Method for fixing terminal module to case in which electronic device is installed, and structure for fixing terminal module to case in which electronic device is installed

Abstract

[Problem] To reduce assembly man-hours and improve workability at the time of assembly. [Solution] A method for fixing a terminal module 130 to a camera case 101 includes: a step for disposing a heat adhesive film 160 on a flange receiving part 112a; a step for inserting the terminal module 130 into a through hole 115; a step for, additionally after the inserting, press-fitting the terminal module 130 into a housing 120; a step for caulking the terminal module 130 after the press-fitting; and a step for heating the periphery of the flange receiving part 112a after the caulking. In the step for press-fitting the terminal module 130 into the through hole 115, the press-fitting position of the terminal module 130 is restricted, by a first restriction part 123, at a first locking part 146 that is on the tip-side of the terminal module 130. In the step for caulking the terminal module 130 after the press-fitting, the caulking position of the terminal module 130 is restricted, by the second restriction part, at a second locking part 147 that is on the tip-side of the terminal module 130.

Description

Method for fixing a terminal module to a case for housing an electronic device, and structure for fixing a terminal module to a case for housing an electronic device

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for fixing a terminal module to a case that houses an electronic device, and a structure for fixing a terminal module to a case that houses an electronic device.

[0002] Conventionally, as a case for housing an electronic device, for example, a camera case that houses a camera is fixed with a terminal module that connects and provides electrical continuity between a camera module including the camera in the camera case and an external cable, etc. Such a fixing structure for the camera case and the terminal module is required to have high waterproofing properties to prevent liquids such as water from entering the interior.

[0003] As a fixing structure for such a camera case and a terminal module, a fixing structure has been disclosed in which a first cylindrical shell 3 of a terminal module 30 and a plug case 10A are inserted into the plug case 10A with an external seal member 6 provided around the periphery of the first cylindrical shell 3, and the first cylindrical shell 3 is crushed to form a plurality of locking ribs 32 for fixing (see Patent Document 1). The fixing structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 prevents liquid from entering the cylindrical space of the plug case 10A by the external seal member 6 contacting the inner peripheral surface of the plug case 10A and the outer peripheral surface of the first cylindrical shell 3.

[0004] In addition, in fields other than camera cases, a fixing method has also been disclosed for smartphones, tablet terminals, etc., in which a terminal member 30 is waterproofly fixed to a housing 10 using double-sided tape or adhesive as a waterproof member 40 on the mounting surface of the terminal member 30 (see Patent Document 2).

[0005] JP 2022-174604 A JP 2021-166158 A

[0006] However, the method of fixing the terminal module 30 to the plug case 10A disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires a step of attaching the seal member 6 to the first cylindrical shell 3 of the terminal module 30 in advance to stop water, and a step of forming a plurality of crushed shapes (locking ribs 32) in advance on the first cylindrical shell 3 and then crushing each of them in order to fix the terminal module 30 to the plug case 10A. Therefore, when fixing the terminal module 30 to the plug case 10A, if the seal member 6 is used to provide waterproofing, there is a problem that the number of assembly steps increases.

[0007] Furthermore, when attempting to fix the terminal member 30 to the housing 10 using double-sided tape or adhesive as disclosed in Patent Document 2, while the number of steps is less than the method disclosed in Patent Document 1, there is a problem of poor workability during assembly. Specifically, with regard to the work of fixing the terminal member 30 to the housing 10, adhesion using double-sided tape requires that it be attached in an appropriate position in one go, while adhesion using adhesive requires precise control of the amount of liquid and the application position and there is a concern that the adhesive may adhere to conductive parts such as terminals, so it is not an easy task and therefore workability during assembly is poor.

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and aims to provide a method for fixing a terminal module to a case that houses an electronic device, which provides waterproofing when fixing the terminal module to the case that houses an electronic device, reduces assembly labor, and improves workability during assembly, and a fixing structure for a terminal module to a case that houses an electronic device.

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, a method of fixing a terminal module to a case for housing an electronic device according to the present invention is a method of fixing a terminal module to a case for housing an electronic device, the case for housing the electronic device comprising: a first case having a through hole formed therein and a cylindrical housing communicating with the through hole and protruding to the outside; and a second case for accommodating an imaging element, the first case and the second case being joined together, and the terminal module comprising a shell which is a cylindrical conductor having a flange portion on the base end side which is larger in diameter than on the tip end side; a center contact arranged inside along the central axis of the shell; and a terminal module connecting the shell and the center contact. and an insulating member interposed between the terminal module and the housing to hold the center contact, and the method includes the steps of: placing a thermal adhesive film that joins multiple members made of the same or different materials on a flange receiving portion formed around the outer edge of the through hole on the inner surface of the first case; inserting the terminal module into the through hole from the tip side to a position where the flange portion contacts the flange receiving portion via the thermal adhesive film; after inserting the terminal module into the through hole, further pressing the terminal module toward the inside of the housing to press it into the through hole; and after the press-fitting, heating the area around the flange receiving portion.

[0010] With this configuration, the method of fixing the terminal module to the case that houses the electronic device of the present invention is to place a thermal adhesive film on the flange receiving portion of the first case, insert the terminal module into the through hole and then press it in, and heat the thermal adhesive film sandwiched between the flange portion and the flange receiving portion to soften the thermal adhesive film, thereby bonding and fixing the terminal module to the first case.

[0011] Therefore, compared to the conventional method of attaching a sealing member such as an O-ring around the terminal module in advance, forming a locking structure to lock the sealing member to the terminal module, deforming the locking structure to fix the sealing member, and then inserting the terminal module into a case that houses an electronic device and pressing it in to fix the terminal module to the case that houses the electronic device, the method of the present invention can reduce the assembly labor required.

[0012] Furthermore, by bonding the terminal module and the first case with the flange portion and the flange receiving portion, liquid will not enter the inside of the case housing the electronic device through the through hole from the outside of the case housing the electronic device, or conversely, liquid will not leak from the inside of the case housing the electronic device through the through hole to the outside of the case housing the electronic device, and the case housing the electronic device has a waterproof function.

[0013] In addition, since the thermal adhesive film is not sticky at room temperature and is easy to adjust its position, it is relatively easy to place the thermal adhesive film on the flange receiving portion.Furthermore, after the terminal module is press-fitted into the through-hole of the case that houses the electronic device, the terminal module can be fixed to the case that houses the electronic device simply by heating the thermal adhesive film, making the work relatively easy.

[0014] On the other hand, conventional methods of fixing using double-sided tape or adhesives are not easy because they require careful management of the application position, amount of liquid, etc. Therefore, the method of the present invention includes relatively easy work steps, and can improve workability during assembly.

[0015] In the method for fixing a terminal module to a case that houses the above-mentioned electronic device, in the process of pressing the terminal module into the through hole, the pressing position of the terminal module may be restricted at the tip side of the terminal module by a restricting portion formed on the inner surface of the housing.

[0016] With this configuration, the terminal module is fixed at the base end by the flange portion secured to the flange receiving portion with the thermal adhesive film, and at the tip end by the restricting portion formed on the inner peripheral surface of the housing, so that the terminal module is fixed to the case housing the electronic device more firmly and stably than if it were fixed only at one end of the terminal module.

[0017] A method of fixing a terminal module to a case for housing an electronic device according to the present invention is a method of fixing a terminal module to a case for housing an electronic device, the case for housing the electronic device comprising: a first case having a through hole formed therein and a cylindrical housing communicating with the through hole and protruding to the outside; and a second case for accommodating an imaging element, the first case and the second case being joined together; the terminal module comprising a shell which is a cylindrical conductor having a flange portion on the base end side which is larger in diameter than on the tip end side; a center contact arranged inside along the central axis of the shell; and a terminal module having a terminal block formed between the shell and the center contact. The method includes a step of placing a thermal adhesive film that joins multiple members made of the same material or different materials on a flange receiving portion formed around the outer edge of the through hole on the inner surface side of the first case, and an insulating member that is interposed between the terminal module and the tact and holds the center contact, a step of inserting the terminal module into the through hole from the tip side to a position where the flange portion contacts the flange receiving portion via the thermal adhesive film, and a step of heating the area around the flange receiving portion after inserting the terminal module into the through hole.

[0018] With this configuration, the method of fixing the terminal module to the case that houses the electronic device of the present invention is to place a thermal adhesive film on the flange receiving portion of the first case, insert the terminal module into the through hole and press it in, while at the same time heating the thermal adhesive film sandwiched between the flange portion and the flange receiving portion, thereby softening the thermal adhesive film and bonding and fixing the terminal module to the first case.

[0019] Therefore, compared to the conventional method of attaching a sealing member such as an O-ring around the terminal module in advance, forming a locking structure to lock the sealing member on the terminal module, deforming the locking structure to fix the sealing member, and then inserting the terminal module into a case that houses an electronic device and press-fitting it to fix the terminal module to the case. Furthermore, by simultaneously press-fitting the terminal module and heating the thermal adhesive film, the working time can be reduced compared to when these processes are performed separately.

[0020] Furthermore, by bonding the terminal module and the first case with the flange portion and the flange receiving portion, liquid will not enter the inside of the case housing the electronic device through the through hole from the outside of the case housing the electronic device, or conversely, liquid will not leak from the inside of the case housing the electronic device through the through hole to the outside of the case housing the electronic device, and the case housing the electronic device has a waterproof function.

[0021] In addition, since the thermal adhesive film is not sticky at room temperature and is easy to adjust its position, it is relatively easy to place the thermal adhesive film on the flange receiving portion.Furthermore, after the terminal module is press-fitted into the through-hole of the case that houses the electronic device, the terminal module can be fixed to the case that houses the electronic device simply by heating the thermal adhesive film, making the work relatively easy.

[0022] On the other hand, conventional methods of fixing using double-sided tape or adhesives are not easy because they require careful management of the application position, amount of liquid, etc. Therefore, the method of the present invention includes relatively easy work steps, and can improve workability during assembly.

[0023] A method of fixing a terminal module to a case that houses an electronic device according to the present invention is a method of fixing a terminal module to a case that houses an electronic device, the case that houses the electronic device comprising: a first case having a through hole formed therein and a cylindrical housing that communicates with the through hole and protrudes to the outside; and a second case that houses an imaging element, the terminal module being constructed by joining the first case and the second case together, the terminal module comprising: a shell that is a cylindrical conductor having a flange portion on its base end that is larger in diameter than its tip end; a center contact that is arranged inside along the central axis of the shell; and an insulating member that is interposed between the shell and the center contact and that holds the center contact. The method includes the steps of: placing a thermal adhesive film that joins multiple components made of the same or different materials on the tip side surface of the flange portion; inserting the terminal module into the through hole from the tip side to a position where the flange portion contacts a flange receiving portion formed around the outer edge of the through hole on the inner surface side of the first case via the placed thermal adhesive film; after inserting the terminal module into the through hole, further pressing the terminal module toward the inside of the housing to press it into the through hole; and after the press-fitting, heating the area around the flange receiving portion.

[0024] With this configuration, the method of fixing the terminal module to the case that houses the electronic device of the present invention is to place a thermal adhesive film on the tip side surface of the flange portion of the terminal module, insert the terminal module into the through hole and press it in, and heat the thermal adhesive film sandwiched between the flange portion and the flange receiving portion to soften the thermal adhesive film, thereby bonding and fixing the terminal module to the first case.

[0025] Therefore, compared to the conventional method of attaching a sealing member such as an O-ring around the terminal module in advance, forming a locking structure to lock the sealing member to the terminal module, deforming the locking structure to fix the sealing member, and then inserting the terminal module into a case that houses an electronic device and pressing it in to fix the terminal module to the case that houses the electronic device, the method of the present invention can reduce the assembly labor required.

[0026] Furthermore, by bonding the terminal module and the first case with the flange portion and the flange receiving portion, liquid will not enter the inside of the case housing the electronic device through the through hole from the outside of the case housing the electronic device, or conversely, liquid will not leak from the inside of the case housing the electronic device through the through hole to the outside of the case housing the electronic device, and the case housing the electronic device has a waterproof function.

[0027] In addition, since the thermal adhesive film is not sticky at room temperature and is easy to adjust its position, it is relatively easy to place the thermal adhesive film on the flange portion.Furthermore, after the terminal module is press-fitted into the through-hole of the case that houses the electronic device, the terminal module can be fixed to the case that houses the electronic device simply by heating the thermal adhesive film, making the work relatively easy.

[0028] On the other hand, conventional methods of fixing using double-sided tape or adhesives are not easy because they require careful management of the application position, amount of liquid, etc. Therefore, the method of the present invention includes relatively easy work steps, and can improve workability during assembly.

[0029] The fixing structure of a terminal module to a case for housing an electronic device according to the present invention is a fixing structure of a terminal module to a case for housing an electronic device, wherein the case for housing the electronic device comprises: a first case having a through hole formed therein and a cylindrical housing that communicates with the through hole and protrudes to the outside; and a second case for accommodating an imaging element, and is formed by joining the first case and the second case together. The terminal module comprises a shell which is a cylindrical conductor having a flange portion at its base end that is wider in diameter than its tip end, a center contact arranged inside along the central axis of the shell, and an insulating member interposed between the shell and the center contact and holding the center contact. The tip end of the terminal module is restricted by a restricting portion formed on the inner surface of the housing, and the flange portion and a flange receiving portion formed around the through hole on the inner surface of the first case are bonded together by a thermal adhesive film that bonds multiple members made of the same or different materials that are sandwiched between the flange portion and the flange receiving portion, thereby fixing the terminal module to the case for housing the electronic device.

[0030] With this configuration, the fixing structure of the terminal module to the case that houses the electronic device according to the present invention has a waterproof function, as the terminal module and the first case are adhered together by the flange portion and the flange receiving portion, preventing liquid from entering the inside of the case that houses the electronic device through the through hole from the outside of the case that houses the electronic device, or conversely, preventing liquid from leaking from the inside of the case that houses the electronic device to the outside of the case that houses the electronic device through the through hole.

[0031] The terminal module is fixed at its base end by a flange portion secured to the flange receiving portion with a thermal adhesive film, and at its tip end by a restricting portion formed on the inner peripheral surface of the housing, so that the terminal module is fixed to the case housing the electronic device more firmly and stably than if it were fixed only at one end of the terminal module.

[0032] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for fixing a terminal module to a case that houses an electronic device, which provides waterproofing when fixing the terminal module to the case that houses an electronic device, reduces assembly labor, and improves workability during assembly, and a fixing structure for a terminal module to a case that houses an electronic device.

[0033] 2( a ) and 2 ( b ) are schematic diagrams showing a camera case according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2( a ) is a perspective view seen from above, and FIG. 2( b ) is a perspective view seen from below; FIG. 3( a ) is a perspective view seen from above, and FIG. 3( b ) is a perspective view seen from below; FIG. 3( a ) is a perspective view seen from above, and FIG. 3( b ) is a perspective view seen from below; FIG. 3( b ) is a perspective view showing a thermal adhesive film according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3( a ) is an exploded perspective view showing a state before a terminal module is fixed to a camera case according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3( b ) is a perspective view showing a state in which a thermal adhesive film is placed on a flange receiving portion in a process of fixing a terminal module to a camera case according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3( b ) is a perspective view showing a state in which a terminal module is inserted into a through hole of a rear case in a process of fixing a terminal module to a camera case according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3( b ) is a top view showing a state in which a terminal module is inserted into a through hole of a rear case in a process of fixing a terminal module to a camera case according to an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 3( c ) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 8 showing a state in which a terminal module is inserted into a through hole of a rear case in a process of fixing a terminal module to a camera case according to an embodiment of the present invention. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which a terminal module is press-fitted into a through-hole of a rear case in a process of fixing the terminal module to the camera case according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 8 showing a state in which a terminal module is press-fitted into a through-hole of a rear case in a process of fixing the terminal module to the camera case according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view showing a state in which a terminal module is press-fitted into a through-hole of a rear case and then crimped in a process of fixing the terminal module to the camera case according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 8 ... thermal adhesive film is heated after crimping the terminal module into the through-hole of the rear case in a process of fixing the terminal module to the camera case according to an embodiment of the present invention.9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 8, illustrating a state in which the thermal adhesive film is heated while the terminal module is crimped into the through-hole of the rear case, in a process of fixing the terminal module to the camera case according to an embodiment of the present invention. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the thermal adhesive film is disposed on the flange portion, in a process of fixing the terminal module to the camera case according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] A camera case 101 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0035] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a camera case 101 according to this embodiment in a state before assembly. In Fig. 1, the X direction is referred to as the horizontal direction, the Y direction is referred to as the depth direction, and the Z direction is referred to as the height direction or axial direction, and the same applies to Fig. 2 and subsequent Figs. The positive side of the Z direction is sometimes referred to as the upper side or base end side, and the negative side is sometimes referred to as the lower side or tip end side.

[0036] (Camera Case) As shown in FIG. 1 , camera case 101 includes front case 102 and rear case 110. Camera case 101 is configured such that front case 102 and rear case 110 are joined together so as to face each other, forming a space for accommodating camera module 103 (described later) and other components. Front case 102 and rear case 110 are joined together, for example, with an adhesive, but may also be joined together by other mechanical methods, welding, or other methods. Camera case 101 constitutes a case for housing an electronic device according to the present invention. Front case 102 constitutes a second case according to the present invention. Rear case 110 constitutes a first case according to the present invention. The electronic device referred to here is a camera or the like (including a smartphone, a tablet terminal, etc.). In this embodiment, camera case 101, which is a camera case for an in-vehicle camera, is described as an example. However, camera case 101 does not necessarily have to be a camera case for an in-vehicle camera, and may instead be a case for housing other electronic devices.

[0037] Terminal module 130 is fixed to camera case 101 by a fixing method described below. By fixing terminal module 130 to camera case 101, external connector 107 having cable 107a and camera module 103 are electrically connected via terminal module 130 when camera case 101 is assembled.

[0038] (Camera Module) The camera module 103 includes a camera board 104 and an image sensor 106. The camera module 103 is installed in the housing space inside the camera case 101. The camera module 103 captures an image of the outside of the camera case 101 through a lens hole formed in the front case 102.

[0039] The camera board 104 is, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB), and has an imaging element 106 such as a CCD or CMOS mounted thereon. The camera board 104 has a board-side connector 105. The board-side connector 105 contacts a terminal module 130 (described later), and the terminal module 130 contacts an external connector 107, thereby electrically connecting the camera board 104 to the external connector 107.

[0040] (Front Case) The front case 102 houses the camera module 103 including the camera board 104 and the image sensor 106, and is joined to the rear case 110 described below to form the camera case 101. In this embodiment, the front case 102 is made of aluminum, but it may also be made of other metals such as copper, or may also be made of resins such as ABS or polycarbonate.

[0041] 2( a) and 2(b), the rear case 110 has a through-hole 115 formed from the rear case surface 111 to the rear case inner surface 112. The rear case 110 has a cylindrical housing 120 (described later) that communicates with the through-hole 115 and protrudes to the outside of the camera case 101. The rear case 110 is joined to the front case 102 to form the camera case 101. In this embodiment, the rear case 110 is made of aluminum, but it may also be made of other metals such as copper, or of resins such as ABS or polycarbonate.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the rear case 110 has a rear case surface 111, a rear case inner surface 112, and rear case side surfaces 113a, 113b, 113c, and 113d as outer surfaces. The rear case inner surface 112 is the surface facing the inside of the camera case 101. A flange receiving portion 112a is formed around the outer edge of the through-hole 115 on the rear case inner surface 112. The flange receiving portion 112a is an annular region recessed in the negative Z direction from the rear case inner surface 112. The flange receiving portion 112a is perpendicular to the Z direction and is formed on the XY plane. A thermal adhesive film 160, which will be described later, can be placed on the flange receiving portion 112a.

[0043] Inside rear case 110, four rear case engagement portions 114a, 114b, 114c, and 114d are formed around through-hole 115. Rear case engagement portions 114a, 114b, 114c, and 114d are adapted to engage with notch engagement portions 148a, 148b, 148c, and 148d of shell 140, which will be described later. In this embodiment, four rear case engagement portions and four notch engagement portions are provided, but the numbers are not necessarily limited to this and may be more or less.

[0044] On the underside (negative Z direction) of the rear case surface 111, a housing 120, which will be described later, is formed so as to protrude outside the camera case 101, and a shell 140 pressed into the housing 120 can be fitted into the external connector 107.

[0045] (Housing) The housing 120 is a cylindrical member that communicates with the through-hole 115 of the rear case 110 and protrudes to the outside of the camera case 101. The housing 120 has a base-end housing portion 121 on the base end side (positive direction in the Z direction) and a cylindrical portion 122 on the tip end side (negative direction in the Z direction). A terminal module 130 (described later) is inserted into the housing 120 and is press-fitted and fixed therein.

[0046] The base-end housing portion 121 is formed on the rear case surface 111 and has a larger diameter than the cylindrical portion 122. The cylindrical portion 122 is a cylindrical portion formed on the base-end housing portion 121 and is hollow inside. A terminal module 130, which will be described later, can be inserted into the hollow portions inside the base-end housing portion 121 and the cylindrical portion 122.

[0047] 9, a first restricting portion 123 and a second restricting portion 124 are formed on a cylindrical portion inner peripheral surface 122a, which is the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 122, to restrict and fix the movement of a first locking portion 146 and a second locking portion 147 of a shell 140, which will be described later. The first restricting portion 123 is formed closer to the base end (positive direction in the Z direction) than the second restricting portion 124.

[0048] The first restricting portion 123 is a portion of the cylindrical portion inner peripheral surface 122a where a radial recess is formed when proceeding in the positive direction of the Z axis from a second restricting portion 124 described below along the cylindrical portion inner peripheral surface 122a. The inner diameter of the recess forming the first restricting portion 123 is smaller than the inner diameter of the stepped portion formed by the second restricting portion 124. By forming the recess, when the first locking portion 146 of the shell 140 is press-fitted into the housing 120, the first locking portion 146 catches on the first restricting portion 123, restricting movement in the axial direction. In other words, the first restricting portion 123 determines the press-fit position when the shell 140 is press-fitted into the housing 120.

[0049] The second restricting portion 124 is a portion where the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion inner peripheral surface 122a locally narrows as the second restricting portion 124 advances from the tip side in the positive direction of the Z axis along the cylindrical portion inner peripheral surface 122a, forming a step. The second restricting portion 124 is formed closer to the tip side of the cylindrical portion inner peripheral surface 122a in the axial direction than the first restricting portion 123. The inner diameter of the step formed by the second restricting portion 124 is larger than the inner diameter of the recess formed by the first restricting portion 123. Due to the formation of the step, when the second locking portion 147 of the shell 140 is press-fitted into the housing 120 and then crimped, the second locking portion 147 catches on the second restricting portion 124, restricting axial movement. In other words, the second restricting portion 124 determines the position of the shell 140 when it is crimped into the housing 120.

[0050] In this way, terminal module 130 is restricted at the tip end by first restricting portion 123 and second restricting portion 124 formed on inner peripheral surface 122a of cylindrical portion of housing 120, and is fixed to camera case 101 at the base end by fixing base end flange portion 142 to flange receiving portion 112a by thermal adhesive film 160, as will be described later. Therefore, terminal module 130 is fixed to camera case 101 more firmly and stably than when terminal module 130 is fixed only at one end.

[0051] 3( a), (b) and 9, the terminal module 130 includes a shell 140, a center contact 131, and an insulator 135. After being inserted into the through-hole 115 of the rear case 110, the terminal module 130 is pressed axially into the housing 120, press-fitted into the through-hole 115 and the housing 120, and then heated to be fixed to the camera case 101.

[0052] The terminal module 130 contacts the external connector 107 at the tip side (negative Z direction) and contacts the board side connector 105 of the camera board 104 at the base side, thereby electrically connecting the camera board 104 and the external connector 107.

[0053] (Shell) Figure 3 shows a shell 140 according to this embodiment, with Figure 3(a) being a perspective view viewed from above (positive Z direction) and Figure 3(b) being a perspective view viewed from below (negative Z direction). The shell 140 is made of a metal such as zinc die-cast, and is a conductor having a cylindrical portion. The shell 140 has a base shell portion 141 on the base end side (positive Z direction) and a tip shell portion 145 on the tip end side (negative Z direction). The shell 140 constitutes a shell according to the present invention.

[0054] As shown in Figure 9, inside the shell 140, a center contact 131 (described later) is provided along the central axis, and an insulator 135 (described later) is interposed between the shell 140 and the center contact 131 to hold the center contact 131.

[0055] The base end shell portion 141 has a base end flange portion 142, a base end tubular portion 143, and base end pieces 144a, 144b, 144c, and 144d. As shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the base end flange portion 142 is connected to a tip end shell portion 145 on the tip side and has a larger diameter than the tip end shell portion 145. The base end flange portion 142 constitutes the flange portion according to the present invention.

[0056] The surface of base-end flange portion 142 on the base end side is referred to as base-end flange portion upper surface 142a, and the surface on the tip end side is referred to as base-end flange portion lower surface 142b. When terminal module 130 is inserted and press-fit into through-hole 115 as shown in Figure 11, base-end flange portion 142's lower surface 142b comes into contact with flange receiving portion 112a via thermal adhesive film 160, which will be described later.

[0057] The base end tubular portion 143 is a tubular portion that is connected at the base end side to the base end flange portion 142. The base end tubular portion 143 can be fitted to the board side connector 105 together with base end pieces 144a, 144b, 144c, and 144d, which will be described later.

[0058] 3A, when no external load is applied, the base end pieces 144a, 144b, 144c, and 144d are bent outward and spread further than the base end tubular portion 143. When the terminal module 130 is mated with the board-side connector 105, the base end pieces 144a, 144b, 144c, and 144d are further bent outward and deformed by applying a load in the positive axial direction.

[0059] Tip shell portion 145 is a portion that connects to base end flange portion 142 of base end shell portion 141 on the tip side. Tip shell portion 145 has notch engagement portions 148a, 148b, 148c, and 148d and tip tubular portion 149. Four notch engagement portions 148a, 148b, 148c, and 148d are formed on base end flange portion lower surface 142b, which is the underside of base end flange portion 142. In the present embodiment, four notch engagement portions are provided, but the number is not necessarily limited to four, and may be more or less depending on the number of rear case engagement portions.

[0060] 3A, the notched engagement portions 148a, 148b, 148c, and 148d are formed by cutting out a cylindrical portion having a diameter smaller than that of the base-end flange portion 142. The notched engagement portions 148a, 148b, 148c, and 148d are adapted to engage with the rear case engagement portions 114a, 114b, 114c, and 114d, respectively, when the terminal module 130 is inserted and press-fit into the through-hole 115 of the rear case 110.

