Abstract:
A key button structure for entering data in an electronic device comprises a first key element and a second key element. The second key element is retained to the first key element by a retaining mechanism. The second key element has a joint positioned at a side thereof opposite to the first key element and two actuators  226  located at an opposite side thereof facing the first key element. The joint pivotably couples the second key element to a housing  10  of the electronic device.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    This disclosure relates to key button mechanisms, particularly to key button mechanisms used in a portable electronic device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Many portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, have housings with an interior compartment for receiving a printed circuit board (PCB) therein. The mobile phones usually include a side key assembly on an outer sidewall of the housing, so that user can operate the mobile phone with just one finger. However, if a slight gap is formed between the side key assembly and the housing, water and/or vapor could penetrate through the gap into the portable electronic device, affecting the circuit board. 
         [0005]    Therefore, there is a room for improved in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the exemplary housing and method making the housing. Moreover, in the drawings like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like elements of an embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of an exemplary key button mechanism. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is another exploded view of the key button mechanism shown in  FIG. 1 , but showing the key button mechanism in another aspect. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an assembled view of the key button mechanism shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the key button mechanism shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of another exemplary key button mechanism. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    An embodiment of an electronic device  100  incorporating a key button mechanism  20  is shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded view of the key button mechanism  10 .  FIG. 2  illustrates another exploded view of the key button mechanism  10 . 
         [0013]    The exemplary device  100 , which may be a mobile phone in this case, includes a housing  10  and the key button mechanism  20 . The housing  10  includes a receptacle  12  recessed from an outer surface thereof. The receptacle  12  is configured to accommodate the key button mechanism  20 . 
         [0014]    The key button mechanism  20  includes a key body  22  and one or more hermetic elements  24  mounted to the key body  22 . The key body  22 , in this embodiment, is complementary in shape to, but slightly smaller than, the receptacle  12  of the housing  10 . The key body  22  is movably accommodated in the receptacle  12  of the housing  10 . The key button mechanism  20  further includes one or more indentations  2223  positioned spacedly on an outside surface  2222  of the key body  22 , and one or more actuators  226  spacedly protruding from an inner surface  2224  of the key body  22 . The actuators  226  correspond to the indentations  2223 , respectively. The housing  10  further has one or more openings  1224  defined in a bottom wall of the receptacle  12  and corresponding to the actuators  226 . When the key body  22  is accommodated in the receptacle  12  of the housing  10  like shown in  FIG. 4 , the actuators  226  are respectively aligned with the openings  1224  of the housing  10 . 
         [0015]    A user can apply manual force to the indentations  2223  of the key body  22  to cause the actuators  226  of the key body  22  to slide toward the openings  1224  of the housing  10  until the actuators  226  pass through the openings  1224 , thus a printed circuit board (not shown) in the housing  10  is actuated. 
         [0016]    Each hermetic element  24  includes a planar board  242  and a tubular member  244  located surrounding the edge of the planar board  242 . The tubular member  244  is hermetically coupled between the key body  22  and the housing  10  such that liquid matter (e.g., water) can not penetrate a gap  38  (see  FIG. 4 ) formed between the key body  22  and the housing  10 . The tubular member  244  has a first end portion  2442  and a second end portion  2444  that is larger than the first end portion  2442 . In this embodiment, the planar board  242  is hermetically positioned on the inner surface  2224  of the key body  22 , the first end portion  2442  is hermetically positioned or protruding from the planar board  242 , and the second end portion  2444  is hermetically mounted to the bottom wall of the receptacle  12  of the housing  10 . The planar board  242  further has a mounting portion  2424  (see  FIG. 2 ) with a slot  2426  (see  FIG. 1 ) recessed therein for accommodating corresponding actuators  226  when the planar board  242  is mounted to the key body  22 . It is understood to one of ordinary skill in the art that the planar board  242  may be positioned on either the key body  22  or the housing  10  and the second end portion  2444  of the tubular member  244  may be positioned on the element that the planar board  242  is not positioned on. It is also to be understood that the planar board  242  may be omitted. In this embodiment, the first end portion  2442  of the tubular member  244  is directly mounted to the key body  22  like shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0017]    A retaining structure (not labeled) may be employed to assist the key body  22  mounting to the housing  10 . The retaining structure is illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . The retaining structure includes two spaced-apart troughs  1222  defined through the bottom wall of the receptacle  12  of the housing  10 , two retaining members  224  carried on the key body  22  extending into the troughs  1222 . A distal end of each retaining member  224  is wider than corresponding trough  1222  such that the retaining members  224  are retained within the troughs  1222  thereby assisting the key body  22  to be retained to the housing  10 . 
         [0018]    Each planar board  242  further has a hole  2422  aligned with corresponding trough  1222  when the hermetic elements  24  are positioned between the key body  22  and the housing  10 . The holes  2422  are configured to allow the retaining members  224  to pass through a corresponding planar board  242 , so that the planar board  242  can be located between the housing  10  and the key body  22  when the hermetic elements  24  are carried to the housing  10 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , in assembly, the second end portions  2444  of the hermetic elements  24  are first hermetically mounted (e.g., hot-melted) to the bottom wall of the receptacle  12  of the housing  10 . The mounting portions  2424  are accommodated in corresponding openings  1224  of the housing  10 , the holes  2422  of the hermetic elements  24  are aligned with corresponding troughs  1222 . The retaining members  224  of the key body  22  are then aligned with corresponding holes  2422  of the hermetic elements  24 , and the actuators  226  of the key body  22  are aligned with corresponding slots  2422  of the hermetic elements  24 . The key body  22  are then pushed toward the hermetic elements  24 , until the retaining members  224  pass through the holes  2422  and the troughs  1222 , and the actuators  226  pass through the slots  2426  and mounting portions  2424  to enter the openings  1224 . The planar board  242  are then mounted to the inner surface  2224  of the key body  22  by a method such as holt-melted, yielding an assembled device  100 . 
         [0020]    It is to be understood, however, that even through numerous characteristics and advantages of the exemplary invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.