JP2010283452A - Key operation device and operation sheet in electronic appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To secure waterproofing and to obtain excellent operability in an electronic appliance, such as a portable telephone set. <P>SOLUTION: A key operation device has: a switch element 722 arranged on the back surface side of an operation surface so as to faces an opening part 517 provided on an operation surface 516a; and an operation sheet 71 which is arranged so as to cover the opening part on the front side of the operation surface and operates the switch element when being pressed. On the operation sheet, a sheet-shaped body SSJT, a key top 715 projecting to the surface side of the sheet-shaped body at a position being away from an edge of the opening part, and a projection 716 which projects to a reverse side of the sheet-shaped body to operate the switch element are integrally provided, and the peripheral edge of the reverse side of the operation sheet 71 is attached to the operation surface 516a so as to be made in close contact therewith. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a key operation device and an operation sheet in a housing such as a mobile phone.

  In recent years, mobile phones have been required to have waterproof properties as their functions diversify. Therefore, the key operation device for operating the mobile phone is also required to be waterproof.

  FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a key operation device KSj for a one-touch key provided on the handset side of a conventional mobile phone 1j.

  In FIG. 9, an opening 81a is provided in a front case 81 on the receiver side (movable side). The key assembly 82 is configured by adhering the key top 82b to the surface of the rubber sheet 82a. The key assembly 82 is mounted such that the key top 82b projects from the opening 81a to the front side. A switch element 83 provided on the flexible substrate 84 is disposed below the key assembly 82. When the user presses the key top 82b, the switch element 83 is pressed to operate.

  Further, conventionally, an operation board on which operation contacts are mounted, an operation button sheet having a key top at a position corresponding to the operation contact, and an operation in which an opening is formed at a position corresponding to the key top to cover the operation button sheet. There is disclosed a waterproof key operation device including a button cover (Patent Document 1).

JP-A-7-58815

  In the key operation device KSj shown in FIG. 9, water may enter from the gap between the key assembly 82 and the opening 81a, and waterproofness cannot be ensured. In order to ensure waterproofness, it is conceivable to use a sheet key that is in close contact with the surface of the peripheral portion of the opening 81 a of the front case 81 instead of the key assembly 82.

  However, waterproofness is secured by using a sheet key, but with the one-touch key, the installation space is long in the horizontal direction but the width in the vertical direction is narrow, so a sufficient amount of bending is ensured when the key is pressed. Difficult to do. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to obtain good operability.

  In the key operation device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the operation button sheet and the operation button cover are overlapped with each other, so that the thickness increases, and is not suitable for a thin mobile phone.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems. A key operation device and an operation sheet that can ensure waterproofness and obtain good operability in an electronic device such as a cellular phone. The purpose is to provide.

  The key operation device of the present embodiment is arranged so as to close the opening on the front side of the operation surface and the switch element disposed on the back side of the operation surface so as to face the opening provided on the operation surface. An operation sheet that operates the switch element when pressed, and the operation sheet is a transparent sheet-like body, on the surface side of the sheet-like body at a position away from the edge of the opening. And a protrusion for operating the switch element protruding to the back side of the sheet-like body, and a peripheral edge on the back side of the operation sheet is in close contact with the operation surface It is attached to do.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, in electronic devices, such as a mobile telephone, the key operation apparatus and operation sheet which can ensure waterproofness and can obtain favorable operativity can be provided.

It is the front view and left view which show the external appearance of the mobile telephone of this embodiment. It is the disassembled perspective view seen from the front case side of the receiver side of the mobile phone. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the receiver side partly disassembled from the front case side. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the receiver side partly disassembled from the rear case side. It is a front view which removes and shows the operation sheet in a key operation device. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in the key operation device of FIG. 5. It is the front view and back view of an operation sheet. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view taken along the line B-B in the operation sheet of FIG. 7. It is sectional drawing of the key operation apparatus of the conventional mobile telephone.

  FIG. 1A shows a front view of the mobile phone 1 of the present embodiment, and FIG. 1B shows a left side view of the mobile phone 1.

  1 to 4, the cellular phone 1 according to the present embodiment is a folding type in which a transmitter side (fixed side) SG and a receiver side (movable side) JG are rotatably connected by a hinge HJ. is there. The case KTS of the transmitter side SG includes a front case 11 having an operation unit SB provided on the front surface, and a rear case 12 disposed in contact with the back side of the front case 11. The front case 11 and the rear case 12 are manufactured by molding a synthetic resin such as polycarbonate or ABS resin. Similarly, the front case 51 and the rear case 52 of the receiver-side JG are manufactured by resin molding.

