JPH0772954A - Tilt mechanism of portable computer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] Regarding a mechanism for tilting a keyboard of a portable computer when in use, a tilt mechanism that automatically tilts the keyboard during use and does not generate a protruding portion that disturbs storage during storage. The challenge is to get it. [Structure] A bulging portion 5 that rotates around a support shaft 4 together with the display panel is provided on a pivotally supporting portion 31 of the display panel 3. The bulge 5 is provided on the display panel 3
When the display panel 3 stands up, it protrudes to the lower surface of the main body 1, and when the display panel 3 falls down on the keyboard 2, the display panel 3 is located on the inner edge side of the main body 1. In the second structure, the keyboard 2 is pivotally attached to the upper surface of the main body 1 so as to be swingable around the front edge, and the rear edge side is urged toward the main body side, and the display panel 3 is pivotally supported together with the display panel. A receiving projection 45 that rotates around the support shaft 4 is provided so as to abut against the lower surface of the rear edge of the keyboard 2 and push it up when the display panel 3 stands up.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tilt mechanism of a portable computer called a notebook type, that is, a mechanism for inclining a keyboard so that its rear edge is raised when used.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a portable computer, a keyboard serving as an input unit is integrally provided on the upper surface of the main body, and the thickness of the main body is set in order to avoid a change in the thickness that would hinder portability. It is constant from the front side to the back side of the keyboard. On the other hand, when operating the keyboard, it is better to incline so that the back side of the keyboard is higher. Therefore, many portable computers are provided with a tilt mechanism for tilting the main body during use.

FIG. 8 shows a conventional tilt mechanism in this type of computer. A leg member 51 is provided at the rear edge of the main body 1 and is pulled out downward. Main body 1 by pulling out
The keyboard 2 provided on the upper surface of the is tilted. The leg member 51 has a pull-out type structure as shown in the figure,
There is also a erection type structure that stands up, puts it down, and stores it.

[0004]

A conventional tilt mechanism in a portable computer has a leg member 5 every time it is used.
There is a problem in that the operation of pulling out and pushing in 1, or the operation of standing up and down is necessary, which is very troublesome. Further, if the leg member is left pulled out, there is a problem that the leg member becomes an obstacle when the portable computer is put up in a shelf and accommodated or put in the bag.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to obtain a tilt mechanism for a portable computer in which the keyboard is automatically tilted during use, and no protruding portion that disturbs storage is produced during storage.

[0006]

In the portable computer of the present invention, the swelling formed of rubber or other viscoelastic material on the pivotal support 31 of the display panel 3 is rotatable around the support shaft 4 together with the display panel. The part 5 is provided. The bulging portion 5 projects to the lower surface of the main body 1 when the display panel 3 is erected, and
It is provided so as to be located on the inner edge side of the main body 1 when the user is lying on the keyboard 2.

As a second structure, the front edge portion of the keyboard 2 is pivotally supported on the upper surface of the main body 1 so as to be swingable about an axis parallel to the front edge and the rear edge side is biased toward the upper surface side of the main body. A receiving projection 45 that rotates around the support shaft 4 together with the display panel 3 is abutted against the lower surface of the rear edge of the keyboard 2 when the display panel 3 is erected so as to push it up. It is provided.

More preferably, the bulging portion 5 and the receiving projection 4 are
5 is provided so that the relative angular position around the support shaft 4 with respect to the pivot 31 of the display panel 3 can be changed and fixed.

[0009]

In the tilt mechanism of the present invention, when the display panel 3 is erected for using the computer, the bulging portion 5 or the receiving projection 45 is rotated around the support shaft 4 together with the display panel 3, By bulging the bulging portion 5 on the lower surface of the rear edge of the main body 1 to incline the main body 1, or by pushing up the rear edge of the keyboard 2 with the receiving projection 45, the operation of standing up the display panel 3 is performed. The keyboard 2 is tilted so that its rear edge is higher.

When the display panel 3 is folded,
The bulging portion 5 moves to the inner edge side of the main body 1 and does not have a protruding portion on the back surface of the main body 1 and the display panel 3 which hinders storage, and also has a structure for lifting the rear edge of the keyboard 2 from the main body 1. Also in the above, by folding the display panel 3, the keyboard 2 is attached to the upper surface of the main body 1, and there is no difference in thickness which hinders carrying and storage.

When the bulging portion 5 is made of rubber or other viscoelastic material, the device is stably placed in use by friction with the table surface, and the bulging portion 5 is located on the inner edge side of the main body 1 during storage. Since it moves, if you store it by standing it on the storage shelf, if you set it up with this back edge side down, the rear edge of the main body will not directly shake on the shelf plate etc. Is also eased.

