JP2002279850A - Key panel structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve assembly performance of the sensing member for detecting opening and closing of the key panel in the key panel structure that is constructed to give different functions to one key by opening and closing of the key panel. SOLUTION: The key panel structure arranges a key on a substrate 10 and arranges in piles, over the region of the keys, a plurality of key panels that are pivotally supported in free opening and closing, and comprises on the substrate 10 a sensing member 13c which has a bar 21 that protrudes partially from the substrate 10 and can contact the key panel with the top end and a brim 22 that is formed at the base of the bar 21. The guide part 31 that guides the above sensing member 13c in free sliding comprises a barrel 32 for guiding the outer periphery of the brim part 32, a hole 33 that is opened at the substrate 10 and inserted with the bar 21, and a taper 34 that is formed from the barrel 32 toward the hole 33.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a key panel for operating a device such as a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a base is provided with a key, and a plurality of pivotable key panels are arranged on the key so as to overlap with the key, and a detecting means for detecting which key panel is open is provided on the base. In some cases, thereby assigning a plurality of functions to the same key. Since this configuration allows multifunctional devices to be operated with a good operability in a limited space, it has been widely adopted in devices such as facsimile machines.

[0003] As an example of the detecting means, as shown in FIG. 7, a rod portion 21 which is partially protruded from the base 10 and whose tip can abut on the key panel,
A sensing member 42 having a flange 22 formed at a base end of the rod 21 is attached to the base 10, and when the key panel is closed, the key panel comes into contact with the tip of the rod 21 and the sensing member There is known a configuration in which 42 is pushed downward. According to this configuration, the sensor 23 is provided on the lower surface of the flange portion 22, and the open / closed state of the key panel is determined by detecting whether the sensing member 42 is being pressed by the sensor 23. Can be.

A guide portion 41 provided on the base body 10 for slidably guiding the sensing member 42 is provided.
7, the flange 22 of the sensing member 42
There is a known configuration having a cylindrical portion 32 for guiding the outer edge and a hole 33 for inserting the rod portion 21 therethrough.

[0005]

However, in such a conventional key panel structure, since the sensing member 42 is a fine component, it must be assembled to the guide portion 41 of the base unless a dexterous worker is a manual operator. Was difficult. Specifically, unless the sensing member 42 is inserted straight into the guide portion 41 and assembled, the rod portion 21
As shown in FIG. 8, the tip of the rod 21 comes into contact with the bottom of the cylindrical portion 32 as shown in FIG. 8, and in this case, it is necessary to take out the sensing member 42 and reassemble it from the beginning. is there.

In the conventional guide portion 41 as described above, when the key panel portion is turned upside down at the time of assembling the apparatus or the like, as shown in FIG. In some cases, it protruded for a long time (about several times the normal size). Since the rod portion 21 of the sensing member 42 has a thin rod shape, it cannot be expected to have much strength in the first place. For this reason, the rod portion 21 that is excessively protruded is often damaged by some impulse during assembly work or the like. It was.

[0007]

The problems to be solved by the present invention are as described above. Next, means for solving the problems will be described.

That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a key is arranged on a base, and a plurality of key panels pivotally supported so as to be openable and closable are arranged on an area where the keys are arranged, and the base is arranged on the base. In a key panel structure having a configuration in which a sensing part including a rod part whose upper part is protruded and a front end thereof can contact the key panel and a flange part formed at a base end of the rod part is provided on the base, A guiding portion for slidably guiding the sensing member, a cylindrical portion for guiding an outer edge of the flange portion, a hole opened in the base for inserting the rod portion, and a direction from the cylindrical portion toward the hole. It has a tapered portion to be formed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the guide further includes a rib for limiting a length of the bar of the sensing member protruding above the base.

[0010]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a key panel structure, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along a line YY in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing how the sensing member is attached to the guide.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a guide portion having a rib, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the protrusion of the rod portion is restricted by the rib when the operation panel is turned upside down.

At the top of the facsimile machine 1 shown in FIG. 1, an automatic document feeder (hereinafter, "ADF") 2 for automatically feeding a document to a reading device is provided. Documents placed on the paper feed tray 3 are separated one by one at the paper feed port 2a and are taken into the ADF 2, and after the image information of the document is read by the reading device of the apparatus main body, the document output port And is stacked on the paper discharge tray 4. The read image information is converted into an electric signal and transmitted to a destination via a telephone line. It is also possible to convert a signal from the other party's facsimile into image information and to form and output the image on paper stored inside the apparatus.

An operation panel 5 is provided on the front side of the apparatus, and a large number of operation buttons 6, 6,... Required for performing operations such as facsimile transmission.

On the left side of the operation panel 5, a key panel section 7 according to the present invention is provided. As shown in FIG. 2 which is an enlarged view, the key panel unit 7 has a group of keys 8 arranged in four rows and four columns.
8 and three key panels 9a, 9b and 9c.

Each of the three key panels 9a, 9b, 9c is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape, and the edge on the back side of the apparatus is pivotally connected to the base 10 of the operation panel 5 via a pin 14 as a pivot. are doing. The state shown in FIG. 2 shows three key panels 9a and 9
The keys 8.8 are arranged in a four-by-four column in the rectangular region P on the upper surface of the base 10 to be exposed, as shown in FIG.・ Protrudes. Each of the three key panels 9a, 9b, 9c has an opening 19, 19,... Corresponding to the position and shape of the key group 8, 8,. When the key panel 9 is placed on the key panel 9, the head of the key 8 is inserted through the hole 19 and protrudes above the key panel 9.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sensing members 13a, 13b and 13c for detecting the opening and closing of the key panel 9 have a thin rod (a rod portion described later) directed upward from a small-diameter hole opened in the base 10. When the user closes the key panel 9, the key panel 9 is pushed downward while contacting the tip of the sensing member 13. Each of these sensing members 13 is linked to a sensor inside the apparatus, and the facsimile apparatus can detect the closed state of the key panel 9 by this sensor. Details will be described later.

Three sensing members 13a, 13b, 1
3c corresponds to the three key panels 9a, 9b and 9c, respectively, and when only the third key panel 9c from the top is closed, the sensing member 13c is pushed in,
When the second sheet 9b and the third sheet 9c are closed from above, the two sensing members 13b and 13c are pushed in,
When all three key panels are closed, the three sensing members 13a, 13b, and 13c are pushed in. The facsimile apparatus determines the current state of the key panel 9 by the three sensing members 13a and 13a.
.. are determined by examining the states of the keys b and 13c, and the operation when the keys 8.8 are pressed is assigned accordingly. As described above, a plurality of functions (four functions in this embodiment) are assigned to one key 8, and the functions can be switched according to the open / close state of the key panel 9.

Such sensing members 13a and 13b
The guide portion for slidably guiding the 13c is the base 1
0, and this configuration is shown in FIG. Although FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the guide portion of the sensing member 13c, the other sensing members 13a
The configuration of the guide section for guiding b is substantially the same. As shown in FIG. 3, the sensing member 13 c is configured to include a rod portion 21 and a flange portion 22 formed at a base end of the rod portion 21. The rod portion 21 is formed in a columnar shape, and the flange portion 22 is formed.
Is formed in a disk shape, and the sensor 2
3 is located. The tip of the rod portion 21 is the base 1
0 is projected from the upper surface of the sensing member 13c by the key panel 9c being closed, and the sensing member 13c is pushed downward.
Slides in the axial direction, and the flange 22 moving downward pushes the contact of the sensor 23. Thus, the facsimile can detect the closed state of the key panel 9c.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the guide portion 31 on the lower surface of the base 10 has a cylindrical tubular portion 32 extending downward from the lower surface of the base 10, and the inside of the tubular portion 32 and The upper surface of the base 10 includes a hole 33 having both ends opened, and a conical tapered portion 34 narrowing from the cylindrical portion 32 toward the hole 33.

Since the guide portion 31 is provided with the tapered portion 34 as described above, when the sensing member 13c is assembled, as shown in FIG.
The taper 34 guides the rod 21 at the tip of the sensing member 13c to reach the hole 33 even if the rod 21 is slightly shifted from the position or is inserted into the guide 31 while the rod 21 is slightly inclined. Since the rod 21 is guided, the rod portion 21 is smoothly inserted into the hole 33, and the assembling is extremely easy.

Incidentally, as shown in a guide portion 31 'shown in FIG.
If the rib 35 is provided inside the cylindrical portion 32,
Even when the operation panel 5 is turned upside down as shown in FIG. 6 at the time of assembling the apparatus or the like, the excessive projection of the rod portion 21 from the hole 33 causes the rib 35 to
Is prevented by contact. Therefore, the rod portion 21 does not excessively protrude from the base 10, and the possibility of the rod portion 21 being damaged is significantly reduced.

As shown in FIG. 2, a linear thin thread rib 40 is provided on the upper surface of the base 10 near the pin 14.
A seal (not shown) is attached to the upper surface of the base 10 based on the thread rib 40 so that a user can write a description of a function assigned to a key or the like on the seal. ing. By utilizing the thread ribs 40 for positioning the seal, it is possible to easily prevent the sticking position of the seal from shifting. The thread ribs 40 are formed near the pins 14 (that is, the key panels 9a, 9b, 9).
c) (the vicinity of the pivot position of c), the thread ribs 40 are almost inconspicuous and do not impair the appearance.

[0022]

The present invention is configured as described above.
The following effects are obtained.

That is, as set forth in claim 1, a key is arranged on a base, and a plurality of key panels pivotally supported so as to be openable and closable are arranged on an area where the keys are arranged, and A key panel structure having a structure in which the base is provided with a sensing part including a rod part which is partially protruded on the base and which can be in contact with the key panel at the tip end, and a flange formed at the base end of the rod part. A guide portion for slidably guiding the sensing member, a cylindrical portion for guiding an outer edge of the flange portion, a hole opened in the base, a hole through which the rod portion is inserted, and a hole from the cylindrical portion to the hole. As the sensing member is assembled to the guide portion, the tapered portion guides the tip of the rod portion of the sensing member and guides it to the hole when the sensing member is assembled. I am impressed Becomes easy Te, the waste of assembling time and labor, such as assembly failures and redo is favorably reduced.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, since the guide portion is further provided with a rib for limiting a length of the rod portion of the sensing member protruding above the base, the rib portion of the sensing member is more than necessary. Since the protrusion is prevented by the rib, there is almost no risk of damaging the rod portion, and the yield can be improved and the assembling operation can be made more efficient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a key panel structure.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line YY in FIG. 2, showing a guide structure of the sensing member.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing how a sensing member is assembled to a guide.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a guide having ribs.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the protrusion of the bar is restricted by the rib when the operation panel is turned upside down.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a guide portion having a conventional configuration.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which an attempt to attach a sensing member to a guide has failed in a conventional configuration.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a bar portion excessively protrudes when the operation panel is turned upside down in a conventional configuration.

[Explanation of symbols]

 8 Key 9a, 9b, 9c Key Panel 10 Base 13c Sensing Member 21 Bar 22 Flange 31 Guide 32 Tube 33 Hole 34 Taper

Claims (2)

[Claims] A key is arranged on a base, and a plurality of key panels pivotally supported so as to be openable and closable are arranged on an area where the keys are arranged, and a part of the key panel is arranged on the base. In a key panel structure, a sensing portion including a rod portion protruding and abutting a tip end of the key panel and a flange formed at a base end of the stick portion is provided on the base, wherein the sensing member is slid. The guide that guides freely
It has a cylindrical portion for guiding the outer edge of the flange portion, a hole opened in the base for inserting the rod portion, and a tapered portion formed from the cylindrical portion toward the hole. , Key panel structure. 2. The key panel structure according to claim 1, wherein the guide portion further includes a rib for limiting a length of the rod portion of the sensing member protruding above the base.