Electronic apparatus with keyboard

A pair of leg members, each of which has a front end forming a curved surface and a recess formed to continue the front end, are provided on both sides of a keyboard respectively, a bottom is formed so that it projects forward at the lower portion of the case, and a pair of recesses are provided on both sides of the bottom respectively. Each of recesses has a receiving surface, on which the curved surface of the front end of the leg members can slide, and an end, which can fit into the recess of the leg member. When the keyboard is pivoted from the upright position to a surface on which an electronic apparatus is positioned, on a predetermined point of the leg member as a fulcrum by sliding the curved surface of the front end of the leg members on the receiving surface formed on the recess in the bottom, the recess in the leg member is fitted into the end of the recess in the bottom to provide a predetermined angle for the keyboard.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an electronic apparatus with a keyboard such as a 
transportable personal computer in which the keyboard can be stored in a 
case in an upright position in such a manner that its surface mounted with 
keys faces toward the inside. 
PRIOR ART 
Japanese Published Unexamined Utility Model Application (PUUMA) No. 
60-158228 [Utility Model Application (UMA) No. 59-45620] discloses a 
storing mechanism for a keyboard not in use in which each lower front side 
of a display case is removably connected to each rear side of the keyboard 
with a projecting shaft, a groove for guiding the projecting shaft, and a 
fitting area provided at the end of the groove and fitted with the 
projecting shaft, so that the keyboard, when it is not in use, can be 
stored as a lid for a display screen. 
Japanese Published Unexamined Utility Model Application (PUUMA) No. 
63-39734 [Utility Model Application (UMA) No. 61-129870] discloses a 
keyboard with a display in which a projection is formed on either a molded 
keyboard or a molded body of a display, a rotating projection support 
member is formed on the other, in which a clearance allowing press fitting 
of the projection, and a space for rotation allowing rotation of the 
projection therein after the press fitting are provided, and a combination 
of the projection and the rotating projection support member is arranged 
to function as a hinge. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In both of the above two prior arts, the keyboard is mounted on the display 
in such a manner that it is pivoted and stored so that its surface mounted 
with keys faces inside. However, there is a problem in that the keys are 
difficult to operate because, when the keyboard is pivoted from the 
display to a surface on which the display is positioned, it becomes 
parallel to the display positioning surface. 
The invention intends to solve such a conventional problem, and to provide 
an electronic apparatus with a keyboard such as a transportable personal 
computer in which the keyboard can be stored in a case in an upright 
position in such a manner that its surface mounted with keys faces toward 
the inside, so that, when the keyboard is pivoted from its upright 
position to an electronic apparatus positioning surface, it can be 
provided with a predetermined inclination. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
To attain the above objective, in accordance with this invention, a pair of 
leg members, each of which has a front end forming a curved surface and a 
recess formed to continue the front end, are provided on both sides of a 
keyboard respectively, a bottom is formed so that it projects forward at 
the lower portion of the case, and a pair of recesses are provided on both 
sides of the bottom respectively. Each of recesses has a receiving 
surface, on which the curved surface of the front end of the leg members 
can slide, and an end, which can fit into the recess of the leg member. 
Therefore, when the keyboard is pivoted from the upright position to a 
surface on which an electronic apparatus is positioned, on a predetermined 
point of the leg member as a fulcrum by sliding the curved surface of the 
front end of the leg members on the receiving surface formed on the recess 
in the bottom, the recess in the leg member is fitted into the end of the 
recess in the bottom to provide a predetermined angle for the keyboard.

EMBODIMENT 
FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment where the invention applies to a 
transportable personal computer. FIG. 1 shows a state where a keyboard is 
taken out from a case and rests on a positioning surface on which the 
transportable personal computer is positioned, while FIG. 2 shows the 
transportable personal computer in a state where the keyboard is mounted 
on the case. In these figures, the case 8 of the transportable personal 
computer 2 is incorporated with a flat display 4 consisting of a plasma 
display, and a floppy disk drive 6. The keyboard 10 is arranged to be 
freely mounted on and dismounted from the case 8. In a state where the 
keyboard 10 is mounted on the case 8, as shown in FIG. 2, it constitutes a 
part of the case, so that the transportable personal computer 2 can be 
carried around by a handle 16. 
A pair of leg members 12A and 12B are provided at the rear of one side and 
the other of the keyboard 10 respectively. As shown in FIG. 3, the leg 
members 12A and 12B have round front ends 22A and 22B, as well as recesses 
24A and 24B respectively, to continue these front ends. Preferably, the 
round front end 22B has a radius of R same as the width of the side of the 
keyboard 10. This ensures that, when the keyboard 10 is mounted on the 
case 8, the leg members 12A and 12B do not project, and sufficient 
strength for supporting the keyboard is provided for the leg members. On 
the other hand, the lower portion of the case 8 is provided with a bottom 
14 so that it projects forward from the sides 8A and 8B of the case. 
