Patent Description:
Existing keyboard keys can provide two different tactile sensations, a smooth pressing sensation and a short press sensation. A single ordinary keyboard key provides only one sensation, the smooth one or the short one, determined at the factory, and is unable to provide both sensations. The provision of different tactile sensations in one keyboard doubles the production costs of manufacturers and is not economically efficient, resulting in fewer keyboard options for users.

The Inventor devoted himself to solving this problem with the aforesaid existing technologies and theories, intending to make improvements.

<CIT> discloses a button switch connected to a cap and includes a base having a pillar, a flexible acoustic member having fixing and flexible rods, a sleeve, an upward-force-applying member abutting against the sleeve and the base, a resilient arm, and a cover disposed on the base. The sleeve rotatably jackets the pillar, passes through the cover to be connected to the cap, and has first and second convex portions, first and second concave portions, and a protruding edge located between the second convex portion and the second concave portion. The resilient arm selectively abuts against a first or second position on the first convex portion. When the resilient arm abuts against the first position and the protruding edge is located above the flexible rod, the flexible rod crosses the protruding edge and then collides with the cover to make a sound when the sleeve receives an external force to move downward.

The invention relates to a keyboard key providing changeable tactile sensations. Accordingly, there is provided a keyboard key according to appended claim <NUM>. Preferable features of the invention are defined in the appended dependent claims. According to the invention there is provided a keyboard key that comprises a shell, a switch, a movable terminal, and an actuating lever. The shell, with a top and a bottom corresponding to the top, is provided with an axle opening at the top and a guide track structure inside that is longitudinally parallel to the central axis of the axle opening. The switch is fixed inside the shell. The movable terminal is provided inside the shell and extends to form an arm spring. The actuating lever, with a flat slope on one side and a positioning slope on the other, is threaded through the axle opening, can longitudinally move between an initial position and a trigger position, and is provided with a guiding structure. The flat slope and the positioning slope extend laterally away from the actuating lever, and extend longitudinally to the bottom of the shell, and the positioning slope is provided with a positioning structure.

Moving upwards along the circumference, the actuating lever has a position <NUM> corresponding to the flat slope and a position <NUM> corresponding to the positioning slope. When the actuating lever is at position <NUM> or position <NUM>, the guiding structure joins the guide track structure.

When the actuating lever is at position <NUM> and then moves from the initial position toward the bottom of the shell and to the trigger position, the arm spring comes into contact with the flat slope and slips along the flat slope to its end.

When the actuating lever is at position <NUM> and then moves from the initial position toward the bottom of the shell and to the trigger position, the arm spring comes into contact with the positioning slope and slips along the positioning slope to its end.

The keyboard key also comprises a switch fixed inside the shell, which separates from the movable terminal when the arm spring comes into contact with the flat slope and slips to the end of the flat slope. After the arm spring separates itself from the end of the flat slope and the movable terminal recovers and comes into contact with the switch, the arm spring comes into contact with the positioning slope and slips to the end of the positioning slope. The arm spring can slip over the positioning structure, and when it separates itself from the end of the flat slope, the movable terminal recovers and comes into contact with the switch. When the arm spring comes into contact with the root of the flat slope or positioning slope, the movable terminal comes into contact with the switch.

The positioning structure in the keyboard key is concave or convex on the positioning slope.

The shell of the keyboard key comprises a base and a translucent cover covering the base, and the guide track structure and the movable terminal are provided in the base. The axle opening is provided in the translucent cover.

The actuating lever of the keyboard key is provided with a convex arm spring clamp on the side. When the actuating lever is at the initial position, the arm spring clamp comes into contact with the shell.

The actuating lever of the keyboard key is provided with a push rod <NUM> and a push rod <NUM> extending from its respective sides. The flat slope and the positioning slope are formed on push rod <NUM> and push rod <NUM>, respectively.

The keyboard key also comprises an elastic member that is connected to the shell and the actuating lever to push the actuating lever towards the initial position.

The guide track structure of the keyboard key comprises one track <NUM>, and the guiding structure comprises two track <NUM> corresponding to position <NUM> and position <NUM>, respectively. Track <NUM> can join either of the track <NUM>. Or, the guide track structure comprises several track <NUM> corresponding to position <NUM> and position <NUM>, respectively. The guiding structure comprises one track <NUM> that can join any of the track <NUM>. Or, the guide track structure comprises several track <NUM> corresponding to position <NUM> and position <NUM>, respectively. The guiding structure comprises several track <NUM> corresponding to position <NUM> and position <NUM>, respectively, and each of the track <NUM> can join any of the corresponding track <NUM>.

The actuating lever of the keyboard key is provided with flat slopes and positioning slopes on multiple sides respectively, as well as guiding structures that can always join the guide track structures when the actuating lever is at any corresponding angle, so the actuating lever can move to make any flat slope or any positioning slope come into contact with the arm spring. When the arm spring comes into contact with the flat slope or the positioning slope and slips along it, the key provides different tactile sensations when pressed. In this way, the keyboard key provides changeable tactile sensations.

