JP3201388B2 - Key switch device - 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 switch device having a key top and a guide support member for guiding and supporting the vertical movement of the key top disposed on a holder plate. When the upper locking member of the first link member or the second link member is slidably locked by the upper sliding locking portion provided on the back surface of the key top, the upper locking member is The present invention relates to a key switch device capable of reliably preventing the key top from being detached from a dynamic locking portion, and having good operability of a key top.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various key switch devices have been proposed. In such a key switch device, generally, a key stem vertically provided from the back surface of a key top is vertically slid by a key holder portion formed on a holder plate. Was adopted.

In a key switch device having such a configuration,
If the part where the key stem is slid and guided by the key holder part is enlarged, the key operability is improved, but it is not possible to respond to the thinning of the keyboard. There has been a dilemma in that if the sliding guide portion is made smaller, key operability is reduced due to the torsion occurring between the two.

[0004] The present applicant has eliminated the key stem and the key holder in order to eliminate such a dilemma in the conventional key switch, and has proposed a key switch device which can cope with a thin keyboard and has good key operability. −
It proposed Oite in the accompanying specification and drawings in EP 330,160. Such a key switch device is shown in FIGS.
For the detailed configuration of this key switch device, refer to Japanese Patent Application No.
The outline thereof will be described below with reference to the specification and the drawings of -330160.

In FIG. 9, a key top 1 made of resin is
Locking holes 4 and locking grooves 5 of two locking portions 2 and 3 (a pair of each locking portion 2 and 3 exist) provided on the back surface thereof
Locking portions 26, 2 of a resin holder plate 25 and
The guide support member 6 (including two resin link members 7 and 8) disposed between the lock groove 28 and the lock hole 29 of the lock member 7 (each of the lock portions 26 and 27 is a pair). , Link
The locking pins 13 and 14 provided at one end of the member 7 are provided in the locking holes 4, and the locking pins 15 and 16 provided at the other end are provided in the locking grooves 2.
8, locking pins 23 and 24 provided at one end of the link member 8 are locked in the locking groove 5, and locking pins 21 and 22 provided at the other end are locked in the locking holes 29. Up and down).

[0006] Axial support A of the link members 7 and 8
Is a flexible circuit board 3 supported on a support plate 32
The switch is arranged at the top of a rubber spring 31 placed on the top of the rubber spring 31, and when the key top 1 is pressed down, the rubber spring 31 buckles via the shaft support A to perform a switching operation.

As shown in FIG. 10, the link member 7 is formed by integrally forming two base ends 10 and 11 at both ends of a base 9. A shaft 12 extends from one side surface of the central portion of the base 9, and the shaft 12 is supported by a shaft hole 20 formed in the other link member 8, which will be described later.
Locking pins 13 and 14 extend from the side surfaces of both end extending portions 10 </ b> A of the base end portion 10.
Reference numeral 14 denotes a lock which is locked in the locking hole 4 formed in the locking portion 2 of the key top 1 described above. Further, the base end portion 11 is formed in a U-shape in plan view, and the U-shaped both end extending portions 11 are formed.
Lock pins 15 and 16 similar to those described above extend from the side surface of A. The locking pins 15 and 16 are locked by locking portions 26 formed on the holder plate 25.

Further , as shown in FIG. 11, the link member 8 is formed by integrally forming two base ends 18 and 19 at both ends of a base 17. The shaft hole 2 is provided at the center of the base 17.
0 is drilled, and the shaft hole 20 has a link portion as described above.
The shaft 12 provided on the base 9 of the material 7 is inserted. Also,
The base end portion 18 is formed in a U-shape in plan view, and locking pins 21 and 22 are extended from the U-shaped both end extending portions 18A. The locking pins 21 and 22 are locked by locking portions 27 formed on the holder plate 25.

