Portable electronic apparatus having a keyboard with a shielding plate attached to a cover thereof

• US 5,483,418 A
• Filed: 04/21/1995
• Issued: 01/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Hosoi, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US08/426,589
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 364/708.1, 364/709.01, 364/709.12, 341/22, 341/34, 400/472, 400/479, 400/479.2, 400/691-693, 248/27.3, 312/223.2, 200/5 A, 174/35 R, 361/679, 361/680, 361/683, 361/816, 361/818, 235/1 D, 235/145 R, 235/146
• US Class Current: 361/679.55
• 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/002 sealed
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/012 Snap mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/014 located in recess
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/028 detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/002 Calculator, computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/004 High frequency adaptation or shielding

Abstract

A portable electronic apparatus has a bottom case and a cover. The bottom case has a bottom wall and an opening that opposes the bottom wall. A printed circuit board is disposed in the bottom case. The cover has a keyboard unit and is removably attached to the case so as to cover the opening portion. The keyboard unit has a main body having an under side, a shielding plate and a film member. The shielding plate is fixed to the under side and shields the electromagnetic noise produced by the keyboard unit. The film member has a circuit pattern disposed thereon and is disposed between the under side and the shielding plate. The apparatus is able to secure the cover to the case. The cover may have a fixing portion, and the apparatus may have screws for securing the fixing portion. A keyboard frame surrounds the keyboard unit and is detachably connected to the bottom case and the cover. Finally, the keyboard unit may be detachable from the cover.

Claims

1. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a bottom case having a bottom wall and an opening portion opposing the bottom wall;

a printed circuit board disposed in the bottom case;

a cover portion removably attached to the bottom case so as to cover the opening portion, the cover portion having a keyboard body, the keyboard body having an under side and a fixing portion, the fixing portion having projections which project from the under side; and

means for securing the fixing portion to the bottom case, the securing means having a plurality of screws, each being screwed through the bottom wall and into a corresponding projection.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the keyboard body is detachable from the cover portion.

3. An apparatus according to claim 0, wherein the bottom case further includes a rear case portion and a front case portion, and the cover portion further includes a rear cover portion and a front cover portion, the rear cover portion being disposed so as to cover the rear case portion, and the front cover portion being disposed so as to cover the front case portion, and having the keyboard body.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the keyboard body further includes a receiving portion, and the front cover portion has a keyboard holding portion for securing the receiving portion.

5. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a case having a bottom wall and an opening portion opposing the bottom wall;

a printed circuit board disposed in the case;

a cover, being removably attached to the case so as to cover the opening portion, having a keyboard unit, the keyboard unit comprising;

a main body having an under side;

a fixing portion having a plurality of projections which protrude from the under side;

a shielding plate disposed proximate to the under side, for shielding electromagnetic noise from the printed circuit board; and

a film member, being disposed between the under side and the shielding plate, having a circuit pattern disposed thereon; and

means for securing the fixing portion to the case, the securing means having a plurality of screws, each being screwed through the bottom wall and into a corresponding projection.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the keyboard body is detachable from the cover portion.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the bottom case further includes a rear case portion and a front case portion, and the cover portion further includes a rear cover portion and a front cover portion, the rear cover portion being disposed so as to cover the rear case portion, and the front cover portion being disposed so as to cover the front case portion, and having the keyboard body.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the main body includes a receiving portion, and the front cover portion has a keyboard holding portion for retaining the receiving portion.

9. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing including;

a bottom case having a bottom wall; and

a cover portion that covers at least a first portion of the bottom case;

a printed circuit board disposed in the housing;

a keyboard unit removably mounted on the housing so as to cover at least a second portion of the bottom case, the keyboard unit including;

a keyboard body having;

a top face;

a peripheral edge;

an under side; and

a fixing portion which includes a plurality of first projections which protrude from the under side of the keyboard body;

a plurality of keys disposed on the top face of the keyboard body; and

a keyboard frame disposed about the peripheral edge of the keyboard body, the keyboard frame being removably fitted to the bottom case, and being removable from the bottom case independently of the cover portion; and

means for securing the fixing portion to the housing, the securing means including a plurality of screws, each being screwed into a corresponding first projection through the bottom wall.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

the first projections include bosses, each boss having a tapped hole therein;

the bottom wall includes second projections that project toward the keyboard unit, each second projection facing a corresponding boss when the keyboard unit is mounted on the housing; and

the screws penetrate through the second projections toward the keyboard unit when the keyboard unit is mounted on the housing, and screw into the tapped holes of the corresponding bosses.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

the keyboard body further includes a plurality of notches which are formed in the peripheral edge portion thereof; and

the keyboard frame includes;

an annular inner peripheral wall that abuts against the peripheral edge portion of the keyboard body; and

a plurality of engaging hooks that protrude from the annular inner peripheral wall so as to extend through the notches and engage the under side of the keyboard body, thereby holding the peripheral edge portion of the keyboard body in cooperating relation to the annular inner peripheral wall.

12. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing including;

a bottom case having a bottom wall; and

a cover portion that covers at least a first portion of the bottom case;

a printed circuit board disposed in the bottom case;

a keyboard unit removably mounted on the housing so as to cover at least a second portion of the bottom case, the keyboard unit including;

a keyboard body having;

a top face;

a peripheral edge;

an under side; and

a plurality of fixing portions which protrude from the under side of the keyboard body;

a plurality of keys disposed on the top face of the keyboard body; and

a keyboard frame disposed about the peripheral edge of the keyboard body, the keyboard frame being removably fitted to the bottom case, being removable from the bottom case independently of the cover portion, and having a plurality of projections which are formed to engage the cover portion; and

a plurality of screws for fixing the keyboard unit to the housing, the screws being screwed to the fixing portions through the bottom wall.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the cover portion includes engaging portions and connecting portions that project towards the bottom case;

the keyboard frame includes a rear frame portion that is abutted against the cover portion and rests upon the connecting portions; and

the projections engage the engaging portions.

14. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing including;

a bottom case having a bottom wall; and

a cover portion that covers at least a first portion of the bottom case;

a printed circuit board disposed in the bottom case;

a keyboard unit removably mounted on the housing so as to cover at least a second portion of the bottom case, the keyboard unit including;

a keyboard body having;

a top face;

a peripheral edge;

an under side; and

a fixing portion including a plurality of projections which protrude from the under side of the keyboard body;

a film member, having a circuit pattern thereon, being disposed on the under side of the keyboard body;

a shielding plate secured to the under side of the keyboard body, the shielding plate being disposed so as to shielded the printed circuit board from the electromagnetic noise produced by the keyboard unit;

a plurality of keys disposed on the top face of the keyboard body; and

a keyboard frame disposed about the peripheral edge of the keyboard body, the keyboard frame being removably fitted to the bottom case, and being removable from the bottom case independently of the cover portion; and

means for securing the fixing portion to the housing, the securing means including a plurality of screws which are screwed into the projections through the bottom wall.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

the housing includes means, disposed on the bottom wall, for shielding the printed circuit board from external noise; and

the shielding plate includes coupling means for electrically coupling the shielding plate to the shielding means when the keyboard unit is mounted on the housing.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein:

the coupling means is disposed between one of the projections and the shielding means; and

one of the screws is screwed into the projection through the shielding means and the coupling means.

17. A portable computer comprising:

a housing including;

a bottom case having a bottom wall; and

a cover portion that covers at least a first portion of the bottom case;

a keyboard unit removably mounted on the housing so as to cover at least a second portion of the bottom case, the keyboard unit including;

a plate having a top face, an under side, a peripheral edge, and a plurality of fixing portions which protrude from the under side of the plate;

a plurality of keys disposed on the top face of the plate; and

a frame disposed about the peripheral edge of the plate, the frame being removably fitted to the bottom case, and being removable from the bottom case independently of the cover portion; and

a plurality of screws for fixing the keyboard unit to the housing, each being screwed into a corresponding fixing portion through the bottom case.

18. A portable computer according to claim 17 wherein:

the fixing portions include bosses, each boss having a tapped hole therein;

the bottom wall includes a plurality of through holes, each facing a corresponding boss when the keyboard unit is mounted on the housing; and

the screws are screwed into the tapped holes through the through holes.

