JP2962943B2 - Mobile phone - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable telephone, and more particularly, to a portable telephone which can be used at night and which illuminates a switch section and a liquid crystal display section. In the specification of the present application, a telephone body (base unit) wired to a subscriber line is used.
And a handset (slave unit) wirelessly connected to the telephone body
It is assumed that the above handset in a cordless telephone comprising:

[0002] In a portable telephone having a switch section comprising a plurality of switch keys for a dial function or the like,
It is desirable that the switch unit be configured to be illuminated in consideration of night use. In general, since a large number (at least 10) of switch keys are provided, if it is possible to uniformly illuminate the large number of switch keys with a small number of light sources, it is advantageous in terms of reduction in power consumption and size.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a technique for illuminating a large number of switch keys with a small number of light sources, a technique in which light from a small number of light sources is supplied to a large number of switch keys by a light guide plate is known.

Further, as a configuration of a switch key suitable for reduction in size and weight, a switch key in which a switch contact is formed on a flexible printed wiring board is known. On the other hand, as a means for displaying a dialed telephone number or the like, a device using liquid crystal has been put to practical use.

[0005]

In general, liquid crystal does not emit light by itself, so that a light source for illuminating the liquid crystal display is required to enable a portable telephone equipped with the liquid crystal display to be used at night. Become. Conventionally, such a light source for illuminating the liquid crystal display unit has been provided separately from a light source for illuminating the switch unit, and thus there has been a problem that the reduction in size and weight of the mobile phone and the reduction in power consumption are hindered.

Further, when the switch contacts of the switch key are formed on the flexible printed wiring board, the flexible printed wiring board has flexibility, so that a special structure for preventing undesired deformation thereof is provided. Is required to be provided in a main body housing or the like, which hinders reduction in size and weight of the mobile phone.

An object of the present invention is to provide a portable telephone which has high illumination efficiency for a switch section and a liquid crystal display section and is suitable for reduction in size and weight.

[0008]

A portable telephone according to the present invention comprises:
A key top sheet made of a translucent or transparent elastic body integrally having an upper case having openings formed corresponding to a plurality of switch keys, and a plurality of key tops each having an upper end projecting from the opening of the upper case. A first flexible printed wiring board on which part or all of switch contacts turned on / off by a lower end of the key top are printed, and a first portion facing the key top sheet and the upper case. A second part facing the transparent window,
A key top through-hole through which a lower end of the key top penetrates is formed in the first portion; the first portion is an integrated light guide plate adhered to the first flexible printed wiring board;
Light source means for introducing visible light into the light guide plate; and a liquid crystal display unit interposed between the second portion of the light guide plate and the transparent window of the upper case.

[0009]

In the structure of the present invention, the light guide plate is formed integrally with the first portion facing the key top sheet and the second portion facing the transparent window of the upper case, and is formed integrally with the second portion of the light guide plate. Since the liquid crystal display unit is interposed between the transparent windows of the case, for example, visible light from a small number of light sources can be efficiently supplied to the keytop and the liquid crystal display unit.

Further, since a flexible printed wiring board on which a part or all of the switch contacts are printed is attached to the light guide plate to constitute one module.
By fixing the light guide plate to the upper case, not only a special mechanism for preventing undesired deformation of the flexible printed wiring board becomes unnecessary, but also the mechanical strength of the mobile phone itself is improved.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a state where a cover of a mobile phone according to an embodiment of the present invention is closed, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where the cover of the mobile phone is opened.

This portable telephone comprises a main body 2 and a cover 4 provided to be openable and closable with respect to the main body 2 by a rotating operation. The main body 2 is attached to the main body 2 from the side opposite to the cover 4.
Antenna 6 that can be pulled out with respect to
A receiver 10 having a built-in speaker, a volume switch 12 for increasing or decreasing the volume, a display 14 having a built-in liquid crystal display unit, and a switch 16 having a plurality of switch keys for dialing and function selection. , A transmitting section 18 having a built-in microphone, and an interface connector 20 used for connection to an in-vehicle adapter or an external antenna are provided in this order.

When the cover 4 is closed, the switch unit 16 is closed.
And functions as a reflection sound collecting plate for the transmitting unit 18 when opened. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the mobile phone according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Main body housing is upper case 2
2 and a lower case 24. The upper case 22 and the lower case 24 are integrated by screws 26.

A key top sheet 30 made of an elastic material such as translucent or transparent silicone rubber integrally having key tops 28 corresponding to the respective switch keys is provided in the main body housing from the upper case 22 side, and a liquid crystal display. A / switch key module 32 and a circuit board unit 34 on which a high-frequency circuit and a control circuit are mounted are accommodated in this order.

An antenna holder 36 slidably supporting the antenna 6 is screwed to the lower case 24, and a battery pack 38 is detachably attached to the lower case 24. In the liquid crystal display / switch key module 32,
40 is a liquid crystal display unit, 42 is a speaker for a receiver,
Reference numeral 44 denotes an alert unit having a built-in alert in a bush, reference numeral 46 denotes a contact for a volume switch, reference numeral 48 denotes a key top for a volume switch, and reference numeral 50 denotes a microphone unit in which a microphone for a transmitter is built in the bush. I have.

In the circuit board unit 34, 52 is a fixed switch contact, 54 is a light emitting diode,
Details of these will be described later. In the upper case 22, 56 is a hole for transmitting the air vibration from the speaker 42 to the outside of the main body, 58 is a hole for a volume switch, 60 is a transparent window for viewing the liquid crystal display unit 40 from outside the main body, and 62 is a key. Openings from which the tops 28 respectively project, 6
Reference numerals 4 denote holes for transmitting air vibration outside the main body to the microphone unit 50, respectively.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the main part (liquid crystal display / switch key module 32) of FIG. The liquid crystal display / switch key module 32 (see FIG. 3) includes a light guide plate 66 made of a transparent or translucent (milky) resin such as methacrylic resin, and a flexible print attached to the light guide plate 66 by a double-sided adhesive sheet 68. And a wiring board 70.

The light guide plate 66 is a key top sheet 3 shown in FIG.
The liquid crystal display unit 40 includes a relatively thin portion 72 opposite to the thin portion and a relatively thick portion 73 on which the liquid crystal display unit 40 is mounted.
A key top through-hole 74 is formed in the thin portion 72 of the light guide plate at a position corresponding to the key top 28 (see FIG. 3), and a guide is provided near the key top through hole 74 of the thin portion 72 of the light guide plate. A buried hole 76 for accommodating a later-described light emitting diode for introducing visible light is formed inside the light plate 66. Further, portions of the double-sided adhesive sheet 68 corresponding to the key top through holes 74 and the buried holes 76 of the light guide plate are punched out.

The flexible printed wiring board 70 comprises a main plane portion 78 substantially parallel to the light guide plate 66, and branch portions 80 and 82 which can be bent with respect to the main plane portion 78. Branch 8
A microphone 84 is mounted on the end of the “0”, and the microphone 84 is covered with a bush 86 made of rubber or the like.

Branch 8 of flexible printed wiring board 70
2 includes a first portion 82A extending from the main plane portion 78 in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the main plane portion 78, and a second portion 82B extending from the first portion 82A in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the first portion 82A. A third portion 82C extending from the second portion 82B in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the second portion 82B, a fourth portion 82D and a fourth portion 82D extending from the third portion 82C in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the third portion 82C, respectively. 5 parts 82
E.

At the end of the fourth portion 82D of the branch 82, an alert 88 is mounted.
0 is overlaid. A speaker 92 is mounted on the fifth portion 82E of the branch portion 82.

The microphone 84, the alert 88, and the speaker 92 are electrically connected to the main plane portion 78 by conductor patterns (not shown) formed on the corresponding branch portions. The flexible printed wiring board 70 is formed by the first portion 82A of the branch portion 82 by the circuit board unit 34.
(See FIG. 3). Branches for electrically connecting the flexible printed wiring board and the circuit board unit may be provided independently at the edge of the main plane portion 78.

The base of the flexible printed wiring board 70 is made of, for example, a polyester sheet, and its main plane portion 7
In FIG. 8, a click diaphragm 94 protruding so as to form a part of the spherical surface is formed by drawing or the like. The click diaphragm 94 is formed at a position corresponding to the key top through hole 74 of the light guide plate 66. Further, a through hole 96 through which a light emitting diode for illumination passes is formed in the main plane portion 78 of the flexible printed wiring board at a position facing the buried hole 76 of the light guide plate 66.

Main plane portion 7 of flexible printed wiring board
A drive circuit 98 for driving the liquid crystal display unit 40 is mounted at a position facing the light guide plate thick portion 73 of the light guide plate 8. This drive circuit 98 and the liquid crystal display unit 40 are connected to another flexible printed wiring. They are electrically connected by the plate 100.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the portable telephone according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and the sectional position is along the line AA in FIG. The flexible printed wiring board 70 is adhered to the light guide plate 66 to be integrated, and the integrated flexible printed wiring board 70, the light guide plate 66, and the key top sheet 30 are mounted on the circuit board unit 34 supported by the lower case 24. And the upper case 22.

The upper end of the key top 28 slightly protrudes from the opening 62 of the upper case 22, and the lower end of the key top 28 abuts on the top of the click diaphragm 94. The switch contacts include a movable contact 102 formed on the concave surface of the click diaphragm 94 and a fixed switch contact 52 formed at a position facing the movable switch contact 102 of the circuit board unit 34. The material of each contact is gold,
A metal such as silver or carbon can be used, and these conductors can be used for the flexible printed wiring board 70 by printing, for example.
And the circuit board unit 34.

