Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-15
2001-10-23
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S689000, C369S075210, 36
Reexamination Certificate
active
06307743
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus such as a disk player, a tape recorder, or a video camera and more particularly, to an apparatus for recording and/or playback, such as a disk player equipped with a recording medium such as an optical disk on which data signals are recorded.
BACKGROUND ART
Electronic apparatuses including a disk player, a tape recorder, and a video camera have been decreased to a portable small size.
Such portable electronic apparatuses are minimized in its overall dimensions by reducing the size of its components and electronic device as well as the space where the components are installed. For decreasing the size of an electronic apparatus, an electronic circuit board on which the electronic components are mounted in circuitry arrangements is divided into smaller segments and the space available in the apparatus is filled with the smaller segments.
For example, a disk record and playback apparatus is proposed employing as a recording medium a disk cartridge which has a disk installed therein for recording data signals. In particular, the apparatus comprises a housing which is substantially identical in the size of a plan view to the disk cartridge and a disk record and/or playback assembly accommodated in the housing for recording and/or playing back a data signal on the disk of the disk cartridge.
Although the electronic apparatus such as a disk record and/or playback apparatus has been minimized in size for ease of mobility or portability, it is difficult to maintain the mechanical strength of particular components when dimensions are decreased to a minimum. Thus, the mechanical strength of electronic apparatus composed of such components is not ensured. Accordingly, it may easily be injured when accidentally dropped.
It is thus designed for protection of a mechanism where the mechanical strength is insufficient to have a housing in which the mechanism and electronic circuit boards are installed made of a material having a proper degree of mechanical strength so that the mechanical strength of the overall construction can be maintained to a level of insurance. The housing made of a material having a higher mechanical strength however results in an increase in the overall weight of the apparatus. The mechanism developed for increasing the mechanical strength will be adverse to decreasing the overall size of the apparatus.
In case that the electronic apparatus includes a set of small sized electronic circuit boards, each composed of a plurality of electronic circuits, for effective use of a limited space in the apparatus, electrical insulation and connection to the ground of its electronic circuits will be extremely troublesome.
If the electrical insulation and ground connection of the electronic circuits are not reliable, its housing, which may be made of a synthetic resin material for example, may be assaulted by static electricity, thus producing a fault and impairing operation of the electronic circuits.
It is possible for protection of the electronic circuits on the circuit boards to have the circuit boards integrated to a single unit. Although such an integrated form of the circuit boards ensures ease of the electrical insulation and connection to the ground of the electronic circuits. its increased size will prevent the apparatus from being minimized in its dimensions.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus and a recording medium record and/or playback apparatus which are minimized in their overall size and weight but still having an optimum degree of mechanical strength.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus and a recording medium record and/or playback apparatus which is capable of, when used as a portable or mobile type, having an optimum degree of mechanical strength regardless of being stressed by external impacts, such as being dropped.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus and a recording medium record and/or playback apparatus in which electronic circuits are securely protected.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus and a recording medium record and/or playback apparatus in which static charge is prevented.
For achievement of these objectives of the present invention, an electronic apparatus comprises: an upper half and a lower half; a framework; and a circuit board which is substantially equal in the size to the framework and has a degree of rigidity enough to be mounted to one side of the framework, wherein the upper half and the lower half are arranged so as to sandwich and enclose the framework therebetween. As the circuit board is mounted to the framework with a degree of rigidity, the rigidity and mechanical strength of the framework will be increased.
The electronic apparatus may further comprise a strip member mounted to an outer side of the framework. The strip member is located between the upper half and the lower half. The framework is four-sided and arranged movable relative to the strip member.
The electronic apparatus of the present invention may further comprise a base mounted to an inner side of the framework. The framework has at least one pivotal arm pivotably mounted thereto and joined to the upper half so that the upper half can be pivotably be turned relative to the lower half.
The framework has a lock member for locking the upper half at its closed position over the framework.
A recording medium record and/or playback apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a record and/or playback units having a first circuit board provided with a grounding potential unit; a cover body pivotably mounted to the record and/or playback unit and including a shield member connected to the grounding potential unit and a second circuit board connected to the first circuit board; a holder made of a metallic material and arranged to travel between the location for loading a recording medium into the record and/or playback unit and the location spaced away from the record and/or playback unit as the cover body is pivotably moved; and a grounding member made of a metallic material, provided with an engaging portion for engagement with the shield member and a contact for coming into direct contact with the holder, and connected to the shield member to urge the cover body in a direction of the holder pivotably turning.
The first circuit board and the second circuit board are electrically shielded by the cover body including the shield member connected to the grounding potential unit. Since the shield member is connected to the grounding member, the apparatus remains connected to ground, thus preventing static charging.
The grounding member has a pressing portion for pressing the recording medium against the record and/or playback unit, which prevents static charging.
In the recording medium record and/or playback apparatus of the present invention, the cover body has a window and at least one operating buttonswitch mounted thereon, and the second circuit board has at least one switch actuated by the action of the operating buttonswitch and a display element provided opposite to the window.
The recording medium record and/or playback apparatus may further comprise a base, a framework on which the base and the first circuit board are mounted, a strip member mounted to an outer side of the framework, and a half (e.g., an upper half or lower half) accommodating the framework, wherein the strip member is located between the cover body and the half when the cover body is closed over the half.
The framework has at least one pivotal arm pivotably mounted thereto and joined to the cover body and a lock member for locking the cover body at its closed position over the half.
Another recording medium record and/or playback apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a main body including a recording medium record and/or playback unit; and a cover body pivotably mounted to the main body having at leas
Aizawa Hidekuni
Tamura Kenichi
Tanaka Satomi
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Picard Leo P.
Sony Corporation
Vortman Anatoly
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