JPH0650032Y2 - Key parallel operation device for key switch - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial field of application) The present invention uses a crank-shaped interlocking rod in a key switch used for a keyboard, etc., and even when the operation key is pressed at the corner, the whole is parallel. The present invention relates to a key translation device that can be pressed down.

(Prior Art) In general, keyboards for registers, personal computers, etc. are not only small single keys due to frequency of use and operating fingers, but also double keys, triple keys, and quadruple keys. A large key such as is used.

When a corner of the key top is pressed, a key switch using these large keys is likely to be tilted and pushed down, and the switch operation may not be ensured, and further, it may be impossible to push down due to prying. As a countermeasure against such so-called corner pushing, a parallel motion device using a crank-shaped interlocking rod has been conventionally used.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, a conventional parallel motion device of this type has a linear rotary shaft portion 1a, arm portions 1b and 1b whose both ends are bent at right angles, and an arm portion 1b. The interlocking rod 1 formed in a crank shape by the guide shaft portions 1c and 1c in which the tip of 1b is bent outward at a right angle is used. And interlocking rod 1
The pivot shaft portion 1a of the above is rotatably supported on the lower surface of the key top 2, and the guide shaft portions 1c, 1c at the tips of the arm portions 1b, 1b are provided in the pair of interlocking rod support members 3, 3 in the guide groove 4. It is fitted within 4. The interlocking rod support members 3 and 3 are molded separately, and are fitted and fitted in the support member mounting holes 6 and 6 opened in the keyboard frame 5.

In the figure, 7 is a switch operation unit.

The parallel operation device configured as described above has a structure in which the pivot shaft portion 1a of the interlocking rod 1 is moved in parallel regardless of which position of the key top 2 is pressed, whereby the key top 2 is pushed down in parallel.

Further, the interlocking rod 1 can be incorporated at the same time as the operation of setting the key top 2 to the key stem 7a of the switch operation unit 7, so that the guide shaft portion introduction opening is provided at one end of the guide groove 4 of the interlocking rod supporting member 3. 4a is provided, and an inclined insertion guide 4b is provided below the 4a.
1a is supported by a pair of bearings 2a, 2a under the keytop 2, and the arm portions 1b, 1b are hung by its own weight.
The guide shafts 1c, 1c are inserted into the guide shaft portion introduction opening 4a by moving the guide stem 1a downward so as to be fitted to the key stem 7a, and the guide shaft portions 1c and 1c are moved horizontally along the insertion guide 4b to form the guide groove. 4 is to be inserted.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the conventional device as described above, when the guide shaft portion of the interlocking rod is inserted into the guide groove, the arm portion is hung down by its own weight. There is a problem in that there is a design constraint that the opening portion for introducing the shaft portion must be located directly below the bearing portion of the rotating shaft portion with respect to the key top. Especially in the 4x key, the key parallel movement is X
When the two interlocking rods are crossed and used for the purpose of being performed in both directions of the axis and the Y axis, the above-mentioned design restrictions are extremely inconvenient.

Further, if the key top tilts or shakes in the horizontal direction, there is a problem that the arm portion of the interlocking rod tilts at the time of insertion and the guide shaft portion shifts from the guide groove introduction opening portion, resulting in incorrect mounting.

The present invention solves such a conventional problem, ensures accurate mounting of the interlocking rod during assembly, and shifts the relative position between the guide groove introduction opening and the rotating shaft portion as necessary. It is an object of the present invention to provide a key parallel operation device for a key switch that enables design and has less design restrictions.

(Means for Solving the Problem) The key parallel operation device in the key switch of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned conventional problems and achieving the intended purpose is characterized by the rotation shaft portion and the rotation. A pair of arm portions projecting from both ends of the shaft portion in a direction intersecting with the rotating shaft portion and a guide shaft portion projecting from the tip of the arm portion in a direction substantially parallel to the rotating shaft portion are integrated. And a rotating shaft portion of the interlocking rod is rotatably supported by a lower surface of a key for operating a switch, and a guide shaft portion of the interlocking rod is substantially orthogonal to a pushing operation direction of the key. In the key parallel operation device of the key switch that is slidably inserted into the guide groove in the direction
An opening for introducing the guide shaft portion at one end of the guide groove is provided at a position offset from a position right below the rotation shaft bearing position on the lower surface of the key, and the lower surface of the key has the opening portion for introducing the guide shaft portion. A state in which an interlocking rod angle regulating guide for holding the arm portion in a state in which the guide shaft portion is inclined is held, the interlocking rod is supported by the lower surface of the key, and the interlocking rod is inclined and held by the guide. The key is attached so that the guide shaft is introduced into the guide groove.

(Operation) In this key parallel operation device, the rotation shaft portion of the interlocking rod is supported on the lower surface of the key top, and the arm portion is guided along the interlocking rod angle regulating guide, so that the arm portion is maintained at the required inclination angle. . By setting this angle in advance so that the guide shaft portion faces the guide shaft portion introduction opening, the angle of the arm portion that is automatically required when the key top is attached to the key stem can be obtained. Accurate wearing is done.

Also, after mounting, the guide shaft of the interlocking rod moves along the guide groove regardless of which top surface of the key top is pressed, so that the rotating shaft moves in parallel and the angle of the key top is restricted. Are translated.

(Embodiment) Next, an example in which the key parallel operation device of the present invention is applied to a key switch having a quadruple key which is four times as large as a single key will be described with reference to FIGS.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 20 is a keyboard frame formed by punching out a metal plate, 21, 21 ... 21 are switch mounting holes opened in a lattice arrangement in this keyboard frame 20, and 22 are four switch mountings. It is a key top that is four times the size of a single key that straddles the holes 21, 21 ...

The switch operation unit 23 is mounted in one of the four switch mounting holes 21, 21 ... Under the key top 22, and the other three interlocking rod support members 24 are mounted.

The switch operation unit 23 includes a casing 25, a key stem 26 that is vertically movably fitted therein, and has an upper end protruding from the casing upper surface, and a key stem 26 made of an elastic reversal rubber.
And a switch contact 27 which is projected to the lower surface of the casing by pushing the switch. The upper surface of the flexible printed board 28 is pressed by the projection of the switch presser 27, and the movable contact 29 printed with the fixed contact faces the fixed contact. I am trying to connect to 30.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the interlocking rod support member 24 has a substrate 31 having a substantially flat rectangular shape, and the upper surface of the substrate 31 has three sides facing inward along three sides. Direction guide groove
32, 32, 32 are formed by the rising pieces 33, 33, 33 of the mold. Both ends of each of the guide grooves 32 are opened to form an opening portion 34 for introducing the guide shaft portion.

Further, a protruding shaft 36 is provided in the center of the upper surface of the substrate 31.
Further, on one side surface of the substrate 31, vertically arranged fixing projections 37, 38, 38 for sandwiching the upper and lower edges of the switch mounting hole 21 of the keyboard frame 20 are integrally formed, and on the opposite side to this. Elastic claw 39 is integrally provided on one side,
The upper and lower fixing projections 40, 4 formed on the elastic claw 39.
The interlocking rod support member 24 is mounted in the switch mounting hole 21 by fitting the edge portion of the side opposite to the edge portion of the switch mounting hole 21 between 1 and 41.

The interlocking rod support member 24 is provided in the switch mounting hole 21 of the keyboard frame 20.
It is mounted with rattling in a direction parallel to, so that dimensional errors during manufacturing can be absorbed.

The interlocking rod support member 24 configured in this way is the key top 22.
Are attached to the three switch mounting holes 21 below.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG.
Key stem fixing projections 42, 42 are provided at a portion of the lower surface thereof corresponding to the switch operation unit 23, and these are inserted and fixed in fixing holes 42a (shown in FIG. 1) of the top surface of the key stem 26. There is.

In addition, the protruding shaft of each interlocking rod support member 24 on the lower surface of the key top 22
A guide cylinder 43 into which the protruding shaft 36 is inserted is provided at a position facing the 36, and a coil spring 44 (shown in FIG. 2) is fitted to the outside of the guide cylinder 43. The spring 44 and the elastic force of the elastic reversal rubber in the switch operation unit 23 described above urge the key top 22 in the upward direction.

The guide cylinder 43 comes into contact with the upper surface of the interlocking rod support member 24 so that the pressing stroke of the key top 22 is restricted.

The key top 22 and each interlocking rod support member thus mounted
Two interlocking rods 45A and 45B are interposed between the two and 24. Both interlocking rods having the same shape are mounted in directions orthogonal to each other, and one interlocking rod 45A tilts the key top 22 in the X-axis direction (left and right direction in FIG. 1) and the other interlocking rod 45B serves as a key. The inclination of the top 22 in the Y-axis direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1) is controlled. Each of the interlocking rods is a linear rotary shaft portion 46, and a pair of arm portions 47, 47 formed by bending the linear rotary shaft portion 46 at both ends thereof at a right angle,
The tip ends of both arms are formed integrally with each other in a crank shape by guide shaft portions 48, 48, which are bent outward in a direction parallel to the rotation shaft portion 46. As shown in FIG. The pivot shafts 46, 46 of 45A, 45B are intersected at the approximate center of the keytop 22, and both ends of each are bearing on the lower surface of the keytop.
The bearings are rotatably supported by 49, 49 ....

