Patent Application
20250190030
The present disclosure relates to an electronic device.
PTL 1 discloses an electronic device that includes a touch panel display and an exterior portion having a bezel portion that holds an outer edge portion of the touch panel display over the entire circumference.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronic device capable of suppressing breakage of a panel of a display.
An electronic device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a display that includes a panel having a first principal surface, a second principal surface on a side opposite to the first principal surface, and an outer peripheral end portion that connects the first principal surface and the second principal surface, a first housing that houses the display, a second housing that houses an input unit, and a hinge that rotatably connects the first housing and the second housing. The first housing includes a first frame member that surrounds the outer peripheral end portion of the panel, and a second frame member that extends from the first frame member along the second principal surface of the panel and is disposed in a frame shape on the second principal surface side of the panel, a cutout that exposes the outer peripheral end portion of the panel and the second frame member is provided at a position where the hinge is disposed in the first frame member, and the second frame member has a protruding end that protrudes toward the cutout beyond the outer peripheral end portion of the panel in a portion exposed from the cutout.
According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide the electronic device capable of suppressing the breakage of the panel of the display.
PTL 1 discloses an information processing apparatus including a first exterior portion, a second exterior portion, and a connection portion that rotatably connects the first exterior portion and the second exterior portion. The information processing apparatus includes a touch panel display accommodated in the first exterior portion, and an outer edge portion of the touch panel display is held by a bezel portion of the exterior portion over the entire circumference. In addition, the first exterior portion and the second exterior portion have a rectangular shape in top view, and the connection portion has a configuration in which a coupling portion having a cylindrical shape formed on one side of the first exterior portion and a coupling portion having a cylindrical shape formed on one side of the second exterior portion are fitted to be rotatable with each other.
In such an information processing apparatus, in a case where the first exterior portion is downsized, it is conceivable to omit the bezel portion of a portion where the coupling portion is not formed in one side of the first exterior portion where the connection portion is formed. However, for example, in a case where the information processing apparatus is dropped, when an impact is applied to the first exterior portion and the panel such as the touch panel display moves toward the coupling portion formed in the second exterior portion, the touch panel display may come into contact with the coupling portion formed in the second exterior portion and may be broken.
Therefore, the present inventors have studied an electronic device capable of suppressing breakage of a panel of a display, and have reached the following disclosure.
Hereinafter, one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to accompanying drawings. Note that, the following description is merely exemplary in nature, and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, applications, or uses thereof. Moreover, the drawings are schematic representations, and the ratios between dimensions or the like do not necessarily match the actual dimensions.
Note that, the terms “first”, “second”, and the like used herein are only for the purpose of description, and should not be understood as explicitly or implicitly indicating relative importance or a priority of technical features. The presence of the limitations as “first” and “second” indicate, explicitly or implicitly, that there is one or more of such features.
First housing 2 houses display 4. Display 4 includes a display surface exposed from first housing 2. In addition, first housing 2 houses a camera, an antenna, and the like.
Second housing 3 houses an input unit. The input unit is, for example, keyboard 5 and touch pad 6. The input unit is exposed from second housing 3. Note that, in the present specification, keyboard 5 and touch pad 6 may be referred to as input units 5 and 6. In addition, a circuit such as a CPU or a memory, a battery, and the like are housed inside second housing 3.
First housing 2 and second housing 3 are connected via hinges 7. Hinge 7 rotatably connects first housing 2 and second housing 3. Hinge 7 allows first housing 2 and/or second housing 3 to rotate and bring electronic device 1 into an open state or a closed state. Note that, the “open state” means a state where first housing 2 and second housing 3 are separated from each other and display 4 and input units 5 and 6 are exposed. The “closed state” means a state where first housing 2 and second housing 3 are disposed to face each other, display 4 and input units 5 and 6 face each other, and display 4 and input units 5 and 6 are not exposed.
Display 4 displays images. In the exemplary embodiment, display 4 receives a touch operation of a user and displays the image. Display 4 includes touch panel 8 as an input device and a liquid crystal panel as a display device. For example, a capacitive coupling type touch panel, a resistive film type touch panel, or the like can be used as touch panel 8. Touch panel 8 according to the present exemplary embodiment is an example of a panel according to the present disclosure.
Referring to
Liquid crystal unit 9 including a liquid crystal panel that is a display panel for displaying the image, a backlight that is a light source for displaying the image on the liquid crystal panel, a printed circuit board on which electronic components are implemented, and the like is disposed on second principal surface PS2 side of touch panel 8. Liquid crystal unit 9 is attached to touch panel 8.
Referring to
First frame member 11 has a frame shape surrounding outer peripheral end portion 8a of touch panel 8. First frame member 11 protects outer peripheral end portion 8a of touch panel 8. First frame member 11 constitutes a portion on a front surface side of first housing 2. First frame member 11 is made of resin. For example, various resin materials such as polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and polyacetal can be used as the material of first frame member 11. A Young's modulus of the material of first frame member 11 is from 1.0 GPa to 3.0 GPa inclusive.
Second frame member 12 is disposed in a frame shape on second principal surface PS2 side of touch panel 8. Second frame member 12 extends from first frame member 11 along second principal surface PS2 of touch panel 8. Second frame members 12 support touch panel 8. In the exemplary embodiment, second frame member 12 is formed integrally with first frame member 11. In other words, first frame member 11 and second frame member 12 have an integral structure. Second frame member 12 is made of resin. For example, various resin materials such as polycarbonate, ABS resin, and polyacetal can be used as the material of second frame member 12. A Young's modulus of the material of second frame member 12 is from 1.0 GPa to 3.0 GPa inclusive.
Second frame members 12 are bonded to second principal surface PS2 of touch panel 8 by adhesive 14. Thus, second frame members 12 are fixed to touch panel 8.
Top plate members 13 are disposed on second principal surface PS2 side of touch panel 8. Top plate member 13 constitutes a portion on a back surface side of first housing 2. Top plate member 13 extends in the X direction and the Z direction, and includes first portion 13a covering second principal surface PS2 of touch panel 8, and second portion 13b extending in the Y direction from first portion 13a toward second frame member 12. Top plate member 13 is made of various metal materials such as a magnesium alloy or an aluminum alloy.
Top plate member 13 is attached to first frame member 11. Hinge 7 is rotatably supported by first frame member 11 and top plate member 13.
As illustrated in
Cutout 15 exposes outer peripheral end portion 8a of touch panel 8 and second frame member 12 in the Z direction. As illustrated in
Referring to
Protruding member 16 protrudes from second frame member 12 to a side opposite to second principal surface PS2 side of touch panel 8. Protruding member 16 extends in the X direction and the Y direction. Protruding member 16 faces second portion 13b of top plate member 13. In the exemplary embodiment, protruding member 16 is formed integrally with second frame member 12. In other words, protruding member 16 and second frame member 12 have an integral structure. Protruding member 16 is made of resin. For example, various resin materials such as polycarbonate, ABS resin, and polyacetal can be used as the material of protruding member 16. A Young's modulus of the material of protruding member 16 is from 1.0 GPa to 3.0 GPa inclusive.
Rib 17 protrudes from a surface of protruding member 16 facing second portion 13b of top plate member 13 toward second portion 13b. Rib 17 extends in the Y direction and the Z direction. Protruding member 16 and rib 17 are positioned in a range of second frame member 12 in which protruding end 12a is provided. Although not illustrated, a plurality of ribs 17 are provided at intervals in the X direction. In the exemplary embodiment, rib 17 is formed integrally with protruding member 16. In other words, rib 17 and protruding member 16 have an integral structure. Rib 17 is made of resin. For example, various resin materials such as polycarbonate, ABS resin, and polyacetal can be used as the material of rib 17. A Young's modulus of the material of rib 17 is from 1.0 GPa to 3.0 GPa inclusive.
According to electronic device 1 of the exemplary embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
In the exemplary embodiment, a portion where second frame member 12 is exposed from the cutout has protruding end 12a protruding toward cutout 15 beyond outer peripheral end portion 8a of touch panel 8. Thus, even in a case where an impact is applied to first housing 2 and touch panel 8 moves toward hinge 7 together with first housing 2, protruding end 12a of second frame member 12 comes into contact with hinge 7 before touch panel 8 comes into contact with hinge 7. As a result, since the contact of touch panel 8 with hinge 7 is suppressed, breakage of touch panel 8 can be suppressed.
In the related art, in order to protect the panel of the display from the impact at the time of dropping or the like, the entire circumference of the panel was covered with the frame member. On the other hand, in the exemplary embodiment, protruding end 12a of second frame member 12 protrudes toward cutout 15 beyond outer peripheral end portion 8a of touch panel 8, and thus, touch panel 8 can be protected from the impact at the time of dropping or the like. Thus, first frame member 11 does not need to cover outer peripheral end portion 8a of touch panel 8 at the position where hinge 7 is disposed. As a result, in the exemplary embodiment, as compared with a case where first frame member 11 has a portion covering outer peripheral end portion 8a of touch panel 8 at the position where hinge 7 is disposed, since an outer shape of first frame member 11 can be reduced by a thickness of the portion, first housing 2 can be downsized.
Since outer peripheral end portion 8a of touch panel 8 and second frame member 12 are exposed by cutout 15, when electronic device 1 is disassembled for repair or the like, touch panel 8 and second frame member 12 can be disassembled from a location where outer peripheral end portion 8a of touch panel 8 and second frame member 12 are exposed. As a result, workability at the time of disassembling electronic device 1 can be improved.
Since protruding end 12a protrudes beyond outer peripheral end portion 8a of touch panel 8 by 0.3 mm or more in the protruding direction of protruding end 12a, contact between touch panel 8 and hinge 7 can be reliably prevented. In the protruding direction of protruding end 12a, protruding end 12a protrudes beyond outer peripheral end portion 8a of touch panel 8 by 1 mm or less, so that first housing 2 can be downsized. In the exemplary embodiment, in the protruding direction in which protruding end 12a, since protruding end 12a protrudes beyond outer peripheral end portion 8a of touch panel 8 by 0.3 mm or more and 1 mm or less, it is possible to reduce the size of first housing 2 and suppress the breakage of touch panel 8.
In the exemplary embodiment, since the Young's modulus of the material of second frame member 12 is from 1.0 GPa to 3.0 GPa inclusive, when protruding end 12a of second frame member 12 and hinge 7 come into contact with each other, second frame member 12 is deformed, and thus, it is possible to suppress an impact caused by the contact between second frame member 12 and hinge 7 from being transmitted to touch panel 8.
In a case where touch panel 8 and second frame member 12 are not fixed, when the impact is applied to first housing 2, only touch panel 8 moves toward hinge 7, and touch panel 8 and hinge 7 may come into contact with each other. On the other hand, according to the exemplary embodiment, since touch panel 8 and second frame member 12 are fixed, when the impact is applied to first housing 2, second frame member 12 moves in conjunction with touch panel 8. As a result, protruding end 12a of second frame member 12 comes into contact with hinge 7 before touch panel 8 comes into contact with hinge 7, and the contact of touch panel 8 with hinge 7 is suppressed. Thus, the breakage of touch panel 8 can be suppressed.
In the exemplary embodiment, since protruding end 12a of second frame member 12 has arcuate surface 12b, even in a case where protruding end 12a of second frame member 12 comes into contact with hinge 7, stress acting on protruding end 12a of second frame member 12 is dispersed. As a result, since local concentration of stress on protruding end 12a of second frame member 12 is suppressed, the breakage of second frame member 12 can be suppressed.
In the exemplary embodiment, even in a case where the impact is applied to first housing 2 and second frame member 12 tries to move toward hinge 7 relative to top plate member 13, second portion 13b of top plate member 13 and rib 17 come into contact with each other, and thus, the movement of second frame member 12 toward hinge 7 is restricted. As a result, since the contact of touch panel 8 housed in first housing 2 with hinge 7 is suppressed, the breakage of touch panel 8 can be suppressed.
In the exemplary embodiment, an example in which the panel according to the present disclosure is the touch panel has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The panel according to the present disclosure may be a liquid crystal panel which is the display panel for displaying the image. For example, a transmissive liquid crystal panel, a semi-transmissive liquid crystal panel, a reflective liquid crystal panel, or the like can be used as the liquid crystal panel.
In the exemplary embodiment, an example in which protruding end 12a protrudes beyond outer peripheral end portion 8a of touch panel 8 by 0.3 mm or more and 1 mm or less in the protruding direction (Z direction) of protruding end 12a has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In the protruding direction of protruding end 12a, protruding end 12a may protrude beyond outer peripheral end portion 8a of touch panel 8 by less than 0.3 mm. In the protruding direction of protruding end 12a, protruding end 12a may protrude beyond outer peripheral end portion 8a of touch panel 8 by beyond 1 mm.
In the exemplary embodiment, an example in which the Young's modulus of the material of second frame member 12 is from 1.0 GPa to 3.0 GPa inclusive has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The Young's modulus of the material of second frame member 12 may be less than 1.0 GPa. The Young's modulus of the material of second frame member 12 may exceed 3.0 GPa.
In the exemplary embodiment, an example in which touch panel 8 is fixed to second frame member 12 has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Touch panel 8 may not be fixed to second frame member 12.
In the exemplary embodiment, an example in which protruding end 12a of second frame member 12 has arcuate surface 12b at the portion exposed from cutout 15 has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Protruding end 12a of second frame member 12 may have, for example, a right angle corner.
In the exemplary embodiment, an example in which first housing 2 includes protruding member 16 and rib 17 has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. First housing 2 may not include protruding member 16 and rib 17.
In the exemplary embodiment, an example in which first frame member 11, second frame member 12, protruding member 16, and rib 17 are integrally formed has been described, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. First frame member 11, second frame member 12, protruding member 16, and rib 17 may be formed separately, or two or three of these members may be integrally formed.
As described above, the exemplary embodiment has been described as an example of the technique disclosed in the present application. The technique according to the present disclosure is, however, not limited to the above exemplary embodiment, and is also applicable to other exemplary embodiments with an appropriate modification, replacement, addition, omission, or the like made thereto.
Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, various modifications and corrections are obvious to those skilled in the art. It is to be understood that such variations and modifications are included insofar as they do not depart from the scope of the invention according to the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-139209 | Sep 2022 | JP | national |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/JP2023/029270 | Aug 2023 | WO |
| Child | 19055588 | US |
