electronic equipment

Abstract

The present invention provides an electronic device in which the cost of a circuit board can be reduced. A storage medium (100) for connecting to a connector (3c) mounted on an upper surface (20U) of a circuit board (20) is supported by a support structure (5) at a reverse-side end part (100R) of the storage medium (100). A lower-side board shield (40), which is a member different from the circuit board, is electrically connected to a ground unit provided to the end part of the storage medium via the support structure.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to electronic devices. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses an electronic device that can be equipped with a semiconductor memory. In recent years, some storage media, such as semiconductor memories, that are installed in electronic devices such as game consoles and personal computers have a terminal portion at one end and a ground portion at the opposite end. For example, storage media that comply with the M.2 standard have such a terminal portion and ground portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2021 / 193622 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In conventional electronic devices, a support structure for supporting the end of a storage medium (the end opposite the terminal portion) is provided on a circuit board. The support structure includes a spacer that determines the height of the end of the storage medium from the circuit board and a screw that secures the end of the circuit board. The ground portion of the storage medium is electrically connected to the circuit board via this support structure. For example, a spacer is attached to the circuit board, or holes are formed in the circuit board into which screws that secure the end of the storage medium are inserted, and the ground portion of the storage medium is electrically connected to the circuit board via the spacer or screw. This leads to increased costs for the circuit board.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronic device that can reduce the cost of circuit boards. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The electronic device according to the present disclosure is an electronic device capable of mounting a storage medium having a first end portion on which a terminal portion is formed and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, and a ground portion formed at the second end portion, and includes a circuit board having a first surface and a second surface, a connector mounted on the first surface and connectable to the first end portion of the storage medium, a support structure positioned in a first direction along the circuit board relative to the connector, supporting the second end portion and connecting to the ground portion provided at the second end portion, and a member different from the circuit board that is electrically connected to the ground portion of the storage medium via the support structure, thereby reducing the cost of the circuit board. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1A] 1 is a perspective view of an electronic device that is an example of an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an electronic device. [Figure 1C] 1 is a perspective view showing a storage chamber of an electronic device in which a storage medium is stored. [Figure 1D] 1 is a perspective view showing a storage chamber of an electronic device in which a storage medium is stored. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device taken along line II-II in FIG. 1B. [Figure 3A] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a circuit board unit housed inside the electronic device. [Figure 3B] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing components of a circuit board unit. [Figure 3C] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a peripheral portion of a connector in the circuit board unit. [Figure 3D] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a peripheral portion of a connector on a circuit board. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3A. [Figure 5] 3 is an enlarged view of the periphery of the connector in the cross section shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 6]6 is a front view of the connector as viewed in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a storage medium is attached to a connector. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the periphery of a connector shield in a circuit board unit according to a modified example. [Figure 9] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic device in the vicinity of a connector shield. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] [1. Overview of electronic devices] Fig. 1A is a perspective view showing an electronic device 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Fig. 1B is a plan view of the electronic device 1. Figs. 1A and 1B show a state in which a cover (not shown) is removed from the electronic device 1. Figs. 1C and 1D are perspective views showing a storage chamber 4 of the electronic device 1 in which a storage medium 100 is stored. Figs. 1B to 1D show a state in which a memory cover 60 is removed from the electronic device.

[0009] 1A, connectors 3a and 3b are formed on a side surface 1R of the electronic device 1. The connectors 3a and 3b are, for example, connectors that comply with the USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard, but these standards are not limited to the USB standard.

[0010] 1B, a storage medium 100 such as a solid state drive (SSD) is attached inside the electronic device 1. As shown in FIGS. 1B to 1D, the electronic device 1 is provided with a storage chamber 4, which is a recess for storing the storage medium 100.

[0011] In the following description, the Z1 direction (the direction in which the storage chamber 4 opens) and Z2 direction of the Z axis shown in FIG. 1A and elsewhere will be referred to as the upward and downward directions, respectively. The Y1 and Y2 directions of the Y axis perpendicular to the Z axis will be referred to as the forward and backward directions, respectively. The X1 and X2 directions of the X axis perpendicular to the Z and Y axes will be referred to as the rightward and leftward directions, respectively. However, these directions are defined to explain the shapes and relative positional relationships of elements such as parts, components, and portions of the electronic device 1, and do not limit the orientation of the electronic device 1 during use.

[0012] [2. Storage media storage structure] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device 1 taken along line II-II in FIG. 1B, showing the state in which the storage medium 100 and memory cover 60 are attached to the electronic device 1. The storage chamber 4 accommodating the storage medium 100 is a box-shaped space formed by a bottom defined by the upper surface 40U of the lower board shield 40 (described later) and the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20, and three walls standing on the front, rear, and right sides of the bottom, as shown in FIG. 3B. The cover 60 is attached to a housing 70 constituting at least a portion of the storage chamber 4, and covers the upper side of the storage chamber 4, closing it.

[0013] 2, a memory cover 60 that covers the accommodation chamber 4 is fixed to a housing 70 made of an insulating material such as resin by fasteners 6 such as screws. A lower board shield 40 that covers the underside of the circuit board 20 is disposed below the housing 70, and the fasteners 6 pass through mounting holes 72 formed in the housing 70 and are attached to mounting holes 42 formed in the lower board shield 40. The memory cover 60, the fasteners 6, and the lower board shield 40 are made of a conductive metal, and these components are electrically connected.

