TWI469165B - Keypad assembly and electronic device using the same - Google Patents

Description

Button structure and electronic device having the same

The present invention relates to a button structure, and more particularly to a button structure for an electronic device.

The panel structure of the electronic device is often provided with a button structure for controlling the power switch or performing other function adjustments. With the rapid development of the electronic industry, the control precision of the buttons in the electronic device is also higher and higher.

A button structure is provided on a casing of an electronic device. The housing is provided with a receiving hole. The button structure includes a key cap and a key switch housed in the receiving hole. The bottom of the key cap is provided with a bump. The button switch has a triggering portion and a fixed contact, and the triggering portion is an arched elastic piece. The bump abuts against the top of the trigger. Pressing the key cap in the button structure, the bump presses the trigger portion to be connected with the fixed contact; and the key cap is released, and the trigger portion abuts the bump to reset the key cap.

However, in the above-mentioned button structure, due to manufacturing tolerances or assembly errors, it is easy to cause a certain gap between the bump of the key cap and the top of the trigger portion in the untriggered state, thereby forming an idle stroke, resulting in the above-mentioned button structure. Feel poor.

In view of the above, it is necessary to provide a button structure with a better hand feeling when pressed and an electronic device having the same.

A button structure includes a support member, a button switch disposed on the support member and having a trigger portion, a key cap disposed opposite the trigger portion, and an elastic member fixedly coupled to the key cap and the support member, the elastic member including the fixing member a fixing portion on the support member, two elastic portions extending from the opposite ends of the fixing portion toward the same side of the elastic portion, and two connecting portions respectively disposed on one side of the two elastic portions, the two connecting portions respectively The triggering portion is fixedly connected to the keycap, and the triggering portion abuts the keycap in an untriggered state of the button switch, so that the elastic portions of the elastic member are elastically deformed, so that the keycap is kept in close contact with the triggering portion of the button switch.

An electronic device includes a housing and a button structure disposed on the housing, the housing is provided with a receiving hole, and the button structure comprises a supporting member fixedly connected to the housing, and is disposed on the supporting member a key switch having a triggering portion, a key cap disposed in the triggering portion and partially received in the receiving hole, and an elastic member fixedly connected to the key cap and the supporting member, the triggering portion abutting the keycap in an untriggered state of the button switch The elastic member is elastically deformed, so that the key cap is kept in close contact with the trigger portion of the button switch, and the button structure further includes a fixing bracket fixed to the inner side of the housing and fixedly connected with the support member.

The key cap of the button structure pulls down the elastic member when the button switch is not triggered, so that the elastic member is elastically deformed, so that the key cap is kept in close contact with the trigger portion of the button switch, so that the key cap and the trigger portion can be avoided. A gap is created to give a better feel when the button structure is pressed.

100‧‧‧Electronic devices

101‧‧‧shell

102‧‧‧ accommodating holes

103‧‧‧Key structure

10‧‧‧Key Cap

11‧‧‧ Pressing Department

13‧‧‧Limited

15‧‧‧Connecting Department

151‧‧‧Bump

20‧‧‧Fixed bracket

21‧‧‧First Fixed Department

23‧‧‧Second fixed department

25‧‧‧The third fixed department

30‧‧‧Support

31‧‧‧Ontology

312‧‧‧through hole

32‧‧‧Support

50‧‧‧Key switch

51‧‧‧Trigger

60‧‧‧Flexible parts

61‧‧‧ Fixed Department

62‧‧‧Flexible Department

63‧‧‧Connecting Department

632‧‧‧Fixed holes

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is an exploded perspective view of the electronic device shown in FIG. 1.

3 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the electronic device shown in FIG. 1.

The key structure of the present invention and the electronic device having the same will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , the electronic device 100 includes various functional modules for implementing various functions. However, in order to save space, the present embodiment focuses on the housing 101 of the electronic device 100 and is fixed on the housing 101 . The button structure 103. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the button structure 103 is a function table button of the electronic device 100, and the casing 101 is an outer casing of the electronic device. A receiving hole 102 is defined in the housing 101.

