JPH09259697A - Switching seat structure for electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a switching seat structure for an electronic equipment which improves sealability, clearness of display and operability with mass production inexpensive, by superposing a first layer, formed with a plurality of keys in a surface of a seat formed of elastic material having a display layer in the surface, on a second layer, having a switching structure, formed into a unit. SOLUTION: A seat switch having a dome switch in a position opposed to a contact medium 114 is arranged between a seat key 151, formed with a plurality of transparent contact media 114 in a surface of a seat 112 formed of elastic material having a display layer in the surface, and an electronic circuit layer 156, a switching layer 157 is constituted, a switching seat structure is obtained. When the contact media 114 elastically supported to the seat 112 are pressed down, the seat key 151, actuates a dome switch in a position opposed to the pressed down contact media 114. In this way, a switching seat structure, improving sealability, cleaness of display and operability farther with high mass productivity, for an electronic equipment is obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a switching seat structure for electronic equipment. More specifically, the present invention relates to a switching sheet structure of an electronic device having a sheet elastically displaced in the normal direction.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Operation buttons suitable for hermeticity are known and used in washing machines. In the waterproof operation button, since the finger operation part is partially joined to the surface of the seat, no gap is formed between the seat and the finger operation part.

Such operation buttons are manufactured as shown in FIG. That is, polyester sheet 0
It was produced by dropping a fixed amount of the polyester melt onto the sample 1 with a drip device 02 to form an island-shaped portion 03 that rises on the sheet surface due to the viscosity and surface tension of the molten polyester. In such an operation button, the position of the raised portion 03 serving as a finger contact body is inaccurate, and mass productivity is extremely poor.

Due to the widespread use of computer-related equipment and communication-related equipment, extremely low cost of the input operation section such as a control panel is required. On the other hand, due to the high precision of electronic components, the sealing property is required to prevent even one electron from entering.

Therefore, the method shown in FIG. 49 has considerably evolved, and more rational production methods have been studied worldwide. Such operating buttons are known from a myriad of patent publications, such as US Pat. No. 4,775,574. The basic concept of these operation buttons is that the cone-shaped part that is pressed and clicks is formed integrally with the finger contact body, and the cone-shaped part is adhered to the casing of the control device or the plate made of a hard material. is there.

However, in such an operation button, since the casing and the conical portion are incompletely joined, the operation button is poorly adhered and even peeled off. Therefore, the present inventor has solved a technique of combining a hard key portion (finger contact portion) and a hard engineering plastic casing into a conical portion formed of an elastomer by injection molding,
We have completed a completely sealed operation button that does not allow even one electron to pass through.

The fusion bonding of the elastomer and engineering plastics developed by the present inventor by injection molding is carried out by the material manufacturer, elf atom of France.
As demonstrated by electron micrographs taken by researchers at em, it has a joint structure, which is the entanglement of fibrous bodies with a width of several microns showing a complicated nested structure (mathematically, a renormalized assembly). are doing.

[0008] With such a production technology, the operation buttons of the control panel of the portable electronic equipment such as the portable telephone are being manufactured all over the world, but the explosive of the personal computer and the personal portable equipment is explosive. With the spread, ultimate cost reduction is required. It is required to complete a technology for assembling a large group of keys by combining the accurate shape formation of injection molding and the mass productivity for the ultimate cost reduction of the movable part of the key operation. Further, it is desired to reduce the cost of the switching structure including the electronic board portion.

[0009]

The present invention has been made based on such a technical background, and achieves the following objects.

An object of the present invention is to provide a switching sheet structure for electronic equipment in which the switching structure is multilayered in order to reduce the mass production cost to the utmost.

The object of the present invention is to provide hermeticity, display clarity,
An object of the present invention is to provide a switching sheet structure for multilayer electronic devices that satisfies operability and is inexpensive to mass produce.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of assembling a key sheet or a sheet key, which makes the mass production as low as possible by unitizing a key group, which is a group of keys that are finger contact portions. .

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a switching sheet structure for an electronic device which can be handled at a low cost before being incorporated into the main body of the electronic device.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a switching sheet structure for electronic equipment which satisfies the hermeticity, the luminous efficiency, and the operability, is extremely inexpensive in mass production, and is easy to handle during the intermediate steps. .

Still another object of the present invention is to achieve the ultimate cost reduction of the deformed portion at the time of key operation by using the accurate shape-imparting property of injection molding, and to realize the mass production by satisfying the sealing property, the luminous property and the operability. Ultimately, it is to provide a switching sheet structure for electronic devices which is inexpensive and easy to handle during the process.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a switching sheet structure for electronic equipment which achieves the above-mentioned object including the assembly of a switching structure and an electronic board portion.

[0017]

The present invention employs the following means in order to solve the above problems.

A switching structure of an electronic device according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises a first layer formed of a key group including a plurality of keys,
The switching structure includes a second layer disposed on the back side of the first layer and a third layer disposed on the back side of the second layer and having a plurality of switching structures for performing switching at a plurality of positions. Has a deformable deformable portion.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a switching structure for an electronic device according to the first aspect, wherein the first layer and the second layer are one.
They are embodied and share sheets.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a switching structure for an electronic device according to the second aspect, wherein the sheet is joined to a main body casing of the electronic device, and a plurality of key holes are formed in a lattice shape in the main body casing. , The plurality of keys are respectively inserted into the plurality of key holes.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a switching structure of an electronic device, wherein the deformed portion is deformed and a dead point is passed in a deformation process of restoring.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the electronic device switching structure according to the second aspect, wherein operating portions for operating the switching structure are formed on a back surface of the sheet at a plurality of positions corresponding to the deformed portions.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a switching structure for an electronic device according to the fifth aspect, wherein the operating portion is formed in a protrusion shape.

In the switching structure for an electronic device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the front side space of the seat and the back side space thereof are separated by the seat.

According to a switching structure of an electronic device of the present invention 8, in the invention 1, the first layer is made of a resin in a branch shape and is partially independently deformed.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device switching structure according to the first aspect, wherein an electric circuit layer is formed on a back surface side of the sheet.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a switching structure of an electronic device according to the ninth aspect, wherein the electric circuit layer is sealed by the second sheet.

The electronic device switching structure according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention is the same as the second aspect, wherein the sheet is formed of a polyester film.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned invention, and more specifically, can include the following modes. The displaced portion may be formed as a convex surface that is convex in the normal direction.
The sheet may be joined to the electronic device casing to separate the spaces on the front and back sides thereof. The switching structure of the electronic device can be assembled by the following assembling method. Positioning the sheet and inserting it into the mold,
A step of joining a key group including a plurality of keys to a single sheet of the sheet in the mold, wherein the plurality of keys of the partial group of the key group are joined so as to be displaceable from each other, and the key group is formed by the step. Then, the first sheet is assembled. The sheet can be formed from a first sheet and a second sheet.
Both sheets may be integrated and joined.

The method further includes the step of printing a display layer on the first sheet, the step of forming a cavity with the mold and the first sheet, and the step of injecting a resin into the cavity. Furthermore, the method further includes a step of inserting the key group into the mold, and a step of sandwiching the first sheet between the heating body and the key group included in the mold, and the key group is formed by the heat of the heating body. The first sheet layer can be joined.

Furthermore, the method further includes the step of forming an uneven surface on the first sheet, and the step of cutting a single sheet of the first sheet into unit groups of the key group. The method further includes the steps of inserting the electronic device into a main body casing and joining the first sheet to the main body casing. Furthermore, a step of joining a second sheet having a plurality of portions displaced in the normal direction to one surface side of the first sheet can be inserted.

The first sheet is inserted into the main body casing of an electronic device, the first sheet is joined to the main body casing, and the second sheet having a plurality of portions displaced in the normal direction is inserted into the main body casing. The method may further include a step of joining the second sheet to the main body casing. A step of joining the second sheet to the circuit board in the main body casing of the electronic device may be added.

