JP2006058807A - Mounting structure for operation button - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mounting structure for operation button which solves the problem caused by positional deviation, between a button hole formed on an instrument cover and an operation button disposed on the instrument body. <P>SOLUTION: In the mounting structure of operation button, operation buttons 111-117 of a button block 10 mounted on the camera body 1 are exposed to the surface through a button hole 23 opened to a rear cover 2, wherein the operation buttons are mounted on the camera body 1 in a state of being movable along the inner surface of the rear cover 2. Even if positional deviation is produced between the button block 10 and the button hole 23 of the rear cover upon the mounting of the rear cover 2 to the camera body 1, the positioning is performed by the fitting of a positioning boss 121 of the button block 10 into a positioning hole 24 of the rear cover, thereby the assembling operation is facilitated and the mounting having attractive appearance can be realized. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a structure for attaching an operation button to an apparatus main body, and more particularly to an operation button attachment structure in which an operation button attached to the apparatus main body is exposed through a button hole opened in a cover attached to the apparatus main body.

  Various operation buttons are attached to devices such as cameras, but the operation button mounting structure of such a camera is fixedly attached to the camera body with operation buttons that are electrically connected to the camera body. The operation button is passed through the button hole of the cover attached to the camera body so as to be exposed on the surface side of the cover. Alternatively, as another operation button mounting structure, the operation button is fixedly mounted in the button hole of the cover attached to the camera body, and the operation button is electrically connected to the camera body via an electric cord or a flexible circuit board. The structure to take is taken.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which operation buttons including a center mode determination button and a surrounding cross key type mode selection button are assembled in a button hole provided on the back cover of the camera. Although the configuration for electrically connecting the operation button and the camera body is not shown in Patent Document 1, the operation button is assembled on the flexible circuit board, and the camera body is electrically connected via the flexible circuit board. Is disclosed.
JP 2002-350949 A

  Of these conventional operation button mounting structures, in the case of a configuration in which the former operation button is fixed to the camera body and the operation button is exposed through a button hole provided in a cover attached to the camera body, If there is an error in the mounting position of the camera, it will not be possible to expose the operation button in the button hole and the position of the operation button will not be exposed when the cover is attached to the camera body. It is also difficult to attach the camera to the camera body. Even if the cover can be attached to the camera body, a non-uniform gap is created between the peripheral edge of the operation button and the button hole, and dust or the like is likely to enter the inside from this gap. It will cause the quality to deteriorate.

  On the other hand, in the case where the operation button is attached to the cover as in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to attach the operation button to the camera body via a flexible circuit board in order to electrically connect the operation button to the camera body. For example, an operation of fitting a connector provided on the flexible circuit board to a connector provided on the camera body is necessary, and the operation of fitting the connector with the cover integrated is extremely difficult. Also, when the cover is removed from the camera body, excessive force such as pulling force or bending force is applied to the flexible circuit board, and the flexible circuit board is twisted, etc., causing damage such as cutting the wiring on the circuit board. Accidents are likely to occur. In addition, in this structure, when the cover is attached to the camera body, it is not considered that the operation button and the camera body are in electrical contact, but if there are a large number of contacts, electrical connection is possible. There is a problem that the reliability and structure of the device becomes complicated, which is not practical.

  The object of the present invention is that it is difficult to assemble due to the positional deviation between the button hole provided in the cover and the operation button, the appearance is lowered, the reliability of electrical connection is lowered, etc. An operation button mounting structure that eliminates the above problem is provided.

  The present invention relates to an operation button mounting structure in which an operation button attached to a device body is exposed to the surface of the device cover through a button hole opened in the device cover attached to the device body. The operation button is an inner surface of the device cover. It is attached to the apparatus main body in the state which can move along.

  According to the present invention, when the operation button is attached in a state of being electrically connected to the device main body and the device cover is attached to the device main body, there is a displacement between the operation button and the button hole of the device cover. Even when the operation button is moved, the operation button can be moved and aligned with the button hole, so that the mounting operation can be facilitated and the operation button with improved appearance quality can be mounted.

