Electronic apparatus

Abstract

To provide an electronic apparatus with waterproofing and voice recognition functions.SOLUTION: An electronic apparatus 1 with a voice recognition function includes a partition wall 32 formed on the rear surface 30a of a housing 3 so as to surround an electronic component 20 mounted on a substrate 2, and a sound-permeable sheet material 5 provided within the partition wall to prevent water from entering through a sound collection hole 33 of the housing, with a sound collection space 6 provided between the electronic component and the sound collection hole. A spacer member 4 made of an elastic material may be disposed without any gap between the partition wall and the substrate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device that is waterproof and has a voice recognition function. [Background technology]

[0002] Not only mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, but also various electronic devices such as remote controls for televisions and air conditioners, lighting equipment, etc., are equipped with a microphone function that recognizes voices, and various devices that can be operated by voice recognition without manual operation are known. Furthermore, although the above-mentioned electronic devices are normally prone to malfunction when exposed to water or other liquids, some are waterproof so that they will not malfunction even if they get slightly wet, and some are designed for use in the bathroom.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a remote control with a microphone function intended for use in a bathroom. The remote control described therein has a moisture inlet section provided in the space formed between the microphone and the microphone hole, so that even if a water film forms in the microphone hole and blocks the microphone hole, the water film is broken by the moisture inlet section, allowing the water to be introduced inside the cover member. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 below discloses a waterproof sound-permeable sheet in which a radiating solution made of a polymeric substance is electrically radiated onto a film-like porous member made of a nonwoven fabric or mesh layer, forming a waterproof layer in which multiple microfiber threads are cross-laminated. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-138288 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6073925 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In recent years, electronic devices with voice recognition functions have been required to be more waterproof than what is commonly called "waterproof for everyday use," such as when the device is submerged in water. To prevent water from entering the electronic device, various methods have been developed, including improving waterproofing by incorporating housing structures and sealing materials, or sealing electronic components such as electrical circuits, elements, and circuit boards. However, in the case of electronic devices capable of voice recognition operation, sealing the microphone element together with the electronic components or simply sealing it with a sealing material can result in a decrease in sound collection capabilities.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide an electronic device that is waterproof and has a voice recognition function. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the electronic device of the present invention is characterized by having a partition wall formed on the back surface of a housing so as to surround an electronic component that recognizes sound mounted on a board, and a sound-permeable sheet material provided within the partition wall to prevent water from entering through the sound collection hole in the housing, and having a sound collection space between the electronic component and the sound collection hole.

[0008] In the above configuration, a spacer member made of an elastic material may be disposed between the partition wall and the substrate without leaving any gap. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The electronic device according to the present invention has the above-described configuration, and thus can achieve both waterproofness and sound collection capability for the voice recognition function. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1(a) is a schematic perspective view showing an example in which an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied to a remote control, and FIG. 1(b) is a schematic perspective view showing the back side of the cover of the remote control. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing the remote control. [Figure 3] 1A is a schematic plan view illustrating the installation position of a microphone element of the remote controller, and FIG. 1B is a schematic longitudinal sectional view illustrating the structure around the microphone element of the remote controller. [Figure 4] 10(a) and 10(b) are schematic longitudinal cross-sectional views for explaining modified examples of the structure around the microphone element of the remote control, each of which is shown partially enlarged. [Figure 5] 10 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating a modified example of the structure around the microphone element of the remote control. FIG. [Figure 6] 10(a) and 10(b) are schematic longitudinal cross-sectional views for explaining a prototype example of a structure around a microphone element. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In some figures, some of the detailed reference numerals used in other figures are omitted. In the following embodiment, an electronic device is placed on the floor, and the top and bottom, front and back, front and back, etc. are described with the part from which a signal is transmitted being the front. Furthermore, the following describes an example in which the electronic device according to this embodiment is applied to a remote control 1 that remotely controls a bathroom TV, and an example in which the electronic component that recognizes voice is a microphone element 20 (microphone).

[0012] 1 to 5 are diagrams schematically showing an example and a modified example of a remote control 1 according to this embodiment. The remote control 1 according to this embodiment includes a housing 3 divided into two halves, an upper part and an lower part, a substrate 2 on which a microphone element 20, a switch element 21, etc. are mounted, and a conductive spacer member 4 that becomes conductive when the switch element 21 is touched by a user's operation. The remote control 1 includes a partition wall 32 formed on the rear surface 30a of the housing 3 so as to surround the microphone element 20 mounted on the substrate 2, and a sound-permeable sheet material 5 provided within the partition wall 32 to prevent water from entering through a sound collection hole 33 in the housing 3, and a sound collection space 6 between the microphone element 20 and the sound collection hole 33.

[0013] As shown in Fig. 1(a), the housing 3 is formed in a vertically elongated rectangular shape sized to be easily held by hand, is made of a resin material such as ABS resin or polycarbonate, and includes a cover body 30 and a main body 31. The cover body 30 is disposed so as to cover the upper side of the main body 31 with the substrate 2 and spacer member 4 interposed therebetween and housed therein. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3(b), the main body 31 includes a signal transmission space 3A in which the light 23 and wiring 23a are disposed, and a battery space 3B in which a battery is housed.

[0014] The cover body 30 and the main body 31 have a fitting structure. In the present embodiment, a peripheral wall 30c (FIG. 1(b)) provided in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral end of the cover body 30 and a peripheral groove 31b (FIG. 2) provided in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral end of the main body 31 are formed to fit together. The cover body 30 is formed with an insertion tube 30b (FIG. 1(b)) for screw fastening, and the main body 31 is formed with a plurality of insertion holes 31a (FIG. 2) for screw fastening. The insertion tube 30b is formed to fit into the insertion hole 31a, and the hole size (hole diameter) of the insertion tube 30b is formed to be smaller than the hole size (hole diameter) of the insertion hole 31a. Furthermore, the peripheral wall 30c and the insertion tube 30b are formed to protrude beyond the side surface of the outer edge of the cover body 30, so that when the cover body 30 and the main body 31 are fitted together, they can be fitted together without any gaps. Then, with the peripheral wall 30c of the cover body 30 fitted into the peripheral groove 31b of the main body 31, when a screw (not shown) is threaded into the insertion hole 31a of the main body 31, the screw reaches the insertion tube 30b of the cover body 30. In this way, the cover body 30 and the main body 31 are screwed together so that they cannot be easily separated, and a structure can be achieved which makes it difficult for water, dust, etc. to enter the housing 3.

[0015] The cover body 30 is disposed above the housing 3 and covers the substrate 2 and the spacer member 4. As shown in FIG. 2 and elsewhere, the cover body 30 has a sound collection hole 33 for collecting sound toward the microphone element 20 and multiple switch holes 34 through which switches 41 are inserted. The sound collection hole 33 is a through-hole formed directly above the microphone element 20 mounted in the front region of the substrate 2, and in the illustrated example, has a circular opening. The switch holes 34 are formed according to the shape of the switches 41, and various sizes of circular or rectangular switch holes 34 are formed in the cover body 30. As shown in FIG. 1(b), the back surface 30a of the cover body 30 is provided with multiple bottomed cylindrical insertion tubes 30b and a peripheral wall 30c. Because the cover body 30 has multiple switch holes 34, ribs 35 are provided to maintain the strength and shape of the cover body 30. Furthermore, a partition wall 32 is formed on the back surface 30a of the cover body 30 so as to surround the periphery of the microphone element 20 when the cover body 30 and the main body 31 are fitted together. A sound-permeable sheet material 5 that prevents water from entering through the sound collection hole 33 is disposed within the partition wall 32, specifically on the top surface 30d of the back surface 30a of the cover body 30 that is surrounded by the partition wall 32. An adhesive is provided on the surface (portion) of the sheet material 5 that comes into contact with the top surface 30d so as not to block the sound collection hole 33 and the sound passage holes 5aa formed in the sheet material 5, and the sheet material 5 is firmly fixed to the top surface 30d. There are no particular limitations on the adhesive, and a thermosetting adhesive, a thermoplastic adhesive, or the like can be used.