Further, locking pins 23 and 24 similar to the above are extended from both end extending portions 19A of the base end portion 19, and the locking pins 23 and 24 are the locking portions 3 of the key top 1 described above. Is slidably locked in the locking groove 5 formed in the groove.

As described above, the guide support member 6 has one
Phosphorus shaft 12 formed in the base 9 of the link member 7 other
The link members 7 and 8 are mutually rotated via a shaft support A formed by the shaft 12 and the shaft hole 17. It becomes possible. According to such a key switch device, a key switch device having good key operability while realizing a thin keyboard can be realized.

[0011]

In order to assemble the key switch device described in the specification and the drawings of Japanese Patent Application No. 3-330160, first, the link member 7 and the
After the link member 8 and the link member 8 are assembled in a cross shape to form the guide support member 6, both the locking pins 21 and 22 at the base end 18 of the link member 8 are pressed into the locking holes 29 of the locking portions 27 of the holder plate 25. I do. At this time, the locking pins 21 and 22
Is pressed into the locking hole 29 by utilizing the resin elasticity of the end extending portion 18A and the locking pins 21 and 22.

The locking pins 15 and 16 at the base end 11 of the link member 7 are pressed into the locking grooves 28 of the locking portion 26. Also in such a case, the press-fitting operation is performed by utilizing the resin elasticity of the end extension 11A and the locking pins 15 and 16.

[0013] After this manner the connecting work between the respective locking portions 27 and 26 of the link members 7,8 and the holder plate 25 has been completed, then the engaging pin in the link member 7 13, 1
Work for press-fitting the locking member 4 into the locking hole 4 of the locking portion 2 and a link
An operation of pressing each of the locking pins 23 and 24 of the member 8 into the locking groove 5 of the locking portion 3 is performed. Each of the press-fitting operations described above is performed by utilizing the resin elasticity of each member, and it is necessary to lock each locking pin 13 and the like while positioning them inside each of the locking holes 4 and the like. For this reason, it is necessary to perform a complicated press-fitting operation throughout the entire assembling operation of the key switch device.

However, the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application No. Hei.
In the key switch device described in the specification and drawings of No. 0, the operation of attaching each link member 7, 8 to both the key top 1 and the holder plate 25 is complicated, but the link member 7 Locking pins 13, 1
4 and the locking hole 4 of the locking portion 2, between the locking pins 15 and 16 and the locking groove 28 of the locking portion 26, and with the locking pins 23 and 24 of the link member 8. Each locking pin may be disengaged from the locking hole and the locking groove between the locking groove 5 of the portion 3 and between the locking pins 21 and 22 and the locking hole 29 of the locking portion 27. No means are provided for preventing the above. In particular, Li
The locking pins 23 and 24 of the link member 8 are connected to the locking grooves 5 of the locking portion 3.
Since the locking pins 15 and 16 of the link member 7 are slidably locked in the locking groove 28 of the locking portion 26, the key top 1 is locked. There is a risk that each locking pin may come off from the sliding groove during the up / down operation. In some cases, the key operation may become impossible, and the operability of the key top is not considered to be good.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an upper locking member of a first link member or a second link member constituting a guide support member is provided on a back surface of a key top. When slidably locked by the upper sliding locking portion provided, it is possible to reliably prevent the upper locking member from coming off from the upper sliding locking portion. It is an object to provide a key switch device with good operability.

[0016]

Key switch according to claim 1 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve the above object, a keytop first engagement portion and the second engaging portion is provided vertically from the back, the key Toppu while being disposed below a holder member 4 engaging portion to the third locking portion及beauty diagonal positions of the second locking portion in diagonal positions of the first locking portion is formed, the first The first locked by the locking portion
A first link member having a locking member and a third locking member locked by the third locking portion, and a second locking member locked by the second locking portion and locked by a fourth locking portion fourth with a second link member having a locking member formed by arranging mutually the movable state, and the guide support member for guiding the vertical movement of the key Toppu being,
And a switching member with the vertical movement of the key Toppu performs the switching operation, one of the first engaging portion and the second locking portion of the key Toppu is formed on the upper side a sliding engaging portion, the first
The link member has a first connecting member that connects the first locking member and the third locking member, and the second link member has
A second connecting member for connecting the second engagement member and the fourth engagement member, first locking member or the second link of the first link member
When the second locking member of the member is locked to the upper sliding locking portion, the side surface of the first connecting member or the second connecting member and the side surface of the upper sliding locking portion come into contact with each other to guide and support. The movement of the member is regulated.

