Patent Application
20070235309
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a waterproof structure of an electronic device, and more particularly, to a waterproof structure for enhancing the waterproof performance by absorbing the water.
2. Related Art
With the increasing development of semiconductor technology, electronic devices have played an important role in modern equipment, such as clocks, mobile phones, digital cameras, and computers. For example, the notebook has become an important mobile equipment in the life of an office worker. When using or carrying the notebook, water from rain or other circumstances often leaks from the keyboard into the notebook and results in damages. Therefore, in the current notebook, a suitable waterproof method for various parts has been provided. For example, a waterproof coating or a waterproof film is coated on the surface of the parts of the notebook, so as to prevent water from leaking into the notebook. Alternatively, a protective layer for preventing the water from leaking is utilized under the keyboard, so as to prevent the electronic circuits under the keyboard from being damaged. Although the protective layer can prevent the water from leaking, the water can not be removed effectively. The leaked water will accumulate on the protective layer and finally leaks into the notebook.
Moreover, during the manufacturing of each notebook, products are subjected to many tests. The waterproof test (anti-spill test) is one of the most important testing items. The object of the testing is that each notebook should operate normally if coffee or coke is spilled on the notebook when being used by the users. The testing method relates to spilling 30 c.c. of coffee or coke on the keyboard, and testing whether each function of the system can be operated normally 1 minute later. In the past, in order to pass the waterproof test, a mylar film is stuck to the backside of the keyboard for preventing water from leaking from the holes or surrounding gaps of the keyboard. However, with this method, when there is a large amount of water, the water will leak from the keyboard to the circuit board, which easily causes damage to the system.
In view of the above problems, a major object of the present invention is to provide a waterproof structure of electronic device, which is used for preventing water from leaking into the electronic device and results in damages, by absorbing the water occasional leaking into the electronic device.
In order to achieve the object, a waterproof structure of electronic device is provided. The waterproof structure of electronic device has at least a water-absorbing element, which is used to absorb the water leaking through the keyboard. The water-absorbing element includes at least a liquid-permeable layer and an absorbing layer. The water leaking through the keyboard is absorbed by the absorbing layer through the liquid-permeable layer. And the liquid-permeable layer can be a thermal-bonding non-woven fabric and the absorbing layer can be made of water-absorbing polymer material, e.g. water-absorbing resin powder. When the water-absorbing element contacts the water, the water is absorbed quickly by the thermal-bonding non-woven fabric and transmitted to the water-absorbing resin. The water-absorbing resin powder will expand as a jelly-like substance after absorbing water. So the leaked water will not go on dripping in the case and result in damage to electronic elements, such as circuit boards.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below for illustration only, and which thus is not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
In order to make a further understanding of the objects, constructions, features, and functions of the present invention, the present invention will be described in detail with the embodiments below.
A waterproof structure of electronic device provided according to the present invention can be applied in various portable electronic devices, such as computer, translating machine, portable computer, and notebook. The waterproof structure has a water-absorbing element arranged in a suitable position in the case of the electronic device, for preventing water from leaking into the electronic device by absorbing the water occasional leaking into the electronic device. The detailed construction and effects related to the waterproof structure of the electronic device will be described with a preferred embodiment below.
Referring to
The notebook 10 has a case 11 and a keyboard 12. A plurality of electronic elements 13 is disposed under the keyboard 12. An opening 111 is formed on the case 11 for accommodating the keyboard 12, and is covered by the keyboard 12. The electronic elements 13 are disposed in the case 11 under the keyboard 12.
The waterproof structure includes at least a water-absorbing element 20 disposed inside the opening 111. The water-absorbing element 20 is disposed between the electronic elements 13 and the opening 111, blocking the holes and gaps between the keyboard 12 and the opening 111 from the inside of the case 11, for absorbing the water leaking from the edges of the keyboard 12 and the opening 111. So the water is prevented from leaking from the opening 111 to the case 11 and resulting in damage to the electronic elements 13 accommodated in the case 11. Also, waterproof structure prevents water on the keyboard 12 continuing to leak, so that damages to the electronic elements 13 are prevented.
The water-absorbing element 20 includes at least a liquid-permeable layer 21 and an absorbing layer 22. The water leaking into the keyboard 12 is passing through the liquid-permeable layer 21 and absorbed by the absorbing layer 22. And the liquid-permeable layer 21 can be a thermal-bonding non-woven fabric and the absorbing layer 22 can be made of water-absorbing polymer material, e.g. water-absorbing resin powder. When the water-absorbing element 20 contacts the water, the water is absorbed quickly by the thermal-bonding non-woven fabric and transmitted to the water-absorbing resin. The water-absorbing resin powder will expand as a jelly-like substance after absorbing water. So the water will not go on drip in the case 11 and will not stay on the keyboard 12 to result in damage to the electronic elements 12, such as circuit boards.
After the object of waterproofing is achieved by absorbing water with the water-absorbing element 20 and the user needs to replace the water-absorbing element 20, he or she needs only to dismount the keyboard 12 from the opening 111 to easily replace it with a new water-absorbing element, so as to ensure the efficiency of the waterproof structure.
Referring to
Referring to
To sum up, in the present invention, a water-absorbing element 20 or another water-absorbing element 30 further disposed are used for absorbing water accidentally leaking into the case 11 from the keyboard 12, such that the water will not flow randomly any more to damage any electronic elements, therefore the object of waterproofing is achieved efficiently.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
