U.S. patent application number 12/607729 was filed with the patent office on 2010-04-29 for electronic-device casing and electronic apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to ASUSTEK COMPUTER INC.. Invention is credited to Yuan Te Chang.
Application Number | 20100102687 12/607729 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42116793 |
Filed Date | 2010-04-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100102687 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chang; Yuan Te |
April 29, 2010 |
ELECTRONIC-DEVICE CASING AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS
Abstract
The invention discloses a side plate of an electronic-device
casing including a side plate assembled to a side portion of a
casing. The side plate includes a plate member, a first engagement
member, a second engagement member, a plurality of linkages, and an
actuating member. The first and the second engagement members are
moveably disposed on the plate member respectively along a first
direction and a second direction. The linkages are pivotally
engaged with the plate member and are moveably engaged with the
first and the second engagement members. The actuating member is
moveably engaged with the linkages. When the actuating member
rotates, the actuating member drives the linkages to rotate so that
the first and the second engagement members are driven to move
relatively to the plate member respectively along the first
direction and the second direction to be engaged with the side
portion or disengaged from the side portion.
Inventors: |
Chang; Yuan Te; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MORRIS MANNING MARTIN LLP
3343 PEACHTREE ROAD, NE, 1600 ATLANTA FINANCIAL CENTER
ATLANTA
GA
30326
US
|
Assignee: |
ASUSTEK COMPUTER INC.
Taipei
TW
|
Family ID: |
42116793 |
Appl. No.: |
12/607729 |
Filed: |
October 28, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/223.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 1/181 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/223.1 |
International
Class: |
A47B 81/00 20060101
A47B081/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 29, 2008 |
TW |
097141650 |
Claims
1. An electronic-device casing comprising a side plate, the side
plate being assembled to a side portion of a casing, the side plate
comprising: a plate member; a first engagement member, moveably
disposed on the plate member along a first direction; a second
engagement member, moveably disposed on the plate member along a
second direction; a plurality of linkages, pivotally engaged with
the plate member and moveably engaged with the first engagement
member and the second engagement member; and an actuating member,
moveably engaged with the linkages, the actuating member being
suitable for rotating to drive the linkages so as to drive the
first engagement member and the second engagement member to move
along the first direction and the second direction relative to the
plate member respectively and to be engaged with the side potion or
disengaged from the side potion.
2. The electronic-device casing of claim 1, wherein the first
engagement member and the second engagement member comprise a
plurality of engagement portions, and the engagement portions pass
through the plate member and are adapted to be engaged with the
side portion.
3. The electronic-device casing of claim 2, wherein the plate
member has a plurality of slots, and the engagement portions pass
through the slots.
4. The electronic-device casing of claim 1, wherein each of the
linkages comprises a first guiding groove, the linkages are
moveably engaged with the first engagement member and the second
engagement member via the first guiding grooves.
5. The electronic-device casing of claim 4, wherein each of the
first engagement member and the second engagement member comprise a
guiding pin moving in the corresponding first guiding groove.
6. The electronic-device casing of claim 4, wherein each of the
linkages comprises a pivot portion, a first arm, and a second arm,
the first arm and the second arm are connected to the pivot
portion, each of the linkages is pivotally engaged with the plate
member via the pivot portion, and an end of the first arm or the
second arm away form the pivot portion is moveably engaged with the
first engagement portion or the second engagement portion.
7. The electronic-device casing of claim 6, wherein each of the
first arm and the second arm has a second guiding groove near the
pivot portion, and the actuating member is moveably engaged with
the second guiding grooves.
8. The electronic-device casing of claim 1, further comprising a
outer shell and a turntable, the outer shell being connected to the
plate member, the first engagement member, the second engagement
member, the linkages, and the actuating member being accommodated
between the outer shell and the plate member, the turntable being
pivotally disposed on the outer shell and being connected to the
actuating member.
9. The electronic-device casing of claim 8, wherein the outer shell
comprises an opening, and the turntable is disposed in the
opening.
10. The electronic-device casing of claim 9, wherein the turntable
comprises a first positioning portion, the opening comprises a
second positioning portion, and when the actuating member rotates
so that the first engagement member and the second engagement
member are engaged with the side portion, the first positioning
portion and the second positioning portion restrain each other.
