JPH113628A - Key switch and keyboard - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a key switch that requires only smaller force in mounting a key top thereon and satisfactorily prevents it from falling away therefrom when used in a keyboard used as the input terminal of various kinds of information processor including personal computer and work processors. SOLUTION: A key switch includes a key top 2 and geared link members 7. The link members 7 each comprise a slide shaft 11, a gear part 13 connected to both the ends of the shaft 11 by way of middle arms 12, at least one tooth 14 arranged at the gear part 13 circumferentially, and a rotary shaft 75 provided parallel to the slide shaft 11 across the center of the gear part 13. The key top 2 has a pair of opposing bearing parts 22 formed on its underside and two bearing holes 21 formed in each of the bearing parts 22 to hold the rotary shafts 75 rotatable therein. The key top 2 is further formed with notches 23 made at the lower surfaces of the bearing parts 22 to guide the rotary shafts 75 into the holes 21. The rotary shafts 75 are each formed with two planes 76 adapted to butt against the walls of the notches 23 when fitted into the holes 21.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyboard used as an input terminal in various types of information processing devices such as personal computers and word processors, and more particularly to a key link type key switch capable of thinning the keyboard. The present invention relates to a support structure that facilitates mounting.

2. Description of the Related Art As various types of information processing devices such as personal computers and word processors become more portable, keyboards are required to be made thinner. This causes problems such as an increase in

In recent years, as a means for reducing the thickness of the keyboard without sacrificing the stroke of the key top in such a keyboard, a gear link type in which the key top and a supporting portion are connected via a pair of gear link members has recently been used. Key switches are used.

However, in the key switch of the gear link type, four rotating shafts of a pair of gear link members are pressed into the key top at the same time. In the conventional structure, when the holding force is increased to prevent the key top from falling off. Requires a great deal of force when attaching key tops.

Therefore, there is a demand for the development of a key switch which does not require a large force when mounting the key top and can prevent the key top from falling off.

[0006]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 is a divided perspective view showing a gear link type key switch, and FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing a conventional key top mounting structure.

In the case of a keyboard installed on a table, a key switch provided with a keypad of a slider type is generally used, and the keytop of the slider type has a sliding shaft hanging down from the center and the sliding shaft. Is slidably held by the support portion.

In such a slider type key top, the length of the support portion needs to be sufficiently larger than the diameter in order to stably support the key top, and the stroke length of the key top is added to the length of the support portion. It was difficult to reduce the thickness without sacrificing.

On the other hand, the method of connecting the key top and the support portion via the gear link member does not have a sliding shaft hanging down from the center of the key top, and the sliding shaft for holding the sliding shaft has a diameter smaller than that of the sliding shaft. Long keyboards are not required and the keyboard can be made thinner.

In FIG. 2, the key switch of the gear link type has a key top 2 and a support portion 3 connected via a pair of gear link members 1, and a membrane supported by a support panel 4 on the lower surface of the support portion 3. The switch 5 and the rubber sheet 6 are mounted.

Each gear link member 1 has a sliding shaft 11 and a pair of gear portions 13 connected near the tip of the sliding shaft 11 via an intermediate arm 12, and the gear portions 13 are arranged in a circumferential direction. It has at least one tooth 14 arranged and a rotating shaft 15 parallel to the sliding shaft 11 provided at the center.

The key top 2 is formed with a pair of bearing portions 22 each having two bearing holes 21 on the lower surface with the bearing holes 21 opposed to each other. The rotating shafts 15 of the portions 13 are respectively inserted into the bearing holes 21 and held rotatably.

On the other hand, the support portion 3 includes a concave portion 31 into which the pair of sliding shafts 11 can be respectively fitted, and a guide claw 32 formed on the upper portion of the concave portion 31. At least both ends of 11 are slidably held by the bottom surface of the concave portion 31 and the guide claws 32.

The membrane switch 5 has two flexible printed circuit boards 52 whose conductor pattern forming surfaces are opposed to each other via a spacer 51. Although not shown, a switch element comprising conductor electrodes opposed to each other via a gap is a key element. It is located directly below the top two.

The rubber sheet 6 superposed on the membrane switch 5 has a dome-shaped actuator 61 formed on the switch element, and the convex portion 62 formed on the actuator 61 contacts the lower surface of the key top 2. Key top 2 is pushed up to a predetermined position.

When the key top 2 is depressed, the gear link member 1 rotates around the rotating shaft 15 to widen the interval between the sliding shafts 11 right and left, and at the same time, the actuator 61 contacting the lower surface of the key top is moved. It turns over and the space between the conductor electrodes (not shown) of the membrane switch 5 is closed.

When the force pressing down the key top 2 is removed, the actuator 61 that has been inverted is restored and the key top 2 is pushed up, and the pair of gear link members 1 rotates in the opposite direction. The interval between the sliding shafts 11, which has been expanded right and left, is reduced.

In the above-mentioned gear link type key switch, the mounting structure of the key top 2 on the conventional gear link member 1 is as shown in FIG. 3 (a). Notches 23 for guiding the rotating shafts 15 into the bearing holes 21 respectively.

When the key top 2 is mounted on the gear link member 1, the opening of the notch 23 is brought into contact with the rotary shaft 15 and pressed down, as shown in FIG. Since the distance between the sliding shafts 11 is smaller than the diameter, the interval between the sliding shafts 11 widens left and right, so that the intermediate arm 12 comes into contact with the support portion 3.

When the key top 2 is further pushed in after the intermediate arm 12 comes into contact with the support portion 3, the walls on both sides of the notch portion 23 are pushed outward, and the rotary shaft 15 passes through the notch portion 23 and the bearing hole.
21 and the wall of the notch 23 is restored and the bearing hole of the rotating shaft 15
Dropping from the 21 is prevented.

[0021]

However, in the conventional key-top mounting structure, the four rotating shafts of the pair of gear link members are simultaneously pressed into the key-top. Since a very large weight is applied to the finger, the work efficiency is reduced.

By making the width of the notch close to the diameter of the rotating shaft, the load applied to the operator's finger when mounting the key top is reduced, but the coupling force between the key top and the gear link member is reduced and the external force is reduced. There is a problem that the key top comes off when a shock is applied.

An object of the present invention is to provide a key switch which does not require a large force when mounting a key top and which can sufficiently prevent the key top from falling off.

[0024]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a main part of a key switch according to the present invention. The same object is denoted by the same symbol throughout the drawings.

The above-mentioned problem is caused by the key top 2 and a pair of gear link members 7 whose one ends are rotatably mounted on the key top 2.
The gear link member 7 includes a sliding shaft 11 and an intermediate arm 12.
A pair of gear portions 13 connected to both ends of the sliding shaft 11 through
And at least one tooth 14 arranged in the circumferential direction of the gear portion 13, and a rotating shaft 75 provided at the center of the gear portion 13 in parallel with the sliding shaft 11. A pair of bearing portions 22 formed on the lower surface and opposed to each other, and teeth provided on the bearing portion 22
14 has two bearing holes 21 in which the rotation shaft 75 of the adjacent gear portion 13 is rotatably held in a state in which the key top 14 is engaged. Shaft 75 with bearing hole
The key switch of the present invention is provided with a notch 23 for guiding to the 21 and the rotating shaft 75 of the gear link member 7 is provided with two flat surfaces 76 which abut against the wall surface of the notch 23 when mounted in the bearing hole 21. You.

As described above, the key top is provided with the notch opening at the lower surface of the bearing portion to guide the rotary shaft into the bearing hole, and the gear link member is provided with two planes opposed to each other with the central axis interposed therebetween. The key switch of the invention can be press-fitted with a small force by bringing two planes of the rotating shaft into contact with the wall of the notch when the key top is mounted on the gear link member.

When the pressing force is removed after the key top is mounted, the actuator is restored and the key top is pushed up to a predetermined position. The key top is mounted on the gear link member with a sufficient coupling force.

That is, it is possible to realize a key switch that does not require a large force when the key top is mounted and can sufficiently prevent the key top from falling off.

