JPH1125801A - Keyboard device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a keyboard device which can prevent moisture from entering a printed wiring board and its under part and normally operates by keeping almost constant an interval between the printed wiring board and a key unit, even if a reinforcing member is not arranged. SOLUTION: An upright first waterproof wall 32 is arranged on the periphery of a key unit 26 to cover a printed wiring board 25, and a pressing wall 35 brought into pressure contact with the inside of the first waterproof wall 32 is arranged in a cover 27 to cover the key unit 26. A columnar fixing part 29 is also arranged to regulate an interval between the printer wiring board 25 and the key unit 26 to be almost constant. A second waterproof wall 33 into which the tip of the fixing part 29 is inserted is arranged in the key unit 26, and the printed wiring board 25, the key unit 26 and the cover 27 are superposed on each other, and the fixing part 29 is fixed by a screw member 38.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyboard device for performing an input operation by depressing a key arranged on a printed circuit board.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of a conventional keyboard device is described below.
A description will be given based on FIGS. 4 and 5. The keyboard device is
As shown in FIG. 4, the printed wiring board 1 includes a key unit 2, a cover 3, and a reinforcing member 4.

First, as shown in FIG. 5, the printed wiring board 1 is provided with contact portions 6 corresponding to the respective keys 5 formed on the key unit 2. A hole 7 for screwing is formed at a position that does not cover the unit 2.

[0004] The key unit 2 is formed of an elastically bendable material such as rubber, and has a waterproof wall 8 on the outer peripheral portion. On the bottom surface of the key 5, a chip 9 that comes into contact with the contact portion 6 when the key 5 is pressed down is attached.

The cover 3 has holes 10 corresponding to the respective keys 5.
Are formed. A column-shaped fixing portion 11 protrudes from four corners of the surface of the cover 3 on the side facing the key unit 2, and furthermore, a pressing wall along the inner peripheral surface of the waterproof wall 7 when the cover 3 is overlaid on the key unit 2. 12 are formed.

[0006] The reinforcing member 4 is provided with a hole 13 for screwing.

A key unit 2 is mounted on a predetermined position of the printed wiring board 1, a cover 3 is put on the key unit 2, and a plate-like reinforcing member 4 is put on a lower surface of the printed wiring board 1. 14 fixed. In this state, the pressing wall 12 is pressed against the inside of the waterproof wall 7.
For example, in a keyboard used for a label printer or an electronic scale, when an operator performs a key input operation while handling wet products such as meat and fish, water may enter through a gap A between the key 5 and the hole 10. , And is waterproofed by the waterproof wall 8 and the pressing wall 12.

[0008] The reinforcing member 4 is for reducing the bending of the printed wiring board 1 when the key 5 is pressed. In the conventional keyboard device, a hole is not formed in the key unit 2 for waterproofing. Therefore, the center of the keyboard device is regulated so that the interval between the printed wiring board 1 and the key unit 2 is kept substantially constant. Is not provided. For this reason, the printed wiring board 1 that bends when pressed
Is provided.

[0009]

In the conventional keyboard device as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, since the reinforcing member 4 is provided, the number of parts increases and the price increases.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent water from entering the printed wiring board and its lower part, and the distance between the printed wiring board and the key unit can be kept substantially constant even if no reinforcing member is provided. The purpose is to obtain a keyboard device that works normally.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a keyboard device, comprising: a key unit having a plurality of keys and formed of an elastically bendable material; A printed wiring board having contact points, a chip provided on a side of the key unit facing the printed wiring board and contacting each of the contacts when the key is pressed, the key unit and the printed wiring board, A plurality of columnar fixing portions that regulate the interval between the cover and the cover that covers the key unit erected on the key unit side, and a plurality of columnar fixing portions formed at positions corresponding to the fixing portions of the printed wiring board. A hole for screwing, a first waterproof wall integrally formed around the key unit, and a hole for screwing at substantially the center to surround the outer peripheral surface of the fixing portion. A second waterproof wall integrally formed with the printed circuit board, a screw hole of the printed circuit board and a screw of the key unit with the key unit sandwiched between the printed circuit board and the cover. A screw member that penetrates the fixing hole and is screwed to the fixing portion.

Therefore, even if a screw hole for fixing the fixing portion and the printed wiring board is formed in the key unit, moisture is prevented from leaking from the hole.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a keyboard device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a label printer including a keyboard device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The label printer 21 includes a display unit 22 and a keyboard device 23. A touch panel 24 is provided on the surface of the display unit 22, and the operator can perform an input operation not only with the keyboard device 23 but also with the touch panel 24. The label printer 21 prints necessary data on a label by a printing unit (not shown) according to data input from the keyboard device 23 or the touch panel 24.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the keyboard device 23 includes a printed circuit board 25 and a key unit 2.
6 and a cover 27. The printed wiring board 1 includes
A plurality of holes 28 for screwing are formed.

