Abstract:
An housing of electronic device, includes a resin molded housing with an opening there through, a sheet metal positioned within the opening and a water proofing tape positioned on a side of the sheet metal, wherein a periphery of the sheet metal and an entirety of the water proofing tape are encased within the resin molded housing so as to seal the opening in a water tight manner, and, a front central portion of the sheet metal and a rear central portion of the sheet metal are exposed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-067213, filed on Mar. 27, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The embodiments discussed herein are related to a housing with charging terminals that is placed in a desktop holder and is charged and an electronic device having the housing. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Portable electronic devices usable outdoors generally have a built-in rechargeable battery. The charging of this rechargeable battery is performed indoors by connecting a power connector to the housing, or by placing the electronic device in a desktop holder for charging.  FIG. 1A  illustrates an example of a portable electronic device  10  that is charged by being placed in a desktop holder  1  for charging. The electronic device  10  is, for example, a cell-phone  10 , and the electronic device and the cell-phone are hereinafter given the same sign  10 . 
         [0004]    The desktop holder  1  has a recess  2  that receives the lower end part  10 L of the cell-phone  10 . Holding protrusions  3  for locking the lower end part  10 L of the cell-phone  10  inserted into the recess  2  and charging pins  4  are protruded into the recess  2 . The holding protrusions  3  and the charging pins  4  are biased by springs (not shown) so as to protrude into the recess  2 . Therefore, when the lower end part  10 L of the cell-phone  10  is inserted into the recess  2 , the holding protrusions  3  and the charging pins  4  are pressed by the lower end part  10 L and are retracted from the recess  2  into the desktop holder  1 . A connector  8  for supplying power from an AC adapter (not shown) to the charging pins  4  of the desktop holder  1  is connected to the back of the desktop holder  1 . 
         [0005]    The cell-phone  10  that is charged by inserting the lower end part  10 L thereof into the desktop holder  1  is waterproof, and an elastic member for waterproofing is attached to a part that is sandwiched between a lower housing  11  and an upper housing  12  of the cell-phone  10  and that blocks intrusion of moisture and dust. The elastic member for waterproofing will be described later. The lower housing  11  of the cell-phone  10  is provided with a camera  5  and a fingerprint sensor  6 , and charging terminals  21  are exposed on the lower end part  10 L thereof. The camera  5  and the fingerprint sensor  6  are independently waterproofed. 
         [0006]    When, in a portable electronic device, charging terminals are exposed on the lower end part of the electronic device, metal plates having a U-shaped cross-section are used as discussed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2011-248825. The metal plates having a U-shaped cross-section have an exposed portion exposed on the lower end part, a first extended portion perpendicular to the exposed portion, and a second extended portion adjacent to the first extended portion and parallel to the exposed portion. The second extended portion is connected to a charging circuit of the electronic device. 
         [0007]    The charging terminals  21  in the example illustrated in  FIG. 1A  are provided in a charging terminal holder  20  that is a separate member from the lower housing  11 , illustrated in  FIGS. 1B and 1C . The charging terminals  21  are visible through openings  10 W provided in the lower housing. The charging terminal holder  20  has an oval cylindrical main body  22 . An O-ring  23  for waterproofing is attached around the side thereof. Two charging terminals  21  are exposed on the top thereof. Two connection terminals  25  for connection to a circuit board built in the cell-phone and two mounting holes  26  are provided on and in the bottom thereof. The two charging terminals  21  and the two connection terminals  25  are connected to each other inside the main body  22 . Claws  27  are provided on the lower part of the side of the charging terminal holder  20  in the longitudinal direction. The claws  27  are for positioning of the charging terminal holder  20 , and are not indispensable. 
         [0008]      FIG. 2A  illustrates an example of the structure of the lower end part of a circuit board  14  built in the cell-phone  10 . At the lower end of the circuit board  14 , two spring contacts  15  are mounted at positions corresponding to the connection terminals  25  illustrated in  FIG. 1C .  FIG. 2B  is a side view illustrating the structure of the spring contacts  15  mounted on the circuit board  14 . 
         [0009]      FIG. 2C  is an enlargement of a section of the lower part of the cell-phone  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1A . Mounting pins  17  provided on a mount  16  mounted at the lower end of the circuit board  14  are inserted into mounting holes  26  provided in the bottom of the charging terminal holder  20 , and the charging terminal holder  20  is thereby attached to the circuit board  14 . In this state, the O-ring  23  for waterproofing attached to the side of the charging terminal holder  20  is in close contact with a frame member  13  inside the upper housing  12  so that moisture and dust do not intrude into the frame member  13 . The charging terminals  21  on the top of the charging terminal holder  20  are connected by connection portions  28  inside the main body  22  to connection terminals  25  on the bottom of the charging terminal holder  20 . The connection terminals  25  are connected by the spring contacts  15  to a circuit on the circuit board  14 . In the electronic device having charging terminals in the comparative art, charging terminals have to be provided separately from the housing. This increases the number of components, increases the assembling man-hour for connecting the charging terminals to the circuit board inside the device, and therefore increases the cost. In addition, a space for mounting members for connecting the charging terminals exposed to the outside of the housing and the circuit board inside the device has to be left inside the housing, and it is difficult to reduce the thickness of the electronic device. 
         [0010]    These arts are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2011-248825. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0011]    According to an aspect of the invention, an housing of electronic device, includes a resin molded housing with an opening there through, a sheet metal positioned within the opening and a water proofing tape positioned on a side of the sheet metal, wherein a periphery of the sheet metal and an entirety of the water proofing tape are encased within the resin molded housing so as to seal the opening in a water tight manner, and, a front central portion of the sheet metal and a rear central portion of the sheet metal are exposed. 
         [0012]    The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims. 
         [0013]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view illustrating a cell-phone that is an example of an electronic device that is the subject of the present application, and a desktop holder that charges the cell-phone; 
           [0015]      FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of an example of a charging terminal holder embedded in the lower end part of the cell-phone illustrated in  FIG. 1A , the view being taken from the top; 
           [0016]      FIG. 1C  is a perspective view of the charging terminal holder illustrated in  FIG. 1B , the view being taken from the bottom; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2A  is a partial perspective view illustrating the structure of the lower part of a circuit board built in the cell-phone illustrated in  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2B  is a partial enlarged sectional view of the vicinity of spring contacts of the circuit board illustrated in  FIG. 2A ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2C  is a partial enlarged sectional view of the lower end part of the cell-phone illustrated in  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of a lower housing of a cell-phone of an embodiment of an electronic device, the view being taken from the inner side; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3B  is a partial perspective view of the lower end part of the lower housing illustrated in  FIG. 3A , the view being taken from the back; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4A  is a plan view of a first embodiment of sheet metals embedded in the lower end part of the lower housing of the cell-phone illustrated in  FIG. 3A ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4B  is a partial enlarged sectional view illustrating connection from charging pins to a circuit board when an electronic device having a lower housing of an embodiment in which the sheet metals illustrated in  FIG. 4A  are embedded is placed in the desktop holder; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4C  is a partial enlarged sectional view illustrating connection from charging pins to a circuit board when an electronic device having a lower housing of an embodiment in which the sheet metals illustrated in  FIG. 4A  are embedded upside down is placed in the desktop holder; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5A  is a plan view of a second embodiment of sheet metals embedded in the lower end part of the lower housing of the cell-phone illustrated in  FIG. 3A ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 5B  is a partial enlarged sectional view illustrating connection from charging pins to a circuit board when an electronic device having a lower housing of an embodiment in which the sheet metals illustrated in  FIG. 5A  are embedded is placed in the desktop holder; 
           [0027]      FIG. 6A  is a sectional view illustrating a state where the sheet metals of the second embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5A  are being attached to an insert male mold; 
           [0028]      FIG. 6B  is a sectional view illustrating a state where the sheet metals of the second embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5A  are attached to an insert mold; 
           [0029]      FIG. 7A  is a plan view of a third embodiment of sheet metals embedded in the lower end part of the lower housing of the cell-phone illustrated in  FIG. 3A ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 7B  is an assembled perspective view illustrating a state where the sheet metals of the third embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 7A  are being attached to positioning protrusions of the insert mold; 
           [0031]      FIG. 7C  is a perspective view illustrating a state where a sheet of release paper is being removed after the sheet metals of the third embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 7B  are attached to the positioning protrusions of the insert mold; 
           [0032]      FIG. 8A  is a partial enlarged perspective view of a lower housing of another embodiment of an electronic device, the view being taken from the outer side; and 
           [0033]      FIG. 8B  is a sectional view of the lower end part of the lower housing illustrated in  FIG. 8A . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0034]    Embodiments of the present application will be described in detail through specific embodiments with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments described below, the electronic device  10  that is the subject of the present application will be described as a cell-phone  10 . The same members as those of the cell-phone  10  described with reference to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B, and  2 A to  2 C are given the same signs. Sheet metals are given representative sign  30 , and sheet metals of respective examples are individually given signs. 
         [0035]      FIG. 3A  is a view of a lower housing  11  of a cell-phone  10  of an embodiment of the present application, the view being taken from the inner side.  FIG. 3B  is a view only of a lower end part  11 L of the lower housing  11  illustrated in  FIG. 3A , the view being taken from the outer side. The lower housing  11  is provided with holes such as a hole  5 A for a camera and a hole  6 A for a fingerprint sensor. An elastic member  7  that shields internal components from moisture and dust is attached in a loop shape to the central part of the inner side of the lower housing  11 . The elastic member  7  is a continuous body, and is generally made of rubbers. When the lower housing  11  is joined to an upper housing (not shown), the elastic member  7  is in close contact with a frame member (not shown) and suppresses intrusion of water and dust into the frame member. 
         [0036]    Two sheet metals  30  to be described later are embedded in the central part of the lower end part  11 L of the lower housing  11 . Holes  11 HF for charging terminals are provided in the outer surface over the sheet metals  30  embedded in the lower end part  11 L, and holes  11 HB for connection terminals are provided in the inner surface. The front surfaces  30 A of the sheet metals  30  are exposed through the holes  11 HF for charging terminals, and the back surfaces  30 B of the sheet metals  30  are exposed through the holes  11 HB for connection terminals. 
         [0037]      FIG. 4A  illustrates sheet metals  31  of a first embodiment, of the sheet metals  30  embedded in the central part of the lower end part  11 L of the lower housing  11  of the cell-phone  10  illustrated in  FIG. 3A . The sheet metals  31  of the first embodiment are rectangular. Mounting holes  35  are provided in extended portions  31 E formed by extending parts of both ends. A heat activated tape  36  that is activated when heated and serves as a water stop member is stuck to a first surface  31 A of each sheet metal  31 . The heat activated tapes  36  have, in their central parts, openings  36 A for exposing the sheet metals  31 . Nothing is stuck to a second surface  31 B. The sheet metals  31  of the first embodiment are embedded in a thick part of the lower housing  11  by insert molding at the time of molding of the lower housing  11 . The process of molding the lower housing  11  by insert molding will be described later. 
         [0038]      FIG. 4B  illustrates a state where the two sheet metals  31  of the first embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4A  are embedded in the lower housing  11 . In addition,  FIG. 4B  illustrates connection from the charging pins  4  to the circuit board  14  when the cell-phone  10  having the lower housing  11  in which the sheet metals  31  of the first embodiment are embedded is placed in the desktop holder  1  illustrated in  FIG. 1A . Holes  11 HF for charging terminals are provided in the outer surface of part of the lower housing  11  in which the sheet metals  31  are embedded, and holes  11 HB for connection terminals are provided in the inner surface thereof. The heat activated tapes  36  are located in parts of the lower housing  11  around the holes  11 HF for charging terminals, and block intrusion of water and dust through the holes  11 HF for charging terminals. The front surfaces  31 A of the sheet metals  31  are exposed to the outside through the holes  11 HF for charging terminals, and the back surfaces  31 B of the sheet metals  31  are exposed to the inside through the holes  11 HB for connection terminals. 
         [0039]    In addition, in the cell-phone  10  having the lower housing  11  in which the sheet metals  31  of the first embodiment are embedded, spring contacts  15  mounted on a built-in circuit board  14  are in contact with the back surfaces  31 B of the sheet metals  31  through the holes  11 HB for connection terminals. When the cell-phone  10  having the lower housing  11  in which the sheet metals  31  of the first embodiment are embedded is placed in the desktop holder  1 , the charging pins  4  of the desktop holder  1  are in contact with the front surfaces  31 A of the sheet metals  31  through the holes  11 HF for charging terminals. 
         [0040]      FIG. 4C  illustrates a state where the two sheet metals  31  of the first embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4A  are embedded upside down in the lower housing  11 . Therefore, the state illustrate in  FIG. 4C  is the same as the state illustrated in  FIG. 4B  except that the positions of the heat activated tapes  36  relative to the sheet metals  31  are around the holes  11 HB for connection terminals. So, the same components are given the same reference signs, and the description thereof is omitted. 
         [0041]      FIG. 5A  illustrates sheet metals  32  of a second embodiment, of the sheet metals  30  embedded in the central part of the lower end part  11 L of the lower housing  11  of the cell-phone  10  illustrated in  FIG. 3A . The sheet metals  32  of the second embodiment are also rectangular. Mounting holes  35  are provided in extended portions  32 E formed by extending parts of end parts farthest from the adjacent sides. A heat activated tape  36  that is activated when heated and serves as a water stop member is stuck to first surfaces  32 A of the sheet metals  32  across the two sheet metals  32 , and nothing is stuck to second surfaces  32 B. Openings  36 A for exposing the sheet metals  32  are provided in parts of the heat activated tape  36  located on the two sheet metals  32 . The sheet metals  32  of the second embodiment are also embedded in a thick part of the lower housing  11  by insert molding at the time of molding of the lower housing  11 . The process of molding the lower housing  11  by insert molding will be described later. 
         [0042]      FIG. 5B  illustrates a state where the two sheet metals  32  of the second embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5A  are embedded in the lower housing  11 . In addition,  FIG. 5B  illustrates connection from the charging pins  4  to the circuit board  14  when the cell-phone  10  having the lower housing  11  in which the sheet metals  32  of the second embodiment are embedded is placed in the desktop holder  1  illustrated in  FIG. 1A . Holes  11 HF for charging terminals are provided in the outer surface of part of the lower housing  11  in which the sheet metals  32  are embedded, and holes  11 HB for connection terminals are provided in the inner surface thereof. The heat activated tape  36  is located in parts of the lower housing  11  around the holes  11 HF for charging terminals, and blocks intrusion of water and dust through the holes  11 HF for charging terminals. The front surfaces  32 A of the sheet metals  32  are exposed to the outside through the holes  11 HF for charging terminals, and the back surfaces  32 B of the sheet metals  32  are exposed to the inside through the holes  11 HB for connection terminals. 
         [0043]    In addition, in the cell-phone  10  having the lower housing  11  in which the sheet metals  32  of the second embodiment are embedded, spring contacts  15  mounted on a built-in circuit board  14  are in contact with the back surfaces  32 B of the sheet metals  32  through the holes  11 HB for connection terminals. When the cell-phone  10  having the lower housing  11  in which the sheet metals  32  of the second embodiment are embedded is placed in the desktop holder  1 , the charging pins  4  of the desktop holder  1  are in contact with the front surfaces  32 A of the sheet metals  32  through the holes  11 HF for charging terminals. 
         [0044]    Here, with reference to  FIGS. 6A and 6B , a description will be given of the process of embedding the sheet metals  32  of the second embodiment in the lower housing  11  by insert molding using an insert mold  40  when manufacturing the lower housing  11 .  FIG. 6A  illustrates a state where the sheet metals  32  of the second embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5A  are being attached to a male mold  41 . The male mold  41  is provided with the same number of positioning protrusions  43  as the number of the mounting holes  35  provided in the sheet metals  32 . The positioning protrusions  43  are inserted into the mounting holes  35  of the sheet metals  32 . The male mold  41  has a core  44  for forming injected resin into the shape of the lower housing  11 , and connection terminal forming protrusions  45 . When the sheet metals  32  are attached to the positioning protrusions  43 , the connection terminal forming protrusions  45  are in close contact with the back surfaces  32 B of the sheet metals  32  and form holes  11 HB for connection terminals. 
         [0045]      FIG. 6B  illustrates a state where the sheet metals  32  of the second embodiment are attached to the male mold  41  illustrated in  FIG. 6A , a female mold  42  is mounted on the male mold  41 , and an insert mold  40  is formed. In  FIG. 6B , the depiction of guide pins for alignment of the male mold  41  and the female mold  42  is omitted. The female mold  42  has, in the surface thereof facing the male mold  41 , a cavity  47  for forming injected resin into the shape of the lower housing  11 . The female mold  42  is provided with charging terminal forming protrusions  46 . When the female mold  42  is mounted on the male mold  41 , with the sheet metals  32  attached to the positioning protrusions  43  of the male mold  41 , the charging terminal forming protrusions  46  are in close contact with the front side surfaces  32 A of the sheet metals  32  and form holes  11 HF for charging terminals. 
         [0046]    The female mold  42  is further provided with a sprue  48  that is a channel for introducing molten resin into the cavity  47 . The nozzle of an injector that injects molten resin is connected to the sprue  48 , resin is injected through the sprue  48  into the cavity  47 , and the resin flows in the insert mold  40  so as to enclose the sheet metals  32 . After the resin has set, the female mold  42  is removed from the male mold  41 . Thus, the lower housing  11  illustrated in  FIG. 5B  is formed. 
         [0047]      FIG. 7A  illustrates sheet metals  33  of a third embodiment, of the sheet metals  30  embedded in the central part of the lower end part  11 L of the lower housing  11  of the cell-phone  10  illustrated in  FIG. 3A . The sheet metals  33  of the third embodiment are rectangular. Unlike the sheet metals  31  and  32  of the first and second embodiments, the sheet metals  33  are not provided with extended portions. Instead, a heat activated tape  36  stuck on first surfaces  33 A of the sheet metals  33  is formed across the two sheet metals  33 , extended portions  36 E are provided by extending both longitudinal ends, and mounting holes  36 H are provided in the extended portions  36 E. As with the above-described embodiments, nothing is stuck on second surfaces  33 B of the sheet metals  33 . Openings  36 A for exposing the sheet metals  33  are provided in parts of the heat activated tape  36  located on the two sheet metals  33 . The sheet metals  33  of the third embodiment are also embedded in a thick part of the lower housing  11  by insert molding at the time of molding of the lower housing  11 . 
         [0048]    However, the two sheet metals  33  may not be properly attached to the positioning protrusions  43  of the male mold just by providing extended portions  36 E at both longitudinal ends of the heat activated tape  36  stuck on the first surfaces  33 A of the sheet metals  33 , because the extended portions  36 E are flexible. So, in the third embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 7B , a sheet of release paper  37  having a predetermined stiffness is superimposed on the heat activated tape  36  before the heat activated tape  36  is attached to the male mold. The outer shape of the sheet of release paper  37  is the same as the outer shape of the heat activated tape  36 , extended portions  37 E are provided at both longitudinal ends, and mounting holes  37 H are provided in the extended portions  37 E. The mounting holes  37 H are superimposed on the mounting holes  36 H in the extended portions  36 E of the heat activated tape  36 . 
         [0049]    If a sheet of release paper  37  having a predetermined stiffness is superimposed on the heat activated tape  36  as described above, owing to the stiffness of the sheet of release paper  37 , the heat activated tape  36  does not deform, and the sheet metals  33  may be attached to the positioning protrusions  43  using the mounting holes  37 H of the sheet of release paper  37  as illustrated in  FIG. 7B . After the sheet metals  33  are attached to the positioning protrusions  43  using the mounting holes  37 H of the sheet of release paper  37 , the sheet of release paper  37  is peeled from the heat activated tape  36  as illustrated in  FIG. 7C . Here, a figure illustrating a state where the two sheet metals  33  of the third embodiment are embedded in the lower housing  11  is omitted. 
         [0050]    In the above-described embodiments, the sheet metals  30  are all embedded in the flat surface of the lower housing  11 . However, the location where the sheet metals  30  are embedded is not limited to the flat surface.  FIG. 8A  is a view of a lower housing  11  of another embodiment of the electronic device  10  that is the subject of the present application, the view being taken from the outer side. In this embodiment, the front surfaces  30 A of the sheet metals are exposed on the curved surface of the lower housing  11 .  FIG. 8B  illustrates a section of a part of the lower housing illustrated in  FIG. 8A  in which the sheet metals are embedded. As described above, charging terminals formed of sheet metals  30  may also be placed on the curved surface of the lower housing  11 . The housing in which the sheet metals  30  are embedded is not limited to the lower housing  11 , and may be the upper housing  12 . 
         [0051]    The present application has been described above in detail particularly in connection with preferred embodiments thereof. 
         [0052]    All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority and inferiority of the invention. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.