JP7215976B2 - Contact member and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a contact member for a push button switch and a manufacturing method thereof.

Conventionally, as a contact member for a push button switch, a metal plate or metal foil (hereinafter referred to as "metal layer portion") plated with a noble metal such as nickel silver, nickel, or stainless steel is used to enhance corrosion resistance and conductivity. , and those integrally molded with an elastomer are widely used. Such a contact member is difficult to deform due to the high rigidity of the metal layer portion, and if foreign matter is interposed between the contact and the fixed electrode on the substrate, contact failure between the contact and the fixed electrode may occur. There is a risk of conduction failure or chattering. As countermeasures against such poor conduction and chattering, there are contact members in which holes are made in metal foil (see, for example, Patent Document 1), contact members using a conductive elastic body (see, for example, Patent Document 2), and the like. Proposed.

FIG. 15 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a push button switch with a basic configuration. FIG. 16 shows a cross-sectional view of a conventionally known contact member having a hole in the metal layer portion. FIG. 17 shows a cross-sectional view of a contact member using a conductive elastic body instead of a conventionally known metal layer portion.

Before describing known contact members for pushbutton switches, the basic construction of a pushbutton switch will be described. A push button switch 701 having a basic configuration shown in FIG. 15 includes a dome portion 703 expanding radially outward of the key top 702 in a dome shape at the lower end of a substantially cylindrical key top 702 . The push button switch 701 includes a base portion 704 extending radially outward from the lower opening of the dome portion 703 . The base portion 704 is a portion fixed on a substrate 750 on which the push button switch 701 is arranged. The contact member 710 is attached directly below the key top 702 in the inner space of the dome portion 703 and has a contact member 710 having a conductive member on its surface. When the key top 702 is pushed, the contact member 710 can be lowered until the dome portion 703 is deformed and contacts the fixed electrodes 751 and 752 on the substrate 750 . The contact member 710 can electrically connect the fixed electrodes 751 and 752 by bringing the conductive member into contact with the fixed electrodes 751 and 752 at the same time.

A known contact member for a push button switch will now be described.

A conventionally known contact member 810 having a hole in a metal layer portion shown in FIG. 16 is used for the contact member 710 of a push button switch 701 as shown in FIG. The contact member 810 is configured as a metal layer portion 830 attached to the key top 702 and functioning as a bridge contact. A plurality of holes 831 are formed in the metal layer portion 830 of the contact member 810 . The exposed surface of the metal layer portion 830 of the contact member 810 is plated with a noble metal. With such a contact member 810 having a hole in the metal layer portion, if foreign matter is interposed between the contact member 810 and the fixed electrodes 751 and 752 of the substrate 750, the foreign matter may enter the hole 831. It can reduce the risk of poor conduction and chattering.

A contact member 910 using a conventionally known conductive elastic body shown in FIG. 17 is also used as the contact member 710 of the push button switch 701 shown in FIG. The contact member 910 includes a conductive elastic body 940 and a plurality of linear conductors 942 supported by the conductive elastic body 940 . The linear conductors 942 in the contact member 910 are oriented along the thickness direction. The linear conductors 942 are electrically connected to each other via the conductive elastic bodies 940 . In the contact member 910 using such a conductive elastic body, when a foreign object is interposed between the contact 910 and the fixed electrodes 751 and 752 of the substrate 750, the conductive elastic body 940 is dented to prevent conduction. The risk of defects and chattering can be reduced.

JP 2013-251170 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-028213

As shown in FIG. 16, the metal layer portion 830 of the contact member 810 having a hole in the metal layer portion 810 has a hole 831 in the metal layer portion 830, so that the key top 702 (or the rubber-like elastic body) and the metal layer portion 830 are separated from each other. There is a problem that an inexpensive primer cannot be used for the integration. Further, in the contact member 810, when the key top 702 (or the rubber-like elastic body) and the metal layer portion 830 are joined by pressurization, the key top 702 (or the rubber-like elastic body) is attached to the metal layer portion 830. There is a problem that the hole 831 is blocked and the effect against foreign matter is lowered. In addition, although the contact member 810 has a hole 831 in the metal layer portion 830 and has a small surface area, the surface area is still large, so there is a problem that the cost of noble metal plating increases.

A contact member 910 using a conductive elastic body has a plurality of linear conductors 942 electrically connected to each other through the conductive elastic body 940 as shown in FIG. Since the resistance value is relatively high, there is a problem that low resistance cannot be achieved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a contact member that is excellent in foreign matter resistance and that can achieve low resistance at low cost.

