Patent Publication Number: US-11640883-B2

Title: Key module

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwanese application serial no. 110109105, filed on Mar. 15, 2021. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The disclosure relates to a key module, and in particular, relates to a key module which may not produce noise easily and may not wobble easily. 
     Description of Related Art 
     At present, in a key module, since a gap is provided between the pivots of the scissor structure and the bracket pivotal portion due to the presence of tolerance, the key module may wobble easily. Besides, when the keycap is pressed, the pivots of the scissor structure may hit the bracket pivotal portion, and noise is thereby produced. 
     SUMMARY 
     The disclosure provides a key module which may not produce noise easily and may not wobble easily. 
     The disclosure provides a key module including a bracket, a circuit film assembly, a keycap, and a connecting structure. The bracket includes a bottom plate and a bracket pivotal portion protruding from the bottom plate. The circuit film assembly is disposed on the bracket and includes a plurality of film layers and a supporting portion formed by at least one of the film layers. The supporting portion is located beside the bracket pivotal portion. The keycap is disposed above the bracket and the circuit film assembly and includes a keycap pivotal portion. The connecting structure is disposed between the bracket and the keycap and includes a first pivot and a second pivot. The first pivot is pivotally disposed at the bracket pivotal portion, and the second pivot is pivotally disposed at the keycap pivotal portion. The supporting portion beside the bracket pivotal portion supports the first pivot, such that the first pivot continuously contacts the bracket pivotal portion. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, a space is formed at one side of the supporting portion away from the keycap, and the supporting portion supporting the first pivot is adapted to be deformed towards the space. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, the film layers include three film layers stacked in sequence. the middle one of the three film layers has a hole located beside the bracket pivotal portion, and the space is formed by the hole. The supporting portion is formed on the one of the film layers furthest away from the bottom plate. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, at least one of the film layers closer to the bottom plate has at least one hole located beside the bracket pivotal portion. The space is formed by the at least one hole located between the supporting portion and the bottom plate. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, a number of the at least one of the film layers closer to the bottom plate body is multiple. The at least one hole is a plurality of holes connected up and down. The space is formed by the holes located between the supporting portion and the bottom plate. The supporting portion is formed on the one of the film layers furthest away from the bottom plate. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, the number of the at least one of the film layers closer to the bottom plate body is multiple. The at least one hole is one hole. The space is formed by the hole located between the supporting portion and the bottom plate. The supporting portion is formed on the film layers away from the bottom plate. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, the film layers include three film layers stacked in sequence. The one among the three film layers closest to the bottom plate has a lower hole located beside the bracket pivotal portion. The one among the three film layers furthest away from to the bottom plate has an upper hole located beside the bracket pivotal portion. The space is formed by the lower hole located between the supporting portion and the bottom plate, and the supporting portion is formed on the middle one among the three film layers. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, the bottom plate includes a bracket hole located beside the bracket pivotal portion. The space is formed by the bracket hole, and the supporting portion covers the bracket hole. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, portions of the film layers located beside the bracket pivotal portion form the supporting portion together. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, adjacent two sides of the supporting portion are suspended. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, the keycap includes a keycap pivotal portion. the connecting structure includes a second pivot pivotally disposed at the keycap pivotal portion. 
     To sum up, in a key module provided by the related art, since a gap is provided between the pivots of the connecting structure and the bracket pivotal portion, the keycap may produce noise easily when being pressed. Compared to the related art, in the key module provided by the disclosure, since at least one of the film layers of the circuit film assembly extends to the side of the bracket pivotal portion to form the supporting portion supporting the first pivots, the first pivots may be supported upwardly and thus may continuously contact the bracket pivotal portion. In this way, a gap may not be provided between the first pivots and the bracket pivotal portion, the keycap therefore may not produce noise easily when being pressed, and the first pivots may be pivotally disposed at the bracket pivotal portion stably without wobbling easily. 
     To make the aforementioned more comprehensible, several embodiments accompanied with drawings are described in detail as follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  1    is a top schematic view of a key module according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a cross-sectional schematic view of the key module of  FIG.  1    taken along a line segment A-A. 
         FIG.  3    is a three-dimensional schematic view of  FIG.  1    with a keycap being hidden. 
         FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional schematic view of the key module of  FIG.  1    taken along a line segment B-B in  FIG.  3   . 
         FIG.  5    is a local three-dimensional schematic view of  FIG.  3    with a connecting structure being hidden. 
