Keyboard device and key structure thereof
AssigneePrimax Electronics Ltd.
InventorsLiu-Bing Cai, Li-Qiang Chen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A keyboard device includes a membrane circuit board and a key structure over the membrane circuit board. The key structure includes a keycap, a plunger structure, a key pedestal and an elastic element. The plunger structure is arranged between the keycap and the elastic element. At least a portion of the keycap is disposed within a pedestal dust-storage chamber of the key pedestal. At least a portion of the plunger structure is disposed within a guiding chamber of the key pedestal. Due to the relative location between the keycap, the plunger structure and the key pedestal, the path of the dust to enter the guiding chamber is extended or blocked. Consequently, the dust-proof efficacy is enhanced.
Claims17
A key structure, comprising:
- a keycap;
- a plunger structure comprising a post part and a plunger dust-storage chamber, wherein the plunger dust-storage chamber opens to an upward side, and the post part is connected between the keycap and the plunger dust-storage chamber;
- a key pedestal comprising an outer wall, a vertical partition wall and a horizontal partition wall, wherein a pedestal dust-storage chamber and a guiding chamber are defined by the outer wall, the vertical partition wall and the horizontal partition wall collaboratively, wherein a first end of the vertical partition wall is connected with the horizontal partition wall, and a second end of the vertical partition wall is bent toward the plunger dust-storage chamber;
- and
- an elastic element located under the plunger structure, and comprising a contacting part, wherein while the keycap is depressed, the keycap is moved downwardly within the pedestal dust-storage chamber, the plunger structure is moved downwardly within the guiding chamber, and the elastic element is compressed, so that a membrane switch of a keyboard device is triggered by the contacting part,
- wherein the plunger structure further comprises a lateral wing part, and the lateral wing part is protruded from the plunger structure along a lateral direction and located under the horizontal partition wall, wherein at least a portion of the plunger structure is limited within the guiding chamber according to an interference between the lateral wing part and the horizontal partition wall.
A keyboard device, comprising:
- a membrane circuit board comprising a membrane switch;
- and
- a key structure corresponding to the membrane switch, wherein the key structure comprises:
- a keycap;
- a plunger structure comprising a post part and a plunger dust-storage chamber, wherein the plunger dust-storage chamber opens to an upward side, and the post part is connected between the keycap and the plunger dust-storage chamber;
- a key pedestal comprising an outer wall, a vertical partition wall and a horizontal partition wall, wherein a pedestal dust-storage chamber and a guiding chamber are defined by the outer wall, the vertical partition wall and the horizontal partition wall collaboratively, wherein a first end of the vertical partition wall is connected with the horizontal partition wall, and a second end of the vertical partition wall is bent toward the plunger dust-storage chamber;
- and
- an elastic element located under the plunger structure, and comprising a contacting part, wherein while the keycap is depressed, the keycap is moved downwardly within the pedestal dust-storage chamber, the plunger structure is moved downwardly within the guiding chamber, and the elastic element is compressed, so that the membrane switch is triggered by the contacting part,
- wherein the plunger structure further comprises a lateral wing part, and the lateral wing part is protruded from the plunger structure along a lateral direction and located under the horizontal partition wall, wherein at least a portion of the plunger structure is limited within the guiding chamber according to an interference between the lateral wing part and the horizontal partition wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.