Patents by Inventor PO-CHUN HOU

PO-CHUN HOU has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240069654
    Abstract: A touchpad device includes a substrate and a touch panel. The substrate includes a main plate, a first limiting plate, and a first flexible member. The main plate has a long side and a short side. The first limiting plate has a first stopping portion, the first flexible member is integrally connected between the long side and the first limiting plate, and the first limiting plate is adjacent to the short side. The touch panel is disposed above the substrate. The touch panel has a bottom surface, a pivot side of the bottom surface is disposed on the main plate, the first limiting plate of the substrate is fixed on the bottom surface and adjacent to a first side of the bottom surface, and the first stopping portion of the first limiting plate protrudes from an edge portion of the first side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Po-Chun Hou, Po-Hsin Li, Chi-Hung Cheng
  • Patent number: 11823850
    Abstract: An information handling system keyboard backlight illuminates with a single mini-LED disposed under each of plural keyboard keys and having a penta directional illumination that illuminates directly at the key and coplanar a light guide material around the perimeter of the mini-LED. The light guide material in cooperation with a reflector below and a mask above provides indirect illumination at the periphery of the key for a more uniform key illumination. A substrate carried with circuits below the mini-LED powers the mini-LED so that a more bulky flexible printed circuit is not needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Wen-Pin Huang, Hsien-Tsan Chang, Yi-Chen Wang, Po-Chun Hou
  • Patent number: 11605512
    Abstract: A key structure is provided. The key structure includes a base plate, a key cap and a lifting mechanism is provided. The base plate includes a first bottom wall. The key cap is disposed opposite to the base plate and includes a first cap wall. The lifting mechanism is movably connected between the key cap and the base plate, so that the key cap could reciprocate with respect to the base plate. The lifting mechanism includes a first lower shaft portion and a first upper shaft portion, which are respectively movably connected on the same side of the key cap and the base plate. When the key cap is in a released state, the first upper shaft portion presses against the first cap wall, but the first lower shaft portion is separated from the bottom wall by a maintaining gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Darfon Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Po-Chun Hou, Chin-Hung Lin
  • Patent number: 11600455
    Abstract: A keyswitch includes a base plate, a keycap, a balance bar, at least one buffer layer, and a membrane switch layer disposed on a base plate. A linking portion of the base plate protruding upward penetrates through the membrane switch layer such that a contact portion of the membrane switch layer is located proximate to the linking portion. A connecting section of the balance bar passes through a through hole of the linking portion. The at least one buffer layer is formed on a lower surface of the contact portion, and extends along a first lateral path and a second lateral path. The contact portion supports the connecting section to abut against a top wall of the linking portion. When the keycap moves upward and downwards, the connecting section pivotally slides on the contact portion, between the first lateral path and the second lateral path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: DARFON ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Po-Chun Hou, Chin-Hung Lin
  • Patent number: 11537222
    Abstract: A touchpad device includes a substrate, a touch panel, and a light-curing adhesive film. The substrate includes a top surface, the touch panel is disposed above the top surface of the substrate, and the touch panel includes a touchpad and a circuit board stacked with each other. The light-curing adhesive film is bonded between the touch board and the circuit board, and the light-curing adhesive film is in a cured state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: CHICONY ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Po-Chun Hou, Po-Hsin Li
  • Publication number: 20220342496
    Abstract: A touchpad device includes a substrate, a touch panel, and a light-curing adhesive film. The substrate includes a top surface, the touch panel is disposed above the top surface of the substrate, and the touch panel includes a touchpad and a circuit board stacked with each other. The light-curing adhesive film is bonded between the touch board and the circuit board, and the light-curing adhesive film is in a cured state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Po-Chun Hou, Po-Hsin Li
  • Publication number: 20220336165
    Abstract: A key structure is provided. The key structure includes a base plate, a key cap and a lifting mechanism is provided. The base plate includes a first bottom wall. The key cap is disposed opposite to the base plate and includes a first cap wall. The lifting mechanism is movably connected between the key cap and the base plate, so that the key cap could reciprocate with respect to the base plate. The lifting mechanism includes a first lower shaft portion and a first upper shaft portion, which are respectively movably connected on the same side of the key cap and the base plate. When the key cap is in a released state, the first upper shaft portion presses against the first cap wall, but the first lower shaft portion is separated from the bottom wall by a maintaining gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Applicant: Darfon Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Po-Chun HOU, Chin-Hung LIN
  • Patent number: 11476063
    Abstract: A touchpad device includes a bottom board, at least one supporting board, a circuit board, a first extending structure, and a second extending structure. The bottom board is configured to be fixed to a housing. The supporting board is coupled to the bottom board and configured to swing relative to the bottom board. The circuit board is attached to a side of the supporting board away from the bottom board. The first extending structure is disposed on the bottom board and extends toward the supporting board. The second extending structure is disposed on the supporting board and extends toward the bottom board. The first extending structure partially extends to a side of the second extending structure adjacent to the supporting board, or the second extending structure partially extends to a side of the first extending structure adjacent to the bottom board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Po-Hsin Li, Po-Chun Hou
