Illumination structure for pushbutton and electronic device with pushbutton having illumination structure

• US 6,997,572 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2003
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Ono, Shuichi, Kuroda, Mitsuru
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cranson, Jr., James W
• Application Number:
  US10/628,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20040114341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 362/24, 362/29, 362/30, 200313-317, 341/22
• US Class Current: 362/24
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor

Abstract

A pushbutton switch mechanism has board 28 incorporating an electronic circuit thereon, metal sheet contact 26 disposed on board 28, a light-transmissive pushbutton disposed in an opening defined in a casing of the electronic device for being pressed from outside, the light-transmissive pushbutton having outer key top 22 and presser 25 formed with rubber sheet 24 for contacting metal sheet contact 26, and light-emitting elements 27 disposed on board 28 around presser 25 for applying light to a side surface of the presser 25. Presser 25 has a conical shape having an upper surface as a bottom surface substantially aligned with a lower surface of key top 22 and a vertex for contacting metal sheet contact 26. Light emitted from light-emitting elements 27 is applied to the entire side surface of presser 25.

Claims

1. An illumination structure for a pushbutton which operates as a function button in an electronic device, comprising:

a pushbutton switch mechanism having a board incorporating an electronic circuit thereon, a metal sheet contact disposed on said board, a light-transmissive pushbutton disposed in an opening defined in a casing of said electronic device for being pressed from outside, said light-transmissive pushbutton having an outer button and a presser connected to said outer button and disposed closer to said board for contacting said metal sheet contact, and a light-emitting element disposed on said board around said presser for applying light to a side surface of said presser, said presser having a conical shape having an upper surface as a bottom surface substantially aligned with a lower surface of said button and a vertex for contacting said metal sheet contact.

2. An illumination structure according to claim 1, wherein said button has a cylindrical shape and said presser has a substantially conical shape.

3. An illumination structure according to claim 1, wherein said button has a prismatic shape and said presser has a substantially pyramidal shape.

4. An electronic device having an illuminated pushbutton and an illuminating structure for the illuminated pushbutton, said illuminating structure comprising an illumination structure according to claim 1.

5. An electronic device according to claim 4, for use as a cellular phone unit.

6. An illumination structure according to claim 1, wherein said button of said pushbutton comprises a key top molded of a transparent resin and having a flange engageable with an edge of said opening in said casing for sliding movement only into the pushbutton switch, and said presser of said pushbutton comprises a light-transmissive rubber sheet secured to said casing and covering said pushbutton in its entirety in said casing and having a protrusion projecting remotely from said button in positional alignment with said button, the lower surface of said button being bonded to the upper surface of said presser.

7. An illumination structure according to claim 6, wherein said button has a cylindrical shape and said presser has a substantially conical shape.

8. An illumination structure according to claim 6, wherein said button has a prismatic shape and said presser has a substantially pyramidal shape.

9. An electronic device having an illuminated pushbutton and an illuminating structure for the illuminated pushbutton, said illuminating structure comprising an illumination structure according to claim 6.

10. An electronic device according to claim 9, for use as a cellular phone unit.

11. An illumination structure according to claim 1, wherein said pushbutton comprises a transparent thin film secured to said casing in covering relation to an interior space in the casing, a light-transmissive filler resin, and a light-transmissive soft rubber sheet secured to said casing in covering relation to the interior space in the casing beneath said film and said filler resin, said filler resin being filled in said film so as to have an upper surface projecting into said film to push the film upwardly within the opening in said casing, said upper surface and said film jointly serving as said button, and a lower surface projecting from said button and cooperating with said rubber sheet in forming said presser, said film and said filler resin jointly serving as a key sheet which provides interconnected individual buttons, said film having an upper surface bonded to a lower surface of said casing, and a lower surface bonded to an upper surface of said rubber sheet.

12. An illumination structure according to claim 11, wherein said button has a cylindrical shape and said presser has a substantially conical shape.

13. An illumination structure according to claim 11, wherein said button has a prismatic shape and said presser has a substantially pyramidal shape.

14. An electronic device having an illuminated pushbutton and an illuminating structure for the illuminated pushbutton, said illuminating structure comprising an illumination structure according to claim 11.

15. An electronic device according to claim 14, for use as a cellular phone unit.