US 11,899,857 B1
Touchpad module and computing device using the touchpad module
Wei-Chiang Huang, Taipei (TW); Hung-Wei Kuo, Taipei (TW); Chao-Wei Lee, Taipei (TW); and Chen-Yu Wu, Taipei (TW)
Assigned to PRIMAX ELECTRONICS LTD., Taipei (TW)
Filed by Primax Electronics Ltd., Taipei (TW)
Filed on Mar. 8, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/119,093.
Claims priority of application No. 111150732 (TW), filed on Dec. 29, 2022.
Int. Cl. G06F 3/0354 (2013.01); G06F 1/16 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 3/03547 (2013.01) [G06F 1/169 (2013.01); G06F 2203/0339 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A touchpad module for a computing device, the touchpad module being installed within a fixing frame of the computing device, the touchpad module comprising:
a base plate;
a touch member located over the base plate, wherein the touch member is movable toward the base plate;
a supporting structure arranged between the base plate and the touch member; and
a pressure sensing unit installed on the touch member, wherein the pressure sensing unit is arranged between the touch member and the base plate, wherein the pressure sensing unit is a micro-electro-mechanical system accelerometer,
wherein while the touch member is pressed in response to an external pressing force, the touch member is moved downwardly toward the base plate to compress the supporting structure, so that the supporting structure is subjected to deformation and the touch member has a displacement amount, wherein according to the displacement amount of the touch member, a magnitude of the pressing force exerted on the touch member is sensed by the pressure sensing unit, and a pressure sensing signal is outputted from the pressure sensing unit,
wherein said supporting structure is arranged around the pressure sensing unit and said supporting structure is selected from the group consisting of a rectangular raised structure, a plurality of strip structures and a plurality of post structures.