Portable electronic apparatus having an electro-magnetic shield supporting a keyboard

• US 5,355,278 A
• Filed: 03/15/1993
• Issued: 10/11/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohgami, Keizo, Hosoi, Takashi, Takeda, Fumiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US08/032,189
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 364/708, 364/708.1, 200/5 A, D 4/356 C, D 4/35 R, 361/380, 361/390-395, 361/399, 361/424, 361/680-686, 361/816, 361/818, 361/758
• US Class Current: 361/679.09
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 37/02 with tumbler discs or rings arranged on a single axis, each disc being adjustable independently of the others
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/5276 parallel to the wing edge
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• 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 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5009 For portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5071 Hasp controlled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/508 Hasp type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7305 Manually operable

Abstract

A portable computer includes a housing and a display unit. The display unit is attached to the housing to be movable between a closed position and an opened position. The portable unit may also include a keyboard which can be covered by the display when the display is in the closed position. A circuit board is proximate to the bottom wall of the housing. A shield plate for magnetically shielding the circuit board is disposed inside the housing proximate to the circuit board and can be between the circuit board and the keyboard if a keyboard is provided. At least one supporting member extends from the bottom face of the shielding plate and abuts the circuit board to prevent the keyboard unit, if one is provided, from bending toward the circuit board. The shield plate may include an edge which is supported on the housing. The portable computer may also include bosses positioned between the bottom wall of the housing and the circuit board.

Claims

1. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing having a bottom wall carrying a circuit board thereon;

a substantially rectangular keyboard unit mounted on the housing and facing the circuit board, a peripheral edge portion of the keyboard unit being supported on the housing;

a shielding plate arranged adjacent to the keyboard unit between the circuit board and the keyboard unit, for magnetically shielding the circuit board; and

means for preventing the keyboard unit from bending toward the circuit board, the preventing means including a supporting member extending from the shielding plate and having an extended end abutting against the circuit board.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said shielding plate is a substantially rectangular structure having substantially the same size as the keyboard unit, and said preventing means includes a plurality of said supporting members extending from substantially the central portion of the shielding plate.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said housing has a plurality of bosses protruding from the bottom wall, said circuit board is placed on the bosses, and said supporting members are aligned with the bosses.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said preventing means includes a plurality of cushioning members disposed between the extended ends of the supporting members and the circuit board.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said preventing means includes a plurality of another cushioning members disposed between the keyboard unit and the shielding plate, the another cushioning members being aligned with the supporting members.

6. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing having a bottom wall;

a circuit board proximate to the bottom wall;

a keyboard unit mounted on the housing and facing the circuit board;

a shielding plate disposed between the circuit board and the keyboard unit for magnetically shielding the circuit board; and

spacing means, disposed between the circuit board and the shielding plate, for maintaining spacing between the circuit board and the shielding plate.

7. A portable electronic apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the keyboard unit includes a peripheral edge portion supported on the housing, and the shielding plate includes an edge portion, the edge portion of the shielding plate including a supported portion, the supported portion being supported on the housing.

8. A portable electronic apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the spacing means has an end face, the circuit board has an upper portion, and wherein the portable electronic apparatus further comprises:

a plurality of cushioning members disposed in the upper portion of the circuit board facing the end face of the spacing means.

9. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing having at least one boss on a bottom wall thereof;

a circuit board mounted on the at least one boss;

a keyboard unit mounted on the housing and facing the circuit board, the keyboard unit having a peripheral edge portion, the peripheral edge portion of the keyboard unit being supported on the housing;

a shielding plate disposed between the circuit board and the keyboard unit for magnetically shielding the circuit board; and

spacing means, disposed between the circuit board and the shielding plate, for maintaining spacing between the circuit board and the shielding plate.

10. A portable electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the shielding plate has a supported portion in an edge portion of the shielding plate, the supported portion being supported on the housing.

11. A portable electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the spacing means has an end face, the circuit board has an upper portion, and wherein the portable electronic apparatus further comprises:

at least one cushioning member disposed in the upper portion of the circuit board facing the end face of the spacing means.

12. A portable electronic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said at least one boss and a corresponding cushioning member are arranged in a line substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall.

13. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing having a bottom wall;

a circuit board proximate to the bottom wall;

a shielding plate disposed proximate to the circuit board, the shielding plate having an edge portion supported on the housing for magnetically shielding the circuit board;

at least one spacing means, disposed between the circuit board and the shielding plate, for maintaining spacing between the circuit board and the shielding plate; and

at least one boss disposed between the bottom wall and the circuit board.

14. A portable electronic apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a keyboard unit mounted on the shielding plate, the shielding plate having a supported portion supported on the housing.

15. A portable electronic apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising at least one cushioning member disposed between the circuit board and the spacing means.

16. A portable electronic apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said at least one spacing means, a corresponding boss, and a corresponding cushioning member are arranged in a line substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall.

17. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing having a bottom wall;

a circuit board proximate to the bottom wall;

a shielding plate disposed proximate to the circuit board for magnetically shielding the circuit board, the shielding plate having an edge portion being supported on the housing;

a plurality of bosses disposed between the bottom wall and the circuit board; and

means for preventing the shielding plate from bending toward the circuit board, the preventing means including a supporting member which extends from the shielding plate and has an extended end abutting against the circuit board.

18. A portable electronic apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a keyboard unit mounted on the shielding plate, the shielding plate having a supported portion supported on the housing.

19. A portable electronic apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a plurality of cushioning members disposed between the circuit board and the preventing means.

20. A portable electronic apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the preventing means, a corresponding boss, and a corresponding cushioning member are arranged in a line substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall.