JPH0720971A - Attachment and detachment structure between portable electronic equipment and box for function expansion - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely attach and detachment an electronic equipment to and from the box for expanding functions by fixing the electronic equipment in the expansion box with a hook-shaped engagement piece and restricting the insertion/extraction direction of a connector and stress except in this direction with the engagement piece. CONSTITUTION:When an operation lever 21 is operated to a position where it is almost parallel to the front end 20 of the box 1, the tip of the operation lever 21 abuts on a slide lever 23, which slides to press the operation lever 21 into the position where it is nearly parallel to the front end 20. Further, the slide lever 23 has its step engaged with the step of the operation lever 21 with the energizing force of a leaf spring 24 to restrict the operation of the operation lever 21 to outside the box 1. Further, a slide plate 18 also slides, a coupling plate 15 also rotates around a 2nd pin 16, and a slide plate 9 slides. And, a transmission plate 7 and a rotary shaft 4 are also rotated and hook- shaped pieces 5 and 6 are engaged with the bottom surface of a personal computer 3 through an opening 7 of which tips are bored in a flat part 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure for attaching and detaching a portable electronic device and a function expanding box.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, electronic devices such as personal computers are becoming smaller and lighter so that they are called laptops or notebooks, and they are portable. On the other hand, the functions of personal computers have been bloated day by day due to demands for multimedia processing and the like, and along with this, the circuit / mechanical configurations have also bloated.

[0003] When the structure is thus enlarged, it is difficult to reduce the size to a portable size with the current technology. Therefore, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-119220, the circuit / mechanical structure that increases with the function expansion is housed in a separate expansion box, and the expansion box and the electronic device are detachable. The electronic device is attached to the box only when the function in the box is required to keep the electronic device as portable as possible.

The structure for attaching and detaching the electronic device and the extension box is generally designed to prevent disconnection between the connectors for simply electrically connecting the electronic device and the extension box, as shown in the above publication. Only the means for prohibiting the relative movement of the two connectors in the insertion / removal direction is provided.

[0005]

However, in such a simple fixing method, the regulation of the stress in the direction orthogonal to the slip-off direction must rely only on the fitting force between the connectors, and as a result, the stress is There is a problem in that the connector is concentrated and the connector is deformed and the connection is defective.

Further, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, the electronic device is fixed to the expansion box only physically.
As a result, they can be attached and detached even when both are being driven. In particular, if both are disconnected from each other during driving, there is a problem that the circuit is disturbed by the influence of noise or the like.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems and allows the both to be attached / detached safely and reliably. The first feature is a portable electronic device and this electronic device. Is a structure for attaching and detaching a box for expanding the function of the expansion box, wherein the expansion box includes a flat portion on which the electronic device can be placed, and an upright portion provided upright at the rear end of the flat portion. A connector having a tip protruding from the standing portion in the front end direction of the flat portion in parallel with the flat portion, an operating lever, a means for transmitting an operating force of the operating lever, and a force transmitted by the transmitting means. And a hook-like locking piece whose protrusion above the flat portion and retracting into the box are controlled by
The electronic device has a connector arranged so as to be connectable to the connector of the box when the bottom surface of the electronic device is slid toward the rear end of the box in a state where the bottom surface is in contact with the flat portion; And a locking hole for locking the locking piece when the locking piece projects in the connected state.

A second feature is that when the operating lever is operated in a direction in which the locking piece is pulled into the box, the flat portion is moved from the standing portion to the front end direction in association with the operating force. It further comprises an extruding member projecting in parallel with.

A third feature is that a slide lever is further provided for fixing the operation position of the operation lever when the locking piece is pulled into the box.

The fourth feature is that the means for prohibiting the slide lever from sliding is provided.

A fifth feature is that a switch means for turning on / off in conjunction with the prohibiting means is provided.

A sixth feature is that a switch means for turning on / off in association with the operation of the operation lever is provided.

[0013]

According to the present invention, the electronic device is fixed to the expansion box by the hook-shaped locking piece, so that the engaging direction of the connector and the stress other than this direction can be restricted by the locking piece.
Further, the movement of the operation lever interlocking with the locking piece is restricted by the slide lever, and the sliding of the slide lever is also prohibited by the prohibiting means, so that the locking between the locking piece and the locking hole is released. It's not easy.

Further, since the switch means for turning on / off is provided in association with the prohibiting means and the operation lever, the states of the prohibiting means and the operation lever can be taken out as an electric signal.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional top view showing a main part of an attachment / detachment mechanism in an expansion box (1) to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing a main part mechanism when a notebook type personal computer (hereinafter, simply referred to as PC) (3) is placed at a predetermined position on the flat part (2) of the expansion box (1). is there.

In the expansion box (1), a semiconductor circuit (not shown) for expanding the function of the PC (3),
A drive circuit such as a CD-ROM, an audio output circuit such as a speaker, and a power source for driving are built in.

Next, the attachment / detachment mechanism arranged in the expansion box (1) will be described. Immediately below the flat portion (2) of the expansion box (1), a first rotation shaft (4) extending left and right in FIG. 1 is rotatably arranged. First and second hook-shaped locking pieces (5) and (6) are fixed to the left and right ends of the rotary shaft (4). The locking pieces (5) and (6) have flat ends (2) as shown in FIG. 3 from the position retracted into the box (1) as shown in FIG. 2 according to the rotation of the rotating shaft (4).
It is displaced to a position where it projects through the opening (7) formed in the. Further, one end of a transmission plate (7) extending in a direction orthogonal to the rotation shaft (4) is fixed to the rotation shaft (4). The transmission plate (7) and the rotation shaft (4) are wound around the rotation shaft (4), one end of which is fixed to the transmission plate (7) and the other end of which is fixed to the inner wall of the box (1). Figure 8 by the biasing force of (8)
It is biased in the direction of the middle arrow A. Immediately below the transmission plate (7), a first slide plate (9) is arranged slidably in the vertical direction in FIG. An insertion hole (10) is formed in the slide plate (9), and one end of the transmission plate (7) is inserted in the insertion hole (10) as clearly shown in FIG. The slide plate (9) is provided with a first pin (11) penetrating the plate. One end of a second spring means (12) having an upward biasing force in FIG. 1 is fixed to the first pin (11). Therefore, the slide plate (9) is always biased upward in FIG. Also,
The first pin (11) has notches (13) (1
4) One of the notches (1) of the connecting plate (15) formed with
3) is loosely fitted. The connecting plate (15) is rotatably attached to the second pin (16) planted on the bottom surface of the box (1) so as to penetrate the center thereof. In addition, the other notch (14) of the connecting plate (15) has a third pin (1).
It is loosely fitted in 7). The third pin (17) is planted so as to penetrate the second slide plate (18) which is slidably held in the vertical direction in FIG. The second slide plate (18) has a third spring means (19) whose one end is fixed to the third pin (17) as shown in FIG.
It is urged in the middle downward direction (leftward in FIG. 4). Further, the second slide plate (18), as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. The tip of the front end (20) of 1) projects outward. The operating lever (21) is connected to the shaft (2) of the front end (20) of the box (1).
2) is rotatably supported in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1, and when the lever (21) is operated upward in FIG. 1, this operation force causes the second slide plate (18) to move the third spring means ( It is possible to slide in the above operation direction against the biasing force of 19). The tip end of the operation lever (21) is tapered on the side facing the second slide plate (18), and a step is provided on the opposite side.

The operating lever (21) has the front end (20).
When it is rotated to a position substantially parallel to, the slide lever (23) blocks the outward rotation of the box (1) as shown in FIG. The slide lever (23) is mounted so as to be slidable in the extending direction of the front end (the horizontal direction in FIGS. 1 and 5) and is biased to the right in FIG. 5 by the leaf spring (24). In addition, a step that engages with the step of the operation lever (21) is formed at the tip of the slide lever (23) (the right end in FIGS. 1 and 5), and the operation lever (21) is shown by engaging the steps. It can be held in the position as shown in FIG. By sliding the lever (23) against the urging force of the leaf spring (24), the engagement between the steps can be released.

