Keyboard

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024038462-A1
Application number	US-202318222487-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 17, 2023
Priority date	Jul 26, 2022
Publication date	Feb 1, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A keyboard includes a plurality of keyswitches, a plastic baseplate, and a membrane circuit board. Each keyswitch has a keycap, a lifting mechanism and an elastic member. The lifting mechanism is movably connected to the keycap. The elastic member abuts against the keycap. The plastic baseplate has a first hole formed corresponding to each elastic member and has a connecting structure corresponding to each lifting mechanism. The connecting structure is movably connected to the lifting mechanism to make the keycap movable relative to the plastic baseplate. The membrane circuit board is disposed under the plastic baseplate. Each elastic member passes through the first hole on the plastic baseplate to be disposed on the membrane circuit board. When the keycap is pressed, the elastic member deforms downward to trigger the membrane circuit board. When the keycap is released, the elastic member returns the keycap to its original position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A keyboard comprising:
a plurality of keyswitches, each keyswitch having a keycap, a lifting mechanism and an elastic member, the lifting mechanism being movably connected to the keycap, and the elastic member abutting against the keycap; a plastic baseplate having a first hole formed corresponding to each elastic member and forming a connecting structure integrally corresponding to each lifting mechanism, wherein the connecting structure is movably connected to the lifting mechanism to make the keycap movable relative to the plastic baseplate; and a membrane circuit board disposed under the plastic baseplate, each elastic member passing through the first hole on the plastic baseplate to be disposed on the membrane circuit board; wherein when the keycap is pressed, the elastic member deforms downward to trigger the membrane circuit board; when the keycap is released, the elastic member returns the keycap to its original position.

2 . The keyboard of claim 1 , wherein the membrane circuit board has a vent hole formed corresponding to the elastic member, and the vent hole discharges air in the elastic member when the keycap is pressed to deform the elastic member.

3 . The keyboard of claim 1 , wherein the membrane circuit board has at least one light emitting diode disposed corresponding to the keyswitch, and the at least one light emitting diode is located on at least one side of the elastic member and emits light to the keycap.

4 . The keyboard of claim 3 , wherein the plastic baseplate has an avoiding hole corresponding to the at least one light emitting diode for containing the at least one light emitting diode.

5 . The keyboard of claim 4 , wherein the keyboard further comprises a light guide plate, the light guide plate is disposed between the membrane circuit board and the plastic baseplate, the light guide plate has a slot hole corresponding to the at least one light emitting diode for containing the at least one light emitting diode and guides light of the light emitting diode to be incident to the keycap, the light guide plate has a second hole corresponding to the elastic member, and the elastic member passes through the first hole and the second hole to be disposed on the membrane circuit board.

6 . The keyboard of claim 1 , wherein the membrane circuit board has a switch contact corresponding to the elastic member, and the elastic member has an actuating pillar extending toward the switch contact;
wherein when the keycap is pressed, the elastic member deforms to drive the actuating pillar to trigger the switch contact.

7 . The keyboard of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of hooks extends downward from the plastic baseplate in an integral forming manner, and the plurality of hooks is engaged with a plurality of engaging hole structures formed on a holding baseplate of a computer device respectively, so as to make the keyboard detachably mounted on the computer device.

8 . A keyboard comprising:
a plurality of keyswitches, each keyswitch having a keycap, a lifting mechanism and an elastic member, the lifting mechanism being movably connected to the keycap, and the elastic member abutting against the keycap; a plastic baseplate having a first hole formed corresponding to each elastic member, wherein the lifting mechanism is movably connected to the plastic baseplate to make the keycap movable relative to the plastic baseplate; and a membrane circuit board disposed under the plastic baseplate and having a switch contact corresponding to each elastic member, each elastic member passing through the first hole on the plastic baseplate to be disposed on the membrane circuit board and having an actuating pillar extending toward the switch contact; wherein when the keycap is pressed, the elastic member deforms to drive the actuating pillar to trigger the switch contact; when the keycap is released, the elastic member returns the keycap to its original position.

9 . The keyboard of claim 8 , wherein the membrane circuit board has a vent hole formed corresponding to the elastic member, and the vent hole discharges air in the elastic member when the keycap is pressed to deform the elastic member.

10 . The keyboard of claim 8 , wherein the membrane circuit board has at least one light emitting diode disposed corresponding to the keyswitch, and the at least one light emitting diode is located on at least one side of the elastic member and emits light to the keycap.

11 . The keyboard of claim 10 , wherein the plastic baseplate has an avoiding hole corresponding to the at least one light emitting diode for containing the at least one light emitting diode.

12 . The keyboard of claim 10 , wherein the keyboard further comprises a light guide plate, the light guide plate is disposed between the membrane circuit board and the plastic baseplate, the light guide plate has a slot hole corresponding to the at least one light emitting diode for containing the at least one light emitting diode and guides light of the light emitting diode to be incident to the keycap, the light guide plate has a second hole corresponding to the elastic member, and the elastic member passes through the first hole and the second hole to be disposed on the membrane circuit board.

13 . The keyboard of claim 8 , wherein a plurality of hooks extends downward from the plastic baseplate in an integral forming manner, and the plurality of hooks is engaged with a plurality of engaging hole structures formed on a holding baseplate of a computer device respectively, so as to make the keyboard detachably mounted on the computer device.

14 . A keyboard comprising:
a plurality of keyswitches, each keyswitch having a keycap, a lifting mechanism and an elastic member, the lifting mechanism being movably connected to the keycap, and the elastic member abutting against the keycap; a membrane circuit board having at least one light emitting diode corresponding to the keyswitch, the at least one light emitting diode being located on at least one side of the elastic member and emitting light to the keycap; and a plastic baseplate disposed on the membrane circuit board, the plastic baseplate having a first hole formed corresponding to the elastic member and having an avoiding hole corresponding to at least one light emitting diode for containing the at least one light emitting diode, wherein the elastic member passes through the first hole to be disposed on the membrane circuit board, and the lifting mechanism is movably connected to the plastic baseplate to make the keycap movable relative to the plastic baseplate; wherein when the keycap is pressed, the elastic member deforms to trigger the membrane circuit board; when the keycap is released, the elastic member returns the keycap to its original position.

15 . The keyboard of claim 14 , wherein the membrane circuit board has a vent hole formed corresponding to the elastic member, and the vent hole discharges air in the elastic member when the keycap is pressed to deform the elastic member.

16 . The keyboard of claim 14 , wherein the keyboard further comprises a light guide plate, the light guide plate is disposed between the membrane circuit board and the plastic baseplate, the light guide plate has a slot hole corresponding to the at least one light emitting diode for containing the at least one light emitting diode and guides light of the light emitting diode to be incident to the keycap, the light guide plate has a second hole corresponding to the elastic member, and the elastic member passes through the first hole and the second hole to be d

Assignees

• Darfon Electronics Corp

Inventors

• Tsai Po-Wei
• Yang sheng-yun

Classifications

• H01H13/7065 Primary

  characterised by the mechanism between keys and layered keyboards · CPC title

• H01H13/83 Primary

  characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements · CPC title

• H01H2219/054

  Optical elements · CPC title

• H01H3/125

  using a scissor mechanism as stabiliser · CPC title

• H01H2219/062

  Light conductor · CPC title