JP2012142230A - Key switch device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a key switch device which is constructed in such a way that its internal structures such as a link member, etc. will not affect visual confirmation by the operator.SOLUTION: To ensure that LEDs 32 each will be able to illuminate a key top 14 when a key switch device 10 is assembled, a holding panel 12 and a membrane sheet 20 have at least one through hole 34, 36, respectively. A key cap 16 is formed so as to cover a top face 40 of the key top 14, and further has its underside 42 kept apart from the top face 40 of the key top 14 without being stuck fast thereto, so that a space 44 is formed between the underside 42 of the key cap 16 and the top face 40 of the key top 14.

Description

  The present invention relates to a key switch device, and more particularly to a key switch device with an illumination function used for input operations to various electronic devices.

  Conventionally, a key switch device having an illumination function (a so-called illumination switch) has a structure in which a rubber sheet is placed on the key switch device. In this structure, the key top wobbles or corners of the key top of the key switch device are used. Improvement in operability when pressing is desired.

  One means for enhancing the operability of the key switch device, such as the feeling obtained when the key top is pressed, is a gear link type key switch device. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a light-emitting portion 88 that emits light L that passes through a symbol region 84 of a key top 86 is provided in a gear link type key switch device 80 that includes a pair of link members 16. ing.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a structure in which an LED 20 is provided under a light-transmitting membrane sheet 16 and a back plate 17 having irregularities formed on the surface. Here, “back plate 17 and membrane sheet 16 are light-transmitted”. Is diffused when passing through and passes through a link member or the like disposed under the key top 11 to illuminate the extracted character portion 11c of the key top 11.

JP 2008-21427 A JP 2007-280810 A

  In a structure in which a light source such as an LED is provided below the key switch device to illuminate the key top, the shadow of the internal structure such as a link member that supports the key top is projected onto the key top and printed on the key top. The visibility of the illuminated key top may be impaired, for example, it becomes difficult to read characters. Although some improvement is expected by diffusing light with a membrane sheet as in Patent Document 2, it is difficult to reliably prevent the shadow of the internal structure from being visually recognized by the operator.

  On the other hand, if the inner structure is entirely composed of a light-transmitting member, the shadow of the inner structure is projected to the key top considerably. In some cases, it is necessary to use an optical member. In such a case, it has been difficult to prevent the shadow of the internal structure from being projected onto the key top with the conventional structure.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a key switch device having a structure in which an internal structure such as a link member does not affect the visibility of an operator.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention described in claim 1 includes a holding panel, a transparent or translucent key top disposed above the holding panel, and raising and lowering the key top above the holding panel. A supporting member for guiding and supporting in a direction, a membrane sheet provided with an electric circuit that opens and closes in accordance with the raising and lowering operation of the key top, and a contact of the electric circuit of the membrane sheet being closed by being pressed by the key top A key switch device having an actuating member that acts, wherein the substrate is disposed on the lower surface of the holding panel, at least one light emitter disposed on the substrate, and transparent or disposed above the key top. A semi-transparent key cap, and the holding panel and the membrane sheet are small in number so that each of the light emitters can illuminate the key top. Each of the key caps is configured to cover the upper surface of the key top, and a space is formed between the lower surface of the key cap and the upper surface of the key top. A key switch device is provided.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the key switch device according to the first aspect, wherein an upper surface of the key cap is milky white.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the key switch device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the top surface of the key top is milky white.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the key switch device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the support member is made of a transparent or translucent member.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the key switch device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, each of the at least one light emitter is configured such that a side surface thereof emits light, A key switch device is provided, wherein a side surface is disposed on the substrate so as to face a substantially center of the key switch device.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the key switch device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, an opening is formed in the substrate, and the at least one light emitter is connected to the key switch from the opening. Provided is a key switch device provided on the lower surface side of the substrate so that the inside of the device can be illuminated.

  According to the present invention, by providing a space between the key cap and the key top, it is possible to diffuse light from the light emitter in the space and prevent projection of the internal structure onto the upper surface of the key cap. it can.

  By making at least one of the top surface of the key top and the top surface of the key cap milky white, direct light guiding from the light emitter is suppressed, and the projection of the internal structure onto the top surface of the key cap is more efficiently prevented. it can.

  By configuring the internal structure such as the support member from a transparent or translucent member, it is possible to more efficiently prevent the internal structure from being projected onto the upper surface of the key cap.

  By constructing a so-called side-view type illuminant that emits light from the side so as to illuminate the approximate center of the key switch device, that is, the region where the internal structure exists, a shadow of the internal structure is further formed on the key top. It becomes difficult.

