Control key multiple electrical contact switching device

• US 5,498,843 A
• Filed: 05/17/1994
• Issued: 03/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD.
• Original Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD.
• Inventors: Date, Toshinori, Takasu, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): SCOTT, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US08/245,446
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5 R, 200/5 A, 200/6 A, 200/17 R, 200/18, 200/512-517, 200/339, 200/553, 200/557, 273/148 B, 273/438, 345/156, 345/161, 341/20
• US Class Current: 200/6.00A
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04711 with substantially hemispherical bearing part forced into engagement, e.g. by a spring
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04744 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/48 using buckling of disc springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2025/046 having a spherical bearing between operating member and housing or bezel
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/04 Operating part movable angularly in more than one plane, e.g. joystick
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls

Abstract

A control key device includes a casing having a generally dome-shaped portion provided at an arbitrary part of the casing, the dome-shaped portion having a top surface and a hole provided at a central part of the dome-shaped portion, a substrate provided within the casing and having a plurality of electrical contacts, a resilient member provided on the substrate and having a plurality of bulges at positions corresponding to the electrical contacts of the substrate, each of the bulges having an electrically conductive portion which makes electrical contact with a corresponding one of the electrical contacts when the bulge is resiliently deformed, a contact pressing member provided on the resilient member and having a plurality of legs at positions corresponding to the bulges of the resilient member, and a key secured on the contact pressing member via the hole in the dome-shaped portion of the casing, the key having a home position and a tilted position. One of the legs of the contact pressing member resiliently deforms a corresponding one of the bulges of the resilient member to achieve electrical contact between the electrically conductive portion of the corresponding one bulge and a corresponding one of the electrical contacts of the substrate in the tilted position of the key, and the key has a sliding surface which makes sliding contact with the top surface of the dome-shaped portion of the casing when tilting from the home position to the tilted position.

Claims

1. A control key device comprising:

a casing having a generally dome-shaped portion provided at an arbitrary part of the casing, said dome-shaped portion having a top surface with a spherical curvature and a through hole provided at a central part of the dome-shaped portion;

a substrate provided within said casing and having a plurality of electrical contact portions, each of said electrical contact portions having a pair of electrical contacts;

a resilient member provided on said substrate and having a plurality of bulges at positions corresponding to said electrical contact portions, each of said bulges having an electrically conductive portion which makes electrical contact with a corresponding one pair of the electrical contacts when the bulge is resiliently deformed;

a contact pressing member provided on said resilient member and having a plurality of legs at positions corresponding to said bulges;

a key member secured on said contact pressing member via said through hole in the dome-shaped portion of said casing, said key member having a home position and a tilted position,

said contact pressing member being approximately level and said legs resting on the corresponding bulges in the home position of said key member when said key member is free of a pressing force,

one of said legs resiliently deforming the corresponding bulge to achieve electrical contact between the corresponding one pair of the electrical contacts in the tilted position of said key member when said key member receives a pressing force,

said key member having a sliding surface facing, and having a spherical curvature meeting, to said top surface,

the tiling of said key member being guided by the movable contact of said sliding surface with said top surface; and

a supporting member mounted under said substrate for supporting portions of said substrate at which said plurality of electrical contact portions are formed.

2. The control key device as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises preventing means for preventing said key member from sticking at the tilted position or an intermediate position between the tilted position and the home position.

3. The control key device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said preventing means includes a lubricant film provided between the sliding surface of said key member and the top surface of the dome-shaped portion of said casing.

4. The control key device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said preventing means includes a lubricative surface of at least one of the sliding surface of said key member and the top surface of the dome-shaped portion of said casing.

5. The control key device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said preventing means includes a first gap formed between the sliding surface of said key member and the top surface of the dome-shaped portion of said casing at the home position of said key.

6. The control key device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said key member has a standby state in which the sliding surface of said key member makes contact with the top surface of the dome-shaped portion of said casing, and said key member is tilted to the tilted position from said standby state.

7. The control key device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said casing includes a wall having cutouts for guiding the legs of said contact pressing member so that said contact pressing member is maintained in a central position at the hole in the dome-shaped portion of said casing.

8. The control key device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said casing includes a wall portion having an end which makes contact with said contact pressing member so that said contact pressing member is maintained level at the home position of said key member.

