1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a keyswitch, and more particularly, to a keyswitch capable of triggering a plurality of switches.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the popularity of information equipments, lots of information processing apparatus, such as computer, with different brands or types have been used at home, in the office, school and other places. Most of the conventional computers, include desktops and laptops, are equipped with a keyboard for operating by users.
Please refer to
Conventionally, the keyboard in the prior art has multiple keyswitch, such as “space”, “enter” or “shift”, which is longer than other regular keyswitches. Please refer to
However, when the keycap 76 of the multiple keyswitch 7 is not pressed at the central area or when it is pressed on the edge, it may tilt and the support 78 may even fail to trigger the switch 74. Furthermore, the same situation may occur when the keyswitch with special shape (not square) such as “enter”, is pressed.
With the diversity of keyswitch design, many keyboards are designed to have longer keyswitches or keyswitches with special shape. It is an important issue to solve the above-mentioned problem.
Accordingly, a scope of the present invention is to provide a keyswitch. Particularly, the keyswitch of the invention corresponds to a plurality of switches and it is capable of triggering at least one of the switches to solve the above-mentioned problem.
According to the first preferred embodiment, the keyswitch includes a substrate, a plurality of switches, a keycap and at least a support. The switches are mounted on the substrate. A bottom surface is defined on the keycap, and a plurality of protruding portions protrude from the bottom surface, and each of the protruding portions corresponds to one of the switches. Moreover, the at least one support corresponds to one of the switches, and the support is used for supporting the keycap moving vertically opposite to the substrate. Particularly, when the keycap is pressed, the protruding portions and/or the support trigger at least one of the switches.
Another scope of the invention is to provide a keyboard which includes the above-mentioned keyswitch.
The keyboard according to the second preferred embodiment of the invention includes a substrate, a plurality of switches, a plurality of keycaps and a plurality of supports. The switches are mounted on the substrate. A bottom surface is defined on each of the keycaps. A first keycap of the keycaps corresponds to N first switches of the switches. Moreover, M protruding portions protrude from the bottom surface of the first keycap, each of the M protruding portions corresponds to one of the N first switches. N is a positive integer larger than 1, and M is a positive integer larger than 1 and smaller than N. Each of the supports corresponds to one of the keycaps and one of the switches, for supporting said corresponded keycap moving vertically opposite to the substrate. At least one of the supports corresponds to one of the N first switches. Particularly, when the keycap is pressed, the M protruding portions and/or the at least one support trigger at least one of the N first switches.
The objective of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
According to a preferred embodiment, the keyswitch of the invention includes a substrate, a plurality of switches, a keycap and at least a support.
Please refer to
The switches 14 are mounted on the substrate 12. A bottom surface 162 is defined on the keycap 16, and two protruding portions 164 protrude from the bottom surface 162, each of the protruding portions 164 corresponds to one of the switches 14. The support 18 can be used to support the keycap 16 moving vertically opposite to the substrate 12, and the support 18 corresponds to one of the switches 14. Accordingly, when the keycap 16 is pressed, the protruding portions 164 and/or the support 18 trigger at least one of the switches 14.
In the embodiment, the support 18 includes a scissors-like support 182 and an elastic device 184. The top engagement portion of the scissors-like support 182 is connected to the bottom surface 162 of the keycap 16, whereas the bottom engagement portion of the scissors-like support 182 is connected to the substrate 12. Additionally, the top end of the elastic device 184 contacts the bottom surface 162 of the keycap 16, and the bottom end of the elastic device contacts the switch 14 corresponded to the support 18. Accordingly, when the keycap 16 is pressed, the scissors-like support 182 supports the keycap 16 moving vertically opposite to the substrate 12, and the elastic device 184 triggers the contacted switch 14.
In practice, when the keyswitch is a multiple keyswitch such as “space” or “shift”; or keyswitch with special shape (not square) such as “enter”, it can further include a balance member. The balance member has an axle defining a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The axle is folded with a first angle and elongated from the first end to form a first side, and the axle is folded with a second angle and elongated from the second end to form a second side. Furthermore, the axle is mounted to the bottom surface of the keycap, and the first side and the second side of the axle are connected to a first connecting member and a second connecting member on the substrate respectively. When the keycap 16 is pressed, the balance member and the scissors-like support can support the keycap moving vertically opposite to the substrate, and can completely drive the movement of the keycap.
In practice, the keycap of the invention is formed of plastic material. However, in practice, the keycap of the invention can be formed of other suitable material.
Another embodiment of the invention discloses a keyboard which includes the above-mentioned keyswitch. The keyboard in the embodiment includes a substrate, a plurality of switches mounted on the substrate, a plurality of keycaps and a plurality of supports
Each of the keycaps is defined a bottom surface, and a first keycap of the keycaps corresponds to N first switches of the switches. Moreover, M protruding portions protrude from the bottom surface of the first keycap, each of the M protruding portions corresponds to one of the N first switches. N is a positive integer larger than 1, whereas M is a positive integer larger than 1 and smaller than N. Each of the supports corresponds to one of the keycaps and one of the switches, the supports can support the keycaps moving vertically opposite to the substrate. Particularly, at least one of the supports corresponds to one of the N first switches. Accordingly, when the first keycap is pressed, the M protruding portions and/or the at least one support trigger at least one of the N first switches.
For example, the above-mentioned first keycap corresponds to five first switches, and the first keycap has three protruding portions correspond to three of the first switches. Moreover, two supports correspond to the first keycap and the other two first switches.
Practically, the support can include a scissors-like support and an elastic member. The top engagement portion of the scissors-like support is connected to the bottom surface of the first keycap, whereas the bottom engagement portion of the scissors-like support is connected to the substrate. Additionally, the top end of the elastic device contacts the bottom surface of the first keycap, and the bottom end of the elastic device contacts the switch corresponded to the support. Accordingly, when the first keycap is pressed, the scissors-like support supports the first keycap moving vertically opposite to the substrate, and the elastic device triggers the contacted switch.
As mentioned above, when the first keycap is the keycap of a multiple keyswitch such as “space” or “shift”; or the keycap of a keyswitch with special shape (not square) such as “enter”, the keyboard can further include a balance member. The balance member has an axle defining a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The axle is folded with a first angle and elongated from the first end to form a first side, and the axle is folded with a second angle and elongated from the second end to form a second side. Furthermore, the axle is mounted to the bottom surface of the first keycap, and the first side and the second side of the axle are connected to a first connecting member and a second connecting member on the substrate respectively. When the first keycap is pressed, the balance member and the scissors-like support can support the first keycap moving vertically opposite to the substrate, and can completely drive the movement of the first keycap.
In practice, the first keycap is formed of plastic material. However, in practice, the first keycap can be formed of other suitable material. Moreover, other keycaps of the keyboard can be formed of plastic material or other suitable material.
To sum up, because of the keyswitch of the invention can correspond to a plurality of switches, and the bottom surface of the keycap of the keyswitch has a plurality of protruding portions corresponding to the switches, at least one of the switches can be certainly triggered whether the user presses on any area of the keycap.
Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiment but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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096207612 | May 2007 | TW | national |