Circuit board end caps for electroacoustic equipment

Abstract

To provide a circuit board end cap.SOLUTION: A circuit board end cover is suitable for covering electroacoustic devices and conducting the electroacoustic units within a cover. The circuit board end cover comprises a wiring board module and a coupling portion fixed to the wiring board module, electrically connected to the wiring board module, provided on the wiring board module, and used to connect the cover.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to end caps for electroacoustic devices, and more particularly to circuit board end caps for electroacoustic devices. [Background technology]

[0002] Typically, an electroacoustic component such as a dynamic speaker is welded to a circuit board through its plastic bottom cover using surface mount technology (SMT) and is driven to produce sound via lines on the circuit board.

[0003] However, in today's industry demand for lighter, thinner, shorter and smaller external dimensions, there is a desire in the industry to improve the thickness of the electroacoustic element, thereby saving materials and reducing the number of manufacturing steps, thereby increasing the market competitiveness of the product.

[0004] From the above, it is clear that the above techniques still have inconveniences and deficiencies, and further improvements are needed. Therefore, how to effectively solve the above inconveniences and deficiencies is indeed one of the important research and development issues at the current stage, and is also a goal that needs to be urgently improved in the relevant fields. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to provide a circuit board end cap for electroacoustic devices that overcomes the difficulties mentioned in the prior art. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An embodiment of the present invention provides an electro-acoustic device comprising: a cover having a recessed portion and a first connecting portion on an end surface; an electro-acoustic unit fixed in the recessed portion; a circuit board module; at least one elastic conductive member fixed to the circuit board module and electrically connecting the circuit board module and the electro-acoustic unit; and a second connecting portion located on the circuit board module and connected to the first connecting portion, and a circuit board end cap that completely covers the recessed portion.

[0007] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a wiring board module includes a wiring board body having a first surface and a second surface facing each other, the first surface being bonded to an end surface of the cover via an adhesive layer and completely covering the recessed portion, at least one first contact formed on the first surface and connected to the elastic conductive member, at least one second contact formed on the second surface, and a wiring circuit extending through the wiring board body and connected to the first contact and the second contact, respectively.

[0008] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the first surface of the wiring board body has a line area and a surrounding groove, the wiring circuit is disposed in the line area, the surrounding groove surrounds the line area, and a flange extends partially outward from the end face of the cover, and the flange extends into the surrounding groove so that the circuit board end cap is assembled to the cover.

[0009] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the first connecting portion is located on the flange of the cover, the second connecting portion is located on the bottom surface of the surrounding groove of the circuit board body, the second connecting portion and the first connecting portion have complementary shapes, and the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are respectively a concave structure and a convex structure, and the convex structure is inserted into the concave structure to fixedly connect the circuit board end cap to the cover.

[0010] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the circuit board end cap further includes a side frame unit secured between the cover and the circuit board module, and the second coupling portion is formed in the side frame unit.

[0011] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a wiring board module includes a wiring board body having a first surface and a second surface facing each other, the first surface being joined to a side frame unit so as to be integrally molded, at least one first contact formed on the first surface and connected to an elastic conductive member, at least one second contact formed on the second surface, and a wiring circuit extending through the wiring board body and connected to the first contact and the second contact, respectively.

[0012] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the first surface of the wiring board body has a wiring area and a surrounding groove, the wiring circuit is arranged in the wiring area, the surrounding groove surrounds the wiring area, and the side frame unit is fixed in the surrounding groove and surrounds the wiring area.

[0013] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a flange extends partially outward from the end face of the cover, and the side frame unit encloses an internal space capable of accommodating the wiring area, and the circuit board end cap is coupled to the cover by the flange extending into the internal space.

[0014] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the first connecting portion is formed on the inside of the flange, and the second connecting portion is formed on the inner wall facing the internal space of the side frame unit, the shapes of the second connecting portion and the first connecting portion are complementary, and the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are respectively a concave structure and a convex structure, and the convex structure is inserted into the concave structure, thereby fixedly connecting the circuit board end cap to the cover.

[0015] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the maximum width of the circuit board module is equal to the maximum width of the cover.

[0016] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the electro-acoustic unit is one of a speaker, a microphone and a buzzer.

[0017] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the resilient conductive member is one of a spring and a spring plate.

[0018] One embodiment of the present invention provides a circuit board end cap suitable for covering a cover of an electroacoustic device and for conducting an electroacoustic unit within the cover, the circuit board end cap including a circuit board module, at least one elastic conductive member fixed to and electrically connected to the circuit board module, and a connecting portion located on the circuit board module for connecting to the cover.

[0019] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a wiring board module includes a wiring board body having a first surface and a second surface facing each other, at least one first contact formed on the first surface and connected to an elastic conductive member, at least one second contact formed on the second surface, and a wiring circuit extending through the wiring board body and connected to the first contact and the second contact, respectively.

[0020] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the first surface of the wiring board body has a line area and a surrounding groove, the wiring circuit is disposed in the line area, and the surrounding groove surrounds the line area.

[0021] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the coupling portion is located at the bottom surface of the surrounding groove of the wiring board body.

[0022] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the circuit board end cap further includes a side frame unit that is fixed within the surrounding groove and surrounds the wiring area, further surrounding the wiring area to form an internal space capable of accommodating the wiring area, and the coupling portion is formed in the side frame unit.

[0023] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the joints are formed on the inner walls of the side frame units facing the interior space.

[0024] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the maximum width of the circuit board module is equal to the maximum width of the cover.

[0025] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the resilient conductive member is one of a spring and a spring plate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0026] Thus, with the above structure, the present disclosure can simplify the structure of the electroacoustic device, effectively reduce the overall thickness of the electroacoustic device, save materials, reduce labor costs, and increase the market competitiveness of the product.

[0027] The above description is merely intended to describe the problems that the present invention aims to solve, the means for solving the problems, and the effects of the invention, and specific details of the present invention will be described in detail in the embodiments and related drawings described below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] To make the above and other objects, features, advantages and embodiments of the present invention more clear and understandable, reference is made to the accompanying drawings as follows. [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an electroacoustic device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 3A] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the electroacoustic device of FIG. [Figure 3B] 2 is an exploded view of the electroacoustic device of FIG. 1 in another view. [Figure 4] 1 is an exploded view of an electroacoustic device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view of an electroacoustic device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the circuit board end cap of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an electroacoustic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a circuit board end cap according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] In the following, several embodiments of the present invention are disclosed in the drawings, and for clarity, many practical details are set forth in the following description. However, it should be understood that these practical details are not applied to limit the present invention. That is, these practical details are not necessary in each embodiment of the present invention. In addition, in order to simplify the drawings, some conventional structures and elements are simply and diagrammatically shown in the drawings.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electroacoustic device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1. FIG. 3A is an exploded view of the electroacoustic device 10 of FIG. 1. FIG. 3B is an exploded view of the electroacoustic device 10 of FIG. 1 from another perspective. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the electroacoustic device 10 includes a cover 100, an electroacoustic unit 200, and a circuit board end cap 300. The cover 100 has a closed end 101 at one end and an end face 102 at the other end having a recess 110 and a first coupling portion 130 (FIG. 3B). The electroacoustic unit 200 is fixed within the recess 110; for example, the electroacoustic unit 200 is positioned by a positioning structure 111 within the recess 110 by adhesion or engagement. The circuit board end cap 300 completely covers the recess 110 and is positioned completely or at least partially outside the recess 110, thereby closing the recess 110 together with the cover 100. The circuit board end cap 300 is electrically connected to the electroacoustic unit 200, so that the electroacoustic unit 200 can generate sound when driven by the circuit board module 400.

[0031] More specifically, circuit board end cap 300 includes wiring board module 400, one or more (e.g., two) elastic conductive members 481, and second coupling portion 460 ( FIG. 3A ). Elastic conductive member 481 electrically connects wiring board module 400 and electro-acoustic unit 200. Second coupling portion 460 is located on wiring board module 400. Therefore, when second coupling portion 460 is connected to first coupling portion 130, circuit board end cap 300 is assembled to end surface 102 of cover 100.

[0032] The wiring board module 400 includes a wiring board body 410, one or more (e.g., two) first contacts 430, one or more (e.g., two) second contacts 440, and a wiring circuit 450. The wiring board body 410 includes a first surface 411 and a second surface 412 facing each other. The first surface 411 is coupled to the end surface 102 of the cover 100 by a joining feature (e.g., a screw or an adhesive) and is used to completely cover the recessed portion 110. The first contact 430 is formed on the first surface 411 and connected to the elastic conductive member 481. The second contact 440 is formed on the second surface 412. The wiring circuit 450 penetrates the wiring board body 410 and is connected to the first contact 430 and the second contact 440, respectively. The first contact 430 and the second contact 440 are, for example, welding pads on the circuit board. One end of the elastic conductive member 481 is welded to the first contact 430, and the other end is directly abutted against an electrical terminal (not shown) of the electric acoustic unit 200 without using solder, thereby solving common problems that arise when welding with a conductor or connecting with a metal member, such as high process difficulty, high labor hours and costs, and poor quality stability.

