Button assembly and electronic price indicator comprising same

Abstract

A button assembly according to an embodiment comprises: a housing having an internal space for accommodating electronic components; a switch which is arranged in the internal space for mediating transmission of an electrical signal to at least one of the electronic components; a button member which can be moved into the housing according to pressurization of a user; and a sealing member which is arranged through the housing to accommodate part of the button member and can come into contact with the switch according to whether the button member is pressed.

Description

Button assembly and electronic price indicator including same

[0001] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a button assembly and an electronic price indicator including the same, and more particularly, to a button assembly having an improved waterproof structure and an electronic price indicator including the same.

[0002] Labels that display product information such as sales price, discount information, and country of origin are used to display and sell multiple products within a certain space, such as a distribution store.

[0003] Previously, product information was mainly written by hand on paper or printed on paper labels in a standardized format. However, paper labels required correction of product information or replacement with new paper labels when product information changed, such as price fluctuations. Therefore, it was not suitable for large-scale stores with a large number of products and frequent changes in product information.

[0004] The need for alternatives to paper labels is emerging in retail stores and other locations.

[0005] Recently, electronic price tags have been proposed as a means of replacing paper labels, receiving product information from a server and displaying it on a display. Because these electronic price tags allow for quick and easy changes to product information, research and development into them is steadily increasing.

[0006] Meanwhile, various buttons for operating electronic price tags are installed on the front, back, or side of the device. As user demands and usage patterns for electronic price tags become increasingly diverse, buttons used in electronic price tags incorporate waterproofing to prevent fluids from seeping into the device and vibration-reducing dustproofing.

[0007] Button assemblies, typically used in electronic price tags, are manufactured using numerous components, including buttons, springs, washers, O-rings (waterproofing rings), and E-rings, to ensure water and dust resistance. In particular, additional components, such as washers to secure the O-rings in place, are essential for water and dust resistance.

[0008] However, button assemblies manufactured using all of the above components have a relatively complex structure and require a high unit price. Furthermore, electronic price tags using these button assemblies face significant limitations on the mounting space within the terminal, and accumulated tolerances can lead to issues with key protrusion.

[0009] To address these issues, a button assembly has been developed that utilizes waterproof tape and rubber buttons, making the components relatively simple. However, electronic price tags equipped with such button assemblies may experience waterproof performance issues and ongoing waterproofing problems.

[0010] Embodiments provide a button assembly having an improved waterproof structure and an electronic price indicator including the same.

[0011] The problems to be solved through the embodiments are not limited to the problems described above, and problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the embodiments belong from this specification and the attached drawings.

[0012] A button assembly according to one embodiment may include a housing including an internal space for accommodating electronic components, a switch disposed in the internal space for mediating transmission of an electrical signal to at least one of the electronic components, a button member movable inwardly of the housing in response to pressure from a user, and a sealing member disposed to penetrate the housing for accommodating a portion of the button member and capable of contacting the switch in response to pressure from the button member.

[0013] According to the button assembly and the electronic price indicator including the same according to the embodiments, the structure of the button assembly can be simplified because a separate part for waterproofing is not required.

[0014] In addition, according to the button assembly and the electronic price indicator including the same according to the embodiments, the waterproof performance can be improved as the components constituting the button assembly support each other so that no gaps are formed between the components.

[0015] In addition, according to the button assembly and the electronic price indicator including the same according to the embodiments, a cost reduction effect can be achieved by manufacturing the housing and the button using a double injection method.

[0016] The effects of the embodiments are not limited to the effects described above, and effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments belong from this specification and the attached drawings.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an electronic price indicator according to one embodiment.

[0018] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the electronic price indicator of Figure 1.

[0019] Figure 3a is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of Figure 2.

[0020] Figure 3b is an enlarged perspective view of the components of Figure 3a viewed from a different angle.

[0021] Figure 4a is a plan view of the electronic price indicator of Figure 1.

[0022] Fig. 4b is a cross-sectional view taken along the AA direction of the electronic price indicator of Fig. 4a.

[0023] Fig. 4c is a cross-sectional view of the electronic price indicator of Fig. 4a in the BB direction.

[0024] The terms used in the embodiments have been selected from widely used and common terms as much as possible, taking into account the functions of the present invention. However, these terms may vary depending on the intentions of those skilled in the art, precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. Furthermore, in certain cases, the applicant may arbitrarily select terms, and in such cases, the meanings thereof will be described in detail in the description of the relevant invention. Therefore, the terms used in the present invention should not be defined simply as names of terms, but rather based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of the present invention.

[0025] When a part of the specification is said to "include" a component, this does not exclude other components, but rather implies the inclusion of other components, unless otherwise specifically stated. Furthermore, terms such as "-unit" and "-module" used in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0026] As used herein, when an expression such as "at least one" precedes an array of elements, it modifies the entire array of elements, not just each individual element. For example, the expression "at least one of a, b, and c" should be interpreted to include a, b, 42-8 2023-11-23 c, or a and b, a and c, b and c, or a and b and c.

[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily practice them. The present disclosure may be implemented in a form that can be implemented in the button assemblies and electronic price indicators of the various embodiments described above, or may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an electronic price indicator according to one embodiment.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 1, an electronic price tag (10) according to one embodiment may be placed or combined on a product display shelf in a distribution space to display information about a product (hereinafter, “product information”). For example, the electronic price tag (10) may receive product information from a server (not shown) and visually display the product information received from the server, thereby providing product information to a user. The electronic price tag (10) may also be referred to as an electronic shelf label (ESL) or an electronic information label (EIL), depending on the embodiment.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the electronic price indicator (10) may include a housing (100), a display (110), and a button member (300).

[0031] The housing (100) may form the overall appearance of the electronic price indicator (10). The housing (100) may include an internal space in which components of the electronic price indicator (10) are arranged. A printed circuit board (not shown) including a processor for controlling the operation of the electronic price indicator (10), a communication module (not shown) for wireless communication with a server, and / or a battery (not shown) may be arranged in the internal space of the housing (100), but is not limited thereto. In addition, various electronic components may be accommodated in the internal space of the housing (100).

[0032] According to one embodiment, the housing (100) may be formed in an overall rectangular parallelepiped shape as illustrated in FIG. 1, but the shape of the housing (100) is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. In another embodiment, the housing (100) may be formed in a polygonal columnar shape in addition to the rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0033] The display (110) can output visual information through at least one area. The visual information output by the display (110) can be exposed to the outside of the housing (100) so that the user can recognize it. For this purpose, the display (110) can be placed on the front of the housing (10 0).

[0034] The display (110) can be supplied with power from a battery housed in the internal space of the housing (100). The display (110) can output product information received from the server through the supplied power, but is not limited thereto.

[0035] In this disclosure, 'product information' may include at least one of product price, manufacturer, country of origin, discount information, or identification information (e.g., barcode or QR code), and the expression may be used with the same meaning hereinafter.

[0036] The button member (300) may be positioned in at least one area of ​​the housing (100). The button member (300) may be positioned so as to be inserted into the housing (100) and partially exposed to the outside of the housing (100).

[0037] At least one button member (300) can be exposed through the housing (100) of the electronic price indicator (10) to provide operational convenience. This button member (300) can be used to execute various functions, such as a wake-up / sleep function, a power on / off function, or an artificial intelligence execution function, depending on a user's operation.

[0038] According to various embodiments, the button member (300) may include a fingerprint sensing unit capable of fingerprint sensing. The button member (300) capable of fingerprint sensing can prevent anyone other than the user whose fingerprint information is stored in the memory from manipulating the button member (300).

[0039] Below, with reference to Fig. 2, we will look at the internal components that make up the electronic price indicator (10).

[0040] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the electronic price indicator of Figure 1.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 2, an electronic price indicator (10) according to one embodiment may include a housing (100), a display (110), a printed circuit board (120), a battery (130), a rear cover (140), a switch (200), a button member (300), and a sealing member (400).

[0042] At least one of the components of the electronic price indicator (10) illustrated in FIG. 2 may be identical or similar to at least one of the components of the electronic price indicator (10) of FIG. 1, and any overlapping description will be omitted below.

