electronic machinery

Abstract

Provided is an electronic apparatus that increases the freedom of size and layout of a circuit board. An electronic apparatus (1, 1000) comprises: a circuit board (20, 1020); a connector (3c, 1003) which is mounted on an upper surface (20U, 1020U) of the circuit board and to which a first end portion (100L) of a storage medium (100) is connectable; and a spacer (5c) which can be releasably attached to a member (40, 1050) different from the circuit board (20, 1020), and which supports a second end portion (100R) of the storage medium (100). The member (40, 1050) different from the circuit board includes at least one position-determining portion (4a, 1004) for determining the position of the spacer (5c). An upper surface (40U, 1050U) of the member having the at least one position-determining portion (4a, 1004) is disposed below the circuit board (20, 1020) and the upper surface (20U, 1020U) of the circuit board.

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 installed in electronic devices such as game consoles and personal computers have a terminal portion at one end for connecting to a connector. For example, storage media that comply with the M.2 standard have such a terminal 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] Some electronic devices are provided with a support structure that supports the end of a storage medium (the end opposite the terminal portion). The support structure is provided to ensure a distance between the circuit board and the back surface of the storage medium so that electronic components can be mounted on the back surface of the storage medium, and includes, for example, a spacer that determines the height of the end of the storage medium from the circuit board. In conventional electronic devices, multiple positioning structures are provided on the circuit board to determine the position of the spacers. Because space is required on the circuit board to provide these positioning structures, it is difficult to miniaturize the circuit board. This limits the miniaturization and cost reduction of electronic devices.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronic device that allows for greater freedom in the size and layout of a circuit board. [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 formed with a terminal portion and a second end opposite the first end. The electronic device includes a circuit board having a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction opposite the first direction, a connector mounted on the first surface of the circuit board and connectable to the first end of the storage medium, and a member other than the circuit board. The member other than the circuit board has a third surface facing the first direction, and at least one positioning portion is formed on the third surface for positioning a spacer supporting the second end of the storage medium. The third surface is positioned along the circuit board relative to the connector and in the second direction relative to the first surface of the circuit board. This improves the flexibility of the size and layout 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. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a part of an electronic device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part of a circuit board unit housed inside the electronic device. [Figure 11B] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a part of the circuit board unit. [Figure 12A] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the circuit board unit in an exploded state. [Figure 12B] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a connector shield. [Figure 13A] 11C is a cross-sectional view of the circuit board unit taken along the cross-sectional view including line XIII-XIII in FIG. 11B. [Figure 13B] FIG. 13B is an enlarged view of a portion of the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 13A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] [1. First embodiment] [1-1. 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] In the following description, the Z1 direction (the direction in which the storage chamber 4, described later, opens) and Z2 direction of the Z axis shown in FIG. 1A and elsewhere are referred to as the upward and downward directions, respectively. The Y1 and Y2 directions of the Y axis perpendicular to the Z axis are 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 are referred to as the rightward and leftward directions, respectively. However, these directions are defined to describe 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. For example, when using the electronic device 1, the electronic device 1 may be placed upside down on a surface such as a floor, or the side (the surface in the X2 direction) may be placed in contact with the surface.

[0011] As indicated by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 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 that stores the storage medium 100. As shown in Fig. 1B, in this embodiment, the storage chamber 4 is located in front of the cooling fan 1F. In this embodiment, the storage chamber 4 is located between the cooling fan 1F and the connectors 3a and 3b in the front-rear direction.

[0012] [1-2. Storage media storage structure] FIG. 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 the memory cover 60 are attached to the electronic device 1. FIG. 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. 2, the circuit board 20 has an upper surface 20U (first surface) facing upward (first direction) and a lower surface 20D facing downward (second direction opposite the first direction). The housing chamber 4 housing the storage medium 100 is a box-shaped space shown in FIG. 3B, which is defined by the upper surface 40U (third surface) 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. The cover 60 is attached to a housing 70 that forms at least a part of the storage chamber 4 , and covers the upper side of the storage chamber 4 to close the storage chamber 4 .

[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 an upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20 near the connector 3c, and the remaining portion is formed by an upper surface 40U of a lower board shield 40 (a member different from the circuit board 20).

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1D, a cylindrical spacer 5a is attached to the inside of the storage chamber 4 that accommodates the storage medium 100. The spacer 5a is detachable from a member different from the circuit board 20. In this embodiment, the spacer 5a is detachable from a lower board shield 40 (circuit board shield) (described later) that constitutes the inside of the storage chamber 4. As shown in FIG. 2, fasteners 5b such as screws or rivets are attached to the end 100R of the storage medium 100, the spacer 5a, and the lower board shield 40, which is a member different from the circuit board 20, for fixing them together.

[0018] The spacer 5a and the fixture 5b function as a support structure 5 that supports the end 100R of the storage medium 100 in the accommodating chamber 4. As shown in FIG. 2, the spacer 5a supports the end 100R (second end) of the storage medium 100. In this embodiment, 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 and the lower substrate shield 40. The spacer 5a ensures a distance between the end 100R of the storage medium 100 and the lower substrate shield 40. The fixture 5b fixes the end 100R of the storage medium 100 to a mounting hole 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.

[0019] Furthermore, a member different from the circuit board 20 has at least one positioning portion for determining the position of the spacer 5a. In this embodiment, at least one positioning portion 4a for determining the position of the spacer 5a is formed on the lower substrate shield 40. The positioning portion 4a is formed on one surface (the third surface, the upper surface 40U shown in FIG. 3B) of the lower substrate shield 40. As shown in FIG. 1D, the lower substrate shield 40 constituting the accommodating chamber 4 has multiple positioning portions 4a aligned in the left-right direction (the direction along the X-axis). This allows multiple types of storage media 100 with different left-right sizes to be supported by the support structure 5 and fixed inside the accommodating chamber 4. In the example shown in FIG. 1D, the lower substrate shield 40 has multiple positioning portions 4a formed at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the accommodating 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.

[0020] 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.

[0021] 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.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 1D, a mounting hole 4c is formed in the center of the region R1 defined by the positioning portions 4a. At least one (in the example shown in Fig. 1D, multiple) guide protrusions 4b included in each positioning portion 4a are formed along the outer edge of the mounting hole 4c. As shown in Fig. 2, fasteners 5b such as screws or rivets are attached to holes formed in the spacer 5a and mounting holes 4c formed in the lower board shield 40.

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 1D, the lower substrate shield 40 constituting the housing chamber 4 has a protrusion 4e protruding upward. This protrusion 4e forms a hole 4f that opens to the left (direction X2) along the circuit board 20, i.e., toward the connector 3C. This allows the storage medium 100 housed in the housing 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 can be reduced while ensuring the opening area of ​​the hole 4f. This prevents components (e.g., spacers 5a) from falling into the hole 4f. The mounting hole 4c formed in the lower substrate shield 40 also forms an airflow path for cooling the storage medium 100.

[0026] 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 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.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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. At least one positioning portion 4a is disposed outside the outer edge of the circuit board 20 and is positioned in the direction along the circuit board 20 (the X1 direction) relative to the connector 3c. As a result, the support structure 5 of 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 positioned in the direction along the circuit board 20 relative to 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 2, an upper end portion (an end portion in a first direction) of at least one positioning portion 4a is disposed below (in a second direction) an upper surface 20U (a first surface) of the circuit board 20. In this embodiment, the top portion of the guide protrusion 4b of each positioning portion 4a is formed below the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20 (an extension line of the upper surface 20U indicated by a two-dot chain line in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2).

[0033] In this way, by providing the positioning portions 4a for determining the positions of the spacers 5a on a member different from the circuit board 20, the circuit board 20 can be made smaller than when a positioning structure for the spacers 5a is provided on the circuit board 20, thereby improving the size and layout flexibility of the circuit board 20. Furthermore, by locating the upper end of each positioning portion 4a below the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20, it is possible to ensure space below the storage medium 100. This improves the size and layout flexibility of components such as integrated circuits mounted on the storage medium 100 in the lower region 102D of the storage medium 100.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 3A, the outer region R2 of the lower substrate shield 40, which is provided outside the outer edge of the circuit board 20, includes an arrangement region R2′ in which the storage medium 100 is arranged. The arrangement region R2′ is an area defined along the outer edge of the storage medium 100 in a state in which the terminal portion is attached to the connector 3c (see FIG. 2). In the lower substrate shield 40, the arrangement region R2′ is an area facing the storage medium 100 in a state in which it is connected to the connector 3c, and is an area corresponding to the size of the storage medium 100. In a plan view, the size and shape of the arrangement region R2′ match the size and shape of a portion of the connector 100 that includes at least the end portion 100R. At least one positioning portion 4a may be provided inside this arrangement region R2′.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 2, the upper surface 40U (third surface) of the lower substrate shield 40, on which at least one positioning portion 4a is formed, is located below the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20 (the extension of the upper surface 20U shown by the two-dot chain line in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2). In the lower substrate shield 40, an arrangement area 2′ in which the storage medium 100 is arranged is located below the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20. More specifically, the entire arrangement area 2′ is located below the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20. This allows desired structures (e.g., structures necessary for mounting the storage medium 100) to be provided in an area of ​​the upper surface 40U of the lower substrate shield 40 that overlaps with the storage medium 100 (e.g., the arrangement area 2′). Furthermore, because space can be secured below the storage medium 100, the degree of freedom in the size and layout of components such as integrated circuits mounted on the storage medium 100 can be improved in the area 102D below the storage medium 100.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] The storage chamber 4 that stores the storage medium 100 is formed by the circuit board 20 and a member different from the circuit board 20. As described above, the bottom of the storage chamber 4 is formed by the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20 in the portion where the connector 3c is provided, and the remaining portion is formed by the lower board shield 40 that covers the circuit board 20. In this way, the cost of the circuit board 20 can be reduced 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.

[0040] [1-3. Connector shield structure] As shown in FIG. 3B, a connector 3d (first connector) is mounted on the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20 (first circuit board). The upper board shield 30 covers the circuit board 20, and the outer edge of the upper board 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 board 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 is mounted on the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20. The outer edge of the upper board 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] 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.

[0053] 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.

[0054] [1-4. 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.

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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.

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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.

[0060] 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.

[0061] 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.

[0062] 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.

[0063] 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.

[0064] 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.

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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.

[0067] 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.

[0068] 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.

[0069] [1-5. Summary] As described above, in this embodiment, the positioning portion 4a for determining the position of the spacer 5a is formed on the lower board shield 40, which is a member different from the circuit board 20. In this way, the circuit board 20 can be made smaller than when a positioning structure for the spacer 5a is provided on the circuit board 20, and the degree of freedom in the size and layout of the circuit board 20 can be improved.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper surface 40U of the lower substrate shield 40, on which the positioning portions 4a are formed, is located lower than the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20. This allows a desired structure to be provided on the upper surface 40U of the lower substrate shield 40 in an area that overlaps with the storage medium 100 (for example, the placement area 2').

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper end portion (end portion in the first direction) of at least one positioning portion 4a is disposed below the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20. More specifically, the top portion of the guide protrusion 4b of each positioning portion 4a is formed below the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 20. This makes it possible to ensure space below the storage medium 100, and improves the degree of freedom in the size and layout of components such as integrated circuits mounted on the storage medium 100 in the lower region 102D of the storage medium 100.

[0072] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the ground portion provided at the end 100R of the storage medium 100 contacts and is electrically connected to 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.

[0073] 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.

[0074] 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.

[0075] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0076] (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.

[0077] (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.

[0078] (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.

[0079] 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.

[0080] 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.

[0081] 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.

[0082] 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.

[0083] (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.

[0084] [2. Second Embodiment] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a portion of an electronic device 1000 according to a second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, the electronic device 1000 also has a storage chamber 1004, which is a recess that stores a storage medium 100 such as a solid-state drive (SSD). As shown in FIG. 10, the storage chamber 1004 may be disposed behind the cooling fan 2F. The storage chamber 1004 may be closed by a memory cover (not shown). In the example shown in FIG. 10, a mounting hole 1072 is formed in the housing of the electronic device 1000, into which a fastener 6 (see FIG. 2), such as a screw, is attached to secure the memory cover to the housing.

[0085] Fig. 11A is a perspective view showing a portion of circuit board unit 1010 housed inside electronic device 1000. Fig. 11B is a plan view showing a portion of circuit board unit 1010. Figs. 11A and 11B show a portion of circuit board unit 1010 where housing chamber 1004 is formed.

[0086] FIG. 12A is an exploded perspective view showing a portion of a circuit board unit 1010 in a disassembled state. As shown in FIG. 12A, the circuit board unit 1010 has a circuit board 1020, an upper board shield 1030, and a connector shield 1050. The circuit board 1020 has an upper surface 1020U (first surface) facing upward (a first direction) and a lower surface 20D (see FIG. 13A) facing downward (a second direction opposite to the first direction). The upper board shield 1030 covers the upper surface 1020U of the circuit board 1020. A connector 1003 is mounted on the upper surface 20U of the circuit board 1020. The connector shield 1050 is disposed between the upper board shield 1030 and the circuit board 1020 and, together with the upper board shield 1030, covers a portion of the upper surface 1020U of the circuit board 1020. Connector shield 1050 covers connector 1003 mounted on upper surface 1020U of circuit board 1020. A perspective view of connector shield 1050 alone is shown in Fig. 12B.

[0087] The circuit board unit 1010 also has a lower board shield 1040 (see FIG. 11A ). The lower board shield 1040 covers the lower surface of the circuit board 1020. The upper board shield 1030 and the lower board shield 1040 may be configured to prevent noise, such as electromagnetic waves, generated by a plurality of electronic components mounted on the circuit board 1020 from leaking outside the circuit board unit 1010. The upper board shield 1030 and the lower board shield 1040 may be manufactured by performing sheet metal processing, such as drawing, on a conductive metal plate made of iron, aluminum, or the like. The upper board shield 1030 and the lower board shield 1040 may be fixed to the circuit board 1020 with a plurality of screws, rivets, or the like.

[0088] 11A and 11B, a heat pipe 1008 and a heat sink 1009 may be attached to the underside of the lower substrate shield 1040. The heat pipe 1008 receives heat from an IC chip mounted on the circuit board 1020 and transfers the heat to the heat sink 1009, and the heat sink 1009 dissipates the heat transferred via the heat pipe 1008. Note that the lower substrate shield 1040, the heat pipe 1008, and the heat sink 1009 are not shown in the exploded perspective view of FIG.

[0089] 11A, the storage chamber 1004 that stores the storage medium 100 may be configured by a bottom defined by an upper surface 1050U (third surface) of the connector shield 1050 and an upper surface 1020U of the circuit board 1020, and two wall portions standing on the front and rear sides of the bottom. Furthermore, elastic members 1061F, 1061B such as gaskets may be attached to the top ends of the two wall portions.

[0090] Fig. 13A is a cross-sectional view of circuit board unit 1010 taken along line XIII-XIII in Fig. 11B. Note that heat pipe 1008 and heat sink 1009 are omitted from the cross section of Fig. 13.

[0091] As shown in FIGS. 12A and 13A, the connector 1003 mounted on the circuit board 1020 is provided inside the accommodation chamber 1004. The connector 1003 is provided at one end (the left end) of the accommodation chamber 1004. The connector 1003 engages with a terminal portion of the storage medium 100 and electrically connects to it. The connector 1003 may be designed in accordance with the M.2 standard, for example. The bottom of the accommodation chamber 1004 is formed by an upper surface 1020U of the circuit board 1020 near the connector 1003, and the remaining portion is formed by an upper surface 1050U of a connector shield 1050, which is a member different from the circuit board 1020.

[0092] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11A, a cylindrical spacer 5a can be attached to the inside of the accommodating chamber 1004. The spacer 5a is detachable from a member different from the circuit board 1020. In this embodiment, the spacer 5a is detachable from a connector shield 1050 that forms the bottom of the accommodating chamber 1004. The spacer 5a supports the end 100R (second end, see FIG. 2) of the storage medium 100 inside the accommodating chamber 1004. The spacer 5a is disposed between the end 100R of the storage medium 100 and the connector shield 1050, and contacts both the end 100R of the storage medium 100 and the connector shield 1050 at this position. In this way, the spacer 5a ensures the distance between the storage medium 100 and the circuit board 1020 and the distance between the end 100R of the storage medium 100 and the connector shield 1050. Furthermore, the end 100R of the storage medium 100, the spacer 5a, and the connector shield 1050 may be fixed by attaching fasteners 5b (see FIG. 2) such as screws or rivets.

[0093] In this embodiment as well, a member different from the circuit board 1020 has at least one positioning portion 1004a for determining the position of the spacer 5a. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, at least one positioning portion 1004a for determining the position of the spacer 5a is formed on the connector shield 1050. The positioning portion 1004a is formed on the upper surface 1050U (third surface) of the connector shield 1050. The connector shield 1050 has multiple positioning portions 1004a formed side by side in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction, direction along the X-axis) of the accommodation chamber 1004. This makes it possible for the spacer 5a to support multiple types of storage media 100 with different sizes.

[0094] In this embodiment, each positioning portion 1004a is a recess formed in the upper surface 1050U (third surface) of the connector shield 1050. Each positioning portion 1004a may be formed integrally with the upper surface 1050U of the connector shield 1050 by sheet metal processing of the connector shield 1050. As shown in FIG. 13A , the width defined by the inner peripheral edge of the recess of each positioning portion 1004a is slightly wider than the width defined by the outer peripheral edge of the cylindrical spacer 5a. The inner peripheral edge of the recess of each positioning portion 1004a contacts the outer peripheral edge of the spacer 5a to guide the spacer 5a. This facilitates placement of the spacer 5a in the accommodation chamber 1004. Furthermore, movement of the spacer 5a outside the recess of each positioning portion 1004a in the accommodation chamber 1004 can be prevented.

[0095] 11B, the multiple positioning portions 1004a are arranged outside the outer edge of the circuit board 1020. As a result, the spacer 5a is arranged outside the outer edge of the circuit board 1020. The connector shield 1050 has an inner region R5 located inside the outer edge of the circuit board 1020 and an outer region R6 located outside the outer edge of the circuit board 1020. All of the multiple positioning portions 1004a are provided in the outer region R6. As a result, the spacer 5a is arranged in the outer region R6.

[0096] As shown in FIG. 13A, an attachment hole 1004c is formed at the center of the recess of each positioning portion 1004a. The outer edge of the recess of each positioning portion 1004a surrounds the outer edge of the attachment hole 1004c. A fastener 5b (not shown), such as a screw or a rivet (see FIG. 2), may be attached to the hole formed in the cylindrical spacer 5a and the attachment hole 1004c formed in the positioning portion 1004a. The fastener 5b may contact a ground portion, such as a ground pattern, mounted on the end portion 100R of the storage medium 100, and may be electrically connected to the ground portion of the storage medium 100. Furthermore, the fastener 5b may contact a connector shield 1050 made of a conductive material, such as iron or aluminum, at its lower end portion fitted into the attachment hole 1004c. This allows electrical connection between the ground portion of the storage medium 100 and the connector shield 1050 via the fastener 5b.

[0097] The spacer 5a may also be made of a conductive material. The spacer 5a may be in contact with both the ground portion of the storage medium 100 and the connector shield 1050, thereby electrically connecting the ground portion of the storage medium 100 and the connector shield 1050. In this way, it is possible to omit the formation of a ground pattern on the circuit board 1020 to which the ground portion of the storage medium 100 is connected, thereby reducing the cost of the circuit board 1020.

[0098] As shown in Fig. 12B, the connector shield 1050 is formed with recesses 1004d that protrude downward from a lower surface 1050D (see Fig. 13A) of the connector shield 1050. The recesses 1004d are formed on the front and rear sides of the multiple positioning portions 1004a that are aligned in the left-right direction, and extend in the left-right direction. Forming the recesses 1004d in the connector shield 1050 can reinforce the connector shield 1050. In addition, a recess 1004e is formed between the leftmost positioning portion 1004a and the adjacent positioning portion 1004a to the right.

[0099] 12A and 12B, the connector shield 1050 has a wall 1051F that stands along the front portion (Y1 side portion) of the storage medium 100, and a wall 1051B that stands along the rear portion (Y2 side portion) of the storage medium 100. The walls 1051F and 1051B may be formed by subjecting the connector shield 1050 to sheet metal processing such as bending. Also, as shown in FIG. 12A, the upper substrate shield 1030 also has a wall 1031B that stands along the rear portion (Y2 side portion) of the storage medium 100, and a wall 1031F that stands along the front portion (Y1 side portion) of the storage medium 100. The walls 1031F and 1031B may also be formed by subjecting the upper substrate shield 1030 to sheet metal processing such as bending.

[0100] As shown in FIG. 11A, the wall standing on the front side of the bottom of the accommodation chamber 1004 is formed by combining a wall 1051F of the connector shield 1050 and a wall 1031F of the upper board shield 1030. The positions of the upper ends of the wall 1051F and the wall 1031F are aligned in the up-down and front-to-back directions, and a single elastic member 1061F extending linearly in the left-to-right direction is attached to the upper ends of these two walls. The upper ends of the walls 1031F and 1051F may be formed by bending them forward. This ensures an area for attaching the elastic member 1061B.

[0101] In the example shown in FIG. 11A, the wall standing on the rear side of the bottom of the accommodation chamber 1004 is formed by combining a wall 1051B of the connector shield 1050 and a wall 1031B of the upper board shield 1030. The positions of the upper ends of the wall 1051B and the wall 1031B are also aligned in the up-down and front-to-back directions. One elastic member 1061B is attached to the upper ends of these two walls. The upper ends of the walls 1031B and 1051B may be formed by bending them backward. This ensures an area where the elastic member 1061B can be attached.

[0102] As shown in FIG. 11A, walls 1031F, 1031B, 1051F, and 1051B that constitute the walls of storage chamber 1004 are provided with a plurality of holes. Air flowing through these holes can cool storage medium 100 housed inside storage chamber 1004. Also, as shown in FIG. 13A, a gap may be provided between wall 1031B and wall 1051B that constitute the rear wall of storage chamber 1004. Similarly, a gap may be provided between wall 1031F and wall 1051F that constitute the front wall of storage chamber 1004. This gap ensures an air flow path for cooling storage medium 100.

[0103] As shown in FIG. 11B, in the connector shield 1050, an outer region R6 provided outside the outer edge of the circuit board 1020 includes an arrangement region R6' in which the storage medium 100 is arranged. The arrangement region R6' is an area defined along the outer edge of the storage medium 100 in a state in which the terminal portion is attached to the connector 1003 (see FIG. 13A). In the connector shield 1050, the arrangement region R6' is an area facing the storage medium 100 in a state in which it is connected to the connector 1003, and is an area corresponding to the size of the storage medium 100. In a plan view, the size and shape of the arrangement region R6' match the size and shape of a portion of the storage medium 100 that includes at least the end portion 100R (see FIG. 2). At least one positioning portion 1004a may be provided inside the arrangement region R6'.

[0104] Fig. 13B is an enlarged view of a portion of the cross-sectional view shown in Fig. 13A. As shown in Fig. 13B, an upper surface 1050U (third surface) of the connector shield 1050, on which each positioning portion 1004a is formed, is disposed below (in the second direction) an upper surface 1020U (first surface, an extension of the upper surface 1020U shown by a two-dot chain line in the cross-sectional view of Fig. 13B) of the circuit board 1020. On the upper surface 1050U of the connector shield 1050, an arrangement region 6' (see Fig. 13A) in which the storage medium 100 is disposed is provided below the upper surface 1020U of the circuit board 1020. More specifically, the entire arrangement region 6' is provided below the upper surface 1020U of the circuit board 1020. By doing this, a desired structure (e.g., a structure required to attach the storage medium 100) can be provided in the area (e.g., placement area 6') on the upper surface 1050U of the connector shield 1050 that overlaps with the storage medium 100.

[0105] As shown in FIG. 13B, the upper end (end in the first direction) of each positioning portion 1004a provided on the connector shield 1050 is disposed below (in the second direction) the upper surface 1020U (first surface) of the circuit board 1020. More specifically, the upper end 1004g on the inner surface of the recess of each positioning portion 1004a provided on the upper surface 1050U of the connector shield 1050 is disposed below the upper surface 1020U of the circuit board 1020. This makes it possible to ensure space below the storage medium 100. This allows for greater flexibility in the size and layout of components such as integrated circuits mounted on the storage medium 100 in the lower region 102D of the storage medium 100 (see FIG. 2).

[0106] 12B, a hole H is formed in the connector shield 1050. The hole H is formed between a plurality of positioning portions 1004a aligned in the left-right direction and an upper wall portion 1053 covering the connector 1003. As shown in FIG. 11A, the upper surface 1020U of the circuit board 1020 is exposed through the hole H in the connector shield 1050. The connector shield 1050 also has a peripheral portion 1054 that surrounds the front side (Y1 direction side), rear side (Y2 direction side), and left side (X2 direction side) of the hole H. The upper wall portion 1053 covering the connector 1003 is connected to the peripheral portion 1054. The peripheral portion 1054 of the connector shield 1050 is placed on the ground pattern 1021 (see FIG. 12A) surrounding the connector 1003 on the upper surface 1020U of the circuit board 1020, and is fixed to the ground pattern 1021 together with the upper board shield 1030 and the lower board shield 1040 by fasteners such as screws.

[0107] 12B, the connector shield 1050 has a step portion 1055 between the right side (X1 direction side) of the hole H and the peripheral portion 1054. As a result, an upper surface 1050U of the connector shield 1050 on the right side of the hole H is positioned lower than an upper surface 1054U of the peripheral portion 1054. At least a part of the peripheral portion 1054 of the connector shield 1050 is positioned on the upper surface 1020U of the circuit board 1020 in an inner region R5 (see FIG. 11B) on the inner side of the outer edge of the circuit board 1020. In this state, in an outer region R6 (see FIG. 11B) on the outer side of the outer edge of the circuit board 1020, an upper surface 1050U (see FIG. 12B) of the connector shield 1050 (upper surface on the right side of the hole H) and upper ends 1004g (see FIG. 13B) of the inner surfaces of the recesses of each positioning portion 1004a can be positioned lower than the upper surface 1020U of the circuit board 1020.

[0108] 12B and 13A, the connector shield 1050 has a dome shape that covers the connector 1003, similar to the connector shield 50 described in the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 13A, the connector shield 1050 has an electrostatic protection portion 1052. The electrostatic protection portion 1052 is formed along the opening of a recess in the connector 1003 that fits with the storage medium 100. The electrostatic protection portion 1052 is located to the right of the connector 1003 (in the X1 direction). The electrostatic protection portion 1052 bends downward from the end (right end) of the upper wall portion 1053 on the accommodation chamber 1004 side. For example, when an operator inserts or removes the storage medium 100 into or from the connector 1003, the operator's finger moves toward the connector 1003 along with the storage medium 100. At this time, the electrostatic protection portion 1052 is interposed between the operator's finger and the connector 1003, allowing static electricity charged on the operator's finger to flow to the electrostatic protection portion 1052. Furthermore, a gap larger than the vertical width of the electrostatic protection unit 1052 may be provided between the upper wall portion 1053 and the connector 1003. This allows static electricity received by the electrostatic protection unit 1052 to pass through the upper wall portion 1053 via a path away from the connector 1003.

[0109] As described above, the upper surface 1050U (third surface) of the connector shield 1050, on which at least one positioning portion 1004a is formed, is disposed below (in the second direction) the upper surface 1020U of the circuit board 1020. In this manner, a desired structure can be provided on the upper surface 1050U of the connector shield 1050 in an area overlapping with the storage medium 100 (for example, placement area 6').

[0110] Also in this embodiment, the upper end portion (the end portion in the first direction) of at least one positioning portion 1004a is disposed below the upper surface 1020U of the circuit board 1020. More specifically, the upper surface 1050U of the connector shield 1050 and the upper ends of the inner surfaces of the recesses of each positioning portion 1004a are formed below the upper surface 1020U of the circuit board 1020. In this way, space can be secured below the storage medium 100, and the degree of freedom in the size and layout of components such as integrated circuits mounted on the storage medium 100 can be improved in the area below the storage medium 100.

[0111] Also in this embodiment, the ground portion provided at the end 100R of the storage medium 100 may come into contact with and be electrically connected to the connector shield 1050 via the spacer 5a and the fixture 5b. In this way, the structure for attaching the spacer 5a and the fixture 5b to the circuit board 1020 can be omitted, and the cost of the circuit board 1020 can be reduced.

[0112] Also in this embodiment, the connector shield 1050 has an electrostatic protection portion 1052 that is arranged along the opening of the connector 1003 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 passed to the connector shield 1050 via the electrostatic protection portion 1052.

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, a circuit board having a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction opposite the first direction; a connector mounted on the first surface of the circuit board and connectable to the first end of the storage medium; a member different from the circuit board, the member different from the circuit board has a third surface facing the first direction, and at least one positioning portion for positioning a spacer that supports the second end of the storage medium is formed on the third surface; the third surface is located in a direction along the circuit board with respect to the connector and is located in the second direction relative to the first surface of the circuit board; the at least one positioning portion is at least one protrusion protruding from the third surface in the first direction, An end of the at least one protrusion in the first direction is disposed in the second direction relative to the first surface of the circuit board. electronic equipment.

2. 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, a circuit board having a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction opposite the first direction; a connector mounted on the first surface of the circuit board and connectable to the first end of the storage medium; a member different from the circuit board, the member different from the circuit board has a third surface facing the first direction, and at least one positioning portion for positioning a spacer that supports the second end of the storage medium is formed on the third surface; the third surface is located in a direction along the circuit board with respect to the connector and is located in the second direction relative to the first surface of the circuit board; the at least one positioning portion is a recess recessed from the third surface in the second direction, The third surface and an end portion of the inner surface of the recess in the first direction are disposed in the second direction relative to the first surface of the circuit board. electronic equipment.

3. 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, a circuit board having a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction opposite the first direction; a connector mounted on the first surface of the circuit board and connectable to the first end of the storage medium; a member different from the circuit board, the member different from the circuit board has a third surface facing the first direction, and at least one positioning portion for positioning a spacer that supports the second end of the storage medium is formed on the third surface; the third surface is located in a direction along the circuit board with respect to the connector and is located in the second direction relative to the first surface of the circuit board; The member different from the circuit board is a connector shield that covers the connector. electronic equipment.

4. 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, a circuit board having a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction opposite the first direction; a connector mounted on the first surface of the circuit board and connectable to the first end of the storage medium; a member different from the circuit board, the member different from the circuit board has a third surface facing the first direction, and at least one positioning portion for positioning a spacer that supports the second end of the storage medium is formed on the third surface; the third surface is located in a direction along the circuit board with respect to the connector and is located in the second direction relative to the first surface of the circuit board; The member different from the circuit board has a wall portion standing along the side of the storage medium attached to the connector. electronic equipment.

5. 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, a circuit board having a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction opposite the first direction; a connector mounted on the first surface of the circuit board and connectable to the first end of the storage medium; a member different from the circuit board, the member different from the circuit board has a third surface facing the first direction, and at least one positioning portion for positioning a spacer that supports the second end of the storage medium is formed on the third surface; the third surface is located in a direction along the circuit board with respect to the connector and is located in the second direction relative to the first surface of the circuit board; the at least one positioning portion is provided in an outer region located outside an outer edge of the circuit board, the outer area includes a placement area defined along an outer edge of a storage medium attached to the connector, and in which the storage medium is placed; The placement area is provided in the second direction from the first surface of the circuit board. electronic equipment.

6. An end of the at least one positioning portion in the first direction is located in the second direction further than the first surface of the circuit board.

6. An electronic device according to claim 1.

7. a fixing member for fixing a second end of the storage medium to a member different from the circuit board via a spacer; the member different from the circuit board further has a mounting hole to which the fastener is attached; The at least one protrusion is formed along the outer edge of the mounting hole. The electronic device according to claim 1 .

8. a fixing device for fixing a second end of the storage medium to a member different from the circuit board via a spacer; the member different from the circuit board further has a mounting hole to which the fastener is attached; The outer edge of the recess surrounds the outer edge of the mounting hole.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2.

9. The member different from the circuit board is a circuit board shield covering the second surface of the circuit board.

6. An electronic device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4 and 5.

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