Jack mounting structure

Abstract

The present invention provides a jack mounting structure that offers resistance to external forces and waterproofing while suppressing an increase in the number of parts and cost. [Solution] The jack mounting structure (JK) comprises a jack (171) having a cylindrical insertion portion (171d), a housing (11) having a hole (11a1) into which the insertion portion (171d) enters, and a packing (15) interposed between the housing (11) and the jack (171) to softly support the jack (171) relative to the housing (11), the packing (15) having a main body portion (153) and a connecting portion (151) that protrudes from the main body portion (153) and covers the outer circumference of the insertion portion (171d), and the packing (15) has a fin portion (151b) that expands in diameter as it moves away from the tip portion, and the fin portion (151b) is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the hole (11a1).

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a jack mounting structure.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes, as a prior art, a jack mounting structure in which an FPC to which a jack unit is soldered and mounted on a circuit board is locked by a locking claw having elasticity on the frame side. In this jack mounting structure, the FPC is given a degree of freedom of movement within the range allowed by the elastic deformation of the locking claw, so that stress concentration at the electrical connection portion between the jack and the FPC can be reduced when an external force is applied. That is, it has external force resistance. On the other hand, Patent Document 2 describes a structure in which a waterproof packing is interposed to obtain waterproofness in a jack mounting structure for mounting a jack on a housing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When adding waterproofness to the jack mounting structure having external force resistance described in Patent Document 1, if the waterproof packing described in Patent Document 2 is used, the number of parts increases and the cost increases. Therefore, a jack mounting structure having external force resistance and waterproofness and capable of suppressing an increase in the number of parts and cost is desired.

[0005] That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a jack mounting structure having external force resistance and waterproofness and capable of suppressing an increase in the number of parts and cost. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has the following configuration 1) in one aspect. 1) A jack having a cylindrical insertion part, A housing having a hole into which the insertion portion enters, A packing having a main body and a connecting portion that protrudes from the main body and covers the outer circumference of the insertion portion, interposed between the housing and the jack to softly support the jack relative to the housing, Equipped with, The packing has fins that extend from the tip of the connecting portion all the way around toward the main body portion, and whose diameter widens as they move away from the tip portion. The jack mounting structure is such that the fin portion is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the hole portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to achieve the effect of suppressing an increase in the number of parts and an increase in cost while maintaining resistance to external forces and waterproofing. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a jack mounting structure JK according to one aspect of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the state with the cover 13 removed, as shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the assembled jack mounting structure JK. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken at the S4-S4 position in Figure 1. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view at position S5-S5 in Figure 1. [Figure 6A] Figure 6A is a first diagram illustrating how the jack body JT of the jack mounting structure JK is attached to the housing 11. [Figure 6B]Figure 6B is a second diagram illustrating how the jack body JT of the jack mounting structure JK is attached to the housing 11. [Figure 7A] Figure 7A is a partial cross-sectional view showing a first aspect of the fin portion 151b. [Figure 7B] Figure 7B is a partial cross-sectional view showing a second aspect of the fin portion 151b. [Figure 7C] Figure 7C is a partial cross-sectional view showing a third aspect of the fin portion 151b. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] A jack mounting structure JK, which is one embodiment of the present invention, will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a jack mounting structure JK according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the state with the cover 13 in Figure 1 removed. Figure 3 is a perspective assembly view of the jack mounting structure JK. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view at position S4-S4 in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view at position S5-S5 in Figure 1. In the following description, the up, down, left, right, front, and back directions are defined by arrows in Figure 1. These directions are based on the general usage orientation of the portable radio 91, which is an electronic device equipped with the jack mounting structure JK, and do not limit the arrangement or usage orientation of the jack mounting structure JK.

[0010] In the following example, the jack mounting structure JK is mounted on a portable radio 91, which is an electronic device. The portable radio 91 has a flat, vertically elongated rectangular body 1. In a typical usage position, the length of the body 1 is in the vertical direction and the thickness is in the front-to-back direction; therefore, in Figure 1, each direction in this usage position is indicated by arrows.

[0011] The main body 1 of the mobile radio 91 has a housing divided into two parts in the front-rear direction. Fig. 1 shows the rear housing 11 after removing the front housing and a part of its interior. As shown in Fig. 1, a plug connection part JKP for inserting and removing the plug 8 is provided on the upper right side of the main body 1. As shown in Fig. 3, the plug connection part JKP is composed of a combination of the housing 11, the circuit board 12, the flexible printed circuit board 14 (FPC14), the reinforcing plate 16, the jack part 17, and the packing 15. The jack part 17 is a combination of the first jack 171 and the second jack 172.

