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US 10,373,769 B2Granted
Keyboard structure
AssigneeDarfon Electronics Corp.
InventorsJui-Yi Huang, Chien-Shih Hsu
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Abstract
A keyboard structure and assembling method thereof are provided. The keyboard structure includes a baseplate, a keycap and a frame having a hook body. The keycap can be inserted into the frame and restricted by the hook body, so that the range of movement of the keycap is restricted. The keycap cannot be separated from the frame so that the coupling of the frame and the baseplate is not interfered by the keycap. Thus, the present invention can effectively simplify the assembling process of the keyboard.
Claims19
A keyboard structure, comprising:
- a baseplate;
- an upward force member disposed on the baseplate;
- a keycap, having a cap body and a skirt, the skirt extending downward from peripheral edges of the cap body, the skirt having a skirt extending portion and a skirt shaft, the skirt extending portion and the skirt shaft extending from the skirt toward a direction away from a center of the cap body, a skirt bottom surface being located along a first sectional line of the keyboard structure, and the skirt extending portion being located along a second sectional line of the keyboard structure;
- and
- a frame disposed on the baseplate, the frame having a frame body, a frame guiding slot and a hook body, the skirt shaft being received within the frame guiding slot to limit the cap body movable between an upper limit position and a lower limit position, the hook body being located along the first sectional line, and a frame bottom surface being located along the second sectional line;
- wherein the skirt extending portion is moved upward to contact against the frame bottom surface and is located out of a vertical projected region of the hook body, the skirt is located out of a vertical projected region of the frame body, and the skirt bottom surface is located inside the vertical projected region of the hook body;
- wherein when the cap body is located on the upper limit position, the skirt extending portion engages with the frame body to prevent further upward motion of the cap body;
- wherein before the baseplate is combined with the frame and when the keycap is located on the lower limit position, the skirt engages with the hook body to prevent further downward motion of the cap body to prevent the keycap from being departed from the frame;
- wherein when the baseplate is combined with the frame, the cap body engages with the upward force member, the cap body is movably located between a non-pressed position and a pressed position, the upward force member has a first shape while the cap body is located on the non-pressed position, the upward force member is pressed to transform from the first shape to a second shape while the cap body is located on the pressed position.
6 more elements
A keyboard structure, comprising:
- a baseplate;
- an upward force member disposed on the baseplate;
- a keycap, having a cap body and a skirt, the cap body being movably located between a non-pressed position and a pressed position, the cap body supported by the upward force member, the skirt extending downward from peripheral edges of the cap body, the skirt having a skirt extending portion, and the skirt extending portion extending from the skirt toward a direction away from a center of the cap body, a skirt bottom surface being located along a first sectional line of the keyboard structure, and the skirt extending portion being located along a second sectional line of the keyboard structure;
- and
- a frame disposed on the baseplate, the frame having a frame body, a frame opening and a hook body, the cap body being exposed via the frame opening, the hook body extending from the frame body downwardly and having a hook-shaped tail portion, and part of the hook-shaped tail portion extending beneath the skirt, the hook body being located along the first sectional line, and a frame bottom surface being located along the second sectional line;
- wherein the skirt extending portion is moved upward to contact against the frame bottom surface and is located out of a vertical projected region of the hook body, the skirt is located out of a vertical projected region of the frame body, and the skirt bottom surface is located inside the vertical projected region of the hook body;
- wherein when the keycap is not pressed, the upward force member pushes the cap body upward, the skirt extending portion engages with the frame body, and the cap body is kept at the non-pressed position;
- and
- wherein when the keycap is pressed, the cap body is descended to the pressed position, and a first gap is set between the skirt and the hook-shaped tail portion.
6 more elements
A keyboard structure, comprising:
- a baseplate;
- an upward force member disposed on the baseplate;
- a keycap, having a cap body and a skirt, the cap body being movably located between a non-pressed position and a pressed position, the cap body engaging with the upward force member, and the skirt extending from peripheral edges of the cap body downwardly, a skirt bottom surface being located along a first sectional line of the keyboard structure, and a skirt extending portion being located along a second sectional line of the keyboard structure;
- and
- a frame disposed on the baseplate, the frame having a frame body, a frame opening and a pair of hook bodies, the cap body being exposed via the frame opening, the pair of hook bodies being respectively located on opposite sides of the cap body, the pair of hook bodies extending from the frame body downwardly and respectively having a hook-shaped tail portion, and part of the hook-shaped tail portions extending beneath the cap body, one hook body being located along the first sectional line, and a frame bottom surface being located along the second sectional line;
- wherein the skirt extending portion is moved upward to contact against the frame bottom surface and is located out of a vertical projected region of the hook body, the skirt is located out of a vertical projected region of the frame body, and the skirt bottom surface is located inside the vertical projected region of the hook body;
- wherein when the keycap is not pressed, the upward force member pushes the keycap upward, and the cap body is kept at the non-pressed position;
- and
- wherein when the keycap is pressed, the cap body is descended to the pressed position, and a first gap is set between the skirt and at least one of the hook-shaped tail portions of the pair of hook bodies.
6 more elements
A keyboard structure, comprising:
- a baseplate;
- an upward force member disposed on the baseplate;
- a keycap, having a cap body and a skirt, the cap body engaging with the upward force member, the skirt having a skirt shaft, the skirt extending from peripheral edges of the cap body downwardly, and the skirt shaft extending from the skirt toward a direction away from a center of the cap body, a skirt bottom surface being located along a first sectional line of the keyboard structure, and a skirt extending portion being located along a second sectional line of the keyboard structure;
- and
- a frame disposed on the baseplate, the frame having a frame body, a frame guiding slot, a hook body and a frame opening, the skirt shaft being slidably received with the frame guiding slot, and the cap body capable to move between a non-pressed position and a pressed position, the cap body being exposed via the frame opening, the hook body extending from the frame body downwardly and having a hook-shaped tail portion, and part of the hook-shaped tail portion extending beneath the skirt, the hook body being located along the first sectional line, and a frame bottom surface being located along the second sectional line;
- wherein the skirt extending portion is moved upward to contact against the frame bottom surface and is located out of a vertical projected region of the hook body, the skirt is located out of a vertical projected region of the frame body, and the skirt bottom surface is located inside the vertical projected region of the hook body;
- wherein when the keycap is not pressed, the upward force member pushes the cap body upward, and the cap body is kept at the non-pressed position;
- and
- wherein when the keycap is pressed, the cap body is descended to the pressed position, and a first gap is set between the skirt and the hook-shaped tail portion.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.