Key sheet

• US 20070084710A1
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polymatech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Polymatech Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakanishi, Yutaka, Ozawa, Motoki, Koyano, Shigeru
• Granted Patent: US 7,378,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/341
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/072 High temperature considerations
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/52 Cooling of switch parts cooling of contacts H01H1/62

Abstract

Disclosed is a key sheet efficiently diffusing local heat generated by a device mounted on a board. A base sheet of a key sheet is provided with a heat diffusion sheet. The heat diffusion sheet is provided with a graphite sheet and a resin film and, in some cases, a thin metal plate. The base sheet itself thus constitutes the heat diffusion sheet, so even if no member for heat diffusion is provided between a board and the key sheet, it is possible to diffuse local heat generated by a semiconductor device in the face direction of the base sheet. Thus, with the key sheet, it is possible to meet the requirement for heat diffusion to eliminate local heat storage in electronic apparatuses and to meet the requirement for a reduction in the thickness and further in weight of electronic apparatuses.

Claims

1. A key sheet, comprising:

a key top; and

a base sheet formed of a heat diffusion sheet in which a graphite sheet is covered with a polymer protective layer, with the key top being arranged on the polymer protective layer.

2. A key sheet according to claim 1, wherein:

the polymer protective layer is flexible enough to support the key top so that the the key top is capable of being displaced through depression; and

the graphite sheet has a through-hole at a position corresponding to the portion of the polymer protective layer where the key top is arranged.

3. A key sheet according to claim 1, wherein the polymer protective layer covers at least one surface of the graphite sheet.

4. A key sheet according to claim 3, wherein the polymer protective layer envelops and covers the graphite sheet as a whole.

5. A key sheet according to claim 1, wherein the polymer protective layer is a resin film.

6. A key sheet according to claim 1, wherein the polymer protective layer is a polymer coating film.

7. A key sheet according to claim 1, wherein the heat diffusion sheet has a through-hole extending in the thickness direction of the heat diffusion sheet and a float-supporting portion formed of a rubber-like elastic material filling the through-hole and elastically supporting the key top so that the key top is capable of being displaced through depression.

8. A key sheet according to claim 7, wherein the polymer protective layer covers at least one surface of the graphite sheet.

9. A key sheet according to claim 8, wherein the polymer protective layer envelops and covers the graphite sheet as a whole.

10. A key sheet according to claim 7, wherein the polymer protective layer is a resin film.

11. A key sheet according to claim 7, wherein the key top is formed of a translucent resin, and the float-supporting portion is formed of a translucent rubber-like elastic material.

12. A key sheet according to claim 7, wherein the polymer protective layer is a polymer coating film.

13. A key sheet according to claim 12, wherein:

the key top is formed of a translucent resin; and

the float-supporting portion is formed of a translucent rubber-like elastic material.

14. A key sheet according to claim 1, wherein the heat diffusion sheet is equipped with a thin metal plate.

15. A key sheet according to claim 1, wherein the heat diffusion sheet is composed of a graphite sheet and a thin metal plate, in which the graphite sheet is stacked to the key top side than the thin metal plate.

16. A key sheet according to claim 14, wherein:

the polymer protective layer is flexible enough to support the key top so that the key top is capable of being displaced through depression; and

the graphite sheet has the through-hole at a position corresponding to the portion of the polymer protective layer where the key top is arranged.

17. A key sheet according to claim 14, wherein the polymer protective layer covers at least one surface of the graphite sheet.

18. A key sheet according to claim 17, wherein the polymer protective layer envelops and covers the graphite sheet as a whole.

19. A key sheet according to claim 14, wherein the polymer protective layer is a resin film.

20. A key sheet according to claim 14, wherein the polymer protective layer is a polymer coating film.

21. A key sheet according to claim 14, wherein the heat diffusion sheet has the through-hole extending in the thickness direction of the heat diffusion sheet and the float-supporting portion formed of a rubber-like elastic material filling the through-hole and elastically supporting the key top so that the key top is capable of being displaced through depression.

22. A key sheet according to claim 21, wherein the polymer protective layer covers at least one surface of the graphite sheet.

23. A key sheet according to claim 22, wherein the polymer protective layer envelops and covers the graphite sheet as a whole.

24. A key sheet according to claim 21, wherein the polymer protective layer is a resin film.

25. A key sheet according to claim 21, wherein:

the key top is formed of a translucent resin; and

the float-supporting portion is formed of a translucent rubber-like elastic material.

26. A key sheet according to claim 21, wherein the polymer protective layer is a polymer coating film.

27. A key sheet according to claim 26, wherein:

the key top is formed of a translucent resin; and

the float-supporting portion is formed of a translucent rubber-like elastic material.

28. A key sheet according to claim 1, wherein the polymer protective layer is a light diffusion layer diffusing light from an illumination light source mounted on a board.