Electronic equipment and sensor assembly thereof

Abstract

The invention provides electronic equipment and a sensor assembly thereof. The sensor assembly comprises a flexible circuit board, a first sensor, a second sensor and a middle frame, the first sensor and the second sensor are respectively connected with a first surface of the flexible circuit board, the first surface of the flexible circuit board is bonded with the middle frame, the middle frame is provided with a shielding structure, and the shielding structure is located between the first sensor and the second sensor. And the noise reduction module is used for blocking and reducing bottom noise between the first sensor and the second sensor. According to the sensor assembly provided by the embodiment of the invention, the flexible circuit board is adopted to replace a hard PCB, the thickness of a Z-direction mobile phone can be reduced, and the design requirements of light and thin mobile phones are met; in addition, an existing foam attaching scheme is omitted, the FPC is directly attached to the middle frame, the middle frame is used for partition, light channeling can be effectively avoided, noise close to the bottom is lowered, and the assembly process and difficulty are simplified.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of electronic device structures, and in particular to an electronic device and a sensor component thereof. Background Art

[0002] With the pursuit of full-screen displays, screen-to-body ratios are increasing. Infrared proximity sensors are typically placed under the display. Currently, there are two mainstream solutions: one using a raised plate and the other using a spring clip. This involves attaching a spring clip to the mainboard, while the proximity and light sensors are placed on a small rigid PCB. Power and signal transmission are achieved through contact between the PCB contacts and the spring clip.

[0003] Both existing solutions suffer from excessive proximity noise. Since both solutions are bonded to a rigid PCB, a tight fit requires foam insulation between the infrared lamp and the proximity receiver during assembly. To prevent light crosstalk that could interfere with or saturate the components, a specific foam width and thickness are required. This further limits the overall thickness of the device. The foam has tolerances during production and bonding; any misalignment can cause excessive noise and disable the proximity function. The existing elevated plate solution also suffers from insufficient reliability. Due to the small PCB area of ​​the elevated plate and the small contact pad area, it is prone to solder joint failures and potential detachment due to drops and impacts, thus compromising proximity performance. The existing spring clip solution also adds significant height and PCB thickness, resulting in a high Z-axis dimension that does not meet miniaturization requirements. This runs counter to the ultra-thin and lightweight design trend for foldable screens and subsequent generations of mobile phones. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A first aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a sensor assembly, comprising: a flexible circuit board, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a middle frame; the first sensor and the second sensor are respectively connected to the first surface of the flexible circuit board, the first surface of the flexible circuit board is bonded to the middle frame, and the middle frame is provided with a shielding structure, which is located between the first sensor and the second sensor and is used to block and reduce the background noise between the first sensor and the second sensor.

[0005] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an electronic device, which includes a control circuit board and the sensor assembly described in the above embodiment, wherein the control circuit board is electrically connected to the first sensor and the second sensor through the flexible circuit board.

[0006] The sensor assembly provided in the embodiment of the present application uses an FPC instead of a rigid PCB, which can reduce the thickness of the mobile phone in the Z direction and meet the design requirements of a thin and light mobile phone. In addition, the existing foam bonding solution is eliminated, and the FPC is directly bonded to the middle frame, using the middle frame as a partition, which can effectively prevent light leakage, reduce the proximity noise, and simplify the assembly process and difficulty. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0008] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a sensor assembly of the present application;

[0009] Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the sensor assembly of the present application;

[0010] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a conventional solution;

[0011] Figure 4 This is a partial structural diagram of an embodiment of a sensor assembly of the present application;

[0012] Figure 5 is a partial structural diagram of another embodiment of the sensor assembly of the present application;

[0013] Figure 6 This is a partial structural diagram of another embodiment of the sensor assembly of the present application;

[0014] Figure 7 This is a partial structural diagram of another embodiment of the sensor assembly of the present application;

[0015] Figure 8 This is a partial structural diagram of another embodiment of the sensor assembly of the present application;

