Key switch
AssigneeSMK Korea Co., Ltd.
InventorGyu Chul Chun
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a key switch comprising a key top for receiving pressure from a user's finger, a link for lowering the key top when pressure is applied to the key top and pushing the key top upwardly when the pressure is released, and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) provided on an upper surface of a keyboard frame for recognizing the key action by a pressing-contact of the link therewith. The link has first and second legs pivot-coupled with each other, a return plate spring applying a returning force to the key top, and a contact plate spring coming into pressing-contact with the FPC. The key switch has a simple structure and imparts a sufficient clicking sensation.
Claims14
A key switch comprising:
- a key top for receiving pressure from a user's finger;
- a link, coupled to the key top, for lowering the key top when pressure is applied to the key top and for pushing the key top upwardly when the pressure is released;
- and
- a flexible printed circuit provided on an upper surface of a keyboard frame for recognizing key action by a pressing-contact of the link therewith;
- wherein the link comprises integrally formed first and second legs being pivot-coupled with each other, an integrally formed return plate spring applying a returning force to the key top, and an integrally formed contact plate spring coming into pressing-contact with the flexible printed circuit, the first leg being also pivot-coupled with the frame and the second leg being also freely pivot-coupled with the frame through a slot-shaped hole, so that the second leg and the frame are slid relative to each other along the slot-shaped hole and stop the relative sliding movement at an end of the slot-shaped hole when the key top is pushed down against a resilient force of the return plate spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.