Electronic device

An electronic device includes a first body, a second body, and a linking assembly. The first body has a first side and a second side opposite to each other, and a sliding slot located at the first side. The first body and the second body are pivoted to the linking assembly. The second body rotates relative to the first side of the first body to open or close and drives the linking assembly, such that the electronic device stands on a platform with the first side or the second side of the first body. The linking assembly has a supporting block movably coupled to the sliding slot. When the second body rotates to an angle relative to the first side, the supporting block protrudes out of the first side so that the electronic device stands on the platform with the first side.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 102131582, filed on Sep. 2, 2013. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an electronic device and particularly relates to an electronic device having a supporting structure that is adjustable along with rotation of a body of the electronic device.

2. Description of Related Art

Computer is the most commonly used and most convenient tool for the modern life and work. A common desktop computer includes a monitor, a host, a keyboard, a mouse, a printer, and related peripherals. Since there is a variety of peripherals and the desktop computer is not easy to install and only suitable for use at fixed locations, it cannot be carried about. By contrast, notebook computers that have advantages in portability and easy use come in handy.

Most of the current notebook computers are the folding type and are provided with screens and operating interfaces. In addition, due to the progress of touch control technology, touch screens are also used as the operating interfaces for inputting signals, allowing the user to directly input operating signals by touching the screens. However, the folding structure is inconvenient for touch operations on the screens and may cause some problems, e.g. the screens may sway easily when being touched. Therefore, some manufacturers further develop a structure for folding the notebook computer 360 degrees to be stacked on the host, such that the user can operate the notebook computer as a tablet computer. However, when the touch screen of the notebook computer is folded 360 degrees and stacked on the host, the keyboard module of the notebook computer is on the side that may be placed on a platform, which may easily result in problems, such as inadvertent touching or wear. Therefore, how to provide a favorable touch environment after the screen is folded on the notebook computer and effectively prevent the aforementioned problems have become issues that need to be solved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides an electronic device, wherein a body of the electronic device includes a supporting structure that is adjustable along with rotation of the body, so as to stand the electronic device on a platform with an opposite side of the body.

The electronic device of the invention includes a first body, a second body, and a linking assembly. The first body has a first sliding slot, a first side, and a second side, wherein the first side and the second side are opposite to each other, and the first sliding slot is located on the first side. The first body and the second body are pivoted to the linking assembly respectively. The second body is rotated to open or close between the first side and the second side of the first body by means of the linking assembly and drives the linking assembly, such that the electronic device stands on the platform with the first side or the second side of the first body. The linking assembly includes a supporting block that is movably coupled to the first sliding slot. When the second body is unfolded to an angle relative to the first side of the first body, a portion of the supporting block protrudes out of the first side, so as to stand the electronic device on the platform with the first side.

Based on the above, in the above embodiments of the invention, the linking assembly provides the electronic device a foot pad structure for supporting the first body. That is, when the electronic device stands on the platform with the second side, the supporting block is received inside the sliding slot of the first body corresponding to the current body state. When the second body is rotated to a specific angle relative to the first body, the linking assembly is driven by the body to move the supporting block out of the sliding slot to protrude out of the first side of the first body, such that the electronic device may stand on the platform with the first side or the second side, as required by the user, to provide a use mode that is convenient for the user and simultaneously protect components on the first body.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1is a schematic view of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention. With reference toFIG. 1, an electronic device100is a notebook computer, for example, which includes a first body110and a second body120. The first body110and the second body120are pivoted to be rotatable relative to a Y axis. The first body110has a first side S1and a second side S2that are opposite to each other, wherein a keyboard module140is disposed on the first side S1. The second body120has a third side S3and a fourth side S4, and a touch screen150is disposed on the third side S3.

FIG. 2toFIG. 5are schematic views showing different states of the electronic device ofFIG. 1, for illustrating different angles of rotation of the second body120relative to the first body110.FIG. 6is a schematic view of the electronic device of FIG.5from another perspective, in which the electronic device100ofFIG. 5is observed from below. To make the following descriptions of the relevant components more comprehensible, a rotation angle ofFIG. 1is defined as 0 degree, and the rotation angles ofFIG. 2toFIG. 5are defined as 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees, and 360 degrees respectively. Further,FIG. 7toFIG. 11are schematic cross-sectional views showing a portion of the electronic device corresponding toFIG. 1toFIG. 5, which respectively illustrate relative positions of the components in the corresponding state. InFIG. 7toFIG. 11, different hatchings are used to represent different components.

