JPH08124456A - Keyboard switch - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To obtain a keyboard switch that has a relatively low overall height and a relatively simple structure and can be manufactured at low cost. [Structure] The resin frame 5 is located on the surface of the membrane contact 2 laminated on the reinforcing plate 1, and the pressing projection 3a of the inverted cup-shaped click rubber 3 which is dropped into the opening 4 of the resin frame 5 is attached to the lower surface of the key top 6. In a keyboard switch in which a cylindrical boss 6a integrally formed on the key top 6 presses against the membrane contact 2, a pair of "U" -shaped link shafts 7A, 7 placed under the key top 6 in a substantially parallel relationship.
A keyboard switch in which the middle side portion 7a of B is rotatably supported, and the ends of both side portions 7b and 7c of the link shafts 7A and 7B are pivotally supported by the resin frame 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyboard switch used as a key input device for computers, word processors and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, in a keyboard of a notebook type OA device which is desired to be thin, a keyboard switch having a structure as shown in FIG. 4 is used. That is, a resin frame D for guiding a key top C resin-molded by a guide means (not shown) is laminated on the surface of the membrane contact B laminated on the reinforcing plate A such as a metal plate having high rigidity. The inverted cup-shaped click rubber E having the pressing protrusion e ₁ for making the membrane contact B is dropped into the opening F formed in the resin frame D.

Although a cylindrical boss c ₁ which is brought into contact with the top wall portion e ₂ of the click rubber E is integrally formed at the center of the lower surface of the key top C, in order to stabilize the pressing direction of the key top C, The resin frame D includes
A cylindrical guide d ₂ supported by the holding wall d ₁ is integrally formed, and the cylindrical guide d ₂ guides the cylindrical boss c ₁ in the downward direction.

However, in the conventional keyboard switch having such a structure, the attitude of the key top C, that is, the inclination of the key top C with respect to the keyboard is determined by the key top C.
Is determined by the length h ₁ of the cylindrical guide d ₂ into which the cylindrical boss c ₁ is fitted, and therefore, in order to stabilize the pressing direction of the key top C and prevent an abnormal tilt of the key top C, Since the length h ₁ of the cylindrical guide d ₂ is required, the total height H of the keyboard switch is increased due to this length h ₁ , and there is a limit to thinning the keyboard.

Therefore, conventionally, a keyboard switch having a low total height H as shown in FIG. 5 has been proposed. In other words, the keyboard switch shown in real Hei 5-79833 discloses the bottom of the key top C ₁ to operate the resin frame D ₁ and click rubber E ₁ located in Menpuren contact B ₁ on the reinforcement plate A ₁ the guide portion d _4, c ₃ provided, is supported the guide portion d _4, the intermediate portion of the four link G guided both ends to the supporting pins h of the guide plate H1 is c ₃ rotatably It has a different structure.

[0006]

Therefore, although the keyboard switch shown in FIG. 5 has an advantage that the total height H can be made lower than that of the keyboard switch shown in FIG. 4, the same structure can be assembled. Cumbersome, the use of the guide plate H ₁ increases the number of parts, and the manufacturing cost of the die becomes expensive. A first object of the present invention is to obtain a keyboard switch which has a low overall height, a relatively simple structure, and can be manufactured at low cost in view of the problem of the keyboard switch of the conventional thin keyboard as described above. A second object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard switch which can achieve the first object and which has a structure that is easy to assemble.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above-mentioned first object, the present invention is an inverted structure in which a resin frame is located on the surface of a membrane contact laminated on a reinforcing plate and is dropped into the opening of the resin frame. In a keyboard switch in which a pressing boss of a cup-shaped click rubber is pressed against the membrane contact with a cylindrical boss integrally formed on the lower surface of the keytop, a pair of "U" -shaped links placed in a substantially parallel relationship with the lower part of the keytop. The present invention proposes a keyboard switch in which the center side of a shaft is rotatably supported and the ends of both side sides of these link shafts are pivotally supported by the resin frame. Further, the second object is a keyboard switch capable of achieving the first object, wherein the support means at the middle side of the link shaft for the key top is a holding piece integrally formed on the lower surface of the key top. The pivoting means provided on the resin frame is achieved by a keyboard switch which is a hinge protrusion integrally formed on the surface of the resin frame.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. An opening 4 into which an inverted cup-shaped click rubber 3 made of elastically-resilient rubber can be dropped on the surface of a membrane contact 2 having a three-layer structure reinforced by a reinforcing plate 1 made of a rigid metal plate. The resin frames 5 on which are formed are stacked. That is, the click rubber 3 is provided with a pressing protrusion 3a on its top wall portion 3b that can make the above-mentioned membrane contact 2 by pressing, and the surface of the top wall portion 3b has the center of the lower surface of the resin-molded key top 6 described later in detail. The cylindrical boss 6a integrally formed with the portion is brought into contact.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, between the key top 6 and the resin frame 5 which are formed in a substantially quadrangular shape when viewed from above, the middle side portion 7a is located at the lower front side of the key top 6. Are connected by two "U" -shaped resin-molded link shafts 7A and 7B that are pivotally supported. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the link shafts 7A and 7B are arranged in a substantially parallel relationship with each other, and the link tops 7A and 7B of the key top 6 facing the left and right sides of the respective middle side portions 7a each having a circular cross section. A pair of holding pieces 8L, 8R, 9L, 9R for elastically supporting the respective middle side portions 7a are integrally formed on the lower portion on the near side toward the lower side.

Further, hinge shaft portions 7d facing outward in the left-right direction are integrally formed at the tips of both side portions 7b, 7c of the link shafts 7A, 7B extending rearward of the key top 6, respectively. Hinge protrusion 10L integrally formed on the surface of the resin frame 5 corresponding to the shaft portion 7d,
10R, 11L and 11R are projected. Therefore, the hinge shaft portion 7d of each link shaft 7A, 7B can be easily inserted into these hinge protrusions 10L, 10R, 11L, 11R by elastically deforming the side portions 7b, 7c.

In the illustrated embodiment, the case of the link shafts 7A and 7B having the same size is illustrated, but
It goes without saying that it is possible to change the movement locus of the key top 6 when the key top 6 is pushed down by changing the lengths of the side portions 7b and 7c of the link shafts 7A and 7B.

The keyboard switch according to the illustrated embodiment is
Because of the above structure, a plurality of link shafts 7A and 7B for guiding the key top 6 in the pushing direction are provided between the resin frame 5 and the key top 6, so that the overall height H is low and the keyboard switch is thin. Can be provided. That is, when the key top 6 is pushed down by the fingertip, the link shafts 7A and 7B rotate around the hinge shaft portions 7d as fulcrums, so that the key top 6 is pushed down to the state shown by the phantom line in FIG. It will be. In this case, the movement trajectory of the key top 6 is a descending movement while moving diagonally forward, so that the movement direction of the fingertip that pushes down the key top 6 substantially coincides with the movement direction, so that a comfortable feeling can be obtained. .

Further, the link shaft 7A of the illustrated embodiment,
The 7B can be mass-produced at an extremely low cost, and the keyboard switch can be assembled efficiently. That is, in assembling the keyboard switch, the hinge shaft portion 7d of each link shaft 7A, 7B is connected to the hinge protrusions 10L, 10R, 11L, 1 of the resin frame 5.
Assemble in 1R and attach the click rubber 3 to the resin frame 5. After that, when the key top 6 is strongly pressed from above the resin frame 5, the holding pieces 8L, 8R, 9L, 9R of the key top 6 are pushed open at the middle side portion 7a of the link shafts 7A, 7B, and these The side portion 7a is pivotally supported by the sandwiching pieces 8L, 8R, 9L, 9R. Therefore,
Next, when the key top 6 is released, the key top 6 returns to the state shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 due to the elastic restoring force of the click rubber 3, so that the key top 6 can be easily assembled.

In the above embodiment, the link shaft axially supported by the sandwiching piece is illustrated, but the center side of the link shaft may have a shaft hole type support structure.
The hinge protrusion may be an elongated hole formed in the resin frame.

[0015]

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, since the resin frame and the key top are connected by the link shaft, not only a thin keyboard having a low overall height can be provided, but also the structure thereof can be provided. It is possible to obtain an inexpensive structure that is simple and has a simple assembly process.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a keyboard switch of the present invention with a key top removed.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the keyboard switch taken along line 2-2 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the keyboard switch taken along line 3-3 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a conventional keyboard switch.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another conventional keyboard switch.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Reinforcement Plate 2 Memplen Contact 3 Click Rubber 3a Pressing Protrusion 3b Top Wall 4 Opening 5 Resin Frame 6 Key Top 6a Cylindrical Boss 7A, 7B Link Shaft 7a Middle Side 7b, 7c Side Side 8L, 8R, 9L, 9R Hold Piece 10L, 10R, 11L, 11R Hinge protrusion

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cylindrical boss in which a resin frame is positioned on the surface of a membrane contact laminated on a reinforcing plate, and a pressing protrusion of an inverted cup-shaped click rubber that is dropped into the opening of the resin frame is integrally formed on the lower surface of the key top. In the keyboard switch that presses against the membrane contact with,
A pair of "" placed in a substantially parallel relationship below the key top
A keyboard switch characterized in that the U-shaped link shafts are rotatably supported at their middle sides, and the ends of both side edges of these link shafts are pivotally supported by the resin frame. 2. The support means at the middle side of the link shaft for the key top is a sandwiching piece integrally formed on the lower surface of the key top, and the pivotal support means provided on the resin frame is
The keyboard switch according to claim 1, wherein the keyboard protrusion is a hinge protrusion integrally formed on the surface of the resin frame.