JPS6342416Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the idea] This invention concerns a key switch.

For example, as a means of inputting information to an electrical device such as an electrical calculator, a key switch corresponding to each piece of information is provided, and a switch operation is performed by operating the key switch at a position corresponding to the information. This information is input as an electrical signal. Key switches used for this purpose have been proposed in various structures.

However, conventional key switches have a relatively thick structure in the direction in which the key is pressed during operation, and the pressing force required for operation is relatively large or the pressing distance required for operation is relatively long. This may cause strain on the operator's fingers. Furthermore, conventional key switches have a large number of parts due to their structure, and the manufacturing and assembly process is complicated, making it difficult to automate the manufacturing process and making it impossible to reduce manufacturing costs.

This invention solves the above-mentioned problems with conventional key switches, and achieves a significant reduction in size due to its thin shape.It also requires less operating force and travel distance for operation, and provides nimble and reliable switch operation. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a key switch that can be used to perform various operations, has a small number of structural parts, has a simple manufacturing process, and can realize automation of the manufacturing process.

According to this invention, a holding plate is provided, and an electrode plate having a fixed electrode formed on an insulating sheet is disposed on the holding plate. Furthermore, a spacer having an opening at a position facing the fixed electrode formed on the electrode plate is disposed on the electrode plate. A movable electrode made of a spring material is inserted and disposed within the opening of the spacer, protruding in a direction opposite to the fixed electrode of the electrode plate. A cover having an opening looking outside is disposed in the center of the spacer, and the movable electrode is held by this cover.

In this invention, a fixed piece is integrally formed from at least one of the cover and the holding plate, and the holding piece and the cover are fixed to each other by sandwiching the spacer, the movable electrode, and the electrode plate.

Hereinafter, the key switch of this invention will be explained in detail based on its embodiments using the drawings.

Figures 1A to 1E are exploded views showing the construction of an embodiment of the key switch of this invention, and the shape shown in A is a restraint made of hard insulating material such as a baking sheet and formed into a substantially square plate shape. This is plate 11. Figure 1B
An electrode plate 12 having a shape shown in is formed so as to be disposed on this holding plate 11. That is, a substrate 13 having the same shape as the holding plate 11 is formed of, for example, a polyester film material, and the vicinity of each end of the opposing side edges of this substrate 13 is extended at right angles to the substrate 13 to form a substantially rectangular plate shape. the first switch terminal 14-1,
14-2 and second switch terminals 15-1, 15
-2 is formed.

This electrode plate 12 is made of a polyester film material, for example, and a foil metal such as rolled copper is adhered to both sides of the electrode plate 12.
A thin layer of silver or gold is applied by plating, gluing or vapor deposition.

Fixed electrodes are formed on both the front and back surfaces of this electrode plate 12. This fixed electrode is, for example, as shown in Fig. 2A.
It is formed into the shape shown in B. That is, the first and second switch terminals 14-1, 14 of the electrode plate 12
A circular fixed electrode 16 is formed at the center of the substrate 13 on the front surface opposite to the protruding direction of -2, 15-1, and 15-2. A surrounding electrode 17 is formed in a concentric ring shape around this fixed electrode 16, and second switch terminals 15-1, 15-
The positions facing 2 are extended and connected to second switch terminals 15-1 and 15-2, respectively.

The first and second switch terminals 14- of the electrode plate 12
A circular fixed electrode 18 is formed at the center of the substrate 13 on the back surface of the substrates 1, 14-2, 15-1, and 15-2 in the protruding direction. This fixed electrode 18 extends linearly in the direction of the first switch terminals 14-1, 14-2, and is connected to the first switch terminals 14-1, 14-2 at each end.

The fixed electrodes formed on the front and back surfaces of these electrode plates 12 are made of a foil-shaped metal formed on the entire front and back surfaces of the electrode plate 12 and a thin layer of silver or gold formed and disposed on the foil-shaped metal surface. It is created by removing by etching leaving only the necessary parts. Further, the fixed electrodes 16 and 18 formed on the front and back surfaces of the electrode plate 12 are, for example, connected to the substrate 1 of the electrode plate 12.
They are electrically connected to each other by means of through-holes provided through 3.

FIG. 1D shows the shape of the spacer 20 disposed on the electrode plate 12. It is made of an insulating film material such as polyester, and is formed in the same shape as the substrate 13 of the electrode plate 12. An opening 21 having an inner diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the surrounding electrode 17 is formed in the opening 21 . Inside this opening 21 is a first
A dish-shaped movable electrode 22 made of a spring material such as a bronze plate is disposed as shown in FIG. The outer diameter of the movable electrode 22 is set to be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the opening 21, and its peripheral edge is positioned on the surface of the spacer 20, so that the surface of the movable electrode 22 is normally bulged in the opposite direction to that of the fixed electrode. The spring is inserted through the spacer 20 to constitute a disc spring.

Silver or gold is formed and disposed on the entire surface of the movable electrode 22 on the fixed electrode side by plating or vapor deposition. The surface of the movable electrode 22 opposite to the fixed electrode is used as an operation surface, and an insulating material is applied to this surface as necessary. The movable electrode 22 is configured such that when the operation surface on the opposite side to the fixed electrode is operated and pushed toward the fixed electrode 16, the disc spring is reversed.

The shape of the spacer 20 is shown in FIG. 1E.
A cover 23 is formed so as to be disposed thereon, and this cover 23 is formed with a base plate 24 made of, for example, brass and having the same shape as the spacer 20. The vicinity thereof extends perpendicularly to the substrate 24 in a substantially rectangular plate shape to form fixing pieces 25-1 to 25-4, respectively. An opening 25 having an inner diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the opening 21 of the spacer 20 is formed in the center of the substrate 24 .

First and second switch terminals 14 are placed on the holding plate 11.
-1, 14-2, 15-1, 15-2 sides, the electrode plates 12 are overlapped, and the movable electrode 22 is placed inside the opening 21.
A spacer 20 having a movable electrode 22 inserted therethrough is placed over the movable electrode 22 so as to bulge in the opposite direction to the fixed electrode.

Fixing pieces 25-1 to 25- are placed on this spacer 20.
These fixed pieces 25-1 to 25-4 connect to the first and second switch terminals 14- of the electrode plate 12 from the 4 side.
1, 14-2, 15-1, and 15-2 are respectively located on the side edges where no. 1, 14-2, 15-1, and 15-2 are formed. In this arrangement, the fixed pieces 25-1 to 25-4 are bent onto the holding plate 11 so as to sandwich the spacer 20, the movable electrode 22, and the electrode plate 12. When that happens, cover 2
3 and the restraining plate 11 are fixed to each other with the spacer 20, the movable electrode 22, and the electrode plate 12 sandwiched between them,
A key switch is configured.

When operating the key switch, cover 23
When the surface of the movable electrode 22 protruding from the opening 25 of the movable electrode 22 is pushed into the fixed electrode side, the disc spring made up of the movable electrode 22 is reversed, and the movable electrode 22 faces the electrode plate 12 of the movable electrode 22. The side facing electrode plate 1
2 to the fixed electrode 12 side. This movable electrode 2
2, the central electrode 16 and the peripheral electrode 17 come into electrical contact via the movable electrode 22 with a comfortable click feeling, and the first and second switch terminals 14-1, 14-2 and 15-1 and 15-2 are brought into conduction, and the key switch is operated.

In the above embodiments, a structure having one set of switch terminals and one movable electrode that performs a switching operation between the switch terminals has been described. It is also possible to realize a structure having a plurality of independent movable electrodes for performing switching operations on these switch terminals. In addition, in the embodiment, the cover 23 has fixing pieces 25-1 to 25-1.
Although a structure in which the fixing piece 25-4 is integrally formed has been described, it is also possible to construct a structure in which the fixing piece is integrally formed with the restraining plate 11.

As explained in detail above, this invention has a small number of components, is extremely thin in the direction of operation, and is compact overall, making it possible to perform accurate switch operations with light operation accompanied by a comfortable click feeling. It becomes possible to realize a key switch. The key switch of this invention has a small number of component parts, the manufacturing process is simplified, and the manufacturing process can be fully automated, so high-quality products can be mass-produced quickly and at low manufacturing costs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is an exploded view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the key switch of this invention, where A is a holding plate, B is an electrode plate, C is a movable electrode, D is a spacer, and E is a diagram showing the shape of a cover. A and B are diagrams showing the shapes of the fixed electrodes respectively formed on the front and back surfaces of the electrode plate used in the embodiment of the key switch of this invention, and Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the embodiment of the key switch of this invention. 4 are sectional views showing the construction of an embodiment of the key switch of this invention. 11: Holding plate, 12: Electrode plate, 13: Substrate, 1
4-1, 14-2: first switch terminal, 15-
1, 15-2: Second switch terminal, 16: Fixed electrode, 17: Surrounding electrode, 20: Spacer, 23:
Cover, 25-1 to 25-4: Fixed piece.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A fixed electrode and a ring-shaped surrounding electrode are formed on one side of the insulating sheet arranged on the holding plate, and a movable terminal connected to the surrounding electrode is formed on the same side of the holding plate. an electrode plate having a fixed terminal drawn out and electrically connected to the fixed electrode formed on the other surface of the insulating sheet; and a spacer disposed on the electrode plate and having an opening at a position facing the fixed electrode. , a movable electrode made of a spring material that is inserted through the opening of the spacer and arranged on the surrounding electrode of the electrode plate, and bulges in the opposite direction to the fixed electrode; A cover for holding the movable electrode is formed, and the spacer is formed integrally with one of the cover and the holding plate, and the spacer clamps the movable electrode and the electrode plate to fix the holding plate and the cover. A key switch comprising a fixing piece.