Latching mechanism for a foldable electronic device

A foldable electronic device includes a base member, a latch member movably mounted to the base member, a resilient member, and a top member. The latch member includes a locking portion. The resilient member is mounted between the latch member and the base member. The top member has a shaft member pivotably mounted thereto. The shaft member includes a locking post. The locking post defines a locking slot therein, for receiving the locking portion of the latch member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to foldable electronic devices, and particularly to a foldable electronic device readily allowing installation or removal of a top member to or from a base member thereof.

2. Description of Related Art

A typical foldable electronic device, such as a notebook computer, includes a base member, and a top member pivotably mounted to the base member by hinges. The base member and the top member are both mounted to the hinges by screws or other fasteners. Generally, it is not convenient to remove the top member from the base member.

What is desired, therefore, is a foldable electronic device which readily allows installation or removal of a top member to or from a base member thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An exemplary foldable electronic device includes a base member, a latch member movably mounted to the base member, a resilient member, and a top member. The latch member includes a locking portion. The resilient member is mounted between the latch member and the base member. The top member has a shaft member pivotably mounted thereto. The shaft member includes a locking post. The locking post defines a locking slot therein, for receiving the locking portion of the latch member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIG. 1, a foldable electronic device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a base member, a first latch70, a second latch80, a resilient member78, and a top member20. In this preferred embodiment, the foldable electronic device is a notebook computer.

Referring also toFIGS. 2-5, the base member includes a bracket50for holding a circuit board (not labeled), and a cover40.

The bracket50includes a bottom wall52, and two flanges54,55extending up from opposite ends of a rear side of the bottom wall52. A cutout542is defined in the flange54. A blocking tab522extends up from the bottom wall52adjacent the flange54and at a side of the cutout542away from the corresponding end of the rear side of the bottom wall52. A cutout552is defined in the flange55. A locking portion556is mounted to the rear side of the bottom wall52adjacent the cutout552. A first locating slot558and a second locating slot559parallel to the first locating slot558are defined in the locking portion556.

The cover40includes a top wall42, and a rear plate44extending up from a rear side of the top wall42. An extending portion421extends forward from an end of the rear plate44. A cutout442corresponding to the extending portion421is defined in a bottom of the corresponding end of the rear plate44. An orientating hole422is defined in an end of the extending portion421adjacent the corresponding end of the rear plate44. A through-hole424is defined in an opposite end of the extending portion421. A pair of fixing posts423extends up from a rear side of the extending portion421. Referring toFIGS. 4-5, an extending portion425extends forward from an opposite end of the rear plate44. A cutout444corresponding to the extending portion425is defined in a bottom of the corresponding end of the rear plate44. A through-hole426is defined in the extending portion425. A pair of fixing posts427extends up from a rear side of the extending portion425. A locating member446is mounted to a bottom of the top wall42adjacent the extending portion425. A third locating slot448and a fourth locating slot449parallel to the third locating slot448are defined in the locating member446.

Referring toFIG. 2again, the first latch70includes a body71, an operating portion74at a rear side of the body71, and a locking portion76at a front side of the body71. A post760extends from a side of the locking portion76. A groove72is defined in the first latch70between the body71and the operating portion74. Thus, a slim portion (not shown) is defined between the body71and the operating portion74.

Referring toFIG. 4, the second latch80includes a body81, an operating portion84at a rear side of the body81, and a locking portion86at a front side of the body81. A first arm88and a second arm89extend from a top and a bottom of an end of the body81respectively. A first protrusion880protrudes from a distal end of the first arm88at the top of the end of the body81. A second protrusion890protrudes from a distal end of the second arm89. A groove82is defined in the second latch80between the body81and the operating portion84. Thus, a slim portion (not shown) is defined between the body81and the operating portion84.

The top member20for holding a liquid crystal display panel23defines two mounting slots232,234in opposite ends of a bottom thereof. A first shaft member24is received in the mounting slot232and pivotably mounted to the top member20at a side of the mounting slot232. A second shaft member26is received in the mounting slot234and pivotably mounted to the top member20at a side of the mounting slot234.

