Electronic apparatus

• US 7,544,904 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2006
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Yasuyuki, Nakatani, Masato, Miura, Yosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Enad; Elvin G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fishman; Marina
• Application Number:
  US11/544,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20070144885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5.A, 200512-520, 200/293, 200/295, 200341-345, 341/22, 341/33, 341/34, 345/173, 345/168
• US Class Current: 200/5.00A
• 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 left button which is inserted into the opening;

a right button which is inserted into the opening;

a left switch which is arranged in the housing and configured to be operated by the left button; and

a right switch which is arranged in the housing and configured to be operated by the right button, wherein

the left button comprises a button body, a first arm which has elasticity, which extends leftward from a left part of the button body of the left button and which is supported by the housing at a left side of the opening, a second arm which has elasticity, which extends forward from a front part of the button body of the left button and which is supported by the housing at a front side of the opening, and a pushing projection which is provided at the button body of the left button to be opposite to the left switch;

the right button comprises a button body, a first arm which has elasticity, which extends rightward from a right part of the button body of the right button and which is supported by the housing at a right side of the opening, a second arm which has elasticity, which extends forward from a front part of the button body of the right button and which is supported by the housing at a front side of the opening, and a pushing projection which is provided at the button body of the right button to be opposite to the right switch;

the first arm of the left button supports the button body of the left button from a left side, and the second arm of the left button supports the button body of the left button from a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the first arm of the left button supports the button body of the left button;

the first arm of the right button supports the button body of the right button from a right side, and the second arm of the right button supports the button body of the right button from a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the first arm of the right button supports the button body of the right button; and

the left switch and the pushing projection of the left button are provided eccentrically in a direction of being remote from the first and second arms of the left button about a center of the button body of the left button, and the right switch and the pushing projection of the right button are provided eccentrically in a direction of being remote from the first and second arms of the right button about a center of the button body of the right button.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first arm of the left button comprises a first member which is connected with a left-rear part of the button body of the left button and a second member which is connected with a left-front part of the button body of the left button, and the second arm of the left button comprises a third member which is connected with a front-left part of the button body of the left button and a fourth member which is connected with a front-right part of the button body of the left button;

and

the first arm of the right button comprises a first member which is connected with a right-rear part of the button body of the right button and a second member which is connected with a right-front part of the button body of the right button, and the second arm of the right button comprises a third member which is connected with a front-right part of the button body of the right button and a fourth member which is connected with a front-left part of the button body of the right button.

3. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a first switch situated in the housing and configured to be operated by a first button, the first button comprises (i) a button body, (ii) a first arm within the housing that extends in a first direction from a first part of the button body of the first button, (iii) a second arm within the housing that extends in a second direction from a second part of the button body where the second direction is orthogonal to the first direction, and (iv) a pushing projection that is provided at the button body of the first button to be opposite to the first switch; and

a second switch situated in the housing and configured to be operated by a second button, the second button comprises (i) a button body, (ii) a third arm that extends in a third direction from a first part of the button body of the second button where the third direction is orthogonal to the second direction, (iii) a fourth arm that extends in the second direction from a second part of the button body of the second button, and (iv) a pushing projection that is provided at the button body of the second button to be opposite to the second switch, wherein

the first arm. of the first button supports the first button body of the first button from a first direction, and the second arm of the first button supports the button body of the first button from a direction that is orthogonal to a direction in which the first arm of the first button supports the button body of the first button.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the third aim of the second button supports the button body of the second button from the third direction, and the fourth arm of the second button supports the button body of the second button from a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the third arm of the second button supports the button body.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the third arm of the second button supports the button body of the second button from the third direction that is opposite the first direction, and the fourth arm of the second button supports the button body of the second button from the second direction being orthogonal to the third direction.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first direction is a leftward direction and the third direction is a rightward direction.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first direction is a leftward direction, the second direction is a frontward direction, and the third direction is a rightward direction from an opening within the housing.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first arm of the first button comprises a first member that is coupled to a left-rear part of the button body of the first button and a second member that is coupled to a left-front pan of the button body of the first button.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim. 7, wherein the third arm of the second button comprises a first member which is coupled to a right-rear part of the button body of the second button and a second member that is coupled to a right-front part of the button body of the second button, and the fourth arm of the second button comprises a third member that is coupled to a front-right part of the button body of the second button and a fourth member that is coupled to a front-left pan of the button body of the second button.

10. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing with an opening;

a first switch situated in the housing and configured to be operated by a first button, the first button comprises (i) a button body, (ii) a first arm that extends in a first direction from a first part of the button body of the first button and is supported by the housing at a first side of the opening, (iii) a second arm supported by the housing at a second side of the opening and the second arm extending in a second direction from a second part of the button body where the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and (iv) a pushing projection that is provided at the button body of the first button to be opposite to the first switch; and

a second switch situated in the housing and configured to be operated by a second button, the second button comprises (i) a button body, (ii) a third arm that extends in a third direction from a first pan of the button body of the second button where the third direction is opposite the first direction and substantially perpendicular to the second direction and is supported by the housing at a third side of the opening, (iii) a fourth arm supported by the housing at a second side of the opening, the fourth arm extending in the second direction from a second part of the button body of the second button, and (iv) a pushing projection that is provided at the button body of the second button to be opposite to the second switch, wherein

the first arm of the first button supports the first button body of the first button from the first direction, and the second arm of the first button supports the button body of the first button from the second direction.