ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20150212543A1
• Filed: 01/29/2014
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Chien, Shih-Po, Lo, Pi-Lin, Lin, Yen-Cheng, Chang, Chia-Huan
• Application Number:
  US14/166,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20150212543A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/9602 characterised by the type or shape of the sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960775 Emitter-receiver or "fringe" type detection, i.e. one or more field emitting electrodes and corresponding one or more receiving electrodes

Abstract

An electronic device including a casing, a conductor and a touch module is provided. The casing has an appearance surface and an opening extending to the appearance surface. The conductor is disposed in the opening and is exposed by the appearance surface, and is electrically isolated to the casing. The touch module is disposed within the casing and is electrically connected to the conductor to construct a touch key.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a casing, having an appearance surface and an opening extending to the appearance surface;

a conductor, disposed in the opening and exposed by the appearance surface, and electrically isolated to the casing; and

a touch module, disposed within the casing, and electrically connected to the conductor to construct a touch key.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a material of the casing comprises metal, and a material of the conductor comprises metal.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the appearance surface and a surface of the conductor exposed by the appearance surface are able to have a step so that a position of the touch key is able to be felt through a finger.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a contour of the opening at the appearance surface is conformal to a contour of the conductor at the appearance surface.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an isolation part, disposed between the opening and the conductor to isolate the conductor from the casing.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the casing is conductive, and the isolation part is insulative for electrically isolating the conductor from the casing.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the isolation part extends to the opening and is exposed by the appearance surface, and the appearance surface and a surface of the isolation part exposed by the appearance surface are able to have a step difference so that a position of the touch key is able to be felt through a finger.

8. The electronic device as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

a light emitting element, disposed within the casing to emit light, wherein the isolation part has light transparency to guide the light emitted by the light emitting element to surrounding of the conductor at the appearance surface.

9. The electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the conductor has at least one reflective surface for guiding the light emitted by the light emitting element to surrounding of the conductor at the appearance surface.

10. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the touch module further comprises:

a circuit board, disposed within the casing and electrically connected to the conductor.

11. The electronic device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a conductive pad, disposed between the conductor and the circuit board to electrically connect the conductor and the circuit board.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the circuit board has a first pad and a second pad, the conductor is electrically connected to the first pad, and the casing has conductivity and is electrically connected to the second pad.

13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the casing has a protrusion, and the protrusion leans against the second pad.

14. The electronic device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a controller, disposed on the circuit board and electrically connected to the first pad and the second pad.

15. The electronic device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a light emitting element, disposed within the casing and disposed on the circuit board to emit light, wherein the isolation part has light transparency to guide the light emitted by the light emitting element to surrounding of the conductor at the appearance surface.

16. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conductor has a reflective surface to guide the light emitted by the light emitting element to surrounding of the conductor at the appearance surface.

17. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a display screen, disposed on the casing, wherein the conductor is located beside the display screen.

18. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a surface of the conductor exposed by the appearance surface has an insulation layer.

19. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the appearance surface has an insulation layer.

20. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an insulator, separating the conductor into a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion, wherein the first conductive portion is a signal transmitting terminal, and the second conductive portion is a signal receiving terminal.