[0043] The components of the electronic price display (10) according to one embodiment can be largely aligned in the y-axis direction. At this time, with respect to the housing (100), the printed circuit board (120) and the display (110) can be sequentially arranged in the +y direction, and the battery (130) and the rear cover (140) can be sequentially arranged in the -y direction. That is, the display (110), the printed circuit board (120), the housing (100), the battery (130), and the rear cover (140) can be combined in the y-axis direction, thereby completing the assembly of the electronic price display (10).

[0044] The display (110) may include, for example, a liquid crystal display (LDC), a light emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, a micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) display, or an electronic paper display (EPD, e-paper display, electronic paper display).

[0045] As an example of an electronic paper display (110), the electronic paper display (110) may be an electrophoretic display (EPD). This is a display implemented by utilizing the properties of nanoparticles within a microcapsule. Thousands of small particles are provided within the transparent silicon microcapsule of the electronic paper display (110), and these particles, some of which are white and the rest are black, move and are arranged according to the electrophoretic phenomenon, thereby enabling various contents to be expressed on the external surface.

[0046] Specifically, the electronic paper display (110) can be implemented by utilizing the principle of electrophoresis, which means a phenomenon in which colloidal particles move along either the positive or negative electrode according to their characteristics when an electrode is placed in a colloidal solution (colloidal ink) and a direct current voltage is applied.

[0047] For example, the electronic paper display (110) can express content with black pixels and white pixels arranged depending on the direction of the current based on the characteristic that when current is applied, white particles move along the cathode and black particles move along the anode. In other words, content can be displayed by changing the arrangement of electronic ink in response to changes in an electric field applied from the outside.

[0048] Meanwhile, when particles of various colors other than black and white particles are provided in the microcapsules, the electronic paper display (110) can express content of various colors.

[0049] In addition to the electrophoretic display mentioned above, the electronic paper display may include various types of electronic paper such as an electrowetting display (EWD), a mirasol display (interferometric modulator display), an electrochromic display (ECD), and a photonic crystal display (PCD).

[0050] Electronic paper displays have superior visual characteristics among display media, as they have high resolution, wide viewing angles, and a smooth white background, just like paper and ink.

[0051] Additionally, electronic paper displays can be implemented on any substrate, including plastic, metal, and paper.

[0052] Additionally, since most electronic paper displays use a method of reflecting light from an external light source when displaying information, a backlight, which is a light source, may not be placed.

[0053] Additionally, e-paper displays can retain what they are currently displaying (e.g., background images) even when power to the display is cut off or the electronic price tag is turned off, and they consume less power than other displays because they do not require power for a backlight.

[0054] Additionally, electronic paper displays can be implemented in a wide area, just like paper, and can be placed over a large area.

[0055] Hereinafter, in explaining the components of an electronic price display (10) according to one embodiment, the description will focus on the display (110) to which an electronic paper display is applied.

[0056] The display (110) may include a cover glass (111). The cover glass (111) may form the exterior of the electronic price indicator (10) together with the housing (100). The cover glass (111) may protect the display panel (112) from external impact.

[0057] The cover glass (111) can close the internal space (100i) of the housing (100). Accordingly, the cover glass (111) can prevent internal components of the housing (100), including the printed circuit board (120), from escaping from the internal space (100i).

[0058] The display (110) may include a display panel (112). The display panel (112) may output product information received from a server through power supplied from a battery (130).

[0059] The display panel (112) may be arranged in a direction facing the inside of the housing (100) from the cover glass (111). The display panel (112) may be arranged facing the cover glass (111).

[0060] The printed circuit board (120) may be equipped with basic electronic components of the electronic price indicator (10). The printed circuit board (120) may serve as a passage so that components mounted or connected to the printed circuit board (120) may exchange signals with each other. In addition, the printed circuit board (120) may distribute power supplied by the battery (130) to various components.

[0061] A printed circuit board (PCB) (120) may include a processor for controlling the operation of the electronic price indicator (10). The processor may control the overall operation of the electronic price indicator (10). Specifically, the processor may control the operation of not only the display (110) but also other components included in the electronic price indicator (10). In addition, the processor may check the status of each component of the electronic price indicator (10) to determine whether the electronic price indicator (10) is in an operable state.

[0062] At least one processor may be arranged. The processor may be implemented as an array of a plurality of logic gates, or may be implemented as a combination of a general-purpose microprocessor and a memory storing a program that can be executed on the microprocessor. It will be understood by those skilled in the art to which the present embodiment pertains that the processor may also be implemented as other types of hardware.

[0063] The battery (130) can supply power used to operate the electronic price indicator (10). For example, the battery can supply power to enable AC current to be applied to the display (110) and can supply power required for the processor of the printed circuit board (120) to operate. The battery (130) can also supply power required for the operation of sensors (not shown), motors (not shown), and the like.

[0064] The battery (130) can be accommodated in the internal space (100i) of the housing (100). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the battery (130) can be accommodated in the inner space of the rear cover (140). Consequently, the battery (130) can be accommodated in the empty space between the housing (100) and the rear cover (140), which is formed by combining the housing (100) and the rear cover (140). Meanwhile, although two disc-shaped batteries (130) are illustrated in FIG. 2, the embodiment is not limited to the shape and number of batteries.

[0065] The rear cover (140) can be placed on one side (e.g., the rear) of the housing (100) to form the exterior of the electronic price indicator (10) together with the housing (100). The rear cover (140) can close the internal space (100i) of the housing (100). Accordingly, the rear cover (140) can prevent internal components of the housing (100), including the battery (130), from being separated from the internal space (100i).

[0066] An electronic price indicator (10) according to one embodiment may include a button assembly (1000). The button assembly (1000) is configured such that a button member (300), a sealing member (400), a housing (100), and a switch (200) are aligned in the z-axis direction and assembled. However, in FIG. 2, the switch (200) is disposed at the bottom of a printed circuit board (120) and connected to the printed circuit board (120).

[0067] A switch (200) may be arranged in an internal space (100i) of a housing (100) and may transmit an electrical signal to at least one of the electronic components. The switch (200) may be connected to a printed circuit board (120). As the button member (300) is pressed by a user, pressure may be applied to the switch (200) through the sealing member (400).

[0068] The above pressure is transmitted to the printed circuit board (120), and the printed circuit board (120) can convert the pressure transmitted from the switch (200) into an electrical signal. The electrical signal can be transmitted to at least one of the electronic components, and the operation of the electronic components that received the electrical signal can be controlled.

[0069] The button member (300) is a configuration that can be physically operated by a user to press the switch (200) arranged in the internal space (100i). In order for the user to operate it, the button member (300) may be exposed to the outside of the housing (100). The button member (300) may move toward the inside of the housing (100) according to the user's pressure.

[0070] The sealing member (400) is configured to seal the gap between the button member (300), the housing (100), and the switch (200). That is, a button assembly having a waterproof function can be completed due to the sealing member (400).

[0071] The sealing member (400) may be positioned to penetrate the housing (100). The sealing member (400) accommodates a portion of the button member (300) and may come into contact with the switch (200) depending on whether the button member (300) is pressed.

[0072] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 3a and 3b, the structure of the button assembly (1000) excluding the switch (200) will be described in detail through an enlarged perspective view.

[0073] Fig. 3a is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of Fig. 2. Fig. 3b is an enlarged perspective view of the components of Fig. 3a viewed from a different angle.

[0074] Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a button assembly (1000) according to one embodiment may include a housing (100), a button member (300), and a sealing member (400). The button member (300), the sealing member (400), and the housing (100) may be aligned along the z-axis direction.

[0075] At least one of the components of the button assembly (1000) illustrated in FIGS. 3a and 3b may be identical or similar to at least one of the components of the button assembly (1000) of FIG. 2, and any redundant description thereof will be omitted below.

[0076] The button member (300) may include a pressing portion (310), a contact portion (320), and a connecting portion (330). The pressing portion (310) is a component that comes into contact with a user and is pressed by the user. The contact portion (320) is a component that is accommodated in the sealing member (400) and presses the sealing member (400) according to the movement of the button member (300). At this time, since the sealing member (400) includes a rubber material, the button member (300) can be coupled to the sealing member (400) simply by applying force to the button member (300) and inserting the contact portion (320) into the sealing member (400). The connecting portion (330) is a component that extends in the direction in which the button member (300) is pressed (e.g., the z-axis direction) and connects the pressing portion (310) and the contact portion (320).

[0077] The pressing member (310) may be inserted into at least a portion of the housing (100). To facilitate a user's pressing of the pressing member (310), the pressing member (310) may include a tapered shape that becomes smaller from the inside of the housing (100) to the outside of the housing (100). The tapered shape may also make it difficult for a user to pull the pressing member (310) out of the housing (100). Accordingly, the pressing member (310) or the button member (300) may be prevented from being forcibly separated from the sealing member (400) by a user or the like.

[0078] The contact portion (320) may include a step portion (321) and a protruding portion (322). The step portion (321) is connected to the connecting portion (330) and has a circumference larger than the circumference of the connecting portion (330) with respect to the z-axis. When the button member (300) moves in the +z direction, the step portion (321) is caught by the support portion (430) of the sealing member (400) to be described later, thereby preventing the button member (300) from being separated from the sealing member (400).

[0079] The protruding portion (322) is a portion that protrudes in the opposite direction from the step portion (321) in which the connecting portion (330) is arranged and comes into contact with the sealing member (400). The protruding portion (322) may have a circumference smaller than that of the step portion (321) based on the z-axis direction. That is, in a cross-section viewed in the z-axis direction, the protruding portion (322) may have a narrower area than the step portion (321). Accordingly, when a user presses the button member (300), the pressure can be effectively transmitted to the sealing member (400) through the narrow area of ​​the protruding portion (322).

[0080] The sealing member (400) may include a receiving portion (410) and an extension portion (420). The receiving portion (410) is configured to include a receiving groove (410 g) that receives a portion (e.g., a contact portion (320)) of the button member (300). The extension portion (420) is configured to extend in a direction (e.g., a y-axis direction) transverse to a direction in which the receiving groove (410 g) is opened (e.g., a z-axis direction) from a region of the receiving portion (410).

[0081] The receiving portion (410) can be inserted into the housing (100) so as to penetrate the housing (100). At this time, the receiving portion (410) can have a tapered shape that becomes smaller from the outside of the housing (100) to the inside of the housing (100). The tapered shape of the receiving portion (410) can provide a structure that can be sufficiently supported by the housing (100) so that the receiving portion (410) only deforms to an extent that it can come into contact with a switch (e.g., switch (200) of FIG. 2) when pressed in the -z direction by the button member (300), but does not move in that direction.

[0082] The extension (420) may also be arranged to penetrate the housing (100). The extension (420) may be arranged in a direction transverse to the direction in which the receiving portion (410) penetrates the housing (100). Since the housing (100) is arranged around the extension (420) and the housing (100) surrounds the extension (420) and supports the extension (420), the sealing member (400) may be restricted from moving in the z-axis direction.

[0083] The extension (420) can prevent the sealing member (400) from moving in the direction in which the receiving groove (410g) opens (e.g., in the z-axis direction) by being supported by the housing (100). That is, the extension (420) can prevent the sealing member (400) from being separated from the housing (100).

[0084] The extension portion (420) may include a first portion (421) and a second portion (422). The first portion (421) is connected to the receiving portion (410) and is a portion whose circumference increases along the extension direction (e.g., y-axis direction) of the extension portion (420). The second portion (422) is connected to the first portion (421) and is a portion whose circumference is constant along the extension direction of the extension portion (420). The first portion (421) and the second portion (422) may be supported by the housing (100).

[0085] Among the first part (421) and the second part (422) of the extension part (420), the circumference of the first part (421) closer to the receiving part (41 0) is smaller than the circumference of the second part (422) further away from the receiving part (410), so that the relatively thick second part (422) can effectively prevent the sealing member (400) from coming off in the direction in which the receiving groove (410g) is opened, while the relatively thin first part (421) can enable the surrounding housing (100) to effectively support the receiving part (410).

