Electronic device with metallic button

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9691571-B2
Application number	US-201514715185-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2015
Priority date	Jan 22, 2015
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

An electronic device includes a housing and a button. The housing has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and defines a mounting hole passing through the first surface and the second surface. The mounting hole has an inner surface. The button is received in the mounting hole, and includes a metallic keycap and an annular buffer member. The keycap has a peripheral side surface, and defines a receiving groove on the peripheral side surface which extends around the peripheral side surface. The buffer member is composed of flexible material, sleeved on the keycap cap, partially received in the mounting hole, and partially positioned outside of the mounting hole to resist the second surface of the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and having a mounting hole passing through the first surface and the second surface, the mounting hole having an inner surface; and
a button mounted in the mounting hole, the button comprising:
a metallic keycap comprising a pressing portion with a peripheral side surface, the pressing portion defining a receiving groove recessing from the peripheral side surface which extends around an entirety of the peripheral side surface, and
an annular buffer member composed of flexible material, sleeved on the keycap, partially received in the mounting hole, and partially positioned outside of the mounting hole, a portion of a side surface of the annular buffer member positioned outside of the mounting hole abuts against the second surface of the housing to separate the keycap from the housing;

wherein the buffer member comprises a connecting portion positioned in the receiving groove, and an outer surface of the connecting portion is aligned with the peripheral side surface.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a predetermined distance is defined between the inner surface of the mounting hole and the peripheral side surface of the keycap.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the distance between the inner surface of the mounting hole and the peripheral side surface of the keycap is gradually decreased from a first end of the inner surface adjacent to the first surface toward a second end of the inner surface adjacent to the second surface.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the keycap comprises:
a protrusion portion protruding from the peripheral side surface, and positioned outside of the mounting hole; and
wherein the buffer member is fitted over the protrusion portion.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the buffer member comprises:
a buffer portion covering the protrusion portion and abutting against the second surface of the housing to separate the keycap from the housing; and
the connecting portion protruding from an end of the buffer portion.

6. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the pressing portion further comprises:
a pressing surface sinking from the peripheral of the pressing portion toward the center of the pressing portion; and
a mounting surface opposite to the pressing surface;
the peripheral side surface interconnects the pressing surface and the mounting surface.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein a mounting groove is defined on the mounting surface and adjacent to the mounting hole.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the buffer member is composed of silica gel or rubber.

Assignees

• Fu Tai Hua Ind (Shenzhen) Co Ltd
• Hon Hai Prec Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Liao Qian-Long
• Wang cong-cong

Classifications

• H01H2221/058

  to avoid tilting or skewing of contact area or actuator · CPC title

• H01H2229/046

  Multi-colour or double shot injection moulding · CPC title

• H01H2223/008

  metallic · CPC title

• H01H23/06

  Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings · CPC title

• H01H13/14 Primary

  Operating parts, e.g. push-button · CPC title