TWI512772B - Elastic body layer and inspection method thereof - Google Patents

Description

Elastomer layer and its inspection method

The present invention relates to an elastomer layer and a method of testing the same, and more particularly to an elastomer layer having an adhesive and a method of testing the same.

A conventional keyboard includes an elastomer layer and a plurality of key caps, wherein the key cap is disposed above the elastomer layer. When the keycap is pressed, the elastic layer is deformed to store an elastic potential energy, so that when the external force is released, the elastic position can be released to drive the keycap back to the initial position. However, it is difficult to judge the degree of merit between the elastomer of the elastomer layer and the substrate. Therefore, how to judge the degree of adhesion between the elastomer of the elastomer layer and the substrate is one of the efforts of the industry.

The invention relates to an elastomer layer and a test method thereof, and the degree of adhesion between the elastomer and the substrate can be judged.

According to an embodiment of the invention, an elastomer layer is proposed. The elastomer layer includes a light transmissive substrate, an elastomer, and an adhesive. The elastic body has an elastic lower surface, and the lower surface of the elastic body has a predetermined adhesive area, and the elastic body is disposed above the transparent substrate. The adhesive is disposed between the lower surface of the elastic body and the transparent substrate, and the adhesive A coating area is occupied on the light transmissive substrate, and the coating area at least partially overlaps with the predetermined adhesive area. When receiving a light source, the adhesive can emit a predetermined wavelength of light through the transparent substrate, and the predetermined wavelength of light shows the coated area on the lower surface of the transparent substrate.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, an elastomer layer inspection method is proposed. The inspection method includes the following steps. An elastomer layer is provided, wherein the elastomer layer comprises a light transmissive substrate, an elastomer, and an adhesive. The elastic body has an elastic lower surface, and the lower surface of the elastic body has a predetermined adhesive area, and the elastic body is disposed above the transparent substrate. The adhesive is disposed between the lower surface of the elastic body and the transparent substrate, and the adhesive occupies a coating area on the transparent substrate; the adhesive is irradiated with a light source, and the adhesive can emit a predetermined wavelength of light to penetrate the transparent substrate; A predetermined wavelength of light is received under the transparent substrate to obtain an outer shape of the coated region; and a difference between the coated region and the predetermined adhesive region is compared to determine whether the adhesive coated region is acceptable.

According to an embodiment of the invention, an elastomer layer is proposed. The elastomer layer comprises a light transmissive substrate, an elastomer, a light transmissive adhesive and an indicator. The light transmissive elastomer has an elastic lower surface, and the lower surface of the elastic body has a predetermined adhesive area, and the elastic body is disposed above the light transmissive substrate. The light transmissive adhesive is disposed between the lower surface of the elastic body and the light transmissive substrate, and the adhesive occupies a coating area on the light transmissive substrate, and the coating area at least partially overlaps with the predetermined adhesive area. When receiving a light source, the adhesive can emit a predetermined wavelength of light through the transparent substrate, and the predetermined wavelength of light shows the coated area on the lower surface of the transparent substrate. The indicator is doped into the light transmissive adhesive. When receiving a light source, the indicator emits a predetermined wavelength of light through the transparent substrate, the predetermined wavelength of light The coated area is shown on the lower surface of the light-transmitting substrate.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method of inspecting an elastomer layer is proposed. The inspection method includes the following steps. An elastomer layer is provided, wherein the elastomer layer comprises a transparent substrate, an elastic body, a light transmissive adhesive and an indicator, the elastic body has an elastic lower surface, the lower surface of the elastic body has a predetermined adhesive region, and the elastic body The light transmissive adhesive is disposed on the lower surface of the elastic body and the light transmissive substrate, and the light transmissive adhesive occupies a coating area on the transparent substrate, and the indicator is doped in the light transmissive adhesive; The light-transmitting adhesive is used to illuminate the light-transmitting adhesive with a light source to excite the light-transmitting adhesive to display the coated area; the predetermined wavelength light is received under the light-transmitting substrate to obtain the shape of the coated area; and the coated area is compared. Judging from the difference in the pre-adhesion area, it was judged whether or not the adhesive application area was acceptable.