[0086] The housing (100) may include a first through hole (101) and a second through hole (102) for accommodating a button member (300) and / or a sealing member (400). The first through hole (101) may be opened in a first direction (e.g., z-axis direction) from the outside of the housing (100) toward the internal space (100i).

[0087] The second through hole (102) may be opened in a second direction (e.g., z-axis direction) that crosses the first direction from the first region (101a). The second through hole (102) may include a shape corresponding to the extension (420) as an area through which the extension (420) passes. Since a part of the housing (100) forming the second through hole (10 2) firmly supports the extension (420), the sealing member (400) may be restricted from moving in the direction in which the receiving groove (410g) is opened.

[0088] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 4a to 4c, a button assembly (1000) in which a housing (100), a switch (200), a button member (300), and a sealing member (400) are assembled will be described.

[0089] Fig. 4a is a plan view of the electronic price indicator of Fig. 1. Fig. 4b is a cross-sectional view of the electronic price indicator of Fig. 4a taken along line AA. Fig. 4c is a cross-sectional view of the electronic price indicator of Fig. 4a taken along line BB.

[0090] Referring to FIGS. 4A to 4C, an electronic price indicator (10) according to one embodiment may include a housing (100), a printed circuit board (120), a switch (200), a button member (300), and a sealing member (400).

[0091] At least one of the components of the electronic price indicator (10) illustrated in FIGS. 4a to 4c may be identical or similar to at least one of the components of the electronic price indicator (10) illustrated in FIG. 2, and any redundant description thereof will be omitted below.

[0092] A printed circuit board (120) and a switch (200) connected thereto may be arranged in the internal space (100i) of the housing (100). The switch (200) may protrude toward the button member (300) or the sealing member (400). When the user does not press the button member (300), the sealing member (400) may not come into contact with the switch (200). That is, the switch (200) may be arranged to be spaced apart from the sealing member (400) penetrating the housing (100) by a predetermined distance so as not to come into contact with the sealing member (400).

[0093] The first through-hole (101) of the housing (100) may include a first region (101a) and a second region (102b). The first region (101a) is a region through which the receiving portion (410) passes, and a portion of the housing (100) forming the first region (101a) may support the receiving portion (410). The second region (101b) may receive at least a portion of a portion other than a portion of the button member (300) (e.g., a contact portion (320)). At this time, the second through-hole (102) may extend from the second region (101b).

[0094] With respect to the z-axis direction, the circumference of the first region (101a) may be larger than the circumference of the second region (101b). Accordingly, the pressing portion (310) disposed in the first region (101a) may have a size corresponding to the first region (101a) having a relatively large circumference so that the user can easily press it. In addition, the contact portion (320) disposed in the second region (101b) may have a size corresponding to the second region (101b) having a relatively small circumference so that the pressure can be effectively transmitted to the sealing member (400) or the switch (200).

[0095] The button member (300) can be accommodated in the first through-hole (101) of the housing (100). A portion of the connecting portion (330) and the contact portion (320) can be arranged in a first area (101a) of the first through-hole (101). Another portion of the connecting portion (330) and a portion of the pressing portion (310) can be arranged in a second area (101b) of the first through-hole (101).

[0096] The pressing portion (310) may be spaced apart from the sealing member (400) and protrude outwardly from the housing (100). By the pressing portion (310) being spaced apart from the sealing member (400), a space may be secured in which the button member (300) may move by the user's pressure. At this time, one part of the pressing portion (310) may be accommodated in the second region (101b), and the other part of the pressing portion (310) may protrude outwardly from the housing (100).

[0097] When a user presses the pressurizing member (310), the button member (300) can move toward the sealing member (400) along the first through hole (101). Accordingly, the portion occupied by the pressurizing member (310) in the second region (101 b) increases, and the connecting member (330) located in the second region (101 b) can also move toward the first region (101 a).

[0098] The contact portion (320) can be accommodated in the sealing member (400). Specifically, the contact portion (320) can be placed inside the accommodation groove (410g) formed in the accommodation portion (410) of the sealing member (400). As the user presses the pressing portion (310), the contact portion (320) can press the sealing member (400) toward the switch (200). The sealing member (400) made of a rubber material can be stretched toward the switch (200) by the pressure transmitted by the contact portion (320). The sealing member (400) whose shape is deformed to be stretched can contact the switch (200) and apply pressure to the switch (200). 42-24 2023-11-23

[0099] When the pressure on the button member (300) is removed, the shape of the sealing member (400) is restored to its original shape, and the contact between the switch (200) and the sealing member (400) can be released. The button member (300) can be moved outward from the housing (100) through the restoring force of the switch (200) or the sealing member (400) and restored to its original position.

[0100] The sealing member (400) can be accommodated in the first through hole (101) and the second through hole (102) of the housing (100). The accommodation portion (410) can be arranged in the first area (101a) of the first through hole (101). The extension portion (420) can be arranged in the second through hole (102).

[0101] The sealing member (400) can be manufactured by a double injection molding process together with the housing (100). For example, the housing (100) and the sealing member (400) can be formed by double injection molding so that the sealing member (400) made of rubber is placed in the first through hole (101) and the second through hole (102) of the plastic housing (100).

[0102] Accordingly, the cost required to manufacture the button assembly (1000) can be reduced, and the structure of the button assembly (1000) can be simplified. In addition, since the rubber sealing member (400) blocks the through hole of the housing (100), the waterproof performance of the portion where the button assembly (1000) is placed can be improved.

[0103] The receiving groove (410g) of the sealing member (400) may become narrower from the outside of the housing (100) toward the inside of the housing (100). In order for the contact portion (320) to be received in the receiving groove (410g), the contact portion (320) may also become narrower toward the inside of the housing (100) in accordance with the shape of the receiving groove (410g). That is, in a cross-section viewed in the z-axis direction, one end of the protruding portion (322) of the contact portion (320) that comes into contact with the sealing member (400) may have a narrower area than the other portion of the contact portion (320). Accordingly, when a user presses the button member (300), the pressure can be effectively transmitted to the sealing member (400) through the narrow area formed at one end of the protruding portion (322).

[0104] The sealing member (400) may include a support member (430) protruding toward the connecting member (330). The support member (430) may be in contact with the connecting member (330), but is not limited to the embodiment. The support member (430) may prevent the contact member (320) or the button member (300) from being separated from the sealing member (400). Specifically, when the step portion (321) of the contact member (320) accommodated in the receiving groove (410g) is in contact with the support member (430), movement of the contact member (320) or the button member (300) in the +z direction may be restricted.

[0105] At this time, in order to strengthen the prevention of detachment of the button member (300), the step portion (321) of the contact portion (320) may include an inclined surface (IP) inclined with respect to the connecting portion (330). The inclined surface (IP) is supported by the support portion (430) and can maximize the contact area with the support portion (430) made of rubber material.

[0106] The support portion (430) may include a curved surface (CP) facing the connection portion (330) from a portion in contact with the connection portion (330). The radius of curvature of the curved surface (CP) may have a constant value, but is not limited to the embodiment. The curved surface (CP) of the support portion (430) may allow the support portion (43 0) to make line contact with the connection portion (330). In this case, 'line contact' means contact in which the contact portions of two components in contact form a line.

[0107] When the contact area between the support portion (430) and the connection portion (330) decreases, the frictional force generated at the contact surface decreases, so the line contact between the support portion (430) and the connection portion (330) can minimize the frictional force generated at the part where the support portion (430) and the connection portion (330) come into contact. Accordingly, the button member (300) can move smoothly with respect to the sealing member (400). Meanwhile, although a part of the support portion (430) is illustrated as a curved surface (CP), it is not necessarily limited to the embodiment, and any shape that can implement line contact is possible.

[0108] According to the button assembly (1000) and the electronic price indicator (10) including the same according to the embodiments, the structure of the button assembly (1000) can be simplified because no separate component for waterproofing is required other than the sealing member (400).

[0109] In addition, according to the button assembly (1000) and the electronic price indicator (10) including the same according to the embodiments, the waterproof performance can be improved while the housing (100) and the sealing member (400) that constitute the button assembly (1000) support each other so that no gap occurs between the housing (100) and the sealing member (400).

