JP2870210B2 - Thin keyboard with light emitting element and light emitting element mounting method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyboard used as a means for inputting information in various information processing apparatuses, and more particularly to a thin keyboard having a light emitting element exposed near a push button and a mounting method of the light emitting element.

In recent years, as a means for inputting information in various information processing apparatuses including a personal computer and a word processor, a thin keyboard which can be reduced in cost and weight and has a small exclusive space has been widely used. In such a thin keyboard, for example, a light emitting element is exposed in the vicinity of a push button for switching a mode, and it is required to display that the mode is switched by lighting the light emitting element. However, in a conventional thin keyboard in which a plurality of push buttons held by a panel are combined with a switch element formed of a flexible printed wiring board and a plurality of push button switches are formed, a light emitting element exposed on a surface of the panel is flexibly printed. Since there is no appropriate method for connecting to a wiring board, assembling a thin keyboard in which a light emitting element is exposed in the vicinity of a push button requires a lot of labor. Therefore, there is a demand for a thin keyboard in which a light emitting element can be easily mounted on a flexible printed wiring board.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of a conventional thin keyboard. In the figure, the conventional thin keyboard is composed of a plurality of push buttons 1, a switch element 2, and a rubber elastic body 3, and the push button 1 which comes into contact with the switch element 2 via the rubber elastic body 3 is slidably held by a panel 4. Have been.
The sheet-like switch element 2 is sandwiched between the panel 4 and a support plate 5 disposed on the back surface.

The switch element 2 comprises two flexible printed wiring boards (hereinafter referred to as FP wiring boards) 21 and spacers 22 such as polyethylene terephthalate interposed between the FP wiring boards 21. The contacts 23 formed together with the conductor patterns 24 face each other via the holes 25 of the spacer 22.

In such a keyboard, when the push button 1 slidably held by the panel 4 is pressed, the rubber elastic body 3 is deformed and comes into contact with the switch element 2, and the pressing force of the push button 1 is applied to the switch element 2. You. As a result, the portion of the FP wiring board 21 to which the pressing force is applied bends, and the contact points 23 contact each other.

A light emitting element 6 protrudes in the vicinity of the push button 1 slidably held by the panel 4, and a lead terminal 61 of the light emitting element 6 bent in an L-shape has a tube-shaped conductive material. The rubber 62 is inserted, and the conductive rubber 62 is pressed against the conductive pattern 26 on the FP wiring board 21 by the support arm 41 hanging down from the panel 4.

The push button 1 has a window 11 made of a light-transmitting resin at least at a position facing the light emitting element 6 at the top of the head, and a voltage is applied through the conductive pattern 26 and the conductive rubber 62 to turn on the light emitting element 6. Then, the light of the light emitting element 6 leaks to the upper surface of the push button 1 through the light transmitting window 11.

[0008]

However, the conventional thin keyboard tends to cause dimensional errors when the lead terminals of the light emitting element are bent into an L-shape, and when the length of the lead terminals varies, the distance from the light emitting element to the push button is increased. And causes a change in luminance. In addition, since the lead terminals of the light emitting element are bent into an L-shape with high precision, conductive rubber is inserted and attached to the panel, and there is a problem that assembling the keyboard requires a lot of labor.

An object of the present invention is to provide a thin keyboard in which a light emitting element can be easily mounted on an FP wiring board.

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of a thin keyboard according to the present invention. The same object is denoted by the same symbol throughout the drawings.

The above-mentioned problems are caused by the switch element 2 composed of the FP wiring board 21 opposed to each other via the spacer 22, the light emitting element chip 7 mounted on the tip of a tongue 27 formed on the FP wiring board 21, and a plurality of light emitting element chips 7. The panel has a panel 4 that slidably holds the push button 1, and a light emitting element chip 7 protruding to the surface through a square hole 42 provided in the panel 4 is fitted with a fixing pin 43 in a gap between the square holes 42. 4 is achieved by the thin keyboard with a light-emitting element of the present invention fixed to 4.