         FIG.  6    to  FIG.  9    are local cross-sectional schematic views of a plurality types of key modules according to other embodiments of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG.  1    is a top schematic view of a key module according to an embodiment of the disclosure.  FIG.  2    is a cross-sectional schematic view of the key module of  FIG.  1    taken along a line segment A-A.  FIG.  3    is a three-dimensional schematic view of  FIG.  1    with a keycap being hidden. Note that the line segment A-A in  FIG.  1    passes through pivots and a bracket pivotal portion between a connecting structure and a bottom plate, such that a corresponding cross-sectional view is shown in  FIG.  2   . 
     With reference to  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  3   , a key module  100  provided by this embodiment may be applied to a keyboard, but the types of products to which the key module  100  applied are not limited thereto. As shown in  FIG.  2   , the key module  100  includes a bracket  110 , a circuit film assembly  120 , a keycap  130 , and a connecting structure  140 . 
     The bracket  110  includes a bottom plate  112  and a bracket pivotal portion  116  protruding from the bottom plate  112 . The circuit film assembly  120  is disposed on the bracket  110  and includes a plurality of film layers  121 ,  122 , and  123  stacked in sequence. In this embodiment, a circuit (not shown) may be provided among the film layers  121 ,  122 , and  123  of the circuit film assembly  120 . A material of the film layers  121 ,  122 , and  123  is, for example, PET, but the number and material of the film layers  121 ,  122 , and  123  are not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the number of the film layers may also be a single layer or multiple layers. 
     Besides, as shown in  FIG.  3   , the circuit film assembly  120  further includes supporting portions  128  and  129  formed by at least one of the film layers  121 ,  122 , and  123 . In this embodiment, the supporting portions  128  and  129  are located beside the bracket pivotal portion  116 . 
       FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional schematic view of the key module of  FIG.  1    taken along a line segment B-B in  FIG.  3   . Note that the line segment B-B in  FIG.  3    passes through the supporting portions  128  and  129 , such that a corresponding cross-sectional view is shown in  FIG.  4   . With reference to  FIG.  4   , in this embodiment, the supporting portions  128  and  129  are formed by the uppermost film layer  121 . 
     The keycap  130  is disposed above the bracket  110  and the circuit film assembly  120 , and the keycap  130  includes a keycap pivotal portion  132 . In an embodiment, an elastic body (not shown) may be disposed between the keycap  130  and the circuit film assembly  120  to provide a rising restoration force after the keycap  130  is pressed down. The elastic body is, for example, a rubber dome, but the material and shape of the elastic body are not limited thereto. 
     The connecting structure  140  is, for example, a scissor structure formed by an inner scissor  145  and an outer scissor  146 , and the connecting structure  140  is disposed between the bracket  110  and the keycap  130 . With reference to  FIG.  3    again, the outer scissor  146  of the connecting structure  140  includes a first pivot  141  and a second pivot  143 . The inner scissor  145  of the connecting structure  140  includes a first pivot  142  and a second pivot  144 . The first pivots  141  and  142  are pivotally disposed at the bracket pivotal portion  116 , and the second pivots  143  and  144  are pivotally disposed at the keycap pivotal portion  132  (see  FIG.  2   ). 
     In a conventional key, the pivots of the connecting structure usually contact the bracket pivotal portion and the bottom plate directly. Since a tolerance is provided between the pivots of the connecting structure and the bracket pivotal portion in such a conventional key, a gap is provided between the pivots of the connecting structure and the bracket pivotal portion. As such, when the keycap is pressed, the pivots of the connecting structure may hit the bracket pivotal portion or the bottom plate, and noise is thereby produced. 
     In this embodiment, in order to prevent a gap from being formed between the first pivots  141  and  142  and the bracket pivotal portion  116 , as shown in  FIG.  3   , in the key module  100 , the film layer  121  of the circuit film assembly  120  extends to a side of the bracket pivotal portion  116 , is located below the first pivots  141  and  142 , and thereby acts as the supporting portions  129  and  128  capable of supporting the first pivots  141  and  142  in this embodiment. 
     It can be seen from  FIG.  2    that a top surface of a portion of the film layer  121  away from the bracket pivotal portion  116  is higher than bottom ends of the first pivots  141  and  142 . As such, when a portion of the film layer  121  located beside the bracket pivotal portion  116  is treated as the supporting portions  128  and  129  (shown in  FIG.  3   ) supporting the first pivots  141  and  142 , the supporting portions  128  and  129  may be supported upwardly by the portion of the film layer  121  away from the bracket pivotal portion  116 , and the first pivot  142  is thereby supported upwardly by the supporting portions  128  and  129 . Accordingly, the first pivots  141  and  142  may continuously and completely contact the bracket pivotal portion  116 . 
