JPH087703A - Function key switch for moving body - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow a moving body to move to the specified position in a short time with simple operation and eliminate risk of occurrence of malfunction by depressing the first and second key tops simultaneously and permitting them to work independently. CONSTITUTION:When the left key part 1a and right key part 1b of the first key top 1 are pushed, only the first key top 1 inclines with a projection 1f as the fulcrum. This causes a depression boss 1e to depress the head of a corresponding supporting part 4a, and a movable contact 4f is contacted with a stationary contact 5a and a depress signal is emitted. When the upper key part 2a or lower key part 2b of the second key top 2 is pushed. only the key top 2 inclines with projection as the fulcrum. Thereby a depress signal is emitted in the same manner as above, and if the left key part 1a or right key part 1b of the first key top 1 and the upper key part 2a or lower key part 2b of the second key top 2 are pushed simultaneously, the two depress signals are accordingly emitted simultaneously.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a moving body operating key switch used for moving a moving body such as a cursor displayed on a display screen in an electronic device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a word processor, a personal computer or the like, a cursor displayed on a display screen is moved to a desired position by a key switch to input characters or numbers. In addition, in addition to this, in various image terminal devices, data terminal devices for home banking, and multimedia devices such as videophones, a cursor displayed on the display screen is moved to a desired position by a key switch, and then there. There is a device for selecting the data and the like displayed on the screen, and in a video game and the like, an operation of moving a character displayed on the display screen to a desired position by a key switch is performed.

As a key switch for operating a moving body such as a cursor or a character to a desired position, four key tops for instructing the up, down, left and right directions are integrated to integrate the number of parts and the number of parts. There is a structure that reduces the occupied area. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional moving body operating key switch, FIG. 5 is a front view of a key top in the conventional example, and FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of an essential part.

In the figure, reference numeral 10 designates a key top formed in a substantially rhombic shape, which indicates left and right and up and down directions 4 respectively.
One key part 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d is integrated, and each key part 10a, 10b, 1
0c, 10d on the surface showing the left and right and up and down directions L,
Display characters of R, U, D are provided by printing or the like.

On the back side of the key top 10,
Retaining claws 10e having tips protruding outward are provided at respective corners, press bosses 10f are formed so as to correspond to the respective key portions 10a to 10d, and a spherical portion is formed in the central portion. A convex portion 10g is provided. Reference numeral 3 is a housing used for a keyboard of an electronic device, 3a is a recessed key accommodating portion provided at a predetermined position of the housing 3, 3b is a vertical surface of the key accommodating portion 3a, and the retaining claws 10e are provided. Corresponding receiving holes 3c are guide holes provided on the bottom surface of the key receiving portion 3a so as to correspond to the pressing boss 10f, and 3d is a base portion formed at the center of the bottom surface of the key receiving portion 3a. Is a spherical concave portion provided on the upper surface of the key top 10 for preventing the key top 10 from coming off.
The key top is movably fitted into the receiving hole 3b of the housing 3, the pressing boss 10f is passed through the guide hole 3c, and the spherical convex portion 10g is fitted into the concave portion 3d of the housing 3. 10 is housed and mounted in the key housing 3a.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a contact supporting member made of rubber having an elastic body. The contact supporting member 4 has a cup-shaped supporting portion 4a having a thick head portion corresponding to the pressing bosses 10f. The movable contacts 4b are provided inside the respective heads. A printed wiring board 5 is provided with a pair of fixed contacts 5a at positions corresponding to the movable contacts 4b of the printed wiring board 5, and the contact support member 4 is provided on the printed wiring board 5b. The movable contact 4b and the fixed contact 5a are overlapped so as to face each other, and the key top 10 is further provided on the head of each supporting portion 4a of the contact supporting member 4.
The housing 3, the contact supporting member 4, and the printed wiring board 5 are integrally assembled so that the tips of the pressing bosses 10c come into contact with each other.

The operation of the moving body operating key switch having such a configuration will be described. When one of the key portions 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d of the keytop 10 is pressed with a finger or the like, the keytop 10 tilts with the spherical convex portion 10d fitted to the concave portion 3d of the housing 3 as a fulcrum.
The head portion of the supporting portion 4a of the contact supporting member 4 is pushed down by the pushing boss 10f corresponding to the pushing key portion.