In order to better understand the above and other aspects of the present invention, the preferred embodiments are described below, and in conjunction with the drawings, the detailed description is as follows:

10‧‧‧Inspection equipment

11‧‧‧Light source

12‧‧‧Image capture device

13‧‧‧Comparative unit

14‧‧‧Instruction unit

100, 200‧‧‧ elastomer layer

110‧‧‧Transparent substrate

110u‧‧‧Transparent substrate upper surface

110b‧‧‧lower surface of transparent substrate

111‧‧‧First film

112‧‧‧Second film

113‧‧‧ spacer

113a‧‧‧Opening

114‧‧‧First conductor

115‧‧‧Second conductor

120‧‧‧ Elastomers

120b‧‧‧The lower surface of the elastomer

121‧‧‧Cap

121a‧‧‧ escape hole

122‧‧‧Round pin

130‧‧‧Translucent adhesive

140‧‧‧ indicator

150‧‧‧Key Cap

160‧‧‧Support institutions

170‧‧‧floor

A1‧‧‧ interval

C1‧‧‧Project Center

L1‧‧‧Light

P1‧‧‧ scan path

R1‧‧‧Preset Adhesive Zone

R2‧‧‧ coated area

R21‧‧‧ segment

S1‧‧‧ Elastomeric layer inspection pass signal

S2‧‧‧ Elastomeric layer inspection failure signal

1A is a cross-sectional view showing an elastomer layer disposed in a keycap, a support mechanism, and a bottom plate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1B is a bottom view of FIG. 1A.

2A is a cross-sectional view of an elastomer layer in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2B shows a bottom view of Figure 2A.

3A to 3B are views showing a test process of the elastomer layer of Fig. 1A.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing another inspection process of the elastomer layer of Figure 1A.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing another inspection process of the elastomer layer of Figure 1A.

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B , FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view showing an elastic layer disposed in the keycap 150 , the support mechanism 160 , and the bottom plate 170 according to an embodiment of the invention (to avoid the complexity of the drawing, the bottom plate 170 and the key cap). 150 and support mechanism 160 are both shown by dashed lines), and FIG. 1B is a bottom view of the elastomer layer of FIG. 1A. The elastomer layer 100 includes at least a light transmissive substrate 110, an elastomer 120, and an adhesive 130. The adhesive 130 may be: (1) the adhesive 130 material is light transmissive, wherein the indicator 140 is mixed, or (2) the adhesive 130 material itself is opaque, and the adhesive itself has a color.

The light-transmitting substrate 110 is, for example, a mylar or a thin film circuit board. The light transmissive substrate 110 is, for example, a membrane switch layer. For example, the transparent substrate 110 may include a first film 111, a second film 112, a spacer layer 113, a first electrical conductor 114, and a second electrical conductor 115. The spacer layer 113 is located between the first film 111 and the second film 112 and has an opening 113a. The first electrical conductor 114 is formed on the first film 111, and the second electrical conductor 115 is formed on the second film 112, and the first electrical conductor 114 is disposed opposite to the second electrical conductor 115. The positions of the first electrical conductor 114 and the second electrical conductor 115 correspond to the opening 113a. When the key cap 150 is pressed, the elastic body 120 is deformed, and the deformed elastic body 120 is pressed against the transparent substrate 110 to electrically connect the first electrical conductor 114 and the second electrical conductor 115 through the opening 113a. The connected circuit outputs a button signal. The supporting mechanism 160 is disposed between the keycap 150 and the transparent substrate 110, and movably connects the keycap 150 and the transparent substrate 110 to make the keycap 150 relative to the transparent substrate 110 (ie, opposite The elastomer layer 100) can move up and down.

The transparent substrate 110 has an opposite transparent substrate upper surface 110u and a transparent substrate lower surface 110b. Since the first film 111, the second film 112, and the spacer layer 113 constituting the transparent substrate 110 can transmit light, the light can penetrate the transparent substrate and travel freely between the upper surface 110u and the lower surface 110b.

