Button assembly

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to button assemblies, and more particularly to a button assembly having an expediently assembled button.

2. Description of Related Art

Typically, an electronic device, such as a notebook computer, has a plurality of switches arranged thereon for starting or closing some functions thereof. Buttons are usually assembled on a bezel of the notebook computer for triggering the corresponding switches. Generally, a plurality of through-holes is defined in the bezel with each through-hole corresponding to a button. Each button extends through a corresponding through-hole of the bezel, and is assembled on the bezel by an elastic tab. Each elastic tab defines a pair of fixing holes. A pair of posts protrudes from an inner surface of the bezel adjacent to each through-hole. The posts extend through the corresponding through-holes. The elastic tabs are fixed to the corresponding posts by hot melting. However, melting the posts needs special tools. Furthermore, it is hard to control the melting temperature and time.

What is needed, therefore, is a button assembly having an expediently assembled button.

An exemplary button assembly includes a bezel, an elastic member, and a button. The bezel defines a through hole. The elastic member forms a locating portion on an end thereof, and a mounting portion on the other end thereof. The locating portion is movably mounted to the bezel. The button is assembled on the mounting portion of the elastic member. The button includes a manipulating section extending through the through hole of the bezel.

Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a button assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an assembled view of FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 3 is an inverted view of FIG. 2 .

Referring to FIG. 1 , a button assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a bezel 50 of an electronic device such as a notebook computer, an elastic member 10 , and a button 30 .

The bezel 50 defines a through hole 52 therein. A pair of parallel L-shaped fixing tabs 53 with raised portions protrudes from an inner surface of the bezel 50 , the raised portions cooperatively defining a receiving space thereunder. The fixing tabs 53 are located adjacent the through hole 52 .

The elastic member 10 is generally thin and rectangular. The elastic member 10 includes a mounting portion 11 at one end thereof, a locating portion 13 adjacent to the mounting portion 11 , and a slanting portion 15 connected between the mounting portion 11 and the locating portion 13 . A cutout 111 is defined in the mounting portion 11 . The locating portion 13 corresponds to the receiving space formed under the fixing tabs 53 to be received therein.

The button 30 includes a manipulating section 31 , a block shaped base section 33 , and a triggering section 35 . The base section 33 is configured so that it will not fit into the through hole 52 of the bezel 50 . For example, in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1 , the base section 33 has a cross-sectional area larger than that of the through hole 52 . The manipulating section 31 extends from the base section 33 corresponding to the through hole 52 of the bezel 50 . The triggering section 35 protrudes from the base section 33 , opposite to the manipulating section 31 .

Referring also to FIGS. 2 and 3 , in assembly, sides of the cutout 111 of the elastic member 10 catch the triggering section 35 of the button 30 . The mounting portion 11 of the elastic member 10 abuts against a surface of the base section 33 . The locating portion 13 of the elastic member 10 is inserted into the receiving space formed under the fixing tabs 53 of the bezel 50 . The elastic member 10 is resiliently distorted as the manipulating section 31 of the button 30 slides on the bezel 50 . When the manipulating section 31 aligns with the through hole 52 of the bezel 50 , the elastic member 10 restores. The manipulating section 31 is inserted into and penetrates beyond an edge of through hole 52 . Thus, the button 30 is assembled on the bezel 50 .

In use, the manipulating section 31 of the button 30 is pressed. The button 30 moves in to trigger a switch of the notebook. Meanwhile, the elastic member 10 is resiliently distorted. When the button 30 is released, the elastic member 10 restores to drive the button 30 back.

In an alternate embodiment, the mounting portion 11 of the elastic member 10 can be integrally formed on the button 30 .

The button assembly can be used in other electronic devices, such as laptop computers, desktop computers, personal digital assistants, televisions, and so on.

It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.