Abstract:
An electronic appliance includes a base defining a receiving opening, a cover pivoted to the base, and a locking mechanism slideably secured to the base next to a guide board for locking the cover to the base. The base forms a guide board in an interior thereof. The cover defines a clasping opening aligned with the receiving opening. The locking mechanism includes a locking hook, a torsion spring, an operating button, and a housing. The housing rotatably secures the locking hook thereon and is engaged with the operating button. The housing is moveable together with the operating button and remains at a first state in which the locking hook is held in the base under cooperative action of the torsion spring and the guide board and a second state in which the locking hook protrudes from the receiving opening to clasp the cover via the clasping opening.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to locking mechanisms for electronic appliances, for example portable computers. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electronic device with a locking mechanism with a latch that is hidden when in an unlocked state. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Portable computers are popular due to their portability and associated conveniences. Typically, a portable computer includes a lid for accommodating a display screen, and a base for housing electronic components, such as a central process unit (CPU), a hard disk, etc. Traditionally, the portable computer uses a locking hook to lock the lid onto the base when the portable computer is not in use. When the lid is unlocked from the base, the hook protrudes from the lid or the base. In this unlocked position, the exposed hook is unattractive and subject to be damaged easily as it protrudes outwardly from the lid or the base. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect, an electronic appliance includes a base defining a receiving opening, a cover pivoted to the base, and a locking mechanism slideably secured to the base next to a guide board for locking the cover to the base. The base forms a guide board in an interior thereof. The cover defines a clasping opening aligned with the receiving opening. 
     The locking mechanism includes a locking hook, a torsion spring, an operating button, and a housing. The housing rotatably secures the locking hook thereon and is engaged with the operating button. The housing is moveable together with the operating button and remains at a first state in which the locking hook is held in the base under cooperative action of the torsion spring and the guide board and a second state in which the locking hook protrudes from the receiving opening to clasp the cover via the clasping opening. 
     Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present electronic appliance will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present apparatus, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present electronic appliance can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present device. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an electronic appliance in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the electronic appliance including a base, a display, and a locking mechanism. 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the locking mechanism of  FIG. 1 , viewed from another aspect. 
         FIG. 3  is an explode, isometric view of the locking mechanism of  FIG. 1 , the locking mechanism including a locking hook, a torsion spring, a housing, a top plate, and an operating button. 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the top plate of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the housing of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cut-open view of the locking mechanism in a locking state. 
         FIG. 7  is a cut-open view of the locking mechanism in an unlocking state. 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded, isometric view of a locking mechanism in accordance with another exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe, in detail, the preferred embodiments of the present electronic appliance. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an electronic device  1000  utilizing a locking mechanism in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is illustrated. The electronic device  1000  includes a base  100  and a display  200  pivotably hinged together. The display  200  rotates about and relative to the base  100 . This facilitates the opening and closing of the display  200 . The locking mechanism is mounted at a front of the electronic device  1000  to lock the display  200  to the base  100  when the display  100  is closed and to release the display  200  from the base  100  when the display  100  is to be opened. The base  100  defines a receiving opening  44  in a top plate  40  of the base  100 . The display  200  defines a locking opening  212  in a base plate of the display  200  facing the base  100 . 
     The base  100  includes a locking hook  10  protrudes from the receiving opening  44 , a housing  30 , and an operating button  50 . The operating button  50  is secured to the housing  30  for slidably moving the housing relative to the top plate  40 . The locking hook  10  is rotatably mounted at the housing for cooperatively locking and unlocking the display  200 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an inner side of the top plate  40  is shown. The top plate  40  includes a first restriction portion  410 , a second restriction portion  420 , and a third restriction portion  430 . The first, second, and third restriction portions  410 ,  420 , and  430  are arranged in the inner side of the top plate  40  and are parallel to each other. 
     The first restriction portion  410  includes a first baffle  412 , a second baffle  414 , and a first guide board  416 . The first baffle  412  and the second baffle  414  are parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to a front flange  404 . The front flange  404  extends downward from the front of the top plate  40  of the base  100 . A distance between the first baffle  412  and the second baffle  414  is predetermined. The first guide board  416  is substantially parallel to the front flange  404 , and connects to both of the first baffle  412  and the second baffle  414 . The first guide board  416  defines a cutout  418  at the middle of the first guide board  416 . A length of the cutout  418  is predetermined. 
     The second restriction portion  420  includes a second guide board  422 , and a third baffle  424 . The second guide board  422  is parallel to, but spaced away from the first guide board  416 . The third baffle  424  is parallel to the first baffle  412  and the second baffle  414 , and a guide hole  426  is defined in the third baffle  424 . 
