Closure fasteners – Bolts – Sliding
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-06
2001-10-16
Luu, Teri Pham (Department: 3627)
Closure fasteners
Bolts
Sliding
C292S145000, C429S097000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302454
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to battery lock mechanisms and, more particularly, to a battery lock mechanism for a portable device in which a battery is removable.
2. Description of the Related Art
Presently, portable devices such as handy terminals which are driven by a battery and in which a battery is removable are used. Changing of a battery is performed while a power switch for the portable device is turned off. Usually, however, a portable device is also equipped with a resume function lest a user removes a battery inadvertently without turning off the power switch of the portable device. The resume function enables information stored in a random access memory (RAM) to be saved in a hard disk. With the resume function, it is possible to prevent information from being destroyed even when a user inadvertently removes a battery without turning off the power switch of the portable device.
Recently, the storage volume of a RAM has increased so much that the time (resume) it takes to save information stored in the RAM into a hard disk has correspondingly increased. The resume time may be several seconds. Accordingly, a battery lock mechanism for locking a battery in a battery casing should allow for an extended resume time.
The present invention is not limited to a battery lock mechanism but is also directed to a lock mechanism for locking any other objects which need to remain locked while in use.
A conventional battery lock mechanism is constructed such that a battery accommodated in a battery casing is released from a locked condition when a user operates an operation member. A microswitch for detecting a start of a resume operation is provided relative to the operation member.
When a user inadvertently operates an operation member for operating a battery lock mechanism while a power switch is turned on, the battery is driven out of or released from a battery casing immediately after a microswitch is activated. When this happens, information in the RAM may be destroyed.
When the user inadvertently drops a portable device while in use, the battery may be released from a locked condition so that the battery may be driven out of or released from the battery casing. This may also cause information in the RAM to be destroyed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a battery lock mechanism for portable devices in which the aforementioned problems are eliminated.
In order to achieve the aforementioned object, the present invention provides a battery lock mechanism wherein a first operation member and a second operation member are provided in such a relation as to prevent operation of the second operation member unless the first operation member is operated, and a battery accommodated in a battery accommodating unit of a portable device is released from a locked condition by operating the second operation member.
The invention also provides a battery lock mechanism wherein a first operation member and a second operation member are provided in such a relation as to prevent operation of the second operation member unless the first operation member is operated, a battery accommodated in a battery accommodating unit of a portable device is released from a locked condition by operating the second operation member, and a resume switch for starting a resume operation is provided so as to be operated when the first operation member is operated.
The invention also provides a battery lock mechanism, wherein the first operation member and the second operation member are operated to slide such that a direction in which the first operation member is operated to slide and a direction in which the second operation member is operated to slide are different from each other.
The invention also provides a battery lock mechanism, wherein the first operation member and the second operation member are operated to slide such that a direction in which the first operation member is operated to slide and a direction in which the second operation member is operated to slide are at right angles to each other.
The invention also provides a battery lock mechanism, wherein the first operation member and the second operation member are operated to slide such that, when the first operation member is operated, the second operation member is exposed.
The invention also provides a battery lock mechanism, wherein the first operation member and the second operation member are operated to slide such that, when the first operation member is operated, the second operation member is exposed, and the first operation member has an abutment part which is at such a location as to block the second operation member before the first operation member is operated and which is removed from the position when the first operation member is operated.
The invention also provides a lock mechanism comprising: a first operation member operated to open or close; and a second operation member provided with a lock piece and operated to open and close, opening and closing of the second operation member being disabled while the first operation member is closed, and enabled when the first operation member is open, wherein the lock piece is engaged with a lock target member when the second operation member is closed, and the engagement is removed when the second operation member is open.
The invention also provides a lock mechanism, wherein the second operation member is provided such that operation of the second operation member is enabled when the first operation member is open.
The invention also provides a portable device comprising a battery lock mechanism wherein a first operation member and a second operation member are provided in the battery lock mechanism in such a relation as to prevent operation of the second operation member unless the first operation member is operated, and a battery accommodated in a battery accommodating unit of the portable device is released from a locked condition by operating the second operation member.
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Nakadaira Fumio
Tsurumaru Shinichiro
Armstrong Westerman Hattori McLeland & Naughton LLP
Fujitsu Limited
Luu Teri Pham
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