Key switch with sliding mechanism and keyboard

A key switch comprising:

• a base;
• a key top arranged above said base;
• a guide member operatively engaged with said base and said key top to support said key top above said base and direct said key top in a vertical direction, said guide member including a sliding portion slidably and shiftably engaged with either one of said base and said key top;
• an elastic member disposed between said guide member and either one of said base and said key top with which said sliding portion is engaged, to exert biasing force, relative to a shifting amount of said sliding portion, onto said guide member in a direction different from said vertical direction;
• and
• a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of said key top;
• wherein said elastic member is fixedly joined to said guide member and is abutted against said base.

A key switch comprising:

• a base;
• a key top arranged above said base;
• a pair of link members interlocked to each other and operatively engaged with said base and said key top to support said key top above said base and direct said key top in a vertical direction, each of said link members including a sliding portion slidably and shiftably engaged with either one of said base and said key top;
• at least one elastic member disposed between at least one of said link members and either one of said base and said key top with which said sliding portion is engaged, to exert biasing force, relative to a shifting amount of said sliding portion, onto said at least one of said link members in a direction different from said vertical direction;
• and
• a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of said key top;
• wherein said at least one of said link members is provided with a loading portion separate from said sliding portion, said loading portion being formed at a position angularly displaced from said sliding portion about a mutually connecting point of said pair of link members, said biasing force being applied onto said loading portion.

A key switch comprising:

• a base;
• a key top arranged above said base;
• a pair of link members interlocked to each other and operatively engaged with said base and said key top to support said key top above said base and direct said key top in a vertical direction, each of said link members including a sliding portion slidably and shiftably engaged with either one of said base and said key top;
• at least one elastic member disposed between at least one of said link members and either one of said base and said key top with which said sliding portion is engaged, to exert biasing force, relative to a shifting amount of said sliding portion, onto said at least one of said link members in a direction different from said vertical direction;
• and
• a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of said key top,
• wherein said pair of link members are arranged to mutually intersect and are pivotably and slidably connected relative to each other at an intersection thereof, and wherein each of said link members is engaged slidably at one end thereof with said base and rotatably at another end thereof with said key top, said sliding portion being provided on said one end of said each link member.

A key switch comprising:

• a base;
• a key top arranged above said base;
• a pair of link members interlocked to each other and operatively engaged with said base and said key top to support said key top above said base and direct said key top in a vertical direction, each of said link members including a sliding portion slidably and shiftably engaged with either one of said base and said key top;
• at least one elastic member disposed between at least one of said link members and either one of said base and said key top with which said sliding portion is engaged, to exert biasing force, relative to a shifting amount of said sliding portion, onto said at least one of said link members in a direction different from said vertical direction;
• and
• a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of said key top
• wherein said pair of link members are meshed with each other at a toothed end of each of said link members, and wherein each of said link members is engaged slidably at one end thereof with said base and rotatably at another end thereof with said key top, said sliding portion being provided on said one end of said each link member, said toothed end being provided adjacent to said other end of said each link member.

A key switch comprising:

• a base;
• a key top arranged above said base;
• a pair of link members interlocked to each other and operatively engaged with said base and said key top to support said key top above said base and direct said key top in a vertical direction, each of said link members including a sliding portion slidably and shiftably engaged with either one of said base and said key top;
• at least one elastic member disposed between at least one of said link members and either one of said base and said key top with which said sliding portion is engaged, to exert biasing force, relative to a shifting amount of said sliding portion, onto said at least one of said link members in a direction different from said vertical direction;
• and
• a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of said key top
• wherein said pair of link members are arranged to intersect with each other at a toothed end of each of said link members, and wherein each of said link members is engaged slidably at one end thereof with said base and rotatably at another end thereof with said key top, said sliding portion being provided on said one end of said each link member, said toothed end being provided adjacent to said other end of said each link member.

A key switch comprising:

• a base;
• a key top arranged above said base;
• a pair of link members interlocked to each other and operatively engaged with said base and said key top to support said key top above said base and direct said key top in a vertical direction, each of said link members including a sliding portion slidably and shiftably engaged with either one of said base and said key top;
• at least one elastic member disposed between at least one of said link members and either one of said base and said key top with which said sliding portion is engaged, to exert biasing force, relative to a shifting amount of said sliding portion, onto said at least one of said link members in a direction different from said vertical direction;
• and
• a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of said key top, said switching mechanism comprised of
• a membrane switch arranged in an opening formed in said base beneath said key top, and
• an actuating member for pushing said membrane switch to close said electric circuit when said key top goes down and is located at a predetermined position above said base, said actuating member is provided on at least one of said link members, and enters into said opening of said base to elastically push said membrane switch when said key top is located at said predetermined position.

A key switch comprising:

• a base;
• a key top arranged above said base;
• a pair of link members interlocked to each other and operatively engaged with said base and said key top to support said key top above said base and direct said key top in a vertical direction, each of said link members including a sliding portion slidably and shiftably engaged with either one of said base and said key top;
• at least one elastic member disposed between at least one of said link members and either one of said base and said key top with which said sliding portion is engaged, to exert biasing force, relative to a shifting amount of said sliding portion, onto said at least one of said link members in a direction different from said vertical direction;
• a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of said key top, said switching mechanism comprised of
• a membrane switch arranged in an opening formed in said base beneath said key top, and
• an actuating member for pushing said membrane switch to close said electric circuit when said key top goes down and is located at a predetermined position above said base, said actuating member is provided on at least one of said link members, and enters into said opening of said base to elastically push said membrane switch when said key top is located at said predetermined position;
• and
• an assist member movable between a first position where said assist member comes into engagement with said actuating member and a second position where said assist member is away from said actuating member, during a time when said key top is located at said predetermined position, and wherein said actuating member comes into engagement with said assist member to push said membrane switch.

A key switch comprising:

• a base;
• a key top arranged above said base;
• a pair of link members interlocked to each other and operatively engaged with said base and said key top to support said key top above said base and direct said key top in a vertical direction, each of said link members including a sliding portion slidably and shiftably engaged with either one of said base and said key top;
• at least one elastic member disposed between at least one of said link members and either one of said base and said key top with which said sliding portion is engaged, to exert biasing force, relative to a shifting amount of said sliding portion, onto said at least one of said link members in a direction different from said vertical direction;
• and
• a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of said key top, said switching mechanism comprised of
• a membrane switch arranged in an opening formed in said base beneath said key top, and
• an actuating member, disposed above said membrane switch, for pushing said membrane switch to close said electric circuit when said key top goes down and is located at a predetermined position above said base,
• wherein a part of said link members enters into said opening of said base to push said actuating member when said key top is located at said predetermined position, whereby said actuating member pushes said membrane switch.

A key switch comprising:

• a base;
• a key top arranged above said base;
• a pair of link members interlocked to each other and operatively engaged with said base and said key top to support said key top above said base and direct said key top in a vertical direction, each of said link members including a sliding portion slidably and shiftably engaged with either one of said base and said key top;
• at least one elastic member disposed between at least one of said link members and either one of said base and said key top with which said sliding portion is engaged, to exert biasing force, relative to a shifting amount of said sliding portion, onto said at least one of said link members in a direction different from said vertical direction;
• and
• a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of said key top, said switching mechanism comprised of
• a membrane switch arranged in an opening formed in said base beneath said key top, and
• an actuating member, for pushing said membrane switch to close said electric circuit when said key top goes down and is located at a predetermined position above said base, said actuating member disposed above said membrane switch, and movable between a first position where said actuating member is pushed by said part of said link members upon said key top is located at said predetermined position and a second position where said actuating member is away from said part of said link members,
• wherein a part of said link members enters into said opening of said base to push said actuating member when said key top is located at said predetermined position, whereby said actuating member pushes said membrane switch.

A key switch comprising:

• a base;
• a key top arranged above said base;
• a pair of link members interlocked to each other and operatively engaged with said base and said key top to support said key top above said base and direct said key top in a vertical direction, each of said link members including a sliding portion slidably and shiftably engaged with either one of said base and said key top;
• at least one elastic member disposed between at least one of said link members and either one of said base and said key top with which said sliding portion is engaged, to exert biasing force, relative to a shifting amount of said sliding portion, onto said at least one of said link members in a direction different from said vertical direction;
• and
• a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of said key top;
• wherein said base includes a fixed base element engaged with said pair of link members and a movable base element disposed under said fixed base element in such a manner as to be movable with relation to said fixed base element and said at least one elastic member is fixedly connected to said at least one of said link members and abutted onto at least one vertical wall fixedly joined to said moveable base element.

A key switch comprising:

• a base;
• a key top arranged above said base;
• a pair of link members interlocked to each other and operatively engaged with said base and said key top to support said key top above said base and direct said key top in a vertical direction, each of said link members including a sliding portion slidably and shiftably engaged with either one of said base and said key top;
• at least one elastic member disposed between at least one of said link members and either one of said base and said key top with which said sliding portion is engaged, to exert biasing force, relative to a shifting amount of said sliding portion, onto said at least one of said link members in a direction different from said vertical direction;
• and
• a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of said key top
• wherein said base includes a fixed base element engaged with said pair of link members and a movable base element disposed under said fixed base element in such a manner as to be movable with relation to said fixed base element, and said at least one elastic member is fixedly connected to said movable base element and abutted onto said at least one of said link members.

A key switch comprising:

• a base;
• a key top arranged above said base;
• a pair of link members interlocked to each other to support said key top above said base, each of said link members including a sliding portion slidably and shiftably engaged with either one of said base and said key top;
• and
• at least one elastic member disposed between at least one of said link members and either one of said base and said key top with which said sliding portion is engaged, to exert biasing force, relative to a shifting amount of said sliding portion, onto said at least one of said link members in a direction different from said vertical direction,
• wherein said at least one elastic member is fixedly joined to said at least one of said link members and is abutted against said base.