Key structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11728109-B2
Application number	US-202217851201-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2022
Priority date	Jan 4, 2022
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

A key structure includes a casing, a covering member, a pressing element, a triggering post, a switch element. The casing has an opening. The opening is covered by the covering member. The pressing element is disposed within the opening and connected with the covering member. The pressing element includes a middle part and an extension part. The triggering post is installed on the middle part of the pressing element. The triggering post is extended in the direction toward the inner position of the casing. When an external force is applied to the middle part of the pressing element, the triggering post is moved toward the switch element to push the switch element. When the external force is applied to the extension part of the pressing element, the triggering post is correspondingly moved with the pressing element in an inclined manner to push the switch element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A key structure, comprising:
a casing, wherein the casing has an opening;
a covering member, wherein the opening of the casing is covered by the covering member;
a pressing element disposed within the opening of the casing and connected with the covering member, wherein the pressing element includes a middle part and an extension part;
a triggering post installed on the middle part of the pressing element, wherein the triggering post is protruded from the middle part of the pressing element and extended in a direction toward an inner position of the casing; and
a switch element disposed within the casing and located under the triggering post,
wherein when an external force is applied to the middle part of the pressing element, the triggering post is moved toward the switch element to push the switch element, wherein when the external force is applied to the extension part of the pressing element, the triggering post is correspondingly moved with the pressing element in an inclined manner so as to push the switch element,
wherein the key structure further comprises an elastic arm, the elastic arm is connected with the triggering post and the elastic arm is aligned with the extension part of the pressing element, the elastic arm comprises a resilience part and a fixing part, the resilience part is connected with the triggering post, the resilience part of the elastic arm is in parallel with the extension part of the pressing element, and the fixing part is connected with the casing, the elastic arm has an S-shaped structure.

2. The key structure according to claim 1 , wherein the triggering post comprises a triggering part and a lateral part, wherein the lateral part is arranged around the triggering part, and the triggering part and the lateral part of the triggering post are aligned with the switch element, wherein when the external force is applied to the middle part of the pressing element, the switch element is pushed by the triggering post of the triggering post, wherein when the external force is applied to the extension part of the pressing element, the switch element is pushed by the triggering part and the lateral part of the triggering post.

3. The key structure according to claim 2 , wherein the triggering part of the triggering post has a first angle, and the lateral part of the triggering post has a second angle, wherein the second angle is smaller than the first angle.

4. The key structure according to claim 1 , wherein the pressing element has a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface faces the covering member, and the bottom surface faces the inner portion of the casing.

5. The key structure according to claim 4 , wherein the triggering post is protruded from the bottom surface of the pressing element at a position corresponding to the middle part of the pressing element and extended in a direction toward the inner position of the casing.

6. The key structure according to claim 1 , wherein the extension part of the pressing element is arranged around the middle part of the pressing element.

7. The key structure according to claim 1 , wherein the opening has a periphery region, wherein the extension part of the pressing element is extended from the middle part of the pressing element and extended in a direction toward the periphery region of the opening.

8. The key structure according to claim 1 , wherein the key structure further comprises an elastic element, wherein the elastic element is located under the triggering post, and the switch element is covered by the elastic element.

9. The key structure according to claim 1 , wherein the pressing element further comprises a structural part, and the structural part is formed on the extension part of the pressing element.

Assignees

• Primax Electronics Ltd

Inventors

• Pan Yung-Tai
• Wu Chun-Che
• Hsieh Ming-Hao
• Tsai Sheng-An

Classifications

• H01H13/14 Primary

  Operating parts, e.g. push-button · CPC title

• H01H2221/044

  Elastic part on actuator or casing · CPC title

• H01H2221/058

  to avoid tilting or skewing of contact area or actuator · CPC title

• H01H2215/006

  Only mechanical function · CPC title

• H01H13/705 Primary

  characterised by construction, mounting or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. push-buttons or keys · CPC title