Patent Publication Number: US-2017351298-A1

Title: Detachable electronic device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/343,985, filed on Jun. 1, 2016 and CN application serial No. 201710196962.2, filed on Mar. 29, 2017. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent applications are hereby incorporated by references herein and made a part of specification. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to an electronic device and, more specifically, to a detachable electronic device. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Electronic devices are widely used in daily life and work. A keyboard is usually applied for text input. However, either a wired keyboard or a wireless keyboard exist shortcomings. 
     To apply the keyboard wireless, such a Bluetooth keyboard, a Bluetooth connection should be established first between the keyboard and the electronic device. Thus, it is inefficient for using keyboard wirelessly. However, to apply the keyboard wired, the electronic device cannot be portable since there is a physical wire connecting the keyboard and the electronic device, which is also inconvenient. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to an aspect of the disclosure, a detachable electronic device is provided. The detachable electronic device is adapted to a cover with a plurality of folding sections. The detachable electronic device comprises a body and a peripheral unit. The body includes a first surface and a second surface. The peripheral unit is detachably connected to the body and includes a pivot portion. The first connector is disposed at the first surface. 
     The pivot portion includes a fixing pivot member and a magnetic pivot member. The magnetic pivot member is pivotally connected to the fixing pivot member and includes a second connector. When the first connector is magnetically attached to the second connector and the body is supported by folding the folding sections of the cover, the pivot portion is raised up by a distance from a support surface against which the peripheral unit abuts. 
     In embodiments of the detachable electronic device, the peripheral unit includes the pivot portion. Thus, the peripheral unit can be quickly attached and fixed to the first surface of the body via the pivot portion. The peripheral unit is electrically connected to the body. The peripheral unit is raised up from the support surface, which facilitates the operation of the peripheral unit. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features, aspects and advantages of the disclosure will become better understood with regard to the following embodiments and accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a detachable electronic device in an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the detachable electronic device in  FIG. 1  from a different perspective in an embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a planar exploded view of the detachable electronic device in  FIG. 1  in an embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a planar assembly diagram showing the detachable electronic device in  FIG. 1  in an embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a planar view showing a tablet computer rotates relative to an expansion device in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a planar view showing the tablet computer is placed on the support surface to make a connecting end of the expansion device raise up in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of a circle A in  FIG. 6  in an embodiment; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing the tablet computer is placed on the support surface to make the connecting end of the expansion device raise up in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a planar view of a detachable electronic device in an embodiment; and 
         FIG. 10  is a planar view of a detachable electronic device in an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the disclosure will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments are not limited herein. The description of the operation of components is not used for limiting the execution sequence. Any equivalent device with the combination according to the disclosure is in the scope of the disclosure. The components shown in figures are not used for limit the size or the proportion. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a detachable electronic device in an embodiment.  FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the detachable electronic device in  FIG. 1  from a different perspective in an embodiment.  FIG. 3  is a planar exploded view of the detachable electronic device in  FIG. 1  in an embodiment.  FIG. 4  is a planar assembly diagram showing the detachable electronic device in  FIG. 1  in an embodiment. As shown in the figures, in an embodiment, a detachable electronic device  100  includes a body  11  and a peripheral unit  2 . 
     The detachable electronic device  100  is adapted to cooperate with a cover  12  with a plurality of folding sections. The detachable electronic device  100  includes the body  11  and the peripheral unit  2 . The body  11  includes a first surface  111 , a second surface  112  and a back surface  113  (as denoted in  FIG. 3 ). A first connector  1112  and two frame magnetic elements  1113  and  1114  are disposed at a frame area  1111  of the first surface  111 . 
     A second surface  112  is adjacent to the first surface  111 . The back surface  113  is adjacent to the second surface  112 . The back surface  113  is disposed opposite to the first surface  111 . 
     The cover  12  includes folding sections  121 ,  122  and  123  and a hinge structure  124  (as denoted in  FIG. 3 ). An end of the folding section  121  is fixedly connected to the second surface  112 . The folding section  122  is foldably connected to the folding section  121 . The folding section  123  is foldably connected to the folding section  122 . 
     In an embodiment, the folding section  123  is a magnetic-attaching end folding section. The folding section  123  is magnetically attached to the back surface  113  of the body  11 . The hinge structure  124  is disposed between the folding sections  121  and  122  to provide a torsional force between the folding sections  121  and  122 . Thus, an angle between the folding sections  121  and  122  can be kept. 
     In an embodiment, the cover  12  is made of flexible materials (such as soft plastic, silica gel or leather). Rigid sheets, such as metal sheets or rigid plastic sheets are embedded inside the covering  12  to form the folding sections  121 ,  122  and  123 . 
     In an embodiment, the hinge structure  124  is an elastic hinge structure. That is, a spring or an elastic element is configured in the hinge structure  124  to allow the connected folding sections  121  and  122  to form the angle therebetween. The angle between the folding sections  121  and  122  can be further adjusted by changing the positon that the folding section  123  is attached to the body  11 . Then, tilt angles of the body  11  is changed. 
     In the embodiment, the hinge structure  124  is disposed between the folding sections  121  and  122 . The folding section  123  is magnetically attached to the back surface  113  of the body  11 . When the folding section  123  is magnetically attached to the back surface  113 , with the foldable connections between any two of the folding sections  121 ,  122  and  123  and the torsional force from the hinge structure  124 , a support structure is formed by the folding sections  121 ,  122  and  123  to support the body  11 . 
