JP6636125B1 - Portable information equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a portable information device that has a simple structure and can prevent a problem of wiring connecting foldable housings. A portable information device includes a spine member provided to cover a gap between a first housing member and a second housing member, and a groove provided in the spine member. And a wiring 66 for connecting between the first housing member 12A side and the second housing member 12B side. In the portable information device 10, a part of the wiring 66 is bent in the groove 64 in a state where the first housing member 12A and the second housing member 12B are opened in a flat shape by the hinge mechanism 19. A bending portion 66a is provided. [Selection diagram] FIG.

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable information device including a pair of foldable housing members.

  In recent years, portable information devices, such as tablet PCs and smartphones, which have a touch panel type liquid crystal display and do not have a physical keyboard, have rapidly become widespread. It is desirable that a display of this type of portable information device be large when used, but it is desired that the display be miniaturized when carried. In view of this, the present applicant has proposed a portable information device in which not only the housing but also the display can be folded by using a flexible display such as an organic EL (Electro Luminescence). reference).

JP 2018-112834 A

  Since the portable information device as described above includes, for example, a housing divided into right and left, it is necessary to connect the left and right housings by wiring. At this time, since the width of the gap between the left and right housings changes between an open state and a closed state, the wiring undergoes an expansion / contraction operation at a portion across the housings. For this reason, if wires are passed between the housings without any measures, the wires may move irregularly during opening and closing operations of the housings, which may cause breakage or catching. Therefore, for example, it is conceivable to provide a wire winding mechanism in one housing to absorb the expansion and contraction operation of the wiring when opening and closing, but it is difficult to secure a space for providing such a winding mechanism, and the structure is complicated. is there.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described problems of the related art, and has a portable information device that has a simple structure and can prevent the occurrence of a failure in wiring that connects foldable housings. The purpose is to provide.

  In the portable information device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the first housing member and the second housing member that can be folded in two are folded by connecting one edge portion arranged adjacent to each other by a hinge mechanism. A portable information device provided with an inner surface of the first housing member so as to cover a gap between the one edge of the first housing member and the one edge of the second housing member. A spine member provided between an inner surface of the second housing member and a spine member provided on the spine member and extending along a direction from the first housing member toward the second housing member. And a wiring connecting between the first housing member side and the second housing member side. The first housing member and the second housing member are separated by the hinge mechanism. A bent portion that bends a part of the wiring is arranged in the groove in a state of being opened in a flat plate shape.

  According to such a configuration, when each of the housing members is folded, the wiring can easily absorb a change in the connection distance by bending the bent portion in the groove of the spine member. For this reason, even when the housing member has been subjected to the folding operation, it is possible to prevent the wiring from causing a problem such as breakage or snagging.

  The wiring may be configured such that one end portion of the bending portion is positioned and fixed on the inner surface of the first housing member, and the other end portion of the bending portion is positioned and fixed on the inner surface of the second housing member. Good. Then, the wiring does not move on the inner surface of the housing member, and only the bending portion moves only in the groove. Therefore, it is not necessary to secure a space for moving the wiring on the inner surface of the housing member.

  The bent portion is angled in a mountain shape in plan view with respect to the spine member, and the foot portion of the mountain shape is arranged along a direction from the first housing member toward the second housing member, The top of the chevron may be arranged at a position protruding to one side from the foot in the longitudinal direction of the spine member. Then, at the time of opening / closing operation of each housing member, a force in the direction of expansion and contraction and a twisting force in the direction around the axis are applied to the bent portion of the wiring. As a result, the wiring can be prevented from generating stress concentration at one point, for example, the top, and can be prevented from being damaged over time when the housing member is repeatedly opened and closed.

  The first housing member has a first fixing part for positioning and fixing the wiring, and the second housing member has a second fixing part for positioning and fixing the wiring, and the first fixing part. The portion and the second fixing portion change an extending direction of the wiring from a direction from the first housing member toward the second housing member, and are angled such that the bending portion forms the chevron. A configuration having an angle setting unit may be adopted. Then, at the time of the opening and closing operation of each housing member, the force in the expansion and contraction direction and the twisting force in the direction around the axis can be more reliably applied to the bent portion of the wiring.

  A plurality of the wires are passed through the groove in a set, and the wires in the set are aligned and fixed in the first fixed portion and the second fixed portion in a plane direction, and the bending is performed. The portion may be provided movably while maintaining the state of being arranged in the plane direction.

  The chevron of the bending portion may have a configuration in which the foot portion is disposed on an end side in the longitudinal direction of the spine member, and the top portion is disposed on a central side in the longitudinal direction of the spine member.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the said aspect of this invention, generation | occurrence | production of the trouble of the wiring which connects between foldable housings can be prevented although it is a simple structure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a portable information device according to an embodiment of the present invention is closed and stored. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a state in which the portable information device shown in FIG. 1 is opened and used. FIG. 3 is a plan view schematically showing the internal structure of the portable information device shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part in a state where a spine member is omitted from the portable information device shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the spine member. FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure along the VIA-VIA line in FIG. FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure along the line VIB-VIB in FIG. FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure along the VIIA-VIIA line in FIG. 1. FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure along the line VIIB-VIIB in FIG. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. FIG. 9A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part schematically showing a cross-sectional structure along the direction in which the grooves of the spine member are arranged. FIG. 9B is an enlarged sectional view of a main part schematically showing a sectional structure along the longitudinal direction of the spine member. FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically showing an internal structure of a portable information device using a wiring structure according to a modification. FIG. 11A is an enlarged plan view of the wiring structure shown in FIG. FIG. 11B is an exploded view showing a state of the wiring structure when the housing member shown in FIG. 11A is closed to be housed. FIG. 12A is a schematic cross-sectional view along the line XIIA-XIIA in FIG. 11A. FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view in a state where the portable information device shown in FIG. 12A is stored.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a portable information device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1. Description of Overall Configuration of Portable Information Device FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a portable information device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is closed and stored. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a state in which the portable information device 10 shown in FIG. 1 is opened and used. FIG. 3 is a plan view schematically showing the internal structure of the portable information device 10 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the portable information device 10 includes a first housing member 12A and a second housing member 12B, a spine member 14, and a display 16. In the present embodiment, a tablet PC that can be folded in two like a book will be exemplified as the portable information device 10. The portable information device 10 may be a mobile phone, a smartphone, an electronic organizer, or the like.

