JPS59215867A - Withdrawal of key cap - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the durability and smoothness of a key cap by a method wherein a receiver top plate is placed on a plurality of key caps and an ejector having projected parts corresponding to the array thereof is used to stick out the key caps. CONSTITUTION:A receiver top plate 3 is placed on key caps 2 fixed on a support 1 while being transfer printed. Then, projected parts 5 formed on an ejector 4 are inserted into through holes 6 formed on the support 1 from the bottom of the support 1 to stick out the key caps. As a result, the key caps 2 are moved into the receiver top plate 3 and then, a receiver top plate 7 is placed on the bottom of the key caps 2. By this operation, the key caps 2 are housed into the receiver 8. When so arranged to fit each other, the receiver top plate 3 and the receiver bottom plate 7 can be used as a container of a transfer-printed key cap as it is.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for taking out a key camp, and its purpose is to form patterns such as characters and symbols on the surface of a key cap by a transfer printing method, and then remove the key cap from a key. It is an object of the present invention to provide a more efficient and simpler method for taking out the cap than the cap support.

The present applicant previously invented and applied for a method for forming various patterns such as letters and symbols on the surface of a keycap (Japanese Patent Application No. 38333/1982). This method involves fixing a plurality of transfer sheets, one of which is a pattern layer of a plurality of characters, symbols, etc., formed on a base sheet using an ink containing a heat-transferable dye to a support. The pattern layers of the transfer sheet are placed on the heated key camp surface so that they are in contact with each other, and a transfer pad is used to press the transfer sheet from the base sheet side to bring the key camp surface and the pattern layer into close contact. As a result, the heat-transferable dye in the pattern layer is thermally diffused to form desired characters and characters on the surface of the key camp.
This method of forming a pattern on a keycap is characterized by forming a pattern such as a symbol, and then removing the base sheet.

According to this method, it is possible to manufacture a large number of keycaps in one process, which have superior properties compared to those of the past, such as excellent durability and smoothness of the pattern formed on the surface of the keycap.

However, this method does not take into consideration how to take out the key caps that have been transferred printed, so it has been necessary to take out the key caps that have been transferred printed one by one. Therefore, it has the following drawbacks. That is, (1) the key cap is fitted into the key cap support, so it takes time and effort to take them out one by one, and (2) the key cap is relatively strong against the key cap support ( It has the disadvantage that it is difficult to take out because it is fixed.

Therefore, this has been a major problem when using the keycap industrially.

In view of these problems, the inventors of the present invention have worked diligently to create a method that can efficiently and easily perform the process of removing a keycap, and as a result, they have completed the present invention. That is, the present invention provides a support plate having a portion for storing each key camp on a plurality of key camps fixed to a support used when forming a pattern on the surface of the al key camp. The process of placing (
b) After placing the key camp, use a protruding tool having a protrusion corresponding to the arrangement of the key camps, and insert the protrusion into the through hole provided in the support from the bottom of the support to remove the key camp. (C) After the movement, the receiver is placed on the bottom of the key camp in the tool top plate, and the receiver is placed on the bottom plate of the tool. This method of taking out a key camp is characterized by the step of storing the key cap directly opposite the receiver.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail using the drawings.

First, the support plate 3 is placed on the key cap 2 which is fixed to the support 1 and has been transfer printed (see Figure 1-a).

When this support 1 performs transfer printing on the surface of the keycap 2,
It is used to fix a large number of keycaps. Its shape has a through hole 6 in the center of the part that contacts the bottom surface of the key camp 2 so that a protrusion 5 of a protrusion 4, which will be described later, can be inserted therein.

Note that this support 1 is made of a material that is difficult to thermally expand. This is to prevent the key camp 2 from moving due to the thermal expansion of the support 1 during the transfer printing process, thereby preventing the pattern formed on the key camp 2 from being misaligned or misregistered. Such materials include aluminum, copper, or various metals plated with chrome.

The receiver top plate 3 has a shape that has a portion for storing each keycap 2, and is preferably formed by molding various transparent plastic sheets or the like. The shape of the part to be stored is preferably a concave shape corresponding to the shape of the key camp 2, but it may also have a shape that simply has a hole into which the upper part of the key camp 2 fits (the first
(See figure b).

Next, use the protruding tool 4 to protrude the key camp 2 (
(See Figure 2). That is, the keycap 2 is projected by inserting the convex portion 5 formed on the protrusion 4 into the through hole 6 formed in the support 1 from the bottom surface of the support 1.

This protrusion 4 has a convex portion 5 corresponding to the arrangement of the key camp 2.
The convex portion 5 is made of a heat-resistant thermosetting material such as Bakelite in order to prevent the key cap 2 from being damaged and to prevent the key cap 2 from being deformed even when heated. It is preferable to use one made of resin.

By doing this, the key cap 2 is moved into the tool top plate 3.

Thereafter, the bottom plate 7 is placed on the bottom surface of the key camp 2 in the top plate 3 (see Figure 3-a).

The bottom plate 7 of the receiver may be a flat plate, or may have a portion for storing each keycap 2 as needed, but it goes without saying that this may be determined as appropriate depending on the shape of the keycap 2. It is designed (Part 3-
(see figure b).

By doing this, the key camp 2 is housed within the receiver 8.

It is preferable that the upper plate 3 of the receiver and the bottom plate 7 of the receiver be configured so that they fit into each other, since this can be used as it is as a container for the transfer-printed key camp. In addition, the key camps 2 fixed to the support 1 are arranged in the same manner as the key camps of final products such as personal computers and typewriters, and the receivers 8 and protrusions 4 are also arranged in the same manner. If it is made to have a corresponding shape, the receiver in the present invention will become the tool 8.
This serves as a container for arranging the keyboard when it is set on the keyboard, and is extremely advantageous for subsequent processes. That is,
When setting the keycaps on the keyboard, the keycaps can be set on the keyboard in the same manner as the arrangement containers, so it is extremely unlikely that the keycaps will be incorrectly installed.

Since the present invention has the configuration described above, it has the following effects. That is, according to the method of the present invention, it is not necessary to take out the transfer-printed key camps one by one, and the key camps can be easily taken out.

Therefore, the key cap/knob removal method of the present invention is applied to a method of forming patterns such as letters and symbols on the surface of the key cap by transfer printing, thereby efficiently and easily performing the process of removing the key cap. It has extremely high industrial value.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1-a, 2, and 3-a are schematic cross-sectional views showing steps of the present invention, and Figures ib-b and 3-b are schematic cross-sectional views showing other embodiments, respectively. In the figure, i ---1--support, 2--
Keycap, 3-1111 is on the top plate, 4-1--
-Protruding tool, 5 -1111 convex part, 6 ----
Consistent through hole, 7-...- receiver is the bottom plate of the tool, 8-...- receiver is the tool. Patent applicant Nissha Printing Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) (al) Place a top plate on top of a plurality of key camps fixed to a support used to form a pattern on the surface of the key camp. (b) After placing the keycaps, by using a protrusion having a protrusion corresponding to the arrangement of the keycaps, and inserting the protrusion into a through hole provided in the support from the bottom of the support. A step of protruding the keycap and moving the key camp into the upper board of the tool (after moving C1, the receiver places the bottom plate of the key on the bottom of the key character horn in the upper board of the tool), A method for taking out a key camp, comprising the step of storing the key camp directly opposite the receiver.