Engaging device of a keyboard for a data processing unit

• US 4,882,684 A
• Filed: 12/21/1987
• Issued: 11/21/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Sasaki, Toyonori, Ishigami, Michifumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Harkcom, Gary V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mai, Tan V.
• Application Number:
  US07/135,274
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 364/708, 361/393-394, 312/208, 312/282, 16/254, 16/260, 248/293
• US Class Current: 361/679.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1696 the I/O peripheral being a printing or scanning device

Abstract

One end of a keyboard is raised or lowered for easy keying operation. By turning knobs on both sides of a keyboard, an inclination of the board can be arbitrarily adjusted as required for an operator. Additional plugs or connecting parts are not required to connect the keyboard to a data processing unit and set it in position. The keyboard can be engaged with the data processing unit by inserting a pair of leg members, each of which is respectively constructed in one unit to detachably connect the keyboard into slots of the data processing unit.

Claims

1. In combination with a data processing unit having a keyboard detachably mounted on a body of said data processing unit, an engaging device comprising:

engaging means for receiving and holding leg members, said engaging means being formed at a lower front portion of said body of said data processing unit and extending rearwardly into said body;

said leg members rotatably mounted relative to said keyboard and lockable into at least one predetermined position and selectively engageable with said engaging means; and

angle adjusting means, connected to said leg members, for rotating said leg members to a predetermined position for adjusting a declination angle between an upper surface of said keyboard and a level surface on which the keyboard rests, thereby allowing an operator to select a plurality of declination angles of the keyboard.

2. Engaging device of a keyboard for a data processing unit according to claim 1, wherein said leg members include a pair of isomorphic configurations, each of said leg members being mounted on a rearward end of said keyboard and comprising:

an outer cylinder having a leg piece extending tangentially therefrom and a ring-shaped surface formed normal to and on an inner surface on one end of said outer cylinder;

a projection formed on a portion of said ring-shaped surface and projecting toward said one end of said outer cylinder;

a recess disposed in a center portion of said projection;

an inner cylinder housed in and coaxially with said outer cylinder; and

a recess disposed at an outer end portion of said leg piece and parallel with an axis of said outer cylinder.

3. Engaging device of a keyboard for a data processing unit according to claim 2, wherein said engaging means includes a pair of isomorphic configurations spaced laterally apart from each other, each of said engaging means comprising:

a lateral engaging hole formed on a lower front portion of said body of said data processing unit and being slightly larger in size than said leg piece of said leg member;

a locking plate attached at a front end thereof to an inner surface of said body, extending rearwardly and downwardly, and having a downward convex part at a rear end thereof, fittable into said recess of said leg piece of said leg member when said leg piece is inserted into said engaging hole;

two upper ribs extending rearwardly from an upper edge of said engaging hole, said locking plate being disposed between said two upper ribs, each of said upper ribs having a downward projected portion; and

a lower rib extending rearwardly from a lower edge of said engaging hole and disposed beneath said two upper ribs and a clearance formed between said two upper ribs and said lower rib, said clearance guiding said leg piece upon its insertion into the engaging hole.

4. Engaging device of a keyboard for a data processing unit according to claim 3, wherein said locking plate is an elastic plate.

5. Engaging device of a keyboard for a data processing unit according to claim 2, wherein said keyboard includes a cylindrical shaft rotatably supporting each of said leg members, said shaft being inserted into a hollow portion between said outer and inner cylinders of each of said leg members, and having a convex part on an outer surface thereof, fittable into said recess of said projection of said outer cylinder.

6. Engaging device of a keyboard for a data processing unit according to claim 2, wherein each of said leg members includes a coil spring between said inner cylinder and said keyboard.

7. Engaging device of a keyboard for a data processing unit according to claim 2, wherein said outer cylinder has a gripping rim around an outer circumferential surface thereof and is capped on an outer end thereof.

8. Engaging device of a keyboard for a data processing unit according to claim 7, wherein said inner cylinder is connected to said capped end.

9. Engaging device of a keyboard for a data processing unit according to claim 2, wherein said projection declines at each side of said recess.

10. Engaging device of a keyboard for a data processing unit according to claim 1, wherein said leg members enable the keyboard to rotate, when said leg members engage with said engaging means, between an engaged working position and a closed position where the keyboard rests on the front portion of the body of the data processing unit, and a declination angle of said keyboard in said engaged working position is larger than a declination angle of said keyboard in a working position when said leg members are disengaged from said engaging means, a declination angle is defined between an upper surface of said keyboard and a level surface on which said keyboard rests.

11. In combination with a data processing unit having a keyboard detachably and tiltably mounted on a body of said data processing unit, a tilt device of said keyboard comprising:

recesses formed at both rear corners of said keyboard;

a tilting member supported in each of said recesses rotatably around and movably along a shaft attached to said keyboard and having a leg piece projectable from a base surface of said keyboard when said tilting member rotates;

a resilient member activating said tilting member in the direction of said shaft, said resilient member attached at one end thereof to said tilting member and at another end thereof to said keyboard; and

lock means for locking rotation of said tilting member around said shaft at a predetermined position by engaging two locking members with each other when said tilting member rotates, one of said two locking members being attached to said tilting member and the other attached to said shaft.