TWI578351B - Button structure and input device - Google Patents

Description

Button structure and input device

The present invention generally relates to a button structure, and more particularly to a button structure having a force conduction path design and an input device having the button structure.

As the requirements for thinning of electronic devices are increasing, the applicable key structure is significantly reduced. Therefore, the mechanical button structure with a large pressing stroke has been gradually replaced by a small stroke button or a touch button. However, as the stroke is reduced or the touch input is used, it is often difficult for the user to feel the feedback, so that the user cannot confirm whether the pressing operation is completed, causing operational troubles.

At present, there is a design that generates vibration by a vibrator to provide feedback by the user. However, this design usually adds a vibrator to the existing button structure, or the integration of the vibrator and the button structure has a complicated circuit and support design. Not conducive to thinning. Furthermore, a mobile device, such as a screen keyboard of a tablet or a smart phone, provides vibration feedback when the finger is touched, prompting the user to complete the pressing operation. However, such a device that provides vibration feedback usually causes the entire device to vibrate together or shakes a certain surface of the device, failing to provide independent and partial feedback, which is not conducive to operational confirmation.

In addition, since such a keyboard does not have an effective force transmission path when the user presses, it often causes the lower sensing area to be unable to be effectively triggered because the pressing force is not felt. On the other hand, the sensing circuit in the sensing area may also be due to the addition of the above vibrator or other mechanism, but it should not This is triggered when triggered, and an incorrect trigger signal is generated.

An object of the present invention is to provide a button structure and an input device having the same, which has a multi-layer film structure, which effectively reduces the size of the button and increases the applicability.

An object of the present invention is to provide a button structure and an input device having the same, which has a force transmission unit and a corresponding shape sensing unit, thereby effectively increasing the force transmission effect and reducing the chance of accidental touch.

An object of the present invention is to provide a button structure having a tactile feedback function and an input device having the button structure to provide independent and partial press feedback, thereby improving user experience.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a button structure including a keycap layer, a support layer, a force transmission unit, a sensing unit, and a control circuit. The keycap layer has a keycap region; the support layer is disposed below the keycap layer and has an opening. The force conducting unit is at least partially disposed below the support layer and includes a diaphragm portion and a protruding portion. The diaphragm portion has a through hole, and the protruding portion extends from the periphery of the through hole; wherein the through hole and the protruding portion are located in the opening of the support layer. The sensing unit is disposed below the force transmission unit, and outputs a trigger signal when the sensing unit is triggered. When a pressing force is applied from the outside, the pressing force is transmitted downward through the force transmitting unit, and the bottom surface of the protruding portion presses the sensing unit to trigger the sensing unit, so that the sensing unit outputs the trigger signal.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides an input device including a keycap layer, a support layer, a force transmission unit, and a sensing unit. The key cap layer has a plurality of key cap regions; the support layer is disposed under the key cap layer, and has a plurality of openings respectively corresponding to the respective key cap regions; the force transmission unit includes a diaphragm portion and a plurality of protruding portions, and the diaphragm portion has a plurality of through holes, and each protrusion is set Around each of the through holes, the through holes and the protruding portions are respectively located in the openings; the sensing unit is disposed under the force transmitting unit, and the triggering signal is output when the sensing unit is triggered. When the pressing force is applied to one of the plurality of button zones, the pressing force is transmitted downward through the force transmitting unit, and the sensing unit is pressed by the bottom surface of the protruding portion to output the trigger signal.

10‧‧‧Input device

100, 100’‧‧‧ button structure

110, 210‧‧‧ keycap

111, 211‧‧‧ regional delimiters

112, 212‧‧‧ keycap area

112a‧‧ character or pattern

114, 214‧‧‧ surrounding area

120, 220‧‧‧ circuit layer

122, 222‧‧‧ first line

122a, 222a‧‧‧ first joint

124, 224‧‧‧ second line

124a, 224a‧‧‧second junction

130, 230‧‧‧ haptic generator

140, 240‧‧‧ support layer

140a, 240a‧‧‧ openings

150, 250‧‧‧ force transmission unit

150a, 250a‧‧‧ accommodating space

152, 252‧‧ ‧ Diaphragm Department

152a‧‧‧Receiving area

154, 254‧‧ ‧ protruding parts

155‧‧‧ bottom

156, 256‧‧‧ extensions

158‧‧‧ top surface

160, 262‧‧‧ sensing unit

170, 270‧‧‧ control circuit

180, 280‧‧ ‧ adhesive layer

260‧‧‧Sense layer

D‧‧‧Drive Signal

F‧‧‧ Press pressure

T‧‧‧ trigger signal

1A is an exploded view of a button structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 1A; FIG. 1C is a schematic view of the operation of the button structure of FIG. 1A; FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the sensing unit; FIG. 3B is a schematic view showing the arrangement of the circuit layer, the tactile sensator, the support layer and the force transmission unit of the button structure according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3C is a cross section of FIG. 3A 3D is a schematic diagram of the operation of the button structure of FIG. 3A; FIG. 3E is a schematic view showing the arrangement of the circuit layer, the tactile generator, the support layer and the force transmission unit of the button structure according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B respectively FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram of a key cap layer of FIG. 4A; FIG. 5B is a schematic diagram of a circuit layer of FIG. 4A; FIG. 5B-1 is a circuit layer of FIG. 5B. Schematic diagram of the configuration of the first line; 5B is a schematic view showing the arrangement of the second line of the circuit layer of FIG. 5B; FIG. 5C is a schematic view of the support layer of FIG. 4A; FIG. 5D is a schematic diagram of the force transmission unit of FIG. 4A; For example, the configuration of the keycap layer and the adhesive layer of the input device.

