KR20040025336A - Method and apparatus for manufacturing keypad for cellular phone - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: Molded keys are arranged on a jig, ribs are removed to reduce assembling time, and an adhesive agent is attached to the rear side of the keys evenly, thereby improving productivity. CONSTITUTION: A method for manufacturing key pad comprises a step of inputting plastic keys(2) to a jig(100). The keys are arranged on the jig. Ribs(4) between keys are removed to have separate keys. An adhesive agent is attached to the rear side of the keys. The keys are transferred with jig. A base member is put on the rear side of the keys. The base member is pressed to attache the key with the base member. The key pad is separated from the jig.

Description

Method and apparatus for manufacturing keypad for mobile phone {METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING KEYPAD FOR CELLULAR PHONE}

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a keypad for a mobile phone, and more particularly, to a method for manufacturing a keypad for a mobile phone and a method for manufacturing the same, which can quickly and easily mass produce a keypad.

In general, a mobile phone is provided with a dial function for making a call and a keypad used as a switch device for performing additional functions such as inputting new data into a mobile phone or retrieving input data.

The keypad includes a base member having a flange portion at its periphery and having a plurality of keys corresponding to a plurality of holes formed in the front housing of the telephone, and a protrusion attached to the bottom of these keys to press a contact provided on the printed circuit board. Include.

In most cases, a dome switch with elasticity and restoring force is located between the keypad of the mobile phone and the printed circuit board. When the projection of the base member presses the dome switch by pressing a key constituting the keypad, the dome switch is reversed and printed. The key can be operated in contact with the contacts provided on the circuit board.

The key is typically made of a plastic material printed with numbers, letters or figures, the base member is a silicone rubber having a predetermined elasticity and ductility so that when the key is pressed, the projection can easily press the contact of the printed circuit board Or film.

The keypad is manufactured by printing on the bottom surface of the key injected into plastic, and then punching to remove unnecessary portions (ribs) around the key with a press or the like to produce each key, and the arrangement of the keys. Each key is placed in a jig manufactured to have a key so that the bottom of the key is positioned upward.

Then, after the adhesive is applied to the bottom of the keys arranged in this way, the keypad is manufactured in such a manner that the flat base members having protrusions are formed on these keys.

The keypad manufactured in this manner places the base member inside the front housing of the mobile phone, and each of the keys is assembled so that a predetermined height protrudes from the hole formed in the front housing of the mobile phone. You can check the characters or figures and press the key you want.

However, in the conventional keypad manufacturing method, the ribs are removed before the keys are placed on the jig, and each of the individual keys is placed on the jig by hand one by one, thus requiring a lot of work time and improving work efficiency. There is a problem falling.

In addition, when each key is placed in the jig to be placed in the correct position is not easy to act as a bad factor of the keypad, thereby reducing the reliability of the product.

When the key and the base member are bonded together, the operator manually applies the adhesive member to the bottom of the key, and then attaches the base member to the base member, so that the adhesive application work takes a lot of time, and the adhesive member applied to the key. There is a problem in that the amount of is not constant and the use of the adhesive member is not efficient, and the key and the base member are not firmly bonded.

The present invention has been made to solve the conventional problems as described above, the object of the present invention is to arrange the injection molded key in the jig and then to remove the rib to reduce the assembly time, the key and the base When the member is attached, the adhesive is automatically applied to a plurality of keys in a short time, so that the application time of the adhesive can be shortened as much as possible, and the amount of adhesive can be discharged constantly and accurately so that the key and the base member can be firmly bonded. The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a keypad for a mobile phone and a device for manufacturing the same.

In order to realize the object of the present invention as described above,

A key input process of placing a plurality of plastic keys ejected in a state of being connected to an adjacent key with ribs on a jig so that a back thereof faces upward;

A key alignment process of accurately placing the keys placed on the jig and seating them on the jig;

A rib cutting process for removing the rib between the key and the keys to have each independent key;

An adhesive discharging step of discharging a predetermined amount of adhesive to the back of each key disposed on the jig;

A waiting step of delaying the time to be put into the next step so that the adhesive force of the adhesive discharged to the key is increased;

A base member insert step of placing a prefabricated base member through another process on the back surface of the key from which the adhesive has been in standby for a predetermined time;

Bonding the key and the base member to press the base member to form a completed keypad;

It provides a keypad manufacturing method comprising a discharge process for separating the keypad from the jig.

