JP3077603B2 - Key panel structure - 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 panel structure provided with, for example, a one-touch dial key and the like, which is provided in a facsimile apparatus, an image recording apparatus having a facsimile function and a copying function, and the like. The present invention relates to a structure having a panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a device having a communication function, such as a facsimile device or an image recording device having both a facsimile function and a copying function, a destination device can be brought into a communication state with a desired destination by one touch. A device equipped with a one-touch dial key capable of registering a telephone (fax) number is known. If the number of destinations is large, many one-touch dial keys are required.However, due to the constraints of the planar layout space, recently, multiple destinations can be registered for each key, An opening / closing key panel having a key insertion hole (or an elastic sheet shape) is provided on the panel, and one side edge of the opening / closing key panel is used as a rotation fulcrum axis so as to be rotatable to both sides. Whether the open / close key panel is opened (that is, which key is inserted into the key insertion hole of the open / close key panel, or in the case of an open / close key panel made of an elastic sheet, which key is overlapped with the open / close key panel) ), The key switch is switched so that the registration destination of the key can be appropriately selected.

[0003]

However, in the conventional key panel structure having an open / close key panel, the key switching switch is provided separately from the rubber contact switch forming the key switch, and is expensive and expensive. The position of the switch is set so as to be pressed against the open / close end (free end) of the open / close key panel. Without switching, there was also a risk of transmission to the wrong destination.

[0004]

The present invention uses the following means in order to solve the above problems. That is, on the fixed key panel, one side edge is used as a rotation fulcrum axis, and an openable and closable key panel is arranged on the rotation fulcrum axis. In the key panel structure enabling operation of each key on the fixed key panel, a projection is provided on one side of the side edge, which is a rotation fulcrum axis of the open / close key panel, and the projection is provided below the rotation fulcrum axis. A key switch is formed in a series with the rubber contact switch for the key, and the key switch can be operated by the rotation of the projection accompanying the rotation of the open / close key panel.

The pivot shaft of the open / close key panel is pivotally supported at the center of the fixed key panel, and the fixed key panel is cut off at a position below the pivot shaft to remove an elastic piece. When the projection of the open / close key panel is pressed against the elastic piece, the elastic piece is pressed against the key switching switch of the rubber contact switch.

Further, the fixed key panel is made of a resin-integrated product, and one end of the elastic piece is integrally connected to the fixed key panel, and the other end is a free end. It is the structure that is this part.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image recording apparatus employing a key panel structure according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the key panel structure according to the present invention. FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the key switching switch operating portion in FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the key switching switch operating portion in FIG. 3, and FIG. 7, FIG. 7 is an enlarged side sectional view of a key switching switch operating portion in FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 3, and FIG. 9 is a key switching switch in FIG. FIG. 10 is an enlarged side sectional view of the switch operating portion, FIG. 10 is a plan view of the fixed key panel, and FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the switch pressing elastic piece.

First, regarding the key panel structure of the present invention,
For example, as shown in FIG. 1, in the image recording apparatus, an operation panel K is disposed horizontally in front of the apparatus main body 7,
In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a fixed key panel 1a as a key panel of a one-touch dial key for facsimile transmission is formed in a part of a cover 1 covering an upper portion of the operation panel K. The open / close key panel 2 is rotatably attached to both sides.

In the image recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1, a document insertion tray 8 and a document discharge tray 9 are vertically arranged.
In the meantime, the automatic document feeder 10 is formed, and the apparatus main body is inserted between the time when the document inserted from the document insertion tray 8 is fed by the automatic document feeder 10 and discharged to the document discharge tray 9. The content of the original is read by a reading unit disposed therein, and selected by, for example, operating one-touch dial keys (keys 4,...) Disposed on the fixed key panel 1a of the operation panel K. The content of the read document is transmitted by facsimile to a communication destination. A manual tray 11 for recording paper is arranged at the bottom of the apparatus main body 7, and a supply cassette 12 for recording paper is detachably attached below the bottom. The image of the document read by the automatic document feeder 10 is recorded (copying function), or the contents of the received original document are recorded, and the recording paper formed at the top of the apparatus main body 7 is discharged. The recording paper on which recording has been performed is discharged from the tray 13.

The fixed key panel 1a is made of resin integral with the cover 1, and as shown in FIG. 10, the key insertion holes 1b, 1b.
. Is drilled, and each key 4 is provided as shown in FIGS.
4 are inserted into the respective key insertion holes 1b from below. Below the fixed key panel 1a, a circuit board 6 is laid on the bottom inside the operation panel K, and a rubber contact switch 5 made of rubber is laid on the circuit board 6, as shown in FIGS. The rubber contact switch 5 has key switches 5a, 5a,... Integrally protruding upward, and the key 4 is mounted on each key switch 5a. Normally, the bottom surface of the key switch 5a is raised above the switch circuit of each key formed on the circuit board 6 as shown in FIG. 9 and is in an OFF state. When the key 4 is pressed as shown in FIG. The bottom surface of the switch 5a is pressed into contact with a key switch circuit corresponding to the key on the circuit board 6 to be turned on.

When one key switch circuit on the circuit board 6 is turned on in this way, the line is connected to the registered transmission destination corresponding to the key switch circuit, and communication becomes possible. Further, two transmission destinations are registered in correspondence with one key switch circuit, and which of them is selected depends on ON / OFF of a key changeover switch circuit provided on a circuit board. The rubber contact switch 5 is provided with a key switching switch 5b in a protruding manner so as to be pressed against the key switching switch circuit. As an operating member of the key changeover switch 5b, a switch pressing elastic piece 1c shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is formed in a notch at the center of the fixed key panel 1a.

As shown in FIG. 11, the switch pressing elastic piece 1c has one end connected to the fixed key panel 1a and serves as a swing fulcrum P. With this fulcrum as the fulcrum, a free end on the opposite side is provided. The part swings up and down. The free end F is placed on the key switch 5b of the rubber contact switch 5. The free end F of the switch pressing elastic piece 1c is operated by the projection 2b provided with the open / close key panel 2. The free end F
Has a pressing portion 1d projecting upward so as to press against the projection 2b.

The structure of the open / close key panel 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. A rotation fulcrum shaft 3 penetrates one end of the opening / closing key panel 2. Both ends of the rotation fulcrum shaft 3 are fitted into bearing holes at the front and rear of the fixed key panel 1 a and are supported by the rotation. A moving fulcrum shaft 3 is supported at the center of the fixed key panel 1a. The open / close key panel 2 can be turned to both sides with the turning fulcrum shaft 3 as a turning fulcrum, and is opened to the left as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 6 and 7, and FIGS. 8 and FIG. 9 can be switched to the state opened to the right. The opening / closing key panel 2 is provided with key insertion holes 2a. Keys 4, 4 provided on the fixed key panel 1 below the opening / closing key panel 2 are provided.
.. is inserted to enable finger operation of the key 4. The opening / closing key panel 2 is not provided with such a key insertion hole 2a, but is formed into an elastic sheet and is structured to be superimposed on the keys 4, 4. 4 ...
・ The position of the key can be visually recognized (for example, the opening / closing key panel 2 is made transparent, or the key is drawn at the position of the key 4 on the opening / closing key panel 2 itself, etc.). The structure which can press the key 4 may be sufficient.

The pivot 3 of the open / close key panel 2
The fixed key panel 1a
A projection 2b is provided at a position above the free end F of the switch pressing elastic piece 1c, and the projection 2b projects downward when the open / close key panel 2 is opened to one side. Thus, the free end portion F disposed below is pressed downward. In this embodiment, FIG. 2, FIG. 4, FIG. 6, and FIG.
As shown in the figure, when opened to the left, the projection 2b projects downward, and the free end F is pushed downward. Of course, it may be provided on the opposite side so that when opened to the right, the projection 2b projects downward, and the free end F may be pushed downward.

As described above, in this embodiment, when the open / close key panel 2 is opened to the left, the projection 2b pushes down the free end F, and the key changeover switch 5b is pushed down, so that the bottom surface of the circuit is closed. When the open / close key panel 2 is opened rightward, the bottom surface of the key switching switch 5b is separated from the key switching switch circuit of the circuit board 6 and turned off when the open / close key panel 2 is opened to the right. State. One of two destinations registered by one key is selected by turning on / off the key switching switch circuit in accordance with which of the open / close key panel 2 is opened. The structure may be such that the projection 2b is directly pressed against the key switching switch 5b without the intervention of the switch pressing elastic piece 1c.

Each key insertion hole 1b of the fixed key panel 1a
In the vicinity of 1b, the corresponding destinations are displayed one by one, and the transmission destinations are displayed on both sides of each key insertion hole 2a of the open / close key panel 2. Now, in the fixed key panel 1a, one key 4A on the left side of the rotation fulcrum shaft 3 of the opening / closing key panel 2 is indicated as a transmission destination A, and the right side at a line symmetric position via the rotation fulcrum shaft 3 is displayed. Is displayed as the transmission destination B for one of the keys 4B. on the other hand,
Regarding the key insertion hole 2a into which both keys 4A and 4B of the opening / closing key panel 2 can be inserted, the transmission destination C is displayed on the left side and the transmission destination D is displayed on the right side. In this case, when the open / close key panel 2 is opened to the left, as shown in FIG. 4, the key 4A becomes a transmission key of the destination D displayed on the open / close key panel 2,
The key 4B is a transmission key of the transmission destination B displayed on the fixed key panel 1a. On the other hand, when the open / close key panel 2 is opened to the right, as shown in FIG.
The key becomes the transmission key of the transmission destination A displayed at a.
B is a transmission key of the transmission destination C displayed on the open / close key panel 2. Thus, for each key,
Depending on how the open / close key panel is opened, one of the two destinations is displayed on the fixed key panel 1a or the open / close key panel 2. This allows the operator to select a destination.

The above-mentioned open / close key panel structure has not only a key panel having keys 4, 4... Which are one-touch dial keys, but also a plurality of programs registered with one key. The present invention can also be applied as an open / close key panel structure of a program one-touch key that allows a program to be selected in an opening manner. Further, it is also possible to register a destination number and a program in one key, and to switch one key between a one-touch dial key and a program one-touch key by opening the open / close key panel.

[0018]

The present invention has the following effects by adopting the above key panel structure. First, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the key changeover switch is formed integrally with the rubber contact switch, so that the cost is lower than in the conventional case where the switch is provided separately. By disposing the key changeover switch below the shaft, if you want to press the switch, the projection provided on the side end of the open / close key panel will surely press the switch, When a switch is provided to press against the rotating end (free end) of the open / close key panel as in the conventional case, the malfunction of the switch due to the floating of the open / close key panel is eliminated, and the signal is transmitted to a different partner. The disadvantage that the problem occurs is avoided.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, an elastic piece is interposed between the key changeover switch by the rubber contact switch and the projection of the open / close key panel, so that the switch operation becomes smoother. Since the elastic piece is formed only by cutting out the fixed key panel, the cost is low.

Further, the elastic piece can be easily formed integrally with the fixed key panel by integral molding of a resin, so that the cost is low.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image recording apparatus employing a key panel structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the key panel structure according to the present invention, with the openable key panel opened to the left.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a state in which the open / close key panel is opened to the right.

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of a key operation switch operating section in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a key operation switch operating section in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side sectional view of a key changeover switch operating portion in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged side sectional view of a key operation switch operating portion in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a fixed key panel.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the switch pressing elastic piece.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 cover 1a fixed key panel 1b key insertion hole 1c switch pressing elastic piece 1d pressing portion 2 opening / closing key panel 2a key insertion hole 2b protrusion 3 rotation fulcrum shaft 4 key 5 rubber contact switch 5a key switch 5b key switching Switch 6 Circuit board

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01H 13/76 G06F 3/023 H01H 13/00 H01H 13/14 H04N 1/00

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A fixed key panel, wherein one side edge is used as a pivot shaft and a pivotable open / close key panel is disposed on the pivot shaft, so that the open / close key panel can be overlapped or non-overlapped. Instead, in the key panel structure enabling operation of each key on the fixed key panel, a projection is provided on one side of the side edge which is a rotation fulcrum axis of the open / close key panel, and a projection is provided below the rotation fulcrum axis. hand,
A key switching switch is formed in a series with a rubber contact switch for an adjacent key, and the key switching switch can be operated by the rotation of the projection accompanying the rotation of the open / close key panel. Key panel structure. 2. The key panel structure according to claim 1, wherein said pivot shaft of said opening / closing key panel is pivotally supported at a central portion of said fixed key panel, and said pivot shaft is located at a position below said pivot shaft. An elastic piece is formed by cutting out the fixed key panel, and when the projection of the open / close key panel is pressed against the elastic piece, the elastic piece is pressed against the key switching switch of the rubber contact switch. Key panel structure characterized by the following. 3. The key panel structure according to claim 2, wherein said fixed key panel is a resin-integrated molded product, one end of said elastic piece is integrally connected to said fixed key panel, and the other end is a free end. A key panel structure, wherein the key panel structure is a portion of the opening / closing key panel that is pressed against the projection.