Electronic apparatus

• US 8,988,865 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2012
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Client Solutions CO., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Yasuo, Takeguchi, Koichiro, Koide, Shingo
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Adrian S
• Application Number:
  US13/708,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20130308261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.17
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• 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 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0217 Mechanical details of casings covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a housing, an engagement portion, a module, and a member. The engagement portion is on an inner surface of the housing. The module is in the housing. The member is configured to slide substantially in parallel with the inner surface of the housing in order to engage the engagement portion and to support the module from a side opposite to the inner surface of the housing.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing comprising one or more first openings;

at least one engagement portion that is a projection on an inner surface of the housing, the engagement portion comprising (i) a first portion located in a proximal end portion of the projection, the proximal end portion being coupled to the inner surface of the housing, and (ii) a second portion located in a distal end portion of the projection, the second portion having an outer size substantially equal to or smaller than the first portion when viewed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the inner surface of the housing;

a keyboard comprising (i) a keyboard base positioned in the housing, the keyboard base comprising at least one second opening, and (ii) a plurality of keys positioned on the keyboard base, the plurality of keys being exposed from the first openings respectively, wherein a position of the keyboard is configured to be fixed by insertion of the first portion into the second opening and the keyboard base is in contact with the inner surface of the housing; and

a member configured to support the keyboard from a side opposite to the first openings, wherein the member comprises a third opening and is configured to slide substantially in parallel with the inner surface of the housing so that an edge of the third opening engages the second portion of the engagement portion in a state where the position of the keyboard is fixed by the first portion of the engagement portion, the second portion of the engagement portion passes through the third opening, and the member contacts with the keyboard.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

a supporter on the inner surface of the housing, the supporter configured to engage the member to regulate a movement of the member in a direction opposite to a sliding direction of the member.

3. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the housing comprises a closed portion between the first openings, and

the engagement portion is on the closed portion.

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the keyboard base comprises a first surface facing the inner surface of the housing and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface facing the member, and

the first portion of the engagement portion comprises a slope inclined away from the second surface of the keyboard base to avoid the edge of the third opening contacting the first portion of the engagement portion.

5. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the first portion of the engagement portion is cylindrical, and the second opening is a circular hole through which the first portion passes.

6. The electronic apparatus of claim 5, wherein

the third opening is a long hole extending in a sliding direction of the member.

7. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the second openings comprises first holes and second holes,

a first gap between one of the first holes and the first portion of the engagement portion which is inserted into the one of first holes is smaller than a second gap between one of the second holes and the first portion of the engagement portion which is inserted into the one of the second holes, and

the first holes are positioned to be separated at both ends of the keyboard base.

8. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the at least one engagement portion is physically coupled to the inner surface of the housing.

9. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the at least one engagement portion includes a width that is smaller than or equal to a width of the first portion.

10. The electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein a diameter of a cross-section of the second portion of the at least one engagement portion is smaller than or equal to a diameter of a cross-section of the first portion of the at least one engagement portion.

11. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing that includes an inner surface;

at least one engagement portion that is a projection on the inner surface of the housing, the engagement portion comprising (i) a first portion located in a proximal end portion of the projection, the first portion being coupled to the inner surface of the housing, and (ii) a second portion located in a distal end portion of the projection, the second portion including an outer shape that is substantially equal to or smaller in size than an outer shape of the first portion oriented linear to the second portion;

a keyboard comprising (i) a plurality of keys and (ii) a keyboard base that includes at least one opening, the keyboard configured to be fixed by insertion of the first portion into the opening and placing the keyboard base in contact with the inner surface of the housing; and

a member that is configured to support the keyboard and is oriented substantially in parallel with the inner surface of the housing, wherein the member comprises a second opening through which the second portion of the engagement portion passes and engages with an edge of the second opening when the keyboard is fixed by the first portion of the engagement portion.