JPS62259317A - 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 (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a keyboard, and more particularly to a keyboard useful for manual use, etc., in which a large number of push button members are attached individually or as a unit to a single board. It is something.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, a keyboard cover member 9 carrying movable contacts arranged opposite to an array pattern of fixed contacts provided on a printed circuit board has a push button part 7 and a push button base part 8 connected and integrated. However, this type of keyboard cover member 9 as shown in FIG. After that, a movable contact made of vulcanized current-carrying rubber is buried in a cavity corresponding to the arrangement pattern of fixed contacts (not shown), and unvulcanized insulating rubber is placed on top of this. Because a large number of push button parts 7 and a push button base part 8 are connected and integrated by heating and pressurizing, it is possible to create a keyboard cover as shown in FIG. In order to obtain the member 9, a new mold must be prepared, and in making this mold, one different part affects the entire keyboard cover part due to expansion and contraction of the molded product after molding, and during use. Not only is it necessary to design, manufacture, and inspect a new mold through trial and error in anticipation of the expansion and contraction of the xl
This method had disadvantages in that the total die cost was geometrically higher than that of the 100% (oanFj degree) and that a large press machine had to be prepared.

Furthermore, in order to manufacture a keyboard cover member with push button parts of different hues, which has been in demand recently, it is necessary to simultaneously place unvulcanized insulating rubber of the required hue in the cavity and then heat and pressurize it. Because of this, the hues tend to mix at the boundary, so the product does not have the intended hue boundary, resulting in extremely low yields, not suitable for high-mix, low-volume production, and resulting in high costs. there were. (Structure of the Invention) The present invention relates to a keyboard that solves such disadvantages, and includes a push button member or a plurality of push button members on the periphery of fixed contacts arranged according to a predetermined arrangement pattern on a printed circuit board. It is characterized in that a series of push button member units are fixed together using an adhesive or an adhesive.

That is, the inventors of the present invention have studied various methods for inexpensively manufacturing keyboards that can handle high-mix, low-volume production, and found that a keyboard cover member is made of metal by connecting and integrating a number of push button parts with a push button base member. Rather than molding in a mold, a large number of push button members or unit bodies of push button parts in which a plurality of push button members are connected are prepared, and these are placed on the peripheral edge of the fixed contact on the printed circuit board, and the peripheral edge is molded. Alternatively, apply adhesive or adhesive to the leg base plate side of the push button member,
If it is fixed to the board by curing, there will be no need for molds that have been manufactured each time for each array pattern of array contacts, and the costs associated with this will be eliminated. If it is fixed to the substrate with an adhesive or adhesive, it can also be used as a resist layer for the conductive pattern, and this attachment can also reduce costs, making it possible to obtain the desired keyboard cover material at a low cost. The present invention was completed based on the discovery that this method allows a keyboard with any pattern to be obtained, and thus can be readily adapted to high-mix, low-volume production.

The shape and material of the push button member constituting the keyboard of the present invention,
The color tone may be the same as that used for the push button part of a known keyboard cover member of this type. Therefore, this may be an elastic material whose sliding part is an inverted bowl-shaped elastic rubber rod, or an elastic material as a push button. is a metal plate-like body, and those with different sizes, strokes, loads, appearances, etc. can be selected and used in combination as appropriate. This elastic push button member is made of natural rubber or polybutadiene,
It may be made from diene-based synthetic rubber such as polyisoprene, SBR, neoprene, ethylene-propylene-based, urethane-based, polyester-based, silicone-based synthetic rubber, or a combination thereof. It is preferable to use silicone rubber, which has excellent weather resistance and electrical insulation properties. On the other hand, for those that use a metal plate, a plate made of stainless steel, phosphor bronze, beryllium copper, or those plated with gold or silver is pressed into an inverted bowl shape and given elasticity by a disc spring. And it is sufficient. Note that it is optional to apply a suitable primer to the bonded portion with the silicone rubber in order to improve the adhesion with the silicone rubber described later.

In addition, although the entire push button member is electrically conductive, the contact part is electrically conductive and the dome part is electrically insulating. It may be made by counting.

On the other hand, the printed circuit board constituting the keyboard of the present invention is arranged with the above-mentioned push button members, and this is made of a flexible wiring board such as a polyimide film, a polyester film, a glass epoxy film, or a paper-based copper-clad laminate. plates, glass-based copper-clad laminates, and composite copper-clad laminates.

The material may be appropriately selected from a multi-wire wiring base material, a ceramic substrate, and a composite substrate.

In the keyboard of the present invention, the push button members described above are arranged around the periphery of the fixed contacts on the printed circuit board, and these are fixed with an adhesive or an adhesive. Rubber, rubber-based products such as polyisobutylene and block rubber, copolymers of acrylic esters and monomers such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acrylamide, vinyl acetate, and styrene, and silicone rubbers. Examples include silicone-based adhesives made of silicone resin obtained by condensation reaction with organochlorosilane hydrolyzate; these adhesives may be non-crosslinked, thermosetting, or room temperature curing; are thermosetting urea resins, phenolic resins, resorcinol formaldehyde resins,
Epoxy resins, polyisocyanates, silicone rubbers, and thermoplastic types such as polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl acetal, polyvinyl alcohol, various acrylic and methacrylic esters, cyanoacrylic esters, polyamides, polyesters, polyamideimides, polybenzimidazole, polyimides However, further examples include composite polymer type polyvinyl/g acetal/phenol resin systems, rubber/phenol resin systems, and epoxy resin/nylon systems.

In addition, the push button part of this adhesive can be replaced, and the second adhesive has greater adhesive strength than other adhesives, so it does not stay in place and is highly durable.There is no tank on the surface after curing, and dust does not stick to it. However, among these, silicone rubber is particularly preferred because it can also be used as a resist layer, and is temporarily fixed using the adhesive force of the uncured silicone rubber itself.

The uncured silicone rubber is then vulcanized and cured by heating, heating and pressurizing, or humidification to fix it.

This silicone rubber may be of the radical reaction type, addition reaction type, or condensation reaction type, and may also be one in which a silane coupling agent or titanate coupling agent is kneaded into it to improve adhesiveness. However, it is preferable to use an addition reaction type that uses organohydrodiene siloxane and a platinum catalyst, which can be vulcanized with short heating and has excellent initial tank properties. According to this, it is possible to improve the positional accuracy of temporary fixing of the push button member to the substrate, and there is also the advantage that there is no tackiness after curing, and transportability is also improved.

Furthermore, in the keyboard of the present invention, the push button member and the printed circuit board are not only temporarily fixed by mere adhesive force, but also by adhesive fixation by vulcanization and curing of silicone rubber.
This push button member has no positional shift during key pressing, and is functionally the same as the conventionally known articulated and integrated keyboard cover member.
Printed circuit boards may optionally be pretreated with a suitable primer such as a silane coupling agent, a titanate coupling agent, or the like.

In addition, when applying silicone rubber to push button members and printed circuit boards, masking should be placed on the fixed contacts to prevent silicone rubber from being applied to the fixed contacts, or the casting method or topping should be performed after creating a pattern plate that will not be coated with silicone rubber. It may be applied to the entire surface of the substrate, only to the periphery of the fixed contact, or to the leg substrate side of the push button member using a printing method, a transfer method, or the like. The application of this silicone rubber is usually 0.005~2I
Im, preferably about 0.02 to 0.3 mm, allows for efficient adhesive fixation.

Next, the keyboard of the present invention will be explained based on the attached drawings. 1 and 2 are longitudinal cross-sectional views of the main parts of the keyboard of the present invention, and in FIG. The silicone rubber layer 5 is adhesively fixed on top of the second
The figure shows a push button member 1 with a leg 2 having a mounting hole fitted into a protrusion 6 provided near a fixed contact 4 of a printed circuit board 3 and fixed with adhesive using a silicone rubber layer 5. However, the one shown in FIG. 1 has the advantage that the shape of the push button part used for the push button part of this type of keyboard cover member can be reused in its entirety. Also the third
The figure shows an embodiment in which a push button member is arranged and fixed on a flexible printed circuit board having comb-shaped electrodes, a wiring pattern, and an extraction electrode.

In the thus obtained keyboard of the present invention, in order to make a keyboard cover member in which a conventional keyboard cover member connects and integrates a push button base portion and a push button portion, the keyboard cover members on the sides are replaced each time. Whereas it was necessary to use a mold designed for one member, this method uses a specific single or multiple standard push button members or a unit thereof.