19. A portable computer according to claim 17 wherein:

the fixing portions include bosses, each boss having a tapped hole therein;

the bottom wall includes a plurality of projections, each protruding towards the keyboard unit and facing a corresponding boss when the keyboard unit is mounted on the housing; and

the screws penetrate through the projections into the tapped holes through the bottom wall.

20. A portable computer according to claim 17 wherein:

the cover portion includes a front end wall; and

the frame includes a plurality of projections which removably engage the front end wall when the keyboard unit is mounted on the housing.

21. A portable computer according to claim 17 wherein the plate further includes a film disposed upon the under side thereof, and a shielding plate disposed upon the film thereof.

22. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing including;

a bottom case having a bottom wall; and

a cover portion that covers at least a first portion of the bottom case;

a printed circuit board disposed in the housing;

a keyboard unit removably mounted on the housing so as to cover at least a second portion of the bottom case, the keyboard unit including;

a top face;

an under side;

fixing portions which includes a plurality of first projections which protrude from the under side of the keyboard unit; and

a plurality of keys disposed on the top face of the keyboard unit; and

means for securing the fixing portion to the housing, the securing means including a plurality of screws, each being screwed into a corresponding projection through the bottom wall.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein:

the first projections include bosses, each boss having a tapped hole therein;

the bottom wall includes second projections that project toward the keyboard unit, each second projection facing a corresponding boss when the keyboard unit is mounted on the housing; and

the screws penetrate through the second projections toward the keyboard unit when the keyboard unit is mounted on the housing, and screw into the tapped holes.

24. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the keyboard unit further comprises:

a keyboard body having a peripheral edge and the fixing portions; and

a keyboard frame removable fitted on the peripheral edge and the bottom case so as to be removable from the bottom case independently of the cover portion.

25. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a housing that encloses the printed circuit board; and

a keyboard unit mounted on the housing, the keyboard unit including;

a keyboard body having a top face, an under side; and

a plurality of keys disposed on the top face of the keyboard body;

a shielding plate fixed to the underside of the keyboard body, the shielding plate being constructed and arranged to shield electromagnetic noise from the printed circuit board; and

a film member, which is disposed between the shielding plate and the Under side of the keyboard body, having a circuit pattern thereon.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the housing includes:

a bottom case having a bottom wall; and

a cover portion that covers at least a first portion of the bottom case; and

wherein the keyboard unit is removably mounted on the bottom case so as to cover at least a second portion of the bottom case.

27. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the keyboard body further includes a fixing portion which has projections that project from the under side of the keyboard body, and wherein the apparatus further comprises means for securing the fixing portion of the keyboard body to the bottom case, the securing means having a plurality of screws, each being screwed to the fixing portion through the bottom wall.

28. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the keyboard body further includes a peripheral edge, and the keyboard unit further includes a keyboard frame disposed about the peripheral edge of the keyboard body, and wherein the keyboard frame is removably connected to the bottom case.

29. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein:

the keyboard body further includes a plurality of notches which are formed in the peripheral edge thereof; and

the keyboard frame includes;

an annular inner peripheral wall that abuts against the peripheral edge of the keyboard body; and

a plurality of engaging hooks that protrude from the annular inner peripheral wall so as to extend through the notches and engage the under side of the keyboard body, thereby holding the peripheral edge of the keyboard body in cooperating relation to the annular inner peripheral wall.

30. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein:

the cover portion includes engaging portions and connecting portions that project towards the bottom case; and

the keyboard frame includes;

a rear frame portion that abuts against the cover portion and is disposed so as to be connectable to the connecting portions; and

a plurality of projections that are constructed and arranged to engage the engaging portions of the cover portion.

31. A keyboard unit for use in combination with an electronic apparatus that has a housing that encloses a printed circuit board therein, the keyboard unit comprising:

a keyboard body having a top face and an under side;

a plurality of keys disposed on the top face of the keyboard body;

a shielding plate fixed to the under side of the keyboard body, the shielding plate being constructed and arranged to shield electromagnetic noise from the printed circuit board; and

a film member having a circuit pattern thereon, wherein the film member is disposed between the shielding plate and the under side of the keyboard body.