Portable terminal

• Main Authors: MATSUMOTO MASARU, IMAI KIMIAKI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 26.06.2012
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC SWITCHES; ELECTRICITY; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES; RELAYS; SELECTORS

In a portable terminal, a plurality of operation keys 7 are formed in a key through hole, which is formed in a housing main body that covers a printed board 15, by partitioning a stainless steel sheet 26 (a key sheet) by slits 26a. A urethane sheet 28 is attached to the rear side of the stainless steel sheet 26, where the urethane sheet 28 has ridge portions 28a that bulge out through the slits 26a to the front side of the stainless steel sheet 26, and the rear sides of the ridge portions 28a have groove-like openings. A rubber layer 29 is attached to the rear side of the urethane sheet 28, where the rubber layer 29 has a plurality of protruding portions 23 that protrudes toward a substrate 25 at positions corresponding to a plurality of fixed contacts 16 over the substrate 25. LEDs (light emitting means) and a light guide sheet 21 are disposed closer to the substrate than the rubber layer 29 is. Recess grooves 29a (wrong operation preventing means), for preventing the operation keys 7 located adjacent to each ridge portion 28a from being depressed at the same time, are formed in the rubber layer 29 at locations corresponding to the rear sides of the ridge portions 28a. This implements the operation keys 7 that have a nice feel and are less likely to cause wrong operation, while uniformly guiding light from the LEDs to the operation keys 7.