TWI634577B - Key structure - Google Patents

Abstract

A button structure, the interlocking member and the bottom plate connected to the button structure respectively have an abutting portion and a receiving groove. When the key cap of the button structure is at a higher position and is subjected to a pulling force, the abutting portion enters the receiving groove. The bottom plate is pressed against the pulling force, so that the connection between the interlocking member and the bottom plate can be prevented from being damaged by the pulling force.

Description

Button structure

The present invention relates to a button structure, and more particularly, to a button structure that can resist the pulling force that would affect the linkage of the linking member to the bottom plate.

In the button structure, in order to avoid the occurrence of a key in the key cap during the pressing process, the current button structure is usually provided with a linkage member, and the linkage member has various structural forms, which are called scissors feet and butterfly wings (butterfly). Both the member and the parallel shaft member are interlocking members commonly used for keycaps.

In the button structure with the interlocking member, the upper and lower ends of the linking member are respectively coupled with the key cap and the bottom plate. Therefore, when the keycap is pulled up by the pulling force, the connecting member may affect the connection between the linking member and the bottom plate. When the strength of the connection between the lower end of the member and the bottom plate is insufficient, when the pulling force of the key cap is excessively lifted, the interlocking member is likely to be separated from the bottom plate, and the damage of the key structure is difficult to recover.

Therefore, how to provide a button structure to counter the pulling force that will affect the connection between the linking member and the bottom plate is a technical issue that the industry is currently trying to overcome.

In view of the above disadvantages of the prior art, the present invention provides a key structure comprising: a key cap, a bottom plate, a linking member, and an elastic body. The bottom plate has a first bottom plate engaging portion, a second bottom plate engaging portion and a first receiving groove. The upper and lower ends of the interlocking member are respectively coupled to the keycap and the bottom plate. The interlocking member has a first arm and a second arm. The first arm has a first arm engaging portion and a first arm abutting portion. The first arm engaging portion rotatably couples the first bottom plate engaging portion. The first arm abutting portion is disposed at a lower end of the first arm body. The second arm has a second arm snap. The second arm engaging portion rotatably couples the second bottom plate engaging portion. The elastic body is disposed between the key cap and the bottom plate to provide an elastic force, so that the key cap can be moved upward from a lower position to a higher position, and the first arm is tilted by the first tilting angle by driving the linking member by the key cap Switching to the second inclination angle and moving the first arm abutting portion toward the first receiving groove. When the keycap is in the lower position, the first arm is at the first inclination angle, and the first arm abutting portion is spaced apart from the groove wall surface of the first receiving groove by a first interval. When the keycap is in the upper position, the first arm is at the second inclination angle, and the first arm abutting portion is spaced apart from the groove wall surface of the first receiving groove by a second interval. The second spacing is less than the first spacing. When the keycap is subjected to the pulling force, the abutting portion of the first arm is opposed to the pulling force by the abutting against the groove wall surface of the first receiving groove, so as to prevent the connection between the linking member and the bottom plate from being pulled by the pulling force. Damaged by influence.

Compared with the prior art, the linkage mechanism and the bottom plate of the button structure of the present invention respectively have an abutting portion and a receiving groove. When the key cap is at a higher position and is further subjected to a pulling force, the abutting portion enters the receiving groove and abuts the bottom plate. In order to counteract the pulling force that the keycap is subjected to, the connection between the interlocking member and the bottom plate is ensured, and the connection between the interlocking member and the bottom plate is prevented from being damaged by the pulling force.

The other aspects of the present invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art from this disclosure. The invention may also be embodied or applied by other different embodiments. The details of the present invention can be variously modified and changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In particular, the relative relationship and relative positions of the various elements in the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not representative of actual implementation of the invention.

In the following embodiments, the same or similar functional elements will be described with the same reference numerals, and the description of the same or equivalent features will be omitted.

The button structure provided by the invention has an abutting portion, which can resist the pulling force that affects the connection between the linking member and the bottom plate, so as to prevent the connection between the linking member and the bottom plate from being damaged by the pulling force. It should be noted that the interlocking member of the present invention is exemplified by a scissor foot as an example, but it should not be limited thereto. The interlocking member of the present invention can still be commonly used as a butterfly member and a parallel shaft structure. The interlocking member of the cap.