[0012] The housing 11 is formed of resin, and a recess 11a that is long in the vertical direction is formed in the upper part of the right side surface. As shown in Figs. 3 to 5, a pair of circular insertion holes, the first hole part 11a1 and the second hole part 11a2, are formed at the bottom 11a3 of the recess 11a, separated from each other in the vertical direction. The inner diameter of the second hole part 11a2 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the first hole part 11a1.

[0013] The first connection part 151 and the second connection part 152, which are parts of the packing 15 covered by the cover 13, are fitted into the first hole part 11a1 and the second hole part 11a2 of the recess 11a and are annularly exposed to the outside. The first connection part 151 and the second connection part 152 each have insertion ports 151a and 152a that are circular holes. The inner diameter of the insertion port 151a is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the insertion port 152a.

[0014] Inside the housing 11, a circuit board 12 is disposed. By means of co-fastening using the mounting holes 12b of the circuit board 12 with small screws N1, a cover 13 formed in a box shape from a thin metal plate is fastened and fixed to a boss (not shown) of the housing 11. An opening 13a (see FIGS. 4 and 5) is formed in the left side portion of the cover 13, and an FPC 14 extends outward from the opening 13a. The FPC 14 has a slack portion 14a that protrudes in an inverted U shape toward the front, and the terminal portion at the left tip is soldered to a pad portion 12a (see FIG. 3) formed on the circuit board 12 and is electrically connected to the circuit board 12 (see FIGS. 2 and 4). Also, on the right end portion side of the FPC 14, a rectangular and thin reinforcing plate 16 is attached, and the reinforcing plate 16 is fixed to the jack portion 17. The terminals of the jack portion 17 are electrically connected to the FPC 14 through an opening (not shown) of the reinforcing plate 16. Thereby, the jack portion 17 and the circuit board 12 are electrically connected via the FPC 14. Specifically, the plug 8 is a plug for connecting a headset (not shown) to the portable radio 91. By inserting the plug 8 into the plug connection portion JKP, the headset and the circuit board 12 are electrically connected via the FPC 14, and the voice signal picked up by the microphone of the headset is transmitted to the voice signal input circuit of the circuit board 12, and at the same time, the voice signal processed by the voice signal output circuit of the circuit board 12 is transmitted to the speaker of the headset to output the voice signal.

[0015] The plug 8 that is inserted into and removed from the jack portion 17 has a main body portion 81 formed of resin, a terminal portion 83 provided on the main body portion 81, and a cable 82 extending from the main body portion 81. The terminal portion 83 has a first plug 831 and a second plug 832 that extend parallel to each other from the main body portion 81. The first plug 831 is slightly larger than the second plug 832 in both length and outer diameter. The first plug 831 and the second plug 832 have the same pitch as the insertion holes 151a and 152a of the plug connection portion JKP, respectively, and can be inserted simultaneously with little play (see arrow DR1).

[0016] Figure 2 shows the state after removing the cover 13 by removing the small screw N1 from the state shown in Figure 1. When the cover 13 is removed, most of the packing 15 is exposed. As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the packing 15 is a member that has a box-shaped main body 153 and encloses the first jack 171 and the second jack 172, and softly holds them in a side-by-side position, and is made of an elastic material. The material is, for example, silicone rubber.

[0017] The first jack 171 and the second jack 172 are each provided with an insertion portion 171d and an insertion portion 172d that protrude outward in a cylindrical shape from the right side of their respective box-shaped bodies. The insertion portions 171d and 172d each have an insertion opening 171b and an insertion opening 172b. The first plug 831 and the second plug 832 of the plug 8 are inserted into and removed from the insertion openings 171b and 172b, respectively.

[0018] The lower surface of the first jack 171 has a right-angled triangular projection 171a that rises towards the left. The upper surface of the second jack 172 has a right-angled triangular projection 172a (see Figure 5) that rises towards the left. The packing 15 has a pair of slits 153a formed on the upper and lower sides of the packing 15 in the portions corresponding to the projections 171a and 172a, so as not to interfere with them (the slit 153a on the upper side is not shown).

[0019] The insertion portion 171d of the first jack 171 and the insertion portion 172d of the second jack 172 are covered by a first connecting portion 151 and a second connecting portion 152 that protrude annularly from the main body portion 153 in the packing 15, respectively. Fin portions 151b and 152b are formed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the first connecting portion 151 and the second connecting portion 152, respectively. As shown in Figures 3 and 6A, the fin portion 151b is connected to the tip portion (right end) of the first connecting portion 151 and extends in an umbrella shape toward the main body portion 153 over its entire circumference. More specifically, the fin portion 151b is a thin-walled, flexible fin-shaped portion whose diameter expands as it extends toward the main body portion 153 on the left. The same applies to the fin portion 152b. The fin portions 151b and 152b are deformable in the direction of diameter reduction (diameter reduction direction), and their outer diameters in their natural state are larger than the inner diameters of the first hole 11a1 and the second hole 11a2, respectively. Furthermore, the inner diameters of the first hole 11a1 and the second hole 11a2 are set to fall within the diameter range in which the fin portions 151b and 152b can be deformed to reduce their diameter.

[0020] As previously described, the FPC 14, whose left end is joined to the pad portion 12a of the circuit board 12, has a reinforcing plate 16 attached to its right end, and the connection terminals of the first jack 171 and the second jack 172 are electrically connected to the wiring pattern of the FPC 14 through an opening (not shown) in the reinforcing plate 16. The FPC 14 and the reinforcing plate 16 constitute the FPC body 14T.

[0021] As shown in Figure 3, a rectangular frame-shaped frame portion 11c is formed at the location of the plug connection portion JKP on the bottom wall 11d, which is the rear side of the housing 11, and protrudes forward. The frame portion 11c has a pair of side frames 11c2 that are spaced parallel to each other in the vertical direction and extend in the left-right direction, and a rear frame 11c1 that connects the left ends of the pair of side frames 11c2 in the vertical direction. Plate-shaped contact ribs 11b that protrude forward and extend long in the left-right direction are provided on the left end side of each of the pair of side frames 11c2.

[0022] As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the jack body JT is formed by attaching the packing 15 over the jack portion 17 connected to the FPC body 14T. The jack body JT can be placed inside the frame portion 11c by tilting the left side forward relative to the housing 11, and then forcefully fitting the first connection portion 151 and the second connection portion 152 of the packing 15 into the first hole 11a1 and the second hole 11a2 from the inside of the housing 11, while tilting the left side backward so that it is parallel to the bottom wall 11d (see Figures 4 and 5). Once the jack body JT is placed inside the housing 11, the cover 13 is placed over it and fixed to the housing 11 with small screws N1 as described above. In this way, the plug connection portion JKP shown in Figures 1, 4, and 5 is formed. As shown in Figure 4, the FPC body 14T extends to the outside through the opening 153b formed on the left side of the main body 153 of the packing 15 and the opening 13a of the cover 13.

[0023] Next, the behavior of this jack mounting structure JK in response to applied external forces will be described. The jack portion 17 is softly supported, that is, loosely covered by the packing 15 with virtually no gaps. Also, as shown in Figure 4, a gap Vb is formed between the rear surface of the packing 15 and the housing 11. Also, as shown in Figure 5, a gap V1 is formed on the lower side and a gap V2 is formed on the upper side between the packing 15 and the pair of side frames 11c2 of the frame portion 11c. Also, as shown in Figure 4, although only the right end of the front surface of the packing 15 is in contact with or close to the cover 13, a gap Vt is formed between the other parts and the cover 13. Also, as shown in Figure 5, a gap V1 is formed on the lower side and a gap V2 is formed on the upper side between the packing 15 and the pair of side frames 11c2 of the frame portion 11c. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the front surface of the packing 15 is in contact with or close to the cover 13 only at its right end, while a gap Vt is formed between the packing 15 and the cover 13 at the other ends. On the other hand, the packing 15 has fin portions 151b and 152b fitted tightly into the first hole 11a1 and second hole 11a2 of the housing 11, respectively. Since the fin portions 151b and 152b are flexible fin-shaped parts, they adhere tightly to the entire circumference of the inner surfaces of the first hole 11a1 and second hole 11a2, respectively, which are inserted tightly, and function as sealing parts that effectively prevent the intrusion of water and dust from the outside.

[0024] As a result, the packing 15 is substantially held in place of the housing 11 solely by the strong fit of the fin portions 151b and 152b. The packing 15 is interposed between the housing 11 and the jack portion 17, preventing water from entering the housing 11 from the outside through the first hole 11a1 and the second hole 11a2. The FPC body 14T extends to the left, with the slack portion 14a in a free state, and its left end is soldered to the pad portion 12a of the circuit board 12. On the other hand, the left ends of the protrusions 171a and 172a of the jack portion 17 are in contact with or close to the right end of the contact rib 11b of the housing 11, and the leftward movement of the jack portion 17 is restricted by contact with the contact rib 11b.

[0025] With the above configuration, when the first plug 831 and the second plug 832 of the plug 8 are inserted into the first jack 171 and the second jack 172 of the jack section 17, and an external force is applied to the main body 81 of the plug 8, the behavior of the jack mounting structure JK is as follows.

[0026] When a force is applied to the jack portion 17 from the main body portion 81 of the plug 8, i.e., a large force to the left, as described above, the protrusions 171a and 172a will come into contact with the contact rib 11b, respectively, and their movement to the left will be restricted. Therefore, no large external force is applied to the FPC body 14T.

[0027] The gaps V1 and V2 are formed such that the fin portions 151b and 152b can be compressed and deformed downward or upward. Therefore, when a large downward or upward force is applied to the jack portion 17 from the main body portion 81, the jack body JT can move in the direction of the applied force (see arrows DR51 and DR52 in Figure 5), and no large force is applied to the holding member of the jack body JT. Furthermore, since the slack portion 14a of the FPC body 14T is maintained in a free state, no large external force is applied to the joint between the FPC body 14T, the pad portion 12a, and the joint.

[0028] The gaps Vt and Vb are formed such that the fin portions 151b and 152b can be compressed and deformed forward or backward. Therefore, when a large force is applied to the jack portion 17 from the main body portion 81 in the forward or backward direction, the jack body JT can move in the direction of the applied force (see arrows DR41 and DR42 in Figure 4), and no large force is applied to the retaining member of the jack body JT. Furthermore, since the slack portion 14a of the FPC body 14T is maintained in a free state, no large external force is applied to the joint between the FPC body 14T, the pad portion 12a, and the joint.

[0029] In this way, gaps V1, V2, Vt, and Vb are formed between the packing 15 and the housing 11, allowing movement in directions other than the insertion direction of the plug 8, which is the pushing direction of the packing 15.

[0030] Movement of the jack portion 17 in response to the application of an external force is permitted not only by the formation of gaps Vb, Vt, V1, V2, but also by the elastic compression of the packing 15. In other words, the jack mounting structure JK is able to move in response to an external force due to the synergistic effect of the gaps Vb, Vt, V1, V2 and the elasticity of the packing 15, thereby making the member holding the jack and the electrical connection part even less susceptible to damage.

[0031] A method for attaching the jack body JT having fin portions 151b and 152b to the housing 11 will be described with reference to Figures 6A and 6B. Figure 6A is a first diagram illustrating the method for attaching the jack body JT of the jack mounting structure JK to the housing 11. Figure 6B is a second diagram illustrating the method for attaching the jack body JT of the jack mounting structure JK to the housing 11.

[0032] The explanation describes how to install the first jack 171, covered with packing 15, into the first hole 11a1, but the method for installing the second jack 172, also covered with packing 15, into the second hole 11a2 is the same. First, as shown in Figure 6A, the jack body JT is tilted so that the insertion opening 151a side is lower (towards the rear), and brought close to the first hole 11a1 from the inside of the housing 11 (see arrow DR5). At this time, the leading edge of the fin portion 151b is brought close so that it abuts against the leftmost corner Pt of the first hole 11a1.

[0033] The corners Pt are areas where burrs are likely to form when the housing 11 is molded from resin, as they are the alignment points of the mold. Therefore, if the part of the packing 15 that contacts the corners Pt is not flexible, the burrs on the corners Pt may catch, deform or scratch the packing 15, and even cause it to detach from the jack 17. In contrast, with the jack mounting structure JK, the part of the packing 15 that contacts the corners Pt has high flexibility and can be deformed to reduce its diameter, so even if burrs are present on the corners Pt, it deforms and slides without being affected by them.

[0034] Next, the front edge of the fin portion 151b is slid against the corner portion Pt to return its orientation to horizontal and insert it to the predetermined position (see arrow DR6). As a result, as shown in Figure 6B, the fin portion 151b is pressed against the inner surface of the first hole portion 11a1, deforming to lie beside the main body portion 153 and making close contact with its inner surface. Similarly, when attaching the fin portion 152b to the second hole portion 11a2, the fin portion 152b is pressed against the inner surface of the second hole portion 11a2, deforming to lie beside the main body portion 153 and making close contact with its inner surface. These fin portions 151b and 152b prevent external water from entering the interior of the housing 11 through the first hole portion 11a1 and the second hole portion 11a2, thereby providing water resistance.

[0035] Next, the left-right relationship between the root position P1, which is the innermost part of the inner surface of the fin portion 151b, and the bottom position 11a3, which is the exit position of the first hole portion 11a1, will be explained with reference to Figures 7A and 7B, which represent the first and second embodiments of the fin portion 151b, respectively. Figure 7A is a partial cross-sectional view showing the first embodiment of the fin portion 151b, and Figure 7B is a partial cross-sectional view showing the second embodiment of the fin portion 151b. Figures 7A and 7B correspond to enlarged views of part A in Figure 6B.

[0036] In the first embodiment, the position P1 of the fin portion 151b is located at a distance La away from the bottom portion 11a3 to the outside (right). In this first embodiment, even if the inner diameter of the first hole portion 11a1 and the outer diameter of the fin portion 151b vary within the dimensional tolerances of normal molding, the fin portion 151b deforms well and adheres well to the inner circumferential surface of the first hole portion 11a1, exhibiting a high sealing effect.

[0037] On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the position P1 of the fin portion 151b is located at a distance Lb to the left of the bottom portion 11a3. In this second embodiment, when the inner diameter of the first hole portion 11a1 and the outer diameter of the fin portion 151b vary greatly within the dimensional tolerances of normal molding, and the diameter difference becomes extremely small, the deformation of the fin portion 151b becomes difficult, and although a waterproofing effect can be obtained, it may not be as strong as in the first embodiment. The same applies to the relationship between the fin portion 152b and the second hole portion 11a2. Therefore, it is desirable to set the dimensions of each part so that the left-right positional relationship between position P1 and the bottom portion 11a3 is as in the first embodiment.

[0038] Furthermore, a third embodiment, in which the distance La is sufficiently large, is shown in Figure 7C. For example, the inner diameter of the first hole 11a1 and the outer diameter of the fin portion 151b may vary so much that they fall outside the dimensional tolerances of normal molding, resulting in the inner diameter of the first hole 11a1 being slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the connection portion between the fin portion 151b and the main body portion 153. Even in this case, if the connection portion is elastically compressed and passed through the first hole 11a1, the tip side of the fin portion 151b (opposite the connection portion) will adhere well to the inner surface of the first hole 11a1, thus providing a waterproofing effect.

[0039] Thus, at least the first embodiment exhibits excellent resistance to dimensional variations, as the waterproofing effect is fully achieved regardless of dimensional variations.

[0040] The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the configurations described above, and may be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0041] The longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the fin portions 151b and 152b is not limited to a so-called umbrella shape, which expands in a curved shape that is convex outward from the connection point with the main body portion 153 towards the tip. For example, it may have at least a portion that expands in a convex outward shape. Furthermore, the longitudinal cross-sectional shape may expand in a linear shape, expand in an inward convex shape, or be a combination of these shapes.

[0042] Although the portable radio 91 was described as an electronic device, it is not limited to this, and other devices (equipment) such as information terminals and music playback devices may also be used. Furthermore, the plug type of plugs 8, 8A and jack 17 is not limited to the phone type described above, and other types such as pin plugs and their jacks, or optical square plugs and their jacks may also be used.

[0043] The FPC 14 does not need to be directly soldered to the pad portion 12a formed on the circuit board 12; it may be electrically connected to the circuit board 12 via a connector (not shown) installed on the circuit board 12. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0044] 1. Main body 11 cabinets 11a Recess 11a1 First hole (insertion hole) 11a2 Second hole (insertion hole) 11a3 bottom 11b Contact rib 11c Frame 11c1 rear frame 11c2 side frame 11d bottom wall 12 Circuit boards 12a Pad section 12b Mounting hole 13 Cover 13a opening 14 Flexible printed circuit boards (FPCs) 14a Slack area 14T FPC body 15 Packing 151 First connection section 151a Insertion port 151b Fin section 152 Second connection section 152a Insertion port 152b Fin section 153 Main body 153a Slit 153b opening 16 Reinforcement plate 17 Jack section 171 First Jack 171a Protrusion 171b Insertion port 171d Insertion part 172 Second Jack 172a Protrusion 172b Insertion port 172d Insertion section 8 plugs 81 Main body 82 Cables 83 Terminal section 831 Plug No. 1 832 Second plug 91. Portable radio (electronic device) JK, Jack mounting structure JKP Plug Connector JT Jack La~Lc distance N1 small screw P1 position Pt corner Vb,Vt,V1,V2 Gap

Claims

1. A jack having a cylindrical insertion part, A housing having a hole into which the insertion portion enters, A packing having a main body and a connecting portion that protrudes from the main body and covers the outer circumference of the insertion portion, interposed between the housing and the jack to softly support the jack relative to the housing, Equipped with, The packing has fins that extend from the tip of the connecting portion all the way around toward the main body portion, and whose diameter widens as they move away from the tip portion. A jack mounting structure in which the fin portion is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the hole portion.

2. The jack mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the innermost position of the innermost part of the fin is located outside the exit position of the hole in the housing.

3. The jack mounting structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the fin portion is a curved shape that is convex outward.

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