Foldable electronic device with multi-step adjusting bracket

A foldable electronic apparatus with an adjusting bracket includes a first body having a rail and steps disposed along the rail, a second body pivotally connected to the first body to pivot and be unfolded and folded relative thereto, a first supporting member having first and second ends opposite to each other, and a second supporting member having third end and fourth ends opposite to each other. The first end is pivotally connected to the first body. The second end is pivotally connected to the second supporting member and located between the third and fourth ends. The third end is movably coupled to the rail. The first and second supporting members and the second body form a linkage mechanism, so the first and second supporting members pivot relative to the first body. The steps limit the third end to generate a unique moving path on the rail.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 110147890, filed on Dec. 21, 2021. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The disclosure relates to a foldable electronic apparatus with a bracket, and in particular, relates to a foldable electronic apparatus with a multi-step adjusting bracket.

Description of Related Art

With the advancement of technology, under the trend of touch control, notebook computers have begun to emphasize the design of products based on touch functions on the screens. Under this trend, conventional notebook computers have been changed to be foldable or reversible in order to meet the users' preferences for products and to be widely applied.

At present, styluses are required to be used when the foldable or reversible notebook computers are used in the tablet mode. However, when a user uses a notebook computer of these types, since there is no support on the back of the touch panel, the user cannot use the touch panel at a large angle, or the user may experience poor stability when using the touch panel at an angle, and an obvious sense of shaking may be sensed by the user. In order to improve stability, when the notebook computers currently available on the market are to be used in the tablet mode, additional accessories are required to act as the back supports of the touch panels.

Therefore, how to allow a user to use a notebook computer at a large angle and improve the stability of use when the notebook computer is used at an angle without requiring any additional accessory and without affecting the existing internal stacking space design of the notebook computer is an important issue for manufacturers when pursuing practical and convenient structural design.

SUMMARY

The disclosure provides a foldable electronic apparatus with a multi-step adjusting bracket capable of providing a corresponding supporting effect in response to a folding state of the electronic apparatus.

The disclosure provides a foldable electronic apparatus with an adjusting bracket including a first body, a second body, a first supporting member, and a second supporting member. The first body has a rail and a plurality of steps disposed along the rail. The second body is pivotally connected to the first body to pivot and be unfolded and folded relative to the first body. The first supporting member has a first end and a second end opposite to each other, and the first end is pivotally connected to the first body. The second supporting member has a third end and a fourth end opposite to each other, the second end is pivotally connected to the second supporting member and is located between the third end and the fourth end, and the third end is movably coupled to the rail. The first supporting member, the second supporting member, and the second body form a linkage mechanism, such that the first supporting member and the second supporting member pivot and are unfolded and folded relative to the second body. The steps limit the third end to generate a unique moving path on the rail.

Based on the above, in the foldable electronic apparatus, in addition to the relative pivoting of the bodies through the pivotal connection between the bodies, the linkage mechanism formed by the first supporting member, the second supporting member, and one of the bodies is further applied to provide corresponding support corresponding to the flipped state of the other body.

In the embodiments, the pivotal connection and movably coupling among the first supporting member, the second supporting member, and the second body allow the first supporting member and the second supporting member to pivot relative to the second body and to be unfolded on the second body, so that under the normal use state of the foldable electronic apparatus, the first supporting member and the second supporting member may not only act as a supporting bracket of the second body, but also can support the first body corresponding to another use state which is generated when the first body is flipped relative to the second body. Further, the rail is provided with multiple steps, which further enables the third end of the second supporting member to temporarily stay at these steps. In turn, the second supporting member may be in various unfolded states relative to the second body, and the angle between the first body and the second body may be accordingly adjusted.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG.1Ais a schematic view of a foldable electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure.FIG.1Bis a schematic view of the foldable electronic apparatus ofFIG.1Ain another state.FIG.2is the foldable electronic apparatus ofFIG.1Billustrated in another form. With reference toFIG.1A,FIG.1B, andFIG.2together, in this embodiment, a foldable electronic apparatus with an adjusting bracket (hereinafter referred to as a foldable electronic apparatus100), such as a notebook computer, includes a first body110, a second body120, a bracket mechanism130, and a hinge140. The first body110is, for example, a system host of the notebook computer and has an input surface111(for allowing a keyboard and a touch pad or related input modules to be arranged) and a second back surface112. The input surface111and the second back surface112are opposite to each other, and the bracket mechanism130is operatively disposed on the second back surface112. The second body120is, for example, a display screen (or touch screen) of the notebook computer and has a display surface121(or touch display surface) and a first back surface122. The display surface121and the first back surface122are opposite to each other.

Further, the first body110and the second body120are connected to each other through the hinge140and may pivot and be unfolded and folded relative to each other accordingly, so that the foldable electronic apparatus100may be turned into a folded state as shown inFIG.1Aor a flipped state as shown inFIG.1Bthrough the pivoting of the bodies. The flipped state herein is different from a normal use state (not shown) of the notebook computer. Herein, the input surface111substantially covers a plane (platform) and may be treated as a tablet state, and the bracket mechanism130is supported between the first body110and the second body120. In other words, in the folded state shown inFIG.1A, the display surface121faces and overlaps the input surface111, and the bracket mechanism130is housed in the first body110. In the flipped state, the first back surface122faces the second back surface112, and the bracket mechanism130extends out of the first body110to support the first back side122of the second body120.