A pair of recesses 18A and 18B are formed on one side and the other side of 
the bottom 14 respectively. 
FIG. 4 shows the recess 18A in the bottom 14 formed on the side 8A of the 
case 8. The recess 18A has a receiving surface 32A on which the curved 
surface of the front end 22A of the leg member 24A can slide, and an end 
34A that can fit into the recess 24A of the leg member 12A. Similarly, the 
recess 18B in the bottom 14 formed on the side 8B of the case 8 also has a 
receiving surface 32B on which the curved surface of the front end 22B of 
the leg member 12B can slide, and an end 34B that can fit into the recess 
24B for the leg member 12B (see FIG. 10). 
The front ends 22A and 22B of the leg members 12A and 12B are mounted on 
the keyboard 10 so as to project from its rear end 26. They are arranged 
in such a manner that, when the keyboard 10 is mounted on the case 8 in 
the upright position as shown in FIG. 2, they prevent the rear end 26 of 
the keyboard 10 from contacting the upper surface 28 of the bottom 14 of 
the case 8. 
A power switch 30 is provided on the upper surface 28 of the bottom 14. A 
projection 31 is provided on the rear end 26 of the keyboard 10 at a 
location corresponding to that of the power switch 30 so that the power 
switch 30 can be turned off when the keyboard 10 is mounted in the upright 
position as shown in FIG. 2. That is, the projection 31 pushes the power 
switch 30, and turns it off. 
Provided at the rear of the surface of the keyboard 10 mounted with the 
keys is a groove 18 for receiving a cord 20 so that the cord does not 
preclude the rotation of the keyboard 10, that is, the mounting or 
dismounting operation. 
A stopper actuating slide knob 35A is provided at the right front portion 
of the back of the keyboard 10. Correspondingly, a stopper receiving 
recess 36A is formed in the side 8A of the case 8. As shown in FIG. 5, 
when the stopper actuating slide knob 35A is slid to the right while the 
keyboard 10 is in the upright position, a stopper 38A enters into the 
recess 36A to prevent the keyboard 10 from removal from the case 8. 
Similarly, a stopper actuating slide knob 35B is also provided at the left 
front portion of the back of the keyboard 10. Correspondingly, a stopper 
receiving recess 36B is formed in the side 8B of the case 8. 
When the keyboard 10 mounted upright on the case 8 as shown in FIG. 2 is to 
be dismounted, the stopper actuating slide knobs 35A and 35B mounted on 
the back of the keyboard 8 are first slid to the left and right, 
respectively, to extract the stoppers from the recesses 36A and 36B. Then, 
as shown in FIG. 6, the keyboard 10 is pivoted toward the positioning 
surface 50, on which the transportable personal computer 2 is positioned, 
on the center 100 of the front ends 22A and 22B of the leg members 12A and 
12B of the keyboard 10 as a fulcrum by sliding the curved surface of front 
ends 22A and 22B of the leg members 12A and 12B of the keyboard 10 on the 
receiving surface 32A and 32B of the bottom 14. When the front edge 52 of 
the keyboard 10 contacts the positioning surface 50, the recesses 24A and 
24B of the leg members 12A and 12B can fit into the ends 34A and 34B of 
the recesses in the bottom 14 of the case 8 to hold a predetermined 
inclination for the keyboard 10 as shown in FIG. 7. 
As shown in FIG. 8, the leg members 12A and 12B can be pivoted by 
90.degree. to the keyboard 10 as shown in FIG. 9 by moving it to the right 
and left, respectively. 
FIG. 10 shows a mechanism provided in the leg member 12B for allowing the 
pivoting of the leg members. Projections 63 and 65 for restricting the 
rotation angle, and a projection 64 for restricting the rotation, located 
between these projections 63 and 65, are provided on the outer periphery 
of a pivoting shaft 60 opposite to the front end 22B of the leg member 
12B. Grooves 62 and 66 for fixing the leg members are formed at locations 
between the pivoting angle restricting projection 63 and the pivoting 
restricting projection 64, and between the pivoting angle restricting 
projection 65 and the pivoting restricting projection 64, respectively. 
