JPH0343726B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention "Field of Industrial Application" The present invention relates to a panel keyboard that has wide applicability as an operation input switch means for various electrical and electronic devices, and in particular, the present invention relates to a panel keyboard that has wide applicability as an operation input switch means for various electrical and electronic devices. The present invention also relates to a panel keyboard designed to stabilize operating pressure.

"Prior art and its problems" As shown in FIG. 1, a panel keyboard includes a flexible or hard base member 2 on which a plurality of required fixed contact patterns 1 are formed, and each An insulating spacer 4 is arranged to form a switch operation space 3 in conjunction with the fixed contact pattern 1, and an insulating spacer 4 is arranged on the spacer 4 to perform switch operation separately in correspondence with each of the fixed contact patterns 1. It is a diaphragm type keyboard switch structure that can basically be constructed from a flexible switch sheet 6 having a movable contact pattern 5 and a bonding layer 7 made of an adhesive between these components. Currently, various proposals have been put into practical use as operation input switch means suitable for electrical and electronic equipment.

In order to specify the switch selection operation and the mounting design, such a panel keyboard generally has an operation display sheet 8, commonly called a decorative panel, on the switch sheet 6 to facilitate the operator's operations. ing.

As conceptually shown in FIG. 2, the appearance of the panel keyboard 9 equipped with such an operation display sheet 8 is as follows.
Depending on the nature of the input information, the sheet 8 will be provided with, for example, large switch operation areas A, B, and C and small switch operation areas a to h, etc.; In the case of a structure in which the through holes are simply formed in sizes corresponding to the sizes of the switch operation areas,
The required operation pressure or operating pressure for the large switches A to C is light compared to the small switch operation areas a to h. In other words, there is a strong tendency for large switch operation areas A to C to be input immediately after being slightly touched, which can easily lead to erroneous input by the operator. Those big switch operation areas A
There is also a high possibility that the corresponding portion of the switch seat 6 belonging to C will gradually approach or be displaced from the corresponding portion of the base member 2, making it impossible to maintain proper switch operation.

``Object and structure of the invention'' The present invention provides a thick and thin integral or separate insulator that corresponds to the size of the switch operation area so as to appropriately solve the above problems and ensure stable switch operation pressure or operating pressure. A new and improved panel keyboard is provided using a spacer, a base member adapted to the spacer, and a switch sheet.

To this end, in the present invention, a switch sheet having movable contact patterns formed at positions corresponding to the fixed contact patterns is disposed above a base member having a required number of fixed contact patterns, and a switch sheet is provided between each of these contact patterns. In a keyboard switch in which a switch operation hole is formed, the through hole for the switch operation hole is formed in a large or small size corresponding to the size of each switch operation area, and the thickness is made thick or thin. a first switch sheet provided with an insulating spacer and provided with a required movable contact pattern, which is located in a thin part of the insulating spacer and is located in a small part of the switch operating area; The switch sheet is constituted by a second switch sheet which is located at a thick portion of the insulating spacer and is provided with other required movable contact patterns. Here, the insulating spacer can be integrally molded with respect to its thick and thin portions or configured separately, and both the first and second switch sheets and the base member are formed on a single sheet base material. But it can be configured.

``Example'' The present invention will be described in more detail according to the illustrated example. In FIG. 3, 28 is a first switch seat, 29 is a second switch seat, and 24 is a second switch seat. Insulating spacers are disposed at the bottom of both the first and second switch sheets 28 and 29, 30 is a base member, and 31 is a variety of symbols, markings, or input information to identify the switch selection operation. It is a decorative board with indications, etc., that is, a sheet for operation display.

The insulating spacer 24 is capable of stabilizing the above-mentioned operating pressure or operating pressure by itself, and as shown in the figure, the required switch operating pressure can be adjusted to a larger or smaller value depending on the size of the switch operating area. The main idea is to make the spacer part thick and thin in order to form the spacer 24.
A small through hole 25 is made in the thin part of the body, and a large through hole 26 is made in the thick part of the body.

The means for forming the spacer 24 having such a thick and thin portion include attaching a separate spacer only to the area corresponding to the area of the large through hole 26, or thickening the spacer with various resins such as thermosetting or photosetting resin. It is also possible to construct the thick and thin parts separately.

The first switch sheet 28 is formed with a required movable contact pattern 17 corresponding to the portions that belong to the small through holes 25, and the second switch sheet 29 is formed with the required movable contact patterns 17 corresponding to the portions that belong to the large through holes 26. Other movable contact patterns 18 corresponding to the parts
The base member 30 further includes:
The fixed contact patterns 15 and 16 are arranged at positions related to alignment with the movable contact patterns 17 and 18 located in the large and small through holes 25 and 26, respectively.

According to the structure of such a panel keyboard,
Regardless of the size of the switch operation area, it is possible to set the stroke within the switch operation space of the movable contact patterns 17, 18 relative to the fixed contact patterns 15, 16 to be small or large, so the operating pressure or operating pressure required when opening and closing the switch can be set to be small or large. It becomes possible to maintain stable switch operation by relatively equalizing the

As is clear from the figure, both switch seats 28,
29 and the base member 30 may be integrally constructed of a suitable flexible sheet base material as shown by imaginary lines 32 and 33; in such a case, each of the required contact patterns 15 to 18 may be Since it can be deposited all at once on the same surface of the base material, it is expected to contribute to reducing the process, workability, and number of parts. Also, depending on the properties of the sheet base material used,
It is also possible to perform the bonding process between each member with or without adhesive.

As in the above embodiment, the insulating spacer 24 is arranged with its thick protruding part facing upward, and the switch sheet has the structure of the first switch sheet 28 arranged in the thin spacer part and the thick spacer part as described above. The base member 30 is formed of a single piece, and the base member 30 is made of a single piece, and both the switch seats 2
8 and 29, an operation display sheet 31 is provided. Therefore, the operation display sheet 31 has a structure in which the portion corresponding to the second switch sheet 29 is more raised than the portion corresponding to the first switch sheet 28, thereby making it easy to distinguish or select the size of the switch operation area. It can enhance sex.

As described above, the panel keyboard according to the present invention can adopt an optimal operating pressure or a constant operating pressure structure by comprehensively considering the form of the operation display sheet, the operation situation, or both. As will be clear to those skilled in the art, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and may be modified or replaced without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims. It can be seen that it is possible to implement it. Therefore, for example, although it is explained that the base member in each embodiment is made of the same material as the flexible switch sheet, it is not possible to construct the base member from a rigid circuit board, and on the other hand, For example, the parts corresponding to the individual movable contact patterns to be provided on each switch seat may be formed into a dome shape or a protrusion shape so that the operator can perceive that the snap action or switch operation during operation is completed. etc. are also possible.

``Effects of the Invention'' As described above, the panel keyboard according to the present invention has a diaphragm type keyboard switch structure of this type, with through holes for the switch operation area corresponding to the size of each switch operation area. An insulating spacer is formed to be large and small and thick and thin, and is arranged in a thin part of the insulating spacer in a small part of the switch operation area to provide a required movable contact pattern. A first switch sheet and a second switch sheet, which is located in a large part of the switch operation area and is arranged in a thick part of the insulating spacer and provided with other required movable contact patterns, are used as switch sheets. With this structure, the specifications of the panel keyboard depending on the size of the switch operation area can be handled with a high degree of freedom.

And, in the structure of such a panel keyboard,
Since the large switch operation area corresponding to the thick portion of the insulating spacer is more protruded than the smaller switch operation area, it is possible to improve the discrimination or selectability of the switch operation area.

Further, the insulating spacer having a thick and thin portion can be easily configured as one piece or separate pieces, and furthermore, both the first and second switch sheets and the base member can be assembled into a single piece that can be easily folded and assembled. Since it can be constructed from a flexible sheet base material, assembly processing can be performed easily.

Therefore, with this structure, it is possible to ensure the optimum switch operation space according to the size of the switch operation area, and therefore the selection operability and operation reliability of this type of panel keyboard can be significantly improved. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are conceptual cross-sectional configuration diagrams and overall perspective views of conventional panel keyboards;
The figure is a conceptual cross-sectional configuration diagram of an embodiment of a panel keyboard constructed according to the present invention. 15... Fixed contact pattern, 16... Fixed contact pattern, 17... Movable contact pattern, 18...
Movable contact pattern, 24... Insulating spacer, 2
5...Small hole, 26...Large hole, 28...
...First switch seat, 29... Second switch seat, 30... Single base member, 31...
Operation display sheet.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A switch sheet having movable contact patterns formed at positions corresponding to the fixed contact patterns is disposed above a base member having a required number of fixed contact patterns, and a switch sheet is provided between each of these contact patterns. In a keyboard switch in which a switch operation hole is formed, the through hole for the switch operation hole is formed in a large or small size corresponding to the size of each switch operation area, and the thickness is made thick or thin. a first switch sheet provided with an insulating spacer and provided with a required movable contact pattern, which is located in a thin part of the insulating spacer and is located in a small part of the switch operating area; The panel keyboard is characterized in that the switch sheet is constituted by a second switch sheet which is arranged in a thick part of the insulating spacer and is provided with other required movable contact patterns. 2. The panel keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the base member and both the first and second switch sheets are constructed from a single flexible sheet base material. 3. The panel keyboard according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the insulating spacer is constructed integrally or separately with respect to its thick and thin portions.