Connection between portable computer components

• US 4,969,830 A
• Filed: 06/12/1989
• Issued: 11/13/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Grid Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Daly, John J., McNamara, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Application Number:
  US07/364,919
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 439/338, 439/341, 439/345, 439/347, 439/353-358, 439/372, 439/326, 439/136, 439/137, 439/928, 361/392-397, 361/399, 455/89, 455/349, 200/50 A, 200/51.09
• US Class Current: 439/136
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/022 Application wake up; switches or contacts specially provided for the wake up or standby shift of a circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/631 for engagement only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/928 Modular electrically interengaging parts, e.g. stove with replaceable heating elements formed on coupling parts

Abstract

A hand held portable computer is secured to a peripheral computer component or expansion module in a snap-on arrangement which automatically effects engagement of bus connectors between the two components. The hand held computer has four openings in its back or under side. Two of the slot-like openings have fittings within them or are so shaped as to receive L-shaped or hook-shaped brackets of the peripheral component. The brackets may be inserted in the slot openings when the computer and the expansion module are held obliquely angled with respect to each other. The computer is then swung down until its back or under side engages against the top of the peripheral component, whereupon a pair of protruding hook members extending at the top surface of the peripheral component engage the computer and snap into locking engagement in the adjacent slot openings. The bus connection is made when the two components are brought together.

Claims

1. A releasable connection between a computer and an expansion module or peripheral component for the computer, for mating the computer and expansion module closely and connecting them together electrically, comprising,

the computer having a bottom surface and the expansion module having an upper surface which are complementarily shaped to each other such that the two surfaces can be nested closely together,

stationary hook means protruding from the upper surface of the expansion module near a first end of the expansion module,

first hook receiving slot means in the lower surface of the computer, in position corresponding to the position of the stationary hook means of the expansion module, such that the stationary hook means and the hook slot means can be engaged when the computer and the module are nested together,

at least one movable hook member protruding from the upper surface of the expansion module, near a second end of the module, said movable hook member being movable between an engaging position and a disengaging position, and spring means within the expansion module for biasing the movable hook member toward the engaging position, the spring means and the hook member forming an integral element,

second hook receiving slot means in the bottom surface of the computer for receiving the movable hook member for camming the hook member from the engaging position toward the disengaging position as the computer and expansion module are pivoted together following engagement of the stationary hook means with the computer, and including means associated with the movable hook member and the second hook receiving slot means for spring-forcing the movable hook member into a locking position in engagement with the computer when the computer and the expansion module have been moved fully into a nested position, and

bus connector means for automatically making a multiple-contact connection between the computer and the expansion module as the computer is brought into nesting contact with the expansion module.

2. The connection structure of claim 1, wherein the computer'"'"'s bottom surface and the expansion module'"'"'s upper surface are both substantially planar.

3. The connection structure of claim 1, wherein the stationary hook means comprise a pair of stationary hook members protruding from the expansion module, generally L-shaped as viewed from a side of the expansion module, and wherein the corresponding first hook receiving slot means in the bottom of the computer are so configured that the computer and the expansion module must be oriented obliquely with respect to one another in order to engage the stationary hook members into the corresponding slot means.

4. The connection structure of claim 1, including two said movable hook members including a slidable bracket inside the expansion module bearing the movable hook members and reciprocable between an engaged position and a disengaged position of the movable hook members, the slidable bracket being integral with the spring means, the movable hook members each having an inclined surface engageable with an edge of said hook receiving slot means to initially cam the movable hook members and bracket toward the disengaged position when the computer and expansion module are brought together.

5. A releasable connection between a computer and an expansion module or peripheral component for the computer, for mating the computer and expansion module closely and connecting them together electrically, comprising,

the computer having a bottom surface and the expansion module having an upper surface which are complementarily shaped to each other such that the two surfaces can be nested closely together,

stationary hook means protruding from the upper surface of the expansion module near a first end of the expansion module,

first hook receiving slot means in the lower surface of the computer, in position corresponding to the position of the stationary hook means of the expansion module, such that the stationary hook means and the hook receiving slot means can be engaged when the computer and the module are nested together,

at least one movable hook member protruding from the upper surface of the expansion module, near a second end of the module, the movable hook member being movable between an engaging position and a disengaging position, and spring means within the expansion module for biasing the movable hook member toward the engaging position,

second hook receiving slot means in the bottom surface of the computer for receiving the movable hook member and for camming the hook member from the engaging position toward the disengaging position as the computer and expansion module are pivoted together following engagement of the stationary hook means with the computer, and including means associated with the movable hook member and the second hook receiving slot means for spring-forcing the movable hook member into a locking position in engagement with the computer when the computer and the expansion module have been moved fully into a nested position together, and

bus connector means for automatically making a multiple-contact connection between the computer and the expansion module as the computer is brought into nesting contact with the expansion module, the bus connector means comprising

a recess formed in the bottom of the computer;

a door movable between open and closed positions, wherein the recess is covered in the door'"'"'s closed position and uncovered in the door'"'"'s open position; and

means for changing the operational state of the computer when the door moves from the closed position to the open position.

6. The connection structure of claim 5 wherein the means for changing comprises a switch disposed on the computer and a switch actuator disposed on the door.

