JPH0217388Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Field of Application> This invention relates to a key switch, and particularly to a key switch that can be operated from two directions.

<Prior Art> Fig. 2 shows an example of a conventional key switch. This key switch has fixed contacts 1a, 1b, 1c constituting a switch mechanism and a dome-shaped reversing spring movable contact piece 2.
It is arranged at the bottom of the housing 3 so that the bulge 2b faces the fixed contact 1b, and the pusher 5 is pushed down by the pressing operation of the key top 4, and the movable contact piece 2 is reversed, and the bulge 2b is brought into contact with the fixed contact 1b to connect the fixed terminals 1a, 1b, 1c and turn on the switch. Also, when you release the pressing force on key top 4,
The movable contact piece 2 returns to its original shape and the bulge 2b separates from the fixed contact 1b to turn off the switch, and the return spring force pushes up the pusher 5 and key top 4 to return to their original positions. Note that 6 in the figure is a cover.

<Problems to be solved by the invention> With the recent diversification of electronic devices, the key switches used in these devices are also required to be diversified. However, as is clear from the example in Figure 2, conventional key switches have only one switch operation surface, which has the disadvantage that there is little freedom in the design of the device, especially in terms of operability, flexibility, compactness, etc. It was hot.

This idea was made in view of the above circumstances,
The object of the present invention is to provide a key switch that can be operated from two directions.

<Structure and operation of the invention> The key switch according to the invention includes a housing containing a switch mechanism, a pusher which is housed in the housing so as to be movable up and down and turns on the switch mechanism by pushing down the pusher, and the housing. a first keytop disposed on an upper surface, the stem of which passes through the upper surface and abuts the upper end of the pusher; The device is characterized in that it includes a second key top that comes into contact with an inclined surface provided on the side surface of the pusher.

In the key switch configured as described above, when the first key top is pressed, the pusher is pushed down and the switch mechanism is turned on, and when the pressing force is released, the pusher and the first key top are restored by the recovery action of the switch mechanism or other recovery means. It is automatically returned to the position and the switch mechanism is turned off. The above operation is similar to the conventional one. On the other hand, the second
When the key top of the pusher is pressed against the side surface of the housing, the tip of the stem slides on the sloped surface of the pusher while pressing the sloped surface laterally (horizontally). The pusher is pushed down by the downward force generated on the inclined surface due to this pressure, so the first
As in the case of pressing the key top, the switch mechanism is turned on. Furthermore, when the pressing force on the second key top is released, the pusher and the second key top are automatically returned to their original positions in the reverse order of the above. Therefore, the key switch of the present invention can be operated from two directions: the top surface and the side surface of the housing.

Incidentally, if the first and second key tops are integrally formed in an L shape by connecting one side thereof, and the connecting portion is made thin to provide flexibility and springiness, the first or second key top When the key top No. 2 returns, the return force is increased by the spring force of the connecting portion, making the return operation smoother, and since the number of parts is reduced, manufacturing costs are reduced and assembly is facilitated.

<Example> An example of this invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In the figure, a housing 10 is made of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin, and has a box shape with a rectangular hollow part 11 that is open at the top and closed at the bottom. A communicating through hole 12 is provided therethrough. 20a, 20b, 20c
is a fixed contact that is exposed and disposed on the bottom surface of the hollow part 11 of the housing 10, the fixed contact 20b is placed in the center of the bottom surface, and the fixed contacts 20a and 20c are placed in the center of the opposing periphery of the bottom surface. They are placed facing each other. Reference numeral 21 denotes a lead contact whose middle part is molded into the bottom wall of the housing 10 so that both ends extend outward from the bottom surface of the housing 10. Although this lead contact 21 is not shown, it It is connected to the fixed contacts 20a and 20c. The fixed contact 20b is connected to another lead contact 22 (not shown) molded into the bottom wall of the housing 10. This fixed contact 20
a, 20c and the lead contact 21, and the fixed contact 20b and the lead contact 22 are each integrally formed from a thin conductive metal plate. 30 is a movable contact piece disposed at the bottom of the hollow part 11 of the housing, and this movable contact piece 30 and the fixed contact 2
0a, 20b, and 20c constitute a switch mechanism. The movable contact piece 30 is formed into a dome shape from a thin conductive metal plate having spring properties, and has a reversal characteristic in which the concave and convex portions are reversed by pressing the bulged portion 31 of the movable contact piece 30. The movable contact piece 30 has a bulging portion 3
1 is placed at the bottom of the hollow part 11 with the bulge 31 facing away from the fixed contact 20b, and its peripheral edge 32 faces the fixed terminal 20b.
a and 20c and are in contact with each other. The movable contact piece 30 is formed so that its outer diameter is approximately equal to the length of one side of the bottom of the hollow portion 11, so that the movable contact piece 30 does not move horizontally on the bottom. Reference numeral 40 denotes a pusher formed into a prismatic shape from an insulating material such as synthetic resin, and its outer diameter is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow portion 11 of the housing 10 so that it can slide vertically within the hollow portion 11. ing. Further, a small protrusion 41 is formed at the center of the lower end surface of the pusher 40, and a groove 42 having an angular cross section is formed at the center of the upper end surface over the entire width in the front and back direction in the figure. In addition, a notch groove 43 is formed in the center of one side of the pusher 40 over the entire width in the front-rear direction as shown in the figure, and the lower surface of this notch groove 43 is formed into an inclined surface 44 that slopes downward from the bottom toward the side surface. It is formed. This pusher 40 is housed in the hollow part 11 of the housing 10 so that the small protrusion 41 abuts on the bulge part 31 of the movable contact piece 30.
4 is located opposite the through hole 12, and its upper end surface slightly protrudes upward from the upper surface of the housing 10. Reference numeral 50 denotes a key top made of a synthetic resin material, etc., in which first and second key tops 51 and 52 in the shape of a rectangular flat plate are connected at one side so that their surfaces are perpendicular to each other and form an inverted L shape. The connecting portion 53 is formed thin in order to have flexibility and spring properties. Therefore, one of the first and second key tops 51 and 52 is connected to the connecting portion 53 while the other is connected to the connecting portion 53.
It is designed to be able to rotate slightly elastically around the center. Further, plate-shaped stems 54 and 55 each having a smoothly curved tip are protruded from the center of one side of the first and second key tops 51, respectively. In this key top, the first and second key tops 51 and 52 are connected to the upper surface of the housing 10 and the through hole 12.
The stem 54 of the first key top is disposed along the pusher 40 with a certain gap between the sides thereof.
The stem 55 of the second key top is loosely inserted into the groove 42 provided on the upper end surface and comes into contact with the bottom thereof, while the tip of the stem 55 of the second key top fits through the through hole 12 and enters the notch groove 43 of the pusher 40 and is inclined. It comes into contact with the lower end side of the surface 44. As a result, key top 50
is attached to the housing 10 and pusher 40, and the movable contact piece 30 and pusher 40 are held within the housing 10. In addition, in order to attach the key top 50 to the housing 10 and the pusher 40, first and second key tops 51 and 5 are attached.
2 may be slightly expanded against the spring force of the connecting portion 53, and the stems 54 and 55 may be fitted into the groove 42 of the pusher 40 and the through hole 12 of the housing 10, respectively.

In the key switch configured as described above, when the first key top 51 is pressed in the direction of arrow A in the figure, the key top 51 slightly rotates counterclockwise around the connecting portion 53, and this rotation causes the tip of the slam 54 to be pushed. Press down on 40 to push it down. By this pushing down, the small protrusion 41 of the pusher 40 presses the bulge 31 of the movable contact piece 30, causing it to elastically deform.
As the pressing progresses and the elastic deformation reaches a predetermined amount, the movable contact piece 30 instantaneously reverses its unevenness and the bulge 31 contacts the fixed contact 20b.
A, 20b, and 20c are connected to each other, and the switch is turned on. In addition, in the process of pressing the first key top, the stem 55 of the second key top relatively moves upward without contacting the inside of the notch 43 of the pusher 40, so that the second key top 52 does not operate. There's nothing to do. When the pressing force of the first key top is released, the movable contact piece 30 elastically returns to its original shape, so that the bulging part 31 separates from the fixed contact 20b, turning the switch off, and the return spring force causes the pusher 40 and The first key top 52 is pushed up and returned to its original position. Moreover, since the spring force of the connecting portion 53 is also applied to the first key top 52 during this return, the return operation is performed even more smoothly. on the other hand,
When the second key top 52 is pressed in the direction of the arrow B in the figure, the second key top 52 rotates slightly clockwise around the connecting portion 53, and this rotation causes the tip of the stem 54 to tilt toward the pusher 40. When the surface 44 is pressed in the horizontal direction (in the direction of arrow B in the figure), a downward force is generated on the sloped surface 44 to push down the pusher 40. Therefore, by pressing the second key top 52, the tip of the stem 54 is pressed against the sloped surface. 44 and slide upward to push down the pusher 40. When the pusher 40 is pressed down, the movable contact piece 30 is reversed and the switch is turned on, as in the case of pressing the first key top. In addition, the second
In the process of pressing the key top, the stem 54 of the first key top 51 moves relatively upward within the groove 42 of the pusher 40.
The key top 51 does not operate. Also,
When the pressing force of the second key top 52 is released, the movable contact piece 30 elastically returns to its original shape, turning the switch off, and the return spring force causes the pusher 40 and the second key top 52 to move in the reverse order. to return to its original position. Furthermore, since the spring force of the connecting portion 53 is applied to the second key top 52 during this return, the return operation is performed smoothly.

In this embodiment, the first and second key tops 51 and 52 are shown as integrally formed, but they do not necessarily have to be integrally formed, and the first and second key tops 51 and 52 can be separated and independent. It may also be provided. However, in this case, the first and second
It is necessary to provide means for holding the key tops 51 and 52. Further, in the embodiment, the switch mechanism is constructed of the fixed contacts 20a, 20b, 20c and the movable contact piece 30 having reversal characteristics, but the switch mechanism is not limited to this and may have other constructions.

<Effects of the Invention> As explained above, since the key switch of the present invention has switch operation surfaces on two sides, the top and side surfaces of the housing, it is possible to operate the switch from two directions. Therefore, according to the key switch of the present invention, functions and uses can be expanded, and the design of the device can be improved, particularly in terms of operability, fashionability, compactness, etc.

In addition, if the first and second key tops are integrally formed by connecting one side of the key tops to each other as in the embodiment, and the connecting portion is made thin so as to have flexibility and spring properties, it is possible to The spring force allows the first and second key tops to return more smoothly, and since the number of parts is reduced, manufacturing costs can be reduced and assembly can be facilitated.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a key switch of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a conventional key switch. 10...Housing, 20a, 20b, 20c
... Fixed contact (switch mechanism), 30 ... Movable contact piece (switch mechanism), 40 ... Pusher, 44 ...
... Sloped surface, 50 ... Key top, 51 ... First key top, 52 ... Second key top, 53 ...
...Connection part, 54, 55...Stem.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) A housing with a built-in switch mechanism, a pusher that is housed in the housing so as to be movable up and down and turns on the switch mechanism by pushing down the pusher, and a pusher on the upper surface of the housing. a first keytop disposed on a side surface of the housing, the stem of which passes through the upper surface and abuts against the upper end of the pusher; A key switch characterized by comprising a second key top that abuts a provided inclined surface. (2) A utility model registration claim characterized in that the first and second key tops are integrally formed by connecting one side of the key tops to each other, and the connecting portion is made thin to have flexibility and spring properties. Key switch described in scope 1.