(1) A contact member according to an embodiment for achieving the above object comprises a first rubber-like elastic body, a metal layer portion, and a second rubber-like elastic body laminated in order, and the The second rubber-like elastic body is provided with a plurality of linear conductive members electrically conducting from the rubber-like elastic body portion and the contact side surface to the metal layer portion surface.
(2) In the contact member according to another embodiment, preferably the linear conductive member is oriented in a direction intersecting the surface of the metal layer portion.
(3) In the contact member according to another embodiment, preferably, the linear conductive member is formed with a wire diameter of 10 to 200 μm and arranged in the second rubber-like elastic body at a pitch of 15 to 1000 μm. It is
(4) In the contact member according to another embodiment, preferably the linear conductive member is oriented along a direction perpendicular to the surface of the metal layer portion.
(5) In the contact member according to another embodiment, preferably, the linear conductive member is oriented obliquely at an acute angle with respect to a direction perpendicular to the surface of the metal layer portion.
(6) In the contact member according to another embodiment, preferably, the end surface of the linear conductive member is plated with a noble metal.
(7) In the contact member according to another embodiment, it is preferable that at least one end of the linear conductive member has a projection height dimension within 15% of the thickness dimension of the rubber-like elastic body portion. 2 protrudes from the surface of the rubber-like elastic body.
(8) In the contact member according to another embodiment, preferably, the linear conductive member has all its end surfaces exposed, and at least one end is 15 mm thicker than the rubber-like elastic body portion. It is embedded in the rubber-like elastic body with an embedding depth within %.
(9) In the contact member according to another embodiment, preferably the metal layer portion is formed with a plurality of through holes.
(10) In the contact member according to another embodiment, preferably the metal layer portion and the second rubber-like elastic body are fixed via a primer.
(11) In the contact member according to another embodiment, preferably, the first rubber-like elastic body and the second rubber-like elastic body are mainly made of silicone rubber.
(12) A method of manufacturing a contact member according to an embodiment for achieving the above object, wherein a first rubber-like elastic body, a metal layer portion, and a second rubber-like elastic body are laminated in order, and 2. A method for manufacturing a contact member, wherein the rubber-like elastic body of 2 includes a plurality of linear conductive members electrically conducting from the contact side surface to the surface of the metal layer portion, wherein a plurality of the linear conductive members are provided. The first bonding step of bonding the first surface of the metal layer portion to the second rubber-like elastic body and the first surface of the metal layer portion fixed to the second rubber-like elastic body are opposite to each other. and a second bonding step of bonding the first rubber-like elastic body to the second surface of the.
(13) In a method for manufacturing a contact member according to another embodiment, a first rubber-like elastic body, a metal layer portion having a plurality of through holes, and a second rubber-like elastic body are laminated in order, and 2. In the method for manufacturing a contact member, the rubber-like elastic body of 2 is provided with a plurality of linear conductive members electrically conducting from the contact-side surface to the surface of the metal layer portion, wherein the first rubber-like elastic body comprises: a step of superimposing the rubber composition in an unvulcanized state before curing, the metal layer portion, and the second rubber-like elastic body in this order; heating and pressing the portion and the second rubber-like elastic body to join the first rubber-like elastic body and the second rubber-like elastic body that have entered the through holes of the metal layer portion; and a pressing step.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the contact member which is excellent in foreign material resistance and can implement|achieve low resistance at low cost can be provided.

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a contact member according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 2 shows a perspective view of the contact member of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 3 shows a flow chart for a method of manufacturing the contact member of FIG. FIG. 4 shows an explanatory diagram of each step in the flow chart of FIG. FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of a method for manufacturing the second rubber-like elastic body in the contact member of FIG. FIG. 6 shows an explanatory diagram of each step in the flow chart of FIG. FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a contact member according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. 8 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the contact member of FIG. 7. FIG. FIG. 9 shows a flow chart of a method for manufacturing the contact member of FIG. FIG. 10 shows an explanatory diagram of each step in the flow chart of FIG. FIG. 11 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a contact member according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. FIG. 12 shows a modification of the second rubber-like elastic body in the contact member. FIG. 13 shows another modification of the second rubber-like elastic body in the contact member. 14A and 14B are explanatory diagrams of the relationship between the unevenness of the linear conductive member and the rubber-like elastic body portion. FIG. 15 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a push button switch with a basic configuration. FIG. 16 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a conventionally known contact member having a hole in the metal layer portion. FIG. 17 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a contact member using a conventionally known conductive elastic body.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the embodiments described below do not limit the invention according to the claims, and all of the elements described in the embodiments and their combinations are essential to the solution of the present invention. not necessarily. In addition, each drawing is a schematic diagram that makes it possible to understand the features, and does not strictly reflect the actual dimensions.

(Embodiment 1)
A contact member 10 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described.

(1-1. Configuration of Contact Member According to Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a contact member according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 2 shows a perspective view of the contact member of FIG. 1. FIG.

