DE102005017254A1 - Key arrangement for e.g. electronic device, has face plate encompassing key cap and guiding units formed on side walls of cap and at edge regions of face plate, where distances between side surfaces of cap and face plate are smaller - Google Patents

Abstract

The arrangement has a key with a key cap (2), which forms circular edge region that lies on a surface of a movable key part. A key face plate (4) encompasses the key cap. The distances between side surfaces of the key cap and side surfaces of the face plate are smaller with non-actuated key than with actuated key. Six guiding units (11) are formed on side walls of the cap and at edge regions of the face plate.

Description

The The present invention relates to a key arrangement for an electrical or electronic device in a motor vehicle, with at least one button holding a keycap and a movable key portion disposed adjacent to the keycap and a key panel comprising the keycap.

Generally becomes one as possible small gap between the apertures and the keys arranged therein aspired. In a fixed arrangement of multiple buttons in a bezel is due to a small gap size unavoidable manufacturing tolerances not readily adhered to. Therefore, at an arrangement of several keys in a housing each key individually in the associated aperture be centered, which requires a considerable effort.

From the not previously published German patent application DE 10 2004 032 254 is a key switch for a motor vehicle, in the key cap and movable key part connecting ribs, for example made of a deformable plastic. Each key cap has on the circumference a circumferential centering rib or a plurality of centering ribs, which bear against the diaphragm opening during assembly and center the key cap within the diaphragm opening. These centering ribs are arranged so that they no longer touch the panel after assembly and thus the keycaps can be operated freely. The key cap is clipped onto a movable switch part, preferably a reflector, which is guided linearly in the housing. The keycap is horizontally freely positionable with respect to the reflector during assembly and is not centered over the reflector. When Verklipsen keycap and reflector 90 ° offset from each other connecting ribs are deformed and interlocked, so that the key cap occupies an immovable position relative to the reflector after Verklipsen.

at this known key switch, the key cap thus centered on the integrally formed centering ribs and is only then on the connecting ribs connected to the movable button part. Due to the centering ribs and the connecting rib still has the keycap one relatively complex construction. Furthermore is a not negligible Assembly effort to assemble the connecting ribs on each keycap and each movable Button part required.

It Therefore, the task was a key arrangement with push buttons to create, which is structurally simpler and with a requires less installation effort. In addition, the individual should Keys the key arrangement be particularly simple and inexpensive to run.

These Task is inventively characterized solved, that the Button cap floating on the moving button part rests.

The Button arrangement according to the invention needed so that neither a special design for centering the keycaps in the apertures, still means for form-fitting Connecting the keycaps with the movable key parts, there the keycap free floating, so mechanically unconnected or only frictionally coupled rests on the movable switch part.

Of course, in In another embodiment certainly also acting means provided for centering the key caps within the aperture be, for example, by webs, which are integrally formed on the key cap or by a special shape of the key cap.

Essential but that is not Means for making a firm connection between the keycap and the movable switch part and also no related Assembly steps are needed.

Especially advantageous embodiments and further developments of the key arrangement according to the invention are in the dependent claims described.

So the movable key part can advantageously have an actuating direction the key linearly guided Form reflector or plunger.

On the movable key part, the key cap is advantageously flat on. Is the keycap how frequent implemented by a hollow plastic body with an open surface, so It is advantageous if the entire peripheral edge area this open area supported on the movable button part.

The Button cap can also by their basic shape or by molded Guide means such be educated that they every time a button is pressed again inside the aperture centered.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing and will be in the following hand of the drawing explained in more detail.

It demonstrate

1 a plan view of a arranged within a key panel key cap;

2 a sectional drawing through the key panel (representation without key cap);

3 a side view of the key cap;

4 a sectional view of the button assembly with un-actuated button;

5 a sectional view of the button arrangement with the button pressed.

The 1 shows a plan view of a key arrangement according to the invention. Recognizable is a keycap ( 2 ), which comes from a key panel ( 4 ) is included. The surface of the keycap ( 2 ) is designed to be partially translucent in its central region, resulting in a transilluminable symbol representation ( 9 ). To the side walls of the keycap ( 2 ) and the edge areas of the key panel ( 4 ) are a total of six pairs of co-acting guides ( 11 ), which, as shown more clearly in the following figures, a precise centering of the key cap ( 2 ) within the recess of the key panel ( 4 ). The illustrated button arrangement with only one button can of course also represent a section of a larger button arrangement, which has a plurality of buttons and possibly a plurality of key panels.

In the 2 is a section through the keyboard bezel ( 4 ), but without the in the 1 drawn keycap. The edge area of the key panel parallel to the drawing plane ( 4 ) has two substantially rectangular guide means, which serve as raised molded guide ribs ( 5 ) are formed.

For centering the keycap within the recess ( 12 ) the key panel ( 4 ) the guide ribs ( 5 ) the key panel ( 4 ) with further guide ribs ( 6 ), which at the associated side surface of the key cap ( 2 ) are formed. This clarifies the 3 which a key cap ( 2 ) as a single part in a side view.

The elevation of the guide ribs ( 6 ) over the side surface of the keycap ( 2 ) decreases continuously towards the actuating surface of the key cap ( 2 ). As a result, the distance between the guide ribs ( 5 . 6 ) on the keycap ( 2 ) and the key panel ( 4 ) at an unactuated key minimal. Due to the freely floating arrangement of the key cap ( 2 ) on a movable key part, shown in the 4 and 5 , the button cap is optimally centered in the aperture when the button is not pressed.

