Electronic device

An electronic device includes a case, a board module, and an electrostatic discharging module. The case has a conductive area. The board module is disposed in the case and has a ground end. The electrostatic discharging module is disposed on the case. Besides, the electrostatic discharging module includes a first discharging element and a second discharging element. The first discharging element is electrically connected to the ground end, and the second discharging element is electrically connected to the conductive area. There exists a gap between the first discharging element and the second discharging element, so that leak current generated by the board module can be prevented from being transmitted to the case, and that an electrostatic charge can be transmitted from the case to the ground end.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to an electronic device. More particularly, the invention relates to an electronic device capable of preventing electrostatic discharge (ESD) and current leakage.

2. Description of Related Art

Currently, a problem of how to avoid electrostatic discharge (ESD) in an electronic device is a key concern in terms of product safety. To protect electronic elements in the electronic device from malfunctioning because of ESD, a diode is installed between two different ground ends of the electronic device according to the related art, as exemplarily disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,255.

Besides, when a user operates an electronic device, electrostatic charges from the human body enter a case along a seam on the case. The sudden release of charges into the device can result in destruction of the device. To resolve said issue, it was proposed to dispose a conductive element between the case and the electronic device according to the related art, and the conductive element is electrically connected to a ground end, so as to conduct the electrostatic charges to the ground end and keep the electronic elements in the case away from being destroyed by ESD, as exemplarily disclosed in US patent application publication no. 2007/0121308.

Although the issue of preventing internal electronic elements from being damaged by outside-in ESD has been addressed in the related art, leak current generated by a board module within the case during operation of the electronic device has not yet been taken into account, and said leak current flowing to the case of the electronic device is likely to result in electric shock to the user.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The invention is directed to an electronic device with improved reliability and safety.

In an embodiment of the invention, an electronic device including a case, a board module, and an electrostatic discharging module is provided. The case has a conductive area. The board module is disposed in the case and has a ground end. The electrostatic discharging module includes a first discharging element and a second discharging element. The first discharging element is electrically connected to the ground end, and the second discharging element is electrically connected to the conductive area. There exists a gap between the first discharging element and the second discharging element, such that leak current generated by the board module can be prevented from being transmitted to the case, and that the electrostatic charges can be transmitted from the case to the ground end.

As described in the above embodiments of the invention, the electrostatic discharging module is electrically connected not only to the conductive area of the case but also to the ground end of the board module. In addition, the gap existing between the first discharging element and the second discharging element gives rise to broken circuits. Thereby, external electrostatic charges are conducted to the ground end of the board module due to a point discharge effect at the electrostatic discharging module, such that the electronic elements in the board module are not destroyed by ESD. Moreover, with the electrostatic discharging module, the leak current generated by the board module is blocked by the gap between the discharging elements, and therefore the leak current flowing to the case of the electronic device is unlikely to result in electric shock to a user.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general descriptions and the detailed embodiments are exemplary and are, together with the accompanying drawings, intended to provide further explanation of technical features and advantages of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention. With reference toFIG. 1, in this embodiment, the electronic device100is a notebook computer, for example, which should not be construed as limited to what is described herein. The electronic device100includes a case110, a board module120, an electrostatic discharging module130, and a display module140. The display module140is connected to the case110and can be rotated relative to the case110.

The case110has a conductive area110alocated on an inner surface of the case110. The conductive area110acan be directly formed by the case110made of metallic materials or can be formed by a metal coating layer on the inner surface of the case110. The board module120is disposed in the case110and has a ground end122. The board module120can be a main board, which should not be construed as a limitation to this invention. The electrostatic discharging module130is disposed on the case110and includes a first discharging element132and a second discharging element134. The first discharging element132is electrically connected to the ground end122, and the second discharging element134is electrically connected to the conductive area110aon the case110.

FIG. 2is a top view illustrating the electrostatic discharging module depicted inFIG. 1. InFIG. 2, circuit patterns on only one side of the electrostatic discharging module130are shown. As indicated inFIG. 2, a gap152exists between the first discharging element132and the second discharging element134, and a width of the gap152is the shortest distance between the first discharging element132and the second discharging element134.

Based on the above, by the arrangement of the first and the second discharging elements132and134of the electrostatic discharging module130in the electronic device100, the electrostatic charges on the case110are conducted to the second discharging element134through the conductive area110aand then conducted to the ground end122of the board module120through the first discharging element132due to the point discharge effect achieved by the first and the second discharging elements132and134. Thereby, the electronic elements in the board module120are not destroyed by ESD. In addition, the gap152existing between the first discharging element132and the second discharging element134gives rise to broken circuits, and therefore leak current generated by the board module120is blocked by the gap152, so as to prevent the leak current from being transmitted to the case110and protect a user from getting an electric shock. Namely, the electrostatic discharging module130simultaneously achieves prevention of ESD and current leakage.

FIG. 3is a cross-sectional view illustrating the electrostatic discharging module depicted inFIG. 1.FIG. 4is a bottom view illustrating the electrostatic discharging module depicted inFIG. 1. InFIG. 4, circuit patterns on the other side of the electrostatic discharging module130are shown. With reference toFIG. 2toFIG. 4, the electrostatic discharging module130further includes a dielectric core board131, a first patterned conductive layer133, a first dielectric layer135, a second patterned conductive layer137, and a second dielectric layer139. The dielectric core board131has a first side131a, a second side131b, and a conductive via136connecting the first side131aand the second side131b.

The first patterned conductive layer133is disposed on the first surface131aand forms the first discharging element132and the second discharging element134. The first dielectric layer135covers the first patterned conductive layer133and exposes the first discharging element132, such that the first discharging element132is electrically connected to the ground end122(depicted inFIG. 1) of the board module120(depicted inFIG. 1).

The second patterned conductive layer137is disposed on the second side131bof the dielectric core board131and forms a contact electrode138. One side of the contact electrode138is electrically connected to the second discharging element134through the conductive via136. The second dielectric layer139covers the second patterned conductive layer137and exposes the contact electrode138, such that the other side of the contact electrode138is electrically connected to the conductive area110a(depicted inFIG. 1) on the case110(depicted inFIG. 1).

FIG. 5is an exploded view illustrating some components in the electronic device depicted inFIG. 1. As shown inFIG. 5, in this embodiment, the case110includes an outer cover112and an inner cover114. The outer cover112has the conductive area110afor conducting the electrostatic charges on the outer cover112to the electrostatic discharging module130. The inner cover114is assembled to the outer cover112. The electrostatic discharging module130is inlaid into an opening114aof the inner cover114according to an embodiment, which should not be construed as a limitation to this invention. In another embodiment not shown, the case110can be a one-body case that neither has the inner cover nor has the outer cover. In the event that the case is the one-body case, the electrostatic discharging module is electrically connected to a conductive area on an inner surface of the case.

Please refer toFIG. 1andFIG. 5again. In this embodiment, the electronic device100further includes a conductive strip170connected between the ground end122of the board module120and the first discharging element132, so as to electrically connect the electrostatic discharging module130inlaid into the inner cover114to the ground end122of the board module120.

Please refer toFIG. 2again. It should be mentioned that the first discharging element132and the second discharging element134respectively have a sharp outline for accomplishing the point discharge effect. In other words, the first discharging element132and the second discharging element134respectively have a pair of bevel edges132aand134a. An included angle between each pair of the bevel edges132aand134ais less than 180 degrees to form the sharp outline. A width of the gap152is the shortest distance between the sharp outlines of the first and the second discharging elements132and134, and the width of the gap152preferably ranges from 4 mil to 400 mil.

Note that the contours of the first and the second discharging elements132and134are not limited in this invention.

FIG. 6is a top view illustrating an electrostatic discharging module in an electronic device according to another embodiment of the invention. InFIG. 6, the electrostatic discharging module230includes a first discharging element232, a second discharging element234, and a gap252. The difference between the embodiment depicted inFIG. 2and the embodiment depicted inFIG. 6lies in that the first discharging element232and the second discharging element234respectively have an arc-shaped outline for accomplishing the point discharge effect which is also achieved in the embodiment depicted inFIG. 2. That is to say, the embodiment is applicable as long as the point discharge effect can be achieved and the gap can be formed between the discharging elements for blocking the leak current.

As described in the above embodiments of the invention, since the electrostatic discharging module has the two discharging elements electrically connected to the conductive area of the case and the ground end of the board module, respectively, the electrostatic charges on the case are conducted to the ground end of the board module due to the point discharge effect. Additionally, with the electrostatic discharging module, the leak current generated by the board module is blocked by the gap between the discharging elements and is then not conducted to the case. Hence, the electrostatic discharging module simultaneously achieves prevention of ESD and current leakage, and reliability and safety of the electronic device can be further attained.