As a result, the movable contact 4b supported inside the head of the support portion 4a comes into contact with the corresponding pair of fixed contacts 5a on the printed wiring board 5, and the switch is turned on to output the depression signal. A moving body such as a cursor on a display screen (not shown) moves based on the pressing signal. When a finger or the like is released from the key top 10 to release the pressing force, the supporting portion 4a of the contact point support member 4 is restored by its own elastic force, so that the switch is turned off and the moving body is stopped, and the pressing boss 10f is released. The key top key 10 is returned to its original state by being pushed up as the support portion 4a is restored.

[0009]

However, since the above-described conventional moving body operating key switch is configured to send out only the pressing signal for instructing one of the up, down, left and right directions, the moving body is not operated. When moving the mobile body in an oblique direction, for example, when moving the mobile body to the upper left, the key portion 10a of the key top 10 shown in FIG. 5 is pressed to move the mobile body to the left first, and then the key portion 10c is pressed. Therefore, there is a problem that a procedure of moving the moving body upward is required, and therefore the operation is complicated and it takes time to move to the target position.

Therefore, in order to solve this problem, the key portions 10a and 10c of the key top 10 are simultaneously pressed, or the middle portion of the key portions 10a and 10c is pressed, so that both the left and upper directions are changed. It is conceivable to send out two pressing signals to instruct at the same time and use this as a simultaneous pressing signal to move the moving body to the upper left.
For example, in order to move the moving body to the left, the key unit 1
When the key 0a is pressed, the key top 10 has a structure inclining with the spherical convex portion 10d as a fulcrum as described above. Therefore, depending on how the key is pressed, the key portion 10c is also pressed down, and a malfunction occurs. There is a new problem that it becomes easier.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem. The operation for moving a moving body in an oblique direction is not complicated, and the moving body can be moved to a target position in a short time. An object of the present invention is to realize a key switch for operating a moving body, which does not easily cause a malfunction and does not increase the number of parts or the occupied area.

[0012]

In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a moving body operating key switch for moving a moving body displayed on a display screen of an electronic device.
The left key part and the right key part are connected by a connecting part, and the first key top having columnar pressing bosses formed on the rear surface side of each of the left key part and the right key part, and the upper key part and the lower key part are connected. And the first key tops having columnar push-down bosses formed on the respective back surfaces of the upper key portion and the lower key portion are overlapped with each other at their connecting portions so as to form a cross, and the overlapping surface thereof. A spherical convex portion is formed on one side and a spherical concave portion is formed on the other side, and the convex portion and the concave portion are slidably fitted to accommodate the first key top and the second key top. As described above, a concave key storage portion provided in the housing and a spherical convex portion is formed on one of the lower connecting portions of the two connecting portions, and a spherical concave portion is formed on the other connecting portion. The recess is slidably fitted and the guide hole provided in the key storage A contact support member that penetrates each pressing boss and has an elastic supporting portion corresponding to each pressing boss and supports a contact on the back surface of each supporting portion is a fixed contact so as to correspond to each contact. The contact points and the fixed contacts are stacked on the printed wiring board on which the pressing contacts are opposed to each other, and the pressing bosses are brought into contact with the surfaces of the contact supporting portions.

[0013]

According to the present invention having such a structure, when the left key portion or the right key portion of the first keytop is pressed, only the first keytop tilts with the convex portion provided at the connecting portion as a fulcrum. As a result, the pressing boss provided on the back surface of the left key part or the right key part pushes down the corresponding supporting part, so that the movable contact supported by this supporting part comes into contact with the fixed contact and a pressing signal is output, When the upper key part or the lower key part of the second key top is pressed, only the second key top tilts with the convex part provided at the connecting part as a fulcrum, whereby the back surface of the upper key part or the lower key part is tilted. Since the press boss provided pushes down the corresponding support part, the movable contact supported by this support part comes into contact with the fixed contact to output the press signal, and further the left key part or the right key of the first key top Part and second key top Pressing the up key portion or the down key unit simultaneously, it two pressing signal in response to the output simultaneously.

