Folding electronic device with retracting locking mechanism

A folding electronic device includes a first main body having a first housing, an engagement unit, a second main body engaged with the first main body, and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism includes a hook member, a hook driving member, a first reset driving member, and a latch member. The hook member is fixed to the first main body. The latch member is fixed to the second main body. The hook driving member drives the hook member to protrude from the first housing to latch with the latch member when the electronic device is folded. The reset driving member retracts the hook member into the first housing when the electronic device is unfolded.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to folding electronic devices, and more particular to a folding electronic device with a protected locking mechanism for locking the folding electronic device in a folded state.

2. Description of Related Art

Electronic devices, such as laptop computers, have two main bodies (e.g. a display body and a keyboard body) engaged with each other and a locking mechanism for locking the two main bodies together when the laptop computer is in a folded state. Generally, the locking mechanism includes a hook element and a latch element for the hook element. However, the hook element of the locking mechanism is usually exposed outside when the laptop computer is in an unfolded state, which leaves the hook element of the locking mechanism vulnerable to damage, and the reliability of the locking mechanism is thus reduced.

What is needed is a folding electronic device that can overcome the above-described limitations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will be made to the drawings to describe certain exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure provides a folding electronic device, such as a laptop computer.FIGS. 1-2show that the folding electronic device100includes a first main body110, an engagement unit130, a second main body120pivotably engaged with the first main body110via the engagement unit130, and a locking mechanism140configured to lock the first main body110and the second main body120together.FIG. 3shows the first main body110folded over the second main body120when the folding electronic device100is in a folded state.FIG. 4shows the first main body110away from the second main body120when the folding electronic device100is in an unfolded state.

The first main body110can be a display body, and includes a first housing113having a first upper frame111and a first lower frame112. The first upper frame111and the first lower frame112cooperatively form a receiving space for receiving a display panel (not shown) and a part of the lock mechanism140. The first lower frame112includes an opening116exposing part of the lock mechanism140. The second main body120can be a keyboard body, and includes a second housing123having a second upper frame121and a second lower frame122. The second upper frame121and the second lower frame122cooperatively form a receiving space for receiving keyboard elements (not shown) and another part of the lock mechanism140. The second upper frame121includes an opening126, and the second lower frame122includes an opening127. Another part of the lock mechanism140is exposed through the second housing123via the openings126and127.

FIGS. 5-6show that the locking mechanism140includes a hook member141, a flexible connection member142, a hook driving member143, a first reset driving member144, a fixing member145, a second reset driving member146, a guide member147, a latch member148, and an unlocking member149.

The hook member141includes a base portion161, a hook162extending from the base portion161, and a first fixing portion163connected to the base portion161. The hook driving member143includes a main portion171, two pivot shafts172aand172b, and a connection portion173. The main portion171includes a push end174and an opposite engagement end179. The two pivot shafts172aand172bare located at opposite sides of the engagement end179. The connection portion173is located at the push end174. The first reset driving member144includes an elastic element having a first connection portion151and a second connection portion153, and an elastic portion152connected between the first connection portion151and the second connection portion153. The fixing member145includes two parallel fixing plates175aand175bextending from the first upper frame111and a fixing portion177located at the fixing plate175b. Each fixing plate175defines a pivot hole176, and the fixing plate175bfurther defines a guide groove178. The guide member147is located at the first upper frame111, and includes two supporting plates147afacing each other and a guide shaft147bconnecting the two supporting plates147a.

The latch member148includes a latch element183, an elastic element182, and a positioning element181. The latch element183includes a latch end185configured to latch with the hook162and an engagement end184configured to connect to the unlocking member149. The positioning element181is located at the second upper frame121and defines a guide groove181a. The unlocking member149includes an operation button191, a link lever192, and a guide block128. The link lever192includes a first end193, and an opposite second end194defining an inclined surface195. The guide block128is located at the second upper frame121and defines a guide hole129. The operation button191includes an operation portion196and a driving portion197, and the driving portion197defines an inclined surface198corresponding to the inclined surface195of the opposite second end194.

FIGS. 7-9show a cross-sectional view of the assembled locking mechanism140. The flexible connection member142can be a strap. One end of the flexible connection member142is attached to the engagement unit130, and the other end of the flexible connection member142is attached to the connection portion173of the hook driving member143. The hook driving member143is positioned between the two fixing plates175aand175b, each of the two pivot shafts172aand172bpasses through a pivot hole176such that the hook driving member143is pivotably engaged with the fixing member145. The second reset driving member146can be a torsion spring, sleeved over the pivot shaft172b. One end of the second reset driving member146is fixed with the engagement end179of the main portion171, and the other end of the second reset driving member146is fixed with the adjacent fixing plate176b.

The hook member141is positioned on the hook driving member143, and the base portion161is positioned between the two fixing plates175aand175b. The first reset driving member144is connected between the hook member141and the fixing member145. In one embodiment, the first reset driving member144is a spring, and each of the first connection portion151and the second connection portion153have the shape of a ring. The first connection portion151is sleeved over the fixing portion177, and the second connection portion153is sleeved over the fixing portion163. The locking mechanism140further includes a guide shaft150. The guide shaft150is received in the first housing111and positioned at a side of the first housing113adjacent to the engagement unit130. The guide member147and the guide shaft150are located between the fixing member175and the engagement unit130and are in contact with the flexible connection member142so as to guide the flexible connection member142.

The elastic element182is a spring, and it is received in the guide groove181a. One end of the elastic element182is connected to the positioning element181, and the other end of the elastic element182is connected to the latch end185of the latch element183. The engagement end184of the latch element183is engaged with the first end193of the link lever192. The link lever192is received in the second housing123, and passes through the guide hole129of the guide block128. The inclined surface195of the second end194corresponds to the inclined surface198of the driving portion197. The driving portion197is received in the second housing123, and the operation end196passes through the opening127to be exposed from the second housing123.

When the device100is in the folded state as shown inFIGS. 3 and 7, the first main body110is folded over the second main body120, and the hook162protrudes out of the first housing113through the opening116to enable latching with the latch element183such that the first main body110and the second main body120are locked together by the locking mechanism140. Further, the first reset driving member144and the second driving reset member146are compressed when the device100is in the folded state, and the flexible connection member142is wound around the engagement unit130and tightly stretched by the engagement unit130and the hook driving member143.

Referring toFIGS. 6,10and11, to unfold the device100, the operation button191is pressed by a user along a first direction X, the inclined surface198of the driving portion197contacts the inclined surface195of the link lever192to drive the link lever192to move along a second direction Y. The second direction Y is perpendicular to the first direction X. However, in other embodiments, X and Y need not be perpendicular to each other. Accordingly, the hook162detaches from the latch element183, and the elastic element182is compressed. After the first main body110is spread away from the second main body120, the elastic element182restores to an uncompressed state so as to reset the latch element182. Moreover, the engagement unit130rotates along a first rotating direction R1to release the flexible connection member142, and the flexible connection member142releases the hook driving member143such that the second driving reset member146restores and drives the hook driving member143to rotate along the rotating direction R1. Further, the first reset driving member144restores to an uncompressed state so as to retract the hook member141into the first housing113. Thus, the hook member141becomes fully received and protected within the first housing113in the unfolded state.

When the device100has to be folded, the first main body110and the engagement unit130rotate along a rotating direction R2opposite to the first rotating direction R1, and the flexible connection member142winds around the engagement unit130, rotating the hook driving member143in the second rotating direction R2. Accordingly, the hook driving member143pushes out the hook member141so the hook member141protrudes from the first housing113, such that the hook162is in position to latch with the latch member183once the device100has been fully folded.

The hook162is completely enclosed in the first housing113of the first main body110when the device100is unfolded, and thus incidental damage to locking mechanism is avoided and the reliability of the locking mechanism is improved.