JP3168690U - Key switch and keyboard - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a key switch and a keyboard in which mounting is completed in one step of simply pressing a key top vertically into a pantograph structure, and a step of tilting the key top to mount it in a pantograph structure as in the conventional case is not required. To do. SOLUTION: A pantograph structure including a first link having at least a sliding shaft, a key top, a sliding holding portion for slidingly holding the sliding shaft, and the sliding. A key top including a fall-out prevention portion for preventing the moving shaft from falling off from the sliding holding portion is provided, and an inlet is formed between the sliding holding portion and the falling-out prevention portion, and the sliding shaft is provided. Enters the sliding holding portion through the inlet, and the sliding shaft is engaged by the inlet. [Selection diagram] FIG. 2A

Description

  The present invention relates to a key switch and a keyboard.

  In the conventional keyboard, a column extending downward from the bottom of the key top is reciprocated vertically to the opening of the pedestal to operate the electrical contacts of the keyboard. In order to stabilize the key top, it is limited to such a structure. If the contact area between the key top column and the pedestal is too small, an unstable state such as tilting and misfire is likely to occur in operation. Needs to increase the contact area. In addition, since the conventional key top reciprocates vertically with respect to the pedestal, it is difficult to firmly fix, the unstable situation continues, and the operational noise is large.

  Also, as PCs that are getting smaller (such as laptops) are becoming more important, increasing the distance between the key top and the base to ensure the stability of the vertical movement of the key top will increase the overall thickness of the keyboard. , It becomes impossible to meet the demands to make it thinner and smaller.

  For this reason, a keyboard using a key switch having a double link structure (that is, a pantograph structure) is used, the key top is guided so that the moving direction is vertical, and a force is evenly applied to each key switch. As a result, even if the side or corner of the key top is pressed, the force is evenly distributed to the key top, the key switch can be easily pushed to the lowest position, and it is easy to operate, solving the drawbacks of the key top of the vertical column Is done.

  However, in order to attach the key top to the pantograph structure, it is usually necessary to manually attach the key top. In the case of manual attachment, at least the step of tilting the key top to engage the sliding shaft of the pantograph structure and the key Since the step of engaging the top with the rotating shaft and two steps are necessary, the mounting speed cannot be increased effectively and there is a risk of mounting leakage. In addition, since it is difficult to control the force for mounting, the key top of the key switch and the pantograph structure may be damaged during mounting.

  In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard, and more specifically, to provide an improved structure for connecting a key top to a sliding shaft of a pantograph structure. When the key top is pushed vertically toward the sliding shaft at the inlet between the sliding holding part and the drop-off preventing part, the sliding shaft passes through the inlet by the elastic deformation of the sliding holding part and the falling-off preventing part, and the sliding is performed. It is connected to the moving holding part. As a result, in the present invention, the mounting is completed in a single step of simply pushing the key top vertically onto the pantograph structure, and there is no need for the step of mounting the key top on the pantograph structure in a conventional manner.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a key switch, a pantograph structure including a first link having at least a sliding shaft, and a key top, wherein the sliding shaft is slidably held. A key top including a slide holding portion and a drop-off preventing portion for preventing the slide shaft from falling off the slide holding portion, and a loading port between the slide holding portion and the drop-off preventing portion. A key switch is provided in which the sliding shaft enters the sliding holding portion through the loading port, and the sliding shaft is engaged by the loading port.

  The present invention is also a keyboard, comprising at least a substrate, a pantograph structure including a first link disposed on the substrate and having at least a sliding shaft, and a key top, wherein the sliding shaft is slidable. And a key top including a slip-off preventing portion for preventing the slide shaft from falling off the slide-holding portion, and between the slide-holding portion and the drop-off preventing portion. And a key switch in which the sliding shaft enters the sliding holding portion through the loading port, and the sliding shaft is engaged by the loading port.

The following brief description of the drawings is intended to make the aforementioned and other objects, features, advantages, and embodiments of the present invention more comprehensible.
The solid view of the keyboard which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The side view of the key switch used for the keyboard shown in FIG. 1 in the state in which the key top is not pressed. The side view of the key switch used for the keyboard shown in FIG. 1 in the state in which the key top was pushed to the lowest position. FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of a part of the key top shown in FIG. 2A.

  The present invention relates to a keyboard, and more particularly to an improvement in a structure for connecting a key top to a sliding shaft having a pantograph structure. When the key top is pushed vertically toward the sliding shaft at the inlet between the sliding holding part and the drop-off preventing part, the sliding shaft passes through the inlet by the elastic deformation of the sliding holding part and the falling-off preventing part, and the sliding is performed. It is connected to the moving holding part. As a result, in the present invention, the mounting is completed in a single step of simply pushing the key top vertically onto the pantograph structure, and there is no need for the step of mounting the key top on the pantograph structure in a conventional manner.

