Electronic apparatus and display device

Abstract

[Problem] To ensure both fireproofing and EMC functions while avoiding any increase in the weight of an entire enclosure. [Solution] According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus comprising a circuit board and a fireproof enclosure, wherein: the fireproof enclosure includes a first member that is configured from a sheet metal, and a second member that includes an insulating layer and a metal layer; the first member has a top surface part provided with one or more openings, the top surface part covering a section of the circuit board; the second member closes the one or more openings; and the insulating layer of the second member is positioned between the metal layer and the circuit board.

Description

Electronic device and display device

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device having a fireproof enclosure. The present invention also relates to a display device having such an electronic device.

[0002] Various devices such as liquid crystal display devices have a circuit board inside a housing on which elements connected to a power source (commercial power source or battery) are mounted. In such an electronic device, it is generally practiced to attach a metal enclosure covering elements that can become hot to the circuit board (for example, Patent Document 1 below).

[0003] Further, the enclosure may also be required to have a function of ensuring EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility). From the viewpoints of ease of manufacture and cost, the enclosure is generally formed of sheet metal (for example, Patent Document 2 below).

[0004] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023 / 171932, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-148031

[0005] However, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, for example, when the enclosure is formed in a shape covering the entire circuit board, not only does the size of the enclosure increase, but also its thickness increases from the viewpoint of ensuring rigidity, resulting in an increase in the overall weight of the electronic device. That is, the requirements for thinning and lightening the electronic device may not be satisfied.

[0006] The present invention provides the following: [1] Electronic device comprising a circuit board and a fireproof enclosure, wherein the fireproof enclosure comprises a first member made of sheet metal and a second member including an insulating layer and a metal layer, the first member having a top surface portion having one or more openings and covering a part of the circuit board, the second member closing the one or more openings, and the insulating layer of the second member being located between the metal layer and the circuit board. [2] Electronic device according to [1], wherein the second member is located between the top surface portion of the first member and the circuit board. [3] Electronic device according to [1] or [2], wherein the one or more openings include openings having a shape in which the length of the widest part exceeds 1.0 mm. [4] An electronic device according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the first member has a pair of wall portions that rise from the top surface and face each other, the wall portions have support portions that extend toward the inside of the first member, and the circuit board is held between the pair of wall portions by being fixed to the support portions of the first member. [5] An electronic device according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the metal layer is aluminum foil attached to the insulating layer. [6] An electronic device according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the insulating layer is a sheet of polycarbonate. [7] An electronic device according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the insulating layer has a thickness of 0.25 mm or more and 0.50 mm or less. [8] An electronic device according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein a part of the outer edge of the circuit board is located outside the outer edge of the top surface of the first member. [9] An electronic device according to any one of items [1] to [8], wherein the aperture has a diameter greater than 1.1 mm or 1.1 mm ２ Electronic device having an area greater than

[10] [9]. The electronic device according to

[10] [9], wherein the opening has a diameter greater than 2.0 mm or 3.2 mm. ２An electronic device having an area greater than [1].

[11] A display device comprising a display panel and a housing, further comprising the electronic device according to any one of [1] to

[10] and a third member made of sheet metal, wherein the display panel is fixed to the housing by being covered by the third member from the back side opposite to the display surface, and the circuit board is supported in the housing by the first member at a distance from the third member.

[12] The display device according to

[11] , further comprising an arm connected to the first member.

[0007] According to the present invention, a first member made of sheet metal has one or more openings, and a second member including an insulating layer and a metal layer closes these openings. Furthermore, by positioning the insulating layer of the second member between the metal layer and the circuit board, it is possible to ensure both fire protection and EMC functions while avoiding an increase in the overall weight of the enclosure.

[0008] This is a front perspective view of an exemplary display device according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a rear perspective view of an exemplary display device according to one embodiment of the present invention. This figure illustrates the separation of the arm 500 from the housing 300 of the display device 100 shown in Figure 1. This is a schematic rear perspective view showing the display device 100 with the arm 500 and rear panel 320 removed. This is a schematic exploded perspective view of the display device 100. This is an exploded perspective view showing the electrical components 200 in an enlarged manner. This is a side view illustrating an exemplary shape of the first member 221. This is a side view showing the first member 221 with the circuit board 210 attached. This is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the appearance of the fire enclosure 220. This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the second member 222 of the fire enclosure 220. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of the arrangement of the second member 222 in the fire enclosure. This is a plan view showing an exemplary appearance of the main body 222S of the second member 222. This figure illustrates an example of an opening having a shape including multiple curves that may be provided in the outer shell 221Q of the first member 221. This is a schematic perspective view showing the circuit board 210 and the outer shell 221Q of the first member 221 removed from the fire enclosure. This is a schematic perspective view showing the outer shell 221Q of the first member 221 removed from the fire enclosure. This is a schematic perspective view illustrating the connection of the arm 500 to the first member 221. This is a schematic exploded view showing an example of the configuration of the arm 500.

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The various features shown in the embodiments below can be combined with each other. Furthermore, each feature constitutes an independent invention. Any number of zeros (for example, one or two) may be added to the end of the numerical values ​​disclosed in the following description. For example, one or two zeros may be added after "1.4" to make it "1.40" or "1.400".

[0010] <1. Outline of the Display Device Configuration> Here, a typical embodiment of the present invention will be described using a liquid crystal display device as an example. Figures 1 and 2 show examples of the front and rear views of a display device according to one embodiment of the present invention, respectively. The display device 100 shown in Figures 1 and 2 includes a housing 300, a display panel 400, and an arm 500. For the sake of explanation, arrows indicating the mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z axes are shown in Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Figure 1, the arrow indicating the Z axis here points from the front to the back of the display device 100. In the following, these arrows indicating the X, Y, and Z axes may also be shown in other drawings.

[0011] In the configuration illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the housing 300 includes a front panel 310 and a rear panel 320. As shown in Figure 1, the front panel 310 includes a bezel 312 having an opening 30, through which the display surface 400a of the display panel 400 is exposed.

[0012] On the other hand, referring to Figure 2, in this example, an arm 500 for supporting the display device 100 is attached to the back of the display device 100. Figure 3 shows the arm 500 separated from the housing 300 of the display device 100. The arm 500 is detachably attached to a component located inside the display device 100. The structure of the arm 500 and the details of its connection will be described later.

[0013] Figure 4 shows the display device 100 with the arm 500 and rear panel 320 removed. As shown in Figure 4, the display device 100 has an internal frame 330 inside the housing 300. The internal frame 330 is made of sheet metal, for example, and fixes the display panel 400 to the front panel 310 of the housing 300 by covering the display panel 400 from the rear side opposite to the display surface 400a.

[0014] As shown in Figure 4, the display device 100 has an electronic component 200 as an electronic device on an internal frame 330. The electronic component 200 includes a circuit board 210 on which the driver for the display panel 400 and the like are mounted, and functions as a control unit for the display device 100. As shown in an enlarged view in Figure 4, the electronic component 200 includes the aforementioned circuit board 210 and a fire-resistant enclosure 220 that covers at least a portion of the circuit board 210.

[0015] As will be explained in detail later with reference to the drawings, the fireproof enclosure 220 includes at least a first member 221 and a second member 222. The electrical equipment 200 can be configured to be detachably attached to, for example, the internal frame 330 on the rear side of the display panel 400 as an integrated unit, by fixing the circuit board 210 to, for example, the first member 221 of the fireproof enclosure 220. As will be described later, the circuit board 210 of the electrical equipment 200 can be supported by the first member 221 and positioned in the housing 300 at a distance from the internal frame 330.

[0016] Figure 5 schematically shows the internal structure of the display device 100 after disassembly. However, to avoid making the drawing excessively complex, some components are omitted in Figure 5. In other drawings of this disclosure, some components such as screws may also be omitted.

[0017] As shown in Figure 5, the display device 100 includes a front panel 310, a display panel 400, an internal frame 330, electrical components 200, and a rear panel 320. The display panel 400 includes, for example, a liquid crystal panel and a backlight unit. That is, the display device 100 described herein is a liquid crystal display device. Here, the display panel 400 has a horizontally elongated rectangular shape, and the X and Y axes are parallel to the long and short sides of the rectangular shape of the display panel 400, respectively. Of course, the display device of the present invention is not limited to a liquid crystal display device, but may also be a self-emissive display device such as a mini-LED display or an organic EL display.

[0018] As described above, the electrical equipment 200 includes a circuit board 210 and a fire-resistant enclosure 220. Here, the fire-resistant enclosure 220 is constructed by arranging a second member 222 and a first member 221 toward the rear of the display device 100 and integrating them, and covers the circuit board 210 from the rear side of the display device 100.

[0019] In the configuration illustrated in Figure 5, the display device 100 further includes an insulating sheet 201 located between the circuit board 210 and the internal frame 330 (or display panel 400). However, the arrangement of such an insulating sheet 201 is not essential to the embodiments of the present invention and may be omitted.

[0020] <2. Electrical Equipment 200> Figure 6 shows the electrical equipment 200 shown in Figure 5 disassembled. The circuit board 210 of the electrical equipment 200 is typically a printed circuit board (PCB) on which electronic components are mounted. As schematically shown in Figure 6, electronic components such as a USB connector 12 are mounted on the upper surface 210a of the circuit board 210. Note that in Figure 6, for simplicity, the illustration of electronic components other than the USB connector 12 is omitted. In this embodiment of the present invention, the upper surface 210a of the main surface of the circuit board 210 is oriented away from the display panel 400, that is, towards the fire enclosure 220.

[0021] The shape of the circuit board 210 in a plan view, viewed in a direction parallel to the Z-axis in the figure, is, for example, rectangular. In the example shown in Figure 6, the circuit board 210 has a rectangular shape that is longer in the X-axis direction compared to the Y-axis direction. Of course, the plan view shape of the circuit board 210 is not limited to this example and may be other shapes such as square or circular.

[0022] The fireproof enclosure 220 of the electrical equipment 200 typically covers almost the entire circuit board 210. However, as can be seen from a comparison of Figures 4 and 6, the fireproof enclosure 220 may have small-diameter holes for connectors on the circuit board 210 (e.g., the USB connector 12 in Figure 6) to pass through. The formation of such holes in the fireproof enclosure 220 is permissible as long as both fire protection and EMC functions are ensured.

[0023] In embodiments of the present invention, the fire-resistant enclosure 220 is composed of a plurality of members. Here, the fire-resistant enclosure 220 is generally composed of at least two members: a first member 221 and a second member 222. Of these, the first member 221 is made of sheet metal, and the second member 222 includes a main body portion 222S composed of a combination of a plurality of members made of different materials, as will be described later. In this example, the second member 222 further includes two covering members 222T, each having a strip shape, in addition to the main body portion 222S.

[0024] In the configuration illustrated in Figure 6, the first member 221 of the fireproof enclosure 220 includes two parts: an intermediate plate 221P and an outer shell 221Q, both made of sheet metal. Of these, the outer shell 221Q has a top surface portion 20 with one or more openings. The top surface portion 20 is a plate-like portion corresponding to the one with the largest area among the multiple surfaces that make up the shape of the outer shell 221Q, and in this case, the top surface portion 20 is provided with three openings: a first opening 20x, a second opening 20y, and a third opening 20z. It is not essential that the top surface portion 20 is flat; it may have a curved surface or parts with different thicknesses. However, from the viewpoint of making the display device 100 thinner, it is more advantageous if the top surface portion 20 is a flat plate.

[0025] In the illustrated example, the second opening 20y is located between the first opening 20x and the third opening 20z and has a larger area than each of the first opening 20x and the third opening 20z. In a typical embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the first opening 20x, the second opening 20y, and the third opening 20z may be large enough to expose two or more electronic components mounted on the circuit board 210.

[0026] The intermediate plate 221P of the first member 221 is generally plate-shaped overall and is joined to the top surface 20 of the outer shell 221Q by riveting or the like. In this example, the intermediate plate 221P is attached to the surface of the top surface 20 that is opposite to the surface facing the rear panel 320 (see, for example, Figure 5).

[0027] The intermediate plate 221P is located approximately in the center of the top surface 20 in the X direction of the figure and, when fixed to the outer shell 221Q, closes the second opening 20y of the three openings described above. Here, in this specification, when one member "closes" the opening of the other member in a combination of two members, it means that when viewed in the Z direction of the figure, one member overlaps the entire opening. However, it is not essential that one member completely covers the entire opening, as long as the fire protection and EMC specifications or standards required for the product are satisfied. For example, the member that closes the opening may have a small diameter hole, etc., as long as it satisfies the required specifications or standards.

[0028] While the second opening 20y is closed by the intermediate plate 221P of the first member 221, the first opening 20x and the third opening 20z are closed by the second member 222, as will be described later. In this sense, the fireproof enclosure 220 as a whole can be said to cover almost the entire circuit board 210.

