Patent Application
20210333904
The present disclosure relates to the technical field of touch input devices, in particular to a touch keyboard, a manufacturing method thereof and a mobile terminal.
Keyboards, as the most commonly used and most important input devices, can input English letters, numbers, punctuation marks, etc. into computers, thus sending commands, inputting data, etc. to computers. The traditional mechanical keyboard uses the principle of a contact switch to make electrical contacts connect or disconnect. Keyboards represent a simple process, have ordinary hand feeling, high noise and are subject to easy wearing of the labels found on the keyboard keys. Moreover, the keys usually use a copper spring as elastic material. These copper springs easily lose their elasticity, thereby increasing the failure rate of keyboards over a long period of time. The principle of the traditional capacitive keyboard is to change the capacitance by changing the distance between the electrodes by pressing the key to temporarily form a capacitive condition that allows an oscillation signal pulse to pass through the capacitance formed by the electrodes, thus realizing a signal corresponding to the selected key. Such a capacitive keyboard is a more complicated technology than mechanical structure.
In recent years, the market has also seen the emergence of a new capacitive touch keyboard, which is similar in principle to a touch screen. The sensor lattice of the common capacitive touch screen needs to be made very dense in order to improve the accuracy of the touch screen. However, for the touch keyboard, a sensor lattice does not need such a high degree of accuracy, but instead only needs to detect a touch in a certain fixed area to identify a touch operation between various areas.
At present, known touch keyboards have the following drawbacks: the pattern of touch sensors is visible to the naked eye, the contrast of key labels is poor, the input error rate is high, there is no corresponding response feedback function at the time of input, the touch input feeling is poor, the process of attaching touch sensor elements to the film of key labels is complicated and the reliability is poor.
Therefore, the structural design of the capacitive touch keyboard at this stage still needs to be improved.
The present disclosure is intended to solve at least one of the above technical problems.
An exemplary embodiment provides a touch keyboard.
According to some exemplary embodiments, a touch keyboard comprises: a semi-transparent layer; a touch sensor pattern located at a side of the semi-transparent layer; an ink layer located at a side of the touch sensor pattern away from the semi-transparent layer.
In addition, the touch keyboard according to the above exemplary embodiments may also have the following additional technical features.
According to some exemplary embodiments, an ink layer further comprises a first color layer located at the side of the touch sensor pattern away from the semi-transparent layer, and the first color layer having perforated patterns; and a second color layer located at the side of the first color layer away from the semi-transparent layer; wherein the first color layer is formed of a dark ink and the second color layer is formed of a bright ink.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the first color layer is formed of black ink and the second color layer is formed of white ink or yellow ink.
According to some exemplary embodiments, a touch keyboard further comprises a cover plate located at the side of the semi-transparent layer away from the touch sensor pattern, wherein the cover plate is formed of glass, and the surface of the cover plate away from the semi-transparent layer is frosted.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the semi-transparent layer is formed of semi-transparent ink.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the semi-transparent layer is formed of gray ink.
According to exemplary embodiments, the thickness of the semi-transparent layer is 2-5 microns.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the touch keyboard further includes linear motor(s) for providing vibration feedback when the touch keyboard is input, the linear motor(s) being located in non-key area(s) of the touch keyboard.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the touch keyboard further comprises a light guide plate located at the side of the second color layer away from the semi-transparent layer and arranged at the same layer as the linear motor.
A method for manufacturing a touch keyboard is provided in a second aspect of the exemplary embodiments.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the method comprises forming a semi-transparent layer; forming a touch sensor pattern at a side of the semi-transparent layer; forming an ink layer at the side of the touch sensor pattern away from the semi-transparent layer.
In addition, the manufacturing method according to the above exemplary embodiments may also have the following additional technical features.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the step of forming the ink layer further comprises forming a first color layer at the side of the touch sensor pattern away from the semi-transparent layer; forming a second color layer at the side of the first color layer away from the semi-transparent layer; wherein the first color layer is formed of dark ink, the first color layer has perforated patterns, and the second color layer is formed of bright ink.
