JPH0896655A - Keyboard switch - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To prevent abrasion of the top surface of a key top in a keyboard switch in which an operating projection (key top) is integrally formed on an elastic material made of a thermoplastic elastomer. A display 31 is provided on the top surface of an operating convex portion 25 integrally formed with an elastic material 22 made of a thermoplastic elastomer, and the outside thereof is coated with an ultraviolet curable ink layer 32.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is used in a remote control device, an operation part of a mobile phone or the like, and has an elastic member made of a thermoplastic elastomer integrally formed with an elastic part for returning and a convex part (key top) for operation. The present invention relates to a molded keyboard switch.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 5, a keyboard switch of this type has a printed circuit board 2 inside a casing 1.
The elastic member 3 is placed on top of the elastic member 3, and the elastic member 3 is integrally provided with the operation convex portion 6 on the base portion 4 via the thin tapered cylindrical elastic portion 5 having a skirt shape. The top of the operation projection 6 is projected from the window hole 7 of the keyboard to the surface,
It is known that a display 8 such as characters is provided on the top surface thereof, a movable contact piece 9 is printed on the lower surface of the operation convex portion 6, and fixed contacts 10 and 10 on a printed circuit board facing the movable contact piece 9 are arranged. There is.

Most of the keyboard switches of this kind, especially those used for mobile phones, are of the illuminated type, and a light emitting element 11 composed of a light emitting diode (LED) is provided between the fixed contacts 10 and 10 on the printed circuit board 2. In general, the operation convex portion 6 is installed so that the operation convex portion 6 has a light transmitting property so that light can be transmitted from the inside.

[0004]

The indication of the top surface of the operating convex portion in such a conventional keyboard switch is printed directly on the surface or is depressed into the shape of the indication such as characters and the like is filled with paint. It is common to use these displays, but the surface is gradually scraped by using these displays,
Finally, there was a problem that the display could not be recognized, the surface was easily scratched, and the appearance was easily damaged.

Among these types, the illuminated type has a ring-shaped light leakage from the gap between the operation convex portion and the window hole,
At the same time as it looks bad, there is a problem that light is scattered and the display is hard to see.

The present invention has been made for the purpose of solving each of these conventional problems.

[0007]

The feature of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object is that a thermoplastic material having an operating convex portion integrally with a base portion via a thin skirt-shaped elastic portion. In a keyboard switch that uses an elastic material molded with an elastomer and has the top of the operation projection projected on the keyboard surface, a synthetic resin film with the key top displayed on the top of the operation projection. It is attached (Claim 1), and the outer surface of the film is coated with a transparent UV-curable ink layer (Claim 2), and the synthetic resin film is formed into a bottomed tubular shape. Is covered and attached to the top and side peripheral surfaces of the operation convex portion, and is provided with a light-shielding property except for the display of the key top (claim 3).

[0008]

The function of the keyboard switch of the present invention is to push the top surface of the operation protrusion protruding on the keyboard surface.
The elastic portion is deformed and pushed down, a switch operation is performed, and the pushing force is removed to restore the original state by the restoring force of the elastic portion.

Although the surface of the operation convex portion is rubbed by such a pressing operation, since it is a synthetic resin film, the abrasion is small, and by providing a coating layer of ultraviolet curable ink on the surface, even when the film is thin, Less wear, no display disappears, no damage to the appearance.

Further, when a light-shielding synthetic resin film having a light-transmitting display is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom and the periphery of the operation convex portion is covered to illuminate from below the elastic material,
The light is blocked and does not leak from the gap between the operation convex portion and the window hole.

[0011]

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the figure, 20 is a casing, 21 is a printed circuit board, 22 is an elastic material, and 23 is a surface plate provided integrally with the casing 20. Surface plate 2
3 is provided with a window hole 24 through which the elastic material 2
The second operation convex portion 25 is inserted, and the top portion thereof protrudes to the front surface side.

The elastic member 22 is formed by injection molding with a thermoplastic elastomer as a whole, and an operating projection is provided on a base portion 26 through a thin tapered cylindrical elastic portion 27. The part 25 is integrally formed.

A synthetic resin film 30 such as polyester or polycarbonate is integrally attached to the top surface of the operation convex portion 25, and a translucent character display 31 is provided on the back surface of the film 30. The portion other than the display 31 is provided with a light shielding property.

The display 31 is a white light-transmitting display by printing a light-shielding ink on a portion other than the display on the back surface of the transparent film to give a light-transmitting display. A transparent film may be used as the film itself, and the film may be punched out to display the light.

The surface of the film 30 is coated with an ultraviolet curable ink layer 32.

In these moldings, so-called insert molding is preferable, in which the indication 31 is provided in advance, the film 30 coated with the ink layer 32 is inserted into the molding die of the elastic material 22, and then the elastic material 22 is injection-molded. However, in addition to this, the film 30 may be attached using an adhesive after the elastic material 22 is molded. The film 30 has a thickness of about 4 to 250 μm, and the ink layer 32
Has a thickness of about 0.1 mm.

Further, the above-mentioned synthetic resin film 30 has a flat plate shape, and as shown in FIGS.
It may be formed into a bottomed tubular shape that matches the outer shape of the above, and in this case as well, the entire display is light-shielding except the display 31. Further, the insert molding described above can be used. In the figure, the same parts as those described above are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

The movable contact piece 3 is provided on the lower surface of the operating projection 25.
3 is printed, fixed contacts 34, 34 are printed on the surface of the printed board 21 facing the printed circuit board 3, and a light emitting element 35 made of a light emitting diode is fixed to the center thereof. Then, the light from the light emitting element 35 passes through the operation convex portion 25 and the display 31, so that the display can be viewed from the top surface side.

Although the above-mentioned embodiment shows the case where the ultraviolet curable ink layer 32 is coated, this coating is not always necessary when the film is thick.

[0021]

As described above, the keyboard switch of the present invention is easily scratched by a nail or the like because the film with the indication is integrally attached to the top surface of the operation convex portion integrally formed with the elastic material. The surface of the operating convex portion, which is easily adhered by the thermoplastic elastomer, is well protected, the appearance due to damage is not spoiled, the display is not scraped off, and a clear display is permanently maintained. Further, by coating the surface of the film with an ultraviolet-curable ink layer, the film is strongly protected.

Further, when the above-mentioned film is formed into a bottomed tubular shape and the outer peripheral surface of the operation convex portion is covered so that light is transmitted from the lower side of the operation convex portion, when the operation convex portion is used, It is possible to obtain an illuminated keyboard switch in which light does not leak from between the surroundings and the window hole and has a good appearance and a clear display.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing an example of a keyboard switch of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a film on the top of the above-mentioned operation convex portion.

FIG. 3 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing another example of the keyboard switch of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a film on the top of the above-mentioned operation convex portion.

FIG. 5 is a partial vertical sectional view showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 20 Casing 21 Printed Circuit Board 22 Elastic Material 23 Surface Plate 24 Window Hole 25 Operating Convex Part 26 Base Part 27 Elastic Part 30 Synthetic Resin Film 31 Display 32 Ink Layer 33 Movable Contact Piece 34 Fixed Contact 35 Light Emitting Element

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An elastic material formed by a thermoplastic elastomer having an operation convex portion integrally through a thin skirt-shaped elastic portion is used for a base portion, and a top portion of the operation convex portion is used. A keyboard switch projecting on a keyboard surface, characterized in that a synthetic resin film having a display of a key top is attached to a top surface of the operation convex portion. 2. The keyboard switch according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the synthetic resin film on the top surface of the operation convex portion is coated with a transparent UV-curable ink layer. 3. A synthetic resin film is formed into a cylindrical shape with a bottom,
The keyboard switch according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the operation convex portion is covered and attached to the top and side peripheral surfaces of the operation convex portion so as to have a light-shielding property except for the display of the key top portion.