In the bearing 49, as shown in FIG. 8, a receiving portion 51 arranged in a shape is integrally formed on one end of a supporting piece 50, and a fixed shaft 52 having a cross-shaped cross section is integrally formed on the back surface of the supporting piece 50. . Then, the rotary shaft portion 46 of the interlocking rod is fitted in the receiving portion 51, and fixed to the lower surface of the key top by press-fitting the fixed shaft into the fixing hole 53a having a cross-shaped cross section formed in the support protrusion 53 on the lower surface of the key top. Has been done. Then, in the fixed state, the opening of the receiving portion 51 is closed by the stopper piece 54 protrudingly provided on the lower surface of the key top,
The rotating shaft portion 46 is prevented from coming off. Then, as shown in FIG. 10, the opening portion 34 of the guide groove 32 described above is arranged at a position slightly deviated from directly below the rotary shaft portion 46. An interlocking rod angle regulating guide 55 is provided on the lower surface of the key top so as to be adjacent to the bearing 49 of the rotating shaft portion 46. This guide 55 is a hanging piece that is integrally projected from the bottom surface of the key top.
56, and an arm joint portion 57 formed at the tip thereof,
The arm joint portion 57 is provided with a pair of holding pieces 58 that project the arm portion 47 loosely. Then, the rotating shaft portion 46 is replaced by the bearing 51.
The arm portion 47 is sandwiched between the sandwiching pieces 58 in a state of being fitted inside and bearing on the lower surface of the key top.
47 is set to have a predetermined inclination angle.

Note that this interlocking rod angle regulation guide may be an arm joint portion 57 in which the back surface of the arm portion 47 is simply abutted without providing the sandwiching piece 58 as shown in FIG.

When assembling the interlocking rods 45A and 45B, as shown in FIG. 10, before the key top 22 is fitted to the key stem 26, the rotary shaft portion 46 is supported by the bearing 49 and the arm portion 47 is guided.
Follow 55. In this state, the key top 22 and the key stem 26
By facing in a predetermined direction when mating,
The angle regulated by the guide 55 is set in advance so that each guide shaft portion 48 at the tip of each arm portion 47 is positioned at the information of the guide shaft portion introduction opening 34 of the guide groove 32, and the key top 22 The guide shaft portion 48 is introduced into the guide groove 32 from the guide shaft portion introduction opening portion 34 by moving the guide shaft portion in a predetermined direction in a direction to be attached to the key stem 26.

Although the above-mentioned embodiment shows an example in which the interlocking rod is used by intersecting the X-axis and Y-axis directions with respect to the 4-times key, it is also possible to use a long-distance key such as the 2-times key or the 3-times key. Then, it may be implemented by using one interlocking rod only in the longitudinal direction.

(Effect of the Invention) The key parallel operation device in the key switch of the present invention is configured as described above, and the lower surface of the key top is provided with a guide for restricting the angle of the arm portion of the interlocking rod to a predetermined inclination angle required during assembly. As a result, even if the relative position between the guide groove introduction opening and the rotating shaft is shifted, the interlocking rod can be easily installed at the same time as the key top is assembled, and there are few design restrictions. It has become possible to design in various ways. Further, according to the present invention, the interlocking rod can be installed easily and at the same time, it is always carried out in good character, and even if it is automated, erroneous mounting is eliminated and the economical efficiency is remarkably improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 10 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view without a key top, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. The figure is a plan view of the interlocking rod support member,
4 is a sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 3, FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the key top, and FIG.
6 is a sectional view taken along the line D-D in FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a bearing portion of an interlocking rod with respect to a key top, FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of another example of the same portion, and FIG. FIG. 11 is a side view showing the step of incorporating the interlocking rod, FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional front view of a conventional example, and FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional side view of the same. 20 …… Keyboard frame, 21 …… Switch mounting hole, 22
...... Key top, 23 ...... Switch operation unit, 24 ......
Interlocking rod support member, 25 …… Casing, 26 …… Key stem, 27 …… Switch pusher, 28 …… Flexible printed circuit board, 29 …… Movable contact, 30 …… Fixed contact, 31 …… Board, 32 …… Guide Groove, 34 ... Opening part, 36 ... Projection shaft, 42 ...
… Key stem fixing protrusion, 43… Guide tube, 44… Coil spring, 45A, 45B… Interlocking rod, 46… Rotating shaft,
47 …… Arm, 48 …… Guide shaft, 49 …… Bearing, 50 ……
Supporting piece, 51 …… Receiving part, 52 …… Fixed shaft, 53 …… Supporting projection,
54 …… Stopper, 55 …… Interlocking rod angle regulation guide, 56 ……
Drooping piece, 57 …… Arm joint, 58 …… Clamping piece.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A rotating shaft portion, a pair of arm portions projecting from both ends of the rotating shaft portion in a direction intersecting with the rotating shaft portion, and the rotating shaft portion substantially at the tip of the arm portion. The interlocking rod integrally has a guide shaft portion protruding in a parallel direction, and the pivot shaft portion of the interlocking rod is rotatably supported on the lower surface of the switch operating key. In a key parallel operation device of a key switch, wherein a guide shaft portion is slidably inserted into a guide groove in a direction substantially orthogonal to the pushing direction of the key, a guide shaft portion introduction opening portion at one end of the guide groove is provided. Is provided at a position deviated from the position directly below the rotational shaft bearing position on the lower surface of the key, and the lower surface of the key is inclined with the arm portion in the direction in which the guide shaft portion is directed into the guide shaft portion introduction opening. It is equipped with a guide for interlocking rod angle control that holds it in the A key parallel in a key switch characterized in that the guide shaft portion is introduced into the guide groove by mounting the key with the rod supported and the interlocking rod tilted and held by the guide. Operating device.