JP2817408B2 - Touch response switch device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to various electronic musical instruments such as a keyboard electronic musical instrument such as an electronic organ and an electronic piano, and an electronic rhythm musical instrument such as an electronic drum, depending on the pressing speed (strength) of an operator. The present invention relates to a touch response switch device for controlling a musical tone to be played.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Such a touch response switch device for an electronic musical instrument is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 53-1161.
As seen in Japanese Patent Publication No. 41, a plurality of dome-shaped elastic bodies each having a movable contact therein are arranged and arranged in the longitudinal direction of a key on a switch circuit board on which a plurality of fixed contact pairs are formed. When the key is pressed, each dome-shaped elastic body is sequentially pressed by an actuator provided below the key, so that each movable contact is sequentially brought into contact with a plurality of fixed contact pairs on the substrate, and the timing of the plurality of switches is adjusted. Some are shifted to close.

Also, as described in the above publication, one dome-shaped elastic body is provided for one key in order to simplify the structure of such a touch response switch device. A first movable contact and a second movable contact are provided in a ring shape on the inner central point and at the outer periphery thereof at different heights, and when the key is pressed, the central part of the dome-shaped elastic body is pressed by the actuator, whereby the first , The second movable contact is sequentially brought into contact with a plurality of fixed contact pairs on a substrate, and a plurality of switches are closed at different timings.

A key response speed (strength) is detected based on a time difference between the closing timings of the plurality of switches, and a touch response control such as a percussion envelope of a generated musical tone can be performed.

[0005]

However, in such a conventional touch response switch device, in the latter case, the dome-shaped elastic body is pressed and the internal ring-shaped movable contact is fixed on the substrate. There has been a problem that when the pair abuts on each other, the bouncing is likely to occur irregularly, thereby causing chattering.

The former case is advantageous for chattering. However, when the number of contacts increases, the number of points of operation of an operator for holding the contact increases, so that when the operator is inclined, the relative height of the point of operation is increased. Has been changed, and there has been a problem that the time difference between the time when each contact comes into contact with the fixed contact on the substrate and the switch is closed also changes.

In particular, in the case of a touch response switch device using an elongated push-button-type operation element, the inclination of the operation element changes depending on the position where the operation element is pressed. Cannot be detected accurately.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a touch response switch device in which chattering does not occur and is hardly affected by the inclination of an operation element. I do.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, a touch response switch device according to the present invention is provided with a switch circuit board on which a plurality of fixed contact pairs are formed adjacently, and a switch circuit board provided on the switch circuit board. An elastic sheet having a movable portion provided with a plurality of movable contacts having different heights respectively corresponding to the plurality of fixed contact pairs, and an elastic sheet which is held so as to be able to approach / separate from a surface of the substrate on which the fixed contacts are formed. A plurality of adjacent fixed contact pairs on the substrate and each movable contact provided on the movable portion of the elastic sheet, comprising an elongated operator having an actuator for driving the movable portion of the elastic sheet. Multiple switches for each of the above controls
In this configuration, a plurality of switches of each operation element are arranged in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the operation element. In the elastic sheet, an oblong dome-shaped movable portion that is long in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the operation element is bulged, and a plurality of movable contacts having different heights are formed in the oblong dome-shaped movable portion. Should be provided.

[0010]

According to the touch response switch device configured as described above, when the operator is pressed, the actuator presses the movable portion of the elastic sheet, and the actuator is disposed adjacently in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the operator. Since the movable contacts of the respective switches are sequentially brought into contact with the respective fixed contact pairs on the substrate to close the respective switches, irregular bouncing does not occur unlike a ring-shaped movable contact, so chattering is almost eliminated. Does not occur. Further, even if the operator is tilted in the longitudinal direction, the height of the action point with respect to each movable contact hardly changes, so that the time difference when each switch closes is hardly affected.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 to FIG. 13 are diagrams for explaining a drum pad switch device used for controlling generation of an electronic drum sound according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views showing a state after assembly. FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 1C, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. , (C) is B- of (a).
It is sectional drawing which follows the B line.

2 and 3 are a plan view and a back view of the pad key, FIGS. 4 to 7 are a front view, a plan view, a back view and a back view of the housing, and FIG. −
It is an end elevation when it cuts along the D line.

9 and 10 are side views of the contact rubber and a plan view showing a part of the contact rubber, and FIGS. 11 and 13 are plan views showing the switch circuit board without an intermediate portion and a first view thereof. FIG. 12 shows a contact pattern of a second fixed contact pair, FIG.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state after the assembly is cut in the middle of the longitudinal direction, and a part of the half part is partially removed.

