Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Safety and protection of systems and devices – With specific circuit breaker or control structure
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-30
2004-10-26
Jackson, Stephen W. (Department: 2836)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Safety and protection of systems and devices
With specific circuit breaker or control structure
C361S689000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06809916
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus designed to incorporate an internal component such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit, or the like, for example. In particular, the invention relates to a shock absorbing member designed to protect the internal component from a larger impact acting on the enclosure of the electronic apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A shock absorbing or damping material such as a resin foam is in general inserted between the enclosure of an electronic apparatus such as a personal computer and an internal component such as a hard disk drive (HDD) housed in the enclosure. When an impact is applied to the enclosure of the electronic apparatus, the elastic deformation of the shock absorbing material contributes to a full consumption of the energy induced by the impact. The internal component is thus protected from the vibration or sway resulting from the impact. The suppression of the vibration or sway contributes to avoidance of a breakage or malfunction of the internal component. The internal component is supposed to surely keep operating without any trouble.
An increased mobility of the electronic apparatus is supposed to lead to an increased opportunity of suffering from larger impact. The electronic apparatus may often be dropped to the ground or the like from a higher elevation. In this case, the aforementioned shock absorbing material fails to totally consume the energy of the impact, so that the internal component is easily forced to collide against the enclosure. The internal component is supposed to suffer from a larger impact energy. Such a larger impact energy may induce a damage, a breakage or a malfunction of the internal component.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a shock absorbing member, to be disposed between an electronic apparatus and an internal component incorporated therein, capable of sufficiently absorbing a larger impact as compared with a conventional shock absorbing member made of an elastic material.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus comprising: an enclosure; an internal component housed in the enclosure; and a shock absorbing member disposed between the internal component and the enclosure and designed to plastically deform in response to an impact.
When the electronic apparatus is dropped to the ground, for example, a larger impact is applied to the enclosure of the electronic apparatus. The shock absorbing member is allowed to plastically deform in response to the impact. The energy of the impact is transformed into the energy of the plastic deformation. Specifically, the impact energy can sufficiently be consumed in the shock absorbing member. Less impact is transmitted to the internal component from the enclosure of the electronic apparatus. The internal component is thus sufficiently protected from a larger impact. The inventors have proved that the shock absorbing member of this type surely establishes a higher performance of absorbing a larger impact as compared with a conventional shock absorbing member of an elastic material. The plastic deformation in this manner may include a crash or fracture of the shock absorbing member.
When the internal component is guaranteed against the impact of a predetermined magnitude, for example, the shock absorbing member may establish a strength enough to suffer from a plastic deformation in response to an impact exceeding the predetermined magnitude. In this case, it is preferable to establish the strength of the enclosure at a level higher than the strength of the shock absorbing member.
For example, the electronic apparatus may includes a shock absorbing member comprising: a shock absorbing body designed to plastically deform in response to an impact of a predetermined magnitude; a first receiving surface defined at an end of the shock absorbing body so as to receive the internal component; and a second receiving surface defined at the other end of the shock absorbing body so as to receive an impact applied from an outside.
Here, the shock absorbing body may include: a first terminal portion defining the first receiving surface; a second terminal portion defining the second receiving surface; and a constriction connecting the first and second terminal portions to each other, for example. The shock absorbing body of this type is expected to stably receive the internal component and the enclosure at the first and second receiving surfaces of a broader area, respectively. Simultaneously, the strength can be reduced at the constriction in the shock absorbing body. The concentration of stress is thus induced at the constriction when an impact is applied to the shock absorbing body. The shock absorbing body is allowed to easily suffer from a plastic deformation or fracture at the constriction. Moreover, the constriction designed to extend along a datum line intersecting the first receiving surface by a predetermined angle contributes to a reliable fracture of the constriction even when an impact is applied to the first receiving surface in a direction normal to the first receiving surface.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an enclosure for an electronic apparatus, comprising an enclosure body defining: a rigid area designed to plastically deform in response to an impact of a first magnitude; and a shock absorbing area designed to plastically deform in response to an impact of a second magnitude smaller than the first magnitude.
When the shock absorbing area receives an impact of the second magnitude or a predetermined magnitude, the shock absorbing area is forced to plastically deform without inducing a plastic deformation of the rigid area. The impact energy is thus transformed into the energy of the plastic deformation at the shock absorbing area. The impact energy can sufficiently be consumed in the shock absorbing area. In the case where an internal component is incorporated within the enclosure, for example, the internal component can be protected from a larger impact. The plastic deformation may include a fracture or destruction of the enclosure body. In this case, a pedestal may be attached to the shock absorbing area. The pedestal is expected to increase the probability of inducing the first collision of the shock absorbing area as compared with the rigid area.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a shock absorbing member comprising: a first elastic member attached to a corner of the enclosure and having the rigidity of a first level; and a second elastic member covering over the exterior surface of the first elastic member and having the rigidity of a second level smaller than the first level.
The shock absorbing member serves to sufficiently absorb a relatively small impact at the second elastic member before it reaches the enclosure of the electronic apparatus. The enclosure of the electronic apparatus is prevented from receiving the small impact. Any internal component incorporated within the enclosure can thus be protected from the small impact. When a relatively large impact is applied to the shock absorbing member, the elastic deformation of the second elastic member reaches its upper limit or threshold. The impact is transmitted to the first elastic member. The large impact is this time sufficiently absorbed at the first elastic member. The enclosure is thus prevented from receiving the large impact. A combination of the first and second elastic members serves to establish a higher performance of absorbing an impact over a broader range of magnitude as compared with the case where the first and second elastic members are separately employed. Moreover, the thickness of the shock absorbing member can be reduced as compared with the case where the second elastic member is solely employed to achieve the same performance.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there
Kouno Shin-ichirou
Matsumura Tadanobu
Nakata Katsuhiko
Fujitsu Limited
Jackson Stephen W.
Westerman Hattori Daniels & Adrian LLP
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