TWI404098B - Keyboard assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A keyboard assembly for a handheld electric device is provided. The keyboard assembly comprises a printed circuit board (PCB), a plurality of metal dome structures, an alignment film, a metal mesh and a plunger sheet. The PCB is formed with a plurality of conductive contacts and a plurality of circuits electrically connecting with the conductive contacts. The metal doom structures are distributed in view of the conductive contacts. The alignment film is disposed to overlay the metal doom structures. The metal mesh is disposed on the alignment film for preventing EMI effects. The plunger sheet is adapted to receive the pressure from the user and urge the metal doom structures to contact with the conductive contacts to generate output signals.

Description

Keyboard module

The invention relates to a keyboard module, in particular to an input keyboard module applied to a handheld electronic device.

As technology advances and user demand for convenience increases, more and more handheld electronic devices are available, such as various smart mobile phones. Handheld electronic devices usually need to have input devices to meet the user's input signal requirements. The most common and most accessible input mode for users is to configure a physical keyboard.

Referring to FIG. 1A, there is shown a handheld electronic device 1 having a physical keyboard. The appearance includes a display 11 and a keyboard module 10. When the user operates the keyboard module 10, the buttons of the surface are pressed. Please refer to FIG. 1B for an exploded view of the conventional keyboard module 10. The keyboard module 10 mainly includes a button body 110, a pressing auxiliary piece 120, a flexible circuit board 130, a metal plate 140, and a main circuit board 160. Further, a connecting cable 150 extends from the flexible circuit board 130. The main circuit board 160 is connected by a connector 170.

When the user presses any button 111 on the button body 110, by pressing the corresponding dome protruding structure 121 on the auxiliary piece 120, the opposite circuit on the flexible circuit board 130 can be triggered, and the connecting cable 150 and the connector 170 are connected. The signal is transmitted to one of the processors 161 on the main circuit board 160 to complete the signal input operation. The metal plate 140 is grounded together with the system, and its function is to prevent electromagnetic interference (EMI).

However, the conventional handheld electronic device 1 described above has many components, which results in an overall bulk volume, heavy weight, cumbersome assembly process, and high manufacturing cost. For the trend that handheld electronic devices are becoming lighter, thinner, more portable, and cheaper, they are not competitive.

In view of this, it is an urgent problem to be solved in the industry to provide a novel keyboard module for use in a handheld mobile device and more in line with the trend.

An object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard module. By redesigning and configuring, the number of components of the keyboard module can be reduced, so that the volume of the keyboard module and even the handheld electronic device can be reduced and the orientation is more The direction of thinness is developed to increase the convenience of its use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard module in which the number of components is reduced and the assembly procedure can be simplified, the manufacturing cost is reduced, and the competitiveness of the product is increased.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard module, which can improve the operation feeling when a user presses a button by arranging an auxiliary pressing piece, and replace the conventional metal plate with a metal mesh, thereby reducing cost and shrinking. Thickness and weight reduction.

To achieve the above objective, the present invention discloses a keyboard module comprising a circuit board, a plurality of metal dome structures, a fixing piece, a metal mesh and a pressing auxiliary piece, the circuit board having a conductive layer Forming on a surface of the circuit board, the conductive layer includes a plurality of conductive contacts and a plurality of conductive lines respectively electrically connected to the conductive contacts; the metal dome structures respectively correspond to the conductive contacts, Provided on the circuit board; the fixing piece covers the metal dome structure; the metal mesh is disposed on a partial area of the fixing piece; the pressing auxiliary piece covers the metal mesh and the fixing piece, and has a plurality of dome protrusions a structure corresponding to the metal dome structure, wherein a top end of each of the dome protruding structures forms a plunger body, and when the plunger body is under pressure, the dome protruding structure cooperates with the fixing piece to press the metal dome structure .

The above objects, technical features, and advantages will be more apparent from the following description.

Please refer to FIGS. 2A and 2B for the keyboard module of the present invention. FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of the explosion of the keyboard module 20 of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the keyboard module 20 of the present invention. Referring to the conventional handheld electronic device shown in FIG. 1A, the keyboard module 20 of the present invention is preferably applied to a handheld electronic device. The keyboard module 20 of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The components are composed. It is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is intended to be illustrative and not to limit the scope of the invention.