The pivoting shaft 60 passes through an opening 74 in a rear member 10R, 
in which the cord receiving groove 18 of the keyboard 10 is formed, and a 
cavity 68 formed in the keyboard 10. The portion of the rotating shaft 60 
projected from the cavity 68 is wound with a coil spring 78. A threaded 
hole is formed in the pivoting shaft 60. A ring 80 is fastened by a screw 
82 on the front end of the pivoting shaft 60 wound with the coil spring 
78. At this time, the groove 62 is in a state where it fits a projection 
70 in the cavity 68, and the coil spring 78 is between a wall 84 and the 
ring 80 to bias the leg member 12B in the direction opposite to that of 
arrow A. 
To pivot the leg member 12B, it is drawn out along the pivoting shaft 60 in 
the direction of the arrow A to release engagement of the groove 62 and 
the projection 70. Thus, the leg member 12B can pivot in the direction of 
an arrow B. However, when it is pivoted by 90.degree., the projection 70 
abuts against the projection 65. At that moment, if the leg member 12B is 
released, the projection 70 fits into the groove 66 to fix the leg member 
12B at a position after rotation of 90.degree.. In FIG. 10, a shaft 72 of 
the leg member 12B is inserted into the cavity 76 in the rear member 10R 
of the keyboard 10 to cause the rear member 10R to pivot by 90.degree. as 
the leg member 12B rotates. 
FIG. 11 shows a state where the keyboard 10 is positioned on the surface 
for positioning the personal computer 2 after pivoting of the leg members 
12A and 12B by 90.degree.. Because the angle .theta. between the keyboard 
10 and the leg member 12A is 90.degree., the angle .phi. of inclination of 
the keyboard 10 to the positioning surface 50 can be determined if the 
length W of the side of the keyboard and the length V of the leg member 
12A are determined. FIG. 12 shows a state where the keyboard 10 of the 
personal computer 2 is in use after rotation of the leg member 12A by 
90.degree. as in FIG. 11. 
As described, according to the embodiment, the first inclination angle of 
the keyboard 10 can be set by fitting the recesses 24A and 24B of the leg 
members 12A and 12B into the ends 34A and 34B of the recesses in the 
bottom 14, respectively, while maintaining the leg members 12A add 12B 
parallel to the keyboard 10 (see FIG. 7). The second inclination angle of 
the keyboard 10 can be set by pivoting the leg members 12A and 12B by 
90.degree. (see FIG. 12). 
Although, in the above embodiment, the front ends 22A and 22B of the leg 
members 12A and 12B are formed to be round, they do not necessarily have 
to be round, but may be of any shape as long as curved surfaces are formed 
on the front ends 22A and 22B allowing them to slide on the receiving 
surfaces 32A and 32B of the bottom 14 to rotate the keyboard 10. 
In addition, the mechanism causing the leg members 12A and 12B to pivot may 
be that disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined Utility Model 
Application (PUUMA) No. 61-164533 [Utility Model Application (UMA) No. 
60-47078], Japanese Published Unexamined Utility Model Application (PUUMA) 
No. 62-28241 [Utility Model Application (UMA) No. 60-120478], or Japanese 
Published Unexamined Utility Model Application (PUUMA) No. 
59-166324[Utility Model Application (UMA) No. 58-60550] in addition to 
that shown in FIG. 10. This means that any mechanism enabling the leg 
members 12A and 12B to pivot by a predetermined angle, and to be fixed at 
a predetermined position may be employed. 
Furthermore, the invention is not limited to an arrangement where the leg 
members 12A and 12B can be pivoted, but includes an arrangement where the 
leg members 12A and 12B are fixed. It is because, even if they are fixed, 
a predetermined inclination can be provided for the keyboard 10 by fitting 
the recesses 24A and 24B of the leg members 12A and 12B into the ends 34A 
and 34B of the recesses in the bottom 14, respectively. 
Also, although the above embodiment relates to a transportable personal 
computer, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that it can be 
applied to a desk top personal computer. 
In addition, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that the 
invention is not limited to a personal computer, but can be generally 
applied to a larger computer and other electronic apparatus such as a word 
processor. 
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION 
As clearly seen from the above description, according to the invention, 
curved surfaces are formed on the front ends of a pair of leg members each 
of which is provided on each side of a keyboard, recesses are formed to 
continue these front ends, and, receiving surfaces, on which the curved 
surfaces on the front ends of the leg members can slide, and ends, which 
can fit into the recesses in the leg members, are formed on each side of 
the bottom projecting forward on each side of a case at its lower portion. 
Therefore, the recesses of the leg members fit into the ends of the 
recesses in the bottom when the curved surfaces at the front ends of the 
leg members slide on the receiving surfaces formed on the bottom to pivot 
the keyboard to the surface on which an electronic apparatus is 
positioned, so that a desired inclination can be provided.