U.S. patent application number 16/923063 was filed with the patent office on 2021-01-21 for key assembly and keyboard including the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to LITE-ON ELECTRONICS (GUANGZHOU) LIMITED. The applicant listed for this patent is LITE-ON ELECTRONICS (GUANGZHOU) LIMITED, Lite-On Technology Corporation. Invention is credited to Chun-Lin Chen, Jui-Yu Wu, Po-Hsiang Yu.
Application Number | 20210020391 16/923063 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004977512 |
Filed Date | 2021-01-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210020391 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chen; Chun-Lin ; et
al. |
January 21, 2021 |
KEY ASSEMBLY AND KEYBOARD INCLUDING THE SAME
Abstract
A key assembly including a base plate, a keycap, an elastic
member, and a link member is provided. The base plate includes a
body and a hook portion, the hook portion including a hole. The
keycap is disposed on the base plate. The elastic member is
disposed between the base plate and the keycap. The link member
includes a connecting portion, a rod portion, and an end portion,
the rod portion being assembled to the keycap, the connecting
portion being connected between the rod portion and the end
portion, and the end portion penetrating the hole, wherein an
included angle between the end portion and the connecting portion
is an obtuse angle.
Inventors: |
Chen; Chun-Lin; (Taipei,
TW) ; Wu; Jui-Yu; (Taipei, TW) ; Yu;
Po-Hsiang; (Taipei, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LITE-ON ELECTRONICS (GUANGZHOU) LIMITED
Lite-On Technology Corporation |
GUANGZHOU
Taipei |
|
CN
TW |
|
|
Assignee: |
LITE-ON ELECTRONICS (GUANGZHOU)
LIMITED
GUANGZHOU
CN
Lite-On Technology Corporation
Taipei
TW
|
Family ID: |
1000004977512 |
Appl. No.: |
16/923063 |
Filed: |
July 7, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62875007 |
Jul 17, 2019 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01H 13/14 20130101;
H01H 13/10 20130101; H01H 13/7073 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01H 13/14 20060101
H01H013/14; H01H 13/7073 20060101 H01H013/7073; H01H 13/10 20060101
H01H013/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 22, 2020 |
CN |
202010440273.3 |
Claims
1. A key assembly, comprising: a base plate comprising a body and a
hook portion, the hook portion comprising a hole; a keycap disposed
on the base plate; an elastic member disposed between the base
plate and the keycap; and a link member comprising a connecting
portion, a rod portion, and an end portion, the rod portion being
assembled to the keycap, the connecting portion being connected
between the rod portion and the end portion, and the end portion
penetrating the hole, wherein an included angle between the end
portion and the connecting portion is an obtuse angle.
2. The key assembly according to claim 1, wherein the obtuse angle
is greater than 90 degrees and less than or equal to 150
degrees.
3. The key assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a
membrane disposed between the base plate and the keycap, wherein
the elastic member is disposed on the membrane.
4. The key assembly according to claim 3, wherein the membrane is a
membrane circuit board.
5. The key assembly according to claim 1, wherein the base plate
comprises a projection area corresponding to the end portion, the
membrane comprises an opening, and the projection area and the
opening at least partially overlap.
6. The key assembly according to claim 5, wherein a second end of
the end portion relatively far away from the connecting portion
abuts against the projection area, and a first end of the end
portion connected to the connecting portion separated from the
projection area by a distance in a vertical direction when the key
assembly is not pressed.
7. The key assembly according to claim 1, wherein a size of the
hole is 120% to 150% of a diameter of the end portion.
8. The key assembly according to claim 3, wherein the hook portion
is a metal member integrally formed with the body.
9. The key assembly according to claim 1, wherein the hook portion
is a plastic member and is formed on the body by insert
molding.
