JP2001242987A - Multicolor molding part and manual operator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a multicolor molding part which can prevent heterogeneous patterns from appearing on a transparent surface material, while maintaining nice feeling when touched by our fingers. SOLUTION: Switch buttons 15a, 15b, 16a and 16b as a multicolor molding part are provided with a colored base 17 with a surface 19, and a surface material 18a which is made of a softer transparent or translucent material than the base and covers at least the surface of the base. The surface of the base is finished to the rough surface 21 with many fine concavities and convexities 20.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multicolor molded part in which a base of a desired color is covered with a transparent or translucent surface material, and a manual operator such as a click switch button of a portable computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A click switch button installed on a palm rest of a portable computer is made of a hard synthetic resin material such as an ABS resin colored in gray. The click switch button performs the same operation as a mouse, such as executing or canceling a command, and is frequently touched with a fingertip during use of the portable computer.

[0003] Therefore, in order to improve the feel when the click switch button is touched with a fingertip, the button itself is formed of a rubber material, or the surface of the button is covered with a soft synthetic resin or rubber surface material. Is desirable.

On the other hand, recent portable computers are
There is a tendency to emphasize not only performance improvement but also exterior design. Specifically, in the market for portable information terminal equipment and electronic equipment in recent years, there has been a demand for a fashionable design, and in response to this, users such as a click switch button and a key top of a keyboard have responded. Skeletonization of relatively small parts that can be touched with fingertips is being promoted.

[0005] As one method of improving the operational feeling while strongly impressing this new design change, for example, a base in which a click switch button is colored in a desired color, and a flexible transparent or translucent covering the base are provided. It has been tried to be composed of a natural surface material.

[0006]

At this time, since the base of the click switch button has a surface large enough to receive a fingertip, the surface of the base is simply covered with a transparent or translucent surface material. In this case, the state of adhesion between the surface of the base and the surface layer material becomes non-uniform, and a portion where air partially remains between the surface of the base and the surface layer material may occur.

[0007] The portion where the air remains appears on the surface material as a pattern with water droplets attached thereto.
There is a problem that the appearance of the click switch button is deteriorated, which hinders the realization of the skeletonization of the click switch button.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it has been found that an uneven pattern can be surely formed on a transparent surface material while maintaining good feeling when touched with a finger. It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-color molded part and a manual operator which can prevent the occurrence of an external appearance and can maintain a good appearance.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a multicolor molded part according to the present invention comprises a colored base having a surface; and a material which is softer and more transparent than the base. And a surface material covering at least the surface of the base; and at least one of the surface of the base and the inner surface of the surface material in contact with the surface is a rough surface having a large number of fine irregularities. It is characterized by.

[0010] To achieve the above object, a multicolor molded part according to the present invention comprises a colored base having a surface; a transparent or translucent material softer than the base; A surface material covering at least the surface;
Wherein the surface of the base is a rough surface having a large number of fine irregularities.

In order to achieve the above object, a manual operation device according to the present invention comprises a colored base having a surface; a material which is softer and more permeable than the base, A surface material that covers at least the surface and is in contact with the hand during manual operation; and at least the surface of the base among the surface of the base or the inner surface of the surface material that is in contact with the surface has a large number of fine irregularities. It is characterized by a rough surface.

According to this structure, the color of the base can be seen through the surface material, so that a skeleton appearance can be obtained. Moreover, since the surface material is softer than the base, the feel when touching the surface material is improved.

In addition, by making the contact portion between the surface of the base and the surface material rough, the contact state between the surface of the base and the surface material shifts from surface contact to point contact or line contact. An air layer can be uniformly formed between the surface and the surface material. Therefore, an uneven contact portion can be eliminated from between the surface of the base and the surface layer material, and a pattern in which an unspecified number of water droplets remain on the surface layer material does not appear.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings applied to a portable computer.

In FIG. 1, a portable computer 1 indicated by reference numeral 1 includes a computer main body 2 and a display unit 3 supported by the computer main body 2.

The computer main body 2 has a flat box-shaped housing 4. The housing 4 is made of a lightweight metal material such as a magnesium alloy. This housing 4
The upper wall 4a has a palm rest 5 and a keyboard mounting portion 6. The palm rest 5 extends in the width direction of the housing 4 at the front half of the upper wall 4a. The keyboard attachment 6 is located behind the palm rest 5, and a keyboard 7 is attached to the keyboard attachment 6. The keyboard 7 has a large number of key tops 8 arranged in a lattice, and these key tops 8 are located on substantially the same plane as the palm rest 5.

The upper wall 4a of the housing 4 has a pair of display support portions 9a and 9b projecting upward. The display support portions 9a and 9b are arranged at the rear end of the upper wall 4a so as to be separated from each other in the width direction of the housing 4.

The display unit 3 includes a flat box-shaped display housing 11 and a liquid crystal display device 12 housed in the display housing 11. The display housing 11 has a pair of legs 13a and 13b at one end. Legs 13a, 13
b is guided to the display support portions 9a and 9b, and is rotatably connected to the housing 4 via hinge devices (not shown).

For this reason, the display unit 3 can rotate between a closed position where the display unit 3 is tilted so as to cover the palm rest 5 and the keyboard 7 from above and an open position where the display unit 3 stands up behind the keyboard 7. .

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, at the center of the palm rest 5, first and second click switch buttons 15a and 15b and a pair of scroll switch buttons 16a and 16b are arranged. The first and second click switch buttons 15 a and 15 b are arranged in the depth direction of the palm rest 5, and the scroll switch buttons 16 a and 16 b are arranged between the first click switch button 15 a and the keyboard 7. Are arranged in the width direction.

These switch buttons 15a, 15b, 1
Reference numerals 6a and 16b function as manual operators, and each is constituted by a multicolor molded part according to the present invention. These switch buttons 15a, 15b, 16a,
16b have the same configuration as each other except for their shapes. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first click switch button 15a will be described as a representative, and the other buttons 15b,
Constituent elements 16a and 16b are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the first click switch buttons 15a includes a base 17 and a surface material 18 covering the base 17. Base 1
Numeral 7 is made of, for example, a hard synthetic resin material of purple color, and has a rectangular shape extending in the width direction of the palm rest 5. The base 17 has a surface 19 which has a sufficient area for pressing with a fingertip.

As shown in FIG. 4B, a large number of fine irregularities 20 are formed on the surface 19 of the base 17. The unevenness 20 extends over the entire surface 19 of the base 17, and the presence of the unevenness 20 makes the surface 19 matte like a mat. Therefore, the surface 19 of the base 17 has a rough surface 21 with a rough touch.
It has become.

Also, on the periphery of the surface 19 of the base 17,
A peripheral wall 22 extending downward is integrally formed. The peripheral wall 22 is formed continuously in the circumferential direction so as to surround the surface 19, and reinforces the surface 19 from the outside. A pressing portion 23 protruding downward is integrally formed at a central portion on the back side of the front surface 19.

The surface layer 18 is made of a transparent or translucent rubber material which is softer than the base 17.
The surface material 18 is provided on the surface 19 of the base 17 and the peripheral wall 2.
2 is molded integrally with the base 17 so as to continuously surround the base 2. To explain the molding procedure, first, the base 17 having the matte surface 19 is set in a mold (not shown). Next, the heated and melted rubber material is injected into a mold, and the surface 19 and the peripheral wall 22 of the base 19 are covered with the rubber material.

FIG. 5A shows a state in which the surface 19 is covered with a molten rubber material. At this stage, the molten rubber material is filled so as to bite into the unevenness 20 of the surface 19. . When the rubber material is cured in the mold, the rubber material for the surface layer material 18 and the synthetic resin material for the base 17 have different heat shrinkage rates, so that the rubber material that easily shrinks greatly shrinks.

For this reason, as shown in FIG. 5B, the rubber material filled so as to bite into the unevenness 20 is displaced so as to be separated from the unevenness 20, and when the rubber material is completely cured, In addition, the inner surface 18a of the surface layer material 18 covering the surface 19 of the base 17 becomes a relatively smooth surface with few irregularities. As a result, the pointed tip of the unevenness 20 shifts to a point contact or line contact with the inner surface of the surface material 18, and between the surface 19 of the base 17 and the inner surface 18 a of the surface material 18,
An air layer 24 is formed over the entire surface.

Further, since the surface material 18 and the base 17 are integrally molded, the surface material 18 is
7 has a thin anchor portion 25 which goes around the back side of the surface 19. The anchor part 25 is attached to the peripheral wall 22 of the base 17.
, Whereby the surface layer material 18 is retained by the base 17 so as not to come off.

As shown in FIG. 3, the buttons 15a, 15
The bases 17 of b, 16a, and 16b are connected to each other via an elastically deformable band-shaped holding frame 26. The holding frame 26 is arranged around the base 17 so as to straddle the base 17 of each of the buttons 15a, 15b, 16a, 16b.

The holding frame 26 has a plurality of cylindrical portions 27. The cylindrical portion 27 is fitted into a plurality of bosses (not shown) projecting downward from the lower surface of the palm rest 5, whereby the positions of the buttons 15 a, 15 b, 16 a, 16 b with respect to the palm rest 5 are adjusted. Stipulated. Then, each button 15a, 15b, 16a, 1
6 b is exposed on the palm rest 5 through four through holes 28 opened in the palm rest 5.

As shown in FIG. 4A, a flexible sheet-like wiring board 30 is disposed below the central portion of the palm rest 5. The first surface of the wiring board 30
And second click switches 31a and 31b and a pair of scroll switches 32 (only one is shown) are mounted. The switches 31a, 31b, and 32 have a flat disk shape, and each of the switch buttons 1
It faces the pressing part 23 of 5a, 15b, 16a, 16b.

A bracket 34 made of sheet metal is screwed to the lower surface of the central portion of the palm rest 5. The bracket 34 is connected to the wiring board 30 and each switch button 15.
a, 15b, 16a, and 16b are sandwiched between the palm rest 5 and the wiring board 30 and the switch buttons 15a, 15b, 16a, and 16b are held by the palm rest 5.

According to such a configuration, the palm rest 5
The first and second click switch buttons 15a and 15b and the scroll switch button 16
Since a and 16b are obtained by integrally molding a purple base 17 with a transparent or translucent surface layer material 18, the skeleton has an appearance in which the purple base 17 can be seen through the surface layer material 18. . For this reason, it is possible to cope with the skeletonization of devices that have been attracting attention in the market of electronic devices in recent years, and it is possible to make the appearance of the portable computer 1 fashionable.

Moreover, each of the switch buttons 15a, 15
Since the surface material 18 of the b, 16a, 16b is made of a rubber material which is more flexible and transparent than the base 17, these switch buttons 15a, 15b, 16
The touch when the fingertip touches a and 16b becomes good, and the fingertip does not slip or feel hard. Therefore, the operation feeling when pressing the switch buttons 15a, 15b, 16a, 16b with a fingertip is excellent, and the operability can be enhanced while realizing the skeletonization of the switch buttons 15a, 15b, 16a, 16b.

In addition, according to the above configuration, since the surface 19 of the base 17 covered by the surface layer material 18 is a satin-like rough surface 21 having many fine irregularities 20, the base 1
7, the surface 19 and the surface material 18 do not come into surface contact,
The state of contact between the two changes to point contact or line contact according to the shape of the unevenness 20.

For this reason, a uniform air layer corresponding to the depth of the unevenness 20 can be formed between the surface 19 of the base 17 and the surface material 18. A non-uniform close contact portion can be eliminated from between the two. Therefore, a pattern in which an unspecified number of water droplets remain does not appear on the surface material 18, and the skeletonized switch buttons 15a, 15b, 16
The appearance qualities of a and 16b are improved, and the commercial value of the portable computer 1 can be increased.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the surface material 18 is integrally molded with the base 17, so that the thin anchor portion 25 which goes around the back side of the surface 19 can be integrally formed on the surface material 18. , This anchor part 2
5 enables the surface material 18 to be retained and held on the base 17. For this reason, the base material 18 is
It is not necessary to form a special hook or the like for hooking on the switch button 7 and the switch buttons 15a, 15b, 16a, 16b
There is an advantage that it also contributes to the reduction in thickness.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, the surface material is molded integrally with the base. However, the base and the surface material are individually injection-molded, and the surface material is formed on the base so as to cover the surface of the base. It may be fitted.

