JP3674962B2 - Operation button - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to an operation button of an electronic device or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, various operation buttons are used in electronic devices and the like to operate their functions. The operation button is usually attached to a front panel of an electronic device or the like and transmits an operation force to a tact switch soldered to a printed circuit board. Various types of operation buttons have been developed because of the difference in button shape depending on the design and the function of the electronic device.
[0003]
Hereinafter, conventional operation buttons will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a conventional operation button, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the conventional operation button and its related parts taken along line BB.
[0004]
3 and 4, reference numeral 5 denotes a front panel on which an operation unit of the electronic device is provided. Reference numeral 1 denotes a printed circuit board provided to face the back surface of the front panel 5. Reference numeral 2 denotes an LED mounted on the printed circuit board 1, and 3 denotes a tact switch mounted on the printed circuit board 1. Reference numeral 4 denotes an LED holder press-fitted into the printed circuit board 1. Reference numeral 6 denotes an operation button made of polypropylene. The operation button 6 is inserted into the front panel 5 by inserting the button 6a on the surface of which the button function is printed, the flexible hinge 6b formed thin, and the protrusion of the front panel. A mounting portion 6c to be attached, a stopper 6d whose tip end abuts against the printed circuit board 1 to prevent the operation button from falling off, and a switch operating portion 6f for pressing the tact switch 3 are provided.
[0005]
Next, the operation will be described.
As shown in FIG. 3, when the operation button 6 formed by integrally molding the button portion 6a and the hinge portion 6b is fixed to the front panel 5 and the button portion 6a is pushed in the direction of arrow A, the pressing force is reduced. Therefore, the switch actuating part 6f pushes the tact switch 3. When it is recognized that the tact switch 3 has been pressed, the LED 2 lights up. The LED holder 4 is for condensing the light, and the button portion 6a plays a role of transmitting and diffusing the light.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, there are many kinds of electronic devices using such operation buttons. For this reason, the operation buttons necessary for this are required to have various shapes. However, in the operation button having the above-described configuration, since the button portion and the hinge portion are integrally formed, in order to satisfy various types of button portion shapes, various types of operation buttons must be developed. In addition, the operation buttons cannot be shared with other electronic devices developed later.
[0007]
In addition, since the operation button of the above conventional example is integrally formed of a material that is difficult to crack at the hinge portion, that is, polypropylene that is a material having excellent shear elasticity, the adhesion of printing to the button portion is deteriorated. was there. Further, when integrally molded with acrylonitrile / butadiene / styrene resin (ABS) having good printing adhesion, there is a problem that cracks are likely to occur in the hinge portion.
[0008]
The present invention solves the above-described problems. By splitting the button portion and the hinge portion and using an optimum material for each, the printing adhesiveness to the button can be improved without sacrificing shear elasticity. An object is to provide an improved operation button.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention has a button part having light transmission and having a print on the surface thereof, a button fitting part capable of fitting the button part, and a hinge part formed thinly. And a button frame portion.
[0010]
[Action]
According to the present invention, in the configuration described above, the button portion is formed of a resin having better printing adhesion than the button frame portion, and the button frame portion is formed of a resin having better shear elasticity than the button portion. Accordingly, it is possible to satisfy both the printing adhesion and the strength of the hinge portion, and to cope with a model to be developed in the future by newly developing only the button portion.
[0011]
【Example】
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
FIG. 2 is a plan view of an operation button according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the operation button and its related part taken along line BB. 1 and 2, the same reference numerals are used for portions corresponding to those in FIGS. 3 and 4.
[0013]
The embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 differs from the conventional example shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 in that the operation button 6 can be divided into a button portion 6a and a button frame portion other than the button portion. The button portion 6a is formed of a material having a light transmissive property and a light diffusing agent mixed with acrylonitrile / butadiene / styrene resin (ABS) having excellent printing adhesion, and the button frame portion is made of polypropylene having excellent shear elasticity. It is molded.
[0014]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the button frame portion has a window into which the button portion 6a can be fitted, and a claw portion 6e for hooking the button portion 6a is provided around the window. Yes. The hinge portion 6b, the attachment portion 6c, the retaining member 6d, and the switch operating portion 6f are included in the button frame portion.
[0015]
Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the button portion 6a is press-fitted into the window of the button frame portion and is engaged with the button frame portion by being hooked by the claw portion 6e. Then, the operation button 6 fitted with the button portion 6 a is fixed to the front panel 5. When the button portion 6 is pushed in the direction of arrow A, the tact switch 3 is pushed by the pressing force, and the LED 2 shines. The LED holder 4 condenses this light, and the button unit 6a diffuses the light. The function name of the operation button is printed on the surface of the button portion 6a, and this printing is illuminated by light from the LED.
[0016]
As described above, the operation button of this embodiment is divided into a button part and a button frame part, acrylonitrile / butadiene / styrene resin having excellent printing adhesion is used for the button part, and shear elasticity is used for the button frame part. As a result, it was possible to improve the printing adhesion to the button part while maintaining the strength of the hinge part. Further, when developing a model, it is possible to easily cope with the development by newly developing only the button section.
[0017]
【The invention's effect】
As apparent from the above description, the present invention divides the button portion and the button frame portion, the button portion is formed of a resin having better printing adhesion than the button frame portion, and the button frame portion is By molding with a resin having better shear elasticity than the button part, it is possible to maintain the strength of the hinge part of the button frame part and to ensure the printing adhesion to the button part. Furthermore, when developing models, it has an excellent effect that it can be easily handled by newly developing only the button part.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an operation button of the present invention and related parts thereof. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the operation button of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of conventional operation buttons and related parts. Top view of buttons [Explanation of symbols]
1 Printed circuit board 2 LED
3 Tact switch 4 LED holder
5 Front panel 6 Operation button 6a Button part 6b Hinge part 6c Mounting part 6d Retaining stopper 6e Claw part 6f Switch operation part

Claims (4)

In an operation button for operating a switch provided on the device,
A button portion having light permeability and having printing on the surface;
A button frame portion having a window-shaped button fitting portion provided with a claw portion for hooking the button portion;
The button frame portion is attached to the device;
A hinge portion formed thinly between the attachment portion and the button frame portion;
A switch operating part for pressing the switch,
The button part and the button frame part are fitted to be separable by the claw part,
The button part is formed of a resin having better printing adhesion than the button frame part,
The button frame part is an operation button formed of a resin having a shear elasticity superior to that of the button part. 2. The operation button according to claim 1, wherein the button portion is formed of a material in which a light diffusing agent is mixed with a light transmissive resin. 3. The operation button according to claim 1, wherein the button part is formed of a material containing acrylonitrile / butadiene / styrene resin. 4. The operation button according to claim 1, wherein the button frame part is formed of polypropylene.

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