Patent Application
20060257190
The present application is based on, and claims priority from, Taiwan Application Serial Number 94115622, filed May 13, 2005, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The present invention relates to a key structure, and more particularly, to a magnetically levitated key structure.
A keyboard is a kind of input device of an electronic device or a computer apparatus, of which keys are pressed to input data. When pressing these keys on the keyboard, a user uses his fingertip to contact a key cap and then to press down the key to input a datum represented by the key.
However, the design rule of the electronic device or the computer apparatus trends toward being more compact, but the keys of the key structure 100 have to be kept at a predetermined height due to the existence of the elastic components 125 when the keyboard of the conventional electronic device or computer, whether in use or not, thereby resulting in a design bottleneck when miniaturizing the electronic device. In addition, fatigue failure of the conventional elastic component 125 can occur after longtime use.
Therefore, what are needed in the art are key structures, which can overcome the design limitations when reducing the size of an electronic device or computer apparatus.
The objective of the present invention is to provide a magnetically levitated key structure by using the attractive and repulsive forces between two magnetic components to control the key cap motion up and down.
According to the aforementioned objective, the present invention provides a magnetically levitated key structure. The magnetically levitated key structure comprises a first magnetic component, a supporting structure pivoted at the first magnetic component and a second magnetic component pivoted at the supporting structure. At least one first pivot is set on the first magnetic component, wherein a first end of the supporting structure is pivoted at the first pivot; and at least one second pivot of the second magnetic component is pivoted at a second end of the supporting structure. When the first magnetic component magnetically repels the second magnetic component, the second magnetic component is at a distance from the first magnetic component.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first magnetic component comprises a permanent magnetic plate, and the second magnetic component comprises a key cap and a magnetic body. The magnetic body is of an impermanent magnet, the magnetism of which is controlled by a second electromagnetic component, such as an electromagnet.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first magnetic component comprises an impermanent magnetic plate and a first electromagnetic component, wherein the first electromagnetic component is, for example, an electromagnet. The second magnetic component comprises a key cap of permanent magnetism, or comprises a key cap and a magnetic body. The magnetic body is composed of, for example, a permanent magnet, or the magnetism of the magnetic body is controlled by the second electromagnetic component, such as an electromagnet.
According to still another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first magnetic component further comprises a sheet set thereon.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the supporting structure is composed of a supporting frame and a supporting frame intersected and pivoted with each other.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the magnetically levitated key structure is suitable for a keyboard of an electronic device or a computer.
In the application of the magnetically levitated key structure, two magnetic components, which replace the elastic component of the prior key structure, control the upward and downward motion of the key cap by using their attractive or repulsive forces with each other, so as to reduce the key height when the key is not in use, thereby greatly minimizing the space occupied by the key structure.
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The magnetically levitated key structure of the present invention, which controls the upward and downward motion of the key cap by using the attractive and repulsive forces between two magnetic components, is suitable for a keyboard of an electronic device or a computer. Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the magnetically levitated key structure of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings
One feature of the magnetically levitated key structure of the present invention is to use the attractive and repulsive forces between two magnetic components to control the key cap motion up and down. In an embodiment, the first magnetic component 200a is of permanent magnetism, and the second magnetic component 200b is of impermanent magnetism. In detail, the first magnetic component 200a comprises a bottom plate 230, which is a permanent magnetic plate and is set with a plurality of first pivots 231, 233 and 235. In the embodiment, three pivots are provided, but the present invention is not limited to three. It is well known by a person skilled in the art, the first magnetic component 200a may further comprise a sheet 220 set thereon. A circuit is set in the interior of the sheet 220, and a plurality of openings 221 are formed in the sheet 220 to expose the underlying first pivots 231, 233 and 235. A supporting structure 203 is set on the first magnetic component 200a, in which the supporting structure 203 may be composed of a first supporting frame 205 and a second supporting frame 207 intersected and pivoted with each other, and first ends 211 of the supporting structure 203 are pivoted at the first pivots 231, 233 and 235. The second magnetic component 200b is set on the supporting structure 203 and comprises a key cap 201 and a magnetic body 202, wherein the magnetic body 202 may be of impermanent magnetism. The magnetism of the magnetic body 202 may be controlled by a second electromagnetic component (not shown), such as an electromagnet. A bottom surface of the key cap 201 is set with a plurality of second pivots 213 and 215 for pivoting at second ends 212 of the supporting structure 203, such as shown in
When the keyboard of the electronic device or computer is being used, the first electromagnetic component 240 controls the magnetism of the bottom plate 230 and causes the bottom plate 230 and the key cap 201 of permanent magnetism repel each other. That is, the first magnetic component 200a and the second magnetic component 200b are magnetically repulsive, so as to make the second magnetic component 200b be at a distance D from the first magnetic component 200a for the user to input data by the magnetically levitated key structure 200 of the present invention. In another example, the first electromagnetic component 240 can control the magnetism of the bottom plate 230 and make the bottom plate 230 and the magnetic body 202 of permanent magnetism repel each other. That is, the first magnetic component 200a and the second magnetic component 200b are magnetically repulsive, so as to make the second magnetic component 200b be at a distance D from the first magnetic component 200a. In a further example, the first electromagnetic component 240 and the second electromagnetic component (as
The magnetically levitated key structure of the present invention uses the attractive and repulsive forces between two magnetic components, which replace the elastic component of the prior key structure, to control the upward and downward movement of the key cap. The advantages of the present invention are that the problem of elastic fatigue of the elastic component can be eliminated, and the key height when the key is not in use can be reduced, so as to greatly minimize the space occupied by the key structure.
As is understood by a person skilled in the art, the foregoing preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated of the present invention rather than limiting of the present invention. It is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 94115622 | May 2005 | TW | national |