9. The control key device as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said contact pressing member includes a generally spherical surface portion which makes sliding contact with a bottom surface of the dome-shaped portion of said casing,

said key member, said dome-shaped portion of said casing, and said spherical surface portion of said contact pressing member being coaxially provided.

10. The control key device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said preventing means includes a lubricant film provided between the spherical surface portion of said contact pressing member and the bottom surface of the dome-shape portion of said casing.

11. The control key device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said preventing means comprises:

a first gap formed between the sliding surface of said key member and the top surface of the dome-shaped portion of said casing at the home position of said key member; and

a second gap formed between the electrically conductive portion of each of said bulges of said resilient member and the corresponding electrical contact of said substrate at the home position of said key member,

said second gap being greater than said first gap.

12. The control-key device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said preventing means includes a cutout portion in the spherical surface portion of said contact pressing member provided at a position corresponding to an edge of the dome-shaped portion of said casing.

13. The control key device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said preventing means includes a rounded portion provided at an edge of the dome-shaped portion of said casing, said rounded portion having a radius of curvature greater than that of the bottom surface of the dome-shaped portion of said casing.

14. The control key device as claimed in claim 9, wherein a maximum horizontal distance between a center axis of said key member and the bottom surface of spherical surface portion of said contact pressing member is smaller than a horizontal distance between the center axis and an inner edge of the bulge of said resilient member.

15. The control key device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said key member has a standby state in which the sliding surface of said key member makes contact with the top surface of the dome-shaped portion of said casing, and said key member is tilted to the tilted position from said standby state.

16. A control key device comprising:

a casing having a generally dome-shaped portion provided at an arbitrary part of the casing, said dome-shaped portion having a top surface with a spherical curvature and a through hole provided at a central part of the dome-shaped portion;

a substrate provided within said casing and having a plurality of electrical contact portions;

a resilient member provided on said substrate and having a plurality of bulges at positions corresponding to the electrical contact portions, each of said bulges having an electrically conductive portion which makes electrical contact with a corresponding one of the electrical contact portions when the bulge is resiliently deformed;

a contact pressing member provided on said resilient member and having a plurality of legs at positions corresponding to the bulges of said resilient member; and

a key member secured on said contact pressing member via said through hole in the dome-shaped portion of said casing, said key member having a home position and a tilted position,

said contact pressing member being approximately level and the legs resting on the corresponding bulges of said resilient member in the home position of said key member,

one of the legs of said contact pressing member resiliently deforming a corresponding one of the bulges of said resilient member to achieve electrical contact between the electrically conductive portion of said corresponding one bulge and a corresponding one of the electrical contact portions of said substrate in the tilted position of said key member,

said key member having a sliding portion which makes sliding contact with the top surface of the dome-shaped portion of said casing when tilting to the tilted position and being automatically returned from the tilted position to the home position by the resilient restoration force exerted by said resilient member,

the sliding portion of said key member being positioned closely spaced from the top surface of the dome-shaped portion of said casing at the home position,

at least the tilting of said key member from the home position to the tilted position being substantially guided by the top surface of the dome-shaped portion as the sliding portion makes sliding contact with said top surface, so that an external force applied on said key member is distributed on said dome-shaped portion and is prevented from being applied directly on said substrate.

17. A control key device comprising:

a substrate having a pair of electrical contact portions formed on a surface of said substrate, each of said electrical contact portions having a pair of separate electrical contacts;

a pair of movable contact means formed on said surface of said substrate in correspondence with said pair of electrical contact portions, each of said movable contact means having a conductive layer and a resilient means supporting said conductive layer, said movable contact means being disposed so that said conductive layers are closely spaced from the corresponding separate electrical contacts;

a guiding member mechanically fixed to said substrate, said guiding member having an outer surface, an inner space and a through hole, said through hole being registered to a center portion located between said pair of electrical contact portions at said surface of the said substrate, said outer surface having at least a pair of first sliding surface portions disposed so that said through hole is located therebetween and constituting part of a spherical surface; and

a control means having a key-top portion and a pair of force-conducting portions, said key-top portion having a pair of second sliding surface portions facing to, and having a surface curvature meeting to, said pair of first sliding surface portions, said pair of force-conducting portions being positioned within said inner space and respectively contacting the corresponding movable contact means, said pair of force-conducting portions being mechanically connected with said key-top portion through said through hole, said control means being elastically supported by said movable contact means so that said second sliding surface portions are closely spaced from said first sliding surface portions.

