Remote controller and manufacturing method thereof

The remote controller design enhances assembly efficiency and minimizes disassembly damage by using an elastic member to connect and disconnect power supply and receiving terminals, addressing inefficiencies in existing designs.

JP2025151410APending Publication Date: 2025-10-09DAIKIN INDUSTRIES LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2024052814
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-03-28
Publication Date
2025-10-09

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing remote controllers require inefficient assembly processes and risk damage to power cords during disassembly due to the connection of the circuit board and terminal block via a power cord.

Method used

A remote controller design featuring a rear cover with a terminal block, a power supply terminal, a front cover with a circuit board, and an elastic current-carrying member that connects and disconnects the power supply and receiving terminals when the covers are attached and detached, respectively.

Benefits of technology

Improves assembly workability and reduces damage during disassembly by allowing for easier connection and disconnection of electrical components without applying force to the power cord.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To provide a remote controller that can improve workability during assembly and reduce damage during disassembly, and a method for manufacturing the remote controller.SOLUTION: A remote controller (1) includes a terminal block (3) and a power supply terminal (4) provided on a rear cover (2), a front cover (5) attached to the rear cover (2), a circuit board (6) provided on the front cover (5), a power receiving terminal (7) provided on a circuit board (6), and a current-carrying member (8). The terminal block (3) is connected to a power source, and the power supply terminal (4) is connected to the terminal block (3) at a distance from the terminal block (3). The current-carrying member (8) is located at the power supply terminal (4) or the power receiving terminal (7) when the front cover (5) is removed from the rear cover (2), and elastically deforms upon contact with the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7) when the front cover (5) is attached to the rear cover (2).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a remote controller and a method for manufacturing a remote controller. [Background technology]

[0002] Structures for removing the cover of a remote controller (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a "remote control") have been known for some time (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The wall-mounted remote control described in Patent Document 1 includes a base part that is fixed to the wall, and a cover that is detachably attached to the base part, is formed in a box shape with an open back, and covers the front of the base part.

[0003] An insertion opening is formed through the bottom surface of the cover. A spring hook is provided on the lower front surface of the base, the spring hook having a support portion extending forward from the front surface of the base and a hook portion extending downward from the end of the support portion and then rearward. A hook protrusion that engages with the insertion opening is formed on the underside of the rearward extending portion of the hook portion.

[0004] When the hook protrusion is pressed by a tool inserted through the insertion opening, the hook portion bends upward, disengaging the hook protrusion from the insertion opening. Also, a protrusion indicating the position of the insertion opening is formed on the bottom surface of the cover behind the insertion opening. In this way, the engagement between the hook protrusion and the insertion opening can be disengaged by simply inserting a pressing member through the insertion opening provided on the bottom surface of the cover and pressing the hook protrusion, and the cover can be removed from the base. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-034154 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The wall-mounted remote control described in Patent Document 1 has a terminal block electrically connected to a power source disposed on the base, and a circuit board fixed to the front of the cover is connected to the terminal block via a power cord. Therefore, when attaching the cover to the base, the worker must hold the cover with one hand and connect the terminal block and the circuit board with the power cord with the other hand, which is inefficient. Furthermore, because the terminal block disposed on the base and the circuit board fixed to the cover are connected by a power cord, there is a risk of damaging the power cord when the worker removes the cover from the base.

[0007] The present disclosure provides a remote controller that can improve workability during assembly and reduce damage during disassembly, and a method for manufacturing the remote controller. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a remote controller (1) comprising: a rear cover (2); a terminal block (3) provided on the rear cover (2) and connected to a power source; a power supply terminal (4) provided on the rear cover (2) at a distance from the terminal block (3) and connected to the terminal block (3); a front cover (5) attached to the rear cover (2); a circuit board (6) provided on the front cover (5); a power receiving terminal (7) provided on the circuit board (6); and an electrically conductive member (8) that is disposed at the power supply terminal (4) or the power receiving terminal (7) when the front cover (5) is removed from the rear cover (2), and that contacts and elastically deforms with the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7) when the front cover (5) is attached to the rear cover (2).

[0009] According to the above aspect, it is possible to provide a remote controller (1) that can improve workability during assembly and suppress damage during disassembly.

[0010] The remote controller (1) of the above aspect may further include a power supply board (9) provided on the rear cover (2), and the terminal block (3) and the power supply terminal (4) may be provided on the power supply board (9). With this configuration, by attaching the power supply board (9) to the rear cover (2), the terminal block (3) and the power supply terminal (4) can be attached to the rear cover (2), thereby improving workability when assembling the remote controller (1).

