Patent Description:
Embodiments of this application relate to the field of terminal technologies, and in particular, to a button and an electronic device.

At present, electronic devices such as computers and mobile phones are inseparable from our lives, can be seen everywhere in our lives, and greatly improve people's living standards. As a use requirement of a consumer constantly increases, and a requirement on the electronic device also constantly increases, a light and thin electronic device gradually attracts attention from people.

The mobile phone is used as an example. As curved shapes of a screen of the mobile phone and a battery cover of the mobile phone are increasingly common, appearance space of a middle frame of the mobile phone is severely compressed, and a side button of the mobile phone becomes a bottleneck of narrowing the middle frame of the mobile phone. In a related technology, to prevent the side button of the mobile phone from affecting a size of the middle frame of the mobile phone, a design that a virtual side button replaces a physical side button is generally used.

However, in the foregoing solution of using the virtual side button, sensitivity of the virtual side button is low, and the virtual side button is prone to failure. This greatly affects user experience. <CIT> describes a key and electronic equipment. The key is arranged on a shell, wherein the key comprises a base and a key cap arranged on the base; the base is provided with cantilevers; buckles clamped with the shell are arranged on the side surfaces of the cantilevers; the buckles are configured to allow the key to be inserted in a mounting direction when the key is mounted through a key groove in the shell; and when the key is inserted in a preset position, the buckles prop against the shell to prevent the key from moving in a direction opposite to the mounting direction. The corresponding function of the electronic equipment is realized by triggering the key. <CIT>describes a side key fool-proof device and a mobile terminal comprising the same. The side key fool-proof device is applied to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal comprises a shell,a convex rib is arranged on the side, facing the side key fool-proof device, of the shell, the side key fool-proof device comprises a side key body, the side key fool-proof device further comprises asound production alarm mechanism, and the sound production alarm mechanism is connected to the side, facing the shell, of the side key body and has an activated state and an inactivated state; in theactivated state, the convex rib abuts against the sound production alarm mechanism, so that the sound production alarm mechanism makes a sound. And in the inactive state, the convex rib is not in contact with the sounding alarm mechanism. <CIT> describes a side key of a mobile terminal, which includes a key core; key core buckles are arranged at the two ends of the key core and are buckled at the inner walls of the side key holes when the side key is assembled to the mobile terminal, thereby preventing shedding of the side key. <CIT> describes a button structure and electronic equipment. The button structure comprises an equipment casing, a button body, a sealing assembly and a touch switch; the equipment casing is provided with a button hole for mounting the button body, and the button body is clamped in the button hole and can move in the axial direction of the button hole; the sealing assembly is arranged between the touch switch and the button body, and fit to the inner wall of the equipment casing in the periphery of the button hole; and the middle portion of the sealing assembly is provided with an elastic boss in the equipment casing, and when the button body moves towards the internal of the equipment casing towards along the axial direction of the button hole, and the elastic boss is pressed, by the button body, to make contact with the touch switch.

This application provides a button and an electronic device, so that a problem that user experience is greatly affected because a button is insensitive or even fails can be avoided while an impact caused on a size of a middle frame of a mobile phone is reduced or eliminated.

According to a first aspect, an embodiment of this application provides a button, applied to an electronic device, as defined in claim <NUM>.

In the button provided in this embodiment of this application, the inner button is disposed on the back surface of the outer button, and the size of the outer button in the width direction of the button is the same as the size of at least a part of the function part of the inner button in the width direction of the button, that is, a side edge of the outer button is flush to a side edge of the at least a part of the function part of the inner button. Therefore, an overall width of the button can be reduced to a maximum degree. In this way, a size of the button in a thickness direction of the electronic device can be reduced, so that a design size of the button on a middle frame can be reduced, and an impact caused on a size of the middle frame of the electronic device can be reduced or eliminated, to help reduce a size of the middle frame in the thickness direction of the electronic device, and implement lightening and thinning of the entire electronic device. In addition, with the foregoing disposition, the following problem in a conventional technology can be avoided: When a virtualized fingerprint recognition button is used, the button is insensitive or even fails, and user experience is greatly affected.

In addition, the end of the inner button close to the outer button is partially built into the outer button, to ensure reliability when the inner button cooperates with the outer button, and avoid separation between the inner button and the outer button. Compared with the manner in which the end of the inner button close to the outer button is partially built into the outer button, the end of the inner button close to the outer button is totally built into the outer button, to ensure reliability to a larger degree when the inner button cooperates with the outer button, and further avoid separation between the inner button and the outer button. The two outer side walls of the outer button in the length direction of the button are flush to the two outer side walls of the function part of the inner button in the length direction of the button, to ensure that the size of the outer button in the width direction of the button is the same as the size of the function part of the inner button in the width direction of the button. Therefore, the overall width of the button can be reduced to a maximum degree. In this way, the size of the button in the thickness direction of the electronic device can be reduced, so that the design size of the button on the middle frame can be reduced.

