JP2007172912A - Operation button of personal digital assistant, and personal digital assistant having it - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an operation button of a personal digital assistance capable of achieving a thinning of the personal digital assistant by further thinning the operation button, and to provide the personal digital assistant having it. <P>SOLUTION: The operation button 6 has a structure that a disc-like flange part 6e of a larger diameter than that of a key top part 6a is connected to each other to the lower end side part of the columnar key top part 6a, and in the flange 6e, the surface is formed in an inclined state (thinner conically from outside to inside) so that a thickness C of the limit for a gate to be installed at its outside is secured and gradually becomes the limit D (<C) as it approaches a linking part with the key top part 6a. Moreover, a face abutted on the flange part 6e of a surface side cabinet 4 is an inclined face 11, and while securing a moldable thickness A of the surface side cabinet 4, by thinning the thickness, the whole thickness of a device terminal can be made thinner by a share of (C-D). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an operation button of a portable information terminal and a portable information terminal having the operation button, and in particular, a cellular phone, a PHS (Personal Handyphone System), a PDA (Personal Data Assistance, Personal Digital Assistants). The present invention relates to a structure of an operation button of a portable information terminal having an input device such as a key and an electronic device such as an electronic dictionary, and a button, and a portable information terminal having the same.

  In recent years, mobile phones, PHS (Personal Handyphone System), PDA (Personal Data Assistance, Personal Digital Assistants), input devices such as keys and buttons for electronic dictionaries, etc. Portable information terminals are widely used because of their convenience, but for further popularization, reduction in size and weight is always required.

  Of these, when attention is paid to the operation buttons used as the input device, a flange is provided on the key top portion of the operation button for positioning in the height direction of the operation button and preventing the operation button from popping out. In consideration of moldability, the flange has the same thickness as the gate, that is, the thickness of the inlet (pouring gate) for injecting the resin material into the cavity of the mold for molding the flange. As a technique for reducing the size and weight of the portable information terminal described above, the operation button is made thinner, and the operation button flange is made thinner in order to make the operation button thinner. However, at present, in order to reduce the thickness of the device, each part is squeezed to the minimum level that can be manufactured with a mold, and the gate thickness is made as thin as possible. It is difficult to make the film thinner.

  FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a portable information terminal provided with an example of a conventional operation button. As shown in FIG. 8, the operation button 6 includes two parts, a key top portion 6a having a flange portion 6d and a rubber portion 6b. When the key top portion 6 a of the operation button 6 is pressed during input, the pusher portion 6 c of the rubber portion 6 b pushes the metal dome 7.

  FIG. 9 shows a sectional view of an example of a conventional operation button. In the figure, the same components as those in FIG. 9A, conventionally, the thickness of the flange portion 6d of the key top portion 6a is determined by the thickness C of the gate. As shown in FIG. 8, the shape of the front case 4 is determined by receiving the flange portion 6d. At this time, in order to make the front case 4 as thin as possible, the minimum thickness A dimension is set to the minimum thickness that can be molded. Since a certain amount of counterbore depth B considering the ease of pressing the operation button is required, the Y dimension in FIG. 8 is determined by the A dimension of the front case, the counterbore depth B, and the thickness C of the flange portion 6d. Yes.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 10, since the surface where the flange portion 6d of the key top portion 6a abuts on the front case 4 is parallel, the bias of the key top portion 6a may be a problem. When the key top portion 6a is biased, it becomes difficult to apply a force from the key presser 6c to the center of the metal dome 7, leading to poor click feeling. Further, since a clearance is required around the operation button and the button hole, the operation button is biased with respect to the button hole by the amount of the clearance, and the click feeling is poor and the design is impaired.

