JP2005351843A - Input button and electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an input button and an electronic equipment capable of protecting surely an input substrate, even when impact force is applied onto the input button, irrespective of a movement side structure. <P>SOLUTION: In this input button 1, a spring 8 of an elastomer is arranged between a movable part 6 capable of pressing the input substrate 4 and an external input part 7, and spring force of the spring 8 is set to be smaller than force for plastic deformation of the input substrate 4. The impact force of the input substrate 4 is absorbed thereby by plastic deformation of the spring 8, even when the impact force is applied onto the input button 1 from an outside, so as to prevent the input substrate 4 from being plastically deformed or damaged. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an input button and an electronic device.

Input operations from outside using the input buttons are performed by various electronic devices. Usually, an input operation is performed with a finger, and a push-type input button is often used.
The input with the push type input button is performed by placing an input board for inputting by a pressing force inside the electronic device and pushing the input board with a movable part of the input button. The pressing force required for input is determined in a range that is greater than the magnitude that does not cause a malfunction due to vibration or the like, and has a good feeling of operation when the button is pressed (a level that can be pressed with a normal force with a finger). The input board is designed so that it can be input when a force greater than the predetermined pressing force is applied.

Here, in an electronic device such as a wristwatch that is often worn, the input button is placed on the input board via the input button, such as dropping with the input button down, or the input button touching another object while moving. An impact force exceeding the strength may be applied, and the input board may be plastically deformed or damaged.
As a measure to prevent such plastic deformation or breakage of the input board, the shape of the outer case around the input button is protected by protruding from the input button, or the input button itself is protected with a screw or the like except during input. The method of fixing to an exterior case is taken. However, such a configuration has a problem that the design is restricted and it is difficult to reduce the thickness.
As a method of solving these problems, a watch movement is provided with a buffer switch lever between the input board and the input button so that the impact force is not directly applied to the input board. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-87955 (pages 3 to 4, FIG. 1)

  However, not all movements currently in circulation adopt the configuration of Patent Document 1. In particular, there may be a case where a movement and an exterior case are separately designed and manufactured like a watch, and a movement without a switch lever is incorporated into the exterior case. In such a case, when a normal input button is used, there is a problem that the input board cannot be protected when an impact force is applied to the input button.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an input button and an electronic device that can reliably protect an input board even when an impact force is applied to the input button regardless of the structure on the movement side.

  The input button of the present invention includes a movable part that can push an input board that is elastically deformed by a pressing force, an external input part that is movably engaged with the movable part, the movable part, and the external input. The elastic body is disposed so as to be displaced by a force larger than a force that elastically deforms the input substrate and smaller than a force that plastically deforms the input substrate. It is characterized by that.

  According to the present invention, even if an impact force is applied to the external input unit, the elastic body disposed between the external input unit and the movable unit absorbs the impact force, so that the plastic deformation from the movable unit to the input substrate occurs. No force exceeding the force is applied, and the plastic deformation or breakage of the input substrate can be prevented.

In this invention, the structure provided with the cylindrical member in which the said movable part and the said external input part are inserted is preferable.
In this invention, by inserting the movable portion and the external input portion into the cylindrical member, the movement of the movable portion and the external input portion is regulated in the same direction, and the direction of the pressing force can be easily determined. Further, the direction of the impact force applied to the input button applied from the outside can be easily matched with the direction of absorbing the impact of the elastic body between the movable portion and the external input portion, and the impact is efficiently absorbed.

In this invention, it is preferable to provide another elastic body arrange | positioned between the said cylindrical member and the said movable part or the said external input part.
In this invention, it is possible to adjust the pressing force required for input by appropriately setting the spring force of another elastic body arranged between the cylindrical member and the movable portion or the external input portion. become. For example, the size is set to a range that does not cause a malfunction due to vibration or the like and that has a good feeling when the button is pressed (a level that can be pressed with a normal force with a finger). When the input is stopped, the engaged external input portion and the movable portion are reliably returned to the position before the input by the spring force of another elastic body.

An electronic apparatus according to the present invention includes the input button described above.
According to the present invention, since the input button that absorbs the impact force from the outside is provided, the input board in the electronic device is less likely to be plastically deformed or damaged, and the reliability of the electronic device is improved.

The electronic device of the present invention is a wristwatch.
Watches, especially watches, have a high possibility of falling, such as placing them on a desk when they are removed from their arms, and the impact force is likely to be applied to the input buttons. In addition, since it is attached to the arm, it is easy to come into contact with an external object, and an unexpected impact force is easily applied. Therefore, the present invention is effective for a wristwatch.

  Regardless of the structure on the movement side, there is an effect that the input board can be reliably protected even if an impact force is applied to the input button.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a wristwatch 2 in which an input button 1 according to the present embodiment is incorporated.
In FIG. 1, an input button 1 is incorporated on the side surface of the exterior case 3 of the wristwatch 2, and an input board 4 that is elastically deformed by a pressing force is disposed at the tip of the input button 1. The input button 1 is a movable part 6 that can push the input board 4, an external input part 7 that is pushed by a finger or the like from the outside, and an elastic body that is disposed between the movable part 6 and the external input part 7. A spring 8 is provided. The spring 8 is set so as to be displaced (shrink) with a force larger than the force by which the input substrate 4 is elastically deformed and smaller than the force by which the input substrate 4 is plastically deformed. Here, the term “smaller than the force of plastic deformation of the input substrate 4” refers to the force against the strength including not only the input substrate 4 but also the opposing substrate 5, and smaller than the force of plastic deformation of these substrates 4, 5. That means.

  Therefore, when the external input unit 7 of the input button 1 is pressed with a normal operating force, the external input unit 7 and the movable unit 6 move without deformation of the spring 8, and the movable unit 6 at the tip contacts the input substrate 4. To do. When pushed further, the spring force of the spring 8 is larger than the elastic deformation force of the input substrate 4, so that the input substrate 4 is elastically deformed (indicated by a two-dot chain line). A switching contact portion is provided on the substrate 5 facing the input substrate 4, and an input is performed when the contact portion is brought into electrical contact by elastic deformation of the input substrate 4. If the deformation of the input board 4 is within the elastic deformation, when the pressing is stopped, the input board 4 returns to the original state and can be input again. In addition, you may input as a structure where the contact part which contact | connected so that it might conduct | electrically_connect previously is electrically separated by input operation.

The input board 4 and the tip of the movable part 6 are arranged at a distance indicated by a distance A in order to prevent malfunction due to weak impact such as vibration. However, if the force required to elastically deform the input board 4 is set to be sufficiently larger than the weak impact force such as vibration, it is possible to arrange the input board 4 and the movable portion 6 in contact with each other in an uninput initial state. is there. That is, the distance A may be set to “zero”. Thus, the distance A can be arbitrarily determined according to the state of the internal space of the timepiece 1.
By inputting with the mechanism as described above, various functions such as a change in the display of a clock, a stopwatch function, a temperature and altitude measurement function, and the like can be operated.

In addition to the movable part 6, the external input part 7, and the spring 8, the input button 1 includes a cylindrical member 9 for guiding them, and another elastic body between the cylindrical member 9 and the external input part 7. The spring 10 is provided. Hereinafter, the structure of the input button 1 will be described in detail.
The movable portion 6 is obtained by performing processing necessary for mounting components and engaging with the external input portion 7 as described below on the outer periphery of a rigid cylindrical member such as stainless steel.
From the input board 4 side to the movable part 6, the contact part 11 that contacts the input board 4, the groove 13 for fitting the C ring 12, the packing groove 15 for stopping the waterproof packing 14, and the external input part 7 A cylindrical portion 16 having a small diameter for guiding the sliding, a flange portion 18 for receiving the spring 8, and a distal end portion 19 on the external input side are formed.

  The contact portion 11 in contact with the input substrate 4 may be an insulating material having elasticity such as rubber, instead of a conductive material such as stainless steel. Moreover, the material of the movable part 6 has such a rigidity that a force is reliably transmitted when input, and has a strength that does not break when a strong impact is applied. If these mechanical conditions are satisfied, for example, various materials such as synthetic resins and ceramics can be used in addition to metals.

  The external input unit 7 can also be obtained from a rigid cylindrical member, like the movable unit 6. A cylindrical recess 20 in which the spring 8 is accommodated is formed at the center of the external input unit 7. Furthermore, an annular recess 23 for accommodating the spring 10 is formed between the side wall 21 and the outer wall 22 located on the outer periphery of the cylindrical recess 20. The external input unit 7 is formed with a certain degree of rigidity, similar to the movable unit 6, but using a composite material that employs an elastic body or a synthetic resin for the part that comes into contact with the finger, improves the operational feeling. Also good.

The movable part 6 and the external input part 7 are engaged as described below.
A slotted washer 17 having an opening slightly larger than its diameter is placed in the cylindrical portion 16 of the movable portion 6. The washer 17 is also stopped by the flange portion 18 and can freely move in the axial direction without passing through the cylindrical portion 16.
The movable portion 6 and the external input portion 7 are engaged with each other by setting the spring 8 in the cylindrical recess 20 at the center of the external input portion 7 and the tip 19 of the movable portion 6 in the hole in the inner diameter portion of the spring 8. The end of the side wall 21 is caulked and fixed to the washer 17 so that one end of the spring 8 and the flange portion 18 are in contact with each other. At this time, when the movable portion 6 is pushed slightly toward the external input portion 7 and is engaged by caulking in a state where the spring 8 is slightly contracted, the play between the movable portion 6 and the external input portion 7 is caused by the spring force of the spring 8. Disappear.

  By engaging as described above, the movable portion 6 and the external input portion 7 can relatively move between the distances B along the cylindrical portion 16. Here, the distance B is set to a distance longer than the elastically deformable length of the spring 8. That is, the distance B is set so that the distal end side of the external input portion 7 does not collide with the large diameter portion of the moving portion 6 even when the spring 8 is fully contracted.

The movable part 6 and the external input part 7 engaged as described above are inserted into the cylindrical member 9 through the spring 10 as follows to constitute the input button 1.
The cylindrical member 9 includes a portion that is inserted into the side opening of the outer case 3 and a portion that is located outside the outer case 3 and receives the spring 10.
The engaged movable portion 6 and the external input portion 7 are inserted from the movable portion 6 into the tubular member 9 in a state where the waterproof packing 14 is set in the packing groove 15. Here, the spring 10 is housed in the annular recess 23, and the other end on the outer side is disposed so as to contact the portion of the tubular member 9 that receives the spring 10. Further, the outer diameter of the side wall 21 is formed smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 9, and a part of the side wall 21 is inserted into the cylindrical member 9.
In the inserted movable portion 6 and the external input portion 7, the contact portion 11 and the groove 13 of the movable portion 6 are brought out from the input substrate 4 side of the cylindrical member 9, and the C ring 12 is fitted in the groove 13. It has been stopped.
The spring 10 has a spring force that can be easily displaced when the external input portion 7 is pushed with a finger. When the push is stopped, the movable portion 6 and the external input portion 7 that have moved move into the packing 14 and the cylindrical shape. It is sure to return to the original position against the frictional force with the inner wall of the member 9.

As described above, the input button 1 integrally formed by inserting the movable portion 6 and the external input portion 7 into the cylindrical member 9 can be easily obtained by fitting the cylindrical member 9 into the exterior case 3. Fixed.
When the input button 1 is fitted, the distance C that the external input unit 7 can be pushed in is regulated by the outer case 3. The distance C, which is this movable stroke, is determined by the thickness of the portion of the tubular member 9 coming out from the outer case 3 and the height of the annular recess 23 on the outer periphery. The distance C, which is the movable stroke, is set to be longer than the distance A and shorter than the length that allows the spring 8 to be elastically deformed so that the input board 4 is reliably pressed.

The operation of the input button is described below.
Normally, when the input button 1 is pressed with a finger, the movable portion 6 and the external input portion 7 are slid into the cylindrical member 9 without being changed in relative position. Here, since the distance C which is the movable stroke of the external input unit 7 is longer than the distance A between the input board 4 and the contact part 11, the contact part 11 of the movable part 6 contacts the input board 4, and the input board 4 The signal is inputted by being elastically deformed and coming into contact with the contact portion of the substrate 5.

  On the other hand, when the input button 1 is dropped downward, a considerable impact force is applied to the external input unit 7 of the input button 1. Here, although the moving part 6 collides with the input board 4 vigorously, since the spring force of the spring 8 is smaller than the force required for plastic deformation of the input board 4, elastic deformation occurs before the input board 4 undergoes plastic deformation. To do. Therefore, the impact force is absorbed by the spring 8 and is not transmitted to the input board 4. Even if the external input unit 7 is pushed into the outer case 3, the pushed distance C is shorter than the elastically deformable length of the spring 8, so that the spring 8 can absorb the impact force by elastic deformation, The remaining impact force is transmitted to the outer case 3.

