Electronic device

Abstract

To provide an electronic apparatus capable of securing antenna performance by suppressing influences caused by noise.SOLUTION: An electronic apparatus comprises: a housing including a shield region at least partially formed of a conductor and a non-shield region positioned closer to an outer periphery than the at least portion of the shield region, formed of a dielectric and non-shielded; a circuit board which is disposed in the shield region within the housing and on which an electronic component is mounted; a vibration generation member including an antenna disposed in the non-shield region within the housing, a case formed of a dielectric and a vibrator provided within the case, and disposed within the housing in such a manner that a surface of a portion of the case is positioned in the shield region and the other portion of the case is positioned in the non-shield region; and an elastic support member held between the housing in the shield region and the case and having conductivity to elastically support the case. On a surface of the vibration generation member positioned in the shield region, a conductive layer is formed in contact with the elastic support member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to an electronic device. [Background technology]

[0002] Some electronic devices, such as notebook PCs and mobile PCs, are equipped with communication functions. Known communication antennas mounted on electronic devices include, for example, antennas for wireless LAN, antennas for LTE (Long Term Evolution), and antennas for the fifth generation mobile communication system (5G). When mounting an antenna on a housing together with a circuit board or the like, it is necessary to ensure the performance of the antenna by considering the effects of noise generated by electronic components such as the CPU. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3203585 [Patent Document 2] JP 2005-341547 A [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 6513136 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] For example, in order to ensure the performance of an antenna, a method is known in which a dedicated shield wall is provided inside a housing to shield the antenna from noise. However, there is a demand for electronic devices to be smaller and thinner. There is also a demand for electronic devices to have a large space in the housing in order to place an antenna, a speaker, etc.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device capable of suppressing the influence of noise and ensuring antenna performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to an embodiment, an electronic device has a housing having a shielded area, at least a portion of which is made of a conductor, and a non-shielded area, which is located outer than at least a portion of the shielded area, is made of a dielectric and is not shielded, a circuit board arranged in the shielded area within the housing and has electronic components mounted thereon, an antenna arranged in the non-shielded area within the housing, a case made of a dielectric, and a vibrating body provided within the case, and is equipped with a vibration-generating member arranged in the housing such that a portion of a surface of the case is located in the shielded area and another portion of the case is located in the non-shielded area, and an elastic support member having conductivity that is sandwiched between the housing and the case within the shielded area and elastically supports the case.

[0007] The housing further includes a lower housing having a bottom wall, and an upper housing having a top wall facing the bottom wall at a distance. The bottom wall has a first shielded portion, at least an inner surface of which is made of the conductor, and a first unshielded portion, made of the dielectric. The top wall has a second shielded portion, at least an inner surface of which is made of the conductor and facing the first shielded portion, and a second unshielded portion, made of the dielectric and facing the first unshielded portion. The case has a bottom surface at least a portion of which faces the first shielded portion of the bottom wall, a top surface at least a portion of which faces the second shielded portion of the top wall, and side surfaces extending along boundaries between the first and second shielded portions and the first and second unshielded portions. A conductive layer is formed on a surface of the vibration generating member located in the shielded region so as to be in contact with the elastic support member, and the conductive layer is electrically connected to the conductor by the elastic support member. The conductive layer has a bottom conductive layer formed on the bottom surface and facing the first shield portion with a first gap therebetween, a top conductive layer formed on the top surface and facing the second shield portion with a second gap therebetween, and a side conductive layer formed on the side surface and electrically connecting the bottom conductive layer and the top conductive layer. The elastic support member includes a first elastic support member disposed in the first gap and extending along the boundary, and a second elastic support member disposed in the second gap and extending along the boundary. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an electronic device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a housing included in the electronic device according to one embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the housing shown in FIG. 2 in an assembled state. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing the inside of the housing. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view taken along line VV of the electronic device shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the electronic device shown in FIG. 3 taken along line VI-VI. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view showing an antenna. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic partial plan view showing an example of coupling between a first shielded portion and a first unshielded portion. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another example of a case for a vibration generating member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the disclosure is merely an example, and the invention is not limited to the contents described in the following embodiments. Modifications that a person skilled in the art can easily conceive are naturally included in the scope of the disclosure. In order to clarify the explanation, the size, shape, etc. of each part in the drawings may be changed from the actual embodiment and shown diagrammatically. In multiple drawings, corresponding elements may be given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations may be omitted.

[0010] In this embodiment, a first direction X, a second direction Y, and a third direction Z are defined. The first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z are perpendicular to each other, but may intersect at an angle other than 90°. Hereinafter, viewing the XY plane defined by the first direction X and the second direction Y is referred to as planar view.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an electronic device 100 according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, a notebook PC is disclosed as an example of the electronic device 100. The electronic device 100 includes a housing 1, a housing 2, and a hinge 3 that connects the housing 1 and the housing 2. The housings 1 and 2 are flat and have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The housings 1 and 2 are connected to be rotatable (openable and closable) around the axis of the hinge 3 provided in the longitudinal direction. The axis of the hinge 3 is an axis parallel to the first direction X. For example, the housing 2 can be rotated 180 degrees from a closed state relative to the housing 1. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the housing 2 is rotated approximately 90 degrees relative to the housing 1. Furthermore, by adopting a two-axis structure for the hinge 3, the housing 2 can also be rotated 360 degrees from a closed state relative to the housing 1.

[0012] The housing 1 is provided with a keyboard 4a and a touch pad 4b for input. Furthermore, a circuit board 5, which will be described later, and the like are housed inside the housing 1. The housing 1 has a lower housing 10 and an upper housing 20 that overlaps with the lower housing 10 in the third direction Z. When the housing 2 is closed relative to the housing 1, the upper housing 20 faces the housing 2. When the electronic device 100 is placed on an installation surface such as a desk, the lower housing 10 faces the installation surface. The lower housing 10 and the upper housing 20 are fixed in a stacked state by joining with claws, screwing, adhesive, or the like.

[0013] The housing 2 is provided with a display 4c. The display 4c has a display unit 41 at a position corresponding to the opening 2a formed in the housing 2. The display 4c is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescence display. The display unit 41 may be one that displays images, text information, etc., and may further be one that allows operation of a touch panel or the like for input.

[0014] 1, with housing 2 open relative to housing 1, based on the direction in which a user views display unit 41 from the front, the near side of housing 1 in second direction Y is defined as "front", the far side as "rear", one side as "left" and the other side as "right" in first direction X. The third direction Z is defined as "up" or "upward", and the direction opposite to third direction Z is defined as "down" or "downward".

[0015] Fig. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the housing 1 included in the electronic device 100 according to this embodiment. Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of the housing 1 shown in Fig. 2 in an assembled state. Fig. 4 is a schematic plan view showing the inside of the housing 1. In Figs. 2 and 3, the housing 2 is in an open state relative to the housing 1. In Fig. 3, the housing 2 is not shown. In Fig. 4, the inside of the housing 1 is seen with the upper housing 20 removed.

[0016] 2, the electronic device 100 includes a circuit board 5 on which electronic components and the like are mounted, antennas 6L and 6R for transmission and reception, vibration generating members 8L and 8R, a first elastic support member E1, a second elastic support member E2, and a battery BA inside a housing 1. Hereinafter, the antennas 6L and 6R may be collectively referred to as the "antenna 6," the vibration generating members 8L and 8R may be collectively referred to as the "vibration generating member 8," and the first elastic support member E1 and the second elastic support member E2 may be collectively referred to as the "elastic support member E."

[0017] The lower housing 10 has a bottom wall 11 and a peripheral wall 12 formed around the bottom wall 11. The peripheral wall 12 has a front wall 12a, a rear wall 12b, a side wall 12c located on the left side, and a side wall 12d located on the right side. The bottom wall 11 and the peripheral wall 12 have a first shielded portion 13 formed of a conductor, and first unshielded portions 14L, 14R formed of a dielectric material. Hereinafter, the first unshielded portions 14L, 14R may be collectively referred to as the "first unshielded portions 14."

[0018] The first unshielded portion 14L is formed from a corner formed by the front wall 12a and the side wall 12c along the first direction X and the second direction Y. The first unshielded portion 14R is formed from a corner formed by the front wall 12a and the side wall 12d along the direction opposite to the first direction X and the second direction Y.

[0019] That is, the first unshielded portions 14L and 14R are respectively formed around corners formed by the front wall 12a and the side walls 12c and 12d of the lower housing 10. The first shielded portion 13 is a portion of the bottom wall 11 and the peripheral wall 12 other than the portion where the first unshielded portion 14 is formed.

[0020] The upper housing 20 has an upper wall 21 that faces the bottom wall 11 with a gap therebetween, and a peripheral wall 22 formed around the upper wall 21. The peripheral wall 22 has a front wall 22a, a rear wall 22b, a side wall 22c located on the left side, and a side wall 22d located on the right side. The upper wall 21 and the peripheral wall 22 have a second shielded portion 23 formed of a conductor, and second unshielded portions 24L, 24R formed of a dielectric material. Hereinafter, the second unshielded portions 24L, 24R may be collectively referred to as the "second unshielded portion 24."

[0021] The second unshielded portion 24L is formed from a corner formed by the front wall 22a and the side wall 22c along the first direction X and the second direction Y. The second unshielded portion 24R is formed from a corner formed by the front wall 22a and the side wall 22d along the direction opposite to the first direction X and the second direction Y.

[0022] That is, the second non-shielded portions 24L, 24R are respectively formed around corners formed by the front wall 22a and the side walls 22c, 22d of the upper housing 20. The second shielded portion 23 is a portion of the upper wall 21 and the peripheral wall 22 other than the portion where the second non-shielded portion 24 is formed. The first non-shielded portions 14L, 14R and the second non-shielded portions 24L, 24R are formed, for example, in the same shape, and in this embodiment, are formed in an L-shape in a plan view.

[0023] The boundary between the first shielded portion 13 and the first unshielded portion 14 in the lower housing 10 is referred to as boundary B1, and the boundary between the second shielded portion 23 and the second unshielded portion 24 in the upper housing 20 is referred to as boundary B2. At the boundaries B1 and B2, various shapes can be applied to the first shielded portion 13 and the first unshielded portion 14, and the second shielded portion 23 and the second unshielded portion 24. The boundaries B1 and B2 are pseudo-illustrations of the respective boundaries, and may differ from the shapes when actually joined.

[0024] At boundary B1, the first shielded portion 13 and the first non-shielded portion 14 may or may not overlap. Similarly, at boundary B2, the second shielded portion 23 and the second non-shielded portion 24 may or may not overlap. In the example shown in Fig. 2, boundary B1 and boundary B2 are formed by a portion extending in the second direction Y and a portion extending in the first direction X. Boundary B1 and boundary B2 may have a portion intersecting with the first direction X and / or the second direction Y.

[0025] The conductor forming the first shielded portion 13 and the second shielded portion 23 is, for example, a metallic material such as magnesium alloy, aluminum, etc., but is not limited to metallic materials. The dielectric forming the first unshielded portion 14 and the second unshielded portion 24 is, for example, a resin material such as fluororesin, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polycarbonate-ABS, etc., but is not limited to resin materials.

[0026] From another viewpoint, the lower housing 10 is formed of a member forming the first shielded portion 13 and another member different from the member forming the first unshielded portion 14. Moreover, the upper housing 20 is formed of a member forming the second shielded portion 23 and another member different from the member forming the second unshielded portion 24.

[0027] Each of the lower housing 10 and the upper housing 20 is formed by, for example, insert molding or two-color molding. In this case, the first shielded portion 13 and the first non-shielded portion 14 are integrally formed, and the second shielded portion 23 and the second non-shielded portion 24 are integrally formed.

[0028] In the third direction Z, the first shielded portion 13 of the bottom wall 11 faces the second shielded portion 23 of the top wall 21, and the first unshielded portion 14 of the bottom wall 11 faces the second unshielded portion 24 of the top wall 21. In a plan view, the area of ​​the first shielded portion 13 is approximately equal to the area of ​​the second shielded portion 23, and the area of ​​the first unshielded portion 14 is approximately equal to the area of ​​the second unshielded portion 24.

[0029] Furthermore, the area of ​​the first shielded portion 13 may be larger or smaller than the area of ​​the second shielded portion 23. Similarly, the area of ​​the first unshielded portion 14 may be larger or smaller than the area of ​​the second unshielded portion 24.

[0030] The shielded area SA includes the first shielded portion 13, the second shielded portion 23, and the space between the first shielded portion 13 and the second shielded portion 23. On the other hand, the non-shielded area NSA includes the first non-shielded portion 14L, the second non-shielded portion 24L, and the space between the first non-shielded portion 14L and the second non-shielded portion 24L. Furthermore, the non-shielded area NSA includes the first non-shielded portion 14R, the second non-shielded portion 24R, and the space between the first non-shielded portion 14R and the second non-shielded portion 24R.

[0031] The boundary between the shielded area SA and the non-shielded area NSA includes, for example, the above-mentioned boundary B1, boundary B2, and the space between boundary B1 and boundary B2. As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the non-shielded area NSA is formed around each of the corners on both sides located on the front side of the housing 1, and therefore, in a plan view, the non-shielded area NSA is formed on the outer periphery side of the housing 1 with respect to the shielded area SA.

[0032] The circuit board 5 and the battery BA are provided in the shielded area SA, and the antenna 6 is provided in the non-shielded area NSA. More specifically, the circuit board 5 and the battery BA are disposed between the first shielded portion 13 and the second shielded portion 23. The antenna 6L is disposed between the first non-shielded portion 14L and the second non-shielded portion 24L, and the antenna 6R is disposed between the first non-shielded portion 14R and the second non-shielded portion 24R. Since the first non-shielded portion 14 and the second non-shielded portion 24 are formed of a dielectric material, the antenna 6 can transmit and receive radio waves to and from the outside of the housing 1 in the non-shielded area NSA.

[0033] The vibration generating member 8 is disposed in the housing 1 such that a part of a case 80 (described later) is located in the shielded area SA and another part of the case 80 is located in the non-shielded area NSA. From another perspective, the vibration generating member 8 overlaps with the boundaries B1 and B2 in the third direction Z. In the third direction Z, the antenna 6L overlaps with the vibration generating member 8L, and the antenna 6R overlaps with the vibration generating member 8R.

[0034] The elastic support members E are disposed in the shield area SA. More specifically, the first elastic support member E1 is disposed between the vibration generating member 8L and the bottom wall 11, and between the vibration generating member 8R and the bottom wall 11. The second elastic support member E2 is disposed between the vibration generating member 8L and the top wall 21, and between the vibration generating member 8R and the top wall 21.

[0035] The first elastic support member E1 extends along the boundary B1, and the second elastic support member E2 extends along the boundary B2. The first elastic support member E1 and the second elastic support member E2 have a portion extending in the second direction Y and a portion extending in the first direction X.

[0036] 4, an antenna communication module 51, a CPU 52, a memory 53, a power supply circuit 54, and an audio circuit 55 are mounted on the circuit board 5. The circuit board 5 is, for example, a printed circuit board. The antenna communication module 51, the CPU 52, the memory 53, the power supply circuit 54, and the audio circuit 55 are examples of electronic components.

[0037] The antenna communication module 51 receives radio waves received by the antenna 6 and supplies radio waves to be transmitted to the antenna 6. The circuit board 5 and the antenna communication module 51 are electrically connected and mechanically fixed by a connector 51a. The connector 51a is paired with a receptacle side and a plug side, for example, the circuit board 5 has the receptacle side and the antenna communication module 51 has the plug side. The CPU 52, the memory 53, the power supply circuit 54, and the like mounted on the circuit board 5 can be sources of noise that degrade the performance of the antenna 6. In addition, the sources of noise are not limited to the above examples, and may include various electronic components housed in the housing 1.

[0038] The antenna 6 is a planar antenna, and is, for example, a communication antenna for LTE. The antenna 6 can also be applied to a fifth generation mobile communication system (5G). For example, the antenna 6L is a receiving antenna, and the antenna 6R is a transmitting antenna. Each of the antennas 6L and 6R is electrically connected to the antenna communication module 51 by a cable C.

[0039] One end of the cable C is wired between the antennas 6L, 6R and the vibration generating members 8L, 8R, respectively. The cable C is, for example, a coaxial cable. An antenna ground 7L overlaps the antenna 6L, and an antenna ground 7R overlaps the antenna 6R.

[0040] A speaker is disclosed as an example of the vibration generating member 8. The vibration generating member 8 has a case 80 made of a dielectric material and a vibrating body VB housed in the case 80. The vibrating body VB is held in a vibrating state in the case 80. When the vibration generating member 8 is in operation, the vibrating body VB and the case 80 each vibrate. Furthermore, a conductive layer 90 is formed on part of the outer surface of the case 80 as shown in FIG. 2.

[0041] The case 80 is formed in an L-shape in a plan view. The dielectric that forms the case 80 is, for example, a resin material. The dielectric may be the same as the dielectric that forms the first unshielded portion 14 and the second unshielded portion 24, or may be different. The vibrating body VB is a sound generating source, and includes a diaphragm, a yoke, a magnet, a coil, and the like. For example, since the yoke and the like are formed of a metal material, the vibrating body VB includes a member formed of a conductive material.

[0042] The sound waves generated by the vibrator VB are propagated through a hollow space SP (see Figs. 5 and 6) formed in a portion of the case 80 where the vibrator VB is not disposed. The sound is amplified by the sound waves propagating through the hollow space SP. As shown in Fig. 4, the vibrator VB does not overlap with the antennas 6L and 6R in a plan view.

[0043] By forming the case 80 in an L-shape, not only can the vibrating body VB be positioned so as not to overlap the antennas 6L, 6R, but also the spatial region SP can be made large. In addition, in a plan view, the case 80 of the vibration generating member 8 is larger than the antenna 6. Since the top surface 82 of the case 80 covers the entire antenna 6 from below, the performance of the antenna 6 is unlikely to be deteriorated by the case 80.

[0044] 2, the case 80 has a bottom surface 81 facing the bottom wall 11, a top surface 82 located on the opposite side of the bottom surface 81 and facing the top wall 21, and a side surface 83 connecting the bottom surface 81 and the top surface 82. The side surface 83 has side surfaces 83a, 83b, 83c, and 83d located between the antenna 6 and the circuit board 5. The side surfaces 83a and 83c extend in the second direction Y and are aligned in the first direction X. The side surfaces 83b and 83d extend in the first direction X and are aligned in the second direction Y. From another perspective, the side surfaces 83a, 83b, 83c, and 83d extend along the boundary B1 and the boundary B2.

[0045] Furthermore, a conductive layer 90 is formed on the case 80 so as to be located between the antenna 6 and the circuit board 5. The conductive layer 90 is formed on the bottom surface 81, the top surface 82, and the side surfaces 83a, 83b, 83c, and 83d, respectively. The conductive layer 90 is formed by attaching a conductive tape such as an aluminum tape to the case 80, forming a film of a metal material by sputtering on the portions connecting the side surface 83 of the case 80 to the bottom surface 81 and the side surface 83 of the top surface 82, or forming a conductive layer on the portions connecting the side surface 83 of the case 80 to the bottom surface 81 and the side surface 83 of the top surface 82 by laser direct structuring processing (LDS) or the like.

[0046] The battery BA has, for example, a flattened, substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The battery BA is disposed inside the housing 1, in front of the circuit board 5. The battery BA is disposed between the antenna 6L (vibration generating member 8L) and the antenna 6R (vibration generating member 8R) in the first direction X.

[0047] The elastic support member E is configured to be elastically deformable and to have electrical conductivity. One example of the elastic support member E is a conductive gasket. The elastic support member E is formed of a foam (sponge) in which a conductive material such as metal is dispersed. The elastic support member E may have a conductive tape or cloth around the foam, or may be a cloth such as a conductive nonwoven fabric.

[0048] The elastic support member E may have a rectangular or circular cross-sectional shape. The elastic support member E may be cut into a specified shape from a sheet or the like, or may be string-shaped or sheet-shaped. The elastic support member E may be formed from one member or may be formed by combining a plurality of members. The elastic support member E extends along the boundary B1 and the boundary B2 so as to overlap the conductive layer 90.

[0049] The elastic support member E is a member that has a desired resistance value when compressed to a predetermined thickness. As one example, when the elastic support member E is compressed by about 30% from the initial state, a resistance value of 0.08 to 0.09 Ω can be obtained. As yet another example, when the elastic support member E is compressed by about 50% from the initial state, a resistance value of 0.04 to 0.05 Ω can be obtained.

[0050] The first elastic support member E1 may be the same as or different from the second elastic support member E2 in terms of shape, size, material, etc. For example, one end of the first elastic support member E1 contacts the front wall 12a and the other end contacts the side wall 12c. Also, one end of the second elastic support member E2 contacts the front wall 22a and the other end contacts the side wall 22c.

[0051] Fig. 5 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view taken along line VV of electronic device 100 shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of electronic device 100 shown in Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views seen from the second direction Y. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a portion closer to circuit board 5 than Fig. 5.

[0052] 5 and 6, the left unshielded area NSA, antenna 6L and vibration generating member 8L of the housing 1 will be mainly described, but the same applies to the right unshielded area NSA, antenna 6R and vibration generating member 8R.

[0053] 5 and 6, the first shielded portion 13 and the first unshielded portion 14L overlap at a boundary B1. At this time, the first shielded portion 13 is located closer to the upper housing 20 than the first unshielded portion 14L. On the other hand, the second shielded portion 23 and the second unshielded portion 24L overlap at a boundary B2. At this time, the second shielded portion 23 is located closer to the lower housing 10 than the second unshielded portion 24L.

[0054] In the example shown in Figures 5 and 6, at boundary B1, there is a portion where the first shielded portion 13 and the first unshielded portion 14L overlap, and at boundary B2, there is a portion where the second shielded portion 23 and the second unshielded portion 24L overlap.

[0055] The portion of the bottom wall 11 where the first shielded portion 13 and the first non-shielded portion 14L overlap is formed thicker than other portions of the bottom wall 11, and the portion of the top wall 21 where the second shielded portion 23 and the second non-shielded portion 24L overlap is formed thicker than other portions of the top wall 21.

[0056] At least a portion of the first shielded portion 13 is exposed toward the conductive layer 90 side beyond the first unshielded portion 14L, and at least a portion of the second shielded portion 23 is exposed toward the conductive layer 90 side beyond the second unshielded portion 24L. In the present embodiment, the inner surface 13a and the inner surface 23a are exposed toward the conductive layer 90.

[0057] From another perspective, at the boundary B1 and the boundary B2, the first unshielded portion 14L is located further outward than the first shielded portion 13, and the second unshielded portion 24L is located further outward than the second shielded portion 23. In other words, the unshielded area NSA includes a portion formed on the outer circumferential side of the shielded area SA.

[0058] 5 and 6, the lower housing 10, the vibration generating member 8L, the antenna 6L and the upper housing 20 are arranged in this order in the third direction Z. The vibration generating member 8L is disposed in the housing 1 such that a part of the case 80 is located in the shielded area SA and another part of the case 80 is located in the non-shielded area NSA.

[0059] From another viewpoint, the bottom surface 81 of the case 80 faces the first shielded portion 13 and the first unshielded portion 14L. The top surface 82 of the case 80 faces the second shielded portion 23 and the second unshielded portion 24L.

[0060] As described above, side surfaces 83a, 83b, 83c, and 83d extend along boundaries B1 and B2. Side surface 83a is shown in Fig. 5, and side surface 83c is shown in Fig. 6. Conductive layer 90 has a bottom conductive layer 91 formed to include a portion of bottom surface 81 located in shield region SA and facing first shield portion 13, and an upper conductive layer 92 formed to include a portion of top surface 82 located in shield region SA and facing second shield portion 23.

[0061] Furthermore, the conductive layer 90 has side conductive layers 93 formed on side surfaces 83a, 83b, 83c, and 83d located in the shield region SA. The side conductive layers 93 electrically connect the bottom conductive layer 91 and the top conductive layer 92. Fig. 5 shows the side conductive layer 93a formed on the side surface 83a, and Fig. 6 shows the side conductive layer 93c formed on the side surface 83c.

[0062] The bottom conductive layer 91 is formed on a portion of the bottom surface 81 facing the first shield portion 13. The upper conductive layer 92 is formed on a portion of the top surface 82 facing the second shield portion 23. The bottom conductive layer 91 may be formed up to the portion facing the first unshielded portion 14L, and the upper conductive layer 92 may be formed up to the portion facing the second unshielded portion 24L, but the upper conductive layer 92 must not be formed up to the portion of the antenna 6L facing the element portion 63 (see FIG. 7). By not forming the upper conductive layer 92 up to this portion, it is possible to suppress a decrease in performance of the antenna 6L due to the upper conductive layer 92.

[0063] A first gap G1 is formed between the bottom conductive layer 91 and the inner surface 13a of the first shield portion 13, and a second gap G2 is formed between the upper conductive layer 92 and the inner surface 23a of the second shield portion 23. From another perspective, the case 80 is disposed in the housing 1 such that the bottom conductive layer 91 and the inner surface 13a of the first shield portion 13 form a first gap G1, and the upper conductive layer 92 and the inner surface 23a of the second shield portion 23 form a second gap G2.

[0064] Furthermore, a first elastic support member E1 is disposed in the first gap G1, and a second elastic support member E2 is disposed in the second gap G2. For example, the first elastic support member E1 and the second elastic support member E2 are adhered to the housing 1 or the like by a conductive double-sided tape or the like.

[0065] The first gap G1 and the second gap G2 are set so that the first elastic support member E1 and the second elastic support member E2 are compressed to the above-mentioned predetermined thickness when the first elastic support member E1 and the second elastic support member E2 are arranged, so that the first elastic support member E1 and the second elastic support member E2 can obtain the above-mentioned desired resistance value.

[0066] In the third direction Z, the size of the first gap G1 is smaller than the thickness of the first elastic support member E1, and the size of the second gap G2 is smaller than the thickness of the second elastic support member E2. In addition, the size of the first gap G1 may be larger than, smaller than, or equal to the size of the second gap G2.

[0067] In the shield region SA, the first elastic support member E1 is sandwiched in a compressed state between the bottom conductive layer 91 and the first shield portion 13, and the second elastic support member E2 is sandwiched in a compressed state between the top conductive layer 92 and the second shield portion 23. In this case, the first elastic support member E1 is in contact with the bottom conductive layer 91 and the inner surface 13a of the first shield portion 13, and the second elastic support member E2 is in contact with the top conductive layer 92 and the inner surface 23a of the second shield portion 23.

[0068] For example, when positioned in the first gap G1, the first elastic support member E1 comes into contact with and covers all or most of the bottom conductive layer 91, and when positioned in the second gap G2, the second elastic support member E2 comes into contact with and covers all or most of the upper conductive layer 92.

[0069] Since the elastic support member E is conductive and each of the inner surfaces 13a, 23a is a conductor, in the above-mentioned state, the first elastic support member E1 electrically connects the bottom conductive layer 91 to the inner surface 13a of the first shield portion 13, and the second elastic support member E2 electrically connects the top conductive layer 92 to the inner surface 23a of the second shield portion 23. In addition, the side conductive layer 93 electrically connects the bottom conductive layer 91 and the top conductive layer 92. Therefore, the first shield portion 13, the second shield portion 23, the bottom conductive layer 91, the top conductive layer 92, and the side conductive layer 93 are electrically connected.

[0070] A shielding structure is formed by the first shielding portion 13, the second shielding portion 23, the bottom conductive layer 91, the top conductive layer 92 and the side conductive layer 93, thereby shielding the antenna 6L arranged in the non-shielded area NSA from noise in the shielded area SA.

[0071] Since the elastic support member E is sandwiched in a compressed state, the elastic support member E is likely to come into contact with the bottom conductive layer 91, the upper conductive layer 92, and the inner surfaces 13a, 23a. Furthermore, since the elastic support member E is elastically deformable, the elastic support member E elastically supports the case 80 relative to the housing 1.

[0072] The antenna 6L is disposed in the non-shielded area NSA, between the second non-shielded portion 24L of the upper wall 21 and the upper surface 82 of the case 80. As shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the antenna 6L is disposed closer to the side walls 12c, 22c than the conductive layer 90 and the elastic support member E in the first direction X.

[0073] As shown in Fig. 6, an antenna ground 7L is laminated on a part of the lower surface of the antenna 6L. That is, the antenna ground 7L is disposed between the antenna 6L and the upper surface 82 of the case 80. The antenna 6L is adhered to the second unshielded portion 24L with an adhesive such as double-sided tape. The antenna ground 7L is adhered to a ground portion 64 of an antenna pattern 62 (described later) of the antenna 6L with an adhesive such as conductive double-sided tape.

[0074] 5 and 6, the antenna 6L is disposed facing the outer surface of the case 80 that forms the spatial region SP of the case 80. From another perspective, the antenna 6L does not overlap the vibrating body VB in the stacking direction (third direction Z) of the antenna 6L and the case 80, but does overlap the spatial region SP.

[0075] The vibrating body VB is preferably housed in the case 80 so as to be spaced 5 mm or more from the antenna 6L. The upper conductive layer 92 is also preferably disposed on the upper surface 82 of the case 80 so as to be spaced 5 mm or more from the antenna 6L. The same applies to all other conductors, except for the antenna ground 7L, disposed in the non-shielded area NSA. The antenna 6L is disposed in the non-shielded area NSA so as to be spaced 5 mm or more away in a straight line from the vibrating body VB, the upper conductive layer 92, and other conductors. By disposing the antenna 6L away from the conductors, it is possible to suppress degradation of the performance of the antenna 6L caused by the conductors.

[0076] Furthermore, a third gap G3 is formed between the antenna 6L and the upper surface 82. As shown in Fig. 5, a vibration absorbing member AB1 is disposed in a part of the third gap G3. By disposing the vibration absorbing member AB1 in the third gap G3, even in a state in which the antenna 6L is disposed overlapping with the upper surface 82 of the case 80, the case 80 can be elastically held together with another vibration absorbing member AB2, the lower housing 10, and the upper housing 20, which will be described later. As shown in Fig. 9, a further vibration absorbing member may be disposed between the antenna 6L and the second unshielded portion 24L.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 6, in the shield area SA, an inner wall 25 is disposed between the battery BA and the second shield portion 23. The inner wall 25 has a first portion 251 extending in the third direction Z and a second portion 252 extending in the first direction X. The inner wall 25 is bonded to the antenna ground 7L with an adhesive such as double-sided tape, for example. The inner wall 25 is formed of a dielectric material such as a resin material, for example. The first portion 251 of the inner wall 25 is not in contact with the battery BA. The inner wall 25 holds the battery BA during manufacturing and suppresses deformation of the housing 1 when an external force is applied to the housing 1.

[0078] 5 and 6, another vibration absorbing member AB2 is disposed between the case 80 and the bottom wall 11, between the case 80 and the top wall 21, between the case 80 and the side wall 12c, and between the first portion 251 of the inner wall 25 and the side conductive layer 93c. By disposing not only the elastic support member E but also the vibration absorbing members AB1 and AB2, the position of the case 80 in the shielded area SA and the non-shielded area NSA is determined.

[0079] The vibration absorbing members AB1 and AB2 are, for example, foams (sponges) made of a resin material. The vibration absorbing members AB1 and AB2 are arranged in the housing 1 in a deformable state. The vibration absorbing members AB1 and AB2 are attached to the housing 1 or the case 80 with an adhesive such as double-sided tape. The shape, size, material, and the like of each of the vibration absorbing members AB1 and AB2 can be appropriately selected according to the gap in which they are arranged. The positions and the number of the vibration absorbing members AB1 and AB2 are not limited to the example shown in the figure, and may be more or less than those in this embodiment.

[0080] The case 80 of the vibration generating member 8L is arranged in the housing 1 in a state in which it can vibrate due to the elastic support member E and the vibration absorbing members AB1 and AB2. Since the elastic support member E and the vibration absorbing members AB1 and AB have a vibration-proof function, the vibration of the vibrating body VB and the case 80 during operation of the vibration generating member 8 is not easily transmitted to the lower housing 10 or the upper housing 20.

[0081] 6, a cable C is provided between the antenna 6L and the upper surface 82. The cable C is routed, for example, in a groove 84 formed in a part of the upper surface 82. By forming the groove 84, even when the cable C is routed between the antenna 6L and the upper surface 82, the distance between the upper surface 82 and the second unshielded portion 24L in the third direction Z can be reduced.

[0082] Here, the antenna 6L will be described. Fig. 7 is a schematic plan view showing the antenna 6L. The antenna 6L has a rectangular antenna substrate 61 and an antenna pattern 62 formed on the antenna substrate 61. The antenna substrate 61 is, for example, a flexible printed circuit board.

[0083] The antenna pattern 62 has an element portion 63, a ground portion 64, a connection portion 65 serving as a power supply point, a connection portion 66 formed in the ground portion 64, and a connection portion 69 for an AC coupling capacitor 67 disposed between the connection portion 65 and the element portion 63. The element portion 63 of the antenna pattern 62 is formed on a surface of the antenna substrate 61 facing the lower surface of the upper housing 20, and is made of a conductive metal such as copper or aluminum.

[0084] Each of the element unit 63 and the ground unit 64 is electrically connected to the antenna communication module 51 shown in FIG. 4 by a cable C. The electrical connection is made by means of, for example, soldering. The connection unit 65 formed in the element unit 63 is connected to, for example, the inner conductor of the cable C. On the other hand, the connection unit 66 formed in the ground unit 64 is connected to, for example, the outer conductor of the cable C. As shown in FIG. 7, in the connection unit 66, the ground unit 64 and the outer conductor of the cable C may be connected to a certain length. The element unit 63 and the connection unit 65 may be directly connected by a pattern on a board, or an AC coupling capacitor 67 may be provided between them to block the DC component of the current, thereby improving power efficiency. In addition, the charge supplied to the element unit 63 from the connection unit 65 returns to the connection unit 66 via the electric path 68 and the ground unit 64.

[0085] As shown in Fig. 6, a part of the antenna ground 7L is located between the upper conductive layer 92 and the second shield portion 23. The second elastic support member E2 is in contact with the upper conductive layer 92 and with a ground 7G of the antenna ground 7L, the conductor of which is exposed toward the upper conductive layer 92. The upper conductive layer 92 is electrically connected to the second shield portion 23 via the ground 7G with which the second elastic support member E2 is in contact. In Fig. 6, the second elastic support member E2 is bonded to the antenna ground 7L.

[0086] Next, an example of the connection at the boundary B1 between the first shielded portion 13 and the first non-shielded portion 14L in the lower housing 10 will be described. Fig. 8 is a schematic partial plan view showing an example of the connection between the first shielded portion 13 and the first non-shielded portion 14L. In Fig. 8, a part of the portion is shown in an enlarged manner. Here, the lower housing 10 is shown as an example, but the same can also be applied to the connection portion between the second shielded portion 23 and the second non-shielded portion 24 of the upper housing 20. The connection portions of the lower housing 10 and the upper housing 20 may have the same shape or different shapes.

[0087] A coupling portion 13A is formed in the first shield portion 13, and a coupling portion 14A is formed in the first non-shielded portion 14L. The coupling portion 14A has a surface 141 and a surface 142 located closer to the first shield portion 13 than surface 141. Surface 142 is located lower than surface 141 in the third direction Z. Furthermore, surface 141 has a protrusion 143 that protrudes toward the first shield portion 13, and surface 142 has a protrusion 144 that protrudes toward the first shield portion 13. Furthermore, protrusion 144 has a pin 145 that protrudes in the third direction Z (upward).

[0088] The coupling portion 13A has a surface 131 that faces the surface 141 and a surface 132 that faces the surface 142 when coupled to the coupling portion 14A. The surface 131 is located closer to the first non-shielded portion 14L than the surface 132. The surface 132 is located lower than the surface 131 in the third direction Z. Furthermore, the surface 131 has a recess 133 at a position corresponding to the protrusion 143, and the surface 132 has a recess 134 at a position corresponding to the protrusion 144. Furthermore, the coupling portion 13A has an opening 135 at a position corresponding to the pin 145 when coupled to the coupling portion 14A.

[0089] The conductor forming the first shielded portion 13 having the coupling portion 13A as described above is used to form the first unshielded portion 14L out of a dielectric by insert molding, two-color molding, or the like, so that the first shielded portion 13 and the first unshielded portion 14L can be formed integrally.

[0090] When coupling portion 13A and coupling portion 14A are coupled, protrusion 143 fits into recess 133, and protrusion 144 fits into recess 134. Furthermore, pin 145 is inserted into opening 135. At boundary B1, at least a portion of first shield portion 13 is exposed closer to the bottom conductive layer 91 than first non-shielded portion 14L.

[0091] The recesses 133, 134 have a length that increases in the direction along the boundary B1 with increasing distance from the first non-shielded portion 14L, so that the protrusion 143 is unlikely to come off from the recess 133, and the protrusion 144 is unlikely to come off from the recess 134. Furthermore, because the pin 145 is inserted into the opening 135, the coupling portion 13A is unlikely to come off from the coupling portion 14A along the first direction X.

[0092] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing another example of the case 80 of the vibration generating member 8. Fig. 9 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view taken along line VV of the electronic device 100 shown in Fig. 3, similar to Fig. 5. In Fig. 9, the vibration generating member 8L will be described, but the same can be applied to the vibration generating member 8R.

[0093] The case 80 has a recess 85 on the top surface 82 that is recessed toward the bottom surface 81. The recess 85 is formed on the top surface 82 on the side walls 12c, 22c side along the second direction Y. The recess 85 has a surface 851 parallel to the top surface 82. In a plan view, the surface 851 is formed to be larger than the antenna 6L. In the third direction Z, the recess 85 is larger than, for example, the thickness of the antenna 6L. The shape of the recess 85 is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 9.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 9, the antenna 6L is disposed in the recess 85. As in FIG. 5, the vibrating body VB is not positioned below the antenna 6L. A vibration absorbing member AB1 is disposed in the third gap G3. A vibration absorbing member AB3 is further disposed between the antenna 6L and the second unshielded portion 24L of the upper wall 21. By disposing the vibration absorbing member AB3, a certain interval can be provided between the antenna 6L and the second unshielded portion 24L. The vibration absorbing member AB3 may be the same as or different from the vibration absorbing members AB1 and AB2 described above.

[0095] 5, the vibration absorbing member AB3 may be disposed between the antenna 6L and the second unshielded portion 24L. By disposing the antenna 6L in the recess 85 of the case 80, the length between the upper surface 82 and the second unshielded portion 24L can be reduced, and the housing 1 can be made thinner.

[0096] According to the present embodiment described above, it is possible to provide an electronic device 100 capable of suppressing the influence of noise and ensuring antenna performance. That is, in the housing 1, a shield wall can be formed by electrically connecting the conductive layer 90 formed on the case 80 of the vibration generating member 8 to the first shield portion 13 and the second shield portion 23 by the elastic support member E. The formed shield wall shields the antenna 6 arranged in the non-shielded area NSA from noise generated in the shielded area SA, thereby suppressing deterioration in the performance of the antenna 6 and providing a good communication environment for the antenna 6.

[0097] In the non-shielded area NSA, by arranging the antenna 6 above the case 80 made of a dielectric, the space required for the antenna 6 can be secured and the housing 1 can be made thinner without increasing the thickness of the housing 1.

[0098] Furthermore, the elastic support member E is conductive, and not only electrically connects the conductive layer 90 to the first shield portion 13 and the second shield portion 23, but also has a function of vibration isolation for the case 80. Therefore, even when the conductive layer 90 is formed on the case 80 that houses a vibrating body VB that vibrates during operation, such as a speaker, by disposing the elastic support member E between the case 80 and the housing 1, the vibration of the case 80 is unlikely to be transmitted to the housing 1. In addition, the gaps G1 and G2 between the vibration generating member 8 in which the elastic support member E is disposed and the housing 1 can be reduced, and the housing 1 can be made thinner.

[0099] In this embodiment, there is no need to provide a new dedicated shielding wall between the circuit board 5, which could be a source of noise, and the antennas 6L, 6R. This saves space for the dedicated shielding wall and necessary clearances, and also ensures a large space in the housing 1 to accommodate vibration-generating components 8, such as an antenna and a speaker.

[0100] Furthermore, by making the housing 1 smaller, the weight of the entire electronic device 100 can be reduced, improving user convenience. Since there is no need to provide a dedicated shield wall, the structure of the housing 1 can be simplified, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the housing 1. Furthermore, the elastic support member E in this embodiment can be easily incorporated into the housing 1 during manufacturing.

[0101] As another example of the housing 1 in this embodiment, each of the lower housing 10 and the upper housing 20 may be formed from a dielectric, and a conductive layer may be formed on the inner surface of the parts corresponding to the first shield portion 13 and the second shield portion 23 by painting, plating, or the like.

[0102] Furthermore, the first shield portion 13 and the second shield portion 23 may be formed to have a layer formed of a conductor on the inside or outer surface thereof and a layer formed of a dielectric on the other portion. Even in such a case, at least a part of the conductor in the first shield portion 13 and the second shield portion 23 is exposed toward the conductive layer 90. Therefore, the conductor is electrically connected to the conductive layer 90 by the elastic support member E to form a shield wall, which can shield the antenna 6 arranged in the non-shielded area NSA from noise generated in the shielded area SA.

[0103] In this embodiment, the non-shielded area NSA is formed around each of the two corners located on the front side of the housing 1, but the non-shielded area NSA may be formed over the entire front side of the housing 1.

[0104] 5, an example in which the antenna 6L is adhered to the second unshielded portion 24L has been described, but a spacer may be further provided between the antennas 6L, 6R and the upper wall 21, and the antennas 6L, 6R may be adhered to the upper wall 21 via the spacer. By providing the spacer, a certain distance can be provided between the antenna 6 and the upper wall 21.

[0105] In this embodiment, a notebook PC is disclosed as an example of the electronic device 100, but the electronic device 100 can also be applied to a mobile PC or other information processing terminals, etc. Although the antennas 6L and 6R are disclosed as communication antennas for LTE, the electronic device 100 can also be applied to communication antennas for wireless LAN and other wireless communication antennas.

[0106] Although a speaker has been disclosed as an example of the vibration generating member 8, the vibration generating member 8 may be a fan or the like housed in the housing 1. Although a conductive gasket has been disclosed as an example of the elastic support member E, the elastic support member E may be a coil spring or the like made of a metal material. [Explanation of symbols]

[0107] 100...electronic device, 1, 2...housing, 10...lower housing, 11...bottom wall, 13...first shielded portion, 14...first non-shielded portion, 20...upper housing, 21...upper wall, 23...second shielded portion, 24...second non-shielded portion, 5...circuit board, 6L, 6R...antenna, 8L, 8R...vibration generating member, 80...case, 81...bottom surface, 82...top surface, 83...side surface, 85...recess, 90...conductive layer, 91...bottom conductive layer, 92 upper conductive layer, 93...side conductive layer, AB1 to AB3...vibration absorbing member, E1...first elastic support member, E2...second elastic support member, G1...first gap, G2...second gap, G3...third gap, SA...shielded area, NSA...non-shielded area, SP...space area, VB...vibrator.

Claims

1. a housing having a shielded area, at least a portion of which is made of a conductor, and a non-shielded area, which is located on the outer periphery side of at least a portion of the shielded area, is made of a dielectric material, and is not shielded; a circuit board on which electronic components are mounted, the circuit board being disposed in the shielded area within the housing; an antenna disposed in the unshielded area within the housing; a vibration generating member having a case made of a dielectric material and a vibrating body provided in the case, the vibration generating member being disposed in the housing such that a surface of a part of the case is located in the shielded area and another part of the case is located in the non-shielded area; a conductive elastic support member that is sandwiched between the housing and the case in the shielded area and elastically supports the case, The housing further includes a lower housing having a bottom wall, and an upper housing having an upper wall facing the bottom wall with a gap therebetween, the bottom wall has a first shielded portion, at least an inner surface of which is made of the conductor, and a first unshielded portion, which is made of the dielectric material; the upper wall has a second shielded portion, at least an inner surface of which is made of the conductor and which faces the first shielded portion, and a second unshielded portion, which is made of the dielectric material and which faces the first unshielded portion; the case has a bottom surface at least a portion of which faces the first shielding portion of the bottom wall, a top surface at least a portion of which faces the second shielding portion of the top wall, and a side surface extending along a boundary between the first shielding portion, the second shielding portion, and the first unshielded portion, and the second unshielded portion; a conductive layer is formed on a surface of the vibration generating member located in the shielded region so as to be in contact with the elastic support member; the conductive layer is electrically connected to the conductor by the elastic support member; the conductive layer includes a bottom conductive layer formed on the bottom surface and facing the first shield portion with a first gap therebetween, a top conductive layer formed on the top surface and facing the second shield portion with a second gap therebetween, and a side conductive layer formed on the side surface and electrically connecting the bottom conductive layer and the top conductive layer, The elastic support member includes a first elastic support member disposed in the first gap and extending along the boundary, and a second elastic support member disposed in the second gap and extending along the boundary. electronic equipment.

2. the elastic support member is a conductive gasket made of an elastically deformable and conductive material, and has a desired resistance value when compressed to a predetermined thickness; the first gap and the second gap are set to gaps in which the conductive gasket is disposed in a state in which the conductive gasket is compressed to the predetermined thickness; 2. The electronic device according to claim 1.

3. the antenna is disposed between the second unshielded portion of the upper wall and the upper surface of the case, and a vibration absorbing member is disposed between the antenna and the upper wall.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A third gap is formed between the antenna and the top surface of the case, and a vibration absorbing member is disposed in the third gap.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3.

5. the case has a recess on the top surface that is recessed toward the bottom surface, The antenna is disposed in the recess.

5. The electronic device according to claim 3 or 4.

6. The case contains the vibrator including a conductive material, and the vibrator is contained at a distance of 5 mm or more from the antenna.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1.

7. The vibration generating member is a speaker, and the case forms a hollow space through which sound waves generated from the vibrator propagate, The antenna is disposed opposite to an outer surface of the case that defines the spatial region.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6.

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