The inner button further includes a first connection part, one end of the first connection part is connected to the function part, and the other end of the first connection part is connected to a middle frame of the electronic device. The first connection part is disposed, so that the inner button can be connected to the middle frame.

The inner button further includes a second connection part, one end of the second connection part is connected to the function part, and the other end of the second connection part is connected to the first connection part. The second connection part can increase connection stability between the function part and the first connection part.

In a possible implementation, a size of the second connection part in the width direction of the button is less than a size of the function part in the width direction of the button. In this way, it can be ensured that the function part serves as a unit with a largest size in the inner button in the width direction of the button, to prevent the second connection part from increasing an overall width of the inner button.

A distance between the outer side wall of the function part in the length direction of the button and the outer side wall of the outer button in the length direction of the button is less than a distance between an outer side wall of the second connection part in the length direction of the button and the outer side wall of the outer button in the length direction of the button.

In other words, the size of the second connection part in the width direction of the button is less than the size of the function part in the width direction of the button. In this way, when the outer side wall of the function part in the length direction of the button is flush to the outer side wall of the outer button in the length direction of the button, in the width direction of the button, an interval exists between the outer side wall of the second connection part in the length direction of the button and the outer side wall of the outer button in the length direction of the button, and the interval forms, on a surface of the outer button that faces the inner button, a step surface for sealing.

At least one gap is disposed on at least one outer side wall of an end of the second connection part close to the function part in the length direction of the button, so that at least a part of the back surface at a location at which the outer button is opposite to the first connection part is exposed. At least a part of the back surface at the location at which the outer button is opposite to the first connection part is exposed, and a region exposed on the back surface of the outer button may be used for sealing.

In a possible implementation, a bottom wall of the gap is an inclined surface. The bottom wall of the gap is set as an inclined surface, so that feasibility of a sealing process can be increased.

In a possible implementation, the size of the outer button in the width direction of the button is less than <NUM>.

Terms used in implementations of this application are only used to explain specific embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit this application. The following describes in detail implementations of the embodiments of this application with reference to the accompanying drawings.

An electronic device that may include but is not limited to a mobile or fixed terminal having a button, for example, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, an ultra-mobile personal computer (ultra-mobile personal computer, UMPC), a handheld computer, a walkie-talkie, a netbook, a point of sales (Point of sales, POS) terminal, a personal digital assistant (personal digital assistant, PDA), a wearable device, a virtual reality device, a wireless USB flash, a Bluetooth speaker/headset, an in-vehicle front apparatus, an event data recorder, or a security protection device.

An example in which a mobile phone <NUM> is the foregoing electronic device is used for description. The mobile phone <NUM> may be a curved-screen mobile phone or a flat-screen mobile phone. The flat-screen mobile phone is used as an example for description. <FIG> and <FIG> respectively show an overall structure and a breakdown structure of the mobile phone <NUM>. A display screen <NUM> of the mobile phone <NUM> may be a water drop screen, a bang screen, an all-screen display, or a notch screen (refer to <FIG>). The following is described by using the notch screen as an example.

The mobile phone <NUM> may include at least the display screen <NUM>, a rear cover <NUM>, and a circuit board <NUM> and a battery <NUM> that are located between the display screen <NUM> and the rear cover <NUM>. The battery <NUM> generally has a battery interface, and the battery interface (not shown in the figure) is electrically connected to the circuit board <NUM>.

In some examples, referring to <FIG>, the mobile phone <NUM> may further include a middle frame <NUM>. The circuit board <NUM> may be disposed on the middle frame <NUM>, for example, the circuit board <NUM> may be disposed on a surface of the middle frame <NUM> that faces the rear cover <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>), or the circuit board <NUM> may be disposed on a surface of the middle frame <NUM> that faces the display screen <NUM>. The display screen <NUM> and the rear cover <NUM> are respectively located on two sides of the middle frame <NUM>. The battery <NUM> may be disposed on the surface of the middle frame <NUM> that faces the rear cover <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>), or the battery <NUM> may be disposed on the surface of the middle frame <NUM> that faces the display screen <NUM>. For example, the surface of the middle frame <NUM> that faces the rear cover <NUM> may have a battery bin (not shown in the figure), and the battery <NUM> is mounted in the battery bin.

