JP2001167651A - Electronic information instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase the range for the position and direction of pressing a button in an electronic information instrument. SOLUTION: It combines an end of flexible switch 7 with a circuit block 3 to contact them and extends out the flexible switch from a module 31. Furthermore, it arranges the extended out flexible switch 7 along a guide plate 9 and a guide part 19 which are mounted on a watchcase 8. It elastically transforms a contact 22 in the shape of dome to electrically have a short by applying pressure to a button 11 and releases the short by interrupting the pressurization of the button. By making the contact 22 in the shape of dome. It widely takes the pressurization position or direction of the button 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic information device having a switch structure in which a flexible switch is used to allow a wide range of button positions of a device case and a pressing direction of the button.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 8 is an exploded view showing a module of a conventional electronic timepiece. This module is roughly divided into six parts, a liquid crystal panel 101, a frame A102,
Circuit block 103, switch spring 104, frame body B10
5 and a battery 106. Frame A102
Holds the liquid crystal panel 101 by a means such as bonding, and the frame body B105 also holds the battery 106 by the same means as described above.
I support.

A circuit block 103 is located between the frame A102 and the frame B105, and a switch spring 104 constituting a switch (not shown) is provided at an edge thereof. The frame A102, the circuit block 103, the switch spring 104, and the frame B1
05 is fixed and integrated by a positioning pin 107 protruding from the edge of the frame A102.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view showing the configuration of the circuit block 103 and the switch spring 104. At the edge of the circuit block 103, a pattern 2 having an active potential
02, and a switch pattern 201 that senses on / off of a switch when a current due to the active potential is supplied or interrupted. The switch spring 104 is connected to the circuit block 103 by a positioning pin 107.

The contact point 204 located at the end of the switch spring 104 is normally connected to the switch pattern 201.
From the watch case, button case 2
When the button shaft 203 is released from the above-mentioned pressing, it returns to the original separated state. Thereby, the switch spring 104
Can be turned on / off by the switch.

[0006]

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional electronic timepiece, there is a problem that the position and the direction of the button shaft 203 pressing the switch spring 104 are limited with respect to the timepiece case. . When the pressing direction and the position of the button shaft 203 are limited in this way, accurate button operation cannot be performed, for example, when using a watch case having a button shaft whose pressing direction is greatly different. Further, if the shape of the switch spring 104 is changed with respect to such a button shaft, a new design is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above, and has as its object to provide an electronic information device capable of adopting a wide range of button positions and pressing directions of the buttons of the electronic information device.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an electronic information device according to the present invention comprises a switch electrically connected to a module of the electronic information device and having an elastic dome-shaped contact; A button for short-circuiting the contact by pressing and resiliently deforming the contact, and a button support provided on the device case and movably supporting the button so that at least a pressing portion of the button hits the contact. Things.

The dome-shaped contact is pressed by a button movably supported by the button support, and is elastically deformed to short-circuit the contact. Since the contact of the switch has a dome shape, it can be pressed from any direction of the spherical surface. Therefore, it is sufficient that the button support portion of the device case is supported so that at least the pressing portion of the button contacts the contact. As a result, the button position and direction of the device case can be freely set.

Further, an electronic information device according to the present invention includes a flexible switch electrically connected to a module of the electronic information device and having an elastic dome-shaped contact on a flexible thin band-like body. A guide body that guides and supports the shape, a button that shorts the contact by pressing and elastically deforming the dome-shaped contact, and a device provided on the device case side so that at least the pressed portion of the button hits the contact. A button support portion for movably supporting the button.

Due to the flexibility of the flexible switch, the flexible switch is supported in a predetermined shape while being guided by the guide body. The dome-shaped contact of the flexible switch is pressed by a movably supported button while being supported by the guide body, and is short-circuited by being elastically deformed. This short circuit
The power is transmitted to the module of the electronic information device through the strip portion of the flexible switch. Due to the thinness and flexibility of the flexible switch, the switch structure can be freely arranged even when the size or shape of the watch module is different or the space of the device case is narrow.

Further, since the contact of the flexible switch has a dome shape, it can be pressed from any direction of the spherical surface. Therefore, the button supporting portion of the equipment case is supported so that at least the pressing portion of the button contacts the contact. Is enough. As a result, the button position and direction of the device case can be set more freely.