The invention is described in further detail below by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:.

As shown in <FIG>, the invention relates to a keyboard key that comprises a shell <NUM>, a switch <NUM>, a movable terminal <NUM>, an actuating lever <NUM>, and an elastic member <NUM>. The shell <NUM> is provided with a guide track structure <NUM>, which is longitudinally parallel to the central axis of the axle opening <NUM>. Specifically, the shell <NUM> comprises a base <NUM> and a translucent cover <NUM>, where the base <NUM> forms the bottom <NUM> of the shell <NUM> and is provided with the guide track structure <NUM> inside. The translucent cover <NUM> covers the base <NUM> and forms the top <NUM> of the shell <NUM>, with the axle opening <NUM> in it.

The switch <NUM> is fixed in the shell <NUM>. In this embodiment, the switch <NUM> is a mechanical switch made of a metal plate triggered by contact and conduction, a part of which is embedded in the base <NUM> and extends out through the base <NUM> and forms a pin <NUM>, and the other part of which extends to the inside of the base <NUM>. However, this embodiment shall not limit the invention. The switch <NUM> can also be an optical switch that is triggered by a light beam disruption.

The movable terminal <NUM> is provided inside the shell <NUM> and extends to form an arm spring <NUM>. Specifically, the movable terminal <NUM> is made of a metal plate, a part of which is embedded in the base <NUM> and extends out through the base <NUM> and forms a pin <NUM>, and the other part of which extends to the inside of the base <NUM> and forms the arm spring <NUM>. In this embodiment, the movable terminal <NUM> preferably forms two arm springs <NUM>, which function in the same way, one of which will be explained hereinafter.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the actuating lever <NUM> is threaded through the axle opening <NUM> and can longitudinally move between an initial position, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, and a trigger position, as shown in <FIG>. As shown in <FIG>, the actuating lever <NUM> extends through one end of the shell <NUM> for a keycap <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the trigger position approaches closer to the bottom <NUM> of the shell <NUM> than the initial position in <FIG> and <FIG>. In this embodiment, the actuating lever <NUM>, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, preferably has an internal part of it hollowed out so that the keycap <NUM> can be connected to the actuating lever <NUM> through the hollow space with a connecting sleeve <NUM>. The actuating lever <NUM> is provided with a flat slope <NUM> on one side and a positioning slope <NUM> on the other, as well as a guiding structure <NUM>. The flat slope <NUM> and the positioning slope <NUM> extend laterally away from the actuating lever <NUM> and extend longitudinally to the bottom <NUM> of the shell <NUM>. The positioning slope <NUM> is provided with a positioning structure <NUM>. The actuating lever <NUM> is provided with a pair of identical flat slopes <NUM> and a pair of identical positioning slopes <NUM> corresponding to the forked ends of the arm spring <NUM>, so as to enable the arm spring <NUM> to evenly distribute the force on both sides for better stability. One of the flat slopes <NUM> and one of the positioning slopes <NUM> will be explained hereinafter.

In this embodiment, preferably, corresponding to the forked ends of the described arm spring <NUM>, a pair of identical and parallel push rods <NUM><NUM> extend slantwise from one side of the actuating lever <NUM> to the bottom <NUM> of the base <NUM>, and a pair of identical and parallel push rods <NUM><NUM> extend slantwise from the other side of the actuating lever <NUM> to the bottom <NUM> of the base <NUM>. One of the push rods <NUM><NUM> and one of the push rods <NUM><NUM> will be explained hereinafter. The described flat slope <NUM> forms on the surface of push rod <NUM><NUM>, and the described positioning slope <NUM> forms on the surface of push rod <NUM><NUM>.

The actuating lever <NUM>, upwards along its circumference, has a position <NUM> corresponding to the flat slope <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, and a position <NUM> corresponding to the positioning slope <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. When it is at position <NUM> or position <NUM>, the guiding structure <NUM> can join the guide track structure <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>, the elastic member <NUM> is preferably a cylinder spring in this embodiment, but it shall not limit the scope of the invention. The two ends of the elastic member <NUM> come into contact with the inner bottom of the base <NUM> and the actuating lever <NUM>, respectively, to push the actuating lever <NUM> to the initial position and to maintain the actuating lever <NUM> at the lifted initial position when not pressed.

