1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a key array structure, and more particularly to a key array in which an elastic member is disposed between each two keys to adjust the deformation yielded from manufacturing process such as hot baking to allow a positioning hole on each key member to be able to be accurately coupled with a positioning pin on a relative member.
2. Description of Related Art
Function keys used on electronic machines such as a video recorder/player, CD player and DVD recorder/player are always designed to be a function key array structure for being matched up with the model and the outlook of such facilities. These keys are assembled one by one in the earlier time. But, a key structure capable of integrating keys into one body and assembling by one set is currently developed to attain to the assembly of all keys in one time accompanying the progress of plastic molding technology and the consideration of convenience and labor cost in manufacturing so as to save the labor cost and the assembly time and further to lower the production costs of such kinds of facilities.
A position hole, as FIG. 1 shows, is disposed between each two adjacent keys in a conventional key array structure for precise positioning while assembling. However, only an precise positioning hole shown as an element 11 in FIG. 1 is disposed in an key array structure for a general positioning design thereof, and this precise positioning hole is usually in the middle of the key array and the rest of positioning holes are long holes shown as an element number 12 in FIG. 1; the long hole positioning is only an auxiliary but not accurate positioning. The key array structures are mostly made from a manufacturing process such as plastic injection forming. The deviation of the positioning hole is possibly caused from a manufacturing error when the key array is manufactured or a paint such as pigment or a metal layer needed to coat or plate on the key array for increasing artistic quality or product value and a baking process needs to be practiced thereon at this time. The heat participated in the baking process could cause the key array to be deformed a little to induce the deviation of the positioning hole. The tolerance becomes larger when the position hole is farer away from the central accurate positioning hole. The accumulations of the error on the manufacturing of the key array mentioned above and the tolerance mentioned above causes the deviation of the key so that a uneven gap could formed between it and the positioning hole.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds