KR100796442B1 - Keypad for Mobile Terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

A keypad for a portable appliance is provided to improve touch feeling and tactile sensation at the time of being clicked and realize sophistication of a product since some key cells are felt differently from other neighboring key cells if a half etching region is given to the key cells. A keypad for a portable appliance is set on a pad(P) and includes one united key plate(K) with font holes(FH). The one united key plate is divided into key cells(C) by slits(S) for partitioning the font holes in rows and columns. The key cells are united by edge bridges(EB) located on the edges of the key cells. The key cells further have half etching regions(HE) to realize font lines(FL) protruded along the circumference of the font hole. The half etching regions are given to some of the key cells selectively.

Description

Keypad for Mobile Device {KEYPAD FOR PORTABLE APPLIANCE}

1 is a perspective view showing a product to which a keypad for a portable terminal according to the prior art is applied.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view including a circuit board and a dome switch showing a keypad for a portable terminal according to the prior art.

3 is a perspective view showing a product to which a keypad for a portable terminal applied by the applicant of the present application is applied.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a keypad for a portable terminal patented by the applicant of the present application.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a circuit board and a dome switch showing a keypad for a portable terminal patented by the applicant of the present application.

6 is a perspective view showing a product to which a keypad for a mobile terminal according to the present invention is applied.

7 is a perspective view showing a keypad for a mobile terminal according to the present invention.

8 is a cross-sectional view showing an integrated key plate applied to a keypad for a portable terminal according to the present invention.

       Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

P: Pad FH: Font Hole

K: integral key plate S: slit

C: Keyssel EB: Edge Bridge

FL: Font line HE: Half etching area

The present invention relates to a keypad for a portable terminal, and more particularly, to a keypad for a portable terminal capable of maximizing productivity as well as ensuring a click feeling, preventing click interference, and improving a product.

In general, a keypad for a portable terminal is applied to a portable terminal including a home telephone, a PDA, a cellular phone, and the like, and is used as a switching member for generating a signal in conjunction with a printed circuit board.

The keypad for the portable terminal introduced below will be described as an example for the convenience of the keypad for a cellular phone, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

In general, the key operation of a cellular phone is designed in such a way that a dome switch is used to have a feeling of operation, and a protrusion formed on the bottom of the key presses the dome switch to touch a contact point on the printed circuit board to generate a signal. .

1 is a perspective view illustrating a product to which a keypad 10 for a portable terminal according to the prior art is applied, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the keypad 10 for the portable terminal according to the prior art, and the hole F1 of the front housing F is shown. The key top 11 exposed to the outside and the base member 13 seated into the front housing (F) is shown.

As shown in FIG. 1, the keypad 10 for a portable terminal according to the related art is connected to the elasticity of the dome switch 14 at the center of the bottom surface of the key top 11 to contact the contacts 15a of the printed circuit board 15. A protrusion 12 protruded to be touched is provided.

At this time, the base member 13 and the key top 11 is formed integrally by the connecting portion 16, the connecting portion 16 is provided in a thin thickness to ensure the shandong of the key top 11, the key top ( The upper surface of 11) includes a printing surface 17 on which letters or numbers are printed.

When the key top 11 of the keypad 10 configured as described above is pressed, the protrusions 12 formed on the bottom thereof overcome the elastic force of the dome switch 14 and come into contact with the contacts 15a of the printed circuit board 15 to signal. Will occur.

Then, when the signal is generated and the hand is released from the key top 11, the key top 11 is returned to its original position by the elasticity of the dome switch 14 and the connecting portion 16.

However, the keypad 10 for the portable terminal according to the related art has a contact portion 16 that loses elasticity when the key top 11 is repeatedly pressed to touch the contact 15a of the printed circuit board 15. A phenomenon in which poor contact with the 15a or the printing surface 17 is easily erased occurs, and in particular, the mobile terminal becomes thicker by the thickness of the key top 11.

In addition, there is a frequent problem that the up and down operation of the protrusion 12 applied to the contact point 15a is mostly dependent on the elasticity of the dome switch 14 itself, so that its restoring force cannot be guaranteed for a long time.

On the other hand, when the overall thickness of the keypad 10 is increased in order to prevent deformation of the connecting portion 16 and to impart a certain strength, it occupies more space inside the mobile terminal, and thus counters compactness or slimming. In the case of manufacturing the key top 11 individually, there is a problem in that it has to be attached to the base member 13 and a plurality of holes F1 are formed in the front housing F.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a product to which a keypad for a portable terminal applied by an applicant of the present application (2004.11.03. Patent application 2004-88842) and patented (2005.07.06. 501402). FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a keypad for a portable terminal that has been previously filed and patented, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a circuit board and a dome switch showing the keypad for the portable terminal that has been filed by the applicant.