Since the printed circuit board can also be used arbitrarily according to the arrangement pattern of the fixed contacts, it has the advantage of being able to easily and inexpensively obtain a keyboard with any pattern, and this allows for high-mix, low-volume production. Moreover, it also has the industrial advantage of shortening delivery times and improving production efficiency.

Next, examples of the present invention will be given.

Reference Example 1 (Manufacture of push button member) 70 parts of silicone rubber compound KE742U [Part name manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.] and 30 parts of acetylene black powder.
50 kg/aJ of conductive rubber containing 0.5 parts of dicumyl peroxide and 0.5 parts of dicumyl peroxide.

A conductive contact with an outer diameter of 4.0 mm was made by molding at 170'C, and then placed at a position corresponding to a predetermined movable contact in a mold for molding a push button member, and then a silicone rubber compound was applied to this mold.・KE951U [Part name manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.] Insulating rubber compound with 1.5 parts of dicumyl peroxide and 0.5 parts of colorant (white) added to the loO part, 50 kg/a#, 170 The conductive contact and the insulating rubber are integrally molded under the conditions of ℃ and have an outer diameter of 9.
．． 5m.

Inner diameter 5++n+, dome inner diameter 8.7a11. height 3,
3 rm, 48 push button members with a thickness of 0.8 mm are arranged in one column.
3. A large number of 10 push button member precursors surrounded by thin parting lines provided at parallel intervals of 15+m+ in horizontal rows are produced, and each is made into a rectangle with a length of 13 nn and a width of 15+ nm by thin parting lines. Divided.

Reference Example 2 Ethylene propylene rubber EPDM501A [Part name manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.] 100 parts, 40 parts of calcium carbonate, 3 parts of dicumyl peroxide, 1 part of vulcanization aid, 0.5 part of colorant (red), and paraffin. An insulating rubber compound containing 40 parts of a softener was charged into a mold, and the weight was 50 kg/d.
, a large number of 480 push button members were molded at 170°C in the same manner as in Reference Example 1, and conductive contacts were printed using pad printing.
It was divided into rectangles with horizontal dimensions of 15 and 11.

Reference Example 3 A conductive contact with an outer diameter of 4.0 mm+ and an insulating rubber were integrally molded using the same raw materials as Reference Example 1, except that the colorant was black, and under the same molding conditions. Diameter 14.4m
260 pieces (2
Produced in large quantities (6 pieces x 10 pieces).

This was divided into circular pieces each having a diameter of 18.4 mm.

Reference Example 4 Same as Reference Example 3 except that the colorant was changed to blue, but the outer diameter of the shite was 8.0III! , inner diameter 5.0mm, dome inner diameter 7,
76 push button members each having a height of 4 nyn, a height of 3.0 mm, and a thickness of 0.7+ nm are provided at parallel intervals of 10 nwn in vertical rows and 12 mm in horizontal rows, and these are surrounded by a thin parting line to form a large number of 10 push button member precursors. I took it and produced it.

Example 1 On a 100μ polyester film 10, on a silver paste 11 with a diameter of 3.5m+ as shown in FIG.
A conductive carbon layer 12 was formed. <Prepare a flexible printed circuit board with 16 comb-toothed electrodes 13 arranged at a pitch of 17 on in the vertical and horizontal directions and a pull-out electrode 14, prepare a pattern plate with no comb-toothed electrodes applied, and apply a platinum-based catalyst as a resist layer and adhesive. The added addition reaction type self-adhesive silicone rubber - KE1800RTVABC (Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. trade name) was printed to a thickness of 0.03 mwa by screen printing to provide a silicone rubber layer.

Next, 8 push button parts were arranged in Reference Example 1.2 around the periphery of the comb-teeth electrode on this printed circuit board, and they were heated in an oven at 150°C for 30 minutes to harden the silicone rubber. A keyboard in which two types of push button members were firmly adhered to a printed circuit board was obtained, and this keyboard passed a 10 million keystroke test.

Example 2 Conductive patterns and comb-shaped electrodes were formed on a 1.58 mm paper phenolic copper clad laminate by etching, with 6 electrodes each at a 12 oo pitch in one row and 3 rows of 10 electrodes at a 19 nm pitch at the bottom, and then gold plating was performed. I went there and made a printed circuit board, masked the comb electrode part, and applied primer Nα4 [Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. g! Product name] was applied and dried.

