Electronic device

Abstract

An electronic device comprises a first member provided with a first connector, and a second member provided with a second connector. The first member is detachable along a first direction and the second member is detachable along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The first connector can be inserted / extracted relative to the second connector both along the first direction and along the second direction.

Description

Electronic device

[0005]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device.

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2024-505860 discloses connecting a plug and a socket provided on a circuit board.

[0003] A better electronic device is desired.

[0004] An aspect of the present disclosure is an electronic device including a first connector that is one of a pair of connectors, a first member housed in a housing, and a second member including a second connector that is the other of the pair of connectors. The first member is detachable along a first direction, the second member is detachable along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and the first connector can be inserted into and removed from the second connector in either a direction along the first direction or a direction along the second direction.

[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 6A is a partial side view showing a connection state between the first connector and the second connector, and FIG. 6B is a partial cross-sectional view showing the connection state between the first connector and the second connector. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the first connector. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the second connector. FIG. 9A is a partial bottom view showing a connection state between the first contact and the second contact, and FIG. 9B is a partial bottom view showing the release of the connection state between the first contact and the second contact. FIG. 10A is a partial side view showing a connection state between the first contact and the second contact, and FIGS. 10B and 10C are partial side views showing the release of the connection state between the first contact and the second contact. <00000!1>

[0006] When the first member and the second member are connector-connected, when removing the first member from the second member, it may be impossible to remove the first member unless the second member is removed from the housing. In such a case, it takes a long time to perform maintenance work on the first member.

[0007] This disclosure may provide an electronic device that can contribute to improving maintenance work.

[0008] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electronic device 10 according to one embodiment. Figures 2 to 5 are exploded perspective views of the electronic device 10 according to one embodiment.

[0009] As shown in Figure 1, the electronic device 10 is, for example, a control device for controlling industrial machinery. Industrial machinery is, for example, a robot, but is not limited to this. As shown in Figure 2, the electronic device 10 comprises a housing 12, a circuit board 16, and a fan 20.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, the housing 12 has, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The housing 12 comprises a bottom plate 22 (see Figure 2), a top plate 24, and four side plates 26, 28, 30, and 32. As shown in Figure 2, the bottom plate 22, the top plate 24, and the four side plates 26, 28, 30, and 32 are each formed in a rectangular shape. The material of the bottom plate 22, the top plate 24, and the four side plates 26, 28, 30, and 32 is, for example, a metal material.

[0011] In the following description, the front-to-back direction (depth direction) of the enclosure 12 will be referred to as the X direction (second direction). The X direction is the shorter side direction of the enclosure 12. The bottom plate 22 is aligned with the X direction. The direction from rear to front will be referred to as the X1 direction. The direction from front to rear (opposite direction to the X1 direction) will be referred to as the X2 direction.

[0012] The direction perpendicular to the X direction and along the bottom plate 22 is referred to as the Y direction. The Y direction is the longitudinal direction (width direction) of the housing 12. The direction from the side plate 30 toward the side plate 28 is referred to as the Y1 direction. The direction from the side plate 28 toward the side plate 30 (opposite direction to the Y1 direction) is referred to as the Y2 direction.

[0013] The Z direction (first direction) is perpendicular to the X and Y directions. The Z direction is the height direction of the housing 12. The direction from the top plate 24 toward the bottom plate 22 is called the Z1 direction. The direction from the bottom plate 22 toward the top plate 24 (opposite direction to the Z1 direction) is called the Z2 direction.

[0014] The side panel 26 is the front panel 34 of the housing 12. The front panel 34 is equipped with a power connector 36. When the power connector 36 is electrically connected to an external power cable (not shown) outside the housing 12, AC power can be supplied to the electronic device 10 from an external power source (not shown). The front panel 34 and the bottom panel 22 are integrally formed.

[0015] The side panel 32 is the rear panel 38 of the housing 12. The rear panel 38 is a plate-shaped member with the X direction as its normal direction. Therefore, the rear panel 38 extends along the Y and Z directions. The rear panel 38 and the bottom plate 22 are integrally formed.

[0016] The top plate 24, side plate 28, and side plate 30 are integrally formed. The integrally formed top plate 24, side plate 28, and side plate 30 are detachable from the bottom plate 22 in the Z direction.

[0017] A housing space 40 is formed inside the housing 12. The bottom plate 22, the top plate 24, the two side plates 28 and 30, the front panel 34, and the rear panel 38 define the housing space 40.