  By providing the light emitter on the lower surface side of the substrate, all other electrical components such as electric wiring to the light emitter can be provided on the lower surface side of the substrate with less restrictions.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a key switch device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a sectional side view of the key switch device of FIG. It is a sectional side view of the key switch apparatus concerning the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a sectional side view of the key switch apparatus concerning the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the key switch apparatus which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention.

  FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a key switch device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The key switch device 10 includes a holding panel 12, a transparent or translucent key top 14 disposed above the holding panel 12, a transparent or translucent key cap 16 disposed above the key top 14, and A pair of link members 18 that interlockably support the key top 14 above and below the holding panel 12 in conjunction with each other, a membrane sheet 20 that includes an electric circuit that opens and closes as the key top 14 moves up and down, and a key top 14 and an actuating member 22 that acts to close the electrical circuit contacts of the membrane sheet 20. In the present embodiment, the membrane sheet 20 and the actuating member 22 cooperate to constitute a switch mechanism that opens and closes the contact portion of the electric circuit in response to the raising and lowering operation of the key top 14. The holding panel 12 is a flat rigid member such as an independent metal thin plate made of, for example, a sheet metal material. The holding panel 12 is a slide that supports the membrane sheet 20 stationary and a pair of link members 18 slidably. A guide 26 is provided.

  In this embodiment, for each component of the key switch device, the side facing upward in FIG. 1 is referred to as the upper surface side, and the side facing downward in FIG. 1 is referred to as the lower surface side.

  In this embodiment, a gear link type link member is used as the pair of link members 18, and a rubber dome that is a separate component from the membrane sheet 20 is used as the operation member 22. The pair of link members 18 have the same shape and size as each other, and are coupled so as to be connected to each other in a gear shape at one end thereof so as to exhibit an inverted V shape when viewed from the side. The pair of link members 18 allows the key top 14 to move up and down while maintaining a horizontal posture. The lower end of the rubber dome 22 is bonded to the surface of the membrane sheet 20 with an adhesive. However, the link member 18 is not limited to the gear link type, and may be a pantograph type, for example. Further, the actuating member 22 is not limited to the above-described one, and for example, an opening may be formed at substantially the center of the membrane sheet 20 and the opening may be engaged with the opening end that defines the opening.

  The key switch device 10 also includes a substrate 30 disposed opposite to the lower surface (surface opposite to the key top 14) 28 of the holding panel 12, and the substrate 30 has at least one (eight in the illustrated example) light emitter. (LED in the illustrated example) 32 is arranged. The holding panel 12 and the membrane sheet 20 have at least one (four in the illustrated example) punched holes or notches so that each LED 32 can illuminate the key top 14 when the key switch device 10 is assembled. 34 and 36, respectively. Alternatively, instead of a hole or notch, a material that transmits light may be provided at the position of the hole or notch. Each LED 32 is configured such that its upper surface (side facing the key top 14) emits light, and the light from the LED 32 illuminates the key top 14 and further illuminates the key cap 16.

  FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the key switch device 10 of FIG. 1, and further illustrates a part of the housing 38 in which the key switch device 10 is accommodated. As shown in FIG. 2, the key cap 16 is configured to cover the upper surface (top surface) 40 of the key top 14, and the inner surface (lower surface) 42 of the key cap 16 does not adhere to the upper surface 40 of the key top 14. A space 44 is formed between the lower surface 42 of the key cap 16 and the upper surface 40 of the key top 14. By forming the space 44, even if a shadow of a component such as the gear link 18 is reflected on the upper surface 40 of the key top 14 by the light from the LED 32, the light is diffused in the space 44 and the upper surface 46 of the key cap 16. The shadow does not appear in the image, and as a result, the shadow is not visually recognized by the operator. Therefore, according to the present invention, even when characters and figures are printed on the keycap 16, a key switch device with excellent visibility is provided.

  The vertical distance of the space 44 (the separation distance between the inner surface 42 of the key cap 16 and the upper surface 40 of the key top 14) is set to a distance that allows the light of the LED 32 to be suitably diffused while suppressing the height of the key switch device 10. Specifically, it is preferably 2.0 mm or less, more preferably 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm, and still more preferably 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm.

  In order to more reliably prevent the formation of a shadow on the upper surface 46 of the key cap 16, the upper surface 46 of the key cap 16 is colored milky white, or the key cap 16 is made of a milky white member, and the upper surface of the key cap 16 is 46 is preferably milky white, but the color of the keycap 16 is not limited to this, and may be a translucent chromatic color, for example. However, in recent years, there are various LEDs such as red, blue, yellow, and white, and if the upper surface 46 of the keycap 16 is an achromatic color such as milky white, the light emission color of the LED is directly used as a key top (keycap). It can be used as a color. Additionally or alternatively, the top surface 40 of the key top 14 may be milky white. Additionally or alternatively, the upper surface of one or both of the key top 14 and the key cap 16 may be processed into a satin finish.

  FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the key switch device 10a according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In addition, about the component equivalent to 1st Embodiment, the same referential mark as 1st Embodiment is attached | subjected and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that an LED opening 48a is formed in the substrate 30a, and the LED 32a can be illuminated from the lower surface of the substrate 30a so that the inside of the key switch device 10a can be illuminated from the opening 48a. It is a point provided on the 50a side. The LED 32a is not a type in which the upper surface emits light like the LED 32 in the first embodiment, but is configured as a so-called reverse type in which the back surface (lower surface) emits light. On the upper surface side of the substrate 30a, mounting of electronic components on the substrate 30a may be restricted due to the presence of other components such as the rubber dome 22 and the link member 18, but the LED 32a is provided on the lower surface side of the substrate 30a. Thus, all other electrical components such as electrical wiring to the LED 32a can be provided on the lower surface 50a side of the substrate 30a with less restrictions.

  FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of a key switch device 10b according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In addition, about the component equivalent to 1st Embodiment, the same referential mark as 1st Embodiment is attached | subjected and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the third embodiment, the positional relationship between the holding panel 12b and the membrane sheet 20 at the time of assembly is opposite to that of the second embodiment in FIG. That is, in the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the membrane sheet 20 is disposed on the substrate 30, and the holding panel 12 b is disposed on the membrane sheet 20. Accordingly, the holding panel 12b has an opening 52b through which the rubber dome 22 is inserted at a substantially central position. In the third embodiment, the assembly (positioning) accuracy of the holding panel 12b and the membrane sheet 20 can be improved by making the size of the opening 52b substantially coincide with the outer shape of the rubber dome 22. The LED 32a in the third embodiment may be of a type that is arranged on a substrate like the LED 32 in the first embodiment.

  FIG. 5 is a top view of a key switch device 10c according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and a key top and a key cap are not shown. In addition, about the component equivalent to 1st Embodiment, the same referential mark as 1st Embodiment is attached | subjected and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The fourth embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that each of the LEDs 32c arranged on the upper surface side of the substrate 30 is not a type in which the upper surface emits light like the LED 32 in the first embodiment, but the side surface is different. It is a point configured as a so-called side view type that emits light. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, each LED 32 c is arranged such that its light emitting surface 54 c is directed to the approximate center of the key switch device, that is, the region where the components such as the link member 18 and the rubber dome 22 are present. The When the LEDs are arranged in this way, the light from each LED directly illuminates the components such as the link member 18 in the lateral direction, and the shadow of the components is difficult to be formed on the key top.

  In any of the above embodiments, the link member and the rubber dome may be formed of a transparent or translucent material in order to more efficiently prevent the occurrence of a shadow or the like on the keycap. Further, in the above embodiment, the pair of link members are configured in an inverted V shape in a side view, but various changes or modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention, such as an inverted V shape being changeable to a V shape. Is clear.

10 Key Switch Device 12 Holding Panel 14 Key Top 16 Key Cap 18 Link Member 20 Membrane Sheet 22 Actuating Member / Rubber Dome 30 Substrate 32 LED
34, 36 Hole 44 Space

Claims (6)

A holding panel, a transparent or translucent key top disposed above the holding panel, a support member for guiding and supporting the key top in the up-and-down direction above the holding panel, and according to the up-and-down movement of the key top A membrane switch provided with an electrical circuit that opens and closes contacts, and a key switch device having an actuating member that is pressed by the key top and acts to close the contacts of the electrical circuit of the membrane sheet,
A substrate disposed on the lower surface of the holding panel; at least one light emitter disposed on the substrate; and a transparent or translucent key cap disposed above the key top,
The holding panel and the membrane sheet each have at least one hole or notch to allow each of the light emitters to illuminate the key top,
The key switch device is configured to cover the upper surface of the key top, and a space is formed between the lower surface of the key cap and the upper surface of the key top.   The key switch device according to claim 1, wherein an upper surface of the key cap is milky white.   The key switch device according to claim 1, wherein an upper surface of the key top is milky white.   The key switch device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the support member is made of a transparent or translucent member.   Each of the said at least 1 light-emitting body is arrange | positioned on the said board | substrate so that the side surface may go to the approximate center of the said key switch apparatus while it is comprised so that the side surface may light-emit. The key switch device according to any one of the preceding claims.   5. The substrate according to claim 1, wherein an opening is formed in the substrate, and the at least one light emitter is provided on the lower surface side of the substrate so that the inside of the key switch device can be illuminated from the opening. The key switch device described.

Images