CN1841611B

CN1841611B - Portable communication device with swiveling key

Info

Publication number: CN1841611B
Application number: CN 200610071594
Authority: CN
Inventors: 菲利普·巴塞莱特; 克里斯托弗·苏利尔; 西尔万·高蒂尔
Original assignee: IPG Electronics 504 Ltd
Current assignee: Flextronics Innovation Development Co ltd; Z124 Co; Tag Comm Inc; Imerj Ltd
Priority date: 2005-03-31
Filing date: 2006-03-30
Publication date: 2013-10-30
Anticipated expiration: 2026-03-30
Also published as: CN1841611A

Abstract

The invention relates to a portable communication device, which comprises a frame (1), wherein said frame comprises at least one mechanical switch (2a, 2b) and at least one button (3) for driving said mechanical switch (2a, 2b); said button comprises one driving surface (30) protruded from the frame via one hole (10); and the button (3) can rotate around the axle (XX') vertical to the driving surface, to drive the mechanical switch. Said button is made from plastic, with at least one long cut (31a, 31b) parallel with the driving surface, at the back of driving surface.

Description

Portable communication appts with rotation key

Technical field

The present invention relates to for any type of portable communication appts, cell phone for example, personal digital assistant, organizer (organizer) or other are generally to the key of a kind of novelty of the high dingus of volume restrictions.Or rather, the present invention relates in the situation of bump or impact, can protect the design of a kind of rotation key of inner body.

Background technology

Rotation key of known usefulness drives one or several mechanical switch of the shell body that is positioned at mancarried device.This key generally comprises the manually operated drive surfaces by the user.Mechanical switch can drive round basically vertical with the drive surfaces of this key at least one axis rotation by making this key.This means that in respect to described eccentric axis, this mechanical switch must be placed on the back of this key.

In order to carry out the use of good ergonomics, preferably this drive surfaces highlights from this shell body.Yet this means that also this key is exposed to external constraint more, in particularly impacting.In the situation of large impact, for example this communicator falls, and then this key may rotate consumingly, and this can cause the mechanical switch in this key back to damage.

In order to protect this mechanical switch, several solutions have been proposed:

The first scheme provides the key of being made by rubber, but makes this key impact-absorbing.Yet in this case, user's tactile sensation is insufficient.In addition, the fine finishining of rubber key is restricted.This scheme aspect final key processing aesthstic, can not have a lot of selections (electroplate, paint, metallization, transparent ...).

The another kind of known arrangement that can use plastic key forms a silicon layer in housing between this key and this mechanical switch.The haptic effect of this scheme is good, and various final processing can be arranged.Yet, increase material, also have the assembling aspect, this is a very expensive scheme.

Summary of the invention

The objective of the invention is and to have good tactile sensation and various final processing by proposing to use plastic key, in the situation of intense impact, can protect well the scheme of an economy of mechanical switch simultaneously, overcome above-mentioned shortcoming.

With regard to this purpose, the objective of the invention is a kind of portable communication appts, it has shell, and described shell drives the key of described mechanical switch with comprising at least one mechanical switch with at least one; Described key comprise one by hole from the outstanding drive surfaces of described shell body, and by making this key round basically vertical with described drive surfaces axis rotation, and can drive this mechanical switch; It is characterized by, described key is made by plastic material, and in its thickness and described drive surfaces back, presents the slit of at least one exposure that basically extends in parallel with described drive surfaces.

Description of drawings

Other features and advantages of the present invention from following by non-limitative example, can understand in the explanation of a possible preferred embodiment of the present invention that provides with reference to accompanying drawing.Wherein:

Fig. 1 schematically shows and is equipped with according to the device of key of the present invention part cross section in resting position;

When Fig. 2 represents that this key is made driven with above identical view;

Fig. 3 is illustrated in large external impact and acts in the situation on this key, with above identical view.