[0017]

According to the key switch device of the present invention having the above-described structure, first, when assembling the key switch device, the first link is used.
After member and by a second link member arranged mutually rotatably assembled guide support member, the fourth locking members of the third engagement member and the second link member of the first link member, the holder member Are locked by the third locking portion and the fourth locking portion.

Next, when the key top is placed on each of the first and second link members and the key top is lightly pressed downward, the first locking member of the first link member is engaged with the first locking portion. While being stopped, the second locking member of the second link member is locked to the second locking portion.

When the switching operation is performed by the key switch device assembled as described above, the key top is depressed. When the keytop is pressed, the keytop is guided downward via the guide support member with the pressing. In response to the depression of the key top, the guide support member is also moved downward, whereby the switching operation is performed via the switching member. Here, in the key switch device of the first aspect, one of the first locking portion and the second locking portion of the key top is formed in the upper sliding locking portion, and the first link member is provided in the first engagement portion. A first connecting member for connecting the stop member and the third locking member, and a second link
The member is a second connecting member that connects the second locking member and the fourth locking member.
It has a connecting member. Based on this, when the first locking member or the second locking member is locked to the upper sliding locking portion, the side surface of the first connecting member or the second connecting member and the side surface of the upper sliding locking portion. And restrict the movement of the guide support member by contacting each other.

Thus, the first member constituting the guide supporting member is formed.
When the upper locking member of the link member or the second link member is slidably locked by the upper sliding locking portion provided on the back surface of the keytop, the upper locking member is moved from the upper sliding locking portion. Departure can be reliably prevented. Therefore, it is possible to maintain good operability of the key top.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the key switch device according to the present embodiment.
Numeral 1 is molded from a synthetic resin such as an ABS resin, and letters such as alphabets are formed on the upper surface thereof by printing or the like. Also, from the back surface of the key top 41, two locking portions 42, 43 (each locking portion 42, 43 has a pair in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface, and FIG. 1 shows only one of each pair). Is provided integrally with the key top 41 body downward.

The locking portion 42 has two link portions to be described later.
Locking bar 53 formed at one end of one of link members 47 (first link member) of members ( hinge members ) 47 and 48
A locking groove 44 for rotatably locking the second link member 48 (second link) is formed in the locking portion 43.
A locking groove 45 for locking the locking pins 63 and 64 formed at one end of the locking member slidably in the horizontal direction. Here, the link member 4 is inserted into the locking groove 45 of the locking portion 43.
In the state where the 8 locking pins 63 and 64 are locked,
FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the entire key switch device, and FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the key switch device cut along the AA direction in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 4 (B), the outer surface of the plate-like body 57 of the link member 48 and the inner surface of the locking portion 43 are in contact with each other,
As a result, the outer surface of the plate-like body 57 and the inner surface of the locking portion 43 cooperate with each other to restrict the movement of the guide support member 46. As a result, the locking pins 63 and 64 are moved from the locking groove 45. It surely prevents it from coming off.

The locking groove 44 is formed with a locking guide portion 44A which is continuous with the locking groove 44 and is opened so as to gradually expand downward. 44A guides the locking rod 53 of the link member 47 toward the locking groove 44 when snapping into the locking groove 44. Further, the locking groove 4 of the locking portion 43
5 is provided with a locking guide portion 45A having a slope extending downward, and the locking guide portion 45A connects the locking pins 63 and 64 of the link member 48 with the locking grooves. It is guided toward the locking groove 45 when snapping into the inside 45.

