Patent Application
20120039050
This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0078170 filed on Aug. 13, 2010, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present, invention relates to an electronic device having a transmission line pattern embedded in a case thereof and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the rapid development of semiconductor integrated circuit technology and information technology, various portable electronic devices such as a portable multimedia player (PMP), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, a laptop, and the like have become necessities of modern life.
Further, as portable electronic devices have come to be widely used, user requirements have been diversified, and as a result, portable electronic devices having multiple functions and which can be conveniently used have been continuously developed. For example, diversified functions such as digital broadcast transmitting and receiving (e.g., digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB)), navigation, Wibro, WIFI, Bluetooth, and the like nave been incorporated into portable electronic devices.
In recent years, with the miniaturizing and thinning tendencies in the field of portable electronic devices, circuits having diversified functions need to be integrated into a limited internal space of portable electronic devices. In this case, in order to maximally utilize the internal space of portable electronic devices, spatially separated components, e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB), an antenna, an interface card, and the like are used.
However, in this case, a connection medium such as a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) or a coaxial cable should be used in order to transfer a signal, such as a digital signal or a high-frequency signal transmitted through the antenna, between the PCBs, and a space for the connection media should be allocated within the inner part of the portable electronic device. Therefore, it is inefficient in terms of spatial utilization.
An aspect of the present invention provides an electronic device that has a case embedded with a transmission line pattern for an electrical connection between spatially separated components so that an assembly process and an additional space for the electrical connection therebetween are not required, and a method for manufacturing the same.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device including: a line pattern body embedded in a case and including a line pattern for electrically connecting components with each other; terminal portions respectively disposed at portions of the line pattern corresponding to terminals of the components to be electrically connected, and exposed from the bottom of the case; and connection members connecting the terminals of the components with the terminal portions.
The electronic device may further include a line pattern body frame to allow the line pattern body to be embedded in the case.
The electronic device may further include a case frame covering one surface of the line pattern body frame to allow the line pattern to be embedded between the case frame and the line pattern body frame.
The connection members may be elastically coupled to the respective terminal portions and the respective terminals of the components.
In this case, each of the connection members may be formed by a C-clip or a Pogo-pin.
Each of the connection members may have one end attached to a corresponding terminal of the terminals of the components and the other end elastically contacting a corresponding terminal portion of the terminal portions.
The line pattern body may be a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).
The line pattern may be a strip line, a microstrip line, a coplanar waveguide (CPW), a coplanar waveguide with ground (CPW with GND), a coplanar strip (CPS), a slot line, or a parallel line.
The components electrically connected by the line pattern may include PCBs mounted with elements having predetermined functions, an antenna and an interface card, or an antenna and a PCB having a matching circuit.
Meanwhile, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device having a transmission line pattern embedded in a case, the device including: a line pattern body embedded in a case and including a line pattern for transmitting signals; a radiator embedded in the case while being connected with one end of the line pattern and including an antenna pattern portion for transmitting and receiving signals; a terminal portion formed at the other end of the line pattern and exposed from the bottom of the case at a location corresponding to a terminal of a PCB transmitting and receiving signals to and from the radiator; and a connection member connecting the terminal portion and the terminal of the PCB to each other.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing an electronic device having a transmission line pattern embedded in a case, the method including: manufacturing a line pattern for electrically connecting components to each other and a line pattern body having terminal portions at both ends of the line pattern; embedding the line pattern body in the case so as to allow the line pattern to be embedded in the case and the terminal portion to be exposed from the bottom of the case; and electrically connecting terminals of the components with the corresponding terminal portions of the line pattern by using connection members.
The embedding of the line pattern body in the case may be performed by insert-injection molding the line pattern body.
The embedding of the line pattern body in the case may include: manufacturing a line pattern body frame by insert-injection molding the line pattern body so as to allow the line pattern to be embedded therein and the terminal portion to be exposed; and manufacturing a case frame by insert-injection molding so as to allow the terminal portion of the line pattern body frame to cover an opposite surface to the exposed surface.
