Button assembly flush with electronic device casing

A button mechanism includes a casing, a frame, a fixing structure, a button and at least one resilient component. An opening is formed on the casing. The frame is installed inside the casing and located in a position corresponding to the opening. The fixing structure is disposed on the casing for fixing the frame. The button is installed inside the frame. The button includes a main body and an actuating portion connected to a side of the main body. The actuating portion passes through the hole on the frame as the main body is pressed down in a first direction, so as to actuate a switch. The resilient component is installed inside the frame, and two ends of the resilient component contact against an inner side of the frame and the main body respectively, so as to drive the button to move in a direction opposite to the first direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a button mechanism, and more specifically, to a button mechanism with easy assembly and reworking capability.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A button of a laptop computer in the marketplace is often designed with an elastic arm structure connected to a structure component of a case in a heat melt manner, so that the button can be pressed and rebound back. For example, a mechanical design integrates a bezel and a button via an elastic structure disclosed in U.S. patent Publication No. 2009/0217719. However, if the button connected to the structure component in a heat melt manner needs to be replaced, such as appearance of the button being scratched in transportation or assembly, because the button cannot be detached directly, that is the button has no capability of reworking, the whole case with the structure component needs to be replaced. As a result, it causes waste in cost and inconvenience of assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is to provide a button mechanism with easy assembly and reworking capability to solve above problems.

According to the disclosure, the button mechanism includes a casing, a frame, a fixing structure, a button and at least one resilient component. An opening is formed on the casing. The frame is installed inside the casing and located in a position corresponding to the opening, and a hole is formed on the frame. The fixing structure is disposed on the casing for fixing the frame. The button is installed inside the frame and located in a position corresponding to the opening. The button includes a main body and an actuating portion. The actuating portion is connected to a side of the main body, and the actuating portion is passing through the hole on the frame as the main body is pressed in a first direction, so as to actuate a switch. The at least one resilient component is installed inside the frame, and two ends of the at least one resilient component contacts against an inner side of the frame and the main body respectively, so as to drive the button to move in a direction opposite to the first direction.

According to the disclosure, at least one engaging hole is formed on a lateral wall of the frame, and the fixing structure includes at least one hook for engaging with the at least one engaging hole, so as to constrain a movement of the frame in the first direction.

According to the disclosure, the fixing structure further includes at least one protruding rib disposed at a side of the opening, and the at least one protruding rib is for constraining a movement of the main body of the button in a direction vertical to the first direction.

According to the disclosure, the at least one hook is connected to a side of the at least one protruding rib far away from the opening.

According to the disclosure, the frame includes at least one guiding portion, the button further includes an extension portion and at least one constraining portion, the extension portion is connected to a side of the main body for contacting against an inner side of the casing as the at least one resilient component drives the button to move in the direction opposite to the first direction so as to prevent the button from separating from the opening, the at least one constraining portion is connected to the extension portion and installed inside the at least one guiding portion, and the at least one guiding portion of the frame is for guiding the at least one constraining portion to move in the first direction.

According to the disclosure, the at least one guiding portion and the at least one constraining portion are respectively a U-shaped guiding track and an extension rib.

According to the disclosure, as the extension portion contacts against the inner side of the casing, a surface of the main body of the button is substantially aligned with an outer surface of the casing.

According to the disclosure, at least one aperture is further formed on the frame, the button further includes at least one guiding pillar connected to the side of the main body via passing through the at least one aperture, and the at least one resilient component sheathes the at least one guiding pillar.

According to the disclosure, an electronic device includes a circuit board, a button mechanism. A switch is disposed on the circuit board. The button mechanism is for actuating the switch. The button mechanism includes a casing, a frame, a fixing structure, a button and at least one resilient component. An opening is formed on the casing. The frame is installed inside the casing and located in a position corresponding to the opening, and a hole is formed on the frame. The fixing structure is disposed on the casing for fixing the frame. The button is installed inside the frame and located in a position corresponding to the opening. The button includes a main body and an actuating portion. The actuating portion is connected to a side of the main body, and the actuating portion is passing through the hole on the frame as the main body is pressed in a first direction, so as to actuate a switch. The at least one resilient component is installed inside the frame, and two ends of the at least one resilient component contacts against an inner side of the frame and the main body respectively, so as to drive the button to move in a direction opposite to the first direction.

