JP2004119238A - Tact switch - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow reliable operation of a switch, irrespective of a pressing direction of a key top of buttons or the like provided in a control panel of an image forming device and having a function of indicating operational information by lighting. <P>SOLUTION: In a tact switch 1 incorporating a light source 8, a key top 2 is provided in a frame body 4 via elastic arm members 3, 3. One protrusion 2a in the lower part of the key top 2 is provided with a contact 5 corresponding to a switch 6, and the other protrusion 2b in the lower part of the key top 2 is hangingly provided with a supporting leg part 15 which hangs down and is locked by a frame 16. Even if the pressing force is partially applied to the key top 2, the force is exerted in a direction to push down the contact 5 with the supporting leg part 15 serving as a fulcrum, therefore the switch 6 can be surely operated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a switch arranged on a control panel of an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a tact switch capable of displaying a switch type and an on state by providing a lighting unit such as a light emitting member inside the switch. .
[0002]
[Prior art]
In an image forming apparatus such as a facsimile machine (FAX) or a multifunction machine having both a facsimile function and a copying function, a large number of keys and switches are provided on a control panel. The user operates the apparatus by pressing any of the switches and selecting an operation. In the switch provided on the control panel, the key top is made of a material that transmits light, and a light source such as an LED is provided inside so that a label such as a character or a figure displayed on the key top is illuminated. . As a tact switch equipped with the light source, in a device such as a facsimile machine, it is used as a FAX mode selection switch, a power switch, and the like, that the operation is selected by pressing the tact switch, The key top can be displayed by illuminating it. For example, as a tact switch provided with the light source, a rubber contact type push button switch with a display unit of a telephone is known, and the push button switch emits light below an indicator provided in a part of the push button. A diode (LED) is arranged, and a rubber contact section is arranged at a target position on the center axis of the button with respect to the indicator section. (For example, see Patent Document 1)
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2001-202847A
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described in the conventional example, even in the rubber contact type switch, since the switch member is disposed at a position biased to one side of the push button portion, when the push button is pressed, There remains a problem that the switch does not operate normally or that the return operation is hindered after the push button is pressed obliquely. Therefore, in the above-mentioned conventional example, a dummy switch member is disposed at a position symmetrical with respect to the center axis of the button, and when the push button is pressed, the pressing operation on the operation switch is performed under favorable conditions. It has also been proposed to be able to do so.
[0005]
By the way, in addition to the rubber contact switch, in a general image forming apparatus, in addition to an operation mode selection switch, by displaying selection information, switches that allow an operator to confirm the operation contents are also included. The display button may be arranged. For example, in a tact switch 1A as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the entirety is made of a resin material that transmits light, and a plurality of elastic arm members 3, 3 are interposed inside a frame body 4. A key top 2 is arranged, and a light source 8 such as an LED is arranged below the key top 2. A contact 5 is provided at one lower portion of the key top 2 so as to hang downward, and corresponds to a switch 6 provided on a substrate 7. By pressing the key top 2, the switch 6 is operated. At the same time, the LED 8 is caused to emit light to indicate that the operation has been selected. However, the tact switch 1A as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 still has a problem that the contact 5 does not press the switch 6 accurately if the force at the time of pressing the key top is biased.
[0006]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a device in which a contact can accurately operate a switch even if any part of a key top is pressed in a switch provided with a light source therein.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention relates to a tact switch including a frame, a leg suspended from the frame and pressing a switch on a substrate, and a plurality of keytops connected to the inside of the frame via an elastic arm. About. The invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that a support leg for supporting a key top is provided on a side facing the support leg.
[0008]
The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that a space for mounting a light-emitting member is provided through a lower opening inside the key top so that the display on the surface of the key top can be illuminated.
[0009]
With the configuration as described above, the configuration of the tact switch does not become complicated, and when the key top of the tact switch is pressed, the switch can be operated regardless of the pressed position by the key top, and the key can be accurately pressed. Can be pressed. When the keytop is pressed, the pressing force acts only as a pressing action between the contact and the switch, so that the switch can be operated accurately.
[0010]
The configuration of the switch provided in the image forming apparatus will be described according to the illustrated example. The tact switch 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is integrally formed using a resin material, and includes a plurality of elastic arm members 3 and 3 inside a frame 4 configured to surround the periphery. Key top 2 is arranged. The tact switch 1 has a shape such that a substantially deep dish is laid down, and a projection 2a is formed by extending a part of a hanging part of a key top 2 operated by an operator in a lateral direction. The contact 5 is provided hanging down, and the contact 5 is positioned corresponding to the switch 6. The upper part of the key top 2 is arranged so as to protrude up and down by a predetermined length from an opening 11 provided in a keyboard 10 of a control panel, so that an operator can easily operate a switch.
[0011]
In order to hold the frame 4 of the tact switch 1, for example, a substantially key-piece-like support arm 12 is provided at a lower portion around the opening 11 of the keyboard 10 so as to hang down. To be locked. Further, it is also possible to lock and hold the keyboard 10 with screws or other locking means without using the members such as the support arms. In addition, as the fixing means for holding the tact switch 1 on the keyboard 10, any fixing and holding means can be used as long as the workability at the time of assembly and the removal at the time of maintenance can be easily performed. Can be. In the tact switch 1, the key top 2 is held by the elastic arm member 3 with respect to the frame 4, and the elastic member 3 holds the key top 2 at the neutral position. When the pressing action on the key top 2 is released, the key top 2 can be returned to the original position and held by the elasticity of the elastic arm member 3.
[0012]
In the tact switch 1, a protrusion 2 b is provided at a symmetrical position of the center C with respect to the key top 2 supported in a floating state on the frame body 4 via the elastic arm member 3, on a side opposite to the protrusion 2 a. The supporting leg 15 is provided so as to protrude downward from the protrusion 2 b, and is provided so as to hold the supporting leg 15 with respect to the frame 16. Therefore, when the key top 2 is pressed from above, the force pressing the key top 2 is a force in the direction of lowering the contact 5 because one of the support legs 15 is fixed. Works. That is, even if the pressing force of the key top 2 is weak and the pressing direction is different from the center or the direction of the contact, the pressing force is a force for pressing down the contact 5 with the support leg 15 as a fulcrum. Therefore, the switch 6 acts to press the switch 6 more accurately.
[0013]
The tact switch 1 configured as described above can be provided on a control panel of an image forming apparatus as shown in FIG. 3 so that selected operation information can be displayed on a key. The example of the image forming apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 3 shows an apparatus configured as an electrophotographic copying machine and a multifunction machine having a facsimile function. A recording unit 31 for making a copy is combined with a paper feeding unit 32 for feeding paper to the recording unit 31. An operation panel 21 is provided for controlling the image forming apparatus and for operating the copier function and the facsimile function, and performs the same operation as that of a conventionally known image forming apparatus. It is configured to perform transmission and reception of the used image information and an operation of recording on paper based on the read information of the document.
[0014]
The control panel 21 provided on the front side of the upper part of the main body of the image forming apparatus 20 is provided with a number of buttons and keys for controlling the operation of the apparatus, and controls the operation of the image forming apparatus and the operation of the facsimile function. It is made available when performing. The control panel 21 has a function selection button 22, a start button 24, a facsimile button 25 for selecting facsimile transmission, and a destination telephone set with abbreviated dialing, as in the case of a general image forming apparatus. A one-touch dial key 23 used for transmitting a number, a numeric keypad, and the like are arranged. Further, it is possible to use the numeric keypad as a dial when making a telephone call using a handset, as in the case of the conventional facsimile apparatus. In addition to the buttons and keys, the display 26 may be configured using liquid crystal display means or the like in order to display information selected by pressing the buttons or keys. Is not the gist of the present invention, and description of buttons and keys arranged on the control panel other than the tact switch is omitted.
[0015]
Among the many buttons and keys arranged on the control panel 21, the start button 24, the FAX function selection button, the copy function selection button, and the like are used by the operator to select a function to be used by pressing first. Illuminates the light source built into the button so that the operator can easily check it. Also, when performing different types of work, such as when switching the paper feeding work from the FAX transmission mode, the user naturally presses the function selection button to perform a different type of work from the previous work. But it is necessary to confirm. Therefore, among the selection buttons arranged on the control panel 20, buttons for displaying information on the selected work are provided by using the tact switch 1 as shown in FIG. Means for visually displaying information is used.
[0016]
The configuration of the image forming apparatus 20 will be further described. One or a plurality of paper feeding trays 33 can be arranged in the paper feeding section 32 of the image forming apparatus 20, and the paper feeding tray 33 is designated to the recording section 31. Paper of different sizes can be supplied. In addition, a manual feed tray 34 is disposed on a side portion for feeding paper of a size that cannot be accommodated in the paper feed tray 33, thick paper, or special sheets. In the manual feed tray 34, a regulating means as a pair of guide members is provided. The paper feeding operation can be performed in a state where the side surfaces of the papers are regulated by using 35. The manual feed tray 34 is provided with a sheet holding plate so as to be openable and closable with respect to the apparatus main body of the recording unit 31 in the same manner as that provided in a conventionally known image forming apparatus. Any configuration, such as supporting the apparatus in a state of leaning against the side of the apparatus body, can be used.
[0017]
In the recording unit and the reading unit disposed on the paper feeding unit 32, the recording unit can be configured as an apparatus having a function of forming an image on a recording sheet using an electrophotographic method. Further, image information obtained by reading a document by the reading unit and image information received by a facsimile function are recorded on a sheet by the recording unit based on the image information, and the recording sheet is discharged toward the discharge tray 36. The provision of the mechanism can be configured in the same manner as in the case of a conventional apparatus in which a copying machine and a facsimile apparatus are combined.
[0018]
Although a detailed description is omitted for the reading unit 30 disposed above the image forming apparatus 20 similarly to the conventional scanner apparatus, a reading unit 30 as a flatbed scanner (FBS) disposed above the frame of the scanning apparatus is used. Means for reading the original while moving inside the frame of the scanning device with the platen can be provided. A document pressing member 37 for pressing a document set on a platen is provided corresponding to the FBS function. The upper surface of the document pressing member 37 is used as a discharge tray 39 of an automatic document feeder (ADF) 38. An ADF 38 is provided at one end of the reading unit 30, and it is possible to read a document set on the document tray 40 by a scanning device while transporting the document through a document transport path provided inside the ADF. It can be configured similarly to a conventionally known ADF.
[0019]
In the tact switch 1 incorporating the light source, an arbitrary light emitting element can be arranged in addition to the LED as the light source, and the color of the light can be arbitrarily selected. Further, the color of the resin constituting the key top 2 of the tact switch 1 and the display title are not particularly limited as in the case of the conventional image forming apparatus, and the display information is clearly notified to the operator. There is no particular limitation as long as it can be performed.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
With the configuration as described above, the configuration of the tact switch does not become complicated, and when the key top of the tact switch is pressed, the switch can be operated regardless of the pressed position by the key top, and the key can be accurately pressed. Can be pressed. When the keytop is pressed, the pressing force acts only as a pressing action between the contact and the switch, so that the switch can be operated accurately. In addition, by applying the tact switch to buttons provided on a control panel of the image forming apparatus, the operability of the apparatus can be improved, and the operator can easily confirm the display of the buttons.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a tact switch.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a tact switch.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an image forming apparatus using a tact switch.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a conventional tact switch.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the tact switch of FIG. 4;
[Explanation of symbols]
1 tact switch, 2 key top, 3 elastic arm member,
4 frames, 5 contacts, 6 switches,
7 switch board, 8 LED, 10 keyboard,
11 opening, 12 support arm, 15 support leg,
16 frames, 20 image forming devices,
21 control panel, 22 function selection buttons,
23 One-touch dial key, 24 Start button,
25 FAX button, 30 reading unit, 31 recording unit,
32 paper feeder, 33 paper feed tray, 34 manual feed tray,
36 discharge tray, 37 document pressing member, 38 ADF,
39 output tray, 40 document tray.

Claims (2)

A frame, and a leg that is suspended from the frame and presses a switch on the board;
A plurality of key tops connected to the inside of the frame via an elastic arm,
A tact switch, wherein a support leg for supporting a key top is provided on a side facing the support leg. Inside the key top, a space for mounting a light emitting member is provided through a lower opening,
2. The tact switch according to claim 1, wherein a display on a key top surface is illuminable.

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