JP2804653B2 - Keyboard switch - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a key top fitting structure, and more particularly to a key top fitting structure suitable for a thin keyboard switch.

With the recent demand for thinner keyboards,
Keyboard components are also required to be thinner.

[0003] As a component of the keyboard, a key top,
There is a keyboard switch composed of a slider, a housing, a rubber actuator and the like, and the keyboard switch occupies a large volume in a keyboard.

Therefore, it is important to make the keyboard switch thinner in order to make the keyboard thinner.

[0005]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 7 and 8 show an example of a conventional keyboard switch. As shown in FIG. 1, the keyboard switch 1 includes a key top 2, a slider 3, a housing 4, a rubber actuator 5, and the like. Among these components, the key top 2 is mounted on the slider 3 and mounted on the housing 4 in an integrated state.

Conventionally, as a structure for mounting the key top 2 on the slider 3, a square pillar-shaped shaft portion 6 extending downward is formed on the central rear surface of the key top 2, and a fitting recess 7 is formed on the slider 3. The key top 2 is mounted on the slider 3 by forming and fitting the shaft portion 6 to the fitting concave portion 7.

A groove 6a is formed on a side portion near the tip of the shaft portion 6, and a convex portion 7a is formed on an inner wall of the fitting concave portion 7, so that the shaft portion 6 fits into the fitting concave portion 7. In a state where
The protrusion 7a is configured to engage with the groove 6a, and the key top 2 and the slider 3 are configured to be integrated by this engagement.

When mounting the key top 2 on the slider 3,
The pull-out force of the key top 2 from the slider 3 becomes a problem.
The removal force is a force required when the key top 2 is separated from the slider 3. If the removal force is weak, the key top 2 will come off from the keyboard switch when the keyboard switch is used, and the reliability of the keyboard switch will be reduced.

In the conventional key top fitting structure, the key top 2 is mounted on the slider 3 by fitting the square pillar-shaped shaft portion 6 into the fitting concave portion 7, so that the above-mentioned removal force is reduced. To increase the strength, the fitting recess 7 is formed deep and the shaft portion 6 is formed long, and the shaft portion 6 and the fitting recess 7 are formed.
It has been practiced to widen the fitting range with.

[0010]

However, in the structure in which the removal force is increased by increasing the fitting range between the shaft portion 6 and the fitting concave portion 7 as described above, the height of the keyboard switch is inevitably increased. There is a problem that it is impossible to reduce the thickness of the keyboard provided with the keyboard. Also,
In a configuration in which the shaft portion 6 and the fitting concave portion 7 are simply shortened, there has been a problem that the removal force is weakened and the reliability of the keyboard switch is reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to provide a key top fitting structure capable of reducing the thickness of a key top while maintaining a strong withdrawal force of the key top with respect to a slider. I do.

[0012]

According to the present invention, there is provided a key top and slider formed of resin.
And a shaft formed on the key top is formed on the slider.
Key for pressing the switch
Board switch, the key top
A pair of shaft pieces extending downward are attached to the key
Provided integrally with the top and the shape of each shaft piece
Are both narrower toward the tip, and
Side of the key top.
On the fitting side of the shaft, on the outer side of the shaft piece,
And a protruding piece integrally molded with the key top
The slider is provided on the fitting side of the slider with the key top.
The shaft is located inside a pair of shaft pieces and extends upward.
A stopper unit integrally formed with the slider is provided.
An insertion hole is formed on the outer side of the topper section.
Which has a step on the inner side and extends upward.
The provided fitting portion of the protruding shape that rider and integrally molded, the key
-With the top fitted to the slider,
The protruding piece is inserted into the insertion hole on the outer side of the fitting portion.
Side, and the shaft piece is fitted with the fitting portion.
Between the stoppers, the shaft piece supported by the stoppers
It is characterized in that the tip is fitted so as to engage with the step.
It is a sign.

[0013]

According to the key top fitting structure described above, the key top is mounted on the slider by fitting the pair of shaft pieces having a shape spreading outward to the fitting portion of the slider. The height of the key top can be reduced while the fitting area between the piece and the fitting portion is kept large. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the keyboard switch while maintaining a strong withdrawal force of the key top from the slider. Also,
-Form a protruding piece on the side where the top shaft is formed and
An insertion hole is provided in the slider, and the key top is fitted to the slider
The projecting piece fits into the insertion hole
As a result, external force is applied to the key top in the tilt direction.
Even if the key top is displaced, the displacement of the key top
It is regulated by the fitting force. Therefore, for the tilt direction
The detachment of the key top can be reliably prevented.

[0014]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a keyboard switch 10 to which a key top fitting structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a key top 11 and a slider 12 constituting the keyboard switch 10. FIG.

The keyboard switch 10 is a key top 1
1, a slider 12, a housing 13, a rubber actuator 14, a membrane switch 15, and the like. The key top 11 and the slider 12 are attached to the housing 13 after being integrally assembled by a fitting structure which is a feature of the present invention described later. The integrated keytop 11 and slider 12 are configured to be vertically displaceable with respect to the housing 13. The housing 13 is disposed so as to be mounted on the upper part of the membrane switch 15.
Rubber actuator 14 (shown in satin)
Are arranged. This rubber actuator 14 is formed of rubber such as silicon rubber, and its contact portion 1
The contact point of the membrane switch 15 is located at a position facing 4a.

In the keyboard switch 10 having the above structure, when the key top 11 is pressed, the integrated key top 11 and slider 12 move downward integrally, and urge the rubber actuator 14 downward. The rubber actuator 14 is elastically deformed by this urging force, and
a is pressed into contact with the contact of the membrane switch 15, and the membrane switch 15 is closed.

When the pressing operation is released, the key top 11 and the slider 12 are urged upward by the elastic restoring force of the rubber actuator 14 to return to the original position, and the contact portion 14a is separated from the membrane switch 15. , The membrane switch 15 is opened.

Next, the key top 1 which is a feature of the present invention.
A structure for fitting the slider 1 to the slider 12 will be described.

The key top 11 and the slider 12 are both resin molded products. The key top 11 includes a main body 11a pressed by an operator's finger and a shaft 16 (a pair of shaft pieces 16a, 1) extending downward from the back surface of the main body 11a.
6b) and protruding pieces 17a and 17b which also protrude downward from the back surface of the main body 11a. The positions of the protruding pieces 17a and 17b are selected on the outer side of the position where the shaft 16 is formed.

Each of the pair of shaft pieces 16a and 16b has a shape that becomes narrower toward the distal end (downward) and a shape that expands outwardly toward the distal end. I have. This pair of shaft pieces 16a, 1
6b has a small downward extension, and its tip is
It is located at substantially the same position as the lower edge of a (shown by reference symbol 11b). Further, protrusions 18a and 18b are formed at outer positions near the distal ends of the pair of shaft pieces 16a and 16b. FIG. 5 shows an example of a shape in which the pair of shaft pieces 16a and 16b becomes narrower toward the tip.

As described above, since the key top 11 has a small amount of extension below the pair of shaft pieces 16a and 16b, the total height of the key top 11 is small, and the keyboard on which the key top 11 is provided is provided. The switch 10 can be made thinner.

Here, the molding of the key top 11 will be described. In the key top 11, which is a resin-formed product, if the shape of the pair of shaft pieces 16a, 16b is curved outwardly toward the tip, the die is removed from the mold at the time of forming the key top 11. Is a problem. That is, by forming the shaft pieces 16a and 16b outwardly, the shaft piece 16 formed after resin molding is formed.
a, 16b are caught by the mold and key top 11 from the mold
May not come off.

However, as described above, the pair of shaft pieces 16
Since both a and 16b have a shape that becomes narrower toward the distal end, the shaft piece 16b (16a) is flexibly deformed in the direction shown by the arrow A in the figure when the mold is released as shown in FIG. Therefore, even if the shape is spread outward, the shaft pieces 16a,
16b can be removed from the mold 25.

Returning to FIGS. 1 and 2, the description will be continued. The slider 12 has fitting portions 19a and 19b into which the pair of shaft pieces 16a and 16b are fitted.
Insertion holes 20a, 20b into which the projecting pieces 17a, 17b are inserted and fitted are formed at side positions of 9a, 19b. Further, stepped portions 2 are provided at predetermined positions of the fitting portions 19a and 19b.
1a and 21b are formed, and the pair of steps 21
A stopper portion 22 is formed at a position sandwiched between a and 21b.

In order to mount the key top 11 having the above structure on the slider 12, the shaft pieces 16a, 16b and the projecting pieces 17a, 17b formed on the key top 11 are fitted to the fitting formed on the slider 12. The key top 11 is aligned with the portions 19a, 19b and the insertion holes 20a, 20b.
Into the slider 12.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing the vicinity of the shaft pieces 16a and 16b in a state where the key top 11 is mounted on the slider 12. As shown in FIG.
6a and 16b are fitted with fitting portions 19a and 19b,
In particular, the tips of the shaft pieces 16a, 16b
b. Thus, the shaft pieces 16a, 1 having an outwardly curved shape
The key top 11 is firmly attached to the slider 12 by fitting the distal end of the key top 6b to the step portions 21a and 21b, so that the removal force between the key top 11 and the slider 12 can be increased.

The projections 18a, 18b formed near the outer ends of the shaft pieces 16a, 16b are configured to engage with the corners of the steps 21a, 21b in the mounted state. Therefore, the projections 18a and 18b and the step 21
The key tops 11 are also provided by the engaging force with the corners of the a and 21b.
The withdrawal force between the slider 12 and the slider 12 is increased.

On the other hand, the stopper portion 22 formed on the slider 12 is configured to abut on the inner position of each of the shaft pieces 16a and 16b when the key top 11 is mounted on the slider 12. When the key top 11 is separated from the slider 12, each shaft piece 16a, 16b is indicated by an arrow B in the drawing.
Try to displace in the direction indicated by. However, by providing the stopper portion 22 with the above configuration, the shaft pieces 16a, 1
The displacement in the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 6b is restricted by the stopper portion 22, so that the removal force can be improved.