The elastic body 120 is disposed above the light transmissive substrate 110. The elastomer 120 has an elastomeric lower surface 120b, and the elastomer lower surface 120b has a predetermined adhesive region R1. The elastic body 120 of the present embodiment is formed of a light transmissive material, such that the light of the upper light source can penetrate the elastic body 120 and illuminate through the transparent adhesive 130, and then the light continues to travel downward through the transparent substrate 110. be observed.

As long as the light-transmitting adhesive 130 can transmit light, the embodiment of the present invention does not limit the light transmittance of the light-transmitting adhesive 130. In one embodiment, the light transmissive adhesive 130 may have a light transmittance of between 40% and 100%. At this range of light transmittance, light can penetrate the light-transmitting adhesive 130 to illuminate the indicator 140, causing the indicator 140 to excite light having a particular wavelength. In addition, under the above light transmittance range, the light having a specific wavelength excited by the indicator 140 can show the coated area of the light-transmitting adhesive 130 in order to observe the coating condition of the light-transmitting adhesive 130.

The light transmissive adhesive 130 is formed between the lower surface 120b of the elastomer and the transparent substrate 110. In one embodiment, the light-transmissive adhesive 130 can be formed on the transparent substrate 110 by screen printing, and then the elastic body 120 is adhered to the transparent adhesive 130 to fix the gap between the elastic body 120 and the transparent substrate 110. relative position. Light transmissive adhesive 130 occupies a coating region R2 on the light-transmitting substrate 110. The area of the coating region R2 may be greater than or equal to the area of the predetermined adhesive region R1, and the coating region R2 at least partially overlaps the predetermined adhesive region R1. When the entire predetermined adhesive region R1 is completely overlapped with the coating region R2, it indicates that the elastic body 120 and the transparent substrate 110 are in an excellent condition; when the portion where the predetermined adhesive region R1 and the coating region R2 do not overlap exceeds a certain area, It is indicated that the partial elastic lower surface 120b is not bonded to the light-transmitting adhesive 130, which may result in insufficient or undesired adhesion of the elastic body 120 to the transparent substrate 110.

The indicator 140 is doped in the light transmissive adhesive 130. Through the indicator 140, the degree of pros and cons of the elastomer 120 and the transparent substrate 110 can be observed. In detail, since the light-transmitting substrate 110, the elastic body 120, and the light-transmitting adhesive 130 of the present embodiment are all translucent, light can penetrate the elastic body 120 and the light-transmitting adhesive 130 to be irradiated to the indicator 140. . The indicator 140 is a phosphor having a specific wavelength. When a light having the specific wavelength is irradiated to the indicator 140, the indicator 140 emits a predetermined wavelength of light to penetrate the transparent substrate 110, so that the predetermined wavelength of light shows the coated region R2 on the transparent substrate lower surface 110b. By displaying the coated region R2, the overlapping relationship between the coated region R2 and the predetermined adhesive region R1 can be observed, and the degree of the subsequent advantages of the elastic body 120 and the transparent substrate 110 can be observed. The specific wavelength may be one of wavelengths of the invisible light band, such that when light of other wavelength bands is irradiated to the indicator 140, the indicator 140 may be prevented from emitting a predetermined wavelength of light to affect the pattern display of the keycap 150 (when the key When the cap 10 is a light-transmitting type keycap).

In another embodiment, the indicator 140 can be a dye. Designed here Next, as long as the light is visible light, the distribution of the dye can be displayed, thereby showing the distribution of the coated region R2, and further observing the overlapping relationship between the coated region R2 and the predetermined adhesive region R1. Thus, the degree of superiority and inferiority of the elastic body 120 and the light-transmitting substrate 110 can be observed.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the elastomer 120 includes a connecting cap 121 and an annular pin 122. The light-transmitting adhesive 130 bonds the annular pin 122 and the transparent substrate 110. The cap 121 has at least one escape hole 121a communicating with the inside of the elastic body 120 and the outside, so that the air inside the elastic body 120 escapes to the outside of the elastic body 120 through the escape hole 121a. In this way, it is possible to prevent the elasticity of the elastic body 120 from being lowered by the influence of the air. In another embodiment, the escape hole 121a may also penetrate the annular pin 122. As shown in FIG. 1B, the coated region R2 has a closed annular shape, and the closed-loop transparent adhesive 130 can cover a greater portion of the elastomeric lower surface 120b than the open annular shape.