The key sheet or sheet key according to the present invention is a switching sheet or a part thereof and comprises a first sheet layer forming a single side. Keys, that is, a group of keys having a large number of keys, are joined to a sheet by injection molding and molded. The key sheet has a single surface on which keys are formed and joined. The key groups on the sheet that are positioned and joined to the body casing of the electronic device are respectively positioned at predetermined positions of the body casing. In this case, the finger contact portion located in the lattice of the main body casing is accurately positioned with respect to the lattice so that malfunction does not occur, which is suitable for mass production.

A sheet pressed with a finger from the top surface has a section line forming a kind of catenary (the concave surface is a surface obtained by rotating the catenary about an axis). Therefore,
The pressed portion of the sheet, which is pushed by a large force and displaced small (short) in the normal direction, returns to its original position with a very large force at the moment when the pushing force of the finger disappears. In this respect, the click feeling is naturally obtained.

The single sheets can be joined to the body casing without being divided. Further, the single sheet may be divided and joined to the main body casing.

As the deformation / displacement portion required for key operation, a sheet is used which is elastically deformed even in the normal direction. The elastic deformation in the normal direction is due to the elastic deformation of the member supporting the sheet, rather than the elastic deformation of the sheet itself. That is, a material is selected for the sheet so that the catenary theory can be met. For example, a polyester sheet.

A sheet or film formed of such a material does not extend in the tangential direction, which is elastically displaced in the above sense, even if it is slight in the normal direction. It is known from the theory of catenary lines that the deformation force of a sheet in the normal direction of a line whose both ends are fixed or a surface whose periphery is fixed is very large even if the amount of deformation is small. Such a property assures the physical feeling that the key has been reliably operated and also ensures the restoration. By assembling the seat and the resin key, the key sheet or seat key assembly is ultimately made cheaper.

The key sheet further forms two layers with the switch sheet which is the second sheet. When the key sheet and the switch sheet are joined, the closed perimeter surrounding the joined portion seals the closed portion of the switch sheet. The switch sheet includes a conductive portion that forms a switching portion. The conductive parts are formed at a plurality of positions to form a switch group. Each switch positionally corresponds to a part of each key which is an element of a key group formed on the key sheet.

Each switch, which is an element of the switch group, is a deformable body which has a top dead center or a bottom dead center and is deformable in the normal direction. This deformable body forms a convex portion formed by forming a thin metal plate into a bowl shape. Many convex portions can be formed on a single metal plate. Such deformation of the convex body gives a click feeling. A conductive portion is formed on the lower surface side of such a convex body. Switching is performed by the displacement of the conductive portion in the normal direction.

If the first sheet has a click feeling, the second sheet does not need a click feeling. If the second sheet has a click feeling, the first sheet does not need a click feeling.

The circuit board layer comprises three layers of a key sheet and a switching sheet. When the switch sheet and the circuit layer are joined together, the closed perimeter surrounding the joined part is
Sealing the closed portion of the circuit layer. Such three thin layers are fixed to the casing body of the electronic device. Electrode layers are formed on the front surface side of the circuit board layer and the back surface side of the second sheet, respectively.

The circuit layer is sealed at a necessary portion with a single key sheet or a single switch sheet. Such a seal prevents the transmission of one electron. That is, the generation of the drift current is completely prevented (not the charging is prevented). This can prevent the failure of the hard part, which is an electronic circuit. The three-layer structure in which the three layers are in close contact with each other ensures the hermeticity, and at the same time, is formed thin so that mass productivity can be extremely increased.

[0043]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, an embodiment of a seat key or key sheet of the present invention will be described. Although the expressions “sheet key” and the expression “key sheet” are synonymous with each other, they function as keys when they are installed in a casing of an electronic device, and thus sheet keys are more suitable than key sheets. . However, before being incorporated in the casing of an electronic device, a key sheet is more suitable than a sheet key.

The present invention comprises a layered structure. The switching structure of the electronic device of the present invention has two layers, three layers, and four layers.
Layered. Sheets can be used for the first layer and the second layer. In this case, the first layer is formed as a key sheet, the second layer is formed as a transmission sheet layer that transmits a switching force, the third layer is formed as a switching layer, and the fourth layer is formed as a circuit layer. Hereinafter, each layer will be described. (Embodiment 1 of key sheet) Figs. 1 (a), 1 (b),
(C) and FIG. 2 show the key sheet 111 having the above meaning. The key sheet 111 forms the first sheet layer. The key sheet 111 is composed of a single sheet 112 forming a single surface and a key layer 113. The key layer 113 includes a finger contact body 114 that is a plurality of keys arranged at a plurality of positions. The plurality of finger contacts 114 form a key group.

The key group forms the key layer 113. The key is also called a button. The finger contact body 114 is a molded body molded in a mold, and in particular, an injection molded body molded by injection molding in an injection molding mold. The sheet 112 and the key layer 113 are joined or adhered by a joining means described later.

The finger contact body 114 is a transparent body or a semi-transparent body, that is, a light transmitting body formed of a light transmitting material in view of the positional relationship with the display layer described later. Finger contact body 1 that constitutes a key group
14 is a Chinese character such as “hold”, “off”, “1”, “2”,
, Such as numbers such as "9" and "0" are arranged at positions corresponding to the displayed positions.

In this embodiment, each finger contact 114 is
It is arranged on the upper surface side (front side) of the display layer. Key layer 11
3 are joined to a single surface of the sheet 112 in a group. The key layer 113 shown in FIG. 2 forms a key group including all keys necessary for one electronic device, for example, a mobile phone.
The key group in this case is a unit group and is a single sheet 11
It is formed into one group every two.

A plurality of finger contact bodies 114 forming a key group
Are arranged in an island shape between the lattice planes 115. The lattice surface is a partial surface of the unit surface of the key sheet 111, excluding the joint surface where the finger contact body 114 is joined to the sheet 112. The finger contact body 114 integrally has a collar portion 116 on the lower side (inner side).

The collar 116 is closed and makes one round. Depending on the shape of the finger contact body 114, the circumferential portion thus making one round is deformed into a square ring shape, a circular ring shape, or an elliptical ring shape.
The sheet 112 is thin but strong and is formed into a sheet shape by a material that can be slightly deformed in the normal direction, and is, for example, a polyester film or a polyester thin film.

Such a film or thin film having a large tensile strength and being hard to break is mass-produced by many manufacturers and commercially available at a very low cost. The thickness of such a film is 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm.

The sheet 112 and the finger contact body 1 shown in FIG.
14 has a flat lower end surface. On the other hand, the sheet 112 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C.
The finger contact body 114 and the finger contact body 114 each have a lower end surface formed into a convex surface. The convex surface shown in FIG. 1B is locally formed in the approximate center of the finger contact body 114. FIG.
The convex surface shown in (c) is entirely formed as the lower surface of the finger contact body 114.

FIG. 3 shows the sheet 112. The sheet 112 is composed of a sheet base layer 117 forming a single base surface and a display layer 118 bonded to the sheet base layer 117 and having a function displayed at a plurality of positions. The display layer 118 is the key layer 11
3 (not shown) and the back surface side of the sheet base layer 117. In this case, the key layer 113 is light transmissive.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the seat 112. The sheet 112 includes a sheet base layer 117. The sheet base layer 117 includes a front side sheet base layer 117A and a back side sheet base layer 117B. The display layer 118 is
It is formed between the front sheet base layer 117A and the back sheet base layer 117B. The front sheet base layer 117A and the back sheet base layer 117B are light transmissive.

The display layer 118 includes a plurality of types of display layers forming the same surface. Front side sheet base layer 11 in area a
The ground color ink 119 is formed on one surface of 7A so as to form a ground color layer.
a is attached. On the same surface of the front side sheet base layer 117a in the region b, display color ink 119b different from the ground color is attached in order to display functions such as characters and symbols.

No ink is attached to the surfaces other than the line portions which are the characters. Alternatively, a semi-transparent ink different from the color of the display color ink is attached to the surface other than the line portion which is the character, that is, the blank surface. These inks are used for the front side sheet base layer 117A and the back side sheet base layer 117B.
When the front side sheet base layer 117A and the back side sheet base layer 117B are heated, the front side sheet base layer 117A and the back side sheet base layer 117B are bonded via the ink. Easy ink.

The single surface of the sheet may be uneven. In this case, the finger contact body 114 is joined to the single-sided convex surface. As will be described later in the embodiment of the manufacturing method, the flat sheet is thermally deformed into the uneven surface by the hot press. The polyester film is also suitable as the sheet of the present invention in that it is easily deformed by heat and has excellent shape stability after heat deformation.

(First Embodiment of Assembling Method of Key Sheet) FIGS. 5A, 5B and 6 show a first embodiment of an assembling method according to the present invention for assembling the above-mentioned key sheet. The assembly of Embodiment 1 is performed in a mold by injection molding. FIG. 5 shows the first step of assembly, that is, the inserting step of inserting the sheet 112. The mold device comprises a stationary mold element 121 and a movable mold element 122.

The sheet 112 shown in FIG. 4 is positioned and inserted into the stationary mold element 121. The positioning means at the time of this insertion is a plurality of positioning pins 123 which are vertically erected on the fixed side mold element 121 side. A plurality of positioning holes 124 of the sheet 112 shown in FIG. 2 are inserted into the positioning pins 123.

A cavity group 125 is formed by the mold and the sheet 112 in the mold closed state. In this case, sheet 1
A group of cavities 125 is formed by 12 and the movable side mold element 122. The cavity group 125 corresponds to the key group or the key layer 113. Cavity group 125
Is connected to a molten resin supply source (not shown) via a gate 126, a runner, and a spool.

In the molding method shown in FIG. 5A, the gate is on the side of the cavity 125, that is, the cavity is between the sheet 112 and the gate. In contrast, FIG.
In the molding method shown in (b), the gate is on the sheet 112 side, that is, the gate communicates with the cavity through the opening formed in the sheet 112. In addition, the finger contact bodies formed by the molding method shown in FIG. 5B are connected to each other.

FIG. 6 shows an injection step of injecting a molten resin. As a molten resin, various engineering
Plastic can be used. A hard resin such as vinyl chloride or a soft resin such as an elastomer can be used.

The molten resin injected into the cavity 125 is heated by itself, and the front side sheet base layer 117A of the sheet 112 is heated.
Slightly melts the surface layer of the
Adhere to. After the mold is opened, the sheet with keys, that is, the key sheet 111 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be taken out from the mold device. Sheet 112 and key group or key layer 1
The joining with 13 can also be performed by hot pressing.

Second Embodiment of Key Sheet FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show a second embodiment of the key sheet 111 according to the present invention.
Is shown. The key sheet 111 is composed of a single sheet 112 forming a single surface and a key layer 113. The key layer 113 includes a plurality of finger contact bodies 114 arranged at a plurality of positions. The plurality of finger contacts 114 form a key group. The key group forms the key layer 113.

The finger contact body 114 is a molded body molded in a mold, and in particular, an injection molded body molded by injection molding in an injection molding mold. The sheet 112 and the key layer 113 are
It is joined or adhered by the joining means described later. The finger contact body 114 is a transparent body or a semitransparent body, that is, a light transmission body formed of a light transmission material, in view of a positional relationship with a display layer described later.

As described in the first embodiment, the finger contact bodies 114 forming the key group are arranged at the positions corresponding to the positions where the display layer is displayed. The plurality of finger contact bodies 114 that form the key group are arranged in an island shape between the lattice planes 115. The lattice surface is a partial surface of the unit surface of the key sheet 111, excluding the joint surface where the finger contact body 114 is joined to the sheet 112.

The finger contact body 114 has the collar portion 1 on the lower side (inner side).
16 are integrated. The collar 116 is closed and makes one round. Depending on the shape of the finger contact body 114,
The circumferential portion is transformed into a square ring shape, a circular ring shape, or an elliptical ring shape. The sheet 112 is thin but strong and is formed into a sheet shape by a material that can be slightly deformed in the normal direction, and is, for example, a polyester film or a polyester thin film.

Such a film or thin film having a high tensile strength and being hard to break is mass-produced by many manufacturers and is commercially available at a very low price. The thickness of such a film is 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a plurality of finger contact bodies 114 are integrated. For example, the integrated three finger contact bodies 114 form a partial key group 131. The partial key group 131 forms a partial group of the key group 113 which is a key layer. The key group 113 is a unit group.

As shown in FIG. 8, the three finger contact bodies 114 are connected and integrated by one collar portion 132. As shown in FIG. 9, the collar portion 132 has a positioning protrusion 133. The positioning protrusion 133 has a collar portion 1.
It projects downward from 32 (to the back side). Positioning holes 134 are formed in the sheet 112 corresponding to the positioning protrusions 133. Such a subgroup key 131
A plurality of the above-mentioned bodies form a key group 113.

Second Embodiment of Key Sheet Assembling Method FIG. 10 shows a second embodiment of the key sheet assembling method according to the present invention. The assembly of the first embodiment is carried out in the mold by injection molding, but the assembly of the second embodiment of the method for assembling the key sheet is carried out by the thermocompression bonding means and assembled in the mold. Is the same as. As the key group 113 according to the second embodiment, the partial key group 131 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 7 is used.

The mold device comprises a stationary mold element 141 and a movable mold element 142. A plurality of thermocompression bonding means 143 corresponding to the partial key group 131 is attached to the movable side element 142.
Is attached. In the thermocompression bonding means 143,
Built-in heat source. The lower end surface of the heat-pressure joining means 143 has a flat heat-pressure plane 144, and heat is supplied to the heat-pressure plane 144.

The first step of assembling is the first inserting step in which the already molded partial key group 131 is inserted into the fixed side mold element 141. The fixed-side mold element 141 includes a finger contact body 114.
The necessary number of fitting holes 145 for fitting the holes are provided. The second step of assembly is a second insertion step in which the sheet 112 is positioned by the partial key group 131 and inserted into the mold so that the positioning holes 134 of the sheet 112 shown in FIG. 7 enter the positioning protrusions 133. is there.

In the third step, the mold is closed and the thermocompression bonding means 14 is used.
3 is a step of pressing the sheet 3 to the back surface side (upper surface side in the figure) of the sheet 112. The heat supplied to the hot pressing surface 144 of the hot pressing joining means 143 is transmitted in the sheet 112 and reaches the contact surface on the front surface side of the sheet 112 through the back surface side of the finger contact body 114 constituting the partial key group. , Sheet 112 and finger contact 114
Both materials on the contact surfaces of the two slightly melt and heat weld.

In this case, the sheet 112 and the finger contact body 114
If both materials are the same material, for example, polyester, the joining force by heat welding is sufficient. Mold open sheet 112
The key sheet 111 shown in FIG. 7 is produced by taking out the assembly.

(First Embodiment of Assembly of Sheet Key) FIG.
1 shows Embodiment 1 of a seat key 151 in which a key sheet of the present invention is incorporated in a main body casing of an electronic device. The key sheet 151 is the key sheet shown in FIG. 2 or the key sheet shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 11 does not distinguish which key sheet is the key sheet.

The outer casing 152 of the main body casing or the control panel main body is formed in a lattice. The space between the grids is a grid-shaped hole (or key hole) 153. Key hole 15
3, a part of the finger contact body 114 of the sheet key 151 is fitted. The upper surface of the finger contact body 114 is outside the outer surface (upper surface) of the main body casing 152.

The sheet (included in the first layer) 112 is attached to the main body casing 152. Sheet 11
The four peripheral portions of 2 are press-fitted and joined to the back surface of the main body casing 152 by a press-fitting spacer 154. Press-fitting spacer 154 and step wall portion 155 of main body casing 152
An electronic circuit board or an electronic circuit layer 156 including an electronic circuit is sandwiched between and, and is firmly attached to the main body casing 152.

A switching layer (second layer) 157 is provided between the sheet key 151 and the electronic circuit layer 156. The switching layer 157 includes a switch operating body. The switch operating body is called a tact switch and is a deformable body that restores to its original shape when it is dented when pressed.Various types of metal, resin, etc. are known and commercially available, and are also called dome switches. There is something.

The switching layer 157 further includes contact elements. This contact element is integrally fixed to the deformed portion of the switch operating body and can be displaced in the normal direction. The electronic circuit layer 156 includes a switching element that electrically switches according to the displacement of the contact element.

The switching layer 157 is also called a sheet switch. Such a sheet switch is formed of a substrate layer and a movable layer that is joined to the front side of the substrate layer and includes a switching member that is movable in the normal direction of the sheet.

When the finger contact body 114 is pushed from the upper surface, the sheet 112 is slightly deformed into a curved shape, that is, slightly curved so as to be convex inward. The lower end surface of the finger contact body 114 presses the switching layer 157 through the sheet 112 that is deformed in this way. The switching layer 157 is wholly or locally deformed or displaced inward, and the displacement force of this displacement causes switching in the electronic circuit layer 156.

In the second embodiment, from the outside to the inside, a group of keys or a key layer, a sheet layer, a sheet switch layer
Four layers are formed in the order of the electronic circuit layers. Any of the layers can be thinly formed to form a thin control device as a whole. In other words, it can be expressed as follows. The switching sheet according to the second embodiment includes a key sheet layer and a sheet substrate layer, the key sheet layer includes a key layer and a sheet layer, and the sheet substrate layer includes a switch layer and a circuit layer.

(Second Embodiment of Assembly of Sheet Key) FIG.
2 shows Embodiment 2 of the seat key 151 in which the key sheet of the present invention is incorporated in the main body casing of an electronic device. The sheet key 151 is a modification of the key sheet shown in FIG. 2 or the key sheet shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 12 does not distinguish which key sheet is used.

The main casing 152 is formed in a lattice. There are key holes 153 between the lattices. Key hole 15
3, a part of the finger contact body 114 of the key sheet 151 is fitted. The upper surface of the finger contact body 114 is outside the outer surface (upper surface) of the main body casing 152. Sheet 1
12A is deformed in an uneven shape.

On the upper surface of the sheet convex portion 161, the finger contact body 114
Are joined. The sheet 112A has a welded portion 16
2 are joined to the inner surface of the main body casing 152 in a grid pattern. A portion between the welded portion 162 and the sheet convex portion 161 is a conical portion 163 having a conical shape. Conical part 1
63 is closed in a ring shape on a cross section (a plane orthogonal to FIG. 12 and including a lateral line in the drawing) taken along a horizontal plane.

The conical portion 163 has a body casing 15
Not bound to 2. Therefore, each finger contact body 11
4 is independently fixed to the main body casing 152. Such joining of the main body casings 152 and 112A is performed by heat welding means. The description of the well-known welding method will be omitted.

According to the second embodiment, the finger contact body 114
When is pressed, the conical portion 163 performs a click operation. The point that the switch layer and the circuit layer are provided below the seat key 151 is exactly the same as that of the first embodiment of the seat key assembly described above.

(Embodiment 1 of key switch sheet)
FIG. 13 shows Embodiment 1 of the key switch sheet. The key switch sheet consists of four layers. Four
As described above, the layers are the key group or the key layer 181 (the key layer 113 described above), the sheet layer 182, the sheet switch layer 183 (the switching layer 157 described above), the electronic circuit layer 184 (the electronic circuit layer 156 described above). 4 layers.

The sheet switch layer 183 includes a switch operating body. The switch operating body is, for example, the tact switch 185 described above, and the sheet switch layer 1
It is embedded in 83. The embedded body is a rubber-like elastic body. For example, the sheet switch layer 183 is an elastomer sheet body, and the tact switch 185 is embedded in such a sheet body. A switching element 186 that performs electrical switching is embedded and included.

(Second Embodiment of Key Switch Sheet)
FIG. 14 shows a second embodiment of the key switch sheet. The key switch sheet is composed of four layers, and the four layers are the key group or four layers of the key layer 181, the sheet layer 182, the sheet switch layer 183, and the electronic circuit layer 184, which is the same as the first embodiment. .

The sheet switch layer 183 includes a switch operating body, and the switch operating body is, for example, the tact switch 185 and is embedded in the sheet switch layer 183, and the embedded body is an elastomer sheet substrate.
The electronic circuit layer 184 is also similar to the first embodiment in that the switching element 186 that performs electrical switching is embedded and included. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the four layers of the key layer 181, the sheet layer 182, the sheet switch layer 183, and the electronic circuit layer 184 are integrally bonded to each other on the front and back surfaces thereof, respectively. It is that you are. According to this embodiment, the sealing efficiency is good, and the assembly work efficiency is improved by taking the assembly sequence of inserting the four-layer assembly into the main body casing.

(Third Embodiment of Sheet Key Assembly) FIG.
5 shows Embodiment 3 of the assembly of the seat key.
The seat 112 has a conical portion 163 and a convex portion 16 of the seat.
1 is formed, and the welded portion 162 is joined to the inner surface of the main body casing 152 in a grid pattern, which is the same as the second embodiment of the key sheet assembly shown in FIG.

The third embodiment is different from the above-described embodiments in that the front and back layers of the sheet 112 and the finger contact body 114 on the front and back sides are reversed. That is, the sheet 112 is on the front side and the finger contact body 114 is on the back side.
The finger contact body 114 is joined to the back surface of the sheet convex portion 161. In this case, the finger contact body 114 indirectly contacts the finger via the sheet 112. A pressing portion 187 for pressing the sheet switch layer 183 is formed on the back surface side of the finger contact body 114.

(Third Embodiment of Key Sheet Assembling Method) Next, a third embodiment of the key sheet and an assembling method thereof according to the present invention will be described. 16 to 18 show a third embodiment of the key sheet assembling method of the present invention. FIG. 16 shows the first step. 1 shows a sheet 2 (corresponding to the sheet 112 of the first exemplary embodiment of a key sheet) that is closely placed on a printing table 1 having a smooth surface.

The preferred material for sheet 2 is polyester. Mass-produced products can be used as the polyester film. The polyester film is excellent in elastic displaceability in the normal direction, and is also excellent in repeatability in the normal direction. Sheet 2 forms the first layer.

The display portion or the display layer 3 is provided on the surface of the sheet 2.
(Corresponding to the display layer 118 of Embodiment 1 of the key sheet) is formed. The display layer 3 forms the second layer. Display layer 3
Are formed by printing technology. The printing can be performed by various known printing techniques such as screen printing and hot stamping. The printing ink used is one that easily adheres tightly to the polyester film, but the adhesion does not have to be strong.

The formation of such two layers does not have to be performed by thermal transfer printing, which increases costs. According to the print, the characters,
There is an advantage that colorful shapes and symbols can be formed at high speed and at low cost. FIG. 17 shows the second step. The second step is a step of deforming the printed sheet of the intermediate product produced in the first step by the deforming die device 4. The mold device 4 is a kind of press molding machine. The mold element has a suitable temperature. The polyester sheet 2 is naturally deformed by heat to have an uneven shape, and is formed into the uneven sheet 5.

On the uneven sheet 5, a plurality of convex portions 6 are formed in an island shape or a lattice shape. The display layer 3 is transferred to the surface of the convex portion 6. In some cases, the printing portion may be left in a portion other than the convex portion 6. Due to the formation of the convex portion 6 as described above, the inclined surface portion 7 that surrounds the convex portion 6 and closes itself to make a round
Are formed. The sloped portion 7 may be slightly thinner than the convex portion 6 and the reference portion 8, but may have a uniform thickness over the entire uneven sheet 5.

FIG. 18 shows the third step. In the injection-molding die device 11, the print-deformed uneven sheet 5 produced in the second step is inserted. A plurality of cavities 12 are formed by the injection molding die device 11 and the uneven sheet 5. The display layer 3 is the cavity 1
Within 2. An injection mold element (upper mold) 13 is provided with a plurality of or a single injection port 14, a spool (see FIG. 6) running continuously and vertically and horizontally to the injection port 14, a runner 15, and a large number of gates 16 at its tip. There is.

The molten resin material is injected and injected from the gate 16 into the cavity 12. The molten material is light transmissive after cooling and solidifying. A hard material or a soft material can be used as the molten material. When a finger contact portion (also called a hard key) is formed of a hard material, acrylic resin, ABS resin, polycarbon, or the like is used. Ink materials having good adhesion to these materials include polyurethane, polyester, and polyether.

The molten material in the cavity 12 covers the display layer 3 to melt and bond only a part of the surface layer of the convex portion 6. The molten material and the convex portion 6 are not fused to each other, but only need a joining force. Even if the molten material and the convex portion 6 are not completely in close contact with each other, the hermeticity is completely guaranteed by the sheet 2.

FIG. 19 shows a key sheet manufactured according to the third embodiment of the key sheet assembling method. When the inclined surface portion 7 is pressed in the normal direction and the pressing force disappears, the deforming force has a bottom dead center due to its shape. Convex part 6
A so-called click feeling is generated while is pressed and the slope portion 7 is deformed and restored.

The area where the finger contact portion 21 (corresponding to the finger contact body 114 of the first embodiment of the key sheet) contacts the convex portion 6 is smaller than the maximum cross-sectional area of the sloped portion 7 of the convex portion 6. For example, if the cross section of the finger contact part 21 and the cross section of the slope portion 7 are circular, the diameter of the circle on the cross section of the finger contact portion 21 is smaller than the diameter of the circle on the cross section of the slope portion 7. This condition is for generation of a click feeling.

In such an electronic device operation button (key sheet), the seat portion is joined to the body casing of the electronic device. The joining method is thermal welding. An ultrasonic wave means is generally known as the heat welding means. The sheet 2 is welded in a lattice pattern on the back surface side of the lattice-shaped electronic device body forming holes corresponding to the finger contact portions one by one. FIG.
Shows a molding die device when the sheet 2 is not provided with an uneven shape. This mold apparatus for molding has a cavity 1
2, the spool runner 15 and the multiple gates 16 are the same as those in the third embodiment.

(Fourth Embodiment of Method of Assembling Key Sheet) FIG. 21 shows a fourth embodiment of the method of assembling the operation button (key sheet) for electronic equipment of the present invention. The key sheet assembling method is different from that of the third embodiment in the arrangement of the spool / runner 15 in the injection molding die apparatus 31.
FIG. 22 shows a final finished product injection-molded by using the injection-molding die device 31. A plurality of rows of runner equivalent parts 33 are branched from a common runner / spool equivalent part 32.

The runner / spool-corresponding portion 32 and the runner-corresponding portion 33 are arranged on a plane parallel to the reference plane in which the cavities 12 corresponding to the finger contact portions 21 are arranged.
The individual runner equivalent part 34 that further branches on the surface,
It is connected to the runner equivalent part 33. The individual runner-equivalent portion 34 corresponds to each finger contact portion 21.
Connected to

A part of the runner / spool-corresponding portion 32 is formed as a light introducing enlarged portion 35. The runner / spool equivalent part 32, the runner equivalent part 33 and the individual runner equivalent part 34 are not deleted after molding.
The finger contact portion 21, the runner / spool equivalent portion 32, the runner equivalent portion 33, and the individual runner equivalent portion 34 are made of the same transparent resin.

The light emitted from the light emitting diode is introduced into the light introduction expanding portion 35. For the light introduced into the light introduction expanding portion 35, the runner / spool equivalent portion 32, the runner equivalent portion 33, and the individual runner equivalent portion 34 are waveguides. The light introduced into the light introduction expanding portion 35 reaches the finger contact portion 21 and illuminates the display layer 3 formed on the back surface side of the finger contact portion 21.

The button-equipped sheets (key sheets) produced in the third and fourth embodiments are directly traded.
Such a sheet with buttons is sent to a molding factory for the casing of the electronic device body. Handling in the distribution process is simple. Even when the buttoned seat and the electronic device body casing are produced in the same factory, the handling in the same factory is easy. In the fourth embodiment, the step of removing the runner portion can be omitted, and the number of light sources can be one.

23 (a), (b), and (c) are modifications of the shape, positional relationship, working relationship, etc. of the sheet 2 (corresponding to the sheet 112) and the finger contact portion 21 (corresponding to the finger contact body 114). An example is shown. 23A, the annular region of the sheet 2 around the finger contact portion 21 is thermally deformed to be thinly formed,
A modification in which the click feeling of the finger contact portion 21 when displaced in the normal direction is promoted is shown.

In FIG. 23 (b), a hole 41 is provided in the sheet 2 corresponding to the position of the finger contact portion 21, and this hole 41 is used as a gate. From such a gate, a transparent resin for finger contact portion is formed. The modification of the molding method in which the hole 41 is filled with a transparent material after injection and injection molding is shown.

Such molding is performed by the mold device shown in FIG. The hole 41 is connected to a gate 45 provided in the mold element 43 on the back surface side of the sheet 2. The molding material is injected into the cavity 12 through the gate 45 and the hole 41. The finger contact portion 21 formed by such a forming method
Has a mechanically increased binding force to the sheet 2. FIG. 23C shows a modified example in which the polyester sheet 2 is deformed by thermal deformation to improve the click feeling.
The sheet according to this modification can be formed by hot pressing.

FIG. 25 shows the finger contact portion 21 on the print display portion 3.
Shows a sheet aggregate 51 integrated by injection molding. The sheet 2 (corresponding to the sheet 112) including the unit group 55 (corresponding to the key group 113) is virtually divided vertically and horizontally. The sheet aggregate 51 is an aggregate of the sheets 2 which are a plurality of unit groups arranged vertically and horizontally. Each unit group is a group in which the print display layer 3 (corresponding to the display layer 118) of the same form is formed and has the same shape.

The sheet assembly 51 is used after being separated and cut into unit groups shown in FIG. This sheet assembly 5
It is possible to carry out hot press molding for imparting an uneven shape to No. The sheet aggregate 51 can be traded in such a form. The finger contact portion 21 may be formed in the separated unit group or partial group.

FIG. 27 shows a method of welding the unit group 55 shown in FIG. 26 to the electronic equipment casing 62 by the die unit 61. The casing outer frame 62, the lattice-shaped frame 63 hung over the casing outer frame 62, and a part of the unit group 55 are sandwiched by the opposing mold elements of the mold device 61 that is closed. A part 56 of the unit group 55 is sandwiched between the casing outer frame 62, the lattice upper frame 63 and one mold element.

A part 56 of the unit group sandwiched in this way
A welding device such as an ultrasonic device 57 is installed in the mold device so as to face the above. The combination of the casing and the sheet is not limited to such means. This combination is not the subject of the present invention and will not be described further.

(Embodiment 3 of the key switch sheet)
28 and 29 show Embodiment 3 of the key switch sheet according to the present invention. The key sheet 111 is
Single sheet 212 and key layer 213 forming a single side
It is composed of The key layer 213 includes a plurality of finger contact bodies 214 arranged at a plurality of positions. The plurality of finger contacts 214 form a key group.

The finger contact body 214 is a molded body molded in a mold, and in particular, an injection molded body molded by injection molding in an injection molding mold. The finger contact body 214 is a transparent body or a semi-transparent body, that is, a light transmitting body formed of a light transmitting material in view of a positional relationship with a display layer described later.