  Various operation buttons 20 for inputting a telephone number and other information are arranged on the operation unit SB so as to protrude from a hole provided in the front case 11 to the surface (front surface). By pressing, a contact or a sensor provided on the printed circuit board, which will be described later, is configured to detect it.

  In addition, a battery housing portion RD is provided inside the rear case 12, and the surface thereof is a detachable battery lid 24. The front case 11 and the rear case 12 are integrated by screws inserted from the rear case 12 and screwed.

  The housing KTJ of the receiver side JG includes a front case 51 and a rear case 52 arranged in contact with the back side of the front case 51. The front case 51 and the rear case 52 are coupled to each other via a sealing material SZ made of synthetic rubber or synthetic resin. The sealing material SZ provides waterproofness to the coupling portion of the housing KTJ. Various shapes, materials, hardness, mounting positions, mounting methods, and the like of the sealing material SZ can be employed.

  A plate-like display panel (front panel) 61 made of a transparent synthetic resin such as polycarbonate or acrylic is provided on the surface of the front case 51. The display panel 61 has functions such as protecting the main display DM, improving the visibility of images, and decorating the mobile phone 1. The user views the image displayed on the main display DM through the display panel 61.

  At the upper position of the display panel 61, there is provided an earpiece JU for transmitting the sound emitted from the receiving speaker 66 provided inside to the outside.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the housing KTJ of the receiver side JG has a display panel 61, a panel seal 62, a gas permeable sheet (receiving sheet) 63, an operation sheet 71, a one-touch flexible module 72, a one-touch tape. 73, a main display DM, a printed circuit board PK1, a receiving speaker 66, a camera 67, a sub display DS, a sub LCD packing BJ12, a rear panel tape BJ14, a camera unit 75, a rear sheet SH, and the like.

  The front case 51 and the rear case 52 are integrated by four screws NJ, NJ... Inserted from the front case 51 side and screwed.

  A base 74 is provided in the main display DM. Each of the main display DM and the sub display DS is a display panel composed of a color LCD.

  The operation sheet 71, the one-touch flexible module 72, the one-touch tape 73, the base 74, and the like form a key operation device KS for one-touch keys. Using a one-touch key, you can make a call to a pre-registered number just by pressing it.

  Various signals are transmitted and received by a flexible cable between the printed circuit board PK1 on the transmitter side SG and the printed circuit board (not shown) on the receiver side JG. The flexible cable is arranged in a state of being bent through the internal space of the hinge HJ.

  Next, the key operation device KS will be described with reference to FIGS. 7A is a front view of the operation sheet 71, and FIG. 7B is a rear view of the operation sheet 71. In FIG. 5, the operation sheet 71 is indicated by a two-dot chain line. In FIG. 7A, the opening 517 is indicated by a two-dot chain line.

  As well shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a horizontally long rectangular operation frame portion 516 surrounded by a raised frame portion 51 b is provided at a lower position of the front case 51. The surface of the operation frame portion 516 is an operation surface 516a. A laterally long rectangular opening 517 is provided at substantially the center of the operation frame 516.

  The operation frame portion 516 is provided with two holes on the left and right sides, and screws NJ are screwed into the holes and connected to the rear case 52.

  A one-touch flexible module 72 is attached to the base 74 by a one-touch tape 73 that is a double-sided tape.

  In the one-touch flexible module 72, a switch element 722 and other electronic components are mounted on the surface of a flexible substrate 721. As the switch element 722, three switch elements 722a to 722c are arranged. These three switch elements 722a to 722c are arranged on the back side of the operation surface 516a so as to face the opening 517, and are arranged in a row in the lateral direction along the longitudinal direction of the opening 517.

  Note that as the switch element 722, a switch that is turned on and off by pressing the surface, for example, a tact switch, a push switch, a dome switch, or other switches can be used.

  An operation sheet 71 for operating the switch element 722 when pressed is attached to the operation surface 516a in a close contact state on the front surface side. The operation sheet 71 is disposed so as to close the opening 517, and the two screws NJ are hidden from view from the outside.

