Abstract:
An electronic device. The electronic device comprises a main body, a bracket supporting the main body, a shaft rotatably joined with the bracket and comprising a flange, a base joined with the shaft, and a block slidably joined with the shaft and comprising a notch corresponding to the flange. The base is folded by rotation of the shaft. When the shaft rotates to a predetermined angle, the block slides to a first position in which the notch engages the flange to latch the shaft, thereby positioning the base.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     The invention relates to an electronic device, and in particular to an electronic device, wherein the base thereof can be folded and positioned by a base positioning mechanism.  
         [0002]     Electronic devices are typically provided with a base for support. The base is typically fixed thereto and has a wide area. As compact electronic devices are highly required, the wide base can be problematic in storage or shipping.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0003]     An electronic device of the invention comprises a main body, a bracket for supporting the main body, a shaft rotatably joined with the bracket and comprising a flange, a base joined with the shaft, and a block slidably joined with the shaft and comprising a notch corresponding to the flange. The base is folded by rotation of the shaft. When the shaft rotates to a predetermined angle, the block slides to a first position so that the notch is engaged with the flange to latch the shaft, thereby positioning the base.  
         [0004]     The electronic device further comprises a push element joined with the block. The push element is pushed to move the block so as to separate the notch from the flange, whereby the shaft is rotatable.  
         [0005]     The bracket comprises a bottom cover disposed under the block. The bottom cover comprises a positioning hole, and the block comprises a positioning module. When the block is pushed to a second position by the push element, the positioning module engages the positioning hole to maintain the block in the second position.  
         [0006]     The block further comprises a through hole. The positioning module comprises a positioning element disposed in the through hole, a second elastic element disposed in the through hole and biasing the positioning element, and a cover positioning the second elastic element in the through hole.  
         [0007]     The bottom cover comprises a groove. The positioning element comprises a guide portion slidably disposed in the groove, a coupler biased by the second elastic element, and a positioning portion joined with the guide portion via the coupler. When the block is pushed to the second position, due to the bias force of the second elastic element on the coupler, the positioning portion is engaged with the positioning hole.  
         [0008]     The electronic device further comprises a first elastic element disposed on the shaft and biasing the block to maintain the engagement of the notch and the flange. The first elastic element can be a spring. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electronic device of the invention;  
         [0011]      FIGS. 2 and 3  are exploded views of the base positioning mechanism of the invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the base positioning mechanism of the invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a cross section along the line A-A of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0014]      FIGS. 6   a  to  6   g  depict steps of folding the base;  
         [0015]      FIG. 7   a  is a perspective view of the base positioning mechanism;  
         [0016]      FIGS. 7   b  and  7   c  are cross section along the line B-B of  FIG. 7   a ; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 7   d  is a cross section along the line C-C of  FIG. 7   a.   
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an electronic device  1000  comprises a main body  100 , a positioning mechanism  200  and a base  300 . The base  300  supports the main body  100  via the positioning mechanism  200 . In  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the positioning mechanism  200  comprises a support module  220 , two brackets  240 , four shafts  260 , four first elastic elements (compression springs  270 ), two blocks  280  and two bottom covers  290 .  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the support module  220  comprises a support element  221 , two connecting elements  223  and a top cover  225 . The support element  221  is joined with the main body  100 . Each connecting element  223  is connected to the support element  221  via bolts  2231  and connected to the top cover  225  via bolts  2232 . Thus the support element  221  is jointed with the top cover  225  via the connecting element  223 .  
         [0020]     For the sake of clarity, the support module  220  is omitted in  FIG. 3 . Each bracket  240  comprises a body  241  and a connecting portion  242 . Each body  241  has three screw holes  2412  corresponding to the screw holes  2252  of the top cover  225 , whereby the bracket  240  is secured to the top cover  225  via bolts (not shown).  
         [0021]     One end of the shaft  260  is connected to the base  300 , and bracket  240 , block  280  and compression spring  270  are all joined with the other end of the shaft  260 .  FIG. 5  shows the aforementioned elements joined with the shaft  260 .  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the shaft  260  comprises a first portion  261 , a second portion  262 , a flange  263  and a third portion  264 . The first portion  261  is inserted into a joining portion  302  of the base  300 . The first portion  261  has screw holes  2612  corresponding to screw holes  3022  of the joining portion  302  shown in  FIG. 3 , whereby the shaft  260  is secured to the base  300  via bolts (not shown). When the base  300  is rotated, the shaft  260  is rotated as well. The connecting portion  242  is joined with the second portion  262  and positioned between the bolts  230  and the flange  263 . The block  280  is slidably joined with the third portion  264 , and the compression spring  270  is also joined with the third portion  264 . A C-clamp  250  is engaged with the end of the third portion  264 , whereby the compression spring  270  is disposed between C-clamp  250  and the block  280  and biases the block  280 . A notch  282  is formed on the block  280 , and the flange  263  is tapered and corresponds to the notch  282 . When the flange  263  is rotated to a predetermined angle, the notch  282  is engaged with the flange  263  due to the bias force of the compression spring  270  to latch the shaft  260 . A push element  285  is disposed on one side of the block  280 . By pushing the push element  285  against the bias force of the compression spring  270 , the block  280  can be separated from the flange  263 . At this time, the shaft is rotatable again.  
         [0023]     Accordingly, as the base  300  is joined with the shaft  260 , when the block  280  is engaged with the flange  263  to latch the shaft  260 , the base  300  is positioned. When the block  280  is separated from the flange  263 , the base  300  can be folded by rotation of the shaft  260 .  
         [0024]      FIGS. 6   a  to  6   g  are bottom views of the electronic device  1000  depicting steps of folding the base  300 . In  FIG. 6   a , when the block  280  is engaged with the flange  263 , the block  280  is in a first position, and the base  300  is positioned. Hence, the electronic device  1000  can be placed on a table. In  FIGS. 6   b  to  6   d , when the block  280  is separated from the flange  263  and moved to a second position, the base  300  can be folded. The folded base  300  can serve as a handle to easily carry the electronic device  1000 . Further, because the flange  263  is so rotated when the shaft  260  is rotated that the flange  263  is no longer engaged with the notch  282 , the shaft  260  remains rotatable. In  FIGS. 6   e  to  6   g , when the folded base  300  is stretched gradually, the flange  263  is finally rotated to the predetermined angle, and the block  280  moves from the second position to the first position so as to be engaged with the flange  263 . At this time, the shaft  260  cannot rotate, and the base  300  is positioned.  
         [0025]     In addition, when the block  280  is moved to the second position, it is required to keep pushing the block  280  against the compression spring  270  and to fold the base  300  simultaneously. Thus it would be better that a positioning module  400  is disposed in the block  280  as shown in  FIGS. 7   a  to  7   d . When the block  280  is moved to the second position, the positioning module  400  maintains the block  280  in the second position, and thereby the base  300  is easily folded.  
         [0026]      FIG. 7   a  depicts the positioning module  400 .  FIGS. 7   b  and  7   c  are cross sections along line B-B of  FIG. 7   a , wherein  FIG. 7   b  depicts the block  280  in the first position and  FIG. 7   c  depicts the block  280  in the second position.  FIG. 7   d  is a cross section along line C-C of  FIG. 7   a . The positioning module  400  comprises a positioning element  410 , a second elastic element (compression spring  420 ) and a cover  430 . A through hole  284  is formed in the block  280 , and the positioning element  410  has a flat guide portion  412 , a cylindrical positioning portion  414  with curved front and a coupler  416 . The guide portion  412  is connected to the positioning portion  414  via the coupler  416 . The positioning portion  414  is slidably disposed in the through hole  284  via the coupler  416 . The compression spring  420  disposed in the through hole  284  biases the coupler  416 . Guide portion  412 , positioning portion  414  and coupler  416  can be formed integrally. The cover  430  maintains the compression spring  420  in the through hole  284 . The bottom cover  290  comprises a groove  291  and a positioning hole  292 . In  FIG. 7   b , when the block  280  is in the first position, the guide portion  412  is inserted into the groove  291  and the positioning portion  414  abuts the bottom cover  290 . In  FIG. 7   c , when the block  280  is moved to the second position, the positioning portion  414  falls into the positioning hole  292 . At this time, the positioning portion  414  is positioned in the positioning hole  292  due to the bias force of the compression spring  420  on the positioning portion  414 . Further because of the bias force of the compression spring  270  on the block  280 , the block  280  is accordingly positioned in the second position, whereby the base  300  is easily folded. When one intends to move the block  280  back to the first position, he only needs to push the guide portion  412  of the positioning element  410  against the compression spring  420  and enable the positioning portion  414  to separate from the positioning hole  292 . The block  280  is moved to the first position by the bias force of the compression spring  270 .  
         [0027]     In this embodiment, although two positioning mechanisms  200  are disposed on opposite sides of the base  300 , one positioning mechanism  200  disposed on one side of the base  300  is also applicable.  
         [0028]     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.