The present invention relates to an input device, and more particularly to an input device with a touch control function.
With increasing development of science and technology, a variety of electronic devices are designed in views of convenience and user-friendliness. For helping the user well operate the electronic devices, the electronic devices are gradually developed in views of humanization. The common electronic devices include for example notebook computers, mobile phones, satellite navigation devices, or the like. Recently, the storage capacity and the processor's computing performance for these electronic devices are largely enhanced, and thus their functions become more powerful and complicated. For efficiently operating an electronic device, a touchpad is used as an input device of the electronic device for controlling the operations of the electronic device.
When the touchpad module 1 is pressed down by the user, the first end 11 of the touchpad module 1 is swung downwardly relative to the triggering part 242 by using the supporting structure 241 as a fulcrum. As the metal dome switch 13 of the touchpad module 1 is pushed by the triggering part 242 of the fixing frame 24, the metal dome switch 13 is triggered and a click feedback sound is generated. Moreover, after the metal dome switch 13 is triggered, the touchpad module 1 generates a switch control signal to the notebook computer 2. According to the switch control signal, the notebook computer 2 executes a corresponding function.
When the touchpad module 1 is no longer pressed by the user, the first end 11 of the touchpad module 1 is swung upwardly relative to the triggering part 242 in response to an elastic force of the supporting structure 241. Consequently, the touchpad module 1 is returned to its original position.
However, the conventional touchpad module 1 still has some drawbacks. For example, after the touchpad module 1 is pressed down, the travelling distances corresponding to different locations of the touchpad module 1 are different. The different travelling distances corresponding to different locations become hindrance from operating the touchpad module 1. For example, as shown in
For solving the above drawbacks, another conventional touchpad module is equipped with a stabilizer bar. For example, Chinese patent publication No. CN108268179 discloses that the arrangement of the stabilizer bar increases the linking efficacy of the touchpad module after the touchpad module is pressed down. However, the arrangement of the stabilizer bar increases the number of the component parts and the assembling complexity and is detrimental to the overall thickness reduction of the touchpad module.
In other words, the conventional touchpad module and the conventional computing device with the touchpad module need to be further improved.
An object of the present invention provides a touchpad module with a membrane wiring board.
Another object of the present invention provides a computing device with the touchpad module.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a touchpad module is provided. The touchpad module includes a bracket, a touch member and a supporting assembly. The touch member is located over the bracket. The touch member includes a membrane wiring board and a circuit board. The membrane wiring board includes at least one membrane switch, and the at least one membrane switch is located at a first end of the touch member. The circuit board is located over the membrane wiring board. The circuit board issues a control signal in response to a touching behavior of a user on the touch member. The supporting assembly is arranged between a second end of the touch member and the bracket. While the first end of the touch member is pressed down, the first end of the touch member is swung relative to the bracket, so that the at least one membrane switch is triggered.
In an embodiment, the touchpad module further includes a haptic sensor between the bracket and the circuit board. When the membrane switch is triggered, the haptic sensor generates a haptic function.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a computing device is provided. The computing device includes a casing, a processor and a touchpad module. An accommodation space is concavely formed in the casing. The processor is disposed within the casing. The touchpad module is disposed within the accommodation space and electrically connected with the processor. The touchpad module includes a bracket, a touch member and a supporting assembly. The touch member is located over the bracket. The touch member includes a membrane wiring board and a circuit board. The membrane wiring board includes at least one membrane switch, and the at least one membrane switch is located at a first end of the touch member. The circuit board is located over the membrane wiring board. The circuit board issues a control signal in response to a touching behavior of a user on the touch member. The supporting assembly is arranged between a second end of the touch member and the bracket. While the first end of the touch member is pressed down, the first end of the touch member is swung relative to the bracket, so that the at least one membrane switch is triggered.
The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:
The embodiments of present invention will be described more specifically with reference to the following drawings. Generally, in the drawings and specifications, identical or similar components are designated by identical numeral references. For well understanding the present invention, the elements shown in the drawings are not in scale with the elements of the practical product. In the following embodiments and drawings, the elements irrelevant to the concepts of the present invention or the elements well known to those skilled in the art are omitted. It is noted that numerous modifications and alterations may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention.
Please refer to
The touchpad module 3 comprises a touch member 31, a bracket 32 and a supporting assembly 33. The bracket 32 is located under the touch member 31. Moreover, as shown in
From top to bottom, a covering plate 313, a circuit board 314 and a membrane wiring board 316 of the touch member 31 are sequentially shown. At least a portion of the covering plate 313 is exposed outside the casing 41. The membrane wiring board 316 is electrically connected with the circuit board 314. The membrane wiring board 316 comprises two membrane switches 3161. The two membrane switches 3161 are located at two opposite sides of a first end 311 of the touch member 31, respectively. When the circuit board 314 senses the touching behavior of the user on the touch member 31, the circuit board 314 issues a corresponding control signal. For example, when the circuit board 314 senses a sliding behavior of the user on the covering plate 313, the circuit board 314 issues a displacement control signal. Alternatively, when the circuit board 314 senses that the user presses the covering plate 313 to trigger the membrane switches 3161, the circuit board 314 issues a switch control signal. According to the control signal, the computing device 4 executes a corresponding command. Preferably but not exclusively, the covering plate 313 and the circuit board 314 are combined together through an adhesive layer 315, the covering plate 313 is a glass covering plate or a plastic covering plate, and the adhesive layer 315 is made of a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA).
In an embodiment, the membrane wiring board 316 comprises an upper film layer 3162, a lower film layer 3163 and an intermediate film layer 3164, which are arranged in a stack form. A first circuit pattern (not shown) is formed on a bottom surface of the upper film layer 3162. The first circuit pattern comprises two upper contacts 31621. A second circuit pattern (not shown) is formed on a top surface of the lower film layer 3163. The second circuit pattern comprises two lower contacts 31631 corresponding to the plural upper contacts 31621. Each of the upper contacts 31621 and the corresponding lower contact 31631 are separated from each other by a spacing distance. Moreover, each of the upper contacts 31621 and the corresponding lower contact 31631 are collectively defined as a membrane switch 3161. For maintaining the spacing distance between each upper contact 31621 and the corresponding lower contact 31631, the intermediate film layer 3164 is arranged between the upper film layer 3162 and the lower film layer 3163. Preferably but not exclusively, each of the upper film layer 3162, the lower film layer 3163 and the intermediate film layer 3164 is made of polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyurethane (PU) or polyimide (PI).
Hereinafter, the operations of the touch member 31 will be described with reference to
When the first end 311 of the touch member 31 is pressed down, the first end 311 of the touch member 31 is swung relative to the bracket 32 in the first direction D1. At the same time, the lower film layer 3163 of the membrane wiring board 316 is pushed, and the lower contacts 31631 of the lower film layer 3163 are contacted with the corresponding upper contacts 31621 of the upper film layer 3162. Consequently, the membrane switches 3161 are electrically conducted and triggered. When the first end 311 of the touch member 31 is not pressed down, the first end 311 of the touch member 31 is swung relative to the bracket 32 in a second direction D2 in response to the action of the supporting assembly 33. Consequently, the touch member 31 is returned to its original position.
In an embodiment, the touch member 31 further comprises two elastic triggering parts 317 corresponding to the two membrane switches 3161. The elastic triggering parts 317 are located under the lower film layer 3163. Moreover, two contacting parts 321 are disposed on the bracket 32. The two contacting parts 321 are aligned with the corresponding membrane switches 3161. Consequently, when the touch member 31 is pressed down, the membrane switches 3161 can be triggered more effectively and easily. Since the elastic triggering parts 317 are made of soft material, the use life of the membrane wiring board 316 can be effectively prolonged.
Preferably but not exclusively, the touchpad module 3 further comprises a haptic sensor 34. The haptic sensor 34 is arranged between the bracket 32 and the circuit board 314 of the touch member 31 and electrically connected with the circuit board 314. When the touch member 31 is pressed down and the membrane switches 3161 are triggered, the circuit board 314 drives the haptic sensor 34 to generate a haptic function. For example, the haptic sensor 34 is driven to generate vibration. Consequently, the operating tactile feel of the user is enhanced.
As mentioned above, the membrane wiring board 316 of the touchpad module 3 is used as a medium to be clicked, and the membrane wiring board 316 are equipped with the two membrane switches 3161 at the two opposite sides of the first end 311 of the touch member 31. Consequently, when the clicking function of the touchpad module 3 is enabled and any position of the touchpad module 3 is pressed down, the membrane switches 3161 can be effectively triggered. Moreover, the arrangement of the membrane wiring board 316 is helpful for the miniaturization of the touchpad module 3.
In the above embodiment, the membrane wiring board 316 of the touchpad module 3 comprises two membrane switches 3161. It is noted that the number of the membrane switches is not restricted. That is, the number of the membrane switches may be varied according to the practical requirements. Moreover, since the touchpad module 3 is a modular device, the touchpad module 3 can be fixed on the casing 41 of the computing device 4 through the fastening elements 39 (e.g., screws). In other words, the touchpad module 3 can be easily assembled in the computing device 4 by the worker in the production line.
In the above embodiment, the touchpad module is installed in the computing device. It is noted that numerous modifications and alterations may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention.
While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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109105718 | Feb 2020 | TW | national |