The battery <NUM> may be connected to a charging management module and the circuit board <NUM> by using a power management module. The power management module receives an input of the battery <NUM> and/or an input of the charging management module, and supplies power to a processor, an internal memory, an external memory, the display screen <NUM>, a camera module, a communication module, and the like. The power source management module may be further configured to monitor parameters such as a capacity of the battery <NUM>, a cycle count of the battery <NUM>, and a state of health (current leakage or impedance) of the battery <NUM>. In some other embodiments, the power management module may be disposed in a processor of the circuit board <NUM>. The power management module and the charging management module may be disposed in a same component.

When the mobile phone <NUM> is a flat-screen mobile phone, the display screen <NUM> may be an organic light-emitting diode (Organic Light-Emitting Diode, OLED) display screen, or may be a liquid crystal display (Liquid Crystal Display, LCD) screen. When the mobile phone <NUM> is a curved-screen mobile phone, the display screen <NUM> may be an OLED display screen. It should be understood that the display screen <NUM> may include a display and a touch component. The display is configured to output display content to a user, and the touch component is configured to receive a touch event entered by the user on the display screen <NUM>.

Still referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the middle frame <NUM> may include a metal middle plate <NUM> and a frame <NUM>, and the frame <NUM> is disposed around an outer circumference of the metal middle plate <NUM>. Generally, the frame <NUM> may include a top edge <NUM>, a bottom edge <NUM>, a left edge <NUM>, and a right edge <NUM>, and the top edge <NUM>, the bottom edge <NUM>, the left edge <NUM>, and the right edge <NUM> surround the frame <NUM> having a square ring structure.

A material of the metal middle plate <NUM> may include but is not limited to an aluminum plate, an aluminum alloy, stainless steel, a steel-aluminum composite die-casting plate, a titanium alloy, or a magnesium alloy. The frame <NUM> may be a metal frame <NUM>, may be a ceramic frame <NUM>, or may be a glass frame <NUM>. When the frame <NUM> is a metal frame <NUM>, a material of the metal frame <NUM> may include but is not limited to an aluminum alloy, stainless steel, a steel-aluminum composite die-casting plate, or a titanium alloy. The metal middle plate <NUM> and the frame <NUM> may be clamped, welded, bonded, or integrally formed, or the metal middle plate <NUM> and the frame <NUM> may be fixedly connected through injection molding.

The top edge <NUM> is opposite to the bottom edge <NUM>, the left edge <NUM> is opposite to the right edge <NUM>, the top edge <NUM> is separately connected to one end of the left edge <NUM> and one end of the right edge <NUM> at a rounded corner, and the bottom edge <NUM> is separately connected to the other end of the left edge <NUM> and the other end of the right edge <NUM> at a rounded corner, to jointly form a rounded rectangular region. A ground surface of a rear housing is disposed in the rounded rectangular region, and is separately connected to the top edge <NUM>, the bottom edge <NUM>, the left edge <NUM>, and the right edge <NUM>. It may be understood that the ground surface of the rear housing may be the rear cover <NUM> of the mobile phone <NUM>.

The rear cover <NUM> may be a metal rear cover, may be a glass rear cover, may be a plastic rear cover, or may be a ceramic rear cover. A material of the rear cover <NUM> is not limited, and the foregoing example imposes no limitation.

It should be noted that, in some examples, the rear cover <NUM> of the mobile phone <NUM> may be connected to the frame <NUM> to form a unibody (Unibody) rear cover. For example, the mobile phone <NUM> may include the display screen <NUM>, the metal middle plate <NUM>, and a battery cover. The battery cover may be a unibody (Unibody) rear cover formed by the frame <NUM> and the rear cover <NUM>. In this way, the circuit board <NUM> and the battery <NUM> are located in space surrounded by the metal middle plate <NUM> and the battery cover.

A component is disposed at the top and the bottom of the mobile phone <NUM>. Therefore, the circuit board <NUM> may include a first circuit board and a second circuit board. The first circuit board and the second circuit board are electrically connected by using a first flexible circuit board or a lead. For example, the first circuit board may be located in an upper part of the middle frame <NUM>, and the second circuit board may be located in a lower part of the middle frame <NUM>. In this way, an interface disposed at the top and the bottom of the mobile phone <NUM> can be electrically connected to the circuit board <NUM>. Certainly, in another example, that the circuit board may include the first circuit board and the second circuit board imposes no limitation. For example, the circuit board may include only the first circuit board, or may include only the second circuit board.

To implement a photographing function, the mobile phone <NUM> may further include a camera module. Still referring to <FIG>, the camera module may include a front-facing camera module 160a and a rear-facing camera module 160b. The rear-facing camera module 160b may be disposed on a surface of the metal middle plate <NUM> that faces the rear cover <NUM>, a hole <NUM> is disposed on the display screen <NUM>, and a lens of the rear-facing camera module 160b corresponds to the hole <NUM>. A mounting hole (not shown in the figure) that may be used to mount a partial region of the rear-facing camera module 160b may be disposed on the rear cover <NUM>. Certainly, the rear-facing camera module 160b may be mounted on a surface of the rear cover <NUM> that faces the metal middle plate <NUM>. The front-facing camera module 160a may be disposed on a surface of the metal middle plate <NUM> that faces the display screen <NUM>, or the front-facing camera module 160a may be disposed on a surface of the metal middle plate <NUM> that faces the rear cover <NUM>, or the front-facing camera module 160a may be disposed on a surface of the rear cover <NUM> that faces the display screen <NUM>, and an opening that may be used to expose a lens end of the front-facing camera module 160a is disposed on the metal middle plate <NUM>.

In this embodiment of this application, disposition locations of the front-facing camera module 160a and the rear-facing camera module 160b may include but is not limited to the foregoing descriptions. In some embodiments, there may be one or N front-facing camera modules 160a and rear-facing camera modules 160b that are disposed in the mobile phone <NUM>, and N is a positive integer greater than <NUM>.

In addition, a button such as a power button and a volume button is generally disposed on a side of the mobile phone <NUM>, and the button is generally located on the side frame <NUM> of the middle frame <NUM>. However, when the mobile phone <NUM> is limited by an appearance requirement, a thickness of the mobile phone <NUM> is tight, appearance space of the middle frame <NUM> of the mobile phone <NUM> is severely compressed, and a side button of the mobile phone <NUM> becomes a bottleneck for narrowing the middle frame <NUM>. In a related technology, to prevent the side button of the mobile phone <NUM> from affecting a size of the middle frame <NUM> of the mobile phone <NUM>, a design that a virtual side button replaces a physical side button is generally used. However, sensitivity of the virtual side button is low, and the virtual side button is prone to failure. This greatly affects user experience.

Alternatively, in a conventional technology, to connect an inner button and an outer button of a button, a sealing location is generally reserved on a surface of the outer button <NUM> that faces the inner button <NUM>. Therefore, as shown in <FIG>, a width L1 of the outer button <NUM> of the button in the conventional technology is generally greater than a width L2 of a function part <NUM> of the inner button <NUM>. In this case, an overall width of the button is at least the width of the outer button <NUM>, and the overall width of the button is equal to a sum of a width (for example, <NUM>) of the inner button <NUM> and sealing widths (for example, <NUM>) on two sides, that is, the overall width of the button is greater than <NUM>. An excessively large width of the button greatly affects a size of the middle frame <NUM>, and also affects lightening and thinning of the mobile phone <NUM>.

Based on this, the embodiments of this application provide a button. An inner button is disposed on a back surface of an outer button, and a size of the outer button in a width direction of the button is the same as a size of at least a part of a function part of the inner button in the width direction of the button, that is, a side edge of the outer button is flush to a side edge of the at least a part of the function part of the inner button. Therefore, an overall width of the button can be reduced to a maximum degree. In this way, a size of the button in a thickness direction of an electronic device can be reduced, so that a design size of the button on a middle frame can be reduced, and an impact caused on a size of the middle frame of the electronic device can be reduced or eliminated, to help reduce a size of the middle frame in the thickness direction of the electronic device, and implement lightening and thinning of the entire electronic device. In addition, with the foregoing disposition, the following problem in a conventional technology can be avoided: When a virtualized fingerprint recognition button is used, the button is insensitive or even fails, and user experience is greatly affected.

The following uses a specific embodiment as an example to describe a specific structure of the electronic device with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, an embodiment of this application provides a button <NUM>. The button <NUM> may be applied to an electronic device (for example, a mobile phone <NUM>). The button <NUM> may include at least an inner button <NUM> and an outer button <NUM>. The outer button <NUM> may include a pressing surface <NUM> and a back surface <NUM>. The pressing surface <NUM> is opposite to the back surface <NUM>. The inner button <NUM> is disposed on the back surface <NUM> of the outer button <NUM>.

The inner button <NUM> may be a soft rubber button, that is, a material used by the inner button <NUM> may be a soft rubber material. Specifically, the soft rubber may be formed through injection molding by using plastic, is soft to touch at a normal temperature, and is plastic whose material surface has low hardness. In an optional implementation, the soft rubber may be silica gel, for example, organic silica gel. The organic silica gel uses a silicon-oxygen (Si-O) bond as a main chain structure. Bond energy of a C-C bond is <NUM> kilocalories/gram molecule, and bond energy of the Si-O bond is <NUM> kilocalories/gram molecule in silicone. Therefore, thermal stability of the organic silica gel is high, and a chemical bond of molecules is not broken or decomposed at a high temperature (or during irradiation). The organic silica gel is high-temperature-resistant and low-temperature-resistant, and can be used in a wide range of temperatures. Both chemical and physical performance vary little with the temperature.