[0061] The distal end tubular portion 149 is a tubular portion that connects to the notched engagement portions 148a, 148b, 148c, and 148d at the distal end. A first locking portion 146 and a second locking portion 147, each having a locally enlarged diameter, are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the distal end tubular portion 149. The first locking portion 146 is formed closer to the base end (positive Z direction) than the second locking portion 147.

[0062] As shown in Figure 11, when the terminal module 130 is pressed into the housing 120 in the negative Z direction, the first locking portion 146 is pushed in and deformed, and catches on the first regulating portion 123 of the housing 120, thereby regulating the axial movement of the terminal module 130.

[0063] As shown in Figure 13, after the terminal module 130 is pressed into the housing 120 in the negative Z direction, the second locking portion 147 is pressed in and deformed when tightened, and catches on the second regulating portion 124 of the housing 120, thereby regulating the axial movement of the terminal module 130.

[0064] In this way, terminal module 130 is restricted at the tip end by first restricting portion 123 and second restricting portion 124 formed on inner peripheral surface 122a of cylindrical portion of housing 120, and is fixed to camera case 101 at the base end by fixing base end flange portion 142 to flange receiving portion 112a by thermal adhesive film 160, as will be described later. Therefore, terminal module 130 is fixed to camera case 101 more firmly and stably than when terminal module 130 is fixed only at one end.

[0065] (Insulator) The insulator 135 is an insulating member interposed between the shell 140 and the center contact 131 (described later) to hold the center contact 131. The insulator 135 is made of a resin such as polyamide, and insulates the center contact 131 from the outside. The insulator 135 constitutes an insulating member according to the present invention.

[0066] 11, 13, etc., a through hole 135b for holding the center contact 131 is formed inside the insulator 135 along the central axis in the Z direction. A plurality of insulator engagement portions 135a are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the through hole 135b to engage with engagement pieces 131a of the center contact 131, which will be described later. The center contact 131 is held in the insulator 135 by the insulator engagement portions 135a engaging with the engagement pieces 131a. The insulator 135 is fixed to the shell 140 by a fixing means (not shown).

[0067] (Center Contact) The center contact 131 is arranged inside the insulator 135 inside the shell 140 along the central axis of the shell 140. The center contact 131 contacts the board-side connector 105 at its base end (positive Z direction) and contacts the external connector 107 at its tip end (negative Z direction), providing electrical continuity. The center contact 131 is made of, for example, a copper alloy, but may be made of other metals.

[0068] 11, 13, etc., a plurality of engagement pieces 131a projecting in the radial direction are formed on the center contact 131. The engagement pieces 131a engage with the insulator engagement portions 135a, thereby holding the center contact 131 in the insulator 135.

[0069] (Thermal Adhesive Film) The thermal adhesive film 160 is a film that uses heat to bond multiple components made of the same or different materials. The thermal adhesive film 160 is applicable to poorly adhesive resins such as polypropylene and polyethylene, as well as metal materials. The thermal adhesive film 160 bonds and fixes the flange receiving portion 112a of the rear case 110 to the base end flange portion 142 of the terminal module 130. As shown in FIG. 4 , the thermal adhesive film 160 has an annular shape and is sized so that it can be placed on the flange receiving portion 112a. While a thermal adhesive film is used in this embodiment, a thermocompression film or a thermocompression sheet may also be used as a similar bonding means.

[0070] The thermal adhesive film 160 contains a thermoplastic resin as a compounding component and has almost no adhesiveness at room temperature, but can be used to bond multiple components by heating it to, for example, 150°C or higher. The heating temperature may be changed depending on the physical properties of the thermal adhesive film 160. Heating of the thermal adhesive film 160 is performed using an induction heating device 161 after the terminal module 130 press-fitting process described below has been performed. The induction heating device 161 may be a known induction heating device and is capable of heating the target component without contact.

[0071] As the thermoplastic resin, it is desirable to use any of resins such as polyolefin resins, olefin thermoplastic elastomers, styrene thermoplastic elastomers, polyamide resins, polyvinyl acetate resins, polyacetal resins, polycarbonate resins, polyacrylic resins, polyamide resins, polyimide resins, polyvinyl acetate resins, phenoxy resins, and polyester resins.

[0072] In this way, terminal module 130 is restricted at the tip end by first restricting portion 123 and second restricting portion 124 formed on inner peripheral surface 122a of cylindrical portion of housing 120, and is fixed to camera case 101 at the base end by base end flange portion 142 being fixed to flange receiving portion 112a by thermal adhesive film 160. Therefore, terminal module 130 is fixed to camera case 101 more firmly and stably than when terminal module 130 is fixed only at one end side.

[0073] Typically, thermal adhesive films are used to bond components together, but the applicant has found, through repeated testing and research, that using thermal adhesive film 160 as a means of bonding rear case 110 and terminal module 130 not only provides adhesion but also has the following characteristics (1)-(4):

[0074] (1) Waterproofing Function The applicant has discovered that by using the thermal adhesive film 160 to fix the terminal module 130 to the camera case 101 (described later), liquid will not enter the interior of the camera case 101 from the outside through the through-hole 115, or conversely, liquid will not flow out from the interior of the camera case 101 to the outside through the through-hole 115, thereby providing a waterproofing effect for the camera case 101. The applicant has also discovered that this waterproofing effect is equal to or better than that achieved when a sealing member such as an O-ring is attached around the terminal module 130 without using the thermal adhesive film 160. Therefore, in this embodiment, a sealing member such as an O-ring is not attached around the terminal module 130.

[0075] (2) Reduction in Man-Hours By using the thermal adhesive film 160 to fix the terminal module 130 to the camera case 101 (described later), it is not necessary to attach a sealing member such as an O-ring around the terminal module 130, as described above. For example, if an O-ring is used, it is necessary to form a locking structure for locking the O-ring in the terminal module 130, deform the locking structure to fix the O-ring, and then insert the terminal module 130 into the camera case 101 and press-fit it to fix the terminal module 130 to the camera case 101. Therefore, when the thermal adhesive film 160 is used, it is possible to reduce the number of man-hours required to assemble the camera case 101.

[0076] (3) Workability The thermal adhesive film 160 is not sticky at room temperature and is easy to adjust its position, so it is relatively easy to place the thermal adhesive film 160 on the flange receiving portion 112a. Furthermore, after the terminal module 130 is press-fitted into the through-hole 115 of the camera case 101, the terminal module 130 can be fixed to the camera case 101 simply by heating the thermal adhesive film 160, making the work relatively easy.

[0077] (4) Fixing Function In this embodiment, the terminal module 130 is press-fitted by the first restricting portion 123 restricting the first locking portion 146, as shown in FIG. 11 . When the terminal module 130 is press-fitted at a single location and fixed to the camera case 101, the terminal module 130, which is elongated in the Z direction as a whole, is fixed only by a portion press-fitted in the Z direction. Therefore, when force is applied to the terminal module 130 in the X and Y directions, a larger force is applied to a location away from the fixed location (e.g., the protruding end portion on the base end side of the center contact 131) due to the principle of leverage, making it more likely to displace in the X and Y directions. Therefore, fixation by press-fitting alone provides strong fixation in the Z direction, but not necessarily strong fixation in the X and Y directions. However, in this embodiment, in addition to press-fitting, the terminal module 130 is fixed to the camera case 101 by bonding the flange receiving portion 112 a and the base flange portion 142, which are surfaces perpendicular to the Z direction, to the camera case 101 using a thermal adhesive film 160. In addition to pressing in this way, by fixing the part on a surface perpendicular to the Z axis at a position away from the pressed-in part in the Z axis direction, the part is fixed at two points in the Z axis direction (the press-in point and the heat-bonded point), and since one of the points (the heat-bonded point) is fixed on a surface perpendicular to the Z axis, it is possible to achieve strong fixation even against forces applied in the X and Y directions.

[0078] Furthermore, for example, if the camera case 101 is made of a metal or resin material different from that of the shell 140, the linear expansion coefficient will be different from that of the metal shell 140, and therefore, when an external load or thermal load is applied to the camera case 101, there is a possibility that displacement will occur due to expansion or the like at the contact surfaces (flange receiving portion 112a and base end flange portion 142) between the camera case 101 and the terminal module 130. However, by using the thermal adhesive film 160 to bond the terminal module 130 to the camera case 101 at the flange receiving portion 112a and the base end flange portion 142, displacement between the camera case 101 and the terminal module 130 will be less likely to occur even if an external load or thermal load is applied to the camera case 101.

[0079] <Method of fixing a terminal module to a camera case> A method of fixing a terminal module to a camera case according to this embodiment (hereinafter simply referred to as a fixing method) will be described below with reference to Figures 5 to 14. The fixing method according to this embodiment includes a thermal adhesive film arrangement step, a terminal module insertion step, a press-fitting step, a crimping step, and a heating step.

[0080] <Thermal Adhesive Film Arrangement Process> Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the state before the terminal module 130 is fixed to the camera case 101. In the thermal adhesive film arrangement process, as shown in Fig. 6, the thermal adhesive film 160 is arranged on the flange receiving portion 112a of the rear case 110. Because the thermal adhesive film 160 has no adhesiveness at room temperature, the position of the thermal adhesive film 160 can be easily adjusted.

[0081] <Terminal Module Insertion Process> After the thermal adhesive film arrangement process is completed, the terminal module 130 is inserted axially from the tip side into the through hole 115 and into the housing 120 that communicates with the through hole 115. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the state in which the terminal module 130 is being inserted into the through hole 115 of the rear case 110 and the housing 120, Fig. 8 is a top view thereof, and Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in Fig. 8. Figs. 7 to 9 show a state in which the terminal module 130 is being inserted midway through insertion, and as shown in Fig. 9, the base end flange portion 142 is not in contact with the thermal adhesive film 160 on the flange receiver 112a. However, the base end flange portion 142 is inserted to a position where it comes into contact with the flange receiver 112 via the thermal adhesive film 160, and when insertion is complete, the base end flange portion 142 comes into contact with the thermal adhesive film 160. In the fully inserted state, heating has not yet been performed, so the base end flange portion 142 and the flange receiving portion 112a are not bonded together by the thermal adhesive film 160, and the base end flange portion 142 can be easily separated from the flange receiving portion 112a.

[0082] <Press-Fitting Process> After the terminal module insertion process is completed, the terminal module 130 is pressed toward the through-hole 115 and the housing 120 to press-fit it into the through-hole 115 and the housing 120. A known press-fitting jig or device (not shown) is used for the press-fitting. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the terminal module 130 press-fitted into the through-hole 115 of the rear case 110 and the housing, and FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the same line as the A-A cross section in FIG. 8 . As shown in FIG. 11 , when the first locking portion 146 of the shell 140 is press-fitted into the housing 120, the first locking portion 146 engages with the first restricting portion 123, restricting axial movement. After the press-fitting is completed, the camera case 101 and the terminal module 130 are more firmly fixed by crimping or the thermal adhesive film 160, as described below. However, even after the press-fitting is completed, the camera case 101 and the terminal module 130 are still fixed to a degree that they do not easily separate.

[0083] <Crimping Process> After the press-fitting process is completed, the terminal module 130 is pressed toward the through-hole 115 and the housing 120 to be crimped. A known crimping tool or device (not shown) is used for crimping. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the terminal module 130 crimped after being press-fitted into the through-hole 115 of the rear case 110 and the housing 120, and FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the same line as the A-A cross section in FIG. 8 . As shown in FIG. 13 , when the terminal module 130 is crimped, the second locking portion 147 is caught by the second restricting portion 124, restricting axial movement. Even in the crimped state of the terminal module 130, the first locking portion 146 remains engaged with the first restricting portion 123, as it was when the terminal module 130 was press-fitted. Therefore, after the crimping process is completed, the camera case 101 and the terminal module 130 are more firmly fixed together than after the press-fitting process is completed.

[0084] <Heating Process> After the crimping process is completed, the periphery of the flange receiving portion 112a is heated to heat the thermal adhesive film 160 sandwiched between the flange receiving portion 112a and the base-end flange portion 142, thereby bonding the flange receiving portion 112a and the base-end flange portion 142. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the same line as the A-A cross section in FIG. 8 , showing the state in which the thermal adhesive film 160 is being heated after the terminal module is crimped to the through hole 115 and the housing 120. Heating is performed using an induction heating device 161. The induction heating device 161 may be a known induction heating device, and is capable of heating the target component without contact. The heating temperature may be determined depending on the physical properties of the thermal adhesive film 160; for example, the heating temperature is 150°C or higher.

[0085] Once the heating process is completed, the adhesive function of the thermal adhesive film 160 can bond and fix the flange receiving portion 112a and the base end flange portion 142, and can also prevent water from entering through the gap between the flange receiving portion 112a and the base end flange portion 142.

[0086] <Modification of the Method for Fixing the Terminal Module to the Camera Case> Hereinafter, a modification of the method for fixing the terminal module to the camera case described above will be described.

[0087] 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along the same line as the A-A cross section in FIG. 8 , showing the state in which the thermal adhesive film 160 is being heated while the terminal module 130 is being crimped to the through-hole 115 of the rear case 110 and the housing 120. In this variation, the crimping and heating steps are performed simultaneously, rather than performing the heating step after the crimping step as described above. By crimping the terminal module 130 and heating the thermal adhesive film 160 simultaneously, the work time can be reduced compared to when these steps are performed separately.

[0088] 16 is a perspective view showing a state in which a thermal adhesive film 160 has been placed on the base flange underside 142b of the base flange portion 142. In this modification, unlike the thermal adhesive film placing step described above, the thermal adhesive film 160 is placed on the base flange underside 142b of the base flange portion 142, not on the flange receiving portion 112a. If necessary, the thermal adhesive film 160 may be heated to bond to the base flange portion 142. The terminal module insertion step, press-fitting step, crimping step, and heating step that follow the thermal adhesive film placing step are the same as those described above.

[0089] <Other Modifications> As another modification, if the camera case 101 and the terminal module 130 are sufficiently fixed by press-fitting, the crimping step may not be performed, and the heating step may be performed after the press-fitting step. Alternatively, the heating step may be performed while the press-fitting step is being performed.

[0090] As described above, in the method of fixing the terminal module 130 to the camera case 101 according to this embodiment, the camera case 101 comprises a rear case 110 in which a through hole 115 is formed and which has a cylindrical housing 120 that communicates with the through hole 115 and protrudes outward, and a front case 102 that houses the imaging element 106, and is constructed by joining the rear case 110 and the front case 102 together, and the terminal module 130 comprises a shell 140 which is a cylindrical conductor having a base end flange portion 142 that is wider at the base end than at the tip end, a center contact 131 that is arranged inside along the central axis of the shell 140, and an insulator 135 that is interposed between the shell 140 and the center contact 131 and holds the center contact 131.

[0091] A method of fixing the terminal module 130 to the camera case 101 according to this embodiment includes the steps of: arranging a thermal adhesive film 160, which joins a plurality of members made of the same or different materials, on a flange receiving portion 112a formed around the outer edge of the through hole 115 on the inner surface side of the rear case 110; inserting the terminal module 130 from the tip side into the through hole 115 until the base end flange portion 142 comes into contact with the flange receiving portion 112a via the thermal adhesive film 160; after inserting the terminal module 130 into the through hole 115, further pressing the terminal module 130 toward the inside of the housing 120 to press-fit the terminal module 130 into the through hole 115; and after the press-fitting, inserting the terminal module 130 into the through hole 115, the housing 120, and the like. The process includes a step of pressing the terminal module 130 into the housing 120 to tighten it, and a step of heating the area around the flange receiving portion 112a after tightening. In the step of pressing the terminal module 130 into the through hole 115, the press-in position of the terminal module 130 is regulated by a first locking portion 146 on the tip side of the terminal module 130, which is regulated by a first regulating portion 123 formed on the inner surface 122a of the cylindrical portion of the housing 120, and in the step of pressing the terminal module 130 into the through hole 115 and the housing 120 to tighten it after tightening, the crimping position of the terminal module 130 is regulated by a second locking portion 147 on the tip side of the terminal module 130, which is regulated by a second regulating portion formed on the inner surface 122a of the cylindrical portion of the housing 120.

[0092] With this configuration, the method of fixing the terminal module 130 to the camera case 101 of this embodiment is to place the thermal adhesive film 160 on the flange receiving portion 112a of the rear case 110, insert the terminal module 130 into the through hole 115 and press it in, and heat the thermal adhesive film 160 sandwiched between the base end flange portion 142 and the flange receiving portion 112a, thereby softening the thermal adhesive film 160 and bonding and fixing the terminal module 130 to the rear case 110.

[0093] Therefore, compared to the conventional method of attaching a sealing member such as an O-ring around the terminal module in advance, forming a locking structure to lock the sealing member to the terminal module, deforming the locking structure to fix the sealing member, and then inserting the terminal module into the camera case and pressing it in to fix the terminal module to the camera case, the method of this embodiment can reduce the assembly labor.

[0094] Furthermore, by bonding the terminal module 130 and the rear case 110 together at the base end flange portion 142 and the flange receiving portion 112a, liquid will not enter the interior of the camera case 101 from the outside of the camera case 101 through the through hole 115, or conversely, liquid will not leak from the inside of the camera case 101 to the outside of the camera case 101 through the through hole 115, and the camera case 101 has a waterproof function.

[0095] In addition, since the thermal adhesive film 160 is not sticky at room temperature and is easy to adjust its position, it is relatively easy to place the thermal adhesive film 160 on the flange receiving portion 112a. Furthermore, after the terminal module 130 is press-fitted into the through-hole 115 of the camera case 101, the terminal module 130 can be fixed to the camera case 101 simply by heating the thermal adhesive film 160, making the work relatively easy.

[0096] On the other hand, conventional fixing using double-sided tape or adhesive requires careful management of the attachment position, amount of liquid, etc., and is therefore not an easy task. Therefore, the method according to the present embodiment includes relatively easy work steps, and can improve workability during assembly.

[0097] The terminal module 130 is fixed at the base end by fixing the base end flange portion 142 to the flange receiving portion 112a with the thermal adhesive film 160, and at the tip end by restricting the first locking portion 146 and the second locking portion 147 by the first restricting portion 123 and the second restricting portion 124 formed on the inner peripheral surface 122a of the cylindrical portion of the housing 120. Therefore, the terminal module 130 is fixed to the camera case 101 more firmly and stably than when the terminal module 130 is fixed only at one end.

[0098] A method for fixing the terminal module 130 to the camera case 101 according to this embodiment may include a step of inserting the terminal module 130 into the through-hole 115, and then pressing the terminal module 130 toward the inside of the housing 120 to press it into the through-hole 115, while heating the area around the flange receiving portion 112a.

[0099] With this configuration, the method of fixing the terminal module 130 to the camera case 101 in this embodiment involves simultaneously pressing in the terminal module 130 and heating the thermal adhesive film 160, thereby reducing the work time compared to performing these steps separately.

[0100] A method for fixing the terminal module 130 to the camera case 101 in this embodiment may include a step of placing a thermal adhesive film 160 that joins multiple components made of the same or different materials on the underside 142b of the base end flange portion 142, which is the surface on the tip side of the base end flange portion 142.

[0101] The fixing structure of the terminal module 130 to the camera case 101 according to this embodiment is a fixing structure of the terminal module 130 to the camera case 101, the camera case 101 comprising a rear case 110 in which a through hole 115 is formed and which has a cylindrical housing 120 which communicates with the through hole 115 and protrudes outward, and a front case 102 which houses the imaging element 106, and is configured by joining the rear case 110 and the front case 102 together, the terminal module 130 comprising a shell 140 which is a cylindrical conductor having a base end flange portion 142 which is wider on the base end side than on the tip end side, a center contact 131 which is arranged inside along the central axis of the shell 140, and an insulator 135 interposed between the shell 140 and the center contact 131 and holding the center contact 131. The terminal module 130 is regulated at its tip end by a first regulating portion 123 and a second regulating portion 124 formed on the inner surface 122a of the cylindrical portion of the housing 120, and is fixed to the camera case 101 by bonding the base end flange portion 142 and the flange receiving portion 112a formed around the through hole 115 on the inner surface side of the rear case 110 with a thermal adhesive film 160 that bonds multiple members made of the same or different materials sandwiched between the base end flange portion 142 and the flange receiving portion 112a.

[0102] With this configuration, the fixing structure of the terminal module 130 to the camera case 101 in this embodiment is such that the terminal module 130 and the rear case 110 are adhered to each other at the base end flange portion 142 and the flange receiving portion 112a, so that liquid does not enter the interior of the camera case 101 from the outside of the camera case 101 through the through hole 115, or conversely, liquid does not leak from the interior of the camera case 101 to the outside of the camera case 101 through the through hole 115, and the camera case 101 has a waterproof function.

[0103] Furthermore, terminal module 130 is fixed at its base end by having base end flange portion 142 fixed to flange receiving portion 112a by thermal adhesive film 160, and at its tip end by having first locking portion 146 and second locking portion 147 restricted by first restricting portion 123 and second restricting portion 124 formed on inner peripheral surface 122a of the cylindrical portion of housing 120. Therefore, terminal module 130 is fixed to camera case 101 more firmly and stably than when terminal module 130 is fixed only at one end.

[0104] As described above, the method for fixing a terminal module to a case that houses an electronic device and the structure for fixing a terminal module to a case that houses an electronic device according to the present invention have the effect of providing waterproofing when fixing a terminal module to a case that houses an electronic device, reducing assembly labor, and improving workability during assembly, and are useful for general methods for fixing terminal modules to cases that house electronic devices and structures for fixing terminal modules to cases that house electronic devices.

[0105] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 101 Camera case (case for housing electronic devices) 102 Front case (second case) 103 Camera module 104 Camera board 105 Board-side connector 106 Image pickup element 107 External connector 107a Cable 110 Rear case (first case) 111 Rear case surface 112 Rear case inner surface 112a Flange receiving portion 113a, 113b, 113c, 113d Rear case side surface 114a, 114b, 114c, 114d Rear case engagement portion 115 Through hole 120 Housing 121 Base end housing portion 122 Cylindrical portion 122a Cylindrical portion inner surface 123 First restriction portion (restriction portion) 124 Second restriction portion 130 Terminal module 131 Center contact 131a Engagement piece 135 Insulator (insulating member) 135a Insulator engagement portion 135b Through hole 140 Shell 141 Base end shell portion 142 Base end flange portion (flange portion) 142a Base end flange portion upper surface 142b Base end flange portion lower surface 143 Base end tubular portion 144a, 144b, 144c, 144d Base end piece portion 145 Tip shell portion 146 First locking portion 147 Second locking portions 148a, 148b, 148c, 148d Notch engagement portion 149 Tip tubular portion 160 Heat adhesive film 161 Induction heating device

Claims

1. A method for fixing a terminal module to a case for mounting an electronic device, the case for mounting the electronic device comprising: a first case having a through hole formed therein and a cylindrical housing communicating with the through hole and protruding outward; and a second case for accommodating an imaging element, the case being constructed by joining the first case and the second case; the terminal module comprising a shell which is a cylindrical conductor having a flange portion at its base end which is larger in diameter than at its tip end; a center contact which is disposed on the inside along the central axis of the shell; and an insulating member which is interposed between the shell and the center contact and which holds the center contact; the steps of: placing a thermal adhesive film which bonds a plurality of members made of the same or different materials on a flange receiving portion formed around the outer edge of the through hole on the inner surface side of the first case; inserting the terminal module from the tip side into the through hole until the flange portion comes into contact with the flange receiving portion via the thermal adhesive film; and, after inserting the terminal module into the through hole, further pressing the terminal module towards the inside of the housing to press it into the through hole. a step of heating the periphery of the flange receiving portion after the press-fitting, the method comprising the steps of:

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the process of pressing the terminal module into the through hole, the pressing position of the terminal module is restricted at the tip side of the terminal module by a restricting portion formed on the inner surface of the housing.

3. A method for fixing a terminal module to a case for mounting an electronic device, the case for mounting the electronic device comprising: a first case having a through hole formed therein and a cylindrical housing communicating with the through hole and protruding outward; and a second case for housing an imaging element, the case being constructed by joining the first case and the second case; the terminal module comprising a shell which is a cylindrical conductor having a flange portion at its base end which is larger in diameter than at its tip end; a center contact which is disposed on the inside along the central axis of the shell; and an insulating member which is interposed between the shell and the center contact and which holds the center contact; the steps of: placing a thermal adhesive film which bonds a plurality of members made of the same or different materials on a flange receiving portion formed around the outer edge of the through hole on the inner surface side of the first case; inserting the terminal module from the tip side into the through hole until the flange portion comes into contact with the flange receiving portion via the thermal adhesive film; A method for fixing a terminal module to a case that houses an electronic device, the method including a step of, after inserting the terminal module into the through hole, further pressing the terminal module toward the housing to press it into the through hole while heating the area around the flange receiving portion.

4. A method for fixing a terminal module to a case for mounting an electronic device, the case for mounting the electronic device comprising: a first case having a through hole formed therein and a cylindrical housing communicating with the through hole and protruding outward; and a second case for housing an imaging element, the case being constructed by joining the first case and the second case; the terminal module comprising a shell which is a cylindrical conductor having a flange portion at its base end which is larger in diameter than at its tip end; a center contact which is disposed on the inside along the central axis of the shell; and an insulating member which is interposed between the shell and the center contact and which holds the center contact; the steps of arranging a thermal adhesive film which bonds a plurality of members made of the same or different materials on the surface of the tip end of the flange portion; inserting the terminal module from the tip end side into the through hole until the flange portion comes into contact with a flange receiving portion formed around the outer edge of the through hole on the inner surface side of the first case via the arranged thermal adhesive film; A method for fixing a terminal module to a case that houses an electronic device, comprising: a step of, after inserting the terminal module into the through hole, further pressing the terminal module toward the housing to press it into the through hole; and a step of, after the press-fitting, heating the periphery of the flange receiving portion.

5. A fixing structure for a terminal module to a case for mounting an electronic device, the case for mounting an electronic device comprising: a first case having a through hole formed therein and a cylindrical housing communicating with the through hole and protruding to the outside; and a second case for accommodating an imaging element, the case being constructed by joining the first case and the second case; the terminal module comprising: a shell which is a cylindrical conductor having a flange portion at its base end which is wider in diameter than its tip end; a center contact which is arranged on the inside along the central axis of the shell; and an insulating member which is interposed between the shell and the center contact and holds the center contact; the tip end of the terminal module is restricted by a restricting portion formed on the inner peripheral surface of the housing, and the flange portion and a flange receiving portion formed around the through hole on the inner surface side of the first case are bonded to the case for mounting the electronic device by a thermal adhesive film which bonds a plurality of members made of the same or different materials which are sandwiched between the flange portions, thereby fixing the terminal module to the case for mounting the electronic device.

Images