In the above embodiment, the surface of the base is a matte rough surface. However, for example, while the surface of the base is kept smooth, the inner surface of the surface material covering this surface is made a matte rough surface. Alternatively, both the surface of the base and the inner surface of the surface layer material may have a satin-like rough surface.

Further, the material of the base is not limited to the synthetic resin material, but may be a metal, for example. Similarly, the material of the surface layer material is not limited to the rubber material, and a synthetic resin material softer than the base may be used.

Further, the multicolor molded part according to the present invention is not limited to the click switch button or the scroll switch button, but may be, for example, a key top of a keyboard. The palm rest on which the hand is sometimes placed may be made of a multicolor molded part.

[0043]

According to the present invention described above, it is possible to obtain a skeleton appearance in which the colored base can be seen through the surface material. At the same time, the surface material required to obtain a sense of transparency is made of a material that is more flexible than the base, so the feel when the fingertip touches the surface material is good, and the operation is realized while realizing a skeleton. You can enhance your sensation.

In addition, if the contact portion between the surface of the base and the surface material is roughened, the contact state between the surface of the base and the surface material shifts to point contact or line contact according to the shape of the unevenness. In addition, a uniform air layer can be formed between the surface of the base and the surface material, and a non-uniform adhesion portion can be eliminated from between the surface of the base and the surface material. Therefore, a pattern in which an unspecified number of water droplets remain does not appear on the surface material, and there is an advantage that the appearance quality can be improved and the commercial value can be increased accordingly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exemplary perspective view of a portable computer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a palm rest on which first and second click switch buttons and scroll switch buttons are installed.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of first and second click switch buttons and a scroll switch button.

FIG. 4A is a sectional view taken along line F4-F4 in FIG. 2;
(B) is an enlarged sectional view showing a first click switch button.

FIG. 5A is a sectional view showing a state in which a rubber material has flowed into irregularities on the surface of a base. (B) is a sectional view showing a state in which the rubber material flowing into the irregularities on the surface of the base is cured.

[Explanation of symbols]

15a, 15b, 16a, 16b: Multi-color molded parts, manual operator (click switch button, scroll switch button) 17: Base 18: Surface material 18a: Inner surface 19: Surface 20: Unevenness 21: Rough surface

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 4F206 AA45 AD05 AD28 AG03 AH33 JA07 JB12 JF05 5B020 DD02 DD51 5G006 CB05 CB09 JA01 LG02

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A multicolor molded part comprising: a colored base having a surface; and a surface material made of a material that is softer and more permeable than the base and covers at least the surface of the base. A multicolor molded part, characterized in that at least one of the surface of the base and the inner surface of a surface material in contact with the surface is a rough surface having a large number of fine irregularities. 2. A multicolor molded part comprising: a colored base having a surface; and a surface material made of a transparent or translucent material softer than the base and covering at least the surface of the base. A multicolor molded part, wherein the surface of the base is a rough surface having a large number of fine irregularities. 3. The base according to claim 1, wherein the base is made of a hard synthetic resin material, and the surface material is molded integrally with the base so as to surround the base. Multi-color molded parts characterized by the following. 4. The multicolor molded part according to claim 2, wherein a surface of the base is finished in a matte finish. 5. The multicolor molded part according to claim 3, wherein the surface layer material has an anchor portion which goes around on the opposite side to the surface of the base. 6. A colored base having a surface; a surface material which is made of a material which is softer and more permeable than the base and which covers at least the surface of the base and which is touched by a hand during manual operation; A manual operator, wherein at least the surface of the base among the surface of the base or the inner surface of the surface material in contact with the surface is a rough surface having a large number of fine irregularities.