EP0499449A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Key switch
Assignee: Minebea Co Ltd
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Filing: 1992-02-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-02-11
Abstract
Abstract A key switch has an intermediate guide cylinder (90) which is free to slide lengthwise inside a fixed guide cylinder (84) and which at the same time holds the neck (74) of the keytop (72) while allowing it to slide freely lengthwise. The intermediate guide cylinder guides the keytop in its motion while the fixed guide cylinder guides the intermediate guide cylinder in its motion.
Inventors
- 👤 Masamitsu Osada
- 👤 Nobuyuki Takahashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:11
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/02; H; H01; H01H; H01H13/00; H01H13/70; H01H13/702; H01H13/705; H01H2215/00; H01H2215/002; H01H2215/004; H01H2215/006; H01H2221/00; H01H2221/024; H01H2221/026; H01H2221/028; H01H2221/05; H01H2227/00; H01H2227/036; H01H2233/00; H01H2233/05; H01H2233/054; H01H2233/056
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
(1) A key switch so constructed that an electric contact mechanism is activated by the motion of a keytop which is pressed for a prescribed keystroke distance against the elastic force of an elastic body and deactivated as the elastic force of the elastic body restores the keytop to its original position on removal of pressure from the keytop, comprising: a base plate including the electric contact mechanism; a fixed guide cylinder on said base plate; an intermediate guide cylinder which is free to slide lengthwise inside said fixed guide cylinder; a keytop holding a neck which is free to slide lengthwise to said intermediate guide cylinder; an elastic body pushing up the keytop to the upper limit. from said base plate, and activating an electric contact mechanism by being collapsed by pressure of the keytop of a prescribed keystroke distance, and pushing up the keytop on removal of pressure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
47 words
(2) The key switch according to Claim 1, wherein the total of the distance of relative motion between the fixed guide cylinder and said intermediate guide cylinder and that between said intermediate guide cylinder and the keytop is greater than said prescribed keystroke distance for the keytop.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
(3) The key switch according to Claim 1, wherein said elastic body which pushes up said keytop is a cup-shaped rubber spring.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
(4) The key switch according to Claim 1, wherein an activator node on the collapsed rubber spring pushes and activates the contact mechanism.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
(5) The key switch according to Claim 1, wherein the conditions of activation of the electric contact mechanism last while an an electric contact turns on, and the conditions of deactivation last while an electric contact turns off.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
(6) The key switch according to Claim 1, wherein the conditions of activation for the electric contact mechanism last while an electric contact turns off, and the conditions of deactivation last while an electric contact turns on.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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