Portable computer with latch assembly

Details Portable computer with latch assembly Portable computer with latch assembly

1999-12-03

2001-07-03

Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...

For electronic systems and devices

C361S679090, C361S689000, C361S689000, C361S689000, C361S689000, C292S004000, C292S057000, C070S158000, C070S159000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06256194

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a latching device for a portable computer, and more particularly to a latch assembly suitable for a portable personal computer having a thin-layer cover.
2. Related Art
Latch devices have been used in portable computers including a cover case and a main body case. Typically, the cover case of the computer is connected to the main body case through a hinge which allows the cover case to rotate about an axis within the hinge to a closed position and an open position. A user opens the cover case upward from the main body case in the open position and then uses a key board and touch pad of the portable computer while viewing a screen of a display unit. When the cover case and the main body case are in the closed position, the latch device locks the cover case and the main body case so as to cover the main body case with the cover case, to protect the keyboard of the main body case and the display unit of the cover case, and to maintain the portable computer in the closed position. When the latch is manually released, the cover can be opened. The more compact in size and relatively light in weight the portable computer has continuously evolved, the more compact and precise the latch device suitable for a thin-layer cover case and a thin-layer main body case is needed to be.
Efforts to lock the cover and the main body have spawned various types of latches. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,538 for a Latch for Receptacle issued to Seitz at al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,821 for a Sliding Spring Latch issued to Tanaka, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,579 for a Sliding Spring Latch issued to Maxwell at al. show a latch device attached to a door or cover, while U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,198 for a Handle Latch Assembly issued to Gruenberg et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,296 for an Electronic Apparatus With Hinged Display And Latch Mechanism For Releasably Latching Displays In Closed Position issued to Satou et. al. propose a latch assembly for a portable or laptop personal computer. We have found that the embodiments described by these references do not indicate that a latch claw protruding from a cover surface in a closed position can be retracted to the inside of the cover surface while in an open position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,833 for a Lock Hook issued to Knurr discloses a lock hook for a door of a computer cabinet. Although the lock hook pivots about a pivot axis and projects out of a main surface in a closed position and pivots complete into an opening in the main surface of the door in a open position, the lock hook assembly, however, rotates by a complicated combination of a push rod having an sectionally circular driver, an opening area accommodating the sectionally circular driver and a substantially positive rounded portion of the lock plate contacting the sectionally circular driver. We have noticed that this reference includes a complicated latch structure which does not fit a compact and small laptop or portable computer with a small thickness.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved latch apparatus able to position a cover case and a main body case of a portable computer to a closed position and an open position.
It is another object to provide a latch apparatus able to protect a lug rotatably mounted on a cover case in the open position of the portable computer.
It an yet another object to provide a latch apparatus able to securely maintain the lug located underneath of the surface of the cover case.
It is still another object to provide a latch apparatus able to protect an user from being damaged by a look hook protruded from a surface of the cover case.
It is a further object to provide a latch apparatus able to be installed in a compact portable computer having a cover case with a small thickness.
It is also an object to provide a latch apparatus capable of securely maintain the closed position of the portable computer.
It is also an object to provide a latch apparatus for automatically enforcing the cover case to be opened.
These and other objects may be achieved by providing a portable computer with a latch assembly including a lug rotatably mounted within a receptacle of a cover case, a rack slidably disposed within the receptacle of the cover case and allowing the lug to be projected through the cover case or to be located underneath the cover case, a lever disposed at an outer surface of the cover case, connected to the rack, causing the rack to slidably and linearly rotate the lug, and allowing the lug to protrude from and retract into the surface of the cover case, and protrusions formed on the lever, contacting a pair of convex portion of the cover case, securely maintaining a locking state in the closed position and a non-locking state of the open position.
A pinion gear formed on one end of the lug contacts a rack gear formed on the rack. A hook formed on the other end of lug protrudes through a hook opening of cover case in closed position so as to be securely connected to hook holder of a main body case through a front opening of the main body case in a closed position and is securely located into the inside or underneath of the cover case in the open position so as to avoid being broken and injuring an user.
The latching assembly further includes a first spring connected to an inner surface of the receptacle of the cover case and one end of the rack to securely maintain the closed position by holding the hook of the lug in a latch position when the cover case is positioned in the closed position, a locker disposed within the cover case and coupled to the other end of the rack to securely maintain the lug to be located underneath of the cover case when the cover case is positioned in the open position, and a second spring located to contact the locker and allow a protrusion of the locker to protrude from the surface of the cover case through a locker opening formed on the cover case so as to push out the front plate of the main body case when the cover moves from the closed position to the open position by the second spring.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3709538 (1973-01-01), Seitz et al.
patent: 4527821 (1985-07-01), Tanaka
patent: 4790579 (1988-12-01), Maxwell et al.
patent: 4984833 (1991-01-01), Knurr
patent: 6108196 (2000-08-01), Jung
patent: 6115239 (2000-09-01), Kim

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