Patent Abstract:
A portable terminal includes a housing, a key member movably coupled to the housing and exposed to a side of the housing, and a board arranged to be opposed to the inner surface of the key member. The board is coupled to the housing and serves to restrain the key member within the housing, so that the key member is prevented from breaking out from the housing during the assembly process.

Full Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application claims the priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to an earlier Korean Application Serial No. 10-2012-0074386, which was filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Jul. 9, 2012, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates a portable terminal, and more particularly, to a portable terminal with a side key that is convenient to assemble. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    A portable terminal provides a variety of services including voice communication or short message transmission, a data communication function, such as Internet, mobile banking, or multimedia file transmission, and a multimedia function, such as game or reproduction of music or a moving picture while the user is carrying the portable terminal 
         [0006]    A portable terminal typically includes a keypad and a microphone as input devices, and a display device and a speaker as output devices. Recently, as a touch screen function is implemented as an input unit, a physical keypad is no longer available. However, a power key, a two-way key for volume tuning, a camera shutter key, etc. are still implemented using physical keys on a side of the touch screen devices. 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates a part of a conventional portable terminal  100  including side keys. As shown, a side key installed in the conventional portable terminal  100  includes a key member  113   a  or  113   b  inserted into a slot formed in a housing  101  and a board  115   a  or  115   b.  The board  115   a  or  115   b  is arranged in the inside of the key member  113   a  or  113   b,  and a dome switch (not illustrated) is provided on the board  115   a  or  115   b.  The board  115   a  or  115   b  is typically a flexible printed circuit board and connected to a main circuit board  111  installed within the housing  101 . 
         [0008]    The above side keys are configured such that the boards  115   a  and  115   b  and the key members  113   a  and  113   b  are independently assembled. However, there is a problem in that the key members  113   a  and  113   b  easily break out from the housing  101  during the assembly process. Some products employ an adhesive member for temporarily fixing the housing  101  and the key members  113   a  and  113   b,  for example, a vinyl tape, in order to prevent the key members  113   a  and  113   b  from breaking out from the housing  101  during fabrication. However, this has drawbacks in that material costs and working time are undesirably increased. 
         [0009]    As another method for preventing breaking-out of the key members  113   a  and  113   b,  a flexible silicon member is dual injection-molded to the key members  113   a  and  113   b,  and the silicon member is fixed to the housing  101  by a separate structure. However, there are disadvantages in that it requires an extra process for dual injection-molding the silicon member, and also it is complicated to assemble the key members with a separate structure. Furthermore, a process for fixing the silicon member to the housing, for example, an ultrasonic welding has to be added, thus generating an extra fabrication step and costs. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to solve at least the above-described problems occurring in the prior art, and to provide at least the advantages described below. 
         [0011]    Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal configured such that a side key can be easily assembled. 
         [0012]    Also, another aspect of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal configured to be capable of preventing a key member of a side key from breaking out from a housing during the assembly process while allowing easy assembling of the side key. 
         [0013]    Still another aspect of the present invention is to provide a portable terminal having a side key configured to lower the material costs, and also easy and convenient to assemble, thereby contributing an increase in the productivity. 
         [0014]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a portable terminal includes: a housing; a key member movably coupled to the housing and disposed on a side of the housing; and a board arranged to be opposed to the inner surface of the key member. The board is coupled to the housing and serves to restrain the key member within the housing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a part of a conventional portable terminal including side keys. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating a part of a portable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a partially cutaway view illustrating a side key arranged on one side of a housing among the side keys of the portable terminal depicted in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating the key member of the side key depicted in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating the board of the side key depicted in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a partially cutaway view illustrating a key member arranged on the other side of the housing among the side keys of the portable terminal depicted in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating the key member of the side key depicted in  FIG. 6 ; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view illustrating the board of the side key depicted in  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the purposes of clarity and simplicity, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted as it may make the subject matter of the present invention unclear. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating a part of a portable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the portable terminal  200  includes side keys installed on the sides of a housing  201 , in which each of the side keys may include one switch member or one pair of switch members  233   a  or  233   b  (shown in  FIGS. 5 and 8 ). In the configuration illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a first side key arranged on one side of the housing  201  includes one pair of switch members  233   a  (shown in  FIG. 5 ), and a second side key arranged on the other side includes one switch member  233   b  (shown in  FIG. 8 ). 
         [0026]    The housing  201  accommodates a main circuit board  211  inside thereof and includes slots configured to install the side keys thereto. Such a “slot” is generally formed in a form of an opening. However, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, support ribs  212   a  and  212   b  are formed on the opposed inner side walls of the housing  201  such that spaces between the inner side walls of the housing  201  and the support ribs  212   a  and  212   b  are used as the slots. That is, the side keys are disposed between the inner side walls of the housing  201  and the support ribs  212   a  and  212   b,  respectively. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 3 and 6  illustrate the side keys installed in the housing  201  in partially cutaway views, respectively,  FIGS. 4 and 7  illustrate the key members  213   a  and  213   b  of the side keys, respectively, and  FIGS. 5 and 8  illustrate the boards  215   a  and  215   b  of the side keys, respectively. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the key members  213   a  and  213   b  are configured to be directly manipulated by a user, and when arranged in the housing  201 , to be exposed to the outside of the housing  201  on the outer surfaces thereof Each of the key members  213   a  and  213   b  is formed with actuation studs  223   a  or  223   b  on the inner surface thereof. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the key member  213   a  of the first key (hereinafter, referred to as a “first key member”) is formed with a pair of actuation studs  223   a , and the key member  213   b  of the first key (hereinafter, referred to as a “first key member”) is formed with a pair of actuation studs  223   b.  The first key member  213   a  formed with the pair of actuation studs  223   a  is adapted to conduct functions, such as a volume tuning, a screen brightness adjustment, and a menu shift. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , the second key member  213   b  formed with one actuation stud  223   b  is used as a hot key for conducting specific functions, such as a power ON/OFF function, a camera mode activation, and a shutter function. Of course, the first key member  213   a  may also be provided with such hot key functions. For example, a current time notification function, a screen locking and unlocking function or the like may be provided. This is determined by properly selecting signals assigned by a designer to each of the switch members when designing a practical product, thus any combination of actuation studs can be designated to the respective key member. 
         [0031]    Meanwhile, referring to  FIGS. 4 and 7 , at an inner edge of each of the key members  213   a  and  213   b  a support piece  221   a  or  221   b  may be formed. The support pieces  221   a  and  221   b  are supported by the inner surfaces of the housing  201  to prevent the key members  213   a,    213   b  from breaking out to the outside of the housing  201 . As such, the key members  213   a  and  213   b  are arranged between the inner wall of the housing  201  and the support ribs  212   a  and  212   b  in such a manner that they can be prevented from being completely penetrated into the outside of the housing  201  or breaking out to the outside of the housing  201 . That is, the key members  213   a  and  213   b  are movable on the housing  201  within a limited range. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 8 , the boards  215   a  and  215   b  are preferably formed as substantially flexible printed circuit boards. Because the flexible printed circuit boards are relatively freely deformable in shape, the boards  215   a  and  215   b  may be easily arranged in the slots, i.e. between the inner wall of the housing  201  and the support ribs  211   a  and  211   b.  Each of the boards  215   a  and  215   b  is arranged between the inner surface of one of the key members  213   a  and  213   b  and the support ribs  212   a  and  212   b.  The switch members  233   a  and  233   b  are arranged on the boards  215   a  and  215   b  to be opposed to the inner surfaces of the key member  213   a  and  213   b,  more specifically, the actuation studs  223   a  and  223   b,  respectively. 
         [0033]    Accordingly, when the user pushes the key members  213   a  and  213   b,  the corresponding switch members  233   a  and  233   b  are actuated to produce a signal. Here, tact switches or dome switches are frequently used as the switch members  233   a  and  233   b.  However, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, because the boards  215   a  and  215   b  are arranged in the narrow spaces between the inner surfaces of the key members  213   a  and  213   b  and the support ribs  212   a  and  212   b,  dome switches, which are relatively thin, may be preferably used as the switch members  233   a  and  233   b.  Each of the boards  215   a  and  215   b  includes an operation section board  231   a  or  231   b  where the switches  233   a  or the switch  233   b  are arranged, and a connection section board  237   a  or  237   b  from the operation section board  231   a  or  231   b,  in which the operation section boards  231   a  and  231   b  are arranged to be opposed to the inner walls of the slots, more specifically, the support ribs  212   a  and  212   b,  respectively, and the connection section boards  237   a  and  237   b  are fixed to the main circuit board  211 . The connection section boards  237   a  and  237   b  may be completely fixed to the main circuit board  211  by a soldering type, and in some exemplary embodiments, may be fixed to the circuit board  211  by a connector type. 
