig. 2, the first key assembly 1 is located above the second key assembly 2, and the first key assembly 1 can move in the up-down direction relative to the second key assembly 2 under the magnetic force of the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component. Fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the key device in a retracted state, that is, in the state shown in fig. 1, the first key assembly 1 and the second key assembly 2 are located at the closest position to each other; fig. 2 shows a schematic structural diagram of the key device in the pop-up state, that is, in the state shown in fig. 2, the first key assembly 1 and the second key assembly 2 are located at the farthest positions from each other.
Fig. 3 to 5 are referenced together, where fig. 3 is an exploded schematic view of a key device according to an embodiment of the present invention, fig. 4 is a combined schematic view of a first key assembly and a driving component of the key device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and fig. 5 is a schematic view of a second key assembly of the key device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the first key assembly 1 includes a first key cap 11 and a first magnetic member; the second key assembly 2 comprises a second key cap 21 and a second magnetic component. As shown in fig. 4, the first key cap 11 is a component extending along a first direction, the first key cap 11 includes a sliding groove 111 extending along the first direction, and the sliding groove 111 is recessed from a lower surface of the first key cap 11. The first magnetic component is disposed in the first keycap 11 and exposed at a side surface (i.e., a lower surface in fig. 3 and 4) of the first keycap 11 close to the second keycap 12. As shown in fig. 5, the second key cap 21 is a component extending along the first direction, and the second key cap 21 is matched with the first key cap 11. The second magnetic component is disposed inside the second keycap 21 and exposed at a side surface (i.e., an upper surface in fig. 3 and 5) of the second keycap 21 close to the first keycap 11.
Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the key device further includes a driving part. The driving part drives: the first magnetic component slides in the first keycap along a first direction; and/or the second magnetic component slides in the second keycap along the first direction, and when the driving component drives the first magnetic component and/or the second magnetic component to slide in the first direction until the magnetism of the first magnetic component and the magnetism of the second magnetic component repel each other, the first key assembly moves away from the second key assembly. In the embodiments shown in fig. 3 to 5, the driving part drives the first magnetic part to slide in the first direction in the first keycap.
Specifically, as shown in fig. 3 and 4, the driving means comprises a slider 3. The sliding block 3 is accommodated in the sliding groove 111 of the first key cap 11, wherein the length of the sliding groove 111 along the first direction is greater than the length of the sliding block 3 along the first direction, and further, the sliding block 3 can slide in the sliding groove 111 along the first direction. The first magnetic member is fixed to the slider 3 and can slide synchronously with the slider 3.
Further, in the embodiment shown in fig. 3 and 4, the first magnetic member includes a plurality of magnets. The plurality of magnets are arranged in the slider 3 at intervals in the first direction. In the embodiment shown in fig. 3 and 4, four magnets (magnet 121, magnet 122, magnet 123, and magnet 124) are used as an example for description. Referring to fig. 6, a schematic structural diagram of a slider and a first magnet assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. As shown in fig. 6, the slider 3 includes four receiving holes 31 arranged at intervals from each other in the first direction. Wherein the receiving hole 31 is recessed from the lower surface of the slider 3. As shown in fig. 4, four magnets (a magnet 121, a magnet 122, a magnet 123, and a magnet 124) as first magnetic members are fixed in the four accommodation holes 31 of the slider 3, respectively. Wherein, the adjacent two magnets are exposed at one end of the first keycap 11 close to one side surface (lower surface in fig. 4) of the second keycap 21 and have opposite magnetism. Taking the adjacent magnet 121 and the magnet 122 in fig. 4 as an example, one end of the magnet 121 exposed to the lower surface of the first key cap 11 is an S pole, and one end of the magnet 122 adjacent to the magnet 121 exposed to the lower surface of the first key cap 11 is an N pole, and it can be understood that one ends of the magnet 123 and the magnet 124 exposed to the lower surface of the first key cap 11 are the S pole and the N pole, respectively. Since the four magnets are fixed in the slider 3, the four magnets as the first magnetic member can slide in synchronization with the slider 3 when the slider 3 slides in the first direction.
Further, in the embodiment shown in fig. 3 and 5, the second magnetic member also includes a plurality of magnets. The plurality of magnets are arranged in the second key cap 21 at intervals along the first direction. In the embodiment shown in fig. 3 and 5, five magnets (the magnet 221, the magnet 222, the magnet 223, the magnet 224, and the magnet 225) are exemplified. As shown in fig. 5, the second key cap 21 includes five receiving holes 211 arranged at intervals in the first direction. Wherein the receiving hole 211 is recessed from the upper surface of the second key cap 21. As shown in fig. 5, five magnets (magnet 221, magnet 222, magnet 223, magnet 224, and magnet 225) as the second magnetic member are fixed in the five accommodation holes 211 of the second key top 21, respectively. Wherein, the adjacent two magnets are exposed at one end of the second keycap 21 close to one side surface (the upper surface in fig. 5) of the first keycap 11 and have opposite magnetism. Taking the adjacent magnet 221 and the magnet 222 in fig. 5 as an example, one end of the magnet 221 exposed on the upper surface of the second key cap 21 is an S pole, and one end of the magnet 222 adjacent to the magnet 221 exposed on the upper surface of the second key cap 21 is an N pole, and it can be understood that one ends of the magnet 223, the magnet 224 and the magnet 225 exposed on the upper surface of the second key cap 21 are an S pole, an N pole and an S pole, respectively.
Further, please refer to fig. 7 and 8, which respectively show a corresponding relationship between the magnets of the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component of the key device in the retracted state and the ejected state shown in fig. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 7, when the slider 3 slides in the first direction (the left-right direction in fig. 7 and 8) to the leftmost end of the slide groove 111, the magnet 121 fixed to the slider 3 vertically corresponds to the magnet 222 provided in the second key top 21, the magnet 122 fixed to the slider 3 vertically corresponds to the magnet 223 provided in the second key top 21, the magnet 123 fixed to the slider 3 vertically corresponds to the magnet 224 provided in the second key top 21, and the magnet 124 fixed to the slider 3 vertically corresponds to the magnet 225 provided in the second key top 21, since the four magnets as the first magnetic members are attracted to the respective magnets as the second magnetic members vertically corresponding to each other in this state, the first key assembly 1 and the second key assembly 2 are located at the closest positions to each other by the attraction force generated by the first magnetic members and the second magnetic members, i.e. the magnet assembly is in a retracted state. As shown in fig. 8, when the slider 3 slides in the first direction (the left-right direction in fig. 7 and 8) to the rightmost end of the slide groove 111, the magnet 121 fixed to the slider 3 vertically corresponds to the magnet 221 provided in the second key top 21, the magnet 122 fixed to the slider 3 vertically corresponds to the magnet 222 provided in the second key top 21, the magnet 123 fixed to the slider 3 vertically corresponds to the magnet 223 provided in the second key top 21, and the magnet 124 fixed to the slider 3 vertically corresponds to the magnet 224 provided in the second key top 21, since the four magnets as the first magnetic members respectively repel each other in the vertical direction due to the magnetic properties of the magnets as the second magnetic members respectively corresponding to each other in this state, the first key assembly 1 and the second key assembly 2 are located at the positions farthest from each other by the repulsive force generated by the first magnetic members and the second magnetic members, i.e. the magnet arrangement is in the ejected state.
In the embodiment shown in fig. 3 to 8, the first magnet member includes four magnets and the second magnet member includes five magnets, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the number of magnets of the first magnet member and the second magnet member may be adjusted according to actual structural requirements. Further, in other embodiments of the present invention, the first magnet part or the second magnet part may also include only one magnet, and these embodiments can achieve similar effects to the embodiments shown in fig. 3 to 8, which are not described herein again.
Further, as shown in fig. 1 to 3, the first key cap 11 further includes a through hole 112 extending along the first direction. As shown in fig. 3, the through hole 112 is disposed on a side surface (upper surface in fig. 3) of the first key cap 11 away from the second key cap 21. The slider 3 includes a boss 32. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1 to 3, the protrusion 32 protrudes from the upper surface of the slider 3, and further, when the slider 3 is located inside the first key cap 11, the protrusion 32 can protrude out of the first key cap 11 through the through hole 112 and can slide in the first direction inside the through hole 112 for user control.
More specifically, the through-hole 112 includes a first end and a second end along the first direction. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1-3, the first end is the rightmost end of the through-hole 112 and the second end is the leftmost end of the through-hole. Referring to fig. 1 to 8, when the protrusion 32 slides to the first end of the through hole 112 (as shown in fig. 2), the slider 3 slides to the rightmost end of the sliding slot 111 (as shown in fig. 8) along the first direction, and then the four magnets as the first magnetic component repel each other with the magnetism of each magnet as the second magnetic component corresponding to each other up and down, so that the first key assembly 1 is located at the position farthest from the second key assembly 2 under the action of the repulsive force generated by the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component, so that the magnet device is in the pop-up state. When the protrusion 32 slides to the second end of the through hole 112 (as shown in fig. 1), the slider 3 slides to the leftmost end of the sliding slot 111 (as shown in fig. 7) along the first direction, and then the four magnets as the first magnetic components attract the magnetism of the respective magnets as the second magnetic components, respectively, so that the first key assembly 1 is located at the position closest to the second key assembly 2 under the action of the attraction force generated by the first magnetic components and the second magnetic components, so that the magnet device is in the retracted state.
Further, as shown in fig. 1 to 4, two ends of the first key cap 11 along the first direction each include a limiting groove 113 recessed toward the center. The second key assembly 2 further comprises two hooks 23 adapted to the limiting grooves 113. Two hooks 23 are respectively arranged at two ends of the second keycap 21. As shown in fig. 3, two hooks 23 extend from two ends of the second key cap 21 to the limit groove 113 of the first key cap 11. As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the protrusion 231 of the hook 23 can limit the maximum displacement between the first key assembly and the second key assembly when the key device is in the retracted state and the ejected state. In the embodiment shown in fig. 3, the hooks 23 may be fixed to both ends of the second key cap 21 by screws.
Further, please refer to fig. 9, which shows a schematic diagram of the corresponding relationship between the magnets of the first magnet member and the magnets of the second magnet member in the eject state of the key device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the preferred embodiment shown in fig. 9, when the protrusion 32 slides to the first end of the through-hole 112, the center line of each magnet of the first magnetic member deviates from the center line of each magnet of the second magnetic member respectively opposed thereto in a direction from the second end to the first end of the through-hole 112. As shown in fig. 9, the center line of each magnet of the first magnetic member is offset rightward from the center line of each magnet of the second magnetic member facing each other. Taking the magnet 123 and the magnet 223 opposite to the magnet 123 as an example, the center line of the magnet 123 is right-angled with respect to the center line of the magnet 223, and furthermore, the repulsive force formed between the magnet 123 and the magnet 223 has a component force toward the right, and the rightward component force can prevent the sliding block 3 from sliding leftward by itself and the key device from automatically returning to the retracted state, so that the key device can have a stable self-locking function in the pop-up state.
In the embodiments shown in fig. 1 to 9, the driving member drives the first magnetic member to slide in the first direction in the first keycap, but the invention is not limited thereto. It can be understood that the driving component can also slide the second magnetic component along the first direction to a position where the magnetism of the first magnetic component and the magnetism of the second magnetic component repel each other in a manner of driving the second magnetic component to slide along the first direction in the second keycap according to the requirement of the specific application environment, so as to achieve the same effect, and the driving component is not limited to the structure of the slider 3 shown in fig. 1 to 9. In addition, in other embodiments of the present invention, similar effects can be achieved by driving the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component simultaneously, which is not described herein again.
Furthermore, the invention also provides an intelligent terminal. The intelligent terminal may be implemented in various forms. For example, the terminal described in the present invention may include an intelligent terminal such as a mobile phone, a smart phone, a notebook computer, a PDA (personal digital assistant), a PAD (tablet computer), a PMP (portable multimedia player), a navigation device, etc., and a fixed terminal such as a digital TV, a desktop computer, etc. In the following, it is assumed that the terminal is a smart terminal. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the configuration according to the embodiment of the present invention can be applied to a fixed type terminal in addition to elements particularly used for moving purposes.
Please refer to fig. 10 and 11, which respectively illustrate schematic structural diagrams of a key device in a retracted state and a pop-up state after being mounted to an intelligent terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 10 and 11, the smart terminal 9 includes a housing 91, a switch circuit device 92, and the key device shown in fig. 1 to 9 described above. As shown in fig. 10 and 11, the switching circuit device 92 is provided in the housing 91. The housing 91 further has an opening, and the key device is disposed at the opening and electrically connected to the switch circuit device 92. In the embodiment shown in fig. 10 and 11, the switch circuit device 92 may be a key switch FPC (flexible circuit board) assembly, and the second key assembly 2 of the key device is electrically connected to the switch circuit device 92. Further, in the preferred embodiment shown in fig. 10, when the key device is in the retracted state, the first key assembly 1 and the casing 91 may be flush; as shown in fig. 11, when the key device is in the pop-up state, the first key assembly 1 protrudes out of the casing 91, and the user presses the first key assembly 1 to implement corresponding control operation. Understandably, when the key device is in the popping state, because the first key assembly 1 and the second key assembly 2 have a gap between each other under the repulsive force action of the first magnetic part and the second magnetic part, when the whole intelligent terminal falls accidentally, the gap can be compressed, and further, the impact force conducted to the key device can be greatly reduced under the buffering of the repulsive force, thereby protecting the key device from being damaged under the conditions of falling and the like to a certain extent.
Further, please refer to fig. 12, which shows a schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of an intelligent terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in fig. 12, a case flange 93 is further provided at the opening of the case 91. The casing flange 93 is located between the first key cap 11 of the first key assembly 1 and the hook 23 of the second key assembly 2 clamped between the first key cap 11 of the first key assembly 1 and the second key assembly 2, and is beneficial to the first key assembly 1 and the second key assembly 2 to clamp the casing 91. Furthermore, when the key device is in the retraction state, the problems of looseness, outward falling and the like of the key device can be avoided, and the key device can not be pressed when being in the retraction state.
In summary, in the key device provided in the embodiments of the present invention, since the first key assembly of the key device includes the first magnetic component and the second key assembly includes the second magnetic component, the first key assembly can move in a direction away from the second key assembly under the magnetic force of the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component, so as to achieve the extension and retraction of the key device. The key device avoids the use of a motor, realizes low cost of the key and simplifies the system. In addition, damage to the key assembly caused by impact of falling of the device can be reliably prevented under the action of magnetic force between the first key assembly and the second key assembly, and the key assembly has high reliability.
Although the invention has been described with respect to alternative embodiments, it is not intended to be limited thereto. Various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention is subject to the scope defined by the claims.