JP3735861B2 - Pushbutton input device, remote control device using pushbutton input device, and method for manufacturing pushbutton unit - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a push button input device in which a plurality of push buttons are arranged to input an instruction, a command, a character, etc. according to a push operation of the push button and to send a wireless signal, and a remote control device using the push button input device, and The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a push button unit.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a plurality of push buttons are arranged as seen in remote control devices such as televisions, videos, air conditioners, mobile phones, calculators, etc., and by pressing these push buttons, instructions according to the push operations are made. There are push button input devices for inputting commands, characters, etc., and for transmitting by radio signals or infrared rays.
[0003]
Such a push button input device is provided with a rubber button (push button unit) 30 as shown in FIG. The rubber button 30 has a structure in which a plurality of push buttons 31 are integrally formed by arranging them in a matrix on a single sheet portion 32 having elasticity. In addition, a conductive material is applied to the back side of each button portion 31.
[0004]
The rubber button 30 is mounted in a case having an opening corresponding to the arrangement of the push buttons 31 with the push button 31 exposed from the opening. Also provided in the case is a circuit board on which a pair of electrical contacts is formed which comes into contact with the conductive material applied to the back side of the push button 31 when the push button 31 is depressed, thereby making electrical conduction.
[0005]
In the conventional push button input device, the push button 31 is pushed down, and the electrical contact pair on the circuit board is brought into conduction when the push button 31 is pushed down. Input of instructions, commands, characters, etc. corresponding to operations and radio signal transmission are performed.
[0006]
On the other hand, a rubber sheet is known in which a unit sheet can be manufactured using the same mold even when the size of the unit sheet and the number of key tops are different (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-366514). No. publication).
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the rubber button 30 of the conventional push button input device described above, the rubber member is wasted because the sheet portion 32 is formed at an unnecessary portion between the arrangements of the push buttons 31. In addition, since one rubber button 30 is created by one sheet portion 32, when creating a plurality of rubber buttons 30, display printing on the surface of the push button 31 and the button portion 31 are made for each rubber button 30. The conductive material had to be applied to the back side of the. Even if the contents described in the above-mentioned JP-A-4-366514 are applied, the above-mentioned problems cannot be solved.
[0008]
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, eliminates unnecessary use of a rubber material, and applies man-hours for display printing on the surface of the push button portion and for applying the contact conductive material to the back side of the push button portion. It is an object of the present invention to provide a push button input device, a remote control device using the push button input device, and a method for manufacturing the push button unit.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of push button portions arranged in a matrix are integrally formed on a plate-like elastic member, and a predetermined display is printed on the front side, and the back surface A push button unit printed with a conductive material constituting an electrical switch contact on the side, and an electrical switch contact pair that is electrically connected by contacting the conductive material on the back side of the push button when the push button is pressed. A formed circuit board, a case having a plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of push buttons, and housing the push button unit and the circuit board in a state where the push buttons are exposed from the openings. A push button input device for inputting an instruction, a command, a character, and the like by a push operation of the push button portion, wherein the push button unit is connected to a plurality of row directions of the push button portion from the plate-like elastic member. And a bridge portion connecting one end sides of these connecting portions are cut off by a predetermined cut line, and the row direction connecting portions are positioned at intervals of their own width dimensions, with the cut line as a boundary. Two push button units are configured to be cut off.
[0010]
In this configuration, the push button unit has a configuration in which an unnecessary portion where the push button portions are not arranged is cut out, and the cut out portion becomes another push button unit. As a result, the place where the push button part is not arranged in one push button unit is used as the place where the push button part of the other push button unit is arranged. Reduced. In addition, since two push button units are formed from one plate-like elastic member, two push button units are formed in one molding process, thereby reducing the number of molding steps per one push button unit. The Furthermore, printing man-hours can be reduced by printing two push button units at a time.
