KEY SHEET AND PRODUCTION METHOD THEREOF

• US 20090236209A1
• Filed: 10/24/2006
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunarrow Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Sunarrow Ltd.
• Inventors: Ishii, Hisashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,781,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/341
• 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 2009/187 having symbols engraved or printed by laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/002 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/07 metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/028 Printed information
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/006 Adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/0345 with keys positioned directly next to each other without an intermediate bezel or frame
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/002 Layer thickness
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/036 Minimise height
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/048 Insertion moulding
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/05 Forming; Half-punching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

Portable phones are getting a trend that s design and thinner configuration becomes more important. Therefore, in order to meet this demand, the entire key top is made of a thin metal, and a thin resin layer is provided on the back surface of the key top and further letter holes are filled with a resin. According to those, the adhesiveness of the key top is improved as well as improvement of hand feeling. In addition, a printed layer for coloring the letters can be provided on the back surface of the key top.

Claims

1. A key sheet comprising:

a plurality of thin key tops made of a metal having penetrated holes for displaying letters, symbols or the like by means of press molding, laser etching, chemical etching or the like,

a resin layer having translucency adhered onto a back surface of said key top and filled into said penetrated holes, and

a key pad comprising a base portion with a thin sheet shape and a plurality of key top arranging portions having a contact pressing projection formed integrally with said base portion,

wherein said plurality of key tops and said key pads are fixed together through the intermediary of said resin layer adhered onto the back surface of said key top with an adhesive having transparency or translucency.

2. The key sheet according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of concave portions are formed on the back surface of said key top by means of press molding, laser etching or chemical etching, and a resin is also filled into said concave portion so as to enhance the close contact between the metal and the resin layer.

3. The key sheet according to claim 1, wherein the base portion of said key pad is formed out of a hard resin, and said key top arranging portion is formed out of an elastic material such as a silicone rubber, a thermoplastic elastomer or the like.

4. The key sheet according to claim 1, wherein a coating film for coloring letters or the like when illuminated from the back surface is formed on a whole or a part of the surface of the resin layer on the back surface of said key top.

5. The key sheet according to claim 1, wherein the resin layer on the back surface of said key top is constituted by a hard or soft resin having translucency and being excellent in mold-ability and fluidity such as a polycarbonate resin, a polyethylene resin, a polyethylene terephthalate resin, a methyl polymethacrylate resin, a polymethyl pentene resin, a silicone resin, a silicone rubber or various thermoplastic elastomer or the like.

6. The key sheet according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the metal plate constituting said key top is 0.05 to 0.2 mm and the thickness of the resin layer on the back surface of said key top is 0.1 to 0.3 mm.

7. A production method of a key sheet which supports a plurality of key tops made of a metal, displaying predetermined letters, symbols or the like on a common key pad, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing a thin metal plate having a size (area) on which the key tops can be arranged and having a thickness of about 0.05 to 0.2 mm;

forming penetrated holes constituting letters, symbols or the like on said metal plate by means of press molding, laser etching, chemical etching or the like;

providing a resin layer having translucency and having a thickness of 0.1 to 0.3 mm on one surface of said metal plate by means of insert molding which is carried out such that said metal plate is placed in a die;

separating the key tops having letters, symbols or the like individually from said metal plate by means of the punching;

molding a key pad comprising a base portion with a sheet shape and a plurality of key top arranging portions having a contact pressing projection; and

adhering each individual key top having a letter, symbol or the like separated by means of the punching onto said key top arranging portions of said key pad.