Key tappet for a key module of a key for a keyboard, key module of a key for a keyboard and method for producing it

Abstract

The invention proposes a key tappet for a key module of a key for a keyboard. The key tappet comprises a coupling section for coupling a key button and a guiding section for guiding the key tappet in a receiving section of the key module upon actuation of the key tappet. The guiding section has at least one sliding section to slide in the receiving section of the key module during the actuation of the key tappet. Demolding fins caused by demolding of the key tappet are arranged outside the at least one sliding section.

Claims

1. A key tappet for a key module of a key for a keyboard comprising: a base plane; a coupling section for coupling a button of the key, the coupling section extending from the base plane; a guiding section for guiding the key tappet in a receiving section of the key module upon actuation of the key tappet, the guiding section comprising at least one sliding section for sliding the key module in the receiving section upon actuation of the key tappet, the receiving section comprising a plurality of guide elements formed as protrusions, the guiding section having at least one rounded edge arranged in a region of the at least one sliding section, and wherein the at least one sliding section is arranged adjacent to at least one of the plurality of a guide elements; and demolding fins of the key tappet caused by demolding of the key tappet arranged outside the at least one sliding section, wherein the at least one sliding section extends along an axis of actuation of the key tappet over at least two thirds of a dimension of the guiding section along the actuation axis.

2. The key tappet of claim 1, wherein the guiding section is surface-treated in the at least one sliding section to minimize surface roughness.

3. The key tappet of claim 1, wherein the guiding section is formed of a friction-minimizing plastic material or of a plastic material with a friction-minimizing additive.

4. A key module of a key for a keyboard comprising: a module housing comprising a receiving section for receiving a key tappet; and the key tappet comprising a coupling section for coupling a button of the key, a guiding section for guiding the key tappet in a receiving section of the key module upon actuation of the key tappet, the guiding section comprising at least one sliding section for sliding the key module in the receiving section upon actuation of the key tappet, and demolding fins arranged outside the at least one sliding section; wherein the at least one sliding section extends along an axis of actuation of the key tappet over at least two thirds of a dimension of the guiding section along the actuation axis and wherein the guiding section has at least one rounded edge arranged in a region of the at least one sliding section.

5. The key module of claim 4, wherein a dimension of the at least one sliding section of the key tappet and a dimension of the receiving section are coordinated along the actuation axis so that upon actuation of the key tappet between a rest position and an actuating position with respect to the module housing, the at least one sliding section of the key tappet is largely arranged within the receiving section of the module housing.

6. The key tappet of claim 1, wherein the guiding section is surface-treated in the at least one sliding section to minimize surface roughness.

7. The key tappet of claim 1, wherein the guiding section is formed of a friction-minimizing plastic material or of a plastic material with a friction-minimizing additive.

8. The key tappet of claim 2, wherein the guiding section is formed of a friction-minimizing plastic material or of a plastic material with a friction-minimizing additive.

9. The key module of claim 4, wherein the guiding section is surface-treated in the at least one sliding section to minimize surface roughness.

10. The key module of claim 4, wherein the guiding section is formed of a friction-minimizing plastic material or of a plastic material with a friction-minimizing additive.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is explained in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings show:

(2) FIG. 1: A key module

(3) FIGS. 2A and 2B: A key tappet according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(4) FIGS. 3A and 3B: A key module according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

(5) FIG. 4: A flow chart of a method according to an embodiment example of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(6) In the following description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals are used for the similarly acting elements shown in the various figures, and a repeated description of these elements is omitted.

(7) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a key module 100. The key module 100 includes a module housing 105 having a module connector 110, a module cover 120, a receiving section 130 and a key tappet 140 with a coupling section 150 and a guiding section 160. The key module 100 is, for example, part of a key for a keyboard. The key module 100 is, for example, the key module shown and described in FIGS. 3A and 3B or a similar key module. The key tappet 140 is, for example, the tappet key shown and described in FIGS. 2A and 2B or a similar key tappet.

(8) The module base 110 and the module cover 120 are coupled together. Here, the base module 110 and the module cover 120 form the module housing 105 of the key module 100. The receiving section 130 of the key module 100 is formed as a shaft extending from the module cover 120 through at least one section of the module housing 105 of the key module 100.

(9) The key tappet 140 is partially received in the receiving section 130. Here, the coupling section 150 of the key tappet 140 is at least partially arranged outside the module housing 105 of the key module 100. The coupling section 150 is formed to allow a coupling of a key button. The guiding section 160 of the key tappet 140 is in this case at least partially received in the receiving section 130 of the key module 100.

(10) Upon actuation, the key tappet 140 is movable relative to the module housing 105 of the key module 100 formed by the module base 110 and the module cover 120. Although it is not explicitly recognizable in FIG. 1, an actuation axis of the key tappet 140, along which the key tappet 140 can be moved upon actuation, extends along a longitudinal axis of extension of the receiving section 130 of the key module 100.

(11) FIG. 2A shows a perspective view of a key tappet 140 according to an embodiment of the present invention for a key module of a key of a keyboard. The key tappet 140 has a coupling section 150, a guiding section 160 and a plurality of sliding sections 262 and sliding surfaces or guiding surfaces, of which four sliding sections 262 are shown in FIG. 2A merely as an example. The key tappet 140 is, for example, the key tappet of the key module in FIG. 1.

(12) The key tappet 140 has a rectangular base area or base plane, from which the coupling section 150 extends in a first direction and the guiding section 160 extends in the second direction opposite to the first direction. The coupling section 150 has a cross-shaped horizontal section and is extruded from the base plane in the first direction. The guiding section 160 has a trough-shaped outer section extruded in the second direction and consisting of four side walls, and an inner section extruded cylindrically in the second direction, at least partially surrounded by the outer section. The inner section is concealed in the representation of FIG. 2A by the outer section, but is recognizable in the illustration of FIG. 2B.

