JP4651503B2 - Foldable mobile terminal - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a foldable mobile terminal such as a foldable mobile phone, and more particularly to a foldable mobile terminal including a light emitting element that illuminates a plurality of operation keys from the back side.

  Conventionally, in a foldable mobile phone, a first housing having a liquid crystal display and a second housing having a plurality of operation keys are connected to each other via a hinge mechanism. When using the mail function, the first housing and the second housing can be opened to an opening angle close to about 180 degrees, and when carrying, the surfaces of the first housing and the second housing can be opened. It is possible to butt and fold it into two (see Patent Document 1).

FIG. 8 shows a cross section of the second casing (5) of the conventional folding cellular phone.
As shown in FIG. 8, a circuit board (52) and a light-transmitting elastic sheet (54) are arranged in the second housing (5), and light is transmitted over the elastic sheet (54). A plurality of operation keys (51) to (51) having characteristics are installed. A plurality of exposure windows (56) to (56) are opened on the outer wall (50) of the second casing (2), and an operation key (51) is provided from each exposure window (56) to the second casing (5). Is exposed on the surface.
On the circuit board (52), a switch (55) is provided opposite to the back of each operation key (51), and a plurality of operation keys are provided between two adjacent switches (55) (55). A plurality of LEDs (53) and (53) to illuminate (51) to (51) are provided.

The elastic sheet (54) is elastically deformed in response to the pressing operation of the operation key (51) and has cushioning properties to reduce the load on the switch (55), and the clearance between each exposed window (56) and the operation key (51). Drip-proofing that prevents moisture from entering the circuit board (52) side, and guiding light from multiple LEDs (53) and (53) to multiple operation keys (51) to (51) It also has sex.
JP 2003-143268 A [H04M 1/02]

By the way, in the conventional foldable mobile phone shown in FIG. 8, if a plurality of operation keys (51) can be illuminated in different colors for each function (for example, numeric keys and function keys), the aesthetics can be improved. In addition, the operation keys (51) can be easily identified.
However, in the above conventional foldable mobile phone, the plurality of LEDs (53) to (53) are arranged with a slight space between each other, and light between two adjacent LEDs (53) and (53) is light. Since only an elastic sheet (54) having transparency is interposed, light leakage occurs between two adjacent illumination areas to be illuminated by two LEDs (53) and (53) having different emission colors. As a result, there is a problem that the plurality of operation keys (51) cannot be illuminated with a desired color.

In recent years, the size and thickness of the foldable mobile phone has been reduced, and the plurality of operation keys (51) need to maintain a certain size or more in order to maintain operability. The ratio of the plurality of exposure windows (56) for exposing the plurality of operation keys (51) to the entire surface area of the second casing (5) where the key (51) is to be disposed is increased. It is coming. For this reason, the strength of the second housing (5) is low. For example, in the state where the first housing and the second housing (5) are opened to the maximum, the force in the opening direction is further applied to both housings. When this occurs, there is a risk that cracks or the like may occur in the second casing (5) having a low strength.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a foldable portable terminal capable of illuminating a plurality of operation keys with a desired plurality of colors and increasing the strength of a second housing provided with the plurality of operation keys. Is to provide.

In the foldable portable terminal according to the present invention, a first casing (1) and a second casing (2) provided with a plurality of operation keys (35) to (39) are connected to each other so as to be openable and closable. In the second casing (2), a circuit board (4) including a plurality of light emitting elements for illuminating the plurality of operation keys (35) to (39) is disposed.
The plurality of light emitting elements include one or a plurality of first light emitting elements (41) and one or a plurality of second light emitting elements (42) having different emission colors from the first light emitting elements. The inner surface of the second casing (2) facing the surface of the circuit board (4) on which the first and second light emitting elements (41) and (42) are arranged is connected to the circuit board (from the inner surface). 4) ribs (24) protruding toward the surface of the first illumination region to be illuminated by the one or more first light emitting elements (41) and the one or more second light emitting elements ( 42) along the boundary with the second illumination area to be illuminated.

  According to the foldable portable terminal according to the present invention, since the first illumination area and the second illumination area can be partitioned by the rib (24), the first illumination area to the second illumination area can be separated. And light leakage from the second illumination area to the first illumination area can be prevented. Thereby, the plurality of operation keys (35) to (39) can be illuminated with a desired plurality of colors.

