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| United States Patent | 6455796 |
| Link to this page | http://www.wikipatents.com/6455796.html |
| Inventor(s) | Kashino; Masayuki (Tokyo, JP) |
| Abstract | A film integrated key top made by linking a plurality of key tops with a
resin film, wherein the resin film linking key tops is formed bending more
downward than the lower end of a pasted section with the key top body, the
miniaturized film integrated key top allowing to reduce key top interval,
prevent adjacent key tops from working together, and present a fine
appearance. |
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Title Information  |
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| Publication Date |
September 24, 2002 |
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| Filing Date |
March 20, 2001 |
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| Priority Data |
Mar 28, 2000[JP]2000-088673 |
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Title Information |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a film integrated key top of a press button
switch mounted in the input section of phone, mobile communication
equipment, audio equipment, television, video, facsimile, copy machine or
on board equipment or the like.
2. Prior Arts
In recent years, according to minimization and mobilization of electric and
electronic equipment, it is also required to miniaturize, and to reduce
the thickness and weight of push-button switches used for their operation
section.
To respond to this demand, conventionally, as shown in FIG. 5, it has been
known a sheet shaped key top, wherein a key top body 4 is formed, by
printing a predetermined character or symbol on the top or bottom surface
of a flexible, transparent or semi-transparent resin film 5, bending this
resin film upwards, and at the same time, directly heat fusing
thermoplastic resin in the bend section, or adhering resin in the bent
section of this resin film via an adhesive resin layer. When this
conventional film integrated key top is mounted in an apparatus,
respective key tops were provided individually in the frame of a case 10.
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
However, in the conventional film integrated key top, when a key top is
pressed, adjacent key tops work together inconveniently. To avoid this
problem, as shown in FIG. 4, a slot 11 is formed approximately at the
middle of a resin film 5 between key tops, or as shown in FIG. 5, a slit
13 is provided on the resin film 5 between key tops.
However, these method certainly prevent key tops from working together,
they could not reduce the key top interval, and contribute to the
apparatus minimization.
Means to Solve the Problems
In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention
intends to provide a film integrated key top allowing to reduce key top
interval, present a fine appearance, and contribute to the minimization.
In short, a film integrated key top is composed by bending a film linking
key tops more downward than the lower end of a pasted section with the key
top body.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention concerns a film integrated key top made by linking a
plurality of key tops by a resin film, wherein the resin film linkage
section between key tops is formed bending more downward than the lower
end of pasted section with the key top body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal cross section of an embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal cross section of an embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal cross section of a conventional film integrated
key top;
FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal cross section of a conventional film integrated
key top;
FIG. 5 shows a top view of the conventional film integrated key top;
FIG. 6 shows a longitudinal cross section of an embodiment of the present
invention; and
FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram of switch operation.
Now, the invention will be described in detail referring to attached
drawings.
Embodiment 1
The film integrated key top is believed to be applied to a key top body 1
passing through a film 2 as shown in FIG. 1, or a key top body 4
integrated at its top face side with a resin film 5 formed in a same shape
as the key top body top face side.
Embodiment 2
Still another embodiment of the present invention is a film integrated key
top, wherein a key top body 4 made of resin, and a resin film 5 formed in
a same shape as the key top body top face side, at the top face side of
the key top body, and wherein the resin thickness of the key top body is
formed of a partial thin section 14, a resin film linkage section 6
between key tops is formed bent more downward than a lower end of a
section pasted to the thin section 14 of the key top body.
The switch stroke length can be adjusted conveniently according to the
height h notched for thinning, as described in the switch operation in
FIG. 7, by forming the resin thickness of the side adjacent to the key top
into a partially thinned portion.
The cross section shape of the linkage section formed in bent form of the
present invention may be composed of curved portions only, or combination
of curved portions and straight portions; however, the composition only by
curved portions allows to reduced further the interval between key tops.
Effects of the Invention
The present invention provides a film integrated key top allowing to reduce
key top interval, present a fine appearance, because, the resin film
between key tops is formed bent downward. Adjacent key tops are prevented
from working together, without cutting them respectively. A plurality of
key tops can be disposed in a narrow space in the frame of the case.
In addition, as the interval between key tops is formed in a bent shape,
the key top to its original position after being pressed. The die
structure for molding the key top is also made simpler, the production can
be increased, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.
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Description |
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