Abstract:
An electronic device includes: a housing provided with an opening that accommodates a component; a cover member that covers the opening; a projecting part that projects from an inside face of the housing; a slide knob slidably provided to a surface of the housing; and an elastic slide lock member that fixes the cover member to the housing, wherein the elastic slide lock member includes: a movement part that is coupled to the slide knob, moves together with the slide knob, and is provided with a fixing projection; a fixing part that is rotatably supported by the projecting part of the housing; and a coupling part that couples the movement part and the fixing part and is elastically deformable.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-218252, filed on Sep. 28, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
       FIELD 
       [0002]    The embodiments discussed herein are related to an electronic device that includes a slide lock mechanism. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In a portable electronic device, a battery is used as a driving power supply. The battery is mounted in a housing of the electronic device as a battery pack. The battery pack is replaceable. The battery pack is accommodated in a battery pack accommodating part in an opening provided to part of the housing of the electronic device. The opening of the housing is covered with a cover. 
         [0004]    Related art is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2012-141803 or Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2000-22347. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    According to one aspect of the embodiments, an electronic device includes: a housing provided with an opening that accommodates a component; a cover member that covers the opening; a projecting part that projects from an inside face of the housing; a slide knob slidably provided to a surface of the housing; and an elastic slide lock member that fixes the cover member to the housing, wherein the elastic slide lock member includes: a movement part that is coupled to the slide knob, moves together with the slide knob, and is provided with a fixing projection; a fixing part that is rotatably supported by the projecting part of the housing; and a coupling part that couples the movement part and the fixing part and is elastically deformable. 
         [0006]    The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims. 
         [0007]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are examples and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example of an electronic device; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example of an electronic device; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  illustrates an example of a tablet terminal; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  illustrates an example of a housing; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  illustrates an example of a spring-type slide lock mechanism; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  illustrates an example of a spring-type slide lock member; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  illustrates an example of a cross section of a housing; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  illustrates an example of a cross section of a housing; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 9A to 9D  illustrate an example of operations of a spring-type slide lock member; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  illustrates an example of a cross section of a housing; 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  illustrates an example of a cross section of a housing; 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  illustrates an example of a latch-type slide lock mechanism; 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  illustrates an example of a latch-type slide lock mechanism; and 
           [0021]      FIGS. 14A to 14D  illustrate an example of latching operations. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    A slide lock mechanism is used for fixing a cover to a housing. In the slide lock mechanism, the cover becomes fixed or unfixed by a user causing a slide knob provided to the housing to slide. The slide lock mechanism includes a latch-type slide lock mechanism and a spring-type slide lock mechanism. 
         [0023]    When the slide knob is caused to slide in the latch-type slide lock mechanism, the slide knob is held or latched at a position to which the slide knob is caused to slide. For example, when the slide knob is caused to slide to a fixing position, the slide knob is maintained at the fixing position and a state in which the cover is fixed is maintained. When the slide knob is caused to slide to a fixing canceling position, the slide knob is maintained at the fixing canceling position and a state in which the cover is unfixed is maintained. In the spring-type slide lock mechanism, the slide knob is urged to the fixing position by a spring and maintained at the fixing position. When canceling the fixing, a user causes the slide knob to slide to the fixing canceling position. When the user releases the slide knob, the slide knob returns to the fixing position automatically by spring force and the cover is maintained in the fixed state. 
