Abstract:
An electronic apparatus having buttons without forming gaps therein comprises a housing having a first opening, an operation element, a supporting plate, a touch circuit board and at least one switch component. The operation element comprises a touch pad, a first fixing part and a button part. The touch pad and the button part form a flat surface. The operation element disposed in the first opening of the housing is fixed to the lower surface of the housing through the use of the first fixing part. In addition, the supporting plate used to support the button part is arranged underneath. The touch pad is covered by the touch circuit board so as to provide the control function and at least one switch component is arranged under the button part to enable the switch component being actuated when the button part is pressed downward.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 94128703, filed on Aug. 23, 2005. All disclosure of the Taiwan application is incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electronic apparatus having buttons without forming gaps.  
         [0004]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0005]     In the world of information explosion, the using of notebook computers has become a noticeable trend as the notebook computer users are amazed by the portability and convenience. The emergence of notebook computers has set a milestone for the information industry which has rapidly progressed in recent years.  
         [0006]     Since a notebook computer integrates the display, host and input devices as a whole, there are many more considerations that are different from the design of a desktop computer. As for the function of controlling the cursor location on the screen, in order to be carried conveniently, a notebook computer does not use the conventional mouse design; instead, the touch pad and control buttons integrated on the housing of the notebook computer are employed to achieve the function a mouse serves. Nowadays, the touch pad and control buttons have also become the most common means to replace the mouse for a notebook computer.  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a conventional module with a touch pad and buttons. With reference to  FIG. 1 , a touch pad  120  is disposed on the housing  100  of the conventional notebook computer and the touch pad  120  is electrically connected to a touch pad circuit which is under the touch pad  120  as the input device for controlling the cursor on the screen. The module further includes a plurality of buttons  130  which are at the lower portion of the touch pad  120 , so that the switch components underneath can be touched when a user presses one of the buttons to input commands. In other words, the touch pad  120  and the buttons  130  are separately different components, and the material of the buttons  130  may be plastic or alloy, etc. Therefore, no matter how precise the assembly is, the gaps  140  between the touch pad  120  and the button part  130  can be obviously seen. Despite of the shapes of the touch pads and buttons designed by different manufacturers, such design is the most common touch pad and button module on the current market. However, there are some shortcomings existed in such design:  
         [0008]     1. Nowadays, in the trend that requires that the appearance of a product be attracted to consumers, the appearance design of the conventional touch pad and buttons is too complicated, and lack of simplicity.  
         [0009]     2. The touch pad and buttons are separately different parts, which means the touch pad and the buttons have to be made by different molds and assembled separately. The manufacturing cost incurred thereof is not economically profitable, especially at present when the profit margin of notebook computers is getting narrower and narrower.  
         [0010]     3. Because the gaps between the touch pad and buttons exists, foreign objects may easily enter inside of the notebook computer through the gaps. After a long time period of use, the accumulation of too many foreign objects inside the notebook computer may result in failure of the internal functions of the notebook computer. In addition, if a user accidentally spills liquid over the computer, such as drinks, the existence of the gaps will make the liquid easily flow into the notebook computer and causes severe damages on its internal electronic components.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     The object of the present invention is to provide an electronic apparatus having buttons without forming gaps, so as to reduce the manufacturing cost, prevent foreign objects from entering into the notebook computer and have a simple and elegant appearance.  
         [0012]     The present invention provides an electronic apparatus having buttons without forming gaps therein, comprising a housing, a touch circuit board, at least one switch component and an operation element. The housing has a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface and a first opening passing through the first surface and the second surface. The operation element comprises a touch pad, a first fixing part and a button part. The touch pad is located on a first portion of the first opening, and is covered by the touch circuit board. The first fixing part is connected to at least one first side of the touch pad to fix the touch pad on the second surface. The button part is located on a second portion of the first opening, and the button part is connected to a second side of the touch pad. And the button part faces the switch components. By pressing the button part can move at least one part of the button part for a first distance, so that the switch component is actuated by the button part.  
         [0013]     According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first portion of the first opening and the second portion of the first opening partially cover the first opening. Moreover, the electronic apparatus having buttons without forming gaps may further includes a decoration frame disposed on the first opening, and the decoration frame has a second opening to install the operation element. In addition, the operation element is exposed from the second opening.  
         [0014]     According to one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of hot melt bosses are disposed on the second surface. The first fixing part has a plurality of through holes corresponding to the hot melt bosses, so that the operation element can be fixed on the housing through heat sealing.  
         [0015]     According to one embodiment of the present invention, the electronic apparatus further includes a narrow gap on the button part, and the narrow gap is adjacent to the second side. In addition, the narrow gap provides a first elastic arm for the button part.  
         [0016]     According to one embodiment of the present invention, wherein the button part further includes at least one second elastic arm disposed on at least one third side of the button part, and the second elastic arm is connected to the second surface.  
         [0017]     According to one embodiment of the present invention, wherein there is a first distance between the button part and the switch component, and the button part further includes at least one rib corresponding to the switch component.  
         [0018]     According to one embodiment of the present invention, the electronic apparatus further includes a supporting plate. At least one portion of the supporting plate sustains a back of the button part, and at least one portion of the supporting plate is fixed on the second surface.  
         [0019]     According to one embodiment of the present invention, the touch pad and the button part exposed from the first opening form a flat surface.  
         [0020]     Since the present invention utilizes the electronic apparatus having buttons without forming gaps, therefore a simple and elegant appearance of product can be provided. In addition, since there is no gap between the touch pad and the button part in the electronic apparatus, foreign objects can therefore be prevented from entering into the product. Moreover, since the electronic apparatus having buttons without forming gaps according to the embodiment of the present invention has an integrated touch pad and button part, therefore less molds need to be created, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced accordingly. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a conventional touch pad and button module.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2A  is a schematic front-side view of the housing according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 2B  is a schematic rear-side view of the housing according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a schematic front-side view of the operation element according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a schematic rear-side view of the operation element assembled on the housing according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a schematic enlarged view of the area A in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 6  is a schematic assembling diagram of the component combination and a supporting plate in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is a schematic assembling diagram of the component combination of  FIG. 6  and a circuit board with switch components.  
         [0029]      FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of the relative position of the ribs and the switch components.  
         [0030]      FIG. 9  is a schematic front-side view of the assembled electronic apparatus having buttons without forming gaps according to the embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0031]      FIG. 10  is a schematic front-side view of the assembled electronic apparatus having buttons without forming gaps according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS  
       [0032]      FIG. 2A  is a schematic front-side view of the housing according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2B  is a schematic rear-side view of the housing of the first embodiment according to the present invention. With reference to  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B , the housing  200  has a first surface  200   a  and a second surface  200   b  corresponding thereto, a plurality of hot melt bosses  202  disposed on the second surface  200   b,  a plurality of first protrusions  204  and a second protrusion  206 . The center of the housing  200  further has a first opening  208  passing through the first surface  200   a  and the second surface  200   b.    
         [0033]     As described above, the housing  200  in the present embodiment is connected to the decoration frame  300  which is disposed on the first opening of the housing  200  from the back of the housing  200 . The center of the decoration frame  300  has a second opening  308 . The second opening  308  can be further divided into a first portion  308   a  and a second portion  308   b.  The decoration frame  300  further includes holes corresponding to the hot melt bosses  202  which are disposed on the back side of the decoration frame  300 , so that the decoration frame  300  can be assembled with the back of the housing  200 . In this embodiment, the material of the decoration frame  300  may be plastic, rubber or alloy and etc. The advantage for adding the decoration frame  300  is to increase the variety of appearance and color to the electronic apparatus.  
         [0034]      FIG. 3  is a schematic front-side view of the operation element of the first embodiment according to the present invention.  FIG. 4  is a schematic rear-side view of the operation element assembled on the housing according to the first embodiment of the present invention. With reference to  FIG. 2B ,  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the operation element  400  includes a touch pad  410 , a button part  420  and a first fixing part  430 . The touch pad  410  and the button part  420  are on the adjacent surface and disposed in the second opening  308  of the decoration frame  300  for user&#39;s operation, wherein the touch pad  410  is located at the first portion  308   a  of the second opening  308 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the touch pad  410  is covered by a touch circuit board  500  to provide touching control function. The first fixing part  430  is adjacent to at least the first side  412   a  of the touch pad  410 . The first side  412   a  has a plurality of through holes  432  corresponding to the hot melt bosses  202  on the housing  200  so that the through holes  432  can be inserted by the hot melt bosses  202 . Therefore, the operation element  400  can be fixed on the housing  200  using heat sealing through the hot melt bosses  202 . It should be noted that the fixing means for the operation element  400  is not limited to the heat sealing described above; other methods such as rivet jointing method can also be used.  
