Electronic devices and electronic clocks

Abstract

To provide electronic devices and electronic clocks with operating mechanisms that are more shock-resistant and space-saving. [Solution] The electronic clock comprises a leaf spring (11) and a substrate. The leaf spring (11) has a fixed first end (E1) and extends in the X direction from the first end (E1). The substrate has electrodes. The substrate contacts the second end (E2) of the leaf spring (11), which is opposite to the first end (E1), when the first position (P) of the leaf spring (11) is pressed by the pressing action of a push button switch, and does not contact the second end (E2) when the first position (P) is not pressed. The leaf spring (11) has a first bend (B1) between the first position (P) and the second end (E2). The components of the direction from the first bend (B1) to the second end (E2) and the direction from the first position (P) to the first bend (B1) are opposite along the x direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to electronic devices and electronic watches.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a switch structure including a leaf spring (switch contact spring) extending from a first end portion (fixed portion), and an electrode (fixed terminal member) that contacts a second end portion (end portion) opposite to the first end portion of the leaf spring when the first position of the leaf spring is pressed by the pressing operation of a push button switch (button), and does not contact the second end portion when the first position is not pressed, and a substrate (circuit board).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, the operating mechanism has the effect of being more shock-resistant and space-saving. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a bottom view showing the configuration of the electronic clock of this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the module's exterior. [Figure 3] This is a diagram of a leaf spring. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the movement of a leaf spring in response to the pressing operation of a push-button switch. [Figure 5] This figure shows leaf springs of other embodiments 1 and 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The electronic clock 100 is one form of the electronic device of this disclosure and may be a wristwatch type, as shown in the bottom view of Figure 1. The electronic clock 100 houses a module 1 supported by a retaining member 10 within a housing 2. The module 1 is an assembly related to the functional operation of the electronic clock 100 and includes a circuit board 20. The housing 2 has a cylindrical shape with the top and bottom open. A display unit is located in the opening on the top side of the housing 2, covering the module 1. The bottom surface of the housing 2 may be sealed by a bottom cover, not shown.

[0010] A push-button switch Sw, which is an operating component, is located on the side of the electronic clock 100. The push-button switch Sw has a shaft Sc, which protrudes from the side so that it can be pressed by the user, and the shaft Sc penetrates the housing 2. One end of the shaft Sc contacts a leaf spring 11 in response to the pressing operation of the push-button switch Sw, pushing the leaf spring 11 inward. The leaf spring 11 will be described later. When the push-button switch Sw is not pressed, the shaft Sc and the leaf spring 11 may or may not be in contact. When the leaf spring 11 is pushed in, the leaf spring 11 comes into contact with an electrode 21 located on the substrate 20. This allows the pressing operation of the push-button switch Sw to be detected.

[0011] The circuit board 20 is a plate-shaped member having electronic components for performing various operations of the electronic clock 100, as well as electronic circuits and connection terminals for connecting these components. The electronic components may include, for example, a microcontroller, a storage unit such as an external flash memory, a large-capacity capacitor, a functional module related to various functions such as communication and measurement, and a crystal oscillator. Power is supplied to the circuit board 20 from a battery to operate the electronic components. For example, the microcontroller uses a clock signal corresponding to the oscillation of the crystal oscillator to count the date and time. The microcontroller also causes the time and other information to be displayed on a display screen located beneath the crystal glass. The circuit board 20 may be a multilayer circuit board having multiple layers. The electrodes 21 are located on the side of the circuit board 20 and are exposed.

[0012] As shown in the perspective view of Figure 2, the module 1 of the electronic clock 100, including the circuit board 20, is contained and held inside a frame-shaped retaining member 10. The leaf spring 11 is the part that extends from the retaining member 10 to the side of the module 1. The first end E1 of the leaf spring 11, which is the base portion separated from the retaining member 10, is fixed by a claw N. The leaf spring 11 extends from this fixed first end E1. The retaining member 10 is a conductor with sufficient strength for fixing, in this case a metal member, and serves as the contact surface with the housing.

[0013] The leaf spring 11 deforms when its first position P is pressed inward by the shaft Sc of the push-button switch Sw. The second end E2 of the leaf spring 11, opposite to the first end E1, i.e., the movable end, comes into contact with the electrode 21 located on the side surface of the substrate 20 due to the deformation of the leaf spring 11. Normally, the deformation is elastic, and when the push-button switch Sw is released, the deformation of the leaf spring 11 returns to its original state. As a result, when the leaf spring 11 is not pressed by the operation of the push-button switch Sw, the second end E2 does not come into contact with the electrode 21. The shaft Sc may also come into contact with the leaf spring 11 over a surface. In this case, the first position P may be a representative point of the contact range between the leaf spring 11 and the shaft Sc, for example, the center position.

[0014] As shown in Figure 3(a), the leaf spring 11 extends from the first end E1 along the side in the X direction (first direction). The leaf spring 11 has a defined first position P that is pressed by the shaft Sc of the push button switch Sw. The direction in which the shaft Sc presses the first position P is the Z direction (second direction). The distance between the first end E1 and the first position P corresponds to how easily the leaf spring 11 deforms in response to the pressing operation of the push button switch Sw. If this distance is small, a greater force will be required to press the push button switch Sw in order to deform the leaf spring 11, so an appropriate distance is determined.

[0015] The leaf spring 11 may be bent multiple times. Here, the leaf spring 11 has a first bent portion B1 and a second bent portion B2. The first bent portion B1 is located in the second portion A2 between the first position P and the second end E2. The "between" here does not include both ends. The first bent portion B1 may be bent within the XY plane along the side surface. That is, the second portion A2 may be located within a single plane. The second portions A2 do not overlap in a plan view when viewed from the Z direction before and after sandwiching the first bent portion B1. The direction from the first position P to the first bent portion B1 and the direction from the first bent portion B1 to the second end E2 have at least opposite components in the X direction. Thereby, the length along the second portion A2 between the first position P and the second end E2 is longer than the straight-line distance between the first position P and the second end E2.

[0016] The second bent portion B2 may be located in the first portion A1 between the first end E1 and the first position P. The "between" here does not include both ends. The second bent portion B2 may be bent in the Z direction. The bending angle is about 180 degrees, that is, this bending is a fold-back of the leaf spring 11. The bent portion may have a curved surface shape with a certain radius of curvature, and accordingly, the first portion A1 and the second portion A2 may be separated by a distance approximately twice the radius of curvature in the Z direction. Thereby, the first position P overlaps the first portion A1 in a plan view.

[0017] When the push-button switch is pressed, the leaf spring 11 receives a force from the shaft of the push-button switch at the first position P and moves in the -Z direction. The second portion A2 contacts the first portion A1 due to this movement, and the entire tip side of the second portion A2 moves and deforms in the -Z direction.

[0018] As shown in the side view of FIG. 3(b), the second end portion E2 has a curved shape on the -Z side, which is the side of the circuit board of the module. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 3(b) and 3(c), the vicinity of the bottom of this curvature at the second end portion E2 is at a position about the same as the first portion A1 in the Z direction, or is located on the -Z side of the first portion A1. Also, the second end portion E2 is located farthest from the first end portion E1 in the Y direction. Due to these, the second end portion E2 first contacts the electrode of the circuit board as the leaf spring 11 is deformed. As a result, the electrode is electrically connected to the housing ground plane and an electrical signal flows, and the pressing operation of the push button switch is detected in the module.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 4(a), when the push button switch Sw is not pressed and the shaft Sc is not in contact with the leaf spring 11, the leaf spring 11 is not deformed. Accordingly, the second end portion E2 is not in contact with the electrode 21 of the substrate 20.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 4(b), when the push button switch Sw is pressed and the shaft Sc contacts the first position P of the leaf spring 11, a force is applied in the -Z direction with respect to the first position P. Thereby, the leaf spring 11 is bent and deformed in the -Z direction with the first end portion E1 as a fulcrum. As the first position P moves in the reference amount -Z direction in accordance with the movement of the shaft Sc, the second end portion E2 contacts the electrode 21.

[0021] When the push button switch Sw is pushed deeper and more rapidly than normal due to the impact of the fall of the electronic clock 100 or the like, the leaf spring 11 is excessively deformed in accordance with the movement of the shaft Sc. As shown in FIG. 4(c), while the second end portion E2 is maintained in a state of contacting the electrode, the leaf spring 11 moves further in the -Z direction with respect to the first end portion E1 and the second end portion E2 with the first position P as the center. If this movement amount is too large, plastic deformation occurs beyond the elastic deformation range, and thereafter, it becomes difficult to normally accept the operation of the push button switch.

[0022] In this case, the longer the distance between the first position P and the second end E2, and the longer the distance between the first position P and the first end E1, the smaller the deformation angle of the leaf spring 11 becomes relative to the amount of movement of the first position P, making plastic deformation less likely. In this case, in particular, the distance from the first position P through the first bend B1 to the second end E2 is sufficiently longer than the straight-line distance between the first position P and the second end E2. Therefore, the second part A2 is less likely to undergo plastic deformation. That is, the possibility of plastic deformation occurring in the leaf spring 11 is reduced relative to the length of the leaf spring 11 in the X direction.

[0023] The leaf spring 11a of another embodiment 1 shown in Figure 5(a) does not have a second bend. The leaf spring 11a extends in the +X direction from the first end E1 through the first position P to the first bend B1. Even with such a leaf spring 11a, the length along the leaf spring 11a from the first position P to the second end E2 is greater than the straight-line distance between the first position P and the second end E2. As a result, even if the first position P is further pushed in while the second end E2 is in contact with the electrode, the bending angle of the leaf spring 11a near the second end E2 and at the first position P becomes smaller than the amount of movement of the first position P, making plastic deformation less likely to occur.

[0024] In the leaf spring 11b of another embodiment 2 shown in Figure 5(b), the second bending portion B2 is a planar bend in the XY plane. Consequently, the first position P and the second portion A2 including the first position P do not overlap with the first portion A1 in a plan view. Therefore, when the first position P is pressed, the first portion A1 deforms as the deformation of the second portion A2 is transmitted through the second bending portion B2. For this reason, the leaf spring 11b has rigidity that can appropriately transmit the stress related to deformation throughout the entire structure.

[0025] With this leaf spring 11b, the distance from the first position P to the first end E1 and the distance to the second end E2 are both large compared to the total length of the leaf spring 11b in the X direction. Therefore, even if an excessive force is applied to the first position P, the deformation angle corresponding to the amount of movement of the first position P at the fixed first end E1 and second end E2 becomes small, making plastic deformation less likely to occur.

[0026] As described above, the electronic clock 100 of this embodiment comprises a leaf spring 11 and a substrate 20. The leaf spring 11 has a first end E1 fixed to it and extends in the X direction from the first end E1. The substrate 20 has an electrode 21. The electrode 21 contacts the second end E2 of the leaf spring 11, which is opposite to the first end E1, when the first position P of the leaf spring 11 is pressed by the pressing operation of the push button switch Sw. On the other hand, the electrode 21 does not contact the second end E2 when the first position P is not pressed. The leaf spring 11 has a first bend B1 between the first position P and the second end E2. The direction from the first bend B1 to the second end E2 and the direction from the first position P to the first bend B1 have opposite components along the X direction. In this way, the first bent portion B1 makes the length of the leaf spring 11 between the first position P, which is pressed by the push-button switch Sw, and the second end portion E2, which is in contact with the electrode 21, longer than the actual distance. Therefore, even if the leaf spring 11 is excessively pressed due to an impact or the like, the second portion A2 will not undergo an unintended large bend between the second end portion E2, which is supported by the electrode 21, and the first position P. Consequently, the leaf spring 11 becomes less susceptible to plastic deformation. As a result, an electronic clock 100 can be obtained in which the operating mechanism is more resistant to impact and more space-saving.

[0027] The leaf spring 11 may have a second bend B2 between the first end E1 and the first position P. This makes the length along the leaf spring 11 between the first end E1 and the first position P longer than the straight-line distance. Therefore, excessive pressure at the first position P can reduce the possibility of the leaf spring 11 bending at a large angle near the first end E1 and undergoing plastic deformation.

[0028] The second bend B2 may be bent in a second direction Z along the pressing direction of the leaf spring 11. The first position P may overlap in the Z direction with the first portion A1 between the first end E1 of the leaf spring 11 and the second bend B2. This further reduces the space taken up in a plan view. Also, since the first portion A1 is pressed at the same time as the first position P is pressed, excessive distortion due to pressing is less likely to occur between the first position P and the first portion A1.

[0029] The leaf spring 11 may have a second portion A2 located in a single plane between a first position P and a second end E2. This makes it easier for the second portion A2 to deform in conjunction with the pressing of the first position P. Even if the first position P is pressed excessively, the inclination of the excess deformation is distributed across the entire second portion A2, thus reducing the possibility of localized large forces causing plastic deformation. The second bent portion B2 may have a curved shape. By not bending discontinuously, it is less likely for localized excessive forces to be applied.

[0030] The electronic clock 100 is equipped with a push-button switch Sw having a shaft Sc that presses the first position P of the leaf spring 11 in response to a pressing operation. Therefore, the electronic clock 100 has a more robust operating mechanism against the impact of drops, and the stability of the operation of the push-button switch Sw can be maintained more reliably. The electronic device of this embodiment may be the electronic clock 100 described above. Such an electronic clock 100 can maintain a more reliable operating mechanism, especially when used while being put on, taken off, and carried around, like a wristwatch.

[0031] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the above, the second end E2 was located adjacent to the first part A1 in the Y direction, but this is not limited to that. It may wrap around to the tip side in the X direction of the leaf spring 11. Also, the first part A1 and the second part A2 are not limited to the shapes exemplified above. They may be appropriately changed depending on the strength of the stress on the leaf spring 11 and the shape of the movable space of the leaf spring 11, such as the length, the tendency of changes in thickness, and the presence or absence of curved portions. Furthermore, the position of the first position P may be appropriately changed depending on the size of the leaf spring 11, the magnitude of the stress, and the positional relationship with the push button switch Sw. Also, the shape of the push button switch Sw is not limited to the above.

[0032] Furthermore, the bending direction of the first bent portion B1 and the bending direction of the second bent portion B2 are not limited to the example patterns described above. For example, both the first bent portion B1 and the second bent portion B2 may be bent in the Z direction. Also, even if the second bent portion B2 is bent in the Z direction, the direction from the second bent portion B2 to the first position P may be inclined with respect to the X direction.

[0033] Furthermore, the number of bends is not limited to one or two. Depending on the situation, the leaf spring 11 may be bent three or more times. Also, the portion where the first portion A1 and the second portion A2 of the leaf spring 11 overlap in a plan view is not limited to the above. In particular, between the first position P and the second end E2, the overlapping position may be determined as appropriate, as long as it does not hinder the inclination between the first position P and the second end E2 that is in contact with the electrode 21 due to excessive pressing of the first position P.

[0034] Furthermore, the operating mechanism of the above configuration may be used in electronic devices other than the electronic clock 100. In particular, its use in portable electronic devices can reduce the occurrence of malfunctions and failures due to impact from drops during transport or when temporarily placed down. In addition, the specific configuration, processing operation content, and procedures shown in the above embodiment can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention includes the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0035] 11 Leaf spring, 20 Circuit board, 21 Electrode, 100 Electronic clock, B1 First bend, E1 First end, E2 Second end, P First position, Sw Push button switch

Claims

1. A leaf spring with a first end fixed and extending in a first direction from the first end, A substrate having an electrode that contacts the second end of the leaf spring opposite to the first end when the first position of the leaf spring is pressed by the pressing action of a push button switch, and does not contact the second end when the first position is not pressed, Equipped with, The leaf spring has a first bend between the first position and the second end, and the components of the direction from the first bend to the second end and the direction from the first position to the first bend are opposite along the first direction. electronic equipment.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the leaf spring has a second bent portion between the first end and the first position.

3. The second bend is a bend in a second direction along the pressing direction of the leaf spring, The first position overlaps the first portion between the first end and the second bent portion of the leaf spring in the second direction. The electronic device according to claim 2.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second portion of the leaf spring between the first position and the second end is located in a single plane.

5. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the second bent portion has a curved shape.

6. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a push-button switch having a shaft that presses the first position of the leaf spring in response to a pressing operation.

7. An electronic clock comprising the electronic device described in claim 6.

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