         [0024]    With the miniaturization of an electronic device, a battery pack is also miniaturized. A cover that covers an opening of a battery pack accommodating part may also be miniaturized and a space around the battery pack and the cover may be decreased, and a slide lock mechanism for fixing the cover may be miniaturized as well. 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example of an electronic device. The electronic device illustrated in  FIG. 1  may be a small-sized tablet terminal, and a perspective view of a small-sized tablet terminal  10  is depicted. The front face side of the tablet terminal  10  is provided with a liquid crystal display (LCD) part  12 . A user causes the LCD part  12  to display various kinds of information or images, or inputs various kinds of information on a screen of the LCD part  12 . The tablet terminal  10  is a portable electronic apparatus and is provided with a battery pack as a power source. 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example of an electronic device. The electronic device illustrated in  FIG. 2  may be a small-sized tablet terminal and a perspective view viewed from the back side of the small-sized tablet terminal  10  is depicted. An accommodating part that accommodates the battery pack is provided in the tablet terminal  10 . The battery pack accommodating part is provided in an opening provided to the back side of a housing  14 , and when the battery pack is accommodated in the accommodating part, the opening is closed with a cover  16 . A portion that corresponds to the cover  16  may be integrally formed in the battery pack itself. When the cover  16  is fixed, the battery pack may also be fixed. 
         [0027]    Two slide lock mechanisms are provided so as to fix the cover  16  to the housing  14 . A slide knob  20  of one of the slide lock mechanisms is provided to a portion along one of the shorter sides of the cover  16  that is approximately rectangular. A slide knob  22  of the other slide lock mechanism is provided to a portion along the other shorter side of the cover  16 . 
         [0028]    The slide lock mechanism that includes the slide knob  20  is a spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  and the slide knob  20  is urged to the fixing position. The slide lock mechanism that includes the slide knob  22 , meanwhile, is a latch-type slide lock mechanism  40  and the slide knob  22  is held at the fixing position or the fixing canceling position. 
         [0029]    Since the spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  and the latch-type slide lock mechanism  40  are provided at different positions on the periphery of a single cover, which is the cover  16 , unexpected separation of the cover  16  may be avoided. For example, some external force may act on the slide knobs  20  and  22  and both of the slide knobs  20  and  22  may slide to the fixing canceling position, and the cover  16  may separate from the housing  14 . When the cover  16  separates from the housing  14 , the battery pack accommodated in the accommodating part may be exposed and the battery pack may also separate from the accommodating part in the housing  14 . When the battery pack and the cover  16  are integrally formed, the cover  16  and the battery pack may separate. 
         [0030]    In many cases, while external force is acting on the slide knobs  20  and  22 , force that presses the cover  16  against the housing  14  is acting, and in this state, the cover  16  may remain at the housing  14 . When the external force acting on the slide knob  22  is removed, the slide knob  22  of the latch-type slide lock mechanism  40  is held at the fixing canceling position. Accordingly, the cover  16  is not fixed by the latch-type slide lock mechanism  40 . When the external force acting on the slide knob  20  of the spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  is removed, the slide knob  20  automatically returns to the fixing position. Accordingly, the cover  16  is fixed by the spring-type slide lock mechanism  30 . 
         [0031]    In the spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  of the two slide lock mechanisms, even when the slide knob  20  is unexpectedly caused to slide to the fixing canceling position, the slide knob  20  automatically slides to the fixing position and fixes the cover  16  on removal of the external force acting on the slide knob  20 . Thus, the separation of the cover  16  and the battery pack may be avoided. 
         [0032]    The spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  and the latch-type slide lock mechanism  40  are miniaturized and simplified, and therefore may be included in a miniaturized electronic apparatus. 
         [0033]      FIG. 3  illustrates an example of a tablet terminal.  FIG. 3  depicts a perspective view of the tablet terminal  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , from which the LCD part  12  is removed such that the inside of the tablet terminal  10  is visible. In  FIG. 3 , the back side of a bottom plate  14   a  of the rectangular accommodating part that accommodates the battery pack is depicted. The spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  that includes the slide knob  20  is arranged between one of the shorter sides of the accommodating part and one of the shorter sides of the housing  14 . In  FIG. 3 , most of the spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  may be hidden under a board  16 B. The latch-type slide lock mechanism  40  is arranged in the vicinity of the other shorter side of the accommodating part. Most of the latch-type slide lock mechanism  40  may be covered with a board  16 A and in  FIG. 3 , only part of the latch-type slide lock mechanism  40  may be depicted. 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  illustrates an example of a housing. In  FIG. 4 , a plan view viewed from the inside of the housing  14  is depicted. A state in which the spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  and the latch-type slide lock mechanism  40  are mounted is illustrated. 