2A and 2B, FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of an elastomer layer according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a bottom view of FIG. 2A, wherein FIG. 2A is a second view of FIG. A cross-sectional view of 2A'. The elastomer layer 200 includes a light transmissive substrate 110, an elastomer 120, a light transmissive adhesive 130, and an indicator 140.

Different from the above-mentioned elastic body 120, the elastic body 120 of the present embodiment has a projection center point C1 projected on the transparent substrate 110, and the coating area R2 has a plurality of line segments R21, and the line segments R21 are substantially symmetrically distributed on the projection. The center point is around C1. For example, the line segment R21 may be curved, and the line segments R21 are spaced apart from each other. The interval A1 between the segment lines R21 can be used as an escape hole to make the inside of the elastic body 120 The air escapes to the outside of the elastic body 120 through the interval A1 between the plurality of segments R21 to prevent the elasticity of the elastic body 120 from being lowered by the influence of the air. Under this design, the elastic body 120 of the present embodiment can selectively omit the escape hole 121a. In another embodiment, the line segment R21 is not limited to an arc, and may be a curve other than a straight line or an arc.

3A to 3B are views showing a test process of the elastomer layer of Fig. 1A.

As shown in Figure 3A, an inspection device 10 is provided. The inspection apparatus 10 includes a light source 11, an image capture device 12, and a comparison unit 13.

As shown in FIG. 3B, an elastomer layer 100 is disposed between the light source 11 and the image capturing device 12.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the light source 11 emits light L1 through the elastic body 120 and the light-transmitting adhesive 130 to be irradiated to the indicator 140 doped in the light-transmitting adhesive 130. Since the light ray L1 has a specific wavelength, and the indicator 140 has the fluorescent agent of the specific wavelength, when the light ray L1 illuminates the indicator 140, the indicator 140 excites a transparent substrate of a predetermined wavelength of light penetrating the transparent substrate 110. Lower surface 110b.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the image capturing device 12 receives the light L1 penetrating the lower surface 110b of the transparent substrate 110 under the transparent substrate 110 to obtain an image having a shape outside the coated region R2. In an embodiment, under the focal length of the image capturing device 12 and the elastomer layer 100 and/or the lens area of the image capturing device 12 is appropriately designed, the image capturing device 12 can pick up the light transmissions at a time. The image of the coating area R2 occupied by the agent 130, but the invention Embodiments are not limited to capturing images of all of the coated regions R2 at a time.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the comparison unit 13 can analyze the image of the coated region R2 (Fig. 1B) and compare the difference between the coated region R2 and the predetermined adhesive region R1 (Fig. 1B) to determine the coated region R2. Eligibility. For example, the comparison unit 13 analyzes the difference in area between the coated region R2 and the predetermined adhesive region R1. When the difference in area between the two is lower than a predetermined threshold, it indicates that the adhesion between the elastic body 120 and the transparent substrate 110 is sufficient. The comparison unit 13 outputs an elastomer layer inspection pass signal S1; otherwise, the comparison unit 13 outputs an elastomer layer inspection failure signal S2.

The indicating unit 14 is, for example, a sound output device or a display. When the comparing unit 13 outputs the elastomer layer verification pass signal S1, the indicating unit 14 outputs the first sound or the first image; when the comparing unit 13 outputs the elastomer layer check failure signal S2, the indicating unit 14 outputs a second sound or a second image different from the first sound.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing another inspection process of the elastomer layer of Figure 1A. In this embodiment, the elastomer layer 100 includes a plurality of light-transmissive adhesives 130 and an elastomer 120 (not shown) arranged in an array, wherein the light-transmitting adhesives 130 are formed on the corresponding elastic body 120 and the transparent substrate 110. between. Each of the light-transmitting adhesives 130 occupies a coating region R2 on the light-transmitting substrate 110. The image capturing device 12 can capture images of one or some of the coated regions R2 at a time along the scanning path P1 until the images of all the coated regions R2 are captured. In this embodiment, the scan path P1 is exemplified by the left and right bypass paths. In another embodiment, the scan path P1 may be an up and down bypass path, an upper and lower circuit path, a spiral path, or other suitable path. Inspection method of this embodiment The remaining steps are similar to the corresponding steps of the inspection method of the elastomer layer 100 of FIG. 1A, and will not be described again.

In addition, the inspection method of the elastomer layer 200 of FIG. 2A is similar to the elastomer layer 100 of FIG. 1A, and thus will not be described again.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing another inspection process of the elastomer layer of Figure 1A. In this embodiment, the elastomer 120 and the adhesive 130 may be formed of an opaque material. The light source 11 and the image capturing device 12 of the inspection device 10 are disposed under the transparent substrate 110. The light L1 emitted by the light source 11 located under the transparent substrate 110 can pass through the transparent substrate 110 to be irradiated to the opaque adhesive 130, and then the light L1 is reflected again through the transparent substrate 110 and transmitted to the image capturing device. 12. The coated contour profile of the opaque adhesive 130 is thus observed.

In conclusion, the present invention has been disclosed in the above preferred embodiments, and is not intended to limit the present invention. A person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined by the scope of the appended claims.

100‧‧‧ elastomer layer

110‧‧‧Transparent substrate

110u‧‧‧Transparent substrate upper surface

110b‧‧‧lower surface of transparent substrate

111‧‧‧First film

112‧‧‧Second film

113‧‧‧ spacer

113a‧‧‧Opening

114‧‧‧First conductor

115‧‧‧Second conductor

120‧‧‧ Elastomers

120b‧‧‧The lower surface of the elastomer

121‧‧‧Cap

121a‧‧‧ escape hole

122‧‧‧Round pin

130‧‧‧Translucent adhesive

140‧‧‧ indicator

150‧‧‧Key Cap

160‧‧‧Support institutions

170‧‧‧floor

R1‧‧‧Preset Adhesive Zone

R2‧‧‧ coated area

Claims (17)

An elastomer layer comprising: a transparent substrate; an elastic body having an elastic lower surface, the lower surface of the elastic body having a predetermined adhesive region, the elastic body being disposed above the transparent substrate; a bonding agent disposed between the lower surface of the elastic body and the transparent substrate, the adhesive occupies a coating area on the transparent substrate, the coating area at least partially overlapping the predetermined adhesive area, the adhesive Fixing the elastic body on the transparent substrate, the area of the coating area is smaller than the area of the transparent substrate; when receiving a light source, the adhesive can emit a predetermined wavelength of light to penetrate the transparent substrate, the adhesive There is no shielding between the layer and the transparent substrate to block the traveling of the predetermined wavelength light, and the lower surface of the transparent substrate has no shielding, and the lower surface of the transparent substrate emits the predetermined wavelength light corresponding to all the coating regions. . The elastic thin layer of claim 1, wherein the elastic body comprises a cap and a ring-shaped pin, the adhesive bonding the ring-shaped pin and the transparent substrate, wherein the coating area is The closed ring has an escape hole. The elastomer layer of claim 1, wherein the coating region has a plurality of arcs, and the plurality of arcs are spaced apart from each other. The elastomer layer of claim 1, wherein the elastomer is The projection on the transparent substrate has a projection center point, and the coating area is a plurality of line segments, and the line segments are substantially symmetrically distributed around the projection center point. The elastomer layer of claim 1, wherein the light transmissive substrate is a mylar or a thin film circuit board. An elastomer layer inspection method comprising: providing an elastomer layer comprising a light transmissive substrate, an elastomer and an adhesive, the elastomer having an elastomeric lower surface, the elastomeric lower surface having a predetermined adhesion The adhesive is disposed on the transparent substrate, and the adhesive is disposed between the lower surface of the elastic body and the transparent substrate, and the adhesive fixes the elastic body on the transparent substrate, and the adhesive Having a coating area on the transparent substrate, the area of the coating area is smaller than the area of the transparent substrate; the adhesive is irradiated with a light source, and the adhesive can emit a predetermined wavelength of light to penetrate the transparent substrate, and then There is no shielding between the agent layer and the transparent substrate to block the traveling of the predetermined wavelength of light, and the lower surface of the transparent substrate has no shielding, and the lower surface of the transparent substrate emits the predetermined wavelength corresponding to all the coating regions. Receiving the predetermined wavelength light under the transparent substrate to obtain an outer shape of the coated region; and comparing the difference between the coated region and the predetermined adhesive region, and determining whether the coated region is Grid. The method for inspecting an elastomer layer according to claim 6, wherein an elastomer layer verification signal is output when the difference area between the coating area and the predetermined adhesion area is lower than a predetermined threshold. An elastomer layer comprising: a transparent substrate; an elastic body having an elastic lower surface, the lower surface of the elastic body having a predetermined adhesive region, the elastic body being disposed above the transparent substrate; a photo-adhesive disposed between the elastomer and the transparent substrate, the adhesive occupies a coating area on the transparent substrate, the coating region at least partially overlapping the predetermined adhesive region, and the light transmission is followed by The agent fixes the elastic body on the transparent substrate, the coated area is smaller than the transparent substrate area; and an indicator is doped in the transparent adhesive, and is exposed to a light source, the indicator A predetermined wavelength of light can be transmitted through the transparent substrate, and there is no shielding between the adhesive layer and the transparent substrate to block the traveling of the predetermined wavelength of light, and the lower surface of the transparent substrate has no shielding, the transparent substrate The lower surface corresponds to all of the coated regions emitting the predetermined wavelength of light. The elastomer layer of claim 8, wherein the indicator is a fluorescent agent. The elastomer layer of claim 8, wherein the indicator is a dye. The elastomer layer of claim 8, wherein the elastic body comprises a cap and a ring-shaped pin, the light-transmitting adhesive bonding the ring-shaped pin and the transparent substrate, wherein the coating region In a closed loop, the cap has an escape hole. The elastomer layer of claim 8, wherein the elastic body comprises a cap and a ring-shaped pin, the light-transmitting adhesive bonding the ring-shaped pin and the transparent substrate, and the coating area is The plurality of segments are curved, and the arcs are spaced apart from each other by at least one escape gap. The elastomer layer of claim 8, wherein the light transmissive substrate is a Mylar sheet or a thin film circuit board. An elastomer layer inspection method comprising: providing an elastomer layer, the elastomer layer comprising a light transmissive substrate, an elastomer, a light transmissive adhesive and an indicator, the elastomer having an elastomeric lower surface, the elastomer The lower surface has a predetermined adhesive region. The elastic body is disposed above the transparent substrate. The transparent adhesive is disposed between the lower surface of the elastic body and the transparent substrate. The transparent adhesive fixes the elastic body. On the light transmissive substrate, and the light transmissive adhesive Having a coating area on the transparent substrate, the area of the coating area is smaller than the area of the transparent substrate, the indicator is doped in the transparent adhesive; and the light-transmitting adhesive is irradiated by a light source to excite the transparent The indicator of the photo-adhesive agent, the shielding layer and the transparent substrate have no shielding for blocking the traveling of the predetermined wavelength of light, and the lower surface of the transparent substrate has no shielding, and the lower surface of the transparent substrate corresponds to all The predetermined wavelength light is emitted at the coating area; and the difference between the coating area and the predetermined adhesion area is compared to determine whether the coating area is qualified. The elastomer layer inspection method according to claim 14, wherein the indicator has a specific wavelength of a fluorescent agent, and the light source emits light having the predetermined wavelength. The method for testing an elastomer layer according to claim 14, wherein the indicator is a dye for emitting a visible light. The elastic layer inspection method according to claim 14, wherein an elastomer layer pass signal is output when the difference between the coating area and the predetermined adhesion area is lower than a predetermined threshold.