Protective cover, key assembly using the same and portable electronic device using the key assembly

• US 8,373,975 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2010
• 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: Liang, Shi-Xu, Chen, Jun-Lin, Yen, Yung-Chang
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Zachary M
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, BINH BACH THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/884,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20110228493A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 361/728, 361/729, 361/730, 361/732, 361/736, 361/752, 361/807, 361/809, 361/810, 361/837, 361/679.56, 200/293, 200/318, 200/329, 200/339, 200/318.1, 200/318.2, 200/5.R, 200/275, 200/296, 200/302.3, 200/320, 200/330, 200341-345, 200/517, 200/520, 200/536, 200/547, 200/550, 200/553, 455/575.1, 455/575.2, 455/575.3, 455/575.8, 455/550.1, 455/347, 379/422
• US Class Current: 361/679.02
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/705 characterised by construction, mounting or arrangement of operating parts, e.g. push-buttons or keys
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/082 Superimposed actuators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/028 perpendicular to base of keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/022 Telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2233/012 Locating pins
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2233/024 Riveting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces

Abstract

A protective cover includes a cover body and a pressing body integrally mounted to the cover body. The cover body has an accommodating cavity recessed from a surface of the cover body and an accommodating hole defined through the base wall of the accommodating cavity. The pressing body is mounted to the cover body and includes a pressing portion and a resisting post. The pressing portion is configured for being received within the accommodating cavity and exposed from the accommodating hole. The resisting post protruding from a surface of the pressing portion away from the cover body corresponding to the switch. There also discloses a key assembly using the protective cover and a portable electronic device using the key assembly.

Claims

1. A key assembly, comprising:

a key comprising a. key body and a resisting block protruding from the key body;

a protective cover comprising a cover body and a pressing body, the cover body having an accommodating cavity recessed therefrom and an accommodating hole defined through a base wall of the accommodating cavity;

the pressing body comprising a pressing portion and a resisting post protruding from the pressing portion, the pressing portion being received within the accommodating cavity, and exposed from the accommodating hole to resist against the corresponding resisting block of the key;

a switch covered under the protective cover and abutting against the corresponding resisting post; and

an elastic sheet mounted with the key, the elastic sheet comprising an elastic arm extending therefrom and a through hole defined through the elastic arm;

the key fixed to the elastic arm with the resisting block of the key passing through the corresponding through hole and abutting against the pressing portion;

wherein when the key is pressed toward the switch, the resisting block together with the elastic arm is moved toward the switch to resist against the pressing portion for triggering the switch.

2. The key assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the key further includes two assembly posts protruding from the key body and aligning with the resisting block;

the elastic arm further defines two assembly holes through the elastic arm corresponding to the two assembly posts;

the two assembly posts are fixed into the corresponding two assembly holes of the elastic arm.

3. The key assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cover body and the pressing body are integrally made by double-colored injection molding technology.

4. The key assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pressing body further includes an accommodating chamber recessed from the pressing portion, the resisting post protruding from the bottom of the accommodating chamber.

5. The key assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cover body includes at least one gap defined in the inner wall of the accommodating cavity;

the pressing body further includes at least one lug protruding from the periphery of the pressing portion corresponding to the at least one gap of the cover body;

the at least one lug latches into the corresponding at least one gap of the cover body.

6. The key assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cover body includes two assembly posts protruding from a surface of the cover body and are symmetrically located at two sides of the accommodating cavity.

7. The key assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the cover body further includes at least one hot melt post protruding from the surface of the cover body and positioned at the same side of the cover body as the two assembly posts.

8. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a battery cover detachably mounted to the housing and defining a key hole through the battery cover;

a circuit board assembled within the housing; and

a key assembly comprising;

a key assembled to the battery cover and received within the key hole, the key comprising a key body and a resisting block protruding, from the key body;

a switch module assembled to the housing corresponding to the key and electrically connecting with the circuit board, the switch module being configured to be triggered by the key; and

a protective cover assembled to the housing for covering the switch module, the protective cover comprising a cover body and a pressing body, the cover body having an accommodating cavity recessed therefrom and an accommodating hole defined through a base wall of the accommodating cavity;

the pressing body comprising a pressing portion and a resisting post protruding from the pressing portion, the pressing portion being received within the accommodating cavity and exposed from the accommodating hole;

an elastic sheet mounted with the key, the elastic sheet comprising an elastic arm extending therefrom and a throe through hole defined through the elastic arm;

the key fixed to the elastic arm with the resisting block of the key passing through the corresponding through hole and abutting against the pressing portion;

wherein when the key is pressed toward the switch, the resisting block together with the elastic arm is moved toward the switch to resist against the pressing portion for triggering the switch to generate an electric control circuit for controlling the portable electronic device as the battery cover is mounted to the housing.

9. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the housing includes a side wall and defines an assembling slot, the side wall includes an assembling groove recessed in the side wall, thereby forming a side groove wall, the switch module includes a switch and a flexible printed circuit board, the switch and the protective cover are assembled within the assembling groove, the flexible printed circuit board and the circuit are received within the assembling slot.

10. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the switch module further includes a connecting sheet, the housing further includes a guiding hole defined through the bottom of the assembling groove and communicating with the assembling slot;

the switch and the connecting sheet pass through the guiding hole and are received within the assembling groove.

11. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the cover body includes at least one hot melt post, protruding from a surface of the cover body, the connecting sheet defines at least one hot melt hole through the connecting sheet, the at least one hot melt post passes through and is fixed to the hot melt hole by hot melt technology, such that, the protective cover and the switch module are fixed together.