Improved electronic article

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic article (1) comprising an outer casing (3) enclosing a support (9) intended to form a part (9A) of the outer surface of the electronic article (1) and to receive at least one electronic element (5A), the support (9) presenting, between said at least one electronic element (5A) and the protective wall (11), at least one sealing lip (9C) so as to improve the protection of said at least one electronic element (5A) against dust and liquids.

Description

Enhanced electronic article Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to the field of electronic articles such as payment terminals and in particular such an electronic article combining sealing and repairability. Technical background

[0002] Electronic devices are now ubiquitous in everyday life. They are frequently equipped with a display, such as an LCD screen, which only allows for a flat surface. Therefore, it can become difficult to create curved or rounded electronic devices. Furthermore, there is an increasing demand for high protection against dust and liquid water. This protection is generally achieved through permanent fixing (soldering, bonding, etc.), resulting in highly effective protection.

[0003] However, this effective protection comes at the expense of the electronic device's repairability. Therefore, if a component of the electronic device malfunctions, it becomes necessary to replace the entire device, a practice increasingly criticized by consumers.

[0004] The invention aims in particular to offer an electronic article which combines seemingly contradictory qualities, i.e. to present a high protection index for the casing with a freer aesthetic (not necessarily totally flat and without visible fixing) while guaranteeing a high repairability index.

[0005] To this end, the invention relates to an electronic article comprising an external housing enclosing electronic elements, characterized in that the electronic article comprises a support mounted in the external housing and intended to form a part of the external surface of the electronic article and to receive at least one electronic element, and a protective wall attached to the support and intended to form another part of the external surface of the electronic article and to protect said at least one electronic element, and in that the support has, between said at least one electronic element and the protective wall, at least one sealing lip in order to improve the protection against dust and liquids of said at least one electronic element.

[0006] Advantageously, according to the invention, the support mechanically protects at least one electronic element by serving as its seat. Furthermore, the support also forms part of the external surface of the electronic article, thus allowing greater aesthetic freedom, specifically enabling a portion of the external surface around at least one electronic element to be non-planar. Finally, the support creates a sealing barrier between itself and the protective enclosure, capable of protecting at least one electronic element from dust and liquids such as water.

[0007] Similar to the support, the protective wall also forms part of the external surface of the electronic article advantageously according to the invention, which allows for greater aesthetic freedom, namely, allowing for a portion of the external surface around said at least one electronic element that is not flat. Furthermore, it is understood that the protective wall encloses said at least one electronic element within the support.

[0008] The invention includes, as an alternative, one or more of the following optional features, taken alone or in combination.

[0009] The mounting bracket can be more flexible than the outer casing to improve the dust and liquid seal between the bracket and the outer casing. At the interface between the bracket and the outer casing, the bracket is compressed against the outer casing, forming a protective seal against dust and liquids. For example, the bracket can be made from a polymer such as silicone (RTV, LSR, EVC) or a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), making it more elastic than the outer casing, which might be made from a thermoplastic polymer such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or polycarbonate (PC).

[0010] The bracket may include a shoulder against which the protective panel is attached to conceal any fasteners. The depth of the shoulder can, for example, match the thickness of the protective panel so that its outer surface is flush with the outer surface of the external casing and / or the outer surface of the bracket. This allows the electronic device to have a clean, uncluttered aesthetic, free of any visible fasteners.

[0011] The protective panel can be attached to the shoulder by adhesive so that it can be removed for repair of the electronic device. Advantageously, according to the invention, the attachment between the protective panel and the support is not permanently detachable, thus allowing for a high repairability rate, for example, of the protective panel and / or at least one electronic component. The bonding can, for example, be achieved with double-sided adhesive tape mounted between the back of the protective panel and the top of the support, at least at the shoulder.

[0012] The support may include a recess for receiving at least one electronic component, and at least one sealing lip surrounding the recess to allow for the removal of said electronic component for repair. The electronic component is thus advantageously secured between the bottom of the recess and said lip. Advantageously, according to the invention, once the protective lip is removed, the electronic component can be easily detached from the support by tilting said lip, thereby enabling a high repairability rate for said electronic component.

[0013] The protective cover may include at least one touch sensor so that a user can control the electronic device. It is understood that the electronic device may thus include a touch interface allowing the user to control its various functions. Preferably, according to the invention, said at least one touch sensor faces the substrate so as to protect it with the protective cover.

[0014] This electronic element, at least one of which may include a display, allows a user to interact with the electronic item. It is understood that the electronic item may thus include a screen enabling the user to control its various functions.

[0015] The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing an electronic article, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - forming a support with at least one sealing lip; - mounting at least one electronic element in the support below said at least one sealing lip; - attaching a protective wall against the support by pressing said at least one sealing lip against said at least one electronic element in order to improve the protection of said at least one electronic element against dust and liquids; - mounting the assembly in an external housing of the electronic article so that the protective wall and the support form part of the external surface of the electronic article.

[0016] Advantageously, according to the invention, the placement of said at least one electronic element within the support provides mechanical protection for said at least one electronic element. Furthermore, the mounting of the support within the external casing of the electronic article forms part of the external surface of the electronic article, thus allowing for greater aesthetic freedom, specifically permitting a portion of the external surface around said at least one electronic element that is not flat.Finally, the plating of the protective wall against said at least one lip of the support makes it possible on the one hand to form a sealing barrier between the support and the protective wall capable of protecting said at least one electronic element from dust and liquids such as water and, on the other hand, to lock said at least one electronic element in the support with a compensation for variations in manufacturing dimensions which makes it possible to obtain a very robust electronic article, particularly against shocks.

[0017] Similar to the support, mounting the protective panel on the support also forms part of the external surface of the electronic device, advantageously according to the invention, thus allowing greater aesthetic freedom. This is because it permits, in particular, a portion of the external surface around at least one electronic element that is not flat. Furthermore, mounting the protective panel on the support allows the at least one electronic element to be enclosed within the support, thereby improving its robustness. Brief description of the figures

[0018] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the description given below, which is by way of example and in no way limiting, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0019] is a perspective view of an example of an electronic article according to the invention;

[0020] is a partial cross-sectional view along plane II-II of the;

[0021] is a partial cross-sectional view along plane II-II of a perspective of the example electronic article according to the invention;

[0022] is an enlarged view of the. Detailed description

[0023] In the various figures, identical or similar elements bear the same references, possibly with an additional subscript. Therefore, a description of their structure and function is not systematically repeated.

[0024] In all that follows, orientations are the orientations of the figures. In particular, the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "above", "below", "forward" and "backward" are generally understood in relation to the direction in which the figures are represented.

[0025] Furthermore, the orientation terms are understood in relation to the orthogonal coordinate system represented on the map, in which we distinguish: - a transverse axis X, horizontal extending from right to left; and - a longitudinal axis Y, horizontal extending from bottom to top; - a vertical axis Z, extending from back to front.

[0026] The term "horizontal" is defined with respect to the XY plane, the terms "vertical plane" are defined with respect to a horizontal component projected along the vertical Z axis.

[0027] By "protection against dust and liquids" we mean an enclosure protection rating that conforms to the IP44 rating or higher.

[0028] The invention applies to any type of electronic item 1 such as a mobile phone terminal, a secure payment terminal, an e-reader, a tablet or a computer.

[0029] The invention aims in particular to propose an electronic article 1 which combines a priori contrary qualities, that is to say allowing to present a high index of protection of envelope with a freer aesthetics (not necessarily totally flat and without apparent fixing) while guaranteeing a high index of repairability.

[0030] The electronic article 1 primarily comprises an external housing 3 enclosing electronic components 5 and a subassembly 7 mounted within the external housing 3. As seen in the example illustrated in Figure 1, the external housing 3 forms the majority of the external surface of the electronic article 1, which is a secure payment terminal. The external housing 3 is designed to protect, in particular, the electronic components 5 and is made, for example, of a rigid polymer such as a thermoplastic polymer like acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or polycarbonate (PC).

[0031] According to the application of Article 1 electronics, electronic elements 5 may, for example, include a display 5A such as a liquid crystal display, a touch sensor 5B, a battery, a processor, a storage memory, a random access memory, a printed circuit board, an integrated circuit, a control unit, a power supply device, an electrical charging device, a smart card reader, a magnetic card reader, a control element such as a push button, a keypad or a capacitive switch, a wired or wireless secure communication device, etc.

[0032] According to the invention, the subassembly 7 mainly comprises a support 9, a protective wall 11, and at least one 5A, 5B of said electronic elements 5 of electronic article 1. In the example illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, the support 9 is intended to form a portion 9A of the external surface of electronic article 1. As more clearly seen in Figures 3 and 4, portion 9A forms a curved surface that provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance to electronic article 1. More generally, it is understood that the support 9 allows for greater freedom in terms of aesthetics, that is to say, allowing in particular for at least one portion 9A of the external surface around said at least one electronic element 5A to be non-planar.

[0033] Preferably, according to the invention, the support 9 is mounted in the external housing 3 and is more flexible than the external housing 3 in order to improve the dust and liquid seal of the support 9 against the external housing 3 and, therefore, more generally, of the subassembly 7 within the external housing 3. It is understood that at the interface 10 between the support 9 and the external housing 3, the support 9 is compressed against the external housing 3, forming a protective seal against dust and liquids. By way of example, the support 9 can be made of a polymer such as silicone (RTV, LSR, EVC) or a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), in order to be more elastic than the external housing 3. It is further understood that the support 9 according to the invention is an integral part of the electronic article, that is to say, it is not removable and thus allows for the formation of a protective seal specifically adapted to an electronic element 5 of the electronic article 1.

[0034] Advantageously, according to the invention, the support 9 is also intended to receive at least one electronic element 5A, thereby mechanically protecting said at least one electronic element 5A by serving as its seat. More specifically, the support 9 comprises a body 9B which, in addition to the portion 9A of the external surface of the electronic element 1, includes at least one sealing lip 9C, a recess 9D, and a shoulder 9E. The recess 9D is intended to receive said at least one electronic element 5A and is surrounded (overhanging) by said at least one sealing lip 9C, as best seen in the figure. Consequently, the support 9 forms a sealing barrier between the support 9 and the protective wall 11, capable of protecting said at least one electronic element 5A from dust and liquids such as water.

[0035] This configuration advantageously allows for the easy mounting and removal of said at least one electronic element 5A. Indeed, said at least one electronic element 5A is advantageously secured between the bottom of the recess 9D and said at least one sealing lip 9C. Advantageously, according to the invention, once the protective wall 11 is removed, said at least one electronic element 5A can be easily detached from the recess 9D of the support 9 by tilting said at least one sealing lip 9C, thus allowing for a high repairability rate of said at least one electronic element 5A.

[0036] In the example illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, said at least one electronic element 5A includes at least one display so that the user can communicate with the electronic article 1. It is understood that the electronic article 1 may thus include a screen allowing the user to control the various functions of the electronic article 1 and visible through the transparent protective wall 11.

[0037] In the example illustrated in Figure 1, said at least one sealing lip 9C is substantially horizontal in a tilted position elastically under the stress of the protective wall 11. In its rest position (not shown), said at least one sealing lip 9C has an oblique direction that deviates from the recess 9D, i.e., forms a slope whose free end is higher along the vertical axis Z than the end fixed between the recess 9D and the shoulder 9E. By way of non-limiting example, the angle of the slope of said at least one sealing lip 9C in rest position may be between 10° and 45° in order to better guarantee contact against the back of the protective wall 11 when the latter is attached against the support 9. The angle of the slope of said at least one sealing lip 9C in rest position may therefore, for example, be equal to 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°, 30°, 35°, 40° and 45°.Of course, the angle could be smaller or larger without going outside the scope of the invention.

[0038] Shoulder 9E is preferably designed to receive the protective wall 11 for attachment to the support 9, thus concealing any fasteners. Typically, the depth of shoulder 9E can, for example, match the thickness of the protective wall 11 so that the outer surface of the protective wall 11 is flush with the outer surface of the external housing 3 and / or part 9A of the outer surface of the support 9, as seen in the image. The electronic component 1 can thus present a clean aesthetic, notably free of any visible fasteners.

[0039] The protective wall 11 is intended to form another part of the external surface of the electronic component 1 and to protect said at least one 5A electronic element. Therefore, the protective wall 11, like the support 9, allows for greater aesthetic freedom, meaning that a portion of the external surface around said at least one 5A electronic element does not necessarily have to be flat. Furthermore, it is understood that the protective wall 11 is intended to enclose said at least one 5A electronic element within the support 9.

[0040] Preferably, according to the invention, the protective wall 11 is attached to the shoulder 9E as explained above. In a preferred solution, the protective wall 11 is bonded to the support 9 so that the support 9 can be removed to repair the electronic component 1. Advantageously, according to the invention, the attachment between the protective wall 11 and the support 9 is not permanently detachable, thus allowing for a high repairability index, for example, of the protective wall 11 and / or of at least one electronic component 5A. The bonding can, for example, be achieved by means of a double-sided adhesive tape 12 mounted between the rear face of the protective wall 11 and the upper face of the support 9, at least at the level of its shoulder 9E.

[0041] In the example illustrated in Figure 1, the protective wall 11 may include at least one touch sensor 5B so that the user can control the electronic item 1. It is understood that the electronic item 1 may thus include a touch interface allowing the user to control the various functions of the electronic item 1. Preferably, according to the invention, said at least one touch sensor 5B faces the support, that is to say, is mounted on its rear face, so as to protect said at least one touch sensor 5B with the protective wall 11 once the latter is attached to the support 9.

[0042] and in that the support has, between said at least one electronic element and the protective wall, at least one sealing lip in order to improve the protection against dust and liquids of said at least one electronic element.

[0043] An example of a manufacturing process for electronic article 1 according to the invention is now explained. A first step is intended to form the support 9 with said at least one sealing lip 9C. It is understood that this step can be carried out by casting or injection into a polymer mold such as silicone (RTV, LSR, EVC) or a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).

[0044] The process continues with a second step for mounting said at least one electronic element 5A in the support 9 below said at least one sealing lip 9C. This step may include a phase for lifting said at least one sealing lip 9C to facilitate the insertion of said at least one electronic element 5A into the recess 9D of the support 9, and then releasing said at least one sealing lip 9C to return to its rest position. As shown in the figure, the lower part of the support 9 may have a through hole 9F for connecting (for example, by electrical wires) said at least one electronic element 5A to the rest of the electronic elements 5.

[0045] The process continues with a third step for attaching the protective wall 11 to the support 9 by pressing said at least one sealing lip 9C against said at least one electronic element 5A in order to form a subassembly 7 in which the protection of said at least one electronic element 5A against dust and liquids is improved. In the example illustrated in the figure, the protective wall 11 is attached by double-sided adhesive tape 12 to the shoulder 9E of the support 9 (more clearly visible in the figure) and, optionally, to another shoulder provided in the external housing 3.

[0046] Finally, a fourth step is intended to mount the subassembly 7 in an external housing 3 of the electronic article 1 so that the protective wall 11 and the support 9 form part of the external surface of the electronic article 1.

[0047] Advantageously, according to the invention, receiving said at least one electronic element 5A in the support 9 provides mechanical protection for said at least one electronic element 5A. Furthermore, mounting the support 9 in the external housing 3 of the electronic article forms part of the external surface of the electronic article 1, thus allowing greater aesthetic freedom, specifically permitting a portion of the external surface around said at least one electronic element that is not flat.Finally, the plating of the protective wall 11 against said at least one sealing lip 9C of the support 9 allows, on the one hand, to form a sealing barrier between the support 9 and the protective wall 11 capable of protecting said at least one electronic element 5A from dust and liquids such as water and, on the other hand, to lock said at least one electronic element 5A in the support 9 allowing compensation of manufacturing dimension variations of the parts of the subassembly 7 which makes it possible to obtain a very robust electronic article 1 particularly against shocks.

[0048] Similar to support 9, mounting the protective wall 11 on support 9 also forms part of the external surface of the electronic component 1 advantageously according to the invention, thus allowing greater aesthetic freedom, specifically enabling a portion of the external surface around said at least one electronic component 5A to be non-planar. Furthermore, mounting the protective wall 11 on support 9 allows said at least one electronic component 5A to be enclosed within the support 9, thereby improving the robustness of said at least one electronic component 5A.

[0049] The invention is not limited to the embodiments and variations presented, and other embodiments and variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the embodiments and variations can be combined without departing from the scope of the invention. Without limiting the invention, the manufacturing process steps may differ without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, after the first step, it may be possible to mount the support 9 in the external housing 3 (fourth step) before performing the second and third steps, while maintaining the technical effects and advantages mentioned above. List of references

[0050] 1 - electronic article 3 - outer casing 5 - electronic components 5A - display 5B - touch sensor 7 - mounted subassembly 9 - bracket 9A - part of the external surface of the electronic article 9B - body 9C - lip 9D - recess 9E - shoulder 9F - hole 10 - interface between the bracket and the outer casing 11 - protective wall 12 - adhesive tape

Claims

electronic article (1) comprising an external housing (3) enclosing electronic elements (5), characterized in that the electronic article (1) comprises a support (9) mounted in the external housing (3) and intended to form a part (9A) of the external surface of the electronic article (1) and to receive at least one electronic element (5A), and a protective wall (11) attached to the support (9) and intended to form another part of the external surface of the electronic article (1) and to protect said at least one electronic element (5A), and in that the support (9) has, between said at least one electronic element (5A) and the protective wall (11), at least one sealing lip (9C) in order to improve the protection against dust and liquids of said at least one electronic element (5A). Article (1) electronic according to the preceding claim, wherein the support (9) is more flexible than the outer housing (3) in order to improve the dust and liquid sealing of the mounting of the support (9) against the outer housing (3). Article (1) electronic according to the preceding claim, wherein the support (9) is formed from a polymer such as silicone. Article (1) electronic according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support (9) has a shoulder (9E) against which the protective wall (11) is attached in order to conceal any fastening element. electronic article (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the protective wall (11) is attached against the shoulder (9E) by gluing so that the protective wall (11) can be removed for repair of the electronic article (1). electronic article (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support (9) has a recess (9D) receiving said at least one electronic element (5A), said at least one sealing lip (9C) surrounding the recess (9D) so as to be able to remove said at least one electronic element (5A) for repairing the electronic article (1). electronic article (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the protective wall (11) includes at least one touch sensor (5B) so that a user can control the electronic article (1). electronic article (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one electronic element (5A) comprises a display so that a user can communicate with the electronic article (1). Article (1) electronic according to any one of the preceding claims, forming a secure payment terminal. A method for manufacturing an electronic article (1), characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - forming a support (9) with at least one sealing lip (9C); - mounting at least one electronic element (5A) in the support (9) below said at least one sealing lip (9C); - attaching a protective wall (11) to the support (9) by pressing said at least one sealing lip (9C) against said at least one electronic element (5A) in order to improve the protection of said at least one electronic element (5A) against dust and liquids; - mounting the assembly (7) in an external housing (3) of the electronic article (1).

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