In this drum pad switch device, a pad key 1 as an operation member, a housing 2 as an operation member holding member for holding the operation member so as to be able to approach and separate from a switch circuit board to be described later, and a switch fixing member A switch circuit board (hereinafter simply referred to as a “board”) 3 having contacts formed thereon, and a contact rubber 4 which is an elastic sheet provided on the board 3 and having a movable portion provided with movable contacts corresponding to the fixed contacts. Consists of

The pad key 1 has an elongated rectangular key top 10 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an actuator section 11 is provided at the center of the lower surface in the longitudinal direction, and a pair of cylinders are provided at symmetrical positions on both sides thereof. A pair of claw pieces 13 are provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction so as to extend downward, and these are integrally formed of synthetic resin.

The upper surface of the key top 10 has a slightly convex curved surface in the short direction. The actuator portion 11 has one rib-shaped portion along the short direction of the key top 10 and two ribs along the long direction. Each claw piece 13 is somewhat flexible and forms a claw at its lower end.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, the housing 2 has a flat portion 20 and a falling portion 2 bent downward from a rear edge thereof.
And two square holes 22 for actuator so that two pad keys 1 can be held along the longitudinal direction at the center in the width direction of the plane portion 20 so as to be arranged in the longitudinal direction. Cylindrical guide portions 23 (four) forming guide holes 23a for slidably fitting the respective guide portions 12 of the pad key 1 symmetrically on both sides thereof, and small square holes into which the respective claw pieces 13 are inserted. 24 (four).

The upper end of the guide portion 23 projects slightly above the flat portion 20, the outer periphery is formed in an oval shape having a parallel surface along the longitudinal direction of the housing 2, and the outer periphery has a slightly smaller diameter at the lower end. And a bottom portion 23b having a stepped shape. A pair of guide portions 23 for one pad key,
One of the guide holes 23a of the housing 23
Are slightly elongated in the longitudinal direction of the pad key 1 so that a dimensional error between the pad key 1 and the pair of guide portions 12 can be absorbed.

Further, a mounting piece 25 having a through-hole 25a is provided at the center of the front edge of the flat portion 20, and a pair of spacer pillars 26 are provided on the lower surfaces on both sides thereof. Is a first connection mounting piece 27 having a through hole 27a.
And the second having a notch 28a and a protruding piece 28b
A connection mounting piece 28 is provided, and positioning pillars 29, 29 serving as two spacers are provided in the middle between them.

Each of the spacer pillar 26 and the positioning pillar 29 is formed in a cylindrical shape.
Has a stepped shape with a slightly smaller outer circumference. The mounting piece 25 is formed so as to be slightly inclined upward as clearly shown in FIG. 8, so that when it is screwed, its elasticity does not cause loosening. The above-described parts of the housing 2 are formed integrally with the main body by using a synthetic resin.

The substrate 4 is elongated as shown in FIG. 11, and a first fixed contact pair 31 and a second fixed contact pair 32 are provided at respective positions on the upper surface thereof corresponding to the positions of the actuator portions 11 of the pad keys 1 respectively. Are arranged adjacent to each other in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the pad key 1.

In FIG. 11, the position of the contact rubber 4 is indicated by an imaginary line, and each locking projection 42 of the contact rubber 4 is located there.
A locking recess 33 is provided for fitting and locking the lower end portion 29a of each positioning column 29 of the housing 2 at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction at the center in the width direction.
A semicircular cutout 35 is formed at a position corresponding to the through hole 25a of each mounting piece 25 of the housing 2 at the edge on the side where the contact rubber 4 is provided.

It should be noted that two of the positioning recesses 34 at both ends are formed in the longitudinal direction, and one at the center is formed in an elliptical shape slightly longer in the width direction. So that it can be absorbed.

A first fixed contact pair 31 and a second fixed contact pair 32
13 shows a pair of contact patterns 31 each of which is intricately formed on the upper surface of the substrate 3 at a small interval from each other as shown in FIG.
a and 31b, and contact patterns 32a and 32b are formed by printing with copper foil or carbon film. One of the contact patterns 31a and 32a is commonly connected by a wiring pattern 36, and the other contact patterns 31b and 32b are connected. The wiring patterns 37 and 38 are individually connected so that the ON signal of each switch can be extracted.

The contact rubber 4 is an integrally molded part made of synthetic rubber. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the width of the contact rubber 4 is less than half the length of the substrate 3 and the length thereof is almost the same. An elongated dome-shaped movable portion 41 that is long in the width direction at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction is formed to bulge upward, and the bottom portion 2 of each guide portion 23 of the housing 2 is formed on both sides thereof.
3b is formed with a recess 43 to be fitted therein, and one side edge is formed with an arc-shaped notch 44 at a position corresponding to each mounting piece 25 of the housing 2. Further, a pair of locking projections 4 are provided on the back surface at positions where the movable portions 41 are obliquely sandwiched.
2, 42 are protruded.

