JPH0963403A - Key switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the number of part items to reduce assembling manhours by making parts formed to continue with a supporting plate into the structure having elastic force. SOLUTION: An internal link 19 is integratedly formed through a support plate 22 and elastic parts 30, 31. A connection part between the link 19 and the support plate 22 comprises the elastic part 30 curved toward the base body side of arm parts 26A, 26B and the elastic part 31 provided so as to continue from the elastic part and formed in a U-shape. Thus, the structure of the elastic parts 30, 31 is made into the curved part of an S-shape in the longitudinal direction and a U-shape on a plane, thereby making feasible the slide having elastic force towards the outside, and also the ratable structure having elastic force is obtained by making it into an S-shape.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a key switch for a keyboard, and more particularly to a key switch having a cross-link structure supporting member.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, with the spread of notebook personal computers and the like, keyboards mounted on these devices have been reduced in size, and in particular thinned, and various supports have been provided for realizing the thinness. Key switches having a structure have been proposed. On the other hand, various proposals have also been made for a key switch having a support structure for preventing tilting and rotation of the key top that occurs with the reduction in thickness.

As a key switch that is made thinner, there is a key switch disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 6-334463 by the same applicant as the present invention. As shown in FIG. 9, the support body of the key switch is rotatably fitted with the arms of two links formed in a substantially U-shape and having different axial lengths intersecting each other in an X-shape. Formed into a combined cross-link structure, one end side of which is pivotally or slidably engaged with the bottom surface of the key top, and the other end side of which is pivotally or slidably engaged with the support plate, The two crossed links rotate in opposite directions to guide the vertical movement of the key top.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the key switch 1 includes a key top 2, a substantially U-shaped inner link 3 and an X-shaped outer link 4, which are also substantially U-shaped.
A cross link 5 that is rotatably fitted to intersect in a letter shape.
And the rotational bearing portions 6A and 6B and the sliding bearing portion 7 at predetermined positions.
And a support plate 8 provided with A and 7B.

As shown in FIG. 10, the internal link 3 includes a pair of opposed arm portions 9A and 9B, a support shaft 10 which is a pivot shaft for pivoting one end of the arm portions, and an arm portion 9A. , 9B
Fitting protrusions 11A and 11B located at the outer central portion of the support fitting with the external link 4, and sliding bearing portions 7A and 7B of the support plate 8.
It is composed of engaging pins 12A and 12B slidably engaged with.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, the external link 4 includes a pair of opposing arm portions 13A and 13B and an arm portion 13.
A support shaft 14 that connects one ends of A and 13B to each other and slidably engages with the key top 2, and fitting protrusions 11A and 11 of the internal link 3 that are located at the inner center of the arm portions 13A and 13B.
Fitting holes 15A and 15B fitted with B, and engagement pins 16 rotatably engaged with the rotary bearing portions 6A and 6B of the support plate 8.
It is composed of A and 16B.

The rotary bearings 6A and 6B rotatably engage the engagement pins 16A and 16B of the outer link 4, and the sliding bearings 7A and 7B engage the engagement pins 12A and 12 of the inner link 3.
B is slidably engaged.

The key switch 1 thus constructed is
When the key top 2 is pressed, the support shaft 10 of the inner link 3 first rotates clockwise, and the support shaft 14 of the outer link 4 is rotated.
Slides to the left. In addition, the engagement pin 12 of the internal link 3
A and 12B slide leftward and downward in the sliding bearing portions 7A and 7B, and the engaging pins 16A and 16B of the external link 4 rotate counterclockwise in the rotary bearing portion 6. As a result, the inner link 3 and the outer link 4 that are fitted to intersect each other rotate in opposite directions to gradually change the intersecting angle, and guide the key top 2 downward as a whole of the cross link 5.

[0009]

In the above-mentioned conventional example, the key tops are supported over the entire surface by the cross links, and when the key tops are moved up and down, the internal links and the external links rotate in conjunction with each other, so that the key tops are rotated. It is possible to prevent rotation and rattling of the top, and even in the case of a long key etc., the support shaft of both links can be long, so the thickness of the support is constant regardless of the shape of the key top. It can be said that it is excellent in these points.

