Key assembly and electronic device having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9257240-B2
Application number	US-201313927369-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2013
Priority date	Jun 26, 2012
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

A key assembly which is configured to provide improved click feeling to a user and an electronic device having the same are provided. The key assembly includes a key body of elastic materials and contact projections, each of the contact projections which is protruded and formed from the key body and presses a switch device spaced apart from the key body by a gap providing a certain interval, wherein the key body is installed such that a contact surface of each of the contact projections is in contact with and pushed back by a certain distance by a pre-loading force of the switch device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a key assembly disposed such that a part thereof is extending into and disposed within the interior of the electronic device;
a switch device disposed within the interior of the electronic device to perform an electric switching operation in response to a force exerted on the key assembly, wherein the key assembly includes a key body of resilient elastic materials and contact projections, each of the contact projections which is protruded and formed in a direction extending from a lower surface of the key body towards the switch device and wherein the key body is installed such that a contact surface of each of the contact projections is in contact with the switch device and wherein each of the contact projections includes a lower surface that is pushed back toward the lower surface of the key body and elastically deformed by a certain predetermined distance by the switch device, the contact projections biasing the key assembly toward an unactuated position; and
a hollow cavity formed within each of the contact projections,
wherein the contact surface of each of the contact projections is elastically deformed by force from the switch device a predetermined distance, wherein the predetermined distance is equal to a wall thickness of each of the contact projections formed between the hollow cavity and the switch device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising an opening provided in one side of each of the contact projections extending into the hollow cavity.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising a push projection protruded and formed within the hollow cavity,
wherein the push projection is formed to be protruded on a surface of the key body in a direction toward the switch device wherein the hollow cavity provides a gap between the push projection and an inner wall of the contact projections.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the key assembly is installed such that the hollow cavity provides a separation distance of a certain interval between the push projection and the inner surface of the contact projections.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more concave groove portions are formed in the key assembly surrounding each of the contact projections of the key body to provide increased elasticity of each of the contact projections.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a key case attached to an outer surface of the key body and adapted to receive and support the key body wherein the key case in comprised of materials which are stronger than that of the key body.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising:
one or more combining projections protruded and formed on one of either the key case and the key body; and
one or more fixed concave groove parts, in alignment with and adapted to receive the one or more combining projections, which are formed in the other of either the key case or the key body to provide enhanced combining force.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the key body is formed of one or more materials selected from a group consisting of urethane materials, silicon materials, and rubber materials.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the switch device is a tact switch including a contact head for pressing the contact surface of each of the contact projections.

10. A key assembly comprising:
a key body of elastic materials;
contact projections formed in the key body wherein each of the contact projections protrudes from a lower surface of the key body for pressing a switch device which is installed and spaced apart from the key body at a certain interval, wherein the key body is installed such that a contact surface of each of the contact projections is in contact with and includes a lower surface that is pushed back toward the lower surface of the key body by a certain distance by a force exerted by the switch device, the contact projections biasing the key assembly toward an unactuated position; and
a hollow cavity, which is formed in each of the contact projections with an opening provided in one side of each of the contact projections extending into the hollow cavity, wherein the contact surface of each of the contact projections is elastically deformed by a force exerted by the switch device, which is equal to a wall thickness of each of the contact projections formed between the hollow cavity and the switch device.

11. The key assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a push projection protruded and formed within the hollow cavity,
wherein the push projection is formed to be protruded on a surface of the key body in a direction extending toward the switch device wherein the hollow cavity provides a gap between the push projection and an inner wall of the contact projections.

12. The key assembly of claim 11 , wherein the key assembly is installed such that the hollow cavity provides a separation distance of a certain interval between the push projection and the inner surface of the contact projections.

13. The key assembly of claim 10 , further comprising one or more concave groove portions formed in the key assembly surrounding each of the contact projections of the key body to provide increased elasticity of each of the contact projections.

14. The key assembly of claim 10 , wherein the key body is formed of one or more materials selected from a group consisting of urethane materials, silicon materials, and rubber materials.

15. The key assembly of claim 10 , wherein the switch device is a tact switch including a contact head for pressing the contact surface of each of the contact projections.

16. An electronic device comprising:
a key assembly disposed such that a part thereof is extending into and disposed within the interior of the electronic device; and
a tact switch disposed in the electronic device in alignment with the key assembly to perform an electric switching operation in response to a force exerted on the key assembly,
wherein the key assembly includes a key case installed to be exposed to the outside of the electronic device, a key body of elastic materials which is combined and fixed with the key case, wherein the key case is attached to an outer surface of the key body and adapted to receive and support the key body, the key case being comprised of contact projections, the contact projections biasing the key assembly toward an unactuated position, each of the contact projections, having an inner hollow cavity, wherein each of the contact projections is protruded and formed in a direction from the key body and extending toward the tact switch, a push projection which is formed within the hollow cavity and is formed to be protruded from a lower surface of the key body in a direction toward the switch device wherein the hollow cavity provides a predetermined gap between the push projection and an inner wall of the contact projections; and one or more concave groove portions formed surrounding each of the contact projections of the key body to provide enhanced elasticity of each of the contact projections and wherein the key body is installed such that a lower surface of a contact surface of each of the contact projections is in contact with and is pushed back toward the lower surface of the key body by a certain distance by a force exerted by a contact head of the tact switch.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Jeong-Seok
• Park Joon-Seo
• Seo Kwang-Su
• Jeon Yong-Woo

Classifications

• H01H13/85 Primary

  characterised by tactile feedback features · CPC title

• H01H2221/074

  One molded piece · CPC title

• H01H2221/044

  Elastic part on actuator or casing · CPC title

• H01H2225/028

  perpendicular to base of keyboard · CPC title

• H01H2235/016

  Preloading · CPC title