As shown in the figure, the keyboard module 20 of the present invention mainly comprises a circuit board 28, a plurality of metal dome structures 26, a fixing piece 25, a metal mesh 24 and a pressing auxiliary piece 23. The circuit board 28 has a conductive layer formed on the surface of the circuit board 28. The conductive layer includes a plurality of conductive contacts 281 and a plurality of conductive lines 282 electrically connected to the conductive contacts 281, respectively. The metal dome structures 26 are respectively disposed on the corresponding conductive contacts 281. When the metal dome structures 26 are pressed and electrically contacted with the conductive contacts 281, an output signal can be generated.

The fixing piece 25 is preferably made of an insulating material and integrally covers the metal dome structure 26 and the circuit board 28, and its main function is to attach and position the metal dome structures 26. The metal mesh 24 is disposed on a partial area of the fixing piece 25, and specifically, the metal mesh 24 is disposed in a region other than the metal dome structures 26. In a practical manner, the metal mesh 24 may be pre-formed, and a perforation is formed at the position of the metal dome structure 26, and then laid on the fixing piece 25. The preferred embodiment of the present invention is a special printing process ( For example, the compression molding technique directly prints the metal material directly on the surface of the fixing piece 25. Similarly, the position of the metal dome structure 26 is also avoided in the process. As previously mentioned, the metal mesh 24 is arranged to prevent electromagnetic interference generated during signal transmission. Compared with the design of the conventional keyboard module 10, the present invention does not need to reserve space for arranging the metal plate 140, so the volume and thickness of the keyboard module 20 can be reduced, and the production cost can also be reduced.

The pressing auxiliary piece 23 covers the metal mesh 24 and the fixing piece 25. In the present invention, the pressing auxiliary piece 23 has a plurality of dome protruding structures 231 whose distributions respectively correspond to the positions of the metal dome structures 26. A plunger body 232 is formed at the top end of each of the dome protruding structures 231, and the plunger body 232 is extended upward from the dome protruding structure 231 with respect to the metal dome structure 26 at the bottom. The dome protruding structure 231 of the pressing auxiliary piece 23 is used to enhance the pressing feeling of the user. Since the metal mesh 24 is arranged to avoid the metal dome structure 26 and the dome protruding structure 231, when the user applies pressure When pressed, the dome projection structure 231 will engage the tab 25 to directly transfer the pressure down to the metal dome structure 26.

In a preferred embodiment, the keyboard module 20 of the present invention further includes a support layer 27 disposed between the fixed sheet 25 and the circuit board 28 and outside the metal dome structures 26. In detail, the support layer 27 can be a diaphragm structure and formed with a plurality of perforations corresponding to the positions of the metal dome structure 26, the support layer 27 surrounding the surrounding area of the metal dome structure 26 to slow the fixing piece 25 Due to the local height difference formed by the covering of the metal dome structure 26, it is even possible to assist in fixing the position of the metal dome structure 26 if the support layer 27 abuts the metal dome structure 26. Preferably, the support layer 27 is made of an insulating material.

In the present invention, the fixing piece 25 is preferably a Mylar film; and the metal mesh 24 is preferably a silver mesh. The above materials are intended to be illustrative of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and those of ordinary skill in the art should be able to find other alternative materials and achieve the objects of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention.

According to the structure of the keyboard module 20, when it is applied to a handheld electronic device, it further includes a light guiding film 22 and a button body 21. The button body 21 has a plurality of buttons 211 corresponding to the arrangement of the metal domes 26 or the conductive contacts 281, respectively. The light guide film 22 is disposed between the button body 21 and the pressing auxiliary piece 23 and is pressed against the auxiliary piece 23, and the plunger body 232 is placed on the bottom surface of the light guiding film 22. The design of the light guiding film 22 is that when the keyboard module 20 is designed to emit light, the light guiding film 22 will enhance the light transmission effect and increase the practicability of the product.

