Patent ID: 6890008

Claim:
An interlocking device for an electronic apparatus having a case that includes a lower case portion and an upper case portion pivoted to and rotatable about the lower case portion about a first axis between opened and closed positions, said interlocking device comprising: a first interlocking member adapted to be mounted on a front end of the upper case portion, and having a bottom side formed with a notch; a second interlocking member adapted to be mounted pivotally on a front end of the lower case portion, and disposed rearwardly of said first interlocking member, said second interlocking member being rotatable about a second axis that is adapted to be parallel to the first axis, and being formed with a button that is operable to rotate said second interlocking member about said second axis from a first position, in which said button is received in said notch, and in which said first and second interlocking members engage each other, to a second position, in which said first and second interlocking members disengage from each other, and in which said button moves out of said notch, thereby permitting access into said notch; a biasing member for urging said second interlocking member to move to said first position; and a lock-mounting part adapted to be securely attached to the front end of the lower case portion, said first interlocking member including a mounting plate adapted to be attached securely to the front end of the upper case portion and having a bottom side formed with said notch, and a pair of tongues extending rearwardly and transversely from said mounting plate, and disposed adjacent to two opposite side of said notch, said second interlocking member including an elongated pivoting part that is pivoted to said lock-mounting part and that is formed with a pair of grooves at two opposite sides of said button, said grooves receiving and engaging respectively said tongues when said second interlocking member is positioned at said first position, wherein each of said tongues has a bottom face inclined upwardly and rearwardly from a bottom end of said mounting plate, said pivoting part being formed with a rear recess defined by a recess-defining wall that has a top edge, said lock-mounting part including a bracket adapted to be secured to the lower case portion and a z-shaped member projecting frontwardly from said bracket, each of said grooves being defined by a groove-defining wall that includes a base and upper and lower arms extending transversely and frontwardly from said base, said upper arm having an inclined top face extending downwardly and frontwardly from said base, each of said inclined bottom faces of said tongues of said first interlocking member pushing and sliding along said inclined top face of said upper arm of said U-shaped plate of said pivoting part of said second interlocking member during rotation of said upper case portion to said closed position so as to permit receiving of said tongues into said grooves.