The manufacturing of the line pattern body frame may be performed by disposing the line pattern body to contact one inner surface of a manufacturing mold for the line pattern body frame and filling the manufacturing mold for the line pattern body frame with a resin material, and the manufacturing of the case frame may be performed by disposing the line pattern body frame to contact one inner surface of a manufacturing mold for the case frame and filling the manufacturing mold for the case frame with the resin material.
The electrically connecting the terminals with the terminal portions may include: attaching one end of each of the connection members to a corresponding terminal of the terminals of the components; and making the other end of each of the connection members electrically contact a corresponding terminal portion of the terminal portions.
The manufacturing of the line pattern body may be performed by screen-printing, sputtering, or plating a pattern corresponding to the line pattern on a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) by using a conductive material.
The above and other aspects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments and other exemplary embodiments included in other retrogressive inventions or that are within the spirit of the present invention could be easily proposed by those skilled in the art through adding, modifying, and deleting other components without departing from the same spirit. However, it will be included in the range of the spirit of the present invention.
Further, like or similar reference numerals refer to like elements having the same function within the same spirit shown in the drawings of the exemplary embodiments.
Referring to
The line pattern bodies 210 and 220 may include a first line pattern body 210 having terminal portions formed on the same line as the line pattern thereof, and a second line pattern body 220 having terminal portions formed perpendicular to the line pattern thereof. Such formations of the terminal portions may be selected depending on the installation positions of components to be connected.
In detail, the first line pattern body 210 may include a first line pattern 214 for transmitting signals between predetermined circuits of a first PCB 130 and a second PCB 150, and first and second terminal portions 211 and 212 formed at both ends of the first circuit pattern 214 to provide electrical connections.
The first and second terminal portions 211 and 212 are exposed on the surface of the case 120, and the first line pattern 214 may be embedded in the case 120.
The second line pattern body 220 may include a second line pattern 224 for transmitting signals between predetermined circuits of the first PCB 130 and the second PCS 150, and third and fourth terminal portions 221 and 222 formed at both ends of the second circuit pattern 224 to provide electrical connections.
Similarly, the third and fourth terminal portions 221 and 222 are exposed on the surface of the case 120, and the second line pattern 224 may be embedded in the case 120.
Connection members for electrical connections with the terminal portions of the first line pattern 214 and the second line pattern 224 may be connected to terminals of predetermined circuits of the first PCB 130 and the second PCB 150.
In detail, the connection members may include a first connection member 310 connected with the first terminal portion 211 and a second connection member 320 connected with the second terminal portion 212 so as to transmit signals between the predetermined circuits of the first PCB 130 and the second PCB 150 through the first line pattern 214.
Further, the connection members may include a third connect ion member 330 connected with the third terminal portion 221 and a fourth connection member 340 connected with the fourth terminal portion 222 so as to transmit signals between the predetermined circuits of the first PCB 130 and the second PCB 150 through the second line pattern 224.
The first to fourth connection members 310 to 340 have ends connected to the corresponding terminals of the predetermined circuits of the first PCB 130 and or the second PCB 150 and other ends respectively connected to the first to fourth terminal portions 211, 212, 221, and 222.
In this case, the first to fourth connection members 310 to 340 are made of an elastic member to be elastically coupled to the corresponding terminals of the predetermined circuits of the first PCB 130 and the second PCB 150 or to the first to fourth terminal portions 211, 212, 221, and 222, respectively. For example, the first to fourth connection members 310 to 340 may be formed by a C-clip or a Pogo-pin.
The first to fourth connection members 310 to 340 may each be integrated with a corresponding one of the first PCB 130 and the second PCB 150 or formed as an additional member to be attached to a corresponding one of the terminals of the predetermined circuits of the first PCB 130 and the second PCB 150.
In
As shown in
In the first line pattern body 210, a conductor pattern having a shape corresponding to the first line pattern 214 may be formed by sputtering, printing, plating, stamping, drawing, or dispensing conductive materials on an FPCB.
As the FPCB, a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) or a high temperature co-fired ceramic (HTCC) may be used.
Signals such as a digital signal or a high-frequency signal transmitted through an antenna may be transmitted to the first line pattern 214.
As shown in
Although the circuit pattern bodies 210 and 220 transmit signals between circuits having predetermined functions of the first PCB 130 and the second PCB 150 in the exemplary embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto and the line pattern bodies 210 and 220 may transmit high-frequency signals between a PCB having a matching circuit and an antenna and transmit signals between the antenna and an interface card.
Referring to
As shown in
As shown in
Herein, a first guiding slot 434a between the first ground conductor 431a and the central conductor pattern 433 and a second guiding slot 434b between the second ground pattern 431b and the central conductor pattern 433 may be formed with the same gap w. Further, the central conductor pattern 433, and the first ground conductor 431a and the second ground conductor 431b may be parallel to each other.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing a mobile communication terminal which is an electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described.
First, when a predetermined manufacturing method of the present invention is schematically described, a line pattern body having a line pattern and a terminal portion is manufactured, the line pattern body is insert-injection-molded such that the terminal portion is exposed while the line pattern is embedded in a case, and the terminal portion and parts of a main body are electrically connected with each other so as to complete the electronic device according to an exemplary embodiment the present invention.
Referring to
In this case, the application of the conductive material to one surface of a PCB may be performed by a method of sputtering, printing, plating, stamping, drawing, or dispensing a pattern corresponding to the line pattern 214.
Further, the first terminal portion 211 and the second terminal portion 212 may be formed in locations corresponding to terminals of components of the main body to be electrically connected to each other, e.g., PCBs, a PCB and an antenna, and an antenna and an interface card.
The line pattern body 210 is disposed in a manufacturing mold 500 for a line pattern body frame, and a resin material may then be filled in an inner space 530 of the manufacturing mold 500 for the line pattern body frame.
The manufacturing mold 500 for the line pattern body frame includes an upper mold 510 contacting one surface of the FPCB of the line pattern body 210 opposing the other surface thereof on which the line pattern 214 is formed, and a lower mold 520 filled with the resin material.
When the line pattern body 210 is disposed in the upper mold 510 and the lower mold 520 which are combined with each other, the resin material is filled in the inner space 530 formed by the combination of the upper mold 510 and the lower mold 520 through an inlet 540.
In this case, portions of the bottom of the lower mold 520 corresponding to the first terminal portion 211 and the second terminal portion 212 are projected, and groove portions 522 filled with the resin material are formed in portions thereof other than the portions corresponding to the first terminal portion 211 and the second terminal portion 212.
Therefore, when the resin material is filled in the inner space 530, the resin material is filled in the part other than the portions where the first terminal portion 211 and the second terminal portion 212 are formed, such that when the line pattern body frame 230 is separated from the manufacturing mold 500 of the line pattern body 230, the first terminal portion 211 and the second terminal portion 212 may be exposed on the bottom of the line pattern body frame 230.
Herein, the line pattern body frame 230 may serve as a primary injection product for embedding the line pattern 214 in the case.
Referring to
The manufacturing mold 600 for the case frame includes an upper mold 610 with an inner space 630 filled with the resin material and a lower mold 620 with an inner space where the line pattern body frame 230 is disposed to form the case frame 120.
The upper mold 610 has a groove 612 to form the inner space 630 between itself and one surface of the line pattern body frame 230 disposed therein. The bottom of the lower mold 620 may have the same shape as the surface on which the first terminal portion 211 and the second terminal portion 212 are formed.
As a result, the resin material is prevented from being applied to the surface of the line pattern body frame 230 on which the first terminal portion 211 and the second terminal portion 212 are formed. Therefore, the first terminal portion 211 and the second terminal portion 212 may be exposed on the bottom of the case frame 120.
The line pattern body frame 230 is disposed in the lower mold 620, and the lower mold 620 and the upper mold 610 are then combined together. Thereafter, the resin material is injected into the inner space 630, formed by the joined lower and upper molds 620 and 610, through the inlet 640, such that the resin material is filled to cover an opposite surface to the surface on which the terminal portions 211 and 212 of the line pattern body frame 230 are exposed. The part filled with the resin material constitutes the case frame 120.
Herein, the case frame 120 may serve as a secondary injection product for embedding the line pattern 214 in the case.
Although the line pattern body frame 230 and the case frame 120 are formed by insert-injection molding, it is merely exemplary and the present invention is nor limited thereto. For example, the line pattern body frame 230 may be manufactured by attaching the line pattern body 210 to a frame having a predetermined shape, and the case frame 120 may be manufactured by attaching the manufactured line pattern body frame 230 to a frame having the shape of a previously manufactured case.
When the case 120 in which the line pattern 214 is embedded is completed, the circuits of the PCBs 130 and 150 of the main body are electrically connected with each other by using connection members 310 and 320.
This does not require an additional assembly process and may be made by assembling the case 120 to a main case 140 of the main body.
For example, as shown in
In this case, one end of the first connection member 310 and one end of the second connection member 320 may be coupled to the terminal of the second PCB 150 and the terminal of the first PCB 130, respectively by attachment using an adhesive agent.
This is the same even in electrical connections between the second line pattern 224, and the circuit of the first PCB 130 and the circuit of the second PCB 150.
In the exemplary embodiment, the first line pattern body 210 with the first line pattern 214 is manufactured, the first line pattern body frame 230 is formed by insert-injection molding the first line pattern body 210, and the case frame 120 is formed by insert-injection molding the first line pattern body pattern 230. However, the second line pattern body 220 with the second line pattern 224 may be manufactured and the second line pattern body 220 may be embedded in the case 120 through operations corresponding to the above operations.
As such, in the exemplary embodiment, since the circuit of the first PCB 130 and the circuit of the second PCB 150 are electrically connected with each other by combining the case 120 and the main case 140 with each other, an additional assembly process using a connection medium is not required. Since the line pattern is embedded in the case 120, an additional space for the connection medium is not required, allowing for the maximal utilization of the space therein.
In the mobile communication terminal according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention which is shown in
Referring to
The radiator 160 is connected to a first terminal portion 241 formed at one end of the line pattern 244 and is embedded in the case 120, and signals may be transmitted between the antenna pattern portion 162 of the radiator 160 and the PCB 170 through the line pattern 244.
The line pattern body 240 serves to support the line pattern 244 so as to embed the line pattern 244 in the case 120 and may have a shape corresponding to the shape of the line pattern 244.
In the exemplary embodiment, since a terminal of the antenna pattern portion 162 and a terminal of the PCB 170 are not positioned linearly, the line pattern 244 and the line pattern body 240 are curved. That is, the line pattern 244 and the line pattern body 240 may include a first extension portion extending parallel to a longitudinal direction of the case 120 on the first connection portion 241 connected with the terminal of the antenna pattern portion 162, a curved portion perpendicularly curved at the end of the first extension portion, and a second extension portion which is curved and extended parallel in the longitudinal direction of the case 120 at the end of the curved portion.
The PCB 170 includes a matching circuit for matching the signal transmitted from the antenna pattern 162 or to the antenna pattern portion 162, and an elastic connection member 350 may be disposed on the terminal 172.
One end of she connection member 350 may be coupled to the terminal 172 and the other end of the connection member 350 may elastically contact the second terminal portion 242 of the line pattern 244. The connection member 350 may be integrated with the PCB 170 or the line pattern body 240, and a free end of the connection member 350 may elastically contact the terminal of the PCB 170 or the second terminal portion 242 of the line pattern 244.
A first frame is formed by connecting the radiator 160 having the antenna pattern portion 162 with the line pattern body 240 having the line pattern 244 and insert-injection molding the connected components, and the first frame is also insert-injection molded to form a case frame, thereby manufacturing the case 120.
As described above, in the exemplary embodiment, when the antenna embedded in the case is manufactured, the line pattern can also be manufactured to be connected with the antenna. Thus, an additional process of embedding the line pattern in the case is not required, thereby simplifying the process.
As set forth above, in an electronic device and a method for manufacturing the same according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a space for connection media connecting spatially separated components or a process for assembling the connection media does not need to be allotted, the utilization efficiency of the internal space of the electronic device is improved.
While this invention has been described in connection with what are presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, a configuration in which an additional connection member is attached to a terminal of a PCB is merely illustrative and may be integrated with the PCB, attached to a terminal portion of a line pattern, and integrated with the terminal portion of the line pattern. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention will be determined by the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2010-0078170 | Aug 2010 | KR | national |
