JPS5941545Y2 - keyboard switch - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a keyboard switch, and more particularly to a pressing and sliding mechanism of a key top that presses a switch.

In recent years, with the development of electronic devices, various types of keyboards and keyboards used to operate these electronic devices have been developed, and their performance is also required to be highly advanced.

Conventionally, the key tops of keyboard switches include those in the form of a bar with one end fixed as shown in Figure 1, and those with key tops that are larger than the size of the switch as shown in Figure 2. In the case of the bar type with one end fixed in Figure 1, when the key top 1 is pressed, the case 2 and the stem 3 come into contact, and that part becomes a sliding part and the key top 1 is pressed.
is set to go up and down.

In addition, if the key top 1 is larger than the switch 4 as shown in Fig. 2, a dummy switch 5 having almost the same repulsive force as that of the switch is used to prevent the key top 1 from being pressed unbalancedly. This eliminates the inclination of the press and keeps the pressing force in a constant direction.

However, in such a conventional keyboard switch, the stem 3 may become wedged in the case 2 due to wear between the case 2 and the stem 3, causing failure of the key top 1 to return.
There are drawbacks such as the generation of powder due to abrasion due to sliding between the case 2 and the stem 3, which stains the surface of the case 2. Also, if the key top 1 is larger than the switch 4 as shown in Fig. 2, the key top may not be suppressed. It also has the disadvantage that extra parts such as the dummy switch 5 are required to eliminate the tilt caused by balance.

Furthermore, the key top has the disadvantage that the amount of movement of the key top depends on the amount of movement of the switch itself and cannot be made independent of the amount of movement of the switch.

Therefore, the present invention is a keyboard switch with a relatively large key top compared to the switch, which has a good operating feel, and does not have the drawbacks such as failure of the key top to return due to the stem biting. Another object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard switch in which the amount of movement of the key top can be adjusted independently of the amount of movement of the switch itself.

Next, embodiments of the keyboard switch according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the keyboard switch according to the present invention.

A key top 11 is made of a resin material such as plastic, and has a stem 11a at its lower part.

Reference numeral 12 denotes an inner cylinder made of a metal material, and a part thereof has a pair of protrusions 1 that fit into the fitting holes (not shown) of the key top.
2 a and 12 a are formed, and furthermore, on the sides,
a pair of protrusions 12b that fit into three-shaped grooves of the outer cylinder, which will be described later;
12b is fixed.

Reference numeral 13 denotes an outer cylinder made of a metal material like the inner cylinder 12, and a pair of grooves 13a facing each other are formed on the upper side of the outer cylinder, into which the approximately J-shaped protrusion 2b of the inner cylinder fits and slides. A protrusion 13b is formed at the lower end to fit into fitting holes 15a, 15a of a printed circuit board 15, which will be described later.

14 is a switch having an insertion hole 14a for the stem 1a formed in its upper part, and a terminal 14b in its lower surface.

14b.

15 is a printed circuit board, and the protrusion 13b of the outer cylinder 13;
Fitting holes 15a, 15a that fit into the switch 13b and the switch 14
A fitting hole 15b into which the terminal 14b of is fitted.

15b is formed.

Next, the method of assembling the keyboard switch will be explained.

First, the terminals 14b, 14b of the switch 4 are inserted into the fitting holes 15b, 15b of the printed circuit board 5 and fixed by soldering.
3b are inserted into the fitting holes 15a, 15a of the printed circuit board 15 and fixed by tightening or the like.

Next, the upper protrusions 12a, 12a of the inner cylinder 12 are fitted into the fitting hole (not shown) of the key top 11 and fixed, and the protrusions 2b, 2b of the inner cylinder 2 are inserted into the outer cylinder 3 at approximately J. Shape groove 1
Insert the inner cylinder 12 into the outer cylinder 13 by inserting it from the upper opening (■) of the key top 3a, and when the protrusions 12b, 12b reach the zero point at the bottom of the 4-shaped groove 13a, turn the key top 11 slightly clockwise. Rotate the protrusions 12b, 12b to 4
It is engaged with the bottom point of the character-shaped groove 13a.

This completes the assembly work.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing this assembled state.

The operation of the keyboard switch assembled as shown in FIG. 4 is that when the key top 11 is pressed, the inner cylinder 12 slides inside the outer cylinder 13 and descends. 12b
, 12b slides between ■ and ◎ in the three-shaped groove 13a.

In other words, the movement of the key top 11 is determined by the distance between ■ and ◎, and is unrelated to the amount of movement of the switch itself.

Therefore, by freely adjusting the distance between ■ and ◎, the amount of movement of the key top 11 can be adjusted regardless of the amount of movement of the switch itself.

Also, the gap for sliding between the inner cylinder 12 and outer cylinder 13 is 0.1 m.
It is best to set it to about m.

The switch 14 attached to the printed circuit board 15 is a tact switch, a rubber contact switch, a diagram switch,
Any switch such as a reed switch may be used.

As described above in detail, the keyboard switch according to the present invention has the following excellent effects.

(1) Because the metal inner cylinder attached to the key I knob slides with the metal outer cylinder arranged around the printed circuit board to which the switch is attached, the conventional keyboard Unlike a switch, the key top stem and the switchboard frame slide smoothly without any rattling, so the operating feel is good and the key top does not return incorrectly.

(2) Unlike conventional keyboard switches, there are no stems at the end of the switch or key tops, so no powder is generated due to wear.

(3) Since the key top always slides without being tilted, the direction of the force applied to the key switch contacts remains constant, and the contact pressure can be stabilized.

(4) If the printed circuit board and the outer cylinder are fixed by soldering, it can be directly connected to the ground pattern of the printed circuit board, and has a shielding effect for the switch, which is extremely effective as a countermeasure against static electricity.

(5) If you want to increase the keystroke, it is possible to increase the keystroke by incorporating a spring inside the outer cylinder.

(6) By appropriately adjusting the length of the groove that engages and slides with the protrusion of the inner cylinder in the three-shaped groove of the outer cylinder, the amount of movement of the key top can be freely adjusted regardless of the amount of movement of the switch itself. be able to.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 and 2 are simplified diagrams showing the structure of a conventional keyboard switch, Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the keyboard switch according to the present invention, and Figure 4 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the assembly. It is. 11...Key top, 12...Inner cylinder,
13...Outer cylinder, 14...Switch, 1
5... Printed circuit board.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] From a key top having a printed circuit board, a switch disposed on the printed circuit board, an outer cylinder fixed to the printed circuit board so as to surround the switch, and an inner cylinder that slides up and down inside the outer cylinder. A pair of substantially U-shaped grooves facing each other is formed in the upper part of the outer cylinder, and the inner cylinder engages with the five-shaped grooves to move in conjunction with the vertical movement of the inner cylinder. A keyboard switch characterized by having a pair of protrusions that slide against each other.