JP2002109982A - Button mechanism and communications system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a button mechanism with a moderate click feeling which can connect two pairs of contact points at a time. SOLUTION: Two switch parts 24 which come in contact with contact points 27 under a button 21 to connect when pushed down, and a click-feeling giving means 25 arranged nearly in the middle of the two switch parts are so constructed that, while the click-feeling giving means 25 give a click feeling, the two switch parts 24, 24 contact with two pairs of contact points 27, 27 at same time for connection.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a button mechanism for connecting and disconnecting contacts, and more particularly, to a button mechanism suitable for use in a communication device such as a facsimile machine and capable of simultaneously connecting and disconnecting two sets of contacts.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a communication apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus, a function of making a dial call even at the time of power failure is desired. There is known a configuration in which two sets of contacts are arranged, and when each button is pressed, the two sets of contacts are simultaneously connected to output two signals, and one of the signals is used for a power outage call. . As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a conventional button mechanism used in this type of device has one side edge connected to and supported by a support portion 1 and can be pushed down by swinging about the connection portion. Button (key top) 2
And a rubber key 3 which is arranged at a position where the button 2 can be pressed down and gives a click feeling when the button 2 is pressed down, and two conductors 4 and 4 formed by carbon printing or the like on the lower surface thereof, and It has two sets of contacts 6, 6 provided on a substrate 5 to be arranged. Each contact 6 is composed of two conductive portions 6a, 6b arranged close to each other in a non-contact state.
When the conductor 4 is brought into contact with the conductive portions 6a and 6b, the conductive portions 6a and 6b are connected and a signal is output. The rubber key 3 is usually made to be about the size of a finger so that the conductors 4, 4 for the two contacts 6, 6 can be arranged. Furthermore,
The rubber key 3 is integrally formed with an elliptical cone-shaped support rubber portion 3a and a rubber plate 3b, and the support rubber portion 3a
Supported by. Although the supporting rubber portion 3a resists a certain pressing force, the supporting rubber portion 3a deforms like a buckle when the pressing force increases, thereby giving a click feeling. In the button mechanism of this configuration, when the button 2 is depressed, the rubber key 3 is depressed while giving a click feeling, and the two conductors 4 and 4 on the lower surface are simultaneously depressed.
The two sets of contacts 6, 6 can be simultaneously connected by contacting the set of contacts 6, 6, and two signals can be output.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional configuration, the rubber key 3 needs to be large enough to cover two sets of contacts, and therefore has a size of a finger. If the center of the button 2 is not pressed well, the rubber key 3 is pushed down in a tilted state, so that an appropriate click feeling cannot be obtained, and There was a problem that only one of the two contacts 6 could be connected.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and has as its object to provide a button mechanism which can obtain an appropriate click feeling and can reliably connect two sets of contacts simultaneously. Aim.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, in order to surely give a click feeling and to connect two sets of contacts at the same time, a means for giving a click feeling when a button is pressed is connected to the contacts. For the purpose of the invention. That is, below the button for pushing down, two switch parts for contacting the contact below and being connected when pressed down, and a click feeling giving means for giving a click feeling when pushed down are arranged. When pressed, the click feeling imparting means gives a click feeling,
In this configuration, two switch sections contact two sets of contacts to connect the respective contacts. With this configuration, the click sensation imparting means can give an appropriate click sensation regardless of where the buttons are pressed, regardless of the layout area of the two sets of contacts. Can be connected.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A button mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention has two sets of contacts provided on a substrate, and is disposed above and opposed to the two sets of contacts with an interval therebetween, and is pressed down. Two switch parts for contacting the contact points when they are touched and connecting the contact points; a button capable of simultaneously depressing the two switch parts; and the two switch parts are provided separately, and the button is depressed. It is provided with a click feeling giving means that gives a click feeling when the button is pressed. With this configuration, by pressing down the button, the click feeling giving means can be surely pushed down, thereby giving an appropriate click feeling. Simultaneously, the two switch units are depressed to connect two sets of contacts located below the two switch units, so that two signals can be output.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a rubber key is provided in which each of the above-mentioned two switch portions is supported in a form that hardly causes a clicking sensation when depressed and a conductor is provided in a portion facing the contact. And the click sensation imparting means is constituted by a rubber key supported so as to generate a click sensation when depressed. With this configuration, both the switch section and the click feeling imparting means can be made of rubber, and the cost can be reduced.