     The peripheral unit  2  includes a peripheral unit body  21  and a pivot portion  22 . The peripheral unit body  21  includes a connecting end portion  211 . In an embodiment, the peripheral unit  2  is an expansion device, such as a speaker or an external keyboard. In the embodiment, the peripheral unit  2  is an external keyboard. 
     In an embodiment, the peripheral unit  2  further includes a keyboard module and a cursor operation module (not shown in the figures). The pivot portion  22  includes two fixing pivot members  221  and  222  and a magnetic pivot member  223 . 
     The fixing pivot members  221  and  222  are fixed at two ends of the connecting end portion  211 , respectively. The fixing pivot members  221  and  222  are electrically connected to the peripheral unit body  21 , respectively. The magnetic pivot member  223  includes a second connector  2231  and two pivot magnetic elements  2232  and  2233 . The pivot magnetic elements  2232  and  2233  correspond to the two frame magnetic elements  1113  and  1114 , respectively. 
     The second connector  2231  is electrically connected to the fixing pivot members  221  and  222 . When the magnetic pivot member  223  is magnetically attached to the frame magnetic elements  1113  and  1114  (that are disposed in the frame area  1111 ) via the pivot magnetic elements  2232  and  2233 , the second connector  2231  is electrically connected to the first connector  1112 . In an embodiment, the first connector  1112  and the second connector  2231  are magnetic electrical connectors, which makes the electrical connection between the first connector  1112  and the second connector  2231  more stable. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 5  is a planar view showing a tablet computer which rotates relative to an expansion device in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 6  is a planar view showing the tablet computer, which is placed on the support surface to make a connecting end of the expansion device raise up in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of a circle A in  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing the tablet computer, which is placed on the support surface to make the connecting end of the expansion device raise up in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
     As shown in the figures, after the body  11  is magnetically attached to the second connector  2231  and the pivot magnetic elements  2232  and  2233  via the first connector  1112  and the two frame magnetic elements  1113  and  1114 , the body  11  rotates along a rotating direction R 1 . Thus, the magnetic pivot member  223  is driven by the body  11  to rotate relative to the two fixing pivot members  221  and  222 . 
     In the embodiment, when the magnetic pivot member  223  is magnetically attached to the frame area  1111  of the body  11 , the body  11  rotates to make the second surface  112  and the peripheral unit  2  abut against the support surface (not shown in the figures). Then, the connecting end portion  211  starts to be raised up from the support surface. 
     In the embodiment, the magnetic pivot member  223  is attached and fixed to the frame area  1111 . Therefore, when the body  11  rotates along the rotating direction R 1  and continues to rotate after the second surface  112  abuts against the support surface, the frame area  1111  where the magnetic pivot member  223  is attached moves below the magnetic pivot member  223 . Thus, the connecting end portion  211  is driven to be raised up by the fixing pivot members  221  and  222  that are pivotally connected to the magnetic pivot member  223 . Consequently, the peripheral unit body  21  is raised up by a height h 1 , and an angle θ is formed between the support surface and the peripheral unit body  21 . 
     In the embodiments of the detachable electronic device  100 , the pivot portion  22  is configured at the connecting end portion  211  of the peripheral unit body  21 . Thus, the peripheral unit  2  can be quickly attached and fixed to the first surface  111  of the body  11  via the pivot portion  22 . The body  11  is electrically connected to the peripheral unit body  21 . The connecting end portion  211  of the peripheral unit body  21  is positioned at the frame area  1111  of the body  11 , which allows the connecting end portion  211  of the peripheral unit body  21  to be raised up relative to the support surface. Thus, the operation of the peripheral unit body  21  is more convenient. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 9 .  FIG. 9  is a planar view of a detachable electronic device in an embodiment. In an embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 9 , a detachable electronic device  100   a  includes the body  11  and a cover  12   a . The cover  12   a  includes folding sections  121   a ,  122   a  and  123   a.    
     Compared with the cover  12  in the above embodiment, the cover  12   a  does not include the hinge structure  124 . Instead, the foldable connections between any two of the folding sections  121   a ,  122   a  and  123   a  are used to form a support structure to support the body  11 . In the embodiment, the folding sections  121   a ,  122   a  and  123   a  are folded inwardly to allow the folding section  121   a  to be placed on the support surface and to allow the folding section  123   a  to abut against the body  11 . Thus, the body  11  stands on the support surface via the support structure. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 10 .  FIG. 10  is a planar view of a detachable electronic device in an embodiment. In an embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 10 , a detachable electronic device  100   b  includes the body  11  and a cover  12   b . The cover  12   b  includes folding sections  121   b  and  122   b  and a hinge structure  123   b.    
     Compared with the above-mentioned cover  12 , the cover  12   b  abuts against the body  11  via the folding section  121   b . The angle formed between the folding sections  121   b  and  122   b  of the cover  12   b  is kept via the torsional force from the hinge structure  123   b  (which is disposed between the folding sections  121   b  and  122   b ). Thus, the folding section  122   b  is supported on the support surface to support the body. 
     In sum, the detachable electronic device is magnetically attached and fixed to the peripheral unit via the pivot portion. The first connector is configured at the frame area of the body. The peripheral unit is magnetically attached to the frame area to make the connecting end portion raise up from the support surface, which facilitates the operation of the peripheral unit. 
     Although the disclosure has been disclosed with reference to certain embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not for limiting the scope. Persons having ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and changes without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments described above.