Button structure

Abstract

A button structure applied to an electronic device includes a housing, a button plate, a support element and a printed circuit board. The button plate is contained to a central opening of the housing. The central region of the button plate has a first thickness, while two sides of the button plate have a second thickness. The second thickness is thicker than the first thickness. The ends of the button plate are separately formed as elastic arms for mounting the button plate to the housing. The support element is sited under the button plate right under the central region so as to define the support element into left and right parts. The printed circuit board located under the support element and has two switches separately corresponding to the left and right parts of the button plate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of this invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 a is a perspective view of a conventional notebook computer having a touch pad;

FIG. 1 b is a cross sectional view along line AA′ of FIG. 1a;

FIG. 2 a is a perspective view of a notebook computer having a preferred button structure of the present invention;

FIG. 2 b is a cross sectional view of the button structure of FIG. 2a;

FIG. 3 a is a perspective view of a preferred button plate of the present invention;

FIG. 3 b is a reverse view of FIG. 3b;

FIG. 3 c is a perspective view of a preferred support element of the present invention;

FIG. 3 d is a perspective view of another support element of the present invention;

FIG. 3 e is a perspective view of a preferred bracket of the present invention;

FIG. 3 f is a perspective view showing how the bracket of FIG. 3e is mounted to a lower housing of the present invention;

FIG. 4 a is an exploded view of the button structure in the present invention; and

FIG. 4 b is a perspective view showing an assembly state of FIG. 4a.

Claims

1. A button structure, applied to an electronic device, comprising: a housing, having a central opening;a button plate, contained to the central opening of the housing, having a central region and two sides, said central region having a first thickness, said two sides having a second thickness larger than the first thickness, ends of said sides being formed to respective elastic arms for mounting the button plate to the housing;a support element, sited under the central region of said button plate for defining said button plate into left and right parts; anda printed circuit board, located underneath said support element, having two switches located separately corresponds to the left and right parts of the button plate.

2. The button structure according of claim 1, wherein said button plate is a smooth thickness-varying plate.

3. The button structure according of claim 1, wherein an upper surface of the button plate is a flat surface.

4. The button structure according of claim 1, wherein said support element is made of a transparent material.

5. The button structure according of claim 4, wherein said printed circuit board has a light source located right under the support element.

6. The button structure according of claim 1, wherein said support element further includes a support column to support at the central region of the button plate.

7. The button structure according of claim 1, further comprising a bracket having a bracket's hole to engage therefromunder said support element.

8. A button structure, applied to an electronic device, comprising: a housing, having a central opening;a button plate, contained to the central opening of the housing, having a central region and two sides, said central region having a first thickness, said two sides having a second thickness larger than the first thickness, ends of said sides being formed to respective elastic arms for mounting the button plate to the housing;a light guide, sited under the central region of said button plate for defining said button plate into left and right parts, the light guide is made of a transparent material, and right under the light guide can be transmitted through the light guide and reach the central region of the button plate; anda printed circuit board, located underneath said light guide, having two switches located separately corresponds to the left and right parts of the button plate.

9. The button structure according of claim 8, wherein said button plate is a smooth thickness-varying plate.

10. The button structure according of claim 9, wherein an upper surface of the button plate is a flat surface.

11. The button structure according of claim 9, wherein said printed circuit board has a light source located right under the support element.

12. The button structure according of claim 9, wherein said light guide further includes a support column to support at the central region of the button plate.

13. The button structure according to claim 9, further comprising a bracket having a bracket's hole to engage therefromunder said light guide.