Here, it is preferable to dispose a rubber key constituting the click feeling imparting means at an intermediate position between the two rubber keys constituting the two switch sections. With this configuration, when the button is pushed down, the rubber key of the click feeling imparting means located at the center can be pushed down reliably, and the click feeling can be given more reliably. Further, it is preferable that the rubber key forming the two switch units and the rubber key forming the click feeling imparting means are formed in an integrated structure. With this configuration, the cost can be further reduced.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, a button is held so as to be swingable about an axis parallel to a straight line connecting two sets of contacts, and two buttons are provided near a side edge far from the axis. In this configuration, the switch unit and the click feeling imparting means are depressed. With this configuration, no matter where the button is pressed, the button swings about an axis parallel to a straight line connecting the two sets of contact points, and furthermore, the two switch parts and the click feeling imparting part at a large movement point. Since the means is pushed down, the two switch sections can be pushed down efficiently and uniformly, and the click feeling giving means can also be pushed down efficiently, so that the connection of the two sets of contacts and the giving of the click feeling can be performed more reliably. it can.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, a spacer for transmitting the movement of the button to the two switch parts and the click feeling applying means is provided between the button and the two switch parts and the click feeling applying means. And place the spacer,
It is configured so as to be swingable about an axis parallel to a straight line connecting two sets of contacts, and to push down two switch units and a click feeling imparting means near a side edge far from the axis. According to this configuration, no matter where the button is pressed, the spacer below the button swings about an axis parallel to a straight line connecting the two sets of contacts, and furthermore, the two switch parts and Since the click sensation means is pushed down, the two switch sections can be efficiently and uniformly pushed down, and the click sensation giving means can also be pushed down efficiently, so that the connection of the two sets of contacts and the click sensation can be further improved. Can be implemented reliably.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned button mechanism is provided in a communication device, and this button mechanism is adopted as a ten-key for calling of the communication device.
A normal call and a call at the time of a power failure can be reliably performed.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention shown in the drawings will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a communication device having a button mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the communication device with a panel cover and a keytop removed, and FIG. 4 is an exploded schematic perspective view of the button mechanism. FIG. 5A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the button mechanism cut along a vertical plane passing through two rubber keys. (B) and (c) show B in FIG.
FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along arrow B,
(A), (b), (c) is a schematic sectional view similar to FIG. 5, showing the button mechanism in a depressed state. 11 is a communication device such as a facsimile machine, 12 is an operation panel, 13 is a panel cover, 14 is a numeric keypad, and 15 is a numeric keypad 1
A button mechanism provided on 4 is an LCD.

The button mechanism 15 includes a push-down button (hereinafter referred to as a key top) 21, a spacer 22 disposed therebelow, two switch parts 24, 24 disposed thereunder, and an intermediate position between the two switch parts 24, 24. A rubber member 23 forming the click feeling imparting means 25 and a substrate 26 disposed below the rubber member 23 and having two sets of contacts 27, 27 are provided. The contacts 27 used here are two conductive parts 27a,
7a are arranged close to each other, and both conductive portions 27a, 27
The connection can be made by bringing an appropriate conductor into contact with a.

The key top 21 has one side edge 21a connected to a support 29 formed integrally with the key top 21 in a form that can be bent, and is centered on an axis OO passing through the connection portion. Swingable. This axis OO
Is selected so as to be parallel to the straight line PP passing through the two sets of contacts 27, 27, so that the key top 21 can be pushed in any position and the side edge 21b opposite to the side edge 21a can be pressed.
Swing while keeping parallel to the substrate 26. Thus, the distance from the key top 21 to one contact 27 is always equal to the distance from the other contact 27.

A spacer 22 disposed below the key top 21 is also connected to a support 30 formed integrally with the spacer 22 in a bendable manner, and the axis Q
It can swing about -Q. This support 30 is arranged below the support 29 of the key top 21, so that the axis QQ is also located parallel to and below the axis PP. Further, the spacer 22 is provided with protrusions 22c, 22c for supporting the key top 21 on the upper surface near both ends of the side edge 22b located on the opposite side to the axis QQ, and the lower surface near the center of the side edge 22b. Is provided with a projection 22d for contacting the click feeling imparting means 25.

A rubber member 23 disposed below the spacer 22 includes a rubber plate 23a and two switch portions 24,
24, a rubber key 24a for forming the click feeling imparting means 25, a support rubber portion 24b for supporting the rubber key 24a, and a rubber key 24a for supporting the rubber key 24a.
It has an integral structure with a supporting rubber portion 25b for supporting the rubber key 25a. The rubber keys 24a forming the switch portions 24, 24 are formed so as to be located immediately above the two contacts 27, 27, respectively, and the lower surface thereof has a conductor 3 for connecting the corresponding contact 27.
2 is formed by carbon printing or the like. The supporting rubber portion 24b supporting the rubber key 24a normally lifts the rubber key 24a so that the conductor 32 on the lower surface of the rubber key 24a does not contact the contact 27, but does not give much resistance when the rubber key 24a is pressed. The rubber key 24a can be pressed down, and is formed of a thin plate bent in an arc shape as shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (c). On the other hand, click feeling imparting means 2
The supporting rubber portion 25b that supports the rubber key 25a that forms the part 5 resists a certain pressing force when the rubber key 25a is pressed down, but deforms as if it buckled when the pressing force became large. It gives a click feeling, and is formed of a conical thin plate as shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b). As shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, the two rubber keys 24a, 24a and the rubber key 25a disposed therebetween are disposed so as to be located on a straight line, and the spacer 22 and the key top 21 are disposed on each side. The mounting position is determined so that the vicinity of the edges 22b, 21b is located above the rubber keys 24a, 25a, 24a. In a normal state where the key top 21 is not depressed, the rubber keys 24a,
The dimensions of each part are determined so that the spacer 22 comes into contact with the upper surfaces of 5a and 24a.

Each of the key top 21, the spacer 22, and the rubber member 23 is made as a common part of an integral structure with respect to the plurality of button mechanisms 15 provided in the communication device 1, thereby reducing costs. . In addition, the key top 21, the spacer 22, the rubber member 23, and the like, respectively,
It may be manufactured as a separate part.

Next, the operation of the button mechanism 15 having the above configuration will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, when the key top 21 is not pressed, the key top 21 and the spacer 2 are not pressed.
2 is supported mainly by a central rubber key 25a, and is also supported by rubber keys 24a, 24a on both sides thereof. Further, since the rubber keys 24a, 24a on both sides are lifted by the supporting rubber portions 24b, 24b,
The conductor 32 on the lower surface is separated from the opposing contact 27.
For this reason, the contacts 27 and 27 are not connected.

When this key top 21 is depressed, FIG.
, The key top 21 swings downward about the axis O, and pushes down the spacer 22 thereunder. Therefore, the spacer 22 also swings downward about the axis Q, and the two rubber keys 24 located near the end edges thereof.
a, 24a and the center rubber key 25a are depressed.
At this time, both the key top 21 and the spacer 22 are on the axis O.
6A. Therefore, no matter where the key top 21 is pressed, the key top 21 always swings downward in the same posture and does not tilt left and right in FIG. 6A.
For this reason, the two rubber keys 24 arranged on the left and right
a, 24a are pressed down evenly, and the center rubber key 2
5a is also pushed down. As shown in FIG. 5, the center rubber key 25a is supported by the conical supporting rubber portion 25b, so that it resists the pushing-down force, and when the pushing-down force becomes a certain level or more, the supporting rubber portion 25b buckles. Such deformation is caused to lower easily. Thus, a click feeling can be given. Here, the rubber key 25a and the supporting rubber portion 25b are connected to two sets of contacts 27, 2
It is not necessary to have a size enough to cover 7, and a small size is sufficient, so that the rubber key 25a is not inclined and pressed, and a click feeling can be reliably and stably given.

Further, as described above, since the spacer 22 is pushed down without tilting left and right, the rubber keys 24a, 24a at both ends are pushed down at the same time, and the conductors 32, 32 on the lower surface thereof are brought into contact with the contact points 27, 27 at opposing positions, respectively. Pressed to. As a result, the two sets of contacts 27 are simultaneously connected, and can output signals.

When the key top 21 of the numeric keypad 14 is depressed, the two sets of contacts 27, 27 are simultaneously connected as described above, and output signals. One of these signals is used during normal operation, is output to the CPU provided in the communication device 11, and is used for normal communication operation. On the other hand, the other signals are used for a call-out operation at the time of a power outage, and are output to a circuit that performs a call-out operation at the time of a power outage.

In the above embodiment, the spacer 22 is arranged between the key top 21 and the rubber member 23, and the movement of the key top 21 is transmitted to the rubber keys 24a, 25a of the rubber member 23 via the spacer 22. Although it is configured, the spacer 22 is not necessarily essential,
The rubber keys 24a and 25a may be directly pressed down by the key top 21. Further, the spacer 22 is not limited to the case where the spacer 22 is used merely for transmitting the movement of the key top 21 to the rubber keys 24a and 25a.
Can be made of a transparent member, and the spacer 22 can be appropriately printed with numbers, letters, patterns, etc., so that the spacer 22 can be seen from the key top 21. , Characters, pictures, etc. can be displayed.

[0023]

As is apparent from the above description, the button mechanism of the present invention comprises two switch portions below the button for pushing down, which contact the contacts below when the button is pushed down and connect the contacts. And a click feeling imparting means that gives a click feeling when pressed down, and when the button is pressed,
The click feeling imparting means gives the click feeling, and at the same time, the two switch portions contact the two sets of contacts to connect the respective contacts, so that the click feeling is reliably and stably provided when the button is pressed down. Can be given,
This has the effect that two switches can be pressed down simultaneously to connect two sets of contacts and output two signals.