[0014] 2, the storage medium 100 is housed inside the housing chamber 4 covered by the memory cover 60. A sponge-like cushioning member may be provided between the memory cover 60 and the storage medium 100 to protect the storage medium 100 from impacts, or a heat sink may be provided to cool the storage medium 100.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, the storage medium 100 has a circuit board 101. The storage medium 100 has regions 102U and 102D where an integrated circuit mounted on the circuit board 101 and heat dissipation components attached to the integrated circuit are arranged. The storage medium 100 also has a first end 100L and a second end 100R opposite the first end 100L. A terminal portion (not shown) is formed at the first end 100L of the storage medium 100. A ground portion (not shown) is formed at the second end 100R of the storage medium 100. The circuit board 101 of the storage medium 100 has the first end 100L and the second end 100R. The terminal portion and the ground portion are conductive wiring or the like mounted on the circuit board 101. The first end 100L and the second end 100R of the circuit board 101 protrude in the longitudinal direction (X2 direction and X1 direction) of the storage medium 100 beyond the regions 102U and 102D where the integrated circuits and the like are arranged. In the following description, the first end 100L will also be simply referred to as end 100L, and the second end 100R will also be simply referred to as end 100R.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1C, a connector 3c is provided inside the storage chamber 4 that accommodates the storage medium 100. As shown in FIG. 2, the connector 3c is provided at one end (the left end) of the storage chamber 4. The connector 3c fits with an end 100L (see FIG. 2) of the storage medium 100 and is electrically connected to a terminal portion provided at the end 100L. The storage medium 100 and the connector 3c are designed in accordance with, for example, the M.2 standard, but the standard of the storage medium 100 and the connector 3c is not necessarily limited to the M.2 standard. The bottom of the storage chamber 4 facing the storage medium 100 attached to the connector 3c is formed by the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20 near the connector 3c, and the remaining portion is formed by the upper surface 40U of the lower board shield 40.

[0017] 1D, a cylindrical spacer 5a is attached to the inside of the storage chamber 4 that accommodates the storage medium 100. A lower substrate shield 40 (described later) that forms the inside of the storage chamber 4 At least one positioning portion 4a that defines the position of the spacer 5a is formed on the lower substrate shield 40 (circuit board shield). The positioning portion 4a is formed on one surface of the lower substrate shield 40 (the upper surface 40U shown in FIG. 3B). In the example shown in FIG. 1D, the lower substrate shield 40 has a plurality of positioning portions 4a formed at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the accommodation chamber 4. One of these positioning portions 4a is selected depending on the size of the storage medium 100, and the spacer 5a is attached inside the region R1 defined by the selected positioning portion 4a.

[0018] Each positioning portion 4a formed on the lower board shield 40 is formed integrally with the upper surface 40U of the lower board shield 40 by sheet metal processing of the lower board shield 40. In the example shown in FIG. 1D, each positioning portion 4a includes multiple guide protrusions 4b surrounding the region R1 in which the spacer 5a is to be disposed. One positioning portion 4a includes three guide protrusions 4b, and the distance between the guide protrusions 4b included in one positioning portion 4a is smaller than the diameter of the circle defined by the outer edge of the spacer 5a. This allows the outer edges of the spacer 5a to contact two or more guide protrusions 4b, guiding the spacer 5a into the region R1, making it easier to position the spacer 5a in the accommodation chamber 4. Furthermore, this prevents the spacer 5a from moving outside the region R1 defined by the three guide protrusions 4b.

[0019] The number of guide protrusions 4b surrounding the region R1 where the spacers 5a are arranged may be two or four. When there are two guide protrusions 4b, each guide protrusion 4b may surround the region R1 where the spacers 5a are arranged in an arc shape in a plan view. Alternatively, there may be only one guide protrusion 4b surrounding the region R1. In this case, the guide protrusion 4b may surround the region R1 in an arc having a central angle of 180 degrees or more, or a full circle, in a plan view.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1D, a mounting hole 4c is formed in the center of the region R1 defined by the positioning portion 4a. As shown in FIG. 2, fasteners 5b, such as screws or rivets, are attached to the holes formed in the spacer 5a and the mounting holes 4c formed in the lower substrate shield 40. The spacer 5a and the fasteners 5b function as a support structure 5 that supports the end 100R of the storage medium 100 in the accommodating chamber 4. The spacer 5a is disposed on the lower substrate shield 40 that constitutes the accommodating chamber 4, and contacts both the end 100R of the storage medium 100 and the lower substrate shield 40 between the end 100R of the storage medium 100. The spacer 5a ensures a distance between the end 100R of the storage medium 100 and the lower substrate shield 40. The fasteners 5b fix the end 100R of the storage medium 100 to the mounting holes 4c formed in the accommodating chamber 4. This allows the support structure 5 to support the storage medium 100 and fix the storage medium 100 inside the accommodating chamber 4.

[0021] 1D, a plurality of positioning portions 4a aligned in the left-right direction (along the X-axis) are formed on the lower substrate shield 40 that constitutes the accommodation chamber 4. This allows a plurality of types of storage media 100 with different sizes in the left-right direction to be supported by the support structure 5 and fixed inside the accommodation chamber 4.

