IP Library Granted Patent US 12,677,383
Granted Patent B2
US 12,677,383 · 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 12,677,383
App. No.
18/538,029
Filed
Dec 13, 2023
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Examiner
KRIM, PETER
Art Unit
2841
USPC
361/752
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.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2024
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 068328/0764 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 11, 2024
From: HONDA, TAKESHI
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 067955/0971 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-205419 · Dec 22, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240215177A1 · Jun 27, 2024
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