         [0035]    The spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  is short in size in the longitudinal direction and is miniaturized. Thus, the spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  is used as a fixing mechanism for fixing the cover  16  of the tablet terminal  10 , which is a small-sized electronic device. 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  illustrates an example of a spring-type slide lock mechanism. In  FIG. 5 , an enlarged view of a portion to which the spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  illustrated in  FIG. 4  is provided is depicted. The spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  includes the slide knob  20 , a slide frame  32  to which the slide knob  22  is fixed, a spring part  34  that extends from the slide frame  32  and is shaped like an arch, and a fixing part  36  provided to the top end of the spring part  34 . The slide frame  32 , the spring part  34 , and the fixing part  36  may be a single member integrally formed of resin. The single member may be a spring-type slide lock member  38 . The slide frame  32  that moves together with the slide knob  20  may correspond to a movement part. The spring part  34  that couples the slide frame  32 , which may correspond to the movement part, and the fixing part  36  may correspond to a coupling part that is elastically deformable. The spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  may be an elastic slide lock mechanism, and the spring part  34  may be used as an elastic member. The spring part  34  may provide elasticity and may be an elastic body, such as a plate spring made of resin or metal, a rubber material, or a coil spring. 
         [0037]      FIG. 6  illustrates an example of an elastic slide lock member. In  FIG. 6 , a perspective view of the spring-type slide lock member  38  is depicted. The slide frame  32  corresponds to a frame-shaped portion that is approximately rectangular, and a lock projection  32   a  projecting out is formed on the outside face of the slide frame  32 . The lock projection  32   a  may engage with part of the cover  16  or part of the battery pack integrated with the cover  16  and correspond to a portion for fixing the cover  16 . The slide knob  22  is attached to the slide frame  32 , and when the slide knob  20  is caused to slide, the slide frame  32  moves together. 
         [0038]    Each of  FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrates an example of a cross section of the housing  14 .  FIG. 7  is a sectional view along line VI-VI in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 8  is a sectional view along line VII-VII in  FIG. 4 . The slide knob  20  is provided outside the housing  14  and at a position that faces the slide frame  32  located inside the housing  14 . An engaging part  20   a  extending from the slide knob  20  penetrates the housing  14  and engages with the inside of the slide frame  32 . Thus, the slide knob  20  is fixed to the slide frame  32  via the housing  14 . When the slide knob  20  slides, the slide frame  32  moves. When the slide frame  32  moves, the lock projection  32   a  moves and the fixing or the fixing cancellation of the cover  16  is performed. 
         [0039]    As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the fixing part  36  of the spring-type slide lock member  38  is rotatably fitted and fixed with respect to a boss  14   b  formed so as to project from the housing  14 . The slide frame  32  of the spring-type slide lock member  38  is movable in a direction toward or away from the fixing part  36 . For example, when the slide knob  20  is caused to slide, the slide frame  32  moves in the direction toward or away from the fixing part  36 . When the slide knob  20  is at the fixing position, the slide frame  32  is at a position away from the fixing part  36 . When the slide knob  20  is at the fixing canceling position, the slide frame  32  is at a position close to the fixing part  36 . 
         [0040]      FIGS. 9A to 9D  illustrate an example of operations of a spring-type slide lock member. When the slide knob  20  is not operated, the slide frame  32  is at the position away from the fixing part  36  as illustrated in  FIG. 9A . In the state illustrated in  FIG. 9A , no force may be applied to the spring part  34  that connects the slide frame  32  and the fixing part  36 , and the spring part  34  may be neither elastically deformed nor bent. 