  Each of the housing members 12A and 12B is a rectangular plate-like member having side walls formed upright on three sides other than the side corresponding to the spine member 14. Each of the housing members 12A and 12B is made of, for example, a metal plate made of stainless steel, magnesium, aluminum, or the like, or a fiber reinforced resin plate containing a reinforcing fiber such as carbon fiber. The display 16 is fixed to the inner surfaces of the housing members 12A and 12B via the support plate 18 (see also FIG. 6B). The housing members 12A, 12B are connected via a pair of hinge mechanisms 19, 19 provided at both ends of the spine member 14. The hinge mechanism 19 foldably connects the housing members 12A and 12B to a storage configuration shown in FIG. 1 and a usage configuration shown in FIG. A dashed line C in FIG. 3 indicates a bending center C which is the center of the folding operation of the housing members 12A and 12B.

  In each of the housing members 12A and 12B, the inner end surfaces 12Aa and 12Ba on the spine member 14 side are hinge sides, and the outer end surfaces 12Ab and 12Bb on the opposite side to the spine member 14 side are open end sides.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a main board 20, a communication module 21, a cooling fan 22, and the like are attached and fixed to the inner surface of the first housing member 12A using screws (not shown). The sub board 24, the antenna 25, the battery device 26, and the like are attached and fixed to the inner surface of the second housing member 12B using screws (not shown). The main board 20 is an electronic board for performing overall control of the portable information device 10, and has various electronic components such as a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory (not shown) mounted thereon. The communication module 21 is a device that performs information processing of various wireless communications such as a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) transmitted and received by the antenna 25. The cooling fan 22 is a fan for cooling heat generated by a central processing unit and the like mounted on the main board 20. The sub-board 24 is an electronic board that functions as a controller that controls the display on the display 16. The battery device 26 is a power source for the portable information device 10 and can be charged from an external power source via a power cable (not shown).

  The display 16 is, for example, a touch panel type liquid crystal display. The display 16 has a structure that can be folded together when the housing members 12A and 12B are folded. The display 16 is, for example, a flexible display such as an organic EL having a highly flexible paper structure, and opens and closes in accordance with opening and closing operations of the housing members 12A and 12B.

  The display 16 is attached and fixed to the inner surfaces of the housing members 12A and 12B via a support plate 18 using screws (not shown). The display 16 has a display surface (front surface) whose back surface is attached and fixed to the surface of the support plate 18 using an adhesive, a double-sided tape, or the like. In the case of the present embodiment, the support plate 18 has a pair of plate members 18a, 18a arranged on the inner surface sides of the housing members 12A, 12B, respectively, and connected to each other so as to be able to bend around a bending center C. (See FIGS. 6A and 6B). The pair of plate members 18a, 18a have a sheet-like member 18b fixed to the entire surface thereof, thereby being connected to each other in a bendable manner.

  Each plate member 18a is composed of a metal plate of, for example, stainless steel, magnesium, or aluminum, or a fiber reinforced resin plate in which reinforcing fibers such as carbon fibers are impregnated into a matrix resin made of a thermosetting resin or a thermoplastic resin. In this embodiment, a carbon fiber reinforced resin plate using carbon fiber as a reinforced resin is used. The sheet member 18b is a thin film made of a flexible material such as a thin resin film or a metal foil. The sheet member 18b is fixed over the entire surface of each of the plate members 18a, 18a. In the present embodiment, a metal foil made of stainless steel is used as the sheet-shaped member 18b. The display 16 is adhered to the surface of the sheet member 18b using an adhesive or the like. The portion of the sheet member 18b that covers the adjacent end of each plate member 18a functions as a bent portion (flexible hinge) of the support plate 18.

  The support plate 18 is a use form in which the housing members 12A, 12B are opened in a flat plate shape, and adjacent end faces of the pair of plate members 18a, 18a come into contact with each other (see FIG. 6B). In the support form in which the housing members 12A and 12B are folded in two, the adjacent end faces of the pair of plate members 18a and 18a are separated from each other (see FIG. 6A).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the display 16 has a bezel member 27 disposed on the outer peripheral edge of the surface of the display 16 in a state of being fixedly attached to the inner surfaces of the housing members 12A and 12B (see also FIG. 8). The bezel member 27 is provided so as to cover a non-display area (inactive area) R2 on the outer peripheral edge excluding a display area (active area) R1 on the surface of the display 16.

  As described above, the portable information device 10 opens and closes the display 16 provided inside the pair of housing members 12A and 12B by opening and closing the pair of housing members 12A and 12B, and switches between the storage form shown in FIG. 1 and the use form shown in FIG. Can be deformed.

  Hereinafter, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, in the portable information device 10, a direction from the spine member 14 to the outer end surfaces 12Ab and 12Bb is defined as an X direction, and a direction along the longitudinal direction of the spine member 14 is defined as a Y direction. Call and explain. Regarding the X direction, a direction from the spine member 14 toward one outer end surface 12Ab may be referred to as an X1 direction, and a direction toward the other outer end surface 12Bb may be referred to as an X2 direction. Similarly, in the Y direction, a direction toward one side (upper side in FIG. 3) in the longitudinal direction of the spine member 14 is called a Y1 direction, and a direction toward the other side (lower side in FIG. 3) is called a Y2 direction. There is also.