11. An electronic apparatus comprising: a casing comprising a side
portion; and a side plate being assembled to the side portion, the
side plate comprising: a plate member; a first engagement member,
moveably disposed on the plate member along a first direction; a
second engagement member, moveably disposed on the plate member
along a second direction; a plurality of linkages, pivotally
engaged with the plate member and moveably engaged with the first
engagement member and the second engagement members; and an
actuating member, moveably engaged with the linkages, the actuating
member is suitable for rotating to drive the linkages so as to
drive the first engagement member and the second engagement member
to move along the first direction and the second direction relative
to the plate member respectively and to be engaged with the side
potion or disengaged from the side potion.
12. The electronic apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first
engagement member and the second engagement member comprise a
plurality of engagement portions, and the engagement portions pass
through the plate member and are adapted to be engaged with the
side portion.
13. The electronic apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plate member
has a plurality of slots, and the engagement portions pass through
the slots.
14. The electronic apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the
linkages comprises a first guiding groove, the linkages are
moveably engaged with the first engagement member and the second
engagement member via the first guiding groove.
15. The electronic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first
engagement member and the second engagement member comprise a
guiding pin moving in the corresponding first guiding groove.
16. The electronic apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of the
linkages comprises a pivot potion, a first arm, and a second arm,
the first arm and the second arm are connected to the pivot
portion, each of the linkages is pivotally engaged with the plate
member via the pivot portion, and an end of the first arm and the
second arm away from the pivot portion, is moveably engaged with
the first engagement portion or the second engagement portion.
17. The electronic apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first arm and
the second arm have a second guiding groove near of the pivot
portion, and the actuating member is moveably engaged with the
second guiding grooves.
18. The electronic apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an
outer shell and a turntable, the outer shell being connected to the
plate member, the first engagement member, the second engagement
member, the linkages, and the actuating member being accommodated
between the outer shell and the plate member, the turntable being
pivotally disposed on the outer shell and being connected to the
actuating member.
19. The electronic apparatus of claim 18, wherein the outer shell
comprises an opening, and the turntable is disposed in the
opening.
20. The electronic apparatus of claim 19, wherein the turntable
comprises a first positioning portion, the opening comprises a
second positing portion, and when the actuating member rotates so
that the first engagement member and the second engagement member
are engaged with the side portion, the first positioning portion
and the second positioning portion restrain each other.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to an electronic-device casing, and
more particularly to an electronic-device casing which is assembled
to a side portion of a casing by rotating a linkage mechanism.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] At present, there are still many electronic apparatuses
utilizing a design of a casing to accommodate a plurality of
electronic components or devices, such as desk-top computers or
electrical boxes. For an example of a desk-top computer, the casing
thereof is assembled by a frame and side plates which are attached
to the frame. There are many electronic components and devices
accommodated in the casing, such as a motherboard, a hard disk, a
CD-ROM, a power supply, etc. Therein some of the side plates are
fixed in the frame initially. Some of them are designed to be
moveable and can be disassembled from the frame for users to check
or exchange the electronic components or devices in the casing
conveniently. At present, for most of desk-top computers, the
moveable side plate still needs to be fixed by screwing. In
particular, the fixing location is usually at the place which is
vertical to the side plate (e.g. at the back side of the casing).
In other words, it needs operation room at the two sides of the
casing to perform the above operation, which is inconvenient.
Additionally, the user needs to prepare a screwdriver therewith for
the performance of the above operation.
[0005] For the above case of inconveniently operating, there are
products which have guiding grooves to enhance the effect of both
assembling and fixing of the moveable side plates and to decrease
the area for screwing with screws; however, it still needs screws
to fix the moveable side plates. There are also products whose
moveable side plates are locked to the frame by pins after the
moveable side plates are attached onto the frame. However, the pins
act as the main loading support of the whole fixing structure. For
the fixing for the side plate, the fixing effects of the side plate
at the circumference thereof are different, and it is unfavorable
to the usage durability and the fixing stability.
[0006] Whichever design above involves the problem that the effect
of fixing the whole side plate is non-uniform. Moreover, the fixing
could only be achieved by single-edge fixing, parallel-sides
fixing, or tri-edges fixing, and several operation steps are still
needed to be involved so as to complete the operation of the fixing
or the disassembling. However, the user usually has no time or is
tired of the complication operation, and the fixing effect of the
fixing designs for the various moveable side plates mentioned above
is hard to be realized in actual usage environments. Accordingly,
there is a need to design a new moveable side plate so that a user
could easily perform the fixing or the disassembling so as to solve
the above problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] An objective of the invention is to provide an
electronic-device casing. The electronic-device casing is assembled
to a side portion of a casing by rotating a linkage mechanism.
