Abstract:
A multifunction base and a computer utilizing the same. The multifunction base is applicable to an electronic device, and comprises a first portion and a second portion. The second portion is detachably combined with the first portion. When the second portion and the first portion are combined, they be utilized as a base for the electronic device. When the second portion and the first portion are separated, the electronic device can be received in the first and second portions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a multifunction base and a computer utilizing the same, and in particular to a multifunction base that may be used as a packing material. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     When transporting electronic devices, a large amount of packing material is utilized for protection. After transport, the packing material is typically discarded, which is harmful to the environment. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Multifunction bases are provided. An exemplary embodiment of a multifunction base is applied to an electronic device, and comprises a first portion and a second portion. The second portion is detachably combined with the first portion. When the second portion and the first portion are combined, the first portion and the second portion can be utilized as a base for the electronic device. When the second portion and the first portion are separated, the electronic device can be received in the first portion and the second portion. 
     Furthermore, the first portion comprises a first body, a first cushion member, a support, a circuit board, a power wire, a signal wire, and a bottom cover. The first cushion member is disposed in the first body, and comprises foam material or polyethylene When the electronic device is received in the first portion, the electronic device abuts the first cushion member. The support is connected to the first body in a manner such that the support is moveable between a first position and a second position. When the electronic device is received in the first portion, the support is in the first position. When the second portion and the first portion are combined, the support is in the second position to be connected to the electronic device. The first body comprises a groove, and the support comprises a protrusion located in the groove. The support is moveable between the first position and the second position by moving the protrusion in the groove. The circuit board is disposed in the first body. When the second portion and the first portion are combined, the electronic device is electrically connected to the circuit board. The power wire is electrically connected to the circuit board. The signal wire is electrically connected to the circuit board. The bottom cover is combined with the first body to receive the circuit board between the first body and the bottom cover. 
     Moreover, the second portion comprises a second body, a second cushion member, and a support. The second cushion member is disposed in the second body, and comprises foam material or polyethylene. When the electronic device is received in the second portion, the electronic device abuts the second cushion member. The support is connected to the second body in a manner such that the support is moveable between a first position and a second position. When the electronic device is received in the second portion, the support is in the first position. When the second portion and the first portion are combined, the support is in the second position to be connected to the electronic device. The second body comprises a groove, and the support comprises a protrusion located in the groove. The support is moveable between the first position and the second position by the protrusion moving in the groove. 
     Additionally, the multifunction base further comprises a pin, the first body comprises a first hole, and the second body comprises a second hole corresponding to the first hole. The first portion is combined with the second portion by inserting the pin into the first hole and the second bole. 
     Computers are provided. An exemplary embodiment of a computer comprises a screen, a first portion, and a second portion. The second portion is detachably combined with the first portion. When the second portion and the first portion are combined, the first portion and the second portion can be utilized as a base for the screen. When the second portion and the first portion are separated, the screen can be received in the first portion and the second portion. 
     Furthermore, the computer comprises a connection wire, a host, and a host platen. When the second portion and the first portion are combined, the connection wire connects the screen and the circuit board, the host electrically connects the power wire and the signal wire, the host platen is combined with the second portion and the first portion, and the host is disposed on the host platen. When the second portion and the first portion are separated, the host platen is received in the second portion. The first body comprises a first lead hole, the second body comprises a second lead hole, and the host platen comprises a plurality of protrusions. The protrusions are inserted into the first lead hole and the second lead hole to combine the host platen with the first portion and the second portion when the second portion and the first portion are combined. 
     A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1   a  is an exploded view of an embodiment of a computer; 
         FIG. 1   b  is a schematic view of the assembled computer in  FIG. 1   a;    
         FIG. 2   a  is an exploded view of a first portion in  FIG. 1   a;    
         FIG. 2   b  is a an exploded view of a second portion in  FIG. 1   a;    
         FIG. 3   a  is a schematic view of an embodiment of a multifunction base and other packing material for packaging an electronic device; and 
         FIG. 3   b  is a partial cross section of the assembly of the multifunction base and the electronic device in  FIG. 3   a.    
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Multifunction bases of the invention can be applied to any electronic device requiring a base. The following embodiment utilizes a computer as an example. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b , an embodiment of a computer  100  comprises a screen  110 , a first portion  120 , a second portion  130 , a connection wire  140 , a host  150 , a host platen  160 , and four pins  170 . The screen  110  is a display of the computer  100 , and comprises a rotary shaft  111  at its back. 
     The first portion  120  and the second portion  130  constitute a multifunction base  200  of the invention. Referring to  FIG. 2   a , the first portion  120  comprises a first body  121 , a first cushion member  122 , a first support  123 , a circuit board  124 , a power wire  125 , a signal wire  126 , and a bottom cover  127 . The first body  121  is formed with a notch  121   d  at its bottom. Two grooves  121   a  are formed around the notch  121   a . Only one groove  121   a  is shown in  FIG. 2   a . The first body  121  further comprises four first holes  121   b  at a side facing the second portion  130 , and two first lead holes  121   c  at its top, as shown in  FIG. 1   a.    
     The first cushion member  122  is disposed in the first body  121 , and may be preferably made of foam material or polyethylene. The first support  123  is connected to the first body  121  in a manner such that the first support  123  is moveable between a received position (as shown in  FIG. 3   a  and hereinafter referred as a first position) and a supporting position (as shown in  FIG. 1   a  and hereinafter referred as a second position). Specifically, when the electronic device such as the screen  110  is received in the first portion  120 , the first support  123  is in the first position to be received in the notch  121   d  of the first body  121 . When the second portion  130  and the first portion  120  are combined to form the base  200 , the first support  123  is in the second position to be connected to the rotary shaft  111  of the screen  110 . Additionally, the first support  123  comprises two protrusions  123   a  at one end, and a hole  123   b  at the other end. Only one protrusion  123   a  is shown in  FIG. 2   a . The protrusions  123   a  are located in the grooves  121   a  of the first body  121 . The first support  123  is moveable between the first position and the second position by the protrusions  123   a  moving in the grooves  121   a.    
     The circuit board  124  is disposed in the first body  121 . When the second portion  130  and the first portion  120  are combined to form a base  200 , the circuit board  124  is electrically connected to the screen  110  via the connection wire  140 . Both the power wire  125  and the signal wire  126  are electrically connected to the circuit board  124  to transmit the required power and signal. The bottom cover  127  is combined with the first body  121  to receive the circuit board  124  between the first body  121  and the bottom cover  127 . 
     The second portion  130  is detachably combined with the first portion  120 . Referring to  FIG. 2   b , the second portion  130  comprises a second body  131 , a second cushion member  132 , and a second support  133 . The second body  131  is formed with a notch  131   d  at its bottom. Two grooves  131   a  are formed around the notch  131   a . Only one groove  131   a  is shown in  FIG. 2   b . The second body  131  further comprises four second holes  131   b  at a side facing the first portion  120 , and two second lead holes  131   c  at its top as shown in  FIG. 1   a.    
     The second cushion member  132  is disposed in the second body  131 , and may be preferably made of foam material or polyethylene. The second support  133  is connected to the second body  131  in a manner such that the second support  133  is moveable between the received position (as shown in  FIG. 3   a  and hereinafter referred to as the first position) and the supporting position (as shown in  FIG. 1   a  and hereinafter referred to as the second position). Specifically, when the electronic device such as the screen  110  is received in the second portion  130 , the second support  133  is in the first position to be received in the notch  131   d  of the second body  131 . When the second portion  130  and the first portion  120  are combined to form the base  200 , the second support  133  is in the second position to be connected to the rotary shaft  111  of the screen  110 . Additionally, the second support  133  comprises two protrusions  133   a  at one end, and a hole  133   b  at the other end. Note that only one protrusion  133   a  is shown in  FIG. 2   b . The protrusions  133   a  are located in the grooves  131   a  of the second body  131 . The second support  133  is moveable between the first position and the second position by the protrusions  133   a  moving in the grooves  131   a.    
     The connection wire  140  electrically connects the screen  110  and the circuit board  124  in the first portion  120  when the second portion  130  and the first portion  120  are combined to form the base  200 . Note that the manner of connection between the screen  110  and the circuit board  124  is not limited to this. The host  150  electrically connects the power wire  125  and the signal wire  126  in the first portion  120 . The host platen  160  is formed with four protrusions  161 . When the second portion  130  and the first portion  120  are separated, the host platen  160  is received in the second portion  130 , as shown in  FIG. 3   b . When the second portion  130  and the first portion  120  are combined to form the base  200 , the protrusions  161  are inserted into the first lead holes  121   c  and the second lead holes  131   c  respectively so that the host platen  160  is combined with the second portion  130  and the first portion  120  and the host  150  is disposed on the host platen  160 . Thus, by combining the host platen  160  with the first portion  120  and the second portion  130 , the combination between the first portion  120  and the second portion  130  becomes more stable. 
     To combine the second portion  130  with the first portion  120 , the pins  170  are inserted into the first holes  121   b  and the second hole  131   b  so as to form the base  200 . 
     When the multifunction base  200  is used as a base for the screen  110 , the first portion  120  and the second portion  130  are combined by the pins  170 , as shown in  FIG. 1   b . When the multifunction base  200  is used as a packing material, the first portion  120  and the second portion  130  are separated and incorporated with a paper box  210  and packing material  220 , as shown in  FIG. 3   a . Thus, the screen  110  can be received in the first portion  120 , the second portion  130 , the paper box  210 , and the packing material  220 . Furthermore, when the screen  110  is received in the first portion  120  and the second portion  130 , the screen  110  abuts the first cushion member  122  and the second cushion member  132 . 
     As previously described, since the multifunction base in this invention can serve as both base and packing material, it will not be discarded after unpacking, thus improving environment. 
     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.