Patent Application
20110219923
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a keypad fabrication process and an apparatus for a keypad fabrication process, and particularly to a gathering method and an apparatus for a keypad fabrication process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The technology for keypad structures of portable electric products such as mobile phones, PDA, electric dictionaries, remote controllers, in-house telephones, calculators, and the like is increasingly developed. Among these developments, keypad primary pieces are formed through the combination of the plastic material and the rubber material. As shown in
In consideration of die approach design and punch process, plastic material is subjected to injection-molding to form a key-top tree with key-tops 10 having a distance P1 between each other, as shown in
TWM 365536 discloses a keypad assembly device of keypad primary pieces after multiple punching processes, in which multiple key-top trees are utilized. A set of key-tops needed for a keypad product are obtained from a plurality of key-top trees, a group of the key-tops in each key-top tree. Thus, the key-tops located in one key-top tree can gain a sufficient space and be arranged in positions corresponding to those for a product. When each key-top in the key-top trees is punched off, it can be placed onto the assembly jig. The assembly jig is not moved between any two punches until a whole set of key-tops are arranged. Thereafter, the assembly jig is stacked with a glide plate of a delivering mechanism and moved to be under a press tool of a press mechanism to combine with a rubber conductive film.
However, there is still a need for a novel fabrication process and apparatus to more efficiently make the keys.
An objective of the present invention is to provide a gathering method for a keypad fabrication process and a key-top gathering apparatus therefor. The punching step and the arrangement for the key-tops are accomplished at one go by machine. Accordingly, the aforesaid problem caused by the difference of the distance P1 from the distance P2 can be resolved, such that the subsequent assembly is easy and can be highly automatized, giving an improved efficiency.
The gathering method for a keypad fabrication process according to the present invention includes steps as follows. First, a key-top tree is provided. The key-top tree includes a plurality of key-tops connecting to each other. The key-top tree is placed into a punching die. A receiving device is placed under the punching die. The receiving device comprises an assembly jig for gathering a punched-out key-top from the punching die. A punch is placed above the punching die for allowing the punching die to punch the key-top tree. Thereafter, a first punching process is performed on a first key-top of the key-tops. The first punching process comprises steps as follows. The receiving device is shifted using a first x-y table to prepare the receiving device for receiving the first key-top onto the assembly jig in a first position. The punch is shifted using a second x-y table to a second position, such that the first position, the first key-top of the key-top tree, and the second position are aligned. Thereafter, the first key-top is punched out and gathered on the assembly jig in the first position. Thereafter, a second punching process is performed on a second key-top of the key-tops. The second punching process includes steps as follows. The receiving device is shifted using the first x-y table to prepare the receiving device for receiving the second key-top onto the assembly jig in a third position. The punch is shifted using the second x-y table to a fourth position, such that the third position, the second key-top of the key-top tree, and the fourth position are aligned. Thereafter, the second key-top is punched out and gathered on the assembly jig in the third position.
The key-top gathering apparatus for a keypad fabrication process according to the present invention mainly includes a punching die, a receiving device, a first x-y table, an assembly jig, a punch and a second x-y table. The punching die includes a top die, a cutting die, a plurality of first springs, a plurality of strike pins and a plurality of punching pins. The top die includes a plurality of first holes. The cutting die is disposed under the top die and includes a plurality of second hole correspondingly to the first holes of the top die respectively. Each first spring has a lower portion inset within the first hole of the top die to be fixed on the top die. Each strike pin is disposed on the first springs and extends downwardly to pass through the first hole of the top die. Each punching pin combines with the lower end of each strike pin. The receiving device is disposed under the punching die. The first x-y table is for shifting the receiving device to a place. The assembly jig is disposed on the receiving device for receiving punched-out key-tops. The punch is disposed above the punching die. The second x-y table is for shifting the punch to be above a selected one of the strike pins for hitting the selected strike pin.
In the present invention, desired key positions (i.e. predetermined key positions) and key-top positions of a key-top tree can be set respectively for example in a computer system to control two x-y tables to move the punch and the receiving device to predetermined positions, respectively. The predetermined positions for the punch correspond to key-tops of the key-top tree, and the predetermined positions of the receiving device correspond to predetermined key positions in the product. The punch is performed when the punch, the key-top of the key-top tree to be punched, and the position on the receiving device to receive the key-top are aligned, and the punched-off key-top directly goes down to the assembly jig on the receiving device and is well arranged in a predetermined position. Thus, using the method and the apparatus of the present invention to punch key-tops in the order and to gather them on the assembly jig in predetermined positions, the key-tops are well arranged on the assembly jig immediately after the key-tops are punched off the key-top tree. The assembly jig with a set of well arranged key-tops can be provided for an adhesion process to adhere to a film to accomplish an assembly of a keypad primary piece. In the present invention, since it does not need to manually pick up separate key-tops for the subsequent process, the fabrication of keypad can be fast and correct.
These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
In detail, with respect to the step 105, a first punching process is performed on the first key-top. The first punching process includes steps as follows. The receiving device is shifted (or moved) using a first x-y table to a predetermined position and prepared for receiving the first punched-off key-top onto the assembly jig in a first position. The first x-y table moves in accordance with a plurality of key positions of a designed keypad primary piece (i.e. the keypad primary piece of a desired keypad product). Therefore, the first position is an actual position for the first key-top to be located in the keypad product. The punch is shifted using a second x-y table to a second position. The second x-y table moves in accordance with the positions of key-tops of the key-top tree. Therefore, the punch is shifted to be above the first key-top which is going to be punched. In this way, the first position, the first key-top of the key-top tree, and the second position are aligned. Thereafter, the punch hits downward to allow the first key-top to be punched out by the punching die, and the first key-top is impacted to go downward and be arranged on a first position on the assembly jig, i.e. gathered on the assembly jig. The punch goes up to the original place after hitting and gathering the first key-top.
With respect to the step 107, a second punching process is performed on the second key-top similar to the step 105. The second punching process includes steps as follows. The receiving device is shifted using a first x-y table to prepare for receiving the second punched-off key-top onto a third position. The second x-y table moves the punch to a fourth position, that is, the punch is shifted to be above the second key-top which is going to be punched. In this way, the third position, the second key-top of the key-top tree, and the fourth position are aligned. Thereafter, the punch hits downward to allow the second key-top to be punched out and gathered on the assembly jig in the third position. Thereafter, the punch goes up back to the original place after the hitting.
In the method of the present invention, the key-tops distributed in a desired keypad primary piece with a distance from each other, which is different from the distance with which from each other the key-tops are distributed in the key-top tree. The key-tops distributed in the desired keypad primary piece may be in a closer way, and these can be the desired features of embodiments of the present invention. Accordingly, in view of the above embodiment, the distance between the second position and the fourth position can be less than the distance between the first position and the third position. Accordingly, the method according to the present invention can be utilized to directly punch out key-tops which are distributed less dense in a key-top tree, to allow the key-tops to directly reach on the assembly jig in an actually desired position as in a keypad primary piece, for a subsequent adhesion process to conveniently combine with films to form the keypad primary piece. Material for key-top tree is not particularly limited. Conventionally, the key-top tree is often made of plastic molded articles, which can be utilized in the present invention. The film may be often a rubber film or silicon rubber film.
All key-tops of a key-top tree may be punched and arranged on an assembly jig, becoming a set of key-tops, using the aforesaid process. The assembly jig with a set of key-top gathered thereon may be delivered to an adhesion tool for combination with other member. For example, the key-tops gathered on the assembly jig may be combined with a film through an adhesive layer, in situ on the assembly jig, to form a keypad primary piece. Thus, after punched, the key-top may have a front surface facing the assembly jig as desired, but it is not limited thereto. The “front surface” of a key-pad is a surface with figure or figures which serve as the figures on a keypad of a product being seen by users.
In an embodiment of the present invention, a key-top with a defect (or flaw) may be not punched. Since in the present invention, the receiving device and the punch are shifted by two x-y tables respectively, the movement of the x-y tables may be controlled by a computer system. When the key-top of the key-top tree has a defect, it can be skipped, so as not to be subjected to the punching process easily with the computer system. Herein, it may be referred as “skip punching”. When operation workers observe a defect or defects on one or more key-tops in a provided key-top tree, the “skip punching” can be set up for that or those key-tops by a computer program, before a punching process starts. Accordingly, products with defects (or flaws) can be decreased.
Furthermore, after it is finished punching and gathering the key-tops of the key-top tree, the key-top tree is replaced with another key-top tree to perform the punching and gathering process. The latter key-top tree includes a key-top without a defect for filling the vacancy of the omitted key-top to form a whole set of the key-tops on the assembly jig.
Furthermore, the place on the assembly jig to receive each punched-out key-top has a shape of dish. The dish bottom has a hole for fixing the key-top by, for example, suction through a vacuum pipe connecting to a vacuum equipment.
Alternatively, the assembly jig may include a temporary adhering layer, and each punched-out key-top is punched out to directly go down to the temporary adhering layer and temporarily adheres to the temporary adhering layer. Herein, “temporary adhering” means there is adhesion strength between an adhered article (i.e. a key-top in the present invention) and an adhering article and these two articles can be easily taken apart by a force, and they are preferably completely apart, i.e. it is preferred to allow the key-top not to be clung by material of the temporary adhering layer. Adhesive dusting paper may be one of those suitable as the temporary adhering layer.
In the present invention, the receiving device 24 is oriented by a first x-y table. The first x-y table moves in accordance with a plurality of key positions of a designed keypad primary piece. The punch 28 is oriented by a second x-y table. The second x-y table moves in accordance with positions of a plurality of key-tops of a key-top tree. When the punch 28 is hitting, the punch 28, a key-top of a plurality of key-tops of the key-top tree (i.e. the target to be punched out), and the receiving device 24 are aligned in position.
In the embodiment as shown in
In the embodiment as shown in
In the embodiment as shown in
Furthermore, the movement of the aforesaid parts may be controlled by a computer system. Particularly, each key-top may be numbered and the numbers can be shown on the monitor. Operation workers may select or click a desired number of the key-top for selectively carrying out the punching.
Furthermore, as shown in
Alternatively, as shown in
The movement of the aforesaid parts, such as receiving device, punch, x-y tables and the like, may be accomplished by mechanism using oil pressure, robot, slide, lead screw, or the like.
Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 099107461 | Mar 2010 | TW | national |