         [0034]    Meanwhile, referring to  FIGS. 4 and 7 , in order to prevent the key members  213   a  and  213   b  from breaking out in a direction opposite to the insertion direction of the key members  213   a  and  213   b  into the slots in the state where the key members  213   a  and  213   b  are inserted into the slots, each of the side keys includes a restraint protrusion  225   a  or  225   b  and a notch  235   a  or  235   b.  The restraint protrusions  225   a  and  225   b  protrude from edges of the inner surfaces of the key members  213   a  and  213   b,  respectively, in which when the key members  213   a  and  213   b  are arranged on the housing  201 , the restraint protrusions  225   a  and  225   b  are positioned to be directed to the inside of the housing  201 . In the first key member  213   a,  on which the pair of actuation studs  223   a  and  223   b  are formed, it is preferred that the restraint protrusion  225   a  is formed at an edge of the inner surface of the first key member  213   a  between the actuation studs  223   a  and  223   b . Each of the notches  235   a  and  235   b  is formed on one of the boards  215   a  and  215   b , more specifically, at an edge of one of the operation section boards  231   a  and  231   b . Each of the notches  235   a  and  235   b  are formed in one of the boards  215   a  and  215   b,  more specifically at an edge of one of the operation section boards  231   a  and  231   b  to positionally correspond to one of the restraint protrusions  225   a  and  225   b.  As such, when the key members  213   a  and  213   b  and the boards  215   a  and  215   b  are arranged in the slots, respectively, the notches  235   a  and  235   b  will accommodate or receive the restraint protrusions  225   a  and  225   b,  respectively. 
         [0035]    The restraint protrusions  225   a  and  225   b  and the notches  235   a  and  235   b  are structures for preventing the key members  213   a  and  213   b  from breaking out in the process of the portable terminal  200 . Accordingly, it is preferred that the restraint protrusions  225   a  and  225   b  are arranged close to the bottoms of the slots when they are arranged in the slots. If the restraint protrusions  225   a  and  225   b  are arranged close to the bottoms of the slots, the restraint protrusions  225   a  and  225   b  are surrounded by the notches  235   a  and  235   b  and the bottoms of the slots when the boards  215   a  and  215   b  are arranged in the slots. As such, the key members  213   a  and  213   b  are restrained in the slots by the boards  215   a  and  215   b , respectively. 
         [0036]    Meanwhile, when the key members  213   a  and  213   b  are required to be replaced due to damage or the like, only a key member to be replaced can be removed from the correspond slot. In the process of removing the key member from the corresponding slot, the corresponding board  215   a  or  215   b  is also removed from the corresponding slot. This is because the restraint protrusions  225   a  and  225   b  move the boards  215   a  and  215   b  in the directions of breaking out from the slots while the key members  213   a  and  213   b  are breaking out from the slots. In that event, if the boards  215   a  and  215   b  are interfered with another structure or fastened to the insides of the slots, the boards  215   a  and  215   b  may be damaged by the restraint protrusions  225   a  and  225   b.  In order to prevent the damage of the boards  215   a  and  215   b,  reinforcement members  239   a  and  239   b  may be attached to the boards  215   a  and  215   b.  It is preferred that the reinforcement members  239   a  and  239   b  are attached to both sides of the boards  215   a  and  215   b  around the notches  235   a  and  235   b,  specifically, while wrapping the inner walls of the notches  235   a  and  235   b  opposed to the restraint protrusions  225   a  and  225   b , more specifically, while wrapping the inner walls of the notches  235   a  and  235   b  directly interfered with the restraint protrusions  225   a  and  225   b  while the key members are breaking out. Here, a transparent tape, a metal foil, for example, an aluminum foil or a copper foil, may be used as such a reinforcement member. 
         [0037]    Having thus described a preferred embodiment as above, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain advantages have been achieved. In particular, the portable terminal having the side keys as described above may prevent the key members from breaking out from the housing merely by arranging the key members of the side keys in the slots formed in the housing and then assembling the boards corresponding to the key members to the slots. Accordingly, the side keys can be easily installed in the narrow spaces in the portable terminal, and the decreasing of productivity due to the breaking-out of the key members in the process of assembling can be prevented. Moreover, because no separate assemble configuration or process is added or required as in the prior art which in turn reduces the assembling sequence, the present invention can improve assemblability and productivity while lowering the manufacturing costs. 
         [0038]    While the present invention has been shown and described with reference to certain embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7