Here, each of the two switch units is supported by a rubber key having a conductor which is supported in a form that hardly causes a click feeling when pressed down and has a conductor at a portion facing the contact point. By configuring the giving means with a rubber key supported in a form that generates a click feeling when pressed down, an effect that the switch section and the click feeling giving means can be manufactured at low cost can be obtained.

At this time, by arranging the rubber key constituting the click feeling imparting means at an intermediate position between the two rubber keys constituting the two switch portions, when the button is pressed down, the click feeling imparted at the center is provided. The effect is obtained that the rubber key of the means can be pushed down reliably, and the click feeling can be given more reliably. Further, by forming the rubber key forming the two switch units and the rubber key forming the click feeling imparting means into an integral structure,
Further cost reduction can be achieved.

In the button mechanism described above, the button is held so as to be swingable about an axis parallel to a straight line connecting the two sets of contact points, and the button is held near a side edge far from the axis.
By pressing down the switch units and the click feeling imparting means, the button swings about an axis parallel to a straight line connecting the two sets of contacts, regardless of which position of the button is pressed, thereby imparting a click feeling. And the effect that the connection between the two sets of contacts can be further ensured.

A spacer for transmitting the movement of the button to the two switch parts and the click feeling applying means is disposed between the button and the two switch parts and the click feeling applying means. The switch is held so as to be able to swing around an axis parallel to a straight line connecting the set of contacts, and the two switch portions and the click feeling imparting means are pushed down near the side edge far from the axis, so that the button Regardless of which position is pressed, the spacer thereunder oscillates about an axis parallel to a straight line connecting the two sets of contacts, which provides an effect that a click feeling can be given and the connection of the two sets of contacts can be more reliably achieved. .

The adoption of the button mechanism having the above-described structure as a ten-key pad for calling a communication apparatus has an effect that normal calling and calling during a power failure can be reliably performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a communication device having a button mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the communication device shown in FIG. 1 with a panel cover and a keytop removed.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a button mechanism used in the apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an exploded schematic perspective view showing the button mechanism shown in FIG. 3;

5A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the button mechanism cut along a vertical plane passing through three rubber keys. FIG. 5B is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. ) Is a schematic sectional view taken along the line CC.

6 (a) is a schematic sectional view showing the button mechanism shown in FIG. 5 (a) in a state in which the button is pressed down. FIG. 6 (b) is a schematic sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. a) Schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a conventional button mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view of a conventional button mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Communication apparatus 12 Operation panel 13 Panel cover 14 Numeric keypad 15 Button mechanism 16 LCD 21 Button (key top) 22 Spacer 23 Rubber member 24 Switch part 24a Rubber key 24b Support rubber part 25 Click feeling giving means 25a Rubber key 25b Support rubber part 26 Substrate 27 Contact 29 Support 30 Support 32 Conductor

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. Two sets of contacts provided on a substrate, and two sets of contacts arranged above and opposed to each other at intervals above the two sets of contacts and contacting the contacts when pressed down. And a button that can be depressed so as to simultaneously depress the two switch parts, and a click sensation providing means that is provided separately from the two switch parts and gives a click sensation when the button is depressed. Button mechanism. 2. The two switch portions are each supported in a form that hardly causes a click feeling when pressed down, and are constituted by rubber keys having a conductor at a portion facing a contact, and the click feeling imparting means is provided. 2. The button mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the button mechanism is constituted by a rubber key supported so as to generate a click feeling when pressed down. 3. The button mechanism according to claim 2, wherein a rubber key constituting a click feeling imparting means is disposed at an intermediate position between two rubber keys constituting two switch units. 4. The button according to claim 2, wherein the two rubber keys forming the two switch units and the rubber key forming the click feeling imparting means are formed on a rubber member having an integral structure. mechanism. 5. A button is held so as to be swingable about an axis parallel to a straight line connecting two sets of contacts, and two switch parts and a click feeling imparting means near a side edge far from the axis. The button mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the button mechanism is configured to press down. 6. A spacer for transmitting the movement of the button to the two switch parts and the click feeling imparting means is disposed between the button and the two switch parts and the click feeling imparting means disposed below the button. The spacer is held so as to be swingable about an axis parallel to a straight line connecting the two sets of contacts, and pushes down the two switch portions and the click feeling imparting means near the side edge far from the axis. The button mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the button mechanism has a configuration. 7. A communication device comprising the button mechanism according to claim 1. Description: