JP2003281965A - Mobile terminal device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide a portable terminal device that can further reduce the thickness and weight of operation buttons and that can freely decorate as much as possible without being restricted by a decoration method or a decoration range. provide. SOLUTION: A key 31 formed of resin, a stroke member 32 formed of an elastic material and provided directly below the key 31, and a predetermined signal is output by being transmitted through the stroke member 32 when the key 31 is depressed. A portable terminal device provided with a key switch 33 provided on a substrate 4 to be formed, wherein a flange 31 </ b> A is formed on the bottom of the key 31 so as to protrude outward in a state of being sunk into the lower part of the housing 2, and protrudes outward. The flange 31 </ b> A has a step portion that is one step lower than the height of the center of the bottom surface of the key 31.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable terminal device capable of reducing the thickness and weight of operation buttons.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 shows a conventional mobile phone 100. The mobile phone 100 includes an operation button 200 and a multidirectional operation button 300 having a scroll function on a front surface 101A side of a housing 101. ing.

The structure of such a button will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the structure of the operation button 200.
Is a key 201 formed of resin or the like, and this key 201
Corresponding to the pattern electrode 106 provided on the substrate 105 inside the housing 101 corresponding to the above, and a metal diaphragm 202 provided directly above and a projection 203A provided directly above the diaphragm 202, and the key 201 is provided between the housing 101 and And a stroke member 203 which is sandwiched and held.

By the way, the operation button 2 having such a configuration
In the case of No. 00, the rising position of the key 201 is restricted by projecting a flange 201A around the lower side of the key 201, so that the key 201 does not largely project outside (upward) from the upper surface 101A of the housing 101. The appearance is carefully considered.

On the other hand, the multidirectional operation button 300 shown in FIG.
In this structure, a confirmation button 310 having the same configuration as the operation button 200 is provided in the central portion, and a scroll button 320 is arranged around the confirmation button 310 in the central portion. Further, the confirmation button 310 has a structure similar to that of the operation button 200 described above, and thus it is possible to prevent the determination button 310 from similarly largely protruding to the outside (upward).

In addition, in this multi-directional operation button 300,
The inner peripheral surface of the scroll button 320 facing the center of the lower part of the scroll key 321 is scraped away to provide a step 321A, which is the opposite of the enter key 311, so that the scroll key 320 also greatly protrudes to the outside (upward). To prevent. The confirmation button 310 and the scroll button 320 are provided with a stroke member 330 and a diaphragm 202, which are similar to those of the operation button 200 of FIG. 4, so that the diaphragm 202 contacts and conducts with a pattern electrode (not shown). Has become.

[0007]

By the way, in recent years, in mobile terminal devices such as mobile phones, there is an increasing demand for thinning in response to the user's request, and the operation buttons 200 and the multi-directional operation buttons described above are increasing. As for 300, further ingenuity for thinning is required. In addition, in the mobile phone having such a configuration, it is considered to provide a wide variety of designs and decorations in response to a wide range of requests from users.

However, in the operation button 200 and the multi-directional operation button 300 having the above-mentioned configuration, the step and the range of decoration are limited for these buttons because of the step provided for thinning. This is an obstacle to the decoration.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the present invention is capable of further reducing the thickness and weight of the operation button, and is free to make decorations without being restricted by the decoration method and the decoration range as much as possible. It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable terminal device capable of performing the above.

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a portable terminal device of the present invention has a key made of resin, a stroke member made of an elastic material and provided directly below the key, and the key. A mobile terminal device comprising an operation button composed of a contactor that is pressed through the stroke member by pressing and a key switch having an electrode on a substrate with which the contact is made, wherein A flange protruding outward in a state of diving under the housing is formed, and the flange protruding outward is provided with a step portion which is one step lower than the height of the central portion of the bottom surface of the key. There is.

As a result, it is possible to further reduce the thickness and weight of the operation button, and it is possible to freely decorate the operation button without being restricted by the decoration method and the decoration range.

Further, the portable terminal device of the present invention may be arranged such that the operation buttons are arranged in the central portion and a multidirectional operation button provided with a plurality of scroll keys in the peripheral portion.

As a result, similarly, the operation button can be made thinner and lighter, and the decoration can be freely performed without being restricted by the decoration method and the decoration range as much as possible.

In the portable terminal device of the present invention, the key switch may be a membrane switch mounted on the substrate and having a tact switch.

As a result, a structure with good workability can be realized by reducing the number of parts.

Further, in the portable terminal device of the present invention, the contact of the key switch may have a base part made of PET, and carbon printing may be applied to a lower surface of the base part facing the electrode.

As a result, it is possible to achieve weight reduction, noise reduction, and cost reduction as compared with a metal diaphragm.

In the portable terminal device of the present invention, the contact of the key switch may have a base portion made of silicone rubber, and carbon printing may be performed on the lower surface of the base portion facing the electrode.

As a result, it is possible to achieve weight reduction, noise reduction, and cost reduction as compared with a metal diaphragm.

[0020]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [First Embodiment] FIG. 1 shows a main part of a mobile phone 1 according to the present invention.
An operation button 3 is provided on the front surface 2A side of the housing 2.

The operation button 3 is a key 31 made of resin.
And a stroke member 32 formed of a flexible elastic material and provided directly below the key 31, and a contactor 34 for pressing the key 31 by transmitting the pressing operation via the stroke member 32. And a key switch 33 having an electrode 35 on the substrate 4 with which it contacts.

Of these, the key 31 has a flange 31A protruding outward in a state of diving under the housing 2, and the flange 31A has a bottom surface height h compared to the center of the bottom surface of the key 31. It constitutes a step section that is lowered by one step.

The stroke member 32 is provided with a projection 32A immediately above the contactor 34 to hold the key 31 between it and the housing 2 and to secure a required stroke when the key 31 is pressed. It is for Therefore, the stroke member 32 has a shape in which the central portion is lifted upward, in other words, the peripheral portion is spread on the skirt and extended downward, and the peripheral portion is fixed on the substrate. . Further, the stroke member 32 is provided with the above-mentioned protrusion 32A at the center of the back surface.

The key switch 33 is composed of a contact 34 for pressing the key 31 when the pressing operation is transmitted through the stroke member 32, and a pattern electrode formed of copper foil or the like on the substrate 4 with which the key 34 contacts. And 35. The contactor 34 is composed of a base portion 34A having an insulating property and flexibility and a conductive portion 34B, and is installed at a position directly above the pattern electrode 35 on the substrate 4. Of these, the base 34A is PET
(Polyethylene terephthalate), and the conductive portion 34 on the lower surface of the base portion 34A facing the pattern electrode 35.
B is carbon-printed.

As the contactor 34, in addition to this embodiment, the base portion 34A is formed of silicone rubber, and the conductive portion on the lower surface of the base portion facing the pattern electrode 35 is carbon-printed. May be Further, a membrane switch provided with a tact switch mounted on a substrate may be used as the key switch.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant description. FIG. 2 shows a main part of a mobile phone 5 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The mobile phone 5 is provided with a multidirectional operation button on the front surface 2A side of the housing 2, The multi-directional operation button includes an operation button 6 arranged in the central portion and a plurality of scroll buttons 7 provided in the peripheral portion.

The operation button 6 has the same structure as the operation button 3 of the first embodiment, and includes an enter key 61 formed of resin and an enter key 61 formed of a flexible elastic material. Stroke member 62 provided immediately below the enter key 6
By pressing 1, the pressing operation is performed by the stroke member 62.
The key switch 63 includes a contactor (not shown) that is transmitted via the contact and presses down, and an electrode (not shown) on the substrate 4 with which the contactor contacts.

Here, the confirm key 61 has the same structure as the key 31 made of resin of the operation button 3, and the stroke member 62 is the stroke member 32.
It has the same structure as. In addition, the key switch 63
Is a contact 34 and an electrode 35 on the substrate 4 with which it contacts.
The key switch 33 has the same structure as the key switch 33.

On the other hand, the scroll button 7 includes a scroll key 71 made of resin, a stroke member 72 made of a flexible elastic material and provided directly below the scroll key 71, and the scroll key 71 being depressed. The key switch 73 has a contactor (not shown) for transmitting the pressing operation via the stroke member 72 and pressing it, and an electrode (not shown) on the substrate 4 with which the contactor contacts.

The scroll key 71 has a structure corresponding to the enter key 61, and has a shape in which the upper surface is inclined downward toward the inner peripheral side toward the enter key 61.
On the other hand, a flange 71A protruding outward in the horizontal direction is formed on the lower portion of the outer peripheral surface of the scroll key 71, and the flange 71A is lowered to the lower surface of the housing 2 by the elastic force of the stroke member 72. Abutting from the side.

The stroke member 72 is the stroke member 6
This stroke member 6 has the same shape as that of
It has a structure integrated with 2. The key switch 73 has the same structure as the key switch 63.

[0032]

As described above, the present invention is
A key switch having a key made of resin, a stroke member made of an elastic material and provided directly below the key, a contact that is pressed through the stroke member by pressing the key, and an electrode on the substrate with which the contact contacts A mobile terminal device having an operation button configured by, wherein a flange protruding outward is formed at the bottom of the key in a state of diving under the lower part of the housing, and the flange protruding outward is the center of the bottom surface of the key. It has a step that is one step lower than the height of the section.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to further reduce the thickness and weight of the operation button, and it is possible to restrain the decoration method and the decoration range from being restricted in the button installation area as much as possible. Since the area where the decoration can be applied is expanded, the decorativeness is enhanced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a main part of a mobile phone according to a first embodiment of the present invention, that is, an operation button.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing a main part of a mobile phone according to a second embodiment of the present invention, that is, a multidirectional operation button.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a conventional mobile phone.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a conventional operation button.

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing a conventional multidirectional operation button.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 mobile phone 2 housing 2A surface of housing 3 operation buttons 31 key 31A flange (step) 32 stroke members 33 key switch 34 Contact 35 electrodes 4 substrates 5 mobile phones 6 operation buttons 61 Confirm key 62 Stroke member 63 key switch 7 scroll buttons 71 Scroll key 71A flange (step) 72 Stroke member 73 key switch

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) H04M 1/23 H04M 1/23 DF Term (reference) 5G006 AZ01 CB05 FB06 5G050 AA07 BA08 BA10 CA11 DA10 EA05 5K023 AA07 BB01 BB03 GG04

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A key made of resin, a stroke member made of an elastic material and provided directly below the key, and a contact which is depressed through the stroke member by depressing the key, and the contact. A portable terminal device having an operation button configured with a key switch having an electrode on a substrate, wherein a bottom portion of the key is formed with a flange protruding outward in a state of diving into a lower portion of the housing, and the outside The mobile terminal device is characterized in that the flange protruding to the bottom has a step portion that is one step lower than the height of the central portion of the bottom surface of the key. 2. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the operation button is provided in a central portion, and a multidirectional operation button provided with a plurality of scroll keys in a peripheral portion is provided. 3. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the key switch is a membrane switch mounted on the substrate and provided with a tact switch. 4. The contact of the key switch has a base portion made of PET, and carbon printing is applied to a lower surface of the base portion facing the electrode. Mobile terminal device. 5. The contact of the key switch has a base portion formed of silicone rubber, and carbon printing is applied to a lower surface of the base portion facing the electrode. The portable terminal device described.