Electronic equipment and equipment cases

Abstract

To provide an electronic device and device case that suppress abnormal noise caused by collisions between the operation button and the housing during operation or transport. [Solution] In the calculator, the upper case 10 comprises a housing (device case) 1 into which an opening 11 into which a group of input keys (operation buttons) 2 is inserted is formed, and a layer of short fibers 6 is provided on the inner circumference of the opening 11. Therefore, since the short fibers 6 function as a cushioning material, the calculator can suppress abnormal noises that occur when the input keys 2 are pressed or when the calculator is carried, due to collisions between the group of input keys 2 and the housing 1 (opening 11).

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device and a device case.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, portable devices with anti-slip processing are known. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a portable device in which short fibers are flocked on part or all of the surface of the portion of the housing that is touched by the hand via an adhesive layer.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the portable device disclosed in Patent Document 1 above, an effect of suppressing abnormal noise caused by a collision between the operation button and the housing during pressing of the operation button or during carrying cannot be expected due to the flocking process.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to suppress abnormal noise during pressing of an operation button.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, an electronic device according to the present invention includes a device case in which an opening into which an operation button is inserted is formed, and a layer in which short fibers are flocked is provided on the inner periphery of the opening.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, abnormal noise during pressing of an operation button can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the appearance of a calculator as an example of an electronic device. [Figure 2] This is a magnified view of the numeric keypad portion of the calculator according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a magnified view of the numeric keypad area of ​​a calculator, showing that short fibers have not been flocked around the inner circumference of the opening. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the electronic device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. While a calculator will be used as an example of an electronic device to which the present invention is applied, the electronic device is not limited to a calculator. It can be applied to any electronic device (for example, a handheld terminal, electronic dictionary, notebook PC (Personal Computer), etc.) that has a device case with openings formed for inserting operation buttons.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, the calculator 100 comprises a housing (device case) 1, an input key group 2 having various key groups (operation buttons), a display 3, and a solar panel 4. The housing 1 is made of a metal such as aluminum, and consists of a lower case (not shown) for fixing a circuit board (not shown) that drives and controls the calculator 100, and an upper case 10 that covers and closes the opening of the lower case. The upper case 10 is provided with an opening 11 into which each of the input key group 2 is inserted. In Figure 1, the opening into which the input keys located in the lower right are inserted is represented by the symbol "11," and the symbols "11" are omitted for the other openings.

[0011] Furthermore, the housing 1 has acrylic glass AG fitted into the area covering the display 3 and solar panel 4, and short fibers 5 are implanted on the exterior surface of the remaining areas via an adhesive layer (not shown). In other words, the short fibers 5 are implanted on the top surface (the surface where the input key group 2 is exposed) and side of the upper case 10, and on the bottom surface (the back surface of the housing 1 (the surface opposite to the top surface)) and side of the lower case (not shown). The fiber length of the short fibers 5 can be freely selected, but from the viewpoint of heat sensation mitigation and abrasion resistance, it is preferable to make the fiber length 0.8 mm or more. Regarding heat sensation mitigation, for example, even if the housing 1 exposed to high and low temperature environments is touched directly by hand, the short fibers 5 suppress the transfer of heat to the hand, thereby preventing pain due to heat, i.e., preventing burns (or frostbite) of the hand. In this embodiment, the short fibers 5 have a fiber length of 0.8 mm. Also, the short fibers 5 are chemical fibers such as nylon and rayon (the same applies to the short fibers 6 (described later)).

[0012] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the housing 1 has short fibers 6 implanted on the inner circumference of the opening 11 formed in the upper case 10 via an adhesive layer (not shown). The short fibers 6 are implanted on the inner circumference of the opening 11 under similar processing conditions when the short fibers 5 described above are implanted by electrostatic flocking. The short fibers 6 only need to be able to suppress abnormal noises generated by the collision between the input key group 2 and the housing 1 (opening 11), as will be described later, and it is desirable to make them short in order to prevent them from getting caught on the keys when the input keys are pressed or when the pressed input keys return to their original position. Therefore, after implantation, the short fibers 6 are cut, for example, so that the fiber length is 0.2 to 0.3 mm. Consequently, the short fibers 6 implanted on the inner circumference of the opening 11 are shorter than the short fibers 5 implanted in areas other than the inner circumference of the opening 11 on the exterior surface of the housing (device case) 1. Furthermore, the short fibers 6 implanted on the inner circumference of the opening 11 are shorter than the short fibers 5 implanted on the opposite side of the outer surface of the housing (device case) 1 from the side where the opening 11 is formed (the lower surface of the lower case (not shown)). Here, since the electrostatic flocking process is carried out using known techniques, a detailed explanation will be omitted. As described above, by implanting the short fibers 6 on the inner circumference of the opening 11, the short fibers 6 function as a cushioning material regardless of whether the input key group 2 (for example, the numeric keypad "2") collides with any of the inner circumferential walls on the left, right, top, or bottom of the opening 11. Therefore, it is possible to suppress abnormal noises that occur when the input key group 2 collides with the housing 1 (opening 11) during operation of pressing the input key group 2 or when carrying the calculator 100. Note that, as shown in Figure 3, if the short fibers 6 are not implanted on the inner circumference of the opening 11, abnormal noises will be generated when the input key group 2 (for example, the numeric keypad "2") collides with any of the inner circumferential walls on the left, right, top, or bottom of the opening 11.

[0013] The input key group 2 is a group of keys that receive input operations from the user for mathematical formula components such as numbers and calculation symbols, and for receiving instructions for various processes. It comprises multiple keys (such as a numeric keypad and cursor keys) each assigned a unique function. In this embodiment, the input key group 2 is made of synthetic resin. The display 3 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), and is a display unit that displays various data such as characters, codes, and symbols corresponding to operations on the input key group 2 using multiple dots. The solar panel 4 has a power generation area that functions as a solar cell that generates electricity by receiving light, and the power generated by the solar panel 4 is stored in a secondary battery (not shown).

[0014] In this embodiment, the flocking of the short fibers 5 and 6 is described as being done by electrostatic flocking, but is not limited to this. For example, a sheet with the short fibers 5 and 6 flocked onto it may be attached. Also, the short fibers 5 may be flocked only in part. For example, they may be flocked only on the top surface of the upper case 10, or only on the bottom surface of the lower case. If the flocking is done on the top surface of the upper case 10, it can suppress the abnormal noise that occurs when fingers or nails come into contact with the top surface when pressing input keys. If the flocking is done on the bottom surface of the lower case, it can suppress slippage when holding and using the calculator 100.

[0015] As described above, the calculator 100 of this embodiment is equipped with a housing (device case) 1 into which an opening 11 into which a group of input keys (operation buttons) 2 is inserted is formed, and a layer of short fibers 6 is provided on the inner circumference of the opening 11. Therefore, with the calculator 100, the short fibers 6 function as a cushioning material, so that it is possible to suppress abnormal noises that occur when the input keys 2 are pressed or when the calculator 100 is carried, caused by the collision between the group of input keys 2 and the housing 1 (opening 11).

[0016] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the calculator 100 has a layer of short fibers 5 (see Figure 1) implanted in the area of ​​the exterior surface of the housing (device case) 1 other than the inner circumference of the opening 11, and the short fibers 6 (see Figure 2) implanted on the inner circumference of the opening 11 are shorter than the short fibers 5 implanted in the area of ​​the exterior surface of the housing 1 other than the inner circumference of the opening 11. Therefore, in the calculator 100, the short fibers 5 prevent burns or frostbite to the user, and the short fibers 6 function as a cushioning material to suppress abnormal noise, and their short length also prevents them from getting caught on the input keys. In other words, since the length of each of the short fibers 5 and 6 is adjusted according to the purpose of use, each of the short fibers 5 and 6 can be effectively utilized.

[0017] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the calculator 100 has a layer of short fibers 5 implanted on the side opposite to the side where the opening 11 is formed on the exterior surface of the housing (device case) 1 (the bottom surface of the lower case (not shown)), and the short fibers 6 implanted on the inner circumference of the opening 11 are shorter than the short fibers 5 implanted on the opposite side. Therefore, in the calculator 100, the short fibers 5 function as an anti-slip material when the user holds the calculator 100 in their hand, and the short fibers 6 function as a cushioning material to suppress abnormal noise, and by being adjusted to be short, they prevent getting caught on the input keys. In other words, since the length of each of the short fibers 5 and short fibers 6 is adjusted according to the purpose of use, each of the short fibers 5 and short fibers 6 can be effectively utilized.

[0018] Although the present invention has been specifically described above based on embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified without departing from its essence. For example, in the above embodiment, the type of short fibers 6 (e.g., fiber diameter, fiber length, hardness) of the short fibers 6 in the layer where short fibers 6 are implanted on the inner circumference of an opening 11 into which a specific input key (operation button) that is frequently used is inserted, and the type of short fibers 6 in the layer where short fibers 6 are implanted on the inner circumference of an opening 11 into which other input keys are inserted can be made to differ, thereby making the feel of operating the input key different. In this case, the length of the short fibers 6 should be such that it is in contact with the side surface of the input key. For example, thin, soft short fibers 6 may be implanted in the areas where number keys and input keys related to arithmetic operations (not shown) are inserted, while thick, hard short fibers 6 may be implanted in the areas where input keys that are not frequently used, such as the tax rate mode key (not shown), are inserted. In that case, the feel of the keys will be lighter in areas where thin, soft short fibers 6 are implanted because the short fibers are more prone to bending, while the feel will be heavier in areas where thicker, stiffer short fibers 6 are implanted because the short fibers 6 are less prone to bending. Beyond the above example, it is also possible to use a wider variety of short fibers 6 to create different feel for each key. Varying the feel for each key can improve user convenience.

[0019] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a layer of short fibers 6 may be provided on the side surface (the surface facing the inner circumference of the opening 11) of each key in the input key (operation button) group 2. Also, if the input key (operation button) group 2 is made of metal, a layer of short fibers 5 may be provided on the surface of each input key from the viewpoint of preventing burns (or frostbite) to the hands and from the viewpoint of wear resistance. Even when short fibers 6 are provided on the side surface of the keys, it is possible to suppress abnormal noises that occur when the input key group 2 and the housing 1 (opening 11) collide when the input key 2 is pressed or when the calculator 100 is carried.

[0020] Also, in the above embodiment, the short fibers 6 planted on the inner periphery of the opening 11 are cut so that the fiber length is 0.2 to 0.3 mm. For the purpose of omitting this cutting process, the clearance between the input key group 2 and the opening 11 may be made larger in advance. For example, if the fiber length of the short fibers 6 is 0.8 mm, by providing a similar clearance, it is possible to prevent the short fibers 6 from being caught during the operation of the input keys without cutting the short fibers 6 after flocking.

[0021] Also, in the above embodiment, the process of flocking the short fibers 5 on the exterior surface of the housing 1 and the process of flocking the short fibers 6 on the inner periphery of the opening 11 may be separated. That is, in the process of flocking the short fibers 5 on the exterior surface of the housing 1, electrostatic flocking is performed using short fibers with a fiber length of 0.8 mm, while in the process of flocking the short fibers 6 on the inner periphery of the opening 11, electrostatic flocking is performed using short fibers with a fiber length of 0.2 to 0.3 mm. Thereby, the process of cutting the short fibers 6 so that the fiber length becomes 0.2 to 0.3 mm can be omitted.

[0022] Also, regarding the detailed configuration of each component of the calculator 100 in the above embodiment, it is needless to say that it can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0023] 100 Calculator (electronic device), 1 Housing (equipment case), 2 Input key group (operation buttons), 6 Short fibers, 11 Opening

Claims

1. The device case has an opening formed in which an operating button is inserted. An electronic device characterized in that a layer of short fibers is provided on the inner circumference of the opening.

2. A layer of short fibers is provided on the outer surface of the equipment case, in an area other than the inner circumference of the opening. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that the short fibers implanted on the inner circumference of the opening are shorter than the short fibers implanted on the outer surface of the device case other than the inner circumference of the opening.

3. A layer of short fibers is provided on the outer surface of the equipment case on the side opposite to the side where the opening is formed. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that the short fibers implanted on the inner circumference of the opening are shorter than the short fibers implanted on the opposite side.

4. The aforementioned operation button consists of multiple operation buttons. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that the type of short fibers is different between the short fibers in the layer with short fibers implanted on the inner circumference of the opening into which a specific operation button among the plurality of operation buttons is inserted, and the short fibers in the layer with short fibers implanted on the inner circumference of the opening into which other operation buttons are inserted, thereby differentiating the feel of operating the operation button.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that a layer of short fibers is provided on the side surface of the operation button facing the inner circumferential surface of the opening.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that the clearance between the operating button and the opening is adjusted according to the length of the short fibers.

7. An opening is formed into which the control buttons are inserted. A device case characterized in that a layer of short fibers is provided on the inner circumference of the opening.

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