Electronic module for a portable sensor system and portable sensor system

Abstract

Electronic module (14) for a portable sensor system (10), comprising a housing (28) having at least one outer wall, at least one contact element (40) and a carrier (42) for the at least one contact element (40), wherein the at least one contact element (40) extends through the at least one outer wall and is attached to the support (42), wherein the carrier (42) has at least one electrical conductor (62) for electrical connection of the at least one contact element (40), wherein the carrier (42) has at least one conductor section (56) and one retaining section (58), wherein the at least one contact element (40) is attached to the retaining section (58), wherein the retaining section (58) is designed to be so flexible that the retaining section (58) alone cannot reliably and permanently fix the at least one contact element (40), and wherein the support (42) has a reinforcement layer (60) in parts of the holding section (58).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an electronic module for a portable sensor system and a portable sensor system.

[0002] Wearable sensor systems are well-known and serve the purpose of ensuring that, during mixed tasks requiring both hands-free operation and the use of sensors, the appropriate sensor is always carried on the body. This can significantly improve the speed of work in these tasks.

[0003] Such a portable sensor system is described in DE 10 2016 109 117 A1.

[0004] However, the electronic modules, i.e., the modules containing the actual sensor, are usually very large, which significantly hinders the user's hand movements. For example, users frequently bump into things when working in confined spaces or find the sensor system cumbersome.

[0005] US patent 2017 / 0068276 A1 discloses an electronic module in the form of a tablet that can be detachably attached to a holder in the form of an accessory device with a cover and a keyboard.

[0006] US patent 2018 / 0027344 A1 discloses a hearing aid comprising an electronic, folded stacked package with a flexible printed circuit board.

[0007] The presentation “Rigid-Flex, Flex and Semi-Flex Printed Circuit Board Technology” by Albert Schweitzer shows various fundamental properties of flexible and rigid-flex printed circuit boards.

[0008] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an electronic module for a portable sensor system as well as a portable sensor system, which are only small in size.

[0009] The problem is solved by an electronic module for a portable sensor system according to claim 1. The electronic module has a housing comprising an outer wall, at least one contact element, and a carrier for the at least one contact element. The contact element extends through the at least one outer wall and is attached to the carrier, the carrier having at least one electrical conductor for electrically connecting the contact element and being flexible.

[0010] Because the carrier is flexible, it is particularly thin, thus reducing the height of the electronics module and therefore of the entire sensor system.

[0011] In the context of this invention, "flexible" means, in particular, that the carrier alone allows movement of the contact elements into the interior of the housing perpendicular to the outer wall, or that it cannot reliably and permanently fix the contact elements. A carrier is considered flexible, for example, if its thickness is less than 1 mm.

[0012] For example, the carrier is a rigid-flex printed circuit board, which allows the carrier to be manufactured cost-effectively.

[0013] Rigid-flex printed circuit boards can have sections with varying degrees of flexibility. In particular, flexible layers can be attached to each other and / or to one another.

[0014] According to the invention, the carrier has at least one conductor section and one retaining section, wherein the at least one contact element is attached to the retaining section. In this way, the carrier can reliably perform various functions.

[0015] The pipe section and the support section are manufactured together as a single piece.

[0016] The contact elements can be attached to the carrier by adhesive, for example using adhesive pads. Alternatively or additionally, the attachment can be achieved by positive locking, such as through a plug connection.

[0017] In order to reliably attach the contact elements to the carrier, the holding section can be made at least partially of an FR-4 material and / or the carrier can have a reinforcement layer in at least parts of the holding section.

[0018] The reinforcement layer, for example, is also made of FR-4 material.

[0019] In one embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the support, in particular the thickness of the support's retaining section, is less than or equal to 0.8 mm, and more specifically less than or equal to 0.6 mm. This allows the overall height of the electronic module to be further reduced.

[0020] The conductor section can be thinner than the holding section.

[0021] In one embodiment, the electronic module has at least one sensor, in particular a camera, and / or a mainboard, so that the electronic module is an independent sensor unit.

[0022] The sensor is, in particular, a barcode scanner with a camera. Within the scope of this invention, one-dimensional, multi-dimensional, two-color and / or multi-color codes fall under the term "barcode" and the barcode scanner is configured to detect one or all of these types of barcodes.

[0023] It is also conceivable that the sensor is an RFID reader.

[0024] To further reduce the size of the electronic module, the mainboard can be arranged perpendicular to the outer wall and / or the support can be attached to the mainboard.

[0025] For example, the carrier establishes an electrical connection between the mainboard and at least one contact element.

[0026] To protect the sensor, the sensor can be at least partially located inside the housing and / or electrically connected to the mainboard.

[0027] In order to reliably fix the contact element, in particular against the opposite wall or ceiling, the electronic module can have at least one functional element, wherein the at least one functional element is provided inside the housing on the inside of the carrier and supports the carrier, in particular wherein the sensor and / or the main board represents one of the at least one functional element.

[0028] The inside is the side of the carrier facing away from the contact element. In particular, no part of the housing is positioned between the carrier and the functional element.

[0029] In one design variant, the housing has a counter wall opposite the outer wall, against which the functional element rests, thus ensuring that the contact element is securely and permanently fixed.

[0030] For example, the outer wall is a base of the housing and / or the opposite wall is a lid of the housing, so that the electronic module can be easily electrically contacted via the base, in particular by means of the at least one contact element.

[0031] In one embodiment of the invention, the electronic module has at least two contact elements and at least two functional elements, wherein the carrier is supported at one of the at least two contact elements by one of the at least two functional elements and at another of the at least two contact elements by another of the at least two functional elements. In this way, the electronic module can be further miniaturized.

[0032] The task is further solved by a wearable sensor system comprising a garment and an electronic module, as previously described. The garment includes a glove and a holder attached to the glove for repeatable, tool-free attachment of the electronic module to the glove.

[0033] In the context of this invention, a portable sensor system is understood to be one that can be worn on the user's body like a piece of clothing.

[0034] The features and advantages described for the electronic module apply accordingly to the portable sensor system and vice versa.

[0035] The glove can be a full glove or another type of hand apparel, such as a finger cot or a glove cover.

[0036] For example, the holder has at least one mating contact that electrically contacts the at least one contact element of the electronic module when the electronic module is inserted into the holder, wherein the garment has a functional component, in particular a trigger, attached at least to and / or in the glove, which is electrically connected to the mating contact. The functional component allows the electronic module to be easily extended.

[0037] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made. The drawings show: - Fig. 1 a portable sensor system according to the invention schematically, - Fig. 2 a perspective view of an electronic module of the sensor system according to the invention Fig. 1, - Fig. 3 a sectional view through the electronics module according to Fig. 2 along line III-III of the Fig. 4, - Fig. 4 a bottom view of the top part of the housing of the electronic module according to Fig. 2 with functional elements inserted schematically, - Fig. 5 a lower part of the housing of the electronic module according to Fig. 2 in schematic top view, and - Fig. 6 a perspective view of a carrier of the electronic module according to Fig. 2.

[0038] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a portable sensor system 10 with a garment 12 and an electronic module 14.

[0039] The garment 12 includes a glove 16, a functional component 18, for example a snap fastener, a holder 20 and a cable 22.

[0040] Glove 16 can, as in Fig. 1 shown, may be designed as a full glove or as another type of hand apparel, such as a finger cot or a cover.

[0041] The holder 20 has a receptacle 24 for the electronic module 14 and mating contacts 26, which are connected to the functional component 18 via the cable 22. In the illustrated embodiment, two mating contacts 26 are provided.

[0042] The functional component 18 is, for example, a trigger that short-circuits the opposing contacts 26.

[0043] For example, the glove is an elastic and close-fitting work glove that meets occupational safety requirements, e.g. for assembly work.

[0044] The electronics module 14 is, as in Fig. 2 can be seen, designed to be complementary to the receptacle 24, so that the electronic module 14 can be repeatedly attached to and removed from the receptacle 24 without tools.

[0045] The electronic module 14 has a housing 28 which has a top part 30 and a bottom part 32.

[0046] The housing 28 has multiple outer walls due to the upper part 30 and the lower part 32.

[0047] Furthermore, the case 28 has a front V, a back R, a bottom U and a top O.

[0048] In the illustrated embodiment, several recesses 34 are provided on the front side V, in particular in the upper part 30, which serve the function of functional elements 44 ( Fig. 3) of the electronic module 14.

[0049] The recesses 34 can be formed, for example, by windows and / or transparent housing sections.

[0050] On the underside U, an outer wall forms a floor 36, which is accordingly provided in the lower part 32 or as part of the lower part 32.

[0051] The corresponding opposite wall of this outer wall, i.e., of the base 36, is in the illustrated embodiment a cover 38 of the housing 28, which is formed in the upper part 30 or as part of the upper part 30 and represents the top O of the housing 28 and thus of the electronic module 14.

[0052] In the Fig. 3, Fig. 4 and Fig. Figure 5 shows the electronic module 14 in section or in the open position in detail.

[0053] In addition to the housing 28, the electronic module 14 has four contact elements 40, a carrier 42 for the contact elements 40 and several functional elements 44.

[0054] The carrier 42 and the functional elements 44 are provided within the housing 28.

[0055] The contact elements 40 extend through an outer wall of the housing 28, in the illustrated embodiment through the base 36.

[0056] For the sake of simplicity, it will only be described below that the contact elements extend through the base 36, although it goes without saying that the contact elements 40 could also extend through any other outer wall of the housing 28.

[0057] In the illustrated embodiment, one of the functional elements 44 is a sensor 46, more precisely a barcode scanner with a camera. The camera of the barcode scanner is arranged such that it can detect the area in front of the front face V of the electronic module 14 through one of the recesses 34.

[0058] Of course, other sensors can also be provided, e.g. an RFID reader.

[0059] The barcode scanner can, for example, capture and evaluate one-dimensional and / or two-dimensional codes that are two-colored or multi-colored.

[0060] Another functional element 44 of the electronics module 14 is a mainboard 48, on which, among other things, a controller 50 for the entire electronics module 14 is provided.

[0061] The mainboard 48 is arranged perpendicular to the base 36 and the cover 38.

[0062] In the exemplary embodiment, a battery or accumulator 52 is shown as a further functional element 44.

[0063] The sensor 46 and also the battery 52 are electrically connected to the mainboard 48.

[0064] Further functional elements 44, i.e., prefabricated electrical components, can also be provided within the housing 28. Within the scope of this invention, a functional element 44 is not understood to be a merely supporting, non-electronic component, such as a wall or strut.

[0065] As in Fig. As can be clearly seen, the functional elements 44, in particular the sensor 46 and the main board 48, are located on the cover 38 of the housing 28 and extend towards the bottom 36.

[0066] The functional elements 44 are each located in the area of ​​at least one of the contact elements 40.

[0067] The area of ​​a contact element 40 is the area of ​​the electronic module 14 that lies in an imaginary axial extension, e.g. perpendicular to the outer wall, of the corresponding contact element 40.

[0068] In the illustrated embodiment, the main board 48 is located in the area of ​​the left contact element 40 and the sensor 46 extends over the area of ​​the two middle contact elements 40.

[0069] In the area of ​​the right contact element 40, a rib 54 of the housing 28 is provided, which also extends from the cover 38 towards the bottom 36.

[0070] In Fig.Figure 6 shows the support 42 in detail and extends parallel to the front face V. The support 42 is arranged between the base 36 or the contact elements 40 on the one hand and the functional elements 44 on the other.

[0071] In the illustrated embodiment, the carrier 42 is a rigid-flexible printed circuit board and has a conductor section 56 and a retaining section 58.

[0072] The line section 56 is constructed together with the holding section 58, i.e. as a single piece, and merges into it.

[0073] The support 42 has a thickness D of less than 1 mm in the holding section 58 and is even thinner in the conductor section 56. This makes the support 42 flexible.

[0074] The thickness D of the support 42 in the holding section 58 is, for example, less than 0.8 mm, in particular less than 0.6 mm.

[0075] In section 56 of the conductor, the support 42 is, for example, between 0.3 and 0.5 mm thick, in particular 0.45 mm thick.

[0076] The retaining section 58 is at least partially made of FR-4 material and may have a reinforcement layer 60, at least in sections. The thickness of the reinforcement layer 60 is also included in the thickness D of the beam 42 mentioned above.

[0077] The reinforcement layer 60 can also be made of FR-4 material.

[0078] FR-4 material is a common material for the manufacture of printed circuit boards and is therefore well known as such.

[0079] In the illustrated embodiment, the reinforcement layer 60 is provided in the area of ​​the sensor 46, but not in the area of ​​the main board 48.

[0080] With its inner side, i.e., the side facing the interior of the housing 28 and thus the functional elements 44, the carrier 42 rests section by section against the functional elements 44, more precisely against the sensor 46 and the main board 48, as well as the rib 54. This allows the carrier 42 to be supported by the functional elements 44 and the rib 54, so that the carrier 42 is fixed relative to the cover 38, which in the illustrated embodiment represents the opposite wall.

[0081] No section of the housing 28 or any other reinforcing component connected to the housing 28 is provided between the support 42 and the functional elements 44. In particular, the support 42 rests directly against the functional elements 44.

[0082] For example, the reinforcement layer 60 serves to compensate for size differences between the functional elements 44.

[0083] For example, section 56 of the conductor does not contain FR-4 material, but is made, for example, of at least one film, such as a polyimide film.

[0084] Electrical conductors 62 are formed on or in the support 42, which are electrically connected to the contact elements 40 and extend along the entire support 42.

[0085] The conductor section 56 of the carrier 42 is attached to the main board 48, so that an electrical connection between the contact elements 40 and the main board 48 is provided by means of the electrical conductors 62 of the carrier 42.

[0086] For example, no other electrical components, in particular no active electrical components, are provided on the support 42 besides the conductors 62.

[0087] The holding section 58 of the support is provided between the functional elements 44 on the one hand and the ground 36 or the contact elements 40 on the other hand.

[0088] The contact elements 40 are attached directly to the carrier 42, for example by gluing.

[0089] More precisely, the contact elements 40 are provided on the outside, i.e., on the side of the support 42 or the retaining section 58 facing the ground 36. Adhesive bonding is achieved, for example, using adhesive pads.

[0090] When the electronic module 14 is inserted into the receptacle 24 of the holder 20, some of the contact elements 40 – here the two middle contact elements 40 – are brought into electrical contact with the mating contacts 26 of the holder 20. Thus, the functional component 18 can be used as a further component of the electronic module 14.

[0091] The contact elements 40 are subjected to a force in their axial direction, here towards the cover 38, by the counter contacts 26.

[0092] Due to the small thickness D of the carrier 42, in particular of the retaining section 58, the carrier 42 is so flexible that it cannot fully and, in particular, permanently support the contact elements 40 when these are subjected to a force in their axial direction, i.e. in a direction towards the cover 38.

[0093] However, since the carrier 42 is supported on the functional elements 44 and also on the rib 54 in the areas of the contact elements 40, the contact elements 40 are permanently fixed relative to the cover 38, so that the flexible design of the carrier 42 is possible without any loss of functionality or service life.

[0094] This allows the overall height of the electronic module 14 to be reduced.

[0095] The overall height of the electronic module 14 therefore consists only of the sum of the thickness of the cover 38, the thickness of the functional element 44, the thickness D of the carrier 42 and the length of the contact elements 40.

Claims

[1] Electronic module (14) for a portable sensor system (10), comprising a housing (28) having at least one outer wall, at least one contact element (40) and a carrier (42) for the at least one contact element (40), wherein the at least one contact element (40) extends through the at least one outer wall and is attached to the support (42), wherein the carrier (42) has at least one electrical conductor (62) for electrical connection of the at least one contact element (40), wherein the carrier (42) has at least one conductor section (56) and one retaining section (58), wherein the at least one contact element (40) is attached to the retaining section (58), wherein the retaining section (58) is designed to be so flexible that the retaining section (58) alone cannot reliably and permanently fix the at least one contact element (40), and wherein the support (42) has a reinforcement layer (60) in parts of the holding section (58). [2] Electronic module (14) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the carrier (42) is a rigid-flexible printed circuit board. [3] Electronic module (14) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the holding section (58) is at least partially made of an FR-4 material. [4] Electronic module (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the thickness (D) of the support (42), in particular of the holding section (58) of the support (42), is less than or equal to 0.8 mm, in particular less than or equal to 0.6 mm. [5] Electronic module (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the electronic module (14) has at least one sensor (46), in particular a camera, and / or a mainboard (48). [6] Electronic module (14) according to claim 5, characterized by, that the main board (48) is arranged perpendicular to the outer wall and / or that the support (42) is attached to the main board (48). [7] Electronic module (14) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized by that the sensor (46) is at least partially provided within the housing (28) and / or electrically connected to the main board (48). [8] Electronic module (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the electronic module (14) has at least one functional element (44), wherein the at least one functional element (44) is provided inside the housing (28) on the inside of the carrier (42) and supports the carrier (42), in particular wherein the sensor (46) and / or the main board (48) constitutes one of the at least one functional element (44). [9] Electronic module (14) according to claim 8, characterized bythat the housing (28) has a counter wall opposite the outer wall against which the functional element (44) rests, in particular wherein the outer wall is a bottom (36) of the housing (28) and / or the counter wall is a lid (38) of the housing (28). [10] Electronic module (14) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized by , that the electronic module (14) has at least two contact elements (40) and at least two functional elements (44), wherein the carrier (42) is supported at one of the at least two contact elements (40) by one of the at least two functional elements (44) and at another of the at least two contact elements (40) by another of the at least two functional elements (44). [11] Portable sensor system (10) comprising a garment (12) and an electronic module (14) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the garment (12) comprises a glove (16) and a holder (20) attached to the glove (16) for repeatable, tool-free attachment of the electronic module (14) to the glove (16). [12] Portable sensor system (10) according to claim 11, characterized by , that the holder (20) has at least one counter contact (26) which electrically contacts the at least one contact element (40) of the electronic module (14) when the electronic module (14) is inserted in the holder (20), wherein the garment (12) has at least one functional component (18), in particular a trigger, attached to and / or in the glove (16) and electrically connected to the counter contact (26).

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