[0013]
The invention of claim 2 is a push button unit in which a plurality of push button portions arranged in a matrix form are integrally formed on a plate-like elastic member, and a conductive material constituting an electric switch contact is provided on the back side of the push button unit. A circuit board formed with an electrical switch contact pair that is electrically connected by contacting a conductive material on the back side of the push button when the push button is pressed, and a plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of push buttons A case for storing the push button unit and the circuit board in a state where the push button portion is exposed from the opening, and a push button for inputting an instruction, a command, a character, etc. by pressing the push button portion And a signal sending unit for sending a corresponding signal to the controlled device wirelessly, and in the remote control device for remotely operating the controlled device by the push button input, The plate-shaped elastic member has a plurality of row-direction connecting portions of the push button portions and a bridge portion connecting one end sides of the connecting portions cut by a predetermined cut line, and the row-direction connecting portions are It is assumed that the two push button units are cut off at the boundary of the cut line.
[0014]
In this configuration, the same function as that of the first aspect can be obtained in the remote control device.
[0015]
The invention of claim 3 is a push button unit in which a plurality of push button portions arranged in a matrix form are integrally formed on a plate-like elastic member, and a conductive material constituting an electric switch contact is printed on the back side thereof, A method for manufacturing a pushbutton unit of a pushbutton input device, comprising: a circuit board having an electrical switch contact pair that is electrically connected by contacting a conductive material on the back side of the pushbutton when the pushbutton is pressed. The first button group consisting of a plurality of push button parts in a predetermined arrangement and the second button group consisting of a plurality of push button parts in an arrangement obtained by rotating the arrangement by 180 ° are connected to one button group. A step of integrally forming a plate-like elastic member as a unit so that the button portion is positioned between the push button portions of the other button group, and a conductive material on the back side of the push button portion of the unit formed as described above A connecting portion in which a plurality of the push button portions are connected in the row direction by dividing the unit into the first button group and the second button group by a predetermined cut line after the printing step and the step; And a step of creating two pushbutton units comprising a bridge portion that connects one end sides of these connecting portions.
[0016]
In this method, the two push button units are integrally formed as one unit so that the push button portion of one push button unit is located between the push button portions of the other push button unit. Then, after the conductive material is printed on the back side of the push button portion, this unit is cut into two push button units by cutting along a predetermined cut line. As a result, the place where the push button part is not arranged in one push button unit is used as the place where the push button part of the other push button unit is arranged. Reduced. In addition, since two push button units are formed in one molding process, the number of molding steps per push button unit is reduced and the conductive material is transferred to two push button units in one conductive material printing process. Is printed, the number of conductive material printing steps per push button unit is reduced.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a remote control device (push button input device) according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the remote controller 1, various push buttons 11 for remotely controlling the operation of an apparatus main body (controlled device) (not shown) are provided in a matrix on the surface side of the case 2. There is provided a transmission unit 4 for transmitting a radio signal corresponding to the pressing operation.
[0018]
The remote controller 1 includes a rubber button (push button unit) 10 in which a plurality of push buttons 11 are arranged in a matrix as shown in FIG. The rubber button 10 is formed by integrally forming a plurality of push buttons 11 on a rubber material (plate-like elastic member) having elasticity, and a plurality of row direction connecting portions 15 in which the push buttons 11 are connected in the row direction. The bridge portion 16 connects the ends of the plurality of connecting portions 15. The column-direction connecting portions 15 are connected by a bridge portion 16 with an interval of their width dimension d.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 3, the rubber button 10 is mounted inside the case 2 with each push button 11 exposed from the opening of the case 2. Thereby, each push button part 11 can be pressed from the outside of the case 2. On the back side of each push button 11, a conductive material 11a made of carbon is printed.
[0020]
A circuit board 4 is disposed below the rubber button 10. On the circuit board 4, electrical switch contact pairs 4a and 4b are formed at locations corresponding to the push buttons 11, and when the push button 11 is pressed, the conductive material 11a on the back side of the push button 11 becomes the electrical switch contact pair. 4a and 4b are brought into contact with each other, whereby the electrical switch contact pairs 4a and 4b are electrically connected.
[0021]
With this configuration, when the push button 11 is pressed down, the remote controller 1 comes into contact with the electrical switch contact pair 4a, 4b of the circuit board 4 and the electrical contact pair 4a, 4b is electrically connected. It becomes a conductive state. As a result, a push button input due to a push operation of the push button 11 is detected by a control circuit unit (not shown), and a signal such as an instruction, a command, or a character corresponding to the push button input is generated by the control circuit unit. It is transmitted from the transmission unit 4 as a radio signal such as infrared rays.
[0022]
Next, a method for manufacturing the rubber button 10 will be described. To manufacture the rubber button 10, first, a two-sheet composite unit 20 made of a rubber material having elasticity as shown in FIG. 4 is created. The two-sheet composite unit 20 is formed by integrally forming two rubber buttons 10 as one unit so that the two rubber buttons 10 can be separated by a cut line L indicated by a chain line in the figure. The push button 11 which comprises the two rubber buttons 10 is formed. The push buttons 11 constituting these two rubber buttons 10 are formed so as to be positioned between the push buttons 11 with their arrangements rotated by 180 °.
[0023]
The two-sheet composite unit 20 is formed by pouring a molten rubber material into a mold and curing it. At this time, the predetermined push button 11 is formed with an uneven display by a mold. As the rubber material, a material such as rubber or resin having elasticity in a cured state is used.
[0024]
Next, various displays are printed on the front side of the push button 11 of the two-sheet composite unit 20, and the conductive material 11 a made of carbon or the like is printed on the back side of the push button 11. Then, after that, by cutting the two-sheet composite unit 20 along the cut line L, two rubber buttons 10 are created as shown in FIG. Each of the two rubber buttons 10 cut out is composed of a plurality of row-direction connecting portions 15 in which the push buttons 11 are connected in the row direction, and a bridge portion 16 that connects one ends of the plurality of connecting portions 15. It will be a thing. The display printed on the front side of the push button 11 is not shown.
[0025]
According to the above manufacturing method, the portion where the push button 11 is not arranged in one rubber button 10 becomes the connecting portion 15 in the other rubber button 10, so that useless rubber material for unnecessary portions is reduced. The Further, since the two rubber buttons 10 are molded in one molding process, the number of molding processes per one rubber button 10 is reduced. As for the display printing and the conductive material printing, printing is performed on the two rubber buttons 10 in one printing process, so that the display printing man-hour and the conductive material printing man-hour per one rubber button 10 are reduced.
[0026]
Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, the two-sheet composite unit 20 is configured to be divided into two rubber buttons 10 by a wedge-shaped cut line L as shown in FIG. About another structure, it is the same as that of the said embodiment. The two-sheet composite unit 20 is cut along the wedge-shaped cut line L, thereby forming two rubber buttons 10 as shown in FIG. Each of the two rubber buttons 10 cut out has a row-shaped connecting portion 15 in a wedge shape.
[0027]
According to the present embodiment, by making the cut line L into a wedge shape, the arrangement interval of the push buttons 11 in the vertical direction in FIG. 6 can be narrowed, whereby the rubber button 10 and the rubber button 10 are attached. The remote controller 1 can be reduced in size.
[0028]
In addition, this invention is not restricted to the structure of the said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation is possible. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the conductive material on the back side of the push button 11 may be formed by other methods without being limited to printing. Further, the display printing on the front surface side of the push button 11 is not necessarily performed, and the display printing may be performed on the surface of the case 2.
[0029]
Further, the present invention is not limited to a remote control device, and any device can be used as long as it is a device in which a plurality of push buttons, such as a mobile phone and a calculator, are arranged and an instruction, a command, a character, etc. are input according to the push button pressing operation. It can be applied to the push button input device.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the invention of claim 1, it is possible to reduce the use of useless material in unnecessary portions of the push button unit and to reduce the number of steps for forming the push button unit. Can be reduced.
[0032]
According to the invention of claim 2, the remote control device, the same effect as the first aspect can be obtained.
[0033]
According to the invention of claim 3 , it is possible to reduce the use of useless material in unnecessary portions of the push button unit, and to reduce the man-hours for forming the push button unit and the conductive material printing man-hours. Can be reduced. Further, when display printing is performed on the front side of the push button portion, the number of printing steps can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a remote control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a configuration of a rubber button of the remote control device.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the remote control device.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a configuration of a two-sheet composite unit created in the process of manufacturing a rubber button of the remote control device.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a state where the two-sheet composite unit is cut into two rubber buttons.
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an example of dividing a two-sheet composite unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a state in which the two-sheet composite unit is cut into two rubber buttons.
FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a structure of a conventional rubber button.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Remote control device (push button input device)
2 Case 3 Signal sending part 4 Circuit boards 4a, 4b Electric switch contact pair 10 Rubber button (push button unit)
11 Push button 11a Conductive material 15 Row direction connecting portion 16 Bridge portion 30 Rubber button (push button unit)
31 pushbutton

Claims (3)

A plurality of push button portions arranged in a matrix on a plate-like elastic member are integrally formed, and a predetermined display is printed on the surface side, and a conductive material constituting an electric switch contact is printed on the back side. A push-button unit; a circuit board on which a pair of electrical switches that are electrically connected by contact with a conductive material on the back side of the push-button unit when the push-button unit is pressed; and a plurality of push-button units A plurality of corresponding openings, and a case for storing the push button unit and the circuit board in a state where the push buttons are exposed from the openings, and instructions and instructions are given by pressing the push buttons. In a push button input device for inputting characters, etc.
In the pushbutton unit, a plurality of row-direction connecting portions of the pushbutton portion and a bridge portion connecting one end sides of the connecting portions are cut off from a plate-like elastic member by a predetermined cut line, and the row-direction connecting portion The push-button input device is characterized in that the push-button input device is positioned at an interval of its own width dimension, and is configured such that two push-button units are cut off at the cut line as a boundary. A plurality of push button portions arranged in a matrix on a plate-like elastic member are integrally formed, and a push button unit provided with a conductive material constituting an electric switch contact on the back side thereof, and when the push button portion is pressed A circuit board on which a pair of electrical switch contacts that are electrically connected by contact with a conductive material on the back side of the push button portion is formed, and a plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of push button portions; A case for storing the push button unit and the circuit board in a state where the push button portion is exposed from a portion, and a corresponding signal according to a push button input such as an instruction, a command, and a character by a push operation of the push button portion A remote control device for remotely operating the controlled device by the push button input.
In the pushbutton unit, a plurality of row-direction connecting portions of the pushbutton portion and a bridge portion connecting one end sides of the connecting portions are cut off from a plate-like elastic member by a predetermined cut line, and the row-direction connecting portion The remote control device is characterized in that it is positioned with an interval of its own width dimension, and two push button units are cut off at the cut line as a boundary. A plurality of push button portions arranged in a matrix on a plate-like elastic member are integrally formed, a push button unit having a conductive material printed on the back side printed on the back side thereof, and when the push button portion is pressed In a method for manufacturing a pushbutton unit of a pushbutton input device, comprising a circuit board on which an electrical switch contact pair that is electrically conductive by contacting with a conductive material on the back side of the pushbutton portion is formed,
A first button group consisting of a plurality of push button portions in a predetermined arrangement and a second button group consisting of a plurality of push button parts in an arrangement obtained by rotating the arrangement by 180 ° are combined into a push button portion of one button group. Forming a unit as a unit in the plate-like elastic member so that is positioned between the push button portions of the other button group,
Printing the conductive material on the back side of the pushbutton portion of the unit formed as described above;
After the step, the unit is divided into the first button group and the second button group by a predetermined cut line, and a plurality of push button portions are connected in the row direction, and A method of manufacturing a push button unit, comprising: creating two push button units comprising a bridge portion connecting one end side.

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