Electrical connectors – Interrelated connectors relatively movable during use – Movement about axis
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-14
2003-03-11
Field, Lynn (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Interrelated connectors relatively movable during use
Movement about axis
C361S689000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06530784
ABSTRACT:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from an application entitled Display Combining Structure for an Electronic Product earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Sep. 14, 1999, and there duly assigned Ser. No. 99-39329 by that Office.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display connection structure of an electronic appliance having a display, and more particularly, to a display connection structure of an electronic appliance having a display that is adapted to be detachable from a main body.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, in a portable electronic appliance having a display, such as a notebook computer, a web video-phone, and a digital video camera, the main body of the electronic appliance and a display are integrally assembled.
Considering the example of a notebook computer as an example of an electronic appliance having a conventional display, the notebook computer has a main body having the electronics for controlling the portable computer system, and a display for displaying images in accordance with a control signal generated by the main body.
Input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse capable of inputting operational instructions, peripheral devices such as a hard disk drive, Compact Disc-Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) drive, modem, and Local Area Network (LAN) card, and an audio device capable of providing audio information are assembled in the main body. The display outputs information supplied from the main body in an image form. The display is foldable with respect to the main body by being hinged to a side of the main body. In addition, the display is connected to the main body by a ribbon-type cable.
The display cannot be separated from the main body because the display is directly hinged to the main body, and because the main body and the display are electrically connected by a ribbon-type cable. That is, when the main body or the display malfunctions, or reaches the end of its service life, or the display is replaced with a different size display, a user cannot directly replace the display with another. In addition, since the ribbon-type cable is exposed to the outside, the appearance of the electronic appliance is undesirable.
Exemplars of the art are U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,565 issued to Satou for Shielded Electronic Apparatus Having A Removable Shielded Display, U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,139 issued to Satou for Portable Electronic Apparatus Haivng A Detachable Display Unit And a Socket Lid, U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,630 issued to Ishizawa et al. for Computer System Having A Detachable Display, U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,365 issued to Hsieh for Portable Computer System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,759 issued to Moriconi et al. for Removable Computer Display Interface, U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,576 issued to Kim for Notebook Computer Having A Hinge Device Enabling A Display Unit to Be Separable from A Main Body, U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,364 issued to Arney et al. for Display Attachment Apparatus.
I have noticed the art does not show an easy and reliable way of providing a display connection structure of an electronic appliance capable of allowing a display to be detachable from the main body of the electronic appliance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above problems, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a display connection structure of an electronic appliance, capable of allowing a display to be detachable from the main body of the electronic appliance.
It is another object to reduce the susceptibility to electromagnetic interference for a display unit for an electronic appliance.
It is yet another object to produce a safe disconnection of a display from the main body of an electronic appliance.
It is still another object to have the power disconnect simultaneously with the disconnection of the display unit from the main body of an electronic appliance.
It is still yet another object to have a quick and reliable disconnection and connection of a display device from a main body of an electronic appliance.
Accordingly, to achieve the above objective, there is provided a display connection structure of an electronic appliance having a main body; a display for receiving an image signal from the main body and displaying an image; a connection unit including hinge pins rotatably installed at the main body, and housings provided at the display so as to be connected to the hinge pins and to pivot together with the hinge pins for detachably connecting the display to the main body; and an optical connector having portions provided at the main body and the display to correspond to each other for transmitting an image signal by means of light.
Here, it is preferable that the housing has a housing body having a front frame and a rear frame, and being secured to the display; and a hinge bracket installed in the housing body, provided with engagement slots fitted to the hinge pins during connection of the display to the main body.
It is preferable that the connection unit further has supporting brackets secured to the main body for supporting the hinge pins so that the hinge pins can be exposed to the outside of the main body.
In addition, it is preferable that the connection unit further has locking-unlocking units each for locking the housing and the hinge pins together, or unlocking the housing and the hinge pins from each other, and the locking-unlocking unit has a locking member movably installed within the housing to engage with or disengage from the locking groove formed at the head of the hinge pin; an elastic member for elastically biasing the locking member toward the locking groove so that the locking member can be locked into the locking groove; and an unlocking lever installed to be projected and exposed to the outside of the housing through an elongated guide hole formed at the housing, and to be movable within the elongated guide hole.
It is preferable that a sloped guide groove is formed at the head of the hinge pin for guiding the locking rod so that the locking rod can be engaged with the locking groove.
It is preferable that the optical connector has a light-emitting module having a laser diode array in which each diode emits light independently according to a driving signal, the light-emitting module being connected to a hinge pin so that it can pivot together with the hinge pin; and a light-receiving module having a photodetector array in which each photodetector converts an incident light signal into an electrical signal independently, the light-receiving module being installed at the display to be coupled with the light-emitting module so as to be able to pivot together with the light-emitting module.
It is preferable that the light-emitting module has a first holder supported on the hinge pin, a recessed portion formed at the engagement surface of the first holder, into which recessed portion the photodetector array is correspondingly inserted, and the laser diode array is installed in the recessed portion to be exposed toward the light-receiving module.
On the other hand, it is preferable that the light-receiving module has a second holder for supporting the photodetector array installed at a projected leading edge thereof; a base installed at the display and provided with an opening for supporting the second holder to be movable inward and outward; and an elastic member installed in the base for elastically biasing the second holder outward so that the second holder can be projected to the outside of the base.
In addition, it is preferable that the optical connector further has a positioning unit for guiding the light-receiving module so that the light-receiving module can be joined to the light-emitting module, and for preventing unstable movement of the light-receiving module when the light-receiving module is joined to the light-emitting module, and the positioning unit includes a plurality of reference holes formed at the engagement surface of the light-emitting module in a first cas
Kang Heui-jong
Kim Jin-hwan
Mun Jong-kuk
Yim Hong-kyun
Bushnell , Esq. Robert E.
Field Lynn
Hyeon Hae Moon
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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