Patent Publication Number: US-2012026702-A1

Title: Electronic Apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-169633, filed on Jul. 28, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     Embodiments described herein relate generally to an electronic apparatus in which a part of a housing, provided with wiring, is attachable and detachable. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Generally, it is preferable that an electronic apparatus such as a portable computer is formed to with a thin and compact housing that serves as an outline of the apparatus, in view of a portability. 
     As a thin housing, for example, JP-2005-268521-A discloses an electronic apparatus in which, a wiring pattern is integrally formed on an inner face of the housing by printing a conductive adhesive, and a circuit component such as a connector is bonded to a land part of this wiring pattern. 
     In such structure, the conductive adhesive for forming the wiring pattern is utilized to electrically connect the wiring pattern and circuit component, thereby reducing the number of cables etc., and reducing the housing in size to save space. 
     In JP-2005-268521-A, the circuit component is directly bonded to the inner face of the housing. In such a structure, for example, when deflection occurs in the housing due to an external force, a stress is produced in a bonded part between the circuit component and wiring pattern, which might lead to destruction or damage of the bonded part. 
     However, in the structure in which the circuit component is directly bonded to the inner face of the housing, the entire housing has to be replaced upon occurrence of trouble in the bonded part, thus requiring much time and effort for repair. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A general architecture that implements the various feature of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate embodiments of the present invention and not to limit the scope of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a portable computer according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  explodedly illustrates a positional relationship between: a unit structure of a housing provided with plural signal wires and plural adhesive-filled parts; and a connector having connection terminals. 
         FIG. 3  cross-sectionally illustrates a state in which the connector is bonded to a connector-mounting region of the housing via conductive adhesives. 
         FIG. 4  cross-sectionally illustrates a positional relationship between: the housing provided with the signal wires and adhesive-filled parts; and the connector. 
         FIG. 5  cross-sectionally illustrates a state in which the signal wires provided in the housing and a printed circuit board are electrically connected to each other via a rubber connector. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line F 6 -F 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  cross-sectionally illustrates a state before pressure is applied to the rubber connector between the printed circuit board and a bottom wall of the housing. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In general, according to one embodiment, there is provided an electronic apparatus, including: an electrically-insulative housing having a first part and a second part attachable to and detachable from the first part; a circuit board housed in the housing; a signal wire formed on an inner face of the second part; and a connector formed to electrically connect the signal wire and a terminal part of the circuit board. 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 7 . 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a portable computer  1  serving as an example of an electronic apparatus. The portable computer  1  includes a computer main body  2  and a display module  3 . 
     The computer main body  2  includes a housing  4 . The housing  4  is formed by using a synthetic resin material, for example, thus providing an electrical insulating property. The housing  4  is formed into a flat box-like shape having an upper wall  4 B and a lateral wall  4 C. The upper wall  4 B of the housing  4  supports a keyboard  5 . The lateral wall  4 C rises from a lateral edge of a bottom wall  4 A. The lateral wall  4 C of the housing  4  is provided with a rectangular opening  6 . 
     The bottom wall  4 A includes two parts, and is formed so as to be separable. A part of the bottom wall  4 A (i.e., a bottom wall  4   a ) is formed as a separate body attachable to and detachable from the bottom wall  4 A. The lateral wall  4 C also includes two parts, and is formed so as to be separable. A part of the lateral wall  4 C (i.e., a lateral wall  4   c ) is formed as a separate body attachable to and detachable from the lateral wall  4 C. 
     The opening  6  is provided in the lateral wall  4   c  attachable to and detachable from the lateral wall  4 C. The lateral wall  4   c  having this opening  6  and the bottom wall  4   a  attachable to and detachable from the bottom wall  4 A are integrated with each other. Hereinafter, a structure in which the lateral wall  4   c  and the bottom wall  4   a  are integrated with each other will be referred to as a “unit structure  4   d”.    
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the display module  3  includes: a display housing  7 ; and a liquid crystal display panel  8  contained in the display housing  7 . The display housing  7  is formed into a flat box-like shape having a size substantially equal to that of the computer main body  2 . The liquid crystal display panel  8  has a screen  8   a  on which image information and/or character information are/is displayed. 
     The screen  8   a  is exposed to outside of the display housing  7  through a front face of the display housing  7 . 
     The display module  3  is supported at a rear end portion of the computer main body  2  via unillustrated hinges. Therefore, the display module  3  is rotatable between: a closed position at which the display module  3  lies on the computer main body  2  so as to cover the keyboard  5 ; and an opened position at which the display module  3  rises from the rear end portion of the computer main body  2  so as to expose the keyboard  5  and the screen  8   a.    
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a connector  10  is located inside the opening  6  of the lateral wall  4   c . The connector  10  serves to establish a connection with a peripheral device (not illustrated) such as an external monitor, for example. The connector  10  has plural connection terminals  12 . The connection terminals  12  are arranged in a matrix on a flat lower face  13  of the connector  10 . 
     The connector  10  is supported over an inner face  14  of the bottom wall  4   a  of the unit structure  4   d . The inner face  14  of the unit structure  4   d  has a connector-mounting region  15 . The connector-mounting region  15  is a region through which the connector  10  is fixed to the bottom wall  4   a  of the unit structure  4   d  and which is located adjacent to the opening  6 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the lateral wall  4   c  serving as a part of the lateral wall  4 C and the bottom wall  4   a  serving as a part of the bottom wall  4 A constitute the unit structure  4   d  attachable to and detachable from the lateral wall  4 C and the bottom wall  4 A. For example, the unit structure  4   d  may be attachable to and detachable from housing (the lateral wall  4 C and the bottom wall  4 A) via a latch structure (not illustrated) or the like. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , plural adhesive-filled parts  16  are provided in the connector-mounting region  15 . The adhesive-filled parts  16  are partitioned into a grid pattern by a dividing wall  17  so as to conform to the connection terminals  12  of the connector  10 . The dividing wall  17  has a rib shape protruded toward an inner region of the housing  4  from the inner face  14  of the bottom wall  4   a , and surrounds each adhesive-filled part  16 . Each adhesive-filled part  16  is opened upward from the bottom wall  4   a , and has a shape larger than that of each connection terminal  12  of the connector  10 . 
     The dividing wall  17  includes plural wire introduction parts  19 . The wire introduction parts  19  each have a slit shape opened to the associated adhesive-filled part  16 . At positions corresponding to the wire introduction parts  19 , the inner face  14  of the bottom wall  4   a  is exposed. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the inner face  14  of the bottom wall  4   a  is integrally provided with plural signal wires  20 . A conductive adhesive is applied to the inner face  14  of the bottom wall  4   a  in the form of a line, thereby forming each signal wire  20 . The signal wires  20  are extended in a width direction of the housing  4 , and are arranged in parallel at intervals. As a method for applying a conductive adhesive to the inner face  14  of the bottom wall  4   a , a screen printing method or a dispense method, for example, may be used. 
     One end of each signal wire  20  is inserted into the associated adhesive-filled part  16  through the wire introduction part  19  of the dividing wall  17 . One end of each signal wire  20  is provided with a land  21  such as one illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The land  21  is located at the bottom of each adhesive-filled part  16 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the connector  10  is superposed on the dividing wall  17 . The lower face  13  of the connector  10  closes open ends of the adhesive-filled parts  16  from above. Thus, the connection terminals  12  of the connector  10  are inserted into the adhesive-filled parts  16 , and are stacked over the lands  21 . 
     The adhesive-filled parts  16  are filled with conductive adhesives  23 . The conductive adhesives  23  are hardened with the connection terminals  12  and the lands  21  covered by the conductive adhesives  23  in an integrated manner. The conductive adhesives  23  filled into the adjacent adhesive-filled parts  16  are maintained in a state where the conductive adhesives  23  are electrically insulated by the dividing wall  17 . 
     Consequently, the connector  10  is maintained in a state where the connector  10  is fixed onto the connector-mounting region  15  of the unit structure  4   d  via the conductive adhesives  23 , and the connection terminals  12  of the connector are electrically connected to the lands  21  of the signal wires  20 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the other ends of the signal wires  20 , which are located opposite to the lands  21 , are guided in a direction away from the connector-mounting region  15 , and are arranged in a row at intervals on the inner face  14  of the bottom wall  4   a.    
     The unit structure  4   d  formed as described above is fitted to the bottom wall  4 A and the lateral wall  4 C, thereby forming the housing  4 . A printed circuit board  25  is contained inside the housing  4 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the printed circuit board  25  has: a circuit board  26 ; and plural pads  27  formed at one end of a lower face of the circuit board  26 . The pads  27  are exemplified as terminal parts brought into electrical conduction with a conductor pattern of the printed circuit board  25 , and are arranged in a row at intervals so as to be associated with the other ends of the signal wires  20 . 
     One end of the circuit board  26  is fixed onto a pair of boss parts  28   a  and  28   b , protruded from the inner face  14  of the bottom wall  4   a , via screws  29  serving as fixtures. Therefore, the circuit board  26  is located in parallel with the inner face  14  of the bottom wall  4   a , and a gap  30  having a height equivalent to that of each of the boss parts  28   a  and  28   b  is provided between the circuit board  26  and the inner face  14  of the bottom wall  4   a.    
     The pads  27  of the circuit board  26  face the other ends of the signal wires  20 . The pads  27  and the other ends of the signal wires  20  are electrically connected to each other via a rubber connector  31 . The rubber connector  31  is sometimes called an “elastic connector”, and is interposed between the bottom wall  4   a  of the unit structure  4   d  and one end of the circuit board  26 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 5 to 7 , the rubber connector includes a connector body  32  and plural metal wires  33 . The connector body  32  is formed by a rubber elastic body such as silicone rubber, for example, and has an elongated shape extended in a direction in which the connector body  32  traverses the other ends of the signal wires  20 . Therefore, the connector body  32  has: a first end part  32   a ; and a second end part  32   b  located opposite to the first end part  32   a . The first and second end parts  32   a  and  32   b  are located away from each other in a longitudinal direction of the connector body  32 . 
     The metal wires  33  are exemplified as conductors and are integrally embedded in the connector body  32  so as to be passed through the connector body  32  in its thickness direction. Moreover, the metal wires  33  are arranged in a row at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the connector body  32 . 
     The connector body  32  is compressed in its thickness direction between the bottom wall  4   a  of the unit structure  4   d  and the circuit board  26 . With this compression, one ends of the metal wires  33  are brought into contact with the signal wires  20 , and the other ends of the metal wires  33  are brought into contact with the pads  27 . Hence, the other ends of the signal wires  20  and the pads  27  are electrically connected to each other via the metal wires  33 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 5 , the inner face  14  of the bottom wall  4   a  of the unit structure  4   d  is integrally provided with a holder part  35  for determining an attachment position of the rubber connector  31  with respect to the unit structure  4   d . The holder part  35  according to the present embodiment has a first engagement part  36  and a second engagement part  37 . 
     The first engagement part  36  has a rib shape protruded upward from the inner face  14  of the bottom wall  4   a , and surrounds the first end part  32   a  of the connector body  32  from three directions, thereby restraining the first end part  32   a . Similarly, the second engagement part  37  has a rib shape protruded upward from the inner face  14  of the bottom wall  4   a , and surrounds the second end part  32   b  of the connector body  32  from three directions, thereby restraining the second end part  32   b . Therefore, the first and second engagement parts  36  and are located away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the connector body  32 . 
     The connector body  32  is held by the holder part  35  so that the connector body  32  runs between the first and second engagement parts  36  and  37 . Thus, the positioning of the connector body  32  is determined along the width direction and depth direction of the housing  4 . 
     Moreover, the first and second engagement parts  36  and  37  are located between the boss parts  28   a  and  28   b  to which the circuit board  26  is fixed. A height dimension H 1  of each of the first and second engagement parts  36  and  37  is equal to a height dimension H 2  of each of the boss parts  28   a  and  28   b . Thus, with the circuit board  26  fixed to the boss parts  28   a  and  28   b , upper ends of the first and second engagement parts  36  and  37  abut against the lower face of the circuit board  26 , and receive the circuit board  26  from the direction of the bottom wall  4   a.    
     As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the height dimension H 1  of each of the first and second engagement parts  36  and  37  is set to be smaller than a thickness dimension H 3  of the connector body  32 , which is measured when the connector body  32  is in a free state before being compressed. Therefore, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , in a state where the circuit board  26  is yet to be fixed to the boss parts  28   a  and  28   b , an upper end portion of the connector body  32  is projected upward from the upper ends of the first and second engagement parts  36  and  37 . 
     Next, the procedure for establishing connections between the signal wires  20  printed on the bottom wall  4   a  of the unit structure  4   d  and the pads  27  of the printed circuit board  25  by using the rubber connector  31  will be described. 
     First, the first end part  32   a  of the connector body  32  is fitted into the first engagement part  36  of the holder part  35 , and the second end part  32   b  of the connector body  32  is fitted into the second engagement part  37  of the holder part  35 . Thus, the position of the rubber connector  31  is determined with respect to the bottom wall  4   a  of the unit structure  4   d . With the positioning of the rubber connector  31  determined, the upper end portion of the connector body  32  is projected upward from the first and second engagement parts  36  and  37  as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 7 . 
     Subsequently, the printed circuit board  25  is fixed via the screws  29  to upper ends of the boss parts  28   a  and  28   b  protruded from the bottom wall  4   a . With this fixation, the circuit board  26  of the printed circuit board  25  is brought into contact with the upper end portion of the connector body  32 , thus pressing the connector body  32  toward the bottom wall  4   a  of the unit structure  4   d.    
     As a result, the connector body  32  is compressed in its thickness direction between the bottom wall  4   a  and the circuit board  26 . Moreover, the lower face of the circuit board  26  abuts against the upper ends of the first and second engagement parts  36  and  37  of the holder part  35 , and the circuit board  26  is received by the first and second engagement parts  36  and  37  from below. 
     Thus, a distance between the circuit board  26  and the bottom wall  4   a  is determined, and an amount of compression of the connector body  32  is regulated. In other words, the first and second engagement parts  36  and  37  of the holder part  35  determine the position of the connector body  32  with respect to the bottom wall  4   a  of the housing  4 , and concurrently restrict excessive compression of the connector body  32 . 
     Upon compression of the connector body  32  between the circuit board  26  and the bottom wall  4   a , one ends of the metal wires  33  are brought into contact with the signal wires  20  at an appropriate pressure. Similarly, the other ends of the metal wires  33  are brought into contact with the pads  27  of the printed circuit board  25  at an appropriate pressure. Hence, a state where the signal wires  20  of the housing  4  and the printed circuit board  25  are electrically connected to each other via the rubber connector  31  is maintained. 
     According to the above-described embodiment, the housing  4  is partially formed so as to be attachable and detachable as the unit structure  4   d , thus making it possible to replace only a part of the housing  4 , which is provided with a wiring structure. For example, when a faulty connection has occurred in wiring at a region where the connector  10  is mounted, the unit structure  4   d  is detached from the housing  4  and replaced, thereby enabling repair and enhancing maintainability of the electronic apparatus. 
     Furthermore, the housing  4  is partially formed so as to be attachable and detachable as the unit structure  4   d , thus reducing expansion of deformation caused in the housing  4 . Besides, a part of the housing  4 , to which the conductive adhesives  23  are applied, is reduced in size as the unit structure  4   d , thereby enhancing productivity in batch processing such as thermal hardening of the conductive adhesives  23 . Specifically, when the conductive adhesives  23  are heated and hardened in a furnace or the like, production efficiency can be increased by size reduction resulting from unitization. 
     While the unit structure  4   d  formed by the bottom wall  4   a  and the lateral wall  4   c  is exemplified, the embodiment is not limited to this structure. For example, the unit structure  4   d  may be formed only by the bottom wall  4   a . In other words, the lateral wall  4 C may be formed as an integral unit, and an attachable and detachable part thereof may be eliminated. 
     The present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiment as it is, but may be implemented by making modifications to constituent elements without departing from the scope of the present invention. Various inventions may be provided by an appropriate combination of plural constituent elements disclosed in the foregoing embodiment. For example, several constituent elements may be eliminated from the entire constituent elements disclosed in the embodiment. Moreover, the constituent elements in different embodiments may be combined as appropriate.