Electronic apparatus

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus including: a wiring that is formed on a mounting surface; a terminal that is electrically connected with the wiring; a terminal holder that is disposed above the mounting surface to face the wiring and that holds the terminal in a space between the terminal; and a blocking member that is disposed on the terminal holder at a side facing the mounting surface, that surrounds the terminal and that is separated from the mounting surface to regulate a gap between blocking member and the mounting surface so that the terminal is prevented from passing therethrough when the terminal is broken off from the terminal holder.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-339539, filed on Dec. 28, 2007, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

An aspect of the present invention relates to an electronic apparatus which takes into consideration the breaking off of a member in a housing.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various techniques have been proposed to prevent a connecting terminal (connector) from being erroneously pulled out of an external device in an electronic apparatus such as a personal computer (e.g., see JP-2005-50619-A for reference). With this type of techniques, the connector can be prevented from being unintentionally separated. Accordingly, it is convenient since the electronic apparatus can be used under the condition of vibration.

However, the conventional techniques are used only to prevent separation. The conventional techniques are not a technique for handling the case where the braking off occurs. Moreover, the conventional techniques relate to a connector between an electronic apparatus and an external device and can not handle the braking off of a member inside the electronic apparatus.

In the electronic apparatus, solder separation may occur by various causes such as shock or stress applied during handling. The member broken off by the solder separation rolls in a housing of the electronic apparatus. The broken-off member causes various types of internal breaking such as short-circuiting of a circuit in the electronic apparatus. Accordingly, it is important to handle the braking off of the member and limit the range in which the broken-off member freely moves.

Recently, smaller size portable electronic apparatuses have been developed, and thus small size electronic apparatuses having a size of A5 or less have been shown. For these small size electronic apparatuses, a size of a regulating member for limiting the moving range of the broken-off member should be reduced while reducing the entire size of the electronic apparatus.

In addition, as a technique which can be applied to small size electronic apparatuses, a technique for printing a wiring such as an antenna in a housing has been recently proposed. With this type of technique, a plurality of antennas can be formed in a housing in a single printing process.

However, depending on intended use of the electronic apparatuses, all of the antennas may not be used, but one or more antennas may be selectively used among the printed plurality of antennas.

As described above, in the case where the antenna to be used is different depending on intended use, it is necessary to selectively provide the antenna depending the intended use even if a member other than the antenna is in common use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments according to the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. In general, according to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus including: a wiring that is formed on a mounting surface; a terminal that is electrically connected with the wiring; a terminal holder that is disposed above the mounting surface to face the wiring and that holds the terminal in a space between the terminal; and a blocking member that is disposed on the terminal holder at a side facing the mounting surface, that surrounds the terminal and that is separated from the mounting surface to regulate a gap between blocking member and the mounting surface so that the terminal is prevented from passing therethrough when the terminal is broken off from the terminal holder.

Embodiments of an electronic apparatus according to the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1is a view schematically showing an overall configuration of an electronic apparatus according to a first embodiment. Hereinafter, a small size personal computer is shown as an example of the electronic apparatus in the following description.

The electronic apparatus10includes a first housing11in which a system element is provided and a second housing20which is formed integrally with the first housing11and constitutes an outer frame of the electronic apparatus10.

The first housing11includes an LCD12at a center portion thereof and an on/off button13at a side portion thereof. The display input part includes the LCD12as the display part and a pen tablet device or a touch panel as an input part.

FIG. 2is a perspective view showing an inner surface of the second housing20.

The second housing20includes an antenna group21as a plurality of wirings which are pattern-printed on the inner surface. Hereinafter, an example of the case where the antenna group21as the plurality of wirings has 4 antennas including first, second, third, and fourth antennas22to25as shown inFIG. 2will be described in the following description.

It may not be necessary that the inner surface of the second housing20is a flat surface. As shown inFIG. 2, the inner surface may include a curved surface.

As shown inFIG. 2, each of the antennas22to25of the antenna group21has a given occupation area (pattern-printed area). They are printed to be separated from each other on the inner surface of the second housing20so that the occupation areas do not overlap with each other.

The first antenna22and the second antenna23are a diversity antenna for wireless LAN. The first antenna22functions as a main antenna and the second antenna23functions as an AUX antenna (sub-antenna).

The third antenna24is an antenna for GPS and the fourth antenna25functions as an antenna for transmitting and receiving with a portable cell phone.

The antenna group21may include an antenna used for another purpose or a multi-purpose antenna.

FIG. 3is a perspective view showing a portion of the second housing20according to the first embodiment, in which a terminal part30is provided to face the antenna group21.

FIGS. 4A and 4Bare perspective views of the terminal part30according to the first embodiment.FIG. 4Ais a perspective view showing a rear surface of an antenna facing surface of the terminal part30andFIG. 4Bis a perspective view showing the antenna facing surface of the terminal part30.

As shown inFIGS. 4A and 4B, the terminal part30includes a terminal support substrate31, first to fourth terminals32to35, a protective part41, and first to fourth cable connection parts42to45. The terminal support substrate31is functioning as a terminal holder, and the protective part41is functioning as a blocking member.

The first to fourth terminals32to35are fixed by soldering on the surface of the terminal support substrate31, which faces the second housing20. The first to fourth terminals32to35are electrically connected to the first to fourth antennas22to25, respectively, by being sandwiched and fixed between the terminal support substrate31and the inner surface of the second housing20.

As shown inFIG. 4B, the protective part41is disposed on the surface of the terminal support substrate31, which faces the second housing20so as to surround the periphery of the first to fourth terminals32to35.

As shown inFIG. 3, a height of the protective part41from the terminal support substrate31is set so that the protective part41and the second housing20are separated from each other and that the protective part41is not brought into contact with the antenna group21. The reason is that characteristics of the antennas are changed when a substance other than the first to fourth terminals32to35is brought into contact with the antennas. The characteristics of the antennas are affected even by metal near the antennas. Therefore, the protective part41is made of a nonmetallic material such as polycarbonate so that the characteristics of the antennas are not affected.

The terminal support substrate31and the protective part41are configured so that the first to fourth terminals32to35do not pass through a gap between the protective part41and the inner surface of the second housing20.

The first to fourth cable connection parts42to45are disposed to face the first to fourth contact terminals32to35, respectively, with the terminal support substrate31disposed therebetween, and are electrically connected to the first to fourth terminals32to35, respectively. The first to fourth cable connection parts42to45can be connected to cables (conductive wires or the like). Each of the antennas22to25can be electrically connected to a wireless module by connecting one end of a cable to each of the first to fourth cable connection parts42to45and connecting the other end of the cable to the wireless module.

Next, an example of an operation of the electronic apparatus10according to the first embodiment will be described.

FIG. 5is a side view showing an interior configuration of a partially cut electronic apparatus100without the protective part41andFIG. 6is an enlarged view of an X part ofFIG. 5. InFIGS. 5 and 6, a broken line indicates a position on the inner surface of the second housing20, on which the antenna group21is printed.

The first to fourth terminals32to35may be broken off by solder separation occurring by various causes such as shock or stress applied during handling. In this case, as shown inFIG. 6, when a gap between the terminal support substrate31and the second housing20(see a B dimension and a C dimension ofFIG. 6for reference) is larger than a width of the terminal indicated by an A dimension, the broken-off terminal rolls in the electronic apparatus100. For example, when the terminal rolls to the system element51, such as a main substrate50, the terminal causes malfunction of the system element51by short-circuiting.

If the range in which a broken-off member freely moves can be limited, the member such as the broken-off terminal can be prevented from rolling in the inner portion. As a method of limiting the range in which the broken-off member freely moves, a method is considered of providing a member for spatially separating a position in which a member having a high possibility of solder separation is disposed from a position of a main board or the like in which a problem occurs when the broken-off member freely moves to the main board or the like, thereby limiting the moving range by the movement prevention member.

FIG. 7is a side view showing an interior configuration of an example of the partially cut electronic apparatus100in which a separation plate52for separating the terminals from the inner portion of the electronic apparatus100is provided on the inner surface of the second housing20. InFIG. 7, a broken line indicates a position on the inner surface of the second housing20, on which the antenna group21is printed.

The broken-off terminal can be prevented from rolling in the electronic apparatus100by providing the separation plate52at a position shown inFIG. 7. However, the separation plate52shown inFIG. 7is provided in the area in which the antenna group21is printed. For this reason, this separation plate52becomes the obstruction for forming the antenna group21.

FIG. 8is a side view showing an interior configuration of another example of the partially cut electronic apparatus100in which the separation plate52for separating the terminals from the inner portion of the electronic apparatus100is provided on the inner surface of the second housing20. InFIG. 8, a broken line indicates a position on the inner surface of the second housing20, on which the antenna group21is printed.

The electronic apparatus100shown inFIG. 8is different from the electronic apparatus100shown inFIG. 7in that the separation plate52is provided at a position in which the antenna group21is not printed. If the separation plate52is provided as shown inFIG. 8, the antenna group21can be printed. However, it is necessary that the system element51is moved so as not to overlap with the separation plate52, and thus the entire size of the electronic apparatus100increases. Accordingly, it is difficult that the method of providing the separation plate52as shown inFIG. 8is used for small size apparatuses.

FIG. 9is a side view showing an interior configuration of an example of the partially cut electronic apparatus10with the protective part41according to the first embodiment andFIG. 10is an enlarged view of an X part ofFIG. 9. InFIGS. 9 and 10, a broken line indicates a position on the inner surface of the second housing20, on which the antenna group21is printed.

As shown inFIG. 10, when a gap between the terminal support substrate31and the second housing20(see a D dimension and an E dimension ofFIG. 10for reference) is larger than a width of the terminal indicated by an A dimension, the broken-off terminal freely moves in the range surrounded by the protective part41.

Accordingly, in the case where a member is broken off in the electronic apparatus10, for example, by the solder separation, the broken-off member can be isolated from the system element51in the electronic apparatus10according to this embodiment. Therefore, in the case where the member is broken off in the electronic apparatus10, internal breaking occurring by the member can be prevented.

In the electronic apparatus10according to this embodiment, the protective part41can be provided without moving the system element. Accordingly, in the electronic apparatus10according to this embodiment, the range in which the broken-off member freely moves can be limited while the small entire size of the electronic apparatus10is maintained.

In addition, in the electronic apparatus10according to this embodiment, the protective part41for the broken-off terminal is disposed on the terminal support substrate31so as to be disposed away from and not to be brought into contact with the antenna group21, and is made of a nonmetallic material. Accordingly, the protective part41can be disposed without affecting the characteristics of the antennas of the antenna group21.

FIG. 11is a perspective view showing a first variant of the terminal part30shown inFIG. 3.

The first variant of the terminal part30includes an example of the case where the electronic apparatus10according to the first embodiment includes a plurality of terminal parts30.

The antennas of the pattern-printed antenna group21may be arranged in a plurality of lines.FIG. 11shows an example of the case where the antenna group21further includes a fifth antenna26and a sixth antenna27and the fifth antenna26and the sixth antenna27are not arranged in a line in which the first to fourth antennas22to25are provided.

In this case, as shown inFIG. 11, another terminal part30may be provided so as to correspond to each of the lines in which the antennas are provided. The terminal part30which is provided to face the fifth and sixth antennas26and27, includes a terminal support substrate31, a fifth and sixth terminals36and37, a protective part41, and fifth and sixth cable connection parts46and47. The fifth and sixth terminals36and37are electrically connected to the fifth and sixth antennas26and27as the first to fourth terminals32to35.

The plurality of terminal parts30may be used for the antennas in the same line. For example, a terminal part30corresponding to the first and second antennas22and23and a terminal part30corresponding to the third and fourth antennas24and25may be independently provided as the above terminal parts30.

FIG. 12is a perspective view showing an antenna facing surface of a second variant of the terminal part30shown inFIG. 3.

The second variant of the terminal part30is an example of the case where the protective part41is shaped to surround each of the peripheries of the first to fourth terminals32to35. As shown inFIG. 12, the range in which the broken-off terminal freely moves can be further limited by surrounding each of the peripheries of the terminals32to35by the protective part41.

With the shape of the protective part41shown inFIG. 4B, the broken-off terminal can be prevented from moving to the inner portion of the electronic apparatus10. However, the antennas (the other antennas) other than the antenna corresponding to the broken-off terminal are affected. For example, when the first terminal32is broken off, the first terminal32rolls to the second to fourth antennas23to25and changes the characteristics of the antennas23to25.

Meanwhile, with the shape of the protective part41shown inFIG. 12, the broken-off terminal can not move to the other antennas. Therefore, an effect of the broken-off terminal on the other antennas is minimized.

For example, even when the first terminal32is broken off, the second to fourth antennas23to25can be used in the same manner as that before the first terminal32is broken off. If the first antenna22and the second antenna23are a diversity antenna, a function of the second antenna23is good even when a function of the first antenna22is lost by the braking off of the first terminal32. Consequently, the electronic apparatus10can continuously use a function of wireless LAN.

Next, the electronic apparatus10according to a second embodiment will be described.

The electronic apparatus10according to this embodiment is used for the case where a part of the antennas of the antenna group21may be used, and is different from the electronic apparatus10according to the first embodiment in that the shape of the terminal part30can be reduced in size to follow the some antennas. By reducing the shape of the terminal part30in size, a mounting space or the like of the system element51, such as the main substrate50, can be increased.

FIG. 13is a perspective view showing a portion of the second housing20according to the second embodiment in which the terminal part30is provided to face the antenna group21.

In addition,FIGS. 14A and 14Bare perspective views of the terminal part30according to the second embodiment.FIG. 14Ais a perspective view showing the rear surface of the antenna facing surface of the terminal part30according to the second embodiment, andFIG. 14Bis a perspective view showing the antenna facing surface of the terminal part30according to the second embodiment.

The antenna group21can be formed by printing all of the antennas22to25in a single process. Therefore, the entire antenna group21is collectively printed for an effective manufacturing even when an antenna to not be used in the electronic apparatus10is included therein.

FIG. 13andFIGS. 14A and 14Bshow an example of the case where the third antenna24as an antenna for GPS and the fourth antenna25as an antenna for transmitting and receiving with a portable cell phone are unnecessary in view of the intended use of the electronic apparatus10.

In this case, the third and fourth terminals34and35and the third and fourth cable connection parts44and45corresponding to the third and fourth antennas24and25are an unnecessary member. Therefore, only the first and second terminals32and33corresponding to the first and second antennas22and23are necessary among the first to fourth terminals32to35.

Accordingly, as shown inFIG. 13andFIGS. 14A and 14B, the terminal support substrate31and the protective part41are configured so as to have a given dimension necessary for providing the first and second terminals32and33and for facing the inner surface of the second housing20. The dimension necessary for facing the inner surface of the second housing20means a dimension including an area necessary for providing a screw hole and the like for the case where, for example, fastening is performed for the facing operation.

As a result, a space is formed above the third and fourth antennas24and25. Since the third and fourth antennas24and25are not substantially used, this space can be used as the mounting space of the system element51, such as the main substrate50.

The electronic apparatus10according to this embodiment also has the same effect as the electronic apparatus10according to the first embodiment. In addition, in the electronic apparatus10according to the second embodiment, the shape of the terminal part30can be more reduced in size than that in the electronic apparatus10according to the first embodiment. Accordingly, in the electronic apparatus10according to the second embodiment, the space for mounting another interior device can be increased.

FIG. 15is a perspective view showing a first variant of the terminal part30shown inFIG. 13.

The first variant of the terminal part30is an example of the case where the electronic apparatus10according to the second embodiment includes the plurality of terminal parts30.

In the variant of the terminal parts30shown inFIG. 15, the terminals corresponding to the unnecessary antennas are not provided in comparison with the first variant of the terminal part30according to the first embodiment shown inFIG. 11. Accordingly, a space for mounting another interior device can be increased.

FIG. 15shows an example of the case where the third antenna24as an antenna for GPS and the fifth antenna26are unnecessary in view of the intended use of the electronic apparatus10.

FIG. 16is a perspective view showing the antenna facing surface of a second variant of the terminal part30shown inFIG. 13.

When the protective part41according to this embodiment has a shape surrounding each of the peripheries of the terminals as in the case of the second variant of the terminal part30according to the first embodiment shown inFIG. 12, the range in which the broken-off terminal freely moves can be further limited in comparison with the case where the protective part41having the shape shown inFIG. 14Bis used.

The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be embodied by changing the constituting elements without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention in execution. Various types of the invention can be formed by properly combining the plurality of constituting elements disclosed in the embodiments. For example, some constituting elements may be removed from all of the constituting elements disclosed in the embodiments. In addition, different constituting elements may be properly combined according to a different embodiment.

According to an aspect of the present invention, when a member is broken off by solder separation due to shock or stress applied during handling, the range in which a member freely moves in a housing can be limited. In addition, in the case where a plurality of wirings are printed in the housing, a position of a terminal for connecting each of the wirings to a main body of the electronic apparatus can be changed depending on intended use.