     The third restriction portion  430  includes a pair of third guide boards  432 . Each third guide board  432  forms a clasp  434  at a free edge of the third guide board  432 . The clasp  434  extends from the third guide board  432  toward the second guide board  422 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5 , the housing  30  includes a main body constructed by four side walls and a bottom surrounding a hollow  36 . A top free edge of a first side wall  31  that is parallel to the first guide board  416  defines an engaging notch  311  and a deforming notch  312 , and near to the bottom of the first side wall  31  defines a rectangular opening  313 . A pin  38  protrudes along a direction perpendicular to the third baffle  424  from a second side wall  32 . The second side wall  32  connects to the first side wall  31  and parallel to the third baffle  424 . A receiving notch  321  is defined next to the pin  38 . A restriction slice  39  extends from a third side wall  33  that is parallel to the first side wall  31  and communicates with the second side wall  32 . The restriction slice  39  is perpendicular to the side walls  31 ,  32 ,  33  and includes a guide part  391  and a limiting part  392 . The guide part  391  extends at a direction parallel to the third side wall  33 . The limiting part  392  extends at a direction perpendicular to the third side wall  33 . A round hole  331  is defined in the third side wall  33 , corresponding to the engaging notch  311 . 
     Referring back to  FIG. 3 , the locking hook  10  includes a claw  11  for clasping into the locking opening  212  in the display  200 , a hook body  12 , and a shaft  13 . The claw  11  and the shaft  13  are respectively formed at two ends of the hook body  12 . The hook  10  is rotatable around the shaft  13 . A torsion spring  20  is sleeved on the shaft  13  to apply a torsion force to the locking hook  10  and makes the locking hook  10  rotate. The torsion spring  20  includes a coil  21 , a first end  22 , and a second end  23 . The first end  22  and the second end  23  respectively extend from two opposite ends of the coil  21 . 
     The operating button  50  includes a main body  51  and two arms  52  extending backward from the main body  51 . An end of each arm  52  forms a hamulus  521  extending outside. 
     When assembling the hook  10  to the housing  30 , the torsion spring  20  is first sleeved on the shaft  13  of the hook  10  with the first end  22  of the torsion spring  20  clasping on the hook body  12 . The hook  10  together with the torsion spring  20  are in a slanted positioned with an end of the shaft  13  inserted into the round hole  331 . Consequently, the other end of the shaft  13  is pushed into the engaging notch  311 . The hook  10  is thus rotatably secured to the housing  30 . The hook  10  protrudes from the hollow  36  under the action of the torsion spring  20  without any other external force. 
     After the above procedure, the assembly of the hook  10  and the housing  30  is ready to be assembled into the base  100 . The assembly of the hook  10  and the housing  30  slides in a direction parallel to the first guide board  416 . When sliding, the pin  38  of the housing  30  enters into the guide hole  426 , and the guide part  391  of the restriction slice  39  slides between the second guide board  422  and the third guide boards  432 . When the rectangular opening  313  aligns with the cutout  418 , the arms  52  of the operating button  50  are inserted into the rectangular opening  313  through the cutout  418 . Hereby, assembly of the locking mechanism is accomplished. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a locking state of the locking mechanism is shown. The hook  10  protrudes out from the receiving opening  44  in the top plate  40  of the base  100 . The first end  22  of the torsion spring  20  applies a torsion force on the hook body  12  to keep the hook  10  in the locking state. 
     Referring also to  FIG. 7 , when the hook  10  changes from the locking state to an unlocking state as shown in  FIG. 7 , the operating button  50  is pushed to move from the first baffle  412  to the second baffle  414 . The housing  30  together with the hook  10  moves from the first baffle  412  to the second baffle  414 . The second guide board  422  gradually enters the housing  30  via the receiving notch  321  and simultaneously presses the hook body  12  of the hook  10 . When the operating button  50  reaches the second baffle  414 , the second guide board  422  presses the hook body  12  to be parallel with the second guide board  422 , so that the hook  10  reaches the unlocking state and the hook  10  is hidden in the base  100 . The hook  10  keeps in the unlocking state unless the operating button  50  is pushed from the second baffle  414  to the first baffle  412 . 
     When shifting from the unlocking state to the locking state, the operating button  50  is pushed from the second baffle  414  toward the first baffle  412 . Accordingly, the hook  10  is moved with the operating button  50 , thus a contact area between the hook body  12  and the second guide board  422  decreases and the hook  10  protrudes from the receiving opening  44  gradually. Finally, the hook  10  is pushed to the locking state under the action of the torsion spring  20  and the hook  10  is not pressed by the second guide board  422  any more. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the locking mechanism in accordance with another exemplary embodiment. Similar to the first embodiment, the locking mechanism includes a locking hook  60 , a torsion spring  70 , a housing  80 , a base plate  90 , and an operating button  100 . The locking hook  60 , the torsion spring  70 , the base plate  90 , and the operating button  100  have substantially the same configurations with these in the first embodiment. What is different is that a protrusion  881  is formed on a pin  88  perpendicularly extending from a side wall of the pin  88 . The protrusion  881  is near a main body  81  of the housing  80 . When the locking mechanism is in the unlocking state, the protrusion  881  passes though a guide hole  926  and is blocked by a third baffle  924  on the base plate  90  as the pin  88  is slightly larger than the guide hole  926  at the section of the protrusion  881 . The engagement of the protrusion  881  and the third baffle  924  helps the hook  60  remains in the unlocking state. 
     The hooks  10 ,  60  of the locking mechanism are hidden in the base in the unlocking state. It efficiently prevents the hooks from being damaged. 
     The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiments described therein.