The contact member 10 according to the embodiment is used for a push button switch 701 as shown in FIG. The contact member 10 is spaced apart so that the surface that functions as a contact (contact side surface) faces the fixed electrodes 751 and 752 on the substrate 750 . As with the conventional contact member, the contact member 10 is brought into contact/out of contact with the substrate 750 by reciprocating in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 750 , thereby conducting/disconnecting the fixed electrodes 751 and 752 on the substrate 750 . Plays the role of switching non-conducting.

The contact member 10 is constructed by laminating a first rubber-like elastic body 20, a metal layer portion 30, and a second rubber-like elastic body 40 in this order. As shown in FIG. 2, the contact member 10 has a substantially circular cylindrical shape when viewed from the contact side. Although the contact member 10 of this embodiment has a substantially cylindrical shape, the shape of the contact member can be appropriately changed in consideration of the arrangement or shape of the fixed electrodes 751 and 752 on the substrate 750 .

The first rubber-like elastic body 20 is a flexible elastomer appropriately selected from rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, or the like, and has a sheet shape or a block shape. Materials constituting the first rubber-like elastic body 20 include silicone rubber, urethane rubber, isoprene rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, natural rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, nitrile rubber (NBR), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), and the like. Thermosetting elastomers; urethane-, ester-, styrene-, olefin-, butadiene-, and fluorine-based thermoplastic elastomers, and composites thereof can be exemplified. The first rubber-like elastic body 20 is preferably a sheet-shaped silicone rubber. The first rubber-like elastic body 20 is joined to the contact side surface of the key top 702 when it is incorporated into the push button switch 701 .

The metal layer portion 30 is fixed to the contact side surface of the first rubber-like elastic body 20 . The metal layer portion 30 forms part of the conductive layer in the contact member 10 . The metal layer portion 30 is a layer of a conductive metal such as a metal plate or metal foil made of nickel silver, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, silver, or the like. Preferably, copper, nickel silver, or silver having low electric resistance is used. Metal foil. The metal layer portion 30 preferably has flat surfaces on both sides. Also, the metal layer portion 30 is preferably plated with gold or nickel on one side or both sides thereof. Moreover, the metal layer portion 30 is preferably formed with a thickness of 20 to 500 μm, more preferably 20 to 200 μm. The metal layer portion 30 is adhesively fixed to the first rubber-like elastic body 20 via a primer such as a silane coupling agent, for example.

The second rubber-like elastic body 40 is fixed to the contact side surface of the metal layer portion 30 . The second rubber-like elastic body 40 includes a rubber-like elastic body portion 41 and a plurality of linear conductive members 42 electrically conducting from the contact side surface to the metal layer portion 30 surface. constitutes a part of the conductive layer in The second rubber-like elastic body 40 is preferably formed with a thickness of 50-2500 μm. The second rubber-like elastic body 40 is adhesively fixed to the metal layer portion 30 via a primer such as a silane coupling agent, for example.

The rubber-like elastic body portion 41 is a flexible elastomer appropriately selected from rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, or the like, and has a sheet shape or a block shape. The material constituting the rubber-like elastic body portion 41 can be selected from the same material candidates as those of the first rubber-like elastic body 20 described above. The rubber-like elastic body portion 41 is preferably a sheet-shaped silicone rubber.

The linear conductive member 42 is a linear member electrically lower in resistance than the rubber-like elastic body portion 41, such as copper, beryllium copper, brass, silver, carbon, or tungsten wire. The linear conducting member 42 is arranged inside the second rubber-like elastic body 40 . One end surface and the other end surface of the linear conducting member 42 are exposed from the surface of the second rubber-like elastic body 40 . The linear conductive member 42 is preferably a thin metal wire having a circular cross section and is oriented in a direction intersecting the surface of the metal layer portion 30 . Specifically, the linear conductive member 42 is formed in a predetermined linear shape selected from a wire diameter of 10 to 200 μm, and along (facing) the direction orthogonal to the surface of the metal layer portion 30, 15 They are arranged in the second rubber-like elastic body 40 at a predetermined pitch selected from pitches of up to 1000 μm. In addition, the linear conductive member 42 is preferably plated with a noble metal (specifically, nickel plating or gold plating) on the end face. Although the entire surface of the linear conductive member 42 may be plated with a noble metal, it is preferable that only the end surfaces thereof be plated with a noble metal from the viewpoint of cost reduction.

(1-2. Manufacturing method of contact member according to Embodiment 1)
FIG. 3 shows a flow chart for a method of manufacturing the contact member of FIG. FIG. 4 shows an explanatory diagram of each step in the flow chart of FIG.

The contact member 10 is manufactured by sequentially performing a first bonding step ST1, a second bonding step ST2, and a die-cutting step ST3, as shown in FIG. In the following description, the material, shape, characteristics, etc. of each component are the same as those of the component of the contact member 10 described above. .