Therefore, according to this, the moving body can be moved diagonally by pressing the first key top and the second key top at the same time, so that the moving body can be moved to the target position in a short time by a simple operation. At the same time, the first key top and the second key top operate independently of each other, so that a malfunction does not easily occur when the moving body is moved in any of the left, right, up, and down directions, and the first key top is And the second key top are combined to form a cross, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of parts and the occupied area.

[0015]

Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of a key switch for operating a moving body according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of a key top in the same embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of an essential part. In the figure, 1 is a first key top, and this first key top 1 connects the left key portion 1a and the right key portion 1b with a connecting portion 1c that forms the same plane as these, and each key portion 1a, Characters L and R indicating the direction of movement are provided on the surface of 1b by printing or the like, and retaining claws 1d having tips protruding outward are formed on both sides, respectively, and the left key portion 1a and the right key portion are formed. A columnar push-down boss 1e is formed on the back surface of the portion 1b, and a spherical convex portion 1f is provided on the back surface of the central portion of the connecting portion 1c.

Reference numeral 2 is a second key top. In this second key top 2, the upper key portion 2a and the lower key portion 2b are made lower than these by the thickness of the connecting portion 1c of the first key top. Each of the key portions 2 is connected by the connecting portion 2c.
Characters U and D indicating the movement direction are provided on the surfaces of a and 2b by printing or the like, and retaining stopper claws 2d having tips protruding outward are formed on both sides, and the left key portion 2a and A columnar pressing boss 2e is formed on the back surface of the right key portion 2b, and a spherical concave portion 2f is provided on the central surface of the connecting portion 1c, and a spherical convex portion 2g is provided on the back surface. It has a structure.

Reference numeral 3 is a housing, 4 is a contact support member, and 5 is a printed wiring board, which are conventional and have the same construction. That is, the housing 3 is provided with the key receiving portion 3a, the receiving hole 3b, the guide hole 3c, and the recess 3d in the same manner as the conventional one. Further, the contact supporting member 4 is provided with a supporting portion 4a like the conventional one,
The movable contact 4b is supported inside the head of each support portion 4a, and the printed wiring board is provided with a fixed contact 5a as in the conventional case.

These components are assembled as follows. First, the tips of the two retaining claws 2b of the second key top 2 are movably fitted into the corresponding receiving holes 3b of the housing 3, and the two pressing bosses 2c are passed through the corresponding guide holes 3c. , Connecting part 2c
The second key top 2 is fitted into the key receiving portion 3a by slidably fitting the spherical convex portion 2g provided on the back surface of the above into the spherical concave portion 3d provided in the key receiving portion 3a of the housing 3. Store and install.

Further, the first key top 1 is movably fitted in the receiving holes 3b of the corresponding housing 3 so that the tips of the two retaining claws 1b are oriented in a cross shape with the second key top 2. Then, the two pressing bosses 1c are respectively penetrated into the corresponding guide holes 3c, and the connecting portion 1c is superposed on the connecting portion 2c of the second key top 2, so that the spherical convex portions 1f and concave portions 2f are formed. Is slidably fitted to be housed and mounted in the key housing portion 3a.

As a result, the first key top 1 and the second key top 2 are prevented from coming off by the respective retaining claws 1b and 2b, and are prevented from falling out of the key accommodating portion 3a, and at the same time, they are prevented from coming off. Since the spherical convex portions 1f and 2g are held so as to be able to operate in a seesaw shape as fulcrums, the contact support member 4 is superposed on the printed wiring board 5b so that the movable contacts 4b and the fixed contacts 5a face each other. , And contact support material 4
Of the housing 3, the contact support member 4, and the printed wiring board 5 so that the tips of the pressing bosses 1e and 2e of the first key top 1 and the second key top 2 come into contact with the heads of the respective support portions 4a. Assemble together.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. First, in the case of moving a moving object displayed on a display screen (not shown), for example, to the left, pressing the left key portion 1a of the first key top 1 with a finger or the like causes the first key top 1 to , The left key portion 1a is lowered with the spherical convex portion 1f provided on the back surface of the connecting portion 1c as a fulcrum, and the right key portion 1b is tilted so as to be lifted and is provided on the back surface of the left key portion 1a. The boss 1e pushes down the head of the corresponding supporting portion 4a of the contact supporting member 4.

As a result, the movable contact 4b supported inside the head of the support portion 4a comes into contact with the corresponding pair of fixed contacts 5a on the printed wiring board 5, and the switch is turned on to output the depression signal. Therefore, the moving body on the display screen moves to the left based on the pressing signal. When the left key portion 1a is pressed, the convex portion 1 provided on the back surface of the connecting portion 1c
Since f slides according to the spherical shape of the concave portion 2f provided on the surface of the connecting portion 2c of the second key top 2, the second key top 2 does not operate at all, and thus the second key top 2 is not moved. No pressing signal corresponding to the key portion 2a or the lower key portion 2b is transmitted.

When the pressing force is released by releasing the finger or the like from the left key portion 1a, the supporting portion 4a of the contact point supporting member 4 is restored by its own elastic force, so that the movable contact point 4b is separated from the fixed contact point 5a, thereby causing the switch. The first key top 1 is returned to its original state by turning off and stopping the moving body, and pushing down the pushing boss 1f as the supporting portion 4a is restored.

When moving the moving body in the upward direction, if the upper key portion 2a of the second key top 1 is pressed with a finger or the like, the second key top 2 will have the back surface of its connecting portion 2c. The upper key portion 2a with the spherical convex portion 2g provided on the
And the lower key portion 2b is tilted so that the lower key portion 2b floats up, and the push boss 1e provided on the back surface of the upper key portion 2a.
Pushes down the head of the corresponding support portion 4a of the contact support member 4.

As a result, the movable contact 4b supported inside the head of the support portion 4a comes into contact with the corresponding pair of fixed contacts 5a on the printed wiring board 5, and the switch is turned on to output the depression signal. Therefore, the moving body on the display screen moves upward based on the pressing signal. When the upper key portion 1a is pressed, the concave portion 2f and the convex portion 2g respectively provided on the front and back surfaces of the connecting portion 1c are attached to the housing 3 of the concave portion 2f provided on the rear surface of the connecting portion 2c of the first keytop 2. The first key top 1 does not operate at all because it slides according to the spherical shape of the provided recess, and therefore the first key top 1
No pressing signal corresponding to the left key portion 1a or the right key portion 1b is transmitted.

When the pressing force is released by releasing the finger or the like from the upper key portion 2a, the second key top 1 is released in the same manner as in the case of the first key top 1.
Key top 2 of is returned to the original. When moving the moving body to the right or left, the right key portion 1 of the first key top 1
When the key b or the lower key portion 2b of the second key top 1 is pressed, a pressing signal corresponding to that is output in the same manner as described above,
The moving body moves to the right or left.

On the other hand, when the moving body is moved to the upper left, when the left key portion 1a of the first key top 1 and the upper key portion 1a of the second key top 2 are simultaneously pressed with a finger or the like,
The key top 1 of FIG. 2 has the left key portion 1a lowered with the spherical convex portion 1f provided on the back surface of the connecting portion 1c as a fulcrum, and the right key portion 1b is tilted so as to be lifted to the back surface of the left key portion 1a. The pressing boss 1e provided crushes the supporting portion 4a of the contact supporting member 4, and at the same time, the second key top 2
Is a spherical convex portion 2g provided on the back surface of the connecting portion 2c.
The upper key portion 2a lowers with the fulcrum as a fulcrum, and the lower key portion 2a
When the b is tilted so as to float, the pressing boss 1e provided on the back surface of the upper key portion 2a pushes down the head of the corresponding support portion 4a of the contact point support member 4.

As a result, the movable contacts 4b supported inside the heads of the respective support portions 4a come into contact with the corresponding pair of fixed contacts 5a on the printed wiring board 5, and the two switches are simultaneously turned on. Since the pressing signal is output, the moving body on the display screen moves in the upper left direction based on the pressing signal. When moving the mobile body in the upper right direction, the right key portion 1b of the first key top 1 and the upper key portion 2a of the second key top 2 are simultaneously pressed with a finger or the like to move the mobile body in the lower left direction. In this case, the left key portion 1a of the first key top 1 and the lower key portion 2b of the second key top 2 are simultaneously pressed with a finger or the like, and when the moving body is further moved in the lower right direction, When the right key portion 1b of the key top 1 and the lower key portion 1b of the second key top 2 are simultaneously pressed with a finger or the like, the moving body moves in the respective pointing directions in the same manner as described above.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the connecting portion 1c of the first key top 1 is superposed on the connecting portion 2c of the second key top 2, but the structure may be reversed. . Further, the connecting portion 1c of the first keytop 1, the connecting portion 2c of the second keytop 2, and the key accommodating portion 3a of the housing 3
The convex portions 1f and 2g and the concave portions 1f and 3d respectively provided on the
The position of providing may be reversed.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, the left key portion and the right key portion are connected by the connecting portion, and the columnar pressing bosses are formed on the back surfaces of the left key portion and the right key portion, respectively. And the first keytop in which the upper key portion and the lower key portion are connected by the connecting portion and the columnar pressing bosses are formed on the back surfaces of the upper key portion and the lower key portion, respectively. And a spherical convex portion is formed on one of the overlapping surfaces and a spherical concave portion is formed on the other side, and the convex portion and the concave portion are slidably fitted to each other. One key top and the second key top are provided in the housing so as to accommodate the concave key storage portion, and one of the lower connecting portions of the two connecting portions has a spherical convex portion on the other side. A spherical recess is formed on the and the projection and the recess are slidably fitted together. At the same time, a contact support is provided in which the pressing bosses penetrate through the guide holes provided in the key storage portion, and elastic supporting portions are provided so as to correspond to the pressing bosses to support contacts on the back surface of each supporting portion. The members are stacked on a printed wiring board on which fixed contacts are formed so as to correspond to the contacts so that the contacts and the fixed contacts face each other, and the pressing bosses are brought into contact with the surfaces of the contact support parts. It is made to have a configuration.

Thus, according to the present invention, since the moving body can be moved in an oblique direction by simultaneously pressing the first key top and the second key top, the moving body can be moved to the target position in a short time by a simple operation. Since the first key top and the second key top operate independently while being movable, malfunction does not easily occur even when the moving body is moved in any of the left, right, up, and down directions. Since the top and the second key top are combined so as to form a cross, it is possible to obtain an effect that an increase in the number of parts and an occupied area can be suppressed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the key top in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a main part in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a key top in a conventional example.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of a main part in a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 first key top 1a left key part 1b right key part 2 second key top 2a upper key part 2b lower key part, 1c, 2c connecting parts 1d, 2d retaining hooks 1e, 2e pressing bosses 1f, 2g convex Part 2f Recess 3 Housing 3a Key accommodating part 3b Receiving hole 3c Guide hole 3d Recess 4 Contact support 4a Support 4b Movable contact 5 Printed wiring board 5a Fixed contact

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a moving body operating key switch for moving a moving body displayed on a display screen of an electronic device, a left key section and a right key section are connected by a connecting section, and each of the left key section and the right key section is connected. A first key top having a columnar pressing boss formed on the back surface, the upper key portion and the lower key portion are connected by a connecting portion, and a columnar pressing boss is formed on the rear surface side of each of the upper key portion and the lower key portion. The first key top and the above-mentioned first key top are overlapped with each other in a connecting portion so as to form a cross, and a spherical convex portion is formed on one of the overlapping surfaces and a spherical concave portion is formed on the other, and the convex portion is formed. The recessed part is slidably fitted, and the recessed key storage part provided in the housing so as to house the first key top and the second key top, and the lower part of the both connecting parts. A spherical convex part on one side of the connecting part and a spherical surface on the other side A concave portion is formed, and the convex portion and the concave portion are slidably fitted together, and the pressing bosses are passed through the guide holes provided in the key storage portion so as to correspond to the pressing bosses. Contact supporting members, each having a supporting portion having elasticity and supporting a contact on the back surface of each supporting portion, have a fixed contact formed on the printed wiring board so as to correspond to each contact. A key switch for operating a moving body, characterized in that the pressing bosses are brought into contact with the surfaces of the contact supporting portions while being stacked as described above. 2. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein each of the first key top and the second key top is provided with a retaining hook, and a key receiving portion of the housing is provided with a receiving hole. A key switch for operating a moving body, characterized in that the operating claw is movably fitted.