JP2712541B2 - Push button key structure - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a push button key structure used for a key input unit.

[Summary of the Invention] In a push button key structure of the present invention, a part of an engagement shaft portion of a key top that vertically movably engages a bearing of a bearing portion is exposed above an opening of the key top, and the key top of the key top is formed. The up / down operation causes the engaging shaft to conduct the contact switch, removes the closing plate that closes the opening, and operates a part of the engaging shaft that is exposed from the opening to the upper part. By releasing the engagement, the key top can be easily removed from the bearing part, and the shape of the key top is not complicated, and at least a part of the contact switch can be removed to change the switch function. It is.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an electronic device such as an electronic register, a large number of key tops are arranged in a key input section, and predetermined information is input by pressing these key tops. . In consideration of the functionality, operability, and the like, several types of such keytops having different sizes are prepared, and these are arranged by appropriately combining them.

By the way, the key top as described above is often replaced after shipment from the factory according to the need for functionality and operability. For example, when an electronic device is replaced or exchanged, it is required to change the key arrangement to the same arrangement as the previous key top used to the operation. For this reason, it is necessary to make various keytops of different sizes detachable so that they can be easily replaced.

FIG. 5 shows an example of such a push-button key structure. In this type, a large number of cylindrical bearings 2 having the same shape are formed on a bearing plate 1, and a key top 3 is attached to the bearing 2.
Of the bearing plate 1
A contact switch 5 is arranged below the key top 3, and a key input is performed by the shaft part 4 pressing the contact switch 5 by the vertical movement of the key top 3. In this case, the key top 3 is a single key top having one shaft 4 or a double having two shafts 4 or four shafts 4.
There are a number of different sizes, such as a four times larger one.
In addition, each key top 3 is provided with hook portions 6, 6 hanging from the upper portion on the outer portion, and the hook portions 6, 6 are provided with locking holes 7 provided near the bearing 2 of the bearing plate 1. , 7 and is removably locked to the lower hole edge. Thus, the key top 3 is detachably attached to the bearing plate 1 without falling out. A key cap 9 is attached to the upper part of the key top 3 so as to cover the name plate 8. The contact switch 5 has a configuration in which a flexible film 12 is adhered on a contact substrate 10 via a spacer 11, and a pressing rubber 13 is adhered on the flexible film 12. In this case, the pressing rubber 13 has a bulging portion.
The bulging portion 14 is pressed by the shaft portion 4 of the key top 3 and deformed, and the pressing portion 15 formed inside pushes down the flexible film 12. Flexible film 12 is pressed rubber
The movable contact 16 formed on the lower surface comes into contact with the fixed contact 17 on the contact board 10 so that the movable contact 16 is pressed down by the pressing portion 15 of 13. As a result, the contact switch 5 becomes conductive, and key input is performed.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the push button key structure as described above, the hook portions 6, 6 for detachably attaching the key top 3 to the bearing plate 1 hang down from the top on the outer portion of the key top 3. If another key top 3 is attached next to the key top 3, when the hooks 6, 6 are bent to remove the key top 3, the adjacent key top 3 is removed.
... is in the way. For this reason, when removing the key top 3, insert the key top 3 between the key tops 3, 3.
The key top 3 cannot be removed from the bearing plate 1 if a special tool dedicated to bending the key top is not used.
There is a problem that exchange of the is troublesome.

This is due to the fact that the hook that locks the keytop to the bearing plate cannot be released unless the hook is pressed from the side of the keytop.

In the push button key structure as described above, a single key top 3 having only one shaft 4
Double with four shafts 4 or four shafts 4.
If the key top 3 is simply changed to a double key top 3 or the like, when the large key top 3 is pressed, a plurality of shafts 4 are formed.
Simultaneously press the plurality of pressing rubbers 13 of the contact switch 5 to simultaneously conduct the plurality of contacts. For this reason, in the large key top 3, only one shaft 4 is formed to have the same length as the single key top 3, and the other shafts 4 are formed to be short, so that only the long shaft 4 is formed. The contact switch 5 is formed so as to be pressed. However, such a key top 3 has a problem that not only the shape becomes complicated and complicated, but also the mounting operation is troublesome because the mounting position and the direction of the key top 3 are limited.

This is due to the fact that the length of the plurality of shaft portions provided on one keytop is changed so that the other shaft portions constitute the keytop so as not to press the contact switch.

In consideration of the above two causes, the hook can be released from above the key top, and only the desired contact can be obtained without changing the length of the plurality of shafts of one key top. If the key top is made conductive, the adjacent key top will not be in the way and can be easily attached and detached without using a special tool, etc., and the shape of the key top will not be complicated and large It can be considered that even if the key top is replaced, unnecessary conduction of contacts can be prevented and key input can be performed satisfactorily.

An object of the present invention is to provide a structure in which a hook portion can be released from above the key top, the key top can be easily attached / detached, the shape of the key top is not complicated, and only desired contacts are conducted. It is.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The first means of the present invention is as follows.

(1) A bearing portion provided with a plurality of bearings having the same shape.

For example, it is a flat bearing plate made of a synthetic resin, and a plurality of bearings are provided integrally at equal intervals in the vertical and horizontal directions. The bearing has a substantially cylindrical shape of a circular or square shape, is provided so as to protrude above and below the bearing portion, and has an inner surface formed with a locking groove in a vertical direction, and a pedestal having a hollow center at the bottom. . Although a large number of bearings may be arrayed and formed as one bearing unit, it is desirable to adopt a structure in which four bearings are arranged vertically and horizontally as one block and a large number of these are combined.

(2) A contact switch provided corresponding to the bearing of the bearing portion.

For example, a flexible sheet having movable contacts is disposed on a substrate having fixed contacts via a spacer, and a pressing rubber is disposed above the flexible sheet, and the flexible sheet is pressed with the pressing rubber. Or a structure in which a movable contact is brought into contact with or separated from a fixed contact, or a structure in which a pressing rubber is disposed above a substrate having a fixed contact, and the pressing rubber is directly brought into contact with or separated from the fixed contact of the substrate.

(3) An engagement shaft portion is provided which vertically movably engages the bearing of the bearing portion, and a portion of the engagement shaft portion is exposed at an upper portion, and an opening is provided to enable the operation of the engagement shaft portion. And a key top for conducting the contact switch by an up and down operation.

For example, it is made of a synthetic resin, has a rectangular box shape with an open lower side, and has an engaging shaft portion provided therein in a hanging manner. The number of the engaging shafts varies depending on the size of the key top.
The number of key tops is two, and the number of key tops is two, and the number of key tops is four. Further, the engaging shaft portion is formed by integrally forming the shaft portion and the engaging portion. The shaft is inserted into the bearing of the bearing so as to be vertically movable, and the lower end of the shaft presses the contact switch. In this case, the shaft portion may have a solid rod shape, but is desirably formed in a hollow cylindrical shape. The lower portion of the engaging portion is fixed to the side wall of the shaft portion and extends upward, the upper portion forms a free end, and can be deformed in a direction in which it protrudes and retracts from the side wall, and usually moves within the locking groove of the bearing. Then, the key top is locked at the upper part of the locking groove to prevent the key top from coming off upward. The opening is formed on the upper surface of the keytop substantially corresponding to the shaft, and exposes the upper end of the engaging portion upward.

(4) A closing plate for closing the opening of the key top.

For example, a key cap, a name plate, or both of them are desirably mounted detachably on the upper part of the key top.

 The second means of the present invention is as follows.

(1) A key top detachably detachable from the bearing by operating a part of the engaging shaft exposed from the opening.

For example, the upper end of the engaging portion of the engaging shaft portion, which is configured in the same manner as the above-described key top, is exposed upward from an opening formed on the upper surface of the key top, and is exposed. By operating the upper end of the engaging portion from above the key top, the engaging portion is deformed in a direction of sinking into the side wall of the shaft portion, thereby being disengaged from the locking groove of the bearing to release the engagement.

(2) A contact switch detachably attached to the bearing.

For example, similarly to the above-described contact switch, a structure in which the pressing rubber directly contacts and separates from the fixed contact on the substrate, or a structure in which the pressing rubber indirectly contacts and separates from the fixed contact on the substrate is used. Further, the contact switches may be provided independently corresponding to the respective bearings of the bearing portion, but desirably the pressing rubber is provided independently of the substrate or the flexible sheet, and only the pressing rubber is provided. The structure which can be attached and detached is good. For example, it is desirable that the pressing rubber is arranged without being fixed on a pedestal provided at the bottom of the bearing and can be removed from the inside of the bearing.

"Operation" The operation of the means of the present invention is as follows.

When inputting the key top, when the key top whose opening is closed by the closing plate is pressed from above, the key shaft moves downward along the bearing of the bearing, and the key shaft moves downward. By pressing the contact switch on the side to make the contacts conductive, key input is performed.

When the key top is to be removed, the closing plate is removed to expose a part of the engagement shaft portion upward through the opening of the key top. Thereby, a part of the engagement shaft portion exposed from the opening can be operated from above the keytop. When a part of the engaging shaft is operated through the opening, the engaging shaft releases the engagement of the bearing with the bearing, so that the keytop can be easily removed from the bearing. Therefore, the adjacent key top is not in the way, and can be easily attached and detached from above the key top without using a special tool or the like.

Furthermore, when replacing the removed key top with a large key top, a part of the contact switch, for example, only the necessary pressing rubber is left, and unnecessary pressing rubber is removed from the pedestal in the bearing. The key top is attached to the bearing by inserting the plurality of engaging shafts of the top into the bearing of the bearing. With this configuration, even when a large key top is pressed, the plurality of contacts of the contact switch do not conduct at the same time, and only necessary contacts can be made conductive. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the length of the key top engaging shaft portion, so that the shape of the key top is not complicated, the key top can be easily manufactured, and even if it is replaced with a large key top, it is unnecessary. In this way, it is possible to prevent conduction of the contacts and to conduct only the desired contacts, thereby making it possible to perform key input satisfactorily.

Embodiment An embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

The push button key structure of this embodiment is used for a key input unit of an electronic device, and has different sizes of key tops, for example, a single key top 20, a double size key top 21,
A key input unit is constituted by providing key tops (not shown) of four times the size and the like and appropriately arranging them on a common bearing plate 22 and arranging them in large numbers. That is, in this push button key structure, the key tops 20 and 21 are mounted on the bearing plate 22 so as to be vertically movable, and the up and down movement of the key tops 20 and 11 makes the lower contact switch 24 conductive to perform key input.
In this case, the bearing plate 22 provided with four bearings 23 vertically and horizontally forms one block, and a plurality of key tops 20 and 21 are arranged by combining a plurality of these blocks. In this embodiment, it is assumed that two single key tops 20, 20 are arranged adjacent to each other on the bearing plate 22, and one key top 21 of twice the size is arranged alongside the key tops. ing. Hereinafter, the configuration in the case of the single keytop 20 and the configuration in the case of the double keytop 21 will be described in order.

FIGS. 1 and 3 show a configuration in the case of a single key top 20. FIG.

The bearing plate 22 is a flat plate made of a synthetic resin, and four bearings 23 are formed integrally at predetermined locations at equal intervals in the vertical and horizontal directions and project vertically. The bearing 23 has a cylindrical shape and has four locking grooves 25.
Are formed facing each other in the vertical direction without overlapping each other, and a pedestal 27 is formed at the bottom. Locking groove 25 is a bearing
23 is a band-shaped opening formed on the side wall of the base 23,
From above to the upper part, and a locking part 25a is formed on the upper part. The guide groove 26 is a concave groove formed on the inner surface of the bearing 23, and has a lower end closed by a pedestal 27 and an upper shaft opened above the bearing 23. The pedestal 27 is a ring-shaped flat plate, and has an opening 27a hollowed out at the center.

The key top 20 is a single unit having only one engagement shaft portion 28, made of a synthetic resin, has a square box shape with an open lower side, and the engagement shaft portion 28 An opening 29 is formed on the upper surface. The engagement shaft portion 28 is formed by integrally forming the shaft portion 30 and the engagement portion 31. That is, the shaft portion 30 is vertically movably inserted into one bearing 23 of the bearing plate 22, and a lower end portion thereof presses a contact switch 24 described later, and is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape. Guide protrusions 32 are formed on the outer surface in the vertical direction. The guide projection 32 is an engagement shaft portion for the bearing 23.
The rotation of the bearing 28 is prevented, and the rotation of the bearing 28 is guided into the guide groove 26 formed on the inner surface of the bearing 23 by being inserted from above. The engagement portion 31 moves in the opposite locking grooves 25, 25 in the bearing 23,
Locking portions 25a, 25a formed on the upper portions of the locking grooves 25, 25 are locked to prevent the key top 20 from falling off,
The shaft portions 30 are formed to face each other on the side wall. That is, the engaging portion 31 is formed such that only the lower end is connected to the lower portion of the shaft portion 30, and the other portion is separated from the shaft portion 30 and extends upward, and the upper portion forms a free end, thereby forming the shaft portion 30. Can be flexed and deformed in the direction in which it comes and goes with respect to the side wall. In the middle of the locking portion 31, there is formed an engagement projection 33 which moves in the locking groove 25 of the bearing 23 and is locked by the locking portion 25a of the locking groove 25. The opening 29 is provided on the shaft 30
The upper end of the engaging portion 31 is exposed above the key top 20. In this case, it is desirable that the opening 29 has a large portion corresponding to the upper end of the engaging portion 31 in order to flex and deform the engaging portion 31.

The contact switch 24 conducts in accordance with the up and down operation of the key top 20.
.. Are provided at the lower part. That is, the contact switch 24 is provided on the contact substrate 34 via the spacer 35 via a flexible sheet.
36, and press rubber 37 over the flexible sheet 36.
Are arranged. In this case, the contact board 34 is formed of a flat plate such as a circuit board, and the fixed contact 34a is provided on the upper surface thereof.
Are formed corresponding to the respective bearings 23. The flexible sheet 36 is made of an insulating resin film or the like, and has movable contacts 36a formed on the lower surface thereof.
Are provided in the openings 35a of the spacer 35 so as to be capable of coming into contact with and separating from the fixed contacts 34a. In this case, the contact board 34 and the flexible sheet 36 are arranged not only on the lower side of the bearing plate 22 forming one block, but also over the entire key input unit in which a plurality of the bearing plates 22 are combined. Pressing rubber 37 ...
Respectively, swells and forms a rubber sheet member in an inverted "bowl" shape,
A pressing portion 37a is formed inside the bearing plate 22a.
Are arranged independently without being fixed on pedestals 27 formed at the bottom of the bearings 23. That is, the pressing rubber 37 normally pushes up the engaging shaft 28 of the key top 20 by its own elastic force, and when the key top 20 is pressed, it is pushed down by the engaging shaft 28 and elastically deforms. , The flexible sheet 3 corresponding to each movable contact 36a.
6 is pressed to bring the movable contact 36a into contact with the fixed contact 34a, thereby achieving contact conduction.

A name plate 38 is arranged on the upper surface of the key top 20, and a transparent key cap 39 is detachably attached to cover the name plate 38. Name plate 38
Indicates the key function and the opening of the key top 20
It closes 29. Key cap 39 is a name plate
It secures and protects 38.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show a configuration in the case of a key top 21 of twice the size.

The key top 21 is obtained by combining two single key tops 20 and has two engaging shafts 28. That is, the key top 21 has a rectangular box shape, in which two engaging shafts 28 are formed at the same intervals as the bearings 23 of the bearing plate 22. Openings 29, 29 are formed corresponding to the shafts 28, 28, respectively. In this case, the engagement shafts 28, 28 and the openings 29, 29 have exactly the same configuration as the single key top 20. The contact switch 24 has a pressing rubber 37 disposed only on the lower side of the two engaging shafts 28 of the key top 21 corresponding to the right engaging shaft 28, and the left engaging shaft 28 Only the pressing rubber 37 is not arranged on the lower side, and the other parts are configured just like the case of the single key top 20. In this case, pressing rubber 37
A coil spring 40 for balance adjustment is arranged below the left engagement shaft portion 28 where is not arranged. The coil spring 40 has the same elastic force of the pressing rubber 37, the lower end is disposed on the pedestal 27 of the bearing 23, the upper end elastically contacts the lower end of the engaging shaft 28, and the engaging shaft 28 is always It is biased upward.
A name plate 41 is arranged on the upper surface of the key top 21 similarly to the single key top 20, and a transparent key cap 42 is detachably attached to cover the name plate 41. This nameplate 41 and keycap 42
Is formed twice as large as that of the single key top 20, and covers two openings 29, 29 formed on the upper surface of the key top 21.

