Patent Abstract:
A key structure, and an electronic device employing the key structure, includes a housing member and a key body, and the key body is mounted within the housing member for electrically connection to a circuit board. The housing member defines at least one positioning hole; the positioning holes extend through the housing member. The key body includes at least one positioning column. Each at least one positioning column corresponds to a respective positioning hole, and each positioning column is removably received within its corresponding positioning hole to assemble the key body to the housing member.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The disclosure generally relates to key structures, and more particularly relates, to a key structure used in an electronic device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Different kinds of keys are generally assembled to circuit boards of mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), or other electronic devices by surface mount technology (SMT) or other welding method. However, mounting the keys on the circuit board may increase overall thickness of the electronic devices. 
         [0005]    In addition, the SMT assembly process is complicated and requires such high processing precision, that even minor errors may result in defective products. Moreover, during the SMT process, the welding materials used may release gases. 
         [0006]    Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Many aspects of a key structure and an electronic device employing the same 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 exemplary key structure and electronic device employing the same. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like elements of an embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a key structure, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1  but viewed from the other aspect. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of a key body of the key structure shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an assembled view of the key structure shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is an assembled cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an assembled cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show an exemplary embodiment of a key structure  100  used in an electronic device  2 , which may be a mobile phone, or a PDA. The electronic device  2  includes a key structure  100  and a circuit board  20 , and the key structure  100  includes a housing member  10  and a key body  30 . The key body  30  is mounted between the housing member  10  and the circuit board  20 , and is mounted within the housing member  10 . 
         [0015]    The housing member  10  can be a part of the housing of the electronic device  2  and defines a receiving space  12  and an opening  14  communicating with the receiving space  12 . The receiving space  12  is capable of receiving the key body  30 . The receiving space  12  includes a bottom surface  122  and side surfaces  124 . The bottom surface  122  defines two substantially circular positioning holes  126  that extend through the bottom surface  122 . 
         [0016]    The side surfaces  124  are perpendicularly connected to the bottom surface  122 , and two side surfaces  124  face each other, while the other side surface  124  is perpendicularly connected between the two parallel side surfaces  124 . The housing member  10  includes two first locking sections  128  respectively protruding from opposite side surfaces  124 . The two first locking sections  128  face each other, and each first locking section  128  includes a mounting surface  1282 . 
         [0017]    The circuit board  20  can be a printed circuit board (PCB) of the electronic device  2 . The circuit board  20  defines a through hole  22  passing through the circuit board  20 . The circuit board  20  further defines assembling holes  24  symmetrically arranged at opposite sides of the through hole  22 , respectively. The assembling holes  24  pass through the circuit board  20 . The circuit board  20  includes a plurality of contacting sections (not shown), and the key body  30  is electrically connected to the circuit board  20  by the contacting sections. 
         [0018]    Further referring to  FIG. 3 , the key body  30  includes a main body  32 , an operation body  34 , and a frame body  36 . The main body  32  is substantially a rectangular block and includes two opposite first surfaces  32   a , two opposite second surfaces  32   b , and two opposite third surfaces  32   c . The main body  32  further includes two positioning columns  321  protruding from one first surface  32   a  and a fixing column  323  protruding from the other first surface  32   a . The shape and the size of the positioning columns  321  substantially match the shape and the size of the positioning holes  126 . Thus, the positioning columns  321  can move in and out of the corresponding positioning holes  126  to releasably assemble the key body  30  to the housing member  10 . The shape and the size of the fixing column  323  substantially match the shape and the size of the through hole  22  to position the key body  30  on the circuit board  20 . 
         [0019]    The main body  32  further includes engaging sections  325 , conducting sections  327 , and two second locking sections  328 . The engaging sections  325 , the conducting sections  327 , and the second locking sections  328  are symmetrically arranged at the two opposite second surfaces  32   b . Each engaging section  325  includes a connecting piece  3252  and a fixing piece  3254 . The connecting piece  3252  is substantially a rectangular flat sheet and is connected to the second surface  32   b , and each connecting piece  3252  defines a matching hole  3256 . Each fixing piece  3254  is substantially rectangular sheet and is perpendicularly connected to the distal end of the corresponding connecting piece  3252 . 