The outer button <NUM> may be a hard rubber button, that is, a material used by the outer button <NUM> may be a hard rubber material. The hard rubber is one of plastic materials for daily use, is a plastic material, and is hard, not durable, and easy to crack. The hard rubber contains thirty to forty percent of sulfur.

Specifically, the inner button <NUM> may include at least a function part <NUM>. The function part <NUM> is used to cooperate with a volume control component (not shown in the figure) on a circuit board <NUM>. In this way, when the function part <NUM> is in contact with the volume control component, the function part <NUM> can trigger a volume adjustment function of the volume control component.

It may be understood that a plurality of electronic components are generally disposed on the circuit board <NUM>, and the circuit board <NUM> may supply power to the electronic component. For example, a volume control component, a processor, an antenna module, a Bluetooth module, a wireless fidelity (Wireless-Fidelity, WiFi) module, a global positioning system (Global Positioning System, GPS) module, a power supply, a charging module, or a camera operation module is generally disposed on the circuit board <NUM>.

In this embodiment of this application, a size of the outer button <NUM> in a width direction of the button <NUM> may be the same as a size of at least a part of the function part <NUM> in the width direction of the button <NUM>. Referring to <FIG>, a width L3 of the outer button is the same as a width L4 of the function part.

Therefore, an overall width of the button <NUM> can be reduced to a maximum degree. In this way, a size of the button <NUM> in a thickness direction of the electronic device can be reduced, so that a design size of the button <NUM> on a middle frame can be reduced, and an impact caused on a size of the middle frame of the electronic device can be reduced or eliminated, to help reduce a size of the middle frame in the thickness direction of the electronic device, and implement lightening and thinning of the entire electronic device.

In addition, with the foregoing disposition, the following problem in a conventional technology can be avoided: When a virtualized fingerprint recognition button <NUM> is used, the button <NUM> is insensitive or even fails, and user experience is greatly affected.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment of this application, a cross section of the function part <NUM> of the inner button <NUM> may be a rectangle, a circle, an ellipse, a triangle, or the like. This is not limited in this embodiment of this application, and the foregoing example imposes no limitation. When the cross section of the function part <NUM> of the inner button <NUM> is a rectangle, the cross section of the function part <NUM> of the inner button <NUM> may be a right-angle rectangle, or may be a rounded rectangle shown in <FIG>.

In this embodiment of this application, the outer button <NUM> may cooperate with one inner button <NUM>. In this way, the outer button <NUM> may be pressed to trigger the inner button <NUM>. In this case, the button <NUM> formed by the outer button <NUM> and the inner button <NUM> may be an on/off button.

Alternatively, in some embodiments, referring to <FIG>, the outer button <NUM> may cooperate with two inner buttons <NUM>. One of the two inner buttons <NUM> cooperates with one end of the outer button <NUM>, and the other of the two inner buttons <NUM> cooperates with the other end of the outer button <NUM>. In this way, the two ends of the outer button <NUM> may be pressed to separately trigger the two inner buttons <NUM>. In this case, the button <NUM> formed by the outer button <NUM> and the two inner buttons <NUM> may be a volume button. Specifically, one of the two inner buttons <NUM> cooperates with the outer button <NUM> as a volume increase button, and the other of the two inner buttons <NUM> cooperates with the outer button <NUM> as a volume decrease button.

It may be understood that the inner button <NUM> may be electrically connected to the circuit board <NUM> by using a flexible circuit board (not shown in the figure). In some embodiments, the function part <NUM> of the inner button <NUM> may be electrically connected to the circuit board <NUM> by using the flexible circuit board.

In addition, in this embodiment of this application, at least a part of an end of the inner button <NUM> close to the outer button <NUM> may be built into the outer button <NUM>. Specifically, the end of the inner button <NUM> close to the outer button <NUM> may be partially built into the outer button <NUM>, or the end of the inner button <NUM> close to the outer button <NUM> may be totally built into the outer button <NUM>.

The end of the inner button <NUM> close to the outer button <NUM> is partially built into the outer button <NUM>, to ensure reliability when the inner button <NUM> cooperates with the outer button <NUM>, and avoid separation between the inner button <NUM> and the outer button <NUM>. Compared with the manner in which the end of the inner button <NUM> close to the outer button <NUM> is partially built into the outer button <NUM>, the end of the inner button <NUM> close to the outer button <NUM> is totally built into the outer button <NUM>, to ensure reliability to a larger degree when the inner button <NUM> cooperates with the outer button <NUM>, and further avoid separation between the inner button <NUM> and the outer button <NUM>.

