JP2000214952A - Computer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a computer system which can be driven continuously without interrupting the driving state of a portable computer by equipping an extension device with an interface to which a detachable battery pack can be connected. SOLUTION: A connector for connection with the extension device 20 is provided on the bottom surface of the portable computer 10. The extension device 20 is electrically connected to the portable computer 10 through the connector 18 and supplies the electric power to the portable computer 10. The extension device 20 has a right and a left identical interface each for connection with a battery pack. When a user detaches the portable computer 10 in the driven state from the extension device 20, the portable computer 10 is so switched at the same time as to receive the electric power from its internal battery. Then the user replaces the battery with a standby battery pack 25 which has been charged and the portable computer 10 is fitted again to the extension device 20. At the same time, the computer is so switched as to receive the electric power from the extension device 20.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer system comprising a portable computer and an extension device for supplying power to the portable computer, and more particularly to a computer system capable of continuously driving a portable computer, It relates to a computer system with excellent versatility.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional portable computer is provided with a detachable battery pack inside a housing of the portable computer so that a spare battery pack can be replaced when the remaining power is exhausted. Had become. However, when replacing with a spare battery pack,
(1) When the remaining power of the electric power becomes low, the system state is temporarily stored in a non-volatile storage device, or all operations are completed, the power is turned off, and (2) a spare battery pack is replaced.
(3) It is necessary to restore the system state or start up the system by turning on the power, which is complicated.

[0003] For this reason, in recent years, a portable computer in which a power supply expansion device composed of a detachable separate housing can be attached to the bottom surface of a portable computer has been commercialized.

This power supply expansion device has a built-in battery cell and supplies power to the portable computer body. That is, the portable computer can receive power supply from the built-in battery pack and the extension device, and the continuous driving time of the portable computer is greatly increased.

[0005] The method of charging the battery cells in the extension device is configured such that the extension device is connected to a portable computer and charged using the charge control function of the computer.

[0006]

When the above-mentioned extension device is attached to the portable computer described in the above-mentioned prior art, the continuous drive time is extended as compared with that of the portable computer alone. As with the replacement of the battery pack of the computer, there is a problem regarding the continuous drive time.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has as its object to provide a computer system that can be driven continuously without interrupting the driving state of a portable computer.

In a conventional computer system including a portable computer and an extension device connected to the computer, the portable computer has a detachable battery pack and the extension device has a built-in battery cell. In addition, the battery cannot be replaced for the user, which is inconvenient.

Further, since a plurality of different extension devices of the related art use built-in battery cells, respectively,
Battery replacement is not possible in design, manufacture, and for the user, which is inconvenient.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a computer system that is convenient in design, manufacture, and for a user.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a portable computer having a battery inside, a first connector on a bottom surface, and a first computer on a top surface.
An expansion device located at a position corresponding to the connector and having a second connector connected to the first connector, wherein the expansion device has an interface to which a detachable battery pack can be connected. It was done. This allows continuous driving without interrupting the driving of the portable computer.

Further, the present invention is a portable computer provided with an interface for mounting a detachable battery pack inside, and an expansion device connected to the portable computer and supplying power to the portable computer. And an expansion device provided with the interface to which the battery pack can be attached and detached. Thereby, the battery pack used for the portable computer and the extension device can be shared, and convenience and versatility can be increased.

[0013] The present invention also relates to a first portable computer, a second portable computer having a shape different from that of the first portable computer, and a connection to the first portable computer, Computer system comprising: a first extension device for supplying power to a portable computer; and a second extension device connected to the second portable computer and supplying power to the second portable computer. The first and second expansion devices each include an interface for connecting a detachable battery pack having the same shape. Thereby, a battery pack used for a plurality of different types of expansion devices can be shared, and convenience and versatility can be increased.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a computer system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view of an expansion device 20 from which a battery pack 25 has been removed, and FIG. FIG.

The portable computer 10 has holes 2 at both left and right sides of the front side and the rear side. In addition, a connector for connecting to the extension device 20 is provided on the bottom surface of the portable computer 10. In FIG. 1, the fastening holes on the rear side surface and the connector on the portable computer side are not shown in particular because they are located in hidden positions.

The extension device 20 is a portable computer 10
The power supply is electrically connected to the portable computer 10 via a connector 18. By placing the portable computer 10 on the extension device 20 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1, the clasp 11 of the extension device 20 enters the retaining hole 2 of the portable computer 10. Almost simultaneously, the connector 18 and the bottom of the portable computer are connected to the connector 18.
And a connector disposed at a position facing the connector.

The protective cover 19 is a cover for protecting the connector 18 and has a shaft along the longitudinal side of the connector 18. The connector 18 can be covered by rotating the protective cover 19 by 180 degrees from the state shown in FIG. 1 along this axis. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the protective cover 19 is housed in a cover housing (not shown).

The lever 13 is interlocked with the clasp 11, and is for removing the clasp 11 from the clasp hole 2 when the portable computer 10 and the extension device 20 are attached. By pulling the lever 13 toward the side, the included clasp 11 is removed from the clasp hole 2, and the portable computer 10 and the extension device 20 can be removed.

Each of the two battery packs 25 has a battery cell therein, and each of the battery packs 25 is configured to be detachable from the expansion device 20. The lock switches 17a, 17b
A lock mechanism for fixing / moving the battery pack 25 is provided. 17a is for the right front battery pack, and 17b is for the left back battery pack.

Each of the battery packs 25 has a recess 27 on both sides as shown in FIG.
5 is inserted into the right concave portion 27, and when the battery pack 25 is inserted into the left, a convex portion (not shown) interlocked with the operation of the lock switches 17a and 17b is inserted into the left concave portion 27. / Locked / released by exiting.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a power switch of the expansion device.
By pressing, the battery 25 and the connector 18 conduct. This is provided to prevent the connector 18 from being short-circuited. Reference numeral 12 denotes a guide member for attaching the portable computer 10 to the extension device 20.

Reference numeral 22 denotes an interface connector for connecting with each battery pack. The expansion device 20 has two identical interfaces 22 on the left and right. Reference numeral 23 denotes an interface connector connected to the interface 22.

Next, replacement of the battery pack 25 of the expansion device 20 will be described with reference to FIG. When the extension device 20 is attached to the portable computer 10 and the extension device 20 is connected by the interface connector, switching is performed so as to receive power supply from the extension device 20 side. When the use is continued in this state, the remaining capacity of the battery pack 25 of the expansion device 20 eventually decreases (or becomes empty) (step 41).

Here, the user operates the portable computer 1.
0 is removed from the expansion device 20 with the drive state (), the battery 5 in the portable computer 10 is
It is switched to receive power supply from the side. Then, the user removes the battery pack 25 of the expansion device 20 (step 42).

Thereafter, the user replaces and installs the charged spare battery pack 25 (). Thereafter, the portable computer 10 is attached to the expansion device 20 again (). At the same time, switching is performed so as to receive power supply from the expansion device 20 side. (Step 43).

As described above, the portable computer 10
The driving state can be maintained. The first
As described in the embodiment, the battery of the expansion device attached to the portable computer 10 can be made detachable, so that a computer system with excellent convenience can be provided.

Next, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a portable computer 30 different from FIG. 1 and an expansion device 40 for the computer. The battery 25 that can be attached to the expansion device 40 is the battery pack 2 described in the first embodiment.
5 and the lock switch 17a is also
The battery pack 2 has the same structure as that of the first embodiment.
5 is fixed. Reference numeral 32 denotes a connector connected to the portable computer 30. A connector (not shown) is also provided on the rear side of the portable computer 30 at a position facing the connector 32, and the portable computer 30 is pushed in the direction of the arrow. Connected by Usually, in addition to the connector, the portable computer 30 and the extension device 4
There should be a mechanism for fixing 0, but it is omitted here for convenience.

As shown in the perspective perspective view of FIG. 6, the portable computer 30 is also provided with the same battery pack 25 as the battery packs of FIGS. 1 and 4, and the expansion device 40 is not provided. In this case, it is driven by this.

Here, an example of use will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 in order to show how useful the present system is. Expansion device 20, portable computer 30, expansion device 40
Have the same interface 22 to which the same battery pack 25 can be attached and detached. As described above, since the battery interface 22 is shared by the expansion devices 20 and 40 and the portable computer 30, for example, as shown in FIG. Expansion device 2
It can be used in any of 0 and 40, which is very convenient.

For example, as shown in FIG.
When the remaining battery capacity of the portable computer 10 is low.
When it is necessary to carry the portable computer 10 or the expansion device 40, the battery amounts of the portable computer 10 and the expansion device 20 taken out by replacing the battery pack 25 with the computer 30 or the expansion device 40 that are sufficiently charged are sufficient. There is, at the same time, a portable computer 3 that I do not carry
At 0, it is possible to charge the replaced battery pack 25 with a small remaining battery capacity, which is very convenient.

[0031]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, continuous driving can be performed without interrupting the driving of the portable computer. In addition, the battery pack used for the portable computer and the expansion device can be shared, or the battery pack used for a plurality of different types of expansion devices can be shared, thereby increasing convenience and versatility. It has become possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exemplary perspective view of a computer system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an expansion device 2 from which a battery pack 25 has been removed.
The figure which looked at 0 from above.

3 is a top view and a side view of the battery pack 25. FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing replacement of a battery pack 25 of the expansion device 20.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a portable computer 30 and an expansion device 40 for the computer.

FIG. 6 is a perspective perspective view of the portable computer 30.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of use of the computer system of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of use of the computer system of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 30 Portable computer 20, 40 Expansion device 5, 25 Battery pack 2 Retaining hole 11 Retainer 18 Connector 22 Interface

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Shigeo Hayashi 1-3-1, Shinmachi, Ome-shi, Tokyo F-term in Toshiba Computer Engineering Co., Ltd. 5B011 DA07 DB16 DB19 DB22 EA04

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A portable computer having a battery inside and a first connector on a bottom surface, and a second connector on a top surface corresponding to the first connector and connected to the first connector. A computer system comprising an extension device, wherein the extension device includes an interface to which a detachable battery pack can be connected. 2. An extended device connected to the portable computer for supplying power to the portable computer, the portable computer having an interface for mounting a detachable battery pack inside, and the battery being connected to the portable computer. A computer system, comprising: an expansion device having the interface to which a pack can be attached and detached. 3. A first portable computer; a second portable computer having a different shape from the first portable computer; and a first portable computer connected to the first portable computer. A first extension device for supplying power to the second portable computer, and a second extension device connected to the second portable computer and supplying power to the second portable computer, The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second expansion devices include an interface for connecting a detachable battery pack having the same shape.