When the key top 28 is pushed downward in the figure with the cover 4 opened, the pressing force causes the click diaphragm 94 to be elastically deformed, and the movable contact 102 comes into contact with the fixed contact 52. The switch is turned on.
When the pressing force applied to the key top 28 is released, the click diaphragm 94 is elastically restored to the original spherical shape, the movable switch contact 102 and the fixed switch contact 52 are brought out of contact, and the switch is turned off.

In this embodiment, the flexible printed wiring board 70 having flexibility is integrated with the strong light guide plate 66, and the integrated product, the key top sheet 30 and the circuit board unit 34 are combined with the upper case 22 and the lower case 24. , The rigidity of the mobile phone body can be effectively increased, and the size and weight of the mobile phone can be easily reduced.

The light-emitting diodes 54 mounted on the circuit board unit 34 pass through the through holes 96 (see FIG. 4) of the flexible printed wiring board 70 and
6.

When the light emitting diode 54 is driven, light (visible light) emitted from the light emitting diode 54 is introduced into the light guide plate 66 through the buried hole 76, and the light is guided by repeating total reflection or irregular reflection. Each key top 28 spreads uniformly in the light plate 66, and is irradiated from the lower surface side to each key top 28 through each key top through hole 74 or the like.

The light introduced into the light guide plate 66 also spreads from the thin portion 72 of the light guide plate to the thick portion 73 (see FIG. 4), and the light introduced into the thick portion 73 of the light guide plate 66. Thereby, the liquid crystal display unit 40 is illuminated from the back side.

In order to efficiently supply the light introduced into the thick portion 73 of the light guide plate to the liquid crystal display unit 40, a portion of the thick portion 73 facing the liquid crystal display unit 40 is provided with fine irregularities. In addition, it is preferable that light scattering is easily caused. The light guide plate 66 may be transparent or translucent (milky white).
It may be.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the light from the light source is supplied to the keytop and the liquid crystal display unit by one light guide plate. The key top and the liquid crystal unit can be effectively illuminated.

By the way, since each keytop 28 is illuminated with the back light by the light supplied from the light guide plate 66, the material of the keytop sheet is selected to be transparent or translucent.

For this reason, when the click diaphragm 94 is transparent, the movable switch contact 102 or the fixed switch contact 52 is visible from the outside via the key top 28 and the click diaphragm 94, which is not preferable in appearance.

Therefore, the flexible printed wiring board 70
For example, a white scattering thin film may be formed on at least the convex surface of the click diaphragm 94, or an opaque base material such as white may be used as a material of the flexible printed wiring board 70 to eliminate inconvenience in appearance.

In such a case, not only the appearance is improved, but also the light radiated from the light guide plate 66 through the key top through hole 74 is scattered by the convex surface of the click diaphragm 94, and the illumination efficiency for each key top 28 is increased. This also produces the effect.

Further, by providing the entire surface of the main plane portion 78 (see FIG. 4) of the flexible printed wiring board 70 with white color treatment, the illumination efficiency for the liquid crystal display unit 40 can be improved.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a mobile phone according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a liquid crystal display / switch key unit 32 'and a circuit board unit 34' having different configurations from those in the first embodiment are used. 7 and 8 are an exploded perspective view and a cross-sectional view of a main part of the present embodiment, respectively.
It is shown in correspondence with.

In this embodiment, the light emitting diode 54 ′ is surface-mounted at a position corresponding to the buried hole 76 of the light guide plate 66 on the main plane portion 78 ′ of the flexible printed wiring board 70 ′. Also, the light emitting diode 103 is surface-mounted.

The main plane portion 78 'of the flexible printed wiring board is composed of an upper film 104 and a lower film 106 which are laminated by, for example, folding, and a click diaphragm 94' is formed on the upper film 104.

A movable switch contact 102 ′ is formed on the concave surface of the click diaphragm 94 ′, and a fixed switch contact 52 ′ is formed on the lower film 106. According to the second embodiment, the following effects are produced in addition to the effects of the first embodiment. First, since the light emitting diodes and the fixed switch contacts are provided on the flexible printed wiring board side, it is not necessary to perform highly accurate alignment between the flexible printed wiring board and the circuit board unit during the assembling operation.

Second, since the light emitting diode 103 is also provided around the driving circuit 98 for the flexible printed wiring board, the light introduced from the light emitting diode 103 into the thick portion 73 of the light guide plate is used for liquid crystal display. In addition to being used to illuminate the unit 40, it also extends into the thin portion 72 of the light guide plate and is also used to illuminate each keytop 28, thereby increasing the illumination effect.

[0044]

The effects of the present invention are as described in the embodiments and the like. The main parts thereof will be confirmed and clarified as follows. That is, according to the present invention, there is an effect that it is possible to provide a mobile phone that has high illumination efficiency for the switch section and the liquid crystal display section and is suitable for reduction in size and weight.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a mobile phone according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mobile phone showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the mobile phone according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of the mobile phone according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the mobile phone according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a mobile phone according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of a mobile phone according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a mobile phone according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 22 Upper case 24 Lower case 28 Key top 30 Key top sheet 32, 32 'Liquid crystal display / switch key module 34, 34' Circuit board unit 40 Liquid crystal display unit 66 Light guide plate 70, 70 ', 100 Flexible printed wiring board

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04B 7/26 H04M 1/02-1/23 H04Q 7/00-7/38

Claims (9)

(57) [Claims] An upper case (22) having an opening (62) corresponding to each of a plurality of switch keys, and a plurality of keys each having an upper end protruding from the opening (62) of the upper case (22). A key top sheet (30) made of a translucent or transparent elastic body integrally having a top (28), and a part or all of switch contacts turned on / off by a lower end of the key top (28) are formed by printing. From the first flexible printed wiring board (70, 70 '), the first portion facing the key top sheet (30) and the second portion facing the transparent window (60) of the upper case (22). The first portion is formed with a key top through hole (74) through which the lower end of the key top (28) penetrates, and the first portion is formed on the first flexible printed wiring board (70, 70 '). A light guide plate (66) attached to the light guide plate, light source means for introducing visible light into the light guide plate (66), Plate (66) of the second portion and the transparent window of the upper case (22) (6
A mobile phone, comprising: a liquid crystal display unit (40) interposed between the mobile phone (0). 2. The apparatus further comprises a lower case (24) forming a main body housing together with the upper case (22), and a circuit board unit (34, 34 '), wherein the upper case (22) and the lower case (24) are provided. Between the upper case (22), the key top sheet (30), the liquid crystal display unit (40), the light guide plate (66), and the first flexible printed wiring board (70, 70 '). 2. The portable telephone according to claim 1, wherein the circuit board units are arranged in this order. 3. The first flexible printed circuit board.
(70, 70 ') is a main plane portion (78, 70) substantially parallel to the light guide plate (66).
78 ′) and a plurality of branches (8
0,82), and a driving circuit (98) for the liquid crystal display unit (40) mounted on a portion of the main plane portion (78,78 ') facing the second portion of the light guide plate (66). ), A second flexible printed wiring board (100) for connecting the drive circuit (98) to the liquid crystal display unit (40), and a microphone for transmission attached to one of the plurality of branches. 84), and a receiving speaker (92) and a warning alert (90) attached to any of the plurality of branches, respectively, and the main plane portion is provided by any of the plurality of branches. (78,7
The portable telephone according to claim 2, wherein the circuit board unit (34, 34 ') is connected to the portable telephone. 4. The first flexible printed circuit board according to claim 1.
A click diaphragm (94) is formed on (70) so as to protrude so as to form a part of the spherical surface, and a top portion thereof is formed with a click diaphragm (94) abutting on a lower end of the key top (28). It comprises a movable switch contact (102) formed on a concave surface and a fixed switch contact (52) formed at a position facing the movable switch contact (102) of the circuit board unit (34). The mobile phone according to claim 2. 5. The light source means is connected to the circuit board unit (3).
4) a light emitting diode (54) mounted on the first flexible printed wiring board (70), a through hole (96) for the light emitting diode (54) is formed, The first part includes the light emitting diode (54).
5. The mobile phone according to claim 4, wherein said buried hole is formed. 6. The first flexible printed circuit board according to claim 1.
(70 ') is composed of a laminated upper film (104) and a lower film (106) .The upper film (104) protrudes to form a spherical surface, and its top is located at the lower end of the key top (28). An abutting click diaphragm (94 ') is formed, and the switch contact is connected to the click diaphragm (9).
4 ′) Movable switch contact (102 ′) formed on the concave surface
And the movable switch contact (1) of the lower film (106).
02 ') Fixed switch contact formed at a position facing
(52 ') The mobile phone according to claim 2, comprising: 7. The light source means comprises: the upper film (104).
A light-emitting diode (54 ', 103) surface-mounted on the light guide plate (66);
7. The mobile phone according to claim 6, wherein a buried hole (4) is formed. 8. The first flexible printed circuit board according to claim 1.
(70, 70 ') at least the click diaphragm (94, 70')
The portable telephone according to claim 4 or 6, wherein the convex surface of (94 ') is white. 9. A cover (4) rotatably supported by the upper case (22) and covering at least an exposed portion of the key top (28) when closed. The mobile phone according to claim 2.