  As illustrated in FIG. 7, the operation sheet 71 includes a sheet-like body SJT, key tops 715 a to 715 c that protrude to the front side of the sheet-like body SJT, and protrusions 716 a to 716 c that protrude to the back side of the sheet-like body SJT It is provided integrally. The key tops 715a to 715c indicate an operation position when the user operates with a finger and give an operational feeling that the user can easily operate. The protrusions 716a to 716c are pushers for pushing and operating the switch elements 722a to 722c, respectively. The key tops 715a to 715c and the projections 716a to 716c are provided at positions facing the three switch elements 722a to 722c, respectively.

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the operation sheet 71 includes a first sheet-like body 711, a double-sided tape 712, a second sheet-like body 713, and a waterproof double-sided tape 714 that are laminated in this order. It has become.

  The first sheet-like body 711 is a transparent film having a thickness of about 0.1 mm made of a synthetic resin such as polyethylene resin. On the surface of the first sheet-like body 711, the three key tops 715a to 715c described above are integrally provided. The key tops 715a to 715c are formed in a horizontally long oval shape in a front view, for example, by a synthetic resin such as a urethane resin or a UV curable resin. The protrusion height of the key tops 715a to 715c is about several tenths of a millimeter.

  That is, the key tops 715a to 715c are integrated with the surface of the first sheet-like body 711 by heat fusion or the like, for example. Further, for example, an ultraviolet curable resin (UV curable resin) is filled in a mold having a key top, and the surface of the first sheet-like body 711 is pressed from above, and ultraviolet rays are irradiated in this state to cure the ultraviolet light. The resin is cured. The ultraviolet curable resin is cured in a state of being integrated with the first sheet-like body 711 to become key tops 715a to 715c. Alternatively, the first sheet-like body 711 having a shape including the key tops 715a to 715c may be integrally formed from the beginning using a mold.

  Further, on the back side of the first sheet-like body 711, an image GF for operation guidance is formed by silk printing at positions corresponding to the key tops 715a to 715c. An image layer 717 is formed by the image GF.

  In the example shown in FIG. 7, as the image GF, an image GF1 filled with an oval dark color shaped push button, and the numbers “1”, “2”, “3” drawn in the image GF1. A white character image GF2 is printed. The key tops 715a to 715c are formed smaller than the image GF1 so as to be included inside the image GF1. The outside of the image GF1 is printed with a color such as silver so that the operation surface 516a on the lower surface is not directly visible.

  The second sheet-like body 713 is a transparent film having a thickness of about 0.1 mm made of a synthetic resin such as a polyethylene resin. On the surface of the second sheet-like body 713, the three protrusions 716a to 716c described above are integrally provided. The protrusions 716a to 716c are formed in a small circular shape when viewed from the front, for example, by a synthetic resin such as urethane resin. The protrusion height of the protrusions 716a to 716c is about several tenths of a millimeter. The protrusions 716a to 716c can also be formed by the same method as the key tops 715a to 715c.

  On the back side of the first sheet-like body 711, the surface side of the second sheet-like body 713 is attached via a double-sided tape 712. In FIG. 8, the double-sided tape 712 has a frame shape along the periphery of the first sheet-like body 711, but may have a shape that covers the entire back surface of the first sheet-like body 711.

  A double-sided tape 714 is attached to the back surface of the second sheet-like body 713 so as to surround the periphery. By sticking the operation sheet 71 to the operation surface 516a with the double-sided tape 714, the opening 517 and the hole of the screw NJ are closed, and the waterproof property in the key operation device KS is ensured.

  As described above, the operation sheet 71 is formed into a membrane by combining the first sheet-like body 711 and the second sheet-like body 713 into a sheet-like body SJT. That is, the operation sheet 71 is a sheet key. The operation sheet 71 can be easily and reliably affixed to the operation surface 516a, thereby ensuring waterproofness easily.

  Further, since the operation sheet 71 is provided with the key tops 715a to 715c on the surface thereof, the operability is good. Since the key tops 715a to 715c are long in the longitudinal direction of the opening 517, the width dimension in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction is reduced, and therefore a sufficient distance is provided between the edge of the operation surface 516a. Can be provided. Thereby, when the user presses the key tops 715a to 715c, a sufficient bending allowance is ensured in the operation sheet 71, and the touch when operated is good. In addition, protrusions 716a to 716c are provided on the back surface, and the switch elements 722a to 722c can be reliably and stably operated.

