JPH0837382A - Protable electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain portable electronic equipment which is hardly broken even when the equipment is dropped onto a hard object and has a small size and light weight. CONSTITUTION:In portable electronic equipment incorporating an electronic circuit and battery which supplies electric power to the circuit in plastic cases 1 and 2, a cushioning material 20 which is protruded from the external surfaces of the cases l and 2 and composed of an elastic material is integrally formed with the cases 1 and 2 at the time of forming the cases 1 and 3 and, at the same time, a device 300 constituting the electronic circuit is housed in the cases 1 and 2 while the device 300 is mounted on a flexible printed wiring board 30.

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 that is carried around outdoors or indoors.

A portable electronic device such as a so-called handheld terminal for inputting meter reading data of electricity, gas, etc., product inventory management data, etc., may be accidentally dropped, so that it is not damaged by the impact when dropped. Is required. In addition, it is required to reduce the size and weight as much as possible so that the operator does not get tired by a long-time hand-held operation.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art The case of a portable electronic device is made of plastic for weight reduction, but it is necessary to prevent the case and the electronic circuits therein from being damaged by the impact caused by dropping.

Therefore, in general, an elongated rubber cushion piece is provided along the outer surface of the case so that the cushion piece hits the concrete surface or the like to absorb the impact when the cushion is dropped.

[0005]

However, since the rubber cushion piece is only along the surface of the case,
There is a case where it is displaced from a predetermined position of the case by being flipped up during a normal operation. If the device is dropped in such a state, the case directly hits the concrete surface or the like, and the internal electronic circuit or the like is damaged.

Therefore, it is possible to fix the cushion piece to the surface of the case with an adhesive, but it is difficult to strongly bond the rubber cushion piece and the plastic case. Therefore, the cushion piece eventually moves during use, and the same inconvenience as described above occurs.

Further, since a device constituting an electronic circuit inside such a portable electronic device is generally mounted on a rigid printed wiring board, a shock upon dropping is directly transmitted to the internal device, Is easily damaged, and the wiring is flat, so the device tends to be large, which is not easy to use.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a portable electronic device which is not easily damaged by an impact caused by dropping, and which is small and lightweight and easy to use.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, a portable electronic device of the present invention comprises an electronic circuit and a battery as a power source thereof, as shown in FIG. 1 for explaining an embodiment. In a portable electronic device having a plastic case 1 and 2 built therein, a cushioning material 20 made of an elastic member protruding from the outer surface of the case 1 or 2 is used.
Is formed by simultaneous molding integrally with the cases 1 and 2, and the device 300 forming the electronic circuit is mounted on a flexible flexible printed wiring board 30 and accommodated in the cases 1 and 2. Is characterized by.

The cushion member 20 may be formed of synthetic rubber and formed integrally with the cases 1 and 2 at the same time. Further, the device 300 constituting the electronic circuit is mounted on one side of the flexible printed wiring board 30, and the flexible printed wiring board 3 is mounted.
0 with the device 300 mounting surface facing outside
You may turn back.

In the flexible printed wiring board 30, the inner layer 30c is formed on both front and back sides of the outer layers 30a, 3a.
It is preferable that the flexible printed wiring board 30 is formed only by the inner layer 30c in a portion which is made into a multilayer structure sandwiched by 0b, and the terminals 41 and 42 provided at both ends of the flexible printed wiring board 30 are connected to each other. They may be positioned close to each other by folding back and connected by soldering.

[0012]

The rubber cushion material 20 molded by the simultaneous molding with the plastic cases 1 and 2 is in a state of being integrally bonded with the cases 1 and 2.
It is semi-permanently fixed to the cases 1 and 2.

Therefore, the cushion material 20 does not always move from a predetermined position on the surfaces of the cases 1 and 2, and when the device is dropped, the cushion material 20 contacts a concrete surface or the like, and the shock is absorbed there.

A device 300 that constitutes an electronic circuit
Is mounted on the flexible printed wiring board 30 having flexibility, the shock is absorbed by the flexible printed wiring board 30 when dropped, and the shock transmitted to the device 300 is greatly attenuated.

The flexible printed wiring board 3
By folding 0 at 180 °, the wiring can be effectively loaded in the empty spaces in the cases 1 and 2, and the bent portion of the flexible printed wiring board 30 can be made into the inner layer 3
By forming only 0c, it can be easily bent without disconnection.

Further, the flexible printed wiring board 30
By soldering the terminals 41 and 42 provided at both ends of the flexible printed wiring board 30 to each other, the potentials at both ends of the flexible printed wiring board 30 become the same potential, and the entire potential on the flexible printed wiring board 30 becomes constant. Can be stabilized.

[0017]

Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 2
The front side of the portable handheld terminal which the operator holds with one hand and inputs data with the other hand is shown, and FIG. 3 shows the back side.

The apparatus is covered with a front case 1 and a back case 2 made of plastic, a liquid crystal display section 11 for displaying input data and the like is arranged in the center of the surface of the apparatus, and an input section is provided below the liquid crystal display section 11. A keyboard 12 is arranged.

A printer unit 13 is provided above the liquid crystal display unit 11. Then, printing can be performed on the recording paper 15 supplied from the roll paper accommodation unit 14 attached to the upper ends of the cases 1 and 2. Reference numeral 16 denotes a magnetic stripe reading unit optionally attached to the upper end side of the back case 2.

On the right side of the keyboard 12 is a lid 17 for a battery case that accommodates a small dry battery.
Rubber plugs 18 and 19 are attached to a connector portion for inputting / outputting signals to / from an external electronic device on the lower end surface.

An elastic rubber cushion member 20 (20a) is arranged on the side surface of the apparatus so as to surround the cases 1 and 2 over the entire circumference thereof and project from the surfaces of the cases 1 and 2 in a strip shape. , Seals are provided to absorb shock and prevent water from entering the device from that part.

In the vicinity of the upper side of the liquid crystal display section 11, a cushion material 2 is provided so as to cross the front case 1 left and right.
0 (20b) is provided so as to protrude from the surface of the front case 1, and near the lower side of the liquid crystal display unit 11, cushioning materials 20 (20c) are protruded from the surface of the front case 1 at the left and right corners of the front case 1. Is provided. Also, table case 1
The lower end portion of the roll paper storage portion 14 at the upper end is also covered with the cushion material 20 (20d).
e) is coated.

On the other hand, on the bottom surface of the back case 2, rubber hemispherical projections (rubber feet) 21 are provided at four locations, and the rectangular bottom surface of the magnetic stripe reading section 16 has its entire edge portion. A cushion material 20 (20f) is provided so as to protrude around the circumference.

FIG. 4 is a front cross-sectional view of the keyboard 12 portion. Bolts 24, 24 are screwed into the female screw formed on the metal pieces 23, 23 insert-molded on the front case 1 from the back case 2 side. Thus, the front and back cases 1 and 2 are fixed to each other.

The cushion material 20a on the side surface is made of hard synthetic rubber, and at the same time when the plastic back case 2 is melted and molded, the rubber is melted and molded at the same time, and is integrated with the outer edge portion of the back case 2 over the entire circumference. It is molded. Therefore, the cushion material 20a remains semi-permanently fixed to the back case 2. The cushion material 20 of the other portions is also formed by the same manufacturing method as that of the front case 1 and the like at the same time.

As shown in FIG. 4, the side cushion material 20a is formed in a substantially H-shaped cross section.
The upper case edge of the back case 2 bites into the lower recess, and the upper case and the front case 1 are integrally molded at the same time.
The bottom edge of is fitted. With such a structure, a vibration absorbing property as well as a waterproof effect can be obtained, and water can be prevented from entering the inside from the outside.

Reference numeral 30 denotes a flexible printed wiring board described later, which is an IC (integrated circuit) forming an electronic circuit,
A device 300 such as a resistor and a capacitor is mounted, and both left and right ends are sandwiched between the front and back cases 1 and 2 and fixed in the cases 1 and 2.

Since the flexible printed wiring board 30 is flexible, when an external impact is applied, the flexible printed wiring board 30 bends as shown by the broken line, and the device 300 on the flexible printed wiring board 30 is Impact is not transmitted directly.

The flexible printed wiring board 30
A battery serving as a drive power source for the handheld terminal is housed in the space inside the back case 2 at the back of the box, but its illustration is omitted.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a synthetic rubber packing 170 is formed on the inner surface of the plastic lid 17 of the battery case by integral molding with the plastic lid 17. The lid 17 is sealed so that water does not enter through the gap of the lid 17 when the lid 17 is closed.

FIG. 6 is a front sectional view of the liquid crystal display section 11, and a rubber packing 33 having a U-shaped cross section is fitted to the outer edge of the liquid crystal display plate 32. By doing so, a seal is provided to prevent shock absorption and prevent water from entering from that part, and in that state a plastic mounting frame 3
It is elastically fitted in 4. Then, the mounting frame 34 is fitted into a predetermined position of the front case 1.

FIG. 7 shows a flexible printed wiring board 3
It is a development view of No. 0, and all the devices (not shown) constituting the electronic circuit are mounted on the front surface side of the flexible printed wiring board 30, and the flexible printed wiring board 30 is bent at a bending portion indicated by diagonal lines. The mesh hatching portion is a copper foil portion.

By mounting the electronic circuit device only on one side of the flexible printed wiring board 30 in this way, when the assembly of the parts is performed, the operations such as paste printing, mounting, reflow and cleaning can be performed once. Since it is completed, the number of work steps is small, and the work can be performed in a reliable support state with a simple jig, and stable quality can be obtained.

Electrodes 41 and 42 are provided on the left and right ends of the flexible printed wiring board 30, respectively.
By folding back by 80 °, the two electrodes 41, 42 have a very close positional relationship.

As shown in FIG. 8, the flexible printed wiring board 30 includes a front side outer layer 30a having a wiring pattern portion 302 formed on the surface of a thin insulating substrate 301 made of polyimide resin, and a thin insulating substrate 303 made of polyimide.
Forming a wiring pattern portion 304 on the back surface of the wiring pattern portion 304, and further covering the wiring pattern portion 304 with an insulating cover film 305
And the wiring pattern portions 307 and 308 on the front and back surfaces of the thin insulating substrate 306 made of polyimide.
And insulating cover films 309,
It has a three-layer structure of an inner layer 30c which is covered with 310 and sandwiched between the outer layers 30a and 30b.

The flexible printed wiring board 3
All the bent portions of 0 are formed only by the inner layer 30c. As shown in FIG. 9, by bending only the inner layer 30c, the flexible printed wiring board 30 is bent or bent with the front outer layer 30a as the outer surface. Will be folded back.

If only the inner layer 30c is bent in this way, the force applied to the wiring portion at the bent portion is small and the breakage or the like is less likely to occur, and the flexible printed wiring board 3
0 can be easily folded.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the front case 1, the flexible printed wiring board 30 and the back case 2 separately from each other, with the roll paper accommodating portion 14 and the magnetic stripe reading portion 16 removed. ing.

As is clear from comparison with the development view shown in FIG. 7, the flexible printed wiring board 30 is folded back 180 ° at the central portion A, and is also bent at both upper and lower ends.

By thus folding the flexible printed wiring board 30 by 180 ° and arranging the flexible printed wiring board 30 inside the cases 1 and 2, the area occupied by the flexible printed wiring board 30 can be reduced and the space inside the cases 1 and 2 can be effectively used. The flexible printed wiring board 30 can be arranged by taking advantage of the above, and the device can be reduced in size and weight.

As shown in FIG. 1, the terminals 41 and 42 formed at the left and right ends shown in FIG. 7 are folded back to fold the flexible printed wiring board 30.
Both terminals 41, 4 are directly soldered at close positions.
2 is set to the same potential, and the flexible printed wiring board 30
It keeps the entire potential above constant. This allows
Generation of noise is prevented.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cushioning material 20
Of these, the side surface cushion material 20a integrally formed with the back case 2 is provided all around the upper edge of the back case 2, and the cushion materials 20b, 20c along the front case 1 are provided.
20d is simultaneously integrally molded with the plastic front case 1.

The portable electronic device configured as described above is
Since the cushion material 20 is semi-permanently fixed to the cases 1 and 2 and does not shift its position, even if the cushion material 20 is accidentally dropped on the floor or the road surface, the cushion material 20 hits the floor surface or the like to absorb the shock, and the shock transmitted to the inside surely. Attenuated.

Further, since the electronic circuit is mounted on the flexible flexible printed wiring board 30, the flexible printed wiring board 30 bends when an impact is applied, and the impact is also absorbed there, so that the flexible printed wiring board 30 and the electronic circuit are absorbed. Will not be damaged.

[0045]

According to the present invention, since the cushion material that protrudes from the outer surface of the case is semipermanently securely fixed to the case and no displacement occurs, the cushion material is protected against impact when dropped. It is possible to avoid the damage of the device by absorbing it surely.

Such a cushion material can be easily formed by simultaneously molding a synthetic rubber material and a plastic case. Then, by mounting the electronic circuit device on the flexible printed wiring board, the flexible printed wiring board bends when a shock is applied, and the shock is absorbed there, and damage to the board and the device can be avoided.

In addition, the flexible printed wiring board 1
By being folded back by 80 ° and housed in the case, the area occupied by the flexible printed wiring board can be reduced, and the space in the case can be effectively used, and the device can be reduced in size and weight.

By bending only the inner layer of the flexible printed wiring board having a multi-layered structure, the flexible printed wiring board can be easily folded back without disconnection of wiring, and the terminals at both ends of the folded back portion can be easily bent. By soldering the two together, the potential of the entire wiring of the flexible printed wiring board can be stabilized and noise generation can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view of a keyboard portion of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the battery case of the embodiment with the lid open.

FIG. 6 is a front cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal display unit of an example.

FIG. 7 is a development view of a flexible printed wiring board of an example.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a flexible printed wiring board of an example.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a folded-back portion of the flexible printed wiring board of the example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2 case 20 cushion material 30 flexible printed wiring board 300 device

Front page continued (72) Inventor Shuji Yamaguchi 1015 Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Fujitsu Limited (72) Inventor Shinichiro Tsurumaru 1015, Kamedotachu, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture (72) Invention Person Yoji Nakae, 1776 Yanoguchi, Inagi City, Tokyo Metropolitan Electric Machinery Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor, Mitsuaki Kumagai 1776, Yanoguchi, Inagi City, Tokyo Metropolitan Electric Machinery Co., Ltd. (72) 757 Nippon Mektron Co., Ltd. Minami Ibaraki Plant (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Kimura Tenho Ki, Kukizaki-cho, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 757 Nippon Mektron Co., Ltd. Minami Ibaraki Plant

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A portable electronic device in which an electronic circuit and a battery serving as a power source for the electronic circuit are housed in a plastic case (1, 2), the elastic body protruding from the outer surface of the case (1, 2). A cushion material (20) made of a certain member is formed by simultaneous molding integrally with the cases (1, 2), and a device (300) constituting the electronic circuit is formed into a flexible flexible printed wiring board (30). ) And housed in the case (1, 2). 2. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the cushion material (20) is made of synthetic rubber and is formed by simultaneous molding integrally with the cases (1, 2). 3. A device (30) that constitutes the electronic circuit.
0) is mounted on one side of the flexible printed wiring board (30), and the flexible printed wiring board (30) is folded back 180 ° with the device (300) mounting surface facing outward. The portable electronic device according to 1 or 2. 4. The flexible printed wiring board (3)
0) is the inner layer (30c) from both sides of the outer layer (30c).
a, 30b) has a multi-layered structure, and the flexible printed wiring board (3
The portable electronic device according to claim 3, wherein 0) is formed only by the inner layer (30c). 5. The flexible printed wiring board (3)
The portable electronic device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the terminals (41, 42) provided at both ends of (0) are positioned closer to each other by the folding and connected by soldering.