Key for a keyboard.

摘要

A plunger (26) is slidable in a jacket (14), preferably electrically insulating. A flange (16) is disposed on the jacket at one surface of the bezel (12). The flange receives a lip portion at one end of a boot (20) preferably made from a pliant material such as a silicone rubber. The boot and a thumbpiece (34) abut a flange on the plunger. A spring (30) may be constrained between the jacket and the flange on the plunger to bias the plunger and the boot to an unconstrained relationship of the boot. A retainer (36) such as a ring is disposed in a groove (38) in the plunger adjacent the opposite surface of the bezel from the jacket flange. The retainer cooperates with the bezel to press the jacket flange and the boot lip tightly against the bezel. This causes a seal to be produced to prevent water and humidity from passing through the bezel. An electrical contact (46) is attached to the plunger at the opposite end of the plunger from the thumbpiece. The electrical contact may be shock mounted to the plunger as by a rubber mount. The electrical contact cooperates with a contact (48) fixedly mounted in the bezel to define a switch. The plunger and the thumbpiece may be translucent. A lamp may be illuminated when the switch is closed, thereby illuminating the plunger and the thumbpiece. Under such circumstances, the contact on the plunger may bridge a pair of spaced contacts in the bezel to establish electrical continuity to the lamp. The lamp may also be illuminated independently of any operation of the key.