During operation, when the button 211 on the button body 21 receives a press from the user, pressure is applied to the plunger body 232 on the pressing auxiliary piece 23, thereby pressing the metal dome structure 26 via the dome protruding structure 231. . When the metal dome structure 26 is compressed and brought into contact with its corresponding conductive contact 281, an output signal is generated and transmitted via the conductive lines 282 to a processor (not shown). The handheld electronic device can perform corresponding actions according to the output signal.

In summary, compared with the conventional keyboard module 10, the keyboard module 20 of the present invention eliminates the setting of components such as a flexible circuit board, a connecting cable, a connector, and a metal plate, and changes the conventional flexible circuit board. The wires are directly integrated into the board and replaced with metal mesh. Conceivably, the volume and weight of the keyboard module of the present invention will be greatly reduced, and the assembly cost and time will be effectively reduced, which can significantly improve the product competitiveness.

The embodiments described above are only intended to illustrate the embodiments of the present invention, and to explain the technical features of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any changes or equivalents that can be easily made by those skilled in the art are within the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

1. . . Handheld electronic device

10. . . Keyboard module

11. . . monitor

110. . . Button body

111. . . button

120. . . Pressing the auxiliary piece

121. . . Dome protruding structure

130. . . Flexible circuit board

140. . . Metal plate

150. . . Connection cable

160. . . Main circuit board

161. . . processor

170. . . Connector

20. . . Keyboard module

twenty one. . . Button body

211. . . button

twenty two. . . Light guiding film

twenty three. . . Pressing the auxiliary piece

231. . . Dome protruding structure

232. . . Plunger body

twenty four. . . metal net

25. . . Fixed piece

26. . . Metal dome structure

27. . . Support layer

28. . . Circuit board

281. . . Conductive contact

282. . . Conductive line

Figure 1A is a schematic diagram of a conventional handheld electronic device;

Figure 1B is an exploded view of a conventional keyboard module;

2A is an exploded view of the keyboard module of the present invention;

2B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the keyboard module of the present invention.

20. . . Keyboard module

twenty one. . . Button body

211. . . button

twenty two. . . Light guiding film

twenty three. . . Pressing the auxiliary piece

231. . . Dome protruding structure

232. . . Plunger body

twenty four. . . metal net

25. . . Fixed piece

26. . . Metal dome structure

27. . . Support layer

28. . . Circuit board

281. . . Conductive contact

282. . . Conductive line

Claims (11)

A keyboard module comprising: a circuit board having a conductive layer formed on a surface of the circuit board, the conductive layer comprising a plurality of conductive contacts and a plurality of conductive wires respectively electrically connected to the conductive contacts a plurality of metal dome structures respectively corresponding to the conductive contacts disposed on the circuit board; a fixing piece covering the metal dome structures; and a metal mesh disposed on the fixing plate a partial area; a pressing auxiliary sheet covering the metal mesh and the fixing piece, the pressing auxiliary piece having a plurality of dome protruding structures respectively corresponding to the metal dome structure, wherein a top end of each of the dome protruding structures forms a column a plug body; when the plunger body is subjected to pressure, the dome projecting structure engages the fixing piece to press the metal dome structure. The keyboard module of claim 1, wherein the plunger system extends from the dome projection structure relative to the metal dome structure. The keyboard module of claim 1, wherein the fixed film is a Mylar film. The keyboard module of claim 1, wherein the metal mesh is printed on the fixed sheet and is opposite to an area outside the metal dome structure. The keyboard module of claim 4, wherein the metal mesh is a silver mesh. The keyboard module of claim 1, further comprising a supporting layer disposed between the fixing piece and the circuit board and outside the metal dome structure. The keyboard module of claim 6, wherein the support layer is made of an insulating material. The keyboard module of claim 1, further comprising a light guiding film disposed on the pressing auxiliary piece. The keyboard module of claim 8, wherein the plunger system is mounted on the light guiding film. The keyboard module of claim 9, further comprising a button body disposed on the light guiding film, the button body having a plurality of buttons respectively corresponding to the metal dome structure, when the buttons are pressed It is suitable to apply pressure to the plunger body. The keyboard module of claim 1, wherein the circuit board further comprises a processor electrically connected to the conductive lines, and when the metal dome structures are pressed and turned on, an output signal is generated and The conductive lines are passed to the processor.