The operation lever (21) is provided with a fourth pin (25) which hangs in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. The fourth pin (25) is connected to the front end (20) of the movable plate (26).
It is loosely fitted in the elliptical hole (27) formed on the side. The movable plate (26) extends from the front end (20) of the box (1) toward the rear end and is slidable in the extending direction. The major axis direction of the elliptical hole (27) coincides with the extending direction of the movable plate (26). Furthermore, the fourth
As for the positional relationship between the pin (25) and the elliptical hole (27), the first to third spring means (8) (from the position where the operating lever (21) is substantially parallel to the front end (20) as shown in FIG. 12) (19)
The second protruding outside the box (1) only by the urging force of the
The position where the fourth pin (25) and the inner circumference of the elliptical hole (27) do not come into contact with each other until the position where the slide plate (18) comes into contact (see FIG. 1), the operation lever is changed from the state shown in FIG. (2
The first pin (1) is rotated outward from the box (1) until the fourth pin (25) contacts the inner circumference of the elliptical hole (27) on the front end (20) side, and the movable plate (26) is moved to the front end ( 20) side can be slid.

The movable plate (26) extends at the rear end of the box (1) to just below the standing portion (28) which is one step higher than the flat portion (2). The standing portion (28)
A second rotating shaft (29) extending in parallel with the first rotating shaft (4) is rotatably arranged therein. The movable plate (26) is connected to the second rotating shaft (29),
The second rotation shaft (29) rotates along with the slide of 6).

At both ends of the rotary shaft (29), first and second mounting members (30) (3) are hung so as to be apparent from FIG.
1) is stuck. The first and second mounting members (3
0) and (31) at the lower ends of the first and second extruding members (3
2) One end of (33) is rotatably supported. The other end of each extruding member (32) (33) has an opening (35) (36) formed in the vertical surface (34) of the standing portion (28) orthogonal to the flat portion (2). It is arranged so as to be able to project to the outside through. That is, from the state shown in FIG.
9) when it is rotated clockwise, the push-out members (32) (3) are moved through the openings (35) (36) as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
3) projects parallel to the flat part (2).

A first connector (37) is further arranged in the opening (36). This first connector (37)
Is connected to the second connector (38) of the PC (3) when the PC (3) is located at a predetermined position on the flat portion (2) as shown in FIG. Further, this connection can be performed by pushing the PC (3) on the flat portion (2) toward the standing surface (28). In the present embodiment, the box (1) and the PC (3) are connected via the both connectors (37) and (38).
Data transmission between them and supply of drive voltage from the box (1) to the PC (3) are performed.

As shown in FIG. 7, a lock mechanism (39) is provided below the slide lever (23) in front of the front end (20) of the box (1). This lock mechanism (39) has a keyhole (4
The box (1) has a turning mechanism (41) that can be turned along with the turning of a key (not shown) attached to the box (0) (see FIGS. 9 and 10). A release lever (42) extending in the radial direction is fixed to the rotating mechanism (41). The release lever (42) rotates along with the rotation of the rotating mechanism (41), and as shown in FIG.
When it is rotated to a position above 1), the slide lever (2
3) The lock member (43) made of a leaf spring having a biasing force in the direction is pushed upward.

The lock member (43) has one end fixed to the inner wall of the box (1), and a first portion (44) extending upward from the fixed end, and an upper end of the first portion (44). The second part (45) extends horizontally above the slide lever (23). In addition, a stopper portion (46) vertically protruding toward the slide lever (23) is formed in the middle of the second portion (45). In this stopper portion (46), the lock member (43) releases the release lever (4
When it is not pushed up by 2) and the stress on the slide lever (23) is only the urging force of the leaf spring (24), the protrusion provided inside the slide lever (23) as shown in FIG. The slide lever (2
3) The slide in the direction against the biasing force of the leaf spring (24) is prohibited. As shown in FIG. 10, the lock member (4
The above slide is naturally possible when 3) is pushed up by the release lever (42).

When the release lever (42) is rotated in the direction of the leaf spring (24) as shown by the broken line in FIG. 9, the tip of the release lever (42) causes the first switch means (4) to move.
Turn on 8). The switch means (48) functions as a power supply enable instruction means for each circuit in the box (1) in this embodiment.

Further, in the second switch means (49) arranged near the second slide plate (18), the operating lever (21) is positioned substantially parallel to the front end (20) as shown in FIG. It is turned on by sliding the second slide plate (18) toward the rear end when operated. Therefore, the switch means (49) acts as a switch indicating the turning position of the operation lever (21).

