JP5427067B2 - Electronics - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device.

  In recent years, many portable electronic devices such as notebook personal computers have a configuration in which a battery can be attached and detached.

  Patent Document 1 is a battery cover in which a battery card is mounted. A connector is protruded on the back side of the cover, and a movable switch for detecting cover attachment is provided at an end of the device body. The structure which provided the stopper to restrict | limit via a spring is disclosed. Also, Patent Document 1 prevents the switch from moving in the ON direction when the cover is not attached, and allows the switch to move in the ON direction by moving the stopper with the connector when the cover is attached. The structure to perform is disclosed.

JP 2003-122449 A

  However, in the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, a spring is necessary to bias the stopper. Therefore, the number of parts is large, resulting in an increase in cost and an increase in assembly man-hours.

An electronic device disclosed in the present application is an electronic device in which a battery unit can be attached to and detached from a housing. The electronic device is disposed on one main surface of the housing so as to be displaceable, and an operation unit capable of locking the battery unit. A switch having a switch lever biased in a direction, the switch lever biasing the operation unit in one direction, and the light emitting element that emits light when the switch is turned on; and Further comprising: a remaining capacity detecting means for detecting a remaining capacity of the battery unit, wherein the remaining capacity detecting means detects the fact that the switch has been turned on and the light emitting element according to the remaining capacity of the battery unit. To emit light.

  According to the present invention, the number of parts can be reduced to reduce the cost and the number of assembling steps can be reduced.

The perspective view of the notebook computer concerning Embodiment 1 Perspective view of the underside of the laptop Schematic diagram showing the battery installation / removal configuration Schematic diagram showing the battery installation / removal configuration Schematic diagram showing the battery installation / removal configuration Perspective view of the underside of a notebook computer (modification) Block diagram of notebook computer (variation) Perspective view of the underside of a notebook computer (modification)

  An electronic apparatus according to the present embodiment is an electronic apparatus in which a battery unit can be attached to and detached from a casing, and is arranged to be displaceable on one main surface of the casing, and an operation unit that can lock the battery unit. And a switch having a switch lever biased in one direction, and the switch lever biases the operation portion in one direction.

  The electronic apparatus according to the present embodiment further includes: a light emitting element that emits light when the switch is turned on; and a remaining capacity detecting unit that detects a remaining capacity of the battery unit, and the remaining capacity detecting unit Can be configured to cause the light emitting element to emit light according to the remaining capacity of the battery unit when detecting that the switch has been turned on. With such a configuration, the remaining capacity of the battery unit can be confirmed easily and reliably.

(Embodiment 1)
[1. (Configuration of electronic equipment)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a notebook computer that is an example of the electronic apparatus according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, a notebook personal computer is described as an example of an electronic device. However, at least a device to which a battery can be attached or detached may be used.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the notebook computer includes a first housing 1 and a second housing 2. The first housing 1 contains a circuit board on which various electric elements are mounted, a hard disk drive, and the like. The second housing 2 includes a liquid crystal display 4. The first casing 1 and the second casing 2 are supported by the hinge portion 3 so as to be rotatable in the direction indicated by the arrow A or B. The hinge unit 3 includes a rotation shaft that rotatably supports the first housing 1 and the second housing 2. A keyboard 5 and a pointing device 6 are arranged on the upper surface 1 a of the first housing 1.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lower surface 1b and the back surface 1c of the notebook computer. The lower surface 1 b is a surface on the back side of the upper surface 1 a of the first housing 1. The lower surface 1 b includes a slide lever 11. The slide lever 11 can be displaced in the direction indicated by the arrow E or F. The slide lever 11 can fix the battery unit 21 mounted in the slot 12. The back surface 1c is a surface closest to the opening / closing axis A1 (see FIG. 1) of the hinge portion 3 among the four surfaces adjacent to the upper surface 1a and the lower surface 1b in the first housing 1. The back surface 1 c includes a slot 12. The slot 12 has a capacity into which the battery unit 21 can be inserted. The battery unit 21 includes a recess 21a on one side.

[2. Configuration of battery attachment / detachment mechanism
FIGS. 3A to 3C are schematic views showing the attaching / detaching operation of the battery unit 21 to / from the slot 12. 3A to 3C schematically show the internal structure around the slide lever 11 in FIG.

  The slide lever 11 includes a locking portion 11a having an inclined surface. The slide lever 11 includes two protrusions 11b on one main plane. At least a switch lever 13a (described later) of the switch 13 can be disposed in the gap between the two protrusions 11b. A switch 13 is disposed in the vicinity of the slide lever 11. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3C, the slide lever 11 has a protruding position where at least the locking portion 11a protrudes into the slot 12, and the locking portion 11a is retracted from the slot 12 as shown in FIG. 3B. It can be displaced between the retracted positions as indicated by arrows E or F.

  The switch 13 includes a switch lever 13a that can be rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow E or F. The switch 13 is turned off when the switch lever 13a is displaced to the end portion in the direction indicated by the arrow E, and is turned on when the switch lever 13a is displaced to the end portion in the direction indicated by the arrow F. . The switch lever 13a is constantly urged in the direction indicated by the arrow E by urging means (not shown) built in the switch 13. The urging force of the switch lever 13a has an urging force capable of pressing at least the slide lever 11 in the direction indicated by the arrow E and displacing the slide lever 11 to the protruding position shown in FIGS. 3A and 3C. The switch 13 is in the off state when the switch lever 13a is located at the end in the direction indicated by the arrow E as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3C, and the switch lever 13a is predetermined in the direction indicated by the arrow F from the off state. When turned to the position, it is turned on. That is, the switch 13 is turned off when the slide lever 11 is not operated by the user, and is turned on only when the slide lever 11 is displaced in the direction indicated by the arrow E by the user.

  3B shows a state in which the switch lever 13a is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow F from the state shown in FIG. 3A or 3C, but the state shown in FIG. 3B is not an on state. A state of further turning in the direction indicated by the arrow F from the position shown in FIG. 3B is the ON state. Transition to the ON state can be performed by displacing the slide lever 11 in the direction indicated by the arrow F to a predetermined position. The switch 13 is electrically connected to a microcomputer (not shown; hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer) mounted on a printed circuit board (not shown) disposed in the first housing 1. The microcomputer can execute various controls in the notebook computer based on the on / off state of the switch 13.

  When mounting the battery unit 21 in the slot 12, first, the battery unit 21 is inserted into the slot 12 in the direction indicated by the arrow C as shown in FIG. 3A. When the battery unit 21 is inserted in the direction indicated by the arrow C, the tip of the battery unit 21 eventually comes into contact with the inclined surface of the locking portion 11 a of the slide lever 11 protruding into the slot 12.

  By further displacing the battery unit 21 in contact with the inclined surface of the locking portion 11a in the direction indicated by the arrow C, the slide lever 11 is attached to the direction indicated by the arrow E by the switch lever 13a as shown in FIG. 3B. Displaces in the direction indicated by arrow F against the force. When the slide lever 11 is displaced in the direction indicated by the arrow F, the protrusion 11b presses the switch lever 13a in the direction indicated by the arrow F.

  By displacing the battery unit 21 to the position shown in FIG. 3C, the slide lever 11 is displaced in the direction shown by the arrow F by the urging force of the switch lever 13a in the direction shown by the arrow E, and the locking portion 11a is moved to the battery. The unit 21 engages with the recess 21 a. After the engagement, the slide lever 11 is in a state where the switch lever 13a comes into contact with the protrusion 11b and is continuously pressed in the direction indicated by the arrow E, and maintains the protruding position shown in FIG. 3C. Thereby, the battery unit 21 will be in the state by which the displacement to the direction (separation direction) shown by the arrow D was controlled.

  In the state shown in FIG. 3C, when removing the battery unit 21, the slide lever 11 is displaced in the direction indicated by the arrow F. By displacing the slide lever 11, the locking portion 11a is detached from the recess 21a. By pulling out the battery unit 21 from this state in the direction indicated by the arrow D, the battery unit 21 can be detached from the slot 12 as shown in FIG. 3A through the state shown in FIG. 3B. In the state shown in FIG. 3A, the slide lever 11 is displaced in the direction shown by the arrow E by the switch lever 13a.

