Casing for Portable Device

• US 20090005132A1
• Filed: 08/23/2006
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Ogatsu, Toshinobu
• Granted Patent: US 8,989,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.300
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14311 using means for bonding the coating to the articles B29C45/14795 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14336 Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article B29C45/14573 and B29C45/14598 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/445 Cabinets
• 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 1/1656 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22

Abstract

A box-shaped metal structure is formed by press-working or the like, and a resin shell is integrally molded to the periphery of the metal structure by extrusion molding a resin. A flexible circuit board for key switches is disposed on a switch-receiving surface of the metal structure. The resin shell and the box-shaped metal structure are not bonded together, but the resin fills the connecting holes in the metal structure, whereby the shell and the metal structure are kept together after molding. A casing for a portable device having a structure suitable for obtaining reduced thickness and size reduction is thereby obtained.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A casing for a portable device, comprising:

an internal metal structure having a first bottomed concave shape composed of a bottom surface and side surfaces; and

a resin shell that has a frame shape and that is formed by the integral molding of an external material that has greater thermal shrinkage during cooling than the constituent material of the internal metal structure, in an outside region of the internal metal structure and in an inside region connected thereto.

10. The casing for a portable device according to claim 9, wherein the first bottomed concave shape is provided with a second bottomed concave shape that is composed of a bottom surface and side surfaces and that serves as a pressure-bearing surface for key switches.

11. The casing for a portable device according to claim 9, wherein the material of the internal metal structure is stainless steel, common steel, or titanium, and the metal structure is formed by sheet metal drawing or press working.

12. The casing for a portable device according to claim 9, wherein the internal metal structure is formed with sintering based on die casting, metal molding, or metal injection molding.

13. The casing for a portable device according to claim 9, wherein the resin shell keeps a battery and a mounting substrate having mounting components in thermal contact with the metal structure.

14. The casing for a portable device according to claim 9, wherein the metal structure has a box shape formed by a portion in which key switches are placed, and a side wall portion connected thereto.

15. The casing for a portable device according to claim 9, wherein the resin shell has a hinge part to which another casing is rotatably connected, and the hinge part is formed from a highly elastic resin material.

17. The casing for a portable device according to claim 9, wherein the internal metal structure having the first bottomed concave shape has recesses formed in the side walls constituting the concave shape.

19. The casing for a portable device according to claim 9, wherein a hole is formed in the bottom of the internal metal structure.

20. The casing for a portable device according to claim 9, wherein holes for strengthening the connection with the external material are formed in the portions of the side surfaces of the internal metal structure that are in contact with the external material.

16. A casing for a portable device, comprising:

an internal metal structure having a first bottomed concave shape; and

a resin shell that has a frame shape and that is formed by the integral molding of an external material that has greater thermal shrinkage during cooling than the constituent material of the internal metal structure, in an outside region of the internal metal structure and in an inside region connected thereto.

18. The casing for a portable device according to claim 16, wherein the metal shell is molded by thixomolding or die casting using a material having a higher thermal expansion coefficient than the constituent material of the internal metal structure.

21. The casing for a portable device according to claim 16, wherein a hole is formed in the bottom of the internal metal structure.

22. The casing for a portable device according to claim 16, wherein holes for strengthening the connection with the external material are formed in the portions of the side surfaces of the internal metal structure that are in contact with the external material.