FIG.3is an exploded view of part of members of a bracket mechanism ofFIG.2. With reference toFIG.2andFIG.3together, in this embodiment, the bracket mechanism130of the foldable electronic apparatus100includes a first supporting member131, a second supporting member132, a base133, and a torsion spring134. The base133is disposed in the first body110and has rails R1, and in other embodiments, the base133and the first body110may be formed as an integral structure. The first supporting member131has a first end E1and a second end E2opposite to each other, and the first end E1is pivotally connected to the base133in the first body T1through a pivot T1. The second supporting member132has a third end E3and a fourth end E4opposite to each other, the second end E2is pivotally connected to the second supporting member132and is located between the third end E3and the fourth end E4, and the third end E3is movably coupled to the rails R1. Based on the above arrangement of the members, the first supporting member131, the second supporting member132, and the first body110form a linkage mechanism, such that the first supporting member131and the second supporting member132may pivot and be unfolded and folded relative to the first body110.

FIG.4is a local enlargement schematic view of a rail. With reference toFIG.3andFIG.4together, in this embodiment, the base133includes two components133aand133babutting each other, each having a side wall and the rail R1disposed on the side wall, and a recess is formed between the side walls. The third end E3is submerged in the recess and is coupled to the rails R1through guiding posts T2disposed on the end portion E3. Here, the rail R1located on the component133ais only illustrated by a hidden line drawing its outer contour due to the viewing angle, detailed structure thereof is the same as the rail R1on the component133b, and the two are substantially mirrored. Here, the base133located in the first body110also has a plurality of steps ST1to ST6disposed along the rail R1, and these steps ST1to ST6limit the third end E3to generate one moving path RT on the rail R1.

To be specific, as shown inFIG.4, the rail R1located on the component133btogether with the guiding post T2located on the third end E3of the second supporting member132are used herein to act as an example for illustration. In this embodiment, the rail R1is a closed loop and may limit the moving path RT of the guiding post T2moving thereon to be a unique moving path. That is, the moving path RT shown inFIG.4is a one-way loop path traveling in a counterclockwise direction, that is because a descending trend of a terrain of the steps ST1to ST6on the rail R1is consistent with the moving path RT. In other words, in the counterclockwise direction, a terrain height of each step ST1to ST6reveals that the terrain height of the previous position is higher than the terrain height of the latter position. Taking the step ST1as an example, when the guiding post T2travels along the moving path RT, its terrain height before the step ST1is higher than the terrain height of a position P2(i.e., the position after the step ST1). As such, the guiding post T2can only continue to move along the moving path RT and cannot return from the position P2to a position P1across the step ST1. The rest of the steps ST2to ST6also exhibit the same effects as described above, which in turn leads to the limitation effect of the aforementioned unique moving path RT.

Further, these steps ST1to ST6can drive the guiding post T2to temporarily stay during its movement. Together with linking provided by the abovementioned linkage mechanism, these temporary staying effects may be reflected in that the first supporting member131and the second supporting member132can present a plurality of support states relative to the first body110, and may be further reflected in a plurality of angles provided between the first body110and the second body120, which may be described in detail in the following paragraphs.

Besides, with reference toFIG.3andFIG.4together, the torsion spring134of the bracket mechanism130is disposed on the first end E1of the first supporting member131and abuts between the first supporting member131and the base133in the first body110. In this embodiment, one end of the torsion spring134is inserted in the first end E1of the first supporting member131, and the other end is engaged with a groove R2in the base133, so that the torsion spring134may constantly drive the first supporting member131to be folded on the first body110accordingly. That is, corresponding to the rail R1, when the guiding post T2of the second supporting member132is to be moved from the position P1to a position P5, a user must apply a force to the bracket mechanism130to overcome an elastic force of the aforementioned torsion spring134, and the bracket mechanism130may then be pulled out of the first body110. In this way, after passing through the step ST1, ST2, or ST3, the guiding post T2may temporarily stay at the position P2, P3, or P4due to the elastic force of the torsion spring134(the user releases its force) and the engagement with the step ST1, ST2, or ST3.

Note that once the user continues to apply force to drive the guiding post T2to move from the position P4to the position P5, since the terrain from the position P5along the moving path RT to the position P1is downhill, the guiding post T2is at the position P5. After the user releases the force, the torsion spring134may drive the second supporting132through the first supporting member131to allow the guiding post T2to move from the position P5to the position P1, and the guiding post T2securely stays at the position P1due to the step ST6. In other words, the abovementioned moving process of the guiding post T2is equivalent to that the guiding post T2at the third end E3moves on the rail R1to move closer to or away from the first end E1. When the third end E3is located at a turning-back position (i.e., position P5) closest to the first end E1of the rail R1, the torsion spring134drives the third end E3of the second supporting member132through the first supporting member131to move to a starting position (i.e., position P1) where the rail R1is farthest from the first end E1.

FIG.5Ais a local schematic view of a guiding post. With reference toFIG.5together withFIG.4, in view of the terrain change of the rail R1, in order to allow the third end E3to move smoothly along the rail R1, the guiding post T2of this embodiment needs to be telescopic. As shown inFIG.5A, each of the guiding posts T2includes a base portion T21, a moving portion T22, and an elastic member T23. The base portion T21extends from the third end E3of the second supporting member132, and the moving portion T22is connected to the base portion T21through the elastic member T23. In this way, the moving portion T22is in a floating state (the left right arrow shown in the figure, which represents movable directions of the moving portion T22), in response to the terrain change of the rail R1accordingly. As shown inFIG.4, on the moving path RT, the terrain of the rail R1presents an ascending and descending staggering configuration

FIG.5Bis a local schematic view of a guiding post according to another embodiment of the disclosure. With reference toFIG.5B, different from the foregoing embodiments, a guiding post T3of this embodiment is connected to the third end E3of the second supporting member132in an elastic arm structure, which can also make the guiding post T3telescopic when moving along the rail R1. In another embodiment that is not shown, the guiding post may also exhibit a pogo pin structure to produce the required telescopic effect.

FIG.6AtoFIG.6Cillustrates a process of driving the bracket mechanism. With reference toFIG.6Afirst together withFIG.2andFIG.3, in this embodiment, the foldable electronic apparatus100further includes a magnetic coupling member formed by a pair of magnetic members136and135attracting each other and respectively disposed on the second body120and the fourth end E4of the second supporting member132. In detail, the second supporting member132of this embodiment includes a main member132aand a secondary member132bpivotally connected to each other. The main member132ahas the aforementioned third end E3and the fourth end E4, the magnetic member135is disposed on the secondary member132b, and the magnetic member136is disposed on the second body120. Accordingly, when the second body120pivots relative to the first body110through the hinge140and substantially pivots to the state shown inFIG.6A, the second body120may attract the magnetic member135on the secondary member132bthrough the magnetic member136thereon, so as to accordingly drive the second supporting member132and link the first supporting member131. The second body120may thereby be supported by the bracket mechanism130. Further, with the temporary staying of the guiding post T2caused by the steps ST1to ST6, the angle between the first body110and the second body120in the flipped state may also be presented in multiple steps. As shown inFIG.6AtoFIG.6B, as the guiding post T2of the second supporting member132moves from the position P1to the position P2, an angle N1is provided between the bodies shown inFIG.6B. As shown inFIG.6BtoFIG.6C, as the guiding post T2moves from the position P2to the position P4, an angle N2is provided between the bodies, and the angle N2is greater than the angle N1.

In other words, through the bracket mechanism130, the user is not only allowed to manually remove the first supporting member131or the second supporting member132from the first body110directly through the magnetic members135and136, but is also provided with another operational manner as described above. That is, the driving mode in which the second body120pivots approximately 360 degrees relative to the first body110and then the related member is taken out from the first body110through the magnetic coupling member, which provides a labor-saving operation mode for the user.

Note that with reference toFIG.4andFIG.6Ctogether, when the guiding T2post moves to the position P5(i.e., in the state shown inFIG.6C), the user further applies force to the second body120to increase the angle between the second body120and the first body110(so that this angle is greater than the angle N2shown inFIG.6C), which is equivalent to that inFIG.6C, the user further applies force to drive the second body120to pivot in a counterclockwise direction until the guiding post T2moves to the position P5.

In view of the foregoing, in the embodiments of the disclosure, in the foldable electronic apparatus, in addition to the relative pivoting of the bodies through the pivotal connection between the bodies, the linkage mechanism formed by the first supporting member, the second supporting member, and one of the bodies is further applied to provide corresponding support corresponding to the flipped state of the other body.

In the embodiments, the pivotal connection and movably coupling among the first supporting member, the second supporting member, and the second body allow the first supporting member and the second supporting member to pivot relative to the second body and to be unfolded on the second body, so that under the normal use state of the foldable electronic apparatus, the first supporting member and the second supporting member may not only act as a supporting bracket of the second body, but also can support the first body corresponding to another use state which is generated when the first body is flipped relative to the second body.

Further, the bracket mechanism is provided with the magnetic coupling member. One magnetic member is disposed on the second supporting member, and the other magnetic member is disposed on the second body. As such, when the second body pivots to the 360-degree flipped state relative to the first body, the second supporting member may be pulled out from the first body through the magnetic attraction effect of the magnetic coupling member. In this way, in addition to allowing the user to manually pull out the bracket mechanism from the first body, the bracket mechanism may also be pulled out through the abovementioned operational manner, which provides a labor-saving effect.

Further, each rail is provided with multiple steps, which further enables the third end of the second supporting member to temporarily stay at these steps. As such, after the second supporting member is pulled out from the second body through the abovementioned manners, various unfolded states may be generated relative to the first body through these steps, and multi-step adjustment is thereby achieved, and the angle between the first body and the second body is adjusted.