When an external force is applied in a direction in which the key top 11 is separated from the slider 12, the force is not necessarily applied in a vertically upward direction, and the external force is applied in a direction indicated by an arrow C in FIG. It is possible that it is applied. However,
Even when an external force is applied in such a tilting direction, each shaft piece 1
The protrusions 17a and 17b fitted to the insertion holes 20a and 20b formed in the slider 12 are formed on the side portions of 6a and 16b, so that the key top 11 is displaced in the tilting direction by the protrusions 17a and 17b. Therefore, the key top 11 is also prevented from coming off the slider 12.

As described above, the thinned key top 1
Even if it is 1, since a sufficient removal force can be provided, the detachment of the key top 11 can be reliably prevented, and the reliability of the keyboard switch 10 can be improved.

FIG. 4 shows a modification of the key top 11. The key top 23 shown in FIG.
A rib 24 is formed between a and 16b to connect them.

As described with reference to FIG. 3, when the key top 11 separates from the slider 12,
6a and 16b are displaced in the direction of arrow B in FIG. Therefore,
By restricting the displacement of the shaft pieces 16a and 16b in the direction B in the drawing, the key top 11 can be prevented from coming off the slider 12. By providing the ribs 24, the rigidity of the root portions of the shaft pieces 16a and 16b is increased, and the displacement in the B direction is restricted. Therefore, the key top 11 can be prevented from separating from the slider 12.

It should be noted that the provision of the ribs 24 causes a problem of mold releasability at the time of molding the die. Near the tip, so that the shaft piece 16
Even if the ribs 24 are provided at the roots of the a and 16b, the releasability does not deteriorate.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, the key top is mounted on the slider by fitting the pair of shaft pieces having a shape spreading outward to the fitting portion of the slider. Ru can be a while maintaining a large fitting area of the fitting portion can reduce the height of the key top, thus realizing a thinner keyboard switch while maintaining strong removal force from the key top of the slider . Also in the key top
Even if external force is applied in the tilt direction, the key top
The displacement is regulated by the fitting force between the projecting piece and the slider.
Therefore, the key top can be securely removed in the tilt direction.
Can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a keyboard switch to which a fitting structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the key top and the slider shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing the vicinity of a shaft piece in a state where the key top is mounted on a slider.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a modification of the key top.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the shape of a shaft piece.

FIG. 6 is a view for explaining a state where a shaft piece is released from a mold.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view for explaining a conventional key top and slider fitting structure.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a conventional key top and slider fitting structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Keyboard switch 11, 23 Key top 11a Main part 12 Slider 13 Housing 14 Rubber actuator 14a Contact part 15 Membrane switch 16 Shaft 16a, 16b Shaft piece 17a, 17b Projection piece 18a, 18b Projection 19a, 19b Fitting part 20a, 20b Insertion Hole 21a, 21b Step 22 Stopper 24 Rib 25 Mold

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor ▲ Yoshi ▼ Shigemasa 1015 Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Fujitsu Co., Ltd. 49-125278 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H01H 13/00-13/76

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A key top (11, 2 ) formed of resin.
3) and a slider (12), and the key tops (11,
The shaft (16) formed at 23) is attached to the slider (12).
The fitting portion (19a, 19b) is formed so as to fit therewith.
The switch (12) of the key top (11, 23).
And a pair of shaft pieces (16a, 1
6b) is formed integrally with the key tops (11, 23).
And the shape of each shaft piece (16a, 16b)
Both become narrower toward the end and outward.
The key top (11, 23) is fitted with the shaft
It is located on the outer side of the pieces (16a, 16b) and
Integrally molded with the key tops (11, 23) to be led to
Protruding pieces (17a, 17b) are provided, and the key tops (11, 23) of the slider (12) are provided.
Of the pair of shaft pieces (16a, 16b)
The slider (1
A stopper portion (22) integrally formed with 2) is provided, and
Located on the outer side of the stopper portion (22) and
An insertion hole (20a, 20b) is formed, and a step is formed on the inner side.
Upwardly extending slurries having portions (21a, 21b)
The projecting fitting portion (19) formed integrally with the ida (12)
a, 19b), and the key tops (11, 23) are attached to the slider (12).
In the state where the protruding pieces (17a, 17a,
b) is an insertion hole on the outer side of the fitting portion (19a, 19b)
(20a, 20b) outside the fitting portions (19a, 19b).
The shaft pieces (16a, 16a)
b) is the fitting portion (19a, 19b) and the stopper
(22) supported by the stopper (22)
The tip of the shaft piece (16a, 16b) is located at the step (21).
a, 21b).
Keyboard switch. 2. Inside the pair of shaft pieces (16a, 16b).
At a position near the root, the space between the pair of shaft pieces (16a, 16b) is
A connecting rib (24) is formed.
Item 2. The keyboard switch according to Item 1 . 3. The outside of said pair of shaft pieces (16a, 16b).
Engage with the fitting portions (19a, 19b) near the tip
Forming protrusions (18a, 18b).
The keyboard switch according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: