Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-29
2001-01-23
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S804000, C361S813000, C257S786000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178095
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for fixing an element (e.g., an auxiliary printed wiring board unit for updating of software or hardware) to a printed wiring board, and also to electronic equipment (e.g., a portable information processing device) having the fixing structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
In electronic equipment such as a portable information processing device, an auxiliary printed wiring board unit is independently provided on a printed wiring board in some case, so as to increase a mounting area per unit volume. In general, electronic components including IC chips are mounted on both surfaces of each of the printed wiring board and the auxiliary printed wiring board unit. Accordingly, in the case of providing the auxiliary printed wiring board unit on the printed wiring board, a spacer is interposed between the printed wiring board and the auxiliary printed wiring board unit to fix the auxiliary printed wiring board unit onto the printed wiring board. That is, the spacer has a first end fixed to the auxiliary printed wiring board unit and a second end fixed to the printed wiring board, thereby fixing the auxiliary printed wiring board unit to the printed wiring board with a predetermined space defined therebetween.
To fix the second end of the spacer to the printed wiring board, the printed wiring board is formed with a hole so designed as to be fitted with the shape of the spacer, for example. The second end of the spacer has a projection adapted to be inserted into the hole of the printed wiring board. By filling the hole with a sealant such as a solder in the condition that the projection is inserted in the hole, the second end of the spacer is fixed to the printed wiring board. The auxiliary printed wiring board unit is fixed to the first end of the spacer by means of a screw, for example, in consideration of replacement of the auxiliary printed wiring board unit.
The length of the projection formed at the second end of the spacer is set sufficiently larger than the thickness of the printed wiring board. As a result, when the spacer is fixed to the printed wiring board, the projection of the second end of the spacer inserted in the hole of the printed wiring board largely projects from a first surface of the printed wiring board opposite to its second surface for fixing the spacer, causing a difficulty of reducing the size (especially, thickness) of electronic equipment.
Further, since the projection of the second end of the spacer projects from the printed wiring board, an electronic component cannot be mounted on a portion of the printed wiring board around the hole, causing a limitation to an increase in mounting area of the printed wiring board.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a structure for fixing an element to a printed wiring board fit for a reduction in size of electronic equipment and also provide such electronic equipment having the fixing structure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a structure for fixing an element to a printed wiring board fit for an increase in mounting area of the printed wiring board and also provide such electronic equipment having the fixing structure.
Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure for fixing an element to a printed wiring board. The fixing structure includes a spacer, the printed wiring board, and a sealant. The spacer has a first end to which the element is to be fixed and a second end to be fixed to the printed wiring board. The printed wiring board has a hole having a shape determined in relation to the shape of the second end of the spacer. The sealant is filled in the hole of the printed wiring board to fix the second end of the spacer to the printed wiring board. The second end of the spacer has a projection having a length smaller than the thickness of the printed wiring board and located in the hole of the printed wiring board.
With this configuration, the length of the projection of the second end of the spacer is set smaller than the thickness of the printed wiring board, and the sealant is filled in the hole of the printed wiring board. Accordingly, the projection of the spacer or the sealant is prevented from projecting from a first surface of the printed wiring board opposite to its second surface for fixing the spacer, so that electronic equipment adopting this fixing structure can be reduced in size (in thickness) and a component mounting area of the first surface of the printed wiring board can be increased.
Preferably, the spacer has a flange contacting a part of a surface of the printed wiring board opposed to the element, the part surrounding the hole of the printed wiring board. In this case, a portion of the spacer interposed between the printed wiring board and the element except the flange can be reduced in size, so that in the case that the element is an auxiliary printed wiring board unit, a mounting area of the auxiliary printed wiring board unit can be increased.
Preferably, the hole of the printed wiring board is composed of a cylindrical portion and a radially recessed portion extending from the cylindrical portion along both surfaces of the printed wiring board, and the projection of the spacer is composed of a cylindrical portion adapted to be inserted into the cylindrical portion of the hole and a radially projected portion adapted to be inserted into the radially recessed portion of the hole. In the case that the element is fixed to the first end of the spacer by means of a screw, for example, a torque for tightening the screw or loosening the screw is applied to the spacer. However, by forming the above-mentioned radially projected portion on the projection of the spacer, the resistance of the spacer against the torque applied to the spacer can be increased to thereby provide a firm fixing structure.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic equipment including a housing and a printed wiring board provided in the housing. An element is fixed to the printed wiring board in accordance with the present invention.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention and the manner of realizing them will become more apparent, and the invention itself will best be understood from a study of the following description and appended claims with reference to the attached drawings showing some preferred embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4342068 (1982-07-01), Kling
patent: 5008777 (1991-04-01), Burns
patent: 5715141 (1998-02-01), Karlsson
patent: 5748451 (1998-05-01), Thompson et al.
patent: 5903439 (1999-05-01), Tamarkin
patent: GM 1 888 252 (1963-12-01), None
patent: 62-5696 (1987-01-01), None
patent: 1-107187 (1989-07-01), None
patent: 5-21483 (1993-03-01), None
Goto Katsuichi
Kishi Takumi
Kobayashi Sonomasa
Kojima Yukiya
Mizunaga Taiji
Duong Hung Van
Fujitsu Limited
Picard Leo P.
Staas & Halsey , LLP
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