GB2259205A

GB2259205A - Radio pager alerting by vibration

Info

Publication number: GB2259205A
Application number: GB9215781A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mituru Kuroda
Original assignee: NEC Corp
Current assignee: NEC Corp
Priority date: 1991-07-24
Filing date: 1992-07-24
Publication date: 1993-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 2012-07-24
Also published as: GB2259205B; GB9215781D0; JPH0511580U

Abstract

A radio pager includes a motor 13 for alerting the user of the pager to the reception of a call by vibration. The motor is affixed to the casing 1A, (1B), (Fig 4) of the pager by a motor retainer 11 independently of a printed circuit board 4 which is accommodated in the casing. The pager implements high packing density, produces an alert effectively by transmitting vibration directly to the casing than if it was mounted on the PCB 4, and facilitates the assembly and replacement of constituent parts. The PCB 4, a flexible PCB 12 and the retainer 11 are firmly sandwiched between casing parts 1A, (1B). The PCB 12 is fixed to retainer 11 by double-sided adhesive tape 14 and carries a circuit pattern 12b connected to motor leads 13a and connected by contacts 15 to a contact pattern 8 on PCB 4. <IMAGE>

Description

RADIO PAGER ALERTING BY VIBRATION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a radio pager and, more particularly, to a radio pager of the type having a motor or similar vibrator for alerting the user of the pager by the vibration of a casing thereof.

A radio pager has cutomarily been constructed to alert the user to the reception of a call by the flashing of a light emitting element or the sound from a loudspeaker. Some modern radio pagers accommodate even a motor or similar vibrator in the casing thereof for imparting the vibration of the motor to the user via the casing as an alert. It is a common practice with this type of pager to retain the motor by a metal fixture which is soldered or otherwise affixed to a printed circuit board disposed in the casing.

We have appreciated that such a configuration brings about various problems, as follows. The area of the printed circuit board occupied by the motor is not available for other electronic parts, obstructing high density packaging. Since the vibration generated by the motor is transmitted to the casing by way of the printed circuit board and then to the user carrying the pager, the vibration is attenuated by the board and cannot be imparted to the user as a sufficient alert. Further, soldering or otherwise affixing the metal fixture to the printed circuit board increases the number of assembling steps and, in addition, results in extra steps for replacement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is defined in claim 1 below, to which reference should now be made.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described in more detail, by way of example, in the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a vertical section showing a conventional radio pager; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a radio pager embodying the present invention; FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing part of the radio pager of FIG. 2; and FIG. 4 is a vertical section showing the internal arrangement of the radio pager of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT To better understand the present invention, a brief reference will be made to a conventional radio pager of the type having a vibrator in the form of a motor therein, shown in FIG.

1. As shown, the radio pager has a casing 1 made up of a case 1A and a cover 1B covering the open end of the case 1A.

Specifically, the cover 1B is fastened to the case 1A by a screw 10. The case 1A and the cover 1B are provided with shoulders Ic and ribs id, respectively. A printed circuit board 4 is disposed in the casing 1 and retained by the shoulders ic and ribs id at opposite sides thereof. A metal fixture 19 is soldered to part of the printed circuit board 4. A motor 13 is press fitted or otherwise fixedly received in the metal fixture 1 9 to play the role of a vibrator. The reference numeral 9 designates a threaded insert for allowing the screw 10 to be driven into the case 1A.

The conventional radio pager having the above construction has yarious problems, as discussed earlier.

Specifically, the area of the printed circuit board 4 occupied by the motor 13 is not available for other electronic parts, obstructing high density packaging. Since the vibration generated by the motor 13 is transmitted to the casing 1 by way of the printed circuit board 4 and then to the user carrying the radio pager, the vibration is attenuated by the board 4 and cannot be imparted to the user as a sufficient alert. Further, soldering or otherwise affixing the metal fixture 19 to the printed circuit board 4 increases the number of assembling steps and, in addition, results in extra steps for replacement.

Referring to FIG. 2, a radio pager embodying the present invention is shown. As shown, the radio pager has a casing 1 made up of a case 1A and a cover 1B. A switch 2 and a light emitting indicator 3 are provided on the casing 1. The user of the radio pager carries it while maintaining the power source in an ON state via the switch 2. On receiving a call, the radio pager causes the indicator 3 to flash or a vibrator, i. e.

a motor accommodated in the casing 1 to vibrate, thereby alerting the user to the incoming call. The indicator 3 or the motor is also selected by the switch 2. Further, the radio pager has a clip 20 to be put on, for example, the user's pocket.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded view of the radio pager shown in FIG. 2, the cover 1B being not shown. FIG. 4 shows the radio pager in an assembled condition. As shown, aslbt la is formed in the inner wall of the case 1A for retaining the printed circuit board 4. The switch 2, a light emitting diode (LED) 3A impIementing the indicator 3, and a battery case 5 with a positive terminal 6 and a negative terminal 7 are packaged on the printed circuit board 4 together with other electronic parts, not shown. A contact pattern 8 is formed on part of the underside of the printed circuit board 4 to be electrically connected to a motor which will be described.

The . The case 1A is provided with a cylindrical boss 1b having a cavity thereinside. As shown in FIG. 4, a threaded insert 9 is press fitted in the cavity of the boss 1b and allows a screw 10 for fastening the cover 1B to the case 1A to be driven thereinto.

A metallic motor retainer 11 is formed with a hole 11a while a flexible printed circuit board 12 is formed with a hole 12a. The motor retainer 11 and flexible printed circuit board 12 are engaged with the boss lb through their holes 11a and 12a and retained between the printed circuit board 4 and the cover 1B.

The motor retainer 11 is formed by bending one end llb of a metal plate in the form of a letter U. A motor 13 is press fitted in the U-shaped end llb of the motor retainer 11. The flexible printed circuit board 12 is affixed to the upper surface of the motor retainer 11 by a two-sided adhesive tape 14. A circuit pattern 12b is formed on part of the flexible printed circuit board 12 and soldered or otherwise connected to leads 13a extending out from the motor 13. Contact pieces 15 are soldered to the circuit pattern 12b and contact the previously mentioned contact pattern 8 provided on the printed circuit board 4.

To assemble the radio pager, the motor retainer 11 and flexible printed circuit board 12 are coupled over the boss 1b of the case 1A through their holes 11a and 12a. Then, the printed circuit board 4 is fixed in place by the slot la of the receptacle 1A from above the flexible printed circuit board 12. After the cover, 1B has been positioned on the case 4 from above the printed circuit board 4, the screw 10 is driven into the threaded insert 9. As a result, the motor retainer 11, flexible printed circuit board 12 and printed circuit board 4 are firmly sandwiched between the case IA and the cover 1B. The contact members 15 provided on the flexible printed circuit board 12 contact the contact pattern 8 of the printed circuit board 4, thereby electrically connecting the printed circuit board 4 and motor 13.

In summary, it will be seen that the present invention provides a radio pager having high packaging density since a motor is held in a casing by a metallic motor retainer and not mounted on a printed circuit board, i. e., a space heretofore occupied by the motor can be allocated to other electronic parts.

Since the motor retainer is held between a case and a cover constituting the casing, the motor retainer can be affixed or the motor can be replaced only if a screw is operated. On the contact of contact members with a contact pattern, the motor is electrically connected to the printed circuit board automatically, 1. e. , without needing any extra step. Furthermore, since the motor is directly retained by the casing via the motor retainer, the vibration of the motor is transferred to the casing 1 without any substantial attenuation and, therefore, capable of producing an alert effectively.

It will also be seen that the radio pager structure illustrated facilitates the assembly and replacement of constituent parts.

Various modifications will become possible for those skilled in the art after receiving the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims

CLAINS

1. A radio pager for alerting a user to the reception of a call by vibration, comprising a casing made up of a case and a cover and accommodating a printed circuit board on which electronic parts are mounted, and vibrating means for producing an alert, and in which the vibrating means are separate from the printed circuit board and are directly affixed to the casing.

2. A radio pager as claimed in claim 1, further comprising retaining means affixed to said casing for retaining said vibrating means.

3. A radio pager as claimed in claim 2, wherein said retaining means comprises a retainer member for directly retaining said vibrating means and a flexible printed circuit board affixed together with said retainer member and provided with a circuit pattern to be electrically connected to said vibrating means.

4. A radio pager as claimed in claim 3, further comprising contact members to be electrically connected to said circuit pattern of said flexible printed circuit and to a circuit pattern provided on said printed circuit board.

5. A radio pager as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said vibrating means comprises a motor.

6. A radio pager substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 2 to 4 of the drawings.