Patent Grant
11004628
The present disclosure relates mainly to a key switch device used for a keyboard.
Conventionally, a known key switch device is, for example, a keyboard switch in which a cylindrical guide post is protruded from a base, a light guide is guided on the inner diameter side of the guide post, and a coil spring disposed on the outer diameter side elastically supports a button so that the button can be pressed in (see PTL 1, for example).
PTL 1: Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 104851727
However, in a conventional key switch device, a guide post is required, and the occupied area in plan view becomes larger accordingly. Moreover, the light guide protrudes from an upper surface of the base, and the height dimension is large.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a key switch device capable of realizing a reduction in height while reducing the occupied space in plan view.
As means for solving the above problems, the present disclosure provides a key switch device comprising:
a base including an opening in a central part thereof;
a light guide including an elastic body receiving portion, the light guide being supported by the base to be disposed in the opening;
a button attached capable of approaching and separating from the base to cover the light guide;
an elastic body disposed between the elastic body receiving portion and a lower surface of the button, the elastic body biasing the button in a separating direction where the button is separated from the base;
a fixed contact piece including a fixed contact, the fixed contact piece being attached to the base; and
a movable contact piece, which is attached to the base, including a movable contact to be brought into contact with the fixed contact when the button is moved toward the base in an approaching direction where the button approaches the base.
With the present disclosure in which the light guide is disposed in the opening of the base and the elastic body is directly pressed against the elastic body receiving portion of the light guide, it is possible to realize a reduction in height while reducing the occupied area of the key switch device in plan view.
The following description will describe embodiments according to the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although terms that indicate specific directions or positions (e.g., terms including “upper”, “lower”, “side”, and “end”) are used as needed in the following description, it is to be noted that the use of those terms is for facilitating the understanding of the disclosure with reference to the drawings, and the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited by the meanings of the terms. Moreover, the following description is merely illustrative in nature, and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, the application thereof, or the use thereof. Furthermore, the drawings are schematic, and the ratio of each dimension or the like is different from the actual one.
As illustrated in
The bottom portion 8 includes an opening 10 having a circular shape in plan view. On an inner peripheral surface of the opening 10, an annular lock receiving portion 11 is formed in a central part of the inner peripheral surface of the opening 10 in an up-and-down direction. Locking claws 29a of the light guide 2 are locked to the lock receiving portion 11 as will be described later.
In the vicinity of the opening 10, a first mount 12 and a second mount 13 are formed. A first locking groove 14 extending in the up-and-down direction is formed in a side surface of the first mount 12. A first terminal hole 15 that is continuous with the first locking groove 14 and communicates with a lower surface thereof is formed at the bottom portion 8. The first mount 12 includes a first locking ridge 16 having an upper surface configured as a convex arc surface. The second mount 13 has a structure similar to that of the first mount 12. The second mount 13 includes a second locking groove 17 and a second locking ridge 18. A second terminal hole 19 that communicates with the second locking groove 17 is formed at the bottom portion 8. A fixed contact piece 41 is fixed to the first mount 12, and a movable contact piece 42 is fixed to the second mount 13. A depression 20a having a rectangular shape in plan view is formed in a central portion of an upper surface of one side portion of the bottom portion 8. A depression 20b is formed at each of the four corners of the bottom portion 8. When the button 3 is pressed down, the lower end of an abutting portion 36 of the button 3 that will be described later abuts on the bottom surface of the depression 20b, so that the further movement of the button 3 in a direction orthogonal to the bottom portion 8 is restricted.
The rectangular frame portion 9 includes two pairs of opposing side walls 21a and 21b. A flange portion 22 is formed on the outer side of the side walls 21a and 21b. The flange portion 22 is used to support the elevation mechanism 7 that will be described later. An extrusion prevention wall 23 is formed on the outer side of the flange portion 22 on the outer side of the opposing side walls 21a. The extrusion prevention wall 23 prevents a first arm 67 and a second arm 68 from being extruded laterally. A recessed part 24 is formed in a central portion of the outer surface of each of the opposing side walls 21a. Each recessed part 24 includes a narrow groove 24a and a relief recess 24b which is wider than the groove 24a. The narrow groove 24a constitutes an upper half of a side wall 21a and the relief recess 24b constituted of a lower half of a side wall 21a. The width dimension of the groove 24a is set such that the first arm 67 and the second arm 68 that will be described later can be inserted in a folded state.