According to this embodiment, there are the following effects.
(1) A spring 8 is arranged between the movable part 6 capable of pushing the input board 4 and the external input part 7, and the spring force of the spring 8 is set to be smaller than the force of plastic deformation of the input board 4. Therefore, even when an impact force is applied from the outside, it is possible to prevent the spring 8 from absorbing the impact force and transmitting it to the input substrate 4, and to prevent plastic deformation or damage of the input substrate 4. Further, since the spring force of the spring 8 is larger than the force of elastic deformation of the input board 4, input can be performed reliably.

(2) By inserting the movable part 6 and the external input part 7 into the cylindrical member 9, the movement of the movable part 6 and the external input part 7 can be restricted, and the pressing force direction can be easily determined. Moreover, it is easy to match the direction of the impact force applied to the input button 1 applied from the outside and the direction of absorbing the impact of the spring 8 between the movable portion 6 and the external input portion 7, and the impact can be absorbed efficiently.

(3) Since the movable part 6 and the external input part 7 are inserted in the cylindrical member 9, it can be comprised integrally as the input button 1, can be easily handled as the input button 1 alone, and can be easily attached to the device.

(4) By providing the spring 10 between the cylindrical member 9 and the movable part 6 or the external input part 7, the input force is greater than the magnitude that does not cause malfunction due to vibration or the like for the pressing force required for input. The feeling of operation when pressing can be set to a good size (appropriate for pressing with a finger). Further, when the input is stopped, the pushed-in external input unit 7 and movable unit 6 can be reliably returned to the initial positions from the input board 4 side.

(5) The wristwatch 2 has a high possibility of falling, such as being placed on a desk when removed, and an impact force is likely to be applied to the input button 1. In addition, since it is attached to the arm, it is easy to come into contact with an external object, and an unexpected impact force is easily applied. Therefore, the merit of applying the present invention to a wristwatch is great.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications, improvements, and the like within the scope that can achieve the object of the present invention are included in the present invention.
For example, although the spring 8 is used as the elastic body in the embodiment, rubber or other elastic bodies may be used in the present invention.
Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the spring 10 which is another elastic body was arrange | positioned between the cylindrical member 9 and the external input part 7, the pushed-in movable part 6 and the external input part 7 return to the original position. Any arrangement may be used as long as it is such an arrangement. For example, one end of the elastic body may be brought into contact with a part of the electronic device main body. In addition, when the contact part 11 of the movable part 6 and the input board 4 are brought into contact with each other in the initial state and the external input part 7 is pressed, the input board 4 is elastically deformed and senses an input. You may return the movable part 6 and the external input part 7 to the initial state using the force which returns.

The best configuration, method and the like for carrying out the present invention have been disclosed in the above description, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the invention has been illustrated and described primarily with respect to particular embodiments, but may be configured for the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art in terms of materials, quantity, and other detailed configurations.
Therefore, the description limited to the shape, material, etc. disclosed above is an example for easy understanding of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention. The description by the name of the member which remove | excluded the limitation of one part or all of such restrictions is included in this invention.

The fragmentary sectional view of the timepiece with which the input button concerning one Embodiment of this invention was integrated.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Input button, 2 ... Clock, 4 ... Input board, 6 ... Movable part, 7 ... External input part, 8 ... Spring which is an elastic body, 9 ... Cylindrical member, 10 ... Spring which is another elastic body.

Claims (5)

A movable part capable of pressing an input board that is elastically deformed by a pressing force;
An external input unit movably engaged with the movable unit;
Comprising an elastic body disposed between the movable part and the external input part;
The input button, wherein the elastic body is provided so as to be displaced with a force larger than a force that elastically deforms the input substrate and smaller than a force that plastically deforms the input substrate. In the input button according to claim 1,
An input button comprising a cylindrical member into which the movable portion and the external input portion are inserted. In the input button according to claim 2,
An input button comprising: another elastic body disposed between the cylindrical member and the movable part or the external input part.   An electronic apparatus comprising the input button according to claim 1. The electronic device according to claim 4,
The electronic device is a wristwatch.

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