Next, a platinum catalyst-containing addition reaction low temperature curing silicone rubber KE-167 [Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
The thickness is 0.0611 by topping
A silicone rubber film of I11 was rolled and bonded, and then a polypropylene film with a thickness of 0.025+nn was laminated as a cover film, and then 6 holes with a diameter of 7 and Oown were cut into 1 hole with a pitch of 12 nm+ using a vibrator blade. row, diameter 13 at the bottom. O What hole pitch 19. Onu
After punching 3 rows of holes in 10 pieces, the propylene film was peeled off.

Next, after positioning this on the printed circuit board mentioned above, it is laminated and the silicone rubber is transferred onto the printed circuit board.
The polyester film of the mold release base material was peeled off to serve as a resist layer and adhesive, and the push button member unit obtained in Reference Example 4 (one unit consisted of 6 push button members) and the push button member obtained in Reference Example 3 were prepared. Thirty pieces were placed around the periphery of the comb-teeth electrodes, and when they were heated in an oven at 100°C for 60 minutes to harden the silicone rubber, a keyboard with two types of push button members firmly adhered to the printed circuit board was created. was obtained, which passed a 10 million keystroke test.

Example 3 1. After forming 12 conductive patterns and comb-shaped electrodes at 1511 pitches, 4 vertically and 3 horizontally, by etching on a glass epoxy copper-clad laminate with a thickness of OOm, gold plating was performed to form a resist layer. A printed circuit board was made by applying epoxy resin and curing it.

Next, apply acrylic double-sided adhesive tape 500 with release paper on both sides.
(Part name manufactured by Nitto Electric Industries) was punched into 12 pieces with a hole diameter of 8°0 mm and a pitch of 15.0 m, 4 vertically and 3 horizontally, and the release paper was peeled off on one side.

Then, after positioning this on the printed circuit board described above, it was laminated, the acrylic adhesive was transferred onto the printed circuit board, the remaining release paper was peeled off, and the EPD obtained in Reference Example 2 was
A unit body of a push button member made of M that is not divided into individual units (
When four push button members (one unit consists of three push button members) were arranged and fixed around the periphery of the comb-tooth electrode, they passed a 1 million key press test.

Example 4 A 0.08 mm polyimide copper-clad laminate was etched to form a four-electrode pattern and two rows of comb-tooth electrodes at a pitch of 20+oo, with each row consisting of three electrodes, and then gold plated and epoxy resin was applied as a resist layer. A flexible printed circuit board was created by coating and curing.

Next, 0.05 g of α-cyanoacrylate adhesive was dropped on the side facing the substrate of the six legs of the EPDM push button member obtained in Reference Example 2, and this was placed and fixed around the periphery of the comb-shaped electrode. As a result, it passed a 5 million keystroke test.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are longitudinal sectional views of essential parts of the keyboard cover member of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention, and FIGS. The figure shows a perspective view of a conventionally known keyboard cover member. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Push button member, 2...Legs, 3...Printed circuit board, 4...Fixed contact, 5...Adhesive, 6...Protrusion, 7...Push button part, 8...Push button base Parts 9: Keyboard cover member, 10: Polyester film substrate, 11: Silver paste layer, 12: Conductive carbon layer, 13: Comb tooth electrode, 14: Extracting electrode. Figure 3 E7--1 Written amendment 1, Indication of the case Patent Application No. 102289 of 1985 2, Name of the invention Keyboard 3, Person making the amendment Relationship with the case Patent applicant name Shin-Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd. 4, Agent "Column for brief explanation of drawings" 7 in the specification, content of amendment 1) "Perspective view of the present invention" on page 18, line 4 of the specification r of the flexible printed circuit board used in Example 1 of the present invention Correct it to "perspective view". 2) Replace Figure 3 with the one on the attached sheet. Above is Figure 3"l 145-1

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A push button member or a push button member unit consisting of a plurality of push button members connected together is fixed to the peripheral edge of fixed contacts arranged according to a predetermined arrangement pattern on a printed circuit board via an adhesive or an adhesive. A keyboard characterized by: