Keytop for push-button switches, and method of manufacturing same

• US 5,399,821 A
• Filed: 10/20/1993
• Issued: 03/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Teikoku Tsushin Kogyo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Teikoku Tsushin Kogyo Company Limited
• Inventors: Kaku, Yasutoshi, Shinoki, Takashi, Yagi, Nobuyuki, Hari, Atsushi, Inagaki, Jiro
• Primary Examiner(s): CUSICK, ERNEST
• Application Number:
  US08/138,260
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 200/341-345, 200/520, 200/517, 200/302.2, 200/5 A, 200/308, 264/257, 264/274, 425/127
• US Class Current: 200/341
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1418 the inserts being deformed or preformed, e.g. by the injection pressure
• 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 2219/028 Printed information
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/002 integral with membrane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/002 sealed
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/044 Injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/047 Preformed layer in mould

Abstract

A push-button switch keytop includes a flexible resin film deformed in such a manner that the resin film bulges upwardly to form a curved portion that is filled with a molding resin while the resin film is being deformed. The molding resin is allowed to harden to form a keytop body, whereby the top side of the keytop body consisting of the molding resin is integrated with the resin film in a state in which the top side of the keytop body is covered by the resin film. The keytop is manufactured by clamping a resin film between upper and lower molds, charging a molten resin from a pin gate provided on the lower mold into a cavity provided in the lower mold, thereby deforming and urging the resin film upward by pressure and heat produced by the molten resin and causing the resin film to adhere to the inner surface of the upper mold, filling the cavities of the upper and lower molds with the molten resin and separating the upper and lower molds after the resin hardens. An adhesive layer may be provided directly or indirectly via another printed layer on the underside of the resin film on that portion thereof where the keytop is located.

Claims

1. A push-button switch keytop arranged above a switch contact and having an underside provided with a pushing portion for opening and closing a switch contact by pressing the switch contact, comprising a flexible resin film and a keytop body, wherein said flexible resin film is deformed by injecting a molding resin in such a manner that said resin film bulges upwardly to form a curved portion that is filled with the molding resin while said resin film is being deformed, and the molding resin is allowed to harden to form said keytop body, whereby a top side of said keytop body consisting of the molding resin is integrated with said resin film in a state in which the top side of said keytop body is covered by said resin film.

2. A method of manufacturing a push-button switch keytop, comprising the steps of:

preparing an upper mold having a cavity defining a shape identical with that of an upper portion of a keytop, a lower mold having a cavity defining a shape identical with that of a lower portion of the keytop, and a resin film;

clamping said resin film between said upper mold and said lower mold;

charging a molten resin from a pin gate provided on said lower mold into the cavity provided in said lower mold, thereby deforming and urging said resin film upward by pressure and heat produced by the molten resin and causing said resin film to adhere to an inner surface of said upper mold;

filling the cavities of said upper and lower molds with the molten resin; and

separating said upper and lower molds after said molten resin hardens.

3. A push-button switch keytop arranged above a switch contact and having an underside provided with a pushing portion for opening and closing a switch contact by pressing the switch contact, comprising a flexible resin film having an underside, an adhesive layer provided directly on the underside of said resin film, and a keytop body, wherein said flexible resin film is deformed by injecting a molding resin in such a manner that said resin film bulges upwardly to form a curved portion that is filled with the molding resin while said resin film is being deformed, and the molding resin is allowed to harden to form said keytop body, whereby a top side of said keytop body consisting of the molding resin is integrated with said resin film in a state in which the top side of said keytop body is covered by said resin film.

4. A push-button switch keytop arranged above a switch contact and having an underside provided with a pushing portion for opening and closing a switch contact by pressing the switch contact, comprising a flexible resin film having an underside, a printed layer, an adhesive layer provided on the underside of said resin film indirectly via said printed layer, and a keytop body, wherein said flexible resin film is deformed by injecting a molding resin in such a manner that said resin film bulges upwardly to form a curved portion that is filled with the molding resin while said resin film is being deformed, and the molding resin is allowed to harden to form said keytop body, whereby a top side of said keytop body consisting of the molding resin is integrated with said resin film in a state in which the top side of said keytop body is covered by said resin film.

5. A method of manufacturing a push-button switch keytop, comprising the steps of:

preparing an upper mold having a cavity defining a shape identical with that of an upper portion of a keytop, a lower mold having a cavity defining a shape identical with that of a lower portion of the keytop, and a resin film;

directly providing an adhesive layer on an underside of said resin film;

clamping said resin film between said upper mold and said lower mold;

charging a molten resin from a pin gate provided on said lower mold into the cavity provided in said lower mold, thereby deforming and urging said resin film upward by pressure and heat produced by the molten resin and causing said resin film to adhere to an inner surface of said upper mold;

filling the cavities of said upper and lower molds with the molten resin; and

separating said upper and lower molds after said molten resin hardens.

6. A method of manufacturing a push-button switch keytop, comprising the steps of:

preparing an upper mold having a cavity defining a shape identical with that of an upper portion of a keytop, a lower mold having a cavity defining a shape identical with that of a lower portion of the keytop, and a resin film;

providing an adhesive layer on an underside of said resin film via a printed layer;

clamping said resin film between said upper mold and said lower mold;

charging a molten resin from a pin gate provided on said lower mold into the cavity provided in said lower mold, thereby deforming and urging said resin film upward by pressure and heat produced by the molten resin and causing said resin film to adhere to an inner surface of said upper mold;

filling the cavities of said upper and lower molds with the molten resin; and

separating said upper and lower molds after said molten resin hardens.