JP2012181587A - Information processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic device having a depression type operation button capable of reducing a space occupied inside a housing.SOLUTION: An information processing apparatus comprises: a housing; a sheet fixed on a surface of the housing; and one or plural depression type operation buttons disposed near the sheet. A depression type operation button has a fixation unit extending from the depression type operation button, and the fixation unit is held between the housing and the sheet. The housing has a sheet fixation unit for fixing the sheet, and a touch pad substrate is disposed on an inner wall on the side opposite to the sheet fixation unit.

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to an information processing apparatus having a touch pad.

  In recent years, various notebook type portable personal computers have been developed. Many computers of this type have a touchpad as a pointing device. The touch pad is provided in an area on the front side of the keyboard, and a user can perform a pointing operation such as moving a cursor (mouse pointer) by tracing the operation surface of the touch pad with a fingertip.

  In the vicinity of the touch pad, a push-down operation button is arranged. For example, a left button and a right button are provided on the front side of the operation surface of the touchpad. The left button has a basic role (designation of an operation target and an area) like the left button of the mouse, and the right button is a mouse. Like the right button in, it has a function to display several menus that can be performed in that state.

JP-A-10-91329

  The conventional push-type operation button mounting structure is such that a hole provided in a fixed portion extending from the push-type operation button inside the cover of the housing and a boss inside the cover are fitted and this portion is It was welded and fixed. For this reason, the space of the part required for welding is needed, and in order to ensure this space inside a housing | casing, the thickness reduction of the housing | casing was hindered.

  An object of the present invention is made in view of the above-described circumstances, and is to provide an electronic apparatus having a push-down operation button that can reduce a space occupied inside a housing.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to an embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a housing, a sheet fixed to the surface of the housing, and one or more push-type devices disposed in the vicinity of the sheet. An operation button, and the push-down operation button has a fixing portion extending from the push-down operation button, and the fixing portion is sandwiched between the housing and the seat.

1 is an overview perspective view showing a personal computer according to a first embodiment. The perspective view which showed the relationship between the sheet | seat which concerns on 1st Embodiment, a press-type operation button, and a sheet | seat fixing | fixed part. Sectional drawing along the AA line shown in FIG. Sectional drawing of the push-type operation button which concerns on 1st Embodiment. Sectional drawing of the sheet | seat fixing | fixed part which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The figure which showed the modification of the button fixing | fixed part. FIG. 7 is an overview perspective view showing a personal computer according to a second embodiment. The perspective view which showed the relationship between the sheet | seat which concerns on 2nd Embodiment, a press-type operation button, and a sheet | seat fixing | fixed part. Sectional drawing along the BB line shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is an overview perspective view showing a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a personal computer) 1 which is an example of an electronic apparatus according to the first embodiment. The personal computer 1 is composed of a main unit 2 and a display unit 3. The main unit 2 includes, for example, a lower casing 4 formed in a box shape with a synthetic resin, a main circuit board (not shown) disposed in the lower casing 4, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), or an SSD (Solid State Drive). ) Etc., a battery, and the like. A keyboard 5, a touch pad 6, and buttons 7 a and 7 b are provided on the upper surface of the lower housing 4.

  The front side of the user is forward, the back side is viewed from the user, the left side is viewed from the user, the left side is viewed from the user, the right side is viewed from the user, the right side is viewed from the user, and the upper side is viewed from the user. The direction and the downward direction when viewed from the user are defined as the downward direction.

  The display unit 3 includes, for example, an upper housing 8 made of synthetic resin, a display 9 disposed in the upper housing 8, and the like. The upper housing 8 is formed so as to surround the display 9. The display 9 is a liquid crystal display, for example.

  A hinge portion 10 is provided between the lower housing 4 and the upper housing 8. The hinge unit 10 supports the upper housing 8 so as to be rotatable with respect to the lower housing 4.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the sheet 11 constituting the touch pad 6, the sheet fixing portion 12, and the buttons 7a and 7b. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the button 7b. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the sheet fixing portion 12 of the lower housing 4.

  The touch pad 6 includes a sheet 11, a sheet fixing unit 12 to which the sheet 11 is bonded, and a touch pad substrate 13. The touch pad 6 is a type of pointing device that operates a mouse pointer by tracing the vicinity of a flat sensor plate with a finger. The touch pad 6 detects, for example, a position on the sensor surface on the touch pad substrate 13 where a capacitor composed of a flat touch pad substrate 13 and a human finger is present as a weak change in capacitance. The locus of the finger tracing the surface of the sensor is associated with the operation of the mouse pointer on the screen of the display 9. Accordingly, the distance between the touch pad substrate 13 and the human finger is required to be within a predetermined range.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a sheet is fixed on the sheet fixing portion 12 of the lower housing 4 by bonding or the like. For example, polyester, PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate), or the like is used as the material of the sheet 4, and the sheet has a thickness of about 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm.

