JPH0329857Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the idea] This invention relates to a keyboard.

Generally, if the key tops of a keyboard are tilted when the keys are touched lightly, the touch of the keys may feel strange and the operability may be impaired.

Even if the key touch is light, if the trajectory of the key top displacement due to the pressing operation is fixed,
This problem does not occur, the key touch is good, and the operability is also good.

As a support structure for a key top of this type, there is one in which a key top having arms extending laterally from the key top is pivotally supported on a frame to determine the locus of displacement as the key top is pressed.

On the other hand, in a keyboard, in order to display whether the power is on or not, the key top is made transparent, and the display on the display sheet made of transparent material is illuminated by a light source installed below the key top. In this case, the light source illuminates the display on the display sheet through the key tops, so it is necessary to illuminate the key tops particularly brightly.

By the way, in order to construct a keyboard with good key touch by using key tops with arms as described above, the length of the arms should be set to a certain length so that the locus of displacement caused by pressing the key tops should be linear. However, since pressing the key top always involves swinging the arm,
When configuring a keyboard with an easy-to-read display, consideration must be given to interference between the arms and the light source.

Furthermore, if the light source is separated from the lower surface of the keytop main body, it will be disadvantageous to ensure the brightness of the illumination from the light source that illuminates the display, so how to arrange them becomes a problem.

This invention was developed based on the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a keyboard with a good touch feel while at the same time making the display on the display sheet clear and easy to read.

Therefore, in this invention, a key top that is retractably incorporated into a pressing opening of a frame is formed of a transparent material, the frame and the key top are covered with a display sheet made of a transparent material, and the key top is pressed through the display sheet. In the keyboard, which is operated and illuminates the keytops and the display sheet by disposing a light source below the keytops, the keytops include a keytop body that fits into the pressing opening and moves up and down, and a keytop body that extends from one side of the keytop body. An arm section extending laterally is provided, and a pivot shaft extending laterally is formed at the tip of this arm section, and a pivot shaft extending downwardly is provided at the lower part of the key top body on the opposite side of the arm section. A protruding pressing protrusion is formed, and a locking part is formed outside the pressing opening area of the frame, into which the pivot shaft is fitted and pivotally supported, and a switch is arranged below the pressing protrusion. In addition, a light source is disposed on the locking portion side of the switch.

This invention will be explained below based on the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams showing an embodiment of this invention. In the figure, a frame 10 has a housing shape with a recess 11 formed on the back surface, and is partitioned into small chambers 13 by partition walls 12. A press opening 14 is provided in each small chamber 13, and protrusions 16 and 17 constituting a locking portion 15 are provided outside the area of the press opening 14. Reference numeral 18 denotes a mounting hole, which is opened on one side of the partition wall 12 and provided at an appropriate location, into which the printed circuit board 20 is mounted.

The key top 30 has a pressing part 32 that is loosely fitted into the pressing opening 14 of the frame 10 on one side of the key top main body 31, and a switch pressing protrusion 33 (corresponding to the pressing protrusion in this invention) that comes into contact with the switch 40 on the opposite side. is formed, and an arm portion 34 is formed on the side surface.

In this specification, the side of the pressing part 32 is referred to as the upper side, and the side of the pressing protrusion 33 is referred to as the lower side.
and a semi-cylindrical engagement protrusion 36 are formed.
Further, a flange 37 is formed on the side surface of the key top body 31 opposite to the arm portion 34.

Such a key top 30 is detachably attached to the frame 10 by inserting the arm part 34 into the locking part 15 of the frame 10 and loosely fitting the pressing part 32 into the pressing opening 14. The cylindrical engagement protrusion 35 and the semi-cylindrical engagement protrusion 36 of the arm part 34 engage with the locking part 15 located outside the area of the press opening 14, as shown in FIG. The protrusion 35 forms a pivot shaft, and the key top 30 is rotatably mounted thereon.

Therefore, the displacement associated with the pressing operation of the key top 30 is performed as a limited movement along a fixed trajectory with the engaging protrusion 35 as the center of rotation.

In this embodiment, the engaging protrusions 35 and 36 are formed apart, but if the key top 30 rotates with respect to the frame 10, it goes without saying that they may have other shapes, such as continuous engagement protrusions.

Below the key top 30 and inside the frame 10 are a switch 40 and a light source 50 such as a lamp or LED.
The printed circuit board 20 to which the light source 50 is attached is brought into contact with the end surface of the partition wall 12 and is attached by screwing screws or the like into the mounting hole 18.
It is disposed at a position on the side of the locking portion 15 .

The upper surface of the switch 40 abuts against the switch pressing protrusion 33 of the key top 30, urging the key top 30 such that the flange 37 is always in contact with the frame 10. Further, a continuous display sheet 60 is placed that completely covers the pressing portion 32 of the key top 30 and the frame 10.

