TWM453892U - Auxiliary input device - Google Patents

Description

Auxiliary input device

The present invention relates to an input device, and more particularly to an auxiliary input device for use in a tablet computer.

As tablet PCs become more and more popular in daily life, the touch panel touch operation is more and more frequent. In order to save weight and mechanical space, the tablet computer cancels the physical keyboard of the traditional notebook computer and changes to the display screen. Virtual keyboard instead.

However, the virtual keyboard cannot replace the convenience of the physical keyboard. The reason is that when the virtual keyboard faces the input action, the position of the virtual button must be determined depending on the eye's vision, so that the speed of inputting the text is greatly limited. In contrast, the physical keyboard can directly provide a shape touch to the user, so that the user can easily do it without relying on the visual.

Therefore, if a tablet computer is required to face a large number of key operations, then the user of the tablet computer will be additionally equipped with an external physical keyboard to facilitate the processing of documents. However, the external physical keyboard must be connected to the tablet by wired or wireless signals, one increases the power consumption of the tablet, and the other increases the carrying weight and space. Therefore, the acceptance of the external physical keyboard in the tablet is limited to a specific ethnic group and is not accepted by a wide range of users.

Therefore, the creator feels that the above-mentioned deficiency can be improved. He is devoted to research and cooperates with the application of theory, and finally proposes a creation that is reasonable in design and effective in improving the above-mentioned deficiency.

The present embodiment is to provide an auxiliary input device for mounting on a flat The board computer facilitates folding of the auxiliary housing to facilitate the user to operate the tablet with the auxiliary keyboard.

The present invention provides an auxiliary input device for mounting on a tablet computer. The auxiliary input device includes: an auxiliary keyboard having an insulating chassis and a plurality of conductive keys, wherein the conductive keys are respectively coupled to the insulating chassis; And an auxiliary housing having a foldable sheet-like structure, the auxiliary housing having a folded body, a first connecting portion, and a second connecting portion, wherein the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are respectively Connected to opposite sides of the folding body, and the first connecting portion is fixed to the auxiliary keyboard, the second connecting portion is fixed to the tablet computer, and the auxiliary input device can be selectively folded by folding the auxiliary housing Located in a use position and a collapsed position; wherein when the auxiliary input device is mounted on the tablet and in the use position, the folded body is adapted to be placed on a work surface to enable the tablet to work with the tablet The face clip has an acute angle, the insulating chassis is placed on the tablet, and the pressing portions of the conductive keyboards are adapted to be pressed so that the auxiliary keyboard can resist the touch of the tablet Screen; when the auxiliary input device is mounted to the tablet, and located the folding position, the folding body, the second connecting portion, and the superposed form and the form of a keypad on the touch screen covers the tablet.

In summary, the auxiliary input device provided by the present embodiment facilitates the user to set the auxiliary keyboard on the tablet through the auxiliary housing located at the use position, thereby making the user more convenient to operate the auxiliary keyboard. Or protect the tablet's touch screen through an auxiliary housing located in the collapsed position.

100‧‧‧Auxiliary input device

1‧‧‧Auxiliary keyboard

11‧‧‧Insulation chassis

111‧‧‧Sheet

1111‧‧‧ first side

1112‧‧‧ second side

1113‧‧‧Perforation

1114‧‧‧ trench

112‧‧‧elastic support

1121‧‧‧ first end

1122‧‧‧ second end

113‧‧‧Connecting Department

1131‧‧‧ bottom wall

1132‧‧‧ ring side wall

12‧‧‧Electrical keys

121‧‧‧Installation Department

122‧‧‧ Pressing Department

2‧‧‧Auxiliary housing

21‧‧‧Folding ontology

211‧‧‧ first bottom plate

212‧‧‧second bottom plate

213‧‧‧Support board

22‧‧‧ First connection

23‧‧‧Second connection

24, 24a‧‧‧ magnetic parts

200‧‧‧ tablet

201‧‧‧ touch screen

202‧‧‧Border

203‧‧‧ built-in magnet

300‧‧‧Working face

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the creation auxiliary input device.

2 is an exploded perspective view of the auxiliary keyboard of the creation auxiliary input device.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of another auxiliary view of the auxiliary keyboard of the authoring auxiliary input device.

4 is a cross-sectional view of the auxiliary keyboard of the authoring auxiliary input device.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the auxiliary keyboard of the creation auxiliary input device.

6 is a cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of the auxiliary keyboard of the authoring auxiliary input device.

Fig. 7 is a schematic view showing the creation auxiliary input device in a use position.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram (1) of the operation of the creation auxiliary input device.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram (2) of the operation of the creation auxiliary input device.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram (3) of the operation of the creation auxiliary input device.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram (4) of the operation of the creation auxiliary input device.

Figure 12 is a schematic view of the creation auxiliary input device when it is in the collapsed position.

Figure 13 is a schematic view of the authoring auxiliary input device in a support position.

In order to further understand the features and technical contents of the present invention, please refer to the following detailed description and drawings of the present invention. However, the drawings are only for reference and explanation, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. .

Please refer to FIG. 1 , which is an embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment provides an auxiliary input device 100 for mounting on a tablet computer 200 ( FIG. 7 ). The auxiliary input device 100 includes an auxiliary keyboard 1 and an auxiliary housing 2. It should be noted that the auxiliary keyboard 1 is exemplified in one aspect as follows, but in practical applications, the auxiliary keyboard 1 is not limited to the following description and related drawings.

Referring to FIG. 2 to FIG. 4, the auxiliary keyboard 1 includes an insulating chassis 11 and a plurality of conductive keys 12, and the conductive keys 12 are connected to the insulating chassis 11 in a buried manner. among them. The insulating chassis 11 is an integrally formed structure that can be bent at will, and the material of the insulating chassis 11 is preferably silicone. The insulating chassis 11 includes a single body 111, a plurality of elastic supporting portions 112, and a plurality of connecting portions 113 from a structural point of view.

The sheet body 111 has a first surface 1111 and a second surface 1112 on opposite sides, and the sheet body 111 is formed with a plurality of through holes 1113 extending through the first surface 1111 and the second surface 1112. The portion of the sheet body 111 in which the perforations 1113 are formed substantially corresponds to the touch screen 201 of the tablet computer 200 , and the portion of the sheet body 111 located outside the perforation 1113 is substantially U-shaped and corresponds to the frame 202 of the tablet computer 200 . Furthermore, the second surface 1112 of the sheet body 111 is recessed with a plurality of grooves 1114, thereby making the perforations 1113 can communicate with each other via the trench 1114 and can communicate with the outside through the trench 1114 at the edge.

Each of the elastic support portions 112 has a first end 1121 and a second end 1122, and the first ends 1121 of the elastic support portions 112 are respectively connected to the sheet body 111, and the second elastic support portions 112 are second. The ends 1122 are respectively connected to the connecting portions 113. In more detail, each of the elastic supporting portions 112 is formed to extend away from the second surface 1112 from a portion of the sheet 111 adjacent to the first surface 1111, and continues to extend to form the connecting portion 113. The elastic support portions 112 respectively correspond to the through holes 1113 of the sheet body 111, and the space surrounded by each elastic support portion 112 gradually decreases from the first end 1121 toward the second end 1122.

Each of the conductive keys 12 is in the form of a block and defines a mounting portion 121 and a pressing portion 122. The mounting portions 121 of the conductive keys 12 are respectively embedded in the connecting portion 113 of the insulating chassis 11, and the surface of the mounting portion 121 of each of the conductive keys 12 and the corresponding connecting portion 113 are combined with each other without a gap, and the pressing portions are combined with each other. 122 is exposed outside the insulating chassis 11, respectively.

The design principle of each of the conductive keys 12 and the matching connecting portion 113 and the elastic supporting portion 112 is the same. Therefore, in order to further introduce the detailed structure of the auxiliary keyboard 1, the following relates to the related structure of the conductive key 12 and its associated insulating chassis 11 (eg, the connecting portion 113 and the elastic supporting portion 112 connected to the conductive key 12). A note.