  3C, by displacing the slide lever 11 in the direction indicated by the arrow F, the switch lever 13a is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow F from the position shown in FIG. When the switch lever 13a is rotated to a predetermined position, the switch 13 is switched from the off state to the on state. When the switch 13 is turned on, the potential of a predetermined terminal of a microcomputer (described later) to which the switch 13 is electrically connected changes. The microcomputer detects that the switch 13 has been switched from the off state to the on state by detecting a change in potential at a predetermined terminal. When the microcomputer detects that the switch 13 is turned on, the microcomputer starts arbitrary control in the notebook computer. The “arbitrary control” includes, for example, a control for displaying on the liquid crystal display 4 as a warning message that the battery unit 21 is about to be removed from the slot 12.

[3. Modification of battery attaching / detaching mechanism)
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a modification of the battery attaching / detaching mechanism. In FIG. 4, the same components as those shown in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted. 4 is different from the configuration shown in FIG. 2 in that a light emitting diode (hereinafter referred to as LED) 14 is provided on the lower surface 1b of the first housing 1. FIG. The LED 14 lights or blinks in conjunction with the on / off state of the switch 13 (see FIG. 3A and the like). The LED 14 is preferably arranged in the vicinity of the slide switch 11. LED14 is provided with the 1st light emitting element which light-emits green in this Embodiment, and the 2nd light emitting element which light-emits red. One or both of these light emitting elements can be turned on or blinked simultaneously by control from the microcomputer 15 (described later). Detailed operations of the LED 14 and functions using the LED 14 will be described later.

  FIG. 5 is a control block diagram of the LED 14. As shown in FIG. 5, it is connected to a microcomputer 15 and its operation is controlled. Hereinafter, LED operation control will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, in a state where the battery unit 21 is mounted in the slot 12 (see FIG. 3C), when the slide lever 11 is displaced in the direction indicated by the arrow F by the user, the switch 13 shifts from the off state to the on state. When the switch 13 shifts to the on state, the potential of the terminal to which the switch 13 of the microcomputer 15 is connected changes. The microcomputer 15 detects that the switch 13 has shifted to the on state based on the potential change of the terminal.

  When the microcomputer 15 detects that the switch 13 has been turned on, the microcomputer 15 detects the remaining capacity of the battery unit 21. The remaining capacity of the battery unit 21 can be detected based on the terminal voltage of the battery unit 21, for example. The microcomputer 15 compares the detected remaining capacity of the battery unit 21 with a threshold value. If the remaining capacity is higher than the threshold value, the microcomputer 15 supplies current to the first light emitting element of the LED 14 and causes the LED 14 to emit green light. On the other hand, if the remaining capacity of the battery unit 21 is lower than the threshold value, the microcomputer 15 supplies current to the second light emitting element in the LED 14 and causes the LED 14 to emit red light. That is, the LED 14 can change the emission color according to the remaining capacity of the battery unit 21.

  As described above, when the slide lever 11 is displaced and the switch 13 is shifted to the on state, the remaining capacity of the battery unit 21 is displayed by turning on the LED 14. The remaining capacity can be grasped.

  In many cases, the remaining battery capacity of a notebook computer is displayed as an image on a liquid crystal display under the control of an operating system. In the configuration in which the remaining capacity is displayed on the liquid crystal display, the notebook personal computer must be turned on and the operating system must be activated.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, even if the power of the notebook personal computer is turned off, when the switch 13 is turned on, power is supplied from the battery unit 21 to the microcomputer 15 and the microcomputer 15 is activated. Thereafter, the microcomputer 15 turns on the LED 14 and displays the remaining capacity of the battery unit 21. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the remaining capacity of the battery unit 21 can be displayed regardless of whether the notebook personal computer is powered on or off and the operating system is activated. That is, the user can easily check the remaining capacity of the battery unit even when the notebook computer is turned off or the operating system is not activated.

