Pushbutton switch cover sheet

• US 20060197674A1
• Filed: 03/01/2006
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Polymatech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Polymatech Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakajima, Daisuke
• Application Number:
  US11/363,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20060197674A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/4.3
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/705 characterised by construction, mounting or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. push-buttons or keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/07 metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/074 elastomeric
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/004 U-shaped openings surrounding keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/08 composed of different parts

Abstract

The present invention provides a pushbutton switch cover sheet formed by using a thin metal plate, in which damage or deformation, such as bending or denting, of the thin metal plate is prevented, thereby making it possible to continuously maintain a satisfactory design. The pushbutton switch cover sheet comprising: a plurality of display portions; a plurality of depressing-operation portions for effecting key input on the display portions, respectively; a base sheet formed of a rubber-like elastic material; and a thin metal plate provided on the base sheet, wherein a reinforcing member formed of a polymeric material is provided for each depressing-operation portion so as to be adjacent to the thin metal plate in a direction of a thickness of the thin metal plate.

Claims

1. A pushbutton switch cover sheet comprising:

a plurality of display portions;

a plurality of depressing-operation portions for effecting key input on the display portions, respectively;

a base sheet formed of a rubber-like elastic material; and

a thin metal plate provided on the base sheet,

wherein a reinforcing member formed of a polymeric material is provided for each depressing-operation portion so as to be adjacent to the thin metal plate in a direction of a thickness of the thin metal plate.

2. A pushbutton switch cover sheet according to claim 1, wherein:

the thin metal plate has dividing sections defining the depressing-operation portions; and

the dividing sections are formed as U-shaped sections defining the depressing-operation portions so that swinging is allowed in the direction of the thickness of the thin metal plate and as dividing holes extending through the thin metal plate.

3. A pushbutton switch cover sheet according to claim 1, wherein:

the thin metal plate has dividing sections defining the depressing-operation portions; and

the dividing sections are formed as half-through dividing grooves extending through halfway of the thin metal plate.

4. A pushbutton switch cover sheet according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the thin metal plate ranges from 50 μ

m to 2000 μ

m.

5. A pushbutton switch cover sheet according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the thin metal plate ranges from 50 μ

m to 300 μ

m.

6. A pushbutton switch cover sheet according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member is transparent and is provided on an upper surface of the thin metal plate.

7. A pushbutton switch cover sheet according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member is provided on a lower surface of the thin metal plate.

8. A pushbutton switch cover sheet according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member is provided both on an upper surface of the thin metal plate and a lower surface of the thin metal plate.

9. A pushbutton switch cover sheet according to claim 1, wherein configuration of the reinforcing member is upwardly convex.

10. A pushbutton switch cover sheet according to claim 1 wherein configuration of the reinforcing member is downwardly convex.

11. A pushbutton switch cover sheet according to claim 1 wherein a thickness of the reinforcing member ranges from 0.2 mm to 2.0 mm.

12. A pushbutton switch cover sheet according to claim 1, wherein the material of the reinforcing member is to be one having a bending modulus of not less than 70 MPa and a Shore D hardness of not less than 40.

13. A pushbutton switch cover sheet according to claim 11, wherein the material is selected from polymethyl metacrylate resin, polycarbonate resin, or polystyrene resin.

14. A pushbutton switch cover sheet according to claim 1, wherein the base sheet is in a double-layer construction composed of a light-tight upper layer and a light-transmitting lower layer, and

wherein through-holes corresponding to the display portions are provided only in the light-tight upper layer.