According to some exemplary embodiments, before the step of forming the semi-transparent layer, the method further comprises providing a cover plate and frosting the side of the cover plate away from the semi-transparent layer, and the other side of the cover plate being used for forming the semi-transparent layer.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the method further comprises attaching a light guide plate to a display area at the side of the second color layer away from the semi-transparent layer.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the method further comprises arranging linear motor(s) in non-key area(s) at the side of the second color layer away from the semi-transparent layer to provide vibration feedback when the touch keyboard is input.
A mobile terminal may be provided that incorporates exemplary embodiments.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the mobile terminal comprises the touch keyboard described herein.
Additional aspects and advantages of the exemplary embodiments will be set forth in part in the following description, and in part will become apparent from the following description, or may be learned by practice of the present disclosure.
The above and/or additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:
Some exemplary embodiments will be described in detail below, and those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the following examples are intended to explain the present disclosure and should not be considered as limiting the present disclosure. Unless otherwise specified, if specific techniques or conditions are not explicitly described in the following examples, those of ordinary skill in the art may proceed according to the techniques or conditions commonly used in the art or according to the product specifications.
In one exemplary embodiment, a touch keyboard is provided. Referring to
According to an exemplary embodiment, referring to
During research, the inventor found that the touch sensor pattern under the transparent cover plate is visible to naked eyes when viewing known touch keyboards from the user's perspective, thus affecting the overall aesthetics of the touch keyboard. Therefore, in view of the above technical problems, the inventor of the present application can realize the hiding effect of the touch sensor pattern 300 and the hiding effect of the key labels (equivalent to the ink layer 400) when not inputting (backlight is turned off) by providing a semi-transparent layer 200, thereby making the touch keyboard more aesthetically pleasing and meeting the aesthetic requirements of the users.
According to some exemplary embodiment, referring to
According to some exemplary embodiments, the specific types of dark ink and bright ink are not particularly limited, and those of ordinary skill in the art can choose according to the actual color difference effect and aesthetics of the ink layer. In some exemplary embodiments, the first color layer 410 may be formed of black ink and the second color layer 420 may be formed of white ink or yellow ink. In this way, using the contrast color with the largest color difference can further improve the color difference of key labels at the time of input and help to further reduce the input error rate. According to some exemplary embodiments, the specific thicknesses of the dark ink and the bright ink are not particularly limited, and those of ordinary skill in the art can adjust them according to the display effect of the touch keyboard at the time of input, which will not be described here.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the specific design of the perforated patterns 411 of the first color layer 410, including the position, shape, etc., is not particularly limited, and those of ordinary skill in the art can design it according to the preferences of the user of the touch keyboard. In some exemplary embodiments, referring to
According to some exemplary embodiments, referring to
According to some exemplary embodiments, the specific material of the semi-transparent layer 200 is not particularly limited, as long as the semi-transparent layer of the material can effectively block the touch sensor pattern and the ink layer when not inputting, and does not affect the highlighting of the key labels at the time of input, those of ordinary skill in the art can choose according to the actual effect of the touch sensor pattern and the ink layer. In some exemplary embodiments, the semi-transparent layer 200 may be formed of semi-transparent ink, so that the hiding effect of the key iii labels and the touch sensor pattern can be realized when not inputting. Besides, the manufacturing process is simple and the cost is low. In some specific examples, the semi-transparent layer 200 may be formed of gray ink, so that the hiding effect of the key labels and the touch sensor pattern when not inputting can be realized, and the highlighted effect of the key labels will not be affected at the time of input.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the specific thickness of the semi-transparent layer 200 is not particularly limited, as long as the semi-transparent layer of this thickness can achieve the hiding effect of the key labels and the touch sensor pattern when not inputting and does not affect key labels at the time of input, and those of ordinary skill in the art can adjust it according to the actual backlight intensity of the touch keyboard. In some exemplary embodiments, the thickness of the semi-transparent layer 200 may be 2-5 microns, so that not only the hiding effect of the key labels and the touch sensor pattern is better when not inputting, but also the highlighted effect of the key labels is better at the time of input.