Abstract:
An electronic device includes a main body, a cover, and a keyboard. The main body includes a receptacle having an opening. The cover is coupled to the main body. The keyboard is positioned in the receptacle of the main body. The keyboard is slidable in the receptacle and is detachable from the main body via the opening.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to an electronic device with a detachable keyboard. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Notebook computers have become popular alternatives to desktop computers because of their portability. A typical notebook computer includes a display body and a main body. The display body is rotatably attached to the main body so that the display body can be opened and closed relative to the main body. The main body has a housing, a keyboard module, and a circuit board. The circuit board is disposed in the housing. The keyboard module is generally fixed to the housing. 
         [0005]    However, if the keyboard of the typical notebook computer malfunctions and needs to be repaired or replaced, disassembling and removing the keyboard module from the housing is difficult because the keyboard module is fixed to the housing. In addition, the circuit board and electrical components may be damaged. 
         [0006]    Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views, and all the views are schematic. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is an assembled, perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of an electronic device. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an exploded, perspective view of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an assembled, perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of an electronic device. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an exploded, perspective view of a third exemplary embodiment of an electronic device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary embodiment of an electronic device  200  includes a main body  21 , a hinge  22 , a cover  23 , and a keyboard  25 . In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the electronic device  200  is a notebook computer, but may alternatively be a PDA (personal digital assistant), mobile phone, or other device. The hinge  22  pivotally connects the cover  23  to the main body  21 . The cover  23  includes a display screen  231 . 
         [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the main body  21  defines a receptacle  211 . The receptacle  211  is configured to receive the keyboard  25 . The main body  21  forms two opposite first sidewalls  2113  and a second sidewall  2115  connected to ends of the first sidewalls  2113 . The first sidewalls  2113  and the second sidewall  2115  are formed at edges of the receptacle  211 . The receptacle  211  includes an opening  2111  facing the second sidewall  2115 . In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the main body  21  is rectangular, but may be other shapes. The receptacle  211  has a bottom surface  212  and each of the first sidewalls  2113  defines a sliding slot  213 . The second sidewall  2115  defines a socket  215 . Electronic components (not shown) such as a main board, circuits, and a hard disk are positioned inside the main body  21  and below the bottom surface  212 . 
         [0014]    The keyboard  25  is substantially rectangular in the illustrated exemplary embodiment. The keyboard  25  has a plug  251  formed on an edge of thereof. The plug  251  is configured to engage with the socket  215  of the main body  21 , to electrically connect the keyboard  25  to the main body  21 , so that data may be transmitted between the keyboard  25  and the main body  21 . The keyboard  25  further includes two guide rails  253  formed at opposite edges thereof. The guide rails  253  are slidably engaged in the sliding slots  213  to slidably mount the keyboard  25  to the main body  21 . 
         [0015]    To remove the keyboard  25 , the keyboard  25  is pulled to disengage the plug  251  from the socket  215  and allow the keyboard  25  to be slid outwards along the sliding slots  213 . The keyboard  25  is slid until the whole keyboard  25  slides out of the receptacle  211  of the main body  21  via the opening  2111  and thus detached from the main body  21 . Then the keyboard  25  may be repaired, serviced, or replaced. To install the keyboard  25 , it is inserted into the receptacle  211  via the opening  2111 . The keyboard  25  is slid into the main body  21  until the plug  251  engages in the socket  215 . As such, the keyboard  25  is easily removed and installed. In addition, since the electronic components are disposed inside the main body  21 , the electronic components are not exposed and thus not easily damaged during changing the keyboard  25  and are protected from pollutants such as dust. 
         [0016]    When the keyboard  25  is engaged in the receptacle  211  of the main body  21 , the keyboard  25  is kept in place in the main body  21  by friction therebetween. To make the keyboard  25  positioned more firmly, the bottom surface  212  and a surface facing the bottom surface  212  of the keyboard  25  may be roughened to increase the friction therebetween. 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a second exemplary embodiment of an electronic device  300  is similar to the electronic device  200 , except that the electronic device  300  further includes a pulling portion  255  and a covering plate  317 . The electronic device  300  includes a main body  31 , a hinge  32 , a cover  33 , and a keyboard  35 . The hinge  32  is to pivotally connect the cover  33  to the main body  31 . The main body  31  includes a receptacle  311  and the receptacle  311  includes an opening  3111 . The pulling portion  255  is formed on a top surface of the keyboard  35  to facilitate pulling the keyboard  35  to slide out of the main body  31 . In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the pulling portion  255  is a groove. The covering plate  317  includes two pivot pieces  3171  at opposite ends thereof correspondingly. Each pivot piece  3171  defines a pivot hole  3173 . The main body  31  forms a pivot pole  318  adjacent to each end of the opening  3111 . The pivot poles  318  are rotatably engaged in the pivot holes of the covering plate  317  to rotatably connect the covering plate  317  to the main body  31 . Thus, the opening  3111  is covered by the covering plate  317  to prevent the keyboard  35  from falling off the main body  31  via the opening  3111 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a third exemplary embodiment of an electronic device  400  is similar to the electronic device  200 . The electronic device  400  includes a main body  41 , a hinge  42 , a cover  43 , and a keyboard  45 . The main body  41  has a receptacle  411  to receive the keyboard  45 . The keyboard  45  includes a plug  451  at one edge thereof to engage in a socket  415  of the main body  41 . The main body  41  further defines two latching slots  419  and two catches  4191  adjacent to the latching slots  419  correspondingly. The keyboard  45  forms two latches  453  at the same edge where the plug  451  is located. The latches  453  are received in the latching slots  419  to engage with the catches  4191 , thus preventing the keyboard  45  from falling off the main body  41 . To detach the keyboard  45  from the main body  41 , the latches  453  are deformed to disengage from the catches  4191 . 
         [0019]    In alternative exemplary embodiments, the guide rails  253  may be formed on the main body  21  and the sliding slots  213  may be defined in the keyboard  25  accordingly. The cover  23  may be connected to the main body  21  in other manners, for example, the cover  23  may be slidably connected to the main body  21 , but not rotatably connected to the main body  21 . 
         [0020]    Finally, while various exemplary embodiments have been described and illustrated, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various modifications can be made to the exemplary embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.