However, in the key switch having such a support structure, two links having different shapes are used and a member for fitting these is required, so that the number of parts is increased, There is a problem that the number of assembling steps is increased and the manufacturing cost is increased.

Therefore, in the conventional key switch, the number of parts is reduced while maintaining the supporting structure for preventing the rotation and rattling of the key top to be thinned.
There is a problem that must be solved to reduce the manufacturing cost by reducing the number of assembling steps.

[0012]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a key switch according to the present invention is such that the ends of both arms of one link forming a support member of a cross-link structure are connected to a support plate. The portion formed by being provided integrally with the support plate is provided with an elastic force.

The structure having this elastic force includes an S-shaped first elastic portion curved upward from the arm portion and a U-shaped second elastic portion from the curved end to the support plate. To form a part.

By thus forming the support plate and one of the links of the cross-link structure integrally with the support plate,
The link and the engaging member, which are separate members in the past, are no longer necessary, the number of parts is reduced, and the assembly process can be simplified. In addition, the continuous structure has an elastic structure,
Similar to the conventional support member having the cross-link structure, it is possible to guide the vertical movement of the key top without tilting or rotating.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An example of an embodiment of a key switch according to the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, a key switch 1 showing an example of the first embodiment of the present invention.
7, the key switch 17 is a key top 18
And a substantially U-shaped internal link 19 and external link 20
And a support plate 22 for supporting the cross link 21.

On the back surface of the key top 18, as shown in FIG. 5, a rotation groove 23 for rotatably engaging the internal link 19 is provided.
Sliding grooves 24A, 24B for slidably engaging the A, 23B and the external link 20 are provided. Turning grooves 23A, 23
B is a rotation support part 25a, 25 of an internal link 19 described later.
It is arranged in two parallel positions so that the b can be engaged, and the sliding grooves 24A and 24B are similarly provided in the external link 2 described later.
It is arranged at two parallel positions so that the zero engagement pins 34a and 34b can be engaged.

Internal link 1 constituting the cross link 21
As shown in FIG. 2, the reference numeral 9 is a predetermined position of the support plate 22 as a whole, and is formed by hollowing out one end of the support plate 22. A supporting shaft 25 serving as a fulcrum shaft, and a pair of arm portions 26A and 26B extending in a direction orthogonal to the supporting shaft 25,
The fitting protrusions 27A and 27B that are provided in a cylindrical shape projecting outward from the outer central positions of the arm portions 26A and 26B, and the connecting plate 28 that connects the central positions where the fitting protrusions 27A and 27B are provided are connected. Rubber contacts 2 located on the back of plate 28
9 and first and second elastic portions 30 and 31 that are connected to the support plate 22.

Both ends of the support shaft 25 are arm portions 26A,
The rotation supporting portions 25a, 25b are formed in a cylindrical shape connected to the base side of 26B and projectingly formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction thereof.
Is rotatably engaged with the rotation grooves 23A and 23B of the key top 18 and serves as an upper support shaft for rotation of the internal link 19.

The arm portions 26A and 26B are provided with a rotation support portion 25.
It is formed by a pair of opposed plate-like members that rotate with the rotation of a and 25b, and has a structure in which a connecting plate 28 is provided at a substantially central position.

The fitting protrusions 27A and 27B are provided on the arm portion 26A and
An external link 20 which will be described later and is provided at the outer center of 26B.
The arm portions 33A and 33B are fitted into the fitting holes 35A and 35B, respectively, and serve as a central axis of rotation of the arm portions 26A and 26B.

The rubber contact 29 is arranged in the center of the back surface of the connecting plate 28, and buckles when the key top 18 is pressed to perform an electrical switching operation at a predetermined position of the support plate 22. . In addition, this rubber contact 2
It goes without saying that the position and shape of 9 can be changed appropriately.

Here, as described above, the internal link 19
Are integrally formed with the support plate 22 via the first and second elastic portions 30 and 31. That is, the tips of the arm portions 26A and 26B of the internal link 19 are not engaged with the support plate 22 by an engagement pin or the like as in the above-described conventional technique, but
The internal link 19 that is previously integrated with the support plate 22 at the manufacturing stage
Has a structure to form.

Therefore, in the prior art, the engaging pin or the like slides in the engaging groove formed in the support plate at this portion, but it is different from the support plate 22 of this embodiment. In the structure in which the internal link 19 and the internal link 19 are integrally provided, the sliding function and the rotating function are integrally formed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting portion between the internal link 19 and the support plate 22 has a first elastic portion 30 curved toward the base side of the arm portions 26A and 26B, and the first elastic portion 30.
And a second elastic portion 31 formed in a U-shape that is continuously provided.

The first elastic portion 30 is, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, an S-shaped curved portion 37a which is curved in the vertical direction,
37b is provided.

The second elastic portion 31 is, for example, as shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, the first elastic portion 3 formed in an S shape is formed.
The U-shaped continuous portion continuously connected from the end of 0 is used as the support plate 22.
It has a structure connected to.

The first and second elastic portions 30 and 3 as described above
1 structure, that is, the S-shaped curved portion in the vertical direction and the U-shaped shape on the plane allow the outward sliding with elastic force and the S-shaped shape. Due to this, it becomes a rotatable structure with elasticity.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, the external link 20 forming the cross link 21 has a cylindrical support shaft 32.
A pair of arm portions 33A and 33B extending in a direction orthogonal to both ends of the support shaft 32, and a cylindrical engagement pin 34A provided at the tips of both arm portions 33A and 33B so as to project outward.
34B and fitting holes 35A and 35B provided at the center positions inside the arms 33A and 33B.

The support shaft 32 is a cylindrical rod-shaped member connected to the base side of the arm portions 33A and 33B, and both ends thereof are engaged with the rotary bearing portions 36A and 36B of the support plate 22 shown in FIG. Has become. On the other hand, the engaging pins 34A, 34B
Is slidably engaged with the sliding grooves 24A and 24B of the key top 18, and the internal link 19 is fitted into the fitting holes 35A and 35B.
Fitting protrusions 27A and 27B are fitted to the arm portions 33A and 3A.
It becomes the central axis for rotating 3B.

In this way, the inner link 19 and the outer link 20 are fitted to the fitting protrusions 27A and 27B of the inner link 19.
Is inserted into the fitting holes 35A and 35B of the external link 20,
The cross link 21 is configured as a whole.

The support plate 22 is connected to the inner link 1 as described above.
Rotating bearings 36A and 36B that are integrally formed with the shaft 9 and that rotatably engage the external link 20 are provided on the opposite side. The material of the support plate 22 is made of plastic, and it goes without saying that it may be a metal plate.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rotary bearing portions 36A and 36B have grooves 36c provided at opposite ends of the first and second elastic portions 30 and 31 cut out in a square shape, respectively.
It is composed of a shaft locking portion 36d having a gap in which the support shaft 32 of the external link 20 can be engaged and locked.

Assembling of the support plate 22 having such a structure, the inner link 19 integrally formed through the first and second elastic portions 30 and 31, and the outer link 20,
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, first, the fitting protrusions 27A of the outer link 19 are inserted into the fitting holes 35A and 35B of the inner link 19, respectively.
27B is engaged to assemble the support shaft, and at the same time, the support shaft 32 of the external link 20 is engaged with the rotary bearing portions 36A and 36B of the support plate 22, so that the links 19 and 20 move upward by approximately 45 degrees. The cross-link structure is completed. And
From above, the rotation support portions 25a and 25b are engaged with the rotation grooves 23A and 23B of the key top 18, and the key top 18
The engaging pin 3 of the external link 20 in the sliding grooves 24A, 24B of
The assembly is completed by engaging 4A and 34B.

The key switch 17 assembled in this way is pressed down the key top 18 and the internal link 1
The rotation support parts 25a and 25b of 9 rotate counterclockwise,
The engagement pins 34A and 34B of the external link 20 slide to the right. Along with this, the support shaft 32 of the external link 20 rotates clockwise. At this time, the first and second elastic portions 30 and 31 of the internal link 19 operate as follows.

That is, as shown in FIG. 6 (A), before the key top 18 is pressed, the internal link 19 is tilted to the left by approximately 45 degrees, and the curved portion 37a of the first elastic portion 30 is
Since 37b is opened, the internal link 19 itself always has a force to return to the upper direction.

When the key top 18 is pushed down, the state shown in FIG.
As shown in (B), the curved portion 37 b of the first elastic portion 30.
The voids become narrower and the stress increases.

When the key top 18 is further depressed in this state, the stressed first elastic portion 30 pushes the second elastic portion 31 outward, as shown in FIG. 6 (C). As a result, the first and second elastic portions 30 and 31 are in a stressed state. At this time, if the switch has a structure in which the rubber contact 29 is provided on the lower side of the cross link 21 as shown in the figure, it may be electrically switched.

When the pressed keytop 18 is released, contrary to the above-described operation, first, the elastic force of the second elastic portion 31 restores the original state, and then the first elastic portion 30 moves. The elastic contact returns to the original state and the rubber contact 29
Is lifted, and the crossing angle of the cross link 21 returns to the original state.

Next, the key switch according to the second embodiment will be described. Similar to the key switch of the first embodiment, this key switch has a different connecting means even if the internal link 19 is integrally connected to the support plate 22. For example, in the key switch shown in FIG. 7, the internal link 38 has elastic portions 39A and 39B having a substantially S-shape, but the support plate 40 has no elastic force.

In the case of such a structure, that is, the support plate 40
Has no elastic force, the support plate 40 side cannot absorb the force of the internal link 38 sliding in the horizontal direction, but the elastic portions 39A, 39B of the internal link 38 are correspondingly absorbed.
If the S-shaped gap is set to be large, a structure having an elastic force for vertically moving the key top 41 for predetermined switching is provided.

On the contrary, if the internal link 38 does not have an elastic force and only the support plate 40 side has an elastic force, the key top 41 can be similarly moved up and down. You can

In the first and second embodiments,
Although the configuration in which the internal links 19, 38 are formed integrally with the support plates 22, 40 has been described, the present invention is not limited to this case, and it goes without saying that the external links may be formed integrally with the support plates. Is.

[0043]

As described above, in the key switch according to the present invention, one of the links forming the support member of the cross-link structure is formed by integrally connecting the support plate and one of the links. By using the elastic structure of the continuous part, it is possible to guide the vertical movement of the key top without tilting and rotating, and it is possible to reduce the number of parts and the cost of parts, as well as the assembly process. There is an effect that it can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced as a whole.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic overall perspective view showing a first embodiment of a key switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a support plate and an internal link of the key switch as seen from above.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the key switch seen from above.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing only an external link of the key switch from above.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a key top of the key switch as viewed from below.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the operation of the cross link when the key top of the key switch is pressed.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of a key switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of a conventional key switch seen from above.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the key switch.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an internal link of the key switch.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an external link of the key switch.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Key Switch 2 Key Top 3 Internal Link 4 External Link 5 Cross Link 6A, 6B Rotating Bearing 7A, 7B Sliding Bearing 8 Support Plate 9A, 9B Arm 10 Support Shaft 11A, 11B Fitting Protrusion 12A, 12B Dowel pin 13A, 13B Arm part 14 Support shaft 15A, 15B Fitting hole 16A, 16B Engagement pin 17 Key switch 18 Key top 19 Internal link 20 External link 21 Cross link 22 Support plate 23A, 23B Rotating groove 24A, 24B Sliding Moving groove 25 Support shafts 25a, 25b Rotating support parts 26A, 26B Arm parts 27A, 27B Fitting protrusion 28 Connecting plate 29 Rubber contact point 30 Elastic part 31 Elastic part 32 Support shaft 33A, 33B Arm part 34A, 34B Engaging pin 35A , 35B Fitting holes 36A, 36B Rotating bearing portions 37a, 37b Bending portion 38 Inside Tank 39 elastic portion 40 the support plate 41 keytop

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A substantially U-shaped inner link, a substantially U-shaped outer link, and a cross link having a center axis that allows the arms of the inner link and the outer link to intersect with each other and is rotatable. The cross link includes a key top engaged with the upper side of the cross link and a support plate that supports the lower side of the cross link. At least one arm portion of the inner link or the outer link is connected to the support plate. A key switch characterized by being installed and formed integrally. 2. The key switch according to claim 1, wherein a portion connected to the support plate has a structure having an elastic force. 3. The elastic structure includes an S-shaped first elastic portion curved upward from the arm portion and a U-shaped shape from the curved end to the support plate. The key switch according to claim 2, wherein the second elastic portion is formed.