Please refer to the following examples for explanation:

First embodiment

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7 , the key structure 1 of the present embodiment includes a key cap 11 , a bottom plate 12 , a linking member 13 , and an elastic body 14 . The upper end of the interlocking member 13 is coupled to the keycap 11, and the lower end of the interlocking member 13 is coupled to the bottom plate 12, and has a first arm 131 and a second arm 132. The elastic body 14 is disposed between the keycap 11 and the bottom plate 12 to provide an elastic force to the keycap 11 to move the keycap 11 upward. The first arm 131 has a first arm long axis A1 and the second arm 132 has a second arm long axis A2.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first arm 131 has a first arm engaging portion 1311 which is a cylindrical rotating shaft, and a first arm abutting portion 1312 which is a protruding block-shaped body, wherein the first branch The arm abutting portion 1312 is provided at a lower end of the body of the first arm 131. As shown in FIG. 4, the second arm 132 has a second arm engaging portion 1321 which is a cylindrical rotating shaft, and a second arm abutting portion 1322 which is a convex extending block body, wherein the second branch The arm abutting portion 1322 is disposed at a lower end of the body of the second arm 132.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the bottom plate 12 has a first bottom plate engaging portion 121 , a second bottom plate engaging portion 122 , a first receiving groove 123 , and a second receiving groove 124 . The first arm engaging portion 1311 is rotatably engaged with the first bottom plate engaging portion 121. The first receiving groove 123 is disposed below the first arm abutting portion 1312, and the second arm card is The connecting portion 1321 rotatably engages the second bottom plate engaging portion 122, and the second receiving groove 124 is disposed below the second arm abutting portion 1322. In the embodiment, the first arm engaging portion 1311 enters the first bottom plate engaging portion 121, and the second arm engaging portion 1321 enters the second bottom plate engaging portion 122 during the assembly process. The first arm long axis A1 of the arm 131 is substantially parallel to the second arm long axis A2 of the second arm 132, but is not limited thereto.

Regarding the engagement of the first arm engaging portion 1311 with the first bottom plate engaging portion 121, the first bottom plate engaging portion 121 has a first arm engaging guiding surface 1211 and a water drop hole 1213, and the first arm is engaged and guided. The surface 1211 guides the first arm engaging portion 1311 to deform slightly inward to reduce the volume of the rotating shaft, or guides the first bottom plate engaging portion 121 to slightly expand outwardly to expand the locking opening, so that the first arm is engaged The portion 1311 can smoothly move vertically downward into the water drop hole 1213 of the first bottom plate engaging portion 121 to complete the engagement. Regarding the engagement of the second arm engaging portion 1321 and the second bottom plate engaging portion 122, the second bottom plate engaging portion 122 has a second arm engaging guiding surface 1221 and a horizontal sliding slot 1223, and the second arm is engaged The guiding surface 1221 guides the second arm 132 to deform slightly inward to reduce the volume, or guides the second bottom plate engaging portion 122 to slightly expand outwardly to expand the locking opening, so that the second arm engaging portion 1321 can Smoothly moving vertically downward into the horizontal chute 1223 of the second bottom plate engaging portion 122 to complete the snapping.

As shown in FIG. 6 to FIG. 7, the keycap 11 is moved upward from the lower position P1 to the upper position P2, and the first arm 131 is converted by the first tilt angle ɵ11 by driving the interlocking member 13 by the keycap 11. Up to the second inclination angle ɵ12, and moving the first arm abutting portion 1312 toward the first receiving groove 123, the second arm 132 is further switched from the third inclination angle ɵ21 to the fourth inclination angle ɵ22, The second arm abutting portion 1322 is moved toward the second receiving groove 124.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6 , when the key cap 11 is located at the lower position P1 , the first arm 131 is at the first tilt angle ɵ 11 , and the first arm abutting portion 1312 is coupled to the first receiving slot 123 . The groove wall surface 1231 is spaced apart from the first spacing d11, the second arm 132 is at the third inclination angle ɵ21, and the second arm abutting portion 1322 is spaced apart from the groove wall surface 1241 of the second receiving groove 124 by a third spacing d21. In this embodiment, the angle between the first tilt angle ɵ11 and the third tilt angle ɵ21 is zero degrees, but is not limited thereto.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the keycap 11 is located at the upper position P2, the first arm 131 is at the second inclination angle ɵ12, and the first arm abutting portion 1312 is spaced from the groove wall surface 1231 of the first receiving groove 123. The second distance d12 is that the second arm 132 is at the fourth inclination angle ɵ22, and the second arm abutting portion 1322 is spaced apart from the groove wall surface 1241 of the second receiving groove 124 by a fourth distance d22. In this embodiment, the second pitch d12 is smaller than the first pitch d11, and the fourth pitch d22 is smaller than the third pitch d21, and even more, the unit length of the second pitch d12 and the fourth pitch d22 is zero, so When the keycap 11 is further subjected to the pulling force, the first arm abutting portion 1312 and the second arm abutting portion 1322 can be respectively abutted against the groove wall surface 1231 of the first receiving groove 123 and the groove of the second receiving groove 124. The wall surface 1241 abuts against the bottom plate 12 to resist the pulling force of the key cap 11 , which helps to prevent the first arm engaging portion 1311 from coming out of the water droplet hole of the first bottom plate engaging portion 121, or The second arm engaging portion 1321 is prevented from coming out of the horizontal sliding groove of the second bottom plate engaging portion 122; thereby preventing the connection between the linking member 13 and the bottom plate 12 from being damaged by the pulling force.

Second embodiment

Referring to FIG. 8 to FIG. 16 , the structure of the button in this embodiment is substantially the same as that in the first embodiment. The main difference is as follows: the button structure 1 of the embodiment is not provided with the second arm of the first embodiment. The abutting portion 1322 and the second receiving groove 124.

In addition, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the first arm engaging portion 1311 is coupled with the first arm abutting portion 1312 to form a columnar rotating shaft having a "6"-shaped cross section, as shown in the figure. As shown in Fig. 11, the second arm engaging portion 1321 is a columnar rotating shaft.

As shown in FIG. 12, the first receiving groove 123 is provided in the first bottom plate engaging portion 121. In addition, regarding the engagement between the first arm engaging portion 1311 and the first bottom plate engaging portion 121, the first bottom plate engaging portion 121 further has a first arm engaging guiding path 1212, and the first arm is engaged with the guiding path. The 1212 is inclined to extend into the first bottom plate engaging portion 121 by the side of the main body of the first bottom plate engaging portion 121, and guides the first arm engaging portion 1311 to move obliquely downward to enter the first bottom plate engaging portion 121. To complete the card connection. Regarding the engagement of the second arm engaging portion 1321 and the second bottom plate engaging portion 122, the second bottom plate engaging portion 122 has a second arm engaging guiding path 1222, and the second arm is engaged with the guiding path 1222. The side of the body of the second bottom plate engaging portion 122 extends obliquely into the second bottom plate engaging portion 122, and the second arm engaging portion 1321 is guided to tilt downwardly to enter the second bottom plate engaging portion 122 to complete. Card access.

When the keycap 11 is located at the lower position P1, as shown in FIG. 13, FIG. 13-1 and FIG. 15, the first arm 131 is at the first inclination angle ɵ11, and the first arm abutting portion 1312 is coupled to the first The groove wall surface 1231 of the housing groove 123 is spaced apart by the first spacing d11, and the second arm 132 is at the third inclination angle ɵ21. In this embodiment, the angle between the first tilt angle ɵ11 and the third tilt angle ɵ21 is zero degrees, but is not limited thereto.

When the keycap 11 is located at the upper position P2, as shown in FIG. 14, FIG. 14-1 and FIG. 16, the first arm 131 is at the second inclination angle ɵ12, and the first arm abutting portion 1312 is coupled to the first The groove wall surface 1231 of the receiving groove 123 is spaced apart by the second spacing d12, and the second arm 132 is at the fourth inclination angle ɵ22. In this embodiment, the second spacing d12 is smaller than the first spacing d11, and even more, the unit length of the second spacing d12 is zero, so that when the keycap 11 is further subjected to the pulling force, the first arm abuts The portion 1312 can abut against the bottom plate 12 against the pulling force of the key cap 11 by abutting against the groove wall surface 1231 of the first receiving groove 123, thus helping to avoid the first arm engaging portion 1311 from the first portion. The bottom plate engaging portion 121 is disengaged, thereby preventing the connection between the interlocking member 13 and the bottom plate 12 from being damaged by the pulling force.

