Keyswitch device

A keyswitch device includes a cap, a board, a first returning member, and a second returning member. The board is disposed opposite to the cap. The first returning member is disposed between the cap and the board and includes a magnet member and a magnetic member for providing a magnetic force. The second returning member is disposed between the cap and the board for providing an elastic force. When the cap is released at a lowest position, the cap moves upward via the elastic member and then arrives and stays at a highest position via the magnetic force.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a keyswitch device, and more specifically, to a keyswitch device utilizing a first returning member and a second returning member for providing a magnetic force and an elastic force respectively to a cap.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A keyboard, which is the most common input device, could be found in variety of electronic apparatuses for users to input characters, symbols, numerals and so on. Furthermore, from consumer electronic products to industrial machine tools, they are all equipped with a keyboard for performing input operations.

A conventional keyswitch usually adopts the design that an elastic member is disposed between a cap and a board. Accordingly, when the cap is pressed by a user, the elastic member provides the cap with an elastic force for driving the cap return to a non-pressed position with movement of a support device (e.g. a scissor support mechanism). Because the elastic member is usually made of rubber material, elastic fatigue of the elastic member may occur after the elastic member is used over a long period of time so as to shorten the life of the keyswitch. Furthermore, the elastic member occupies more internal space due to its excessive height, so as to be disadvantageous to the thinning design of the keyswitch.

The prior art adopts a magnetic design to replace the elastic member. For example, the magnetic design involves disposing two magnetic members on the board and a support member of the support device respectively for generating a magnetic force. As such, when the cap is pressed by an external force to make the two magnetic members away from each other, the cap moves to a pressed position together with the support device. When the cap is released, the magnetic force drives the two magnetic members to approach each other for moving the cap back to the non-pressed position together with the support device. However, the aforesaid design usually causes the problem that the cap cannot move back to the non-pressed position since the magnetic force is too weak when the cap is pressed to make the two magnetic members away from each other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a keyswitch. The keyswitch device includes a cap, a board, a first returning member, and a second returning member. The board is disposed opposite to the cap. The first returning member is disposed between the cap and the board. The first returning member includes a magnet member and a magnetic member for providing a magnetic force. The second returning member is disposed between the cap and the board for providing an elastic force. When the cap is released at a lowest position, the cap moves upward via the elastic force and then arrives and stays at a highest position via the magnetic force.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Please refer toFIG. 1andFIG. 2.FIG. 1is a partial exploded diagram of a keyswitch device1according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 2is a cross-sectional diagram of the keyswitch device1inFIG. 1along a cross-sectional line A-A. For clearly showing the structural design that a first returning member14is disposed on a board10, a main support structure11is omitted inFIG. 1. As shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 2, the keyswitch device1could be preferably a large sized key (e.g. a space key, but not limited thereto) having a long axis L and a short axis S. The keyswitch device1includes the board10, a cap12, the first returning member14, and a second returning member16. The board10is disposed opposite to the cap12. The first returning member14and the second returning member16are disposed between the board10and the cap12. The first returning member14includes a magnet member18and a magnetic member20(e.g. metal) for providing a magnetic force, and the second returning member16provides an elastic force. Accordingly, when the cap12is pressed to a lowest position and then released, the cap12can move upward via the elastic force provided by the second returning member16, and can arrive and stay at a highest position steadily via the magnetic force provided by the first returning member14for a user to press.

In this embodiment, the magnetic member20has a pivot portion22, a magnetic portion24and a driving portion26. The pivot portion22passes through the magnetic member20to extend from two lateral surfaces of the magnetic member20respectively. The magnetic portion24and the driving portion26are located at two sides of the pivot portion22. The magnetic member20is rotatably disposed on the board10via the pivot portion22relative to an axial direction20a(parallel to the long axis L). The magnet member18is disposed on the board10and is located under the magnetic portion24. A magnetic force F1(depicted as a double arrow inFIG. 2) is generated between the magnetic portion24and the magnet member18. The second returning member16could be preferably a rubber dome and could be located at a side of the first returning member14on the short axis S for providing an elastic force F2(depicted as a double arrow inFIG. 2), but not limited thereto. That is, in another embodiment, the present invention could adopt the design that the second returning member is a spring for providing a linear returning force, and the related description could be reasoned by analogy according to the following description and omitted herein.