[0008] According to an embodiment, a side plate of the
electronic-device casing of the invention is assembled to a side
portion of a casing. The side plate includes a plate member, a
first engagement member, a second engagement member, a plurality of
linkages and an actuating member. The first engagement member is
moveably disposed on the plate member along a first direction. The
second engagement member is disposed on the plate member along a
second direction. The linkages are pivotally engaged with the plate
member and moveably engaged with the first engagement member and
the second engagement member. The actuating member is moveably
engaged with the linkages.
[0009] The actuating member is suitable for rotating to drive the
linkages so as to drive the first engagement member and the second
engagement member to move along the first direction and the second
direction relative to the plate member and to be engaged with or
disengaged from the side portion. In other words, in the
embodiment, when the actuating member rotates clockwise, the
actuating member drives the linkages to rotate respectively, so as
to drive the first engagement member to move along the first
direction relative to the plate member and to be engaged with the
side portion, and also to drive the second engagement member to
move along the second direction relative to the plate member and to
be engaged with the side portion. When the actuating member rotates
counterclockwise, the actuating member drives the linkages to
rotate respectively, so as to drive the first engagement member to
move along the first direction relative to the plate member and to
be disengaged from the side portion, and also to drive the second
engagement member to move along the second direction relative to
the plate member and to be disengaged from the side portion.
[0010] For further illustration, the electronic-device casing
utilizes the leverages generated by the linkages respectively to
transfer the rotation of the actuating member to the engagement of
both the first engagement member and the second engagement member
to the side portion. Thereby, a user can rotate the actuating
member in a single operation, and then the side plate is fixed on
at least two sides of the side portion simultaneously. It solves
the problem of the complicated steps of fixing or disassembling in
the prior art. Furthermore, an effective fixing could be achieved
by designing properly the locations of the first engagement member
and the second engagement member. It solves the problem of the
unstable fixing generated by the limited fixing structure with only
single-edge fixing, parallel-sides fixing, or tri-edges fixing in
the prior art.
[0011] The advantage and spirit of the invention may be understood
by the following recitations together with the appended
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE APPENDED DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic apparatus
according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a partial decomposed diagram of the electronic
apparatus.
[0014] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of an electronic-device
casing.
[0015] FIG. 4 is an assembly diagram of a round head screw and a
guiding pin with a threaded hole.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the electronic-device
casing as disengaged from the side portion.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the electronic-device
casing as engaged with the side portion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic
diagram of an electronic apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of
the invention. FIG. 2 is a partial decomposed diagram of the
electronic apparatus 1. The electronic apparatus 1, such as a
computer, includes a casing 12 and an electronic-device casing 14.
A side plate of the electronic-device casing 14 is assembled to the
casing 12 through a side portion 122 of the casing 12. A plurality
of engagement holes 122a are formed on the side portion 122 for
engaging the electronic-device casing 14.
[0019] Please also refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is an exploded view of
the electronic-device casing 14. The side plate of the
electronic-device casing 14 includes a plate member 142, four
engagement members 144a, 144b, 144c and 144d, four linkages 146a,
146b, 146c and 146d (using an arrow as a label lead in favor of
recognizing the characteristics of the components), and an
actuating member 148. The electronic-device casing 14 also includes
a turntable 150 and an outer shell 152. The engagement member 144a,
144b, 144c and 144d and the linkages 146a, 146b, 146c, and 146d are
disposed correspondingly and symmetrical to (such as the circle)
actuating member 148. Each of the engagement members 144a, 144b,
144c and 144d includes a plurality of engagement portions 144e, and
the engagement portion 144e is L-shaped hook. A plurality of slots
142a are formed on the plate member 142. Each of the slots 142a
corresponds to one of the engagement portions 144e of the
engagement member 144a, 144b, 144c and 144d and extends along a
first direction D1 or a second direction D2. The L-shaped hooks of
the engagement members 144e could pass through the corresponding
slots 142a to be engaged with the engagement holes 122a on the side
potion 122. Thereby, the engagement members 144a and 144c can move
relative to the plate member 142 along the first direction D1; the
engagement members 144b and 144d can move along the second
direction D2 relative to the plate member 142. In the embodiment,
the first direction D1 is perpendicular to the second direction D2
such that the engagement members 144a, 144b, 144c, and 144d are
disposed in a rectangle. However, the invention is not limited to
this. The first direction D1 and the second direction D2 also can
be performed an acute angel or an obtuse angel.