18. A control key device comprising:

a substrate having two pairs of electrical contact portions formed on a surface of said substrate and located symmetrically with respect to a center position, each of said electrical contact portions having a pair of separate electrical contacts;

a first member having two pairs of protuberant portions corresponding to said two pairs of electrical contact portions and placed on said substrate, each of said protuberant portions having a conductive layer and a resilient means supporting said conductive layer, said two pairs of protuberant portions being disposed so that said conductive layers are closely spaced from the corresponding pair of separate electrical contacts;

a second member mechanically fixed to said substrate, said second member having an outer surface, an inner space and a circular through hole, the imaginary center of said circular through hole being registered to said center position on said substrate, said outer surface having a first sliding surface portion which locates around said circular through hole and has a shape constituting part of a spherical surface; and

a third member having a first portion, a second portion, and two pairs of third portions, said first portion having a second sliding surface portion facing, and having a surface curvature meeting, to said first sliding surface portion, said two pairs of third portions being disposed within said inner space and respectively on the corresponding protuberant portions, said second portion including a cylindrical portion the sectional diameter of which is smaller than the diameter of said circular through hole to allow said third member to tilt, said cylindrical portion of said second portion mechanically connecting said two pairs of said third portions with said first portion through said circular through hole, said third member being elastically supported by said two pairs of protuberant portions so that said first sliding surface portion is closely spaced from said second sliding surface portion.

19. The control key device as claimed in claim 18, wherein said second member further comprises a third sliding surface portion facing said inner space, said third sliding surface portion being located around said circular through hole, having a shape constituting part of a spherical surface and extending substantially in parallel with said first sliding surface portion, wherein said third member further comprises a fourth portion mechanically connected to said second portion and having a fourth sliding surface portion facing, and having a surface curvature meeting, to said third sliding surface portion.

21. The control key device as claimed in claim 19, wherein said second member further comprises a third sliding surface portion facing said inner space, said third sliding surface portion surrounding said circular through hole, having a shape constituting part of a spherical surface and extending substantially in parallel with said first sliding surface portion, wherein said third member further comprises a fourth sliding surface portion facing, and having a surface curvature meeting, to said third sliding surface portion, wherein said third sliding surface portion movably contacts said fourth sliding surface portion while said fourth member is free of a pressing force.

20. A control key device comprising:

a substrate having two pairs of electrical contact portions formed on a surface of said substrate and disposed symmetrically with respect to a center position, each of said electrical contact portions having a pair of separate electrical contacts;

a first member having two pairs of protuberant portions corresponding to said two pairs of electrical contact portions and placed on said substrate, each of said two pairs of protuberant portions having a conductive layer and a resilient means supporting said conductive layer, said two pairs of protuberant portions being formed so that said conductive layers are closely spaced from the corresponding pair of separate electrical contacts;

a second member mechanically fixed to said substrate, said second member having an outer surface, an inner space and a circular through hole, the imaginary center line of said circular through hole being registered to said center position on said substrate, said outer surface having a first sliding surface portion which surrounds said circular through hole and has a shape constituting part of a spherical surface;

a third member located within said inner space and having two pairs of force-conducting portions, said two pairs of force-conducting portions being disposed symmetrically with respect to an imaginary center line and respectively on the corresponding protuberant portions so that said imaginary center line of said third member is registered to said center position on said substrate and to said imaginary center line of said circular through hole, said third member further having a cylindrical hole the imaginary center line of which is registered to said imaginary center line of said third member; and

a fourth member located on said second member, said fourth member having a second sliding surface portion facing, and having a surface curvature meeting, to said first sliding surface portion, said fourth member further having a cylindrical projection extending through said circular through hole and being fitted in said cylindrical hole whereby said fourth member is mechanically connected to said two pairs of force-conducting portions, said cylindrical projection having a sectional diameter which is smaller than the diameter of said circular through hole to allow said fourth member to tilt, said fourth member being movably supported by said protuberant portions so that said second sliding surface portion is closely spaced from said first sliding surface portion while said fourth member is free of a pressing force.

