JPH0226116Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (a) Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a push-button switch arranged on a keyboard or the like and used mainly for moving a cursor on a screen of a display device, and particularly relates to its structure.

(b) Background of the technology With the advancement of the information age, more and more keyboards are being used in combination with display devices, and many of these keyboards are equipped with push button switches for moving the cursor on the screen of the display device. Therefore, it is desired to improve its operability.

(c) Prior art and problems Figure 1 is an example of a conventional pushbutton switch used for cursor movement. Figure 2 is a diagram of a joystick installed on a panel. 1 is a keyboard panel, 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d are push button switches, 3 is a joystick, and 3a is a lever, respectively.

In FIG. 1, push button switches 2a, 2b, 2
C and 2d each have independent key tops, which are arranged on the keyboard panel 1 as shown in the figure, and each of which is used to move the cursor on the display device screen in the up, down, left, and right directions. There is. Therefore, this configuration has the disadvantage that it is necessary to use four pushbutton switches to move the cursor, and two operations are required to move the cursor diagonally.

In FIG. 2, the joystick 3 for moving the cursor is installed on the keyboard panel 1. In this case, although there is an advantage that the cursor can be moved by operating the lever 3a, which is a single member, it is not possible to stand up. The operation of the lever 3a is different from that of the other pushbutton switches 2 installed on the panel 1, resulting in poor operability, and the lever 3a also increases the height of the keyboard.

(d) Purpose of the invention In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional technology, the purpose of the invention is to make it possible to move the cursor not only up and down, left and right, but also diagonally, with a push-down operation similar to that of a conventional push-button switch, and with a single key-top. However, it is an object of the present invention to provide a configuration of a push button switch that can be operated smoothly and reliably.

(e) Structure of the device The above object is to have a convex spherical surface in the center of the surface with a gouged interior and a uniform thickness and a guide hole at the top, and a plurality of switch elements around the spherical surface. a concave spherical surface in the center of the back surface that is slidable on the spherical surface and has a guide pin penetrating through the guide hole at the top, and the switch element is pressed around the spherical surface; a washer that is locked to the guide pin inside a spherical surface of the base and is slidable on the inner surface of the spherical surface, and that prevents the key top from coming off from the base; A coil spring is provided between the surface of the base and the back surface of the key top to surround the spherical surface of the base and urge the back surface to be substantially parallel to the surface, and the guide hole has a plurality of radial holes. The key top has a shape with a notch in the guide hole, and the guide pin is guided by the notch in the guide hole and can be tilted in the radial direction, and the tilt operates one or two adjacent switches. This is achieved by the push button switch of the present invention.

According to this configuration, if the guide holes are cut in eight directions (up, down, left, right, and diagonal) and the switch elements are arranged at every other four locations in the eight directions, the key top surface can be cut in any of the eight directions. By pressing down on the vicinity of the end in one direction to tilt the key top in that direction, the cursor can be moved not only up and down, left and right, but also diagonally by operating one key top.

When the key top is tilted, the movement is extremely smooth due to the sliding of the spherical surface, and the tilt direction is stabilized by the guidance of the guide hole, and the key top reliably presses the predetermined switch element. Furthermore, the movement is as smooth as above due to the slippage of the washer, and the recovery is ensured by the action of the coil spring. Even if the key top is operated roughly, the key top will not come off due to the presence of the washer.

(f) Example of implementation of the idea An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 3a is a side sectional view of the push button switch according to the present invention, Fig. 3b is a plan view of the base equipped with the switch element, Fig. 3c is a bottom view of the key top, and Fig. 3d is the same. In the plan view of the key top, 4 is the base, 4a is the spherical surface, 4b is the guide hole,
4c is a spring groove, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d are switch elements, 6 is a key top, 6a is a spherical surface, 6b is a push pin, 6c is a spring groove, 7 is a guide pin, 8 is a washer, 9 is a coil spring,... ,,,
, , respectively indicate the direction in which the key top is tilted.

In Fig. 3a, Fig. 3b, and Fig. 3c, a switch element 5 is located at the end of the surface on the X-axis with the center as the origin.
The base 4, on which the switch elements 5b and 5d are disposed at the end of the surface on the Y-axis, has a spherical surface 4a having a substantially hemispherical surface centered on the origin.
is formed in a convex shape, and a spherical surface 6a having the same curvature as the spherical surface 4a is formed in a concave shape at the center of the back surface.A key top 6 is placed on top of the spherical surface 4a with the spherical surface 6a in contact with it. Push-down pins 6b are formed at each of the upper ends of the XY axis on the back of the key top 6, and when the right end of the X-axis on the front surface of the key top 6 is pressed down, the key top 6 slides on the spherical surface 4a and tilts, and the push pins 6b are lowered and the switch is activated. The four push pins 6b are connected to the switch elements 5a, 5 so as to operate the element 5a.
b, 5c, and 5d.

A guide pin 7 is installed in the center of the spherical surface 6a of the key top 6, and a guide hole with cuts in the XY axis direction and an intermediate direction as shown in FIG. 4b
is formed in the center of the spherical surface 4a to restrict the possible directions of the key top 6 to the eight directions.

In addition, a coil spring 9 is inserted between the spring grooves 4c and 6c formed in the base 4 and the key top 6 so that when the key top 6 stops being pressed down, the surface of the key top 6 returns to its original position parallel to the base 4. A washer 8 that slides on the inner surface of the spherical surface 4a is locked to the guide pin 7, as shown in FIG.

In the above push button switch, key top 6
If you press near the edge in one direction of ~ shown in Figure 3d on the surface of , for example, in the case of the direction
5a If one switch element is also in the direction, 5a,
In the same way as the two switch elements 5b are activated, one or two adjacent switch elements are activated in response to the pressed position to obtain eight types of outputs that can correspond to the desired cursor movement direction. Can be done.

In this push button switch, when the key top 6 is pressed down, the spherical surface 6a slides on the spherical surface 4a of the base 4, causing the key top 6 to tilt extremely smoothly, and the guide pin 7 is guided to the notch in the guide hole 4b. The tilt direction is stabilized, and the switch elements 5a to 5
Make sure to press the specified one in d to activate it. Furthermore, when the key top 6 is released, the washer 8 slides on the inner surface of the spherical surface 4a, and the key top 6 moves smoothly in the same manner as described above and the coil spring 9
Recovery is ensured through the action of However, even if the key top 6 is operated roughly, the key top 6 will not come off the base 4 due to the presence of the washers 8.

(g) Effects of the invention As explained above, according to the configuration of the invention, the cursor can be moved not only up and down, left and right, but also diagonally, with a push operation similar to that of a conventional push button switch, and with a single keypad. It is possible, of course,
This has the effect of making it possible to provide a new push button switch that can be operated smoothly and reliably.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a diagram of an example of a conventional push button switch used for cursor movement, Figure 2 is a diagram of a joystick installed on a panel, Figure 3a is a side sectional view of a push button switch constructed according to the present invention, Figure 3b is a plan view of the base with the switch element, Figure 3c
3d is a bottom view of the key top, and FIG. 3d is a top view of the key top. In the drawing, 1 is a keyboard panel, 2, 2
a, 2b, 2c, 2d are push button switches, 3 is a joystick, 3a is a lever, 4 is a base, 4a is a spherical surface, 4b is a guide hole, 4c is a spring groove, 5a, 5
b, 5c, 5d are switch elements, 6 is a key top, 6a is a spherical surface, 6b is a push pin, 6c is a spring groove, 7 is a guide pin, 8 is a washer, 9 is a coil spring, ,,,,,,,, are key tops The direction of inclination is shown respectively.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A convex spherical surface with a gouged inside and a uniform thickness and a guide hole at the top has a convex spherical surface in the center of the surface, and a plurality of switch elements are arranged around the spherical surface. a concave spherical surface in the center of the back surface that is slidable on the spherical surface and has a guide pin at the top that penetrates the guide hole, and the switch element is pressed around the spherical surface. a key top having an actuating portion; a washer that is locked to the guide pin inside a spherical surface of the base and is slidable on the inner surface of the spherical surface and prevents the key top from coming off from the base; and a coil spring that surrounds the spherical surface of the base between the surface of the key top and the back surface of the key top, and urges the back surface to be substantially parallel to the surface, and the guide hole is arranged in a plurality of radial directions. The key top has a notched shape, and the guide pin is guided by the notch in the guide hole and is tiltable in the radial direction, and the tilt actuates one or two adjacent switch elements. A push button switch that is characterized by: