JP2007066333A - Function enhancement device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a function enhancing device which is improved in operability concerning the peripheral equipment of electronic equipment such as a notebook-sized personal computer, a portable terminal and PDA. <P>SOLUTION: This function enhancing device for connecting electronic equipment having a first connector to an external device for enhancing the function of the electronic equipment is provided with: a case body on which the electronic equipment is mounted; a guide on which the electronic equipment is placed; and which is made to fall down toward the case body side so as to be mounted on the case body and a second connector installed on the face of the case body toward which the electronic equipment is made to fall down so as to be connected to the first connector. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention generally relates to peripheral devices for electronic devices such as notebook personal computers (hereinafter referred to as “notebook PCs”), portable terminals, and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), and more particularly, to function expansion devices for electronic devices. About. Here, the “peripheral device” refers to a device that is connected to the personal computer body and realizes a necessary function. On the other hand, the “function expansion device” refers to an interface device that expands the functions of an electronic device, such as a docking station, a docking bay, or an expansion bay. The present invention is suitable for a docking station, for example. Here, the “docking station” refers to an interface device that is connected when, for example, a notebook personal computer is used at a desk, not when being carried, and a function that is not provided by the notebook PC body can be used.

  With the development and popularization of notebook PCs, portable terminals and portable electronic devices in recent years, there is a demand for electronic devices that are small and light for convenient portability and have the same rich functions as desktop PCs in offices and other places. Has been. For example, a pen notebook PC can be used for pen input without a keyboard and is configured to be thin and light, such as A4 size, so that it is convenient to carry. In the office, it is connected to a docking station such as a port replicator, FDD, CRT , LAN, USB, etc. (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 22, fixing of the conventional pen notebook PC 10 and the docking station 20 will be described. Here, FIG. 22 is an external perspective view for explaining fixing of the conventional pen notebook PC main body 10 and the docking station 20. The pen notebook PC body 10 includes a connector 11, a pair of side surfaces 12, a front surface 14, and a back surface 15. The docking station 20 includes a PC fixing unit 20A that fixes the PC body 10 and a base 20B. The PC fixing portion 20 </ b> A includes a connector 21, a pair of rails 22, a pair of guides 24, and a front cover 25. The back surface 15 of the PC main body 10 slides on the pair of rails 22, the side surface 12 thereof is guided by the pair of guides 24, and the connector 11 is connected to the connector 21. The front surface 14 is guided by a front cover 25.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-084068 Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-020804

  However, in the structure shown in FIG. 22, since the PC body 10 is slidably connected on the PC fixing portion 20A of the docking station 20, the side surface 12 of the PC body 10 is in contact with the guide 24, and the front surface 14 is the front cover. Due to the contact with the rail 25, there is a problem that the back surface 15 can be scratched by the contact with the rail 22 and cannot be decorated such as painting.

  In recent years, attempts have been made to improve display properties by using a configuration in which the PC main body 10 can be rotated by 90 degrees after being attached to the docking station 20 during use. Such a configuration is convenient because, for example, an A4 size document can be displayed vertically on a single screen. Such a configuration can be realized by configuring the PC fixing portion 20A of the docking station 20 to be rotatable with respect to the base 20B. However, in this case, since the rotating shaft must be arranged at the position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 23, the length of the cable indicated by the dotted line is increased, and the cable is easily affected by noise and crosstalk, and the cost is increased. . 23, it is easy to connect the PC main body 10 to the PC fixing portion 20A from the top, but it is easy to attach the PC main body 10 from the side after the PC fixing portion 20A is inclined by 90 degrees. bad. This is because the PC main body 10 must be slid on the PC fixing portion 20A.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a function expansion device with improved workability.

  A function expansion device according to one aspect of the present invention is a function expansion device for connecting an electronic device having a first connector to an external device that expands the function of the electronic device, and the electronic device is attached to the function expansion device. Provided on the surface of the casing where the electronic device is to be tilted, a guide that allows the electronic device to be mounted and mounted on the casing by being tilted to the casing side. And a second connector connectable to the first connector. Such a function expansion device can be attached to the function expansion device by placing it on a guide without sliding an electronic device as in the prior art, so that the detachability is improved. Such a guide, for example, guides the bottom and side surfaces of the electronic device.

  A base that can be connected to the external device; and an electronic device fixing portion that includes the guide and the second connector and is rotatably coupled to the base around the second connector. May be. Accordingly, the electronic device can be mounted on the electronic device fixing portion that can rotate with respect to the base. The guide is movable to a first position and a second position, guides the first electronic device when in the first position, and guides the first electronic device when in the second position. May guide a second electronic device having a different length. Such a guide makes it possible to mount an electronic device having a plurality of lengths. Two electronic devices having different lengths have, for example, battery units having different lengths. The housing includes an opening through which the second connector protrudes and retracts, and the guide is provided so as to surround the opening, and is one of a pair of side guides that hold a pair of side surfaces of the electronic device. There may be. By surrounding the opening, rattling of the electronic device can be prevented and the load on the connector can be reduced. Such a function expansion device corresponds to a case where the electronic device is mounted while being rotated.

  Other objects and further features of the present invention will become apparent from the embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  As described above, according to the present invention, a function expansion device with improved workability can be provided.

  Hereinafter, a docking station 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a state where the pen notebook PC main body 200 is mounted on the docking station 100, and FIG. 1A shows a case where the PC main body 200 is used vertically or vertically. FIG. 1B shows a case where the PC main body 200 is used horizontally or horizontally. The docking station 100 is a function expansion device having a function of a port replicator and having an interface for connecting the PC main body 200 to another external device such as an FDD, CRT, LAN, or USB. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing how the PC main body 200 is attached to the PC fixing portion 120 as shown in FIG.

  The docking station 100 includes a base 110 and a PC fixing unit 120, and the PC fixing unit 120 is configured to be rotatable with respect to the base 110.

  The base 110 is provided with a connection portion with other external devices (not shown) such as FDD, CRT, LAN, and USB.

  The PC fixing unit 120 has a function of fixing the PC main body 200, and has a connector lifting mechanism and a lock mechanism in the housing 121. The housing 121 includes an upper cover 122 and a lower cover 123 as shown in FIG.

  The connector elevating mechanism is a mechanism for elevating the connector 132 that can be connected to the connector 210 provided on the back surface 204 of the PC main body 200 in the P direction shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the connector lifting mechanism includes a connector cover 130, a frame 140, and a pair of balancers 149. 3A is an exploded perspective view of the upper cover 122 of the housing 121, the connector lifting mechanism, and the connector cover 130. FIG. 3B illustrates the lifting of the connector cover 130. FIG. FIG. 4A is an external perspective view of the docking station 100 corresponding to the left side state of FIG. 3B, and FIG. 4B corresponds to the right side state of FIG. 3B. An external perspective view of the docking station 100 is shown.

  The upper cover 122 of the housing 121 has an opening 122a at the center. The connector 132 protrudes and retracts from the housing 121 through the opening 122a.

  The connector cover 130 mounts the connector 132 and moves up and down together with the frame 140. As shown on the right side of FIG. 3A, the connector cover 130 includes a cover 131, a connector 132, and a lift 133.

  The cover 131 covers the connector 132 so as to protect it. In the center of the cover 131, an opening 131a for exposing the connector 132 is formed, and connection portions 131b to the lift 133 are formed at front, rear, left and right ends. The connecting portion 131b functions as a leaf spring, and the tip is bent, and is fitted into the fixing hole 133b of the lift 133.

  The connector 132 can be connected to the connector 210 provided on the back surface 204 of the PC main body 200, and is fixed to the lift 133 via the substrate 132 a and the four screws 134. The connector 132 is connected to a wiring board (not shown) under the lift 133.

  The lift 133 has four protrusions 133a, four fixing holes 133b, and four fixing portions 133c at front, rear, left and right ends. These protrusions 133a can be fitted in grooves 145a provided in the frame 140, respectively, and can move along the grooves 145a. The connection part 131b of the cover 131 is fitted in each of the fixing holes 133b. The four fixing portions 133c are provided with screw holes, and the connector 132 is fixed to the lift 133 by inserting a screw 134 into each screw hole.

  The frame 140 has a function of moving up and down the connector cover 130 by moving in the housing 121 in a direction perpendicular to the connector cover 130 (H direction in FIG. 3) in relation to the connector lifting mechanism. The frame 140 includes a lock lever 141, a pair of connection portions 144, and a support portion 145.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the lock lever 141 is exposed from the housing 121 and is used by the user to hold and move the frame 140. The lock lever 141 can move between the unlock position and the lock position. 3B is the unlock position of the frame 140, and the right side of FIG. 3B and the position shown in FIG. 4B is the lock position of the frame 140. . As understood from FIG. 4A, the lock lever 141 is at the uppermost position in the unlocked position, and as understood from FIG. 4B, the lock lever 141 is at the lowest position in the locked position. It is in. The movement of the lock lever 141 is also shown in FIGS. 9B, 9D, and 9F described later.

  A pair of balancers 149 is connected to the pair of connection portions 144. The connecting portion 144 and the balancer 149 are provided for the frame 140 to move smoothly without rattling. The support part 145 supports the connector cover 130. The support part 145 has a U-shaped cross section, and has four grooves 145a into which the protrusions 133a of the lift 133 are inserted on the side surfaces thereof. The groove 145a extends while inclining from the height direction of the support portion 145. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the frame 140 moves in the H direction, the protrusion 133a moves along the groove 145a, and the connector cover 130 moves in the P direction. The P direction is orthogonal to the H direction.

  The connector 132 is exposed from the housing 121 when the frame 140 is in the locked position, as shown on the right side of FIG. 3B, and the frame 140 is in the unlocked position, as shown on the left side of FIG. In some cases, it is stored in the housing 121. When the frame 140 is in the unlock position, the PC main body 200 is attached to the PC fixing portion 120. As shown in FIG. 4A, when the frame 140 is in the unlocked position, the connector 132 is retracted in the housing 121, so that the connector 210 of the PC main body 200 to be mounted and the connector 132 do not collide. Absent.

  Further, the connector cover 130 can move minutely in the H direction and the W direction orthogonal to the H direction. For this reason, the connector 132 can absorb the displacement of the connector 210 of the PC main body 200.

  The lock mechanism locks the PC main body 200 when the frame 140 is in the lock position on the right side of FIG. 3B, and the PC main body when the frame 140 is in the unlock position on the left side of FIG. Unlock 200. In the present embodiment, there are two lock mechanisms.

  Hereinafter, the first locking mechanism will be described. The first locking mechanism is a mechanism that locks the side surface 202 of the PC main body 200. The first locking mechanism includes a temporary fixing lock 152 and a spring 154 provided on the side guide 150, and a rib 142 of the frame 140.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the frame 140 further includes a pair of ribs 142 that are accommodated in the housing 121. The rib 142 has a function of changing the temporary lock or temporary lock by the temporary lock 152 to the real lock. “Temporary lock” and “main lock” will be described later. The rib 142 protrudes from the frame 140 into the side guide 150.

  The side guide 150 is provided so as to surround the opening 122a. The side guide 150 includes a right side guide 150 </ b> A and a left side guide 150 </ b> B, and is provided on the side surface of the housing 121. The side guide 150A and the side guide 150B have the same structure except that the side guide 150A has openings 151d and 151e on the side guide 150A side. The lock lever 141 of the frame 140 protrudes from the opening 151d. A lock release button 172, which will be described later, protrudes from the opening 151e. Unless otherwise specified, reference numeral 150 collectively refers to 150A and 150B.

  Each side guide 150 includes a holding portion 151, a temporary fixing lock 152, and a spring 154 in relation to the first lock mechanism.

  The holding unit 151 holds a pair of side surfaces 202 of the PC main body 200 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The holding portion 151 has a vertical surface 151a and a horizontal surface 151b on the inner side, and an opening 151c on the vertical surface 151a. The temporary fixing lock 152 protrudes and retracts through the opening 151c. As shown in FIG. 3A, the side guide 150A is provided with an opening 151d, and the lock lever 141 protrudes from the frame 140 through the opening 151d.

  The relationship between the temporary lock 152 and the spring 154 is shown in FIG. Here, FIG. 5A is an exploded sectional view of the temporary fixing lock 152 and the spring 154. FIG. 5B is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the PC main body 200 starts to be inserted into the PC fixing portion 120. FIG. 5C is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state where the PC main body 200 is inserted into the PC fixing portion 120 or a state where the PC main body is separated from the PC fixing portion 120. FIG. 5D is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the protruding portion 152 a of the temporary fixing lock 152 is inserted into the concave portion 203 provided on the side surface 202 of the PC main body 200. FIG. 5E is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the frame 140 is moved to the lock position after the PC main body 200 is mounted on the PC fixing portion 120. FIG. 5F is a cross-sectional view showing the state of FIG. 5E in the side guide 150A.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, the temporary fixing lock 152 is provided in the housing 121 so as to be rotatable around a shaft 153, and includes a protrusion 152a protruding from the opening 151c, a slope 152b, and a back surface 153c. Have. The spring 154 applies an elastic force in a direction in which the temporary fixing lock 152 protrudes from the opening 151c. Accordingly, the temporary fixing lock 152 is normally disposed at the protruding position shown in FIG. 5B by the elastic force of the spring 154, but as shown in FIG. 5C, the PC body 200 is connected to the PC fixing portion 120. The protrusion 152a can move to the retracted position for retracting from the opening 151c. That is, in FIG. 5B, when the PC main body 200 is lowered in the direction of the arrow, the end portion 202a of the side surface 202 of the PC main body 200 comes into contact with the inclined surface 152b, and temporarily moves clockwise as shown in FIG. The stop lock 152 is rotated.

  As shown in FIG. 5D, when the temporary fixing lock 152 is in the protruding position, the protruding portion 152 a engages with the recess 203 provided on the side surface 202 of the PC main body 200. At this time, the PC main body 200 is temporarily locked. That is, since the spring 154 biases the temporary fixing lock 152 in the protruding direction and the protruding portion 152 a is engaged with the recess 203, the PC main body 200 is fixed to the PC fixing portion 120. However, such fixing is not reliable, and if the user applies force, the PC body 200 can be separated from the PC fixing portion 120 as shown in FIG. As described above, the “temporary lock or temporary fixing” means that the PC main body 200 is fixed, but the fixing is not complete. If the user applies a predetermined force, the PC main body 200 is separated from the PC fixing portion 120. The state that can be. That is, when the user applies a force against the elastic force of the spring 154 in the upward direction from the state shown in FIG. 5C, the temporary fixing lock 152 is rotated clockwise as shown in FIG.

  However, as shown in FIG. 5 (e), if the rib 142 abuts against the back surface 152c of the temporary fixing lock 152, the temporary fixing lock 152 cannot be retracted to the retracted position even if the user applies force, and the temporary lock is locked to the main lock. Changes to. The “main lock” means a normal lock and means a state in which the PC main body 200 cannot be completely fixed and separated from the PC fixing portion 120.

  The temporary lock state changes to the full lock state when the frame 140 moves to the lock position. This state is also a state in which the connector 132 is exposed from the housing 121 as shown in FIG. In this locked state, as shown in FIG. 5E, not only the PC main body 200 cannot be separated from the PC fixing portion 120, but also the PC main body 200 is attached to the PC fixing portion 120 in the main locked state. It also means you can't. That is, the PC main body 200 cannot be mounted in the state shown in FIG. Such a configuration is preferable because it can prevent the connector 210 and the connector 132 of the PC main body 200 from colliding with each other.

  The positional relationship between the rib 142 and the temporary lock 152 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, FIG. 6A is a partially transparent plan view showing the vicinity of the side guide 150A in which the frame 140 is in the unlocked position. FIG. 6B is a partially transparent plan view showing the vicinity of the side guide 150A in which the frame 140 is halfway between the unlock position and the lock position. FIG. 6C is a partially transparent plan view showing the vicinity of the side guide 150A where the frame 140 is in the locked position.

  As shown in FIG. 6 (a), when the frame 140 is in the unlocked position, the rib 142 is separated from the temporary fixing lock 152, and the temporary fixing lock 152 is free as shown in FIG. 5 (c). It can be rotated. As shown in FIG. 6B, when the frame 140 is in the middle between the unlocked position and the locked position, the rib 142 is on the back surface of the temporary fixing lock 152, and the temporary fixing lock 152 is shown in FIG. Can no longer rotate. As shown in FIG. 6C, when the frame 140 is in the middle of the lock position, the rib 142 is on the back surface of the spring 154 in the vicinity of the temporary lock 152, and the temporary lock 152 is shown in FIG. As shown, it can no longer rotate.

  As described above, according to the first lock mechanism, when the frame 140 moves to the lock position, the temporary lock 152 locks the PC main body 200.

  Hereinafter, the second locking mechanism will be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4, 24, and 25. Here, FIG. 24 is an external perspective view for explaining the second locking mechanism. FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the operation of the second locking mechanism. FIG. 25A is a view when the frame 140 is in the unlock position as shown on the left side of FIG. FIG. 25B is a cross-sectional view showing the state when the frame 140 is in the locked position, as shown on the right side of FIG. 3B.

  The second lock mechanism is a mechanism that locks the back surface 204 of the PC main body 200. The second locking mechanism includes a lock member having four protrusions 135 provided on the connector cover 130, a pair of claw portions 160, an engaging portion 161, a mounting portion 162, and an engaging portion 163, A pair of springs 167 and a third locking mechanism for locking the frame 140 in the locked position are provided.

  As shown in FIG. Each claw portion 160 is provided with a bifurcated engaging portion 161, a mounting portion 162 is provided between the engaging portions 161, and an engaging portion 163 is provided at the other end of the mounting portion 162. Such a locking member can be formed by bending and cutting a single sheet metal. The claw portion 160 is a metal tab that locks the PC main body 200 by engaging with a lock hole 212 formed on the back surface 204 of the PC main body 200, and has a vertical portion and a bent portion. Each engaging portion 161 is inclined from the vertical portion 164 and contacts the protrusion 135 when the frame 140 is in the unlocked position. As shown in FIG. 25, the placement portion 162 places a spring 167. The engaging portion 163 engages with the other end of the spring 167. The spring 167 is a compression spring having one end engaged with the engaging portion 122 c of the upper cover 122 and the other end engaged with the engaging portion 163. For this reason, each spring 167 applies an elastic force to the claw portion 160 from the protruding position toward the retracted position, that is, so that the claw portion 160 returns.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the upper cover 122 of the housing 121 is provided with an opening 122b, and each claw 160 projects from the opening 122b. Each claw portion 160 is configured to be movable together with the frame 140 between the retracted position or unlocked position shown in FIG. 4A and the protruding position or locked position shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, such a situation will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 25. FIG. In the state shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 25A, the frame 140 is in the unlocked position, and the claw portions 160 are arranged at positions farthest from each other. In this state, the spring 167 applies an elastic force to the engaging portion 163 as shown in FIG. The protrusion 135 is in contact with the engaging portion 161.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, the frame 140 moves to the lock position, and the connector 132 is exposed. As the connector cover 130 is raised, the projection 135 rises, and a force in the inner direction is applied to the engaging portion 161 to move the pair of claws 160 inward against the elastic force of the spring 167. The protrusion 135 moves along the engaging portion 161 and then moves along the vertical portion 164. In the state shown in FIG. 4B and FIG. 25B, the claw portions 160 are arranged at positions closest to each other.

  The pair of lock holes 212 form an engaging portion 213 on the inner side of the surface where they are approaching. The claw portion 160 is detachably fitted into the lock hole 212 when it is in the retracted position, and engages with the engagement portion 213 in the lock hole 212 when it is in the protruding position.

  The third lock mechanism locks the frame 140 in the lock position. The third locking mechanism includes a shaft 124 provided on the lower cover 123 shown in FIG. 7, a stopper 125, an engaging portion 143 of the frame 140, an engaging member 170 shown in FIG. 7, and a spring 179. . Here, FIG. 7A is an exploded perspective view of the lower cover 123 of the housing and the engaging member 170. FIG. 7B is a perspective view of the engaging member 170 attached to the lower cover 123 of the housing 121. FIG.7 (c) is a perspective view of the engaging member 170 seen from the angle different from FIG.7 (b).

  As shown in FIG. 7, the lower cover 123 is provided with a shaft 124 and a stopper 125. In addition, an opening 123a is provided in a portion constituting the side guide 150A. An unlock button 172, which will be described later, is disposed in the opening 123a so as to protrude and retract. The shaft 124 fits into the hole 171 a of the engagement member 170 and allows the engagement member 170 to rotate about the shaft 124. As shown in FIG. 7B, the stopper 125 abuts on the vertical portion 171b of the engaging member 170 to restrict the counterclockwise rotation of the engaging member 170 in FIG.

  The engaging member 170 has a function of locking and unlocking the frame 140 at the lock position. The engagement member 170 includes a substantially T-shaped base material 171, a lock release button 172, and an engagement portion 174. The base material 171 includes a hole 171a into which the shaft 124 is fitted, and a vertical portion 171b in contact with the stopper 125. The lock release button 172 is used to press when the user unlocks the frame 140 locked in the lock position, and protrudes from an opening 123 a provided in the lower cover 123. The engaging portion 174 engages with the engaging portion 143 of the frame 140, and has a hypotenuse 174a and a horizontal portion 174b.

  The spring 179 applies an elastic force to the engaging member 170 counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 7, that is, in a direction toward the stopper 125. Therefore, normally, as shown in FIG. 7B, the engagement member 170 is in contact with the stopper 125, and the lock release button 172 protrudes from the opening 123a.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the frame 140 further has an engaging portion 143 that protrudes elongated. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the engaging portion 143 has a hypotenuse 143a and a horizontal portion 143b. Here, FIG. 8A is a partially transparent plan view showing the arrangement of the engaging portions 143 and 174 in a state where the frame 140 is in the unlock position. FIG. 8B is a partially transparent plan view showing the arrangement of the engaging portions 143 and 174 in a state where the frame 140 is moved from the unlocked position to the locked position. FIG. 8C is a partially transparent plan view showing the arrangement of the engaging portions 143 and 174 when the frame 140 is substantially in the locked position or when the lock release button 172 is pressed in FIG. 8D. is there. FIG. 8D is a partially transparent plan view showing a state where the frame 140 is moved to the lock position and the engaging portions 143 and 174 are engaged.

As shown in FIG. 8A, when the frame 140 is in the unlock position, the engaging member 170 is in the state shown in FIG. 7B, and the engaging portions 174 and 143 are separated from each other. As shown in FIG. 8B, when the frame 140 moves from the unlocked position toward the locked position, the hypotenuse 143a of the engaging portion 143 comes into contact with the hypotenuse 174a of the engaging portion 174, and in FIG. The engaging member 170 is rotated counterclockwise, and the hypotenuse 143a of the engaging portion 143 can be lowered while sliding on the hypotenuse 174a of the engaging portion 174, as shown in FIG. When the frame 140 is moved to the locked position, as shown in FIG. 8 (d), _{H 1} of the horizontal portion 143b and the contact with the engaging portion 143 and the frame 140 of the horizontal portion 174b is engaged portion 143 of the engaging portion 174 Since the movement in the direction is restricted, the frame 140 is locked at the lock position. In order to move the engaging portion 143, the lock release button 172 may be pushed as shown in FIG. Thus, the engagement portion 174 engaging portions 143 retracted clockwise is movable in the H ₁ direction.

  The operation of the second locking mechanism described above will be described with reference to FIG. Here, FIGS. 9A and 9B show the vicinity of the side guide 150A where the frame 140 is in the unlocked position, FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional view from the inside to the outside, and FIG. 9B. FIG. 3 is a side view seen from the outside. 9C and 9D show the vicinity of the side guide 150A where the frame 140 is halfway between the unlocked position and the locked position, and FIG. 9C is a cross-sectional view from the inside toward the outside. d) is a side view seen from the outside. 9 (e) and 9 (f) show the vicinity of the side guide 150A where the frame 140 is in the locked position, FIG. 9 (e) is a sectional view from the inside to the outside, and FIG. 9 (f) is a view from the outside. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 9, when the frame 140 moves from the unlocked position to the locked position, the distance between the pair of claw portions 160 becomes narrower. For this reason, if the claw portion 160 is fitted in the lock hole 212 of the PC main body 200 in FIG. 9A, it is understood that the claw portion 160 engages with the engagement portion 213 in FIG. 9C. Is done. With this alone, the claw portion 160 may return to the state shown in FIG. 9A, so it cannot be said that the PC body 200 is locked. However, in the present embodiment, in addition to this, the frame 140 is locked at the locking position by the engaging member 170, so that the claw portion 160 cannot be returned to the state of FIG. As a result, the PC main body 200 is locked by the claw portion 160.

  Hereinafter, a holding mechanism that holds the frame 140 movably in the unlock position will be described with reference to FIGS. 9A, 9C, and 9E. That is, if the frame 140 can move freely in the unlock position, it moves to the lock position shown in FIG. 4B due to gravity and the connector 132 is exposed, which is not preferable. Therefore, the holding mechanism holds the frame 140 so as to be movable to the unlock position. Alternatively, the frame 140 can be locked at the unlock position, but since there are a plurality of lock release buttons and the user's operation becomes complicated, in this embodiment, the frame 140 is held movably.

  The holding mechanism includes an engaging portion 126 provided on the lower cover 123 of the housing 121 and an engaging portion 148 provided on the frame 140 and engaged with the engaging portion 126 in an elastically and separable manner. In this embodiment, the engaging part 126 is a sheet metal, and the engaging part 148 is an elastically deformable resin leaf spring. As shown in FIG. 9A, when the frame 140 is in the unlocked position, the engaging portions 126 and 148 are engaged, and as shown in FIG. 9B, when the frame 140 moves from the unlocked position. Both engagements are released. In this way, the engagement between the two is such that the movement of the frame 140 is not hindered, but the coupling force is such that the frame 140 does not fall down due to gravity in the state shown in FIG. .

  Next, the positioning mechanism of this embodiment will be described. The positioning mechanism is a mechanism for horizontally aligning the connectors when connecting the connector 132 to the connector 210 of the PC main body 200. This is because if the connectors 210 and 132 are not engaged horizontally, a load is applied to the base of the connector and damage such as solder peeling occurs.

