Abstract:
An electronic device is provided that includes an electronic component within the electronic device, a kill switch; an access door providing access to the electronic component and the kill switch and a latch for securing access to the electronic component in a closed position and for giving access to the electronic component in an open position. The latch activates the kill switch in the open position, independently of a position of the access door.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/055,200, filed Sep. 25, 2014, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present principles relate to an electronic apparatus and an associated top section design incorporating a latch and kill switch. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Electronic apparatuses or devices such as set-top boxes are typically assembled apparatuses having a plurality of walls and a top surface that is generally designed to encase and protect interior components. Most designs of these electronic apparatuses are such that the top plan view shape is rectangular and the apparatuses are horizontal electronic apparatuses in which the height of the apparatuses is smaller than the horizontal widths of the front wall, rear wall, and the sides walls. Such horizontal devices are mechanically stable given their wide bases and their top sections being planar horizontal structures. 
         [0004]    Given that horizontal devices are mechanically stable with flat tops, it is appropriate to have access doors and/or slots, jacks or ports positioned on vertical sidewalls. The reason is there is little risk of the devices falling over when access doors and/or slots, jacks or ports on vertical sidewalls are accessed. 
         [0005]    New vertical electronic apparatuses are now being contemplated for the consumer market in which the height of the apparatuses is larger than the horizontal widths of at least one of the walls.  FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a considered vertically oriented electronic device  200  having a flat top  210 , a front wall or front surface  208 , a rear wall  206 , side walls  204 , and a base  205 . 
         [0006]    Unfortunately, such vertical devices have the potential to have high centers of mass and can tip and fall if access doors and/or slots, jacks or ports are positioned on the vertical walls. 
         [0007]    Furthermore, the placement of access doors and/or slots, jacks or ports and the functionalities associated therewith on the vertical walls can interfere with heat management systems for such devices. 
         [0008]    As such, a need exists for a vertical electronic device design that avoids interfering with heat management systems and does not place the device in jeopardy of falling. 
         [0009]    Further, a need exists for a safe and fast method of stopping operation of a vertical electronic device by a customer or user to replace a key component or components such as hard drives, smart cards, information cards, disks or information chips. 
         [0010]    Further, it has been recognized that mechanisms involving the automatic activation of a kill switch triggered by the opening of an access door can lead to failures and can be frustrating to a user who may want the device to be operative with the access door open. Additionally, such automatic activation of the kill switch in response to an access door being open can cause the device to not power up if the access door or the mechanism associated with the access door is missing or broken. 
         [0011]    In sum, a need exists for a vertical electronic device design in which the unit will function without a door, with a broken door, and/or with an open door and will still provide a user with the ability to voluntarily keep the components or device powered and the ability to voluntarily power down components or the device if parts are present and functioning. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0012]    An electronic device  300  is disclosed that has a top  310  having an access door  314 , a component  341  laterally under the access door, a latch  340  laterally under the top and the door and at least partially laterally over the component, and a kill switch or tact switch, also referred to as a tactile switch, for powering down the component and/or the electronic device. The latch can have a closed physical position in which the latch blocks access to and/or blocks removal to the component and permits the electronic device and/or the component to function even when the door is open. The latch can have an open physical position in which the latch is cleared from or moved away from the component to permit access and/or reversible removal to the component and in this open physical position the latch causes the actuation of the kill or tact switch to power down the component and/or the electronic device. The access door when open can permit access to the latch, but does not power down the device and/or the component. 
         [0013]    The principles can include a vertically oriented electronic device  300  comprising: a top  310 ; a vertical front wall  308 ; a vertical rear wall  306 ; vertical side walls  304 ; an electronic component  341  within the vertically oriented electronic device; a kill switch  349  within the vertically oriented electronic device; and an access door  314  that is part of the top, the access door providing access to the electronic component and the kill switch. The vertically oriented electronic device further can include a latch  340  for securing the electronic component and activating the kill switch in which the latch is positioned between the electronic component and the access door when the access door is closed. The latch can include a first end  342  for blocking access to the electronic component when the latch is in a closed position and for providing an access way to the electronic component when the latch is in an open position. The latch can further include a second end  343  opposing the first end such that the first and second ends pivot about a pivot point  344  in which the second end activating the kill switch when the latch is rotated about the pivot point to the open position. A part of the kill switch can be positioned at a vertical position that is higher than the electronic component and the kill switch is laterally offset from the electronic component in which the latch comprises a second end  343  opposing the first end such that the first and second ends pivot about a pivot point  344  and the second end contacting the kill switch when the latch is rotated about the pivot point to the open position, thereby activating the kill switch. The second end can be shorter than the first end in a direction parallel to a long axis of the first end of the latch, the second end can be shorter than the first end in a direction parallel to a long axis of the first end of the latch, the latch can have an L-shape made by an extension of the second end that is orthogonal to the long axis of the first end, and/or second end can have a distal end that contacts the kill switch to activate the kill switch. When in the closed position, the long axis of the first end can be parallel with the lateral direction of the vertical rear wall and the first end can be laterally positioned over the electronic component and when in the open position, the long axis of the first end can be perpendicular to the lateral direction of the vertical rear wall and the first end can be laterally offset from the electronic component. The vertically oriented electronic device can have an exterior surface such that the top is convex and an interior surface of the top is concave. From a top plan view perspective, angles between exterior surfaces of the side vertical walls and the vertical rear wall can be acute. The access door can have an exterior surface that is curved and integrated with the exterior surface of the top. The curvature of the top and interior curvature of the top provides additional interior volume for the vertically oriented electronic device to fit the latch and kill switch. The vertically oriented electronic device can be a set top box or a gateway device. The vertically oriented electronic device can further include vents  320  positioned over a majority of plan view surface areas of the side walls. 
         [0014]    The principles can be directed to a set top box  300  that comprises: a top  310 ; an electronic component  341  within the vertically oriented electronic device; a kill switch  349  within the set top box; an access door  314  that is part of the top in which the access door provides access to the electronic component and the kill switch; and a latch  340  for securing the electronic component and activating the kill switch, wherein the latch is positioned between the electronic component and the access door when the access door is closed. 
         [0015]    The principles can be directed to a gateway device  300  that comprises: a top  310 ; an electronic component  341  within the vertically oriented electronic device; a kill switch  349  within the gateway; an access door  314  that is part of the top in which the access door provides access to the electronic component and the kill switch; and a latch  340  for securing the electronic component and activating the kill switch, wherein the latch is positioned between the electronic component and the access door when the access door is closed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    The principles will be explained in greater detail in the following with reference to embodiments, referring to the appended drawings, in which: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the vertically oriented electronic device  200  considered for the consumer market; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  according to the current principles; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a side plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  according to the current principles; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  with an access door  314  closed according to the current principles; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  shows top plan views of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  with the access door  314  open according to the current principles; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  with the access door  314  open and the latch  340  engaged according to the current principles; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a top plan views of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  with the access door  314  open and the latch  340  disengaged according to the current principles; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  with the latch  340  shown in both positions according to the current principles; 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  the latch  340  shown in the locked or engaged position according to the current principles; 
           [0026]      FIG. 10  is a top plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  with the latch  340  shown in the opened or disengaged position according to the current principles; and 
           [0027]      FIG. 11  is a magnified top plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  showing the closing of a kill or tact switch  349  according to the current principles. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0028]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  according to the current principles. The device  300  has a front wall or front surface  308 , a rear wall  306 , side walls  304 , a base  305 , and a top  310  which can be curved and/or tilted downward from rear wall  306  toward the front wall  308 .  FIG. 2  further shows that the vertically oriented electronic device  300  can have an access door  314  being positioned in or on the top  310  and can have vents  320  positioned in at least one of the side walls  304 . 
         [0029]    With the access door  314  positioned on the top  310  and the vents  320  positioned on the side walls  304 , the access door can provide access to an interior component  341 . The access door  314  by being positioned on the top  310  can assist with the goal of the access door  314  and an associated interior component not interfering with the thermal management system, because, at the very least, such a construction permits the vertical walls to have many vents  320  for heat removal and/or for cooling air entry. The access door  314  by being positioned on the top  310  can assist with the goal of reducing the risk of tilting the device  300  when accessing interior components by ensuring that the more significant forces applied to the device, which are generally the removal and insertion forces applied to an interior component, are applied vertically and not applied horizontally. In other words, the application of significant vertical forces will be much less likely to cause the device  300  to tilt than significant horizontal forces that could be necessary if the access doors were placed on the side wall  304 . 
         [0030]    The access door  314  can essentially be a cover for an internal component, for a slot or bay for an internal component, for a jack or jacks, for a port, for a smart card/smart card holder, for an information card/information card holder, a disk, information chips, and/or for a circuit board. 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  is a side plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  according to the current principles. This view provides a better perspective for how the top  310  can be curved and how the curvature of the door  314  can be integrated with the general curvature of the top  310 . Essentially, the exterior surface of the top  310  can be convex and have a spherical shape, wherein the exterior top surface can be angled such that all of the exterior top surface or most the exterior top surface, i.e. 75% or greater, is tilted or angled downward toward the front surface  308 . The exterior top surface of the top  310  can also be convex and have a circular shape along vertical planes parallel to the major x-axis and/or along vertical planes parallel to the minor y-axis, wherein the exterior top surface can be angled such that all of the exterior top surface or most of the exterior top surface, i.e. 75% or greater, is tilted or angled downward toward the front surface  308 . The exterior top surface of the top  310  can also be convex and curved along vertical planes parallel to the major x-axis and/or along vertical planes parallel to the minor y-axis, wherein the exterior top surface can be angled such that all of the exterior top surface or most of the exterior top surface, i.e. 75% or greater, is tilted or angled downward toward the front surface  308 . 
         [0032]    It should be noted that the vertically oriented electronic device  300  in  FIG. 3  by having the door  314  and associated component located at the top  310  and arranged centrally at the top  310  provides the opportunity for the series of vents  320  on the side walls  304  to be deployed throughout the side wall  304  to assist with the heat management system of the device, because otherwise surface area of the vertical walls such as side walls  304  would have to be dedicated to an access door. 
         [0033]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  in which an access door  314  and a power button  316  are shown. This view shows that the access door can have a thumb access slot  315  positioned toward the vertical front surface  308 , which can permit the user to open the access door  314 . The hinge  350  for the door  314  can be positioned near vertical rear wall  306 . Here, the access door  314  is closed. 
         [0034]    The power button  316  can be both a signal indicator and/or a power switch. As a signal indicator, the button  316  can signal that the device is on or off or even in standby mode by way providing different colors, different intensities of colors, no color or no lighting vs. color or lighting, different symbols, different alphanumeric signatures, or different button orientations and/or heights commensurate with the current operating condition of the device. 
         [0035]      FIG. 5A  shows a top plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  with the access door  314  open and the latch  340  open or unengaged. In this view, the top of the entire latch  340  can be observed, because part of the top  310  is removed or omitted to enable this view of some of the key features; however, in some embodiments the top can be shaped to not cover some or all of the latch  340 . The door  314  is open about its hinges  350  and the door is oriented in a vertical position. The latch  340  can be an elongated flat structure with some contour to permit gripping and the latch can generally be horizontally oriented. The latch can have a first end or latch end  342  and an opposing second end or kill or tact switch contact end  343  on either side of a pivot point  344 . In this orientation, the component  341  which can be any number of components and/or functionalities such as a hard disk drive that can be accessed by a user, because (1) the latch  340  is oriented such that the latch or its second end  343  engages or causes the engagement with a kill or tact switch to shutdown the component  341  and/or the device  300  in general and (2) the latch  340  is oriented such that the latch or its first end  342  physically does not block an opening or access way to the component  341  by not extending over the opening or access way. 
         [0036]      FIG. 5B  shows a top plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  with the access door  314  open and the latch  340  closed or engaged. In this view, the top of the entire latch  340  can be observed because part of the top  310  is removed or omitted to enable this view. In some embodiments, the top can be shaped to not cover some or all of the latch  340  in this orientation. In this orientation, the component  341  cannot be accessed by a user, because (1) the latch  340  is oriented such that the latch or its second end  343  does not engage nor cause the engagement with a kill or tact switch to shut down the component  341  and/or the device  300  in general and (2) the latch  340  is oriented such that the latch or its first end  342  physically blocks the opening or access way to the component  341  by extending over or across the opening or access way either partially or completely in at least one dimension, e.g. the minor y-axis dimension in this example. 