The button mechanism of the present invention utilizes the detachable frame to fasten the button inside the casing and utilizes the resilient component contacting against the frame and the button to provide the button with a pressing and returning mechanism, so as to improve the problem of no reworking capability of a conventional mechanism with a flexible arm structure connected to the casing in a heat melt manner. That is, it only needs to detach the frame and install a new button without replacing any other appearance component of the casing when replacing the old button, so as to save assembly cost efficiently and increase assembly convenience.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Please refer toFIG. 1.FIG. 1is a diagram of an electronic device50according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electronic device50can be a computer device, such as a notebook computer. The electronic device50includes a button mechanism52to generate a corresponding ON or OFF signal as being pressed by users. The button mechanism52can be a power switch mechanism. Please refer toFIG. 2.FIG. 2is an exploded diagram of the button mechanism52according to the embodiment of the present invention. The electronic device50further includes a circuit board54, and the button mechanism52is for pressing and actuating a switch component on the circuit board54, so as to generate the corresponding ON or OFF signal. The button mechanism52includes a casing56, a frame58, a fixing structure60, a button62and at least one resilient component64. An opening561is formed on the casing56, and the casing56can be an appearance component of the electronic device50. Please refer toFIG. 2andFIG. 3.FIG. 3is a diagram of the frame58according to the embodiment of the present invention. The frame58is installed inside the casing56and located in a position corresponding to the opening561. A hole581, at least one aperture583, at least one engaging hole585, and at least one guiding portion587are formed on the frame58.

The fixing structure60is disposed on the casing56for fixing the frame58. For example, the fixing structure60can include at least one hook601for engaging with the at least one engaging hole585on the frame58, so as to constrain a movement of the frame58in a first direction (+X direction). In this embodiment, four engaging holes585are formed on lateral walls of the frame58for engaging with the four hooks601respectively. Positions and amounts of the engaging hole585and the hook601are not limited to this embodiment, and it depends on practical design demands. In addition, the fixing structure60further includes at least one protruding rib603disposed at a side of the opening561, and the at least one protruding rib603is for constraining a movement of the button62in directions (Y direction and Z direction) vertical to the first direction (+X direction), so that the button62does not sway on a Y-Z plane of an inner side of the casing56in operation. In this embodiment, the fixing structure60includes two protruding rib603disposed at two sides of the opening561respectively. Each hook601is connected to a side of the corresponding protruding rib603far away from the opening561. Positions and amounts of the protruding rib603are not limited to this embodiment, and it depends on practical design demands.

Moreover, the button62is installed inside the frame58and located in the position corresponding to the opening561. The button62includes a main body621, an actuating portion623, at least one guiding pillar625, an extension portion627, and at least one constraining portion629. The main body621is disposed on the position corresponding to the opening561, and the users can press the main body621to operate the button mechanism52. The actuating portion623is connected to aside of the main body621. The actuating portion623can be a protruding pillar structure and pass through the hole581of the frame58as the main body621is pressed downward in the first direction (+X direction). The guiding pillar625is connected to the side of the main body621for passing through the corresponding aperture583, so as to guide the button62to move stably relative to the frame58in the first direction (+X direction) with combination of the guiding pillar625and the aperture583. As a result, it can ensure the button62does not sway on the Y-Z plane of the inner side of the casing56as the button62is in operation. In this embodiment, the button mechanism52includes two sets of the guiding pillars625and the apertures583disposed at two sides of the actuating portion623and the hole581symmetrically. Positions and amounts of the guiding pillar625and the aperture583are not limited to this embodiment, and it depends on practical design demands.

