EP0398186A2 - Tastatureinheit - Google Patents

Tastatureinheit Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0398186A2
EP0398186A2 EP90108929A EP90108929A EP0398186A2 EP 0398186 A2 EP0398186 A2 EP 0398186A2 EP 90108929 A EP90108929 A EP 90108929A EP 90108929 A EP90108929 A EP 90108929A EP 0398186 A2 EP0398186 A2 EP 0398186A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
rubber
base plate
key
rubber seat
contacts
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP90108929A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0398186A3 (de
Inventor
Koichi C/O Omron Corporation Hyakutake
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Omron Corp
Original Assignee
Omron Corp
Omron Tateisi Electronics Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Omron Corp, Omron Tateisi Electronics Co filed Critical Omron Corp
Publication of EP0398186A2 publication Critical patent/EP0398186A2/de
Publication of EP0398186A3 publication Critical patent/EP0398186A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/70—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard
    • H01H13/702—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2207/00—Connections
    • H01H2207/022—Plug
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2215/00—Tactile feedback
    • H01H2215/004—Collapsible dome or bubble
    • H01H2215/008—Part of substrate or membrane
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2221/00—Actuators
    • H01H2221/002—Actuators integral with membrane
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2229/00—Manufacturing
    • H01H2229/024—Packing between substrate and membrane
    • H01H2229/032—Screw
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2229/00—Manufacturing
    • H01H2229/044—Injection moulding

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a keyboard unit used as a data inputting device in a peripheral system.
  • two types of conventional keyboard units have been utilized as an inputting device. Both types comprise a plurality of keys with a contact on the bottom side thereof for contacting two contacts on a base plate to complete a circuit and initiate a current flow indicating key depression. Additionally, each contact of both types is surrounded by a rubber seat.
  • the first type is comprised of keys made of two parts, wherein the bottom part is made of soft rubber while the top of the key is made of a hard rubber.
  • the second type of conventional keyboard unit is comprised of keys that are make entirely with soft rubber. Furthermore, this second type of key has a concave inner portion.
  • Both conventional types of keys have problems. First, both types are expensive to produce because numerous man hours are needed to assemble the rubber seats in proper positions. The first type has an additional cost resulting from forming each key in two steps, with the soft rubber portion on the bottom and the hard rubber portion on top. While the second type of key is formed in one step with soft rubber, performance is low because the soft rubber does not provide good tactile feedback informing an operator that a key has been depressed.
  • the object of the invention is to provide a keyboard unit that is less expensive to produce and provides a higher tactile feedback than conventional keyboard units.
  • the rubber seat according to this invention is made of soft rubber and, furthermore, is raised at each base contact area. Keys are formed by molding a hard rubber top onto the raised portions of the rubber seat, utilizing an injection process.
  • the keys are integrally formed in one step and, due to the hard, unforgiving top, provide sufficient tactile feedback for an operator.
  • a keyboard unit 1 has a base plate 5 , a rubber seat 6 , rubber keys 7 with a hard rubber material 8 on top, a lattice-shaped frame 9 , a cable 10 , a socket 11 with sockets pins 15 , and fixing studs 13 .
  • the base plate 5 has a plurality of screw assembly holes 2 , socket connection holes 3 , and cable terminal connection holes 4 for connecting a cable terminal 16 to the base plate 5 .
  • a printed wiring pattern is etched on the base plate 5 (not shown).
  • the rubber keys are integrally formed by the rubber seat 6 on the bottom and the hard rubber material 8 on top.
  • the lattice-shaped frame 9 is used to fix the hard rubber to the base plate 5 .
  • the cable 10 is necessary to connect the keyboard unit 1 to a main apparatus (not shown).
  • the socket pins 15 go through the socket connection holes 3 and the cable terminal 16 goes through the cable terminal connection holes 4 .
  • screws 14 for securing the rubber seat 6 .
  • screws 14 go through the holes 2 and fix the rubber seat 6 by projecting past U-shaped cut-out portions 12 of the rubber seat 6 and engaging with screw holes 24 on the bottom side of the lattice-shaped frame 9 .
  • the base plate 5 , the rubber seat 6 , and the lattice-shaped frame 9 are all connected by the screws 14 .
  • Fig. 3 shows the internal key 7 construction of this invention.
  • Base plate contacts 17 are located in designated positions on the upper side of the base plate 5 .
  • Over the base plate contacts 17 is a concave-shaped raised portion 6a of the rubber seat 6 .
  • Between the raised portion 6a and the upper side of base plate 5 is a space 18 that is surrounded by the rubber seat 6 .
  • a flat bottom portion 6b is located on the bottom of raised portion 6a and is parallel to the base plate 5 .
  • Located on the surface of the flat portion 6b is a key contact 19 .
  • an elastic portion 6c bends and the key contact 19 is downwardly displaced through space 18 and contacts the base plate contacts 17 .
  • the circuit is completed and electricity flows through the base plate contacts 17 to signal key depression and corresponding data is input into peripheral system.
  • preferred rubber for both the soft, rubber seat 6 portion and the hard, top portion 8 of the key is silicon rubber because silicon rubber has good heat resistance as it is chemically combined with a backbone chain of silicon and oxygen.