Below the key top 41, a key top 1 is provided.
Guide support member 46 to the vertical movement guide support and is arranged, such guide support member 46 two link members 4
7 and 48.

One link member 47 is formed in a U-shape in plan view, as shown in FIG. 2, and has a pair of plate members 49. A locking rod 53 is provided between one end of each plate member 49. Are formed integrally, and locking pins 55 and 56 are formed at the other end of each plate-like body 49. The locking bar 53 is connected to the locking portion 42 via the locking guide portion 44A.
The locking pins 55 and 56 are locked by locking portions 66 formed on a holder plate 65 described later. Further, a pair of shafts 52 is provided from a central portion of each plate-like body 49 on the side facing each other.
Are provided at positions facing each other. Each of these shaft members 52 is supported by a shaft hole 60 formed in the other link member 48 described later. The locking bar 53 of the link member 47
And the locking pins 55 and 56 are configured so that the distances from the shafts 52 are equal.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the other link member 48 has a pair of plate members 57, and a locking bar 61 is integrally formed between one end of each plate member 57. Locking pins 63 and 64 are formed at the other end of each plate-like body 57. Both ends of the locking bar 61 are locked by locking portions 67 of a holder plate 65 described later, and the locking pins 63 and 64 are locked by the locking guide portion 45A. It is snapped into the groove 45.

Further, shaft holes 60 are formed at central positions facing each other on the outside of each plate-like body 57, and each plate-like body of the link member 47 is formed in each shaft hole 60. Each shaft 52 formed at 49 is rotatably fitted. As a result, the link members 47 and 48 are rotatable crossing each other via the shafts 52 and the shaft holes 60, and the shaft supporting portions A are formed by the shafts 52 and the shaft holes 60.
Is formed. The locking bar 61 of the link member 48 and the locking pins 63 and 64 are configured so that the distance from the shaft hole 60 is equal.

Further, between the central positions of the plate-like members 57, a rubber spring 71, which will be described later, is mounted on the upper surface, and each link member 4 is pressed when the key top 41 is pressed.
A push rod 58 is provided for pushing down the rubber spring 71 in accordance with the mutual rotation of 7 and 48. Thus, when the key top 41 is pressed, the pressing rod 58 presses the rubber spring 71 to perform a switching operation.

Next, a resin-made holder plate 65 is provided below the guide support member 46, and the holder plate 65 has a locking portion 6 corresponding to each switch device.
6 and 67 (two locking portions 66 and 67 are provided, respectively, but one locking portion 66 and 67 is shown in FIG. 1).

[0030] engaging portion 66 is sliding groove 68 to the open side of the right side is formed in FIG. 1, according locker 6
The locking pins 55 and 56 formed on the link member 47 are inserted into the sliding grooves 68 of FIG. At this time, the locking portion 66
Locking pins 55, 56 of the link member 47 in the sliding groove 68 of
In a state but which is engaged, as shown in FIG. 4 and the like, Li
The outer surface of the plate member 49 of the link member 47 and the inner surface of the locking portion 66 are in contact with each other, so that the outer surface of the plate member 49 and the inner surface of the locking portion 66 cooperate with each other. To restrict the movement of the guide support member 46, and as a result, the locking pins 55, 5
6 is reliably prevented from coming off the sliding groove 68. Similarly, a link is provided in the sliding groove 68 of the locking portion 66.
In the state where the locking pins 55 and 56 of the member 47 are locked, as shown in FIG. 4 and the like, the outer end surfaces of the locking pins 55 and 56 and the inner wall surface of the locking portion 66 having the sliding groove 68 Are in contact with each other, so that the outer end surfaces of the locking pins 55 and 56 and the inner wall surface of the locking portion 66 cooperate with each other to restrict the movement of the guide support member 46. As a result, the locking Pin 55, 5
6 is reliably prevented from coming off the sliding groove 68. Further, the engaging portion 67, similarly to the slide groove 68 of the locking portion 66, together with the sliding groove 69 to the right in FIG. 1 the open side is formed, in FIG. 1 in sliding groove 69 A locking projection 69A having an inclined surface is formed on the right side. The link portion is provided in the sliding groove 69 of the locking portion 67.
Both ends of the locking rod 61 formed on the member 48 are inserted.
Further, on the holder plate 65, both locking portions 66,
A pair of guide walls 73 (see FIG. 4) for guiding the outer surface of each plate-like body 49 in the link member 47 is provided upright between the 67.