On the other hand, a pair of locking holes (50) are formed on the bottom surface of the PC (3). The locking hole (50) is formed so that the first and second connectors (37) and (38) are connected to each other.
When C (3) is arranged at a predetermined position on the flat part (2), it faces the opening (7), respectively. Then, in this state, when the first rotating shaft (4) is rotated and the locking pieces (5) and (6) project from the flat portion (2) as shown in FIG. 3, the locking pieces (5) and (6) are provided. Is locked in the opening (7). Therefore, the stress from the direction other than the inserting / removing direction of the connectors (37) and (38) with respect to the PC (3) can be regulated by the locking pieces (5) and (6).

Next, the mechanical operation of this embodiment will be described. Now, there is no external operating force on the operation lever (21) and the slide lever (23), and the operation lever (2)
1) and the slide lever (23) are not meshed with each other, the first slide plate ((1) to the third spring means (8) (12) (19) is biased by the first slide plate (8) as shown in FIG. 9) is urged to the rear end side of the box (1), and the second slide plate (18) is urged so that its front end projects outwardly of the box (1). At this time, the locking pieces (5) and (6) are in a state of being pulled into the box (1) as shown in FIG.

From this state, as shown in FIG. 5, the operation lever (2
When 1) is operated to a position substantially parallel to the front end (20) of the box (1), the tip of the operation lever (21) abuts the slide lever (23) in the middle thereof, but the abutment surface is tapered. The slide lever (23) automatically slides along this taper in the direction against the urging force of the leaf spring (24), resulting in the slide lever (23).
The operation lever (21) can be moved to the front end (2
It is pushed in to a position that is almost parallel to 0). Further, when the operation lever (21) is operated to this position, the stress caused by the operation of the operation lever (21) is reduced by the slide lever (23).
The slide lever (23), the leaf spring (2
By the urging force of 4), the step engages with the step of the operation lever (21) as shown in FIG. 5, and restricts the outward rotation of the operation lever (21) of the box (1).

The second slide plate (18) also slides in the direction (upward direction in FIG. 5) against the biasing force of the third spring means (19) by the operating force of the operating lever (21).
In conjunction with this slide, the connecting plate (15) also has the second pin (1).
Rotate counterclockwise in FIG. 5 around 6). Furthermore,
The turning force of the connecting plate (15) is also transmitted to the first slide plate (9), and the first slide plate (9) is connected to the second spring means (1).
2) Slide in the direction against the urging force (downward in FIG. 5). The transmission plate (7) and the first rotation shaft (4) are also rotated clockwise as shown in FIG. 11 in conjunction with this slide of the first slide plate (9). As a result, the first and second
As shown in FIG. 3, the hook-shaped locking pieces (5) and (6) of the PC are connected to the PC through the opening (7) whose tip is formed in the flat portion (2) and the locking hole (20) of the PC (3). (3) PC is locked on the bottom
The fixation of (3) to the box (1) is completed.

Further, in this state, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 9, the rotating mechanism (41) is rotated clockwise in the drawing to release the release lever (4).
2) to the right, the stopper portion (46) of the lock member (43) and the convex portion (4) of the slide lever (23)
7) and the leaf spring (2) of the slide lever (23).
4) Sliding in the direction against the urging force is prohibited.
At this time, the release lever (42) turns on the first switch means (48). This switch means (48)
If the box and the power supply circuit of the box (1) are interlocked, the box (1) will be connected after the box (1) and the PC (3) are connected.
Each circuit is energized, and vice versa.
The removal of (3) can be prevented.

As shown by the solid line in FIG. 9, the release lever (4
Although the slide lever (23) can be prohibited from sliding even when 2) is tilted to the left, since the first switch means (48) is in the OFF state, the above energization cannot be performed, and the PC (3) is simply turned on. It is forbidden to remove from box (1).

