Electronic apparatus and electronic timepiece

By using an internal terminal board sandwiched between the case and a GND metal plate, the electronic device achieves stable conduction with frequently opened and closed members, addressing wear and resistance issues.

JP2025083607AActive Publication Date: 2025-06-02CASIO COMPUTER CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2023197050
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-11-21
Publication Date
2025-06-02
Estimated Expiration
2043-11-21

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing electronic devices face challenges in maintaining stable conduction with members that are frequently opened and closed, such as the back cover of electronic clocks, leading to wear and tear and potential contact resistance variations.

Method used

The electronic device incorporates a metal part externally mounted on a case, a metal plate inside the case functioning as GND, and an internal terminal board sandwiched between the case and the metal plate, ensuring stable conduction.

Benefits of technology

This configuration enables stable conduction even for members that are repeatedly opened and closed, maintaining consistent contact resistance and preventing wear on the terminal plate.

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Abstract

To secure stable electrical continuity for even members which are repeatedly opened and closed.SOLUTION: A timepiece 100, which is an electronic apparatus, comprises: a metal button 7 which is a metal component externally mounted to a case 1, a metal button pipe 75, etc.; a diaphragm 42 located inside on the reverse side of the case 1, which is a metal plate that functions as GND; and an internal terminal plate 9 that connects the metal button 7 which is a metal component and the metal button 75, etc., to the diaphragm 42 which is a metal plate. The internal terminal plate 9 is held between the case 1 and the diaphragm 42 which is a metal plate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 16
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device and an electronic clock.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a configuration is known in which various members are electrically connected to the GND on the back cover side via a terminal plate having spring properties. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a structure in which a back cover conduction spring for conducting to the back cover is integrally formed on a circuit presser plate that presses a circuit board functioning as a ground plate, and the circuit board is electrically connected to the back cover via the back cover conduction spring.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the back cover is a part that is opened and closed relatively frequently for battery replacement, maintenance, etc. Therefore, if a configuration is adopted in which conduction is achieved by bringing a terminal plate having spring properties into contact with the back cover, the portion in contact with the back cover gradually wears out as the back cover is repeatedly opened and closed, and the function as a spring may deteriorate.

[0005] When the function as a spring deteriorates, it becomes difficult to stably bring the terminal plate into contact with a member such as the back cover that functions as a GND, and there is a risk that the contact resistance value will vary.

[0006] The present invention is for solving such problems, and an object thereof is to provide an electronic device and an electronic clock capable of stably achieving conduction even with respect to a member that is repeatedly opened and closed.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To solve the above problems, the electronic device according to the present invention includes: a metal part externally mounted on a case; a metal plate provided inside the back side of the case and functioning as GND; an internal terminal board provided inside the case for connecting the metal part to the metal plate; and is characterized in that the internal terminal board is sandwiched between the case and the metal plate.

Effect of the Invention

[0008]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

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Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15

Figure 16

Figure 17

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] With reference to the drawings, an embodiment of an electronic device (electronic clock) according to the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, a case where the electronic device (electronic clock) is a wristwatch (hereinafter simply referred to as "watch 100") used by being worn on the user's wrist will be exemplified and described. Note that, although various technically preferable limitations are imposed on the embodiments described below for carrying out the present invention, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and illustrated examples.

[0011] [Configuration] Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of a watch which is an electronic device (electronic clock) in this embodiment, and Fig. 2 is a front view of the main part of the watch shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the main part along the line III-III of the watch in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the main part along the line IV-IV of the watch in Fig. 2. Further, FIG. 5 is a side view of the 9 o'clock side of the clock as viewed from the direction of arrow V in FIG. 2, and FIG. 6 is a side view of the 3 o'clock side of the clock as viewed from the direction of arrow VI in FIG. 2.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the clock 100, which is an electronic device (electronic clock) in this embodiment, has a case 1. The case 1 of this embodiment is formed in a hollow short column shape with openings at the top and bottom, and the internal hollow portion constitutes a storage space for storing various components. The case 1 is formed of a relatively hard synthetic resin such as engineering plastic or super engineering plastic. Note that the material forming the case 1 is not limited to those exemplified here.

[0013] On the outer surface of the case 1, a pair of band attachment portions 11 to which bands (not shown) are attached are provided at the 12 o'clock position and the 6 o'clock position in an analog clock. Also, as will be described later, in the clock 100 of this embodiment, metal buttons 7 are provided at the 2 o'clock position, 4 o'clock position, 8 o'clock position, 9 o'clock position, and 10 o'clock position in an analog clock. Through holes 17 for inserting the shaft portions 72 of the metal buttons 7, which will be described later, are formed at positions on the outer surface of the case 1 corresponding to the metal buttons 7.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the opening portion on the front side (the visible side of the clock, the upper side in FIGS. 3 and 4) of the case 1 is closed by a windshield member 14. The windshield member 14 is a transparent member (cover member) formed of, for example, a glass material or a transparent resin material, and is fixed to the case 1 by, for example, adhesion. A transparent or semi-transparent solar panel 15 is superimposed on the windshield member 14 and is provided integrally with the windshield member 14 by, for example, adhesive fixation (see FIGS. 3 and 4). Note that the shape and the position where the solar panel 15 is disposed are not limited to the illustrated examples.

[0015] The opening on the back side of Case 1 (the non-visible side of the watch, the lower side in FIGS. 3 and 4) is closed by the back cover member 3. Note that the back cover member 3 may be integrally formed with Case 1. The back cover member 3 is formed of a hard resin such as carbon or a metal resin, for example. Thereby, the back cover member 3 can be configured to have high strength and be hardly affected even when receiving an impact. In the present embodiment, a recess 16 (see FIG. 9) for arranging a waterproof member such as a waterproof ring (not shown) is provided on the end surface on the back side of Case 1, and the back cover member 3 is attached to Case 1 by a screw (not shown) via the waterproof member. By attaching the back cover member 3 via the waterproof member, the opening on the back side of Case 1 (the non-visible side of the watch) can be closed while ensuring the waterproof property (airtightness) inside Case 1.

[0016] In the present embodiment, a piezoelectric sound generating unit 4 is arranged inside the back cover member 3 (see FIGS. 11 and 12). The piezoelectric sound generating unit 4 performs various notifications to the user or the like by generating a beep sound (ringing a buzzer), and is a unimorph structure in which a piezoelectric body 41 is adhered to a diaphragm 42. The diaphragm 42 is a metal plate member (sheet metal) such as stainless steel (SUS), for example, and is a metal plate that functions as GND (this is also referred to as a "GND functional part") as will be described later. The piezoelectric sound generating unit 4 is adhered to the inner surface of the back cover member 3 by double-sided tape 45 (see FIG. 12), for example, and is connected to a circuit board (not shown). Note that the diaphragm 42 is not limited to stainless steel (SUS), and may be brass, nickel, or the like.

[0017] Although detailed illustration and description are omitted, the control unit, operation unit, battery, etc. of the watch 100, which is an electronic device, are housed inside Case 1 (the above-described storage space). The operation unit is a component for the clock 100 to perform various displays. For example, in FIG. 1 and the like, when the clock 100 is a digital display method including a display unit 12 such as a liquid crystal display panel as the operation unit, it is illustrated. Note that the operation unit is not limited to the display unit 12 including a liquid crystal display panel or the like. For example, when the clock 100 is an analog display method, as the operation unit, instead of each of the above components, there are a pointer, a gear train (wheel train mechanism) for rotating the pointer, a drive unit (motor, etc.), and the like. Note that the clock 100 may be a hybrid type having both a digital method and an analog method. In this case, both components are included as the operation unit. The control unit is mounted on a circuit board (not shown) or the like and controls the display operation and the like by the operation unit.

[0018] An antenna 13 is disposed inside the case 1. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the antenna 13 is formed in a substantially annular shape and is disposed below the windshield member 14 described above (see FIGS. 3 and 4). Note that the shape of the antenna 13 and the position where the antenna 13 is provided are not limited to the illustrated example. In the present embodiment, the antenna 13 is, for example, a GPS antenna capable of receiving GNSS (GPS / GLONASS / QZSS / SBAS) signals transmitted from satellites such as GPS (including a plurality of types such as GLONASS in addition to GPS, but simply referred to as "GPS" hereinafter). The GPS satellite is equipped with an atomic clock and transmits data including time information by this atomic clock. By receiving GNSS (GPS) signals and the like transmitted from the GPS satellite by the antenna 13, extremely accurate time information can be obtained at any receiving point on the ground.

[0019] Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, a buffer bezel 5 is provided outside the case 1 of the present embodiment. The buffer bezel 5 is a buffer member that covers substantially the entire side surface of the case 1. Specifically, the buffer bezel 5 is provided so as to surround the opening portion on the front surface side (the visible side of the clock) of the case 1 and covers substantially the entire side surface of the case 1. The buffer bezel 5 is provided with a covering portion 51 at a position corresponding to the band attachment portion 11 of the case 1 so as to cover the band attachment portion 11. Further, the buffer bezel 5 is formed with an insertion hole 52 penetrating therethrough corresponding to the position where a metal button 7 to be described later is attached. The material forming the buffer bezel 5 is not particularly limited, but is formed of a resin such as urethane, for example. Note that the buffer bezel 5 may be formed of a material having a buffering effect and capable of restoring to its original shape even when pressed and deformed, and is not limited to the case of being formed of a resin such as urethane.

[0020] Further, the case 1 is externally provided with a plurality of metal parts made of a metal material. In the present embodiment, the metal parts include a metal bezel 6, a metal button 7, and a metal button pipe 75. As shown in FIGS. 2, 5 to 7(a), and 7(b), the metal bezel 6 is provided so as to cover the side portions of the case 1 on the 3 o'clock side and the 9 o'clock side in an analog clock from the outside of the buffer bezel 5. By partially arranging the metal bezel 6 from the outside of the buffer bezel 5, the appearance design of the clock 100 can be improved and a high-class feeling can be produced. Note that the specific shape of the metal bezel 6, the position and range where the metal bezel 6 is arranged, etc. are not limited to the illustrated examples, and the metal bezel 6 may be arranged over a wider range.

[0021] FIG. 8(a) is a perspective view showing the metal bezel. In FIG. 8(a), the metal bezel 6 arranged on the 3 o'clock side in an analog clock is illustrated as an example. In the illustrated example, the metal bezel 6 is screwed in two places, and screw holes 61 are formed at the screwed places. As will be described later, the metal bezel 6 of the present embodiment is locked to the case 1 by a stepped screw 63 (see FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b)). As shown in FIG. 8(a), a butting surface 62 against which the first stepped portion 632 of the stepped screw 63 abuts is provided in the screw hole 61 formed in the metal bezel 6.

