Keyboards

Details Keyboards Keyboards

H - Electricity

01

H

H01H 13/70 (2006.01) G06F 3/02 (2006.01) H01H 13/06 (2006.01)

Patent

CA 2551626

A switch comprising a generally tubular housing (10) of a rigid plastics material. A plurality of discrete tabs (12) are circumferentially disposed, in side-by-side relation, around an end of the housing (10). The housing (10) defines a recess (16) for receiving an elastomeric dome member (24) having an annular rib (26) at its base, and the recess (16) has an annular groove (20) with a relatively sharp edge (22) for receiving the annular rib (26) of the dome member (24). When the dome member (24) is correctly inserted within the recess (16), a downward force is provided on the tabs (12), causing them to 'fold' down over the base of the dome member (24), such that they are substantially at right-angles to the longitudinal sidewall of the housing (10), and substantially flush with the edge portion (29) thereof. Optionally, heat may also be applied to the tabs (12), causing them to at least partially soften and melt together, to form a single, substantially integral, flange completely covering the annular rib (26) at the base of the dome member (24), so as to create a fluid-tight seal between the housing (10) and the dome member (24). The end of the housing (10) opposite to that having the tabs (12) is provided with an aperture (30) with which the stem (32) of a keycap 34 is slidably engaged. The recess (16) for receiving the dome member (24) is shaped and configured so as to provide sufficient clearance such that the dome member (24) does not contact the inner wall of the housing (10) when it is deformed in use.

L'invention porte sur un commutateur comprenant un logement tubulaire (10) de matière plastique rigide. Une pluralité de touches séparées (12) sont disposées sur la circonférence, côte à côte, autour d'une extrémité du logement (10). Le logement (10) forme un creux (16) destiné à accueillir un dôme élastomère (24) pourvu d'une nervure annulaire (26) à sa base, le creux (16) comportant une rainure annulaire (20) pourvue d'une arête relativement vive (22) et destinée à accueillir la nervure annulaire (26) du dôme (24). Lorsque le dôme (24) est correctement inséré dans le creux (16), une force dirigée vers le bas est générée sur les touches (12), enfonçant celles-ci sur la base du dôme (24) de sorte qu'elles soient sensiblement à angles droits par rapport à la paroi latérale longitudinale du logement (10), et qu'elles affleurent sensiblement le bord (29) de celle-ci. Il est également possible d'appliquer de la chaleur sur les touches (12), ce qui les assouplit au moins partiellement et les fond ensemble afin de rebord unique intégral recouvrant totalement la nervure annulaire (26) à la base du dôme (24) de façon à créer un joint étanche au fluide entre le logement (10) et le dôme (24). L'extrémité du logement (10) opposée à celle comportant les touches (12) est pourvue d'un orifice (30) dans lequel la tige (32) d'un dessus de touche (34) s'engage de manière coulissante. Le creux (16) destiné à accueillir le dôme (24) est formé et configuré de façon à former un vide suffisant pour que le dôme (24) ne vienne pas en contact avec la paroi interne du logement (10) lorsqu'elle est déformée, en utilisation.

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