JP3087054U - Keyboard for computer system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide a waterproof keyboard of a notebook personal computer that minimizes bending or deformation due to heat treatment. A keyboard (50) includes a bottom board (35) that is bonded and fixed to each other, and a seal layer (60) below the bottom board (35). The sealing layer 60 is provided with a closed groove 61, an open groove 62, a combination of these grooves 61 and 62, or a dividing mechanism by a slit 63, and the like. The bending of the keyboard 50 due to the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion of the seal layer 60 is suppressed.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

 The present invention relates to a keyboard, and more particularly, to a keyboard for a notebook computer (hereinafter referred to as a notebook computer).

[0002]

[Prior art]

 A general notebook personal computer 10 as shown in FIG. 1 mainly includes a screen 20, a keyboard 30 and a case 40, and the screen 20 and the case 40 are integrally connected by a hinge mechanism. The keyboard 30 is mounted on a case 40, and a motherboard having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and other electronic units mounted on its surface is arranged below the keyboard 30.

The keyboard 30 is composed of components including a plurality of keys 31, a bottom board 35 having an upward edge 37, a rubber layer 33 and a circuit board layer 34, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The structure of the keyboard 30 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 4 shows the sealing layer 38 of the keyboard 30 removed (not bonded) from the bottom board 35 containing the keys 31. Here, the shape of the seal layer 38 substantially corresponds to the shape of the bottom board 35. The seal layer 38 may be made of a soft or hard plastic material. Referring to FIG. 5, a plurality of openings 36 formed by punching (pressure punching) are mounted on the bottom board 35 of FIG. 4 and a plurality of lugs are formed during the punching process, and a rubber layer 33 and a circuit board are formed. The layer 34 is locked (not shown). As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bottom board 35 and the seal layer 38 are integrally adhered and fixed by applying an adhesive to the lower surface of the bottom board 35 or the upper surface of the seal layer 38. Thereby, the seal layer 38 is adhered to the lower surface of the bottom board 35 as shown in FIG. The keyboard 30 including the seal layer 38 is subjected to a heat treatment, and the adhesive between the seal layer 38 and the bottom board 35 is cured, and both are closely adhered and fixed. FIG. 2 shows the keyboard 30 after the heat treatment step. 7 and 8 that the keyboard 30 mainly includes keys 31, a rubber layer 33, a circuit board layer 34, a bottom board 35, and a seal layer 38. Since the configuration of the keyboard 30 is a conventional technique, it is not necessary to describe the detailed configuration here.

The notebook personal computer (see FIG. 1) 10 has the convenient feature of being small and lightweight, and is therefore more portable and therefore more expensive than a desktop computer. To avoid damaging the expensive notebook computer by the user accidentally dropping liquid on the keyboard 30 while operating the notebook computer, the conventional keyboard 30 includes a sealing layer 38 below the bottom board 35. This prevents a dripped liquid from leaking from the opening 36 of the bottom board 35 to the circuit board as a waterproof keyboard. By sealing the opening 36 of the bottom board 35 with a sealing layer 38, it is ensured that the circuit board is not damaged by liquid leaking from the opening 36 of the bottom board 35, and the normal operation of the notebook personal computer is maintained. .

Since the bottom board 35 including the key 31 is designed to receive the force of pressing the key 31 by the user, the bottom board 35 including the key 31 is made of a hard and durable material such as metal so as to prevent the keyboard 30 from bending or deforming. Must be formed of a conductive material. In addition, the seal layer 38 must be made of a particularly thin waterproof material so as not to increase the overall thickness.

[0007]

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

 However, since an adhesive is used for the seal layer 38 to adhere to the lower surface of the bottom board 35, and the dimensions of the seal layer 38 and the bottom board 35 are at least 10 cm × 27 cm, the difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the two materials is obtained. As a result, the heat treatment described above causes bending due to a temperature change as shown in FIG. 9, and differs from the horizontal plane of the bottom board 35 shown in FIG. 7. Thus, this height difference D appears between the upward edge 37 of the keyboard 30 and the horizontal line 32 parallel to the bottom board 35. The deformed keyboard 30 is a defective product, adversely affects accuracy during assembly, and makes assembly work difficult.

[0008]

[Purpose of the invention]

 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the related art, and has as its object to provide a keyboard for a computer system which improves bending workability by minimizing bending or deformation.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The keyboard for a computer system according to the present invention includes a bottom board having a plurality of openings and having keys, and a seal layer attached to a lower surface of the bottom board. The seal layer covers the bottom board openings. It is provided with at least one dividing mechanism formed avoiding.

According to a preferred embodiment of the keyboard for a computer system of the present invention, the dividing mechanism is a closed groove, an open groove or a combination of a closed groove and an open groove. The seal layer has a thin plate shape. In addition, the seal layer has at least two thin plates, and a slit is formed in an adjacent portion between the two thin plates so as to avoid an opening of the bottom board. The dividing mechanism prevents an action due to a temperature change of the bottom board and the seal layer.

[0011]

[Embodiment of the invention]

 Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of a preferred embodiment of a keyboard for a computer system (hereinafter, simply referred to as a keyboard) according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 10 to 15 show a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 10 to 15 are bottom views of the keyboard 50 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The configuration of the keyboard 50 of the present invention is the same as that of the conventional keyboard 30 described above with reference to FIGS.

First, FIG. 10 shows a first embodiment of a keyboard 50 according to the present invention. The lower surface of the keyboard 50 is adhered to the seal layer 60. The seal layer 60 is provided with a suitable amount of dividing mechanism such as a seal groove 61 in a regular or irregular mounting length (or width) in an appropriate distribution region in a horizontal or vertical direction. Further, each seal groove 61 is provided so as to avoid the opening 36 of the bottom board 35.

