JP2014202878A - Housing structure and electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a foldable housing structure in which an operation button is arranged at an end portion of a hinge shaft while securing an operation stroke, rational arrangement of a switch is made possible, and operability of the button is improved as well.SOLUTION: A housing structure in which two housings 2, 3 are connected rotatably via a hinge shaft 7 comprises: an operation button 8 arranged outside the housing 3 on an extension of the hinge shaft 7; and a switch 22 which is arranged inside the other housing 2 on an extension of the hinge shaft 7 and operates by a pressing operation of the operation button 8. Specifically, a transmission shaft 16 which is arranged being inserted into the hinge shaft 7 and allows the switch 22 to operate while being interlocked with the pressing operation of the operation button 8 is included. Furthermore, a movable member 24 arranged between the switch 22 and the transmission shaft 16 is included. Note that the other housing 2 is a lens part housing having a lens part 5 for photographing use, and the operation button 8 is a shutter button of the lens part 5.

Description

  The present invention relates to a foldable casing structure and an electronic apparatus including the casing structure.

There is a foldable portable device in which a display unit casing and an operation unit casing are rotatably connected via a hinge unit, and a camera is incorporated in the hinge unit.
And in patent document 1, it has an imaging | photography window which takes in incident light substantially orthogonal to the hinge axial center of a hinge part, and an imaging | photography window is hinged according to the mutual rotational motion of a display part housing | casing and an operation part housing | casing. A folding portable device with a camera that rotates about an axis is proposed. This foldable portable device with a camera has a camera built in an integral connecting shaft along the lower side of the display housing, and is attached to one end of a hinge shaft that passes through a pair of left and right connecting shafts of the operating housing. A shutter button is arranged.

Further, in Patent Document 2, the lens unit housing rotates with respect to the display unit housing via the first hinge shaft, and the frame surrounding the housing of the lens unit housing has an axis line with the first hinge shaft. A camera that rotates through a second hinge axis orthogonal to each other has been proposed. A shutter button is provided on the side of the display unit housing.
In this way, the camera that consists of the display unit housing, lens unit housing, and frame stabilizes the self-portrait by firmly grasping the frame, pointing the lens unit and display unit at yourself, and pressing the shutter button beside the display unit. It is possible easily.

JP 2002-374434 A JP2012-133061A

  However, in the foldable portable device with a camera disclosed in Patent Document 1, a shutter button is disposed at one end of a hinge shaft that passes through a pair of left and right connecting shafts of the operation unit housing. Since the camera is built in the connecting shaft part that is integral with the shutter, a shutter switch must be placed on the connecting shaft part where the width of one of the operation unit housings is narrow, and the stroke of the shutter button is also sufficient. I can't earn. Therefore, the implementation of the shutter switch is severe, there is a possibility that the shutter button may be erroneously operated, and there is a disadvantage that the shutter operation is not intuitively understood.

  Further, in the camera including the display unit housing, lens unit housing, and frame disclosed in Patent Document 2, the shutter button is attached to the display unit housing, so that it cannot be pressed with the hand holding the frame but is pressed with the other hand. It will be. In this case, since the pushing hand is reflected in the image as a subject, self-timer shooting becomes indispensable.

  An object of the present invention is to secure an operation stroke while arranging an operation button at the end of a hinge shaft in a folding housing structure, and to enable rational arrangement of a switch, thereby improving the operability of the button. It is to be.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides:
A housing structure in which two housings are rotatably coupled via a hinge shaft,
An operation button disposed outside one housing on the extension of the hinge shaft,
A switch disposed on the extension of the hinge shaft inside the other casing and operated by a pressing operation of the operation button.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to secure an operation stroke while arranging the operation button at the end of the hinge shaft, rationally arrange the switch in the housing, and improve the operability of the button.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The structure of one Embodiment of the electronic device to which this invention is applied is shown, the front view (a) of the state which closed the frame of the camera, the back view (b), the top view (c), and a bottom view (d) It is. FIGS. 2A and 2B are a perspective view showing a shooting state of the camera of FIG. It is the figure (a) which shows the internal structure of the camera of Fig.1 (a), and the enlarged view (b) of the arrow B part. It is the figure (a) which showed the state which opened the frame of the camera of Fig.3 (a), and the enlarged view (b) of the arrow B part. It is a disassembled perspective view of the flame | frame and hinge unit of Fig.4 (a). FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the hinge unit of FIG. 5. It is the figure (a) which showed the self-shooting with the right hand of the above camera, and the figure (b) which showed other person's photography. Similarly, a diagram (a) showing a self-portrait with the left hand and a diagram (b) showing another person's shooting.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows a camera as a configuration of an embodiment of an electronic apparatus to which the present invention is applied. 1 is a display unit housing, 2 is a lens unit housing, 3 is a frame, 4 is a display unit, and 5 is a lens unit. , 6 is a first hinge shaft, 7 is a second hinge shaft, and 8 is a shutter button.

  As shown in the drawing, the camera includes a display unit housing 1 having a display unit 4 and a lens unit housing 2 having a lens unit 5 that are rotatably coupled to each other via a first hinge shaft 6. A frame 3 that also serves as a casing that surrounds the display casing 1 and the lens casing 2 is provided. The frame 3 is rotatably coupled to the lens unit housing 2 via a pair of second hinge shafts 7 orthogonal to the first hinge shaft 6. A shutter button 8 is provided outside the frame 3 on the extension of one second hinge shaft 7.

  FIG. 2 shows a shooting state of the camera, that is, as shown in FIG. 2A, the frame 3 is opened 180 degrees with respect to the lens unit housing 2, and the display unit 4 and the lens unit 5 are in opposite directions. Take a picture of a person other than yourself (hereinafter referred to as “Take another person”), or take a picture of yourself with the display unit 4 and the lens unit 5 facing in the same direction as shown in FIG. Can be.

  3 and 4 show the internal structure of the camera, 11 is a circuit board, 12 is a battery, 13 is a cable, 14 is a disc spring, 15 is a disc spring, 16 is a transmission shaft, 17 is an E-ring, and 20 is A key housing, 21 is an FPC, 22 is a push switch, 23 is a coil spring, 24 is an inner key, and 30 is a hinge unit.

  As shown in the figure, a circuit board 11 and a battery 12 are accommodated inside the display unit housing 1, and the first hinge shaft 6 and the second hinge shaft 7 are both hollow shafts, and the circuit board in the display unit housing 1. 11 is electrically connected to the electronic device in the lens unit housing 2 through the hollow portion of the first hinge shaft 6.

Then, the lens unit housing 2 can be rotated and held at a constant torque by the first hinge shaft 6 in which a plurality of disc springs 14 are caulked around the display unit housing 1.
Further, the frame 3 can be rotated and held endlessly at a constant torque of 360 degrees with the second hinge shaft 7 having a plurality of disc springs 15 caulked around the lens unit housing 2.

A transmission shaft 16 is disposed through the hollow portion of the second hinge shaft 7.
One end of the transmission shaft 16 is positioned inside the shutter button 8, and the other end is locked to a hinge unit 30 including the second hinge shaft 7 by an E ring 17.
Since the transmission shaft 16 is slightly thinner than the inner diameter of the second hinge shaft 7, it can slide and rotate in the axial direction.

  Further, the transmission shaft 16 is close to the push switch 22 on the FPC 21 in the switch housing 20 disposed inside the lens unit housing 2, and is pressed by the coil spring 23 and contacts the push switch 22. Alternatively, an inner key 24 as a movable member slightly separated is provided.

Specifically, for example, the second hinge shaft 7 having a diameter of several millimeters does not pass an electric wire or the like, and even if it is a hollow shaft that penetrates the transmission shaft 16 having a diameter of about 1 mm of the shutter button 8, There is no worry.
The first hinge shaft 6 connecting the lens unit housing 2 and the display unit housing 1 is also a hollow shaft having the same diameter, and the inner diameter is about half of the shaft outer shape.

  The push switch 22 has two metal diaphragms and contacts that are electrically connected in order when the metal diaphragm is pressed, and functions as a two-stage shutter switch.

The above-described mechanism comprising the transmission shaft 16 and the inner key 24 ensures a sufficient stroke to maintain the half shutter state, and avoids damage due to pressure concentration and friction on the push switch 22 surface of the thin transmission shaft 16. .
Further, even if the center positions of the shutter button 8 and the push switch 22 are slightly deviated from each other, the change in the pressing feeling or the switch operation failure due to the deviation can be reduced through the inner key 24.

  FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the frame 3 and the hinge unit 30, wherein 31 is a first bracket, 32 is a second bracket, 33 is a third bracket, 34 is a screw, and 35 is a double-sided tape.

  As shown in the drawing, the hinge unit 30 is fixed to the first bracket 31 fixed to the inside of the display unit housing 1, the second bracket 32 fixed to the inside of the lens unit housing 2, and the frame 3. The third bracket 33 is configured. The first bracket 31 and the second bracket 32 are rotatably coupled to each other via the first hinge shaft 6 and the disc spring 14, and the second bracket 32 and the pair of upper and lower third brackets 33 are connected to the second hinge shaft 7 and the disc spring. 15 and the like are rotatably coupled to each other.

  The end of the metal frame 3a of the frame 3 is coupled to the third bracket 33 by a pair of screws 34, and the frame cover 3b is fixed to the outside of the metal frame 3a via upper and lower double-sided tapes 35.

  FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the hinge unit 30, and 25 is an FPC chassis.

  As shown in the figure, the FPC 21 on which the push switch 22 and other electronic components are mounted is attached to the FPC chassis 25. The FPC chassis 25 is fixed to the second bracket 32, and the transmission shaft 16, the E ring 17, the key housing 20, the coil spring 23, and the inner key 24 are assembled therebetween.

  Next, the shutter operation of the camera having the above configuration will be described.

When the shutter button 8 is pressed, the transmission shaft 16 presses the push switch 22 via the inner key 24, and the two-stage shutter switch operates.
The FPC 21 from the push switch 22 and the cable 13 from the lens unit 5 pass through the hollow first hinge shaft 6 that connects the lens unit housing 2 and the display unit housing 1, and the circuit of the display unit housing 1. Bonded to the substrate 11.

  As described above, the shutter button 8 is arranged in the vicinity of the second hinge shaft 7 of the frame 3, and the transmission shaft 16 having one end located inside the shutter button 8 passes through the hollow second hinge shaft 7. Yes. The transmission shaft 16 is slightly thinner than the inner diameter of the second hinge shaft 7 and can slide and rotate in the axial direction. Further, the transmission shaft 16 is close to the push switch 22 inside the lens unit housing 2, and when the shutter button 8 is pushed, the transmission shaft 16 pushes the push switch 22 and the two-stage shutter switch operates. .

  Therefore, the following effects can be obtained.

1) No matter what position the frame 3 rotates, the transmission shaft 16 pushed by the shutter button 8 only passes through the through-hole of the second hinge shaft 7 and is hardly affected by the rotation of the frame 3. Does not rotate.
Therefore, the “pushing element” or “diaphragm” on the surface of the push switch 22 and the transmission shaft 16 do not rotate and slide, and the push switch 22 is not worn or damaged.

2) Since the shutter button 8 is substantially the same center as the second hinge shaft 7, a stable operation is possible regardless of the position of the frame 3 rotating.

  FIG. 7 shows a shooting state with the right hand of the above camera. As shown in FIG. 7A, when the shutter button 8 is provided on the right side, the display unit 4 and the lens unit 5 are directed in the same direction. In this state, when taking a selfie with the frame 3 with the right hand, the thumb just comes to the position of the shutter button 8 on the right side, so that the selfie with the right hand can be easily performed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7B, when taking a picture of another person holding the frame 3 with the right hand with the display unit 4 and the lens unit 5 facing in opposite directions, the position of the shutter button 8 on the left side. The thumb just comes in, so you can easily shoot others with your right hand.

  FIG. 8 also shows a shooting state with the left hand of the camera. As shown in FIG. 8A, when the shutter button 8 is provided on the left side, the display unit 4 and the lens unit 5 are directed in the same direction. Thus, when taking a selfie with the frame 3 with the left hand, the thumb just comes to the position of the shutter button 8 on the left side, so that the selfie with the left hand can be easily performed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 8B, when taking a picture of another person holding the frame 3 with the left hand with the display unit 4 and the lens unit 5 facing in opposite directions, the position of the shutter button 8 on the right side. The thumb just comes to you, so you can easily shoot others with your left hand.

  Even when the frame 3 is closed, if it is held with both thumbs and index fingers, the left index finger is just above the shutter button 8 and is easy to push.

  As described above, according to the camera of the embodiment, the shutter button 8 is disposed outside the frame 3 on the extension of the second hinge shaft 7, and the shutter is disposed inside the lens unit housing 2 on the extension of the second hinge shaft 7. By arranging the push switch 22 that operates by pushing the button 8, the operation button can be secured while the shutter button 8 is arranged at the end of the second hinge shaft 7, and the push switch is provided in the lens unit housing 2. 22 can be rationally arranged, and the operability of the shutter button 8 can be improved.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a zoom button 9 may be provided on the other second hinge shaft 7 side opposite to the shutter button 8.
In that case, the camera is provided with a control unit that determines whether the other person shooting state or the self-portraiting state according to the orientation of the display unit 4 with respect to the lens unit 5 and switches between the shutter function and the zoom function of the operation buttons 8 and 9. And

  As a result, regardless of whether it is another person's or self-portrait, it is held as shown in FIGS. 7A and 8A, and the same function (for example, shutter function) is always operated with the same finger (for example, thumb). Will be able to.

(Modification)
In the above embodiment, the camera is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be another electronic device such as a foldable mobile phone including the camera. In the case of a foldable portable device, the open / close button and the shutter button or zoom button may be shared.
In the embodiment, the shutter button and the zoom button are used, but other operation buttons may be used.
Furthermore, the shape of the housing and operation buttons, the structure of the switch, and the like are arbitrary, and it is needless to say that other specific detailed structures can be changed as appropriate.

As mentioned above, although several embodiment of this invention was described, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, The range of the invention described in the claim, and its equivalent range Including.
The invention described in the scope of claims attached to the application of this application will be added below.
The item numbers of the claims described in the appendix are as set forth in the claims attached to the application of this application.
[Appendix]
<Claim 1>
A housing structure in which two housings are rotatably coupled via a hinge shaft,
An operation button disposed outside one housing on the extension of the hinge shaft,
A casing structure comprising: a switch that is disposed inside the other casing on an extension of the hinge shaft and operates by a pressing operation of the operation button.
<Claim 2>
The housing structure according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission shaft that is inserted through the hinge shaft and operates the switch in conjunction with a pressing operation of the operation button.
<Claim 3>
The other casing is a lens section casing having a photographing lens section,
The housing structure according to claim 1, wherein the operation button is a shutter button of the lens unit.
<Claim 4>
The lens unit housing includes a display unit housing rotatably coupled to the lens unit housing via a hinge shaft orthogonal to the hinge shaft, and having a display unit.
4. The housing structure according to claim 2, wherein the one housing is a frame having a shape surrounding the lens housing and the display housing. 5.
<Claim 5>
The lens unit housing includes a display unit housing rotatably coupled to the lens unit housing via a hinge shaft orthogonal to the hinge shaft, and having a display unit.
5. The housing structure according to claim 3, wherein the one housing is a frame having a shape surrounding the lens housing and the display housing.
<Claim 6>
A shutter button provided on one side of the frame and a zoom button provided on the other side as the operation buttons,
The control unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a control unit that determines whether to take a picture of another person or to take a picture of itself according to a direction of the display unit with respect to the lens unit, and switches between a shutter function and a zoom function of the operation button. The housing structure according to 5.
<Claim 7>
An electronic apparatus comprising the housing structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

1 Display unit housing 2 Lens unit housing 3 Frame (housing)
4 Display unit 5 Lens unit 6 First hinge shaft 7 Second hinge shaft 8 Operation button 9 Operation button 11 Circuit board 12 Battery 13 Cable 14 Disc spring 15 Disc spring 16 Transmission shaft 17 E-ring 20 Key housing 21 FPC
22 Push switch 23 Coil spring 24 Inner key (movable member)
25 FPC chassis 30 Hinge unit 31 First bracket 32 Second bracket 33 Third bracket 34 Screw 35 Double-sided tape

Claims (7)

A housing structure in which two housings are rotatably coupled via a hinge shaft,
An operation button disposed outside one housing on the extension of the hinge shaft,
A casing structure comprising: a switch that is disposed inside the other casing on an extension of the hinge shaft and operates by a pressing operation of the operation button.   The housing structure according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission shaft that is inserted through the hinge shaft and operates the switch in conjunction with a pressing operation of the operation button. The other casing is a lens section casing having a photographing lens section,
The housing structure according to claim 1, wherein the operation button is a shutter button of the lens unit.   The housing structure according to claim 2, further comprising a movable member disposed between the switch and the transmission shaft. The lens unit housing includes a display unit housing rotatably coupled to the lens unit housing via a hinge shaft orthogonal to the hinge shaft, and having a display unit.
5. The housing structure according to claim 3, wherein the one housing is a frame having a shape surrounding the lens housing and the display housing. A shutter button provided on one side of the frame and a zoom button provided on the other side as the operation buttons,
The control unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a control unit that determines whether to take a picture of another person or to take a picture of itself according to a direction of the display unit with respect to the lens unit, and switches between a shutter function and a zoom function of the operation button. The housing structure according to 5.   An electronic apparatus comprising the housing structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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