Fujitsu Corporation

Other

Fujitsu Takamisawa Component Limited

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

Kazutoshi Hayashi

Toshiaki Tanaka

Junichi Maruyama

Goro Watanabe

Shigeo Tanji

Hideo Yamada

Norio Endoh

Akira Tanaka

Masatoshi Ishii

Hitoshi Ohkubo

Katsumi Harada

Kiyoshi Wada

Takashi Terada

Kiyokazu Moriizumi

Kazushi Ishida

Ryohei Kinoshita

Kouji Ishikawa

Michihiro Aoyama

Kouki Takahashi

Seisuke Kamei

Hideo Nabetani

Masayuki Katoh

Yasuo Yatsuda

A navigation apparatus includes: a map data storage unitfor storing map data in which a guide map location pointeris included in data showing each guide point; a guide map data storage unitfor, for each guide point, storing guide map data which are used for drawing different views as guide maps; a processing unitfor, when a detected current position reaches a guide point shown by map data acquired from the map data storage unit, acquiring guide map data corresponding to a current situation from a location of the guide map data storage unit which is shown by a guide map location pointer included in data showing the guide point, and combining the guide map data with the map data to generate display data; and a display output unitfor displaying a map and a guide map according to the display data.

Navigation apparatus

A key switch includes a switch provided on a base, a key top for operating the switch, and a link mechanism supported on the base and supporting the key top on its upper side, a shape of the link mechanism being changed when the key top is depressed. A movable plate is provided on the base, in stacked relationship; such that the movable plate is moved when the key top is depressed so as to change the shape of the link mechanism to a flat shape. An auxiliary link mechanism has a first part supported on the moveable plate and, in turn, by the base and a second part supporting the key top.

Key switch and keyboard

A key switch comprising a base, a key top arranged above the base, a pair of link members interlocked to each other and operatively engaged with the base and the key top to support the key top above the base and direct the key top in a vertical direction, and a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of the key top. Each of the link members includes a sliding portion slidably and shiftably engaged with either one of the base and the key top. At least one plate spring is disposed between at least one of the link members and either one of the base and the key top with which the sliding portion is engaged, to exert a biasing force, relative to a shifting amount of the sliding portion, onto at least one of the link members in a direction different from the vertical direction. The plate spring includes, in an integral manner, a first spring portion extending along a fixed-end side in a direction substantially parallel to a shifting direction of the sliding portion of each link member and a second spring portion extending along a free-end side in a direction intersecting the first spring portion.

A key switch includes a base, a key top arranged above the base, a pair of link members interlocked to each other to support the key top above the base and direct the key top in a vertical direction, and a switching mechanism capable of opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of the key top. Each of the link members includes an engagable end region engaged with the key top. The base includes an inner peripheral surface defining an opening capable of receiving the link members. The base is provided on the inner peripheral surface with protruding wall parts located at positions respectively facing oppositely to the engagable end regions of the link members. Each protruding wall part serves to locally reduce a clearance defined between the inner peripheral surface and the engagable region of each link member when the link member is received in the opening.

A key switch comprising a base, a key top arranged above the base, a pair of link members interlocked to each other and operatively engaged with the base and the key top to support the key top above the base and direct the key top in a vertical direction, a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of the key top. Each of the link members includes a sliding portion slidably and shiftably engaged with either one of the base and the key top. At least one elastic member is disposed between at least one of the link members and either one of the base and the key top with which the sliding portion of each link member is engaged. The elastic member exerts biasing force, relative to a displacement or shifting amount of the sliding portion, onto at least one of the link members in a direction different from, e.g., substantially orthogonal to, the vertical shifting direction of the key top. Preferably, the biasing force assumes a linear relationship with the shifting amount of the sliding portion.

Key switch with sliding mechanism and keyboard

A key switch comprising a base, a key top arranged above the base, a pair of link members interconnected with each other to support the key top above the base and to direct the key top in a vertical direction, a biasing member for elastically urging the key top vertically away from the base, and a switching mechanism for selectively opening and closing an electric circuit in connection with a vertical movement of the key top. Each of the link members includes opposed first and second side walls, slide portions formed at one ends of the first and second side walls to be slidably engaged with the base, pivot portions formed at halfway points of the first and second side walls to be pivotably engaged with the key top to define a pivot axis of each link member, a joint shaft provided at another end of the first side wall to project from the first side wall, and a joint slot provided at another end of the second side wall to permit the joint shaft to be slidably and pivotably received in the joint slot of counterpart link member.

Key switch for keyboard

A portable information processing unit, such as a personal computer, has a keyboard in which the normal, operating height of key switches is reduced to a more compact, reduced height automatically when a cover of the unit is closed and is automatically reinstated to the normal operating height when the cover is opened. Each key switch has a key top, a base, an actuating mechanism connecting the key top to the base, an elastic member and a switching layer, the elastic member extending through an opening in the base and interconnecting the key top and the switch. Depression of the key top produces movement thereof in a depressing direction and a depression force transferred through the elastic member to the switch, switching same from an off to an on state; upon release of the key top, the elastic member returns the key top to the normal position. A slide plate is positioned between the base and the switch and has an opening therein through which the elastic member extends and is moveable in reciprocating directions between first and second positions corresponding to, and in response to, movement of the cover between closed and open conditions, the slide plate, in the first position corresponding to the closed condition of the cover, causing the actuating mechanism to move the key top in the depressing direction, compressing the elastic member and reducing the height of the key switches.

