Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – Cell support for removable cell – Support or holder per se
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-12
2001-07-17
Maples, John S. (Department: 1745)
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
Cell support for removable cell
Support or holder per se
C429S097000, C429S099000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261715
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a battery attaching mechanism for portable computers, and in particular to a battery attaching mechanism, for portable computers, in which a battery compartment is recessed in the wall face of a computer. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a battery attaching mechanism, for portable computers, in which a stored battery can be securely fixed, and can also be easily removed by performing a simple operation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As a consequence of recent technical developments, various types of personal computers (PC), such as desktop, tower and notebook types, are being manufactured and sold. The notebook PCs that are produced are compact and light, and are designed while taking into consideration their use in a mobile environment, i.e., their portability and suitability for outdoor use.
FIG. 10
is a specific diagram illustrating a notebook PC. A notebook PC
1
has a so-called “clam shell structure” constituted by a PC main body
2
, which incorporates a system board and external storage devices (e.g., a hard disk drive, HDD, and a floppy disk drive, FDD), and a lid
3
, which is pivotally hinged at the rear edge of the main body
2
. A keyboard unit
13
is mounted on the upper face of the main body
2
, and a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit
18
is provided inside the lid
3
. When the PC
1
is not used or is to be carried, the lid
3
is closed so that the keyboard unit
13
and the LCD unit
18
are protected by a strong case.
One of the features of a notebook PC is “battery operation,” for which power is supplied by an incorporated battery. This feature is provided so that the PC can be used outdoors, for business trips, or on other occasions when an AC power source is not readily available. The incorporated battery is generally a “battery pack,” which is a package containing a plurality of battery cells. For such battery packs, rechargeable battery cells, such as Li-Ion cells or NiMH cells, are employed.
A battery pack
15
is usually flat, and is placed in a special storage space within the main body
2
of the notebook PC
1
. For a PC model, such as the “IBM ThinkPad 760” (“ThinkPad” is a trademark of IBM Corp.), a notebook PC sold by IBM Japan, Ltd., the keyboard unit
13
can be opened and closed relative to the main body
2
of the PC
1
to access a battery
15
held in a battery compartment
14
(see FIG.
11
).
For a PC model such as the “IBM ThinkPad 560,” also sold by IBM Japan, Ltd., that has a keyboard unit
13
that can not be opened, a shallow battery compartment
16
is recessed in the bottom of a main body
2
of a PC
1
. A battery pack
17
can be inserted through an opening formed in the face of the front wall of the main body
2
(see FIG.
12
), and by manipulating a slide knob
6
, which is provided at the periphery of the battery compartment
16
, the battery pack
17
can be securely locked in place by a holding mechanism (not shown). When the slide knob
6
is slid in the direction opposite to the locking direction, the battery pack
17
is released from the locked state to permit its removal and replacement. In this case, portions of the side walls of the battery pack
17
are exposed, even when the pack
17
is inserted into the main body
2
, and constitute parts of the main body
2
of the notebook PC
1
.
Packaged in each of the battery packs
15
and
17
for the notebook PCs
1
are ten battery cells, sufficient to provide the several hours of operation. In other words, the weight of each of the battery packs
15
and
17
is several tenths that of a corresponding notebook PC
1
, and the energy density per volume/capacity is very high. The battery packs
15
and
17
must therefore be carefully handled. When a battery pack
15
or
17
is dropped, not only can its cover be damaged and a user injured, but also a short-circuit between terminals will occur as the result of entry of a foreign metal substance, resulting in ignition and explosion. When a notebook PC is designed, therefore, one of the important design considerations is how to securely fix the battery pack
15
or
17
in the battery compartment.
For the above described notebook PC that has a keyboard unit
13
that can be opened (e.g., the “IBM ThinkPad 760”), the problem concerning the dropping of the battery pack
15
can be easily resolved by securely fixing the keyboard unit
13
to the main body
2
. For the model wherein the battery compartment
16
is recessed in the bottom of the main body
2
of the notebook PC
1
, this problem is not easily resolved. This is because: the opening of the battery compartment
16
is directed downward, i.e., in the direction in which the battery pack
17
may fall; the slide knob
6
for unlocking the battery pack
17
is exposed on the bottom surface; and the portions of the side walls of the battery pack
17
constitute parts of the main body
2
of the notebook PC
1
and are easily affected by an impact.
When, for example, a user is carrying the notebook PC
1
, and he or she inadvertently displaces the slide knob with one of the fingers holding the main body
2
of the PC
1
, the battery pack
17
may fall off. Since the slide knob
6
slides along the bottom face of the main body
2
, such an accident can easily occur.
Further, when the notebook PC is being removed from a bag, the slide knob
6
can be displaced by catching on one of the objects surrounding it.
In addition, if the notebook PC is being used but the user forgot to lock in the battery pack
17
, the battery pack
17
may fall when the main body
2
is lifted.
It would be relatively easy for one having ordinary skill in the art to envision a double locking system wherein a locking mechanism, for inhibiting the movement of the slide knob
6
, is separately attached in order to ensure that the battery pack
17
is securely held. The structure of the locking mechanism in this case could provide for a bar (not shown) to be inserted in the direction in which the slide knob
6
moves. Since a dual operation, such as the release/holding of the battery pack
17
and the unlocking/locking of the slide knob
6
, would be required to replace the battery pack
17
, for a user, employing this structure would not be easy.
Were a user to forget that attachment/detachment was inhibited by the holding mechanism and the locking mechanism, and try to force the battery pack into the battery compartment
16
, peripheral components around the battery compartment
16
would be damaged.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a superior battery attaching mechanism, for portable computers, in which a battery compartment is recessed in the face of a wall of a computer.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a battery attaching mechanism for portable computers with which a battery can be safely stored and secured, and yet can be easily removed by performing a simple operation.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a battery attaching mechanism, for portable computers, with which, even when a battery holding state or a battery locked state exists in the computer, a battery pack can be accommodated without causing damage to a holding mechanism and a locking mechanism.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
To achieve the above objects, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a battery attaching mechanism, for a portable electronic apparatus into which a battery pack can be accommodated, comprises: (a) a battery compartment for accommodating a battery pack, the compartment being a recessed portion provided on the body of the portable electronic apparatus; (b) a latching member for latching the accommodated battery pack, the latching member being provided on a side wall of the battery compartment; and (c) a locking member for inhibiting the latching member from being released by being pushed along the depth of the battery compartment.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a battery attaching mechanism, for a portable electro
Katoh Katsutoshi
Nakamura Fusanobu
Noguchi Takehiko
Cameron Douglas W.
Dougherty Anne Vachon
International Business Machines Corp.
Maples John S.
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