In this embodiment of this application, one outer side wall of the outer button <NUM> in a length direction of the button <NUM> may be flush to one outer side wall of the function part <NUM> in the length direction of the button <NUM>, and the other outer side wall of the outer button <NUM> in the length direction of the button <NUM> may be flush to the other outer side wall of the function part <NUM> in the length direction of the button <NUM>.

The two outer side walls of the outer button <NUM> in the length direction of the button <NUM> are flush to the two outer side walls of the function part <NUM> of the inner button <NUM> in the length direction of the button <NUM>, to ensure that the size of the outer button <NUM> in the width direction of the button <NUM> is the same as the size of the function part <NUM> of the inner button <NUM> in the width direction of the button <NUM>. Therefore, the overall width of the button <NUM> can be reduced to a maximum degree. In this way, the size of the button <NUM> in the thickness direction of the electronic device can be reduced, and the design size of the button <NUM> on the middle frame can be reduced.

For example, referring to <FIG>, the two outer side walls (namely, outer side walls <NUM> of the outer button) of the outer button <NUM> in the length direction of the button <NUM> are flush to the two outer side walls (namely, outer side walls <NUM> of the function part) of the function part <NUM> of the inner button <NUM> in the length direction of the button <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG> or <FIG>, the inner button <NUM> may further include a first connection part <NUM>, one end of the first connection part <NUM> is connected to the function part <NUM>, and the other end of the first connection part <NUM> is connected to the middle frame <NUM> of the mobile phone <NUM>. The first connection part <NUM> is disposed, so that the inner button <NUM> can be connected to the middle frame <NUM>.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment of this application, the first connection part <NUM> may be a lug shown in <FIG> or <FIG>, one end of the lug may be connected to the function part <NUM>, and the other end of the lug may be connected to the middle frame <NUM> of the mobile phone <NUM>. Specifically, the lug may be of a soft rubber material. The lug is connected to the middle frame <NUM>, so that the inner button <NUM> can be connected to the middle frame <NUM>, and the button <NUM> can be fastened to the middle frame <NUM>.

Still referring to <FIG> or <FIG>, the inner button <NUM> may further include a second connection part <NUM>, one end of the second connection part <NUM> is connected to the function part <NUM>, and the other end of the second connection part <NUM> is connected to the first connection part <NUM>. The second connection part <NUM> can increase connection stability between the function part <NUM> and the first connection part <NUM>.

In this embodiment of this application, a size of the second connection part <NUM> in the width direction of the button <NUM> may be less than a size of the function part <NUM> in the width direction of the button <NUM>. In this way, it can be ensured that the function part <NUM> serves as a unit with a largest size in the inner button <NUM> in the width direction of the button <NUM>, to prevent the second connection part <NUM> from further increasing an overall width of the inner button <NUM>.

In addition, in some embodiments, a distance between the outer side wall of the function part <NUM> in the length direction of the button <NUM> and the outer side wall of the outer button <NUM> in the length direction of the button <NUM> may be less than a distance between an outer side wall of the second connection part <NUM> in the length direction of the button <NUM> and the outer side wall of the outer button <NUM> in the length direction of the button <NUM>.

In other words, the size of the second connection part <NUM> in the width direction of the button <NUM> may be less than the size of the function part <NUM> in the width direction of the button <NUM>. In this way, when the outer side wall (namely, the outer side wall <NUM> of the function part) of the function part <NUM> in the length direction of the button <NUM> is flush to the outer side wall (namely, the outer side wall <NUM> of the outer button) of the outer button <NUM> in the length direction of the button <NUM>, in the width direction of the button <NUM>, an interval exists between the outer side wall of the second connection part <NUM> in the length direction of the button <NUM> and the outer side wall of the outer button <NUM> in the length direction of the button <NUM>, and the interval forms, on a surface of the outer button <NUM> that faces the inner button <NUM>, a step surface (namely, an exposed region <NUM>) for sealing.

For example, as shown in <FIG>, a distance between the outer side wall <NUM> of the second connection part and the outer side wall <NUM> of the outer button in the width direction of the button <NUM> is greater than a distance between the outer side wall <NUM> of the function part and the outer side wall <NUM> of the outer button in the width direction of the button <NUM>.

In this embodiment of this application, at least one gap <NUM> may be disposed on at least one outer side wall of an end of the second connection part <NUM> close to the function part <NUM> in the length direction of the button <NUM>, so that at least a part of the back surface <NUM> at a location at which the outer button <NUM> is opposite to the first connection part <NUM> is exposed. At least a part of the back surface <NUM> at the location at which the outer button <NUM> is opposite to the first connection part <NUM> is exposed, and a region (namely, the exposed region <NUM>) exposed on the back surface <NUM> of the outer button <NUM> may be used for sealing.

In the conventional technology, the width of the outer button <NUM> of the button is set to be greater than the width of the inner button <NUM> of the button, that is, a sealing location is reserved on a surface of the outer button <NUM> that faces the inner button <NUM>, to perform sealing in an interval between the outer button <NUM> and the function part <NUM> of the inner button <NUM>. In this solution, the sealing location is moved to a location between the second connection part <NUM> and the outer button <NUM>. In this way, there is no need to reserve a sealing spacing at a location next to the function part <NUM>. Therefore, the width of the outer button <NUM> may be set to be the same as the width of the function part <NUM> of the inner button <NUM>.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment of this application, a bottom wall <NUM> of the gap may be an inclined surface. The bottom wall <NUM> of the gap is set as an inclined surface, so that feasibility of a sealing process can be increased.

In addition, it may be understood that, in this embodiment of this application, a size (namely, the width L3 of the outer button) of the outer button <NUM> in the width direction of the button <NUM> may be less than <NUM>. For example, the size of the outer button <NUM> in the width direction of the button <NUM> may be <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM>. This is not limited in this embodiment of this application.

In addition, a size (namely, the width L4 of the function part) of the function part <NUM> of the inner button <NUM> in the width direction of the button <NUM> may be less than <NUM>. For example, the size of the function part <NUM> of the inner button <NUM> in the width direction of the button <NUM> may be <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM>. This is not limited in this embodiment of this application.

It should be noted herein that a value and a value range in this application are approximate values, and an error in a range may exist due to an impact of a manufacturing process. Persons skilled in the art may ignore the error.

It should be noted that, in this embodiment of this application, the button <NUM> may be a volume button, or the button <NUM> may be an on/off button. Alternatively, the electronic device <NUM> may have two buttons <NUM> (referring to <FIG>). One button <NUM> of the two buttons <NUM> may be an on/off button, the other button <NUM> of the two buttons <NUM> may be a volume button, and two ends of the volume button may be respectively used as a volume increase button and a volume decrease button.

Alternatively, the electronic device <NUM> may have three buttons <NUM>, one button <NUM> of the three buttons <NUM> may be an on/off button, another button <NUM> of the three buttons <NUM> may be a volume increase button, and still another button <NUM> of the three buttons <NUM> may be a volume decrease button.

In this embodiment of this application, the button <NUM> may further include at least one button switch (not shown in the figure). The button switch may be electrically connected to the flexible circuit board, and the button switch cooperates with the button <NUM>. Specifically, the button switch cooperates with the inner button <NUM> of the button <NUM>. In this way, the button switch may be triggered by pressing or touching the button <NUM>. In addition, the button switch is electrically connected to the flexible circuit board, and the flexible circuit board is electrically connected to the circuit board <NUM>, so that an electrical connection between the button switch and the circuit board <NUM> can be ensured, so as to ensure use performance of the button <NUM>.

In addition, it may be understood that, in this embodiment of this application, there may be three button switches, and the three button switches are respectively a first button switch, a second button switch, and a third button switch. The first button switch, the second button switch, and the third button switch may be all electrically connected to the flexible circuit board, and the first button switch, the second button switch, and the third button switch all cooperate with the button <NUM>.

The first button switch, the second button switch, and the third button switch are electrically connected to the flexible circuit board, and the flexible circuit board is electrically connected to the circuit board, so that an electrical connection between the circuit board and each of the first button switch, the second button switch, and the third button switch is ensured, so as to ensure use performance of the first button switch, the second button switch, and the third button switch.

The first button switch is used to control the mobile phone <NUM> to be powered on or off. The second button switch and the third button switch are used to control a volume of the mobile phone <NUM>. Specifically, the second button switch may be used to increase the volume of the mobile phone <NUM>, and the third button switch may be used to decrease the volume of the mobile phone <NUM>.

In some embodiments, there may be two buttons <NUM> in the mobile phone <NUM>, one button <NUM> of the two buttons <NUM> may be a power button, and the other button <NUM> of the two buttons <NUM> may be a volume button. The power button may be opposite to the first button switch, and two ends of the volume button may be respectively opposite to the second button switch and the third button switch. Specifically, the two ends of the volume button may be respectively used as a volume increase button and a volume decrease button, the volume increase button is opposite to the second button switch, and the volume decrease button is opposite to the third button switch.