  The rib (24) not only prevents light leakage between the first illumination area and the second illumination area, but also functions as a reinforcing structure for the second housing (2). The strength of the second housing (2) is higher than the strength of the second housing of the conventional folding portable terminal. As a result, for example, when the first casing (1) and the second casing (2) are opened to the maximum, a force in the opening direction acts on both casings (1) and (2). In addition, the possibility of cracks and the like in the second housing (2) is reduced compared to the conventional case.

  In a specific configuration, the second casing (2) is configured by joining a front case half (21) and a back case half (22) to each other. A plurality of key exposure windows (23a) to (23e) for exposing the operation keys (35) to (39) are opened.

  In the specific configuration, the front case half (21) is provided with a plurality of key exposure windows (23a) to (23e), so that the strength thereof is low. For example, the first case (1) and When a force in the opening direction is applied to both housings (1) and (2) with the second housing (2) being opened to the maximum extent, the opening to the front case half (21) having low strength is performed. However, the rib (24) functions as a reinforcing structure for the front case half (21), so the strength of the front case half (21) should be higher than before. I can do it. As a result, even if a force in the opening direction acts on both the casings (1) and (2) with the first casing (1) and the second casing (2) being opened to the maximum extent, There is less risk of cracks and the like occurring in the case half (21).

  Further, in a specific configuration, a display device is provided in the first housing (1), and the display device has a display area in a lower side adjacent to the second housing (2). Of the plurality of operation keys (35) to (39), each one of the uppermost operation keys closest to the display device is executed in response to the operation of the one or more operation keys. Is displayed using the same color as the illumination color of the uppermost operation key.

  According to the specific configuration, the user recognizes an executable process based on the information displayed in the predetermined display area, and when the process is executed, the user is displayed in the display area. It is possible to visually recognize that the uppermost operation keys (35a) and (35b) illuminated with the same color as the color should be operated. Thereby, the operability can be improved.

  In a more specific configuration, an elastic sheet (3) is interposed between the surface of the circuit board (4) and the inner surface of the second casing (2) facing the circuit board (4). The plurality of operation keys (35) to (39) are provided, and the elastic sheet (3) has a thick portion (31a) that constitutes a region facing the plurality of operation keys (35) to (39). ) And a thin portion (31b) constituting another region, and in the region facing the rib (24) of the thin portion (31b), there is a groove portion (34) into which the rib (24) enters. Is formed.

In the specific configuration, the thick portion (31a) of the elastic sheet (3) is elastically deformed in response to the pressing operation of the operation keys (35) to (39), and the operation keys (35) to (39 ) Exhibits the function of absorbing the pressing force applied to. Thereby, the load applied to the switch arranged on the circuit board (4) by the pressing operation of the operation keys (35) to (39) becomes small.
Further, since the groove portion (34) of the elastic sheet (3) is formed in the thin portion (31b) of the elastic sheet (3), the protruding amount of the rib (24) is set to the thickness of the elastic sheet (3). By setting the size corresponding to the difference between the thickness of the thin portion (31a) and the thin portion (31b), the second casing (2) can be maintained at the same thickness as the conventional case.

According to the foldable portable terminal of the present invention, it is possible to illuminate a plurality of operation keys with a desired plurality of colors, and to increase the strength of the second casing in which the plurality of operation keys are provided. .

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention applied to a foldable mobile phone will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the foldable mobile phone according to the present invention connects the first casing (1) and the second casing (2) through a hinge mechanism (12) so that they can be opened and closed. Configured. The first casing (1) is provided with a liquid crystal display (11) on the surface facing the second casing (2), and the second casing (2) includes the first casing (1) and the first casing (1). A plurality of operation keys (35) to (39) are arranged on the opposite surface.
As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of operation keys (35) to (39) include a circular determination key (37a), an annular cursor key (37b) arranged around the determination key (37a), Upper function keys (35a) (35b) arranged on the upper side with respect to the enter key (37a) and cursor key (37b), middle function keys (36) (36) arranged on both sides, and on the lower side It is composed of deployed lower function keys (38) and (38) and twelve numeric keys (39) to (39).

As shown in FIG. 3, the second housing (2) is formed by joining a front case half (21) and a back case half (22) to each other. A plurality of key exposure windows (23a) to (23e) for exposing the operation keys (35) to (39) are opened, and a base end portion of the front case half (21) is shown in FIG. A storage chamber (25) in which the hinge mechanism (12) shown is to be stored is provided.
A circuit board (4) is disposed inside the second casing (2), and a light-transmitting elastic sheet (between the circuit board (4) and the front case half (21)) is provided. 3) is interposed, and a plurality of operation keys (35) to (39) made of a synthetic resin material having optical transparency are installed on the elastic sheet (3).

On the surface of the circuit board (4) facing the elastic sheet (3), a plurality of switches (43) to (43) for detecting pressing operations of the plurality of operation keys (35) to (39) and a plurality of operations A plurality of LEDs (41) to (42) for illuminating the keys (35) to (39) are provided. The plurality of switches (43) to (43) are respectively arranged to face the back of the operation keys (35) to (39), and the plurality of LEDs (41) to (42) are arranged to correspond to the switches (43) to (43) It is deployed in a vacant space around (43). A white reflection sheet (44) is attached to the surface of the circuit board (4) facing the elastic sheet (3), and a plurality of LEDs (41) to (44) are attached to the reflection sheet (44). A plurality of openings (not shown) for exposing (42) are opened.
The plurality of LEDs (41) to (42) are composed of a yellow light emitting LED (41) and a blue light emitting LED (42), and the plurality of blue light emitting LEDs (42) are used as illumination of the upper function keys (35a) (35b). A plurality of yellow light emitting LEDs (41) are used as illumination for the other operation keys (36) to (39) except for the upper function keys (35a) and (35b).

  As shown in FIG. 7, the elastic sheet (3) includes a rubber sheet (31) on a flat plate having light transmittance, and a plurality of operation keys (35) to (39) are installed on the rubber sheet (31). Has been. In addition, the elastic sheet (3) is printed with white on the surface area of the rubber sheet (31) excluding the area where the plurality of operation keys (35) to (39) are to be installed, and the reflective layer (32) is formed. At the same time, black printing is performed on the reflective layer (32) to form an absorbing layer (33). The elastic sheet (3) has a cushioning property that softens the load on the switch (43) by being elastically deformed as the operation keys (35) to (39) are pressed, and each key exposure window (23a) shown in FIG. ~ (23e) and drip-proof property to prevent moisture entering from the gap between the operation keys (35) ~ (39) from entering the circuit board (4) side, and from multiple LEDs (41) (42) It also has a light guide property that guides light to a plurality of operation keys (35) to (39).

  As shown in FIG. 4, the front case half (21) has a key exposure window (23a) through which the upper function keys (35a) (35b) shown in FIG. 1 are exposed, and the upper function keys (35a) (35b). The two middle function keys (36), (36), the enter key (37a) and the cursor key (37b) adjacent to each other form a boundary with the three key exposure windows (23b) (23c) (23b). A rib (24) projects from the inner surface of the outer wall toward the inner side. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the elastic sheet (3) is formed with a groove portion (34) into which the rib (24) enters, facing the rib (24) of the front case half (21).

  The foldable mobile phone of the present invention has a plurality of functions such as a telephone function, a mail function, a camera function, and a Web page display function, and the upper, middle and lower function keys (35a) (35b) (36). ) (38) is mainly used for selecting an arbitrary function from the plurality of functions. The liquid crystal display (11) of the first casing (1) shown in FIG. 5 is for using the selected function in response to the pressing operation of the function keys (35a) (35b) (36) (38). When a dedicated screen is displayed and the dedicated screen is displayed on the liquid crystal display (11), a predetermined process corresponding to the selected function is performed by pressing the upper function key (35a) (35b). Is to be executed.

  This is executed when the upper left function key (35a) is pressed in the rectangular area (12a) in the lower left corner of the liquid crystal display (11) while the above-mentioned dedicated screen is displayed on the liquid crystal display (11). The character string representing the predetermined processing is displayed with the blue color corresponding to the illumination color of the upper function keys (35a) (35b) as the background color. In the rectangular area (12b) at the lower right corner of the liquid crystal display (11), a character string representing a predetermined process executed when the upper right function key (35b) is pressed is displayed on the upper function key (35a). ) (35b) is displayed as a background color blue corresponding to the illumination color.

For example, when a dedicated screen for creating a new mail is displayed on the liquid crystal display (11), the rectangular area (12a) in the lower left corner of the liquid crystal display (11) has a character string of “Send” with blue as the background color. In the rectangular area (12b) in the lower right corner, the character string “Destination” is displayed with blue as the background color.
Since the background color of both rectangular areas (12a) and (12b) corresponds to the illumination color of the upper function keys (35a) and (35b), the user can send mail by pressing the upper function key (35a) on the left. It is possible to visually recognize that the process for selecting the mail transmission destination is executed by pressing the upper function key (35b) on the right side. Thereby, the operability is improved as compared with the conventional case.

FIG. 6 shows a cross section of the foldable mobile phone of the present invention along the line AA-AA in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the elastic sheet (3) includes a thick portion (31a) that constitutes a portion facing the plurality of operation keys (35) to (39), and an elastic sheet excluding the thick portion (31a). (3) It has a thin portion (31b) constituting another region.
The thick part (31a) of the elastic sheet (3) is elastically deformed in response to the pressing operation of the operation keys (35) to (39), and the pressing force applied to the operation keys (35) to (39). Absorbs. As a result, the load applied to the switch (43) on the circuit board (4) by pressing the operation keys (35) to (39) becomes small.
Further, the groove (34) into which the rib (24) protruding from the inner surface of the front case half (21) enters is formed in the thin part (31b) of the elastic sheet (3), and the rib (24) The protruding amount is set to a size corresponding to the difference in thickness between the thick part (31a) and the thin part (31b) of the elastic sheet (3). As a result, the thickness of the second casing (2) is maintained at the same level as the conventional one.

  The light emitted from the blue light emitting LED (42) reaches the rubber sheet (31) shown in FIG. 7 constituting the elastic sheet (3), passes through the rubber sheet (31), and passes through the white reflective layer (32). To. Most of the light passing through the rubber sheet (31) is reflected by the reflective layer (32), and the light reflected by the reflective layer (32) passes through the rubber sheet (31) and is shown in FIG. The reflection sheet (44) on the circuit board (5) is reached, and most of the reflection sheet (44) is reflected by the reflection sheet (44). The light emitted from the blue light emitting LED (42) is repeated to reach the back area of the upper function keys (35a) (35b), and is irradiated to the upper function keys (35a) (35b).

  Similarly, the light emitted from the yellow light emitting LED (41) reaches the rubber sheet (31) of the elastic sheet (3), is reflected by the reflective layer (32) of the elastic sheet (3), and the circuit board (4). The reflection by the reflection sheet (44) is repeated to reach the back area of the middle function key (36), and the middle function key (36) is irradiated.

Also, ribs (24) are interposed at the boundary between the back area of the upper function keys (35a) and (35b) and the back area of the middle function key (36), and both the back areas are partitioned by the rib (24). Therefore, the light leakage to the rear area side of the middle function key (36) of the blue light emitted from the blue light emitting LED (42) and the upper function key (35a of the yellow light emitted from the yellow light emitting LED (41)). ) (35b) is prevented from leaking light to the back region side.
As a result, the upper function keys (35a) and (35b) are irradiated with blue light, and the middle function key (36) is irradiated with yellow light.As a result, the upper function keys (35a) (35b) and The middle function key (36) is illuminated in blue and yellow, respectively.

Incidentally, a part of the light emitted from the yellow light emitting LED (41) and the blue light emitting LED (42) passes through the reflective layer (32), but a large amount of the light that has passed through the reflective layer (32). The portion is absorbed by the black absorption layer (33). As a result, the amount of light passing through the absorption layer (33) to the outside of the elastic sheet (3) is small.
Therefore, for example, even if a part of yellow light emitted from the yellow light emitting LED (41) passes through the absorption layer (33) and reaches the back area of the upper function keys (35a) and (35b), The amount of yellow light is sufficiently smaller than the amount of blue light emitted from the blue light emitting LED (41) and reaching the back area of the upper function keys (35a) (35b). The influence of the passed yellow light on the illumination color of the upper function keys (35a) and (35b) is so small that it can be ignored.