[0022] In addition, in the clock 100 of the present embodiment, metal buttons 7 are provided at the 2 o'clock position, 4 o'clock position, 8 o'clock position, 9 o'clock position, and 10 o'clock position of the analog clock. Each metal button 7 includes a metal button pipe 75 which is a metal part. FIG. 8(b) is an exploded perspective view of the metal button, and FIG. 8(c) is a perspective view of the metal button pipe. As shown in FIG. 8(b), the metal button 7 includes a button head 71 and a shaft portion 72. The button head 71 is exposed outside the clock 100 and is a portion that receives the operation of the user. One end side of the shaft portion 72 is connected to the button head 71, and the other end side is inserted into the insertion hole 77 (see FIG. 8(c)) of the metal button pipe 75 in a state of being inserted through the coil spring member 73. Further, the other end side of the shaft portion 72 is inserted into the case 1 through the insertion hole 52 of the buffer bezel 5 and the through hole 17 of the case 1. In the present embodiment, in addition to the metal button pipe 75, the button head 71 and the shaft portion 72 are also metal parts formed of a metal material.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 8(c), the metal button pipe 75 is a bottomed substantially cylindrical member and has an insertion hole 77 at substantially the center of the bottom. Around the insertion hole 77, a cylindrical portion 76 that is substantially concentric with the insertion hole 77 in plan view stands upright from the bottom into the metal button pipe 75. When the shaft portion 72 of the metal button 7 is inserted into the insertion hole 77, one end side of the coil spring member 73 is disposed within the cylindrical portion 76. A recess 711 is formed around the shaft portion 72 on the back surface side of the button head 71 of the metal button 7 (see FIG. 9 etc.), and the other end side of the coil spring member 73 is disposed within the recess 711. Thereby, the button head 71 of the metal button 7 and the metal button pipe 75 are connected and electrically conducted via the coil spring member 73. In addition, a screw hole 78 is formed near the insertion hole 77 at the bottom of the metal button pipe 75, and the metal button pipe 75 is fastened to the case 1 by inserting a screw 74 which is a fastening member into the screw hole 78.

[0024] Furthermore, the clock 100 has a terminal board (hereinafter referred to as "external terminal board 8") that is connected to a plurality of metal parts on the outside of the case 1. The metal bezel 6 and the metal button pipe 75, which are a plurality of metal parts, are attached to the case 1 via the external terminal board 8. Specifically, the metal bezel 6 and the metal button pipe 75 are appropriately arranged from the outside of the buffer bezel 5 attached so as to cover the outside of the case 1 via the external terminal board 8, and are fastened to the case 1 by fastening members (the stepped screw 63 that is a fastening member for fastening the metal bezel 6 and the screw 74 that is a fastening member for fastening the metal button pipe 75).

[0025] The external terminal board 8 is formed of a metal material and has, as shown in FIG. 1, a component receiving portion 81 that is a planar portion for receiving the metal bezel 6 and the metal button pipe 75, and a connecting arm portion 82 that connects the component receiving portions 81 to each other. The component receiving portion 81 is provided with screw holes 83 through which the stepped screw 63 for fixing the metal bezel 6 and the screw 74 for fixing the metal button pipe 75 are inserted.

[0026] The stepped screw 63 and the screw 74 fix the metal bezel 6 and the metal button pipe 75 to the case 1 via the external terminal board 8. That is, both the metal bezel 6 and the metal button pipe 75 are fastened together with the external terminal board 8 to the case 1. By fastening the metal bezel 6 and the metal button pipe 75, which are a plurality of metal parts, together with the external terminal board 8, conduction is achieved between the members (i.e., the metal bezel 6 and the metal button pipe 75) fastened via the same external terminal board 8. Also, in this embodiment, as described above, the button head 71 of the metal button 7 also contacts the metal button pipe 75 via the coil spring member 73. Therefore, when the button head 71 is also a metal part formed of a metal material, conduction is achieved between the button head 71 and other metal parts fastened via the same external terminal board 8. In this way, the metal button 7 is electrically connected to the external terminal board 8 via the coil spring member 73 and the metal button pipe 75.

[0027] In FIG. 3, which is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2, the metal buttons 7 at the 4 o'clock and 10 o'clock positions are shown enclosed by a dashed line. In FIG. 4, which is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2, the metal buttons 7 at the 2 o'clock and 8 o'clock positions are shown enclosed by a dashed line. In each figure, the metal button 7 enclosed by the dashed line and its surrounding structure are substantially common. FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the IX portion enclosed by a dashed line in FIG. 3 among these.

[0028] The metal button 7 shown in FIG. 9 and the like is a push button in which the shaft portion 72 is pushed in and operates when the user presses the button head 71. The button head 71 is movable along the axis of the shaft portion 72 within the metal button pipe 75. Since the coil spring member 73 is arranged between the button head 71 and the metal button pipe 75 as described above, when the button head 71 is pressed, the coil spring member 73 is compressed. Then, when the pressing force is released, it is pushed back by the restoring force of the coil spring member 73 and the button head 71 returns to its original position. As shown in FIG. 9, a groove portion 721 is formed in the portion of the shaft portion 72 inserted into the case 1, and a waterproof ring 722 is mounted in the groove portion 721. The number, shape, arrangement, etc. of the waterproof rings 722 are not limited to the illustrated examples. The outer peripheral surfaces of the waterproof rings 722 are in pressure contact with the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 17 formed in the case 1 and slide within the through hole 17 according to the operation of the metal button 7. Thereby, waterproofing between the shaft portion 72 and the through hole 17 is achieved.

[0029] Also, a groove portion 723 is formed around the axis near the tip of the shaft portion 72. When the shaft portion 72 is inserted through the through hole 17, at least the tip side of the shaft portion 72 is arranged to protrude into the case 1. A retaining member 79 is attached to the groove portion 723. The shape and the like of the retaining member 79 are not limited to the illustrated examples, but for example, an E-ring or the like is applied as the retaining member 79 fitted into the groove portion 723. The retaining member 79 fitted into the groove portion 723 is detachably abutted against the inner peripheral surface of the case 1. When the retaining member 79 abuts against the inner peripheral surface of the case 1, the shaft portion 72 of the metal button 7 is configured such that the portion on the tip side of the groove portion 723 where the retaining member 79 is attached does not protrude outside the case 1.

[0030] As described above, the metal button pipe 75 is fastened together with the external terminal board 8 to the case 1 by the screw 74 with the external terminal board 8 sandwiched between the metal button pipe 75 and the outer peripheral surface of the case 1. Although only the component receiving portion 81 of the external terminal board 8 appears in the cross section shown in FIG. 9, as described above, the external terminal board 8 is connected to a plurality of metal components by a plurality of component receiving portions 81 being connected by the connecting arm portion 82. One end side of an internal terminal board 9 described later is in contact with the portion on the tip side of the groove portion 723 of the shaft portion 72 of the metal button 7. As described above, a plurality of metal components (the metal bezel 6, the metal button 7, and the metal button pipe 75 in FIG. 1) are connected to the external terminal board 8. Any one of the plurality of metal components (the metal bezel 6, the metal button 7, and the metal button pipe 75 in FIG. 1) is electrically connected to (directly or indirectly contacts) the internal terminal board 9. When the other end side of the internal terminal board 9 contacts the diaphragm 42 as the GND functional portion, all of the plurality of metal components (the metal bezel 6, the metal button 7, and the metal button pipe 75 in FIG. 1) connected to the external terminal board 8 are electrically connected to GND, and the potential difference from GND becomes zero. The configuration in which the metal button 7 including the metal button pipe 75, which is a metal component, indirectly contacts the diaphragm 42 as the GND functional portion will be described in detail later.

[0031] Further, in the timepiece 100 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the metal bezel 6 is provided on the outermost exterior on the 3 o'clock side and the 9 o'clock side. For this reason, although it has excellent appearance design, if a large impact is applied from the 3 o'clock side and the 9 o'clock side due to the dropping of the timepiece 100 or the like, the impact directly acts on the case 1 and various precision components inside the case, which may have an adverse effect. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the following shock absorption structure is provided in the portion where the metal bezel 6 is provided. FIG. 10(a) and FIG. 10(b) are enlarged cross-sectional views of the X portion surrounded by the dashed-dotted line in FIG. 7(a). Note that the shock absorption structure in the portion where the metal bezel 6 is provided is the same on the 3 o'clock side (i.e., the side shown in FIG. 7(b)). Also, the configuration of the metal button 7 in the portion where the metal bezel 6 is provided is the same as that described with respect to FIG. 9, except that the shaft portion 72 is inserted into the insertion hole 67 of the metal bezel 6 instead of the insertion hole 77 of the metal button pipe 75 and then inserted into the case 1. For this reason, illustration is omitted here and the description is omitted.

[0032] FIG. 10(a) shows a state where no load is applied to the metal bezel. As described above, the metal bezel 6 is fastened to the case 1 by the stepped screw 63. Specifically, a butting surface 62 is provided in the screw hole 61 of the metal bezel 6 against which the first stepped portion 632 of the stepped screw 63 abuts. When the stepped screw 63 is fastened, the lower surface (the right side surface in FIG. 10(a)) of the first stepped portion 632 abuts against the upper surface (the left side surface in FIG. 10(a)) of the butting surface 62. Thereby, the metal bezel 6 is electrically connected to the stepped screw 63.

[0033] Also, the second stepped portion 633 of the stepped screw 63 is in contact with the external terminal board 8 (the component receiving portion 81 of the external terminal board 8). The stepped screw 63 fastens the metal bezel 6 and the external terminal board 8 to the case 1 as a fastening member with the external terminal board 8 (the component receiving portion 81 of the external terminal board 8) sandwiched between the metal bezel 6 and the case 1. In the present embodiment, a buffer bezel 5 as a buffer member is disposed between the case 1 and the metal bezel 6. As shown in FIG. 10(a), the thickness of the buffer bezel 5 in a state where no load is applied to the metal bezel 6 is defined as "thickness t1". Also, at this time, a gap C is provided as a movable space capable of absorbing the displacement of the metal bezel 6 between the metal bezel 6, which is an exterior member, and the case 1. The "thickness t1" of the buffer bezel 5 and the gap C as the movable space can be set as appropriate.

[0034] In contrast, Fig. 10(b) shows a state where a load is applied to the metal bezel. When an impact is applied to the metal bezel 6, which is an exterior member, due to the dropping of the clock 100 or the like, the metal bezel 6 is pushed toward the case 1 and displaced. At this time, the metal bezel 6 can move by the amount of the gap C, and as the metal bezel 6 moves, the buffer bezel 5 is crushed. Therefore, in the state where a load is applied to the metal bezel 6, the thickness of the buffer bezel 5 becomes "thickness t2", which is thinner than the "thickness t1" when no load is applied. Also, the gap C becomes smaller according to the amount of movement of the metal bezel 6. In the illustrated example, it shows a state where the metal bezel 6 has moved to such an extent that the gap C has almost disappeared.

[0035] When the metal bezel 6 is displaced toward the case 1 side, the abutting surface 62 of the metal bezel 6 separates from the first step portion 632 of the stepped screw 63. Therefore, while they are separated, the metal bezel 6 is in a non-conductive state. However, when the state where a load is applied to the metal bezel 6 stops (that is, when the impact subsides), the buffer bezel 5 restores to its original shape. As a result, the metal bezel 6 is pushed up to its original position, the first step portion 632 of the stepped screw 63 abuts against the abutting surface 62 of the metal bezel 6 again, and the conductive state is restored.

[0036] Fig. 11 is a plan view of the back cover member in the embodiment, and Fig. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the back cover member shown in Fig. 11. As described above, the piezoelectric sound emitting unit 4 is adhered to the inner surface of the back cover member 3 by a double-sided tape 45 or the like. Fig. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the piezoelectric sound emitting unit. In the present embodiment, the diaphragm 42 of the piezoelectric sound emitting unit 4 is a metal plate (GND functional portion) that functions as GND. As shown in Fig. 13, the diaphragm 42 has a spring-shaped portion 43 at all or part of the position corresponding to the internal terminal plate 9.

[0037] The spring-shaped portion 43 is formed by bending a part of the diaphragm 42 substantially in an L shape toward the back surface, resulting in a leaf spring shape. An elastic body 44 is disposed on the back surface side of the spring-shaped portion 43 (between the back cover member 3 and the spring-shaped portion 43). The elastic body 44 is an auxiliary member that generates the necessary load in the spring-shaped portion 43. That is, the spring-shaped portion 43 is provided to stably receive the end of the internal terminal plate 9 when the internal terminal plate 9 is disposed. The elastic body 44 ensures the necessary contact pressure and stabilizes the contact resistance with the internal terminal plate 9.

[0038] The elastic body 44 is adhered to the back surface of the spring-shaped portion 43 with a double-sided tape or the like. As the elastic body 44, a high-functional urethane foam such as a microcell polymer sheet (e.g., "PORON" (registered trademark) manufactured by Rogers Inoaak Co., Ltd.) is preferably used. Note that the elastic body 44 only needs to be able to stabilize the load of the leaf spring-shaped portion 43, and its material is not particularly limited. For example, the elastic body 44 may be a coil spring or the like. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the main part along the line XIV-XIV of the back cover in FIG. 11. As shown in FIG. 14 and the like, a recess 31 for disposing the elastic body 44 provided on the back surface of the spring-shaped portion 43 is formed at a position on the inner surface of the back cover member 3 corresponding to the spring-shaped portion 43, so that the elastic body 44 is stably disposed.

[0039] Note that the spring-shaped portion 43 is preferably provided corresponding to the position of each metal button 7. Thereby, the internal terminal plate 9 that contacts the shaft portion 72 of each metal button 7 can be reliably brought into contact with and electrically connected to the diaphragm 42 as the GND functional portion. However, although the internal terminal plate 9 is provided corresponding to the metal button 7, there may be a case where the spring-shaped portion 43 cannot be provided at the position corresponding to the internal terminal plate 9 due to the arrangement status of various components housed in the case 1 or the like.

[0040] In this regard, in the present embodiment, a plurality of metal parts (metal bezel 6 and metal button pipe 75) are connected to one external terminal board 8 and are clamped together with respect to the case 1. Therefore, for example, even if there is a location where the spring-shaped portion 43 cannot be arranged at a position corresponding to the internal terminal board 9, if at least one of the internal terminal boards 9 corresponding to other metal parts connected to the same external terminal board 8 is surely connected to the diaphragm 42, all the metal parts connected to the external terminal board 8 can be made conductive to the diaphragm 42 as the GND functional portion, and the potential difference from GND can be set to zero. The timepiece 100 of the present embodiment is provided with five metal buttons 7, and internal terminal boards 9 are provided corresponding to each of them. However, in FIGS. 12 and 13, a case is illustrated in which spring-shaped portions 43 are provided at four locations on the diaphragm 42 corresponding to four of the internal terminal boards 9.

[0041] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the internal terminal board in the embodiment. The internal terminal board 9 connects and conducts the metal bezel 6 and the metal button pipe 75, which are metal parts, to the diaphragm 42, which is a metal plate functioning as GND. As shown in FIG. 15, the internal terminal board 9 of the present embodiment has a first portion 91 connected to the metal part and a second portion 92 bent in a first direction α (see FIG. 16) from the lower end side of the first portion 91, and is formed in a substantially L shape in side view. As shown in FIG. 16, in the present embodiment, the first direction α is a direction from the inside to the outside of the case 1.

[0042] A curved portion 911 is formed at the upper end (free end) of the first part 91 so as to receive and contact the tip of the shaft portion 72 of the metal button 7. The second part 92 is in surface contact with the diaphragm 42 which is a metal plate (specifically, a spring-shaped portion 43 integrally formed with the diaphragm 42). At this time, at the location where the spring-shaped portion 43 is provided, since the spring-shaped portion 43 is pushed up by the elastic body 44, it contacts the second part 92 so as to face it from the side of the diaphragm 42, and the internal terminal plate 9 and the diaphragm 42 can be stably in contact. Also, a double-sided tape 94 is disposed on the first part 91 of the internal terminal plate 9, and the first part 91 of the internal terminal plate 9 is attached to the case 1 via the double-sided tape 94.

[0043] In particular, the diaphragm 42 of the piezoelectric sound emitting unit 4 has a relatively thin plate thickness for the purpose of vibrating the piezoelectric body 41, and it is difficult to generate a desired load only by providing the spring-shaped portion 43 in the shape of a leaf spring. Further, when the piezoelectric sound emitting unit 4 is provided on the back cover member 3 as in this embodiment, it is likely to cause a contact failure due to repeated opening and closing operations, and even if contact is made and conduction is achieved, the contact resistance value is not stable (easily changed). In this regard, by adopting a configuration in which the elastic body 44 is provided on the back surface of the spring-shaped portion 43 and is pushed up by the elastic body 44, it is possible to ensure the necessary contact pressure with the internal terminal plate 9, and the internal terminal plate 9 and the diaphragm 42 can be surely electrically connected. Also, even if the opening and closing operations are repeated, the spring-shaped portion 43 is hardly worn, and a long-term stable contact resistance can be maintained. Thereby, the resistance value of GND can be stabilized and GND strengthening can be achieved.

[0044] Also, the internal terminal plate 9 in the embodiment has a bent portion 93 which is substantially reverse L-shaped in side view and protrudes by bending the lower end side of the first part 91 in the second direction β (see FIG. 16) opposite to the first direction α, and the second part 92 is formed by bending in the first direction α from the lower end side of the bent portion 93. By once bending the internal terminal board 9 in the second direction β, bulging it in the inner direction of the case 1, and then bending it in the first direction α to form the second part 92, the length of the second part 92 in the first direction α can be increased. Therefore, even considering the bending radius R or the like when bending in the first direction α, the length of the second part 92 can be ensured sufficiently, the contact area between the internal terminal board 9 and the diaphragm 42 can be widened, and they can be made to contact more stably and conduct electricity.

[0045] In particular, as described above, a waterproof member is provided between the back cover member 3 and the case 1 to waterproof the gap, and a recess 16 for arranging this waterproof member is formed at the lower end of the case 1. The waterproof member may be somewhat displaced even within the recess 16. Therefore, in order to ensure waterproofing reliably, it is necessary to secure a region where the back cover member 3 and the case 1 overlap with a certain margin. Since the internal terminal board 9 and the diaphragm 42 cannot be arranged within this region, if the second part 92 is formed by bending directly in the first direction α from the first part 91 that is in almost contact with the inner surface of the case 1, the length of the second part 92 in the first direction α can hardly be ensured. Also, since various resin parts exist near the inner surface of the case 1 around the diaphragm 42, it is necessary to avoid interference with them. In this regard, by providing the bent portion 93 and allowing it to escape from the inner wall of the case to some extent and then bending it in the first direction α to form the second part 92, the contact width with the diaphragm 42 (the width where the second part 92 is in surface contact with the diaphragm 42 (the spring-shaped part 43 of the diaphragm 42)) can be increased, and interference with various parts can also be avoided.

[0046] FIG. 16 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the XVI portion surrounded by the dashed-dotted line in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 16, the first part 91 of the internal terminal plate 9 is arranged at a position in contact with the tip side of the shaft portion 72 of the metal button 7. Further, the internal terminal plate 9 is bent once in the second direction β on the lower end side and then bent in the first direction α to form the second part 92, and this second part 92 is in surface contact with the diaphragm 42 (the spring-shaped part 43 of the diaphragm 42). More specifically, the second part 92 is in surface contact with the spring-shaped part 43 integrally formed with the diaphragm 42. Thereby, the internal terminal plate 9 is stably electrically connected to the diaphragm 42 which is a metal plate. In this case, the internal terminal plate 9 is in a state of being sandwiched between the case 1 and the metal plate (the spring-shaped part 43 of the diaphragm 42).

[0047] The shaft portion 72 of the metal button 7 is in direct or indirect contact with the metal button pipe 75 which is a metal part. By bringing the internal terminal plate 9 in contact with the diaphragm 42 which functions as GND and is in contact with the shaft portion 72, a conduction path to GND is secured for the metal button pipe 75 and a plurality of metal parts connected to the same external terminal plate 8 as this metal button pipe 75, and they can be collectively conducted to GND. Thereby, the strengthening of GND can be achieved. The case 1 has a recess 16 for arranging a waterproof member on the back side end surface. However, as shown in FIG. 16, both the internal terminal plate 9 and the diaphragm 42 which is a metal plate are arranged in a region that does not overlap with this recess 16 (a region inside the case 1 rather than the recess 16). For this reason, the waterproof property between the back cover member 3 and the case 1 is not hindered either.

[0048] [Operation] When assembling the clock 100 of the present embodiment, the movement is housed in the case 1 and the opening portion on the visual recognition side is closed with the windshield member 14. Further, a buffer bezel 5 as a buffer member is arranged so as to cover the outer side of the case 1, and a metal bezel 6 and a metal button pipe 75 (the metal button 7 assembled to the metal button pipe 75), which are metal parts, are attached from the outside via the external terminal plate 8. At this time, the metal bezel 6 is attached to the case 1 by the stepped screw 63, and the metal button pipe 75 is attached to the case 1 by the screw 74. By screwing in such a state that the external terminal board 8 is sandwiched between the plurality of metal parts and the case 1, the external terminal board 8 and the plurality of metal parts are clamped together with respect to the case 1.

[0049] The shaft portion 72 of the metal button 7 inserted through the insertion hole 77 of the metal button pipe 75 is inserted into the through hole 17 of the case 1, and the tip portion is disposed inside the case 1. A retaining member 79 is attached to the tip portion of the shaft portion 72 disposed inside the case 1 so that the shaft portion 72 does not come off outside the case 1. Further, the internal terminal board 9 is disposed so that the first portion 91 contacts the tip portion of the shaft portion 72.

[0050] When the parts of each part are mounted, the opening portion on the non-visible side is closed by the back cover member 3. At this time, a preventive member is disposed in the recess 16 of the case 1 to ensure waterproofing between the back cover member 3 and the case 1, and the back cover member 3 is screwed to the case 1. In a state where the back cover member 3 is attached, the spring-shaped portion 43 of the diaphragm 42 is disposed under the second portion 92 of the internal terminal board 9, and the second portion 92 of the internal terminal board 9 is pushed up by the elastic body 44. The spring-shaped portions 43 are in reliable contact with each other on the surface and conduct electricity. By making contact in this way, stable contact and conduction can be achieved without being affected by displacement or the like. In addition, in a portion where the spring-shaped portion 43 is not provided, since the spring-shaped portion 43 is not provided at the tip of the internal terminal board 9, there may be no GND path. However, the plurality of metal parts are clamped together with the external terminal board 8 outside the case 1 and are electrically connected to each other. Therefore, if even one of the plurality of metal parts in contact with one external terminal board 8 contacts the spring-shaped portion 43, all the metal parts in contact with the external terminal board 8 can be collectively connected to GND, and the GND can be strengthened.

[0051] This ensures a conduction path from a plurality of externally mounted metal components (such as the metal bezel 6 and the metal button pipe 75) to the GND (the diaphragm 42 that functions as GND) inside the case 1, and enables the plurality of metal components to be reliably grounded. By electrically connecting the metal components to the GND, it is possible to prevent the sensitivity (performance) of the antenna 13 provided inside the clock 100 from being affected by the metal components, and a highly reliable clock 100 for time correction using the antenna 13 can be realized.

[0052] Also, the metal bezel 6 as an exterior member is attached to the case 1 using a stepped screw 63, and a gap C is provided as a movable space that allows movement of the metal bezel 6 between the metal bezel 6 and the case 1. Thus, even when the metal bezel 6 is pushed in by an impact such as a drop, the displacement of the metal bezel 6 can be absorbed in the gap C. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the impact from being directly transmitted to the case 1 and the precision components inside the case. Furthermore, by disposing a buffer bezel 5 as a buffer member between the metal bezel 6 and the case 1, the impact can be absorbed and mitigated. For this reason, it is not necessary to add various additives to the case 1 itself for strengthening, and there is no influence on the antenna performance due to the additives.

[0053] [Effect] As described above, the clock 100, which is an electronic device in the present embodiment, includes a button head 71 of a metal button 7, a metal button pipe 75, etc., which are metal components formed of a metal material and externally mounted on the case 1, a diaphragm 42, which is a metal plate provided inside the back cover member 3 and functions as GND, and an internal terminal board 9 that connects the button head 71 of the metal button 7, the metal button pipe 75, etc., which are metal components, to the diaphragm 42, which is a metal plate. The internal terminal board 9 is sandwiched between the case 1 and the diaphragm 42 (the spring-shaped portion 43 of the diaphragm 42), which is a metal plate. This enables various metal components to be stably connected to the GND via the internal terminal board 9 even when the diaphragm 42 provided on the back cover member 3 functions as the GND. Therefore, especially when the clock 100 is configured as described in this embodiment, a stable conduction path can be ensured from metal components such as the metal button 7 to the GND functional part (the diaphragm 42 in the embodiment) inside the case 1, and each metal component can be set to a state with a zero potential difference from GND. As a result, the influence of metal components on precision devices inside the clock 100, such as the antenna 13, can be suppressed. In addition, the internal terminal board 9 is stably sandwiched between the case 1 and the diaphragm 42 which is a metal plate (the spring-shaped part 43 of the diaphragm 42), and is not easily displaced even when subjected to an impact.

[0054] In addition, the internal terminal board 9 of this embodiment has a first part 91 connected to a metal component (the shaft part 72 of the metal button 7 in the embodiment), and a second part 92 bent in the first direction α from the lower end side of the first part 91, and is formed in a substantially L-shaped in side view. The second part 92 is in surface contact with the diaphragm 42 which is a metal plate functioning as GND. For this reason, the contact area between the internal terminal board 9 and the diaphragm 42 serving as GND is wide, and stable conduction with GND can be achieved.

[0055] In addition, the internal terminal board 9 of this embodiment has a bent part 93 which is substantially reverse L-shaped in side view and protrudes by bending the lower end side of the first part 91 in the second direction β opposite to the first direction α. The second part 92 is formed by being bent in the first direction α from the lower end side of the bent part 93. In this way, by once bending it in the reverse direction and then forming the second part 92 in the first direction α, the length of the second part 92 in the first direction α can be ensured to be long. For this reason, the contact area between the second part 92 and the diaphragm 42 can be increased, and even if there is a slight displacement, conduction to GND can be surely achieved.

[0056] In addition, the case 1 of this embodiment has a recess 16 for arranging a waterproof member on the end face on the back side, and the internal terminal board 9 and the diaphragm 42 which is a metal plate functioning as GND are arranged in a region that does not overlap with this recess 16. Thereby, even if the internal terminal board 9 and the diaphragm 42 are provided, waterproofing between the case 1 and the back cover member 3 can be ensured.

[0057] Also, in the present embodiment, the diaphragm 42, which is a metal plate functioning as GND, has a spring-shaped portion 43 at all or part of the position corresponding to the internal terminal plate 9. By forming the portion in contact with the internal terminal plate 9 in a spring shape in this way, the internal terminal plate 9 can be stably and easily conductively connected to the diaphragm 42.

[0058] Also, in the present embodiment, an elastic body 44 is disposed on the back surface side of the spring-shaped portion 43. In the piezoelectric sound emitting unit 4 of the present embodiment, the diaphragm 42 that functions as GND has a relatively thin plate thickness for the purpose of vibrating the piezoelectric body 41. Even if the spring-shaped portion 43 having a leaf spring shape is provided, it is difficult to generate a desired load only by that. Further, when the piezoelectric sound emitting unit 4 is provided on the back lid member 3 as in the present embodiment, it is easy to cause a contact failure due to repeated opening and closing operations, and even if contact is made and conduction is established, there is a possibility that the contact resistance value may not be stable. In this regard, by providing the elastic body 44 on the back surface of the spring-shaped portion 43 and configuring it to be pushed up by the elastic body 44, it is possible to secure the necessary contact pressure with the internal terminal plate 9, and it is possible to surely conduct the internal terminal plate 9 and the diaphragm 42. Also, even if the opening and closing operations are repeated, the spring-shaped portion 43 is hardly worn, and a long-term and stable contact resistance can be maintained. Thereby, the resistance value of GND can be stabilized, and GND strengthening can be achieved.

