Function expansion device and electronic device including the same

Abstract

A function expansion device and an electronic device including the same, the function expansion device including a box body, an expansion device and a handle, wherein the box body has a main slot and a side slot, the expansion device is accommodated in the main slot of the box body, the handle is slidably located in the side slot and can be pulled by gravity to slide relative to the box body along a sliding direction between a storage position and a withdrawal position, when the handle is in the storage position, a first protrusion length relative to the box body is smaller than a second protrusion length relative to the box body when the handle is in the withdrawal position, when the handle is in the withdrawal position, the handle abuts against the box body and the box body moves with the handle.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a function expansion device and an electronic device comprising the same, and more particularly to a function expansion device and an electronic device comprising a handle. [Background Technology]

[0002] With the continuous advancement of information technology, personal computers, industrial computers, military laptop computers, and other digital electronic products can be expanded through external expansion devices to enhance their performance. These expansion devices include optical disc drives, burners, hard drives, floppy drives, and rechargeable batteries. However, compared to personal computers, industrial computers and military laptop computers are used in more demanding environments and therefore have more stringent requirements, such as waterproofing, dustproofing, lightweighting, thinness, and ease of installation and removal of expansion devices.

[0003] Taking an SSD hard drive as an example, the expansion device mentioned above is currently secured within the computer case using numerous screws. However, if a user frequently installs and removes the SSD hard drive, for example, removing the SSD hard drive before leaving work and installing it again at work, the tedious process of removing and securing numerous screws undoubtedly causes significant inconvenience to the user. [Summary of the invention]

[0004] The present invention provides a function expansion device and an electronic device to improve the convenience of disassembly and assembly of the expansion device.

[0005] A functional expansion device disclosed in one embodiment of the present invention includes a box body, an expansion device, and a handle. The box body has a main slot and a side slot. The expansion device is accommodated in the main slot of the box body. The handle is slidably located in the side slot and can be pulled by gravity to slide relative to the box body along a sliding direction between a storage position and a withdrawal position. When the handle is in the storage position, a first protrusion length relative to the box body is smaller than a second protrusion length relative to the box body when the handle is in the withdrawal position. When the handle is in the withdrawal position, the handle abuts against the box body, causing the box body to move with the handle.

[0006] Another embodiment of the present invention discloses an electronic device comprising a main body, a function expansion device, and a cover. The main body has a receiving slot and a latching slot. The function expansion device is detachably received in the receiving slot and comprises a housing, an expansion device, and a handle. The housing has a main slot, a side slot, and an opening. The opening is connected to the side slot. The expansion device is received in the main slot of the housing. The handle is slidably positioned in the side slot and is pulled by gravity to slide relative to the housing along a sliding direction between a storage position and a withdrawal position. When the handle is in the storage position, a first protrusion length relative to the housing is smaller than a second protrusion length relative to the housing when the handle is in the withdrawal position. When the handle is in the withdrawal position, the handle abuts against the housing, causing the housing to move with the handle. The cover is movably disposed on the main body and has an open position and a closed position. When the cover is in the closed position, the cover engages with the latching slot of the main body, thereby covering the function expansion device. When the cover is located at the open position, the cover is separated from the locking slot of the main body so that the handle is exposed to the outside through the opening of the box body.

[0007] According to the electronic device and function expansion device disclosed in the above embodiments, because the handle is slidably located in the side groove and can be pulled by gravity to slide relative to the housing between the storage position and the withdrawal position, the handle can be moved from the storage position to the withdrawal position without being pulled, thereby driving the housing containing the expansion device. Therefore, the process of installing and disassembling the expansion device does not require the tedious process of removing and installing multiple screws, making the function expansion device meet the demand for convenient installation and disassembly of expansion devices.

[0008] Furthermore, since the handle can be moved from the storage position to the withdrawal position by gravity without the need for manual operation, the handle can significantly improve the convenience of installing and removing expansion devices, especially for electronic devices that have been made lighter and thinner.

