Key waterproof structure and waterproof small flashlight

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of portable electronic equipment, in particular to a key waterproof structure and a waterproof small flashlight. The key waterproof structure comprises a shell, a switch module, a circuit board and a cover plate. The switch module is assembled by a key, a first sealing piece and a limiting plate, the bottom end of the switch module is accommodated in a fixed groove on a mounting plate, the fixed groove presses one end of the limiting plate to make the first sealing piece tightly adhere to the inner wall of the side plate, the circuit board and the cover plate press the limiting plate from the middle and the top respectively, and three-stage sealing and pressing are formed. The waterproof small flashlight further comprises an optical assembly and a power supply unit. The cover plate has a preset arc, and the elastic restoring force presses the third sealing piece after locking. The power supply unit can adopt a rechargeable battery matched with a charging sealing piece or a flexible photovoltaic system integrated with a winding mechanism and a self-locking sealing bolt. The application realizes multi-point adhesive-free waterproof sealing at the key position, the cover plate position and the power supply interface position through pure mechanical pressing, and the sealing reliability and the key operation feel are considered.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of portable electronic device technology, specifically to a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight. Background Technology

[0002] Small flashlights are widely used in outdoor adventures, emergency rescues, and other scenarios due to their compact size and portability. In such scenarios, the equipment inevitably faces challenges such as rain immersion and humid environments, making its waterproof and sealing performance crucial.

[0003] Small flashlights typically require a button hole on the casing for user operation, and this hole is one of the most vulnerable points in terms of sealing. Existing solutions often involve applying sealant around the button or using a simple sealing ring to achieve waterproofing. However, sealant solutions have poor long-term reliability, are prone to cracking and failure after aging, and are difficult to disassemble and maintain once applied. Conventional sealing rings rely on uniform pre-compression to ensure a seal, which, within the limited assembly space of a small flashlight, makes it difficult to maintain a stable and reliable sealing force while ensuring a smooth button press.

[0004] Based on the above, this application proposes a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight, which can effectively solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the problem that existing small flashlights struggle to provide a high level of waterproof sealing for the button area without relying on adhesives, this application proposes a waterproof button structure and a waterproof small flashlight.

[0006] A waterproof button structure, comprising:

[0007] The housing includes a mounting plate and a side plate, the housing defines a receiving cavity, the side plate has a through hole, and the mounting plate has a fixing groove.

[0008] A switch module includes a button, a first seal, and a limiting plate. The button is installed at one end of the first seal and passes through the through hole, and the limiting plate is installed at the other end of the first seal.

[0009] A circuit board is disposed within the receiving cavity and presses against the limiting plate;

[0010] A cover plate, which cooperates with the housing to close the receiving cavity, has a protruding strip on its inner wall;

[0011] The bottom end of the assembled switch module is accommodated in the fixing groove. The width of the fixing groove is smaller than the size of the switch module in its natural state along the width direction of the fixing groove. The fixing groove presses against one end of the limiting plate to deform the first sealing member under pressure and stick it to the inner wall of the side plate. The circuit board abuts against and presses the limiting plate. When the cover plate closes the receiving cavity, the protrusion abuts against and presses the limiting plate.

[0012] By applying pressure to the limiting plate in the switch module from three different positions through the fixing groove, circuit board and cover plate protrusion, the first sealing element is continuously compressed and deformed and pressed against the inner wall of the side plate without the need for adhesive, forming a stable sealing contact surface, thereby achieving a purely mechanical waterproof seal at the button.

[0013] In one embodiment, at least one pair of sealing strips are provided on the outer periphery of the first sealing member near the side plate. A sealing groove is formed between each pair of sealing strips. The sidewalls of the sealing strips facing the corresponding sealing grooves are inclined surfaces. The included angle formed by the two inclined surfaces gradually increases from the bottom of the sealing groove towards the top of the sealing strip. The sealing strips are configured to bend and deform along the inclination direction of the corresponding inclined surfaces when the first sealing member is compressed, and together press against the same inner wall surface of the side plate. By providing a pair of sealing strips with a gradually changing opening angle on the outer periphery of the first sealing member, the sealing strips bend and deform inward and outward simultaneously along their respective inclined surfaces after being compressed, thus bidirectionally fitting the inner wall of the side plate. This effectively compensates for the gap between the first sealing member and the side plate caused by machining tolerances, improving sealing reliability.

[0014] In one embodiment, the first sealing member has a mounting groove for mounting the button, and the limiting plate has a clearance groove corresponding to the pressing stroke of the button. The first sealing member has a protrusion on the side facing the limiting plate, the protrusion passing through the clearance groove and protruding from the inner side of the limiting plate. The circuit board has a protruding insert that abuts against and presses against the protrusion. The mounting plate has multiple fixing posts, and the circuit board has multiple fixing holes. The fixing posts cooperate with the fixing holes to fix the circuit board within the receiving cavity. By creating the clearance groove on the limiting plate, the corresponding area of ​​the first sealing member can freely deform inward towards the clearance groove when the button is pressed, preventing the limiting plate from obstructing the button's stroke, thus maintaining sealing pressure while ensuring button operation feel. Simultaneously, the insert on the circuit board further enhances the positioning constraint of the circuit board on the switch module by pressing against the protrusion passing through the clearance groove.

[0015] In one embodiment, a waterproof mini flashlight includes: a button waterproof structure as described above; an optical assembly including a lamp plate and a lens, wherein the mounting plate has an optical receiving groove on the side opposite to the receiving cavity, the lamp plate is disposed in the optical receiving groove and integrates a light-emitting element, the lamp plate is electrically connected to the circuit board through a wiring hole opened on the mounting plate, and the lens is disposed at the opening end of the optical receiving groove;

[0016] A power supply unit is installed inside the receiving cavity and electrically connected to the circuit board;

[0017] The cover plate is fixedly connected to the housing by at least one fastener. In its free state, the cover plate has a preset arc protruding away from the housing. A second sealing element is fitted on the fastener. A third sealing element is provided between the cover plate and the housing. The fastener is configured to lock the cover plate onto the housing. The elastic restoring force generated by the constraint of the arc of the cover plate causes the third sealing element to press against the housing.

[0018] By integrating the power supply unit into the housing cavity and utilizing the elastic restoring force generated by the pre-set curvature of the cover plate to continuously press the third seal, in conjunction with the second seal on the fixing component, multiple seals are formed at the installation joint between the cover plate and the housing, enabling the entire device to achieve reliable waterproofing without adhesives at both the button area and the cover plate. The specific form of the power supply unit can be selected according to the requirements of the usage scenario.

[0019] In one embodiment, the power supply unit includes a rechargeable battery, and a charging port is provided on the side plate. The charging port is provided with a charging seal, the external dimensions of which are larger than the opening size of the charging port. The charging seal has multiple sealing protrusions arranged along the insertion direction on the side facing the inner wall of the charging port. These sealing protrusions are configured to bend and deform when the charging seal is inserted into the charging port, pressing against the inner wall of the charging port. By providing multiple sealing protrusions on the charging seal, when the charging seal is interference-fitted into the charging port, each sealing protrusion bends and deforms, pressing against the inner wall of the charging port, forming multiple independent sealing contact lines. Partial failure of any one sealing contact line does not affect the sealing function of the remaining sealing contact lines. When charging is required, the charging seal is removed and a charging cable is inserted; after charging is complete, it is pressed back in to restore the seal, achieving a reliable seal at the charging port that can be repeatedly opened and closed.

[0020] In one embodiment, the power supply unit includes a flexible photovoltaic system. A pull-out opening is provided on the side plate. The flexible photovoltaic system includes a winding mechanism, a flexible photovoltaic module, and a self-locking sealing bolt. The winding mechanism is rotatably mounted in the receiving cavity. One end of the flexible photovoltaic module is wound around the winding mechanism and electrically connected to the circuit board, while the other end extends through the pull-out opening to the outside of the housing. The self-locking sealing bolt is located at the outer end of the flexible photovoltaic module and is configured to embed and seal the pull-out opening when fully retracted. By integrating the flexible photovoltaic system inside the housing, the flashlight has photovoltaic charging capability, allowing for supplemental charging under sunlight. The self-locking sealing bolt automatically embeds and seals the pull-out opening when fully retracted, utilizing the retraction action of the flexible photovoltaic module itself to complete the sealing operation without additional manual sealing steps. Reliable waterproofing without adhesives is achieved at the button, pull-out opening, and cover plate.

[0021] In one embodiment, the flexible photovoltaic system further includes a mounting bracket, which includes a support arm and parallel arms disposed at both ends of the support arm. The support arm is fixed to the mounting plate. The winding mechanism includes a fixed central shaft, a rotating sleeve, and an elastic element. The two ends of the fixed central shaft are fixed to the two parallel arms of the mounting bracket. The axis of the fixed central shaft is parallel to the mounting plate. The rotating sleeve is sleeved around the fixed central shaft and can rotate freely around it. One end of the flexible photovoltaic module is wound around the rotating sleeve. One end of the elastic element is fixed to the fixed central shaft, and the other end is fixed to the rotating sleeve to provide a rewinding force. A conductive element is provided on the end face of the rotating sleeve near the circuit board. A mating element that cooperates with the conductive element is provided on the circuit board to maintain the electrical connection between the flexible photovoltaic module and the circuit board during the rotation of the rotating sleeve. By setting up an independent mounting bracket to support the winding mechanism, the installation and positioning of the winding mechanism is not constrained by the layout of other components inside the housing. This allows the winding mechanism to be pre-assembled as an independent component before being installed into the housing as a whole, reducing assembly difficulty. The elastic element provides continuous restoring force for the automatic rewinding of the flexible photovoltaic module. The sliding contact fit between the conductive element and the mating element ensures continuous power transmission during the rotation of the rotating sleeve, solving the electrical connection problem between the rotating part and the stationary circuit board.

[0022] In one embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner wall of the pull-out opening gradually decreases from the outside of the housing to the inside. The self-locking sealing bolt includes a sealing base and an adaptive sealing layer covering the circumferential sidewall of the sealing base. A stress relief cavity is provided inwardly recessed at the center of the adaptive sealing layer. The stress relief cavity divides the outer surface of the adaptive sealing layer into an upper sealing lip and a lower sealing lip. When the self-locking sealing bolt is inserted into the pull-out opening, the adaptive sealing layer presses against the inner wall surface of the pull-out opening, the stress relief cavity closes, and the upper sealing lip and the lower sealing lip press against the inner wall surface of the pull-out opening respectively. It also includes a locking mechanism, which includes a first magnetic element disposed on the end face of the sealing base facing the inside of the housing, and a second magnetic element disposed correspondingly inside the housing. The first magnetic element and the second magnetic element are configured to attract each other when the self-locking sealing bolt is stored in the pull-out opening, so that the self-locking sealing bolt is locked in the sealing position. By designing the inner wall of the pull-out opening as a tapered structure, the self-locking sealing bolt is subjected to gradually increasing radial compressive force when it is inserted. The stress relief cavity in the middle of the adaptive sealing layer closes under this compressive force, forcing the compressive stress to concentrate at the upper and lower sealing lips, thereby forming two independent sealing lines on the inner wall surface of the pull-out opening. Even if one sealing line is partially damaged, the other can still maintain the sealing function, providing double sealing redundancy. At the same time, by setting a magnetic element on the inner end face of the sealing substrate, the direction of the magnetic attraction force is consistent with the direction of the rewinding force of the winding mechanism. The superposition of the two keeps the self-locking sealing bolt in the sealed position, preventing it from falling out under vibration or external force, thus improving the stability and reliability of the seal.

[0023] In one embodiment, a clamping assembly is further included, fixed to the outside of the cover plate. The clamping assembly includes a base and an elastic clamping part. The outer edge of the base is provided with an engagement contour, and the elastic clamping part is connected to the base. An accessory cover is also included. The inner wall of the accessory cover is provided with an optical processing layer. A locking groove is formed on the accessory cover. The accessory cover is configured to selectively engage with the base in a storage position or with the lens in a functional position via the locking groove. By providing an engagement contour on the outer edge of the base and a locking groove on the accessory cover, the accessory cover can be locked onto the base for storage when not in use, and can be transferred to the lens to perform optical processing functions when needed. This achieves integrated carrying and dual-position use of the accessory cover, and fixes the accessory cover to the base when not in use, reducing the possibility of the accessory separating from the main unit.

[0024] In one embodiment, the engaging groove includes, along its length, an opening, an engagement portion, and a locking portion. The inner wall contour of the engagement portion matches the engagement contour, allowing the accessory cover to engage with the base via the engagement portion, thereby being fixed in the storage position. The inner wall contour of the locking portion matches the outer edge contour of the lens. The width of the engaging groove at the entrance to the locking portion is less than the maximum width of the locking portion, allowing the lens to be elastically held when pressed into the locking portion, thus fixing the accessory cover in the functional position. By designing the engaging groove as a segmented structure consisting of an opening, an engagement portion, and a locking portion, the accessory cover can reliably engage with bases and lenses of different shapes. The narrowing design at the entrance of the locking portion creates an elastic interference fit, ensuring the stability of the accessory cover in the functional position and preventing accidental detachment during use.

[0025] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0026] 1. By setting a fixing groove, circuit board and cover plate protrusion, a three-way clamping force is applied to the limiting plate of the switch module, driving the first sealing element to continuously compress and deform and stick to the inner wall of the side plate, achieving a pure mechanical seal at the button without the need for adhesives.

[0027] 2. By setting a pair of sealing strips with a gradually changing opening angle, the first sealing element bends and deforms bidirectionally along the inclined plane when under pressure, adaptively fitting the inner wall of the side plate, compensating for the fit gap caused by machining tolerances, and improving the adaptability and reliability of the seal.

[0028] 3. By setting a clearance groove, the button's pressing stroke is provided with deformation space, and the positioning is achieved by using the plug on the circuit board to squeeze the protrusion that passes through the clearance groove, thus maintaining the sealing and clamping force while ensuring the button's flexible pressing feel.

[0029] 4. By integrating the power supply unit into the housing cavity and using the elastic restoring force generated by the preset curvature of the cover plate to press the third seal, combined with the second seal on the fixing part and the three-level sealing structure at the button, the whole machine achieves multi-point adhesive-free composite sealing and waterproofing; the specific form of the power supply unit can be flexibly selected from rechargeable battery solutions or flexible photovoltaic system solutions to adapt to different usage scenarios.

[0030] 5. By setting multiple sealing protrusions on the charging seal, multiple independent seals are achieved at the charging port, allowing the charging port to be repeatedly opened and closed, and a reliable sealing contact line can be rebuilt each time it is closed.

[0031] 6. By integrating the flexible photovoltaic system inside the housing and using a self-locking sealing bolt to automatically seal the pull-out opening during storage, the flashlight combines photovoltaic charging capability with the automatic sealing function of the pull-out opening.

[0032] 7. By setting up an independent mounting bracket to support the winding mechanism and using the conductive parts on the end face of the rotating sleeve to achieve sliding conductivity with the mating parts on the circuit board, the problem of continuous electrical connection between the rotating storage component and the stationary circuit board is solved, ensuring the power transmission of the flexible photovoltaic module during the winding and unwinding process.

[0033] 8. By setting an adaptive sealing layer with a stress relief cavity and a tapered pull-out opening, two independent sealing lines are formed when the self-locking sealing bolt is inserted, providing double sealing redundancy; at the same time, by setting a magnetic element to axially attract and lock the self-locking sealing bolt, the magnetic attraction force and the rewinding force are superimposed in the direction, preventing the sealing bolt from coming out of the sealing position under vibration or external force, thus improving the reliability and stability of dynamic sealing.

[0034] 9. By setting a base with an engagement profile and an accessory cover with segmented engagement grooves, the accessory cover can be freely switched between the base storage position and the lens function position, realizing integrated carrying and dual-station use. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight embodiment 1 provided in this application.

[0036] Figure 2 An exploded view of an embodiment 1 of a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight provided in this application.

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the limiting plate in Embodiment 1 of a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight provided in this application.

[0038] Figure 4 An exploded view of the switch module in Embodiment 1 of a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight provided in this application.

[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the shell structure in Embodiment 1 of a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight provided in this application.

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the cover plate in Embodiment 1 of a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight provided in this application.

[0041] Figure 7 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment 1 of a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight provided in this application.

[0042] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible photovoltaic system in Embodiment 2 of a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight provided in this application.

[0043] Figure 9 An exploded view of the winding mechanism in Embodiment 2 of a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight provided in this application.

[0044] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the flexible photovoltaic system in Embodiment 2 of a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight provided in this application.

[0045] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the self-locking sealing bolt in Embodiment 2 of a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight provided in this application.

[0046] Figure 12 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the self-locking sealing bolt in Embodiment 2 of a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight provided in this application.

[0047] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism in Embodiment 2 of a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight provided in this application.

[0048] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the clamping component in Embodiment 2 of a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight provided in this application.

[0049] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0050] 1. Housing; 11. Mounting plate; 111. Fixing groove; 112. Fixing post; 113. Optical receiving groove; 1131. Fourth seal; 114. Wiring hole; 12. Side plate; 121. Through hole; 122. Charging port; 123. Pull-out opening; 124. Indicator hole; 125. Structural positioning frame; 13. Receiving cavity; 2. Switch module; 21. Button; 22. First seal; 221. Sealing strip; 222. Sealing groove; 223. Mounting groove ; 224, protrusion; 225, light-transmitting cover; 23, limiting plate; 231, clearance groove; 3, circuit board; 31, plug-in; 32, fixing hole; 33, mating part; 34, indicator light; 4, cover plate; 41, protrusion; 42, fixing part; 43, second seal; 44, third seal; 45, second anti-slip texture; 5, optical assembly; 51, lamp board; 511, light-emitting element; 52, lens; 6, power supply unit; 61, rechargeable battery; 62, flexible 621. Flexible photovoltaic system; 6211. Rewinding mechanism; 6212. Fixed central shaft; 6213. Rotating sleeve; 6214. Conductive component; 6215. Elastic component; 6216. Cable tray; 622. Flexible photovoltaic module; 623. Self-locking sealing bolt; 6231. Sealing substrate; 6232. Adaptive sealing layer; 6233. Stress relief cavity; 6234. Upper sealing lip; 6235. Lower sealing lip; 624. Mounting bracket; 6241. Support arm; 6242. 6243. Parallel arm; 7. Positioning hole; 8. Charging seal; 9. Sealing protrusion; 10. Locking mechanism; 11. First magnetic element; 12. Second magnetic element; 13. Clamping assembly; 14. Base; 15. Engaging profile; 16. Elastic clamping part; 17. Spring; 18. Clamping arm; 19. First anti-slip texture; 10. Accessory cover; 10. Engaging groove; 10. Opening; 10. Engaging part; 10. Engaging part. Detailed Implementation

[0051] This application provides a waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight, which are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Figure 1-14 This application will be described in further detail.

[0052] Example 1

[0053] Reference Figure 1-7 A waterproof button structure and a waterproof mini flashlight, comprising a housing 1, a switch module 2, a circuit board 3, a cover plate 4, an optical component 5, a rechargeable battery 61, a charging seal 7, a clamping component 9, and an accessory cover 10.

[0054] In this embodiment, the housing 1 is preferably made of aluminum alloy. The housing 1 has a unidirectional open groove-shaped structure, including a mounting plate 11 and a side plate 12 integrally formed with the edge of the mounting plate 11. The mounting plate 11 forms the bottom wall of the housing 1, and the side plate 12 extends from the periphery of the mounting plate 11 in the same direction to form a surrounding wall. The mounting plate 11 and the side plate 12 are approximately perpendicular to each other. The mounting plate 11 and the side plate 12 together define a receiving cavity 13, the opening of which faces one side and is used to accommodate the circuit board 3 and other internal functional components. A through hole 121 is provided on the side plate 12 along its wall direction. The through hole 121 is used to allow the operating end of the button 21 to extend from inside the housing 1 to the outside of the housing 1 for the user to press. The number of through holes 121 is set according to product needs. In this embodiment, two are preferred, namely the control button of the luminous element 511 and the SOS warning light button. An indicator hole 124 is also provided on the side plate 12 between adjacent through holes 121. The indicator hole 124 is used to observe the status of the indicator light 34 on the circuit board 3 from the outside of the housing 1. A fixing groove 111 is provided on the mounting plate 11 near the side plate 12 where the through hole 121 is located. The fixing groove 111 is provided along the extension direction of the side plate 12, and its groove opening faces the opening of the receiving cavity 13.

[0055] Specifically, the mounting plate 11 has an optical receiving groove 113 on the side opposite to the receiving cavity 13, with its opening facing the outside of the housing 1. A wiring hole 114 is also provided through the mounting plate 11, which connects the receiving cavity 13 and the optical receiving groove 113. A charging port 122 is also provided on the side plate 12, which is used to connect an external charging cable to charge the rechargeable battery 61 in the receiving cavity 13.

[0056] In this embodiment, the switch module 2 is the core component for realizing button operation and waterproof sealing function. It is assembled from the button 21, the first sealing element 22 and the limiting plate 23.

[0057] Specifically, button 21 is a rigid operating component, preferably made of plastic. Compared to silicone buttons, plastic buttons 21 provide more precise travel feedback and more uniform pressing force, resulting in a better tactile feel. The number of buttons 21 corresponds to the number of through holes 121.

[0058] Specifically, the first sealing element 22 is preferably made of silicone. The overall shape of the first sealing element 22 is adapted to the shape of the inner wall surface of the area where the through hole 121 is located on the side plate 12. The first sealing element 22 has a mounting groove 223 on the side facing the button 21, and the number of mounting grooves 223 corresponds to the number of buttons 21. The buttons 21 are respectively embedded in the corresponding mounting grooves 223, and the operating end of the button 21 protrudes from the mounting groove 223 and extends to the outside of the housing 1 through the through hole 121 on the side plate 12 of the housing 1. A light-transmitting cover 225 is provided between two mounting grooves 223. The light-transmitting cover 225 is integrally molded from the silicone material of the first sealing element 22, and an optical treatment agent is added to the silicone material, so that when the indicator light 34 on the circuit board 3 is lit, the light can pass through the light-transmitting cover 225 and the indicator hole 124 to display the working status on the outside of the housing 1.

[0059] Specifically, a protrusion 224 is integrally formed on the middle position of the side of the first seal 22 opposite to the button 21.

[0060] Specifically, the limiting plate 23 is a rigid plate, preferably made of hard plastic. The limiting plate 23 is installed on the other end of the first sealing member 22 opposite to the button 21. The limiting plate 23 has clearance grooves 231, the number and position of which correspond one-to-one with the mounting grooves 223. The size of the clearance grooves 231 corresponds to the pressing stroke of the button 21. When the button 21 is pressed by the user, the elastic concave deformation of the first sealing member 22 in the corresponding area of ​​the mounting groove 223 can freely extend towards the space where the clearance grooves 231 are located, and the limiting plate 23 will not obstruct the pressing stroke of the button 21. Therefore, even if the limiting plate 23 is tightly attached to the surface of the first sealing member 22, the button 21 can still maintain a smooth pressing feel. The protrusion 224 passes through the clearance grooves 231 and protrudes from the inner side of the limiting plate 23.

[0061] Specifically, at least one pair of sealing strips 221 are provided on the outer periphery of the first sealing element 22 near the side plate 12, and a sealing groove 222 is formed between each pair of sealing strips 221. In this embodiment, the number of sealing strips 221 is preferably one pair. The sidewalls of the sealing strips 221 facing the corresponding sealing grooves 222 are all set as inclined surfaces, and the included angle formed by the two inclined surfaces gradually increases from the bottom of the sealing groove 222 towards the top of the sealing strip 221. This gradually changing inclined surface structure allows the sealing strips 221 to undergo directional bending deformation along the inclination direction of their own inclined surfaces when subjected to radial extrusion force. The two sealing strips 221 together form a double contact with the inner wall surface of the side plate 12, which compensates for the small gap between the first sealing element 22 and the side plate 12 caused by the machining tolerance of the housing 1, and achieves adaptive sealing.

[0062] Specifically, in this embodiment, the included angle formed by the two inclined surfaces of the sealing strip 221 at the bottom of the sealing groove 222 is preferably 15 degrees to 30 degrees, and increases to 60 degrees to 90 degrees at the top of the sealing strip 221.

[0063] In this embodiment, the circuit board 3 is disposed within the receiving cavity 13 of the housing 1. The circuit board 3 is preferably a printed circuit board, which can carry the control circuit and related electronic components. Multiple fixing posts 112 are integrally formed on the mounting plate 11, and correspondingly, the circuit board 3 is provided with multiple fixing holes 32. During assembly, the fixing posts 112 pass through the fixing holes 32 to position and fix the circuit board 3 in a preset position within the receiving cavity 13. The circuit board 3 is provided with a protruding insert 31, the position of which allows it to abut against and press against the protrusion 224 that passes through the clearance groove 231 and protrudes from the inner side of the limiting plate 23. The insert 31 is provided with a sensing contact corresponding to the position of the button 21. When the travel of the button 21 reaches a preset amount after being pressed, the sensing contact is triggered, realizing the circuit on / off control of the corresponding function. The insert 31 simultaneously has the functions of mechanically pressing and positioning the protrusion 224 and electrically triggering the travel of the button 21. The edge of circuit board 3 near side plate 12 directly abuts against the inner side of limiting plate 23, providing rigid edge constraint to limiting plate 23 in the direction toward side plate 12. The light from indicator light 34 can pass through light-transmitting cover 225 and indicator hole 124 to emit a visible signal to the outside of housing 1. Circuit board 3 also carries power management circuitry for controlling the charging and discharging process of rechargeable battery 61.

[0064] In this embodiment, the cover plate 4 mates with the open end of the housing 1 to close the receiving cavity 13. The cover plate 4 is preferably made of the same aluminum alloy as the housing 1. A protrusion 41 is provided on the inner wall surface of the cover plate 4, and the position of the protrusion 41 corresponds to the installation position of the switch module 2 within the receiving cavity 13. In this embodiment, the protrusion 41 is preferably designed as a wedge-shaped protrusion with a certain angle. When the cover plate 4 is installed and fixed onto the housing 1, the protrusion 41 can abut and press against the corresponding position of the limiting plate 23, thereby forming a third-direction pressing support for the switch module 2.

[0065] In this embodiment, the assembly process of switch module 2 and the three-stage sealing and clamping relationship are as follows:

[0066] First, the button 21 is embedded into the mounting groove 223 of the first seal 22. Then, the limiting plate 23 is installed on the side of the first seal 22 away from the button 21, so that the protrusion 224 passes through the clearance groove 231 on the limiting plate 23 and protrudes from the inner side of the limiting plate 23, thus completing the pre-assembly of the switch module 2. The operating end of the button 21 protrudes from the mounting groove 223 of the first seal 22.

[0067] Then, the pre-assembled switch module 2 is placed into the receiving cavity 13 of the housing 1. The operating end of the button 21 extends out of the housing 1 through the through hole 121 on the side plate 12. The bottom end of the assembled switch module 2 is accommodated in the fixing groove 111 on the mounting plate 11. The groove width direction of the fixing groove 111 is perpendicular to the inner wall surface of the side plate 12. One side of the groove wall of the fixing groove 111 is formed by the inner wall surface of the side plate 12, and the other side of the groove wall is formed by the protruding baffle on the mounting plate 11. The distance between the two side groove walls is the groove width. In this embodiment, the groove width of the fixing groove 111 is designed to be smaller than the overall size of the switch module 2 in its natural state along this direction. This overall size is the sum of the thicknesses of the button 21, the first seal 22, and the limiting plate 23 in the groove width direction. The groove width of the fixing groove 111 is preferably 1.2 cm, and the corresponding overall size of the switch module 2 in its natural state is preferably 1.4 cm. Therefore, during the process of pressing the bottom end of the switch module 2 into the fixing groove 111, the two side walls of the fixing groove 111 exert opposing compressive forces on the switch module 2. Since both the button 21 and the limiting plate 23 are rigid components, this compressive force is transmitted through the button 21 and the limiting plate 23 to the elastic first sealing member 22 sandwiched between them. This causes the first sealing member 22 to undergo elastic compression deformation under pressure in the bottom area, and its outer peripheral portion near the side plate 12 expands and presses tightly against the inner wall of the side plate 12. This is the first stage of sealing compression.

[0068] Next, the circuit board 3 is placed into the receiving cavity 13. The fixing post 112 passes through the fixing hole 32 on the circuit board 3, positioning the circuit board 3 in a preset position within the receiving cavity 13. The fixing post 112 extends vertically from the mounting plate 11 toward the interior of the receiving cavity 13. After the circuit board 3 is fitted onto the fixing post 112 through the fixing hole 32, the surface of the circuit board 3 is parallel to the mounting plate 11. After the circuit board 3 is fixed, the edge of the circuit board 3 near the side plate 12 abuts against the inner side of the limiting plate 23, and the insert 31 abuts against and presses against the protrusion 224, applying a pressing force toward the side plate 12 to the switch module 2 in the central region, causing the first seal 22 to be further compressed and deformed in the central region, pressing tightly against the inner wall of the side plate 12. This is the second-stage sealing and pressing.

[0069] Finally, the cover plate 4 is installed to the open end of the housing 1 to close the receiving cavity 13. The cover plate 4 is locked to the housing 1 by the fastener 42 along the direction from the opening of the receiving cavity 13 to the mounting plate 11, and the protrusion 41 on the inner wall surface of the cover plate 4 moves accordingly. The protrusion 41 is a wedge-shaped protrusion with a certain angle, and its wedge-shaped inclined surface is inclined towards the side plate 12. When the protrusion 41 moves to the top area of ​​the limiting plate 23, the wedge-shaped inclined surface of the protrusion 41 abuts against the top area of ​​the limiting plate 23. The force in the locking direction of the cover plate 4 is decomposed by the force of the wedge-shaped inclined surface, generating a component force perpendicular to the direction of the side plate 12. This component force presses the top area of ​​the limiting plate 23 towards the side plate 12, causing the first sealing element 22 to be deformed under pressure in the top area and pressed tightly against the inner wall of the side plate 12. This is the third-level sealing compression.

[0070] The synergistic effect of the three-stage sealing compression is as follows: Within the limited shell space of a small flashlight, the extension length of the first seal 22 along the inner wall of the side plate 12 is typically 15mm-25mm. If only the fixing groove 111 applies a single-stage compression force at the bottom, the first seal 22 is only effectively compressed in the bottom region. The middle and top regions, being far from the force application point, suffer insufficient compression, forming weak sealing areas from which moisture can seep in. After adding a second-stage compression force applied from the middle region by the circuit board 3, both the bottom and middle regions are effectively compressed, but there may still be areas with insufficient compression between the middle and top. After further adding a third-stage compression force applied from the top region by the ridge 41 of the cover plate 4, the three force application points divide the pressure area of ​​the first seal 22 along the side plate 12 into two intervals, each interval shortened to 5mm-8mm in length. Within this interval range, the stress transmission capacity of the elastic material of the first seal 22 itself is sufficient to keep the contact pressure within the interval above the minimum value required for effective sealing, thereby eliminating weak sealing areas.

[0071] Through the aforementioned three-stage sealing and pressing, the first sealing element 22 is subjected to continuous radial pressing force in its bottom, middle, and top regions, and its outer periphery near the side plate 12 is uniformly pressed against the inner wall surface of the side plate 12. Under this pressing action, the sealing strip 221 on the outer periphery of the first sealing element 22 is bent and deformed along the inclined plane, adaptively conforming to the inner wall surface of the side plate 12 and filling all possible tiny gaps. The entire sealing process relies on the mechanical pressing between the structural components, and a stable and reliable sealing structure can be formed at the through hole 121 of the button 21 without the application of any adhesive. At the same time, since the clearance groove 231 on the limiting plate 23 provides sufficient deformation space for the pressing stroke of the button 21, the button 21 is not affected by the sealing and pressing force in the middle and top when it is pressed, and can still maintain a flexible and smooth operating feel.

[0072] In this embodiment, a power supply unit 6 is also included. In one feasible embodiment, the power supply unit 6 includes a rechargeable battery 61, which is disposed within the receiving cavity 13 and electrically connected to the circuit board 3. A charging port 122 is also provided on the side plate 12 of the housing 1. The charging port 122 is equipped with a charging seal 7, preferably made of silicone. The external dimensions of the charging seal 7 are larger than the opening size of the charging port 122, so that it forms an interference fit with the inner wall surface of the charging port 122 when inserted. At least two sealing protrusions 71 arranged along the insertion direction are provided on the side of the charging seal 7 facing the inner wall surface of the charging port 122. In this embodiment, two are preferred. The cross-section of each sealing protrusion 71 is wedge-shaped with a certain inclination angle. When the charging seal 7 is pressed into the charging port 122, each sealing protrusion 71 bends and deforms along its respective inclined direction and presses against the inner wall surface of the charging port 122, forming multiple independent sealing contact lines. When charging is required, remove the charging seal 7 and insert the charging cable. After charging is complete, press it back in to restore the seal.

[0073] In this embodiment, the optical component 5 includes a lamp plate 51 and a lens 52. The lamp plate 51 is disposed within an optical receiving groove 113 on the outer side of the mounting plate 11. A light-emitting element 511 is integrated on the lamp plate 51, including a white light source for illumination and a red light source for warning. The lamp plate 51 is wired through wiring holes 114 on the mounting plate 11, achieving electrical connection with the circuit board 3 within the receiving cavity 13. The lens 52 is disposed at the open end of the optical receiving groove 113. A fourth sealing member 1131 is provided between the lens 52 and the optical receiving groove 113. After the lens 52 is installed in place, the fourth sealing member 1131 is pressed tight, achieving a waterproof seal at the open end of the optical receiving groove 113.

[0074] In this embodiment, the cover plate 4 is fixedly connected to the housing 1 by at least one fastener 42. The fastener 42 is preferably a screw, which passes through the mounting through-hole on the cover plate 4 and is screwed into the corresponding screw hole on the housing 1, locking the cover plate 4 to the housing 1. In its free state, the cover plate 4 has a slightly convex arc shape on the side opposite to the housing 1, and the curvature of the arc makes the maximum warpage height of the center position of the cover plate 4 in the free state 0.2mm-1mm. When the fastener 42 locks the cover plate 4, its curvature is constrained to a straight state, and the cover plate 4 generates a uniform elastic restoring force towards the housing 1 across its entire surface area. This restoring force causes the third sealing element 44, disposed between the mating surface of the cover plate 4 and the housing 1, to be uniformly pressed along its entire circumference. The third sealing element 44 is preferably an annular sealing ring. A second sealing element 43 is fitted onto the fastener 42 to seal the gap generated when the screw passes through the mounting through-hole of the cover plate 4.

[0075] In this embodiment, a clamping assembly 9 and an accessory cover 10 are also included, which work together to provide the flashlight with external clamping and fixing functions and optical processing functions.

[0076] Specifically, the clamping assembly 9 is fixed to the surface of the cover plate 4 opposite to the receiving cavity 13. The clamping assembly 9 includes a base 91 and an elastic clamping part 92. The base 91 is fixedly installed on the outer surface of the cover plate 4, and the outer edge of the base 91 is provided with an engagement contour 911, which is preferably a wavy protrusion provided along the edge of the base 91. The elastic clamping part 92 is connected to the base 91, and the elastic clamping part 92 is preferably a spring clamp structure, including a spring 921 and a clamping arm 922 driven by the spring 921. The clamping arm 922 is provided with a first anti-slip texture 9221 on the inner side near the cover plate 4, and a second anti-slip texture 45 may also be provided on the cover plate 4 at the position corresponding to the clamping arm 922. The two work together to prevent the flashlight from slipping when it is clamped and fixed to an external object.

[0077] Specifically, the accessory cover 10 is a shell structure with one open end, and the cross-sectional shape of its open end matches the corresponding cross-sectional shape of the shell 1. The inner wall of the accessory cover 10 is provided with an optical processing layer, preferably a diffuse reflection coating or a filter layer of a specific color. A locking groove 101 is formed on the accessory cover 10, which, along its length, includes an opening 1011, an engaging portion 1012, and a locking portion 1013. The inner wall contour of the engaging portion 1012 matches the engaging contour 911 of the outer edge of the base 91. When the accessory cover 10 slides into the base 91, the two engage with each other, and the accessory cover 10 is fixed in the storage position. The inner wall contour of the locking portion 1013 matches the outer edge contour of the lens 52, and the width of the locking groove 101 at the entrance to the locking portion 1013 is less than the maximum width of the locking portion 1013. When the user slides the accessory cover 10 off the base 91 along the opening 1011 of the locking groove 101, and the accessory cover 10 is flipped over and inserted into the lens 52 end, the outer edge of the lens 52 is pressed into the locking part 1013 and elastically held. The accessory cover 10 is in the functional position, and its optical processing layer covers the front of the light-emitting front of the lens 52, converting the focused beam into floodlight illumination or light of a specific color.

[0078] The working principle of the waterproof button structure and waterproof mini flashlight provided in this embodiment is as follows:

[0079] The switch module 2, consisting of a button 21, an elastic first seal 22, and a rigid limiting plate 23, is pre-assembled into a single unit and then placed into the housing cavity 13 of the housing 1. The fixing groove 111 presses against different areas of the limiting plate 23 from the bottom, the circuit board 3 from the middle, and the protrusion 41 of the cover plate 4 from the top. The limiting plate 23, acting as a rigid frame, transmits the pressing force from the above three directions to the elastic first seal 22, forcing the outer periphery of the first seal 22 to be continuously pressed and adhere to the inner wall of the side plate 12. Under this pressure, the sealing strip 221 on the outer periphery of the first seal 22 bends and deforms along the inclined direction, adaptively adhering to the inner wall of the side plate 12 to form a reliable line seal. At the same time, the clearance groove 231 on the limiting plate 23 provides a deformation space for the pressing stroke of the button 21 that is not constrained by the limiting plate 23, allowing the button 21 to be pressed freely even in a sealed state, achieving a balance between tactile feel and sealing. In the embodiment using rechargeable battery 61, the charging seal 7 is inserted into the charging port 122 through an interference fit. The sealing protrusion 71 on it bends and deforms under pressure, pressing against the inner wall of the charging port 122 to form multiple independent sealing contact lines, achieving a repeatedly openable and closable seal at the charging port 122. After the lens 52 is installed at the opening end of the optical receiving groove 113, it is pressed together by the fourth seal 1131 to form a seal. After the cover plate 4 is locked onto the housing 1 by the fixing member 42, the elastic restoring force generated by the constraint of the preset curvature of the cover plate 4 continuously presses the third seal 44 against the mating surface of the housing 1. Simultaneously, the second seal 43 on the fixing member 42 seals the gap through the through hole of the cover plate 4, achieving a multi-layer seal at the cover plate 4 without adhesive. After receiving the trigger signal from the button 21, the circuit board 3 drives the corresponding light-emitting element 511 on the lamp board 51 to emit light. The light is focused by the lens 52 and emitted to form a focused beam. When the user needs floodlight illumination, the accessory cover 10 is removed from the storage position of the base 91, flipped over, and the engaging part 1013 of the engaging groove 101 is elastically engaged with the outer edge of the lens 52. The optical processing layer on the inner wall of the accessory cover 10 converts the focused beam into floodlight illumination or light output of a specific color.

[0080] Example 2

[0081] Reference Figure 8-14 This embodiment is basically the same as Embodiment 1, except that in this embodiment, a flexible photovoltaic system 62 is used instead of the external cable charging scheme of charging seal 7 and charging port 122 in Embodiment 1, and a pull-out opening 123 is used instead of charging port 122 on the side plate 12. A rechargeable battery 61 is still provided in the receiving cavity 13 to store the electrical energy converted by the flexible photovoltaic system 62, and the rechargeable battery 61 is electrically connected to the circuit board 3.

[0082] In this embodiment, the flexible photovoltaic system 62 includes a mounting bracket 624, a winding mechanism 621, a flexible photovoltaic module 622, and a self-locking sealing bolt 623. A pull-out opening 123 is provided on the side plate 12 of the housing 1, and the size of the pull-out opening 123 is adapted to the width of the flexible photovoltaic module 622.

[0083] Specifically, the flexible photovoltaic module 622 is a repeatedly rollable strip-shaped flexible power generation module. The flexible photovoltaic module 622 preferably adopts a multi-layer composite laminated structure, comprising, from the light-receiving surface to the back side, a light-transmitting protective layer, an adhesive sealing layer, a flexible thin-film battery layer, a flexible circuit board layer, and a wear-resistant protective backsheet layer. The light-transmitting protective layer is preferably made of ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer film; the adhesive sealing layer is preferably made of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer film; the flexible thin-film battery layer is preferably made of copper indium gallium selenide thin-film battery; the flexible circuit board layer is preferably made of flexible printed circuit board; and the wear-resistant protective backsheet layer is preferably made of wear-resistant nylon film. All layers are integrally formed through a lamination process. One end of the flexible photovoltaic module 622 is wound and fixed to the outer surface of the rotating sleeve 6212, and the other end extends through the pull-out port 123 on the side plate 12 to the outside of the housing 1. The user can hold the outer end to lead the flexible photovoltaic module 622 out from the tangential direction of the rotating sleeve 6212 and pass it along the length direction of the housing 1 to the pull-out port 123, so that its light-receiving surface faces the light source for photoelectric conversion and charging.

[0084] Specifically, the positive and negative busbars on the flexible circuit board layer of the flexible photovoltaic module 622 extend along the width edge of the module to the starting end of the winding. A wiring groove 6215 is axially formed on the outer surface of the rotating sleeve 6212. The depth of the wiring groove 6215 is greater than the cross-sectional height of the busbar, ensuring that the busbar is completely submerged within the wiring groove 6215 without protruding from the outer surface of the rotating sleeve 6212. The positive and negative busbars are guided from the outer surface of the rotating sleeve 6212 to their end faces along the wiring grooves 6215, and electrically connected to the corresponding metal rings of the conductive component 6213 at the end faces by welding. The busbars are fixed within the wiring grooves 6215 by adhesive bonding to prevent loosening or displacement during repeated winding and unwinding of the flexible photovoltaic module 622.

[0085] Specifically, the mounting bracket 624 is preferably made of high-strength engineering plastic. The mounting bracket 624 includes a support arm 6241 and two parallel arms 6242 disposed at both ends of the support arm 6241. The support arm 6241 is fixed to the mounting plate 11 of the housing 1, and the two parallel arms 6242 are respectively provided with coaxial positioning holes 6243.

[0086] Specifically, the winding mechanism 621 includes a fixed central shaft 6211, a rotating sleeve 6212, and an elastic element 6214. The two ends of the fixed central shaft 6211 are respectively fixed in the positioning holes 6243 of the two parallel arms 6242 of the mounting bracket 624, and the axial direction of the fixed central shaft 6211 is parallel to the mounting plate 11. The rotating sleeve 6212 is coaxially sleeved on the outside of the fixed central shaft 6211 and can rotate freely around the fixed central shaft 6211. The elastic element 6214 is disposed in the space between the fixed central shaft 6211 and the rotating sleeve 6212. The elastic element 6214 is preferably a spiral spring, with one end fixed to the fixed central shaft 6211 and the other end fixed to the inner wall of the rotating sleeve 6212. When the user pulls out the flexible photovoltaic module 622, the rotating sleeve 6212 is driven to rotate, and the elastic element 6214 stores energy. When the user releases the hand or triggers the retraction, the elastic element 6214 releases the stored elastic potential energy, driving the rotating sleeve 6212 to rotate in the opposite direction, thereby automatically rolling the flexible photovoltaic module 622 back onto the rotating sleeve 6212.

[0087] Specifically, a conductive element 6213 is provided on the end face of the rotating sleeve 6212 near the circuit board 3. The conductive element 6213 is preferably two concentric metal rings embedded on the end face of the rotating sleeve 6212. The inner ring and outer ring correspond to the positive and negative electrodes of the flexible photovoltaic module 622, respectively. An insulating annular gap with a width of not less than 0.5 mm is provided between the inner and outer rings to prevent short circuits between the positive and negative electrodes. The surfaces of the inner and outer rings are preferably gold-plated to reduce contact resistance and minimize wear caused by repeated rotational friction. The inner and outer rings are electrically connected to corresponding busbars on the flexible circuit board layer of the flexible photovoltaic module 622 via a wiring groove 6215 on the outer circumference of the rotating sleeve 6212. The wiring groove 6215 provides a recessed turning channel for the busbars from the outer circumference to the end face of the rotating sleeve 6212, keeping the surface of the flexible photovoltaic module 622 wound on the rotating sleeve 6212 flat. The circuit board 3 is provided with a mating part 33 that mates with the conductive part 6213. The mating part 33 is preferably an elastic probe, and the elastic contact of the elastic probe abuts against the corresponding metal ring on the end face of the rotating sleeve 6212. Since the metal ring is concentric, the elastic probe always maintains conductive contact with the corresponding metal ring no matter what angle the rotating sleeve 6212 rotates to.

[0088] Furthermore, the outer diameter of the rotating sleeve 6212 is preferably 20mm-30mm, so that the innermost bending radius of the flexible photovoltaic module 622 when it is wound onto the rotating sleeve 6212 is not less than 10mm-15mm, to meet the minimum recommended bending radius requirement of copper indium gallium selenide flexible thin-film batteries. An elastic buffer layer can be added between the rotating sleeve 6212 and the innermost layer of the flexible photovoltaic module 622 to further disperse bending stress and reduce the risk of interlayer delamination.

[0089] Specifically, a self-locking sealing bolt 623 is disposed at the end of the flexible photovoltaic module 622 extending to the outside of the housing 1, and includes a sealing substrate 6231 and an adaptive sealing layer 6232. The outer contour of the sealing substrate 6231 is adapted to the inner wall contour of the pull-out opening 123. The adaptive sealing layer 6232 covers the circumferential sidewall of the sealing substrate 6231, and is preferably made of liquid silicone rubber. A stress relief cavity 6233 is provided inwardly recessed at the center of the adaptive sealing layer 6232. The stress relief cavity 6233 extends continuously along the circumference of the sealing substrate 6231 to form an annular concave cavity. The stress relief cavity 6233 divides the outer surface of the adaptive sealing layer 6232 into an upper sealing lip 6234 located above the stress relief cavity 6233 and a lower sealing lip 6235 located below the stress relief cavity 6233.

[0090] Specifically, the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner wall of the pull-out opening 123 gradually decreases along the receiving direction, forming a tapered channel that is narrower inside and wider outside. When the flexible photovoltaic module 622 is fully received and the self-locking sealing bolt 623 is pulled into the pull-out opening 123 under the action of the rewinding force, the tapered inner wall applies a gradually increasing radial compressive force to the adaptive sealing layer 6232. Under the action of the compressive force, the stress relief cavity 6233 preferentially deforms and gradually closes, and the compressive stress is forced to concentrate at the upper sealing lip 6234 and the lower sealing lip 6235 on both sides of the stress relief cavity 6233. The upper sealing lip 6234 and the lower sealing lip 6235 are respectively pressed against the inner wall of the pull-out opening 123, thereby forming two independent annular sealing lines between the self-locking sealing bolt 623 and the pull-out opening 123. The user can hold the self-locking sealing bolt 623 to pull the flexible photovoltaic module 622 out of the pull-out opening 123. Even if one of the sealing lines fails locally due to particulate matter or surface scratches, the other sealing line can still maintain its sealing function, providing double sealing redundancy.

[0091] In this embodiment, a locking mechanism 8 is also included, comprising a first magnetic element 81 and a second magnetic element 82. The first magnetic element 81 is disposed on the end face of the sealing substrate 6231 facing the interior of the housing 1, and the second magnetic element 82 is correspondingly disposed on the structural positioning frame 125 on the inner wall of the side plate 12, adjacent to the inner side of the pull-out opening 123. The first magnetic element 81 is preferably a magnetically conductive metal sheet, and the second magnetic element 82 is preferably a permanent magnet. When the self-locking sealing bolt 623 is pulled into the pull-out opening 123 by the rewinding force and approaches the final locking position, the first magnetic element 81 and the second magnetic element 82 attract each other. The attraction force and the rewinding force provided by the elastic element 6214 are superimposed to jointly hold the self-locking sealing bolt 623 in the sealed position.

[0092] The working principle of the waterproof button structure and waterproof mini flashlight provided in this embodiment is as follows:

[0093] The user pulls the flexible photovoltaic module 622 out from the pull-out port 123 on the side of the housing 1 and unfolds it under sunlight. The flexible thin-film battery layer converts light energy into electrical energy, which is transmitted to the conductive element 6213 at the winding end through the busbar on the flexible circuit board layer. Then, it is continuously transmitted to the charging management circuit on the circuit board 3 through the elastic probe. The charging management circuit outputs electrical energy to the drive circuit. After use, the user releases the hand or triggers the retraction. The elastic element 6214 drives the rotating sleeve 6212 to reverse and automatically roll the flexible photovoltaic module 622 back into the housing 1.

[0094] After the flexible photovoltaic module 622 is fully recovered, the self-locking sealing bolt 623 at its end is pulled into the tapered pull-out opening 123 under the action of the rewinding force of the elastic element 6214. The adaptive sealing layer 6232 is compressed by the radial extrusion force of the inner wall surface of the pull-out opening 123, the stress relief cavity 6233 is closed, and the upper sealing lip 6234 and the lower sealing lip 6235 form two independent annular sealing lines on the inner wall surface of the pull-out opening 123, respectively. At the same time, the first magnetic element 81 on the inner end face of the sealing substrate 6231 is attracted to the second magnetic element 82 inside the housing 1, providing axial locking force, which together with the rewinding force maintains the sealing and locking state of the self-locking sealing bolt 623.

[0095] The working principle of the waterproof button part is the same as that of the waterproof button part in Example 1.

[0096] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A waterproof button structure, characterized in that, include: The housing (1) includes a mounting plate (11) and a side plate (12). A receiving cavity (13) is defined inside the housing (1). A through hole (121) is provided on the side plate (12). A fixing groove (111) is provided on the mounting plate (11). The switch module (2) includes a button (21), a first seal (22) and a limiting plate (23). The button (21) is installed at one end of the first seal (22) and passes through the through hole (121). The limiting plate (23) is installed at the other end of the first seal (22). The circuit board (3) is disposed in the receiving cavity (13) and presses against the limiting plate (23); A cover plate (4) is provided on the inner wall of the cover plate (4) to close the receiving cavity (13) in conjunction with the housing (1); The bottom end of the assembled switch module (2) is accommodated in the fixing groove (111). The groove width of the fixing groove (111) is smaller than the dimension of the switch module (2) in the natural state along the groove width direction of the fixing groove (111). The fixing groove (111) presses against one end of the limiting plate (23) to cause the first sealing member (22) to be deformed by pressure and stick to the inner wall of the side plate (12). The circuit board (3) abuts against and presses the limiting plate (23). When the cover plate (4) closes the receiving cavity (13), the protrusion (41) abuts against and presses the limiting plate (23).

2. The waterproof button structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first sealing element (22) has at least one pair of sealing strips (221) on its outer periphery near the side plate (12). A sealing groove (222) is formed between each pair of sealing strips (221). The sidewalls of the sealing strips (221) facing the corresponding sealing grooves (222) are all inclined surfaces. The included angle formed by the two inclined surfaces gradually increases from the bottom of the sealing groove (222) to the top of the sealing strips (221). The sealing strips (221) are configured to bend and deform along the inclination direction of the corresponding inclined surfaces when the first sealing element (22) is pressed, and press together on the same inner wall surface of the side plate (12).

3. The waterproof button structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first sealing member (22) is provided with a mounting groove (223) for mounting the button (21), and the limiting plate (23) is provided with a clearance groove (231) corresponding to the pressing stroke of the button (21); the first sealing member (22) is provided with a protrusion (224) on the side facing the limiting plate (23), the protrusion (224) passes through the clearance groove (231) and protrudes from the inner side of the limiting plate (23), the circuit board (3) is provided with a plug (31) protruding from its surface, the plug (31) abuts against and squeezes the protrusion (224); the mounting plate (11) is provided with a plurality of fixing posts (112), the circuit board (3) is provided with a plurality of fixing holes (32), the fixing posts (112) cooperate with the fixing holes (32) to fix the circuit board (3) in the receiving cavity (13).

4. A waterproof mini flashlight, characterized in that, include: The button is waterproof as described in any one of claims 1-3; The optical component (5) includes a lamp plate (51) and a lens (52). The mounting plate (11) has an optical receiving groove (113) on the side away from the receiving cavity (13). The lamp plate (51) is located in the optical receiving groove (113) and integrates a light-emitting element (511). The lamp plate (51) is electrically connected to the circuit board (3) through a wiring hole (114) opened on the mounting plate (11). The lens (52) is located at the opening end of the optical receiving groove (113). The power supply unit (6) is installed in the receiving cavity (13) and electrically connected to the circuit board (3); The cover plate (4) is fixedly connected to the housing (1) by at least one fastener (42). The cover plate (4) has a preset arc protruding away from the housing (1) in its free state. A second sealing element (43) is sleeved on the fastener (42). A third sealing element (44) is provided between the cover plate (4) and the housing (1). The fastener (42) is configured to lock the cover plate (4) onto the housing (1). The elastic restoring force generated by the constraint of the arc of the cover plate (4) causes the third sealing element (44) to press against the housing (1).

5. A waterproof mini flashlight according to claim 4, characterized in that, The power supply unit (6) includes a rechargeable battery (61), and a charging port (122) is also provided on the side plate (12). The charging port (122) is provided with a charging seal (7). The external size of the charging seal (7) is larger than the opening size of the charging port (122). The charging seal (7) has a plurality of sealing protrusions (71) arranged along the embedding direction on the side facing the inner wall of the charging port (122). The sealing protrusions (71) are configured to bend and deform and press against the inner wall of the charging port (122) when the charging seal (7) is embedded in the charging port (122).

6. A waterproof mini flashlight according to claim 4, characterized in that, The power supply unit (6) includes a flexible photovoltaic system (62). A pull-out opening (123) is provided on the side plate (12). The flexible photovoltaic system (62) includes a winding mechanism (621), a flexible photovoltaic module (622), and a self-locking sealing bolt (623). The winding mechanism (621) is rotatably installed in the receiving cavity (13). One end of the flexible photovoltaic module (622) is wound around the winding mechanism (621) and electrically connected to the circuit board (3). The other end extends through the pull-out opening (123) to the outside of the housing (1). The self-locking sealing bolt (623) is provided at the outer end of the flexible photovoltaic module (622) and is configured to embed and seal the pull-out opening (123) when fully retracted.

7. A waterproof mini flashlight according to claim 6, characterized in that, The flexible photovoltaic system (62) further includes a mounting bracket (624), which includes a support arm (6241) and parallel arms (6242) disposed at both ends of the support arm (6241). The support arm (6241) is fixed to the mounting plate (11). The winding mechanism (621) includes a fixed central shaft (6211), a rotating sleeve (6212), and an elastic element (6214). The two ends of the fixed central shaft (6211) are fixed to the two parallel arms (6242) of the mounting bracket (624). The axis of the fixed central shaft (6211) is parallel to the mounting plate (11). The rotating sleeve (6212) is sleeved on the two parallel arms (6242) of the mounting bracket (624). Located outside the fixed central shaft (6211) and able to rotate freely around it, one end of the flexible photovoltaic module (622) is wound around the rotating sleeve (6212), one end of the elastic element (6214) is fixed to the fixed central shaft (6211), and the other end is fixed to the rotating sleeve (6212) to provide a rewinding force. The rotating sleeve (6212) has a conductive element (6213) on its end face near the circuit board (3), and the circuit board (3) has a mating element (33) that cooperates with the conductive element (6213) to maintain the electrical connection between the flexible photovoltaic module (622) and the circuit board (3) during the rotation of the rotating sleeve (6212).

8. A waterproof mini flashlight according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cross-sectional area of ​​the inner wall of the pull-out opening (123) gradually decreases from the outside of the housing (1) to the inside. The self-locking sealing bolt (623) includes a sealing base (6231) and an adaptive sealing layer (6232) covering the circumferential sidewall of the sealing base (6231). The adaptive sealing layer (6232) has an inwardly recessed stress relief cavity (6233) at the middle position. The stress relief cavity (6233) divides the outer surface of the adaptive sealing layer (6232) into an upper sealing lip (6234) and a lower sealing lip (6235). When the self-locking sealing bolt (623) is inserted into the pull-out opening (123), the adaptive sealing layer (6232) faces the pull-out opening (123). The inner wall surface of the pull-out opening (123) is pressed together, the stress relief cavity (6233) is closed, and the upper sealing lip (6234) and the lower sealing lip (6235) are pressed together on the inner wall surface of the pull-out opening (123); it also includes a locking mechanism (8), the locking mechanism (8) includes a first magnetic element (81) disposed on the end face of the sealing base (6231) facing the inside of the housing (1), and a second magnetic element (82) disposed correspondingly inside the housing (1), the first magnetic element (81) and the second magnetic element (82) are configured to attract each other when the self-locking sealing plug (623) is stored in the pull-out opening (123), so that the self-locking sealing plug (623) is locked in the sealing position.

9. A waterproof mini flashlight according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a clamping assembly (9), which is fixed to the outside of the cover plate (4). The clamping assembly (9) includes a base (91) and an elastic clamping part (92). The outer edge of the base (91) is provided with an engagement profile (911). The elastic clamping part (92) is connected to the base (91). It also includes an accessory cover (10). The inner wall of the accessory cover (10) is provided with an optical processing layer. The accessory cover (10) has a locking groove (101). The accessory cover (10) is configured to selectively cooperate with the base (91) to be in a storage position or cooperate with the lens (52) to be in a functional position through the locking groove (101).

10. A waterproof miniature flashlight according to claim 9, characterized in that, The engaging groove (101) includes, along its length, an opening (1011), an engaging portion (1012), and an engaging portion (1013). The inner wall contour of the engaging portion (1012) matches the engaging contour (911), allowing the accessory cover (10) to engage with the base (91) through the engaging portion (1012), thereby being fixed in the storage position. The inner wall contour of the engaging portion (1013) matches the outer edge contour of the lens (52). The width of the engaging groove (101) at the entrance to the engaging portion (1013) is less than the maximum width of the engaging portion (1013), allowing the lens (52) to be elastically held when pressed into the engaging portion (1013), thereby fixing the accessory cover (10) in the functional position.

Images