The button structure 103 includes a keycap 10, a fixing bracket 20, a support member 30, a push button switch 50, and an elastic member 60. The button cap 10 is partially received in the receiving hole 102 of the housing 101. The fixing bracket 20 is fixed to the inner side surface of the casing 101 and disposed adjacent to the receiving hole 102. The support member 30 is fixedly connected to the fixing bracket 20 and disposed opposite to the receiving hole 102. The push button switch 50 is fixed to the support member 30. The elastic member 60 is fixedly coupled to the keycap 10 and the support member 30.

The keycap 10 includes a pressing portion 11 , a limiting portion 13 and two connecting portions 15 . The pressing portion 11 is substantially elliptical in shape and is slidable in the receiving hole 102 of the housing 101. The stopper portion 13 is provided on one side of the pressing portion 11. The size of the limiting portion 13 is larger than the size of the receiving hole 102 of the housing 101 to prevent the pressing portion 11 from falling out of the receiving hole 102. The two connecting portions 15 are respectively disposed at both ends of the outer surface of the limiting portion 13 . In the embodiment, a protruding post 151 is disposed on one side of each connecting portion 15 away from the pressing portion 11 .

The fixing bracket 20 includes a first fixing portion 21 , two second fixing portions 23 and a third fixing portion 25 . The first fixing portion 21 is a rectangular plate body that is fixed to the inner side of the casing 101. two The second fixing portions 23 are bent and extended from both ends of the first fixing portion 21 side. Both ends of the third fixing portion 25 are connected to the second fixing portions 23, respectively. The first fixing portion 21, the second fixing portion 23, and the third fixing portion 25 together form an annular frame. In the present embodiment, the first fixing portion 21 is fixed to the inner side of the casing 101 by welding. The third fixing portion 25 is for fixing other components (not shown) that are connected to the electronic device 100.

The support member 30 includes a body 31 and a support portion 32 provided at a middle portion of the body 31 side. A through hole 312 is defined in each of the two ends of the body 31. The body 31 is fixed to the second fixing portion 23 of the fixing bracket 20 by a through hole 312 through a screw (not shown).

The push button switch 50 is fixed to the support portion 32 of the support member 30. The push button switch 50 has a trigger portion 51. The stopper portion 13 of the keycap 10 presses the trigger portion 51 to activate the key switch 50. In the present embodiment, the push button switch 50 is fixed to the support member 30 by welding.

The elastic member 60 includes a fixing portion 61 and two elastic portions 62 and two connecting portions 63. The fixing portion 61 is fixed to one side of the push switch 50 on the support member 30. The two elastic portions 62 extend from both ends of the fixing portion 61 side toward the same side of the fixing portion 61. The two connecting portions 63 are respectively disposed on one side of the two elastic portions 62. A fixing hole 632 is defined in the free end of each connecting portion 63. The fixing post 632 of the connecting portion 15 of the key cap 10 is inserted through the fixing hole 632 to fix the elastic member 60 to the key cap 10. In the present embodiment, the elastic member 60 is integrally formed of an elastic material.

Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 simultaneously, when the button structure 103 is assembled, the first fixing portion 21 of the fixing bracket 20 is first fixed to the inner side of the casing 101. The two ends of the body 31 of the support member 30 are fixedly connected to the second fixing portions 23 of the fixing bracket 20 . The pressing portion 11 of the keycap 10 is housed in the receiving hole 102 of the casing 101. The key switch 50 is fixed to one side of the support member 30. The protrusion 151 of the keycap 10 is penetrated by the two connecting portions 63 of the elastic member 60. The elastic member 60 is fixedly coupled to the keycap 10 in the fixed hole 632. The fixing portion 61 of the elastic member 60 is fixed to one side of the push switch 50 of the support member 30. The elastic portion 62 of the elastic member 60 is deformed by the pulling of the keycap 10, so that the stopper portion 13 of the keycap 10 is in close contact with the trigger portion 51 of the push switch 5.