Patent No. 501402, filed and filed by the applicant of the present application, can make the portable terminal more slimmer, more simple to manufacture, and ensure the restoring force of the pressing operation on the contact 71 of the printed circuit board 70 to the maximum. It is presented.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the keypad 100 for a pre-applied portable terminal is basically provided in a front housing F having a lamp L for providing a light source and placed on a dome switch 50. (60).

Specifically, the keypad 100 of the prior application is a pad having a projection (62a) protruding to touch the contact 71 of the printed circuit board 70 while interlocking with the elasticity of the dome switch 50 ( 60), and an integral key plate 90 having fonts 91 engraved with letters, symbols, or numbers identified by respective functions, such as dial keys or function keys.

In this case, the integrated key plate 90 is engraved with the fonts 91 for transmitting the light source of the lamp L, and optionally provided with a partition line 92 for partitioning each of the fonts 91. It consists of a structure that is set flat throughout.

In addition, the integrated key plate 90 may be made of a flat metal body, more specifically, by etching the metal body to implement the fonts 91 through which the light source of the lamp L is transmitted, and at the same time, these fonts 91 may be necessary. It can be completed by having a partition line 92 for partitioning each.

Referring to the case of the key top 11 serving as a dial key or a function key as in the prior art shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the overall volume of the mobile terminal is exposed to the outside of the front housing F with a small thickness. In view of the inevitability to increase, the integrated key plate 90 of the prior application includes fonts 91 which transmit the light source of the lamp L in the overall flat structure as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, and these fonts. Compartment line 92 for partitioning each of the 91 to be combined together flat to relatively reduce the thickness exposed to the outside of the front housing (F), and also integral key combination rather than the attachment structure of the individual keys It can be made more simple when assembled with the pad 60, can lead to excellent bonding (integral bonding, not individual bonding), a plurality of front housing (F) It is not necessary to provide the holes F1, and in particular, the elasticity of the integrated key plate 90 itself, more specifically, in the case of a metal body can hold a stronger elasticity to restore the restoring force that was dependent only on the existing dome switch 50. It can be greatly strengthened, and can also provide a more luxurious texture when the integral key plate 90 is a metal body.

Meanwhile, under the dome switch 50, a spacer 80 is provided to maintain a constant distance from the printed circuit board 70. The spacer 80 has a dome switch 50 connected to the printed circuit board 70. A hole 81 is provided for direct contact with the positioned contact 71.

As an example, the pad 60 applied to the keypad 100 for the portable terminal of the prior application has an outer side having a printing surface 61a corresponding to the font 91 and the partition line 92 as shown in FIG. The sheet 61 and the inner sheet 62 having a projection 62a for pressing the dome switch 50 can be manufactured, wherein the outer sheet 61 can be selected from silicon or a resin film and distortion as much as possible. The thinner it is in the range where (distortion due to heat deformation) does not occur, the better the thickness of the portable terminal can be reduced. The printing surface 61a is coated with various colors so that the light source of the lamp L can pass through. Can be expressed in different colors.

In addition, the integral key plate 90 and the pad 60 may induce close coupling with each other by primer adhesion.

On the other hand, the keypad 100 for a pre-applied portable terminal can select a lamp (L) for providing a light source from a light emitting diode (LED) as a point light source or an EL lamp (Electro Luminescence Lamp (not shown)) as a surface light source. In the case of LED L1, which is a point light source, it may be positioned under the inner sheet 62 as shown in FIG. 5.

However, the keypad 100 for the pre-applied portable terminal has fonts 91 arranged in one row so as to partition fonts 91 arranged in one row, two rows, and the like as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. By giving the partition lines 92 in the respective transverse or zigzag directions with respect to each font 91, the respective fonts 91 are not reliably surrounded by the partition lines 92, i.e. one font 91 and a neighboring font ( The partition line 92 is disposed only in some sections between 91 so as to interfere with neighboring fonts 91 when clicking on a random font 91, thereby causing a click malfunction, and the click sensitivity of the font 91 itself. There is a problem that greatly falls.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a keypad for a portable terminal capable of maximizing productivity, preventing click interference, and improving the quality of the product with a sure guarantee of a feeling of click.

The present invention for achieving the above object,

A keypad for a portable terminal comprising an integrated key plate set on a pad and provided with font holes, the keypad comprising:

The integrated key plate is divided into respective key cells by a slit that divides the font holes into oh and row.

The technical features are that the key cells are integrated with each other by an edge bridge attached to an edge thereof.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, and through these embodiments, the objects, features, and advantages of the present invention can be better understood.

The keypad for a mobile terminal according to the present invention is designed for maximizing productivity, preventing click interference, and enhancing the quality of the product as well as guaranteeing a feeling of click.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a product to which a keypad for a mobile terminal according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a keypad for a mobile terminal according to the present invention. For convenience, the detailed description and drawings will be omitted for convenience.

The keypad for a portable terminal according to the present invention basically includes an integrated key plate K set on the pad P and to which font holes FH are provided, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

At this time, the integrated key plate K is divided into respective key cells C by the slit S that divides the font holes FH into five and ten rows, and the key cells C are provided at their edges. It is integrated with each other by the edge bridge (EB).

Font holes (FH) representing characters and symbols of the mobile terminal are divided into five and ten rows by the slit (S) to be separated into respective key cells (C), thereby significantly reducing interference between the key cells (C) when clicked. In addition, the edge bridge (EB) attached to the edge of the key cell (C) can be integrated with the neighboring key cells (C) to be able to be integrated with each other can be expected to maximize the productivity with a clear guarantee of click feeling .

In the keypad for a mobile terminal, click interference prevention and click feeling are one of the most important functions. As the key cells (C) divided into each, that is, the individual key cells (C), the click interference prevention can be more reliably prevented. Maximization of the click feeling can be realized.

By the way, in the case of a single key cell (C), a separate work process to be mounted on the pad (P) is required separately, which inevitably decreases productivity.

On the other hand, when each font 91 is not surrounded by the partition line 92 as in the related art, that is, when only a partial section is disposed between one font 91 and the neighboring font 91. The product's productivity can be guaranteed, but inevitably decreases the feeling of click, and the inconvenience of use is accompanied by interference when clicked.

In consideration of these problems, the present invention distinguishes the font holes (FH) through the slit (S) of the five and ten, respectively, to significantly reduce the interference when clicking and maximize the productivity. To form them together and to be integrated with each other through an edge bridge (EB) formed at the edges of the key cells (C).

In particular, when the edge bridge EB is applied to the edges of the key cells C, the edge bridge EB is adjacent to the center of the font hole FH, that is, the edge that is farthest from the center of the key cell C in the four directions. It can be connected to the key cells (C) to ensure a relatively smooth click feeling than the bridge is formed on the side of the key cells (C) and at the same time can reduce the number of bridges significantly, and also one edge bridge (EB) By the four neighboring key cells (C) are connected to each other it is possible to expect a click feeling and click interference prevention, such as implementing a plurality of key cells (C) through the slit (S) of the row and row.

The key cell C includes a half etching area HE so that the font line FL protruding along the edge of the font hole FH is implemented.

The font hole FH formed in the integrated key plate K is completed through full etching, ie, full etching, to penetrate up and down to pass the light source.

On the other hand, when half etching the key cell C so that the font line FL protrudes along the edge of the font hole FH, the font line FL itself acts as a kind of blind protrusion and clicks at the same time. It is advantageous to be able to give a touch and feel at the time, and furthermore, if the half etching region HE is selectively provided among the key cells C, one integrated key plate may be used as a difference in texture from neighboring key cells C. Despite K), different feelings can be achieved, resulting in more luxurious products.

As described above, in the keypad for a mobile terminal according to the present invention, font holes (FH) representing characters or symbols of the mobile terminal are closely divided into five and ten by slit S to be divided into respective key cells (C). As a result, the interference between the key cells C can be significantly reduced when clicking, and the edge bridges EB provided at the edges of the key cells C can be integrated with the neighbor key cells C to provide a feeling of click. There is an excellent effect to ensure maximum assurance and to maximize productivity.

That is, according to the present invention, the font holes FH are distinguished from each other through the slit S of the five and ten rows, and at the same time, the key cells C are formed, and the edge bridges EB are provided at the edges of the key cells C to each other. By being able to be integrated, not only can you guarantee the click feeling, but also can significantly reduce the interference when clicking, and also has the advantage of maximizing productivity.

In addition, the half-etched area HE is provided to the key cell C so that the font line FL protrudes along the edge of the font hole FH, so that the font line FL may serve as a blind projection. At the same time, the touch and the touch can be further enhanced. In particular, when the half-etched area HE is selectively selected among the key cells C, the feeling is different from neighboring key cells C. There is an advantage.

Claims (3)

In the keypad for a mobile terminal, which is set on the pad (P) and includes an integrated key plate (K) to which font holes (FH) are attached, The integrated key plate K is divided into respective key cells C by a slit S for dividing the font holes FH into five rows. The keypad (C) is a keypad for a mobile terminal, characterized in that integrated with each other by an edge bridge (EB) attached to the edge. The method of claim 1, The key cell (C) is a keypad for a mobile terminal, characterized in that it comprises a half etching area (HE) to implement a font line (FL) protruding along the edge of the font hole (FH). The method of claim 2, The half etching region (HE) is a keypad for a mobile terminal, characterized in that selectively given from among the key cells (C).

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