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EP-4737077-A1 - SET OF AN ELECTRONIC MODULE AND A HOUSING FOR USE IN A PROCESS OF ASSEMBLING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

EP4737077A1EP 4737077 A1EP4737077 A1EP 4737077A1EP-4737077-A1

Abstract

In the field of assembling an electronic device, a set of an electronic module (10) and a housing (20) is provided, wherein the electronic module (10) is intended to be inserted into the housing (20), through an opening (21) in the housing (20), and to be moved in an axial direction (A). The electronic module (10) comprises a carrier (16) and a component (14, 15) coupled to the carrier (16), wherein in an assembled condition of the electronic device, with the electronic module (10) in a predefined axial end position, the component (14, 15) has a predefined functional position relative to the housing (20). The electronic module (10) further comprises a displacement mechanism (30) configured to enable the component (14, 15) to reach the predefined functional position relative to the housing (20) from an initial position on the carrier (16).

Inventors

  • Mengerink, Tim
  • ZEINSTRA, Eldert
  • WIERSTRA, Johannes Dirk

Assignees

  • Koninklijke Philips N.V.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20241030

Claims (12)

  1. A set of an electronic module (10) and a housing (20) which are configured to be put together in a process of assembling an electronic device by inserting the electronic module (10) into the housing (20), through an opening (21) in the housing (20), and moving the electronic module (10) in a generally axial direction (A) towards a predefined axial end position in the housing (20) relative to a central axis (22) of the housing, wherein: - the electronic module (10) comprises a carrier (16) and a component (14, 15) coupled to the carrier (16); - in an assembled condition of the electronic device, with the electronic module (10) in the predefined axial end position, the component (14, 15) has a predefined functional position relative to the housing (20); - the set of the electronic module (10) and the housing (20) comprises a displacement mechanism (30) configured to be actuated, during the process of assembling the electronic device, by movement of the electronic module (10) in the axial direction (A) towards or into the predefined axial end position to cause a displacement of the component (14, 15) relative to the carrier (16) from an initial position on the carrier (16) to the predefined functional position relative to the housing (20); and - in the initial position on the carrier (16), with the electronic module (10) being inserted into the housing (20), the component (14, 15) is closer to the central axis (22) of the housing (20), in a radial direction perpendicular to the central axis (22), than in the predefined functional position.
  2. The set as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displacement mechanism (30) is configured to be automatically actuated by interaction between the electronic module (10) and the housing (20) caused by the movement of the electronic module (10) in the axial direction (A) towards or into the predefined axial end position during the process of assembling the electronic device.
  3. The set as claimed in claim 2, wherein the housing (20) has an interior abutment member (25) configured and arranged for abutment with a further abutment member (17) provided on or mounted to the component (14, 15) of the electronic module (10) when the electronic module (10) is in a predefined axial abutment position relative to the central axis (22) of the housing (20) during movement of the electronic module (10) towards the predefined axial end position, wherein the displacement mechanism (30) is configured to be actuated by mutual abutment of the further abutment member (17) and the interior abutment member (25), and wherein the predefined axial abutment position is associated with an axial coordinate of the predefined functional position of the component (14, 15).
  4. The set as claimed in any of claims 1-3, wherein the housing (20) comprises a chamber (23) which locally protrudes relative to a general contour of the housing (20) and is configured to receive and accommodate the component (14, 15) of the electronic module (10) in its predefined functional position.
  5. The set as claimed in any of claims 1-4, wherein the housing (20) is generally tube-shaped, the central axis (22) of the housing (20) is a longitudinal axis of the tube-shaped housing (20), and the opening (21) in the housing is provided at an axial end portion of the tube-shaped housing (20).
  6. The set as claimed in any of claims 1-5, wherein the displacement mechanism (30) is configured to displace the component (14, 15) relative to the housing (20) in the radial direction relative to the central axis (22) during the movement of the electronic module (10) in the axial direction (A), and wherein during displacement of the component (14, 15) a position of the component (14, 15) in the radial direction has a predefined relation to a position of the carrier (16) in the axial direction.
  7. The set as claimed in claim 6, wherein the displacement mechanism (30) comprises at least one combination of a ramp surface (31) and an engaging element (33) which is slidable over the ramp surface (31), wherein at least one portion of the ramp surface (31) has an oblique orientation relative to the central axis (22) of the housing (20) in the assembled condition of the electronic device, and wherein the ramp surface (31) is provided on one of the component (14, 15) and the carrier (16) or the housing (20), and the engaging element (33) is provided on the other one of the component (14, 15) and the carrier (16) or the housing (20).
  8. The set as claimed in claim 7, wherein the ramp surface (31) is provided within an elongated slot (32), and wherein the engaging element (33) is slidably arranged in the slot (32).
  9. The set as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein, in the assembled condition of the electronic device, the ramp surface (31) extends at least partially around the central axis (22) of the housing (20) and/or has an angle of inclination relative to the central axis (22) of the housing (20) which varies in the axial direction.
  10. The set as claimed in any of claims 1-9, wherein the component (14, 15) of the electronic module (10) comprises one of a display (15), a wireless-charging coil, a button panel, a battery, and a light guide.
  11. An electronic device, comprising an assembly obtained by putting together the electronic module (10) and the housing (20) of the set as claimed in any of claims 1-10.
  12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the electronic device is a personal care device, wherein the electronic module (10) comprises a motor unit (11) and a battery unit (13) to power the motor unit (11), and wherein the component (14, 15) of the electronic module (10) comprises a display (15).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a set of an electronic module and a housing which are configured to be put together in a process of assembling an electronic device by inserting the electronic module into the housing, through an opening in the housing, and moving the electronic module in a generally axial direction towards a predefined axial end position in the housing relative to a central axis of the housing. Further, the invention relates to an electronic device, comprising an assembly obtained by putting together the electronic module and the housing of the set as mentioned here before. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the field of assembling an electronic device, it is known to compose the device from various parts, wherein one of the parts may be an electronic module incorporating at least some of the electronic components of the device, and wherein another of the parts may be a housing which is meant to at least partially enclose the electronic module. It is practical if the electronic module and the housing are provided as a set, and if the set is designed to enable assembling actions of inserting the electronic module into the housing, through an opening in the housing, and moving the electronic module in a generally axial direction towards a predefined axial end position in the housing relative to a central axis of the housing. A design of the electronic device is feasible in which the electronic module comprises a component which is to be arranged, in an assembled condition of the electronic device, close to a wall portion of the housing. Particularly, said component may be arranged in a dedicated chamber provided on the housing and locally protruding relative to a general contour of the housing. For example, in the field of personal care devices such as electric shavers, it is known to have a display arranged on the electronic module, wherein said display needs to be positioned right behind the wall of the housing in order to be visible at the outside of the housing, and wherein the display may be intended to locally stand out relative to a general contour of the housing. However, the step of inserting the electronic module, including said component, into the housing in the process of assembling the electronic device and moving the electronic module to the appropriate end position in the housing generally does not allow to have any parts or components on the electronic module protruding so far, in particular seen in directions transverse to the axial direction of insertion of the electronic module into the housing, as to go beyond the general contour of the housing. In particular the step of inserting the electronic module into the housing may prevent the component of the electronic module from being placed in a functional position within a locally protruding chamber as mentioned here before. But also in other circumstances, depending on the overall contour of the housing and, in particular, a course of the contour of the housing in the axial direction of insertion of the electronic module into the housing, the step of inserting the electronic module into the housing during assembly of the electronic device may limit the freedom for a designer of the electronic device to arrange the component in a desired functional position close to the outer contour of the housing. It is an object of the invention to enable a design of an electronic device which includes an assembly of a housing and an electronic module located in the housing, with a component of the electronic module positioned at a predefined functional position relative to the housing close to an outer wall of the housing, particularly within a dedicated chamber provided on the housing and locally protruding relative to a contour of the housing, which still enables the assembling actions of inserting the electronic module, including the component, into the housing and moving the electronic module all the way to a predefined axial end position in the housing relative to the central axis of the housing. In other words, it is an object of the invention to provide a way to make sure that the component of the electronic module may end up at a predefined functional position relative to the housing in the context of said assembling actions, in particular a predefined functional position which goes beyond a local contour of the housing seen in a direction transverse to the axial direction of insertion of the electronic module into the housing during said assembling actions. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a set of an electronic module and a housing which are configured to be put together in a process of assembling an electronic device by inserting the electronic module into the housing, through an opening in the housing, and moving the electronic module in a generally axial direction towards a predefined axial end position in the housing relative to a central axis of the housing, wherein: the electronic module comprises