JPH0447411B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a keyboard used for inputting signals to electronic equipment and the like.

[Prior art]

In recent years, in this type of keyboard, in order to improve the operability of the keys arranged on the keyboard, attempts have been made to make the key operation surface composed of the top surfaces of multiple keys curved from an ergonomic point of view. is being carried out.

Conventionally, the following two methods have been proposed for making the key operation surface of such a keyboard into a curved surface.

(1) One method is to form a key array plate 2 having a large number of guide holes 1 from a steel plate in advance so as to have a predetermined curved surface, as shown in Fig. 1. By fitting a stem guide 5 for slidingly guiding a key stem 4 having a key top 3 into the key top 3, a key operation surface 6 formed by the top surface of the key top 3 is made into a curved surface.

However, in this method, after forming the key arrangement plate 2, it is necessary to fit the stem guide 5 into each guide hole 1 one by one, and this work is very time-consuming and the efficiency of the assembly work is significantly reduced. Put it away.

In addition, since the key arrangement plate 2 is formed from a steel plate through plastic processing, it is advantageous in that it can maintain its original curved surface semi-permanently, but it is inevitably heavy, so it is difficult to increase the weight of the entire keyboard. This is not very desirable considering the current demand for weight reduction.

(2) Another method is to mold the stem guide part 8 integrally with the upper case 7 of the keyboard as shown in FIG. Each surface is formed into a different curved surface, so that the key operation surface 11 constituted by the top surface of each key top 10 is formed as a curved surface as a whole.

However, even with this method, it is necessary to mold the top surface of each key top 10 into a different curved surface,
Therefore, since many types of molds are required to mold the key top 10, the cost increases, resulting in an increase in the cost of the keyboard.

[Purpose of the invention]

An object of the present invention is to improve the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, to integrally mold the upper case and the key array plate, and to curve the key operation surface constituted by the top surface of the key top of each key member arranged on the key array plate. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a keyboard that is both low cost and easy to operate.

[Configuration of Example]

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on FIGS. 3 to 7. FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the keyboard according to this embodiment, and the keyboard main body 20 is composed of an upper case 21 made of synthetic resin and a lower case 22 made of synthetic resin. The upper case 21 has a rectangular opening 23 as shown in FIG.
is bored, and downwardly curved hanging portions 24 and 25 are suspended from the left and right side edges of the opening 23.
From the lower ends of these hanging parts 24, 25, a key array plate 26 is inserted as shown in FIG.
are integrally molded continuously at the middle part of both left and right ends. The key array plate 26 is formed in a flat plate state during molding, and is then curved during assembly as will be described later. Further, the key array plate 26 includes a key top 27 and a key stem 28 on its upper surface, and a stem guide 31 for inserting a key member 30, which is provided with a bottom plate 29 having a substantially square planar shape below the key stem 28. The same number of key members 30 are integrally molded. Further, a plurality of, for example, four, concave grooves 34 are formed on the lower surface of the key array plate 26 in parallel with the front and rear side edges 32 and 33 of the opening 23, and each key stem 28 is integrally formed from the lower surface of the key array plate 26. hanging from the bottom plate 2
By partitioning with partition plates 35 having approximately the same size as 9, it is guided with respect to vertical sliding and also prevented from rotating. As will be described later, the concave groove 34 is provided to give the key arrangement plate 26 curvature when assembling the keyboard, and its depth becomes deeper as it goes from the center of the key arrangement plate 26 to both sides. It is like that.

Further, bosses 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42,
43 are provided, among which bosses 40, 4
1, 42, 43, a regulating plate 44 provided with a predetermined curved surface is attached to set screws 45, 46, 4.
7, 48 are screwed. The regulation plate 44 is connected to the bottom surface of the lower case 22 from the bottom surface of the regulation plate 44.
Three projecting walls 49, 50, and 51 that are erected so as to match the curved surfaces of 4 are in contact with each other. Further, a circuit board 52 on which a predetermined contact circuit is formed by printed wiring is placed on the upper surface of the regulating plate 44.
4 and the circuit board 52 are set screws 53, 54, 5
5,56 to the bosses 36,3 of the upper case 21
7, 38, and 39, thereby giving the circuit board 52 also bendability. Furthermore, a rubber-like elastic body 58 in which a plurality of cup-shaped parts 57 are formed is placed on the upper surface of the circuit board 52 , and the cup-shaped parts 5
As shown in FIG. 6, 7 further includes an electrode plate 61 made of a flexible aluminum foil film facing a pair of fixed contacts 60 formed on the circuit board 52 on the lower surface of a sponge member 59 fixed to its inner upper wall. A flexible, ultra-thin insulating film 61a made of synthetic resin is attached to its lower surface. Note that a capacitor is constituted by the pair of fixed contacts 60 and the electrode plate 61 facing them.

The key array plate 26 is placed on the curved surface of a regulation plate 44 screwed to the upper case 21 via a partition plate 35 from the lower surface thereof, and is further provided on the lower surface of the key array plate 26. Due to the bending effect of the concave groove 34, the key arrangement plate 26 is aligned with the regulation plate 4.
A curved surface having approximately the same curvature as the curved surface of No. 4 is provided, so that the key operation surface 62 constituted by the top surface of each key top 27 is formed into a predetermined curved surface. At this time, the key arrangement board 26 is attached to the upper case 21.
The bottom of the key stem 28 inserted into the stem guide 31 is placed on the upper surface of the cup-shaped portion 57 of the rubber-like elastic body 58, and the elasticity of the cup-shaped portion 57 is normally closed. It is held in the non-operating position shown in FIG. 6 by the restoring force.

