JP2010218996A - Keyboard device having illumination function - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a keytop device in which an illumination display part provided on the keytop can be effectively illuminated by light emitted from a light source, and leakage of light from a gap of neighboring keytops can be reduced. <P>SOLUTION: A contact input part 24 having lower contacts 25a, 25a and an upper contact 26 is installed on a membrane laminate 20 provided on a chassis 2. Light emitted from an LED device 29 propagates inside a pressing sheet 22 of the membrane laminate 20, and is reflected in the reflection region 27 to be directed to the keytop 15. A flexible mask sheet 30 is superimposed on the membrane laminate 20. The mask sheet 30 has a shielding part 32 and a translucent part 33, and the gap between the neighboring keytops 15 is covered from the below by the shielding part 32. When the keytop 15 is pushed, the mask sheet 30 is deformed to operate the contact input part 24. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a keyboard device in which contacts are brought into contact with a plurality of key tops, and more particularly to a keyboard device having a function of illuminating a key top.

  A personal computer and various information retrieval devices are equipped with a keyboard device in which a plurality of key tops are arranged.

  Recent keyboard devices are required to have a function of illuminating so that individual key tops can be identified in a dark place. In particular, it is desired that a book-type or laptop-type personal computer is equipped with a keyboard device having an illumination function so that individual key tops can be visually distinguished in a dark place.

  In the keyboard device described in Patent Document 1 below, an electroluminescence element is installed on the back side of a base substrate on which individual key tops are supported, and light emitted from the electroluminescence element is formed on the base substrate. The key tops are given through the through holes.

  In the keyboard device described in Patent Document 2, a plate-like light emitting element formed of a cold light plate or a cold cathode plate is provided on a base, and a circuit board and an elastic sheet are provided on the light emitting element. A plurality of key tops are provided on the elastic sheet. The light emitted from the plate-like light emitting element passes through a hole formed in the circuit board and a hole formed in the elastic sheet, and is given to each key top.

JP 2002-251937 A Utility model registration No. 3082585

  In the keyboard device described in Patent Document 1, an electroluminescence element is provided on the lower side of a base substrate, and light passes through a through hole opened in the base substrate and is given to each key top. In the keyboard device described in Patent Document 2, light emitted from a plate-like light emitting element passes through holes formed in the circuit board and the elastic sheet and is given to the key top.

  As described above, the conventional keyboard device has a structure in which the light emitted from the light source passes through the holes of the other members positioned above and is given to each key top. Light usage efficiency is poor.

  In addition, light is transmitted through a through hole that penetrates a base substrate having a large thickness, or light passes through a hole formed in a plurality of stacked members such as a circuit board and an elastic sheet. Then, the light is likely to be irregularly reflected at the inner peripheral edge portion of the through hole and the inner peripheral edge portions of the plurality of holes. When the irregularly reflected light diffuses upward, the light leaks upward from the gap between adjacent key tops, making it difficult to visually observe the display portion that is originally provided on the key top and should be illuminated.

  Further, a mask member obtained by cutting out a large number of window portions that transmit light to the plate material is disposed below the key top, and a pressing convex portion that is pressed by the key top and presses the contact input portion is provided inside the window portion. The structure to arrange | position is also considered. However, the mask member with a large number of window parts cut off is inconvenient to handle, and the window parts need to be positioned and arranged under all the key tops, which complicates the assembling work.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, so that light from a light source can be concentratedly applied to an illumination display section of a key top, and light leakage from a gap between adjacent key tops can be suppressed. An object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard device.

The present invention relates to a chassis, a plurality of key tops, a support member that supports the key tops on the chassis so as to be movable up and down, and a contact input portion that contacts the contact points that receive the pressing force of the key tops. In a keyboard device provided with
A light source and a light guide sheet for irradiating light emitted from the light source toward the respective key tops are provided, and a gap between adjacent key tops is provided above the chassis and below the key tops. A mask member covering from the side is provided.

  In the keyboard device of the present invention, since the mask member is provided between the chassis and the key top, it is easy to suppress light leakage from between adjacent key tops.

  In the present invention, the mask member has a shielding part in which a shielding film is formed on a flexible and translucent base sheet, and a light-transmitting part in which the shielding film is not formed, and the shielding part Is arranged at a position that covers the space between adjacent key tops from below, the contact input portion is covered with the base sheet, and the pressing force of the key top is input to the contact via the base sheet. What is given to a part is preferable.

  As described above, when the mask member is formed of a flexible sheet, the base material sheet is deformed by the pressing force from the key top and the contact input is performed without providing a notch portion where the contact input portion is pressed. The part comes to be pressed. Therefore, it is not necessary to cut out a large number of windows for pressing the contact input portion in the mask member, and the mask member becomes easy to handle.

  In the present invention, the mask member has the light-transmitting portion formed at a position facing the lower side of each of the plurality of key tops, and the edge of the light-transmitting portion is more than the edge of each key top. What is located inside is preferable.

  By making the area of the translucent part formed on the mask member smaller than the area of the key top, it becomes difficult for light transmitted through the translucent part to diffuse into the gap between adjacent key tops.

  In the present invention, the light guide sheet is disposed on the chassis and below the mask member, and light is applied to the key top on a portion of the light guide sheet facing the light transmitting portion. What is provided with the reflective area | region which reflects toward is preferable.

  By providing the light guide sheet on the chassis, the light reflected by the reflection region of the light guide sheet can be given to the key top without being shielded by the chassis, etc., and the light utilization efficiency can be improved. it can. Further, since the light guide sheet is covered with the mask member, light leakage from the gap between adjacent key tops is less likely to occur.

  According to the present invention, in the reflection region, a plurality of recesses are formed on the back side of the light guide sheet facing the chassis, and light propagating through the light guide sheet is reflected by the inner surface of the recess, And is given to the key top.

  The concave portion formed in the light guide sheet of the present invention is formed by disassembling a part of the synthetic resin material forming the light guide sheet by the energy of laser light.

  In the keyboard device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the light source is disposed between the support members that support the adjacent key tops, and a hole into which the light source enters is formed in the light guide sheet.

  By disposing the light source between the adjacent support members, the distance from the light source to each key top can be shortened, and the light utilization efficiency is increased.

  The present invention can reduce light leakage from a gap between adjacent key tops of a keyboard device.

  Further, when the mask member is formed of a flexible sheet having a shielding portion and a light transmitting portion, the contact input portion can be operated by deforming the mask member with the pressing force of the key top. Therefore, the light leakage from the gap between the adjacent key tops can be reduced by simply arranging a thin sheet below the plurality of key tops. Moreover, since it is not necessary to cut out the window part for pressing a contact input part, the mask member becomes easy to handle.

The fragmentary top view which shows a part of keyboard device of the 1st Embodiment of this invention, The partial top view which shows the state which removed the key top of the keyboard apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the keyboard device, and a cross-sectional view corresponding to a cross section taken along line III-III in FIG. Explanatory drawing which expands and shows the structure of the illumination function part, Explanatory drawing which expands and shows the structure of the illumination function part of the keyboard apparatus of 2nd Embodiment, (A) (B) (C) is a diagram showing the actual measurement of the shape of the recess formed in the light guide sheet,

  The keyboard device 1 according to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is installed in a book-type, laptop-type, or desktop-type personal computer.

  The keyboard device 1 has a metal chassis 2, and a plurality of key input units 10 a, 10 b, 10 c, 10 d, and 10 e are arranged in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction on the chassis 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the key input unit 10a, the key input unit 10b, the key input unit 10c, the key input unit 10d, and the key input unit 10e are divided according to the size of the key top 15 provided in each key input unit. Separated. In the following description, all the key tops having different sizes are denoted by the same reference numeral 15.

  FIG. 3 is a cross section of the keyboard device 1 cut along a cross section taken along line III-III in FIG. 2, and key input portions 10c and 10d are shown. The other key input units 10a, 10b, and 10e are different from the key input units 10c and 10d in the lateral length of the key top 15, but the other structures are the same as the key input units 10c and 10d. It is substantially the same.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a membrane laminate 20 and a mask sheet 30 as a mask member are sequentially stacked and fixed on the chassis 2, and a key top 15 is provided at a position away from the chassis 2. It has been. In FIG. 4, the chassis 2, the membrane laminate 20, and the mask sheet 30 are illustrated apart from each other in the vertical direction, but actually, the substrate sheet 21 of the membrane laminate 20 is bonded and fixed on the chassis 2. The mask sheet 30 is bonded and fixed to the pressing sheet 22.