The seal layer 60 is adhered to the lower surface of the bottom board 35 using a conventional technique, and is tightly fixed to the bottom board 35 after heat treatment. By providing this dividing mechanism, the entire sealing layer 60 is divided and separated, distortion due to a difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the two materials due to a temperature change is prevented, the flatness of the keyboard 50 is maintained, and assembly workability is improved. Improve.

Next, FIG. 11 shows a second embodiment according to the present invention, which discloses a connected and bifurcated sealing groove 61 having an appropriate length and distribution area. Since this dividing mechanism divides the entire seal layer 38, it has the same effect as the first embodiment shown in FIG.

Next, FIG. 12 discloses a third embodiment of the present invention, in which two seal layers 60 A and 60 B are independently bonded to the lower surface of the bottom board of the keyboard 50. Then, the dividing mechanism is formed by closely joining an adjacent region between the two seal layers 60A and 60B like a slit 63. Also, this design can obtain the same effect as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 13 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention, in which three independent seal layers 60 A, 60 B and 60 C are respectively adhered to the lower surface of the bottom board 50 of the keyboard 50. As shown in FIG. 12, the dividing mechanism is formed by a slit 63, the slit 63A between the two seal layers 60A and 60B on the left side is in close contact, and the slit 63B between the seal layers 60C and 60B on the right side has a slightly larger gap. There is. This design also has the same effect as the first embodiment shown in FIG. 10 because the seal layer 60 is divided.

Next, FIG. 14 discloses a fifth embodiment of the present invention which is a combination of the embodiments shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. The two sealing layers 60A and 60B are independently adhered to the lower surface of the bottom board of the keyboard 50, and the entire dividing mechanism makes the adjacent area between the two sealing layers 60A and 60B closely contact by the slit 63. The two seal layers 60A and 60B are provided with an appropriate amount of dividing mechanism in a regular or irregular length (or width) in the horizontal or vertical direction like the seal groove 61. It is possible. Further, the seal layer 30B on the right side is provided with an open groove 62 that is closed at one end and extends to the edge of the seal layer 60B to open. Further, this design has the same effect as the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 because the entirety of the seal layer 60 is divided.

Next, FIG. 15 discloses a sixth embodiment of the present invention, in which a seal layer 60 is adhered to the lower surface of the bottom board of the keyboard 50. In this sealing layer 60, an appropriate amount of dividing mechanism is distributed in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction with a regular or irregular length (or width). These dividing mechanisms are open grooves 62 which are all closed at one end and open at the other end extending to the edge of the seal layer 60. In addition, this design has the same effect as the embodiment of FIG. 10 because the entirety of the seal layer 60 is divided.

Opening or other terms may be used for the closed groove 61 described above. Also, the open groove 62 may use a concave groove, a concave portion, or other terms.

Next, FIG. 16 is a bottom view of the bottom board 35 of the keyboard 50 having a water draining function (note that the opening 36 on the bottom surface is not shown, so see other figures). The bottom board 35 is provided with a drain hole 70 for discharging the liquid collected on the bottom board 35 to the outside of the notebook computer 10. The seal layer 60 of the present invention can be applied to the keyboard 50 having a drainage function by providing a drainage hole at a position avoiding the opening of the bottom board and the dividing mechanism. Then, it is possible to achieve the object of the present invention to prevent the bending caused by the difference in the thermal expansion rate between the two materials.

The configuration and operation of various embodiments of the keyboard according to the present invention have been described above in detail. However, such an embodiment is merely an example of the present invention and does not limit the present invention in any way. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made in accordance with the specific application without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0023]

[Effect of the invention]

 As can be understood from the above description, the keyboard of the present invention has significant practical effects. That is, by providing an appropriate dividing mechanism on the seal layer provided below the bottom board of the keyboard, the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the seal layer and the bottom board bonded to each other is absorbed by the seal layer, and the deflection of the keyboard is prevented. Or prevent or minimize deformation. Therefore, the occurrence of defective keyboards is suppressed, and the workability of assembling them to the PC body or case is improved. Of course, the waterproof characteristics of the notebook computer keyboard are maintained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a general notebook computer.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the keyboard of the notebook computer shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view (plan view) of the keyboard shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a bottom board and a seal layer of the keyboard shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the bottom board of the keyboard shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a seal layer adhered to a bottom board of the keyboard shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of bending of a conventional keyboard due to heat treatment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a view showing a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a view showing another embodiment of the present invention in which the bottom board of the keyboard has a drainage function.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 notebook computer 35 bottom board 36 opening 50 keyboard 60 sealing layer 61 closed groove 62 open groove 63 slit 70 drain hole

Claims (10)

[Utility model registration claims] 1. A bottom board having a plurality of openings and having a key, and a seal layer attached to a lower surface of the bottom board, wherein the seal layer is formed so as to avoid the openings in the bottom board. A keyboard for a computer system comprising at least one splitting mechanism. 2. The keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the dividing mechanism is a closed groove. 3. The keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the dividing mechanism is an open groove. 4. The keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the dividing mechanism is a combination of a closed groove and an open groove. 5. The keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the seal layer is formed in a thin plate shape. 6. The sealing layer according to claim 1, wherein the sealing layer has a shape of at least two thin plates, and a slit is formed in an adjacent portion between the two thin plates so as to avoid the opening of the bottom board. A keyboard for a computer system as described. 7. The keyboard according to claim 6, wherein the dividing mechanism is an open groove. 8. The keyboard according to claim 6, wherein the dividing mechanism is a closed groove. 9. The computer system keyboard according to claim 6, wherein said dividing mechanism is a combination of a closed groove and an open groove. 10. The keyboard for a computer system according to claim 1, wherein said dividing mechanism prevents an action due to a temperature change of said bottom board and said seal layer.