     In this way, a gap may not be provided between the first pivots  141  and  142  and the bracket pivotal portion  116 , and that the first pivots  141  and  142  may pivotally disposed at the bracket pivotal portion  116  stably without wobbling easily. In addition, when the keycap  130  is pressed, since the first pivots  141  and  142  may not hit the bracket pivotal portion  116  nor contact the bottom plate  112 , the keycap  130  may not produce noise easily when being pressed. 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , in this embodiment, the supporting portions  128  and  129  are formed on the film layer  121  furthest away from the bottom plate  112 , and the supporting portions  128  and  129  are suspended. A space S is formed on a side (lower side) of the supporting portions  128  and  129  away from the keycap  130 . Since the top surface of the film layer  121  acting as the supporting portions  128  and  129  is originally higher than the bottom end of the first pivot  142 , when the supporting portions  128  and  129  support the first pivot  142 , the flexible supporting portions  128  and  129  are slightly deformed. The space S below the supporting portions  128  and  129  may be treated as a space for deformation generated by the supporting portions  128  and  129 . 
     Specifically, in this embodiment, the film layer  122  located in the center has a hole  124  located beside the bracket pivotal portion  116 . The hole  124  located between the supporting portions  128  and  129  and the film layer  123  acts as the space S that the supporting portions  128  and  129  may enter. Certainly, forms of the supporting portions  128  and  129  and the space S are not limited to the above. 
       FIG.  5    is a local three-dimensional schematic view of  FIG.  3    with a connecting structure being hidden. With reference to  FIG.  5   , in this embodiment, the form of the supporting portion  128  and the form of the supporting portion  129  are slightly different. Two adjacent sides  129   a  and  129   b  of the supporting portion  129  are suspended, and the other adjacent two sides  129   c  and  129   d  are the sides extending from the uppermost film layer. Compared with the supporting portion  128  whose opposite sides are the sides that are suspended, in this embodiment, the design of suspension of the two adjacent sides  129   a  and  129   b  for the supporting portion  129  allows the supporting portion  129  to have a greater degree of flexure without damaging its structure. 
     Certainly, in other embodiments, the key module may have only the supporting portion  128  having suspended two opposite sides or may have only the supporting portion  129  having the suspended two adjacent sides  129   a  and  129   b , and the form of the key module is not limited thereto. 
     The following introduces key modules with other forms of supporting portions, and elements identical or similar to those provided in the previous embodiments are represented by the same or similar reference numerals, description thereof is not repeated herein, and only the main differences are described. 
       FIG.  6    to  FIG.  9    are local cross-sectional schematic views of a plurality types of key modules according to other embodiments of the disclosure. With reference to  FIG.  6    first, the main difference between  FIG.  6    and the enlarged view in  FIG.  2    is that: in this embodiment, the film layer  123  closest to the bottom plate  112  further includes a hole  125  located beside the bracket pivotal portion  116 , and the hole  124  of the film layer  122  and the hole  125  of the film layer  123  are connected up and down. A space S′ that may allow the supporting portion  128  to enter is formed by the two holes  124  and  125  located between the supporting portion  128  and the bottom plate  112  together. Such a design may provide a larger space S′ for the supporting portion  128  to flex. 
     Similarly, the original top surface of the uppermost film layer  121  is higher than the bottom end of the first pivot  142 . As such, when the film layer  121  acts as a supporting portion  128   a  supporting the first pivot  142 , the first pivot  142  may be supported upwardly and thus may continuously contact the bracket pivotal portion  116 . Further, the space S′ below the supporting portion  128  may be treated as a space provided for the supporting portion  128  to be deformed. In this way, the first pivot  142  and the bracket pivotal portion  116  may completely contact each other without a gap being provided therebetween, the first pivot  142  may not contact the bottom plate  112 , and a key thereby may not produce noise easily when being used. Moreover, the first pivot  142  may be pivotally disposed at the bracket pivotal portion  116  stably, so that the keycap  130  ( FIG.  2   ) may not wobble easily. 
     With reference to  FIG.  7   , the main difference between  FIG.  7    and the enlarged view in  FIG.  2    is that: in this embodiment, the supporting portion  128   a  is formed on the film layers  121  and  122  away from the bottom plate  112 , the film layer  123  close to the bottom plate  112  is provided with the hole  125 , and a space S 1  is formed by the hole  125  between the supporting portion  128   a  and the bottom plate  112 . 
     Similarly, the original top surface of the uppermost film layer  121  is higher than the bottom end of the first pivot  142 . As such, when the two film layers  121  and  122  located above act as the supporting portion  128   a  supporting the first pivot  142 , the first pivot  142  may be supported upwardly and thus may continuously contact the bracket pivotal portion  116 . Further, the space S 1  below the supporting portion  128   a  may be treated as a space provided for the supporting portion  128   a  to be deformed. In this way, the first pivot  142  and the bracket pivotal portion  116  may not be provided with a gap therebetween, the first pivot  142  may not contact the bottom plate  112 , and a key thereby may not produce noise easily when being used. Moreover, the first pivot  142  may be pivotally disposed at the bracket pivotal portion  116  stably, so that the keycap  130  ( FIG.  2   ) may not wobble easily. 
     With reference to  FIG.  8   , the main difference between  FIG.  8    and the enlarged view in  FIG.  2    is that: in this embodiment, the film layer  123  closest to the bottom plate  112  has the hole  125  (lower hole) located beside the bracket pivotal portion  116 , and the film layer  121  furthest away from the bottom plate  112  has an upper hole  127  located beside the bracket pivoting portion  116 . A supporting portion  128   b  is formed on the film layer  122  located in the middle, and the space S 1  is formed by the hole  125  (lower hole) between the supporting portion  128   b  and the bottom plate  112 . 
     Similarly, the original top surface of the middle film layer  122  is higher than the bottom end of the first pivot  142 . As such, when the middle film layer  122  acts as the supporting portion  128   b  supporting the first pivot  142 , the first pivot  142  may be supported upwardly and thus may continuously contact the bracket pivotal portion  116 . Further, the space S 1  below the supporting portion  128   b  may be treated as a space provided for the supporting portion  128   b  to be deformed. In this way, the first pivot  142  and the bracket pivotal portion  116  may not be provided with a gap therebetween, the first pivot  142  may not contact the bottom plate  112 , and a key thereby may not produce noise easily when being pressed. Moreover, the first pivot  142  may be pivotally disposed at the bracket pivotal portion  116  stably, so that the keycap  130  ( FIG.  2   ) may not wobble easily. 
     With reference to  FIG.  9   , the main difference between  FIG.  9    and the enlarged view in  FIG.  4    is that: in  FIG.  4   , the supporting portion  128  is formed by the film layer  121 , the space S is formed by the hole  124  of the film layer  122 , and the bottom plate  112  located below the supporting portion  128  is not provided with a hole. 
     In this embodiment, as shown in  FIG.  9   , portions of these film layers  121 ,  122 , and  123  located beside the bracket pivotal portion  116  form a supporting portion  128   c  together. The bottom plate  112  includes a bracket hole  114  located beside the bracket pivotal portion  116 , and the supporting portion  128   c  covers the bracket hole  114 . A space S 2  is formed by the bracket hole  114 . That is, the bracket hole  114  provides a space for the supporting portion  128   c  to be deform. Therefore, as shown in  FIG.  9   , the supporting portion  128   c  formed by the film layers  121 ,  122 , and  123  may be slightly deformed towards the bracket hole  114  when supporting the first pivot  142 . 
     Similarly, the original top surface of the middle film layer  121  among the film layers  121 ,  122 , and  123  is higher than the bottom end of the first pivot  142 . As such, when the film layers  121 ,  122 , and  123  act as the supporting portion  128   c  supporting the first pivot  142 , the first pivot  142  may be supported upwardly and thus may continuously contact the bracket pivotal portion  116 . Further, the space S 2  below the supporting portion  128   c  may be treated as a space provided for the supporting portion  128   c  to be deformed. In this way, the first pivot  142  and the bracket pivotal portion  116  may not be provided with a gap therebetween, the first pivot  142  may not contact the bottom plate  112 , and a key thereby may not produce noise easily when being used. Moreover, the first pivot  142  may be pivotally disposed at the bracket pivotal portion  116  stably, so that the keycap  130  ( FIG.  2   ) may not wobble easily. 
     In view of the foregoing, in a key module provided by the related art, since a gap is provided between the pivots of the connecting structure and the bracket pivotal portion, the keycap may produce noise easily when being pressed. Compared to the related art, in the key module provided by the disclosure, since at least one of the film layers of the circuit film assembly extends to the side of the bracket pivotal portion to form the supporting portion supporting the first pivots, the first pivots may be supported upwardly and thus may continuously contact the bracket pivotal portion. In this way, a gap may not be provided between the first pivots and the bracket pivotal portion, the keycap therefore may not produce noise easily when being pressed, and the first pivots may be pivotally disposed at the bracket pivotal portion stably without wobbling easily. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the disclosure covers modifications and variations provided that they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.