JPS59196517A - Keyboard - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a keyboard used for inputting signals to electronic equipment and the like.

(Prior art) In recent years, in this type of keyboard, in order to improve the operability of the keys arranged on the keyboard, the key operation surface formed by the top surface of a plurality of keys has been made into a curved surface from an ergonomic point of view. Attempts are being made to do so.

Conventionally, the following two methods have been proposed for making the key operation surface of such a keyboard into a curved surface.

(1) One method is to mold a key array plate 2 having a large number of guide holes 1 in advance into a predetermined curved surface as shown in FIG.
By inserting one stem guide 5 for slidingly guiding the key stem 4 having the key top 3 on the upper part thereof, the key operation surface 6 formed by the top surface of the key top 3 is made into a curved surface.

However, in this method, it is necessary to fit the stem guide 5 into each guide hole 1 after forming the key arrangement plate 2, which is very time-consuming and reduces the efficiency of the assembly work significantly. Put it away.

In addition, since the key arrangement plate 2 is formed from a steel plate through plastic processing, it is advantageous in that it can maintain its original curved surface semi-permanently, but it is inevitably heavy, so it is difficult to increase the weight of the entire keyboard. Considering the current situation where weight reduction is desired, this is not very desirable.

(2> (I!!) method involves molding the stem guide part 8 integrally with the upper case 7 of the keyboard as shown in FIG. The top surfaces of the tops 10 are individually shaped into different curved surfaces, so that the key operation surface 11 constituted by the top surfaces of the respective key tops 10 is made into a curved surface as a whole.

However, even with this method, it is necessary to mold the top surface of each key top 10 into a different curved surface, so the key top 1
Since many types of molds are required to mold 0, the cost increases, resulting in an increase in the cost of the keyboard.

[Purpose of the invention]

It is an object of the present invention to improve the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks and to make the key operation surface constituted by the top surface of the key 1 to the key 1 of the knob arranged on the key arrangement plate into a curved surface with a simple structure. The purpose is to provide a keyboard that is low in cost and has good operability.

[Configuration of Example]

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on FIGS. 3 to 7. FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the keyboard according to this embodiment, and the keyboard main body 20 is composed of an upper case 21 made of synthetic resin and a lower case 22 made of synthetic resin. The upper case 21 has a rectangular opening 23 as shown in FIG. 4, and side walls 24 and 25 curved downward are suspended from the left and right edges of the opening 23 between the openings 23 and 23, respectively.

In addition, the boss 26 is inserted downward from the back side of the case 21.
．． 27, 28. 29, 30, 31, 32, 33
.

has been installed.

Among the bosses 30, 31, 32, 33, a regulating plate 34 having a predetermined curved surface is screwed by set screws 35, 36, 37, 38.

Three protruding walls 39, 40, and 41, which are erected from the bottom surface of the lower case 22 so as to match the curved surface of the regulating plate 34, are in contact with the lower surface of the regulating plate 34. Further, a circuit board 42 on which a predetermined contact circuit is formed by printed wiring is placed on the upper surface of the regulation plate 34, and the regulation plate 34 and the circuit board 42 are connected to the upper case 2 by set screws 43, 44, 45, 46.
The circuit board 42 is screwed to the bosses 26, 27, 28, and 29, and the circuit board 42 is also provided with curvature. Furthermore, a rubber-like elastic body 48 in which a plurality of cup-shaped portions 47 are formed is placed on the upper surface of the circuit board 42, and the cup-shaped portion 47 is placed on the upper surface of the circuit board 42.
A sponge member 4 is fixed to the inner upper wall as shown in the figure.
A pair of fixed electrodes 5 formed on the circuit board 42 on the lower surface of 9
The electrode plate 51 is made of a flexible aluminum foil film facing the electrode 0, and an extremely thin flexible insulating film 51a made of synthetic resin is attached to the lower surface of the electrode plate 51. A capacitor is constituted by the pair of fixed electrodes 50 and the electrode plate 51 facing the fixed electrodes 50.

A key arrangement plate 52 is placed on the regulation plate 34 via legs 53 so as to cover the circuit board 42 and the rubber-like elastic body 718 from above and close the opening 23 of the upper case 21 . As shown in FIG. 6, the key array plate 52 is integrally formed with a stem guide 56 on its upper surface for inserting a key stem 55 having a key top 54 at its upper end, and has an opening 23 formed between each stem guide 56 on its lower surface. Front and rear edges 57.58
A plurality of, for example, four, concave grooves 59 are formed in parallel with the groove. The concave groove 59 cooperates with the regulating plate 34 to impart curvature to the key arrangement plate 52 when the keyboard is assembled. The bottom part of the key stem 55 inserted through the stem guide 56 is placed on the upper surface of the cup-shaped part 47 of the rubber-like elastic body 48, and is always supported by the elastic restoring force of the cup-shaped part 47 as shown in FIG. held in non-operating position.

The key array plate 52 is abutted from the upper surface along the curves of the side walls 24 and 25 provided on both left and right edges of the upper case 21, and is screwed into the ten case 21 from the lower surface via the legs 53. The key arrangement plate 52 is placed on the curved surface of the regulation plate 34 that is attached to the side wall 24.2.
A curved surface having the same curvature as that of the key top 54 is provided, and the key operation surface 60 constituted by the top surface of each key top 54 is formed into a predetermined curved surface. In addition, here the side wall 24°25
The curved surface of the regulating plate 34 has the same curvature as the curved surface of the regulating plate 34.