22. A control key device comprising:

a substrate having two pairs of electrical contact portions disposed on a surface of said substrate symmetrically with respect to a center position, each of said electrical contact portions having a pair of separate electrical contacts;

a first member having two pairs of protuberant portions corresponding to said two pairs of electrical contact portions and disposed on said substrate,

each of said two pairs of protuberant portions comprising;

a disk shaped top portion,

a conductive layer formed on a surface of said disk shaped top portion

a resilient means supporting said conductive layer and said disk shaped top portion so that the conductive layer is closely spaced from the corresponding pair of separate electrical contacts;

a second member mechanically fixed to said substrate, comprising;

an outer surface having a first sliding surface portion with a shape constituting part of a spherical surface,

an inner space,

a circular through hole, the imaginary line of said circular through hole being registered to said center position on said substrate and surrounded by said first sliding surface portion, and

a second sliding surface portion facing said inner space, surrounding said circular through hole, having a shape constituting part of a spherical surface and extending substantially in parallel with said first sliding surface portion;

a third member located within said inner space, comprising;

a third sliding surface portion facing, and having a surface curvature meeting, to said second sliding surface portion,

two pairs of legs disposed symmetrically with respect to an imaginary center line and rested respectively on the corresponding disk shaped top portions so that said imaginary center line of said third member is registered to said center position on said substrate and to said imaginary center line of said circular through hole, each of said legs protruding from a bottom edge of said third sliding surface portion and extending respectively in parallel to the corresponding disk shaped top portion so that the inner edge of the disk shaped top portion facing said imaginary center line is located farther in the distance from said imaginary center line than said bottom edge of said sliding surface, and

a cylindrical hole the imaginary center line of which is registered to said imaginary center line of said third member; and

a fourth member disposed on said second member, comprising;

a fourth sliding surface portion facing, and having a surface curvature meeting, to said first sliding surface portion, and

a cylindrical projection extending through said through hole and being fitted in said cylindrical hole whereby said fourth member is mechanically connected to said two pairs of legs, said cylindrical projection having a sectional diameter which is smaller than the diameter of said circular through hole to allow said fourth member to tilt.

23. The control key device as claimed in claim 22, wherein said fourth member is movably supported by said protuberant portions so that said fourth sliding surface portion is closely spaced from said first sliding surface portion while said fourth member is free of a pressing force.

24. A control key device comprising:

a substrate having a plurality of electrical switch terminals formed on a surface portion of said substrate;

a plurality of movable contact means mounted on the surface of said substrate in correspondence with said plurality of electrical switch terminals, each of said movable contact means having a resilient means and a conductive layer supported by said resilient means in closely space relationship with the corresponding switch terminal;

a guiding means with a guiding surface and a first stopper member mounted to said substrate so that the surface portion of said substrate at which said switch terminals are formed is substantially isolated from forces conducted to said guiding means; and

a manually controllable input means having a second stopper member, a plurality of force-conducting portions and a key-top member with a support surface mated with said guiding surface for allowing said input means to tilt, said force-conducting portions being located so as to contact the corresponding movable contact means, said input means being movably mounted to said guiding means and said movable contact means so that when said key-top member is free of an operating force said second stopper member contacts said first stopper member and said support surface is closely spaced from said guiding surface.

25. A control key device comprising:

a substrate having a plurality of electrical switch terminals formed on a surface portion of said substrate;

a plurality of movable contact means mounted on the surface of said substrate in correspondence with said plurality of electrical switch terminals, each of said movable contact means having a resilient means and a conductive layer supported by said resilient means in closely spaced relationship with the corresponding switch terminal so that the displacement of the resilient means to move the conductive layer into engagement with the switch terminal;

a guiding member having a guiding surface and mounted to said substrate so that said surface portion of the substrate is substantially isolated from forces conducted to said guiding member;

a manually controllable input means having a plurality of force-conducting members and a key-top member with a support surface mated with said guiding surface for allowing said input means to tilt, said force-conducting members being located on said movable contact means so that said input means is movably supported by said movable contact means; and

a supporting member mounted under said substrate for supporting portions of said substrate at which said plurality of electrical switch terminals are formed.

