TWI598911B - Button mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Button mechanism

The invention relates to a button mechanism. More specifically, the present invention relates to a button mechanism that can generate a feedback force.

In recent years, as the technology industry has become more developed, the use of electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablet computers, notebook computers, and smart phones has become more common. And develop in a convenient, versatile and aesthetically pleasing design to provide users with more choices.

Electronic devices typically have buttons on the chassis to control electronic devices, such as power or volume switches for broadcasters. However, when the user presses the button, there is no way to know if the depth of the press is sufficient to complete the pressing action.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a button mechanism including a housing, a fixing member fixed to the housing, a moving member movably disposed in the fixing member, and a pressing member disposed on the moving member. The component and the driving module for moving the moving component relative to the fixed component. The drive module drives the moving element to move from the first position to the first position in the first direction when the pressing member urges the moving member to move from a first position to a first position. When the moving component is in the second position, the driving module drives the moving component Moving in a second direction and striking the pressing element, and the first direction is opposite to the second direction.

In an embodiment of the invention, the initial position and the first position are separated by a first distance, and the first position and the second position are separated by a second distance, wherein the first distance is proportional to the second distance.

In an embodiment of the invention, the driving module includes a motor connected to the moving component.

In an embodiment of the invention, the motor is an electromagnetic motor comprising a coil and a magnetic component.

In an embodiment of the invention, the coil is disposed on the moving element, and the magnetic element is disposed on the fixed element.

In an embodiment of the invention, the coil is disposed on the fixed component, and the magnetic component is disposed on the movable component.

In one embodiment of the invention, the motor is a piezoelectric motor comprising a piezoelectric element and a cylinder, wherein the cylinder is coupled to the piezoelectric element, and the moving element is movably coupled to the cylinder.

In an embodiment of the invention, the driving module includes a first elastic component that connects the fixing component and the moving component.

In an embodiment of the invention, the button mechanism further includes a position detecting component electrically connected to the driving module and configured to detect the position of the moving component.

In an embodiment of the invention, the position detecting component comprises a Hall effect sensor, a magnetoresistive effect sensor, a giant magnetoresistance effect sensor, a tunneling magnetoresistance effect sensor, an optical sensor or an infrared Sensor.

In an embodiment of the invention, the moving element contacts the pressing element when the moving element is in the initial position.

In an embodiment of the invention, the drive module provides pre-stressing of the moving element in one of the second directions when the moving element is in the initial position.

In an embodiment of the invention, the button mechanism further includes an elastic body connecting the housing and the pressing member.

In an embodiment of the invention, the pressing member is coupled to the housing and has a flexible material.

In an embodiment of the invention, the pressing member and the housing are integrally formed.

In an embodiment of the invention, the pressing element is aligned with a surface of the housing when the moving element is in the initial position.

100‧‧‧ position detection component

110‧‧‧ Sensor

120‧‧‧Feeld

200, 200’‧‧‧ drive module

210‧‧‧First elastic element

220‧‧‧Second elastic element

230‧‧‧ coil

240‧‧‧Magnetic components

250‧‧‧Piezoelectric components

260‧‧‧Cylinder

270‧‧‧guide rod

300‧‧‧Fixed components

310‧‧‧ Groove

320‧‧‧Perforation

330‧‧‧ snap groove

400‧‧‧stop element

410‧‧‧Clock Department

420‧‧‧ openings

500‧‧‧Mobile components

510‧‧‧ Ontology

511‧‧‧ upper end

512‧‧‧Bottom

520‧‧‧ Carrier

600‧‧‧ Pressing elements

700‧‧‧ Elastomers

800‧‧‧shell

810‧‧‧ surface

A1‧‧‧ first direction

A2‧‧‧ second direction

B‧‧‧ button mechanism

D‧‧‧ display panel

E‧‧‧Electronic device

Fig. 1 is a view showing a state in which a key mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted on an electronic device.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the key mechanism shown in Fig. 1 in the x-x direction.

Fig. 3A is an exploded view showing the key mechanism of the embodiment of the present invention after the casing is removed.

