EP0693762A1 - Membrantastatur - Google Patents

Membrantastatur Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0693762A1
EP0693762A1 EP95201896A EP95201896A EP0693762A1 EP 0693762 A1 EP0693762 A1 EP 0693762A1 EP 95201896 A EP95201896 A EP 95201896A EP 95201896 A EP95201896 A EP 95201896A EP 0693762 A1 EP0693762 A1 EP 0693762A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
membrane
keyboard according
membrane keyboard
contact
pressure contact
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP95201896A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0693762B1 (de
Inventor
Luc Cyriel August Demets
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.)
VELLEMAN-SWITCH NV
Original Assignee
VELLEMAN-SWITCH NV
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 VELLEMAN-SWITCH NV filed Critical VELLEMAN-SWITCH NV
Publication of EP0693762A1 publication Critical patent/EP0693762A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0693762B1 publication Critical patent/EP0693762B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime 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
    • H01H13/78—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 characterised by the contacts or the contact sites
    • H01H13/80—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 characterised by the contacts or the contact sites characterised by the manner of cooperation of the contacts, e.g. with both contacts movable or with bounceless contacts
    • 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
    • H01H2201/00—Contacts
    • H01H2201/008—Both contacts movable
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2209/00—Layers
    • H01H2209/068—Properties of the membrane
    • H01H2209/07—Properties of the membrane metallic
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2215/00—Tactile feedback
    • H01H2215/004—Collapsible dome or bubble
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2221/00—Actuators
    • H01H2221/05—Force concentrator; Actuating dimple
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2221/00—Actuators
    • H01H2221/064—Limitation of actuating pressure
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2229/00—Manufacturing
    • H01H2229/024—Packing between substrate and membrane
    • H01H2229/028—Adhesive
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2239/00—Miscellaneous
    • H01H2239/038—Anti-vandalism

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns a membrane keyboard.
  • the front layer of standard membrane keyboards consists of a layer of polyester or polycarbonate of a few hundred micrometres, which can be easily damaged by scratching it with a knife, by perforating it with sharp objects or by melting it by bringing a lighter or such close by.
  • the underlying electronics can also be damaged or influenced.
  • the invention aims to offer a membrane keyboard which is less vulnerable and to a high degree resistant to vandalism, but which still offers the advantages of a conventional membrane keyboard, such as long life, good dust and waterproofness, low cost price, simple construction and possibly, when the keys are being pressed on, producing a click effect.
  • the invention consists of a membrane keyboard which contains at least one key contact which consists of the combination of a membrane pressure contact and a protection provided before the front side of the membrane pressure contact by means of which the membrane pressure contact can be excited.
  • the invention concerns a membrane keyboard 1, characterized in that it contains at least one key contact 2 which consists of the combination of a membrane pressure contact 3 and a protection 5 provided before the front side 4 of the membrane pressure contact 3 by means of which the membrane pressure contact 3 can be excited.
  • the protection 5 is hereby preferably integrated in the membrane keyboard 1.
  • the protection 5 to this end mainly consists of a push button 7 provided in a seat 6.
  • the whole is preferably built such that the push button 7 is pressed on in the seat 6 by the membrane 8 of the membrane pressure contact 3, preferably only with a very light force.
  • the push button 7 consists of a rigid element, which is preferably also solid.
  • the above-mentioned protection 5 is preferably integrated in a cover plate 9 and/or is also formed of this cover plate 9.
  • the above-mentioned seat 6 for the respective push buttons 7 is hereby each time formed of a recess 10 in the back side 11 of the cover plate 9 and a smaller, continuing opening 12 leading to this recess 10, such that the cover plate 9 has shoulders 13, whereas the push button 7 consists at least of a knob-shaped body 14 which fits through the continuing opening 12 of the cover plate 9 and which is provided with shoulders 15 which fit in the above-mentioned recess 10 and which make contact with the shoulders 13 of the cover plate 9.
  • the push button 7 and the cover plate 9 are represented separately in the figures 3-5, 6-7 respectively.
  • both the membrane pressure contact 3 and the protection 5 consist of a structure of layers, so that a simple, cost-saving construction is possible.
  • the membrane pressure contact 3 can have different shapes, but preferably, use will be made of a membrane pressure contact 3 which contains a membrane 8, as represented in figure 2, which is provided on a spacer sleeve 16 which is provided with openings 17.
  • membranes 8 which consist of a tapered recess 18 along their edges and a segment of a sphere 19 which is suspended in between, directed with its round side towards the push button 7.
  • the protection 5 preferably contains an actuator part 20 which consists of a protrusion which makes contact with the membrane 8 at least when being pushed in and whose perimeter is situated inside the perimeter of the opening 17 concerned in the spacer sleeve 16.
  • this is a round protrusion as represented in figure 5.
  • the actuator part 20 contains an excavation 22 on the side 21 which is directed towards the membrane 8 of the membrane pressure contact 3 which is situated centrally before the membrane 8, which preferably consists of spherical recess.
  • the bend of the spherical recess is preferably stronger than that of the segment 19, so that a ring-shaped contact is obtained.
  • This excavation 22 aims to provide for the preservation of a good click effect and to make the positioning between the membrane 8 and the push button 7 less critical.
  • buttons 7 can also be provided which prevent the push buttons 7 from turning, which is particularly important when inscriptions are provided on the push buttons 7.
  • these means consist of the forms of the push button 7 concerned which fit together and the corresponding seat 6, such that turning is made impossible.
  • the knob-shaped body 14 and the opening 12 are square to this end.
  • the part of the protection which can be pushed in, in this case the push button 7, will preferably have an end limitation so as to prevent that the membrane 8 and the underlying structures are damaged when a large force is exerted on the push button 7 concerned, for example when it is hit at with a hammer or any other object.
  • this end limitation consists of shoulders, in this case the already mentioned shoulders 15, at the part which can be pushed in, i.e. at the push button 7, which extend further sideways than the edge 23 of the above-mentioned opening 12.
  • the membrane pressure contact 3 usually contains at least two contact parts, namely a basic contact part 24 with contacts 25 on the one hand, and the membrane 8 which is provided with contacts 26 on the other hand.
  • the membrane keyboard 1 hereby contains means which make it possible to push both contact parts through, whereby these means consist in that both contact parts, i.e. the basic contact part 24 and the membrane 8, are suspended elastically. Moreover, they are preferably suspended in a floating way as is shown in figure 2.
  • the basic contact part 24 is provided on a thick layer of glue 27 in which is provided a recess 28 at the height of each membrane 8.
  • the thick layer of glue 27, as well as the recesses 28 therein are advantageous in that the construction is less critical and in that material compressions in the keyboard can be absorbed.
  • the height of the actuator part 20 is preferably somewhat greater than the thickness of the spacer sleeve 16. In the embodiment shown, this height must be smaller, however, than the thickness of the spacer sleeve 16, increased with the thickness of the layer of glue 27.
  • the membrane keyboard 1 is preferably composed of, in successive order, a support layer 19, a basic contact part 24 formed of a synthetic layer upon which are provided electric contacts 25, a spacer sleeve 16 formed of a plate with openings 17, a second contact part formed of a synthetic layer which also functions as a membrane 8 and a cover plate 9 with seats 6 in which are held push buttons 7 between this front layer 9 and the membrane 8, whereby the different layers and plates are glued together by means of glue layers 27, 30, 31 and 32 or such.
  • the invention also concerns a membrane key board 1 which contains several membrane pressure contacts 3, provided with protections 5, which are integrated in one and the same structure of layers, as is the case in the figures.
  • the cover plate 9 and/or the push buttons 7 are preferably made of solid material. Aluminium is preferable, but other materials such as for example plastic are not excluded.
  • the knob-shaped body 14 in other words the knob shaft, has such a height that, when the push button 7 is entirely pushed in, its top side cannot go lower than the bottom side of the shoulders 13.
  • the cover plate can be provided with a collar 33 which partly or entirely surrounds the underlying structure.

