Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6894893?dq=6,590,872
Timestamp: 2014-12-28 23:06:05
Document Index: 703082127

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 14', 'art 18', 'art 14', 'art 14', 'art 14', 'art 18', 'art 14', 'art 14', 'art 14', 'art 14', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 14', 'art 14', 'art 14', 'art 14', 'art 14', 'art 18', 'art 14', 'art 14', 'art 14', 'art 14', 'art 18', 'art 14', 'art 14', 'art 14']

Patent US6894893 - Joining battery support packages; detachable; computers - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsAn electronic apparatus has a first attachment portion to which a first component can be attached to the front of the apparatus body, and a second attachment portion which has a substantially same construction as the first attachment portion and to which a second component can be attached to the rear...http://www.google.com/patents/US6894893?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6894893 - Joining battery support packages; detachable; computersAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6894893 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 09/947,567Publication dateMay 17, 2005Filing dateSep 7, 2001Priority dateMar 10, 1999Fee statusLapsedAlso published asEP1162532A1, EP1162532A4, US20020006750, WO2000054130A1Publication number09947567, 947567, US 6894893 B2, US 6894893B2, US-B2-6894893, US6894893 B2, US6894893B2InventorsShigeru HidesawaOriginal AssigneeFujitsu LimitedExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (35), Referenced by (24), Classifications (15), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetJoining battery support packages; detachable; computersUS 6894893 B2Abstract An electronic apparatus has a first attachment portion to which a first component can be attached to the front of the apparatus body, and a second attachment portion which has a substantially same construction as the first attachment portion and to which a second component can be attached to the rear of the apparatus body. Thus, the first component and the second component can be attached the electronic apparatus to thereby improve the performance of the electronic apparatus. When the first and second components are battery packs, two battery packs of the same shape can be attached to the electronic apparatus.
1. An information processing apparatus comprising a first attachment portion which is provided along an entire first side of an apparatus body and to which a first battery pack can be attached externally to the apparatus body, and a second attachment portion which is provided along an entire second side of said apparatus body which is opposite said first side and has a substantially same structure as the first attachment portion, and to which a second battery pack can be attached externally to the apparatus body.
2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first attachment portion has a first connector for electrically connecting the first battery pack to the apparatus body and a first mechanical connection means for mechanically connecting the first battery pack to the apparatus body, and the second attachment portion has a second connector for electrically connecting the second battery pack to the apparatus body and a second mechanical connection means for mechanically connecting the second battery pack to the apparatus body, the relationship between the first connector and the first mechanical connection means being substantially the same as the relationship between the second connector and the second mechanical connection means.
3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first battery pack has a generally same appearance and shape as the second battery pack.
4. An information processing apparatus comprising a first attachment portion which is provided in an apparatus body and to which a first battery pack can be attached, and a second attachment portion which is provided in the apparatus body at a position different from the first attachment portion and has a substantially same structure as the first attachment portion, and to which a second battery pack can be attached,
wherein the first attachment portion is located at the front of the apparatus body and the second attachment portion is located at the rear of the apparatus body, and wherein the first and the second battery packs can be detachably attached to the apparatus body from outside the apparatus body. 5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first battery pack and the second battery pack extend along the front and the rear, respectively, of the apparatus body.
6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first battery pack and the second battery pack have lengths not less than half the length of the front or the rear of the apparatus body.
7. An information processing apparatus comprising a first attachment portion which is provided in an apparatus body and to which a first battery pack can be attached, and a second attachment portion which is provided in the apparatus body at a position different from the first attachment portion and has a substantially same structure as the first attachment portion, and to which a second battery pack can be attached,
wherein the information processing apparatus is a notebook type information processing apparatus having a part including a keyboard and another part including a display and pivotally attached to the part including the keyboard, and wherein the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion are provided at the front and the rear of the part including the keyboard. 8. An information processing apparatus comprising a first attachment portion which is provided in an apparatus body and to which a first battery pack can be attached, and a second attachment portion which is provided in the apparatus body at a position different from the first attachment portion and has a substantially same structure as the first attachment portion, and to which a second battery pack can be attached,
wherein the information processing apparatus is a notebook type information processing apparatus having a part including a keyboard and another part including a display and pivotally attached to the part including the keyboard, and wherein the first battery pack and the second battery pack have an engaging portion, and the part including the display has locking means capable of being engaged with the engaging portion of one of the first battery pack and the second battery pack attached to the front of the part including the keyboard when the part including the display is closed onto the part including the keyboard. 9. An information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first attachment portion has a first connector for electrically connecting the first battery pack to the apparatus body and a first mechanical connecting portion for mechanically connecting the first battery pack to the apparatus body, and the second attachment portion has a second connector for electrically connecting the second battery pack to the apparatus body and a second mechanical connecting portion for mechanically connecting the second battery pack to the apparatus body, the relationship between the first connector and the first mechanical connecting portion being substantially the same as the relationship between the second connector and the second mechanical connecting portion.
10. An information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first battery pack has a generally same appearance and shape as the second battery pack.
an apparatus body; a first battery pack detachably attached to a front of the apparatus body from outside the apparatus body; and a second battery pack detachably attached to a rear of the apparatus body from outside the apparatus body. 12. An information processing apparatus having a part including a keyboard and another part including a display and pivotably attached to the part including the keyboard, comprising:
a first component detachably attached to a front of the part including the keyboard; and a second component detachably attached to a rear of the part including the keyboard. 13. An information processing apparatus having a part including a keyboard and another part including a display and pivotably attached to the part including the keyboard, comprising:
a first battery pack detachably attached to a front of the part including the keyboard; and a second battery pack detachably attached to a rear of the part including the keyboard, wherein the first battery pack and the second battery pack have engaging portion, and the part including the display has locking means capable of being engaged with the engaging portion of one of the first battery pack and the second battery pack attached to the front of the part including the keyboard when the part including the display is closed onto the part including the keyboard. 14. An information processing apparatus having a part including a keyboard and another part including a display and pivotably attached to the part including the keyboard, comprising:
a first battery pack detachably attached to a front of the part including the keyboard; and a second battery pack detachably attached to a rear of the part including the keyboard.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of PCT/JP99/01164 filed March 10, 1999.
Recently, electronic information processing apparatuses have become increasingly small and light-weight so as to be suitable for use as portable type information processing apparatuses. A portable type information processing apparatus usually includes a battery that has a relatively large capacity and the battery is usually accommodated in the apparatus body since replacement of a battery is seldom required. However, miniaturization of the battery itself is also required, so there is a case in which replacement of the battery is necessary depending upon the relationship between the capacity, the weight and the volume of the battery.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus to which two similar components can be attached.
Because two battery packs of the same shape can be attached to the electronic apparatus, the development cost of battery packs is lower. Therefore, battery packs having greater capacity with the same shape can be developed at relatively low cost so that batteries may have longer life than before or a use may select, in combination, a suitable weight and capacity for the battery as the user desires. It is thus possible to easily realize a battery pack of greater capacity which achieves a suitable combination of weight and capacity. Attachment to an electronic apparatus is also simplified.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will now be described with reference to appended drawings showing embodiments thereof, in which:
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 to 7 show an electronic apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 1 and 2 are views showing the electronic apparatus (portable type information processing apparatus) 10 constructed as a notebook type personal computer. The electronic apparatus 10 has a part 14 including a keyboard 12 and another part 18 pivotally attached to the part 14 including the keyboard 12 and including a display 16. The part 14 including the keyboard 12 is referred to as an apparatus body, and includes electronic components under the keyboard 12.
FIG. 4 shows the part 14 including the keyboard 12 in the state in which the keyboard 12 is removed, with the part 18 including the display 16 omitted. A printed circuit board 20, for example, is disposed in the part 14 including the keyboard 12. The keyboard 12 and the display 16 are controlled by the electronic components provided on the printed circuit board 20.
The first battery pack 22 and the second battery pack 24 extend long along the front and the rear, respectively, of the part 14 (apparatus body) including the keyboard 12. Preferably, the first battery pack 22 and the second battery pack 24 have a length not less than half a length of the front or the rear of the apparatus body. In the embodiment, the first battery pack 22 and the second battery pack 24 have a length approximately equal to a length of the front or the rear of the apparatus body. Because the battery pack is formed so as to have a length approximately equal to a length of the front of the apparatus body, it serves as a palm rest, when attached to the apparatus body.
Each of the first battery pack 22 and the second battery pack 24 has a flat side 22 a or 24 a, a curved side 22 b or 24 b, and a flat end surface 22 c or 24 c. When the first battery pack 22 and the second battery pack 24 are attached to the part 14 including the keyboard 12, the flat sides 22 a and 24 a are brought into close contact with the front end surface and rear end surface of the part 14 including the keyboard 12.
FIGS. 5 to 7 are views showing the construction of the attaching portion of the screw 40 (44). The screw 40 is provided at the front portion of a stem 40 a. A large diameter section 40 b and a D-shaped section 40 c are provided in the intermediate portion of the stem 40 a. The attaching portion of the screw 40 includes an operating wheel 46, which includes D-shaped hole 46 a and a cylindrical portion 46 b with a bottom. The D-shaped section 40 c of the stem 40 a is inserted into the D-shaped hole 46 a of the operating wheel 46.
The end portion of the stem 40 a opposite to the screw 40 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 46 b, with a spring 48 being disposed around the stem 40 a in the cylindrical portion 46 b. The operating wheel 46 is rotatably supported on the wall of the first battery pack 22, with the spring 48 biasing the screw 40 toward the flat surface 22 a of the first battery pack 22. Thus, when the first battery pack 22 is moved toward the apparatus body, the screw 40 comes into contact with the first mechanical connection means (threaded hole) 32. The operating wheel 46 is exposed to the outside from an opening 22 d provided in the end surface 22 c of the first battery pack 22, and when the exposed portion of the operating wheel 46 is rotated, the screw 40 is rotated so as to be threadedly engaged with the first mechanical means (threaded hole) 32.
In addition, a hook-like lock 50 is provided at the free end of the part 18 including the display 16, and an engaging hole 52 is provided in the upper portion of the curved side surface 22 b of the first battery pack 22. Thus, when the part 18 including the display 16 is closed to the part (body) 14 including the keyboard 12 having the first battery pack 22 attached to the part (main body) 14 including the keyboard 12, the hook-like lock 50 is engaged with the engaging hole 52. The hook-like lock 50 may be unlocked by means not shown.
FIGS. 12 to 14 are views showing a modification of the mechanical connection means of the battery pack. In contrast to the example shown in FIG. 8, which is constructed such that the front portion of the part 14 including the keyboard 12 has the end extension portion 14E, a projecting portion 56 is formed on the flat side surface 22 a of the battery pack 22 in this example. The projecting portion 56 can move into an internal space 58 of the front end surface of the part 14 including the keyboard 12 such that a connector (not shown) provided in the projecting portion 56 is engaged with a connector (not shown) provided in the internal space 58. A mechanical connection means (protrusion) 32A is also provided so as to be engaged with an engaging hole 40A provided on the end surface of the projecting portion 56. In addition, a door 60 is disposed in the internal space 58 such that the door 60 is biased by a spring 62 so as to be normally closed, and is opened when the battery pack 22 is inserted into the internal space 58.
In this embodiment, the battery pack 22 (24) is constructed such that a lithium cell 64 is molded with and covered by, resin 66. The lithium cell 64 is connected to the terminals 38 x and 38 y of the connector 38. The battery pack 22 (24) may include a control circuit connected to the lithium cell 64.
The part 14 including the keyboard 12 includes a connector 30 and a mechanical connection means 32. The mechanical connection means 32 include a threaded hole to be engaged with a screw 40. The connector 30 includes terminals 30 x and 30 y which are biased outwardly by a spring 70. Thus, when the battery pack 22 is pressed toward the part 14 including the keyboard 12, the terminals 38 x and 38 y of the connector 38 come securely into contact with the terminals 30 x and 30 y of the connector 30. The terminals 30 x and 30 y of the connector 30 are connected to a control device 20X provided on the printed circuit board 20.
FIG. 16 is a view showing an electronic apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The electronic apparatus (information processing apparatus) 10 comprises a part 14 including a keyboard 12 and another part 18 including a display 16. The part 14 including the keyboard 12 includes a first attachment portion 26 and a second attachment portion 28 (see FIG. 2). A connector box 72 is attached to the front of the part 14 including the keyboard 12 at the first attachment portion 26, and a battery pack 24 is attached to the rear of the part 14 including the keyboard 12 at the second attachment portion 28. The connector box 72 includes a connector 38 to be fitted to a connector 30 of the first attachment portion 26, as well as a plurality of connectors 74 a, 74 b, 74 c and 74 d. In FIG. 16, a mouse 76 is attached to the connector 74 d. FIG. 17 is a view showing an electronic apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. The electronic apparatus (information processing apparatus) 10 comprises a part 14 including a keyboard 12 and another part 18 including a display 16. The part 14 including the keyboard 12 includes a first attachment unit 26 and a second attachment unit 28 (see FIG. 2). A battery pack 22 is attached to the front of the part 14 including the keyboard 12 at the first attachment portion 26, and a connector box 78 is attached to the rear of the part 14 including the keyboard 12 at the second attachment portion 28. The connector box 78 is similar to the connector box 72 of FIG. 16 with a mouse 80 being connected to a connector of the connector box 78.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERAL 10 . . . electronic apparatus
14 . . . part including keyboard
14E . . . end extension portion
18 . . . part including display
22 . . . battery pack
22 a . . . flat side
22 c . . . end surface
22 b . . . curved side
22 d . . . opening
24 . . . battery pack
24 a . . . flat side
24 b . . . curved side
24 c . . . end surface
26 . . . attachment portion
28 . . . attachment portion
30 . . . connector
30 x, 30 y . . . terminal
32 . . . mechanical connection means (threaded hole)
32A . . . mechanical connection means (protrusion)
32B . . . mechanical connection means (locking member)
32C . . . protrusion
32D . . . axis
32E . . . spring
34 . . . connector
36 . . . mechanical connection means (threaded hole)
36A . . . mechanical connection means (protrusion)
38 . . . connector
38 x, 38 y . . . terminal
40 . . . screw
40 a . . . stem
40 b . . . large diameter section
40 c . . . D-shaped section
40A . . . engagin hole
40B . . . recess
42 . . . connector
44 . . . screw
46 . . . operating wheel
46 a . . . D-shaped hole
46 b . . . dead-end cylinder
48 . . . spring
50 . . . lock
50A . . . lock
52 . . . engaging hole
54 . . . engaging hole
56 . . . projecting portion
58 . . . internal space
60 . . . door
62 . . . spring
64 . . . lithium cell
66 . . . resin
68 . . . lead
70 . . . spring
72 . . . connector box
74 a, 74 b, 74 c, 74 d . . . connector
76 . . . mouse
78 . . . connector box
80 . . . mouse
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