10. A keyboard, comprising: a key assembly, comprising: a base
plate comprising a body and a hook portion, the hook portion
comprising a hole; a keycap disposed on the base plate; an elastic
member disposed between the base plate and the keycap; and a link
member comprising a connecting portion, a rod portion, and an end
portion, the rod portion being assembled to the keycap, the
connecting portion being connected between the rod portion and the
end portion, and the end portion penetrating the hole, wherein an
included angle between the end portion and the connecting portion
is an obtuse angle.
11. The keyboard according to claim 10, wherein the obtuse angle is
greater than 90 degrees and less than or equal to 150 degrees.
12. The keyboard according to claim 10, further comprising: a
membrane disposed between the base plate and the keycap, wherein
the elastic member is disposed on the membrane.
13. The keyboard according to claim 12, wherein the membrane is a
membrane circuit board.
14. The keyboard according to claim 10, wherein the base plate
comprises a projection area corresponding to the end portion, the
membrane comprises an opening, and the projection area and the
opening at least partially overlap.
15. The keyboard according to claim 14, wherein a second end of the
end portion relatively far away from the connecting portion abuts
against the projection area, and a first end of the end portion
connected to the connecting portion separated from the projection
area by a distance in a vertical direction when the key assembly is
not pressed.
16. The keyboard according to claim 10, wherein a size of the hole
is 120% to 150% of a diameter of the end portion.
17. The keyboard according to claim 12, wherein the hook portion is
a metal member integrally formed with the body.
18. The keyboard according to claim 10, wherein the hook portion is
a plastic member and is formed on the body by insert molding.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the priority benefit of U.S.
provisional application Ser. No. 62/875,007, filed on Jul. 17,
2019, and China application serial no. 202010440273.3, filed on May
22, 2020. The entirety of each of the above-mentioned patent
applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a
part of this specification.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a key assembly and a keyboard
including the same.
2. Description of Related Art
[0003] In a general key assembly, an end of a link member will be
inserted into a hook portion on a base plate. However, a gap is
generated in a configuration of the key assembly because of an
assembly tolerance between the hook portion and the link member.
Therefore, when a keycap is pressed, the key assembly generates
unpleasant sounds due to vibrations and collisions caused by
actuation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The invention relates to a key assembly capable of
effectively reducing noise and a keyboard including the same.
[0005] According to an embodiment of the invention, the key
assembly includes a base plate, a keycap, an elastic member, and a
link member. The base plate includes a body and a hook portion,
wherein the hook portion includes a hole. The keycap is disposed on
the base plate. The elastic member is disposed between the base
plate and the keycap. The link member includes a connecting
portion, a rod portion, and an end portion, the rod portion being
assembled to the keycap, the connecting portion being connected
between the rod portion and the end portion, and the end portion
penetrating the hole, wherein an included angle between the end
portion and the connecting portion is an obtuse angle.
[0006] In the key assembly according to the embodiment of the
invention, the obtuse angle is greater than 90 degrees and less
than or equal to 150 degrees.
[0007] The key assembly according to the embodiment of the
invention further includes a membrane disposed between the base
plate and the keycap, wherein the elastic member is disposed on the
membrane.
[0008] In the key assembly according to the embodiment of the
invention, the membrane is a membrane circuit board.
[0009] In the key assembly according to the embodiment of the
invention, the base plate includes a projection area corresponding
to the end portion, the membrane includes an opening, and the
projection area and the opening at least partially overlap.
[0010] In the key assembly according to the embodiment of the
invention, a second end of the end portion relatively far away from
the connecting portion abuts against the projection area, and a
first end of the end portion connected to the connecting portion
separated from the projection area by a distance in a vertical
direction when the key assembly is not pressed.
[0011] In the key assembly according to the embodiment of the
invention, a size of the hole is 120% to 150% of a diameter of the
end portion.
[0012] In the key assembly according to the embodiment of the
invention, the hook portion is a metal member integrally formed
with the body.
[0013] In the key assembly according to the embodiment of the
invention, the hook portion is a plastic member and is formed on
the body by insert molding.
[0014] According to the embodiment of the invention, a keyboard
including the foregoing key assembly is provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further
understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate
embodiments of the invention and, together with the description,
serve to explain the principles of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a partial three-dimensional view of a key assembly
according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the key assembly in FIG.
1.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 from another
view.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the link member in FIG.
1.
[0020] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a key assembly when being
pressed.
[0021] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a key assembly according to
a second embodiment of the invention.
[0022] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a key assembly according to
a third embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in
detail, and examples of the exemplary embodiments are shown in the
accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same component
symbols are used in the drawings and descriptions to indicate the
same or similar parts.
First Embodiment
[0024] FIG. 1 is a partial three-dimensional view of a key assembly
according to an embodiment of the invention, FIG. 2 is a
cross-sectional view of the key assembly in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a
cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 from another view. Referring to FIG.
1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3 together, the key assembly 10 is applied to a
keyboard (not shown). The key assembly 10 includes a base plate 11,
a keycap 12, an elastic member 13, and a link member 14. The base
plate 11 includes a body 111 and a hook portion 112, the hook
portion 112 having a hole 113. The keycap 12 is disposed on the
base plate 11. The elastic member 13 is disposed between the base
plate 11 and the keycap 12, and the elastic member 13 and the hook
portion 112 are both located within an orthographic projection
range of the keycap 12. The link member 14 includes a connecting
portion 141, a rod portion 142, and an end portion 143. The rod
portion 142 is assembled to the keycap 12, the connecting portion
141 is connected between the rod portion 142 and the end portion
143, and the end portion 143 penetrates the hole 113.
[0025] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the link member 14 in FIG.
1. In particular, as shown in FIG. 4, an included angle .theta.
between an end portion 143 of the link member 14 and a connecting
portion 141 in the present embodiment is an obtuse angle, and the
obtuse angle is preferable greater than 90 degrees and less than or
equal to 150 degrees.
[0026] Still referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, for example,
a body 111 of a base plate 11 in the present embodiment is made of
a metal plate. In other embodiments not shown, the body 111 may be
made of other materials such as glass fiber reinforced plates. In
addition, in the present embodiment, the hook portion 112 is a
plastic member and is formed on the body 111 by insert molding.
However, in other embodiments not shown, the hook portion 112 may
be integrally formed with the body 111. The body 111 has a
projection area P corresponding to the end portion 143, and a size
of the hole 113 is slightly greater than a diameter of the end
portion 143 of the link member 14, which is preferably 120% to 150%
of the diameter of the end portion 143.
[0027] Carrying on with the foregoing description, a key assembly
10 further includes a membrane 15 disposed between the base plate
11 and the keycap 12, wherein the membrane 15 is placed on the base
plate 11, and the elastic member 13 is disposed on the membrane 15.
The membrane 15 has an opening 151, wherein the hook portion 112
extends upward from the base plate 11 and passes through the
opening 151, and the projection area P and the opening 151 at least
partially overlap. In the present embodiment, the membrane 15 may
be a membrane circuit board. However, in other implementations, the
membrane 15 may be a separate member from the membrane circuit
board. For example, the key assembly 10 may further include a
membrane circuit board disposed under the base plate 11, and the
base plate 11 is disposed between the membrane circuit board and
the membrane 15. In some embodiments, the end portion 143 of the
link member 14 may abut against an upper surface of the membrane 15
after penetrating into the hole 113, thereby reducing the sound
during pressing. However, the invention is not limited thereto. In
some embodiments, when the base plate 11 is made of a material with
better sound absorption, the end portion 143 of the link member 14
may abut against the base plate 11 after penetrating into the hole
113.
[0028] The key assembly 10 further includes a support member 16
disposed between the keycap 12 and the base plate 11, where the
support member 16 is also located within an orthographic projection
range of the keycap 12.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 2, when the key assembly 10 is not
pressed, in particular, since the included angle .theta. between
the end portion 143 of the link member 14 and the connecting
portion 141 is an obtuse angle, a second end 1432 of the end
portion 143 relatively away from the connecting portion 141 abuts
against the projection area P, and the end portion 143 connected to
the first end 1431 of the connecting portion 141 is separated from
the projection area P by a distance in a vertical direction.
Specifically, a distance between the end portion 143 and the
projection area P in the vertical direction gradually increases
along a direction from the second end 1432 toward the first end
1431. In this case, the second end 1432 of the link member 14 is in
contact with the projection area P of the base plate 11 with a
point contact, and the first end 1431 of the end portion 143 of the
link member 14 is in contact with the hook portion 112 in a manner
of point contact.
[0030] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a key assembly when being
pressed. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 5 together, when the key
assembly 10 is pressed, a user exerts a force on the keycap 12, and
the keycap 12 is forced to move downward, driving the elastic
member 13 and the support member 16 to deform. In response to the
movement of the keycap 12, the link member 14 rotates by using the
second end 1432 of the end portion 143 as a rotation axis, wherein
the second end 1432 abuts against the projection area P of the base
plate 11. The rod portion 142 moves toward the base plate 11 from a
position relatively away from the base plate 11, wherein the first
end 1431 of the end portion 143 maintains contact with the hook
portion 112.
[0031] However, when the force applied to the keycap 12 is removed,
the elastic restoring force of the elastic member 13 drives the
keycap 12 and the support member 16 to move upward and return to
original positions. However, the link member 14 assembled to the
keycap 12 is driven by the keycap 12 to rotate by using the second
end 1432 of the end portion 143 as the rotation axis, wherein the
second end 1432 abuts against the projection area P of the base
plate 11, so that the rod portion 142 moves upward.
[0032] In particular, since the included angle .theta. between the
end portion 143 of the link member 14 and the connecting portion
141 is an obtuse angle, the link member 14 rotates downward as the
keycap 12 is pressed. Alternatively, when the force applied to the
keycap 12 is removed, and the link member 14 rotates upward, the
second end 1432 of the end portion 143 of the link member 14
maintains contact with the hook portion 112. Since the second end
1432 of the end portion 143 of the link member 14 always maintains
contact with the hook portion 112, the link member 14 will not
generate harsh sound due to vibration caused by disengagement from
the hook portion 112 and springback of the link member 14 or
collision with the hook portion 112. In other words, the key
assembly 10 may be actuated quietly.
Second Embodiment
[0033] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a key assembly according to
a second embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 6, the
present embodiment and the foregoing first embodiments are
substantially the same, and a difference is that: in the key
assembly of the present embodiment, a connecting portion 241 and an
end portion 243 of a link member 24 are disposed in pairs, and a
rod portion 242 is connected between the pair of connecting
portions 241. Specifically, a shape of the link member 24 is
similar to a "C" shape.
Third Embodiment
[0034] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a key assembly according to
a third embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 7, unlike
the previous embodiment, a pair of link members 44 are used in a
key assembly 40 of the present embodiment, and each of hook
portions 412 of a base plate 41 has a pair of holes 413 for an end
portion 443 of the link member 44 to correspondingly penetrate
thereinto.
[0035] It may be learned from the foregoing that, in the key
assembly of the invention and the keyboard including the same, the
included angle between the end portion and the connecting portion
of the link member is made obtuse, so that when the keycap of the
key assembly is pressed or not pressed, the first end of the end
portion of the link member always maintains contact with the hook
portion, which may prevent the link member from generating harsh
sound due to vibration caused by disengagement from the hook
portion or springback of the link member or collision with the hook
portion, effectively reducing noise that may be generated by the
key assembly when being actuated.
[0036] It should be finally noted that the foregoing embodiments
are merely intended for describing the technical solutions of the
invention rather than limiting the invention. Although the
invention is described in detail with reference to the foregoing
embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand
that they can still make modifications to the technical solutions
described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent
substitutions to some or all the technical features thereof,
without departing from scope of the technical solutions of the
embodiments of the invention.
* * * * *