FI118446B - Illuminating key and method of making it - Google Patents

Description

118446

Illuminating key and method of making it

Divided by application 972115

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an illuminating key according to the preamble of claim 1, which is used in various portable communication devices such as mobile and car telephones, and in various terminals such as electronic memos and the like to display the keys of such device at night 10 and in low light.

Description of the Related Art

A prior art illuminating key is described in EP 0 593 804 A1. This publication discloses an illuminating key comprising a key top and a key operating member made of a transparent rubber or thermoplastic elastomer. The upper surface of the keypad actuator is attached to the actuator actuator with a transparent adhesive.

In the prior art, this type of illuminating key is made by forming a printed pattern layer, such as a letter, etc., on the underside of the upper part of the translucent resin key and then • attaching a silicone rubber key member to the printed, • · ·; good bonding properties:: * det.

• · · • ;; j Further, since the prior art illuminating key is not: ···: not designed to allow the size and weight of the keyboard unit to be reduced when manufacturing thin • key tops, the market needs of ultra-lightweight keys are not met.

In addition, if a printed pattern layer, such as a letter or the like, is formed on the surface of the top of the key, the letter will be engraved. laser beam, which makes the manufacture of such prior art keyboards expensive.

In addition, since the printed pattern layer (letter) is formed on the underside of the upper part of a key made of light-transmitting resin, the printed pattern (letter) on the illuminating key described above is difficult to see if. : The upper surface of the key is curved.

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In addition, when designing a lightweight key, it is difficult to glue the top of the key and the operating part of the key well enough.

Summary of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the problems of the prior art described above and to provide an illuminating key having a printed pattern (letter) that can be reliably identified, even if the top of the key is bevelled or curved, and sensitivity and rubbery elasticity, the key top is made of a rigid resin and a reliably strong bond is formed between the key actuator member and the top of the button pad.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an illuminating key that provides a reliable ON / OFF control of each illuminating key while allowing the weight of the upper part of the key to be reduced without compromising the strength of the connection between the upper part of the key and the operating part of the key.

The objectives set are achieved by a key according to the invention, which is characterized in what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 1.

The illuminating key 20 of the present invention may be provided with a light reflecting layer having all surfaces white in color · · * · or the like except for the key M 1 of light transmitting resin. »; V. and forms a printed pattern layer (letter) on the upper surface of such a reflecting surface. In this case, the 'V.' of the top and the side of the top of the key. ' the surfaces are covered with a light-impermeable layer, except for the printed one. ”f 25 patterned portions (letters) such that the top and sides of the light-impermeable layer are covered with a transparent protective layer. As above, the lower surface of the top of the * ··· * key is glued to the upper surface of the key drive part made of light-transmitting silicone rubber.

* ·; ** · In addition, the illuminating key of the present invention can use a thin, white, or similar resin .A top of the key and form a printed pattern (letter) on the surface of the key top except the bottom. As above, the lower surface of the key top is glued to the top of the key driving member made of a light-transmitting silicone rubber or thermoplastic elastomer.

35 illustrative of the invention, the transparent resin key formed on the key top bottom-center portion of the operating arm 3 118 446 can be installed and bonded to the transparent rubber or thermoplastic elastomer key on the operating portion, the key top and below a cavity is formed to thin the key top.

The transparent resin key top formed with the drive shaft 5 may be formed of a hard foamable resin such as polyurethane foam or the like.

The lower portion of the actuator upper part of the transparent resin key can be mounted on a concave portion 10 formed in the central upper surface portion of the transparent rubber or thermoplastic elastomer key actuator, the mounting part being glued with a transparent adhesive.

Further, the illuminating key of the invention may have a protruding portion in a central upper surface portion of a transparent rubber or thermoplastic elastomer key actuator member, and further include a mounting hole where the actuating arm of the transparent resin 15 key member is mounted with the transparent adhesive member.

List of figures

Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-section of an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention: *.

Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

! · · ·. Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

• · ·

Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6a is a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention: ***.

Fig. 6b is a schematic cross-section of the present invention. *. *. from another embodiment.

• ·. ···. Fig. 7a is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

• »

Figure 7b is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

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Figure 8a is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 8b is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 9a is a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 9b is a schematic cross-section of another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a schematic cross-section of another embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

The preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail.

As shown in the figures, the illuminating key 1 has a drive-15 member 1a and a support member 1b attached to the drive member 1a, formed in one piece from silicone rubber, other transparent rubber or thermoplastic elastomer such as vinyl chloride-based elastomer, polyolefin-based elastomer, ethylene vinyl acetate elastomer, chlorinate polyethylene elastomer 20, polyurethane rubber or the like. By forming the key 1 of a rubber or thermoplastic elastomer, it is possible to utilize the rubber-like properties of providing a key sensitivity and a high sensitivity to use. *. sex with operating part 1a.