In the first bonding step ST1, as shown in FIG. 4 (left), the first surface of the metal layer portion 30 is bonded to the second rubber-like elastic body 40 having a plurality of linear conductive members 42 . More specifically, in the first bonding step ST1, a liquid primer 60 such as a silane coupling agent is applied to the entire surface of one side of the second rubber-like elastic body 40, which is a large sheet, and a metal layer of the same size is formed thereon. The portion 30 (metal foil or the like) is overlapped and adhered. It should be noted that the second rubber-like elastic body 40 is a conductive member having a linear conductive member 42 inside, and a method for manufacturing the second rubber-like elastic body 40 will be described later.

In the second bonding step ST2, as shown in FIG. 4 (middle), a first rubber-like adhesive is attached to the second surface opposite to the first surface of the metal layer portion 30 fixed to the second rubber-like elastic body 40. The elastic body 20 is adhered. More specifically, in the second bonding step ST2, a liquid primer 60 such as a silane coupling agent is applied to the entire second surface of the metal layer portion 30, and a liquid primer 60 having the same size as the second rubber-like elastic body 40 is applied thereon. The first rubber-like elastic body 20, which is a large sheet (preferably a silicone rubber sheet), is overlapped and adhered.

In the die cutting step ST3, as shown in FIG. 4 (right), a die comprising a die 71 and a punch 72 is used to form the first rubber-like elastic body 20, the metal layer portion 30, and the second rubber-like elastic body. The outer shape of the contact member 10 is die-cut from the large-sized member in which the contact member 40 is laminated.

Through these processes, the first rubber-like elastic body 20, the metal layer portion 30, and the second rubber-like elastic body 40 are laminated in order, and the second rubber-like elastic body 40 has a contact side. contact member 10 including a plurality of linear conducting members 42 electrically conducting from the surface of the metal layer portion 30 to the surface of the metal layer portion 30 is formed.

(1-3. Manufacturing Method of Second Rubber-Like Elastic Body Used in Embodiment 1)
FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of a method for manufacturing the second rubber-like elastic body in the contact member of FIG. FIG. 6 shows an explanatory diagram of each step in the flow chart of FIG. In FIG. 5, some steps are shown between the "rubber-like elastic block forming step" and the "cutting step", but these steps are performed in the "rubber-like elastic block forming step". It is a small process.

The second rubber-like elastic body 40 is manufactured by sequentially performing a rubber-like elastic block forming step ST11 and a cutting step ST12, as shown in FIG. In the following description, the material, shape, characteristics, etc. of each component are the same as those of the component of the second rubber-like elastic body 40 described above, and the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 are used in FIG. explanation is omitted.

In the rubber-like elastic block forming step ST11, an adhesive coating step ST111, a linear conductive member arrangement step ST112, a lamination arrangement step ST113, and a lamination completion judgment ST114 are performed in order to form a rubber-like elastic block including linear conductive members. , and the lamination bonding step ST115 are sequentially performed.

In the adhesive application step ST111, as shown in FIG. 6 (first from the top), an adhesive 50 is applied to the surface of a large rubber-like elastic sheet 41 (to become the rubber-like elastic portion 41 of the contact member 10). apply. The rubber-like elastic sheet 41 is preferably a silicone rubber sheet, and not only a vulcanized rubber-like elastic sheet but also an unvulcanized rubber-like elastic sheet may be employed.

In the linear conducting member placement step ST112, as shown in FIG. 6 (second from the top), a plurality of linear conducting members 42 are arranged in a predetermined orientation on a rubber-like elastic sheet 41 having an adhesive 50 applied to its surface. And arranged at a predetermined pitch.

In the stacking step ST113, as shown in FIG. 6 (third from the top), another rubber-like elastic sheet 41 is stacked on the rubber-like elastic sheet 41 to which the linear conducting member 42 is fixed.

In step ST114 for determining the end of stacking, it is determined whether or not a predetermined number of layers has been reached, as shown in FIG. 6 (fourth from the top). If the number of layers has not reached the predetermined number, the process returns to the adhesive application step ST111, and the series of steps from the adhesive application step ST111 to the lamination end determination ST114 is further performed on the rubber-like elastic sheet 41 positioned at the top. do. If the number of layers has reached the predetermined number, the process proceeds to the next lamination bonding step ST115.

In the lamination bonding step ST115, as shown in FIG. 6 (fifth from the top), the laminated rubber-like elastic sheet 41 and the linear conductive member 42 are heated and pressure-bonded. Through the steps up to this point, a large-sized rubber-like elastic block 140 having a plurality of linear conductive members 42 inside is formed.

In the cutting step ST12, as shown in FIG. 6 (sixth from the top), the rubber-like elastic block 140 is cut in a direction intersecting with the extending direction of the linear conductive member 42 to form a plurality of second rubber-like elastic bodies. Divide into 40.

