JP2604218Y2 - Pushbutton switch with thin display device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a touch switch and a push button switch provided with a display device below the touch switch. The present invention relates to a push button switch with a thin display device having a simple structure in which a connector formed of an elastic body such as a member that is also used is disposed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a switch of this type, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 8, a touch switch 1 is formed by opposing a transparent insulating sheet having a transparent electrode formed on a transparent substrate at a predetermined interval, and the touch switch 1 is disposed on a CRT 2 screen. As shown, the touch switch 3 is provided on the main body 4, and a display device such as an LCD is provided on the lower surface thereof. FIG. 9 shows another conventional technique .
The LCD is arranged on the upper surface of the operation button 7 so as to be vertically movable, and a mechanical contact mechanism is provided in the switch body 5 to connect the operation button 7 and the switch body 5 with a flexible printed circuit board 9. Push button switch with a display device.

[0003]

However, since the above-described push-button switch with a display device is formed by laminating insulating sheets provided with transparent electrodes with dot spacers interposed therebetween, the deflection of the insulating sheet is limited by the operation stroke. Therefore, the operation stroke is extremely small that cannot be felt by a normal person, and the operation feeling of the touch switch is not felt. Further, in FIG. 8, the operation stroke is large and the operation feeling is good, but there are drawbacks such as an increase in the number of parts, making the structure and assembly complicated. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a push button switch with a display device which has a simple structure, is easy to assemble, and is particularly thin.

[0004]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, an operation button is provided above a switch base provided with terminals, and a push button switch for opening and closing an electric circuit by touching the operation button. A touch switch formed by providing a transparent electrode on the inner surface of a transparent insulating sheet for the operation button, and an LCD disposed below the touch switch to electrically connect the LCD and the terminal and operate the operation button And a connector formed of an elastic body in which a conductive member also serving as a cushioning material and an insulating member at the time of the operation are combined.

[0005]

According to the present invention, the touch switch and the LCD are disposed below the touch switch, and the LCD and the terminals disposed on the switch base are electrically connected by a connector formed of an elastic material such as rubber. Accordingly, the impact is absorbed by the elasticity of the connector, and a sense of pressing is obtained, so that the electrodes of the touch switch are short-circuited and turned on. When the pressing force is released, the touch switch returns to the original state and is turned off.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention.

In these figures, a circuit pattern 15 is formed on the inner bottom surface of a box-shaped switch base 11, and a terminal 14 protrudes through the bottom surface. A convex portion 12 is provided on the inner bottom surface of the switch base 11, and a concave portion for accommodating a plate-shaped first connector 17 described later is provided in the convex portion 12. This connector is formed by alternately laminating elastic bodies such as conductive and insulating rubber and resin, and is generally called a zebra connector. The operation button 20 is formed in a frame shape, and has a step at the edge of the inner surface. A touch switch 18 is provided, which is formed by providing a transparent electrode on the inner surface of a pair of transparent insulating sheets abutting on this step and facing each other in a square shape, and a touch switch 18 is formed below the touch switch. LC to display etc.
D16 is provided. The electrodes near the front and rear ends of the lower surface of the LCD 16 and the circuit pattern 15 provided on the inner bottom surface of the switch base 11
A plate-like first connector 17 formed of an elastic body obtained by combining insulating rubber and conductive rubber is provided between the first connector 17 and the first connector 17. The first connector 17 is accommodated in the recess, and a circuit pattern 15 connected to the terminal 14 is provided on the inner bottom surface of the recess.
Therefore, the electrode of the LCD 16 and the terminal 14 are electrically connected. Similarly, for the touch switch 18, the circuit pattern 1 provided on the electrode and the switch
The second connector 19 formed in the same manner as described above is arranged between the five and is electrically connected. The electrodes of the touch switch 18 may form a flexible tail, and may be inserted into a connector that clamps the tip of the tail and connected in an uneven relationship. As described above, the switch base 11 is covered with the frame 22 in a state where the operation button 20 configured as described above is mounted, and provided on the side surface of the switch base 11 corresponding to the through hole 23 provided on the side surface. The projection 13 is assembled by engaging the projections 13 in an uneven relationship.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part of a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the main part. In these figures, a circuit pattern 35 is formed on the inner bottom surface of a box-shaped switch base 31 as in the first embodiment, and the terminal 3 extends through the bottom surface.
4 is projected. The protrusion 3 is provided on the inner bottom surface of the switch base 31.
2 and a plate-shaped first connector (described later)
A recess for accommodating 37 is provided. The operation button 40 is formed in a frame shape, and has a step at the edge of the inner surface. A touch switch 38, which is formed by providing a transparent electrode on the inner surface of a pair of transparent insulating sheets abutting on this step and facing each other in a square shape, is provided, and a symbol, a character, and a figure are provided below the touch switch 38. An LCD 36 for displaying the same is provided. Both ends of a plate-shaped first connector 37 formed of an elastic body by combining insulating and conductive rubber or resin between electrodes near the front and rear ends of the lower surface of the LCD 36 and a circuit pattern 35 provided on the inner bottom surface of the switch base 31. It is arranged with the surface in elastic contact. This first connector 3
7 are housed in the recess, but terminals 34 are provided on the inner bottom surface of the recess.
And the circuit pattern 35 connected to the LCD 34 continues, so that the electrode of the LCD 36 and the terminal 34 are electrically connected. Further, a substrate 45 on which an IC 44 is mounted is provided on the lower surface of the LCD 36, and an insulating and conductive rubber or resin is combined between the lower surface of the substrate 45 and the circuit pattern 35 provided between the switch base 31. It is arranged in a state where both end surfaces of a plate-shaped third connector 46 formed of a body are elastically contacted. Similarly, the second connector 39 formed in the same manner as described above is arranged between the electrode and the circuit pattern 35 provided on the switch base 31 for the touch switch 38, and is electrically connected. The electrode of the touch switch 38 may form a flexible tail, and may be inserted into a connector that clamps the tip of the tail and connected in an uneven relationship. As described above, the frame body 42 is covered with the operation button configured as described above mounted on the switch base 31, and provided on the side surface of the switch base 31 corresponding to the through hole 43 provided on the side surface. The projections 33 are engaged with each other in an uneven relationship to be assembled. The IC 44 for driving the display functions such as the LCD 36 and the backlight can be provided in the switch body as described above, or provided outside the switch body to drive the display functions of a plurality of switches. . FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a use state of the present invention, which is used for a keyboard 51 of an OA device such as a personal computer or a word processor.
(A) shows a state in which the display of numbers and hiragana is converted to a display of numbers and alphabets as shown in (B), and various displays can be easily converted. Even when used for the keyboard 51 which is frequently operated in this manner, since the connector formed of the elastic body is provided, the connector serves as a cushioning material, giving a feeling of pressing and reducing a feeling of fatigue due to an impact. In the embodiment of the present invention, a backlight is not provided, but a backlight including an LED, an EL plate, and the like may be provided below the LCD. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible based on the gist of the present invention, and they are not excluded from the scope of the present invention.

[0009]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. (1) A touch switch and an LCD are provided on the operation button, and an elastic member is provided which electrically connects the LCD and a terminal provided on the switch base and also serves as a cushioning material when operating the operation button. Since the zebra connector was arranged,
The operation button is resiliently lowered during operation, which eliminates the impact and pain of the fingertips during operation, thus greatly reducing fatigue, and has a sufficient pressing feeling, which is extremely favorable and ergonomic and safe. A push button switch with a thin display device with a feeling is obtained. (2) A touch switch and an LCD are disposed on the operation button, and an elastic member is provided which electrically connects the LCD and a terminal provided on the switch base and also serves as a buffer when the operation button is operated. Since the connector was arranged,
Without using any special parts to get a feeling of operation,
A push button switch with a thin display device that is extremely simple and inexpensive
Can be provided . (3) A touch switch and an LCD are provided on the operation button, and an elastic member is used to electrically connect the LCD to a terminal provided on the switch base and also to function as a buffer when operating the operation button. Since the connector was installed,
Despite having a touch switch and an LCD using poles
Pressure feeling and reduced number of parts.
With a thin display device that greatly reduces the height of the switch
It is possible to provide a push button switch. (4) A touch switch and an LCD are disposed on the operation button, and a conductive rubber which is electrically connected between the LCD and a terminal provided on the switch base and also serves as a buffer when the operation button is operated is provided. It is a push button switch with a thin display device that combines an insulating rubber and a connector formed of an elastic body.Therefore, there is no need to manufacture it as a custom-made product corresponding to the size of each device, and it can be freely vertically and horizontally Arbitrary quantities can be combined, and use according to the design and use of the device can be made extremely easy. (5) Construct an extremely thin push button switch with a display device
Can be used as a keyboard switch
It is also possible to print or engrave the display suitable for the application of the device.
Not only does it need to be done by engraving, but also
For a wide range of applications, such as the ability to easily change
Versatile push button switch with thin display device
Obtainable. (6) According to the switch of the present invention, an arbitrary number can be freely combined in the vertical and horizontal directions. Therefore, unlike the conventional touch switch using a transparent electrode on one large LCD, a predetermined switch operation unit is provided. Since the separation between them is clear, it is possible to prevent erroneous operation of operating two adjacent operation units and obtain a good operation feeling.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a use state of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a main part showing a first conventional example.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a second conventional example.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a third conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11, 31 Switch base 12, 32 Convex part 13, 33 Projection 14, 34 Terminal 15, 35 Circuit pattern 16, 36 LCD 17, 37 First connector 18, 38 Touch switch 19, 39 Second connector 20, 40 Operation button 21 Through-hole 22, 42 Frame 23, 43 Through-hole 44 IC 45 Substrate 46 Third connector 51 Keyboard

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A push button switch provided with an operation button above a switch base on which a terminal is provided and opening and closing an electric circuit by operating the operation button, wherein a transparent electrode is provided on an inner surface of an insulating sheet transparent to the operation button. a touch switch in which the provided form, arranged an LCD thereunder, co made of an elastic member
A connector is provided to electrically connect the LCD and the terminals.
With the elastic compressive strain of the connector
Operation deflection when pressing the operation button is secured, and pressing impact during operation
And the connector exerts a return force on the operation button.
A push button switch with a thin display device, characterized in that it also serves as an elastic member for biasing .