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of a keyboard according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the keyboard according to the present invention may be an external keyboard used for a desktop personal computer via PS2 or USB interface, or included in a computer system (for example, a notebook personal computer or a mobile personal computer). However, the present invention is not limited to this. In other words, the keyboard 1 according to the present invention can be applied to any electronic product using a key switch as an input interface. The problems that arise are solved by the inventive concept of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the keyboard according to the present invention includes a substrate 10 and a plurality of key switches 12 provided on the substrate 10. Hereinafter, the components of the key switch 12 will be described in detail.

  2A is a side view of a key switch used in the keyboard shown in FIG. 1 in a state where the key top is not pressed, and FIG. 2B is a keyboard shown in FIG. 1 in a state where the key top is pressed down to the lowest position. It is a side view of the key switch used for.

  As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the key switch 12 includes a pantograph structure 120 and a key top 122. The pantograph structure 120 includes a first link 120a and a second link 120b that are connected by a shaft 120e. The board 10 of the keyboard 1 further includes a rotating shaft holding portion 100a and a sliding shaft holding portion 100b. The first link 120a of the pantograph structure 120 has a rotation shaft 120f for connecting to the rotation shaft holding portion 100a of the substrate 10 at one end close to the substrate 10, and the second link 120b of the pantograph structure 120 is connected to the substrate 10. A sliding shaft 120g for slidably connecting to the sliding shaft holding portion 100b of the substrate 10 is provided at one end of the substrate 10. As a result, the pantograph structure 120 of the key switch 12 is installed on the substrate 10.

  As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, in the present embodiment, the other end of the first link 120a of the pantograph structure 120 has a sliding shaft 120c, and the other end of the second link 120b has a rotating shaft 120d. The key top 122 of the key switch 12 includes a sliding holding part 122a, a drop-off preventing part 122b, and a rotation holding part 122g. The sliding shaft 120c of the first link 120a is slidably held by the sliding holding portion 122a of the key top 122. The drop prevention part 122b of the key top 122 prevents the slide shaft 120c of the first link 120a from dropping from the slide holding part 122a. The rotation shaft 120d of the second link 120b is connected to the rotation holding portion 122g of the key top 122. When the key top 122 of the key switch 12 is pressed by the connection of the substrate 10, the pantograph structure 120, and the key top 122, the key top 122 of the key switch 12 is shown in the non-pressed position shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B. Reciprocates between the positions pushed to the lowest position.

  In the present embodiment, the key switch 12 further includes a dome 124. The dome 124 is made of a soft material such as rubber. As a result, the dome 124 of the key switch 12 is deformed by pressing by the key top 122 and comes into contact with the substrate 10, and the open circuit switch provided on the substrate 10 is closed.

  As shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, a loading port 122c is formed between the end of the sliding holding portion 122a of the key top 122 and the end of the drop-off preventing portion 122b. When the key top 122 is attached to the pantograph structure, the sliding shaft 120c of the first link 120a is connected to the sliding holding portion 122a through the loading port 122c. Moreover, since the diameter of the sliding shaft 120c of the first link 120a is set larger than the dimension of the loading port 122c, the sliding shaft 120c of the first link 120a is engaged by the loading port 122c.

  The diameter of the sliding shaft 120c of the first link 120a may be 0.7 to 0.75 mm, and the dimension of the loading port may be 0.5 mm. As a result, the ratio of the diameter of the sliding shaft 120c of the first link 120a to the size of the inlet is 1.4 to 1.5, but is not limited thereto. It can be adjusted appropriately according to the design and manufacture.

  Accordingly, in this embodiment, when the key top 122 is attached to the pantograph structure 120, the sliding shaft 120c of the first link 120a is simultaneously connected to the end of the sliding holding portion 122a on both sides of the loading port 122c and the end of the drop prevention portion 122b. , The end of the sliding holding part 122a and the end of the drop-off preventing part 122b are elastically deformed to expand the loading port 122c so that the sliding shaft 120c of the first link 120a passes. The sliding shaft 120c of the first link 120a is connected to the sliding holding part 122a through the loading port 122c.

  The material of the key top 122 is not particularly limited as long as the material can provide a necessary amount of deformation when the sliding holding portion 122a and the drop-off preventing portion 122b are pushed by the sliding shaft 120c of the first link 120a. Any material can be used.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, in this embodiment, when the key switch 12 is pushed to the lowest position, the sliding shaft 120c of the first link 120a is formed just between the sliding holding portion 122a and the drop prevention portion 122b. The position is opposite to the loading port 122c. That is, when the key top 122 is attached to the pantograph structure 120, the rotary shaft 120d of the second link 120b can be rotated by rotating the key top 122 only by pushing the key top 122 of the key switch 12 vertically to the pantograph structure 120. At the same time, the sliding shaft 120c of the first link 120a passes through the loading port 122c and is connected to the sliding holding portion 122a of the key top 122. Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, when the key switch 12 is pushed to the lowest position, most of the sliding shaft 120c of the first link 120a is located outside the sliding holding portion 122a. By installing the drop-off prevention part 122b, there is no concern that the slide shaft 120c will drop off the slide holding part 122a. Therefore, the key top 122 according to the present embodiment employs a short sliding holding portion 122a so as to improve the strength of the sliding holding portion 122a as compared with the prior art, and the key top 122 is changed to the pantograph structure 120. In the mounting process, damage to the key top 122 and the pantograph structure 120 can be suppressed.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a part of the key top shown in FIG. 2A.
As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, in order to further smoothly proceed the process of attaching the key top 122 to the pantograph structure 120, the first step is performed at a location near the loading port 122 c of the sliding holding portion 122 a of the key top 122. A first guide slope 122d is formed, and similarly, a second guide slope 122f is formed at a location close to the loading port 122c of the drop-off prevention portion 122b of the key top 122. Accordingly, when the sliding shaft 120c of the first link 120a passes through the loading port 122c, the sliding shaft 120c is guided by the first guide inclined surface 122d of the sliding holding portion 122a and the second guide inclined surface 122f of the drop-off preventing portion 122b. The frictional force between 120c and the sliding holding part 122a and the falling prevention part 122b is reduced, and damage to the sliding shaft 120c, the sliding holding part 122a, and the falling prevention part 122b is suppressed.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the drop-off prevention part 122 b of the key top 122 further includes a hook 122 e. That is, the loading port 122c is formed between the sliding holding part 122a of the key top 122 and the hook 122e of the drop-off preventing part 122b, and the second guide slope 122f is formed on the hook 122e. Due to the structure of the hook 122e of the drop-off prevention part 122b, the sliding shaft 120c of the first link 120a is further prevented from being separated from the sliding holding part 122a of the key top 122, and is prevented from dropping from the loading port 122c.

1: Keyboard 10: Substrate 100a: Rotating shaft holding portion 100b: Sliding shaft holding portion 12: Key switch 120: Pantograph structure 120a: First link 120b: Second link 120c, 120g: Sliding shaft 120d, 120f: Time Moving shaft 120e: Shaft 122: Key top 122a: Sliding holding portion 122b: Falling prevention portion 122c: Loading port 122d: First guide slope 122e: Hook 122f: Second guide slope 122g: Rotation holding portion 124: Dome

Claims (12)

A pantograph structure including a first link having at least a sliding shaft, the key switch;
A key top including a sliding holding portion that slidably holds the sliding shaft and a drop-off preventing portion that prevents the sliding shaft from dropping from the sliding holding portion. Prepared,
A loading port is formed between the sliding holding portion and the drop-off preventing portion, the sliding shaft enters the sliding holding portion through the loading port, and the sliding shaft is engaged by the loading port. Key switch.   2. The key according to claim 1, wherein when the key switch is pushed to the lowest position, the sliding shaft faces the loading port, and most of the sliding shaft is located outside the sliding holding portion. switch.   The sliding holding part has a first guide slope on the loading port, the drop-off prevention part has a second guide slope on the loading port, and when the sliding shaft passes through the loading port, the first The key switch according to claim 1, wherein the key switch is guided by a guide slope and the second guide slope.   4. The key switch according to claim 3, wherein the drop-off prevention portion includes a hook, the loading port is formed between the sliding holding portion and the hook, and the second guide slope is located on the hook.   2. The key switch according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a diameter of the sliding shaft to a dimension of the loading port is 1.4 to 1.5.   2. The key switch according to claim 1, wherein the pantograph structure further includes a second link having a rotation shaft, and the key top further includes a rotation holding portion that holds the rotation shaft. A keyboard, at least with a board,
A pantograph structure including a first link disposed on the substrate and having at least a sliding shaft;
A key top including a sliding holding portion that slidably holds the sliding shaft and a drop-off preventing portion that prevents the sliding shaft from dropping from the sliding holding portion. Prepared,
A loading port is formed between the sliding holding portion and the drop-off preventing portion, the sliding shaft enters the sliding holding portion through the loading port, and the sliding shaft is engaged by the loading port. And a key switch.   The keyboard according to claim 7, wherein when the key switch is pushed to the lowest position, the sliding shaft faces the loading port, and most of the sliding shaft is located outside the sliding holding portion. .   The sliding holding part has a first guide slope on the loading port, the drop-off prevention part has a second guide slope on the loading port, and when the sliding shaft passes through the loading port, the first The keyboard according to claim 7, wherein the keyboard is guided by a guide slope and the second guide slope.   The keyboard according to claim 9, wherein the drop-off prevention unit has a hook, the loading port is formed between the sliding holding unit and the hook, and the second guide slope is located on the hook.   The keyboard according to claim 7, wherein a ratio of a diameter of the sliding shaft to a dimension of the loading port is 1.4 to 1.5.   The keyboard according to claim 7, wherein the pantograph structure further includes a second link having a rotation shaft, and the key top further includes a rotation holding portion that holds the rotation shaft.

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