Abstract:
A portable electronic device and an external module thereof. The portable electronic device comprises a host and an external module detachably connected thereto. The external module comprises a connector assembly and a connection pin rotatable on the same axis, such that the external module can hinge rotated between a horizontal position and a downward position with respect to the notebook computer, enabling access to the connectors on the portable electronic device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to an external module, and in particular to a rotatable external module for a portable electronic device.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]      FIG. 1  shows a conventional notebook computer and an external module thereof. In  FIG. 1 , the external module  12  comprises a main body  121  with a connector  122  and two lugs  123 . The host  111  of the notebook computer  11  has a port  112  receiving the connector  122  and fixing holes  113  receiving the lugs  123 , fixing the external module  12  thereby.  
         [0005]     Presently, notebook computers utilize different connectors for different peripheral devices. After attachment as shown in  FIG. 2 , however, the conventional external module  12  obstructs access to connectors  112 , thus limiting expansion of peripheral devices.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a notebook computer and a rotatable external module, enabling access to connectors on the device.  
         [0007]     The prevent invention provides a portable electronic device and an external module thereof. The portable electronic device comprises a host with a port and a fixing member. The external module comprises a connector assembly and a connection pin, both rotatable on the same axis. The external module detachably connects to the host via the connector assembly connected to the port and the connection pin engaged by the fixing member.  
         [0008]     Because the connector assembly and connection pin are rotatable on the same axis, the external module, when connected to the host, can hinge to expose the side surface thereof and connectors thereon. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitation of the present invention, and wherein:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a conventional notebook computer and an external module thereof;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  shows the conventional external module connected to the notebook computer;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a notebook computer and an external module of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  shows the external module installed on the notebook computer and hinged downward;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a partial schematic view of the inner structure of the external module.  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  shows the inner structure of the external module with the latch released from the opening thereof; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of the external module showing the first and second openings thereon. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]      FIG. 3  shows a conventional notebook computer and an external module of the present invention. In  FIG. 3 , the notebook computer  21  comprises a host  211  with a port  212  and two fixing members  213 , or two holes with fixing means therein on each side of its rear surface. The external module  22  comprises a main body  221 , a connector assembly  222 , and two connection pins  223 . The external module  22  can be detachably connected to the host  211  with the connector assembly  222  electrically connecting to the port  212  and the connection pins  213  inserted into the hole  213  and firmly engaged therein. The external module  22  also can be rotated on a first axis XX′ with respect to the host  211  of the notebook computer  21 , such that the external module  22  hinges to a downward position as shown in  FIG. 4  after connecting to the host  211 , avoiding obstruction to the connectors.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  shows the inner structure of the external module  22 . The external module comprises a main body  221 , a connector assembly  222  and a connection pins  223  pivot on the main body  221 . The connector assembly  222  and the connector pins  223  can rotate about the first axis XX′, so that the connector assembly  222  can be selectively at a first angle or a second angle with respect to the main body  221 . The main body  221  of the external module  22  comprises a first opening  252 . The connector assembly  222  comprises a connector housing  270  with a through hole  272  and is rotatably connected to the main body  221 . The connector housing  270  has a hollow portion  273  with a latch  251 , a connector  240 , and a link mechanism  230  therein. More, a spring  260  is disposed between the latch  251  and the connector  240 .  
         [0019]     The connector assembly  222  further comprises at least one sliding rod; in this embodiment, there are two sliding rods  233 ,  234 . The connector  240  corresponds to the port  212  on the notebook computer  21 . The link mechanism  230  comprises at least one linkage; in this embodiment there are two linkages  231 ,  232  pivoting on the connector housing  270  and arranged in a form of V as shown in  FIG. 5 . Each linkage  231 ,  232  is connected to the latch  251  at one end, and contacts one of the sliding rods  233 ,  234  at the other end. The sliding rods  233 ,  234  are movably disposed in the hollow portion  273  on each side of the connector  240 .  
         [0020]     When the external module is not connected to the notebook computer, the latch  251  passes through the through hole  272  and first opening  252 , engaging with the main body  221 . In this situation, the latch  251  maintains the connector assembly  222  at a first angle and fixes with the external module  22 . The spring  260  exerts a spring force to fix the latch  251  and thus the linkages  231 ,  232  are immovable, so that the sliding rods keep protruding out the external module  22 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  shows the inner structure of the external module  22  when the external module  22  connects to a notebook computer. In order to simplify the drawing, the notebook computer is omitted.  
         [0022]     When the external module  22  connects to a notebook computer, the connection pins  223  insert into the fixing members  213  and the connector  240  is connected to the port  212  of the notebook computer. The sliding rods  233 ,  234  are pushed by the host  211  and then move inward to the connector housing  270 . Then, the linkages  231 ,  232  are pushed by the sliding rods  233 ,  234  to rotate in directions a and b shown in  FIG. 5 . Simultaneously, the latch  251  is pulled inward and received in the connector housing  270 , separated from the first opening  252  of the main body  221 . As a result, distance between the latch  251  and the connector  240  is shortened; the spring  260  is compressed to maintain the latch  251  in the connector housing  270 . Thus, in this situation, the main body  221  of the external module  22  and the connection pins  223  can be rotated on the axis XX′ with respect to the notebook computer  21 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  shows the positions of the first and second openings  252 ,  253  on the external module  22 . The connector assembly  222  is represented by a dashed line. In  FIG. 7 , the main body  221  of the external module  22  has a second opening  253  on a surface perpendicular to that of the first opening  252 . The main body  221  of the external module  22  can rotate to the second angle such as downward position as shown in  FIG. 4  when the external module  22  connects to the host  211  of the notebook computer  21 . The connector assembly  222  and connection pins  223  are perpendicular to the main body  221  of the external module  22 . At the same time, if the user separates the external module  22  from the host  211 , the sliding rods again protrude out the connector assembly  222 , so that the latch  251  is pushed by the spring  260  and protrudes into the second opening  253 , maintaining the external module  22  at the second angle.  
         [0024]     The external module  22  of the present invention can hinge between a horizontal position (0°) and a downward position (90°) with respect to the notebook computer  21  when the external module  22  connects to the notebook computer.  
         [0025]     Furthermore, the spring  260  in the above embodiment can be disposed between the latch  251  and the connector  240 , but is not limited thereto. One end of the spring  260  can be connected between the latch  251  and the connector  240 , and the other end of the spring  260  can be connected to the linkages  231 ,  232 , the sliding rods  233 ,  234 , or the latch  251 , the main purpose of the spring  260  is providing an elastic force to return the latch  251  and the sliding rods  233 ,  234  to their original positions.  
         [0026]     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. 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.