The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Modifications and variations of the above-described embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be as defined in the scope of the invention.

1‧‧‧Key structure

11‧‧‧Key Cap

12‧‧‧floor

121‧‧‧First floor card joint

1211‧‧‧First arm snap-on guide surface

1212‧‧‧First arm snap-in guide

1213‧‧‧ dripping holes

122‧‧‧Second floor card joint

1221‧‧‧Second arm snap-on guide surface

1222‧‧‧Second arm snap-in guide

1223‧‧‧ horizontal chute

123‧‧‧First storage trough

1231‧‧‧ slot wall

124‧‧‧Second holding trough

1241‧‧‧ slot wall

13‧‧‧ linkage components

131‧‧‧First arm

1311‧‧‧First arm snap

1312‧‧‧First arm abutment

132‧‧‧second arm

1321‧‧‧Second arm snap

1322‧‧‧second arm abutment

14‧‧‧ Elastomers

Figure 1 is a schematic view showing a first embodiment of the key structure of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the button structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the first arm of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a second arm of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the bottom plate of the first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the button structure shown in Figure 1 taken along line AA, wherein the keycap is at a lower position.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the button structure shown in Figure 1 taken along line AA, wherein the keycap is at a higher position.

Figure 8 is a schematic view showing a second embodiment of the key structure of the present invention.

Figure 9 is an exploded view of the button structure shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is an enlarged view of a first arm of a second embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 11 is an enlarged view of a second arm of the second embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 12 is a partial enlarged view of the bottom plate of the second embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the button structure shown in Figure 8 taken along line BB, wherein the keycap is at a lower position.

Figure 13-1 is a partial enlarged view of the D area shown in Figure 13.

Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of the button structure shown in Figure 8 taken along line BB, wherein the keycap is at a higher position.

Figure 14-1 is a partial enlarged view of the E area shown in Figure 14.

Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of the button structure shown in Figure 8 taken along line CC, wherein the keycap is at a lower position.

Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of the button structure shown in Figure 8 taken along line CC, wherein the keycap is at a higher position.

Claims (10)

A key structure includes: a key cap; a bottom plate having a first bottom plate engaging portion, a second bottom plate engaging portion and a first receiving groove; and a linking member, the upper end of the linking member is coupled to the key a cap, the lower end of the linking member is coupled to the bottom plate, the linking member has: a first arm having a first arm engaging portion and a first arm abutting portion, the first branch The arm engaging portion is rotatably engaged with the first bottom plate engaging portion, the first arm abutting portion is disposed at a lower end of the first arm body; a second arm, the second branch The arm has a second arm engaging portion, the second arm engaging portion rotatably latches the second bottom plate engaging portion; and an elastic body disposed on the key cap and the elastic cap Between the bottom plates, an elastic force is provided to move the key cap upward from a lower position to a higher position, and the first arm is biased by a first tilt by the keycap driving the linking member Converting the angle to a second tilting angle, and causing the first arm abutting portion to enter the first receiving slot The first arm is at the first angle of inclination when the keycap is at the lower position, and the first arm abutting portion is spaced apart from the slot wall of the first receiving slot by a first a spacing; wherein, when the keycap is located at the upper position, the first arm is at the second inclination angle, and the first arm abutting portion is spaced apart from the slot wall surface of the first receiving slot by a second a spacing, the second spacing is less than the first spacing, such that when the keycap is subjected to a pulling force, the first arm abuts through the portion Abutting against the groove wall surface of the first receiving groove to prevent the pulling force from being broken by the pulling force; wherein the first bottom plate engaging portion has a first arm is engaged with the guiding surface, and the first arm engaging guiding surface extends downward from a top surface of the first bottom plate engaging portion body to a side of the first bottom plate engaging portion body, and guides the first The one arm engaging portion moves vertically downwards and enters the first bottom plate engaging portion to complete the locking of the first arm engaging portion and the first bottom plate engaging portion. The button structure of claim 1, wherein the angle of the first tilt angle is zero degrees, and the unit length of the second pitch is zero. The button structure of claim 1, wherein the first arm has a first arm long axis, and the second arm has a second arm long axis, the first arm card When the connecting portion is engaged with the first bottom plate engaging portion, and the second arm engaging portion is engaged with the second bottom plate engaging portion, the first arm long axis is substantially parallel to the second arm long axis. The button structure of claim 1, wherein the bottom plate further has a second receiving groove; the second arm further has a second arm abutting portion; the second arm abutting portion The second arm body is disposed at a lower end of the bottom plate. The button structure of claim 4, wherein the keycap drives the linkage member to switch the second arm from a third tilt angle to a fourth tilt angle, and the second branch The arm abutting portion moves toward the second receiving slot; when the key cap is located at the lower position, the second arm is at the third tilting angle, and the second arm abutting portion is coupled to the first The slot wall of the two receiving slots is spaced apart by a third spacing; when the keycap is at the upper position, the second arm is at the fourth tilting angle, the second arm abutting portion and the second receiving The groove wall faces of the slots are spaced apart by a fourth spacing, the fourth spacing being less than the third spacing. The button structure of claim 4, wherein the second bottom plate engaging portion has a second arm engaging guiding surface, and the second arm engaging portion is vertically moved downward. The second bottom plate engaging portion is inserted to complete the locking of the second arm engaging portion and the second bottom plate engaging portion. The button structure of claim 6, wherein the first arm latching guiding surface further guides the first arm abutting portion into the first receiving slot; the second arm snaps the guiding surface The second arm abutting portion is further guided into the second receiving groove. A key structure includes: a key cap; a bottom plate having a first bottom plate engaging portion, a second bottom plate engaging portion and a first receiving groove; and a linking member, the upper end of the linking member is coupled to the key a cap, the lower end of the linking member is coupled to the bottom plate, the linking member has: a first arm having a first arm engaging portion and a first arm abutting portion, the first branch The arm engaging portion is rotatably engaged with the first bottom plate engaging portion, the first arm abutting portion is disposed at a lower end of the first arm body; a second arm, the second branch The arm has a second arm engaging portion, the second arm engaging portion rotatably latches the second bottom plate engaging portion; and an elastic body disposed on the key cap and the elastic cap Between the bottom plates, an elastic force is provided to move the key cap upward from a lower position to a higher position, and the first arm is biased by a first tilt by the keycap driving the linking member Converting the angle to a second tilting angle, and causing the first arm abutting portion to enter the first receiving slot Sports; The first arm is at the first angle of inclination when the keycap is located at the lower position, and the first arm abutting portion is spaced apart from the slot wall surface of the first receiving slot by a first spacing; The first arm is at the second angle of inclination when the keycap is located at the upper position, and the first arm abutting portion is spaced apart from the slot wall surface of the first receiving slot by a second distance. The second pitch is smaller than the first pitch, so that when the key cap is subjected to a pulling force, the first arm abutting portion is opposed to the pull plate by abutting against the groove wall surface of the first receiving groove. Pulling force to prevent the connection of the linking member and the bottom plate from being damaged by the pulling force; wherein the first bottom plate engaging portion has a first arm engaging guiding path, the first arm card The guiding channel is extended from the side of the top surface of the first bottom plate engaging portion body to the first bottom plate engaging portion, and the first arm engaging portion is inclined to move downwardly to enter the guiding portion a first bottom plate engaging portion to complete the locking of the first arm engaging portion and the first bottom plate engaging portion The button structure of claim 8, wherein the first arm engaging portion is coupled to the first arm abutting portion to form a columnar rotating shaft having a "6"-shaped cross section; The second arm engaging portion is a columnar rotating shaft; the first receiving slot is disposed in the first bottom plate engaging portion. The button structure of claim 9, wherein the second bottom plate engaging portion has a second arm engaging guiding track, and the second arm engaging guiding channel is the second bottom plate card The side of the body of the joint extends obliquely into the second bottom plate engaging portion, and the second arm engaging portion is guided to move obliquely downward to enter the second bottom plate engaging portion to complete the second arm The engaging portion is engaged with the second bottom plate engaging portion.