JPH0451386Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a key switch used in registers, keyboards of personal computers, etc.

(Prior art) Keyboards for registers, personal computers, etc. generally have small single keys as well as large keys such as triple and quadruple keys, which are several times the size, due to frequency of use and operating fingers. is used.

Key switches using these large keys are
If you press a corner of the key top, it tends to tilt and push down, making it difficult to perform the switch operation reliably, or furthermore, the key top may become twisted and cannot be pushed down. As a countermeasure against such so-called corner pushing, a parallel motion mechanism using an interlocking rod 1 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 has conventionally been used. A rotating shaft 3 of a crank-shaped interlocking rod 1 is rotatably supported at both ends by bearings 4, 4 under the longitudinal edge of the key top 2, and the arms at both ends of the interlocking rod 1 are supported rotatably by bearings 4, 4. part 5, guide shaft part 6 at the tip of 5,
6 is inserted into the horizontal guide groove 10 of the interlocking rod support members 9, 9 attached to the support member attachment holes 8 of the keyboard frame 7, and when some part of the key top 2 is pushed up, the interlocking rod 1 is attached to the bearing 4, 4 and the concave groove 8, the rotation shaft portion 3 is moved in parallel, thereby allowing the key top 2 to be pushed down without tilting.

In the figure, reference numeral 11 indicates a switch operation unit operated by pressing down the key top 2.

On the other hand, in recent years, register keyboards have become increasingly popular due to differences in the types of industries that use them.
It is now necessary to arrange the large keys differently for each user. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12, a keyboard frame 7 is used in which a large number of switch mounting holes 12, 12, . . . are opened at equal intervals in a grid-like arrangement.
Large keys 13, 14 are installed across the plurality of switch installation holes 12, 12..., the switch operation unit 11 is installed in one switch installation hole 12 under each large key, and this is connected to each large key. A device has been developed that has a structure that allows the key to be operated in the same direction and has a degree of freedom in the arrangement of keys.

When this type of keyboard is miniaturized, the distance between the switch mounting holes 12, 12, . Therefore, as a countermeasure against corner pressing in this type of keyboard, as shown in FIG.
A key top guide unit 15 is attached to the key top 2, thereby keeping the key top 2 horizontal.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As mentioned above, the key switch type has a number of switch mounting holes drilled in a grid pattern in the keyboard frame, and the key top is supported by the switch operating unit and guide unit attached to the key switch. Since the inclination is controlled by sliding between the guide cylinder part 16 of each unit 15 and the guide shaft part 17 on the lower surface of the key top, it is necessary to use a resin material with a small coefficient of friction, which is different from ordinary materials. Since it is significantly more expensive than , there was a problem of high cost.

Furthermore, as the key becomes larger, it becomes more difficult to control its inclination, and there is a problem in that the switching operation may not be performed when a corner is pressed.

The present invention aims to solve these conventional problems.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The key switch of the present invention, which solves the conventional problems as described above, is characterized by a keyboard frame with a large number of switch mounting holes arranged in a grid pattern, and a plurality of switch mounting holes in the keyboard frame. A key switch is provided with a key top disposed astride a switch mounting hole, and a switch operating unit mounted in a switch mounting hole below the key top and interlocking with the key top, the key top having a guide groove in its upper surface. A horizontally oriented interlocking rod support member is attached to the other mounting hole under the key top, and a linear rotation shaft part, a pair of arms arranged parallel to each other with both ends thereof bent at a substantially right angle, and the arms An interlocking rod is integrally formed with a guide shaft portion whose tip end is bent parallel to the rotational shaft portion, and the rotational shaft portion of the interlocking rod is rotatably supported on the lower surface of the key top. The guide shaft portion of the interlocking rod is slidably inserted into the interlocking rod guide groove of the interlocking rod support member.

(Function) In this key switch, by pressing somewhere on the top surface of the key top, the rotating shaft portion of the interlocking rod is pushed down. At this time, both guide shaft portions of the interlocking rod move within the guide groove of the interlocking rod support member, thereby forcibly moving the rotation shaft portion in parallel. Due to this parallel movement, the key top is pushed in without tilting, and the switch operating unit is operated.

Furthermore, since the interlocking rod support member is mounted in the switch mounting hole of the keyboard frame, no special mounting hole is required in the keyboard frame for mounting the support member.

(Example) Next, an example in which the present invention is applied to a quadruple key that is four times the size of a single key will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, 20 is a keyboard frame formed by stamping a metal plate, and 21, 21
. . . is a switch mounting hole opened in the keyboard frame 20 in a grid pattern, and 22 is a single key 4 that spans the four switch mounting holes 21, 21 .
The key top is twice the size.

4 switch mounting holes 2 below the key top 22
A switch operation unit 23 is attached to one of 1, 21..., and an interlocking rod support member 24 is attached to the other three.
is installed.

The switch operation unit 23 is connected to the casing 25
, a key stem 26 fitted therein so as to be able to move vertically and whose upper end protrudes from the upper surface of the casing, and a switch pusher 2 made of elastic inverted rubber and which protrudes from the lower surface of the casing when the key stem 26 is pressed.
7, the upper surface of the flexible printed circuit board 28 is pressed by the protrusion of the switch presser 27, and the movable contact 2 printed wiring is pressed on the upper surface of the flexible printed circuit board 28.
9 is connected to the opposing fixed contact 30.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the interlocking rod support member 24 has a substrate 31 with a substantially rectangular plane, and the top surface of the substrate 31 has three grooves facing inward along three surrounding sides. Directional guide grooves 32, 33, 34
are formed by the rising pieces 32a, 33a, and 34a of the mold. Further, a protruding shaft 36 is provided in a protruding manner at the center of the upper surface of the substrate 31 . Furthermore, this board 3
A keyboard frame 20 is placed on one side of 1.
Fixing protrusions 37, 38, and 38 are integrally formed, which are arranged vertically to sandwich the upper and lower edges of the switch mounting hole 21, and an elastic claw 39 is integrally provided on one side opposite to this. By fitting the edge opposite to the edge of the switch mounting hole 21 described above between the fixing protrusions 40, 41, 41 formed on the piece 39 and arranged vertically, the interlocking rod support member 24 can be attached to the switch mounting hole. It is designed to be installed on the 21st.

The interlocking rod support member 24 is installed in the switch mounting hole 21 of the keyboard frame 20 in a direction parallel to the keyboard frame 20 with some wobble. This allows for dimensional errors to be absorbed.

The interlocking rod support members 24 constructed in this manner are respectively installed in the three switch mounting holes 21 below the key top 22.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the key top 22 has a switch operating unit 23 on its bottom surface.
Key stem fixing protrusions 42, 4 are attached to the corresponding parts.
2 is provided in a protruding manner, and is inserted into a fixing hole 42a (shown in FIG. 1) on the top surface of the key stem 26 and fixed therein.

Further, a protruding shaft 36 is provided on the lower surface of the key top 22 at a position opposite to the protruding shaft 36 of each interlocking rod support member 24.
A guide tube 43 into which a coil spring 44 is inserted into the center is provided protrudingly, and a coil spring 44 is installed on the outside of the guide tube 43.
(shown in Figure 2) are fitted. The key top 22 is biased in the upward direction by the spring 44 and the elasticity of the elastic inversion rubber in the switch operation unit 23 described above.

Note that the guide cylinder 43 comes into contact with the upper surface of the interlocking rod support member 24, so that the downward stroke of the key top 22 is regulated.

Two interlocking rods 45A, 4
5B is interposed. Both interlocking rods have the same shape and are mounted in directions orthogonal to each other, and one interlocking rod 45A is used to move the key top 22 in the X-axis direction (the first
The tilting of the key top 22 in the Y-axis direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1) is controlled by the other interlocking rod 45B. Both interlocking rods each have a linear rotation shaft 46, a pair of arm portions 47, 47 bent at right angles at both ends thereof, and a rotation shaft 46 with the tips of both arm portions facing outward from each other. The guide shaft portions 48, 48 are bent in a direction parallel to the rotation shaft portion 4 of each interlocking rod 45A, 45B, and are integrally molded into a crank shape.
6 and 46 intersect at the approximate center of the key top 22, and the bearings 4 are attached to the lower surface of the key top with both ends of each
It is rotatably supported by bearings 9, 49...

