Patent Publication Number: US-2006002059-A1

Title: Notebook computer with detachable bezel of mainframe

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a notebook computer with a detachable mainframe bezel, and especially to a notebook computer with a detachable mainframe bezel, which adapts to diversify the bezel corresponding to the mainframe and has the advantage of easy assembly or disassembly.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Since fabrication technique is improved and prices are gradually reduced, desktop computers are being replaced by notebook computers, step by step. Consequently, the use of notebook computers is accessible to all. The aesthetic appearance of notebook computers is thus now of concern to manufacturers and consumers.  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , a conventional notebook computer includes a display  6  and a mainframe  7 . A fringe of the display  6  connects pivotally to a fringe of the mainframe  7 . The mainframe  7  has a bezel including an upper shell  8  and a bottom shell  9 , which defines a space therebetween. The space defined by the two shells  8 ,  9  is used for receiving a mainboard (not shown) and various of electronic apparatuses (such as hard disk or ‘optical device’ and the like), with a fixing member (not shown) locking these devices on the upper shell  8  or the bottom shell  9 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the bottom shell  9  has a plurality of unequirotal cover boards  90  fixed thereon or fixed on the electronic apparatuses.  
      The above conventional notebook computer has disadvantages, however, since the mainboard and the pluralities of electronic apparatuses are locked on the upper shell  8  or the bottom shell  9 , and the cover boards  90  are fixed on the bottom shell  9  or on the electronic apparatuses, therefore the upper shell  8  or the bottom shell  9  cannot be solely disassembled. As a kind of notebook computer of specific configuration, it lacks multiformity with respect to the appearance, thereby limiting its application types and preventing the manufacturer to set out products of various types and low prices for consumers to choose and buy.  
      Therefore, the conventional notebook computers mentioned above have drawbacks and inconveniences in manufacturing and practical use and should be improved.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a notebook computer capable of exchanging a mainframe bezel thereof, which have advantages that is convenient in assembly and disassembly, and can has various appearances.  
      Accordingly, a notebook computer in accordance with the present invention includes a display and a mainframe. The mainframe includes a frame and a bezel. The frame is used for mounting a mainboard and a plurality of electronic apparatuses therein. The display connects pivotally to the frame. The bezel includes an upper shell and a bottom shell respectively mounted on an upper surface and a bottom surface of the frame. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional notebook computer;  
       FIG. 2  is a bottom plan view of the conventional notebook computer of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective, assembled view of a notebook computer of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective, disassembled view of the notebook computer of  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIG. 4A  is a perspective, disassembled view of an upper shell and a frame of a mainframe of the notebook computer;  
       FIG. 4B  is a perspective, disassembled view of a bottom shell and the frame of the mainframe of the notebook computer;  
       FIG. 4C  is a perspective, disassembled view of the upper shell and the bottom shell of the mainframe of the notebook computer;  
       FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the upper shell of the mainframe of the notebook computer;  
       FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of the upper shell of the mainframe of the notebook computer;  
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the frame of the mainframe of the notebook computer;  
       FIG. 8  is a bottom plan view of the frame of the mainframe of the notebook computer;  
       FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the bottom shell of the mainframe of the notebook computer; and  
       FIG. 10  is a bottom plan view of the bottom shell of the mainframe of the notebook computer. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a notebook computer capable of exchanging a mainframe bezel thereof includes a display  1  and a mainframe  2 . The mainframe  2  includes a frame  3  and a bezel. The frame  3  is used for mounting a mainboard (not shown) and a plurality of electronic apparatuses (not shown) therein. The electronic apparatus may be a hard disk or an optical device and the like. A pin-jointed structure  10  is disposed between the display  1  and the frame  3 ; in the embodiment, the pin-jointed structure  10  is a hinge connecting a side of the display  1  pivotally to a side of the frame  3 . The bezel includes an upper shell  4  and a bottom shell  5 . The upper shell  4  has a top plate  40  whose bottom surface is attached to an upper surface  32  of the frame  3 . The bottom shell  5  has a bottom plate  50  whose upper surface is attached to a bottom surface  31  of the frame  3 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 4A  to  4 C, the mainframe  2  includes a first fixing structure  21 , a second fixing structure  22 , a third fixing structure  23 , a hooking structure  24  and an alignment structure  25 . The first fixing structure  21  and the third fixing structure  23  are both formed on the frame  3  and the upper shell  4  to fix the upper shell  4  on the upper surface  32  of the frame  3 . The second fixing structure  22  is formed on the frame  2  and the bottom shell  5  to mount the bottom shell  5  on the bottom surface  31  of the frame  3 . The hooking structure  24  and the alignment structure  25  are formed on the upper shell  4  and the bottom shell  5 , assembling the upper shell  4  and the bottom shell  5  to form an accommodating space for receiving the frame  3 . The first fixing structure  21 , second fixing structure  22 , third fixing structure  23 , hooking structure  24  and the alignment structure  25  in accord with the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the top plate  40  of the upper shell  4  forms an opening  42  for mounting a keyboard therein (not shown); an inner side wall of the opening  42  of the upper shell  4  has an inner protrusion  421  with a third through hole  422  therein. A bottom surface of the top plate  40  of the upper shell  4  has a first fixing pedestal  43 . The upper shell  4  has a first outer side wall  41  integrated with the top plate  40 . The first outer side wall  41  comprises an alignment flange  44  and a hooking piece  45  formed thereon, and an outer surface of the hooking piece  45  has a concavity  451  therein.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , a periphery of the frame  3  has a protrusion  33  with a first through hole  331  therein. The bottom surface  31  of the frame  3  has a second fixing pedestal  34 . The upper surface  32  of the frame  3  has a third fixing pedestal  35 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the bottom plate  50  of the bottom shell  5  has a second through hole  52  therein. The bottom shell  5  has a second outer side wall  51  integrated with the bottom plate  50 . An inner surface of the second outer side wall  51  is formed with a hooking bump  53  and an alignment piece  54 ; a gap  541  is formed between the alignment piece  54  and the second outer side wall  51 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 4A  and FIGS.  6  to  8 , the mainframe  2  includes a first fastening member  211 . The first fixing structure  21  includes the first fastening member  211 , the protrusion  33  of the frame  3  and the first fixing pedestal  43  of the upper shell  4 . In the embodiment, the first fastening member  211  is a screw, and the first fixing pedestal  43  is a screw pedestal.  
      Referring to  FIG. 4B  and FIGS.  8  to  10 , the mainframe  2  includes a second fastening member  221  and the second fixing structure  22  includes the second fastening member  221 , the second through hole  52  of the bottom shell  5  and the second fixing pedestal  34  of the frame  3 . In the embodiment, the second fastening member  221  is a screw, and the second fixing pedestal  34  is a screw pedestal.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 4A, 5 ,  7 , and  8 , the mainframe  2  includes a third fastening member  231 . The third fixing structure  23  includes the third fastening member  231 , the inner protrusion  421  of the upper shell  4  and the third fixing pedestal  35  of the frame  3 . In the embodiment, the third fastening member  231  is a screw, and the third fixing pedestal  35  is a screw pedestal.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 4C, 6  and  9 , the hooking structure  24  includes the hooking piece  45  of the upper shell  4  and the hooking bump  53  of the bottom shell  5 . The alignment structure  25  includes the alignment flange  44  of the upper shell  4  and the alignment piece  54  of the bottom shell  5 .  
      The assembly process of the notebook computer capable of exchanging the bezel of the mainframe  2  therein includes the following steps. First, the frame  3  is placed in the top plate  40  of the upper shell  4  and the first outer side wall  41 , then the fastening member  211  is drilled through the first through hole  331  of the protrusion  33  and fastens the same to the first fixing pedestal  43  of the upper shell  4 . The third fastening member  231  is drilled through the third through hole  422  of the inner protrusion  421  and fastens the same to the third fixing pedestal  35  of the frame  3 . Thus, the first fixing structure  21  and the third-fixing structure  23  firmly fix the upper shell  4  on the upper surface  32  of the frame  3 . Next, the frame  3  is placed in the bottom plate  50  of the bottom shell  5  and the second outer side wall  51 , then the alignment flange  44  of the upper shell  4  is locked in the gap  541  of the bottom shell  5 , and the concavity  451  of the upper shell  4  hooks the hooking bump  53  of the bottom shell  5 . Thus, the alignment structure  25  and the hooking structure  24  firmly fix the bottom shell  5  on the upper shell  4 . Simultaneously, the second fastening member  221  is drilled through the second through hole  52  of the bottom shell  5  and fastens the same to the second fixing pedestal  34  of the frame  3 . Thus, the second fixing structure  22  firmly fixes the bottom shell  5  on the bottom surface  31  of the frame  3 . In disassembly, the second fastening member  221  is first removed to take off the bottom shell  5 . The first fastening member  211  and the third fastening member  231  are then removed to take off the upper shell  4 , thereby completing the disassembly of the bezel of the notebook computer. As seen above, the disassembly of the bezel of the notebook computer does not require removal of the mainboard and the electronic apparatuses within the mainframe  2 . Thus, it is easily to attain various appearances of the notebook computer. A plurality of advantages of the present invention will be described below.  
      First, since the upper shell and the bottom shell can be respectively mounted on the upper surface and the bottom surface of the frame, the bezel of the mainframe is easily removed and does not influence the mainboard and the electronic apparatuses within the mainframe. Therefore, various configurations of mainframe can easily adapt to various bezels, and various appearances of the notebook computer can be attained. Meanwhile, the screws of the bezel provide the consumer with a DIY feeling, making the design provide fast, flexible and fresh configuration to order and DIY business model.  
      Second, the easy assembly and disassembly of the bezel of the mainframe enables the manufacturer of the notebook computer to provide more types of configurations of notebook computers to satisfy consumers, reducing costs simultaneously.  
      It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above description is only illustrative of specific embodiments and examples of the invention. The invention should therefore cover various modifications and variations made to the herein-described structure and operations of the invention, provided they fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the following appended claims.