[0059] Also, in the present embodiment, an antenna 13 is provided in the case 1. When a metal component formed of a metal, which is a conductive member, is mounted on an electronic device such as a clock 100, it will affect the antenna sensitivity of the antenna 13 in the electronic device. In order to eliminate the influence on the antenna sensitivity, it is necessary to conduct a conductive member such as metal to GND to make the potential difference zero. In this regard, in the present embodiment, the internal terminal plate 9 connected to the metal component can be surely conductively connected to the diaphragm 42 that functions as GND. As a result, the influence on the antenna 13 can be suppressed with a relatively simple configuration, and highly accurate radio wave reception can be realized.

[0060] [Modification Example] FIG. 17 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part in a modification example of the clock shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 17 shows an example in which an internal terminal board according to a modification example is applied to the same part as that shown in FIG. 16. As shown in FIG. 17, the internal terminal board 9a has a first part 91a connected to the metal button 7, and a second part 92a bent in the first direction from the lower end side of the first part 91a. The internal terminal board 9a is formed in a substantially L shape in side view, and the second part 92a is in a structure that contacts the metal plate (the diaphragm 42 in the embodiment) in a plane. That is, the first part 91a of the internal terminal board 9a is disposed at a position in contact with the tip side of the shaft portion 72 of the metal button 7. The internal terminal board 9a is bent in the first direction α at the lower end side to form the second part 92a, and this second part 92a contacts the diaphragm 42 (the spring-shaped part 43 of the diaphragm 42) in a plane. In this way, the internal terminal board 9a has only an L shape and does not have a bent portion 93. Therefore, in the L-shaped internal terminal board 9a, the first part 91a and the second part 92a are in a direction perpendicular to each other. However, since the internal terminal board 9a is bent in the first direction α at the lower end side of the first part 91a to form the second part 92a, an R shape (bending R), which is a sheet metal working using the ductility of the metal, is formed at the bending angle between the first part 91a and the second part 92a. For this reason, the internal terminal board 9a is separated from the case 1 by the amount of this bending R, but by giving thickness to the double-sided tape 94 that attaches the first part 91a to the case 1, it is adjusted to fill the gap generated between the first part 91a and the case 1 by the amount of the bending R. It should be noted that although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist thereof.

[0061] For example, in this embodiment, a shock-absorbing bezel 5 as a shock-absorbing member covers substantially the entire case 1, and a metal bezel 6 is arranged at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions of the analog clock. However, the positions and ranges where the shock-absorbing bezel 5 and the metal bezel 6 are provided are not limited to those shown in the embodiment. Also, in this embodiment, the entire metal bezel 6 overlaps with the shock-absorbing bezel 5, but a part of the metal bezel 6 may overlap with the shock-absorbing bezel 5.

[0062] Also, in this embodiment, an external terminal board 8 is arranged at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions of the analog clock, and is shown to be clamped together with at least one metal bezel 6 and the case 1 respectively. However, the position and range where the external terminal board 8 is provided, the number and types of metal parts connected to one external terminal board 8 are not limited to those exemplified in the embodiment. More metal bezels 6 and metal button pipes 75 may be connected to one external terminal board 8. Even in this case, if any one of the metal parts connected by the external terminal board 8 is made conductive to GND, all the metal parts connected to the external terminal board 8 can be made conductive to GND.

[0063] Also, in this embodiment, the diaphragm 42 of the piezoelectric sound emitting unit 4 is exemplified as a GND functional part that functions as GND. However, the GND functional part may be a metal member provided inside the case 1 and indirectly connected to the external terminal board 8, and is not limited to the diaphragm 42.

[0064] Also, in this embodiment, the electronic device is exemplified as a wristwatch-type clock 100, but the electronic device is not limited to this. For example, it can be widely applied to various electronic devices such as smartwatches and sports watches, and wearable devices that acquire biological information such as heart rate and blood flow information in addition to time.

[0065] Some embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalent scope.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0066] 1 case 13 antennas 14 wind deflector member 17 through-hole 3 back cover members 31 recess 4 piezoelectric sound units 42 diaphragm (GND functional part, metal plate functioning as GND) 43 spring-shaped part 44 elastic body 5 buffer bezel (buffer member) 6 metal bezel (metal part) 62 abutting surface 63 stepped screw (fastening member) 7 metal button (metal part) 72 shaft part 74 screw (fastening member) 75 metal button pipe (metal part) 8 external terminal board 81 component receiving part 9 internal terminal board 91 first part 92 first part 100 clock (electronic device) C gap (movable space)

Claims

1. A metal part externally mounted on a case, a metal plate provided inside the back side of the case and functioning as GND, an internal terminal board provided inside the case for connecting the metal part to the metal plate, comprising: the internal terminal board is sandwiched between the case and the metal plate, An electronic device characterized by this.

2. The internal terminal board has a first part connected to the metal part and a second part bent in a first direction from the lower end side of the first part, and is formed in a substantially L shape in side view, the second part is in surface contact with the metal plate, The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized by this.

3. The internal terminal board has a bent part in a substantially reverse L shape in side view that projects by bending the lower end side of the first part in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and the second part is formed by being bent in the first direction from the lower end side of the bent part, The electronic device according to claim 2, characterized by this.

4. The case has a recess for arranging a waterproof member at the end face on the back side, the internal terminal board and the metal plate are arranged in a region that does not overlap with the recess, The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized by this.

5. The metal plate has a spring-shaped part at all or part of the position corresponding to the internal terminal board, The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized by this.

6. An elastic body is arranged on the back side of the spring-shaped part, The electronic device according to claim 5, characterized by this.

7. An antenna is provided inside the case, The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized by this.

8. A metal part externally mounted on a case, a metal plate provided inside the back side of the case and functioning as GND, an internal terminal board for connecting the metal part to the metal plate, comprising: An electronic clock characterized by this.

Citation Information

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