Patent Publication Number: US-7916459-B2

Title: Key structure and electronic device having the key structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a key structure and an electronic device having the key structure, and more particularly, to a key structure and an electronic device having the key structure integrating multiple functions. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In modern information industry, there are many function keys on electronic products for allowing users to operate corresponding functions of the electronic products. However, the conventional functional key provides operation of a single function merely resulting in disadvantages of space occupation, cost increase, inconvenience of operation, and decrease in aesthetic feeling due to more function keys disposed on the electronic product corresponding to more functions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the claimed invention, a key structure includes a key body, a key portion disposed on the key body and installed inside a slot formed on a case of an electronic device in a movable manner, and an actuating portion disposed on the key body and synchronally movable with the key portion. The actuating portion includes two actuators for respectively actuating a corresponding electronic switch of the electronic device. 
     According to the claimed invention, the two actuators move in a same direction. 
     According to the claimed invention, the tact actuator is a protrusion protruding inward the case of the electronic device, and the slide actuator is a sunken portion on the actuating portion. 
     According to the claimed invention, the key structure further includes an elastic component connected to an end of the actuating portion far away from the actuators. 
     According to the claimed invention, the key structure further includes a support component disposed on an inner side of the case of the electronic device and the elastic component contacts against the support component. 
     According to the claimed invention, the elastic component is an U-shaped elastic cantilever. 
     According to the claimed invention, the elastic component is a spring. 
     According to the claimed invention, the U-shaped elastic cantilever is precompressed for contacting against the support component. 
     According to the claimed invention, the U-shaped elastic cantilever comprises an extending part for inserting in a recess on the support component. 
     According to the claimed invention, the key portion is disposed on an outer side of the key body and the actuating portion is disposed on an inner side of the key body. 
     According to the claimed invention, an electronic device includes a case whereon a slot is formed on, a circuit board, and two electronic switches connected to the circuit board. Each electronic switch includes a trigger. The electronic device includes a key structure including a key body, a key portion disposed on the key body and installed inside the slot in a movable manner, and an actuating portion disposed on the key body and synchronally movable with the key portion. The actuating portion includes two actuators for respectively actuating the corresponding electronic switch. 
     According to the claimed invention, a frame is disposed on an inner side of the case, the slot is formed on the frame, and the key body is installed inside the frame in a slidable manner along the frame. 
     According to the claimed invention, the electronic switches are a tact switch and a slide switch respectively, the trigger of the tact switch is a tact head, the trigger of the slide switch is a slide head, and the trigger of the tact switch and the trigger of the slide switch are triggered in a same direction. 
     According to the claimed invention, the two actuators are a tact actuator and a slide actuator respectively, the tact actuator is a protrusion protruding inward the case for triggering the tact head of the tact switch, and the slide actuator is a sunken portion on the actuating portion for containing the slide head of the slide switch. 
     According to the claimed invention, the key structure further includes an elastic component connected to an end of the actuating portion far away from the actuators, and a support component disposed on an inner side of the case, the elastic component contacting against the support component. 
     According to the claimed invention, the elastic component is an U-shaped elastic cantilever comprising an extending part for inserting in a recess on the support component, and the U-shaped elastic cantilever is precompressed for contacting against the support component. 
     According to the claimed invention, the tact switch is for turning on or turning off a power supply selectively, and the slide switch is for locking or releasing keys selectively. 
     These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  are schematic drawings of an electronic device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic drawing of a key structure according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded diagram of the electronic device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged diagram of a part C in  FIG. 4  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged diagram of a part B in  FIG. 2  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged diagram of a part A in  FIG. 1  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  are schematic drawings of an electronic device  1  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The electronic device  1  includes a case  10  and a key structure  11 . An upper covering of the case  10  is omitted to illustrate in figures for presenting the key structure  11  clearly. Preferably, the key structure  11  is disposed on a lateral surface  100  on the case  10 . The key structure  11  also can be disposed at other position on the case  10 . A slot  101  is formed on a lateral surface  100  on the case  10 . A key portion  12  of the key structure  11  is installed inside the slot  101 . A size of the key portion  12  is smaller than a size of the slot  101  so that the key portion  12  can slide in the slot  101 . The slot  101  has a first end  1011  and a second end  1012  for limiting the key portion  12  so that the electronic device  1  operates corresponding functions when the key portion  12  is positioned on the first end  1011  or the second end  1012 . In this embodiment, the first end  1011  corresponds to a locking function, and the second end  1012  corresponds to an ON/OFF function. That is, when a user pushes the key portion  12  to the first end  1011 , the keys of the electronic device  1  are locked for preventing being triggered inadvertently. On the other hand, when the user pushes the key portion  12  to an ON/OFF end between the first end  1011  and the second end  1012 , the keys of the electronic device  1  are released. A gap G is formed between the ON/OFF end and the second end  1012  as shown in  FIG. 7 . The key portion  12  is capable of sliding between the ON/OFF end and the second end  1012  for turning on or turning off a power supply selectively. The two ends of the slot  101  are not limited to correspond to the above-mentioned functions. For example, the first end  1011  can correspond to a power-saving function. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a circuit board  2  is installed inside the case  10 . A slide switch  21  and a tact switch  22  are electrically connected to the circuit board  2  and neighboring to the key structure  11 . The sliding switch  21  is located nearby the first end  1011 , and the tact switch  22  is located nearby the ON/OFF end. In this embodiment, the sliding switch  21  is for locking or releasing keys selectively and the tact switch  22  is for turning on or turning off the power supply. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 3  is a schematic drawing of the key structure  11  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 4  is an exploded diagram of the electronic device  1  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 5  is an enlarged diagram of a part C in  FIG. 4  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 6  is an enlarged diagram of a part B in  FIG. 2  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 7  is an enlarged diagram of a part A in  FIG. 1  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The key structure  11  includes a key body  13  on which the key portion  12  and an actuating portion  14  are disposed. The key portion  12  is connected to one side of the key body  13  and installed on an outer side of the lateral surface  100  on the case  10 , and the actuating portion  14  is connected to the opposite side of the key body  13  and installed on an inner side of the lateral surface  100  on the case  10 . The actuating portion  14  includes a slide actuator  17  and a tact actuator  18 . The slide actuator  17  can be an sunken portion on the actuating portion  14  for containing an slide head  221  of the slide switch  21  and includes a first plane  171  and a second plane  172  located in positions corresponding to two sides of the slide head  211  respectively for limiting the slide head  211  in locking or releasing positions. The tact actuator  18  can be a protrusion protruding inward the case  10  and includes a tact plane  181  for triggering the tact switch  22  so as to turn on or turn off the power supply. The key structure  11  further includes an elastic component  15  connected to an end of the actuating portion  14  far away from the slide actuator  17  and the tact actuator  18 . Preferably, the elastic component  15  can be an U-shaped elastic cantilever, a V-shaped elastic cantilever, or a spring. An end of the U-shaped elastic cantilever is connected to the actuating portion  14 , and the other end of the U-shaped elastic cantilever is connected to an extending part  16 . Preferably, the extending part  16  can be a block. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 6 , a frame  23  is disposed on an inner side of the lateral surface  100  of the case  10 , and the slot  101  is formed on the frame  23 . A size of the frame  23  is larger than a size of the slot  101 . The key body  13  of the key structure  11  is installed inside the frame  23  in a slidable manner along the frame  23  and synchronally with the key portion  12 . The frame  23  includes a first plane  231  and a second plane  232 , and the key body  13  is capable of sliding between the first plane  231  and the second plane  232 . 
     A support component  19  protrudes from an inner side of the lateral surface  100  of the case  10 . A recess  191  is disposed on the support component  19 , and the extending part  16  can be inserted on the recess  191 . When the key structure  11  is moving, the extending part  16  keeps inserting in the recess  191  so that the key structure  11  can slide smoothly. The key structure  11  can be installed on the lateral surface  100  of the case  10 , and the elastic component  15  is precompressed for contacting against the support component  19 . The elastic component  15  includes a first straight arm  151  and a second straight arm  152 . The first straight arm  151  and the second straight arm  152  are deformable elastically. The first straight arm  151  keeps contacting against a vertical wall  192  of the support component  19 , and elastic force provided by the second straight arm  152  can drives the actuating portion  14  to move to the first plane  231  so that the second plane  172  of the slide actuator  17  can contact against the slide head  211 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 6 . An indentation  24  is formed on the circuit board  2  and between the slide switch  21  and the tact switch  22 . The indentation  24  is adjacent to the tact switch  22 . The slide head  211  protrudes from the slide switch  21  and is contained inside the slide actuator  17 . The first plane  171  and the second plane  172  contact against both sides of the slide head  211  respectively. The tact actuator  18  is contained inside the indentation  24  and is capable of sliding inside the indentation  24 . The tact head  221  protrudes to the indentation  24  and opposite to the tact plane  181  of the act actuator  18  so as to trigger the tact head  221 . 
     When the key portion  12  of the key structure  11  is located on the first end  1011  (Hold end), the key body  13  is nearby a first plane  231  of the frame  23 . At this time, the slide head  221  of the slide switch  21  slides close to the first end  1011 . The second plane  172  of the slide actuator  17  contacts against the slide head  211  so as to actuate the hold function. That is, the sliding switch  21  locks keys of the electronic device  1 . 
     When the user wants to unlock the keys of the electronic device  1 , the user can push the key portion  12  to the ON/OFF end on the slot  101  so that the key body  13  slides in the frame  23  simultaneously and the first plane  171  of the slide actuator  17  on the actuating portion  14  connected to the key body  13  contacts with the slide head  211  and pushes the slide head  211  for leaving the Hold position. Simultaneously, the tact actuator  18  slides in the indentation  24  to the slide head  211 , and the elastic component  15  is further compressed so as to reserve elastic energy. The user can release the key portion  12  after the slide head  211  leaves the Hold position so that the slide switch  21  can release the lock of the keys of the electronic device  1 . At this time, the elastic component  15  can restore to an original condition so as to release elastic energy for pushing the actuating portion  14  so that the second plane  172  of the slide actuator  17  can contact against the slide head  211  again. 
     The user can push the key portion  12  to the second end  1012  on the slot  101  for turning on or turning off the power supply selectively. The tact plane  181  of the tact actuator  18  presses the tact head  221  for a predetermined period so as to trigger the tact switch  22  for turning on or turning off the power supply. At this time, the elastic component  15  is further compressed so as to reserve elastic energy. Then the user can release the key portion  12  so that the tact switch  22  can switch the condition of the power supply. At this time, the elastic component  15  can restore to an original so that the tact actuator  18  on the actuating portion  14  rebounds and the tact plane  181  separates from the tact head  221 . 
     When the user wants to lock the keys of the electronic device  1 , the user can push the key portion  12  to the Hold end so that the second plane  172  of the slide actuator  17  can drive the slide head  211  to move accordingly until the key portion  12  reaches the Hold end for actuating the hold function. That is, the sliding switch  21  locks keys of the electronic device  1 . 
     In contrast to the prior art, the present invention provides a key structure and a related electronic device capable of operating multiple functions just by utilizing one key in different strokes. The key structure of the present invention has advantages of space economization, cost reduction, convenience of operation, and increase in aesthetic feeling by integrating multiple functions. 
     Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.