Abstract:
A keyboard engaging apparatus for a notebook PC includes a portable computer main body, a keyboard having one end engaged with the main body, a moveable latch in the main body to retain an opposite end of the keyboard, a slidable switch extending through a surface of the main body with which a user may retract the moveable latch, and a connecting assembly connected to the slidable switch and the moveable latch to transfer movement therebetween.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a keyboard engaging structure for a portable computer, and in particular to a keyboard engaging structure capable of hiding a keyboard fixing unit, which fixes a keyboard to a main body, and facilitating the upgrading of a certain unit such as a module, etc. 
     2. Description of the Background Art 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional notebook PC (Personal Computer), and FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a part of a conventional notebook PC. 
     As shown therein, the conventional notebook PC includes a main body  10 , and a cover  20  tiltably engaged to a portion of the main body  10  for covering the upper portion of the main body  10 . 
     A keyboard  30  is installed on the upper portion of the main body  10 , and a display unit  21  is installed at an inner side of the cover  20 . 
     A module type modem card  40 , a memory  50  and a CPU  60  are installed inside the main body  10  below the keyboard  30  for performing various functions. These parts may be upgraded or changed. 
     In the conventional notebook PC, a part exchange portion (not shown) (e.g., a removable piece) is formed on a bottom portion or a lateral surface of the notebook PC, so that a certain part is installed via the part exchanging portion (not shown). 
     However, in the conventional notebook PC, parts are not easily exchanged or upgraded via the part exchanging portion (not shown). The strength and design of the notebook PC may be affected by the part exchanging portion (not shown). 
     Therefore, recently, as shown in FIG. 2, the keyboard  30  is detachable from the keyboard  30  so that it is possible to easily install or exchange a certain part after removing the keyboard  30 . 
     In other words, the modem card  40 , the memory  50  and the CPU  60  are installed below the keyboard  30 , so that it is possible to upgrade a certain part by removing the keyboard  30 . 
     Conventionally, a certain knob (not shown) or latch (not shown) is installed at the main body  10  for thereby fixing the keyboard  30 , so that the keyboard  30  is not disengaged from the main body  10  after the above-described parts are installed. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional keyboard engaging structure for a notebook PC. As shown therein, a protrusion  31  is formed at one side of the keyboard  30 , and a groove  11  for receiving the protrusion  31  therein is formed at the main body  10 . A latch  12 , which is movable along the groove  11 , is formed to prevent the protrusion  31  from escaping from the groove  11  by supporting the protrusion  31 . 
     In the above-described conventional keyboard engaging structure for a notebook PC, the keyboard  30  is fixed to the main body  10  using the latch  12 . 
     The above-described construction will be explained in detail. The modem card  40 , the memory  50  and the CPU  60  are installed in the interior of the main body  10 , and then the keyboard  30  is installed at the main body  10 . 
     At this time, the protrusion  31  of the keyboard  30  is placed into the groove of the main body  10 , and then the latch  12  is moved to contain the upper portion of the protrusion  31  of the keyboard  30 . In this manner, the engaging operation of the keyboard  30  is completed. 
     When disengaging the keyboard  30  from the main body  10 , the above-described operation is performed in the reverse sequence. 
     However, in the conventional keyboard engaging structure for a notebook PC, it is difficult to install a keyboard at the main board. In addition, since an engaging structure is formed on the upper portion of the keyboard deck, a good design of the notebook PC cannot be obtained. 
     In addition, when disengaging the keyboard from the main body, the locked state is unlocked by moving the small latch, and the keyboard is typically removed using an additional special tool. When re-engaging the keyboard, it is difficult to locate a small size latch. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a keyboard engaging structure for a notebook PC which is capable of facilitating upgrading a module installed in the interior of the notebook PC. 
     To achieve the above objects, there is provided a keyboard engaging structure for a notebook PC which includes a portable computer main body, a keyboard having one end engaged with the main body, a moveable latch in the main body to retain an opposite end of the keyboard, a slidable switch extending through a surface of the main body with which a user may retract the moveable latch, and a connecting assembly connected to the slidable switch and the moveable latch to transfer movement therebetween. 