Moreover, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the actuating lever <NUM> is provided with a convex arm spring clamp <NUM> on the side, which comes into contact with the inner wall of the shell <NUM> when the actuating lever <NUM> is at the initial position to prevent the actuating lever <NUM> from protruding through the axle opening <NUM>. In this embodiment, the hook <NUM> of the arm spring clamp <NUM> is preferably formed in the middle section and comes into contact with the inner wall of the inner edge of the axle opening <NUM>. The arm spring clamp <NUM> further extends through the axle opening <NUM> and out of the shell <NUM>. In this way, the user can get the hook <NUM> out of the shell <NUM> by pressing the end of the arm spring clamp <NUM> to facilitate the separation of the guide track structure <NUM> from the guiding structure <NUM>. However, when the keycap <NUM> is mounted to the actuating lever <NUM>, its connecting sleeve <NUM> rests against the inner wall of the arm spring clamp <NUM> so that the arm spring clamp <NUM> cannot leave the shell <NUM>. Preferably, the hook <NUM> can be at an obtuse angle, allowing the user to separate the guide track structure <NUM> from the guiding structure <NUM> when the arm spring clamp <NUM> is pressed but not fully out of the shell <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, when the actuating lever <NUM> is at the initial position, the arm spring <NUM> comes into contact with the root of the flat slope <NUM> or the positioning slope <NUM>. At this point, the movable terminal <NUM> can be set to contact the switch <NUM> via a part of the arm spring <NUM> so that it comes into contact with the switch <NUM> to detect that it is at the initial position.

As shown in <FIG>, when the actuating lever <NUM> is at position <NUM> and then moves towards the bottom <NUM> of the shell <NUM> to the trigger position after being pressed, the arm spring <NUM> comes into contact with the flat slope <NUM> and slips along the flat slope to its end to separate the movable terminal <NUM> from the switch <NUM>. After the arm spring <NUM> separates itself from the end of the flat slope <NUM>, the arm spring <NUM> recovers and comes into contact with the switch <NUM>. This produces a signal break to enable the computer to detect the key press.

As shown in <FIG>, when the actuating lever <NUM> is at position <NUM> and then moves towards the bottom <NUM> of the shell <NUM> to the trigger position, the arm spring <NUM> comes into contact with the positioning slope <NUM> and slips along the positioning to its end to separate the movable terminal <NUM> from the switch <NUM>. The arm spring <NUM> can slip over the positioning structure <NUM>, and when it separates itself from the end of the flat slope <NUM>, it recovers and comes into contact with the switch <NUM>.

The positioning structure <NUM> gives the positioning slope <NUM> an unsmooth surface. When the arm spring <NUM> slips over the positioning structure <NUM>, the resistance caused by the positioning slope <NUM> to the arm spring <NUM> changes, allowing the user to sense a pause that indicates the key is pressed. Therefore, the positioning structure <NUM> can either be a concave part recessing into the positioning slope <NUM> or a convex part protruding from the positioning slope <NUM>. In addition, the number of such concave parts or convex parts can be increased depending on the preset demand for tactile sensation.

According to the invention the positioning structure <NUM> is a concave part recessing into the positioning slope <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, in order to allow the guiding structure <NUM> of the actuating lever <NUM> to join the guide track structure <NUM> when the actuating lever <NUM> is at any corresponding angle, the invention provides a configuration method corresponding to at least the following guiding structure <NUM> and the guide track structure <NUM>.

The guide track structure <NUM> can comprise only one track <NUM><NUM>, and the guiding structure <NUM> can comprise several track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM>, corresponding respectively to position <NUM> and position <NUM>. Track <NUM><NUM> is a chute, and the track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM> are the corresponding sliders, which are interchangeable. Track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM> are identical so that track <NUM><NUM> can join either track <NUM><NUM>/<NUM>. The number of track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM> is the sum of the total number of the flat slopes <NUM> plus the total number of the positioning slopes <NUM>, and each track <NUM><NUM>/<NUM> is configured corresponding to the angle of each flat slope <NUM> or each positioning slope <NUM>, respectively. When the actuating lever <NUM> swings to position <NUM> or position <NUM>, its corresponding flat slope <NUM> or positioning slope <NUM> comes into contact with the arm spring <NUM>, and its corresponding track <NUM><NUM>/<NUM> joins track <NUM><NUM>.

The guide track structure <NUM> can comprise several track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM> corresponding respectively to position <NUM> and position <NUM>, and the guiding structure <NUM> can comprise one track <NUM><NUM>. The track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM> are chutes, which are interchangeable, and track <NUM><NUM> is the corresponding slider. The track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM> are identical so that track <NUM><NUM> can join any track <NUM><NUM>/<NUM>. The number of track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM> is the sum of the total number of the flat slopes <NUM> plus the total number of the positioning slopes <NUM>. Each track <NUM><NUM>/<NUM> is configured corresponding to the angle of each flat slope <NUM> or each positioning slope <NUM>, respectively. When the actuating lever <NUM> swings to position <NUM> or position <NUM>, its corresponding flat slope <NUM> or positioning slope <NUM> comes into contact with the arm spring <NUM>, and its corresponding track <NUM><NUM>/<NUM> joins track <NUM><NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> in this embodiment, the actuating lever <NUM> preferably has four sides. One opposite pair of the four sides is provided with one flat slope <NUM> and one positioning slope <NUM>, and the other opposite pair is provided with two identical track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM>, one on each side, as well as two identical track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM> that corresponding to them. In other words, in this embodiment, the actuating lever <NUM> has its position <NUM><NUM> degrees to its position <NUM> along its circumference, with the same operating principle as the configuration described above. In this embodiment, when the actuating lever <NUM> is at position <NUM> shown in <FIG> or position <NUM> shown in <FIG>, any of track <NUM><NUM>/<NUM> can join any of track <NUM><NUM>/<NUM>, and vice versa.

However, the guide track structure <NUM> may take forms other than the two described, and it may comprise two track <NUM> <NUM> corresponding respectively to position <NUM> and position <NUM>, while the guiding structure <NUM> may comprise several track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM> corresponding respectively to position <NUM> and position <NUM>. The track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM> and track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM> are chutes and corresponding sliders, respectively, which are interchangeable. Each track <NUM><NUM>/<NUM> can join each track <NUM><NUM>/<NUM> respectively and correspondingly. Therefore, the track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM> may take different forms, as may the track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM>. The number of track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM> is the same as that of track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM>, both being the sum of the total number of the flat slopes <NUM> plus the total number of the positioning slopes <NUM>. Each track <NUM><NUM>/<NUM> is configured to correspond to the angle of each flat slope <NUM> or positioning slope <NUM>, respectively. When the actuating lever <NUM> swings to position <NUM> or position <NUM>, its corresponding flat slope <NUM> or position slope <NUM> comes into contact with the arm spring <NUM>, and at least its corresponding track <NUM><NUM>/<NUM> joins track <NUM><NUM>/<NUM>, and the remaining track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM> and track <NUM> <NUM>/<NUM> can be separated from each other and remain idle.

The actuating lever <NUM> of the keyboard key is provided with flat slopes <NUM> and positioning slopes <NUM> on multiple sides, respectively, and the guiding structures <NUM> can always join the guide track structures <NUM> when the actuating lever is at any corresponding angle so that the actuating lever can swing to enable any flat slope <NUM> or any positioning slope <NUM> to come into contact with the arm spring <NUM>. When the arm spring <NUM> comes into contact with the flat slope <NUM> or the positioning slope <NUM> and slips along it, the key provides different tactile sensations when pressed. In this way, the keyboard key provides changeable tactile sensations.

When users need to change the tactile sensation, they must first remove the keycap <NUM> and then press the arm spring <NUM> so that the end of the latter goes through the axle opening <NUM> and moves out from the shell <NUM> to the actuating lever <NUM>, making the guide track structure <NUM> separate from the guiding structure <NUM>. After that, the actuating lever <NUM> swings to align the required flat slope <NUM> or positioning slope <NUM> with the arm spring <NUM>, and then goes through the axle opening <NUM> and into the shell <NUM>, making the guiding structure <NUM> rejoin the guide track structure <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A keyboard key comprising:
a shell (<NUM>), with a top (<NUM>) and a bottom (<NUM>) corresponding to the top (<NUM>), that is provided with an axle opening (<NUM>) at the top (<NUM>) and a guide track structure (<NUM>) inside that is longitudinally parallel to the central axis of the axle opening (<NUM>);
a movable terminal (<NUM>) that is provided inside the shell (<NUM>) and extends to form an arm spring (<NUM>); and
an actuating lever (<NUM>) extending through one end of the shell (<NUM>) to a keycap (<NUM>), provided with a convex arm spring clamp (<NUM>) on the side which comes into contact with the inner wall of the shell (<NUM>), with a pair of identical flat slopes (<NUM>) on one side and coming into contact with the arm spring (<NUM>) at a position <NUM> along the circumference of the actuating lever (<NUM>), and a pair of identical positioning slopes (<NUM>) on the other side corresponding to forked ends of the arm spring (<NUM>) and coming into contact with arm spring (<NUM>) at a position <NUM> along the circumference of the actuating lever (<NUM>), that is threaded through the axle opening (<NUM>), can longitudinally move between an initial position and a trigger position, and is provided with a guiding structure (<NUM>) comprising at least one track (<NUM>) corresponding to the angle of the flat slope (<NUM>), wherein:
the flat slope (<NUM>) and the positioning slope (<NUM>) extend laterally and away from the actuating lever (<NUM>) and extend longitudinally to the bottom (<NUM>) of the shell (<NUM>);
the positioning slope (<NUM>) is provided with a positioning structure (<NUM>) recessing into the positioning slope (<NUM>); and
when the actuating lever (<NUM>) is at position <NUM> or position <NUM>, the guiding structure (<NUM>) joins the guide track structure (<NUM>).