Electronic device and cover member thereof

• US 7,016,184 B1
• Filed: 09/24/2003
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Watanabe, Kiyoshi, Aikyo, Hiroaki, Oneyama, Wataru
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US10/669,521
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683, 361/681, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 248551-553
• US Class Current: 361/679.27
• 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 1/1656 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 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer

Abstract

An electronic device includes two cases, a hinge unit which connects the two cases to each other and by which the two cases are openable and closeable, a cover member for decoration which is mounted on an outer surface of at least one of the two cases, a first engaging unit which is disposed in at least one of the cases, and a second engaging unit which is disposed in the cover member to be engaged with the first engaging unit. The cover member is detachably mounted on the outer surface of at least one of the cases by engaging the first and second engaging units with each other.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first case in which a keyboard is provided;

a second case in which a display unit is provided;

a hinge unit which connects the first and second cases to each other such that the first and second cases are openable and closeable;

a cover member for decoration which is mounted on an outer surface of the second case;

a first engaging mechanism which is disposed on the second case and has a decorative shape; and

a second engaging mechanism which is disposed on the cover member to be engaged with the first engaging mechanism;

wherein the first engaging mechanism comprises;

a first engaging portion, which comprises a projection, provided at a tip end surface of the second case at an opposite side of the second case from the hinge unit; and

second engaging portions provided near to the hinge unit on both side surfaces of the second case;

wherein the second engaging mechanism comprises;

a first engaging portion provided at a tip end surface of the cover member at an opposite side of the cover member from the hinge unit; and

second engaging portions provided near to the hinge unit on both side surfaces of the cover member;

wherein positions of the first and second engaging portions of the second engaging mechanism correspond to positions on the second case of the first and second engaging portions of the first engaging mechanism; and

wherein the first engaging portion of the second engaging mechanism projects from the tip end surface of the cover member and defines a concavity which engages the projection of the first engaging portion of the first engaging mechanism when the second engaging mechanism is engaged with first engaging mechanism; and

wherein the cover member is detachably mounted on the outer surface of the second case by engaging the first and second engaging portions of the first engaging mechanism with the first and second engaging portions of the second engaging mechanism, respectively.

2. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of:

(i) one of the second engaging portions of the second case and (ii) one of the second engaging portions of the cover member is elastically movable in engaging/disengaging directions.

3. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a decoration is disposed on an outer surface of the second case, and an opening is formed in a portion of the cover member at a position corresponding to the decoration on the outer surface of the second case.

4. An electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the decoration includes at least one of a symbol, a graphic and a pattern.

5. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a decoration is disposed on an outer surface of the second case, and a light transmitting member is disposed in a portion of the cover member at a position corresponding to the decoration on the outer surface of the second case.

6. An electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the decoration includes at least one of a symbol, a graphic and a pattern.

7. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the cover member is made of a synthetic resin which transmits light.

8. An electronic device comprising:

two cases;

a hinge unit which connects the two cases to each other such that the two cases are openable and closeable;

a cover member for decoration which is mounted on an outer surface of at least one of the two cases;

a first engaging mechanism which is disposed in the at least one of the cases; and

a second engaging mechanism which is disposed in the cover member to be engaged with the first engaging mechanism;

wherein the cover member is detachably mounted on the outer surface of the at least one of the cases by engaging the first and second engaging mechanisms with each other;

wherein the first engaging mechanism includes engaging portions which are disposed at positions away from the hinge unit on both side surfaces of the at least one of the cases and engaging portions which are disposed at positions near to the hinge unit on said both side surfaces of the at least one of the cases;

wherein the second engaging mechanism includes engaging portions which are disposed at positions away from the hinge unit on both side surfaces of the cover member and engaging portions which are disposed at positions near to the hinge unit on said both side surfaces of the cover member; and

wherein the engaging portions of the first engaging mechanism that are disposed at positions away from the hinge unit are rotatable engaged with the engaging portions of the second engaging mechanism that are disposed at positions away from the hinge unit.

9. An electronic device according to claim 8, wherein a mirror is disposed on an inner surface of the cover member facing the outer surface of the at least one of the cases.

10. A cover member for an electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises:

(i) a first case in which a keyboard is provided, (ii) a second case in which a display is provided, (iii) a hinge unit connecting the first case and the second case to each other to be openable and closeable, and (iv) a first engaging mechanism which is disposed on the second case, has a decorative shape, and comprises a first engaging portion, which comprises a projection, provided at a tip end surface of the second case at an opposite side of the second case from the hinge unit, and second engaging portions provided near to the hinge unit on both side surfaces of the second case, and wherein the cover member is mountable to an outer surface of the second case, said cover member comprising;

a second engaging mechanism which comprises;

a first engaging portion provided at a tip end surface of the cover member at an opposite side of the cover member from the hinge unit; and

second engaging portions provided near to the hinge unit on both side surfaces of the cover member;

wherein positions of the first and second engaging portions of the second engaging mechanism correspond to positions on the second cover of the first and second engaging portions of the first engaging mechanism; and

wherein the first engaging portion of the second engaging mechanism projects from the tip end surface of the cover member and defines a concavity which engages the protection of the first engaging portion of the first engaging mechanism when the second engaging mechanism is engaged with first engaging mechanism;

wherein the cover member is detachably mounted on the outer surface of the second case by engaging the first and second engaging portions of the first engaging mechanism with the first and second engaging portions of the second engaging mechanism, respectively.

11. A cover member according to claim 10, wherein a decoration is disposed on a part of the outer surface of the second case, and an opening is formed in a portion of the cover member at a position corresponding to the decoration on the outer surface of the second case.

12. A cover member according to claim 11, wherein the decoration includes at least one of a symbol, a graphic and a pattern.

13. A cover member according to claim 10, wherein a decoration is disposed on a part of the outer surface of the second case, and a light transmitting member is disposed in a portion of the cover member at a position corresponding to the decoration on the outer surface of the second case.

14. A cover member according to claim 13, wherein the decoration includes at least one of a symbol, a graphic and a pattern.

15. An electronic device comprising:

two cases;

a hinge unit which connects the two cases to each other and by which the two cases are openable and closeable;

an electronic unit disposed in at least one of the two cases;

a flat-shaped cover member which is mounted to at least one of the cases and is overlapped with an outer surface of at least one of the cases to cover the outer surface;

an electronic unit disposed in the cover member; and

an electrically connecting/engaging unit which detachably engages at least one of the cases and the cover member with each other, and electrically connects the electronic unit in at least one of the cases and the electronic unit in the cover member with each other.

16. An electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the electrically connecting/engaging unit comprises a first electrically connecting/engaging portion which is electrically connected to the electronic unit in at least one of the cases and is retractably projected from at least one of both side surfaces of at least one of the cases,

a second electrically connecting/engaging portion which is electrically connected to the electronic unit in the cover member and is disposed on at least one of both side surface of the cover member, and

the first electrically connecting/engaging portion is detachably engaged with the second electrically connecting/engaging portion.

17. An electronic device according to claim 15, wherein a first engaging portion is disposed on a tip end surface of at least one of the cases, the tip end surface being positioned opposite to the hinge unit on at least one of the cases;

and

a second engaging portion with which the first engaging portion is detachably engaged is disposed on a tip end surface of the cover member, the tip end surface being positioned opposite to the hinge unit on the cover member.

18. An electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the electronic unit has one of a display function, a television tuner function, a speaker function, a power source function, a camera function, a printer function, and a scanner function.