Ground connection structure, electrical equipment

Abstract

To contribute to simplifying circuit board assembly work and improving the operational stability of electrical equipment. [Solution] The communication module 10 comprises a circuit board 15, a housing 16 for housing the circuit board 15, and a ground plate 19 for grounding the circuit board 15. The housing 16 has slide grooves 61 and 62 for guiding the circuit board 15 to the assembly position. When the circuit board 15 is pushed into the assembly position along the slide grooves 61 and 62, the contact portion 42 provided on the ground plate 19 is elastically deformed as it is pushed open by the pressing portion 27a of the circuit board 15, and the ground pattern 31 of the circuit board 15 placed in the assembly position and the contact portion 42 come into contact. The housing 16 is provided with a restricting portion 71 in the area surrounding the contact portion 42 to restrict the contact portion 42 from being pressed while the positional displacement of the pressing portion 27a in the thickness direction of the circuit board 15 exceeds an acceptable range during assembly of the circuit board 15.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a ground connection structure for grounding a substrate in an electrical device formed by housing a substrate in a housing.

Background Art

[0002] Some electrical devices such as communication modules in which a substrate is housed in a housing have a metal plate for grounding the substrate mounted thereon. By connecting this plate to a metal control panel or the like, effects such as improvement in the operation stability of the electrical device can be expected. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a connection structure in which an earth clip is expanded and assembled to an end portion of a substrate, so that an earth ground pattern formed at the end portion and the earth clip are connected. According to this type of connection structure, it is possible to contribute to simplification of the configuration related to the ground connection.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the aforementioned electrical equipment, for example, providing a sliding groove for the circuit board on the housing side, and allowing the circuit board to be pushed towards the back of the housing while inserted into the sliding groove, can contribute to simplifying the assembly process. Furthermore, if a clip-shaped housing-side connection part is provided on a plate located at the back of the housing, and the housing-side connection part and the ground pattern (circuit board-side connection part) of the circuit board are connected when the circuit board is pushed into a predetermined assembly position, it can contribute to further simplifying the assembly process. However, when achieving simplification of the circuit board assembly process using the aforementioned sliding groove and connection structure, the following inconveniences may occur due to bending (warping) of the circuit board or variations (tilting) in the orientation of the circuit board when it is pushed in. Specifically, when the circuit board is pushed towards the back of the housing, the circuit board may crush the housing-side connection part, resulting in the circuit board placement work being completed with an incomplete ground connection. This is undesirable for properly achieving effects such as improved operational stability of the electrical equipment. Thus, in order to simplify the assembly process of circuit boards while improving the operational stability of electrical equipment, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to the ground connection of circuit boards.

[0005] This invention has been made in view of the problems exemplified above, and its main purpose is to contribute to simplifying the assembly work of circuit boards and improving the operational stability of electrical equipment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first means is a ground connection structure (ground connection structure 90) applied to an electrical device (communication module 10) comprising a circuit board (circuit board 15) and a housing (housing 16) that houses the circuit board, for grounding the circuit board assembled to the housing, The enclosure is provided with guide grooves (slide grooves 61, 62) that guide the circuit board to a predetermined assembly position, A ground connection portion (ground pattern 31) for ground connection is provided on the board surface (front surface 21, back surface 22) of the aforementioned substrate, A housing-side connection part (contact part 42) for ground connection is provided on the housing side and is configured such that when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, a specific part (pressing part 27a) which is part of the edge (end 27) of the substrate presses against the receiving part (inclined part 44) for the substrate, causing it to deviate from the insertion trajectory (insertion trajectory IP) of the substrate, and maintaining a state in contact with the substrate-side connection part of the substrate placed in the predetermined assembly position by its own elastic force, A restricting portion (restricting portion 71) is provided around the housing-side connection portion, and when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, and the misalignment of the specific portion in the thickness direction of the substrate exceeds the allowable range, the restricting portion prevents the housing-side connection portion from being pressed by the specific portion while the misalignment is occurring. It is equipped with.

[0007] According to the configuration shown in Method 1, even if the position of a specific part of the circuit board is shifted beyond the allowable range when the circuit board is assembled along the guide groove, the pressure on the housing-side connection part by the circuit board (specific part) is restricted. In other words, it is possible to prevent the circuit board (specific part) from pressing on parts of the housing-side connection part other than the receiving part. This is desirable in preventing the housing-side connection part from being crushed by the circuit board and thus preventing the ground connection function from being properly performed. For these reasons, the above configuration can simplify the circuit board assembly work while contributing to improved operational stability of electrical equipment.

[0008] A second means, applied to an electrical device (communication module 10) comprising a circuit board (circuit board 15) and a housing (housing 16) that houses the circuit board, and a ground connection structure (ground connection structure 90) for grounding the circuit board assembled to the housing, The enclosure is provided with guide grooves (slide grooves 61, 62) that guide the circuit board to a predetermined assembly position, A ground connection portion (ground pattern 31) for ground connection is provided on the board surface (front surface 21, back surface 22) of the aforementioned substrate, A housing-side connection part (contact part 42) for ground connection is provided on the housing side and is configured such that when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, a specific part (pressing part 27a) which is part of the edge (end 27) of the substrate presses against the receiving part (inclined part 44) for the substrate, causing it to deviate from the insertion trajectory (insertion trajectory IP) of the substrate, and maintaining a state in contact with the substrate-side connection part of the substrate placed in the predetermined assembly position by its own elastic force, A guide portion (regulating portion 71) is provided around the housing-side connection portion, and when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, the guide portion (regulating portion 71) is capable of guiding the specific portion of the substrate to the receiving portion. It is equipped with.

[0009] According to the configuration shown in method 2, the circuit board can be assembled to the housing by pushing it along a guide groove provided in the housing. When the circuit board is pushed along the guide groove, a specific part of the circuit board is guided to the receiving part of the housing-side connection by a guide part provided separately from the housing-side connection part. In other words, even if there is a shift in the position of a specific part (position in the width direction of the circuit board) due to bending or variations in the orientation of the circuit board, it is possible to prevent the circuit board from hitting any part of the housing-side connection part other than the receiving part. This is preferable in preventing the housing-side connection part from being crushed by the circuit board and thus preventing the ground connection function from being properly performed. For these reasons, the above configuration can contribute to simplifying the circuit board assembly work and improving the operational stability of electrical equipment.

[0010] Third means: A substrate (substrate 15) and The housing (housing 16) that houses the aforementioned circuit board and An electrical device (communication module 10) equipped with, As a ground connection structure (ground connection structure 90) for grounding the circuit board assembled to the housing, The enclosure is provided with guide grooves (slide grooves 61, 62) that guide the circuit board to a predetermined assembly position, A ground connection portion (ground pattern 31) for ground connection is provided on the board surface (front surface 21, back surface 22) of the aforementioned substrate, A housing-side connection part (contact part 42) for ground connection is provided on the housing side and is configured such that when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, a specific part (pressing part 27a) which is part of the edge (end 27) of the substrate presses against the receiving part (inclined part 44) for the substrate, causing it to deviate from the insertion trajectory (insertion trajectory IP) of the substrate, and maintaining a state in contact with the substrate-side connection part of the substrate placed in the predetermined assembly position by its own elastic force, A restricting portion (restricting portion 71) is provided around the housing-side connection portion, and when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, and the misalignment of the specific portion in the thickness direction of the substrate exceeds the allowable range, the restricting portion prevents the housing-side connection portion from being pressed by the specific portion while the misalignment is occurring. It has.

[0011] The configuration shown in the third method can simplify the assembly process of the circuit board while contributing to improved operational stability of electrical equipment. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] A perspective view showing a communication module in one embodiment. [Figure 2] An exploded perspective view showing the communication module broken down into its main components. [Figure 3] (a) Perspective view showing the ground plate, (b) View from arrow A in Figure 3(a) showing the contact point. [Figure 4] A schematic diagram to explain the problem. [Figure 5] A partially cutaway diagram showing the internal structure of a communication module. [Figure 6] A partial cross-sectional view of a communication module. [Figure 7]Schematic diagram showing the ground connection structure. [Figure 8] Schematic diagram showing the flow of the connection. [Figure 9] Schematic diagram showing the flow of the connection.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment embodied in the ground connection structure of the substrate in the Ethernet communication module will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the outline of the Ethernet communication module will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the Ethernet communication module (hereinafter referred to as communication module 10) includes a communication substrate 15 (see FIG. 2), a synthetic resin housing 16 that houses the substrate 15, a front cover 17 that covers the front portion of the housing 16, a bracket 18 for temporarily fixing the housing 16 to a metal control panel CT, and a ground plate 19 (see FIG. 2) interposed to ground-connect the substrate 15 and the control panel CT. In this embodiment, the communication module 10 corresponds to an "electrical device".

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, the substrate 15 has a substantially rectangular shape, and one plate surface (surface 21) is the mounting surface for connectors and various elements. The connectors mounted on the substrate 15 are exposed to the outside through through-holes formed in the front portion of the housing 16 and the front cover 17 (see FIG. 1), and communication cables such as LAN cables are connected to the substrate 15 through these connectors.

[0016] The housing 16 is formed by combining a vertically elongated first case component 51 that forms the rear part of the housing 16 and a vertically elongated second case component 81 that forms the front part of the housing 16, front to back, and as a whole it has a thin box shape. The first case component 51 has an opening 52 that opens to the front, and this opening 52 is an insertion point for inserting the circuit board 15 into the first case component 51. When the circuit board 15 inserted through the opening 52 is positioned at the innermost part of the first case component 51 (a predetermined assembly position), approximately half of the circuit board 15 protrudes from the opening 52.

[0017] A pair of slide grooves 61 and 62 extending from the opening 52 to the back wall 53 are formed in the peripheral wall portion 54 of the first case structure 51 (specifically the upper wall portion 55 and the lower wall portion 56). Both slide grooves 61 and 62 are formed such that the groove width dimension is slightly larger than the thickness dimension of the substrate 15. By inserting the ends of the substrate 15 (specifically the upper end portion 25 and the lower end portion 26) into the slide grooves 61 and 62 and pushing the substrate 15 toward the back wall portion 53, the substrate 15 can be positioned in the predetermined assembly position. By providing slide grooves 61 and 62 in the housing 16 to support the assembly of the substrate 15 in this way, the assembly work of the substrate 15 is simplified, and inconveniences such as elements mounted on the substrate 15 coming into contact with the housing 16 during the assembly process are less likely to occur.

[0018] Furthermore, the upper wall portion 55 has a claw portion 63 that hooks onto a notch 25a formed on the upper end portion 25 of the substrate 15, and the lower wall portion 56 has a claw portion 64 that hooks onto a notch 26a formed on the lower end portion 26 of the substrate 15. When the substrate 15 is positioned in a predetermined assembly position, the claw portions 63 and 64 hook onto the notches 25a and 26a, thereby preventing the substrate 15 from falling off.

[0019] When housing the circuit board 15 in the housing 16, first the ground plate 19 and bracket 18 are assembled to the first case component 51. Then, the circuit board 15 is positioned in a predetermined assembly position using the slide grooves 61 and 62, and the portion of the circuit board 15 protruding from the first case component 51 is covered with the second case component 81, and the second case component 81 is fixed to the first case component 51. This completes the process of housing the circuit board 15 in the housing 16.

[0020] In the communication module 10 shown in this embodiment, the communication module 10 is fixed to the control panel CT with the circuit board 15 housed in the housing 16, so that the circuit board 15 and the control panel CT are connected to ground. This is preferable for improving work efficiency in the assembly process of the communication module 10. The ground connection structure (ground connection structure 90) implemented in the communication module 10 will be described below with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

[0021] As already explained, the housing 16 (more specifically, the first case component 51) is configured to house a ground plate 19 that forms one end of the ground connection structure 90. The ground plate 19 has a flat base portion 41, and this base portion 41 is fixed to the inner surface 53a of the back wall portion 53 of the first case component 51 in a state where it is superimposed on the inner surface 53a of the back wall portion 53. As shown in Figure 2, the base portion 41 extends in the width direction of the substrate 15, and its total length is approximately half the total length of the back wall portion 53. The ground plate 19 is positioned offset towards the lower wall portion 56, and one end of it extends to the outside of the housing 16 through a slit formed in the housing 16. A fixing portion 49 is formed in this extended portion that is in contact with the control panel CT and fixed to the control panel CT (more specifically, bolted to it).

[0022] In the portion of the ground plate 19 closer to the lower slide groove 62, a contact portion 42 for ground connection is provided, rising from the base portion 41. The contact portion 42 has a fixed end on the base portion 41 side (base end 45) and a free end on the tip side (tip portion 46), and is capable of bending and deforming (elastically deformable) with the fixed end as the base.

[0023] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 3(a), the contact portions 42 of the ground plate 19 are located in multiple locations (specifically two) on both the front surface 21 and back surface 22 sides of the substrate 15. The two contact portions 42 on the front surface 21 side are aligned in the width direction of the substrate 15 and are configured to be elastically deformable independently of each other. The two contact portions 42 on the back surface 22 side are also aligned in the width direction of the substrate 15 and are configured to be elastically deformable independently of each other. Note that the two contact portions 42 on the back surface 22 side are offset in the width direction of the substrate 15 from the two contact portions 42 on the front surface 21 side and do not face each other, but this is not the only configuration. It is also possible to configure the contact portions 42 on the front surface 21 side and the contact portions 42 on the back surface 22 side to face each other.

[0024] The contact portion 42 on the surface 21 side and the contact portion 42 on the back surface 22 side are elongated plate-shaped, and the plate surface is formed to face the surface 21 or back surface 22 of the substrate 15. The shape of the contact portion 42 will be further explained below with reference to Figure 3(b).

[0025] The contact portion 42 is bent at the central portion 43 so as to protrude toward the substrate 15, and from the central portion 43 to the tip portion 46 it forms an inclined portion 44 that is obliquely tilted with respect to the insertion track IP of the substrate 15. When the contact portion 42 is in its undeformed state, the inclined portion 44 is tilted such that the distance from the insertion track IP increases from the central portion 43 to the tip portion 46. In other words, the inclined portion 44 has a component that faces the front side (opening 52 side) in the assembly direction of the substrate 15, and is tilted such that the distance between the contact portions 42 is smallest near the central portion when viewed in the width direction of the substrate 15.

[0026] When the substrate 15 is pushed into a predetermined assembly position along the slide grooves 61 and 62, the pressing portion 27a of the substrate 15 comes into contact with the inclined portion 44 and is pressed by the pressing portion 27a, causing the contact portion 42 to elastically deform so as to move away from the insertion trajectory IP of the substrate 15, and the central portion 43 of the contact portion 42 comes into contact with the surface 21 or back surface 22 of the substrate 15. While the substrate 15 is in the predetermined assembly position, the elastic force (restoring force) of the contact portion 42 maintains this contact state. In this embodiment, the inclined portion 44 corresponds to the "receiving portion". Considering that the substrate 15 is clamped by the contact portion 42, the contact portion 42 can also be called the "clamping portion" or "clip portion". Furthermore, considering that the contact portion 42 comes into contact with the substrate 15 by elastic deformation and is configured to maintain that state, the contact portion 42 can also be called the "spring portion".

[0027] A ground pattern 31 is formed on the front surface 21 and back surface 22 of the substrate 15 in an area along the edge 27. When the substrate 15 is positioned in a predetermined assembly position, the ground pattern 31 remains in contact with the contact portion 42, and the substrate 15 is sandwiched between the contact portion 42, so that a ground connection is made on both the front and back surfaces of the substrate 15. In this embodiment, the contact portion 42 corresponds to the "housing-side connection portion," and the ground pattern 31 corresponds to the "substrate-side connection portion."

[0028] As detailed above, using both the guide structure with slide grooves 61 and 62 and the automatic connection structure with contact parts 42 is advantageous in reducing the workload when assembling the circuit board 15 to the housing 16. In the configuration in which the upper end 25 and lower end 26 of the circuit board 15 are inserted into slide grooves 61 and 62 as described above, the sliding resistance when pushing in the circuit board 15 can be reduced by providing a certain amount of clearance (allowance) in the groove width of the slide grooves 61 and 62. This is desirable in reducing the burden on the worker. However, such clearance can be a factor that increases the variation in the orientation of the circuit board 15 when pushing in the circuit board 15 (i.e., the inclination of the circuit board 15 toward the surface 21 side or the back surface 22 side). Furthermore, even if the circuit board 15 is manufactured to be flat, there is a possibility that bending (warping) such as a convexity toward the surface 21 side or the back surface 22 side may occur. Due to these circumstances, even if the substrate 15 is pushed in along the slide grooves 61 and 62, the position of the pressing portion 27a of the substrate 15 may shift from the insertion path IP. If the pressing portion 27a shifts significantly from the insertion path IP, there is a concern that the pressing portion 27a will come into contact with a part of the contact portion 42 other than the inclined portion 44, causing the contact portion 42 to be crushed by the substrate 15, resulting in an undesirable condition (hereinafter also referred to as special deformation).

[0029] If the contact portion 42 is crushed, the ground connection between the contact portion 42 and the ground pattern 31 may become incomplete or unstable, raising concerns that the effects of improved operational stability due to the ground connection may not be properly realized. In particular, if the housing 16 is thin, the housing 16 and the circuit board 15 may get in the way, making it difficult to visually check the condition of the contact portion 42. Furthermore, forcing workers to visually check the contact portion 42 each time the circuit board 15 is assembled would significantly reduce work efficiency and is therefore undesirable.

[0030] Here, with reference to Figure 4, we will provide a supplementary explanation of the process when special deformation occurs in the contact portion 42. In Figure 4, for the sake of explanation, the reference numeral "X" is added to the end of the reference numerals for components related to the communication module 10 shown in this embodiment.

[0031] As shown in Figures 4(a) → 4(b1) → 4(c1), when the substrate 15X passes through a predetermined insertion track IPX and hits the contact portion 42X, the inclined portion 44X of the contact portion 42X is pressed by the pressing portion 27aX of the substrate 15X. When the inclined portion 44X is pressed, the contact portion 42X deforms (elastically deforms) around its base end 45X and moves out of the insertion track IPX. The contact portion 42X is then maintained in contact with the ground pattern 31X of the substrate 15X by its own elastic force. In other words, the substrate 15X is maintained in a state where it is sandwiched between the contact portion 42X on the surface side and the contact portion 42X on the back side.

[0032] On the other hand, in the example shown in Figures 4(a) → 4(b2) → 4(c2), the substrate 15X tilts or bends, causing the pressing portion 27aX to deviate from the insertion track IPX. As the substrate 15X is pushed in with the pressing portion 27aX in a misaligned position, the pressing portion 27aX of the substrate 15X comes into contact with the tip portion 46X of the contact portion 42X. When the tip portion 46X is pressed by the pushing of the substrate 15X, it becomes less likely for the contact point with the substrate 15X to shift towards the insertion track IP along the inclined portion 44X, and deformation starting from the central portion 43X becomes more likely. As a result, the contact portion 42X is crushed by the substrate 15. Ideally, the substrate 15X should be sandwiched between the contact portion 42X on the front surface 21X and the contact portion 42X on the back surface 22X. However, without support from the front surface 21X, it becomes difficult to properly maintain contact even with the undeformed contact portion 42X.

[0033] One of the features of the ground connection structure 90 shown in this embodiment is that measures have been taken to suppress the occurrence of such problems. These measures will be explained below with reference to Figures 5 to 7.

[0034] As shown in Figure 5, the back wall portion 53 of the first case structure 51 is provided with a restricting portion 71 that restricts the pressing portion 42 from being pressed while the positional displacement of the pressing portion 27a in the thickness direction of the substrate 15 exceeds an acceptable range. The restricting portion 71 is positioned around the contact portion 42, specifically between the contact portion 42 and the lower slide groove 62, and is integrally molded with the back wall portion 53.

[0035] As shown in Figure 6, the restricting portion 71 has a columnar shape that protrudes from the inner surface 53a of the back wall portion 53 and has a pair of opposing portions 72 that are aligned in the thickness direction of the substrate 15. The pair of opposing portions 72 face each other separated by a gap IS that is slightly larger than the thickness of the substrate 15, and this gap IS is an "insertion region" into which the substrate 15 can be inserted. When the end portion 27 of the substrate 15 is inserted into the gap IS, the positional displacement of the substrate 15 in the thickness direction, more specifically the positional displacement of the pressing portion 27a in the thickness direction of the substrate 15 in the portion inserted into the gap IS and its vicinity, is restricted.

[0036] As shown in Figure 7, when the substrate 15 is not assembled, a portion of the inclined portion 44 of the contact portion 42 protrudes into the gap IS when viewed in the width direction of the substrate 15. In contrast, the tip portion 46 of the contact portion 42 does not protrude into the gap IS. With this configuration, the pressing portion 27a is guided to the inclined portion 44 as the substrate 15 moves within the gap IS, making it less likely for the substrate 15 to come into contact with the tip portion 46.

[0037] Furthermore, the tip portion 73 of the regulating portion 71 has an inclined portion 75 that can guide the substrate 15 into the gap IS (more specifically, into the inclined portion 44 of the contact portion 42). In other words, if a positional displacement exceeding the allowable range defined by the gap IS occurs, the inclined portion 75 will guide the displacement so that it falls within the allowable range.

[0038] The inclined portion 75 is inclined to the same side as the inclined portion 44 of the contact portion 42, and the inclination angle ANG2 with respect to the insertion track IP is greater than the inclination angle ANG1 of the inclined portion 44 with respect to the insertion track IP. In other words, it is formed so that the component facing the opening 52 side is larger compared to the inclined portion 44 of the contact portion 42.

[0039] In this configuration, where the substrate 15 is sandwiched by the contact portion 42, it is preferable to set the elastic modulus of the contact portion 42 to a certain extent in order to improve connection stability. However, simply increasing the elastic modulus may increase the resistance when pressing in the substrate 15. This is a concern as it may reduce the workability when assembling the substrate 15. In particular, when the inclination angle ANG2 of the inclined portion 75 is increased, the momentum of the substrate 15 tends to weaken when it comes into contact with the inclined portion 75. In this embodiment, the inclined portion 44 of the contact portion 42 is positioned on the extension of the inclined portion 75 when viewed in the width direction of the substrate 15. This positional relationship makes it easier to bring the substrate 15 (pressing portion 27a) into contact with the contact portion 42 while maintaining as much momentum as possible of the substrate 15 guided by the inclined portion 75. This allows for consideration of the connection stability of the contact portion 42 while suppressing the difficulty in pressing in the substrate 15 that results from this. This is preferable in terms of considering the workability of the assembly work of the substrate 15.

[0040] Incidentally, by providing a guide inclined portion 75 at the tip portion 73 of the opposing portion 72, the range in which the misalignment of the pressing portion 27a can be kept within an acceptable range (see L3) is expanded compared to the range that can be guided by the inclined portion 44 of the contact portion 42 (see L1).

[0041] In this embodiment, the thickness dimension T1 of the substrate 15 is constant throughout the entire substrate 15. The width dimension L2 of the gap IS is greater than the thickness dimension T1 of the substrate 15 and smaller than the groove width dimension LG of the slide grooves 61 and 62 (see Figure 7). In other words, the operating gap between the substrate 15 and the slide grooves 61 and 62 is smaller in the gap IS than in the slide grooves 61 and 62, so that difference is provided.

[0042] Regarding the regulating portion 71 and contact portion 42 described in detail above, minimizing the variation in their relative positions in the thickness direction of the substrate 15 is crucial for achieving the various effects mentioned above. One of the features of this embodiment is that it incorporates a simple configuration to suppress the variation in relative positions. This invention will be further explained below with reference to Figures 3 and 5.

[0043] The ground plate 19 shown in this embodiment is separate from the housing 16 on which the restricting portion 71 is installed. As shown in Figure 5, an insertion portion 48 is formed in the ground plate 19 (base portion 41) in the vicinity of the contact portion 42, more specifically in the portion that is aligned horizontally with the contact portion 42 in the width direction of the substrate 15, through which the restricting portion 71 is inserted. The insertion portion 48 abuts against the base end portion 74 of the restricting portion 71 on both sides in the thickness direction of the substrate 15, and the relative position of the ground plate 19 (contact portion 42) and the restricting portion 71 in the thickness direction of the substrate 15 is defined by the restricting portion 71 and the insertion portion 48. In this embodiment, the insertion portion 48 corresponds to the "engaging portion," and the insertion portion 48 and the base end portion 74 of the restricting portion 71 correspond to the "positioning portion."

[0044] In addition to the configuration in which the restricting portion 71 and the insertion portion 48 abut on both sides in the thickness direction of the substrate 15, it is also possible to configure the restricting portion 71 and the insertion portion 48 abut on both sides in the width direction of the substrate 15. However, considering that the accuracy of the relative position in the thickness direction has a greater impact than the accuracy of the relative position in the width direction, and furthermore, that it is preferable to arrange the restricting portion 71 and the contact portion 42 as close together as possible in the width direction of the substrate 15, it is preferable to provide a configuration that defines the relative position in the width direction of the substrate 15 separately from the insertion portion 48.

[0045] Next, referring to Figures 8 and 9, we will explain the flow of ground connection when the substrate 15 is pushed into a predetermined assembly position while a displacement exceeding the allowable range occurs in the position of the pressing portion 27a in the thickness direction of the substrate 15.

[0046] As shown in Figures 8(a) to 8(b), the pressing portion 27a of the substrate 15 is misaligned in the thickness direction of the substrate 15 relative to the gap IS of the restricting portion 71. As the substrate 15 is pushed into a predetermined assembly position with this misalignment, the pressing portion 27a comes into contact with the inclined portion 75 of the restricting portion 71. As shown in Figures 8(b) to 8(c), as the substrate 15 is pushed in further, the substrate 15 moves along the inclined portion 75 and the misalignment gradually decreases as it is guided into the gap IS. When the end portion 27 of the substrate 15 enters the gap IS, the misalignment becomes within the acceptable range, and the misalignment is controlled so as not to exceed the acceptable range again, at least while the end portion 27 is in the gap IS. In order to ensure that the restricting function of the restricting portion 71 is performed stably, it is preferable to make the positional relationship between the portion of the end portion 27 of the substrate 15 that is inserted into the restricting portion 71 (gap IS) and the pressing portion 27a as close as possible. This is because, due to the distant positional relationship, rattle between the restricting portion 71 and the substrate 15, as well as the bending of the substrate 15, may occur, making it impossible to completely suppress positional variations of the pressing portion 27a in the thickness direction of the substrate 15. In this embodiment, the peripheral portion of the pressing portion 27a at the end 27, more specifically the portion (neighboring portion) that follows the pressing portion 27a in the width direction of the substrate 15, is the target of insertion into the gap IS. In other words, although the pressing portion 27a is not configured to be inserted into the gap IS, when the substrate 15 is placed in a predetermined assembly position, the pressing portion 27a will be located near the restricting portion 71. By arranging the portion inserted into the gap IS at the end 27 and the pressing portion 27a in a side-by-side relationship, it becomes easier to control the position of the pressing portion 27a in the thickness direction of the substrate 15, and the above-mentioned restricting function can be stably performed.

[0047] As shown in Figures 8(c) to 8(d), as the substrate 15 moves along the gap IS, the pressing portion 27a of the substrate 15 is guided to the inclined portion 44 of the contact portion 42 and makes contact with the inclined portion 44. In both the process of guidance by the inclined portion 75 and the process of movement along the gap IS, contact between the substrate 15 and the tip portion 46 of the contact portion 42 is suppressed.

[0048] As shown in Figures 8(d) to 9(e), when the substrate 15 is pushed in, the pressing portion 27a of the substrate 15 presses against the inclined portion 44 of the contact portion 42, causing the contact portion 42 to elastically deform. As a result, the gap between the contact portions 42 (insertion portion 47 for the substrate 15) expands to a size that allows the substrate 15 to pass through. Subsequently, as shown in Figures 9(e) to 9(f), when the substrate 15 reaches the predetermined assembly position, the substrate 15 is sandwiched between the contact portions 42, and the contact portions 42 and the ground pattern 31 are connected. In this way, even if the position of the pressing portion 27a of the substrate 15 is misaligned due to the tilt or bending of the substrate 15, this misalignment is suppressed by pushing the substrate 15 along the slide grooves 61 and 62. This makes it less likely for the contact portion 42 to be crushed by the substrate 15.

[0049] According to the embodiments described in detail above, the following excellent effects can be expected.

[0050] According to the configuration shown in this embodiment, when the circuit board 15 is assembled along the slide grooves 61 and 62 provided in the housing 16, even if the position of the pressing portion 27a (corresponding to the "specific portion") of the circuit board 15 is shifted beyond the allowable range while the circuit board 15 is pressed, the pressing of the contact portion 42 by the circuit board 15 (pressing portion 27a) is restricted. In other words, it is possible to make it less likely for the circuit board 15 (pressing portion 27a) to press on any part of the contact portion 42 other than the inclined portion 44 (corresponding to the "receiving portion"). This is preferable in preventing the ground connection function from being properly performed due to the contact portion 42 being crushed by the circuit board 15. For the reasons above, according to the configuration shown in this embodiment, it is possible to simplify the assembly work of the circuit board 15 using the slide grooves 61 and 62 while contributing to the improvement of the operational stability of the communication module 10.

[0051] In a configuration in which the movement of the pressing portion 27a toward the inclined portion 44 of the contact portion 42 is supported by a pair of opposing portions 72, minimizing the difference between the width dimension L2 of the gap IS between the opposing portions 72 and the thickness dimension T1 of the substrate 15 and strengthening the restriction is advantageous in suppressing crushing of the contact portion 42. However, if the above difference is simply reduced, there is a concern that the substrate 15 will be difficult to enter into the gap IS, making it more likely that the assembly work of the substrate 15 will have to be redone. In this regard, as shown in this embodiment, if the substrate 15 is guided into the gap IS by the inclined portion 75, the concerns that arise when the restriction is strengthened can be eliminated, and the protection of the contact portion 42 and consideration for workability during assembly can be suitably achieved.

[0052] Furthermore, the inclined portion 75 formed on the tip portion 73 of the regulating portion 71 is located in front of the contact portion 42 in the direction of movement when moving the substrate 15 to a predetermined assembly position. This arrangement effectively prevents the substrate 15 from contacting the contact portion 42 before or during guidance by the inclined portion 75, i.e., while the position of the pressing portion 27a is misaligned.

[0053] In this embodiment, the contact portion 42 is configured such that the inclined portion 44 protrudes to a position where it overlaps with the gap IS when viewed in the width direction of the substrate 15, and these protruding portions are pressed by the pressing portion 27a of the substrate 15, causing them to elastically deform in a direction that reduces the overlap with the gap IS. With this configuration, it is possible to easily realize a configuration in which the inclined portion 44 is pressed while positional misalignment exceeding the allowable range is eliminated.

[0054] Furthermore, when the contact portion 42 is in an undeformed state, the tip portion 46 of the contact portion 42 is prevented from protruding to a position that overlaps with the gap IS when viewed in the width direction of the substrate 15. With this configuration, when the substrate 15 is pushed into a predetermined assembly position, contact between the substrate 15 and the tip portion 46 of the contact portion 42 can be effectively suppressed. This is effective in preventing crushing of the contact portion 42.

[0055] The slide grooves 61 and 62 have a certain length, and if the groove width is made too small, the sliding resistance during board assembly may increase. Therefore, it is preferable to allow for a certain amount of leeway in the groove width. In contrast, for the restricting part 71 that functions towards the end of board assembly, by making the gap IS between the opposing parts 72 smaller than the groove width of the slide grooves 61 and 62, the above positional displacement can be appropriately restricted, which has the effect of suppressing crushing of the contact part 42, while suppressing the decrease in work efficiency during board assembly caused by this.

[0056] The ground plate 19 has two contact points 42 each on the front surface 21 side and the back surface 22 side of the substrate 15. For example, the two contact points 42 on the front surface 21 side consist of one close to the restricting portion 71 and one far away, but these contact points 42 are elastically deformable independently of each other. By using both contact points 42, a decrease in connection stability due to individual differences in shape or deterioration can be effectively suppressed. However, the function of suppressing crushing is slightly weaker for the contact point 42 far from the restricting portion 71 compared to the contact point 42 close to the restricting portion 71. Therefore, if the two contact points 42 are each elastically deformable as shown in this embodiment, even if the farther contact point 42 is crushed, it is less likely that the closer contact point 42 will also be crushed as a result. The two contact points 42 provided on the back surface 22 side of the substrate 15 have the same configuration as the two contact points 42 on the front surface 21 side, and the same effects as described above can be expected.

[0057] If the restricting portion 71 is integrally molded with the housing 16 and the contact portion 42 is provided on the metal ground plate 19, there is a concern that the restricting function may not be properly performed due to variations in the positional relationship between the two in the thickness direction of the substrate 15. On the other hand, increasing the size of the restricting portion 71, etc., to account for such variations is undesirable in terms of saving space. In this regard, as shown in this embodiment, if the ground plate 19 is positioned in the thickness direction of the substrate 15 around the contact portion 42, the variation in the positional relationship near the contact portion 42 can be effectively suppressed. This is because, if the positioning point is farther away, the influence of rattle and other factors between the restricting portion 71 and the ground plate 19 will increase, and it may not be possible to suppress the positional variation of the pressing portion 27a in the thickness direction of the substrate 15, while such concerns can be eliminated by positioning it closer to the positioning point. In particular, by providing an insertion portion 48 through which the restricting portion 71 is inserted into the ground plate 19, and configuring the base end portion 74 of the restricting portion 71 and the insertion portion 48 to engage in the thickness direction of the substrate 15, the above positioning can be achieved and the ground connection structure 90 can be made more space-saving.

[0058] For example, the effect of bending (warping) in the substrate 15 tends to be greater near the center in the width direction of the substrate 15. In this regard, as shown in this embodiment, if the restricting portion 71 and the contact portion 42 are arranged with an offset to one side of the slide groove 62, the expected range of displacement of the position of the pressing portion 27a can be reduced. This is preferable in order to suppress the enlargement of the configuration related to the restricting portion 71 and to ensure coexistence of the configuration related to ground connection and other components within the housing 16. Furthermore, by using the restricting portion 71 shown in this embodiment, it can be expected that the constraints on the position of the contact portion 42 in the width direction of the substrate 15 can be relaxed. This can also be said to be a preferable configuration in order to ensure coexistence with various elements mounted on the substrate 15.

[0059] <Other Embodiments> Furthermore, the embodiments are not limited to those described above, and may be implemented as follows, for example. Incidentally, each of the following configurations may be applied individually to the above embodiments, or some or all of them may be combined and applied to the above embodiments.

[0060] (1) In the above embodiment, the restricting portion 71 was formed by making a part of the back wall portion 53 of the housing 16 protrude inward, but it is not necessarily limited to this. It is sufficient that the displacement of the position of the pressing portion 27a can be restricted at least at the stage before the end portion 27 (pressing portion 27a) of the substrate 15 comes into contact with the contact portion 42 when assembling the substrate 15, and the specific shape of the restricting portion 71 can be changed as desired. For example, it is also possible to form a concave (groove-shaped) restricting portion by recessing a part of the back wall portion 53, so that the displacement of the position of the pressing portion 27a is restricted when the end portion 27 (pressing portion 27a) of the substrate 15 comes into the concave restricting portion before it comes into contact with the contact portion 42.

[0061] (2) In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the portion of the substrate 15 that is inserted into the gap IS of the restricting portion 71 (opposing portion 72) and the pressing portion 27a that presses the contact portion 42 are offset in the thickness direction of the substrate 15, but the invention is not limited thereto. It is also possible to have a configuration in which the portion of the substrate 15 that is inserted into the gap IS and the portion that presses the contact portion 42 are aligned, for example, a configuration in which the pressing portion 27a is inserted into the gap IS.

[0062] (3) In the above embodiment, the contact portion 42 and the restricting portion 71 are arranged so as to be biased toward one of the pair of slide grooves 61, 62, to the slide groove 62 side, and the restricting portion 71 is arranged between the slide groove 62 and the contact portion 42. This can be changed, and the contact portion 42 may be arranged between the slide groove 62 and the restricting portion 71. Alternatively, the restricting portion 71 may be arranged between the contact portion 42 (group of contact portions 42) and each slide groove 61, 62. In other words, the restricting portions 71 may be arranged on both sides of the contact portion 42 (group of contact portions 42) in the width direction of the substrate 15.

[0063] (4) In the above embodiment, the contact portion 42 and the restricting portion 71 are arranged so as to be biased to one side of the pair of slide grooves 61 and 62, but the invention is not limited thereto, and it is also possible to arrange the contact portion 42 and the restricting portion 71 in the middle of the slide grooves 61 and 62. However, in view of the fact that the deflection of the substrate 15 is small near the slide grooves 61 and 62 and can be large in the middle, there is the following technical significance in arranging the contact portion 42 and the restricting portion 71 so as to be biased to one side of the pair of slide grooves 61 and 62. That is, it eliminates the need to assume excessively large deflection and suppresses the enlargement of the restricting portion 71. This is preferable in order to suppress the expansion of the occupied area due to the addition of the restricting portion 71 and to ensure coexistence with the substrate 15 etc. within the housing 16.

[0064] (5) In the above embodiment, the restricting portion 71 is integrally molded with the back wall portion 53 of the housing 16, but it is also possible to provide a configuration equivalent to the restricting portion 71 on the ground plate 19. That is, the configuration equivalent to the restricting portion 71 and the contact portion 42 may be provided together on the ground plate 19.

[0065] Furthermore, it is also possible to integrally mold the regulating portion 71 to the back wall portion 53 and the peripheral wall portion 54 (left and right surfaces) so that it spans both portions, or to integrally mold the regulating portion 71 to the peripheral wall portion 54.

[0066] (6) In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the inclined portion 44 of the contact portion 42 (corresponding to the "receiving portion") is located on the extension of the inclined portion 75 of the restricting portion 71 when the substrate 15 assembled to the housing 16 is viewed in the width direction of the substrate 15 (viewed from the side of the substrate 15), but the embodiment is not limited to this. It is also possible to have an embodiment in which the inclined portion 44 of the contact portion 42 is not located on the extension of the inclined portion 75 of the restricting portion 71 when the substrate 15 assembled to the housing 16 is viewed in the width direction of the substrate 15 (viewed from the side of the substrate 15), that is, an embodiment in which the inclined portion 44 is located at a position away from the extension of the inclined portion 75 (for example, a position away from the assembly direction).

[0067] (7) In the above embodiment, a contact portion 42 corresponding to the ground pattern 31 (corresponding to the "substrate-side connection portion") formed on the surface 21 of the substrate 15 and a contact portion 42 corresponding to the ground pattern 31 (corresponding to the "substrate-side connection portion") formed on the back surface 22 are provided together, but it is also possible to omit one of the contact portions 42 on the front or back surface.

[0068] Furthermore, although the above embodiment illustrates a configuration in which a ground pattern 31 is formed on both the front surface 21 and the back surface 22 of the substrate 15, it is not necessarily limited to this configuration, and it is possible to omit either the ground pattern 31 formed on the front surface 21 or the ground pattern 31 formed on the back surface 22.

[0069] (8) In the above embodiment, the front and back contact portions 42 were arranged offset in the width direction of the substrate 15, but the embodiment is not limited to this. The positions of the front and back contact portions 42 may be aligned in the width direction of the substrate 15. That is, the contact portions 42 may be formed in the shape of a clip.

[0070] (9) In the above embodiment, the base end portion 74 of the restricting portion 71 and the insertion portion 48 of the ground plate 19 are engaged to suppress variations in the relative position of the restricting portion 71 and the contact portion 42 in the thickness direction of the substrate 15. If such variations in relative position can be suppressed, a configuration related to the positioning of the ground plate 19 (for example, a projection such as a positioning boss) may be provided separately from the restricting portion 71. However, in order to improve positioning accuracy and effectively utilize the area inside the housing 16, there is technical significance in using the restricting portion 71 as a positioning means for the ground plate 19.

[0071] (10) In the above embodiment, the restricting portion 71 is configured to have the function of guiding the substrate 15 to the contact portion 42 (more specifically, the insertion portion 47). However, it is sufficient for the restricting portion 71 to have the function of restricting the positional displacement of the pressing portion 27a in the thickness direction of the substrate 15, in other words, the function of preventing the substrate 15 from coming into contact with the tip portion of the contact portion 42 (the portion other than the inclined portion 44), and the guiding function described above can be omitted. If the guiding function is omitted, for example, the restricting portion can be configured such that when the position of the pressing portion 27a is displaced, the pushing of the substrate 15 to the position that will come into contact with the contact portion 42 is prevented by the restricting portion (i.e., the restricting portion functions as a stopper), and when the position of the pressing portion 27a is not displaced, the pushing of the substrate 15 to the position that will come into contact with the contact portion 42 is permitted.

[0072] (11) In the above embodiment, the inclination angle ANG2 of the inclined portion 75 of the restricting portion 71 is made larger than the inclination angle ANG1 of the inclined portion 44 of the contact portion 42, but this is not necessarily the only embodiment. For example, the inclination angles ANG2 and ANG1 may be made the same, or the inclination angle ANG2 may be made smaller than the inclination angle ANG1.

[0073] (12) In the above embodiment, the width dimension L2 of the gap IS of the restricting portion 71 is made smaller than the groove width dimension LG of the slide groove 61, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the width dimension L2 and the groove width dimension LG can be made the same.

[0074] (13) The ground connection structure 90 applied to the communication module 10 can also be applied to other electrical equipment (for example, a PC main unit or a control device) in which the circuit board is housed in a casing.

[0075] <Regarding the group of inventions extracted from the above embodiments> The following describes the features of the group of inventions extracted from the above embodiments, showing their effects and other aspects as necessary. For ease of understanding, corresponding configurations in the above embodiments will be indicated in parentheses as appropriate, but the invention is not limited to these specific configurations.

[0076] Furthermore, the following set of features is based on the background that "Electrical equipment such as communication modules, in which a circuit board is housed in a casing, sometimes has a metal plate mounted on it for grounding the circuit board. By connecting this plate to a metal control panel, etc., it is possible to expect effects such as improved operational stability of the electrical equipment. For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-327665) proposes a connection structure in which an earthing clip is spread open and assembled to the end of the circuit board, thereby connecting the earthing ground pattern formed at the end to the earthing clip. This type of connection structure can contribute to simplifying the configuration related to grounding." Here, in the above-mentioned electrical equipment, for example, a sliding groove for the circuit board is provided on the casing side, and the circuit board can be inserted into the sliding groove and pushed towards the back of the casing, thereby contributing to the simplification of assembly work. And, for example, a plate located at the back of the casing... If a clip-shaped housing-side connection is provided, and the housing-side connection is connected to the ground pattern (board-side connection) of the board when the board is pushed into a predetermined assembly position, it may contribute to further simplification of the assembly process. However, when using the above-described slide groove and connection structure to simplify the board assembly process, the following inconveniences may occur due to bending (warping) of the board or variations (tilting) in the board's orientation when it is pushed in. Specifically, when the board is pushed into the back of the housing, the board may crush the housing-side connection, resulting in the board placement process being completed without an incomplete ground connection. This is undesirable for properly achieving the effects of improving the operational stability of electrical equipment. Thus, in order to simplify the board assembly process while improving the operational stability of electrical equipment, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to the ground connection of the board. This was done in consideration of these issues.

[0077] Feature 1. Applicable to an electrical device (communication module 10) comprising a circuit board (circuit board 15) and a housing (housing 16) that houses the circuit board, the ground connection structure (ground connection structure 90) is for grounding the circuit board assembled to the housing, The enclosure is provided with guide grooves (slide grooves 61, 62) that guide the circuit board to a predetermined assembly position, A ground connection portion (ground pattern 31) for ground connection is provided on the board surface (front surface 21, back surface 22) of the aforementioned substrate, A housing-side connection part (contact part 42) for ground connection is provided on the housing side and is configured such that when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, a specific part (pressing part 27a) which is part of the edge (end 27) of the substrate presses against the receiving part (inclined part 44) for the substrate, causing it to deviate from the insertion trajectory (insertion trajectory IP) of the substrate, and maintaining a state in contact with the substrate-side connection part of the substrate placed in the predetermined assembly position by its own elastic force, A restricting portion (restricting portion 71) is provided around the housing-side connection portion, and when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, and the misalignment of the specific portion in the thickness direction of the substrate exceeds the allowable range, the restricting portion prevents the housing-side connection portion from being pressed by the specific portion while the misalignment is occurring. A ground connection structure equipped with this feature.

[0078] According to the configuration described in this feature, even if the position of a specific part of the circuit board is misaligned beyond the allowable range when the circuit board is assembled along the guide groove, the pressure exerted by the circuit board (specific part) on the housing-side connection part is restricted. In other words, it is possible to prevent the circuit board (specific part) from pressing on parts of the housing-side connection part other than the receiving part. This is desirable in preventing the housing-side connection part from being crushed by the circuit board, which would impair the proper function of the ground connection. For these reasons, the configuration described in this feature can simplify the circuit board assembly process while contributing to improved operational stability of electrical equipment.

[0079] Furthermore, the description in this feature, "a restricting part (restricting part 71) provided around the housing-side connection part, which restricts the housing-side connection part from being pressed by the specific part when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove and the misalignment of the specific part in the thickness direction of the substrate exceeds an allowable range" can also be changed to "a correcting part (restricting part 71) provided around the housing-side connection part, which corrects the misalignment of the specific part in the thickness direction of the substrate to be within an allowable range before the substrate hits the housing-side connection part when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove" or "a restricting part (restricting part 71) provided around the housing-side connection part, which restricts the misalignment of the specific part in the thickness direction of the substrate before the substrate hits the housing-side connection part when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove".

[0080] Feature 2. The restricting portion forms an insertion region (gap IS) into which the end of the substrate is inserted, and includes a pair of wall portions (opposing portions 72) that define the allowable range. The ground connection structure according to feature 1, wherein the pair of wall portions have the function of guiding the substrate so that the specific portion contacts the receiving portion as the inserted substrate moves through the insertion area.

[0081] According to the configuration described in this feature, as the circuit board moves within the insertion area, a specific portion of the circuit board moves toward the receiving portion of the housing-side connection. This prevents the circuit board from contacting any part of the housing-side connection other than the receiving portion, and a configuration that protects the housing-side connection can be easily realized.

[0082] Furthermore, the description in this feature, "The restricting portion includes a pair of wall portions (opposing portions 72) that define the allowable range and form an insertion region (gap IS) into which the end of the substrate is inserted," can also be changed to "The restricting portion includes a pair of wall portions (opposing portions 72) that are arranged in parallel in the thickness direction of the substrate and form an insertion region (gap IS) into which the end of the substrate is inserted and define the allowable range."

[0083] Feature 3. The ground connection structure according to Feature 2, wherein the restricting portion includes an inclined portion (inclined portion 75) that can guide the substrate to the insertion area when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove.

[0084] As shown in Feature 2, in a configuration in which the movement of a specific part toward the receiving part is supported by a pair of walls, minimizing the difference between the distance between the walls and the thickness of the substrate and strengthening the restriction is advantageous in suppressing crushing of the housing-side connection part. However, if the above difference is simply reduced, there is a concern that the substrate will be difficult to insert into the insertion area, making it more likely that the substrate assembly work will have to be redone. In this regard, as shown in this feature, if the substrate is guided into the insertion area by an inclined part, the concerns that arise when the restriction is strengthened can be eliminated, and a suitable balance can be achieved between protection of the housing-side connection part and consideration for workability.

[0085] Furthermore, the configuration shown in this feature can also be described as "the ground connection structure according to Feature 1, wherein the restricting portion has an insertion region (gap IS) into which the end of the substrate is inserted, a pair of wall portions (opposing portions 72) that define the allowable range, and an inclined portion (inclined portion 75) that can guide the substrate to the insertion region when the substrate is pushed to the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove." or "the ground connection structure according to Feature 1, wherein the restricting portion is aligned in the thickness direction of the substrate when the substrate is assembled to the housing, has an insertion region (gap IS) into which the end of the substrate is inserted, a pair of wall portions (opposing portions 72) that define the allowable range, and an inclined portion (inclined portion 75) that can guide the substrate to the insertion region when the substrate is pushed to the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove."

[0086] Feature 4. The ground connection structure according to Feature 3, wherein the inclined portion is located in front of the housing-side connection portion in the direction of movement when moving the substrate to the predetermined assembly position.

[0087] As shown in this feature, by positioning the inclined portion in front of the housing-side connection portion, it is possible to effectively suppress the circuit board from hitting the housing-side connection portion while the position of a specific part is shifted beyond the acceptable range.

[0088] Feature 5. The ground connection structure according to Feature 3 or Feature 4, wherein the receiving portion of the housing-side connection portion is positioned on the extension of the inclined portion when viewed in the width direction of the circuit board in the state assembled to the housing.

[0089] In a configuration where the housing-side connection part is pressed against the circuit board-side connection part by elastic force, it is preferable to set the elastic modulus to a certain extent to improve connection stability. However, if the elastic modulus is set high, the resistance when the circuit board presses against the housing-side connection part may also increase. Here, if the orientation and position of the circuit board are correct, the circuit board moving toward the predetermined assembly position will strike the housing-side connection part with force, and the resistance when pushing away (elastically deforming) the housing-side connection part is unlikely to hinder the pushing of the circuit board. In contrast, when the circuit board is guided by the inclined part, the force that pushes the circuit board toward the predetermined assembly position is inevitably reduced, and the aforementioned force may be weakened. In this regard, in the configuration shown in this feature, since the circuit board guided by the inclined part moves toward the receiving part, the momentum of the circuit board during guidance can be easily used as a force to push away (elastically deform) the housing-side connection part. This is preferable when considering the workability of the circuit board assembly work.

[0090] Furthermore, for example, "the ground connection structure described in Feature 7, wherein the receiving portion of the housing-side connection portion is inclined toward the back of the insertion area, and the inclination angle of the inclined portion (inclination angle ANG2) is greater than the inclination angle of the receiving portion (inclination angle ANG1)."

[0091] Feature 6. The ground connection structure according to any one of Feature 2 to Feature 5, wherein the housing-side connection portion is configured such that, when viewed in the width direction of the substrate in the assembled state to the housing, the receiving portion protrudes to a position that overlaps with the insertion area, and the portion of the receiving portion that protrudes into the insertion area is pressed by the specific portion of the substrate, causing it to elastically deform in a direction that reduces the overlap with the insertion area.

[0092] As shown in this feature, by configuring the receiving portion to protrude toward the insertion area, a configuration in which the substrate contacts the receiving portion while restricting deviations in posture and position can be easily realized.

[0093] Feature 7. The housing-side connection portion is formed such that the rear end of the insertion area is a fixed end and the entrance end of the insertion area is a free end. The ground connection structure according to any one of features 2 to 6, wherein the portion of the housing-side connection portion that is the free end relative to the receiving portion is configured such that, when the housing-side connection portion is in an undeformed state, protrusion to a position overlapping with the insertion area when viewed in the width direction of the substrate in the state assembled to the housing is avoided.

[0094] The configuration described in this feature effectively prevents the substrate from contacting the part of the housing-side connection that extends beyond the receiving part (e.g., the tip) when the substrate is pushed into a predetermined assembly position. This is effective in preventing crushing of the housing-side connection.

[0095] Feature 8. The ground connection structure according to any one of Feature 2 to Feature 7, wherein the width of the gap formed between the pair of wall portions is smaller than the groove width of the guide groove.

[0096] The guide groove has a certain length, and if the groove width is made excessively small, the sliding resistance during circuit board assembly may increase. Therefore, it is preferable to allow for a certain amount of leeway in the groove width. In contrast, for the restricting section that functions towards the end of circuit board assembly, by making the gap between the walls smaller than the groove width of the guide groove, the above-mentioned positional displacement can be appropriately restricted, which has the effect of suppressing crushing of the housing-side connection part, while suppressing the decrease in work efficiency during circuit board assembly caused by this.

[0097] Feature 9. The housing-side connection portion includes a first housing-side connection portion and a second housing-side connection portion located further from the restricting portion than the first housing-side connection portion. The ground connection structure according to any one of features 1 to 8, wherein the first housing-side connection portion and the second housing-side connection portion are elastically deformable independently of each other.

[0098] As shown in this feature, by using both the first housing-side connection part and the second housing-side connection part, the decrease in connection stability due to individual differences in the shape of these connection parts or deterioration can be effectively suppressed. However, the function of suppressing crushing is slightly weaker for the second housing-side connection part, which is farther from the restricting part, compared to the first housing-side connection part, which is closer to the restricting part. This is because the further the restricting part is from the housing connection part, the more difficult it becomes to restrict it. Therefore, as shown in this feature, if both the first housing-side connection part and the second housing-side connection part are made elastically deformable, even if the second housing-side connection part, which is further away, is crushed, it becomes less likely that the first housing-side connection part will also be crushed as a result.

[0099] Feature 10. The regulating part is integrally molded with the housing. The housing-side connection portion is formed on a metal plate (ground plate 19) that is assembled to the housing. The ground connection structure according to any one of features 3 to 9, wherein a positioning portion is provided around the housing-side connection portion for defining the relative position between the housing and the plate in at least the thickness direction of the substrate.

[0100] As shown in this feature, if the restricting part is integrally molded with the housing and the housing-side connection part is provided on a metal plate, there is a concern that the restricting function may not be properly performed due to variations in the positional relationship between the two in the thickness direction of the substrate. On the other hand, making the restricting part larger to account for such variations is undesirable in terms of saving space. In this regard, as shown in this feature, if a positioning part is provided around the housing-side connection part, the variation in the position of the pressing part (variation in position in the thickness direction of the substrate) caused by rattle between the restricting part and the plate can be suppressed, and the above concern can be eliminated. This is because the effect of rattle can be reduced by bringing the positioning part and the connection point closer together.

[0101] Feature 11. The restricting portion is a protruding portion integrally molded with the housing so as to protrude from the inner surface of the housing, The housing-side connection portion is formed on a metal plate (ground plate 19) that is assembled to the housing. The ground connection structure according to any one of features 3 to 9, wherein the plate has an engaging portion (insertion portion 48) that engages with the restricting portion at least in the thickness direction of the substrate.

[0102] As shown in this feature, by providing an engaging portion on the plate that engages with the restricting portion, it is possible to reduce the space required for the ground connection structure when realizing the configuration shown in Feature 11.

[0103] Furthermore, the description in this feature that "the plate has an engaging portion (insertion portion 48) that engages with the restricting portion at least in the thickness direction of the substrate" can also be changed to "the plate has an engaging portion (insertion portion 48) that engages with the wall portion at least in the thickness direction of the substrate."

[0104] Feature 12. The guide grooves are provided on each of a pair of wall surfaces in the housing, The ground connection structure according to Feature 1, wherein the regulating portion and the housing-side connection portion are arranged to be offset to one side of the guide grooves within the internal region of the housing.

[0105] For example, the effect of bending in the substrate tends to be greater near the center in the width direction of the substrate. In this regard, as shown in this feature, if the restricting part and the housing-side connection part are arranged with an offset towards one of the guide grooves, the expected range of positional displacement of a specific part can be reduced. This is preferable in that it suppresses the enlargement of the configuration related to the restricting part and allows the configuration related to ground connection to coexist with other components within the housing.

[0106] Feature 13. Applicable to an electrical device (communication module 10) comprising a circuit board (circuit board 15) and a housing (housing 16) that houses the circuit board, the ground connection structure (ground connection structure 90) is for grounding the circuit board assembled to the housing, The enclosure is provided with guide grooves (slide grooves 61, 62) that guide the circuit board to a predetermined assembly position, A ground connection portion (ground pattern 31) for ground connection is provided on the board surface (front surface 21, back surface 22) of the aforementioned substrate, A housing-side connection part (contact part 42) for ground connection is provided on the housing side and is configured such that when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, a specific part (pressing part 27a) which is part of the edge (end 27) of the substrate presses against the receiving part (inclined part 44) for the substrate, causing it to deviate from the insertion trajectory (insertion trajectory IP) of the substrate, and maintaining a state in contact with the substrate-side connection part of the substrate placed in the predetermined assembly position by its own elastic force, A guide portion (regulating portion 71) is provided around the housing-side connection portion, and when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, the guide portion (regulating portion 71) is capable of guiding the specific portion of the substrate to the receiving portion. A ground connection structure equipped with this feature.

[0107] According to the configuration described in this feature, the circuit board can be assembled to the housing by pushing it along guide grooves provided in the housing. When the circuit board is pushed along the guide grooves, a specific part of the circuit board is guided to the receiving part of the housing-side connection by a guide part provided separately from the housing-side connection part. In other words, even if there is a displacement in the position of a specific part (position in the width direction of the circuit board) due to bending or variations in the orientation of the circuit board, it is possible to prevent the circuit board from hitting any part of the housing-side connection part other than the receiving part. This is desirable in preventing the housing-side connection part from being crushed by the circuit board and thus preventing the ground connection function from being properly performed. For these reasons, the configuration described in this feature can contribute to simplifying the circuit board assembly work and improving the operational stability of electrical equipment.

[0108] Furthermore, it is possible to apply the technical concepts described in Features 2 to 12 to this feature.

[0109] Feature 14 (Independent Module): Circuit board (Circuit board 15), The housing (housing 16) that houses the aforementioned circuit board and An electrical device (communication module 10) equipped with, As a ground connection structure (ground connection structure 90) for grounding the circuit board assembled to the housing, The enclosure is provided with guide grooves (slide grooves 61, 62) that guide the circuit board to a predetermined assembly position, A ground connection portion (ground pattern 31) for ground connection is provided on the board surface (front surface 21, back surface 22) of the aforementioned substrate, A housing-side connection part (contact part 42) for ground connection is provided on the housing side and is configured such that when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, a specific part (pressing part 27a) which is part of the edge (end 27) of the substrate presses against the receiving part (inclined part 44) for the substrate, causing it to deviate from the insertion trajectory (insertion trajectory IP) of the substrate, and maintaining a state in contact with the substrate-side connection part of the substrate placed in the predetermined assembly position by its own elastic force, A restricting portion (restricting portion 71) is provided around the housing-side connection portion, and when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, and the misalignment of the specific portion in the thickness direction of the substrate exceeds the allowable range, the restricting portion prevents the housing-side connection portion from being pressed by the specific portion while the misalignment is occurring. Electrical equipment that has [something].

[0110] According to the configuration described in this feature, even if the position of a specific part of the circuit board is misaligned beyond the allowable range when the circuit board is assembled along the guide groove, the pressure exerted by the circuit board (specific part) on the housing-side connection part is restricted. In other words, it is possible to prevent the circuit board (specific part) from pressing on parts of the housing-side connection part other than the receiving part. This is desirable in preventing the housing-side connection part from being crushed by the circuit board, which would impair the proper function of the ground connection. For these reasons, the configuration described in this feature can simplify the circuit board assembly process while contributing to improved operational stability of electrical equipment.

[0111] Furthermore, it is possible to apply the technical concepts described in Features 2 to 12 to this feature. [Explanation of symbols]

[0112] 10...Communication module as an electrical device, 15...Circuit board, 16...Housing, 19...Ground plate, 27...End, 27a...Pressing part as a specific part, 31...Ground pattern, 42...Contact part as a housing-side connection part, 44...Inclined part, 46...Tip part, 48...Insertion part as an engaging part, 61, 62...Slide groove as a guide groove, 71...Restricting part, 72...Opposite parts as a pair of wall parts, 75...Inclined part, IP...Insertion track, IS...Gap as an allowable range, CT...Control panel.

Claims

1. A ground connection structure for an electrical device comprising a circuit board and a housing that houses the circuit board, wherein the circuit board assembled to the housing is grounded, A guide groove is provided inside the housing to guide the circuit board to a predetermined assembly position, A ground connection portion on the board surface of the aforementioned substrate, A housing-side ground connection portion is provided on the housing side and is configured to elastically deform so that it moves out of the insertion trajectory of the substrate when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, by a specific portion which is a part of the edge of the substrate pressing against the receiving portion for the substrate, and to maintain in contact with the substrate-side connection portion of the substrate placed in the predetermined assembly position by its own elastic force, A restricting portion is provided around the housing-side connection portion, and when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, and the misalignment of the specific portion in the thickness direction of the substrate exceeds an allowable range, the restricting portion prevents the housing-side connection portion from being pressed by the specific portion while the misalignment is occurring. A ground connection structure equipped with this feature.

2. The aforementioned regulatory body, The end portion of the substrate is inserted into an insertion region, and a pair of wall portions define the allowable range, The substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, and the inclined portion is capable of guiding the substrate into the insertion area. The ground connection structure according to claim 1, comprising:

3. The ground connection structure according to claim 2, wherein the housing-side connection portion is configured such that, when viewed in the width direction of the substrate in the assembled state to the housing, the receiving portion protrudes to a position that overlaps with the insertion area, and the portion of the receiving portion that protrudes into the insertion area is pressed by the specific portion of the substrate, causing it to elastically deform in a direction that reduces the overlap with the insertion area.

4. The housing-side connection portion is formed such that the rear end of the insertion area is a fixed end and the entrance end of the insertion area is a free end. The ground connection structure according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the portion of the housing-side connection portion that is the free end relative to the receiving portion is configured such that, when the housing-side connection portion is in an undeformed state, protrusion to a position overlapping with the insertion area when viewed in the width direction of the substrate in the state assembled to the housing is avoided.

5. The restricting portion is a protruding portion integrally molded with the housing so as to protrude from the inner surface of the housing, The aforementioned housing-side connection portion is formed on a metal plate that is assembled to the housing, The ground connection structure according to claim 2, wherein the plate has an engaging portion formed thereon that engages with the wall portion at least in the thickness direction of the substrate.

6. A ground connection structure for an electrical device comprising a circuit board and a housing that houses the circuit board, wherein the circuit board assembled to the housing is grounded, A guide groove is provided inside the housing to guide the circuit board to a predetermined assembly position, A ground connection portion on the board surface of the aforementioned substrate, A housing-side ground connection portion is provided on the housing side and is configured to elastically deform so that it moves out of the insertion trajectory of the substrate when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, by a specific portion which is a part of the edge of the substrate pressing against the receiving portion for the substrate, and to maintain in contact with the substrate-side connection portion of the substrate placed in the predetermined assembly position by its own elastic force, A guide portion is provided around the housing-side connection portion, and when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, the guide portion is capable of guiding the specific portion of the substrate to the receiving portion. A ground connection structure equipped with this feature.

7. circuit board and A housing for the aforementioned circuit board and An electrical appliance equipped with, As a ground connection structure for grounding the circuit board assembled to the housing, A guide groove is provided inside the housing to guide the circuit board to a predetermined assembly position, A ground connection portion on the board surface of the aforementioned substrate, A housing-side ground connection portion is provided on the housing side and is configured to elastically deform so that it moves out of the insertion trajectory of the substrate when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, by a specific portion which is a part of the edge of the substrate pressing against the receiving portion for the substrate, and to maintain in contact with the substrate-side connection portion of the substrate placed in the predetermined assembly position by its own elastic force, A restricting portion is provided around the housing-side connection portion, and when the substrate is pushed into the predetermined assembly position along the guide groove, and the misalignment of the specific portion in the thickness direction of the substrate exceeds an allowable range, the restricting portion prevents the housing-side connection portion from being pressed by the specific portion while the misalignment is occurring. Electrical equipment that has [something].

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