Key switch device

Abstract

A key switch device capable of preventing a key top from displacing in the horizontal direction when the key top is being depressed, and of minimizing wear and damage to the components thereof. A displacement restricting part, contacting each of a pair of link members, is formed by punching and bending a support plate. Further, on the back side of a trunk of each link member, an engaging portion capable of contacting the displacement restricting part is formed. When the key top is being depressed, the displacement restricting part always contacts the engaging portion, whereby the displacement of the link members in the horizontal direction or the slipping movement of the key top may be prevented.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a key switch device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 a is a sectional view, explaining the function of a displacement restricting part of the key switch, showing a key top at the uppermost position thereof;

FIG. 2 b shows the state in which the key top is somewhat lowered from the state of FIG. 2a;

FIG. 2 c shows the state in which the key top is further lowered from the state of FIG. 2b;

FIG. 2 d shows the key top at the lowermost position thereof;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a link member of the key switch device;

FIG. 4 shows another configuration of the displacement restricting part arranged on a support plate;

FIG. 5 a is a schematic side view showing a major part of a key switch device according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 b is an enlarged perspective view of a portion “b” of FIG. 5a;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a key switch device according to a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing a key switch device according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an actuating member of a key switch device according to a fifth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 a is a sectional side view of the actuating member of FIG. 8;

FIG. 9 b is a sectional side view of the actuating member deformed by depressing the key top;

FIG. 9 c is a sectional side view of the actuating member acting to avoid the displacement of the key top from the state of FIG. 9b;

FIG. 10 a is a perspective view of an alternative of the actuating member of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 b is a perspective view of the actuating member of FIG. 10a which is compressed and deformed;

FIG. 11 shows a modification of the actuating member of FIG. 10a;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing a key switch device according to a sixth embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 13 a and 13b are a plan view and a side view, respectively, explaining the positional relation between a sliding part and a guiding part of a link member of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a side view, similar to FIG. 13b, showing another configuration of the guiding part;

FIG. 15 shows the shape of the sliding part adapted to the guiding part;

FIG. 16 a is a side view showing a key top of a conventional key switch device at the uppermost position thereof;

FIG. 16 b is a side view showing the key top of FIG. 16a between the uppermost position and the lowermost position thereof; and

FIG. 16 c is a is a side view showing the key top of FIG. 16 at the lowermost position thereof.

Claims

1. A key switch device comprising: a support plate;a key top arranged above the support plate;a pair of link members interlocked to each other to support the key top above the support plate and direct the key top in a vertical direction; anda switch mechanism capable of opening and closing a contact section of an electric circuit in accordance with the vertical movement of the key top,wherein each of the pair of link members has a toothed end such that the link members are assembled together into a reverse V-shape as seen in a lateral direction, and a sliding part is slidably engaged with the support plate,wherein the switch mechanism includes a membrane switch sheet carrying the contact section at a position corresponding to the key top and placed on the support plate,wherein the support plate has a displacement restricting part arranged on the support plate,and wherein each of the pair of link members has an engaging part configured to contact the displacement restricting part at any time during the vertical movement of the key top, whereby the displacement of the key top in the sliding direction of the sliding part of each of the pair of link members is restricted.

2. The key switch device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the support plate is made from a metal plate and wherein the displacement restricting part is formed by punching and bending a part of the metal plate and has a curved surface contacting the engaging portion of each of the pair of link members.

3. The key switch device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the support plate is made from a metal plate and wherein the displacement restricting part is formed by punching and bending a part of the metal plate and has an arc-shaped cut surface contacting the engaging portion of each of the pair of link members.

4. The key switch device as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the pair of link members has two arm portions and a body portion coupling the two arm portions, and the engaging part includes a curved concave portion and a curved convex portion formed on the body portion.

5. The key switch device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the convex portion of the engaging part has a cross section of a part of an ellipse as seen in the lateral direction, and wherein the displacement restricting part has a curved surface having an arc-shaped cross section as seen in the lateral direction.

6. The key switch device as set forth in claim 4, wherein the engaging part is formed on either side of the body portion of each of the pair of link members.

7. The key switch device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the support plate is made from a metal plate and the displacement restricting part is formed by punching and bending a part of the metal plate, and wherein the displacement restricting part has a protrusion slidably engaged with a groove formed on each of the pair of link members.

8. The key switch device as set forth in claim 7, wherein the protrusion is formed by bending a part of the displacement restricting part formed by punching and bending a part of the metal plate.

9. A key switch device comprising: a support plate;a key top arranged above the support plate;a pair of link members interlocked to each other to support the key top above the support plate and direct the key top in a vertical direction; anda switch mechanism capable of opening and closing a contact section of an electric circuit in accordance with the vertical movement of the key top,wherein each of the pair of link members has a toothed end such that the link members are assembled together into a reverse V-shape as seen in a lateral direction, and a sliding part is slidably engaged with the support plate,wherein the switch mechanism includes a membrane switch sheet carrying the contact section at a position corresponding to the key top and placed on the support plate,wherein the support plate has a blade spring arranged on the support plate and having an end biased against the key top,and wherein the key top engages with the end of the blade spring and has a protrusion on the lower face thereof for guiding the end of the blade spring such that the movement of the sliding part in the sliding direction thereof relative to the key top is restricted.

10. The key switch device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the blade spring is formed by punching and bending a part of the support plate.

11. A key switch device comprising: a support plate;a key top arranged above the support plate;a first pair of link members interlocked to each other to support the key top above the support plate and direct the key top in a vertical direction; anda switch mechanism capable of opening and closing a contact section of an electric circuit in accordance with the vertical movement of the key top,wherein each of the first pair of link members has a toothed end such that the first link members are assembled together into a reverse V-shape as seen in a lateral direction, and a sliding part is slidably engaged with the support plate,wherein the switch mechanism includes a membrane switch sheet carrying the contact section at a position corresponding to the key top and placed on the support plate,and wherein the key switch device further comprises a second pair of link members having a second sliding part slidably engaged with the support plate such that the second sliding part may move relative to the support plate in the direction generally perpendicular to the sliding direction of each sliding part of the first pair of link members.

12. A key switch device comprising: a support plate;a key top arranged above the support plate;a first pair of link members interlocked to each other to support the key top above the support plate and direct the key top in a vertical direction; anda switch mechanism capable of opening and closing a contact section of an electric circuit in accordance with the vertical movement of the key top,wherein each of the first pair of link members has a toothed end such that the first link members are assembled together into a reverse V-shape as seen in a lateral direction, and a sliding part is slidably engaged with the support plate,wherein the switch mechanism includes a membrane switch sheet carrying the contact section at a position corresponding to the key top and placed on the support plate,and wherein the switch mechanism comprises an actuating member arranged between the key top and the membrane switch sheet and configured to close the contact when the key top is downwardly moved, the actuating member having a displacement restricting part for limiting the displacement of the top of the actuating member in the sliding direction of the sliding part.

13. The key switch device as set forth in claim 12, wherein the displacement restricting part is a wall portion integrally formed on the bottom of the actuating member.

14. The key switch device as set forth in claim 12, wherein the actuating member has the shape of a truncated pyramid.

15. The key switch device as set forth in claim 12, wherein the actuating member has the shape of a truncated pyramid the two side walls of which, opposing in the sliding direction of the sliding part, are removed.

16. A key switch device comprising: a support plate;a key top arranged above the support plate;a first pair of link members interlocked to each other to support the key top above the support plate and direct the key top in a vertical direction; anda switch mechanism capable of opening and closing a contact section of an electric circuit in accordance with the vertical movement of the key top,wherein each of the first pair of link members has a toothed end such that the first link members are assembled together into a V-shape as seen in a lateral direction, and a sliding part is slidably engaged with a guiding section arranged on the lower surface of the key top,wherein the switch mechanism includes a membrane switch sheet carrying the contact section at a position corresponding to the key top and placed on the support plate,and wherein the guiding section on the lower surface of the key top has a guiding groove the width of which is not constant along the sliding direction of the sliding part, the sliding part being configured such that the shape of the cross section of a part of the sliding part engaging with the guiding groove is changed corresponding to the width of the guiding groove.

17. The key switch device as set forth in claim 16, wherein the sliding part has the shape of a circular cone or a truncated cone.

18. The key switch device as set forth in claim 16, wherein the sliding part has the shape of a circular cone or a truncated cone a side wall of which is twisted.

19. A key board having a plurality of key switch devices as set forth in claim 1.

20. A key board having a plurality of key switch devices as set forth in claim 9.

21. A key board having a plurality of key switch devices as set forth in claim 11.

22. A key board having a plurality of key switch devices as set forth in claim 12.

23. A key board having a plurality of key switch devices as set forth in claim 16.