[0029] Figure 7 shows an exemplary shape of the first member 221 as viewed from the side. In the configuration illustrated in Figure 7, the outer shell 221Q of the first member 221 has a top surface 20, as well as wall sections 21 and 22, leg sections 23 and 24, and bent sections 1 to 4. Wall sections 21 and 22 rise approximately vertically from the top surface 20 and face each other in the Y direction of the figure. Bent section 1 is located between the top surface 20 and the wall section 21, and bent section 2 is located between the top surface 20 and the wall section 22. Leg section 23 is formed by bending a part of the sheet metal constituting the outer shell 221Q outward from the wall section 21 at approximately a right angle, and leg section 24 is formed by bending another part of the sheet metal outward from the wall section 22 at approximately a right angle. The bent portion 3 is located between the wall portion 21 and the leg portion 23, and the bent portion 4 is located between the wall portion 22 and the leg portion 24.

[0030] Figure 8 shows the first member 221 to which the circuit board 210 is attached. The outer shell 221Q of the first member 221 has a top surface 20, wall surfaces 21 and 22, and leg surfaces 23 and 24, and thus has a roughly U-shaped cross-sectional shape with the top surface 20 as its bottom surface. As will be explained in detail later, the circuit board 210 is fixed to the first member 221 (in this case, the outer shell 221Q of the first member 221) between the wall surfaces 21 and 22 with its upper surface 210a facing the top surface 20 of the outer shell 221Q. At this time, as shown in Figure 8, the upper surface 210a of the circuit board 210 does not come into contact with the top surface 20 of the outer shell 221Q or the intermediate plate 221P, and a space Gp is ​​formed between the circuit board 210 and the intermediate plate 221P. In this embodiment, the second member 222 of the fire-resistant enclosure 220 is inserted into this space Gp, so that a large portion of it is positioned between the circuit board 210 and the top surface 20.

[0031] Figure 9 shows an example of the appearance of the fire-resistant enclosure 220. The second member 222 of the fire-resistant enclosure 220 covers almost the entire circuit board 210 attached to the first member 221, and a part of the main body portion 222S of the second member 222 is exposed to the outside through the first opening 20x and the third opening 20z provided in the top surface portion 20 of the first member 221. In other words, in the exemplary configuration shown in Figure 9, the second member 222 also closes the first opening 20x and the third opening 20z provided in the top surface portion 20.

[0032] As can be seen from Figure 6 above, here, covering members 222T are attached to both ends of the main body portion 222S of the second member 222 in the longitudinal direction (parallel to the X-axis in this case). An example of a covering member 222T is aluminum tape. In the embodiment of the present invention, it is not essential that the main body portion 222S of the second member 222 covers the entire circuit board 210. It is sufficient that the second member 222 as a whole covers the circuit board 210.

[0033] Figure 10 schematically shows an example of a cross-section of the second member 222 of the fire-resistant enclosure 220. The second member 222 includes two or more layers made of different materials, in this case including an insulating layer 22L and a metal layer 22M. A resin sheet can be used as the insulating layer 22L. Examples of resin sheet materials include thermoplastic resins such as polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and polyoxymethylene (POM). Examples of metal layer 22M materials include aluminum, copper, tin, and stainless steel. The use of aluminum, for example, for the metal layer 22M is advantageous in terms of reducing manufacturing costs and weight.

[0034] In this embodiment, aluminum foil is exemplified as the metal layer 22M. The covering member 222T (in this case, aluminum tape, see Figure 6) can perform the function of ensuring an electrical connection between the metal layer 22M of the main body 222S and the first member 221, particularly the outer shell 221Q.

[0035] It is not essential in the embodiments of the present invention that both the insulating layer 22L and the metal layer 22M have a self-supporting structure. For example, the metal layer 22M may be a layer formed on the insulating layer 22L by vapor deposition, sputtering, or the like. In this case, the insulating layer 22L may function as a support layer for the metal layer 22M. As will be described later, it is not essential in the embodiments of the present invention that the metal layer 22M covers the entire surface of the insulating layer 22L.

[0036] In the example shown in Figure 10, the second member 222 further has an adhesive layer 22N located between these layers, in addition to the insulating layer 22L and the metal layer 22M. That is, in the configuration illustrated in Figure 10, the second member 222 is a composite material having a laminated structure including three layers.

[0037] The insulating layer 22L and the metal layer 22M may be independent components, or they may be joined to each other by another component such as an adhesive layer 22N, as shown in Figure 10. In embodiments of the present invention, the insulating layer 22L and the metal layer 22M only need to be in contact in a way that allows heat transfer, and direct contact between them is not essential. The thermal conductivity of the adhesive layer 22N is, for example, in the range of 0.50 to 2.1 W / mK, and is advantageous if it is 1.5 W / mK or higher. General adhesives such as acrylic adhesives, rubber adhesives, silicone adhesives, and urethane adhesives can be used for the adhesive layer 22N.

[0038] As can be seen from Figure 10, the insulating layer 22L of the second member 222 is located between the metal layer 22M and the circuit board 210. By interposing the insulating layer 22L between the metal layer 22M of the second member 222 and the circuit board 210, electrical short circuits can be prevented between the electronic components on the circuit board 210 and the metal layer 22M, and consequently between the electronic components on the circuit board 210 and the first member 221.

[0039] Here, the second member 222 is located between the top surface 20 or intermediate plate 221P of the outer shell 221Q of the first member 221 and the circuit board 210. However, the performance of the fire protection function and EMC function of the fire protection enclosure 220 does not fundamentally depend on the relative arrangement of the first member 221 and the second member 222 in the fire protection enclosure 220. It is also possible to arrange the first member 221, for example, the top surface 20, between the second member 222 and the circuit board 210, as shown in the fire protection enclosure 220A illustrated in Figure 11. However, in order to adopt such an arrangement, it is necessary to increase the distance between the first member 221 and the circuit board 210 (i.e., the space Gp) in order to ensure insulation between them. From the viewpoint of thinning the electrical equipment 200, the arrangement in which the second member 222 is interposed between the top surface 20 of the first member 221 and the circuit board 210, as illustrated in Figure 10, is more advantageous.

[0040] <3. Findings of the Inventor and Effects of the Invention> In the above-described embodiments, the first members 221 of the fire enclosures 220 and 220A have a plurality of openings (here, the first opening 20x and the third opening 20z). These openings function as holes in the outer shell 221Q of the first member 221 and contribute to reducing the weight of the first member 221.

[0041] A fire enclosure is required to have a function of preventing the spread of fire even if an electronic component on a circuit board catches fire, and international standards such as IEC 62368 are defined. According to the study by the inventor, for example, simply arranging a resin sheet alone between a sheet metal member and a printed circuit board makes it difficult to satisfy the flame prevention standards (for example, IEC 60950-1:2005+AMD1:2009+AMD2:2013). However, by applying the second member 222 including the insulating layer 22L and the metal layer 22M, the flame prevention standards can be satisfied. This is presumably because the metal layer 22M disposed close to the insulating layer 22L functions to release heat to the insulating layer 22L to the outside.

[0042] Thus, according to the above-described embodiments, while providing a hole in the first member 221 to reduce the weight, the flame prevention function of the entire fire enclosure can be ensured. Further, in the above-described embodiments, in the electrical installation 200, the second member 222 of the fire enclosure 220 has an arrangement for closing the first opening 20x and the third opening 20z provided in the first member 221. Here, since the second member 222 includes the metal layer 22M, the metal layer 22M functions to shield electromagnetic waves, and it is possible to ensure the EMC function of the entire enclosure while realizing weight reduction.

[0043] <4. Other Details of the Members Constituting the Fire Enclosure> As described above, the technology disclosed in this specification contributes to reducing the weight of an electronic device while ensuring both the functions of fire prevention and EMC. Hereinafter, other details of the members constituting the fire enclosures 220 and 220A will be described.

[0044] (4.1 Second Member 222) Among the fire enclosures, the second member 222 does not basically require rigidity like the first member 221 or the circuit board 210. For both the metal layer 22M and the insulating layer 22L of the second member 222, sheet-like members can be used. In this specification, "sheet-like" is interpreted to widely include flexible forms such as films, foils, thin plates, etc., regardless of whether it is a self-supporting structure or not.

[0045] In the example described while referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, as the metal layer 22M, an aluminum foil is attached to the insulating layer 22L via the adhesive layer 22N. The use of aluminum foil is simpler than forming a metal film on the insulating layer 22L by, for example, vapor deposition, and is advantageous from the perspective of reducing manufacturing costs. An aluminum tape with an adhesive previously applied to one surface may be used as a combination of the metal layer 22M and the adhesive layer 22N.

[0046] FIG. 12 shows an example of the appearance of the main body portion 222S of the second member 222. In the example shown in FIG. 12, the metal layer 22M of the main body portion 222S does not cover the vicinity of the center of the surface of the insulating layer 22L, and as schematically shown by shading in the figure, a part of the insulating layer 22L is exposed to the outside. As in this example, the entire main body portion 222S may not have a laminated structure of the metal layer 22M and the insulating layer 22L. In the present embodiment, at least a portion corresponding to the base portion 510 of the arm 500 shown in FIG. 17 described later among the main surfaces of the insulating layer 22L is not covered by the metal layer 22M. Note that a structure such as a slit may be formed in the portion of the insulating layer 22L that is not covered by the metal layer 22M.

[0047] The portion of the insulating layer 22L that is not covered by the metal layer 22M may overlap, for example, the region obtained by projecting the second opening 20y onto the XY plane of the figure. However, here, as described while referring to FIG. 6, the second opening 20y is closed by the intermediate plate 221P made of sheet metal. Even if the entire surface of the insulating layer 22L is not covered by the metal layer 22M, by closing the opening of the outer shell 221Q with a metal member such as the intermediate plate 221P, the requirements regarding EMC specifications can be satisfied.

[0048] In the above-described embodiment, a polycarbonate sheet is exemplified as the insulating layer 22L. According to the inventor's research, by specifically using polycarbonate as the material for the insulating layer 22L, it is possible to satisfy the flame retardancy requirement while keeping the weight of the insulating layer 22L to, for example, 25g or less. By selecting the material for the insulating layer 22L, it is possible to satisfy environmental standards (typically, gold registration in the US environmental assessment system "EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool)") while ensuring flame retardancy. Thermoplastic resins can be reused as recycled plastics by crushing and melting, and using thermoplastic resins as the material for the insulating layer 22L is advantageous in reducing environmental impact.

[0049] The thickness of the insulating layer 22L is, for example, in the range of 0.25 mm to 0.50 mm, preferably in the range of 0.39 mm to 0.47 mm. To ensure flame retardancy, the insulating layer 22L needs to have a certain thickness. On the other hand, increasing the thickness of the insulating layer 22L leads to an increase in the weight of the electrical equipment 200. By keeping the thickness of the insulating layer 22L within the above range, it is possible to achieve both flame retardancy and weight reduction.

[0050] (4.2 First Member 221) As described with reference to Figure 6, the first member 221 has one or more openings. The number and arrangement of these openings, as well as the shape and size of each opening, are basically arbitrary as long as the necessary functions and rigidity of the first member 221 are ensured.

[0051] According to embodiments of the present invention, it becomes possible to provide openings of sizes not typically found in general enclosures made entirely of sheet metal, while satisfying the specifications regarding fire resistance and EMC. For example, at least one of the first opening 20x, second opening 20y, and third opening 20z described above may have a larger size than the openings specified as bottom openings in IEC C62368-1:2018. For example, the opening provided in the first member 221 may have a diameter greater than 1.1 mm or 1.1 mm. ２ It may have an area greater than 2.0 mm, and a diameter greater than 3.2 mm. ２It may have an area greater than or equal to. According to embodiments of the present invention, by having the second member 222 or the intermediate plate 221P close one or more openings provided in the first member 221, it is possible to satisfy fire-retardant standards while improving the design freedom regarding the size and / or arrangement of these openings.

[0052] An opening provided in, for example, the outer shell 221Q of the first member 221 may include an opening having a shape in which the length of its widest part exceeds 1.0 mm. Figure 13 shows an example of an opening having a shape that includes multiple curves. In the opening Ap shown in Figure 13, the "length of the widest part" refers to the maximum distance between one point P and another point Q on the figure that defines the shape of the opening, as schematically shown by the solid double arrows in Figure 13. The length of the widest part of an opening provided in the first member 221 is typically 42 mm or less.

[0053] This "length of the widest part" can be considered one of the parameters that characterize the size of the opening provided in the first member 221. The range of acceptable sizes of the opening may be defined in relation to the thickness of the first member 221. For example, if the size of the opening is D and the thickness of the outer shell 221Q of the first member 221 in the vicinity of the part where the opening is provided (for example, within 5 mm from the outer edge of the opening), then the ratio (D / T) may be in the range of 1.45 to 14.0. More preferably, the ratio (D / T) is in the range of 5.0 to 12.0.

[0054] Figure 14 shows the circuit board 210 and the outer shell 221Q of the first member 221 removed from the fireproof enclosure. As shown in Figure 14, the top surface 20 of the outer shell 221Q has a shape that covers not all but part of the circuit board 210 in a plan view in the Z-axis direction of the figure. In this example, in the direction parallel to the X-axis, a part of the outer edge of the circuit board 210 is located outside the outer edge of the top surface 20. In other words, in this example, the rectangular short-side ends of the circuit board 210 are exposed from the top surface 20. Thus, the first member 221 may have a shape in which a pair of walls (here, wall 21 and wall 22) face each other in one of the X-axis and Y-axis directions, while both ends are open in the other direction.

[0055] As described above, the outer shell 221Q of the first member 221 has a leg portion 23 connected to the wall portion 21 and a leg portion 24 connected to the wall portion 22. The leg portion 23 is continuous with the wall portion 21 via a bent portion 3, and the leg portion 24 is continuous with the wall portion 22 via a bent portion 4. In this example, the leg portions 23 and 24 are provided with through holes 34 for attachment to the internal frame 330, which is a third member. That is, in this example, the electrical equipment 200 is fixed to the internal frame 330 by, for example, screw fastening, which connects the first member 221 to the internal frame 330 (see Figure 4).

[0056] Figure 15 shows the outer shell 221Q of the first member 221 removed from the fire enclosure. In the configuration illustrated in Figure 15, the outer shell 221Q has a first opening 20x, a second opening 20y, and a third opening 20z, as well as several smaller openings. In the example shown in Figure 15, the outer shell 221Q further has four openings located in the wall portion 21 or wall portion 22. More specifically, the outer shell 221Q has two openings 21h each extending from the wall portion 21 to the top portion 20, and two openings 22h each extending from the wall portion 22 to the top portion 20.

[0057] These openings 21h and 22h can be formed, for example, by lancing. In this example, a non-closed curve cut is formed in the sheet metal and a portion of the sheet metal is bent, thereby forming a tab 21t corresponding to opening 21h and a tab 22t corresponding to opening 22h in the outer shell 221Q. As shown in Figure 15, each of these four tabs 21t and 22t extends inward in the U-shape of the outer shell 221Q. That is, tab 21t extends from the position of wall portion 21 toward wall portion 22, while tab 22t extends from the position of wall portion 22 toward wall portion 21. Tabs 21t and 22t may also be called claw portions 21t and 22t, respectively.

[0058] In this example, each of the tabs 21t and 22t is provided with a screw hole for fixing the circuit board 210. That is, here, the tabs 21t and 22t function as supports for holding the circuit board 210. The circuit board 210 is fixed between the wall portions 21 and 22, for example, by screwing it to the tabs 21t and 22t.

[0059] As can be seen from a comparison between Figure 15 and Figure 8, in this example, tabs 21t and 22t are located closer to the top surface 20 than to the lower surfaces (surfaces facing the internal frame 330) of legs 23 and 24. Therefore, the circuit board 210 is held between walls 21 and 22, spatially separated from the upper surface of the member to which the first member 221 is fixed (in this case, the internal frame 330). By supporting the circuit board 210 with the first member 221, direct contact between the circuit board 210 and members other than the first member 221 (e.g., the internal frame 330) can be avoided, thereby preventing damage to the circuit board 210 and electrical short circuits between the circuit board 210 and members other than the first member 221.

[0060] The structure for supporting the circuit board 210 by suspending it from, for example, other metal members is not limited to the tabs or claws described above. For example, the outer shell 221Q may be provided with slots or notches for inserting the circuit board 210, or with springs for clamping and fixing it between the walls 21 and 22.

[0061] Figure 16 shows the connection of the arm 500 to the first member 221. In a typical embodiment of the present invention, the arm 500 is connected to the first member 221 (for example, the intermediate plate 221P) of the fire-resistant enclosure. By connecting the arm 500 to the first member 221 rather than, for example, the rear panel 320 of the housing 300, rigidity can be easily ensured because the first member 221 is made of sheet metal, and the support of the display device 100 by the arm 500 can be made more reliable.

[0062] As in this example, by having the fire enclosure also function as a fixing device for the arm, it is not necessary to separately provide parts for attaching the arm 500 to the housing 300, and the effects of reducing the number of parts and making the display device thinner can be expected. However, this does not prevent the first member 221 of the fire enclosure from further having a mount configured to detachably support an arm or stand for the display device 100. For example, the arm 500 may be connected to the first member 221 by screwing it in via another intermediate member made of sheet metal instead of the intermediate plate 221P.

[0063] Figure 17 shows an example of the configuration of the arm 500. In the example shown in Figure 17, the arm 500 is composed of roughly three members. That is, in the configuration illustrated in Figure 17, the arm 500 includes a base 510, an intermediate arm 520, and an end arm 530. In Figure 17, for the sake of explanation, some of the multiple members that make up the arm 500 are not shown.

[0064] The base portion 510 is the part that is connected to the first member 221 of the fire enclosure and has a joint 511 for connection with the intermediate arm portion 520. This joint 511 may be configured to rotate with respect to the first member 221 around an axis parallel to the Z axis. The intermediate arm portion 520 is rotatably connected to the joint 511 around an N1 axis parallel to the Y axis, and the tip arm portion 530 is rotatably connected to the intermediate arm portion 520 around an N2 axis parallel to the X axis. A clamp or the like may be attached to the end of the tip arm portion 530 opposite to the intermediate arm portion 520 for temporary fixing to a desk, partition, etc.

[0065] As described above, according to the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the weight of electronic devices while maintaining the function of the enclosure. As is clear from the above description, the present invention is not limited to display devices such as liquid crystal displays, but can be broadly applied to general electronic devices such as home appliances, personal computers, and mobile devices such as smartphones.

[0066] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents.

[0067] 1-4: Bent section 12: USB connector 20: Top section 20x: First opening 20y: Second opening 20z: Third opening 21, 22: Wall section 21h, 22h: Opening 21t, 22t: Tab (claw section) 22L: Insulating layer 22M: Metal layer 22N: Adhesive layer 23, 24: Leg section 30: Opening 34: Through hole 100: Display device 200: Electrical components 201: Insulating sheet 202: Aluminum tape 210: Circuit board 210a: Top surface 220, 220A: Fireproof enclosure 221: First component 221P: Intermediate plate 221Q: Outer shell 222: Second component 222S: Main body 222T: Covering member 300: Housing 310: Front panel 312: Bezel 320: Rear panel 330: Internal frame 400: Display panel 400a: Display surface 500: Arm 510: Base 511: Joint 520: Intermediate arm 530: Tip arm Ap: Opening Gp: Space

Claims

1. Electronic device comprising a circuit board and a fireproof enclosure, wherein the fireproof enclosure comprises a first member made of sheet metal and a second member including an insulating layer and a metal layer, the first member having a top surface portion having one or more openings and covering a part of the circuit board, the second member closing the one or more openings, the insulating layer of the second member being located between the metal layer and the circuit board, and a part of the outer edge of the circuit board being located outside the outer edge of the top surface portion of the first member.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second member is located between the top surface of the first member and the circuit board.

3. An electronic device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the one or more openings include an opening having a shape in which the length of the widest part exceeds 1.0 mm.

4. Electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first member has a pair of wall portions that rise from the top surface portion and face each other, the wall portions have support portions that extend toward the inside of the first member, and the circuit board is held between the pair of wall portions by being fixed to the support portions of the first member.

5. An electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the metal layer is an aluminum foil attached to the insulating layer.

6. An electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the insulating layer is a sheet of polycarbonate.

7. An electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the insulating layer has a thickness of 0.25 mm or more and 0.50 mm or less.

8. An electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the aperture has a diameter greater than 1.1 mm or 1.1 mm ２ An electronic device with an area exceeding [a certain value].

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the aperture has a diameter greater than 2.0 mm or 3.2 mm ２ An electronic device with an area exceeding [a certain value].

10. A display device comprising a display panel and a housing, further comprising an electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 and a third member made of sheet metal, wherein the display panel is fixed to the housing by being covered by the third member from the back side opposite to the display surface, and the circuit board is supported in the housing by the first member at a distance from the third member.

11. A display device according to claim 10, further comprising an arm connected to the first member.

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