26. A multi-directional switch assembly comprising:

a printed circuit board having a plurality of switch terminals;

a plurality of movable electrical contact elements supported by resiliently deformable means on said printed circuit board with said contact elements superimposed with respect to and spaced apart from said switch terminals;

a manually engageable input member mounted proximate said printed circuit board; and

a guiding member mounted under said input member in spaced relation with said printed circuit board so as to substantially isolate said printed circuit board from forces applied to said input member;

said guiding member and said input member having mating surfaces to allow said input member to tilt thereabout for the displacement of said resiliently deformable means by an amount sufficient to move said contact elements into engagement with said switch terminals,

said input member being movably supported by said resiliently deformable means so that said mating support surfaces are closely spaced to each other where said input member is free of forces.

27. A multi-directional switch assembly comprising:

a printed circuit board having a plurality of switch terminals;

a plurality of movable electrical contact elements supported by resiliently deformable means on said printed circuit board with said contact elements superimposed with respect to and spaced apart from said switch terminals;

a manually engageable input member mounted proximate said printed circuit board and movably supported by said resiliently deformable means;

a guiding member mounted under said input member in spaced relation with said printed circuit board so as to substantially isolate said printed circuit board from forces applied to said input member, said guiding member and said input member having mating surfaces to allow said input member to tilt thereabout for the displacement of said resiliently deformable means by an amount sufficient to move said contact elements into engagement with said switch terminals; and

a supporting member mounted under said printed circuit board for supporting portions of said printed circuit board at which said plurality of electrical switch terminals are formed.

28. A multi-directional switch assembly comprising:

a printed circuit board having a plurality of switch terminals;

a plurality of movable electrical contact elements supported by resiliently deformable means on said printed circuit board with said contact elements superimposed with respect to and closely spaced from said switch terminals;

a manually engageable input member mounted proximate said printed circuit board;

a projecting member disposed under said input member; and

a holder member formed integrally with said projecting member so as to hold said projecting member in a spatially fixed position between said printed circuit board and said input member;

said input member being movably supported by said resiliently deformable means so as to be closely spaced apart from said projecting member when said input member is free of a manipulating force and so as to tilt in response to a manipulating force applied thereto to cause displacement of said resiliently deformable means by an amount sufficient to move said contact elements into engagement with said switch terminals.

29. The multi-directional switch assembly as claimed in claim 28, which further comprises:

a casing enclosing said printed circuit board, said contact elements and said input member,

said casing having a side wall defining a cavity at which an upper surface of said input member is exposed to the outside of said casing so that a manipulating force is applied to said input member,

said holding member being formed as an integral part of said casing and extending from the side wall defining the cavity of said casing.

30. The multi-directional switch assembly as claimed in claim 28, further comprises:

a supporting member mounted under said printed circuit board.

31. A control key device comprising:

a substrate having a plurality of electrical switch terminals formed on a surface portion of said substrate;

a plurality of movable contact means mounted on the surface of said substrate in correspondence with said plurality of electrical switch terminals, each each of said movable contact means having a resilient means and a conductive layer supported by said resilient means in closely spaced relationship with the corresponding switch terminal;

a manually controllable input means movably mounted on said movable contact means;

a stopper member with a convex surface, said stopper member being disposed under said input means; and

a holding member with said stopper member formed as an integral part thereof, said holding member holding said stopper member in a spatially fixed position between said substrate and said input means,

said input means being movable supported by said resilient means so as to be closely spaced apart from said stopper member when said input means is free of a manipulating force and so as to tilt in response to a manipulating force applied thereto to cause the resilient means displaced by an amount sufficient to move one of said conductive layers into engagement with the corresponding switch terminal.

32. The control key device as claimed in claim 31, which further comprises:

a casing enclosing said substrate, said movable contact means and said input means,

said casing having a side wall defining a cavity at which an upper surface of said input member is exposed to the outside of said casing so that a manipulating force is applied to said input member,

said holding member being formed as an integral part of said casing and extending from the side wall defining the cavity of said casing.

33. The control key device as claimed in claim 31, wherein said input means has a concave surface with which tile convex surface of said input means comes in contact.

34. The control key device as claimed in claim 32, which further comprises:

a supporting member mounted under said substrate.