JPH05189086A - Function extending device for electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a function extending device, which extends the function of an electronic apparatus, from being unexpectedly disconnected from the electronic apparatus even at the time when an external force acts on the electronic apparatus connected to the function extending device. CONSTITUTION:A connector 26 to which a connector 12 of the electronic apparatus is connected is fixed to a supporting bracket 32. This supporting bracket 32 is attached to a supporting frame 40 by a guide sleeve 52 so that it can be moved in engaging and disengaging directions of arrows X of the connector 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a function expanding device for expanding the function of an electronic device such as a portable personal computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a desktop computer is designed compact in order to facilitate portability and minimize the installation area on a desk. for that reason,
The functions of the computer itself are limited, and when a function other than the standard function is required, the computer is used by connecting it to the function expansion device.

The function expansion device generally comprises a housing for accommodating expansion means such as a hard disk drive and a circuit board for memory, and a computer is mounted in a mounting portion provided in the housing. The computer has a plug-in connector for connecting an expansion device, and similarly, the function expansion device also has a plug-in connector. Then, when the computer is mounted at a predetermined position of the mounting portion, the connectors are connected to each other.

If the computer is displaced by an external force while the connectors are connected, the connectors may be damaged. Therefore, usually, the function expansion device side connector is provided so as to be displaceable in the vertical and horizontal directions, that is, in the direction orthogonal to the attachment / detachment direction of the connectors, so as to absorb the displacement of the computer by an external force and prevent the connector from being damaged. Is configured.

[0005]

However, in the conventional function expansion device, although the connector is provided so as to be vertically and horizontally displaceable, it is moved in the front-back direction, that is, in the connector attaching / detaching direction. It is disabled. Therefore, when an external force in the front-rear direction is applied to the computer in a state where the computer is connected to the function expansion device, there is a fear that the connectors are disconnected from each other. In this case, the computer may malfunction, data being processed may be destroyed, or the computer system may be damaged.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to prevent damage to the connector and to connect the connector even when an external force is applied to the electronic device in a state of being connected to the function expansion device. It is to provide a function expansion device for an electronic device that does not come off accidentally.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a function expansion device according to the present invention has a mounting portion to which an electronic device is mounted and accommodates expansion means for expanding the function of the electronic device. A main body, a plug-in type device-side connector that is provided in the main body in a state of being connected to the expansion means, and to which the plug-in type connector of the electronic device mounted in the mounting portion is detachably connected, and the device. Supporting means for supporting the side connector so as to be movable in a direction of engaging and disengaging the connector of the electronic device with respect to the device side connector.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the supporting means moves the connector holder, to which the device-side connector is fixed, and the connector holder between the standby position and the pushing position along the engaging / disengaging direction. A support member that is movably supported and a biasing unit that is fixed to the main body and biases the connector holder toward the standby position are provided.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the support member has a plurality of guide holes, and the support means extends from the main body in the engagement / disengagement direction and is inserted into the guide holes. It has a plurality of guide sleeves. Each guide sleeve has a base end portion fixed to the main body and a front end portion extending from the main body,
A locking portion is formed at the tip portion to abut on the connector holder located at the standby position and regulate the movement of the connector holder. In addition, each guide sleeve is formed in a taper shape that is tapered from the distal end portion toward the proximal end portion, the distal end portion having a diameter substantially equal to the guide hole, and the proximal end portion having a diameter smaller than the guide hole. Have

[0010]

According to the function expanding device configured as described above, the external force is applied to the electronic device, particularly the connector on the electronic device side, when the electronic device is mounted on the mounting portion and the connector is connected to the device side connector. When an external force acting in the direction of pulling out from the device side connector is applied, the device side connector is displaced in the pulling direction together with the device side connector. Therefore, even when the above external force is applied, the connector on the device side does not accidentally come off from the connector on the device side, and it is possible to reliably prevent damage to the system of the electronic device, data destruction during processing, etc. it can.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a state immediately before a desktop computer 1 is attached to the function expansion device according to the present invention. The computer 1 includes a box-shaped base unit 2, and a keyboard 3 is provided in the front half of the base unit. A flat panel type display unit 6 is rotatably supported on the rear half of the base unit 2. Then, when the display unit 6 is rotated to the closed position for covering the keyboard 3, the entire computer 1 is configured into a flat box shape that is convenient for carrying. The side surface 2d of the base unit 2 is provided with a floppy disk insertion opening 8, a memory card insertion opening 9, a mouse connection opening 10, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, on the rear surface 2a of the base unit 2, a plug-in connector 1 having a large number of terminals for connecting a function expansion device to the computer 1 is provided.
Two are provided. The connector 12 is fixed to the base unit 3 by a pair of nuts 14 located on both sides thereof and extends in the horizontal direction, that is, the width direction of the base unit. The screw hole 14a of each nut 14 acts as a positioning hole when connecting the connector 12 to the function expansion device, as described later.