More detailed description for the pressing operation of the keyswitch device1is provided as follows. Please refer toFIG. 1,FIG. 2,FIG. 3,FIG. 4andFIG. 5.FIG. 3is a cross-sectional diagram of the cap12inFIG. 2being pressed to be in contact with the second returning member16.FIG. 4is a cross-sectional diagram of the cap12inFIG. 3being pressed to the lowest position.FIG. 5is a curved line chart of the magnetic force F1, the elastic force F2and a travelling distance of the cap12inFIG. 2. As shown inFIGS. 1-4, when the cap12is not pressed, the magnetic portion24is in contact with the magnet member18to generate the magnetic force F1for keeping the cap12at the highest position as shown inFIG. 2(at this time, the second returning member16has not been pressed by the cap12to deform yet). When the cap12is pressed by an external force to move a distance d1and the external force is enough to overcome the magnetic force F1to separate the magnetic portion24from the magnet member18via the driving portion26, the magnetic portion24rotates upward via the pivot portion22to move the cap12downward from the highest position as shown inFIG. 2. During this process, as shown inFIG. 5, the magnetic force F1is reduced gradually and the cap12moves a distance d2to be in contact with the second returning member16. At this time, elastic deformation of the second returning member16can occur to generate the elastic force F2for driving the cap12to return to its original position.

In other words, when the cap12moves a distance d3to the lowest position to make the second returning member16have a maximum deformation and the magnetic portion24is spaced apart from the magnet member18at a maximum distance D (as shown inFIG. 4), the elastic force F2provided by the second returning member16can be combined with the gradually-reduced magnetic force F1to generate a combined force F3(as shown inFIG. 5) for driving the cap12back to its original position when the distance between the magnetic portion24and the magnet member18is gradually increased, so as to provide an automatic cap returning function. To be noted, the keyswitch device1could further include a circuit board28, and the magnetic member20could further have a protruding point21. The circuit board28has a switch29corresponding to the protruding point21. Accordingly, when the cap12is pressed to the lowest position, the protruding point21can trigger the switch29with pivoting of the magnetic member20for performing a corresponding input function.

When the external force is released, the combined force F3can drive the cap12to move upward for rotating the magnetic portion24downward via the pivot portion22(during this process, the magnetic force F1is gradually increased due to the gradually-reduced distance between the magnetic portion24and the magnet member18, and the elastic force F2is gradually decreased due to the gradually-reduced deformation of the second returning member16), so as to move the cap12from the lowest position as shown inFIG. 4upward to the highest position as shown inFIG. 2. In such a manner, the keyswitch device1can provide an automatic cap returning function for a user to perform the subsequent input operations conveniently.

Via the aforesaid design that the second returning member can provide the elastic force for driving the cap back to its original position when the magnetic member of the first returning member is spaced apart from the magnet at the maximum distance, the present invention can efficiently solve the prior art problem that the cap cannot move back to the non-pressed position due to the weak magnetic force caused by the two magnetic members being away from each other, so as to greatly improve the press feedback of the keyswitch device.

In practical application, the present invention can adopt a main support structural design. For example, please refer toFIG. 1andFIG. 6.FIG. 6is an enlarged diagram of the first returning member14and the main support structure11inFIG. 1being disposed on the board10. For clearly showing the structural designs of the first returning member14and the main support structure11, the cap12is briefly depicted by dotted lines inFIG. 6. As shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 6, the keyswitch device1could further include the main support structure11. The main support structure11preferably adopts a scissor support structural design and includes a first main frame30and a second main frame32. The first returning member14is disposed between the first main frame30and the second main frame32. The first main frame30and the second main frame32pivotably intersect with each other and are movably connected between the board10and the cap12, so as to make upward and downward movement of the cap12steadier. As for the related description for the connection design that the first main frame30and the second main frame32are movably connected to the board10and the cap12(e.g. the connection design that the first main frame30and the second main frame32could have pivotal shafts to be pivoted to the board10and the cap12respectively), it could be commonly seen in the prior art and omitted herein.

