Rocking key button assembly and electronic device using the same

• US 7,554,050 B1
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FIH (Hong Kong) Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industry Company Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: FIH (Hong Kong) Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industry Company Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lv, Yue-Hui
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedhofer; Michael A
• Application Number:
  US12/233,758
• Time in Patent Office: 284 Days
• Field of Search: 200/553, 200/557, 200/558, 200/296, 200/329, 200/517, 200/339, 200/341, 200/343, 341/20, 341/22, 341/35, 345/156, 345/168, 345/169, 345/184
• US Class Current: 200/339
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/30 with stable centre positions and one or both end positions unstable

Abstract

An electronic device (20) includes a housing (24) and a rocking key button assembly (200) rockingly assembled to the housing. The housing includes a shaft portion (264) and a blocking board (268). The key button assembly includes a key button (30) having two opposite key portions (312), two elastic retaining members (40), two elastic arms (50) and two triggers (60). The elastic retaining members are retained to the shaft portion. The elastic arms resist against the blocking board. The key portions can rock relative to each other and about the shaft portion, the corresponding one trigger swings relative to the other trigger and about the shaft portion. The corresponding elastic arm is compressed by the blocking board. The elastic retaining members, the elastic arms and the triggers are arranged at the same side of the key button opposite to the two keys.

Claims

1. A rocking key button assembly for an electronic device, comprising:

a key button comprising two opposite key portions;

two elastic retaining members;

two elastic arms; and

two triggers corresponding to the two keys and the two elastic arms, such that when the key portions rocks relative to each other, a corresponding trigger swings relative to the other trigger, and the corresponding elastic arm is compressed;

wherein the elastic retaining members, the elastic arms and the triggers are arranged on the same surface of the key button.

2. The rocking key button assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the keys swing around the two elastic retaining members.

3. The rocking key button assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two elastic retaining members are located between the two triggers and includes two connecting arms and two retaining hooks, the connecting arms connecting the retaining hooks to the key button, the retaining hooks extending from the connecting arms and towards with each other.

4. The rocking key button assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two elastic arms comprise two connecting portions and two resisting portions, the connecting portions connect the resisting portions to the key button, the retaining portions extending from the connecting portions and oppositely from each other.

5. The rocking key button assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the angle of each retaining portion and the corresponding connecting portion is ranged from >

90 degree to <

180 degree.

6. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing comprising a shaft portion, a blocking board;

a rocking key button assembly rockingly assembled to the housing, comprising;

a key button comprising two opposite key portions;

two elastic retaining members retained around the shaft portion;

two elastic arms resisting against the blocking board; and

two triggers corresponding to the two keys and the two elastic arms such that when the key portions rock relative to each other and about the shaft portion, a corresponding trigger swings relative to the other trigger and about the shaft portion, and a corresponding elastic arm is compressed by the blocking board;

wherein the elastic retaining members, the elastic arms and the triggers are arranged on the same surface of the key button.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the housing defines a receiving groove and two mounting holes communicating with the receiving groove, the receiving groove rockable receiving the key button, the two mounting holes facilitating the key button assembly being assembled to the housing.

8. The electronic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the two mounting holes are separated by the shaft portion, the shaft portion extending a retaining portion.

9. The electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the two elastic retaining members include two connecting arms and two retaining hooks, the connecting arms connecting the retaining hooks to the key button, the retaining hooks extending toward with each other;

the retaining hooks retaining with the retaining portion; and

the retaining members can be elastically deformed to swing about the shaft portion during swing of the keys.

10. The electronic device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the two elastic arms comprise two connecting portions and two resisting portions, the connecting portions connect the resisting portions to the key button, the retaining portions extending oppositely from each other.

11. The electronic device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the angle of each retaining portion and the corresponding connecting portion is ranged from >

90 degree to <

180 degree.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the retaining portions deformably resist against and compressed by the blocking board.

13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the elastic retaining members, the elastic arms and the triggers are integrally formed with the key button.