JP4537181B2 - Key button structure and method for manufacturing key button structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a key button structure in which key tops are arranged adjacent to each other and a method for manufacturing the key button structure .

In a mobile terminal, particularly a mobile phone, there is a tile key in which a key top area is increased in order to improve operability and a case (panel) does not exist between adjacent key tops (see Non-Patent Document 1).
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  However, this type of tile key is difficult to control the position because the key tops are adjacent to each other, and the key operation tends to affect other adjacent keys because it is not structurally independent. The design has a low degree of freedom, such as being restricted by the shape, and there are problems such as turning over easily.

  The object of the present invention is to realize the positional control and structural independence of adjacent key tops while providing good operability with tile keys, eliminating the influence on adjacent keys due to key operations and increasing the degree of freedom of design. To prevent turning over.

In order to solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 1 is a key button structure,
A key board switch contact portion is provided, projection-shaped key button portion is formed with a plurality of lengthwise and breadthwise, and Besuraba over which is superimposed the key substrate,
A frame in which a shape partitioning the respective key button portion surrounds the periphery of the key button portion which is plurally formed, superimposed on the base rubber before Symbol vertical and horizontal directions,
It is characterized by providing.

The invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that a plurality of key tops are respectively adhered to the plurality of key button portions of the base rubber and adjacent to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions.
Furthermore, the invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that the middle frame is lifted up while being sandwiched between the base rubber and the plurality of key tops.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a key button structure according to claim 1, in said frame, the portion located between the oblique direction of the top of the plurality of keys in a overlapped state on the base rubber A small protrusion is provided.

The invention according to claim 3 is the key button structure according to claim 2, wherein a surface of the key top and a surface of the small protrusion of the middle frame are formed substantially flush with each other. It is characterized by.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the key button structure according to the first or second aspect, wherein a case is formed in which an opening is formed surrounding the plurality of key tops arranged adjacent to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions. The surface of the case, the surface of the key top, and the surface of the small protrusion of the middle frame are formed substantially flush with each other.
The invention according to claim 5 is a method of manufacturing a key button structure,
Overlaying a base rubber on which a plurality of projecting key button portions are formed in a vertical and horizontal direction on a key substrate provided with a switch contact portion;
Overlaying a middle frame on the base rubber, which surrounds the periphery of the key button portions formed in the vertical and horizontal directions and forms a partition between the key button portions; and
It is characterized by including.
The invention according to claim 6 is a method of manufacturing the key button structure according to claim 5 ,
The method further includes a step of adhering a key top to each key button portion and sandwiching the middle frame.

According to the present invention, since the base rubber itself can be pressed by the middle frame and the position of each key button portion can be regulated independently while having good operability with the tile key, the influence of the key operation on the adjacent key is eliminated. In addition, turning over can be prevented, and the key top shape has the advantage of increasing the degree of design freedom .

Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile phone to which the present invention is applied is a foldable type in which a main body 1 and a lid 2 are coupled by a hinge 3, and the main body 1 is provided with an operation unit 4. The display unit 5 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the main body unit 1 includes a unit key 6, which is a circuit unit, a tile key 41, a microphone 71, and a vibrator 72 in a resin lower case 11 and an upper case 12 that are combined to form a housing. Various parts such as a macro knob 73, a macro knob holder 74, and a light lens holder 75 are incorporated. A battery cover 13, an interface cap 14, an earphone cap 15, and an SD card slot cap 16 are attached to the lower case 11.
The unit assembly 6 is a circuit board 61 assembled with various electronic components such as a key board 62. On the key board 62, switch contact portions 62a, 62b, and 62c are provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, the tile key 41 includes a base rubber 42 overlaid on the key substrate 62, an intermediate frame 43 and a key top 44 overlaid thereon.
The base rubber 42 is formed by forming a 3 × 5 key button part 42a / 42b corresponding to the switch contact part 62a on the key board 62 in a one-step raised shape, and a flat part 42d at one end thereof. Is formed. In the illustrated example, the key button portions 42a and 42b have a rounded corner portion with a rounded shape, and the central key button portion 42b on the flat portion 42d side is another key button. It is smaller than the portion 42a.
Resin-made key tops 44 and 44b, which are formed in a round shape by chamfering square corner portions, are attached and attached to the key button portions 42a and 42b.