7. A method for securing a computer to an expansion module or peripheral component for the computer, for mating the computer and expansion module closely and connecting them together electrically, comprising,

providing on the computer a bottom surface and on the expansion module an upper surface which are complementarily shaped to each other such that the two surfaces can be nested closely together,

holding the computer and module obliquely with respect to teach other and engaging a pair of stationary hooks at a first end of the upper surface of the module into corresponding slots in the bottom surface of the computer,

swinging the bottom surface of the computer toward the upper surface of the module and thereby causing a bus connection automatically to be made between the computer and the module, via a bus connector extending up from the modules'"'"' upper surface and a mating bus connector within a recess in the computer'"'"'s bottom surface, and

continuing to bring the computer into nesting contact with the expansion module, until a spring-biased movable hook member extending from an integrally formed slidable bracket inside the module engages with a corresponding latching slot at a second end of the bottom surface of the computer and becomes spring-forced into a latched position to firmly and closely hold the computer in engagement with the expansion module, the bracket including a spring formed integrally with the hook member and bracket.

8. The method of claim 7, including two said movable hook members, the slidable bracket bearing the movable hook members and reciprocable between an engaged position and a disengaged position of the movable hook members, the integral spring biasing the bracket and movable hook members toward the engaged position, the movable hook members each having an inclined surface engageable with an edge of the corresponding latching slot of the computer to initially cam the movable hook members and bracket toward the disengaged position when the computer and expansion module are brought together.

9. A releasable connection between two pieces of electronic equipment for connecting them together electrically, comprising,

a first housing having a bottom surface and a second housing having an upper surface which are complementarily shaped to each other such that the two surfaces can be nested closely together,

stationary hook means protruding from the upper surface of the second housing near a first end of the second housing,

first hook receiving slot means in the lower surface of the first housing, in position corresponding to the position of the stationary hook means of the second housing, such that the stationary hook means and the hook receiving slot means can be engaged when the second and first housings, respectively, are nested together,

at least one movable hook member protruding from the upper surface of the second housing, near a second end of the second housing, the movable hook member being movable between an engaging position and a disengaging position, and spring means within the second housing for biasing the movable hook member toward the engaging position, the spring means and the hook member forming an integral element,

second hook receiving slot means in the bottom surface of the first housing for receiving the movable hook member and for camming the hook member from the engaging position toward the disengaging position as the first housing and second housing are pivoted together following engagement of the stationary hook means with the first housing, and including means associated with the movable hook member and the second hook receiving hook receiving slot means for spring-forcing the movable hook member into a locking position in engagement with the first housing, when the first and second housings have been moved fully into a nested position together, and

means for automatically making an electrical connection between the first and second housings as the first housing is brought into nesting contact with the second housing.

10. The connection structure of claim 9, wherein the first housing'"'"'s bottom surface and the second housing'"'"'s upper surface are both substantially planar.

11. The connection structure of claim 9, wherein the stationary hook means comprise a pair of stationary hook members protruding from the second housing, generally L-shaped as viewed from a side of the second housing, and wherein the corresponding first hook receiving slot means in the bottom of the first housing are so configured that the first and second housings must be oriented obliquely with respect to one another in order to engage the stationary hook members into the corresponding slot means.

12. The connection structure of claim 9, including two said movable hook members and including a slidable bracket inside the second housing bearing the movable hook members and reciprocable between an engaged position and a disengaged position of the movable hook members, the slidable bracket being integral with the spring means, the movable hook members each having an inclined surface engageable with an edge of said second hook receiving slot means to initially cam the movable hook members and bracket toward the disengaged position when the first and second housings are brought together.

13. A releasable connection between two pieces of electronic equipment for connecting them together electrically, comprising,

a first housing having a bottom surface and a second housing having an upper surface which are complementarily shaped to each other such that the two surfaces can be nested closely together,

stationary hook means protruding from the upper surface of the second housing near a first end of the second housing,

first hook receiving slot means in the lower surface of the first housing, in position corresponding to the position of the stationary hook means of the second housing, such that the stationary hook means and the hook receiving slot means can be engaged when the second and first housings, respectively, are nested together,

at least one movable hook member protruding from the upper surface of the second housing, near a second end of the second housing, the movable hook member being movable between an engaging position and a disengaging position, and spring means within the second housing for biasing the movable hook member toward the engaging position,

second hook receiving slot means in the bottom surface of the first housing for receiving the movable hook member and for camming the hook member from the engaging position toward the disengaging position as the first and second housings are pivoted together following engagement of the stationary hook means with the first housing, and including means associated with the movable hook member and the second hook receiving slot means for spring-forcing the movable hook member into a locking position in engagement with the first housing when the first and second housings have been moved fully into a nested position together, and

means for automatically making an electrical connection between the first and second housings as the first housing is brought into nesting contact with the second housing, the means for automatically making an electrical connection comprising:

a recess formed in the bottom of the first housing;

a door movable between open and closed positions, wherein the recess is covered in the door'"'"'s closed position and uncovered in the door'"'"'s open position; and

means for changing the operational state of the electronic equipment when the door moves from the closed position to the open position.

14. The connection structure of claim 13 wherein the means for changing comprises a switch disposed within the first housing and a switch actuator disposed on the door.