[0020] Each of the linkages 146a, 146b, 146c, and 146d are
performed with V-shaped structure. Taking the linkages 146a as an
example, the linkages 146a includes a pivot portion 1462 and both a
first arm 1464 and a second arm 1466 which are connected to the
pivot portion 1462. The linkages 146a is pivotally connected to the
plate member 142 through the pivot portion 1462. As the same, the
above description is also applied to the other linkages 146b, 146c,
146d, so it will not be described in detail here.
[0021] Besides, still taking the linkages 146a as an example, an
end portion of the first arm 1464 includes a guiding groove 14642,
and the first arm 1464 is moveably connected through the guiding
groove 14642 to the engagement member 144a. The first arm 1464 also
includes a guiding groove 14644 at the middle portion of the first
arm 1464 and is moveably connected through the guiding groove 14644
to the actuating member 148. Similarly, an end portion of the
second arm 1466 includes a guiding groove 14662, and the second arm
1466 is moveably connected through the guiding prove 14662 to the
engagement member 144a. The second arm 1466 also includes a guiding
groove 14664 at the middle portion of the second arm 1466 and is
moveably connected through the guiding groove 14664 to the
actuating member 148. As the same, the above description is also
applied to the other linkages 146b, 146c, 146d, so it will not be
described in detail here.
[0022] The actuating member 148 includes four protrusion pins 1482
for being inserted into protrusion pins 1502 with holes of the
turntable 150 respectively so that the turntable 150 and the
actuating member 148 move together. The outer shell 152 is
connected to the plate member 142 to form an accommodating space
(not shown in the figures) for accommodating the engagement members
144a, 144b, 144c, and 144d, the linkages 146a, 146b, 146c, and
146d, and the actuating member 148. The outer shell 152 also
includes an opening 1522 which matches with the circumference of
the turntable 150 such that the turntable 150 can be exposed out of
the opening 1522. There are four sets of first concave portions
1524a and second concave portions 1524b formed on the side wall of
the opening 1522 as first positioning portions; there are four
protrusion portions 1504 formed on the circumference of the
turntable 150 as second positioning portions. When the turntable
150 rotates, each of the protrusion portions 1504 is engaged with
the first concave portion 1524a or the second concave portion 1524b
selectively; that is, the first positioning portions and the second
positioning portions constrain each other. In the embodiment, the
turntable 150 further includes many concave holes 1506, and the
user can easily rotate the turntable 150 by inserting fingers into
the concave holes 1506.
[0023] Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is an assembly
diagram of a round head screw 156 and a guiding pin 154 with a
threaded hole. It is notable that the pivotally connecting of the
pivot portion 1462 and the plate member 142 could be achieved by
inserting the guiding pin 154 with a threaded hole into the hole
142b of the plate member 142, then putting the linkage 146a on the
guiding pin 154 through a hole 1462a formed at the pivot portion
1462, and finally screwing the round head screw 156 into the
threaded hole of the guiding pin 154. Therein, the guiding pin 154
includes a tooth base 1542 in FIG. 4 for being embedded in the hole
142b of the plate member 142 to strengthen the connecting strength
of the guiding pin 154 and the plate member 142. As the same, the
above description could also be applied to the moveably connecting
of the guiding grooves 14644 and 14664 and the engagement member
144a, and the moveably connecting to the guiding grooves 14644 and
14664 and the actuating member 148. Hereby, the guiding pins 154
are constrained to move in the actuating grooves 14642, 14662,
14644, and 14664 correspondingly. However, the invention is not
limited to this. For example, the guiding pin 154 could also be
formed by stamping the plate member 142, the actuating member 148,
or the engagement members 144a, 144b, 144c, and 144d. Besides, the
above description is also applied to the engagement of the other
linkages 146b, 146c, and 146d with the engagement member 144b,
144c, and 144d, with the plate member 142, or with the actuating
member 148, so it will not be described in detail here. In
addition, to prevent the diagram from complication, the guiding pin
154 and the round screw 156 are not shown in FIG. 3.
[0024] Please refer to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. FIG. 5 is a schematic
diagram of the electronic-device casing 14 as disengaged from the
side portion 122. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the
electronic-device casing 14 as engaged with the side portion 122.
