Patent ID: 8102662
Filing Date: 2012-01-24
Classification: G06F,H05K

Abstract:
1. A portable computer peripheral apparatus comprising: a housing having a front end portion defining a front opening, opposing side walls and opposing upper and lower walls extending back from the front end portion and defining a central cavity, and a rear wall covering a back portion of the central cavity; a slidable assembly comprising: a bistable mechanism connected between the slidable assembly and the housing, said bistable mechanism including at least one spring disposed to bias the slidable assembly relative to the housing into one of a first stable state in which the plug connector is in the retracted position and a second stable state in which the plug connector is in the deployed position, wherein said at least one spring is arranged to store a minimal potential energy when said plug connector is in either of the retracted position and the deployed position, and to store a maximum potential energy when said plug connector is in an equilibrium position between the retracted position and the deployed position.