U.S. patent application number 11/097327 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-15 for digital audio/video playing device.
Invention is credited to Cheng-Hung Chiang.
Application Number | 20060123977 11/097327 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36498670 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060123977 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chiang; Cheng-Hung |
June 15, 2006 |
Digital audio/video playing device
Abstract
A digital audio/video playing device includes a support plate
forming a plurality of depressible tabs. Each tab is formed by
forming an elongate slit surrounding the tab with a small
connection with the support plate to form a cantilever, elastically
deflectable tab. A plurality of switch units and a touch control
board are arranged between a base plate of the playing device and
the support plate. A surface film is attached to the support plate
and has a continuous raised-recessed configuration, including a
smoothly-raised external ring section and a touch-control internal
ring section to allow a user to depress the depressible tabs of the
support plate and to operate the touch control board via the
surface film.
Inventors: |
Chiang; Cheng-Hung; (Keelung
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROSENBERG, KLEIN & LEE
3458 ELLICOTT CENTER DRIVE-SUITE 101
ELLICOTT CITY
MD
21043
US
|
Family ID: |
36498670 |
Appl. No.: |
11/097327 |
Filed: |
April 4, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
84/600 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 2203/04809
20130101; G06F 1/1662 20130101; G06F 1/1626 20130101; G06F 3/041
20130101; G11B 33/027 20130101; G06F 1/1656 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
084/600 |
International
Class: |
G10H 1/00 20060101
G10H001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 13, 2004 |
TW |
93138652 |
Claims
1. A digital audio/video playing device, comprising: a casing
defining an interior space; a storage device for storing
audio/video data, arranged in the interior space of the casing; a
display unit arranged in the casing; a support plate forming at
least a depressible tab; at least one switch unit positioned in
correspondence to each depressible tab of the support plate; a
touch control board mounted to the support plat at an area
surrounded by the depressible tab; and a surface film arranged over
and covering the support plate, comprising an operation area
forming a raised portion corresponding to the depressible tab of
the support plate and a recessed portion corresponding to the touch
control board, the raised portion and the recessed portion together
forming a continuous raised-recessed configuration.
2. The digital audio/video playing device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the depressible tab is formed in the support plate by
forming an elongate slit surrounding the tab with a small
connection with support plate thereby forming a cantilever tab that
is elastically deflectable.
3. The digital audio/video playing device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the switch unit comprises a thin film switch made of
conductive rubber.
4. The digital audio/video playing device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the support plate defines a bore in which the touch control
board is fixed.
5. The digital audio/video playing device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the bore is a circular opening.
6. The digital audio/video playing device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the raised portion of the operation area of the surface
film comprises a smoothly-raised external ring section and the
recessed portion comprises a touch-control internal ring section,
the external ring section surrounding the internal ring section,
the external ring section corresponding in position to the
depressible tab of the support plate and the internal ring section
corresponding in position to the touch control board.
7. The digital audio/video playing device as claimed in claim 6,
wherein the operation area of the surface film further comprise a
central raised portion at a central position of the internal ring
section and wherein the central raised portion, the internal ring
section, and the external ring section form a continuous
raised-recessed configuration.
8. The digital audio/video playing device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the surface film is a molded film having a raised-recessed
configuration and attached to the support plate.
9. An operation panel of a digital audio/video playing device,
comprising: a support plate forming at least a depressible tab; at
least one switch unit positioned in correspondence to each
depressible tab of the support plate; and a surface film arranged
over and covering the support plate, comprising an operation area
forming a raised portion corresponding to the depressible tab of
the support plate and a recessed portion, the raised portion and
the recessed portion together forming a continuous raised-recessed
configuration.
10. The operation panel as claimed in claim 9, wherein the
depressible tab is formed in the support plate by forming an
elongate slit surrounding the tab with a small connection with
support plate thereby forming a cantilever tab that is elastically
deflectable.
11. The operation panel as claimed in claim 9, wherein the switch
unit comprises a thin film switch made of conductive rubber.
