electronic equipment

Abstract

Provided is an electronic instrument in which stable circuit operation is enabled.　In an electronic instrument 1 in which electricity can be conducted to a load 30, 40 by attaching and removing a battery 10: in the course of attaching or detaching the battery 10, a positive electrode terminal 42 on the load side and a positive electrode terminal 10a on the battery 10 side are electrically connected or disconnected in a state in which a negative electrode terminal 43 on the load side is electrically connected to a negative electrode terminal 10b on the battery 10 side.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device powered by a battery. [Background technology]

[0002] Battery-powered electronic devices do not require connection to an external power source and can therefore be used anywhere.

[0003] For example, the sensor device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is an electronic device that senses the status of manufacturing equipment installed on a production line and is powered by a button battery. The sensor device can be powered by inserting a battery holder holding a button battery into a slit-shaped insertion portion of the housing. The battery holder is configured by mounting on a support substrate first and second terminals that respectively contact the positive and negative electrodes of the button battery, a processing circuit that processes the output of the sensor element, a communication circuit that communicates with the outside, a connector that can be electrically connected to the sensor element, and other components. Mounting the button battery in the battery holder electrically connects the first and second terminals on the load side, to which the processing circuit, communication circuit, and other components are connected, to the positive and negative electrodes of the button battery. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-153485 A (pages 8 to 9, Figure 6) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when inserting or removing a button battery into or from the battery holder in Patent Document 1, there is a risk that the positive terminal of the button battery may be connected to the positive terminal without the reference potential on the ground side, which serves as the basis for circuit operation, being established. As a result, residual charges in the processing circuit, communication circuit, etc. on the load side can cause voltage instability, potentially resulting in adverse effects such as circuit malfunction or damage.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and has as its object to provide an electronic device that enables stable circuit operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the electronic device of the present invention comprises: An electronic device that can energize a load by attaching or detaching a battery, During the process of attaching or detaching the battery, the negative terminal on the load side is electrically connected to the negative terminal on the battery side, and the positive terminal on the load side and the positive terminal on the battery side are electrically connected / disconnected. According to this, when the battery is installed, the negative terminal on the load side is first electrically connected to the negative terminal on the battery side, so that the reference potential of the circuit is established, and then the positive terminal on the load side and the positive terminal on the battery side are electrically connected, thereby achieving a target potential difference in the circuit. Furthermore, when the battery is removed, the electrical connection between the negative terminal on the load side and the negative terminal on the battery side is maintained, and the positive terminal on the load side and the positive terminal on the battery side are first electrically disconnected, once the reference potential of the circuit has been established. This ensures that the target potential difference can be achieved in the circuit during the battery installation / removal process, enabling stable circuit operation.

[0008] The device may include a switch that switches between electrical connection and disconnection between the positive terminal on the load side and the positive terminal on the battery side in response to the attachment and detachment of the battery. This allows the switch that switches between electrical connection / disconnection between the positive terminal on the load side and the positive terminal on the battery side to be operated reliably while the reference potential of the circuit is determined in response to the battery insertion / removal operation, thereby enabling stable circuit operation.

[0009] The switch may be provided on the load side member. According to this, since the switch is configured on the load side member, it is not necessary to use batteries with special shapes, and various types of batteries can be used.

[0010] The positive and negative terminals on the load side are arranged side by side, The switch may be a return switch that protrudes reversibly in the direction in which the positive and negative terminals on the load side extend. According to this, when the battery is installed, the switch can be pressed down to electrically connect the positive terminal on the load side to the positive terminal on the battery side while the positive and negative terminals on the battery side are in contact with the positive and negative terminals on the load side. When the battery is removed, the switch returns to the direction in which the positive and negative terminals on the load side extend while maintaining contact between the positive and negative terminals on the battery side and the positive and negative terminals on the load side, thereby electrically disconnecting the positive terminal on the load side from the positive terminal on the battery side.

[0011] The positive and negative terminals on the load side may be returnable to their original extending directions. According to this, when the battery is installed, the switch can be pressed and contracted to electrically connect the positive electrode terminal on the load side to the positive electrode terminal on the battery side as the positive electrode terminal on the battery side comes into contact with the positive electrode terminal on the load side and the negative electrode terminal on the load side contract. When the battery is removed, the switch returns to the direction in which the positive electrode terminal on the load side extends, while a return force presses the positive electrode terminal on the load side against the positive electrode terminal on the battery side to maintain reliable contact, thereby electrically disconnecting the positive electrode terminal on the load side from the positive electrode terminal on the battery side.

[0012] a battery holder for holding the battery; The battery holder may be provided with a protrusion that can press the switch. With this, the switch is pressed by the protrusion of the battery holder in response to the insertion or removal of the battery, so the operation timing of the switch can be adjusted in accordance with the amount of protrusion of the protrusion.

[0013] A positioning mechanism for the battery holder may be provided. This allows the battery holder to be positioned so that the protrusion of the battery holder can reliably press the switch, and by restricting the movement of the battery holder, the state in which the protrusion presses the switch can be reliably maintained. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a pressure sensor according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of a pressure sensor according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a pressure sensor according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 4 is a perspective view showing the structure of the inner case and battery holder. For ease of explanation, Fig. 4 shows the state where the outer case is removed. [Figure 5]5 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the inner case.For the sake of convenience, Fig. 5 shows the state in which the outer case is removed. [Figure 6] 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 3. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the battery holder and the battery according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] An image diagram showing the contact state between the positive and negative electrodes of the battery and the positive and negative terminals of the pressure sensor during the battery holder installation process, and the operation of the switch by the protrusion of the battery holder, and a circuit schematic diagram corresponding to the image diagram. [Figure 9] An image diagram showing the contact state between the positive and negative electrodes of the battery and the positive and negative terminals of the pressure sensor during the process of removing the battery holder, and the operation of the switch by the protrusion of the battery holder, and a circuit schematic diagram corresponding to the image diagram. [Figure 10] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal of a pressure sensor according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal of a pressure sensor according to a third embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The following describes embodiments of the electronic device according to the present invention. The battery used in the electronic device according to the present invention may be a detachable battery attached to the electronic device itself, or a detachable battery holder for holding the battery. In the latter case, the positive and negative terminals of the battery may be directly electrically connected to the load circuit, or may be indirectly electrically connected via terminals on the battery holder. [Example]

[0016] An electronic device according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 9. In the following description, the left and right sides as viewed from the front in Fig. 3 will be referred to as the left and right sides of the electronic device. Specifically, the left side of the paper where the sensor unit 30 is provided will be referred to as the left side of the electronic device, and the right side of the paper where the cap member 23 is attached will be referred to as the right side of the electronic device.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 1, the electronic device of the present invention is a pressure sensor 1 configured to be able to detect the pressure of an object to be measured and powered by a battery 10 (see Fig. 2). Pressure sensor 1 is fixed to an installation location such as a pipe, duct, or tank (not shown) and detects the pressure of the object to be measured inside the installation location. The object to be measured is a fluid such as a liquid or gas.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the pressure sensor 1 is mainly composed of a housing 20, a sensor unit 30, a battery holder 100 (see FIG. 2), and a circuit unit 40 (see FIG. 3). The sensor unit 30 is attached to the left end of the housing 20. The battery holder 100 is housed within the housing 20 and holds the battery 10. The load of the present invention is composed of the sensor unit 30 and the circuit unit 40.

[0019] The pressure sensor 1 is fixed for use by, for example, screwing the threaded portion 20a of the housing 20 into a mounting port of a pipe (not shown). The threaded portion 20a is formed on the left end of the outer circumferential surface of the housing 20. This causes a sensor element (not shown) provided in the sensor unit 30 to output a voltage corresponding to the pressure applied by the fluid to be measured in the pipe. The processing chip 31 (see FIG. 3) converts this voltage into a pressure signal.

[0020] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the housing 20 is made up of a mounting member 21, an outer case 121, and an inner case 122 (see Figures 4 and 5). A threaded portion 20a (see Figure 1) is formed on the left end of the mounting member 21. The outer case 121 is made up of a cover member 22 attached to the right end of the mounting member 21, and a cap member 23 that closes an opening 22a on the right side of the cover member 22. The inner case 122 is fixed to the mounting member 21 and is covered by the cover member 22 and the cap member 23, i.e., the outer case 121.

[0021] As shown in Figure 3, the mounting member 21 has a cylindrical base 21a, a small diameter portion 21b extending leftward from the base 21a, a flange portion 21c protruding outward from the right end of the outer peripheral surface of the base 21a, and a large diameter portion 21d extending rightward from the base 21a.

[0022] The small diameter portion 21b has the aforementioned threaded portion 20a (see FIG. 1) formed on its outer circumferential surface. An annular recess 21e is formed at the right end of the outer circumferential surface of the small diameter portion 21b, and an O-ring 24 is attached to this recess 21e. By screwing the threaded portion 20a formed on the outer circumferential surface of the small diameter portion 21b into a mounting port of a pipe (not shown), the O-ring 24 is clamped between the pipe and the mounting member 21, ensuring a tight seal.

[0023] Further, a recess 21f recessed to the right is formed at the left end of the small diameter portion 21b, and the sensor unit 30 is inserted into this recess 21f from the left and fixed by welding. Although details will be omitted, the through-hole 21m side where the processing chip 31 is placed is sealed to prevent the fluid to be measured from entering.

[0024] A threaded portion 21g (see FIGS. 4 and 5) is formed on the outer peripheral surface of large diameter portion 21d. An annular recessed portion 21h is formed on the left end of the outer peripheral surface of large diameter portion 21d, and an O-ring 25 is attached to this recessed portion 21h. Note that by screwing a threaded portion (not shown) formed on the inner peripheral surface of the left end of cover member 22 into threaded portion 21g formed on the outer peripheral surface of large diameter portion 21d, O-ring 25 is clamped between mounting member 21 and cover member 22, ensuring airtightness.

[0025] A stepped recess 21k recessed to the left is formed at the right end of the large-diameter portion 21d, and this recess 21k accommodates a part of the circuit unit 40. The recess 21f formed in the small-diameter portion 21b and the recess 21k formed in the large-diameter portion 21d are connected by a through-hole 21m that passes through the base 21a in the left-right direction. The sensor unit 30 and the circuit unit 40 are electrically connected by a flexible printed wiring board (not shown) that extends through the through-hole 21m.

[0026] 2 and 3, cover member 22 constituting outer case 121 has a cylindrical shape, and is attached by having its left end portion screwed into threaded portion 21g (see FIGS. 4 and 5) formed on the outer peripheral surface of large-diameter portion 21d of mounting member 21. Furthermore, threaded portion 23c of cap member 23, which also constitutes outer case 121, is screwed into the right end portion of cover member 22, thereby closing opening 22a.

[0027] The cap member 23 includes a disk-shaped base 23a and a small-diameter portion 23b that protrudes leftward from the left side of the base 23a. A threaded portion 23c (see FIG. 2) is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter portion 23b. A ring-shaped recess 23d is formed on the right end of the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter portion 23b, and an O-ring 26 is fitted in this recess 23d. By threading the threaded portion 23c of the cap member 23 into a threaded portion (not shown) formed on the inner peripheral surface of the right end of the cover member 22, the O-ring 26 is clamped between the cover member 22 and the cap member 23, ensuring a tight seal. In this way, the internal space of the outer case 121, which houses the circuit unit 40 and battery holder 100, is partitioned into a substantially sealed state.

[0028] A recess 23e recessed to the right is formed at the left end of the small diameter portion 23b, and a handle 100d formed at the right end of the battery holder 100 is accommodated in this recess 23e.

[0029] 3 to 6, the inner case 122 is made of a resin material and includes a base 122a, and a first plate 122d and a second plate 122e extending from the base 122a in the direction in which the cap member 23 is disposed, i.e., to the right (left in FIG. 4). The base 122a of the inner case 122 is fixed to the mounting member 21 by screws 123 (see FIG. 4).

[0030] 5, the base 122a has through-holes 122b and 122c formed side by side as described above. The base 122a also has a substantially triangular through-hole 122t formed therein, into which the wall 100b of the battery holder 100, which will be described later, can be inserted and removed.

[0031] Furthermore, a plurality of protrusions 122f protruding leftward are formed on the outer diameter side of the left surface of the base 122a. When the inner case 122 is fixed to the mounting member 21, the tips of these protrusions 122f laterally sandwich the outer diameter portion of the circuit board 41 constituting the circuit unit 40 between themselves and a step formed in the recess 21k of the mounting member 21. This allows the circuit board 41 to be stably supported between the inner case 122 and the mounting member 21 (see FIG. 3).

[0032] The base 122a is also provided with a pair of bosses 122g each having a through hole into which a screw 123 is inserted (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

[0033] 4 and 6, the inner surface of the first plate portion 122d is curved to fit the surface shape of the battery 10 held in the battery holder 100. In addition, a rectangular protrusion 122h is formed on the left end (right end in FIG. 4) of the inner surface of the first plate portion 122d, which can fit into a recess 10c (see FIGS. 2 and 3) formed on the surface of the battery 10. This restricts the insertion and removal direction of the battery holder 100 relative to the inner case 122, preventing reverse connection of the battery 10.

[0034] 5 and 6, the outer surface of the first plate portion 122d has a flat surface at the approximate center in the upper and lower directions, and is provided at the upper and lower ends with a pair of upper and lower hook-shaped protrusions 122k at two locations in the left and right direction, each capable of holding a circuit board 45 that constitutes the circuit unit 40. The circuit board 45 is inserted between the upper and lower protrusions 122k from the right side of the first plate portion 122d. The upper and lower side surfaces of the first plate portion 122d are curved along the inner circumferential surface of the cover member 22 that constitutes the outer case 121.

[0035] 4 and 6, the second plate portion 122e is formed so that its vertical (i.e., short-side) dimension is smaller than that of the first plate portion 122d. Furthermore, a pair of ridges 122m is formed on the inner surface of the upper and lower ends of the second plate portion 122e, extending in the left-right direction (i.e., the longitudinal direction) that is the insertion / removal direction of the battery holder 100. The ridges 122m have a semicircular cross section.

[0036] Furthermore, a pair of upper and lower hemispherical protrusions 122n are formed on the right end (left end in FIG. 4) of the inner surface of the second plate portion 122e.

[0037] In addition, a substantially rectangular cutout 122s is formed in the second plate portion 122e at the approximately vertical center of the right end portion (left end portion in FIG. 4). The formation of the cutout 122s in the second plate portion 122e prevents a tool such as a screwdriver from interfering with the second plate portion 122e. This makes it easier to fasten the screw 123 into the through-hole of the boss 122g formed in the base portion 122a.

[0038] Next, the battery holder 100 will be described. In this first embodiment, a battery holder 100 is described for holding a pack-type lithium battery 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as "battery 10") in which a positive electrode 10a and a negative electrode 10b are arranged side by side at one longitudinal end of the battery holder 100. In this first embodiment, the positive and negative terminals of the battery 10 are the positive and negative electrodes 10a and 10b of the battery 10.

[0039] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the battery holder 100 is primarily composed of a base 100a, walls 100b and 100c, and a handle 100d. The inner surface of the base 100a is curved to fit the surface shape of the battery 10. The wall 100b is formed in a roughly triangular shape that rises from the left end of the base 100a toward the inner surface. The wall 100c is formed in a rectangular shape that rises from the right end of the base 100a toward the inner surface. The handle 100d extends and bends to the right from the wall 100c.

[0040] 2, the wall portion 100b has a generally triangular shape, and one longitudinal end of the battery 10 abuts against the inner surface when the battery 10 is held in the battery holder 100. This exposes the positive electrode 10a and negative electrode 10b of the battery 10 from the cutout-shaped spaces 100k, 100m (see FIG. 7) in the battery holder 100. The wall portion 100b may be freely shaped as long as it allows the positive electrode terminal 42 and negative electrode terminal 43 to be inserted therethrough, respectively, and exposes the positive electrode 10a and negative electrode 10b of the battery 10 so that they can come into contact with the electrical contacts of the positive electrode terminal 42 and negative electrode terminal 43, respectively. In place of a cutout shape, through-holes may be formed in the wall portion.

[0041] The wall portion 100b is formed so as to protrude leftward beyond the left end of the base portion 100a, and is provided with a protrusion 100n protruding leftward at approximately the center of its outer surface (see FIG. 7).

[0042] The base 100a is provided at its upper and lower ends with a pair of upper and lower claws 100e at three locations in the left and right direction, each capable of holding a battery 10.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 6, the outer surface of the base 100a has a flat surface approximately in the center from top to bottom, and an insertion recess 100f is formed therein. The insertion recess 100f opens to the left side (right side in Fig. 4) where the wall 100b is formed, allowing the second plate 122e of the inner case 122 to be inserted from the right side (left side in Fig. 4). A pair of grooves 100g are formed on the inner walls of the insertion recess 100f. The grooves 100g extend in the left-right direction (i.e., the longitudinal direction) that is the insertion and removal direction of the battery holder 100, and face each other in the up-down direction (i.e., the lateral direction) of the battery holder 100. The grooves 100g have a semicircular cross section and, together with the pair of ridges 122m formed on the inner case 122 described above, form a pair of guides G that guide the movement of the battery holder 100 in the insertion and removal direction.

[0044] Furthermore, a pair of upper and lower recesses 100h with hemispherical cross sections are formed at the left end (right end in Figure 4) of the bottom surface of the insertion recess 100f. Note that a pair of protrusions 122n formed on the inner case 122 described above can be fitted into the recesses 100h, forming a positioning mechanism P for the battery holder 100 and locking the battery holder 100 to prevent unintentional left-right movement. Furthermore, the wall 100b of the battery holder 100 is inserted into the through-hole 122t of the inner case 122 with the protrusions 122n of the inner case 122 fitted into the recesses 100h (see Figure 3).

[0045] Next, the circuit unit 40 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the circuit unit 40 is mainly composed of a disk-shaped circuit board 41, a positive terminal 42, a negative terminal 43, and a rectangular plate-shaped circuit board 45 (see FIG. 5) on which a processing chip 44 and a wireless chip 46 are mounted. The circuit board 41 is accommodated in a recess 21k of the large-diameter portion 21d of the mounting member 21. The positive terminal 42 and the negative terminal 43 penetrate the circuit board 41 in the thickness direction and are arranged side by side. The circuit board 45 is held on the outer surface of a first plate portion 122d of an inner case 122, which will be described later. The processing chip 44 adjusts the power supplied from the battery 10 and processes signals input from the sensor unit 30. The wireless chip 46 is provided on the circuit board 45 and communicates with the outside. The circuit boards 41 and 45 are electrically connected by a flexible flat cable 47. The positive terminal 42 and the negative terminal 43 do not necessarily have to penetrate the circuit board 41 in the thickness direction.

[0046] 3 and 4, the positive electrode terminal 42 and the negative electrode terminal 43 are so-called probe pins that constitute the positive and negative electrode terminals on the load side. Specifically, the positive electrode terminal 42 and the negative electrode terminal 43 have a plunger structure and are fixed by being inserted into and soldered to a pair of mounting holes that penetrate the circuit board 41 in the left-right direction. The electrical contacts formed on the right ends of the positive electrode terminal 42 and the negative electrode terminal 43 are axially expandable and contractible. When the battery holder 100 is attached, they are pressed and contract in the axial direction (see FIG. 8), and when the battery holder 100 is removed, they resiliently return to their original position and extend in the axial direction (see FIG. 9).

[0047] Furthermore, the flat shape of the tips where the electrical contacts of the positive electrode terminal 42 and the negative electrode terminal 43 are formed increases the contact area with the positive electrode 10a and the negative electrode 10b of the battery 10, thereby dispersing stress. As a result, surface damage to the electrical contacts of the positive electrode terminal 42 and the negative electrode terminal 43 on the load side due to rattle of the battery 10 or the like is suppressed.

[0048] The positive and negative terminals 42 and 43 are inserted into through-holes 122b and 122c that are formed side by side and penetrate the base 122a of the inner case 122 in the thickness direction, and are supported so that they can be retracted to the left with their electrical contacts protruding from the through-holes 122b and 122c. As shown in Figure 3, when the battery holder 100 is attached, the positive and negative terminals 42 and 43 are slightly retracted to the left. In other words, the electrical contacts of the positive and negative terminals 42 and 43 are elastically pressed against the positive and negative electrodes 10a and 10b of the battery 10 held in the battery holder 100, respectively.

[0049] A switch 48 is provided between the positive terminal 42 and the negative terminal 43 and fixed to approximately the center of the right surface of the circuit board 41. The switch 48 is a return switch that can be returned to its original position by a biasing means (not shown) housed inside the switch 48, which protrudes in the direction in which the electrical contacts of the positive terminal 42 and the negative terminal 43 extend, i.e., to the right. The switch 48 is a so-called momentary switch that connects the circuit only when pressed. The amount of protrusion of the switch 48 to the right is configured to be smaller than the amount of protrusion of the positive terminal 42 and the negative terminal 43 to the right.

[0050] In this way, the circuit unit 40 is energized when the positive electrode 10a and negative electrode 10b of the battery 10 held in the battery holder 100 come into contact with the electrical contacts of the positive electrode terminal 42 and negative electrode terminal 43, and when the switch 48 is pressed by the protrusion 100n of the battery holder 100, thereby enabling the supply of power from the battery 10 to the sensor unit 30. Furthermore, the circuit unit 40 receives a pressure signal from the sensor unit 30, processes the signal using the processing chip 44, and can communicate with the outside world using the wireless chip 46.

[0051] Here, the process of attaching and detaching the battery holder 100 holding the battery 10 will be described. For ease of explanation, the outer case 121 and inner case 122 are not shown in Figures 8 and 9. Also, for ease of explanation, only the load is designated by the reference numeral 40 in Figures 8 and 9.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 8, during the battery holder 100 installation process, the cap member 23 is removed and the battery holder 100 holding the battery 10 is inserted through the opening 22a of the cover member 22 (see FIG. 3). This causes the positive and negative electrodes 10a and 10b of the battery 10 to come into contact with the electrical contacts of the load-side positive and negative terminals 42 and 43 of the circuit unit 40 (see FIG. 8(b)). At this time, the protrusion 100n on the wall 100b of the battery holder 100 is spaced to the right from the switch 48. That is, the positive and negative electrodes 10a and 10b of the battery 10 are in contact with the electrical contacts of the load-side positive and negative terminals 42 and 43, respectively. However, the positive and negative electrodes 10a and 10b of the battery 10 are electrically disconnected from the load-side positive terminal 42 because the switch 48 is turned off. The negative electrode 10b of the battery 10 is electrically connected to the load-side negative terminal 43.

[0053] By pushing the battery holder 100 further to the left from the state shown in Figure 8(b), the electrical contacts of the load-side positive and negative terminals 42 and 43 are compressed against the positive and negative electrodes 10a and 10b of the battery 10, causing the battery holder 100 to contract to the left. As the electrical contacts of the load-side positive and negative terminals 42 and 43 contract, the protrusion 100n of the battery holder 100 comes into contact with the switch 48, pressing the switch 48. This turns on the switch 48, electrically connecting the positive electrode 10a of the battery 10 to the load-side positive terminal 42 (see Figure 8(c)).

[0054] According to this, when the battery 10 is installed, the negative terminal 43 on the load side is electrically connected to the negative terminal 10b of the battery 10 before the positive terminal 42 on the load side, so that the positive terminal 10a of the battery 10 and the positive terminal 42 on the load side are electrically connected with the reference potential of the circuit established, thereby making it possible to set the circuit to the target potential difference.

[0055] 9, when the battery holder 100 is removed, as the battery holder 100 is pulled to the right through the opening 22a of the cover member 22 (see FIG. 3), the protrusion 100n of the battery holder 100 moves rightward away from the switch 48 (see FIG. 9(b)), with the load-side positive and negative terminals 42 and 43 pressed against the positive and negative terminals 10a and 10b of the battery 10. That is, with the positive and negative terminals 10a and 10b of the battery 10 in contact with each other, the switch 48 is turned off, electrically disconnecting the positive terminal 10a of the battery 10 from the load-side positive terminal 42. The negative terminal 10b of the battery 10 remains electrically connected to the load-side negative terminal 43.

[0056] By pulling the battery holder 100 further to the right from the state shown in Figure 9(b), the positive electrode 10a and negative electrode 10b of the battery 10 move away to the right from the electrical contacts of the positive terminal 42 and negative terminal 43 on the load side (see Figure 9(c)).

[0057] According to this, when the battery 10 is removed, the electrical connection between the negative terminal 43 on the load side and the negative electrode 10b of the battery 10 is maintained, and the positive electrode 10a of the battery 10 can be electrically disconnected from the positive terminal 42 first after the reference potential of the circuit has been established.

[0058] In this way, during the process of attaching or detaching the battery holder 100 holding the battery 10, the reference potential of the circuit is always established by the electrical connection between the negative terminal 43 on the load side and the negative terminal 10b of the battery 10. The electrical connection / disconnection between the positive terminal 10a of the battery 10 and the positive terminal 42 on the load side can be switched by turning the switch 48 on or off. This allows the circuit to reliably achieve the target potential difference without being affected by residual charge in the processing chip 44, wireless chip 46, and other components on the load side, enabling stable circuit operation. This prevents malfunctions and failures of circuit components such as the processing chip 44 and wireless chip 46.

[0059] Furthermore, by providing a switch 48 on the load side component, i.e., the circuit board 41 that constitutes the circuit unit 40, it is not necessary to use, for example, specially shaped batteries or battery holders that have a switch, and various types of batteries can be used.

[0060] The switch 48 is a return switch that protrudes in the extension direction of the positive and negative terminals 42 and 43, i.e., to the right, and is returnable, and the positive and negative terminals 42 and 43 are also returnable to the right. Therefore, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the electrical connection order between the positive and negative terminals 10a and 10b of the battery 10 and the positive and negative terminals 42 and 43 on the load side can be determined by attaching or detaching the battery holder 100 holding the battery 10.

[0061] Furthermore, in response to the attachment or detachment of the battery holder 100 holding the battery 10, the switch 48 is pressed by the protrusion 100n of the battery holder 100. Therefore, the operation timing of the switch 48 can be adjusted according to the amount of protrusion of the protrusion 100n.

[0062] Additionally, a positioning mechanism P is provided between the inner case 122 and the battery holder 100. This mechanism determines the insertion progress of the battery holder 100 by fitting the recess 100h and protrusion 122n together. This ensures that the protrusion 100n of the battery holder 100 reliably presses the switch 48, and by restricting left-right movement of the battery holder 100, the protrusion 100n reliably maintains the pressed state of the switch 48. This also ensures that the positive and negative electrodes 10a and 10b of the battery 10 held in the battery holder 100 come into contact with the electrical contacts of the load-side positive and negative terminals 42 and 43 with an appropriate amount of force.

[0063] Furthermore, because the battery holder 100 can be inserted and removed while the pressure sensor 1 is installed in a pipe or other installation location, battery replacement can be easily performed. Specifically, battery replacement can be easily performed by removing only the cap member 23 and inserting and removing only the battery holder 100 that holds the battery 10, without removing the entire housing 20 from the installation location such as a pipe. This eliminates the need to touch or move the sensor unit 30 or circuit unit 40 when replacing the battery, allowing the pressure sensor 1 to stably sense the measurement target. [Example]

[0064] An electronic device according to Example 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Note that a description of the same configuration as in Example 1 will be omitted. For ease of explanation, Fig. 10 only shows a circuit board, which is a load-side member, and a positive terminal and a negative terminal on the load side.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 10, in this second embodiment, the tip ends of the positive electrode terminal 242 and the negative electrode terminal 243 on the load side, where electrical contacts are formed, have a curved shape.

[0066] According to this, the shape of the tip where the electrical contacts of the load side positive terminal 242 and negative terminal 243 are formed is curved, making it less likely to be damaged by repeated operations such as battery replacement, and it is possible to absorb the tilt between the positive terminal 242 and negative terminal 243 and the positive electrode 10a and negative electrode 10b of the battery 10. [Example]

[0067] An electronic device according to Example 3 will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Note that a description of the same configuration as in Example 1 will be omitted. For ease of explanation, Fig. 11 only shows a circuit board, which is a load-side component, and a positive terminal and a negative terminal on the load side.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 11, in this embodiment 3, the tip end where the electrical contacts of the load side positive terminal 342 and negative terminal 343 are formed has an uneven shape with multiple pointed protrusions 342a, 343a formed thereon.

[0069] According to this, the tip shapes of the load-side positive electrode terminal 342 and negative electrode terminal 343 where the electrical contacts are formed are uneven with multiple pointed protrusions 342a, 343a, respectively, which increases the number of contact points with the positive electrode 10a and negative electrode 10b of the battery 10, thereby dispersing stress. As a result, surface damage to the electrical contacts of the load-side positive electrode terminal 342 and negative electrode terminal 343 due to rattle of the battery 10, etc., is suppressed.

[0070] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes modifications and additions that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0071] For example, the electronic device of the present invention is not limited to a pressure sensor, but may be applied to other sensors or electronic devices other than sensors as long as they are powered by a battery.

[0072] Furthermore, the electronic device may be configured so that batteries other than the aforementioned pack-type lithium battery, such as button batteries, AA batteries, AAA batteries, square batteries, and coin batteries, can be held by the battery holder.

[0073] In addition, in the above-described Examples 1 to 3, the positive and negative terminals of the battery held in the battery holder are directly in contact with the positive and negative terminals of the load, but this is not limiting. Alternatively, electrode terminals that are electrically connected to the battery and can contact the positive and negative terminals of the load may be provided on a wall erected at one longitudinal end of the battery holder. Furthermore, the positive and negative terminals of the battery may be arranged vertically, and need not be in the same left-right position.

[0074] Furthermore, the tip shapes of the positive and negative terminals on the load side may be other than the shapes shown in the first to third embodiments.

[0075] Furthermore, the positive and negative terminals on the load side do not have to be configured by probe pins, but may be configured by other electrode terminals such as leaf springs or coil springs.

[0076] In addition, in the above embodiment, a protrusion is provided on the battery holder, but this is not limited to this. The switch may be configured to be pressed by the outer surface of the wall of the battery holder by increasing the amount of protrusion of the switch.

[0077] Furthermore, the switch does not have to be configured as a push-type momentary switch, and may be configured as another type of switch, such as a reed switch.

[0078] The switch may also be provided on a battery-side component, such as a battery holder, rather than on a load-side component.

[0079] In addition, in the above-described Examples 1 to 3, the positive and negative terminals on the load side are connected to and disconnected from the positive and negative terminals on the battery side at approximately the same time during the battery installation / removal process, and a switch is used to switch between electrical connection and disconnection between the positive terminal on the battery side and the positive terminal on the load side. However, this is not limiting, and a configuration may be adopted in which the protrusion amount of the negative terminal on the load side is greater than the protrusion amount of the positive terminal on the load side without providing a switch. In this way, when installing a battery, the negative terminal on the load side can be brought into contact with the negative terminal on the battery side before the positive terminal on the load side, and the positive terminal on the load side can be brought into contact with the positive terminal on the battery side afterwards. When removing a battery, the positive terminal on the load side can be separated from the positive terminal on the battery side beforewards, and the negative terminal on the load side can be separated from the negative terminal on the battery side afterwards. Therefore, the reference potential of the circuit can be reliably established by the electrical connection between the negative terminal on the load side and the negative terminal on the battery side.

[0080] Furthermore, the processing chip and wireless chip that constitute the circuit unit may be provided at any position on the circuit board.

[0081] Furthermore, the electronic device of the present invention is not limited to one in which a battery holder for holding a battery is attached to and detached from the electronic device body, but may be one in which a battery is directly attached to and detached from the electronic device body. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 1. Pressure sensor (electronic device) 10-pack lithium battery (battery) 10a Positive electrode (positive terminal on the battery side) 10b Negative electrode (negative terminal on the battery side) 20. Housing 21 Mounting material 22 Cover member 23 Cap member 30 Sensor unit (load) 40 Circuit unit (load) 41 Circuit board (load side component) 42 Positive terminal (load side positive terminal) 43 Negative terminal (negative terminal on the load side) 44 Processing Chips 45 Circuit Board 46 Wireless Chip 48 Switch (Return switch) 100 Battery Holder 100b,100c wall part 100d Handle 100e Claw part 100g concave groove 100h recess 100n protrusion 121 Outer case 122 Inner case 122b,122c through hole 122d 1st plate part 122e 2nd plate part 122m Convex section 122n convex part 122t through hole G guide part P Positioning mechanism

Claims

1. An electronic device that can energize a load by attaching or detaching a battery, During the process of attaching or detaching the battery, the positive terminal of the load side and the positive terminal of the battery side are electrically connected / disconnected while the negative terminal of the load side is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the battery side, a switch for switching between electrical connection and disconnection between the positive terminal of the load side and the positive terminal of the battery side in response to an attachment or detachment operation of the battery; a battery holder for holding the battery; The electronic device has a protrusion on the battery holder that can press the switch.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the switch is provided on a member on the load side.

3. The positive and negative terminals on the load side are arranged side by side, 3. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the switch is a return switch that protrudes reversibly in the direction in which the positive and negative terminals on the load side extend.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3 , wherein the positive and negative terminals on the load side are returnable to their original extending directions.

5. 5. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a positioning mechanism for the battery holder.

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