In addition, according to Fig. 1, drive member 1a is formed from a thin skirt portion 25c which rises upwardly obliquely from the lower portion of the side surface of support portion 1b, and is supported by an upper portion 1d of the button top, ·· * drive member 1a may be formed as a portion projecting from skirt portion 1c toward its upper inclined portion, or as shown in Figure 2 such that there is no **: * ·· that skirt portion and tab key supporting portion 1d extends horizontally in the direction of the thick side surface of the support member 1b. In this context, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to these structures, and is · · · s · '.' it is possible to use any other structure as long as the upper part 2 of the key can be supported. If the skirt part 1c is used, this skirt part 1c will get a click.

The guide member 1a is further positioned above the substrate (not shown in the figures) at a position corresponding to a fixed junction point on the substrate, and a rubber snap structure is provided by forming an electrically conductive contact member below the drive member 1a or metal clicker structure is provided by the metal dome switch.

The key top part 2 made of a thermoplastic resin such as ABS plastic, polycarbonate, acrylic resin or the like is fixedly fixed to the key top support member 1d by transparent adhesive 3. In this connection, the top surface of the key top 2 may have any shape such as curved and oblique . Further, the lower part of the key top part 2 may be formed to include an edge part 2a as shown in Figure 10 3, or the lower part of the key top part 2 may be formed without such an edge part. In order to allow light to pass through the key top part 2, the key top part 2 is generally made of a transparent or translucent material having a thickness of about 1 mm (i.e., 0.8 mm to 1.5 mm), and white material having an intensity of light can be used. a certain intensity-15 through its light. If the upper part 2 of the key is formed of such semi-transparent white material, the semi-transparent light reflecting film 4a described below is not required.

A transparent adhesive 3 attaches to a key 1 made of a silicone rubber material, or made of a thermoplastic resin, such as a thermoplastic resin such as ABS plastic, polycarbonate, acrylic-20 resin or the like. thermoplastic elastomer and formed from a drive member 1a and a support member 1b. In this context, the adhesive 3 can be anything like this, which is an adhesive for attaching two different materials to each other; can be used .. * · * for example silicone type transparent adhesives in the case of silicone rubber.

A further printed pattern layer 4 (letter) is formed on the surface of the key: except the lower surface.

The semi-transparent light-reflecting film 4a, which is a bright color, such as white or the like, is formed by a light-transmitting resin having:. on all surfaces of the key top part 2 except its bottom part. For example, · ·· [... 30] it is possible to use the white coating as a semi-transparent light-reflecting * T * film. Next, a solid chromatic color print is made in red, · ·: v, in blue, yellow, or the like to form a pattern containing letters, symbols, patterns, or the like, with a solid print of 4b except v. except for the part containing the pattern covered with black opaque film · 4 ·. The pattern formation (sign or the like) can be done using a laser or the like. In addition, the opaque film 4c and the portion of solid printing 4b 6 118446 containing the pattern (mark or the like) are covered with a transparent protective film 5 formed of a transparent resin such as urethane or the like.

The printed pattern layer 4 may be formed either in a positive state 5 in which only the etched mark (pattern) is printed in chromatic color, or in a negative state in which the entire printed pattern layer 4 except for the etched marks (patterns) is colored.

Further, in the case where the body of the resin key top 2 is formed to a thickness of about 1 mm, it is possible to use the above method to form a printed pattern layer 4 without using a white colored layer on the surface of the key top 2. the body may reflect white light or the like and at the same time allow light to pass through at a certain intensity.

Then, after forming the pattern layer 4 on the surface of the key top part 15 2, the surface below the key top part 2 is affixed to the top surface of the key operating member 1a with a transparent adhesive.

The following describes means for making the illuminating key extra light.

As is structurally shown in Figure 5-10, the central portion of the upper part of the transparent pole 20 shepherd, 2 lower side is formed by the integrated operating arm 9, which is fitted and glued to the transparent rubber or thermoplastic elastomer-eias the key operating portion 1b on. In addition, the thin key: the upper part of V 2 has been cut to form a cavity 10 to form the annular space of the key top 2 the underside of the drive arm 9 for receiving. Furthermore:]]: 25 of the key top 2 the underside of the thickness should be of approximately the same thickness; suusrakenne. The material used for the key top part 2 should be selected such that M «» · *** · prevents the key top part 2 from being retracted when the top part 2 key is pressed.

; ·, By providing a handle 9 below the top of the key 2, it is possible to provide reliable * / · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 30 operation by pressing the key 2 with a finger.

• · A: When selecting the material of the key top part 2 for even greater weight reduction, the transparent resin shown in Fig. 9. the upper part 2 of the key is preferably formed of a hard foamable resin! 35 such as polyurethane foam or the like.

