Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Multiple circuit control – Sequential operations
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-13
2003-10-28
Scott, J. R. (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Multiple circuit control
Sequential operations
C200S0050EA, C200S406000, C200S516000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06639159
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application claims benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-382132 filed on Dec. 14, 2001, the contents of which are incorporated by the reference.
The present invention relates to key input devices and portable terminal input devices and, more particularly, to key input devices and portable terminal input devices, for which it is demanded to reduce size and improve key input operation property as in portable terminals.
CPUs (central processing units) use switches for their operation. To start the operation of microscopic circuits of the CPU, macroscopic mechanical switches are necessary. Switches which prescribe the operational conditions of PCs (personal computers) are usually referred to as keys. A key board is provided to the PC in a steady-state fashion. The number of keys provided in the keyboard is the sum of the number of alphabet letter keys, the number of function keys, the number of numeral keys and the number of other additional function keys. This sum is more than 100. For key-less operation of the CPU, a key called mouse is used.
In portable telephone sets, such a number of keys can not be practically disposed. Not only for portable telephone sets but also for many other electronic devices, it is demanded to reduce the number of keys prescribing the operation start condition of their CPU. Particularly, for portable electronic devices for which size reduction is demanded, not only the key number reduction but also the physical size reduction of keys is demanded. From the standpoints of practical merits and usefulness, such size reduction should not result in deterioration of the mechanical and physical performance of the mechanical switches. As for the mechanical and physical performance, both the reliability of switching function and the reliable transmission of operation sense such as that called click sense.
As switch having these two different kinds of performance, a sheet switch is well known in the art, in which a group of switches is formed in a sheet-like arrangement. The sheet switch is excellent in its displacing and restoring properties. FIGS.
13
(
a
) to
13
(
c
) show a unit switch or unit key (or key element), which is reduced in size but is excellent in the two different kinds of performance. This unit switch is called dome-like switch. As shown in FIG.
13
(
a
), this well-known unit key has two electrodes, i.e., an annular thin film electrode
101
and a dot-like thin film electrode
102
. The annular and dot-like thin film electrodes
101
and
102
are both formed on an electrode substrate (not shown) having a multiple sub-layer wiring layer. The annular and dot-like thin film electrodes
101
and
102
are connected to lead lines of wiring, which is formed three-dimensionally inside the multiple sub-layer wiring layer. FIG.
13
(
c
) shows a movable switching element. This switching element is formed as a semi-spherical shell-like thin metal sheet member
103
. In lieu of the thin metal sheet member
103
, it is possible to use a semi-spherical shell-like elastomer resin member, which has an electrically conductive film bonded to its inner surface. In FIG.
13
(
c
), the thin metal sheet member
103
is shown such that its top part has been pushed down. As a result of pushing down the top part, the inner surface thereof is brought into contact with the dot-like thin film electrode
102
, and an equivalent switching circuit
104
as shown in
FIG. 14
is turned on.
In the well-known dome-like switch, which is excellent in the two different kinds of performance as noted above, i.e., the reliability of switching function and an transmission of operation sense. One operation made manually corresponds to one electronic switching operation. Such one-to-one correspondence is excellent in regard of mechanical relay function between person and CPU. It is demanded to reduce the key number by one-to-plurality correspondence while preserving the excellent mechanical relay function between man and CPU.
As switch which is capable of executing a plurality of switching functions by selecting a plurality of positions in response to one manual operation owing to one-to-plurality correspondence, many switches having different mechanical structures are well known in the art as shown in, for instance, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 7-16339, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-262865, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-56730 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-49295. In portable telephone set PCs having a switch group formed by a number of witch elements, it is demanded that the individual switch elements are formed in small size and reliably operable, it is essentially demanded to reduce the area necessary for the circuit structure including the switches, and it is further demanded that instantaneous operation is possible. Particularly, it is thought to be important that reliable transmission of operation sense, permitting confirmation of switching operation during the operation of depressing a switch, is realized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has an object of providing an input device and a portable terminal input device, in which excellent mechanical relay function between person and CPU is preserved, many small key elements are disposed collectively as a group, reliable property of operation sense transmission permitting confirmation of switching operation is realized, and consequently it is possible to reduce the number of keys owing to one-to-plurality correspondence.
Means for attaining the above object are expressed as follows. To technical items in the expression are annexed numerals, symbols, etc. in parenthesis. These numerals, symbols, etc. are identical with reference numerals, symbols, etc. attached to technical items in a plurality of embodiments or one or more embodiments there among according to the present invention, particularly to technical items expressed in the embodiments or drawings corresponding thereto. Such reference numerals, symbols, etc. clarify the correspondence or mediation between technical items set forth in claims and technical items in the embodiments. Such correspondence or mediation does not mean that the technical items as set forth in claims are to be interpreted as being limited to the technical items in the embodiments.
A key input device according to the present invention comprises a wiring substrate (
2
); and a plurality of keys (
1
) disposed on the wiring substrate (
2
) and each having three-dimensional displacement surfaces capable of being displaced in a linked fashion relative to one another. The three-dimensional displacement surfaces comprises a preceding displacement surface capable of undergoing a first displacement preceding in time; and a succeeding displacement surface capable of undergoing a second displacement subsequent in time to the first displacement of the preceding displacement surface. The succeeding displacement surface is capable of undergoing the second displacement by a displacing force of the first displacement. The plurality of keys (
1
) each have a first key (
3
) forming the preceding displacement surface; and a second key (
4
) having the succeeding displacement surface. A first switching operation is brought about when a first key (
1
) part of the first key (
1
) and a first substrate part (
12
,
43
) of the wiring substrate are brought into mechanical contact with each other on the basis of displacement of the preceding displacement surface. A second switching operation is brought about when a second key part of the second key (
4
) and a second substrate part (
13
,
46
) of the wiring substrate (
2
) are brought into mechanical contact with each other on the basis of displacement of the succeeding displacement surface. Each of the keys (
1
) executes the first and second switching operations by movement of its part perpendicular to the substrate (
2
) surface of the wiring substrate.
It is particularly important that the preceding and succeeding displacement surfaces both form, before displacement, surfaces convex in a di
NEC Corporation
Scott J. R.
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