2. Description of Hinge Mechanism An example of the configuration of the hinge mechanism 19 that connects the housing members 12A and 12B will be described. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part in a state where the spine member 14 is omitted from the portable information device 10 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the hinge mechanisms 19 are respectively provided at positions overlapping both ends of the spine member 14 in the longitudinal direction. Each hinge mechanism 19 is provided at a position outside the outer shape of the display 16 and has a line-symmetric structure with each other. The hinge mechanism 19 has a first hinge housing 28A, a second hinge housing 28B, a first arm 30, and a second arm 31.

  The first hinge housing 28A is a thin block-shaped component formed of resin, metal, or the like. The first hinge housing 28A is fixed on the inner surface of the first housing member 12A using a fixing screw 32. The second hinge housing 28B is a thin block-shaped component made of resin, metal, or the like. The second hinge housing 28B is fixed on the inner surface of the second housing member 12B using the fixing screw 32.

  The first hinge housing 28A has a concave portion 34 on the back surface that lands on the inner surface of the first housing member 12A. The concave portion 34 has a concave shape in which the inner surface of the first hinge housing 28A (the side surface on the Y2 side in the upper hinge mechanism 19 in FIG. 3) opens from the side surface on the bending center C side (the side surface on the X2 side). (See also FIGS. 7A to 8). The second hinge housing 28B has a concave portion 35 on the back surface that lands on the inner surface of the second housing member 12B. The concave portion 35 has a concave shape in which the inner surface of the second hinge housing 28B (the side surface on the Y2 side in the upper hinge mechanism 19 in FIG. 3) opens from the side surface on the bending center C side (the side surface on the X1 side). (See also FIGS. 7A to 8). Each of the concave portions 34, 35 communicates with each other across the bending center C (see FIGS. 3 and 7B).

  One end of the first arm 30 is rotatably connected to the first hinge housing 28A via the first hinge shaft 36a, and the other end of the first arm 30 is connected to the second hinge housing 28B. It is rotatably connected via a hinge shaft 36b (see also FIGS. 7A and 7B). The second arm 31 has one end rotatably connected to the second hinge housing 28B via the third hinge shaft 36c, and the other end connected to the first hinge housing 28A with the fourth hinge housing 28A. It is rotatably connected via a hinge shaft 36d (see also FIGS. 7A and 7B).

  The first arm 30 and the second arm 31 are arranged in the Y direction. The second hinge shaft 36b of the first arm 30 is located between the third hinge shaft 36c and the fourth hinge shaft 36d of the second arm 31. The third hinge shaft 36c of the second arm 31 is located between the first hinge shaft 36a and the second hinge shaft 36b of the first arm 30. As a result, the first arm 30 and the second arm 31 are displaced in the X and Y directions and are alternately arranged.

  In each hinge mechanism 19, when the housing members 12A and 12B are folded around the bending center C, the arms 30 and 31 rotate via the hinge shafts 36a to 36d (see FIG. 4). Thus, the hinge mechanism 19 is rotatably connected between the housing members 12A and 12B from a state where the housing members 12A and 12B are folded in two to a state where the housing members 12A and 12B are opened like a flat plate.

3. Description of the spine member The spine member 14 will be described. In the storage mode shown in FIG. 1, the inner end faces 12Aa and 12Ba between the housing members 12A and 12B are largely separated from each other to form a gap (see also FIG. 4). Therefore, in the portable information device 10, a spine cover member 14 is provided in order to prevent the internal display 16, the main board 20, the battery device 26, and the like from being exposed by covering the gap. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the spine member 14. FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure along the VIA-VIA line in FIG. FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure along the line VIB-VIB in FIG.

  The backstrip member 14 is a member serving as a backstrip when the portable information device 10 is folded, and is a thin plate-shaped member having flexibility. The spine member 14 is provided between the housing members 12A and 12B so as to cover from the inside while straddling the inner end surfaces 12Aa and 12Ba (see FIGS. 3, 6A and 6B).

  As shown in FIG. 5, the spine member 14 includes a sheet-like member (flexible sheet-like member) 40, a first support member 42, a second support member 43, and a plurality of reinforcing members 44a, 44b, 44c and 44d.

  The first support member 42 and the second support member 43 are thin plate members extending in the longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the spine member 14. The reinforcing members 44a to 44d are thin plate-like members extending in the longitudinal direction of the spine member 14, and are narrower in the X direction than the supporting members 42 and 43. The reinforcing members 44a to 44d are arranged between the support members 42 and 43 in the X2 direction from the first housing member 12A to the second housing member 12B. The first support member 42, the second support member 43, and the reinforcing members 44a to 44d are thin plate members formed of resin, metal, or the like.

  The sheet-shaped member 40 is a fiber reinforced resin plate in which a reinforced fiber such as a carbon fiber is impregnated with a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin. The sheet member 40 is a thin sheet member having a thickness of, for example, 0.3 mm or less, and has high flexibility and high strength. Various materials such as metal fibers such as stainless steel fibers and inorganic fibers such as glass fibers may be used as the reinforcing fibers. The sheet member 40 may be formed of a resin film, a metal foil, or the like.

  Each of the support members 42 and 43 and each of the reinforcing members 44a to 44d are fixed to the surface of the sheet-like member 40 using an adhesive or a double-sided tape. Each of the support members 42 and 43 and each of the reinforcing members 44a to 44d and the sheet-shaped member 40 may be integrally formed. Thus, the spine member 14 can be folded along with the folding operation of the housing members 12A and 12B. In the sheet-like member 40, a portion that covers between the inner end surfaces 12Aa and 12Ba of the housing members 12A and 12B becomes a bent portion 40a (see FIGS. 6A and 6B). The sheet-shaped member 40 has a plurality of notches 40b arranged in the Y direction at the edge on the second support member 43 side.

  The first support member 42 is provided on the inner surface side of the first housing member 12A so as to be slidable along the inner surface in the X direction between the housing members 12A and 12B. The first support member 42 has pressing surfaces 42a on the surfaces at both ends in the longitudinal direction. The pressing surface 42 a is a surface one step lower than the other surface of the first support member 42. The first support member 42 has a plurality of grooves 42b in the X direction on the surface of the portion between the pair of pressing surfaces 42a in the longitudinal direction. The side surface 42c on the X2 side of the first support member 42 that faces the reinforcing member 44a is an inclined surface that recedes in the X1 direction from the reinforcing member 44a in the direction from the back surface (the sheet-like member 40) to the front surface. (See FIGS. 6A and 6B).

  The first support member 42 receives an urging force by a tension spring (elastic member) 45 along the X direction (see FIGS. 3 and 6A). The tension spring 45 constantly urges the spine member 14 along the X1 direction from the second housing member 12B to the first housing member 12A.

  The second support member 43 is non-slidably attached to and fixed to the inner surface of the second housing member 12B by using a fixing screw 46 (see FIGS. 6A and 6B). The second support member 43 has pressing surfaces 43a on the surfaces at both ends in the longitudinal direction. The pressing surface 43a is a surface one step lower than the other surface of the second support member 43. The second support member 43 has a plurality of grooves 43b in the X direction on the surface of a portion between the pair of pressing surfaces 43a. At an appropriate position in the longitudinal direction of the second support member 43, a through hole 47 for inserting a screw portion of the fixing screw 46 is provided. The fixing screw 46 is fastened and fixed to the second housing member 12B through the notch 40b of the sheet-shaped member 40. The X1 side surface 43c of the second support member 43 facing the reinforcing member 44d is an inclined surface that recedes in the X2 direction from the reinforcing member 44d in the direction from the back surface (the sheet-like member 40) to the front surface. (See FIGS. 6A and 6B).

  Each of the reinforcing members 44a to 44d has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape whose upper and lower bottoms are slightly curved. Pressing surfaces 44e, which are surfaces one step lower than the other surfaces, are provided on the surfaces at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing members 44a to 44d, respectively (see FIG. 5). Each pressing surface 44e is formed at a height position substantially the same as the pressing surfaces 42a, 43a of the support members 42, 43 (see FIG. 7B). The number of the reinforcing members 44a to 44d can be appropriately changed.

  Each of the reinforcing members 44a to 44d has a side surface 48a on the first support member 42 side (X1 side) and a side surface 48b on the second support member 43 side (X2 side) (see FIGS. 6A and 6B). The two reinforcing members 44a, 44b near the first support member 42 side and the two reinforcing members 44c, 44d near the second support member 43 side are mutually based on the boundary between the central reinforcing members 44b, 44c. It is a substantially line symmetric shape. The side surface 48a of the reinforcing member 44a is an inclined surface that recedes in the X2 direction from the first support member 42 in a direction from the back surface side (the sheet-like member 40 side) to the front surface side. The side surface 48b of the reinforcing member 44d is an inclined surface that retreats in the X1 direction from the second support member 43 in a direction from the back surface side (the sheet-like member 40 side) to the front surface side. The other side surfaces 48a, 48b face the side surfaces 48b, 48a facing each other substantially in parallel, or are inclined surfaces in a direction slightly separated from each other.

  In the storage configuration shown in FIG. 6A, each of the reinforcing members 44 a to 44 d abuts each other's side surfaces 48 a and 48 b on the inner surface side of the bent portion 40 a of the sheet-like member 40 folded in two, and a plurality of teeth are spaced. It forms an arch shape (arc shape) that is arranged side by side. At this time, the outer side surfaces 48a and 48b of the reinforcing members 44a and 44d at both ends abut against the side surfaces 42c and 43c of the support members 42 and 43, respectively. Due to this arch shape, each of the reinforcing members 44a to 44d functions as a column for firmly supporting the housing members 12A and 12B in a storage mode in which the inner end surfaces 12Aa and 12Ba are separated and rigidity is reduced. That is, in the vicinity of the spine member 14 between the housing members 12A and 12B, the hinge mechanism 19 is provided at both ends in the Y direction in the storage mode, but the portion other than both ends has no rigidity extending in the Y direction. Exist. Therefore, in the portable information device 10, the support members 42 and 43 and the reinforcing members 44a to 44b form arch-shaped columns extending in the Y direction, and secure the rigidity in the thickness direction in the storage mode.

  In such a storage mode, the inner end surfaces 12Aa and 12Ba of the housing members 12A and 12B are arranged at the most distant positions. For this reason, the spine member 14 is at the retracted position where the first support member 42 side, which is the slide side, is drawn closest to the inner end surface 12Aa side (X2 direction) on the inner surface of the first housing member 12A. At this time, the first support member 42 slides toward the inner end surface 12Aa against the urging force of the tension spring 45.

  On the other hand, in a usage mode in which the housing members 12A and 12B are opened in a flat shape, the reinforcing members 44a to 44d are arranged in a line with the support members 42 and 43 on the inner surfaces of the housing members 12A and 12B. You. For this reason, the spine member 14 has a flat plate shape with a minimum thickness. In this use mode, the inner end surfaces 12Aa and 12Ba of the housing members 12A and 12B are arranged at the closest or abutted position. For this reason, the spine cover member 14 is in an advanced position in which the first support member 42 side, which is the slide side, has advanced to the outer end surface 12Ab side (X1 direction) opposite to the inner end surface 12Aa side on the inner surface of the first housing member 12A. Becomes At this time, the first support member 42 smoothly slides toward the outer end face 12Ab by the urging force of the tension spring 45, so that the spine member 14 does not rise or catch when sliding.

4. Description of the relationship between the spine member and the hinge mechanism The relationship between the spine member 14 and the hinge mechanism 19 will be described. FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure along the VIIA-VIIA line in FIG. 1. FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure along the line VIIB-VIIB in FIG. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure along the line VIII-VIII in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the spine member 14 extends to a position covering the back side of each hinge mechanism 19, and the hinge mechanism 19 is exposed from between the inner end surfaces 12Aa and 12Ba of the housing members 12A and 12B. Is preventing that.