In the electronic information device according to the present invention, in the electronic information device, furthermore, the elastic dome-shaped contacts are provided over the entire length of the flexible switch, so that the button positions of different device cases can be accommodated. Then, the flexible switch can be used for various device cases. Then, a contact at a position corresponding to the button of the device case may be selected and used.
As a result, the button position and direction of the device case can be set more freely.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an electronic information device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition,
The present invention is not limited by the embodiment.

FIG. 1 is an assembly diagram showing a configuration of an electronic timepiece according to an embodiment of the present invention. A battery 1 and a battery frame 2 holding the battery 1 are arranged on the back cover side of the electronic timepiece. On the other hand, a circuit receiver 4 that supports a liquid crystal display panel (not shown) is disposed on the display unit side. A circuit block 3 of the electronic timepiece is arranged between the battery frame 2 and the circuit receiving seat 4, and they are configured to be integrated by a holding plate 5 and a set screw 6.

The flexible switch 7 has its end connected to the circuit block 3. Further, the watch case 8 is provided with a guide plate 9 and a guide portion 10 serving as a guide body of the flexible switch 7. At the time of the integration, the flexible switch 7 is sandwiched between the guide plate 9 and the guide portion 10 to be restrained.

Further, a button 11 for pressing a contact point of the flexible switch 7 is incorporated in a side surface of the watch case 8 and is movably supported. The guide unit 10
The purpose of this is to make it easy to incorporate the flexible switch 7 and to securely fix the flexible switch 7 to the battery frame 2. Even without providing this, the function of the flexible switch 7 is not affected.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the flexible switch shown in FIG. The flexible switch 7 includes a thin band-shaped body 21, a dome-shaped contact 22 provided on the thin band-shaped body 21, and a joint 23 with the circuit block 3. A plurality of notches 24 are provided in the thin strip 21.
Are provided on the display unit side so that the thin band-shaped body 21 does not shift in the longitudinal direction when assembled. The notch 24 may be provided on the watch case 8 side or on the back cover (not shown).

The thin-walled dome-shaped contact 22 is
A hemispherical dome-shaped projection is formed in the outer peripheral direction (button side), and a conductive film is formed on the inner surface of the dome. The dome-shaped contact 22 is pressed by the end of the button 11 and deformed to short-circuit with the pattern on the circuit block, and when released from the pressing, the deformed state returns to the original state and is interrupted. . Thus, the switch can be turned on / off. The ON / OFF state of each contact 22 is transmitted to the circuit block 3 via a printed wiring provided between each contact 22 and the joint 23.
The dome shape of the contact 22 does not necessarily have to be a complete hemispherical shape, but has a large surface area, and has such a shape that the sense is transmitted to the pressing person when the shape collapses and when the shape returns. Anything is acceptable.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the module and the flexible switch. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the contacts and buttons of the flexible switch. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a state where the module and the flexible switch are incorporated in an electronic timepiece. The flexible switch 7 coupled to the circuit block 3 in the module 31 is arranged along the guide plate 9 with the dome-shaped contact 22 facing the outside of the watch case 8.

The watch case 8 is provided with a button 11 for pressing the contact 22, opposite the contact 22. In the figure, the button 11 is arranged directly in front of the contact point 22. However, the biggest feature of the contact point 22 is that the position and direction in which the contact point 22 is pressed can be widened. However, the contact 22 may be arranged at a position and a direction that press the contact 22 obliquely.

FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view of the electronic timepiece shown in FIG. As shown in FIG.
Has flexibility that can follow the guide plate 9. In the figure, the guide portion 10 is for reliably pressing the thin strip 21 against the guide plate 9 and is provided intermittently so as to avoid the contact point 22.

The guide plate 9 and the guide portion 10 are
It may be provided integrally with the watch case 8, or may be provided on the back cover of the watch. The contact 22 of the flexible switch 7 has a restoring force due to the elasticity of the thin dome shape even if its shape is collapsed by pressing, and thus has the same function as the above-mentioned conventional switch spring 104.

Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide a leaf spring, a coil spring, or the like for the button 11 to be pressed. Also, contact 2
2 has a property of being deformed and restored even when pressed from a wide range of angles, so that it can be adapted to various button positions and directions in design or design.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the periphery of the flexible switch when the number of buttons and the number of contacts do not match. In this electronic timepiece, a button 1 provided on one side surface
The number of 1 is 2 and the flexible switch 7
The number of the contacts 22 is as large as three. The switch is configured by using only two contacts 22 that match the position of the button 11 among the three contacts 22 described above.

As described above, by providing three contacts 22 in advance in the entire length direction of the flexible switch 7 and selecting the contact 22 used according to the type of the electronic timepiece, the flexible switch 7 can be provided in various types. It can be applied to the watch case 8. Also, by forming four or more contacts 22 as much as possible over the entire length of the flexible switch 7, the versatility of the flexible switch 7 is further increased.

As described above, according to the electronic timepiece according to the embodiment of the present invention, since the contact 22 of the flexible switch 7 has a dome shape, the position and direction in which it can be pressed can be widened. Therefore, the same watch module and the same flexible switch can be used even in a watch case in which the position and the pressing direction of the button 11 are slightly different, so that the cost can be reduced.

Conversely, even if the type of module is different, the flexibility can be accommodated in the same watch case 8 due to the versatility of the flexible switch 7, so that the cost can be reduced as described above. Further, the dome-shaped contact can transmit the click feeling to the finger of the pressing person when the dome shape collapses and when the dome shape is restored, thereby ensuring the pressing operation.

Since the flexible switch 7 has the notch 24, it can be easily fixed by the guide plate 9 and the guide portion 10 provided on the watch case 8 or the back cover. Further, by the notch 24,
Necessary contacts can be selected and fixed according to the position and direction of the button 11. In the above embodiment, a wristwatch is shown as an example of an electronic timepiece, but it may be used for a pocket watch or the like. Further, the present invention can be used for electronic information devices such as a stopwatch and a GPS other than the electronic timepiece.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A switch electrically connected to the module of the electronic information device and having an elastic dome-shaped contact, a button for short-circuiting the contact by pressing and elastically deforming the dome-shaped contact, provided on the device case side, Since there is provided a button supporting portion that movably supports the button so that at least the pressing portion of the button comes into contact with the contact point, it is possible to obtain an electronic information device capable of taking a wide range of button positions and directions of the device case. .

Further, according to the present invention, a flexible switch which is electrically connected to a module of an electronic information device and has an elastic dome-shaped contact on a flexible thin band-like body, and guides the flexible switch into a predetermined shape And a button for short-circuiting the contact by pressing and elastically deforming the dome-shaped contact, and a button provided on the device case side such that at least the pressed portion of the button hits the contact. Providing the movable support button support portion has an effect of obtaining an electronic information device capable of adopting a wider range of button positions and directions of the device case.

Further, according to the present invention, since the elastic dome-shaped contacts are provided over the entire length of the flexible switch, an electronic information device capable of adopting a wider range of button positions and directions of the device case is obtained. It also has the additional effect of increasing the degree of freedom in design.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded view showing a configuration of an electronic timepiece according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the flexible switch shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a watch module main body and a flexible switch.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a contact of a flexible switch and a button to be pressed.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a state where the timepiece module and the flexible switch are incorporated in an electronic timepiece.

6 is a partially enlarged view of the electronic timepiece shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the periphery of the flexible switch when the number of buttons does not match the number of contacts.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view showing a module of a conventional electronic timepiece.

FIG. 9 is an external view of the circuit block and the switch spring when enlarged.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 battery 2 battery frame 3 circuit block 4 circuit receiver 5 holding plate 6 set screw 7 flexible switch 8 watch case 9 guide plate 10 guide portion 11 button 21 thin band 22 contact point 23 connecting portion 24 cutout 31 watch module body

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2F002 AA00 AA05 AB03 AB04 AB06 AC03 AE02 BA00 BA04 BA21 BD03 EA01 5G006 AA01 CD05 FB04 FB29 JB05 LB01 5G025 AA04 AA06 AA07 BA04 BA09 CA09 DA08 DA10 EA03 5G435 BB12 KK12 EE03 LL10

Claims (3)

[Claims] A switch electrically connected to a module of the electronic information device and having an elastic dome-shaped contact; a button for short-circuiting the contact by pressing and elastically deforming the dome-shaped contact; An electronic information device, comprising: a button support portion provided on a case side and movably supporting the button such that at least a pressing portion of the button contacts the contact point. 2. A flexible switch which is electrically connected to a module of an electronic information device and has an elastic dome-shaped contact on a flexible thin band, and a guide body which guides and supports the flexible switch in a predetermined shape. A button for short-circuiting the contact by pressing and elastically deforming the dome-shaped contact; and a button support provided on the device case side and movably supporting the button so that at least a pressing portion of the button hits the contact. An electronic information device, comprising: a unit; 3. The electronic information device according to claim 2, wherein said elastic dome-shaped contact is provided over the entire length of said flexible switch.