As shown in FIG. 8, the bearing 49 has a receiving part 51 arranged in a cross-shaped manner integrally molded on one end of a support piece 50, and a fixed shaft 52 having a cross-shaped cross section integrally molded on the back surface of the support piece 50. There is. Then, the rotating shaft part 46 of the interlocking rod is fitted into the receiving part 51, and the fixing shaft is press-fitted into the fixing hole 53a, which has a cross-shaped cross section, formed on the support protrusion 53 on the lower surface of the key top, thereby being fixed to the lower surface of the key top. There is. In the fixed state, the opening of the receiving part 51 is closed by a stopper piece 54 protruding from the lower surface of the key top, and the rotation shaft part 46 is prevented from coming off.

The interlocking rod 4 bearing the rotation shaft portion 46 in this way
5A, 45B have their arm portions 47 tilted toward the edge of the key top 22, and the respective guide shaft portions 48, 48, . , 34 in a slidable manner.

In the key switch constructed in this manner, when any part of the top surface of the key top 22 is pressed, each rotation shaft portion 46 of the interlocking rods 45A, 45B is pressed down. At this time, the rotation shaft portion 46
is immovably supported at a fixed position on the lower surface of the key top, and the tips of each arm portion 47 are restricted by one of the grooves 32, 33, and 34, so that the rotation shaft portion 46 is not forced to move. The key top 22 is moved parallel to the rotation axis 46.
The axial inclination of is regulated.

In this embodiment, the key switch has key top 22.
Since interlocking rods 45A and 45B are used that cross each other in both directions of the X-axis and Y-axis, the inclination of the key top 22 is controlled in either direction, and even when pressed in the corner, it moves in parallel. be done.

Note that in the above embodiment, a so-called quadruple key, which is four times the size of a single key, is shown, but the 9th
As shown in the figure, it may be implemented on a so-called multi-fold key that is elongated and extends over a plurality of switch mounting holes 21 in a straight line. In this case, a pair of interlocking rod support members 24, One interlocking rod 45A is used only in the direction. Note that the same parts as in the embodiment described above are given the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

(Effect of the invention) The key switch of the invention is constructed as described above,
In large key switches, an interlocking rod support member is attached to the switch mounting hole in the keyboard frame that is not used as a switch, and this supports the arm end side of the interlocking rod. Even when downsized, it is possible to use a parallel movement mechanism using an interlocking rod, and even when pressing a corner of a large key, the key can be moved in parallel accurately and the switching operation can be performed reliably. It is something that has become familiar. Furthermore, the present invention eliminates the need to use expensive synthetic resin materials with a small coefficient of friction for the sliding parts, resulting in cost reduction.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 8 show a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a plan view with the key top removed, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the interlocking rod support member, Fig. 4 is a half sectional view taken along line B-B in Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line C-C in Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in Fig. 3. A bottom view, FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line D-D in FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the bearing portion of the interlocking rod relative to the key top, and FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view of the second embodiment of the present invention. , FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional front view of the conventional example, FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the same, FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the switch and support member mounting holes of the keyboard frame and the arrangement of keys, and FIG. 13
The figure is a longitudinal sectional front view of another conventional example. 20... Keyboard frame, 21... Switch mounting hole, 22... Key top, 23... Switch operation unit, 24... Interlocking rod support member, 25
...Casing, 26...Key stem, 27...
Switch presser, 28... Flexible printed circuit board, 29... Movable contact, 30... Fixed contact, 3
1... Board, 32, 33, 34... Guide groove,
36... protruding shaft, 42... key stem fixing protrusion,
43... Guide tube, 44... Coil spring,
45A, 45B... Interlocking rod, 46... Rotating shaft part,
47... Arm portion, 48... Guide shaft portion.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] a keyboard frame having a large number of switch mounting holes opened in a grid-like arrangement; a key top disposed across the plurality of switch mounting holes of the keyboard frame; and a key top mounted in one of the switch mounting holes below the key top; In a key switch comprising a switch operation unit that interlocks with the key top, an interlocking rod support member having a horizontal guide groove on the upper surface is installed in another mounting hole under the key top, and a linear rotation shaft portion is installed. and a pair of arms arranged parallel to each other with both ends bent at a substantially right angle, and a guide shaft part whose tip end is bent parallel to the rotation shaft part. The rotating shaft portion of the interlocking rod is rotatably supported on the lower surface of the key top, and the guide shaft portion of the interlocking rod is slidably inserted into the interlocking rod guide groove of the interlocking rod support member. A key switch that is characterized by: