Patent Publication Number: US-2009237377-A1

Title: Electronic device, handheld device and stylus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 97109897, filed on Mar. 20, 2008. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of specification. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electronic device with a modular accessory having a fan for discharging hot air within a device case of the electronic device. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Following rapid advancing of the personal computer fabrication technology, many types of mobile computers have been developed on the basis of desk-top computers which originally need to be placed on a table to use. These mobile computers include, for example, notebook computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), pocket PCs, and the like. However, these mobile computers all have a heat dissipation issue due to the small room in their cases. 
     The heat generated by the micro-control-units (MCU) of the mobile computers must be timely removed, or the temperature of the MCU continuously rises to exceed its normal operating temperature range. However, the amount of heat generated by the MCU increases with the increase in the operating speed of the MCU. Therefore, the temperature of the MCU must be lowered to maintain the normal operation of the MCU. 
     The mobile computers tend to be light, thin and small, and the operating speed of the MCUs of the mobile computers is being continuously increased. Therefore, due to the limited room in the computer case of the mobile computers, how to address the heat dissipation issue has been a great challenge. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an electronic device with a modular accessory. The modular accessory includes a fan for discharging hot air from a device case of the electronic device. 
     The present invention is also directed to a handheld device with a stylus. The stylus includes a fan for discharging hot air from a device case of the handheld device. 
     The present invention is also directed to a stylus having a fan for discharging hot air from a device case. 
     The present invention provides an electronic device including a device case, a first electrode, and a modular accessory. The first electrode is located in the device case. The modular accessory is removably assembled to the device case, and includes an accessory case, a second electrode, and a fan. When the accessory case is assembled to the device case and the second electrode contacts the first electrode, the fan is driven to discharge hot air from the device case. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, the device case has a receiving space and the modular accessory is disposed in the receiving space. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, the accessory case has an air inlet in communication with the receiving space and an air outlet in communication with the air inlet, and the fan is located between the air inlet and the air outlet. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, the device case has an opening, the accessory case has an air inlet adapted for communication with the opening and an air outlet in communication with the air inlet, and the fan is located between the air inlet and the air outlet. 
     The present invention provides a handheld device including a device case, a first electrode, and a stylus. The device case has a receiving space. The first electrode is located in the device case. The stylus is removably assembled to the device case. The stylus includes a stylus case, a fan, and a second electrode. The stylus case is adapted to be assembled into the device case, and has at least one air inlet adapted for communication with the receiving space and at least one air outlet in communication with the air inlet. The fan is located in the stylus case and between the air inlet and the air outlet. The second electrode is connected to the fan and adapted to contact the first electrode. When the stylus case is assembled into the device case and the second electrode contacts the first electrode, the fan is driven to discharge hot air from the device case. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, the stylus case includes a front section and a rear section, and the fan is located between the front section and the rear section. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first electrode includes a pair of electrode spring plates adapted for clamping the second electrode. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, the device case includes a locking member adapted for locking the stylus in the device case. 
     The present invention provides a stylus suitable for a handheld device. The handheld device includes a device case and a first electrode located in the device case. The device case has a receiving space. The stylus includes a stylus case, a fan, and a second electrode. The stylus case is adapted to be assembled into the device case, and has at least one air inlet adapted for communication with the receiving space and at least one air outlet in communication with the air inlet. The fan is located in the stylus case and between the air inlet and the air outlet. The second electrode is connected to the fan and adapted to contact the first electrode. When the stylus case is assembled into the device case and the second electrode contacts the first electrode, the fan is driven to discharge hot air from the device case. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, the stylus case includes a front section and a rear section, and the fan is located between the front section and the rear section. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first electrode includes a pair of electrode spring plates adapted for clamping the second electrode. 
     The modular accessory having the fan is used in embodiments of the present invention. When the modular accessory is assembled to the device case and the first electrode contacts the second electrode, the fan can be driven by the circuit board to discharge the hot air from the device case, thereby lowering the operating temperature of the electronic device. 
     In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the present invention more comprehensible, embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is an exploded view of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is an assembled view of the electronic device of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2A  is an exploded view of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2B  is an assembled view of the electronic device of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 3A  illustrates a handheld device according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3B  is an exploded view of part of the handheld device of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 3C  is an assembled view of the part of the handheld device of  FIG. 3B . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1A  is an exploded view of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 1B  is an assembled view of the electronic device of  FIG. 1A . Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , in the present embodiment, the electronic device  100   a  includes a device case  110 , a first electrode  120 , and a modular accessory  130 . The first electrode  120  is disposed within the device case  110 , and the modular accessory  130  is removably assembled to the device case  110 . 
     Specifically, the device case  110  has a receiving space  112  and the modular accessory  130  is disposed in the receiving space  112 . In the present embodiment, the modular accessory  130  includes an accessory case  132 , a second electrode  134 , and a fan  136 . The accessory case  132  has an air inlet  132   a  in communication with the receiving space  112 , and an air outlet  132   b  in communication with the air inlet  132   a.  The fan  136  is disposed between the air inlet  132   a  and the air outlet  132   b.    
     When the accessory case  132  is assembled into the receiving space  112  of the device case  110  and the second electrode  134  contacts the first electrode  120 , the fan  136  is driven to discharge hot air from the device case  110 . 
       FIG. 2A  is an exploded view of an electronic device according to another embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2B  is an assembled view of the electronic device of  FIG. 2A . Referring to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the electronic device  100   b  of  FIG. 2A  is similar to the electronic device  100   a  of  FIG. 1  A except that the device case  110  has an opening  114 , the accessory case  132  has an air inlet  132   a  adapted for communication with the opening  114  and an air outlet  132   b  in communication with the air inlet  132   a,  and the fan  136  is disposed between the air inlet  132   a  and the air outlet  132   b.    
     When the accessory case  132  is assembled to the device case  110  and the second electrode  134  contacts the first electrode  120 , the fan  136  is driven to discharge hot air within the device case  110 . 
     In brief, the modular accessory  130  having the fan  136  is used in the embodiments described above. When the modular accessory  130  is assembled to the device case  110  and the first electrode  120  contacts the second electrode  134 , the fan  136  is driven to discharge hot air within the device case  110 , thereby lowering an operating temperature of the electronic device  100   a  or electronic device  100   b.    
       FIG. 3A  illustrates a handheld device according to one embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 3B  is an exploded view of part of the handheld device of  FIG. 3A , and  FIG. 3C  is an assembled view of the part of the handheld device of  FIG. 3B . Referring to  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B , in the present embodiment, the handheld device  200  is, for example, a PDA, a pocket PC or a smart phone. The handheld device  200  includes a device case  210 , a pair of first electrodes  220 , and a stylus  300 . The number of the first electrodes  220  could be one or more depending on the product design. The present embodiment employs two first electrodes  220  but this is not intended to limit the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3B  and  FIG. 3C , the device case  210  has a receiving space  212 , an upper device case part  210   a,  a lower device case part  210   b,  and a circuit board  216 . The first electrodes  220  are disposed between the lower device case part  210   b  and the circuit board  216 . The stylus  300  is removably assembled to the lower device case part  210   b.    
     Specifically, the stylus  300  includes a stylus case  310 , a fan  320 , and a pair of second electrodes  330 . The stylus case  310  includes a front section  316  and a rear section  318 . The fan  320  is disposed between the front section  316  and the rear section  318  and connected to the second electrodes  330 . The stylus case  310  is adapted to be assembled into the device case  210   b.  The stylus case  310  has at least one air inlet  312  adapted for communication with the receiving space  212  and at least one air outlet  314  in communication with the inlet  312 . The number of the second electrodes  330  could be one or more depending on the product design. The present embodiment employs two second electrodes  330  but this is not intended to limit the present invention. 
     In particular, in the present embodiment, the fan  310  is disposed between the front section  316  and the rear section  318  and between the air inlet  312  and the air outlet  314 . In addition, the air inlets  312  are generally spirally arranged in the front section  316  of the stylus  310 . When the fan  320  is driven to discharge the hot air from the device case  210 , these air inlets  312  can reduce loss of performance of the fan  320 . 
     In general, the basic function of the stylus  300  is to be a supplement to and a substitution of user&#39;s finger to touch a display panel while avoiding damage to the display panel. It is to be noted that, in the present embodiment, the fan  320  is disposed in the stylus case  310  of the stylus  300  without changing the basic function and structure of the stylus  300 . Therefore, when the stylus  300  is assembled within the device case  210  and the handheld device  200  is in an operating state, the fan  320  in the stylus  300  is able to discharge the hot air from the device case  210  to lower the operating temperature of the handheld device  200 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3B and 3C , the second electrodes  330  are adapted for contact with the first electrodes  220 , respectively. The first electrodes  220  are, for example, a pair of electrode spring plates for clamping the second electrodes  330 . When the circuit board  216  is electrically connected with the first electrodes  220  and the pair of first electrodes  220  respectively contacts the pair of second electrodes  330 , the fan  320  can be driven to discharge the hot air from the device case  210 . 
     Besides, the device case  210   b  may include a plurality of locking members  214  for locking the stylus  300  in the device case  210   b.  When the stylus case  310  is assembled into the device case  210   b  and the pair of second electrodes  330  respectively contacts the pair of first electrodes  220 , the fan  320  can be driven to discharge the hot air from the device case  210 . 
     In summary, the stylus includes a fan disposed therein. When the stylus is assembled into the device case and the pair of second electrodes respectively contacts the pair of first electrodes, the fan can be driven by the circuit board to discharge the hot air from the device case. Therefore, the operating temperature of the handheld device can be lowered by driving the fan to discharge the hot air the device case. Besides, the fan is disposed in the stylus without changing the basic function and structure of the stylus. Therefore, when drawn out of the device case, the stylus still maintains its basic function. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.