Patent Publication Number: US-2016225556-A1

Title: Display device and button module thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a display device and a button module thereof, and more specifically, to a display device utilizing a triggering member to move or rotate to trigger a button circuit board for executing a corresponding function and a button module thereof. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In general, a display device (e.g. a computer monitor) usually has function buttons disposed thereon, so that a user could press one of the function buttons to control the display device to execute a corresponding function. A common button design is to dispose a button structure with a plurality of buttons formed thereon on an outer frame of the display device and then dispose a button circuit board with a plurality of switches in the outer frame corresponding to the button structure. Accordingly, the user could press one of the buttons on the button structure to trigger the corresponding switch on the button circuit board, so as to control the display device to execute a corresponding function, such as turning on/off the display device or performing brightness adjustment of the display device. 
     However, since the plurality of buttons on the button structure usually needs to be manufactured by a specific mold, the aforesaid design could cause a time-consuming and strenuous button manufacturing process. Furthermore, since the button circuit board needs to be fixed to the outer frame in a screw locking manner, the aforesaid design could also result in a complicated button assembly process. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a display device including a casing, a device body, and a button module. The device body is disposed in the casing. The button module is disposed on the casing. The button module includes a button circuit board and a triggering member. The button circuit board is electrically connected to the device body. The triggering member is movably or rotatably disposed at a side of the button circuit board for moving or rotating to trigger the button circuit board so as to control the device body to execute a corresponding function. 
     The present invention further provides a button module disposed on a casing of a display device. The button module includes a button circuit board and a triggering member. The button circuit board is electrically connected to the display device. The triggering member is movably or rotatably disposed at a side of the button circuit board for moving or rotating to trigger the button circuit board so as to control the display device to execute a corresponding function. 
     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 a diagram of a display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded diagram of a button module in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of a button circuit board in  FIG. 2  being fixed to a casing. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of a triggering member in  FIG. 1  sliding along a sliding slot to a position corresponding to a mark M. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram of a display device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded diagram of a button module and the casing in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram of a display device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a partial diagram of a casing in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram of a button module in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 10  is a partial internal diagram of the display device in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 11  is a diagram of a display device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a diagram of a button module in  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 13  is a diagram of a display device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is an exploded diagram of a button module in  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 15  is a diagram of a U-shaped button in  FIG. 14  at another viewing angle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 , which is a diagram of a display device  10  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the display device  10  could be a conventional display apparatus (e.g. a computer monitor) and includes a casing  12 , a device body  14 , and a button module  16 . The casing  12  could adopt the structural design commonly applied to an outer frame of a conventional display apparatus, such as an assembly design of a front frame and a back cover. The device body  14  is disposed in the casing  12 . The device body  14  could include main components in a conventional display apparatus, such as a main board and a monitor panel, and the related description for the main components is omitted herein since it is commonly seen in the prior art. 
     More detailed description for the design of the button module  16  is provided as follows. Please refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is an exploded diagram of the button module  16  in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the button module  16  is disposed on the casing  12  for a user to perform a button sliding operation of the display device  10 . The button module  16  includes a button circuit board  18  and a triggering member  20 . The button circuit board  18  is electrically connected to the device body  14  and has a plurality of switches  22 . Accordingly, the button module  16  could control the device body  14  to execute a corresponding function (e.g. turning on/off the display device  10  or opening a function menu of the display device  10 ) when one of the switches  22  is pressed by the user. As for the fixing design of the button circuit board  18  and the casing  12 , it could be as shown in  FIG. 3 , which is a diagram of the button circuit board  18  in  FIG. 2  being fixed to the casing  12 . The casing  12  is depicted partially in  FIG. 3  for clearly showing the fixing design of the button circuit board  18  and the casing  12 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , in this embodiment, the casing  12  could have at least one hook structure  13  (three shown in  FIG. 3 , but not limited thereto). The hook structure  13  is engaged with the button circuit board  18  for fixing the button circuit board  18  on the casing  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the triggering member  20  could be a sliding button and could have a protruding structure  21  formed toward the button circuit board  18  for triggering the switch  22 , but not limited thereto, meaning that the triggering member  20  could adopt other triggering structural design. A sliding slot  15  is formed on the casing  12 . The triggering member  20  is movably inserted into the sliding slot  15 , so that the user could push the triggering member  15  to slide along the sliding slot  15  for triggering the switch  22  on the button circuit board  18 . 
     For example, please refer to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 , and  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is a diagram of the triggering member  20  in  FIG. 1  sliding along the sliding slot  15  to a position corresponding to a mark M. When the user wants to open a function menu of the display device  10  (i.e. a function corresponding to the mark M), the user just needs to push the triggering member  20  along the sliding slot  15  from a position as shown in  FIG. 1  to a position as shown in  FIG. 4 , and then presses the triggering member  20 . At this time, since the triggering member  20  is aligned with the switch  22  corresponding to the mark M on the button circuit board  18 , the protruding structure  21  of the triggering member  20  could trigger the switch  22  corresponding to the mark M when the user presses the triggering member  20 . Accordingly, the device body  14  could be controlled to execute the function corresponding to the mark M (i.e. opening the function menu), so that the user could perform the subsequent operations of the display device  10  (e.g. brightness adjustment of the display device  10 ). In such a manner, via the aforesaid design that the switch  22  on the button circuit board  18  could be triggered by only one triggering member  20 , the present invention could efficiently solve the prior art problem that the button manufacturing process is time-consuming and strenuous. Furthermore, since the present invention adopts the aforesaid structural engagement design to replace a screw locking design for fixing the button circuit board  18  on the casing  12 , the present invention could also simplify the button assembly process of the display device  10 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 5 , which is a diagram of a display device  100  according to a second embodiment of the present invention. For clearly showing a button module  102 , the casing  12  and the device body  14  are depicted partially in  FIG. 5 . Components both mentioned in the second embodiment and the first embodiment represent components with similar functions or structures, and the related description is omitted herein. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the display device  100  includes the casing  12 , the device body  14 , and the button module  102 . More detailed description for the button module  102  is provided as follows. Please refer to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 6  is an exploded diagram of the button module  102  and the casing  12  in  FIG. 5 . The casing  12  is depicted partially in  FIG. 6  for clearly showing the structural design of the button module  102 . As shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , the button module  102  is disposed in the casing  12  and includes a button circuit board  104  and a triggering member  106 . The button circuit board  104  is electrically connected to the device body  14 . Accordingly, by triggering the button circuit board  104  (e.g. triggering switches of the button circuit board  104 ) , the button module  102  could control the device body  14  to execute a corresponding function, such as turning on/off the display device  100  or opening a function menu of the display device  100 . 
     In this embodiment, the triggering member  106  could be a rotatable button, so that the user could rotate the triggering member  106  to trigger the button circuit board  104 . To be more specific, in this embodiment, the triggering member  106  could include a button body  108  and a rotatable plate  110 . The button body  108  is pivoted to the button circuit board  104 . The rotatable plate  110  sleeves the button body  108  and a periphery  111  of the rotatable plate  110  is exposed from the casing  12  (as shown in  FIG. 5 ), so that the user could conveniently rotate the button body  108  via the rotatable plate  110  for triggering the button circuit board  104 . To be noted, the rotatable plate  110  could be an omissible component. For example, in another embodiment that a rotatable button is pivoted to the button circuit board  104  and a periphery of the rotatable button is directly exposed from the casing  12 , the user could directly rotate the periphery of the rotatable button to make the rotatable button rotate to trigger the button circuit board  104  for controlling the device body  14  to execute a corresponding function. 
     In practical application, the button module  102  could further include a fixing frame  112 . The fixing frame  112  could be fixed on the casing  12  via the structural engagement design aforementioned in the first embodiment, and could have a containing space  113  formed thereon. Accordingly, the containing space  113  could be used for containing the rotatable button (including the button body  108  and the rotatable plate  110 ) and the button circuit board  104 , so as to achieve the purpose that the button body  108 , the rotatable plate  110 , and the button circuit board  104  could be fixed on the casing  12  steadily via the fixing frame  112 . 
     When the user wants to open a function menu of the display device  100  (i.e. a function corresponding to the mark M as shown in  FIG. 5 ), the user just needs to rotate the periphery  111  of the rotatable plate  110  for making the rotatable button  108  trigger the button circuit board  104 . To be noted, the display device  100  could adopt a conventional indication method (e.g. lighting the mark M) for helping the user rotate the rotatable plate  110  to a right position. Accordingly, the device body  14  could be controlled to execute the function corresponding to the mark M (i.e. opening the function menu), so that the user could perform the subsequent operations of the display device  100  (e.g. brightness adjustment of the display device  100 ). In such a manner, via the aforesaid design that the button circuit board  104  could be triggered by only one triggering member  106 , the present invention could efficiently solve the prior art problem that the button manufacturing process is time-consuming and strenuous. Furthermore, since the present invention adopts the structural engagement design aforementioned in the first embodiment to replace a screw locking design for fixing the button circuit board  104  on the casing  12 , the present invention could also simplify the button assembly process of the display device  100 . As for how to trigger the button circuit board  104  by the button body  108 , the present invention could adopt a conventional triggering design (e.g. a point-to-point triggering design), and the related description is omitted herein since it is commonly seen in the prior art. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 7 , which is a diagram of a display device  200  according to a third embodiment of the present invention. For clearly showing a button module  204 , a casing  202  and the device body  14  are depicted partially in  FIG. 7 . Components both mentioned in the third embodiment and the aforesaid embodiments represent components with similar functions or structures, and the related description is omitted herein. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the display device  200  includes the casing  202 , the device body  14 , and the button module  204 . More detailed description for the casing  202  and the button module  204  is provided as follows. Please refer to  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 8 ,  FIG. 9 , and  FIG. 10 .  FIG. 8  is a partial diagram of the casing  202  in  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 9  is a diagram of the button module  204  in  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 10  is a partial internal diagram of the display device  200  in  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 8 ,  FIG. 9 , and  FIG. 10 , the casing  202  has at least one positioning pillar  203  (six shown in  FIG. 8 , but not limited thereto). The button module  204  includes a button structure  206  and a button circuit board  208 . The button structure  206  has a plurality of buttons  210  and a bridge portion  212 . The button circuit board  208  is electrically connected to the device body  14  and has a plurality of switches  214 . The plurality of buttons  210  extends from the bridge portion  212  corresponding to the plurality of switches  214  and protrudes from the casing  202 . The bridge portion  212  has positioning holes  213  corresponding to the positioning pillars  203  respectively. The positioning hole  213  is used for sleeving the corresponding positioning pillar  203  in a tight fitting manner, so as to fix the button structure  208  on the casing  202 . Accordingly, the user could press one of the buttons  210  protruding from the casing  202  to trigger the corresponding switch  214  for controlling the device body  14  to execute a corresponding function, such as turning on/off the display device  200  or opening a function menu of the display device  200 . 
     In such a manner, since the present invention adopts the aforesaid structural engagement design to replace a screw locking design for fixing the button structure  206  on the casing  202 , the present invention could simplify the button assembly process of the display device  200 . Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 10 , in this embodiment, the casing  202  could have at least one protruding rib  205  (two shown in  FIG. 10 , but not limited thereto) formed toward the button circuit board  208  for abutting against a rear side of the button circuit board  208 . Accordingly, via the design that the positioning pillar  203  is tightly engaged with the positioning hole  213  of the bridge portion  212  and abuts against a front side of the button circuit board  208  and the protruding rib  205  abuts against the rear side of the button circuit board  208 , the button module  204  could be fixed to the casing  202  steadily. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 11 , which is a diagram of a display device  300  according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. For clearly showing a button module  302 , the casing  12  and the device body  14  are depicted partially in  FIG. 11 . Components both mentioned in the fourth embodiment and the aforesaid embodiments represent components with similar functions or structures, and the related description is omitted herein. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the display device  300  includes the casing  12 , the device body  14 , and the button module  302 . More detailed description for the button module  302  is provided as follows. Please refer to  FIG. 11  and  FIG. 12 .  FIG. 12  is a diagram of the button module  302  in  FIG. 11 . As shown in  FIG. 11  and  FIG. 12 , the button module  302  includes a button circuit board  304  and a plurality of pressing switches  306 . The button circuit board  304  is electrically connected to the device body  14 . The pressing switches  306  are disposed on the button circuit board  304  and protrude from the casing  12 . Accordingly, the user could directly press one of the pressing switches  306  protruding from the casing  12  for controlling the device body  14  to execute a corresponding function, such as turning on/off the display device  300  or opening a function menu of the display device  300 . 
     In such a manner, since disposal of a button structure is omitted in this embodiment, the present invention could simplify the button assembly process of the display device  300 . To be noted, the present invention could adopt the structural engagement design aforementioned in the first embodiment for fixing the button circuit board  304  on the casing  12 , and the related description is omitted herein since it could be reasoned by analogy according to  FIG. 3 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 13 , which is a diagram of a display device  400  according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. For clearly showing a button module  402 , the casing  12  and the device body  14  are depicted partially in  FIG. 13 . Components both mentioned in the fifth embodiment and the aforesaid embodiments represent components with similar functions or structures, and the related description is omitted herein. As shown in  FIG. 13 , the display device  400  includes the casing  12 , the device body  14 , and the button module  402 . More detailed description for the button module  402  is provided as follows. Please refer to  FIG. 13 ,  FIG. 14 , and  FIG. 15 .  FIG. 14  is an exploded diagram of the button module  402  in  FIG. 13 .  FIG. 15  is a diagram of a U-shaped button  404  in  FIG. 14  at another viewing angle. The casing  12  is depicted partially in  FIG. 14  and  FIG. 15 . As shown in  FIG. 13 ,  FIG. 14 , and  FIG. 15 , the button module  402  includes the button circuit board  18  and a plurality of U-shaped buttons  404 . The U-shaped button  404  is integrally formed on the casing  12  (e.g. by an injection molding process) and has a protruding structure  405  formed toward the switch  22  on the button circuit board  18 . Accordingly, the user could directly press the U-shaped button  404  on the casing  12  to make the protruding structure  405  of the U-shaped button  404  trigger the corresponding switch  22 , so as to control the device body  14  to execute a corresponding function, such as turning on/off the display device  400  or opening a function menu of the display device  400 . In such a manner, since the U-shaped button  404  is directly formed on the casing  12  in this embodiment, the present invention could simplify the button assembly process of the display device  400 . 
     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.