JP2002117743A - Self-illumination type sheet member - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a self-illumination type sheet member capable of reducing a cost by enhancing the visibility of a key top with a small quantity of a luminous material, and of keeping operability, portability and functionality and preventing the degradation of the appearance quality thereof by using a keyboard as it is without covering it with a separate and independent cover. SOLUTION: A luminous layer 12 is formed on a sheet member 4 (a resin sheet 31) installed under key tops 5 for manual operation and visible from a gap 13 between the key tops 5 adjacent to each other.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a self-illuminated sheet member used for a keyboard capable of recognizing a key top arrangement even in a dark place, and particularly to a portable personal computer such as a notebook personal computer and a mobile personal computer. It is highly effective when used on keyboards.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a cover formed by integrally molding a plurality of key tops of a keyboard with a resin material such as rubber or silicone as in the invention described in JP-A-11-194875 is used. A keyboard cover that is used by putting it on the top, and by printing the type of each key top with luminous paint or luminous ink on each key top part of the cover, the visibility of the key top part is maintained even in dark places Some keyboards were made operable.

[0003]

However, according to this conventional technique, the cover itself tends to be charged with static electricity and dust easily adheres due to the nature of the rubber or resin material, so that the cover is easily stained. In addition, since deformation due to the compression distortion occurs, the operational feeling of the key is significantly deteriorated.

[0004] Since the cover is of an integral shape, adjacent key tops are connected to each other, and keys around the key to be input may be erroneously input.

In the case of a portable personal computer such as a notebook personal computer or a mobile personal computer, if the cover is used, the display cannot be closed. Therefore, when the personal computer is not used, it has to be detached from the keyboard and stored separately.

When the entire keyboard is to be brightened, the phosphorescent material is kneaded into the entire cover made of a translucent rubber material. There is a problem that the cost becomes high because a large amount of phosphorescent material to be used is required.

Another conventional technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-1
There is a method in which a phosphorescent material is applied to the surface of each keytop as in the invention described in Japanese Patent No. 95345. However, since particles of the phosphorescent material can be seen from the surface, the appearance quality is reduced, and the commercial value is low. It is not adopted.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional technology, the present invention increases the visibility of the key top with a small amount of phosphorescent material, thereby reducing the cost and providing a separate and independent cover. It is an object of the present invention to provide a self-illuminating sheet member that maintains operability, portability, and functionality by using a keyboard as it is without putting it on, and does not impair the appearance quality.

[0009]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a seat provided on a lower surface of a key top for input operation and visible from a gap between adjacent key tops. A light storage layer is formed on the member.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, when the sheet member applies a pressing force to the key top, the key member is moved upwardly in opposition to the pressing force. It is characterized by being a resin sheet in which a rubber key to be urged is adhered and arranged on the upper surface.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the second aspect, the resin sheet has a light transmitting property,
The luminous layer is formed on the lower surface of the resin sheet.

The invention described in claim 4 is the first to third aspects of the present invention.
In addition to the above configuration, the key top is characterized by having light transmittance.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the third aspect, a display portion such as a character or a symbol provided on a top surface of the key top is made to be translucent, and the display portion and the other display portions are provided. It is characterized by providing a lightness difference with the key top part.

The invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to claims 1 to 3
In addition to the above configuration, the luminous layer is formed only in a portion that can be seen from a gap between the adjacent key tops, and the key tops have no light transmittance.

[0015] The invention according to claim 7 is the invention according to claims 1 to 6.
In addition to any one of the above configurations, a heat radiation rubber is disposed on the lower surface of the sheet member.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment of the Invention] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of a keyboard in which a self-illuminating sheet member according to a first embodiment of the present invention is incorporated.

First, the configuration of the self-illuminating sheet member according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described.

A circuit pattern sheet 2 is disposed on a substrate 1 made of a lightweight metal material such as aluminum having rigidity, and a sheet member 4 made of the same light metal material as the substrate 1 is placed thereon via an insulating sheet 3. Are located.

The sheet member 4 has a lower fixed support 8 for supporting a lower fixed fulcrum 7 of a pantograph 6 and a lower movable fulcrum 9 for guiding the key top 5 to move up and down smoothly. The lower movable supporting portion 10 is formed by means such as press working. A luminous layer 12 is formed on the flat portion 11 of the sheet member 4 excluding the lower fixed support portion 8 and the lower movable support portion 10 by applying a luminous material. The luminous layer 12 may be formed on the entire upper surface of the plane portion 11 or, as shown in FIG. 1, may be formed only on a portion corresponding to the gap 13 between the adjacent key tops 5.

