Abstract:
A compound power supply switch for notebook computers includes a coupling module and a power supply control module to enable users to unfasten the coupling module between the display panel and the processor, and at the same time activate the power supply control module and enable the processor to enter machine start process, thereby simplifying opening and machine start operations of notebook computers, and also shortening machine start operation time. In addition, extra space may be saved to accommodate other functional devices and meet market demands of multiple functions, slim size, and light weight for notebook computers.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention relates to a power supply switch for electric appliances and particularly to a compound power supply switch for notebook computers.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Information appliances are hot products in the digital economy. Their technology is advancing very rapidly. Due to the consumer&#39;s growing demands for portable information appliances and to meet the requirements of continually reducing individual living space, slim and light has become an important goal of technology innovation for information appliances.  
         [0003]     With notebook computers, in addition to constant miniaturization of the elements, integrating the elements functions is also critical. Whenever the functions of more than one element are integrated into a single element, extra space may be saved to add elements with new functions. This also directly helps to achieve the goal of slim and light for notebook computers.  
         [0004]     Notebook computers generally include a display panel and a processor that are formed in plates for folding over one another. In the developmental history of the notebook computer, there are two essential apparatus that have been enhanced merely in terms of individual functions but without functional integration. One is the coupling switch of the display panel and the processor, and the other is the power supply switch of the processor. The power supply switch of the conventional notebook computer is directly located on the processor. The coupling switch of the display panel is located on the display panel, and matches a coupling trough on the processor to allow a mechanical latching or unfastening operation to be performed. These two apparatus occupy separated space, which is against the space allocation requirement of the notebook computer that has been constantly reduced in size. Moreover, whenever the display panel is lifted and opened the notebook computer is to be used. However, the present structure requires users to unfasten the coupling switch of the display panel first, and then activate the power supply switch on the processor. The operation process is overly complicated.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     In view of the aforesaid disadvantages, the primary object of the invention is to provide a compound power supply switch for notebook computers to simplify opening operation of the notebook computers and reduce time of machine start operation.  
         [0006]     Another object of the invention is to integrate the lift switch of the display panel and the power supply switch of the processor to save space and accommodate devices for other functions.  
         [0007]     In order to achieve the foregoing objects, the compound power supply switch for notebook computers according to the invention mainly includes a coupling module and a power supply control module. The coupling module consists of a latch element on the display panel and an elastic element to keep the latch element at a latch position. The latch element has a hook section and an exposed actuating section. The hook section may latch onto a coupling trough formed on the processor when the latch element is located at the latch position. When the latch element is moved to an unfastening position, the hook section is separated from the coupling trough. The power supply module has a power supply actuation element and a power supply control circuit that are coupled together. The power supply actuation element abuts the coupling module. When the latch element is at the unfastening position, the power supply actuation element is triggered by the latch element to generate an activating signal, which is transferred to the power supply control circuit to activate the power supply of the processor. Hence, by integrating the lift switch of the display panel and the power supply switch of the processor of the notebook computer, users can lift and open the display panel and at the same time complete machine start operations of the notebook computer.  
         [0008]     The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the compound power supply switch of the invention for notebook computers.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a system block diagram of the first embodiment of the invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the compound power supply switch of the invention for notebook computers. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0012]     Refer to  FIGS. 1 and 2  for a first embodiment of the compound power supply switch  100  for notebook computers according to the invention. It includes a coupling module  200  located on a display panel  810  of a notebook computer  800  and a switch control module  300  located on a processor  820  of the notebook computer  800  to actuate machine start operation.  
         [0013]     The display panel  810  and the processor  820  are two plate-type objects folding over one another in an up and down manner, and are pivotally engaged with each other on a back end. The display panel may be lifted and opened at the front end. In practice, the display panel  810  may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma display, electroluminescent display, light emitting diode (LED), vacuum fluorescent display, field emission display, electro-chromic display, organic electroluminescent display, and the like. The processor  820  has a coupling trough  830  on the front end of the top side.  
         [0014]     The coupling trough  830  is extended leftwards to form a compartment  831 . The coupling module  200  includes a latch element  210  and an elastic element  220  for keeping the latch element  210  at a latch position (at the left side shown in  FIG. 1 ). The elastic element  220  may be a compression spring or other substitutes (such as a tension spring, with only a slight adjustment in location). The latch element  210  has an actuating section  211  exposed to the front side of the display panel  810 . The actuating section  211  has a back side running through a side wall of the display panel  810  to extend downwards and form a hook section  212  directly to the left side. The actuating section  211  also has a bucking section  213  in contact with the elastic element  220 . When the hook section  212  of the latch element  210  is pressed leftwards by the elastic element  220  and wedged in the compartment  831  of the coupling trough  830  of the processor  820 , the latch element  120  is located at the “latch position.” When the latch element  120  is moved to the right, the hook section  212  escapes from the compartment  831  of the coupling trough  830  and becomes unfastened, then the latch element  210  is located at the “unfastening position.” 
         [0015]     The power control module  300  includes a power supply actuation element  310  and a power supply control circuit  320 . The power supply actuation element  310  is located on the right side of the coupling module  200 . It is triggered to generate an activating signal only when the latch element  210  is moved to the unfastening position. Then through the power supply control circuit  320 , the power supply of the processor  820  is activated. The power supply control circuit  320  connects the display panel  810  to a power supply input end  840  located on the processor  820 . The circuit layout is known in the art, so details are omitted. In addition, in practice the power supply actuation element  310  may be one of various types of pushbuttons commonly used on electric appliances, or other structures that provide electromagnetic or current pulse signals through a brief contact.  
         [0016]     Of course, every element of the coupling module  200  may be switched left and right as long as it corresponds to the compartment  831  of the coupling trough  830  of the power supply control module  300 .  
         [0017]     In the structure of the first embodiment set forth above, the latch element  210  is moved horizontally between the latch position and the unfastening position (or more precisely, moved reciprocally on a flat surface in parallel with the display panel  810 ). It not only can control the coupling and unfastening between the display panel  810  and the processor  820 , the latch element  210  can also trigger the actuation element  310  at the unfastening position. Hence, through the actions of pushing the latch element  210  and lifting the display panel  810 , the start operation of the processor  820  is also simultaneously activated. Therefore machine start operation of the notebook computer  800  is simplified, the time required for machine start operation is shortened, and operation convenience improves.  
         [0018]     Refer to  FIG. 3  for a second embodiment of the compound power supply switch  400  for notebook computers according to the invention. The main difference from the first embodiment is:  
         [0019]     The coupling module  500  is a lifting type. It has a latch element  510  whose moving track is substantially normal to the flat surface of the display panel  910  of the notebook computer  900 . As shown in the drawing, the latch element  510  of the coupling module  500  is formed substantially in the shape of a cake. It has axle struts  513  located on the left and right side to couple with an elastic element  520  (torsional spring) to keep the latch element  510  at a latched position. Of course, the elastic element may also be a compression or tension spring. The latch element  510  has an actuating section  511  that is located at the front end. It also has a hook section  512  located at the bottom side abutting the front end. The power supply actuation element  610  is located at a bottom side abutting the tail end. When users move the latch element  510  upwards, it turns about the axle struts  513  to an unfastening position. The hook section  512  escapes the coupling trough  930  of the processor  920  and is moved away from the latch position, and the tail end of the latch element  510  is moved downwards to compress the switch actuation element  610 . Similarly, through the power supply control circuit  620 , the processor  920  is started. Thus by lifting the display panel  910 , machine start operation is activated at the same time. In practice, the location of the power supply actuation element  610  is not limited to the tail end of the latch element  510 ; it may be located at any position desired as long as it can be touched by the moving track of the latch element  510 .  
         [0020]     It is to be noted that the coupling module and the power supply control module may also be located on the processor, and the coupling trough corresponding to the latch element may be located on the display panel.  
         [0021]     In summary, the techniques disclosed in the invention provide the following advantages: 
        1. Simplify open and machine start operations of notebook computers, and shorten the time required for machine start operation.     2. The space originally occupied by the power supply switch may be reallocated for other designs or uses such as radiation apertures, speaker or fingerprint scanner and the like, thereby providing additional functions and design space.        
 
         [0024]     While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.