JPH04263186A - Attaching, detaching and replacing structure of floppy disk drive and battery for portable computer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the life of a battery long by a method wherein a floppy disk drive and an auxiliary battery are put respectively in cases of the same size so as to be formed as units and both units can be housed alternatively in a loading space inside a computer main body. CONSTITUTION:A floppy disk drive(FDD) unit 21 and a battery unit 31 are formed to be of the same size. The unit 21 is provided with a connector 25, used exclusively for an FDD, which can be attached to and detached from a common-use connector 17 on the side of a computer main body 11; it is connected to the main body 11 by using a prescribed contact group; software on a floppy disk can be installed on a built-in hard disk drive. On the other hand, the unit 31 is provided with a connector 35 used exclusively for a battery and can be connected to the prescribed connector group at the connector 17. BY this constitution, an auxiliary battery is loaded as a replacement when the FDD is not used, and the life of the battery can be made long.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable computer, and more particularly to a structure for attaching and detaching a floppy disk drive and a battery.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been a rapid increase in demand for handy-type portable computers such as so-called laptop-type and book-type computers. Such portable computers are limited in access time only to the battery life of the loaded battery used to power them.

However, some users may require an access time that exceeds the battery life of the loaded battery. To meet this demand, it is possible to use long-life batteries or create a separate loading space and load a new auxiliary battery there.

However, even with a long-life battery, there is a limit to how long the access time can be extended, and securing a loading space for an auxiliary battery is critical for this type of computer, which is required to be small and thin. There is also.

On the other hand, in this type of computer, the software recorded on the floppy disk is installed on the built-in hard disk drive via the floppy disk drive fixed to the computer, but after installation, the data cannot be saved. Other than that, floppy disk drives are not used much at present. In other words, in traditional portable computers, the floppy disk drive is idle except during installation.

[0006]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The problems to be solved by the invention are that it is not possible to extend the battery life of conventional portable computers while trying to make them smaller and thinner, and that the floppy disk drive is not utilized during installation. This is not the case.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention makes use of the floppy disk drive, which is used mainly during installation, and achieves the small size required for this type of computer.
The aim is to extend battery life while meeting the demands for thinner devices.

That is, in the present invention, in a portable computer in which a floppy disk drive is built into the computer main body and is powered by an existing battery, the floppy disk drive and a battery other than the existing battery are installed in cases of the same size. The floppy disk drive unit and battery unit each have dedicated connectors.
The board on the computer main body side is provided with a common connector that can be connected to and connected to both dedicated connectors, and both units can be installed in the loading space inside the computer main body created by unitizing the floppy disk drive. It is characterized by being able to accommodate multiple choices.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be explained below with reference to illustrated embodiments. The portable computer 10 consists of a computer main body 11 and a display screen 12 that can be folded up and closed. The computer main body 11 includes a keyboard 13, contains a CPU board 14, a hard disk drive (not shown), and a battery loading space (not shown). A battery originally required by the computer main body 11 is loaded into this battery loading space.

A loading opening 15 is opened in the front side of the computer main body 11, and a unit loading space 16 is formed from the loading opening 15 toward the inside of the computer main body 11. The loading space 16 is a space that selectively accommodates a floppy disk drive unit (hereinafter referred to as an FDD unit) 21 and a battery unit 31. A CPU board 14 is placed in the loading space 16.
The end of the FDD unit 2 is facing the end of the FDD unit 2.
A common connector 17 for selectively connecting the battery unit 1 and the battery unit 31 is provided. Common connector 17
has, for example, 60 contacts, of which contact groups 1 to 50 are used for the FDD unit 21, and contact groups 51 to 60 are used for the battery unit 31.

[0011] FDD selectively accommodated in the loading space 16
The unit 21 and the battery unit 31 are formed to have the same size. The FDD unit 21 is in case 2
2 contains the floppy disk drive body (hereinafter referred to as FDD)
(referred to as the main body) 23. This FDD main body 23 installs floppy disk software in the hard disk drive built into the computer main body 11. The FDD unit 21 has a floppy disk insertion opening 24 at the rear and an FDD dedicated connector 25 that can be connected to and detached from the common connector 17 on the computer main body 11 side at the front. The FDD dedicated connector 25 is the common connector 1
It has 60 contacts similar to 7, of which contact groups 1 to 50 are connected to the FDD main body 23 via the DFF relay board 26 and connection cable 27, and the remaining contacts 51 to 60 The contact group is a dummy. Therefore, when the FDD dedicated connector 25 is connected to the common connector 17, only the contact groups 1 to 50 of both connectors work, and the FDD main body 23 and the board 1
4 becomes conductive.

The battery unit 31 also has an auxiliary battery 33 built into the case 32. This battery unit 31 also includes a battery-specific connector 35 having the same configuration as the FDD unit 21 at the front. This battery dedicated connector 35 also has 60 contacts, but only the contact groups 51 to 60 connect to the battery relay board 36 and the connection cable 3.
7 to the auxiliary battery 33, and contact groups 1 to 50 are dummy. Therefore, when this battery-only connector 35 is connected to the common connector 17, only the contact groups 51 to 60 of both connectors (51 to 55 are for + electrodes, 56 to 60 are for - electrodes) work, and the auxiliary battery 33 and the substrate 14 are electrically connected.

In order to house the FDD unit 21 (battery unit 31) in the loading space 16 and lock it to the computer body 11 during use, there is a space at the front of the computer body 11 facing the loading space 16.
A fixing device 41 is provided. The fixing device 41 includes a latch 42 that is movable in the vertical direction, which is the thickness direction of the computer main body 11, and a compression spring 43 that biases the latch 42 upward. The latch 42 is connected to the FDD unit 21 (
The battery unit 31) includes an engagement recess 44 formed on the lower side of the battery unit 31) and a detachable locking piece 45. In addition,
Reference numeral 46 indicates a relief recess of the locking piece 45.

The structure of the present invention having the above configuration is therefore F
When installing software from the DD main body 23 to the hard disk drive in the computer main body 11, the FDD unit 21 may be loaded into the loading space 16. When loading, the latch 42 is pushed down against the force of the compression spring 43 to release the locking piece 45 into the recess 46. In this state, when the FDD unit 21 is pushed into the loading space 16 from the loading opening 15, the FDD dedicated connector 25 is connected to the common connector 1 on the computer main body 11 side.
7, and the FDD main body 23 and the computer main body 11 are electrically connected. When the latch 42 is released from being pressed down, the latch 42 moves upward by the force of the compression spring 43, and the locking piece 45 engages with the engagement recess 44, causing the FDD unit 21 to move upward.
is loaded into the computer main body 11 in a locked state.

[0015] After installing the software on the hard disk drive, the FDD main unit 2, except for data storage.
3 is rarely used. Therefore, when trying to increase the battery life of the computer main body 11 and further lengthen the access time, the FDD unit 21 can be removed from the computer main body 11 and the battery unit 31 can be loaded into the computer main body 11 instead.

To remove the FDD unit 21, press the latch 4.
2 and pull out the FDD unit 21 while the locking piece 45 is disengaged from the engagement recess 44. Next, if you push the battery unit 31 into the empty loading space 16 in the same procedure as the FDD unit 21,
The battery dedicated connector 35 is connected to the computer main body 1.
It fits into the common connector 17 on the first side and is fixed within the computer main body 11 by the fixing device 41. The auxiliary battery 33 is now electrically connected to the computer main body 11, providing the computer main body 11 with a long battery life that cannot be obtained with the existing battery alone, and making it possible to extend the access time. Note that the battery unit 31 can be removed in the same manner as the FDD unit 21. Then, when saving the final data, the FDD unit 21 may be loaded into the computer main body 11 again.

[0017]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the detachable/replaceable structure of the present invention, the floppy disk drive and the auxiliary battery are integrated into a case of the same size, and both units are electrically connected to the computer main body. When the floppy disk drive is not in use, it can be removed and an auxiliary battery installed in its place, giving the computer main body access time that exceeds the battery life of the existing battery. Furthermore, it is possible to maintain the demands for compactness and thinness required for this type of computer while making full use of the floppy disk drive, which is mainly used during installation.

[0018]

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of the structure of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the relationship between a floppy disk drive unit or a battery unit and a computer main body.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the connection state of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an FDD relay board.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a battery relay board.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a fixing device portion constituting the structure of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the floppy disk drive unit loaded into the computer main body.

[0019]

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Portable computer 11 Computer body 14 CPU board 15 Loading opening 16 Unit loading space 17 Common connector 21 Floppy disk drive unit 23
Floppy disk drive body 25
FDD dedicated connector 26 FDD relay board 31 Battery unit 33 Auxiliary battery 35 Battery dedicated connector 36 Battery relay board 41 Fixing device 42 Latch 43 Compression spring 44 Engagement recess 45 Locking piece

Claims (3)

[Claims] Claim 1: In a portable computer in which a floppy disk drive is built into the computer main body and is powered by an existing battery, the floppy disk drive and a battery other than the existing battery are placed in cases of the same size. The floppy disk drive unit and the battery unit are each equipped with a dedicated connector, and the board on the computer body side has a common connector that can be connected to and removed from the dedicated connectors mentioned above, and that can be selectively connected to the dedicated connectors. A structure for attaching and detaching a floppy disk drive and a battery of a portable computer, characterized in that both units can be selectively accommodated in a loading space in a computer main body created by unitizing the floppy disk drive. 2. The common connector and both dedicated connectors have the same number of contacts, and the common connector is comprised of a contact group for a floppy disk drive connected to the board and a contact group for a battery, and a dedicated connector for the floppy disk drive unit. consists of a contact group for the floppy disk drive of the common connector and a contact group that can conduct, and a contact group for the battery of the common connector and a contact group that is non-conductive,
2. The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the dedicated connector for the battery unit includes a contact group that can conduct with the battery contact group of the common connector, and a contact group that does not conduct with the floppy disk drive contact group of the common connector. The floppy disk drive and battery are removable and replaceable. 3. A structure for attaching and detaching a floppy disk drive and a battery of a portable computer according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the computer main body is provided with a fixing device for fixing both units in a loading space.