Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-22
2003-05-06
Schuberg, Darren (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S689000, C710S303000, C710S304000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06560103
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an accessory for expanding the function of an electronic device.
BACKGROUND ART
JP-A-9-265333 discloses that an accessory is placed on an expansion device, and an electronic device is placed on the accessory. The expansion device houses mechanical equipment for expanding the function of the electronic device (a CD-ROM, etc.), and a PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) card or the like can be inserted into the accessory.
The accessory is provided with a locking part. When locking is performed, a hook in the accessory engages the electronic device, and a shutter in the accessory closes an insertion port of the card. The locking is thus performed, to prevent the electronic device and the card (mechanical equipment) from being stolen.
In the conventional device, however, the hook is driven in synchronization with the locking part. When the electronic device and the card are detached from the accessory, therefore, a key must be inserted into the locking part each time to perform unlocking. The conventional device is not convenient to use. Further, a structure for transmitting a turning force or a spring force of the key inserted into the locking part to the hook or the shutter by a rotating member, a slide plate, or the like is complicated.
In order to eject the electronic device, the key is inserted into the locking part and is turned through a predetermined angle to release the engagement with the electronic device, and the key is further turned to eject the electronic device. Since an operation for turning the key must be thus performed twice, an ejecting operation is complicated. A special locking part capable of performing a predetermined operation by such a turning operation performed twice is required. Further, in the conventional accessory, it is not easy to connect a connector provided in the electronic device and a connector provided in the accessory to each other.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
An accessory of an electronic device according to the present invention comprises a base on which the electronic device is placed, a hook provided in the base so as to be movable between an engaging position where the electronic device is to be engaged and a releasing position where the engagement is to be released, and an operation lever provided in the base in order to operate the hook, and is so constructed that the hook is maintained at the engaging position during an initial state where the operation lever is opened to a predetermined angle from its closed state.
The operation lever is used for releasing the engagement of the electronic device. Compared with such construction that the engagement is released by an operation for turning a key, the lever is more convenient to use than the key. Further, special locking means may not be used. During the initial state where the operation lever is opened to a predetermined angle from the closed state, the hook is maintained at the engaged position. Accordingly, a force for moving the hook to the releasing position is not added to the operation lever. Consequently, a user can operate the operation lever by a small force in the initial state.
Even if the operation lever is provided so as not to project from the base, and a recess for a user catching his or her finger on the operation lever (formed in the base) is formed in small size, a force for opening the operation lever may be small in the initial state. Accordingly, the user can easily open the operation lever to a predetermined angle by the tip of the finger. After the operation lever is opened to a predetermined angle, the user can exert a large force on the operation lever by sufficiently catching the finger on the operation lever. Accordingly, it is possible to easily fully open the operation lever to release the engagement of the electronic device by the hook.
The accessory of the electronic device according to the present invention comprises a driving mechanism for transmitting to the hook a force produced by operating the operation lever, and is so constructed that the driving mechanism is maintained in its stationary state (unmoved state) during the initial state.
Consequently, in the initial state where the operation lever is opened to a predetermined angle from the closed state, the hook can be maintained at the engaging position.
The accessory of the electronic device according to the present invention is constructed by providing a predetermined clearance between the operation lever and the driving mechanism.
Consequently, during the initial state where the operation lever is opened to a predetermined angle from the closed state, it is possible to maintain the driving mechanism in the stationary state (unmoved state).
The accessory of the electronic device according to the present invention is constructed by composing the driving mechanism of a plurality of members, and providing a predetermined clearance between at least the one pair of members.
Consequently, during the initial state where the operation lever is opened to a predetermined angle from the closed state, it is possible to maintain the whole of the driving mechanism in the stationary state (unmoved state).
The accessory of the electronic device according to the present invention is so constructed that an ejecting part for ejecting the electronic device by operating the operation lever is provided in the base, and the ejecting part is not ejected during the initial state.
Consequently, during the initial state, it is possible to prevent the weight of the electronic device from being produced as a force against the operation of the operation lever. Consequently, it is possible for the user to operate the operation lever by a small force in the initial state.
The accessory of the electronic device according to the present invention is so constructed that an outer surface of the operation lever is approximately flush with an outer surface of the base when the operation lever is in its closed state.
Consequently, in the closed state, the operation lever does not project from the base, thereby making it possible to prevent an operation force from being exerted on the operation lever by user's carelessness, for example. Further, it is possible to prevent the operation lever from being damaged, for example. The appearance of the accessory is improved, as compared with a shape in which the operation lever projects from the base.
An accessory of an electronic device according to the present invention comprises a base having a mounting part on which the electronic device is placed and a housing part housing a member, a hook provided in the base so as to be movable between an engaging position where the electronic device is to be engaged and a releasing position where the engagement is to be released, an operation lever provided in the base in order to operate the hook, an engaging part provided in the base so as to be movable between an engaging position where a member housed in the housing part is to be engaged and a releasing position where the engagement is to be released, an operating part provided in the base in order to operate the engaging part, and a locking part provided so as to be attachable and detachable to and from the base, and is so constructed that the locking part cannot be detached from the base when the locking part is attached to the base to achieve locking, the movement of the hook to the releasing position is limited, and the movement of the engaging part to the releasing position is limited.
The operation lever is used for releasing the engagement of the electronic device, and the operating part is used for releasing the engagement of the member housed in the housing part. Compared with a shape in which the engagement of the electronic device and the engagement of the member are simultaneously released by an operation for turning a key, the lever is more convenient to use than the key. Further, special locking means may not be used. When the locking part is attached to the base to achieve locking, the locking part canno
Dohi Hidemi
Ikeuchi Toshio
Sunagawa Shoichi
Arent Fox Kintner & Plotkin & Kahn, PLLC
Lea-Edmonds Lisa
Sanyo Electric Co,. Ltd.
Schuberg Darren
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