(13) The sliding sections 262 are arranged on the outer section of the guiding section 160. According to the embodiment of the present invention represented in FIG. 2A, the sliding sections 262 are formed as polished guiding surfaces. The sliding sections 262 are so formed as to enable upon actuation of the key tappet 140 a sliding friction-minimized relative movement between the key tappet and a key module. The guiding section 160 has a first end section, which is facing the coupling section and is adjacent with respect to the base surface. The guiding section 160 has also a second end section facing away from the coupling section 150 and the base surface. The sliding sections 262 extend from the first end section of the guiding section 160 on an outer side of the key tappet 140 to the second end section of the guiding section 160. For example, the sliding sections 262 extend in this case over at least two thirds of a dimension of the guiding section 160 between the first end section and the second end section.

(14) FIG. 2B shows another perspective view of the key tappet 140 of FIG. 2A. In this case, from the key tappet 140 are shown the coupling section 150, the guiding section 160, the cylindrically extruded inner section of the guiding section 160, at least partially surrounded by the outer section of the inner section of the guiding section 160 in the form of a pin 264, and rounded edges 266.

(15) The pin 264 represents, for example, a further sliding section of the guiding section 160. The rounded edges 266 are arranged on the outer section of the guiding section 160 in the area of the sliding sections, in particular at least in the second end section of the guiding section 160. Further, the pin 264 comprises in the second end section of the guiding section 160 a rounded edge 266.

(16) As can be seen in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the key tappet 140 or its guiding section 160 has no demolding fins in the area of the sliding sections 262.

(17) FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of a key module 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention in an oblique plan. The key module 100 is, for example, part of a key for a keyboard. From the key module 100 are shown in the diagram of FIG. 3A a module housing 105 with a module cover 120, as well as receiving section 130 and guiding elements 332 and a key tappet 140 with a coupling section 150 and a guiding section 160. The module housing 105 is the module housing 105 of FIG. 1 or a similar module housing. The key tappet 140 is the key tappet of FIG. 2A or FIG. 2B.

(18) The receiving section 130 of the key module 100 is formed as a shaft extending from the module cover 120 through at least one section of the module housing 105 of the key module 100. The module cover 120 of the module housing 105 is, for example, coupled to a module base, even though this is not shown in FIG. 3A due to the type of illustration.

(19) The key tappet 140 is partially received in the receiving section 130. Here, the coupling section 150 of the key tappet 140 is arranged at least partially outside the module housing 105 of the key module 100. The coupling section 150 is formed so as to allow a coupling of a key button. The guiding section 160 of the key tappet 140 is in this case at least partially received in the receiving section 130 of the key modules 100.

(20) Upon actuation, the key tappet 140 is movable relative to the module housing 105 of the key module 100. Although it is not explicitly visible in FIG. 3A, an actuation axis of the key tappet 140, along which the key tappet 140 is movable upon actuation, extends along a longitudinal axis of extension of the receiving section 130 of the key module 100.

(21) According to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3A, a plurality (four in this case merely as an example) of the guiding elements 332 is arranged in the receiving section 130. The guiding elements 332 are formed as protrusions. In the key tappet 140 arranged in the receiving section 130, the guiding elements 332 in the receiving section 130 of the key tappet 140 are arranged, by way of example, in the area of the sliding sections of the outer section of the guiding section 160 of the key tappet 140. The sliding sections of the guiding section 160 of the key tappet 140 are in this case arranged adjacent to the guiding elements 332.

(22) FIG. 3B shows a perspective view of the key module 100 of FIG. 3A in a view with the module bases removed. From the key module 100 are shown in FIG. 3B the module cover 120 of the module housing 120, the receiving section 130 and the sliding sections 262 as well as the pin 264 of the key tappet. The sliding sections 262 extend here from the first end section of the guiding section of the key tappet, for example, to the second end section of the guiding section of the key tappet.

(23) FIG. 4 shows a flow diagram of a method 400 for manufacturing a key module of a key for a keyboard according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method 400 comprises a step 410 of providing a key tappet and a module housing having a receiving section for receiving the key tappet. The key tappet is a key tappet like one of the key tappets shown in FIGS. 2A to 3B. The method 400 also includes a step 420 of disposing the guiding section of the key tappet in the receiving section of the module housing so that upon actuation of the key tappet, the at least one sliding section of the guiding section of the key tappet slides in the receiving section of the module housing. The implementation of the method 400 allows to advantageously manufacture a key module like one of the key modules from one of FIGS. 3A and 3B.

(24) According to an embodiment, the key tappet is surface-treated in at least one sliding section of the guiding section in order to minimize surface roughness. According to an embodiment, in step 410 of providing, at least the guiding section of the key tappet is formed of a friction-minimizing plastic material or of a plastic material with a friction-minimizing additive.

(25) The embodiments described and shown in the figures are chosen only by way of example. Different embodiments may be combined in whole or in terms of individual features. An embodiment can also be supplemented by features of another embodiment. Steps of the described methods can be performed repeatedly.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(26) 100 Key module

(27) 105 Module housing

(28) 110 Module base

(29) 120 Module cover

(30) 130 Receiving section

(31) 140 Key tappet

(32) 150 Coupling section

(33) 160 Guiding section

(34) 262 Sliding section or guiding surface or sliding surface

(35) 264 Pin

(36) 266 Rounded edge

(37) 332 Guiding element

(38) 400 Method for manufacturing

(39) 410 Step of providing

(40) 420 Step of arranging