Electronic apparatus with reinforced upper case

• US 6,172,867 B1
• Filed: 04/24/1996
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Katumaru, Satou, Youji
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edmonds, Lisa Lea
• Application Number:
  US08/639,259
• Time in Patent Office: 1,721 Days
• Field of Search: 361/680, 361/681, 361/684, 361/685, 361/686, 361/687, 361/786, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 364/708.1
• US Class Current: 361/679.06
• 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 1/166 related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle
• 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: Y10T 292/0807 Sliding and hooked end
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0862 Swinging and hooked end, multiple head

Abstract

A body of an electronic apparatus includes an upper case and a lower case fitted to the upper case. A display is rotatably mounted on an outer surface of the upper case. A keyboard is attached to an inner surface of the upper case, and a shield plate is fixed to an inner surface of the keyboard. On the shield plate are mounted a memory device and circuit boards with electronic parts. A supporting unit attached to the inner surface of the upper case and arranged to the side of the keyboard has a storing portion for storing a battery pack.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a flat box-like body including an upper case having an opening and a lower case fitted to the upper case;

a keyboard fixed to the upper case and located within the opening;

a mount plate directly fixed to an inner surface of the upper case to cover the underside of the keyboard;

a memory device directly mounted on the mount plate;

a circuit board directly fixed to the mount plate and mounted with a number of electronic elements;

a display rotatably mounted on an outer surface of the upper case; and

a connecting cable for electrically connecting the display and the circuit board.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mount plate is conductive and constitutes a shield plate.

3. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a body including an upper case and a lower case fitted to the upper case;

a keyboard attached to the upper case;

a display rotatably mounted on an outer surface of the upper case;

a plurality of electronic components, including a circuit board and a memory device;

means for directly attaching the plurality of electronic components to the upper case so as to reinforce the upper case; and

a supporting unit which is attached to an inner surface of the upper case and arranged beside the electronic components, the supporting unit having a storing portion for storing a battery pack.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said supporting unit includes a card storing portion for storing a card-shaped electronic device.

5. An electronic apparatus as in claim 3, wherein the means for directly attaching is a shield plate fixed to an inner surface of the upper case to cover an underside of the keyboard, and wherein said electronic components are directly mounted on the shield plate.

6. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a body including an upper case and a lower case fitted to the upper case, the lower case having an inner surface which includes a shielding layer;

a keyboard attached to the upper case;

a display rotatably mounted on an outer surface of the upper case;

a plurality of electronic components, including a circuit board and a memory device;

a conductive chassis directly attaching the plurality of electronic components to the upper case so as to reinforce the upper case and for shielding the electronic components; and

a connecting cable for electrically connecting the display and the circuit board.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the conductive chassis comprises a shield plate fixed to an inner surface of the upper case to cover an underside of the keyboard, and wherein said electronic components are directly mounted on the shield plate.

8. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a body including an upper case and a lower case fitted to the upper case, the lower case having an inner surface which includes a shielding layer;

a keyboard attached to the upper case;

a display rotatably mounted on an outer surface of the upper case;

a plurality of electronic components; and

a conductive chassis directly attaching the plurality of electronic components to the upper case so as to reinforce the upper case and for shielding the electronic components.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said electronic components include a circuit board and a memory device.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said memory device is a disk drive.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the conductive chassis comprises a shield plate fixed to an inner surface of the upper case to cover an underside of the keyboard, and wherein said electronic components are directly mounted on the shield plate.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said electronic components further include a board unit mounted on the shield plate, the board unit having first and second circuit boards arranged in layers, and wherein a flexible cable connects the first and second circuit boards to each other.

13. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a base unit including a housing having a keyboard mount portion, a keyboard mounted on the keyboard mount portion, and a conductive member disposed in the housing, the conductive member including a first area and a second area;

a display mounted on the base unit to be rotatable between a closing position wherein the keyboard is covered and an opening position wherein the keyboard is exposed;

a data storage unit directly fixed to the first area with screws; and

a printed circuit board fixed to the second area with screws,

the conductive member having a size substantially equal to a size of the keyboard and being arranged between the keyboard and the printed circuit board, facing and reinforcing the keyboard.

