KR20120133260A - Key board with key tops - Google Patents

Key board with key tops Download PDF

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Publication number
KR20120133260A
KR20120133260A KR1020110051839A KR20110051839A KR20120133260A KR 20120133260 A KR20120133260 A KR 20120133260A KR 1020110051839 A KR1020110051839 A KR 1020110051839A KR 20110051839 A KR20110051839 A KR 20110051839A KR 20120133260 A KR20120133260 A KR 20120133260A
Authority
KR
South Korea
Prior art keywords
keycap
frame
keyboard
support
elastic member
Prior art date
Application number
KR1020110051839A
Other languages
Korean (ko)
Inventor
김병선
김철희
Original Assignee
삼성전자주식회사
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by 삼성전자주식회사 filed Critical 삼성전자주식회사
Priority to KR1020110051839A priority Critical patent/KR20120133260A/en
Publication of KR20120133260A publication Critical patent/KR20120133260A/en

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
    • G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
    • G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
    • G06F1/1601—Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/02—Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/02—Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
    • G06F3/0202—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Input From Keyboards Or The Like (AREA)

Abstract

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a keyboard including keycaps, the frame including keyholes configured to receive the keycaps in an exposed state; And an elastic member disposed corresponding to the keyholes on an inner side of the frame, the elastic member including an inclined portion positioned on the keyhole, the keycap having an inner side attached to an outer side of the inclined portion, the keycap One side of is coupled to the inner surface of the frame to disclose a keyboard for rotatably supporting the keycap. The keyboard configured as described above is easy to assemble because it does not need to install a separate guide structure or X-shaped support structure, it is easy to reduce the thickness because it supports the uniaxial translation of the keycap by deformation of the elastic member.

Description

Keyboard with keycaps {KEY BOARD WITH KEY TOPS}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to input devices for information devices such as laptops, tablet personal computers, and more particularly, to keyboards having keycaps that are easy to apply to miniaturized portable terminals.

Recently, information devices such as laptops and tablet PCs have input devices such as key boards, microphones, and camera modules. Among them, the keyboard is an input device which is essentially required for inputting information such as writing a document and retrieving information on the Internet. Generally, a work computer or a notebook is large enough to have enough space for installing a keyboard, but in the field of portable devices such as a notebook, there is a great demand for small size and light weight.

The structure of the keyboard can be generally classified into mechanical, membrane and pentagraph methods. The mechanical keyboard is a structure that guides the axial translational movement of the key top by providing a switch structure including a spring to each key top, which is mainly connected to a work computer and is not suitable for portable use. Membrane type keyboards have a structure in which key tops are arranged on elastic pads such as silicon, and thus can be inexpensive and have a long life. Therefore, membrane type keyboards are mainly used in general business computers. However, the membrane system also forms a separate guide structure to guide the uniaxial translational movement of the key top, and it is difficult to miniaturize it to be portable. The pentagraph type keyboard forms an X-shaped key top support structure, which can be manufactured thinner than a mechanical or membrane type keyboard, and has been mainly applied to laptops and the like. However, the pentagraph type keyboard has a disadvantage in that it is cumbersome because it requires an X-shaped structure for supporting the keytop and a large number of parts for placing the keytop.

In recent years, as the use of smart phones or tablet PCs is activated, keyboards that can be combined with them or keyboards with docking stations that can be connected to them have emerged. Considering the portability of smartphones or tablet PCs, keyboards that can be combined with them are also required to be compact and lightweight for portability.

Accordingly, the present invention is to provide a keyboard of a small size, easy to lightweight structure.

In addition, the present invention is to provide a keyboard that is simple in size and easy to install, while the installation and operation structure.

In addition, the present invention is to provide a keyboard that is easy to reduce the thickness by simplifying the installation and operation structure.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a keyboard having keycaps,

A frame formed with key holes to receive the key cap in an exposed state; And

An elastic member disposed on the inner side of the frame and corresponding to the key holes, the elastic member including an inclined portion disposed on the key hole,

The key cap has an inner side thereof attached to the outer side of the inclined portion, and one side of the key cap is coupled to the inner side of the frame to start the keyboard for rotatably supporting the key cap.