Landscapes

  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
EP19950201896 1994-07-18 1995-07-11 Membrantastatur Expired - Lifetime EP0693762B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
BE9400679A BE1006720A6 (nl) 1994-07-18 1994-07-18 Membraantoetsenbord
BE9400679 1994-07-18

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0693762A1 true EP0693762A1 (de) 1996-01-24
EP0693762B1 EP0693762B1 (de) 1999-09-29

Family

ID=3888265

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19950201896 Expired - Lifetime EP0693762B1 (de) 1994-07-18 1995-07-11 Membrantastatur

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0693762B1 (de)
BE (1) BE1006720A6 (de)
DE (1) DE69512478T2 (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2301482B (en) * 1995-05-27 1999-09-22 Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd A key assembly
WO2000074093A1 (en) * 1999-05-31 2000-12-07 Kone Corporation Adhesive elevator keypad
US6748869B1 (en) * 1998-12-16 2004-06-15 Delegation Generale Pour L'armement Batiment La Rotonde Device for firing a primer

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN108263662B (zh) * 2017-12-29 2023-09-01 深圳市康成泰实业有限公司 贴膜设备

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1399252A (en) * 1971-05-19 1975-07-02 Post Office Electrical signal initiating keyboards
US4194105A (en) * 1977-01-13 1980-03-18 Itt Industries, Inc. Switches
DE3006592A1 (de) * 1980-02-22 1981-08-27 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-Gmbh, 6000 Frankfurt Tastschalter
EP0064615A2 (de) * 1981-05-07 1982-11-17 International Standard Electric Corporation Fernsprechgerät mit Wähltastensatz
EP0100875A2 (de) * 1982-08-06 1984-02-22 PREH, Elektrofeinmechanische Werke Jakob Preh Nachf. GmbH & Co. Kontaktanordnung
DE9205228U1 (de) * 1992-04-15 1992-09-03 Buch Elektronik Gmbh, 3257 Springe, De

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1399252A (en) * 1971-05-19 1975-07-02 Post Office Electrical signal initiating keyboards
US4194105A (en) * 1977-01-13 1980-03-18 Itt Industries, Inc. Switches
DE3006592A1 (de) * 1980-02-22 1981-08-27 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-Gmbh, 6000 Frankfurt Tastschalter
EP0064615A2 (de) * 1981-05-07 1982-11-17 International Standard Electric Corporation Fernsprechgerät mit Wähltastensatz
EP0100875A2 (de) * 1982-08-06 1984-02-22 PREH, Elektrofeinmechanische Werke Jakob Preh Nachf. GmbH & Co. Kontaktanordnung
DE9205228U1 (de) * 1992-04-15 1992-09-03 Buch Elektronik Gmbh, 3257 Springe, De

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2301482B (en) * 1995-05-27 1999-09-22 Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd A key assembly
US6748869B1 (en) * 1998-12-16 2004-06-15 Delegation Generale Pour L'armement Batiment La Rotonde Device for firing a primer
WO2000074093A1 (en) * 1999-05-31 2000-12-07 Kone Corporation Adhesive elevator keypad

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69512478T2 (de) 2000-05-04
EP0693762B1 (de) 1999-09-29
BE1006720A6 (nl) 1994-11-22
DE69512478D1 (de) 1999-11-04

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