Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Solid contact – Membrane type
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-29
2003-04-22
Donovan, Lincoln (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Solid contact
Membrane type
C200S0050EA, C200S0050EA, C200S01700A
Reexamination Certificate
active
06552289
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a dome switch including a surface sheet having a dome-shaped protuberance, a spacer sheet, the circuit member, and an adhesive sheet.
FIG. 15
is an exploded perspective view of a poly-dome switch (dome switch) in a related art,
FIG. 16
is a cross-sectional view of essential portions before the switching operation, and
FIG. 17
is a cross-sectional view of the essential portions at the time of the switching operation.
In
FIG. 15
, a related poly-dome switch (dome switch)
1
used in a household electric appliance includes a surface sheet
2
, a spacer sheet
3
, a flexible printed circuit (FPC)
4
, and an adhesive sheet
5
, and is fixed to a plate
6
serving as an attaching member to be attached to with the adhesive sheet
5
interposed.
A plurality of dome-shaped protuberances
7
which project toward the outer surface side and are capable of being reversed toward the inner surface side are formed in the aforementioned surface sheet
2
. Electrodes
8
(see
FIG. 16
) for the FPC
4
are respectively provided on the inner surfaces of the protuberances
7
.
The spacer sheet
3
is a thin sheet member and is provided to prevent the deformation of the surface sheet
2
. The spacer sheet
3
is provided with adhesive layers on its obverse and reverse surfaces, so that the surface sheet
2
and the FPC
4
can be fixed thereto. A plurality of through holes
9
are formed in the spacer sheet
3
in such a manner as to correspond to the positions of the protuberances
7
. Further, slit-like air release portions
10
are respectively formed on both sides of the through holes
9
.
The FPC
4
is a circuit member having a plurality of circuits routed in desired patterns. A plurality of contacts
11
which are contacted by the electrodes
8
(see
FIG. 16
) are provided on its spacer sheet
3
side. The FPC
4
is bonded and fixed to the adhesive sheet
5
. The adhesive sheet
5
has the function as a reinforcing member.
In the above-described construction, the poly-dome switch
1
operates such that, as shown in
FIG. 17
, when the protuberance
7
is pressed down to effect a switching operation, the protuberance
7
is reversed toward the FPC
4
(the feeling of a click occurs at this time), and the electrode
8
is brought into contact with the contact
11
to energize the circuit. It should be noted that when the protuberance
7
is reversed toward the FPC
4
, the air located on the inner surface side of the protuberance
7
is vented to the air release portions
10
through the through hole
9
.
In the above-described poly-dome switch
1
, the structure provided is such that the spacer sheet
3
and the FPC
4
are brought into surface contact with each other. For this reason, there has been a problem in that when an attempt is made to mount chip components on the FPC
4
and assemble them, the spacer sheet
3
is lifted off the FPC
4
and becomes deformed due to the effect of the height of the chip components. Incidentally, if the spacer sheet
3
is lifted off and becomes deformed, the switching function is naturally affected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has been devised in view of the above-described circumstances, and its object is to provide a chip-component accommodating structure in a dome switch which makes it possible to mount a chip component on a circuit member.
In order to solve the aforesaid object, the invention is characterized by having the following arrangement.
(1) A dome switch comprising:
a front sheet;
a dome-shaped protuberance which is formed on the front sheet so as to protrude outside, can be reversed inside and includes an electrode provided therein;
a circuit member having a contact point with which the electrode are brought into contact when the protuberance is reversed;
a spacer sheet which is interposed between the front sheet and the circuit member, and includes a through hole formed therein for ensuring contact between the electrode and the contact point;
an adhesive sheet including on one side a circuit attaching surface for the circuit member and on the other side a bonding and fixing surface for an attaching member; and
a spacer sheet-side accommodating portion, for accommodating a chip component mounted on a side of the circuit member where the contact is disposed, formed in the spacer sheet.
(2) The dome switch according to (1), wherein an embossed portion for the chip component is formed in the surface sheet in correspondence with a position of the spacer sheet-side accommodating portion.
(3) A dome switch comprising:
a front sheet;
a dome-shaped protuberance which is formed on the front sheet so as to protrude outside, can be reversed inside and includes an electrode provided therein;
a circuit member having a contact point with which the electrode are brought into contact when the protuberance is reversed;
a spacer sheet which is interposed between the front sheet and the circuit member, and includes a through hole formed therein for ensuring contact between the electrode and the contact point;
an adhesive sheet including on one side a circuit attaching surface for the circuit member and on the other side a bonding and fixing surface for an attaching member; and
an adhesive sheet-side accommodating portion, for accommodating a chip component mounted on a side of the circuit member where the contact is not disposed, formed in the adhesive sheet.
(4) The dome switch according to (3), wherein a recessed portion for the chip component is formed in the attaching member in correspondence with a position of said adhesive sheet-side accommodating portion.
(5) A dome switch comprising:
a front sheet;
a dome-shaped protuberance which is formed on the front sheet so as to protrude outside, can be reversed inside and includes an electrode provided therein;
a circuit member having a contact point with which the electrode are brought into contact when the protuberance is reversed;
a spacer sheet which is interposed between the front sheet and the circuit member, and includes a through hole formed therein for ensuring contact between the electrode and the contact point;
an adhesive sheet including on one side a circuit attaching surface for the circuit member and on the other side a bonding and fixing surface for an attaching member;
a spacer sheet-side accommodating portion, for accommodating a chip component mounted on a side of the circuit member where the contact is disposed, is formed in the spacer sheet; and
an adhesive sheet-side accommodating portion, for accommodating a chip component mounted on a side of the circuit member opposite to the side where the contact is disposed, is formed in the adhesive sheet.
(6) The dome switch according to (5), wherein an embossed portion for the chip component is formed in the surface sheet in correspondence with a position of the spacer sheet-side accommodating portion.
(7) The dome switch according to (5), wherein a recessed portion for the chip component is formed in the attaching member in correspondence with a position of the adhesive sheet-side accommodating portion.
(8) A dome switch comprising:
a front sheet;
a dome-shaped protuberance which is formed on the front sheet so as to protrude outside, can be reversed inside and includes an electrode provided therein;
a circuit member having a contact point with which the electrode are brought into contact when the protuberance is reversed;
a spacer sheet which is interposed between the front sheet and the circuit member, and includes a through hole formed therein for ensuring contact between the electrode and the contact point;
a light guiding portion, for accommodating and light guidance for a LED mounted on a side of the circuit member where the contact is disposed, formed in the spacer sheet; and
a light emitting portion, which is illuminated by light from the LED and through which the light can pass, formed in the surface sheet.
(9) The dome switch according to (8), wherein a light diffusing member for diffusing the light from the LED toward the light emitting portion is forme
Kawaguchi Kenichiro
Kubota Minoru
Serizawa Yasuyoshi
Donovan Lincoln
Lee Kyung
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