[0009] Furthermore, since the cover covers the function expansion device when in the closed position, the cover prevents the handle from unexpectedly moving from the storage position to the extended position. Furthermore, the cover covering the function expansion device prevents foreign matter such as moisture or dust from entering the box through the opening of the box and affecting the operation of the function expansion device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged perspective view of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A partially enlarged view of an exploded view of the electronic device in FIG.

[0012] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A partially enlarged view of the cross-sectional schematic diagram of the electronic device in FIG.

[0013] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partially enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the electronic device shown along another cross-sectional view.

[0014] Figure 5 To present Figure 1 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of a simplified bottom view of the cover and bottom surface of the main body of the electronic device.

[0015] Figure 6 To present Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram of the electronic device with the cover in the open position.

[0016] Figure 7 To present Figure 1 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a function expansion device of an electronic device in which the handle is in the pulled-out position.

[0017] Figure 8 To present Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram of a function expansion device of an electronic device separated from a main body. [Specific implementation method]

[0018] The following detailed description of the features and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention is sufficient to enable anyone skilled in the art to understand the technical content of the embodiments of the present invention and implement them accordingly. Furthermore, based on the disclosure of this specification, the scope of the claims, and the accompanying drawings, anyone skilled in the art can readily understand the relevant objectives and advantages of the present invention. The following examples further illustrate the concepts of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way.

[0019] See also Figures 1 to 4 , Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 for Figure 1 A partially enlarged view of an exploded view of the electronic device in FIG. Figure 3 for Figure 1 A partially enlarged view of the cross-sectional schematic diagram of the electronic device in FIG. Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partially enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the electronic device shown along another cross-sectional view.

[0020] In this embodiment, the electronic device 10 includes a main body 100 , a main circuit board 150 , a function expansion device 200 , a buffer 250 , a smart card mounting assembly 260 , and a cover 300 .

[0021] In this embodiment, the main body 100 includes a housing 101 and a main body housing 102. The housing 101 has a top surface 103, a bottom surface 104, a side surface 105, and a slot 106. The side surface 105 connects the top surface 103 and the bottom surface 104, with the top surface 103 facing the bottom surface 104. The slot 106 is located on the bottom surface 104 and is spaced apart from the side surface 105.

[0022] The main housing 102 is protruded from the outer shell 101 . The main housing 102 and the bottom surface 104 of the outer shell 101 together form a receiving groove 107 .

[0023] The main circuit board 150 includes a board body 151 and two connectors 152. The two connectors 152 are disposed on the board body 151 and are located in the receiving grooves 107 of the main housing 102. The board body 151 is disposed on the housing 101.

[0024] In this embodiment, the function expansion device 200 can be detachably accommodated in the receiving slot 107 and includes a box body 201 , an expansion device 202 , a handle 203 , a transfer circuit board 204 and two connectors 205 .

[0025] In this embodiment, the housing 201 includes a base 206 and a boss 207. The base 206 includes an upper cover 2060 and a lower cover 2061. The upper cover 2060 is closer to the housing 101 than the lower cover 2061. The upper cover 2060 and the lower cover 2061 overlap to form a main groove 208, a side groove 209, and an opening 210. The main groove 208 and the side groove 209 are parallel and interconnected. The opening 210 is connected to the side groove 209. The boss 207 protrudes from the base 206 and is located in the side groove 209.

[0026] See also Figure 3 In this embodiment, the main body 102 has a first foolproof structure 500, and the housing 201 has a second foolproof structure 600. In this embodiment, the first foolproof structure 500 is, for example, a foolproof bump, and the second foolproof structure 600 is, for example, a foolproof groove. Specifically, the first foolproof structure 500 is stacked within the main body 102 and is a protruding structure with a guiding slope, while the second foolproof structure 600 is a groove structure formed by removing a portion of the housing 201 and has an inclined groove bottom surface. In this configuration, the second foolproof structure 600 must be at least partially located within the first foolproof structure 500 in order to place the housing 201 into the receiving groove 107 of the main body 102, thereby achieving the foolproof function. In other words, the first foolproof structure 500 matches the second foolproof structure 600, allowing the housing 201 to be accommodated in the receiving groove 107 of the main body 102.