The connecting portion 113 has a groove-like structure and has a bottom wall 1131 and a ring side wall 1132. The ring side wall 1132 is connected between the second end 1122 of the elastic supporting portion 112 and the circumference of the ring side wall 1132. In other words, the side of the 1111 hole of the sheet body 111 is blocked by the elastic support portion 112 and the connecting portion 113 and cannot communicate with the outside.

The mounting portion 121 has a structure that geometrically corresponds to the connecting portion 113 , and the cross-sectional area of the mounting portion 121 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the pressing portion 122 . The surface of the mounting portion 121 and the inner edge of the bottom wall 1131 and the inner edge of the ring side wall 1132 are joined to each other without a gap, and the pressing portion 122 connected to the mounting portion 121 is planar, and the corresponding connecting portion 113 The positions (i.e., the top edges of the ring side walls 1132) are joined to each other without a gap. The connecting portion 113 and the connecting portion 121 coupled thereto are located in a space surrounded by the elastic supporting portion 112.

In addition, the conductive key 12 of the present embodiment is exemplified by the difference in the cross-sectional size of the mounting portion 121 and the pressing portion 122. However, in practical applications, the conductive key 12 can also be designed as the mounting portion 121 and the pressing portion. 122 has the same cross section, that is, the conductive keys 12 are in the shape of a square.

The structure of the keypad 1 has been described above, and the actual operation of the keypad 1 will be described below. Specifically, the second surface 1112 of the insulating chassis 11 of the auxiliary keyboard 1 is disposed on the frame 202 of the tablet 200, and each connecting portion 113 is spaced apart from the touch screen 201 by a distance. Therefore, the pressing portion 122 of the conductive keys 12 is adapted to be selectively pressed by the user's finger to deform the elastic supporting portions 112 so that the bottom wall 1131 of the connecting portions 113 can resist the touch. Screen 201. When the conductive key 12 is pressed, the elastic support portion 112 is deformed so that the auxiliary keyboard 1 has a feeling of pressing and a sense of force feedback.

It should be added that the thickness of each joint portion 113 must be 0.05 mm to 1 mm, especially the thickness of the bottom wall 1131 is 0.05 mm to 1 mm, thereby making the conductive bond 12 more stable. When the insulating chassis 11 is connected, it is possible to prevent the current from being penetrated due to the excessive thickness of the connecting portion 113 (or the bottom wall 1131). The thickness of the connecting portion 113 (or the bottom wall 1131) is preferably from 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm.

In addition, the auxiliary keyboard 1 of the present invention may be other embodiments in addition to the above embodiments. For example, the auxiliary keyboard 1 may also be as shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 6. In other words, the auxiliary keyboard 1 of the present creation is not limited to the above description.

As shown in FIG. 1, the auxiliary housing 2 is a foldable sheet-like structure, and the auxiliary housing 2 has a folding body 21, a U-shaped first connecting portion 22, and a second connecting portion 23. The first connecting portion 22 and the second connecting portion 23 are respectively connected to opposite side edges of the folding body 21, and the first connecting portion 22 is fixed (eg, glued) to the first surface 1111 of the insulating chassis 11 of the keypad 1 U-shaped outer portion, and the first connecting portion 22 is located The outer side of the conductive keys 12; and the second connecting portion 23 is fixed (eg, snapped) to the back of the tablet 200. Furthermore, the fixing manner used by the first connecting portion 22 and the second connecting portion 23 may be magnetic, sleeve, or other various forms, and is not limited herein.

The folding body 21 has a first bottom plate 211, a second bottom plate 212, and a supporting plate 213 connected in sequence from the first connecting portion 22 toward the second connecting portion 23. Further, the two members adjacent to each other among the first connecting portion 22, the first bottom plate 211, the second bottom plate 212, the support plate 213, and the second connecting portion 23 can be pivotally folded with the connected portion as an axis. . Therefore, the auxiliary input device 100 can be selectively adjusted to a use position (as shown in FIG. 7) and a collapsed position (FIG. 12) via the folding assist housing 2.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the auxiliary input device 100 is installed in the tablet 200 and is in the use position, the first bottom plate 211 and the second bottom plate 212 of the folded body 21 are coplanar and are placed on a working surface 300 ( Such as: desktop). At this time, the support plate 213 and the second bottom plate 212 have an acute angle, and the tablet 200 and the work surface 300 are also angularly opposed, and the second surface 1112 of the insulating chassis 11 of the auxiliary keyboard 1 is placed on the tablet 200. The auxiliary keyboard 1 has an acute angle with the first bottom plate 211, so that the bottom end of the tablet 200 can be clamped between the first bottom plate 211 and the auxiliary keyboard 1.

When the auxiliary input device 100 is adjusted from the use position to the folding position, the sequence of steps is as follows: Referring to FIG. 7 to FIG. 12, the auxiliary keyboard 1 is first separated from the touch screen 201; A portion of the bottom plate 211 connected to the second bottom plate 212 is an axis pivoting the first bottom plate 211, the auxiliary keyboard 1, and the first connecting portion 22, so that the first bottom plate 211 is stacked on the second bottom plate 212, and the auxiliary keyboard 1 is The first surface 1111 and the first connecting portion 22 are stacked on the supporting plate 213; finally, the folded connecting body 21 and the first connection are pivoted by the portion where the second connecting portion 23 is connected to the supporting plate 213 as an axis. The portion 22 and the auxiliary keyboard 1 are disposed on the touch screen 201 to cause the auxiliary input device 100 to assume the folded position.

Therefore, when the auxiliary input device 100 is mounted on the tablet 200 and is located at the folding In the position, one side of the first connecting portion 22, the auxiliary keyboard 1, and the first bottom plate 211 is the touch screen 201, and the first connecting portion 22, the auxiliary keyboard 1, and the other side of the first bottom plate 211 The support plate 213 and the second bottom plate 212.

In more detail, the auxiliary housing 2 can be further provided with a plurality of magnetic members 24 (such as FIG. 1), and the magnetic members 24 are respectively disposed (eg, embedded) on the first bottom plate 211 and the second bottom plate 212. The support plate 213 and the first connecting portion 22 are provided. Thereby, when the support plate 213 and the second bottom plate 212 are stacked on the first connecting portion 22 and the first bottom plate 211, the magnetic member 24 disposed on the support plate 213 and the magnetic member 24 disposed on the first connecting portion 22 The magnetic members 24 disposed on the second bottom plate 212 and the magnetic members 24 disposed on the first bottom plate 211 are attracted to each other. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 11, since the built-in magnet 203 is disposed in the tablet 200, the first bottom plate 211 may also be provided (eg, embedded) with a magnetic member 24a corresponding to the built-in magnet 203. Thereby, when the auxiliary input device 100 assumes the folding position, the magnetic member 24a disposed on the first bottom plate 211 can be attracted to the built-in magnet 203 of the tablet computer 200.

It should be noted that the mutually adsorbing magnetic members 24 are configured to be mutually movable, that is, the mutually attracting magnetic members 24 may be one iron piece and the other magnet, or both of them are magnets. This is not limited.

In addition, the auxiliary input device 100 can also be folded to be located at a supporting position (as shown in FIG. 13). At this time, the first connecting portion 22 of the auxiliary keyboard 1 and the auxiliary casing 2 and the folding body 21 are substantially folded into a triangular column shape. The structure is placed on the work surface 300, and the tablet computer 200 mounted on the auxiliary casing 2 abuts (that is, the second connection portion 23 abuts) the triangular prism structure and the above The work surface 300 has an acute angle. In other words, the auxiliary keyboard 1 is not disposed on the tablet 200, and the user can view or manipulate the entire touch screen 201 of the tablet 200.

In summary, the auxiliary input device of the present embodiment supports the tablet through the auxiliary input device, that is, the tablet is more easily controlled by the auxiliary keyboard by using the auxiliary housing located at the use position; The auxiliary housing in position to protect the touch screen of the tablet; or through the auxiliary position The housing is designed to allow the user to view or manipulate the entire touch screen of the tablet.

The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and it is not intended to limit the scope of the patents of the present invention. Any changes and modifications made to the scope of the patent application of the present invention should be covered by the present invention.

