Locking device

• US 6,008,992 A
• Filed: 01/21/1999
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Personal Computers, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kawakami, Hirokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vortman, Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US09/234,995
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 361/726, 361/685, 361/679, 361/683, 361/725, 361/732, 361/740, 361/747, 361/686, 361/731, 360/97.01, 360/98.01, 360/137, 360/137 D, 312/332.1, 312/333, 369/75.1-82, 292/132, 292/175, 292/145, 292/163, 292/164, 70/38 A, 70/38 C
• US Class Current: 361/726
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0009 with thermo-electric actuators, e.g. heated bimetals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/183 Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for printed circuit boards, internal connecting means for buses G06F13/409
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/122 Arrangements for providing electrical connections, e.g. connectors, cables, switches
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/123 Mounting arrangements of constructional parts onto a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1411 for securing or extracting box-type drawers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/096 Sliding

Abstract

The present invention provides a locking device having a simplified and energy saving configuration that assures to prevent an unintentional erroneous removal of a container case in operation mode from an apparatus main body. The locking device comprises: first engagement device which is an engagement hole 10 provided in an electronic apparatus main body 1; and second engagement device provided in a disc container case 2 that is inserted into and removed from the electronic apparatus through an opening 1a of the electronic apparatus main body 1. The second engagement device includes a movable engagement piece 21 constituted to be movable toward the engagement hole 10 and a movement urging mechanism 23 for urging this movable engagement piece 21. This movement urging mechanism 23 consists of a working member 23A made from a shape-memory alloy that change its distance from a first end to a second end when subjected to a heat; and a fixed base 24 for fixing the second end of the working member 23A.

Claims

1. A locking device comprising:

first engagement means provided in an apparatus main body; and

second engagement means provided in a container case to be inserted into said apparatus main body through an opening of said apparatus main body in such a manner that said second engagement means is engaged with said first engagement means for locking said container case to said apparatus main body, said second engagement means including;

a movable engagement piece that can be moved toward said first engagement means; and

a movement urging mechanism having one end connected to said movable engagement piece so as to urge said movable engagement piece,

wherein said movement urging mechanism includes;

a working member made from a shape-memory alloy whose length between a first end and a second end is changed when subjected to a heat and having said first end connected to said movable engagement piece; and

a fixed member for holding said second end of said working member.

2. A locking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said container case has on its wall a guide portion for guiding the movement of said second engagement means toward said first engagement means.

3. A locking device as claimed in claim 2, said guide portion for said second engagement means is a through hole.

5. A locking device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said working member has a curved shape at a room temperature and is deformed into a straight shape when subjected to a heat, and

wherein said fixed member is arranged at a position opposite to said first engagement means in a movement direction of said movable engagement piece.

6. A locking device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said working member has a plate shape of a predetermined width curved at a room temperature and extending into a straight plate when subjected to a heat.

7. A locking device as claimed in claim 5,

wherein said working member has a wire shape having a circular cross sectional view, curved at a room temperature and extending into a straight wire when subjected to a heat.

8. A locking device as claimed in claim 1, said device further comprising a return spring provided between said fixed member and said movable engagement piece for returning said movable engagement piece to its original position.

10. A locking device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said return spring is arranged so as to surround said working member.

12. A locking device as claimed in claim 1, said device further comprising a stopper mechanism in a region of reciprocal movement of said movable engagement piece for regulating a movement distance of said movable engagement piece.

14. A locking device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said stopper mechanism includes:

a groove formed on said movable engagement piece along a movement direction of said movable engagement piece, and

a guide piece having a protrusion protruding into said groove and fixed on a wall where said guide portion is formed.

15. A locking device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said stopper mechanism includes two standing members extending from a floor of said container case and arranged so as to sandwich said working member.

16. A locking device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said movable engagement piece has a flange facing said stopper mechanism.

17. A locking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus main body is a main body of an electronic apparatus such as a personal computer, and said container case is a disc container case for containing a disc storage apparatus.

4. A locking device comprising:

second engagement means provided in an apparatus main body; and

first engagement means provided in a container case to be inserted into said apparatus main body through an opening of said apparatus main body in such a manner that said first engagement means is engaged with said second engagement means for locking said container case to said apparatus main body, said second engagement means including;

a movable engagement piece that can be moved toward said first engagement means; and

a movement urging mechanism having one end connected to said movable engagement piece so as to urge said movable engagement piece,

wherein said movement urging mechanism includes;

a working member made from a shape-memory alloy whose length between a first end and a second end is changed when subjected to a heat and having said first end connected to said movable engagement piece; and

a fixed member for holding said second end of said working member.

9. A locking device as claimed in claim 4, said device further comprising a return spring provided between said fixed member and said movable engagement piece for returning said movable engagement piece to its original position.

11. A locking device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said return spring is arranged so as to surround said working member.

13. A locking device as claimed in claim 4, said device further comprising a stopper mechanism in a region of reciprocal movement of said movable engagement piece for regulating a movement distance of said movable engagement piece.

18. A locking device comprising:

first engagement means provided in a main body of an electronic apparatus such as a personal computer; and

second engagement means provided in a container case to be inserted into said electronic apparatus main body through an opening of said electronic apparatus main body in such a manner that said second engagement means is engaged with said first engagement means for locking said container case to said electronic apparatus main body, said second engagement means including;

a movable engagement piece that can be moved toward said first engagement means; and

a movement urging mechanism having one end connected to said movable engagement piece so as to urge said movable engagement piece,

wherein said movement urging mechanism includes;

a working member made from a shape-memory alloy whose length between a first and a second end is changed when subjected to a heat and having said first end connected to said movable engagement piece;

a fixed member for holding said second end of said working member; and

a current controller operated according to an instruction from a main controller provided in said electronic apparatus main body, so as to apply a predetermined heating current to said working member.