Key switch, keyboard and portable information processing unit with

A keyboard includes a first keyboard unit for left hand operation of an operator, a second keyboard unit separable from the first keyboard unit, for right hand operation of the operator, and a fix plate movable between the first and second keyboard units, wherein one of the first and second keyboard units accommodates the fix plate when the first and second keyboard units are separated from each other, the fix plate bridges the first and second keyboard units when the first and second keyboard units are connected with each other to form a single keyboard, and a fixing mechanism is provided for fixing the fix plate upon the first and second keyboard units in the state that the fix plate bridges across the first and second keyboard units.

Compact ergonomic keyboard

An input detecting apparatus, method in a switching matrix in which a plurality of switches are provided in the form of a matrix, which discriminates a sneak pass signal current caused by overlapping keying of up to 10 switches and is provided with a switching matrix including a driver circuit, a detecting circuit, a first group of a plurality of lines (1.sub.0 -1.sub.6), each connected to the driver circuit (2), a second group of a plurality of lines (3.sub.0 -3.sub.6), each connected to the detecting circuit, and a plurality of switching devices including a resistor (6) and a switching element (5) serially arranged, one end of each switching device being connected to one of the first group of lines and the other end to one of the second group of lines, the driver circuit having a decoder (11) which in turn connects one end of each oen of the plurality of lines of the first group (1.sub.0 -1.sub.6 ) to an electrical source having 0 voltage, one by one, the detecting circuit having a selector ( 7) selectively connecting in turn one end of the plurality of lines of the second group (3.sub.0 -3.sub.6) to a voltage detecting circuit thereof, the rest of the end of the plurality lines of the second group being connected to a decoder in which the ends of the plurality lines of the second group are in turn opened in synchronization with the operation of the selector, and a means is provided for applying a predetermined voltage higher than the detecting voltage to detect the switching operation.

Detecting apparatus for detecting input operation in a switching matrix

A sheet switch comprises a pair of flexible insulative films, one of which is provided with a plurality of electrodes, resistances connected to the electrodes, respectively, and line patterns for externally connecting the electrodes via the resistances. The other insulative film is also provided with a plurality of second electrodes at positions corresponding to the first electrodes, respectively, and a space is defined between each of the facing electrodes. The line pattern is a laminated structure consisting of an underlayer formed of a low resistance paste and an upper layer formed of a high resistance paste coated over the underlayer. The underlayer formed of a low resistance paste is partially disconnected to define a gap, so that the resistance is formed integrally with the upper layer formed of a high resistance paste at a position corresponding to the gap.

Sheet switch

A push button switch employing a dome spring switch element mounted in a vertical orientation relative to a generally horizontal orientation of a bottom support plate, and a key top and associated plunger which are mounted for limited, reciprocating vertical movement. An actuator, comprising a coil spring and a pivotally mounted lever, interconnects the plunger and the spring dome and is responsive to and converts vertical downward movement of the plunger to a horizontally directed depressing force on the dome spring for inverting the dome spring in a snap action and completing an electrical connection between inner and outer contacts mounted within the switch element and underlying the dome spring. A dome spring of rectangualr shape affords improved force versus displacement and snap action characteristics, and a contact frame providing flexible support of the inner contacts reduces impact shock and wear produced by the snap action. A locking structure provides for locked interengagement of the key top and plunger and a stepped, flexible stop absorbs shock and reduces impact noise in stopping the return movement of the plunger from a depressed to a normal condition. A direct drive connection between the plunger and the lever reduces the amount of plunger movement and depression force required to actuate the switch under abnormal load conditions. A process for fabrication of the switch element by stamping and molding steps reduces costs and improves reliability of the switch element.

Push button switch using dome spring and switch element thereof

A novel stroke converting mechanism for a push-button switch is disclosed. The stroke converting mechanism is for providing a push-button switch or a keyboard comprising the push-button switches with features such as low cost, low profile, and light and comfortable key touch. The stroke converting mechanism is made from a plate of metal such as 18-8 stainless steel, and fabricated by a single shot of press or by an etching of the plate in a batch process. The delineated plate is then shaped into a specified form by die press. In spite of the simple structure, the stroke converting mechanism can provide a sufficient stroke conversion ratio, e.g., about 4 mm of the key top to a displacement of about 1 mm necessary for actuating a couple of make-break contacts. And also, it reduces the necessary depression force on the key top to a half of the force required for actuating a make-break contacts, and provides a reduction in the height of a push-button switch or a keyboard as much as 3 mm or more.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Kazutoshi Hayashi