Through these steps, the second rubber-like elastic body 40 having the linear conductive member 42 inside is formed.

(1-4. Functions and effects of the first embodiment)
In the contact member 10 according to the first embodiment, a first rubber-like elastic body 20, a metal layer portion 30, and a second rubber-like elastic body 40 are laminated in this order. 40 includes a plurality of linear conducting members 42 electrically conducting from the contact side surface to the surface of the metal layer portion 30 . With such a configuration, the contact member 10 can electrically contact the fixed electrodes 751 and 752 on the substrate 750 because one end face of the linear conductive member 42 is exposed on the substrate 750 side surface. In the contact member 10, the other end face of each linear conducting member 42 is connected to the metal layer portion 30, and the plurality of linear conducting members 42 are electrically connected to each other through the metal layer portion 30, so that the contact It has a relatively wide range of conductive surfaces on the side surfaces. Therefore, the contact member 10 can be used as a bridge contact between the fixed electrodes 751 and 752 on the substrate 750 . Further, according to the contact member 10, since the conductive portion is composed of members with low electric resistance such as the linear conductive member 42 and the metal layer portion 30, a bridge contact with a low resistance value can be formed. Further, according to the contact member 10, even though the second rubber-like elastic body 40, which is the layer on the substrate 750 side, includes the linear conductive member 42, it has the properties of a rubber-like elastic body. Even if a foreign object enters between 10 and fixed electrodes 751 and 752, it can be bent to some extent and absorbed. In addition, according to the contact member 10, only the end face of the linear conductive member 42 is exposed on the surface and easily corroded, so that the cost of corrosion prevention such as plating can be reduced.

Therefore, the contact member 10 according to the first embodiment is a contact member that has excellent foreign matter resistance and can achieve low resistance at low cost.

In the contact member 10 , the linear conductive member 42 is oriented in a direction intersecting the surface of the metal layer portion 30 . Therefore, according to the contact member 10, it is possible to reliably conduct the plurality of linear conduction members 42 with each other, and to suppress uneven resistance values within the range where the plurality of linear conduction members 42 are arranged.

Further, in the contact member 10, the linear conductive members 42 are formed with a wire diameter of 10 to 200 μm and arranged in the second rubber-like elastic body 40 at a pitch of 15 to 1000 μm. Therefore, according to the contact member 10, since the contact member 10 is thin and flexible, it is possible to improve foreign matter resistance of the bridge contact. Further, according to the contact member 10, since it has a wide and sufficiently dense electrical contact surface, it is possible to make it difficult for a conduction failure to occur as a bridge contact.

Further, in the contact member 10 , the linear conductive members 42 are oriented along the direction orthogonal to the surface of the metal layer portion 30 . Therefore, according to the contact member 10, since the distance between the bridges can be shortened, the resistance value of the bridge contact can be reduced.

Further, in the contact member 10, the linear conductive member 42 is plated with a noble metal on the end face. Therefore, according to the contact member 10, the portions (end surfaces) of the linear conductive members 42 exposed to the outside are less likely to corrode, and high reliability can be exhibited.

Also, in the contact member 10 , the metal layer portion 30 and the second rubber-like elastic body 40 are fixed via the primer 60 . Therefore, according to the contact member 10, it becomes possible to manufacture without using auxiliary materials and manufacturing equipment, which tend to increase the cost, so that the cost can be reduced.

In the contact member 10, the first rubber-like elastic body 20 and the second rubber-like elastic body 40 are mainly made of silicone rubber. Therefore, according to the contact member 10, it is possible to exhibit sufficient elasticity and foreign matter resistance.

The manufacturing method of the contact member according to the first embodiment comprises a first bonding step ST1 of bonding the first surface of the metal layer portion 30 to the second rubber-like elastic body 40 including a plurality of linear conductive members 42; a second bonding step ST2 of bonding the first rubber-like elastic body 20 to the second surface opposite to the first surface of the metal layer portion 30 fixed to the rubber-like elastic body 40; The second rubber-like elastic body 40 used here includes a plurality of linear conductive members 42 electrically conducting from the contact side surface to the metal layer portion 30 surface. As a result, a contact member can be manufactured in which the first rubber-like elastic body 20, the metal layer portion 30, and the second rubber-like elastic body 40 are sequentially laminated and bonded together. The contact member laminated in this manner is the same as the contact member 10 described above, and is a contact member that is excellent in foreign matter resistance and can realize low resistance at low cost. Therefore, according to the method for manufacturing a contact member according to the first embodiment, it is possible to manufacture a contact member that has excellent resistance to foreign matter and can achieve low resistance at low cost.

(Embodiment 2)
A contact member 110 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described.

