JP3582876B2 - keyboard - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial applications]
The present invention relates to a keyboard, and more particularly, to a structure of a switch panel and a rubber spring used in the keyboard.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a keyboard has been used in word processors, personal computers, and the like, and the keyboard has many keys on which letters and numbers are written. The key part operated by hand is called key top. There is a membrane switch inside the keyboard, and when the key top is pressed, the contacts of the membrane switch are opened and closed. A rubber spring is provided below the keytop so that the keytop naturally returns after the keytop is pressed.
[0003]
FIGS. 13 and 14 are diagrams showing examples of a keyboard having a rubber spring. The keyboard includes a membrane switch 54 disposed on a support panel 52, a switch panel 56 having a plurality of key attachment portions 58, and a membrane switch 54 which is disposed on the key attachment portion 58 of the switch panel 56 so as to be vertically movable. And a rubber spring 62 for returning the pressed key top 60 upward. The key mounting portion 58 of the switch panel 56 is a cylindrical guide, and the key top 60 includes a slider 64 slidably engaged with the cylindrical guide 58.
[0004]
The rubber spring 62 has a cup-like shape, and is elastically deformed when the key top 60 is pressed, and then naturally returns upward when the key top 60 becomes free. In FIG. 13, rubber springs 62 are separately formed one by one, and are arranged in the key attachment portion 58 of the switch panel 56. In FIG. 14, a rubber spring 62 is formed by being connected to a rubber sheet, and the rubber sheet is laminated between the membrane switch 54 and the switch panel 56.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional keyboard, the switch panel 56 and the rubber spring 62 are formed as separate components in different processes. Therefore, in assembling the keyboard, it is necessary to insert the rubber spring 62 into the key attachment portion 58 of the switch panel 56, and there has been a problem that the number of assembly steps is increased.
[0006]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard that can manufacture a switch panel and a rubber spring, which are conventionally configured as separate parts, and even a key top as an integrated member connected to each other, thereby reducing the number of assembly steps. That is.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Keyboard according to the present invention includes a membrane switcher switch disposed on support panel, a switch panel having the disposed on the membrane switch and a plurality of keys mounting portion, in the vertical direction in the key mounting portion of the switch panel and movably disposed and Kito' flop capable of opening and closing the contacts of membrane switch, and a Gomusupurin grayed back upward the key top is pressed, a switch panel and Gomusupurin grayed are fixed to each other, the switch panel And the rubber spring are integrally formed by two-color molding, the switch panel and the rubber spring are fused to each other, the key mounting portion of the switch panel comprises a cylindrical guide, and the key top slides on the cylindrical guide. Includes a slider that movably engages the inner slide between the rubber spring and the slider. Zehnder is disposed is disposed a coil spring over the inner slider, the inner slider you characterized in that it is insert molded into the rubber spring.
[0008]
[Action]
In the above arrangement, since the switch panel and Gomusupurin grayed are fixed to each other, in the assembly of the keyboard, it is possible to omit the trouble of inserting the Gomusupurin grayed key mounting portion of the switch panel, the man-hours of assembly Can be reduced. Further, since the switch panel and Gomusupurin grayed are fixed to each other, can be managed both as one component, it is possible to save labor management and handling.
[0010]
Furthermore, the key attachment portion of the switch panel consists cylindrical guide, since the key top is a configuration including a slider slidably engages the tubular guide, it is not necessary to change the conventional structure largely.
Then, the inner slider is arranged between the rubber spring and the slider, since the coil spring over the inner slider is configured is arranged, it is possible to improve the operation feeling of the key top.
Since the inner slider is insert-molded in the rubber spring, the labor for assembling the inner slider can be substantially omitted.
[0011]
Has a cutout is switch panel has the structure in which part of the rubber spring is fixed to the switch panel enters the lack Ri該切, a switch panel and the rubber spring securely integrated by two-color molding Is done.
[0012]
Further, the present invention provides a keyboard in which even a key top is fixed to a rubber spring and a switch panel.
