Electronic device

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-168833, filed on Jul. 30, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The embodiments discussed herein are related to an electronic device.

In an electronic device such as a data processing terminal (for example a notebook style computer), a board and internal devices, such as a storage device, are provided inside a case.

For example, technology is known in which a motherboard is disposed inside a case, with a central processing unit mounted to the motherboard so as not to overlap with a keyboard.

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (JP-A) No. 2010-140510.

According to an aspect of the embodiments, an electronic device includes: a case; a board disposed inside the case and including a board main body section; plural internal devices that are disposed inside the case at different positions to the board in plan view of the board and that are thicker than the board; a board extension portion that extends out from the board main body section between the plural internal devices; a board-side connection terminal that is provided to the board extension portion and is employed to connect to one of the internal devices or to an external device external to the case; and an internal device-side connection terminal that is provided to the internal device and is connected to the board-side connection terminal.

The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a notebook computer of a first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating portions of a notebook computer of the first exemplary embodiment

FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating portions of a notebook computer of the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken on line 4 - 4 of FIG. 3 and illustrating portions of a notebook computer of the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating a structure inside a case of a notebook computer of the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view illustrating portions of a board of a notebook computer of the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating an HDD and a board of a notebook computer of the first exemplary embodiment.

Detailed explanation follows regarding a first exemplary embodiment, with reference to the drawings.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , in the first exemplary embodiment a notebook style computer (abbreviated below to “notebook computer”) 12 is given as an example of an electronic device.

The notebook computer 12 of the present exemplary embodiment includes a case 14 . The case 14 is for example formed in a flat box shape. The case 14 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed in plan view (in the arrow A direction), including a far edge 14 A, a near edge 14 B, a right edge 14 C and a left edge 14 D.

The case 14 of the present exemplary embodiment has a structure divided in the thickness direction (the arrow T direction) into an upper member 14 U and a lower member 14 L. The upper member 14 U and the lower member 14 L are engaged with each other in a superimposed state, using engagement members, (or are fastened together using fastening members, such as screws). A housing space 16 is accordingly formed between the upper member 14 U and the lower member 14 L, as illustrated in FIG. 4 .

A display 20 is rotatably attached at the far edge 14 A side of the case 14 using a hinge 18 . As illustrated in FIG. 4 , the shape of the case 14 as viewed from the side face is substantially wedge shaped, with the thickness gradually decreasing continuously or in steps from the far edge 14 A side to the near edge 14 B side.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 , a board 22 , a Hard Disk Drive (HDD) 24 , an Optical Disk Drive (ODD) 26 and a radiator device 28 are provided inside the case 14 (between the upper member 14 U and the lower member 14 L). The HDD 24 , the ODD 26 and the radiator device 28 each serve as examples of internal devices.

The HDD 24 , the ODD 26 and the radiator device 28 are disposed arrayed along one edge of the case 14 . Reference simply to the “array direction” in the following means the direction in which the HDD 24 , the ODD 26 and the radiator device 28 are arrayed. In the present exemplary embodiment this direction is aligned with the width direction of the case 14 (the arrow W direction).

The HDD 24 has a rotation shaft 24 S with length direction oriented in the HDD 24 thickness direction. The HDD 24 rotates a hard disk about the rotation shaft 24 S, and performs recording and reading of data to and from the hard disk.

The ODD 26 similarly has a rotation shaft 26 S with length direction oriented in the ODD 26 thickness direction. The ODD 26 rotates an optical disk that has been inserted through an insertion opening 26 H about the rotation shaft 26 S, and performs recording and reading of data to and from the optical disk.

In particular, in the present exemplary embodiment, the HDD 24 is disposed at a central position in the array direction (the arrow W direction), with the ODD 26 disposed at one longitudinal edge (the right edge 14 C in FIG. 5 ) side in the array direction (in the arrow W direction). The insertion opening 26 H of the ODD 26 can thereby be exposed to the right edge 14 C side, and an optical disk is accordingly readily inserted therein or taken out therefrom.

The radiator device 28 includes a radiator fan, enabling heat inside the case 14 to be externally discharged by externally discharging air inside the case 14 to outside the case. In the present exemplary embodiment, the radiator device 28 is disposed at the other longitudinal edge (the left edge 14 D in FIG. 5 ) side in the array direction (in the arrow W direction). It is accordingly possible to externally discharge air from inside the case 14 through an exhaust outlet 14 G formed in the case 14 when the radiator fan is being driven.

The board 22 includes a board main body section 30 . A central processing unit 76 , a main storage device and various types of processing circuit are mounted to the board main body section 30 .

In the present exemplary embodiment, in plan view the board main body section 30 has a width that is wider than that of the HDD 24 (in effect from the vicinity of the right edge 14 C to the vicinity of the left edge 14 D). Note that the board main body section 30 is disposed so as to be positioned nearer to the near edge 14 B than the HDD 24 , the ODD 26 and the radiator device 28 . In other words, the board main body section 30 is disposed in a position further away from the far edge 14 A than the HDD 24 , the ODD 26 and the radiator device 28 .

Note that radiator fins 36 are provided to the board main body section 30 at a position on the airflow downstream side from the radiator device 28 . Airflow generated by driving the radiator device 28 passes by the radiator fins 36 , in a structure capable of achieving effective cooling from the radiator fins 36 of the board 22 and various peripheral members.

A battery 38 is attached outside the far edge 14 A of the case 14 and running along the far edge 14 A.

The board 22 includes board extension portions 32 that extend from the board main body section 30 towards the far edge 14 A. The present exemplary embodiment includes, in plan view, a first extension portion 32 A that extends from the left hand side of the ODD 26 to between the HDD 24 and the ODD 26 , and a second extension portion 32 B that is positioned between the HDD 24 and the radiator device 28 . A frame shaped portion 40 is also formed by coupling together the leading end of the first extension portion 32 A and the leading end of the second extension portion 32 B using a board coupling portion 34 . The frame shaped portion 40 is formed in a shape so as to surround one (or plural) of the internal devices. In the present exemplary embodiment the frame shaped portion 40 is formed in a rectangular shape in plan view so as to be slightly larger than the HDD 24 in plan view.

As illustrated in FIG. 5 , the board 22 has a shape and a position so as not to overlap with the HDD 24 , the ODD 26 or the radiator device 28 in plan view. Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 , the thicknesses of the HDD 24 , the ODD 26 , the radiator device 28 and the battery 38 are thicker than that of the board 22 .

As illustrated in FIG. 6 , HDD connectors 42 C, 44 C are respectively provided to the first extension portion 32 A and the HDD 24 in order to electrically connect the board 22 and the HDD 24 together directly (not through a cable). The HDD connector 42 C is an example of a board-side connection terminal, and the HDD connector 44 C is an example of an internal device-side connection terminal.

As illustrated in FIG. 7 , a HDD connector 44 C of the HDD 24 is detachable from the HDD 24 and is attached to a side edge 24 E. The HDD connector 44 C can be attached to the HDD 24 from the arrow B direction. In the attached state of the HDD connector 44 C to the HDD 24 , the connection portion to the HDD connector 42 C faces in the HDD 24 thickness direction (downwards in the illustrated example). Correspondingly, the HDD connector 42 C of the first extension portion 32 A also faces in the board 22 thickness direction (upwards in the illustrated example) so as to enable connection of the HDD connector 42 C to the HDD connector 44 C of the HDD 24 .

Due to employing the thus configured HDD connectors 42 C, 44 C, electrical connection between the HDD 24 and the board 22 is enabled not by sliding the HDD 24 in the across direction (the arrow W direction) but rather by moving the HDD 24 in the thickness direction (the arrow A direction) into the close vicinity of the board 22 . Space for sliding the HDD 24 in the across direction is accordingly not needed, and a structure is achieved in which it is possible to provide the board extension portions 32 where such space would have been provided.

ODD connectors 46 C, 48 C are respectively provided to the board main body section 30 and the ODD 26 to electrically connect the board 22 and the ODD 26 together directly (not through a cable). The ODD connector 46 C serves as an example of a board-side connection terminal and the ODD connector 48 C serves as an example of an internal device-side connection terminal.

The ODD connector 48 C of the ODD 26 is attached to a side edge 26 E so as to face the HDD 24 . The ODD connector 48 C of the ODD 26 is provided at a position displaced from the HDD connector 44 C of the HDD in the direction along the side edge 26 S (the extension direction of the side edge 26 S).

A structure that might, for example, be considered here is a structure in which the ODD connector 48 C is provided facing towards the HDD connector 44 C. That is to say, a structure in which the HDD connector 44 C and the ODD connector 48 C are in the same position as each other in the direction along the side edge 26 S.

In such cases, due to the HDD connector 42 C and the ODD connector 46 C of the first extension portion 32 A also then being in the same position as each other, the first extension portion 32 A between the HDD connector 42 C and the ODD connector 46 C is made narrower in width by the amounts of the HDD connector 42 C and the ODD connector 46 C. Namely, in order to try to secure certain width in the first extension portion 32 A between the HDD connector 42 C and the ODD connector 46 C, a width of the sum of the board extension portion 32 , the HDD connector 42 C and the ODD connector 46 C is needed at this portion, resulting in a wider width.

In contrast thereto, in the present exemplary embodiment the ODD connector 46 C is provided in a position displaced from the HDD connector 42 C, thereby enabling a shape to be realized that is not excessively wide in width whilst still securing the certain space for the board extension portions 32 .

A speaker connector 60 C employed for connecting to a speaker is provided at the boundary portion of the first extension portion 32 A and the board coupling portion 34 . A USB connector 62 C employed for connecting to a board for mounting a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port is provided at the boundary portion of the first extension portion 32 A and the board coupling portion 34 . A power cable connector 64 C that connects to a power cable is also provided at the boundary portion of the first extension portion 32 A and the board coupling portion 34 .

A LAN port connector 66 C employed for connecting to a LAN port is provided to the boundary portion of the second extension portion 32 B and the board coupling portion 34 .

A battery connector 68 C employed for connecting to the battery 38 and a display connector 70 C for connecting to the display 20 are provided to the board coupling portion 34 .

An HDD wiring line pattern 42 P employed for performing signal communication with the HDD connector 42 C and a speaker wiring line pattern 60 P employed for transmitting signals to the speaker connector 60 C are provided to the first extension portion 32 A. A USB wiring line pattern 62 P employed for performing signal communication with the USB connector 62 C is also provided as internal wiring to the first extension portion 32 A. An ODD wiring line pattern 46 P employed for performing signal communication with the ODD connector 46 C is provided to the board main body section 30 .

A LAN port wiring line pattern 66 P employed for performing signal communication with the LAN port connector 66 C is provided to the second extension portion 32 B. A display wiring line pattern 70 P employed for transmitting signals to the display connector 70 C is also provided to the second extension portion 32 B and the board coupling portion 34 .

A power cable wiring line pattern 64 P that receives power from the power cable connector 64 C and a battery wiring line pattern 68 P employed for performing power exchange with the battery connector 68 C are provided to the board coupling portion 34 .

Each of the types of wiring line pattern are provided distributed over the two (plural) board extension portions 32 . In particular, the example described above is a structure that does not have excessive concentration of the wiring line patterns in any one of the board extension portions 32 . Consequently, the board extension portions 32 can be suppressed from becoming extremely wide or narrow compared to a structure in which wiring line patterns are concentrated in one or the other of the board extension portions 32 .

Note that connectors such as the speaker connector 60 C, the USB connector 62 C, the LAN port connector 66 C, the battery connector 68 C and the display connector 70 C are examples of board-side connection terminals.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 , an operation pad 72 is provided on the upper face side of the upper member 14 U, and a keyboard 74 is also attached thereto. It is accordingly possible for a user of the notebook computer 12 to use the operation pad 72 and the keyboard 74 to perform input operations.

In particular, in the present exemplary embodiment a portion of the keyboard 74 and a portion of the board main body section 30 overlap with each other when the case 14 is viewed in plan view.

Explanation follows regarding operation of the notebook computer 12 .

The notebook computer 12 , as illustrated in FIG. 2 , has a structure in which the HDD 24 , the ODD 26 and the radiator device 28 inside the case 14 do not overlap with the board 22 in the board 22 thickness direction. It is accordingly possible to achieve a slimmer case 14 than in a structure in which any of the HDD 24 , the ODD 26 or the radiator device 28 overlaps with the board 22 .

In particular, the board main body section 30 is disposed further to the near edge 14 B side than the HDD 24 , the ODD 26 and the radiator device 28 . It is accordingly possible to achieve a slimmer case at the far edge 14 A side than for example in a configuration in which a portion of the board 22 overlaps with any of the HDD 24 , the ODD 26 or the radiator device 28 at the far edge 14 A side.

Moreover, in the present exemplary embodiment, the HDD 24 , the ODD 26 and the radiator device 28 inside the case 14 are disposed along the far edge 14 A of the case 14 . The board main body section 30 is disposed further towards the near edge 14 B side of the case 14 than these internal devices. The board 22 is thinner than these internal devices, and as illustrated in FIG. 4 , it is possible to achieve a shape (a substantially wedge shaped side face) in which the thickness gradually decreases continuously or in steps from the far edge 14 A side towards the near edge 14 B side.

Furthermore, in the present exemplary embodiment, the HDD 24 , the ODD 26 and the radiator device 28 that are thicker than the board 22 are disposed along the far edge 14 A of the case 14 . Accordingly, the case 14 can be made slimmer than in a structure in which any of these members are disposed at a position near to the near edge 14 B of the case 14 , thereby facilitating the substantially wedge shaped side face of the case 14 referred to above.

In addition, the central processing unit 76 is installed to the board main body section 30 of the case 14 . The HDD 24 , the ODD 26 and the radiator device 28 do not overlap with the board main body section 30 , thereby enabling sufficient space to be secured for mounting the central processing unit 76 .

Moreover, in the present exemplary embodiment, the display 20 is provided at the far edge 14 A of the case 14 . Namely, a user employs the notebook computer 12 from the comparatively thin side of the case 14 (the near edge 14 B side). This enables a slight slope to be achieved overall for the case 14 such that the near edge 14 B side of the case 14 is lower during use of the notebook computer 12 , thereby achieving a structure with excellent input operation through the keyboard 74 and contact operation to the operation pad 72 .

Structure is such that the first extension portion 32 A and the second extension portion 32 B extend out from the board main body section 30 , and the first extension portion 32 A and the second extension portion 32 B are also coupled together by the board coupling portion 34 . Wiring cables for connecting the HDD 24 and the ODD 26 to the board would for example need to be provided to boards that lack such provision of the first extension portion 32 A, the second extension portion 32 B and the board coupling portion 34 . A wiring cable for connecting together the display 20 and the board would be particularly long due to the display 20 being disposed at a position on the far edge 14 A side, namely at a position away from the board main body section 30 . There is accordingly a concern that a structure having such a wiring cable would lead to an increase in cost of an electronic device.

In contrast thereto, the board extension portions 32 that are portions of the board 22 are employed in the present exemplary embodiment as a structure to electrically connect the HDD 24 and the ODD 26 to the display 20 . A wiring cable is accordingly rendered redundant (or it is possible to shorten a wiring cable), enabling wiring to be simplified. A reduction in manufacturing cost of the electronic device is also possible due to elimination of a process for wiring lay-out. Space inside the case 14 for laying out such a wiring cable is also not needed, thereby enabling space to be saved.

Moreover, in the present exemplary embodiment, the HDD 24 is connected by the HDD connectors 42 C, 44 C by moving in the thickness direction with respect to the board 22 , so as to be incorporated in a specific position inside the case 14 . Namely, since there is no need to slide the HDD 24 with respect to the board 22 in the across direction, the space of such a sliding amount is efficiently utilized in the provision of the board extension portions 32 (the first extension portion 32 A and the second extension portion 32 B).

The HDD connector 44 C and the ODD connector 48 C are also provided in positions displaced from each other along the side edge 26 S of the ODD 26 . Excessive widening is accordingly avoided whilst still securing the width needed for the board extension portion 32 , thereby achieving efficient utilization of space.

Note that although in the above there are two of the board extension portions 32 (the first extension portion 32 A and the second extension portion 32 B) that extend out from the board main body section 30 , configuration may also be made with only a single board extension portion provided, or with 3 or more board extension portions provided. When two or more of the board extension portions 32 are provided, it is possible to simplify wiring line patterns while suppressing the width of the respective board extension portions by providing the wiring line patterns to internal devices and external devices distributed between these board extension portions.

Moreover, due to providing each of the types of wiring line pattern distributed across two (plural) of the board extension portions 32 , the board extension portions 32 can be suppressed from becoming extremely wide in width or extremely narrow in width compared to a structure in which the wiring line patterns are each concentrated on one or the other of the board extension portions 32 .

In particular, in a structure in which the first extension portion 32 A and the second extension portion 32 B are coupled together by the board coupling portion 34 , if the wiring line patterns are unevenly distributed on one of the board extension portions 32 , then the board coupling portion 34 also becomes excessively wide at the portion where this wiring line pattern extends to the board coupling portion 34 . The board coupling portion 34 can be suppressed from becoming excessively wide by distributing each of the wiring line patterns over two (plural) of the board extension portions 32 .

Moreover, the frame shaped portion 40 is formed by the first extension portion 32 A, the second extension portion 32 B and the board coupling portion 34 . The strength of the board 22 is accordingly stronger than in structures not formed with such a frame shaped portion 40 . The board coupling portion 34 of the frame shaped portion 40 is also positioned further to the far side than the internal device (the HDD 24 ), thereby enabling efficient utilization of space at the far side of the internal device.

An example has been given above in which the HDD 24 and the ODD 26 serve as examples of internal devices. These are often thicker than the board 22 due to being members that have internal rotation shafts (spindles) with axial directions oriented in the board 22 thickness direction. The radiator device 28 is also configured with a rotation shaft with axial direction oriented in the board 22 thickness direction, and with a fan blade member that rotates about the rotation shaft. Even in structures with members having rotation shafts provided inside the case 14 it is possible to achieve a slimmer case 14 by, as in the above exemplary embodiment, disposing the internal devices on the far edge 14 A side of the case 14 and disposing the board main body section 30 on the near edge 14 B side. In particular, it is possible to achieve a wedge shape in which the thickness of the side face of the case 14 gradually decreases from the far edge 14 A side towards the near edge 14 B side.

It is possible to achieve basic operations as a computer when at least the HDD 24 , the ODD 26 and the radiator device 28 are provided as internal devices of the notebook computer 12 . In such cases an optical disk is easily inserted into and taken out of the ODD 26 by disposing the HDD 24 towards the center along the far edge 14 A of the case 14 and disposing the ODD 26 at an end portion along the far edge 14 A, namely at a side face 14 S side. Similarly, exhaust air can be efficiently externally exhausted from the case 14 by disposing the radiator device 28 at an end portion along the far edge 14 A. Examples other than the HDD 24 of possible auxiliary storage devices that may serve as internal devices include for example a Solid State Drive (SSD). For a radiator device as an internal device, it is also possible to achieve a slimmer electronic device that includes a radiator device in a case by providing the radiator device as one of the internal devices.

The battery 38 and the display 20 are examples of external devices provided externally to the case 14 . In particular, the battery 38 is often thicker than the HDD 24 and the ODD 26 . Consequently, it is possible to achieve a wedge shape in which the side face gradually decreases in thickness from the far edge 14 A side towards the near edge 14 B side by disposing the battery 38 externally to the case 14 so as to run along the far edge 14 A of the case 14 .

Note that there is no limitation to the notebook computer described above as the electronic device. Application may, for example, also be made to a desktop computer, to an integrated-display style of computer, to a mobile phone, to an electronic dictionary, or to a mobile audio or video player.

Explanation has been given above regarding exemplary embodiments of technology disclosed herein, however the technology disclosed herein is not limited by the above, and obviously various other modifications may be implemented within a range not departing from the spirit thereof.

The technology disclosed herein enables a thinner case to be achieved for an electronic device, and enables wiring inside a case to be simplified.

All examples and conditional language provided herein are intended for the pedagogical purposes of aiding the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to further the art, and are not to be construed as limitations to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority and inferiority of the invention. Although one or more embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

All cited documents, patent applications and technical standards mentioned in the present specification are incorporated by reference in the present specification to the same extent as if the individual cited documents, patent applications and technical standards were specifically and individually incorporated by reference in the present specification.