The movable portion 41 has a pressing portion 41a on its upper portion which is pressed by the actuator portion 11 of the pad key 1.
As shown in FIG. 1 (c), a circular concave portion 41b is formed on one half of the pressing portion, and a downward projecting portion is formed in the movable portion 41 corresponding to the concave portion 41b. The first movable contact 45 and the second movable contact 46 are respectively formed on the lower surface of each of the protrusions on the side where the recess 41b is not provided, with a small amount of protrusion. Is formed by bonding the conductive rubber.

By assembling the pad key 1, the housing 2, the board 3, and the contact rubber 4 formed as described above as shown in FIGS. 1 and 12, in this example, eight drum pad switches are provided. The devices are connected and configured.

This will be described mainly with reference to FIG. 1. When the contact rubber 4 is placed on the substrate 3 and each of the locking projections 42 is pushed into the corresponding locking hole 33 of the substrate 3 and fitted, the elasticity and friction of the contact are increased. Contact rubber 4 is applied to substrate 3 by force
The movable part 41 is positioned and held at a predetermined position on
The first movable contact 45 and the second movable contact 46 are opposed to the first fixed contact pair 31 and the second fixed contact pair 32 formed on the substrate 3, respectively.

On the other hand, two pad keys 1 for one housing 2, an actuator section 11, a guide section 12, and a claw piece 13 are respectively connected to an actuator square hole 22 of the housing 2 and a guide section 23 for a guide section 23. It is inserted into the hole 23a and the small square hole 24 and mounted.

The lower end 29a of each of the positioning columns 29 of the housing 2 is connected to each of the positioning recesses 34 of the substrate 3.
And the mounting pieces 25, 27, 28
Is fixed to the upper surface of the substrate 3 and the flat portion 10 of the housing 2 by the spacer posts 26 and the positioning posts 29, and the bottom portion 23b of each guide portion 23 is Fit into the recess 43,
Since the contact rubber 4 is pressed against the substrate 3, the contact rubber 4 is securely fixed on both sides of each movable portion 41, and there is no danger of displacement, flapping, losing or the like even if the contact rubber 4 is strongly pressed.

The pad key 1 has its actuator section 1
1 comes into contact with the pressing portion 41a of the movable portion 41 of the contact rubber 4, and is pushed up by the elastic restoring force of the movable portion 41 as shown in FIG. The key top 10 is held at a position where the key top 10 is locked to the panel 5 of the electronic musical instrument as shown in FIG.
Slightly protrudes upward from the window hole 50 formed at the bottom.

When the player depresses or hits the key top 10 of the pad key 1 with a finger or a stick from this non-operation state, the actuator section 11 of the pad key 1 causes the contact rubber 4 to move.
Of the movable portion 41 while pressing the pressing portion 41a of the moving member 41 to approach the substrate 3. In the process, the first movable contact 45 in the movable portion 41 first comes into contact with the first fixed contact pair 31 on the substrate 3 to make the contact patterns 31a and 31b conductive, and is constituted by these contacts. Close the first switch.

Thereafter, when the movable portion 41 is further pressed, the second movable contact 46 comes into contact with the second fixed contact pair 32 on the substrate 3, and the contact patterns 32a and 32b are electrically connected to each other. The second switch is closed. The difference between the timings at which the first and second switches are closed is inversely proportional to the pressing speed or strength of the pad key 1, so that the volume of drum sound generated can be controlled accordingly.

When the pad key 1 is released, the pad key 1 is pushed up by the restoring force of the movable portion 41 of the contact rubber 4, and
It returns to the upper limit position shown in FIG. 1 again. When the pad key 1 is displaced in this manner, the guide portion 12 is
The guide portion 23 guides in a direction substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate 3 and thus hardly tilts. However, even if the guide portion 23 and the guide hole 23a slightly tilt in the longitudinal direction, the time lag may occur. Since the contacts forming the two switches for generation are arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the influence of the inclination on the time difference is minimized.

To smooth the movement of the pad key 1, grease may be applied to the outer periphery of the guide portion 12 and the inner periphery of the guide hole 23a of the housing 2. In this case, the lower end of the guide hole 23a Since the bottom portion 23b is closed, there is no possibility that grease flows out and adversely affects the contact rubber 4 and the like.

Further, when a large number of drum pad switches are connected in series, a large number of housings 2 of the same shape are arranged in rows as shown in FIG. And the second connection mounting piece 28 of the other housing 2 can be overlapped and screwed to a case or the like, the number of screws is minimized, and the key top 10 and the window hole 50 (FIG. It is also easy to adjust the position of a)). In FIG. 12, each one-dot chain line indicates the contact arrangement direction and position of the switch with respect to each pad key 1.