[0033] Furthermore, in this embodiment, wiring board body 410 includes a plurality of layers (not shown) stacked on top of each other, and wiring circuit 450 includes a plurality of cables 451 and through-hole conductive portions 452 (VIAs) to be connected to first contacts 430 and second contacts 440, respectively. Wiring board body 410 is a heat-resistant glass fiberboard that can withstand high-temperature baking in a reflow oven, for example.

[0034] In this embodiment, the wiring board body 410 is a double-sided copper foil circuit board, and the first contact 430 and the second contact 440 are respectively welding pads on the circuit board. The cover 100 also has a cylindrical shape, and the wiring board body 410 has a circular cake shape. The circumferential surface 413 of the wiring board body 410 is located between the first surface 411 and the second surface 412, surrounds the first surface 411 and the second surface 412, and connects the first surface 411 and the second surface 412. The maximum width W of the wiring board module 400 is approximately equal to the maximum width W of the cover 100. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. However, the present invention is not limited to the type, shape, material, or type of fixing feature of the wiring board body 410.

[0035] In this embodiment, the first surface 411 of the wiring board body 410 is divided into a line region 411A and a surrounding region 411B. The surrounding region 411B completely surrounds the line region 411A. The wiring circuit 450 is not located within the surrounding region 411B, but is located only within the line region 411A. The wiring board body 410 further includes a surrounding groove 420. The surrounding groove 420 is recessed within the surrounding region 411B of the first surface 411, and the surrounding groove 420 and the line region 411A have different planar heights. For example, the area of ​​the surrounding groove 420 may be equal to the area of ​​the surrounding region 411B, and the surrounding groove 420 may connect the line region 411A to the circumferential surface 413 of the wiring board body 410, but the present invention is not limited thereto. A flange 120 extends partially outward from the end surface 102 of the cover 100, and the flange 120 has, for example, a circular shape. In this manner, when the flange 120 extends into the surrounding groove 420, the circuit board end cap 300 can be assembled to the cover 100 such that the circuit board end cap 300 covers the recessed portion 110 of the cover 100.

[0036] In this embodiment, the first coupling portion 130 is provided on the flange 120 of the cover 100, and the second coupling portion 460 is located on the bottom surface 421 of the surrounding groove 420 of the wiring board body 410, and the shapes of the second coupling portion 460 and the first coupling portion 130 are complementary. In this embodiment, the first coupling portion 130 has a convex structure, which is located so as to be integrally molded on the surface facing away from the closed end 101 of the flange 120 of the cover 100. The second coupling portion 460 has a concave structure. The concave structure may be, for example, a through hole connecting the bottom surface 421 of the surrounding groove 420 and the second surface 412 of the wiring board body 410, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the second coupling portion 460 may also be a blind hole. In this way, when the circuit board end cap 300 covers the cover 100, the convex structure is inserted into the concave structure, so that the circuit board end cap 300 can be fixed to the cover 100 without easily coming off from the cover 100.

[0037] In one embodiment, the electroacoustic unit 200 is a buzzer (e.g., a piezoelectric buzzer or a magnetic buzzer), but the present invention is not limited to the type of electroacoustic unit 200, and in other embodiments, the electroacoustic unit 200 may be a speaker (e.g., a dynamic speaker or a metal diaphragm speaker) or a microphone.

[0038] In one embodiment, since the material properties of cover 100 and electroacoustic unit 200 may be damaged due to insufficient resistance to high-temperature baking in a reflow oven, the assembly sequence for electroacoustic device 10 in this embodiment is roughly as follows: After applying solder paste to first contacts 430 of wiring board body 410 using an SMT automatic pick-and-place machine, elastic conductive member 481 is placed on the solder paste, which provides advantages such as reduced man-hours, simple process, high productivity, and stable quality. Next, wiring board module 400 is fed into a reflow oven, where the solder paste is melted by high-temperature baking in the reflow oven, and elastic conductive member 481 is placed on the solder paste. The conductive member 481 is welded to the first contact 430. Then, after the electroacoustic unit 200 is fixed in the recess 110, the circuit board end cap 300 is placed directly over the end surface 102 of the cover 100, and the elastic conductive member 481 can be pressed directly against the electrical terminals (not shown) of the electroacoustic unit 200, thereby realizing the electroacoustic device 10 of this embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0039] In one embodiment, the sound-generating body of the electro-acoustic element can be manufactured using standard materials and processes, without the need to select high-temperature materials and special processes that can withstand the temperatures of a reflow oven. Therefore, if the material properties of the wiring board body 410, cover 100, and sound-generating body of electro-acoustic unit 200 can withstand high-temperature baking in a reflow oven without being damaged, the assembled electro-acoustic device 10 can be directly fed into the reflow oven, and the wiring board module 400 and cover 100 can be assembled without baking, thus simplifying the process and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0040] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of electroacoustic device 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, electroacoustic device 11 according to this embodiment is substantially the same as electroacoustic device 10 according to the previously described embodiment (FIG. 3B). The difference is that first coupling portion 140 has a recessed structure formed in flange 120 of end surface 102 of cover 100, and second coupling portion 470 has a protruding structure that is integrally formed with bottom surface 421 of surrounding groove 420, is connected to wiring area 411A, and has the same planar height as wiring area 411A. Thus, when circuit board end cap 301 covers cover 100, the protruding structure is inserted into the recessed structure, allowing circuit board end cap 301 to be fixed to cover 100 without easily coming off.

[0041] Furthermore, while these elastic conductive members 481 of the electroacoustic device 10 (FIG. 3A) of the above-described embodiment are springs (e.g., tower springs or compression coil springs, etc.) whose longitudinal axis direction L is perpendicular to the first surface 411 of the wiring board main body 410, the elastic conductive members 482 of this embodiment are not springs but are spring plates, for example, horizontal spring plates with inclined arms, and gradually move away from the first surface 411 of the wiring board main body 410 in the direction of the cover 100.

[0042] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an electroacoustic device 12 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is an exploded view of circuit board end cap 302 shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, electroacoustic device 12 according to this embodiment is substantially the same as electroacoustic device 10 according to the previously described embodiment (FIG. 1), except that circuit board end cap 302 further includes a side frame unit 500. Side frame unit 500 is provided on the side of circuit board module 401 facing cover 100, and together with circuit board module 401, covers end surface 102 of cover 100 so that side frame unit 500 is fixed between cover 100 and circuit board module 401 (FIG. 6).

[0043] More specifically, one side of side frame unit 500 is fixed in surrounding groove 420 of wiring board main body 410 and completely surrounds wiring area 411A. Therefore, side frame unit 500 surrounds wiring area 411A to form internal space 510 that can accommodate wiring area 411A. Side frame unit 500 is joined to wiring board main body 410 so as to be integrally molded.

[0044] For example, the side frame unit 500 is bonded to the first surface 411 of the wiring board body 410 by insert molding. Furthermore, the wiring board body 410 has a rubber solidification groove 422. The rubber solidification groove 422 is formed on the bottom surface 421 of the surrounding groove 420 of the wiring board body 410, and in this embodiment, the rubber solidification groove 422 is, for example, a through hole connecting the bottom surface 421 of the surrounding groove 420 and the second surface 412 of the wiring board body 410, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the rubber solidification groove 422 may also be a blind hole. In this way, when the insert molding procedure is performed on the wiring board body 410, the side frame unit 500 is bonded to the wiring board body 410. The portion 501 flows into the rubber solidification groove 422, and when the side frame unit 500 is attached to the wiring board body 410, the joining strength is increased and the side frame unit 500 is less likely to come off from the wiring board body 410.

[0045] In this embodiment, first coupling portion 150 is provided on flange 120 of cover 100. Second coupling portion 520 is not formed on circuit board module 401 but on side frame unit 500. Flange 120 extends into internal space 510, allowing circuit board end cap 302 to be coupled to cover 100.

[0046] More specifically, the first coupling portion 150 is formed on the inner side of the flange 120, facing the recessed portion 110. The second coupling portion 520 is formed on the inner wall of the side frame unit 500, facing the internal space 510, and the shapes of the second coupling portion 520 and the first coupling portion 150 are complementary to each other. Therefore, the circuit board end cap 302 is fixedly connected to the cover 100 by the mutual coupling of the first coupling portion 150 and the second coupling portion 520. In this embodiment, the first coupling portion 150 has a protruding structure. The protruding structure is located so as to be integrally formed on the inner side of the flange 120, facing the recessed portion 110. The second coupling portion 520 has a recessed structure. The recessed structure is formed on the inner wall of the side frame unit 500, facing the internal space 510, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In this way, when the circuit board end cap 302 covers the cover 100, the convex structure is inserted into the concave structure, so that the circuit board end cap 302 can be fixed to the cover 100 without easily coming off from the cover 100.

[0047] The cover 100 also has a plurality of vocal holes 170. These vocal holes 170 are formed in the closed end 101 and are in electrical communication with the recessed portion 110, and are used to transmit the sound of the electroacoustic unit 200 to the outside.

[0048] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an electroacoustic device 13 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8, the electroacoustic device 13 of this embodiment is substantially the same as the electroacoustic device 12 of the previously described embodiment (FIG. 7). The difference is that in this embodiment, the first coupling portion 160 has a recessed structure that is formed on the inside of the flange 120 toward the recessed portion 110 and surrounds the recessed portion 110, and the second coupling portion 530 has a protruding structure that protrudes from the inner wall of the internal space 510 of the side frame unit 500 so as to be integrally formed with the wall and surround the internal space 510. In this way, when the circuit board end cap 302 covers the cover 100, the protruding structure is inserted into the recessed structure, so that the circuit board end cap 302 can be fixed to the cover 100 without easily coming off the cover 100.

[0049] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a circuit board end cap 303 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 9, the circuit board end cap 303 of this embodiment is substantially the same as the circuit board end cap 302 (FIG. 7) of the previously described embodiment, except that the circuit board end cap 303 of this embodiment includes a rubber-coated convex rib 423. The rubber-coated convex rib 423 is positioned so as to be integrally molded with the bottom surface 421 of the surrounding groove 420, is connected to the wiring area 411A, and has the same planar height as the wiring area 411A. Thus, when the wiring board body 410 is subjected to the insert molding procedure, the side frame unit 500 is molded onto the wiring board body 410, and its portion 502 flows into the surrounding groove 420 and covers the rubber-coated convex rib 423. This enhances the bonding strength when the side frame unit 500 is attached to the wiring board body 410, making it less likely to come off the wiring board body 410.

[0050] Thus, with the above structure, the present disclosure can simplify the structure of the electroacoustic device, effectively reduce the overall thickness of the electroacoustic device, save materials, reduce labor costs, and increase the market competitiveness of the product.

[0051] Finally, the above-disclosed embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention, and those skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such changes and modifications are within the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention is limited by the following claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 10~13 Electrical sound equipment 100 Cover 101 Closed end 102 End face 110 Recessed part 111 Position regulation structure 120 flange 130, 140, 150, 160 First joint 170 Vocal hole 200 electric acoustic unit 300~303 Circuit board end caps 400, 401 Circuit board module 410 Circuit board body 411 First Side 411A Line Area 411B Surrounding Area 412 Second Side 413 Circumferential Surface 420 Surrounding Ditch 421 bottom 422 Rubber solidification groove 423 Rubber solidification convex rib 430 First Contact 440 Second Contact 450 Wiring circuit 451 Cable 452 Conductive through-hole 460, 470 Second joint 481, 482 Elastic conductive member 500 Side Frame Unit 501, 502 parts 510 Interior Space 520, 530 Second joint AA, BB line segments W Maximum width L Long axis direction

Claims

1. 1. A circuit board end cap suitable for covering a cover of an electroacoustic device and for conducting an electroacoustic unit within said cover, comprising: a wiring board module; at least one elastic conductive member fixed to and electrically connected to the wiring board module; a coupling portion located on the wiring board module and adapted to connect to the cover; Including circuit board end caps.

2. The wiring board module includes: a wiring board body having a first surface and a second surface facing each other; at least one first contact formed on the first surface and connected to the elastic conductive member; at least one second contact formed on the second surface; a wiring circuit extending through the wiring board body and connected to the first contact and the second contact, respectively; The circuit board end cap of claim 1 comprising:

3. 3. The circuit board end cap of claim 2, wherein the first surface of the wiring board body has a line area and a surrounding groove, the wiring circuit being disposed within the line area, and the surrounding groove surrounding the line area.

4. 4. The circuit board end cap according to claim 3, wherein the coupling portion is located on a bottom surface of the surrounding groove of the wiring board body.

5. 4. The circuit board end cap according to claim 3, further comprising a side frame unit fixed within the surrounding groove and surrounding the wiring area to form an internal space capable of accommodating the wiring area, the coupling portion being formed in the side frame unit.

6. 6. The circuit board end cap according to claim 5, wherein the coupling portion is formed on an inner wall of the side frame unit facing the internal space.

7. 2. The circuit board end cap of claim 1, wherein a maximum width of said circuit board module is equal to a maximum width of said cover.

8. 2. The circuit board end cap of claim 1, wherein the resilient conductive member is one of a spring and a spring plate.

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