CARRIER ELEMENT FOR AN ELECTRONIC MEDIA APPARATUS

Abstract: An electronic media apparatus is provided with a casing, with a circuit board fitted with electronic components, and with electromechanical components (12 to 18) such as a plug-connector, a switch, an antenna, an antenna connection, a plug-in-card holder, a plug-in-card arrangement, screening elements and/or the like. Associated with the circuit board is a plate (11) of insulating material which receives the electromechanical components (12 to 18) mechanically, the said electromechanical components (12 to 18) making contact electrically with the circuit board via resilient contact fingers. As a result of this, the electromechanical components are arranged and held in such a way that apparatuses of considerably smaller build are possible from the manufacturing technology point of view.

Description: Carrier element for an electronic media apparatus Description The present invention relates to a carrier element for an electronic media apparatus and to an electronic media apparatus according to the pre-characterising clauses of claims 1 and 9, respectively. The following are regarded as electronic media apparatuses, for example: small apparatuses such as mobile telephones, so-called "hand-held computers" and palm-top computers, but also plug-in cards for mobile telephones and the like. In the case of plug-in cards for mobile telephones, it is known practice to fit the circuit board, not only with the electronic components but also with the necessary electromechanical components. This is done, for example, by the SMD technique, a fact which raises various problems. One problem, for example, consists in the fact that it is possible to use, for the electromechanical components, only such materials as can withstand the SMD soldering process. Another disadvantage consists in the fact that the electromechanical components, which are of large build in some cases, take up considerable space on the circuit board, which space would be more appropriately used for electronic components. In addition, this technique stands in the way of further miniaturisation, particularly of the circuit board. The object of the present invention is to provide a carrier element for an electronic media apparatus, or to provide an electronic media apparatus of the type initially mentioned, in which the electromechanical components are arranged and held in such a way that apparatuses of considerably smaller build are possible from the manufacturing technology point of view. In order to achieve this object, the features indicated in claim 1 or claim 9 are provided, respectively, m a carrier element for an electronic media apparatus, or in an electronic media apparatus of the type initially mentioned. What is achieved as a result of the measures according to the invention is that the electromechanical components take up less space on the circuit board because of the resilient contact -making, so that the said circuit board can be fitted with more electronic components or can be of smaller construction. Furthermore, m the quality of their material, the electromechanical components can be constructed independently of the needs of a circui -board soldering operation, a fact which leads, if applicable, to electromechanical components which can be manufactured in a more favourable manner. In addition, the said electromechanical components can be mechanically held in the carrier element in a simple manner. Finally, assembly, and thereby electrical contact -making of the electromechanical components with the circuit board, is possible by the mere bringing-together of the said circuit board and the carrier element, and thereby in a simpler manner . The holding of the electromechanical components on the carrier element may be effected in a variety of ways. Variants of embodiment for this purpose emerge from the features of claims 2, 3 and/or 4. According to the features of claim 5, it is possible, in a preferred manner, for the carrier element to be used directly for receiving SIM or even MMC or CCM cards. In this case, it may be expedient to make provision for the features according to claim 6. In order to achieve internal screening, that is to say screening of the electronic components on the circuit board, provision may be made, in advantageous manner, for the features according to claim 7. This is a screening system which is simple to manufacture and effective. What is achieved with the aid of the features according to claim 8 is that, depending upon the type of configuration of the carrier element, considerably more space between the electromechanical components can be used for the electronic structural elements on the circuit board. Advantageous arrangements of one or more carrier elements when one or more circuit boards are present emerge from the features of one or more of claims 10 to 12. With the aid of the features according to claim 13, a further simplification is achieved in the manufacture and assembly of a media apparatus provided with a corresponding carrier element. Further details of the invention can be inferred from the following description, in which the invention is explained and described in greater detail with the aid of the exemplified embodiments represented in the drawings, in which: figure 1 shows, in an exploded representation in perspective, a carrier element and the electronic components, which are to provided therewith, for an electronic media apparatus according to a preferred exemplified embodiment of the present invention, figure 2 shows a representation corresponding to figure 1, but viewed in another perspective position, figure 3 shows a representation according to figure 1 but m the assembled condition, figure 4 shows a representation corresponding to figure 2, likewise in an assembled condition as in figure 3, figure 5 shows, in an exploded representation in perspective, a media apparatus in the form of a mobile telephone, provided with a carrier element made of insulating material, in accordance with another form of embodiment of the present invention, and figure 6 shows a representation corresponding to figure 5, of a media apparatus in the form of a mobile telephone, provided with an integrated carrier element made of insulating material, in accordance with a further exemplified embodiment of the present invention. In figures 1 to 4 , all that is represented of an electronic media apparatus in the form of a small, so-called "handheld apparatus" which contains a casing, at least one circuit board fitted with electronic components and various electromechanical components, is a plate-shaped carrier element 11 according to the invention made of insulating material, which is fitted, or is to be fitted, with the multitude of electromechanical components, such as a switch 12, an audio-connection part 13, an antenna-connection part 14, a plug-connector part 15, a set 16 of finger-type contacts for a plug- in card 19, for example in the form of a SIM card, and a contact-comb strip 17 with a set 18 of spring contacts for a plug- in card 20, for example in the form of an MMC card. In this connection, "electromechanical components" are understood to mean not only so-called "complete components" but also ones which are only partially prefabricated, such as sets of contacts for example, which are directly held by the carrier element, while the mechanical functions, such as guidance, of the said electromechanical components are integrated into the carrier element. The following are regarded as an electronic media apparatus which possesses a carrier element of this kind fitted with one or more of the electromechanical components 12 to 18 : a small electronic apparatus, for example in the form of a hand-held computer, an organiser, a palm-top computer, a mobile telephone (figures 5 and 6) and the like, or even in the form of a plug-in-card device for mobile telephones or the like. In this connection, the carrier element made of insulating material may be not only of plate-shaped construction, but also of skeleton-like construction (external border) with connecting webs (or lattice-shaped) or even, in the simplest form, of frame-like construction. According to the graphic representation in figures 1 to 4 , the plate-shaped carrier element 11 made of insulating material is provided with a multitude of recesses and clearances which are able to receive the electromechanical components 12 to 18 and the plug- in cards 19, 20. The carrier element 11 is made of an mjectable plastic. Surface regions of the said carrier element 11 may be metallised, so that the said regions are able to serve as electrical screening for electrical components on the printed circuit board, which is not represented in these figures . The switch 12 is received in a recess 22 close to the region of attachment of the antenna-connection part 14. A further U-shaped recess 23 receives the audio-connection part 13 which, like the switch 12, is accessible from the outside of the carrier element 11 made of insulating material and from the outside of the casing of the electronic media apparatus. The plug-connector part 15, which is likewise accessible from outside the casing of the electronic media apparatus, is received m a further U- shaped recess 25 which is arranged on the end face of the carrier element 11 made of insulating material, between the two recesses 22 and 23 arranged at the sides. The switch 12, the audio-connection part 13 and the plug-connector part 15 are received in a form- locking manner and held mechanically within their corresponding clearances 22, 23 and 25 respectively. Both the plug-connector part 15 and also, in a manner which is not represented, the audio- connection part 13 and the switch 12 possess spring contacts 35 which point towards the circuit board and, in the assembled condition, rest resiliently on corresponding conductor tracks on the circuit board in such a way as to make electrical contact. The set 16 of finger-type contacts, which consists of two arrangements 16' and 16'' of finger-type contacts arranged one behind the other, is arranged and held in webs 31 and 32 between clearances 26, 26' and 27, in such a way as to be surrounded, in an injection-moulded manner, by the plastic of the carrier element 11. The contact arrangements 16' and 16'' of the set 16 of finger-type contacts possess, on the one hand, spring-contact ends 37 towards the circuit board, and also spring contacts 37 which point towards a plug-in card 19 which is to be used. Two further clearances 28 and 29 located next to one another on that end of the carrier element 11 made of insulating material which faces away from the recess 25 for the plug-connector part 15 receive the contact-comb strip 17 and the set 18 of spring contacts, which set has, on one side, spring contacts 38 towards the circuit board and, on the other side, spring contacts 39 towards the MMC card 20. It is possible to introduce the said MMC card 20 into a broad, slot-shaped clearance 30 which emanates from a narrow end face 40 of the carrier element 11 made of insulating material and opens into the clearance 29, and to release it again, for pulling-out purposes, by means of an ejector which is incorporated, in a manner not represented, in a narrow slot 33. The carrier element 11 made of insulating material, which is fixedly connected mechanically to the electromechanical components 12 to 18, is kept at a distance from the associated printed circuit board with its electronic components in a suitable manner. This may be brought about, for example, by the two casing parts of the electronic media apparatus or by separate frame sections. Figure 5 shows, as the media apparatus, a mobile telephone 50 which is fitted with a carrier element 11' made of insulating material which, in essence, approximately corresponds to the carrier element 11 made of insulating material in figures 1 to 4 and therefore does not need to be described in any greater detail, even if provision is made for one modification or another in respect of the electromechanical components provided. In this exemplified embodiment, the carrier element 11' is arranged between two circuit boards 51 and 52 which are represented diagrammatically and which carry, in a manner which is not represented, corresponding electronic components. In addition, the mobile telephone 50 possesses an upper casing shell 53 which is fitted, for example, with a keyboard 54 and a display 55, and also a lower casing shell 56 which likewise is merely represented diagrammatically. The outer contour 57 of the carrier element 11' is so constructed that it is entirely or partially enclosed by the casing shells 53 and 56 when the mobile telephone 50 is in the assembled state. In other words, the outer contour 57 of the carrier element 11' may, at least partially, also form the outer contour of the mobile telephone 50. Represented in figure 6 as the electronic media apparatus, is a mobile telephone 60 which possesses a circuit board 61, which is represented only diagrammatically and without any electronic structural elements, and an upper casing shell 63 and lower casing shell 66. The upper casing shell 63 is provided, in a diagrammatically represented manner, with a keyboard 64 and a display 65. In this exemplified embodiment, a carrier element 11'' made of insulating material is likewise provided, which is of similar construction to the carrier element 11 or 11' but which, in contrast to the latter, is integrated into, or forms, the upper casing shell 63. In this exemplified embodiment, which is represented, the keyboard 64 is then, for example, snapped into place in the carrier element 11'' from the underside (as illustrated in figure 6) . It is obvious that it is also possible to place the carrier element 11'' on the other side of the circuit board 61 and to construct it in such a way that it forms the lower casing shell 66. It is obvious that, m the case of more than two circuit boards one above another, the said boards are provided with the carrier elements in a manner alternating in a sandwich structure in each case. In a departure from the exemplified embodiments represented, the carrier element made of insulating material may be fitted with further electromechanical components which are provided complete or else only in part, or else may be fitted with only some of the electromechanical components represented. It is also possible, as mentioned, for the carrier element, instead of being plate-like with recesses, to be reduced to a so- called "carrier skeleton" which consists of an external border and of corresponding internal longitudinally and/or transversely directed connecting webs on which electromechanical components have to be held. In the simplest case, a frame-like shape is also possible. In this way, the space between the electromechanical components can be used for electronic structural elements with which the circuit board is fitted.

Claims: Patent claims 1. Carrier element (11) for an electronic media apparatus provided with a casing, a circuit board fitted with electronic components, and electromechanical components (12 to 18) , characterised in that the carrier element receives at least some of the electromechanical components (12 to 18) mechanically, and that the electromechanical components (12 to 18) are constructed in such a way that they are able to make contact electrically with the circuit board via, for example, resilient contact fingers. 2. Carrier element according to claim 1, characterised in that the electromechanical component (12 to 18) is held in a form-locking manner in a recess (22 to 29) in the carrier element (11) . 3. Carrier element according to claim 2, characterised in that the electromechanical component (12 to 18) can be located in a latching manner in the recess (22 to 29) . 4. Carrier element according to claim 1, characterised in that the electromechanical component (12 to 18) is held in a manner injection-moulded into the carrier element (11) . 5. Carrier element according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the carrier element (11) is provided with a slot-type receptacle (30) for a memory card (20) or the like. 6. Carrier element according to claim 5, characterised in that the slot-type receptacle (30) is accessible from the narrow side (40) of the carrier element (11) . 7. Carrier element according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the carrier element (11) is at least partially metallised. 8. Carrier element according to at least one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that it is of plate-shaped or skeleton-like or frame-like construction. 9. Electronic media apparatus (50, 60) having a casing, having a circuit board (51, 52, 62) fitted with electronic components and having electromechanical components (12 to 18) , characterised in that a carrier element (11) according to claim 1 or one of the following claims is associated with the circuit board (51, 52, 62), the electromechanical components (12 to 18) making contact electrically with the said circuit board (51, 52, 62) via resilient contact fingers. 10. Media apparatus according to claim 9, characterised in that a carrier element (11) is arranged on either side of a circuit board (51, 52, 62). 11. Media apparatus according to claim 9, characterised in that a carrier element (11) is arranged between two circuit boards (51, 52) . 12. Media apparatus according to claim 11, characterised in that, in the case of two or more circuit boards (51, 52) arranged one above another, upper, middle and lower carrier elements (11) are provided. 13. Media apparatus according to at least one of claims 9 to 12, characterised in that the carrier element (11) forms a casing shell (63, 66) of the apparatus casing or is integrated into a casing shell (63, 66) .

Inventors: GEISELMANN GERHARD, LEARMONTH IAN THOMAS, PFITZENREITER WERNER, SCHIMMELE-BRELL TOBIAS, SCHREMMER ANDREAS, GEISELMANN, GERHARD, LEARMONTH, IAN, THOMAS, PFITZENREITER, WERNER, SCHIMMELE-BRELL, TOBIAS, SCHREMMER, ANDREAS
Applicants: GEISELMANN GERHARD, ITT MFG ENTERPRISES INC, LEARMONTH IAN THOMAS, PFITZENREITER WERNER, SCHIMMELE BRELL TOBIAS, SCHREMMER ANDREAS, GEISELMANN, GERHARD, ITT MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES, INC., LEARMONTH, IAN, THOMAS, PFITZENREITER, WERNER, SCHIMMELE-BRELL, TOBIAS, SCHREMMER, ANDREAS
Application year: 2000
Main classification: G06K7
IPC codes: G06K7, H04B1, H04M1, H05K3