Patent US5446582A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0483898A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Push-button switch and keytop
Assignee: Teikoku Tsushin Kogyo Co Ltd
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Filing: 1991-10-14
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-10-14
Abstract
Abstract The keytop of a push-button switch includes a keytop portion situated on the top side of a resin film at a prescribed position thereof, and a retaining portion situated on the underside of the resin film at the prescribed position. The keytop portion and retaining portion are formed into a unitary body by resin-molding through a hole provided in the resin film, and the resin film is sandwiched between the keytop portion and the retaining portion. In another embodiment, the retaining portion is loop-shaped and is formed into a unitary body with the keytop portion by resin-molding through a plurality of holes provided in the resin film along the loop-shaped circumference of the retaining portion. The resin film is sandwiched in a water-tight state between the keytop portion and the loop-shaped retaining portion. <IMAGE> <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Jiroh Inagaki
- 👤 Nobuyuki Yagi
- 👤 Takashi Shinoki
- 👤 Atsushi Hari
- 👤 Yasutoshi Kaku
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 20:40
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H13/00; H01H13/70; H01H13/702; H01H13/705; B; B29; B29C; B29C45/00; B29C45/14; B29C45/1418; H01H11/00; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/46; B29L2031/466; H01H2217/00; H01H2217/028; H01H2219/00; H01H2219/036; H01H2219/05; H01H2223/00; H01H2223/002; H01H2229/00; H01H2229/044; H01H2229/047; H01H2229/048; H01H2233/00; H01H2233/002; H01H2233/004
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
A keytop of a push-button switch having a fixed contact and a movable contact arranged to oppose each other, and a keytop arranged above the movable contact for pressing said movable contact, said keytop including a keytop portion situated on the top side of a resin film at a prescribed position thereof, and a retaining portion situated on the underside of said resin film at the prescribed position thereof, said keytop portion and said retaining portion being integrally formed by resin molding, and said resin film being sandwiched between said keytop portion and said retaining portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
52 words
The keytop according to Claim 1, wherein a number, symbol or symbol mark is printed on the top side or underside of said film at a portion thereof where the keytop is situated, and a transparent or semi-transparent resin material is used as the keytop portion at said portion of the film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The keytop according to Claim 1, wherein said retaining portion is loop-shaped, and said resin film is sandwiched in a water-tight state between said keytop portion and said loop-shaped retaining portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The keytop according to Claim 3, wherein a pressing protrusion for pressing the movable contact of said keytop is provided as an integral part of said loop-shaped retaining portion offset from the center of the lower part of said keytop portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The keytop according to Claim 4, wherein a number, symbol or symbol mark is printed on the side of said resin film at a portion thereof where said keytop portion is situated, and said keytop portion comprises a light-transmissive resin.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The keytop according to Claim 3, wherein a pressing protrusion for pressing the movable contact of said keytop is provided penetrating said resin film at substantially the center of the lower part of said keytop portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
134 words
A push-button switch having a fixed contact and a movable contact arranged to oppose each other, and a keytop arranged above the movable contact for pressing said movable contact, wherein a loop-shaped drip-proof frame is formed in a water-tight state with a resin film by being resin-molded on said resin film so as to surround a prescribed area thereof, a keytop portion is situated on the top side of said resin film at a prescribed position thereof within said loop-shaped drip-proof frame, a retaining portion is situated on the underside of said resin film at the prescribed position thereof, said loop-shaped drip-proof frame, said keytop portion and said retaining portion are integrally formed by resin molding, and said resin film is sandwiched in a water-tight state between said keytop portion and said retaining portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The keytop according to Claim 7, wherein said retaining portion is loop-shaped, and said resin film is sandwiched in a water-tight state between said keytop portion and said loop-shaped retaining portion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
102 words
A keytop of a push-button switch having a fixed contact and a movable contact arranged to oppose each other, and a keytop arranged above the movable contact for pressing said movable contact, said keytop including a keytop portion formed as an integral part thereof by resin-molding, and a film retaining portion provided as an integral part of said keytop portion on the outer periphery thereof, said resin film being disposed so as to cover the top side of said keytop portion, and said resin film being sandwiched between and fixed by said film retaining portion and an integrally provided film fixing portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The keytop according to Claim 9, wherein a number, symbol or symbol mark is printed on the side of said resin film at a portion thereof where the upper portion of said keytop is situated.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
224 words
A method of manufacturing the keytop of the push-button switch according to Claim 9, wherein there are provided an upper mold having cavities the shapes whereof are the same as those of the upper part of said keytop portion and said film fixing portion, a lower mold having cavities the shapes thereof are the same as those of the lower part of said keytop portion and said film retaining portion, and a resin film, said method including the steps of: clamping said resin film between said upper mold and said lower mold; injecting a molten resin into the cavities the shapes whereof are the same as those of the lower part of said keytop portion and said film retaining portion from a pin gate provided in either said upper mold or said lower mold, whereby said resin film is deformed by pressure and heat of said molten resin so as to be brought into adhering contact with the inner surface of the cavities in said upper mold; allowing said molten resin to flow, through a hole provided in said resin film, into the cavity the shape whereof is the same as that of said film fixing portion in said upper mold; allowing said molten resin to fill each of the cavities; and parting said upper and lower molds after said molten resin has hardened.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
185 words
A push-button switch having a fixed contact and a movable contact formed on a surface of a resin sheet and arranged to oppose each other, and a keytop arranged above the movable contact for pressing said movable contact, wherein a loop-shaped drip-proof frame is formed in a water-tight state with a resin film by being resin-molded on said resin film using a flexible resin material so as to surround a prescribed area of said resin film; said keytop portion is formed in a water-tight state with said resin film by being resin-molded within said loop-shaped drip-proof frame, thereby constructing a switch control panel; said resin sheet having said fixed contact and said movable contact formed thereon is disposed on a substrate having a curved surface; and said switch control panel is disposed in a water-tight state with respect to said drip-proof frame and the surface of said substrate in such a manner that said drip-proof frame surrounds at least a portion of said resin film on which said fixed contact and said movable contact are formed, and said keytop is situated above said movable contact.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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