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US 7,745,752 B2Granted
Mounting of an operation key within an operation panel
AssigneeKyocera Mita Corporation
InventorShinichi Kotera
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An operation key 3 is fitted in a guide hole 4 of an operation section cover 2 while making contact with support pieces 12 of a film member 10a. Thus, the support pieces 12 are pressed, widened, and then bent by an operation section 3b, thus sandwiching the support pieces 12 between the operation section 3b and the guide hole 4. Here, the film member 10a has an elastic force; thus, the operation key 3 is positioned at a substantially vertical center of the guide hole 4 by restoring forces of the support pieces 12.
Claims8
An operation panel comprising:
- an operation section cover provided with a guide hole penetrating the operation section cover in a front and a rear direction;
- an operation key projecting forward from a rear surface side to a front surface side of the operation section cover with a predetermined interval secured between the operation key and an opening edge of the guide hole;
- and
- a flexible film member fitted to a rear surface of the operation section cover, the flexible film member having a through hole that coincides with the guide hole and is larger than an exterior size of the operation key, and a plurality of support pieces formed at a part of opposing edges of the through hole and elastically deformed by insertion of the operation key in the through hole to thereby make contact with a side surface of the operation key such that the support pieces project forward through the guide hole and are oriented between the side surface of the operation key and inside edges of the guide hole,
- wherein an input operation is performed by pressing the operation key.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.