  In the configuration shown in FIG. 4, the number of slots 12 is one, but a plurality of slots for mounting batteries may be provided.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a notebook computer provided with two slots for mounting a battery. In FIG. 6, the same components as those shown in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof is omitted. The notebook computer shown in FIG. 6 includes a second slide lever 16, a second slot 17, and a second LED 18 in addition to the notebook computer shown in FIG. 4. Although not shown, the same configuration as the switch 13 shown in FIG. 4 is provided in the vicinity of the second slide lever 16. The second battery unit 22 can be attached to and detached from the second slot 17. For convenience of explanation, the slide lever 11 in FIG. 6 is referred to as “first slide lever”, the slot 12 is referred to as “first slot 12”, and the LED 14 is referred to as “first LED”. The functions and the like in are the same as those shown in FIG. The first battery unit 21 and the second battery unit 22 are made the same product, so that the first battery unit 21 (the same applies to the second battery unit 22) can be used for the first slot 12 and the second battery unit 22. It can be installed in either slot 17.

  In FIG. 6, the first battery unit 21 installed in the first slot 12 and the second battery unit 22 installed in the second slot 17 selectively supply power to the notebook computer. Can do. For example, first, the notebook computer is operated based on the power supplied from the first battery unit 21, and when the remaining capacity of the first battery unit 21 decreases, the notebook computer is operated by switching to the second battery unit 22. You can use it.

  In such a configuration, when the remaining capacity of one of the first battery unit 21 and the second battery unit 22 decreases and must be removed from the slot for charging or the like, the notebook computer is first shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower surface 1b is set in a posture that allows visual observation. Next, the slide lever on the slot side where the battery unit to be detached is mounted is displaced. When the slide lever is displaced, the switch connected to the slide lever is turned on, and the LED is lit.

  At this time, even if the battery unit to be detached cannot be identified in advance as the battery unit installed in the first slot 12 or the battery unit installed in the second slot 17, the first slide By displacing the lever 11 or the second slide lever 16, the battery unit to be detached can be specified. That is, when the LED 14 is turned on by displacing the slide lever, the battery unit installed in the slot in which the LED 14 is lit red is a battery unit to be detached (a battery unit having a reduced remaining capacity). Can be specified. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an erroneous operation that a battery unit that should not be removed is accidentally removed.

[4. Effects of the embodiment, etc.]
According to the present embodiment, since the slide lever 11 is biased to the protruding position by the biasing force of the switch lever 13a of the switch 13, a battery attachment / detachment mechanism can be realized with a small number of parts. In other words, according to the present embodiment, it is not necessary to provide the urging means for urging the slide lever 11 to the protruding position separately from the switch 13, and therefore the number of parts compared to the configuration including the urging means separately from the switch. Can be reduced. By reducing the number of parts, the cost can be reduced, the number of assembling steps when assembling the notebook personal computer can be reduced, and the assembling workability can be improved.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, when the slide lever 11 is displaced and the switch 13 is turned on, the remaining capacity of the battery unit 21 is displayed by the LED 14. Thus, the remaining capacity can be easily confirmed even if the notebook computer or the operating system installed therein is not activated.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, since the plurality of slots are provided and the LEDs corresponding to the respective slots are provided, the remaining capacity has decreased, so that it has to be detached from the slots. The battery unit can be easily identified.

  In this embodiment, the light emission color of the LED is changed according to the remaining capacity of the battery unit. However, the remaining capacity may be indicated by lighting / flashing control of the LED. For example, when the remaining capacity of the battery unit is higher than a threshold value, the LED is turned on, and when the remaining capacity is lower than the threshold value, the LED can be blinked. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which shows remaining capacity with the frequency | count of blinking of LED. Further, the LED emission color is not limited to two colors as in the present embodiment, but may be one color or three or more colors. Further, the emission colors of the LEDs may be mixed by lighting or blinking display elements having different emission colors at the same time.

