KR200354164Y1 - Key-pad assembly for cellular phone - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a keypad assembly for a mobile phone, the purpose of which is to prevent the discoloration of the key or to erase the identification unit such as letters and numbers even if repeated use for a long time and to make the appearance of the mobile phone more beautiful.

To this end, according to the keypad assembly 40 for a mobile phone according to the present invention, the keypad 41 is disposed to cover the dome switches 70 and the projections 41 are provided at positions corresponding to the movable contacts 71, and the projections. The metal keys 43 are attached to the upper portions of the corresponding keypads 41 and 42, protrude a certain height from the surface of the housing 10, and have a machined metal key 43 with a numeric or letter identification 44 formed thereon. have. Therefore, even when the metal keys 43 are repeatedly used, they are not deformed or discolored, and the number or letter identification unit 44 is not erased. After the number or letter identification unit 44 is penetrated through the metal key 43 itself, since the synthetic resin 45 such as epoxy series, urethane, silicone, transparent acrylic and the like having excellent light transmittance is molded, It is possible to prevent contamination by the contamination and the backlighting irradiated inside the housing 10 also has an advantage of being easily transmitted. In addition, since the front portion of the metal keys 43 made of metal are exposed to the surface of the housing 10, the image of the mobile phone can be led to a stronger metal atmosphere, thereby increasing the purchasing power of the product.

Description

Keypad Assembly for Mobile Phones {KEY-PAD ASSEMBLY FOR CELLULAR PHONE}

The present invention relates to a keypad assembly for a mobile phone, and more particularly to a keypad assembly for a mobile phone made of a plurality of keys attached to the top of the keypad to operate the metal dome.

In general, a portable telephone is a wireless communication device that can be held or carried while carrying a call, and a flip-type that has a button cover for easier carrying and use in a bar-type with a key button exposed. Various types of products are produced and sold with this easier folder-type and the like.

These mobile phones are provided with a keypad as a switching device for signal generation, and the conventional keypad is fitted in a hole provided in the lower housing of the mobile phone while being positioned above the printed circuit board having the contacts. In addition, a metal dome switch having elastic restoring force is disposed between the keypad of the mobile phone and the printed circuit board, and the dome switch is configured to generate a signal by contacting a contact provided on the printed circuit board by pressing a key constituting the keypad. do.

The keypad of a conventional mobile phone is made of soft synthetic resin such as silicone rubber. That is, the silicone rubber type keypad is manufactured by injection molding silicone rubber into a key shape and then printing numbers or letters on the upper surface of the key. Therefore, there is an advantage that the feel is soft when using the key.

However, the conventional silicone rubber type keypad is not mechanically stable due to bending due to the material characteristics of the silicone rubber, and has a disadvantage in that the printing surface is easily deformed or erased because the numbers or letters are directly printed on the surface of the key.

In other words, the number or letters printed on the surface of the key is peeled off the coating for a long time, the identification power is slowed down by discoloration and scratches.

The present invention is to solve this problem, the object of the present invention is to improve the configuration of the keypad, even if repeated use for a long time to prevent the identification of letters and numbers, such as erased, as well as to make the appearance of the mobile phone more beautiful To provide a keypad assembly for a mobile phone.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a keypad assembly for a mobile phone that can slim the keypad assembly and implement a variety of designs.

1 is a perspective view of a mobile phone to which the present invention is applied.

Figure 2 schematically shows the arrangement of the keypad assembly according to the present invention.

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing an extract of the keypad assembly according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2, schematically illustrating an assembly state of the keypad assembly.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

10. Lower housing 20. Upper housing

40.Keypad assembly 41.Keypad

42..43 43.Metal Key

44. Numeric or character identification part 45. Synthetic resin

60. Printed circuit board 70. Dome switch

The present invention for achieving this object is;

A mobile phone having a housing in which a dome switch having movable contacts is provided on a printed circuit board having fixed contacts, and a keypad assembly disposed above the dome switch to operate movable contacts of the dome switch,

The keypad assembly is disposed to cover the dome switch and is attached to the keypad having protrusions at positions corresponding to the movable contacts, respectively, and attached to an upper portion of the keypad corresponding to the protrusions so as to protrude to a certain height from the surface of the housing, and to process a numeric or letter identification part. It characterized in that it comprises a metal key of the metal material.

In addition, the metal keys are processed so that the numeral or letter identification portion penetrates in the thickness direction up and down, and the transmissive synthetic resin is molded on the numeric or letter identification portion.

In addition, the light-transmissive synthetic resin is characterized in that made of any one of epoxy series, urethane, silicone, transparent acrylic resin.

In addition, the metal keys are characterized in that made of any one of stainless steel, aluminum alloy, titanium alloy.

Hereinafter, one preferred embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2, the mobile phone to which the present invention is applied has a lower housing 10 provided with a keypad assembly 40 for dialing, and a liquid crystal display 21 mounted on an upper side of the lower housing 10. ) Is provided with an upper housing 20, a hinge device 30 for rotatably mounting the upper housing 20 in the upper and lower opening and closing manner in the lower housing 10, and detachable to the lower portion of the lower housing 10 It has a battery 50 to be mounted.

The lower housing 10 forms an external shape of a mobile phone, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a printed circuit board 60 having fixed contacts 61 and an upper portion of the printed circuit board 60. Dome switches 70 provided with a movable contact 71 are sequentially installed.

In addition, the keypad assembly 40 is disposed above the lower housing 10, that is, above the dome switches 70 to operate the movable contact 71 thereof, and the structure thereof will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The explanation is as follows.

First, the keypad assembly 40 includes a keypad 41 disposed to cover the dome switches 70, and a numeric or letter identification part attached to an upper portion of the keypad 41 and protruding a predetermined height from the surface of the lower housing 10. 44 is provided with the metal keys 43 of the processed metal material.

The keypad 41 is made of a membrane pad (MEMBRANE PAD) made of silicone or synthetic resin so as to cover the dome switches 70 with a margin, and the bottom of the keypad 41 is located at a position corresponding to the movable contacts 71. Each of the protrusions 42 is protruded. The projections 42 of the keypad 41 are shaped to more easily operate the movable contact 71 of the dome switch 70.

The metal keys 43 are attached to the upper portions of the protrusions 42 and the corresponding keypads 41 through adhesives such as bonds, respectively, and protrude at a predetermined height from the surface of the lower housing 10. To this end, holes 11 are drilled on the surfaces of the lower housing 10 at positions corresponding to the metal keys 43, respectively.

These metal keys 43 are manufactured by processing a metal plate, which is machined to enable identification of numbers or letters. That is, the metal keys 43 are processed so that the numeral or letter identification unit 44 penetrates in the vertical direction through laser processing, pressing, and etching.

In addition, a synthetic resin 45 having excellent light transmittance is molded in the numeric or letter identification unit 44 of the metal key 43. Such synthetic resins may be applied to the epoxy series, urethane, silicone, transparent acrylic and the like excellent in light transmittance. As such, molding the synthetic resin 45 on the number or letter identification unit 44 prevents foreign substances from being caught in the number or letter identification unit 44, and the light illuminated in the lower housing 10. , Backlighting) is transmitted through the metal key 43 so as to be reflected to the outside. {In the embodiment of the present invention, the number or letter identification unit 44 is molded with an epoxy-based resin having excellent light transmittance, and as described above, the molding process is also performed through synthetic resins such as urethane, silicone, and transparent acrylic having excellent light transmittance. Is possible.}

In addition, the metal keys 43 are described as processed through a metal plate, which can be manufactured by processing various metal plates such as stainless steel, aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, copper alloy, and the like.

As such, since the metal key 43 itself is made of metal (steel), it is possible to realistically express a natural metal feeling and a mirror effect, and various colors may be implemented using deposition, coloring, or plating. And hairline and various patterns can be implemented, and the key shape can be freely implemented. In addition, the metal key 43 has no discoloration of color and the durability of the first luxury is continuously maintained.

In addition, when the metal key 43 is made of metal as compared to a conventional insert method or an injection key, the thickness of the keypad assembly 40 may be reduced by reducing the thickness to 1/3 or less. In addition, since the metal key 43 is manufactured by the laser processing method and the etching method, a specific tool is not required, and thus, mass production is possible, and the response force according to the design change is also excellent.

Next, the operation of the keypad assembly according to the present invention configured as described above and the effects thereof will be described.

First, when the upper housing 20 is opened, backlighting illumination (not shown) inside the lower housing 10 is driven, and the light generated therein is a numeric or letter identification unit of the keypad 41 and the metal key 43. 44) to the outside (see FIG. 4).

Thus, pressing the fingertips while checking the numeric or letter identification portion 44 of the metal key 43 in the state in which the upper housing 20 is opened, the dome switch 70 by the projection 42 of the keypad 41. The movable contact 71 of) is pressed downward while being elastically deformed. Accordingly, the movable contact 71 of the dome switch 70 and the fixed contact 61 of the printed circuit board 60 are electrically contacted, so that a signal for operating the mobile phone is input.

When the signal is input and then released from the metal key 43 held down, the movable contact 71 is restored upward by the elastic restoring force of the dome switch 70 itself, and the metal key 43 also rises upward.

As described above, since the metal keys 43 operated by pressing at the fingertips are made of metal, the number or letter identification unit 44 is formed by penetrating the metal keys 43 itself, so that the deformation is repeated even when used repeatedly. It does not occur. In addition, since the light transmissive synthetic resin 45 is molded in the number or letter identification unit 44, foreign matter is prevented from being caught, as well as backlighting of the lower housing 10 is also smoothly transmitted.

As described in detail above; According to the keypad assembly for a mobile phone according to the present invention, the keypad disposed to cover the dome switches and provided with protrusions at positions corresponding to the movable contacts, and attached to an upper portion of the keypad corresponding to the protrusions, respectively, have a predetermined height on the surface of the housing. It has a protruding metal key with a machined number or letter identification.

Therefore, even when the metal keys are repeatedly used, they are not deformed or discolored, and the numbers or letters are not erased. In addition, after processing the numeric or letter identification part through the metal key itself, the synthetic resin such as epoxy series, urethane, silicone, transparent acrylic, etc., which has excellent light transmittance, is molded, thereby preventing contamination due to foreign substances. Backlighting also has the advantage of being easily transmitted. In addition, since the front portion of the metal keys made of metal is exposed to the housing surface, it can lead to an image of the mobile phone to a stronger metal atmosphere, thereby increasing the purchasing power of the product.

Claims (4)

A housing 10 in which a dome switch 70 having movable contacts 71 is disposed on a printed circuit board 60 having fixed contacts 61, and a dome switch disposed above the dome switch 70. In a mobile phone having a keypad assembly 40 for operating the movable contacts 71 of 70, The keypad assembly 40, A keypad 41 disposed to cover the dome switch 70 and provided with protrusions 42 at positions corresponding to the movable contacts 71; Metal keys 43, which are attached to the upper portions of the keypads 41 corresponding to the protrusions 42, protrude a certain height from the surface of the housing 10, and have a numeric or letter identification 44 processed thereon. Keypad assembly for a mobile phone characterized in that it comprises a). The method of claim 1, The metal keys 43 are processed so that the number or letter identification unit 44 penetrates in the thickness direction up and down, The keypad assembly for a mobile phone, characterized in that the light transmissive synthetic resin (45) is molded in the number or letter identification unit (44). The method of claim 2, The light-transmitting synthetic resin 45 is a keypad assembly for a mobile phone, characterized in that made of any one of epoxy series, urethane, silicone, transparent acrylic resin. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The metal key 43 is a keypad assembly for a mobile phone, characterized in that made of any one of stainless steel, aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, copper alloy.