Patent Abstract:
An electronic device includes a housing and a key. The housing defines a mounting hole. The key is moveably connected to the housing, and includes a switch and a key cap engaging with the switch. The key cap comprises an operating component and an actuating component secured to the operating component. The actuating component includes a positioning component secured to the actuating component. When the actuating component extends through the mounting hole, the positioning component is deformed and cooperates with the operating component to abut opposite sides of the housing, for securing the key to the housing.

Full Description:
BACK 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to electronic devices; and more particularly, to an electronic device having a key. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Electronic devices, such as computers, DVD players and mobile phones, may have a key for receiving users&#39; operations, for example, turning on/off the power. The key includes a key cap having an actuating component, and a switch. The actuating component triggers the switch when the key cap is pressed. However, the key cap is secured to the housing by virtue of other fixing members, which is inconvenient to be assembled. 
         [0005]    Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electronic device having a key. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a partial disassembled view of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but viewed from another aspect. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a view of the key in  FIG. 3  from another aspect. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a partial assembled view of the electronic device of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an electronic device  100  includes a housing  10 , a cover  20 , and a key  50 . The cover  20  rotatably couples to the hosing  10 , and is capable of being closed and opened relative to the housing  10  by an external force. The key  50  is movably arranged on the housing  10  for receiving users&#39; operations. The electronic device  100  may be a computer, DVD player and a mobile phone. In the embodiment, the electronic device  100  is a DVD player. 
         [0013]    The housing  10  is substantially rectangular, and includes a top case  11 , and a bottom case  13  opposite to the top case  11 . The top case  11  engages with the bottom case  13  to define a receiving space (not shown), for receiving components of the electronic device  100 . 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the bottom case  13  includes a bottom wall  130  and a plurality of sidewalls extending from the bottom wall  130 . A circuit board  132  is arranged on a surface of the bottom wall  130  opposite to the top case  11 . One of the sidewalls (referred herein as the first sidewall  131 ) includes an outer surface  1310  and an inner surface  1312  opposite to the outer surface  1310 . The outer surface  1310  defines a receiving portion  1313 . The receiving portion  1313  is recessed in the outer surface  1310  and extends in a direction parallel to the bottom wall  130 . The bottom of the receiving portion  1313  defines a mounting hole  1311  allowing the receiving portion  1313  to communicate with the receiving space. The mounting hole  1311  is defined at the middle portion of the bottom of the receiving portion  1313  and extends in the same direction as the receiving portion  1313 . Two friction ribs  1314  protrude from the bottom of the receiving portion  1313  and are arranged at opposite sides of the mounting hole  1311  symmetrically about the center of the mounting hole  1311 . A mounting base  1315  protrudes from the inner surface  1312 . A surface of the mounting base  1315  opposite to the inner surface  1312  is perpendicular to the bottom wall  130 . 
         [0015]    The key  50  is movably coupled to the first sidewall  131 . The key  50  includes a key cap  30  and a switch  40  which can be engaged with the key cap  30 . 
         [0016]    The key cap  30  is slidably secured to the first sidewall  131  for triggering the switch  40 . The key cap  30  includes an operating portion  31  and an actuating component  32 . The operating portion  31  is slidably received in the receiving portion  1313 . The operating component  31  includes a first surface  310  and a second surface  312  opposite to the first surface  310 . The first surface  310  is exposed from the outer surface  1310 . A plurality of skid resisting portions  3101  protrude from the first surface  310  for increasing friction. In the embodiment, the skid resisting portions  3101  are substantially columnar. 
         [0017]    The actuating component  32  protrudes from the second surface  312  and is capable of extending through the mounting hole  1311  for engaging with the switch  40 . The actuating component  32  includes a first arm  321 , a second arm  323 , two positioning components  325  and four contacting ribs  327 . In the embodiment, the actuating component  32  is integrated with the operating component  31 . 
         [0018]    The first arm  321  perpendicularly protrudes from the second surface  312 , and includes an upper surface  3210  and a lower surface  3212  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) opposite to the upper surface  3210 . The second arm  323  is substantially an arc, and bends from an end of the first arm  321  away from the second surface  312 . An end of the second arm  323  away from the first arm  321  defines a latching groove  3230  for engaging with the switch  40 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the two positioning components  325  are secured to opposite sides of the second arm  32 . The two positioning components  325  are made of elastic material. Each positioning component  325  includes a connecting portion  3250  and a resisting portion  3252 . Each connecting portion  3250  is substantially L-shaped, and includes a first connecting portion  3251  and a second connecting portion  3253 . The first connecting portions  3251  perpendicularly extend from opposite sides of the second arm  323  and are adjacent to the first arm  321 . The second connecting portions  3253  perpendicularly extend from ends of the first connecting portions  3251  away from the second arm  323 , and extend toward the operating component  31 . The second connecting portions  3253  maintain a predetermined gap between themselves and the second arm  323 . The resisting portions  3252  are bent from ends of the corresponding second connecting portions  3253  away from the first connecting portions  3251 . The bending direction of the resisting portions  3252  is the reverse of the bending direction of the second arms  323 . The distance between ends of the resisting portions  3252  away from the first connecting portions  3251  and the second surface  312  is substantially equal to the distance between the outer surface  1310  and an end of the mounting base  1315  opposite to the inner surface  1312 . 
         [0020]    Referring again to  FIG. 2 , two of the contacting ribs  327  protrude from the upper surface  3210  and are distanced from each other. The other two contacting ribs  327  protrude from the lower surface  3212  and are symmetrical to the corresponding second ribs  327  on the upper surface  3210  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). The distance between ends of the contacting ribs  327  away from the first arm  321  is substantially equal to the vertical width of the mounting hole  1311 . 
         [0021]    The switch  40  is arranged on a surface of the circuit board  132  facing the top case  11 . The switch  40  includes a body  41  and a triggering portion  43 . The body  41  is adjacent to the first sidewall  131 . The triggering portion  43  protrudes from a side of the body  41  and faces the top case  11 . The projection of the triggering portion  43  on the first sidewall  131  substantially corresponds to the mounting hole  1311 . The shape of the triggering portion  43  matches the shape of the latching groove  3230 . 
         [0022]    Referring  FIG. 5 , in assembly, the second arm  323  extends through the mounting hole  1311 , and the two resisting portions  3252  elastically deform to allow the operating component  31  to be received in the receiving groove  1313  and to abut the two friction ribs  1314 . The triggering portion  1304  is secured to the latching groove  3230 . In this state, the two resisting portions  3252  rebound and abut the mounting base  1315 . The operating component  31  abuts the outer surface  1310  and cooperates with the two resisting portions  3252  to fix the key  30  to the first sidewall  131 . The four contacting ribs  327  make contact with the edges of the mounting hole  1311  for reducing the friction between the actuating component  32  and the mounting hole  1311 . The second surface  312  makes contact with the two friction ribs  1314  for reducing the friction between the operating component  31  and the receiving groove  1313 . Thus, the key  30  is secured to and stable on the first sidewall  131 , with the operating component  31  slidably received in the mounting hole  1311  for operating the switch  40 . 
         [0023]    Although information and the advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the present embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only; changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7