Electronic device

Abstract

An electronic device including a housing, a thumb wheel, a sealing member and a sensor is provided. The housing has an accommodation space, and the housing includes an operating opening. The thumb wheel is movably disposed in the accommodation space, and a portion of the thumb wheel is exposed from the operating opening. The thumb wheel includes an active rod, and the active rod is located in the accommodation space. The sealing member is disposed in the accommodating space and is sealingly connected to the housing to form a first space, and the other portion of the thumbwheel is located in the first space. The sealing member includes a linking member, and the linking member is fitted on the active rod. The sensor is disposed on a side of the sealing member away from the thumb wheel, and the sensor is connected to one end of the linking member. The thumb wheel is adapted to rotate relative to the housing by a force, the end of the linking member is adapted to be driven by the active rod to drive the sensor to rotate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an electronic device. Prior Technology

[0002] Modern electronic devices may include a housing and a dial, with the dial protruding from an opening in the housing. Users can operate the exposed dial to rotate, causing electronic components within the device to generate electrical signals. These signals allow the device to control external devices. Impurities in the external environment (e.g., water) can easily enter the housing through the opening and affect the internal electronic components. Therefore, improving the waterproof performance of electronic devices is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed in this field.

[0003] The "Prior Art" paragraph is only used to help understand the content of this invention. Therefore, the content disclosed in the "Prior Art" paragraph may include some prior art that is not known to those skilled in the art. The content disclosed in the "Prior Art" paragraph does not mean that the content or the problem to be solved by one or more embodiments of this invention was known or recognized by those skilled in the art prior to this application. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides an electronic device with superior waterproof performance.

[0005] Other objects and advantages of the present invention can be further understood from the technical features disclosed herein.

[0006] The electronic device of the present invention includes a housing, a dial, a seal, and a sensor. The housing has an accommodating space and includes an operating opening. The dial is movably disposed in the accommodating space, a portion of which protrudes from the operating opening. The dial includes a drive lever located within the accommodating space. The seal is disposed in the accommodating space and sealingly connected to the housing to form a first space, another portion of which is located within the first space. The seal includes a linkage sleeved on the drive lever. The sensor is disposed on the side of the seal away from the dial and is connected to one end of the linkage. The dial is adapted to rotate relative to the housing under external force, and the end of the linkage is adapted to be driven by the drive lever to drive the sensor to rotate.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element further includes a cover plate, the other end of the linkage is connected to the cover plate, and the driving rod passes through the cover plate.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cover plate and the linkage are integrally formed.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the dial is adapted to rotate relative to the housing under external force, and the end of the linkage connected to the sensor is adapted to rotate relative to the end of the linkage connected to the cover plate.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned electronic device further includes a sensing circuit board, a sensor being rotatably connected to the sensing circuit board, and the sensing circuit board being connected to a seal.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the aforementioned sensing circuit board includes an opening, an active rod and a linkage passing through the opening, and the sensing circuit board is located between the sensor and the seal.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the dial includes a dial body, an active lever connected to the dial body, the dial body being rotatably connected to the housing, and a portion of the dial body being exposed from the operating opening.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned electronic device further includes an elastic element located in the accommodating space and connected to a dial. When the dial is subjected to force and rotates relative to the housing, the elastic element deforms and accumulates elastic force.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the aforementioned housing includes an inner wall, and a sealing member is sealed to the inner wall to divide the accommodating space into a first space and a second space, with the sensor located in the second space.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the material of the above-mentioned linkage includes, but is not limited to, rubber or silicone.

[0016] Based on the above, the sealing element of the electronic device of the present invention is sealed to the housing to form a first space within the housing's accommodating space. The dial is disposed within the first space communicating with the external environment, and the sensor is located outside the first space (in other spaces within the housing's accommodating space). Therefore, when water from the external environment enters the first space through the operating opening of the housing, the water is blocked within the first space and will not enter other spaces within the accommodating space to affect the internal electronic components, thus providing the electronic device with better waterproof performance.

[0017] Although the present invention has been disclosed above by way of embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone skilled in the art can make some modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be determined by the appended claims. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a simplified block diagram of the electronic device in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device in Figure 1 along line AA. Figure 4 is an exploded view of the electronic device in Figure 3. Implementation

[0019] The foregoing descriptions and other technical contents, features, and effects of this invention will be clearly presented in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. The directional terms mentioned in the following embodiments, such as up, down, left, right, front, or back, are merely for reference to the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are for illustrative purposes and not for limiting the invention.

[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a simplified block diagram of the electronic device of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device of Figure 1 along line AA, showing the initial position of the components of the electronic device 100 when not subjected to an external force F. Figure 4 is an exploded view of the electronic device of Figure 3. Referring simultaneously to Figures 1 to 4, the electronic device 100 includes a housing 110, a dial 120, a seal 130, and a sensor 140. The housing 110 has a receiving space S and includes an operating opening 111. The dial 120 is movably disposed in the receiving space S, and a portion of the dial 120 is exposed through the operating opening 111. The dial 120 includes an action lever 121 located in the receiving space S. The seal 130 is disposed in the receiving space S and is sealingly connected to the housing 110, forming a first space S1 within the receiving space S, and another portion of the dial 120 is located in the first space S1.

[0021] The seal 130 includes a linkage 132, which is sleeved on the drive rod 121 along the connecting axis L. The drive rod 121 is located in the first space S1. A sensor 140 is disposed on the side of the seal 130 away from the dial 120. The sensor 140 is connected to one end E1 of the linkage 132 and is linked to the drive rod 121. The dial 120 can rotate relative to the housing 110 under the influence of an external force F. The end E1 of the linkage 132 can be driven by the drive rod 121 to drive the sensor 140 to rotate. Since the seal 130 is sealed to the housing 110 and a portion of the dial 120 is exposed from the operating opening 111, the first space S1 communicates with the external environment through the operating opening 111 and is separated from the other spaces of the accommodating space S by the seal 130. That is, the electronic components (e.g., sensor 140) inside the housing 110 of the electronic device 100 are located outside the first space S1 that communicates with the external environment (other spaces within the housing space S of the housing 110).

[0022] When impurities from the external environment (e.g., dust and water) enter the first space S1 through the operating opening 111, these impurities are blocked within the first space S1 by the seal 130, preventing them from entering other spaces within the accommodating space S and affecting the internal electronic components. The components located in the first space S1 (e.g., the dial 120) have a simple structure and are not easily damaged, thereby reducing the impact of external environmental impurities on the electronic device 100. The electronic device 100 of this embodiment has a waterproof rating of IPX 5 or higher, effectively preventing water from entering other spaces within the accommodating space S through the first space S1 and affecting the internal electronic components. The electronic device 100 has superior waterproof performance.

[0023] The electronic device 100 in this embodiment is, for example, a remote controller for controlling a drone gimbal, and the sensor 140 is, for example, a variable resistance sensor, but is not limited thereto. The electronic device 100 can be applied to other devices that need to prevent the entry of impurities from the external environment. When the dial 120 is driven to rotate the sensor 140 relative to the housing 110 from the position in FIG3 (initial position), the sensor 140 generates an electrical signal A including the angle of rotation of the sensor. The electrical signal A can be transmitted to the main circuit board 170 of the electronic device 100 and converted into a control signal to control the rotation of the drone gimbal.

[0024] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the housing 110 includes an inner wall 112. A seal 130 is sealingly connected to the inner wall 112 to divide the accommodating space S into a first space S1 and a second space S2. The sensor 140, the main circuit board 170, and other electronic components (not shown) of the electronic device 100 are located in the second space S2. The sensor 140 includes a connection port 141. The linkage 132 of the seal 130 and the drive rod 121 of the dial 120 extend into the connection port 141 and engage with the sensor 140. The seal 130 and the inner wall 112 can be bonded together with an adhesive, but are not limited to this method. The seal 130 and the housing 110 do not require an oring for sealing, allowing for a larger manufacturing tolerance in the seal 130, thereby improving the production yield of the electronic device 100 and reducing costs.

[0025] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the seal 130 further includes a cover plate 131. The other end E2 of the linkage 132 is connected to the opening 135 of the cover plate 131, and the drive rod 121 passes through the opening 135 of the cover plate 131. The linkage 132 is made of a deformable, soft material, including but not limited to rubber or silicone. The dial 120 can rotate relative to the housing 110 under an external force F, and the end E1 of the linkage 132 connected to the sensor 140 can rotate relative to the end E2 of the linkage 132 connected to the cover plate 131. The linkage 132 can be easily twisted and deformed relative to the cover plate 131 without affecting the feel of the user when turning the dial 120.

[0026] The linkage 132 in this embodiment includes a linkage body 133 and a connecting portion 134. The connecting portion 134 is integral with the linkage body 133 and extends in a direction perpendicular to the connecting axis L. The connecting portion 134 is sealed to the cover plate 131 and located within the opening 135 of the cover plate 131. End E1 of the linkage 132 is the end of the linkage body 133 away from the connecting portion 134, and end E2 of the linkage 132 is the end of the connecting portion 134 connected to the cover plate 131. The drive rod 121 of the dial 120 is a semi-circular cylinder extending along the connecting axis L, and the linkage body 133 is correspondingly a semi-circular hollow cylinder, so as to be sleeved on the drive rod 121 and tightly attached to the drive rod 121. When the dial 120 rotates from its initial position (Fig. 3) relative to the cover plate 131, the linkage body 133 is driven by the drive rod 121 to twist and deform relative to the connecting part 134 with the connecting axis L as the center and accumulate elastic force.