The present invention also provides a jig capable of seating the plastic keys ejected in the state in which the ribs are connected to the adjacent key with the rear face up;

A circular turntable rotating at a predetermined angle with respect to the central axis at a predetermined time interval under the control of the controller;

A jig settled portion disposed at regular intervals in the circumferential direction of the turntable so that the jig on which the key is seated can be placed and fixedly supported;

A key aligning device seated on the jig so that the keys seated on the jig are placed in the jig settled portion in a more accurate state;

A rib cutting device for removing the ribs between the keys aligned and seated on the jig to have each independent key;

An adhesive ejecting device for automatically discharging a predetermined amount of adhesive onto the back of each key having ribs cut therein;

A base member insert device for placing a prefabricated base member on the back of the key from which the adhesive is discharged;

A pressing device which presses the base member so that a key and the base member are bonded to have a shape of a completed keypad;

Provided is a keypad manufacturing apparatus including an ejector for separating a completed keypad from a jig.

1 is a process chart showing a method for manufacturing a keypad for a mobile phone according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a manufacturing apparatus for explaining a keypad manufacturing system for a mobile phone according to the present invention.

3 to 8 are partial cross-sectional side views of a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a keypad by a process of the present invention.

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

1 is a process chart showing a method of manufacturing a keypad for a mobile phone according to the present invention, the keypad manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention, first injection molding using a liquid thermoplastic resin adjacent key and rib connected state Then, a key input step (S1) is carried out so as to rest on the jig so that the back faces upward while these keys are connected to each other.

The key may be a plastic key made by injection molding a thermoplastic resin such as polycarbonate, ABS resin, or acrylic resin of a transparent material, or a plating key coated with a metal material on the surface of the plastic key, or these may be optionally mixed. Keys can be used.

Therefore, the key input step (S1) can be a plastic key or a plating key, or a mixture of these, it can be made in one single process or two processes, and also performed by the operator manually or otherwise A key insert device used for assembling phosphorus electronics may be used to automatically seat the key on the jig.

And all the processes described later, while moving the key seated on the jig is seated on the turntable provided in the keypad manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, while performing a predetermined process through the respective manufacturing apparatus provided in the circumferential direction of the turntable, To manufacture.

When the key input step S1 is completed, the key alignment step S2 is performed to accurately place the keys placed on the jig in the jig.

This key alignment step (S2) is to prevent the misassembly that can be caused by the keys placed on the jig is released from the jig or incorrectly placed, the key placed on the jig in the key input step (S1) is not accurately placed in the jig Since it may be slightly floating, these keys are pressed with a pressurizing device so that the keys are correctly placed in the jig.

When this process is completed, the rib cutting process S3 in which the operation of removing the ribs connecting the keys and the keys is performed is performed.

In this rib cutting process S3, the cutting is performed using a laser generator, so that the cutting is easy, the position of the cutting surface is accurate, and the cutting surface is smoothly cut.

A blower for preventing the flow of the jig is installed at the lower part of the jig during the rib cutting process S3 to suck the jig and the key and discharge heat generated by the laser.

In addition, by removing the foreign matter generated during rib cutting by the suction action of the blower, it prevents the foreign matter sticking to the key while preventing damage and deformation of the key due to heat.

When the rib cutting process S3 is completed, an adhesive discharging step S4 for discharging a predetermined amount of adhesive on each key back surface is performed.

In the adhesive discharging step S4, a dispenser for automatically dispensing and supplying the adhesive to a plurality of keys in a predetermined amount in a shortest time may be used.

The adhesive discharging step (S4) is configured such that the adhesive is discharged by a predetermined amount by the dispenser of the adhesive discharging device when a signal is received from the jig. If the amount of adhesive discharged to the key is constant, the product defect rate is reduced. The adhesion process to be described later is precisely made to improve the reliability of the product.

In addition, in order to prevent the key from being separated from the jig due to the viscosity of the adhesive during the adhesive discharging step (S4), the portion of the adhesive falling while having a predetermined weight may discharge the adhesive while covering the perforated cover. .

When the adhesive used in the adhesive discharging step (S4) is exposed to the atmosphere for some time, the adhesive may be further semi-cured as the adhesive becomes semi-cured. For this purpose, the adhesive may be further increased to increase the adhesive strength of the adhesive discharged to the key. The waiting step S5 for delaying the input time may be performed.

When the above step is completed, the base member insert step (S6) is carried out by placing the pre-fabricated base member on the back of the key seated on the jig and the adhesive is discharged through another step.

The base member insert step (S6) may use a process used when assembling a typical electronic product, and to prevent the base member placed on the key during the base member insert step (S6) from being moved or detached, The hole is drilled so that the suction force acts on the base member from the suction device installed at the bottom of the jig.

The base member may be made of silicone rubber or a material having a similar property in the form of a film.

When the base member insert step S6 is completed, the base member is pressurized to bond each key and the base member to form a completed keypad.

Due to this bonding process (S7) the key and the base member is bonded to the adhesive discharged in the adhesive discharging step (S4) has a form of a keypad integrally formed.

When the integrated keypad is manufactured as described above, one keypad is completed by performing the discharge process S8 of separating the keypad placed on the jig from the jig and detaching it.

In the above, the adhesive discharging step (S4) is performed to perform the standby step (S5), but, for example, when manufacturing the keypad using an extremely short curing time of the adhesive due to the process characteristics, the standby step (S5) may be omitted. It may be.

Then, the above-described key feeding step (S1), key alignment step (S2), rib cutting step (S3), adhesive discharging step (S4), atmospheric step (S5), base member insert step (S6), bonding step (S7) ), The discharge process (S8) is under the control of the control unit installed in the keypad manufacturing apparatus and all the processes are made at the same time, therefore, a complete keypad is produced per stroke.

2 is a plan view of a manufacturing apparatus for explaining a keypad manufacturing system for a mobile phone by the above manufacturing process, Figures 3 to 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the manufacturing apparatus from the side, the keypad according to the present invention as shown The manufacturing apparatus includes: a jig 100 in which plastic keys 2 ejected with keys 2 connected by ribs 4 are placed so that their back faces upward as shown in FIG. 3;

A turntable 200 which rotates at a predetermined angle with respect to the central axis at a predetermined time interval under the control of the controller C;

A jig settled part 300 fixedly installed at regular intervals in the circumferential direction of the turntable 200 so that the jig 100 on which the key 2 is seated can be placed and fixedly supported;

After arranging the keys by placing them on the jig 100 so that the keys seated on the jig 100 are placed more accurately, the ribs 4 between the keys 2 placed on the jig 100 are removed to each other. A rib cutting device 400 having an independent key;

An adhesive ejecting device (500) which automatically ejects a predetermined amount of adhesive (6) on the back surface of each key (2) with ribs cut;

A base member inserting device 600 for placing a base member 8 prepared in advance on the back surface of the key 2 from which the adhesive 6 is discharged;

The pressing device 700 and the discharge device for separating the completed keypad from the jig 100 to provide the key 2 and the base member 8 in the shape of a completed keypad integrally bonded to the adhesive 6 through the adhesive 6 800.

As shown in FIG. 3, the jig 100 includes a jig main body 102 and a plurality of grooves formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the key 2 while maintaining a predetermined distance to the jig main body 102. 104, the through hole 106 is penetrated through the main body 102 and the groove 104.

The turntable 200 may be a conventional one that can be rotated by the driving force of the driving means, such as a motor not shown, and maintain a constant interval in the circumferential direction of the upper surface of the turntable 200 as shown in FIG. The jig settled part 300 is fixedly installed by the fixing member 302, and the jig settled part 300 is provided with a settling groove 304 so that the jig 100 can be settled and fixed.

In addition, through the turntable 200 and the jig settlement unit 300, through holes 202 and 306 formed on the same axis as the through holes 106 drilled in the jig 100 are formed.

Therefore, the through holes 106, 202, 306 formed in the jig 100, the jig settlement part 200, and the turntable 300 communicate with each other.

As shown in FIG. 5, the rib cutting device 400 includes a laser generator 404 for generating a laser beam 402, and a rib 4 around the key 2 by the laser beam 402. And a suction device which sucks and processes the rib 4 to be cut and simultaneously cools the heat generated by the laser beam to prevent the damage and deformation caused by the heat of the plastic key 2 when cutting the cut. do.

The suction device includes a blower 406, a suction pipe 408 connected to one side of the blower 406, and a suction part 410 connected to the other side of the suction pipe 408 and positioned below the turntable 200. It is composed.

The rib cutting device 400 blows rib pieces and smoke generated when the ribs 4 around the key 2 are cut by the laser beam 402 generated by the laser generator 404. At the same time as the suction process by the suction force of the), the heat generated by the laser beam 402 is sucked to prevent the key 2 made of plastic from being damaged and deformed due to heat.

As shown in FIG. 6, the adhesive discharging device 500 discharges the storage unit 502 in which the adhesive 6 is stored, and the adhesive 6 stored in the storage unit 502 connected to the storage unit 502. A discharge pipe passage 504, a nozzle 506 connected to an end of the discharge passage 504, for discharging the adhesive 6 to the bottom of the key 2, and a predetermined position of the discharge passage 504. And a dispenser 508 for dispensing a predetermined amount of the adhesive 6 supplied from the storage unit 502 at regular time intervals.

The nozzle 506 is fixed by the fixing part 510 to match the spacing and arrangement of the keys 2 so that the adhesive 6 can be discharged at a constant position at all times.

The dispenser 508 is installed at a height h slightly lower than the end of the nozzle 506, which is the adhesive discharge point, and after the adhesive 6 is discharged, the potential of the storage unit 502 and the osmotic pressure phenomenon. It is configured to prevent spillage of the adhesive and hardening of the adhesive.

The adhesive 6 is preferably made of an instant adhesive that is cured in a short time.

In addition, the nozzle 506 may be disposed in a direction perpendicular to the center of the fixing part 510 and the key 2 so that the adhesive 6 can be discharged uniformly and accurately in the center of the rear surface of the key 2.

In the adhesive discharging device 500, the adhesive 6 stored in the storage unit 502 is discharged through the nozzle 506 at a fixed constant speed by the dispenser 508 to fall on the back of the key 2. The portion where the adhesive 6 falls while having a predetermined weight to prevent the key 2 from being separated from the jig 100 due to the viscosity of the adhesive covers the cover 514 in which the hole 512 is drilled. The adhesive can also be discharged.

Since the base member insert device 600 may be a device used when assembling a typical electronic product, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 7, the pressurizing device 700 is connected to a pressurizing device main body 702 and a driving device not fixed to the upper part of the main body 702 to move the main body 702 up and down. The drive shaft 704 and the pressing portion 706 attached to the lower portion of the main body 702.

The pressing unit 706 is preferably made of a sponge having a low hardness to prevent the base member 8 from being damaged when the pressing device 700 is operated.

The discharge device 800 is located on the same axis as the discharge device main body 802 and the through hole 106 formed in the jig 100 extending in the upper longitudinal direction of the main body 802, as shown in FIG. It is composed of a plurality of pins (804).

The main body 802 is made to move up and down by a driving device (not shown), and when the main body 802 is raised, the pin 804 also rises with the through hole 106 formed in the jig 100. Passes the keypad placed on the jig 100 to separate from the jig (100).

In order to prevent damage to the keypad during this action, the pin 804 may be formed of a material having a strength capable of pushing the keypad from the jig 100 while being softer than the key 2.

The rib cutting device 400, the adhesive discharging device 500, the base member inserting device 600, the pressurizing device 700, and the discharging device 800 described above are provided with a key 2 seated on the jig 100. While moving in a state seated on the turntable 200 provided in the keypad manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, by the control of the control unit (C) installed in the keypad manufacturing apparatus (M) at the same time all the work is done at the same time.

As described above, the method and apparatus for manufacturing a keypad for a mobile phone according to the present invention can arrange the keys accurately and quickly and firmly bond the keys and the base member, thereby shortening the product manufacturing time, thereby improving productivity and providing reliability of the product. do.

In addition, the manufacturing equipment of the keypad is made of automatic / semi-automatic line, all the processes are carried out continuously at the same time to maximize the productivity by mass production in a short time.

Claims (18)

A key input process of placing a plurality of plastic keys ejected in a state of being connected to an adjacent key with ribs on a jig so that a back thereof faces upward; A key alignment process of accurately placing the keys placed on the jig and seating them on the jig; A rib cutting process for removing the rib between the key and the keys to have each independent key; An adhesive discharging step of discharging a predetermined amount of adhesive to the back of each key disposed on the jig; A waiting step of delaying the time to be put into the next step so that the adhesive force of the adhesive discharged to the key is increased; A base member insert step of placing a prefabricated base member through another process on the back surface of the key from which the adhesive has been in standby for a predetermined time; Bonding the key and the base member to press the base member to form a completed keypad; Method for manufacturing a keypad for a mobile phone comprising a discharge step of separating the keypad from the jig. The method of claim 1, wherein in the rib cutting process, a cutting is performed using a laser generating device so that the cutting is easy, the position of the cutting surface is accurate, and the cutting surface is smoothly cut. The method of claim 2, wherein the rib cutting process removes foreign substances generated during rib cutting by the suction action of a blower located below the jig and discharges heat generated by the laser. The method of claim 1, wherein the adhesive discharging step is a dispenser for dispensing and dispensing the adhesive to a plurality of keys in a shortest amount of time. The method of claim 4, wherein the adhesive is discharged in a state in which a portion of the adhesive falls while covering the cover with a hole to prevent the key from being separated from the jig due to the viscosity of the adhesive during the adhesive discharging step Method for manufacturing a keypad for a mobile phone. The method of claim 1, wherein the base member inserting step is adapted to suck the base member by suction force at the bottom of the jig so as to prevent the base member placed on the key from flowing or being separated. The method of claim 1, wherein when the adhesive used in the adhesive discharging step is relatively short in curing time, a standby process is omitted and a subsequent process is performed. The method of claim 1, wherein the key feeding process, the key alignment process, the rib cutting process, the adhesive discharging process, the atmospheric process, the base member insert process, the bonding process, and the discharging process are performed at the same time, so that one complete keypad can be produced per stroke. How to make a keypad for a mobile phone. A jig capable of seating the plastic keys ejected in the state of being connected to the adjacent key with the ribs with their back faces upward; A turntable rotating at a predetermined angle with respect to the central axis by the control of the controller; A jig settled part fixedly installed at regular intervals in the circumferential direction of the turntable so that the jig on which the key is seated can be placed and fixedly supported; A rib cutting device for arranging keys by arranging the jig so that the keys seated on the jig are more accurately disposed, and then removing ribs between the keys encased in the jig so as to have respective independent keys; An adhesive ejecting device for automatically discharging a predetermined amount of adhesive onto the back of each key having ribs cut therein; A base member insert device for placing a prefabricated base member on the back of the key from which the adhesive is discharged; A pressing device for providing the key and the base member in the shape of a completed keypad integrally bonded to each other through an adhesive; Keypad manufacturing apparatus for a mobile phone comprising a discharge device for separating the completed keypad from the jig. The jig body includes a jig main body, a plurality of grooves formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of a key at a predetermined interval in the jig main body, and a plurality of through holes formed through the main body and the groove. Perforated mobile phone keypad manufacturing device. The jig settling part of claim 9, wherein the turntable is rotated at a constant rotational angle at a predetermined time under the control of a controller, and the jig settled part may be fixed while maintaining a constant distance in the circumferential direction of the upper surface of the turntable. Installed keypad for mobile phone. The apparatus for manufacturing a keypad for a mobile phone according to claim 11, wherein the turntable and the jig settled portion have through-holes formed on the same axis as the through-holes drilled in the jig. The method of claim 9, wherein the rib cutting device is a laser generator for generating a laser beam, and when cutting the rib around the key by the laser beam, the rib to be cut is sucked and processed at the same time generated by the laser beam The keypad manufacturing apparatus for a mobile phone comprising a suction device to discharge the heat, the key to prevent damage and deformation due to heat. The suction device of claim 13, wherein the suction device comprises a blower for generating a suction force, a suction pipe connected to one side of the blower, and a suction part connected to the other side of the suction pipe and positioned at a lower part of the turntable and communicating with a through hole formed in the jig main body. Cell phone keypad manufacturing apparatus configured. The adhesive dispensing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the adhesive discharging device comprises: a storage unit for storing the adhesive, a discharge pipe line connected to the storage unit for discharging the adhesive stored in the storage unit, and an end portion of the discharge pipe path to connect the adhesive to the key; The apparatus for manufacturing a keypad for a mobile phone, comprising: a nozzle for discharging to a bottom surface; and a dispenser for dispensing a predetermined amount of adhesive at a predetermined time interval connected to a predetermined position of the discharge pipe at a predetermined time interval. The keypad according to claim 15, wherein the dispenser is installed at a height slightly lower than the tip of the nozzle, which is the adhesive discharge point, and configured to prevent spillage of the adhesive and curing of the adhesive due to potential energy and osmotic pressure of the storage unit. Manufacturing equipment. The pressurizing device includes a pressurizing device main body, a drive shaft fixed to an upper portion of the main body and moving up and down the main body, and a pressing part attached to a lower part of the main body, wherein the pressing part prevents damage to the base member. Keypad manufacturing apparatus for a mobile phone made of a material with a low hardness so that. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the rib cutting device, the adhesive discharging device, the base member insert device, the pressurizing device, and the discharge device are configured to operate simultaneously under the control of the controller while moving the key seated on the jig seated on the turntable. Keypad manufacturing device for mobile phones.