Embodiment

In Fig. 1～3, the part (for example, the sidewall of mobile phone housing) of a wall of the shell body of symbol 1 expression portable communication appts,

symbol

2a, 2b is illustrated in two mechanical switchs in the described housing, and symbol 3 expressions can make a rotation key of a driving in this mechanical switch.

Mechanical switch

2a and 2b can be by identical PCB2 supportings.The hole 10 that key 3 passes through in this housing, and comprise a drive surfaces 30.As can be seen from Figure 1, when this key during in resting position, described drive surfaces 30 highlights from described shell body.This can reach easily good ergonomics and use.In order to make the user can driving switch 2a or switch 2b, key 3 can center on XX ' axis (Fig. 1) rotation.

Mechanical switch

2a, 2b is with respect to described eccentric axis.In resting position shown in Figure 1, key 3 does not contact with this mechanical switch.On the lower area shown in if the user is pressed among Fig. 2 key 3 under the arrow, then key 3 is round axis X X ' rotation, until an end points 31 of the side of this key opposite with drive surfaces 30 reaches till the round metal top cover of mechanical switch 2b.Under pressure, this round metal top cover will flexibly be out of shape, until this switch activated till.Also can use the mechanical switch of other kinds.Key 3 is made by plastics (rigidity).The possibility that this can have several final processing comprises paint, electroplates ...

According to an essential characteristic of the present invention, described key is included in the interior slit 31a of thickness of this key, 31b.Described slit extends in parallel with drive surfaces 30 basically.The purpose of these slits (its number should be corresponding with the number of the mechanical switch that is driven by identical key) is impact-absorbing, damages in order to prevent this mechanical switch.Each slit 31a, the shape and size of 31b will must make total good rigidly of key on the one hand, in order to do not affect the sensation of knocking; On the other hand, enough distortion must be arranged, in order to weigh between the impact-absorbing.The position of the slit in this key thickness also is decided by the general shape of this key.Yet this slit must be positioned at this drive surfaces 30 back.As can be seen from Figure, slit forms in hole 10.Although plastics have rigidity, directly the part towards this drive surfaces of this slit has a point elasticity.As can be seen from Figure 1, when this key during in resting position, this slit is preferably in the plane in hole 10 and extends, and leaves the outer surface of the wall 1 of this shell body.As a result, can't see this slit from the outside.As shown in Figure 3, owing to impact and to cause in the situation of large constraint, shown in the arrow F ' among Fig. 3, design slit 31b is so that the distortion of this key, until the respective regions of drive surfaces is with till shell body 1 flushes.When key during in this position, the most of impact is absorbed, and can prevent that this mechanical switch from damaging.

In the dangerous high any type of mancarried device that the present invention can be used for impacting, no matter with respect to the position of the shell body of this device how this key.For example, in the situation of cell phone, this key can be a side switch, or is positioned at the front side of this cell phone or any key on the rear side.In addition, drive two mechanical switchs although can be preferably used in round the key of an axis rotation, the present invention also can be used in the situation of a mechanical switch.In addition, the people who is skilled in technique, easily principle of the present invention being used for can be around a key of several axis rotations, in order to can drive more than two mechanical switchs.

Claims

1. portable communication appts, this portable communication appts comprises:

One shell (1) is formed with a hole (10) on the described shell;

Described shell also comprises:

At least one mechanical switch (2a, 2b), this mechanical switch are arranged in the described shell; And

Described mechanical switch (the 2a of at least one driving, key 2b) (3), this key comprise one by a described hole (10) from the outstanding drive surfaces (30) of described shell, and by making this key (3) round basically vertical with described drive surfaces axis (XX ') rotation, and drive this mechanical switch, described key is made of plastics, and be included in the thickness of this key and the slit of described drive surfaces back, so that when the direction towards described mechanical switch is applied with surge to described drive surfaces, described key deforms, until the respective regions of this drive surfaces (30) is with till described shell (1) flushes, present at least one long and narrow cut (31a, 31b) that basically extends in parallel with described drive surfaces.