         [0041]    When the slide knob  20  is caused to slide from the fixing position to the fixing canceling position, the slide frame  32  moves toward the fixing part  36  while elastically deforming the spring part  34  as illustrated in  FIG. 9B . At this time, the fixing part  36  engages with the boss  14   b  of the housing  14  to be fixed, and is rotatable about the boss  14   b.  Thus, when the spring part  34  attempts to bend, a component of force that causes the fixing part  36  to rotate occurs and the fixing part  36  slightly rotates. 
         [0042]    When the slide knob  20  slides further toward the fixing canceling position, as illustrated in  FIG. 9C , the spring part  34  is elastically deformed further and the fixing part  36  also rotates further. When the slide knob  22  reaches the fixing canceling position, the spring part  34  is elastically deformed further and the fixing part  36  also rotates further as illustrated in  FIG. 9D . This state may correspond to the state in which the fixing of the cover  16  is canceled. 
         [0043]    Since the spring part  34  is elastically deformed or bent in the state illustrated in  FIG. 9D , returning force caused by the elastic deformation acts on the slide knob  20 . For example, the slide knob  20  is pressed against the elastic force of the spring part  34  so as to maintain the state illustrated in  FIG. 9D . 
         [0044]    When the force being applied to the slide knob  20  is released, the slide frame  32  is urged in the direction away from the fixing part  36  by elastic reversion force caused by the spring part  34  attempting to retrieve an original shape, and returns to the state illustrated in  FIG. 9A . Thus, the slide knob  20  is caused to slide to the fixing position. When the spring part  34  returns from the elastic deformation and the slide frame  32  moves away from the fixing part  36 , the fixing part  36  also rotates in the opposite direction and returns to the state illustrated in  FIG. 9A . 
         [0045]    In the spring-type slide lock member  38 , the fixing part  36  rotates about the boss  14   b  as the spring part  34  is elastically deformed. When the fixing part  36  rotates, the elastic deformation of the spring part  34  is reduced. For example, the amount of the elastic deformation of the spring part  34  is decreased, compared to the case in which the fixing part  36  is fixed without rotating, and the slide knob  20  slides with smaller force. For example, when the amount of the elastic deformation of the spring part  34  is the same, the slide frame  32  may move by a longer distance with respect to the fixing part  36  because of the rotation of the fixing part  36 . Thus, in a small space, the distance by which the slide frame  32  moves may be increased and the spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  may be simplified and miniaturized. 
         [0046]    The housing  14  may be molded by die casting using a magnesium alloy. Since the boss  14   b  is integrally formed of the magnesium alloy, the boss  14   b  is provided with a projection  14   b - 1  in view of the molding quality in performing the die casting. Thus, the fixing part  36  of the spring-type slide lock member  38  is provided with a hole that is partially cut away, and this hole fits the boss  14   b.  When the boss  14   b  is shaped like a cylinder that does not include the projection  14   b - 1 , the hole provided to the fixing part  36  of the spring-type slide lock member  38  may have no lacking portion and the cross section of the hole may be shaped like a complete circle. Since an end face of the lacking portion of the hole of the fixing part  36  comes into contact with the projection  14   b - 1  of the boss  14   b,  the rotation of the fixing part  36  in the opposite direction may be avoided. 
         [0047]    When the positions of the fixing part  36  and the slide frame  32  are close to each other because of the operations of the spring-type slide lock member  38 , the distance by which the slide frame  32  moves may be long. Thus, when the spring-type slide lock member  38  is placed in a small space and when, for example, the spring-type slide lock member  38  is small in size, the distance by which the slide frame  32  moves, such as a stroke, may be long. Since the distance by which the slide knob  20  slides is set to be sufficient, force for causing the slide knob  20  to slide may be reduced. Since the fixing part  36  is rotatable, the spring-type slide lock member  38  may be miniaturized while securing a sufficient slide distance. The spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  that is miniaturized and includes a simplified structure may be provided. 