  Further, on the lower surface 1b of the first housing 1, a film or the like may be attached to a region where the LEDs 14 are arranged. That is, in the present embodiment, the LED 14 is disposed inside the first housing 1, a through hole is provided in a portion facing the LED 14 in the first housing 1, and light emitted from the LED 14 is transmitted through the through hole. Through the outside of the first housing 1. As described above, when the first housing 1 is provided with a through hole, there is a possibility that liquid, foreign matter, or the like enters the first housing 1 from the through hole. When liquid, foreign matter, or the like enters the first housing 1, there is a possibility that a problem such as an electrical short circuit of the electrical components provided in the first housing 1 may occur. Therefore, by sticking a film or the like so as to close the through hole, it is possible to prevent liquid or foreign matter from entering the first housing 1. Moreover, the visibility fall of the light radiated | emitted from LED14 can be suppressed by making the area | region which overlaps at least a through-hole in a film transparent or semi-transparent.

  In the present embodiment, the LED 14 is fixed to the first housing 1, but may be fixed to the slide lever 11.

  In the present embodiment, the first battery unit 21 and the second battery unit 22 are detachable as shown in FIG. 6, but a dummy unit may be attached or detached. The dummy unit is a unit that has substantially the same external shape as the battery unit and does not have a storage function inside. As shown in FIG. 6, the dummy unit includes a plurality of battery slots, and prevents foreign objects from entering a slot in which no battery unit is mounted in a device that does not include a lid that can close the battery slot. Is for. For example, in a device having two slots 12 and 17 as shown in FIG. 6, if a battery unit is mounted only in the first slot 12, the second slot 17 is in an open state, and liquid and foreign matter are There is a possibility of entering. When liquid, foreign matter, or the like enters the second slot 17, there is a possibility that a problem such as an electrical short circuit of the power supply terminal in the second slot 17 may occur. In order to prevent such a problem, it is effective to install a dummy battery. In the present embodiment, when the slide lever 11 or 16 is displaced while the dummy unit is mounted in the first slot 12 or the second slot 17, the LED 14 or 18 emits red light. That is, since the dummy unit does not have a power storage function, electricity does not flow to the power supply terminal in the slot in which the dummy unit is mounted. Therefore, the microcomputer 15 determines that “remaining capacity is low” and causes the LED 14 or 18 to emit red light. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, even if a dummy unit is mounted in the slot, it is possible to prevent an erroneous operation of accidentally removing the battery unit by checking the light emission state of the LED.

  The slide levers 11 and 16 in the present embodiment are examples of the operation unit of the present invention. The switch 13 in the present embodiment is an example of the switch of the present invention. The switch lever 13a in the present embodiment is an example of the switch lever of the present invention. The LEDs 14 and 18 in the present embodiment are examples of the light emitting element of the present invention. The microcomputer 15 in the present embodiment is an example of the remaining capacity detecting unit of the present invention or an example of a configuration having the function of the remaining capacity detecting unit of the present invention.

  The electronic device of the present invention is useful for a device to which a battery can be attached and detached.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1st housing | casing 2 2nd housing | casing 11 Slide lever (1st slide lever)
12 slots (first slot)
13 switch (first switch)
13a Switch lever 14 LED (first LED)
15 Microcomputer 16 Second slide lever 17 Second slot 18 Second LED
21 Battery unit (first battery unit)
22 Second battery unit

Claims (3)

An electronic device in which a battery unit can be attached to and detached from a housing,
An operation unit that is arranged to be displaceable on one main surface of the housing and can lock the battery unit;
A switch with a switch lever biased in one direction,
The switch lever urges the operation unit in one direction ,
A light emitting element that emits light when the switch is turned on;
A remaining capacity detecting means for detecting the remaining capacity of the battery unit;
When the remaining capacity detecting means detects that the switch has been turned on, the remaining capacity detecting means causes the light emitting element to emit light according to the remaining capacity of the battery unit . The remaining capacity detection means detects the remaining capacity of the battery unit upon detecting that the switch has shifted to an on state,
If the remaining capacity is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the light emitting element emits light in the first color,
2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the remaining capacity is less than a predetermined value, the light emitting element emits light with a second color different from the first color. A plurality of battery units can be attached and detached ,
The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the light emitting element, the switch lever, and the switch are individually arranged corresponding to each of the battery units .

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