JPH06101269B2 - Keyboard switch - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyboard switch used as an input device of electronic equipment.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, keyboard switches include various keyboard switches as input devices for OA and FA devices, and membrane switches have been widely used as a contact method because of demands for low cost and thinness. Among them, it is desired that the keyboard switch used for office equipment has a light operating force and does not get tired even when the operator uses it for a long time.

For example, a structure that employs a membrane switch as a contact system has a structure as shown in FIG. That is,
As shown in the figure, on the lower insulating substrate 2 having the fixed contact 1, the spacer 3 having the opening 12 is arranged at the portion where the fixed contact 1 is provided, and the spacer 3 is provided on the lower insulating substrate 2 at a position opposite to the fixed contact 1. , An elastic upper insulating substrate 5 provided with a movable contact 4 is covered, and a pressing coil spring 9 is attached to the bottom of the sliding body 7, and an operating coil spring 8 is attached to the cylindrical body.
The one housed in 13 and press-fitted is arranged in the frame 6, and the button 10 is provided on the sliding body 7. With this configuration,
By depressing the button 10, first, the operation coil spring 8 is compressed, and further, the pressing coil spring is compressed, so that the upper insulating substrate 5 is bent and the movable contact 4 is brought into conduction with the fixed contact 1 to switch the switch. Was switching.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the above-described configuration, when the button 10 is pressed, a force for compressing the operation coil spring 8 and a force for compressing the pressing coil spring 9 are required as an operation force. However, there is a problem that the operation force when the button is pressed down by full stroke becomes considerably heavy.

Therefore, the present invention provides a keyboard switch with a light operating force, which requires only a force for compressing the operating coil spring as the operating force when the button is fully pressed.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve this problem, the present invention arranges an insulating substrate having a fixed contact under a case having a large number of holes to be sliding parts, and synthesizes it with an opening. Sliding by attaching a circular compression coil spring for pressing the insulating substrate from below the case to an elastic insulating substrate with a movable contact provided at least at a position facing the fixed contact through a resin spacer. Insert the moving body into the hole of the case, compress the circular compression coil spring for pressing the insulating substrate in the initial state where it is not operated from above the case, completely close the switch part, and further push the button upward A circular compression coil spring for the work was fitted on the outer circumference of the sliding body, and in the operated state, the spring for pressing the insulating substrate was separated from the insulating substrate, and the switch part was completely opened. It is a state.

As described above, in the present invention, when the keyboard switch is not operating, the pressing spring is compressed by the load when the operation coil spring is attached, and the switch portion is closed.
During operation, the operating spring is compressed more, but the pressing coil spring is separated from the insulating substrate and has a free length, so that the operating force becomes almost heavy.

Examples Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

First, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, an upper insulating substrate 15 having a fixed contact 14 is arranged under a case 20 having a large number of holes 25 which are sliding parts, and is made of synthetic resin having an opening 31. Through a spacer 18, at least a lower insulating substrate 17 having elasticity in which a movable contact 16 is provided at a position opposite to the fixed contact 14 is attached, and a coil spring 19 for pressing the lower insulating substrate 17 from below the case 20 is attached. The attached sliding body 21 is inserted into the case hole 25, and the operation coil spring 22 is fitted on the outer periphery of the sliding body 21 from above the case 20 with a button 23. In the initial state in which the button 23 is not operated, the pressing coil spring 19 is compressed by the load when the operating coil spring 22 is attached, and the switch portion is closed.
As shown, in the operated state, the lower insulating substrate 17
The pressing coil spring 19 is further separated, and the switch section is opened. When the operating force applied by the fingertip is released, the elasticity of the operating coil spring causes the button 23 to return.

Since the keyboard switch according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured as described above, when the button is operated, the operating force applied to the fingertip is only the compressive force of the operating coil spring, so that the operating force is lighter than the conventional example. be able to.

Further, FIG. 3 shows a capacitance type membrane switch portion which is a main part of a capacitance type keyboard switch according to another embodiment. Other than this membrane switch portion, the embodiment of FIG. Since it is the same as the above, the description will be omitted, and the membrane switch part is configured by providing the fixed contact 30 on the conductor part 24 on the insulating substrate 25 via the thin insulating film 27. Thus, in the initial state where the movable contact 28 is not operated, the movable contact 28 comes into contact with the fixed contact 30, and the electrostatic capacity becomes large. In the operated state, the movable contact 28 separates from the fixed contact 30 and the electrostatic capacity becomes small. .

That is, whether or not the button 23 is pushed up is converted into an electric signal by an electric circuit (not shown) provided in the keyboard switch main body as a change in the electrostatic capacitance, and is converted to an electronic device (not shown) such as a computer. Since it is transmitted, and there is no need for conduction between the movable contact 28 and the fixed contact 30, it is possible to provide a high-quality keyboard switch without being affected by dust and the like, which is a general electrostatic capacitance type keyboard. In addition to the features of the switch, the configuration of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 makes it possible to provide a capacitive keyboard switch with a lighter operating force.

It is desirable that the conductor portion 24 and the fixed contact 30 have the same size and be as large as possible so that a large capacitance can be obtained.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the operating force by simply changing the structure of the component parts without adding any parts, which is inexpensive and of great practical value. Is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a keyboard switch of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an operation of the keyboard switch, and FIG. 3 is an embodiment of the keyboard switch in a capacitance type. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a conventional keyboard switch. 1 ... Fixed contact, 2 ... Lower insulating substrate, 3 ... Spacer, 4 ... Movable contact, 5 ... Upper insulating substrate, 6 ... Frame, 7 ... Sliding body, 8 ... Coil spring for operation, 9 ......
Coil spring for pressing, 10 …… button, 11 …… substrate, 12 ……
Opening, 13 ... Main body, 14 ... Fixed contact, 15 ... Upper insulating substrate, 16 ... Moving contact, 17 ... Lower insulating substrate, 18 ... Spacer, 19 ... Coil spring for pressing, 20 ... Case ,twenty one……
Sliding body, 22 ... Coil spring for operation, 23 ... Button, 24 ...
… Conductor part, 25 …… Upper insulating substrate, 26 …… Spacer, 27…
… Insulating film, 28 …… Moving contact, 29 …… Lower insulating substrate, 30
...... Fixed contact, 31 ...... Open hole.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An insulating substrate having fixed contacts is arranged under a case having a large number of holes which are sliding parts, and at least faces the fixed contacts through a spacer made of synthetic resin having holes. The elastic insulating substrate with the movable contact is attached at the position where the sliding contact is attached from below the case to the circular compression coil spring for pressing the insulating substrate into the hole of the case. In this state, the circular compression coil spring for pressing the insulating substrate is compressed to completely close the switch part, and a circular compression coil spring for pushing the button upward is fitted on the outer circumference of the sliding body to operate. The keyboard switch in which the spring for pressing the insulating substrate is separated from the insulating substrate in the opened state, and the switch portion is completely opened. 2. The keyboard switch according to claim 1, wherein the switch portion is an electrostatic capacitance type switch portion in which fixed contacts are provided on the insulating substrate conductor portion through a thin insulating film.