At this time, the elastic member, the fixing portion which is formed around the inclined portion facing the inner surface of the frame around the key hole; And an inclined support part enclosed by the fixing part to surround the inclined part, wherein the inclined support part connects the periphery of the inclined part and the fixing part.

In addition, the keyboard may further include a groove formed in the inner surface of the elastic member by the inclined support and the inclined portion, in this case, the elastic member further comprises an operation protrusion formed on the groove desirable.

In addition, the keyboard further includes a rotation support member formed on one side edge of the keycap, it is possible to install the keycap rotatably by placing the rotation support member between the inner surface of the frame and the fixing portion.

At this time, the keyboard is further provided with a support groove formed on the inner surface of the frame, it is preferable to accommodate a portion of the rotation support member in the support groove.

In addition, the keyboard, the rotation support member formed on one side edge of the keycap; And a support groove formed on an inner side surface of the frame, wherein a portion of the pivot support member is accommodated in the support groove to rotatably support the keycap.

In configuring the keyboard as described above, it may further include a receiving groove formed on the inner surface of the keycap for receiving the inclined portion.

The keyboard configured as described above does not need to install a separate guide structure or X-shaped support structure, there is an advantage that easy assembly. Furthermore, since the keycap is rotatably disposed on the frame and supports the uniaxial translational movement of the keycap only by deformation of the elastic member, the keycap has an advantage of reducing thickness. Therefore, while carrying with a mobile terminal, such as a smart phone or tablet PC, there is an advantage that the user can conveniently use the input device by using the keyboard according to the present invention as needed.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a keyboard according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a part of the installation structure of the keycap of the keyboard shown in FIG.
3 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating a portion of the keyboard illustrated in FIG. 1;
4 is a perspective view showing a partially enlarged frame of the keyboard shown in FIG. 1;
5 is a perspective view partially showing an enlarged inner surface of the frame shown in FIG. 4;
6 is a perspective view showing a keycap of the keyboard shown in FIG.
7 is a perspective view showing an inner side surface of the keycap shown in FIG. 6;
8 is a side view showing the keycap shown in FIG. 6;
9 is a view for explaining the operation of the keycap shown in FIG.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating an elastic member of the keyboard illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an inner side surface of the elastic member shown in FIG. 10. FIG.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the keyboard 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a frame 101 in which a plurality of key holes 111 are formed, and an elastic member disposed on an inner surface of the frame 101. 103, a keycap 102 is disposed in each keyhole 111. The elastic member 103 is disposed at a position corresponding to the key holes 111 to support the inner surface of the key cap 102. Therefore, the keycap 102 is accommodated in the keyhole 111 by being disposed on the elastic member 103. In this case, the keycap 102 is maintained on the frame 101 by attaching an inner surface thereof to the inclined portion 131 of the elastic member 103. In addition, one side of the keycap 102 is bound to the inner surface of the frame 101 to support the keycap 102 to be rotatable.

On the frame 101, the keycap 102 is rotated about one side thereof with one side of the keycap 102 supported on the inner surface of the frame 101, but substantially the keyboard 100 In view of the overall structure, the keycap 102 may be reciprocated in one axial direction, that is, in a direction perpendicular to one surface of the frame 101. That is, considering that the keycap 102 is for operating a switch member (not shown) such as a dome switch, the switch member may be sufficiently operated even with a displacement within 1 to 2 mm. Therefore, although it depends on the size of the keycap 102, it is possible to operate the switch member only by rotating the keycap 102 in the range of approximately 10 degrees. Therefore, the keycap 102 is a structure that is disposed on the frame 101 in a rotating structure, or when viewed in the structure of the entire keyboard 100, the keycap 102 can be seen as a uniaxial translational movement. .

