JP3096219B2 - Expansion unit for portable information processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an extension unit of a portable information processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When an external unit is connected to a portable information processing apparatus such as a notebook computer, an extension unit is used by connecting to the portable information processing apparatus. In general, it is configured by housing a substrate for expansion and the like in a casing.

On the other hand, if the extension unit is directly connected to the apparatus main body (portable information processing apparatus), an abnormal load is generated at the connection portion when the apparatus main body is moved or the like, causing damage to the connector or the like. Normally, the mounting portion is bulged in the casing of the extension unit, and the connection with the extension unit is performed while the end of the apparatus main body on the connection side with the extension unit is placed on the mounting portion.

[0004]

However, in the conventional example described above, in order to strengthen the connection between the expansion unit and the apparatus main body, a mounting portion having a width substantially matching the width direction dimension of the apparatus main body is formed. However, there is a drawback in that the volume is increased, which causes problems in storage, transportation, and the like.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, and can reduce the volume.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an extension unit having high connection reliability to a portable information processing device.

[0006]

According to the present invention, an object of the present invention is to provide an extension circuit of a portable information processing apparatus 1 with a casing 2.
An extension unit of a portable information processing device housed in the portable information processing device, wherein the casing 2 is bulged from a side wall surface connected to the portable information processing device 1,
Mounting part 3 that supports the back side of the connection side end of
An upper end surface is provided at the tip of the rod-shaped straight rod portion 5 which is housed so as to be able to advance and retreat.
Almost coincides with the ceiling surface of the mounting part 3, and the bottom surface is a ground surface to a desk etc.
Leg portion 6 is fixed, and from the mounting portion 3 in the lateral width direction.
It can be pulled out to the
Cooperating with the section 3 to form a bearing surface of the portable information processing device 1
The present invention is achieved by providing an extension unit of a portable information processing apparatus having a movable section 4 having a movable section.

[0007]

In the present invention, a movable section 4 is connected to a mounting section 3 supporting a portable information processing apparatus 1 so as to be able to be pulled out.
When the portable information processing device 1 is not connected to the portable information processing device 1, the portable information processing device 1 can approach or be adjacent to the mounting portion 3.

On the other hand, when the portable information processing device 1 is connected to the portable information processing device 1, it is possible to secure the bearing surface of the portable information processing device 1 by pulling out the movable portion 4. Qualitative is eliminated.

As described above, it is possible to reduce the volume during storage and transportation and to improve the reliability of mounting.

[0010]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention. The expansion unit is configured by housing an expansion circuit such as an I / O board, a memory, and an external storage device in a casing 2 formed by joining the upper and lower covers 20 and 21.

The casing 2 provides a connecting surface 23 on which a connector 22 for connecting to the apparatus main body (portable information processing apparatus 1) is arranged, and a bearing surface for supporting the rear surface on the rear end side of the apparatus main body 1. It is formed with the mounting portion 3. The bearing surface is slightly inclined with respect to the back surface of the casing 2 serving as a ground surface to the desk 9 and the like, and the connecting surface 23 is substantially perpendicular to the bearing surface, and the apparatus main body 1 is inclined forward. The support surface is in contact with the back surface of the apparatus main body 1, and the connector arranged on the back side of the apparatus main body 1 can be fitted orthogonally to the connector 22 on the casing 2 side.

A movable section 4 is mounted on the mounting section 3.
The movable portion 4 has a straight rod portion 5 and a leg portion 6 bulging at the tip of the straight rod portion 5, is formed in a substantially inverted T-shape in side view, and moves the straight rod portion 5 into and out of the mounting portion 3. It is freely inserted and mounted on the mounting section 3.

The ceiling surface 60 of the leg portion 6 is substantially the same height as the ceiling surface 30 of the mounting portion 3, and the leg portion 6 and the mounting portion 3 cooperate to form a bearing surface of the apparatus body 1. further,
The bottom surface of the leg 6 is set so as to be a ground contact surface with the desk 9 or the like.

In this embodiment optimized to be mounted at a position deviated to one side edge of the apparatus main body 1, the movable section 4
Can be pulled out along the width direction of the device main body 1 from a state in which the leg portion 6 is along the side edge of the mounting portion 3 until the leg portion 6 is located near the other side edge side of the device main body 1.

Therefore, in this embodiment, when not connected to the apparatus main body 1, as shown in FIG. 1 (a), by storing the straight rod portion 5 in the mounting portion 3, the overall width dimension can be reduced. Can be smaller. In use, as shown in FIGS. 1B and 2, by pulling out the straight rod 5 and moving the leg 6 near the other side edge of the apparatus main body 1, the rear surface of the apparatus main body 1 is covered with a casing. 2 and the ceiling surfaces 30 and 60 of the legs 6.

In the above embodiment, the movable portion 4 can be extended and contracted only in one direction of the casing 2, but it can be constructed so as to be able to advance and retreat in both directions. 4 to 6 show the details of the sliding structure of the movable part 4. First, as shown in FIG. 4, the straight rod portion 5 of the movable portion 4 is formed in a U-shaped cross section, and a stopper 50, a stopper notch 51, and an elastic deformation portion 7 are formed near the end portion. Is done. The retaining stopper 50 restricts the stroke of the movable portion 4 in the pulling-out direction, and protrudes upward from the bottom wall 52 of the straight rod portion 5. In addition, the stopper notch 51
It is formed by restricting the storage side stroke of the movable part 4 and cutting out the side wall 53 of the straight rod part 5.

