JPH07146741A - Thin keyboard - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a technical means for thinning a keyboard without making a key stroke small with respect to the thin keyboard suitable for a portable computer. CONSTITUTION:A key 1 is pushed up for the prescribed key stroke S at the time of use, and at the time of carrying the push-up force of the key 1 is released and all the keys are pushed in. As such a push-up means of the key, a magnetic levitating means utilizing the magnetic repulsion of an electromagnet 11 or a permanent magnet can be used. For instance, a rod 15 for a contact point operation provided in the inside of the key 1 is turned to the permanent magnet and the rod 15 passes through a through-hole 12 provided on the center of the coil of the electromagnet 11 and operates a contact point plate 7. As the other example of the key push-up means, a pneumatic floating means utilizing the displacement of a diaphragm and a piston by air pressure can be adopted. The air pressure is generated by operating an air bag and an air piston at the time of standing a display panel.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyboard used as an input device of an electronic computer, and more particularly to a thin keyboard suitable for a portable computer such as a notebook computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 shows a typical key structure of a conventional keyboard, in which a key 1 is mounted movably up and down along a guide 3 projectingly formed on a board 2, and a spring 35 is provided.
It is biased in the protruding direction. On the back side of the key top 4, a rod 5 that also serves as a mounting guide for the spring 35 is integrally formed, and a conductive rubber 6 is mounted on the tip of this rod 5. A contact plate 7 is arranged below the board 2, and two contact patterns 8 and 9 having a shape as shown in FIG. 7 are located in a portion of the contact plate facing the rod 5. When key 1 is pressed down, rod 5 descends,
The conductive rubber 6 at its tip is pressed against the contact patterns 8 and 9 to bring them into conduction, and the pressing operation of the key 1 is electrically detected.

The keyboard having such a structure secures a constant keystroke S and uses the spring 35 as a biasing means for realizing this keystroke, so that the height from the contact plate 7 to the keytop 4 is increased. H becomes large. On the other hand, in a portable computer, there is a strong demand for miniaturization of the device when it is carried, and particularly when the display panel is folded on a keyboard. As a keyboard having a structure that meets the demand for thinning of this device, a keyboard in which the height of keys and the key stroke are reduced by using a touch switch, an embossed sheet, or the like is adopted, for example, in a pocket computer.

[0004]

However, in a structure using a key contact with a small stroke such as a touch switch,
There is a problem that key input is performed just by touching the key top with a finger.For example, when typing, a slight force is applied to the fingertip placed on the home key, resulting in erroneous input. I have a problem. The same can be said for the keyboard having the structure shown in FIG. 6, but if the keystroke S is reduced to make it thinner, the feeling of stroke (pushing down) when the key is operated disappears, so the operator is correct. It becomes difficult to grasp whether or not the key operation has been performed with the sense of the fingertip, and there is a psychological uneasiness in the key operation, which causes a problem that the stress of the operator increases.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to obtain a technical means for reducing the thickness of a keyboard without reducing the key stroke.

[0006]

According to the present invention, when used, the key 1 is pushed up by a predetermined key stroke S, and when carrying, the pushing force of the key 1 is released so that all the keys are pushed in. The above problem is solved by using a possible key pushing means. As the key pushing means, a magnetic levitation means utilizing the magnetic repulsive force of the electromagnet 11 or the permanent magnet 13 or an air pressure levitation means utilizing displacement of the piston 21 or the diaphragm 27 by air pressure can be adopted.

In the structure using the magnetic levitation means by the electromagnet 11 as the key pushing means, the rod 15 for operating the contacts provided inside the key 1 is a permanent magnet, and this rod 1
The contact plate 7 can be operated by passing the through hole 12 provided at the center of the coil of the electromagnet 11.

Further, a permanent magnet 13 is used as a key pushing means.
When using the magnetic levitation means by
As a bar magnet, the permanent magnet 13 is moved when the keyboard is used and when the keyboard is housed so that the magnetic repulsion force and the magnetic attraction force are switched to the rod 15.
At this time, the permanent magnet 13 is conveniently provided with a slide plate 14 in which the NS poles for each key are arranged in a plane. In this case, the NS poles of the respective permanent magnets 13 with respect to the keys 15 of the slide plate 14 are made parallel to each other, and the slide plate 14 is moved by the opening / closing operation of the display panel 31, etc. The positional relationship of the S pole is converted.

When the air levitation means is used as the key pushing means, the rod 25 of each key 1 is connected to the pneumatic piston 2.
1 or a diaphragm 27 to form a closed air chamber 22 on the opposite side of the pneumatic piston 21 or the diaphragm 27.

The air chamber 22 may be one chamber formed between the upper board 2 of the keyboard and the contact plate 7, and an air pressurizing device for supplying air pressure to the air chamber 22 is provided. An air bladder 23 or a pressure piston 29 can be used as the air pressurizing device. The air bladder 23 or the pressure piston 29 is pressed by the standing operation of the display panel 31 when the display panel 31 is stood up, for example. The compressed air is supplied to the air chamber 23 from the air bag 23 and the pressurizing cylinder 28.

[0011]

When the electromagnet 11 is used as the key pushing means, the electromagnet 11 is turned on when the device is turned on during use.
Is energized, the magnetic repulsive force generated at that time causes the key 1 to float, and a predetermined key stroke S is secured. When the mobile phone is carried, the power of the electromagnet 11 is turned off, and the magnetic levitation force disappears, so that the key 1 is pushed down to the lower end, and the thickness of the keyboard when stored can be reduced by the key stroke S.

When the magnetic repulsive force of the permanent magnet 13 is used as the key pushing means, the N pole and the S pole facing the rod 15 of the key, which is a permanent magnet, are exchanged between the N pole and the S pole during use and during carrying. When used, the key 1 is levitated by the magnetic repulsive force, and when carried, the key 1 is lowered by the magnetic attraction force.

The permanent magnet 13 is moved between the magnetic levitation of the key 1 and the magnetic attraction by moving the slide plate 14 on which the permanent magnet 13 is arranged in the arrangement direction of its NS pole. In the case where the movement of the plate 14 is interlocked with the raising and lowering of the display panel 31, when the display panel 31 is opened, the key 1 is raised and the display panel 31
Key 1 is automatically pushed in when is closed.

In the case where the air levitation means is used as the key pushing means, the pressure in the air chamber 22 is increased by the pressurizing operation of the air bag 23 and the pressurizing piston 29, and the pneumatic piston 21 or the diaphragm 27 is displaced upward. Key 1
Push up. On the other hand, by opening or reducing the pressure of the air chamber 22 to atmospheric pressure, the key 1 is pushed down. If the pressurizing operation of the air bladder 23 and the pressurizing piston 29 is interlocked with the stand-up operation of the display panel 31, the up and down of the key 1 are automatically performed in conjunction with the opening and closing of the display panel 31.

[0015]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment in which an electromagnet 11 is used as a key pushing-up means. The key 1 is guided up and down along a guide 3 protruding from the board 2 as in the conventional structure of FIG. 6, and an electromagnet 11 having a vertical through hole 12 is fitted inside the guide 3. Has been done. The rod 15 provided on the back surface of the key top 4 is a permanent magnet, and the direction of the magnetic pole of this permanent magnet 15 and the electromagnet 11
The permanent magnet 15 is repelled when the electromagnet 11 is energized, so that the key 1 is pushed up depending on the direction of the magnetic pole when the electromagnet 11 is energized.

The depression of the key 1 during operation is detected by providing a conductive rubber 6 at the tip of the rod 15 as in the conventional structure shown in FIG. 6, and by pushing down the key 1, the conductive rubber 6 is brought into contact with the contact plate 7. It is possible to adopt a structure in which the upper contact patterns 8 and 9 are pressed against each other to bring them into conduction.

When carrying, the key 1 is lowered by its own weight when the energization of the electromagnet 11 is stopped, and the height of the key top 4 is lowered by the key stroke S, thereby reducing the thickness of the keyboard when carrying. it can. If necessary, it is possible to adopt a structure in which a current in the opposite direction is applied to the electromagnet 11 when carrying the key 1 to positively pull the key 1 to its lowered position.

2 and 3 show a second embodiment in which the permanent magnet 13 is used as the key pushing means. The permanent magnets 13 are arranged at the lower part of each key 1 with the NS pole direction being the front-back direction of the keyboard, and are slightly movable in the front-back direction of the keyboard between the top board 2 and the contact plate 7 of the keyboard. It is attached to the slide plate 14 provided. The plate 14 is biased to the rear side by a subling 16 and has an engagement surface 17 that engages with a projection 32 integral with a display panel 31 pivotally attached to the rear side of the keyboard. Like the conventional structure shown in FIG. 6, the key 1 is provided so as to be vertically movable along a guide 3 projecting from the board 2, and a rod 15 formed of a bar magnet is provided on the back side of the key top 4 thereof. It has been planted. In the illustrated example, the tip side of the rod 15 is an S pole, and when the display panel 31 is erected, the plate 14 moves to the front side, and the S pole of the permanent magnet 13 faces below the rod 15. It has become.

In the use state shown in FIG. 2, the key 1 is levitated by the key stroke S due to the magnetic repulsive force between the S pole at the tip of the rod 15 and the S pole of the permanent magnet 13. The reaction force and the restoring force when the key 1 is pushed down are also given by the magnetic repulsive force of the both S poles.

As shown in FIG. 3, for example, the permanent magnets 13 are arranged with respect to a plurality of keys such that the polarities of the tips of the rods 15 of the keys arranged in the front-back direction of the keyboard (vertical direction in FIG. 3) are alternated and the left and right sides of the keyboard are changed. A bar magnet 13 in which the polarities of the ends of the rods 15 of the keys arranged in the same direction are the same, and the interval between the NS poles between the adjacent rods 15 on the left and right of the keyboard is equal to the key pitch in the front-back direction of the keyboard.
・ ・ The structure is arranged.

With the structure as shown in FIG. 3, the rod 15 of each key receives repulsive force from the magnetic poles of the same polarity of the bar magnets 13 arranged on both sides thereof, and the magnetic repulsive force from the left and right magnets causes the rod 15 to move. The key 1 is levitated by acting symmetrically on the axis of the key. When the key 1 is pushed down, the rod 15 passes between the left and right bar magnets 13 and reaches the contact plate 7 to operate the contacts 8 and 9.

When the display panel 31 is tilted down, the slide plate 14 is moved to the inner side by the urging force of the spring 16, and the bar magnet 1 at the position adjacent to the rod 15 of each key.
The magnetic pole of 3 is reversed. Therefore, each key 1 has its rod 1
The magnetic attraction force of 5 and the bar magnet 13 lowers the thickness of the keyboard when it is carried.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a third embodiment in which the pneumatic piston 21 is used as the key pushing means. An inner surface of the guide 3 protruding from the upper surface of the board 2 is a cylinder, and a pneumatic piston 21 formed at the tip of the rod 25 of the key 1 is airtightly fitted to this cylinder. Thin space 22 between the top board 2 of the keyboard and the contact plate 7
Is an air chamber whose four sides are tightly sealed. An air bag 23 communicates with the air chamber 22.

The air bag 14 is, for example, formed into a thin cylindrical shape and arranged along the back side of the keyboard so that when the display panel is erected, the air bag 14 is crushed by a holding plate or the like provided at the base end of the display panel. The air chamber 22 can be pressurized when the panel is raised. When the air chamber 22 is pressurized, the pneumatic piston 21 provided on the rod 25 of the key rises in the guide 3, and the key 1 rises by a predetermined key stroke S.

During carrying, the display panel is laid down to release the compressive force acting on the air bag 23, and the elastic restoring force of the air bag 23 reduces the air pressure in the air chamber 22. When the display panel is covered above the key 1 in this state, the key 1 is pushed down by the covering force. The air chamber 22 becomes atmospheric pressure in this state.
Leakage of air from the air chamber 22 can be replenished by opening the atmosphere release valve 24 provided in the air bag 23 when the portable device is in a portable state.

FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment in which a diaphragm is used as the key pushing means. In the fourth embodiment, a rubber sheet diaphragm 27 is provided on the lower surface of the upper board 2 of the keyboard provided with a large number of key holes 26.
The conductive rubber 6 is attached to the lower surface of the diaphragm 27 at the center of each key hole 26, and the key 1 is attached to the upper surface of the conductive rubber 6 via the rod 25. A thin space 22 formed between the board 2 to which the diaphragm 27 is attached and the contact plate 7 below the thin space 22 is a single air chamber whose periphery is sealed, and the pressure cylinder 28 communicates with the air chamber 22. Has been done. Pressure piston 29 of pressure cylinder 28
Is urged by the spring 16 in the direction to make the air chamber 22 a negative pressure, and the tip of the rod of the pressurizing piston 29 engages with the projection 32 integral with the display panel 31.
7 is formed, and when the display panel 31 is erected, the pressurizing piston 29 is pushed in.

In the fourth embodiment, the display panel 31 is erected so that the air in the air chamber 22 is pressurized, and the diaphragm 27 is bent upward at each key hole 26, whereby the key 1 is fixed. To raise. Further, by tilting the display panel 31, the pressing piston 29 is pushed out by the urging force of the spring 16,
The pressure of the air chamber 22 is reduced to restore the diaphragm 27, and the key 1 is lowered.

In the fourth embodiment, the air bag 23 shown in the third embodiment can be used as the air pressure source, and conversely, in the structure of the third embodiment, the air bag 23 of the fourth embodiment can be used. A pressure piston 29, which is an air pressure device, can also be used.

[0029]

According to the present invention described above, while the keystroke required for the smooth key operation by the operator is ensured during use, the thickness of the keyboard is the same as that when the keystroke is set to 0 when being carried. Therefore, there is an effect that the thickness of the device when carried can be reduced without causing a problem of operability during use.

Since the key is not forcibly pressed and held by the display panel or the like, there is no problem such as the fatigue of the spring urging the key (permanent deformation due to fatigue). Also, the means for moving the keys up and down between the time of use and the time of carrying is also means for imparting the operation repulsive force and the restoring force of each key at the time of use, so that the structure of the keyboard becomes complicated and the number of parts increases. There is nothing to do.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic partial sectional view of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic partial sectional view of a second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing the arrangement of magnets.

FIG. 4 is a schematic partial sectional view of a third embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic partial sectional view of a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic partial sectional view showing an example of a conventional structure.

FIG. 7 is a partial plan view showing an example of a contact pattern.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 key 11 Electromagnet 13 Permanent magnet 14 Slide plate 21 Pneumatic piston 22 Air chamber 23 Air bag 27 Diaphragm 29 Pressurizing piston 31 Display panel

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An electromagnet (11) is arranged below each key (1) on the keyboard, and the electromagnet (11) is used when the keyboard is used.
A thin keyboard characterized in that the keys are energized in the direction in which the magnetic repulsive force acts on the key (1). 2. Each key (1) on the keyboard is provided with a north or south pole of a permanent magnet at its lower end, and a permanent magnet (13) is horizontal below the key (1) in the direction of the south pole. Oriented and oriented with and without the keyboard
A thin keyboard characterized in that the polarity of a permanent magnet (13) corresponding to the lower end of each key (1) is converted by moving (13) in the direction of the arrangement of its NS pole. 3. The permanent magnet (13) is arranged on the slide plate (14), and the slide plate (14) is interlocked with the up and down movement of the display panel (31). Thin keyboard. 4. Each key (1) on the keyboard has a pneumatic piston (21) at its lower end, and a closed air chamber (22) is formed on the opposite side of the pneumatic piston (21). ,
An air pressurizing device (23, 2 that supplies air pressure to the air chamber (22).
9) A thin keyboard characterized by being provided with. 5. The lower end of each key (1) on the keyboard is connected to the diaphragm (27).
A closed air chamber (22) is formed on the side opposite to the key (27), and an air pressure device for supplying air pressure to the air chamber (22).
A thin keyboard characterized by having (23,29). 6. When the display panel (31) is erected, the air pressurizing device (23, 29) is pushed by the erection operation to supply pressurized air to the air chamber (23). The thin keyboard according to claim 4 or 5.