Alternatively, in some other embodiments, there may be three buttons <NUM> in the mobile phone <NUM>, one button <NUM> of the three buttons <NUM> may be a power button, and the other two buttons <NUM> of the three buttons <NUM> each may be a volume button. The power button may be opposite to the first button switch, and the two volume buttons may be respectively opposite to the first button switch and the second button switch. Specifically, the two volume buttons may be respectively a volume increase button and a volume decrease button, the volume increase button is opposite to the second button switch, and the volume decrease button is opposite to the third button switch.

In this embodiment of this application, at least two openings <NUM> (referring to <FIG>) may be disposed on the frame <NUM>, and the button <NUM> may be located at the opening <NUM>. For example, referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the two buttons <NUM> may penetrate through the two openings <NUM>, and an end of each of the two buttons <NUM> opposite to the frame <NUM> may be exposed.

In an optional implementation, the opening <NUM> may be disposed on one of the left edge <NUM> and the right edge <NUM>. An example in which two openings <NUM> are disposed on the frame <NUM> is used. The opening <NUM> may be located on the left edge <NUM>, or may be located on the right edge <NUM>. Alternatively, one opening <NUM> of the two openings <NUM> may be located on the left edge <NUM>, and the other opening <NUM> of the two openings <NUM> may be located on the right edge <NUM>. This is not limited in this embodiment of this application, and the foregoing example imposes no limitation.

Certainly, in some other embodiments, three openings <NUM> may be disposed on the frame <NUM>. The three openings <NUM> may be all located on the left edge <NUM>, or the three openings <NUM> may be all located on the right edge <NUM>, or one opening <NUM> of the three openings <NUM> may be located on the left edge <NUM> and the other two openings <NUM> of the three openings <NUM> may be located on the right edge <NUM>. This is not limited in this embodiment of this application, and the foregoing example imposes no limitation.

It may be understood that the structures illustrated in the embodiments of this application do not constitute a specific limitation on the mobile phone <NUM>. In some other embodiments of this application, the mobile phone <NUM> may include more or fewer components than those shown in the figure, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements. For example, the mobile phone <NUM> may further include components such as a flash. The components shown in the figure may be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

In the descriptions of the embodiments of this application, it should be noted that unless otherwise specified or limited, terms "mount", "communicate", and "connect" shall be understood in a broad sense, for example, may be a fixed connection, may be an indirect connection by using an intermediate medium, or may be a connection between the inside of two elements or an interaction relationship between two elements. Persons of ordinary skill in the art may understand specific meanings of the foregoing terms in the embodiments of this application based on a specific situation.

In the embodiments of this application or by implication, directions or position relationships are not intended to indicate or imply that an indicated apparatus or element needs to have a specific direction or be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the embodiments of this application. In the descriptions of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified specifically, "a plurality of" means two or more than two.

In the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of embodiments of this application, the terms "first", "second", "third", "fourth", and so on (if existent) are intended to distinguish between similar objects but do not necessarily indicate a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the data used in such a way is interchangeable in a proper circumstance, so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in an order other than the order illustrated or described herein. Moreover, the terms "include", "contain", and any other variants thereof mean to cover non-exclusive inclusion, for example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a list of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those expressly listed steps or units, but may include other steps or units not expressly listed or inherent to such a process, method, product, or device.

Claim 1:
A button (<NUM>), applied to an electronic device (<NUM>) and comprising at least:
an inner button (<NUM>) and an outer button (<NUM>), wherein
at least a part of an end of the inner button close to the outer button is built into the outer button;
the outer button comprises a pressing surface (<NUM>) and a back surface (<NUM>) opposite to the pressing surface, and the inner button (<NUM>) is disposed on the back surface (<NUM>) of the outer button (<NUM>);
the inner button (<NUM>) comprises at least a function part (<NUM>), and a size (L3) of the outer button in a width direction of the button is the same as a size (L4) of at least a part of the function part in the width direction of the button; and
one outer side wall (<NUM>) of the outer button (<NUM>) in a length direction of the button is flush to one outer side wall of the function part (<NUM>) in the length direction of the button, and the other outer side wall of the outer button in the length direction of the button is flush to the other outer side wall of the function part in the length direction of the button;
wherein the inner button (<NUM>) further comprises a first connection part (<NUM>); and one end of the first connection part is connected to the function part (<NUM>), and the other end of the first connection part is connected to a middle frame (<NUM>) of the electronic device (<NUM>);
wherein the inner button (<NUM>) further comprises a second connection part (<NUM>), one end of the second connection part is connected to the function part (<NUM>), and the other end of the second connection part is connected to the first connection part (<NUM>);
wherein at least one gap (<NUM>) is disposed on at least one outer side wall (<NUM>) of an end of the second connection part close to the function part (<NUM>) in the length direction of the button, so that at least a part (<NUM>) of the back surface (<NUM>) at a location at which the outer button is opposite to the first connection part (<NUM>) is exposed.