  A touch pad substrate 13 is disposed to face the inner wall surface 14 on the opposite side of the sheet fixing portion 12. On the upper surface of the touch pad substrate 13 (the surface facing the inner wall surface 14), for example, a circuit including a sensor (not shown) that detects a change in capacitance is wired, and the lower side of the touch pad substrate 13 On this surface, a mounting component 15 and the like for outputting the detected signal are arranged.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the distance between the touch pad substrate 13 and the human finger is a distance T that is the sum of the thickness of the sheet 11 and the thickness of the sheet fixing portion 12. In FIG. 3, the inner wall surface 14 and the touch pad substrate 13 are in close contact with each other. However, as long as the distance between the touch pad substrate 13 and the human body finger is within a predetermined range, there is no need for close contact, and there may be a gap. Absent.

  In the vicinity of the touch pad 6 or the sheet 11, push-type operation buttons 7 a and 7 b are arranged. The button 7a has a basic role (designation of an operation target and an area) like the left button of the mouse, for example, and the button 7b has several menus that can be performed in the same state as the right button of the mouse, for example. Has the function to display. In the present embodiment, there are two buttons, but one button may be used depending on the application.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the buttons 7 a and 7 b are disposed in the hole 16 of the lower housing 4. A switch board 16 is arranged below the buttons 7a and 7b, and push-down switches 17a and 17b are mounted on the switch board 16. For example, when the user presses the button 7b, the switch 17b disposed immediately below the button 7b is pressed. Similarly, when the button 7a is pressed, the switch 17a disposed immediately below the button 7a is pressed.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the button 7b includes a button main body 18b and a button cover 19b. A part of the button cover 19b includes a button fixing portion 20b extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the button pressing direction. Form. In the figure, the button fixing portion 20b is provided with two similar strips, but may be one or three or more.

  The button body 18b is, for example, resin molding. The material of the button cover 19b is a film of about 0.05 mm to 0.1 mm, such as polyester or PET. The button main body 18b and the button cover 19b are manufactured by integral molding such as in-mold molding. Needless to say, the button body 18b and the button cover 19b may be separately molded and then integrated by bonding or welding. Further, the button cover 19b and the button fixing portion 20b may be made of a thin resin instead of a film.

  The button fixing portion 20b has a positioning hole 21b in the vicinity of the tip of the extending portion. 2 and 4, the positioning hole 21b is a circular through hole, but may be other than a circular shape. Further, it may be not the vicinity of the tip of the extension part but the intermediate part of the extension part.

  Similarly to the button 7b, the button 8a includes a button body 18a and a button cover 19a, and a part of the button cover 19a forms a button fixing portion 20a that extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the button is pressed. .

  On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the seat fixing portion 12 has a recess 22 b into which the button fixing portion 20 b is fitted. The depth H2 of the recess 22b (the height difference between the surface of the sheet fixing portion 12 and the bottom surface of the recess 22b) is the same as or slightly larger than the thickness H1 of the button fixing portion 20b. That is, the button fixing portion 12 is set to be equal to or less than the surface of the sheet fixing portion 12.

  A positioning boss 23b is provided inside the recess 22b. By fitting the positioning hole 21b and the positioning boss 23b, the button 7b can be easily positioned. The height of the positioning boss 23b may be H2 or less.

  The sheet fixing portion 12 has a recess 22a in which the button fixing portion 20a is fitted. A positioning boss 23a is provided inside the recess 22a.

  After the buttons 7a and 7b are fitted into the positioning holes 21a and 21b and the positioning bosses 23a and 23b and incorporated into the lower housing 4, the sheet 11 is adhered to the sheet fixing portion 12, thereby the button fixing portion 20a. , 20b is sandwiched between the sheet fixing portion 12 and the sheet 11. The buttons 7a and 7b are supported by the elasticity of the button fixing portions 20a and 20b, and a push-down operation can be performed by this elasticity.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the button covers 19a and 19b are provided with drop prevention convex portions 24a and 24b, respectively. The lower housing 4 is provided with projections 25 at corresponding positions, and the drop-preventing projections 24a and 24b engage with the projections 25, thereby preventing the buttons 7a and 7b from being lowered. In particular, when the elasticity of the button fixing portions 20a and 20b is weak, there is a high possibility that the buttons 7a and 7b will drop due to the weight of the buttons 7a and 7b. Therefore, the drop prevention convex portions 24a and 24b are effective.

  The button covers 19a and 19b may be separate or integrated, but as shown in FIG. 2, by providing a connecting portion 26 for connecting the button covers 19a and 19b, and integrating the button covers 19a and 19b, Assembling work can be made more efficient. Further, since the movement of the buttons 7a and 7b in the left-right direction is suppressed, a reliable pressing operation is possible.

  The shape of the button fixing portions 20a and 20b may be an optimum shape that matches the shape of the buttons 7a and 7b and the shape of the touch pad 6. As shown in FIG. 2, the button fixing portion 20 b has an elongated strip shape with a semicircular tip. However, the button fixing portion 20 b can secure a bonding area between the sheet 11 and the sheet fixing portion 12 and can fix the buttons 7 a and 7 b. As long as both can be balanced, there is no need to limit the shape to an elongated strip shape.

  FIG. 6 is a view showing a modification of the button fixing portions 20a and 20b. As shown in FIG. 6, by providing the beam portions 27a, 27b, and 27c that connect the button fixing portions 20a and 20b, the button fixing portions 20a and 20b are more stable, and the assembly work can be made more efficient. .

  As described above, the button fixing portions 20a and 20b extending from the push-down operation buttons 7a and 7b are held between the seat fixing portion 12 and the seat 11 of the lower housing 4. Thus, the space required for welding for installing the push-down operation button becomes unnecessary, and the installation space occupied in the lower housing 4 can be reduced. The appearance of the touch pad 6 after the sheet 11 is pasted is not changed, the conventional welding process can be omitted, and the assembling workability can be improved.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 7 is an overview perspective view showing a personal computer 28 according to the second embodiment. About each part of this 2nd Embodiment, the same part as each part of 1st Embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is the same code | symbol. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that buttons 30a and 30b are added in addition to the buttons 7a and 7b.

  The functions of the buttons 30a and 30b are the same as those of the buttons 7a and 7b. The buttons 30 a and 30 b are arranged at positions convenient for the user to operate the buttons while using the pointing stick 29.

  FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the relationship among the seat 11, the push-type operation buttons 7a, 7b, 30a, 30b, and the sheet fixing unit 12 according to the second embodiment. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the button 30b includes a button main body 31b and a button cover 32b, and a part of the button cover 32b includes a button fixing portion 33b extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the button pressing direction. Form. The button fixing portion 33b has a positioning hole 34b in the vicinity of the tip of the extending portion.

  Similarly to the button 30b, the button 30a includes a button main body 31a and a button cover 32a. A part of the button cover 32a forms a button fixing portion 33a extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the button pressing direction. .

  The upper part of the sheet fixing part 12 has a concave part 35b into which the button fixing part 33b is fitted. The depth H2 of the concave portion 35b (the height difference between the surface of the sheet fixing portion 12 and the bottom surface of the concave portion 35b) is the same as or slightly larger than the thickness H1 of the button fixing portion 33b. That is, the button fixing portion 33a is set to be equal to or less than the surface of the sheet fixing portion 12.

  A positioning boss 36b is provided inside the recess 35b. The button 30b can be easily positioned by fitting the positioning hole 34b and the positioning boss 36b. The height of the positioning boss 36b may be H2 or less.

  Similarly, the sheet fixing portion 12 has a concave portion 35a into which the button fixing portion 33a is fitted. A positioning boss 36a is provided inside the recess 35a.

  After the buttons 30a and 30b are fitted into the positioning holes 34a and 34b and the positioning bosses 35a and 35b, respectively, and incorporated in the lower housing 4, the sheet 11 is adhered to the sheet fixing portion 12, thereby the button fixing portion 33a. , 33b is sandwiched between the sheet fixing portion 12 and the sheet 11. The buttons 30a and 30b are supported by the elasticity of the button fixing portions 33a and 33b, and a push-down operation can be performed by this elasticity.

  As described above, when the buttons 30a and 30b are incorporated in the lower housing 4, the space occupied inside the housing can be reduced. The appearance of the touch pad 6 after the sheet 11 is pasted is not changed, the conventional welding process can be omitted, and the assembling workability can be improved.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments as they are, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, constituent elements over different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

1 Personal computer 2 Main unit 3 Display unit 3
4 Lower housing 5 Keyboard 6 Touch pad 7 Buttons 7a, 7b Button 8 Upper housing 9 Display 10 Hinge portion 11 Sheet 12 Sheet fixing portion 13 Touch pad substrate 14 Inner wall surface 15 Mounting component 16 Switch substrates 17a, 17b Switches 18a, 18b Button body 19a, 19b Button cover 20a, 20b Button fixing part 21a, 21b Positioning hole 22a, 22b Recess 23a, 23b Positioning boss 24a, 24b Fall prevention convex part 25 Projection 27a, 27b, 27c Beam part 28 Personal computer 29 Pointing stick 30a, 30b Button 31a, 31b Button body 32a, 32b Button cover 33a, 33b Button fixing part 34a, 34b Positioning hole 35a, 35b Recess 36a, 36b Positioning boss 37a, 37b Dropping Protrusion for prevention

Claims (7)

A housing,
A sheet fixed to the surface of the housing;
One or more push-type operation buttons disposed in the vicinity of the sheet,
The information processing apparatus, wherein the push-type operation button has a fixed portion extending from the push-type operation button, and the fixed portion is sandwiched between the casing and the seat.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a sheet fixing portion that fixes the sheet and a hole portion in which a push-down operation button is disposed in the vicinity of the sheet fixing portion.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a touch pad substrate is disposed on an inner wall of the housing opposite to the sheet fixing portion.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sheet fixing portion has a concave portion into which the fixing portion is fitted.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a depth of the concave portion is substantially the same as a thickness of the fixing portion.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion includes a positioning hole portion.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the push-type operation button has a button main body, and the button main body and the fixing portion are integrally molded.

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