Abstract:
A method manufactures a keyboard with injecting keys and an inmold metal sheet. The bottoms of grooves of the keys are combined with an elastic material layer to form a keyboard. The metal layer is disposed at a surface of said keyboard.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a keyboard, and more particularly to a keyboard with metal keys and the manufacturing thereof. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   A conventional manufacturing method of a keyboard generally is to print necessary color digits and symbols on a polycarbonate (PC) film first, and then cause the PC film to be formed to provide with a several projection portions by means of a vacuum drawing mold so as to be used as keys. Next, inner parts of the projection portions are filled with a PC material in the mold and the PC film is then cut to form an external form of a keyboard by stamping. Furthermore, the PC material is caused to combine with a rubber layer through an ultraviolet (UV) resin to form the keyboard. 
   Taiwan patent application No. 096,110,141 applied by the applicant of the present invention discloses a method for combining inmold decoration technology with a manufacturing of a keyboard with keys having a higher height and smaller interval and a keyboard made thereby, allowing a plastic film with a plurality of projections manufactured by inmold decoration and injection technologies to be cut into a plurality of projection particles and bottoms of the projection particles are combined with an elastic material layer to form a keyboard. The interval between each two projection particles of the keyboard is smaller than the one between each two projections of the plastic film so as to be convenient to manufacture a keyboard with keyboards having a height satisfying consumers by means of inmold decoration and injection technologies. 
   Vacuum electroplating or sputtering the plastic keys is needed if the plastic keys are caused to have a metal color. For example, Taiwan Patent No. I257,564 discloses a metal keyboard and the manufacturing thereof, a thermoplastic resin is utilized to form a key by an injection molding process and a conductive layer is then formed on one surface of the key. Next, a function sign is marked on the conductive layer and a metal layer, which is formed by an electrolytic plating process, sputtering process, chemical vapor deposition process or electroless plating process, is formed on the conductive layer besides the function sign. 
   The manufacturing method for forming the metal layer on a plastic key by the manufacturing process such as electroplating or sputtering mentioned above is rather time consuming. Besides, the quality of the plastic key with the metal color made by the process such as electroplating still is worse than a metal key made from a metal sheet. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   For elevating the quality of a keyboard with metal-layered keys, the present invention is proposed. 
   The main object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a keyboard by injecting keys with an inmold metal sheet and a keyboard made thereby, forming an outer layer of each key directly with a metal sheet to enable the keyboard with the metal keys to have more quality. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a keyboard by injecting keys with an inmold metal sheet and a keyboard made thereby, capable of manufacturing the keyboard with a real metal covered on keys so as to elevate the value of the keyboard with the metal keys. 
   A method for manufacturing a keyboard by injecting keys with an inmold metal sheet according to the present invention comprises the following steps: 
   (1) using drawing technology to cause a metal sheet to form a plurality projection portions; 
   (2) placing the metal sheet with the projection portions in an injection mold and then allowing a plastic material to be injected out via a injection tunnel of the injection mold to fill an inner part of each projection portion; 
   (3) causing the metal sheet with the inner parts of the projection portions combined with the plastic material to be cut into a plurality of separated keys by a stamping jig; and 
   (4) placing the keys respectively into a plurality of groove of a combination jig and allowing the bottoms of the keys to be combined with an elastic material layer to form a keyboard with the metal sheet covered on the surfaces of the needed keys. 
   The method can further comprises a step of cutting the elastic material layer to form the keyboard after allowing the bottoms of the keys to be combined with an elastic material layer in Step (4). 
   Step (4) can further comprise pressing to attach the elastic material layer after allowing the bottoms of the keys to be spread with a ultraviolet resin, illuminating with a ultraviolet lamp to cause the ultraviolet resin to be cured to enable the elastic material layer to be combined with the keys or using an adhesive to cause the elastic material layer to be stuck onto the keys. 
   Step (2) can further comprise allowing the bottom of the plastic material filled in the inner part of each projection portion to be formed with a groove; the elastic material layer has raised parts corresponding to the grooves in Step (4); the raised parts are engaged with the grooves. 
   A keyboard according to the present invention is manufactured by the method for manufacturing a keyboard by injecting keys with an inmold metal sheet mentioned above, it comprises an elastic material layer and a plurality of keys combined therewith, a metal sheet is covered on surfaces of the keys, an inner part of each key is filled with a plastic material. The metal sheet can be a material such as aluminum, stainless steel, gold or silver; the plastic can be polyester, the elastic material layer can be a rubber layer. The elastic material layer and the keys can be combined with each other by means of an ultraviolet resin or adhesive. 
   The elastic layer and the keys respectively have raised parts and grooves and the raised parts are respectively engaged with the grooves. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention can be more fully understood by reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view, showing a metal sheet with a plurality of projections according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic view, showing a metal sheet positioned in an injection mold according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic view, showing that a PC material is filled inside projection portions of a metal sheet according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic view, showing that internal parts of projection portions combined with a metal sheet of a PC material are placed in a stamping jig according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic view, showing that a plurality of separated keys are placed in a stamping jig according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic view, showing that a plurality of separated keys are combined with a rubber layer in a combination jig according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic view, showing a keyboard with each key covered with a metal sheet according to the present invention; and 
       FIG. 8  is a flow chart of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Please refer to  FIGS. 1 to 8 . A method for manufacturing a keyboard by injecting keys with an inmold metal sheet is to allow the metal sheet to be formed as an outer layer of keys to enable the keyboard with the metal keys to have a better quality. A method of a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises the following steps: 
   Step a: using drawing technology to allow a metal sheet  10  to be formed with a plurality of projection portions  11  as  FIG. 1  shows; the metal sheet  10  is printed with needed color digits and signs before it is drawn. 
   Step b: placing the metal sheet  10  with projections  11  in an injection mold  20  as  FIG. 2  shows, then causing a PC material  30  to be injected out via a injection tunnel  21  of the mold  20  to fill an inner part of the projection portions  11  of the metal sheet  10  and allow a place at a bottom of the PC material  30  corresponding to each projection portion  11  to be formed with a groove  31  as  FIGS. 3 and 4  show. 
   Step c: placing the metal sheet  10  with the inner part of the projection portions  11  thereof combined with the PC material  30  into a stamping jig  40  as  FIG. 4  shows to cut it into a plurality of separated keys  50  as  FIG. 5  shows. 
   Step d: placing the keys  50  respectively into a plurality of grooves  61  of the combination jig  60 , then spreading ultraviolet resin  70  on a bottom of each key  50 , pressing to attach an elastic material layer such as a rubber layer  80  thereon and finally illuminate the UV resin  70  with an UV lamp to cause it to be cured so as to allow the rubber layer  80  to be fixedly combined with the keys  50  as  FIG. 6  shows. Here, the rubber layer  80  has raised parts  81  respectively engaged with the grooves  31  of the keys  50  as  FIGS. 5 and 6  shows. 
   Step e: cutting the rubber layer  80  to form a keyboard  90  with the metal sheet  10  on the surfaces of the needed keys  50  as  FIG. 7  shows. But, the work for cutting the rubber layer  80  is not necessary if the dimension of the rubber layer  80  is fit in with the requirement, i.e. the elastic material layer pressed in Step d can be a cut dimension-matched rubber layer so that Step e is not needed. 
   The keyboard  90  with the metal sheet  10  formed on the surfaces of the keys  50  cab be manufactured by means of the steps mentioned above; this can allow the keyboard  90  to have better quality. 
   The metal sheet  20  according to the present invention can be made from a metal material such as aluminum, stainless steel, gold or silver. The PC material  30  can be polyester or other rubber material. 
   The keys  50  can be allowed to stably combine with the rubber layer  80  by means of not only the UV resin  70  but also an adhesive or an engagement of grooves  31  and the projection portions  81  according to the present invention. 
   A drawing-formed metal sheet matching up with injection technology can allow a keyboard with a metal sheet on surfaces of keys to be manufactured according to the present invention. This not only enables the keyboard to have better quality but also can elevate the value of the keyboard with the metal keys. 
   Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.