JP2011239110A - Communication terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a housing from being destructed under a high water pressure.SOLUTION: A mobile phone 10 has an electronic unit 20 accommodated in a housing, a battery 22 for supplying power to the electronic unit 20, a pressure sensor 30 for detecting a pressure differential between the inside and the outside of the housing, and a power supply controller 21 which stops power supply to the electronic unit 20 when the pressure differential detected by the pressure sensor 30 is larger than a threshold value P. With this, the power supply to the electronic unit 20 can be stopped when water pressure larger than the threshold value Pis applied to the outside of the mobile phone 10. As a result, even if water enters the housing, a circuit of the electronic unit 20 does not short out and the electronic unit 20 is prevented from breaking down.

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication terminal.

  Communication terminals such as mobile phones are assumed to be used in various places because of their portability. Therefore, the communication terminal is desired to have a waterproof function. For example, Patent Documents 1 to 3 propose a technique for realizing a waterproof function of a communication terminal.

JP-A-9-197501 JP 2004-157143 A JP 2009-290482 A

  However, in the communication terminals described in Patent Documents 1 to 3, if the user accidentally drops the communication terminal into the water, a high water pressure is applied to the casing, and the casing may be damaged. is there. As a countermeasure against this, it is conceivable to design the device so as to withstand high water pressure. In this case, however, the communication terminal is increased in size, contrary to the recent trend of downsizing of the communication terminal.

  The present invention has been made under the circumstances described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a communication terminal in which a casing is not damaged even under high water pressure.

In order to achieve the above object, a communication terminal according to the present invention provides:
An electronic unit housed in a housing;
A battery for supplying power to the electronic unit;
A sensor for detecting a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the housing;
Stop means for stopping the supply of power to the electronic unit when the pressure difference detected via the sensor is greater than a first threshold;
It is characterized by having.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a communication terminal in which a housing is not damaged even under high water pressure.

It is a perspective view which shows the mobile telephone which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block diagram of a mobile phone. (A) is sectional drawing which shows a pressure sensor, (B) is sectional drawing which shows a valve. It is a flowchart which shows the process of a power supply control apparatus. It is sectional drawing for demonstrating the function of a pressure sensor. (A) is sectional drawing (the 1) for demonstrating the function of a valve, (B) is sectional drawing (the 2) for demonstrating the function of a valve. It is sectional drawing which shows the pressure sensor of the mobile telephone which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. (A) is sectional drawing (the 1) for demonstrating the function of a pressure sensor, (B) is sectional drawing (the 2) for demonstrating the function of a pressure sensor. (A) is sectional drawing which shows the valve | bulb of the mobile telephone which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention, (B) is sectional drawing for demonstrating the function of a valve. It is sectional drawing (the 1) which shows the valve of the mobile telephone which concerns on the modification of this invention. It is sectional drawing (the 2) which shows the valve of the mobile telephone which concerns on the modification of this invention.

Embodiment 1
Hereinafter, Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mobile phone 10 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the cellular phone 10 has a rectangular parallelepiped plate-shaped casing 11. A screen 12 and operation keys 13 are disposed on the surface of the housing 11 on the + Z side. In addition, a pressure sensor 30 and a valve 40 which will be described later are disposed in the vicinity of the hole 14 and the opening 15 formed in the side surface of the housing 11.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the mobile phone 10 according to the first embodiment. The mobile phone 10 includes an electronic unit 20, a pressure sensor 30, a power supply control device 21, and a battery 22.

  The electronic unit 20 is a liquid crystal unit composed of a liquid crystal display element having a screen 12, an input detection unit that detects an operation on the operation key 13 by a user, a storage unit, a sound processing unit, and overall control of each of the above parts. It is comprised from CPU etc. to perform.

  FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the pressure sensor 30. As shown in FIG. 3A, the pressure sensor 30 includes a diaphragm 31 made of an elastic material and a sensor element 33 attached to the diaphragm 31.

  The diaphragm 31 has a recess formed on the −X side. And it is affixed inside the housing | casing 11 with the double-sided tape 32 in the state which enclosed the hole 14, for example. A space A defined by the casing 11 and the diaphragm 31 communicates with the outside through a hole 14 formed in the casing 11.

  The sensor element 33 is provided on the + X side of the diaphragm 31. The resistance value of the sensor element 33 changes according to the deformation of the diaphragm 31. For example, the resistance value increases as the diaphragm 31 changes from the state shown in FIG. 3A to the state shown in FIG.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the power supply control device 21 supplies power from the battery 22 to the electronic unit 20. Further, the resistance value of the pressure sensor 30 is monitored, and when the resistance value exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the supply of power is stopped.

  FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the valve 40. As illustrated in FIG. 3B, the valve 40 includes a cylindrical portion 41, a movable member 42, a coil spring 43, and a cover 45.

  The cylinder part 41 is formed so as to protrude inside the housing 11. The tube portion 41 is shaped into a bottomed cylinder. A hole 41 a penetrating in the Y-axis direction is formed at the −X side end of the cylindrical portion 41.

  The movable member 42 is a substantially cylindrical member. The movable member 42 is shaped so that the outer diameter is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 41. An O-ring 44 is attached to a groove formed on the outer periphery of the movable member 42. The movable member 42 is disposed so as to be movable in the X-axis direction inside the cylindrical portion 41. Further, the internal space defined by the tubular portion 41 and the movable member 42 is kept watertight by the O-ring.

  The coil spring 43 is disposed on the + X side of the movable member 42. The −X side end of the coil spring 43 is fixed to the + X side surface of the movable member 42. Further, the + X side end of the coil spring 43 is fixed to the bottom surface of the cylindrical portion 41. The sum of the natural length of the coil spring 43 and the length of the movable member 42 in the X-axis direction is substantially equal to the depth of the cylindrical portion 41. The coil spring 43 biases the movable member 42 in the −X direction when in the contracted state.

  The opening 15 formed in the housing 11 is closed by a cover 45 having a hole 45a formed in the center. The cover 45 is affixed to the housing 11 with a double-sided tape 46.

  Next, the operation of the power supply control device 21 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing executed by the power supply control device 21. When the mobile phone 10 is activated, the power supply control device 21 executes the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, in first step S101, the power control unit 21, by monitoring the resistance value of the pressure sensor 30, pressure P _env in the space A is either preset greater than the threshold P ₁ Judge whether or not.

For example, when the mobile phone 10 is submerged, water enters the space A from the hole 14 as shown in FIG. Then, a difference occurs between the water pressure in the space A and the pressure inside the housing 11. Thereby, the diaphragm 31 is deformed so as to protrude in the + X direction. When the diaphragm 31 is deformed, the resistance value of the sensor element 33 changes. Power supply controller 21 by monitoring the resistance value, the water pressure P _env in the space A determines whether or preset threshold P ₁ is greater than or not.

Returning to Figure 4, when the water pressure _{P env} is larger than the threshold value _{P 1,} the determination in step S101 is affirmative, the power supply control unit 21 proceeds to the next step S102.

In step S <b> 102, the power supply control device 21 stops supplying power to the electronic unit 20. Thereby, a series of processes performed by the power supply control device 21 are completed. On the other hand, if the water pressure _{P env} is smaller than the threshold value _{P 1,} the determination is negative in step S101, the power control unit 21 repeats the processing of step S101.

Next, the operation of the valve 40 will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 6A, when the mobile phone 10 is submerged, the water enters the space B defined by the cover 45 and the movable member 42 through the hole 45 a formed in the cover 45. Then, a difference is generated between the water pressure in the space B and the pressure inside the housing 11. As a result, the movable member 42 moves in the + X direction against the urging force of the coil spring 43. At this time, when the water pressure P _env is equal to or smaller than the threshold value P ₂ , the O-ring 44 attached to the movable member 42 is positioned on the −X side of the hole 41 a formed in the cylindrical portion 41.

As shown in FIG. 6 (B), the water pressure P _env in the space B is, when it becomes larger than the threshold value P _2, the movable member 42, against the urging force of the coil spring 43, further moves in the + X direction . The relationship between the threshold value _{P 1} described above with the threshold value _{P 2 is} P 2> _{P 1.} Then, the O-ring 44 attached to the movable member 42 moves to the + X side of the hole 41a formed in the cylindrical portion 41. Thereby, the space B and the internal space of the housing 11 communicate with each other through the hole 41a. Then, the water in the space B enters the inside of the housing 11 through the hole 41a.

As described above, in the mobile phone 10 according to the first embodiment, when a water pressure equal to or higher than the threshold value P ₁ is applied to the outside of the casing 11 constituting the mobile phone 10, power is supplied to the electronic unit 20. Stop. For this reason, even if water enters the housing 11, the circuit of the electronic unit 20 is not short-circuited, and a failure of the electronic unit 20 is avoided.

Further, the mobile phone 10 includes a valve 40. Thus, outside of the mobile phone 10, the threshold value P ₂ or more pressure is applied, through the hole 41a, the water is taken into the housing 11. Thereby, the expansion of the difference between the water pressure inside the housing 11 and the external water pressure is suppressed, and damage to the housing 11 is avoided.

The threshold _{P 2} is greater than the threshold value _{P 1.} For this reason, the supply of power to the electronic unit 20 is stopped before water is taken into the housing 11. Accordingly, since water does not enter the inside of the housing 11 while power is supplied, a short circuit of the electric circuit constituting the electronic unit 20 is effectively avoided.

  Further, the movable member 42 and the coil spring 43 arranged in the cylinder portion 41 can be accommodated from the opening 15 formed in the cylinder portion 41. Therefore, the valve 40 can be easily assembled and disassembled.

<< Embodiment 2 >>
Next, Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, about the structure same or equivalent to Embodiment 1, while using the same code | symbol, the description is abbreviate | omitted or simplified. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the pressure sensor 50 of the mobile phone according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The pressure sensor 50 has a valve function. Specifically, the pressure sensor 50 includes a cylindrical portion 41, a movable member 42, a coil spring 43, a cover 45, and a sensor element 51. The sensor element 51 is composed of, for example, a piezoelectric element.

8A and 8B are cross-sectional views of the pressure sensor 50 according to the second embodiment. When the mobile phone is submerged, the water enters the space B defined by the cover 45 and the movable member 42 through the hole 45a formed in the cover 45 as shown in FIG. Then, a difference is generated between the water pressure in the space B and the pressure inside the housing 11. As a result, the movable member 42 moves in the + X direction against the urging force of the coil spring 43. At this time, pressure is applied to the sensor element 51 via the coil spring 43. If it does so, the output voltage from the sensor element 51 will rise according to a pressure. Power supply controller 21 monitors the output voltage from the sensor element 52, the water pressure exerted on the housing 11 is determined to become larger than the threshold value P _1, to stop the supply of power to the electronic unit 20.

When the water pressure in the space B becomes a threshold value P ₂ larger than the preset threshold value P ₁ , the movable member 42 resists the biasing force of the coil spring 43 as shown in FIG. Furthermore, it moves in the + X direction. Then, the O-ring 44 of the movable member 42 moves to the X side of the hole 41 a formed in the cylindrical portion 41. Thereby, the space B and the internal space of the housing 11 communicate with each other through the hole 41a. Then, the water in the space B enters the internal space of the housing 11 through the hole 41a.

As described above, in the mobile phone according to the embodiment 2, the outside of the housing 11 constituting the mobile phone, when the threshold value P ₁ or more pressure is applied, the supply of power to the electronic unit 20 stops . For this reason, even if water enters the housing 11, the circuit of the electronic unit 20 is not short-circuited, and a failure of the electronic unit 20 is avoided.

Further, the pressure sensor 50 of the mobile phone has a valve function. Therefore, the outside of the mobile phone, when the threshold value P ₂ or more pressure is applied, through the hole 41a, the water is taken into the housing 11. Thereby, the expansion of the difference between the water pressure inside the housing 11 and the external water pressure is suppressed, and damage to the housing 11 is avoided.

The threshold _{P 2} is greater than the threshold value _{P 1.} For this reason, the supply of power to the electronic unit 20 is stopped before water is taken into the housing 11. Accordingly, since water does not enter the inside of the housing 11 while power is supplied, a short circuit of the electric circuit constituting the electronic unit 20 is effectively avoided.

  In addition, the movable member 42, the coil spring 43, the sensor element 51, and the like disposed in the cylindrical portion 41 can be accommodated from the opening 15 formed in the cylindrical portion 41. Therefore, the pressure sensor 50 can be easily assembled and disassembled.

  Further, the pressure sensor 50 has the function of the pressure sensor 30 of the mobile phone 10 according to the first embodiment and the function of the valve 40. For this reason, the inside of the housing | casing 11 can be utilized effectively. As a result, the mobile phone can be made compact.

<< Embodiment 3 >>
Next, Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, about the structure same or equivalent to Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2, while using the same code | symbol, the description is abbreviate | omitted or simplified. FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional view of the valve 60 of the mobile phone according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 9A, the valve 60 includes a solenoid 61 having a movable iron core 61a in addition to the movable member 42, the coil spring 43, and the like. When power is supplied to the electronic unit 20 housed in the housing 11, the movable iron core 61a of the solenoid 61 is moved to the -Y side, and the tip of the movable iron core 61a is in the recess 42a. It will be inserted.

  As shown in FIG. 9B, when the supply of power to the electronic unit 20 housed in the housing 11 is stopped, the movable iron core 61a of the solenoid 61 moves in the + Y direction. And the front-end | tip of the movable iron core 61a will be in the state pulled out from the hollow 42a.

Or if the difference between the threshold P ₁ and the threshold value P ₂ is very small, when the water pressure exerted on the outside of the housing 11 rapidly increases is in the middle of the processing of power supply control device 21 shown in FIG. 4, the housing water pressure according to the 11 external reaches the threshold P _2, there is a risk that water would enter the interior of the housing 11. However, in the mobile phone according to the third embodiment, the movement of the movable member 42 in the + X direction is restricted while power is being supplied to the electronic unit 20. Then, after the supply of power to the electronic unit 20 is stopped, the movable member 42 can move in the + X direction. Thereby, the intake of water into the housing 11 by the valve 60 is performed after the supply of power to the electronic unit 20 is stopped even when the water pressure applied to the outside of the housing 11 increases rapidly. . For this reason, the circuit of the electronic unit 20 is not short-circuited, and the failure of the electronic unit 20 is avoided.

  As mentioned above, although Embodiment 1-3 was demonstrated, this invention is not limited to said each embodiment. As can be seen from FIG. 1, for example, in the first embodiment, the hole 14 and the opening 15 are formed on the side surface of the mobile phone. Good.

  Further, in each of the above embodiments, the cover 45 is attached to the opening 15 of the housing 11, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the cover is configured as a part of the housing 11 as shown in FIG. 10. May be. In this case, the hole 11 a can be directly formed in the housing 11. Further, the movable member 42 and the coil spring 43 arranged in the cylinder portion 41 are accommodated from the + X side with the lid 71 removed.

  Moreover, in each said embodiment, although the cover 45 is attached to the opening 15 of the housing | casing 11, it is not restricted to this, As shown in FIG. 11, the cover does not need to be arrange | positioned.

  Further, in each of the above embodiments, the cylinder portion 41 is formed as a part of the housing 11, but is not limited thereto, and may be formed as a separate body from the housing 11.

  Moreover, in each said embodiment, although the coil spring 43 is used, not only this but a leaf | plate spring, rubber | gum, etc. may be used.

  In each of the above embodiments, the mobile phone is a mobile phone having a one-piece housing. May be. In this case, a pressure sensor or a valve may be provided in each housing.

The present invention is not limited to the mobile phone described in each of the above embodiments, but is also a PDA (Personal Digital).
Assistant), PHS (Personal Handy-phone System), notebook personal computers, wearable personal computers, communication terminals such as electronic game machines, and other information processing apparatuses.

  Various embodiments and modifications of the present invention are possible without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present invention. The above-described embodiments are for explaining the present invention, and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

  The communication terminal of the present invention is suitable for use in a mobile phone.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Mobile phone, 11 ... Case, 11a ... Hole, 12 ... Screen, 13 ... Operation key, 14 ... Hole, 15 ... Opening, 20 ... Electronic unit, 21 ... Power supply control device, 22 ... Battery, 30, 50 ... Pressure sensor, 31 ... diaphragm, 32 ... double-sided tape, 33 ... sensor element, 40, 60, 70 ... valve, 41 ... cylindrical part, 41a ... hole, 42 ... movable member, 42a ... dent, 43 ... coil spring, 44 ... O-ring, 45 ... cover, 45a ... hole, 46 ... double-sided tape, 51 ... sensor element, 61 ... solenoid, 61a ... movable core, A, B ... space

Claims (5)

An electronic unit housed in a housing;
A battery for supplying power to the electronic unit;
A sensor for detecting a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the housing;
Stop means for stopping the supply of power to the electronic unit when the pressure difference detected via the sensor is greater than a first threshold;
A communication terminal.   When the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the housing is greater than a second threshold value that is greater than the first threshold value, the outside and inside of the housing are communicated with each other. The communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a valve for performing the operation. The valve is
A cylinder member in which the internal space communicates with the outside of the housing through the first opening, and communicates with the inside of the housing through the second opening;
Movable to move the inside of the cylinder member from a first position between the first opening and the second opening on one side of the second opening to a second position on the other side of the second opening. A member,
An elastic member that expands and contracts in the moving direction of the movable member and supports the movable member at the first position;
The communication terminal according to claim 2, comprising:   The communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein the second opening is formed on an inner wall surface of the cylinder member. A solenoid having a movable iron core that moves in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the movable member;
The communication terminal according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the movable iron core is inserted into a recess formed in the movable member while power is supplied to the electronic unit.

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