Input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9704668-B2
Application number	US-201615074748-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2016
Priority date	Apr 1, 2015
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

An input device includes: a switch unit that has a fixed contact and a movable contact placed so as to be movable away from and toward the fixed contact; a rubber member provided so as to be elastically deformable, the rubber member pressing the movable contact; and a slide member placed so as to be movable so that the slide member can press the rubber member. The rubber member has a first load generating part, which presses the movable contact, and a plurality of load adjusting parts disposed so as to enclose the first load generating part. The slide member has a first pressing part, which presses the first load generating part, and a plurality of second pressing parts, which press the plurality of load adjusting parts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An input device comprising:
a switch unit that has a fixed contact and a movable contact, the movable contact movable away from and toward the fixed contact;
an elastically deformable rubber member, the rubber member pressing the movable contact; and
a slide member placed so as to be movable so that the slide member is capable of pressing the rubber member; wherein:
the rubber member has a first load generating part, which presses the movable contact, and a plurality of load adjusting parts disposed so as to enclose the first load generating part, and
the slide member has a first pressing part, which presses the first load generating part, and a plurality of second pressing parts, which press the plurality of load adjusting parts, wherein the load adjusting parts comprise a thin stereoscopic shape having a side wall in a cylindrical shape; and
part of the side wall is open toward the first load generating part.

2. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein:
each of the plurality of adjusting parts is a second load generating part, which is adjustable so as to generate a different load from the first load generating part;
the first load generating part is disposed so as to be rotationally symmetric with respect to a center line of the switch unit; and
a plurality of second load generating parts are disposed so as to be equally spaced on a circumference of a circle about the center line.

3. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the rubber member has a first pressed part and a plurality of second pressed parts, the first pressed part and the plurality of second pressed parts being pressed by the slide member; and
a timing at which the first pressed part, which is disposed at the first load generating part, abuts the first pressing part is set so as to differ from timings at which the plurality of second pressed parts, which are disposed at the load adjusting parts, abut the plurality of second pressing parts.

4. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein, at the load adjusting parts, the rubber member comprises a thin stereoscopic shape, and a rear surface of the second pressed part faces a hollow at a portion that abuts the second pressing part.

5. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the rubber member comprises a material into which less water infiltrates; and
the rubber member comprises a sheet-like shape so as to cover the switch unit.

Assignees

• Alps Electric Co Ltd

Inventors

• Osako Hajime
• Watanabe Ryuichi
• Tagawa Yoshiyuki

Classifications

• H01H2223/003

  Membrane embracing all keys · CPC title

• H01H2223/002

  sealed · CPC title

• H01H2221/05

  Force concentrator; Actuating dimple · CPC title

• H01H2215/028

  alterable · CPC title

• H01H13/52 Primary

  the contact returning to its original state immediately upon removal of operating force, e.g. bell-push switch · CPC title