electronic machinery

Abstract

Electronic devices that can reduce environmental impact [Solution] An electronic device having a flat rectangular housing, the housing having a sidewall frame formed by bending an extruded profile to form at least three side walls, a cover that combines with the sidewall frame to form one surface of the housing, and a plate-shaped plate frame that is arranged between opposing portions of the three side walls, the plate frame having two upright walls that are at an angle that intersects with the plate-shaped portion, forming a space surrounded on three sides by the plate-shaped portion and the two upright walls, a removal prevention block fitted into the space from the side, and a portion of the edge of the cover being clamped between the sidewall frame and the removal prevention block.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device having a flat rectangular housing.

Background Art

[0002] The housing of an electronic device such as a notebook personal computer (notebook PC) forms a flat rectangular box shape with an upper cover and a lower cover, and a control board, a battery, etc. are mounted in the internal space. The side walls of the housing are integrally formed with the upper cover or the lower cover, and often have a shallow tray shape called a unibody design.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Socially, there is a demand for reducing environmental impact, and for electronic devices, it is required to suppress energy consumption and materials during manufacturing, and to improve repairability to reduce waste after manufacturing.

[0005] The tray-shaped housing in the currently popular unibody design is formed by cutting out from a material block by CNC machining, and has problems such as high energy consumption and long processing time. Also, the cutting amount is large and the material efficiency with respect to the material block is quite low. Although the chips generated during production are recycled, a large amount of energy is consumed even during recycling. Considering molding the housing, even if molding is adopted, the material efficiency cannot be sufficiently improved. Furthermore, these problems are factors causing an increase in product cost.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an electronic device that can reduce environmental impact. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, an electronic device according to an aspect of the present invention is an electronic device having a flat rectangular housing, the housing comprising: a side wall frame formed by bending an extruded profile to form at least three side walls; a cover formed by combining with the side wall frame to form one surface of the housing; and a plate-shaped plate frame provided between opposing portions of the three side walls, the plate frame having two vertical walls at an angle intersecting the plate-shaped portion, forming a space enclosed on three sides by the plate-shaped portion and the two vertical walls, a retaining block fitted into the space from the side, and the cover having a portion of its edge sandwiched between the side wall frame and the retaining block. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the above embodiment of the present invention, the environmental burden can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electronic device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a bottom view of the main casing of an electronic device. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the main unit's casing. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is an exploded plan view of the main casing. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a disassembled bottom view of the main unit's casing. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the frame. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the extruded profile that will be used as the material for the side wall frame. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the extruded profile that will be used as the material for the plate frame. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the board frame. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows examples of frames of different sizes, where (a) shows a small frame and (b) shows a large frame. [Figure 11-1] Figure 11-1 shows modified examples of extruded profiles, where (a) is a perspective view of the extruded profile according to the first modified example, (b) is a perspective view of the extruded profile according to the second modified example, (c) is a perspective view of the extruded profile according to the third modified example, and (d) is a perspective view of the extruded profile according to the fourth modified example. [Figure 11-2] Figure 11-2 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of an extruded profile and its corresponding lower cover according to the fifth modified example. [Figure 12] Figure 12 shows modified versions of the plate frame, where (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame according to the first modified version, (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame according to the second modified version, (c) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame according to the third modified version, (d) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame according to the fourth modified version, (e) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame according to the fifth modified version, (f) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame according to the sixth modified version, (g) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame according to the seventh modified version, (h) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame according to the eighth modified version, (i) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame according to the ninth modified version, (j) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame according to the tenth modified version, (k) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame according to the eleventh modified version, and (l) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame according to the twelfth modified version. [Figure 13] Figure 13 shows modified versions of the main housing, where (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the main housing according to the first modified version, (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the main housing according to the second modified version, (c) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the main housing according to the third modified version, and (d) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the main housing according to the fourth modified version. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a perspective view of a modified tablet-type electronic device. [Figure 15]FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of a plugging block and a portion into which the plugging block is inserted. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a plugging block and a portion into which the plugging block is inserted. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a plugging block and a portion into which the plugging block is inserted according to a first modification example. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a plugging block and a portion into which the plugging block is inserted according to a second modification example. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing a method of manufacturing an electronic device.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of an electronic device according to the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited by this embodiment.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic device 10 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a main body housing 12 of the electronic device 10. In this embodiment, a notebook PC is exemplified as the electronic device 10. The electronic device 10 may be a tablet PC or a smartphone having a flat and rectangular housing. In FIG. 1, the electronic device 10 in a usage form in which the display housing 14 is opened from the main body housing 12 by a hinge 16 is shown looking down from above.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device 10 has a configuration in which a main body housing (first housing) 12 and a display housing (second housing) 14 are rotatably connected by a pair of left and right hinges 16 provided at adjacent edges of each other. In the following description of the main body housing 12, the lateral direction as viewed from the user is referred to as the X direction, the depth direction as the Y direction, and the height direction as the Z direction. Regarding the Y direction, the front side is also referred to as the Y1 side and the back side as the Y2 side.

[0013] The main body housing 12 and the display housing 14 are flat and slightly elongated rectangles. A single elongated hinge 16 may be provided. The rotation angle between the main body housing 12 and the display housing 14 can take on an operating range such as 0 to 130 degrees or 0 to 360 degrees, depending on the function of the hinge 16. The display housing 14 has a display 18 on the front and the opposite side is covered by a rear cover 20. A bezel 22 is provided around the display 18.

[0014] The main casing 12 is a thin box shape and has an upper cover (first cover) 24, a lower cover (second cover) 26, and a frame 52. The frame 52 has a plate frame 34 and a side wall frame 28. The upper cover 24 and lower cover 26 are made of metal or resin. The upper cover 24 is provided with a keyboard 30 and a touchpad 32. In this embodiment, some internal components such as the main board 44, thermal module 46, battery 48, and speaker 50, which will be described later, are attached to the frame 52, while others are attached to the frame 52 and upper cover 24 as an integrated unit. These components are attached not only to the upper cover 24, but also to the lower cover 26 and frame 52. Many elements may be attached to the frame 52, and the upper cover 24 and lower cover 26 may be assembled afterward. The lower cover 26 covers these components, and for example, when replacing the battery 48, the lower cover 26 is removed. Depending on the specifications, access rights may be categorized into levels, such as allowing users to perform battery replacement work (e.g., battery 48) or requiring a designated service technician to do so.

[0015] The top surface (one side) of the main casing 12 is formed by the top cover 24, the keyboard 30, and the touchpad 32. The keyboard 30 is on the Y2 side, and the touchpad 32 is on the Y1 side, and the two are adjacent to each other. The keyboard 30 extends almost the entire width of the top cover 24 in the X direction.

[0016] A rectangular hole 24a (see Figure 4) is formed on the Y2 side of the upper cover 24, into which the keyboard 30 is mounted. Fins 24aa are provided on the inner circumference of the rectangular hole 24a to support the keyboard 30. The keyboard 30 is fitted and fixed into the rectangular hole 24a and is detachable from the housing outward (upward in this case). Transmission and reception between the keyboard 30 and the main housing 12 are performed by a connector, pogo pins, or wirelessly.

[0017] The lower (and other) surface of the main housing 12 is formed by a lower cover 26 and a plate frame 34. The lower cover 26 has a wide first portion 26a on the Y1 side of the main housing 12 and a narrow second portion 26b that forms the edge on the Y2 side, and the plate frame 34 is fitted into a horizontally elongated plate frame insertion hole 26c formed between these portions. The first portion 26a and the second portion 26b are connected at both ends by a bridge 26h (see Figure 15). The plate frame 34 is provided along the long side of the main housing 12, extending across the entire width in the X direction. In this embodiment, the ratio of the Y-direction width of the wide first portion 26a to the plate frame 34 is approximately 1:3. Retaining blocks 36 and 38 are fitted to both ends of the plate frame 34. IO (Input Output) connectors 40 and 42 are provided on the sides of the retaining blocks 36 and 38. The IO connectors 40 and 42 are, for example, USB (Universal Serial Bus) Type-C or HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface, registered trademark), and are used for signal transmission and reception and charging. The side wall frame 28, plate frame 34, and retaining blocks 36 and 38 will be described further later.

[0018] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the main unit housing 12. Figure 4 is an exploded plan view of the main unit housing 12. Figure 5 is an exploded bottom view of the main unit housing 12. Inside the main unit housing 12 are the main board 44, thermal module 46, battery 48, and a pair of left and right speakers 50.

[0019] The main board 44 is a horizontal rectangle, with its Y2 side close to the Y2 edge of the plate frame 34, and in the X direction, one side (left side in Figures 3 and 4) is close to the edge of the main enclosure 12 and the side wall frame 28, while the other side (right side in Figures 3 and 4) is slightly away from the side wall frame 28. The main board 44 has a CPU 44a mounted on it as the main control unit.

[0020] The thermal module 46 has a heat sink 46a that is thermally connected to the CPU 44a, and fans 46ba and 46bb provided at both the left and right ends of the heat sink 46a. The heat sink 46a is a vapor chamber or the like. In Figure 3, the left fan 46ba is positioned to overlap with the main board 44, and the right fan 46bb is positioned adjacent to the main board 44 but not overlapping it. Fans 46ba and 46bb blow air onto a heat sink that is thermally connected to the heat sink 46a to dissipate heat.

[0021] The battery 48 is a thin, horizontally elongated rectangle, with a Y-direction width slightly shorter than the main housing 12, and is positioned slightly to the right in Figures 3 and 4. The main board 44 and the battery 48 have a Y-direction width slightly less than half the width of the main housing 12, and are adjacent to each other in the Y-direction. At the center of the battery 48 in the X-direction, there is a connecting projection 48a which is inserted into and connected to a notch 44b of the main board 44. The battery 48 is exposed by removing the lower cover 26, allowing for replacement or repair. The battery 48 is, for example, a lithium-ion type. The pair of speakers 50 each have an elongated shape in the Y-direction and are positioned along the Y-direction and towards the Y1 side at both ends of the main housing 12.

[0022] Figure 6 is a perspective view of frame 52. Frame 52 is composed of side wall frames 28 and plate frames 34. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the extruded profiles 54 that make up the side wall frames 28. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the extruded profiles 56 that make up the plate frames 34. Figure 9 is a perspective view of plate frames 34.

[0023] The extruded profiles 54 and 56 are basically made of metal materials such as aluminum alloy and are obtained by extrusion molding. In other words, the extruded profiles 54 and 56 are obtained by pushing a billet inserted into a container and extruding it through a die of a predetermined cross-sectional shape, resulting in a uniform cross-section along the longitudinal direction. Extrusion molding allows for the formation of extruded profiles 54 and 56 with high material efficiency (e.g., about 90%). This material efficiency is significantly higher than when forming covers in unibody designs by CNC machining or by die molding, contributing to reduced environmental impact and cost control. Various well-known techniques can be applied to the extrusion molding of the extruded profiles 54 and 56, and a detailed explanation thereof is omitted in this application.

[0024] In Figure 7, one side of the extruded profile 54 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the Z-direction is designated as the inside side, and the opposite side as the outside side. The inside side is the direction that forms the inside of the C-shape when the extruded profile 54 is processed to form a rectangular C-shaped side wall frame 28, and the outside side is the opposite side. In Figure 7, the upper cover 24 and lower cover 26 are shown by dashed lines.

[0025] The extruded profile 54 has a base 54a, an upper convex portion 54b, a lower convex portion 54c, and an inwardly projecting portion 54d. The base 54a has a rectangular cross-section that is slightly wider in the direction of the inside and outside of the frame. The upper convex portion 54b has a rectangular cross-section and protrudes low upward from the outer end of the base 54a. The lower convex portion 54c has a triangular cross-section with an inclined surface 54ca and protrudes downward from the base 54a. The lower convex portion 54c and the base 54a form a coincident inner frame surface 54e. The inclined surface 54ca is inclined downward from the lower surface of the base 54a so as to move inward from the frame. The inwardly projecting portion 54d protrudes inward from the lower part of the lower convex portion 54c. The inwardly projecting portion 54d is a part that serves as a fixing base for fixing the plate frame 34 and has a width and thickness suitable for fixing.

[0026] The height of the upper protrusion 54b is approximately equal to the thickness of the upper cover 24. The upper cover 24 is placed on the upper surface of the base 54a and is positioned by the upper inner corner portion (first inner corner portion) 54f formed by the base 54a and the upper protrusion 54b. The upper inner corner portion 54f positions the edge of the upper cover 24 from the outside of the frame.

[0027] The lower surface of the base 54a, outside the frame beyond the inclined surface 54ca, is approximately equal in thickness to the lower cover 26. The lower cover 26 has a bottom plate 26d that occupies most of the area, and an inclined plate 26e formed around the bottom plate 26d. The inclined plate 26e makes the side portion of the main body housing 12 appear thinner, resulting in a desirable design. The inclined plate 26e is inclined upwards and outwards from the frame. The inclined surface 54ca and the inclined plate 26e have the same angle of inclination. The lower cover 26 is positioned such that the inclined plate 26e is in contact with the inclined surface 54ca, and its end is positioned by a lower inner corner (second inner corner) 54g formed by the base 54a and the inclined surface 54ca. The lower inner corner 54g positions the edge of the lower cover 26 from the inside of the frame.

[0028] As shown in Figure 6, the side wall frame 28 is formed by cutting an extruded profile 54 to a predetermined length and bending it at 90 degrees at four bending sections 28a to form a rectangular C-shape with the side wall 28b on the Y1 side, the left and right side walls 28c, and the short left and right side walls 28d on the Y2 side. Since the main housing 12 is horizontally elongated, the side wall 28b is longer than the side wall 28c. The outer edge of the bending section 28a is arc-shaped. On the inner edge of the bending section 28a, a notch 54da (see Figure 15) may be formed in the inwardly protruding section 54d for bending. Heat treatment may be performed when forming the bending section 28a. In this embodiment, the length of the two side walls 28d on the Y2 side is about 1 / 10 of the length of the side wall 28b on the Y1 side. The space between the two side walls 28d is a rectangular C-shaped opening 28e formed by the side wall frame 28. In other words, the left and right side walls 28d form both ends of the opening 28e. A hinge 16 (see Figure 1) is located in the opening 28e.

[0029] As shown in Figure 8, the extruded profile 56 has a plate-like portion 56a, a front vertical wall 56b, a rear vertical wall 56c, a front overhang portion 56d, and a rear overhang portion 56e. The plate-like portion 56a is the main part of the extruded profile 56 and has a moderately wide width in the Y direction. The plate-like portion 56a does not necessarily have to be flat; for example, it may be corrugated with multiple protrusions along the X direction. The plate-like portion 56a may have parts with different thicknesses depending on the position in the Y direction. The front vertical wall 56b and the rear vertical wall 56c are low and rise upward from the Y1 and Y2 ends of the plate-like portion 56a. In this case, the angle between the front vertical wall 56b and the rear vertical wall 56c and the plate-like portion 56a is 90 degrees. The front overhang portion 56d extends a short distance towards the Y1 side from the upper end of the front vertical wall 56b. The rear overhang portion 56e extends a short distance towards the Y2 side from the upper end of the rear vertical wall 56c.

[0030] In this embodiment, each part of the extruded profile 56 is of the same thickness and may be formed by bending a metal plate. Since the extruded profile 56 is an extruded product, each part can be made of different thicknesses depending on the design conditions. In this embodiment, the front vertical wall 56b and the rear vertical wall 56c are the same shape, and the front overhang 56d and the rear overhang 56e are the same shape. Therefore, the extruded profile 56 has a front-to-back symmetrical shape, but it may be asymmetrical depending on the design conditions (e.g., Figure 12(a)). The plate frame 34 is formed by cutting the extruded profile 56 to a predetermined length and then cutting out the portion indicated by the dashed line in Figure 8.

[0031] The plate-like portion 56a and the rear vertical wall 56c of the plate frame 34 have both ends 56f cut out in Figure 8, and their length in the Y direction is equal to the distance between the left and right side walls 28c (see Figure 6) of the side wall frame 28.

[0032] In Figure 8, the rear overhang 56e is cut out by a rear notch 56g that covers almost the entire width in the Y direction, leaving both ends intact, and the uncut ends form the first outward overhang 56h. The Y-direction width of the first outward overhang 56h is the same as that of the inward overhang 54d. The X-direction width of the first outward overhang 56h is approximately the same length as the rear side wall 28d of the side wall frame 28, ensuring space for the hinge 16 to be placed.

[0033] In Figure 8, the front wall 56b and the front overhang 56d are cut out by the front notch 56i, and the uncut ends of the front overhang 56d form the second outward overhang 56j. The second outward overhang 56j is the portion that is not cut out by both ends 56f and protrudes relatively outward from the frame. The protruding length of the second outward overhang 56j, that is, the cut depth of both ends 56f, is the same as that of the inward overhang 54d. The total length of the second outward overhang 56j in the X direction is shortened to a degree that is necessary and sufficient for connection with the plate-like portion 56a.

[0034] The front overhang 56d is cut out by the front notch 56i in all its parts except for the second outward overhang 56j. The front wall 56b is cut out to about half its height by the front notch 56i. Because the front wall 56b is kept low, the main board 44 and other components can be placed across the front wall 56b.

[0035] The plate frame 34 is resistant to twisting in the XY plane because the plate-like portion 56a has an appropriate width in the Y direction. The plate frame 34 has a flattened U-shape with front vertical walls 56b and rear vertical walls 56c formed at both ends of the plate-like portion 56a in the Y direction, resulting in a large second moment of area and strong resistance to bending in the XZ plane. However, if the side wall frame 28 has sufficient strength on its own, the plate frame 34 may be omitted.

[0036] The plate frame 34 may have three or more vertical walls. The plate frame 34 forms a space 34a enclosed on three sides by a flattened U-shape formed by a plate-like portion 56a, a front vertical wall 56b, and a rear vertical wall 56c. At least the CPU 44a of the main board 44 is located in the space 34a.

[0037] As shown in Figure 6, the plate frame 34 is fixed in a total of four places by screws 58, with the first outward-facing protrusions 56h at both ends resting on the upper surface of the inward-facing protrusions 54d on the side wall 28d, and the second outward-facing protrusions 56j at both ends resting on the upper surface of the inward-facing protrusions 54d on the side wall 28c. The fixing of the first outward-facing protrusions 56h and the second outward-facing protrusions 56j to the inward-facing protrusions 54d is not limited to screws 58, but may also be done by welding, welding, adhesive, etc. The first outward-facing protrusions 56h and the second outward-facing protrusions 56j may also be fixed to the lower surface of the inward-facing protrusions 54d.

[0038] In this way, the plate frame 34 connects and reinforces the side walls 28d, which are the ends of the rectangular C-shaped opening 28e in the side wall frame 28, and the frame 52 as a whole has a frame shape that is closed on all four sides. The plate frame 34 is provided between the opposing side walls 28c on the left and right of the side wall frame 28, and the distance between the two side walls 28c is properly maintained.

[0039] The side wall frame 28 forms three edges of the main body housing 12 with side walls 28b, 28c, and a pair of side walls 28d form part of the remaining edge, however, side walls 28d may be omitted depending on the design conditions. In other words, the side wall frame 28 only needs to have at least three side walls 28b, 28c, and 28c. In that case, the plate frame 34 may form the remaining edge. Also, all four fixing points of the plate frame 34 to the side wall frame 28 may be inwardly protruding portions 54d on the side walls 28c.

[0040] Figure 10 shows examples of frames 52 of different sizes, where (a) shows a smaller frame 52A and (b) shows a larger frame 52A. Depending on the specifications, the size of the main housing 12 of the electronic device 10 may vary. If the main housing 12 is small, frame 52A is applied to match its size, and if it is large, frame 52B is applied to match its size. The side wall frames 28 in frames 52A and 52B are made of extruded profiles 54 (see Figure 7), and can be applied by changing the lengths of the side walls 28b, 28c, and 28d depending on the position of the bend 28a. The plate frames 34 in frames 52A and 52B are made of extruded profiles 56 (see Figure 8), and can be applied by changing the length in the X direction.

[0041] Figure 11-1 shows modified examples of the extruded profile 54, where (a) is a perspective view of the extruded profile 54A according to the first modified example, (b) is a perspective view of the extruded profile 54B according to the second modified example, (c) is a perspective view of the extruded profile 54C according to the third modified example, and (d) is a perspective view of the extruded profile 54D according to the fourth modified example. Figure 11-2 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the extruded profile 54E and the corresponding lower cover 26 according to the fifth modified example. In each modified example, the same reference numerals are used for components similar to those of the extruded profile 54, and detailed explanations are omitted. In Figure 11-1, the upper cover 24 and lower cover 26 are shown by dashed lines.

