JP3182731B2 - Key top holding 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 top holding structure, and more particularly to a key top holding structure in which a slide operation type switch mounted on a substrate is operated via a key top operable on an outer plate (decorative plate). The present invention relates to a key top holding structure for a configured electronic device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a key top holding structure for electronic equipment, switches, which are commercially available parts disposed on a substrate provided therein, are operably disposed on an outer plate.
It is often configured to operate via a keytop that matches the product design. This is done in order to use switches, which are commercially available parts, in a form that matches the design of the product. FIGS. 3 and 4 show a conventional example of a key top holding structure used in the above case. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views in which the sliding direction of the key top is a direction perpendicular to the paper surface. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the key top 1 is held by a first slide member 2 a formed integrally with the outer plate 2 and a second slide member 8 fixed to the outer plate 2 with screws 9. In this case, the operating lever 4a of the slide switch 4 is operated so as to be fitted into a recess provided in the key top 1.
The slide switch 4 is mounted on the substrate 3 fixed to the outer plate 2 via the support member 5. The example shown in FIG. 4 is configured such that the key top 1 is mounted on the substrate 3 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. 4a is configured to be operated so as to fit into a recess provided in the key top 1.

[0003]

In the former of the above prior arts, that is, in the technique shown in FIG. 3, a second slide member 8 for holding the key top 1 is attached to the outer plate 2 at the time of assembly. A screwing step is required, and there is a problem that the cost is increased in terms of an increase in the number of parts and an increase in the number of assembling steps. Further, in the latter of the conventional techniques, that is, in the technique shown in FIG. 4, although the number of assembling steps is small, a large force may be applied to the board 3 when operating the keytop. And the substrate 3
It is also necessary to increase the holding strength when attaching to the outer plate 2, and there is also a problem that the cost is increased. In addition, there is also a problem that the size of the substrate needs to be made larger than necessary because the key top is held by the substrate. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, using a slide switch having an operating rod 4a on the upper surface of the slide switch 4 can reduce the distance between the outer plate 2 and the substrate 3 to some extent. There is a problem in miniaturizing the apparatus in that it cannot be performed. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to solve the above-described problems in the conventional art, without increasing the number of assembling steps, while suppressing the force applied to the substrate to a certain level or less. Another object of the present invention is to provide a key top holding structure that can reduce the size of a substrate as much as possible and is advantageous in reducing costs.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a structure in which a slide operation type switch mounted on a substrate is operated via a keytop operable on an outer plate (decorative plate). In the key top holding structure of the electronic device, one of two end edges along the moving direction of the key top is formed on a slide member integrally formed on the outer plate,
The key top holding structure is characterized in that the other is slidable along the substrate locked to the outer plate.

[0005]

In the key top holding structure according to the present invention,
By configuring one of the two edges of the keytop to be held by an outer plate (actually a slide member) and the other to be held by a substrate locked to the outer plate, the substrate can be held on the outer plate. By setting, it becomes possible to incorporate a key top, without increasing the number of assembly steps, and while suppressing the force applied to the board to a certain level,
It is possible to realize a key top holding structure that can reduce the size of the substrate as much as possible and is advantageous in cost reduction.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a key top holding structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. As in the description of the related art, the moving direction of the slide switch, that is, the moving direction of the key top is This is the direction perpendicular to the paper. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1A denotes a key top having a slide switch operation unit 1a as described later, and 2 denotes a slide member 2.
2A shows an outer plate integrally formed. 3A is a substrate smaller than the above-mentioned conventional example, and the reason why the substrate is miniaturized will be described later in detail. As the slide switch 4, a switch having an operating rod 4b disposed on a side surface (see FIG. 2) is used. In addition to the above-mentioned slide member 2a, a suitable number of first substrate holding portions 2b and second substrate holding portions 2c as holding means for the substrate 3A are integrally formed on the outer plate 2, respectively. . Here, the above-mentioned first substrate holding portion 2b is arranged on the side that holds the key top 1A with the substrate 3A, and has a higher rigidity than a second substrate holding portion 2c described later. . Further, the second substrate holding portion 2c has a certain degree of flexibility, and the substrate 3A whose one edge is locked to the above-mentioned first substrate holding portion 2b is inserted using the flexibility. , Can be held. It is needless to say that the first substrate holding portion 2b and the second substrate holding portion 2c are arranged at positions avoiding the moving range of the key top 1A, as is clear from the drawing. The key top 1A shown in this embodiment is:
As described above, the sliding surface is held by the outer plate 2 and the substrate 3A, and each sliding surface is configured to slide only at both ends thereof. It is configured in shape.

The operation of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described below.
This will be described below. First, in assembling the key top holding structure according to the present embodiment, after setting the key top 1A at a predetermined position, the board 3A having the slide switch 4 is set.
First, the first substrate holding portion 2b (the number is an appropriate number as described above) is locked so that the operating rod 4b of the slide switch is fitted into the slide switch operating portion 1a of the key top 1A. After that, the other end is locked by the second substrate holding portion 2c. As described above, no tools or the like are required at the time of assembling, and the effect of rationalizing the assembling is great. Further, in an actual operation, the force applied to the key top 1A acts on the outer plate 2 and the substrate 3A in a distributed manner, so that the strength of the substrate 3A in particular can be reduced, and the effect of cost reduction is great. . Also, since the substrate 3A only needs to hold one edge of the key top 1A,
Unlike the conventional case, it is not necessary to make the substrate larger than necessary, and since the above-mentioned one end edge is on the first substrate holding portion 2b side of the substrate 3A, the holding stability of the substrate 3A becomes extremely good. . As described above, according to the present embodiment,
In combination with the use of the slide switch 4 in which the operating rod 4b is disposed on the side surface (see FIG. 2), the key top holding structure can be made compact, and the overall size of the electronic device can be reduced. It also contributes greatly to the development of the system. It should be noted that the above-described embodiment is an example of the present invention, and it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to this.

[0008]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the force applied to the substrate to a certain level or less and to reduce the dimensions of the substrate as much as possible without increasing the number of assembly steps. This has a remarkable effect that a key top holding structure advantageous for cost reduction can be realized.

[0009]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a key top holding structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a structure of a slide switch used in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a first conventional example of a key top holding structure.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a second conventional example of a key top holding structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

1A: key top, 1a: slide switch operation unit,
2: outer plate, 2a: slide member, 2b: first substrate holder, 2c: second substrate holder, 3A: substrate, 4: slide switch, 4b: operating rod.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01H 15/10 H01H 3/02

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A key top holding structure of an electronic device configured to operate a slide operation type switch mounted on a substrate via a key top operable on an outer plate (decorative plate), One of two end edges along the moving direction of the key top is slidable integrally with the outer plate, and the other is slidable along the substrate locked to the outer plate. Key top holding structure characterized by doing. 2. The key top holding structure according to claim 1, wherein the key top is configured to operate an operating rod of the slide switch by a holding member provided below the key top.