JP5665462B2 - Information processing apparatus and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly to a technique that is preferably applied to a hinge structure that connects a main body and a display in a notebook PC having price competitiveness, for example.

  Currently, a general notebook PC has a main unit (portion on which the main body substrate, keyboard, touchpad, etc. are mounted) and a display unit (portion on which a liquid crystal display is mounted), which are separated from each other. Is housed in. A metal hinge is used to connect both housings. However, when a metal hinge is used, a defect or a failure in the field may occur, and the manufacturing cost is high.

  In addition, in order to improve usability for users, it is conceivable that the notebook PC has a self-opening function of the casing, which is also adopted in a folding mobile phone, but self-opening using a metal hinge is not possible. Therefore, it is necessary to drive with a spring or a motor, and as described above, it is difficult to realize in terms of manufacturing cost, possibility of occurrence of failure, and the like.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a liquid crystal display device capable of improving assemblability and reducing manufacturing costs. The liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal cell and a holding frame that holds the liquid crystal cell, and the case portion of the holding frame is connected to the base portion through a thin hinge portion, and the case portion, the base portion, and the hinge portion are combined. It is integrally molded with resin.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-48599

  The invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 relates to a hinge structure of a holding frame that holds a liquid crystal cell of a liquid crystal display device. After the assembly, the holding frame sandwiches the liquid crystal cell between the case portion and the base portion, and forms a part (frame) of the liquid crystal display device in that state. That is, it is not envisaged that such a usage form that different devices are housed in the case part and the base part and the case part is opened and closed during use is not assumed. For this reason, even if the technique according to Patent Document 1 is applied to a notebook PC as it is, it does not solve the above-described problem.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to reduce the chance of failure by eliminating mechanical parts in a notebook PC, reduce the number of parts, reduce the manufacturing cost, and provide a self-opening function of the casing.

An information processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a first housing that houses a display, a second housing that houses a keyboard, and a hinge unit that rotatably couples the first housing and the second housing. The first housing, the second housing, and the hinge portion are integrally formed using a soft resin at least for the hinge portion, and the device and the second housing housed in the first housing An information processing apparatus characterized in that a cable connecting a device to be accommodated is disposed inside a hinge part, wherein a plurality of first recesses extending from the front side of the hinge part to the cable, and the hinge part A plurality of second recesses extending from the back side to the cable, and the second recesses are arranged so as not to be opposed to the first recesses .

  The information processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a fixing unit that fixes the closed state in which the first casing and the second casing are folded in the information processing apparatus described above, and releases the fixing of the closed state by the fixing unit. In this case, the first casing and the second casing may be opened by the restoring force of the hinge portion.

  In the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus described above, an angle formed by the first casing and the second casing when the first casing and the second casing are opened is set. The first supporting member to be fixed may be provided on the inner surface of the hinge portion in the closed state in which the first housing and the second housing are folded.

  The information processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a second support member that fixes the apparatus installation state when the first casing and the second casing are opened in the information processing apparatus. The one housing and the second housing may be provided on the outer surface of the hinge portion in the closed state.

In the information processing apparatus of the present invention , the first resin film is bonded to the outside of the cable, the second resin film is bonded to the inside of the metal fiber sheet covering the outside of the cable to which the first resin film is bonded, the soft resin in a state where the outer cable is covered with the metal fiber sheet may be a shall be integrally molded.

In the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, the cable may be covered with the same soft resin as that of the hinge portion .

  The information processing apparatus according to the present invention is the information processing apparatus described above, wherein the first casing and the second casing are made of hard resin for the first casing and the second casing and soft resin for the hinge portion. And the hinge part may be integrally formed.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing an information processing device, in which a first housing that houses a display, a second housing that houses a keyboard, and a first housing and a second housing are rotatably coupled. A first mold having a plurality of first protrusions formed on a surface that comes into contact with the poured resin, and a first mold. a second mold having a first projection and a plurality of displacement is formed in a position which gave the second protrusion and the resin pouring port formed between each protrusion portion after bonding, the A cable connecting the device housed in the first housing and the device housed in the second housing, and a protrusion formed on the first mold and a protrusion formed on the second mold; The first mold and the second mold are joined by sandwiching them so that they come into contact with each other, and the resin is poured from the resin inlet. The pouring, using a soft resin at least in the hinge portion, the first housing is for integrally molding the second housing and the hinge portion.

  According to the present invention, in a notebook PC, it is possible to reduce the chance of failure by eliminating mechanical parts, to reduce the number of parts to reduce the manufacturing cost, and to provide a self-opening function of the housing.

It is a perspective view of notebook PC (open state) concerning the embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view of notebook PC (open state) concerning the embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of notebook PC (closed state) concerning an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a configuration diagram of a notebook PC according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the integrally molded cable used for the notebook PC which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the integral molding cable used for the notebook PC which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the integral molding method of the housing | casing and hinge part of the notebook PC which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

  In recent years, the adoption of LED (Light Emitting Diode) backlight liquid crystal has reduced the weight of liquid crystal panel components, and the weight has been sufficient to support the display unit without using a metal hinge. In addition, soft resins that are strong to bending (not deformed) and do not deteriorate (strong resistance to chemical substances) have been commercialized. Due to the growing demand for the Internet, inexpensive personal computers such as netbooks have become widespread, and more inexpensive ones have been demanded. From these backgrounds, the present inventor of the present invention devised the present invention in which a PC body case (upper housing and lower housing) and a soft resin hinge are integrally formed in a notebook PC, and a cable is arranged inside the hinge. It was done.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a notebook PC according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the notebook PC, both showing an open state in which a display unit is opened. A notebook PC 1 according to the present embodiment is a general notebook PC in which an upper casing 2 that accommodates a liquid crystal display 3 and the like and a lower casing 4 that accommodates a keyboard 5, a touch pad 6, and the like are separated. The casing 4 is integrally molded with a resin via a hinge portion 7 and coupled thereto.

  The upper housing 2 and the lower housing 4 are made of a hard resin, and the hinge portion 7 is made of a soft resin that is resistant to bending (does not deform) and does not deteriorate (strong resistance to chemical substances). The hard resin and the soft resin may be configured with different colors or may be configured with the same color in consideration of the design of the entire notebook PC.

  An open lock 10a is provided at the upper end of the mounting surface of the liquid crystal display 3 in the upper housing 2 (the end opposite to the hinge portion 7), and the lower end (hinge portion) of the mounting surface of the keyboard 5 in the lower housing 4 The open lock 10b is provided at the end opposite to the touch pad 6 at the end opposite to the end 7. The open locks 10 a and 10 b are means for maintaining and fixing the closed state of the upper housing 2 and the lower housing 4. For example, the open lock 10a may be a protrusion having a hook portion formed in one direction, and the open lock 10b may be formed of a hole that can be released by sliding the hook portion of the inserted protrusion. A configuration in which the side of the open lock 10a is slid to release the catch may be used.

  When the fixing of the closed state by the open locks 10a and 10b is released, the upper housing 2 is opened by its own force by the restoring force of the hinge portion 7, and the open state as shown in FIG. The upper housing 2, the lower housing 4, and the hinge portion 7 are integrally formed in an open state in which the upper housing 2 and the lower housing 4 form a predetermined angle. The restoring force of the hinge 7 works in the direction of opening the upper casing 2), which is lighter than 4, and is stable in the open state after being opened.

  As means for maintaining and fixing the closed state of the upper casing 2 and the lower casing 4, in addition to providing the locking structure as described above on the casing, a hook-and-loop fastener and a belt with a snap button can be cited when the casing is folded. It is done. As shown in FIG. 3, the closed state may be fixed by wrapping a belt with a Velcro or snap button on both housings in a folded state.

  The hinge portion 7 is provided with a front support rib 8 on the surface facing the liquid crystal display 3 and the keyboard 5 in the open state of the upper housing 2 and the lower housing 4. The front support rib 8 is installed according to the weight of the liquid crystal display 3 so that the support angle of the liquid crystal display 3 does not increase due to the weight of the upper housing 2 after the upper housing 2 is opened by the restoring force of the hinge portion 7. (FIG. 1). The front support rib 8 is a part of the hinge portion 7, and is integrally formed with a soft resin.

  Further, the hinge portion 7 is provided with a back support rib 9 on the surface opposite to the surface on which the front support rib 8 is arranged in the open state of the upper housing 2 and the lower housing 4. The back support rib 9 is an extension of the installation surface of the lower housing 4 so that the notebook PC 1 does not fall in the opening direction of the upper housing 2 due to the reaction when the upper housing 2 is opened by the restoring force of the hinge portion 7. Arranged (FIG. 2). The back support rib 9 is also a part of the hinge portion 7 like the front support rib 8 and is integrally formed of a soft resin.

  The hinge shape of the hinge portion 7 is determined so that the hinge thickness becomes equal to the PC main body thickness when the upper housing 2 and the lower housing 4 are folded. This is because if the hinge thickness is thicker than the PC main body thickness, the installation state in the closed state will not be stable, and the quality of the design will deteriorate.

  FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of the notebook PC according to the embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the notebook PC 1 accommodates a liquid crystal display (liquid crystal module) 3, an antenna-integrated radio module 11, and a main body substrate 12 in an upper housing 2, a keyboard 5, a touch pad 6 (not shown), and a USB hub 13. The USB port 14, the charging circuit 15, and the battery 17 are accommodated in the lower housing 4. The main body substrate 12 housed in the upper housing 2 and various devices housed in the lower housing 4 are electrically connected by a cable 17. The cable 17 supplies power from the battery 16 to the main body board 12 and transmits signals between the USB hub 13 and the main body board 12.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an integrally molded cable used in a notebook PC according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a top view of the cable, both showing the internal structure of the cable. The integrally molded cable 30 used for the PC 1 of the present embodiment includes a flat cable 17 for performing power supply and signal transmission, cellophane films 18 and 19, a metal fiber sheet 20, and a soft resin tube 21.

  The cellophane film 18 is bonded so as to be wound around the outside of the flat cable 17. The cellophane film 19 is bonded so as to be wound around the inside of the metal fiber sheet 20. The metal fiber sheet 20 to which the cellophane 19 is bonded is disposed so as to cover the flat cable 17 to which the cellophane film 18 is bonded. Then, the flat cable 17 in a state where the outside is covered with the metal fiber sheet 20 is molded with a soft resin tube 21. The soft resin tube 21 uses the same soft resin as that of the hinge portion 7.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the integrally molded cable 30 includes a flat cable 17 ((A)) having a cellophane film 18 bonded to the outside, a metal fiber sheet 20 ((B)) having a cellophane film 19 bonded to the inside, It is roughly classified into a soft resin tube 21 ((C)). Since it has such a structure, it slides with a double cellophane film (cellophane films 18 and 19) between (A) / (B), absorbs the expansion and contraction of the flat cable 17 and prevents its breakage. It is possible.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method for integrally forming the casing and the hinge portion of the notebook PC according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, a space for molding the upper housing 2 and the lower housing 4 is formed by combining the molds 51 and 52, and the hinge portion 7 is molded by combining the molds 52 and 53. Create a space. When the molds 52 and 53 are combined, the integrally formed cable 30 is disposed between both molds.

  The mold 51 is a concave mold having a convex portion in the center (position where the hinge portion 7 is formed), and a columnar protrusion 511 is formed on the convex portion. In addition, the mold 53 is formed with a column-shaped protrusion 531 in the center (a position corresponding to the position where the column 511 is disposed) at the concave mold (the concave part faces the convex part of the mold 51). As shown in FIG. 7, the columns 511 and 531 are alternately arranged with a deviation from the direction in which the columns are arranged (so that the columns 511 and 531 do not face each other). The integrally formed cable 30 having both ends sandwiched by the joint portions 52 and 53 is sandwiched and supported from above and below so as not to bend.

  The mold 53 is provided with a resin inlet (not shown) at a position between the positions where the columns 531 are installed and facing the columns 511. The momentum of the resin poured in from the pouring port toward the mold 51 is received by the support column 511 facing the pouring port, so that the integrally molded cable 30 is stretched toward the outer mold (resin outflow direction). Can be prevented. Also, the resin inlet is provided in the mold 53 and the resin is poured from the inside of the hinge, so that the both ends of the cable (the part sandwiched between the joined parts of the molds 52 and 53) and the center (the pillars 511 and 531 are sandwiched). The bending which the part between the supported parts) produces can be prevented.

  The molds configured as described above are combined, the integrally formed cable 30 is sandwiched between the molds before molding, and the upper casing 2 and the lower casing 4 are molded by first pouring hard resin from the inlet. Next, a soft resin is poured into the hinge portion 7 to mold the upper housing 2 and the lower housing 4 and the hinge portion 7.

  When the mold is removed after the poured resin has hardened, the integrally molded casing and hinge part are completed. After removing the mold, a hole in the portion from which the column 531 has been removed is formed on the surface of the hinge portion 7, and the integrally molded cable 30 is exposed through this hole. Since the soft resin used in the molding 7 and the soft resin used in the integrally molded cable 30 are the same, they are not conspicuous and design problems do not occur.

  FIG. 7 shows the integral molding in a state where the angle between the upper housing 2 and the lower housing 4 is 180 °, but this is only an example, and the integral molding is performed at a desired angle. It is possible. In other words, a mold may be manufactured according to the shape of the hinge part and the casing and the angle formed by the casing, and the resin color can be integrally molded in consideration of the design.

  The above-described embodiment is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment alone, and various modifications are made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Implementation is possible.

1 Notebook PC
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Upper housing | casing 3 Liquid crystal display 4 Lower housing 5 Keyboard 6 Touchpad 7 Hinge part 8 Front support rib 9 Back support rib 10a, 10b Open lock 11 Radio module with integrated antenna 12 Main board 13 USB hub 14 USB port 15 Charging circuit 16 Battery 17 Flat cable 18, 19 Cellophane film 20 Metal fiber sheet 21 Soft resin tube 30 Integrated molded cable 51, 52, 53 Mold 511, 531 Post

Claims (8)

A first housing that houses a display; a second housing that houses a keyboard; and a hinge portion that rotatably couples the first housing and the second housing;
Using at least the hinge portion with a soft resin, the first housing, the second housing, and the hinge portion are integrally molded,
An information processing apparatus , wherein a cable connecting a device housed in the first housing and a device housed in the second housing is disposed inside the hinge portion ,
A plurality of first recesses extending from the front side of the hinge portion to the cable;
A plurality of second recesses extending from the back side of the hinge portion to the cable,
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second recess is disposed with a shift so as not to face the first recess . A fixing means for fixing the closed state in which the first casing and the second casing are folded;
2. The open state in which the first housing and the second housing are opened by a restoring force of the hinge portion when the fixing of the closed state by the fixing means is released. The information processing apparatus described.   A first support member for fixing an angle formed by the first casing and the second casing when the first casing and the second casing are opened; The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is provided on an inner surface of the hinge portion in a closed state in which the second housing is folded.   The second support member that fixes the apparatus installation state when the first casing and the second casing are opened is closed by folding the first casing and the second casing. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is provided on an outer surface of the hinge portion in a state. A first resin film is adhered to the outside of the cable, a second resin film is adhered to the inside of the metal fiber sheet covering the outside of the cable to which the first resin film is adhered, and the outside of the cable is the metal fiber. the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1, characterized that you have been integrally molded 4 by the soft resin in a state of being covered by the sheet. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cable is covered with the same soft resin as that of the hinge portion .   The first housing, the second housing, and the hinge portion are integrally molded using a hard resin for the first housing and the second housing and a soft resin for the hinge portion. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the information processing apparatus is characterized in that: An information processing apparatus comprising: a first housing that houses a display; a second housing that houses a keyboard; and a hinge portion that rotatably couples the first housing and the second housing. A manufacturing method of
A first mold having a first protrusion of a plurality formed in the surface contacting the resin to be inserted, is formed in the first projection and shifted to have a position after the bonding of the first mold A plurality of second protrusions and a second mold having a resin pouring port formed between each of the protrusions,
A cable connecting the device housed in the first housing and the device housed in the second housing is formed with a protrusion formed on the first mold and a protrusion formed on the second mold. The first mold and the second mold are joined so as to be in contact with the part, and the resin is poured from the resin pouring port,
A method for manufacturing an information processing apparatus, wherein the first housing, the second housing, and the hinge portion are integrally formed using a soft resin at least for the hinge portion.

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