JPH067127U - Push-button switch - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] The present invention is a push button that is easy to assemble, reduces wrinkles and distortion of the membrane, can prevent frame distortion and warpage, and can withstand long-term use. The purpose is to provide a switch. [Structure] A membrane 14 composed of a lower membrane 11, a spacer 12 and an upper membrane 13 which are sequentially stacked.
And a cutout 12a provided in the spacer in at least one switch region of the membrane, and a first contact provided on the upper surface of the lower membrane and the lower surface of the upper membrane so as to face each other in each cutout. 11a and the second contact 13a, and an embossed portion 15 which is placed on the membrane and projects upward in the switch region.
It includes an embossed sheet 15 having a and a key top 17 supported by a frame 16 so as to be vertically movable above each embossed portion of the embossed sheet, and the frame is provided at a side portion of each switch area. Then, the push button switch 10 is configured to include the partition wall 16b that extends downward and contacts the surface of the embossed sheet.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a structure of a push button switch having a click action, which is used as an input key of a keyboard device, for example.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Conventionally, such a push button switch is constructed as shown in FIG. 3, for example. That is, in FIG. 3, the push button switch 1 includes a first contact 3 provided on the substrate 2 and an insulating sheet 4 placed on the surface of the substrate 2 except for the region of the first contact 3. Further, a flexible pattern 6 placed from above through the spacer 5 and a key top 8 supported above the flexible pattern 6 so as to be vertically movable in the opening 7a of the case 7 are included. I'm out.

The spacer 5 is notched in a peripheral region of the first contact 3, and a metal diaphragm 9 curved upward in a concave shape is fixedly held in the notch 5 a. . The periphery of the diaphragm 9 is electrically insulated from the surface of the substrate 2 by the insulating sheet 4.

Further, the flexible pattern 6 has a second contact 6a at a position facing the first contact 3 on the lower surface thereof, and the second contact 6a is always on the upper surface of the diaphragm 9. It is electrically connected by being in contact with. Further, the key top 8 has a boss portion 8a on its lower surface, which should come into contact with the upper surface of the flexible pattern 6.

According to the push button switch 1 configured as described above, when the upper surface of the key top 8 is pressed by a finger or the like, the boss portion 8 a provided on the lower surface of the key top 8 is interposed via the flexible pattern 6. , The central portion of the diaphragm 9 is pressed downward. As a result, the central portion of the diaphragm 9 is deformed downward, and the lower surface of the central portion of the diaphragm 9 comes into contact with the first contact 3 provided on the substrate 2. .

Therefore, the second contact 6 a provided on the lower surface of the flexible pattern 6 is electrically connected to the first contact 3 on the substrate 2 via the diaphragm 9. And switch on.

At this time, the diaphragm 9 is inverted with a click action when the key top 8 is pressed based on its shape, so that a click feeling can be obtained when the switch is operated. Has become.

[0008]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, in the push-button switch 1 configured as described above, since the diaphragm 9 is made of metal, the diaphragm 9 may be cracked and the feel may be lost after long-term use.

Further, since the spacer 5 is attached to the surface of the substrate 2 with an adhesive or the like, the assembling work is troublesome, and the spacer 5 may be dropped, vibrated or deteriorated due to the adhesive or the like. The spacer 5 floats up from the surface of the substrate 2, and the outer peripheral edge of the diaphragm 9 may enter the gap created by the lift up, which makes it impossible to obtain a click feeling. There was also a problem.

In view of the above points, the present invention has an object to provide a push button switch that is easy to assemble and does not cause the contacts to be short-circuited with each other and can withstand long-term use. I am trying.

[0011]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 According to the present invention, the above object is to provide a membrane comprising a lower membrane, a spacer and an upper membrane, which are sequentially stacked, and a cutout portion provided in the spacer in at least one switch region of the membrane. , A first contact and a second contact respectively provided on the upper surface of the lower membrane and the lower surface of the upper membrane so as to face each other in each notch, and mounted on the membrane and in the switch area, It includes an embossed sheet having an embossed portion projecting upward and a key top supported by a frame so as to be vertically movable above each embossed portion of the embossed sheet. The push-button switch is characterized in that it is provided with a partition wall, which extends downwards and abuts against the surface of the embossed sheet, in the side part. It is.

[0012]

[Action]

 According to the above configuration, when the key top is pressed with fingers or the like during the switch operation, the embossed portion of the embossed sheet is deformed downward with a click feeling by the lower surface of the key top, and the membrane In the switch area, the first contact and the second contact come into contact with each other in the notch formed in the spacer, and at that time, the embossed sheet is pressed against the membrane by the partition wall of the frame. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the embossed sheet and the membrane from being displaced, wrinkles and distortion during operation.

Further, the lower membrane, the spacer, the upper membrane, and the embossed sheet that form the membrane do not need to be fixed with an adhesive or the like, and can be simply placed, so that the assembly work is easy. It is not necessary to use glue printing or double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet, which can reduce the assembly cost, and since the frame can be reinforced by the partition wall, distortion of the frame itself or deformation such as warpage can be prevented. become.

Further, since the metal diaphragm is not used, the diaphragm is not cracked and the durability can be improved by long-term use.

[0015]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a push button switch according to the present invention.

The push button switch 10 is composed of a lower membrane 11, a spacer 12 and an upper membrane 13, which are placed one on top of the other, and has a membrane 14 having at least one switch region and a membrane 14 mounted on the membrane 14. An embossed sheet 15 made of a polyester material having an embossed portion 15a that is placed above and protrudes upward, and an opening 16a of a frame 16 that is vertically movable above each embossed portion 15a of the embossed sheet 15. And a key top 17 supported by.

In each switch region, the membrane 14 is provided with a notch 12 a provided in the spacer 12 and a first contact provided on the upper surface of the lower membrane 11 so as to face each other in each notch 12 a. 11 a and a second contact 13 a provided on the lower surface of the upper membrane 13. The membrane 14 is supported from below by a reinforcing plate 18 for reinforcement and for maintaining its shape.

Further, the frame 16 further includes a partition wall 16 b extending downward and abutting the surface of the embossed sheet 15 at a side portion of each switch region. Further, the key top 17 is provided with a boss portion 17a on its lower surface that should come into contact with the embossed portion 15a of the embossed sheet 15.

The push button switch 10 according to the present invention is constructed as described above, and when assembled, as shown in FIG. 2, the push button switch 10 is first partitioned from the back side of the frame 16 by the partition wall 16b therein. In the switch area, the upper part of the key top 17 is fitted into the opening 16a provided in the frame 16, the embossed sheet 15 and the membrane 14 are arranged from below, and the reinforcing plate 18 is finally covered. The assembly is completed. In this case, since the lower membrane 11, the spacer 12, the upper membrane 13 and the embossed sheet 15 which form the membrane 14 do not need to be fixed to each other with an adhesive or the like, they can be easily assembled.

In the push button switch 10 assembled in this way, when the key top 17 is pushed down with a finger or the like, the boss portion 17 a provided on the lower surface of the key top 17 causes the corresponding embossed portion 15 a of the embossed sheet 15 to come out. It will be pushed. As a result, the embossed portion 15a is deformed downward with a click feeling, and the lower surface thereof presses the switch region of the membrane 14 downward.

Therefore, in the membrane 14, the contact 13 a of the upper membrane 13 is brought into contact with the contact 11 a of the opposing lower membrane 11 in the notch 12 a of the spacer 12. Thus, the first contact 11a and the second contact 13a come into contact with each other, and the switch is turned on.

Here, when a finger or the like is released from the key top 17, the embossed portion 15a of the embossed sheet 15 returns to a state before being pressed (illustrated) based on its inherent elasticity, and thereby, the key is released. The top 17 is moved upward to return to the state before the operation, and the elasticity of the upper membrane 13 causes the second contact 13a of the membrane 14 to separate from the first contact 11a, and thus the switch 14 It will return to the off state.

In the above switch operation, the embossed sheet 15 and the membrane 14 are pressed against the surface of the reinforcing plate 18 by the partition wall 16b of the frame 16 and thus fixed to each other by an adhesive agent or the like. Even if it does not exist, the embossed sheet 15 will not be displaced or distorted with respect to the membrane 14.

[0024]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an extremely excellent push button switch which is easy to assemble and can be used for a long time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an embodiment of a push button switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a keyboard having the push button switch of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of a conventional push button switch.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Push Button Switch 11 Lower Membrane 11a First Contact 12 Spacer 12a Notch 13 Upper Membrane 13a Second Contact 14 Membrane 15 Embossing Sheet 15a Embossing 16 Frame 16a Opening 16b Partition 17 Keytop 17a Boss 18 Reinforcing Plate

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A membrane composed of a lower membrane, a spacer and an upper membrane, which are sequentially stacked, and a cutout portion provided in the spacer in at least one switch region of the membrane, and facing each other in each cutout portion. As described above, the first contact and the second contact respectively provided on the upper surface of the lower membrane and the lower surface of the upper membrane, and the embossed portion that is placed on the membrane and that protrudes upward in the switch region are provided. The embossed sheet has a key top supported by a frame so as to be vertically movable above each embossed portion of the embossed sheet, and the frame extends downward at a side portion of each switch region. A push-button switch, characterized in that it is provided with a partition wall that is in contact with the surface of the embossed sheet.