  As shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B, and FIG. 8, the spine member 14 has pressing surfaces 42a, 43a, 44e at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the spine member 14 with the back surfaces of the hinge housings 28A, 28B and the housing member 12A. , 12B. Specifically, the respective pressing surfaces 42a, 43a, 44e of the spine member 14 are inserted and arranged in the concave portions 34, 35 of the hinge housings 28A, 28B. At this time, at least the pressing surfaces 42a and 44e of the first support member 42 and the reinforcing members 44a to 44d are slidably held in the recessed portions 34 of the first support member 42, and are in contact with the inner surface of the first housing member 12A. It is guided between the top surface of the concave portion 34. That is, the concave portion 34 on the side of the first hinge housing 28A guides the spine member 14 so as to be slidable in the X direction, and prevents the spine member 14 from floating when sliding. The concave portion 34 has a length dimension that can correspond to the sliding distance (sliding range) L of the spine member 14 (see FIG. 7A). For this reason, the concave portion 34 is longer in the X direction than the concave portion 35 on the second hinge housing 28B side.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the hinge mechanism 19 has fitting projections 50 on the outer surfaces of the hinge housings 28A and 28B, respectively. On the other hand, a fitting concave portion 52a is formed on the inner surface of the wall portion 52 which is a side wall extending in the X direction from the inner surface of each of the housing members 12A and 12B facing the fitting convex portion 50. The fitting concave portion 52a is capable of fitting with the fitting convex portion 50, and at least restricts the movement of the fitting convex portion 50 in the direction of rising from the inner surfaces of the housing members 12A and 12B.

  Therefore, the first hinge housing 28A is sandwiched between the inner surface of the first housing member 12A and the top surface of the fitting concave portion 52a of the wall portion 52, and the floating thereof is prevented. The second hinge housing 28B is sandwiched between the inner surface of the second housing member 12B and the top surface of the fitting concave portion 52a of the wall portion 52, and the floating thereof is prevented. That is, since the hinge housings 28A and 28B are provided with the concave portions 34 and 35 for inserting the spine member 14 on the back side thereof, the fixing screw 32 can be fastened only around the concave portions 34 and 35. Therefore, there is a concern that the hinge housings 28A and 28B may be lifted when the hinge mechanism 19 is moved. Therefore, in the portable information device 10, the hinge housings 28A and 28B are fitted and pressed on the wall portions 52 of the housing members 12A and 12B to prevent the floating. Note that each of the hinge housings 28A and 28B may be fitted into the fitting concave portion 52a without providing the fitting convex portion 50.

5. Description of Wiring Structure The wiring structure of the portable information device 10 will be described. The portable information device 10 has a configuration that can be folded in two. For this reason, it is necessary that electronic boards and electronic components are appropriately arranged on the inner surfaces of the left and right housing members 12A and 12B, and wiring connecting between them is provided through the inner surface side of the spine member 14 that is bent. For this reason, there is a concern that the wiring may be displaced when the housing members 12A and 12B are opened and closed, causing problems such as pinching and disconnection, and it is desirable to prevent the wiring from being displaced. FIG. 9A is a main part enlarged cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a cross-sectional structure along the direction in which the grooves 42b and 43b of the spine cover member 14 are arranged (X direction). FIG. 9B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part schematically showing a cross-sectional structure along the longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the spine member 14.

  As shown in FIGS. 3, 9A, and 9B, between the first housing member 12A and the second housing member 12B, for example, to electrically connect the main board 20 and the sub-board 24. Are provided in plurality. The wiring 54 is routed between the housing members 12A and 12B across the inner surface side of the spine member 14. Therefore, the wiring 54 is inserted into the X-direction grooves 42b and 43b formed in the support members 42 and 43 of the spine member 14. In the backstrip member 14, the height position of the surface of the reinforcing members 44a to 44b substantially coincides with the height position of the bottom surface of the grooves 42b and 43b (see FIG. 9A).

  Accordingly, since the wiring 54 is stably held in a state of being inserted through the grooves 42b, 43b, it is possible to prevent a problem such as a positional shift when the housing members 12A, 12B are opened and closed. That is, even when the spine member 14 slides in accordance with the opening and closing operations of the housing members 12A and 12B, the wiring 54 slides in the grooves 42b and 43b, thereby preventing problems such as displacement and pinching. Is done. The wiring 54 may be positioned and fixed to one of the housing members 12A, 12B outside one of the grooves 42b, 43b, for example.

  As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the upper openings of the grooves 42b and 43b are covered by the back surface of the support plate 18. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the wiring 54 from floating from the upper openings of the grooves 42b and 43b and dropping out of the grooves 42b and 43b. Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, a lid member 56 for closing the openings of the grooves 42b and 43b is provided to more reliably prevent the wiring 54 from dropping out of the grooves 42b and 43b.

  The lid member 56 is a thin film made of a flexible material such as a thin resin film or a metal foil. The cover member 56 is provided over substantially the entire length of the spine member 14 except for both ends in the Y direction and over the entire width in the X direction, and is adhered to the surface of the spine member 14. In the case of the present embodiment, a stainless steel sheet member (stainless steel sheet) is used for the lid member 56. The lid member 56 has, for example, an end (one end) on the X2 side fixed to the surface of the second support member 43 and an end (the other end) on the X1 side movably mounted on the surface of the first support member 42. (See FIGS. 6A and 6B). Therefore, the lid member 56 slides on the spine member 14 following the slide of the spine member 14 and prevents the wiring 54 from dropping out of the grooves 42b and 43b. The cover member 56 may be omitted, and the plate member 18a may be used instead of the cover member 56.

6. Description of Operation and Effect of Portable Information Device As described above, the portable information device 10 according to the present embodiment includes one edge portion of the first housing member 12A and the second housing member 12B connected by the hinge mechanism 19. A spine provided between the inner surface of one edge of the first housing member 12A and the inner surface of one edge of the second housing member 12B so as to cover a gap between the first housing member 12A and the second housing member 12B. A member 14 is provided. The spine member 14 is provided so as to be slidable in the X direction from the second housing member 12B toward the first housing member 12A along the inner surface along the inner surface of one edge of the first housing member 12A. The second housing member 12B is fixed so as not to slide on the inner surface of one edge portion.

  Accordingly, when the first housing member 12A and the second housing member 12B are folded in two via the hinge mechanism 19, the hinge-side edges of the housing members 12A and 12B (the inner end faces 12Aa, The gap generated between (12Ba) can be covered with the spine member 14. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the internal components such as the main substrate 20 from being exposed from the gap, and to improve the appearance quality and durability of the product. Moreover, one edge of the spine member 14 is provided to be slidable with respect to the first housing member 12A, and the other edge is fixed to the second housing member 12B. Thereby, the spine member 14 slides following the opening and closing operation of the first housing member 12A and the second housing member 12B by the hinge mechanism 19. For this reason, when the gap between the two housing members 12A and 12B is reduced by opening the two housing members 12A and 12B in a flat shape, the spine member 14 is prevented from being lifted up or displaced in the housing members 12A and 12B. it can.

  At this time, in the portable information device 10, the spine member 14 is fixed non-slidably on the side of the second housing member 12B on which the battery device 26 is mounted. In other words, among the components mounted on the portable information device 10, there is a demand to increase the size of the battery device 26 as much as possible in order to cope with high capacity, and the battery device 26 has a special shape as compared with the main substrate 20 or the like. It is difficult. Therefore, by making the edge of the spine member 14 on the side of the battery device 26 fixed, it is not necessary to secure the sliding distance L on the side of the battery device 26, which can contribute to downsizing of the entire device. Of course, the settings on the sliding side and the fixed side of the spine member 14 can be changed as appropriate.

  The spine member 14 is a sheet-like member 40 which is a flexible sheet-like member that can be folded in two, and is fixed to an inner surface of the sheet-like member 40, and is formed of a first housing member 12A and a second housing member 12B. It has reinforcing members 44a to 44b extending in the Y direction along one edge. Thereby, the spine cover member 14 can reinforce the portion covering the gap between the housing members 12A and 12B folded in two by the reinforcing members 44a to 44d. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the spine member 14 from being deformed by receiving an external force, and the internal components such as the main board 20 from being damaged. Moreover, since the reinforcing members 44a to 44d are fixed to the sheet member 40, it is possible to prevent the smooth bending operation of the spine member 14 from being hindered. Of course, even if the reinforcing members 44a to 44d are omitted, and the spine member 14 is composed of only the sheet-like member 40, the effect of closing the gap between the housing members 12A and 12B can be secured.

  The plurality of reinforcing members 44a to 44d form an arch shape in which the side surfaces 48a and 48b are in contact with each other on the inner surface side of the bent portion 40a of the sheet member 40 folded in two. Thus, each of the reinforcing members 44a to 44d functions as a column for firmly supporting the folded housing members 12A and 12B. For this reason, the rigidity of the portable information device 10 in the thickness direction can be secured, and it is possible to prevent the folded housing members 12A and 12B from being crushed by an external force and damage to each element such as the display 16 inside. Can be prevented.

  In the portable information device 10, the grooves 42b and 43b are closed by the cover member 56 made of a metal foil to prevent the wiring 54 from falling off. For this reason, for example, when changing from the storage configuration shown in FIG. 6A to the usage configuration shown in FIG. 6B, the lid member 56 is also attached to the spine member 14 so as to follow the bending operation of the pair of plate members 18a, 18a of the support plate 18. Folded with. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent the wiring 54 from coming into contact with an adjacent end (edge) or the like between the plate members 18a, 18a, and to improve the durability and reliability of the portable information device 10. Note that the end on the X1 side, which is the end on the slide side, of the lid member 56 may be configured to extend beyond the end on the X1 side of the first support member 42. Thus, the wiring 54 can be protected in a wider area than the region where the wiring 54 overlaps the spine member 14.

7. Description of Modification Example A wiring structure according to a modification example will be described. FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically showing the internal structure of the portable information device 10 using the wiring structure according to the modification. 10, the same reference numerals as those shown in FIGS. 1 to 9B denote the same or similar components, and therefore, detailed descriptions are omitted as having the same or similar functions and effects. The same applies to FIGS. 11A to 12B.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the wiring structure according to this modified example includes a spine member 60 having a different configuration from the spine member 14 shown in FIG. 3, and wiring structure portions 62A, 62B, and 62C. In the configuration example shown in FIG. 10, the shapes and arrangements of the main board 20, the communication module 21, the sub-board 24, and the battery device 26 are changed as compared with the configuration example shown in FIG. The arrangement and shape can be changed as appropriate.

  The spine member 60 is different from the spine member 14 shown in FIG. 3 in that the spine member 60 has a groove 64 having a different shape from the grooves 42b and 43b, but includes support members 42 and 43 and reinforcing members 44a to 44b. The basic configuration is the same. The groove portions 64 are provided at three places in the Y direction of the spine member 60. Each of the grooves 64 is formed by dug-down the backstrip member 60 along the X direction similarly to the grooves 42b and 43b shown in FIG. 3, but has a larger width dimension in the Y direction than the grooves 42b and 43b. Each groove 64 is formed by recessing a part of each of the support members 42 and 43 and each of the reinforcing members 44a to 44b (see FIG. 12A). Also in the spine member 60, when the height of the reinforcing members 44a to 44d is lower than that of the support members 42 and 43, the reinforcing members 44a to 44d are not provided with recesses as in the case of the spine member 14 described above. May be used as the bottom surface of the groove 64.

  Each of the wiring structure portions 62A to 62C closes the groove 64, the wiring 66 passed through the groove 64, a pair of fixing portions 68 and 69 provided so as to straddle the spine member 60 in the X direction, and closes the groove 64. And a lid member 70.

  FIG. 11A is an enlarged plan view of the wiring structure 62C shown in FIG. FIG. 11B is an exploded view showing a state of the wiring structure 62C when the housing members 12A and 12B shown in FIG. 11A are closed to be stored. That is, FIG. 11B is a view in which the housing members 12A and 12B in a storage form folded in two are actually developed on a plane, and the internal structure thereof is clearly shown. FIG. 12A is a schematic cross-sectional view along the line XIIA-XIIA in FIG. 11A. FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view in a state where the portable information device 10 shown in FIG. 12A is stored. Hereinafter, the wiring structure 62C will be described as a representative. That is, the wiring structure portions 62A and 62B have the same structure except that they have a symmetrical shape in the Y direction with respect to the wiring structure portion 62C, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. 12A and 12B, illustration of the sheet member 18b, the tension spring 45, and the like is omitted.

  First, as shown in FIGS. 10, 11A and 12A, the configuration of the wiring structure 62C when the portable information device 10 is used will be described. The wiring 66 extends over the spine member 60 between the main board 20 and the like on the first housing member 12A side and the battery device 26 and the like on the second housing member 12B side like the wiring 54 shown in FIG. Connected with. In FIG. 10, four wirings 66 arranged in the Y direction are arranged as one set in each of the wiring structure parts 62A to 62C, but the number of the wirings 66 can be appropriately changed.

  In the usage form, the wiring 66 forms a bent portion 66 a in which a part thereof is excessively slackened in the groove portion 64. That is, when the portable information device 10 is deformed from the use mode to the storage mode, the portable information device 10 is located outside the axis of the hinge shafts 36a to 36d that are the rotation axes of the hinge mechanism 19, that is, the members located on the housing members 12A and 12B side. Is stretched in the X direction, and the backstrip member 60 slides along the housing members 12A and 12B in the same manner as the backstrip member 14. Therefore, the wiring 66 also receives a stretching force along the housing members 12A and 12B which are separated from each other.

  Therefore, in the wiring structure 62C (62A, 62B), by forming a bent portion 66a in which the wiring 66 is left in the groove 64, the required distance of the wiring 66 when the form of the portable information device 10 changes is formed. Respond to change. Therefore, the amount of bending of the wiring 66 at the bending portion 66a is, for example, the sum of the moving distances of the inner end surfaces 12Aa and 12Ba of the housing members 12A and 12B when the housing members 12A and 12B are opened and closed by the hinge mechanism 19. It is the same as or higher than the value.

  The bending portion 66a has a foot portion 66b in the X direction from the first housing member 12A toward the second housing member 12B in a plan view with respect to the spine member 60, and a top portion 66c protrudes from the foot portion 66b in the Y direction. Angled. The foot 66b of the wiring 66 is positioned and fixed by fixing portions 68, 69 provided on the inner surfaces of the housing members 12A, 12B close to the spine member 60.

  The fixing portion 68 is provided on the inner surface of the first housing member 12A, and positions and fixes the wiring 66 while angling the wiring 66 in a direction from the foot 66b to the top 66c of the bending portion 66a. The fixing portion 68 has a configuration in which boomerang-shaped narrow groove shapes for forming an angle while individually holding the four wires are arranged in parallel. Each wall 68a that forms the groove shape of the fixing portion 68 protrudes from the inner surface of the first housing member 12A. The fixing part 69 is provided on the inner surface of the second housing member 12B, and positions and fixes the wiring 66 while angling the wiring 66 in a direction from the foot part 66b to the top part 66c of the bending part 66a. The fixing portion 69 has a symmetrical shape with respect to the fixing portion 68 in the X direction. Each wall 69a protrudes from the inner surface of the second housing member 12B. In this manner, the bent portions of the wall bodies 68a, 69a of the fixing portions 68, 69 function as angle setting portions that bend the wiring 66 at an angle toward the bending portion 66a. 10 to 11B, a gap is provided between the wall bodies 68a and 69a and the wiring 66, but the wiring 66 is actually sandwiched between the wall bodies 68a and 69a and between the wall bodies 69a and 69a. It is.

  The lid member 70 is a member that closes the upper surface opening of the groove 64, presses the wiring 66 in the groove 64, and prevents the wiring 66 from jumping out of the groove 64. The lid member 70 has a sheet member 72 and a pair of fixing plates 74 and 75. The sheet member 72 is a thin film made of a flexible material such as a thin resin film or a metal foil, like the above-described lid member 56, and is a stainless sheet in the present embodiment. The fixing plates 74 and 75 are arranged on the upper surfaces of the support members 42 and 43 with the sheet material 72 interposed therebetween, and are fixed to the support members 42 and 43 using screws 76 (see FIG. 12A).

  The sheet material 72 prevents the wiring 66 from jumping out of the groove 64 and entanglement by pressing the wiring 66 in the groove 64 over substantially the entire lower surface 72a. In the wiring structure portions 62A to 62C, the sheet material 72 covers the groove portion 64, and the fixing portions 68 and 69 position and align the bundle of the wiring 66. Therefore, the wiring 66 moves in parallel in the groove 64 while maintaining the alignment of the lines. The fixing plates 74 and 75 are pressing plates that press the X-direction end of the sheet material 72 and stably fix the sheet material 72 to the support members 42 and 43. Since the sheet material 72 is a thin film as described above, if the fixing structure using the screws 76 is used, there is a concern that the sheet material 72 may be broken unless the fixing plates 74 and 75 are used.

  By the way, as shown in FIG. 10, various components such as the main board 20 and the battery device 26 are disposed inside the housing members 12A and 12B, and it is difficult to secure a space for inserting the wiring 66. That is, it is often desirable to arrange each wiring 66 near the outer peripheral edge of the housing members 12A and 12B from the viewpoint of space efficiency. Therefore, in the wiring structure portions 62A and 62C at both ends of the spine member 60, the bent portion 66a forms a mountain shape in which the top portion 66c is disposed at the center in the longitudinal direction of the spine member 60, and the housing members 12A and 12B. The wiring 66 can be easily installed in the vicinity of the outer periphery. In the center wiring structure portion 62B, the bending portion 66a has a mountain shape with the top portion 66c disposed on the Y2 side, but the top portion 66c of the bending portion 66a may be reversed.

  Therefore, in the portable information device 10 provided with such wiring structure portions 62A to 62C, in the usage pattern shown in FIGS. 11A and 12A, the wiring 66 forms the bent portion 66a formed in the groove 64 in a mountain shape. ing.

  Then, as shown in FIGS. 11B and 12B, when the portable information device 10 in the use mode is folded and stored, the inner end surfaces 12Aa and 12Ba of the housing members 12A and 12B are separated from each other, and the spine member 60 is A bent portion is formed by sliding to cover a gap largely opened between the inner end surfaces 12Aa and 12Ba. By the way, the wiring 66 is in a state where it can be translated in the groove 64. For this reason, when folding the housing members 12A and 12B, the bending portion 66a has the fixing portions 68 and 69 at both ends of the foot portion 66b as fixing points, and is stretched in the X direction with the bending deformation of the spine member 60. , Also in the torsion direction along the axis. As a result, as shown in FIG. 11B and FIG. 12B, the bent portion 66a has a longer distance between the foot portion 66b because the fixed portions 68 and 69 at both ends are separated in the X direction, and the mountain shape has a substantially linear shape with almost no bending. It is stretched until it becomes.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 12A, when the portable information device 10 in the storage mode is opened again to be used, the stretched bent portion 66a of the wiring 66 receives the contraction force again. At this time, since the bending portion 66a is angled into a mountain shape by the fixing portions 68 and 69 at both ends, the bending portion 66a smoothly returns to the predetermined mountain shape again. Also in this case, the bending portion 66a of the wiring 66 receives a stress in the torsional direction while being contracted in the X direction as the spine member 60 returns to the flat shape.

  As described above, in the portable information device 10 having the wiring structure according to such a modification, the wiring 66 connecting between the housing members 12A and 12B is formed on the spine member 60 in the usage mode. A bent portion 66a is formed, which is partially bent in the groove 64 formed. Therefore, when the wiring member 66 is folded between the housing members 12A and 12B, the bending portion 66a is stretched in the groove portion 64, and the change in the connection distance can be easily absorbed. That is, the portable information device 10 can reliably absorb the expansion and contraction of the wiring 66 when the housing members 12A and 12B are opened and closed, while having a simple configuration in which the bending portion 66a is disposed on the spine member 60. As a result, it is possible to prevent the wiring 66 from being damaged or jammed.

  In the wiring 66, both end portions of the bending portion 66a are fixed to the inner surfaces of the housing members 12A and 12B by fixing portions 68 and 69, respectively. For this reason, the wiring 66 does not move on the inner surfaces of the housing members 12A and 12B, and only the bending portion 66a moves only in the groove 64. Therefore, a space for moving the wiring 66 is secured on the inner surfaces of the housing members 12A and 12B. You don't have to.

  In particular, the bending portion 66a is formed in a mountain shape as shown in FIG. Therefore, when the housing mechanism 12A, 12B is opened and closed by the hinge mechanism 19, the wiring 66 receives not only a two-dimensional operation for opening and closing the angle of the top 66c but also a torsional force around its axis. A dimensional motion occurs. As a result, it is possible to avoid stress concentration at one point, for example, the top 66c, of the wiring 66, and it is possible to suppress temporal damage when the housing members 12A and 12B are repeatedly opened and closed.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may be freely changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Reference Signs List 10 portable information device 12A first housing member 12B second housing member 14, 60 spine member 16 display 18 support plate 19 hinge mechanism 28A first hinge housing 28B second hinge housing 40 sheet member 40a bent Part 42 First support member 42b, 43b, 64 Groove part 42c, 43c, 48a, 48b Side surface 43 Second support member 44a to 44d Reinforcement member 45 Tension spring 54, 66 Wiring 56, 70 Lid member 62A to 62C Wiring structure part 66a Flexure Part 66b Foot part 66c Top part 68, 69 Fixed part

Claims (6)

A portable information device including a first housing member and a second housing member that can be folded in two by connecting one edge portion arranged adjacent to each other by a hinge mechanism,
An inner surface of the first housing member and an inner surface of the second housing member so as to cover a gap between the one edge of the first housing member and the one edge of the second housing member. A spine member provided in between,
A groove provided in the spine member and extending along a direction from the first housing member toward the second housing member;
A wiring connecting between the first housing member side and the second housing member side;
With
In the state where the first housing member and the second housing member are opened in a flat plate shape by the hinge mechanism, a bending portion that bends a part of the wiring is disposed in the groove portion. A portable information device characterized by the following. The portable information device according to claim 1,
The wiring is such that one end portion of the bending portion is positioned and fixed on the inner surface of the first housing member, and that the other end portion of the bending portion is positioned and fixed on the inner surface of the second housing member. Characteristic portable information equipment. The portable information device according to claim 2, wherein
The bending portion is angled in a mountain shape in a plan view with respect to the spine member,
A foot portion of the chevron is disposed along a direction from the first housing member toward the second housing member, and a top portion of the chevron protrudes from the foot portion to one side in a longitudinal direction of the spine member. A portable information device which is arranged at a position. The portable information device according to claim 3, wherein
The first housing member has a first fixing part for positioning and fixing the wiring,
The second housing member has a second fixing portion for positioning and fixing the wiring,
The first fixing portion and the second fixing portion change an extending direction of the wiring from a direction from the first housing member toward the second housing member so that the bending portion forms the chevron. A portable information device having an angle setting section that is angled to the portable information device. The portable information device according to claim 4, wherein
A plurality of the wirings are passed through the groove in a set,
The one set of each wiring is positioned and fixed in the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion in a plane direction, and is movably provided in the bending portion while maintaining the state of being arranged in the plane direction. Portable information equipment characterized by the following. The portable information device according to any one of claims 3 to 5,
The chevron of the bending portion is characterized in that the foot portion is disposed on an end side in the longitudinal direction of the spine member, and the top portion is disposed on a central side in the longitudinal direction of the spine member. Portable information equipment.

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