In addition, the extension portion627is connected to the side of the main body621. That is, the extension portion627can be a skirt structure connected to the main body621. The extension portion627is for contacting against the inner side of the casing56as the extension portion627moves in a direction (−X direction) opposite to the first direction, so as to prevent the button62from separating from the opening561. As the extension portion627is contacting against the inner side of the casing56, a surface of the main body621of the button62can be designed to substantially align with an outer surface of the casing56, so as to maintain uniformity of overall appearance of the button mechanism52without any step. The constraining portion629is connected to the extension portion627and installed inside the guiding portion587of the frame58. The guiding portion587is for guiding the constraining portion629to move in the first direction (+X direction), so that the button62does not sway on the Y-Z plane of the inner side of the casing56as the button62is in operation. The guiding portion587and the constraining portion629can respectively be a U-shaped guiding track and an extension rib extending from the extension portion627. In this embodiment, the button mechanism52includes two sets of the guiding portions587and the constraining portions629. Positions and amounts of the guiding portion587and the constraining portion629are not limited to this embodiment, and it depends on practical design demands. Furthermore, the resilient component64can be a spring component and can sheathe the corresponding guiding pillar625. Two ends of the resilient component64contact against an inner side of the frame58and the main body621of the button62respectively, so as to support the button62as the button62has not been pressed downward yet. Besides, the resilient component64can sheathe the actuating portion623selectively and can be further for driving the button62in the −X direction to restore the button62.

Please refer toFIG. 4toFIG. 7.FIG. 4andFIG. 5are assembly diagrams of the button mechanism52according to the embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 6andFIG. 7are sectional views of the button mechanism52in different states according to the embodiment of the present invention. As for assembly of the button mechanism52, as shown inFIG. 4, the resilient component64sheathes the guiding pillar625of the button62first, and a combination of the button62and the resilient component64is installed inside the fixing structure60and on the casing56. That is, the protruding rib603of the fixing structure60can be disposed around the main body621of the button62and constrain the main body621from shifting on the Y-Z plane. The button62is assembled at the inner side of the casing56, so that it can prevent the assembly of the button62from scratching the outer surface of the casing56, so as to increase the production yield rate. Next, as shown inFIG. 5, the frame58can be installed around the button62and the resilient component64in the −X direction, so as to protect the button62and the resilient component64. At this time, the engaging hole585of the frame58is engaged with the hook601of the fixing structure60, the actuating portion623of the button62is aligned to the hole581of the frame58, the guiding pillar625passes through the aperture583of the frame58, the constraining portion629of the button62is installed inside the guiding portion587of the frame58, and the two ends of the resilient component64contact against the inner side of the frame58and the main body621of the button62respectively.

When users press the main body621of the button62in the X direction for switching a state of the button mechanism52inFIG. 6to a state of the button mechanism52inFIG. 7, the actuating portion623of the button62is driven to pass through the hole581of the frame58in the X direction, so as to actuate a switch541on the circuit board54to generate the corresponding ON or OFF signal. At this time, the guiding pillar625passes through the aperture583of the frame58and does not interfere with the frame58structurally, and the main body621of the button62presses the resilient component64in the X direction, so that the resilient component64is compressed. When users finish pressing the main body621of the button62and release the button62, the resilient component64provides the main body621of the button62with a resilient restoring force to drive the button62to move in the −X direction, so as to return the button62to a position illustrated inFIG. 6. And the extension portion627also moves in the −X direction to contact against the inner side of the casing56, so as to prevent the button62from separating from the opening561. When the extension portion627contacts against the inner side of the casing56, the surface of the main body621of the button62substantially aligns with the outer surface of the casing56, so as to maintain the uniformity of overall appearance of the button mechanism52without any step. As a result, an operation of the button mechanism52has been described above in detail.

In contrast to the prior art, the button mechanism of the present invention utilizes the detachable frame to fasten the button inside the casing and utilizes the resilient component contacting against the frame and the button to provide the button with a pressing and returning mechanism, so as to improve the problem of no reworking capability of a conventional mechanism with a flexible arm structure connected to the casing in a heat melt manner. That is, it only needs to detach the frame and install a new button without replacing any other appearance component of the casing when replacing the old button, so as to save assembly cost efficiently and increase assembly convenience.