The first shaft member24includes a pivot part240, and a mounting part242extending forward from a bottom of the pivot part240. The pivot part240is pivotably mounted to the top member20. An orientating post244and a locking post246extend down from the mounting part242. A locking slot248is defined in a rear side of the locking post246. A pair of fixing holes (not shown) is defined in the bottom of the pivot part240.

The second shaft member26includes a pivot part260, and a mounting part262extending forward from a bottom of the pivot part260. The pivot part260is pivotably mounted to the top member20. A locking post266extends down from the mounting part262. A locking slot268is defined in a rear side of the locking post266. A pair of fixing holes (not shown) is defined in the bottom of the pivot part260.

Referring also toFIGS. 6-8, in assembly, the first latch70and the second latch80are placed on the bracket50. The resilient member78, such as a coil spring, fits about the post760of the first latch. The slim portion of the first latch70is received in the cutout542of the bracket50, thus locating the operating portion74against an outside of the bracket50, and the body71against an inside of the bracket50, with the resilient member78located between the body71and the blocking tab522. The slim portion of the second latch80is received in the cutout552of the bracket50, thus locating the operating portion84against an outside of the bracket50, and the body81against an inside of the bracket50. The first protrusion880of the second latch80is located in the locking slot558in a locked position, or the locking slot559in an unlocked position, of the bracket50. Then the cover40is mounted to the bracket50, with the cutout442accommodating the slim portion of the first latch70, and the cutout444accommodating the slim portion of the second latch80. Then the second protrusion890of the second latch80is located in the third locating slot448(if the first protrusion880is in the first locking slot558), or the fourth locating slot449(if the first protrusion880is in the second locking slot559), of the cover40.

In preparation for mounting the top member20to the base member, the first and second protrusions880,890of the second latch80are located in the locking slots559,449respectively corresponding the unlocked position. The first latch70is pushed to resiliently compress the resilient member78. In mounting the top member20to the base member, the orientating post244of the first shaft member24is received in the orientating hole422of the base member. The locking post246extends through the through-hole424of the base member, with the locking slot248thereof under the extending portion421of the base member. The fixing posts423of the base member are engaged in the corresponding fixing holes of the first shaft member24. The locking post266of the second shaft26extends through the through-hole426of the base member, with the locking slot268thereof under the extending portion425of the base member. The fixing posts427of the base member are engaged in the corresponding fixing holes of the second shaft member26. The first latch70is released to rebound back via the resilient member78. The locking portion76of the first latch70is engaged in the locking slot248of the first shaft member24. The second latch80is pushed to slide toward the first latch70. The first and second protrusions880,890of the second latch80disengage from the fourth locating slot449of the cover40and the second locating slot559of the bracket50, and engage in the third locating slot448of the cover and the first locating slot558of the bracket50, respectively in the locked position. The locking portion86of the second latch80is engaged in the locking slot268of the second shaft member26. Thus, the top member20is mounted to the base member.

A decorative plate46is mounted to the rear side of the top wall42of the cover40to cover the mounting parts242,262of the first and second shaft members24,26, and two decorative unshaped covers28cover the pivot parts240,260of the first and second shaft members24,26, for enhancing aesthetics of the notebook computer.

In dismounting the top member20from the base member, the second latch80is pushed to slide away from the first latch70via operation on the operating portion84. The first and second protrusions880,890of the second latch disengage from the third locating slot448of the cover40and the first locating slot558of the bracket50, to engage in the fourth locating slot449of the cover40and the second locating slot559of the bracket50. The locking portion86of the second latch80is disengaged from the locking slot268of the second shaft member26. The first latch70is pushed to compress the resilient member78. The locking portion76of the first latch70is disengaged from the locking slot248of the first shaft member24. Thus, the top member20is easily removed from the base member.

It is believed that the present embodiment and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the example hereinbefore described merely being a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the invention.