14. An electronic apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the housing has a front portion, and the keyboard mount portion is disposed on the front portion.

15. An electronic apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the housing has a bottom wall, the conductive member being disposed between the keyboard and the bottom wall.

16. An electronic apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the conductive member is a shield plate.

17. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a base unit including an upper housing having a keyboard, and a lower housing having a lower inner surface, the lower inner surface having a shielding layer;

a display unit mounted on the base unit to be rotatable between a closing position wherein the keyboard is covered and an opening position wherein the keyboard is exposed;

a conductive chassis including a first area and a second area, the conductive chassis being disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing;

a data storage unit directly mounted on the first area with screws;

a printed circuit module directly mounted on the second area with screws; and

a cable electrically connecting the keyboard and the printed circuit module,

the conductive chassis having a size substantially equal to a size of the keyboard and being arranged between the keyboard and the printed circuit module and data storage unit, facing the keyboard.

18. An electronic apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the data storage unit includes a hard disk drive.

19. An electronic apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the chassis is disposed between the lower inner surface of the lower housing and the keyboard.

20. An electronic apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the upper housing includes a front portion on which the keyboard is mounted.

21. An electronic apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the upper housing includes an upper inner surface, and the chassis is fixed on the upper inner surface by the screws.

22. An electronic apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the printed circuit module includes a first circuit board, a second circuit board, and a flexible wiring board electrically connecting the first circuit board and the second circuit board, the flexible wiring board being bent so that the first circuit board is disposed above the second circuit board.

23. An electronic apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the printed circuit module includes a spacer disposed between the first circuit board and the second circuit board.

24. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a base unit including an upper housing having a keyboard and a lower housing having a lower inner surface, the lower inner surface having a shield layer;

a display unit mounted on the base unit to be rotatable between a closing position wherein the keyboard is covered and an opening position wherein the keyboard is exposed;

a conductive chassis including a first area and disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing; and

a circuit board unit directly mounted on the first area with screws, the circuit board unit including a flexible wiring board, a first circuit board electrically connected to one end of the flexible wiring board, and a second circuit board electrically connected to an other end of the flexible wiring board, the first circuit board being disposed above the second circuit board,

the conductive chassis having a size substantially equal to a size of the keyboard and being located between the keyboard and the circuit board unit, facing the keyboard.

25. An electronic apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the conductive chassis includes a second area, and which further comprises a data storage unit directly mounted on the second area with screws.

26. An electronic apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the upper housing includes an upper inner surface, and the conductive chassis is fixed to the upper inner surface with screws.

27. An electronic apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the first area is arranged adjacent to the second area.

28. An electronic apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the conductive chassis is disposed between the keyboard and the lower housing.

29. An electronic apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the upper housing includes a front portion on which the keyboard is disposed.

30. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a body including a housing and a keyboard mount portion provided on an upper surface of the housing;

a keyboard mounted on the keyboard mount portion;

a display mounted on the body to be rotatable between a closing position wherein the keyboard is covered and an opening position wherein the keyboard is exposed; and

a conductive chassis disposed in the housing and including a first area for directly mounting a data storage unit and a second area for directly mounting a printed circuit board, the conductive chassis being arranged between the keyboard and the printed circuit board, facing the keyboard, and being fixed to the body.

31. An electronic apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the conductive chassis is a shield plate, the first area has a plurality of first engaging portions to which the data storage unit is fixed, and the second area has a plurality of second engaging portions to which the printed circuit board is fixed.

32. An electronic apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the housing has a front portion on which the keyboard mounting portion is provided, and a bottom wall, the shield plate being disposed between the keyboard and the bottom wall.

33. An electronic apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the housing includes an upper case which has an inner surface, the shield plate being fixed to the inner surface.

34. An electronic apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the data storage unit includes a floppy disk drive unit.

35. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a body including a housing and a keyboard mount portion provided on an upper surface of the housing;

a keyboard mounted on the keyboard mount portion;

a display rotatably mounted on the upper surface of the housing;

plurality of electronic components, including a circuit board and a memory device; and

a conductive chassis directly attaching the plurality of electronic components to the housing so as to reinforce the housing and shielding the electronic components.