IP Library Granted Patent US 12677383
Granted Patent B2
US 12677383 · App. 18/538,029 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Housing and electronic device

Inventor: Takeshi Honda (Hyogo, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
H05K5/0047
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12677383
App. No.
18/538,029
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A housing that is to house a circuit board includes: a box component that includes an opening on a side facing the circuit board that is housed; and a lid component that closes the opening of the box component. The box component includes a box-side frame portion, the lid component includes a lid-side frame portion, and when the lid component is attached to the box component, the box-side frame portion and the lid-side frame portion combine into a loop shape to configure a frame portion that corresponds to an outer peripheral shape of an exposed component that is attached to the circuit board and exposed from the housing.

Claims (125)

1 . A housing that is to house a circuit board, the housing comprising:

a box component that includes an opening on a side facing the circuit board that is housed; and

a lid component that closes the opening of the box component, wherein

the box component includes a box-side frame portion,

the lid component includes a lid-side frame portion,

when the lid component is attached to the box component, the box-side frame portion and the lid-side frame portion combine into a loop shape to configure a frame portion that corresponds to an outer peripheral shape of an exposed component that is attached to the circuit board and exposed in a first direction from the housing,

the box-side frame portion includes a first box-side wall portion intersecting with a box-side main surface which is the largest surface of the box component,

the lid-side frame portion includes a first lid-side wall portion intersecting with a lid-side main surface which is the largest surface of the lid component,

the first box-side wall portion and the first lid-side wall portion overlap each other in the first direction,

the box component includes four box-side wall portions that includes the first box-side wall portion, extending from the box-side main surface in a thickness direction of the circuit board, and intersecting with the box-side main surface,

the four box-side wall portions includes a second box-side wall portion facing the first box-side wall portion,

the first box-side wall portion includes a first protruding strip portion that projects from the first box-side wall portion toward the second box-side wall portion and extends in the thickness direction of the circuit board,

the first box-side wall portion further includes a box-side protrusion that supports the circuit board by contacting, when the circuit board is accommodated, a circuit board main surface which is a largest surface of the circuit board,

the first protruding strip portion includes:

a first tapered surface that is inclined so as to approach the second box-side wall portion as the first tapered surface extends away from the opening;

a base portion having a planar surface located at a position lower than the box-side protrusion in a height direction corresponding to the thickness direction of the circuit board;

a first connecting portion extending from the first tapered surface toward the base portion along the thickness direction of the circuit board; and

a second deformable portion that is a part of the first tapered surface, extends from the first box-side wall portion toward the box-side main surface, and is deformable by press-fitting of the circuit board,

the second box-side wall portion includes a second protruding strip portion that projects from the second box-side wall portion toward the first box-side wall portion and extends in the thickness direction of the circuit board,

the second protruding strip portion includes:

a second tapered surface that is inclined so as to approach the first box-side wall portion as the second tapered surface extends away from the opening;

a stopper portion having a planar surface located at a position lower than the box-side protrusion in the height direction; and

a second connecting portion extending from the second tapered surface toward the planar surface of the stopper portion along the thickness direction of the circuit board,

a first protrusion length is a length, in a first state in which the circuit board is not accommodated, from the first box-side wall portion on which the first protruding strip portion is provided to a point on the first tapered surface farthest from the first box-side wall portion,

a second protrusion length is a length, in a second state in which the circuit board is accommodated, from the first box-side wall portion on which the first protruding strip portion is provided to a point on the first tapered surface farthest from the first box-side wall portion after deformation by the circuit board,

a third protrusion length is a length from the second box-side wall portion on which the second protruding strip portion is provided to a point on the second tapered surface farthest from the second box-side wall portion, and

the third protrusion length is shorter than the first protrusion length.

2 . The housing according to claim 1 , wherein

the box component includes a box-side protrusion including a leading end that abuts one surface of the circuit board,

the lid component includes a lid-side protrusion including a leading end that abuts another surface of the circuit board, and

the box-side protrusion and the lid-side protrusion hold the circuit board in a thickness direction of the circuit board when the lid component is attached to the box component.

3 . The housing according to claim 2 , wherein

one of the box-side protrusion or the lid-side protrusion includes, in the leading end, a first deformable portion that deforms when the lid component is attached to the box component.

4 . The housing according to claim 1 , wherein

the frame portion includes a fitting portion that mates with a groove or a hole that is provided in an outer peripheral surface of the exposed component and extends along a wall portion of the housing from which the exposed component is exposed.

5 . The housing according to claim 1 , wherein

a material of the housing includes at least one of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), styrene acrylonitrile (SAN), or polypropylene (PP).

6 . The housing according to claim 5 , wherein

the material includes a reinforcing material.

7 . The housing according to claim 1 , wherein

elasticity of a material of the housing is selected from a range of from 2,000 MPa to 2,500 MPa, inclusive.

8 . The housing according to claim 1 , wherein

the lid component includes four lid-side wall portions that include the first lid-side wall portion, extending from the lid-side main surface in the thickness direction of the circuit board, and intersecting with the lid-side main surface, and

the frame portion includes:

a first fitting portion that mates with a first groove provided in an outer peripheral surface of the exposed component on a side of the box component and extending along the first box-side wall portion from which the exposed component is exposed; and

a second fitting portion that mates with a second groove provided in the outer peripheral surface of the exposed component on a side of the lid component and extending along the first lid-side wall portion from which the exposed component is exposed.

9 . The housing according to claim 1 , wherein

the circuit board is in surface contact with the box-side protrusion and is spaced apart from the base portion.

10 . The housing according to claim 1 , wherein

the box component includes a box-side protrusion including a first leading end that abuts one surface of the circuit board,

the lid component includes a lid-side protrusion including a second leading end that abuts another surface of the circuit board,

the lid-side protrusion is provided with a first deformable portion at the second leading end, the first deformable portion having a wedge or needle shape toward the circuit board, and

the first deformable portion is configured to be deformed from a state of point contact or line contact with the circuit board to a state of surface contact with the circuit board by being pressed against the circuit board in the thickness direction of the circuit board.

11 . The housing according to claim 1 , wherein

a first height is a length, in the second state in which the circuit board is accommodated, from the base portion to a point on the first tapered surface that is closest to the base portion after the deformation by the circuit board,

a second height is a length from the planar surface of the stopper portion to a point on the second tapered surface that is closest to the planar surface of the stopper portion, and

the second height is shorter than the first height.

12 . The housing according to claim 1 , wherein

the second protruding strip portion does not include a deformable portion that is deformable by the press-fitting of the circuit board.

13 . The housing according to claim 1 , wherein

the first protruding strip portion is provided in a greater number than the second protruding strip portion.

14 . The housing according to claim 1 , wherein

a first distance is a distance from a point on the first tapered surface closest to the opening to the first box-side wall portion,

a second distance is a distance from a point on the second tapered surface closest to the opening to the second box-side wall portion, and

the first distance is longer than the second distance.

15 . The housing according to claim 1 , wherein

the first protruding strip portion includes an intermediate portion between the first tapered surface and the first box-side wall portion, the intermediate portion having a planar surface parallel to the circuit board main surface.

16 . The housing according to claim 1 , wherein

the first protruding strip portion is disposed to face the second protruding strip portion in a lateral direction of the circuit board.

17 . An electronic device comprising:

a circuit board; and

a housing that is to house the circuit board, wherein

the housing includes:

a box component that includes an opening on a side facing the circuit board that is housed; and

a lid component that closes the opening of the box component,

the box component includes a box-side frame portion,

the lid component includes a lid-side frame portion,

when the lid component is attached to the box component, the box-side frame portion and the lid-side frame portion combine into a loop shape to configure a frame portion that corresponds to an outer peripheral shape of an exposed component that is attached to the circuit board and exposed in a first direction from the housing,

the box-side frame portion includes a box-side wall portion intersecting with a box-side main surface which is the largest surface of the box component,

the lid-side frame portion includes a lid-side wall portion intersecting with a lid-side main surface which is the largest surface of the lid component,

the box-side wall portion and the lid-side wall portion overlap each other in the first direction,

the box component includes four box-side wall portions that includes the first box-side wall portion, extending from the box-side main surface in a thickness direction of the circuit board, and intersecting with the box-side main surface,

the four box-side wall portions includes a second box-side wall portion facing the first box-side wall portion,

the first box-side wall portion includes a first protruding strip portion that projects from the first box-side wall portion toward the second box-side wall portion and extends in the thickness direction of the circuit board,

the first box-side wall portion further includes a box-side protrusion that supports the circuit board by contacting, when the circuit board is accommodated, a circuit board main surface which is a largest surface of the circuit board,

the first protruding strip portion includes:

a first tapered surface that is inclined so as to approach the second box-side wall portion as the first tapered surface extends away from the opening;

a base portion having a planar surface located at a position lower than the box-side protrusion in a height direction corresponding to the thickness direction of the circuit board;

a first connecting portion extending from the first tapered surface toward the base portion along the thickness direction of the circuit board; and

a second deformable portion that is a part of the first tapered surface, extends from the first box-side wall portion toward the box-side main surface, and is deformable by press-fitting of the circuit board,

the second box-side wall portion includes a second protruding strip portion that projects from the second box-side wall portion toward the first box-side wall portion and extends in the thickness direction of the circuit board,

the second protruding strip portion includes:

a second tapered surface that is inclined so as to approach the first box-side wall portion as the second tapered surface extends away from the opening;

a stopper portion having a planar surface located at a position lower than the box-side protrusion in the height direction; and

a second connecting portion extending from the second tapered surface toward the planar surface of the stopper portion along the thickness direction of the circuit board,

a first protrusion length is a length, in a first state in which the circuit board is not accommodated, from the first box-side wall portion on which the first protruding strip portion is provided to a point on the first tapered surface farthest from the first box-side wall portion,

a second protrusion length is a length, in a second state in which the circuit board is accommodated, from the first box-side wall portion on which the first protruding strip portion is provided to a point on the first tapered surface farthest from the first box-side wall portion after deformation by the circuit board,

a third protrusion length is a length from the second box-side wall portion on which the second protruding strip portion is provided to a point on the second tapered surface farthest from the second box-side wall portion, and

the third protrusion length is shorter than the first protrusion length.

18 . A housing that is to house a circuit board, the housing comprising:

a box component that includes an opening on a side facing the circuit board that is housed; and

a lid component that closes the opening of the box component, wherein

the box component includes a box-side frame portion,

the lid component includes a lid-side frame portion,

when the lid component is attached to the box component, the box-side frame portion and the lid-side frame portion combine into a loop shape to configure a frame portion that corresponds to an outer peripheral shape of an exposed component that is attached to the circuit board and exposed in a first direction from the housing,

the box-side frame portion includes a first box-side wall portion intersecting with a box-side main surface which is the largest surface of the box component,

the lid-side frame portion includes a first lid-side wall portion intersecting with a lid-side main surface which is the largest surface of the lid component,

the first box-side wall portion and the first lid-side wall portion overlap each other in the first direction,

the box component includes four box-side wall portions that includes the first box-side wall portion, extending from the box-side main surface in a thickness direction of the circuit board, and intersecting with the box-side main surface,

the four box-side wall portions includes a second box-side wall portion facing the first box-side wall portion,

the first box-side wall portion includes a first protruding strip portion that projects from the first box-side wall portion toward the second box-side wall portion and extends in the thickness direction of the circuit board,

the first box-side wall portion further includes a box-side protrusion that supports the circuit board by contacting, when the circuit board is accommodated, a circuit board main surface which is a largest surface of the circuit board,

the first protruding strip portion includes:

a first tapered surface that is inclined so as to approach the second box-side wall portion as the first tapered surface extends away from the opening;

a base portion having a planar surface located at a position lower than the box-side protrusion in a height direction corresponding to the thickness direction of the circuit board;

a first connecting portion extending from the first tapered surface toward the base portion along the thickness direction of the circuit board; and

a second deformable portion that is a part of the first tapered surface, extends from the first box-side wall portion toward the box-side main surface, and is deformable by press-fitting of the circuit board,

the second box-side wall portion includes a second protruding strip portion that projects from the second box-side wall portion toward the first box-side wall portion and extends in the thickness direction of the circuit board,

the second protruding strip portion includes:

a second tapered surface that is inclined so as to approach the first box-side wall portion as the second tapered surface extends away from the opening;

a stopper portion having a planar surface located at a position lower than the box-side protrusion in the height direction; and

a second connecting portion extending from the second tapered surface toward the planar surface of the stopper portion along the thickness direction of the circuit board,

a first height is a length, in a state in which the circuit board is accommodated, from the base portion to a point on the first tapered surface that is closest to the base portion after deformation by the circuit board,

a second height is a length from the planar surface of the stopper portion to a point on the second tapered surface that is closest to the planar surface of the stopper portion, and

the second height is shorter than the first height.