Patent ID: 7271361

Claim:
An input key which is assigned a plurality of information items to be inputted according to a direction of a force exerted on the input key, the input key comprising: push detecting means for detecting a push on the input key; direction detecting means for detecting a strain occurring in the input key and thereby detecting a direction of a force exerted on the input key when the push detecting means detects a push on the input key; a first projecting portion to be pushed together with a key top; and a second projecting portion set on a support plate for supporting the input key, wherein one of the first and second projecting portions is of a convex shape, the other projecting portion is of a concave shape, and the two projecting portions are loosely engageable with each other when the input key is pushed, the projecting portion of the convex shape is formed of an elastically deformable member and a strain gage is attached to the projecting portion of the convex shape,and when the push detecting means detects a push on the input key, the direction detecting means detects a strain by means of the strain gage attached to the projecting portion of the convex shape, to detect a direction of a force exerted on the input key.