  Since the back surface of the first sheet-like body 711 is flat and the image GF is formed on the flat face, and the sheet-like body SJT is transparent, the visibility of the image GF is good. In addition, the image GF1 obtained by forming the push button can have an arbitrary shape larger than the shape of the key tops 715a to 715c, and can have a size and a shape that are easy to see and operate for the user. It is possible to effectively perform the operation guidance of ~ c.

  In the embodiment described above, the shape of the key tops 715a to 715c may be rectangular or circular when viewed from the front, or a plurality of circular protrusions may be provided. In the key operation device KS, the three switch elements 722a to 722c are arranged, but may be two or less or four or more. The image GF can be any image other than those described above. For example, as the image GF1, a circle, a rectangle, a polygon, an indefinite shape, an illustration image, a photographic image, or the like can be used.

  In the embodiment described above, the shapes of the front case 51 and the rear case 52 may be various shapes other than those described above. For example, the front case 51 and the rear case 52 may be flat or box-shaped. These front-view shapes may be rectangular, egg-shaped, elliptical, oval, polygonal, or other various shapes. The front case 51 or the rear case 52 may be composed of a plurality of cases or parts. A structure in which another member is interposed between the front case 51 and the rear case 52 may be employed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the front case 51, the rear case 52, the operation frame unit 516, the operation sheet 71, the switch element 722, the key operation device KS, the image GF, or the configuration and structure of each part of the mobile phone 1 The shape, dimensions, forming method, manufacturing method, arrangement, number, material, position, and the like can be variously changed in addition to those described above.

  In the example described above, the foldable mobile phone 1 has been described. However, the present invention is also applied to non-foldable mobile phones, various mobile terminals other than mobile phones, fixed phones, other electronic devices, and the like. be able to.

1 Mobile phone (electronic equipment)
516 Operation frame 516a Operation surface 517 Opening 71 Operation sheet 711 First sheet-like body 712 Double-sided tape 713 Second sheet-like body 714 Double-sided tape 715 Keytop 716 Protrusion 717 Image layer (image)
722 Switch element KS Key operation device SJT Sheet-like body GF Image

Claims (7)

A switch element disposed on the back side of the operation surface so as to face an opening provided on the operation surface;
An operation sheet that is arranged to close the opening on the front side of the operation surface and operates the switch element when pressed.
The operation sheet includes a transparent sheet-like body, a key top that projects to the front surface side of the sheet-like body at a position away from an edge of the opening, and a switch element that projects to the back surface side of the sheet-like body. The protrusion to be operated is integrally provided, and is attached so that the periphery on the back side of the operation sheet is in close contact with the operation surface.
Key operation device in electronic equipment. On the operation sheet, an image for operation guidance is formed by printing at a position corresponding to the key top,
The key top is formed smaller than the image so as to be included inside the image.
The key operation device in the electronic device according to claim 1. The opening is rectangular;
A plurality of the switch elements are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the opening,
The operation sheet is provided with the key tops and the protrusions at respective positions facing the plurality of switch elements,
The key operation device in the electronic device according to claim 1. The key top has a long shape along the longitudinal direction of the opening,
The key operation device in the electronic device according to claim 3. The operation sheet is
A first sheet-like body provided with the key top and constituting a part of the sheet-like body;
A second sheet-like body provided with the projection and attached to the back side of the first sheet-like body;
A double-sided waterproof tape attached to surround the periphery of the second sheet-like body;
Have
The image is formed on the back side of the first sheet-like body,
The key operation device in the electronic device according to claim 2. The operation sheet is disposed so as to close the opening of the operation surface on the front side thereof, and is an operation sheet for operating the switch element disposed so as to face the opening when pressed.
A first sheet-like body provided with a key top protruding on the surface side;
A second sheet-like body provided with a projection for projecting on the back surface side to operate the switch element, the front surface side being attached to the back surface side of the first sheet-like body;
A waterproof double-sided tape attached to surround the periphery of the second sheet-like body on the back side,
On the back side of the first sheet-like body, an image for operation guidance is formed by printing at a position corresponding to the key top,
The key top is formed smaller than the image so as to be included inside the image.
Operation sheet. The first sheet-like body is formed by integrally molding the key top made of urethane resin on the surface of a transparent sheet made of polyethylene resin.
The operation sheet according to claim 6.

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