     Additional advantages, objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the description which follows. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional notebook PC; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a part of a conventional notebook PC; 
     FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a conventional keyboard engaging structure for a notebook PC; 
     FIG. 4 is a lateral cross-sectional view illustrating a latch and lever plate structure for a keyboard engaging structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a front cross-sectional view illustrating an unlocking switch and lever plate for a keyboard engaging structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a plan cross-sectional view illustrating a latch and lever plate for a keyboard engaging structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is an expanded view of the portion A of FIG. 6 and a plan cross-sectional view illustrating a latch structure when a keyboard is disengaged; 
     FIG. 8 is an expanded view of the portion A of FIG. 6 and a plan cross-sectional view illustrating a latch structure when a keyboard is engaged; 
     FIG. 9 is a lateral cross-sectional view illustrating a part of a keyboard engaging unit for a keyboard engaging apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a lower surface of a main body of a keyboard engaging apparatus of a notebook PC according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The keyboard engaging structure for a notebook PC according to the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a latch and lever plate structure for a keyboard engaging structure for a notebook PC according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown therein, the keyboard engaging structure for a notebook PC according to the present invention includes a keyboard  110  having a certain portion tiltably engaged to one side of the keyboard deck  120  of the main body  100  and installed detachably from the main body  100 . The structure also includes a latch  130  installed in the interior of the other side of the keyboard deck  120  for latching or unlatching the other end of the keyboard  110 , and a lever plate  140  passed through the interior of the latch  130  for forwardly and backwardly moving the latch  130 . The structure also includes a latch spring  150  having its one end fixed to the keyboard deck  120  for elastically supporting the latch  130 . As shown in FIG. 5, an unlocking switch  160  has its one end engaged with the protrusion  141  of the lever plate  140 . The other end of the unlocking switch  160  protrudes at an elongated hole  101  on the lower surface of the main body  100  for moving the lever plate  140  in the left and right directions, so that the keyboard  110  is locked or unlocked by resulting movement of the latch  130 . The structure also includes a lever spring  142  for elastically supporting the lever plate  140 , and a pop-up plate  180  (see FIG. 4) disposed on the upper surface of the keyboard deck  120  for elastically supporting the keyboard  110  when the keyboard  110  is locked by the latch  130 . 
     In detail, as shown in FIG. 4, in the keyboard  110 , a plurality of keyboard character sets  110   b  are installed on the plate  110   a,  and one end of the plate  110   a  is rotatably engaged with the keyboard deck  120 . An upwardly bent locking contact portion  110   c  is formed at the other end of the plate  110   a.    
     As shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, the latch  130  has a slanted upper end  130   a  which becomes a locking portion  130   b  contacting with the locking contact portion  110   c.  The locking portion  130   b  is formed at the lower portion of the latch  130 . A slanted driving portion  130   e  is formed at the other end of the latch  130 . 
     The latch  130  is installed at the engaging portion  120   b  protruding from the keyboard deck  120  and is movable in forward and backward directions. The slanted portion  130   a  and the locking portion  130   b  protrude from the groove  120   c  formed at the keyboard  120 . 
     A guide portion  130   d  at which a latch spring  150  is installed is formed at an intermediate portion of the latch  130 . A protrusion  130   c  extends from a center inner portion of the guide portion  130   d  for fixing an assembled position of the latch spring  150 . The latch spring  150  is installed at the guide portion  130   d  and the guide portion  120   a  of the keyboard deck  120 . 
     As shown in FIG. 6, the lever plate  140  is formed in a bar shape. A protrusion  140   a  is where the latch  130  is installed. 
     The protrusion  140   a  of the lever plate  140  is positioned to pass between the guide portion  120   a  of the keyboard deck  120  and the slanted driving portion  130   e  of the latch  130 . An end portion  140   b  (see FIG. 8) of the protrusion  140   a  contacts the slanted driving portion  130   e  of the latch  130  when the lever plate  140  is moved in the left and right directions. 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the lever spring  142  is installed at an intermediate portion of the lever plate  140 . One end of the lever spring  142  is connected to the lever plate  140 , and the other end of the lever spring  142  is fixed to the keyboard deck  120 , so that the lever plate  140  is positioned at a left position by an elastic force of the lever spring  142 . The end portion  140   b  of the protrusion  140   a  of the lever plate  140  does not contact the slanted driving portion  130   e  of the latch  130  in the left position. 
     The pop-up plate  180  may be installed on the lower surface of the keyboard plate  110   a  as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     The operation for engaging the keyboard to the main body and disengaging the same from the main body will be explained in the above-described keyboard engaging apparatus of a notebook PC. 
     When engaging the keyboard  110  to the main body  100 , a module (not shown) is installed in the interior of the keyboard deck  120  of the main body  100  for performing various functions. 
     One end of the keyboard plate  110   a  is then inserted into the keyboard deck  120  and is rotated in the downward direction. The locking contact portion  110   c  of the keyboard  110  contacts the slanted portion  130   a  of the latch  130 . As the keyboard  110  is continuously rotated downward, the latch  130  compresses the latch spring  150  and is moved in the backward direction. 
     When the rotation of the keyboard  110  is completed, the latch spring  150  recovers and pushes the latch  130 . The latch  130  is thus moved in the forward direction, and the locking portion  130   b  of the latch  130  locks the upper surface of the locking contact portion  110   c  of the keyboard  110 , so that the keyboard  110  is fixed. 