[0027] In this embodiment, the cover plate 131 and the linkage 132 are two parts. The material of the cover plate 131 may be different from that of the linkage 132, but is not limited thereto. The connection portion 134 between the cover plate 131 and the linkage 132 can be sealed and connected by any known method. For example, the cover plate 131 and the linkage 132 can be bonded together with an adhesive, but is not limited thereto. In an embodiment not shown, the cover plate 131 and the linkage 132 may be integrally molded. The cover plate 131 and the linkage 132 may be manufactured by a two-stage injection molding process. This invention does not limit the manufacturing and connection methods of the cover plate 131 and the linkage 132.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4, the dial 120 includes a dial body 122, and a drive lever 121 is connected to the dial body 122 along the connecting axis L. The dial body 122 is rotatably connected to the housing 110 along the connecting axis L, and a portion of the dial body 122 is exposed through the operating opening 111. The exposed portion of the dial body 122 may have a non-slip structure 123 to facilitate the user in rotating the dial 120. When an external force F is applied to the dial body 122, the dial 120 rotates relative to the housing 110 about the connecting axis L, causing the drive lever 121 to rotate the linkage body 133 of the linkage 132.

[0029] The electronic device 100 further includes an elastic element 160 and a sensing circuit board 150. The elastic element 160 is located in the first space S1 (accommodating space S) and connected to the dial 120, while the sensing circuit board 150 is located in the second space S2 and connected to the seal 130. The sensor 140 is rotatably connected to the sensing circuit board 150, which is located between the sensor 140 and the seal 130. The sensing circuit board 150 includes an opening 151, with an active lever 121 and a linkage 132 passing through it. When the exposed portion of the dial 120 is subjected to an external force F and rotates relative to the housing 110, the elastic element 160 deforms and accumulates elastic force. When the external force F is removed, the dial 120 resets through the elastic force of the elastic element 160 and the elastic force of the linkage 132, causing the sensor 140 to return to its initial position (Figure 3). In this embodiment, the elastic element 160 is a torsion spring, which is connected to the dial body 122 and the housing 110, but is not limited thereto. In an embodiment not shown, the elastic element 160 may be connected only to the dial 120. The electrical signal A generated by the sensor 140 is transmitted from the sensor 140 to the sensing circuit board 150, and can be transmitted from the sensing circuit board 150 to the main circuit board 170 (FIG. 2).

[0030] In summary, the electronic device of the present invention forms a first space by sealing the seal with the housing. The dial is disposed within the first space, which communicates with the external environment, and the sensor is located outside the first space (other spaces within the accommodating space S of the housing 110). Therefore, when water from the external environment enters the first space through the operating opening of the housing, the water is blocked within the first space and will not enter other spaces of the accommodating space to affect the internal electronic components, thus providing the electronic device with better waterproof performance.

[0031] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Any simple equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the claims and description of the invention are still within the scope of the patent. Furthermore, any embodiment or claim of the present invention does not need to achieve all the objectives, advantages, or features disclosed in the invention. In addition, the abstract and headings are merely for assisting in patent document searches and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Moreover, the terms "first," "second," etc., used in this specification or claims are only used to name elements or distinguish different embodiments or scopes, and are not intended to limit the upper or lower limit of the number of elements.

[0032] A: Telephone signal E1, E2: End F: External force L: Connecting axis S: Storage space S1: First Space S2: Second Space 100: Electronic devices 110: Outer shell 111: Operational opening 112: Inner wall 120: Dial 121: Active lever 122: Dial body 123: Anti-slip structure 130: Seals 131: Cover plate 132: Linkage component 133: Linked Subject 134: Connecting part 135, 151: Opening 140: Sensor 141: Connection Port 150: Sensing circuit board 160: Elastic element 170: Main circuit board

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising: A housing having a receiving space, the housing including an operating opening; A dial, movably disposed in the receiving space, a portion of which protrudes from the operating opening, the dial including a drive lever located in the receiving space; a seal disposed in the receiving space and sealed to the housing to form a first space, another portion of which is located in the first space, the seal including a linkage sleeved on the drive lever; and a sensor disposed on the side of the seal away from the dial, the sensor being connected to one end of the linkage, wherein the dial is adapted to rotate relative to the housing under an external force, and the end of the linkage is adapted to be driven by the drive lever to drive the sensor to rotate.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal further includes a cover plate, the other end of the linkage is connected to the cover plate, and the drive rod passes through the cover plate.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cover and the linkage are integrally formed.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the dial is adapted to rotate relative to the housing under the external force, and the end of the linkage connected to the sensor is adapted to rotate relative to the end of the linkage connected to the cover plate.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 further includes a sensing circuit board, the sensor being rotatably connected to the sensing circuit board, the sensing circuit board being connected to the seal.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sensing circuit board includes an opening through which the drive rod and the linkage pass, and the sensing circuit board is located between the sensor and the seal.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dial includes a dial body, the drive lever is connected to the dial body, the dial body is rotatably connected to the housing, and a portion of the dial body is exposed from the operating opening.

8. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 further includes an elastic member located in the receiving space and connected to the dial, wherein when the dial is subjected to force and rotates relative to the housing, the elastic member deforms and accumulates elastic force.

9. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing includes an inner wall, the seal is hermetically connected to the inner wall to divide the accommodating space into the first space and a second space, and the sensor is located in the second space.

10. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material of the linkage is, but is not limited to, a rubber or a silicone.

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