JPS63124315A - Key for 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 The present invention relates to a key that operates within a keyboard or bezel to close a switch. More particularly, the present invention relates to keys disposed on a keyboard in a sealed relationship to prevent dust, water, or moisture from leaking through the keyboard into a device equipped with the keyboard. be. The invention also particularly relates to keys comprising a lamp energized to illuminate the key when the key is pressed down on the keyboard or bezel, or to illuminate the key independently of the switch contacts. It is related to. Alternatively, the lamp can be energized to illuminate the keys independently of the operation of any of the keys on the keyboard.

Traditionally, control keys are provided on keyboards or bezels or for a number of different purposes. For example, keys are provided on a keyboard to type information onto paper. The key is also
It is provided on the keyboard to provide the operations of the data processing device. In such cases, the operation of the keys controls the information introduced into the data processing device to be processed by the data processing device.

Keyboards must sometimes be mounted within a device that is sealed against the passage of dust, water, or moisture into the device. For example, a keyboard may have to be operated in a hot and humid environment, where the passage of moisture into the device affects the operation of the device. As will be appreciated, if the operation of the device is affected, inappropriate information may be generated by the device equipped with the keyboard. This can be particularly serious when the information provided by the keyboard device is introduced into a data processing device for processing such information. For example, as will be appreciated, significant amounts of money can sometimes be affected by the introduction of inappropriate information from a keyboard device to a data processing device.

Accordingly, considerable effort has been devoted to developing keys that are simple in construction, reliable in operation, and sealed so that no dust, water, or moisture can pass into the device containing the keyboard. and a significant amount of money is being spent. Despite all this effort and expense, there are no satisfactory keys for keyboards that are arranged on the keyboard to prevent dust, water, and moisture from entering the device through the keyboard. Not yet. This means that it is simple to construct, reliable in operation, can be quickly replaced with a new key if it becomes worn or defective, and is easily removable from the keyboard. It is desirable to provide a key that is

And-5 The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides a key for use in a bezel or keyboard that can solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art and satisfy the above-mentioned criteria. The purpose is to

Construction The keys of the present invention cooperate with the bezel or keyboard to create a seal-like relationship that prevents dust, water, and moisture from escaping into the keyboard. If the key becomes defective or worn out.

It can be easily removed from the bezel or keyboard by removing from the key the retainer that couples the key to the keyboard. A new key can then be locked into fixed relationship with the bezel by inserting it into the bezel or keyboard and reinserting the retainer over the key.

In one embodiment of the invention, the plunger is slidably mounted within a jacket, preferably constructed of an insulating material. A flange is disposed on the jacket at one surface of the bezel. The flange accommodates a lip portion at one end of the boot constructed of a flexible material, such as silicone rubber. The boot and finger pusher abut a flange on the plunger. A spring can be constrained between the jacket and a flange on the plunger to bias the plunger and the boot into a position in which the boot is in an unconstrained relationship.

A retainer, such as a ring, is disposed within a groove in the plunger adjacent the opposite surface of the bezel from the flange on the jacket. The retainer cooperates with the bezel to force the jacket flange and boot lip tightly against the bezel.

This creates a seal that prevents water and moisture from passing through the bezel.

An electrical contact is attached to the plunger at the opposite end of the plunger from the finger push member. The electrical contacts can be shock-mounted to the plunger, such as by rubber-fittings. The electrical contacts cooperate with contacts secured within the bezel to form a switch.

The plunger and the finger-pressing member can be transparent, and the plunger can also be provided with a socket. The lamp can be arranged in the socket and can be illuminated when the switch is closed, thereby illuminating the plunger and finger press.

Under such circumstances, contacts on the plunger can bridge a pair of spaced contacts in the bezel to establish electrical continuity for the lamp. On the other hand, the lamp can be illuminated independently of any key operation.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a key, generally indicated at 10 and constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, is configured to be disposed on a keyboard or bezel 12.

The key has a hollow jacket 14 which is preferably electrically insulating and preferably constructed from a thermoplastic resin such as acetal resin sold under the tradename rDelrinJ. . jacket 1
4 has a shelf 16 with a flange 18 at the upper end of the shelf in FIG.

The boot 2o is made of a flexible and electrically insulating material such as silicone rubber, and is disposed on the bezel 12. The boot has the form of a shroud and, at its lower end in FIG. 1, has a tip or lip portion constituted by an outwardly projecting portion 22 and an inwardly projecting portion 24. The outwardly projecting portion 22 rests on the jacket 14;
The portion 24 also projects inwardly from the underside of the flange 18 of the jacket 14. The outwardly projecting portion 22 and the inwardly projecting portion 24 can be considered to constitute a lip.

For example, the plunger 26, constructed from a relatively lightweight material such as sintered aluminum, is inserted into the bore 27 in the jacket 14.
It can be slid freely inside. Plunger 26 has a flange 28 at its upper end in FIG. A helical spring 30 constructed of a suitable material such as stainless steel is disposed within boot 20 in a constrained relationship between flange 28 on plunger 26 and jacket 14. The top of boot 20 abuts flange 28 . The finger pushing member 34 is disposed in an abutting relationship with the plunger 26 in a fixed but detachable relationship on the plunger 26. Finger push member 34 may be constructed of any suitable electrically insulating material, such as butadiene-styrene polymer or acrylonitrile, known under the trade name rcyclolacJ or rABSJ.

A retainer, such as a ring 36, is disposed within a groove 38 in jacket 14 at a location below bezel 12 in FIG. Ring 36 may be constructed of any suitable material, such as stainless steel, and may be of a split configuration to facilitate insertion into and removal from groove 38. It is possible to do so.

Ring 36 is preferably angled upwardly to engage the bezel or bottom surface of keyboard 12 .

Thus, ring 36 presses downwardly against jacket 14 in FIG. 1, and thus flange 28 on plunger 26 presses downwardly on inwardly projecting portion 24 of jacket 20. In this way, a fluid-tight relationship is maintained between jacket 14, plunger 26, and bezel 12, allowing dust, water, and moisture to pass through the bezel and into the device of which it forms a part. Prevent leakage.

A member 40 made of a suitable electrically insulating material such as plastic is attached to the plunger 26 by sonic welding or the like.
It is possible to install it on The member 40 defines a socket 42 for receiving and locking a shock mount 44 made of a suitable material such as rubber.

Electrical contacts 46 are attached to shock mount 44 . Electrical contacts 46 may be constructed of any suitable material, such as stainless steel, and may be fully plated. Electrical contacts 46 may have a conventional configuration for engaging stationary contacts 48 secured within the device (not shown) containing bezel 12. For example, contact 46 may be dish-shaped and may include a snapping action that flattens when it engages contact 48. On the other hand, contact 46 can be flat and maintain a flat shape when it engages contact 48.

When finger push member 34 is manually depressed, it pushes down on plunger 26 such that contacts 46 on the plunger engage contacts 48 in bezel 12. At the same time, boot 20 is flattened following the downward movement of plunger 26 in FIG. −
This is illustrated in FIG. However, boots 20 are
Even in this flattened state, a seal continues to be provided to the plunger 26 and the keyboard or bezel 12.

When the finger pusher is released, spring 30 operates to return plunger 26 and boot 20 to their original positions as shown in FIG.

The key 10 described above has the following important advantages. When inserted onto the keyboard or bezel 12, it has a sealed relationship with the bezel so that no dust, water or moisture can leak through the bezel. That's ring 3
6 can be easily removed from the bezel 12 by removing the ring, and it can be easily inserted into the bezel by snapping the ring into place within the groove 38 of the jacket 14. . When the key 10 is locked in place within the device associated with the bezel 12, it becomes tamper-proof.

It prevents electromagnetic or rf energy passing through the bezel 12 from interfering with the operation of the device with which the bezel is associated.

3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, plunger 2
The embodiment is similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, except that 6 has an opening 50 for receiving one end of an arm 52. The arm 52 is rotatable at a fulcrum 54. When plunger 26 is depressed, it pivots arm 52 on fulcrum 54. The arm 52 is the second
It is possible to couple plunger 26 to a corresponding plunger in the switch. In this way, the second
The switch can be opened and closed in synchronization with the opening and closing operations of the switches shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

○The ring bead 63 has a lip part 24 that protrudes inward.
between the bottom surface of the keyboard and a cutout 65 on the keyboard or bezel 12. Similarly, O-ring beads 67 can be provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the flange 28 of the plunger 26. The O-ring beads facilitate the generation of a seal between adjacent contact surfaces.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 shows a lamp 60 disposed within a socket 62 within a plunger 64.
have. The plunger 64 has the trade name rLuci.
It may be constructed in a similar manner as shown in FIG. 1 and described above, except that it may be constructed from a transparent material such as that known as teJ. A finger pressing member 66 corresponding to the finger pressing member 34 in FIGS. 1 and 2.
It is also possible to construct it from a transparent material.

Contact 68 is movable with plunger 64 and is in shock-mounted or damping relationship thereto, such as by a flexible insert 70, which may be constructed of a flexible electrically insulating material such as rubber. It is arranged in. Contacts 68 can be configured in a donut shape to engage and bridge contacts 72 and 74 secured within bezel 76 . Each of contacts 72 and 74 may be formed from a plurality of spaced apart radial spokes connected by a ring. The radial spokes for contacts 72 are arranged in spaced apart and interleaved relationship with the radial spokes for contacts 74.

When plunger 64 is depressed, contact 68
engages contacts 72 and 74 and establishes electrical continuity to lamp 60. This causes lamp 60 to illuminate. The illumination is provided by a transparent plunger 64 and a finger pressing member 6.
6, which can be viewed by the operator or other concerned person.

Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention should not be limited only to these specific examples, and various modifications may be made without departing from the technical scope of the present invention. Of course, it is possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing keys and a keyboard or bezel configured according to an embodiment of the present invention in a normal position of the keyboard, and FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the keys in a depressed position relative to the keyboard; FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configured keys and the keyboard or bezel; FIG. 4 is a diagram similar to FIG. 3; Figure 5 shows a key and keyboard or bezel constructed in accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, with a lamp disposed in the normal position of the keyboard and illuminated by key depression; FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view similar to FIG. 5, showing the keys in a depressed state relative to the keyboard; FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view similar to FIG. 5 and FIG. an enlarged schematic view schematically illustrating the electrical contacts establishing electrical continuity to the lamp provided in the embodiment shown;
It is. (Explanation of symbols) 10: Key 12: Keyboard (bezel) 14: Jacket 20: Boots 26: Plunger 30 Spring 34: Finger press member 36: Ring 42: Socket 44: Shock attachment body (buffer) 46.48 :contact

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A device disposed on a bezel for establishing electrical continuity with an electrical contact disposed within the bezel,
a finger push member; a plunger coupled to the finger push member; a flexible boot maintained on one end of the finger push member and the plunger; a jacket configured to hold the flexible boot in fixed relationship with the jacket and the boot at two ends, the plunger being disposed in slidable relationship with the jacket; biasing means disposed within the boot between the jacket and biasing the plunger and the jacket in a direction opposed to restraint of the boot; biasing means supported by the jacket to be aligned with the bezel; and means for maintaining the jacket and the boot in a fixed relationship with respect to the bezel; and means movable with the plunger and configuring contacts and switches in the bezel. . 2. Claim 1, characterized in that the jacket is provided with a groove on its periphery, and the retaining means constitutes a ring disposed around the circumference of the jacket where the groove is provided. A device that does this. 3. In claim 2, the jacket is provided with a flange adjacent to the second end of the boot, and the boot includes a lip portion surrounding the flange. , wherein the flange and the lip portion are maintained relative to the bezel. 4. In a device disposed on a bezel for establishing electrical continuity with an electrical contact disposed within the bezel, a hollow jacket configured to be disposed in a fixed position on the bezel, the jacket; plunger means disposed within said hollow jacket in slidable relationship with said jacket; a flexible boot supported by said jacket and cooperating with said jacket to be fixedly disposed on said bezel; means disposed in cooperative relationship with a jacket for maintaining said jacket and said boot in fixed relationship on said bezel, controlling depression of said plunger within said jacket and controlled compression of said flexible boot; A device characterized in that it has means for applying, a contact movable with said plunger and cooperating with a contact in said bezel to constitute a switch. 5. According to claim 4, said plunger is constructed of a transparent material, interlocking with said plunger and providing passage of light through said plunger upon closure of said switch. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means connected in a circuit comprising said switch for the purpose of the invention. 6. In claim 4, a rotatable arm is provided which is interlocked with the plunger and is rotatable in accordance with depression of the plunger, and is specified in claim 4. a second arrangement corresponding to the arrangement and coupled to the pivotable arm for operation in accordance with the rotational movement of the pivotable arm; Device. 7. Apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising biasing means disposed in cooperative relationship with said boot and said jacket to counteract constrained positioning of said boot. 8. According to claim 5, there is provided biasing means disposed in cooperative relationship with the boot and the jacket to oppose the constrained positioning of the boot, and on the plunger. A device characterized in that means are provided for facilitating depression of said plunger. 9. A hollow jacket configured to be disposed on one surface of the bezel in a device disposed on the bezel for establishing electrical continuity with electrical contacts disposed within the bezel; means maintained by the jacket for positioning against the second surface of the bezel and for maintaining the jacket in a fixed position on the first surface of the bezel; means slidable within the hollow jacket; a plunger, a contact movable with the plunger and engaging the contact in the bezel according to the slidable arrangement of the plunger in the jacket; a hollow boot operatively pinned to the first surface of the bezel and cooperating with the jacket;
means disposed within said boot and operative with said boot to bias said boot to an unrestrained position, said boot being in conjunction with said plunger and said means disposed within said hollow jacket. A device characterized by being in a restrained state according to the sliding movement of a plunger. 10. Claim 9, wherein the retaining means constitutes a ring, and the jacket has a flange at a position corresponding to the position of the jacket on the first surface of the bezel; Apparatus characterized in that the boot has a lip configured to be locked by the flange on the jacket in the assembled relationship of the boot and the jacket on the bezel. 11. The device of claim 9, wherein the plunger is transparent and a lamp is disposed in juxtaposed relation to the plunger for energization. 12. Claim 10, wherein the plunger is transparent and includes a socket, and the lamp is energized by engagement of contacts on the plunger with contacts in the bezel. wherein the device is disposed within the socket within the plunger. 13. According to claim 12, the contacts in the bezel include a pair of contacts fixed and spaced apart from each other in the bezel, and the contacts on the plunger wherein said contacts are arranged to establish continuity between said spaced apart contacts. 14. Claim 13, wherein the first of the spaced contacts is configured in the form of a plurality of spokes, and the second of the spaced contacts are mutually disposed. a plurality of spokes disposed in spaced relation and spaced apart from the spokes constituting the first one of the spaced apart contacts; A device, characterized in that the device is disposed between a plunger and the contact on the plunger. 