Patent Publication Number: US-2009217719-A1

Title: Key mechanism integrating a bezel and a key

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a key mechanism and a related electronic device, and more particularly, to a key mechanism capable of integrating a bezel and a key and a related electronic device. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     There are many kinds of key mechanisms for enhancing aesthetic feeling of a bezel. For example, please refer to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is an exploded drawing of a key mechanism  10  in the prior art. The key mechanism  10  includes a bezel  12 , a decoration ring  14 , a spring  16 , and a key  18 . As for assembly of the key mechanism  10 , the decoration ring  14  is installed on the bezel  12 , the spring  16  is sheathed to the key  18 , and the key  18  and the spring  16  are installed on the bezel  12  at last. The key mechanism  10  composed of four components (the bezel  12 , the decoration ring  14 , the spring  16 , and the key  18 ) has disadvantages of cost and management of many components, laborious assembly, difficulty of positioning the spring  16 , and non-uniformity of the gap between the key  18  and the decoration ring  14  resulting in decrease in aesthetic feeling of the key mechanism  10 . 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore a primary objective of the invention to provide a key mechanism capable of integrating a bezel and a key and a related electronic device for solving the above-mentioned problem. 
     According to the claimed invention, a key mechanism includes a bezel whereon an opening is disposed, a key installed inside the opening, at least one elastic structure connected to the bezel and the key, and a decoration ring sleeved between the bezel and the key and fixed on the bezel. 
     According to the claimed invention, an electronic device includes a bezel whereon an opening is disposed, and a key mechanism including a key installed inside the opening on the bezel and at least one elastic structure connected to the bezel and the key. 
     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  is an exploded drawing of a key mechanism in the prior art. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic drawing of an electronic device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  are exploded drawings of the key mechanism at different view angles according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing of a decoration ring according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an inner diagram of a bezel according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic drawing of the key mechanism having been assembled according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a schematic drawing of an electronic device  50  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The electronic device  50  can be a computer host. The electronic device  50  includes a generally key mechanism  52  for inputting switch signals. The key mechanism  52  can be a power button mechanism. Please refer to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  are exploded drawings of the key mechanism  52  at different view angles according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The key mechanism  52  includes a bezel  54 , a key  56 , at least one elastic structure  58 , and a decoration ring  60 . An opening  62  and a notch  64  are formed on the bezel  54 . The opening  62  can be a circular opening. The key  56  is installed inside the opening  62  on the bezel  54 . The key  56  can be a circular key and can be a power button. The elastic structure  58  is connected to the bezel  54  and the key  56 . The decoration ring  60  is sheathed between the bezel  54  and the key  56  and fixed to the bezel  54 . Please refer to  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing of the decoration ring  60  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The decoration ring  60  includes a body  601  and at least one hook  602  connected to the body  301 . The hook  602  can be made of elastic material. In this embodiment, the decoration ring  60  includes three hooks  602  disposed at an interval of approximately 120 degrees in an annular arrangement. The decoration ring  60  further includes a wedge  603  disposed in a position corresponding to the notch  64  for wedging in the notch  64 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 6  is an inner diagram of the bezel  54  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, three protrusions  66  are formed on an inner side of the bezel  54  and disposed at an interval of approximately 120 degrees in an annular arrangement. The key mechanism  58  includes three elastic structures  58  disposed at an interval of approximately 120 degrees in an annular arrangement and between the three protrusions  66  respectively. The elastic structure  58  can be an elastic rib. The bezel  54 , the elastic structure  58 , and the key  56  can be formed integrally. The number and disposition of the protrusions  66 , the elastic structures  58 , and the hooks  602  are not limited to this embodiment and can be designed according to design demand. 
     Please further referring to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4 , and  FIG. 6 , the wedge  603  of the decoration ring  60  and the notch  64  on the bezel  54  are for foolproof design as a positioning reference point of assembly. That is, when the wedge  603  aims at the notch  64 , each hook  602  is positioned corresponding to each protrusion  66 . When the wedge  603  wedges in the notch  64  for sheathing the decoration ring  60  inside the opening  64  between the bezel  54  and the key  56 , the hooks  602  bends due to interference of an end thereof and the protrusion  66  until the decoration ring  60  has sheathed in the opening  64  between the bezel  54  and the key  56  completely. After the decoration ring  60  has sheathed in the opening  64  between the bezel  54  and the key  56  completely, the hook  602  restores to an original situation elastically so as to wedge with the protrusion  66  for fixing the decoration ring  60  on the bezel  54  stably. Please refer to  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 7  is a schematic drawing of the key mechanism  52  having been assembled according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The body  601  of the decoration ring  60  is fixed between the bezel  54  and the key  56  stably after assembling the key mechanism  52  so as to present integral aesthetic feeling of the bezel  54 , the key  56 , and the decoration ring  60 . 
     In conclusion, the key mechanism  52  of the present invention integrates the bezel  54  and the key  56  via the elastic structure  58  for replacing a conventional spring so that there is only a need to sheath the decoration ring  60  in the bezel  54 . The key mechanism  52  of the present invention has advantages of effectively reducing cost and management of components, easy assembly, no need of positioning the conventional spring, and uniformity of the gap between the key  56  and the decoration ring  60  resulting in increase in aesthetic feeling of the key mechanism  52 . 
     In contrast to the conventional key mechanism, the key mechanism of the present invention integrates the bezel and the key via the elastic structure so as to effectively reduce cost and management of components, assemble the key mechanism easily, and keep uniformity of the gap between the key and the decoration ring resulting in increase in aesthetic feeling of the key mechanism. 
     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.