EP1517345A1 - Keyboard with depressable keys and the key for the corresponding keybard suitable for a car dashboard - Google Patents

Abstract

The keypad has a panel (30) with openings through which buried keys (20) are positioned with respect to a contactor (14) integrated to a board (12). The keys are interconnected in pairs to form a single assembly and are arranged with respect to one another on the keypad such that each key is individually movable for causing an actuation of the contactor assigned to the key. An independent claim is also included for a motor vehicle dash board.

Description

The invention relates to a keyboard with keys to depression and a button equipped with such a keyboard, especially for blackboard of control of a motor vehicle.

There are currently many types of keyboards for a control panel of a motor vehicle, in particular for a board on board.

In particular, there are keyboards in which the keys are not interconnected and each is provided with guiding means and foolproofing to prevent them from getting stuck. Molding means guidance in the front of the control panel is often tricky, same as the guide ribs of the keys associated with them. This implies successive focus in the molds which are therefore complex and expensive to manufacture. Moreover, it is necessary to undeceive each key editing, which is expensive in time.

There are also keyboards with unguided keys but they have to withstand a great effort of recall, which is detrimental to the touch and comfort of use.

To solve this problem, the invention proposes to group the keys and position them in the keyboard so as to facilitate their using without fooling or guiding means.

More specifically, the invention relates to a keyboard for control panel, especially for vehicle dashboard automobile, comprising a facade with openings through which a plurality of pushbuttons positioned each look of a contactor solidarity of a card, in which the keys are linked between them at least in groups of two to form a unitary unit and are arranged relative to each other on the keyboard so that each key is movable individually and its displacement by depressing causes only the actuation of the contactor assigned to said key, without any effect on the contactors of the other keys.

• les touches sont solidaires d'un socle commun disposé sous la façade de sorte que le déplacement par enfoncement d'une touche déterminée pour actionner son contacteur associé provoque le basculement sans coincement du socle autour d'un axe sensiblement perpendiculaire à la direction d'enfoncement de ladite touche et passant par au moins une autre touche de l'ensemble de touches ;
• les touches et leur socle sont moulés d'une pièce par injection de matière plastique ;
• la course de déplacement de chaque touche est comprise entre environ 0,25 et 1,5 mm, de préférence 0,5 mm;
• le socle et les touches sont en matériau rigide ou souple ;
• les touches sont éloignées latéralement les unes des autres de quelques millimètres à quelques centimètres selon le matériau utilisé, et de préférence de un millimètre à un centimètre ;
• les touches peuvent être au nombre de deux, ou bien au nombre de trois pour former un triangle, par exemple équilatéral, ou encore au nombre de quatre pour former un carré. Dans le cas du triangle, l'axe de rotation du socle passe par au moins une touche autre que celle enfoncée, les deux autres touches si le triangle est équilatéral. Dans le cas du carré, et l'axe de rotation du socle passe par la touche située à l'opposé de la touche enfoncée.

According to preferred embodiments of the present invention:

• the keys are secured to a common base disposed beneath the facade so that movement by pressing a determined key to actuate its associated contactor causes tilting without jamming of the base around an axis substantially perpendicular to the direction of depression of said key and passing through at least one other key of the set of keys;
• the keys and their base are molded in one piece by plastic injection;
• the displacement stroke of each key is between about 0.25 and 1.5 mm, preferably 0.5 mm;
• the base and the keys are of rigid or flexible material;
• the keys are laterally spaced apart from a few millimeters to a few centimeters depending on the material used, and preferably from one millimeter to one centimeter;
• the keys can be two in number, or three in number to form a triangle, for example equilateral, or four to form a square. In the case of the triangle, the axis of rotation of the base passes through at least one key other than that pressed, the other two keys if the triangle is equilateral. In the case of the square, and the axis of rotation of the base passes through the key located opposite the key pressed.

The present invention also relates to a button equipped with a keyboard as defined above and whose keys are arranged around a rotating central wheel, as well as a table of motor vehicle control equipped with such a keyboard or such a button.

• la figure 1, une vue en perspective d'un clavier à deux touches conforme à l'invention,
• la figure 2, une vue en perspective éclatée de la figure 1,
• la figure 3, une vue de face de la figure 1,
• la figure 4, une vue en coupe de la figure 1,
• la figure 5, une autre vue en perspective dans laquelle une touche du clavier est enfoncée,
• la figure 6, une vue en coupe de la figure 5,
• la figure 7, une vue en perspective d'une variante de réalisation de l'invention dans laquelle le clavier possède trois touches,
• la figure 8, une vue en perspective d'une variante de réalisation de l'invention dans laquelle le clavier possède quatre touches
• la figure 9, une vue en perspective partiellement arrachée de la figure 8, et
• la figure 10, une autre vue en perspective dans laquelle une touche du clavier des figures 8 et 9 est enfoncée.

Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the description made with reference to the accompanying drawings given by way of example, which respectively represent:

• FIG. 1, a perspective view of a keyboard with two keys according to the invention,
• FIG. 2, an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 3, a front view of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 4, a sectional view of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 5, another perspective view in which a key of the keyboard is depressed,
• FIG. 6, a sectional view of FIG. 5,
• FIG. 7, a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention in which the keyboard has three keys,
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention in which the keyboard has four keys;
• FIG. 9, a partially cutaway perspective view of FIG. 8, and
• Figure 10 is another perspective view in which a key of the keyboard of Figures 8 and 9 is depressed.

As illustrated by FIGS. 1 to 4, the keyboard 10 the present invention comprises a rigid base card 12 on which are mounted mechanical contactors 14 and 16 light indicators such as LEDs.

Each contactor 14 is associated with a key 20 mounted in look at it. The keys 20 are grouped into a unitary set 22 and are molded from a piece of rigid plastic material with a base 25.

A rigid plastic facade 30 is placed on this set and serves to hold the keys in position. This facade 30 presents openings 32 to allow access to the keys 20. In mounting position, as illustrated by FIGS. 3 and 4, the keys 20 are based on the contactors 14, without actuating them, and the base 25 is applied against the facade 30.

In use, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the a key 20, for example that marked "OFF", causes a depressing the latter along a direction of depression substantially perpendicular to the base 25 and materialized by the arrow F. This depression occurs on a stroke d substantially equal to 0.5 mm. Support on the key 20 thus actuates the switch 14 associated with it. This depression is accompanied by a rotation of the base 25 about an axis XX ' substantially perpendicular to said driving direction F and passing by the other key, substantially at the contact between said other key and its associated contactor. This pivoting of the base 25 makes it possible to prevent the contactor other than the one associated with the depressed key is operated at his turn. Thus, pressing a key causes its movement by depression and actuation only of its associated contactor, without no effect on other contactors. The rotation around the XX 'axis is almost imperceptible so that the user does not see the other touch.

This mode of operation is also found in variants of embodiments of Figures 7 to 10.

Thus, in FIG. 7, the keyboard 10 has three keys 20 forming in this case an equilateral triangle. Pressing a key 20, illustrated by the arrow F, generates at the same time the displacement by depression of said key, and therefore the actuation of its associated contactor 14, and also the pivoting of the base 25 about an axis XX 'substantially perpendicular to said driving direction F and passing through both other keys. Only the switch 14 of the key 20 pressed is actuated, the rotation of the base 25 avoiding the other contactors 14 of the others keys 20 are also actuated at the same time.

In these two embodiments, the base 25 and the 20 keys being molded of a rigid plastic part, the keys are few distant from each other, for example between one millimeter and about one centimeter.

In FIGS. 8 to 10, a command button 1 is provided with a keyboard 10 which has four keys 20 mounted in this case square around a rotating central knob 21. The four keys 20 are independent of this rotating central wheel 21 and are mounted on a base 26.

As can be seen in Figure 10, pressing a key 20 in a direction F causes the movement of said key 20 by depression on a stroke of about 0.5 mm. This displacement causes also the actuation of the switch 14 associated with said key pressed 20, which can be verified for example by lighting a witness light 16, and the tilting of the base 26 about an axis XX ' substantially perpendicular to the driving direction F of the key 20 and passing through the key located in front of the pressed key 20. Both buttons next to the depressed key sinks in a race a few tenths of a millimeter, for example 0.25 mm, without this has no influence on the operation of the keyboard 10 and in particular without this does not cause the actuation of their associated contactors. The user does not feel like pressing all the keys at once. it also allows to balance the base.

In this embodiment, the keys are remote the each other from one to several centimeters.

However, it should be understood that these examples are given solely by way of illustration of the subject of the invention of which they in no way constitute a limitation.

Thus, it is possible to create a keyboard with n keys, by example in a circle in the form of a pavement, since each key can move individually.

It is also possible that the base is flexible, especially if the keys are widely spaced or very numerous.

Claims (12)

Keyboard (10) for a control panel, in particular for a motor vehicle dashboard, comprising a facade (30) provided with openings (32) through which a plurality of pushbuttons (20) positioned each facing each other are arranged. a contactor (14) integral with a card (12), characterized in that the keys (20) are interconnected at least in groups of two to form a unitary assembly (22) and are arranged one for each relative to each other on the keyboard (10) so that each key (20) is individually movable and its depressing movement causes only the actuation of the contactor (14) assigned to said key, without any effect on the contactors of the other keys. Keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the keys (20) are integral with a common base (25; 26) disposed under the facade (30) so that movement by pressing a certain key (20) to actuate its associated contactor (14) causes the switchover without jamming of the base (25; 26) around an axis XX 'substantially perpendicular to the direction of depression of said key and passing through at least one other key (20) of the key set (22). Keyboard according to any one of the claims in which the keys (20) and their base (25; 26) are molded of a piece by injection of plastic material. Keyboard according to any one of the claims preceding, in which the displacement stroke (d) of each key (20) is between about 0.25 and 1.5 mm, preferably 0.5 mm. Keyboard according to any one of the claims in which the base (25) and the keys (20) are made of rigid. Keyboard according to claim 5, wherein the keys (20) are laterally spaced apart from one millimeter to about one centimeter. Keyboard according to one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the base (26) is of flexible material. Keyboard according to any one of the claims in which the keys (20) are two in number. Keyboard according to any one of the claims in which the keys (20) are three in number and form a triangle, for example equilateral, and the axis of rotation XX 'of the base (25; 26) passes through at least one key located in front of the depressed key. Keyboard according to one of Claims 1 to 8, in which the keys (20) are four in number and form, for example a square, and the axis of rotation XX 'of the base (25; 26) goes through a key located in front of the pressed key. Button provided with a keyboard (10) according to any one of preceding claims whose keys are arranged around a central control wheel (21). Control panel of equipped motor vehicle a keyboard (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 10 or a button (1) according to claim 11.

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