A push button-equipped touch panel includes a touch panel, a cover panel and a push button part. The cover panel is disposed on an operation surface side of the touch panel and has a through hole. The push button part is disposed in the through hole of the cover panel.

A keyswitch includes a base having a pillar, a cap having a rib and movable relative to the base, a sleeve rotatably sleeving the pillar and having first and second top surfaces and convex and concave portions, an elastic member abutting against the sleeve and the base, and a resilient arm abutting against a first or second position on the convex portion with rotation of the sleeve. When the resilient arm abuts against the first position, the rib abuts against the first top surface to prepress the elastic member for generating a first preload. When the cap is pressed for moving the sleeve downward, the resilient arm moves from the first or second position to the concave portion. When the resilient arm abuts against the second position, the rib abuts against the second top surface to prepress the elastic member for generating a second preload larger than the first preload.

A magnetic sensor device includes a switching region defined by a switching range and a variation range, the switching range being set in a stroke direction of a magnet generating a radial magnetic field and defined by a start position and an end position for switching of the state, and the variation range being set in a direction intersecting the stroke direction and being a range of variation in the position of the magnet, and a magnetic sensor including plural first divided elements that are formed by dividing a first circular magneto-resistive element and are consecutively rotated and rearranged around the switching region such that change in a magnetoresistance value due to the magnetic field of the magnet in the switching region increases from the start position to the end position.

A pushbutton switch according to one or more embodiments includes an attachment fixed to one surface of a support, an operable portion removably engaged with the attachment, and a detector attached to another surface of the support. The attachment has a loose-fitting hole to loosely receive the movable magnet with the operable portion being engaged with the attachment.

Aspects of the invention relate to a keyboard key structure, a light guide for the keyboard key structure, and a computer key mechanism. The keyboard key structure can include a substrate; a key switch where the bottom of the key switch is configured to be coupled to the substrate; a keycap including a transparent region; a light guide coupled to the side of the key switch, the light guide comprising: a planar bottom surface and a planar top surface that is wider than and parallel to the bottom surface; a light emitting element coupled to the substrate and configured under the bottom surface of the light guide such that the light emitting element, the light guide, and the transparent region of the key cap are in a collinear arrangement.

The present disclosure provides a keycap, including: a light-guiding microstructure layer made of a first material, the light-guiding microstructure layer including a base layer and a plurality of microstructures disposed on a lower surface of the base layer; and a light-transmitting layer disposed over the light-guiding microstructure layer and in contact with the base layer, the light-transmitting layer being made of a second material different from the first material. The present disclosure further provides a method of manufacturing the above-mentioned keycap and a key structure including the above-mentioned keycap.

The Jukebox Menu Module provides an improved means to view record or compact disc titles on jukeboxes that utilize a mechanical display system for seeing available music tracks. Thru a video display, the jukebox menu module displays compact disc or record content in the jukebox and allows the user to create, edit and view the content easily without the need to modify any of the wiring or functions of the jukebox itself. It simply replaces the existing original equipment, which is a mechanical module. Once the Jukebox Menu Module is installed, the jukebox menu buttons are used to change the video pages in a similar manner as the mechanical module flipped physical pages.

Disclosed are tactile keys and methods for their production and use. The tactile key may include a substrate; a conductive layer disposed on at least one region of the substrate; a porous layer disposed on at least a portion of the conductive layer; an insulating layer disposed on regions of the substrate that surround the conductive layer and the porous layer to form a well, the well having sidewalls defined by the insulating layer, and a bottom surface at least partially defined by the porous layer; an electroactive polymer composition disposed in the well; and a flexible layer having a conductive coating on at least a portion of a surface facing the electroactive polymer composition, the flexible layer covering the well and at least a portion of the insulating layer surrounding the well. When the tactile key is depressed, an electric field is activated causing the electroactive polymer composition to move towards the flexible layer to provide a tactile feedback.

Disclosed are tactile keys and methods for their production and use. The tactile key may include a substrate; a conductive layer disposed on at least one region of the substrate; a porous layer disposed on at least a portion of the conductive layer; an insulating layer disposed on regions of the substrate that surround the conductive layer and the porous layer to form a well, the well having sidewalls defined by the insulating layer, and a bottom surface at least partially defined by the porous layer; an electroactive polymer composition disposed in the well; and a flexible layer having a conductive coating on at least a portion of a surface facing the electroactive polymer composition, the flexible layer covering the well and at least a portion of the insulating layer surrounding the well. When the tactile key is depressed, an electric field is activated causing the electroactive polymer composition to move towards the flexible layer to provide a tactile feedback.

A pushbutton switch according to one or more embodiment may include a first attachment, an operable portion, and a detector. The first attachment has a loose-fitting hole to loosely receive a locking magnet. The detector includes a switcher that selectively places an attraction magnet or a repulsion magnet at a position facing the locking magnet.