# US 2021/0344154 A1 · Electronic device, inlet unit and welding method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0344154 A1 - Document ID: US20210344154A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/240,850 - Filed: 2021-04-26 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-01 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Takumi IDE; Akira TATSUZUE; Hiroshi FUSE; Masamichi IIDA; Junji SUZUKI; Takahiro YONEYAMA; Toshiro SONODA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210344154A1 ## CPC - B23K 11/14: Projection welding - H01R 43/02: for soldered or welded connections - B23K 11/002: {specially adapted for particular articles or work} - B23K 11/115: {by means of two electrodes placed opposite one another on both sides of the welded parts} - B23K 11/20: of different metals - H01R 13/04: Pins or blades for co-operation with sockets - H01R 43/16: for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending - B23K 2101/38: Conductors - H01R 4/64: Connections between or with conductive parts having primarily a non-electric function, e.g. frame, casing, rail - H01R 2105/00: Three poles - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract An electronic device includes an inlet including a ground terminal having a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface, a first casing metal plate configured to hold the inlet and contacting the first surface of the ground terminal, and a second casing metal plate contacting the second surface of the ground terminal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device comprising: an inlet including a ground terminal having a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface; a first casing metal plate configured to hold said inlet and contacting the first surface of said ground terminal; and a second casing metal plate contacting the second surface of said ground terminal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said inlet includes a mold portion configured to hold said ground terminal at one end of said ground terminal, and wherein said ground terminal includes, between a joining portion joined to said first casing metal plate and a second casing metal plate and a contact portion where said one end of said ground terminal and said mold portion are in contact with each other, a portion increased in thermal resistance than said joining portion and said contact portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An electronic device according to claim 2, wherein said ground terminal includes, between said joining portion and said contact portion, a portion smaller in width of said ground terminal with respect to a widthwise direction than said joining portion and said contact portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) An electronic device according to claim 2, wherein said ground terminal includes a cut-away portion between said joining portion and said contact portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) An electronic device according to claim 3, wherein said ground terminal includes, between said joining portion and said contact portion, a portion thinner in thickness than said joining portion and said contact portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) An electronic device according to claim 3, wherein said ground terminal includes a recessed portion between said joining portion and said contact portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) An electronic device according to claim 3, wherein said ground terminal includes at least one hole between said joining portion and said contact portion. ### Claim 8 An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, comprising: an inlet including a ground terminal having a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface; a first casing metal plate configured to hold said inlet and contacting the first surface of said ground terminal; and a second casing metal plate contacting the second surface of said ground terminal. ### Claim 9 A welding method comprising: a welding step in which in a state that a first member made of a first metal and a second member made of a second metal sandwich a third member made of a third metal, a first electrode is contacted to the first member and a second electrode is contacted to the second member and in which a current is caused to flow through between the first electrode and the second electrode by applying forces to the first electrode and the second electrode toward the third member, wherein the first member includes at least one first projected portion projecting toward the third member, and the second member includes at least one second projected portion projecting toward the third member, and wherein in said welding step, the first member and a first surface of the third member are joined to each other, and the second member and a second surface, opposite from the first surface, of the third member are joined to each other. ### Claim 10 An inlet unit comprising: a ground terminal made of a first metal and having a first surface and a second surface positioned opposite from the first surface; and a member made of a second metal and including a bent portion and a flat surface portion, wherein said member is provided so as to sandwich said ground terminal and wherein the flat surface portion of said member and the first surface and the second surface of said ground terminal are joined to each other by welding, and wherein a cross-sectional area of the bent portion is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the flat surface portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) An inlet unit according to claim 10, wherein the second metal is a metal plate for holding said ground terminal. ### Claim 12 A welding method comprising: a welding step in which that a first member made of a first metal and a second member made of a second metal sandwich a third member made of a third metal, in which a first electrode is contacted to the first member and a second electrode is contacted to the second member and in which a current is caused to flow through between the first electrode and the second electrode by applying forces to the first electrode and the second electrode toward the third member, wherein in said welding step, an area of a first welding portion where the first member and a first surface of the third member are welded to each other and an area of a second welding portion where the second member and a second surface, opposite from the first surface, of the third member are welded to each other are made different from each other. ### Claim 13 A welding method for welding a ground terminal which is made of a first metal material and which has a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface, and a first inlet metal plate and a second inlet metal plate which are made of a second metal material different from the first metal material, to each other, said welding method comprising: a welding step in which in a state that the first inlet metal material and the first surface of the ground terminal are in contact with each other and that the second inlet metal material and the second surface of the ground terminal are in contact with each other, a first electrode is contacted to the first inlet metal plate and a second electrode is contacted to the second inlet metal plate and in which a current is caused to flow through between the first electrode and the second electrode by applying forces to between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein as viewed from the first electrode side, a first region where the first electrode and the first inlet metal plate are in contact with each other includes a second region where the first inlet metal plate and the first surface of the ground terminal are in contact with each other, and wherein as viewed from the second electrode side, a third region where the second electrode and the second inlet metal plate are in contact with each other includes a fourth region where the second inlet metal plate and the second surface of the ground terminal are in contact with each other.