Support structure and electronic equipment

Abstract

To enable stable operation of electronic devices. [Solution] The support structure 200 supports the housing 1 of the electronic device (calculator 100) and includes a support member 21 that can change between an upright position with respect to the bottom surface and a non-upright position with respect to the bottom surface, an elastic member 23 provided on the support member 21 that extends in the width direction of the housing 1, and a pair of foot members 24 provided on both ends of the bottom surface of the housing 1 in the width direction, wherein the elastic member 23 faces the mounting surface A on which the housing 1 is placed in the non-upright position. The device comprises a first opposing surface 23A and a second opposing surface 23B that faces the mounting surface A in an upright position. In a non-upright position, the first opposing surface 23A has a convex curved shape facing the mounting surface A and makes contact with the mounting surface A at three points: the first opposing surface 23A and a pair of leg members 24. In an upright position, the second opposing surface 23B has a convex curved shape facing the mounting surface A and makes contact with the mounting surface A at three points: the second opposing surface 23B and a pair of leg members 24.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a support structure and an electronic device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in order to ensure visibility of a display unit, an operation unit, etc. disposed on the front, a desktop electronic device provided with a stand on the back is known (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the conventional invention, there are problems such as rattling occurring when operating the electronic device due to wear of the foot member disposed on the back of the electronic device, warping of the housing of the electronic device, etc.

[0005] An object of the present invention is made in view of the above circumstances, and to provide a support structure and an electronic device that can stably operate the electronic device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, the support structure according to the present invention is a support structure for supporting the housing of an electronic device having an operating surface and a bottom surface located opposite the operating surface, comprising: a support member that can change between an upright position with respect to the bottom surface and a non-upright position with respect to the bottom surface; an elastic member provided on the support member extending in the width direction of the housing; and a pair of foot members provided on both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction, wherein the elastic member comprises a first opposing surface facing the mounting surface on which the housing is placed in the non-upright position, and a second opposing surface facing the aforementioned mounting surface in the upright position, wherein in the non-upright position, the first opposing surface has a shape that is convexly curved toward the aforementioned mounting surface and makes contact with the aforementioned mounting surface at three points with the first opposing surface and the pair of foot members, and in the upright position, the second opposing surface has a shape that is convexly curved toward the aforementioned mounting surface and makes contact with the aforementioned mounting surface at three points with the second opposing surface and the pair of foot members. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, electronic devices can be operated stably. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a plan view showing the front of a calculator, an example of an electronic device. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the back of a calculator, an example of an electronic device. [Figure 3] This is a plan view showing the side of the calculator when the support member is in a non-upright position. [Figure 4] This is a plan view showing the side of the calculator when the support member is in an upright position. [Figure 5] This is an image of the top surface of a calculator when the support member is not in an upright position. [Figure 6] This is a plan view showing the top surface of the calculator when the support member is in a non-upright position. [Figure 7] This is a plan view showing the top surface of the calculator when the support member is in an upright position. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the electronic device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As one embodiment of the electronic device to which the present invention is applied, a calculator will be used as an example. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the calculator 100 is formed in the shape of a long rectangular plate. In the following description, the front, back, left, right, up, and down directions refer to the orientations shown in each figure. That is, the front-to-back direction (thickness direction) of the calculator 100, the left-to-right direction refers to the width direction of the calculator 100, and the up-to-down direction refers to the longitudinal direction of the calculator 100.

[0010] The calculator 100 comprises a first case member 10 that covers the front surface of the calculator 100, which is the front side of the calculator 100, and a second case member 20 that covers the rear surface of the calculator 100. The first case member 10 and the second case member 20 engage in the front-to-back direction to form the housing 1 of the calculator 100. In the housing 1, the front surface is the operating surface, and the rear surface is the bottom surface located opposite the operating surface.

[0011] The first case component 10 houses an operation unit 2 and a display unit 3. The operation unit 2 is a group of keys for receiving input operations from the user for mathematical formula components such as numbers and calculation symbols, and for receiving instructions for various processes. The display unit 3 is located above the vertical center of the calculator 100. The display unit 3 includes, for example, a liquid crystal display and displays various data such as characters, codes, and symbols in response to user operations received by the operation unit 2.

[0012] A solar cell 4 is positioned on the upper side of the casing 1. This improves the design of the calculator 100 compared to when the solar cell is located on the front of the casing 1. It also allows for a larger area for the operation panel 2 and display panel 3 compared to when the solar cell is located on the front of the casing 1. The solar cell 4 generates electricity by receiving light, and the power generated by the solar cell 4 is stored in a secondary battery (not shown).