Landscapes

  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
  • Input From Keyboards Or The Like (AREA)
EP19900108929 1989-05-16 1990-05-11 Tastatureinheit Withdrawn EP0398186A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP56842/89U 1989-05-16
JP5684289U JPH02146725U (de) 1989-05-16 1989-05-16

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0398186A2 true EP0398186A2 (de) 1990-11-22
EP0398186A3 EP0398186A3 (de) 1991-08-28

Family

ID=13038660

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19900108929 Withdrawn EP0398186A3 (de) 1989-05-16 1990-05-11 Tastatureinheit

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0398186A3 (de)
JP (1) JPH02146725U (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0616344A1 (de) * 1993-03-16 1994-09-21 Preh-Werke GmbH & Co. KG Tastatur
FR2704353A1 (fr) * 1993-04-20 1994-10-28 Shinetsu Polymer Co Elément de couverture pour commutateurs à bouton poussoir.

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3108183A1 (de) * 1980-03-11 1982-02-04 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Verfahren zum herstellen von tastenschaltern
EP0086253A1 (de) * 1982-02-15 1983-08-24 Fuji Rubber Co. Ltd. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines Kontaktelementes aus Gummi
FR2602909A1 (fr) * 1986-08-14 1988-02-19 Schoeller & Co Elektrotech Procede pour la fabrication d'une disposition de contacteurs a touche et disposition de contacteurs a touche

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3108183A1 (de) * 1980-03-11 1982-02-04 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Verfahren zum herstellen von tastenschaltern
EP0086253A1 (de) * 1982-02-15 1983-08-24 Fuji Rubber Co. Ltd. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines Kontaktelementes aus Gummi
FR2602909A1 (fr) * 1986-08-14 1988-02-19 Schoeller & Co Elektrotech Procede pour la fabrication d'une disposition de contacteurs a touche et disposition de contacteurs a touche

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
IBM TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE BULLETIN. vol. 28, no. 7, December 1985, NEW YORK US pages 2948 - 2949; "LOW COST VERSATILE CONTROL PANEL" *

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0616344A1 (de) * 1993-03-16 1994-09-21 Preh-Werke GmbH & Co. KG Tastatur
US5494363A (en) * 1993-03-16 1996-02-27 Preh-Werke Gmbh Co. Kg Keyboard
FR2704353A1 (fr) * 1993-04-20 1994-10-28 Shinetsu Polymer Co Elément de couverture pour commutateurs à bouton poussoir.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH02146725U (de) 1990-12-13
EP0398186A3 (de) 1991-08-28

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