Detaching mechanism and laptop shell assembly

A detaching mechanism includes at least one sloping portion, a groove, an elastic mechanism, and a latch portion. The sloping portion is disposed on a cover which detachably covers an outer surface of a shell. The sloping portion has a sloping surface. The groove is disposed on the shell. The latch portion is slidably received in the groove to slidably ride on the sloping surface of the sloping portion, such that the sloping portion is displaced away from the shell. The elastic mechanism connects the latch portion to the shell.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to detaching mechanisms. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to detaching mechanisms for laptop shell assemblies.

2. Description of Related Art

A laptop computer is a personal computer for easily carried around. Laptop computers of various appearances are found in the market today, but their appearances are not changeable by the user. In other words, once a decision to buy a laptop computer is made, the user will have no chance to change the appearance of the bought laptop computer. With the intense competition in the market, there becomes an increasing need to offer laptop computers with changeable appearances.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a detaching mechanism includes at least one sloping portion, a groove, an elastic mechanism, and a latch portion. The sloping portion is disposed on a cover which detachably covers an outer surface of a shell. The sloping portion has a sloping surface. The groove is disposed on the shell. The latch portion is slidably received in the groove to slidably ride on the sloping surface of the sloping portion, such that the sloping portion is displaced away from the shell. The elastic mechanism connects the latch portion to the shell.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a laptop shell assembly includes a shell, a cover, at least one sloping portion, a groove, and a latch portion. The shell has an outer surface. The cover detachably covers the outer surface of the shell. The cover has an inner surface facing the outer surface of the shell. The sloping portion is disposed on the inner surface of the cover. The sloping portion has a sloping surface. The groove is disposed on the shell. The latch portion is slidably received in the groove to slidably ride on the sloping surface of the sloping portion, such that the sloping portion is displaced away from the shell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following embodiments provide a laptop shell assembly for protecting, for example, a screen of a laptop computer. The laptop shell assembly has a detachable cover. Therefore, a user may change the appearance of the laptop computer by changing the detachable cover. The details of the laptop shell assembly are provided below.

FIG. 1is a perspective view of a laptop shell assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 2is an exploded view of the laptop shell assembly ofFIG. 1.FIG. 3is a perspective view of the cover ofFIG. 1. As shown inFIGS. 1-3, a laptop shell assembly includes a shell110and a cover120. The shell110has an outer surface112. The cover120detachably covers the outer surface112of the shell110. The cover120has an inner surface122facing the outer surface112of the shell110.

In order to detach the cover120from the shell110, the laptop shell assembly may further include a detaching mechanism.FIG. 4is a cutaway view taken along line4-4ofFIG. 1.FIG. 5is an enlarged view of region5ofFIG. 4. As shown inFIGS. 4-5, the detaching mechanism includes at least one sloping portion130, a groove140, and a latch portion150. The sloping portion130is disposed on the inner surface122of the cover120. The sloping portion130has a sloping surface132. The groove140is disposed on the shell110. The latch portion150is slidably received in the groove140.

FIG. 6is a cutaway view of the laptop shell assembly in a displaced position.FIG. 7is an enlarged view of region7ofFIG. 6. As shown inFIGS. 6-7, a user may slide the latch portion150when the user wants to detach the cover120from the shell110. When the user slides the latch portion150to, for example, the left of the groove140, the latch portion150slidably rides on the sloping surface132of the sloping portion130to displace the sloping portion130and the cover120away from the shell110. Accordingly, a gap G is created between the cover120and the shell110, and the user may detach the cover120from the shell110through the gap G.

The sloping portion130has a top surface133facing away from the cover120. In the present embodiment, the top surface133of the sloping portion130is substantially planar, but the top surface133of the sloping portion130and the inner surface122of the cover120are non-coplanar. The sloping surface132of the sloping portion130slopes between the top surface133of the sloping portion130and the inner surface122of the cover120.

The latch portion150has at least one protrusion152for slidably riding on the sloping surface132of the sloping portion130. The protrusion152may have a sloping surface154for being in slidable contact with the sloping surface132of the sloping portion130. More specifically, the sloping surface154of the protrusion152faces the sloping surface132of the sloping portion130and is parallel with the sloping surface132of the sloping portion130.

In the case that the shell110and the cover120are large-sized, only one set of the protrusion152and the sloping portion130may not be enough to provide the gap G. In this case, the latch portion150may have a plurality of the protrusions152, and a plurality of the corresponding sloping portions130are disposed on the inner surface122of the cover120. When the user slides the latch portion150to, for example, the left of the groove140, the protrusions152slidably ride on the sloping surfaces132of the sloping portions130respectively to create the gap G between the cover120and the shell110. It is appreciated that the number of the protrusions152and the number of the corresponding sloping portions130depend on the sizes of the shell110and the cover120. Although the protrusions152and the corresponding sloping portions130shown inFIGS. 4-7are plural, the number of the protrusions152and the number of the corresponding sloping portions130should not limit the scope of the claimed invention.

Reference is made toFIGS. 1-2. The detaching mechanism may further include an elastic mechanism170. The elastic mechanism170connects the latch portion150to the shell110to return the latch portion150to its normal position. In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1-2, the elastic mechanism170is extended to store elastic potential energy when the user slides the latch portion150to, for example, the left of the groove140to detach the cover120from the shell110. The elastic potential energy is released to pull the latch portion150back to, for example, the right of the groove140after the cover120is detached from the shell110. In one or more embodiments, the elastic mechanism170may be, for example, a tensile spring.

Reference is made toFIGS. 6-7. In the case that the detaching mechanism has the elastic mechanism170, the elastic mechanism170may pull the latch portion150back before the user detaches the cover120from the shell110. In order to temporarily fix the relative position of the protrusion152and the sloping portion130, the protrusion152may have a hook surface156, and the sloping portion130may have a hook surface134as well. The hook surface156of the protrusion152is against the hook surface134of the sloping portion130for restraining the protrusion152of the latch portion150from moving back to the sloping surface132of the sloping portion130when the protrusion152of the latch portion150rides over the sloping surface132of the sloping portion130.

In the present embodiment, the hook surface156of the protrusion152is substantially planar, and the hook surface156of the protrusion152has a normal line substantially parallel with a moving direction M of the latch portion150. Similarly, the hook surface134of the sloping portion130is substantially planar, and the hook surface134of the sloping portion130has a normal line substantially parallel with a moving direction M of the latch portion150. It is appreciated that the hook surfaces156and134ofFIGS. 4-7are for illustrative only and should not limit the scope of the claimed invention. In one or more embodiments, the hook surfaces156and134may be orientated in different directions than that shown inFIGS. 4-7.

Reference is made toFIGS. 1-3. The laptop shell assembly may further include at least one pair of hooks160. The hooks160are disposed on the inner surface122of the cover120and face in opposite directions. The shell110has at least one pair of hook sockets113. The hooks160are respectively engaged with the hook sockets113. When the user slides the latch portion150to detach the cover120from the shell110, the sloping portion130is displaced away from the shell110. When the sloping portion130is displaced away from the shell110, the cover120is bent by the displacement of the sloping portion130. In the meantime, the hooks160are displaced by the bending of the cover120to release the engagements of the hooks160and the hook sockets113.

Reference is made toFIG. 3. The cover120has a first side portion121. The hooks160and the sloping portion130are all disposed on the first side portion121.

Furthermore, the cover120has a second side portion123opposite the first side portion121. The laptop shell assembly further includes at least one insert flap180. The insert flap180extends outwardly from the second side portion123of the cover120. As shown inFIGS. 1-2, the shell110has at least one flap hole114, and the insert flap180is inserted into the flap hole114. It is appreciated that the number of the insert flaps180and the number of the corresponding flap holes114depend on the sizes of the shell110and the cover120. Although the insert flaps180and the corresponding flap holes114shown inFIGS. 1-3are plural, the number of the insert flaps180and the number of the corresponding flap holes114should not limit the scope of the claimed invention.

Specifically, the cover120ofFIG. 3has opposite lengthwise edges LE and opposite widthwise edges WE. Each of the lengthwise edges LE is longer than each of the widthwise edges WE. The first side portion121and the second side portion123are adjacent to the lengthwise edges LE respectively. It is appreciated that the locations of the sloping portion130, the hooks160, and the insert flap180are for illustrative only and should not limit the scope of the claimed invention. In another one or more embodiments, the first side portion121where the sloping portion130and the hooks160are located and the second side portion123where the insert flap180are located may be adjacent to the widthwise edges WE respectively.

Reference is made toFIG. 3. The laptop shell assembly may further include at least one insert pin190. The insert pin190stands upright on the inner surface122of the cover120. As shown inFIGS. 1-2, the shell110has at least one pin hole115, and the insert pin190is inserted into the pin hole115. It is appreciated that the number of the insert pins190and the number of the corresponding pin holes115depend on the sizes of the shell110and the cover120. Although the insert pins190and the corresponding pin holes115shown inFIGS. 1-3are plural, the number of the insert pins190and the number of the corresponding pin holes115should not limit the scope of the claimed invention.

Furthermore, the cover120has a third side portion125and a forth side portion127opposite the third side portion125. The insert pins190are disposed on the third side portion125and the forth side portion127respectively. As shown inFIG. 3, the third side portion125and the forth side portion127are adjacent to the widthwise edges WE respectively. It is appreciated that the locations of the insert pins190are for illustrative only and should not limit the scope of the claimed invention. In another one or more embodiments, the third side portion125and the forth side portion127where the insert pins190are located may be adjacent to the lengthwise edges LE respectively.

Reference is made toFIG. 3. The laptop shell assembly may further include at least one insert hook195. The insert hook195is disposed on the inner surface122of the cover120and faces in the same direction as the extending direction of the insert flap180. As shown inFIGS. 1-2, the shell110has at least one insert hook hole116, and the insert hook195is inserted into the insert hook hole116. It is appreciated that the number of the insert hooks195and the number of the corresponding insert hook holes116depend on the sizes of the shell110and the cover120. Although the insert hooks195and the corresponding insert hook holes116shown inFIGS. 1-3are plural, the number of the insert hooks195and the number of the corresponding insert hook holes116should not limit the scope of the claimed invention.

As shown inFIG. 3, the insert hooks195are disposed on the third side portion125and the forth side portion127respectively. More specifically, each of the third side portion125and the forth side portion127has distal and proximal portions that are respectively distal and proximal to the first side portion121. The insert hooks195are disposed on the distal portions of the third side portion125and the forth side portion127, and the insert pins190are disposed on the proximal portions of the third side portion125and the forth side portion127. It is appreciated that the locations of the insert hooks195and the insert pins190are for illustrative only and should not limit the scope of the claimed invention.

Reference is made toFIG. 3. The laptop shell assembly may further include at least one auxiliary hook165. The auxiliary hook165is disposed on the inner surface122of the cover120. As shown inFIGS. 1-2, the shell110has at least one auxiliary hook hole117, and the auxiliary hook165is inserted into the auxiliary hook hole117. It is appreciated that the number of the auxiliary hooks165and the number of the corresponding auxiliary hook holes117depend on the sizes of the shell110and the cover120. Although the auxiliary hooks165and the corresponding auxiliary hook holes117shown inFIGS. 1-3are plural, the number of the auxiliary hooks165and the number of the corresponding auxiliary hook holes117should not limit the scope of the claimed invention.

As shown inFIG. 3, the auxiliary hooks165are disposed on the first side portion121and between the sloping portions130. It is appreciated that the locations of the auxiliary hooks165are for illustrative only and should not limit the scope of the claimed invention.

Reference is made toFIGS. 1-2. The shell110has a knob opening118therein. The detaching mechanism further includes a knob155. The knob155is exposed from the knob opening118of the shell110and connected to the latch portion150. In use, the user may slide the knob155to, for example, the left of the knob opening118to detach the cover120from the shell110. The stroke of the knob155depends on the sizes of the groove140and the knob opening118. In one or more embodiments, the stroke of the knob155may be about 2.5-4.5 mm.

Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. §112, 6th paragraph. In particular, the use of “step of” in the claims is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, 6th paragraph.