As shown in FIG. 1, the function expansion device has a rectangular box-shaped main body 16. In the main body 16, for example, expansion means 17 (see FIG. 6) for expanding the functions of the computer 1 such as a hard disk device, a floppy disk device, a circuit board for memory, etc., and a power supply for driving the expansion means. A supply unit (not shown) is housed.

The main body 16 has a rectangular box-shaped base portion 16a and an upright portion 16b protruding upward from the rear end portion of the base portion. The upper surface of the base portion 16a is the computer 1
A flat mounting surface 18 for mounting the computer is formed, and the mounting surface is formed to be larger than the bottom surface of the base unit 2 of the computer 1. The front surface of the standing portion 16b extends vertically from the rear end of the mounting surface 18 and forms a connector installation surface 20. When the computer 1 is placed on the placement surface 18, the connector installation surface 20 faces the rear surface 2 a of the computer 1.

A pair of guide rails 21a and 21b are formed on both left and right sides of the mounting surface 18. When the computer 1 is slid in the front-rear direction X along the mounting surface 18, the guide rails 21a and 21b contact both side surfaces of the computer 1 to guide the sliding of the computer.
The computer 1 has guide rails 21a and 21b.
It is sandwiched between them and the movement of the computer in the width direction is restricted. In this way, the mounting surface 18, the connector mounting surface 20, and the guide rails 21a and 21b are used to make the computer 1
A mounting portion 22 for mounting the is formed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a connector unit 24 is provided in the standing portion 16b of the main body 16. The connector unit 24 includes a connector 26 connected to the expansion means 17 via a signal cable 25. The connector 26 is a plug-in type connector having a large number of terminals that can be connected to the connector 12 of the computer 1, and projects into the mounting portion 22 through an opening 27 formed in the connector installation surface 20. The connector 26 is provided at a position facing the connector 12 of the computer 1 mounted on the mounting portion 22 of the main body 16.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the connector 2
6 is held by a rectangular box-shaped connector holder 28,
A pair of positioning pins 29 are provided on both sides of the connector. These positioning pins 29 are provided so as to project and retract in the sliding direction X of the computer 1 with respect to the main body 16 of the function expansion device, that is, in the engagement / disengagement direction of the connector 12, and engage with the screw holes 14 a of the nut 14 of the computer 1. It is possible. Further, a positioning member 30 formed so as to be able to engage with the nut 14 is attached to the tip of each positioning pin 29.

The connector holder 28 is fixed to the support bracket 32 by a pair of screws 31. The support bracket 32 is formed by bending a flat plate into a crank shape, and has a horizontally extending mounting portion 32a and first and second vertical portions 32b and 32c extending upward and downward from the mounting portion, respectively. Have In the mounting portion 32a,
A pair of screw holes 33 and a pair of positioning holes 34 located between these screw holes are formed, and one positioning hole is a long hole extending in the horizontal direction. And each screw 31
Is screwed into the screw hole 33 through a through hole 35 formed in the connector holder 28. In addition, the connector holder 2
A pair of positioning protrusions 36 are formed on the upper surface of 8, and these protrusions are fitted into the positioning holes 24 of the mounting portion 32a.

A pair of guide holes 38 are formed in the first vertical portion 32b so as to be separated from each other in the horizontal direction, and one guide hole 38 is formed in the second vertical portion 32c.

The connector unit 24 includes a support frame 40 forming a part of the main body 16. The support frame 40 extends horizontally and a support bracket 32 extends vertically upward from the front end of the bottom wall. And a front wall 40b facing each other. The front wall 40b is bent in a crank shape corresponding to the support bracket 32, and includes a horizontal portion 42a and first and second vertical portions 42b and 42c extending upward and downward from the horizontal portion, respectively. .. A pair of screw holes 44 are formed in the first vertical portion 42b, and one screw hole 44 is formed in the second vertical portion 42c.

A leaf spring 46 as a biasing means is arranged between the support bracket 32 and the front wall 40b of the support frame 40. The leaf spring 46 is bent into a crank shape corresponding to the support bracket 32, and is composed of a horizontal portion 46a and first and second vertical portions 46b and 46c extending upward and downward from the horizontal portion, respectively. ing. A pair of through holes 47 is formed in the first vertical portion 46b, and one through hole 47 is formed in the second vertical portion 46c. In addition, the first vertical portion 46b is the support bracket 3
2 has a pair of pressing claws 50a bent toward 2,
The second vertical portion 46c has a pair of pressing claws 50b bent toward the support bracket.

The guide hole 38 of the support bracket 32 is formed through the through hole 47 of the leaf spring 46 and the screw hole 4 of the support frame 40.
4 are provided coaxially with each other.

A guide sleeve 5 is provided in each of the guide holes 38.
2 is inserted. And the guide sleeve 52 is
The screw 5 screwed into the screw hole 44 of the support frame 40 through the guide sleeve and the through hole 47 of the leaf spring 46.
It is fixed to the support frame by 4.

As can be seen from FIG. 5, each guide sleeve 52 has a flange portion 52a having a diameter larger than that of the guide hole 38 of the support bracket 32, and a cylindrical portion 52b extending from the flange portion to the support frame 40 through the guide hole. have. The cylindrical portion 52b is formed in a taper shape that is tapered from the flange portion 52a toward the support frame 40 side, the large diameter portion has a diameter substantially equal to the guide hole 38, and the small diameter portion has a diameter smaller than the guide hole. Have

Therefore, the support bracket 32 is attached to the support frame 40 by the three guide sleeves 52, and is movable in the axial direction of the guide sleeve, that is, the X direction. The leaf spring 46 is fixed between the support bracket 32 and the support frame 40 by the guide sleeve 52. The first pressing claw 50a of the leaf spring 46 is attached to the support bracket 32 by the first vertical portion 32b.
And the second pressing claw 50b contacts the second side of the support bracket.
Is in contact with the vertical portion 32c.

Therefore, the support bracket 32 is formed by the leaf spring 4
6 is pressed to the connector installation surface 20 side of the main body 16,
It is pressed against the flange portion 52a of the guide sleeve 52. Therefore, the movement of the support bracket 32 toward the connector installation surface 20 side is restricted by the flange portion 52a of the guide sleeve 52, and the support bracket 32 is held at the standby position shown in FIG.

Then, the connector holder 28, the support bracket 32, the support frame 40 and the guide sleeve 52.
Constitutes the supporting means in the present invention.

The support bracket 32, the leaf spring 46, and the second vertical portion 32 of the front wall 40b of the support frame 40.
Openings are formed in c, 46c, and 42c, respectively, and the signal cable 27 of the connector 26 is inserted through these openings.

As shown in FIG. 1, openings 56 are formed in the left and right lower ends of the connector installation surface 20 of the main body 16. A pair of pressing levers 58 are provided in the upright portion 16b of the main body 16, and the tips of these levers face the openings 56, respectively. Further, an operation knob 60 movable in the X direction is provided on the side surface of the base portion 16a of the main body.
Is provided, and the operation knob is connected to the pressing lever 58 via an eject mechanism (not shown) provided in the main body 16.

Then, when the operation knob 60 is moved rearward with the computer 1 mounted on the mounting portion 22 at a predetermined position, the pressing lever 58 causes the mounting portion 2 to move through the opening 56.
2 and pushes the rear surface 2a of the computer 1 forward. As a result, the connector 12 of the computer 1 is disconnected from the connector 26 of the function expansion device.

The computer 1 is connected to the function expansion device configured as described above in the following procedure.

First, the computer 1 is placed on the placing surface 18 of the main body 16 and positioned between the guide rails 21a and 21b. As a result, the computer 1 is positioned with respect to the mounting surface 18, and the connector 12 of the computer is aligned with the connector 26 of the function expansion device. At this time, the support bracket 32 of the connector unit 24 is held at the standby position. At the standby position, the large diameter end of the cylindrical portion 52b of each guide sleeve 52 is located in the corresponding guide hole 38. Since the large diameter end has a diameter substantially equal to that of the guide hole 38, there is almost no play between them. Therefore, the support bracket 32 and the connector 26 are restrained from moving vertically and horizontally and are held at predetermined positions.

In this state, the computer 1 is pushed toward the connector installation surface 20 along the guide rails 21a and 21b. By this pushing, the rear surface 2a of the computer 1 approaches the connector mounting surface 20, so that the positioning pin 29 of the connector unit 24 enters the positioning hole 14a of the nut 14 of the computer and the positioning member 30 engages with the nut.

Then, by further pushing the computer 1 to a predetermined position, the connector 12 is fitted into the connector 26 of the function expanding device as shown in FIG. 6, and the computer and the function expanding device are electrically connected. It In the connected state, the support bracket 32 is pushed together with the connector 26 toward the support frame 40, and is located at the pushing position shown in the figure. Then, the computer 1 is locked by a locking mechanism (not shown) provided in the main body 16 and is prevented from rising from the mounting surface 18.

At the pushing position shown in FIG. 6, the small diameter portion of the cylindrical portion 52b of each guide sleeve 52 is located in the corresponding guide hole 38. This small diameter portion has a guide hole 38.
Since it has a smaller diameter, there is a gap between them. Therefore, the support bracket 32 and the connector 26 are movable with respect to the support frame 40 in the vertical and horizontal directions of the bottom, that is, in the direction orthogonal to the engaging / disengaging direction X of the connector 12. Therefore, even if the computer 1 is connected to the function expansion device and is displaced in the vertical and horizontal directions by receiving an external force, the displacement is absorbed by the movement of the support bracket 32 together with the connector 26 in conjunction with the displacement of the connector 12. Therefore, damage to the connectors 12 and 26 is prevented.

At the pushing position, the support bracket 32 is movable in the engagement / disengagement direction X of the connector 12. Therefore, while connected to the function expansion device,
Even when the computer 1 receives an external force and displaces in the engagement / disengagement direction X, particularly when the connector 12 disengages from the connector 26, the support bracket 32 moves together with the connector 26 in conjunction with the displacement of the connector 12 to prevent the computer 1 from moving. Absorb displacement. Therefore, the connector 12 does not accidentally come off from the connector 26, and the computer 1
The connection state between the function expansion device and the function expansion device can be reliably retained.

When the computer 1 is removed from the function expansion device, the connectors 12, 26 are released from the fitting by pushing the operation knob 60 backward as described above.

According to the function expansion device configured as described above, the support bracket 32 supporting the connector 26 is provided.
Is movable in the engagement / disengagement direction X direction of the connector 12 while being connected to the connector 12 of the computer 1. Therefore, even when an external force in the direction in which the connector 12 is pulled out acts on the computer 1, the connections between the connectors can be reliably maintained. Therefore, the connection between the computer 1 and the function expansion device is not inadvertently released, and it is possible to prevent inconveniences such as destruction of data being processed and damage to the system of the computer 1.

In the connected state, the computer 1
Support bracket 3 even if is displaced vertically and horizontally
By moving 2 in the vertical and horizontal directions, the connector 1
The damage of 2, 26 can be prevented.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, but can be variously modified within the scope of the present invention.

For example, the shapes of the support bracket, the leaf spring, the support frame and the like can be changed as needed, and the number of guide sleeves and pressing pawls can be increased or decreased. Further, the expansion means is not limited to the above embodiment, but may be a circuit board for communication, a printer, or the like.

[0043]

According to the function expanding device of the present invention configured as described above, the device side connector is supported by the supporting means so as to be movable in the engagement / disengagement direction of the connector of the electronic device with respect to the device side connector. .. Therefore, even if an external force acts on the electronic device while the connector of the electronic device is connected to the device-side connector, particularly when the external force in the direction in which the connector on the electronic device side comes off the device-side connector acts, the connector on the device side It is possible to reliably prevent damage to the system of the electronic device, destruction of data during processing, etc. without accidental disconnection from the connector.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a computer is connected to a function expansion device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a rear portion of the computer and a connector unit of the function expansion device.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the connector unit.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the connector unit.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the connector of the computer is connected to the connector of the function expansion device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Computer (electronic device), 2 ... Base unit,
12 ... Connector (device side connector), 22 ... Mounting part, 2
4 ... Connector unit, 26 ... Connector (device side connector), 32 ... Support bracket, 40 ... Support frame, 4
6 ... Leaf spring, 52 ... Guide sleeve.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location H01R 13/64 9173-5E 13/74 Z 4229-5E

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A main body having a mounting portion to which an electronic device is mounted and having an expansion means for expanding the function of the electronic device; and a main body connected to the expansion means, the main body being provided in the main body.
The plug-in type device side connector to which the plug-in type connector of the electronic device mounted on the mounting portion is detachably connected, and the above device side connector can be moved in the engagement / disengagement direction of the connector of the electronic device with respect to the device side connector. An expansion device for electronic equipment, comprising: 2. The supporting means includes a connector holder to which the device-side connector is fixed, and the connector holder.
A support member movably supported between a standby position and a pushing position along the engagement / disengagement direction; and an urging means fixed to the main body for urging the connector holder toward the standby position. The function expansion device for electronic equipment according to claim 1, wherein the function expansion device is for electronic equipment. 3. The support member has a plurality of guide holes, and the support means has a plurality of guide sleeves extending from the main body in the engagement / disengagement direction and inserted into the guide holes. , Each of the guide sleeves has a base end portion fixed to the main body and a front end portion extending from the main body, and the front end portion abuts on the connector holder located at the standby position to move the connector holder. A restricting locking portion is formed, and each guide sleeve is formed in a tapered shape tapering from the distal end portion toward the proximal end portion, and the distal end portion has a diameter substantially equal to that of the guide hole, and the proximal end portion is The function expansion device for an electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the function expansion device has a diameter smaller than that of the guide hole.