JPH08315682A - Switch unit with click feeling - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To make the switch unit with a click feeling with a large number of switches economical. [Structure] A tact switch 7 having a click feeling is mounted on a back plate (wiring board) 2b of the case, and a key top 3 for turning the tact switch on and off is held by the case 2. The membrane switch substrate 6 on which the plurality of membrane switches 6s are formed is attached to the front surface side of the key top 3. The pressing area on the key top surface is selectively pressed to turn on one of the corresponding membrane switches 6s, and the pressing is continued to turn on the tact switch 7 by the stroke of the key top 3. The key top 3 is rotatably held by the case 2 by a hinge connection. The side wall 3g 'of the key top 3 opposite to the hinge coupling portion HG is extended to serve as a pressing portion 3a for the tact switch. A terminal portion (connector) 5 for outputting ON / OFF information of the tact switch and the membrane switch to the outside is mounted on the back plate 2b.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a switch unit with a click feeling, and more particularly to an economical process when the number of switches is large.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Switch unit 1 with a conventional click feeling
As shown in FIG. 5, a large number of key tops 3 are attached to the front plate 2a of the case 2, and the tact switch 4 having a click feeling is attached to the inner surface of the rear plate 2b so as to face each of the key tops 3. It The key top 3 is a member having a substantially rectangular tube shape with one end closed, and a pressing portion 3a is projected from the inner surface of the key top 3, and the tact switch is pressed by the protruding end to turn on.
It is designed to be driven off.

A square through hole that engages with the key top 3 is formed in the surface plate 2a, and a frame portion 2d that engages with the peripheral wall of the key top 3 is formed at the periphery of the through hole. On the side surface of the key top, a retaining projection 3b that engages with a corner of the frame 2d is formed. The side plate 2c is integrally projecting rearward from the inner surface near the outer periphery of the surface plate 2a, and the back plate 2b is attached to the side plate 2c. The back plate 2b serves as a wiring board, and the connector 5 for external connection is mounted on the back surface thereof.

The contacts of each tact switch 4 are connected to the connector 5 through the wiring pattern of the back plate 2b.

[0005]

The conventional click-sensing switch unit 1 requires N key tops 3 and N tact switches 4, where N is the number of switches. The cost of the tact switch 4 and the key top 3 and the number of man-hours for assembling them will increase together with the increase of As a result, there is a drawback that the switch unit becomes extremely expensive when the number of switches N is large.

An object of the present invention is to solve these conventional problems and to provide an inexpensive click feeling switch unit in spite of the large number of switches.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

(1) The switch unit with a click feeling according to claim 1 includes a case, a tact switch attached in the case and having a click feeling, a key top which is held by the case, and drives the tact switch on and off. And a membrane switch substrate on which a plurality of membrane switches are formed and which is attached to the front surface side of the key top. The pressing area on the surface of the keytop is selectively pressed to turn on one of the corresponding membrane switches, and the pressing is continued to turn on the tact switch by the stroke of the keytop.

(2) In the invention of claim 2, in the above (1), the key top is rotatably held by the case by a hinge connection. (3) In the invention of claim 3, in (2), one side wall of the key top is hinged to the case, and the side wall opposite to the one side wall is extended to the side opposite to the surface of the key top, A pressing portion for pressing the tact switch is formed.

(4) In the invention of claim 4, in the above (3), a stopper protrusion for engaging with the case is formed on the side wall of the key top where the pressing portion is formed. (5) In the invention of claim 5, in the above (1), the terminal portion for outputting ON / OFF information of the tact switch and the membrane switch to the outside is attached to the case.

(6) In the invention of claim 6, in the above item (5), the terminal portion is formed of a connector. (7) In the invention of claim 7, in the above (5) or (6), each of the membrane switches and the tact switch has a set of make contacts, and one contact of each of the membrane switches is connected to each other. It is connected to one contact of the tact switch, and the other contact of the tact switch and the other contact of each membrane switch can be connected to an external circuit.

(8) In the invention of claim 8, in (5) or (6), the wiring flexible board is led out from the membrane switch board and connected to the terminal portion or the connector.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 by giving the same reference numerals to the portions corresponding to those in FIG. In this invention,
Instead of the conventional N tact switches 4 (FIG. 5), N
One membrane switch 6s and one tact switch 7
Is used. That is, the tact switch 7 is mounted on the inner surface of the back plate (also serving as a wiring board) 2b of the case 2 and drives the tact switch 7 on and off.
Are held in the case 2. Multiple membrane switches 6
The membrane switch substrate 6 having s formed thereon is attached to the front surface side of the key top 3.

The pressing area 3p on the surface of the keytop, which faces the plurality of membrane switches 6s, is selectively pressed to turn on one of the corresponding membrane switches 6s, and the pressing is continued and the keytop 3 is pressed. The tact switch 7 is turned on by the stroke (claim 1). The pressing forces Fm and F required to turn on the membrane switch 6s and the tact switch 7, respectively.
t is Fm <Ft.

As shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 4, the membrane switch substrate 6 on which a plurality of membrane switches 6s are formed has a pair of opposing flexible substrates 6a and 6b, as shown in cross section in FIG. It is laminated integrally with sandwiching. A pair of fixed contacts 6d and 6e are formed on the inner surface of the flexible substrate 6a by a conductor pattern,
A movable contact 6f is formed as a conductor pattern on the inner surface of the flexible substrate 6b so as to face the fixed contacts.

In the key top 3, a reinforcing plate 3c is fitted on the inner peripheral surface of a side wall 3g having an elongated frame shape or a cylindrical shape, and is fixed by a claw 3d. Membrane switch board 6 is key top 3
Surrounded by the side wall 3g of the
A flexible surface sheet 3e is attached thereon. The reinforcing plate 3c may be formed integrally with the side wall 3g.

In the example of FIG. 1, one end of the key top 3 is rotatably held on the case 2 by a hinge connection (claim 2). That is, as shown in an enlarged manner in FIG. 3, hinge portions 3f having a rotary shaft are integrally projected from both ends of a side wall 3g of the key top, and a cylindrical bearing integrally formed on the inner surface of the surface plate 2a of the case. It is rotatably engaged with the portion 2f. The hinge portion 3f and the bearing portion 2f form a hinge coupling portion HG.

The side wall 3g 'on the side opposite to the side wall 3g on which the hinge portion 3f of the key top 3 is formed is extended to the side opposite to the surface of the key top and serves as a pressing portion 3a for pressing the tact switch 7 ( Claim 3). On the outer surface of the side wall 3g 'where the pressing portion 3a is formed, for preventing the engagement with the corner of the frame portion (formed on the edge of the through hole that engages with the key top 3) 2d of the surface plate 2a of the case. The protrusion 3b is formed (claim 4).

The flexible substrate 6a constituting the membrane switch substrate 6 is extended in the longitudinal direction to form an FPC (flexible printed wiring board) 8 (related to claim 8). A wiring pattern connected to the fixed contacts 6d and 6e of each membrane switch 6s is formed on the inner surface of the FPC 8, and the connector 9a attached to the terminal of the FPC 8 is formed.
Connected to.

The back plate 2b of the case 2 is composed of a wiring board, and the inner surface of the back plate 2b is fitted with the connector 9a.
Will be implemented. However, the connector 9 (consisting of 9a and 9b) may be omitted, a connection land may be provided on the inner surface of the back plate 2b, and the wiring pattern of the terminal of the FPC 8 may be directly bonded (soldered) to the land. A terminal portion (connector in this example) 5 for external connection is mounted on the back surface of the back plate 2b. The wiring pattern of the FPC 8 is connected to the corresponding wiring pattern (including a through hole in a part) of the back plate 2b via the connector 9 if necessary, and further connected to the terminal portion (or connector) 5 via the wiring pattern. (Claim 8).

The terminals of the tact switch 7 are also the back plate 2b.
It is connected to the connector 5 through the wiring pattern. In this way, ON / OFF information of the tact switch 7 and the membrane switch 6s is output to the outside through the terminal portion (connector) 5 (claims 5 and 6). As shown in FIG. 4, each of the membrane switches 6s and the tact switch 7 has a set of make contacts, and one contact of each membrane switch is connected to each other and connected to one contact of the tact switch 7. The other contact of the tact switch 7 and the other contact of each membrane switch 6s are connected to the terminal portion (or connector) 5 (claim 7).

In the above description, the hinge joint portions HG, which are the hinge portions 3f of the key top 3 and the bearing portions 2f to be fitted with the hinge portions, are provided at both ends of the key top, but the side walls are not limited to the both ends. You may provide in several places along 3g. Further, although the hinge coupling portion HG is constituted by the hinge portion (including the rotating shaft) 3f and the bearing portion 2f, the invention is not limited to this, and it is a flexible plate-like connecting piece made of synthetic resin, and the connecting piece is a key. The top 2 and the surface plate 2a may be fused. Alternatively, the connecting piece may be integrally led out from either the key top 3 or the surface plate 2a.

[0022]

According to the present invention, N membrane switches 6s and one tact switch 7 are used instead of the conventional N tact switches. The N membrane switches 6s are formed on one laminated membrane switch substrate 6, and the contacts of each switch are simultaneously formed on the common flexible substrate as a conductor pattern. Therefore, even if the number N of switches increases, It does not increase the cost so much. Therefore, the membrane switch substrate 6 has N switches
It can be obtained at a low price despite the fact that there are many. Also, one relatively expensive tact switch 7 is sufficient regardless of N. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an inexpensive switch unit with a click sensation despite the large number of switches N.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line bb 'of FIG. 2A, when A is not pressing the key top, B is selectively pressing an arbitrary pressing area of the key top and the corresponding membrane switch 6s (contacts A and B). , C) and tact switch 7 are turned on.

FIG. 2A is a front view of the switch unit with a click feeling 1 according to the present invention, and B is a sectional view taken along the line aa ′ of A.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the right end portion of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of the switch unit 1 of FIG.

FIG. 5A is a front view of a conventional switch unit with a click feeling, and B is a sectional view taken along the line aa ′ of A.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A case, a tact switch mounted in the case and having a click feeling, a key top held in the case for driving the tact switch on and off, and mounted on the surface side of the key top. And a membrane switch substrate on which a plurality of membrane switches are formed, selectively pressing the pressing area of the key top surface to turn on one of the corresponding membrane switches, and still continue the pressing. The tactile switch is turned on by the stroke of the key top. 2. The switch unit with a click feeling according to claim 1, wherein the key top is rotatably held by the case by a hinge connection. 3. The key top according to claim 2, wherein one side wall of the key top is hinged to the case, and a side wall opposite to the one side wall is extended to a side opposite to a surface of the key top.
A switch unit with a click feeling, characterized in that a pressing portion for pressing the tact switch is formed. 4. The click feeling switch unit according to claim 3, wherein a side wall of the key top on which the pressing portion is formed is formed with a retaining projection that engages with the case. 5. The switch unit with a click feeling according to claim 1, wherein a terminal portion for outputting ON / OFF information of the tact switch and the membrane switch to the outside is attached to the case. 6. The switch unit with a click feeling according to claim 5, wherein the terminal portion is formed of a connector. 7. The contact according to claim 5, wherein each of the membrane switch and the tact switch has a pair of make contacts, and one contact of each membrane switch is connected to each other. A switch unit with a click feeling characterized in that the other contact of the tact switch and the other contact of each of the membrane switches are connectable to an external circuit. 8. The flexible board for wiring (FP) according to claim 5 or 6, further comprising:
A switch unit with a click feeling, wherein C) is led out and connected to the terminal portion or the connector.