Electronic apparatus having a rib integral with the display housing for protecting the fluorescent lamp

• US 5,499,129 A
• Filed: 11/29/1993
• Issued: 03/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Katumaru, Satou, Youji
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong, Tai V.
• Application Number:
  US08/159,201
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 359/48, 359/49, 359/50, 359/83, 359/88, 362/26, 362/27, 362/30, 362/31, 362/260, 361/681, 361/725, 364/708.1, 439/61, 439/62, 439/248
• US Class Current: 349/58
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• 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 1/1679 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 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0295 having ejection mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/946 Memory card cartridge

Abstract

A personal computer includes a box-shaped body having a card storing section for storing a memory card. An operating opening portion is formed by cutting an edge of the body to a given size and externally accessible by a finger, and the storing section communicates with the opening portion through an inlet opening. An ejector mechanism for ejecting the card from the card storing section includes a card receiver arranged in the storing section for receiving the card inserted through the inlet opening. A drawer member is mounted on the card receiver and has an operating end portion. The operating end portion is located within the operating opening portion when the drawer member is moved to its pushed-in position while the card receiver is in its first position and outwardly projects through the operating opening portion when the drawer member is moved to its drawn-out position while the card receiver is in its first position. When the drawer member is drawn outside the body form its drawn-out position, the card receiver along with the received card is moved from its first position to its second position in accordance with the movement of the drawer member.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a body; and

a display rotatably mounted on the body said display including;

a display main-body having a bottom case, and a cover attached to the bottom case with a given space therebetween and having an opening;

a flat plate-like liquid crystal display section arranged within the display main-body and opposite to the opening;

an elongated fluorescent lamp for illuminating the liquid display section, the fluorescent lamp being arranged within the display main-body and extending along a lateral edge of the display section; and

a lamp drive unit, to drive the fluorescent lamp, arranged within the display main-body and extending along the fluorescent lamp,

said display main-body including protection means for protecting the fluorescent lamp and the lamp drive unit from being damaged, the protection means being arranged within the main-body between the fluorescent lamp and the lamp drive unit so as to prevent the bottom case and the cover from interfering with the fluorescent lamp and the lamp drive unit when external force is applied to the main-body.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said protection means includes a projection which is integrally formed with said one of the bottom case and the cover so as to reinforce said one of the bottom case and the cover.

3. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a body; and

a display rotatably mounted on the body;

said display including;

a display main-body having a bottom case, and a cover attached to the bottom case with a given space therebetween and having an opening;

a flat plate-like liquid crystal display section arranged within the display main-body and opposite to the opening; and

an elongated fluorescent lamp for illuminating the liquid display section, the fluorescent lamp being arranged within the display main-body and extending along a lateral edge of the display section,

said display main-body including a rib protruding from one of the bottom case and the cover, located near the fluorescent lamp and extending along the fluorescent lamp, and having a height of projection greater than a diameter of the fluorescent lamp, and a projecting end which abuts against the other of the bottom case and the cover, to protect the fluorescent lamp from being damaged when an external force is applied to the main-body.

4. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a body; and

a display rotatably mounted on the body;

said display including

a display main-body having a substantially rectangular bottom case, and a cover attached to the bottom case with a given space therebetween and having an opening;

a flat plate-like liquid crystal display section arranged within the display main-body and opposite to the opening;

an elongated fluorescent lamp for illuminating the liquid crystal display section, the fluorescent lamp being arranged within the display main-body and extending along a lateral edge of the display section; and

a lamp drive unit, to drive the fluorescent lamp, arranged within the display main-body and extending along the fluorescent lamp,

said display main-body including a rib projecting from the inner surface of the bottom case toward the cover and arranged between the fluorescent lamp and the lamp drive unit, extending along the fluorescent lamp to protect the fluorescent lamp and the lamp drive unit, the rib having a height of projection greater than a diameter of the fluorescent lamp and a thickness of the lamp drive unit.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the rib has a projecting end which abuts against the cover.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said display comprises a drive unit for driving the liquid crystal display section, the drive unit being arranged within the display main-body between the liquid crystal display section and the fluorescent lamp.

7. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said display comprises a connecting member for connecting the liquid crystal display section and the drive unit by clamping edge portions of the display section and drive unit.