15. A device disposed on a bezel for establishing electrical continuity with electrical contacts disposed within the bezel, the device being formed of an electrically insulating material and fixed in relation to said bezel; a jacket configured to be disposed on the bezel; a plunger constructed of a transparent material and slidable within the jacket; a plunger configured to illuminate the plunger when energized; means for sealing the plunger and the jacket against leakage of water, dust or moisture into the bezel; sliding movement of the plunger within the jacket; at least one contact carried by the plunger in an electrically insulating relationship with the plunger to establish electrical continuity with the electrical contact in the bezel according to the invention. Device. 16. Claim 15, wherein the sealing means is formed of a flexible material, the sealing means is configured to define a locking portion at one end, and the jacket includes a locking portion. is disposed within the jacket and on the jacket against the locking portion on the sealing means to create a fluid seal between the sealing means, the jacket and the bezel. A device characterized in that means are provided for cooperating with the locking portion on the sealing means and the bezel to press tightly against the locking portion of the sealing means. 17. Claim 15, wherein the sealing means is comprised of a flexible material, and the depression of the sealing means on the bezel and the simultaneous sliding movement of the plunger within the jacket are Apparatus characterized in that there is provided means for providing, said jacket and said sealing means interlocking with said means for biasing said sealing means into an unconstrained relationship. 18. Claim 17, wherein the jacket is provided with a socket, the lamp is disposed within the socket within the jacket, and the sealing means constitutes a locking portion at one end. said jacket is configured to have a locking portion disposed on said jacket for creating a fluid seal between said sealing means and said jacket and said bezel to Means is provided for causing the locking portion on the sealing means to cooperate with the bezel by pressing the locking portion on the jacket tightly against the locking portion on the sealing means. device to do. 19. In claim 17, there is provided an insert made of a flexible material and disposed between the plunger and a contact movable together with the plunger, the insert body being arranged between the plunger and the contact which is movable with the plunger, and which a pair of contacts are disposed in the bezel in spaced relation, and contacts on the plunger establish continuity between the spaced apart contacts in the bezel as the plunger moves within the jacket; A device characterized by: 20. A device disposed within a bezel for establishing electrical continuity with electrical contacts disposed within the bezel, consisting of a lamp having the property of illuminating when energized, consisting of a transparent material. a plunger constructed of an electrically insulating material and disposed in cooperative relationship with the lamp for transmitting light from the lamp when the lamp is illuminated; a jacket housing the plunger in slidable relationship with the jacket;
means disposed in cooperative relationship with the plunger and the jacket for maintaining the jacket in a fixed and sealed relationship with the bezel to prevent passage of water, dirt, and moisture into the bezel; , a contact carried by the plunger and engaged with an electrical contact on the bezel according to sliding movement of the plunger within the jacket, means for energizing the lamp, cooperating with the jacket and the sealing means. means for biasing said plunger in a direction that prevents electrical contacts disposed in working relationship and carried by said plunger from establishing electrical continuity with electrical contacts in said bezel; A device comprising: 21. Claim 20, wherein the sealing means is sealed at one end to the bezel in fixed relation to the bezel, is depressable at the other end, and is coupled to the plunger at the other end. a flexible boot which is depressed by sliding movement of the plunger within the jacket, the biasing means being disposed in cooperative relationship with the boot and the jacket; biasing the boot and the plunger in a direction that prevents electrical contacts carried by the plunger from establishing electrical continuity with electrical contacts in the bezel. 22. Claim 20, wherein the jacket is provided with a groove, the jacket being disposed within the groove and cooperating with the bezel; and support means for applying a force on the jacket in a direction to maintain the boot in a fixed and sealing relationship with the bezel. 23. In claim 20, the sealing means comprises a flexible boot sealed to the jacket and the bezel at one end in a fixed relationship to the bezel and in a fixed and overlapping relationship to the jacket. and is maintained by the jacket and cooperative with the bezel to apply a force on the jacket and the boot to maintain the jacket and the boot in a fixed and sealing relationship to the bezel. A device characterized in that it is provided with means for. 24. As defined in claim 20, when the means for energizing the lamp establishes electrical continuity between an electrical contact in the bezel and an electrical contact movable with the plunger. Apparatus operative to energize the lamp.