[0042] The extruded profile 54A shown in Figure 11-1(a) is the same as the extruded profile 54 (see Figure 7) but with the inwardly protruding portion 54d omitted. The inwardly protruding portion 54d is basically for fixing the plate frame 34 and may be omitted if there is another means of fixing the plate frame 34. The extruded profile 54A with the inwardly protruding portion 54d omitted is easier to form a bent portion 28a. In this case, the plate frame 34 may be fixed to the inner surface 54e of the frame by providing upwardly facing fins 34b at both ends in the X direction.

[0043] The extruded profile 54B shown in Figure 11-1(b) is provided with a lower protrusion 54h in place of the inclined lower protrusion 54c in the extruded profile 54 (see Figure 7). The lower protrusion 54h has the same shape as the upper protrusion 54b, but it faces downward and is positioned slightly inside the frame than the upper protrusion 54b. The lower corner portion 54i is formed by the lower surface of the base portion 54a and the lower protrusion 54h. In this case, the lower cover 26B is provided with a vertically oriented upright plate 26f in place of the inclined plate 26e, and the edge of the upright plate 26f is positioned from the inside of the frame by the lower corner portion 54i.

[0044] The extruded profile 54C shown in Figure 11-1(c) is provided with a lower protrusion 54j instead of the inclined lower protrusion 54c in the extruded profile 54 (see Figure 7). The lower protrusion 54j protrudes downward from the outer edge of the base 54a, similar to the upper protrusion 54b. The lower protrusion 54j may have the same shape as the upper protrusion 54b. The lower corner portion 54k is formed by the lower surface of the base 54a and the lower protrusion 54j. In this case, the lower cover 26C does not have an inclined plate 26e, and the edge is positioned from the outside of the frame by the lower corner portion 54k.

[0045] The extruded profile 54D shown in Figure 11-1(d) is provided with an upper convex portion 54m in place of the upper convex portion 54b in the extruded profile 54 (see Figure 7). The upper convex portion 54m is vertically symmetrical with the lower convex portion 54c and has an inclined surface 54ma. The upper inner corner portion 54n is formed by the upper surface of the base portion 54a and the inclined surface 54ma. In this case, the upper cover 24D has a top plate 24b that occupies most of the area and an inclined plate 24c formed around the top plate 24b. The inclined surface 54ma and the inclined plate 24c have the same angle of inclination. The upper inner corner portion 54n positions the edge of the inclined plate 24c from the inside of the frame.

[0046] The extruded profile 54E shown in Figure 11-2 has a groove 54o on the side relative to the extruded profile 54 (see Figure 7). The groove 54o is formed in such a way that the lower surface of the base 54a extends inward from the upper part of the lower protrusion 54c and opens outward from the frame.

[0047] In the side wall frame 28, which is formed by bending an extruded profile 54E, grooves 54o form slide grooves 54oa on the left and right side walls 28c, respectively, and engagement groove 54ob on the side wall 28b, which is in the center on the Y1 side when viewed from the left and right side walls 28c. The slide groove 60a and engagement groove 60b are continuous because they are formed by the same groove 54o. In this case, the lower cover 26E includes a bottom plate 26d, an inclined plate 26e, and an inward projection 26g. The inward projection 26g protrudes briefly from the upper end of the inclined plate 26e toward the inside of the frame. Of the inward projections 26g, slide projections 26ga on both the left and right ends of the lower cover 26 slidably engage with the slide groove 54oa. Of the inward projections 26g, engagement projection 26gb on the Y1 side of the lower cover 26 engages with the engagement groove 54ob.

[0048] Figure 12 shows modified versions of the plate frame 34, where (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame 34A according to the first modified version, (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame 34B according to the second modified version, (c) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame 34C according to the third modified version, (d) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame 34D according to the fourth modified version, (e) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame 34E according to the fifth modified version, and (f) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the plate frame 34F according to the sixth modified version. These are schematic cross-sectional views, where (g) is a schematic cross-sectional view of plate frame 34G according to the seventh modification, (h) is a schematic cross-sectional view of plate frame 34H according to the eighth modification, (i) is a schematic cross-sectional view of plate frame 34I according to the ninth modification, (j) is a schematic cross-sectional view of plate frame 34J according to the tenth modification, (k) is a schematic cross-sectional view of plate frame 34K according to the eleventh modification, and (l) is a schematic cross-sectional view of plate frame 34L according to the twelfth modification. Each modification is an extruded profile.

[0049] In the plate frame 34A shown in Figure 12(a), the front vertical wall 56b is inclined towards Y2. In the plate frame 34B shown in Figure 12(b), the front vertical wall 56b is inclined towards Y1. In the plate frame 34C shown in Figure 12(c), the rear vertical wall 56c is inclined towards Y1. In the plate frame 34D shown in Figure 12(d), the rear vertical wall 56c is inclined towards Y2. Thus, the front vertical wall 56b and the rear vertical wall 56c do not need to be perpendicular to the plate-like portion 56a; they only need to intersect.

[0050] In the plate frame 34E shown in Figure 12(e), the front wall 56b is higher than the rear wall 56c. In the plate frame 34F shown in Figure 12(f), the rear wall 56c is higher than the front wall 56b. Thus, the heights of the front wall 56b and the rear wall 56c may be different. The heights of the front wall 56b and the rear wall 56c may also be the same.

[0051] The plate frame 34G shown in Figure 12(g) has a plate-like section 56a that connects the upper ends of the front wall 56b and the rear wall 56c, and is open at the bottom. In this case, the opening of the plate frame 34G may be closed with a lower cover 26. The plate frame 34H shown in Figure 12(h) has a top plate 56m that connects the upper ends of the front wall 56b and the rear wall 56c, and the plate-like section 56a, front wall 56b, rear wall 56c and top plate 56m form a closed frame shape.

[0052] In the plate frame 34I shown in Figure 12(i), the rear vertical wall 56c is thicker than the front vertical wall 56b. Thus, the front vertical wall 56b and the rear vertical wall 56c may have different thicknesses. In the plate frame 34J shown in Figure 12(j), the plate-like portion 56a is corrugated. The plate-like portion 56a may have one of its upper and lower surfaces corrugated and the other flat.

[0053] The plate frame 34K shown in Figure 12(k) has a projection 56aa on one surface of the plate-like portion 56a. The plate frame 34L shown in Figure 12(l) has an inclined portion 56ab formed such that the plate-like portion 56a becomes thicker from the center toward the Y2 side. Thus, the thickness of the plate-like portion 56a does not have to be constant.

[0054] Figure 13 shows modified versions of the main housing 12, where (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the main housing 12A according to the first modified version, (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the main housing 12B according to the second modified version, (c) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the main housing 12C according to the third modified version, and (d) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the main housing 12D according to the fourth modified version.

[0055] In the main casing 12A shown in Figure 13(a), the front vertical wall 56b and rear vertical wall 56c of the plate frame 34 are slightly higher, and the plate-like portion 56a protrudes slightly beyond the lower cover 26. Thus, the plate-like portion 56a and the lower cover 26 do not have to be on the same plane. In the main casing 12B shown in Figure 13(b), the above-mentioned plate frame 34F (see Figure 12(f)) is applied, and the mounting heights of the front vertical wall 56b and rear vertical wall 56c to the side wall frame 28 are different. In the main casing 12C shown in Figure 13(c), the above-mentioned plate frame 34F (see Figure 12(f)) is applied, but the Y dimension of the plate-like portion 56a is longer. Thus, the Y dimension of the plate frame is not particularly limited. Also, in the main casing 12C, the side wall frame 28 is gently inclined so that it slopes downward toward the Y1 side. Although not shown in the illustration, the upper cover 24 is similarly inclined, making typing on the keyboard 30 easier. The main housing 12D shown in Figure 13(d) is fitted with the plate frame 34G (see Figure 12(g)), and the lower opening of the plate frame 34G is covered by the lower cover 26.

[0056] Figure 14 is a perspective view of an electronic device 10A, which is a modified version of the electronic device 10. The electronic device 10A is a tablet type. The electronic device 10A has a frame 52, a display 18, a bezel 22, a bottom cover 26, and retaining blocks 36, 38. The frame 52 has a side wall frame 28 and a plate frame 34. Retaining blocks 36, 38 are inserted into both ends of the plate frame 34. In the electronic device 10A, the side wall frame 28 of the frame 52 is formed in a frame shape over the entire circumference, and the ends are connected by fasteners 62. In other words, in this case the side wall frame 28 forms a closed rectangle and constitutes the circumference of the housing. The ends of the side wall frame 28 may be joined by welding or the like. If the side wall frame 28 in the electronic device 10A has a rectangular frame shape and has sufficient strength on its own, the plate frame 34 may be omitted. The top surface of the side wall frame 28 is covered by the display 18 and bezel 22 instead of the top cover 24 described above. The lower side of the side wall frame 28 is covered by the lower cover 26, as in the case described above.

[0057] Figure 15 is an exploded perspective view of the retaining block 36 and the portion into which the retaining block 36 is inserted. Figure 16 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the retaining block 36 and the portion into which the retaining block 36 is inserted. In addition to the IO connector 40 described above, the retaining block 36 has a main body 64, a card 66, and a board connection connector 68a. The card 66 is a small circuit board. The IO connector 40 is mounted on the card 66, with its mating surface facing outwards from the frame. The IO connector 40 may be top-mounted, middle-mounted, or bottom-mounted. The board connection connector 68a is mounted on the card 66, with its mating surface facing inwards from the frame. Other components may be mounted on the card 66 as needed. Part of the card 66 may be insert-molded into the main body 64.

[0058] The main body 64 is a flat, box-shaped structure that is slightly elongated in the Y direction, and a wall portion 64a protruding upward is provided on the outside of the frame. A rectangular notch 64b is formed in the wall portion 64a to expose the IO connector 40 to the outside of the frame. Triangular inclined walls 64c are provided at both ends of the wall portion 64a in the Y direction when viewed from the Y direction. The inside of the inclined wall 64c is inclined so as to abut against the inclined plate 26ha, which will be described later. Small steps 64d are formed at both ends of the main body 64 in the Y direction, and the insertion portion 64e on the inside of the frame has a slightly smaller Y dimension on the side of these steps 64d. The insertion portion 64e is the part that is inserted from the block insertion opening 70 into the space 34a of the plate frame 34. The steps 64d abut against the end of the plate frame 34 to limit displacement. The material of the main body 64 should preferably be metal from the viewpoint of ensuring the strength of plug insertion and removal for the IO connector 40 and from the viewpoint of appearance design, but it may also be made of resin depending on the design conditions.

[0059] As described above, the lower cover 26 has a rectangular plate frame insertion hole 26c formed between the wider first portion 26a on the Y1 side and the second portion 26b on the Y2 side, into which the plate frame 34 is inserted. At both ends of the plate frame insertion hole 26c in the X direction, bridge portions 26h connect the wider first portion 26a and the second portion 26b. In other words, the bridge portion 26 connects the first portion 26a and the second portion 26b on both sides of the plate frame insertion hole 26c in the lower cover 26. The bridge portion 26h consists of an inclined plate 26ha and a horizontal plate 26hb and has an obtuse angle cross-section. The inclined plate 26ha is continuous with the inclined plate 26e in the portion other than the bridge portion 26h. The horizontal plate 26hb extends from the lower end of the inclined plate 26ha toward the inside of the frame. The horizontal plate 26hb is parallel to the plate-like portion 56a, and at least a part of it overlaps with the plate-like portion 56a in a plan view.

[0060] When the lower cover 26 and the frame 52 are assembled, the horizontal plate 26hb of the lower cover 26 and the plate-like portion 56a, front vertical wall 56b, and rear vertical wall 56c of the plate frame 34 form a block insertion opening 70 that is surrounded on all four sides and opens to the outside of the frame. The retaining block 36 is inserted horizontally through the block insertion opening 70, and the insertion portions 64e at both ends in the Y direction of the main body portion 64 abut against the front vertical wall 56b and rear vertical wall 56c, the lower surface abuts against the plate-like portion 56a, and the upper surface of the IO connector 40 abuts against the horizontal plate 26hb, stabilizing it in the correct position and orientation.

[0061] As shown in Figure 16, the bridge portion 26h has an inclined plate 26ha that abuts against the base 54a and the inclined surface 54ca of the lower protrusion 54c of the side wall frame 28, and a horizontal plate 26hb that abuts against the upper surface of the retaining block 36. In other words, the lower cover 26 is positioned by the bridge portion 26h, which forms part of the edge, being sandwiched between the side wall frame 28 and the retaining block 36, and the retaining block 36 prevents the lower cover 26 from coming off downward. With the retaining block 36, the lower cover 26 does not require screws or other fastening means to the side wall frame 28 at least at the Y2 side end and its vicinity, which reduces costs and improves maintainability.

[0062] Since the lateral portion of the lower cover 26 is formed at an angle by the inclined plates 26e and 26ha, the triangular exposed portion 64f of the main body 64, with the inclined wall 64c as its apex, is exposed and does not enter the interior of the main body housing 12. The inclined wall 64c and the side wall portion of the side wall frame 28 are on substantially the same plane. However, the retaining block 36 may be provided with a locking mechanism to prevent accidental removal. The retaining block 36 may be entirely or almost entirely inside the main body housing 12 so that the exposed portion 64f is not present.

[0063] When removing the lower cover 26, the bridge portion 26h and the retaining block 36 overlap to prevent it from coming loose. By removing the retaining block 36, the lower cover 26 can be removed, allowing access to internal components of the housing 12, such as the battery 32. Reassembly is done by following the reverse procedure. This structure ensures that only those with access rights can remove the lower cover 26.

[0064] A board connection connector 68b is mounted on the edge of the main board 44. Board connection connectors 68a and 68b are horizontal mating connectors with mating surfaces facing each other, and can be engaged and disengaged by inserting and removing the retaining block 36. The mating direction of board connection connectors 68a and 68b is the same as the mating direction of the retaining block 36 relative to space 34a, which is the X direction. If the IO connector 40 is damaged, only the retaining block 36 needs to be replaced without replacing the main board 44, resulting in good repairability. The retaining block 36 is less expensive than the main board 44.

[0065] A retaining block 38 (see Figure 3) equipped with an IO connector 42 is provided on the right side of the main enclosure 12. Like the retaining block 36 on the left side, the retaining block 38 also serves to prevent the lower cover 26 from coming off. As described above, the right edge of the main board 44 is slightly away from the side wall 28c, so the main board 44 and the IO connector 42 may be connected via a cable. A connector should be provided in the middle of the cable to make it detachable, and the retaining block 38 should also be replaceable.

[0066] As shown in Figure 17, the card 66 and the main board 44 may overlap vertically in part on a plane, and the overlapping portion may be connected with board connection connectors 68a and 68b. In this case, the board connection connectors 68a and 68b are of the vertical mating type. As shown in Figure 18, if the retaining block 38 does not have an IO connector 40, the main body 64 may be made thick enough to abut against the lower surface of the horizontal plate 26hb.

[0067] Figure 19 is a flowchart showing the manufacturing method of the electronic device 10. In step S1, an extruder is used to extrude a billet to form an extruded profile 54, which will be the material for the side wall frame 28. In step S2, the extruded profile 54 is cut to a predetermined length. In step S3, the extruded profile 54 is bent at four bending sections 28a to form the side wall frame 28. The processing order of the four bending sections 28a does not matter, but for example, the two sections on the Y1 side may be bent first, and then the two sections on the Y2 side may be bent afterward. Notches 54da (see Figure 15) may be formed in advance in the inwardly protruding sections 54d of the bending sections 28a as needed.

[0068] Meanwhile, in a separate step S4, an extruder is used to extrude a billet to form an extruded profile 56, which will be the material for the plate frame 34. In step S5, the extruded profile 54 is cut to a predetermined length. In step S6, the extruded profile 56 is cut out at both ends 56f, the front notch 56i, and the rear notch 56g to form the plate frame 34.

[0069] In step S7, a plate frame 34 is attached to the side wall frame 28 between the opposing side walls 28c on the left and right to form a frame 52. In this attachment, as described above, the first outward protrusions 56h at both ends are fixed to the upper surface of the inward protrusion 54d on the side wall 28d with screws 58, and the second outward protrusions 56j at both ends are fixed to the upper surface of the inward protrusion 54d on the side wall 28c with screws 58.

[0070] In step S8, the upper cover 24 is attached to the upper side of the side wall frame 28. In step S9, the lower cover 26 is attached to the lower side of the side wall frame 28. At this point, block insertion openings 70 are formed at both ends of the plate frame 34 by the frame 52 and the lower cover 26. The upper cover 24 and the lower cover 26 are fixed to the side wall frame 28 by means of adhesive or adhesive tape. However, since the Y2 side portion of the lower cover 26 is prevented from coming off by the provision of retaining blocks 36 and 38, it is also acceptable to fix only the Y1 side portion. Before or after steps S8 and S9, the main board 44, battery 48, etc. are attached to their respective locations.

[0071] In step S10, retaining blocks 36 and 38 are inserted into block insertion openings 70 formed at both ends of the plate frame 34. This completes the main body housing 12. Then, the main body housing 12 and the display housing 14 are rotatably connected by hinges 16 to obtain the electronic device 10. The process of connecting the main body housing 12 and the display housing 14 is performed, for example, when the main body housing 12 does not have an upper cover 24 or a lower cover 26, and the cover or frame 52 is attached first. In the manufacture of the electronic device 10, it is not necessary for the same manufacturer to perform all of the above processes; for example, the extrusion process in steps S1 and S4 may be performed by a specialized company that has an extruder.

[0072] In the electronic device 10 described above, a frame 52 may be applied to the display housing 14. In this case, the display 18 and bezel 22 may be attached to one side of the frame 52, the rear cover 20 may be attached to the other side, and the hinge 16 may be placed in the opening 28e of the rectangular C-shaped side wall frame 28. When applying the frame 52 to the display housing 14, the rear cover 20 may be attached to the frame 52 first to integrate it, and then the components such as the display 18 may be assembled. Thus, in the electronic device 10, it is preferable to apply the frame 52 to at least one of the main housing 12 and the display housing 14, which are connected to each other so as to be rotatable relative to each other by the hinge 16.

[0073] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be freely modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0074] 10,10A electronic equipment 12, 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D Main Unit 14 Display enclosure 16 hinges 24, 24D Top cover 26, 26B, 26C, 26E Lower cover 26g inward process 26ga sliding protrusion 26gb protrusion 26h Bridge section 26hb horizontal board 28 Side wall frame 28a Bend part 28b,28c,28d side wall 28e opening 30 keyboards 34a Space 34, 34A, 34B, 34C, 34D, 34E, 34F, 34G, 34H, 34I, 34J, 34K, 34L Plate frame 36,38 Retaining block 40, 42 IO connectors 44 Mainboard 44a CPU (Control Unit) 48 batteries 52, 52A, 52B Frame 54, 54A, 54B, 54C, 54D, 54E, 56 Extruded profiles 54b,54m Upper convex part 54c,54h,54j Lower convex part 54f,,54n Upper corner 54g, 54i, part 54k lower corner part 54o groove 54oa Slide groove 54ob engagement groove 56a Plate-like part 56b Forefront 56c Rear standing wall 56h 1st outward overhang 56j 2nd outward overhang 60a Slide groove 60b Engagement groove 64 Main body 66 cards 68a, 68b board connection connectors 70 Block insertion slots

Claims

1. An electronic device having a flat rectangular housing, The aforementioned enclosure is A side wall frame formed by bending an extruded profile to create at least three side walls, A cover that, when combined with the side wall frame, forms one side of the housing, A plate-shaped plate frame is provided between opposing portions of the three aforementioned side walls, It has, The plate frame has two vertical walls at angles intersecting the plate-like portion, forming a space enclosed on three sides by the plate-like portion and the two vertical walls. A retaining block is fitted into the aforementioned space from the side. The cover is held in place by the side wall frame and the retaining block at a portion of its edge. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

2. In the electronic device described in claim 1, The cover has a plate frame insertion hole into which the plate frame is fitted. The aforementioned portion of the edge is a bridge portion connecting both sides of the cover that straddle the plate frame insertion hole. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

3. In the electronic device described in claim 1, Two of the aforementioned retaining blocks are provided and are fitted into the space from both ends. An electronic device characterized by the following features.

Images