Membrane switch assembly

Abstract: A membrane switch assembly comprises a support member (13) on which are provided a pair of membranes (10, 12) carrying aligned contacts (101, 121), the membranes (10, 12) being spaced apart by a separation membrane (11) having an aperture (111) in alignment with the aligned contacts. An actuator (200) is provided for selectively engaging the membrane (10) to cause the aligned contacts (101, 121) to contact one another through the aperture (111). At least one of the support member (13) and the membranes (10-12) has a number of deformations (115) for absorbing the impact of the actuator on the membrane (10) so as to reduce the noise generated thereby.

Description: The invention relates to a membrane switch assembly of the kind comprising a support member on which are provided a pair of membranes carrying aligned contacts, the membranes being spaced apart by a separation membrane having an aperture in alignment with the aligned contacts, and an actuator for selectively engaging one of the contact carrying membranes to cause the aligned contacts to contact one another through the aperture in the separation membrane. Such an assembly is hereinafter referred to as of the kind described. In conventional membrane switch assemblies of the kind described, when the actuator strikes the one membrane, a significant portion of the collision force is transformed into noise. This is generally undesirable and one proposal for reducing this problem has been to incorporate an extra layer of flexible material (for example cloth, rubber, plastic etc) between the membranes and the support member so as to absorb some of the force. Unfortunately, this increases the overall cost of the switch assembly. In US-A-4485279 a multilayer switch is provided with vent holes connected via a slit in an interposed layer to allow air flow without letting in dirt or dust. EP-A-0163149 describes a multilayer switch assembly, according to the pre-characterising part of claim 1, arranged to permit adhesive flow when joining layers without blocking air exhaust holes. In accordance with the present invention, we provide a membrane switch assembly comprising the combination of features according to claim 1. We have found that by including a number of holes in one or more of the membrane and the support member a much improved membrane switch assembly is achieved which is substantially quieter than conventional assemblies and thus both more pleasing to the user and people in the vicinity of the switch who otherwise would be disturbed by the noise. Further advantages are that no auxilliary material costs are incurred and that there is no significant increase in production expense. In one preferred example, the holes are provided in the support member and in a further preferred example, holes are provided in at least two of the layers, for example the support member and one of the membranes. In this case, the holes may be provided in alignment with one another or offset from one another. Some examples of membrane switch assemblies embodying the present invention will now be described and contrasted with a known switch assembly with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1A is an exploded view of the three membrane layers of a conventional membrane switch assembly; Figure 1B is a cross-section through the layers of Figure 1A when assembled and mounted on a support member; Figure 2A shows a conventional membrane switch assembly including an actuator in the unactuated position; Figure 2B is similar to Figure 2A but showing the actuator when actuated; Figures 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 4A and 4B are views similar to Figure 2A but showing six different examples of the invention; Figure 5A is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing a seventh example of the invention; and, Figure 5B is a view similar to Figure 5A but showing the actuator in its actuated position. Figure 2A shows a cross-section through a conventional membrane switch assembly in which the membranes have been shown in considerably enlarged section for clarity. The assembly comprises two contact carrying membranes 10, 12 spaced apart by a separation membrane 11. These three membranes 10-12 are mounted on a supporting layer or member 13. This group of elements is shown in Figure 18 without the associated actuator. Figure 1A illustrates 10-12 more accurately in terms of their thickness and configurations where it will be seen that the membranes 10-12 are flexible and similar to that of photographic film. As shown in Figure 1A, the top layer 10 carries on its underside a series of silver contacts 101 and silver circuit lines 102. The separation membrane 11 contains a series of apertures 111 aligned with respective contacts 101 in the upper layer 10 while the lower membrane 12 carries on its upper surface a set of silver contacts 121 and connecting silver circuit lines 122 with the contacts 121 aligned with respective apertures 111 in the separation membrane 11. Each aperture 111 in the separation membrane 11 has associated with it an actuator 200 (Figure 2A). The actuator 200 comprises a housing 20 within which is sideably mounted an operating block 22 carrying button 21 which protrudes through an aperture 23 in the housing 20. The operating block 22 is urged by means not shown into its unactuated position shown in Figure 2A in which a triggering element 215 in alignment with a respective pair of contacts 101, 121 is spaced from the upper membrane 10. The triggering element 215 is mounted to the underside of the operating block 22 by a compression spring 210. When the actuator 200 is actuated, the button 21 is depressed causing the triggering element 215 to engage the upper membrane 10 so that the associated contact 101 is pressed through the aperture 111 into contact with the contact 121 on the lower membrane 12. When the contacts 101, 121 are touched together (as shown in Figure 2B) they complete the closed (ON) circuit and a computer connected to the keyboard of which the membrane switch assembly forms a part receives a signal. When the key 21 is released, the silver contacts 101, 121 return to their original (OFF) state. It will be noted that when the button 21 is depressed, the lower surface 211 of the operating block 22 will engage the upper membrane 10 (as shown in Figure 2B). This engagement causes significant noise which is the main drawback of conventional membrane switch assemblies. Figure 3 illustrates a first example of the invention in which this noise problem is overcome. In this example, holes 115 are formed in the separation membrane 11. The provision of these holes 115 has the effect of absorbing much of the noise which would otherwise be generated when the lower surface 211 of the operating block 22 strikes the upper membrane 10 during actuation of the actuator. Because the holes 115 act as buffer gaps, the force of the collision is absorbed. In the Figure 3 example and indeed the other examples to be described, the holes 115 are shown in alignment with the lower surface 211 of the operating block 22. Figure 3A illustrates a second example in which holes 125 are provided in the lower membrane 12. These holes have a similar effect to the holes 115 of Figure 3. Figure 3B illustrates a third example in which holes 115 are provided in the separation membrane 11 and further holes 125 in the lower membrane 12 in alignment with the holes 115. Figure 4 illustrates a particularly preferred example in which holes 135 are provided in the support member 13. This has a particular advantage since these holes can be formed in an already existing membrane switch assembly of conventional form. A fifth example is shown in Figure 4A which is a modification of the Figure 4 example in which holes 125 are provided in the lower membrane 12 in alignment with holes 135 in the support member 13. Figure 4B illustrates a still further modification in which holes 115 are provided in the separation membrane 11 in alignment with holes 125 in the lower membrane 12 and holes 135 in the support member 13. Figure 5A illustrates a further example in which the form of the operating block 22 is modified to incorporate a number of projections 220 on the lower surface 211 of the operating block 22. The projections 220 are provided in alignment with holes 135 in the support member 13 and serve to channel the application of force on to the membrane structure more accurately into alignment with the holes 135. Figure 5B illustrates the Figure 5A example in the actuated position.

Claims: A membrane switch assembly comprising a support member (13) on which are provided upper (10) and lower (12) membranes carrying aligned contacts (101,102), the membranes being spaced apart by a separation membrane (11) having an aperture (111) in alignment with the aligned contacts, and an actuator (200) for selectively engaging one of the contacts to contact one another through the aperture in the separation membrane, the actuator having a triggering element (215) and an operating block (22) surrounding the triggering element (215) which has a lower surface (211) striking on the upper contact carrying membrane (10), at a part thereof wich is not above the aperture (111) characterized in that at least one of the support member (13), separation membrane (11) and lower contact carrying membrane (12) has a plurality of holes (135) located under the lower surface (211) of the operating block (22) for absorbing impact noise generated by the impact of the actuator (200) on the upper contact carrying membrane (10). An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the holes are provided in at least two of the support member (13) and membranes (11,12). An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the holes in different layers (11-13) are aligned with one another. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the operating block (22) includes a number of projections (220) which engage the one membrane (10) on actuation of the actuator (200).

Inventors: LEE KEH-HOUNG, LEE, KEH-HOUNG
Applicants: ACER INC, ACER INCORPORATED
Application year: 1990
Main classification: H01H13
IPC codes: H01H13