[0012]

Function: In FIG. 1, F is opposed via a spacer.
A switch element formed of a P wiring board, a light emitting element chip mounted on the tip of a tongue formed on the FP wiring board, and a panel slidably holding a plurality of push buttons, and provided on the panel. The thin keyboard according to the present invention, in which the light emitting element chip protruded to the surface through the square hole and fixed to the panel by inserting a fixing pin into the gap of the square hole, provides a thin keyboard in which the light emitting element can be easily mounted on the FP wiring board. Can be realized.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the figure, the thin keyboard according to the present invention is composed of a plurality of push buttons 1, a switch element 2, and a rubber elastic body 3, and the push button 1 abutting on the switch element 2 via the rubber elastic body 3 is slidable by a panel 4. Being hugged. The sheet-like switch element 2 is sandwiched between the panel 4 and a support plate 5 disposed on the back surface.

The switching element 2 comprises two FP wiring boards 21 and a spacer 22 interposed between the FP wiring boards 21.
The contacts 23 formed together with the conductor patterns 24 inside the P wiring board 21 face each other through the holes 25 of the spacer 22. One of the FP wiring boards 21 has a tongue 27, and the light emitting element chip 7 is mounted on the tip of the tongue 27.

In such a keyboard, when the push button 1 slidably held by the panel 4 is pressed, the rubber elastic body 3 is deformed and comes into contact with the switch element 2, and the pressing force of the push button 1 is applied to the switch element 2. You. As a result, the portion of the FP wiring board 21 to which the pressing force is applied bends, and the contact points 23 contact each other.

A square hole 42 is formed in the vicinity of the push button 1 slidably held by the panel 4, and the FP wiring board
The light emitting element chip 7 mounted on the tongue 27 of the 21 protrudes through the square hole 42 to the surface. The light emitting element chip 7 is fixed to the panel 4 by inserting the fixing pins 43 into the gaps between the square holes 42.

The push button 1 has a window 11 made of a light-transmitting resin at least at a position facing the light emitting element chip 7 at the top of the head, and a voltage is applied to the light emitting element chip 7 via a conductor pattern (not shown) to turn on the light. Then, the light emitting element chip 7
Is configured to leak to the upper surface of the push button 1 through the light transmitting window 11.

The switch element composed of the FP wiring board opposed to each other via the spacer as described above, the light emitting element chip mounted on the tip of the tongue formed on the FP wiring board, and the plurality of push buttons are slidably moved. The thin keyboard according to the present invention, which has a panel to be hung and has a light emitting element chip protruding to the surface through a square hole provided in the panel, and fixing the light emitting element chip to the panel by inserting a fixing pin into a gap between the square holes, is a light emitting element. This eliminates the need for processing of the lead terminals, and significantly reduces the labor required for assembly. Further, it is possible to reduce variation in the distance from the light emitting element to the push button, which causes a change in luminance. That is, it is possible to realize a thin keyboard in which the light emitting element can be easily mounted on the FP wiring board.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a thin keyboard in which a light emitting element can be easily mounted on an FP wiring board.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of a thin keyboard according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of a conventional thin keyboard.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Push button 2 Switch element 3 Rubber elastic body 4 Panel 5 Support plate 7 Light emitting element chip 11 Window 21 FP wiring board 22 Spacer 23 Contact 24 Conductor pattern 25 Hole 27 Tongue piece 42 Square hole 43 Fixed pin

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A switch element (2) comprising a flexible printed wiring board (21) opposed to each other via a spacer (22),
The tongue-shaped piece (2) formed on the flexible printed circuit board (21)
7) a light emitting element chip (7) mounted at the tip of the panel, and a panel (4) for slidably holding a plurality of push buttons (1), and a square hole (4) provided in the panel (4). The light emitting element chip (7) protruding from the surface through (42) is fixed to the panel (4) by inserting a fixing pin (43) into a gap between the square holes (42). Thin keyboard with elements. 2. A switch element (2) comprising a flexible printed wiring board (21) opposed to each other via a spacer (22),
And a panel (4) that slidably holds the push buttons (1)
When forming a thin keyboard having a light emitting element exposed near the push button (1), a light emitting element chip is attached to the tip of a tongue-like piece (27) formed on the flexible printed wiring board (21). The light emitting element chip directly mounted with (7) and projected to the surface through a square hole (42) provided in the panel (4).
(7) A method for mounting a light-emitting element, wherein a fixing pin (43) is inserted into a gap between the square holes (42) and fixed to the panel (4).