In arranging the keycap 102 on the frame 101, the elastic member 103 may be arranged to cover at least one side of the keycap 102. That is, one side of the keycap 102 is interposed between the elastic member 103 and the inner surface of the frame 101. As a result, the keycap 102 can be stably disposed on the frame 101. In addition, as mentioned above, by attaching on the inclined portion 131 of the elastic member 103, it is possible to prevent the keycap 102 from leaving the outside of the frame 101.

4 and 5, as mentioned above, the frame 101 includes key holes 111 for receiving the key caps 102, and the inner side of the frame 101 is formed adjacent to the key hole 111. Support grooves 113 are provided. As will be described below, the support grooves 113 receive a portion of the pivot support member 123 formed in each of the keycaps 102.

Each of the keyholes 111 has a shape corresponding to that of the keycap 102, and the keycaps 102 generally have the same shapes when inputting letters or numbers, but a space bar or an enter key. ) May be manufactured in a somewhat different shape from a keycap for inputting letters and numbers as in the general keyboard 100. Although the keycaps 102 are manufactured in different shapes from each other, the installation structure includes the frame 101 and the elastic member 103, while one side of the keycap 102 is disposed on the inner surface of the frame 101. It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the structure can be installed to be rotatably supported.

6 to 8 are views showing the specific appearance of the keycap 102, respectively. The keycap 102 has a shape in which the pivot support member 123 is provided at one end of the body 121 in which the receiving groove 125 is formed on the inner surface thereof. The pivot support member 123 extends in the width direction of the body 121 and may partially protrude from both side ends of the body 121. When both ends of the pivot support member 123 are manufactured to protrude partially from both side ends of the body 121, the keycap 102 is an outer surface of the body 121 through the keyhole 111. It will be assembled on the inner side of the frame 101 in the direction that is received in the key hole 111 while exposing the. The pivot support member 123 is disposed on the inner surface of the frame 101, more specifically, in a state in which a portion of its outer circumferential surface is accommodated in the support groove 113, so that the body 121, ultimately the The pivoting of the keycap 102 is supported. In order to more smoothly rotate the keycap 102, the outer circumferential surface of the pivot support member 123 may be formed in a curved surface.

9 is a side view of the state before and after the keycap 102 is manipulated. Specifically, the solid line shows the position of the keycap 102 before the keycap 102 is operated, and the dotted line indicates the keycap 102 is operated. It shows the position after being done. As shown in FIG. 9, the keycap 102 is rotated about one side thereof, more specifically, the pivot support member 123 according to a user's manipulation.

10 and 11 are perspective views showing the elastic member 103, respectively. 10 and 11, the elastic member 103 is formed with an inclined portion 131 in the center portion of the outer surface. The inclined portion 131 protrudes from the outer surface of the elastic member 103 and is inclined in one direction. The inclined portion 131 is accommodated in the receiving groove 125 of the key cap 102 and the outer surface thereof is attached to the inner surface of the key cap 102, that is, the inner surface of the receiving groove 125. As a result, the inclined portion 131 keeps the keycap 102 protruding from the outer surface of the frame 101.

The elastic member 103 includes an inclined support part 135 that maintains the inclined part 131 in a protruding state and a fixing part 133 formed around the inclined support part 135. The inclined support part 135 is formed on the outer surface of the elastic member 103 in a state surrounding the inclined portion 131 to protrude the inclined portion 131 from the outer surface of the elastic member 103. Keep it. The fixing part 133 is formed around the inclined part 131 and is connected to the inclined part 131 through the inclined support part 135. The fixing part 133 is fixed to the inner surface of the frame 101 around the key hole 111, and the inclined support part 135 is positioned in the key hole 111 so that the inclined part 131 is fixed. To face the outside of the keyhole 111.

The elastic member 103 is made of a material such as silicon or urethane, the inner surface is provided with an actuating projection 139. At this time, since the inclined portion 131 and the inclined support portion 135 are protruded to the outside of the elastic member 103, a groove 137 may be formed on the inner surface thereof. That is, the groove 137 surrounded by the inclined portion 131 and the inclined support portion 135 is formed on the inner surface of the elastic member 103. It is preferable that the operation protrusion 139 is formed in the groove 137. The operation protrusion 139 directly operates a switch member such as a dome switch when the user manipulates the keycap 102. That is, the elastic member 103, when the user manipulates the keycap 102 to operate the switch member directly.

At this time, substantially, as the user manipulates the keycap 102, the inclined support 135 is deformed as the keycap 102 is rotated to move the operation protrusion 139 in the direction of the switch member, the user If the keycap 102 does not operate, the inclined support 135 is elastically restored to the shape as shown in FIG. 10, and moves the operation protrusion 139 away from the switch member. However, those skilled in the art can easily understand that deformation of the inclined support part 135 may also cause deformation of the fixing part 133 or the inclined part 131 if the elastic member 103 is made of the same material. Could be.

The pivot support member 123 of the keycap 102 is interposed between the inner surface of the frame 101 and the fixing portion 133 of the elastic member 103. As a result, the keycap 102 is rotatably supported between the pivoting member 123 between the inner surface of the frame 101 and the fixing portion 133, and the inner surface of the keycap 102 is supported by the keycap 102. By being attached to the inclined portion 131, it can be accommodated so as not to be separated from the key hole 111.

As described above, the structure for supporting the operation of the keycap 102 while installing the keycap on the frame using the elastic member is useful for reducing the size of the keyboard, particularly the thickness. Therefore, not only can be applied to a keyboard or a docking station combined with a smartphone or a tablet PC to improve portability, but also usefully utilize the structure of the keyboard according to the present invention when placing a physical keypad on a smartphone or a tablet PC. Could be.

In the foregoing detailed description of the present invention, specific embodiments have been described. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

100: keyboard 101: frame
102: keycap 103: elastic member
131: inclined portion 133: fixed portion
135: inclined support

Claims (8)

In a keyboard having keycaps,
A frame formed with key holes to receive the key cap in an exposed state; And
An elastic member disposed on the inner side of the frame and corresponding to the key holes, the elastic member including an inclined portion disposed on the key hole,
The key cap is characterized in that the inner surface of the key is attached to the outer surface of the inclined portion, one side of the key cap is bound to the inner surface of the frame, characterized in that the keyboard to support the keycap rotatably.
The method of claim 1, wherein the elastic member,
A fixing part formed around the inclined part and facing an inner surface of the frame around the key hole; And
It includes an inclined support portion that is formed to surround the inclined portion while being surrounded by the fixing portion,
And the inclined support portion connects the periphery of the inclined portion and the fixed portion.
The keyboard according to claim 2, further comprising a groove formed in the inner surface of the elastic member by the inclined support portion and the inclined portion.
The keyboard of claim 3, wherein the elastic member further includes an operation protrusion formed on the groove.
According to claim 2, further comprising a rotation support member formed on one side edge of the keycap,
And the pivot support member is located between the inner side of the frame and the fixing portion.
The method of claim 5, further comprising a support groove formed in the inner surface of the frame,
A portion of the pivot support member is accommodated in the support groove to support the keycap rotatably.
The method according to claim 1,
A rotation support member formed at one edge of the keycap; And
Further provided with a support groove formed in the inner surface of the frame,
A portion of the pivot support member is accommodated in the support groove to support the keycap rotatably.
The keyboard according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a receiving groove formed on an inner surface of the keycap to accommodate the inclined portion.
KR1020110051839A 2011-05-31 2011-05-31 Key board with key tops KR20120133260A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
KR1020110051839A KR20120133260A (en) 2011-05-31 2011-05-31 Key board with key tops

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
KR1020110051839A KR20120133260A (en) 2011-05-31 2011-05-31 Key board with key tops

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KR20120133260A true KR20120133260A (en) 2012-12-10

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8777433B2 (en) 2012-02-14 2014-07-15 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Keypad lighting device for portable terminal

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8777433B2 (en) 2012-02-14 2014-07-15 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Keypad lighting device for portable terminal

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