JPH0424811B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a mounting structure for pushbutton keys used in electronic equipment.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in electronic devices such as electronic registers,
As shown in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 55-61722, a large number of key tops are arranged, and the key tops are arranged in appropriate combinations of several types of key tops of different sizes.

By the way, when you buy a new electronic cash register, you are asked to change the key top arrangement to the key top arrangement of the previous electronic cash register that you were used to operating. Since key tops can be replaced, key tops are designed to be more removable than keyswitches, and large key tops are shaped so that the parts corresponding to unnecessary keyswitches are cut out to prevent key switches from operating at the same time.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Incidentally, the above-mentioned device uses a key switch, which is expensive, and the structure of the key switch is complicated. In addition, with large key tops, the key top is only fixed to the end of the key stay of one key switch, and does not touch the end of the key stay of other keys, so when the key top is pressed, the movement is unnatural and unreliable. There were times when the keys could not be operated.

This is due to the use of expensive key switches and the fact that the key top is shaped to be fixed to the end of the key stay of one key switch.

In light of this, it would seem that it would be better to have an inexpensive structure that does not use a key switch, and also to have a structure that allows for natural and reliable key operations even when using large key tops.

An object of the present invention is to provide a mounting structure for a push button key that has a changeable key top, is inexpensive, and has a smooth pressing operation.

[Means to solve the problem] The means of this invention are as follows.

A plurality of contact switches arranged at regular intervals, a rubber sheet is bulged out, a movable contact is provided on the inside upper part of this bulge, a fixed contact is provided on a board corresponding to this movable contact, and both of these contacts Conductivity is established by contacting the

A keyboard body having a plurality of openings formed in the same shape corresponding to each contact switch; A plurality of types of different sizes each having an operating shaft portion which is detachably mounted across one or at least two or more of the openings and which operates at least one of the contact switches corresponding to the opening when pressed. Of the push button keys,
A push-button key that can be freely arranged on the keyboard body by appropriately combining at least two or more types of push-button keys; The part is arranged to be movable up and down, and when the part is moved down, at least one of the contact switches is operated.

[Effect] The operation of the means of this invention is as follows.

The plurality of contact switches are arranged at regular intervals, and the keyboard body has a plurality of openings formed in the same shape corresponding to each of the contact switches. The push button key is removably mounted across one or at least two or more of the plurality of openings formed in the keyboard,
It has an operating shaft portion that operates at least one of the contact switches corresponding to the opening when pressed, and is a simple device different from a key switch or the like.
In addition, the pressing operation is smooth, and by using a plurality of types of such buttons of different sizes, at least two or more types of push button keys can be appropriately combined and freely arranged on the keyboard body.

Therefore, it is possible to obtain a push button key mounting structure that has a changeable key top, is inexpensive, and has a smooth pressing operation.

[Example] An example will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

Figures 1 to 5 show the mounting structure of the push button keys installed in the electronic register. 1a, 1b, and a switch section 6 that operates as a switch by pressing the push button keys 1a, 1b.
It consists of two types of keytop holding members 2 and 3 that are detachably attached to the keyboard body 1, and two types of keytops 4 and 5 that are slidably attached to the keytop holding members 2 and 3. It is assumed that the key tops 4 and 5 have a character plate (not shown) on the top thereof covered with a cap (not shown).

The keyboard body 1 has an opening mounting portion 7 into which the keytop holding members 2 and 3 are detachably mounted.
(hereinafter abbreviated as the mounting portion 7)... are formed in a large number of rows and columns arranged vertically and horizontally. That is, the mounting section 7 is
These holes are substantially rectangular holes penetrating from the top to the bottom of the keyboard body 1, and engagement portions 8 are formed protruding from the inner walls of the holes. Additionally, positioning protrusions 9 are formed on the keyboard body 1 at locations adjacent to the corners of the mounting portions 7. These mounting portions 7 and projections 9 are all of the same shape and are formed point-symmetrically.

Further, among the two types of key top holding members 2 and 3 that are detachably attached to the mounting portion 7 of the keyboard body 1, one key top holding member 2 is one.
The key top holding member 3 is attached to the two adjacent attachment sections 7, and the other key top holding member 3 is attached to the two attachment sections 7 which are adjacent to each other. That is, one key top holding member 2 is composed of a mounting plate 10 placed on the mounting portion 7 and a cylindrical guide member 11 formed in the center of the mounting plate 10 so as to protrude vertically. There is. In this case, the above-mentioned placement plate 10
has a substantially square flat plate shape that is slightly larger than the mounting part 7, and has a locking foot 1 extending downward on the opposite side.
2 and 12 are formed respectively. This locking foot 1
2 and 12 are elastically deformed by bending in the front-rear direction as shown in FIG. In addition, square-shaped locking holes 13, 13 are formed vertically and vertically in the vicinity of opposite sides of the mounting plate 10, which are different from the locking feet 12, 12. Furthermore, positioning holes 14 are formed at the four corners of the mounting plate 10. These positioning holes 14 fit into protrusions 9 formed on the keyboard body 1 to position the key top holding member 2. Further, the guide member 11 is formed with a through hole 15 that passes through the guide member 11 vertically (in the axial direction).

