JPH044339Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] "Industrial application field" The present invention is a novel thin-film keyboard switch that can be connected face-to-face with a mating circuit board in as little space as possible without having a tail section for external connection. Regarding connection structure.

``Prior Art'' This type of keyboard switch for input operation of electronic devices, which is constructed in a thin film form by providing a switch opening/closing contact pattern on a plastic film material, is used to connect to other circuit devices or circuit boards, etc. Normally, as shown in the external example shown in Fig. 4, a required number of external connection tail sections 19 and 20 are extended to the keyboard switch main body 18, and a connection is made to the other party's circuit equipment or circuit board through these tail sections 19 and 20. Generally, interconnection is performed by appropriate means such as pressure contact, soldering, or connector insertion connection with provided terminal portions or connectors. Such a keyboard switch utilizes the bending flexibility of the full parts 19 and 20 to establish a three-dimensional interconnection between the equipment location of the keyboard switch body 18 and other circuit devices or circuit boards located at a distance from the main body 18. However, depending on how this type of keyboard switch is implemented, it may be subject to the following structural restrictions.

``Problem that the invention aims to solve'' Namely, in the case of a so-called integrated mounting method on a circuit board, etc., in which this type of keyboard switch is installed flat on the circuit board surface, the mounting space is limited. In view of the necessity of reduction, the provision of external connection tail portions 19 and 20 as in conventional general products is rather a hindrance, and it is difficult to say that it is an appropriate structure from the point of view of material saving. Therefore, when adopting such a mounting method, it is possible to effectively reduce the mounting space in conjunction with a simple interconnection structure, preferably in one direction, to the other device or circuit board, etc. Form is required.

``Means for Solving the Problems'' The present invention takes the above circumstances into account and provides an advantageous keyboard switch connection structure that can be applied to a planar integrated mounting method for mating devices such as circuit boards. Therefore, according to the present invention, a required number of switch contact patterns are formed on one flexible insulating sheet that is arbitrarily formed to a size according to the shape of the mounting space and does not have a tail portion for external connection. A plurality of connection terminals formed by adhesion and connected and wired to the contact pattern in a required connection method, as well as a required number of indirect terminals that are not connected to these contact patterns, are collected or separated at the outer edge of this insulating sheet. On the other hand, another flexible insulating sheet is provided on which the other contact pattern is disposed facing each other with a required gap in correspondence with each of the above contact patterns, and the outer edge of the other insulating sheet is provided. A notch is provided in the part corresponding to the arrangement of the connection terminal and the indirect terminal to expose each of the terminals, and furthermore, a cutout part is provided to expose each of the terminals, and the part is also capable of being connected face-to-face with each of the indirect terminals, and is wire-connected to the other contact pattern. A connection structure for a keyboard switch has been devised in which a required number of connection terminals are disposed at the end of one of the notches. According to such a configuration, connection to the connection part of the other party's circuit board, etc., is made through the connection terminal and the joint end formed on one flexible insulating sheet, without going through the tail part as in the conventional case. By achieving connection conductivity in one direction, it is possible to suitably connect both of the contact patterns and the outside in a two-dimensional manner within a small space, and their interconnections can be made naturally using a flexible insulating sheet. Since it is covered with
It also serves as a protective structure for the interconnects, which is extremely advantageous.

"Example" Figure 1 is a schematic plan configuration diagram of the components according to one specific example, and Figure 1 conceptually shows an example of an upper switch sheet, which has an extended tail In addition to the rectangular outer shape as shown in the figure, the flexible insulating sheet 1 is typically made of a suitable plastic film material and can be formed into any shape according to the specification mounting space. A number of contact patterns 2 are adhered and formed by various means, and a mating external connection terminal 3 is connected to these contact patterns 2 using a necessary wiring method.
For example, a suitable number of these are arranged and arranged at the right outer end of the sheet 1, and on the other hand, a portion according to the specifications at the other outer end,
That is, in the illustrated example, the contact pattern 2 is not connected to the contact pattern 2 near the center of the lower side of the insulating sheet 1, but is arranged independently at a position and in a number that matches the connecting terminals of other switch sheets, which will be described later. Indirect terminal 4
Equipped with In FIG. 2, for convenience of illustration, a film-shaped insulating spacer 5 with a through hole 6 for forming a switch operation gap is shown in a position corresponding to each of the contact patterns 2, which can be used in this keyboard switch. Such spacer means are not limited to the illustrated example,
Of course, it is also possible to adopt a method in which a large number of resin dot-shaped protrusions that provide a spacer function are attached to the surfaces of the upper switch sheet or the lower switch sheet that are opposed to each other. Therefore, when using the spacer 5 as shown in the figure, cut outs 7 and 8 are made at the outer end of the spacer 5 so as to match the corresponding locations with the connection terminal 3 and the independent indirect terminal 4 described above.
Form it.

On the other hand, the lower switch seat is as shown in Fig. 13.
A similar insulating sheet 9 is prepared, and other switch contact patterns 10 are suitably formed on the opposing surface of the sheet 9 corresponding to the contact patterns 2, and connection terminals 3 are provided on the switch sheet. Notches 12 and 13 formed in a size sufficient to expose necessary portions of the independent indirect terminals 4 are provided at the outer end of the sheet 9 in relation to the notches 7 and 8 of the spacer 5; A connection terminal 1 wire-connected to this contact pattern 10 is provided at the end of the portion 12.
1 facing each other, and with these components stacked and bonded, each upper end of the independent indirect terminal 4 and each of the connecting terminals 11 are arranged facing each other through the notch 8 of the spacer 5, and the space between them is For example, the structure is such that a simple conductive connection process can be performed by using a pressure-sensitive conductive adhesive or a heat-sensitive conductive adhesive.

When the keyboard switch product obtained by the above-mentioned laminated bonding process of the component parts is viewed from the lower switch sheet side, as shown in FIG. External connection terminal 3 and indirect terminal 1 provided on sheet 1
2 will be exposed separately, so as shown in FIG. 3, the terminals 16 are mounted on the other party's circuit board 15 in a flat manner, and the terminals 16 are connected to the indirect terminals 4 in the diagram on the keyboard switch side for mutual conduction. can be easily and unidirectionally performed using the adhesive connection and conduction means 17 as described above. In the figure, reference numeral 14 indicates a conductive adhesive portion for interconnection between the above-mentioned indirect terminal 4 and the connecting terminal 11 on the lower switch sheet side. As is clear from the figure, the conductive adhesive parts 14 and 17 and the external conductive adhesive parts similar to the connection terminals 3 are suitably covered with the upper insulating sheet 1, so there is a natural This provides a protective structure.

In this way, the interconnection process of the keyboard switch to the other party's circuit board, etc. can be achieved by planar, unidirectional means at the outer end of the keyboard switch, so that the other party's circuit board can be connected to the other party's circuit board by means of planar, unidirectional means at the outer end of the keyboard switch. Although alignment processing with the connecting body can be performed accurately by means such as visual inspection, the above-mentioned interconnection In other words, the upper insulating sheet 1
The arrangement of the outer ends of the external connection terminal 3 and the internal connection indirect terminal 4 with the lower contact pattern 10 cannot be a limiting requirement in the present invention, and the insulation of both terminals 3 and 4 is not a limiting requirement in the present invention. Of course, the internal arrangement form of the sheet 1 can also be arbitrarily adopted. It is also within the scope of practice to form through-holes for internal connection and external connection in appropriate shapes. Although Fig. 1 shows an example of a type in which the upper and lower insulating sheets 1, 9 and the spacer 5 are separated and aligned and laminated and bonded, a folding type of bonding in which both the sheets 1, 9 are connected together including the spacer means is also used. It is clear that the present invention can also be suitably adopted in this case.

"Effects of the Invention" As is clear from the above explanation, the connection structure of the keyboard switch of the present invention can easily perform a planar integrated mounting connection process to a connected object such as a mating device or a circuit board. It is possible to reduce the mounting space and the materials used, and it is also possible to provide a natural protection function to the interconnection conduction area, so it is adopted as a compact means of connecting and mounting with the other connected object. There is something that is best for you.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1, 2, and 3 are conceptual plan configuration diagrams of an upper switch sheet, an intervening insulating spacer, and a lower switch sheet each having a keyboard switch connection structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. teeth,
Figure 1 shows the external view of the lower switch seat side of the keyboard switch product obtained by the integrated lamination bonding process of each component, and Figure 3 shows the state where the product of the present invention and the mating circuit board have been subjected to the planar integrated mounting connection process. FIG. 4 is a conceptual cross-sectional view of a main part, and FIG. 4 is a schematic external view of a conventional keyboard switch with a tail portion for external connection. 1, 9... Flexible insulating sheet, 2, 10... Contact pattern for switch, 3... Connection terminal, 4...
...Independent indirect terminal, 5...Insulating spacer, 6...
Through hole for switch operation gap, 7, 8... Spacer notch, 11... Connecting terminal, 12, 13... Outer end notch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A required number of contact patterns are provided on one flexible insulating sheet that does not have a tail portion for external connection, and a plurality of connection terminals are connected and wired to the contact patterns, and a required number of indirect terminals that are not connected to these contact patterns are provided. is placed on the outer edge of this insulating sheet,
The above-mentioned connection terminals and indirect terminals are arranged so as to be connected face-to-face with the terminals of the other party's equipment or circuit board, and have other contact patterns arranged oppositely with a required gap in correspondence with each of the above-mentioned contact patterns. A flexible insulating sheet is provided, and a notch is provided at the outer end of the other insulating sheet to expose each of the connection terminals and indirect terminals, and a notch is provided to expose each of the connection terminals and indirect terminals. A keyboard switch configured such that a required number of connection terminals are disposed at the end of one of the notches, the terminals being arranged so as to be connected face-to-face with the indirect terminals and connected by wiring to the other contact pattern. Connection structure.