Next, the use state of the push button key structure configured as described above will be described.

First, when performing an input operation, key tops 20, 21
Is pressed to push down each of the engagement shaft portions 28. For example, when a single key top 20 is pressed, the engagement shaft
The shaft portion 30 of 28 is guided and pushed down by the bearing 23 of the bearing plate 22, and the engaging portions 31, 31 move downward in the locking grooves 25, 25. At this time, the guide projection provided on the shaft portion 30
32 moves in the guide groove 26 of the bearing 23, so that the engagement shaft portion
28 and the key top 20 move downward without rotating with respect to the bearing 23. When the engagement shaft 28 is pressed down in this manner, the pressing rubber of the contact switch 24 disposed therebelow is pressed.
37 is pressed and deformed, and the pressing portion 37a inside it is
The lower flexible sheet 36 is pushed down through the opening 27a. Then, the movable contact 36a of the flexible sheet 36 contacts the fixed contact 34a of the contact board 34 through the opening 35a of the spacer 35 to conduct. Thus, key input is performed.
When the finger is released from the key top 20, the engaging shaft 28 is pushed up by the restoring force of the pressing rubber 37, contrary to the above, and the key top 20 returns to the original state. At this time, the engaging portions 31, 31 of the engaging shaft portion 28 move in the locking grooves 25, 25 and are locked by the locking portions 25a, 25a formed on the upper portions of the locking grooves 25, 25, Thereby, the upper limit position of the key top 20 is regulated.

Also, when the key top 21 having a double size is pressed, the right engaging shaft 28 presses down the pressing rubber 37 to perform the key input as described above, but the left engaging shaft 28 Since there is no pressing rubber 37 on the lower side, the two contact points are not conducted at the same time. In addition, since the coil spring 40 having the same elastic force as the pressing rubber 37 is disposed below the left engaging shaft portion 28 without the pressing rubber 37, the key top 21 is inclined regardless of which part is pressed. Up and down operation is performed smoothly without any problem.

Next, a case will be described in which two of the above-mentioned key tops 20 and 21 are removed and replaced with a key top 21 of twice the size.

First, when removing the single key top 20, the key cap 39 attached to the upper part of the key top 20 is removed, and the name plate 38 is removed from the upper surface of the key top 20. Then, the upper ends of the engaging portions 31 of the engaging shaft portion 28 are exposed from the opening 29 on the upper surface of the key top 20. for that reason,
As in the past, the adjacent key tops 20 and 21 do not get in the way or use special tools, etc.
The engaging portions 31, 31 can be easily operated with a finger or the like from above. Then, when the upper ends of the engaging portions 31, 31 exposed from above the key top 20 are pressed in a direction approaching each other with a finger, each of the engaging portions 31, 31 is immersed in the side wall of the engaging shaft portion 28. The engaging projections 33 formed in the middle of the engaging portions 31, 31 are separated from the locking grooves 25 of the bearing 23, and the engagement of the engaging portions 31, 31 with the bearing 23 is released. You. As a result, the engagement shaft portion 28 can be pulled out of the bearing 23, and the key top 20 can be easily removed from the bearing plate 22.

After the two single key tops 20, 20 have been removed in this way, the double key tops 21
Should be attached, but in this case, first,
The pressing rubber 37 is removed from one of the two bearings 23, 23, for example, from the inside of the left bearing 23. Since the pressing rubber 37 is only placed on the pedestal 27 of the bearing 23, the pressing rubber 37 can be easily taken out of the bearing 23 simply by turning the bearing plate 22 upside down. After removing the pressing rubber 37 in this manner, the key top 21 may be attached to the bearing plate 22 by disposing the coil spring 40 in that portion. In this case, the two engaging shaft portions of the key top 21 from above the bearing plate 22
The respective shaft portions 30, 30 of 28, 28 are inserted corresponding to the bearings 23, 23, and the respective guide projections 32 of the shaft portion 30 are inserted corresponding to the guide grooves 26 of the bearing 23. Thus, the engagement shaft 2
When inserting 8, 28 into each bearing 23, 23, the engaging portions 31, 3
Even if the engagement projections 33, 33 of 1 are protruded to the side, the bearings 23, 2
Since the engaging portions 31, 31 are bent inward when they come into contact with the upper end edge of 3, the engaging shaft portions 28, 28 can be smoothly inserted into the bearings 23, 23. Moreover, the key top 21 attached in this manner prevents unnecessary contact conduction,
It is not necessary to change the length of the engaging shafts 28, 28 as in the conventional case, and the same length may be used, so that the shape of the key tops 20, 21 is not complicated, the manufacture thereof is easy, and the mounting position The installation work can be done easily because the orientation and direction are not restricted. Also, the key top 21 attached in this way
Since only the desired contact of the contact switch 24 can be made conductive, key input can be performed satisfactorily.

In the above-described embodiment, the single key top 20 and the double key top 21 are described. However, the double key top is also used for the quad key key top.
It can be configured similarly to 21. That is, the key top of four times the size is formed by combining four single key tops 20 vertically and horizontally and has four engagement shafts 28. Each part has exactly the same configuration as a single key top 20 and a double key top 21. Also,
The contact switch 24 only needs to provide the pressing rubber 37 below any one of the four engagement shaft portions 28, and provide the above-described coil springs 40 below the other engagement shaft portions 28.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, when an input operation is performed on a keytop, when the keytop whose opening is closed by the closing plate is pressed from above, the keytop moves along the bearing of the bearing portion. The engagement shaft moves downward, and the lower contact switch is pressed to make the contacts conductive and key input is performed.

When the key top is to be removed, the closing plate is removed to expose a part of the engagement shaft portion upward through the opening of the key top. Thereby, a part of the engagement shaft portion exposed from the opening can be operated from above the keytop. When a part of the engaging shaft is operated through the opening, the engaging shaft releases the engagement of the bearing with the bearing, so that the keytop can be easily removed from the bearing. Therefore, the adjacent key top is not in the way, and can be easily attached and detached from above the key top without using a special tool or the like.

Furthermore, when replacing the removed key top with a large key top, a part of the contact switch is removed, and in this state, the plurality of engaging shaft portions of the key top are inserted into the bearing of the bearing portion to remove the key top. Is attached to the bearing. With this configuration, even when a large key top is pressed, the plurality of contacts of the contact switch do not conduct at the same time, and only necessary contacts can be made conductive. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the length of the key top engaging shaft portion, so that the shape of the key top is not complicated, the key top can be easily manufactured, and even if it is replaced with a large key top, it is unnecessary. In this way, it is possible to prevent conduction of the contacts and to conduct only the desired contacts, thereby making it possible to perform key input satisfactorily.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 to 4 show an embodiment, FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of a single key top, and FIG. 2 is a view showing a state in which two single key tops are arranged on a bearing plate. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of a keytop having a double size, FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing a state in which the keytop is assembled, and FIG. 5 is a cross section of a conventional push button key structure. FIG. 20, 21 ... key top, 22 ... bearing plate, 23 ... bearing, 24
... contact switch, 28 ... engaging shaft, 29 ... opening, 37
…… Pressing rubber, 38, 41 …… Nameplate, 39, 42 ……
Key cap.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A bearing having a plurality of bearings of the same shape; a contact switch provided corresponding to the bearing of the bearing; and an engagement shaft for vertically engaging with the bearing of the bearing. A key top for exposing a part of the engagement shaft portion to an upper portion to enable operation of the engagement shaft portion, wherein the key top conducts the contact switch by up and down operation; and an opening of the key top. And a closing plate for closing the part. 2. The key top according to claim 1, wherein the key top is detachably detached from the bearing by operating a part of the engaging shaft exposed from the opening. A push button key structure, wherein at least a part of the contact switch is detachably attached to the bearing portion.