[0016] The sheet material 5 is located directly below the sound collection hole 33. It is not particularly limited as long as it is waterproof and sound-permeable. A thin film-like material meeting the IPX7 (protection rating for water immersion) or IPX8 waterproof standards for electronic devices is suitable. Furthermore, using a sheet material with excellent acoustic properties (sound transmission loss) can improve voice recognition efficiency. The sheet material 5 shown in FIG. 1(b) is a two-layer circular sound-transmitting waterproof seal WS-3818B manufactured by Shzenzhenshi Huaanxin Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. The sheet material 5 includes a mesh material 5a located on the top surface 30d of the cover body 30 and a transparent seal film 5b overlapping the mesh material 5a. A circular sound-permeable hole 5aa with a diameter of approximately 2 mm is formed in the center of the mesh material 5a. The sheet material 5 is not limited to the above, and may be a sound-permeable waterproof filter S3K3001 manufactured by Seiren Co., Ltd. or a COMAWAY SW manufactured by Komatsu Matere Co., Ltd. The sheet material 5 is formed to fit the shape and size of the partition wall 32, and the thickness of the sheet material 5 must be such that the sound collection space 6 shown in FIG. 3(b) is formed when the sheet material 5 is placed inside the partition wall 32. This is because if the sheet material 5 is too thick, the sound collection space 6 formed between the microphone element 20 and the sound collection hole 33 cannot be sufficiently secured. The size of the sheet material 5 only needs to be such that it can securely cover the lower side of the sound collection hole 33, and does not necessarily need to cover the entire area surrounded by the partition wall 32.

[0017] The signal transmission space 3A refers to the space in the housing 3 that accommodates the light 23, and in the illustrated example, it is provided in the front region of the housing 3. The light 23 uses an infrared LED or the like and is configured to transmit a predetermined carrier wave that can remotely control a television (not shown) when a user operates the switch 41 or the voice recognition switch 41a. The light 23 is installed by being inserted into an opening 31ca of a standing plate portion 31c provided in the front region of the main body 31 (see Figures 2 and 3(b)). The front of the light 23 is covered with a transparent plate 31d that easily transmits infrared rays. The plate 31d is made of ABS resin or the like, and the fixing structure of the plate 31d is not particularly limited, but in the illustrated example, the plate 31d is configured to be screwed from the front to the rear of the plate 31d. In addition, a stepped groove 31f is provided on the back surface of the plate body 31d as shown in Figure 3(b), and a ring 31e made of an elastic material with an O-shaped cross section is inserted into the groove 31f to seal it, thereby ensuring waterproofing of the signal transmission space 3A.

[0018] Battery space 3B refers to the space in housing 3 where batteries are accommodated, and is provided in the rear region of housing 3. A packing material made of silicon or the like is provided around battery storage section 31g of battery space 3B, and grooves into which the packing material fits are provided in areas where water may enter, such as the lid (not shown) of battery storage section 31g, to create an airtight space and ensure the waterproofness of battery space 3B.

[0019] The substrate 2 is housed inside a circumferential groove 31b formed around the outer periphery of the main body 31, and is shaped and sized to fit snugly inside the main body 31. The substrate 2 is equipped with a microphone element 20, multiple switch elements 21, and various other electronic elements for executing and controlling switch operation and voice recognition. The switch elements 21 are configured to become conductive when a user presses a switch 41, enabling remote control of a television. The structure of the switch elements 21 is not particularly limited, but the illustrated example shows an example in which a sticker-type tactile switch that can be mounted on the surface of the substrate 2 is used. Among the switch elements 21, a voice recognition switch element 21a located approximately in the center of the substrate 2 is configured to turn on voice recognition processing for a certain period of time when the voice recognition switch 41a is pressed by a user. A light 23 is electrically connected to the back surface 2b (bottom surface) of the substrate 2 via wiring 23a, and a carrier wave is output from the light 23 in response to operation of the switch 41. Furthermore, the microphone element 20 is mounted on the surface 2a (upper surface) of the substrate 2 in the vicinity of the light 23. The configuration of the substrate 2 is not particularly limited, but according to the example of Fig. 3(b), by concentrating the light 23 and the microphone element 20 in the front region, it is possible to configure the substrate 2 having a voice recognition function and a signal transmission function on a single substrate within the limited space inside the housing 3.

[0020] The substrate 2 is conformally coated with a coating agent such as a polymer resin solution to protect the substrate 2 from water intrusion, condensation, etc., and prevent circuit short circuits and electrical leakage caused by moisture. There are no particular restrictions on the type of coating agent, and acrylic, epoxy, silicone, urethane, and other coating agents can be used. There are also no particular restrictions on the coating method, and the substrate 2 can be coated by spraying, brushing, dipping, or other methods. In particular, the area on the surface 2a of the substrate 2 where the switch element 21 is provided, excluding the microphone element 20, can be further coated with a seal-type coating to further enhance waterproofing.

[0021] The various electronic elements mounted on the substrate 2 are configured so that when the voice recognition switch 41a is pressed by the user, the microphone element 20 is turned on (conductive state) for a certain period of time, and voice recognition processing is performed. Therefore, when the microphone element 20 is turned on, the voice sensed by the microphone element 20 through the sound collection hole 33 is converted into a digital signal by a voice input unit (not shown) and converted into voice data. Then, based on the converted voice data, a voice recognition unit (not shown) performs voice recognition processing using a predetermined algorithm. Based on this, the voice is converted into an operation signal, and in response to the operation signal, a predetermined carrier wave is output from the light 23, similar to when the switch 41 is operated, thereby realizing remote control of the television.

[0022] The spacer member 4 is made of a conductive and elastic material, preferably a silicone material. The spacer member 4 includes a spacer body 40, a switch 41, and a voice recognition switch 41a. The spacer member 4 is electrically connected to the switch element 21 and the voice recognition switch element 21a to form a so-called contact rubber switch. The spacer member 4 is made of a waterproof, dustproof, and durable material, thereby improving the waterproofness and durability of the remote control 1. While the spacer body 40 has a flat surface, the back surface (not shown) has protrusions that form contact switches, which are formed in alignment with the installation positions of the switch element 21 and the voice recognition switch element 21a. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3(b), an outer wall portion 42, which is thicker than the flat surface of the spacer body 40, is formed around the entire periphery of the spacer body 40. The board 2 is positioned inside this outer wall portion 42. Solid circular or rectangular switches 41 of various sizes are formed protruding from the surface of the spacer body 40. That is, the spacer member 4 is configured so that when the cover body 30 is placed over the spacer member 4, the switches 41 protrude from the switch holes 34 with the switches 41 inserted therethrough. The configuration and shape of the voice recognition switch 41a are not limited to those shown in the illustration, but the one shown in the illustration is formed in a cylindrical shape with a "microphone" icon printed on the surface area that is pressed. This allows the user to intuitively recognize that pressing the switch with "microphone" printed on it will turn on the microphone function.

[0023] The spacer member 4 is placed on the substrate 2 and is formed to have a shape and size that is slightly larger than the substrate 2 and is positioned inside the insertion hole 31a and the circumferential groove 31b formed in the main body 31 so as not to block the insertion hole 31a and the circumferential groove 31b. The spacer main body 40 has an opening 40a and an elastic contact portion 40b that elastically contacts the end 32a of the partition wall 32. The opening 40a is formed so that the microphone element 20 is inserted and exposed when the spacer member 4 is placed on the substrate 2. The elastic contact portion 40b is formed in a concave shape so that it is easily deformed when the end 32a of the partition wall 32 elastically contacts the spacer main body 40 and does not become too bulky. The elastic contact portion 40b is formed at a distance from the outer periphery of the opening 40a and is formed to match the position and shape of the partition wall 32. The recessed depth of the elastic contact portion 40b may be a thin striated line, allowing the spacer body 40 to elastically deform appropriately when the end portion 32a of the partition wall 32 abuts against it. As shown in FIG. 3(b), the spacer member 4 is formed thick enough to be lightly pressed from above and below by the screw engagement pressure when the cover body 30 and the main body 31 are fitted together while the cover body 30 and the main body 31 are fastened together with screws while the spacer member 4 is placed on the substrate 2. Therefore, no gaps are formed between the substrate 2 and the spacer member 4, or between the spacer member 4 and the rear surface 30a of the cover body 30. The thickness of the spacer member 4 is not limited, but the illustrated example is approximately 2 mm to 3 mm. If the spacer member 4 is too thick or does not have the recessed elastic contact portion 40b, it will be difficult to form the housing 3 as a single unit. If the spacer member 4 is too thin, it will not function as a spacer, allowing water, dust, etc. to penetrate through the gap between the cover body 30 and the spacer member 4. The size of the switch 41 is formed slightly smaller than the switch hole 34 so that the switch 41 fits inside the switch hole 34, and the switch 41 is formed so that when inserted into the switch hole 34, there is not too much of a gap between the outer edge of the switch hole 34 and the outer edge of the switch 41.

[0024] By configuring the remote control 1 as described above, even if the remote control 1 has a sound collection hole 33 on the upper side, it is possible to effectively prevent the intrusion of water, dust, etc., thereby improving the waterproofness of the remote control 1. This allows for a remote control 1 that meets the high standards of waterproof performance for electronic devices. Furthermore, with regard to sound collection, which is difficult to achieve together with waterproofness, repeated prototyping has demonstrated that the above configuration can produce a remote control with sound collection comparable to that of conventional remote controls with voice recognition functions that are not waterproof. A comparison of this prototype with this embodiment will be described later. Note that, like the voice recognition switch 41a, various TV channel numbers and application details are printed on the surface of the switch 41 of the spacer member 4 to allow the user to intuitively recognize the switch function; however, detailed illustrations are omitted in the accompanying drawings.

[0025] Next, the structure around the microphone element 20 will be described in more detail with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3(a) is a schematic plan view showing the periphery of the microphone element 20 when not covered by the cover body 30, and Fig. 3(b) is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the structure around the microphone element 20. The view in Fig. 3(b) differs from Fig. 3(a) in that it shows the state in which the cover body 30 and the main body 31 are fitted together, but as can be seen from these figures, the microphone element 20 is mounted in the front region of the housing 3 where the signal transmission space 3A is provided.

[0026] The partition wall 32 is provided so as to surround the periphery of the microphone element 20 when the cover body 30 and the main body 31 are fitted together with the substrate 2 and the spacer member 4 interposed therebetween. Therefore, the partition wall 32 is formed to protrude downward (toward the substrate 2) from a flat portion of the back surface 30a of the cover body 30. The end portion 32a of the partition wall 32 is pressed against and abuts against the elastic contact portion 40b of the spacer main body 40, separating the inside of the partition wall 32 from the outside of the partition wall 32. The height of the partition wall 32 is not particularly limited, but the one shown in the figure is formed higher than the reinforcing rib formed on the back surface 30a of the cover body 30 and lower than the outer edge of the cover body 30, and is configured to elastically contact the spacer member 4 while ensuring a gap that forms the sound collection space 6 between the microphone element 20 and the sheet material 5. The shape of the end 32a is not particularly limited, and may be flat or curved, or may be triangular in cross section, as long as it can firmly abut against the spacer member 4 and elastically contact the spacer member 4 to the extent that the spacer member 4 is slightly elastically deformed.

[0027] When constructing a remote control with a voice recognition function, a sound collection hole must be formed somewhere in the housing. However, if waterproofing is desired, how to prevent water from entering from the sound collection hole to the microphone element and how to achieve both waterproofness and sound permeability are issues. In the example shown in FIG. 3(b), a waterproof and sound-permeable sheet material 5 is provided below the sound collection hole 33, preventing water from entering. While sound permeability is also ensured by the sound permeability of the sheet material 5, in the example of FIG. 3(b), the presence of the partition wall 32 creates a space around the microphone element 20, including above it, creating a sound collection space 6, thereby improving sound collection. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the end 32a of the partition wall 32 is in elastic contact with the spacer member 4, causing it to deform slightly, thereby ensuring the airtightness and waterproofness of the sound collection space 6.

[0028] The structure around the microphone element 20 is not limited to Fig. 3(b) and may be, for example, the structure shown in Fig. 4(a), Fig. 4(b) and Fig. 5. In the following, common reference numerals are used for parts common to the above embodiment, and explanations of common matters are omitted and differences are mainly explained.

[0029] The example shown in FIG. 4(a) differs in that the top surface 30d surrounded by the partition wall 32 on the back surface 30a of the cover body 30 has a generally conical shape that is inclined so as to gradually increase in diameter from below the sound collection hole 33 downward, whereas the example shown in FIG. 3(b) has a flat surface that is generally parallel to the substrate 2. In this case, too, when the sheet material 5 is adhered to the top surface 30d, care is taken to prevent the sound collection hole 33 from being blocked by the adhesive, and the sheet material 5 is fixed to the top surface 30d so as to ensure the sound collection space 6, as in the example of FIG. 3(b). With the above configuration, the inclined top surface 30d ensures a larger volume for the sound collection space 6 than when the top surface 30d is flat as in FIG. 3(b), thereby improving sound collection.

[0030] The example shown in FIG. 4(b) has the same configuration as FIG. 3(b), but differs in that the length dimension (depth dimension) of the sound collection hole 33 is slightly longer than in FIG. 3(b), and the partition wall 32 has a hemispherical cross section. In this case, too, when adhering the sheet material 5 to the top surface 30d, care is taken to prevent the sound collection hole 33 from being blocked by adhesive, and the sheet material 5 is fixed to the top surface 30d so as to ensure the sound collection space 6, similar to the example in FIG. 3(b). According to the above configuration, by making the sound collection hole 33 as long as possible, sound collection performance can be improved. Furthermore, according to the above configuration, the partition wall 32 has a hemispherical cross section, which increases the elastic contact area with the spacer body 40, thereby improving waterproofing.

[0031] The example shown in FIG. 5 differs from FIG. 3(b) in that the sound collection hole 33 is formed on the bottom side of the housing 3, i.e., the bottom 31h of the main body 31. In this example, since the sound collection hole 33 is formed on the bottom 31h, the microphone element 20 is also disposed near the bottom 31h of the main body 31. Therefore, this example differs from FIG. 3(b) in that a smaller substrate 2A is provided in addition to the substrate 2 disposed above. The microphone element 20 is mounted on the substrate 2A, and wiring 23a connected to the light 23 is also provided on the substrate 2A to electrically connect the light 23 to the microphone element 20. The example shown in FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 3(b) in that a spacer member 4 is provided, although its size is different, and the outer wall portion 42 is formed around the entire periphery of the spacer main body 40, and a resilient contact portion 40b is provided on the outer edge. However, the difference is that the spacer member 4 is provided between the substrate 2A and the bottom 31h of the main body 31. 3(b), the partition wall 32 is formed to surround the microphone element 20, but differs in that the partition wall 32 is formed to protrude upward (toward the substrate 2A) from the bottom 31h of the main body 31. According to the above configuration, the sound collection hole 33 is formed in the bottom 31h of the main body 31, so when using the remote control 1 in the bathroom, it is less likely to be splashed with water directly, thereby reducing the risk of water intrusion itself.

[0032] Next, with reference to Figures 6(a) and 6(b), we will explain the prototypes we created repeatedly until we reached the above-described embodiment. Note that common parts to the above-described embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and we will omit the explanation of the common features and focus on the prototypes. To develop a waterproof and sound-permeable remote control, the prototype remote control 100 shown in Figure 6(a) had a sound collection hole 33 on the bottom 31h of the main body 31, and a waterproof adhesive 7 was applied to the microphone element 20 to coat it. Evaluation tests for waterproofness and voice recognition confirmed that the remote control met IPX7 waterproof standards. However, compared to a remote control without the waterproof adhesive, the voice recognition efficiency was lower and did not reach the expected level. A thermosetting silicone adhesive (BOC-D939, manufactured by Dongguan ZhengBo Electronics Co., Ltd.) was used as the waterproof adhesive 7.

[0033] Therefore, in order to improve sound collection, a sound collection hole 33 was provided in the cover 30 of the prototype remote control 101 shown in Figure 6(b). Furthermore, to ensure waterproofing, a waterproof adhesive 7 was applied to the microphone element 20, coating the entire microphone element 20. In this case, the cover 30 was provided with the sound collection hole 33, a partition wall 32, and a spacer member 4, creating the same structure as in Figure 3(b). A waterproof evaluation test confirmed high waterproof performance of IPX7. However, in a voice recognition evaluation test, there was almost no change in voice recognition efficiency compared to the prototype remote control 100 shown in Figure 6(a), even when the sound collection hole 33 was provided on the cover 30 side.

[0034] Therefore, we changed the waterproofing method for the microphone element 20 from waterproof adhesive 7 to a sound-permeable and waterproof sheet material 5. Instead of coating the microphone element 20 with the sheet material 5, we attached it directly below the sound collection hole 33 (the same position as the sheet material 5 in Figure 3(b)) and conducted tests. The waterproof evaluation test confirmed high waterproof performance of IPX7. The voice recognition evaluation test was able to suppress the decline in voice recognition to around 8dB compared to a remote control with voice recognition functionality that was not waterproof. For this test, we used the sound-permeable waterproof seal WS-3818B manufactured by Shenzhenshi Huaanxin Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. as the sheet material 5. For comparison, we also tested a Bluetooth remote control B016 manufactured by Shenzhen SDMC Technology Co., Ltd., which was not waterproof and had voice recognition functionality.

[0035] As described above, the shape and configuration of the remote control 1 are not limited to those shown in the above examples. For example, the fitting structure between the cover 30 and the main body 31 is not limited to that shown in the figures. A space for accommodating a gasket such as an O-ring may be provided at the fitting site to further improve waterproofing. The data format of the remote control 1 is not particularly limited and is set by the manufacturer of the electronic device to be remotely controlled. The signal transmission method of the remote control 1 is not limited to the light 23 as described above and may be a wireless signal method, and the electronic component for voice recognition is not limited to a microphone element. The installation position of the microphone element 20 shown in the example is also not limited, and multiple microphone elements 20 may be provided on a single remote control. The shape of the top surface 30d that forms the sound collection space 6 is not limited to that shown in the figures and may be a curved dome shape. The shape and number of the sound collection holes 33 are also not limited to those shown in the figures. They may be flared or conical, and the number is determined according to the number of electronic components for voice recognition (microphone elements 20 in the above embodiment). Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example of application to a bathroom TV remote control as an electronic device was described, but the present invention is not limited to bathroom TV remote controls and can be applied to any electronic device that requires waterproofing and voice recognition functionality (for example, mobile terminals, video cameras, etc.). [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 1. Electronic devices (remote controls) 2 boards 20 microphone elements 3. Housing 33 Sound collection hole 4 Spacer member 40a opening 5 Sheet material 6 Sound collection space

Claims

1. An electronic device with a voice recognition function, a partition wall formed on the rear surface of the housing so as to surround an electronic component that recognizes voice and is mounted on a board; and a sound-permeable sheet material that is provided within the partition wall and prevents water from entering through a sound collection hole in the housing, An electronic device comprising: a sound collection space between the electronic component and the sound collection hole.

2. In claim 1, The electronic device is characterized in that a spacer member made of an elastic material is disposed between the partition wall and the substrate without any gap.

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