The invention provides a button structure with a force transmission unit and an input device having the same. Specifically, the input device of the present invention can be any input device having a button structure, such as a separate keyboard device, an input device integrated in an electronic product (such as a mobile device, a tablet or the like, or the like), but not This is limited to this. Hereinafter, the keyboard structure and the input device of the embodiment of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1A to FIG. 1B , in an embodiment, the button structure 100 of the present invention has a multi-layer film structure including a key cap layer 110 , a support layer 140 , a force transmission unit 150 , a sensing unit 160 , and a control circuit 170 . (See Figure 1B). In this embodiment, the keycap layer 110 has a keycap region 112 as an interface layer for the user to press the button structure 100. The support layer 140 is disposed between the key cap layer 110 and the force transmission unit 150 to serve as a main support structure layer of the button structure 100 and has an opening 140a. The force conducting unit 150 is disposed between the key cap layer 110 and the sensing unit 160 as a force conducting path for conducting the pressing force to the sensing unit 160. The sensing unit 160 is disposed under the force transmitting unit 150, and the triggering signal T is output when the sensing unit 160 is triggered. The control circuit 170 is coupled to the sensing unit 160 and the circuit layer 120, and can be disposed at any convenient location according to actual application requirements. The control circuit 170 is configured to receive the trigger signal T of the sensing unit 160 to generate the sensing signal and drive the driving signal D of the haptic generator 130.

Specifically, the force transmission unit 150 is configured to be transmitted from the keycap layer 110. When the pressing force is applied from the outside, the pressing force is transmitted downward through the force transmitting unit 150 to trigger the sensing unit 160. The sensing unit 160 is a switching sensing unit. When the sensing unit 160 is pressed and triggered, the sensing unit 160 can output a trigger signal T, thereby causing the control circuit 170 to generate (1) a sensing signal input by the user or a command.

As shown in FIGS. 1A-1B , the key cap layer 110 is overlaid on the support layer 140 , and the key cap layer 110 has a key cap region 112 and a peripheral region 114 , wherein the peripheral region 114 is adjacent to the periphery of the key cap region 112 . The keycap area 112 serves as an area for the user to press, and the peripheral area 114 is used to connect with adjacent keys. In this embodiment, the perimeter region 114 is disposed around the keycap region 112, and the keycap region 112 can have characters or patterns 112a to indicate corresponding instructions or characters entered by the button structure 100. Furthermore, a region delimiter 111 may be provided around the keycap region 112 to define a range of the keycap region 112, so that the user can easily recognize the position of the keycap region 112 and improve the correctness of the pressing. In other words, the region delimiter 111 is disposed at the junction of the keycap region 112 and the peripheral region 114 to define the keycap region 112 and the peripheral region 114. In this embodiment, the region delimiter 111 may be a raised frame-shaped pattern, and is defined as a keycap region 112 within the frame-shaped pattern and as a peripheral region 114 outside the frame-shaped pattern. When the user performs a blind hit, the position of the keycap area 112 can be recognized by the raised area delimiter 111 around the keycap area 112, which helps to improve the speed and correctness of the input. Furthermore, the area delimiter 111 and the character or pattern 112a may be formed on the upper surface of the keycap layer 110 by printing, imprinting, pasting, laser, etc., and the area delimiter 111 and the character or pattern 112a may have different forms. , not limited to the examples.

The thickness of the keycap layer 110 is preferably 0.075 to 2 mm, and is preferably a soft material to increase the user's comfort in pressing the button structure 100. When the user presses the keycap region 112, the soft material may have a relatively low hardness to enhance the press comfort and have a small energy loss in the radial direction of the pressing point. In addition, the soft material is deflected due to the pressing of the keycap region 112. The feedback feedback can also provide better effects. When the pressing deflection of the keycap region 112 is larger, the smaller the thickness of the keycap region 112 corresponding to the pressing point, the shorter the path for transmitting energy to the user (for example, a finger), which is advantageous for reducing the vibration of the tactile sensator 130. Kinetic energy loss. The material of the keycap layer 110 may include, for example, polyester (PU), thermoplastic polyester (TPU), leather, fabric, silicone, and the like.

In addition, in an embodiment, the key cap layer 110 may only cover the support layer 140 as the uppermost layer of the button structure 100; at this time, the button structure 100 may selectively have a housing for integrating the components, so that the components are disposed on the shell. The keycap layer 110 is exposed and exposed to the user for operation. Moreover, the button structure 100 can optionally include a base layer (not shown), wherein the base layer is disposed under the sensing unit 160 to enhance the overall structural strength of the button structure 100. The base layer is preferably a relatively rigid material (e.g., sheet metal, rigid plastic or polymer layer) to maintain the strength of the button structure 100 without bending damage. The housing may also be integrated with the base layer such that the bottom of the housing acts as a base layer. In another embodiment, the key cap layer 110 can serve as a coating for covering the integral components of the button structure 100, but is not limited thereto.