[0027] However, the main housing 102 is not limited to having a first foolproof structure 500, and the housing 201 is not limited to having a second foolproof structure 600. In other embodiments, the main housing may not have the first foolproof structure, and the housing may not have the second foolproof structure.

[0028] See also Figure 2 The expansion device 202 is accommodated in the primary slot 208 and is, for example, a solid-state drive (SSD), but the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the expansion device may be another type of hard drive. In still other embodiments, the expansion device may be an optical disc drive, a burner, a floppy disk drive, or a rechargeable battery.

[0029] See also Figure 2 and Figure 4 The handle 203 has a sliding groove 211. A boss 207 is disposed in the sliding groove 211, allowing the handle 203 to slide within the side groove 209 and allowing the handle 203 to slide relative to the base 206 in a sliding direction F1 under the pull of gravity. Specifically, the gravity acting on the handle 206 is greater than the friction between the handle 206 and the boss 207, allowing the handle 203 to slide relative to the base 206 under the pull of gravity.

[0030] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the width W1 of the groove 211 of the handle 203 is, for example, greater than or equal to the radial diameter D of the boss 207, but this is not limiting. In other embodiments, as long as the handle can slide relative to the base under gravity through the cooperation of the groove and the boss, the width of the groove may be smaller than the radial diameter of the boss.

[0031] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to providing the sliding groove 211 on the handle 203 and disposing the protrusion 207 on the base 206 so that the handle 203 can be slidably positioned in the side groove 209. In other embodiments, a sliding groove can be provided in the base and a protrusion can be provided on the handle, or the handle can be slidably positioned in the side groove by any other suitable method.

[0032] The adapter circuit board 204 is housed in the side groove 209 of the case 201 and electrically connected to the expansion device 202. The adapter circuit board 204 is located on the side of the handle 203 away from the outer housing 101. In other words, the handle 203 is positioned within the existing space between the adapter circuit board 204 and the upper cover 2060. This effectively utilizes the side groove 209 formed by the upper and lower covers 2060, thereby contributing to a thinner and lighter electronic device 10.

[0033] However, the adapter circuit board 204 is not limited to being located on the side of the handle 203 away from the housing 101. In other embodiments, the adapter circuit board may also be located on the side of the handle close to the housing.

[0034] The connector 205 is disposed on and electrically connected to the adapter circuit board 204. The two connectors 205 of the function expansion device 200 are respectively plugged into the two connectors 152 of the main circuit board 150. Furthermore, a plugging direction F2 of the connector 205 is parallel to the sliding direction F1 of the handle 203. This facilitates the use of the handle 203 to assist in detaching the connector 205 from the connector 152 of the main circuit board 150. However, the plugging direction F2 of the connector 205 is not limited to being parallel to the sliding direction F1 of the handle 203. In other embodiments, the plugging direction of the connector of the function expansion device may not be parallel to the sliding direction of the handle.

[0035] In this embodiment, the buffer member 250 protrudes from the upper cover 2060. However, the function expansion device 200 is not limited to including the buffer member 250. In other embodiments, the function expansion device may not include the above-mentioned buffer member.

[0036] In this embodiment, the smart card mounting assembly 260 is disposed on the bottom surface 104 of the housing 101 and is used to accommodate a smart card (not shown). However, the electronic device 10 is not limited to including the smart card mounting assembly 260. In other embodiments, the electronic device may not include a smart card mounting assembly.