In this embodiment, the display layer is the finger contact body 2.
It is formed on the front side of 14 by stamping during printing or injection molding. The key layers 213 are bonded to a single surface of the sheet 212 in a group. A plurality of finger contact bodies 21 forming a key group
4 are arranged in an island shape between the lattice planes 215. The lattice plane is a partial plane of the unit surface of the key sheet 111, excluding the joint surface where the finger contact body 214 is joined to the sheet 212.
The finger contact body 214 has a collar portion 216 integrally on the lower side (inner side).

The collar portion 216 is closed and makes one round. Depending on the shape of the finger contact body 214, the peripheral portion that makes one round in this way is deformed into a square ring shape, a circular ring shape, or an elliptical ring shape.
The sheet 212 is thin but strong, and is formed into a sheet shape by a material that can be slightly deformed in the normal direction, and is, for example, a polyester film or a polyester thin film.

The finger contact body 214 has a key convex portion 214a as a lower body. The key convex portion 214a is the sheet 2
It is fitted in 12 and protrudes inward from the back surface of the sheet 212. The seat 212 is joined to the inner surface of the outer casing 152. The sheet 212 has a break 264.
Are formed. The presence of the break 264 indicates that the sheet 21
2 facilitates displacement in the normal direction, but the sheet 212
The sealed structure between the front and back of is lost.

The key switch sheet consists of four layers. The four layers are a key group or a key layer 281, a sheet layer 18
2, the sheet switch layer 183, and the electronic circuit layer 184. The sheet switch layer 183 includes a switch operating body. The operating body for this switch is the tact switch 1
85, which is embedded in the sheet switch layer 183. A rubber-like elastic body can be used as the embedded body.

The sheet switch layer 183 is an elastomer sheet body, and the tact switch 185 which is an element of the switch group is buried in such a sheet body. A switching element (not shown) that performs electrical switching is also embedded and included.

FIG. 30 shows a modification of the key sheet used for the key switch sheet. The seat 212 is
Sheet base layer 217 and sheet base layer 2 forming a single base surface
Display layer 218 joined to 17 and displaying functions at a plurality of positions
Consists of The display layer 218 is formed on the back surface side of the key layer 217. In this case, the key layer 213 is light transmissive. The finger contact body 214, which is an element of the key group forming the key layer 213, is integrally formed with the back surface side portion 311.

The back surface side portion 311 is integrally connected to the finger contact body 214 via the connection portion 312. Connection part 3
12 passes through the sheet base layer 217 and the display layer 218. The back surface (inner surface) of the back surface side portion 311 is formed as a convex surface. Such a sheet key is provided on the back side portion 3
Regardless of the presence of 11, the display layer 218 can be formed on the back surface of the finger contact body 214.

31 (a) and 31 (b) show a method of manufacturing or assembling the seat key shown in FIG. A sheet including a sheet base layer 217 and a display layer 218 is inserted into the lower mold 313. Lower mold 313 and upper mold 31
4 and the sheet form a cavity 315 corresponding to a member including the finger contact body 214, the connecting portion 312, and the back surface side portion 311. An upper gate 316 and a lower gate 317 are provided on both molds.

The molten resin of the same material injected from both gates 316 and 317 is mixed through the cavity portion corresponding to the connection portion 312, and the finger contact body 214, the connection portion 312 and the back surface side portion 311 are integrated. And is molded,
The seat key is assembled. The lower gate 317 in FIG. 31A and the lower gate 317 in FIG. 31B are different in position.

FIG. 32 shows a finger contact body 21 shown in FIG.
4 shows a modified example of a key group in which the flanges 216 of each of the two bodies of No. 4 are connected by a connecting branch 318. The connecting branch 318 can be formed simultaneously with the injection molding of FIG. 31 by deforming the molding die 314 of FIG. Such connecting branch 318 is shown in FIGS.
It can be deformed as shown in FIG. FIG. 33 shows a modification in which three bodies 214 arranged at the positions of the three vertices of a triangle are connected by branching branches 319 extending in the axially symmetric radial direction. FIG. 34 shows a branch branch 3 that extends in an axially symmetric radial direction from four bodies 214 arranged at the positions of the four vertices of a quadrangle.
21 shows a modification in which the connection is made by 21.

The connection by such a branching branch facilitates an assembling method in which a key group is injection-molded as a sub-group and then joined to the sheet with an adhesive for each sub-group.

(Embodiment 4 of the key switch sheet)
FIG. 35 shows Embodiment 4 of the key switch sheet. The key switch sheet consists of four layers,
It is not different from the key switch sheet according to the third embodiment. Key layer 281, sheet layer 282, sheet switch layer 18
3 and four points of the electronic circuit layer 184 are the same as in the first embodiment.

The sheet switch layer 183 includes a switch operating body, and this switch operating body is, for example, the tact switch 185 and is embedded in the sheet switch layer 183, and the embedded body is an elastomer sheet substrate.
The electronic circuit layer 184 is also similar to the first embodiment in that the switching element 186 that performs electrical switching is embedded and included.

That is, the key switch sheet is composed of four layers. The four layers are the key layer 281, the sheet layer 182, the sheet switch layer 183, and the electronic circuit layer 184.
The seat layer 182 is closely bonded to the back surface of the outer casing 152. Finger contact body 214 and sheet layer 182
And are closely joined. Therefore, the inside of the outer casing 152 is blocked and sealed from the outside by the key layer 281.

The sheet switch layer 183 includes a switch operating body. The switch operating body is the tact switch 185. The tact switch 185 has convex portions 351 formed on a plurality of portions of a thin metal plate, that is, a sheet-shaped metal plate. A hole 352 is partially formed to facilitate the deformation of the convex portion 351.

An insulating sheet 353 is bonded to the back surface of the sheet switch layer 183. The back surface side of the insulating sheet 353 is joined to the electrode layer 354. The electrode layer 354 is
The surface layer of the electronic circuit layer 184 is formed. Insulation sheet 3
53 is formed in a grid shape, and windows 355 are formed in an island shape between the grids. The movable electrode 356 looking into the window 355 is
It is joined to the back surface of the convex portion 351.

The movable electrode 356 can be made of a conductive resin. The electrode layer 354 includes fixed side electrodes 354 a, b, c, ... Which extend vertically and horizontally on the upper surface side of the electronic circuit layer 184.
・ Is formed. The movable side electrode 356 is the fixed side electrode 3
54a and the fixed side electrode 354b can be electrically connected.

FIG. 36 shows a modification of the fourth embodiment of the key switch sheet. This modification is the fourth embodiment.
The only difference is that the metal sheet that is the sheet switch layer 183 is a rubber elastic elastomer sheet 361.
Is covered by the upper surface side. Elastomer
The sheet 361 is tightly bonded to the front side surface of the insulating sheet 353. The elastomeric sheet 361 can insulate the inner space inside it from the outer space.

(Other Embodiment of Assembly of Case and Key Sheet) FIG. 37 shows another embodiment of the assembly of case and key sheet. The key sheet 111 shown in FIG. 1 is
Case part 41 forming a part of main body casing 152
Is bound to 1. As shown in FIG. 38, the housing portion 411 has a claw portion 412 around it. Case part 4
Reference numeral 11 is fitted and attached to the main body 413 of the body casing 152 via the claw portions 412 so as to be fitted therein. The housing portion 411 is mass-produced by injection molding independently of the main body 413.

(Fifth Embodiment of Key Switch Sheet)
FIG. 39 shows the first embodiment. Casing body 1 for portable / desktop electronic devices, machine tool control panels, etc.
52 is usually injection molded by various engineering plastics. The casing body 152 is
A circuit board substrate 512 is included. The substrate 512 is fixed to the casing body 152 with bolts 513. When such fixing is performed, a bonding agent for filling the gap, especially a sealing adhesive is interposed on the bonding surface between the supporting portion 514 supporting the substrate 512 and the substrate 512.

