Key input device

• US 6,621,902 B1
• Filed: 11/09/2000
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Okuda, Tatsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiang, Jack
• Application Number:
  US09/708,666
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 379/368, 379/433.07, 455/90, 200/5.A, 200/5.R, 200/5.D, 200/5.E, 200/159.B, 463/37
• US Class Current: 379/368
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22

Abstract

A key input device including a dome sheet provided over a base plate and having a plurality of dome portions, and a plurality of manual keys disposed above the dome sheet. Each of the dome portions is elastically restorably inverted by being depressed by the corresponding manual key to close contacts. The plurality of the manual keys described include a seesaw key with a pivotal pin, and the dome sheet has a flat sheet portion formed around the dome portions and includes an inner region extending inwardly of dome portions to be selectively depressed by a seesaw key, and an outer region extending outwardly of the dome portion. A spacer sheet is interposed between the base plate and the dome sheet to thereby position the inner region of the flat sheet portion of the dome sheet at a lower level than the outer region. The seesaw key pivotally moves about the contact portion of the pivotal pin and the inner region, whereby one of the dome portions is depressed.

Claims

1. A key input device comprising:

a dome sheet provided over a base plate and having a plurality of upwardly bulging dome portions; and

a plurality of manual keys disposed above the dome sheet for depressing the respective dome portions,

the manual keys including a seesaw key adapted to selectively depress one of dome portions included among the dome portions, each of the dome portions being elastically restorably invertable by being depressed by the corresponding manual key to bring a contact terminal formed on an inner surface of the dome portion into contact with a contact electrode formed on a surface of the base plate and close contacts, the dome sheet having a flat sheet portion formed around the dome portions and comprising an inner region extending inwardly of the dome portions to be selectively depressed by the seesaw key, and an outer region extending outwardly of the dome portion, the seesaw key being formed with a pivotal pin extending toward the inner region of the dome sheet, a spacer sheet being interposed between the base plate and the dome sheet and being formed with a plurality of holes corresponding to the respective dome portions, the interposed spacer sheet providing a difference in level from the surface of the base plate between the inner region and the outer region so that the inner region is positioned at a lower level than the outer region, and the seesaw key pivotally moving about the contact portion of the pivotal pin and the inner region of the dome sheet to depress one of the dome portions.

2. A key input device according to claim 1, wherein the spacer sheet has an opening formed inwardly of holes corresponding to the respective dome portions to be selectively depressed by the seesaw key and including the holes, and the dome sheet has its flat sheet portion joined at the inner region to the surface of the base plate through the opening.