Electronic apparatus

• US 20070144885A1
• Filed: 10/05/2006
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Yasuyuki, Miura, Yosuke, Nakatani, Masato
• Granted Patent: US 7,544,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/520
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/14 Operating parts, e.g. push-button
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/01 Off centre actuation

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a housing and a button. The housing contains a switch. The button is arranged in the housing, opposed to the switch and configured to operate the switch. The switch is positioned off a center of the button.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing which includes an opening;

a switch which is arranged in the housing;

an arm support which is provided in the housing; and

a button which includes an arm secured at one end portion to the arm support, and a button body exposed outside the housing through the opening, supported by the arm and configured to move to operate the switch,

wherein the switch is arranged farther from the arm support than from a center of the button body.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, which further comprises another arm support provided in a line crossing a line extending from the opening toward the arm support, and wherein the button includes another arm secured at one end portion to the other arm support, supporting the button body and allowing the button body to move, and the switch is arranged farther from the other arm support than from the center of the button body.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the other arm support is provided in a line extending at right angles to the line extending from the opening toward the arm support.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the switch is arranged at substantially a midpoint between a center of the button body and an edge of the opening.

5. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing which includes an opening;

a switch which is arranged in the housing;

an arm support which is provided in the housing; and

a button which includes an arm having elasticity and secured at one end portion to the arm support, and a button body exposed outside the housing through the opening, supported by the arm and configured to move to operate the switch,

wherein the switch faces that part of the button body which moves down more than a center part of the button body when the button is pushed.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 5, which further comprises another arm support provided in a line crossing a line extending from the opening toward the arm support, and wherein the button includes another arm having elasticity, secured at one end portion to the other arm support, supporting the button body and allowing the button body to move.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the other arm support is provided in a line extending at right angles to the line extending from the opening toward the arm support.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the switch is arranged at substantially a midpoint between a center of the button body and an edge of the opening.

9. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing which contains a switch; and

a button which is arranged in the housing, opposed to the switch and configured to operate the switch,

wherein the switch is positioned off a center of the button.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the button includes a support part which is supported by the housing, and the switch is positioned off the center in a direction which separates from the support part.

11. The electronic apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the button includes another support part which extends in a line which crosses a line extending from a center part of the button to the support part, and which is supported by the housing, and the switch is positioned off the center in a direction which separates from the other support part.

12. The electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the switch is positioned off the center to face that part of the button body which moves down more than a center part when the button is pushed.