The invention relates to a foldable mobile wireless device.
In such foldable mobile wireless devices, a device is known in which two housings each having a circuit board, and these two circuit boards are connected to each other via a signal cable (e.g., see Patent Documents 1 and 2). In particular, in a mobile wireless device disclosed in Patent Document 1, a ground (typically, a shielded wire) exposed by peeling a sheath of the signal cable in a vicinity of a hinge in each of the housings is connected to a ground of each of the circuit boards, to prevent deterioration in antenna performance due to an extended routing length of the signal cable for connecting two circuit boards to each other.
Also, in the foldable mobile wireless devices, a device is known in which a two-axis rotation structure (also referred as a “swivel structure”) is employed to take a closed state upon standby, an opened state upon making a call, and a viewer state closed to allow a screen to be seen upon watching a television broadcasting (frequently, a one-segment broadcasting).
A side of the plate-shaped member 130 located toward the second hinge 111 is provided with a notch 131 for allowing the signal cable 120 to be passed therethrough. The notch 131 of the plate-shaped member 130 is intended to allow the signal cable 120 to be naturally extended through a cylindrical portion of the second hinge 111. Specifically, the first hinge 111 is located at the approximately middle of the second housing 102 and the second circuit board 106 is disposed adjacent to a back surface (i.e., a surface opposite to a surface provided with the liquid crystal display 104) inside the second housing 102, and therefore a stepped portion is created between the second hinge 111 and the plate-shaped member 130. As a result of the stepped portion, the signal cable 120 needs to be bent at approximately a right angle at an end of the plate-shaped member 130 located toward the second hinge 111, if the plate-shaped member 130 is not provided with the notch 131. Accordingly, it is possible to impose a load in terms of strength on the signal cable 120, thereby causing a failure, such as a broken wire. Therefore, the plate-shaped member 130 is provided with the notch 131, so that the signal cable 120 can be extended through the cylindrical portion of the second hinge 111 without the signal cable 120 placed in the loaded state.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A-2006-005567
[Patent Document 2] JP-A-2009-111914
However, downsizing and thinning is highly demanded for mobile phones, which is one type of mobile wireless devices, in terms of design ability. In particular, when the two-axis rotation structure is employed, it is significant to achieve coexistence between thinning and strengthening and also to ensure antenna performance with the coexistence achieved. One method for thinning the mobile wireless device having the two-axis rotation structure is that the second hinge 111 is provided on a lower side of the second housing 102 as described above. One method for strengthening is that the plate-shaped member 130 is provided as described above. Also, the plate-shaped member 130 needs to be provided with the notch 131 for the purpose of thinning. However, when an antenna is disposed near the hinge portion, an antenna current is concentrated on a lower end portion 150 of the plate-shaped member 130. Therefore, if the notch 131 is provided, the antenna current flows along ends of the notch 131, thereby causing an unnecessary resonance. In addition, the signal cable 120 which would otherwise be covered with the plate-shaped member 130 is exposed in the notch 131, thereby increasing an unnecessary emitting from the signal cable 120.
Also, by forming the notch 131 on the plate-shaped member 130, the connector 121 is disposed in front of the notch 131, i.e., on an upper end side (a lower side in
As described above, when the antenna is disposed near the second hinge 111, the notch 131 of the plate-shaped member 130 and the extended routing length of the signal cable 120 are influenced on the antenna performance. Meanwhile, the influence on the antenna performance can likewise be caused in typical foldable mobile wireless devices, if the mobile wireless devices have a hinge for freely openably and closably connecting a first housing with a second housing and an antenna thereof is disposed near the hinge.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a mobile wireless device in which, even if thinning and strengthening of a device body are simultaneously performed, the influences on antenna performance due to a notch of a plate-shaped member for strengthening and due to routing of a signal cable for electrically connecting a first circuit board with a second circuit board can be reduced, thereby achieving high antenna performance.
A mobile wireless device according to the present invention includes a first housing, a second housing, a first hinge configured to freely openably and closably connect the first housing with the second housing, a first circuit board provided in the first housing, a second circuit board provided in the second housing, a signal cable configured to electrically connect the first circuit board with the second circuit board, a plate-shaped ground that is provided so as to be stacked on the second circuit board and has a notch at a location through which the signal cable is passed, and a conductive member that covers the signal cable and the notch.
According of this configuration, the conductive member covers the signal cable and the notch of the plate-shaped ground, so that, even if an antenna is disposed near the hinge for freely openably and closably connecting the first housing with the second housing, the influence of the notch of the plate-shaped ground or the influence of routing of the signal cable for electrically connecting the first circuit board with the second circuit board can be reduced, thereby achieving high antenna performance.
A mobile wireless device according to the present invention includes a first housing, a second housing, a third housing, a first hinge configured to freely openably and closably connect the first housing with the third housing, a second hinge configured to freely pivotally connect the second housing with the third housing, a first circuit board provided in the first housing, a second circuit board provided in the second housing, a signal cable configured to electrically connect the first circuit board with the second circuit board, a plate-shaped ground that is provided so as to be stacked on the second circuit board and has a notch at a location through which the signal cable is passed, and a conductive member that covers the signal cable and the notch.
According to this configuration, the conductive member covers the signal cable and the notch of the plate-shaped ground, so that, even if an antenna is disposed near the hinge for freely openably and closably connecting the first housing with the third housing, the influence of the notch of the plate-shaped ground or the influence of routing of the signal cable for electrically connecting the first circuit board with the second circuit board can be reduced, thereby achieving high antenna performance.
In the above configurations, the conductive member is capacitively coupled to the plate-shaped ground around the notch.
According to this configuration, because the conductive member is capacitively coupled to the plate-shaped ground around the notch, the influence of the notch on the signal cable can be reduced, thereby achieving high antenna performance.
In the above configurations, the conductive member is electrically connected to the plate-shaped ground.
According to this configuration, because the conductive member is electrically connected to the plate-shaped ground, the influence of the notch on the signal cable can be reduced, thereby achieving high antenna performance.
In the above configurations, the conductive member has a protrusion on a surface thereof which covers the signal cable.
According to this configuration, the capacitive coupling between the conductive member and the signal cable can be strengthened, and the influence of the notch on the signal cable can be further reduced, thereby achieving more high antenna performance. In particular, because the more the number of protrusions, the stronger the coupling is, the effect of such measures can be further enhanced.
In the above configurations, the first hinge is used as an antenna device.
According of this configuration, the conductive member covers the signal cable and the notch of the plate-shaped ground, so that, even if the first hinge is used as an antenna device, the influence of the notch of the plate-shaped ground, the influence of the notch on the signal cable, or the influence of routing of the signal cable for electrically connecting the first circuit board with the second circuit board can be reduced, thereby achieving high antenna performance.
According to the present invention, high antenna performance can be achieved even if thinning and strengthening of a device body are simultaneously performed.
a) and 12(b) are perspective views showing the exterior of a mobile wireless device according to an embodiment 8 of the invention.
a) and 14(b) are perspective views showing the exterior of a foldable mobile wireless device employing a two-axis rotation structure.
Preferred embodiments for implementing the present invention will be now described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The mobile wireless device of the present embodiment is a foldable type employing the same two-axis rotation structure as that of a mobile wireless device according to the related art in
As shown in
In
The notch 21 of the plate-shaped ground 20 is intended to allow the signal cable 120 to be naturally extended through a cylindrical portion of the second hinge 111 with respect to a stepped portion created between the second hinge 111 and the plate-shaped ground 20. However, when an antenna device (not shown) is disposed near the second hinge 111, an antenna current is likely to be distorted in a lower end 22 of the plate-shaped ground 20 due to providing the notch 21, thereby deteriorating antenna performance. In particular, the antenna current is concentrated on the lower end 22 of the plate-shaped ground 20, thereby increasing deterioration in antenna performance.
According to the invention, a member having an electrical conductivity covers the signal cable 120 and the notch 21 of the plate-shaped ground 20, so that the distortion of the antenna current in the lower end 22 of the plate-shaped ground 20 is limited to be low. In the mobile wireless device 1 of the embodiment, a plate-shaped conductive member 30 having a semi-cylindrical portion 30a (see
The signal cable 120 is covered with the semi-cylindrical portion 30a of the conductive member 30, so that the semi-cylindrical portion 30a is capacitively coupled to the outer conductor of the signal cable 120 and the outer conductor of the signal cable 120 is high-frequency connected to the ground. Also, the notch 21 of the plate-shaped ground 20 is covered with the whole of the conductive member 30, so that, even if the antenna device (not shown) is disposed near the first hinge 110 or the second hinge 111, the influence of the notch 21 of the plate-shaped ground 20 or the influence of routing of the signal cable 120 can be reduced, thereby achieving high antenna performance.
As described above, according to the mobile wireless device of the present embodiment, the conductive member 30 is provided to cover the signal cable 120 electrically connecting the first circuit board 105 provided in the first housing 101 with the second circuit board 105 provided in the second housing 102 and to cover the notch 21 of the plate-shaped ground 20 provided to be stacked on the second circuit board 106. As a result, the influence of the notch 21 of the plate-shaped ground 20 or the influence of routing of the signal cable 120 can be reduced even if the antenna device is disposed near the first hinge 110, thereby achieving high antenna performance.
The mobile wireless device 2 of the present embodiment includes a conductive member 50 adapted to a notch 21A smaller than the notch 21 of the mobile wireless device 1 of the foregoing embodiment 1. The conductive member 50 is constituted of a semi-cylindrical portion 50a, wing portions 50b1 and 50b2 perpendicularly extended from each of both sides of one end portion of the semi-cylindrical portion 50a, and extension portions 50c1 and 50c2 perpendicularly extended from each of both sides of the other end portion of the semi-cylindrical portion 50a, and the wing portions 50b1 and 50b2 and the extension portions 50c1 and 50c2 are integrally formed with the semi-cylindrical portion 50a. The semi-cylindrical portion 50a is sized to be covered around and hide a part of an outer conductor of the signal cable 120, and the wing portions 50b1 and 50b2 are sized to cover the notch 21A of a plate-shaped ground 20. The extension portions 50c1 and 50c2 are intended to fix the conductive member 50 on the plate-shaped ground 20. The conductive member 50 is fixed on the plate-shaped ground 20 by screws 40 and 40.
By fixing the conductive member 50 on the plate-shape ground 20, the wing portions 50b1 and 50b2 are covered over the notch 21A of the plate-shaped ground 20 and the semi-cylindrical portion 50a is covered around the part of the outer conductor of the signal cable 120, so that, even if an antenna device is disposed near the first hinge 110, the influence of the notch 21A of the plate-shaped ground 20 or the influence of routing of the signal cable 120 can be reduced, thereby achieving high antenna performance.
In
As described above, by fixing the conductive member 60 on the plate-shape ground 20, the semi-cylindrical portion 60a of the conductive member 60 is covered over the notch 21A of the plate-shaped ground 20 and also covered around the part of the outer conductor of the signal cable 120, so that, even if an antenna device is disposed near the first hinge 110, the influence of the notch 21A of the plate-shaped ground 20 or the influence of routing of the signal cable 120 can be reduced, thereby achieving high antenna performance. In particular, the outer conductor of the signal cable 120 can be rigidly coupled to the plate-shaped ground 20, thereby further decreasing such influences.
In
As described above, the conductive member 70 is connected to the plate-shaped ground 20 by a capacitive coupling. Meanwhile, the narrower the gap between the conductive member 70 and the plate-shaped ground 20, the stronger the capacitive coupling between both is. The conductive member 70 is covered over a notch 21 of the plate-shaped ground 20 and also covered around a part of an outer conductor of the signal cable 120, so that, even if an antenna device is disposed near the first hinge 110, the influence of the notch 21 of the plate-shaped ground 20 or the influence of routing of the signal cable 120 can be reduced, thereby achieving high antenna performance.
In
As described above, the conductive member 80 is connected to the plate-shaped ground 20 by direct and capacitive couplings. The conductive member 80 is covered over a notch 21 of the plate-shaped ground 20 and also covered around a part of the outer conductor of the signal cable 120, so that, even if an antenna device is disposed near the first hinge 110, the influence of the notch 21 of the plate-shaped ground 20 or the influence of routing of the signal cable 120 can be reduced, thereby achieving high antenna performance.
In
In particular, the mobile wireless device 7 of the present embodiment employs the first hinge 110 as an antenna device. Even if the first hinge 110 is used as the antenna device,
the conductive member 90 is covered over a notch 21A of a plate-shaped ground 20 and also covered around a part of an outer conductor of the signal cable 120, so that the influence of the notch 21A of the plate-shaped ground 20 or the influence of routing of the signal cable 120 can be reduced, thereby achieving high antenna performance.
A first circuit board 205 is provided in the first housing 201 and a second circuit board 206 is provided in the second housing 202.
Likewise, in the mobile wireless device 10 of the present embodiment, the second housing 202 is provided therein with a plate-shaped ground 220 adapted to compensate a strength reduction of the second housing 202 due to a thinned device body and an enlarged liquid crystal display 230, and a side of the plate-shaped ground 220 located toward the hinge 210 is provided with a notch 221 for allowing the signal cable 120 to be extended therethrough. The plate-shaped ground 220 is mainly made of a stainless steel having stiffness.
The mobile wireless device 10 of the present embodiment includes a conductive member 330 having the same shape as that of the conductive member 60 of the mobile wireless device of the foregoing embodiment 3, and the conductive member 330 is covered over the notch 221 of the plate-shaped ground 220 and also covered around a part of an outer conductor of the signal cable 120, so that, even if an antenna device is disposed near the hinge 210 or the hinge 210 itself is used as the antenna device, the influence of the notch 221 of the plate-shaped ground 220 or the influence of routing of the signal cable 120 can be reduced, thereby achieving high antenna performance.
Although the conductive members 30, 50, 60, 80, 90 and 330 are fixed on the plate-shaped grounds 20 and 220 in the embodiments 1 to 3 and 5 to 8 other than the embodiment 4, the conductive member 70 may be fixed on the inner wall surface of the second housing 102 as in the embodiment 4.
Also, although the plate-shaped ground 20 is provided with protrusions 20a in the embodiment 5, the same protrusions 20a may be also provided on the plate-shaped grounds 20 and 220 in the other embodiments 1 to 4 and 6 to 8.
In addition, although the first hinge 110 is used as the antenna device in the embodiment 7, the first hinge 110 (the hinge 210 in the embodiment 8) may be also used as the antenna device in the other embodiments 1 to 6 and 8.
Although the present invention has been described in detail and with reference to a specific embodiment, it will be apparent by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application (Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-153435) filed on Jul. 5, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention can be applied to mobile wireless devices, such as foldable mobile phones, PHSs (Personal Handy-Phone Systems), smart phones, handheld game consoles, note-type personal computers.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2010-153435 | Jul 2010 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP2011/003842 | 7/5/2011 | WO | 00 | 12/17/2012 |