[0018] The circuit board 16 (first member 14) is placed inside the housing space 40. The circuit board 16 is placed in the housing space 40 with the Z direction as the normal direction. Therefore, the circuit board 16 is placed in the housing space 40 with extensions along the X and Y directions. As shown in Figure 4, the circuit board 16 is detachable in the Z direction from the bottom plate 22 when the top plate 24 is removed. The circuit board 16 is a control board 42 for controlling the drive of the fan 20, which will be described later.

[0019] As shown in Figure 3, the second member 18 constitutes a part of the rear panel 38. The second member 18 is a rectangular plate-like member with the X direction as its normal direction. The second member 18 is a partial housing 44 that constitutes a part of the housing 12. The second member 18 is detachable from the rear panel 38 in the X direction.

[0020] The fan 20 is provided on the second member 18. Specifically, multiple fans 20 (three fans 20 in Figure 3) are provided on the second member 18. The multiple fans 20 are provided on the second member 18 at intervals in the Y direction. As shown in Figure 2, when the second member 18 is attached to the rear panel 38, the fan 20 is located within the housing space 40.

[0021] As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, both the circuit board 16 and the second member 18 are detachable. The detachment of the circuit board 16 and the detachment of the second member 18 will be described later.

[0022] As shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the electronic device 10 according to one embodiment further comprises a pair of connectors 46. The pair of connectors 46 are a first connector 48 and a second connector 50. In Figure 6A, the first connector 48 and the second connector 50 are schematically shown.

[0023] As shown in Figure 7, the first connector 48 is provided on the circuit board 16, which is the first component 14. The first connector 48 is a female connector receptacle. As shown in Figure 8, the second connector 50 is provided on the second component 18. The second connector 50 is a male connector plug. As shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the first connector 48 and the second connector 50 are connected. When the circuit board 16 or the second component 18 is removed, the connection between the first connector 48 and the second connector 50 is released.

[0024] Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the second connector 50 is provided on the X1-direction side of the second member 18 (the surface defining the housing space 40). The second connector 50 is located in an empty space where the fan 20 is not located. As shown in Figure 8, the second connector 50 comprises a first contact 52 and a first insulator 54.

[0025] The first insulator 54 is fixed to the X1 direction side of the second member 18. The first insulator 54 is a rectangular block. The first insulator 54 is made of an electrical insulating material such as resin. The first insulator 54 has a first recess 54a formed therein that is recessed in the X2 direction and the Z1 direction. The first recess 54a is open in both the X1 direction and the Z2 direction. The first recess 54a has a first bulge 54b formed therein that bulges in the X1 direction.

[0026] The first contact 52 is fixed to the first insulator 54. More specifically, multiple first contacts 52 are provided in the first recess 54a at intervals in the Y direction. The first contacts 52 are made of a metal material. The first contacts 52 are rectangular plate-shaped members with the Y direction as their normal direction. Therefore, the first contacts 52 extend in the X and Z directions. Multiple first contacts 52 are electrically connected to multiple fans 20 via cables (not shown).

[0027] As shown in Figure 7, the first connector 48 includes a second contact 56 (see Figure 6B) and a second insulator 58 (insulator).

[0028] The second insulator 58 is positioned on the Z1-direction side (bottom surface) of the circuit board 16. The second insulator 58 is a rectangular block. The second insulator 58 is made of an electrically insulating material such as resin. The second insulator 58 has a second recess 58a formed in it that is recessed in the X1 and Z2 directions. The second recess 58a is open in both the X2 and Z1 directions. The second recess 58a has a second bulge 58b formed in it that bulges in the X2 direction. Two guide portions 58c are provided at both ends of the second bulge 58b in the Y direction. The two guide portions 58c protrude in the X2 direction from both ends of the second bulge 58b. The distance between the two guide portions 58c in the Y direction is slightly larger than the dimension of the first bulge 54b (see Figure 8) in the Y direction.

[0029] Multiple slits 58d are formed in the second bulge 58b. The multiple slits 58d are spaced apart in the Y direction. The number of multiple slits 58d is the same as the number of multiple first contacts 52 (see Figure 8). The pitch of the multiple slits 58d in the Y direction is the same as the pitch of the multiple first contacts 52 in the Y direction.

[0030] The slit 58d opens in both the X and Z directions at the second bulge 58b. More specifically, the slit 58d opens on the X2 direction side and the Z1 direction side of the second bulge 58b. The width of the slit 58d in the Y direction is slightly larger than the width of the first contact 52 in the Y direction. Also, the depth of the slit 58d in the X and Z directions is slightly larger than the dimensions of the first contact 52 in the X and Z directions. Therefore, as shown in Figure 9A, the first contact 52 can be inserted into the slit 58d.

[0031] As shown in Figure 6A, the second contact 56 is provided on the second insulator 58. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6B, multiple second contacts 56 are provided in multiple slits 58d. Therefore, one second contact 56 is provided in each slit 58d (see Figure 9A). The multiple second contacts 56 are spaced apart in the Y direction. The second contacts 56 are made of a metallic material.

[0032] As shown in Figure 6A, the second contact 56 is an L-shaped linear member. More specifically, one portion of the second contact 56, including its tip 56a, extends in the X direction within the second insulator 58. As shown in Figure 9A, the tip 56a of the second contact 56 is exposed to the slit 58d. Therefore, when the first contact 52 is inserted into the slit 58d, the first contact 52 and the tip 56a of the second contact 56 are connected. As shown in Figure 6A, the other portion of the second contact 56, including its base end 56b (the base end side), extends in the Z2 direction along the X1 direction side surface of the second insulator 58. That is, the other portion of the second contact 56 extends toward the circuit board 16. The base end 56b of the second contact 56 penetrates the circuit board 16 and extends in the Z2 direction. The base end 56b of the second contact 56 is fixed to the Z2-direction side (top surface) of the circuit board 16 by solder or the like (not shown).

[0033] As shown in Figure 6B, when the first insulator 54 of the first connector 48 is inserted into the second recess 58a of the first connector 48 and the first bulge 54b is inserted into the gap between the two guide portions 58c, the multiple first contacts 52 are inserted into the multiple slits 58d. As shown in Figure 9A, when the first contacts 52 are inserted into the slits 58d, the tip portion 56a of the second contact 56 provided in the slits 58d comes into contact with the first contacts 52. This connects the first contacts 52 and the second contacts 56. As shown in Figure 6B, when the first insulator 54 is inserted into the X1-direction side surface of the second recess 58a, and the first bulge 54b is guided by the two guide portions 58c and contacts the X2-direction side surface of the second bulge 58b, the multiple first contacts 52 are inserted into the back of the multiple slits 58d, and the tip portion 56a of the second contact 56 (see Figure 9A) is pressed in the Y1 direction by the first contacts 52. As a result, the first connector 48 and the second connector 50 are mated together.

[0034] As shown in Figure 6A, with the first connector 48 and the second connector 50 connected, when AC power is supplied from outside the housing 12 (see Figure 1) via the power connector 36, a power supply board (not shown) located inside the housing space 40 (see Figure 2) converts the AC power to DC power. The power supply board outputs the converted DC power to the circuit board 16 and a drive board (not shown) located inside the housing space 40. The circuit board 16 drives the fan 20 by supplying DC power to it. When the fan 20 is driven, cooling air flows into the housing space 40, cooling the circuit board 16, the power supply board, and the drive board. The circuit board 16 controls an industrial machine (not shown) located outside the electronic device 10. The drive board operates on DC power to drive a motor provided in the industrial machine.

[0035] The removal of the circuit board 16 and the second component 18 will be described in detail below. Here, we will explain the first method for removing the circuit board 16 and the second method for removing the second component 18.

[0036] In the first method, first, as shown in Figure 2, the user removes the top plate 24 by moving the top plate 24 relative to the bottom plate 22 in the Z2 direction. Next, as shown in Figure 5, the user moves the circuit board 16 relative to the bottom plate 22 in the Z2 direction. As shown in Figures 9A and 10A, the first contact 52 is inserted into the slit 58d and connected to the second contact 56. Also, as shown in Figure 7, the slit 58d and the second recess 58a open in the Z1 direction. Therefore, when the circuit board 16 is moved relative to the bottom plate 22, as shown in Figure 10C, the second connector 50 moves in the Z2 direction, and the first contact 52 is removed from the slit 58d in the Z1 direction. This releases the connection between the first connector 48 and the second connector 50, allowing the circuit board 16 to be easily removed. In other words, the circuit board 16 can be removed even when the second member 18 is attached to the rear panel 38.

[0037] In the second method, as shown in Figure 3, the user moves the second member 18 relative to the rear panel 38 in the X2 direction. As shown in Figures 9A and 10A, the first contact 52 is inserted into the slit 58d and connected to the second contact 56. Also, as shown in Figure 7, the slit 58d and the second recess 58a open in the X2 direction. Therefore, when the second member 18 is moved relative to the slit 58d (see Figure 3), the first contact 52 is removed from the slit 58d in the X2 direction, as shown in Figures 9B and 10B. With the first contact 52 removed, the connection between the first connector 48 and the second connector 50 is released, and the second member 18 is removed from the rear panel 38 (see Figure 3). In other words, the second member 18 can be removed even when the circuit board 16 is located in the housing space 40.

[0038] As described above, in the electronic device 10 according to one embodiment, the first connector 48 can be inserted into and removed from the second connector 50 in either the X direction or the Z direction. This allows the circuit board 16 and the second member 18 to be easily attached and detached. Furthermore, the circuit board 16 and the second member 18 can be electrically connected without the need for cables. Consequently, the work time and man-hours required for replacing the circuit board 16 are reduced in the electronic device 10, and maintenance work on the electronic device 10 is made easier.

[0039] In addition, in the electronic device 10, the first connector 48 may be a plug, and the second connector 50 may be a receptacle. That is, the first connector 48 may be equipped with a first contact 52 and a first insulator 54, and the second connector 50 may be equipped with a second contact 56 and a second insulator 58. Even in this case, the working time and man-hours required to replace the circuit board 16 are reduced, and maintenance work on the electronic device 10 becomes easier.

[0040] The following additional information is disclosed regarding the above embodiments.

[0041] (Supplementary Note 1) The electronic device (10) of the present disclosure includes the first connector (48) which is one of a pair of connectors (46), where the first member (14) is housed in the housing (12), and a second member (18) which includes the second connector (50) which is the other of the pair of connectors. The first member is detachable along the first direction (Z), and the second member is detachable along the second direction (X) which is orthogonal to the first direction. The first connector is insertable and removable with respect to the second connector in either the direction along the first direction or the direction along the second direction.

[0042] (Supplementary Note 2) In the electronic device according to Supplementary Note 1, the second member may be a partial housing (44) which constitutes a part of the housing.

[0043] (Supplementary Note 3) In the electronic device according to Supplementary Note 2, the partial housing may be provided with a fan (20).

[0044] (Supplementary Note 4) In the electronic device according to Supplementary Note 3, the first member may be a circuit board (16).

[0045] (Supplementary Note 5) In the electronic device according to Supplementary Note 4, the circuit board may be a control board (42) for controlling the driving of the fan.

[0046] (Supplementary Note 6) In the electronic device according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 5, one of the first connector and the second connector includes a first contact (52) which is a rectangular plate-like member having the direction (Y) which intersects the first direction and the second direction as the normal direction, and the other of the first connector and the second connector includes an insulator (58) in which a slit (58d) which opens in either the first direction or the second direction into which the first contact can be inserted is formed, and a second contact (56) which is provided in the slit and is connected to the first contact inserted into the slit.

[0047] While this disclosure has been described in detail, it is not limited to the individual embodiments described above. These embodiments can be added, replaced, modified, partially deleted, etc., in any way that does not depart from the gist of this disclosure or from the intent of this disclosure derived from the claims and their equivalents. These embodiments can also be implemented in combination. For example, the order of operations and processes in the embodiments described above are given as examples only and are not limited thereto. The same applies when numerical values ​​or mathematical formulas are used in the description of the embodiments described above.

[0048] 10...Electronic device 12...Housing 14...First component 16...Circuit board 18...Second component 20...Fan 42...Control board 44...Partial housing 46...Connector 48...First connector 50...Second connector 52...First contact 56...Second contact 58...Second insulator (insulator) 58d...Slit

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising: a first member housed within a housing and having a first connector which is one of a pair of connectors; and a second member having a second connector which is the other of the pair of connectors, wherein the first member is detachable along a first direction, the second member is detachable along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the first connector is insertable into and remove from the second connector in either the direction along the first direction or the direction along the second direction.

2. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second member is a partial housing that constitutes a part of the housing.

3. An electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the partial housing is equipped with a fan.

4. An electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the first component is a circuit board.

5. An electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the circuit board is a control board for controlling the drive of the fan.

6. An electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein one of the first connector and the second connector comprises a first contact which is a rectangular plate-shaped member whose normal direction is the direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, and the other of the first connector and the second connector comprises an insulator having a slit formed therein which is open in either the first direction or the second direction into which the first contact can be inserted, and a second contact provided in the slit and connected to the first contact inserted in the slit.

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