  First, a guide 180 as one of positioning mechanisms will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 10 to 13. Here, FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining how the PC main body 200 is attached using the guide 180 as shown in FIG. 11 (a) is a left side view of the guide 180, FIG. 11 (b) is a front view of the guide 180, FIG. 11 (c) is a right side view of the guide 180, and FIG. 11 (d) is a bottom view of the guide 180. FIG. 11E is a top view of the guide 180, and FIG. 11F is a transparent view of the guide 180 attached to the upper cover 122. 12A is a perspective view of the outer surface of the guide 180 with the guide 180 removed from the upper cover 122, and FIG. 12B is a perspective view of the outer surface of the guide 180. FIG. 13 (a) to 13 (f) are cross-sectional views for explaining the engagement between the guide 180 and the upper cover 122, and FIGS. 13 (a) to 13 (d) are shown in FIG. 11 (f). FIG. 13D is a cross-sectional view for explaining the engagement between the guide 180 and the upper cover 122 as viewed from the GG line, and FIGS. 13D to 13F are FIGS. 13A to 13D, respectively. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line FF in FIG.

  The guide 180 has a function of roughly positioning the PC main body 200. The guide 180 includes a placement portion 181, a step portion 182, a pair of protrusions 183, and a plurality of engagement portions 184.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 10, the user places the bottom surface 206 of the PC main body 200 on the mounting portion 181, and tilts the back surface 204 around the bottom surface 206 to the PC fixing portion 120, thereby moving the PC main body 200. Mount on the PC fixing unit 120. For this reason, in this embodiment, the PC main body 200 is not slid with respect to the docking station 100 unlike the conventional example.

  As shown in FIGS. 13E and 13H, the stepped portion 182 is entirely or partially disposed on the back surface of the upper cover 122 to support the guide 180 in the upper cover 122. The pair of protrusions 183 can be fitted into the vertically long concave portion 127a in the upper cover 122 shown in FIG. 12A and can move along the concave portion 127a. The plurality of engaging portions 184 similarly engage with the plurality of engaging portions 127b in the upper cover 122.

  The guide 180 of this embodiment is configured to be movable. This is because the PC main body 200 has the battery unit 230, for example, in order to cope with a case where battery units having different lengths such as 6 battery and 9 battery are mounted on the battery unit 230. FIG. 13A and FIG. 13E show the position of the guide 180 for six batteries, for example. In this state, the stepped portion 182 is almost completely hidden behind the back surface of the upper cover 122, and the protrusion 183 is located at the uppermost portion of the recess 127a. Next, with respect to the PC main body 200 having nine batteries in the battery unit 230, as shown in FIGS. 13 (b) and 13 (f), the guide 180 is tilted around the protrusion 183, and FIG. As shown in FIG. 13C and FIG. 13G, the protrusion 183 is lowered along the concave portion 127a to the lowermost portion of the concave portion 127a, and thereafter, as shown in FIG. 13D and FIG. Return to the original state.

  Next, a side guide 150 as another positioning mechanism will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view for explaining a method of attaching the PC main body 200 to the PC fixing portion 120 using the side guide 150. FIG. 15 is an external perspective view for explaining a method of mounting the PC main body 200 placed on the side guide 150 to the PC fixing portion 120. As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, in this embodiment, the PC main body 200 can be mounted on the PC fixing portion 120 using the side guide 150 as well as the guide 180. In the conventional example, since the PC main body 10 has to slide on the PC fixing portion 20A, even if the PC main body 10 can be configured horizontally, it is very difficult to mount it. On the other hand, since the present embodiment does not require sliding of the PC main body 200 and is merely leaned against the guide, the workability is improved. 14 and 15, not only the side guide 150 but also the guide 180 may be used at the same time. 14 and 15, the user places the side surface 202 of the PC main body 200 on the vertical surface 151 a of the holding portion 151 of the side guide 150 </ b> A, and tilts the back surface 204 around the side surface 202 toward the PC fixing portion 120 side. Thus, the PC main body 200 is attached to the PC fixing portion 120.

  14 and 15, reference numeral 240 denotes a LAN connector. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1B, the side guide 150 </ b> B is disposed at a position that covers the LAN connector 240. Since the PC main body 200 has the LAN connector 240, it can be connected to the LAN via a cable and the LAN connector 240. On the other hand, the LAN connector 111 is also provided on the base 110 of the docking station 100 as shown in FIG. 16B, and when the PC main body 200 is connected to the LAN and attached to the docking station 100, one computer can be connected. Thus, two network connections are made, leading to a failure or malfunction of a network device such as a hub. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the side guide 150B covers the LAN connector 240 of the PC main body 200 to prevent the PC main body 200 from being attached to the docking station 100 while the LAN cable is connected to the PC main body 200. Yes. As a result, the user removes the cable from the LAN connector 240, attaches it to the docking station 100, and connects to the LAN via the LAN connector 111 of the docking station 100.

  In this embodiment, the side guide 150B covers the LAN connector 240, but the present invention does not prevent the side guide 150A or the guide 180 from covering the LAN connector 240. In this embodiment, UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair Cable) is connected to the LAN connector 240, but when the LAN connector 240 has a wireless LAN connector, the PC main body 200 is connected. A reset button for turning off the wireless LAN function may be provided, and a protrusion for pressing the reset button may be provided on the guide 180 or the side guide 150.

  Next, positioning bosses 190 and 191 as another example of the positioning mechanism will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4, 9 and 16. Here, FIGS. 16A and 16B are external perspective views of the docking station 100 viewed from different angles when the frame 140 is in the unlocked position.

  The positioning bosses 190 and 191 have a function of positioning the PC main body 200. In particular, the positioning boss 190 is provided around the opening 122 a for the connector cover 130 to protrude and retract, and has a function of positioning the PC body 200 in the vicinity of the connector 132.

  In the present embodiment, the positioning boss 190 is arranged outside the claw portion 160 so that the pair of bosses 190 and the pair of claw portions 160 are aligned on a straight line. A straight line connecting the pair of positioning bosses 190 may be orthogonal or inclined. As shown in FIG. 9, the positioning boss 190 is set slightly higher than the claw portion 160 with respect to the height from the surface of the upper cover 122. The positioning boss 190 is fitted in the positioning hole 214 on the back surface 204 of the PC main body 200. As will be described later, the connectors 132 and 210 are connected after the positioning boss 190 is engaged with the positioning hole 214. By positioning the PC main body 200 in the vicinity of the connector 132, the connectors 132 and 210 can be properly aligned.