The middle frame 43 is made of a resin layered on the base rubber 42, and includes an outer frame portion 43a surrounding the key button portions 42a and 42b and a partition frame portion 43b for partitioning the key button portions 42a and 42b. It is formed integrally.
And the small protrusion 43c is integrally formed on the cross | intersection part of the partition frame part 43b. The small protrusion 43c has a diamond shape in the illustrated example.

The upper case 12 is formed with an opening 12a having a shape surrounding the periphery of the tile key 41, and a cross key mounting hole 12b and two key mounting holes 12c on both sides thereof.
The cross key 45 and the two keys 46 on both sides thereof correspond to the switch contact portions 62 b and 62 c on the key substrate 62, respectively, and are arranged in the void portion 42 e of the base rubber 42.

Next, the procedure for assembling the tile key 41 will be described.
In the upper case 12, the base rubber 42, the middle frame 43, the key top 44, the cross key 45, the key 46, and the key board 62 shown in FIG. 3A, first, as shown in FIG. The middle frame 43 is overlaid on 42.
That is, the entire vertical and horizontal key button portions 42a and 42b are surrounded by the outer frame portion 43a, and at the same time, the inner key button portions 42a and 42b are partitioned in the vertical and horizontal directions by the partition frame portion 43b. . At this time, on the intersecting portion of the partition frame portion 43b, the small protrusion 43c is located like an islet between the diagonal directions of the key button portions 42a and 42b, as shown.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), the key tops 44 and 44b are attached to the respective key button portions 42a and 42b by being cured and bonded by ultraviolet irradiation, and the cross key 45 and two on both sides thereof are attached to the flat portion 42d. Each key 46 is integrated.
Thereby, the tile key 41 is assembled and integrated with the cross key 45 and the key 46 in a state where the middle frame 43 is sandwiched between the base rubber 42 and the key tops 44 and 44b. At this time, as shown in the figure, the small protrusion 43c is located like an islet between the diagonal directions of the key tops 44 and 44b.

  The tile key 41, the cross key 45, and the key 46 are positioned in the opening 12a, the cross key mounting hole 12b, and the key mounting hole 12c of the upper case 12, respectively, and the base rubber 42 is placed on the inner surface of the upper case 12. Install in close contact. This assembled state is shown in FIG.

  Thereafter, the unit assembly 6 including the circuit board 61 described above is stacked on the upper case 12 from below through the key board 62. Then, as shown in FIGS. 4B to 4C, the lower case 11 is combined with the upper case 12, and the interface cap 14, the earphone cap 15, the SD card slot cap 16, and the like are attached, Complete the assembly of part 1.

  FIG. 5 shows a usage state of the mobile phone including the tile key 41 described above, and FIG. 6 shows a longitudinal sectional structure of the tile key 41 portion. In the product state, as shown in the figure, the surface of the upper case 12, the surface of the key top 44 (44b), and the surface of the small protrusion 43c of the middle frame 43 are set to be substantially flush with each other.

As shown in FIG. 6, a protruding contact pressing portion 42c is formed on the lower surface of the key button portion 42a (42b). That is, when the key button portion 42a (42b) is pressed through the key top 44 (44b), the contact pressing portion 42c on the lower surface thereof contacts the switch contact portion 62a, and a predetermined key is turned ON.
Further, as shown in FIG. 6, small protrusions 44 d are formed on the key tops 44 on both sides of the three vertical rows so as to be engaged below the peripheral edge of the opening 12 a of the upper case 12. The key tops 44 on both sides are restricted to the inner position of the opening 12a by the small protrusions 44d.

Since the tile key 41 having the above configuration is used, the position of the adjacent key tops 44 and 44b can be regulated and structurally independent while maintaining good operability.
That is, since the middle frame 43 is sandwiched between the base rubber 42 and the key tops 44 and 44b, the base rubber 42 itself is pressed by the outer frame portion 43a and the partition frame portion 43b of the middle frame 43. At the same time, the positions of the key button portions 42a and 42b are independently regulated.
Accordingly, although the tile key 41 does not have the upper case 12 between the key tops 44 and 44b, it is possible to achieve the effect of the adjacent key by the key operation and the prevention of turning over as in the prior art.
In addition, since only the middle frame 43 is provided, the key top shape can be adopted, for example, key tops 44 and 44b having a rounded corner portion with a rounded corner shape can be adopted as shown in the illustrated example. Can also be improved.