[0037] See also Figure 1 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 5 and Figure 6 . Figure 5 To present Figure 1 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of a simplified bottom view of the cover and bottom surface of the main body of the electronic device. Figure 6 To present Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram of the electronic device with the cover in the open position.

[0038] The cover 300 is movably disposed on the main body 100 and has a closed position (eg Figure 1 As shown) and an open position (as Figure 6). Specifically, in this embodiment, the cover 300 includes a fixed portion 301, a bent portion 302, an assembly portion 306, and a door portion 303. The fixed portion 301 is disposed on the main body 102 of the main body 100. In this embodiment, the bent portion 302 connects the fixed portion 301 and the assembly portion 306 and can be bent so that the assembly portion 306 can swing relative to the fixed portion 301 via the bent portion 302. The door portion 303 includes a main body 304 and a locking protrusion 305. The main body 304 is slidably disposed on the assembly portion 306. The locking protrusion 305 protrudes from the main body 304. Therefore, the main body 304 of the door portion 303 can swing relative to the fixed portion 301 along with the assembly portion 306 via the bent portion 302. In addition, the locking protrusion 305 can be detachably engaged with the locking slot 106 of the main body 100.

[0039] like Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, when the cover 300 is in the closed position, the latching protrusion 305 of the cover 300 engages with the latching slot 106 of the main body 100, so that the cover 300 covers the function expansion device 200. In this way, the cover 300 can prevent moisture and dust from entering the receiving slot 107 that accommodates the function expansion device 200, thereby meeting the waterproof and dustproof requirements of the electronic device 10.

[0040] In addition, if Figure 1 As shown, when the cover 300 is in the closed position, a sliding direction F3 of the main body 304 relative to the fixing portion 301 is parallel to a normal direction N of the bottom surface 104 of the housing 101, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the sliding direction of the main body relative to the fixing portion may not be parallel to the normal direction of the bottom surface. In addition, as Figure 4 As shown, when the cover 300 is in the closed position, the buffer member 250 is sandwiched between the box body 201 and the cover 300 to provide a buffering function.

[0041] Furthermore, if Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, when the cover 300 is in the closed position, the side surface 105 of the housing 101 surrounds the projection P of the cover 300 on the bottom surface 104 of the housing 101. In other words, the cover 300 is located within the side surface 105, but this is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the cover can also be located outside the side surface.

[0042] like Figure 6 As shown, when the cover 300 is located at the open position, the locking protrusion 305 of the cover 300 is disengaged from the locking slot 106 of the main body 100 so that the handle 203 is exposed to the outside through the opening 210 of the box body 201 .

[0043] In this embodiment, since the slot 106 is spaced apart from the side surface 105 by a distance, and when the cover 300 is in the closed position, the sliding direction F3 of the main body 304 is parallel to the normal direction N of the bottom surface 104 and the cover 300 is located within the side surface 105, when the cover 300 is in the closed position, the electronic device 10 will not be unexpectedly moved from the closed position to the open position regardless of the angle at which it is impacted.

[0044] See also Figure 2 、 4 、 Figure 7 and Figure 8 . Figure 7 To present Figure 1 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a function expansion device of an electronic device in which the handle is in the pulled-out position. Figure 8 To present Figure 1 The function expansion device of the electronic device is separated from the main body of the stereoscopic diagram. In this embodiment, the handle 203 has a storage position (such as Figure 4 As shown) and a withdrawn position (as Figure 7 shown).

[0045] like Figure 4 As shown, when the handle 203 is in the storage position, the connector 205 of the function expansion device 200 is plugged into the connector 152 of the main circuit board 150, and the handle 203 protrudes a first length L1 relative to the case 201. Furthermore, when the handle 203 is in the storage position and the cover 300 is in the closed position, the cover 300 prevents the handle 203 from being pulled out of the side slot 209 by gravity.