[0011] In the remote controller 1 of the above aspect, the circuit board 6 and the power supply board 9 may be partially or entirely opposed to each other when the front cover 5 is attached to the rear cover 2. This configuration allows the remote controller 1 to be more compact than when the circuit board 6 and the power supply board 9 are not opposed to each other. Also, the power receiving terminal 7 on the circuit board 6 and the power supply terminal 4 on the power supply board 9 are opposed to each other, allowing the current-carrying member 8 to be elastically deformed between the power receiving terminal 7 and the power supply terminal 4.

[0012] In the remote controller (1) of the above aspect, the circuit board (6) may have a power receiving area (IA) on one side where the power receiving terminal (7) is provided, and an exclusion area (EA) on the opposite side of the one side where no electronic components (64) are mounted, at a position corresponding to the power receiving area (IA). With this configuration, even if an elastic force from the current-carrying member (8) acts on the power receiving terminal (7) provided in the power receiving area (IA) and causes bending in the exclusion area (EA) of the circuit board (6), it is possible to avoid any effect on the electronic components (64) mounted on the circuit board (6).

[0013] In the remote controller (1) of the above aspect, the terminal block (3) may be disposed in a position that does not face the circuit board (6) when the front cover (5) is attached to the rear cover (2). With this configuration, when attaching the front cover (5) to the rear cover (2), contact between the front surface of the terminal block (3) provided on the rear cover (2) and the back surface of the circuit board (6) provided on the front cover (5) can be avoided, thereby making it possible to make the remote controller (1) thinner.

[0014] In the remote controller (1) of the above aspect, the height (H) of the current-carrying member (8) in a direction perpendicular to the circuit board (6) may be 10 mm or less when it is in contact with the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7) and elastically deformed. With this configuration, when the front cover (5) is attached to the rear cover (2), the distance between the power supply terminal (4) provided on the rear cover (2) and the power receiving terminal (7) provided on the circuit board (6) of the front cover (5) can be narrowed, thereby making it possible to reduce the thickness of the remote controller (1).

[0015] In the remote controller 1 of the above aspect, the current-carrying member 8 may include a spring 83. With this configuration, when the front cover 5 is attached to the rear cover 2, the current-carrying member 8 comes into contact with the power supply terminal 4 and the power receiving terminal 7, and the spring 83 of the current-carrying member 8 elastically deforms, thereby establishing electrical continuity between the power supply terminal 4 and the power receiving terminal 7 via the current-carrying member 8. Furthermore, when the front cover 5 is removed from the rear cover 2, the current-carrying member 8 separates from at least one of the power supply terminal 4 and the power receiving terminal 7, causing the spring 83 to return to its original elastic deformation, thereby disengaging electrical continuity between the power supply terminal 4 and the power receiving terminal 7.

[0016] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method (PM) for manufacturing a remote controller, including: a step (P1) of connecting a terminal block (3) provided on a rear cover (2) to a power source; and a step (P2) of attaching a front cover (5) to the rear cover (2) with a current-carrying member (8) placed on a power supply terminal (4) provided on the rear cover (2) at a distance from the terminal block (3) and connected to the terminal block (3), or on a power receiving terminal (7) of a circuit board (6) provided on the front cover (5), thereby bringing the current-carrying member (8) into contact with the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7) and elastically deforming the same.

[0017] According to the above aspect, it is possible to provide a manufacturing method (PM) for a remote controller that can improve workability during assembly and suppress damage during disassembly. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a remote controller (1) according to the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the remote controller (1) shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled remote controller (1) taken along line III-III in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 1 is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a remote control (PM) according to the present disclosure. [Figure 5] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the current-carrying member (8) of the remote controller (1) shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a remote controller (1) and a method for manufacturing a remote controller (PM) according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0020] Fig. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a remote controller 1 according to the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the remote controller 1 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the assembled remote controller 1 taken along line III-III in Fig. 2.

[0021] The remote controller (1) of this embodiment is, for example, a control panel for operating an indoor unit (IU) of an air conditioner. The remote controller (1) of this embodiment is, for example, a wired remote controller that is fixed to a wall surface in a room and receives power from the indoor unit (IU) via a power cord (SC).

[0022] The remote controller 1 includes, for example, a rear cover 2, a terminal block 3, a power supply terminal 4, a front cover 5, a circuit board 6, a power receiving terminal 7, and a current-carrying member 8. The remote controller 1 may further include, for example, a power supply board 9 provided on the rear cover 2.

[0023] The rear cover (2) has, for example, a rectangular frame-shaped peripheral wall (21) and a rectangular flat rear wall (22) that closes an opening at the rear end of the peripheral wall (21). The rear cover (2) is, for example, a lower case that forms the rear side of the housing of the remote controller (1). If the remote controller (1) includes a power supply board (9), the power supply board (9) is fixed to the rear wall (22) of the rear cover (2) via a fastening member such as a screw.

