Polymatech Co., Ltd.

Asahi Kasel Emd Corp.

Yoshifumi Honmatsu

Toshinori Takatsuka

Yutaka Nakanishi

Hiroshi Arai

Masami Arai

Yasunori Takeda

Disclosed are a key sheet for a pointing device and a pointing device using a magnet compact in terms of both magnetic force and size to allow a reduction in thickness. Between a pusher () opposed to a contact input portion (E) of a board (P) and a magnet () fixed to a base sheet () at an outside position around the pusher () as a center so as to be away from a key top (), there is provided an elastic flexible portion () allowing displacement in a depressing direction through depression of the key top () toward the contact input portion (E). As a result, it is possible to perform depressing operation on the key top (), with the magnet () being provided on the base sheet (), making it possible to perform switch input, such as confirmation input.

Key sheet for a pointing device and pointing device

Provided is a key sheet allowing reliable sliding operation input through accurate coordinate position detection and depressing operation input of satisfactory depression operability through clear click feel. Fixation layers are formed at positions under depressing operation portions, and there are no fixation layers in portions around the depressing operation portions but gaps are formed. With this construction, it is possible to suppress a depression operation load to a low level at a time of depressing input operation, and, when contact switches with click feel are depressed, the click feel can be easily transmitted. Further, a surface sheet has movable contact portions which enter the gaps at a time of sliding input operation and which are displaced so as to be capable of coming into contact with a sensor sheet. With this construction, it is possible to sense, in a stable manner, capacitance at an in-plane position of a sliding operation surface of the sensor sheet.

Key sheet

The present invention provides a key sheet in which adjacent key tops are prevented from moving in conjunction with each other even when intervals between the key tops are designed to be narrow, and which facilitates a depressing operation by eliminating interference between the adjacent key tops. Further, the present invention provides a pushbutton switch using the above-mentioned key sheet. When a central key top is depressed, a portion of a soft sheet positioned between the key top and the key tops therearound is deformed to a large degree. On the other hand, a hard sheet is flexed entirely to a portion extending to a portion directly below the key tops. As a result, a clearance portion between the soft sheet and the hard sheet is formed. Therefore, the left and right key tops do not move in conjunction with each other, thereby making it possible to prevent erroneous input. Further, the peripheral key tops are not affected by the depressing operation of the central key top, thereby making it possible to suppress a depressing operation load to be small.

Key sheet and pushbutton switch

Provided is a pointing device that can be reduced in thickness even if a magnetic field sensor is mounted to a front face of a printed circuit board. When a support portion laterally moves, a reverse face of a flexible portion is displaced while being guided away from the printed circuit board due to deformation of a mountain fold flexure portion as a directional deformation portion. Therefore, a clearance between the reverse face of the flexible portion and the printed circuit board increases, and the magnetic field sensor can be mounted to the front face of the printed circuit board, thereby making it possible to reduce thickness of the pointing device. At the same time, the flexible portion would not be ruptured through sliding contact with the magnetic field sensor.

Key sheet for pointing device and pointing device

Provided are a pointing device allowing accurate depressing operation on a key top and involving no erroneous input or erroneous operation, and a key sheet for the pointing device. On the back surface of a base sheet () of a key sheet () for a pointing device, an accommodating portion () for a magnet (), for accommodating portion greatly protrudes toward a board (P) beyond a pusher () is provided. When the key top () is depressed, the accommodating portion () and the magnet () come into contact with the board (P), and causes the depressed key top () to tilt using the point of contact as a fulcrum, thereby pressing the pusher () against a contact switch (Pi, Po). Thus, it is possible to reduce the thickness and weight of the pointing device () and the key sheet () for the pointing device. Further, a reduction is achieved in terms of the possibility of erroneous input and erroneous operation, making it possible to reliably effect confirmation input.

Pointing device and key sheet for pointing device

A method for forming an indicator portion on a push switch such as a pushbutton switch or a membrane switch, the indicator portion being excellent in terms of design property and image quality and allowing fine picture patterns, designs, etc. that are difficult to be reproduced with conventional printing systems to be represented with high resolution, and to provide a push switch having the indicator portion. In order to form the indicator portion, in which a color design image such as a letter, a pattern, design etc is indicated, on the push switch, there are performed the following steps of: forming a colorant layer by printing a color design image on a base sheet by a printer; transferring the colorant layer to a transfer resin through an adhesive, the transfer resin constituting a surface of the push switch; and forming the indicator layer on the transfer resin by peeling off the base sheet and using the colorant layer as the indicator layer.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Yoshifumi Honmatsu