On the surface of the cover 27 on the side of the key unit 26, a plurality of columnar fixing portions 29 are provided upright to regulate the interval between the printed wiring board 25 and the key unit 26 to be substantially constant. The fixing portion 29 is formed in a cylindrical shape that becomes thinner toward the tip. The screw holes 28 provided in the printed wiring board 25 are provided at positions corresponding to the fixing portions 29.

The key unit 26 is formed of an elastically bendable material such as rubber, and has a plurality of keys 30. At a position corresponding to the key 30 on the cover 27, the key unit 26 is slightly larger than the key 30. A large hole 31 is formed.

The key unit 26 has a first waterproof wall 32 provided substantially vertically on the outer peripheral portion thereof, and a cylindrical second waterproof wall 33 into which the tip of the fixing portion 29 is inserted.
The inner diameter of the second waterproof wall 33 is larger than the outer diameter at the tip of the fixing portion 29 and smaller than the outer diameter near the root protruding from the cover 27. Therefore, when the fixing portion 29 is inserted into the second waterproof wall 33, the inner peripheral surface on the opening side of the second waterproof wall 33 is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the fixing portion 29. Second waterproof wall 33
A hole 34 for screwing is formed substantially at the center.
The portion of the key unit 26 other than the key 30 is formed to be thinner than the key 30, and when the key 30 is pressed, it is elastically deformed and moves to the printed wiring board 25 side.

The cover 27 is formed with a pressing wall 35 which presses against the inner surface of the first waterproof wall 32 of the key unit 26.

A chip 36 is mounted on the lower surface of the key 30, and a contact portion 37 is provided on the printed wiring board 25.

A key unit 26 is mounted at a predetermined position on the printed wiring board 25, and a cover 27 is mounted on the key unit 26.
Is screwed on the printed wiring board 25
Through the hole 28 of the key unit 26 and screwed into the fixing portion 29. The fixing portion 29 has a shape that becomes thinner toward the tip, and the outer diameter of the tip is smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical second waterproof wall 33. Therefore, when the cover 27 is put on the key unit 26, the fixing portion 29 Two waterproof walls 33 can be inserted.

In such a label printer 21,
The display unit 22 displays, for example, the content to be printed on a label, and the operator performs an input operation using the keyboard device 23 and the touch panel 24. When the key 30 of the keyboard device 23 is depressed by the operator, the chip 36 attached to the lower surface of the key and the printed circuit board 2
5 comes into contact with the contact portion 37.

In this embodiment, the printed wiring board 25
Since the fixing portion 29 that regulates the interval between the printed circuit board 25 and the key unit 26 is provided, the interval between the printed circuit board 25 and the
5 is hard to bend. Therefore, the content of the operation by the operator is normally transmitted from the keyboard device 23 to each device. That is, the fixed portions 29 are provided in such a number that the printed wiring board 25 is not bent by the pressing operation of the key 30.

The operator operates the keyboard device 2 with wet hands.
When operating the key unit 2, water may enter through the gap A between the cover 27 and the key 30,
6 is blocked by the first waterproof wall 32 and the second waterproof wall 33 on the surface of the printed circuit board 6, so that the printed wiring board 25 and other devices located under the keyboard device 23 are not exposed to water, It is possible to prevent other devices from failing due to water getting wet.

Also, the key unit 26 made of a material that can be elastically bent is sandwiched between the printed wiring board 25 and the surface of the fixed part 29 at the tip end facing the printed wiring board 25. The leading end is embedded in the key unit 26. Even if the water cannot be blocked by the second waterproof wall 33, water does not enter the inside of the label printer 21.

In practice, a separate keyboard device or a keyboard device provided in another device may be used instead of a keyboard device provided in a label printer or the like.

[0026]

According to the keyboard device of the first aspect of the present invention, since the fixing portion for regulating the distance between the key unit and the printed wiring board is provided, the printed wiring can be provided without supporting the printed wiring board with the reinforcing member. Since the distance between the substrate and the keys can be kept substantially constant, the operation by the operator can be normally transmitted to the device connected to the keyboard device, and sufficient waterproofness can be secured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a label printer including a keyboard device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the keyboard device.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional front view of the keyboard device.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an example of a conventional keyboard device.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional front view of the keyboard device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 25 printed wiring board 26 key unit 27 cover 29 fixing portion 30 key 32 first waterproof wall 33 second waterproof wall 36 chip 37 contact portion 38 screw member

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A key unit having a plurality of keys and formed of an elastically bendable material; a printed circuit board having a contact assigned to each key; A chip provided on the side facing the printed wiring board and contacting each of the contacts when the key is pressed, and a plurality of columnar fixing portions for regulating a distance between the key unit and the printed wiring board are provided. A cover that covers the key unit provided on the key unit side; a plurality of screw holes formed at positions corresponding to the fixing portion of the printed wiring board; A first waterproof wall formed integrally with the key unit that has a hole for screwing at a substantially center and surrounds an outer peripheral surface of the fixing portion; With the key unit sandwiched between the printed wiring board and the cover, the key unit is screwed into the fixing portion through a screw hole of the printed wiring board and a screw hole of the key unit. And a screw member to be combined.