Portable electronic apparatus having a battery pack receptacle

• US 5,905,632 A
• Filed: 11/06/1997
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hideaki, Seto, Masaru, Horii, Yasuyuki, Yokoyama, Naohiro, Tatemichi, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): FEILD, LYNN DIANA
• Application Number:
  US08/968,924
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683-686, 361/724-727, 429/96-100, 429/123, 364/708.1
• 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 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• 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 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• 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: G11B 33/12 Disposition of constructional parts in the apparatus, e.g. of power supply, of modules
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/123 Mounting arrangements of constructional parts onto a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/124 of the single recording/reproducing device, e.g. disk drive, onto a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The portable electronic apparatus has a box-like casing having a peripheral wall, and a pack receptacle defined within the casing. The pack receptacle has an opening portion opened in the peripheral wall. A packaged functional component is stored in the pack receptacle, such that the functional component can be detached therefrom through the opening portion. The pack receptacle of the casing is provided with a locking member for holding the functional component. The locking member is movable by manual operation between a locked position where the locking member is hooked on the functional component and a lock-released position where the locking member leaves the functional component. The pack receptacle is provided with a spring for energizing the functional component in the direction in which the functional component is pushed out through the opening portion. The opening portion of the casing and the locking member are covered with a detachable cover.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a casing having a pack receptacle comprising a first end having a battery connector, a second end facing the first end, and an opening portion communicating with the first and second ends;

a battery pack stored in said pack receptacle, capable of being removed therefrom through the opening portion, and comprising a first end and a second end opposing the first end, said first end having terminal plates which contact said battery connector;

a locking means positioned in the second end of the pack receptacle for holding the battery pack in the pack receptacle, said locking means being movable by manual operation between a locked position where the locking means is hooked on the second end of the battery pack and a lock-released position where the locking means leaves the second end of the battery pack; and

pressure means provided in the second end of the pack receptacle for energizing the second end of the battery pack towards the opening portion, and for allowing the second end of the battery pack to incline so as to protrude outside the opening portion when said lock means is moved to the lock-released position.

2. An electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cover detachably supported on the casing for covering the opening portion and the locking means.

3. An electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said locking means has a locking member supported by the second end of the pack receptacle, comprising a claw detachably engaged with the second end of the battery pack and held at the locking position by a spring member.

4. An electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said casing has a holding member for holding the cover on the casing, said holding member being movable by manual operation between a first position where the holding member is engaged with the cover and a second position where the holding member leaves the cover.

5. An electronic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said spring member has a first pressure part which pushes the locking member toward the locking position and a second pressure part which pushes the holding member toward the first position.

6. An electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressure means has a plurality of springs supported on the second end of the pack receptacle and a pressure plate supported on end portions of the springs, so as to bridge the end portions, wherein the pressure plate is in contact with the second end of the battery pack.

7. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a casing including a pack receptacle having an end portion and an opening portion communicating with the end portion, and a wall opposed to the opening portion;

a packaged functional component stored in said pack receptacle and capable of being removed therefrom through the opening portion, and having an end portion facing the wall of the pack receptacle;

locking means positioned in the pack receptacle for holding the functional component in the pack receptacle, said locking means being movable by manual operation between a locked position where the locking means is hooked on the end portion of the functional component and a lock-released position where the locking means leaves the end portion of the functional component; and

pressure means provided in the pack receptacle for pressing the end portion of the functional component towards the opening portion and for slanting said functional component within said pack receptacle by exerting pressure when said locking means is moved to the lock-released position, said pressure means having a plurality of springs supported on the wall and located apart from each other and a pressure plate supported on the end portions of the springs so as to bridle the end portions, said pressure plate being in contact with the end portion of the functional component, thereby pushing the end portion of the functional component outside the opening portion.

8. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a casing having a peripheral wall;

a pack receptacle defined within the casing, said pack receptacle having an opening portion open in the peripheral wall;

a packaged functional component stored in the pack receptacle such that the packaged functional component can be detached through the opening portion;

locking means positioned in the opening portion of the pack receptacle for holding the functional component in the pack receptacle, said locking means being movable by manual operation between a locked position where the locking means is hooked on the functional component and a lock-released position where the locking means leaves the functional component;

pressure means provided in the pack receptacle for pressing the packaged functional component towards the opening portion and for slanting said functional component within said pack receptacle when said locking means is moved to the lock-released position, thereby pushing a portion of the functional component outside the opening portion;

energizing means for continuously energizing the locking means toward the locking position;

a cover detachably supported on the casing for covering the opening portion and the locking means;

wherein the pack receptacle has a first connector, wherein the functional component has a first end provided with a second connector which is connected with the first connector when the functional component is stored in the pack receptacle and a second end positioned opposite to the first end on which the locking means is hooked, and wherein the pressure means is provided at a position corresponding to the second end; and

wherein the pack receptacle has a wall facing the second end of the functional component, and wherein the pressure means has a plurality of springs supported on the wall and a pressure plate supported on end portions of the springs so as to bridge the end portions, wherein the pressure plate is in contact with the second end of the functional component.

9. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a casing having a peripheral wall;

a pack receptacle defined within the casing, said pack receptacle having an opening portion open in the peripheral wall;

a packaged functional component stored in the pack receptacle such that the packaged functional component can be detached through the opening portion;

locking means positioned in the opening portion of the pack receptacle for holding the functional component in the pack receptacle, said locking means being movable by manual operation between a locked position where the locking means is hooked on the functional component and a lock-released position where the locking means leaves the functional component;

pressure means provided in the pack receptacle for pressing the packaged functional component towards the opening portion and for slanting said functional component within said pack receptacle when said locking means is moved to the lock-released position, thereby pushing a portion of the functional component outside the opening portion;

energizing means for continuously energizing the locking means toward the locking position;

a cover detachably supported on the casing for covering the opening portion and the locking means;

wherein the pack receptacle has a first connector, wherein the functional component has a first end provided with a second connector which is connected with the first connector when the functional component is stored in the pack receptacle and a second end positioned opposite to the first end on which the locking means is hooked, and wherein the pressure means is provided at a position corresponding to the second end;

wherein the pack receptacle has an inner wall facing the first connector, wherein the first connector has a plurality of contact elements which are elastically deformed to have contact with the second connector, and wherein the contact elements press the functional component toward the inner wall; and

wherein the locking means has a locking member supported on the inner wall, wherein the locking member has a claw which can be engaged with the second end of the functional component, and wherein the claw is exposed to the opening portion when the cover is detached from the casing.

10. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a casing having a peripheral wall;

a pack receptacle defined within the casing, said pack receptacle having an opening portion open in the peripheral wall;

a packaged functional component stored in the pack receptacle such that the packaged functional component can be detached through the opening portion;

locking means positioned in the opening portion of the pack receptacle for holding the functional component in the pack receptacle, said locking means being movable by manual operation between a locked position where the locking means is hooked on the functional component and a lock-released position where the locking means leaves the functional component;

pressure means provided in the pack receptacle for pressing the packaged functional component towards the opening portion and for slanting said functional component within said pack receptacle when said locking means is moved to the lock-released position, thereby pushing a portion of the functional component outside the opening portion;

energizing means for continuously energizing the locking means toward the locking position;

a cover detachably supported on the casing for covering the opening portion and the locking means;

wherein the pack receptacle has a first connector, wherein the functional component has a first end provided with a second connector which is connected with the first connector when the functional component is stored in the pack receptacle and a second end positioned opposite to the first end on which the locking means is hooked, and wherein the pressure means is provided at a position corresponding to the second end; and

wherein the functional component is a battery pack having a case to be engaged in the pack receptacle, and further comprising a plurality of secondary batteries contained in the case.