         [0048]    As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the latch-type slide lock mechanism  40  includes the slide knob  22 , a slide frame  42 , and a latch part  44  extending from the slide frame  42 . The latch part  44  includes a pair of arms  44   a  and  44   b.  The pair of arms  44   a  and  44   b  fixes the position of the slide frame  42  by sandwiching a boss  14   c  that is formed so as to project from the housing  14  and engaging with the boss  14   c.  Similar to the slide frame  32  of the spring-type slide lock member  38 , the slide frame  42  is provided with a lock projection  42   a.  The lock projection  42   a  may be a portion that engages with part of the cover  16  or part of the battery pack integrated with the cover  16  and fixes the cover  16 . The slide knob  22  is attached to the slide frame  42  and when the slide knob  22  is caused to slide, the slide frame  42  moves together. The slide frame  42  and the latch part  44  may be integrally formed of resin as a latch-type slide lock member  48 . The latch-type slide lock member  48  may be formed by fixing the latch part  44  to the slide frame  42 . 
         [0049]    Each of  FIGS. 10 and 11  illustrates an example of a cross section of a housing.  FIG. 10  illustrates a sectional view along line IX-IX in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 11  illustrates a sectional view along line X-X in  FIG. 4 . The slide knob  22  is arranged outside the housing  14  and at a position that faces the slide frame  42  located inside the housing  14 . An engaging part  22   a  extending from the slide knob  22  penetrates through the housing  14  and engages with the inside of the slide frame  42 . Thus, the slide knob  22  is fixed to the slide frame  42  via the housing  14 . When the slide knob  22  slides, the slide frame  42  moves. When the slide frame  42  moves, the lock projection  42   a  moves and the fixing or the fixing cancellation of the cover  16  is performed. 
         [0050]    Each of  FIGS. 12 and 13  illustrates an example of an latch-type slide lock mechanism.  FIG. 12  depicts a perspective view of the latch-type slide lock mechanism  40 , which is viewed when the slide knob  22  is at the fixing position.  FIG. 13  depicts a perspective view of the latch-type slide lock mechanism  40 , which is viewed when the slide knob  22  is at the fixing canceling position. 
         [0051]    When the slide knob  22  is at the fixing position, the slide frame  42  is at the fixing position as illustrated in  FIG. 12 . At this time, the latch part  44  extending from the slide frame  42  latchingly engages with the boss  14   c  of the housing  14  at a top end portion positioned farther from the slide frame  42 . When the slide knob  22  is caused to slide to the fixing canceling position, the slide frame  42  also moves to the fixing canceling position as illustrated in  FIG. 13 . At this time, the latch part  44  extending from the slide frame  42  engages with the boss  14   c  of the housing  14  at a portion closer to the slide frame  42  than to the top end portion of the slide frame  42 . 
         [0052]      FIGS. 14A to 14C  illustrate an example of latching operations. The latch part illustrated in  FIGS. 14A to 14C  may be the latch part  44  illustrated in  FIGS. 12 and 13 . 
         [0053]    The latch part  44  includes the pair of arms  44   a  and  44   b , sandwiches the boss  14   c  with the pair of arms  44   a  and  44   b,  and latchingly engages with the boss  14   c.  Inside the arm  44   a,  a first projection  44   a - 1  is formed on the top end side, and a second projection  44   a - 2  is formed on the side closer to the slide frame  42  than the first projection  44   a - 1 . Similarly, inside the arm  44   b,  a first projection  44   b - 1  is formed on the top end side, and a second projection  44   b - 2  is formed on the side closer to the slide frame  42  than the first projection  44   b - 1 . The first projection  44   a - 1  and the first projection  44   b - 1  are arranged at the positions opposite to each other. The second projection  44   a - 2  and the second projection  44   b - 2  are also arranged at the positions opposite to each other. 