(2-1. Configuration of contact member according to Embodiment 2)

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a contact member according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. 8 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the contact member of FIG. 7. FIG.

The contact member 110 according to the second embodiment basically has the same configuration as the contact member 10 according to the first embodiment, but the shape of the metal layer portion is different from that of the contact member 10 according to the first embodiment. . That is, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the metal layer portion 30 of Embodiment 1 does not have a through hole penetrating in the thickness direction, whereas the metal layer portion 130 of the contact member 110 has , a plurality of through holes 131 are formed to penetrate in the thickness direction. Configurations that are different from those of the first embodiment will be described below, and configurations that are the same as those of the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals in the drawings, and description thereof will be omitted.

The metal layer portion 130 of the contact member 110 according to the second embodiment includes a plurality of through holes 131 penetrating through the metal layer portion 130 in the thickness direction, as described above. The material and shape of the metal layer portion 130 are the same as those of the metal layer portion 30 of the first embodiment. A plurality of through-holes 131 having the same shape are formed in the metal layer portion 130 with a certain degree of uniformity. The shape of the through hole may be circular, rectangular, or some other shape, but the shape of the through hole 131 in this embodiment is circular. The through hole 131 is filled with the first rubber-like elastic body 20 . A portion of the first rubber-like elastic body 20 filling the inside of the through-hole 131 is integrally joined to the second rubber-like elastic body 40 .

(2-2. Manufacturing method of contact member according to Embodiment 2)

FIG. 9 shows a flow chart of a method for manufacturing the contact member of FIG. FIG. 10 shows an explanatory diagram of each step in the flow chart of FIG.

Since the contact member 110 according to the second embodiment has the through holes 131 formed in the metal layer portion 130, a manufacturing method different from that of the first embodiment described below may be employed.

The contact member 110 is manufactured by sequentially performing a stacking step ST21, a hot pressing step ST22, and a die-cutting step ST23, as shown in FIG. In the following description, the material, shape, characteristics, etc. of each component are the same as those of the component of the contact member 110 described above. .

In the overlapping step ST21, as shown in FIG. 10 (left), the unvulcanized rubber composition before curing of the first rubber-like elastic body 20, the metal layer portion 130, and the second rubber-like elastic body 40 are combined. are superimposed in this order. At the time of overlapping, the inside of the through hole 131 of the metal layer portion 130 is still hollow. The first rubber-like elastic body 20 is preferably a large-sized silicone rubber sheet.

In the heat press step ST22, as shown in FIG. 10 (middle), the rubber composition before curing of the first rubber-like elastic body 20, the metal layer portion 130, and the second rubber-like elastic body 40 are laminated. Heat press. As a result, the rubber composition enters the through holes 131 of the metal layer portion 130, and the first rubber-like elastic body 20 and the second rubber-like elastic body 40 are joined together.

In the die cutting step ST23, as shown in FIG. 10 (right), a die comprising a die 71 and a punch 72 is used to form the first rubber-like elastic body 20, the metal layer portion 130, and the second rubber-like elastic body. The outer shape of the contact member 110 is die-cut from the large-sized member in which the contacts 40 are laminated.

By going through these steps, the first rubber-like elastic body 20, the metal layer portion 130, and the second rubber-like elastic body 40 are laminated in order, and the second rubber-like elastic body 40 has a contact point. A contact member 110 having a plurality of linear conducting members 42 electrically conducting from the side surface to the surface of the metal layer portion 30 is formed.

(2-3. Actions and effects of the second embodiment)
Since the contact member 110 according to the second embodiment basically has the same configuration as the contact member 10 according to the first embodiment, it has the same effects as the contact member 10 according to the first embodiment, and is excellent in foreign matter resistance. , a contact member that can achieve low resistance at low cost.

In the contact member 110, the metal layer portion 130 has a plurality of through-holes 131. Therefore, the rubber composition of the first rubber-like elastic body 20 enters the through-holes 131 and hardens. The first rubber-like elastic body 20 and the second rubber-like elastic body 40 are firmly joined together. Therefore, according to the contact member 110, the metal layer portion 130 is less likely to shift, the layers are firmly joined, and the reliability as a contact can be improved.

The manufacturing method of the contact member according to the second embodiment includes a stacking step ST21, a hot pressing step ST22, and a die-cutting step ST23. That is, according to the method of manufacturing the contact member according to the second embodiment, the first rubber-like elastic body 20, the metal layer portion 130, and the second rubber-like elastic body can be formed simply by overlapping hot pressing and die-cutting. The contact member 110 in which the bodies 40 are laminated in this order can be easily manufactured. The contact members stacked in this order have a configuration in which the first rubber-like elastic body 20 is inserted into the through-hole 131 of the metal layer portion 130 and the second rubber-like elastic body 40 is joined to the contact member. It is excellent in resistance, and low resistance can be realized at low cost.