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To significantly improve bonding strength between the contact surfaces of the key top 2 and the key actuator 1b when using transparent adhesive 3, the lower part of the operating arm 9 of the transparent resin key top 2 is mounted on a concave portion 1g formed by a transparent rubber or thermoplastic actuator central top. In this way, since the vertical bonding is performed on the fastening portion 11 of the lower part of the operating arm 9 mounted on the concave portion 1g, it is possible to achieve a multiplication of the bonding strength compared to the horizontal bonding.

To further increase the bonding strength, the protruding part 1e shown in Fig. 10 is formed in the middle of the upper surface of the actuator 1b of the transparent plastic or thermoplastic elastomer key and the mounting part 9e through-15 with visible glue.

In Fig. 9, reference numeral 12 indicates a PET or metal dome switch.

Now that the illuminating key has the structure described above, the illuminating key according to the invention enables a reliable character (pattern) to be recognized over the upper part 2 of the key, although the upper 20 of the key 2 has a curved or inclined shape. In addition, because the keypad actuator provides: a rubbery keypad sensitivity and a rubbery elasticity while the top of the key is rigid, and because it is possible to achieve a strong bond between the keypad actuator and the upper part of the key, the illuminating key according to the invention enables reliable operation of key functions, avoiding misuse and other problems such as the »M ft; ** · key. hatching or the like.

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The illuminating key of the present invention having the structure described above is particularly suitable for flat devices such as mobile phones or the like.

t · T In addition, by forming a thin resin key top in a partially • · v: light-transmitting, white-dyed material, it is not necessary to form a partially transmissive light-reflecting film over the key top, v, and also easier to identify when - * · · I *. 35 even light.

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Further, since the lower part of the key top operating lever is secured to the concave portion formed at the center of the key top operating surface, when the contact surfaces of the key top and the key operating member are glued together, it is possible to perform vertical gluing, which greatly increases the gluing strength Increases bond strength with a small amount of contact surface. Further, by forming a protruding portion in the central portion of the upper surface of the key drive member and installing and gluing the operating lever of the key top member to the mounting hole of the projected member, it is possible to achieve an even smoother joint.

Further, by forming the operating arm in the central part of the lower surface of the key top in the present invention and providing a cavity around the periphery of such operating arm, it becomes possible to make the top of the key thinner, thereby reducing the overall weight of the key. In addition, by forming the top of the nip 15 head on a hard foamable resin, it is possible to achieve even greater weight reduction while preventing the top of the key from being pressed in when pressed.

Finally, it is to be understood that many modifications and additions to the embodiments described above may be made without departing from the scope defined by the appended claims.

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Claims (8)

1. Luminous push button, wherein a pattern layer (4) is formed on the top and side surfaces of the transparent top (2) button top, with the exception of the lower surface of the button top, which is fixed on the upper surface of the push button 5 (1a) in the transparent rubber keypad. or thermoplastic elastomer having a translucent adhesive (3), characterized by the pattern layer (4) formed by an opaque layer (4c) covering the top and side surfaces of the button upper (2) with the exception of the pattern, and a transparent protective layer (5). have been imaged on the opaque layer (4c) and the top and side surfaces of the pattern part. Luminous push button according to claim 1, characterized in that the pattern has formed a partially permeable light-reflecting membrane (4c). Luminous push button according to claim 1, characterized in that the button top (2) is a thin white or colored part of translucent resin. Luminous push button according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pattern layer (4) has a color layer between the partially permeable light-reflecting membrane (4a) and the opaque layer (4c). • '' Λ ' 5. Illuminating pushbutton according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the middle part of the lower side of the button upper (2) has formed an operating arm (9) and: on the upper part of the button (2). ) on the lower side, a hollow (10) has been formed to reduce the thickness of the button top. * "6. Luminous push button according to claim 4, characterized in that the button top (2) is formed of a hard foaming resin, such as poly 4: ** urethane foam or equivalent. • 4 4 7. Illuminated pushbutton according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the lower part of the operating arm (9) of the button upper (2) is fixed to 4 4. * ··. a concave portion (1g) formed in the middle portion of the upper surface of the button actuator portion (1a) of translucent rubber or thermoplastic elastomer, these joint portions having been bonded with a translucent adhesive (3). 4 4 4 4 «·. ·: 35 118446 An illuminating push button according to any of claims 5-7, characterized in that it further comprises a projecting part (1e) formed in the middle part of the upper surface of the button operating part (1a) of transparent rubber or thermoplastic elastomer, and a mounting heel ( 1f), which is formed in the protruding part (1e), wherein the operating arm (g) in the button top part (2) of transparent resin has been mounted in the mounting hole (1f) and glued in place with a transparent adhesive (3). • «• · 1 • · · ♦ ·« «« «• · • ♦ ··· ♦ ···· ··· • · · · · ♦ · • · • · · · # ♦ ♦♦« ·· · • ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ • · • ·· ♦ • · • ♦ • ♦ • · · • ♦ # • · ·· · · · ♦ ♦ 1 ♦ • ♦ • · ♦ • · · · · · 1 1 • · ♦ • ·