  • Patent number: 11424090
    Abstract: A keyswitch support connection structure incudes a bottom plate portion and a joining portion firmly joined with a joining hole of a bottom plate portion to form a support connection portion. In an embodiment, a cantilever plate extends upward from the joining hole. The joining portion encapsulates a holding structure of the cantilever plate. In another embodiment, a protruding bridge portion connected across two sides of the joining hole. The joining portion encapsulates the protruding bridge portion. In another embodiment, the joining portion has a wing portion protruding from a bottom surface of the bottom plate portion and extending parallel to the bottom surface. A keyswitch structure includes a base with the keyswitch support connection structure, a keycap, and two keyswitch supports. The two keyswitch supports are connected to and between the keycap and the base; therein, one of the keyswitch supports is rotatably connected to the support connection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: DARFON ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Po-Chun Hou, Chin-Hung Lin, Liang-Ta Yeh, Ling-Hsi Chao
  • Publication number: 20220262580
    Abstract: A keyswitch includes a base plate, a keycap, a balance bar, at least one buffer layer, and a membrane switch layer disposed on a base plate. A linking portion of the base plate protruding upward penetrates through the membrane switch layer such that a contact portion of the membrane switch layer is located proximate to the linking portion. A connecting section of the balance bar passes through a through hole of the linking portion. The at least one buffer layer is formed on a lower surface of the contact portion, and extends along a first lateral path and a second lateral path. The contact portion supports the connecting section to abut against a top wall of the linking portion. When the keycap moves upward and downwards, the connecting section pivotally slides on the contact portion, between the first lateral path and the second lateral path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Po-Chun HOU, Chin-Hung LIN
  • Patent number: 11367580
    Abstract: A keyswitch structure includes a keycap, a baseplate having a buffer space, a support movably disposed between the baseplate and the keycap, a magnetic member having a front section coupling the support, a middle section and a tail end, a magnetic unit disposed below the magnetic member, a switch film having a flexible portion extending over the buffer space. When the keycap is pressed, the support enables the magnetic member to move away from the magnetic unit, so the tail end is away from the flexible portion. When the keycap is released, a magnetic attraction force between the magnetic member and the magnetic unit enables the magnetic member to move toward the magnetic unit, so the tail end firstly contacts and pushes the flexible portion to deform toward the buffer space, and then the middle section contacts the magnetic unit to drive the support to support the keycap upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: DARFON ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Sung-Fu Yang, Po-Chun Hou
  • Publication number: 20220189714
    Abstract: A keyswitch support connection structure is a combined structure which includes a structural plate and a joining portion. The joining portion and the structural plate are firmly engaged with each other through a joining structure of the structural plate. The joining structure includes at least one of a protruding portion, a through hole, a side hole, a joining hole, a cantilever plate, and a protruding bridge portion. The joining portion includes at least one hook arm, configured to forma support connection portion. A keyswitch structure includes a base, a keycap above the base, two keyswitch supports connected to and between the base and the keycap, and the keyswitch support connection structure structurally integrated into the base or the keycap. The keycap is vertically movable relative to the base through the two keyswitch supports. One of the two keyswitch supports is connected to the support connection portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicant: DARFON ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Po-Chun Hou, Chin-Hung Lin
  • Publication number: 20210375562
    Abstract: A touchpad device includes a bottom board, at least one supporting board, a circuit board, a first extending structure, and a second extending structure. The bottom board is configured to be fixed to a housing. The supporting board is coupled to the bottom board and configured to swing relative to the bottom board. The circuit board is attached to a side of the supporting board away from the bottom board. The first extending structure is disposed on the bottom board and extends toward the supporting board. The second extending structure is disposed on the supporting board and extends toward the bottom board. The first extending structure partially extends to a side of the second extending structure adjacent to the supporting board, or the second extending structure partially extends to a side of the first extending structure adjacent to the bottom board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Po-Hsin LI, Po-Chun HOU
  • Publication number: 20210304981
    Abstract: A keyswitch support connection structure incudes a bottom plate portion and a joining portion firmly joined with a joining hole of a bottom plate portion to form a support connection portion. In an embodiment, a cantilever plate extends upward from the joining hole. The joining portion encapsulates a holding structure of the cantilever plate. In another embodiment, a protruding bridge portion connected across two sides of the joining hole. The joining portion encapsulates the protruding bridge portion. In another embodiment, the joining portion has a wing portion protruding from a bottom surface of the bottom plate portion and extending parallel to the bottom surface. A keyswitch structure includes a base with the keyswitch support connection structure, a keycap, and two keyswitch supports. The two keyswitch supports are connected to and between the keycap and the base; therein, one of the keyswitch supports is rotatably connected to the support connection portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Po-Chun Hou, Chin-Hung Lin, Liang-Ta Yeh, Ling-Hsi Chao
  • Publication number: 20210304979
    Abstract: A keyswitch support connection structure incudes a bottom plate portion, a cantilever plate, and a joining portion. The cantilever plate extends upward from a joining hole of the bottom plate portion and has a holding structure. The joining portion and the joining hole are firmly engaged with each other. The joining portion encapsulates the holding structure. The joining portion and the bottom plate portion jointly form or the joining portion alone forms a support connection portion. A keyswitch structure includes a base, a keycap above the base, and first and second keyswitch supports connected to and between the keycap and the base. The base includes the above keyswitch support connection structure. The first keyswitch support is rotatably connected to the support connection portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Po-Chun Hou, Chin-Hung Lin, Liang-Ta Yeh, Ling-Hsi Chao
  • Publication number: 20200357583
    Abstract: A keyswitch structure includes a keycap, a baseplate having a buffer space, a support movably disposed between the baseplate and the keycap, a magnetic member having a front section coupling the support, a middle section and a tail end, a magnetic unit disposed below the magnetic member, a switch film having a flexible portion extending over the buffer space. When the keycap is pressed, the support enables the magnetic member to move away from the magnetic unit, so the tail end is away from the flexible portion. When the keycap is released, a magnetic attraction force between the magnetic member and the magnetic unit enables the magnetic member to move toward the magnetic unit, so the tail end firstly contacts and pushes the flexible portion to deform toward the buffer space, and then the middle section contacts the magnetic unit to drive the support to support the keycap upward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: Sung-Fu YANG, Po-Chun HOU
  • Patent number: 10804049
    Abstract: A keyswitch structure includes a base plate, a keycap, a scissors support connecting the keycap and the base plate, a linking support rotatably disposed on the base plate, a movable part movably disposed relative to the base plate, and a magnetic part on the movable part. The linking support includes a magnetic portion and a driving portion. The magnetic part and the magnetic portion produce a magnetic attraction force therebetween. When the movable part is located at a first position, the magnetic part is located under the magnetic portion, and the magnetic attraction force drives the keycap through the linking support to move away relative to the base plate. When the movable part moves from the first position to a second position, the magnetic part moves away relative to the magnetic portion, so that the magnetic attraction force decreases so as to make the keycap move toward the base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: DARFON ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Ming-Yuan Hsieh, Liang-Ta Yeh, Po-Chun Hou, Chin-Hung Lin
  • Publication number: 20200105485
    Abstract: A magnetic keyboard has a plurality of magnetic keyswitches, and each magnetic keyswitch include a base, a keycap, a supporting device, a magnetic component and a metal thin sheet. The base has at least one engaging structure and a hole. The supporting device has a first support, an end of the first support is movably connected to the engaging structure, and the other end of the first support is movably connected to the keycap. The first support has a magnet portion. The magnetic component is disposed on the base and functioned with the magnet portion to provide a recovering force to the keycap. The metal thin sheet is disposed under the base and has a bendable cantilever portion covering the hole. While the cantilever portion is bent by an external force, the magnetic component can be removed through the hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Sung-Fu Yang, Po-Chun Hou
  • Patent number: 10535481
    Abstract: A magnetic keyboard has a plurality of magnetic keyswitches, and each magnetic keyswitch include a base, a keycap, a supporting device, a magnetic component and a metal thin sheet. The base has at least one engaging structure and a hole. The supporting device has a first support, an end of the first support is movably connected to the engaging structure, and the other end of the first support is movably connected to the keycap. The first support has a magnet portion. The magnetic component is disposed on the base and functioned with the magnet portion to provide a recovering force to the keycap. The metal thin sheet is disposed under the base and has a bendable cantilever portion covering the hole. While the cantilever portion is bent by an external force, the magnetic component can be removed through the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: DARFON ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Sung-Fu Yang, Po-Chun Hou
  • Publication number: 20190131085
    Abstract: A keyswitch includes a board, a cap, a lifting mechanism, a returning device, first and second blocks. The lifting mechanism is disposed between the board and the cap and includes first and second plates pivoted to the board and opposite to each other. The returning device is located between the first and second plates and includes first and second magnetic members. The first magnetic member extends from the first plate corresponding to the second magnetic member disposed on the board. An abutting part extends from the second plate and abuts under the first magnetic member. The first and second blocks are formed on the cap and respectively spaced from the first and second plates. When the first and second plates are pressed to deform, the first and second blocks abut against the first and second plates respectively to keep the abutting part located under the first magnetic member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Sung-Fu Yang, Po-Chun Hou