(Embodiment 3)
A contact member 210 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described.

(3-1. Configuration of Contact Member According to Third Embodiment)

FIG. 11 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a contact member according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

The contact member 210 according to the third embodiment basically has the same configuration as the contact member 10 according to the first embodiment, but the orientation of the linear conducting member in the second rubber-like elastic body is the same as that of the first embodiment. This is different from the case of the contact member 10 concerned. That is, while the plurality of linear conductive members 42 in the second rubber-like elastic body 40 of Embodiment 1 are oriented along the direction orthogonal to the surface of the metal layer portion 30, the linear conductive members 42 shown in FIG. Thus, the plurality of linear conductive members 242 in the second rubber-like elastic body 240 are oriented diagonally at an acute angle with respect to the direction perpendicular to the surface of the metal layer portion 30 . Configurations that are different from those of the first embodiment will be described below, and configurations that are the same as those of the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals in the drawings, and description thereof will be omitted.

The linear conducting member 242 in the second rubber-like elastic body 240 according to the third embodiment is made of copper, beryllium copper, brass, silver, carbon, or tungsten wire, which is electrically low in resistance compared to the rubber-like elastic body portion 41. It is a linear member. The linear conducting member 242 is arranged inside the second rubber-like elastic body 40 . One end face and the other end face of the linear conducting member 242 are exposed from the surface of the second rubber-like elastic body 240 . The linear conductive member 242 is preferably a thin metal wire having a circular cross section, and is oriented obliquely at an acute angle to the direction perpendicular to the surface of the metal layer portion 30 as described above. . Specifically, the linear conductive member 42 is formed in a predetermined linear shape selected from a wire diameter of 10 to 200 μm, and preferably, the direction orthogonal to the surface of the metal layer portion 30 is more than 0°. It is oriented with a large inclination of 45° or less. The linear conductive members 42 are arranged in the second rubber-like elastic body 40 at a predetermined pitch selected from pitches of 15 to 1000 μm. In addition, the linear conductive member 42 is preferably plated with a noble metal (specifically, nickel plating or gold plating) on the end face.

(3-2. Manufacturing method of contact member according to Embodiment 3)
The method of manufacturing the second rubber-like elastic body 240 in which the linear conductive members 242 are obliquely arranged is basically the same steps as those of the second rubber-like elastic body 40 according to the first embodiment (Fig. 5). However, in the cutting step ST12 (see FIG. 6), the cutting is performed in a direction inclined with respect to the cutting direction when manufacturing the second rubber-like elastic body 40 according to the first embodiment.

(3-3. Functions and effects of the third embodiment)
Since the contact member 210 according to the third embodiment basically has the same configuration as the contact member 10 according to the first embodiment, it has the same effects as the contact member 10 according to the first embodiment, and is excellent in foreign matter resistance. , a contact member that can achieve low resistance at low cost.

In addition, in the contact member 210, the linear conducting member 242 is oriented obliquely at an acute angle with respect to the direction perpendicular to the surface of the metal layer portion 30, so that the linear conducting member 242 does not reach the contact surface. It becomes easy to bend in the direction orthogonal to As a result, the elasticity of the second rubber-like elastic body 240 in the vertical direction is increased, so that the switch function of the contact member 210 is maintained even if a foreign object is interposed between the contact member 210 and the fixed electrodes 751 and 752 . can be maintained.

(Other embodiments)
Although the present invention has been described based on the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. It can be implemented in various aspects without departing from the spirit thereof, and for example, the following modifications are also possible.

The number, shape, position, size, material, etc. of the constituent elements described in the above embodiments are examples, and can be changed within the scope that does not impair the effects of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the end surface of the linear conductive member 42 is drawn to match (flush with) the surface of the rubber-like elastic body portion 41, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the ends of the linear conducting members 342 may protrude from the surface of the rubber-like elastic body portion 41 . In this case, it is preferable that the end portion of the linear conductive member 342 protrudes with a protrusion height dimension within 15% of the thickness dimension of the rubber-like elastic body portion 41 . In the contact member 310 configured in this manner, the end surface of the linear conductive member 342 in the second rubber-like elastic field 340 can be easily brought into contact with the fixed electrodes 751 and 752 on the metal layer portion 30 and the substrate 750 . I can expect it. Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 13 , the end of the linear conductive member 442 may be embedded in the rubber-like elastic body portion 41 . In this case, it is preferable that the linear conductive member 442 has its entire end face exposed and that the end portion is buried to a depth within 15% of the thickness of the rubber-like elastic body portion 41 . The contact member 410 constructed in this way protrudes from the surface of the rubber-like elastic body 440 where the rubber-like elastic body 41 is crushed and the linear conductive member 442 is crushed in the second rubber-like elastic body 440 during use. It is a contact member that exhibits its function, has excellent foreign matter resistance, and can achieve low resistance at low cost.

For the second rubber-like elastic body, the relationship between the unevenness between the end surface of the linear conductive member and the surface of the rubber-like elastic body portion can be set as appropriate, including the forms described so far. Specifically, as shown in the range surrounded by solid lines in FIG. good. In addition, one end surface of the linear conductive member X42 may be flush, protruding, or recessed with respect to the rubber-like elastic body portion 41, and the other may be flush, protruding, or recessed. . However, when the linear conducting member is buried in the rubber-like elastic body part 41, if the rubber-like elastic body part overlaps a part of the end surface, there is a possibility that it may not function as a contact (the broken line in FIG. 14). (see range enclosed in ). Therefore, it is necessary to expose the entire end face of the linear conducting member. In the example shown in FIG. 14 as well, the protrusion height in the case of protrusion and the embedment depth in the case of embedment are preferably within 15% of the thickness dimension of the rubber-like elastic body portion 41 .

In the above-described embodiment, the adhesive 50 or the primer 60 such as a silane coupling agent is used as the liquid agent used when joining the respective parts. is not limited to this.

Also, the contact member may be translucent. Specifically, by forming a through hole in the metal layer portion and adopting a transparent or translucent rubber member as the rubber-like elastic body, it is possible to impart transparency. As a result, it is possible to configure the contact member capable of guiding the illumination light arranged on the substrate to the key top.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The contact member according to the present invention can be used, for example, as contacts of push button switches used in various devices such as industrial robots, household appliances, and PCs, in addition to vehicle-mounted devices.

10, 110, 210, 310, 410... Contact member 20... First rubber-like elastic body 30, 130... Metal layer portion 40, 240, 340, 440... Second rubber-like elastic body 41... Rubber Elastic body portion 42, 242, 342, 442 Linear conductive member 50 Adhesive 60 Primer 131 Through hole 140 Rubber-like elastic block ST1 First adhesion step ST2 Second Adhesion step ST3, ST23 Die-cutting step ST11 Rubber-like elastic block forming step ST21 Overlapping step ST22 Hot press step ST111 Adhesive application step ST112 Linear conductive member arrangement step ST113 Lamination placement process, ST115... Lamination bonding process

Claims (9)

a first rubber-like elastic body;
a metal layer;
a second rubber-like elastic body;
are stacked in order,
The second rubber-like elastic body includes a plurality of linear conductive members electrically conducting from the rubber-like elastic body portion and the contact side surface to the metal layer portion surface ,
The linear conductive member is oriented in a direction intersecting the surface of the metal layer portion, and is oriented obliquely at an acute angle to a direction perpendicular to the surface of the metal layer portion. Element. a first rubber-like elastic body;
a metal layer;
a second rubber-like elastic body;
are stacked in order,
The second rubber-like elastic body includes a plurality of linear conductive members electrically conducting from the rubber-like elastic body portion and the contact side surface to the metal layer portion surface,
The linear conductive member is oriented in a direction intersecting the surface of the metal layer portion,
A contact member , wherein a plurality of through holes are formed in the metal layer portion . 3. The contact member according to claim 1 , wherein said linear conductive member is formed with a wire diameter of 10 to 200 μm and arranged in said second rubber-like elastic body at a pitch of 15 to 1000 μm. 4. The contact member according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the linear conductive member has an end face plated with a noble metal. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein at least one end of said linear conductive member protrudes from the surface of said rubber-like elastic body with a protrusion height dimension within 15% of the thickness dimension of said rubber-like elastic body part. The contact member according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The linear conducting member has all its end surfaces exposed, and at least one end is embedded in the rubber-like elastic body with a depth dimension within 15% of the thickness dimension of the rubber-like elastic body. The contact member according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . 7. The contact member according to claim 1, wherein said metal layer portion and said second rubber-like elastic body are fixed via a primer. The contact member according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the first rubber-like elastic body and the second rubber-like elastic body are mainly made of silicone rubber. A first rubber-like elastic body, a metal layer portion having a plurality of through holes, and a second rubber-like elastic body are laminated in this order. A method for manufacturing a contact member including a plurality of linear conducting members electrically conducting to a surface of a layer portion,
a superposing step of superimposing the unvulcanized rubber composition before curing of the first rubber-like elastic body, the metal layer portion, and the second rubber-like elastic body in this order;
The rubber composition, the metal layer portion, and the second rubber-like elastic body that are superimposed are hot-pressed, and the first rubber-like elastic body and the first rubber-like elastic body that have entered the through holes of the metal layer portion and the a heating press step of joining the second rubber-like elastic body;
A method of manufacturing a contact member comprising:

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