  In the portions where the respective key input portions 10c and 10d are provided, the first support piece 11a and the second support piece 11b are bent upward in the chassis 2. A pair of the first support pieces 11a is provided in a portion where the respective key input portions 10c and 10d are provided, and separated in a direction orthogonal to the paper surface of FIG. 3, and the second support piece 11b is also orthogonal to the paper surface. A pair is provided apart in the direction. A hole 20a is opened in the membrane laminate 20, a hole 30a penetrating vertically with the hole 20a is also opened in the mask sheet 30, and the first support piece 11a and the second support piece 11b are connected to the hole 20a. 20a and the hole 30a pass through and protrude above the membrane laminate 20.

  A first movable support member 16 and a second movable support member 17 are provided between each key top 15 and the chassis 2. One end 16a of the first movable support member 16 is rotatably supported by the first support piece 11a, and the other end 16b is rotatably supported by the lower portion of the key top 15 and slidable in the lateral direction. ing. The second movable support member 17 has one end 17a rotatably supported on the lower part of the key top 15, and the other end 17b supported rotatably on the second support piece 11b and slidable in the lateral direction. Yes. The central portions of the first movable support member 16 and the second movable support member 17 are rotatably connected to each other. The first movable support member 16 and the second movable support member 17 are X-shaped. The support link is configured. In this embodiment, the X-type support link is a support member that supports the keytop 15 so as to be movable up and down.

  An elastic member 18 is provided between the mask sheet 30 and the key top 15. The elastic member 18 is made of synthetic rubber, and is an urging member that applies an upward urging force that is a direction away from the chassis 2 to the key top 15. The inside of the lower side of the elastic member 18 is a cavity, and a downward pressing protrusion 18a is integrally formed in the cavity.

  As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 4, the membrane laminate 20 is configured by laminating a substrate sheet 21, a pressing sheet 22, and a spacer layer 23 sandwiched between the sheets 21 and 22. Yes. A contact input portion 24 in which the spacer layer 23 is not formed is provided at a portion of the elastic member 18 facing the pressing convex portion 18a. The contact input portion 24 is formed at a position facing the pressing convex portion 18a of the elastic member 18 provided in all the key input portions 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, and 10e.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the contact input unit 24, lower contacts 25 a and 25 a that form a pair are provided on the upper surface of the substrate sheet 21, and upper contacts that face the lower contacts 25 a and 25 a are provided on the lower surface of the pressing sheet 22. 26 is provided. The lower contacts 25 a and 25 a are individually connected to a conductive pattern wired on the upper surface of the substrate sheet 21. When the key top 15 is pressed in the key input portions 10c, 10d, etc., the one end 16a of the first movable support member 16 rotates about the engaging portion with the first support piece 11a as a fulcrum, and the second movable One end 17a of the support member 17 rotates under the key top 15, and the key top 15 is lowered. At this time, the elastic member 18 is crushed by the key top 15, the pressing sheet 22 of the contact input unit 24 is pressed by the pressing convex portion 18 a via the mask sheet 30, and the upper contact 26 is paired with the pair of lower contacts 25 a. 25a, the lower contacts 25a, 25a are brought into conduction with each other. Thereby, a key input signal is obtained.

  The spacer layer 23 interposed between the substrate sheet 21 and the pressing sheet 22 in an area other than the contact input part 24 is an adhesive layer. The spacer layer 23 is composed of an organic resin layer 23 a formed of a resist material or the like on the surface of the substrate sheet 21 and an adhesive layer 23 b laminated thereon. The organic resin layer 23a is formed on the surface of the substrate sheet 21 in a region excluding the contact input unit 24 in a screen printing process or the like. The adhesive layer 23b is also formed on the surface of the organic resin layer 23a in a region excluding the contact input portion 24 in a screen printing process or the like, and the pressing sheet 22 is fixed by the adhesive layer 23b.

  By using the spacer layer 23 as an adhesive layer, the membrane laminate 20 can be made thin. In addition, by forming the spacer layer 23 with a laminate of the organic resin layer 23a and the adhesive layer 23b, the vertical distance between the substrate sheet 21 and the pressing sheet 22 can be kept wide, and the respective contact input portions 24, the upper and lower opposing distances between the lower contacts 25a, 25a and the upper contact 26 can be maintained.

  In the keyboard device 1 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pressing sheet 22 that is the uppermost layer of the membrane laminate 20 functions as a light guide sheet.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a hole 20 b penetrating vertically is opened in the membrane laminate 20. A light emitting diode device 29 as a light source is fixed to the surface of the chassis 2 via a flexible wiring board or the like, and the light emitting diode device 29 enters the inside of the hole 20b. The light emitting diode device 29 is a device in which a bare chip of a light emitting diode is housed in a transparent package, and can emit light in all directions around it. The light emitting diode device 29 faces the end surface 22a of the pressing sheet 22 that is a light guide sheet in the hole 20b, and light emitted from the light emitting diode device 29 is guided into the pressing sheet 22 from the end surface 22a.

  The pressing sheet 22 has a thickness dimension of less than 1 mm, and preferably less than 500 μm. The pressing sheet 22 of this embodiment has a thickness of 300 μm.

  The pressing sheet 22 is a flat surface with a smooth mirror surface, the front surface 22c facing the key top 15 and the back surface 22d facing the chassis 2 being both smooth. A reflection area 27 having a predetermined area is divided and set in the pressing sheet 22, and a plurality of recesses 28 are formed in each reflection area 27.

The individual recesses 28 are irradiated with energy by irradiating a very small area of the back surface 22d of the pressing sheet 22 with a CO ₂ laser or the like, and a part of the material constituting the pressing sheet 22 is decomposed and removed. Is formed. Therefore, the pressing sheet 22 is formed of a material that is transparent and can be decomposed by laser energy. It is thin and flexible, and is formed of a transparent film material that is relatively strong and can be decomposed by laser energy. For example, polycarbonate, urethane, silicon, or the like can be used.

  The concave portion 28 is formed by applying a laser energy of a minute spot to the back surface 22d of the pressing sheet 22 and disassembling a part of the material constituting the pressing sheet 22, so that each of the concave portions 28 when viewed from the back surface 22d is used. The shape of the opening of the recess 28 is circular. This circle is a perfect circle, an oval, or an ellipse. Moreover, the opening area of the recessed part 28 becomes small gradually toward the bottom part of the recessed part 28, and the whole inner surface of the recessed part 28 is a concave curved surface shape. Moreover, since the recessed part 28 is formed by decomposing | disassembling material, the inner surface of the recessed part 28 is a smooth surface, ie, a mirror surface, in the whole region. The smooth surface or mirror surface here means that the surface roughness is the same as that of the front surface 22c and the back surface 22d or the surface roughness is smaller than that of the front surface 22c and the back surface 22d. Further, the smooth surface or mirror surface means that when light propagating through the inside of the pressing sheet 22 hits the inner surface of the recess 28 from the inside of the sheet, the light is not irregularly reflected on the inner surface, and the sheet depends on the angle of the inner surface. Means the property of being reflected according to the principle of incident angle and reflection angle.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the light L emitted from the light emitting diode device 29 and incident into the pressing sheet 22 from the end surface 22 a repeats reflection on the front surface 22 c and reflection on the rear surface 22 d and passes through the inside of the pressing sheet 22. Propagate. When the light propagating through the inside of the pressing sheet 22 hits the inner surface of the recess 28, the incident angle and the reflection angle are approximately equal to the virtual plane that is in contact with the inner surface of the recess 28 at the position where the light hits. Is reflected toward the interior of the surface and directed toward the surface 22c. Then, the key top 15 is illuminated with the light La emitted from the surface 22 c of the pressing sheet 22.

  The membrane laminate 20 has a large area extending over the entire area of the keyboard device 1, and includes a contact input section 24 and a reflective surface facing the lower side of the key top 15 of all the key input sections 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, and 10e. A region 27 is provided. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the hole 20b into which the light emitting diode device 29 is inserted is (i) between the key input portion in the third row from the bottom and the key input portion in the fourth row from the bottom. It is formed at the position shown. A hole 20b is provided between the X-type links formed by the first movable support member 16 and the second movable support member 17 located between the adjacent key input portions and adjacent to each other. Inside, a light emitting diode device 29 capable of providing light in all directions is provided.

  Therefore, it is possible to prevent the distance from the light emitting diode device 29 from being extremely far in the reflection regions 27 of all the key input portions, and the light from the light emitting diode device 29 is transmitted to the respective key input portions 10a, 10b, 10c. , 10d, 10e can be given efficiently and uniformly.

  Alternatively, the light emitting diode device 29 is disposed at the position shown in FIG. 2 (ii), and the light emitted from the light emitting diode device 29 enters the inside of the pressing sheet 22 from the lower edge of the pressing sheet 22 in the drawing. It may be a structure. Alternatively, the light emitting diode device 29 may be opposed to the left and right edges of the pressing sheet 22.

  The mask sheet 30 has a translucent and flexible base sheet 31 such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate). The translucency here means a property that allows the light La emitted from the surface 22c of the pressing sheet 22 below to be transmitted to illuminate the key top 15.

  The mask sheet 30 has a shielding part 32 and a translucent part 33. In the shielding part 32, a shielding film that does not transmit light is formed on the surface of the base material sheet 31. This shielding film is a black or dark green layer, and is formed by printing a resin layer on the surface of the base sheet 31 or sputtering an inorganic layer such as a metal layer. The light-transmitting portion 33 is not formed with a shielding film and can transmit light.

  In FIG. 2, the shielding part 32 of the mask sheet 30 is shown with hatching, and the translucent part 33 is shown without hatching. Each translucent part 33 is a rectangle.

  In the plan view shown in FIG. 2, the translucent part 33 does not protrude outward from the edge of the key top 15 provided in all the key input parts 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e. The edge part of 33 is located inside the edge part of the key top 15, and the area of the translucent part 33 is smaller than the area of the key top 15. As a result, the shielding portion 32 is always located below the gap between the adjacent key tops 15.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the hole 20 b formed in the membrane laminate 20 is covered with a shielding part 32 of the mask sheet 30, and the upper part of the light emitting diode device 29 provided in the hole 20 b is the shielding part 32. Covered.

  Therefore, even if the light emitting diode device 29 is disposed below the gap between the adjacent key tops 15, the light emitted upward from the light emitting diode device 29 is shielded by the shielding portion 32 and is emitted from the gap between the adjacent key tops 15. Will not leak. Further, light propagating through the inside of the pressing sheet 22 does not leak upward from the gap between the adjacent key tops 15. However, as shown in FIG. 4, since the reflective region 27 having a large number of concave portions 28 is provided below the light transmitting portion 33, the reflective region 27 propagates through the inside of the pressing sheet 22 to form the concave portions 28 of the reflective region 27. The light La reflected by is provided to the key top 15 through the light transmitting portion 33.

As shown in FIG. 4, the main body 15a of the key top 15 is formed of a transparent material such as polycarbonate or a translucent material such as translucent, and the surface of the main body 15a is painted or electrolessly plated. A coating layer 15b that cannot transmit the formed light is formed. A part of the coating layer 15b is removed by a CO ₂ laser or the like to form an illumination display portion 15c. In the keyboard device 1 shown in FIG. 1, the illumination display portion 15 c formed on the surface of each key top 15 is a display representing characters, symbols, or numbers.

  In FIG. 1, the reflection region 27 in which a large number of recesses 28 are formed is illustrated as a region surrounded by a broken line. The reflection region 27 is formed in a slightly larger area than the illumination display portion 15c just below the illumination display portion 15c formed on each key top 15. That is, in the plan view of FIG. 1, the illumination display portions 15 c provided on the respective key tops 15 are provided within the range of the reflection region 27 below.

  In the keyboard device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the pressing sheet 22 that is the uppermost layer of the membrane laminate 20 is used as a light guide sheet, and light emitted from the light emitting diode device 29 propagates through the pressing sheet 22. The light is reflected by the plurality of concave portions 28 provided in the reflection region 27, passes through the light transmitting portion 33 of the mask sheet 30, and is given to the illumination display portion 15 c of the key top 15. Since no metal substrate or resin circuit board is disposed on the pressing sheet 22 and only the translucent portion 33 of the mask sheet is opposed, it reflects upward from the reflective region 27. The emitted light La is efficiently given to the illumination display unit 15c, and the illumination display unit 15c is clearly illuminated in all the key tops 15.