[0046] like Figure 7 As shown, when the cover body 300 moves to the open position, the handle 203 is pulled by gravity and moves along the sliding direction F1 from the storage position to the withdrawal position. That is to say, when the cover body 300 moves to the open position, the handle 203 can move from the storage position to the withdrawal position along the sliding direction F1 only by gravity without any pulling. When the handle 203 is in the withdrawal position, the handle 203 has a second protrusion length L2 relative to the box body 201. Moreover, the first protrusion length L1 is smaller than the second protrusion length L2. In addition, when the handle 203 is in the withdrawal position, the boss 207 of the box body 201 will abut against a wall 212 forming a slide groove 211 in the handle 203, causing the box body 201 to move with the handle 203. In addition, as Figure 7 As shown, when the handle 203 is moved to the withdrawn position only by gravity and has not been pulled, the connector 205 of the function expansion device 200 remains plugged into the connector 152 of the main circuit board 150 .

[0047] For thinner and lighter electronic devices, it's difficult for a user to reach into the receiving slot 107 to operate the handle 203. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the user doesn't need to manually operate the handle 203; instead, they simply point the opening 210 downward, allowing gravity to pull the handle 203 from the retracted position to the withdrawn position. Therefore, the handle 203 of this embodiment significantly improves the ease of installation and removal of the expansion device 20, particularly for thinner and lighter electronic devices.

[0048] like Figure 8 As shown, when the handle 203 is further pulled along a disassembly direction F4 parallel to the sliding direction F1, the handle 203 will drive the box body 201 to disengage from the accommodating groove 107 of the main box body 102 through the protrusion 207, so that the connector 205 of the function expansion device 200 is separated from the connector 152 of the main circuit board 150, thereby removing the function expansion device 200 from the main body 100.

[0049] According to the electronic device and function expansion device disclosed in the above embodiments, because the handle is slidably located in the side groove and can be pulled by gravity to slide relative to the housing between the storage position and the withdrawal position, the handle can be moved from the storage position to the withdrawal position without being pulled, thereby driving the housing containing the expansion device. Therefore, the process of installing and disassembling the expansion device does not require the tedious process of removing and installing multiple screws, making the function expansion device meet the demand for convenient installation and disassembly of expansion devices.

[0050] Furthermore, since the handle can be moved from the storage position to the withdrawal position by gravity without the need for manual operation, the handle can significantly improve the convenience of installing and removing expansion devices, especially for electronic devices that have been made lighter and thinner.

[0051] Furthermore, since the cover covers the function expansion device when in the closed position, the cover prevents the handle from unexpectedly moving from the storage position to the extended position. Furthermore, the cover covering the function expansion device prevents foreign matter such as moisture or dust from entering the box through the opening of the box and affecting the operation of the function expansion device.

[0052] Although the present invention is disclosed above with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, they are not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone skilled in the art may make slight changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of patent protection of the present invention shall be determined by the scope of the patent application attached to this specification.

Claims

1. A function expansion device, applied to a computer, characterized in that: Include: A box body having a main slot and a side slot; an expansion device accommodated in the main slot of the box body; and a handle slidably located in the side groove and capable of being pulled by gravity to slide relative to the box body along a sliding direction between a storage position and a withdrawal position; a first protrusion length of the handle relative to the box body when in the storage position is smaller than a second protrusion length of the handle relative to the box body when in the withdrawal position; and when the handle is in the withdrawal position, the handle abuts against the box body, causing the box body to move with the handle; wherein the main groove and the side groove are arranged side by side, and the arrangement direction of the main groove and the side groove is perpendicular to the sliding direction of the handle; An adapter circuit board is accommodated in the side groove of the box body and electrically connected to the expansion device, and the adapter circuit board is located on the side of the handle away from the shell of the main body; the arrangement direction of the expansion device and the handle is different from the arrangement direction of the handle and the adapter circuit board.

2. The function expansion device according to claim 1, wherein: The box body includes a base and a boss. The base surrounds the main groove and the side groove. The boss protrudes from the base and is located in the side groove. The handle has a sliding groove. The boss is arranged in the sliding groove so that the handle can be slidably located in the side groove. When the handle is in the pulled-out position, the boss abuts against a wall of the handle forming the sliding groove, allowing the box body to move with the handle.

3. The function expansion device according to claim 2, wherein: A width of the sliding groove of the handle is greater than or equal to a radial diameter of the protruding column.

4. The function expansion device according to claim 1, wherein: The device further comprises a connector which is arranged and electrically connected to the transfer circuit board, and a plugging direction of the connector is parallel to the sliding direction of the handle.

5. An electronic device, which is a computer, characterized in that: Include: A main body having a receiving slot and a card slot; A function expansion device, detachably accommodated in the accommodating slot, comprising: A box body having a main groove, a side groove and an opening, wherein the opening is connected to the side groove; an expansion device, accommodated in the main slot of the box body; and a handle slidably located in the side groove and capable of being pulled by gravity to slide relative to the box body along a sliding direction between a storage position and a withdrawal position, wherein a first protrusion length of the handle relative to the box body when in the storage position is smaller than a second protrusion length of the handle relative to the box body when in the withdrawal position, and when the handle is in the withdrawal position, the handle abuts against the box body, causing the box body to move with the handle; as well as a cover movably disposed on the main body and having an open position and a closed position; when the cover is in the closed position, the cover engages with the slot of the main body to cover the function expansion device; when the cover is in the open position, the cover disengages from the slot of the main body to expose the handle through the opening of the box body; wherein the main slot and the side slot are arranged side by side, and the arrangement direction of the main slot and the side slot is perpendicular to the sliding direction of the handle; An adapter circuit board is accommodated in the side groove of the box body and electrically connected to the expansion device, and the adapter circuit board is located on the side of the handle away from the shell of the main body; the arrangement direction of the expansion device and the handle is different from the arrangement direction of the handle and the adapter circuit board.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein: The main body also has a top surface, a bottom surface and a side surface, the side surface connects the top surface and the bottom surface and the top surface is opposite to the bottom surface, the accommodating groove is located on the bottom surface of the main body, the card slot is located on the bottom surface and is spaced a distance from the side surface, and when the cover is in the closed position, the side surface surrounds the projection of the cover on the bottom surface.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein: The cover body includes a fixing portion and a door cover portion, the door cover portion includes a main body and a card protrusion, the card protrusion protrudes from the main body, the fixing portion is set on the main body, the main body is slidably set on the fixing portion, the card protrusion can be detachably engaged with the card slot of the main body, and when the cover body is in the closed position, a sliding direction of the main body relative to the fixing portion is parallel to a normal direction of the bottom surface.

8. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein: The main body has a first fool-proof structure, and the box body also has a second fool-proof structure. The first fool-proof structure matches the second fool-proof structure so that the box body is accommodated in the accommodating groove of the main body.

9. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein: The function expansion device further includes a connector, which is arranged and electrically connected to the adapter circuit board, and a plugging direction of the connector is parallel to the sliding direction of the handle.

10. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein: The invention also comprises a buffer component which protrudes from the box body and is sandwiched between the box body and the cover body when the cover body is located at the closed position.

11. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein: The box body includes a base and a boss. The base surrounds the main groove and the side groove. The boss protrudes from the base and is located in the side groove. The handle has a sliding groove. The boss is arranged in the sliding groove so that the handle can be slidably located in the side groove. When the handle is in the pulled-out position, the boss abuts against a wall of the handle forming the sliding groove, allowing the box body to move with the handle.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein: A width of the sliding groove of the handle is greater than or equal to a radial diameter of the protruding column.

13. The electronic device according to any one of claims 5 to 12, wherein: The main body includes a shell and a main body box body. The main body box body is protruded from the shell. The accommodating groove is located on the main body box body and the card slot is located on the shell.

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