100‧‧‧Auxiliary input device

1‧‧‧Auxiliary keyboard

111‧‧‧Sheet

1111‧‧‧ first side

2‧‧‧Auxiliary housing

21‧‧‧Folding ontology

211‧‧‧ first bottom plate

212‧‧‧second bottom plate

213‧‧‧Support board

22‧‧‧ First connection

23‧‧‧Second connection

24, 24a‧‧‧ magnetic parts

300‧‧‧Working face

Claims (10)

An auxiliary input device for mounting on a tablet computer, the auxiliary input device comprising: an auxiliary keyboard having an insulating chassis and a plurality of conductive keys, the conductive keys respectively coupled to the insulating chassis; and an auxiliary housing The auxiliary housing has a foldable body, a first connecting portion, and a second connecting portion, and the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are respectively connected to the folded body On the opposite sides, the first connecting portion is fixed to the auxiliary keyboard, and the second connecting portion is fixed to the tablet computer, and the auxiliary input device can be selectively located at a use position by folding the auxiliary housing a folding position; wherein when the auxiliary input device is mounted on the tablet and in the use position, the folding body is adapted to be placed on a working surface such that the tablet has an acute angle with the working surface, The insulating chassis is placed on the tablet, and the pressing portions of the conductive keyboards are adapted to be pressed so that the auxiliary keyboard can resist a touch screen of the tablet; Input means attached to the tablet, and located the folding position, the folding body, the second connecting portion, and the superposed form and the form of a keypad on the touch screen covers the tablet. The auxiliary input device of claim 1, wherein the folding body has a first bottom plate, a second bottom plate, and a supporting plate sequentially from the first connecting portion toward the second connecting portion. And the two members adjacent to each other of the first connecting portion, the first bottom plate, the second bottom plate, the supporting plate and the second connecting portion can be pivotally folded with the connected portion as an axis. The auxiliary input device of claim 2, wherein the first bottom plate and the second bottom of the folded body are coplanar and used when the auxiliary input device is mounted on the tablet and in the use position The support plate is placed at an acute angle with the second bottom plate, and the bottom end of the tablet can be clamped between the first bottom plate and the auxiliary keyboard. The auxiliary input device of claim 2, wherein the first connection portion, the auxiliary keyboard, and the first bottom plate are installed when the auxiliary input device is mounted on the tablet computer and located in the folding position One side is the tablet, and the first connecting portion, the auxiliary keyboard, and the other side of the first bottom plate are the supporting plate and the second bottom plate. The auxiliary input device of claim 4, wherein the auxiliary housing is further provided with a plurality of magnetic members, wherein the magnetic members are respectively disposed on the first bottom plate, the second bottom plate, the support plate, and The first connecting portion, when the auxiliary input device is mounted on the tablet and located in the folding position, the magnetic member disposed on the supporting plate and the magnetic member disposed on the first connecting portion are mutually adsorbed And the magnetic member disposed on the second bottom plate and the magnetic member disposed on the first bottom plate are mutually attracted. The auxiliary input device of claim 4, wherein the tablet is provided with a built-in magnet, the first bottom plate is provided with a magnetic member corresponding to the built-in magnet, and the auxiliary input device is installed When the tablet is in the folded position, the magnetic member disposed on the first bottom plate and the built-in magnet of the tablet are attracted to each other. The auxiliary input device of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first connecting portion of the auxiliary housing is adhered to the insulating chassis of the auxiliary keyboard and located outside the conductive keys. The auxiliary input device of claim 7, wherein the first connecting portion of the auxiliary housing is substantially U-shaped. The auxiliary input device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second connecting portion is for engaging with a back surface of the tablet. The auxiliary input device of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the auxiliary input device is selectively detachable from the use position, the retracted position, and a support position by folding the auxiliary housing The auxiliary keyboard and the auxiliary when the auxiliary input device is mounted on the tablet and located at the support position The first connecting portion of the housing and the folding body are substantially folded into a triangular columnar structure and placed on the working surface, so that the tablet computer has an acute angle with the working surface against the triangular columnar structure.