JPS5923418A - Key switch unit - 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 The present invention relates to a key switch unit. Traditionally, in editing and interactive operations on a CRT screen,
The most popular method is to use up/down, left/right cursor movement keys to move the cursor to a desired position, and use text and function keys to insert, delete, change, point out, etc. These keys are placed in appropriate locations to allow for easy operation using both hands, but unless you are a particularly skilled operator, it is unavoidable to waste time visually checking and pressing each individual key. there were.

For this reason, various key switches have been devised that allow the cursor to be moved by operating a single key top, but in applications that require the operation of function keys, etc. arranged separately, it is still time-consuming. The loss was unavoidable. The present invention is proposed in view of these problems in the prior art, and is a single key top switch configured to extract more electrical information from the natural movement of a fingertip through a single key top. By using this and also having a shift signal output means,
We aim to improve operability in display information processing by providing a key switch unit configured to obtain signals for executing a large number of functions from a single key top command. This is the purpose. Provides a key switch unit that can switch and use electrical signal information obtained from concentrated finger operations on a single key top for the most frequently used functions, such as cursor movement and function specification. It is intended to.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes an electronic device, for example, a personal computer, and internally includes a CPU 12, a RAM 13, and a RAM 13 as shown in FIG.
OMJ4 is stored. 2 is a display section, 3 is a keyboard section, 4 is a key switch unit of the embodiment of the present invention, and 5 is a cord connecting the main body 1 and the key switch unit 4.

Next, a case will be described in which the cursor K on the display section 2 is moved to the upper left as shown in FIG. 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, the cursor is moved by simply pressing the key top 6 on the key switch units 4 to 4 in the direction of arrow A) upward and to the left. If you want to use the function key as a clear key, for example, press the independently provided fFJ key 7 from above and press the key 1-knob 6 to the left (arrow B). While erasing the entire screen on 2, it is possible to move the cursor K to a specific location, for example, to the upper left corner (clear home function).

Regarding the structure of this key switch unit 4, please refer to the 4th section.
As shown in the figure, a spherical motion-conducting ball 8 and a leaf spring contact 9 are provided around the key 1 to the knob 6, and when a horizontal force is applied to the key top 6, the leaf spring contact 9 is activated. Contact. Furthermore, information based on this contact is sensed by the CPU 12 to control the direction of movement of the cursor. Here, if the key top 6 is pressed in the direction where the leaf spring contact 9 is not provided, as shown in Fig. 3, [well, force is applied to both the leaf spring contacts 9X and 9Y, and both When the contacts touch, the cursor K can be moved to the upper left. A spherical motion conduction ball 10 and a leaf spring contact 11 are also provided on the lower side of the rFJ key 7, and the leaf spring contact 11 comes into contact when a force is applied to the rFJ key 7 from above.

Furthermore, information based on this contact is sensed by the CPLJ 12 as a shift signal, so that information based on the contact of the leaf spring contact 9 sent later can be switched as information as a function key.

For example, while pressing rFJ key 7 from above, press 8 in Figure 3.
When pressing the key top 6 in the direction, first the leaf spring contact 1
1 and the leaf spring contact 9X remains in contact, so it is handled in the same way as when the normal "CLR" key is pressed.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the key switch unit 1 according to the present invention. In the figure, a spherical motion-conducting ball 8 and a leaf spring contact 9 are installed around the slide portion 16. This leaf spring contact 9 is connected to the key top portion 15.
When a horizontal force is applied to the slide portion 16, the slide portion 16 is moved and comes into contact as shown in FIG. 6(B). Furthermore, information based on this contact is converted into an electrical signal by a well-known technique, and this is sensed by the CPU 12 to control the direction of movement of the cursor. Similarly, a spherical motion-conducting ball 10 and a leaf spring contact 11 are provided on the lower side of the key stop part 15, which is attached to the slide part 16 so as to be freely slidable up and down. This leaf spring contact 11 comes into contact with the key top portion 15 as shown in Figure (C) when a force is applied from above.

Further, information based on this contact is sensed by the CPLJ 12 as a shift signal, so that the leaf spring contact 9
The information based on the touch can be switched with the information as a function key.

In the above explanation, the contents of the function key are r
DELJ, rl'NsJ, II-ll-1O and rc
It goes without saying that commercially available switches may be used in place of the operation conduction balls 8 and 10 and the leaf spring contacts 9 and 11, and a locking mechanism for the key 1 may be provided, without being specific to the LRJ. stomach.

Next, the means for detecting opening and opening of the leaf spring contacts 9 and 11 will be explained with reference to FIG.

The plate spring contact 9 is provided with an insulator 1 as shown in FIG. 7(A).
leaf spring contacts 91 and 92 spaced apart at 7;
is included. These contacts 91 and 92 are connected to the key top 6.
When a sliding force is applied to it, it closes as shown in FIG. 4(B). Therefore, the terminal 9t2 is short-circuited to the grounded terminal 9tl and outputs O volts. However, if it is not closed, due to the action of the pull-up resistor R, 5
It's a bolt.

Further, the leaf spring contact 11 includes leaf spring contacts 111 and 112 which are spaced apart by an insulator 17 as shown in FIG. 7(B). These contacts 111 and 112
is opened when key 7 is pressed. Therefore, the terminal 11t2
outputs O volts because it is short-circuited to the grounded terminal 11t1. However, when it is not closed, the voltage is 5 volts due to the action of the pull-up resistor R.

The CPU 12 periodically checks these leaf spring contacts 933 and 11.
is configured to check terminals 9t2 and 11[2 of . Alternatively, when at least one contact is opened, an interrupt is input to the CPU 12), thereby starting service to the key switch, and when all contacts are opened, an interrupt is input to the CPU 12 again. The configuration may be such that the service to the key switch is terminated by the key switch. In any of the above cases, contact information of the contacts is taken into the CPU 12 at a predetermined period while the key switch is being serviced. Therefore, by monitoring the terminal 11t2 of the leaf spring contact, it is possible to give a plurality of meanings to the electrical signals output in response to different displacements of the keys 1 to lub 6.

As described above, according to the present invention, a knob switch is used for a single key 1 configured to extract more electrical information from the natural movement of a fingertip through a single key top.
For example, a frequently performed cursor movement operation can be quickly performed with a blind touch. Furthermore, Schiff 1
By also having a signal output means, it is possible to easily switch from finger operations on the same key top to execution of various funximin functions that are performed in parallel with the cursor movement operation, and It is very efficient with little time loss.

Also, having a shift signal output means not only provides the advantage of being able to obtain output signals for executing more functions from the operation of the single key top, but also has the advantage that it is possible to obtain output signals for executing more functions from the operation of the single key top. For example, it has the advantage that it is only necessary to set (press) a single key 1 to switch to execute the functions divided by two.
It is also possible to simplify the structure and operation of the gee-top switch.Thus, although the structure of the present invention is simple, it can produce extremely large effects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 and 3 are operation explanatory diagrams of the key switch unit according to the present invention, and FIGS. 4 (A>, (B) and (C) ) is a sectional view of one embodiment of the key switch unit according to the present invention, FIG. 4(D)
FIG. 5 is a plan view, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing how an embodiment of the present invention is used. FIGS. 6(A), (B) and (C) are sectional views of other embodiments of the key switch unit according to the present invention, and FIG. 6(D) is a sectional view of another embodiment of the key switch unit according to the present invention.
is also a plan view, and FIGS. 7A and 7B are circuit diagrams showing an example of the terminal structure of a leaf spring contact. Here, 4 is a key switch unit 1 to 6. 6 and 15 are key tops, 16 is the slide part, 7 is the rFJ key, 8.1
0 is a motion conduction ball, and 9.11 is a leaf spring contact. 4th cause Figure 4 (Figure 5 U Q () -
- Figure 7 Procedural Amendment Written by Migen November 117, 1981 Mr. Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office 1, Indication of the case Patent Application No. 130419/1982 2, Name of the invention Key switch unit 3゜ Person making the amendment Relationship with the case Patent applicant Canon Co., Ltd. 4, Agent 1-11-10 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105, 5, Procedural Directive H dated October 26, 1988, 6, Full text of the specification to be amended 7, Amendment As per the attached sheet

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A key switch unit provided outside the keyboard section, comprising a single key 1 to a knob switch that outputs different electrical signals in response to different displacements of a single key top, The key switch unit 1-02 is characterized in that it also has a shift signal output means for giving a plurality of meanings to the output signal of the single key top switch, and the output signal is for cursor control and function designation. A key switch unit according to claim 1. 3. The key switch unit according to claim 1, wherein the shift signal is an electrical signal output in response to displacement of a single key top. 4. The key switch unit according to claim 1, wherein the shift signal is an electrical signal output from a key switch provided independently of the single key top switch.