Abstract:
An electronic device includes a main body, a hinge, a display, and a protective structure. A recessed portion is defined in an edge area of the main body. The hinge includes a shaft passing through the recessed portion with a part of an outer surface exposed in the recessed portion. The display is connected to the main body with the hinge and is capable of rotating relative to the main body with the shaft. The protective structure is detachably mounted to the main body and partly received in the recessed portion for engaging with the main body to completely receive the outer surface of the shaft.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to electronic devices, and particularly to an electronic device with a main body and a display pivotably connected to the main body. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    An electronic device, such as an optical disc player, often includes a main body, a display, and a hinge. The hinge pivotably connects the display to the main body so the display can rotate relative to the main body. Generally, the hinge includes a shaft passing through a through hole defined in the main body. For stably connection of the display to the main body, it is preferable that the shaft is large enough to bear the connection stress from the display and the main body. However, on the other hand, the through hole should not be too large because of the limitation of the miniaturization of the main body, which results in the difficulty of mounting the hinge to the main body. 
         [0005]    Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The electronic device includes a protective structure and a main body with a cover. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a partially exploded cutaway view of the electronic device of  FIG. 1  from a reverse direction to  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a partial cutaway schematic view of the cover of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the protective structure of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 4  but from a reverse angle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an electronic device  1  includes a display  40 , a main body  10 , a hinge  20 , and a protective structure  30 . The hinge  20  pivotably connects the display  40  to the main body  10  such that the display  40  can rotate relative to the main body  10 . The protective structure  30  is detachably mounted to the main body  10 . In an embodiment, the electronic device  1  is an optical disc player. In other embodiments, the electronic device  1  may be other devices such as a notebook computer. 
         [0013]    Also referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the main body  10  includes a cover  12  and a base  13 . The cover  12  includes a side plate  120 , a bottom plate  121 , two connection members  123 , and two first clamping members  124 . The side plate  120  is connected to the bottom plate  121  to form the cover  12 . The side plate  120  is partially cut in the middle portion thereof to form an opening  127 , two connection walls  125  at opposite sides of the opening  127 , and a bottom wall  126  perpendicularly connected to the two connection walls  125 . The bottom wall  126  and the two connection walls  125  surround the opening  127 . The bottom wall  126  defines a first slot  128 , which extends into the bottom plate  121 . The first slot  128  communicates with the opening  127 . In the embodiment, the first slot  128  is defined in the middle portion of the bottom wall  126  and is semi-circular shaped. Two notches  129  symmetric about the first slot  128  are defined in the inner surface  1210  of the bottom plate  121 . 
         [0014]    The connection members  123  are received in the opening  127  and are respectively connected to the connection walls  125 . Each connection member  123  includes a connection surface  1230  and a top surface  1232  perpendicularly defined between the connection surface  1230  and the corresponding connection wall  125 . The connection surface  1230  is parallel with the corresponding connection wall  125 . The top surface  1232  is substantially parallel with the side plate  120  and is below the outer surface of the side plate  120 . 
         [0015]    The first clamping members  124  are also received in the opening  127 , and are respectively fixed to the two connection members  123  and face each other. Each first clamping member  124  includes a first rib  1240  and a second rib  1242  perpendicularly connected to the first rib  1240  disposed on the connection surface  1230 . In the embodiment, each first rib  1240  is substantially parallel with the bottom plate  121 , while each second rib  1242  is substantially perpendicular to the bottom plate  121 . A protrusion  1244  protrudes upwardly from one side of the first rib  1240  away from the corresponding connection wall  123 . 
         [0016]    The hinge  20  includes a shaft  22 , a first hinge member  23 , a second hinge member  24 , and a covering member  25 . The first hinge member  23  is used for connecting the shaft  22  to the base  13 . The second hinge member  24  is used for connecting the shaft  22  to the display  40 . The covering member  25  is disposed on the hinge member  23  lengthwise along the length of the side plate  120  equal to that of the bottom wall  126 . 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the protective structure  30  is shaped to fit the opening  127 . The protective structure  30  includes a first part  31 , a second part  32 , two second clamping members  34 , and two extending plates  36 . The first part  31  is substantially rectangular extending lengthwise along the length of the side plate  120  equal to the bottom wall  126  and the covering member  25 . The second part  32  extends perpendicularly from the first part  31 . The thickness of both the first part  31  and the second part  32  are equal to the distance between the top surface  1232  and the outer surface of the side plate  120 . A second slot  310  is defined in the middle portion of the first part  31 . The second slot  310  is semi-circular shaped and corresponds to the first slot  128 . 
         [0018]    The second clamping members  34  perpendicularly protrude from two opposite sides of the second part  32  respectively. Each second clamping member  34  includes a clamping portion  340  protruding from the second part  32  and a hook  342 . Each clamping portion  340  includes a first post  344  and a second post  346  spaced from each other. The hook  342  is disposed on an end of the corresponding first post  344  away from the second part  32 . 
         [0019]    The extending plates  36  perpendicularly extend from an edge of the first part  31  away from the second part  32 . The extending plates  36  are parallel with the first part  31  and symmetric about the second slot  310 . Two blocks  37  respectively project from one side of the extending plates  36  away from the second part. Two abutting members  38  are disposed between the first part  31  and the second part  32 , and shaped to fit the top surface  1232 . 
         [0020]    In assembly, the first hinge member  23  is fixed on an inner surface of the base  130  at first. Then the cover  12  is mounted to the base  130  with the side plate  120  approaching the hinge  20  along a first direction substantially perpendicular to the side plate  120 , and with the first slot  128  corresponding to the shaft  22  and the covering member  25 . After the cover  12  is mounted to the base  130 , the hinge member  24  passes through the cover  12  via the opening  127  to be exposed above the cover  12 . The shaft  22  passes through the first slot  128 , with a half of the side surface received in the first slot  128  and the other half exposed in the opening  127 . The display  40  then can be fixed to the main body  10  by connecting to the second hinge member  24 . 
         [0021]    After that, the protective structure  30  is mounted to the cover  12 . The protective structure  30  is attached on the cover  12  and corresponds to the opening  127  at first, with the first clamping members  124  corresponding to the second clamping members  34  and the edge from which the extending plates  36  extend contacting the bottom wall  123 . In this configuration, each first rib  1240  passes through the space defined by the two posts of the corresponding clamping portion  340 . Each hook  342  hooks on a side of the corresponding second rib  1242  adjacent to the bottom wall  123 . Therefore, the protective cover  30  is fixed to the main body  10  and cannot move along the first direction and a second direction substantially parallel with the side plate  120 . The abutting members  38  abut the top surfaces  1232 , thereby preventing the protective cover  30  from moving downwards along the second direction. The second slot  310  is conformed to the first slot  128  to define a through hole through which the shaft  22  passes. That is, with the conformation between the first slot  128  and the second slot  310 , the protective structure  30  encloses the other half of the outer side surface of the shaft  22  exposed in the opening  127 . At the same time, the extending plates  36  contact the inner surface of the bottom plate  120  and each block  37  is received in the corresponding notch  129 , thereby preventing the protective structure  30  from moving away from the cover  12  along the first direction. Moreover, in a situation where the space between the first post  344  and the second post  346  is larger than the thickness of the first rib  1240 , the protrusions  1244  can restrict the clamping portions  340  from moving away from the connection walls  123  along a third direction perpendicular to the first and the second direction. Thus, the protective structure  30  is steadily fixed to the cover  12  and is received in the opening  127 . 
         [0022]    After the protective structure  30  is mounted on the main body  10 , the first part  31  is substantially coplanar with the bottom plate  120  to be a part of the bottom plate  120 , and the part  32  is substantially coplanar with the side plate  120  to be a part of the side plate  120 . 
         [0023]    The first clamping members  124  and the second clamping member  34   s  are not limited to this embodiment. In an alternative embodiment, the second clamping members  34  may be disposed on the cover  12  and the first clamping members  124  may be disposed on the protective structure  30 . In addition, in other embodiments, the blocks  37  may protrude out from the inner surface of the cover  12  while the notches  129  may be defined in the extending plates  36 . 
         [0024]    With engagement between the first clamping members  124  and the second clamping members  34 , and the conformation between the notches  129  and the blocks  37 , the protective structure  30  can be mounted to the main body  10  steadily and can be removed from the main body  10  easily. When the protective structure  30  is mounted in the opening  127 , the protective structure  30  can engage with the main body  10  to enclose the outer side surface of the shaft  22 , which makes the shaft  22  avoid being damaged easily by the environment. Additionally, the first part  31  is coplanar with the bottom plate  121  and the second part  32  is substantially coplanar with the side plate  120 , which transfigures the main body  10 . 
         [0025]    It is to be understood, however, that even though information and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the present embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only; and that changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.