Keypad manufacturing technique for vehicle control panel includes use of facade and base mould to enable formation of push-buttons by injection moulding

摘要

The facade forming part of the keypad is used as part of the mould for injection moulding of the buttons. The procedure enables the production a keyboard with buttons (3) and a facade (2) which has transverse holes (4) to receive the buttons. The buttons (3) slide within the holes (4). The facade(2) is made by moulding a first material, leaving spaces for the holes in which the buttons are to be received. After cooling this first material, the buttons are formed by a injection of a second material which is not compatible with the first, within a mould (18) which contains the facade. The facade is partially responsible for defining the space available for the injection of the second material to form the buttons. An anti-adherence mask may be inserted into the mould prior to the injection, to ensure that second material does not stick to the wrong surfaces.