JP2001067966A - Push-button device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve operability by orderly arranging key tops by arranging the key tops being integrally formed on a long size frame housed inside a casing of a push-button device, being integrally formed with hinge arms having a curved part in a midway part by extending from a side surface of the frame and projecting in the extending direction. SOLUTION: A button unit 1 is integrally formed on a long frame 2, and is provided with plural hinge arms 3 in pairs extending from a side surface of the frame 2 and having a U-shaped curved part 3a in a midway part, and is provided with almost square key tops 4 integrally formed on respective sets of hinge arms 3 and vertically projecting in the extending direction of the hinge arms 3. This frame 2 and the hinge arms 3 are housed in a casing of a push- button device, and top parts of the key tops 4 project outside from a surface of the push-button device to thereby eliminate a fluctuation in arrangement of the key tops 4 to reduce fatigue of a material of the hinge arms 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a push button device, and more particularly to a push button device in which the arrangement of key tops is arranged and the touch feeling is improved.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a push button device such as a keyboard used as an input device of a personal computer or a word processor is known. A plurality of key tops are arranged in a predetermined arrangement on the surface of the keyboard.
Each key top is connected to a switch mechanism provided on a printed wiring board arranged inside the keyboard,
When the user presses the keytop, a predetermined switch mechanism operates, whereby an input signal is supplied to a control unit connected to the input device.

FIG. 3 shows a partial cross section of a conventional keyboard. A printed wiring board 11 is provided in the keyboard case 10. A plurality of convex click rubbers 12 are provided on the printed wiring board 11. Electrical contacts (not shown) are provided inside each click rubber 12, and when the click rubber 12 is pressed down on the printed wiring board 11, the contact is provided on the printed wiring board 11 side. The contacts make contact and thereby generate a predetermined electrical signal.

A substantially square key top 13 is fitted to each click rubber 12. Specifically, an insertion recess corresponding to the shape of each click rubber 12 is provided on the bottom surface of the key top 13, and the key top is fitted by fitting the insertion recess on the bottom surface of the key top 13 with the top of the click rubber 12. 13 and the click rubber 12 are connected. When the user presses the key top 13, the click rubber 13 is pressed down to the printed wiring board 11, and a predetermined electric signal is generated as described above.

[0005]

Many of the conventional pushbutton devices have a structure in which the key tops 13 are independently fitted to the click rubbers 12 as described above.
The fitting structure between the key top 13 and the click rubber 12 is relatively simple. Therefore, the key top 13 is not strictly horizontal, and is often mounted on the keyboard with a slight inclination. Therefore, when the key tops 13 are individually fitted to the click rubbers 12, the respective key tops 13 have different inclinations, and there is a problem that a sense of unity on the keyboard surface is lost. Also, if the slope is extreme,
The operability deteriorated, causing a malfunction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described problems, and has as its object to provide a push button device in which key tops are arranged in an orderly manner, a touch feeling is improved, and operability is improved. And

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a push button device according to the present invention is provided with a long frame housed inside a push button device housing and integrally formed with the frame. A plurality of hinge arms extending from the side surface of the frame and having a curved portion in the middle thereof; and a key top formed integrally with the hinge arm and projecting perpendicular to the extending direction of the hinge arm. Prepare. The curved portion is formed in, for example, a U-shape.

In the push button device according to the present invention, each key top is formed integrally with the frame via the hinge arm, so that the key tops are not tilted and the key tops are arranged neatly. Further, by providing the curved portion in the middle of the hinge arm, the load applied to the hinge arm is reduced, the feel of the click rubber can be expressed, and a good pressing feel can be obtained.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a push button device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a button unit 1 of a push button device shown as an embodiment of the present invention. The button unit 1 includes a long frame 2 and a frame 2.
And a pair of hinge arms 3 each extending from the side surface of the frame 2 and having a U-shaped curved portion 3a in the middle, and integrally formed with one pair of hinge arms 3 respectively. A key top 4 having a substantially rectangular shape and projecting perpendicularly to a direction in which the hinge arm 3 extends. In this button unit 1, the frame 2 and the hinge arm 3
Is housed in the housing of the push button device, as will be described later, while the top of the key top 4 projects outside from the surface of the push button device.

FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a main part of the push button device to which the button unit 1 is attached. A printed wiring board 6 is housed inside the housing 5 of the push button device,
A click rubber 7 is provided at a predetermined position on the printed wiring board 6. Electrical contacts are provided inside the click rubber 7, and when the top of the click rubber 7 is pressed in the direction of the printed wiring board 6, the contact on the click rubber 7 side is provided on the printed wiring board 6. The contacts make contact and thereby generate a predetermined electrical signal.

The top of the click rubber 7 has a substantially cylindrical shape. On the other hand, a substantially cylindrical insertion recess is formed on the bottom surface of the key top 4 corresponding to the shape of the top of the click rubber 7. The top of the click rubber 7 is inserted into the insertion recess of the key top 4, whereby the key top 4 is held on the frame 2 via the hinge arm 3 as described above, and the click rubber 7 It is connected to. In this state, the top of the key top 4 protrudes to the outside from a long opening provided in the housing of the push button device. Predetermined letters, numbers and / or symbols are printed on the top surface of each key top 4.

When the user presses the key top 4, the hinge arm 3 bends, the click rubber 7 connected to the key top 4 is pressed, and an input signal is generated as described above. The input signal is supplied to a predetermined device including the push button device or connected to the push button device. When the user removes his / her finger from the key top 4, the key top 4 returns to the position before being pressed due to the elastic recovery force of the hinge arm 3 and the click rubber 7. As described above, the user can input information to a predetermined device by operating the push button device.

As described above, by forming the key top 4 integrally with the frame 2 via the hinge arm 3, the key top 4 does not tilt due to the fitting state with the click rubber 7, and the like. , The arrangement of the key tops 4 is adjusted, and a good-looking push button device is realized.

Further, in the present invention, as described above, the U-shaped curved portion 3a is provided in the middle of the hinge arm 3 connecting the frame 2 and the key top 4. By providing the curved portion 3a on the hinge arm 3 in this manner, the load applied to the hinge arm 3 when the key top 4 is pressed is dispersed. Therefore, fatigue of the material of the hinge arm 3 is reduced, and a push button device that can withstand long-term use is realized. Further, by dispersing the stress applied to the hinge arm 3, the hinge arm 3 is easily bent,
Therefore, the force that resists the force pressing the key top 4 is weakened, and the feel of the click rubber 7 is expressed.

As described above, according to the present invention, the key tops 4 can be arranged in an orderly manner, and the touch feeling of the key tops 4 can be kept good, thereby realizing a push button device with high operability. can do.

The push-button device according to the present invention can be applied not only to keyboards such as personal computers and word processors, but also to any device having a plurality of keys, such as telephones, remote controllers, and input devices for game machines. . Further, in the above-described embodiment, the curved portion provided in the middle of the hinge arm has a U-shape, but the curved portion may have a V-shape or a U-shape, for example.
It can be of any shape.

[0018]

As described above, in the push button device according to the present invention, the frame and the key top are formed integrally via the hinge arm having the curved portion in the middle, so that the key top arrangement varies. Thus, a push button device in which the key tops are arranged neatly can be realized. Further, the stress applied to the entire hinge arm when the key top is pressed is dispersed by the curved portion provided in the middle of the hinge arm, so that fatigue of the material of the hinge arm can be reduced. In addition, since the hinge arm is easily bent by the curved portion, it is possible to express the feel of the click rubber when pressed, and it is possible to provide a push button device having a good touch feeling and high operability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a button unit of a push button device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of a push button device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main part of a conventional push button device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Button unit 2 Frame 3 Hinge arm 3a Curved part 4 Key top 5 Housing 6 Printed wiring board 7 Click rubber

Claims (2)

[Claims] An elongated frame housed inside a push button device housing; and a plurality of hinge arms formed integrally with the frame, extending from a side surface of the frame, and having a curved portion in the middle. And a key top integrally formed with the hinge arm and projecting perpendicularly to a direction in which the hinge arm extends. 2. The push button device according to claim 1, wherein the curved portion has a U-shape.