Patent Publication Number: US-6667447-B2

Title: Button device in computer bezel

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to button devices, and particularly to button devices which are adapted to be incorporated into computer bezels. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Many electronic products have bezels attached to their front faces. Any typical product among a variety of electronic products has a variety of controlling buttons attached to its bezel. A contacting pole protrudes from the back of each button, for switching on the appropriate controlling circuit when the button is pushed. A spring is placed around each contacting pole, to enable the button to return to its original position. 
     As electronic products have improved rapidly, they have included more and more functions. Accordingly, more and more controlling buttons are needed on bezels of these products. Too many buttons crowd out limited space available on bezels. 
     To overcome this problem, a multi-function button device has been developed. Referring to FIG. 5, a large button  100  is attached to a bezel  200 . A face of the large button  100  forms a plurality of functional zones. A functional symbol  102  is shown on each functional zone. A through hole  104  is defined in a middle of the large button  100 , for extension of a small button  106  therethrough. A plurality of locking hooks  108  is formed at rearmost extremities of the large button  100  and rearmost extremities of the small button  106 . A contacting pole  110  protrudes rearwardly from a rear of each functional symbol  102 . Another contacting pole  112  protrudes rearwardly from a back of the small button  106 . Each contacting pole  112  has a spring  114  placed thereover. An indented receiving portion  202  is formed in the bezel  200 , for accommodating the large button  100  and the small button  106 . A plurality of apertures  204  is defined in a rearmost part of the receiving portion  202 , for extension therethrough of the locking hooks  108  of the large button  100  and of the small button  106 . The large button  100  and the small button  106  are thereby attached to the bezel  200 . Depressing one of the functional zones  102  of the large button  100  or the small button  106  drives the corresponding contacting pole  110  or  112  to switch on the appropriate controlling circuit. Unfortunately, assembly of the button device is unduly complicated. In addition, the need for a plurality of springs unduly inflates production costs. 
     A simplified button device which overcomes the above-mentioned problems is desired. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a simplified button device. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a button device which is readily incorporated in a bezel. 
     To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a button device in accordance with the present invention comprises a button, a spring and a receiving portion formed in a bezel. The button has a base, a plurality of locking hooks and contacting blocks extending rearwardly from a periphery of a back of the base, and a contacting pole extending rearwardly from a middle of the back of the base. An annular guiding sleeve is formed on the back of the base, and the spring is placed over the guiding sleeve. A plurality of apertures is defined in a rearmost part of the receiving portion, for extension of the locking hooks thereinto. A plurality of holes is defined in the rearmost part of the receiving portion, for extension of the corresponding contacting blocks and the contacting pole thereinto. An annular groove is defined in the rearmost part of the receiving portion, for accommodating the guiding sleeve. invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the attached drawings, in which: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a button device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, together with a computer bezel and a circuit board; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the button device of FIG. 1, but viewed from another aspect; 
     FIG. 3 is an assembled view of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a button device in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention, together with a computer bezel; and 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a conventional button device. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a button device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a button  20 , a spring  40  and an indented receiving portion  62  formed in a bezel  60 . A circuit board  90  has a plurality of controlling points  92  formed thereon. 
     Referring also to FIG. 2, the button  20  has a base  22 . Four locking hooks  24  extend rearwardly from a periphery of a back wall of the base  22 . Four contacting blocks  26  extend rearwardly from the periphery of the back wall of the base  22 . A contacting pole  28  extends rearwardly from a middle of the back wall of the base  22 . Each of the contacting blocks  26  and the contacting pole  28  corresponds to one controlling point  92  of the circuit board  90 . The contacting pole  28  is longer than the contacting blocks  26 . An annular guiding sleeve  30  extends rearwardly from a middle portion of the back wall of the base  22 , and surrounds part of the contacting pole  28 . A plurality of functional symbols  22   a  is formed on a face of the base  22 , corresponding to the contacting blocks  26  and the contacting pole  28 . 
     The receiving portion  62  is formed in a front face of the bezel  60 , for accommodating the button  20 . Four locking apertures  64  are defined in a rearmost part of the receiving portion  62 , for extension of the locking hooks  24  of the button  20  thereinto. Four holes  66  are defined in the rearmost part of the receiving portion  62 , for extension of the contacting blocks  26  of the button  20  thereinto. A through hole  68  is defined in a middle of the rearmost part of the receiving portion  62 , for extension of the contacting pole  28  thereinto. An annular groove  70  is defined in the rearmost part of the receiving portion  62 , for accommodating the annular sleeve  30  of the button  20 . 
     Referring also to FIG. 3, in assembly, the spring  40  is firstly placed over the guiding sleeve  30  of the button  20 . Then the locking hooks  24  of the button  20  are engagingly extended into the corresponding locking apertures  64  of the receiving portion  62 . The contacting blocks  26  and the contacting pole  28  extend into the corresponding holes  66  and the through hole  68  respectively. The guiding sleeve  30  is accommodated in the annular groove  70 . The button  20  is thereby attached to the bezel  60 . In operation, one of the functional symbols is depressed to switch on the corresponding controlling point  92  of the circuit board  90 , thereby obtaining the desired function. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, a button device  20 ′ in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention comprises a main button  202 , and a middle button  201  inserted into a central hole  23  of the main button  202 . Locking hooks  24 ′ and contacting blocks  26 ′ of the main button  202  are the same as the locking hooks  24  and the contacting blocks  26  of the button  20  of the preferred embodiment. An annular sleeve  30 ′ is rearwardly formed from a periphery of the central hole  30 ′, and partly accommodated in an annular groove  70 ′ of a computer bezel  60 ′. A big spring  40 ′ is partly placed around the annular sleeve  30 ′. The middle button  201  has a plurality of locking hooks  24 ′ engaging in corresponding locking apertures  64 ′ of the bezel  60 ′. A contacting pole  28 ∝ extends rearwardly from the middle button  201  and into a corresponding through hole  68 ′ of the bezel  60 ′. A small spring  42  is placed over the contacting pole  28 ′. A plurality of functional symbols  22   a ′ is formed on a face of the main button  202  and the middle button  201 , corresponding to the contacting blocks  26 ′ and the contacting pole  28 ′. 
     It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.