         [0054]    When the slide frame  42  is at the fixing position, the arms  44   a  and  44   b  of the latch part  44  engage with the boss  14   c  at a position on the top end side, which is closer to the top end than the first projection  44   a - 1  and the first projection  44   b - 1  as illustrated in  FIG. 14A . 
         [0055]    When the slide knob  22  slides from the fixing position toward the fixing canceling position, the slide frame  42  also moves and the latch part  44  moves as well. When the latch part  44  moves, the first projection  44   a - 1  of the arm  44   a  and the first projection  44   b - 1  of the arm  44   b  travel over the rim of the boss  14   c  as illustrated in  FIG. 14B . At this time, the arms  44   a  and  44   b  are elastically deformed so that the arms  44   a  and  44   b  bend outward. 
         [0056]    When the slide frame  42  moves further, the first projection  44   a - 1  of the arm  44   a  and the first projection  44   b - 1  of the arm  44   b  travel over the rim of the boss  14   c  as illustrated in  FIG. 14C . Thus, the boss  14   c  enters between the first projections  44   a - 1  and  44   b - 1  and the second projections  44   a - 2  and  44   b - 2 . At this time, returning force toward the inside acts on the arms  44   a  and  44   b  that are elastically deformed to bend outward and helps with the movement of the slide frame  42 . 
         [0057]    When the slide frame  42  moves to the fixing canceling position, the boss  14   c  is completely accommodated between the first projections  44   a - 1  and  44   b - 1  and the second projections  44   a - 2  and  44   b - 2 . In order to cause the slide frame  42  to move back in the opposite direction from this state, a certain amount of force may be applied to the slide frame  42  or, for example, to the slide knob  22  because the first projection  44   a - 1  of the arm  44   a  and the first projection  44   b - 1  of the arm  44   b  travel over the rim of the boss  14   c.  Thus, the slide frame  42  remains at the fixing canceling position and the state in which the fixing of the cover  16  is canceled is maintained. 
         [0058]    In the latch-type slide lock mechanism  40 , the boss  14   c  is sandwiched between the pair of arms  44   a  and  44   b.  When the first projections  44   a - 1  and  44   b - 1  travel over the rim of the boss  14   c,  the directions in which the arms  44   a  and  44   b  are deformed may be opposite to each other. Thus, force that may displace the slide frame  42 , which is connected to the base of the pair of arms  44   a  and  44   b,  in a direction perpendicular to the movement direction may be removed and no force may be applied to the slide frame  42  in the lateral direction. Accordingly, a guide for stopping the lateral displacement of the slide frame  42  or the like may be undesired and the structure of the latch-type slide lock mechanism  40  may be simplified. 
         [0059]    In the latch-type slide lock mechanism  40 , the boss  14   c  projecting from the housing  14  is used as a member for allowing the latch part  44  to engage and fix the position. In the spring-type slide lock mechanism  30 , the boss  14   b  projecting from the housing  14  is used for rotatably supporting the fixing part  36 . When  FIGS. 9A to 9D  and  FIGS. 14A to 14D  are compared, the relation between the positions of the slide frame  32  and the boss  14   b  in the spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  is substantially the same as or similar to the relation between the positions of the slide frame  42  and the boss  14   c  in the latch-type slide lock mechanism  40 , and a common arrangement may be employed. 
         [0060]    The cover  16  may be fixed using two independent lock mechanisms, which are the spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  and the latch-type slide lock mechanism  40 . It may be undesired to provide two lock mechanisms. For example, the spring-type slide lock mechanism  30  may be provided on one side of the cover  16 , and a fixing structure for merely inserting a projection into a hole formed on the side of the housing  14  may be provided on the other side of the cover  16  so that the cover  16  may be fixed to the housing  14 . The fixing of the cover  16  may be canceled by the operations of the slide knob  20  of the spring-type slide lock mechanism  30 . 
         [0061]    All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority and inferiority of the invention. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.