Covering member of keyboard and a base plate therefor

• US 4,775,574 A
• Filed: 04/10/1987
• Issued: 10/04/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shin-Etsu Polymer Company Limited (Shin-Etsu Chemical Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Shin-Etsu Polymer Company Limited (Shin-Etsu Chemical Company Limited)
• Inventors: Tahara, Kazutoki, Fukushima, Masami
• Primary Examiner(s): Kittle, John E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RYAN, PATRICK J
• Application Number:
  US07/037,393
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 84/1.01, 84/1.14, 84/DIG. 7, 84/DIG. 8, 84/DIG. 22, 357/65, 357/80, 428/209, 428/901
• US Class Current: 428/209
• 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 13/785 characterised by the material of the contacts, e.g. conductive polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/807 characterised by the spatial arrangement of the contact sites, e.g. superimposed sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2201/032 Conductive polymer; Rubber
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/002 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/012 Positioning of individual dome
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/022 Asymmetric; Elliptic; Square
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/022 other then row-column disposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/01 Adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/022 Collapsable dome
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/022 Modular assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/028 Adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/044 Injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/058 Curing or vulcanising of rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/004 High frequency adaptation or shielding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/901 Printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/07 Electric key switch structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/08 Keyed oscillators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/22 Chord organs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24917 including metal layer

Abstract

A covering member of keyboard prepared by separately fixing the push button elements to a base plate instead of integral molding is disclosed in which the plate has openings arranged conforming to the pattern of the fixed contact points on the circuit board. Fixing is carried out by using a silicone rubber-based adhesive or a pressure-sensitive adhesive optionally with the aid of tailing of protrusions on the base plate into the cavity of the base of the push button elements. A method of using unit bodies carrying push button elements is alternatively used. A base plate having openings arranged in the pattern corresponding to the fixed contact points is also disclosed for use in fixing the push button elements.

Claims

1. A covering member of keyboard comprising a base plate having openings and push button elements fixed each to the peripheral zone of one of the openings, the openings being arranged conforming to the pattern of arrangement of the push buttons.

2. The covering member as claimed in claim 1, in which each of the push button elements is fixed to the peripheral zone of the opening of the base plate using a silicone rubber-based adhesive.

3. The covering member as claimed in claim 1, in which each of the push button elements is fixed to the peripheral zone of the opening of the base plate using a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

4. The covering member as claimed in claim 1, in which each of the push button elements is fixed to the peripheral zone of the opening of the base plate by tailing of a protrusion into a cavity.

5. A covering member of a keyboard comprising a base plate having openings and a unit body carrying push button elements each fixed to the peripheral zone of one of the openings of the base plate, the openings being arranged conforming to a pattern of arrangement of the push button elements.

6. A base plate of a covering member of keyboard mountable on a circuit board having openings conforming to a pattern of arrangement of fixed contact points set up on the circuit board.