Further, since the small protrusions 43c provided on the middle frame 43 are positioned like a small island between the diagonal directions of the key tops 44 and 44b, the key tops 44 and 44b of the tile key 41 are also provided at the corners at the small protrusions 43c. Can be made independent without interfering with each other.
The presence of the small protrusion 43c such as a small island can improve operability such as confirmation with a fingertip in the case of a blind touch, for example, and can improve the degree of design freedom as a whole tile key.

  Further, since the surface of the upper case 12, the surfaces of the key tops 44 and 44b, and the surface of the small protrusion 43c of the middle frame 43 are substantially flush with each other, the tile key 41 including the upper case 12 is uncomfortable in appearance. There is also an advantage that a good sense of unity can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, the tile key (key button structure) of the cellular phone is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this and may be applied to other portable terminals such as a PDA.
Further, the design of the tile key, for example, the number of key buttons, the shape of the key top and the small protrusion, and the like are arbitrary. For example, as the shape of the key top or the small protrusion, a round corner, a triangular shape, or a pentagonal corner portion is chamfered in addition to a round shape, a rhombus shape, or a round shape. You may employ | adopt the thing of the shape which was made.
Furthermore, the case, the middle frame, and the key top are not limited to resin, but may be made of metal. In addition, specific details of the structure can be changed as appropriate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The structure of one Embodiment to which this invention is applied is shown, (a), the side view (b), and the rear view (c) which showed an example of the portable terminal. It is the disassembled perspective view which showed the components structure of the portable terminal. FIG. 4 shows how to assemble a key button structure, and is an exploded perspective view of an upper case, a key top, a middle frame, a base rubber, and a key board (a), and an exploded perspective view in a state where the middle frame is overlaid on the base rubber (b). FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view (c) in a state where a key top is bonded. They are an exploded perspective view (a) of the state assembled to the upper case, a perspective view (b) of the state where the key substrate is assembled, and a perspective view (c) of the assembled state where the lower case is assembled. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a usage state of the portable terminal of FIG. 1. It is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a key button part.

Explanation of symbols

12 Case 12a Opening 41 Tile Key 42 Base Rubber 42a / 42b Key Button 42c Contact Pushing Part 42d Flat Part 43 Middle Frame 43a Outer Frame 43b Partition Frame 43c Small Projection 44 / 44b Key Top 44d Small Projection 62 Key Board

Claims (6)

A key board provided with a switch contact portion;
A plurality of protrusion-like key button portions are formed in the vertical and horizontal directions, and a base rubber that is stacked on the key substrate and a shape that surrounds the periphery of the key button portions that are formed in the vertical and horizontal directions and that partitions the key button portions. And comprising a middle frame overlaid on the base rubber ,
A plurality of key tops are respectively adhered to the plurality of key button portions of the base rubber and adjacent to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions,
The key button structure , wherein the middle frame is lifted in a state of being sandwiched between the base rubber and the plurality of key tops . 2. The key button according to claim 1 , wherein the middle frame is provided with a small protrusion at a portion positioned between the plurality of key tops in an oblique direction in a state of being superimposed on the base rubber. Construction. The key button structure according to claim 2 , wherein a surface of the key top and a surface of the small protrusion of the middle frame are substantially flush with each other. A case in which openings are formed to surround the plurality of key tops arranged adjacent to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions;
And the surface of the case, the key button structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said key top surface, and the surface of the small protuberances in said frame are formed substantially flush. Overlaying a base rubber on which a plurality of projecting key button portions are formed in a vertical and horizontal direction on a key substrate provided with a switch contact portion;
Overlaying a middle frame on the base rubber, which surrounds the periphery of the key button portions formed in the vertical and horizontal directions and forms a partition between the key button portions; and
A method of manufacturing a key button structure comprising: 6. The method of manufacturing a key button structure according to claim 5 , further comprising a step of adhering a key top to each key button portion and sandwiching the middle frame.

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