  Therefore, according to the foldable mobile phone of the present invention, it is possible to minimize the loss generated in the light emitted from the LEDs (41) and (42) in the process of passing through the elastic sheet (3). I can do it. Thereby, most of the light emitted from the LED (41) (42) can be guided to the back area of the plurality of operation keys (35) to (39), and as a result, the plurality of operation keys (35) to The illuminance of the light applied to (39) is high.

  In the foldable mobile phone of the present invention, the rib (24) protruding from the inner surface of the front case half (21) also functions as a reinforcing structure for the front case half (21). The strength of the half body (21) can be made higher than before. As a result, even if a force in the opening direction acts on both the casings (1) and (2) with the first casing (1) and the second casing (2) being opened to the maximum extent, There is less risk of cracks and the like occurring in the case half (21).

It is a perspective view which shows the open state of the foldable mobile telephone of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the closed state of this foldable mobile telephone. It is a disassembled perspective view of the 2nd housing | casing seen from the front case half body side. It is a disassembled perspective view of the 2nd housing | casing seen from the back case half body side. It is a top view which shows the open state of the foldable mobile telephone of this invention. It is sectional drawing which follows the AA-AA line | wire of FIG. It is sectional drawing of an elastic sheet. It is sectional drawing which shows the internal structure of the conventional foldable mobile telephone.

Explanation of symbols

(1) First housing
(11) LCD display
(12) Hinge mechanism
(2) Second housing
(21) Front case half
(22) Rear case half
(23a) to (23e) Key exposure window
(24) Rib
(3) Elastic sheet
(31) Rubber sheet
(32) Reflective layer
(33) Absorption layer
(34) Groove
(35a) to (35b) Upper function key
(36) Middle function key
(4) Circuit board
(41) Yellow LED
(42) Blue LED
(43) Switch

Claims (4)

The first casing (1) and the second casing (2) provided with a plurality of operation keys (35) to (39) are connected to each other so as to be openable and closable, and the inside of the second casing (2) In the folding portable terminal in which a circuit board (4) having a plurality of light emitting elements for illuminating the plurality of operation keys (35) to (39) is provided,
The plurality of light emitting elements include one or a plurality of first light emitting elements (41) and one or a plurality of second light emitting elements (42) having different emission colors from the first light emitting elements. The inner surface of the second casing (2) facing the surface of the circuit board (4) on which the first and second light emitting elements (41) and (42) are arranged is connected to the circuit board (from the inner surface). 4) ribs (24) protruding toward the surface of the first illumination region to be illuminated by the one or more first light emitting elements (41) and the one or more second light emitting elements ( 42) along the boundary with the second illumination area to be illuminated,
An elastic sheet (3) is interposed between the surface of the circuit board (4) and the inner surface of the second housing (2) opposite to the surface of the circuit board (4). A plurality of operation keys (35) to (39) are provided, and a groove portion having a U-shaped cross section into which the rib (24) enters (in the region facing the rib (24) of the elastic sheet (3) ( 34) is formed, and the back surface of the groove (34) is in contact with the surface of the circuit board (4) ,
The first light-emitting element (41) and the second light-emitting element (42) are arranged at positions where they do not overlap with the plurality of operation keys (35) to (39). Terminal machine.   The second casing (2) is configured by joining a front case half (21) and a back case half (22) to each other, and the front case half (21) includes a plurality of operation keys (35). The foldable portable terminal according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of key exposure windows (23a) to (23e) for exposing () to (39) are opened.   The first casing (1) is provided with a display device, and the display device includes a plurality of operation keys (35) in a lower display area adjacent to the second casing (2). To (39), corresponding to each of the uppermost one or more operation keys closest to the display device, information representing processing executed in response to the operation of the one or more operation keys, The foldable portable terminal according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the folding portable terminal is displayed using the same color as the illumination color of the uppermost operation key. The elastic sheet (3) has a thick portion (31a) that constitutes a region facing the plurality of operation keys (35) to (39), and a thin portion (31b) that constitutes another region. The foldable portable terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the groove (34) is formed in a region of the thin portion (31b) facing the rib (24).

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