         [0037]      FIG. 6  is another top plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  with the access door  314  open and the latch  340  engaged, wherein top  310  is included and covers part of the latch  340 , i.e. the second end  343 . Here, the latch  340  is engaged and the knob or retainer  346  by or at the pivot point  344  indicates a locked condition with a lock symbol and the kill or tact switch which can be in the vicinity of the button  316  under the top  310  is opened and the component  341  and/or the device  300  are powered and the component  341  is not removable. This view shows that the top  310  can have a cutout  348  that allows access to a user to freely move the latch  340  back and forth between the disengaged and engaged positions by having the first end  342  of the latch be in view and accessible in either position when the door  314  is open. 
         [0038]      FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 6  except that the latch  340  disengaged. This view illustrates that the top  310  can have an opening with the cutout  348  that allows access to a user to freely move the latch  340  from the disengaged position to the engaged position when the door  314  is open, because the first end  342  of the latch is in view and accessible. 
         [0039]      FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  with the access door  314  and part of the top removed or omitted. This view shows how the kill or tact switch  349  can be contacted by the second end  343  of the latch  340  when the latch is rotated about its pivot point  344 . This view shows that the latch  340  can have an L-shape and the second end  343  can include an orthogonal extension that extends from a main elongated structure of the latch  340  and the distal end of the orthogonal extension contacts the latch  349  to power down the component  341  or the device  300 . The orthogonal extension can be directed away from the component  341  in the open position and can be directed away from the rear wall  306  in the closed position. 
         [0040]      FIGS. 9 and 10  are top plan views of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  that shows the latch  340  engaged and disengaged, respectively. These views show that the button  316  or power signal can be near or connected to the kill or tact switch  349 .  FIGS. 9 and 10  also highlight how the first end  342  of the latch can have a contoured top portion  351  that is raised with respect to a main top surface of the latch  340  to permit the user to easily grip the contoured top portion  351  to conveniently rotate the latch  340 .  FIGS. 9 and 10  also highlight that the first end  342  can be the gripping end of the latch  340  and can be longer than the second end  343 . This can ease the amount of lateral force necessary to pivot the latch when the user grips the first end  342  to rotate the latch  340 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged top plan view of the vertically oriented electronic device  300  showing the closing of a kill or tact switch  349  according to the current principles. 
         [0042]    Further embodiments can include the features described herein, but with the vertical electronic device being rectangular. 
         [0043]    The features herein described provide a mechanisms involving the automatic activation of a kill switch triggered not by the opening of an access door but by the rotation of a latch underneath the access door  314 , thereby allowing the user to inspect the component  341  in the device  300  in operation when the door is open and allowing the user to voluntarily power down the device or the component or its function by using the latch. 
         [0044]    It should be noted that the top  310  can be a flat top or a curved top; however, embodiments in which the top  310  is curved provides a number of potential benefits. The curved top can provide some additional interior volume for the interior component  341  and the latch  340  and the associated parts discussed above and can also provide some additional interior volume the air circulation to assist in heat management. The curved top can also assist in reducing resistance to interior air flow by providing a smoother and more continuous surface at transition locations (e.g. intersection regions) such as where the interior side wall transitions to the interior top wall. The curved top surface, which is noticeably curved, will discourage people from placing objects thereon, thereby reducing the risk that objects placed on the top surface can result in damage to top access ways, can interfere with a heat management system, can cause tilting and falling of objects thereon and/or the vertical electronic device, can cause scratches to the top surface, and can cause risk of fluid entry from liquid filled vessels. 
         [0045]    Although the illustrative embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present principles are not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one of ordinary skill in the pertinent art without departing from the scope of the present principles. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present principles as set forth in the appended claims. 
         [0046]    Also, it is intended that expressions such as “back” and “front” and “vertical” and “horizontal,” as well as other complementary terms are intended to be construed from the perspective of the observer of the figures; and as such, these expression can be interchanged depending upon the direction from which the observer looks at the device.