[0016] Figure 9 This is a structural diagram of an embodiment of an electronic device of the present application;

[0017] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 A schematic cross-sectional view of the structure of the electronic device at position AA in the embodiment;

[0018] Figure 11 It is a schematic block diagram of the structural composition of an embodiment of the electronic device of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and examples. It is particularly noted that the following examples are only intended to illustrate the present application and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application. Similarly, the following examples are only some examples of the present application and not all examples. All other examples obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative work are intended to fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0020] The terms "first", "second" and "third" in the embodiments of the present application are used only for descriptive purposes and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first", "second" and "third" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In the description of the present application, "multiple" means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined. All directional indications in the embodiments of the present application (such as up, down, left, right, front, back...) are only used to explain the relative positional relationship, movement, etc. between the components under a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication also changes accordingly. The terms "including" and "having" in the embodiments of the present application and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but optionally also includes steps or units that are not listed, or optionally also includes other steps or components inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0021] References herein to "embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0022] As used herein, "electronic equipment" (or simply "terminal") includes, but is not limited to, devices configured to receive / transmit communication signals via a wireline connection (e.g., via a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a digital subscriber line (DSL), digital cable, a direct cable connection, and / or another data connection / network) and / or via a wireless interface (e.g., for a cellular network, a wireless local area network (WLAN), a digital television network such as a DVB-H network, a satellite network, an AM-FM broadcast transmitter, and / or another communication terminal). A communication terminal configured to communicate via a wireless interface may be referred to as a "wireless communication terminal," "wireless terminal," or "mobile terminal." Examples of mobile terminals include, but are not limited to, satellite or cellular telephones; personal communication system (PCS) terminals that may combine a cellular radiotelephone with data processing, fax, and data communication capabilities; PDAs that may include a radiotelephone, a pager, Internet / Intranet access, a web browser, a notepad, a calendar, and / or a global positioning system (GPS) receiver; and conventional laptop and / or palmtop receivers or other electronic devices that include a radiotelephone transceiver. A mobile phone is an electronic device equipped with a cellular communication module.

[0023] The present application embodiment first provides a sensor component. Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of a sensor assembly of the present application. It should be noted that the sensor assembly of the present application can be used in electronic devices, including mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, wearable devices, etc. The sensor assembly 100 includes, but is not limited to, the following structures: a first sensor 110, a second sensor 120, a flexible circuit board 130, and a middle frame 140.

[0024] Specifically, the first sensor 110 and the second sensor 120 are respectively connected to the first surface 131 of the flexible circuit board 130. The first surface 131 of the flexible circuit board 130 is bonded to the middle frame 140 through an adhesive layer 150. The middle frame 140 is provided with a shielding structure 141. The shielding structure 141 is located between the first sensor 110 and the second sensor 120, and is used to block and reduce the background noise between the first sensor 110 and the second sensor 120.

[0025] Optionally, in the embodiment of the present application, the first sensor 110 is a signal transmitter, and the second sensor 120 is a signal receiver, and the second sensor 120 is used to receive the return signal of the first sensor 110. The first sensor 110 is an optical signal transmitter, and the second sensor 120 is an optical signal receiver, such as an infrared sensor.

[0026] Optionally, the middle frame 140 in this embodiment further includes a first connecting portion 142 and a second connecting portion 143, respectively located on either side of the shielding structure 141. The first sensor 110 is disposed between the first connecting portion 142 and the shielding structure 141, and the second sensor 120 is disposed between the second connecting portion 143 and the shielding structure 141. The flexible circuit board 130 is bonded to the first connecting portion 142, the second connecting portion 143, and the shielding structure 141 via an adhesive layer 150. The provision of the first connecting portion 142 and the second connecting portion 143 improves the bonding reliability between the flexible circuit board 130 and the middle frame 140.

[0027] The sensor assembly provided in the embodiment of the present application uses an FPC (flexible printed circuit) instead of a rigid PCB, which can reduce the thickness of the mobile phone in the Z direction and meet the design requirements of a thin and light mobile phone. In addition, the existing foam bonding solution is eliminated, and the flexible circuit board is directly bonded to the middle frame, and the middle frame is used as a partition, which can effectively prevent light leakage, reduce the proximity noise, and simplify the assembly process and difficulty.

[0028] See also Figure 2 , Figure 2 It is a structural diagram of another embodiment of the sensor assembly of the present application. The sensor assembly 100 in this embodiment includes but is not limited to the following structures: a first sensor 110, a second sensor 120, a flexible circuit board 130, a middle frame 140 and a cover 160.

[0029] Specifically, the first sensor 110 and the second sensor 120 are respectively connected to the first surface 131 of the flexible circuit board 130. The first surface 131 of the flexible circuit board 130 is bonded to the middle frame 140 through an adhesive layer 150. The middle frame 140 is provided with a shielding structure 141. The shielding structure 141 is located between the first sensor 110 and the second sensor 120, and is used to block and reduce the background noise between the first sensor 110 and the second sensor 120.

[0030] Optionally, the first sensor 110 in the embodiment of the present application may be a signal transmitter, and the second sensor 120 may be a signal receiver, and the second sensor 120 may be configured to receive a return signal from the first sensor 110. Specifically, the first sensor 110 may be an optical signal transmitter, and the second sensor 120 may be an optical signal receiver, such as an infrared sensor.

[0031] Optionally, the middle frame 140 in this embodiment further includes a first connecting portion 142 and a second connecting portion 143, respectively located on either side of the shielding structure 141. The first sensor 110 is disposed between the first connecting portion 142 and the shielding structure 141, and the second sensor 120 is disposed between the second connecting portion 143 and the shielding structure 141. The flexible circuit board 130 is bonded to the first connecting portion 142, the second connecting portion 143, and the shielding structure 141 via an adhesive layer 150. The provision of the first connecting portion 142 and the second connecting portion 143 improves the bonding reliability between the flexible circuit board 130 and the middle frame 140.

[0032] Unlike the previous embodiment, the sensor assembly 100 in this embodiment further includes a cover 160, which is disposed on the side of the middle frame 140 facing away from the flexible circuit board 130. The first sensor 110 and the second sensor 120 can transmit and receive signals through the cover 160. The cover 160 can be a transparent or translucent shell, or a display module, with transparent areas provided at locations corresponding to the first and second sensors 110, 120, allowing the first and second sensors 110, 120 to transmit and receive signals through the cover 160. The detailed features of this part are within the purview of those skilled in the art and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0033] See also Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a conventional solution, where 10a is the screen, 10b is the middle frame, 10c is the infrared emitter, 10d is the light-shielding foam, and 10e is the infrared receiver. 10f is the PCB board, and 10g is the mobile phone motherboard. When the proximity sensor is working, the infrared light emitted by the infrared emitter 10c is not only emitted in the direction of the mobile phone screen 10a but also a part of the light is scattered through the light-shielding foam 10d to reach the infrared receiver 10d. This is the main source of background noise. Excessive background noise will reduce the sensitivity of recognition, resulting in false alarms and missed detections of proximity. Due to the existence of size and fitting tolerances, the light-shielding foam 10d cannot completely block the stray light, which will also cause certain problems in production and manufacturing.

[0034] In comparison, the sensor assembly structure in the embodiment of the present application uses a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) instead of a traditional rigid printed circuit board (PCB) for the circuit connection part. The assembly method is changed from the original welding and spring clip to the socket buckle method. Please continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the technical solution of this embodiment, the foam can be removed, and the flexible circuit board 130 is directly attached to the middle frame 140 using adhesive. Since the entire middle frame 140 is integrated, there is no conventional solution ( Figure 3The light leakage problem of the sensor can be completely eliminated by the technical solution in the middle.

[0035] Optionally, see Figure 4 , Figure 4 1 is a partial structural diagram of an embodiment of the sensor assembly of the present application, wherein the shielding structure 141 may be a retaining wall structure, and the retaining wall structure partition is arranged between the first sensor 110 and the second sensor 120.

[0036] Please also refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 , Figure 5 This is a partial structural diagram of another embodiment of the sensor assembly of the present application. Figure 6 1 is a partial structural diagram of another embodiment of the sensor assembly of the present application. In some other embodiments, the shielding structure 141 is arranged to form a receiving space 1410 that at least partially surrounds at least one of the first sensor 110 and the second sensor 120. The first sensor 110 and the second sensor 120 are arranged in the receiving space 1410. Figure 5 and Figure 6 The shielding structures 141 in the embodiment are all semi-enclosed structures, wherein: Figure 5 In the embodiment, the shielding structure 141 partially surrounds the first sensor 110. Figure 6 In the embodiment, there are two shielding structures 141 , which partially surround the first sensor 110 and the second sensor 120 respectively.

[0037] Please also refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 , Figure 7 This is a partial structural diagram of another embodiment of the sensor assembly of the present application. Figure 8 This is a partial structural diagram of another embodiment of the sensor assembly of the present application, wherein: Figure 7 and Figure 8 In the embodiments, the shielding structure 140 is a fully enclosed structure. Figure 7 The middle shielding structure 141 is configured to form a first accommodation space 1411 surrounding the first sensor 110. Figure 8 In the embodiment, the shielding structure 141 forms a first accommodating space 1411 and a second accommodating space 1412 surrounding the first sensor 110 and the second sensor 120 . The first sensor 110 and the second sensor 120 are respectively disposed in the first accommodating space 1411 and the second accommodating space 1412 .

[0038] The above embodiments illustrate various shielding structures, all designed to better isolate the first sensor 110 from the second sensor 120 and prevent light crosstalk from causing background noise. Those skilled in the art can design other shielding structures as needed, and these will not be listed or detailed here.

[0039] The sensor assembly structure in this embodiment replaces the conventional rigid PCB with a flexible FPC, reducing thickness and meeting the trend of thinner and lighter designs for electronic devices such as mobile phones. The integrated midframe acts as a partition, effectively preventing light crosstalk and reducing noise floor. The flexible FPC is directly bonded to the midframe, simplifying assembly and simplifying assembly. The sensor's receiver and transmitter are both mounted on the FPC, freeing space for other components, such as the original motherboard spring clip or spacer. This eliminates component interference and facilitates device layout and stress design.

[0040] In addition, the embodiment of the present application also provides an electronic device, which may include a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wearable device, etc. Here, a mobile phone is used as an example for description. Figure 9 and Figure 10 , Figure 9 This is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the electronic device of the present application. Figure 10 yes Figure 9 The schematic cross-sectional view of the structure of the electronic device at AA in the embodiment shows that the electronic device 20 in this embodiment may include a display screen module 21 (which may be the cover 160 in the aforementioned embodiment), a middle frame 140, a rear shell 22, and a control circuit board 23. The display screen module 21 cooperates with the middle frame 140 and the rear shell 22 to form an accommodating space 1000. The control circuit board 23 is disposed in the accommodating space 1000. The control circuit board 23 is electrically connected to the display screen module 21 and the first and second sensors in the aforementioned embodiment (not shown in the figure). The control circuit board 23 is used to control the display screen module 21 and the first and second sensors. The detailed technical features of the structure of other parts of the electronic device are within the scope of understanding of those skilled in the art and will not be repeated here.

[0041] See also Figure 11 , Figure 11 : This is a schematic block diagram of the structure of an embodiment of an electronic device of the present application. The electronic device can be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wearable device, etc. The diagram of this embodiment takes a mobile phone as an example. The structure of the electronic device may include an RF circuit 910, a memory 920, an input unit 930, a display unit 940 (which may be the display screen module 21 in the above embodiment), a sensor 950, an audio circuit 960, a wifi module 970, a processor 980 (which may be the control circuit board 23 in the above embodiment) and a power supply 990, etc. Among them, the RF circuit 910, the memory 920, the input unit 930, the display unit 940, the sensor 950, the audio circuit 960 and the wifi module 970 are respectively connected to the processor 980; the power supply 990 is used to provide power to the entire electronic device.

[0042] Specifically, the RF circuit 910 is used to receive and send signals; the memory 920 is used to store data instruction information; the input unit 930 is used to input information, which may specifically include a touch panel 931 and other input devices 932 such as operation buttons; the display unit 940 may include a display panel 941, etc.; the sensor 950 includes an infrared sensor, a laser sensor, etc., for detecting user proximity signals, distance signals, etc.; the speaker 961 and the microphone (or microphone) 962 are connected to the processor 980 through the audio circuit 960 for receiving and sending sound signals; the wifi module 970 is used to receive and transmit wifi signals, and the processor 980 is used to process data information of the electronic device. For the specific structural features of the electronic device, please refer to the relevant description of the above embodiment, which will not be described in detail here.

[0043] The electronic device provided in the embodiment of the present application uses an FPC in its sensor assembly instead of a rigid PCB, which can reduce the thickness of the mobile phone in the Z direction and meet the design requirements of a thin and light mobile phone. In addition, the existing foam bonding solution is eliminated, and the FPC is directly bonded to the middle frame, using the middle frame as a partition, which can effectively avoid light leakage, reduce the proximity noise, and simplify the assembly process and difficulty.

[0044] The above descriptions are only some embodiments of the present application and do not limit the scope of protection of the present application. Any equivalent device or equivalent process transformation made using the contents of the description and drawings of this application, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, are also included in the scope of patent protection of this application.

Claims

1. A sensor assembly, characterized in that: The sensor assembly includes: a flexible circuit board, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a middle frame; the first sensor and the second sensor are respectively connected to the first surface of the flexible circuit board, the first surface of the flexible circuit board is bonded to the middle frame, and the middle frame is provided with a shielding structure, which is located between the first sensor and the second sensor and is used to block and reduce the background noise between the first sensor and the second sensor.

2. The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein The first sensor is a signal transmitter, and the second sensor is a signal receiver. The second sensor is used to receive a return signal from the first sensor.

3. The sensor assembly according to claim 2, wherein: The first sensor is an optical signal transmitter, and the second sensor is an optical signal receiver.

4. The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The shielding structure is a barrier wall, and the barrier is arranged between the first sensor and the second sensor.

5. The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein The shielding structure is configured to form a receiving space that at least partially surrounds the first sensor and / or the second sensor, and the first sensor and / or the second sensor is disposed in the receiving space.

6. The sensor assembly according to claim 5, wherein: The shielding structure is configured to form a first accommodating space and a second accommodating space surrounding the first sensor and the second sensor. The first sensor and the second sensor are respectively disposed in the first accommodating space and the second accommodating space.

7. The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The sensor assembly further includes a cover, which is disposed on a side of the middle frame facing away from the flexible circuit board. The first sensor and the second sensor can transmit and receive signals through the cover.

8. The sensor assembly according to claim 7, wherein: The covering member is a display screen module.

9. The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The middle frame includes a first connecting part and a second connecting part, the first connecting part and the second connecting part are respectively located on both sides of the shielding structure, the first sensor is arranged between the first connecting part and the shielding structure, and the second sensor is arranged between the second connecting part and the shielding structure.

10. An electronic device, characterized in that: The electronic device includes a control circuit board and the sensor assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and the control circuit board is electrically connected to the first sensor and the second sensor through the flexible circuit board.

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