ELECTRONIC DEVICE, COMBINING DEVICE, AND DETACHING METHOD

• US 20150098182A1
• Filed: 06/26/2014
• Published: 04/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Client Solutions CO., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: LIU, Stan, LIN, Vic, CHIU, Brad, HUANG, San
• Granted Patent: US 9,690,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.55
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a first part, a second part, a third part, and a combining portion. The second part is connected with the first part and configured to move between a first position and a second position. The combining portion is configured to combine the third part with the second part when the second part is positioned within a combining interval defined within an interval between the first position and the second position, and to separate the third part from the second part when the second part is position at a third position defined at the second position or defined at a position between the combining interval and the second position.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a base;

a docker connected with the base and configured to move between a first position and a second position;

an electronic terminal; and

a combining portion configured to combine the electronic terminal with the docker when the docker is positioned within a combining interval between the first position and the second position, and to separate the electronic terminal from the docker when the docker is positioned at a third position which is same as the second position or at a fourth position between the combining interval and the second position.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the docker comprises the combining portion.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, further comprising a first moving portion configured to move the docker positioned at the third position to a position within the combining interval.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the combining portion comprises a combining member, and

the combining member is configured to move between a combining position at which the combining member is capable of combining the electronic terminal with the docker and a separating position at which the combining member is capable of separating the electronic terminal from the docker,

the combining member is configured to be positioned at the combining position when the docker is positioned within the combining interval, and

the combining member is configured to be positioned at the separating position when the docker is positioned at the third position.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, further comprising a second moving portion configured to move the combining member from the combining position to the separating position.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, further comprising a third moving portion configured to apply a force to move the combining member from the separating position toward the combining position.

7. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the second moving portion is configured to move the combining member from the combining position toward the separating position while the docker is moving from the combining interval to the third position.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the second moving portion comprises a cam configured to push the combining member.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

the cam comprises a first cam member fixed to the base and a second cam member fixed to the combining member, and the combining member configured to be brought into contact with the first cam member, and

the first cam member is configured to move the combining member by pushing the second cam member while the docker is moving from the combining interval to the third position.

10. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the second moving portion comprises a bevel gear and a rack-and-pinion configured to move the combining member by rotating with respect to the bevel gear in accordance with a move of the docker.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein

the bevel gear comprises an engaging portion comprising a plurality of teeth, and

the engaging portion comprises a first area provided with the teeth and a second area with no teeth.

12. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the second moving portion is configured to move the combining member from the combining position to the separating position when the docker is positioned at the third position.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein

the combining member comprises a first magnet, and

the second moving portion comprises a second magnet configured to face the first magnet and to repel the first magnet to move the combining member when the docker is located at the third position.

14. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the combining member comprises a hook configured to engage with the electronic terminal.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the combining member is configured to be pushed from the combining position to the separating position by the electronic terminal moving toward a position in which the third part is combined with the docker when the docker is positioned within the combining interval, and to receive a force to move from the separating position toward the combining position by the third moving portion when the electronic terminal is combined with the docker.

16. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic terminal comprises a display.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the base comprises an input portion.

18. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic terminal is lighter in weight than the base.

19. An combining device comprising:

a base;

a docker connected with the base and configured to move between a first position and a second position;

a electronic terminal; and

a combining portion configured to combine the electronic terminal with the docker when the docker is positioned within a combining interval between the first position and the second position, and to separate the electronic terminal from the docker when the docker is position at a third position which is same as the second position or at a fourth position between the combining interval and the second position.

20. A method of detaching a detachable part of a combining device comprising a base and a docker, the docker attached with the base, the method comprising:

moving, when the docker is moved from a combining interval to a third position, a combining member from a combining position to a separating position, wherein

the docker is configured to move between a first position and a second position with respect to the base,

the combining interval is between the first position and the second position,

the third position is at the second position or at a forth position between the combining interval and the second position,

at the combining position, the combining member is capable of combining the detachable part with the docker, and

at the separating position, the combining member is capable of separating the detachable part from the docker.