         [0020]    The shape and the size of the fixing pieces  3254  substantially match the shape and size of the assembling holes  24  of the circuit board  20 . Thus, the fixing pieces  3245  can move in and out of the corresponding assembling holes  24  to assemble the key body  30  to the circuit board  20  in cooperation with the fixing column  323 . The conducting sections  327  may be made from copper, steel, or other metal and formed by punching and/or cutting a piece of metal. An end of the conducting section  327  elastically resists against and electrically connects to an existing switch (not shown); the other end passes through the matching hole  3256  to electrically connect to the circuit board  20 . Thus, the key body  30  is electrically connected to the circuit board  20  through the conducting sections  327 . The second locking section  328  is made from elastic material and defines a slope  3282 . The slope  3282  is located at the distal end of the second locking section  328  and faces the housing member  10 . 
         [0021]    The main body  32  further includes hinging blocks  329  protruding from the opposite third surfaces  32   c , and two hinging blocks  329  are respectively located at opposite sides of each third surface  32   c . The operation body  34  is positioned on one of the third surfaces  32   c  and is located between the two hinging blocks  329 . The operation body  34  can reliably move in and out of the main body  32  and is capable of forcing the switch of the main body  32  to turn on and off. 
         [0022]    The frame body  36  covers the main body  32  and includes a clasp portion  362  and latching portions  364 . The clasp portion  362  is substantially a rectangular sheet and covers one of the first surfaces  32   a . The clasp portion  362  defines two notches  366  located at opposite ends of the clasp portion  362 . The notches  366  are substantially semicircular and correspond to the positioning blocks  321 , so the positioning blocks  321  can be releasably received within and partially exposed from the notches  366 . The latching portions  364  are perpendicularly connected to the clasp portion  362  and are capable of clasping the hinging blocks  329  to cooperatively mount the frame body  36  to the main body  32 . 
         [0023]    Further referring to  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6 , in assembly, the fixing column  323  of the main body  32  is aligned with the through hole  22  of the circuit board  20 , and the fixing pieces  3254  of the engaging sections  325  are respectively aligned with the corresponding assembling holes  24 . The fixing column  323  and the fixing pieces  3254  are detachably mounted into the through hole  22  and the assembling holes  24 , respectively, by pressing the main body  32  toward the circuit board  20 . Thus, the conducting sections  327  resist against and electrically connect to the circuit board  20  to establish electrical connections. The positioning holes  126  are respectively aligned with the positioning columns  321  of the key body  30 , and the first locking sections  128  are aligned with the second locking sections  328 . The mounting surfaces  1282  of the first locking sections  128  then slide along the slopes  3282  of the second locking sections  328  by pressing the housing member  10  toward the key body  30 . Thus, the second locking sections  328  are removably secured to the first locking sections  328 , the operation body  34  is partially exposed from the opening  14 , and the key body  30  is mounted between the housing member  10  and the circuit board  20 . By operating the operation body  34 , the switch of the key body  30  is turned on or off. 
         [0024]    In addition, to further miniaturize and simplify the key structure  100 , the frame body  36  can be omitted. 
         [0025]    In summary, in the key structure  100  and the electronic device  2  employing the same of the exemplary embodiment, the positioning columns  321  are removably mounted in the positioning holes  126  of the housing member  10 , and the engaging sections  325  are removably mounted in the corresponding assembling holes  24 . Therefore, the key body  30  is mounted between the housing member  10  and the circuit board  20 , which allow easy and efficient assembly. Furthermore, the key structure  100  has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture, which can effectively reduce production costs. 
         [0026]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the exemplary disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the exemplary disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of exemplary disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7