When a button operation, the distance between the respective cooperating guide ribs increases ( 5 . 6 ) such that no friction takes place and thus an influence of the guide ribs ( 5 . 6 ) is avoided on the Betätigungshaptik. When you release the button, it centers the button cap ( 2 ) again on the decreasing distance of the guide ribs ( 5 . 6 ) on keycap ( 2 ) and key panel ( 4 ).

The structure of a fully assembled key arrangement is represented by the sectional views of 4 and 5 clearly, the 4 a key arrangement with an unactuated key and the 5 shows a key arrangement with an actuated key. On the presentation of other belonging to the button assembly components, in particular of electrical switching elements that do not contribute to the design of the invention was omitted for the sake of clarity.

The keycap ( 2 ) is floating, so without a positive connection, on a collar-shaped edge portion ( 10 ) of the reflector ( 3 ), which is linear in the direction of actuation of the button ( 1 ) in a housing part ( 8th ) is guided. Due to the flat support on the reflector ( 3 ) is a tilt-free, vertical positioning of the key cap ( 2 ) guaranteed; the keycap ( 2 ) but is also in the installed state with respect to the reflector ( 3 ) horizontally freely movable.

In the unactivated key position, which the 4 shows, holds the force of a spring, which may be part of an unillustrated switching element (micro switch, keypad o. Ä.), The reflector ( 3 ) and the keycap ( 2 ) in the illustrated rest position. The edge section ( 10 ) of the reflector ( 3 ) presses the button cap ( 2 ) above, up to the key cap ( 2 ) molded end stops ( 7a ) at the bottom of the key panel ( 4 ) come to the plant. In this position, the keycap ( 2 ) optimally by the above-described guide ribs within the recess of the key panel ( 4 centered). As a result, the button cap ( 2 ) no longer move and the gap is circumferentially constant.

When a button is pressed in the 5 is shown, the keycap ( 2 ) as well as the reflector ( 3 ) in the direction of the housing part ( 8th ver postponed. The reflector ( 3 ) has at least one molded end stop ( 7b ), which when pressed on the key cap ( 2 ) on the housing part ( 8th ) comes to rest and so the movement of the reflector ( 3 ) in the direction of actuation of the button ( 1 ) limited.

Through the end stops ( 7a . 7b ), on the one hand to the key cap ( 2 ) and on the other hand to the reflector ( 3 ) are formed, it is ensured that both in the actuated and in the unactuated state, the key cap ( 2 ) against the reflector ( 3 ) is pressed. This effectively prevents rattling.

Due to the floating arrangement of the keycap ( 2 ) on the reflector ( 3 ) and the enlarged in the actuated key position distance of the guide means relative to each other, is a horizontal displacement of the key cap ( 2 ) relative to the reflector ( 3 possible); but since the keycap ( 2 ) by the vertically acting actuating force on the edge portion ( 10 ) of the reflector ( 3 ) is the actually occurring horizontal displacement of the key cap ( 2 ) generally only small. Moreover, with each release of the button ( 1 ) the keycap ( 2 ) within the recess of the key panel ( 4 ) new centered.

As the 4 and 5 suggest, it is possible in principle, a centering of the key cap ( 2 ) within the recess of the key panel ( 4 ) also be achieved solely by the fact that the side surfaces of the key cap ( 2 ) and the edge areas of the key panel ( 4 ) form non-parallel arranged surfaces whose distance is less when un-actuated key, as in an actuated button, which is for example by a key cap ( 2 ) can be achieved with a variable cross-sectional area along the direction of actuation.

Advantageous is however a centering over molded guide ribs or guide surfaces, there in this case with a key press occurring friction forces are much lower.

1

button

2

keycap

3

portable Button part (reflector)

4

flip cover

5.6

guide ribs

7a, 7b

end stops

8th

housing part

9

icon view

10

edge section

11

guide means

12

recess

Claims (11)

Button arrangement for an electrical or electronic device in a motor vehicle, with at least one button ( 1 ), which has a keycap ( 2 ) and one of the keycap ( 2 ) adjacent arranged movable key part ( 3 ), and with a key panel ( 4 ), the keycap ( 2 ), characterized in that the keycap ( 2 ) floating on the moving button part ( 3 ) rests. Button arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the movable button part ( 3 ) in the direction of actuation of the button ( 1 ) is linearly guided. Button arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the movable button part ( 3 ) forms a reflector. Button arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized that this movable button part forms a plunger. Button arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized in that the button cap ( 2 ) flat on the moving button part ( 3 ) rests. Button arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the key cap ( 2 ) forms a hollow body with a peripheral edge region and that the entire edge region on a surface of the movable key part ( 3 ) rests. Button arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that at least in sections the distances between the side surfaces of the key cap ( 2 ) and the side surfaces of the key cap ( 2 ) facing edge regions of the key panel ( 4 ) are lower when the button is pressed than when the button is pressed. Button arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that on the side walls of the button cap ( 2 ) and / or to the edge areas of the key panel ( 4 ) non-parallel to the direction of actuation extending guide ribs ( 5 . 6 ) or guide surfaces are formed. Button arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the side surfaces of the button cap ( 2 ) and the side surfaces of the key cap ( 2 ) facing edge portions of the key panel ( 4 ) at least partially form non-parallel surfaces. Button arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that on the key cap ( 2 ) End stops ( 7a ) are formed in the unactuated position of the button ( 1 ) on the keypad ( 4 ) to able to come. Button arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the movable button part ( 3 ) End stops ( 7b ) are formed, which in the actuated position of the button ( 1 ) on a housing part ( 8th ) come to the plant.