[0029]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The key switch of the present invention is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1A, a key top 2 and a support portion 3 are connected via a pair of gear link members 7, and a membrane switch and a rubber sheet supported by a support panel are mounted on the lower surface of the support portion 3, for example. Have been.

Each gear link member 7 has a sliding shaft 11 and a pair of gear portions 13 connected to the vicinity of the tip of the sliding shaft 11 via an intermediate arm 12, and the gear portions 13 are arranged in a circumferential direction. It has at least one tooth 14 arranged and a rotating shaft 75 parallel to the sliding shaft 11 provided at the center.

Each of the key tops 2 has two bearing holes 21 and a pair of bearing portions 22 in which the bearing holes 21 are opposed to each other are formed on the lower surface. Cutouts 23 are provided on the lower surface of the bearing portion 22 to guide the respective holes into the bearing holes 21.

On the other hand, unlike the conventional gear link member, the gear link member 7 has two planes 76 on which the rotating shaft 75 is opposed with the center axis interposed therebetween. And the center of the sliding shaft 11 are formed in directions that intersect with each other.

When the key top 2 is mounted on the gear link member 7, the opening of the notch 23 is pressed by bringing the opening of the notch 23 into contact with the rotating shaft 75, as shown in FIG. Since the distance between the sliding shafts 11 is smaller than the diameter, the interval between the sliding shafts 11 widens left and right, so that the intermediate arm 12 comes into contact with the support portion 3.

When the key top 2 is further pushed in after the intermediate arm 12 comes into contact with the support portion 3, the walls on both sides of the cutout 23 are pushed out, and the rotating shaft 75 passes through the cutout 23 and the bearing hole is formed.
The wall of notch 23 is restored by press-fitting into 21 and the bearing hole of rotary shaft 75
Dropping from the 21 is prevented.

As shown, the two planes 76 of the rotating shaft 75 are
Is formed so as to be parallel to the wall surface sandwiching the notch portion 23 at the point where it abuts on the support portion 3. twenty three
The force for press-fitting is reduced.

When the pressing force is removed after the key top is mounted, the actuator is restored and the key top is pushed up to a predetermined position. The key top is mounted on the gear link member with a sufficient coupling force.

As described above, the key top is provided with the cutout portion opened on the lower surface of the bearing portion to guide the rotary shaft into the bearing hole, and the gear link member is provided with two planes opposed to the rotary shaft with the central axis interposed therebetween. The key switch of the invention can be press-fitted with a small force by bringing two planes of the rotating shaft into contact with the wall of the notch when the key top is mounted on the gear link member.

When the pressing force is removed after the key top is mounted, the actuator is restored and the key top is pushed up to a predetermined position. The key top is mounted on the gear link member with a sufficient coupling force.

That is, it is possible to realize a key switch which does not require a large force when the key top is mounted and which can sufficiently prevent the key top from falling off.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a key switch which does not require a large force when the key top is mounted and which can sufficiently prevent the key switch from falling off.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a main part of a key switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a divided perspective view showing a gear link type key switch.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing a conventional key top mounting structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Key top 3 Support section 7 Gear link member 11 Sliding shaft 12 Intermediate arm 13 Gear section 14 Teeth 21 Bearing hole 22 Bearing section 23 Notch section 75 Rotating shaft 76 Two planes

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A key top, and a pair of gear link members, one end of which is rotatably mounted on the key top, wherein the gear link member includes a sliding shaft and a slide through an intermediate arm. A pair of gear portions connected to both ends of the driving shaft, at least one tooth arranged in a circumferential direction of the gear portion, and a rotating shaft provided at the center of the gear portion in parallel with the sliding shaft; The key top has a pair of bearing portions formed on the lower surface and opposed to each other, and a rotation shaft of the gear portion adjacent to the gear portion provided in the bearing portion and meshing with teeth is rotatably held. The key top has a cutout opening on the lower surface of the bearing portion to guide the rotating shaft to the bearing hole, and the rotating shaft of the gear link member has A key switch comprising two flat surfaces that abut against the wall surface of the cutout portion when mounted in the bearing hole. 2. A keyboard comprising the key top according to claim 1 and a gear link member mounted thereon.