On the other hand, a PC as shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 and FIG.
To remove the PC (3) from the fixed state of (3),
First, the release lever (42) is moved to the rotation mechanism (4
1) rotate to position it above this mechanism (41),
The contact between the lock member (43) and the slide lever (23) is released. In this state, when the slide lever (23) is slid in the direction against the urging force of the leaf spring (24), the engagement between the steps of the slide lever (23) and the operation lever (21) is released, and Third spring means (8) (12)
Due to the urging of (19), the first rotating shaft (4), the transmission plate (7), the first slide plate (9), the connecting plate (15) and the second slide plate (18) are urged, as shown in FIG. Returning to the state shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the PC (3) can be removed. At this time, the operation lever (21) is also rotated to the outside of the box (1) by the second slide plate (18).

Further, when the operation lever (21) is operated outward (counterclockwise in FIG. 1) in this state, the fourth pin (25) causes the front end (20) of the elliptical hole (24) as shown in FIG. ) Side end portion, and the movable plate (26) slides to the front end side.
As shown in FIG. 6, the second rotary shaft (2
9) Turn clockwise. As a result, the first and second extruding members (32) and (33) protrude from the standing portion (28), and P
Since C (3) is to be pushed leftward in FIG. 6, the connection between the first and second connectors (37) and (38) is released.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the electronic device is fixed to the expansion box by the hook-shaped locking piece, not only the connector insertion / removal direction but also the stress in other directions can be restricted by the locking piece. This stress can be prevented from concentrating on the connector. Further, the movement of the operating lever interlocked with the locking piece is also restricted by the slide lever, and the slide of the slide lever can also be prohibited by the prohibiting means including the locking mechanism and the lock member interlocking with the locking mechanism. It is possible to prevent the theft of electronic devices because it cannot be attached to and detached from the expansion box. In addition, it is turned on in conjunction with the prohibition means and operation lever.
Since the switch means for turning off is provided, the states of the prohibiting means and the operation lever can be taken out as an electric signal, so that energization at the time of attachment / detachment can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a top sectional view showing a mechanism of an embodiment of an expansion box to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a partial mechanism of the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional top view of essential parts showing the mechanism of the expansion box of the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a top sectional view showing the mechanism of the expansion box of the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a partial front view showing the main part of the expansion box of this embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the mechanism of the expansion box of this embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the mechanism of the expansion box of this embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a side sectional view showing a partial mechanism of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Expansion box 2 Flat part 3 PC (electronic device) 4 1st rotating shaft 5 1st hook-shaped locking piece 6 2nd hook-shaped locking piece 7 Transmission plate 9 1st slide plate 15 Connecting plate 18 2nd slide plate 21 Operation Lever 23 Slide Lever 32 First Pushing Member 33 Second Pushing Member 37 First Connector 38 Second Connector

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A structure for attaching and detaching a portable electronic device and a box for expanding the function of the electronic device, wherein the expansion box includes a flat portion on which the electronic device can be mounted, A standing portion that is erected at the rear end of the flat portion, a connector whose tip projects from the standing portion in the front end direction of the flat portion in parallel with the flat portion, an operating lever, and an operating force of the operating lever. And a hook-like locking piece whose protrusion above the flat portion and retracting into the box are controlled by the force transmitted from the transmitting means. A connector arranged to be connectable to the connector of the box when the bottom surface is in contact with the flat portion and slid toward the rear end of the box, and the locking is provided in the connection state of the connector provided in the bottom surface. When the piece protrudes, this locking piece engages Detachable structure of the portable electronic device and enhancements boxes, characterized in that it and a locking hole that is. 2. The expansion box according to claim 1, wherein when the operation lever is operated in a direction in which the locking piece is pulled into the box, the expansion box is linked to an operation force of the operation lever from the upright portion. An attachment / detachment structure for a portable electronic device and a function expansion box, further comprising an extruding member protruding in the front end direction in parallel with the flat portion. 3. The slide lever according to claim 1, further comprising a slide lever for fixing an operation position of the operation lever in a state where the locking piece is retracted into the box. A detachable structure for a portable electronic device and a function expansion box. 4. The detachable structure for a portable electronic device and a function expansion box according to claim 3, further comprising means for prohibiting the slide lever from sliding. 5. The attachment / detachment structure for a portable electronic device and a function expansion box according to claim 4, further comprising switch means for turning on / off in conjunction with said prohibiting means. 6. The attachment / detachment structure for a portable electronic device and a function expansion box according to claim 1, further comprising a switch means for turning on / off in association with an operation of the operation lever.