JP2000089850A - Electronic equipment provided with guide mechanism and extension unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make movable a guide pin only when the docking position of an electronic equipment main body and an extension unit matches with each other, to secure a sufficient guide amount upto the docking position, to electrically stably conduct the electronic equipment main body and the extension unit by a guide mechanism and to reduce radiated electromagnetic wave. SOLUTION: The guide pin 12 constituted of an electrically conductive material and a release pin 15 on the outer periphery are provided in this extension unit 10, a lock is released by making the release pin 15 push and widen a U-shaped release spring 16 in a groove 12a provided on the shaft of the guide pin 12 and the guide pin 12 is pushed down. The guide pin 12 is brought into contact with the ground surface 5a and ground metal fitting 13 of the recessed part of the guide hole 5 of a personal computer 1 and electrically conducted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic device such as a word processor or a portable personal computer, and an extension unit which is electrically connected to the electronic device to extend the function of the electronic device. The present invention relates to an electronic device and an extension unit having a guide mechanism for guiding each other to a connection position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an electronic device such as a word processor or a portable personal computer, an electrical connection between an extension unit for expanding a function and a connector for electrical connection is caused by a displacement of the connector during docking. In order to prevent unnecessary destructive stress, various measures have been taken to correct and guide the position between the connectors before docking.

FIG. 5 is an external perspective view showing a personal computer, which is an electronic device having a conventional guide mechanism, and its extension unit. In the figure, 40 is a personal computer, 41 is a main body of the personal computer 40 in which a main circuit board (not shown) is stored.
A body-side connector 42 mounted on the main circuit board and electrically connected to the extension unit protrudes from the bottom surface of the main body. Reference numeral 30 denotes an extension unit, which is an extension unit connector 31 for electrically connecting to the personal computer 40 and guide pins 32 for guiding the main body connector 42 of the personal computer 40 to the docking position.
Are provided near the extension unit side connector 31. A guide hole 43 is provided on the bottom surface of the main body 41 of the personal computer 40 so that the guide pin 32 can be inserted therein.

Thus, the personal computer 40
And the extension unit 30 include the guide pin 32 and the guide hole 43.
Thus, the position between the connectors is corrected and guided to the docking position, and the main body side connector 42 of the personal computer 40 and the extension unit side connector 31 of the extension unit 30 are connected and electrically connected.

As described above, since the connectors are connected after being guided to the correct positions, unnecessary destructive stress during docking is prevented.

[0006]

In the above-described electronic device and extension unit having the conventional guide mechanism, the guide mechanism between the electronic device main body and the extension unit is provided near the connector, and the electronic device main body and the extension unit are connected to each other. If the unit is significantly displaced, the guide pin, which is the guide mechanism, may come into contact with the electronic device body or the extension unit, causing scratches or unnecessary destructive stress on the external appearance of the guide pin or the electronic device body or the extension unit. was there. Further, to guide to the correct position, it is necessary to take a large amount of guide. However, since the pin is fixed, if the pin is lengthened, the depth of the guide hole on the mating side must be increased. However, portable electronic devices have been required to be thinner in recent years, and it has been difficult to make guide holes deeper. For this reason, the guide amount is small, and another guide mechanism is required, for example, utilizing a part of the outer shape of the electronic device. Also,
Unnecessary electromagnetic waves are radiated by the guide mechanism during docking, which may cause malfunctions in electronic devices and main circuit boards on which semiconductor components in the extension units are mounted.

According to the present invention, the guide pin can be moved only when the docking position of the electronic device main body and the extension unit coincide with each other, a sufficient guide amount is ensured up to the docking position, and the guide mechanism is provided in the electronic device main body. It is intended to establish electrically stable continuity between the power supply and the extension unit, and to reduce radiated electromagnetic waves.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus main body or an extension unit having a guide mechanism which is made of an electrically conductive material and is movable in a guide direction. The locking mechanism is released and the guide pin is made movable only when the docking position where the connector for the electrical connection is coupled matches.

Thus, the position between the connectors is corrected without applying unnecessary destructive stress when the electronic device main body and the extension unit are docked, and a large amount of guide is obtained until the connectors are connected. In addition, the frame ground between the electronic device main body and the extension unit is strengthened, and an effect of reducing radiated electromagnetic waves can be obtained.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is directed to an electronic device having a main body for accommodating a main circuit board and the like on which semiconductor components are mounted, and an electronic device detachably attached to the electronic device. In an extension unit for connecting and extending the function of the electronic device, a guide mechanism movably attached to one of the electronic device and the extension unit is provided, and the electronic device and the extension unit are electrically connected to each other. An electronic device and an extension unit having a guide mechanism characterized by guiding the other to a docking position where connectors for connection are coupled to each other, and a connector for electrically connecting the electronic device body and the extension unit Therefore, the amount of guide for coupling can be increased, and the connector can be stably and reliably coupled.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the electronic device and the extension unit having the guide mechanism according to the first aspect, one of the electronic device and the extension unit is provided with a concave shape, and the other is movably mounted. The provided guide mechanism is provided with a lock mechanism that regulates the movement, only when the concave shape and the position of the guide mechanism match, the lock mechanism is released, and after contacting the electronic device or the extension unit, Wherein the guide mechanism is movable up to a docking position where connectors for electrical connection are coupled to each other, and a connector for electrically connecting the electronic device body and the extension unit is provided. The lock mechanism is released when the docking positions to be combined match, the guide mechanism moves, and further guides to docking. It has the effect that many and allowed to reliably coupled between connectors stable.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus and an extension unit having the guide mechanism according to the first aspect, wherein the guide mechanism is formed of a material such as a metal having electrical continuity. It is characterized in that electrical continuity is possible between the unit and the unit, and has an operation of stably contacting a frame ground between the electronic device body and the expansion unit. .

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a portable personal computer, which is an electronic device having a guide mechanism, and an extension unit. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of them, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the operation. In the figure, 1 is a personal computer in which a main circuit board 3 on which semiconductor components are mounted is housed, 2 is a main body of the personal computer 1, 6 is a hinge 7 that is rotatably attached to the main body 2, and a liquid crystal display device. (Not shown) is a display unit to be stored. On the bottom surface of the main body 2, a main body side connector 4 for electrical connection is mounted on the main circuit board 3. 10 is an extension unit,
An extension unit side connector 11 for electrically connecting to the personal computer 1 and a guide pin 12 for guiding the main body side connector 4 of the personal computer 1 to a docking position include an upper housing 10a of the extension unit 10.
It is provided to protrude from. Extension unit 10
The upper housing 10a and the lower housing 10b are provided with measures such as metal plating in order to reduce electromagnetic waves.
The grounding member 13 is attached to the lower housing 10b so as to come into contact when the guide pin 12 moves. The guide pin 12 is urged to be pushed up by a spring 14 for making the guide pin 12 movable. Furthermore, guide pin 1
A release pin 15 is slidably provided on the outer circumference of the guide 2, and a groove 12 a provided on the axis of the guide pin 12
The U-shaped release spring 16 has entered. Mounting bracket 18
Are fixed to the upper housing 10a with screws 19, and the U-shaped release spring 16 is
It can move only in the direction perpendicular to the axis. The release pin 15 is urged by a release pin spring 17 so as to be pushed up. The extension unit-side connector 11 is mounted on a main circuit board 20 on which the semiconductor components of the extension unit 10 are mounted. I have. A guide hole 5 is provided on the bottom surface of the main body 2 of the personal computer 1 so that the guide pin 12 can be inserted therein. Further, the lower housing 2a of the main body 2 of the personal computer 1 is provided with a countermeasure such as metal plating in order to reduce electromagnetic waves. I have.

The operation of the personal computer and the extension unit configured as described above will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 4A shows a state in which the guide pin 12 of the extension unit 10 enters the recess of the guide hole 5 of the personal computer 1 and the release pin 15 and the recess entrance surface 2b of the guide hole 5 are in contact with each other.
Since the U-shaped release spring 16 is inserted into the groove 12a provided on the shaft of, it is not movable in the vertical direction. FIG.
(B) is a position where the personal computer 1 has moved further. The release pin 15 is moved up and down, and the U-shaped release spring 16 is pushed and spread in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the guide pin 12 so as to slide on the slope 15 a of the release pin 15. When the U-shaped release spring 16 is disengaged from the groove 12 a provided on the axis of the guide pin 12 when further expanded, the lock of the guide pin 12 is released, so that the guide pin 12 is movable vertically. Here, in order to release the lock of the guide pin 12, the depth of the concave portion of the guide hole 5 of the personal computer 1 is adjusted by the amount of movement until the release pin 15 of the extension unit 10 releases the lock of the guide pin 12, Guide pin 12 from release pin 15
May be set to be equal to or more than the sum of the convex amounts. FIG. 4C shows a docking position where the main body side connector 4 of the personal computer 1 and the expansion unit side connector 11 of the expansion unit 10 are connected, and are in an electrically connected and conductive state. The guide pin 12 has been pushed up by the spring force of the spring 14, but the spring is contracted and the guide pin 12 is completely pushed down. The guide pin 12 contacts the ground surface 5 a of the recess of the guide hole 5 of the personal computer 1, and the tip of the guide pin 12 is connected to the extension unit 10.
Also comes in contact with the grounding metal fittings 13.

As a result, the personal computer 1 and the extension unit 10 are separated from each other by the guide pins 12 and the release pins 15.
Only when the positions of the docking and the guide holes 5 coincide, it is possible to obtain a large amount of guide and to combine them, and
The guide pins 12 made of an electrically conductive material stably conduct electrical connection between the personal computer 1 and the frame ground of the extension unit 10, so that semiconductor components of the personal computer 1 and the extension unit 10 by electromagnetic waves are mounted. Further, the influence of a malfunction on the main circuit board can be suppressed.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, a large amount of guide can be moved only when the docking positions match, and the personal computer and the extension unit can be stably and reliably docked. . further,
Since stable and reliable electrical conduction can be achieved, there is no need for an additional grounding mechanism, and it is unlikely that electromagnetic waves will adversely affect the main circuit board on which semiconductor components of electronic devices and expansion units are mounted, such as malfunctions. The effect to be obtained is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an electronic device having a guide mechanism and an extension unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary cross-sectional view illustrating an electronic device having a guide mechanism and an extension unit according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of a guide pin portion of the extension unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary sectional view showing the operation of an electronic device having a guide mechanism and an extension unit according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an external perspective view showing an electronic device having a conventional guide mechanism and an extension unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Personal computer 2 Main body part 4 Main body side connector 5 Guide hole 10 Expansion unit 11 Expansion unit side connector 12 Guide pin 15 Release pin 16 U-shaped release spring

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An electronic device having a main body for accommodating a main circuit board or the like on which a semiconductor component is mounted, and an expansion unit detachably and electrically connected to the electronic device to extend the function of the electronic device. , A guide mechanism movably mounted in a guide direction is provided on one of the electronic device and the extension unit, and connectors for electrically connecting the electronic device and the extension unit are connected to each other. An electronic device and an extension unit having a guide mechanism for guiding the other to a docking position. 2. An electronic apparatus or an extension unit having a concave shape, and a guide mechanism having a lock mechanism for restricting the movement of the guide mechanism. Only when they match, the lock mechanism is released, and after contacting the electronic device or the extension unit, the guide mechanism can be moved to a docking position where connectors for electrical connection are coupled. An electronic device and an extension unit having the guide mechanism according to claim 1. 3. The guide mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the guide mechanism is formed of a material such as a metal having electrical continuity, and is capable of electrical continuity between the electronic device and the extension unit.
An electronic device and an extension unit having the guide mechanism described in the above.