Cable connecting assembly and handheld thermal imager

Abstract

The utility model provides a cable connecting assembly and a handheld thermal imager. The cable connecting assembly comprises a first shell assembly, a second shell assembly, a flexible circuit board and a flexible protective sleeve. The first shell assembly is rotationally connected with the second shell assembly. The sides, close to each other, of the first shell assembly and the second shell assembly are each provided with an opening, and the two ends of the flexible protection sleeve are connected with the two openings in a sealed mode to form a channel communicating the first shell assembly with the second shell assembly. And the flexible protective sleeve is used for stretching and deforming along with the rotation of the first shell assembly or the second shell assembly. The flexible circuit board is arranged in the flexible protective sleeve in a penetrating mode, one end of the flexible circuit board is fixed in the first shell assembly, and the other end of the flexible circuit board is fixed in the second shell assembly. The cable connecting assembly and the handheld thermal imager are low in manufacturing cost and simple in manufacturing process, and the production efficiency is effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of thermal imaging equipment, and in particular to a cable connection assembly and a handheld thermal imager. Background Art

[0002] Some electronic products often have a rotating mechanism to facilitate flexible adjustment of the scope of use of the electronic products. Coaxial cables are usually used for connecting cables between rotating mechanisms. The coaxial cables pass through the center of the rotating shaft and connect the two ends of the rotating mechanism. When the electronic product needs to be waterproof, the cable outlets at both ends are sealed and fixed by gluing. The cable of this routing method passes through the center of the rotating shaft. Although the two ends of the cable are fixed during rotation, it will not be pulled. Even if it is used frequently for a long time, the cable will not be damaged, and the service life is long. However, this routing method results in high manufacturing costs, complex manufacturing processes, and low manufacturing efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Based on this, the present application provides a cable connection assembly and a handheld thermal imager to improve the problems of high manufacturing cost and complex manufacturing process in the prior art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application is implemented as follows:

[0005] In one aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a cable connection assembly, comprising a first housing assembly, a second housing assembly, a flexible circuit board, and a flexible protective cover;

[0006] The first housing assembly is rotatably connected to the second housing assembly;

[0007] An opening is respectively formed on one side of the first shell component and the second shell component close to each other, and both ends of the flexible protective cover are respectively sealedly connected to the two openings to form a passage connecting the first shell component and the second shell component, and the flexible protective cover is configured to expand and contract with the rotation of the first shell component or the second shell component;

[0008] The flexible circuit board is inserted into the flexible protective cover, with one end fixed in the first shell component and the other end fixed in the second shell component.

[0009] In one embodiment, a first circuit board is provided in the first housing assembly, a second circuit board is provided in the second housing assembly, and two ends of the flexible circuit board are electrically connected to the first circuit board and the second circuit board respectively.

[0010] In one embodiment, the width of the flexible protective cover is greater than the width of the flexible circuit board.

[0011] In one embodiment, the height of the inner cavity of the flexible protective cover is greater than the thickness of the flexible circuit board.

[0012] In one embodiment, the flexible protective cover is an elastic member configured to be elastically deformed with the relative rotation of the first shell component and the second shell component.

[0013] In one embodiment, the length of the flexible protective cover in a free state is equal to the minimum distance between the two openings.

[0014] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application provides a handheld thermal imager, comprising the cable connection assembly as described above.

[0015] In one embodiment, the second shell component is arranged on the outer wall of the first shell component, and the second shell component is rotatably connected to the first shell component via a rotating shaft.

[0016] In one embodiment, the rotating shaft is a damping rotating shaft.

[0017] In one embodiment, the handheld thermal imager further includes a handheld handle, an infrared imaging assembly, and a display assembly; the first housing assembly is the outer shell of the handheld handle, and the second housing assembly is the outer shell of the display;

[0018] A first circuit board is provided in the first housing assembly, and the first circuit board is electrically connected to the infrared imaging assembly and the display screen assembly respectively.

[0019] The present application has at least the following beneficial effects: the cable connection assembly provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a first shell assembly and a second shell assembly that are rotatably connected, and the electronic components inside the first shell assembly and the second shell assembly are connected through a flexible circuit board, and the flexible circuit board is arranged in the passage formed by the flexible protective cover, and the flexible protective cover is sealed with the openings of the first shell assembly and the second shell assembly, which not only has a waterproof effect, but also reduces the production cost and the difficulty of the process manufacturing relative to the coaxial line connection method, and improves the production efficiency. Moreover, this method will not cause damage to the flexible circuit board when the two shell assemblies (the first shell assembly and the second shell assembly) rotate relative to each other, and also has a long service life. The handheld thermal imager provided in the embodiment of the present application includes the above-mentioned cable connection assembly, and therefore, also has the above-mentioned beneficial effects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the handheld thermal imager according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0021] Figure 2 for Figure 1An enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at point A of the handheld thermal imager.

[0022] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the lens side structure of a handheld thermal imager.

[0023] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the display screen structure of a handheld thermal imager.

[0024] Figure 5 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a handheld thermal imager.

[0025] The meanings of the reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are as follows:

[0026] 1. Hand grip; 11. First housing assembly; 12. First circuit board; 2. Infrared imaging assembly; 21. Lens assembly; 22. Lens cover; 23. Anti-lost rope; 24. Infrared detector; 3. Display assembly; 31. Display module; 32. Second housing assembly; 33. Second circuit board; 4. Rotating shaft; 5. Power supply assembly; 51. Battery compartment cover; 52. Battery compartment; 53. Battery; 6. Button assembly; 7. Cable; 8. Opening; 9. Flexible circuit board; 10. Flexible protective cover. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The technical solution of this application is further elaborated in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0028] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application pertains. The terms used herein in the specification of this application are intended only to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the implementation of this application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0029] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center," "up," "down," "front," "back," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inside," "outside," and the like, indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended only to facilitate the description of this application and simplify the description. They do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this application. In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0030] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to direct connections, indirect connections through an intermediate medium, or internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0031] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 The cable connection assembly of the embodiment of the present application includes a first shell assembly 11, a second shell assembly 32, a flexible circuit board 9 and a flexible protective cover 10.

[0032] The first housing assembly 11 is rotatably connected to the second housing assembly 32 .

[0033] An opening 8 is defined on each side of the first housing assembly 11 and the second housing assembly 32, and both ends of the flexible protective cover 10 are sealedly connected to the two openings 8, forming a passage connecting the first housing assembly 11 and the second housing assembly 32. The flexible protective cover 10 is configured to expand and contract with the rotation of the first housing assembly 11 or the second housing assembly 32. For example, the flexible protective cover 10 and the two openings 8 can be sealed by applying glue.

[0034] The flexible circuit board 9 is inserted into the flexible protective cover 10 , with one end fixed in the first housing assembly 11 and the other end fixed in the second housing assembly 32 .

[0035] A first circuit board 12 is disposed in the first housing assembly 11 , a second circuit board 33 is disposed in the second housing assembly 32 , and two ends of the flexible circuit board 9 are electrically connected to the first circuit board 12 and the second circuit board 33 , respectively.

[0036] Using a flexible circuit board 9 instead of the coaxial line connection method in the prior art can effectively reduce production costs. However, due to its flat shape, the flexible circuit board 9 cannot be routed through the center of the rotating shaft 4. If it were routed around the rotating shaft 4, the flexible circuit board 9 would be pulled or squeezed and folded due to changes in the rotation angle. After repeated use, the flexible circuit board 9 would be damaged, affecting the normal use of the handheld thermal imager. Therefore, in the prior art, rotating mechanisms that require waterproofing do not use flexible circuit boards for circuit connection. The solution of this application was developed and designed with both waterproof performance and production costs in mind.

[0037] The first circuit board 12 within the first housing assembly 11 and the second circuit board 33 within the second housing assembly 32 are connected via a flexible circuit board 9 located within the passage. The flexible circuit board 9 is completely encased in a flexible protective sheath 10, leaving no exposed surface. The flexible protective sheath 10 is also sealed to the two openings 8, effectively enhancing the waterproof performance of the cable connection assembly. The flexible circuit board 9 is located solely within the flexible protective sheath 10. Since it is located within a completely enclosed passageway and has no contact with the outside world, it is waterproof. Therefore, its ends only need to be electrically connected to the corresponding two circuit boards (the first circuit board 12 and the second circuit board 33), eliminating the need for any other structural attachment. The length of the flexible circuit board 9 is greater than the maximum distance between the openings 8 of the two housing assemblies. When the two housing assemblies (the first housing assembly 11 and the second housing assembly 32) rotate relative to each other, the flexible circuit board 9 can move freely with the rotation of the housing assemblies, protecting it from damage caused by pulling forces.

[0038] In this embodiment, the flexible protective cover 10 is an elastic member that is configured to undergo elastic deformation as the first housing assembly 11 or the second housing assembly 32 rotates. Preferably, the length of the flexible protective cover 10 in its free state (excluding the connection and fixing portion between the flexible protective cover 10 and the two openings 8) is equal to the minimum distance between the two openings 8 of the first housing assembly 11 and the second housing assembly 32. That is, when the relative rotation angle between the first housing assembly 11 and the second housing assembly 32 is minimum, the flexible protective cover 10 is in its original length and does not stretch. When the relative rotation angle between the first housing assembly 11 and the second housing assembly 32 is maximum, the flexible protective cover 10 stretches to its longest state. This design can better protect the flexible circuit board 9 wrapped in the flexible protective cover 10. If the length of the flexible protective cover 10 is too long, it will fold when it retracts, which may pull on the flexible circuit board 9 inside.

[0039] To better protect the flexible circuit board 9, in this embodiment, the width of the flexible protective cover 10 is greater than that of the flexible circuit board 9. When the flexible protective cover 10 is stretched to a straight position, a cavity is defined within it, i.e., a certain gap exists between its two inner walls. For example, when the flexible protective cover 10 is in a straight position, its cross-section is a flat rectangle. This gap facilitates the free movement of the flexible protective cover 10 when pulled. The height of the inner cavity of the flexible protective cover 10 is greater than the thickness of the flexible circuit board 9, further facilitating the movement of the flexible circuit board 9. When the flexible protective cover 10 is connected to the opening 8, the flexible protective cover 10 should be kept in a non-deformed, straight position as much as possible to prevent the adhesive from excessively squeezing or pulling the ends of the flexible protective cover 10. For example, a hard material with a matching cross-sectional shape can be inserted into the opening 8 of the flexible protective cover 10 for support, and then the material can be bonded and secured.

[0040] like Figures 3 to 5As shown, the handheld thermal imager of the embodiment of the present application includes the above-mentioned cable connection assembly, but the above-mentioned cable connection assembly is not only used for handheld thermal imagers, but other electronic devices with rotating structures can also be connected using the above-mentioned cable connection assembly.

[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, the handheld thermal imager of this embodiment includes a handheld handle 1, an infrared imaging assembly 2, and a display assembly 3. For example, the first housing assembly 11 can be the outer shell of the handheld handle 1, and the second housing assembly 32 can be the outer shell of the display.

[0042] like Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, a first circuit board 12 is provided in the first housing assembly 11. The first circuit board 12 is also the main board of the handheld thermal imager. The first circuit board 12 is electrically connected to the infrared imaging assembly 2 and the display assembly 3 respectively.

[0043] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the second housing assembly 32 is disposed on the outer wall of the first housing assembly 11 and is rotatably connected to the first housing assembly 11 via a rotating shaft 4. The rotating shaft 4 may be, for example, a damping rotating shaft 4. To enhance the overall appearance of the handheld thermal imager, the two openings 8 may be positioned below the rotating shaft 4 (i.e., on the side of the rotating shaft 4 closest to the handheld portion), thereby making the flexible protective cover 10 more concealed and the appearance of the handheld thermal imager more concise. The second housing assembly 32 is configured as a rotatable structure to facilitate user observation from different angles during use, or to facilitate viewing of the display screen by rotating the angle when observing targets in different orientations.

[0044] Specifically, if Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the infrared imaging assembly 2 is used to capture target images and includes an infrared detector 24, a lens assembly 21, and a lens cover 22. The infrared detector 24 is located in the upper portion of the first housing assembly 11 (i.e., the end away from the handheld portion). The lens assembly 21 is mostly located within the first housing assembly 11. The lens cover 22 is removably mounted on the end of the lens assembly 21. To prevent the lens cover 22 from being lost during use, a safety cord 23 is provided on the lens cover 22. The ends of the safety cord 23 are respectively connected to the lens cover 22 and the first housing assembly 11 or are integrally formed therewith.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, the display screen assembly 3 includes a second housing assembly 32 and a display module 31 at least partially disposed in the second housing. The display module 31 is electrically connected to the flexible circuit board 9.

[0046] like Figure 1 and Figure 5As shown, the handheld thermal imager may also include a power supply assembly 5, which is used to power the handheld thermal imager and includes a battery compartment 52, a battery compartment cover 51, and a battery 53. The battery compartment 52 is located within the first housing assembly 11, below the infrared detector 24 (near the handheld portion). The battery compartment cover 51 is detachably connected to the battery compartment 52, for example, by threading, rotating, or flip-top connections. The battery compartment cover 51 can be separated from the battery compartment 52 to replace or remove the battery 53. The battery compartment cover 51 is both a component of the power supply assembly 5 and an integral part of the first housing assembly 11. A positive contact is provided on one of the opposing inner walls of the battery compartment 52 and the battery compartment cover 51, namely, the bottom of the battery compartment 52 and the inner bottom of the battery compartment cover 51. The battery 53 is mounted within the battery compartment 52 and is electrically connected to the positive and negative contacts. The positive contact and the negative contact can be conductive structures such as springs, sheet metal reeds or spring pins, and are used to connect to the positive and negative electrodes of the battery 53. The battery 53 can be a rechargeable battery or a non-rechargeable ordinary battery.

[0047] like Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the first circuit board 12 is connected to the infrared detector 24 via a flexible cable 7, and the first circuit board 12 is electrically connected to the power supply assembly 5 via a connector. The connections between the first circuit board 12, the infrared imaging assembly 2, and the display assembly 3 are all located within the first housing assembly 11 of the handheld grip 1. This not only makes the appearance of the handheld thermal imager more concise and beautiful, but also improves the connection reliability between the various components. The above-mentioned connection method of the cable 7 and the connector is only a specific implementation method of this embodiment, and other connection methods can also be selected for connection.

[0048] like Figure 4 As shown, the handheld grip 1 is also provided with a button assembly 6, which includes a button and a control circuit board. The control circuit board is electrically connected to the first circuit board 12 in the first shell assembly 11. The button is provided on the control circuit board, and the button cap is exposed outside the first shell assembly 11. The button is used to control the handheld thermal imager, such as turning it on and off and other operations.

[0049] The cable connection assembly and handheld thermal imager of the embodiments of the present application are designed and developed based on the consideration of both production cost and waterproof performance. The connection method of the traditional coaxial line is replaced by the connection method of the flexible circuit board, which effectively reduces the production cost. At the same time, the production process is simple. It is only necessary to fix the two ends of the flexible protective cover with the openings of the two shell components to form a channel for passing the flexible circuit board. This can protect the flexible circuit board while taking into account the waterproof performance, realize the application of the flexible circuit board in the circuit connection with a rotating mechanism, and has good economic benefits and application prospects.

[0050] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprises," "includes," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus comprising the element.

[0051] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any modifications or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A cable connection assembly, characterized in that: It comprises a first housing component (11), a second housing component (32), a flexible circuit board (9) and a flexible protective cover (10); The first housing component (11) is rotatably connected to the second housing component (32); An opening (8) is respectively provided on one side of the first shell component (11) and the second shell component (32) close to each other, and both ends of the flexible protective cover (10) are respectively sealedly connected to the two openings (8) to form a passage connecting the first shell component (11) and the second shell component (32), and the flexible protective cover (10) is used to expand and contract with the rotation of the first shell component (11) or the second shell component (32); The flexible circuit board (9) is inserted into the flexible protective cover (10), one end of which is fixed in the first housing component (11), and the other end of which is fixed in the second housing component (32).

2. The cable connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein: A first circuit board (12) is provided in the first housing component (11), a second circuit board (33) is provided in the second housing component (32), and two ends of the flexible circuit board (9) are electrically connected to the first circuit board (12) and the second circuit board (33), respectively.

3. The cable connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The width of the flexible protective cover (10) is greater than the width of the flexible circuit board (9).

4. The cable connection assembly according to claim 3, wherein: The height of the inner cavity of the flexible protective cover (10) is greater than the thickness of the flexible circuit board (9).

5. The cable connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The flexible protective cover (10) is an elastic member, and is used for elastically deforming with the relative rotation of the first housing component (11) and the second housing component (32).

6. The cable connection assembly according to claim 5, wherein: The length of the flexible protective cover (10) in a free state is equal to the minimum distance between the two openings (8).

7. A handheld thermal imager, characterized in that: Comprising the cable connection assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The handheld thermal imager according to claim 7, wherein: The second housing component (32) is arranged on the outer wall of the first housing component (11), and the second housing component (32) is rotatably connected to the first housing component (11) via a rotating shaft (4).

9. The handheld thermal imager according to claim 8, wherein: The rotating shaft (4) is a damping rotating shaft (4).

10. The handheld thermal imager according to claim 7, wherein: It also includes a handheld handle (1), an infrared imaging component (2) and a display screen component (3); the first shell component (11) is the shell of the handheld handle (1), and the second shell component (32) is the shell of the display screen; A first circuit board (12) is provided in the first housing component (11), and the first circuit board (12) is electrically connected to the infrared imaging component (2) and the display screen component (3) respectively.

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