Patent Publication Number: US-7586753-B2

Title: Portable electronic device with single printed circuit board

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to portable electronic devices, particularly to a portable electronic device configured (i.e., structured and arranged) with a single printed circuit board. 
   2. Discussion of the Related Art 
   With the development of recent technology of information processing, portable electronic devices such as digital cameras, MP3 players, video cameras, mobile phone, and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are widely used. The developing trend of these portable electronic devices is to be light, thin, and small in volume. 
   A typical portable electronic device includes an upper shell, a keypad, a display, a battery, a circuit board, and a lower shell. The keypad and the display are formed adjacent to each other at one side of the circuit board. The battery is provided at the other side of the circuit board. However, such a portable electronic device has a relative large volume. 
   Therefore, a new portable electronic device is desired in order to overcome the above-described shortcoming. 
   SUMMARY 
   In one embodiment thereof, a portable electronic device includes an upper housing, a circuit board, a display, a battery, and a lower housing. The upper housing defines a display section therein. The circuit board has a top surface and a bottom surface at an opposite side of the top surface. The display is seen through the display section. The battery and the display are formed adjacent to each other on the top surface of the circuit board. The circuit board, the battery and the display are located in-between the lower housing and the upper housing. The upper housing is detachably attached to the lower housing for detachably holding the battery therein. 
   Other advantages and novel features of the embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description thereof when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Many aspects of the present portable electronic device can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present portable electronic device. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an assembled, isometric view of a portable electronic device, in accordance with a present embodiment; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of the portable electronic device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged, isometric view of a lower housing of the portable electronic device shown in  FIG. 2 , viewed from another aspect; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged, isometric view of a circuit board of the portable electronic device shown in  FIG. 2 , viewed from another aspect; 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged, isometric view of a card connector and the circuit board of the portable electronic device shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 6  is an enlarged, isometric view of a frame, a battery and a protecting film of the portable electronic device shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 7  is an assembled, isometric view of the frame, the battery, the protecting film, and the lower housing of the portable electronic device shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged, isometric view of an upper housing of the portable electronic device shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 9  is similar to  FIG. 8 , but viewed from another aspect; 
       FIG. 10  is an assembled, isometric view of the display, the card connector, the circuit board, and the lower housing of the portable electronic device shown in  FIG. 2 ; and 
       FIG. 11  is an assembled, isometric view of the portable electronic device shown in  FIG. 2 , viewed from another aspect. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
   The present portable electronic device can be digital cameras, MP3 players, video cameras, mobile phones, PDAs, and the like. 
   Referring to the drawings in detail,  FIGS. 1-2  show a portable electronic device  100  according to a present embodiment. The portable electronic device  100  includes a lower housing  20 , an electronic module  50 , a frame  30 , a protecting film  32 , and an upper housing  40 . The electronic module  50  and the frame  30  are placed in-between the lower housing  20  and the upper housing  40 . 
   Also referring to  FIG. 3 , the lower housing  20  includes a main body (not labeled) with an inner surface  21 , two lengthways walls  22 , and two breadthwise walls  23 . The lengthways walls  22  and the breadthwise walls  23  each respectively extend vertically from a corresponding edge of the inner surface  21 . One of the two breadthwise walls  23  defines a groove  232  in a center thereof. A protrusion  234  is formed on the bottom surface of the groove  232 . A connector  24  is fixed to the breadthwise wall  23 . Specifically, the connector  24  includes an inner end  242  positioned on the inner surface  21  and extending towards the other breadthwise wall  23  and includes an outer end  244  extending into the groove  232 . One of the two lengthways walls  22  defines a port  224  therein. Four mounting holes  26  are respectively formed on the inner surface  21 , substantially at four corners thereof. 
   Also referring to  FIG. 4 , the electronic module  50  includes a circuit board  10 , a display  12  mounted on the circuit board  10 , a battery  14 , and a card connector  16 . The circuit board  10  is a printed circuit board (PCB) having a top surface  101  and a bottom surface  103  at an opposite side of the top surface  101 . The circuit board  10  defines a cutout  104  near one corner thereof and has a charging contact unit  105  formed thereon. Four mounting holes  106  are respectively formed at four corners of the circuit board  10 . Each mounting hole  106  corresponds to a mounting hole  26  of the lower housing  20 . A plurality of electronic components is attached on the bottom surface  103 . 
   The battery  14  ( FIG. 2 ) has a charging end  142  formed at one side thereof and configured for engaging with the charging contact unit  105 . The battery  14  and the display  12  are configured (i.e., structured and arranged) to be adjacent to each other on the top surface  101  of the circuit board  10 . 
   Also referring to  FIG. 5 , the card connector  16  includes an electronic portion  162  and a substantially U-shaped latching portion  164 . The electronic portion  162  is configured for being received in the cutout  104  of the circuit board  10  and for connecting with a surface contact card such as a subscriber identity module (SIM) card. The latching portion  164  extends from one end of the electronic portion  162  and is configured for being attached at one end of the circuit board  10 . 
   Also referring to  FIGS. 6-7 , the frame  30  defines a display receiving portion  31  configured for receiving the display  12  and a battery cavity  33  configured for receiving the battery  14 . The frame  30  forms a recess  314  at one end thereof and has a bottom wall defining an opening  312  communicating with the recess  314 . The size of the recess  314  is larger than that of the opening  312 . The protecting film  32  is configured for being receivable in the recess  314  in order to cover the display  12 . The frame  30  has one end defining a contact cavity  332  therethrough and having a fixing projection  34  formed thereon, and an opposite end defining a receiving groove  36  therein. The contact cavity  332  communicates with the battery cavity  33 . The charging contact unit  105  of the circuit board  10  and the charging end  142  of the battery  14  are configured for being receivable in the contact cavity  332 . The receiving groove  36  corresponds to the groove  232  of the lower housing  20 . The frame  30  defines four mounting holes  38  respectively in four corners thereof. Each mounting hole  38  corresponds to a mounting hole  106  of the circuit board  10  and a mounting hole  26  of the lower housing  20 . The protecting film  32  is transparent enabling light to travel therethrough and is made of glass or plastic. 
   Also referring to  FIGS. 8-9 , the upper housing  40  has a main body (not labeled) with an outer surface  42  and an inner surface  44  at an opposite side of the outer surface  42 . The outer surface  42  has one end forming with a plurality of keys  422  and an opposite end defining a display section  424  therethrough. The display section  424  is configured for revealing the display  12  when the upper housing  40  is assembled with the circuit board  10 . A first breadthwise wall  43  and a second breadthwise wall  45  extend from two opposite short edges of the inner surface  44 . The first breadthwise wall  43  defines a fixing slot  428  in a center thereof. The fixing slot  428  is configured for receiving the fixing projection  34  of the frame  30  in order to fix the frame  30  to the upper housing  40 . A clasp  426  is formed at a center of the second breadthwise wall  45  and is configured for engaging with the receiving groove  36  of the frame  30 , the groove  232  of the lower housing  20 , and the protrusion  234  of the lower housing  20 , in order to fix the upper housing  40 , the frame  30 , and the lower housing  20  together. 
   A flexible printed circuit (FPC)  46  is provided on the inner surface  44 . The flexible printed circuit  46  has first and second ends  462 ,  464  configured for electrically connecting with a keypad circuit provided on the circuit board  10 . The second end  464  is provided on the clasp  426  in order to electrically connect to the outer end  244  of the connector  24  of the lower housing  20 . 
   Also referring to  FIG. 10 , in assembly, the electronic portion  162  of card connector  16  is inserted into the cutout  104  of the circuit board  10 . The latching portion  164  of the card connector  16  is attached to one end of the circuit board  10 . The circuit board  10  is mounted to the inner surface  21  of the lower housing  20 . The battery  14  is inserted into the battery cavity  33  of the frame  30 . The frame  30  is mounted to the top surface  101  of the circuit board  10 . The display  12  is inserted into the opening  312  of the frame. The charging end  142  of the battery  14  and the charging contact unit  105  are received in the contact cavity  332  of the frame  30 . A bolt is being inserted into each group of corresponding mounting holes  38 ,  106 ,  26  thereby fixing the frame  30 , the circuit board  10 , and the lower housing  20  together. The protecting film  32  is fixed in the recess  314  of the frame  30 . 
   The upper housing  40  is mounted to the assembled frame  30 , circuit board  10 , and lower housing  20 . The fixing projection  34  of the frame  30  is received in the fixing slot  428  of the upper housing  40 . The clasp  426  of the upper housing  40  is engaged with the protrusion  234  of the lower housing  20 . The display  12  is seen through the display section  424  of the upper housing. Thus, the portable electronic device  100  is completely assembled, as represented in  FIG. 11 . 
   It should be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.