US 5,399,822 A · Keyswitch device

Abstract

A keyswitch device has a good operational feeling in a keytop and is easily and simply assembled. When the keyswitch device is assembled, the engaging pins 55, 56 of the hinge member 47 and the engaging rod 61 of the hinge member 48 are slid on the holder plate 65 toward the open sides of the sliding slots 68, 69 in the holding portions 66, 67 while being guided through the guiding walls 73 . Further, the engaging pins 55, 56 and the engaging rod 61 are slid until the engaging rod 61 rides over the stopper 69A formed in the sliding slot 69. When the guide support member 46 and the keytop 41 are connected with each other, after the engaging rod 53 of the hinge member 47 is opposed to the vertical slot 44 of the keytop 41 and the engaging pins 63, 64 of the hinge member 48 are opposed to the long slot 45 of the keytop 41, the keytop 41 is slightly pressed downwardly. Accordingly, the engaging rod 53 of the hinge member 47 is snapped into the vertical slot 44 while being guided through the guide portion 44A and at the same time the engaging pins 63, 64 of the hinge member 48 are snapped into the long slot 45 while being guided through the guide portion 45A. Thus, not only the guide support member 46 and the holder plate 65 but also the guide support member 46 and the keytop 41 can be easily connected with each other.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A keyswitch device comprising:

a keytop having a pair of first holding portions and a pair of second holding portions formed on a back surface of the keytop,
a holder member having a pair of third holding portions formed thereon at diagonal positions from the first holding portions, and a pair of fourth holding portions formed thereon at diagonal positions from the second holding portions, the holder member being arranged under the keytop,
a guide support member for guiding the keytop in upward and downward directions, the guide support member having a first hinge member including a first engaging means for rotatably engaging the first holding portions and a second engaging means for slidably engaging the third holding portions and a second hinge member including a third engaging means for slidably engaging the second holding portions and a fourth engaging means for rotatably engaging the fourth holding portions, the first and the second hinge members being rotatably supported with each other, and
a switching means for conducting switching action according to movement of the keytop adapted to be actuated upon depression of the keytop,
wherein each of the third holding portions and the fourth holding portions has a sliding slot formed therein, both sliding slots opening in the same direction and both the second engaging means and the fourth engaging means are slid into the sliding slots from the same direction.

2 more elements

A keyswitch device comprising:

a keytop having a pair of first holding portions and a pair of second holding portions formed on a back surface thereof,
a holder member having a pair of third holding portions formed thereon at diagonal positions from the first holding portions and a pair of fourth holding portions formed thereon at diagonal positions from the second holding portions, the holder member being arranged under the keytop,
a guide support member for guiding the keytop in upward and downward directions, the guide support member having a first hinge member including a first engaging means for rotatably engaging the first holding portions and a second engaging means for slidably engaging the third holding portions and a second hinge member including a third engaging means for slidably engaging the second holding portions and a fourth engaging means for rotatably engaging the fourth holding portions, the first and the second hinge members being rotatably supported with each other,
a switching means for conducting switching action according to movement of the keytop adapted to be actuated upon depression of the keytop,
wherein each of the first holding portions has a slot for rotatably holding the first engaging means therein and each of the second holding portions has a lateral long slot for slidably holding the third engaging means therein,
wherein each of the first holding portions has a first guide portion continuously formed therefrom to guide the first engaging means into the slot, wherein each of the first guide portions is open at a lower end thereof and becomes gradually wider in a direction away from the keytop, and each of the second holding portions has a second guide portion to guide the third engaging means into the lateral long slot, and
wherein the keytop and the guide support member are interconnected by slightly pressing the keytop downward after positioning the first guide portions and the first engaging means together and the second guide portions and the third engaging means together.

4 more elements

A keyswitch device comprising:

a keytop having a pair of first holding portions and a pair of second holding portions formed on a back surface thereof,
a holder member having a pair of third holding portions formed thereon at diagonal positions from the first holding portions and a pair of fourth holding portions formed thereon at diagonal positions from the second holding portions, the holder member being arranged under the keytop,
a guide support member for guiding the keytop in upward and downward directions, the guide support member having a first hinge member including a first engaging means for rotatably engaging the first holding portions and a second engaging means for slidably engaging the third holding portions and a second hinge member including a third engaging means for slidably engaging the second holding portions and a fourth engaging means for rotatably engaging the fourth holding portions, the first and the second hinge members being rotatably supported with each other,
a switching means for conducting switching action according to movement of the keytop adapted to be actuated upon depression of the keytop,
wherein each of the first holding portions has a slot for rotatably holding the first engaging means therein and each of the second holding portions has a lateral long slot for slidably holding the third engaging means therein,
wherein each of the first holding portions has a first guide portion continuously formed therefrom to guide the first engaging means into the slot and each of the second holding portions has a second guide portion to guide the third engaging means into the lateral long slot, wherein each of the second guide portions has an inclined surface that is outwardly inclined in a direction away from the keytop, thereby the second guide portion is tapered so that thickness thereof becomes thinner in a direction away from the keytop, and
wherein the keytop and the guide support member are interconnected by slightly pressing the keytop downward after positioning the first guide portions and the first engaging means together and the second guide portions and the third engaging means together.

4 more elements

A process for assembling a keyswitch device including

a keytop having a pair of first holding portions, each of the first holding portions having a slot and a first guide portion continuously formed therefrom, and a pair of second holding portions, each of the second holding portions having a lateral long slot and a second guide portion, both the first and the second holding portions being formed on a back surface of the keytop,
a holder member having a pair of third holding portions formed thereon at diagonal positions from the first holding portions and a pair of fourth holding portions formed thereon at diagonal positions from the second holding portions, each of the third holding portions and the fourth holding portions having a sliding slot formed therein that opens in the same direction, the holder member being arranged under the keytop,
a guide support member for guiding the keytop in upward and downward directions, the guide support member having a first hinge member including a first engaging mechanism and a second engaging mechanism and a second hinge member including a third engaging mechanism and a fourth engaging mechanism, the first and the second hinge members being rotatably supported with each other, and
a switch that conducts switching action according to movement of the keytop adapted to be actuated upon depression of the keytop,
the process comprising the steps of:
sliding the second engaging mechanism and the fourth engaging mechanism into the sliding slots from the same direction after positioning the second engaging mechanism and the fourth engaging mechanism at the sliding slots, thereby slidably engaging the second engaging mechanism into the sliding slots of the third holding portions and rotatably engaging the fourth engaging mechanism into the sliding slots of the fourth holding portions, and
slightly pressing the keytop downward after positioning both the first engaging mechanism and the slots of the first holding portions and both the second engaging mechanism and the lateral long slots of the second holding portions, thereby interconnecting the keytop and the guide support member.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Keyswitch device

Life of this patent

Keyswitch device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19