An electrode layer 515 is formed on the upper surface side (the upper surface side is referred to as an outer surface and the lower surface side is referred to as an inner surface) of a substrate 512 having an electronic circuit therein. A tact switch 516 is fixed to the upper surface of the substrate 512 so as not to interfere with the electrode layer 515. Multiple tact switches 516
Form an operating layer 517. The plurality of tact switches 516 are arranged substantially on the same plane. As the tact switch 516, a very small one has been recently developed and put on the market, and various forms are available.

The illustrated tact switch 516 is composed of a substantially ring-shaped peripheral body 518 and a substantially bowl-shaped, dome-shaped concave body 519. The peripheral edge of the concave body 519 is concentrically inserted into the surrounding body 518. The peripheral body 518 and the concave body 519 are made of metal, but the concave body 519 is thinly formed. The concave body 519 is convex upward.

The apex portion of the concave body 519 is deformed in the normal direction (the direction orthogonal to the apex surface), but is self-restorable. Such deformation / restoration can withstand millions of operations. A conductor 511 is fixed to the inner surface of the concave body 9. As the conductor 511 descends, the cut ends 513 and 515 of the electrode layer 5 are connected.

A sheet layer 520 is provided on the upper surface side of the operation layer 517.
Are arranged and provided. The sheet layer 520 is composed of sheets 521 made of various engineering plastics. Polyester, vinyl chloride, polyurethane, etc. are suitable as such resins,
It is about 0.2 mm, and it is preferably thinner than 0.2 mm. Such products are inexpensively supplied in large quantities as sheets or films by many manufacturers.

The sheet 521 can also be made of metal. The sheet 521 shown in FIG. 39 is shown as being made of metal. On the metal sheet 521,
The protruding portions 522 are formed at a plurality of positions. Protrusion 52
2 is downwardly convex. The sheet 521 is press-molded. The peripheral portion of the seat 521 is supported by the casing body 152.

The peripheral portion of the sheet 521 can be directly supported by the substrate 2 (not shown). Support 52 for supporting the peripheral portion of the sheet 521 on the casing body 152
3 are provided on the upper and lower sides. Support 523 and sheet 5
21 and the casing body 152, the casing body 15
The space inside 2 is divided into an outer space 524 and an inner space 525.

The inner space 525 is completely surrounded by the support 523, the sheet 521, the casing body 152 and the substrate 512. With such an enclosure, the inner space 525
Is electrically insulated from the external space and is sealed against dust and water. That is, the inner space 525 is the seat layer 5
Circuit board layer including 20 and board 512 and casing body 1
It is surrounded by 52 and.

A finger contact layer 531 is provided on the upper side of the sheet layer 520.
Are arranged and provided. The finger contact layer 531 is composed of a plurality of finger contact portions 532. Finger contact part 53
2 is a part called a button, a key, or the like. The plurality of finger contact portions 532 form a unit group.

The whole sheet layer 520 as a set of unit groups
Is configured. Adjacent finger contact portions 532 are joined by a thin joining branch 533. Coupling branch 533
Is made of a flexible and durable material such as PP. The edge portion 534 which is a part of the connecting branch 533 is
It is fixed to the casing body 1 via a support member 535.

The finger contact portion 532, the connecting branch 533 and the edge portion 534 are integrally formed by injection molding. Such unit groups can be connected by a similar branch member (not shown). One finger contact portion 532 of the unit group
Is supported by a cantilever, is displaceable inward and outward, and is elastically supported by the casing body 1 by the elasticity of the material.

Individual finger contact portion 53 for direct finger contact
The upper half of 2 projects upward (outward) from the lattice-shaped holes 537 formed in the casing body 1. Hole 53
A gap having an appropriate width is provided between the finger 7 and the finger contact portion 532. The external space 524 is connected to the atmosphere outside the casing body 1.

The finger contact portion 532, which is pressed by the finger and displaced inward, has the protruding portion 5 corresponding to the position of the finger contact portion 532.
The sheet 521 at the position where 22 is formed is pressed downward. The sheet 521 deforms based on the catenary theory. That is, the protruding portion 522 is displaced in the direction of the normal line of the sheet layer 520. The apex portion of the concave surface member 519 pressed by the protruding portion 522 is displaced inward and deformed. A conductor 511, which is displaced inwardly in the same body as the concave surface member 519, connects the electrode layer 515.

A large number of sets of switching members each of which is composed of the concave surface member 519 and the conductor 511 are arranged at different positions and operate individually. That is, the motion layer 517 is a set of motion parts that individually move. A plurality of concave face bodies 519
Etc. even when combined with a single sheet (not shown),
The displacement movements are substantially individual and substantially independent.

In this fifth embodiment, the finger contact layer 531
Is separated from the seat 521. Also, the sheet layer 52
0 is separated from the operation layer 517. Therefore, the finger contact layer 531 is separated from the operation layer 517. Therefore, the finger contact layer 531, the sheet layer 520, and the motion layer 517 are displaced and operate independently of each other. This independence can be assembled by assembling the finger contact layer 531, the sheet layer 520, and the operation layer 517 separately and incorporating them into the electrode layer 515.

The projecting portion 522 is suitable for operating the tact switch 516 which is a mechanical switching element which is easily operated by the projecting body, but when using a switching element which operates more smoothly, the projecting portion 522 is formed. The part 22 is unnecessary.

(Other Embodiments of the Protrusion 522) FIG. 41 shows another embodiment of the protrusion 522. The sheet 521 forming the sheet layer 520 is made of the resin film described above. Protrusion 522
Is the projecting deformed portion 541 of the sheet 521 and the convex body 542.
It is composed of

By pressing the material of the flat sheet 521 against the convex body 542 formed in a separate step in the mold to heat the material and heat-deform the material simultaneously, the convex body 542 is welded to the material. The convex body 542 can be integrated with the sheet 521. According to this assembling method, it is not necessary to make a hole in the sheet 521.

FIG. 43 shows still another embodiment relating to the protrusion 522. The protruding portion 522 is formed and formed as the printing layer 545 by various printing techniques. In this case, the print layer 545 has a multi-layered structure in order to make the thickness of the protrusion 522 appropriate. The multilayer structure can be formed by overprinting.

FIG. 45 shows still another embodiment relating to the protrusion 522. The protrusions 522 are formed as round protrusions 546 by dropping a fixed amount of resin liquid. As shown in FIG. 47, the dropping means 551 is moved in parallel to drop a fixed amount of the resin liquid. According to this dropping method, the droplets harden while shaping themselves into a round shape by surface tension.

(Embodiment of Forming Display Layer) As shown in FIG. 40, a display layer 561 is formed as a printing layer on the back surface side of the finger contact portion 532. The display layer 561 can also be formed on the surface side of the finger contact portion 532 as shown in FIG. Since the sheet 521 and the back surface of the finger contact portion 532 are separated from each other, the display layer 561 can be formed by printing on the back surface side of the finger contact portion 532.

FIG. 42 shows a case where the display layer 561 is formed on the back surface side of the finger contact portion 532 in the embodiment having the convex body 542, and FIG. 43 shows the case of the convex body 542 in the embodiment having the convex body 542. The case where the display layer 561 is formed on the front surface side is shown. Since the finger contact portion 532 and the convex body 542 are separated from each other, the display layer can be formed by such printing (if both are integrally injection-molded, the print layer is formed by the high temperature resin liquid at the time of injection molding). Dissolve).

FIG. 44 shows the case where the display layer 561 is formed on the back surface side of the finger contact portion 32 in the embodiment with the print layer 545, and FIG. 6 shows the display surface 561 on the front surface side of the sheet 521 in the embodiment with the print layer 545. The case where the layer 561 is formed is shown. Since the finger contact portion 532 and the convex body 542 are separated from each other, it is possible to form the display layer by such printing.

FIG. 45 shows a case where the display layer 561 is formed on the back surface side of the finger contact portion 532 in the embodiment having the round projection 546, and FIG. 46 shows the front surface side of the sheet 521 in the embodiment having the round projection 546. The case where the display layer 561 is formed is shown. Since the finger contact portion 32 and the convex body 42 are separated from each other, the display layer can be formed by such printing.

(Embodiment 6 of key switch sheet)
FIG. 48 shows an embodiment in which the dome switch 611 is used to emphasize the click feeling and ultimately reduce the cost, and the key switch sheet has a multilayer structure.
The dome switch used here is a hemispherical body 612.
It is provided with a peripheral portion (not shown) connected to the lower end peripheral edge of this hemispherical body and attached to and attached to the substrate 613 side, and is made of phosphor bronze and can be used substantially permanently. When pressed from directly above, the dome switch 612 is deformed (displaced) so that the upper half thereof is sunk inward (downward in the figure).
Then, when the pressing force is released, it returns to the original hemisphere. This deformation process includes top dead center.

A plurality of dome switches 611 of one group are formed on one thin substrate or on the surface of the elastic second sheet 621 to form a switching layer. The second layer is formed on the third layer which is the switching layer, and the first layer is formed on the second layer. First sheet 622
The first layer including is applied with any of the key sheets already described in detail as a plurality of embodiments in this specification.

An operation layer 614 is formed on the back surface side of the second layer. The operating layer 614 is a hemispherical protrusion 615. The plurality of protrusions 615 are provided corresponding to the positions of the plurality of finger contact bodies 632. Protrusion 615
A sub-projection body 616, which has the same shape but the projection direction is opposite, may be provided on the surface side of the. The protrusion 615 and the sub protrusion 616 are made of a hard resin material.

The protrusion 615 sinks into the dome switch 612 with a certain stroke. Protrusion 6 at the depressed position
The size of the diameter of the circle where 15 and the dome switch 612 contact each other is above a certain level, and the dome switch 612 is at the top dead center at this diameter position.

The dome switch 612 as described above cannot exceed the top dead center depending on the dome switch 612 having a circle or a width equal to or larger than the diameter. The protrusion 615 has a spherical surface formed by a set of circles that are smaller than the diameter of the recess of the dome switch 612 at the top dead center position.

As described in the other embodiments, the first sheet 622 and the second sheet 621 are made of polyester film. The outer space and the inner space on the front and back sides are blocked by the second sheet 621. Second
The circuit layer formed on the substrate 613 can be sealed with the sheet 621.

The protrusion 615 can be formed by printing. The liquid resin is guided to the second sheet 621 through a screen having a large number of lattice holes, and the second sheet 621
When a certain amount of resin is adsorbed on the surface of the second sheet 621 by utilizing the viscosity of the liquid and the viscous resistance between the liquid and the lattice by separating the screen from the screen by a certain distance, the hemispherical projections are generated by the surface tension. Is formed.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A, 1B, and 1C are cross-sectional views showing different embodiments of a key sheet of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a key sheet of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the seat of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the seat of the present invention.

5 (a) and 5 (b) are cross-sectional views showing steps of different embodiments of the method of assembling the seat key according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a next step of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the key sheet of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7;

9 is a sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the key sheet assembling method of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a key sheet assembly.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the key sheet assembly.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing still another embodiment of the key sheet assembly.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing still another embodiment of the assembly of the key sheet.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing still another embodiment of the assembly of the key sheet.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view showing a first step of another embodiment of the method for manufacturing an electronic device operation button of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a sectional view showing a second step of the embodiment of FIG. 16 of the method for manufacturing an electronic device operating button of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view showing a third step of the embodiment of FIG. 16 of the method for manufacturing an electronic device operating button of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view showing an electronic device operating button manufactured according to still another embodiment of the method for manufacturing an electronic device operating button of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of the method for manufacturing an electronic device operation button of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of the method for manufacturing an electronic device operation button according to the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view showing an electronic device operating button manufactured according to still another embodiment of the method for manufacturing an electronic device operating button of the present invention.

23 (a), (b), and (c) are cross-sectional views showing three modified examples of the electronic device operation button of the present invention, respectively.

FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view showing the method for manufacturing the operation button for the electronic device of FIG. 8 (b).

FIG. 25 is a plan view showing a sheet assembly of operation buttons for an electronic device of the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a plan view showing a unit group that is a constituent element of the sheet assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 27 is a plan view showing a unit group which is a constituent element of an assembly showing a joining method for joining the sheet of the present invention to an electronic device casing.

FIG. 28 is a plan view showing a third embodiment of the key switch sheet of the present invention.

FIG. 29 is a sectional view taken along line XXIII-XXIII of FIG. 28.

FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the seat key according to the third embodiment of the key switch seat.

31 (a) and 31 (b) are key switches,
It is sectional drawing which shows the further another 2 modification of the seat key of Embodiment 3 of a seat.

FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view showing still another modified example of the seat key.

FIG. 33 is a plan view showing a modification of the subgroup of the key group.

FIG. 34 is a plan view showing another modification of the subgroup of the key group.

FIG. 35 is a sectional view showing Embodiment 4 of the key switch sheet.

FIG. 36 is a sectional view showing a modified example of the fourth embodiment of the key switch sheet.

FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of joining the housing and the sheet.

FIG. 38 is an oblique-axis projection view showing the housing of FIG. 37.

FIG. 39 is a seat of an electronic device according to the present invention.
It is sectional drawing which shows Embodiment 5 of a switch.

FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 41 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 42 is a sectional view showing another modification of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 43 is a sectional view showing still another modification of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 44 is a cross-sectional view showing still another modified example of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 45 is a sectional view showing still another modification of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 46 is a cross-sectional view showing still another modification of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 47 is a front view showing a molding method by dropping.

FIG. 48 is a cross-sectional view showing the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 49 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional molding method.

[Explanation of Codes] 1 ... Printing platform 2 ... Sheet 3 ... Display layer 5 ... Convex sheet 6 ... Convex portion 7 ... Slope portion 11 ... Injection molding die device 12 ... Cavity 16 ... Gate 21 ... Finger contact portion 51 ... Sheet assembly 55 ... Unit group 111 ... Key sheet 112 ... Sheet 113 ... Key layer 114 ... Finger contact body 115 ... Lattice surface 117 ... Sheet base layer 118 ... Display layer 121 ... Fixed side type element 122 ... Movable side type element 123 ... Positioning Pin 124 ... Positioning hole 125 ... Cavity group 133 ... Positioning protrusion 131 ... Subgroup key

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A first layer formed of a key group including a plurality of keys, a second layer disposed on the back side of the first layer, and a plurality of positions disposed on the back side of the second layer. A switching sheet structure for an electronic device, comprising: a third layer having a plurality of switching structures for performing switching, wherein the switching structure has a deformable deformable portion. 2. The switching sheet structure for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first layer and the second layer are integrated and share a sheet. 3. The sheet according to claim 2, wherein the sheet is joined to a body casing of an electronic device, a plurality of key holes are formed in a lattice shape in the body casing, and the plurality of keys are respectively provided in the body casing. A switching sheet structure for electronic devices that is to be inserted into a plurality of key holes. 4. The switching sheet structure for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the deformed portion is deformed and restored and a dead point is passed in a deforming process. 5. The switching sheet structure for an electronic device according to claim 2, wherein operation portions for operating the switching structure are formed on a back surface of the sheet at a plurality of positions corresponding to the deformed portion. 6. The switching sheet structure for an electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the operating portion is formed in a protrusion shape. 7. The switching seat structure for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a front side space of the seat and a back side space thereof are separated by the seat. 8. The switching sheet structure for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first layer is made of a resin in a branch shape and is partially independently deformed. 9. The switching sheet structure for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein an electric circuit layer is formed on a back surface side of the sheet. 10. The switching sheet structure for an electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the electric circuit layer is sealed by the second sheet. 11. The switching sheet structure for an electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the sheet is formed of a polyester film.