This keyboard movement, and support panel being arranged on the membrane switcher switch, a switch panel having the membrane disposed on the switch and a plurality of keys mounting portion, in the vertical direction in the key mounting portion of the switch panel capable comprises a disposed and Kito' flop capable of opening and closing the contacts of membrane switch, and a Gomusupurin grayed back upward the key top is depressed, Gomusupurin grayed is disposed between Kito' flop and switch panel, and Kito' is fixed to the flop and the key mounting portion, the switch panel and the rubber spring and the key top is integrally formed by two-color molding, a switch panel and the rubber spring and the key top are fused together, the inner surface of the key top Check that a coil spring that can press the contacts of the membrane switch is attached. And butterflies.
[0013]
Also in the operation of this configuration, since the switch panel and Gomusupurin grayed are fixed to each other, in the assembly of the keyboard, it is possible to omit the trouble of inserting the Gomusupurin grayed key mounting portion of the switch panel, the assembly The number of man-hours can be reduced, and the trouble of component management and handling can be saved. Furthermore, in this configuration, Gomusupurin grayed are secured also Kito' flop can further achieve the simplification of the reduction of man-hours of assembly and parts management. Furthermore, since the coil spring capable of pressing the contacts of the membrane switch is attached to the inner surface of the keytop, the contacts of the membrane switch can be pressed more reliably.
[0018]
【Example】
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.
The keyboard 10 includes a membrane switch 14 disposed on the support panel 12, a switch panel 16 disposed on the membrane switch 14 and having a plurality of key attachment portions 18, and a key attachment portion 18 of the switch panel 16 in a vertical direction. A key top 20 is provided so as to be movable and capable of opening and closing the contacts 15a and 15b of the membrane switch 14, and a rubber spring 22 for returning the pressed key top 20 upward. As is well known, the membrane switch 14 includes opposed insulating sheets 14a and 14b and a spacer 14c, and contacts 15a and 15b and a conductive pattern (not shown) are provided on the respective insulating sheets 14a and 14b. .
[0019]
The key mounting portion 18 of the switch panel 16 is formed of a cylindrical guide, and the key top 20 includes a slider 24 slidably engaged with the key mounting portion (cylindrical guide) 18. The slider 24 may be formed integrally with the key top 20, or may be formed separately from the key top 20 and then fixed to the key top 20.
[0020]
The rubber spring 22 has a structure fixed to the switch panel 16.
The rubber spring 22 basically has a cup shape or a conical shape, is elastically deformed when the key top 20 is pressed, and then returns naturally when the key top 20 becomes free. . The upper end 25 of the rubber spring 22 has a lip shape that comes into contact with the slider 24 of the key top 20. The lower end of the rubber spring 22 is a flange 26 extending radially outward.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 2, the flanges 26 of all the rubber springs 22 are connected by a connecting portion 28 in the same plane.
At the position of the lower end of the key attachment portion (cylindrical guide) 18 of the switch panel 16, the switch panel 16 has a notch (a step portion with an inner diameter) 30, and the rubber spring 22 enters the notch 30 to switch the switch. It is fixed to the panel 16.
[0022]
The operation of the keyboard 10 is the same as that of the conventional keyboard. However, since the switch panel 16 and the rubber spring 22 are fixed to each other, the rubber spring 22 is attached to the key attaching portion 18 of the switch panel 16 in assembling the keyboard 10. The labor for insertion can be omitted, the number of assembling steps can be reduced, and both can be managed as one part, and the labor can be further reduced.
[0023]
In order to obtain a structure in which the switch panel 16 and the rubber spring 22 are fixed to each other, the switch panel 16 and the rubber spring 22 are integrally formed by two-color molding. In the structure obtained by the two-color molding, the switch panel 16 and the rubber spring 22 are fused to each other.
[0024]
FIGS. 3 and 4 are views for explaining two-color molding of the switch panel 16 and the rubber spring 22. FIG. The switch panel 16 is made of a material suitable for injection molding such as ABS, PS, and PPO. The rubber spring 22 is made of a material suitable for injection molding, and is made of a thermoplastic elastomer which has a low hardness and can be fused to a resin. Conventional rubber springs are compression molded and are not suitable for injection molding.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 3, in the first stage of the two-color molding, the rubber spring 22 is injection-molded into a predetermined shape. The rubber spring 22 basically has a cup shape or a conical shape, and the upper end 25 has a lip shape. A flange 26 and a connecting portion 28 are formed at a lower end of the rubber spring 22. The connecting portion 28 is provided to allow the molten material to flow to the portion where all the rubber springs 22 are to be formed in the molding die.
