Keyboard switch arrangement

• US 3,900,712 A
• Filed: 01/18/1974
• Issued: 08/19/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Satoshi Fukao
• Original Assignee: Satoshi Fukao
• Inventors: Fukao, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, James R.
• Application Number:
  US05/434,591
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5R,5A,52R,DIG.1,159R,307,294,295,296 317/249R,249D 340/365R,365C 235/145R 46/24,25 197/98
• US Class Current: 200/307
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/12 Construction of key buttons
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/16 Mounting or connecting key buttons on or to key levers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/70 having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard mounting together a plurality of independent switches H02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/004 Collapsible dome or bubble
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/012 Positioning of individual dome
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/032 with formations for assembling similar housings
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/054 Mounting of key housings on same printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2233/014 Snap coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2233/054 Snap coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2233/086 Inserting
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/006 Containing a capacitive switch or usable as such

Abstract

A keyboard switch arrangement mounted on a base plate and having a plurality of key stem holder blocks, each of which protects a key stem from slipping out and has coupling portions of ridges and grooves on the outer side walls coupled in contiguous relation to one another in a manner that one ridge in one block is fitted in one groove of the adjacent block.

Claims

1. A keyboard switch arrangement comprising in combination:

a. a base plate (46);

a plurality of keys each including a key stem (35), a push-button (40) attached thereon and a key stem holder block (1) with outer side walls mounted on said base plate for preventing said key stem from slipping out, said holder block having coupling portions on the outer side wall for coupling to an adjacent holder block so that said holder block and said adjacent block are in contiguous relation to one another;

b. a plurality of resilient means (42) mounted on said base plate (46) each having a restoring force against deformation by manipulative depressing of said push button including an inverted cup-like resilient cone; and

, c. a plurality of switching means (41) corresponding to each key and said resilient means and turning to switch ON when said push-button (40) is selectively manipulated and pushed downwardly, said switching means including a pair of fixed electrodes provided on said base plate and covered by an electrically insulating layer on the surface and a resilient member made of an electrically insulating material with the lower end having an electrode layer, said member being attached to the reverse side of upper end of said cone, said electrode layer and said fixed electrodes constituting a capacitor switch.

2. A keyboard switch arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said coupling portions consist of a groove (12) on one outer side wall, a ridge (10) on the opposite outer side wall for being fitted into the groove of a similar adjacent holder block, a plurality of grooves on another outer side wall and a ridge on the opposite outer side wall for selectively being fitted into the groove of said similar adjacent holder block.

3. A keyboard switch arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said coupling portions of a groove is on one outer side wall, a ridge on the opposite outer side wall for being fitted into the groove of a similar adjacent holder block, a plurality of grooves on another outer side wall and a ridge on the opposite outer side wall for selectively being fittable in the groove of said similar adjacent holder block.

4. A keyboard switch arrangement comprising in combination:

a base plate (46);

a plurality of keys each including;

a key stem (35) in the form of a cylindrical portion (36) and having a disk-shaped flange (36a) at the lower end and retaining pieces outwardly extending, a push-button attached to the upper end of said cylindrical portion, and a key stem holder block (1) mounted on said base plate (46) including a guide slot and guide portions for preventing said key stem from slipping out so disposed that said cylindrical portion slides in said guide slot and said retaining pieces are movably inserted in said guide portions, said guide slot and said guide portions being formed at the upper portion and in the side wall of said holder block, said holder block having a groove on the one outer side wall, a ridge on the opposite outer side wall for being fitted in the groove of a similar adjacent holder block, a plurality of grooves on another outer side wall and a ridge on the other opposite side wall for selectively being fitted in the groove of a similar adjacent holder block;

a plurality of resilient means (42) each connected to one of said push-buttons each having a restoring force against deformation by depressing said push-button consisting of an inverted cup-like cone; and

, a plurality of switching means (41) each corresponding to one of said key stems and said resilient means and turning to switch ON when said push-button is pushed down, said switching means each including a pair of fixed electrodes provided on said base plate covered by an electrically insulating layer on the surface, and a resilient member made of an electrically insulating material with the loweR end having an electrode layer, said resilient member being attached to the reverse side of upper end of said cone, said electrode layer and said fixed electrodes constituting a capacitor switch.

5. A keyboard switch arrangement comprising in combination a. a base plate having engaging holes therein;

b. a plurality of keys arranged side by side on said base plate each including a key stem, a push button thereon, a key stem holder block with outer side wall and a lowest portion thereof for preventing said key stem from slipping out, affixed on said base plate including engaging projections provided at said lowest portion inserted into corresponding engaging holes formed in said base plate, and coupling means provided on said outer side walls of said holder block, including vertically extending ridges and grooves, so arranged and disposed that a ridge of said one holder block fits into a corresponding groove of an adjacent holder block;

c. a plurality of resilient means each consisting of an inverted cup-like resilient cone disposed between each key stem and said base plate, and said resilient means each having a restoring force against deformation by manipulative depressing of said push button; and

, d. a plurality of capacitor switches corresponding to each key, said capacitor switches each including a pair of fixed electrodes on said base plate covered by an electrically insulating layer on the surface and a movable electrode layer attached to the inner surface of top end of said cone, the capacity of static electricity between said pair of fixed electrodes being increased to turn the switch on when said push button is manipulated and pushed down against the restoring force of said cone.

6. A keyboard switch arrangement according to claim 5 wherein said ridges and grooves coupling means comprises a groove on one outer side wall, a ridge on the opposite outer side wall being fittable into the groove of an adjacent holder block, a plurality of grooves on another outer side wall and a ridge on the other opposite side wall selectively fittable into the groove of another adjacent holder block, said coupling means interlocking said one holder block with said adjacent holder blocks, said holder blocks being stably disposed in various modes on said base plate by selectively fitting a ridge of said one holder block into a groove of said other holder block.

7. A keyboard switch arrangement comprising in combination:

a. a base plate having engaging holes therein;

b. a plurality of keys arranged side by side on said base plate each including a key stem in the form of a cylindrical portion with upper and lower ends having a disc-shaped flange at said lower end and outwardly extending retaining pieces, a push button attached to said upper end, a key stem holder block with outer side walls an upper and a lowest portion, fixed on said base plate including engaging projections provided at said lowest portion inserted into corresponding engaging holes formed in said base plate, said holder block including a guide slot and guide portions for preventing said key stem from slipping out and turning, so disposed that said key stem cylindrical portion slides in said guide slot and retaining pieces movably inserted in said guide portions, said guide slot being formed at said key stem holder block upper portion and said guide portions being defined in said side wall of said holder block, and coupling means formed on said outer side walls of said holder block and comprising a groove on one outer side wall, a ridge on the opposite outer side wall adopted and designed to fit in the groove of another adjacent holder block, said coupling means stably interlocking the holder block with adjacent holder blocks and arranging the holder blocks in various modes on said base plate by selectively fitting a ridge of one holder block into a groove of another holder block;

c. a plurality of resilient means each consisting of an inverted cup-like resilient cone disposed between sAid base plate and said disc-shaped flange of each key stem, said resilient means each having a restoring force against deformation by manipulative depressing of said push button; and

, d. a plurality of capacitor switches corresponding to each key, each including a pair of fixed electrodes provided on said base plate covered by an electrically insulating layer on the surface and a movable electrode layer attached to the inner surface of top end of said cone, the capacity of static electricity between said pair of fixed electrodes being increased to turn the switch on when said push button is manipulated to be pused down against the restoring force of said cone as said electrode layer is brought into contact with said insulating layer on said pair of fixed electrodes.

8. A keyboard switch arrangement comprising in combination:

a. a base plate having engaging holes therein;

b. a plurality of key switch units arranged side by side on said base plate, each including a key stem, a push button attached thereon, key stem holder block with four outer side walls, an upper and lowest portions fixed on said base plate, preventing said key stem from slipping out, including engaging projections provided at said lowest portion inserted into corresponding engaging holes formed in said base plate, said holder blocks having substantially a square shape in cross-section, and having at least one wall comprising thereon a plurality of vertically oriented grooves, and switch means located within said holder blocks operated by manipulative depressing said push button;

c. coupling means provided on said outer side walls of each of said holder blocks and comprising a plurality of grooves on a first side wall, a ridge on a second side wall opposite to said first side wall, a groove on a third side wall and a ridge on a fourth side wall opposite to said third side wall, said ridges and grooves extending vertically on said respective outer side walls, said coupling means interlocking one holder block with adjacent holder blocks and holding said holder blocks stably in various modes on said base plate in a manner that a ridge on a fourth side wall of one block is fitted with a groove on a third side wall of an adjacent holder block, and a ridge on a second side wall of the one block is selectively fitted with one of grooves on a first side wall of another adjacent holder block.