On the other hand, the elastically deforming portion 7 is provided to obtain a click feeling at the stroke end position by resiliently locking the lock portion 71 bulging on the back surface to the opening 8 on the casing 2 side. . In this embodiment, in order to use both of the opposing inclined surfaces of the lock portion 71 formed in a substantially triangular shape as a stopper wall surface and obtain a good click feeling in the reciprocating direction with only one elastic deformation portion 7, The elastically deformable portion 7 is not a cantilever beam, but a shape in which the flesh is connected in the reciprocating direction of the straight rod portion 5. The surface of the bottom wall is depressed to make it thin, and two slits 70 are further provided.
By arranging 70 along the side wall, the connection of the meat with the side wall 53 is cut.

A guide rail 80 having a U-shaped cross section is fixed to the casing 2 in order to hold the movable portion 4 configured as described above so as to be able to advance and retreat. The guide rail is fixed to a boss 24 protruding from the back surface of the upper cover 20 using a fastener 25 such as a tapping screw with the opening facing upward, and cooperates with the back surface of the upper cover 20. A cylindrical space into which the straight rod part 5 of the movable part 4 is inserted is formed.

An opening 8 is formed in a bottom wall of the guide rail, that is, a sliding contact wall with the bottom wall of the straight rod portion 5. Opening 8
Is established at a position corresponding to the lock portion 71 at the stroke end position on the pull-out side and the storage side of the movable portion 4. The guide rail 80 is formed of sheet metal or the like, and the opening 8
In the case where a sharp portion such as a punched burr occurs at the edge of the lock portion 71, as shown in FIGS. It is desirable to prevent such problems.

On the other hand, a stopper projection 26 and a guide projection 27 are provided on the rear surface of the upper cover 20 so as to project therefrom. The stopper projection 26 and the guide projection 27 are fitted into the opening of the straight rod 5, and the stopper projection 26 is engaged with the stopper 50 of the straight rod 5 at the end position of the movable part 4 on the withdrawal side. The movable portion 4 is provided at a position where it comes into contact with the movable portion 4 to prevent detachment (see FIG. 6). The guide projection 27 is mounted on the mounting portion 3.
In the vicinity of the opening side end of the movable portion 4 to prevent rattling of the straight rod portion 5 at the position where the movable portion 4 is pulled out.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the straight rod 5
Are stored in the mounting portion 3, and when the leg portion 6 is located along the side of the mounting portion 3, the stopper notch 51 of the straight rod portion 5 is
0, the storage side stroke of the movable portion 4 is determined by abutting against a stopper 28 protruding from the back surface of the movable member 4, and at the same time, the lock portion 71 of the straight rod portion 5 is locked in the opening 8 of the guide rail, thereby pulling out. A resistance force against the side force is applied to prevent the movable portion 4 from accidentally jumping out.

In this state, when a force is applied to the leg 6 to the pull-out side, the elastically deforming portion 7 is gradually elastically deformed, and the lock portion 71 rides over the edge of the opening 8 of the guide rail, and is slidable. Becomes Thereafter, when the leg portion 6 is further moved to the pull-out side, the stopper 50 of the straight rod portion 5 abuts against the stopper projection 26 of the upper cover 20 at the end position of the pull-out stroke, and the subsequent movement in the pull-out direction is restricted. Is done. When the lock portion 71 reaches the opening 8 of the guide rail 80 at or near the contact position between the stopper 50 and the stopper projection 26, the elastic deformation portion 7 is restored to its original shape by the elastic restoring force, and the lock portion 71 is opened. 8 locked. In this state, the user is given a click feeling to recognize the end position of the stroke, the movement to the storage side is restricted, and the careless movement of the leg 6 is prevented.

[0023]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the volume during storage and transportation and to improve the reliability of connection to the apparatus main body.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views showing an embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is a view showing a storage state, and FIG. 1B is a view showing a use state.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are views showing a state of attachment to the apparatus main body, wherein FIG. 2A is a side view, and FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of FIG. 2;

4 (a) is a sectional view, FIG. 4 (b) is a view in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 4 (a), and FIG. 4 (c) is a view in the direction of arrow C in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a retracted state of a movable unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an extended state of a movable unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Portable information processing apparatus 2 Casing 3 Mounting part 4 Movable part 5 Straight rod part 6 Leg part 7 Elastic deformation part 70 Slit 71 Lock part 8 Opening

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An extension unit of a portable information processing device, wherein an extension circuit of the portable information processing device is housed in a casing, wherein the casing bulges from a side wall surface connected to the portable information processing device. is, the a mounting portion for supporting the connecting-side end portion rear face of the portable information processing apparatus, the tip of the straight rod portion of rod-shaped to be movably received in the mounting portion
The upper end surface almost matches the ceiling surface of the mounting part, and the bottom surface
The leg that will be the grounding surface is fixed, and
The drawer can be pulled out in the
An expansion unit for a portable information processing device, comprising: a movable portion that forms a bearing surface of the portable information processing device in cooperation with the mounting portion . 2. The straight rod portion has both sides sandwiched by slits.
An elastic deformation portion that is long in the forward and backward directions of the straight rod portion is provided, and a lock portion that is bulged in the elastic deformation portion is recessed on the mounting portion side.
Click on the specified stroke position
The expansion unit of the portable information processing device according to claim 1, which gives a feeling .