[0026]
As shown in FIG. 4, in the second stage of the two-color molding, a part of the molding die forming the rubber spring 22 is left, and the remaining part of the molding die is formed with the die forming the switch panel 16. In other words, the molten resin to form the switch panel 16 is injected while the rubber spring 22 is maintained in the mold.
[0027]
Therefore, at the position where the rubber spring 22 and the switch panel 16 are in contact with each other when the molten resin flows, the melted materials adhere to each other, and the rubber spring 22 and the switch panel 16 are fused to each other. By this fusion, the rubber spring 22 and the switch panel 16 are integrated parts. In the above example, the rubber spring 22 is molded in the first stage of the two-color molding, and the switch panel 16 is molded in the second stage of the two-color molding. However, the order can be reversed.
[0028]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is that an inner slider 32 and a coil spring 34 are added between the rubber spring 22 and the key top 20 or the slider 24. The inner slider 32 is fixed to the rubber spring 22 and is slidable with respect to the slider 24. The coil spring 34 is arranged around the protrusion 33 on the inner surface of the key top 20 and urges the inner slider 32 toward the rubber spring 22. The coil spring 34 improves the operational feeling of the key top 20 in addition to the spring force of the rubber spring 22.
[0029]
In the manufacture of the keyboard 10 including the inner slider 32, first, the inner slider 32 is molded, and the inner slider 32 is insert-molded when the rubber spring 22 is molded, so that the inner slider 32 is formed as shown in FIG. The rubber spring 22 is first integrated. The connecting portion 28 connecting all the rubber springs 22 may be formed in a rim shape as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, or may be formed entirely solid as shown in FIG. When formed entirely solid, the flange 26 is included in the connecting portion 28. When the switch panel 16 is molded in the second stage of the subsequent two-color molding, the inner slider 32, the rubber spring 22, and the switch panel 16 are integrated.
[0030]
7 to 9 show a third embodiment of the present invention.
The keyboard 10 according to this embodiment includes a membrane switch 14 disposed on the support panel 12, a switch panel 16 disposed on the membrane switch 14 and having a plurality of key mounting portions 18, and a key mounting portion 18 of the switch panel 16. The key top 20 is disposed so as to be vertically movable and can open and close the contacts 15a and 15b of the membrane switch 14, and a rubber spring 22 for returning the pressed key top 20 upward.
[0031]
As shown in FIG. 9, the switch panel 16 is formed of a substantially flat stitch-like plate having an opening 36 according to the key arrangement and a cloth portion 38 surrounding the opening 36. The key attachment portion 18 corresponds to the fabric portion 38. That is, in this embodiment, the key top 20 is attached to the cloth portion 38 (the key attaching portion 18) by the rubber spring 22. The fabric portion 38 is provided with a notch (or groove) 40.
[0032]
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the rubber spring 22 has a shape corresponding to a rectangular skirt of a lower portion of the key top 20, and the lower portion is formed on a side wall of two adjacent key tops 20. It has a corresponding U-shaped cross section. The lower end of the U-shaped cross section of the rubber spring 22 enters the cutout 40 of the fabric portion 38 (key mounting portion 18) and is fixed to the switch panel 16. Similarly, the upper end of the rubber spring 22 enters the notch 41 of the key top 20 and is fixed to the key top 20.
[0033]
Further, a coil spring 42 capable of pressing down the contacts 15a and 15b of the membrane switch 14 is attached to the inner surface of the key top 20. One end of the coil spring 42 is fixed to the projection 43 on the inner surface of the key top 20, and the other end is free. When the key top 20 is pressed, the coil spring 42 comes into contact with the membrane switch 14 and closes the contacts 15a and 15b. .
[0034]
In the manufacture of the keyboard 10, the switch panel 16, the rubber spring 22, and the key top 20 are sequentially subjected to two-color molding, so that these contact portions are fused and integrated. Therefore, the number of assembling steps can be significantly reduced.
[0035]
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of the keyboard 10 of FIG. The support panel 12 and the membrane switch 14 are omitted. In this example, the lower part of the rubber spring 22 has a U-shaped cross-sectional shape as in FIGS. 7 to 9, and the lower end of the U-shaped cross-section of the rubber spring 22 is It enters into the notch 40 of the portion 18) and is fixed to the switch panel 16. The rubber spring 22 is fixed over substantially the entire inner surface of the key top 20. A shaft 44 made of the same material as the rubber spring 22 projects integrally from the inner surface of the rubber spring 22 at the center position of the key top 20, and the shaft 44 can press down the contacts 15 a and 15 b of the membrane switch 14.
[0036]
FIGS. 11 and 12 are views showing a modification of the keyboard 10 of FIG. In this example, the lower part of the rubber spring 22 has a U-shaped cross-section, is fixed over substantially the entire inner surface of the key top 20, and has a shaft 44 made of the same material as the rubber spring 22. At the center position of the rubber spring 22.
[0037]
The tip of the shaft 44 is formed in a shape having a weak spring property (stronger than a contact pressing force). That is, the tip of the shaft 44 is formed in a shape broken into a beak, and as shown in FIG. 12, the tip of the shaft 44 can be pressed down while contacting with the membrane switch 14 while deforming. It is. Thus, an overstroke after the contact is turned on can be generated, and the operation feeling of the key top 20 can be improved.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the switch panel and the rubber spring, which are separated as conventional parts, and also the key top, can be formed into an integrated structure, so that the number of parts is reduced, The number of assembly steps can be reduced, and an inexpensive keyboard can be provided. Further, in the structure in which the rubber spring is fixed to the key top and the switch panel, since a vertical sliding portion such as a slider is not required, the thickness can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a keyboard according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the rubber spring of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a first stage of two-color molding.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a second stage of two-color molding.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a keyboard according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a rubber spring integrated with an inner slider.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a keyboard according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a key top and a rubber spring of FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the switch panel of FIG. 7;
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of the keyboard in FIG. 7;
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a modified example of the keyboard in FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 is a view showing a tip portion of the shaft of FIG. 11;
FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a conventional technique.
FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a conventional technique.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Keyboard 12 ... Support panel 14 ... Membrane switch 16 ... Switch panel 18 ... Key attachment part 20 ... Key top 22 ... Rubber spring 24 ... Slider 32 ... Inner slider 38 ... Fabric part 40 ... Notch 42 ... Coil spring 44 ... Shaft

Claims (3)

A membrane switch (14) disposed on the support panel (12), a switch panel (16) disposed on the membrane switch and having a plurality of key attachment portions (18), and the key attachment portion of the switch panel The switch panel (16), comprising: a key top (20) that is arranged to be vertically movable and that can open and close the contacts of the membrane switch; and a rubber spring (22) that returns the pressed key top upward. And the rubber spring (22) are fixed to each other, the switch panel (16) and the rubber spring (22) are integrally formed by two-color molding, and the switch panel and the rubber spring are fused to each other to form a switch panel. The key mounting portion (18) of (16) is formed of a cylindrical guide, and the key top (20) is formed of the cylindrical guide. A slider (24) is slidably engaged, an inner slider (32) is disposed between the rubber spring (22) and the slider (24), and a coil spring (34) is disposed on the inner slider. A keyboard , wherein the inner slider (32) is insert-molded in a rubber spring (22) . The switch panel (16) has a notch (30), and a part of the rubber spring (22) enters the notch and is fixed to the switch panel (16). Keyboard. A membrane switch (14) disposed on the support panel (12), a switch panel (16) disposed on the membrane switch and having a plurality of key attachment portions (18), and the key attachment portion of the switch panel A key top (20) arranged to be movable in the vertical direction and capable of opening and closing the contacts of the membrane switch; and a rubber spring (22) for returning the pressed key top upward. Is disposed between the key top (20) and the switch panel (16), and is fixed to the key top (20) and the key attaching portion (20). The switch panel (16), the rubber spring (22) and The key top (20) is integrally formed by two-color molding, and the switch panel (16), the rubber spring (22) and the key top are formed. (20) and are fused together, wherein the to Ruki Bodo that depressible coil spring (42) is attached to the contact of the membrane switch (14) to the inner surface of the key top (20).

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