12. The operation panel as claimed in claim 9, wherein the support
plate defines a bore in which a touch control board is fixed.
13. The operation panel as claimed in claim 12, wherein the bore is
a circular opening.
14. The operation panel as claimed in claim 9, wherein the raised
portion of the operation area of the surface film comprises a
smoothly-raised external ring section and the recessed portion
comprises a touch-control internal ring section, the external ring
section surrounding the internal ring section, the external ring
section corresponding in position to the depressible tab of the
support plate and the internal ring section corresponding in
position to the touch control board.
15. The operation panel as claimed in claim 14, wherein the
operation area of the surface film further comprise a central
raised portion at a central position of the internal ring section
and wherein the central raised portion, the internal ring section,
and the external ring section form a continuous raised-recessed
configuration.
16. The operation panel as claimed in claim 9, wherein the surface
film is a molded film having a raised-recessed configuration and
attached to the support plate.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to a digital
audio/video playing device, in particular to an operation panel
structure of a digital audio/video playing device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] With the development of computer technology and digitalized
multi-medium technology, computer devices are widely used in a
variety of applications, such as office applications, home
entertainments, and business operations. Some of the latest
developments successfully combine multi-medium or digital music
features in portable computer devices, such as notebook computer
and thus allowing general consumers to watch multi-medium films or
to listen to digital music with the notebook computers.
[0003] However, due to the current trend and requirement from
general consumers of miniaturization of the portable electronic
devices, playing multi-medium film or digital music with the
notebook computers is not the best choice for the consumers and
portable multi-medium player and digital music players gradually
take place of the notebook computers in playing digital music or
multi-medium film. These market available digital playing device
comprise a micro storage for storing digital music and multi-medium
data that can be retrieved and played by the playing device whereby
the general consumers can enjoy the film and music at any time and
any place.
[0004] The evolution of the digital playing device, however, does
not accompany any significant improvement in the operation and
control panel, which means the new device is operated with the same
old control panel. In the conventional control panel, a number of
openings are defined in a casing of the playing device and keys or
pushbuttons of the same number extend beyond the openings
respectively and are thus accessible by and selectively depressible
by the user to operate the playing device. Examples are illustrated
in U.S. Designs D469109S and D472245S, in which a casing forms a
plurality of openings arranged in a circular configuration each for
the extension of a pushbutton to allow the depression by a
user.
[0005] The conventional control or operation panel requires
openings that are formed in advance and are of high precision of
location in order to allow for snug extension of the pushbuttons.
This does not raise any significant problem in manufacturing for
electronic devices of regular sizes, such as household electric
appliance or industry electric devices. However, for the
miniaturized portable device, extremely severe requirement for high
precision must be met in order to effect snug extension of tiny
pushbuttons. As a consequence, any defeat in quality control
regarding the mechanical dimension of the parts of the playing
device will lead to failure of product.
[0006] In the previously mentioned US designs, the area surrounded
by the pushbuttons is provided with a circular control disk. The
disk has an outer rim, which is raised with respect to the casing
with a gap existing therebetween. Such a structure forms an
obstacle to a user's finger that slides along the surface of the
casing for operating the pushbuttons. Such a problem also exists in
a variety of portable electronic devices that are currently
available in the market.
[0007] Even the gap and raised rim that are commonly seen in the
operation panel or control panel of the conventional portable
electronic devices are made hardly felt by the user, there is still
a problem of humidity penetration into the device through the tiny
gap to be overcome for the conventional designs. Humidity is one of
the major causes that fail the electronic devices.
[0008] Thus, the present invention is aimed to solve the
above-discussed problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] An objective of the present invention is to provide a
digital audio/video playing device, comprising a surface film
covering a surface of the playing device, wherein the film
comprises a smoothly-raised external ring section and a
touch-control internal ring section serving as a touch control
whereby a user may apply a depressing force through the surface
film to actuate depressible areas of a support plate and operate a
touch board.
[0010] Another objective of the present invention is to provide an
operation panel of a digital audio/video playing device, which has
a continuous raised-recessed configuration to provide the operation
panel with a smooth tactile feeling of operation by the user.
[0011] A further objective of the present invention is to provide
an operation panel for a digital audio/video playing device
featuring excellent isolation by providing a surface film covering
a surface of a casing of the playing device and shielding
pushbuttons accommodated in the casing, which effect isolation
between inside and outside the casing and thereby increasing
service life thereof.
[0012] To achieve the above objectives, in accordance with the
present invention, a digital audio/video playing device comprises a
casing accommodating a support plate, in which a plurality of
elongate slits is defined, each delimiting a cantilever like
depressible tab that has an end resiliently connected to the
support plate. The playing device comprises a control circuit
board. Switch units are arranged in a circle and a touch control
board is arranged in a bore of the circle of the switch units. Both
the switch units and the touch control board are located between
the circuit board and the support plate whereby depression of the
depressible tabs actuates corresponding switch units. A surface
film is mounted to the casing and covers the support plate. The
surface film forms a continuous raised-recessed configuration,
defining a smoothly-raised external ring section and a
touch-control internal ring section through both of which the user
may depress the depressible tabs and operate the touch control
board through the deformation of the surface film.
[0013] The present invention provides a digital audio/video playing
device comprising both switch units resembling conventional
pushbutton and a touch control board, both of which can be used to
operate/control the playing device, realizing efficient and
convenient operation of the playing device. The digital audio/video
playing device of the present invention further comprises a surface
film, which effects isolation of inside the playing device from the
external surroundings, while allowing a user to selectively actuate
the switch units and operate the touch control board. The surface
film has a continuous raised-recessed configuration, defining a
smoothly-raised external ring section and a touch-control internal
ring section by which the user may apply a force to either
depressible tabs of a support plate to selectively actuate the
switch units or a touch control board for operation thereof. The
smoothly-raised configuration of the surface film provides the user
with a smooth tactile feeling of contact and operation. The surface
film, which effects isolation of the inside of the playing device,
effectively prevents foreign objects, such as dusts and humidity,
from entering the inside of the playing device and thus protecting
the playing device and extending service life of the playing
device. Value of the playing device can also be enhanced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in
the art by reading the following description of a preferred
embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in
which:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a digital audio/video
playing device constructed in accordance with the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a front view of the digital audio/video playing
device of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the digital audio/video
playing device of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the digital audio/video playing
device of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the digital audio/video
playing device of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a side elevational view, partially sectioned,
taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1, showing inside details of the
digital audio/video playing device; and
[0021] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of encircled portion A of FIG.
6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIGS.
1-5, a digital audio/video playing device constructed in accordance
with the present invention, generally designated with reference
numeral 100, comprises a casing 1, which defines an interior space
accommodating a data storage 11 that stores digital audio/video
data to be played by the playing device 100. An internal power
source 12 is also arranged in the interior space of the casing 1
for powering the digital audio/video playing device 100. The
internal power source 12 may comprise a primary battery, or a
secondary or rechargeable battery, or alternatively or in
combination, the internal power source is comprised of a power
adaptor that is connectable to an external power source, such as a
wall outlet, for powering the digital audio/video playing device
100.
[0023] The casing 1 forms an opening corresponding in position to
the internal power source 12, which is removably covered by a lid
13 for manual access or replacement of the battery 12. The casing 1
has opposite front and rear surfaces (not labeled), connected by
opposite side faces and top and bottom faces. A record button 14 is
formed on one side face of the casing 1 and a hold button 16 and a
USB connector 17 are formed on the opposite side face. An earphone
jack 15 is defined in the top face of the casing 1. A control
circuit board 18 on which a control circuit is formed is fixed in
the interior space of the casing 1 and is in electrical connection
with the battery 12, the record button 14, the earphone jack 15,
the hold button 16, and the USB connector 17.
[0024] A base plate 3 and a display unit 2 are also accommodated in
the casing 1. The display unit 2 serves to display information/data
related to the audio/video programs that are being played by the
digital audio/video playing device 100, such as for example title
of the programs, words of songs and the likes.
[0025] Also referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a support plate 4 is
arranged outside and mounted to the base plate 3 and comprises a
plurality of depressible tabs 41. Each depressible tab 41 is formed
by forming an elongate slit 42 in the support plate 42, which
elongate slit 42 surrounds the tab 41 with a small connection with
the support plate 4, which connection resiliently supports the
slit-surrounded depressible tab 41, thereby allowing the area 41
has a form similar to a cantilever beam that is resiliently
deflectable when subject to an external force and to resume the
original position thereof after the external force is removed.
[0026] A central bore 43, which is circular, is defined in the
support plate 4 and surrounded by the depressible tabs 41. A touch
control board 5, which is circular in shape, is arranged in the
central bore 43 of the support plate 4. A switch set 6 comprises a
ring along which a plurality of switch units 61 is arranged and the
switch units 61 are positioned in correspondence to the depressible
tabs 41 respectively, whereby when the depressible tabs 41 are
depressed, the corresponding switch units 61 are actuated to issue
a corresponding signal. An example of the switches 61 includes thin
film switches formed by conductive rubber.
[0027] The switch set 6 comprises a cable 62, such as a flat cable,
connected to the control circuit board 18 to transmit the signals
generated by each switch unit 61 to the control circuit board
18.
[0028] A surface film 7 is attached to and covers the front surface
of the casing 1. The surface film 7 can be molded and having a
raised-recessed configuration, comprising an operation zone 70
corresponding to both the touch control board 5 and the switching
ring 6. The operation zone 70 comprises a raised portion
corresponding to the depressible tabs 41 of the support plate 4 and
thus the switch units 61 of the switch set 6, and a recessed
portion corresponding to the touch control board 5. The raised
portion and recessed portion are integrated together as a
continuous raised-recessed configuration.
[0029] In the embodiment illustrated, the raised portion of the
operation zone 70 comprises a smoothly-raised external ring section
71, while the recessed portion of the operation zone 70 forms a
touch-control internal ring section 72, which provides a variety of
control function that a user may operate the digital audio/video
playing device 100. The external ring section 71 concentrically
surrounds the internal ring section 72. The external ring section
71 corresponds to a ring constituted by the depressible tabs 41 of
the support plate 4, while the internal ring section 72 corresponds
to the touch control board 5.
[0030] Printings may be formed on the external ring section 71 at
positions corresponding to the depressible tabs 41 of the support
plate 4 to allow the user to identify the positions, as well as
functions, such as main menu, confirmation input, play/stop,
forward, and backward, of the depressible tabs 41.
[0031] In the embodiment illustrated, a central raised portion 73
is concentrically formed inside the internal ring section 72 and at
a central location of the internal ring section 72. The central
raised portion 73, the touch-control internal ring section 72, and
the smoothly-raised external ring section 71 form a concentric,
continuous raised-recessed configuration. The central raised
portion 73 functions to provide an aesthetic visual effect by
forming the continuous raised-recessed configuration with the
internal ring section 72 and the external ring section 71 and also
serves as a reference point for user's finger in operating the
touch-control internal ring section 72.
[0032] To operate the digital audio/video playing device 100 of the
present invention, when the user depress the smoothly-raised
external ring 71 of the surface film 7 at a position corresponding
to the depressible tabs 41 of the support plate 4, the depression
force is transmitted through the surface film 7 to the switch set
6, whereby the corresponding switch unit 61 of the switch set 6 is
actuated by the depressible tab 41 to generate a signal that is
transmitted through the cable 62 to the control circuit board 18.
When the user depresses the touch-control internal ring section 72
of the surface film 7, a force is applied to the touch control
board 5 through the surface film 7 to effect operation of the touch
control board 5 to realize selection of particular function.
[0033] Although the present invention has been described with
reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent to
those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and
changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present
invention which is intended to be defined by the appended
claims.
* * * * *