As shown in FIGS. 1A-1B, the force conducting unit 150 is at least partially disposed below the support layer 140. Specifically, the force transmitting unit 150 includes a diaphragm portion 152 and a protruding portion 154. The diaphragm portion 152 has a receiving portion 152a. The protruding portion 154 is disposed around the receiving portion 152a and protrudes from the diaphragm portion 152 to define The accommodation space 150a. In this embodiment, the diaphragm portion 152 has a through hole as the accommodating portion 152a. In other words, the protruding portion 154 is disposed around the through hole 152a and protrudes from the upper surface of the diaphragm portion 152 toward the keycap layer 110 to form the accommodating space 150a such that the top surface 158 of the protruding portion 154 is higher than the diaphragm portion 152. Upper surface. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the through hole is used as the receiving area 152a of the diaphragm portion 152, but is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the receiving area 152a of the diaphragm portion 152 may be a partial surface area or a recessed area of the diaphragm portion 152. In addition, the accommodating area 152a preferably corresponds to The keycap area 112 can be designed according to the actual needs of the button, and is not limited to the rectangle shown in FIG. 1A. In other embodiments (not shown), the receiving area 152a can be circular, elliptical or any suitable shape. Corresponding to the shape of the accommodating area 152a, the protrusion 154 may surround only a part of the circumference of the accommodating area 152a or substantially surround all the circumferences of the accommodating area 152a. For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, when the accommodating area 152a corresponds to the keycap area 112 being rectangular, the protrusion 154 may be disposed around the three sides of the accommodating area 152a. In this embodiment, the protruding portion 154 is preferably a continuous protruding structure, but is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the protrusion 154 may also be a discontinuous protruding structure, that is, the protrusion 154 may be formed by a plurality of protrusions or bumps disposed along the circumference of the accommodating area 152a.

The force transmitting unit 150, particularly the protruding portion 154, is preferably made of a cushioning material having a hardness of 70 A or less, more preferably a cushioning material having a hardness of 10 A to 60 A, by laser or hot stamping technique. In one embodiment, the force transmitting unit 150 is made of, for example, a silicone material. That is, the force transmission unit 150 may be a soft material so that the sensing unit 160 may generate a false touch signal when the keycap layer 110 is not pressed due to its own weight when disposed on the sensing unit 160. As described above, the force transmission unit 150 is configured to transmit the pressing force to the sensing unit 160 below it to trigger the sensing unit 160 to output the trigger signal T. In this embodiment, the pressing force can be transmitted through the key cap layer 110 and the protruding portion 154; when the key cap region is pressed, the bottom surface 155 of the protruding portion 154 presses the sensing unit 160 to generate the trigger signal T. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1B, the outer sidewall of the protrusion 154 is preferably substantially aligned with the boundary of the keycap region 112, or slightly larger than the boundary of the keycap region 112, whereby the user presses the keycap region. At the boundary of 112, the pressing force can also be effectively transmitted downward through the protruding portion 154, but not limited thereto.

As shown in FIGS. 1A-1B, the support layer 140 is disposed on the diaphragm portion 152 and has an opening 140a such that the protrusion 154 is located at the opening 140a. That is, the opening 140a preferably corresponds to The keycap region 112 of the keycap layer 110 and the range encompasses the protrusion 154 surrounding the receiving area 152a, such that when the support layer 140 is disposed on the diaphragm portion 152, the protrusion 154 is located in the opening 140a (as shown in FIG. 1B). ). In this embodiment, the hardness of the support layer 140 is preferably greater than the hardness of the force transmission unit 150. In other words, the arrangement of the support layer 140 ensures that the user does not deform the compression accommodating space 150a because the hardness of the force transmission unit 150 is too low when the user presses the key cap layer 110.

In one embodiment, when the protrusion 154 of the force transmission unit 150 is disposed through the opening 140a of the support layer 140, the top surface of the support layer 140 is preferably substantially equal to or slightly higher than the top surface 158 of the protrusion 154 for The keycap layer 110 is supported, and the chance of occurrence of a false touch is reduced, but is not limited thereto. In one embodiment, the opening 140a of the support layer 140 preferably corresponds to the keycap region 112, that is, the shape, size, and position of the opening 140a preferably correspond to the keycap region 112, so that when the user presses the keycap region 112. It is ensured that the pressing force is transmitted to the sensing unit 160 by the force transmitting portion (for example, the protruding portion 154) of the force transmitting unit 150.

As shown in FIG. 1C, when the pressing force F is applied from the outside, the pressing force F is transmitted downward through the force transmitting unit 150 to trigger the sensing unit 160, so that the sensing unit 160 outputs the trigger signal T to the control circuit 170. That is, when the user presses the button structure 100 (eg, when pressed against the keycap region 112 of the keycap layer 110), by the structural characteristics of the force conducting unit 150 (eg, the bottom surface 155 of the protrusion 154 presses the sensing unit 160), The pressing force is transmitted downward through the above-mentioned way to trigger the sensing unit 160 to send the trigger signal T. The trigger signal T is preferably used as the sensing signal for operating the button structure 100 to input the corresponding character or command.

Furthermore, the sensing circuit of the sensing unit 160 is preferably disposed corresponding to the force transmitting portion of the force transmitting unit 150 (for example, 155 of the protruding portion 154), so that the pressing force is transmitted only by the above-mentioned route without passing through the supporting layer 140. Passing, thereby reducing the possibility of accidentally touching the sensing area 165 of the adjacent button Capability. Specifically, the sensing unit 160 is a membrane switch as shown in FIG. 1A. The membrane switch as the sensing unit 160 has a sensing area 165 whose shape is preferably similar to the shape of the protrusion 154, for example, corresponding to the shape of the bottom surface 155 of the protrusion 154. As shown in FIG. 1A, since the protrusions 154 are formed in a U-shape around the three sides of a rectangular space, the shape of the sensing area 165 is also arranged around the three sides of the rectangular space to form a U-shaped shape. shape. However, in various embodiments, since the protrusions 154 may also be formed in a ring shape or other shape, the sensing area 165 may also change the shape of the distribution.