Further, in the case where the bulging portion 5 and the receiving projection 45 are provided so that the angular position can be changed with respect to the pivotal support portion 31 of the display panel, the inclination angle of the keyboard 2 at the time of use can be changed by changing these. The tilt angle of the keyboard can be set according to the preference of each user.

[0013]

1 to 4 are views showing a first embodiment of the present invention. A keyboard 2 shown in FIG. 8 is fixedly provided on the upper surface of the main body 1, and a display panel 3 on the back end side of the main body 1 swings in a direction of an arrow in FIGS. It is provided. A bulging portion 5 made of a rubber material is fixed to the pivot portion 31 of the display panel 3 at a position below the main body 1 when the display panel 3 stands up. The bulging portion 5 has a height that protrudes beyond the lower surface of the main body 1 when the display panel 3 stands up. The pivot 31 of the display panel is the support shaft 4.
Has an arcuate surface 32 coaxial with, and the arcuate surface 32 is provided with a plurality of lock grooves 33.

On the other hand, on the side of the main body 1 near the pivotal position of the display panel 3, a lock spring 11 is used to form the circular arc surface 32.
The lock piece 12 is biased toward and away from the lock piece 12, and the upper end of the lock button 14 whose tip is opposed to the lock piece 12 with the slope 13 is exposed to the rear end of the upper surface of the main body 1. There is. When the display panel 3 shown in FIG. 2 is closed, the lock button 14 is pushed down, and the lock piece 12 moves in the retreating direction due to the engagement between the tip of the lock button 14 and the lock piece 12 via the slope 13. is doing. In the laid-down state of the display panel 3, the bulging portion 5 is located on the inner edge side of the main body 1 (see FIG. 2).

When the display panel 3 is opened to use the computer, the pressing force of the lock button 14 by the display panel 3 is released, and the lock piece 12 is advanced by the urging force of the lock spring 11, and the arc of the pivot portion of the display panel is released. It is pressed against the surface 32. Then, when the display panel 3 is rotated to the use position, the tip of the lock piece 12 is fitted into one of the lock grooves 33, and the standing angle of the display panel 3 is fixed in this state.

At this time, the bulging portion 5 rotates downward and projects below the lower surface of the main body 1, and the bulging portion 5 contacts the table surface 6 to lift the rear edge of the main body 1. The keyboard 2 integrally provided on the upper surface of the main body 1 is inclined in the direction in which the rear edge becomes higher.

To change the standing angle of the display panel 3,
In the state shown in FIG. 1, it can be changed by pushing down the lock button 14 with a finger to move the lock piece 12 backward, and let another lock groove 33 face the tip of the lock piece 12 to release the push-down force of the lock button 14. . When closing the display panel 3, the lock button 14 is pushed down with a finger to move the lock piece 12 backward, the display panel 3 is laid down as shown in FIG. 2, and the main body 1 and the display panel 3 are separated by a locking device (not shown). Lock.

In this stored state, the bulging portion 5 of the rubber material
Is projected from the inner edge 15 of the main body 1, and when the portable computer 60 is stored in a state of standing on a shelf 61 as shown in FIG. The device is accommodated on the shelf plate 62 by abutting the bulging portion 5, the back edge portion of the main body 1 is not damaged by the contact of the shelf plate 62 and the like, and there is no impact when the device is taken in or out of the shelf. It is possible to more safely protect, for example, the hard disk device that is relaxed and built in the main body 1.

5 to 7 show a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, the keyboard 2 is mounted so that its front edge is pivotally supported about an axis parallel to the front edge of the main body 1 and the rear edge side of the main body 1 and the keyboard 2 is pivotally supported. A tension spring 21 is mounted between and, and the tension spring 21 urges the keyboard 2 to be attached to the upper surface of the main body 1. Display panel 3
Is pivotally supported on the main body 1 at a position adjacent to the rear edge of the keyboard 2 by a support shaft 4 shown in FIG.

The pivot 31 of the display panel is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG.
It is pivoted with 1 intervening. This sleeve 4
1 is provided so as to be slightly slidable in the axial direction with respect to the support shaft 4 and the pivotal support portion 31 of the display panel, and urged outward by a compression spring 42. And the collar 4 of the sleeve 41
3 is engaged with one of a plurality of lock grooves 34 radially provided on the surface of the pivotal support portion 31 of the display panel facing the flange 43, thereby engaging the display panel 3 and the sleeve. 41 and 41 rotate together around the support shaft 4. A part of the collar 43 is extended on the sleeve 41 to form a receiving projection 45 shown in FIGS. , The length of which engages with the lower surface of the rear edge of the keyboard 2.

In the state shown in FIG. 6 in which the display panel 3 is laid down so as to cover the keyboard 2, the receiving projection 45 is located at a position away from the keyboard 2, and the keyboard 2 is urged by the tension spring 21 so that the upper surface of the main body 1 is covered. It is in the state of being attached to.

When the display panel 3 is erected from this state, the sleeve 41, and thus the receiving projection 45 integrated with the sleeve 41, also rotates clockwise in the drawing together with the display panel 3, and the receiving projection 45 contacts the lower surface of the rear edge of the keyboard 2. , The keyboard 2 is lifted and the keyboard 2 is tilted so that the rear edge of the keyboard 2 becomes higher. The standing angle of the display panel 3 is defined by the back surface of the base end of the display panel contacting the main body 1, and the tilt angle of the keyboard 2 is set by the position of the receiving protrusion 45 at this time.

When it is desired to change the inclination angle of the keyboard 2, the sleeve 41 is pushed to the left in FIG. 7 to release the engagement between the protrusion 44 provided on the flange and the lock groove 34, and the protrusion 4
The pushing force of the sleeve 41 is released in a state where 4 is opposed to another lock groove, and the relative angular position of the pivotal support 31 of the display panel and the sleeve 41 around the support shaft 4 is changed. By changing this angular position, the display panel 3
Since the angle of the receiving protrusion 45 at the predetermined upright angle is changed, the inclination angle of the keyboard 2 during use is also changed. The numerical values shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 provided on the end surface of the sleeve 41 are provided as an indication of the degree of inclination of the keyboard 2.

The structure for providing the receiving projection 45 with respect to the display panel 3 so that its angular position can be changed by the structure as shown in the second embodiment can be adopted also in the first embodiment. By providing the bulging portion 5 of the first embodiment via the sleeve 41 as in the second embodiment, the upright angle of the display panel 3 and the tilt angle of the keyboard 2 in the device of the first embodiment are individually set. Possible devices can be obtained.

[0025]

The portable computer provided with the tilting mechanism of the present invention described above automatically tilts the keyboard so that the rear edge of the keyboard is raised during use. There is an effect that a troublesome operation of pulling out and pushing in the member is not necessary, and a difference in thickness between the projecting portion and the device that deteriorates portability and storability when not in use is not generated.

Further, in the structure in which the rear edge of the keyboard is lifted from the main body in conjunction with the opening and closing of the display panel to tilt the keyboard, the gravity acting on the tilt mechanism is only the gravity of the keyboard, and the tilt mechanism is heavy. Since the weight does not act, there is an effect that the tilt mechanism can be made compact and lightweight.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a main part when using the first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of a main part of the first embodiment when not in use.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the first embodiment when not in use.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the device of the first embodiment is stood up and stored.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing a usage state of the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing the unused state of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a pivot portion of a display panel according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing an example of a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 main body 2 keyboard 3 display panel 4 support shaft 5 bulge 31 pivot support 45 receiving protrusion

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location H05K 5/03 C 7362-4E

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A portable computer in which a keyboard (2) is provided on an upper surface of a main body (1), and a display panel (3) is pivotally supported at a rear edge of the main body so as to be foldable so as to cover the keyboard. , The support panel (31) of the display panel (3) together with its support shaft.
(4) A bulging part (5) that rotates around is provided, and the bulging part (5) projects to the lower surface of the main body (1) when the display panel (3) stands up, and the bulging part (5) is provided. A tilt mechanism for a portable computer, characterized in that it is provided so as to be located on the inner edge side of the main body (1) when the () is laid down on the keyboard (2). 2. The tilt mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the bulging portion (5) is made of rubber or other viscoelastic material. 3. A portable computer in which a keyboard (2) is provided on an upper surface of a main body (1), and a display panel (3) is pivotally supported at a rear edge of the main body so as to be foldable so as to cover the keyboard. The keyboard (2) has its front edge swingable around the axis parallel to the front edge of the main body (1) and its rear edge is biased toward the upper surface of the main body, and the keyboard (2) is pivoted on the display panel (3). A receiving protrusion (45) that rotates around the support shaft (4) together with the display panel contacts the lower surface of the rear edge of the keyboard (2) when the display panel (3) stands up and pushes it up. A tilt mechanism for a portable computer, which is provided as described above. 4. The bulging part (5) according to claim 1 or the receiving protrusion (45) according to claim 3 serves as a pivot part (31) of a display panel (3).
3. The relative angular position around the support shaft (4) with respect to the shaft can be changed and fixed so as to be fixed.
Alternatively, the tilt mechanism of the portable computer according to the third aspect.