The key top 4, which is slidably attached to the key top holding member 2, has a shaft portion 16 hanging down from the center of its lower surface, and locking claws 17, 17 hanging down from opposite sides, respectively. There is. As shown in the fourth section, the shaft portion 16 has the following features:
The key top holding member 2 is arranged so as to be movable up and down in the through hole 15 formed in the guide member 11, and its lower end extends from the lower end of the guide member 11 at the upper limit position of the key top 4 (the position shown in FIG. 4A). It's starting to stand out a little. Further, the locking claws 17, 17 are connected to the locking hole 1 of the mounting plate 10.
3, 13, and its lower end is inserted into the locking hole 13, 1.
3 protrudes downward, and this protruding portion is locked to the lower edge of the locking holes 13, 13, so that the key top 4
Also, the shaft portion 16 is prevented from slipping out upward.

On the other hand, of the two types of key top holding members 2 and 3, the other key top holding member 3 is formed by connecting almost two of the key top holding members 2, and is formed by connecting two of the key top holding members 2, which are attached to two mutually adjacent mounting parts 7 and 7. A mounting plate 18 placed across the mounting plate 18, two guide members 19 formed to protrude vertically from this mounting plate 18,
It consists of 20. In this case, the mounting plate 18 is a substantially rectangular flat plate that is slightly wider than the width of one mounting part 7 and slightly longer than the length of the two mounting parts 7, 7, and has opposing sides in the longitudinal direction. Two sets of locking feet 21 extending downward are formed respectively. These locking feet 21 are elastically deformed by bending in the front-rear direction, and the engaging portions 8 of each mounting portion 7, 7 are elastically deformed.
It engages releasably with... In addition, locking holes 22, 22 are formed in the vicinity of opposite sides in the width direction of the mounting plate 18, penetrating vertically.
Furthermore, positioning holes 23 are formed at the four corners of the mounting plate 18 and at the middle of each opposing side in the longitudinal direction. Moreover, one of the guide members 19 and 20 formed on the above-mentioned placement plate 18
9 is the guide member 1 of the key top holding member 2;
The other guide member 20 has a cylindrical shape exactly the same as 1, and has a through hole 24 inside. The guide member 19 has a through hole 25, and its lower end projects slightly below the lower end of the guide member 19.

The key top 5, which is slidably attached to the key top holding member 3, has a rectangular shape in which the two key tops 4 described above are connected, and has two shaft parts 26, 2 hanging from the lower surface of the key top 5.
7, and locking claws 28, 28 depending from opposite sides in the width direction, respectively. As shown in FIG. 5, the shaft portion 26 is arranged to be movable up and down in the through hole 24 of the guide member 19, and its lower end is at the upper limit position of the key top 5 (the fifth
The guide member 19 slightly protrudes from the lower end of the guide member 19 at the position shown in FIG. Further, the shaft portion 27 is arranged so as to be vertically movable within the through hole 25 of the guide member 20, and its lower end is at the lower limit position of the key top 5 (the position shown in FIG. 5B). It has become so that it doesn't stick out at all. In this case, the guide member 2
A coil spring 29 is arranged on the outer periphery of 0. This coil spring 29 always acts to push up the shaft portion 27 side of the key top 5, and is set to have the same elastic force as the elastic force of a contact switch 32, which will be described later. Furthermore, the locking claws 28, 28 are inserted into the locking holes 22, 22 of the mounting plate 18, respectively, and the lower ends thereof are inserted into the locking holes 22, 22, respectively.
The projecting part is the locking hole 2.
The key top 5 and the shaft portions 26, 27 are locked to the lower edges of the key tops 2, 22 to prevent them from slipping out upward.

Further, a circuit board 30 is disposed at the bottom of the keyboard body 1 described above. This circuit board 30
A switch section 6 is provided on the top. This switch section 6 has a large number of contact switches 31 formed corresponding to each mounting section 7 of the keyboard body 1. That is, the contact switch 31 is configured such that the rubber sheet is bulged out, and the elastic force of the bulged portion pushes up each shaft portion 16, 26 of the key tops 4, 5. A movable contact 32 is provided, and a fixed contact 33 is provided on the circuit board 30 corresponding to the movable contact 32, and when the key tops 4 and 5 are pressed, the movable contact 32 comes into contact with the fixed contact 33, and conduction is established. .

Next, the case of assembling the push button key mounting structure configured as described above will be described. First, the switch part 6 is provided on the circuit board 30, and the circuit board 30 is attached to the lower part of the keyboard body 1 so that each contact switch 32 of the switch part 6 corresponds to each mounting part 7 of the keyboard body 1. Arrange. Thereafter, the key tops 4 and 5 are attached to the key top holding members 2 and 3, respectively, thereby forming the push button keys 1a and 1b. That is, in the push button key 1a, the shaft portion 16 of the key top 4 is inserted into the through hole 15 formed in the guide member 11 of the key top holding member 2, and the locking claws 17, 17 are formed in the mounting plate 10. Insert it into each of the locking holes 13, 13. Further, in the push button key 1b, each shaft portion 26, 27 of the key top 5 is connected to a through hole 24, 25 formed in each guide member 19, 20 of the key top holding member 3.
At the same time, one of the shaft parts 27 is inserted into the through hole 25 via the coil spring 29, and at the same time, each of the locking claws 28, 28 is inserted into each of the locking holes 22 formed in the mounting plate 18. , 22.
As a result, the locking claws 17, 17, 28, 28 of the key tops 4, 5 of the push button keys 1a, 1b are locked with the edges of the locking holes 13, 13, 22, 22, so that each key top 4 , 5 will not come off unduly from each key top holding member 2, 3. Thereafter, each push button key 1a, 1b may be attached to the keyboard body 1. That is, in the push button key 1a, each of the locking feet 12, 12 of the key top holding member 2 is attached to one of the mounting portions 7 formed in the keyboard body 1.
After inserting into any one mounting part 7, a positioning protrusion 9 provided at a corner of this mounting part 7,
9 and the holes 14 for positioning the mounting plate 10 in correspondence with each other. Then, the locking feet 12, 12 formed on the mounting plate 10 move down along the inner wall of the mounting part 7, and engage with the engaging parts 8, 8 formed on this inner wall, so that the mounting plate 10 is attached to the device. 7, and the keytop holding member 2 is fixed on the keyboard body 1.
Fixed. As a result, the key top 4 is attached to the keyboard body 1 via the key top holding member 2 so as to be movable up and down. On the other hand, push button key 1b
In this case, two sets of locking feet 21 of the key top holding member 3 are attached to two adjacent mounting parts 7, 7 of the mounting parts 7 formed on the keyboard body 1.
After that, place the mounting plate 1 on the positioning projections 9 provided at each corner of the mounting parts 7, 7.
It is only necessary to fit the positioning holes 23 of No. 8 in correspondence with each other. Then, as in the case of the key top 4, each of the locking feet 21 of the key top holding member 3 engages with each of the locking parts 8 of the mounting parts 7, 7, and the mounting plate 18
is fixed on the keyboard body 1, and thereby the key top 5 is attached to the keyboard body 1 so as to be movable up and down.

As shown in FIG. 3, each push button key 1a, 1b attached to the keyboard main body 1 in this way has a lower end of each shaft part 16, 26 of the key top 4, 5 connected to each contact switch 31 of the switch part 6, It is pushed up by the elastic force of 31. In this case, the key top 4 is attached to the locking pawl 1 as shown in FIG. 4A.
7 and 17 are locked to the lower edges of the locking holes 13 and 13 of the mounting plate 10, and do not slip out upward. Further, as shown in FIG. 5A, the key top 5 has a shaft portion 26 pushed up by a contact switch 31, and a coil spring 29 on the shaft portion 27 side.
Similarly to the above, the locking claws 28, 28 are locked to the lower edges of the locking holes 22, 22 of the mounting plate 18, and do not come off upward. In this case, in particular, of the two guide members 19 and 20 of the key top holding member 3, the guide member 20 with a smaller diameter
protrudes below the lower end of the other guide member 19 and the shaft portion 26 inserted therein, and constantly pushes down the contact switch 31 located below.
3 is pressed down to the extent that it does not touch.

Next, the operation of the key tops 4 and 5 assembled as described above will be explained. First, to explain the case of key top 4, key top 4
is always pushed up via the shaft portion 16 by the contact switch 31 of the switch portion 6, as shown in FIG. It moves downward along the hole 15 and presses down the contact switch 31 as shown in FIG. 4B, bringing the movable contact 32 into contact with the fixed contact 33 and making it conductive.

This causes a switch operation. Also,
When the key top 4 is released, the elastic force of the contact switch 31 returns it to the original state shown in FIG. 4A.

On the other hand, in the case of the key top 5, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5B, only the shaft portion 26 pushes down the contact switch 31, bringing the movable contact 32 into contact with the fixed contact 33, and making the contact switch 31 conductive. This causes a switch operation. in this case,
The shaft portion 27 is formed shorter than the shaft portion 26,
Moreover, since the guide member 20 of the key top holding member 3 does not protrude downward, the contact switch 31 located below the shaft portion 27 is not electrically connected.
Further, when pressing the key top 5, the shaft portion 26 is pushed up by the elastic force of the contact switch 31, and the shaft portion 27 side is evenly pushed up by the coil spring 29 having the same elastic force as the above elastic force. Therefore, even though the key top 5 is large, it operates extremely smoothly and the pressing load of the key top 5 does not change.

Next, when removing each of the key tops 4 and 5 attached to the keyboard main body 1 from the keyboard main body 1, it is only necessary to apply a slight force from the side direction of the key tops 4 and 5. That is, the force applied from the side surface of the key top 4 is transmitted to the key top holding member 2 as a lateral force via the shaft portion 16, and this lateral force causes the key top holding member 2 to
The engagement between the locking feet 12, 12 and the engaging parts 8, 8 of the mounting part 7 is released, and similarly, the force applied from the side direction of the key top 5 is applied to the key top via the shaft parts 26, 27. This lateral force is transmitted to the holding member 3 as a lateral force, and this lateral force releases the engagement between the locking feet 21 of the key top holding member 3 and the engaging portions 8 of the mounting portion 7, so that the key top The holding members 2 and 3 can be easily removed from the keyboard body 1. In this way, the key top holding member 2,
3 from the keyboard body 4, the key tops 4, 5 are removed along with the key top holding members 2, 3.
can also be removed from the keyboard body 1 at the same time. Therefore, the character plates covered by the caps on the key tops 4 and 5 can be replaced extremely easily. After this, the key tops 4 and 5 attached to the key top holding members 2 and 3 are
When attaching to the keyboard body 1, holes 14 for positioning the key top holding members 2, 3...,
23... to the protrusion 9 for positioning the keyboard body 1
It can be easily installed by simply fitting it into... In this case, in particular, since the mounting parts 7 and the positioning protrusions 9 formed in large numbers on the keyboard body 1 all have the same shape and are formed point-symmetrically, the key top 4 can be attached to any desired mounting part 7. 5 can be attached freely, and the vertical and horizontal directions of the key tops 4 and 5 can also be freely set. Especially when it comes to large key top 5,
Of the two shaft parts 26 and 27, one shaft part 27 does not conduct the contact switch 31 of the switch part 6 even when the key top 5 is pressed.
For example, without changing the circuit contacts on the circuit board 30, the keyboard body 1 can be easily and freely changed.
can be placed in

In the embodiment described above, the large key top and key top holding member 3 are attached to two mounting parts 7, 7 of the mounting parts 7 of the keyboard main body 1.
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the three mounting portions 7 may be arranged in series, parallel, "L" shape, "U" shape, "R" shape, etc. The mounting position and mounting direction can be freely set. In this case, if the push button key is configured such that when the key top is pressed, only one shaft part conducts one contact switch, and the other shaft parts do not conduct, as in the push button key 1b of the above embodiment. There is no need to change the circuit connections on the circuit board 30.

Furthermore, the structures of the locking feet provided on the key top holding member and the engaging portion provided on the keyboard body side are limited to those of the above embodiments as long as the key top holding member has a structure that can be freely engaged with and detached from the keyboard main body. It is not something that will be done.

Further, in the above embodiment, the contact switch was formed on the rubber sheet, but the structure of the switch part is not limited to the above embodiment. Any device may be used as long as it is equipped with a contact switch operated by.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the electronic register described above, but can be widely applied to other electronic devices.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, there is provided a push button key which has a changeable key top but is inexpensive because it does not use an expensive key switch, and which has smooth pressing operation because the key top is always guided by the shaft. The mounting structure allows reliable key operation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the mounting structure of the push button key of the embodiment, Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view thereof, Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line - - of Fig. 1, and Figs. 4A and B are the views of Fig. 1. Fig. 4A is a sectional view at normal time, Fig. 4B is a sectional view at press time, and Fig. 5A,
B shows a cross section taken along the - line in FIG. 1, FIG. 5A is a sectional view in a normal state, and FIG. 5B is a sectional view in a pressed state. 1... Keyboard body, 1a, 1b... Push button keys, 2, 3... Key top holding member, 4, 5...
Key top, 6...Switch part, 7...Opening mounting part, 16, 26, 27...Shaft part, 31...Contact switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A keyboard body having a plurality of contact switches arranged at regular intervals and a plurality of openings formed in the same shape corresponding to each of the contact switches, wherein one of the plurality of openings is No. 1
A plurality of types of push button keys of different sizes, which are removably mounted across one or at least two or more openings, and have actuating shaft parts that actuate at least one of the contact switches corresponding to the openings when pressed. A push button key mounting structure characterized in that at least two or more types of push button keys can be appropriately combined and arranged freely on the keyboard body.