[0110] In addition, according to the button assembly (1000) and the electronic price indicator (10) including the same according to the embodiments, the housing (100) and the sealing member (400) can be manufactured using a double injection molding method to achieve a cost reduction effect.

[0111] The description of the above-described embodiments is merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible from the description. Therefore, the true scope of protection of the invention should be defined by the appended claims, and all differences that fall within the scope equivalent to the contents described in the claims should be construed as being included within the scope of protection defined by the claims.

[0112] The present invention has a simple structure because it does not require separate parts for waterproofing, and provides an electronic price tag including a button assembly with enhanced durability and improved waterproofing performance by having internal components support each other so that no gaps are formed between the components. In addition, since the housing and button assembly of the electronic price tag are manufactured using a double injection method, a cost reduction effect can be achieved, and thus, the electronic price tag has industrial applicability.

Claims

1. A housing including an internal space for accommodating electronic components; A switch disposed in the internal space to mediate transmission of an electrical signal to at least one of the electronic components; A button member movable inwardly of the housing according to pressure applied by the user; and A button assembly comprising a sealing member arranged to penetrate the housing and receive a portion of the button member and capable of contacting the switch depending on whether the button member is pressed.

2. In paragraph 1, The above button absence is, A pressurized portion that comes into contact with the user and is pressurized by the user; A contact portion that is accommodated in the sealing member and presses the sealing member according to the movement of the button member; and A button assembly comprising a connecting portion between the pressurizing portion and the contact portion.

3. In paragraph 2, The above contact portion is connected to the connecting portion and has a circumference larger than the circumference of the connecting portion. A button assembly comprising a step portion having a protrusion portion and a protrusion portion protruding from the step portion in a direction opposite to the direction in which the connecting portion is arranged and coming into contact with the sealing member.

4. In paragraph 2, A button assembly wherein the pressurized portion protrudes outside the housing and is spaced apart from the sealing member.

5. In paragraph 2, A button assembly, wherein the pressurizing portion includes a tapered shape that becomes smaller from the inside of the housing to the outside of the housing.

6. In paragraph 2, A button assembly, wherein the sealing member includes a support member that protrudes toward the connecting portion and prevents the button member from being detached from the sealing member.

7. In paragraph 6, A button assembly, wherein the support portion includes a curved surface facing the connecting portion from a portion in contact with the connecting portion.

8. In paragraph 6, A button assembly, wherein the contact portion is supported by the support portion and includes a sloped surface inclined with respect to the connecting portion.

9. In paragraph 1, A button assembly, wherein the sealing member comprises a receiving portion including a receiving groove for receiving a portion of the button member, and an extension portion extending from a region of the receiving portion in a direction transverse to the direction in which the receiving groove is opened.

10. In paragraph 9, A button assembly in which the receiving groove becomes narrower from the outside of the housing toward the inside of the housing.

11. In paragraph 9, A button assembly, wherein the receiving portion includes a tapered shape that becomes smaller from the outside of the housing toward the inside of the housing.

12. In paragraph 9, A button assembly, wherein the extension portion includes a first portion connected to the receiving portion and having a circumference that increases along the extension direction of the extension portion, and a second portion connected to the first portion and having a constant circumference along the extension direction of the extension portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are supported by the housing.

13. In paragraph 9, The above housing, A button assembly comprising a first through hole that is open in a first direction from the outside of the housing toward the internal space and includes a first region through which the receiving portion is passed and a second region that receives at least a portion of the other portion of the button member except for the portion, and a second through hole that is open in a second direction transverse to the first direction from the first region and through which the extension portion is passed.

14. In paragraph 1, A button assembly in which the sealing member and the housing are formed by double injection.

15. A housing including an internal space for accommodating electronic components; A display that outputs visual information and exposes it to the outside of the housing; A printed circuit board electrically connected to the display and controlling the display; A switch arranged in the internal space to mediate transmission of an electrical signal to the printed circuit board; A button member movable inwardly of the housing according to pressure applied by the user; and An electronic price indicator, comprising: a sealing member arranged to penetrate the housing and accommodate a portion of the button member, the sealing member being capable of contacting the switch depending on whether the button member is pressed;

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