JP3296798B2 - Electronic device housing structure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a housing structure of an electronic device, and more particularly to a housing structure of an electronic device having a plurality of operation buttons protruding and arranged on a predetermined operation surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various functions have been added to electronic devices to make them multifunctional. On the other hand, various operation buttons are provided in a narrow case so that a user can easily and reliably execute a predetermined function. The operability is improved by efficiently arranging it in the arrangement space. Conventionally, such a case is provided with a housing structure of an electronic device in which a plurality of button holes are formed on an operation surface, and an operation button is inserted from the inside into the button hole and projected. In such a housing structure of a conventional electronic device, particularly, for example, in a housing structure of an electronic device intended for carrying, such as a PHS phone and a mobile phone, various functions are frequently added. Accordingly, it is required that operation buttons with good operability, which can be easily operated by the user, be efficiently arranged in a narrow space for arranging the case. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a housing structure of such a conventional electronic device. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section taken along line CC shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 7, the housing structure of a conventional electronic device is such that a plurality of (two in FIG. 7) operation surfaces are protruded from the operation surface of the electronic device, and are raised and lowered by a pressing force from the outside. An operation button 50 for turning on / off (not shown) is provided, and a case 40 of an electronic device is provided in which a plurality of button holes 44 for projecting the operation button 50 on a surface (operation surface) extending flat are provided. .

Here, the operation button 50 is formed of a soft material such as rubber, and as shown in FIG. 8, a thin plate portion 52 extending in a thin plate shape, and a cylindrical shape formed on the surface of the thin plate portion 52. A protruding portion 54 that extends and is inserted into the button hole 44 from the case 40 and protrudes is integrally formed. The projecting portion 54 extends through the thin plate portion 52 via a skirt portion 56 which is inclined in a substantially conical shape. Further, the protrusion 54 is integrally provided with a protrusion 58 projecting in a cylindrical shape at the center in the skirt 56.

In the skirt portion 56, although not shown, a switch for turning on / off the operation button 50 is provided on the surface of the printed circuit board. This switch is a switch such as a leaf spring contact switch or a tact switch, and is arranged so as to be turned on / off by being pushed by the projection 58.

Accordingly, the operation button 50 is pressed by applying a pressing force to the projecting portion 54 from the direction of the arrow shown in FIG.
The skirt portion 56 is deformed and descends in the pressing pressure direction. As a result, the operation button 50 performs a predetermined function of the electronic device by turning on the switch of the leaf spring contact switch or the tact switch disposed on the surface of the printed circuit board with the protrusion 58 described above. .

As described above, the housing structure of a conventional electronic device is as follows.
The button hole 44 is formed in the case 40 of the electronic device, and the operation button 50 is protruded. By pressing the operation button 50 to move up and down, the switch housed in the case 40 is turned on and off, and the electronic device is turned on and off. Had a predetermined function executed.

However, in the housing structure of the conventional electronic device, the surface of the case 40 shown in FIG. 7 is formed flat, and the operation buttons 50 are disposed in a narrow arrangement space like an electronic device such as a cellular phone. When a plurality of are projected, the interval between the operation buttons 50 is narrow, so that there is a problem that the user's finger slips and pushes another operation button 50 next to the user.

Therefore, in the case of a conventional electronic device housing structure,
In some cases, the surface of the case is not formed flat, but the periphery of frequently used operation buttons is formed in a concave shape so that a user can guide a finger pressing the operation button.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a housing structure of a conventional electronic device in which a concave guide is formed as described above. FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a section taken along line DD shown in FIG. Also,
FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing a state where the operation button 50 shown in FIG. 10 is pressed. Here, the operation buttons shown in FIG. 9 are the same components as the operation buttons 50 shown in FIG. 7, and the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

As shown in FIG. 9, a housing structure of a conventional electronic device having a concave guide is provided on the operation surface of the electronic device in a plurality of manners (FIG. 9), similarly to the housing structure of the electronic device shown in FIG. 9, two operation buttons 5 which protrude and move up and down by an external pressing force to turn on / off a predetermined switch (not shown).
0 is provided, and a case 60 of an electronic device is provided in which a plurality of button holes 64 for projecting the operation buttons 50 to the surface (operation surface) are formed.

Here, the operation button 50 is formed of a soft material such as rubber, and as shown in FIG. 10, a thin plate portion 52 extending in a thin plate shape, and a cylindrical shape on the surface of the thin plate portion 52. A projecting portion 54 that extends and is inserted from the inside of the case 60 into the button hole 64 to project therefrom is integrally formed. The protruding portion 54 extends to the surface of the thin plate portion 52 via a skirt portion 56 inclined in a substantially conical shape. The protrusion 54
Is provided integrally with a projection 58 protruding in a cylindrical shape at the center in the skirt portion 56. In the skirt portion 56, although not shown, a switch for turning on / off the above-described operation button 50 is provided and arranged on the surface of the printed circuit board. This switch is a switch such as a leaf spring contact switch or a tact switch, and is arranged so as to be turned on / off by being pushed by the projection 58.

The case 60 is different from the housing structure of the electronic device shown in FIG. 7 in that it has a concave recess having a spherical curved surface near the button hole 64 as shown in FIGS. 66 are provided. Therefore, when the user presses the operation button 50 placed in the concave portion 66 by applying a pressing pressure to the protruding portion 54, the user can confirm and press the concave portion 66 with the sense of a finger. Then, when a pressing force is applied to the protrusion 54, the operation button 50, as shown in FIG.
Deforms and descends in the direction of the pressing force. As a result, the operation button 50 performs a predetermined function of the electronic device by turning on a switch, which is one of a leaf spring contact switch and a tact switch, provided on the surface of the printed circuit board by the protrusion 58.

However, in the housing structure of the conventional electronic device having such a concave guide, it is possible to prevent an operation button disposed outside the concave 66 from being pressed by mistake. Multiple operation buttons 5 inside
When 0 is arranged, as shown by the dashed line in FIG.
There is a problem that the user's finger slides along the spherical curved surface of the concave portion 66 and pushes another adjacent operation button 50.

[0014]

As described above, in a conventional electronic device housing structure, as shown in FIG.
In the case where a plurality of the operation buttons 50 are protruded into a narrow arrangement space by flattening the surface of the operation button 50, the other operation buttons 50 that slide next to each other when the user presses the operation button 50 with a finger.
Push down to execute a predetermined function of the electronic device that is not intended. Further, in the case structure of a conventional electronic device, as shown in FIG.
When a concave concave portion 66 is formed on the surface of the electronic device, as shown in FIG. 11, the user's finger extends along the spherical curved surface inside the concave portion 66 similarly to the case structure of the electronic device shown in FIG. However, there is a problem that the user slips and pushes the adjacent operation button 50 to execute an unintended predetermined function of the electronic device. An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem and to provide a housing structure of an electronic device in which a plurality of operation buttons arranged on an operation surface of the electronic device can be surely pressed without slipping.

[0015]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a housing structure of an electronic device having a plurality of operation buttons protrudingly arranged on a predetermined operation surface. A plurality of operation buttons are provided to lower and turn on / off a predetermined switch by applying a pressing force from the outside, and a plurality of button holes into which the operation buttons are inserted to partition between the button holes. And a case of an electronic device in which a protruding portion is formed so as to extend and protrude.
Here, the case is not preferable be provided with button holes are opened in the recess is provided a concave recess having a spherical curved surface to a predetermined operation surface. Also, the switch for turning on and off by the operation button is preferably on a printed circuit board accommodated in a casing which is either arranged leaf spring contact switch or tact switch.

[0016]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a housing structure of an electronic device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a section taken along line AA shown in FIG. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the operation button 20 shown in FIG. 2 is pressed.

As shown in FIG. 1, a first embodiment of a housing structure of an electronic device according to the present invention has a plurality of operation surfaces (in FIG. 1, in FIG. 1) similar to the prior art shown in FIG. 2) a plurality of button holes for projecting and raising / lowering by an external pressing force to turn on / off a predetermined switch (not shown); Electronic device case 10 formed with 14
It has.

Here, the operation button 20 is formed of a soft material such as rubber, and as shown in FIG. 2, a thin plate portion 22 extending in a thin plate shape, and a cylindrical shape formed on the surface of the thin plate portion 22. A protruding portion 24 which extends and is inserted into the button hole 14 from the case 10 and protrudes is integrally formed. The protruding portion 24 is provided on the thin plate portion 22 so as to be substantially conically inclined.
6 to the surface. Further, the protruding portion 24 is integrally provided with a protruding portion 28 that protrudes in a columnar shape at the center in the skirt portion 26.

In the skirt portion 26, although not shown, a switch for turning on / off the operation button 20 is provided on the surface of the printed circuit board. This switch is a switch such as a leaf spring contact switch or a tact switch, and is arranged so as to be turned on / off by being pushed by the projection 28.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the case 10 is provided with a concave recess 16 having a substantially spherical curved surface near the button hole 14. Therefore, when the user presses the operation button 20 formed in the concave portion 16 by applying a pressing pressure to the protruding portion 24, the user can confirm and press the concave portion 16 with the sense of a finger. The case 10 is different from the prior art shown in FIG. 9 in that a plurality of (two in FIG. 1) button holes 14 formed in the recess 16, that is, an opening surface in which the button holes 14 are adjacent to each other. A protruding portion 12 extending in a semicircular shape along the outer periphery and projecting is formed.

In the first embodiment of the housing structure of the electronic device according to the present invention thus formed, when a pressing force is applied to the protruding portion 24 of the operation button 20, as shown in FIG. 26 is deformed and descends in the pressing pressure direction. At this time, if the user's finger slips as in the prior art shown in FIG. 11, the protrusion 12 functions as a slip stopper to suppress the finger slip as shown in FIG. The user adjusts the pressing pressure by recognizing that the finger has slipped off the protruding portion 24 due to the contact with the protruding portion 12. Then, the operation button 20
When a pressing force is applied, a predetermined function of the electronic device is executed by lowering the protruding portion 28 to a switch by either a leaf spring contact switch or a tact switch provided on the surface of the printed circuit board to turn it on. Is done.

As described above, according to the first embodiment of the housing structure of the electronic device according to the present invention, since the projection projecting from the button hole 14 of the case 10 is provided, the user can operate the operation button 20 by pressing the operation button 20. Even when the finger slips during operation, the slip can be perceived and suppressed sensibly (stimulus) by contacting the convex portion 12, and it is possible to prevent another adjacent operation button from being erroneously pressed.

Next, a second embodiment of the housing structure of the electronic device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a second view of the housing structure of the electronic device according to the present invention.
It is a perspective view which shows embodiment. FIG. 5 is similar to FIG.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section taken along line BB shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a state when the operation button 20 shown in FIG. 5 is pressed. Here, in the second embodiment, all components except the case 30 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals.
Duplicate description will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 4, a second embodiment of the housing structure of the electronic device according to the present invention has a plurality of operation surfaces on the operation surface of the electronic device, similarly to the first embodiment shown in FIG. An operation button 20 is provided which protrudes (in FIG. 4, two locations) and rises and falls by an external pressing force to turn on / off a predetermined switch (not shown), and this operation button 20 is projected to the surface (operation surface). An electronic device case 30 having a plurality of button holes 34 is provided.

Here, the operation button 20 is made of a soft material such as rubber as in the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 5, the thin plate portion 22, the projecting portion 24, the skirt portion 26, and the projecting portion 28 are integrally formed. In the skirt portion 26, although not shown, a switch for turning on / off the above-described operation button 20 is provided and arranged on the surface of the printed circuit board. This switch
The switch is a switch such as a leaf spring contact switch or a tact switch, and is arranged so as to be turned on / off by being pushed by the projection 28.

Also, unlike the first embodiment, the case 30 has a button hole 3 on a flatly extending surface (operation surface).
4 are formed (two in FIG. 1). A protruding portion that extends elongated and protrudes on the operation surface on the flatly extending surface of the case 30 so as to partition the center between the plurality of opened button holes 34, that is, between the adjacent button holes 34. 32
Are integrally formed.

In the second embodiment of the housing structure of the electronic device according to the present invention thus formed, when a pressing force is applied to the projecting portion 24 of the operation button 20, as shown in FIG. 26 is deformed and descends in the pressing pressure direction. At this time, if the user's finger slips, the convex portion 32 serves as a slip stopper and suppresses the finger slip as shown in FIG. In addition, the user touches the projection 32 with the finger, so that the projection 2
Recognize that you have slipped off from 4, and adjust the pressing pressure. When the operation button 20 is pressed, the projection 28 descends to turn on a switch, either a leaf spring contact switch or a tact switch, provided on the surface of the printed circuit board. Be executed.

As described above, according to the second embodiment of the housing structure of the electronic device according to the present invention, since the convex portion 32 is formed so as to partition between the button holes 34 of the case 30,
The same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained by suppressing the slip of the finger.

Although the embodiments of the housing structure of the electronic device according to the present invention have been described in detail, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be changed without departing from the gist thereof. It is. For example, the embodiment in which two button holes are provided in the case has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A plurality of button holes are provided, operation buttons are provided, and a plurality of convex portions are provided between the button holes. It is also possible to provide.

[0030]

As described above, according to the housing structure of the electronic device according to the present invention, the convex portion is provided so as to extend between the button holes formed on the surface of the electronic device case so as to partition between the button holes.
When the user operates the operation button with his / her finger and slides down, the user can touch the convex part to recognize and suppress the slip sensationally (stimulus), and accidentally press another adjacent operation button. Can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a housing structure of an electronic device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a section taken along line AA shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a state when the operation button shown in FIG. 2 is pressed.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the housing structure of the electronic device according to the present invention.

5 is a sectional view showing a section taken along line BB shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a state where the operation button shown in FIG. 5 is pressed.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a housing structure of a conventional electronic device.

8 is a sectional view showing a section taken along line CC shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a housing structure of a conventional electronic device in which a concave guide is formed.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a section taken along line DD shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing a state where the operation button shown in FIG. 10 is pressed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Case 12 Convex part 14 Button hole 16 Concave part 20 Operation button 22 Thin plate part 24 Projection part 26 Skirt part 28 Projection part

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A housing structure of an electronic device having an operation button arranged to protrude and be arranged on a predetermined operation surface, wherein a plurality of operation buttons are arranged on the operation surface of the electronic device and lowered by applying a pressing force from the outside. An operation button for turning on / off a predetermined switch; and an electronic device having a plurality of opened button holes into which the operation buttons are inserted, and having a projection protruding and extending to partition between the button holes . A case structure for an electronic device, comprising a case. 2. The housing structure of an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the case has a concave concave portion having a spherical curved surface on a predetermined operation surface, and the button hole is opened in the concave portion. A housing structure for an electronic device, wherein the housing structure is provided. 3. The housing structure of an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the switch turned on / off by the operation button is:
A housing structure for an electronic device, wherein the housing structure is one of a leaf spring contact switch and a tact switch disposed on a printed circuit board housed in the case.