Patent Grant
7098417
This application claims priority under Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-031592 filed on Feb. 8, 2005 in Japan, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface pressing button, and an electronic device including the surface pressing button, such as an audio device or a video device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An electronic device such as an audio device or a video device includes many surface pressing buttons to perform operations of the electronic device, on a front surface in many cases. In case that the electronic device is a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) player, it includes surface pressing buttons capable of performing operations such as power ON/OFF, playback, stop, and disc ejection, so that the operation related to the surface pressing button can be performed by pressing the surface pressing button.
The supporting part 913 includes a boss hole 914 to which a boss 922 of the front panel 92 which will be described later is inserted, and a hinge 915 which is connected to the surface pressing part 911 and supported so as to be cantilevered. As shown in
At this time, the boss 922 penetrates the boss hole 914 formed in the supporting part 913. An end of the boss 922 penetrating the boss hole 914 is heated to be fused and welded together to be fixed to the boss hole 914.
A substrate 93 is provided on the side of the switch pressing part 912 of the surface pressing button 91, and a switch 94 is also provided on the side of the switch pressing part 912. The switch 94 is mounted on the substrate 93 and a small space is formed between the switch 94 and the switch pressing part 912.
When the surface pressing button 91 presses the surface pressing part 911, the hinge 915 of the supporting part 913 bends, and an end of the switch pressing part 912 is moved downward. The switch 94 is arranged in the moving direction of the end of the switch pressing part 912. Thus, when the switch pressing part 912 is moved downward, the switch 94 is pressed by the switch pressing part 912.
When the surface pressing button 91 is pressed by strong force, the switch 94 receives a large load from the switch pressing part 912 and it could be damaged. In order to prevent the strong force from being applied to the switch 94, the front panel 92 includes a hook 923 to prevent an end opposite to the hinge 913 of the surface pressing part 911 from being moved too much. The hook 923 is formed adjacent to the through hole 921 as shown in
When the surface pressing part 911 of the surface pressing button 91 is pressed, the surface pressing part 911 and the switch pressing part 912 are turned around the hinge 913 for a certain amount and then the end of the surface pressing part 911 comes into contact with the hook 923 and it is stopped. Thus, a large load is prevented from being applied to the switch 94.
Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 06-9023 (1994) discloses that a stopper rib is formed on a switch knob and, when the switch knob is pressed, the stopper rib abuts on a substrate holder to restrict an operation of the switch knob.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-39324 discloses that a stopper is provided on each side of a pressing part and, when a button is pressed, the stopper comes into contact with a substrate and prevents the button from being pressed more than needs.
The surface pressing button 91 includes the supporting part 913 and the boss hole 914 formed at the distal end of the inclination preventing part 916 which extends from the supporting part 913. When the surface pressing button 91 is mounted on the front panel 92, the boss 922 is inserted into the each boss hole 914. However, since the hook 923 which engages with the surface pressing part 911 to restrict the movement of the surface pressing part 911 is mounted on a position close to the through hole 921 in the front panel 92, when the surface pressing button 91 is mounted, the surface pressing part 911 comes into contact with the hook 923 also, so that it is difficult to mount the surface pressing button 91 on the front panel 92.
In case that the hook 923 is formed of a material having a certain degree of flexibility, when the surface pressing button 91 is mounted on the front panel 92, the hook 923 is bent and the surface pressing part 911 can easily engage with the through hole 921. However, since the hook 923 is flexible, it cannot support a force applied from the surface pressing part 911 sufficiently in some cases.
Although it may be considered that the hook 923 and the front panel 92 are manufactured separately and after the surface pressing button 91 is mounted on the front panel 92, the hook 923 is mounted, in this case, it is troublesome to mount the hook 923 and the hook 923 cannot support the force applied from the surface pressing button 911 in some cases.
Although it may be considered that lengths of the boss 922 and the boss hole 914 are shortened, some play is provided between the boss 922 and the boss hole 914 and the surface pressing button 91 is tilted when it is mounted, in this case, the surface pressing button 91 could be unstably fixed because the lengths of the boss 922 and the boss hole 914 are shortened.
The present invention has been made in order to solve the aforementioned problems and it is an object of the present invention to provide a surface pressing button which can be surely and easily mounted on a back surface of a front panel and prevent a switch from receiving a large load, and an electronic device including the surface pressing button.
In order to achieve the aforementioned object, the present invention provides an electronic device including a front panel in which a through hole is formed, and a surface pressing button which is mounted on a back surface of the front panel and presses a switch. Herein, the surface pressing button includes a surface pressing part a portion of which is exposed from the through hole of the front panel, a switch pressing part which is integrally formed with the surface pressing part, a supporting part which supports the surface pressing part, and a hinge which connects the surface pressing part to the supporting part. The surface pressing part includes a projection which projects from an end on a side opposite to an end connected to the hinge. The supporting part includes a supporting frame which is in contact with the front panel and supports the surface pressing part through the hinge, an auxiliary supporting frame which is in contact with the front panel and is formed opposed to the supporting frame across the surface pressing part, a boss hole which is formed in each of the supporting frame and the auxiliary supporting frame, and is fitted and welded to a boss formed on the back surface of the front panel, and a reinforcing part which connects the supporting frame to the auxiliary supporting frame. The auxiliary supporting frame includes a stopper hole in which a portion on the side of the front panel is open, and a portion of the projection is provided, and a stopper which restricts movement of the projection, at the opposite end of the opening of the stopper hole.
According to this configuration, since the projection, the stopper hole, and the stopper are integrally formed, the surface pressing button can be smoothly mounted on the front panel.
In addition, according to this configuration, since the projection, the stopper hole, and the stopper are integrally formed, the surface pressing part of the surface pressing button can be promptly and accurately arranged in the through hole of the front panel.
According to the aforementioned configuration, a plurality of surface pressing parts may be provided, and the supporting part may support the plurality of surface pressing parts arranged in line. In addition, according to the aforementioned configuration, the switch pressing part may press a switch at the opposite end of the surface pressing part, and the switch pressing part may be turned around the hinge to press the switch.
In order to achieve the aforementioned object, the present invention also provides a surface pressing button mounted on a back surface of a front panel in which a through hole is formed. The surface pressing button includes a surface pressing part in which a portion thereof is exposed from the through hole of the front panel, a switch pressing part which is integrally formed with the surface pressing part, a supporting part which supports the surface pressing part, and a hinge which connects the surface pressing part to the supporting part. Herein, the surface pressing part includes a projection which projects from an end on a side opposite to an end connected to the hinge. The supporting part includes a supporting frame which is in contact with the front panel and supports the surface pressing part through the hinge, an auxiliary supporting frame which is in contact with the front panel and is formed opposed to the supporting frame across the surface pressing part, a boss hole which is formed in each of the supporting frame and the auxiliary supporting frame, and is fitted and welded to a boss formed on the back surface of the front panel, and a reinforcing part which connects the supporting frame to the auxiliary supporting frame. The auxiliary supporting frame includes a stopper hole in which a portion on the side of the front panel is open, and a portion of the projection is provided, and a stopper which restricts movement of the projection, at the opposite end of the opening of the stopper hole.
According to this configuration, since the projection, the stopper hole, and the stopper are integrally formed, the surface pressing button can be smoothly mounted on the front panel.
In addition, according to this configuration, since the projection, the stopper hole, and the stopper are integrally formed, the surface pressing part of the surface pressing button can be promptly and accurately arranged in the through hole of the front panel.
According to the aforementioned configuration, a plurality of surface pressing parts may be provided, and the supporting part may support the plurality of surface pressing parts arranged in line.
In addition, according to the aforementioned configuration, the switch pressing part may press a switch at the opposite end of the surface pressing part, and the switch pressing part may be turned around the hinge to press the switch.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the following accompanying drawings:
Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
Each of the power supply button 1p, the stop button 1a, the playback button 1b and the medium ejection button 1c is pressed to perform an operation related to each button. Through holes 21 are formed in the front panel 2 and the respective buttons 1p, 1a, 1b and 1c penetrate the through holes 21.
The surface pressing button 1 includes a supporting part 13, and the supporting part 13 is connected to the surface pressing part 11 through a hinge 14. As shown in
The supporting part 13 includes a supporting frame 131 supporting the adjacent surface pressing parts 11 and the switch pressing parts 12 arranged in line, an auxiliary supporting frame 132 formed on a side opposite to the supporting frame 131 across the surface pressing part 11 (at a position opposed to the supporting frame across the surface pressing part 11), a boss hole 133 in which a boss 22 formed on a back surface 20 of the front panel 2 as will be described below is to be externally fitted, and a reinforcing part 134 connecting the supporting frame 131 to the auxiliary supporting frame 132.
The auxiliary supporting frame 132 has a stopper hole 135 to which a portion of the projection 113 of the surface pressing part 11 is inserted. The stopper hole 135 is open in a direction that the surface pressing button 1 is mounted on the front panel 2, and a stopper 136 is formed on its opposite side.
Five boss holes 133 are provided in each of the supporting frame 131 and the auxiliary supporting frame 132, that is, ten boss holes 133 are provided in total; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. The boss holes 133 of the supporting frame 131 are formed at both ends and between the hinges 14. The boss holes 133 of the auxiliary frame 132 are formed at both ends and between the stopper holes 135.
As described above, the reinforcing parts 134 connect the supporting frame 131 to the auxiliary supporting frame 132 and they are formed at both ends and between the power supply button 1p and the stop button 1a and between the playback button 1b and the medium ejection button 1c. In addition, although the present invention is not limited to the above, a component can be arranged variously so that the surface pressing button 1 may have some strength. In addition, as shown in
As shown in
The base 112 is supported by the supporting part 13 so as to be cantilevered through the hinge 14. As shown in
As shown in
When the distal end 111 of the surface pressing part 11 of the surface pressing button 1 is pressed from the outside of the front panel 2, the hinge 14 is bent and the surface pressing part 11 and the switch pressing part 12 are turned around the hinge 14. When the surface pressing part 11 and the switch pressing part 12 are turned, the bottom plate 121 of the switch pressing part 12 presses the switch 4. At this time, when the pressing part 11 is turned more than a predetermined range, the projection 113 formed in the surface pressing part 11 and inserted into the stopper 135 of the supporting part 13 comes in contact with the stopper 136 and the movement is stopped.
Thus, when the turning angle of the surface pressing part 11 of the surface pressing button 1 reaches a certain angle, the projection 113 comes into contact with the stopper 136. Therefore, when the switch 4 is pressed, the bottom plate 121 of the switch pressing part 12 is prevented from applying a strong force to the switch 4. Thus, since the switch 4 can be prevented from being damaged and the like, the surface pressing button 1 can be used for a long period of time. In addition, since the turning angle of the surface pressing part 11 is stopped at the certain angle, the hinge 14 can be prevented from being bent too much and prevented from being damaged by fatigue.
When the surface pressing button 1 is mounted on the back surface 20 of the front panel 2, it can be mounted thereon such a manner that the distal end 111 of the surface pressing part 11 may be inserted into the through hole 21 of the front panel 2 and the boss 22 provided on the back surface 20 of the front panel 2 may be fit in the boss hole 133 provided in the supporting part 13 of the surface pressing button 1. Thus, when the surface pressing button 1 is mounted on each member of the front panel 2, unreasonable force is prevented from being applied. As a result, the mounting process is performed so that a sufficient ability can be provided without damaging the surface pressing button 1 and the front panel 2.
Thus, since the surface pressing button 1 can be easily mounted on the back surface 20 of the front panel 2, manufacturing steps and its time can be reduced. In addition, since nothing hinders the surface pressing button 1 when it is mounted, the surface pressing button 1 and the front panel 2 can be prevented from being deformed or damaged due to unreasonable force applied to each part of them when they are repeatedly mounted and dismounted for being positioned.
The switch pressing part 12g of the surface pressing button 1 shown in
In addition, the four surface pressing buttons 1 include the power supply button 1p, the stop button 1a, the playback button 1b, and the medium ejection button 1c have been described according to the present invention; however, the present invention is not limited thereto and the number of buttons may be less than four or more than four.
The DVD player which plays the DVD medium is used as the electronic device in the aforementioned embodiment; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. The present invention can be applied to an electronic device which is operated with surface pressing buttons (a VTR, a CD, a TV receiver, for example).
According to the present invention described with reference to the aforementioned embodiment, the surface pressing button which can be surely and easily mounted on the back surface of the front panel without any complicated structure or addition of the component, and can be prevented from applying too much load to the switch, and the electronic device including such surface pressing button can be provided.
In addition, according to the present invention, since positioning precision is improved without addition of the component, the surface pressing button which can be easily mounted and manufactured in a short time at a low cost, and the electronic device including such surface pressing button can be provided.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, since a large load is prevented from being applied from the surface pressing button to the switch, even when the surface pressing button is repeatedly pressed, the switch can be prevented from being damaged and the like, so that the surface pressing button and the electronic device can be used for a long time of period.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-031592 | Feb 2005 | JP | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5892192 | Ishiguro et al. | Apr 1999 | A |
| 6492605 | Iida | Dec 2002 | B1 |
| 6570111 | Nakagawa et al. | May 2003 | B1 |
| 6633011 | Ogawa et al. | Oct 2003 | B1 |
| 6914206 | Mukougawa | Jul 2005 | B1 |
| 7002086 | Fuji | Feb 2006 | B1 |
| 7019237 | Hong | Mar 2006 | B1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| U-06-9023 | Feb 1994 | JP |
| A-2004-039324 | Feb 2004 | JP |