[0022] The fixture 5b is made of a conductive material such as metal, and is electrically connected to the ground portion of the storage medium 100 by contacting a ground portion such as a ground pattern mounted on the end 100R of the storage medium 100. For example, the ground portion is formed on the upper surface of the circuit board 101, and the head of the screw that serves as the fixture 5b is electrically connected to the ground portion. The fixture 5b, at its lower end that fits into the mounting hole 4c, contacts the lower substrate shield 40 that is made of a conductive material such as iron or aluminum, and electrically connects the ground portion of the storage medium 100 to the lower substrate shield 40. The spacer 5a may also be made of a conductive material. The end 100R of the circuit board 101 may be sandwiched between the head (upper end) of the fixture 5b and the upper end of the spacer 5a, and the spacer 5a may contact both the ground portion of the storage medium 100 and the lower substrate shield 40, thereby electrically connecting the ground portion of the storage medium 100 to the lower substrate shield 40.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1C and 1D , the lower board shield 40 constituting the accommodating chamber 4 is formed with protective protrusions 4d that protrude upward beyond the guide protrusions 4b. In the lower board shield 40, the protective protrusions 4d extend in the longitudinal direction of the accommodating chamber 4, i.e., in the left-right direction (along the X-axis). The protective protrusions 4d are formed on the front and rear sides of the multiple positioning portions 4a aligned in the left-right direction. The protective protrusions 4d prevent the guide protrusions 4b from interfering with the end 100L of the storage medium 100 or components of the storage medium 100 when attaching the end 100L of the storage medium 100 to the connector 3c. By forming the protective protrusions 4d, it becomes possible to slide the end 100L of the storage medium 100 leftward while a component mounted on the circuit board 101 of the storage medium 100 is in contact with the protective protrusions 4d, thereby fitting the end 100L into the connector 3c.

[0024] 1D, a protrusion 4e that protrudes upward is formed on the lower board shield 40 that constitutes the housing chamber 4. The protrusion 4e allows the circuit board 20 to be moved in the left direction along the circuit board 20. A hole 4f is formed that opens in the direction of the connector 3C (in the X2 direction). This allows the storage medium 100 accommodated in the accommodation chamber 4 to be cooled by air flowing through the opening of the hole 4f. Furthermore, by forming the hole 4f using the protrusion 4e, the opening of the hole 4f faces leftward, and the height of the opening of the hole 4f can be reduced while ensuring the area of ​​the opening. This prevents components (e.g., spacers 5a) from falling into the hole 4f. The mounting hole 4c formed in the lower board shield 40 also forms an air flow path for cooling the storage medium 100.

[0025] 3A is a plan view of the circuit board unit 10 housed inside the electronic device 1. FIG. 3B is an exploded perspective view showing the components of the circuit board unit 10. As shown in FIG. 3B, the circuit board unit 10 has a circuit board 20, an upper board shield 30, a lower board shield 40, and a connector shield 50. The circuit board 20 has an upper surface 20U and a lower surface 20D. (See FIG. 2). The upper board shield 30 covers the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20. The lower board shield 40 covers the lower surface 20D of the circuit board 20. A connector 3c and a connector 3d (described later) are mounted on the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20. The connector shield 50 covers the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20 together with the upper board shield 30. The connector shield 50 covers the connectors 3c and 3d mounted on the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 3B , a plurality of electronic components, such as an integrated circuit chip 21, are mounted on an upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20. A plurality of electronic components are also mounted on a lower surface 20D of the circuit board 20. The upper board shield 30 and the lower board shield 40 are intended to prevent noise, such as electromagnetic waves, generated by the plurality of electronic components mounted on the circuit board 20 from leaking outside the circuit board unit 10. The upper board shield 30 and the lower board shield 40 can be manufactured by performing sheet metal processing, such as drawing, on a conductive metal plate made of iron or aluminum. The upper board shield 30 and the lower board shield 40 are fixed to the circuit board 20 with a plurality of screws, rivets, or the like.

[0027] 3B, a heat pipe 8U and a heat sink 9U are attached to the upper substrate shield 30, and a heat pipe 8D and a heat sink 9D are attached to the lower substrate shield 40. The heat pipe 8D and the heat sink 9D are attached to the underside of the lower substrate shield 40.

[0028] FIG. 3C is a perspective view showing a portion of the circuit board unit 10, illustrating the periphery of the connector 3c mounted on the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20. As shown in FIG. 3C, the connector 3c, to which the end 100L of the storage medium 100 is attached, is mounted on the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20. The support structure 5 for the storage medium 100, including the spacer 5a and the fastener 5b, is disposed outside the outer edge of the circuit board 20 and is located to the right (X1 direction, along the circuit board 20) away from the connector 3c. As shown in FIG. 3A, the lower substrate shield 40 has an outer region R2 located outside the outer edge of the circuit board 20, and the support structure 5 is provided in this outer region R2. The lower substrate shield 40 is electrically connected to the ground portion of the storage medium 100 via the support structure 5 located in the outer region R2.

[0029] In conventional electronic devices, the ground portion of storage medium 100 is connected to a ground pattern formed on a circuit board via support structure 5, such as spacers 5a and fixtures 5b. In contrast, in this embodiment, the ground portion of storage medium 100 contacts and is electrically connected to lower board shield 40, which is a member different from circuit board 20, via support structure 5. In this way, it is possible to omit the formation of a ground pattern on circuit board 20, and the cost of circuit board 20 can be reduced.

[0030] Furthermore, by providing the lower substrate shield 40 with a portion that electrically connects to the ground portion of the storage medium 100 via the support structure 5 (for example, the mounting hole 4c to which the fastener 5b is attached, or the region R1 in which the spacer 5a is disposed), the storage chamber 4 for accommodating the storage medium 100 can be formed by performing sheet metal processing on the lower substrate shield 40. In other words, the formation of the storage chamber 4 can be facilitated. Furthermore, the number of components required to manufacture the electronic device 1 can be reduced compared to, for example, when the storage chamber 4 is formed from a material different from the components of the circuit board unit 10.

[0031] 3C, the lower substrate shield 40 has a wall 41F that stands along the front portion (Y1 side portion) of the storage medium 100, a wall 41B that stands along the rear portion (Y2 side portion) of the storage medium 100, and a wall 41R that stands along the end portion 100R. The storage chamber 4 that houses the storage medium 100 is formed in a box shape by a bottom defined by an upper surface 40U of the lower substrate shield 40 and an upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20, and the walls 41F, 41B, and 41R of the lower substrate shield 40 that surround the bottom. The walls 41F, 41B, and 41R may be formed by subjecting the lower substrate shield 40 to sheet metal processing such as bending.

[0032] 3C, the upper substrate shield 30 also has walls 31BL and 31BR that stand along the rear portion (Y2 side portion) of the storage medium 100, and walls 31F that stand along the front portion (Y1 side portion) of the storage medium 100. These walls 31F, 31BL, and 31BR, together with walls 41F, 41B, and 41R of the lower substrate shield 40, form a box-shaped storage chamber 4. In other words, the storage chamber 4 is formed of different parts. Of the walls of the storage chamber 4 that stand along the side of the storage medium 100, the portion that follows the edge of the circuit board 20 is formed by the upper substrate shield 30, and the remaining portion is formed by the lower substrate shield 40.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 3C, a gap C1 is formed between the walls 41B and 31BR that stand along the rear portion (Y2 side portion) of the front and rear sides of the storage medium 100. A gap C2 is formed between the walls 31BR and 31BL, and a gap C3 is formed between the wall 31BL and the connector shield 50. As shown in Figs. 1C and 1D, walls 71 of the housing 70 are disposed in these gaps C1 to C3. These walls 71 are used to fix the circuit board unit 10 to the housing 70, for example.

[0034] The storage chamber 4 that stores the storage medium 100 is formed of different materials. As described above, the bottom of the storage chamber 4 is formed by the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20 in the area where the connector 3c is provided, and the remaining area is formed by the lower board shield 40 that covers the circuit board 20. This makes it possible to reduce the cost of the circuit board 20 compared to when the entire bottom of the storage chamber 4 is formed by the circuit board 20. Note that at least a portion of the bottom of the storage chamber 4 may be formed by the upper board shield 30.

[0035] [3. Connector shield structure] As shown in FIG. 3B, a connector 3d is provided on the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20 (first circuit board). (first connector) is mounted on the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20. The upper substrate shield 30 covers the circuit board 20, and the outer edge of the upper substrate shield 30 is arranged to avoid the connector 3d. That is, when the circuit board unit 10 is assembled, the connector 3d is exposed in an area R3 (see FIG. 3B) defined outside the outer edge of the upper substrate shield 30. The connector shield 50 covers the connector 3d mounted on the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20 in the area R3. The connector 3c (third connector) for connecting the storage medium 100 described above is mounted on the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20. The outer edge of the upper substrate shield 30 is arranged to avoid the connector 3c as well, and the connector 3d is exposed when the circuit board unit 10 is assembled. The connector shield 50 covers both the connector 3d and the connector 3c.

[0036] The connector shield 50 can be manufactured by applying sheet metal processing such as drawing to a conductive metal plate such as iron or aluminum. As shown in Fig. 3C, the connector shield 50 has a recess 57 that is recessed upward at the position of the connector 3d. The connector 3d and an end 91 of a flexible flat cable (FFC) 90 attached thereto are housed inside this recess 57.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 3C , the connector shield 50 has an edge formed with a bent portion 58 that is bent downward. The bent portion 58 of the connector shield 50 abuts against the edge of the upper board shield 30 or the edge of the circuit board 20. This facilitates positioning of the connector shield 50 on the upper board shield 30. The connector shield 50 also has a guide hole 59 at a position different from the recess 57, and the upper board shield 30 has a guide protrusion 39 that protrudes upward at the position of the guide hole 59 of the connector shield 50. When the connector shield 50 is placed on the upper board shield 30, the guide protrusion 39 of the upper board shield 30 passes through the guide hole 59 of the connector shield 50. This also facilitates positioning of the connector shield 50 on the upper board shield 30.

[0038] FIG. 3D is a perspective view showing a portion of the circuit board 20, illustrating the periphery of connectors 3c and 3d mounted on the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20. The connector 3d shown in FIG. 3D is a connector that mates with an end 91 of an FFC 90 (described later) and electrically connects to the FFC 90. The connector 3d has a locking mechanism for fixing the end 91 of the FFC 90 to the connector 3d. For example, the locking mechanism of the connector 3d includes a lever Le. When an operator moves the lever Le to a predetermined locking position, the end 91 of the FFC 90 is fixed inside the connector 3d. When an operator moves the lever Le to a predetermined release position, the end 91 of the FFC 90 is released from the connector 3d. As shown in FIGS. 3C and 3D, a connector shield 50 covers the locking mechanism of the connector 3d, including the lever Le. The connector shield 50 covers the entire connector 3d.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device 1 taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 3A. Note that FIG. 4 omits the illustration of some parts of the electronic device 1. As shown in FIGS. 3D and 4, a conductive elastic member 110 is placed on an end 91 of the FFC 90. The elastic member 110 is in contact with both a ground pattern (not shown) provided on the end 91 of the FFC 90 and the connector shield 50. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the electronic device 1 has a circuit board 80 (second circuit board). A connector 3e (second connector) connected to a connector 3d via the FFC 90 is mounted on the circuit board 80. The circuit board 80 is disposed on the front side (left side in FIG. 4) of the circuit board 20, and is disposed along a plane perpendicular to the upper surface 20U and the lower surface 20D of the circuit board 20. The connectors 3a and 3b shown in FIG. 1A are mounted on the circuit board 80.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 3C , the connector shield 50 is attached to the upper board shield 30 with fasteners 7 such as screws, and can be detached from the upper board shield 30. The connector shield 50 has fastening portions 51 such as holes that are fastened to the upper board shield 30. The upper board shield 30 also has fastening portions 32 such as holes (see FIG. 3B ) that are fastened to the connector shield 50 and the circuit board 20, and the circuit board 20 has fastening portions 22 (see FIG. 3D ) that are fastened to the upper board shield 30. As shown by the dashed-dotted line L1 in FIG. 3B , the fastening portions 22, 32, and 51 are aligned in the vertical direction, and one fastener 7 is passed through these fastening portions 22, 32, and 51 to fasten the connector shield 50 and the upper board shield 30 to the circuit board 20.

[0041] In the conventional structure, the connector 3d is covered by an upper board shield 30 that largely covers the circuit board 20, and when removing the FFC 90 from the connector 3d for repairs to the electronic device 1, it is necessary to remove the upper board shield 30. The upper board shield 30 is fixed to the circuit board 20 at many positions with screws or the like, making the process of removing the upper board shield 30 complicated. In this regard, by covering the connector 3d with a connector shield 50 that is different from the upper board shield 30, it becomes possible to remove the FFC 90 from the connector 3d by removing only the connector shield 50, without removing the upper board shield 30. In other words, providing the connector shield 50 makes it easier to remove the FFC 90 from the connector 3d.

[0042] 3D, a ground pattern 23 made of a conductive material is formed on the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20. The ground pattern 23 has a fixing portion 22 formed thereon, which is fixed to a fixing portion 32 of the upper board shield 30. By fastening the fixing portions 22, 32 with one fastener 7 (see FIG. 3C), the upper board shield 30 comes into contact with the ground pattern 23 of the circuit board 20 at the positions of the fixing portions 22, 32.

[0043] The ground pattern 23 formed on the circuit board 20 has a protrusion 24 that protrudes upward. The protrusion 24 comes into contact with the upper substrate shield 30, thereby more effectively suppressing noise leakage. One or two protrusions 24 are formed between two adjacent fixed portions 22 formed on the ground pattern 23. The distance between adjacent fixed portions 22 and protrusions, and between two adjacent protrusions, may be set to less than one-third, more preferably less than one-quarter, of the wavelength of the noise to be shielded by the upper substrate shield 30. For example, by setting the distance between adjacent fixed portions 22 and protrusions, and between two adjacent protrusions, to 20 mm or less, more preferably 15 mm or less, or 10 mm or less, the leakage of noise in the desired frequency band to be shielded can be effectively suppressed.

[0044] In this way, at the positions of fixing portions 22, 32 and protrusion 24, it is possible to prevent noise such as electromagnetic waves generated from electronic components mounted on upper surface 20U of circuit board 20 from leaking outside circuit board unit 10. In particular, noise from electronic components mounted inside circuit board 20 relative to ground pattern 23 on upper surface 20U of circuit board 20 is shielded by upper board shield 30, and noise leakage to region R3 where connector 3d is mounted and region where connector 3c is mounted is also effectively reduced.

[0045] Furthermore, fixing portion 51 of connector shield 50 is fixed to fixing portions 22, 32 that have been provided with noise countermeasures by a single fixing device 7. In this way, by fixing connector shield 50 using fixing device 7 that is also used to fix upper board shield 30 and ground pattern 23, the number of fixing devices 7 required for circuit board unit 10 can be reduced.

[0046] 3B, the circuit board unit 10 also has a region R4 in which electronic components such as integrated circuits on the circuit board 20 are arranged and which is surrounded by a ground portion. The outer edge of region R4 is formed, for example, by the ground pattern 23 of the circuit board 20. Part of the outer edge of region R4 may also be formed by contact portions between the left edge 40L and right edge 40R of the lower substrate shield 40 and the left edge 30L and right edge 30R of the upper substrate shield 30, as shown in FIG. 3B. In this way, noise countermeasures are implemented for the electronic components arranged in region R4.

[0047] 3D, the connector shield 50 is disposed outside the region R4 defined on the circuit board 20 in plan view. With the above layout, it is possible to prevent noise from leaking outside the region R4 defined on the circuit board 20, and it is also possible to remove the FFC 90 from the connector 3d by removing only the connector shield 50. Furthermore, by fixing the fixing portion 51 of the connector shield 50 using multiple fixing devices 7 attached to the fixing portions 22 and 32 as a noise countermeasure, it is possible to reduce the number of fixing devices 7 in the circuit board unit 10.

[0048] Furthermore, noise generated from electronic components mounted on the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20 inside the region R4 defined by the ground pattern 23 is shielded by the upper board shield 30. For this reason, the connector shield 50, which is detachable from the circuit board 20 and the upper board shield 30, can have a shape that takes into consideration measures against noise generated from the connector 3c or 3d, and a shape that takes into consideration attachment and detachment to the circuit board 20, etc. This allows the structure of the connector shield 50 to be simplified.

[0049] [4. Anti-static structure] 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the cross section shown in FIG. 2, showing the periphery of connector 3c mounted on upper surface 20U of circuit board 20. As shown in FIG. 5, connector 3c has a mating recess 301 for fitting end 100L of storage medium 100. Mating recess 301 opens to the right along circuit board 20 (first direction, direction away from connector 3c). Connector 3c is located on one end side (left side) of accommodating chamber 4, and mating recess 301 opens toward accommodating chamber 4.

[0050] FIG. 6 is a front view of the connector viewed in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 5, showing the inside of a mating recess 301 formed in the connector 3c. As shown in FIG. 6, the connector 3c has, inside the mating recess 301, a plurality of first signal terminals 302 and a plurality of second signal terminals 304 for electrically connecting to the storage medium 100. As shown in FIG. 5, the first signal terminal 302 has a terminal portion 302a that contacts a terminal portion provided on the end portion 100L of the storage medium 100. As shown in FIG. 6, the second signal terminal 304 also has a terminal portion 304a that contacts a terminal portion of the storage medium 100. The terminal portions 302a of the plurality of first signal terminals 302 are arranged above the mating recess 301 and are aligned in the front-rear direction (the direction along the Y axis in FIG. 6). The terminal portions 304a of the plurality of second signal terminals 304 are arranged below the mating recess 301 and are aligned in the front-rear direction.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 6, the connector 3c has an insulating portion 303 located between two adjacent first signal terminals among the plurality of first signal terminals 302. The insulating portion 303 is formed of an insulating material such as resin and covers the upper sides of the plurality of first signal terminals 302. As shown in FIG. 5, the right end portion 303R of the insulating portion 303 protrudes rightward beyond the terminal portion 302a of the first signal terminal 302 (in the direction in which the terminal portion 302a extends, the direction opposite to the direction in which the end portion 100L of the storage medium 100 is attached to the fitting recess 301). In other words, the right end portion 303R of the insulating portion 303 protrudes toward the accommodating chamber 4 beyond the terminal portion 302a of the first signal terminal 302. As a result, the insulating portion 303 protects the terminal portion 302a of the first signal terminal 302.

[0052] As described above, the connector shield 50 is formed separately from the upper board shield 30 and attached to the upper board shield 30. The connector shield 50 has a dome shape that opens toward the accommodating chamber 4 to expose the opening of the mating recess 301 and completely covers the other parts of the connector 3c. As shown in FIG. 6 , the connector shield 50 has an electrostatic protection portion 52 that is arranged along the opening of the mating recess 301 of the connector 3c. In this embodiment, the connector shield 50 functions as a ground member that includes the electrostatic protection portion 52. A gap C4 is formed between the connector 3c and the connector shield 50. The connector shield 50, together with the ground pattern 23 of the circuit board 20, the upper board shield 30, the lower board shield 40, and the like, constitutes the ground portion of the circuit board unit 10. Therefore, the connector 3c is covered by a ground member that is different from the connector 3c.

[0053] 5, the electrostatic protection portion 52 of the connector shield 50 is located to the right (in the X1 direction) of at least one of the multiple first signal terminals 302 of the connector 3c. More specifically, the electrostatic protection portion 52 is located to the right of the terminal portion 302a of the first signal terminal 302 that comes into contact with the storage medium 100. The electrostatic protection portion 52 may be located to the right of the right end of the entire first signal terminal 302. Furthermore, the electrostatic protection portion 52 may be located to the right of all of the multiple first signal terminals 302 arranged above the fitting recess 301. In other words, the electrostatic protection portion 52 of the connector shield 50 is located closer to the accommodating chamber 4 than at least one of the multiple first signal terminals 302 of the connector 3c. When an operator attaches or detaches the storage medium 100 to or from the connector 3c, the operator's fingers move together with the storage medium 100 from the storage chamber 4 toward the connector 3c. Therefore, by providing an electrostatic protection section 52 on the storage chamber 4 side, static electricity can be passed from the operator's fingers to the electrostatic protection section 52.

[0054] At least one of the multiple electronic components such as integrated circuit chip 21 (see FIG. 3B) mounted on circuit board 20 functions as a controller that controls storage medium 100. The controller mounted on circuit board 20 is connected to storage medium 100 via connector 3c, and controls input and output of signals to storage medium 100. When replacing storage medium 100, measures are required to protect connector 3c and the controller from static electricity that may be generated on the worker's fingers, etc.

[0055] In the circuit board 20, for example, if a diode is placed in the electrical path from the connector 3c to the controller, it is possible to prevent static electricity from flowing to the controller. However, placing an additional diode on the circuit board 20 is costly. In contrast, as in the present embodiment, a ground member such as a connector shield 50 having an electrostatic protection unit 52 is provided, and the electrostatic protection unit 52 is placed to the right of the first signal terminal 302 of the connector 3c, so that static electricity can be received by the connector shield 50. As a result, it is no longer necessary to place a diode in the electrical path to the controller, and the cost of the circuit board 20 can be reduced.

[0056] 5, the electrostatic protection portion 52 of the connector shield 50 is located closer to the accommodation chamber 4 (to the right) than the right end 303R of the insulating portion 303, which is located between two adjacent first signal terminals 302. This positional relationship ensures that the electrostatic protection portion 52 receives static electricity generated on the worker's fingers, etc. The connector shield 50 passes static electricity to the upper board shield 30 to which the connector shield 50 is attached.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 5, the housing 70, which is made of an insulating material such as resin, has a first wall 73 that defines the storage chamber 4 for accommodating the storage medium 100. The first wall 73 defines the end of the inner surface of the storage chamber 4 that is closer to the connector 3c. The electrostatic protection portion 52 of the connector shield 50 protrudes to the right (in the X1 direction) beyond the first wall 73 of the housing 70. The electrostatic protection portion 52 of the connector shield 50 protrudes into the storage chamber 4. This allows the electrostatic protection portion 52 to receive static electricity generated on the operator's fingers, etc.

[0058] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5 and shows the state when the storage medium 100 is attached to the connector 3c. As shown in FIG. 7, the end 100L of the storage medium 100 can be inserted into the opening of the mating recess 301 in an oblique direction (indicated by the dashed-dotted line L2) that intersects the left-right direction (first direction) and the up-down direction (second direction). The electrostatic protection portion 52 of the connector shield 50 does not intersect with the oblique line L2 that passes through the mating recess 301. The line L2 is, for example, a line parallel to the bottom surface 301D of the mating recess 301. In this way, when the storage medium 100 is attached to the connector 3c, the end 100L of the storage medium 100 can be inserted into the mating recess 301 in an oblique direction without interfering with the electrostatic protection portion 52.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 5 , the distance D1 in the left-right direction from the electrostatic protection portion 52 of the connector shield 50 to the deepest part of the fitting recess 301 is less than 5 mm. Generally, the distance from the end face of the storage medium 100 (the end face of the circuit board 101 facing the X2 direction) to the component placement area 102U is greater than 5 mm. Therefore, by making the distance D1 less than 5 mm, it is possible to prevent the electrostatic protection portion 52 from interfering with the component placement area 102U of the storage medium 100 when the end 100L of the storage medium 100 is inserted into the deepest part of the fitting recess 301. More preferably, the distance D1 may be less than 4 mm. It is preferable that the tip (free end) of the electrostatic protection portion 52 of the connector shield 50 be located between the right end 303R of the insulating portion 303 and the end face of the component placement area 102U of the storage medium 100 attached to the connector 3c, on the connector 3c side, in the longitudinal direction of the accommodating chamber 4.

[0060] The connector shield 50 has an upper wall portion 53 (first wall) that covers the multiple first signal terminals 302 of the connector 3c. As shown in Figures 3C, 5, and 6, the connector shield 50 has a side wall portion 54 that stands along the side of the connector 3c. The side wall portion 54 covers the front surface (Y1 side surface), rear surface (Y2 side surface), and left side surface (X2 side surface) of the connector 3c, on which no opening of the mating recess 301 is formed.

[0061] In the connector shield 50, the electrostatic protection portion 52 extends in the vertical direction (toward the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20) from an end 53R of the upper wall portion 53 on the right side facing the accommodating chamber 4. The electrostatic protection portion 52 bends downward from the end 53R of the upper wall portion 53 toward the connector 3c. The tip of the electrostatic protection portion 52 is preferably positioned above the right end 303R of the insulating portion 303 in the vertical direction of the accommodating chamber 4, and positioned below the right end 303R to a degree that does not interfere with the storage medium 100 when the storage medium 100 is inserted or removed. This ensures a gap C4 (distance) between the upper wall portion 53 and the connector 3c that is larger than the width D2 of the electrostatic protection portion 52 in the vertical direction. By ensuring this large gap C4 between the connector 3c and the upper wall portion 53, static electricity received by the electrostatic protection portion 52 can be conducted via the upper wall portion 53 and away from the connector 3c. The gap C4 between the upper wall portion 53 and the connector 3c may be the same as the vertical width D2 of the electrostatic protection portion 52. In other words, the distance of the gap C4 may be a distance corresponding to the width D2 of the electrostatic protection portion 52.

[0062] 3C and 5, the upper wall 53 of the connector shield 50 has a protrusion 53a that protrudes upward. As shown in FIG. 5, the housing 70 has a second wall 74 to the left of the first wall 73. A conductive elastic member 120 is housed between the first wall 73 and the second wall 74 of the housing 70. The elastic member 120 is located on the upper wall 53 of the connector shield 50. The protrusion 53a formed on the upper wall 53 comes into contact with the elastic member 120.

[0063] 5, the right end 60R of the conductive memory cover 60 fits into the gap between the first wall 73 and the second wall 74 of the housing 70 and comes into contact with the elastic member 120. The memory cover 60 comes into contact with the elastic member 120 at the right end 60R, and is electrically connected to the elastic member 120. The connector shield 50 also comes into contact with the elastic member 120 at the protrusion 53a, and is electrically connected to the elastic member 120 and the memory cover 60. If static electricity is generated on the user's fingers or the like when attaching or detaching the memory cover 60, the static electricity will flow through the conductive elastic member 120 and the connector shield 50 to the upper board shield 30 to which the connector shield 50 is attached.

[0064] [5. Summary] As described above, in this embodiment, the ground portion provided at the end 100R of the storage medium 100 contacts and electrically connects with the lower substrate shield 40, which is a member different from the circuit board 20, via the support structure 5, such as the spacer 5a and the fixture 5b. In this way, the structure for attaching the support structure 5 and for electrical connection via the support structure 5 can be omitted from the circuit board 20, and the cost of the circuit board 20 can be reduced.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the connector 3d mounted on the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20 is covered with a connector shield 50 that is different from the upper board shield 30. In this manner, it becomes possible to remove the FFC 90 from the connector 3d by removing only the connector shield 50 without removing the upper board shield 30.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the connector shield 50 has an electrostatic protection portion 52 that is arranged along the opening of the mating recess 301 of the connector 3c that detachably connects the storage medium 100. By doing so, if static electricity is generated on the user's fingers or the like when attaching or detaching the storage medium 100, the static electricity can be discharged to the connector shield 50 via the electrostatic protection portion 52.

[0067] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0068] (1) In the embodiment, an example has been described in which the ground portion of the storage medium 100 is electrically connected to the lower substrate shield 40 via the support structure 5. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the ground portion of the storage medium 100 may be electrically connected to a member different from the circuit board 20 and the lower substrate shield 40. For example, the ground portion of the storage medium 100 may be electrically connected to the upper substrate shield 30. This also makes it possible to omit from the circuit board 20 the structure for attaching the support structure 5 or for making an electrical connection via the support structure 5, thereby reducing the cost of the circuit board 20.

[0069] (2) In the embodiment, an example has been described in which the connector 3d that connects with the end 91 of the FFC 90 is mounted on the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20. However, this is not limiting, and the connector 3d may be mounted on the lower surface 20D of the circuit board 20 (see FIG. 4). In this case, the connector shield 50 may be attached to the lower board shield 40 and may cover the connector 3d that is exposed from the lower board shield 40 on the lower surface 20D of the circuit board 20. This also makes it possible to remove the FFC 90 from the connector 3d by removing only the connector shield 50 without removing the lower board shield 40, making it easier to remove the FFC 90 from the connector 3d.

[0070] (3) In the embodiment, an example has been described in which the electrostatic protection portion 52, which receives static electricity in the connector shield 50, is bent downward from the end portion 53R of the upper wall portion 53. The shape of the connector shield 50 including the electrostatic protection portion 52 is not limited to this example.

[0071] Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a portion of the circuit board unit 10 according to a modified example, showing the periphery of a connector shield 150 attached to the upper board shield 30. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device 1 around the connector shield 150. As shown in Fig. 8, the connector shield 150 is made of a conductive material, similar to the connector shield 50 described in the embodiment, and covers the connectors 3c and 3d. However, the shape of the portion of the connector shield 150 that covers the connector 3c is different from the shape described in the embodiment.

[0072] 9, the connector shield 150 has an electrostatic protection portion 152. As in the example of the connector shield 50, the electrostatic protection portion 152 is arranged along the opening of the mating recess 301 of the connector 3c. The connector shield 150 has an upper wall portion 153 (first wall) that covers the multiple first signal terminals 302 of the connector 3c. The electrostatic protection portion 152 is bent upward from an end 153R of the upper wall portion 153 in the right direction toward the opposite side (upper side) from the connector 3c.

[0073] The electrostatic protection portion 152 of the connector shield 150 is located to the right (X1 direction, on the accommodation chamber 4 side) of the first signal terminal 302 mounted on the connector 3c. A gap D5 is formed between the upper wall portion 153 of the connector shield 150 and the connector 3c. Therefore, static electricity generated by the fingers of an operator approaching from the accommodation chamber 4 side can be received by the electrostatic protection portion 52 and passed to the connector shield 50.

[0074] 9, the connector shield 150 has a folded portion 154 extending leftward from the upper end of the electrostatic protection portion 152, and a bent portion 155 bent obliquely upward from the left end of the folded portion 154. The connector shield 150 comes into contact with the conductive elastic member 120 at the bent portion 155, and is electrically connected to the elastic member 120. The memory cover 60 also comes into contact with the elastic member 120, and the connector shield 150 is electrically connected to the memory cover 60 via the elastic member 120.

[0075] (4) In the embodiment, an example was described in which the electrostatic protection portion 52 that receives static electricity is formed on the connector shield 50. However, the portion that receives static electricity may be provided on a member other than the connector shield 50. As shown in FIG. 3C , the upper board shield 30 has wall portions 31F, 31BL that stand along the sides of the storage medium 100 accommodated in the accommodation chamber 4. Here, a conductive member (e.g., conductive tape) including a portion that receives static electricity may be attached to the wall portions 31F, 31BL of the upper board shield 30. Furthermore, the conductive member including a portion that receives static electricity may be attached to the lower board shield 40, or may be attached to the upper wall portion 53 of the connector shield 50 that covers the connector 3c. In this way, by locating the portion that receives static electricity near the edge of the opening of the accommodation chamber 4, static electricity can be more quickly discharged to the upper board shield 30 and the lower board shield 40.

Claims

1. An electronic device capable of mounting a storage medium having a first end portion on which a terminal portion is formed and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion, the second end portion having a ground portion formed thereon, a circuit board having a first surface and a second surface; a connector mounted on the first surface and connectable to the first end of the storage medium; a support structure located relative to the connector in a first direction along the circuit board, supporting the second end and connecting to the ground portion provided at the second end; a member different from the circuit board that is electrically connected to the ground portion of the storage medium via the support structure; An electronic device having:

2. The member different from the circuit board is a circuit board shield covering the second surface of the circuit board. The electronic device according to claim 1 .

3. The circuit board shield has a wall that stands along the side of the storage medium.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2.

4. the member different from the circuit board has an outer region located outside an outer edge of the circuit board; The outer region is provided with the support structure. The electronic device according to claim 1 .

5. The support structure includes a spacer for ensuring a distance between the member different from the circuit board and the second end of the storage medium. The electronic device according to claim 1 .

6. a mounting hole is formed in the member different from the circuit board; The support structure includes a fastener that fastens the second end of the storage medium to the mounting hole and contacts the ground portion of the storage medium.

6. An electronic device according to claim 5.

7. At least one positioning portion that defines the position of the spacer is formed on the member different from the circuit board.

6. An electronic device according to claim 5.

8. The member different from the circuit board has a plurality of positioning portions arranged in the first direction as the at least one positioning portion.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7.

9. The at least one positioning portion includes one or more protrusions surrounding an area where the spacer is to be disposed.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8.

10. The member different from the circuit board has a protrusion extending in the first direction.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9.

11. The member different from the circuit board has a hole formed therein that opens in a direction along the circuit board.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1.

12. The member different from the circuit board is a circuit board shield covering the second surface of the circuit board, and the at least one positioning portion is integrally formed on a surface of the circuit board shield.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7.

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