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the specific shape of the cross-section of the touch keyboard is not particularly limited, and in particular, it can be e.g., rectangular, elliptical or irregular shapes, etc. Those of ordinary skill in the art can design the touch keyboard according to the actual use environment of the touch keyboard and other associated devices. In some exemplary embodiments, the cross section of the touch keyboard can be rectangular, so that wires or other auxiliary functional components can be arranged in the border area and the border area can be made of full use. Moreover, this arrangement is more conducive to the thinning of the touch keyboard.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the touch keyboard may further include linear motors 500, and the linear motors 500 are located in non-key areas of the touch keyboard. It should be noted that “non-key areas” refer specifically to areas other than key frames on the touch keyboard, such as outer frames, gaps between keys, etc. In this way, arranging the linear motors 500 in the non-key areas can realize humanized key vibration feedback during input, thus making the touch keyboard more ergonomic.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the specific position and the specific number of the linear motors 500 are not particularly limited, as long as the linear motors can realize the function of response feedback and does not affect the touch sensing input function of the keys, those of ordinary skill in the art can design and change them according to the actual input experience of the touch keyboard. In some exemplary embodiments, when the cross section of the touch keyboard is rectangular, the linear motors 500 may be disposed at least one of the four corners of the non-display area of the touch keyboard, so that the vibration feedback function does not affect the touch sensing input function of the display area. In some specific examples, they are disposed at one corner of the touch keyboard which not only realize the function of response feedback without affecting the touch sensing input function of the keys, but also make full use of the border area, and is conducive to the thinning of the touch keyboard.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the touch keyboard may further include a light guide plate 600, and referring to
To sum up, according to some exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure provides a touch keyboard with a semi-transparent layer, which can realize the hiding effect of the touch sensor pattern and the hiding effect of key labels when not inputting, thereby making the touch keyboard more aesthetically pleasing and stylish, thus meeting the aesthetic requirements of users.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a touch keyboard. Referring to
S100: forming a semi-transparent layer.
In this step, the semi-transparent layer 200 is first formed. In some exemplary embodiments, referring to
According to some exemplary embodiments, before step S100, the side of the cover plate 100 away from the semi-transparent layer 200 can be frosted in advance, so that the surface roughness of the side where the cover plate 100 contacts the user's finger can be increased, and the touch feeling can be improved.
S200: forming a touch sensor pattern at a side of the semi-transparent layer.
In this step, the touch sensor pattern 300 is continuously formed at the side of the semi-transparent layer 200 formed in step S100. In some exemplary embodiments, referring to
According to some exemplary embodiments, the specific method of forming the touch sensor pattern 300 is not particularly limited, and those of ordinary skill in the art can choose according to the specific material and pattern complexity of the touch sensor pattern 300. In some specific examples, the touch sensor pattern 300 can be screen printed or photoetched directly at the side of the iii semi-transparent membrane 200 away from the cover plate 100, so that a complex touch sensor pattern with touch positioning input function can be designed and manufactured.
S300: forming an ink layer at the side of the touch sensor pattern away from the semi-transparent layer.
In this step, the ink layer 400 is formed at the side of the touch sensor pattern 300 away from the semi-transparent layer 200. Please refer to
According to some exemplary embodiments, the ink layer 400 may be formed of the first color layer 410 and the second color layer 420, and then step S300 may further include forming the first color layer 410 at the side of the touch sensor pattern 300 away from the semi-transparent layer 200; forming the second color layer 420 at the side of the first color layer 410 away from the semi-transparent layer 200. The first color layer 410 is formed of dark ink, the first color layer 410 has perforated patterns 411, and the second color layer 420 is formed of light ink. In this way, forming the first color layer 410 and the second color layer 420 with obvious color difference can highlight the keys of the touch keyboard and help the user reduce the input error rate.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the specific method of forming the first color layer 410 is not particularly limited, and those of ordinary skill in the art can choose according to the specific material of the first color layer 410 and the complexity of the perforated patterns 411. In some exemplary embodiments, referring to
According to some exemplary embodiments, the specific method of forming the second color layer 420 is not particularly limited, and those of ordinary skill in the art can choose according to the specific material of the second color layer 420. In some exemplary embodiments, referring to
The inventor of the present application has found through a long period of research that, referring to
According to some exemplary embodiments, referring to
S400: attaching a light guide plate to a display area at a side of a second color layer away from the semi-transparent layer.
