Electronic device with power switch

A power switch includes an operating button, an elastic member, a printed circuit board, a support member, and a fixing module. The operating button includes a connecting portion. The elastic member includes a fixing portion and an elastic portion. The printed circuit board includes a main body and a contacting element. The support member includes a base portion and a receiving portion perpendicularly extending from the base portion, and the base portion defines a hole communicating with the receiving portion. The fixing module includes a cover and a contacting member formed on the cover. The connecting portion of the operating button is fixed to the main body and is received in the hole of the support member and the receiving portion. The fixing portion of the elastic member is sandwiched between the connecting portion of the operating button and the main body.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

This disclosure generally relates to electronic devices, and particularly, to an electronic device with a power switch.

2. Description of Related Art

Many electronic devices have a power switch for turning the electronic device on/off. Such electronic devices include a housing defining a receiving hole, and the power switch is received in the receiving hole. The power switch includes an operating button, a support member, a printed circuit board, and an elastic piece which is installed between the operating button and the printed circuit board. When the operating button is pressed to contact the electrical contacts of the printed circuit board, the electronic device turns on. When assembling the power switch in the housing, the operating button is inserted into the receiving hole, and the elastic piece is fixed to a surface of the operating button adjacent to the printed circuit board, and the support member is fixed to the housing, such that the elastic piece is located between the operating button and the printed circuit board and a space is reserved for allowing deformation of the elastic piece. However, in the assembly process, a technician must manually align the operating button with the elastic piece, which is time consuming and often produces imprecise results.

Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG. 1, an embodiment of an electronic device100includes a housing10and a power switch30installed and positioned on the housing10. The electronic device100includes various modules for performing specific functions and features. However, for the sake of simplicity, only the module and components related to the power switch30is described herein.

Referring toFIG. 2, the housing10includes an assembly portion11and a assembly hole13defined in the middle portion of the assembly portion11. In the illustrated embodiment, the assembly portion11is substantially an elliptical depression defined in an inner surface of the housing10around the assembly hole13. In alternative embodiments, the assembly portion11may be of other shapes, such as rectangular.

Referring toFIGS. 3 and 4, the power switch30includes an operating button31, an elastic member32, a printed circuit board33, a support member35, and a fixing module37. The support member35is fixed to the housing10. The operating button31, the elastic member32, and the printed circuit board33are assembled in the support member35. The fixing module37is positioned to cover the support member35to fix the operating button31, the elastic member32, and the printed circuit board33in place.

The operating button31includes a pressing portion313and a connecting portion311coaxially positioned on the pressing portion313. The connecting portion311is assembled in the assembly portion11of the housing10. The pressing portion313is received in the assembly hole13. The pressing portion313has an inner surface3112and defines an assembly groove3113in the inner surface3112. Two positioning grooves3115are defined in the bottom surface of the assembly groove3113.

The elastic member32includes a fixing portion321and an elastic portion322extending from an end of the fixing portion321. The fixing portion321is fixed in the assembly groove3113of the operating button31. The elastic portion322extends out of the assembly groove3113. In the illustrated embodiment, the elastic portion322is made of stainless steel.

The printed circuit board33includes a main body331and an elastic arm332extending from an end of the main body331. The main body331includes a first surface3311and a second surface3313opposite to the first surface3311. The printed circuit board33further includes a contacting element3315located on the first surface3311thereof. The second surface3313forms two positioning protrusions3318corresponding to the two positioning grooves3115of the operating button31. The elastic arm332includes a connecting portion3321fixed on the first surface3311and a resisting portion3323extending from an end of the connecting portion3321away from the main body331. The resisting portion3323is bent towards the inner surface3112of the operating button31. The second surface3313is fixed to the assembly groove3113of the operating button31. Thus, the fixing portion321is sandwiched between the main body331of the printed circuit board33and the connecting portion311of the operating button31. The two positioning protrusions3318pass through the fixing portion321, and are latched in the two positioning grooves3115correspondingly. In the illustrated embodiment, the resisting portion3323is substantially V-shaped and resists the housing10.

The support member35includes a base portion352and a receiving portion353perpendicularly extending from the base portion352. The base portion352of the support member35is substantially a flat board and has the same shape as the assembly portion11of the housing, and is received in the assembly portion11. The base portion352and the receiving portion353cooperatively form a receiving space3531for receiving the operating button31, the elastic member32, and the printed circuit board33. The base portion352defines a hole351in the middle portion thereof communicating with the receiving space3531for receiving the pressing portion313of the operating button31. The receiving portion353defines a groove3533in an end thereof away from the base portion352.

The fixing module37includes a cover371and a contacting member373. The cover371is assembled in the groove3533of the support member35. The cover371defines a fixing hole3711for fixing the contacting member373in place. In the illustrated embodiment, the contacting member373is a fastener, the fixing hole3711is a threaded hole, and the contacting member373(fastener) is screwed into the threaded hole.

In the illustrated embodiment, the contacting element3315is a battery. When an external force is applied to press the contacting element3315to contact the contacting member373, the contacting element3315provides power for the printed circuit board33to generate a control signal to the control circuit of the printed circuit board33. The control circuit is capable of turning the electronic device100on/off via the control signal.

In alternative embodiments, the contacting member373may be a protrusion protruding out of the inner surface of the cover371opposite to the contacting element3315.

In assembly, the fixing portion321of the elastic member32is fixed in the assembly groove3113of the operating button31. The main body331of the printed circuit board33is positioned on the fixing portion321. The two positioning protrusions3318of the main body331extend through the fixing portion321and latch in the two positioning grooves3115correspondingly to fix the printed circuit board33to the operating button31. The connecting portion311of the operating button31is received in the hole351of the supporting member35. The elastic portion322of the elastic member32is received in the receiving space3531and is fixed to the base portion352. The cover371is assembled in the groove3533of the support member35, and the contacting member373is fixed in the fixing hole3711and is located opposite to the contacting element3315.

The fixing portion321of the elastic member32is sandwiched between the connecting portion311and the main body331. The elastic portion322is fixed to the base portion352of the support member35to generate an elastic force to drive the operating button31and the printed circuit board33to go back to their original positions. As the elastic member32, the operating button31, and the printed circuit board33are fixed together, the power switch30can be more precisely assembled and assembled in less time.

The present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments or sacrificing all of its material advantages.