First, referring toFIG. 1andFIG. 7, in this embodiment, the electronic device100further includes two linking assemblies130. Since the two linking assemblies130have the same structure, the following will describe only one of the linking assemblies130for illustrative purpose. As shown inFIG. 1, the linking assembly130is connected between the first body110and the second body120. More specifically, the linking assembly130includes a supporting block132, a hinge134, a first rod136, and a second rod138, wherein the first body110and the second body120are respectively pivoted to the hinge134. In other words, the hinge134of this embodiment is a biaxial hinge for pivoting the first body110and the second body120respectively on the hinge134, wherein the first body110and the second body120are rotated in parallel to each other (also in parallel to the Y axis in the figure) but around two different axial directions (not overlapping). Accordingly, the second body120may be rotated to open or close between the first side S1and the second side S2of the first body110by means of the hinge134of the linking assembly130and at the same time drives the linking assembly130. On the other hand, when the user applies a force on the second body120(i.e. the first body110is in a fixed state), the hinge134achieves an effect of pivoting the second body120relative to the first body110and simultaneously causes the second body120to drive the hinge134to pivot relative to the first body110.

In addition, it is worth mentioning that the aforementioned “may be rotated to open or close” refers to a rotation effect generated by pivoting the first body110and the second body120to different portions of the linking assembly130, by which the second body120may be closed on the first side S1of the first body110(in other words, the second body120is in an unfolded state relative to the second side S2of the first body110) or be closed on the second side S2of the first body110(that is, the second body120is in an unfolded state relative to the first side S1of the first body110).

Moreover, the first body110further includes a first sliding slot112adjacent to the hinge134, and the supporting block132is movably coupled to the first sliding slot112. The supporting block132has a second sliding slot132aand a protrusion132blocated above the second sliding slot132a. The first rod136is fixed on the hinge134. The second rod138has a first end E1and a second end E2that are opposite to each other, wherein the first end E1is pivoted to the first rod136, and the second end E2is slidably coupled to the second sliding slot132aof the supporting block132. Accordingly, when the second body120receives a force to rotate and drive the hinge134, the hinge134moves the first rod136and the second rod138and causes the second end E2of the second rod138to slide back and forth along the second sliding slot132aof the supporting block132and at the same time drive the supporting block132to move back and forth along the first sliding slot112.

To be more specific, with reference toFIG. 7again, the first body110further includes a top plate114located on the first side S1, wherein the keyboard module140is disposed on the top plate114, and the first sliding slot112is disposed under the top plate114and extends divergently along an X axis. The first sliding slot112forms an opening112aon the first side S1, and the opening112ais located between the top plate114and the hinge134. When a rod set, formed by the first rod136and the second rod138, is driven by the rotation of the hinge134, the second end E2of the second rod138applies a force F1to the supporting block132. Further, an included angle exists between an extending direction of the second sliding slot132aof the supporting block132and the force F1(that is, the force F1is not parallel to nor perpendicular to the second sliding slot132a), and another included angle exists between an extending direction of the first sliding slot112and the extending direction of the second sliding slot132a(that is, the first sliding slot112and the second sliding slot132aare not parallel to nor perpendicular to each other). In addition, the supporting block132is also restricted by a contour of the first sliding slot112. Thus, the force F1that the second end E2of the second rod138applies to the supporting block132only causes the supporting block132to slide along the X axis. A small diagram is provided beside the components of this embodiment depicted inFIG. 7to illustrate directions of the applied force and movements of the relevant components. As shown inFIG. 7, the second rod138is driven to apply the force F1to the supporting block132in a vertical direction. Due to the included angle between the second sliding slot132aand the force F1, as shown in the figure, the second end E2of the second rod138is restricted to slide along the second sliding slot132a(i.e. a direction V2in the figure), and ultimately causes the supporting block132to slide away from the hinge134in the first sliding slot112in a direction V1.