[Operation of the embodiment]

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. To perform a switching operation using the keyboard constructed as described above, first, the key top 27 is pressed down. When the key top 27 is pressed down, the key stem 28 integrated therewith is guided downward along the stem guide 31, and the bottom of the key stem 28 presses against the cap-shaped portion 57 of the rubber-like elastic body 58. When the cap-shaped portion 57 is pressed, the electrode plate 61 attached to the inside thereof via the sponge member 59
is brought into contact with a pair of fixed electrodes 60 formed on the circuit board 52 via an insulating film 61a, and as a result, as shown in FIG. A high frequency signal is transmitted to the other fixed electrode 60 forming the same. At this time, in this embodiment, since the electrode plate 61 is attached to the inner upper wall of the cap-shaped portion 57 via the sponge member 59, the electrode plate 61 is fixed via the insulating film 61a due to the elastic deformation of the sponge member 59. It is possible to ensure close contact with the electrode 60 and obtain sufficient capacity for transmitting high frequency signals. Next, when the depression of the key top 27 is released, the key stem 28 is pushed upward by the elastic restoring force of the cap-shaped portion 57, and the electrode plate 61 and the fixed electrode 60 are separated.
As a result, signal transmission is stopped and the key top 27 is restored to its original position. A bottom plate 29 provided below the key stem 28 in the restored position
prevents the key stem 28 from slipping out of the stem guide 31, and cooperates with the partition plate 35 to prevent the key stem 28 from rotating.

Next, a method for assembling the keyboard according to this embodiment will be explained. To assemble the keyboard,
First, the circuit board 52 is placed on the regulation plate 44, and then the rubber-like elastic body 58 is placed thereon. These are screwed to the bosses 36, 37, 38, and 39 of the upper case 21 using setscrews 53, 54, 55, and 56 from below the key arrangement plate 26 in which the key stem 28 of the key member 30 is inserted into the stem guide 31 in advance. do. Furthermore, the key arrangement board 26 is a rule board 44.
The set screw 45 is curved along the curved surface of the
46, 47, and 48 are screwed to the bosses 40, 41, 42, and 43 of the upper case 21 from below the regulating plate 44. As a result, the key arrangement plate 26 is connected to the concave groove 3.
4, the circuit board 52 and the circuit board 52 are regulated by the regulation plate 44, and are held in the upper case 21 while maintaining the curved state along the curved surface of the regulation plate 44. As a result, the key layout board 2
A key operation surface 62 constituted by the top surface of the key tops 27 arranged in a row 6 is formed into a curved surface having almost the same curvature as the curvature given to the key arrangement plate 26. Thereafter, the keyboard is completed by integrally assembling the upper case 21 and lower case 22 configured as described above.

As described in detail above, in this embodiment, the key array plate 26 with the stem guide 31 integrally molded is integrally molded by continuing from the lower ends of the hanging parts 24 and 25 of the upper case 21, so that the number of parts can be reduced. By greatly reducing the number of parts, the cost of parts can be reduced, and the efficiency of assembly work can be improved.

In addition, the key arrangement board 26 is as shown in FIG.
Since the structure is such that the stem guide 31 and the partition plate 35 are molded into a flat plate and then curved when the keyboard is assembled, there is no problem in removing the mold from the mold when molding the stem guide 31 and the partition plate 35 together.
Can be easily molded. Further, since the concave groove 34 is formed on the lower surface of the key array plate 26, when the key array plate 26 is curved along the curved surface of the regulation plate 44, it can be easily curved, and therefore the key member 30 Even if all the same key members 30 are used without using a special one, the key operation surface 6 constituted by the top surface of each key top 27
2 can be easily formed into a curved surface, and a keyboard with good operability can be obtained at low cost.

Further, in this embodiment, since the flexible electrode plate 61 is attached to the inner upper wall of the cap-shaped portion 57 of the rubber-like elastic body 58 via the sponge member 59, the switching operation is performed by pressing down the key top 27. Even if the circuit board 52 is curved during the switching operation, the elastic deformation of the sponge member 59 allows the switching operation to be performed reliably.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the present invention allows the key operation surface to be a curved surface with a simple configuration, and provides a keyboard with good operability at low cost, which has great effects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 show cross-sectional views of a conventional keyboard. FIG. 3 and the following show an embodiment of the present invention,
Figure 3 is a sectional view of the keyboard, Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the keyboard, Figure 5 is a rear perspective view of the upper case, Figure 6 is an enlarged explanatory view to explain the key switch, and Figure 7 is the key top. FIG. 4 is an enlarged explanatory diagram for explaining the key switch portion when pressed. In the figure, 21 is the upper case, 22 is the lower case, 23
24 and 25 are hanging parts, 26 is a key arrangement plate, 30 is a key member, and 52 is a circuit board.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An upper case made of synthetic resin, which is provided with a rectangular opening and a hanging portion extending downward from the left and right edges of the opening; A key arrangement board made of synthetic resin on which a large number of keys are arranged; a circuit board arranged below the key arrangement board and formed with a contact circuit that is opened and closed by the keys; and a circuit board arranged below the circuit board. a lower case, the key array plate and the upper case are integrally molded by making the intermediate portions of the right and left ends of the key array plate continuous with the lower end of the hanging portion, and the key array plate is curved. A keyboard characterized in that it is held in place.