Modular switch button and electronic apparatus with the same

Abstract

Disclosed is a modular switch button, comprising an assembly bracket, a button movably arranged on one side of the assembly bracket, and an elastic connection piece fixed on the other side of the assembly bracket, the elastic connection piece comprising a first part and a second part elastically connecting with each other, the first part of the elastic connection piece being fixed to the assembly bracket, the second part of the elastic connection piece being connected to the button, the button being provided with a switch element, the assembly bracket being provided with a convex portion corresponding to the switch element, the second part of the elastic connection piece being spaced apart from the first part in direction of the pressing in response to a pressing force exerted on the button for the convex portion triggering the switch element. The power button is modularized into one single unit with a stable construction, tactile feedback, and high component sharing and manufacturing efficiency.

Description

MODULAR SWITCH BUTTON AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS WITH THE SAME

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of computer technology.

[0002] Laptop computers are consumer electronic products for modern digital office and electronic game entertainment. It is one of the important productivity tools in the Internet information age, and also the mainstream personal portable equipment for the office, learning, and entertainment. As an important element of the laptop, the power button is responsible for controlling the startup and shutdown of the computer.

[0003] There exist some shortcomings in the design and use of the power button with the prior laptops, which cause inconvenience and trouble to users. The traditional power button is usually located on the gap of the power button frame of the C-part. The power button may become stuck with a small gap, requiring extraordinary effort or multiple-finger operations to avoid unexpected button failure or damage. The power button may become loose with a large gap, resulting in a mistake or inadvertently.

[0004] To obtain one or more of these objects, the present invention provides a modular switch button, comprising an assembly bracket, a button movably arranged on one side of the assembly bracket, and an elastic connection piece fixed on the other side of the assembly bracket, the elastic connection piece comprising a first part and a second part elastically connecting with each other, the first part of the elastic connection piece being fixed to the assembly bracket, the second part of the elastic connection piece being connected to the button, the button being provided with a switch element, the assembly bracket being provided with a convex portion corresponding to the switch element, the second part of the elastic connection piece being spaced apart from the first part in direction of the pressing in response to a pressing force exerted on the button for the convex portion triggering the switch element.

[0005] Preferably, the assembly bracket is provided with an attachment hole in which a fastening member can be inserted to fix the assembly bracket to a button bracket.

[0006] Preferably, the elastic connection piece is shaped by cutting into the first part and the second part that elastically connect with each other.

[0007] Preferably, the first part of the elastic connection piece is fixed to the assembly bracket by laser spot welding.

[0008] Preferably, the first part of the elastic connection piece is formed inside the second part.

[0009] Preferably, the first part is formed by cutting along a curved path at the center of the elastic connection piece.

[0010] Preferably, the first part comprises a U-shaped spring formed by cutting along a curved path at the center of the elastic connection piece.

[0011] Preferably, the first part comprises a pair of U-shaped springs oppositely sleeved with each other.

[0012] Preferably, the button and the second part of the elastic connection piece are pin-coupled by a locking pin so that the button is movable along the locking pin in response to a pressing force exerted on the button, and the second part of the elastic connection piece is elastically spaced apart from the first part in direction of the pressing to elastically support the button.

[0013] Preferably, the second part of the elastic connection piece is provided with a first connecting hole, and the assembly bracket is provided with a second connecting hole; the locking pin is configured to pass through the first connecting hole and the second connecting hole in sequence to connect with the button.

[0014] Preferably, the button has a generally rectangular shape, each corner of which is connected to the second part of the elastic connection piece by a locking pin.

[0015] Preferably, the shape of the elastic connection piece is corresponding to the shape of the button.

[0016] Preferably, the assembly bracket is made of 0.5mm thick SUS 304 stainless steel, and the elastic connection piece is made of 0.1mm thick SUS 304 stainless steel.

[0017] According to another aspect, the present invention provides an electronic apparatus comprising the modular switch button.

[0018] Preferably, the modular switch button is applied to be a power button.

[0019] Preferably, the electronic apparatus comprises laptop computers.

[0020] With the above-mentioned technical proposals, the power button is modularized into one single unit with a stable construction, tactile feedback, and high component sharing and manufacturing efficiency.

[0021] The present invention may provide an improved modular switch button with better practicality for reducing accidental activation and operating difficulty.

[0022] Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

[0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the modular switch button according to the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 2 is an explosive view showing the modular switch button according to the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the installation　of the modular switch button according to the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the assembly bracket and the elastic connection piece of the modular switch button according to the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 5 is a top view showing the modular switch button according to the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the portion of A-A in FIG. 5.

[0029] All terms including descriptive or technical terms which are used herein should be construed as having meanings that are understood to one of ordinary skill in the art. However, the terms may have different meanings according to an intention of one of ordinary skill in the art, precedent cases, or the appearance of new technologies. In addition, some terms may be selected by the applicant, and in this case, the meaning of the selected terms will be described in detail in the detailed description of embodiments. Thus, the terms used herein have to be defined based on the meaning of the terms together with the description throughout the specification.

