JP2008130277A - Key structure, electronic device, and method of manufacturing key structure - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a key structure in which a pattern color which a user perceives as black can be formed, electronic equipment having such structure, and a manufacturing method of the key structure. <P>SOLUTION: The mobile phone is equipped with a key structure having a translucent keytop part 201, an LED 200 installed on one side of the keytop part 201, and a switch 206 which switches over On and Off according to movement of the keytop part 201, in which a black system pattern color layer 202 which has translucency and is mixed with a blue color material, a black system shading layer 203 which has a prescribed pattern hole 205 formed and does not contain the blue color material, and a top layer 204 which has the prescribed pattern hole 205 formed are laminated and arranged in order on the keytop part side on the opposite side to the side on which the LED 200 and the switch 206 are installed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a key structure, an electronic device, and a method for manufacturing the key structure.

  Conventionally, there are two types of illumination for the key part of an electronic device such as a mobile phone: a figure illumination type that illuminates a graphic part such as a character, and a surface illumination type that illuminates a part other than the figure.

  The figure illumination type is a first type in which a silk key is printed on the back surface of a translucent key top portion made of polycarbonate, a translucent key top, a figure color layer for producing a figure color, and a light emitting diode. (Hereinafter simply referred to as LED) comprising a light-shielding layer that shields light emitted from the light and a top layer for producing colors other than the graphic part of the key top. And a second type that is removed in the form of a figure such as (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The second type of prior art utilizes the fact that a layer having a high laser light absorption rate, such as a black paint layer, is removed by laser light irradiation. The figure is colored by forming a colored figure color layer painted or printed with the material.

  Here, the second type of prior art of the figure illumination type will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a schematic view of how the key looks when the LED is extinguished in the conventional key structure. As shown in FIG. 7, the conventional key structure is formed of a light emitting LED 700, a key top portion 701 formed by transparent polycarbonate (also simply referred to as transparent polycarbonate), and a translucent red material. The figure color layer 702, the black light shielding layer 703 that shields the light from the LED 700, and the top layer 704 that forms the color of the key top part other than the figure part. In this prior art, the color of the material of the graphic color layer 702 is translucent red, but this is an example, and the color of the graphic color layer 702 is not limited to red, A light-transmitting colored material can be used.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the top layer 704 and the light shielding layer 703 are removed by laser, and a hole 706 having a predetermined figure shape is formed in each layer.

When the LED 700 is extinguished, the user visually recognizes the light 705 incident on the graphic color layer 702 from the top layer 704 side and reflected from the graphic color layer 702 as the light of the graphic part. Here, the amount of light passing through the graphic color layer 702 after passing through the graphic color layer 702 from the top layer 704 side and reflected from the key top portion 701 or the like below the graphic color layer 702 is very small. Therefore, the influence of the transmitted light on the color of the figure due to being visually recognized by the user is small.
JP-A-8-315669

  However, the prior art has a problem that it is difficult to adopt black as the color of graphics such as characters. For example, when black is adopted as the color of a figure such as a character, a black figure color layer is used. Further, a black material layer is used as the light shielding layer 703 in order to sufficiently shield the light from the LED 700. For this reason, when the figure such as characters on the light shielding layer is removed by the laser, the black figure color layer may be removed by the laser and may not function as the figure color layer.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a key structure capable of forming a graphic color visually recognized by a user as black, an electronic device including such a key structure, and a method of manufacturing such a key structure. The purpose is to provide.

  The key structure of the present invention includes a translucent key top portion and a key provided on one side of the key top portion, and a switch that switches between ON and OFF according to the movement of the light emitting portion and the key top portion. In the structure, the key top portion opposite to the side where the light emitting portion and the switch are provided has a translucent black first layer mixed with a blue color material, and a predetermined figure A black second layer that does not include a blue color material and a third layer in which the holes of the predetermined figure are formed are sequentially stacked and arranged.

  The electronic device of the present invention includes the key structure in a housing.

  The key structure manufacturing method of the present invention includes a translucent key top portion, a light emitting portion provided on one side of the key top portion, and ON and OFF as the key top portion moves. In a manufacturing method of a key structure having a switch to be switched, a first forming step of forming a black first layer having translucency and mixed with a blue color material in the key top portion; A second forming step of forming a black second layer not containing a blue color material on the first layer; and a third layer on the second layer. A third forming step; and a fourth forming step of forming a hole of a predetermined figure in the second layer and the third layer by laser processing.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the first layer for determining the color of the figure is a layer using a translucent black color material mixed with a blue color material. Even when a hole is formed in the second layer of the system by a laser, the first layer having a color different from that of the second layer is not destroyed, and when black and blue are mixed, human eyes Since it is visually recognized as substantially black, it is possible to provide a key structure, an electronic device, and a method of manufacturing the key structure that can form a graphic color visually recognized by the user as black.

  Hereinafter, a key structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a mobile phone including an embodiment of a key structure according to the present invention. The mobile phone shown in FIG. 1 is also an embodiment of the electronic device of the present invention. Furthermore, the description of the key structure manufacturing method of the present embodiment described below also serves as the description of an embodiment of the key structure according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile phone 1 includes a display-side casing 2 and a character-side casing 3. The display-side housing 2 and the character-side housing 3 are connected to each other via a hinge 6 so as to be openable and closable.

  The display-side housing 2 includes a front case 2a and a rear case 2b. The display-side housing 2 includes a circuit board (not shown) on which a circuit board such as a speaker is mounted. The display-side housing 2 includes a liquid crystal display unit 4 in the front case 2a.

  The character side housing 3 includes a front case 3a and a rear case 3b. Further, operation keys 5 are provided on the front case 3a. The operation keys 5 include a key for inputting numbers, a key for controlling on / off of the power supply, a key for determining an operation, and the like. Of course, the keys included in the operation keys 5 in the electronic device of the present invention are not limited to these keys, and other keys may be included.

  Next, the operation keys shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a partial perspective schematic view of the operation key shown in FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 2, a round shape is given as an example of the hole 205 having a graphic shape.

  In the present specification, the shape of the hole of the predetermined figure formed in the key top portion can include various things such as numbers, symbols, patterns, or any combination thereof in addition to letters, and is particularly limited to letters. Not what you want. Also, the operation keys shown in FIG. 2 indicate one graphic operation key.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the operation key 5 of the present embodiment includes an LED 200 that emits light, a key top portion 201 formed of transparent polycarbonate, and a blue pigment mixed with a black pigment mainly composed of resin. A translucent figure color layer 202 formed of the formed material, a light shielding layer 203 formed of a resin-based black material and blocking light from the LED 200, and a silver-based resin-based material. And a top layer 204 formed of a material. Note that the color of the material of the top layer 204 is not limited to silver, and various other color materials can be used without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  In the example shown in FIG. 2, the LED 200 is disposed under the approximate center of the key top portion 201. However, the present invention is not limited to such a case, and the LED 200 is disposed at the key position. It suffices if it is below the top portion 201. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 2, the graphic color layer 202, the light shielding layer 203, and the top layer 204 are illustrated separately from each other. However, this is separated for easy understanding of the present invention. Originally, these layers are in close contact with each other. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 2, no other layers are formed between the key top portion 201, the graphic color layer 202, the light shielding layer 203, and the top layer 204. Other arbitrary layers can be formed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a hole 205 having a figure shape is formed in the light shielding layer 203 and the top layer 204. The hatched part of the figure-shaped hole 205 is removed by the laser and penetrates. As shown in FIG. 2, a switch 206 that is turned on and off as the key top is pressed and moved is disposed below the key top portion 201. When the switch 206 is turned on, information indicating the figure shape 205 displayed on the key top is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 4.

  Next, when the LED 200 is extinguished will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a partial schematic sectional view showing how the operation key 5 shown in FIG. When the LED 200 is extinguished, the user visually recognizes the light 301 incident on the graphic color layer 202 from the top layer 204 side and reflected from the graphic color layer 202 as the light of the character part. Here, the amount of light transmitted through the graphic color layer 202 from the top layer 204 side, reflected from the key top 201 and the like below the graphic color layer 202, and then transmitted through the graphic color layer 202 is very small. Therefore, this light has little influence on the color of the figure visually recognized by the user.

  Here, the graphic color layer 202 is formed of a material in which a blue pigment is mixed with a translucent black pigment. And the color which mixed the blue pigment with the black pigment turns into a color close to black, and when a user visually recognizes this color with eyes, this color is visually recognized as substantially black. In addition, since the color of the figure color layer 202 includes blue and is not blacker than the black color of the light shielding layer 203, even when a hole is formed in the black light shielding layer 203 by a laser, Since the colors are different, the graphic color layer 202 is not removed by the laser. In the present embodiment, a pigment is used as a color material to be a color material. However, the color material of the graphic color layer of the present invention is not limited to the pigment, and other color materials may be used.

  Next, the light emission of the LED 200 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial schematic cross-sectional view showing how the operation key shown in FIG. 1 is seen during light emission. The LED 200 is a member that emits light, and emits light of a predetermined color. In the present embodiment, an LED 200 that emits red light is used as an example. Of course, the present invention is not limited to red as the emission color of the LED 200, but may be other colors. In the present embodiment, in a state where the LED 200 emits light, the light 401 from the LED 200 passes through a hole in the shape of a figure formed in the figure color layer 202, the light shielding layer 203, and the top layer 204. Visible to the user. Therefore, when the LED 200 emits light, the user visually recognizes the light 401 in the form of a light emission color of the LED 200. Since the LED 200 emits a large amount of light, the graphic color layer 202 does not become a major obstacle when the user visually recognizes the light 401 in the shape of the light emission color of the LED 200.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the case where a predetermined figure is formed by laser processing on the operation key 5 shown in FIG. 1 will be described. 5 and 6 are partial schematic cross-sectional views when laser processing is performed on the operation key 5 shown in FIG. FIG. 5 shows a state before holes are formed in the graphic color layer 202 and the light shielding layer 203 by laser light, and FIG. 6 shows a state after holes are formed in the graphic color layer 202 and the light shielding layer 203 by laser light. State.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in this embodiment, laser light removes holes 205 in the shape of a desired figure in the light shielding layer 203 and the top layer 204, and shapes of figures are formed in these layers. Open the hole. The figure color layer 202 has a color different from that of the black light-shielding layer 203 because it is mixed with a pigment as a black color material and a pigment as a blue color material, and is removed even when irradiated with laser light. There is nothing.

  As described above, according to one embodiment of the key structure, the electronic device, and the key structure manufacturing method of the present invention, a material obtained by mixing a translucent black pigment and a blue pigment into the graphic color layer 202 is used. Therefore, a layer that is visually recognized as black by the user can be formed as a graphic color layer without being destroyed by the laser, and a graphic color that is visually recognized as black can be formed.

It is an external appearance perspective view of a mobile phone provided with one Embodiment of the key structure which concerns on this invention. It is a partial perspective schematic diagram of the operation key shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a partial schematic cross-sectional view showing how the operation key shown in FIG. 1 looks when extinguished. FIG. 2 is a partial schematic cross-sectional view showing how the operation key shown in FIG. 1 is seen when light is emitted. It is a partial schematic sectional drawing in the case of performing laser processing on the operation key shown in FIG. It is a partial schematic sectional drawing in the case of performing laser processing on the operation key shown in FIG. It is the schematic of how a key looks at the time of extinction of LED in the conventional key structure.

Explanation of symbols

1 Mobile phone (electronic equipment)
2 Display side housing 2a Front case 2b Rear case 3 Character side housing 3a Front case 3b Rear case 4 Liquid crystal display unit 5 Operation key 6 Hinge 200 LED (light emitting part)
201 Key top portion 202 Graphic color layer (first layer)
203 Light-shielding layer (second layer)
204 Top layer (third layer)
205 Hole in the shape of a figure (hole of a given figure)
206 Switch 301 Reflected light 401 Light in the form of a graphic 700 LED
701 Key top portion 702 Graphic color layer 703 Shading layer 704 Top layer 705 Reflected light 706 Hole in figure shape

Claims (3)

In a key structure having a translucent key top part, and a switch provided on one side of the key top part, the light emitting part and a switch for switching on and off with the movement of the key top part,
On the key top portion opposite to the side where the light emitting portion and the switch are provided,
A black first layer having translucency and mixed with a blue color material;
A black second layer in which a hole of a predetermined figure is formed and which does not include a blue color material;
A key structure in which a third layer in which holes of the predetermined figure are formed is sequentially stacked. An electronic apparatus comprising the key structure according to claim 1 in a housing. In a manufacturing method of a key structure having a translucent key top part, a light emitting part provided on one side of the key top part, and a switch that switches ON and OFF with the movement of the key top part,
In the key top part,
A first forming step of forming a black first layer having translucency and mixed with a blue color material;
A second forming step of forming a black second layer not containing a blue color material on the first layer;
A third forming step of forming a third layer on the second layer;
A method of manufacturing a key structure, comprising: a fourth forming step of forming a hole of a predetermined figure in the second layer and the third layer by laser processing.

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