Abstract:
There is provided an electronic device which includes a display device, a case configured to retain the display device, a stopper disposed between the retained display device and the case, and a component arranged in a space formed by disposing the stopper. Further, there is provided an electronic device which includes a display device, a case including a first space for retaining the display device, the display device being operable to be slid into the first space, a stopper disposed in a second space between the retained display device and the case, and an electronic device arranged in a third space formed by arranging the stopper.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-061133, filed on Mar. 18, 2011, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     The embodiments discussed herein are related to an electronic device and a communication device. 
     BACKGROUND 
       FIG. 10  is a sectional view illustrating a known electronic device. In the stage of manufacture of the known electronic device for fixing the a crystal display module  1  to a case  2 , the liquid crystal display module  1  is bent and inserted so that the edges of the liquid crystal display module  1  are placed under retaining portions  3 . Since the retaining portions  3  are formed so as to protrude inward from the edges of the case  2 , the liquid crystal display module  1  is fitted into the case  2 . 
     However, when the liquid crystal display module is bent, sometimes the liquid crystal display module breaks. There are electronic devices in which a liquid crystal display module may be attached to a case without being bent. For example, there is an electronic device in which a liquid crystal display module is attached to a case by being slid which has been disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-208338. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to an aspect of the invention, an electronic device includes a display device, a case configured to retain the display device, a stopper disposed between the retained display device and the case, and a component arranged in a space formed by disposing the stopper. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a communication device includes a display device, a case configured to retain the display device, a stopper disposed between the retained display device and the case, a component arranged in a space formed by disposing the stopper, a wireless communication circuit; and a data input device operable by a user, wherein the display device is operable to display information in accordance with data received by the wireless communication circuit and to display information in accordance with data inputted by the data input device. 
     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. 
     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 
         FIG. 1  is a front view illustrating an electronic device according to a first embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating an electronic device according to a second embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial sectional view taken along line III-III of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial sectional view taken along line IV-IV of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating the electronic device according to the first embodiment being assembled; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating the electronic device according to the first embodiment being assembled; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating the electronic device according to the first embodiment being assembled; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view illustrating the electronic device according to the first embodiment being assembled; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view illustrating the electronic device according to the first embodiment being assembled; and 
         FIG. 10  is a sectional view illustrating a known electronic device. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Preliminary Consideration 
     However, the known electronic device uses a stopper for suppressing backward sliding and detachment from the case of the liquid crystal display module attached by being slid. Providing such a stopper increases the size of the electronic device. 
     The preferred embodiments of this electronic device will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the electronic device, a space formed between the edge of a display unit, which is slid and inserted into a case, and the edge of the case is filled with a stopper, and an electronic component is disposed in a space formed by the stopper. In the following description of each embodiment, the same reference numerals will be used to designate the same components, and redundant description will be omitted. 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is a front view illustrating an electronic device according to a first embodiment. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the electronic device  11  has a case  12 , a display unit  13 , a stopper  14 , and an electronic component  15 . The case  12  holds the display unit  13 . The display unit  13  is inserted into the case  12 . The stopper  14  fills a space formed between the edge of the case  12  and the edge of the display unit  13  slid and inserted into the case  12 . Since the stopper  14  is provided, the display unit  13  inserted into the case  12  does not slide backward and is not detached from the case  12 . The electronic component  15  is disposed in the space formed by the stopper  14 . 
     According to the first embodiment, compared to a case where the electronic component  15  is disposed away from the stopper  14 , the installation space for the electronic component  15  is reduced, and thus the size of the electronic device  11  may be reduced. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Examples of an electronic device include a cellular phone. In a second embodiment, examples of a cellular phone include, but are not limited to a folding phone. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating an electronic device according to the second embodiment. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , in a folding cellular phone, the electronic device  11  in the first embodiment is attached to a phone main body  21  superimposed onto the electronic device  11 , by hinge portions  16  and  22  openably and closably. As the cellular phone, the electronic device  11  includes a circuit for communicating with another one and a data input device such as a data entry keyboard illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     The electronic component  15  may be, for example, a sensor that detects light. Examples of a sensor that detects light include an illuminance sensor. In the electronic device  11 , a stopper  17  may be provided on the opposite side of the hinge portion  16  from the stopper  14 . The stopper  17  fills a space formed between the edge of the display unit  13  and the edge of the case  12 . 
     The display unit  13  in the first embodiment includes a liquid crystal display module that has liquid crystal cells operating as shutters and a drive circuit applying a drive voltage to the liquid crystal cells. The stoppers  14  and  17  fill the spaces formed between the edge of the liquid crystal display module and the edge of the case  12 . 
     An electronic component  18  may be disposed in a space formed by the stopper  17 . Examples of the electronic component  18  include a magnet. Examples of the electronic components  15  and  18  are not limited to an illuminance sensor and a magnet. 
     A magnetic sensor  23  may be disposed at a position on the phone main body  21  facing the electronic component  18  (magnet), when the cellular phone is closed, that is to say, when the electronic device  11  and the phone main body  21  are superimposed on each other. The magnetic sensor  23  detects lines of magnetic force emanating from of the electronic component  18  (magnet), and thereby the cellular phone may recognize its own open/closed state. 
     In  FIG. 1 , a decorative panel that covers the surface of the liquid crystal display module is omitted. The edge of the liquid crystal display module, the stoppers  14  and  17 , and the electronic components  15  and  18  are covered by the decorative panel (not illustrated) and invisible from the front of the electronic device  11 . 
       FIG. 3  is a partial sectional view taken along line III-III of  FIG. 1 . The cutting plane passing through line III-III passes through the electronic component  15  (illuminance sensor). As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , a board  33 , the electronic component  15  (illuminance sensor), the stopper  14 , and a liquid crystal display module  34  are housed, for example, in a recess of a case formed by integrating a front case  31  and a rear case  32 . The front case  31  is covered by a decorative panel  35 . 
     The gap between the front case  31  and the rear case  32  may be kept watertight, for example, by a sealing member  36 . The gap between the front case  31  and the decorative panel  35  may be kept watertight, for example, by a sealing member  37 . 
     The stopper  14  may be fixed to the bottom plate portion of the front case  31 , for example, with double-sided adhesive tape or glue. The stopper  14  is in contact with the edge of the liquid crystal display module  34 , and holds the liquid crystal display module  34  so that it does not move. The stopper  14  may have, for example, such a shape that the electronic component  15  (illuminance sensor) is surrounded on its three sides by the stopper  14  as viewed from the front (see  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7 ). The electronic component  15  (illuminance sensor) is disposed in a space  38  surrounded on all four sides by the stopper  14  and the edge of the front case  31 . 
     Depending on the size of the liquid crystal display module  34  and the positional relationship between the liquid crystal display module  34  and the illuminance sensor, the stopper  14  does not necessarily have to have such a shape that the illuminance sensor is surrounded on its three sides by the stopper  14 . If leakage of light from the liquid crystal display module  34  into the illuminance sensor may be suppressed, the stopper  14  may be a plate that fills the gap between the liquid crystal display module  34  and the illuminance sensor. 
     The stopper  14  may be lightproof. For example, the stopper  14  may be colored with a color impervious to light, for example, a deep color such as black. For example, the stopper  14  may be made of a material such as a resin with a color impervious to light. In that case, leakage of light from the liquid crystal display module  34  into the electronic component  15  (illuminance sensor) may be suppressed. 
     The edge of the front case  31  may be colored with a color impervious to light, or may be made of a material such as a resin with a color impervious to light. In that case, entrance of light into the space  38  surrounded on all four sides by the stopper  14  and the edge of the front case  31  may be further suppressed, and therefore leakage of light into the electronic component  15  (illuminance sensor) may be further suppressed. 
     The space  38  surrounded on all four sides by the stopper  14  and the edge of the front case  31  appears owing to the sliding of the liquid crystal display module  34  at the time of assembling described later. Therefore, this space  38  has such a margin that the liquid crystal display module  34  may be slid and attached to the front case  31 . This space  38  may be used as a space through which, for example, a flexible board  40  is passed that electrically connects an electronic component  39  attached, for example, to the back of the board  33  and the liquid crystal display module  34  attached, for example, to the face of the board  33 . 
       FIG. 4  is a partial sectional view taken along line IV-IV of  FIG. 1 . The cutting plane passing through line IV-IV passes through the electronic component  18  (magnet). As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , for example, the electronic component  18  (magnet) and the stopper  17  are housed in a recess of the case formed by integrating the front case  31  and the rear case  32 . 
     The stopper  17  may be fixed to the bottom plate portion of the front case  31 , for example, with double-sided adhesive tape or glue. The stopper  17  is in contact with the edge of the liquid crystal display module  34 , and holds the liquid crystal display module  34  so that it does not move. The stopper  17  may have, for example, such a shape that the electronic component  18  (magnet) is surrounded on its three sides by the stopper  17  as viewed from the front (see  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7 ). 
     The stopper  17  may have a bottom portion in contact with the lower surface of the electronic component  18  (magnet). The electronic component  18  (magnet) is disposed in a space surrounded on all four sides by the stopper  17  and the edge of the front case  31 . The stopper  17  may be used to determine the position where the electronic component  18  (magnet) is attached. 
     In the case where the electronic component  18  is a magnet, the stopper  17  does not necessarily have to have such a shape that the magnet is surrounded on its three sides by the stopper  17 , and the stopper  17  does not necessarily have to be provided between the liquid crystal display module  34  and the magnet. The magnet may be placed anywhere as long as the magnet is placed within a space into which the liquid crystal display module  34  may be inserted and to which a stopper is not attached. 
     As with the above-described space  38 , the space surrounded on all four sides by the stopper  17  and the edge of the front case  31  may have such a margin that the liquid crystal display module  34  may be slid, or such a margin that the space may be used as a space through which, for example, the flexible board  40  is passed. 
       FIG. 5  to  FIG. 9  are perspective views illustrating in sequence the assembling of the electronic device according to the first embodiment. In the process of assembling the electronic device  11 , first, as illustrated by arrow in  FIG. 5 , the liquid crystal display module  34  is pressed against the front case  31  from the front of the front case  31 . At that time, the liquid crystal display module  34  is moved to the hinge portion  16  side. 
     Next, as illustrated by arrow in  FIG. 6 , the liquid crystal display module  34  pressed against the front case  31  is slid away from the hinge portion  16 . On the edge of the front case  31  opposite from the hinge portion  16  or in the proximity thereof, a detachment-suppressing protrusion (not illustrated) protruding inward from the edge is provided. 
     By sliding the liquid crystal display module  34 , the upper end portion of the liquid crystal display module  34  is inserted under the detachment-suppressing protrusion of the front case  31 . Therefore, the above-described margin of the space  38  surrounded on all four sides by the stopper  14  and the edge of the front case  31  is such a margin that the upper end portion of the liquid crystal display module  34  may avoid the detachment-suppressing protrusion of the front case  31 . 
     Next, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the stoppers  14  and  17  are attached to the spaces  41  and  42  between the liquid crystal display module  34  and the front case  31  that appear owing to the sliding of the liquid crystal display module  34 . Thus, the liquid crystal display module  34  is fixed so as not to move. Next, as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the electronic component  18  (magnet) is attached to the space  43  surrounded on all four sides by the stopper  17  and the edge of the front case  31 . 
     Next, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the board  33  is fitted into the front case  31  from the back of the front case  31 . The decorative panel  35  is attached to the front case  31  with a sealing member (not illustrated) therebetween, from the front of the front case  31 . The rear case  32  is attached to the front case  31  with a sealing member (not illustrated) therebetween, from the back of the front case  31 . Thus, the assembling of the electronic device  11  is completed. 
     According to the second embodiment, the same advantage as that of the first embodiment may be obtained. 
     Examples of the display unit  13  are not limited to a liquid crystal display unit. The stopper  14  may have, for example, such a shape that the electronic component  15  (illuminance sensor) is surrounded on all four sides by the stopper  14  as viewed from the front. The stopper  17  may have, for example, such a shape that the electronic component  18  (magnet) is surrounded on all four sides by the stopper  17  as viewed from the front, and does not necessarily have to have a bottom portion. 
     Examples of an electronic device are not limited to a cellular phone, and include an electronic computer such as a personal computer, a portable sound recorder and reproducer, an electrical appliance such as a portable TV receiver, and a toy such as a game machine as long as they have a display unit. 
     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.