The display sheet 60 is made of a polyester resin film that is flexible and translucent (transparent, translucent), and has letters and numbers that are generally stamped on the key top 30 at positions corresponding to the respective press openings 14 on its surface. It is printed. The key top 30 is also made of a transparent material, such as acrylic resin, and is finished transparent or translucent.

The operation of the keyboard having such a configuration will be explained.

When the power is turned on to the keyboard, the light source 50 lights up and illuminates the key top 30 and the display sheet 60 from the back side, so that the characters and numbers printed on the display sheet 60 appear. When the operator touches a desired character or number position on the display sheet 60 with his finger, the key top 30 rotates around the position of the rotation shaft, that is, the engagement protrusion 35 located outside the area of the press opening 14. This rotation causes the switch pressing protrusion 3 to
3 presses the switch 40 to turn it on and off. When the finger is released from the display sheet 60, the pressing part 32 is urged upward by a spring (not shown) provided in the switch 40 and enters the pressing opening 14, and the flange 37 comes into contact with the frame 10 to return to the state before pressing. to return to.

In this operation, the key touch is the press opening 14.
Even if the pressing is performed at any location on the pressing portion 32 within the area, the position of the engaging protrusion 35 is always the pivot axis, so the trajectory of the displacement of the key top 30 is constant, and the movement of the key top 30 is smooth. .

Therefore, when the key top 30 is hit, the pushing direction of the finger and the direction of the reaction force from the switch 40 are always constant, the pushing direction of the display sheet 60 is constant, and the force that deforms the display sheet 60 is also constant. The key touch feels better.

Since the switch pressing protrusion 33 is formed at the lower part of the key top body 31, the height of the space below the key top 30 can be secured, and even if the light source 50 is installed side by side with the switch 40, the key top body 31 still remains Interference with the arm portion 34 can be avoided.

Further, a switch pressing protrusion 33 is provided on the opposite side to the arm part 34, a switch 40 is arranged below this switch pressing protrusion 33, and a light source 50 is provided on the locking part 15 side (arm part 34 side) of this switch 40. Since the key top 3 is placed at the location where the light source 50 is placed,
0 is small, there is little risk of interference between the light source 50 and the arm 34, and the light source 50 illuminating the display does not interfere with the pressing operation of the key top 30.

Moreover, a switch pressing protrusion 33 is provided on one side of the key top main body 31, and a switch 40 is disposed below this, and the locking portion 15 of this switch 40
Since the light source 50 is arranged on the side, the light source 50 is located below the other side of the key top body 31 and can illuminate from the vicinity of the key top body 31, so that the display can be easily seen and clear.

As explained above, according to this idea,
Since the keyboard uses keytops whose pressing motions are determined by the arm, the keyboard feels good when touched.

In addition, since a pressing protrusion is formed at the bottom of the key top body, the height of the space below the key top can be secured, and even if the light source is installed side by side with the switch, it will not interfere with the key top body or arm. can be avoided.

In addition, since the pressing protrusion is provided on the opposite side of the arm, the switch is placed below the pressing protrusion, and the light source is placed on the locking part side of this switch, the key top can be used at the part where the light source is placed. The amount of displacement is small, there is little risk of interference between the light source and the arm, and the light source that illuminates the display does not interfere with pressing the key top.

Furthermore, a pressing protrusion is provided on one side of the key top body, a switch is placed below this, and a light source is placed on the locking part side of this switch, so the light source is below the other side of the key top body, and the light source is located below the other side of the key top body, and the switch is placed below this. Since the display can be illuminated from the outside, the display can be easily seen and clear.

Therefore, while the key touch feeling is good,
At the same time, a keyboard with an easy-to-read and clear display on the display sheet can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of a keyboard according to this invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of the keyboard. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Frame, 14... Pressing opening, 15... Locking part, 30... Key top, 32... Pressing part, 33
...Switch pressing protrusion, 34...Arm part, 35...
Engagement protrusion (rotation shaft), 40...Switch, 50
...Light source, 60...Display sheet.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A key top that is removably incorporated into a pressing opening of a frame is formed of a transparent material, the frame and the key top are covered with a display sheet made of a transparent material, and the key top is exposed through the display sheet. In a keyboard that is operated by pressing and illuminates the key tops and the display sheet by disposing a light source below the key tops, the key tops include a key top body that fits into the pressing opening and moves up and down, and one side of the key top body. An arm section extending laterally from the main body is provided, and a pivot shaft extending laterally is formed at the tip of this arm section, and a downwardly extending pivot shaft is formed at the lower part of the key top body on the opposite side of the arm section. A pressing protrusion protruding from the frame is formed, and a locking part is formed outside the pressing opening area of the frame, into which the pivot shaft is fitted and pivotally supported, and a switch is provided below the pressing protrusion. A keyboard characterized in that a light source is arranged on the locking portion side of the switch.