JPH07249880A - Portable electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain waterproofness of a mounting part of a protective cover and to prevent water from being introduced into a housing. CONSTITUTION:The portable electronic apparatus comprises a housing having an opening 6 at an upper surface 4a, an information input unit 10 contained in the housing and having an input surface 11a opposed to the opening, and a transparent platelike protective cover 20 fixed to the housing in a blocking attitude of the opening to cover the input surface. A sealing material 21 is interposed between the cover and the housing, and the cover is coupled to the housing via the material.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable electronic device in which a transparent protective cover for covering an input surface is mounted on the upper surface of a box-shaped housing, and more particularly to the structure of the mounting portion of the protective cover. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, it has been known that an electronic device such as a portable computer or a text writing device is replaced with a tablet for a keyboard for inputting information and is accessed by a pen.

This kind of electronic equipment has a flat box-shaped housing. The housing has a flat upper surface, and an opening is formed in this upper surface. The opening has a rectangular shape that is substantially similar to the case, and has a size that covers most of the upper surface of the case.

An information input device having a tablet is housed inside the housing. The input device has a flat input surface, and the input surface faces the opening. A transparent protective cover that covers the input surface is attached to the opening of the housing. The protective cover is
The protective cover has a peripheral edge portion fitted in the opening portion, and the peripheral edge portion of the protective cover is fixed to the inner peripheral edge portion of the opening portion with an adhesive.

By the way, such an electronic apparatus has a compact housing so that it can be used not only in an office but also in a place where a commercial power source is not available or outdoors. Therefore, when inputting information using a pen, the operator holds the housing with one hand and presses the input surface with the pen held by the other hand, or It is possible that information such as characters and figures is handwritten in the area.

Further, even when the housing is placed on the desk surface and an input operation is performed, the side of the little finger side of the hand holding the pen is placed on the upper surface of the housing or the input surface. The surface tends to be used as a stand.

[0007]

However, since the portable electronic equipment of the pen input type has a wide range of usage places and usage forms, it is necessary to grasp the housing with a wet hand or perform an input operation. It may be done. In addition, since the electronic device itself is characterized by being easily carried around, there are many occasions when it is taken out and used outdoors, and when it is taken out outdoors, rainwater, splashes, or the like may be exposed to water droplets.

In this case, in the conventional electronic device, since the protective cover for covering the input surface is simply bonded to the opening of the housing, there is a gap between the peripheral edge of the protective cover and the opening. Exist, and water droplets adhering to the housing or the protective cover may enter the inside of the housing through this gap.

Then, since the input device and the circuit board having the electronic parts are accommodated in the inside of the housing, water droplets attached to the input device and the circuit board may cause malfunction or failure of the device. However, there is a peculiar problem because it is portable, and there is still room for improvement in this regard.

The present invention has been made under the above circumstances. A first object of the present invention is to mount a protective cover on a portable electronic device in which a protective cover for covering an input surface is mounted on an upper surface of a housing. (EN) It is intended to obtain a structure capable of ensuring waterproofness and dustproofness of a part and preventing foreign matter from entering the inside of a housing.

A second object of the present invention is to attach a sealing material for ensuring waterproofness between the housing and the protective cover in a portable electronic device in which a protective cover for covering the input surface is mounted on the upper surface of the housing. It is an object of the present invention to obtain a structure in which the manufacturing cost can be easily reduced, the yield in manufacturing the sealing material can be increased, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a portable electronic device in which a protective cover for covering the input surface is attached to the upper surface of the housing, and when the ends of the sealing material are abutted against each other, the abutting ends It is to obtain a structure that can secure the sealing property and does not require special post-treatment.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above object, a portable electronic device according to a first aspect of the present invention has a housing having an opening on its upper surface, and the housing is housed inside the housing and has the opening. Means for inputting information having an input surface facing the section,
The transparent plate-shaped protective cover is fixed to the housing in a posture of closing the opening and covers the input surface.

A sealing material is continuously provided in the circumferential direction between the peripheral portion of the protective cover and the housing, and the protective cover and the housing are connected via the sealing material. It is characterized by that.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the housing according to the first aspect has a circumferentially continuous flange portion at the peripheral edge portion of the opening, and the sealing material is provided on the upper surface of the flange portion. It is characterized in that the peripheral portion of the protective cover is joined.

According to claim 3, the opening according to claim 1 has a rectangular shape having four edges, and the sealing material has a rectangular shape that matches the opening shape of the opening. And is divided into strip-shaped first to fourth portions each having a length corresponding to the four edges of the opening.

According to the fourth aspect, the first to fourth portions of the sealing material according to the third aspect are such that the ends thereof are butted against the ends of the adjacent sealing materials, respectively. It is characterized in that at least one first engaging portion is provided at one end portion to be mated, and a plurality of second engaging portions that mesh with the first engaging portion are provided at the other end portion. .

According to a fifth aspect, the sealing material according to the first aspect is in the form of a single strip, and the sealing material is bent along the opening peripheral edge of the opening portion in a frame shape and The one end and the other end are attached to each other by being attached to the housing, and the sealing material has at least one first engaging portion at one end and the first engaging portion at the other end. It is characterized by having a plurality of second engaging portions that mesh with the portions.

[0019]

According to the structure described in claim 1, since the protective cover is coupled to the housing through the sealing material, foreign matter such as water droplets or dust adhering to the upper surface of the protective cover or the housing is prevented. Even if the foreign matter enters between the peripheral portion of the protective cover and the opening of the housing, the foreign matter is blocked by the sealing material. Therefore, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the inside of the housing.

According to the structure described in claim 2, since the peripheral edge portion of the protective cover and the flange portion overlap each other, the peripheral edge portion of the protective cover can be firmly held over the entire circumference. At the same time, the sealing material is also sandwiched between the peripheral edge portion of the protective cover and the flange portion, so that this sealing material adheres to the protective cover and the flange portion without any gaps, making the mounting portion of the protective cover waterproof and dustproof. Can be increased.

According to the structure described in claim 3, since the sealing material surrounding the opening is divided into the first to fourth parts, these parts are arranged one by one along the opening peripheral edge of the opening. Just install it. Therefore, unlike the case where the sealing material is integrally molded in a rectangular frame shape surrounding the opening, the sealing material is not bent or displaced from the opening, and the sealing material is attached. It can be done easily.

Further, since the first to fourth portions are band-shaped, even if they are cut out from the sheet-shaped material, it is difficult for the material to remain as wasteful parts. for that reason,
The yield is increased as compared with the case where the sealing material is integrally molded in a frame shape, and the cost of the sealing material can be reduced.

According to the structure described in claim 4, the end portions of the adjacent portions of the seal material are intricately engaged with each other by the engagement of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion. Therefore, the contact length between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion is increased, and when the end portions of the adjacent portions of the sealing material are abutted with each other, the contact between the first and second engaging portions is increased. At least a part of them will always come into contact with each other, and it is possible to prevent a continuous gap from being generated between the ends of the adjacent parts. Therefore,
It is not necessary to perform special post-treatment on the ends of the sealing material that abut each other to improve the sealing property.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the sealing material is attached to the housing by being bent in order along the opening periphery of the opening, so that the sealing material surrounds the opening. As in the case of being integrally molded in a frame shape,
The sealing material can be easily attached without being bent or displaced from the opening during the attachment.

Since the sealing material is in the form of a single strip before it is attached to the housing, even if the sealing material is cut out from a sheet-shaped material, it is difficult for waste material to remain in this material. Therefore, the yield is increased and the cost of the sealing material can be reduced as compared with the case where the sealing material is integrally molded in a frame shape.

Further, since one end and the other end of the seal member, which are abutted against each other, are formed in a concavo-convex shape due to the presence of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion, these one end and The contact length when the other end is butted becomes longer,
The sealing property is improved. At the same time, when one end and the other end of the sealing material are butted against each other, at least a part of the first and second engaging portions always comes into contact with each other. It is possible to prevent a continuous gap between them.

[0027]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings applied to a pen input type portable computer. FIG. 1 shows a pen-input type portable computer 1. The computer 1 includes a housing 2 made of synthetic resin. The housing 2 has a flat rectangular box shape, and the housing 2 includes a lower case 3 and an upper case 4 fitted into the lower case 3. And
The upper case 4 has a flat upper surface 4a.
Has a rectangular shape having a long axis A and a short axis B orthogonal to each other.

A rectangular opening 6 is formed on the upper surface 4a of the housing 2. The opening 6 is substantially similar to the upper surface 4a and has a size that covers most of the upper surface 4a. The opening 6 has two edge portions 6a and 6b extending in the major axis A direction and two edge portions 6c and 6d extending in the minor axis B direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upper case 4 has a flange portion 7 formed along the four edges 6a to 6d of the opening 6. The flange portion 7 projects inside the opening 6 and is formed continuously in the circumferential direction of the opening 6.

An information input device 10 is housed inside the housing 2. The input device 10 has the same structure as that of a conventionally known device, and as shown in FIG.
A liquid crystal display panel 11 having 1a, a light guide panel 12 for backlight, and a tablet 13 are stacked in this order, and have a flat plate shape having a size slightly larger than the opening 6 as a whole. There is.

The lower surface of the input device 10 has a shield plate 1
Covered by 4. The input device 10 and the shield plate 14 are supported on the inner surface of the upper case 4 via a frame (not shown). When the input device 10 is supported by the upper case 4, the input surface 11a of the liquid crystal display panel 11 faces the opening 6, and the peripheral edge of the input surface 11a is made of the silicone rubber cushioning material 15. It is in contact with the lower surface of the flange portion 7 via.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a circuit board 18 on which a circuit component 17 is mounted is accommodated inside the housing 2, and the circuit board 17 is located below the input device 10. ing.

A protective cover 20 for closing the opening 6 is attached to the upper case 4. The protective cover 20 is
The upper surface 4a of the upper case 4 is made of a transparent acrylic plate.
And the input surface 1 of the input device 10
1a is covered from above. Therefore, the protective cover 20
When a predetermined position above is pressed by the input pen 19 or characters or figures are handwritten in a predetermined area on the protective cover 20, an input signal is generated on the tablet 13 and desired information is input to the computer 1. It has become so.

By the way, the peripheral portion of the protective cover 20 is joined to the upper surface of the flange portion 7 via a waterproof sealing material 21. As shown in FIG. 3A, the sealing material 21 has a rectangular frame shape along the four edges 6a to 6d of the opening 6, and in the case of this embodiment, the edge 6a is formed.
6d are divided into first to fourth portions 21a to 21d having lengths corresponding to 6d to 6d, respectively. The first to fourth portions 21a to 21d each have a straight band shape having a wall thickness of about 0.4 mm. The first to fourth portions 21a to 21d are, as shown in FIG. 3D, a seal base 22 formed of an elastic forming material such as acrylic foam, and a surface of the seal base 22. And double-sided tapes 23 and 24 attached to the back surface, respectively.

Such first to fourth portions 21a to 21a
21d is fixed to the upper case 4 by being attached to the upper surface of the flange portion 7 which is continuous with the respective edge portions 6a to 6d of the opening portion 6. And the first to fourth parts 2
Each of the ends 1a to 21d is abutted against the end of each of the adjacent portions 21a to 21d at the four corners of the opening 6. As shown in FIG. 3B, a pair of engaging protrusions 26a and 26b as first engaging portions are formed on one end of the butted ends. The engaging protrusions 26a and 26b are pointed in a triangular shape.
Through one end of each of the fourth portions 21a to 21d is formed in an uneven shape.

Of the ends that are butted against each other,
A pair of engagement recesses 27a and 27b serving as second engagement portions are formed at the other end. Engagement recesses 27a, 2
7b is formed by a triangular recess in which the engaging projections 26a, 26b can engage, and these engaging recesses 27a, 27
Due to the presence of b, the first to fourth portions 21a to 21d
The other end portion of is also formed in an uneven shape. The engagement protrusions 26a, 26b and the engagement recesses 27a, 27b are adapted to mesh with each other when the first to fourth portions 21a to 21d are attached to the upper surface of the flange portion 7.
Due to this meshing, the first to fourth portions 2 adjacent to each other
The ends of 1a to 21d are integrally continuous.

The protective cover 20 is adapted to be mounted on the flange portion 7 after the sealing material 21 is attached to the flange portion 7. The lower surface of the peripheral portion of the protective cover 20 is the seal material 21. Is affixed to the double-sided tape 23 on the surface. Therefore, the protective cover 20 is fixed to the housing 2 via the sealing material 21, and the sealing material 21 is sandwiched between the peripheral portion of the protective cover 20 and the flange portion 7.

According to this structure, the protective cover 20 covering the input surface 11a of the liquid crystal display panel 11 is fixed to the flange portion 7 of the upper cover 4 via the waterproof sealing material 21, so that the computer Even if the raindrops or splashes 1 splash the water droplets between the openings 6 and the protective cover 20, the water droplets 1 will cause the sealing material 2
Blocked by 1. Therefore, it is possible to prevent water droplets from entering the inside of the housing 2, and it is possible to prevent malfunctions and failures due to water wetting of the input device 10 and the circuit board 18.

Moreover, the sealing material 21 has a dustproof effect of preventing not only water droplets but also dust from entering the inside of the housing 2, and can prevent malfunction and failure of the computer 1 due to the intrusion of dust. it can.

Further, since the flange portion 7 is connected to the four edge portions 6a to 6d of the opening portion 6, the flange portion 7 is formed.
Thus, the peripheral edge of the protective cover 20 can be supported over the entire circumference, and the protective cover 20 can be firmly held.

In addition, the sealing material 21 is the protective cover 20.
Since it is sandwiched between the peripheral portion and the flange portion 7, the sealing material 21 closely adheres to the protective cover 20 and the flange portion 7 without a gap. Therefore, the protective cover 20 is used as the sealing material 2.
1, and the seal material 21 does not float above the flange portion 7, and the waterproof and dustproof performance of the mounting portion of the protective cover 20 can be further enhanced.

Further, according to the above structure, the sealing material 21 over the entire circumference of the opening 6 is provided with the four edge portions 6 of the opening 6.
It is divided into first to fourth portions 21a to 21d having a length corresponding to a to 6d. Therefore, when the sealing material 21 is attached to the upper cover 4, if the first to fourth portions 21a to 21d are attached to the upper surface of the flange portion 7 connected to the four edge portions 6a to 6d one by one. good.

That is, when the sealing material 21 is integrally formed in a frame shape that matches the opening shape of the opening 6, the sealing material 21 becomes large and requires a lot of labor for handling. When the material 21 is attached to the upper surface of the flange portion 7, the sealing material 21 may bend and protrude from the flange portion 7, or the shape of the opening portion 6 may not match well.

On the other hand, if the sealing material 21 is divided into the straight first to fourth portions 21a to 21d as described above, these four portions 21a to 21d are attached to the upper surface of the flange portion 7. At this time, the sealing material 21 can be easily attached along the opening peripheral edge of the opening 6 without being displaced or bent.

If the sealing material 21 has an integral frame shape, especially when the sealing base 22 is cut out from one sheet-shaped material, the portion left after the cutting out becomes the sealing base 22. It becomes an unnecessary part that cannot be obtained. Therefore, the yield is reduced and the sealing material 2
The cost of 1 becomes higher.

However, according to the above configuration, the sealing material 2
Since the first to fourth portions 21a to 21d of 1 are formed in a straight band shape, even if they are cut out from a sheet-shaped material, it is difficult for a wasteful portion to remain in the material. Therefore, the yield is increased and the cost of the sealing material 21 can be reduced.

Moreover, the first to fourth portions 21a to 2
At the end of 1d, engaging protrusions 26a, 2 which engage with each other are provided.
6b and engaging recesses 27a, 27b are formed, and in a state where the first to fourth portions 21a-21d are attached to the flange portion 7, the engaging protrusions 26a, 26b and the engaging recesses 27a, 27b are formed. Are in mesh. For this reason, the abutting portions of the first to fourth portions 21a to 21d are intricately intricate, so that the contact length can be sufficiently secured and the sealing performance can be improved.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3C, the first
Or, when the ends of the fourth portions 21a to 21d are butted against each other, even if there is a gap between the ends, the engagement protrusions 26a and 26b and one edge of the engagement recesses 27a and 27b come into contact with each other. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a continuous gap from being generated between the adjacent end portions. Therefore, in spite of the divided structure of the sealing material 21, it is possible to sufficiently secure the waterproof performance, and it is not necessary to perform a special waterproof treatment of sealing the abutted ends with silicone rubber.
There is an advantage that the number of man-hours is reduced and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

The present invention is not limited to the first embodiment described above, and FIGS. 4 and 5 show a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment mainly in the structure of the sealing material 31 interposed between the protective cover 20 and the flange portion 7, and the other structures are the same as those in the first embodiment.
It is similar to the embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the sealing material 31
Has a continuous strip shape and one end 31a thereof
And the other end 31b are butted against each other,
Between the one end 31a and the other end 31b, there are three bent portions 32a, 32b, 32c bent substantially at right angles.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5A, the sealing material 31 before being attached to the flange portion 7 has first to third bending portions 33a, 33b between the one end and the other end thereof, as shown in FIG.
33b, 33c, and these planned bending portions 33a, 33
Triangular notches 34 are formed in b and 33c, respectively. The length between the first planned bending portion 33a and the one end 31a of the sealing material 31 and between the second planned bending portion 33b and the third planned bending portion 33c extends in the direction of the minor axis B of the opening 6. The first bending portion 33a and the second bending portion 3 correspond to the lengths of the edges 6c and 6d, respectively.
The length between 3b and the third planned bending portion 33c and the other end 31b of the sealing material 31 corresponds to the length dimension of the edges 6a, 6b extending in the direction of the major axis A of the opening 6, respectively. It has become. Then, the bent portions 33a, 33b, 33c
Are bent at right angles inside the three corners of the opening 6, and by this bending, the edges of the cutout 34 are brought close to or abutted against each other.

One end 31a and the other end 31b of the sealing material 31 are butted against each other inside the remaining one corner of the opening 6. As shown in FIG. 4B, one end 31a of the sealing material 31 is formed with three engaging recesses 35a, 35b, 35c as first engaging parts. The engaging recesses 35a, 35b, 35c are formed by triangular recesses, and the presence of these engaging recesses 35a, 35b, 35c makes one end 31a of the sealing material 31 uneven.

Further, the other end 31b of the sealing material 31 has three engaging projections 36a, 36b, 3 as second engaging portions.
6c is formed. Engaging protrusions 36a, 36b, 36
c is a triangular protrusion that can be engaged with the engagement recesses 35a, 35b, 35c.
Due to the presence of a, 36b, and 36c, the other end of the sealing material 31 is also formed in an uneven shape. These engaging recesses 35a, 3
5b and 35c and the engagement protrusions 36a, 36b and 36c,
Align the sealing material 31 with the shape of the opening 6 to form the flange 7
When they are attached to the upper surface of the sealing member 31, they mesh with each other, and by this meshing, one end 31a and the other end 31b of the sealing material 31 are continuous with each other.

According to the second embodiment having such a structure, the sealing material 31 is attached to the upper surface of the flange portion 7 by bending the sealing material 31 in order along the peripheral edge of the opening portion 6. When the sealing material 31 is attached to the upper surface of the portion 7, the sealing material 31 can be easily attached along the peripheral edge of the opening 6 without shifting or bending.

Further, since the sealing material 31 has a straight band shape before being attached to the flange portion 7, even if the sealing material 31 is cut out from a sheet-shaped material, it is difficult for an unnecessary portion to remain in this material. Therefore, the yield is increased and the cost of the sealing material 31 can be reduced.

Moreover, the one end 31a and the other end 31b of the sealing material 31 are engaged with each other by engaging recesses 35a and 35a.
b, 35c and the engagement projections 36a, 36b, 36c are formed, and in the state where the sealing material 31 is attached to the flange portion 7, the engagement recesses 35a, 35b, 35c and the engagement projection 3 are formed.
6a, 36b, 36c mesh with each other. For this reason,
The abutting portion of the sealing material 31 becomes complicated and complicated, and the contact length can be sufficiently secured.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4C, when the one end 31a and the other end 31b of the sealing material 31 are butted to each other, even if there is a deviation between them, the triangular shape is formed. Mating recesses 35a, 35b, 35c and engaging projections 36
It is possible to reliably prevent one edge of a, 36b, and 36c from contacting each other and to form a continuous gap between the one end 31a and the other end 31b of the sealing material 31. Therefore, the sealing material 3
Despite the fact that 1 is divided, it is possible to ensure sufficient waterproof performance, and no special waterproofing process such as sealing the abutted ends with silicone rubber is necessary.
The number of work steps is reduced, which contributes to a reduction in manufacturing cost.

Further, FIG. 6 discloses a third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment is different from the second embodiment in the shape of the abutting portion between the one end 31a and the other end 31b of the sealing material 31, and the other structures are the same as those in the second embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the sealing material 31
A single engagement protrusion 41 as a first engagement portion is formed at one end 31a of the. The engagement protrusion 41 has a quadrangular shape, and due to the presence of the engagement protrusion 41, the one end 31 a of the sealing material 31 is formed in an uneven shape.

At the other end 31b of the sealing material 31, a pair of other engaging projections 42a and 42b as second engaging portions are formed. These engaging protrusions 42a and 42b are in the shape of a quadrangle. Engagement recesses 43 capable of engaging with the engagement protrusions 41 are formed between the engagement protrusions 42a and 42b. The engagement protrusions 42a and 42b and the engagement recesses 4 are formed.
Due to the presence of 3, the other end of the sealing material 31 is also formed in an uneven shape.

The engaging projection 41 and the engaging recess 43 are adapted to engage with each other when the sealing material 31 is attached to the upper surface of the flange portion 7 along the shape of the opening 6, and the engagement is achieved. As a result, one end 31 of the sealing material 31
a and the other end 31b are continuous with each other.

According to the third embodiment having such a structure, the sealing material 31 is provided with the engaging projection 41 and the engaging recess 43 at one end 31a and the other end 31b thereof, respectively. In the state in which is attached to the flange portion 7, the engagement protrusion 41 and the engagement recess 43 are engaged with each other. Therefore, the abutting portion of the sealing material 31 becomes complicated and complicated, and the contact length can be sufficiently secured.

Then, as shown in FIG. 6B, when one end 31a and the other end 31b of the sealing material 31 are butted against each other, even if there is a gap between them, It is possible to reliably prevent one edge of the engaging recess 43 from contacting each other and creating a continuous gap between one end and the other end of the sealing material 31. Therefore, despite the fact that the sealing material 31 is divided, sufficient waterproof performance can be ensured, and no special waterproofing process is required to seal the abutted ends with silicone rubber. Is reduced, which contributes to a reduction in manufacturing cost.

Further, FIG. 7 discloses a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The fourth embodiment mainly includes the protective cover 2
The structure for attaching 0 to the upper case 4 is different from that of the first embodiment, and the other structures are the same as those of the first embodiment. Therefore, in the fourth embodiment, the first
The same components as those in the embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 7, a downwardly extending first flange portion 51 is formed over the entire periphery of the protective cover 20. The first flange portion 51 is fitted into the opening peripheral edge portion of the opening portion 6 from the inside of the upper cover 4. A second flange portion 52 extending outward is continuously formed at the lower end of the first flange portion 51. Second
The upper surface of the flange portion 52 overlaps the inner surface of the upper case 4 which is continuous with the opening 6. Therefore, the protective cover 2
0 is attached from the inside of the upper case 4 so as to close the opening 6.

A waterproof sealing material 53 is interposed between the upper surface of the second flange portion 52 and the inner surface of the upper case 4. The seal material 53 may be the same as the seal material 21 of the first embodiment or the seal 31 of the second and third embodiments, and the seal material 53 is located outside the opening edge of the opening 6. ing.

According to the fourth embodiment having such a structure, the sealing material 53 is provided outside the opening 6 when the opening 6 is formed.
The sealing material 53 does not project inside the opening 6. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a mask portion for hiding the sealing material 53 on the peripheral portion of the protective cover 20, and it is possible to widen the area where characters and figures can be input. Note that the portable electronic device according to the present invention is not limited to a portable computer, and can be similarly implemented in a writing device adopting a pen input method.

[0068]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, even if water droplets or dust enter between the peripheral edge of the protective cover and the opening of the housing, the water droplets or dust are blocked by the sealing material, so that the housing is covered. Water droplets and dust can be prevented from entering the inside of the. Therefore, it is possible to prevent malfunction and failure of the input device, and it is possible to use the input device without worrying about a little water or dust.

According to the second aspect, the peripheral edge portion of the protective cover can be supported by the flange portion over the entire circumference, and the protective cover can be firmly held. In addition, the sealing material is sandwiched between the peripheral portion of the protective cover and the flange portion and adheres closely to the protective cover and the flange portion, so that the protective cover floats up from the sealing material or the sealing material is It does not float up on the flange portion, and the sealing performance of the mounting portion of the protective cover can be further improved.

According to the third aspect, when the sealing material is attached to the housing, the first to fourth portions may be installed along the edge of the opening one by one. As in the case where is integrally molded into a frame shape along the opening, a large-sized sealing material does not bend and protrude from the flange, and it does not match well with the shape of the opening. The sealing material can be easily attached. Moreover, since the first to fourth portions are strip-shaped, even if they are cut out from the sheet-shaped material,
It is difficult to leave unnecessary parts in the material. Therefore, the yield is increased and the cost of the sealing material can be reduced.

According to the fourth aspect, since the adjacent end portions of the sealing material are intricately intricately formed by the engagement of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion, the contact length thereof Can be sufficiently secured, and the sealing property is improved. In addition, even if a deviation occurs between the end portions when the adjacent end portions are abutted against each other, at least some of the first and second engaging portions are in contact with each other, so that the adjacent end portions are in contact with each other. It is possible to reliably prevent continuous gaps between them. Therefore, despite the split structure of the sealing material, it is possible to ensure sufficient sealing performance, and it is not necessary to perform special post-processing such as sealing the abutted ends with silicone rubber. The number of steps is reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

According to the fifth aspect, since the sealing material is attached to the housing by being bent in order along the peripheral edge of the opening, the sealing material is integrally formed into a rectangular shape. In addition, the sealing material does not shift or does not match well with the shape of the opening, and the sealing material can be easily attached.

Moreover, since the sealing material has a band shape before being attached to the housing, even if the sealing material is cut out from a sheet-shaped material, it is difficult for a wasteful part to remain in this material and the yield is increased. .

Further, since the one end and the other end of the seal members abutted against each other have a complicatedly complicated shape due to the meshing of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion, the contact length thereof Can be sufficiently secured, and the sealing property is improved. At the same time, when one end and the other end of the sealing material are butted against each other, even if a gap occurs between these end portions, at least some of the first and second engaging portions contact each other. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent a continuous gap from being formed between the adjacent end portions. Therefore, despite the fact that the sealing material was divided in the middle, sufficient sealing performance can be ensured, and there is no need to perform special post-processing such as sealing the abutted ends with silicon rubber, and the above-mentioned yield is large. In addition to the above, there is an advantage that the manufacturing cost is further reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable computer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a mounting portion of a protective cover.

FIG. 3A is a plan view of a sealing material. (B) is FIG.
The top view which expands and shows the X section of (A). FIG. 6C is a plan view showing a state in which the ends of the sealing material that are butted against each other are displaced. (D) is a cross-sectional view of the sealing material.

FIG. 4A is a plan view of a sealing material according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4B is a plan view showing the Y portion of FIG. FIG. 6C is a plan view showing a state in which the ends of the sealing material that are butted against each other are displaced.

FIG. 5A is a plan view showing a state where the sealing material is linearly developed. FIG. 4B is an enlarged plan view showing the Z portion of FIG.

FIG. 6A is a plan view showing a state in which one end and the other end of the sealing material in the third embodiment of the present invention are butted. FIG. 6B is a plan view showing a state in which the ends of the sealing material that are abutted against each other are misaligned.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a mounting portion of a protective cover of a portable computer according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... Casing 4a ... Upper surface 6 ... Opening 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d ... Edge 7 ... Flange 10 ... Input means (input device) 11a ... Input surface 20 ... Protective cover 21, 31 ... Sealing material 21a, 21b , 21c, 21d ... First to fourth portions 26a, 26b, 35a, 35b, 35c, 41 ... First
Engaging portions (engaging protrusions, engaging concave portions) 27a, 27b, 36a, 36b, 36c, 43 ... Second
Engagement part (engagement recess, engagement projection)

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A housing having an opening on an upper surface, an information input means having an input surface housed inside the housing and facing the opening, and a posture in which the opening is closed. A transparent plate-like protective cover that is fixed to the housing and covers the input surface, and a sealing material is continuously provided in the circumferential direction between the peripheral edge of the protective cover and the housing. A portable electronic device in which the protective cover and the housing are joined together via the sealing material. 2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the housing is
A portable electronic device having a flange portion continuous in a circumferential direction at a peripheral portion of the opening, and a peripheral portion of a protective cover being coupled to an upper surface of the flange portion via the sealing material. 3. The opening according to claim 1, wherein the opening has a rectangular shape having four edges, and the sealing material has a rectangular frame shape matching the opening shape of the opening. And a strip-shaped first to fourth part having a length corresponding to the four edges of the opening, respectively. 4. The seal member according to claim 3, wherein each of the first to fourth portions of the sealing material has an end portion abutted with an end portion of an adjacent sealing material, and the one end thus abutted. A portable electronic device, wherein at least one first engaging portion is provided on the portion, and a plurality of second engaging portions that mesh with the first engaging portion are provided on the other end portion. 5. The sealing material according to claim 1, wherein the sealing material is in the form of a single strip, and the sealing material is bent in a frame shape along the opening peripheral edge of the opening portion, and one end thereof and another The seal member is attached to the housing by butting the ends thereof with each other, and the sealing material has at least one first engaging portion at one end thereof and engages with the first engaging portion at the other end. A portable electronic device having a plurality of second engaging portions.