  Therefore, an inclined guide surface is formed on the outer surface of the projecting piece projecting with a predetermined width for guiding the operation button back to the back side of the operation panel, and the flange of the operation button is in contact with the guide surface. A recess is formed in which the projecting piece is removably fitted, and an inclined contact surface is formed on one side surface of the recess so as to come into contact with and separate from the guide surface of the projecting piece. There is known an operation button assembly structure in which the operation button is prevented from being displaced by a positioning action caused by contact of the contact surface with the surface (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-35575 (page 3, FIG. 4)

  However, in the button assembly structure described in Patent Document 1 described above, when the operation button is returned, the operation button is held in a normal posture without being displaced, thereby improving the appearance and improving the click feeling. Although it can be suppressed, the operation button cannot be made thin.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points. By further reducing the thickness of the operation button, the operation button of the portable information terminal capable of realizing further reduction in thickness of the portable information terminal, and the portable having the same To provide type information terminals

  In order to achieve the above object, the operation button of the portable information terminal of the present invention includes a key top portion to which a pressing force is urged at the time of input in the operation button provided on the input side casing of the portable information terminal. It is connected to the key top part, and when the pressing force is released, the force from the key dome is energized so that it comes into contact with the back side of the input side casing and prevents the input side casing from popping out. And the flange portion is characterized in that the thickness of the outermost peripheral position is set to the minimum thickness of the gate, and is gradually reduced from the minimum thickness as it approaches the connection position with the key top portion. To do.

  In this invention, the flange portion of the key top portion is set so that the thickness at the outermost peripheral position is set to the minimum thickness of the gate, and gradually decreases from the above minimum thickness as it approaches the connection position with the key top portion. Therefore, the flange portion can be thinned by providing a gradient while ensuring the thickness of the gate.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized in that the thickness of the connecting position of the flange portion to the key top portion is set to a minimum moldable thickness. In addition, the key top portion may have a columnar shape, and the flange portion may have a structure in which a flat surface is a circle having a larger diameter than the key top portion, and a cross section is formed with an inclined portion over the entire circumference. In addition, the key top portion has a columnar shape, and the flange portion has a substantially disk shape having a larger diameter than the key top portion, and only a part of the key top portion gradually decreases from the minimum thickness as it approaches the connection position with the key top portion. The structure in which the inclined part set thinly is formed may be sufficient. In this case, only a part of the flange portion has the minimum thickness, and it is only necessary to reduce the thickness of the casing that comes into contact with the flange portion only in this portion, so that appearance defects such as sink marks on the casing can be eliminated. .

In order to achieve the above object, a portable information terminal according to the present invention includes a portable information terminal having an input side casing provided with an operation button. At least a key dome that constantly biases the force toward the housing is provided, and the operation buttons are
The key top part that presses the pressing force against the urging force by the key dome at the time of input and the key top part are connected to the key top part. When the pressing force is released, the force from the key dome is applied to input. At least a flange portion that contacts the back surface of the side housing and prevents the protrusion from the input side housing, and the flange portion has a key top with the outermost peripheral thickness set to the minimum thickness of the gate. The thickness is gradually reduced from the minimum thickness as the position approaches the connection position with the portion, and the back surface of the input side housing is formed with an inclined portion corresponding to the inclination of the flange portion.

  In the present invention, since the back surface of the input side housing is formed with an inclined portion corresponding to the inclination of the flange portion, the input side housing can be matched with the shape of the flange portion, and thereby the wall of the input side housing can be matched. It is possible to reduce the thickness of the portable information terminal while securing the thickness that allows the thickness to be molded. Here, the thickness of the connecting position of the flange portion with the key top portion is set to a minimum moldable thickness.

  According to the present invention, the thickness of the outermost peripheral position of the flange portion is set to the minimum thickness of the gate, and gradually from the minimum thickness as it approaches the connection position with the key top portion (or the center position of the flange portion). The thickness of the surface casing can be reduced by providing a gradient while maintaining the thickness of the gate while maintaining the molding stability of the key top while maintaining the molding stability of the key top. As a result, the overall thickness of the portable information terminal can be reduced.

  In addition, according to the present invention, the back surface of the input side housing that comes into contact with the flange portion is matched with the shape of the flange portion, so that the thickness of the input side housing can be molded and the portable information terminal is secured. Can be made thinner.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an overview perspective view of an example of a portable information terminal provided with operation buttons of the portable information terminal according to the present invention. The portable information terminal shown in the figure is a foldable mobile phone, and the display unit side case 1 and the input unit side case 2 are coupled to each other by a hinge portion 3 at one side end portions. Has been. A display unit 9 such as a liquid crystal display element and a speaker (not shown) are provided on the inner side surface of the display unit side body 1, and operation buttons 6 and the like are provided on the inner side surface of the input unit side body 2. A microphone (not shown) or the like is provided. When used, as shown in FIG. 1, the display unit side body 1 and the input unit side body 2 are opened at a predetermined angle with the hinge unit 3 as the center. The body 1 and the input unit side body 2 are brought into a closed state in which the inner surfaces of the body 1 and the input unit side body 2 are opposed to each other with the hinge 3 as a center.

  FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an example of the input unit side body 2 of the portable information terminal shown in FIG. In the figure, the same components as those in FIG. In FIG. 2, the input unit side body 2 has a structure in which an operation button 6, a metal dome 7, and a substrate 8 are included in a front side body 4 and a back side body 5.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X-X ′ of FIG. 1 and shows a cross-sectional view including the operation buttons and the like of the present invention. In the figure, the same components as those in FIG. The operation button 6 is composed of two parts, for example, a cylindrical key top portion 6a having a flange portion 6e and a rubber portion 6b. At the time of input (when the switch is turned on), when the key top portion 6 a of the operation button 6 is pressed, the pusher portion 6 c of the rubber portion 6 b pushes the metal dome 7. When the pressing force on the operation button 6 is released, the restoring force of the metal dome 7 pushes the key top portion 6a of the operation button 6 together with the flange portion 6e until the flange portion 6e contacts the predetermined position of the front case 4. Will be automatically restored and switched off.

  FIG. 4 shows a side view of one embodiment of the operation button of the portable information terminal of the present invention. In the figure, the same components as in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 4 (A) and 4 (B), in the present embodiment, the operation button 6 has a generally disc-shaped flange having a larger diameter than the key top portion 6a at the lower end side portion of the columnar key top portion 6a. The portion 6e is connected to the flange portion 6e. The flange portion 6e secures a limit thickness C at which the gate can be installed outside the flange portion 6e, and gradually approaches the limit portion D (<C) as the connection portion with the key top portion 6a is approached. The surface is formed in an inclined shape (thin in a mortar shape from the outside to the inside) so as to be as thin as possible.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4C, the surface that contacts the flange portion 6e of the front case 4 is an inclined surface 11 in accordance with the shape of the flange portion 6e, and the front side shown in FIG. While ensuring the moldable thickness A of the housing 4, the thickness of the front housing 4 is reduced. In this way, the thickness Y ′ of the front case 4 shown in FIG. 3 can be made thinner by (C−D) than the thickness Y of the conventional front case shown in FIG. 8. As a result, the entire thickness of the device terminal can be reduced by (C−D).

  Moreover, since the key top portion 6a is always urged by the restoring force of the metal dome 7 from the metal dome 7 side toward the front case 4 side by design, the embodiment is adopted by adopting this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the key top portion 6 a is pressed along the contact surface with the front housing 4. Therefore, the flange portion 6e of the key top portion 6a is pressed toward the center of the operation button hole of the front case 4 and is not displaced.

  Therefore, the shift | offset | difference of the center of the pusher 6c of the rubber part 6b and the metal dome 7 can be suppressed. By adopting this embodiment, the eccentricity of the operation button 6 and the metal dome 7 can be suppressed, and as a result, there is no click feeling failure.

  FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of another embodiment of the portable information terminal according to the present invention. In the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, a gradient (inclined portion) is provided on the entire circumference of the disk-like flange portion 6e of the operation button 6. However, as shown in FIG. 6, the gradient is partially eliminated. Is also possible. The operation button 12 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 includes a columnar key top portion 12a and flange portions 12b to 12d formed on a disk having a diameter larger than that of the key top portion 12a and connected to the key top portion 12a. Become. The flange portions 12b and 12c are flange portions that ensure the minimum thickness of the gate, and the flange portion 12d is a flange portion having a minimum moldable thickness. The flange portions 12b and 12c and the flange portion 12d are connected by an inclined portion. Even with the operation button 12 having this shape, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the housing, which is an effect of the present invention.

  In addition, an operation button 13 according to still another embodiment of the present invention whose external perspective view is shown in FIG. 7 is connected to the key top portion 13a having a columnar key top portion 13a and a diameter larger than that of the key top portion 13a. It consists of flange parts 13b and 13c formed on the disk. The flange portion 13b is a flange portion set to the thickness of the gate, and the flange portion 13c is a flange portion having a minimum moldable thickness. The operation button 13 of this shape has a structure in which only one portion 13b of the flange is set to the thickness of the gate, and the other flange portion 13c is set to the minimum moldable thickness, thereby reducing the thin portion of the front case as much as possible. Thus, appearance defects such as sink marks on the front case can be eliminated. Note that when the pressing force to the key top portion 13a is released, the entire flange portions 13b and 13c abut against the back surface of the front case. This operation button 13 also has an effect of realizing a thin casing. Further, by preventing the operation button 13 from being decentered, there are effects of improving the appearance and suppressing the click feeling defect.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, for example, the key top portion is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may be other shapes such as a quadrangular prism shape or other polygonal column shapes, The flange part should just be comprised by the diameter which is connected with the keytop part and does not protrude from a front side housing | casing.

It is a general | schematic perspective view of an example of the portable information terminal provided with the operation button of the portable information terminal which becomes this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of an example of the input part side housing | casing of the portable information terminal shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the X-X 'line | wire of FIG. It is a side view (the 1) of one embodiment of the operation button of the portable information terminal of the present invention. It is a side view (the 2) of one Embodiment of the operation button of the portable information terminal of this invention. It is an external appearance perspective view of other embodiment of the portable information terminal of this invention. It is an external appearance perspective view of further another embodiment of the portable information terminal of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the principal part of the portable information terminal provided with an example of the conventional operation button. It is sectional drawing of an example of the conventional operation button. It is a figure which shows that the surface where the flange part of the key top part of a conventional operation button and a front side housing | casing contact is parallel.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display side housing | casing 2 Input part side housing | casing 3 Hinge part 4 Front side housing | casing 5 Back side housing | casing 6, 12, 13 Operation button 6a Key top part 6b Rubber part 6c Pusher part 6e, 12b-12d, 13b, 13c Flange 7 Metal Dome 8 Board

Claims (6)

In the operation buttons provided on the input side casing of the portable information terminal,
A key top portion to which a pressing force is urged when inputting, and
It is connected to the key top part, and when the pressing force is released, the force from the key dome is urged to contact the back surface of the input side housing to prevent the input side housing from popping out. And the flange portion is formed such that the thickness of the outermost peripheral position is set to the minimum thickness of the gate, and gradually decreases from the minimum thickness as the position of connection with the key top portion approaches. An operation button of a portable information terminal.   The operation button of the portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the position where the flange portion is connected to the key top portion is set to a minimum moldable thickness.   The key top portion has a cylindrical shape, and the flange portion has a structure in which a flat surface is a circle having a larger diameter than the key top portion, and a cross section has an inclined portion formed over the entire circumference. The operation button of the portable information terminal according to 1 or 2.   The key top portion has a columnar shape, and the flange portion has a generally disc shape having a larger diameter than the key top portion, and only a part thereof gradually approaches the connection position with the key top portion from the minimum thickness. The operation button of the portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein a slanted portion is formed thinly. In a portable information terminal having an input side housing provided with operation buttons,
In the input side casing, at least a key dome that constantly urges a force toward the input side casing with respect to the operation button is provided,
The operation buttons are
A key top portion in which a pressing force is urged against an urging force by the key dome at the time of input;
It is connected to the key top part, and when the pressing force is released, the force from the key dome is urged to contact the back surface of the input side housing to prevent the input side housing from popping out. And the flange portion is formed such that the thickness of the outermost peripheral position is set to the minimum thickness of the gate, and gradually decreases from the minimum thickness as the position of connection with the key top portion approaches. The portable information terminal is characterized in that an inclined portion corresponding to the inclination of the flange portion is formed on the back surface of the input side casing. 6. The portable information terminal according to claim 5, wherein a thickness of a position where the flange portion is connected to the key top portion is set to a minimum moldable thickness.

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