Patent Publication Number: US-9837227-B2

Title: Locking structure and system using the same

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 104126553, filed Aug. 14, 2015, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates in general to a locking structure and a system using the same, and more particularly to a locking structure which may synchronously move and a system using the same. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     The electronic device is usually provided with a receiving recess on the casing or with an opening for receiving the connecting port. Hence, a switch structure or a locker structure which can enclose the receiving recess or the opening may be disposed on the receiving recess or the opening. In general, the switch structure or the locker structure may be connected to the casing of the electronic device, and may be engaged with the casing in accordance with elements on the switch structure or the locker structure so as to enclose the receiving recess or the opening for receiving the connecting port. 
     However, the elements on the switch structure or the locker structure are generally exposed outside the electronic device. Therefore, the switch structure or the locker structure may likely be detached from the casing unexpectedly, so that the receiving recess or the opening for receiving the connecting port may be exposed. 
     Therefore, it is desired to provide a novel locking structure so as to prevent the switch structure or the locker structure from opening unexpectedly or easily. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is directed to a locking structure and an electronic system using the same capable of preventing the locking structure from opening unexpectedly. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, a locking structure is provided. The locking structure includes a rotating unit, a first switch, a sheet and a second switch. The sheet includes a recess and contact to the first switch or the rotating unit. The second switch includes a protrusion movably disposed within the recess. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, an electronic system is provided. The electronic system includes an electronic device and a locking structure. The locking structure includes a rotating unit, a first switch, a sheet and a second switch. The sheet includes a recess and contact to the first switch or the rotating unit. The second switch includes a protrusion movably disposed within the recess. The locking structure further includes a base pivotally connected with the electronic device. 
     The above and other aspects of the invention will become better understood with regard to the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiment(s). The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is an explosion diagram of a locking structure according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is an assembly diagram of the locking structure of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a rotating unit and a sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a first switch at a first position and a second switch at a fourth position according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of the first switch at a second position and the second switch at the fourth position according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of the first switch at the first position and the second switch at the fourth position according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of the first switch at the first position and the second switch at a third position according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1A  is an explosion diagram of a locking structure  100  according to one embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 1B  is an assembly diagram of the locking structure  100  of  FIG. 1A . The locking structure  100  mainly includes a base  110 , a casing  120 , a first switch  130 , a second switch  140 , a sheet  150 , a first elastic element  160  and a rotating unit  170 . 
     The locking structure  100  may be connected with an electronic device (not shown) to construct an electronic system. The electronic device may be a mobile communication device, a camera, a video camera, a tablet, a notebook, etc., but the present invention is not limited thereto. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of the rotating unit  170  and the sheet  150  according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2 , the base  110  and the casing  120  may construct a receiving space. The first switch  130 , the second switch  140 , the sheet  150 , the first elastic element  160  and the rotating unit  170  may be disposed between the base  110  and the casing  120 . Further, the base  110  includes a pivot  111 , a fixed component  112  and a pillar  113 . The base  110  and the electronic device may be pivotally connected with the pivot  111  so as to construct the electronic system, and the base  110  may rotate relatively with the electronic device. The fixed component  112  may contact to the first elastic element  160 , and the first elastic element  160  may be disposed around the pillar  113 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1B , the first switch  130  is at a first position P 1 , and the second switch  140  is at a third position P 3 . When the first switch  130  is at the first position P 1 , the first switch  130  may be contacted to the body  10  of the electronic device. For example, the first switch  130  may be locked, fastened, connected or engaged to the body  10  of the electronic device in accordance with the locking part  131  of the first switch  130 , but the present invention is not limited. When the second switch  140  is at the third position P 3 , the sheet  150  may contact to and stop the first switch  130  moving towards the second switch  140 . 
