KEYBOARD MODULE AND ELECTRIC GENERATOR APPLIED TO A KEYBOARD MODULE
The present invention refers to a keyboard module and an electric generator applied to a keyboard module. In general, the present invention relates to switches having straight moving operating part or parts adapted to push or pull in one direction only, e.g. push button switch having a plurality of operating elements associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard with contacts carried by or formed by layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. Membrane switches characterized by construction, assembly or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. buttons or keys. In particular, the present invention relates to electrical machines in general which use the piezoelectric effect, electrostriction or magnetostriction to produce an electrical output from the mechanical input, Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. generators, sensors, of the membrane type, selection of materials for piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices, eg. loose piezoelectric crystals, friction generators, influence generators with conductive charge carriers, i.e. capacitor machines, electrical machines in general that use the piezoelectric effect, electrostriction or magnetostriction that produce an electrical output from the mechanical input, e.g. generators.
The state of the art is represented by US-B2- 10 109 436 concerning a keyboard module, comprising: a housing, having a plurality of openings; a plurality of keys arranged in the housing and adapted to protrude from the openings, in which each of the keys comprises: a membrane of the switch, having a button switch, a key cover, arranged above the membrane of the switch, an elastic element, arranged between the switch membrane and the key cover, and adapted to be pressed and deformed by the key cover to operate the key switch, and a scissor unit, arranged between the key cover and the switch membrane to support the key cover, a micro pump chamber, arranged in the housing and located under the key cover, in which the micro pump chamber comprises a first chamber, a second chamber, arranged below the first chamber and communicating with the first chamber, and a check valve, arranged between the first chamber and the second chamber, in which the gas in one of the first chamber and the second chamber flows unidirectionally, and an actuator, connected to the d the micro pump is adapted to change a volume of gas in the chamber of the micro pump to guide the keys to be extracted or projected from the openings.
Furthermore, the state of the art is represented by EP-B1-2 573 931 concerning an electronic device such as a mobile phone which includes power generation elements installed inside the portion of the cover in which the mobile phone display is comprised, on both sides of the position in which the display is arranged, with connecting yokes, a magnetostrictive rod, permanent magnets and a rear yoke, in each of the power generation elements, the connecting yoke arranged on the side of the axis central to open and close the cover portion of the mobile phone, and the connecting yoke is disposed at the side end of the mobile phone, the rear yoke of the power generation element is further disposed towards the center side of the cover portion of the mobile phone relative to the magnetostrictive rod, a weight is provided on the end side of the mobile phone connection of the connecting yokes of the two power generation elements. With this configuration, by opening and closing the lid portion of the mobile phone, the magnetostrictive rod provided in the power generation element expands and contracts causing a change in the magnetic flux to be generated through the coil and generating electrical power.
From a further technological reference, the state of the art is represented by US-B2-10305 020 concerning an element comprising electrodes and intermediate layers, each being inserted between any pair of electrodes, in which the intermediate layers comprise at least two selected from the group consisting of intermediate layer which can be stretched and deformed in a direction not parallel to the direction in which the applied external force is, when the external force is applied to the intermediate layer, intermediate layer which can be compressed and deformed in a direction parallel to the direction in where external force is applied, when external force is applied to the intermediate layer and intermediate layer which can be stretched and deformed in a direction that is not parallel to the direction in which the external force is applied and can be compressed and deformed in one direction parallel to the direction in which the external force is applied, when the external force is applied to the intermediate layer.
Technical problem. The electronic device of the patent EP 2 573 931 B1 includes energy generation elements installed inside the electronic device according to the relative movement of a lid hinged to a base.
The technical problem is represented by the miniaturization of the solution of EP-B1-2 573 931 to be able to use it on board each key of a PC or laptop keyboard or on a touchscreen of a mobile phone or tablet in order to generate energy while typing by deforming a physical membrane.
Solution to the Problem. The solution to the problem is represented by an element comprising electrodes and intermediate layers such as that of US-B2-10 305 020 concerning an energy generator based on the deformation of the intermediate layers interacting with the electrodes.
The solution to the problem is also represented by a keyboard module such as that of
US-B2-10 109 436 concerning the construction of an actuator installed on board each key of the keyboard module. Object of the present invention is solving the aforementioned prior art problems by providing a keyboard module by incorporating elements comprising electrodes and intermediate layers such as those of US-B2-10 305 020 and an actuator installed on board each key of the keyboard module such as that of US-B2-10109 436.
The aforementioned and other objects and advantages of the invention, which will emerge from the following description, are achieved with a keyboard module and an electric generator as described in the main claims. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variants of the present invention form the subject of the dependent claims.
It is understood that all the attached claims form an integral part of the present description.
It will be immediately obvious that innumerable variations and modifications (for example relating to shape, dimensions, arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) can be made to what is described without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the attached claims.
The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments, provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the keyboard module according to the present invention; FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show a first and a second configuration of an enlarged portion of FIG. 1; is
FIGS. 4 to 7 show applications of use of the keyboard module as an electric generator according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, it is possible to note that the keyboard module comprises a housing, having a plurality of openings, a plurality of keys 1 arranged in the housing and able to protrude from the openings. Each of the keys 1 comprises a membrane of the switch 2, having a key switch 3, a key cover 4, arranged above the membrane of the switch 2, an elastic element 5, arranged between the membrane of the switch 2 and the key cover 4, and adapted to be pressed and deformed by the key cover 4 to operate the key switch 3.
Optionally, a scissor unit 6, arranged between the key cover 4 and the membrane of the switch 2, is joined to the elastic element 5 to support the key cover 4.
Advantageously, the elastic element 5 consists of a plurality of electrodes 511, 512, 521, and a plurality of intermediate layers 52, 53.
Each of the plurality of intermediate layers 52, 53 is sandwiched between any pair of the plurality of electrodes 511, 512, 521.
The plurality of intermediate layers 52, 53, includes at least two selected from the group consisting of: a first intermediate layer 52 which can be stretched and deformed in a direction which is not parallel to a direction in which an external force is applied, when the external force is applied to the first intermediate layer 52; a second intermediate layer 53 which can be compressed and deformed in a direction parallel to a direction in which an external force is applied, when the external force is applied to the second intermediate layer 53. Referring to FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, the elastic element 5 consists of an upper electrode 511, a lower electrode 512, a base electrode 521. The first intermediate layer 52 is arranged between the upper electrode 511 and the lower electrode 512. The second intermediate layer 53 is disposed between the upper electrode 511 and the base electrode 521. A total thickness of the first intermediate layer 52 and of the lower electrode
512 is less than the total thickness of the second intermediate layer 53 and of the base electrode
521.
Each of the plurality of intermediate layers 52, 53 has elasticity.
Each of the plurality of intermediate layers 52, 53 comprises a silicone rubber composition.
Referring to FIGS. 4 to 7, a uniform layer of material 100 is adapted to cover the keyboard module in order to be able to squeeze at least one of the elastic elements 5, transmitting the force in a punctual or distributed manner.
An electrical generator comprises at least one elastic element 5 consisting of a plurality of electrodes 511, 512, 521, and a plurality of intermediate layers 52, 53. Each of the plurality of intermediate layers 52, 53 is sandwiched between any pair of the plurality of electrodes 511, 512,
521, wherein the plurality of intermediate layers 52, 53, comprises at least two selected from the group consisting of: a first intermediate layer 52 which can be stretched and deformed in a direction which is not parallel to a direction in which an external force is applied, when the external force is applied to the first intermediate layer 52; a second intermediate layer 53 which can be compressed and deformed in a direction parallel to a direction in which an external force is applied, when the external force is applied to the second intermediate layer 53. The electric generator belongs to the keyboard module of an electronic device such as a mobile phone, computer, tablet.
The electrical generator belongs to the keyboard module of a wearable device.