JPH1027052A - Dustproof and waterproof keyboard - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To prevent intrusion of dust and liquids that enter a gap between a key top and a peripheral case of a keyboard and damage internal electric components and electric circuits. A keyboard that can be realized. SOLUTION: For a key switch of a case 4, which covers a peripheral portion of a key switch body composed of a key top 1, a key switch shaft 2, and a key switch 3 mounted on a substrate 6 inside a keyboard. The periphery of the hole is inserted into the inside of the key top 1, and the height of the tip of the rising structure 5 provided on the periphery is adjusted to the height of the case 4 in the periphery.
Higher than the height of the surface.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyboard used for a personal computer, a word processor and the like, and more particularly to a dustproof and waterproof keyboard.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 2, a keyboard according to the prior art is provided with a key top 1 at an upper part and a key switch 3 at a lower part. 2, a substrate 6 on which a plurality of the key switch bodies are mounted, and a case 4 provided above the substrate 6 and having a hole provided so as to surround the key switch shaft 2. It is configured. Here, when the key top 1 is pressed down from above by a fingertip, a switching action occurs in the key switch 3 via the key switch shaft 2, and a switch signal is transmitted to an electric circuit provided on the substrate 6. Then, when the fingertip is released from the key top 1, the key top 1 and the key switch shaft 2 return to their original positions by a spring, although not shown in the figure, and the switch transmitted to the electric circuit of the substrate 6 The signal goes out.

The operation of devices such as a personal computer and a word processor is controlled and operated by selecting and operating a number of key switch bodies arranged on a keyboard.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned keyboard according to the prior art, there is a gap between the key top 1 and the case 4 as shown in FIG. Liquid penetrates into the keyboard and drips onto the substrate 6 inside the keyboard, damaging electrical components and circuits on the substrate 6 in many cases.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and has a dustproof structure that changes the structure of a case in an insertion portion of a keytop and prevents harmful substances such as dust and liquid from entering a keyboard. An object of the present invention is to provide a waterproof keyboard.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a key switch body in which an upper key top and a lower key switch are connected by a key switch shaft is provided above a substrate on which a plurality of key switch bodies are mounted. In the case provided in,
A hole is provided so as to surround the key switch shaft of each key switch body, and a rising structure is provided around the hole.

[0007] A groove is further provided around the rising structure of the case, and a groove is also provided on the lower surface of the keytop so that the rising structure can enter. here,
When the key top is depressed, the outer peripheral portion of the groove provided on the lower surface of the key top enters into the groove provided around the rising structure of the case. On the other hand, on the lower surface of the keytop, instead of the above-mentioned groove, a raised portion may be provided around its periphery so as to surround the rising structure of the case.

[0008] The height of the leading end of the rising structure is made higher than the height of the surface of the case at the periphery of the key switch body to prevent foreign matter and liquid from entering the keyboard from outside. .

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of a dustproof and waterproof keyboard according to the present invention. This figure is
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of one of a plurality of key switch bodies arranged on a keyboard and a peripheral portion thereof.

As shown in FIG. 1, the key switch body includes a key top 1, a key switch shaft 2, and a key switch 3.
And is placed on the substrate 6. The case 4 is provided above the substrate 6, and the case 4 has a hole provided so as to surround the key switch shaft 2. And
By depressing the key top 1 with a finger, the key switch 3 is operated via the key switch shaft 2, and the generated switch signal is transmitted to an electric circuit provided on the substrate 6.

The feature of the embodiment of the dustproof and waterproof keyboard according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is that the vicinity of the hole through which the key switch shaft of the case 4 covers the periphery of the key switch body is temporarily lowered. It is bent so as to enter the lower side of the key top 1 as a groove structure, and further, a rising structure 5 which rises upward inside the key top 1 is provided on the periphery of the hole, and the height of the rising structure 5 is further increased. Is higher than the height of the surface of the case 4 around the key switch body. In order to make this possible, a groove structure is formed inside the key top 1 so as to include the rising structure 5 of the case 4 as shown in FIG. Therefore, with this structure, even if the start-up structure 5 of the case 4 exists, the key switch 3 can be operated without any trouble when the key top 1 is pressed down with a finger.

Then, the vicinity of the hole through which the key switch shaft 2 of the case 4 passes is inserted into the lower side of the key top 1 to form a groove structure, and a rising portion is formed at the periphery of the hole to rise upward inside the key top. By providing the structure 5, it is possible to greatly reduce the intrusion of harmful substances, such as dust or water or other liquid, which have entered through the gap between the key top 1 and the case 4, into the keyboard. Furthermore, the height of the tip of the rising structure 5 raised inside the key top 1 is made higher than the height of the surface of the case 4 in the peripheral portion.
In particular, it has become possible to almost completely prevent the liquid from entering.

As a result, it is possible to almost completely prevent damage to electric components and electric circuits on the substrate 6 in the keyboard which are often caused by intrusion of dust or liquid in the conventional device.

[0014]

As described above, in the dustproof and waterproof keyboard according to the present invention, the hole for passing the key switch shaft of the case covering the periphery of the key switch body is inserted into the lower part of the key top. By providing a rising structure at the periphery of the hole, dust and liquids that have conventionally entered the keyboard from the gap between the keytop and the case can be significantly reduced. By making the height of the top of the raised structure higher than the height of the case surface at the periphery, it is possible to almost completely prevent the intrusion of liquids, and the electricity generated in the keyboard caused by these intrusions Damage to components and electrical circuits can be greatly improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a key switch body of a dustproof and waterproof keyboard according to the present invention and a peripheral portion thereof.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a key switch body of a keyboard according to the related art and a peripheral portion thereof.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Key top 2 ... Key switch shaft 3 ... Key switch 4 ... Case 5 ... Start-up structure 6 ... Substrate

Claims (6)

[Claims] A key switch body in which the key top and the lower key switch are connected by a key switch shaft; a board on which a plurality of the key switch bodies are mounted; and a board provided above the board; A keyboard having a hole provided to surround the key switch shaft,
A dustproof and waterproof keyboard, wherein a rising structure is provided around a hole of the case. 2. The dustproof and waterproof keyboard according to claim 1, wherein a groove is further provided around a rising structure provided around the hole of the case. 3. The dustproof and waterproof keyboard according to claim 1, wherein a groove is provided on a lower surface of the key top so that the rising structure can be inserted therein. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the key top is depressed, an outer peripheral portion of a groove provided on a lower surface of the key top enters a groove provided around a rising structure of the case. The dustproof and waterproof keyboard according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the keyboard is a dustproof and waterproof keyboard. 5. The dustproof and waterproof keyboard according to claim 1, wherein a raised portion surrounding the rising structure of the case is provided around a lower surface of the keytop. 6. A height of a front end portion of the rising structure is higher than a height of a peripheral portion of the groove provided on a periphery of the rising structure on a surface of the case. 6. The dust-proof and waterproof keyboard according to 4 or 5.