JPH10214134A - Electronic equipment for extension - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic equipment of excellent portability capable of keeping the stability of the entire device at the time of being used while being connected to an information processor, by providing a leg part capable of tilting the information processor forward and holding it at the time of use and withdrawing it to the original position and housing it at the time of nonuse. SOLUTION: By a locking pawl and a holding means 5, this electronic equipment 1 for extension and the information processor 21 are mechanically connected. In the state, the connector of the electronic equipment 1 for the extension and the connector of the information processor 21 are electrically connected and signals are exchanged with each other. At the rear part of the electronic equipment 1 for the extension, the leg part 6 housed inside the rough outer shape of the electronic equipment 1 for the extension at the time of housing and projected at the time of use is pivotally supported by a rotary shaft. The leg part 6 is constituted so as to be positioned at a housing position and a projecting position. That is, the leg part 6 is projected from the electronic equipment 1 for the extension and obliquely holds the information processor 21 easily usably at the time of use and is housed in the electronic equipment 1 for the extension at the time of nonuse.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an additional electronic device used by connecting to an information processing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, information processing apparatuses, such as notebook computers, which place importance on portability, are required to be further reduced in size and weight. It is becoming difficult to incorporate all devices such as a control board, an external storage device, and a battery.

Under these circumstances, devices having a lower priority in use are not incorporated in an information processing apparatus, but are incorporated in an additional electronic device connected to a main body when necessary.

[0004] The additional electronic device can be integrated with a main body and a mechanism for holding each other so as not to impair portability. Recently, many information processing apparatuses having such a structure have been seen.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of such an additional electronic device 1. As shown in FIG. A floppy disk drive 2, a control board (not shown), and the like are incorporated in the extension electronic device 1. Its components are the extension electronic device 1
Is smaller than the connectable information processing device 21 (described later), the bottom area of the additional electronic device 1 is
Is smaller than the bottom area.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the vicinity of the floppy disk drive 2 of the additional electronic device 1. The connection surface 8 of the extension electronic device 1 with the information processing device 21 is
(In the figure, the floppy disk drive 2 is arranged parallel to the connection surface 8 with the additional electronic device 1 as an example, but the additional electronic device 1 The mounting angle and position within are arbitrary.)

FIG. 7 shows that such an additional electronic device 1 is
FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state where the display device is attached to the information processing apparatus 21 and is installed on a desk or the like. As described above, since the connection surface 8 of the additional electronic device 1 with the information processing device 21 is inclined by the fixed angle A with respect to the ground plane 7, the additional electronic device 1 is connected to the information processing device 21. In a state where the information processing apparatus 21 is attached and installed on a desk or the like, the information processing apparatus 21 and, therefore, the keyboard 26 is inclined at a predetermined angle A with respect to the desk upper surface, thereby facilitating key input. Reference numeral 22 denotes a liquid crystal display device which is attached to the information processing device 21 so as to be openable and closable.

[0008]

However, in the extension electronic device 1 having such a side shape, there is a portion other than the storage portion of the floppy disk drive 2, that is, a portion 9 hatched in FIG. The thickness of the hatched portion 9 is larger than that of a rectangular floppy disk drive having a uniform thickness and a side shape along the external shape of the floppy disk drive. For this reason, the additional electronic device 1
The volume of the single device or the entire device when it is connected to and integrated with the information processing device 21 increases. This has contributed to their portability.

Of course, if the extension electronic device 1 is formed to have a side shape conforming to the outer shape of the floppy disk drive 2 as described above, the thickness of the portable electronic device 1 when it is carried becomes small, and the portability is improved. However, with such a shape, the information processing device 21 becomes unstable when actually used on a desk or the like. In order to stabilize the entire apparatus, it is necessary to increase the ground area, that is, the bottom area of the additional electronic device 1. However,
By doing so, the volume of the additional electronic device 1 will increase correspondingly, and the portability will similarly deteriorate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and has good portability and maintains stability of the entire apparatus when used by connecting to an information processing apparatus. It is still another object of the present invention to provide an additional electronic device that allows easy key input.

[0011]

According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic device for extension provided with a control board for controlling the entire apparatus, a keyboard as input means, and a pivot supported behind the keyboard.
Used for mechanically and electrically connected to the lower rear side of a portable information processing device equipped with a liquid crystal display device that opens and closes from the front. An electronic device, which can be projected downward from the rear of the extension electric device when in use to support the information processing device connected to the device by being inclined forward, and when not in use, the information processing device at the rear of the extension electronic device can be supported. It has legs that can be retracted and stored in the original position.