[Operation of the embodiment]

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. To perform a switching operation using the key switch configured as described above, first, the key top 571 is pressed down. key top 54
When pressed down, the key stem 55 integrated with it is guided downward along the stem guide 56, and the key stem 5
5 presses the cup-shaped portion/I7 of the rubber-like elastic body/I8. When the cup-shaped portion 47 is pressed, the electrode plate 51 attached therein via the sponge portion vJ49 comes into contact with a pair of fixed electrodes 50 formed on the circuit board 42 via an insulating film 51a. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7, the fixed electrodes 50 are short-circuited in an alternating current manner, and a high frequency signal is transmitted from one fixed electrode 50 to the other fixed electrode 50 of the pair. At this time, in this embodiment, the cup-shaped portion 47
Since the electrode plate 51 is attached to the inner upper wall of the electrode via the sponge part +a/I 9, the elastic deformation of the sponge member 49 ensures that the electrode plate 51 comes into close contact with the fixed electrode 50 via the insulating film 51a. A capacity sufficient for transmitting high frequency signals can be provided. Next, when the depression of the key top 54 is released, the key stem 55 is pushed upward by the elastic restoring force of the cup-shaped portion 47, and the electrode plate 51 and the fixed electrode 50 are separated, thereby stopping signal transmission. Key top 5/I is restored to its original position.

Next, a method for assembling the keyboard according to this embodiment will be explained. To assemble the keyboard, first remove the regulation plate 34.
A circuit board 42 is placed on top, and a rubber-like elastic body 48 is placed on top of it. These 7- Key stem 5 which has a key top 54 at the upper end in advance
5 is inserted into the stem guide 56, and the key arrangement plate 52 is screwed to the bosses 26, 27, 28, 29 of the upper case 21 with setscrews 43, 44, 45° 46 through the middle.

Furthermore, the key arrangement plate 52 is attached to the side walls 24 and 25 of the upper case 21.
Set screws 35, 3 so as to curve accurately along the curvature of
6.37.38, ten cases 2 from below the regulation plate 34
Screw it to the bosses 30, 31 and 32°33 of No.1. As a result, the key arrangement plate 52 is regulated by the regulation plate 34 together with the circuit board 42 due to the effect of the concave groove 59, and the side wall 24.
While maintaining the curved state along the curve of 25, the upper case 2
1. As a result, the key layout board 52
A key operation surface 60 constituted by the top surface of the key tops 54 arranged in a row is formed into a curved surface having approximately the same curvature as the curvature given to the key arrangement plate 52. Thereafter, the keyboard is completed by integrally assembling the upper case 21 and lower case 22 configured as described above.

8-TwinsAs described in detail, in this embodiment, the stem guide 56 is integrally formed on the upper surface of the key arrangement plate 52, and a plurality of concave grooves 59 are formed on the lower surface parallel to the front side edges 57, 58 of the opening 23. Since it is provided, it does not take much time to shape it, and it can be extremely easily curved along the curve of the side walls 24, 25 of the upper space 21. Therefore, the key tops 54.degree. and the key stems 55 are all the same without using anything special. Even if the key stem 55 is used, the key operation surface 60 can be easily made into a curved surface.
A keyboard with good operability can be obtained at low cost.

Further, in this embodiment, the cup-shaped portion 4 of the rubber-like elastic body 48
Since the electrode plate 51 is attached to the internal soil wall of the housing 7 via the sponge member 49, even if the circuit board 42 is curved when the key top 54 is pressed to perform a switching operation, the sponge member 49 will not be elastically deformed. Therefore, the switching operation can be performed reliably.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the present invention allows the key operation surface to be a curved surface with a simple configuration, thereby providing a keyboard with good operability at low cost, and the effects thereof are significant.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 show cross-sectional views of a conventional keyboard. Figure 3 and subsequent figures show one embodiment of the present invention, with Figure 3 being a sectional view of the keyboard, Figure 4 being an exploded perspective view of the keyboard, and Figure 5 being an exploded perspective view of the keyboard.
The figure is an enlarged explanatory diagram to explain the key switch part, Figure 6 is a perspective view of the back side of the key layout board 1, and Figure 7 is an enlarged explanatory diagram to explain the key switch part when the key top is pressed down. be. In the figure, 21 is an upper case, 22 is a lower case, 24° and 25 are side walls, 42 is a circuit board, 52 is a key arrangement plate, and 59 is a concave groove. Patent applicant Brother Industries, Ltd. President Katsuji Kawashima 11- Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An upper case in which a rectangular opening is bored and downwardly curved side walls hang down from the left and right edges of the opening, and a large number of key switches are arranged on the upper surface and close the opening. a circuit board comprising: a key array board having a plurality of concave grooves parallel to the front and rear edges of the opening; and a circuit board having a contact circuit disposed below the key array plate and opened and closed by the key switch. A keyboard comprising: a lower case disposed below the circuit board, and the key arrangement plate is held along the curve of the side wall.