[0030] Also, when a part "includes" or "comprises" an element, unless there is a particular description contrary thereto, the part may further include other elements, not excluding the other elements. In the following description, terms such as "unit" and "module" indicate a unit for processing at least one function or operation, wherein the unit and the block may be embodied as hardware or software or embodied by combining hardware and software.

[0031] The embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following example, the modular switch button can be applied to any electronic apparatus, such as a laptop computer. Generally, the modular switch button may be applied to be a power button. However, the embodiments may be embodied in many different forms, and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the embodiments to one of ordinary skill in the art. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail because they would obscure the embodiments with unnecessary detail, and like reference numerals in the drawings denote like or similar elements throughout the specification.

[0032] The modular switch button of the preferred embodiment comprises an assembly bracket, a button movably arranged on one side of the assembly bracket, and an elastic connection piece fixed on the other side of the assembly bracket. The elastic connection piece comprises a first part and a second part elastically connecting with each other. The first part of the elastic connection piece is fixed to the assembly bracket, and the second part of the elastic connection piece is connected to the button. The button is provided with a switch element, and the assembly bracket is provided with a convex portion corresponding to the switch element. The second part of the elastic connection piece is spaced apart from the first part in the direction of the pressing in response to a pressing force exerted on the button for the convex portion triggering the switch element.

[0033] In one preferred embodiment, the assembly bracket is provided with an attachment hole in which a fastening member can be inserted to fix the assembly bracket to a button bracket.

[0034] In one preferred embodiment, the elastic connection piece is shaped by cutting into the first part and the second part that elastically connect with each other.

[0035] In one preferred embodiment, the first part of the elastic connection piece is fixed to the assembly bracket by laser spot welding.

[0036] In one preferred embodiment, the first part of the elastic connection piece is formed inside the second part.

[0037] In one preferred embodiment, the first part is formed by cutting along a curved path at the center of the elastic connection piece.

[0038] In one preferred embodiment, the first part comprises a U-shaped spring formed by cutting along a curved path at the center of the elastic connection piece.

[0039] In one preferred embodiment, the first part comprises a pair of U-shaped springs oppositely sleeved with each other.

[0040] In one preferred embodiment, the button and the second part of the elastic connection piece are pin-coupled by a locking pin so that the button is movable along the locking pin in response to a pressing force exerted on the button, and the second part of the elastic connection piece is elastically spaced apart from the first part in direction of the pressing to elastically support the button.

[0041] In one preferred embodiment, the second part of the elastic connection piece is provided with a first connecting hole, and the assembly bracket is provided with a second connecting hole; the locking pin is configured to pass through the first connecting hole and the second connecting hole in sequence to connect with the button.

[0042] In one preferred embodiment, the button has a generally rectangular shape, each corner of which is connected to the second part of the elastic connection piece by a locking pin.

[0043] In one preferred embodiment, the shape of the elastic connection piece is corresponding to the shape of the button.

[0044] In one preferred embodiment, the assembly bracket is made of 0.5mm thick SUS304 stainless steel, and the elastic connection piece is made of 0.1mm thick SUS304 stainless steel.

[0045] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the modular switch button according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explosive view showing the modular switch button according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the installation　of the modular switch button according to the present invention. The modular switch button of the preferred embodiment comprises an assembly bracket 1, a button 2 movably arranged on one side of the assembly bracket 1, and an elastic connection piece 3 fixed on the other side of the assembly bracket 1. The elastic connection piece 3 comprises a first part 31 and a second part 32 elastically connecting with each other. The first part 31 of the elastic connection piece 3 is fixed to the assembly bracket 1, and the second part 32 of the elastic connection piece 3 is connected to the button 2. The button 2 is provided with a switch element 4, and the assembly bracket 1 is provided with a convex portion 5 corresponding to the switch element 4. The second part 32 of the elastic connection piece 3 is spaced apart from the first part 31 in the direction of the pressing in response to a pressing force exerted on button 2 for the convex portion 5 triggering the switch element 4.

[0046] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the assembly bracket and the elastic connection piece of the modular switch button according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a top view showing the modular switch button according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the portion of A-A in FIG. 5. The assembly bracket 1 is provided with an attachment hole 1 in which a fastening member 6 such as screws can be inserted to fix the assembly bracket 1 to a button bracket 8, which will improve production efficiency and increase the utilization rate of assembly key. The assembly bracket 1 is made of 0.5mm thick SUS304 stainless steel, which will support the key and act to trigger the action if the key is pressed.

[0047] The button 2 is movably arranged on the assembly bracket 1, and the shape of the elastic connection piece 3 is corresponding to the shape of the button 2. The button 2 and the second part 32 of the elastic connection piece 3 are pin-coupled by a locking pin 7 to avoid displacement and shaking for better tactile feedback. The power button is modularized into one single unit with a stable construction independent of the size of the power button and keyframe. The button 2 will descend along the pin body portion in response to a pressing force exerted on button 2, and the second part 32 of the elastic connection piece 3 will be elastically spaced apart from the first part 31 in the direction of the pressing to elastically and movably support the button 2. The second part 32 of the elastic connection piece 3 is provided with a first connecting hole 33, and the assembly bracket 1 is provided with a second connecting hole 12. The locking pin 7 is configured to pass through the first connecting hole 33 and the second connecting hole 12 in sequence to connect with button 2. The button 2 has a generally rectangular shape, each corner of which is connected to the second part 32 of the elastic connection piece 3 by a locking pin 7.

[0048] The elastic connection piece 3 is made of 0.1mm thick SUS304 stainless steel. The elastic connection piece 3 is shaped by cutting into the first part 31 and the second part 32 which elastically connect with each other. Due to the ultra-thin cutting processing, the elastic connection piece 3 can generate deformation and elasticity in the Z direction to allow the key movable in the Z direction.

[0049] The first part 31 can be formed by cutting along a curved path at the center of the elastic connection piece 3. In the preferred embodiment, the first part 31 of the elastic connection piece 3 is formed inside the second part 32. The first part 31 comprises a U-shaped spring formed by cutting along a curved path at the center of the elastic connection piece 3. The first part 31 comprises a pair of U-shaped springs oppositely sleeved with each other. Each of the U-shaped springs is fixed to the assembly bracket 1 by laser spot-welding at the circular region shown in the figure.

[0050] In another preferred embodiment, a circular-shaped first part 31 is formed by cutting along a spiral path at the center of the elastic connection piece 3. The circular-shaped first part 31 of the elastic connection piece 3 is fixed to the assembly bracket 1 by laser spot welding. It is noted that the length of the spiral path is proportional　to the maximum traveling　distance of button 2 in the Z direction, but inversely proportional　to the elastic force of the elastic connection piece 3.

[0051] It should be understood that embodiments described herein should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Descriptions of features or aspects within each embodiment should typically be considered as available for other similar features or aspects in other embodiments. While one or more embodiments have been described with reference to the figures, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1.A modular switch button, characterized by comprising an assembly bracket (1), a button (2) movably arranged on one side of the assembly bracket (1), and an elastic connection piece (3) fixed on the other side of the assembly bracket (1), the elastic connection piece (3) comprising a first part (31) and a second part (32) elastically connecting with each other, the first part (31) of the elastic connection piece (3) being fixed to the assembly bracket (1), the second part (32) of the elastic connection piece (3) being connected to the button (2), the button (2) being provided with a switch element (4), the assembly bracket (1) being provided with a convex portion(5) corresponding to the switch element (4), the second part (32) of the elastic connection piece (3) being spaced apart from the first part (31) in direction of the pressing in response to a pressing force exerted on the button (2) for the convex portion(5) triggering the switch element (4).2.The modular switch button according to claim 1, wherein the assembly bracket (1) is provided with an attachment hole (1) in which a fastening member (6) can be inserted to fix the assembly bracket (1) to a button bracket (8).3.The modular switch button according to claim 1, wherein the elastic connection piece (3) is shaped by cutting into the first part (31) and the second part (32) that elastically connect with each other.4.The modular switch button according to claim 3, wherein the first part (31) of the elastic connection piece (3) is fixed to the assembly bracket (1) by laser spot-welding.5.The modular switch button according to claim 3, wherein the first part (31) of the elastic connection piece (3) is formed inside the second part (32).6.The modular switch button according to claim 5, wherein the first part (31) is formed by cutting along a curved path at the center of the elastic connection piece (3).7.The modular switch button according to claim 6, wherein the first part (31) comprises a U-shaped spring formed by cutting along a curved path at the center of the elastic connection piece (3).8.The modular switch button according to claim 7, wherein the first part (31) comprises a pair of U-shaped springs oppositely sleeved with each other.9.The modular switch button according to claim 1, wherein the button (2) and the second part (32) of the elastic connection piece (3) are pin-coupled by a locking pin (7) so that the button (2) is movable along the locking pin (7) in response to a pressing force exerted on the button (2), and the second part (32) of the elastic connection piece (3) is elastically spaced apart from the first part (31) in direction of the pressing to elastically support the button (2).10.The modular switch button according to claim 9, wherein the second part (32) of the elastic connection piece (3) is provided with a first connecting hole (33), and the assembly bracket (1) is provided with a second connecting hole (12); the locking pin (7) is configured to pass through the first connecting hole (33) and the second connecting hole (12) in sequence to connect with the button (2).11.The modular switch button according to claim 10, wherein the button (2) has a generally rectangular shape, each corner of which is connected to the second part (32) of the elastic connection piece (3) by a locking pin (7).12.The modular switch button according to claim 11, wherein the shape of the elastic connection piece (3) is corresponding to the shape of the button (2).13.An electronic apparatus, characterized by comprising the modular switch button according to any of claims 1 to 12.14.The electronic apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the modular switch button is applied to be a power button.15.The electronic apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the electronic apparatus comprises laptop computers.

Images