[0024] The rear wall portion (22) of the rear cover (2) has, for example, a wiring through-hole (23) through which a power cord (SC) connected to the power terminals (N, P) of the indoor unit (IU) is inserted, and a plurality of protrusions (24) each having a through-hole (22a). The rear cover (2) is fixed to the indoor wall surface, for example, by inserting the power cord (SC) through the wiring through-hole (23) and then screwing screws into the wall surface through the through-holes (22a) of the plurality of protrusions (24). The protrusions (24) limit the size of the screw heads to prevent them from interfering with the circuit board (6) or the electronic components (64). The peripheral wall portion (21) of the rear cover (2) has, at its open front end, tabs or grooves for attaching the front cover (5).

[0025] The terminal block (3) is provided on the rear cover (2) and connected to the power supply. Specifically, the terminal block (3) is provided, for example, on a power supply board (9) fixed to the rear cover (2) and connected to the power supply terminals (N, P) of the indoor unit (IU) via a power cord (SC). The terminal block (3) has, for example, a metal connection part (31) and a resin base part (32). The connection part (31) is electrically connected to the power supply terminals (N, P) via the power cord (SC) by, for example, clamping the end of the power cord (SC) from which the insulating coating has been removed between metal parts and fixing it with a screw. The base part (32) is fixed, for example, to the surface of the power supply board (9) and supports the connection part (31).

[0026] The power supply terminal (4) is provided on the rear cover (2) at a distance from the terminal block (3) and is connected to the terminal block (3). Specifically, the power supply terminal (4) is provided, for example, on a power supply board (9) fixed to the rear cover (2) at a distance from the terminal block (3) and is electrically connected to the terminal block (3) via a wiring pattern (91) formed on the surface of the power supply board (9). As a result, the power supply terminal (4) is connected to power supply terminals (N, P) of the indoor unit (IU), which is the power source, via, for example, the wiring pattern (91), the terminal block (3), and the power cord (SC).

[0027] If the remote controller 1 does not have a power supply board 9, the terminal block 3 and the power supply terminal 4 may be fixed to the rear wall 22 of the rear cover 2. In this case, the power supply terminal 4 may be configured as, for example, a metal connection terminal, and may be connected to the terminal block 3 via a wire.

[0028] The front cover (5) is attached to the rear cover (2). The front cover (5) is, for example, an upper case that constitutes the front portion of the housing of the remote controller (1). Like the rear cover (2), the front cover (5) has, for example, a rectangular frame-shaped peripheral wall portion (51) and a rectangular flat front wall portion (52) that closes the opening at the front end of the peripheral wall portion (51). The circuit board (6) is fixed to the front wall portion (52) of the front cover (5) by a fastening member such as a screw. The peripheral wall portion (51) of the front cover (5) has, for example, a groove or claw at the rear end, which is the opening end, that fits into a claw or groove in the rear cover (2).

[0029] To attach the front cover (5) to the rear cover (2), for example, a claw provided at the front end of the peripheral wall portion (21) of the rear cover (2) is fitted into a groove provided at the rear end of the peripheral wall portion (51) of the front cover (5). To remove the front cover (5) from the rear cover (2), for example, the front cover (5) is moved away from the rear cover (2) while elastically deforming the claw of the rear cover (2), thereby releasing the engagement between the claw of the rear cover (2) and the groove of the front cover (5).

[0030] The front wall portion (52) of the front cover (5) has, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, an opening (52a), an ON / OFF button (53), an up button (54), a down button (55), a left button (56), and a right button (57).

[0031] The opening (52a) in the front wall (52) is, for example, a rectangular through-hole provided in the center of the front wall (52) and exposes a liquid crystal display unit of a liquid crystal display device (61) mounted on the circuit board (6). The on / off button (53) is, for example, a button for starting and stopping the indoor unit (IU). The up button (54) and the down button (55) are, for example, buttons for selecting or changing the temperature setting, airflow setting, airflow direction setting, operation mode, and other setting items of the indoor unit (IU). The left button (56) and the right button (57) are, for example, used to switch the display screen displayed on the liquid crystal display unit of the liquid crystal display device (61), select a menu, etc.

[0032] The circuit board 6 is provided on the front cover 5. The circuit board 6 is fixed, for example, to the rear side of the front wall portion 52 of the front cover 5 via fastening members such as screws. A plurality of electronic components 64, including a liquid crystal display device 61, are mounted on the surface of the circuit board 6 facing the front wall portion 52 of the front cover 5. The electronic components 64 mounted on the circuit board 6 include, for example, a microcontroller 64a, a flash memory 64b, sensors 64c, 64d, 64e, 64f, 64g, a communication device, a wireless communication device, etc.