As shown in FIG. 2, the film opening relationship of the sensing unit 160 is formed by laminating the first film 161, the second film 162 and the spacer layer 168, wherein the spacer layer 168 is sandwiched between the first film 161 and the second film. Between 162. A metal line 163 is formed on each of the first film 161 and the second film 162 to form a switching line in the sensing region 165. As shown in FIG. 2B, the metal lines 163 on the first film 161 and the metal lines 163 on the second film 162 are staggered, so that the formed switching lines are formed into a grid shape when viewed from above.

3A to 3C, another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the button structure 100 further includes a circuit layer 120 and at least one haptic generator 130. In this embodiment, the circuit layer 120 is disposed under the keycap layer 110 as an electrical path layer for providing a signal transmission path for driving the haptic generator 130 and a substrate layer for mounting the haptic generator 130. At least one haptic generator 130 is disposed under the circuit layer 120 and electrically connected to the circuit layer 120 as a haptic feedback layer after pressing. The control circuit 170 is coupled to the sensing unit 160 and the circuit layer 120, and can be disposed at any convenient location according to actual application requirements. When the control circuit 170 is configured to receive the trigger signal T of the sensing unit 160, the sensing signal is generated and the driving signal D of the haptic generator 130 is driven.

Specifically, the force transmission unit 150 has an accommodation space 150a for accommodating the tactile production. The generator 130. The circuit layer 120 is used to electrically connect the haptic generator 130 and provide an electrical path for driving the haptic generator 130 such that the control circuit 170 can electrically connect the haptic generator 130 through the circuit layer 120. As described above, the sensing unit 160 is preferably a switch sensing unit. When the sensing unit 160 is pressed and triggered, the sensing unit 160 can output a trigger signal T, thereby causing the control circuit 170 to generate (1) a user input character or instruction. The sensing signal, and (2) the driving signal D for driving the haptic generator 130 to vibrate. The lower surface of the circuit layer 120 corresponding to the keycap region 112 has at least one first contact 122a and at least one second contact 124a, wherein the first contact 122a is electrically isolated from the second contact 124a. The at least one haptic generator 130 is located in the accommodating space 150a of the force transmitting unit 150, and electrically connects the first contact portion 122a and the second contact 124a. When the sensing unit 160 is triggered, the trigger signal T can be output, and after receiving the trigger signal T, the control circuit 170 outputs the driving signal D to the haptic generator 130 to drive the haptic generator 130 to vibrate (see FIG. 3D for details). ).

Furthermore, the term "tactile generator" as used herein refers to an element that can be driven by a drive signal D to provide tactile feedback (eg, vibration). The haptic generator can include, for example but not limited to: a piezoelectric actuator, a voice coil actuator, a pager motor, a solenoid, or other type of tactile sensation. Generator. Piezoelectric actuators have the advantage of being very thin and small, and are therefore well suited for use in button structures for multilayer film structures. Hereinafter, the detailed structure and interaction of each element of the key structure of the present invention will be described by taking a piezoelectric actuator as an example.

As shown in FIGS. 3A-3C , the key cap layer 110 covers the circuit layer 120 , and the key cap layer 110 has a key cap region 112 and a peripheral region 114 , wherein the peripheral region 114 is adjacent to the periphery of the key cap region 112 . The keycap region 112 corresponds to the haptic generator 130 and serves as a region for the user to press, and the peripheral region 114 is used to connect the underlying circuit layer 120.

The thickness of the key cap layer 110 is preferably 0.075~2 mm, and is preferably a soft material. The soft material can also provide a better effect by receiving the tactile feedback because the pressing deflection of the key cap region 112. When the pressing deflection of the keycap region 112 is larger, the smaller the thickness of the keycap region 112 corresponding to the pressing point, the shorter the path for transmitting energy to the user (for example, a finger), which is advantageous for reducing the vibration of the tactile sensator 130. Kinetic energy loss. The material of the keycap layer 110 may include, for example, polyester (PU), thermoplastic polyester (TPU), leather, fabric, silicone, and the like.

The circuit layer 120 is preferably in the form of a sheet of relatively hard material to serve as a substrate on which the tactile generator 130 is placed. The thickness of the circuit layer 120 is preferably 0.05-0.5 mm, and the circuit layer 120 may be composed of an insulating layer and a conductive path line disposed on the insulating layer, wherein the insulating layer may be, for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET). ) constitutes. In other words, the hardness of the circuit layer 120 is greater than the hardness of the key cap layer 110, and the thickness of the circuit layer 120 is preferably less than the thickness of the key cap layer 110. As shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, the circuit layer 120 is disposed under the keycap layer 110, wherein the lower surface of the circuit layer 120 corresponds to at least one first contact 122a and at least one second contact electrically separated from the keycap region 112. 124a, the tactile generator 130 is connected to the power supply. Specifically, the circuit layer 120 has a first electrical path 122 and a second electrical path 124 that provide a driving signal D to the haptic generator 130. The first electrical path 122 and the second electrical path 124 are electrically isolated from the circuit. The lower surface of the layer 120 includes a first contact 122a and a second contact 124a, respectively. That is, the first electrical path 122 and the second electrical path 124 are disposed on a side of the circuit layer 120 facing away from the keycap layer 110 (ie, the lower side) such that the tactile sensitizer 130 and the keycap layer 110 are respectively disposed. Two opposite sides of circuit layer 120.

In this embodiment, the haptic generator 130 is composed of a piezoelectric material, and is preferably in the form of a sheet, wherein the piezoelectric material may include, for example, a piezoelectric single crystal, a piezoelectric polycrystalline (piezoelectric ceramic), a piezoelectric polymer. Or piezoelectric composite materials, but not limited to this. Haptic generator 130 setting Under the circuit layer 120, and electrically connecting the first contact 122a of the first electrical path 122 and the second electrical contact 124a of the second electrical path 124, the driving signal D can be transmitted via the electrical paths 122, 124 to drive the tactile sense. Generator 130 produces strain to provide tactile feedback (eg, vibration). It should be noted that the haptic generator 130 is preferably physically connected to the circuit layer 120 only by the first contact 122a and the second electrical contact 124a, so that the haptic generator 130 has a large vibration effect. That is, the haptic generator 130 can connect the first contact 122a and the second electrical contact 124a with an electrical connection material such as silver paste, solder, etc., thereby reaching the physical connection circuit layer 120, so that the haptic generator 130 is not connected to the circuit layer. The portion of 120 has a large vibration effect. However, in other embodiments, in addition to the first contact 122a and the second electrical contact 124a, the haptic generator 130 can enhance the physical connection with the circuit layer 120 by other adhesive means to prevent the haptic generator 130 from Circuit layer 120 is detached but still retains the expected haptic feedback effect. Furthermore, the direction of vibration of the haptic generator 130 relative to the circuit layer 120 may include, for example, an up/down butterfly vibration or a horizontally telescopic vibration, and the vibration mode may include, for example, continuous vibration or pulsed vibration, but is not limited thereto.

As shown in FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C, the force transmission unit 150 is disposed under the circuit layer 120, and the force transmission unit 150 has an accommodation space 150a, wherein the tactile sensor 130 is located in the accommodation space 150a. Specifically, the force transmitting unit 150 includes a diaphragm portion 152 and a protruding portion 154. The diaphragm portion 152 has a receiving portion 152a. The protruding portion 154 is disposed around the receiving portion 152a and protrudes from the diaphragm portion 152 to define The accommodating space 150a is for accommodating the haptic generator 130. In this embodiment, the diaphragm portion 152 has a through hole as the accommodating portion 152a. In other words, the haptic generator 130 is housed in the through hole. As shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, when the accommodating area 152a is rectangular corresponding to the keycap area 112, the protruding portion 154 can be disposed around the three sides of the accommodating area 152a, and only the first contact 122a and the second are reserved. A protrusion 154 is not provided on the side of the contact 124a. In other embodiments, when the accommodating area 152a corresponds to the keycap area 112 When it is circular, the protrusion 154 may substantially surround all the circumferences of the accommodating area 152a except for the positions corresponding to the first contact 122a and the second contact 124a.

When the force conducting unit 150 is used as the supporting structure layer of the circuit layer 120, the thickness of the protruding portion 154 is preferably greater than the thickness of the tactile finder 130. When the haptic generator 130 vibrates in the accommodating space 150a, the thickness of the protrusion 154 is sufficient to provide a suitable vibration space of the haptic generator 130 (ie, there is sufficient space below the haptic generator 130). In addition, the thickness of the support layer 140 is preferably greater than the thickness of the haptic generator 130 to ensure a space in which the haptic generator 130 vibrates. In other words, the arrangement of the support layer 140 can ensure that the tactile sensator 130 has sufficient vibration space when the user presses the key cap layer 110 without deforming the compression accommodating space 150a because the hardness of the force transmission unit 150 is too low, thereby The haptic generator 130 is pressed against the sensing unit 160 so that vibration feedback cannot occur. Specifically, the thickness of the support layer 140 depends on the thickness of the tactile sensator 130 and the height of the vibration space. For example, when the height of the vibration space is greater than, for example, 0.8 mm, the haptic generator 130 has a better vibration effect. Therefore, the thickness of the support layer 140 is preferably designed to be larger than the thickness of the tactile generator 130 and to maintain a vibration space having a height greater than 0.8 mm below the tactile generator 130 when pressed.

Furthermore, in an embodiment, the force transmission unit 150 further has an extension portion 156, wherein the extension portion 156 extends from the protrusion portion 154 toward the inside of the accommodating space 150a, and the top surface of the extension portion 156 is lower than the top surface of the protrusion portion 154. . As shown in FIG. 3C, when the haptic generator 130 is received in the accommodating space 150a, the haptic generator 130 preferably partially overlaps the extension 156 or abuts the extension 156. In other words, the top surface of the extending portion 154 is preferably higher than the upper surface of the diaphragm portion 152 and lower than the bottom surface of the tactile generator 130, and the extending portion 154 preferably extends toward the inner side of the receiving space 150a to the partial tactile generator 130. Below. Thereby, the protruding portion 154 of the force transmitting unit 150 protruding upward is provided under the keycap layer 110. The space in which the haptic generator 130 vibrates (eg, 150a), and the extension 156 provides local support when the haptic generator 130 vibrates to prevent the haptic generator 130 from pressing against the sensing unit 160.

Furthermore, in an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3C, the button structure 100 further includes an adhesive layer 180, wherein the adhesive layer 180 is disposed on the lower surface of the keycap layer 110 and outside the keycap region 112 to adhere the keycap layer. 110 and circuit layer 120. Specifically, the adhesive layer 180 is disposed only on the lower surface of the key cap layer 110 corresponding to the peripheral region 114. In other words, the adhesive layer 180 is not disposed on the lower surface of the keycap layer 110 corresponding to the keycap region 112, such that the portions of the keycap region 112 and the circuit layer 120 corresponding to the keycap region 112 are not adhered together (or have voids). Thereby, when the haptic generator 130 is vibrated by the driving of the driving signal D, the kinetic energy loss when the haptic generator 130 vibrates can be reduced. That is, if the circuit layer 120 and the key cap layer 110 are all adhered, the "load" of the tactile generator 130 is aggravated, and vibration is less likely to occur, and the kinetic energy loss is increased. In this embodiment, the thickness of the adhesive layer 180 is preferably less than 0.5 mm, but is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the remaining components of the button structure 100 (eg, the circuit layer 120, the force transmitting unit 150, the sensing unit 160, etc.) may also be fixed by adhesion to locate the relative positions between the components.

As shown in FIG. 3D, when the pressing force F is applied from the outside, the pressing force F is transmitted downward through the force transmitting unit 150 to trigger the sensing unit 160, so that the sensing unit 160 outputs the trigger signal T to the control circuit 170. The control circuit 170 receives the trigger signal T and can output the driving signal D to the haptic generator 130 to drive the haptic generator 130 to vibrate. That is, when the user presses the button structure 100 (for example, when pressing the keycap region 112 of the keycap layer 110), the support layer 140 causes the haptic generator 130 to have sufficient vibration space under the action of the pressing force, and borrows The structural characteristics of the force transmitting unit 150 (for example, the protruding portion 154 and the extending portion 156) are transmitted downward through the above two ways to trigger the sensing unit 160 to emit the trigger signal T, and the trigger signal T is used as an operation button. Structure 100 The sensing signal of the corresponding character or command is input, and also serves as an indication signal for generating the driving signal D, so that the control circuit 170 receives the trigger signal T and issues the driving signal D. When the haptic generator 130 receives the driving signal D from the control circuit 170 via the electrical path of the circuit layer 120 (for example, the first electrical path 122 and the second electrical path 124), the haptic generator 130 can be generated in the accommodating space 150a. Vibrate to provide feedback to the user to confirm the vibration of the press.

Furthermore, in the foregoing embodiment, the extending portion 156 is continuously extended along the protruding portion 154 toward the inner side of the accommodating space 150a. However, in other embodiments, as shown in FIG. 3E, the extending portion 156' may be discontinuously extending along the protruding portion 154' toward the inner side of the accommodating space 150a to increase the design flexibility of the button structure in accordance with actual needs.

As shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, in another embodiment, the present invention provides an input device 10 including a plurality of key structures of the foregoing embodiments. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the input device 10 is described by taking a keyboard device as an example. However, in other embodiments, the input device may include more than one button structure and configured in any convenient manner, not by way of example. Shown as a limit. Moreover, in this embodiment, the input device 10 is described by taking the button structure of FIG. 3A as an example, but is not limited thereto.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4A, the input device 10 includes a keycap layer 210, a circuit layer 220, a plurality of haptic generators 230, a force transmission unit 250, a sensing layer 260, and a control circuit 270 (see 4B). Additionally, the input device 10 can further optionally include a support layer 240. In this embodiment, the keycap layer 210 has a plurality of keycap regions 212. The circuit layer 220 is disposed under the key cap layer 210, and the lower surface of the circuit layer 220 corresponds to each of the key cap regions 212 having at least one first contact 222a and at least one second contact 224a electrically isolated. The force transmission unit 250 is disposed under the circuit layer 220, and the force transmission unit 250 has a plurality of keycap regions 212 having a plurality of accommodating spaces 250a for accommodating a plurality of haptic sensations. The device 230. The sensing layer 260 is disposed under the force conducting unit 250, and the sensing layer 260 includes a plurality of sensing units 262 corresponding to the plurality of keycap regions 212, respectively. In other words, when a plurality of key structures are integrated into the input device 10 (eg, a keyboard), the elements of each key structure can be integrated into a single component layer.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 5A, a plurality of keycap regions 212 may be interconnected by a peripheral region 214 to form a single keycap layer 210. Specifically, the keycap layer 210 can form a plurality of area delimiters 211 on the upper surface thereof according to the positions of the respective button configurations to define corresponding key cap regions 212, and the space and the peripheral portion between the keycap regions 212 are A peripheral zone 214 is formed. Similar to the above, each keycap region 212 has a corresponding character or pattern (not shown) to indicate the corresponding command or character entered by each key structure. In this embodiment, the key cap layer 210 may have similar characteristics to the above-described key cap layer 110, such as material, thickness, etc., and details are not described herein.

As shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 5B, the circuit layer 220 is disposed under the keycap layer 210, and the lower surface of the circuit layer 220 corresponds to each of the keycap regions 212 having at least one first contact 222a and at least one second connection electrically isolated. Point 224a, the power supply is connected to the corresponding haptic generator 230. That is, the plurality of haptic generators 230 are disposed under the circuit layer 220 corresponding to the plurality of keycap regions 212 and electrically connected to the corresponding first and second contacts 222a, 224a, respectively. It should be noted that the haptic generator 230 has characteristics similar to those of the haptic generator 130 described above, and the manner of connection with the circuit layer 220 can also refer to the related description of the foregoing embodiment of FIG. 1A, and details are not described herein again. Specifically, the circuit layer 220 includes a plurality of first lines 222 and a plurality of second lines 224 to respectively provide an electrical path for driving the corresponding haptic generator 230. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5B-1, the number of the first lines 222 corresponds to the number of the plurality of haptic generators 130 and the plurality of first lines 222 each have a first contact 222a to electrically connect the corresponding tactile senses. Generator 130. As shown in FIG. 5B-2, the number of second lines 224 is preferably less than the number of haptic generators 230, and the plurality of second lines 224 each have more than one second contact. 224a, such that the number of second contacts 224a corresponds to the number of tactile generators 230 to electrically connect the corresponding tactile generators 130, respectively. In this embodiment, the first line 222 serves as a drive path for driving the haptic generator 230, and the second path 224 serves as a ground path for driving the haptic generator 230. In other words, the ground paths of the plurality of haptic generators 230 (i.e., the second lines 224) are preferably grouped together such that the single strip second line 224 has one or at least two second contacts 224a, and all of the second lines The total number of second contacts 224a included in 224 is the same as the number of haptic generators 230, so as to simplify the layout of the electrical paths, reduce the required layout area, and thereby reduce the size of the input device.

As shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 5C, the support layer 240 is disposed between the circuit layer 220 and the force transmission unit 250. The support layer 240 has a plurality of openings 240a corresponding to the plurality of key cap regions 212, and the plurality of openings 240a are for the plurality of protrusions. The portions 254 are respectively disposed therein. Similar to the above, the hardness of the support layer 240 is greater than the hardness of the force conducting unit 250, and the thickness of the support layer 250 is greater than the thickness of the haptic generator 230 to provide room for the haptic generator 230 to vibrate.

As shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 5D, the force transmission unit 250 is disposed under the circuit layer 220, wherein the force transmission unit 250 has a plurality of keycap regions 212 having a plurality of accommodating spaces 250a for accommodating the plurality of haptic generators 230. Specifically, the force transmission unit 250 includes a diaphragm portion 252 and a plurality of protrusions 254, wherein the plurality of protrusions 254 are connected to each other by the diaphragm portion 252 to form a single force transmission unit 250. That is, similar to the above, the diaphragm portion 252 has a plurality of accommodating regions (for example, a plurality of through holes), and the plurality of protruding portions 254 are respectively disposed around the plurality of accommodating regions (for example, through holes) and from the diaphragm portion 252 toward The circuit layer 220 is raised to form a plurality of accommodating spaces 250a. Similarly, when the support layer 240 is disposed on the diaphragm portion 252 of the force transmission unit 250, the plurality of protrusions 254 are respectively disposed through the plurality of openings 254a. Furthermore, the force transmission unit 250 further has a plurality of extensions 256, wherein the plurality of extensions 256 are The plurality of protrusions 254 extend toward the inside of the corresponding accommodating space 250a, and the top surfaces of the extensions 256 are lower than the top surfaces of the corresponding protrusions 254. Moreover, the extension 256 preferably extends over the lower surface of the corresponding haptic generator 230 such that the haptic generator 230 partially overlaps the corresponding extension 256.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, a plurality of sensing units 262 can be integrated in the sensing layer 260, and a plurality of buttons can be controlled by a single control circuit 270 to simplify the manufacturing process and the assembly process, but not limit.

Similar to the operation shown in FIG. 1C or FIG. 3D, when a pressing force is applied to one of the plurality of keycap regions 212, the pressing force transmits the force transmitting portion of the corresponding force transmitting unit 250 (for example, the protrusion 254, the extension portion). 256) Passing down through the above two ways to trigger the corresponding sensing unit 262, so that the sensing unit 262 outputs a trigger signal to the control circuit 270. The trigger signal T is used as an operation signal structure to input a corresponding character or an instruction signal, and also serves as an indication signal for generating a driving signal, so that the control circuit 270 receives the trigger signal and outputs a driving signal to the corresponding tactile generator. 230. When the haptic generator 230 receives the driving signal from the control circuit 270 via the electrical path of the circuit layer 220 (eg, the corresponding first electrical path 222 and the second electrical path 224), the haptic generator 230 can be disposed in the accommodating space 250a. Vibration is generated to provide the user with the vibration feedback of the pressing.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6 , the input device of the present invention further includes an adhesive layer 280 , wherein the adhesive layer 280 is disposed on the lower surface of the key cap layer 210 and outside the plurality of key cap regions 212 to adhere the key cap layer 210 and Circuit layer 220. Similar to the above, the adhesive layer 280 is disposed only on the lower surface of the keycap layer 210 corresponding to the peripheral region 214. In other words, the adhesive layer 280 is not disposed on the lower surface of the key cap layer 210 corresponding to the key cap region 212, such that the key cap region 212 and the portion of the circuit layer 220 corresponding to the key cap region 212 are not adhered together (or have a gap). Thereby, when the haptic generator 230 is driven by the driving signal, the earthquake When moving, the kinetic energy loss when the tactile generator 230 is vibrated can be reduced. That is, when the circuit layer 220 and the key cap layer 210 are all adhered, the "load" of the tactile generator 230 is increased, vibration is less likely to occur, and the kinetic energy loss is increased. Furthermore, the remaining components of the input device 10 (eg, the circuit layer 220, the support layer 240, the force transmitting unit 250, the sensing unit 260, etc.) may also be fixed by adhesion to locate the relative positions between the components.

Compared with the prior art, the button structure and the input device of the present invention are thinned by the laminated structure, and the tactile feedback of the pressing is provided by the tactile generator as a user operation prompt. Furthermore, the key structure and the input device of the present invention are simultaneously used as a substrate layer and an electrical path layer of a tactile generator (for example, a piezoelectric material) by a circuit layer, and the force transmission unit is used as a force transmission layer and a support structure layer. Helps simplify assembly procedures and increase manufacturability. In addition, the button structure and the input device of the present invention can not only ensure the suitable vibration space of the tactile generator but also reduce the possibility of erroneously triggering the sensing unit by using the force conducting unit as the force conducting layer and the supporting layer as the supporting structure layer. Sex.

The present invention has been described by the above embodiments, but the above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments specifically described herein may have other modifications of the embodiments. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is intended to cover such modifications and are only limited by the scope of the appended claims.

110‧‧‧Keycap layer

112‧‧‧Keycap area

114‧‧‧The surrounding area

150‧‧‧force transmission unit

150a‧‧‧ accommodating space

152‧‧‧ Diaphragm Department

152a‧‧‧Receiving area

154‧‧‧ Highlights

160‧‧‧Sensor unit

170‧‧‧Control circuit

F‧‧‧ Press pressure

T‧‧‧ trigger signal

Claims (14)

A button structure comprising: a keycap layer comprising a keycap region, the keycap region having a central area and a surrounding area; a support layer disposed under the keycap layer, the support layer having an opening; The force transmission unit includes a diaphragm portion and a protruding portion, the diaphragm portion has a through hole, the protruding portion is disposed around the through hole, and the through hole and the protruding portion are located in the opening, the through hole is Located below the central area, the protruding portion is located below the surrounding area; a sensing unit is disposed under the force transmitting unit; wherein, when the keycap area is pressed, the central area moves toward the through hole, the periphery The area directly or indirectly abuts against the top surface of the protruding portion, and then the bottom surface of the protruding portion presses the sensing unit to generate a trigger signal. The button structure of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is a membrane switch, the membrane switch has a sensing area, the sensing area has a plurality of switching lines, and wherein the shape of the sensing area is similar to the shape of the protruding portion . According to the button structure described in claim 2, the shape of the sensing area and the shape of the protrusion are U-shaped. The button structure of claim 1, further comprising: a circuit layer disposed between the key cap layer and the force transmission unit; and a tactile generator electrically connected to the circuit layer, the tactile generator being accommodated in In the through hole. The button structure of claim 4, wherein the hardness of the support layer is greater than the hardness of the protrusion, and the thickness of the support layer is greater than the thickness of the haptic generator to provide a space for the haptic generator to vibrate. The button structure according to claim 5, wherein the protruding portion is a silicone material having a hardness of 70 A or less. Made of materials. The button structure of claim 4, the protrusion has an extension portion, wherein the extension portion extends from the protrusion portion toward the inner side of the through hole, and a top surface of the extension portion is lower than a top surface of the protrusion portion. The haptic generator abuts the extension. An input device comprising: a keycap layer comprising a plurality of keycap regions, each keycap region having a central region and a surrounding region; a support layer disposed under the keycap layer, the support layer having a plurality of openings Corresponding to each of the keycap regions; a force transmission unit comprising a diaphragm portion and a plurality of protrusions, the diaphragm portion having a plurality of through holes, each of the protrusion portions being disposed around each of the through holes And the through holes and the protrusions are respectively located in the openings, each of the through holes is located under each of the central regions, and each of the protrusions is located under each of the surrounding regions; a sensing unit is disposed Under the force transmission unit; wherein, when at least one of the keycap regions is pressed, the central region moves toward the corresponding through hole, and the surrounding region directly or indirectly abuts against a top surface of the corresponding protrusion, and then Corresponding to the bottom surface of the protruding portion, the sensing unit is pressed to generate a trigger signal. The input device of claim 8, wherein the sensing unit is a membrane switch, the membrane switch has a plurality of sensing regions respectively located under the protrusions, each of the sensing regions having a plurality of switching lines, and wherein the The shape of the sensing zone is similar to the shape of the corresponding protrusion. The input device according to claim 9, wherein the shape of at least one of the sensing regions and the shape of the corresponding protrusion are U-shaped. The input device of claim 8, further comprising: a circuit layer disposed between the key cap layer and the force transmission unit; A plurality of haptic generators are electrically connected to the circuit layers, and the haptic generators are respectively accommodated in the through holes. The input device of claim 11, wherein the hardness of the support layer is greater than the hardness of at least one of the protrusions, and the thickness of the support layer is greater than the thickness of the tactile generator to provide a space for the tactile generator to vibrate. The input device of claim 12, wherein the protrusion is made of a silicone material having a hardness of 70 A or less. The at least one protruding portion has an extending portion, wherein the extending portion extends from the protruding portion toward the inner side of the through hole, and a top surface of the extending portion is lower than a top of the protruding portion The haptic generator abuts the extension.