Therein, the turntable 150 and the outer shell 152 are not shown in
FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. When the actuating member 148 rotates forward
(e.g. clockwise in the embodiment), in other words, the turntable
150 rotates forward, the actuating member 148 drives the linkages
146a, 146b, 146c, and 146d to rotate clockwise so as to drive the
engagement member 144a and 144c to move along the first direction
D1 relative to the plate member 142 and to be engaged with the
engagement hole 122a of the side portion 122 and also to drive the
engagement member 144b and 144d to move along the second direction
D2 relative to the plate member 142 and to be engaged with the
engagement hole 122a of the side portion 122; thus the engagement
of the electronic-device casing 14 and the casing 12 is
accomplished. At this time, the protrusion portion 1504 of the
turntable 150 is disengaged from the first concave portion 1524a to
be engaged with the second concave portion 1524b. Therefore, the
user can easily assemble the electronic-device casing 14 to the
side portion 122 of the casing 12 in a single operation.
[0025] In the condition of having been engaged, when the actuating
member 148 rotates reversely (e.g. counterclockwise in the
embodiment), in other words, the turntable 150 rotates reversely,
the actuating member 148 drives the linkages 146a, 146b, 146c, and
146d respectively to rotate counterclockwise so as to drive the
engagement members 144a and 144c to move relative to the plate
member 142 along the first direction D1 to be disengaged from the
engagement holes 122a of the side portion 122 and also to drive the
engagement members 144b and 144d to move relative to the plate
member 142 along the second direction D2 to be disengaged from the
engagement holes 122a of the side portion 122 simultaneously. At
this time, the protrusion portion 1504 of the turntable 150 is
disengaged from the second concave portion 1524b to be engaged with
the first concave portion 1524a. Thus, the electronic-device casing
14 is disengaged form the casing 12, and then the user can check,
repair, etc. the interior of the electronic-device casing 14.
[0026] Therein, in the process of the actuating member 148
rotating, the guiding grooves 14642, 14644, 14662, and 14664 formed
in a curve can not only make the engagement members 144a, 144b,
144c, and 144c move stably but also provide a function of limiting
the rotatable angle of the actuating member 148 so that the
engagement portions 144e are not damaged due to overly collision
with the slots 142a of the plate member 142 or the engagement hole
122a of the side potion 122, even to influence the engagement
function.
[0027] As shown in the above embodiment, the electronic-device
casing 14 of the invention offers a simple and easy operation
interface to the user. The user could even finish the operation of
either engagement or disengagement of the electronic-device casing
14 and the casing 12 by one hand. Furthermore, the
electronic-device casing 14 of the invention provides a whole and
uniform engagement and a whole and uniform engagement force so as
to enhance the firmness of the whole electronic apparatus 1 and the
durability of the electronic-device casing 14.
[0028] It is notable that although the above embodiment is based on
the engagement members 144a, 144b, 144c, and 144d which are
disposed symmetrically in a rectangle, the invention is not limited
to this. The electronic-device casing 14 of the invention can use
only two of the engagement members (such as the engagement members
144a and 144b) to achieve the purpose of being engaged with the
casing 12. At this time, the first direction D1 and the second
direction D2 can be set to be non-vertical or non-parallel so as to
provide a two-dimensions positioning and fixing function and also
to gain an allowable engagement force and the distribution thereof
(such as disposing the engagement members 144a and 144c
non-parallel). As the same, the engagement members used by the
electronic-device casing 14 of the invention are not limited to two
or four. Under the consideration to the design condition for the
side portion 122 of the casing 12, the electronic-device casing 14
also can use three or more engagement members. At this time, the
side portion 122 of the casing 12 is designed to be matched
correspondingly. In other words, if a current casing has an
engagement structure capable of being engaged with the
electronic-device casing 14 of the invention, the electronic-device
casing 14 can replace the original one of the current casing.
[0029] Compared with the prior art, the electronic-device casing of
the invention has the advantage of easily operating and stable
engagement structure; moreover, the engagement of the engagement
portions located at several locations is accomplished at a time in
a single operation by use of the leverage principle and the linkage
mechanism. Accordingly, the electronic-device casing of the
invention has the advantages of convenient use, firm engagement,
and engaging/disengaging durability, and solves the problems in the
prior art.
[0030] With the example and explanations above, the features and
spirits of the invention will be hopefully well described. Those
skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications
and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the
features and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the above
disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and
bounds of the appended claims.
* * * * *