  In addition, since the substrate sheet 21, the lower contacts 25a and 25a, and the upper contact 26 can be formed of a non-translucent material, the material cost of the constituent members can be reduced.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the hole 20b formed in the membrane laminate 20 is disposed between the key input part and the key input part, and the light emitting diode device 29 is provided in the hole 20b. It is possible to prevent the distance between the reflection region 27 provided in the key input unit and the light emitting diode device 29 from being greatly separated. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the uneven brightness of the illumination display portions 15c of the key tops 15 located in all the key input portions.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the first and second movable support members 16 and 17 and the elastic member 18 are interposed in the light path of the light La reflected by the concave portion 28 of the reflection region 27 toward the illumination display portion 15c. ing. Therefore, it is preferable that the first and second movable support members 16 and 17 and the elastic member 18 are formed of a transparent or translucent light-transmitting material. Alternatively, the first and second movable support members 16 and 17 and the elastic member 18 are formed of a white synthetic resin material or the like so that light can be reflected or diffused on the surface. The reflected light may be reflected or diffused by the first and second movable support members 16, 17 and the elastic member 18 and given to the key top 15.

6 (A), 6 (B), and 6 (C) show the results of measuring the shape of the surface of the concave portion 28 actually processed by irradiating the back surface 22d of the pressing sheet 22 made of polycarbonate with a CO ₂ laser with a laser microscope. Show. FIG. 6 is an output diagram showing a cross-sectional shape cut by a plane passing through the center of the recess 28 and perpendicular to the back surface 22d.

As shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C, by changing the irradiation time and energy of the CO ₂ laser on the back surface 22d, the opening area φ of the opening portion 28a of the recessed portion 28 and the back surface 22d to the recessed portion 28 are changed. The depth dimension D and the like up to the bottom 28b can be freely set. FIG 6 (A) is the longest CO ₂ laser irradiation time, FIG. 6 (C) is the most short irradiation time of the CO ₂ laser, FIG. 6 (B) is in between. Therefore, the opening area φ of the opening 28a is the largest in FIG. 6A and the smallest in FIG. 6C. Further, the depth dimension D is the deepest in FIG. 6A and the shallowest in FIG. 6C.

  From the output diagram shown in FIG. 6, it can be confirmed that the inner surface 28c of the concave portion 28 is a concave curved surface that smoothly continues from the opening 28a to the bottom portion 28b, and the bottom portion 28b is a smooth concave curved surface. The inclination angle θ of the inner surface 28c of the recess 28 with respect to the back surface 22d is the largest in FIG. 6 (A) and the smallest in FIG. 6 (C).

  In the recess 28, the opening diameter of the opening 28a is 500 μm or less, preferably 300 μm or less. The depth dimension D is 5 μm or more, and is preferably 1/3 or less of the thickness of the pressing sheet 22.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the light L propagating through the inside of the pressing sheet 22 hits the inner surface 28c of the recess 28 inside the sheet, the light is mainly reflected toward the surface 22c. As shown in FIG. 6A, the greater the depth dimension D of the recess 28 and the greater the inclination angle θ of the inner surface 28c, the higher the ability to direct light vertically upward. Further, the greater the depth dimension D of the recess 28 and the greater the inclination angle θ of the inner surface 28c, the greater the total amount of light reflected by the inner surface 28c of one recess 28.

  Therefore, the opening area φ of the recess 28 in the same pressing sheet 22 depends on the distance from the light emitting diode device 29 as the light source to the reflection region 27, the width of the reflection region 27, the size of the illumination display portion 15c, and the like. In addition, by varying the depth dimension D, it is possible to reduce the variation in the amount of reflected light due to the difference in the distance from the light emitting diode device 29 to the reflection region 27.

  As for the arrangement of the recesses 28, it is preferable to increase the depth dimension D of the recesses 28 formed in the reflection region 27 farther from the reflection region 27 closer to the light emitting diode device 29, and consequently increase the angle θ. Even in the same reflection region 27, it is also preferable to gradually increase the depth dimension D and the angle θ as the distance from the light emitting diode device 29 increases.

  In addition, it is preferable to increase the arrangement density of the recesses 28 formed in the reflection region 27 far from the reflection region 27 near the light emitting diode device 29. Even in the same reflection region 27, it is preferable to increase the arrangement density as the distance from the light emitting diode device 29 increases.

  In the same reflection region 27, when concave portions having different depth dimension D and opening area φ are mixed, the light is concentrated on the illumination display portion 15c, or the size of characters of the illumination display portion 15c is determined. Illumination of the amount of light becomes possible.