To be more specific, the first sliding slot112has a contour that expands gradually. That is, the contour of the first sliding slot112gradually expands in a negative X-axis direction (i.e. toward the hinge134). A recess112dis formed opposite to a position of the hinge134(i.e. inside the first sliding slot112). Thus, as the supporting block132moves away from the hinge134, the supporting block132gradually generates a rotational motion due to a change of the contour of the first sliding slot112, and causes the protrusion132babove the second sliding slot132ato protrude out of the first side S1of the first body110through the opening112a. Below motion of the supporting block132is explained in detail with reference to an interaction between the first body110and the second body120.

In this embodiment, the first sliding slot112includes a guiding portion112band a blocking portion112c. The recess112dis formed below the guiding portion112band opposite to the aforementioned gradually expanding contour. In other words, the first sliding slot112has the gradually expanding contour and the recess112dthat are opposite to each other on the X axis. On the X axis, the blocking portion112cis located between the opening112aand the guiding portion112b. On a Z axis, the blocking portion112cis located between the top plate114and the guiding portion112b. In addition, the second sliding slot132aof the supporting block132has a third end E3and a fourth end E4that are opposite to each other. When the electronic device100is in the state ofFIG. 1(i.e.FIG. 7), namely, an unfolded angle of the second body120relative to the first side S1of the first body110is 0 degree, the second end E2of the second rod138is located at the third end E3of the second sliding slot132a.

Then, in the transition of the states of the electronic device100fromFIG. 1toFIG. 3andFIG. 7toFIG. 9, the second body120is unfolded from the first side S1of the first body110with the unfolded angle changing from 0 degree to 180 degrees. Meanwhile, the supporting block132is driven by the second rod138to slide away from the hinge134along the guiding portion112bfrom the position shown inFIG. 7to the position shown inFIG. 9, during which the supporting block132is restricted by the first sliding slot112and only moves horizontally along the X axis (as indicated by the direction V1in the figure).

Next, referring toFIG. 4toFIG. 6andFIG. 10toFIG. 11, as the second body120continues to pivot toward the second side S2of the first body110and changes the unfolded angle from 180 degrees to 360 degrees until the second body120is folded on the second side S2of the first body110, the second rod138is rotated in a clockwise direction, as shown in the figure, until the second end E2arrives at the fourth end E4of the second sliding slot132. Due to the gradually expanding contour of the first sliding slot112and the recess112don the opposite side, the contour that restricts the sliding of the supporting block132is widened gradually. Thus, the force F1not only causes the supporting block132to slide along the direction V1but at the same time rotates the supporting block132in a counterclockwise direction as shown in the figure (as indicated by a direction R1), so that a portion of the supporting block132falls into the recess112duntil the supporting block132is blocked by the blocking portion112cof the first sliding slot112. At the same time, the protrusion132bof the supporting block132passes through the opening112ato protrude out of the first side S1of the first body110. More importantly, as illustrated inFIG. 6andFIG. 11, a height of the protrusion132bthat protrudes out of the first side S1relative to the first side S1is greater than a height of a top surface of the keyboard module140relative to the first side S1. That is to say, a height difference ΔH exists therebetween. Accordingly, the protrusion132bmay serve as a foot pad structure for supporting the first body110of the electronic device100, and the first side S1of the first body110serves as a rest structure for standing the electronic device100on a platform (i.e. an X-Y plane), so as to prevent direct contact between the keyboard module140on the first side S1and the platform to effectively avoid inadvertent touching or damaging the keyboard module140.

It needs to be mentioned that a length of the rod set (the first rod136and the second rod138) and the included angle between the first sliding slot112and the second sliding slot132amay be adjusted as required, such that a portion of the supporting block132(i.e. the protrusion132b) may serve as a supporting foot pad when the unfolded angle of the electronic device100of this embodiment is over 180 degrees.

To sum up, in the above embodiments of the invention, the linking assembly provides the electronic device a foot pad structure for supporting the first body. That is, when the electronic device stands on the platform with the second side, the supporting block is received inside the sliding slot of the first body corresponding to the current body state. When the second body is rotated to a specific angle relative to the first body, the linking assembly is driven by the body to move the supporting block out of the sliding slot to protrude out of the first side of the first body, such that the electronic device may stand on the platform with the first side or the second side, as required by the user, to provide a use mode that is convenient for the user and simultaneously protect the components on the first body.