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EP-4095647-B1 - ACTIVATION ASSEMBLY, BUTTON, AND KEYBOARD

EP4095647B1EP 4095647 B1EP4095647 B1EP 4095647B1EP-4095647-B1

Inventors

  • TING, SHIH TING
  • LIU, YUYIN
  • LU, ZHUHUA
  • XU, Minghui

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20211020

Claims (13)

  1. An activation assembly (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f, 10g) of a button (1), configured to be assembled with a substrate (30) and a keycap (50), the activation assembly comprising: a flexible guiding component (100, 100a, 100b, 100c, 100d, 100e, 100f, 100g), comprising: a covering portion (110, 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d, 110e, 110f, 110g), wherein the covering portion has a plurality of openings (O), and the covering portion is configured to be mounted on the substrate, the covering portion comprises a first covering part (111, 111a, 111b, 111c, 111d, 111e, 111f, 111g); a first contact portion (120, 120a, 120b, 120c, 120d, 120e, 120f, 120g), and a second contact portion (130, 130a, 130b, 130c, 130d, 130e, 130f, 130g), wherein the first contact portion and the second contact portion are respectively located at two opposite sides of the covering portion; and an elastic component (200, 200a, 200b, 200c, 200d, 200e, 200f, 200g), comprising: a coupling portion (210, 210a, 210b, 210c, 210d, 210e, 210f, 210g), connected to the covering portion; and characterized by a plurality of support portions (220, 220a, 220b, 220c, 220d, 220e, 220f, 220g), connected to the coupling portion and respectively located in the plurality of openings; and the first covering part of the covering portion has a first surface and a second surface located opposite to the first surface, the first contact portion and the second contact portion respectively protrude from the first surface and the second surface, the first covering part of the covering portion, the first contact portion and the second contact portion are integrally formed as one piece, and the coupling portion of the elastic component is attached on the second surface of the covering portion and the second contact portion is disposed through a hole of the coupling portion, or the coupling portion of the elastic component is coupled with the first covering part of the covering portion via insert molding process.
  2. The activation assembly according to claim 1, wherein the covering portion comprises a plurality of second covering parts (112, 112a, 112b, 112c, 112d, 112e, 112f, 112g), and a plurality of coupling parts (113, 113a, 113b, 113c, 113d, 113e, 113f, 113g), the plurality of second covering parts are connected to the first covering part, the plurality of second covering parts are spaced apart from one another, each of the plurality of openings is formed between adjacent two of the plurality of second covering parts, the plurality of coupling parts are connected to the first covering part via the plurality of second covering parts, and the plurality of coupling parts are configured to be fixed to the substrate.
  3. The activation assembly according to claim 2, wherein the coupling portion has a pressing part (212b, 212c, 212e), the pressing part is attached on the second contact portion, and the pressing part is configured to contact the substrate.
  4. The activation assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of support portions extend outwards from the coupling portion, each of the plurality of support portions comprises an inclined part (221, 221a, 221b, 221c, 221d, 221e, 221f, 221g) and a contact part (222, 222a, 222b, 222c, 222d, 222e, 222f, 222g) connected to the inclined part, and the contact part is flat or upturned, and the contact part is configured to be in contact with the substrate.
  5. The activation assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the covering portion and the first contact portion has at least one hole (114e, 114f, 114g, 121e, 121f, 121g).
  6. The activation assembly according to claim 1, wherein the covering portion further has at least one holding structure (115f, 115g, 116g), and the at least one holding structure contacts the elastic component.
  7. A button (1), comprising: a support base (20); a substrate (30), mounted on the support base and having a circuit; an activation assembly (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f, 10g) according to claim 1, comprising: the covering portion is mounted on said substrate; and a restoring component (40), wherein a side of the restoring component is mounted on the support base; and a keycap (50), mounted on another side of the restoring component, wherein the keycap is movable relative to the support base via the restoring component to move the second contact portion of the activation assembly to touch the circuit.
  8. The button according to claim 7, wherein the covering portion comprises a first covering part (111, 111a, 111b, 111c, 111d, 111e, 111f, 111g), a plurality of second covering parts (112, 112a, 112b, 112c, 112d, 112e, 112f, 112g), and a plurality of coupling parts (113, 113a, 113b, 113c, 113d, 113e, 113f, 113g), the plurality of second covering parts are connected to the first covering part, the plurality of second covering parts are spaced apart from one another, each of the plurality of openings is formed between adjacent two of the plurality of second covering parts, the plurality of coupling parts are connected to the first covering part via the plurality of second covering parts, and the plurality of coupling parts are configured to be fixed to the substrate.
  9. The button according to claim 8, wherein the coupling portion has a pressing part, the pressing part (212b, 212c, 212e) is attached on the second contact portion, and the keycap is configured to move the pressing part to touch the circuit of the substrate.
  10. The button according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of support portions extend outwards from the coupling portion, each of the plurality of support portions comprises an inclined part (221, 221a, 221b, 221c, 221d, 221e, 221f, 221g) and a contact part (222, 222a, 222b, 222c, 222d, 222e, 222f, 222g) connected to the inclined part, and the contact part is flat or upturned, and the contact part is configured to be in contact with the substrate.
  11. The button according to claim 7, wherein each of the covering portion and the first contact portion has at least one hole (114e, 114f, 114g, 121e, 121f, 121g).
  12. The button according to claim 7, wherein the covering portion further has at least one holding structure (115f, 115g, 116g), and the at least one holding structure contacts the elastic component.
  13. A keyboard (1000), comprising: a casing (5); a plurality of buttons (1) according to claim 7 disposed on the casing.

