Keyboard module and electronic apparatus

This application claims the priority benefits of Taiwan patent applications serial no. 96150583, filed on Dec. 27, 2007, and serial no. 97108882, filed on Mar. 13, 2008. The entirety of each of the above-mentioned patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of specification.

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to an electronic apparatus, in particular, to a keyboard module applied in an electronic apparatus.

2. Description of Related Art

Along with the development of technologies, people rely more and more on electronic products. Various handheld electronic apparatuses, such as ultra mobile personal computer (UMPC), personal digital assistant (PDA), and mobile phone, have been developed to meet people's requirement for high-speed, high-performance, light, and slim electronic products.

The keys on an existing keyboard (either a keyboard of a desktop computer or a keyboard of a notebook computer) usually require a large stroke. Accordingly, such a keyboard cannot be applied to a handheld electronic apparatus due to the limitation in the thickness of the handheld electronic apparatus. To be specific, the key structure in an existing keyboard applied in a handheld electronic apparatus includes a circuit board, a rubber layer, and a key, wherein the circuit board has at least one metal dome switch, and the rubber layer has a protrusion corresponding to the metal dome switch. A user can sense the tactile feedback provided by the metal dome switch when the user presses the key. However, a keyboard adopting such a key structure is usually very thick.

Accordingly, the present application is directed to a keyboard module suitable for being applied to an electronic apparatus, wherein the keyboard module has a limited thickness.

The present application is directed to an electronic apparatus having a keyboard module, wherein the keyboard module has a limited thickness.

The present application provides a keyboard module suitable for being applied to an electronic apparatus. The keyboard module includes a supporting structure, a membrane circuit sheet, and a vibrator. The supporting structure has a carrying surface. The membrane circuit sheet is disposed on the carrying surface of the supporting structure and has a plurality of triggers. The vibrator is connected to the supporting structure.

The present application provides an electronic apparatus including a display unit and the keyboard module as described above. The keyboard module is electrically connected to the display unit.

As described above, when a user presses the membrane circuit sheet directly or indirectly, the vibrator vibrates the supporting structure and the membrane circuit sheet disposed thereon to provide a tactile feedback in correspondence with the press of the user to the membrane circuit sheet. In addition, the thickness of the keyboard module which adopts foregoing membrane circuit sheet is reduced.

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 2B illustrates a decorative surface of a decorative sheet in FIG. 2A .

FIG. 2C illustrates that the keyboard module in FIG. 2A is pressed by a finger.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9B is a partial enlarged top view of the first elastic layer in FIG. 9A .

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11A is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1 , in the present embodiment, the electronic apparatus 10 may be an ultra mobile personal computer (UMPC). The electronic apparatus 10 includes a display unit 12 and a keyboard module 100 , wherein the keyboard module 100 is electrically connected to the display unit 12 . In the present embodiment, the keyboard module 100 and the display unit 12 are independent to each other. However, in another embodiment of the present invention, the keyboard module 100 and the display unit 12 may also be disposed on the same body.

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the keyboard module in FIG. 1 . Referring to FIG. 2A , in the present embodiment, the keyboard module 100 includes a supporting structure 110 , a membrane circuit sheet 120 , and a vibrator 130 . The supporting structure 110 has a carrying surface 112 . The membrane circuit sheet 120 is disposed on the carrying surface 112 of the supporting structure 110 and has a plurality of triggers 122 . The vibrator 130 is connected to the supporting structure 110 and disposed below the supporting structure 110 .

When these triggers 122 are pressed by a user directly or indirectly, the vibrator 130 starts to vibrate to provide a tactile feedback in correspondence with the press of the user to the triggers 122 . To be specific, the triggers 122 usually include an upper electrical contact and a lower electrical contact (not shown), and when these triggers 122 are pressed by the user directly or indirectly and accordingly the two electrical contacts touch each other, signals are generated by these triggers 122 and transmitted to a central processing unit (CPU) or a microprocessor unit (MPU) in the electronic apparatus 10 (referring to FIG. 1 ) or a MPU in the keyboard module 100 (not shown). The CPU or MPU then drive the vibrator 130 to vibrate correspondingly so as to provide a tactile feedback in correspondence with the press of the user to the triggers 122 . In the present embodiment, the vibrator 130 may vibrate vertically. However, the vibrator 130 may also vibrate horizontally or in other directions. In addition, the vibrator 130 may be a revolving vibrator or a linear vibrator.

FIG. 2B illustrates the decorative surface of a decorative sheet in FIG. 2A . Referring to FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B , the keyboard module 100 may further include a decorative sheet 140 , wherein the decorative sheet 140 is disposed on the membrane circuit sheet 120 and has a decorative surface 142 . In the present embodiment, the decorative sheet 140 has a plurality of marks (for example, icons, symbols, characters, or numbers). Besides, the decorative sheet 140 may further have a plurality of protrusions 144 , wherein the protrusions 144 are protruded from the decorative surface 142 and are respectively corresponding to the triggers 122 . The marks are respectively located on the protrusions 144 so that when a user touches these protrusions 144 with a finger, the position of the finger can be obtained.

Referring to FIG. 2A , the keyboard module 100 may further include a first elastic layer 150 disposed between the decorative sheet 140 and the membrane circuit sheet 120 . The first elastic layer 150 has a plurality of protrusions 152 and a plurality of spacers 154 , wherein the protrusions 152 are respectively corresponding to the triggers 122 , and one of the spacers 154 is disposed between adjacent two of the protrusions 152 . In the present embodiment, the first elastic layer 150 may be made of rubber. Besides, the thicknesses of the protrusions 152 and the spacers 154 are greater than the thicknesses of other portions of the first elastic layer 150 .

FIG. 2C illustrates that the keyboard module in FIG. 2A is pressed by a finger. Referring to FIG. 2C , when a user presses a protrusion 144 on the decorative sheet 140 with a finger, the protrusion 152 is moved downward to press the membrane circuit sheet 120 so that the trigger 122 corresponding to the protrusion 144 is also pressed. Accordingly, the vibrator 130 connected to the supporting structure 110 starts to vibrate to provide a tactile feedback in correspondence with the press of the user to the trigger 122 .

It should be noted that when the protrusion 152 is pressed by an external force and accordingly presses the membrane circuit sheet 120 , the spacer 154 adjacent to the protrusion 152 reduces the deformations of other areas of the first elastic layer 150 , so that inappropriate press to the trigger 122 corresponding to another protrusion 152 and accordingly the generation of unneeded signal can be avoided.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to both FIG. 2A and FIG. 3 , the keyboard module 100 A in FIG. 3 is similar to the keyboard module 100 in FIG. 2A , and the differences between the two are that the decorative sheet 140 A and the first elastic layer 150 A of the keyboard module 100 A in FIG. 3 are formed integrally, and a plurality of vibrators 130 A are connected to the supporting structure 110 A and are located at one side of the membrane circuit sheet 120 .

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2A and FIG. 4 , the keyboard module 100 B in FIG. 4 is similar to the keyboard module 100 in FIG. 2A , and the difference between the two is that the keyboard module 100 B in FIG. 4 further includes a light source 160 . The light source 160 is disposed at one side of the first elastic layer 150 B and emits a light beam into the first elastic layer 150 B, wherein the first elastic layer 150 B is transparent and has a reflective surface 156 close to the first elastic layer 150 B for reflecting the light beam to the decorative sheet 140 B, so as to display the marks on the decorative surface 142 B. In the present embodiment, the first elastic layer 150 B may be made of transparent silicone, and the decorative surface 142 B of the decorative sheet 140 B is a plane.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to both FIG. 2A and FIG. 5 , the keyboard module 100 C in FIG. 5 is similar to the keyboard module 100 in FIG. 2A , and the difference between the two is that the keyboard module 100 C in FIG. 5 further includes a light source 160 and a light guiding layer 170 . The light guiding layer 170 is disposed between the decorative sheet 140 B and the first elastic layer 150 . The light source 160 is disposed at one side of the light guiding layer 170 for emitting a light beam to the light guiding layer 170 , wherein the light guiding layer 170 guides the light beam to the decorative sheet 140 B to display the marks (referring to FIG. 2B ) on the decorative surface 142 B above the decorative sheet 140 B. Besides, the decorative surface 142 B of the decorative sheet 140 B is a plane.

FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to both FIG. 2A and FIG. 6A , the keyboard module 100 D in FIG. 6A is similar to the keyboard module 100 in FIG. 2A , and the difference between the two is that the keyboard module 100 D in FIG. 6A further includes a light emitting layer 180 disposed between the decorative sheet 140 B and the first elastic layer 150 . Besides, the decorative surface 142 B of the decorative sheet 140 B is a plane. The light emitting layer 180 emits a light beam to the decorative sheet 140 B so as to display the marks (referring to FIG. 2B ) on the decorative surface 142 B above the decorative sheet 140 B. In the present embodiment, the light emitting layer 180 may be an electro-luminescence (EL) film or an organic electro-luminescence (OEL) film.

FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to both FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B , the keyboard module 100 E in FIG. 6B is similar to the keyboard module 100 D in FIG. 6A , and the difference between the two is that the protrusions 152 B of the first elastic layer 150 B of the keyboard module 100 E in FIG. 6B further pass through the light emitting layer 180 A and are extended to the decorative sheet 140 B.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2A and FIG. 7 , the keyboard module 100 F in FIG. 7 is similar to the keyboard module 100 in FIG. 2A , and the difference between the two is that the keyboard module 100 F in FIG. 7 further includes a touch sensing panel 190 disposed between the decorative sheet 140 B and the first elastic layer 150 . In the present embodiment, the touch sensing panel 190 may be a capacitive touch panel or a resistive touch panel such that a user can input signals with a finger.

FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8A , the keyboard module 100 G in FIG. 8A is similar to the keyboard module 100 F in FIG. 7 , and the difference between the two is that the keyboard module 100 G in FIG. 8A further includes a light emitting layer 180 disposed between the touch sensing panel 190 and the first elastic layer 150 .

FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B , the keyboard module 100 H in FIG. 8B is similar to the keyboard module 100 G in FIG. 8A , and the difference between the two is that the protrusions 152 B of the first elastic layer 150 B of the keyboard module 100 H in FIG. 8B further pass through the light emitting layer 180 A and are extended to the touch sensing panel 190 .

FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 8B and FIG. 8C , the keyboard module 100 I in FIG. 8C is similar to the keyboard module 100 H in FIG. 8B , and the difference between the two is that the protrusions 152 C of the keyboard module 100 I in FIG. 8C further pass through the light emitting layer 180 A and the touch sensing panel 190 A and are extended to the decorative sheet 140 B.

FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9B is a partial enlarged top view of the elastic layer in FIG. 9A . Referring to FIG. 3 , FIG. 9A , and FIG. 9B , the keyboard module 100 J in FIG. 9A is similar to the keyboard module 100 A in FIG. 3 , and the difference between the two is that the first elastic layer 150 D of the keyboard module 100 J in FIG. 9A further has a plurality of vibration conductors 158 , and these vibration conductors 158 pass through the membrane circuit sheet 120 A and are extended to the supporting structure 110 A. Because both the first elastic layer 150 D and the membrane circuit sheet 120 A can absorb part of the vibration power of the vibrator 130 A, in the keyboard module 100 J of the present embodiment, the vibration conductors 158 are in contact with the supporting structure 110 A so that the power consumption can be reduced and a user can sense the vibration obviously.

To be specific, in the present embodiment, each of the vibration conductors 158 is disposed between any adjacent four protrusions 152 for conducting the vibration. In other words, when a user press a protrusion 144 on the decorative sheet 140 C with a finger, the protrusion 152 moves downward to press the membrane circuit sheet 120 A so that a trigger 122 corresponding to the protrusion 144 is pressed. Then, the vibrator 130 A connected to the supporting structure 110 A receives a corresponding electronic signal and starts to vibrate, and the vibration conductors 158 around the protrusions 152 conduct the vibration of the vibrator 130 A to the decorative sheet 140 C to provide a tactile feedback in correspondence with the press of the user to the trigger 122 . Thus, most of the vibration power issued by the vibrator 130 A is conducted to the decorative sheet 140 C through the vibration conductors 158 and accordingly the vibration amplitude is increased.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 10 and FIG. 9A , the keyboard module 100 K in FIG. 10 is similar to the keyboard module 100 J in FIG. 9A , and the differences between the two are that the keyboard module 100 K in FIG. 10 further includes a plurality of auxiliary vibration conductors 132 , and the supporting structure 110 B has an upper supporting structure 114 and a lower supporting structure 116 . The auxiliary vibration conductors 132 span between a portion of the lower supporting structure 116 in contact with the vibrator 130 A and another portion of the lower supporting structure 116 not in contact with the vibrator 130 A.

To be specific, the upper supporting structure 114 is disposed between the decorative sheet 140 C and a plurality of vibrators 130 A, and the lower supporting structure 116 is disposed between a plurality of vibrators 130 A and a plurality of auxiliary vibration conductors 132 , wherein the auxiliary vibration conductors 132 are used for conducting the vibration of the vibrators 130 A to the center of the lower supporting structure 116 or a part of the lower supporting structure 116 which receives less vibration, so that the decorative sheet 140 C can provide approximately the same tactile feedback to the user at any position thereon. Besides, the auxiliary vibration conductors 132 and the lower supporting structure 116 may also be integrated into a single component.

FIG. 11A is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 11A , the keyboard module 100 L in FIG. 11A is similar to the keyboard module 100 A in FIG. 3 , and the difference between the two is that the second elastic layer 150 E of the keyboard module 100 L in FIG. 11A is disposed between the membrane circuit sheet 120 and the supporting structure 110 A. In short, the relative position between the second elastic layer 150 E and the membrane circuit sheet 120 in FIG. 11A is contrary to the relative position between the first elastic layer 150 A and the membrane circuit sheet 120 in FIG. 3 .

FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B , the keyboard module 100 M in FIG. 11B is similar to the keyboard module 100 L in FIG. 11A , and the difference between the two is that the second elastic layer 150 F of the keyboard module 100 M in FIG. 11B further has a plurality of vibration conductors 158 , wherein the vibration conductors 158 are extended to the decorative sheet 140 C.

In overview, the keyboard module has a vibrator such that when a user presses the membrane circuit sheet directly or indirectly, the vibrator vibrates the supporting structure and the membrane circuit sheet thereon so as to provide a tactile feedback in correspondence with the press of the user to the membrane circuit sheet. Thereby, the tactile feedback in a conventional keyboard is simulated by using the vibrator, so as to indicate that the membrane circuit sheet has been pressed. Moreover, the thickness of such a keyboard module which adopts the membrane circuit sheet can be reduced.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.