In this step, the light guide plate 600 is attached to the side of the second color layer 420 away from the semi-transparent layer 200. Therefore, when the touch keyboard is input, the light guide plate 600 is turned on to provide backlight for the touch keyboard. Light passes through the second color layer 420 and through the perforated patterns 411 of the first color layer 410, and then passes through the touch sensor pattern 300 and the semi-transparent layer 200 in sequence, thereby displaying the key label pattern 1202 as shown in
According to some exemplary embodiments, the linear motors 500 are further provided at the side of the light guide plate 600 away from the semi-transparent layer 200 or the side of the second color layer 420 away from the semi-transparent layer 200, so that vibration feedback can be realized through the linear motors 500 when the touch keyboard is input, thereby making the touch keyboard more humanized.
In some exemplary embodiments, the manufacturing method may further include:
S500: arranging linear motors in non-key areas at the side of the second color layer away from the semi-transparent layer.
In this step, the linear motors 500 may be further provided in the non-key areas at the side of the second color layer 420 away from the semi-transparent layer 200, so that vibration feedback can be realized through the linear motors 500 when the touch keyboard is input, thereby making the touch keyboard more humanized.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the specific setting positions of the linear motors 500 are not particularly limited, and can be set in gaps between keys or the outer border area, etc. Those of ordinary skill in the art can design according to the actual structure of the touch keyboard. In a specific example, referring to
To sum up, according to some exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure provides a manufacturing method, a formed semi-transparent layer which can realize a hiding effect of the touch sensor pattern and a hiding effect of the key labels when not inputting, so that a more aesthetically pleasing and stylish touch keyboard can be obtained. Moreover, the process is simple and the manufacturing cost is low.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides a mobile terminal.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the mobile terminal includes the touch keyboard described above.
According to some exemplary embodiments, the specific types of mobile terminals are not particularly limited, such as desktop computers, notebook computers, tablet computers, game machines, etc. Those of ordinary skill in the art can design the mobile devices according to the use requirements of the mobile devices and will not be described here.
It should be noted that the mobile terminal includes other necessary components and parts in addition to the touch keyboard. Taking a desktop computer as an example, it includes e.g., a host computer, an output device, a power supply line, etc. Those of ordinary skill in the art can supplement it according to the specific use requirements and use environment of the mobile terminal, and they will not be described here.
To sum up, according to some exemplary embodiments, the present disclosure provides a mobile terminal whose touch keyboard is aesthetically pleasing, has low input error rate and good input feedback, which can increase the market competitiveness of the mobile terminal. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that the features and advantages described above for the touch keyboard are still applicable to a mobile terminal and will not be described here.
In the description of the present disclosure, it is to be understood that, the terms “center”, “longitudinal”, “transverse”, “length”, “width”, “thickness”, “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inner”, “outer”, “clockwise”, “counterclockwise”, “axial”, “radial” and “circumferential” indicate an orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the present disclosure and simplifying the description and is not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element in question must have a particular orientation, or be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure.
Moreover, the terms “first” and “second” are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defining “first” and “second” may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of this disclosure, “plurality” means at least two, e.g., two, three, etc., unless expressly and specifically defined otherwise.
In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms “one exemplary embodiment”, “some exemplary embodiments”, “examples”, “specific examples”, or “some examples” and the like means that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the exemplary embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, without contradicting each other, those of ordinary skill in the art may integrate and combine different embodiments or examples described in this specification and features of different embodiments or examples.
Although some exemplary embodiments have been shown and described above, it is to be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and are not to be construed as limitations to the present disclosure, and those of ordinary skill in the art may make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201710750850.7 | Aug 2017 | CN | national |
The present application is a 35 U.S.C. 371 national stage application of PCT International Application No. PCT/CN2018/090233, filed on Jun. 7, 2018, which claims the benefit of Chinese patent application No. 201710750850.7, filed on Aug. 28, 2017, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2018/090233 | 6/7/2018 | WO | 00 |