Next, another embodiment in which the patterns of the contact rubber and the fixed contact pair formed on the substrate in the above embodiment are changed will be described with reference to FIGS.

On the substrate 60 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, a second fixed contact pair 62 composed of nested contact patterns 62a and 62b at a small interval from each other, and symmetrically on both sides thereof. Each of the substantially arc-shaped contact patterns 61
a, 61b, two first fixed contact pairs 61, 61
And these contacts are arranged adjacent to each other in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of an operation element such as a pad key.

As shown in FIG. 14, the contact rubber 70 has a pressing portion 71a on a movable portion 71, and a projection 71c projecting downward at a lower portion thereof.
An arc-shaped protrusion 71b is provided at a position corresponding to the fixed contact pair 61 so as to protrude below the central protrusion 74c, and a first movable contact 72 is provided on the lower surface of each protrusion 71b. A second movable contact 73 is provided on the lower surface of
Are provided by bonding a conductive rubber or the like.

The other structure is the same as that of the above-described embodiment. When an operating element such as a pad key (not shown) is pressed and the movable section 71 of the contact rubber 71 is pressed by the actuator section, each movable section is firstly moved. The contact 72 abuts on each first fixed contact 61 on the substrate 60 and its contact pattern 6
1a and 61b are made conductive to close the first switch,
Thereafter, the second movable contact 73 comes into contact with the second fixed contact 62 to conduct between the contact patterns 62a and 62b to close the second switch.

According to this embodiment, even if the operator is slightly tilted in the longitudinal direction when the operator is pressed, the first and second switches are closed because the contacts of the switches are arranged in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. It has little effect on the time difference that is achieved.
Also, if the two sets of first fixed contacts 61 are connected in parallel, it is possible to substantially eliminate the influence when the operation element is inclined in the width direction.

Although the embodiment in which the present invention is applied to the drum pad switch device has been described above, it is needless to say that the present invention can be similarly applied to other touch response switch devices.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, the time difference according to the operation speed or the strength of the operator is always accurately obtained without being substantially affected by the inclination of the operator in the touch response switch device. Can be detected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a state after a drum pad switch device according to an embodiment of the present invention is assembled.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a pad key in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the same.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the housing in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the same.

FIG. 7 is a rear view of the same.

FIG. 8 is an end view of a cut surface taken along line DD of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the contact rubber in FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the same part cut away.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the switch circuit board in FIG. 1 with an intermediate portion omitted.

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing a state after the assembly of the same embodiment as that of FIG. 1 cut in the middle in the longitudinal direction and partially removing a part on a half part side;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged view showing contact patterns of first and second fixed contact pairs in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a half sectional side view showing only a substrate and a contact rubber according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view showing contact patterns of first and second fixed contact pairs formed on the substrate in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Pad key (operator), 2 ... Housing (operator holder) 3 ... Switch circuit board, 4 ... Contact rubber (elastic sheet), 5 ... Panel, 10 ... Key top, 11 ... Actuator, 12 ... Guide Part, 13 ... claw piece, 20: flat part, 22: square hole for actuator, 23 ... guide part,
23a: guide hole, 23b: bottom, 24: small square hole, 25
... Mounting pieces, 26 ... Spacer pillars, 27 ... First connecting mounting pieces,
28: second connection mounting piece, 29: positioning column, 31: first
Fixed contact pair, 32: second fixed contact pair, 33: locking hole, 3
4 positioning recess, 40 flat part, 41 movable part, 42
... locking projections, 43 ... hollows, 45 ... first movable contacts, 46
... second movable contact, 60 ... switch circuit board, 61 ... first
Fixed contact pair, 62: second fixed contact pair, 70: contact rubber, 71: movable portion, 72: first movable contact, 73: second movable contact,

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A switch circuit board having a plurality of adjacent fixed contact pairs formed thereon, and a plurality of movable contacts having different heights provided on the board and corresponding to the plurality of fixed contact pairs, respectively. An elastic sheet having a movable portion, and an elongated operator provided with an actuator that is held so as to be able to approach and separate from the surface of the substrate on which the fixed contact is formed and that drives the movable portion of the elastic sheet. , each by a respective movable contact provided on the movable portion of the adjacent plurality of fixed contacts to said elastic sheet on said substrate
Constitute a plurality of switches for each operating element, the touch response switch device being characterized in that disposed side by side in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the operating element a plurality of switches in each operating element. 2. The touch response switch according to claim 1,
Switch device, A direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the operation member,
The dome-shaped movable part that is long in the direction
And the height is different in the oblong dome-shaped movable portion.
A touch panel having a plurality of movable contacts.
Switch device.