Dustproof structure and dust entry preventing method and electronic device having same dustproof structure

• US 20060171107A1
• Filed: 12/23/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Atsushi, Terada, Shigehiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,519,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.210
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133311 Environmental protection, e.g. against dust or humidity
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133317 Intermediate frames, e.g. between backlight housing and front frame
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence

Abstract

A structure is provided which is capable of reliably suppressing deformation caused by deterioration of a gasket member to maintain a dustproof function and of avoiding interference with other components mounted within electronic devices including a liquid crystal display panel. When the gasket member is made flat due to its secular changes (in geometry) and is made to extend in its width direction and, as a result, its inner wall face is deformed toward a central portion of an aperture attributed to an increase in the width of the gasket member, the deformation is suppressed by making an outer wall face of a stopping rib press the inner wall face of the gasket member.

Claims

1. A dustproof structure in an electronic device comprising:

a cap-like component attached to a cabinet of said electronic device in which an aperture is formed, with a gasket member placed at an edge of said aperture interposed between said cabinet and said cap-like component in a manner in which said cap-like component covers said aperture; and

a gasket member pressing unit placed on a rear side of said cap-like component that faces an inside of said cabinet and having a facing portion that faces at least a partial portion of a side wall face of said gasket member and, when said side wall face is displaced, comes into contact with at least said partial portion of said side wall face to press said gasket member.

2. The dustproof structure in the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said gasket member pressing unit suppresses deformation attributed to a decrease in thickness and/or an increase in width caused by secular changes of said gasket member.

3. The dustproof structure in the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said gasket member comprises an approximately flat and frame-shaped component to support said cap-like component and is placed in a manner in which an inner wall face of said gasket member faces said aperture and wherein said gasket member pressing unit has a stopping unit to stop displacement, which is attributed to said increase in the width of said gasket member, of said inner wall face toward a central portion of said aperture, by pressing said inner wall face.

4. The dustproof structure in the electronic device according to claim 3, wherein said electronic device includes a functional unit having a specified function and wherein a holding base unit to hold said functional unit on a side being opposite to a side on which said cap-like component of said aperture is placed and wherein said stopping unit is mounted in an extruded state on the aperture side of said holding base unit and has an outer wall face being opposite to said inner wall face.

5. The dustproof structure in the electronic device according to claim 3, wherein said stopping unit is placed in an extruded state at an edge on the cap-like component side of said aperture and has an outer wall face being opposite to said inner wall face.

6. The dustproof structure in the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said electronic device has a flat panel speaker which makes an actuator vibrate a diaphragm for emission of sound waves and wherein said cap-like component also serves as said diaphragm and wherein said gasket member supports said cap-like component in a state being bonded to said cap-like component while being deformed in a manner to correspond to vibration of said cap-like component at least along a direction of a thickness.

7. The dustproof structure in the electronic device according to claim 6, wherein said actuator has a piezo-electric element and is in contact with a specified portion of said cap-like component.

8. The dustproof structure in the electronic device according to claim 4, wherein said functional unit comprises a display unit to display character information and/or image information and wherein said cap-like component is made of a transparent material and is used to protect a display screen.

9. The dustproof structure in the electronic device according to claim 4, wherein said outer wall face is formed consecutively and intermittently along and around said inner wall face.

10. The dustproof structure in the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said gasket member is used to prevent the entry of a foreign matter including at least dust into said cabinet from said aperture.

11. An electronic device having a dustproof structure which comprises:

a cap-like component attached to a cabinet of said electronic device in which an aperture is formed, with a gasket member placed at an edge of said aperture interposed between said cabinet and said cap-like component in a manner in which said cap-like component covers said aperture; and

a gasket member pressing unit placed on a rear side of said cap-like component that faces an inside of said cabinet and having a facing portion that faces at least a partial portion of a side wall face of said gasket member and, when said side wall face is displaced, comes into contact with at least said partial portion of said side wall face to press said gasket member.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, provided with a flat speaker panel which makes an actuator vibrate a diaphragm for emission of sound waves and wherein said cap-like component also serves as said diaphragm and wherein said gasket member supports said cap-like component in a state being bonded to said cap-like component while being deformed in a manner to correspond to vibration of said cap-like component at least along a direction of a thickness.

13. A dust entry preventing method employed in an electronic device in which a cap-like component is attached to a cabinet in which an aperture is formed, with a gasket member interposed between said cap-like component and said cabinet, in a manner in which said cap-like component covers said aperture, said method comprising:

a step of mounting said gasket member pressing unit placed on a rear side of said cap-like component that faces an inside of said cabinet and having a facing portion that faces at least a partial portion of a side wall face of said gasket member to press said gasket member;

wherein said facing portion of said gasket member pressing unit, when said side wall face of said gasket member is displaced, comes into contact with at least a partial portion of said side wall face to press said gasket member so that deformation caused by changes in a dimension and shape of said gasket member is suppressed.