[0012]

The extension electronic device of the present invention is thin and small in itself, but if the legs are exposed, the stability of the entire device including the information processing device to which it is connected is maintained in a state inclined forward. Can be. Therefore, key input becomes easy.
Further, if the legs are stored, the size of the additional electronic device in the thickness direction can be reduced, so that portability is improved.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the additional electronic device 1 of the embodiment as viewed from the upper rear (from the side of the connection surface to the information processing apparatus 21). The enclosure of the additional electronic device 1 houses a floppy disk drive 2, a connector 3 for electrically connecting to an information processing device 21 described later, a control board (not shown), and the like.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the information processing apparatus 21 to which the extension electronic device 1 can be connected, as viewed from the lower rear (from the side of the connection surface to the extension electronic device 1). Information processing device 21
Is a liquid crystal display device 22, a keyboard 2 as input means.
6 (FIG. 3), a hard disk drive, a control board, and a battery (the above are not shown
Which are housed inside).

An engaging claw 4 is provided on the front upper surface of the additional electronic device 1.
Is provided, and is inserted into a hole 23 provided on the lower surface of the information processing device 21 when connected to the information processing device 21 and fitted therein. On the rear upper surface of the extension electronic device 1, a holding means 5 comprising a male screw portion 5a and a disk portion 5b having an outer periphery formed in a knurled shape and integrated with the male screw portion 5a.
Is provided. This holding means 5 is used for the information processing device 2
The male screw portion 5a is designed to be screwed into the female screw portion 24 provided on the lower surface of the disk drive device 1 by rotating the disk portion 5b. The extension electronic device 1 and the information processing device 21 are mechanically connected to each other by the locking claws 4 and the holding means 5.

In this state, the connector 3 of the additional electronic device 1 and the connector 25 of the information processing device 21 are electrically connected and exchange signals with each other.

At the rear of the extension electronic device 1, when stored, it fits within substantially the outer shape of the extension electronic device 1, and at the time of use, a leg 6 projecting as shown by a dotted line in FIG. Have been. The legs 6 can be positioned at a storage position and a projecting position. Note that this leg 6
Can be fixed in multiple stages. With this configuration, the inclination angle of the information processing device can be changed in multiple stages.

FIG. 3 shows an additional electronic device 1 and an information processing device 2.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a connection state of No. 1 and FIG. 4 is a side view thereof. When used on a desk or the like, the information processing device 21 is inclined by a certain angle C by protruding the legs 6 as shown in FIG. This facilitates key input. When both are connected, the front lower end 27 of the information processing device 21 and the tip of the leg 6 of the additional electronic device 1 are grounded, so that the stability of the entire connected device is ensured.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The extension electronic device used by being connected to the portable information processing device has a thin shape, and the information processing device can be easily used by being protruded from the extension electronic device at the time of use so that the information processing device can be held at an angle. Providing legs that can be stored in additional electronic devices so that they are not in the way during use improves portability, ensures stability of the entire device during use, and facilitates key input. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an extension electronic device according to an embodiment as viewed from above.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the information processing apparatus for connecting the additional electronic device of FIG. 1 as viewed from below.

3 is a perspective view showing a connection state between the additional electronic device of FIG. 1 and the information processing apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional extension electronic device.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a connection state between a conventional extension electronic device and an information processing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Expansion electronic device 2 Floppy disk drive 6 Leg part 21 Information processing device 22 Liquid crystal display device 26 Keyboard

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A lower rear side of a portable information processing apparatus including a control board for controlling the entire apparatus, a keyboard as input means, and a liquid crystal display device pivotally supported at the rear of the keyboard and opened and closed from the front. An electronic device for additional use, which is mechanically and electrically connected to the electronic device and has a uniform thickness and a smaller dimension in the front-rear direction than the information processing device, and projects downward from a rear portion of the additional electronic device during use. The extension device is characterized in that the information processing device connected to the same device can be supported by being inclined forward, and has a leg portion that can be retracted and stored in the original position at the rear of the extension electronic device when not in use. Electronics. 2. The extension according to claim 1, wherein the leg is rotatably attached to the extension electronic device by a rotation shaft, and can be fixed to a protruding position and a storage position, respectively. Electronics.