         [0035]     As described above, the button part  420  is adjacent to the second side  412   b,  and is located at the second portion  308   b  of the second opening  308 .  FIG. 5  is a schematic detailed view of the area A in  FIG. 3 . With reference to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , the button part  420  includes a narrow gap  422  adjacent to the touch pad  410 , a first elastic arm  424  and the second elastic arm  426  located at the third side  420   a  of the button part  420 . In addition, the button part  420  further includes a plurality of ribs  428 .  
         [0036]     The narrow gap  422  is used to separate the touch pad  410  and the button part  420 . The first elastic arm  424  and the second elastic arm  426  can serve as the elastic supporting arms when the button part  420  is pressed by a user&#39;s external force. When the external force is removed, the button part  420  can be resumed to the original position through the first elastic arm  424  and the second elastic arm  426 . The second elastic arm  426  is connected to the second surface  200   b  of the housing  200 , wherein the connecting method thereof, for example, is to inset the through holes on the second elastic arm  426  to the hot melt bosses  202  of the housing  200 , and then fix its position by using heat sealing.  
         [0037]      FIG. 6  is a schematic assembling diagram of adding a supporting plate in  FIG. 4 . With reference to  FIG. 2B ,  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 6 , the button part  420  includes a left button part  420   b  and a right button part  420   c.  When the user presses downward either the left button part  420   b  or the right button part  420   c,  a supporting plate  600  is provided to the back of the button part  420 , to avoid the linking-up due to the integration of the left button part  420   b  and the right button part  420   c.  At least one portion of the supporting plate  600  needs to be located in the back of the button part  420  to support the button part  420 . Other portions of the supporting plate  600  may be fixed on the second surface  200   b  of the housing  200 . In  FIG. 6 , the supporting plate  600 , for example, has a through hole so that the second protrusion  206  on the second surface  200   b  can be inset into the through hole of the supporting plate  600  and be fixed. The design of the supporting plate  600  is used only for describing the present embodiment and should not be limited to the present invention. Of course, the supporting plate  600  design can be omitted if the button part  420  is designed with only a single button function.  
         [0038]      FIG. 7  is a schematic assembling diagram of the component combination of  FIG. 6  and a circuit board with switch component. With reference to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 7 , in the present embodiment, since the button part  420  is capable of dual buttons function, there are two switch components  702   b  and  702   c  on the circuit board  700 , and the positions thereof correspond to a plurality of ribs  428  on the button part  420 .  FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of the relative position of the ribs and the switch components. With reference to  FIG. 2B ,  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , the switch components  702   b  and  702   c  respectively have a first distance d between the ribs  428 . When either the left button part  420   b  or the right button part  420   c  is pressed, the ribs  428  move downward at a first distance d to actuate the corresponding switch components  702   b  or  702   c.  In addition, the assembling of the circuit board  700  utilizes the through holes corresponding to the first protrusion  204  on the second surface  200   b  to inset the first protrusion  204  into the through holes and fix them.  
         [0039]      FIG. 9  is a schematic front-side view of the assembled electronic apparatus having buttons without forming gaps according to the first embodiment of the present invention. With reference to  FIG. 9 , wherein the touch pad portion  410  and the button part  420  form a flat surface in the second opening  308  of the decoration frame  300 , thereby achieving the electronic apparatus having buttons without forming gaps and the electronic apparatus can be capable of touch control function and button function.  
         [0040]      FIG. 10  is a schematic front-side view of the assembled electronic apparatus having buttons without forming gaps according to the second embodiment of the present invention. With reference to  FIG. 10 , the structure of the second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, while the only difference is that there is no decoration frame  300  in the second embodiment. Therefore, the touch pad portion  410  and the button part  420  are disposed directly in the first opening  208  of the housing  200  for the user&#39;s operation. The first opening  208  can be further divided into the first portion  208   a  and the second portion  208   b.  The touch pad portion  410  is located at the first portion  208   a  of the first opening  208 , while the button part  420  is located at the second portion  208   b  of the first opening  208 . Such design can also reach the same goal of the first embodiment.  
         [0041]     As described above, a flat surface can be formed by the touch pad portion and the button part according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, so that a simple and elegant appearance of the product can be implemented; meanwhile, the touch control and button function can also be provided. In addition, since the electronic apparatus has buttons without forming gaps according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, therefore the foreign objects can be prevented from entering into the product. Moreover, since the touch pad portion and button part of the preferred embodiment of the present invention are integrated together as a whole, therefore less molds need to be created and thus the manufacturing cost can be reduced accordingly.  
         [0042]     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.