As illustrated in
A plurality of convex lenses 25a are formed on the top surface of the light guide main body 25. The convex lenses 25a diffuse light from an LED (Light Emitting Diode) 25b (see
The elastic body receiving portion 26, which has a flange-like shape, includes a receiving portion main body 27 of the upper half portion (i.e., a portion close to the light guide main body 25), and a cylindrical body 28 of the lower half portion (i.e., a portion far from the light guide main body 25). Notches 26a are formed at three positions at equal intervals in the circumferential direction in the elastic body receiving portion 26, and claw portions 29 are respectively formed there. The receiving portion main body 27 and the cylindrical body 28 are divided into three arc-shaped parts by the notches 26a. The receiving portion main body 27 has an outer diameter larger than the opening 10 of the base 1. A lower surface of the receiving portion main body 27 abuts on the upper surface of the bottom portion 8. The outer surface of the cylindrical body 28 abuts on the inner surface of the opening 10 to position the light guide 2 in the radial direction with respect to the base 1. A LED 25b is disposed in a recess 30 surrounded by the lower surface of the receiving portion main body 27 and the inner surface of the cylindrical body 28. Each claw portion 29 extends downward as with the cylindrical body 28. A locking claw 29a protruding to the outer diameter side is formed in a tip part of each claw portion 29. Each locking claws 29a is locked to the lock receiving portion 11 formed in the opening 10 of the base 1 and prevents the light guide 2 from coming off the opening 10 upward.
As illustrated in
A cylindrical spring guide portion 34 is formed in a central portion of a lower surface (i.e., a surface facing the base 1) of the flat plate portion 31. A guide wall 35 is provided on the lower surface of the flat plate portion 31 along three sides. On the opposing walls on both sides of the guide wall 35, abutting portions 36 protruding more than the other part are formed at both end parts. The opposing walls protrude inward except at both end portions. Guide grooves 36a configured to guide the slider 6 are respectively formed in the opposing parts of the abutting portions 36 located at both ends of the guide wall 35. One of sidewalls constituting each guide groove 36a is cut except for upper and lower end portions. A lifting protrusion 37 is formed in a lower end portion of the one of the sidewalls. Each lifting protrusion 37 includes a lower inclined surface 37a that gradually inclines upward, and an upper flat surface 37b.
Bearing holes 38 are formed at both end parts extending further downward of each sidewall portion 32. In each bearing hole 38, the first arm 67 and a first shaft portion 71 of the second arm 68 that will be described later are rotatably and slidably supported.
A projection 39 having a concave circular arc surface is formed at three positions in one extending portion 33a. A side edge of the flat plate portion 31 and an arc surface of the projection 39 constitute a support portion 40 configured to support an unillustrated balance bar.
Returning to
The contact opening/closing mechanism 5 includes a fixed contact piece 41 and the movable contact piece 42, which are formed by pressing and bending flat-plate copper alloy.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Moreover, the slider 6 includes guided protrusions 64 in both ends. Each guided protrusion 64 is formed to divide a central portion of the outer surface of the flat portion 65 provided at both end portions of the slider 6 into two left and right parts. A guided protrusion 64 is inserted into a guide groove 36 formed in the button 3 and is guided to move up and down. A lifted protrusion 66 is formed on one lower side of the two parts divided by the guided protrusion 64 of the flat portion 65. An upper surface of the lifted protrusion 66 is an inclined surface 66a that protrudes gradually downward, and a lower surface is a flat surface 66b. The flat surface 37b of the lifting protrusion 37 abuts on the flat surface 66b of the lifted protrusion 66, and is lifted together when the button 3 moves upward.
Returning to
The first arm 67 and the second arm 68 are coupled with each other by inserting the second shaft portion 72 of the first arm 67 into the bearing pore 74 of the second arm 68 and inserting the second shaft portion 72 of the second arm 68 into the bearing pore 74 of the first arm 67. Regarding the first arm 67 and the second arm 68 coupled with each other, the coupled part is inserted into the groove 24a of the base 1 in a folded state and is spread at the relief recess 24b, so that the first projection 73 and the second projection 75 abut on an upper surface constituting the relief recess 24b, and coming off the base 1 is prevented. The first arm 67 and the second arm 68 coupled with each other are coupled with the button 3 by inserting the first shaft portions 71 into the bearing holes 38 of the button 3. Movement of the button 3 in the protruding direction is restricted by abutting of the first shaft portions 71 on the inner edge of the bearing holes 38. Movement of the button 3 in the pushing direction is restricted by abutting of the lower end of the abutting portion 36 on the bottom surface of the depression 20b of the base 1.
Next, an assembling method of the key switch device having the above structure will be described.
The light guide 2 is disposed in the opening 10 of the base 1. The cylindrical body 28 of the light guide 2 is inserted into the opening 10, so that the flange portion 22 abuts on the upper surface of the bottom portion 8 of the base 1. As a result, the locking claws 29a of the claw portions 29 are locked to the lock receiving portion 11 of the opening 10, and the light guide 2 is attached to the base 1.
The coil spring 4 is disposed around the light guide 2 disposed in the opening 10 of the base 1. In such a state, the lower end portion of the coil spring 4 abuts on the elastic body receiving portion 26 of the light guide 2.
The fixed contact piece 41 is attached to the first mount 12 of the base 1, and the movable contact piece 42 is attached to the second mount 13. The fixed contact piece 41 is fixed to the base 1 by press-fitting the fixed terminal portion 44 into the first terminal hole 15 of the base 1, locking the first locking protrusion 49 to the first locking groove 14 of the first mount 12, and locking the first locking recess 50 to the first locking ridge 16 of the first mount 12. The movable contact piece 42 is fixed to the base 1 by press-fitting the movable terminal portion 52 into the second terminal hole 19 of the base 1, locking the second locking protrusion 55 to the second locking groove 17 of the second mount 13, and locking the second locking recess 56 to the second locking ridge 18 of the second mount 13. In such a state, the movable contact 58 is opposed to the fixed contact 47 to be able to come into contact.
The first arm 67 and the second arm 68 are coupled with each other by inserting the second shaft portion 72 of the first arm 67 into the bearing pore 74 of the second arm 68 and inserting the second shaft portion 72 of the second arm 68 into the bearing pore 74 of the first arm 67. Then, the first arm 67 and the second arm 68 are inserted into the recess 30 via the groove 24a of the base in a folded state, and are spread into a V-shape. Furthermore, the guided protrusion 64 of the slider 6 is guided by the guide groove 36 of the button 3. In such a state, the first arm 67 and the first shaft portions 71 of the second arm 68 are inserted into the bearing holes 38 of the button 3. Thus, the button 3 is biased in the protruding direction by biasing force of the coil spring 4 disposed between the button 3 and the light guide 2. Movement of the button 3 in the protruding direction is restricted by abutting of the first arm 67 and the first shaft portions 71 of the second arm 68 on the inner edge of the bearing holes 38.
A key switch device assembled in such a manner is mounted on a printed circuit board (unillustrated) on which the LED 25b is mounted. In the attachment of the key switch device, the LED 25b is housed in the recess 30 of the light guide 2 located on a lower surface of the base 1. By adopting such a structure, the height dimension of the light guide 2 can be reduced. Accordingly, the light guide 2 can be configured not to protrude upward from the base 1. That is, the position of the upper end of the light guide 2, that is, the position of the surface of the convex lens a can be positioned below the upper end position of the rectangular frame portion 9. As a result, the height dimension of the base 1 can be reduced.
It is to be noted that an unillustrated key cap is mounted on the button 3 to be a key of a keyboard.
In a key switch device assembled in such a manner, the fixed contact piece 41 and the movable contact piece 42 are disposed in the vicinity of the periphery of the light guide 2 disposed in the opening 10 of the base 1, as illustrated in
Moreover, the base 1 is attached to the light guide 2 by disposing the cylindrical body 28 of the light guide 2 in the opening 10 of the base 1 and locking the locking claws 29a of the claw portions 29 to the lock receiving portion 11 of the opening 10. At this time, the LED 25b is housed in the recess 30 formed by the cylindrical body 28. As shown in
Next, the operation of a key switch device having the above structure will be described.
In the initial state where an unillustrated key cap is not pressed, the button 3 is biased upward (that is, in an expansion/contraction direction of the coil spring 4 and away from the base 1) by biasing force of the coil spring 4, and the first shaft portions 71 of the first arm 67 and the second arm 68 abut on an inner edges of the bearing holes 38 of the second arm 68 and the first arm 67. As a result, the button 3 is positioned at the protruding position. In such a state, as illustrated in
When the button 3 is pressed down against the biasing force of the coil spring 4 via the key cap, the slider 6 is also moved downward (that is, in an expansion/contraction direction of the coil spring 4 and toward the base 11). At this time, the protruding piece 57 of the movable contact piece 42 changes the pressure contact position from the concave surface 61 of the slider 6 to the first inclined surface 60. As a result, elastic energy stored in the third flat surface portion 46 of the movable contact piece 42 is converted into force that biases the slider 6 downward. Consequently, the slider 6 moves downward alone with respect to the button 3, and the flat surface 66b of the lower end of the lifted protrusion collides with the flat surface 37b of the lifting protrusion 37 of the button 3 and generates sound. Since not only the slider 6 is simply dropped by its own weight but also elastic force from the movable contact piece 42 is applied, the volume of sound to be generated can be increased. In the case of a keyboard provided with a key switch device having the above structure, a user can recognize clearly that a pressing manipulation has been performed appropriately. If the keyboard is used in a game or the like, a sufficient sound suitable for the use situation can be generated by the pressing manipulation. The movable contact 58 is brought into contact with the fixed contact 47 by returning the shape of the movable contact piece 42 that has been elastically deformed so as to extend straight.
When the pressing manipulation of the button 3 is released, the biasing force of the coil spring 4 moves the button 3 upward. The first shaft portions 71 of the first arm 67 and the second arm 68 abut on the inner edge of the bearing holes 38, and the button 3 returns to the initial position. The flat surface 37b of the lifting protrusion 37 formed on the button 3 abuts on the flat surface 66b of the lifted protrusion 66 so that the slider 6 is lifted. And the pressing portion 59 presses the protruding piece 57 of the movable contact piece 42 so as to elastically deform the third flat surface portion 54 (and further, the first flat surface portion 51). As a result, the movable contact 58 is separated from the fixed contact 47 and returns to the initial state.
It is to be noted that the present disclosure is not limited to the structure described in the embodiment, and various modifications are possible.
Although the light guide 2 includes the receiving portion main body 27 and the locking claws 29a, and a locking structure to be locked to the lock receiving portion 11 formed in the opening 10 of the base 1 is adopted in the above embodiment, such structures are not necessarily required. An unillustrated printed circuit board on which the LED 25b is mounted is disposed below the light guide 2. Since the light guide 2 is held between the printed circuit board and the spring, the locking structure is not necessarily required.
Although an example of the coil spring 4 is disclosed as an elastic body in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. Another elastic component, such as sponge or rubber, can also be used.
While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, various aspects of the present disclosure will now be described. In the following description, it is to be noted that a reference numeral will also be attached as an example.
A key switch device according to the first aspect of the present disclosure includes:
a base 1 including an opening 10 in a central part thereof;
a light guide 2 including an elastic body receiving portion 26, the light guide 2 being supported by the base 1 to be disposed in the opening 10;
a button 3 attached capable of approaching and separating from the base 1 to cover the light guide 2;
an elastic body 4 disposed between the elastic body receiving portion 26 and a lower surface of the button 3, the elastic body 4 biasing the button 3 in a separating direction where the button 3 is separated from the base 1;
a fixed contact piece 41 including a fixed contact 47, the fixed contact piece 41 being attached to the base 1; and
a movable contact piece 42, which is attached to the base 1, including a movable contact 58 to be brought into contact with the fixed contact 47 when the button 3 is moved in an approaching direction where the button 3 approaches the base 1.
According to the key switch device of the first aspect, the light guide 2 is disposed in the opening 10 of the base 1 and the elastic body 4 is directly brought into pressure contact with the elastic body receiving portion 26 of the light guide 2, so that the elastic body 4 is disposed on the inner side of the light guide 2 in plan view. Therefore, the occupied area of the key switch device can be reduced. Moreover, since the light guide 2 is directly biased by the elastic body 4, a reduction of height of the key switch device can be achieved.
In a key switch device according to the second aspect of the present disclosure, the upper end of the light guide 2 is disposed below the upper end of the base 1.
According to the key switch device of the second aspect, the light guide 2 can have a low height structure not protruding from the upper surface of the base 1. Moreover, the button 3 can have a simple structure with which consideration of interference with a light guide is not required.
In a key switch device according to the third aspect of the present disclosure, the light guide 2 includes a light guide main body 25 having a truncated cone shape, and the elastic body receiving portion 26 protruding in a radial direction thereof from the light guide main body 25.
In a key switch device according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a recess 30 where the LED 25b is to be disposed is formed in a lower portion of the light guide 2.
According to the key switch device of the fourth aspect, the LED 25b is arranged into the light guide 2, and therefore a further reduction in height is realized.
In a key switch device according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure, the key switch device further includes
a slider 6, which is provided in the vicinity of the movable contact piece 42, including a pressing portion 59, the slider 6 being capable of moving in a down direction in response to pressing of the button 3 and being supported by the base 1 to be slidable in an up-and-down direction, wherein
the movable contact piece 42 includes a press receiving portion 57 to be pressed by the pressing portion 59, and
the slider 6 is configured to be biases by the press receiving portion 57 toward the down direction after the slider 6 moves toward the down direction and the pressing portion 59 passes over the press receiving portion 57, so that the slider 6 collides with the base 1 or a part of the button, generating a sound.
According to the key switch device of the fifth aspect, it is possible to cause the slider 6 to collide with the base 1 to generate a sound by pressing the button 3 in spite of the low height.
It is to be noted that suitable combinations of arbitrary embodiments or modifications of the above various embodiments or modifications can exhibit the respective effects thereof. Moreover, combinations of embodiments or combinations of examples, or combinations of embodiments and examples are possible, and combinations of features in different embodiments or examples are also possible.
While the present disclosure has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, various changes or modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such variations or modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present disclosure as set forth in the appended claims, unless they depart therefrom.
A key switch device according to the present disclosure can be adopted for a keyboard or the like.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP2017-050206 | Mar 2017 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2017/044907 | 12/14/2017 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2018/168135 | 9/20/2018 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7514643 | Tittle | Apr 2009 | B1 |
| 9305721 | Izawa | Apr 2016 | B2 |
| 9362066 | Izawa | Jun 2016 | B2 |
| 10714282 | Izawa | Jul 2020 | B2 |
| 20060000699 | Sasaki et al. | Jan 2006 | A1 |
| 20140251778 | Izawa | Sep 2014 | A1 |
| 20150043192 | Tanoue et al. | Feb 2015 | A1 |
| 20170011871 | Izawa et al. | Jan 2017 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 104851727 | Aug 2015 | CN |
| S61-76633 | May 1986 | JP |
| 2006-019131 | Jan 2006 | JP |
| 2008-59267 | Mar 2008 | JP |
| 2014-175180 | Sep 2014 | JP |
| 2015-35396 | Feb 2015 | JP |
| 2015-149249 | Aug 2015 | JP |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report for corresponding International Application No. PCT/JP2017/044907, dated Feb. 27, 2018 (6 pages). |
| Written Opinion for corresponding International Application No. PCT/JP2017/044907, dated Feb. 27, 2018 (8 pages). |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20200243279 A1 | Jul 2020 | US |