  The positioning boss 191 is formed on the horizontal surface 151 b of the holding portion 151 of the side guide 150. Since the straight line connecting the pair of positioning bosses 191 and the straight line connecting the pair of positioning bosses 190 are substantially orthogonal to each other, it is effective for positioning the PC main body 200 two-dimensionally. Further, since the side guide 150 provided with the positioning boss 191 is provided so as to surround the opening 122a, it effectively prevents a load from being applied to the connectors 132 and 210. The positioning boss 191 has a positioning boss 191A formed on the side guide 150A and a positioning boss 191B formed on the side guide 150B, and the positioning boss 191A is disposed at a position lower than the positioning boss 191B in the horizontal direction. ing. In addition, unless otherwise indicated, the reference number 191 shall summarize 191A and 191A. The positioning boss 191A is fitted into a positioning hole 217A provided in the back surface 204 of the PC main body 200, and the positioning boss 191B is fitted into a positioning hole 217B provided in the back surface 204 of the PC main body 200. In addition, unless otherwise indicated, the reference number 217 shall sum up 217A and 217B.

  Next, a pair of rubber legs 192 and a pair of engagement holes 193 as another example of the positioning mechanism will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4 and 16. The rubber legs 192 and the engagement holes 193 are spacers provided to keep the distance between the upper cover 122 and the PC main body 200 constant. By keeping the distance between the upper cover 122 and the PC main body 200 constant, it is possible to prevent the connectors 132 and 210 from being loaded. The rubber legs 192 are provided in the upper part of the upper cover 122, and the engagement holes 193 are provided in the lower part of the upper cover 122 at a wider interval than the rubber legs 192. It fits into an engagement hole 216 provided in the back surface 204 of the PC main body 200. The engagement hole 193 is fitted to a rubber leg 218 provided on the back surface 204 of the PC main body 200.

  Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 17, the locking and positioning method performed before the connectors 132 and 210 are connected will be described. Here, FIG. 17 is a flowchart for explaining the locking and positioning method of the present embodiment.

  First, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 15, the PC main body 200 is placed on the placement portion 181 of the guide 180 or the vertical surface 151a of the side guide 150A for rough positioning (step 1002). The PC main body 200 is attached to the PC fixing portion 120 by tilting the PC main body 200 to the PC fixing portion 120 side at the fulcrum.

  At the time of mounting, the positioning boss 190 is fitted into the pair of positioning holes 214 on the back surface 204 of the PC main body 200 for positioning, and the claw portion 160 is fitted into the lock hole 212 (step 1004). Next, the temporary fixing lock 152 is fitted into the concave portion 203 of the side surface 202 of the PC main body 200 for temporary fixing, and the positioning bosses 191A and 191B are fitted into the positioning holes 217A and 217B of the back surface 204 of the PC main body 200, respectively. Positioning is performed (step 1006). Next, the claw portion 160 is engaged with the engaging portion 213 by moving the frame 140 to the locked position, the temporary fixing by the temporary fixing lock 152 is changed to the real lock, and the frame 140 is locked to the locked position by the engaging member. (Step 1008).

  Thereafter, the connector 132 of the connector cover 130 that has been raised along with the movement of the frame 140 is connected to the connector 210 provided on the back surface 204 of the PC main body 200 (1010). Prior to step 1010, connectors 132 and 210 are aligned horizontally so that they can be connected without load.

  Hereinafter, the rotation mechanism of the docking station 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 18 and 19. Here, FIG. 18A is an exploded perspective view of the rotation mechanism, and FIG. 18B is an external perspective view of the stand 115 used in the rotation mechanism. FIG. 18C is an enlarged plan view of the protrusion 116 shown in FIG. FIG. 19A is a partially transparent plan view showing the PC fixing portion 120 arranged vertically with respect to the stand 115, and FIG. 19B shows a PC arranged horizontally with respect to the stand 115. FIG. 6 is a partially transparent plan view showing a fixing part 120.

Rotating mechanism, the PC fixing part 120 around the connector 132 relative to the base 110, the _{J 1} or _{J 2} direction shown in FIG. 19, in this embodiment, a mechanism for rotating 90 degrees. As shown in FIG. 20, the cable length can be made shorter than the configuration shown in FIG. 31 by providing the rotating shaft in the vicinity of the connector 132. Here, FIG. 20 is an external perspective view for comparing the lengths of the cables with respect to the configuration of FIG. As shown by a dotted line in FIG. 20, when the length of the cable is shortened, the cable cost can be reduced and the influence of the noise on the cable can be reduced.

  As shown in FIG. 18A, the rotation mechanism includes a friction plate 195 fixed to the PC fixing unit 120 and a stand 115.

  The friction plate 195 is fixed to the four shafts 128 provided on the back surface 123c of the lower cover 123 of the PC fixing unit 120 through the shaft holes 195a so as not to rotate. Further, the friction plate 195 has an annular shape, and is connected to the connector 132 through the hollow portion 195b and a cable indicated by a dotted line in FIG. Six stoppers 129 a to 129 f are provided on the back surface of the lower cover 123. As shown in FIG. 19A, the angle between the stoppers 129a and 129b is set to 90 degrees. The angle between the stoppers 129c and 129d is set to 90 degrees. The angle between the stoppers 129e and 129f is set to 90 degrees. The back surface 123c of the lower cover 123 is made of sheet metal, for example, and the friction plate 195 is made of resin, for example. Note that the reference numbers 129 collectively refer to the reference numbers 129a to 129f unless otherwise specified.

  As shown in FIG. 19A, the friction plate 195 has six protrusions 196a to 196f. The protrusions 196a to 196c are arranged at equal intervals of 120 degrees. The protrusions 196d to 196f are arranged at equal intervals of 120 degrees. Note that the reference number 196 summarizes the reference numbers 196a to 196f unless otherwise specified. A gap 197 is provided below each protrusion 196. For this reason, each protrusion 196 comprises a leaf | plate spring.

  The stand 115 is fixed to the base 110 so as to be tiltable in the E direction shown in FIG. 18A, and has an upper cover 115a and a lower cover 115b. The upper cover 115a has a circular opening 115c. A protrusion 116 is provided on the surface of the upper cover 115a, and the stand 115 accommodates the ring 117 and the presser ring 118 therein. The stand 115 is, for example, resinous. The rings 117 and 118 are fixed to the friction plate 195 through the opening 115c, while being connected to the connector 132 to allow the cable indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 20 to pass through the opening 115c. The cable is led to the base 110 via the stand 115.

  As shown in FIG. 18C, the protrusion 116 is screwed to the upper cover 115a through the screw hole 116a, and has a recess 116b in which the protrusion 196 is fitted. As described above, since the projection 196 functions as an elastic member, the projection 196 fitted in the recess 116b is fixed so as to be movable, and can be rotated if the user applies a force.

  The ring 117 is made of sheet metal, for example, and the presser ring 118 is made of resin, for example. Thus, by arranging different materials alternately, it is possible to prevent shaving during rotation and to ensure smooth rotation. The rings 117 and 118 are fixed to the screw hole of the shaft 128 by the screw 119 through the upper cover 115a and the shaft hole 195a.

In such a configuration, when rotating the PC main body 200 from the state in _{J 1} direction shown in FIG. 19 (a), the top of the projection 116 until the stopper 129b makes contact, PC main body 200 is rotated. Similarly, the stopper 129d contacts the right protrusion 116, and the stopper 129f contacts the left protrusion 116. Such a state is shown in FIG. In this case, the projection 196d fits into the recess 116b of the top projection 116, the projection 196e fits into the recess 116b of the right projection 116, and the projection 196f fits into the recess 116b of the left projection 116.

Similarly, when rotating the PC main body 200 from the state in _{J 2} direction shown in FIG. 19 (b), the top of the projection 116 until the stopper 129a contacts, PC main body 200 is rotated. Similarly, the stopper 129c is in contact with the right protrusion 116 and the stopper 129e is in contact with the left protrusion 116. Such a state is shown in FIG. In this case, the projection 196a fits into the recess 116b of the top projection 116, the projection 196b fits into the recess 116b of the right projection 116, and the projection 196c fits into the recess 116b of the left projection 116.

  In each state shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B, the elastic force of the protrusion 196 works to maintain that state unless the user applies a rotational force.

  Next, the PC main body 200 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, FIG. 21 is an external perspective view showing the back surface 204 of the PC main body 200. The PC main body 200 is a pen notebook PC and is a typical example of a portable electronic device. However, the present invention does not limit the electronic device to a pen notebook type PC, and does not prevent the electronic device from being a PDA, handheld personal computer, palm size personal computer, wearable computer, other portable electronic device or portable terminal. The size also covers A4 size, B5 size, sub-note size, mini-note size and the like. The PC main body 200 has a display 250 on the front surface 201, a LAN connector 240 on the side surface 202, and a battery unit 230 on the bottom surface 206. However, this is merely an example, and the PC main body 200 includes a pen, a USB port, a wireless communication antenna, an LED, an Ir receiver, a speaker, a power switch, a reset switch, an external microphone connector, a headphone connector, and an IrDA port (not shown). , AC adapter terminal. For example, the user can input information to the PC main body 200 through the display 250 using a pen. Since any technique known in the art can be applied to these functions, description thereof is omitted here.

  As shown in FIG. 21, the PC main body 200 includes a connector 210, a pair of lock holes 212, a pair of positioning holes 214, 217 </ b> A and 217 </ b> B, an engagement hole 216, and rubber legs 218 on the back surface 204. The point that the connector 210 is formed at the center of the back surface 204 is different from the conventional PC main body 10.

  Hereinafter, the mounting operation of the PC main body 200 will be described.

First, the position of the guide 180 is adjusted as shown in FIG. 13 according to the length of the battery unit 230 of the PC main body 200. Further, if necessary, at this point, as shown in FIG. 19, to ensure the desired orientation of the PC fixing part 120 by rotating the PC fixing part 120 to _{J 1} or _{J 2} direction relative to the base 110 .

  Next, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 10, the PC fixing portion 120 of the docking station 100 is arranged with the guide 180 facing downward. Next, the bottom surface 206 of the PC main body 200 is placed on the placement portion 181 of the guide 180, and then the PC main body 200 is mounted by being tilted toward the PC fixing portion 120 with the bottom surface 206 as the center. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the PC fixing portion 120 of the docking station 100 is arranged with the side guide 150 </ b> A facing down. Next, the side surface 202 of the PC main body 200 is placed on the vertical surface 151a of the side guide 150A, and then the PC main body 200 is mounted by being tilted toward the PC fixing portion 120 around the side surface 202.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, the PC main body 200 does not slide on the docking station 100 unlike the conventional PC main body 10, so that the back surface 204 of the PC main body 200 is hardly damaged. In addition, the mounting work is easy because it is simply placed on the PC fixing unit 120 and knocked down. In particular, even if the PC fixing unit 120 is arranged horizontally as shown in FIGS. Can easily attach the PC main body 200 to the PC fixing portion 120. This feature is because the guide 180 and the side guide 150 have a function of positioning the PC main body 200 as described in connection with step 1002 of FIG.

  As described above, if the cable remains attached to the LAN connector 240 of the PC main body 200, the PC main body 200 cannot be attached to the PC fixing portion 120 because it collides with the side guide 150B. In this case, the user needs to disconnect the cable from the LAN connector 240. Thereby, it is possible to avoid a situation in which a network device such as a hub recognizes the PC main body 200 mounted on the docking station 100 as two computers.

  Further, when the frame 140 is in the locked position and the connector 132 is exposed, the temporary lock 152 is changed to the real lock, and the PC body 200 cannot be mounted on the docking station 100. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the exposed connector 132 from colliding with the PC main body 200 and being damaged.

  Next, as described in steps 1004 and 1006 of FIG. 17, the PC main body 200 is positioned before the connectors 132 and 210 are connected. Positioning is performed by positioning bosses 190 and 191 and positioning holes 214 and 217 of the PC main body 200. Further, the temporary fixing lock 152 prevents the PC main body 200 from vibrating.

  As described in Step 1008 of FIG. 17, after the positioning is completed, the user moves the lock lever 141 to move the frame 140 from the unlock position to the lock position. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 9A, 9 </ b> C, and 9 </ b> E, the engaging portion 148 is separated from the engaging portion 126, and the claw portion 160 is engaged with the engaging portion 213 in the lock hole 212. To do. Further, as shown in FIGS. 5D and 5E, the temporary lock 152 changes the temporary lock to the real lock. Further, as shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C, the engaging portion 143 of the frame 140 is engaged with the engaging portion 174, and as shown in FIG. Is locked in the locked position. Further, as described in Step 1010 of FIG. 17, the connector 132 rises and connects to the connector 210 as shown from the left side to the right side of FIG. The connector 132 is connected to the connector 210 immediately after the lock at the lock position of the frame 140 is completed. Thus, since the positioning and locking of the PC main body 200 are completed before the connectors 132 and 210 are connected, the connectors 132 and 210 can be provided with a stable connection without being loaded.

Next, the user extends a function by connecting a mouse or a keyboard to the PC main body 200 attached to the docking station 100 or connecting an FDD, USB, LAN, etc., and inputs, edits, and outputs information. Can do. If necessary, as shown in FIG. 19, to ensure the desired orientation of the PC fixing part 120 by rotating the PC fixing part 120 _{J 1} or _J in _two directions relative to the base 110. The PC main body 200 is preinstalled with a rotated OS, and characters and images displayed on the screen are automatically rotated 90 degrees. As a result, for example, as shown in FIG. 1A, an A4 size document can be displayed on one screen by arranging the PC fixing unit 120 in a vertical shape.

  In order to separate the PC main body 200 from the docking station 100, an operation reverse to the above may be performed. First, the user presses the lock release button 172 to release the lock of the engagement portion 143 by the engagement portion 174 in the state shown in FIG. 8C, and then moves the lock lever 141 to move the frame 140 to the lock position. To the unlock position. As a result, the connector 132 shifts from the right side to the left side in FIG. Further, the temporary fixing lock 152 shifts from the final locked state shown in FIG. 5E to the temporary locked state shown in FIG. Further, as shown in FIG. 9A, the pair of claws 160 move so as to increase the interval therebetween, release the engagement from the engagement portion 213, and move to the lock hole 212. Further, the engaging portion 148 is locked to the engaging portion 126.

  Next, the user separates the PC main body 200 from the PC fixing unit 120. At the time of separation, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 10 or FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, the user may grasp the upper side (that is, the upper surface or the side surface) of the PC main body 200 and pull it forward. Accordingly, the temporary fixing lock 152 allows the PC main body 200 to be separated as shown in FIGS. 5 (d) and 5 (c). Since the claw portion 160 is simply inserted into the lock hole 212, it does not prevent the PC body 200 from being separated.

  Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention can be variously modified and changed within the scope of the gist thereof.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a state where a pen notebook type PC main body is mounted on a docking station as a typical example of the function expansion device of the present invention, and FIG. 1A shows a case where the PC main body is used in a vertical type. FIG. 1B shows a case where the PC main body is used in a horizontal type. As shown in FIG. 1 (a), it is an exploded perspective view showing how a PC main body is attached to a PC fixing portion. 3A is an exploded perspective view of the housing of the PC fixing portion of the docking station shown in FIG. 1, the connector lifting mechanism, and the connector cover. FIG. 3B is a perspective view of FIG. It is a fragmentary sectional view for demonstrating raising / lowering of the connector cover shown. 4A is an external perspective view showing a state in which the connector cover shown in FIG. 3B is housed in the housing, and FIG. 4B is a view showing the connector cover shown in FIG. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the state exposed from. It is sectional drawing for demonstrating the structure and operation | movement of a temporary fixing lock used for the docking station shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a partially transparent plan view for explaining the relationship between a rib of the frame shown in FIG. 3 and a temporary lock. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the mechanism which locks the flame | frame shown in FIG. 3 in a lock position. FIG. 8 is a partially transparent plan view for explaining an operation in which the mechanism shown in FIG. 7 locks the frame shown in FIG. 3 in the lock position. It is the fragmentary sectional view and partial side view for demonstrating the movement of a flame | frame, and the mechanism which latches a nail | claw part, a lock lever, and a frame to an unlocking position. It is a schematic sectional drawing for demonstrating the method of mounting | wearing the PC fixing | fixed part with the PC main body shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure of the guide used for the docking station shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the relationship between the guide shown in FIG. 11, and a docking station. It is sectional drawing for demonstrating a mode that the guide shown in FIG. 12 is attached to a docking station in a different position. As shown in FIG. 1B, it is an exploded perspective view showing how the PC main body is attached to the PC fixing portion. As shown in FIG. 14, it is a perspective view which shows a mode that a PC main body is attached to a PC fixing | fixed part. It is the perspective view which looked at the docking station shown in FIG. 1 from a different angle. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the positioning operation | movement and locking operation | movement before connecting the connector of a PC main body and a docking station shown in FIG. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the rotation mechanism of the PC fixing | fixed part of the docking station shown in FIG. It is a top view of the rotation mechanism shown in FIG. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the relationship between the rotation mechanism shown in FIG. 18, and cable length. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the back surface of the PC main body shown in FIG. It is an external appearance perspective view for demonstrating the structure of the conventional PC main body and a docking station. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the problem at the time of comprising the conventional docking station rotatably. It is an external appearance perspective view for demonstrating the locking mechanism by the nail | claw part shown in FIG. FIG. 25A is a sectional view for explaining the operation of the locking mechanism shown in FIG. 24, FIG. 25A is a sectional view showing a state when the frame shown in FIG. 3 is in the unlocked position, and FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows a state when the flame | frame shown in FIG. 3 exists in a locked position.

Explanation of symbols

100 docking station 110 base 115 stand 120 PC fixing part 121 housing 122 upper cover 122a opening 123 lower cover 125 stopper 126 engaging part 129 stopper 130 connector cover 132 connector 135 protrusion 140 frame 141 lock lever 142 rib 143 engaging part 145a Groove 148 Engagement part 150-150B Side guide 151 Holding part 152 Temporary lock 154 Spring 160 Claw part 162 Spring 170 Engagement member 172 Lock release button 174 Engagement part 179 Spring 180 Guide 190, 191 Positioning boss 192 Rubber leg 193 Engagement Fitting hole 195 Friction plate 200 Pen notebook PC main body 210 Connector

Claims (8)

A function expansion device for connecting an electronic device having a first connector to an external device that expands the function of the electronic device,
A housing in which the electronic device is mounted;
A guide that allows the electronic device to be mounted on the case by being placed and tilted toward the case;
A function expansion device, comprising: a second connector that is provided on a surface of the casing where the electronic device is to be brought down and is connectable to the first connector. A base connectable with the external device;
2. The function according to claim 1, further comprising: an electronic device fixing portion that includes the guide and the second connector and is rotatably coupled to the base around the second connector. Expansion unit.   The guide is movable to a first position and a second position, guides the first electronic device when in the first position, and guides the first electronic device when in the second position. The function expansion device according to claim 1, wherein the second electronic device having a different length is guided. The housing includes an opening through which the second connector protrudes and retracts,
The function expansion device according to claim 1, wherein the guide is one of a pair of side guides provided so as to surround the opening and holding a pair of side surfaces of the electronic device. A system comprising an electronic device and a function expansion device for connecting to an external device that expands the function of the electronic device,
The electronic device has a first connector;
The function expansion device is:
A housing in which the electronic device is mounted;
A guide that allows the electronic device to be mounted on the case by being placed and tilted toward the case;
A system comprising: a second connector that is provided on a surface of the casing where the electronic device is to be tilted and is connectable to the first connector. The function expansion device is:
A base connectable with the external device;
The system according to claim 5, further comprising: an electronic device fixing portion having the guide and the second connector, the electronic device fixing portion being rotatably coupled to the base around the second connector. .   The guide is movable to a first position and a second position, guides the first electronic device when in the first position, and guides the first electronic device when in the second position. 6. A system according to claim 5, characterized in that guides a second electronic device having a different length. The housing includes an opening through which the second connector protrudes and retracts,
The system according to claim 5, wherein the guide is one of a pair of side guides provided so as to surround the opening and holding a pair of side surfaces of the electronic device.