The pantograph 6 has a pair of diagonal members 15a and 15b, which are pin-connected at the central coupling part 14, and is combined in an X-shape. 16 is guided and supported by an upper movable support portion 17 formed on the lower surface of the key top 5, and an upper fixed fulcrum portion 18 on the opposite side of the lower movable fulcrum portion 9 of the diagonal member 15b is an upper fixed fulcrum formed on the lower surface of the key top 5. It is supported by the part 19.

As a result, when the key top 5 is pressed down, the upper fixed fulcrum 18 approaches the lower fixed fulcrum 7, and
Along with this, the pair of diagonal members 15a and 15b are folded around the joint portion 14, and the lower movable fulcrum 9 of the diagonal member 15b moves horizontally on the lower movable support portion 10 to the outside. The upper movable fulcrum 16 is the upper movable support 1
The top surface portion 20 of the key top 5 can be lowered while keeping the horizontal posture by moving the 7 horizontally toward the outside.

The circuit pattern sheet 2 has contact patterns 21a and 21b corresponding to the respective key tops 5, and holes 22 are formed in the corresponding insulating sheets 3 so that the contact patterns 21a and 21b can be exposed. Is provided. A rubber key 23 made of a substantially dome-shaped elastic material is arranged on the insulating sheet 3 so as to surround the hole 22. At the center of the top surface of the rubber key 23, a concave portion 24 with a dent facing upward is formed, and a convex portion 25 provided at the central portion of the lower surface of the key top 5 is fitted into the concave portion 24. A conductive portion 26 facing downward is provided on the substantially dome-shaped inner surface of the rubber key 23.

Hereinafter, the operation of the self-illuminating sheet member according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described.

When the key top 5 is depressed from the initial state shown in FIG. 1, the top surface of the rubber key 23 is lowered, and the rubber key 23 is deformed so that the substantially dome shape is depressed.
Eventually, the conductive portion 26 comes into contact with the contact patterns 21a and 21b of the circuit pattern sheet 2, and when the pressing force of the key top 5 is released (the finger is released from the key top 5), the deformed rubber key 23 is released. By the elastic restoring force of the substantially dome-shaped portion, the force for returning the key top 5 to the upper side acts, and the rubber key 23, the key top 5 and the pantograph 6 return to their original positions.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the keyboard 27 of the personal computer P or the like, gaps 13 are provided between the adjacent key tops 5 so that the key tops 5 can move independently. Therefore, when the keyboard 27 is viewed from directly above, the luminous layer 12 formed on the upper surface of the uppermost sheet member 4 on the lower surface of the keytop 5 has a gap 13
Can be seen from

Here, the case where the light storing layer 12 is formed on the entire upper surface of the flat portion 11 of the sheet member 4 and the case where the key top 5 is formed of a light transmissive material In addition, the light emitted from the luminous layer 12 is directly visible from the gap 13 and can be seen through the key top 5. This allows you to use the keyboard 2 in dark places.
7 will be brightly illuminated.

The display portion 28 such as characters or symbols provided on the top surface portion 20 of the key top 5 is made translucent color.
By providing a lightness difference between the display portion 28 and the other portion of the key top 5, the display portion 28 rises darkly, so that each key top 5 can be identified, and the desired key top 5 can be securely identified. Can be operated.

Next, when the luminous layer 12 is formed on the entire upper surface of the flat portion 11 of the sheet member 4,
Is formed only at a position corresponding to the gap 13 between the adjacent key tops 5 on the upper surface of the device, and when the key tops 5 are formed of a resin material having no light transmission property. , The light from the luminous layer 12 is blocked by the key top 5, and the light emitted from the luminous layer 12 is
The key top 5 is not illuminated just because it can be seen directly from 3. Thus, in a dark place, the gap 13 around the key top 5 is illuminated brightly, so that the position and shape of each key top 5 can be confirmed. In the case of the keyboard 27 of the personal computer P or the like, the position of the keytop 5 having any function is determined by JIS or the like (JIS keyboard, ASCI, etc.).
I keyboard or the like), and since the input characters and symbols can be confirmed on the liquid crystal display 35, it is possible to input without looking at the keyboard 27 (so-called blind touch is possible). The input operation is not hindered merely by knowing the location and shape of the.

In this case, the display portion 28 such as a character or a symbol provided on the top surface portion 20 of the key top 5 is made translucent, and a difference in brightness is provided between the display portion 28 and other portions of the key top 5. In this case, since the display unit 28 rises slightly brightly, each key top 5 can be identified, and the desired key top 5 can be reliably operated.

The light energy stored in the light storage material is supplied from the light entering from the gap 13 between the adjacent key tops 5 and when the key tops 5 are formed of a material having a light transmitting property. Supplied from light entering through the keytop 5.

As another means, the light of the backlight of the liquid crystal display 35 of the personal computer P or the like is introduced to the luminous layer 12 through a light guide plate (not shown), so that the light energy is positively applied to the luminous material. A supplying method may be adopted. In this case, since the light emitted from the light storage layer 12 is maintained for a long time, it is convenient when operating the keyboard for a long time in a dark place.

[Second Embodiment] Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of a self-illuminating sheet member according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a keyboard incorporating a self-illuminating sheet member according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the resin sheet according to the second embodiment, in which a luminous layer is formed only at locations corresponding to gaps between key tops.

In the second embodiment, a membrane sheet 29 is provided on a substrate 1 made of a lightweight metal material such as aluminum having rigidity. Here, the membrane sheet 29 is a stack of two contact sheets 30
a, 30b, a contact pattern (not shown) arranged on the opposing surfaces of the contact sheets 30a, 30b, and a spacer (not shown) for keeping the opposing contact patterns in a separated position in an initial state. The contact patterns can be brought into contact with each other when a pressing force is applied to the two contact sheets 30a and 30b.

On the entire upper surface of the membrane sheet 29, a transparent or translucent resin sheet 31 having light transmissivity is provided.

The membrane sheet 29 and the resin sheet 31 have a lower fixed support 8 and a lower movable fulcrum 8 for supporting the lower fixed fulcrum 7 of the pantograph 6 which is arranged to smoothly move the key top 5 up and down. A notch 32 is formed through which the lower movable support portion 10 for guiding and supporting the support 9 extends.

The light-storing layer 12 is formed on the flat portion 33 of the resin sheet 31 excluding the notches 32 by applying a light-storing material or the like. The luminous layer 12 may be formed on the entire upper surface of the flat portion 33 or, as shown in FIG. 3 or 4, in the gap 13 between the adjacent key tops 5 on the upper surface of the flat portion 33. It may be formed only at the corresponding portion.

The key top 5 is provided on the upper surface of the resin sheet 31.
And a rubber key 23 corresponding to the contact pattern of the membrane sheet 29 is bonded and arranged. Rubber key 23
On the inner surface of the substantially dome shape, a pressing projection 34 facing downward is provided.
Is provided.

When the luminous layer 12 is formed on the upper surface of the resin sheet 31, the resin sheet 31 may be either light-transmitting or non-light-transmitting. When the luminous layer 12 is formed on the substrate, a resin sheet 31 having a light transmitting property such as transparent or translucent is used.

When the luminous layer 12 is formed on the lower surface of the resin sheet 31, the luminous layer 12 is covered with the resin sheet 31, so that the luminous layer 12 is prevented from being damaged and the durability of the product is improved. .

Then, when the key top 5 is depressed from the initial state shown in FIG. 3, the top surface of the rubber key 23 is lowered, whereby the substantially dome shape is deformed so as to be recessed, and finally the pressing is performed. The projection 34 is the membrane sheet 29
Is pressed, and the contact patterns facing each other inside the membrane sheet 29 come into contact with each other. Next, when the pressing force of the key top 5 is released from the state (release the finger from the key top 5), the key top 5 is moved upward by the elastic restoring force of the substantially dome-shaped portion of the deformed rubber key 23. The returning force acts, and the rubber key 23, the key top 5, and the pantograph 6 return to their original positions.

Since other structures and operations are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same structures are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

The luminous layer 12 is formed on the upper surface of the resin sheet 31.
And a heat radiation rubber sheet may be arranged on the lower surface.
In this case, the heat generated by the device main body such as a personal computer can be dissipated through the heat radiation rubber sheet.
Since the heat radiating rubber sheet acts as a cushioning material at the time of key top operation, the operation sound of the key top is reduced. As the heat radiation rubber sheet, a silicone rubber sheet is desirable in terms of flame retardancy and electrical characteristics.

In the first embodiment, the circuit pattern sheet 2 is employed as the switch circuit, and in the second embodiment, the membrane sheet 29 is employed. Further, a pantograph 6 for realizing a smooth vertical movement of the key top 5.
In the first embodiment, the sheet member 4 disposed at the uppermost position is employed as the support member, and in the second embodiment, the substrate 1 disposed at the lowermost position is employed. The present invention is not limited to these combinations described in the first or second embodiment, and may be configured by a combination in which the circuit pattern sheet 2 is replaced with the membrane sheet 29 or the membrane sheet 29 is replaced with the circuit pattern sheet 2. Good.

[0046]

As described above, according to the invention described in each of the claims, the sheet member disposed on the lower surface of the key top for input operation and visible from the gap between the adjacent key tops has the following features. Because the light-storing layer is formed, the light emitted from the light-storing layer is directly visible from the gap between the keytops. It is possible to reduce the cost of the expression sheet member and the self-illuminated keyboard incorporating the same. Further, since the keyboard of the existing personal computer or the like can be used as it is without adding a separate member such as a cover, the operability, portability, functionality and appearance quality are not impaired.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above effects, when the sheet member applies a pressing force to the keytop, the sheet member urges the keytop upward in opposition to the pressing force. Since the resin sheet is a resin sheet having a rubber key adhered to the upper surface, a self-illuminating sheet member can be easily completed by printing a phosphorescent material on the resin sheet.

According to the invention of claim 3, according to claim 2,
In addition to the effects described above, the resin sheet has light transmissivity and the light storage layer is formed on the lower surface of the resin sheet, so that damage to the light storage material can be prevented and the durability of the product can be improved.

According to the invention set forth in claim 4, according to claim 1,
In addition to the effects of the first to third aspects, since the key tops are made to have light transmittance, the key tops themselves are also illuminated by the luminous material, so that the entire keyboard is illuminated brightly.

According to the invention described in claim 5, according to claim 3,
In addition to the effect described above, the display portion of characters or symbols provided on the top surface of the key tops is made translucent color, and a brightness difference is provided between the display portion and other key top portions, so that each key top is The key top can be identified, and the desired key top can be reliably operated.

According to the invention set forth in claim 6, according to claim 1,
In addition to the effects of 1 to 3, the light-storing layer is formed only in a portion that can be seen from the gap between the adjacent key-tops, and the key-tops have no light transmittance. Since the location and shape of the keytop can be confirmed, further cost reduction can be achieved.

According to the invention of claim 7, according to claim 1,
In addition to the effects of any one of (1) to (6), since the heat radiation rubber is arranged on the lower surface of the sheet member, heat radiation of the heat generated by the apparatus main body such as a personal computer is promoted and the operation sound of the key top is reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a main part sectional view of a keyboard in which a self-illuminating sheet member according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is incorporated.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a portable personal computer in which the self-illuminated sheet member according to Embodiment 1 is incorporated.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a keyboard in which the self-illuminated sheet member according to Embodiment 2 is incorporated.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a resin sheet in which a luminous layer is formed only at locations corresponding to gaps between key tops of the self-illuminated sheet member according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate 2 Circuit pattern sheet 4 Sheet member 5 Key top 12 Luminescent layer 29 Membrane sheet 23 Rubber key 31 Resin sheet (sheet member)

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A self-illuminating sheet member, wherein a light storage layer is formed on a sheet member disposed on a lower surface of a keytop for input operation and visible from a gap between adjacent keytops. 2. The resin sheet according to claim 1, wherein the sheet member is a resin sheet having an upper surface bonded with a rubber key for urging the key top upward in opposition to the downward force when the downward force is applied to the key top. The self-illuminating sheet member according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The self-illuminating sheet member according to claim 2, wherein the resin sheet has a light transmitting property, and the light storage layer is formed on a lower surface of the resin sheet. 4. The self-illuminated sheet member according to claim 1, wherein the key top has a light transmitting property. 5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein a display portion of characters or symbols provided on a top surface of the key top is made translucent, and a brightness difference is provided between the display portion and another portion of the key top. The self-illuminating sheet member according to claim 4. 6. The light-storing layer is formed only on a portion visible from a gap between the adjacent key tops,
The self-illuminated sheet member according to claim 1, wherein the key top does not have light transmittance. 7. The self-illuminated sheet member according to claim 1, wherein a heat radiation rubber is disposed on a lower surface of the sheet member.