[0033] The microcontroller (64a) includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), memories such as ROM and RAM, a timer, and an input / output unit, and realizes various functions of the remote controller (1) by executing programs stored in a flash memory (64b) or the like. The microcontroller (64a) controls, for example, a liquid crystal display (61) to display images and text information on the liquid crystal display. The microcontroller (64a) also controls, for example, a communication device to communicate with the indoor unit (IU) via the wiring (63) of the circuit board (6), the power receiving terminal (7), the current-carrying member (8), the power supply terminal (4), the wiring pattern (91) of the power supply board (9), the terminal block (3), and the power cord (SC). The microcontroller (64a) may also control, for example, a wireless communication device to transmit a control signal corresponding to the operation of the remote controller (1) to the indoor unit (IU) via wireless communication.

[0034] The flash memory 64b stores, for example, various programs executed by the microcontroller 64a. The sensors 64c, 64d, 64e, 64f, 64g are provided corresponding to, for example, the start / stop button 53, the up button 54, the down button 55, the left button 56, and the right button 57 on the front cover 5. The sensors 64c, 64d, 64e, 64f, 64g detect, for example, the operation of each button and output a signal corresponding to the operation of each button to the microcontroller 64a.

[0035] The power receiving terminal (7) is provided on the circuit board (6). The power receiving terminal (7) is provided, for example, on the surface of the circuit board (6) facing the rear cover (2) at a position corresponding to the power supply terminal (4) provided on the rear cover (2). In the example shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the power receiving terminal (7) is provided at a position facing the power supply terminal (4) provided on the power supply board (9) fixed to the rear cover (2) when the front cover (5) is attached to the rear cover (2). Note that the power receiving terminal (7) need not necessarily be provided at a position facing the power supply terminal (4) as long as it is located at a position where it can be connected to the power supply terminal (4) via the current-carrying member (8).

[0036] The current-carrying member (8) is disposed on the power supply terminal (4) or the power receiving terminal (7) when the front cover (5) is removed from the rear cover (2). In the example shown in FIG. 2, the current-carrying member (8) is disposed on the power receiving terminal (7) by, for example, joining one end of the current-carrying member (8) to the power receiving terminal (7) of the circuit board (6) by soldering or the like. Alternatively, the current-carrying member (8) may be fixed to the circuit board (6) by press-fitting or the like and connected to the power receiving terminal (7). Alternatively, the current-carrying member (8) may be disposed on the power supply terminal (4) provided on the rear cover (2) instead of on the power receiving terminal (7).

[0037] As shown in Fig. 3, when the front cover (5) is attached to the rear cover (2), the current-carrying member (8) comes into contact with the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7) and elastically deforms in the direction of arrow (A). In this state, the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7) are electrically connected via the current-carrying member (8). As a result, power supplied from the power supply terminals (N, P) of the indoor unit (IU) to the power supply terminal (4) via the power cord (SC), the terminal block (3), and the wiring pattern (91) is supplied to the liquid crystal display device (61), electronic components (64), and the like on the circuit board (6) via the current-carrying member (8), the power receiving terminal (7), and wiring (63) formed on the circuit board (6).

[0038] The current-carrying member (8) includes, for example, a main body (81) and a tip end (82). The current-carrying member (8) also includes, for example, a spring (83). The main body (81) is, for example, a cylindrical member made of a conductive metal. The tip end (82) is, for example, a conductive metal member, housed inside the cylindrical main body (81), and supported so as to be expandable and contractible in the axial direction of the main body (81). The spring (83) is, for example, a coil spring made of a conductive metal, and is arranged inside the cylindrical main body (81) in an elastically compressed state. The spring (83) applies an elastic force to the base of the tip end (82), which is housed inside the main body (81), in a direction toward the tip of the tip end (82).

[0039] With this configuration, when a force in the direction of arrow (A) directed toward the main body (81) is applied to the tip of the tip portion (82) of the current-carrying member (8), the spring (83) elastically deforms in the direction of arrow (A), causing the tip portion (82) to contract in the direction of arrow (A). Furthermore, when the force applied to the tip of the tip portion (82) in the direction of arrow (A) is removed, the spring (83) returns to its original elastic deformation, causing the tip portion (82) to expand in the direction opposite to the direction of arrow (A).

[0040] As shown in Fig. 3, the current-carrying member 8 has a height (H) of 10 mm or less in a direction perpendicular to the circuit board 6 when it is in contact with the power supply terminal 4 and the power receiving terminal 7 and elastically deformed. The configuration of the current-carrying member 8 shown in Fig. 3 is an example and is not particularly limited. For example, the current-carrying member 8 may be a leaf spring that elastically deforms in a direction perpendicular to the circuit board 6, or a connection terminal including such a leaf spring.

