Electronic system with expanding apparatus for expanding function of electronic apparatus

• US 5,507,661 A
• Filed: 03/27/1995
• Issued: 04/16/1996
• 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: Kawabata, Kazuaki, Honda, Masami, Takada, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Application Number:
  US08/410,380
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 439/327, 439/328, 439/347, 439/352-358, 439/372, 439/928, 439/159, 439/160, 439/946
• US Class Current: 439/347
• 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

An expanding apparatus 215 has a body case 216 having a bearing surface 219, and a second connector 227 provided on the body case. When a personal computer is placed on a bearing surface and moved to a connecting position, a first connector 207 provided on a rear surface of the personal computer is releasably connected with the second connector, and a spring-biased fixing member 170 of the expanding apparatus engages an engaging portion 92a of the computer so as to restrict the movement of the computer. An ejector mechanism includes an operating knob 280 and a pair of pushers 242a, 242b provided on both sides of the second connector, for pushing the rear surface of the computer so as to release the connection between the first and second connectors and to eject the computer from the connecting position.

Claims

1. An electronic system comprising:

an electronic apparatus including a box-like body which has a rear surface provided with a first connector and an engaging portion arranged on an front end portion of the body; and

an expanding apparatus for expanding the functions of the electronic apparatus;

said expanding apparatus comprising;

a body case having a bearing surface for bearing the electronic apparatus;

a second connector provided on the body case to face the rear surface of the body of the electronic apparatus placed on the bearing surface and adapted to be releasably connected with the first connector when the body is moved to a predetermined connecting position on the bearing surface;

expanding means arranged within the body case and connected to the second connector, for expanding the functions of the electronic apparatus;

a fixing member arranged on the body case and movable between a projected position wherein the fixing member engages the engaging portion of the body of the electronic apparatus located at the connecting position so as to restrict the movement of the body and a retreated position wherein the fixing member is disengaged from the engaging portion of the body;

urging means for urging the fixing member to the projected position; and

a lock mechanism for locking the fixing member at the projected position,

wherein the body of said electronic apparatus is provided with a pair of front legs formed on a bottom of the body and extending to the respective lateral sides of the body, and said engaging portion includes a pair of engaging grooves formed on the respective front legs of the body and open to the respective lateral sides of the body.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said fixing claws are made of a conductive material and electrically connected to the body case and the inner surface of each of the engaging grooves is coated with a conductive film electrically connected to the body.

3. An electronic system comprising:

an electronic apparatus including a box-like body which has a rear surface provided with a first connector and an engaging portion arranged on a front end portion of the body; and

an expanding apparatus for expanding the functions of the electronic apparatus;

said expanding apparatus comprising;

a body case having a bearing surface for bearing the electronic apparatus;

a second connector provided on the body case to face the rear surface of the body of the electronic apparatus placed on the bearing surface and adapted to be releasably connected with the first connector when the body is moved to a predetermined connecting position on the bearing surface;

expanding means arranged within the body case and connected to the second connector, for expanding the functions of the electronic apparatus;

a fixing member arranged on the body case and movable between a projected position wherein the fixing member engages the engaging portion of the body of the electronic apparatus located at the connecting position so as to restrict the movement of the body and a retreated position wherein the fixing member is disengaged from the engaging portion of the body;

urging means for urging the fixing member to the projected position; and

a lock mechanism for locking the fixing member at the projected position,

wherein said lock mechanism comprises a lock plate arranged in the body case and movable between a first position wherein the lock plate is engaged with the fixing member located at the projected position and a second position wherein the lock plate is separated from the fixing member, a lock key including a key cylinder which has a key hole open to the lateral side of the body case and rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and an interlocking mechanism for moving the lock plate between the first and second positions in interlock with the rotation of the key cylinder.