     When disengaging the keyboard  110  from the main body  100  in order to upgrade a certain module (not shown) installed in the interior of the main body  100 , the unlocking switch  160  protruding on the lower surface of the main body  100  is moved in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 5, so that the lever plate  140  connected to the unlocking switch  160  is moved in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG.  6 . 
     When the lever plate  140  is moved, the end portion  140   b  of the protrusion  140   c  of the lever plate  140  which passes through the interior of the latch  130  contacts with the slanted driving portion  130   e  and pushes the slanted driving portion  130   e.  The latch  130  is backwardly moves in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 7, whereby the end of the keyboard  110  latched by the latch  130  is unlocked. The keyboard  110  is then rotated about a certain axis by an elastic force of the pop-up plate  180  for thereby disengaging the keyboard  110 . 
     After the keyboard  110  is disengaged, the lever plate  140  and the unlocking switch  160  are moved to the original positions by the recovering force of the lever spring  142 , and the latch  130  is moved to the original position by the latch spring  150 , so that the keyboard  110  is separated from the main body  100 . 
     The keyboard engaging structure for a notebook PC according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. 
     FIG. 9 is a lateral cross-sectional view illustrating a part of a keyboard engaging unit for a keyboard engaging structure for a notebook PC according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a lower surface of a main body of a keyboard engaging apparatus of a notebook PC according to the present invention. 
     In the keyboard engaging structure for a notebook PC according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the unlocking switch is installed on a lower surface of the main body, and an operation unit is provided. 
     In detail, the keyboard engaging structure for a notebook PC includes a keyboard deck  210  for receiving a keyboard  200  thereon, and a pair of latches  220  for latching one end of the keyboard  200 . The structure also includes a pair of unlocking switches  230  installed on a lower surface of the main body  300  for moving the latch  220  in the forward and backward directions and unlocking the keyboard  200 . An operation unit  240  is connected with the unlocking switch  230  for operating the latch  220  based on the movement of the unlocking switch  230 . A latch spring  250  has one end fixed to the keyboard deck  210  and the other end elastically supports the latch  220  for recovering the latch  220 . A pop-up spring  270  is installed at the keyboard deck  210  below the keyboard  200  for rotating the keyboard  200  using an elastic force. 
     A slanted upper end of the latch  220  contacting with the keyboard  200  defines a slanted portion  220   a  contacting one end of the keyboard  200 . A locking portion  220   b  is formed at a lower portion of the latch  220 , and a protrusion  221  is formed at a center lower surface of the latch  220 . 
     An engaging path, along which the operation unit  240  is movable, is defined by the protrusion  221  in FIG. 9. A slanted driving portion of the protrusion  221  increases in effective width in the direction that the operation unit  240  is moved. The operation unit  240  is slidably moved along the slanted driving portion of the protrusion  221 , and thus the latch  220  is moved in the backward direction for unlocking the keyboard  200 . The latch  220  is then recovered by the recovering force of the latch spring  250 . 
     In the keyboard engaging structure for a notebook PC according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the operation for engaging and disengaging the keyboard will be explained. 
     First, since the operation for engaging the keyboard  200  is the same as the first embodiment of the present invention, its description will be omitted. The operation causing the keyboard  200  to be disengaged from the main body  300  will be explained. 
     When disengaging the keyboard  100  from the main body  300 , the unlocking switches  230  are moved to both outer sides of the main body  300 . Therefore, the operation unit  240  connected with each unlocking switch  230  is moved. The operation unit  240  is slidably moved along the slanted driving portion (not shown) of the protrusion  221  of the latch  220 , and each latch  220  is moved in the backward direction. 
     When the latch  220  is moved in the backward direction, the keyboard  200  constrained by the latch  220  is unlatched, and the keyboard  200  is rotated and disengaged by the elastic force of the pop-up spring  270 . 
     After the keyboard  200  is disengaged, the latch  220  is moved to the original position by the latch spring  250 . Therefore, the operation unit  240  and the unlocking switch  230  are moved to the original position, so that the keyboard  200  is separated. 
     As described above, in the keyboard engaging structure for a notebook PC according to the present invention, the fixing unit for fixing the keyboard to the main body is hidden, so that a good design of the notebook PC is obtained. 
     In addition, when upgrading or changing the module installed in the interior of the main body, the keyboard is easily disengaged from the main body without using a certain tool, so that it is possible to implement an effective maintenance of the notebook PC. 
     Though the above invention has been described with reference to a notebook PC, it is intended to be applicable to providing access to the interior of portable computers, handheld computers, and portable digital assistants (PDA), generally. Similarly, though the unlocking switches have been shown extending through a bottom of the notebook PC enclosure, it is envisioned that such unlocking switches may extend through another surface of the portable computer. While the present invention discloses slanted members for transferring unlocking switch movement to a different direction to retract the latch, it is also envisioned that the unlocking switch and latch could be directly connected, in which case the directions of switch movement and latch movement would be the same. 
     Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as recited in the accompanying claims.