     The sheet  150  is pivotally connected to the base  110 . For instance, the base  110  may further include a pillar  113 . The sheet  150  may include an opening  150   a,  and the opening  150   a  of the sheet  150  is disposed around the pillar  113 . The sheet  150  may rotate relatively with the base  110  in accordance with the opening  150   a  and the pillar  113  used as a rotating shaft. For example, the sheet  150  may be a bar, a shaft, a strip-shaped, etc., but the present invention is not limited thereto. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B  at the same time, the first elastic element  160  includes a first portion  161 , a second portion  162  and a third portion  163 . The first portion  161  of first elastic element  160  abuts the fixed component  112  of the base  110 . The second portion  162  may contact or may not contact to the sheet  150  according to the relative rotation between the sheet  150  and the base  110 . For example, the second portion  162  may abut or connect to the sheet  150 , but the present invention is not limited thereto. The third portion  163  is disposed between the first portion  161  and the second portion  162 . In one embodiment, the first portion  161  may be curved, tip or hooked shape. The fixed component  112  may be a protrusion or a column which the first portion  161  may be fixed to by way of hook, fitting or insertion. When the second portion  162  of the first elastic element  160  does not abut or not connect to the sheet  150 , the first elastic element  160  is in a free state. The third portion  163  of the first elastic element  160  may be concentrically wound into a ring or curved shape. The third portion  163  of the first elastic element  160  may be disposed around the pillar  113  of the base  110 . The first elastic element  160  may be a torsion spring. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1B and 2 , the rotating unit  170  mainly includes a rod  171  and a second elastic element  172 . Two ends of the second elastic element  172  connect with the base  110  and the rod  171 , respectively. Specifically, one end of the rod  171  (not shown) may be rotatably disposed on the base  110  and thus used as a rotating shaft (not shown). The second elastic element  172  may be disposed around the end of the rod  171 . Thus, if the rod  171  rotates, the second elastic element  172  may deform and apply a second elastic force to the rod  171  accordingly. Meanwhile, another end of the rod  171  (not shown) may contact to the sheet  150 . Alternatively, another end of the rod  171  (not shown) may abut the sheet  150 , but the present invention is not limited thereto. The end of the rod  171  used as the rotating shaft may be formed in hooked or columnar structure. The second elastic element  172  may be a torsion spring, while the hooked or columnar structure of the rod  171  may fix the position of the second elastic element  172 . 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of the first switch  130  at the first position P 1  and the second switch  140  at a fourth position P 4  according to the embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of the first switch  130  at a second position P 2  and the second switch  140  at the fourth position P 4  according to the embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of the first switch  130  at the first position P 1  and the second switch  140  at the fourth position P 4  according to the embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of the first switch  130  at the first position P 1  and the second switch  140  at the third position P 3  according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 6  at the same time, the sheet  150  selectively contacts to the first switch  130 . The sheet  150  further includes a stopper portion  151 . During the period when the second switch  140  moves from the third position P 3  to the fourth position P 4  along a translational direction D 11 , the sheet  150  may rotate along a direction reverse to the second rotational direction D 22  in accordance with the second switch  140 . That is, the stopper portion  151  of the sheet  150  and the rotating unit  170  move away from each other. Meanwhile, the first elastic element  160  may deform due to the rotation of the sheet  150 , and thus apply a first elastic force to the sheet  150 . The first elastic force substantially applies force to the sheet  150  in the second rotational direction D 22 . The second rotational direction D 22  may be the rotational direction of the sheet  150 , wherein the direction where the sheet  150  moves close to the rotating unit  170  is a forward direction, while the direction where the sheet  150  moves away from the rotating unit  170  is a reverse direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the sheet  150  has a notch  150   b.  The rod  171  of the rotating unit  170  is selectively contacted to the notch  150   b,  and the rod  171  further has an end  1711 . In other words, the end  1711  of the rod  171  further contacts to the notch  150   b.  When the sheet  150  rotates along the reverse direction of the second rotational direction D 22 , the rod  171  may rotate along a forward direction of a first rotational direction D 21  with the aid of the second elastic force of the second elastic element  172 , so that the end  1711  of the rod  171  may be contacts to the notch  150   b  of the sheet  150 . The first rotational direction D 21  may be the rotational direction of the rotating unit  170 , wherein the direction where the rotating unit  170  moves close to the first switch  130  is a forward direction, while the direction where the rotating unit  170  moves away from the first switch  130  is a reverse direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3  and the enlarged view thereof. For example, the end  1711  of the rod  171  may be engaged with the notch  150   b  of the sheet  150  so as to fix the rod  171 . Hence, the sheet  150  may be stopped rotating along the forward direction of the second rotational direction D 22 . 
     Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 6 , the sheet  150  includes a recess  150   r,  and the second switch  140  includes a protrusion  141  which may be disposed within the recess  150   r.  The recess  150   r  has a first end  150   r   1  and a second end  150   r   2 . The protrusion  141  of the second switch  140  may move between the first end  150   r   1  and the second end  150   r   2  of the recess  150   r . Thus, the second switch  140  is at the third position P 3  or the fourth position P 4  in accordance with the protrusion  141  of the second switch  140  disposed at the first end  150   r   1  or the second end  150   r   2  of the recess  150   r.  For example, when the first switch  130  is at the first position P 1 , the protrusion  141  of the second switch  140  is disposed at the first end  150   r   1  or the second end  150   r   2  of the recess  150   r.  Further, when the protrusion  141  of the second switch  140  is disposed at the first end  150   r   1 , the sheet  150  contacts to the first switch  130 . When the protrusion  141  of the second switch  140  is disposed at the second end  150   r   2 , the end  1711  of the rod  171  is contact to the notch or the first switch  130  contact to the sheet  150  and the rotating unit  170 . The sheet  150  may rotate along the second rotational direction D 22  in accordance with the protrusion  141  and the recess  150   r.  In other words, when the second switch  140  moves along the translational direction D 11 , the protrusion  141  of the second switch  140  may move between the first end  150   r   1  and the second end  150   r   2  of the recess  150   r,  so that the sheet  150  may rotate along the second rotational direction D 22 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4  at the same time, when the second switch  140  is at the fourth position P 4 , the first switch  130  may be moved from the first position P 1  to the second position P 2  along the translational direction D 11 , thereby the first switch  130  may move away from the body  10  of the electronic device. In other words, the locking part  131  of the first switch  130  does not contact to the body  10  of the electronic device. If the first switch  130  is at the second position P 2 , the first switch  130  contacts to the rotating unit  170  and the sheet  150 . In other words, the first switch  130  further abuts the rotating unit  170  and the sheet  150 . And thereby the limiting portion  132  of the first switch  130  may push the end  1711  of the rod  171 . Hence, the end  1711  may be detached from the notch  150   b  of the sheet  150 , thereby releasing the engaging relationship between the rotating unit  170  and the sheet  150 . And the rotating unit  170  may be separated from the sheet  150  in accordance with the first switch  130 . Meanwhile, the limiting portion  132  locates between the stopper portion  151  and the rotating unit  170 , thereby preventing the sheet  150  from rotating along the forward direction of the second rotational direction D 22 . Further, even though the first elastic force of the first elastic element  160  may force the sheet  150  to rotate along the forward direction of the second rotational direction D 22 , the sheet  150  and the first switch  130  still remain in the original relative position in that the limiting portion  132  and the stopper portion  151  connect with each other. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , during the period when the first switch  130  moves from the second position P 2  to the first position P 1 , the sheet  150  may rotate along the forward direction of the second rotational direction D 22  with the aid of the first elastic force of the first elastic element  160  since the limiting portion  132  of the first switch  130  and the stopper portion  151  of the sheet  150  move away from each other. Meanwhile, the second switch  140  is driven to move towards the third position P 3 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , when the second switch  140  is at the third position P 3 , the stopper portion  151  of the sheet  150  contacts to the surface of the limiting portion  132  of the first switch  130 , so that the first switch  130  remains at the first position P 1 . Alternatively, the stopper portion  151  of the sheet  150  may abut or connect with the surface of the limiting portion  132  of the first switch  130 , but the present invention is not limited thereto. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , when the first switch  130  is at the first position P 1 , the second elastic force of the second elastic element  172  may drive the rod  171  to rotate along the forward direction of the first rotational direction D 21 . However, with the cooperation of the first elastic element  160  and the second elastic element  172 , the driving force enabling the sheet  150  to rotate along the second rotational direction D 22  is larger than the driving force enabling the rotating unit  170  to rotate along the first rotational direction D 21 , and thereby the first switch  130  is at the first position P 1  and the second switch  140  is at the third position P 3 . In such a circumstance, the locking structure  100  may be pivotally connected with the electronic device firmly so as to construct an electronic system. For example, the locking structure  100  may be realized by implementing the firs elastic element  160  having the first elastic force and the second elastic element  172  having the second elastic force substantially smaller than the first elastic force, or by implementing the first elastic element  160  applying a first torque to the sheet  150  and the second elastic element  172  applying a second torque to the rod  171 , and the second torque is substantially smaller than the first torque. In other words, the first elastic force of the first elastic element  160  may be substantially larger than the second elastic force of the second elastic element  172 , or the first torque of the first elastic element  160  applied to the sheet  150  may be substantially larger than the second torque of the second elastic element  172  applied to the rod  171  of the rotating unit  170 . 
     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiment(s), it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.