When the button structure 103 is used, the pressing portion 11 of the keycap 10 is pressed to slide the keycap 10 toward the trigger portion 51 of the key switch 50 until the key switch 50 is activated. The elastic portion 62 of the elastic member 60 completely recovers the deformation or the elastic variable is reduced. When the pressing portion 11 of the keycap 10 is released, the triggering portion 51 of the key switch 50 is automatically reset to lift the keycap 10, and the elastic portion 62 is deformed, so that the limiting portion 13 of the keycap 10 is kept with the key switch 50. The trigger portion 51 is in close contact.

It should be noted that when the button switch 50 of the button structure 103 is not triggered, the elastic force of the elastic member 60 applied to the key cap 10 due to the deformation is smaller than the pressing force required when the trigger portion 51 of the button switch 50 is triggered, thereby preventing the button switch 50 from being pressed. By mistake, the key switch 50 can work normally.

When the key switch 10 of the button structure 103 is untriggered, the elastic member 60 is pulled up to elastically deform the elastic member 60, so that the key cap 10 is kept in close contact with the trigger portion 51 of the push button switch 50. A gap can be avoided between the keycap 10 and the triggering portion 51 of the push button switch 50, so that a better hand feel is obtained when the button structure 103 is pressed.

It can be understood that the fixing bracket 20 can also be omitted. At this time, the support member 30 is directly fixed to the casing 101.

In summary, the present invention has indeed met the requirements of the invention patent, and has filed a patent application according to law. However, the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and cannot be limited thereto. The scope of the patent application for this case. Equivalent modifications or variations made by persons skilled in the art in light of the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

101‧‧‧shell

102‧‧‧ accommodating holes

11‧‧‧ Pressing Department

13‧‧‧Limited

21‧‧‧First Fixed Department

30‧‧‧Support

51‧‧‧Trigger

63‧‧‧Connecting Department

Claims (8)

A button structure includes a support member, a button switch disposed on the support member and having a trigger portion, and a key cap disposed relative to the trigger portion, wherein the button structure further comprises a fixed connection with the key cap and the support member The elastic member includes a fixing portion fixed to the support member, two elastic portions extending from opposite ends of the fixing portion toward the same side of the elastic portion, and respectively disposed on one side of the two elastic portions The two connecting portions are respectively fixedly connected to the key cap, and the triggering portion abuts the key cap in an untriggered state of the push button switch, so that the elastic portions of the elastic member are elastically deformed, thereby maintaining the key cap The trigger portion of the push button switch is in close contact. The button structure of claim 1, wherein each of the connecting portions is provided with a fixing hole, and one side of the key cap is provided with a protruding post penetrating the fixing hole. The button structure of claim 1, wherein the button structure further comprises a fixing bracket fixedly connected to the support member. The button structure of claim 3, wherein the support member comprises a body fixedly connected to the fixing bracket at both ends, and a supporting portion disposed at a middle portion of the body, the button switch being fixed on the supporting portion . The button structure of claim 4, wherein the fixing bracket comprises a first fixing portion, two second fixing portions respectively bent from two ends of the first fixing portion, and two ends and the two The third fixing portion is connected to the second fixing portion, and the two ends of the body are respectively fixed to the two second fixing portions. An electronic device includes a housing and a button structure disposed on the housing, the housing is provided with a receiving hole, and the button structure comprises a supporting member fixedly connected to the housing, and is disposed on the supporting member The key switch having the triggering portion and the key cap disposed relative to the triggering portion and partially received in the receiving hole is improved in that the button structure further comprises a fixed connection with the key cap and the supporting member The elastic member, the triggering portion abuts the keycap in an untriggered state of the button switch, so that the elastic member is elastically deformed, so that the key cap is kept in close contact with the triggering portion of the button switch, and the button structure further comprises being fixed to the shell A fixing bracket on the inner side of the body and fixedly connected to the support member. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the elastic member comprises an elastic portion and two connecting portions respectively bent from the opposite ends of the elastic portion toward the same side of the elastic portion, the two connecting portions respectively The key cap is fixedly connected. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein each of the connecting portions is provided with a fixing hole, and one side of the key cap is provided with a protruding post penetrating the fixing hole.