  In the present invention, one of the device cover and the operation button is provided with a positioning hole, and the other is provided with a positioning boss to be fitted into the positioning hole, and the positioning boss is fitted into the positioning hole to operate the device cover. The button is positioned. Here, the operation buttons are a fixed plate attached to the device main body, a flexible circuit board fixed to the fixed plate and electrically connected to the device main body, a dome switch electrically connected to the flexible circuit board, and a switch of the dome switch. It is configured as a button block in which a resin button for operation is integrated in a laminated state. In this case, the operation button is attached so that the fixed plate is movable with respect to the apparatus main body. The flexible substrate includes a first bent portion that can be elastically deformed in one direction at a portion that is electrically connected to the apparatus body, and a second bent portion that can be elastically deformed in a direction perpendicular thereto. Prepare.

  The present invention is preferably applied to a camera, particularly a digital camera, and the device main body in the present invention is a camera main body, and the device cover is a rear cover that covers the rear surface of the camera main body, and the camera is passed through a button hole provided in the rear cover. The operation button attached to the main body is exposed.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a small digital camera, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are exploded perspective views of the main part thereof. A photographing lens that does not appear in the drawing is disposed on the front surface of the camera body 1, and a release button 3 and a main switch 4 are disposed on the upper surface. On the rear surface side, a monitor device 5 composed of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an optical finder 6, and a button block 10 integrally configured with a plurality of operation buttons are attached. 2 and 3 show a state in which a main board 7 having a connector, a battery 8, and the like are attached inside the camera body 1 as other components. A rear cover 2 that covers the rear surface of the camera body 1 is fixed with screws that do not appear in the figure. The rear cover 2 has an opening window 21 for exposing the display surface of the monitor device 5 and the optical viewfinder 6. , 22 and a plurality of button holes 23 for exposing a plurality of operation buttons, the details of which will be described later, mounted on the button block 10 are opened. Further, a positioning hole 24 for positioning the rear cover 2 with respect to the button block 10 is opened. This positioning hole 24 is fixed to the surface recess 25 of the rear cover 2 by adhesion or the like. 26 is covered by 26.

  In this digital camera, the operation buttons are exposed from the surface of the rear cover 2 through a plurality of button holes 23 provided in the rear cover 2, and the switches are switched by pressing each operation button with a finger. ing. In particular, typical operation buttons include operation buttons 111 and 112 for switching between strobe and focus, a playback button 113 for reproduction only for reproducing and displaying a photographed image on the monitor device 5, and various camera modes. An operation button with a single button configuration such as a menu button 114 for displaying a menu when setting the camera, an operation button 115 with a seesaw switch configuration for switching between tele (telephoto) and wide (wide angle) of the photographing lens, and a circle A cross key type mode selection button 116 for selecting various modes in a ring shape and a mode determination button 117 arranged in the center of the mode selection button 116 and having a circular button shape for mode determination are arranged. It is installed.

  FIG. 3 shows a partially exploded perspective view of the button block 10. A metal plate is processed and a fixing plate 12 having a positioning boss 121 fixed by caulking is provided, and a flexible circuit board 13 is mounted on the front surface of the fixing plate 12. The resin button 11 is mounted thereon. The dome switch 14 is composed of an elastically deformable insulating plate, and dome 141 is disposed at a plurality of locations. When the dome 141 is crushed from the apex side, the dome 141 is not shown in the figure. Built-in switch mechanism to turn on. The switch mechanism of each dome 141 is electrically connected to the wiring of the flexible circuit board 13. The resin button 11 is formed by integral molding of the resin while the individual buttons 111 to 114, the seesaw type button 115, the mode selection button 116 and the like are connected to each other by the connection piece 110, and the mode determination button 117 is the mode selection button. 116 is sub-assembled by being fitted into the center hole 116. The buttons 111 to 117 are arranged to face the domes 141 of the dome switch 14. When the buttons 111 to 117 are pressed, the corresponding dome 141 is pressed and deformed to operate the switch mechanism, and the flexible circuit board 13. An electric signal is sent to the camera body 1 through the screen. The resin button 11, the flexible circuit board 13, and the dome switch 14 are laminated on the fixing plate 12, and the positioning boss 121 is inserted into the positioning holes 118, 131, and 142 provided in each of the resin buttons 11, flexible circuit board 13, and dome switch 14. Are positioned, and are integrally fastened by a plurality of screws 15 penetrating them.

  As already known, the flexible circuit board 13 is formed by forming a wiring pattern on a flexible insulating plate, and can be bent particularly in the plate thickness direction. As shown in a perspective view of the main part in FIG. 5, a ribbon-like connection piece 132 is extended on one side of the flexible circuit board 13 so as to protrude to the side of the button block 10, and this connection piece. Reference numeral 132 denotes a horizontal bent portion 133 bent in a U-shape in the plate thickness direction along the horizontal direction (H direction in the drawing) of the flexible circuit board 13, and further along the vertical direction (V direction in the drawing) at the tip side. A vertical bent portion 134 bent in a U-shape in the thickness direction is provided. Further, a connector 135 is integrally provided at a portion straight above the tip of the vertical bent portion 134, and the connector 135 is a connector provided on the main board 7 built in the camera body 1. It is possible to be electrically connected by fitting to 71.

  Then, in order to attach the button block 10 to the camera body 1, as shown in FIG. 3, the connector 135 of the flexible circuit board 13 is fitted to the connector 71 of the main board 7 in the camera body so as to be electrically and electrically connected. After mechanical connection, screws (small screws) 16 are inserted into two mounting holes 122 provided in the fixing plate 12 of the button block 10, and the screws 16 are fastened to a part of the camera body 1. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the screw 16 to which the screw 16 is attached, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view in a state where the screw 16 is fastened. The screw 16 has a boss portion 161, and the outer diameter D <b> 1 of the boss portion 161 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter D <b> 2 of the mounting hole 122 of the fixing plate 12. Further, the axial length L1 of the boss portion 161 is longer than the plate thickness L2 of the fixed plate 12 by a minute dimension. Therefore, when the fixing plate 12 is fixed to a part of the camera body 1 with the screw 16, the fixing plate 12, that is, the button block 10 is fixed by the dimensional difference between the inner diameter of the mounting hole 122 and the outer diameter of the boss portion 161. It is allowed to move by a minute dimension in any direction along the surface direction.

  Then, the rear cover 2 is attached to the camera body 1. FIG. 8 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion along the line AA in FIG. 1. The fixing plate 12 has a distal end protruding through the resin button 11 of the button block 10 through the positioning hole 24 of the rear cover 2. The positioning boss 121 is fitted. Thereby, the rear cover 2 is accurately positioned with respect to the button block 10. FIG. 8 representatively shows the structure of the mode selection button 116 and the mode determination button 117, and these buttons 116 and 117 are properly positioned with respect to the button hole 23 by the positioning boss 12 and the positioning hole 24. It becomes a state. At this time, even if the positional deviation occurs between the button hole 23 and the buttons 116 and 117, the flexible circuit board 13 includes the horizontal bent portion 133 and the vertical bent portion 134. The button block 10 is allowed to move in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction with respect to the camera body 1 by elastic deformation in the bent portions 133 and 134, and also in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction along the inner surface of the rear cover 2. The positioning boss 121 and the positioning hole 24 can be easily fitted to each other. The deformation of the flexible circuit board 13 due to the movement of the button block 10 is a deformation at the horizontal bent part 133 and the vertical bent part 134, so that the flexible circuit board 13 is not twisted and the flexible circuit board 13 is damaged. I will not receive it. Then, the rear cover 2 is attached to the camera body 1 with a screw not shown. At this time, the monitor device 5 and the optical viewfinder 6 are aligned with the opening windows 21 and 22 of the rear cover 2, but the monitor device 5 and the optical viewfinder 6 project through the opening windows 21 and 22 to the surface side. Since it is not a thing, positioning accuracy does not become a problem.

  Thus, in the digital camera of the embodiment, when assembling the camera, the connector 135 of the flexible circuit board 13 constituting the button block 10 is connected to the connector 71 of the main board 7 in the camera body 1, and the button block 10 is attached to the camera body 1 with screws, and then the rear cover 2 is attached to the button body 23 of the rear cover 2 by fitting the positioning hole 24 and the positioning boss 121 when the rear cover 2 is attached to the camera body 1. On the other hand, the operation button 11 can be positioned almost automatically, and the buttons 111 to 117 of the operation button 11 can be assembled in an appropriate exposure state in the button hole 23. As a result, an assembling process can be easily performed. Therefore, even when the inner diameter of the button hole is formed by a minute dimension larger than the outer diameter of each button and a minute gap is formed around the button between the button hole and the button hole, the gap has a uniform dimension around the button. Therefore, the appearance quality is not deteriorated. Further, there is no problem in the flexible circuit board as in Patent Document 1 in which the operation button is fixedly attached to the rear cover. As described above, the positioning boss and the positioning hole are covered with the decorative grip.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example applied to a digital camera is shown. However, the present invention is applied not only to a camera using a silver salt film but also to various devices having a configuration in which operation buttons attached to the main body are exposed to the device surface through button holes provided on the device cover. It is possible to apply the invention as well. Further, the structure of the button block of the operation button is not limited to the configuration of the embodiment. In particular, the present invention can be applied to a configuration in which the operation switch and the device main body are electrically connected using a flexible cord instead of the flexible circuit board. Furthermore, as long as the relative positioning between the rear cover and the button block is possible, the configuration is not limited to the configuration of the positioning boss and the positioning hole of the above-described embodiment.

It is an external appearance perspective view of the back side of the digital camera to which the present invention is applied. It is a perspective view of the state which decomposed | disassembled the rear cover. It is a perspective view of the state which removed the button block. It is a disassembled perspective view of a button block. It is a perspective view of the principal part of a flexible circuit board. It is a perspective view of the screw | thread part which fixes a fixing plate. It is an expanded sectional view of the screw part which fixed the fixed board. It is a general | schematic expanded sectional view of the part which follows the AA line of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Camera body 2 Rear cover 3 Release button 4 Main switch 5 Monitor apparatus 6 Optical finder 7 Main board 8 Battery 10 Button block 11 Resin button 12 Fixing board 13 Flexible circuit board 14 Dome switch 16 Screw 23 Button hole 24 Positioning hole 121 Positioning boss 122 Mounting hole 133 Horizontal bent portion 134 Vertical bent portion

Claims (6)

  An operation button mounting structure in which an operation button attached to a device main body is exposed to a surface of the device cover through a button hole opened in the device cover attached to the device main body. The operation button is provided on an inner surface of the device cover. An operating button mounting structure, wherein the operating button is mounted on the device main body in a movable state along the operating button.   One of the device cover and the operation button is provided with a positioning hole, the other is provided with a positioning boss to be fitted into the positioning hole, and the positioning boss is fitted into the positioning hole to operate the device cover. 2. The operation button mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the button is positioned.   The operation button includes a fixed plate attached to the device main body, a flexible circuit board fixed to the fixed plate and electrically connected to the device main body, a dome switch electrically connected to the flexible circuit board, and a switch for the dome switch. 3. The operation button mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the operation button mounting structure is configured as a button block in which a resin button for operation is integrated in a laminated state.   The operation button mounting structure according to claim 3, wherein the operation button is attached so that the fixed plate is movable with respect to the device main body.   The flexible substrate has a first bent portion that can be elastically deformed in one direction at a portion where electrical connection with the device body is performed, and a second bent that can be elastically deformed in a direction perpendicular to the one direction. The operation button mounting structure according to claim 4, further comprising a portion. The device main body is a camera main body, the device cover is a rear cover that covers the rear surface of the camera main body, and operation buttons attached to the camera main body are exposed through button holes provided in the rear cover. The operation button mounting structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein:

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