Thus, the phosphorus in the guide support member 46 is
The locking pins 55 and 56 of the link member 47 and the locking bar 61 of the link member 48 guide the outer surfaces of the plate-like bodies 49 of the link member 47 from the open sides of the sliding grooves 68 and 69, respectively. By sliding on the holder plate 65 while being guided by the wall 73, each of the locking pins 55 and 56 and the locking rod 6
1 is inserted into each of the sliding grooves 68 and 69. After the locking bar 61 has passed over the locking projection 69A in the sliding groove 69 at the time of the insertion, the locking bar 61 does not come off the sliding groove 69. The rod 61 and the locking pins 55 and 56 respectively have sliding grooves 69,
68 so as to be rotatable.

The holder plate 6 configured as described above
5, a flexible circuit board 70 on which switch electrodes 70A are formed corresponding to the respective key switches is arranged as shown in FIG. Rubber spring 71
Are mounted on the flexible circuit board 70. Further, a movable electrode 71A is fixed to the inner top wall of the rubber spring 71 so as to face the switch electrode 70A on the circuit board 70. A pressing rod 58 formed on the link member 48 is disposed on the upper surface of the rubber spring 71.

As a result, when the push rod 58 moves downward with the depression of the key top 41, the rubber spring 71
Is pressed by the push rod 58, and when a certain amount of pushing is exceeded, the rubber spring 71 buckles and the movable electrode 71A and the switch electrode 70A on the flexible circuit board 70 come into contact with each other to perform a switching operation. .

A switch support plate 72 is provided below the flexible circuit board 70, and the switch support plate 72 is mounted on each of the circuit boards 70,
This supports the holder plate 65.

In the above configuration, with reference to a perpendicular line L passing through the center of the shaft supporting portion A, a locking portion 42 formed on the back surface of the key top 41 existing on the left side in FIG. A locking groove 44 and a locking bar 61 for rotatably locking the locking bar 53 are respectively provided in the stop portions 67.
Is provided in such a manner that the sliding groove 69 is rotatably locked in cooperation with the locking projection 69A. In addition, FIG.
The locking pins 43 and 64 and the locking pins 55 and 56 are respectively formed on the locking portion 43 formed on the back surface of the key top 41 and the locking portion 66 formed on the holder plate 65 on the right side of FIG. That is, the locking groove 45 and the sliding groove 68 that are slidably locked in the horizontal direction are provided.

Next, a method of assembling the key switch device configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the flexible circuit board 70 on the switch support plate 72, with placing the holder plate 65, Li
Each shaft hole of the link member 48 of each shaft 52 of the link member 47 6
0 and the guide support member 46 is assembled.

Thereafter, the link members 47 and 48 are rotated to each other so as to be in the horizontal state shown in FIG. 5, and the locking pins 55 and 56 of the link member 47 and the locking rod 61 of the link member 48 are formed.
Is guided by the guide walls 73 from the open sides of the sliding grooves 68, 69 in the locking portions 66, 67, and is slid into the sliding grooves 68, 69 on the holder plate 65. Then, when further sliding, the link member 48
The locking bar 61 is provided with a locking projection 69 formed in the sliding groove 69.
Get over A from the slope side. This state is shown in FIG. Thus, the connection between the guide support member 46 and the holder plate 65 is completed.

As described above, the locking bar 61 of the link member 48
The connection between the guide support member 4 and the sliding groove 69, and the connection between the locking pins 55 and 56 of the link member 47 and the sliding groove 68.
6 from the open side of each sliding groove 68, 69
Since it is done only by sliding on 5,
The connection between the guide support member 46 and the holder plate 65 can be performed very easily. At this time, the guide support member 46 is guided by the respective guide walls 73 at the time of sliding, so that the guide support member 46 does not come off from the respective slide grooves 68, 69. The work can be performed more easily.

Next, are opposed to the engagement groove 44 of the engaging rod 53 and the key top 41 of the link member 47 which is held in the state of FIG. 6, also the locking pin 63, 64 of the link member 48 and the key After facing the locking groove 45 of the top 41 (see FIG. 7), the key top 41 is lightly pressed down. As a result, the locking bar 53 of the link member 47 is snapped into the locking groove 44 while being guided by the locking guide portion 44A, and at the same time, the locking pins 63 and 64 of the link member 48 are locked by the locking guide portion 45A. Is snapped into the locking groove 45 while being guided. Such a state is shown in FIG. Thus, the connection between the guide support member 46 and the key top 41 ends.

As described above, the locking bar 53 of the link member 47
And linking with the locking groove 44 of the key top 41 and the link
The connection between the locking pins 63 and 64 of the member 48 and the locking groove 45 of the key top 41 is changed from the state shown in FIG.
Since the guide support member 46 and the key top 41 can be connected with each other very easily because the guide support member 46 and the key top 41 are simply pressed down.

[0041] While the assembly of the work has been the key switch is finished, the coupling operation between the link members 47, 48 and the holder plate 65 and the key top 41, both very easily performed obtained, thereby, the key switch The key switch device can be reliably assembled irrespective of the assembling ability of the operator, while simplifying the assembling work of the device and shortening the assembling time.

Next, the operation of the key switch device assembled as described above will be described. Key top 41
The is pressed downward, together with the key top 41 engaging rod 53 of the link member 47 with the downward movement is rotated counterclockwise in the locking hole 44 of the locking portion 42, the link section
The locking pins 63 and 64 of the material 48 are engaged with the locking grooves 45 of the locking portion 43.
In the horizontal direction (right direction in FIG. 1). At the same time, the locking rod 61 of the link member 48 is
In the sliding groove 69 of the locking portion 67 in the clockwise direction in cooperation with the locking projection 69A, and the locking pins 55 and 56 of the link member 47 are in the sliding groove 68 of the locking portion 66. Slides horizontally (rightward in FIG. 1).

When the key top 41 is depressed, the guide support member 46 moves between the guide walls 73 as shown in FIGS. 4 (A) and 4 (B).
Is restricted in the left-right direction, so that the key top 41 is prevented from rattling unnecessarily. Also, phosphorus
In case the locking pins 63 and 64 of the click member 48 slides in the horizontal direction in the locking groove 45 of the engaging portion 43 (right direction in FIG. 1), as shown in FIG. 4 (B), the link The outer surface of the plate-shaped member 57 of the member 48 and the inner surface of the locking portion 43 are in contact with each other, so that the outer surface of the plate-shaped member 57 and the locking portion 43
The movement of the guide support member 46 is restricted in cooperation with the inner surface of the lock member 45. As a result, the lock pins 63 and 64 do not come off the lock groove 45. Further, when the locking pins 55 and 56 of the link member 47 slide horizontally (rightward in FIG. 1) in the sliding groove 68 of the locking portion 66, the link portion
The outer surface of the plate 49 of the material 47 and the inner surface of the locking portion 66 are in contact with each other, so that the outer surface of the plate 49 and the inner surface of the locking portion 66 cooperate with each other. Guide support member 4
6 is restricted, so that the locking pins 55 and 56 do not come off the sliding groove 68. Similarly,
The outer end surfaces of the locking pins 55 and 56 and the inner wall surface of the locking portion 66 are in contact with each other, so that the locking pins 55 and 56
And the inner wall surface of the locking portion 66 cooperate with each other to restrict the movement of the guide support member 46. As a result, the locking pin 5
5 and 56 do not come off the sliding groove 68.

As a result, the shaft support A which supports the link member 47 and the link member 48 with each other moves downward and gradually presses down the rubber spring 71. When the pressing amount exceeds a certain limit. With rubber spring 71
Is crushed. Thereby, the movable electrode 71A in the rubber spring 71 short-circuits the switch electrode 70A on the flexible circuit board 70, and a predetermined switching operation is performed.

[0045] When you release the pressing of the key top 41, both Li
The shaft supports A of the link members 47 and 48 are rubber springs 71.
It is pushed upward by the elastic restoring force of. Engaging rod 53 of the link member 47 Accordingly, the locking pin 55,5
6, the locking bar 61 of the link member 48, the locking pin 6
3 and 64 perform the reverse operation, and as a result, the key top 41 is returned to the original position.

Here, since the locking rods 53 and 61 are not moved in the horizontal direction but only rotate in the locking groove 44 and the sliding groove 69, respectively, the key top 41 is moved in the horizontal direction. The key top 1 is moved up and down without being moved.

As described above in detail, in the key switch device according to the present embodiment, when assembling the key switch device,
Locking pins 55 and 56 of link member 47 and link portion
The guide rod 73 of the material 48 is guided by the guide walls 73 from the open sides of the sliding grooves 68 and 69 in the locking portions 66 and 67 toward the inside of the sliding grooves 68 and 69 on the holder plate 65. The guide support member 46 and the holder plate 65 are connected by sliding the lock bar 61 of the link member 48 until the lock bar 61 of the link member 48 gets over the lock protrusion 69A formed in the slide groove 69. The operation of connecting the guide support member 46 and the holder plate 65 can be extremely simplified.

In particular, when the guide support member 46 slides,
Since the guide support member 46 is reliably guided toward the slide grooves 68 and 69 by the guide walls 73, the guide support member 46 does not come off from the slide grooves 68 and 69. The connection work by the guide wall 73
It can be done more easily.

The guide support member 46 and the key top 41
When the connection is performed, the locking rod 53 of the link member 47 is used.
It is opposed to the engagement groove 44 of the key top 41 and, also, Li
After the locking pins 63 and 64 of the link member 48 and the locking groove 45 of the key top 41 are opposed to each other, the key top 41 is lightly pressed downward, so that the locking bar 53 of the link member 47 is pressed.
Is snapped into the locking groove 44 while being guided by the locking guide portion 44A, and at the same time, the locking pins 63 and 64 of the link member 48 are snapped into the locking groove 45 while being guided by the locking guide portion 45A. Guide support member 4
6 and the key top 41 can be connected very easily.

Further, in the key switch device assembled by the simple assembling operation as described above, the link member 47 is provided.
The locking bar 53 is rotatably held without moving in the locking groove 44 of the locking portion 42 and the link member 48
The locking bar 61 is rotatably held without moving in cooperation with the locking projection 69A in the sliding groove 69, and the movement of the guide support member 46 is restricted between the pair of guide walls 73. Thus , the key top 41 is prevented from being moved in any of the front, rear, left, and right directions during the key operation. As a result, key operability can be significantly improved. When the key top 41 is pressed,
Even when the locking pins 63 and 64 of the link member 48 slide horizontally (rightward in FIG. 1) within the locking groove 45 of the locking portion 43, the outer surface of the plate-like body 57 of the link member 48. And the inner surface of the locking portion 43 are in contact with each other ,
The outer surface of the plate-like body 57 and the inner surface of the locking portion 43 cooperate with each other to regulate the movement of the guide support member 46. As a result, the locking pins 63 and 64 come off the locking groove 45. When the locking pins 55 and 56 of the link member 47 slide in the horizontal direction (right direction in FIG. 1) in the sliding groove 68 of the locking portion 66, Also the link part
The outer surface of the plate-like body 49 of the material 47 and the inner surface of the locking portion 66 are in contact with each other, whereby the outer surface of the plate-like body 49 and the inner surface of the locking portion 66 cooperate with each other. As a result, the guide support member 46 regulates the movement, and as a result, it is possible to reliably prevent the locking pins 55 and 56 from coming off the sliding groove 68. Further, the locking pins 55, 56 of the link member 47
The outer end surfaces of the locking pins 55 and 56 and the inner wall surface of the locking portion 66 are mutually reciprocal even when the sliding member slides horizontally (rightward in FIG. 1) in the sliding groove 68 of the locking portion 66. Are in contact,
As a result , the outer end surfaces of the locking pins 55 and 56 and the locking portions 6
6 cooperates with the inner wall surface to regulate the movement of the guide support member 46. As a result, the locking pins 55 and 56
Can be reliably prevented from deviating from the position.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the locking projection 69A is provided in the sliding groove 69 of the locking portion 67.
However, such a locking projection may be formed in the sliding groove 68 of the locking portion 66.

[0052]

As described above, in the key switch device according to the present invention, the upper locking member of the first link member or the second link member constituting the guide support member is provided on the back surface of the key top. When the key top is depressed to perform the switching operation, the upper locking member may be disengaged from the upper sliding locking portion even when the upper locking member is slidably locked by the upper sliding locking portion. It is possible to reliably prevent it.
Therefore, it is possible to maintain good operability of the key top.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a key switch device.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one link member .

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the other link member .

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the key switch device, and FIG.
4A is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the entire key switch device, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the key switch device cut along the AA direction in FIG. .

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state before a guide support member is connected to a holder plate.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a state after the guide support member is connected to the holder plate.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a key top is arranged on a guide support member connected to a holder plate.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a key top is connected to a guide support member connected to a holder plate.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional key switch device.

FIG. 10 shows one of the conventional key switch devices.
It is a top view of a link member .

FIG. 11 shows the other key switch used in the conventional key switch device.
It is a top view of a link member .

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 41 key top 2, 3, 26, 27 42, 43, 66, 67 locking part 6, 46 guide support member 7, 8, 47, 48 link member (hin)
Di member) 13, 14, 15, 16 21, 22, 23, 24 55,56,63,64 locking pin 25,65 the holder plate 31, 71 rubber spring 44 locking groove 44A, 45A engaging guide portion 68, 69 Sliding groove 69A Locking projection 31, 71 Rubber spring 73 Guide wall

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01H 13/14 H01H 13/70

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A key top having a first locking portion and a second locking portion suspended from a back surface, the key top being disposed below the key top, and the first
A holder member having a third locking portion at a diagonal position of the locking portion and a fourth locking portion at a diagonal position of the second locking portion, and a holder member locked at the first locking portion. A first link member having a first locking member and a third locking member locked by the third locking portion; and a second locking member and a fourth locking portion locked by the second locking portion. A second link member having a fourth locking member to be locked is disposed in a mutually movable state, and a guide support member for guiding the vertical movement of the key top, and A switching member that performs a switching operation by using the first link , one of the first locking portion and the second locking portion of the key top is formed in an upper sliding locking portion, and the first link The member has a first connecting member that connects the first locking member and the third locking member, and a second link.
The member is a second connecting member that connects the second locking member and the fourth locking member.
A first connecting member when the first locking member of the first link member or the second locking member of the second link member is locked to the upper sliding locking portion. A key switch device wherein a side surface of the member or the second connecting member and a side surface of the upper sliding engagement portion are in contact with each other to restrict movement of the guide support member.