Fig. 3B is a view showing a fixing member of an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4A is a schematic view showing the pressing of the pressing member in the first direction by the user in an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4B is a schematic view showing the moving member moving in the first direction and separated from the pressing member in an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4C is a schematic view showing the moving member moving in the second direction and striking the pressing member in an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic view showing a key mechanism in another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6A is a view showing the pressing of the pressing member in the first direction by the user in another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6B is a schematic view showing the movement of the moving member in the first direction and separation from the pressing member in another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6C is a schematic view showing another embodiment of the present invention in which the moving member moves in the second direction and strikes the pressing member.

The key mechanism of the embodiment of the present invention will be described below. However, it will be readily understood that the embodiments of the present invention are susceptible to many specific embodiments of the invention and can The specific embodiments disclosed are merely illustrative of the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning meaning It will be understood that these terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the relevant art and the context or context of the present disclosure, and should not be in an idealized or overly formal manner. Interpretation, unless specifically defined herein.

First, referring to FIG. 1 , a button mechanism B according to an embodiment of the present invention is included in an electronic device E and electrically connected to the display panel D of the electronic device E. When the user presses the button mechanism B, a signal is transmitted to the display panel D, so that the display panel D displays the corresponding screen. The aforementioned electronic device E is, for example, a smart phone or a tablet computer.

As shown in the second and third embodiments, the button mechanism B mainly includes a position detecting component 100, a driving module 200, a fixing component 300, a blocking component 400, a moving component 500, a pressing component 600, and at least An elastic body 700 and a housing 800, wherein the position detecting component 100 includes a sensor 110 and a sensor 120, and the driving module 200 includes a first elastic component 210 and a second elastic component 220. And a motor. In the embodiment, the motor is an electromagnetic motor including a coil 230 and at least one magnetic element 240.

The sensor 110 can be a Hall sensor, a Magnetoresistance Effect Sensor (MR Sensor), a Giant Magnetoresistance Effect Sensor (GMR Sensor), Tunneling Magnetoresistance Effect Sensor (TMR Sensor), Optical Encoder, or Infrared Sensor. When a Hall effect sensor, a magnetoresistance effect sensor, a giant magnetoresistance effect sensor, or a tunneling magnetoresistance effect sensor is used as the sensor 110, the sensor 120 may be a magnet. When an optical sensor or an infrared sensor is used as the sensor 110, the sensor 120 may be a reflective sheet.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3A, and 3B, the fixing member 300 has a hollow square structure, and a plurality of grooves 310 and a through hole 320 are formed in the side wall. The magnetic component 240 of the driving module 200 can be disposed in the recess 310, and the sensor 110 of the position detecting component 100 can pass through the through hole 320. The fixing member 300 further has a plurality of engaging grooves 330, and the blocking member 400 has a plurality of engaging portions 410 corresponding in shape and position. Therefore, the fixing member 300 and the stopping member 400 can be engaged with each other by the engaging portion 410 and the engaging groove 330, and the first elastic member 210 is interposed therebetween. Since the blocking element 400 is fixed to the housing 800, the fixing element 300 and its junction The rear cover is also fixed to the housing 800.

In addition, an opening 420 is further provided at the center of the blocking member 400 to facilitate passage of the aforementioned moving member 500.

The moving component 500 includes a body 510 and a carrier 520. The body 510 is fixed to the carrier 520 and the carrier 520 surrounds the body 510. The body 510 is used to strike the pressing member 600 to allow the user to feel the feedback force, and thus has a large size and weight. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the height of the body 510 is greater than the height of the carrier 520, and is greater than the height of the fixing member 300 plus the blocking member 400, and the upper end 511 protrudes from the upper surface of the fixing member 300. The pressing member 600 can be more easily impacted while the lower end 512 passes through the opening 420 of the blocking member 400, increasing the overall weight of the moving member 500.

The coil 230 of the driving module 200 is disposed on the carrier 520 of the moving component 500 and surrounds the carrier 520. The sensing component 120 of the position detecting component 100 is also disposed on the carrier 520 and corresponds to the sensor 110. Therefore, as the moving element 500 moves, the coil 230 and the sensor 120 will also move with it.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first elastic member 210 and the second elastic member 220 of the driving module 200 are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the moving member 500 (or opposite sides of the fixing member 300), and the first elastic member 210 and the first The two elastic members 220 are connected to the fixing member 300 and the moving member 500. Therefore, the moving component 500 in this embodiment can be suspended from the hollow structure of the fixing component 300 by the first and second elastic components 210 and 220 without the user pressing the pressing component 600 and the coil 230 is not energized. in.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the magnetic components 240 are disposed on the four sides of the fixing component 300. Therefore, the motor of the driving module 200 can provide greater power to move the moving component 500 relative to the fixing component 300, but the magnetic component The number of 240 and The size can be adjusted according to user requirements and is not limited to this. In some embodiments, the coil 230 is disposed on the stationary component 30 and the magnetic component 240 is disposed on the carrier 520 of the mobile component 500 such that as the moving component 500 moves, the magnetic component 240 will move with it. In some embodiments, the magnetic component 240 disposed on the moving component 500 can serve as the sensor 120 of the position detecting component 100 without additional settings.

In some embodiments, the first elastic element 210 or the second elastic element 220 may be omitted, or both may be omitted. The moving element 500 can be suspended in the hollow structure of the fixed element 300 by an electromagnetic motor. In addition, in some embodiments, the fixing member 300 and the stopping member 400 may be integrally formed, and the body 510 and the carrier 520 of the moving member 500 may also be integrally formed.

Returning to FIGS. 2 and 3A, the pressing member 600 is coupled to the moving member 500 and coupled to the housing 800 by the elastic body 700. It should be noted that, in this embodiment, when the user does not press the pressing member 600, the moving component 500 is located at an initial position, and the driving module 200 can be provided upward (ie, as shown in FIG. 4C). The pre-pressure in the second direction A2) is applied to the moving element 500 such that there is no gap between the moving element 500 and the pressing element 600. Further, as shown in Fig. 2, when the moving member 500 is in the initial position, the pressing member 600 is aligned with one surface 810 of the housing 800 to keep the appearance of the product intact.

In some embodiments, the pressing member 600 can be directly fixed to the housing 800 and has a flexible material, so that the pressing member 600 can be deformed when the user presses, and the elastic body 700 can be omitted. In some embodiments, the pressing element 600 can be integrally formed with the housing 800.

Referring to FIG. 4A, when the user presses the pressing member 600, the pressing member 600 pushes the moving member 500 from the initial position along a first direction. A1 moves to a first position. Then, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the position detecting component 100 detects that the moving component 500 is in the first position and stops at the first position, the position detecting component 100 transmits a signal to the driving module 200 to drive. The motor of the module 200 will drive the moving element 500 to move from the first position in the first direction A1 to a second position and be separated from the pressing member 600. Finally, as shown in FIG. 4C, the first elastic member 210, the second elastic member 220, and the motor of the driving module 200 re-driven the moving member 500 to move in the second direction A2 and strike the pressing member 600, wherein the second direction A2 is reversed. In the first direction A1. After the user feels the impact of the moving component 500, the user can know that the pressing action is completed.

When the user no longer presses the pressing member 600, the restoring force of the elastic body 700 pushes the pressing member 600 back to the position shown in FIG. 2 in the second direction A2. In addition, since the driving module 200 provides the pre-pressure of the moving member 500 in the second direction A2, the moving member 500 also returns to the initial position.

It should be particularly noted that the initial position is separated from the first position by a first distance, and the first position and the second position are separated by a second distance. In the embodiment, the first distance is proportional to the second distance, so when the magnitude of the user's pressing is different, the impact force generated by the moving component 500 is different (the farther the second distance is, the impact force can be generated. Strong), the user can understand the paragraph or depth of the press.

Referring to FIG. 5 again, in another embodiment of the present invention, the motor in the driving module 200' is a piezoelectric motor, including a piezoelectric element 250, a cylinder 260, and a guiding rod 270. The moving element 500 is movably disposed on the cylinder 260 and the guiding rod 270, and the cylinder 260 is coupled to the piezoelectric element 250.

As shown in FIG. 6A, when the user presses the pressing member 600, the pressing member 600 pushes the moving member 500 to move from the initial position in the first direction A1 to the first a location. Then, as shown in FIG. 6B, when the position detecting component 100 detects that the moving component 500 is in the first position and stops at the first position, the position detecting component 100 transmits a signal to the driving module 200'. The piezoelectric motor of the drive module 200' will drive the moving element 500 to move from the first position in the first direction A1 to the second position. Finally, as shown in FIG. 6C, the piezoelectric motor of the drive module 200 re-driven the moving element 500 to move in the second direction A2 and strike the pressing member 600. After the user feels the impact of the moving component 500, the user can know that the pressing action is completed.

In summary, the present invention provides a button mechanism. When a user presses a pressing member and pushes a moving member to move, the position detecting component can detect its position and transmit a signal to the driving module, and the driving module can drive the moving module. The group moves to strike the pressing element, and the user can thereby know that the pressing action has been completed.

Although the embodiments of the present invention and its advantages are disclosed above, it should be understood that those skilled in the art can make modifications, substitutions, and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the processes, machines, manufacture, compositions, devices, methods, and steps in the specific embodiments described in the specification. Any one of ordinary skill in the art can. The processes, machines, fabrications, compositions, devices, methods, and procedures that are presently or in the future are understood to be used in accordance with the present invention as long as they can perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same results in the embodiments described herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention includes the above-described processes, machines, manufactures, compositions, devices, methods, and steps. In addition, the scope of each of the claims constitutes an individual embodiment, and the scope of the invention also includes the combination of the scope of the application and the embodiments.

Although the present invention has been disclosed above in the several preferred embodiments described above, It is not intended to limit the invention. Those skilled in the art having the ordinary skill in the art can make some modifications and refinements 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. In addition, each patent application scope is constructed as a separate embodiment, and various combinations of patents and combinations of embodiments are within the scope of the invention.

100‧‧‧ position detection component

110‧‧‧ Sensor

120‧‧‧Feeld

200‧‧‧Drive Module

210‧‧‧First elastic element

220‧‧‧Second elastic element

230‧‧‧ coil

240‧‧‧Magnetic components

300‧‧‧Fixed components

400‧‧‧stop element

420‧‧‧ openings

500‧‧‧Mobile components

510‧‧‧ Ontology

511‧‧‧ upper end

512‧‧‧Bottom

520‧‧‧ Carrier

600‧‧‧ Pressing elements

700‧‧‧ Elastomers

800‧‧‧shell

810‧‧‧ surface

B‧‧‧ button mechanism

Claims (16)

A button mechanism includes: a housing; a fixing component fixed to the housing; a moving component movably disposed in the fixing component; a pressing component disposed on the moving component; and a driving die a group for driving the moving component relative to the fixing component, wherein when the pressing component pushes the moving component to move from a first position to a first position, the driving module drives the moving component Moving the first position to the second position in the first direction, wherein when the moving component is in the second position, the driving module drives the moving component to move in a second direction and strike the pressing component, and the The first direction is opposite to the second direction. The button mechanism of claim 1, wherein the initial position and the first position are separated by a first distance, and the first position and the second position are separated by a second distance, wherein the The first distance is proportional to the second distance. The button mechanism of claim 1, wherein the driving module comprises a motor connected to the moving component. The button mechanism of claim 3, wherein the motor is an electromagnetic motor comprising a coil and a magnetic element. The button mechanism of claim 4, wherein the coil is disposed at The moving element is disposed on the fixed element. The button mechanism of claim 4, wherein the coil is disposed on the fixing component, and the magnetic component is disposed on the moving component. The button mechanism of claim 3, wherein the motor is a piezoelectric motor, comprising a piezoelectric element and a cylinder, wherein the cylinder is connected to the piezoelectric element, and the moving element is movable Connect the cylinder. The button mechanism of claim 1, wherein the driving module comprises a first elastic member connecting the fixing member and the moving member. The button mechanism of claim 1, wherein the button mechanism further comprises a position detecting component electrically connected to the driving module for detecting the position of the moving component. The button mechanism of claim 9, wherein the position detecting component comprises a Hall effect sensor, a magnetoresistance effect sensor, a giant magnetoresistance effect sensor, and a tunneling magnetoresistance effect sensor. , optical sensor or infrared sensor. The button mechanism of claim 1, wherein the moving member contacts the pressing member when the moving member is in the initial position. The button mechanism of claim 11, wherein the driving module provides pre-stressing of the moving element toward the one of the second directions when the moving element is in the initial position. The button mechanism of claim 1, wherein the button mechanism further comprises an elastic body connecting the housing and the pressing member. The button mechanism of claim 1, wherein the pressing element is connected The housing is attached and has a flexible material. The button mechanism of claim 14, wherein the pressing member is integrally formed with the housing. The button mechanism of claim 1, wherein the pressing member is aligned with a surface of the housing when the moving member is in the initial position.