[0041] The power supply board (9) is provided on the rear cover (2). The power supply board (9) is fixed to the rear wall portion (22) of the rear cover (2) via fastening members such as screws. A terminal block (3) and a power supply terminal (4) are provided on the surface of the power supply board (9) facing the front cover (5). The power supply board (9) also has a wiring pattern (91) that connects the terminal block (3) and the power supply terminal (4). Thus, power supplied from the indoor unit (IU) to the terminal block (3) via the power cord (SC) is supplied to the power supply terminal (4) via the wiring pattern (91).

[0042] 2 and 3, the circuit board 6 provided on the front cover 5 of the remote controller 1 of this embodiment has a power receiving area IA on one side facing the rear cover 2, where a power receiving terminal 7 is provided. The circuit board 6 also has an exclusion area EA on the opposite side of the front cover 2, where no electronic components 64 are mounted, at a position corresponding to the power receiving area IA. The exclusion area EA has, for example, wiring 63 and vias connecting the power receiving terminal 7 and the wiring 63 formed therein.

[0043] The power receiving area (IA) is an area having a predetermined area including the power receiving terminal (7) and its surroundings on one side of the circuit board (6) facing the rear cover (2), as shown by the outer edge of a two-dot chain line in Fig. 2. The exclusion area (EA) is provided on the opposite side of the circuit board (6) facing the front cover (5), at a position corresponding to the power receiving area (IA), with a size and shape corresponding to the power receiving area (IA), as shown by the outer edge of a dashed line in Fig. 2.

[0044] Furthermore, the remote controller 1 of this embodiment is configured such that, for example, when the front cover 5 is attached to the rear cover 2, the circuit board 6 and the power supply board 9 are partially or entirely opposed to each other. Specifically, in the example shown in Figures 2 and 3, when the front cover 5 is attached to the rear cover 2, a portion of the circuit board 6 and a portion of the power supply board 9 are opposed to each other.

[0045] More specifically, the circuit board 6 attached to the front cover 5 has a notch 62 at a position corresponding to the terminal block 3 provided on the rear cover 2. The power supply board 9 is smaller than the circuit board 6. Therefore, when the front cover 5 is attached to the rear cover 2, the power supply board 9 faces the circuit board 6 except for the portion facing the notch 62.

[0046] If the circuit board 6 does not have the notch 62, the entire power supply board 9, which is smaller than the circuit board 6, may be placed opposite the circuit board 6. If the circuit board 6 and the power supply board 9 have the same shape and size, the entire circuit board 6 and the entire power supply board 9 may be placed opposite each other.

[0047] In the remote controller 1 of this embodiment, the terminal block 3 provided on the rear cover 2 is disposed, for example, at a position that does not face the circuit board 6 when the front cover 5 is attached to the rear cover 2. Specifically, in the example shown in Figures 2 and 3, the terminal block 3 on the rear cover 2 is disposed at a position corresponding to the notch 62 provided on the circuit board 6 of the front cover 5.

[0048] As a result, as shown in Fig. 3, when the front cover (5) is attached to the rear cover (2), the terminal block (3) does not face the circuit board (6) but is disposed inside the notch (62) of the circuit board (6). As a result, the distance between the circuit board (6) and the power supply board (9), which is equal to the height (H) of the current-carrying member (8) shown in Fig. 3, is narrower than the height of the terminal block (3) in the direction perpendicular to the circuit board (6).

[0049] Next, an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a remote controller (PM) according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a flow diagram showing an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a remote controller (PM) according to the present disclosure.

[0050] The remote controller (1) of the above-described embodiment can be manufactured by the remote controller manufacturing method (PM) shown in Fig. 4. The remote controller manufacturing method (PM) of this embodiment includes a step (P1) of connecting the terminal block (3) to a power source and a step (P2) of attaching the front cover (5) to the rear cover (2).

[0051] 4 starts, the process (PM) of connecting the terminal block (3) on the rear cover (2) to a power source is first carried out. In this process (P1), the rear cover (2) provided with the terminal block (3) and the power supply terminal (4) and the front cover (5) provided with the circuit board (6) are prepared in advance.

[0052] When the remote controller (1) is a wired remote controller, for example, a power cord (SC) connected to the power terminals (N, P) of the indoor unit (IU) is inserted into the through-hole (23) of the rear cover (2). Then, a screw inserted into the through-hole (22a) of the rear cover (2) is screwed into the wall of the room to fix the rear cover (2) to the wall. Thereafter, the power cord (SC) inserted into the through-hole (23) of the rear cover (2) is connected to the terminal block (3), and the terminal block (3) is connected to the power terminals (N, P) of the indoor unit (IU), which is the power source.

[0053] In addition, when the remote controller (1) is a wireless remote controller, for example, by inserting a battery into the battery box provided in the back cover (2), the terminal block (3) is connected to the battery, which is the power source, via a wire connecting the battery box and the terminal block (3).

[0054] Next, a step (P2) of attaching the front cover (5) to the rear cover (2) is performed. In this step (P2), for example, the front cover (5) is attached to the rear cover (2) in a state in which the current-carrying member (8) is disposed on the power supply terminal (4) that is provided on the rear cover (2) at a distance from the terminal block (3) and connected to the terminal block (3). Note that the current-carrying member (8) may be disposed on the power receiving terminal (7) of the circuit board (6) provided on the front cover (5).

[0055] Specifically, in this step (P2), for example, a claw provided at the front end of the peripheral wall portion (21) of the rear cover (2) is fitted into a groove provided at the rear end of the peripheral wall portion (51) of the front cover (5). As a result, the front cover (5) is attached to the rear cover (2), and the current-carrying member (8) comes into contact with the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7) and is elastically deformed, as shown in FIG.

[0056] 2 and 3 are connected to the power supply terminals (N, P) of the indoor unit (IU) via the wires (63), the power receiving terminals (7), the current-carrying members (8), the power supply terminals (4), the wiring pattern (91), the terminal block (3), and the power cord (SC). If the remote controller (1) is a wireless remote control, the liquid crystal display (61), the electronic components (64), and the like on the circuit board (6) are connected to the battery (61) housed in the battery box via the wires (63), the power receiving terminals (7), the current-carrying members (8), the power supply terminals (4), the wiring pattern (91), the terminal block (3), and the power cord (SC).

[0057] As described above, the manufacturing method (PM) for the remote controller shown in FIG. 4 is completed, and the remote controller (1) as shown in FIG. 1 can be manufactured.

[0058] The operation of the remote controller (1) and the manufacturing method (PM) of the remote controller of this embodiment will be described below.

[0059] As described above, the remote controller 1 of this embodiment includes a rear cover 2, a terminal block 3 provided on the rear cover 2 and connected to a power source, and a power supply terminal 4 provided on the rear cover 2 at a distance from the terminal block 3 and connected to the terminal block 3. The remote controller 1 also includes a front cover 5 attached to the rear cover 2, a circuit board 6 provided on the front cover 5, a power receiving terminal 7 provided on the circuit board 6, and a current-carrying member 8. The current-carrying member 8 is disposed at the power supply terminal 4 or the power receiving terminal 7 when the front cover 5 is removed from the rear cover 2, and elastically deforms upon contact with the power supply terminal 4 and the power receiving terminal 7 when the front cover 5 is attached to the rear cover 2.

[0060] With this configuration, by attaching the front cover (5) to the rear cover (2), the current-carrying member (8) is elastically deformed while in contact with the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7), and the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7) are electrically connected via the current-carrying member (8). This eliminates the need for a complicated operation such as connecting the terminal block (3) of the rear cover (2) and the circuit board (6) of the front cover (5) via wiring while holding the front cover (5) with one hand, thereby improving the workability when assembling the remote controller (1).

[0061] Furthermore, by removing the front cover 5 from the rear cover 2, the current-carrying member 8 is separated from the power supply terminal 4 or the power receiving terminal 7, thereby disconnecting the power supply terminal 4 from the power receiving terminal 7. This prevents force from being applied to the wiring connecting the terminal block 3 of the rear cover 2 to the circuit board 6 of the front cover 5 when removing the front cover 5 from the rear cover 2, thereby reducing damage to the remote controller 1 during disassembly. Therefore, this embodiment provides a remote controller 1 that can be assembled more easily and that reduces damage during disassembly.

[0062] The remote controller 1 of this embodiment further includes a power supply board 9 provided on the rear cover 2. The terminal block 3 and the power supply terminal 4 are provided on the power supply board 9.

[0063] With this configuration, by attaching the power supply board 9 to the rear cover 2, the terminal block 3 and the power supply terminal 4 can be attached to the rear cover 2. Therefore, according to the remote controller 1 of this embodiment, the workability during assembly of the remote controller 1 can be further improved.

[0064] In addition, in the remote controller (1) of this embodiment, when the front cover (5) is attached to the rear cover (2), the circuit board (6) and the power supply board (9) face each other partially or entirely.

[0065] With this configuration, the remote controller 1 of this embodiment can reduce the installation area of ​​the circuit board 6 and the power supply board 9 compared to when the circuit board 6 and the power supply board 9 are not positioned opposite each other, thereby enabling the remote controller 1 to be more compact. Furthermore, when attaching the front cover 5 to the rear cover 2, the current-carrying member 8 can be compressed and elastically deformed between the opposing circuit board 6 and power supply board 9.

[0066] In addition, in the remote controller (1) of this embodiment, the circuit board (6) has a power receiving area (IA) on one side where a power receiving terminal (7) is provided, and has an exclusion area (EA) on the opposite side at a position corresponding to the power receiving area (IA) where no electronic components (64) are mounted.

[0067] With this configuration, in the remote controller 1 of this embodiment, an elastic force from the current-carrying member 8 acts on the power receiving terminals 7 provided in the power receiving area IA, which may cause bending in the exclusion area EA of the circuit board 6. However, no electronic components 64 are mounted in the exclusion area EA. This prevents the electronic components 64 mounted on the circuit board 6 from being affected by the bending of the exclusion area EA.

[0068] In the remote controller (1) of this embodiment, the terminal block (3) is disposed at a position that does not face the circuit board (6) when the front cover (5) is attached to the rear cover (2).

[0069] With this configuration, when attaching the front cover 5 to the rear cover 2, it is possible to prevent contact between the front surface of the terminal block 3 provided on the rear cover 2 and the rear surface of the circuit board 6 provided on the front cover 5, thereby narrowing the gap between the rear cover 2 and the front cover 5. Therefore, according to the remote controller 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to make the remote controller 1 thinner.

[0070] In addition, in the remote controller (1) of this embodiment, the height (H) of the current-carrying member (8) in a direction perpendicular to the circuit board (6) is 10 mm or less when it is in contact with the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7) and elastically deformed.

[0071] With this configuration, when the front cover 5 is attached to the rear cover 2, the distance between the power supply terminal 4 provided on the rear cover 2 and the power receiving terminal 7 provided on the circuit board 6 of the front cover 5 can be reduced. Therefore, the remote controller 1 of this embodiment can be made thinner.

[0072] In the remote controller (1) of this embodiment, the current-carrying member (8) includes a spring (83).

[0073] With this configuration, when attaching the front cover 5 to the rear cover 2, the spring 83 of the current-carrying member 8 is elastically deformed to bring the current-carrying member 8 into contact with the power supply terminal 4 and the power receiving terminal 7, thereby establishing electrical continuity between the power supply terminal 4 and the power receiving terminal 7 via the current-carrying member 8. When removing the front cover 5 from the rear cover 2, the current-carrying member 8 moves away from at least one of the power supply terminal 4 and the power receiving terminal 7, thereby releasing electrical continuity between the power supply terminal 4 and the power receiving terminal 7 and restoring the elastic deformation of the spring 83.

[0074] The manufacturing method (PM) of the remote controller of this embodiment includes a step (P1) of connecting the terminal block (3) provided on the rear cover (2) to a power source, and a step (P2) of attaching the front cover (5) to the rear cover (2) to bring the current-carrying member (8) into contact with the power supply terminals (4) and the power receiving terminals (7) and elastically deform the current-carrying member (8). The step (P2) of attaching the front cover (5) to the rear cover (2) is performed in a state where the current-carrying member (8) is disposed on the power supply terminals (4) provided on the rear cover (2) and connected to the terminal block (3) at a distance from the terminal block (3), or on the power receiving terminals (7) of the circuit board (6) provided on the front cover (5).

[0075] With this configuration, in the step (P2) of attaching the front cover (5) to the rear cover (2), the current-carrying member (8) is elastically deformed while in contact with the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7), and the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7) can be electrically connected via the current-carrying member (8). This eliminates the need for a complicated operation such as connecting the terminal block (3) of the rear cover (2) and the circuit board (6) of the front cover (5) via wiring while holding the front cover (5) with one hand, thereby improving the workability when assembling the remote controller (1).

[0076] Furthermore, when disassembling the remote controller 1, the action of removing the front cover 5 from the rear cover 2 separates the current-carrying member 8 from the power supply terminal 4 or the power receiving terminal 7, thereby disconnecting the power supply terminal 4 and the power receiving terminal 7. This prevents force from being applied to the wiring connecting the terminal block 3 of the rear cover 2 to the circuit board 6 of the front cover 5 when removing the front cover 5 from the rear cover 2, thereby minimizing damage to the remote controller 1 during disassembly. Therefore, this embodiment provides a remote controller manufacturing method (PM) that improves assembly workability and minimizes damage during disassembly.

[0077] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a remote controller (1) that can improve workability during assembly and suppress damage during disassembly, and a manufacturing method (PM) for the remote controller. Note that the configuration of the remote controller (1) according to the present disclosure is not limited to the configuration of the remote controller (1) of the above-described embodiment. Below, a modified example of the remote controller (1) of the above-described embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

[0078] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the current-carrying member 8 of the remote controller 1 shown in FIG. 3. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the current-carrying member 8 is a leaf spring. The current-carrying member 8 is made elastically deformable, for example, by bending a flat metal plate. The current-carrying member 8 has, for example, a base 84 fixed to the power supply board 9 and a tip 85 bent at a predetermined angle relative to the base 84. The current-carrying member 8 is connected to the power supply terminal 4 by, for example, fixing one end of the base 84 to the power supply board 9 by soldering or press-fitting.

[0079] With this configuration, when attaching the front cover (5) to the rear cover (2), the tip (85) of the current-carrying member (8) is brought into contact with the power receiving terminal (7) of the circuit board (6) and a force is applied, causing the current-carrying member (8) to elastically deform as shown by arrow (B) in Figure 5. As a result, the angle between the base (84) and the tip (85) becomes smaller, and the tip (85) is urged in the direction opposite to the arrow (B) and connected to the power receiving terminal (7) of the circuit board (6). This allows electrical conduction between the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7) via the current-carrying member (8).

[0080] Furthermore, when the front cover (5) is removed from the rear cover (2), the tip (85) of the current-carrying member (8) moves away from the power receiving terminal (7), which breaks the electrical connection between the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7), and the elastic deformation of the current-carrying member (8) returns to its original position in the direction opposite to the arrow (B). Note that, contrary to the example shown in Fig. 5, the base (84) of the current-carrying member (8) may be fixed to the circuit board (6) and connected to the power receiving terminal (7), and the tip (85) of the current-carrying member (8) may be brought into contact with the power supply terminal (4) of the power supply board (9).

[0081] The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above in detail. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various modifications or substitutions may be applied to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, features described separately may be combined unless technical contradictions arise.

[0082] In the above embodiment, an example in which the remote controller (1) is a wired remote controller has been described, but the remote controller (1) according to the present disclosure may be a portable wireless remote controller equipped with a battery. In this case, for example, a battery box that houses a battery as a power source is provided in the rear cover (2), and the battery box and the terminal block (3) are connected by a power cord (SC). [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1 remote controller 2 Rear cover 3 Terminal block 4 Power supply terminal 5 Front cover 6 Circuit Board 7 Power receiving terminal 8 Conductive materials 83 Spring 9 Power Supply Board EA exclusion area H Height IA power receiving area MP Remote Controller Manufacturing Method P1 process P2 process

Claims

1. Rear cover (2) and a terminal block (3) provided on the rear cover (2) and connected to a power source; a power supply terminal (4) provided on the rear cover (2) at a distance from the terminal block (3) and connected to the terminal block (3); a front cover (5) attached to the rear cover (2); a circuit board (6) provided on the front cover (5); a power receiving terminal (7) provided on the circuit board (6); and a current-carrying member (8) that is arranged on the power supply terminal (4) or the power receiving terminal (7) when the front cover (5) is removed from the rear cover (2), and that comes into contact with the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7) and elastically deforms when the front cover (5) is attached to the rear cover (2). Remote controller(1)

2. The device further includes a power supply board (9) provided on the rear cover (2), The terminal block (3) and the power supply terminal (4) are provided on the power supply board (9). A remote controller (1) according to claim 1.

3. When the front cover (5) is attached to the rear cover (2), the circuit board (6) and the power supply board (9) face each other partially or entirely. A remote controller (1) according to claim 2.

4. The circuit board (6) has a power receiving area (IA) on one surface where the power receiving terminal (7) is provided, and an exclusion area (EA) on the surface opposite to the one surface, where no electronic component (64) is mounted, at a position corresponding to the power receiving area (IA). A remote controller (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The terminal block (3) is disposed at a position that does not face the circuit board (6) when the front cover (5) is attached to the rear cover (2). A remote controller (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. The height (H) of the current-carrying member (8) in a direction perpendicular to the circuit board (6) is 10 mm or less when the current-carrying member (8) is in contact with the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7) and elastically deformed. A remote controller (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. The current-carrying member (8) includes a spring (83). A remote controller (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

8. A step (P1) of connecting a terminal block (3) provided on the rear cover (2) to a power source; and a step (P2) of attaching the front cover (5) to the rear cover (2) in a state in which a current-carrying member (8) is arranged on a power supply terminal (4) provided on the rear cover (2) at a distance from the terminal block (3) and connected to the terminal block (3), or on a power receiving terminal (7) of a circuit board (6) provided on the front cover (5), thereby bringing the current-carrying member (8) into contact with the power supply terminal (4) and the power receiving terminal (7) and elastically deforming the same. Remote controller manufacturing method (PM).

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Wall-mounting remote control

    JP2016034154A