Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-29
2001-01-16
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S689000, C361S724000, C312S223100, C312S223200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06175488
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to an electronic apparatus and more particular to a structure for attaching a cover which is opened/closed when the user additionally provides a memory or replacing a functional component such as a battery pack.
A portable computer, known as a portable electronic apparatus, comprises a computer body and a display unit supported on the computer body. The computer body has a flat box-shaped housing. A keyboard is disposed on the upper surface of the housing.
This type of portable computer is provided with a palm-rest. The palm-rest enhances the operability of the keyboard when used by the operator, or alleviates fatigue of the operator's arms or hands. The palm-rest is located at a front end portion of the housing.
There is also known a conventional portable computer wherein a receptacle, which can accommodate various types of functional components such as a battery pack, a hard-disk drive or a PC card, is formed within the housing and this receptacle is positioned below the palm-rest. In this portable computer, the palm-rest serves also as a cover for opening/closing the receptacle. Accordingly, in most cases, the palm-rest is rotatably or detachably supported on the housing.
In the computer with the rotatable palm-rest, the palm-rest is provided with shaft portions, and bearing holes are formed in the housing. The shaft portions are engaged in the bearing holes so as to be rotatable about their own axes. The palm-rest is thus coupled to the housing. On the other hand, in the computer with the detachable palm-rest, the palm-rest is provided with a plurality of engaging claws at its peripheral portion. These engaging claws are detachably hooked on the housing.
In the case where the rotatable palm-rest is used, engaging portions between the shaft portions and bearing holes are disposed, being spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the palm-rest. These engaging portions are positioned near the boundary between the keyboard and palm-rest. Thus, the palm-rest can be rotated on the shaft portions between a first position where the palm-rest covers the receptacle from above and a second position where the palm-rest turns upward of the keyboard from the receptacle.
According to the conventional portable computer, however, the palm-rest is located immediately before the keyboard. As a result, there is a concern that when the palm-rest has been rotated from the first position to the second position, the palm-rest may interfere with the foremost row of keys of the keyboard. Because of this, the rotational angle of the palm-rest is limited and the palm-rest is permitted to rotate only up to such a degree that the palm-rest is erected just before the keyboard. As a result, the receptacle cannot be widely opened to the above region of the housing, and the palm-rest hinders smooth insertion/removal of the functional component in/from the receptacle.
There is an idea that the angle of opening of the palm-rest is increased by coupling the palm-rest and the housing by means of a link mechanism. In this structure, however, a special link mechanism is required. The structure of the coupling portions of the palm-rest becomes intricate, and a special space for receiving the link mechanism needs to be provided within the housing. Consequently, it becomes very difficult to reduce the manufacturing cost and the size and weight of the housing.
In the case of the portable computer with the detachable palm-rest, it is possible to completely separate the palm-rest from the housing and to widely open the receptacle to the above region of the housing. In this case, however, since the palm-rest is separated from the housing, there is a need to provide a special place for keeping the separated palm-rest. Besides, there is a possibility that the palm-rest may be lost. Furthermore, in order to prevent a theft of the palm-rest, it is necessary to provide the housing with a mechanism for locking the palm-rest. The structure of the housing becomes inevitably intricate and the number of parts increases.
In modern portable computers, a click switch button and a click switch operated by the button are provided at a central portion of the palm-rest. The click switch is electrically connected to a circuit board over a cable within the housing. If the palm-rest is detached from the housing while the presence of the cable is forgotten, a strong tensile force acts on the cable and the cable may be cut or the connecting portion between the cable and the click switch or circuit board may be broken.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first object of the present invention is to provide an electric apparatus wherein a receptacle of a housing can be widely opened so that a functional component can be easily contained in or taken out of the receptacle, the number of parts is reduced with simple construction, and a theft of a cover is prevented.
A second object of the invention is to provide an electronic apparatus wherein breakage or damage of a wiring member can be prevented, in addition to the advantages obtained by the achievement of the first object.
In order to achieve the first object, the present invention provides an electronic apparatus comprising:
a housing including a receptacle for removably receiving a functional component, and an opening portion for inserting/taking out the functional component into/from the receptacle;
a cover attached to the housing to cover the opening portion of the housing, the cover being movable between a first position where the cover covers the opening portion and a second position where the cover is shifted away from the opening portion; and
a flexible coupling member for coupling the housing and the cover.
In the above structure, when the functional component is contained in or taken out of the receptacle of the housing, the cover is shifted from the first position to the second position and the cover is disengaged from the housing. In this case, since the coupling member for coupling the cover and the housing has flexibility, it can be bent at a desired position in a desired shape. Thus, the cover can be freely moved to a position remote from the opening portion and the surrounding of the opening portion can be widely opened. As a result, the cover does not hinder the insertion/removal of the functional component in/from the receptacle, and the work for inserting/taking out the functional component is facilitated.
In addition, according to this structure, the cover is merely coupled to the housing by a flexible coupling member, there is no need to provide an intricate link mechanism at a coupling portion between the cover and the housing, or a special lock mechanism for preventing a theft of the cover.
Furthermore, since the cover is coupled to the housing by means of the coupling member, the cover is not completely separated from the housing and the loss or theft of the cover can be prevented.
In order to achieve the second object, the invention provides a electronic apparatus comprising:
a housing containing a circuit board;
a receptacle formed in the housing and removably receiving a functional component, the receptacle having an opening portion;
a cover attached to the housing to cover the opening portion of the housing from the above side of the housing, the cover being movable between a first position where the cover covers the opening portion and a second position where the cover is shifted away from the opening portion, the cover including a manually operable switch member and a switch which is turned on/off by means of the switch member, the switch being electrically connected to the circuit board by means of a wiring member; and
a flexible coupling member for coupling the housing and the cover.
In the above structure, when the functional component is contained in or taken out of the receptacle of the housing, the cover is shifted from the first position to the second position and the cover is disengaged from the housing. In this case, since the coupling member for coupling the cover and the
Seto Masaru
Tatemichi Atsushi
Bui Tung Minh
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Picard Leo P.
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