Furthermore, the present invention could adopt an auxiliary support structural design which could be preferably selected from a scissor support structural design or a link bar structural design. For example, as shown inFIG. 1, the keyswitch device1could further include at least one auxiliary support structure13(two auxiliary support structures13disposed at two sides of the main support structure11respectively along the long axis L as shown inFIG. 1, but not limited thereto) and an auxiliary support structure15. The auxiliary support structure13preferably adopts a scissor support structural design and includes two auxiliary frames34,36. The two auxiliary frames34,36pivotably intersect with each other and are movably connected between the board10and the cap12. The auxiliary support structure15preferably adopts a link bar structural design and includes two auxiliary frames38,40. In this embodiment, the two auxiliary frames38,40could be preferably a U-shaped round bar (but not limited thereto) and could be movably connected between the board10and the cap12and opposite to each other. Accordingly, via the support connection of the main support structure11and the auxiliary support structures13,15, the present invention can make upward and downward movement of the cap12relative to the board10steadier and efficiently improve the motion synchronization of the cap12. As for the related description for the connection design that the auxiliary support structures13,15are movably connected to the board10and the cap12(e.g. the connection design that the auxiliary frames34,36could have pivotal shafts to be pivoted to the board10and the cap12respectively), it could be commonly seen in the prior art and omitted herein.

Moreover, the main support structural design of the present invention is not limited to the scissor support structural design. For example, please refer toFIG. 7, which is an enlarged diagram of a first returning member100, a second returning member102, and a main support structure104being disposed on the board10according to another embodiment of the present invention. Components both mentioned in this embodiment and the aforesaid embodiments represent components with similar structures or functions. The structural designs of the first returning member100and the second returning member102are similar to the structural designs of the first returning member14and the second similar member16mentioned in the aforesaid embodiments. That is, the first returning member100adopts the design that the magnet member and the magnetic member are opposite to each other for providing the magnetic force, and the second returning member102adopts the flexible structural design for providing the elastic force. The related description could be reasoned by analogy according to the aforesaid embodiments and omitted herein. In this embodiment, as shown inFIG. 7, the main support structure104preferably adopts a butterfly support structural design and includes a first main frame106and a second main frame108. The first main frame106and the second main frame108are slidably connected to the cap12(not shown inFIG. 7) and pivoted to the board10. The first main frame106and the second main frame108are opposite to each other. Accordingly, via the V-shaped support of the first main frame106and the second main frame108, upward and downward movement of the cap12relative to the board10can be steadier. The butterfly support structural design mentioned in this embodiment could be also applied to the auxiliary support structure of the present invention. That is, the auxiliary support structures adopted by the present invention could be selected from at least one of the scissor support structure, the butterfly structure and the link bar structure for improving the motion steadiness and synchronization of the cap.

To be noted, the present invention could adopt the design that the second returning member is disposed between the first returning member and the board. For example, please refer toFIG. 8and FIG.9.FIG. 8is a partial exploded diagram of a keyswitch device1′ according to another embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 9is a cross-sectional diagram of the keyswitch device1′ inFIG. 8along a cross-sectional line B-B. Components both mentioned in this embodiment and the aforesaid embodiments represent components with similar structures or functions. As shown inFIG. 8andFIG. 9, the keyswitch device1′ includes the board10, the main support structure11, the cap12(not shown inFIG. 8), the first returning member14, a second returning member16′, and the circuit board28. In this embodiment, the second returning member16′ could be a metal dome disposed on the circuit board28corresponding to the switch29(but not limited thereto, meaning that the second returning member16could be an elastic pad or an elastic pillar in another embodiment). Accordingly, during the process of the cap12being pressed to the lowest position to make the protruding point21of the magnetic member20trigger the switch29via the metal dome, the elastic force generated by deformation of the metal dome can be combined with the gradually-reduced magnetic force to generate a combined force for returning the cap12to its original position. The detailed description could be reasoned by analogy according to the aforesaid embodiments and omitted herein.

In another embodiment, the present invention could adopt the design that the second returning member is formed on the support structure to abut against the board. For example, please refer toFIG. 10andFIG. 11.FIG. 10is a cross-sectional diagram of a keyswitch device1″ according to another embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 11is a curved line chart of the magnetic force F1, the elastic force F2and a travelling distance of the cap12inFIG. 10. Components both mentioned in this embodiment and the aforesaid embodiments represent components with similar structures or functions. As shown inFIG. 10andFIG. 11, the keyswitch device1″ includes the board10, the main support structure11, the cap12, the first returning member14, a second returning member16″, and the circuit board28. In this embodiment, the second returning member16″ could be a protruding point protruding from the first main frame30toward the board10. Accordingly, during the process of the cap12being pressed to the lowest position to make the protruding point21of the magnetic member20trigger the switch29, the second returning member16″ abuts against the board10to make the first main frame30structurally interfere with the board10for deforming the first main frame30(deformation of the first main frame30is briefly depicted by bold dotted lines inFIG. 10) to generate the elastic force. As such, the elastic force generated by deformation of the first main frame30can be combined with the gradually-reduced magnetic force to generate a combined force for returning the cap12to its original position. The relationship between the combined force and the travelling distance of the cap12could be as shown inFIG. 11, and the detailed description could be reasoned by analogy according toFIG. 5and omitted herein.

The forming position of the protruding point could be not limited toFIG. 10. For example, the second returning member could be a protruding point protruding from the second main frame toward the board to abut against the board during the process of the cap being pressed for making the second main frame structurally interfere with the board, so as to cause deformation of the second main frame to generate the elastic force. In another embodiment, the second returning member could be protruding points respectively protruding from the first main frame and the second main frame toward the board to abut against the board during the process of the cap being pressed for making the first and second main frames structurally interfere with the board, so as to cause deformation of the first and second main frames to generate the elastic force. In another embodiment, the second returning member could be a protruding point protruding from the first main frame toward the cap to abut against the cap during the process of the cap being pressed for making the first main frame structurally interfere with the cap, so as to cause deformation of the first main frame to generate the elastic force. As for the related description for other derived embodiments (i.e. the designs utilizing the protruding point formed on the support structure to abut against the other structures of the keyswitch device for causing deformation of the support structure, such as the design that the second returning member is a protruding point protruding from the second main frame toward the cap or a protruding point protruding from the auxiliary structure toward the cap or the board), it could be reasoned by analogy according toFIG. 10and omitted herein.

It should be mentioned that configuration of the first returning member, the second returning member, the main support structure, and the auxiliary support structure is not limited to the aforesaid embodiments. That is, the designs in which the second returning member is utilized to provide the elastic force for returning the cap to its original position when the magnetic member and the magnet member are spaced apart from each other at the maximum distance may fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, please refer toFIG. 12, which is a top view of a keyswitch device150according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 12, the keyswitch device150includes the board10, the cap12, the first returning member14, the second returning member16, the main support structure11, and the auxiliary support structure15. Components both mentioned in this embodiment and the aforesaid embodiments represent components with similar structures or functions. For clearly showing configuration of the first returning member14, the second returning member16, the main support structure11and the auxiliary support structure15, the first returning member14is briefly depicted as a rectangle pattern, the second returning member16is briefly depicted as a round pattern, the main support structure11is briefly depicted as a rectangle pattern, and the auxiliary support structure15is depicted by dotted lines inFIG. 10. As shown inFIG. 12, the keyswitch device150omits the auxiliary support structure13to simplify the structural design of the keyswitch device150and efficiently reduce the overall volume of the keyswitch device150for being flexibly applied to a larger-sized key (e.g. a space key) or a smaller-sized key (e.g. a number key).

In another embodiment, please refer toFIG. 13, which is a top view of a keyswitch device200according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 13, the keyswitch device200includes the board10, the cap12, the first returning member14, the second returning member16, the main support structure11, and the auxiliary support structure15. Components both mentioned in this embodiment and the aforesaid embodiments represent components with similar structures or functions. As shown inFIG. 13, in this embodiment, the second returning member16is disposed at a side of the first returning member14on the long axis L for providing the elastic force to the cap12.

In another embodiment, please refer toFIG. 14, which is a top view of a keyswitch device250according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 14, the keyswitch device250includes the board10, the cap12, the first returning member14, the second returning member16, and a main support structure252. Components both mentioned in this embodiment and the aforesaid embodiments represent components with similar structures or functions. The main support structure252is briefly depicted as a bent bold line pattern. In this embodiment, as shown inFIG. 14, the keyswitch device250omits the auxiliary support structure and only adopts the one single support design that the main support structure252includes two plate frames254,256opposite to each other (but not limited thereto, meaning that the present invention could adopt the flat link bar design to replace the round link rod design mentioned in the aforesaid embodiment) for further simplifying the structural design of the keyswitch device250. The plate frames254,256selectively adopt the scissor or butterfly support structural design, and the related description can be reasoned by analogy according toFIGS. 6-7and omitted herein.

In another embodiment, please refer toFIG. 15, which is a top view of a keyswitch device300according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 15, the keyswitch device300includes the board10, the cap12, a first returning member302, the second returning member16, and a main support structure304. Components both mentioned in this embodiment and the aforesaid embodiments represent components with similar structures or functions. InFIG. 15, the first returning member302is briefly depicted as a rectangle pattern, and the main support structure304is briefly depicted as a bent bold line pattern. In this embodiment, as shown inFIG. 15, the first returning member302is rotatably disposed on the board10relative to an axial direction302a(parallel to the short axis S) for providing the magnetic force to the cap12, and the main support structure304includes plate frames306,308opposite to each other (but not limited thereto, meaning that the present invention could adopt the flat link bar design to replace the round link rod design mentioned in the aforesaid embodiment) for further simplifying the structural design of the keyswitch device300. The plate frames306,308selectively adopt the scissor or butterfly support structural design, and the related description can be reasoned by analogy according toFIGS. 6-7and omitted herein.

In another embodiment, please refer toFIG. 16, which is a top view of a keyswitch device350according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 16, the keyswitch device350includes the board10, the cap12, the first returning member14, the second returning member16, the main support structure11, the auxiliary support structure13, and the auxiliary support structure15. Components both mentioned in this embodiment and the aforesaid embodiments represent components with similar structures or functions. As shown inFIG. 16, the second returning member16(e.g. a rubber dome or a spring) is disposed between the two auxiliary frames34,36of the auxiliary support structure13for providing the elastic force to the cap12.

In another embodiment, please refer toFIG. 17, which is a top view of a keyswitch device400according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 17, the keyswitch device400includes the board10, a cap402, the first returning member14, the second returning member16, the main support structure11, the auxiliary support structure13, and the auxiliary support structure15. Components both mentioned in this embodiment and the aforesaid embodiments represent components with similar structures or functions. As shown inFIG. 17, the cap402has the long axis L, the short axis S, a first pressed region404, and a second pressed region406. An area of the first pressed region404is larger than an area of the second pressed region406to make the cap402inverted L-shaped (but not limited thereto). The main support structure11is disposed on the board10corresponding to the first pressed region404. The first returning member14is disposed between the first main frame30and the second main frame32of the main support structure11for providing the magnetic force to the cap402. Furthermore, the auxiliary support structure13is disposed on the board10corresponding to the second pressed region406. The second returning member352is disposed between the auxiliary frames34,36of the auxiliary support structure13for providing the elastic force to the cap402. The auxiliary frame38of the auxiliary support structure15is transversely disposed in the first pressed region404and the second pressed region406along the long axis L and is movably connected to the board10and the cap402, and the auxiliary frame40of the auxiliary support structure15is transversely disposed in the first pressed region404along the short axis S and is movably connected to the board10and the cap402. As such, not only the motion synchronization and the structural strength of the cap402on the long axis L can be enhanced via the auxiliary frame38, but the motion synchronization and the structural strength of the cap402corresponding to the first pressed region404can be also enhanced via the auxiliary frame40.

In another embodiment, please refer toFIG. 18, which is a top view of a keyswitch device450according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 18, the keyswitch device450includes the board10, the cap12, the first returning member14, the second returning member16, a main support structure452, and the two auxiliary support structures13. Components both mentioned in this embodiment and the aforesaid embodiments represent components with similar structures or functions. InFIG. 18, the main support structure452is briefly depicted as a bent bold line pattern. In this embodiment, as shown inFIG. 18, the main support structure452includes plate frames454,456opposite to each other (but not limited thereto, meaning that the present invention could adopt the flat link bar design to replace the round link rod design mentioned in the aforesaid embodiment). The plate frames454,456selectively adopt the scissor or butterfly support structural design, and the related description can be reasoned by analogy according toFIGS. 6-7and omitted herein. In addition, the two auxiliary support structures13are disposed at the two sides of the first returning member14along the long axis L respectively, and the two second returning members352(e.g. rubber domes or springs) are disposed between the auxiliary frames34,36of the two auxiliary support structures13respectively for providing the elastic force to the cap12.

In another embodiment, please refer toFIG. 19, which is a top view of a keyswitch device500according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 19, the keyswitch device500includes the board10, the cap12, the two first returning members14, the second returning member16, the main support structure452, and the two auxiliary support structures13. Components both mentioned in this embodiment and the aforesaid embodiments represent components with similar structures or functions. As shown inFIG. 19, the second returning member16is disposed at a middle position on the board corresponding to the cap12, the two auxiliary support structures13are disposed at the two sides of the second returning member16, and the two first returning members14are disposed between the auxiliary frames34,36of the two auxiliary support structures13respectively for providing the magnetic force to the cap12.

As for the related description for other derived designs (e.g. the linear returning force design, the design that the second returning member is disposed between the first returning member and the board, the scissor or butterfly support design and so on) applicable to the keyswitch device150,200,250,300,350,400,450and500, it could be reasoned by analogy according to the aforesaid embodiments and omitted herein.