Description

Technical Field The disclosure provides an activation assembly, a button, and a keyboard, more particularly to an activation assembly having an elastic component, a button having the activation assembly and a keyboard having the button. Background Regarding to a personal computer, a keyboard is one of the common input devices for inputting words, symbols or number. Not only that, in electronic device of other types in daily life or a processing apparatus in industry, buttons are generally adopted for serving as the input device to operate the electronic device or the process apparatus. However, in order to achieve a slim electronic device, the manufacturers have confronted the issue of how to reduce the height of the buttons and improve the tactile feedback. US 2018/0358193A1 discloses a keyboard including a plurality of key modules, and a switch mechanism. US 2018/0277318A1 discloses a keyboard structure. US 2018/0197700A1 discloses a thin keyboard switch. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The subject matter of the invention is defined by independent claim 1. The disclosure provides a keyboard, a button, and an activation assembly whose height is favorable for slim design and achieving an improved tactile feedback. One embodiment of the disclosure provides an activation assembly of a button. The activation assembly is configured to be assembled with a substrate and a keycap. The activation assembly includes a flexible guiding component and an elastic component. The flexible guiding component includes a covering portion, a first contact portion, and a second contact portion. The covering portion has a plurality of openings. The covering portion is configured to be mounted on the substrate. The first contact portion and the second contact portion are respectively located at two opposite sides of the covering portion. The elastic component includes a coupling portion and a plurality of support portions. The coupling portion is connected to the covering portion. The support portions are connected to the coupling portion and are respectively located in the openings. Another embodiment provides a button. The button includes a support base, a substrate, an activation assembly, a restoring component, and a keycap. The substrate is mounted on the support base and has a circuit. The activation assembly includes a flexible guiding component and elastic component. The flexible guiding component includes a covering portion, a first contact portion, and a second contact portion. The covering portion has a plurality of openings, the covering portion is mounted on the substrate, the first contact portion and the second contact portion are respectively located at two opposite sides of the covering portion. The elastic component includes a coupling portion and a plurality of support portions. The coupling portion is connected to the covering portion. The support portions are connected to the coupling portion and are respectively located in the openings. A side of the restoring component is mounted on the support base. The keycap is mounted on another side of the restoring component. The keycap is movable relative to the support base via the restoring component to move the second contact portion of the activation assembly to touch the circuit. Still another embodiment provides a key board. The keyboard includes a casing and a plurality of buttons. The buttons are disposed on the casing. Each of the buttons includes a support base, a substrate, an activation assembly, a restoring component, and a keycap. The substrate is mounted on the support base and has a circuit. The activation assembly includes a flexible guiding component and elastic component. The flexible guiding component includes a covering portion, a first contact portion, and a second contact portion. The covering portion has a plurality of openings, the covering portion is mounted on the substrate, the first contact portion and the second contact portion are respectively located at two opposite sides of the covering portion. The elastic component includes a coupling portion and a plurality of support portions. The coupling portion is connected to the covering portion. The support portions are connected to the coupling portion and are respectively located in the openings. A side of the restoring component is mounted on the support base. The keycap is mounted on another side of the restoring component. The keycap is movable relative to the support base via the restoring component to move the second contact portion of the activation assembly to touch the circuit. According to the key board, the button, and activation assembly disclosed in the above embodiments, the elastic component is held in position by the flexible guiding component; meanwhile, the flexible guiding component has the openings to avoid interference with the support portions of the elastic component during the deformation of the elastic component, such that the installation and the movement of the elastic co