  Since the concave portion 28 is formed by irradiating the back surface 22d of the pressing sheet 22 with a laser, a plurality of types of concave portions 28 can be freely designed on the same pressing sheet 22 by changing the irradiation time and irradiation energy of the laser. Can be arranged.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the keyboard device 101 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and corresponds to the cross-sectional view shown in FIG.

  In the keyboard device 101 shown in FIG. 5, the same components as those of the keyboard device 1 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  In the keyboard device 101 shown in FIG. 5, the membrane laminate 120 is formed of the substrate sheet 21, the pressing sheet 22, and the spacer layer 23, and the portion where the spacer layer 23 is not formed is the contact input unit 24. . However, the depression 28 is not formed in the pressing sheet 22, and the pressing sheet 22 is formed of a PET sheet or the like having smooth both surfaces.

  A covering sheet 40 is provided between the pressing sheet 22 of the membrane laminate 120 and the base sheet 31 of the mask sheet 30, and the covering sheet 40 is bonded to the pressing sheet 22 and the base sheet 31. The covering sheet 40 functions as a light guide sheet.

  The covering sheet 40 is formed of a material that is easily decomposed by a laser such as polycarbonate. In the reflection region 27, a large number of recesses 28 are formed on the back surface 40 b of the covering sheet 40. The recess 28 is formed by decomposing a part of the material with a laser. As shown in FIG. 6, the inner surface 28c of the recess 28 is smooth, and the surface roughness of the inner surface 28c is the same as the surface roughness of the front surface 40a and the back surface 40b of the covering sheet 40, or the front surface 40a and the back surface 40b. The surface roughness is smaller than.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a hole 120 b is formed in the membrane laminate 120, a hole 41 is formed in the covering sheet 40, and the light emitting diode device 29 is positioned inside the hole 120 b and the hole 41. The light emitting diode device 29 is covered with a shielding part 32 of the mask sheet 30.

  In this embodiment, since the covering sheet 40, which is a light guide sheet, is overlaid on the membrane laminate 120, the entire membrane laminate 120 can be formed of a non-translucent material.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Keyboard apparatus 2 Chassis 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e Key input part 15 Key top 15a Main body part 15b Covering layer 15c Illumination display part 16 1st movable support member 17 2nd movable support member 18 Elastic member 20 Membrane lamination Body 21 Substrate sheet 22 Press sheet 23 Spacer layer 24 Contact input part 25a Lower contact 26 Upper contact 27 Reflection area 28 Recess 29 Light emitting diode device 30 Mask sheet 31 Base sheet 32 Shielding part 33 Translucent part 40 Cover sheet

Claims (7)

A chassis, a plurality of key tops, a support member that supports the key tops on the chassis so as to be movable up and down, and a contact input unit that contacts the contact points that are opposed to each other by receiving the pressing force of the key tops are provided. Keyboard device,
A light source and a light guide sheet for irradiating light emitted from the light source toward the respective key tops are provided, and a gap between adjacent key tops is provided above the chassis and below the key tops. A keyboard device comprising a mask member covering from the side.   The mask member has a shielding part in which a shielding film is formed on a flexible and translucent base sheet, and a light-transmitting part in which the shielding film is not formed, and the shielding parts are adjacent to each other. It is arranged at a position covering the space between the key tops from below, the contact input part is covered with the base sheet, and the pressing force of the key top is applied to the contact input part via the base sheet. The keyboard device according to claim 1.   The mask member has the light-transmitting portion formed at a position facing the lower side of each of the plurality of key tops, and the edge of the light-transmitting portion is positioned inside the edge of each key top. The keyboard device according to claim 2.   The light guide sheet is disposed on the chassis and below the mask member, and the light guide sheet reflects light toward the key top at a portion facing the light transmitting portion. 4. The keyboard device according to claim 2, wherein a reflective area is provided.   In the reflection region, a plurality of recesses are formed on the back side of the light guide sheet facing the chassis, and light propagating through the light guide sheet is reflected by the inner surface of the recess and passes through the light transmitting part. The keyboard device according to claim 4, wherein the keyboard device is provided on the key top.   The keyboard device according to claim 5, wherein the concave portion formed in the light guide sheet is formed by disassembling a part of a material forming the light guide sheet by energy of laser light.   The said light source is arrange | positioned between the said supporting members which support the said said key top adjacent, The hole which the said light source penetrates in the said light guide sheet is formed in any one of Claim 1 thru | or 6. Keyboard device.

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