Electronic device with circuit protection and assembling method thereof

• US 10,139,871 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2015
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Su, Yu-Sheng, Hsieh, Yin-Teng
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Danny
• Application Number:
  US14/740,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20160204594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 361 931, 361 937- 939
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0249 Details of the mechanical connection between the housing parts or relating to the method of assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components

Abstract

An electronic device with circuit protection including a body, an assembling unit, and a first electronic module, a control unit and a circuit protection unit disposed in the body is provided. The control unit is electrically connected to the first electronic module and the circuit protection unit. The assembling unit is detachably assembled onto the circuit protection unit and electrically connected thereto. A trigger signal is transmitted to the control unit while the assembling unit and the circuit protection unit being electrically connected with each other, such that states of the first assembling unit is changed by the control unit. An assembling method of the electronic device with circuit protection is also provided.

Claims

1. An electronic device with circuit protection, comprising:

a body;

a first electronic module, disposed at the body;

a control unit, disposed at the body and electrically connected to the first electronic module;

a circuit protection unit, disposed at the body and electrically connected to the control unit;

an assembling unit, implemented as an electrically conductive screw which is physically and electrically connected to and detachably assembled onto the circuit protection unit of the body, to provide a trigger signal to the control unit, for the control unit to change a state of the first electronic module; and

a circuit board, wherein the circuit protection unit comprises a first pad and a second pad, disposed separated from each other on the circuit board such to form an electrical break, the control unit is electrically connected to one of the first pad and the second pad, and the other one of the first pad and the second pad is connected to ground, and the assembling unit connects to the first pad and the second pad such that the first pad, the second pad and the assembling unit are electrically conducted with each other.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first electronic module is a memory module, and the control unit is a write protected terminal disposed on the memory module electrically connected to the circuit protection unit, and when the circuit protection unit and the assembling unit are assembled and electrically conducting together, the write protected terminal turns on or turns off due to being connected to ground.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body comprises a first casing and a second casing being assembled to or detachable from each other, the first electronic module, the control unit, the circuit board and the circuit protection unit thereof are disposed at the first casing, and the assembly unit is used to assemble and fix the first casing and the second casing, the electronic device further comprising:

a second electronic module, electrically connected to the control unit, when the assembling unit is not assembled nor fixing the first casing and the second casing together, the control unit turns off an electrical connection between the first electronic module and the second electronic module, and when the assembling unit fixes the first casing and the second casing together and the assembling unit connects and electrically conducts the circuit protection unit, the control unit turns on the electrical connection between the first electronic module and the second electronic module.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of the first electronic module and the second electronic module is a power module.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first electronic module is a power module and the second electronic module is a hot swapping module.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first casing has a docking port, the second casing is adapted to accommodate the docking port and directly assembled with the first casing to comprise the body.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second electronic module is disposed at the second casing, and electrically connects to the control unit while the second casing being assembled to the first casing.

8. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assembling unit is a screw, used to lock to the body and contact the first pad and the second pad such that the first pad and the second pad are electrically conducted through the screw.

9. An assembling method for an electronic device with circuit protection, the electronic device comprising a body, a first electronic module, a second electronic module, a first assembling unit, a plurality of second assembling units, a control unit and a circuit protection unit, the method for assembling the electronic device comprising:

assembling the first electronic module and the second electronic module to the body by the second assembling units, wherein the control unit is electrically connected to the first electronic module and a part of the circuit protection unit, and the second electronic module is electrically connected to the control unit, an electrical connection between the first electronic module and the second electronic module is cut off by the control unit; and

assembling the first assembling unit to the circuit protection unit such that the circuit protection unit is electrically conducting thereby, and a trigger signal is transmitted to the control unit for the control unit to turn on the electrical connection between the first electronic module and the second electronic module.

10. The assembling method for an electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein when the circuit protection unit and the first assembling unit are assembled and electrically conducting with each other, the control unit connects to ground through the circuit protection unit and the first assembling unit.

11. The assembling method for an electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the body comprises a first casing and a second casing detachably attached to each other, one of the first electronic module and the second electronic module is a power module, the assembling method for the electronic device comprising:

assembling the first electronic module and the second electronic module to the first casing respectively by the second assembling units; and

fixing the first casing and the second casing together by the first assembling unit, such that the first assembling unit is assembled and electrically conducting to the circuit protection unit.

12. The assembling method for an electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the body comprises a first casing and a second casing detachably attached to each other, the first electronic module is a power module disposed at the first casing, the second electronic module is a hot swapping module disposed at the second casing, the assembling method for the electronic device comprising:

assembling the second casing to the first casing by the second assembling unit, such that the second electronic module is electrically connected to the control module, and the electrical connection between the first electronic module and the second electronic module is cut off by the control unit; and

assembling and fixing the first casing and the second casing by the first assembling unit, and the first assembling unit is assembled and electrically conducting to the circuit protection unit such that the circuit protection unit turns on the electrical connection between the first electronic module and the second electronic module.

13. The assembling method for an electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the electronic device further comprises a circuit board disposed in the body, the circuit protection unit comprises a first pad and a second pad disposed separated from each other on the circuit board, the control unit is electrically connected to one of the first pad and the second pad, and the other one of the first pad and the second pad is connected to ground, and the assembling unit is electrically conducting with the circuit protection unit by contacting to the first pad and the second pad.

14. The assembling method for an electronic device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first assembling unit is a screw used to lock to the body and connect to the first pad and the second pad, such that the first pad and the second pad are electrically conducted through the screw.