CN113471005B

CN113471005B - Key support connecting structure and key structure

Info

Publication number: CN113471005B
Application number: CN202110341438.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 侯柏均; 林钦宏
Original assignee: Chongqing Dafang Electronics Co ltd; Darfon Electronics Corp
Current assignee: Chongqing Dafang Electronics Co ltd; Darfon Electronics Corp
Priority date: 2020-03-31
Filing date: 2021-03-30
Publication date: 2023-06-13
Anticipated expiration: 2041-03-30
Also published as: CN113471005A; CN116913716A; TW202139228A; TW202139225A; CN113471003A; CN113471004B; TW202139227A; TWI781045B; TWI777446B; TWI777445B; TW202217884A; CN113471003B; TWI759945B; CN113471004A

Abstract

The invention discloses a key support connecting structure and a key structure. The joint portion and the structural plate are fixedly engaged with each other via a joint structure of the structural plate. The bonding structure may include at least one of a protrusion, a perforation, a side hole, a bonding hole, a cantilever plate, and a bridge. The combining part comprises at least one hook arm for forming a bracket connecting part. The key structure comprises a base, a key cap and two key supports connected between the base and the key cap. The keycap is arranged on the base and can move vertically relative to the base through the two key brackets. The key structure comprises the key support connecting structure, and the structure is integrated to the base or the key cap. One of the key supports is connected with the support connecting part. The key support connecting structure and the key structure increase the elasticity of structural design by utilizing the combined structure so as to obtain the required structural rigidity and stability.

Description

Key support connecting structure and key structure

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a key structure, and more particularly, to a key structure and a bracket connection structure thereof.

Background

Key structures used in notebook computers often use a scissor support to provide a keycap support and lifting mechanism. The key cap and the bottom plate are respectively provided with a structure connected with the bracket. The key cap is generally a single structure, such as plastic injection molding, and has a considerable thickness in the vertical direction in order to maintain sufficient rigidity to withstand the user's pressure and maintain the stability of the connection with the bracket via the connection portion. When the key size is reduced, the rigidity of the key cap as a whole is difficult to maintain. The structural characteristics of the key cap are not beneficial to the thin design of the key structure. In the design of a base plate structure, in order to save space, a structure base plate is generally directly used to form a structure connected with a bracket, so that the bracket can be rotatably connected to the base plate. The bottom plate is generally formed by stamping a metal plate, but the structural dimensional accuracy of bending by the method is not easy to control, and the strength of the formed connecting structure and the contact area of the formed connecting structure and the support are limited by the thickness of the metal plate, so that the stability of key actuation is affected. If a connection structure is formed on the base plate in the manner of injection molding, which is connected to the support, the connection strength of the connection structure and the base plate is achieved in principle by structural mutual engagement. When the key size is reduced, the size of the connection structure is also reduced, so that the connection strength between the connection structure and the bottom plate is not easy to maintain. And when the keycap and the bracket are required to be replaced, the connecting structure is pulled by the bracket and the bottom plate, and is easy to deform and even damaged so as not to be used any more.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of the foregoing problems in the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide a key-holder connection structure, which can be structurally integrated into a key cap or a base of a key structure for key-holder connection. The key support connecting structure utilizes the combined structure to increase the elasticity of structural design so as to obtain required structural rigidity and stability.

Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a key support connecting structure, which comprises:

the structural plate comprises a convex part, a perforation and at least one side hole, wherein the convex part protrudes out of one side of the structural plate and forms a groove on the other side of the structural plate, the perforation penetrates through the top surface of the convex part, and the at least one side hole penetrates through the side wall of the convex part; and

the combining part is filled with the groove, the through hole and the at least one side hole, the combining part comprises a first hook arm and is formed on the convex part, the first hook arm is used for forming a bracket connecting part, and the vertical projection of the first hook arm falls in the range of the top surface of the convex part.

Alternatively, the at least one side hole includes two side holes penetrating through sidewalls of opposite sides of the protrusion, and the through hole is located between the two side holes.

The invention also provides a key support connecting structure, which comprises:

the structure plate comprises a convex part, a combining hole and a cantilever plate, wherein the convex part protrudes out of one side of the structure plate and forms a groove on the other side of the structure plate, and the combining hole is positioned between the convex part and the cantilever plate; and

the combining part is filled in the combining hole and the groove, the combining part comprises a first hook arm and a second hook arm, the first hook arm is formed on the convex part, the second hook arm covers the cantilever plate, and the first hook arm and the second hook arm are used for forming a bracket connecting part.

Alternatively, the structural plate includes a perforation that extends through the top surface of the boss.

Alternatively, the structural panel includes an edge hole that extends through a sidewall of the boss.

Alternatively, the cantilever plate is bent and extended from the edge of the combining hole and has a clamping structure.

As an alternative solution, the protrusion, the coupling hole and the cantilever plate are arranged along a first direction, and a width of the coupling hole along a second direction is greater than a width of the protrusion along the second direction and greater than a width of the cantilever plate along the second direction, where the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

the structural plate comprises a convex part, a perforation, a convex bridge part and a cantilever plate, wherein the convex part protrudes out of one side of the structural plate and forms a groove on the other side of the structural plate; and

the connecting part is filled with the through hole and the groove, and comprises a first hook arm and a second hook arm, wherein the first hook arm covers the convex bridge part, the second hook arm covers the cantilever plate, and the first hook arm and the second hook arm are used for forming a bracket connecting part.

Alternatively, the bridge portion spans across and connects to two sides of the combining hole, and the connecting interface between the bridge portion and the combining hole is arc-shaped.

Alternatively, the structural panel includes a panel body and a side wall panel extending perpendicularly from a long side intermediate section of the panel body.

As an alternative solution, the joint forms a balancing stand connection, which is located between the stand connection and the side of the structural panel.

The invention also provides a key structure, which comprises:

A base;

the keycap is arranged on the base;

the key support connecting structure is integrated to the base or the key cap;

the first key support is connected between the key cap and the base and is connected with the support connecting part; and

the second key support is connected between the key cap and the base, and the key cap can vertically move relative to the base through the first key support and the second key support.

Compared with the prior art, in the key support connecting structure and the key structure, the key support connecting structure is a combined structure, and the structural plates and the combined parts which are made of different materials can be used, so that sufficient rigidity can be easily obtained, and the structural design elasticity of the key support connecting structure and the key structure can be improved. In addition, the convex part, the perforation, the side hole, the combining hole, the cantilever plate and the convex bridge part on the structural plate can improve the combining strength between the combining part and the structural plate, and the bracket connecting part can obtain good structural strength. Therefore, the key support connecting structure and the key structure can solve or improve the design problem of the structure connected with the support in the prior art, so that the key support connecting structure and the key structure are more suitable for thin design.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawings and specific examples, which are not intended to limit the invention thereto.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a key structure according to a first embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a partial exploded view of the key structure of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial exploded view of a key cap of the key structure of fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a schematic view of a portion of the key cap at circle a in fig. 2, wherein the balance frame is not shown.

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the structural panel and the joint portion of the key cap of fig. 4.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the structural panel of FIG. 5 from another perspective.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the key cap of fig. 4 taken along line X-X.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the key cap of fig. 4 along line Y-Y.

Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a variation of the cantilever plate of fig. 5.

Fig. 10 is a schematic view of another variation of the cantilever plate of fig. 5.

Fig. 11 is a schematic illustration of another variation of the cantilever plate of fig. 5.

Fig. 12 is a schematic view of another variation of the cantilever plate of fig. 5.

Fig. 13 is a schematic view of a portion of the key cap at circle B in fig. 2, wherein the balance frame is not shown.

Fig. 14 is an exploded view of the structural panel and the joint of the key cap of fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the key cap of fig. 13 taken along line Z-Z.

Fig. 16 is an exploded view of a structural panel and a joint according to a second embodiment.

Fig. 17 is an exploded view of the structural plate and the pressing portion of the key cap of fig. 2 at circle C.

Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the key cap of fig. 2 taken along line Z-Z.

Fig. 19 is an exploded view of the structural panel and the bonding portion of the key cap of fig. 2 at circle D.

Fig. 20 is a partial exploded view of a key structure according to a third embodiment.

Fig. 21 is an exploded view of the structural panel and the joint of the key cap of fig. 20.

Fig. 22 is a partial exploded view of a key structure according to a fourth embodiment.

Fig. 23 is an exploded view of the structural panel and the joint of the base of fig. 22.

Detailed Description

For a further understanding of the objects, construction, features, and functions of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a key structure according to a first embodiment; fig. 2 is a partial exploded view of the key structure of fig. 1. The key structure 1 according to the first embodiment includes a base 12, a key cap 14, a first lifting mechanism 16, a second lifting mechanism 18, a switch 20, and an elastic reset member 22. The key cap 14 is disposed on the base 12 and has four sides to form an elongated rectangle with two long sides 140a and two short sides 140 b. The first lifting mechanism 16 and the second lifting mechanism 18 are connected between the key cap 14 and the base 12, such that the key cap 14 can move vertically (or up and down) relative to the base 12 via the first lifting mechanism 16 and the second lifting mechanism 18. A switch 20 (shown in phantom as a circle; such as, but not limited to, a thin film circuit board with a switching circuit formed thereon) is disposed beneath the key cap 14. The elastic restoring member 22 (for example, but not limited to, being formed by rubber dome) is disposed between the base 12 and the key cap 14 corresponding to the switch 20, and is located between the key cap 14 and the switch 20. The key cap 14 can be pressed to press the resilient return 22 downwardly to trigger the switch 20.

In the first embodiment, the first lifting mechanism 16 includes a first key support 162 and a second key support 164, which are both connected between the key cap 14 and the base 12, and the first lifting mechanism 16 is pivoted to each other along a rotation axis 16a (shown in fig. 2 by chain lines). The first elevating mechanism 16 itself is laterally symmetrical (from the perspective of fig. 2), and for simplicity of explanation, the structure of the first elevating mechanism 16 will be described below as an example. In the first lifting mechanism 16, the first key support 162 has a first key cap connecting portion 1622 and a first key base connecting portion 1624, and the second key support 164 has a second key cap connecting portion 1642 and a second key base connecting portion 1644; correspondingly, the base 12 has two

bracket connection portions

12a, 12b, and the key cap 14 has two

bracket connection portions

14a, 14b. The first key holder 162 is connected to the holder connection portion 14a of the key cap 14 and the holder connection portion 12a of the base 12 via the first key cap connection portion 1622 and the first key base connection portion 1624, respectively, and the second key holder 164 is connected to the holder connection portion 14b of the key cap 14 and the holder connection portion 12b of the base 12 via the second key cap connection portion 1642 and the second key base connection portion 1644, respectively. In addition, in the first embodiment, the second lifting mechanism 18 has the same structure as the first lifting mechanism 16, so for the related description of the second lifting mechanism 18 (including the related description of the structure corresponding to the base 12 and the key cap 14), please refer to the related description of the first lifting mechanism 16, and the description is omitted. In addition, in the first embodiment, the key cap 14 further includes a plurality of balance frame connecting portions 14c, and the two balance brackets 15 are connected to the key cap 14 through the plurality of balance frame connecting portions 14c and to the base 12 through the plurality of balance frame connecting portions 12c of the base 12. The portion of the balance bracket 15 clamped by the plurality of balance frame connecting portions 14c extends along the length direction of the key cap 14, and this structural configuration can improve the stability of the actuation of the key cap 14 and is also beneficial to the rigidity of the overall structure of the key cap 14.

Referring to fig. 3, fig. 3 is a partial exploded view of the key cap of the key structure of fig. 2. The key cap 14 includes a structural plate 142, two

coupling portions

144a, 144b (defining the coupling portion 144a as a first coupling portion 144a, and the coupling portion 144b as a second coupling portion 144 b), and a key cap 146. The

coupling portions

144a, 144b are coupled with the structural plate 142, respectively, such that the structural plate 142 and the

coupling portions

144a, 144b together form the

bracket connection portions

14a, 14b or the

coupling portions

144a, 144b independently form the

bracket connection portions

14a, 14b, respectively. The key cap 146 is secured to the structural plate 142. The key cap 146 and the

bracket connection portions

14a, 14b are located on both upper and lower sides of the structural plate 142. The user presses the key cap 14 by touching the key cap 146. In practical applications, the structural plate 142 and the key cap 146 can be made of different materials, which can increase the overall structural design flexibility of the key cap 14 and facilitate the design of both rigidity and thinness of the overall structure of the key cap 14. For example, and without limitation, the structural panel 142 is a metal stamping and the key cap 146 is a plastic injection molding; the latter facilitates the design of the appearance, feel, etc. of the key cap 14. In practical applications, the

bonding portions

144a, 144b may comprise plastic, resin or other polymer materials, but the molding method is not limited to injection molding, and may be combined with the structural plate 142 by embedding injection. In addition, in terms of structural logic, the combination of the structural plate 142 and the first combination portion 144a corresponds to one key support connecting structure (the structure is integrated with the key cap 14 for connecting the first key support 162 to the key cap 14), and the combination of the structural plate 142 and the second combination portion 144b corresponds to the other key support connecting structure (the structure is integrated with the key cap 14 for connecting the second key support 164 to the key cap 14).

Referring to fig. 4 to 8, fig. 4 is a schematic view of a portion of the key cap at a circle a in fig. 2, wherein the balance frame is not shown; FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the structural panel and the joint of the key cap of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the structural panel of FIG. 5 from another perspective; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the key cap of FIG. 4 taken along line X-X; fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the key cap of fig. 4 along line Y-Y. In the first embodiment, the structural plate 142 has a bonding structure 1422. The first coupling portion 144a is fixedly engaged with the coupling structure 1422 to be coupled to the structural panel 142. The coupling structure 1422 includes a tab 1422a, a via 1422b, a via 1422c, a side via 1422d, a coupling hole 1422e, and a cantilever plate 1422f. The protrusion 1422a is formed on one side of the structural plate 142 (e.g., the upward side in fig. 4, 5, 7 and 8) and the recess 1422g is formed on the other side of the structural plate 142 (e.g., the downward side in fig. 4, 5, 7 and 8); that is, in fig. 4, 5, 7 and 8, the projection 1422a projects above the structural plate 142, and the recess 1422g opens below the structural plate 142. The through

holes

1422b, 1422c, and the side holes 1422d each extend through the boss 1422a; the through

holes

1422b and 1422c penetrate through the top surface of the protrusion 1422a (i.e., where the lead labeled "1422a" in fig. 5 refers to) (i.e., the through

holes

1422b and 1422c are formed on the top surface of the protrusion 1422), and the side holes 1422d penetrate through the side walls 1422a ' of the protrusion 1422a ', a portion of the top surface of the protrusion 1422a, and a portion of the structural board 142 (i.e., the side holes 1422d are partially formed on the top surface of the protrusion 1422a, and partially formed on the side walls 1422a ', and partially formed on the body of the structural board 142). The coupling hole 1422e is disposed adjacent to the protrusion 1422a and communicates with the recess 1422g, and the cantilever plate 1422f is bent and extended from the edge of the coupling hole 1422e (i.e., bent and extended upward in fig. 4, 5 and 8), and the coupling hole 1422e is located between the protrusion 1422a and the cantilever plate 1422f. The first coupling portion 144a fills the through hole 1422b, the through hole 1422c, the side hole 1422d, the coupling hole 1422e, and the groove 1422g, and covers the protrusion 1422a and the cantilever plate 1422f. As for the view points of fig. 4, 5, 7 and 8, the first coupling portions 144a are formed at both upper and lower sides of the protrusion 1422a (or are formed at both upper and lower sides of the structural plate 142 structurally and logically). The through

holes

1422b, 1422c, the side holes 1422d and the connecting holes 1422e are all helpful for forming the first connecting portion 144a (for example, increasing the mold filling efficiency of plastic during injection, avoiding the condition of mold unsatisfying), and also helping the first connecting portion 144a to cover the protruding portion 1422a (further increasing the bonding strength therebetween). The cross-sectional area of the first connecting portion 144a passing through the boss 1422a can be increased by the through hole 1422b, the through hole 1422c, and the side hole 1422d, the upper tab 1442 (the portion located above the boss 1422 a) and the lower tab 1444 (the portion located below the boss 1422a, or the portion located in the groove 1422 g) of the first connecting portion 144a can increase the area of interconnection through the through hole 1422b, the through hole 1422c, the side hole 1422d, and the connecting hole 1422e (wherein the side hole 1422d penetrating through the sidewall 1422a' can in principle provide a larger structural connection section for the upper tab 1442 and the lower tab 1444 than the through hole 1422c penetrating through the top surface of the boss 1422 a), so as to enhance the clamping effect of the upper tab 1442 and the lower tab 1444 on the boss 1422a, thereby facilitating the bonding strength between the first connecting portion 144a and the structural plate 142 (or the boss 1422 a), and also enhancing the structural stability and tensile strength of the bracket connecting portion 14 a.

In the first embodiment, the first connecting portion 144a forms the bracket connecting portion 14a and one of the balance frame connecting portions 14c independently. The first engaging portion 144a includes a first hook arm 14d corresponding to the bracket connecting portion 14a. The first hook arm 14d is formed on the protrusion 1422a to form the bracket connection portion 14a. The first hook arm 14d is L-shaped to form a sliding slot 14e, and the first key bracket 162 is slidably disposed in the sliding slot 14e through a first key cap connecting portion 1622 (a portion thereof is shown in phantom in fig. 4) to slidably connect with the bracket connecting portion 14a. The perforations 1422b align with the stent connections 14a; that is, the through hole 1422b overlaps the projection of the bracket connection portion 14a in the vertical direction. Viewed from another aspect, the vertical projection of the first hook arm 14d falls within the top surface of the tab 1422a (the outline of the first hook arm 14d when it is on the tab 1422a is shown in phantom in fig. 5). This configuration helps to improve the structural bond strength between the first bonding portion 144a (particularly the bracket connecting portion 14 a) and the protrusion 1422a, thereby improving the structural stability and tensile strength of the bracket connecting portion 14a (e.g. the ability to pull the first hook arm 14d upward against the first key bracket 162 in the view of fig. 4 and 5). The projection of the first hook arm 14d and the projection of the through hole 1422b in the vertical direction overlap, and the through hole 1422c and the side hole 1422d are located on the front and rear sides of the bracket connection portion 14a, so that the tensile strength of the bracket connection portion 14a (or the first hook arm 14 d) can be effectively improved. In addition, in the first embodiment, the first connecting portion 144a forms the bracket connecting portion 14a independently, but in practical application, the bracket connecting portion 14a may be formed by the first connecting portion 144a and the protrusion 1422a together, for example, the top surface of the protrusion 1422a is used as the bottom of the chute 14 e.

In addition, the first coupling portion 144a further includes a first clamping arm 14f and a second clamping arm 14g corresponding to the gimbal connection portion 14c. The first clamping arm 14f is formed on the protrusion 1422a, the second clamping arm 14g is wrapped around the cantilever plate 1422f, and the first clamping arm 14f and the second clamping arm 14g are used to form a gimbal connection portion 14c. The opposite concave wall surfaces of the first clamping arm 14f and the second clamping arm 14g jointly define an axial slot 14h for the balance bracket 15 to penetrate. The projections of the first clamping arm 14f and the second clamping arm 14g (of the gimbal connection 14 c) in the vertical direction overlap the through hole 1422c and the cantilever plate 1422g (the outline of the first clamping arm 14f and the second clamping arm 14g on the protrusion 1422a and the cantilever plate 1422f is shown in dashed lines in fig. 5), respectively, can effectively raise the tensile strength of the gimbal connection 14c (or the first clamping arm 14f and the second clamping arm 14 g) (for example, the ability to pull the first clamping arm 14f and the second clamping arm 14g upward against the gimbal in the view of fig. 4 and 5). This configuration helps to improve the bonding strength between the gimbal connection 14c and the bonding structure 1422, thereby improving the structural stability and tensile strength of the gimbal connection 14c. In addition, in the views of fig. 4 and 5, the bottom of the holding space (i.e. the shaft slot 14 h) of the balance frame 15 by the balance frame connecting portion 14c is slightly higher than the structural plate 142, and the structural plate 142 leaves space through the coupling hole 1422e to increase the structural strength of the balance frame connecting portion 14c. The coupling hole 1422e communicates with the groove 1422g, contributing to the coupling strength between the gimbal connection 14c and the boss 1422 a. As shown in fig. 4, the protrusion 1422a, the coupling hole 1422e, and the cantilever plate 1422f are arranged along the first direction D1 (shown by a double-headed arrow), and the width 1422e '(or the aperture) of the coupling hole 1422e along the second direction D2 (shown by a double-headed arrow, which is perpendicular to the first direction D1) is greater than the width 1422a″ of the protrusion 1422a (the portion adjacent to the coupling hole 1422 e) along the second direction D2 and greater than the width 1422f' of the cantilever plate 1422f along the second direction D2. The portion of the coupling hole 1422e adjacent to the boss 1422a has a large size, which is advantageous in applying millimeter-scale precision machining and precision plastic machining. When the structural plate 142 is machined, the larger coupling hole 1422e facilitates cutting the cantilever plate 1422f and the through hole 1422c at a specific shape position, and the larger coupling hole 1422e facilitates forming the protrusion 1422a of a specific size/shape at a position corresponding to the cantilever plate 1422 f. During injection molding, plastic is convenient to completely fill the space of the groove 1422g below the convex portion 1422a, so that the condition of unsaturated mold can be avoided. In practical applications, although the larger the cantilever plate 1422f is, the larger the tensile force is, the more it is not easy to make the plastic fully cover the balance frame connecting portion 14c of the cantilever plate 1422f, and the more bulky the structure of the balance frame connecting portion 14c is, the more space is occupied.

Referring to fig. 9 to 12, fig. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a variation of the cantilever plate in fig. 5; FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of another variation of the cantilever plate of FIG. 5; FIG. 11 is another variation of the cantilever plate of FIG. 5; fig. 12 is a schematic view of another variation of the cantilever plate of fig. 5. In the first embodiment, the cantilever plate 1422f has the clamping structure 1422h, which can increase the bonding strength between the first bonding portion 144a (or the gimbal connection portion 14 c) and the cantilever plate 1422f (or increase the capability of resisting the separation of the first bonding portion 144a and the cantilever plate 1422 f). In the first embodiment, the retaining structure 1422h is a necked-down portion of the cantilever plate 1422f, and is located between the fixed end and the free end of the cantilever plate 1422 f. The necked-down portion can increase the contact area of the first coupling portion 144a with the cantilever plate 1422f and the degree of structural interference with the first coupling portion 144 a. The cantilever plate 1422f has a T-shaped structure as a whole, and the difference in width between the head and the body is used as a structural basis of the necked portion, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, cantilever plate 1422f may instead be formed from cantilever plate 1423a having a substantially constant width, as shown in FIG. 9; a recess is formed between the fixed and free ends of cantilever plate 1423a, which may also act as a necked-down portion 1423b (shown in phantom). For another example, cantilever plate 1422f may instead be formed from a graded width cantilever plate 1423c, as shown in FIG. 10; the width of the cantilever plate 1423a increases from the fixed end to the free end, and at this time, two sides of the cantilever plate 1423c can logically serve as a necked-down portion 1423d (shown in the figure with a dashed box). In addition, the retaining structure 1422h may be implemented by other structures in practical applications, for example, as shown in fig. 11, a through hole 1423f (or a blind hole, or a saw-tooth structure formed on two sides of the cantilever plate 1423 e) formed on the cantilever plate 1423 e. For another example, the holding structure 1422h may be implemented by a combination of the foregoing structures, such as the cantilever plate 1423g shown in fig. 12, where the holding structure (shown in the dashed frame) includes a necked portion on one side of the cantilever plate 1423g and a bevel edge (or a side with gradually changed width of the cantilever plate 1423 g) on the other side of the cantilever plate 1423g as the holding structure. The

cantilever plates

1423a, 1423c, 1423e, and 1423g according to the above-described respective modifications can increase the bonding strength with the first bonding portion 144a by the degree of structural interference with the first bonding portion 144 a.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the cantilever plate 1422f is a flat plate structure, i.e. the plate body 1420 is bent only once, i.e. extends upwards, from the structural plate 142. When the second clamping arm 14g pulls the cantilever plate 1422f upward, the cantilever plate 1422f will only bear axial stress (i.e. parallel to the extending direction) in principle, and no bending stress is generated, and the moment generated by the upward pulling force of the second clamping arm 14g on the cantilever plate 1422f on the fixed end of the cantilever plate 1422f (i.e. the bending position of the plate 1420) is also small, so that the bending stress borne by the fixed end of the cantilever plate 1422f is also small. This structural feature allows the cantilever plate 1422f to deform slightly when subjected to an upward pulling force, which helps to maintain the structural stability of the cantilever plate 1422f itself and the first joint portion 144a (or the gimbal connection portion 14 c).

In addition, as shown in fig. 4 and 5, in the first embodiment, the balance frame connecting portion 14c is close to the bracket connecting portion 14a, so that the two structures are integrated and formed by a single first combining portion 144 a. The structural plate 142 (or the plate body 1420 thereof) has a side 142a, and the balance frame connecting portion 14c is located between the bracket connecting portion 14a and the side 142 a. The coupling structure 1422 is adjacent to the side 142a, and the space available for the coupling structure 1422 to be disposed by the structural panel 142 is limited. Cantilever plate 1422f is positioned between tab 1422a and side 142a, which allows for both structural bonding and space utilization. In practical applications, the balance frame connecting portion 14c and the bracket connecting portion 14a may be formed separately and separately, if space permits. In addition, under the permission of the structural space, the structure of the connecting structure 1422 corresponding to the balance frame connecting portion 14c (including part of the protrusion 1422a, the through hole 1422c, the connecting hole 1422e, and the cantilever plate 1422 f) can also be applied to the structure of the connecting structure 1422 corresponding to the bracket connecting portion 14 a; and vice versa.

Referring to fig. 2, 3, and 13-15, fig. 13 is a schematic view of a portion of the key cap at a circle B in fig. 2, wherein the balance frame is not shown; FIG. 14 is an exploded view of the structural panel and the joint of the key cap of FIG. 13;

fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the key cap of fig. 13 taken along line Z-Z. In the first embodiment, the structural board 142 has another coupling structure 1424 corresponding to the bracket connection portion 14b. The coupling structure 1424 includes a protrusion 1424a, a through hole 1424b, a side hole 1424c, and a side hole 1424d. Tab 1424a on one side of structural panel 142 (e.g., the upward side in fig. 13-15) and recess 1424e on the other side of structural panel 142 (e.g., the downward side in fig. 13-15); that is, in fig. 13 to 15, the projection 1424a projects upward of the structural plate 142, and the recess 1424e opens downward of the structural plate 142. The through holes 1424b and the

side holes

1424c and 1424d penetrate the convex portions 1424a; the through hole 1424b penetrates the top surface of the protrusion 1424a (i.e., where the lead labeled "1424a" in fig. 14 refers to) (i.e., the through hole 1424b is formed on the top surface of the protrusion 1422), the side hole 1424c and the side hole 1424d penetrate the side wall 1424a 'on two opposite sides of the protrusion 1424a, a portion of the top surface of the protrusion 1424a, and a portion of the structural board 142 (i.e., the side hole 1424c and the side hole 1424d are formed partially on the top surface of the protrusion 1424a and partially on the side wall 1424a' and partially on the body of the structural board 142), and the through hole 1424b is located between the side hole 1424c and the side hole 1424d. The second joint 144b fills the through hole 1424b, the side hole 1424c, the side hole 1424d, and the groove 1424e, and covers the protrusion 1424a. In view of fig. 13 to 15, the second coupling portions 144b are simultaneously formed on both upper and lower sides of the protrusion 1424a (or are structurally and logically formed on both upper and lower sides of the structural plate 142). The through hole 1424b, the side hole 1424c, and the side hole 1424d are both beneficial to molding the second connecting portion 144b (e.g., to increase the mold filling efficiency of the plastic during injection, avoid mold unsatisfying), and also helps the second connecting portion 144b to cover the protrusion 1424a (further to increase the bonding strength therebetween). The cross-sectional area of the second connecting portion 144b passing through the protrusion 1424a can be increased by the through hole 1424b, the side hole 1424c, and the side hole 1424d, and the upper tab 1446 (the portion located above the protrusion 1424 a) and the lower tab 1448 (the portion located below the protrusion 1424a, or the portion located in the groove 1424 e) of the second connecting portion 144b can increase the area of interconnection through the through hole 1424b, the side hole 1424c, and the side hole 1424d, thereby improving the clamping effect of the upper tab 1446 and the lower tab 1448 on the protrusion 1424a, contributing to the bonding strength between the second connecting portion 144b and the structural plate 142 (or the protrusion 1424 a), and improving the structural stability and tensile strength of the bracket connecting portion 14b.

In the first embodiment, the second coupling portion 144b independently forms the bracket connecting portion 14b. The second coupling portion 144b includes a first hook arm 14i and a second hook arm 14j, and the first hook arm 14i and the second hook arm 14j are formed on the top surface of the protrusion 1424a opposite to each other to form the bracket connection portion 14b. The two opposite concave walls of the first hook arm 14i and the second hook arm 14j together define a shaft slot 14k, and the second key support 164 is rotatably disposed in the shaft slot 14k through a second key cap connecting portion 1642 (a part of which is shown in a dotted line in fig. 13) so as to be rotatably connected with the support connecting portion 14b. The perforations 1424b align with the stent connections 14b; that is, the through hole 1424b overlaps with the projection of the bracket connection portion 14b in the vertical direction. On the other hand, the vertical projections of the first hook arm 14i and the second hook arm 14j fall within the range of the top surface of the projection 1424a (the outline of the first hook arm 14i and the second hook arm 14j on the projection 1424a is shown by a broken line in fig. 14). This configuration helps to improve the bonding strength between the second bonding portion 144b (particularly the bracket connecting portion 14 b) and the protrusion 1424a, thereby improving the structural stability and tensile strength of the bracket connecting portion 14b (e.g. the ability of resisting the second key bracket 164 to pull the first hook arm 14i and the second hook arm 14j upward in the view of fig. 13 and 14). The first hook arm 14i and the second hook arm 14j overlap with the projections of the side hole 1424c and the side hole 1424d in the vertical direction, so that the tensile strength of the bracket connection portion 14b (or the first hook arm 14i and the second hook arm 14 j) can be effectively improved. In addition, in the first embodiment, the second connecting portion 144b forms the shaft groove 14k of the bracket connecting portion 14b independently, but in practical application, the bracket connecting portion 14b may be formed by the second connecting portion 144b and the protrusion 1424a together, for example, the top surface of the protrusion 1424a is used as the bottom of the shaft groove 14 k.

In the first embodiment, the local structures of the coupling structure 1422 for coupling the corresponding bracket connecting portion 14a (including the first hook arm 14 d) and the balancing bracket connecting portion 14c and the local structures of the coupling structure 1424 for coupling the corresponding bracket connecting portion 14b are different, but the invention is not limited thereto. In addition, the coupling structure between the structural plate 142 and the

bracket connection portions

14a, 14b and the balance frame connection portion 14c is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, as shown in fig. 16, in the second embodiment, the coupling structure 1424' corresponding to the bracket connection portion 14b includes a through hole 1424f, a cantilever plate 1424g, and a protruding bridge portion 1424h in addition to the protruding portion 1424 a. The through hole 1424f, the bridge portion 1424h, and the cantilever plate 1424g are all located on the top surface of the protrusion 1424 a. Cantilever plate 1424g is bent and extended from the edge of through hole 1424f, and bridge portion 1424h spans and connects to both sides of through hole 1424f with respect to cantilever plate 1424g (i.e., the projection of through hole 1424f in the vertical direction is divided into two parts, or so-called bridge portion 1424h divides through hole 1424f into side hole portions 1424i, which are located on both sides of bridge portion 1424h with cantilever plate 1424g, on the other hand, through hole 1424f may also be regarded as being located between bridge portion 1424h and cantilever plate 1424g in terms of structural logic). The second connecting portion 144b fills the through hole 1424f and the groove 1424e and covers the cantilever plate 1424g and the bridge portion 1424h (wherein the first hook arm 14i and the second hook arm 14j cover the cantilever plate 1424g and the bridge portion 1424h, respectively, to form the bracket connecting portion 14b. This structure configuration is beneficial to enhancing the bonding strength between the first hook arm 14i and the second hook arm 14j and the connecting structure 1424', thereby enhancing the structural stability of the bracket connecting portion 14b.

Referring to fig. 16, fig. 16 is an exploded view of a structural panel and a joint according to a second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the cantilever plate 1424g has a similar structure to the cantilever plate 1422f of the coupling structure 1422 in the first embodiment, and also has a retaining structure 1424j, which can increase the coupling strength between the corresponding first hook arm 14i and the cantilever plate 1424 g. For other descriptions of the retaining structure 1424j, please refer to the cantilever plate 1422f and the related descriptions of the variations thereof, and the descriptions are omitted. In addition, in the second embodiment, the connection interface (shown in dashed line in fig. 16) between the bridge portion 1424h and the coupling hole 1424f is curved, which increases the moment of inertia of the bridge portion 1424h and increases the resistance of the bridge portion 1424h to being pulled by the bracket connection portion 14 b. In addition, in the second embodiment, the coupling structure 1424' is not limited to the cantilever plate 1424g and the bridge portion 1424h which are simultaneously disposed. For example, in the bonding structure 1424', the cantilever plate 1424g is changed to a convex bridge portion, or the convex bridge portion 1424h is changed to a cantilever plate. For another example, in the bonding structure 1424', the cantilever plate 1424g and the bridge portion 1424h remain, and may be replaced as in the structure of the through hole 1424b and the side hole 1424d in the bonding structure 1424.

In addition, based on the above description of the partial structures of the coupling structures 1422, 1424' for coupling the corresponding bracket connection portion 14a (including the first hook arm 14 d), the bracket connection portion 14b (including the first hook arm 14i and the second hook arm 14 j), and the balance frame connection portion 14c (including the first clamping arm 14f and the second clamping arm 14 g), in practical applications, structural features such as protrusions, cantilever plates, coupling holes, perforations, or combinations thereof may be applied to achieve the coupling between the

bracket connection portions

14a, 14b and the balance frame connection portion 14c and the structural plate 142, which is not repeated herein. For example, in the first embodiment, as shown in fig. 5, the bonding structure 1422 may have a cantilever plate disposed at the edge of the through hole 1422b, and the bracket connection portion 14a wraps the cantilever plate, so that the structural configuration may improve the structural stability of the bracket connection portion 14 a.

Referring to fig. 2, 3, 17 and 18, fig. 17 is an exploded view of the structural plate and the pressing portion of the key cap at circle C in fig. 2; fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the key cap of fig. 2 taken along line Z-Z. In the first embodiment, the key cap 14 includes a pressing portion 148 corresponding to the elastic restoring member 22 (a portion thereof is shown in dotted line in fig. 18). The structural plate 142 includes a second coupling hole 1426 and two second protrusions 1428, and the two second protrusions 1428 protrude from opposite sides of the second coupling hole 1426. The pressing portion 148 fills the second combining hole 1426 and covers the two second protrusions 1428, so as to be fixed on the structural board 142; in practical applications, the pressing portion 148 may be fixed to the structural plate 142 by other bonding structures, which is not described herein. The pressing portion 148 has a pre-compression region 1482 that faces the resilient return member 22 and is capable of providing a predetermined pressure to the resilient return member 22 (i.e., against the top 22a of the resilient return member 22 via the pre-compression region 1482). When pressed, the key cap 14 presses the elastic restoring member 22 through the pre-pressing region 1482. In the first embodiment, the pre-compression section 1482 is the bottom of the groove. The depth 1482a of the pre-compression section 1482 (i.e., the depth of the recess) may be determined according to product specifications (e.g., the requirement of the pressing feedback force) or product manufacturing requirements (e.g., the difference in mechanical properties of the elastic restoring member 22 between different batches), for example, to control the amount of elastic deformation of the elastic restoring member 22 to provide a desired pressing feel to the user. In practical applications, the pressing portion 148 may be fixed to the structural plate 142 by, but not limited to, injection molding, which is advantageous for adjusting the depth 1482a of the pre-compression region 1482 with low modification cost, without modifying the entire structure of the key cap 14. In addition, the projection of the top 22a of the elastic restoring member 22 in the vertical direction falls within the projection of the second combining hole 1426 in the vertical direction, so the second combining hole 1426 has a structure avoiding function, so that the pre-compression region 1482 is located in the second combining hole 1426, and the adjustment range of the depth 1482a of the pre-compression region 1482 can be increased. In addition, in practical applications, the pre-compression region 1482 may also be implemented with a rib structure 1482b (shown in dotted lines in fig. 2, 17, 18), and the rib structure 1482b may be, but is not limited to, radial. The rib structure 1482b now pushes with its top against the top 22a of the resilient return member 22. Likewise, modifying the height of protrusion of rib structure 1482b (or the thickness of rib structure 1482 b) may produce the effects (e.g., adjusting the pressing feel) produced by modified depth 1482a as described above, and is not described in detail.

In the first embodiment, as shown in fig. 2, the structural plate 142 includes a plate body 1420, two side wall plates 1430 extending in parallel to each other perpendicular to the plate body 1420, and a reinforcing rib structure 1432 protruding from the plate body 1420, which all help to increase the rigidity of the structural plate 142. Wherein the plate 1420 has an elongated rectangular shape, and the sidewall plate 1430 is located on a long side (e.g., side 142a, corresponding to long side 140a of the keycap 14) of the plate 1420. The provision of the side wall panels 1430 on the long sides of the panel body 1420 has in principle a greater effect on the rigidity of the lifting structure panel 142 than on the short sides of the panel body 1420. In addition, the first lifting mechanism 16 and the second lifting mechanism 18 are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the keycap 14 (i.e. in the direction parallel to the side 140 a), the two side wall plates 1430 extend corresponding to the longitudinal side 140a of the keycap 14 (also corresponding to the two long sides of the keycap 146 and the two long sides of the plate body 1420 of the structural plate 142), and the two side wall plates 1430 cover the middle sections of the keycap 146 and the structural plate 142 with weaker rigidity in the longitudinal direction, so that the rigidity of the keycap 146 and the structural plate 142 can be effectively enhanced, and the deformation generated when the force locally driven by the first lifting mechanism 16 and the second lifting mechanism 18 and the balance bracket 15 is restrained or eliminated, so that the force locally and evenly transmitted by the first lifting mechanism 16, the second lifting mechanism 18 and the balance bracket 15 can be transmitted through the cover 146 and the structural plate 142, and the whole keycap 146 and the structural plate 142 can be kept horizontal when moving up and down. In addition, in practical applications, if the structural plate 142 can provide sufficient rigidity, the cap 146 can be omitted; the appearance of the key cap can be achieved by other ways, such as forming a coating layer on the structural plate 142.

Referring to fig. 2 and 19, fig. 19 is an exploded view of the structural plate and the joint portion of the key cap at circle D in fig. 2. In the first embodiment, the key cap 14 further includes a reinforcing plate 141 attached to the structural plate 142, which also helps to increase the rigidity of the structural plate 142. In practical applications, the reinforcing plate 141 may be omitted if the rigidity of the structural plate 142 is satisfactory. In addition, as shown in fig. 2 and 19, the key cap 14 further includes a third coupling portion 144c, the structural plate 142 correspondingly includes a coupling structure 1434, and the third coupling portion 144c and the coupling structure 1434 are fixedly engaged with each other to form a balance frame connecting portion 14c. Similarly, in terms of structural logic, the combination of the structural plate 142 and the third combination portion 144c is also equivalent to a key-holder connecting structure (structurally integrated with the key cap 14 for connecting the balance bracket 15 to the key cap 14). In the first embodiment, the coupling structure 1434 includes a coupling hole 1434a, a protrusion 1434b, and a cantilever plate 1434c. The protrusion protrudes from one side of the structural plate (e.g., the upward side in fig. 19) and forms a recess 1434d on the other side of the structural plate 142 (e.g., the downward side in fig. 19). The coupling hole 1434a is disposed adjacent to the boss 1434b and communicates with the recess 1434d, and the coupling hole 1434a is located between the boss 1434b and the cantilever plate 1434c. The third coupling portion 144c fills the coupling hole 1434a and the recess 1434d, and includes a protrusion 1434b and a cantilever plate 1434c; the third connecting portion 144c includes a first clamping arm and a second clamping arm (similar to the first clamping arm 14f and the second clamping arm 14g in the first connecting portion 144b, which are not numbered in the drawing) for forming one balance frame connecting portion 14c, and is formed on the protruding portion 1434b and covers the cantilever plate 1434c, respectively. Further, the protruding portion 1434b, the coupling hole 1434a, and the cantilever plate 1434c are arranged along the first direction D1, and the coupling hole 1434a is located between the protruding portion 1434b and the cantilever plate 1434c. The width 1434a ' (or aperture) of the coupling hole 1434a in the second direction D2 is greater than the width 1434b ' of the protrusion 1434b in the second direction D2 and greater than the width 1434c ' of the cantilever plate 1434c in the second direction D2. The bonding structure 1434 is similar in structural logic to a portion of the bonding structure 1422 (i.e., the structure corresponding to the gimbal connection 14c of fig. 4 and 5). For other descriptions of the bonding structure 1434 and the third bonding portion 144c, please refer to the related descriptions of the bonding structure 142, the first bonding portion 144a and the variations thereof, and the descriptions are omitted. In addition, for the connection between the other balance frame connecting portions 14c of the key cap 14 and the structural plate 142, please refer to the connection descriptions between the first connecting portion 144a, the third connecting portion 144c and the structural plate 142, and the descriptions are omitted. In addition, the bonding (via the bonding structure 1434) relationship between the third bonding portion 144c and the structural plate 142 can also be applied to the bonding between the first bonding portion 144a (corresponding to the portion of the bracket connecting portion 14 a) and the second bonding portion 144b and the structural plate 142. For example, from a structural logic perspective, the first and second clamping arms (or appropriately modified) in the third joint 144c can be considered as the first and

second hook arms

14i and 14j (for forming the bracket connection 14 b) of the second joint 144 b; in other words, the bonding structure 1434 may replace the bonding structure 1424 for bonding the second bonding portion 144b to the structural plate 142.

In addition, in the first embodiment, as shown in fig. 3, the

bonding portions

144a, 144b, 144c are coplanar with the top surface 142b of the structural plate 142, so as to increase the bonding area between the key cap 146 and the structural plate 142; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. In practical applications, the

bonding portions

144a, 144b, 144c may protrude from the top surface 142b of the structural plate 142 and extend above the top surface 142b, so as to increase the structural strength between the

bonding portions

144a, 144b, 144c and the structural plate 142 (for example, in fig. 7 and 8, the lower wing 1444 is shown by a dotted line and modified to protrude from the top surface 142b and cover a portion of the top surface 142 b). At this time, the key cap 146 may form a space on the bottom surface 146a thereof, corresponding to the

bonding portions

144a, 144b, 144c (or the portion protruding from the top surface 142 b), so that the key cap 146 can still be effectively attached to the top surface 142b of the structural plate 142 without structural interference with the

bonding portions

144a, 144b, 144 c. Alternatively, the relief space matches the protruding profile of the

coupling portions

144a, 144b, 144c, so that the inner wall surface of the relief space is also bonded to the

coupling portions

144a, 144b, 144 c.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the first lifting mechanism 16 is formed by a scissor bracket, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the first lifting mechanism 16 is formed by manufacturing a V-shaped butterfly leg bracket or an inverted V-shaped bat bracket, and the

bracket connecting portions

14a and 14b are correspondingly formed by manufacturing a suitable structure, which is not described in detail. In addition, in the first embodiment, the key structure 1 is a blank key and the two lifting

mechanisms

16 and 18 support the keycap 14, and in practical application, a plurality of lifting mechanisms may be used according to the practical structural requirement, which is not limited to being arranged in a single row. In addition, in practical applications, the key structure 1 can be applied to a single-time key (or square key), multiple-time key (or long key) or other geometric key structures through appropriate structural modification. For example, referring to fig. 20 and 21, fig. 20 is a partial exploded view of a key structure according to a third embodiment;

Fig. 21 is an exploded view of the structural panel and the joint of the key cap of fig. 20. The key structure 3 according to the third embodiment is a single-time key, which includes a base 32, a key cap 34, a lifting mechanism 36, a switch 38 and an elastic reset member 40. The key cap 34 is disposed on the base 32, and the lifting mechanism 36 is connected between the key cap 34 and the base 32, so that the key cap 34 can move vertically (or up and down) relative to the base 32 via the lifting mechanism 36. A switch 38 (shown in phantom as a circle; such as, but not limited to, formed from thin film circuit board) is disposed beneath the key cap 34. The elastic reset member 40 is disposed between the base 32 and the key cap 34 corresponding to the switch 38, and is located between the key cap 34 and the switch 38. The key cap 34 can be pressed to press the resilient return 40 downwardly to trigger the switch 38. The key structure 3 is similar to the key structure 1 in structural logic, and other descriptions of the components of the key structure 3 are omitted herein for brevity except for the following description, please refer to the key structure 1 and the related descriptions of its modified examples.

In the third embodiment, the key cap 34 includes a structural plate 342, two

coupling portions

344a, 344b, and a key cap 346. The structural plate 342 has two

coupling structures

3422, 3424. The

coupling portions

344a, 344b are coupled to the structural plate 142 by being fixedly engaged with the

coupling structures

3422, 3424, respectively. A key cap 346 is secured to structural plate 342 for contact depression by a user. The

coupling portions

344a, 344b independently form the

bracket connection portions

34a, 34b, respectively. The lifting mechanism 36 includes a first key frame 362 and a second key frame 364 that are pivotally connected to each other, and are connected between the key cap 34 and the base 32. Wherein the first key holder 362 is connected to the holder connection portion 34a of the key cap 34, and the second key holder 364 is connected to the holder connection portion 34b of the key cap 34. The coupling structure 3422 includes a coupling hole 3422a and two protrusions 3422b disposed on opposite sides of the coupling hole 3422a, and the coupling portion 344a fills the coupling hole 3422a and covers the two protrusions 3422b (and fills the grooves formed therein) to be fixed to the structural plate 342. The coupling structure 3424 includes a protrusion 3424a, a through hole 3424b, and

side holes

3424c, 3424d. The protrusion 3424a is formed on one side of the structural plate 342 (e.g., the upward side in fig. 21) and the recess 3424e is formed on the other side of the structural plate 342 (e.g., the downward side in fig. 21); that is, in fig. 21, the convex portion 3424a protrudes upward of the structural plate 342, and the concave portion 3424e opens downward of the structural plate 342. The through hole 3424b and the

side holes

3424c and 3424d each penetrate the convex portion 3424a. The coupling portion 344b fills the coupling hole 3422a, the through hole 3424b, the

side holes

3424c, 3424d, and the groove 3424e and covers the protrusion 3424a to be fixed to the structural plate 342. In terms of structural logic, the combination of the combination portion 344b and the combination structure 3424 is equivalent to the combination of the second combination portion 144b and the combination structure 1424, so for other description of the combination portion 344b and the combination structure 3424, please refer to the related description of the combination of the second combination portion 144b and the combination structure 1424 and the variation thereof, and the description is omitted. In practical applications, the combination of the combining

portions

344a, 344b and the structural board 342 can also be implemented with reference to the combination of the combining

portions

144a, 144b, 144c and the structural board 142 in the key structure 1 and the variation thereof, which are not described in detail. Similarly, the bonding of the

bonding portions

344a, 344b and the structural plate 342 can also be applied to the bonding of the

bonding portions

144a, 144b, 144c and the structural plate 142, which is not described in detail. In addition, in terms of structural logic, the combination of the structural plate 342 and the combining portion 344a corresponds to one key bracket connecting structure (the structure is integrated with the key cap 34 for connecting the first key bracket 362 to the key cap 34), and the combination of the structural plate 342 and the combining portion 344b corresponds to another key bracket connecting structure (the structure is integrated with the key cap 34 for connecting the second key bracket 364 to the key cap 34).

In addition, in the third embodiment, the first key frame 362 and the second key frame 364 are both annular, so that the elastic restoring member 40 can pass through the first key frame 362 and the second key frame 364 without structural interference to the operation of the lifting mechanism 36. The key cap 34 includes a pressing portion 348 corresponding to the elastic restoring member 40. The structural plate 342 includes a second coupling hole 3426 and two second protrusions 3428, and the two protrusions 3428 protrude from opposite sides of the second coupling hole 3426. The pressing portion 348 fills the second coupling hole 3426 and covers the two second protrusions 3428, thereby being able to be fixed to the structural plate 342. The pressing portion 348 has a pre-pressing area 3482 facing the elastic restoring member 40 and providing a predetermined pressure to the elastic restoring member 40 (i.e., abutting the top portion 40a of the elastic restoring member 40 through the pre-pressing area 3482). When the key cap 34 is pressed, the elastic restoring member 40 is pressed by the pre-pressing portion 3482. For other descriptions of the pressing portion 348 and the opening 3426, reference may be made to the foregoing descriptions of the pressing portion 148, the opening 1426 and the variations thereof, and the descriptions are omitted.

As described above, in the

key structures

1 and 3, the

key caps

12 and 32 and the key support connecting structures with the structures integrated to the

key caps

12 and 32 are all combined structures, and the

structural plates

142 and 342 and the connecting

portions

144a, 144b, 144c, 344a and 344b made of different materials can be used, so that sufficient rigidity can be easily obtained, further the structural design flexibility of the

key caps

12 and 32 and the

key structures

1 and 3 can be improved, and the limitation of the design of the key caps with a single structure in the prior art can be solved or at least improved, and the thin design of the key structures is facilitated. The connecting

portions

144a, 144b, 144c, 344a, 344b and the

pressing portions

148, 348 are directly fixed on the

structural plates

142, 342, and the

structural plates

142, 342 can directly bear the force transmission when the

key structures

1, 3 are actuated. The structural configuration can effectively maintain the stability of the

key cap

14, 34 structure and can also stabilize the actuation of the

key structure

1, 3. In addition, the portion of the

key cap

14, 34 contacting the elastic restoring

member

22, 40 is formed by the

pressing portion

148, 348, and this structural configuration facilitates the adjustment of the structural dimension (i.e., the structural dimension of the pre-compression section 1482, 3482) in a simple manner at a low modification cost to meet the product specification or the product manufacturing requirement.

In addition, the above embodiments and the modifications thereof are exemplified by the key-holder connecting structure integrated to the

key caps

12, 32; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, referring to fig. 22 and 23, fig. 22 is a partial exploded view of a key structure according to a fourth embodiment; fig. 23 is an exploded view of the structural panel and the joint of the base of fig. 22. A key structure 4 according to a fourth embodiment includes a base 42, a key cap 44, a lifting mechanism 46, a switch 48, and a resilient return member 50. The key cap 44 is disposed on the base 42. The lifting mechanism 46 (including the first key holder 462 and the second key holder 464 pivoted to each other) is connected between the key cap 44 and the base 42, so that the key cap 44 can move vertically (or up and down) relative to the base 42 via the lifting mechanism 46. A switch 48 (shown in phantom as a circle; such as, but not limited to, formed from thin film circuit board) is disposed beneath the keycap 44. The elastic reset member 50 is disposed between the base 42 and the key cap 44 corresponding to the switch 48, and is located between the key cap 44 and the switch 48. The key cap 44 may be depressed to press the resilient return 50 downwardly to trigger the switch 48. The key structure 4 is similar to the key structure 3 in structure logic, and other descriptions of the components of the key structure 4 are omitted herein for brevity except for the following description, please refer to the related description of the key structure 3.

In the fourth embodiment, the base 42 includes a structural plate 422 and two

bonding portions

424a, 424b. The structural panel 422 has two joining

structures

4222, 4224. The

coupling portions

424a, 424b are fixedly engaged with the

coupling structures

4222, 4224, respectively, to be coupled with the structural plate 422. The

coupling portions

424a, 424b independently form the

bracket connection portions

42a, 42b, respectively. The first key holder 462 is connected to the holder connection portion 42a of the base 42, and the second key holder 464 is connected to the holder connection portion 42b of the base 42. The structures of the

coupling structures

4222, 4224 are equivalent to the structure of the coupling structure 3424 in the key structure 3 for simplifying the description; the bonding of the

bonding portions

424a, 424b to the

bonding structures

4222, 4224 is also comparable to the bonding of the bonding portion 344b to the bonding structure 3424. Therefore, for the connection between the

connection portions

424a and 424b and the

connection structures

4222 and 4224, please refer to the related description of the connection between the connection portion 344b and the connection structure 3424, and the description is omitted. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. In addition, in practical applications, the structural plate 422 may extend vertically beyond the sidewall plate (one of which is shown in phantom in fig. 23) on each side thereof to enhance the structural strength of the structural plate 422.

In addition, in terms of structural logic, the combination of the structural plate 422 and the combination portion 424a corresponds to one key bracket connection structure (the structure is integrated with the base 42 for connecting the first key bracket 462 to the base 42), and the combination of the structural plate 442 and the combination portion 424b corresponds to another key bracket connection structure (the structure is integrated with the base 42 for connecting the second key bracket 464 to the base 42). Therefore, the fourth embodiment is exemplified by the key frame connecting structure being integrated to the base 42. The key support connecting structures integrated to the base 42 are all combined structures, and the structural plates 422 and the connecting

parts

424a and 424b made of different materials can be used, so that sufficient rigidity can be easily obtained, the structural design elasticity of the base 42 and the key structure 4 can be improved, and the thinned design of the key structure is facilitated. In practical applications, the connection structure between the lifting mechanism 46 and the key cap 44 in the key structure 4 may also be a connection structure between the lifting mechanism 36 and the key cap 34 in the key structure 3 (e.g. a key support connection structure with the structure integrated to the key cap 32), which is not described in detail. Similarly, the connection structure between the lifting mechanism 46 and the base 42 in the key structure 4 (e.g. the key support connection structure with the structure integrated to the base 42) can also be applied to the connection structure between the lifting mechanism 36 and the base 32 in the key structure 3, and the connection structure between the first lifting mechanism 16 and the base 12 in the key structure 1, which are not described herein.

In summary, in the key support connecting structure and the key structure according to the present invention, the key support connecting structure is a combined structure, and the structural plate and the joint portion made of different materials can be used, so that sufficient rigidity can be easily obtained, and further the structural design flexibility of the key support connecting structure and the key structure can be improved. In addition, the convex part, the perforation, the side hole, the combining hole, the cantilever plate and the convex bridge part on the structural plate can improve the combining strength between the combining part and the structural plate, and the bracket connecting part can obtain good structural strength. Therefore, the key support connecting structure and the key structure can solve or improve the design problem of the structure connected with the support in the prior art, so that the key support connecting structure and the key structure are more suitable for thin design.

Of course, the present invention is capable of other various embodiments and its several details are capable of modification and variation in light of the present invention by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. The utility model provides a button support connection structure which characterized in that, this button support connection structure includes:

the combining part is filled with the groove, the through hole and the at least one side hole, the combining part comprises a first hook arm and is formed on the convex part, the first hook arm is used for forming a bracket connecting part, the vertical projection of the first hook arm falls in the range of the top surface of the convex part, and the projection of the first hook arm and the through hole in the vertical direction is overlapped.

2. The key-holder connecting structure of claim 1, wherein the at least one side hole comprises two side holes penetrating through the side walls of the opposite sides of the protrusion, the through hole being located between the two side holes.

3. The utility model provides a button support connection structure which characterized in that, this button support connection structure includes:

4. The key-holder connecting structure of claim 3, wherein the structural plate comprises a through hole penetrating the top surface of the protrusion.

5. The key-holder connection of claim 3, wherein the structural plate comprises an edge hole extending through a sidewall of the protrusion.

6. The key-holder connection of claim 3, wherein the cantilever plate is bent and extended from the edge of the coupling hole and has a holding structure.

7. The key frame connecting structure of claim 3, wherein the protrusion, the coupling hole and the cantilever plate are arranged along a first direction, and a width of the coupling hole along a second direction is greater than a width of the protrusion along the second direction and greater than a width of the cantilever plate along the second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction.

8. The utility model provides a button support connection structure which characterized in that, this button support connection structure includes:

9. The key frame connecting structure of claim 8, wherein the bridge portion spans across and connects to both sides of the coupling hole, and the connection interface between the bridge portion and the coupling hole is arc-shaped.

10. The key frame connecting structure according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the structural plate comprises a plate body and a side wall plate extending perpendicularly from a long side middle section of the plate body.

11. The key frame connecting structure of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the coupling portion forms a balance frame connecting portion, the balance frame connecting portion being located between the frame connecting portion and a side of the structural plate.

12. A key structure, comprising:

a base;

the keycap is arranged on the base;

the key-holder connection structure of any one of claims 1 to 9, which is integral to the base or the key cap;