[0013] The second case member 20 is equipped with a support member 21 on the back of the housing 1. The support member 21 is positioned above the vertical center of the calculator 100. The support member 21 can rotate around a rotation axis (not shown) positioned along the left-right direction of the calculator 100, allowing it to be changed between the upright position shown in Figures 4 and 7 and the non-upright position shown in Figures 3 and 6. In the upright position, the support member 21 stands upright relative to the back of the housing 1 and supports the back of the housing 1 so that the back of the housing 1 forms a predetermined angle with respect to the mounting surface A on which the calculator 100 is placed. In the non-upright position, the support member 21 is tilted relative to the back of the housing 1 and is stored in a storage section 22 provided in the second case member 20.

[0014] An elastic member 23, made of rubber or the like, is positioned along the lower end of the support member 21 in its non-upright position, extending across its entire length in the left-right direction. When the support member 21 is in its non-upright position, the elastic member 23 has a first opposing surface 23A that protrudes from the back of the housing 1 and faces the mounting surface A, as shown in Figure 3. When the support member 21 is in its upright position, the elastic member 23 has a second opposing surface 23B that faces the mounting surface A, as shown in Figure 4.

[0015] As shown in Figure 5, the first opposing surface 23A has a shape that curves convexly in the left-right direction opposite to the mounting surface A, for example, it has an arc shape that curves convexly in the left-right direction opposite to the mounting surface A. Note that Figure 5 is an illustrative diagram drawn with exaggerated dimensions for the purpose of making it easier to understand the curved shape of the first opposing surface 23A, and is not necessarily drawn according to the actual dimensions. The second opposing surface 23B also has a shape that curves convexly in the left-right direction opposite to the mounting surface A, similar to the first opposing surface 23A, for example, it has an arc shape that curves convexly in the left-right direction opposite to the mounting surface A.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 6, the arcuate vertex B1 of the first facing surface 23A is located at the center in the left - right direction of the elastic member 23. When the support member 21 is in the non - upright posture, the distance r1 in the front - rear direction between the vertex B1 and the right - hand end 23a of the elastic member 23 is, for example, 0.1 mm, and the distance r1 in the front - rear direction between the vertex B1 and the left - hand end 23b of the elastic member 23 is, for example, 0.1 mm. The first facing surface 23A contacts the placement surface A at any location within a predetermined range including the vertex B1 when the support member 21 is in the non - upright posture.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 7, the arcuate vertex B2 of the second facing surface 23B is located at the center in the left - right direction of the elastic member 23. When the support member 21 is in the upright posture, the distance r2 in the front - rear direction between the vertex B2 and the right - hand end 23a of the elastic member 23 is, for example, 0.1 mm, and the distance r2 in the front - rear direction between the vertex B2 and the left - hand end 23b of the elastic member 23 is, for example, 0.1 mm. The second facing surface 23B contacts the placement surface A at any location within a predetermined range including the vertex B2 when the support member 21 is in the upright posture.

[0018] Also, the right - hand end 23a and the left - hand end 23b have chamfered corners facing the placement surface A in both cases where the support member 21 is in the upright posture and the non - upright posture.

[0019] Further, the second case member 20 includes a pair of foot members 24 at the lower - side left - and right both ends on the back surface (bottom surface) of the housing 1. The foot members 24 are preferably formed of rubber, but may be formed of other members. The pair of foot members 24 contact the placement surface A in both cases where the support member 21 is in the upright posture and the non - upright posture, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

[0020] The support member 21, the elastic member 23, and the pair of foot members 24 constitute a support structure 200 for supporting the housing 1 of the calculator 100.

[0021] As described above, when the support member 21 is in a non-upright position, the support structure 200 makes contact with the mounting surface A at three points: the pair of leg members 24 and any point within a predetermined range including the vertex B1 of the first opposing surface 23A. In other words, when the support member 21 is in a non-upright position, the pair of leg members 24 and any point within a predetermined range including the vertex B1 of the first opposing surface 23A support the housing 1 of the calculator 100. Furthermore, when the support member 21 is in an upright position, the support structure 200 makes contact with the mounting surface A at three points: the pair of leg members 24 and any point within a predetermined range including the vertex B2 of the second opposing surface 23B. In other words, when the support member 21 is in an upright position, the pair of leg members 24 and any point within a predetermined range including the vertex B2 of the second opposing surface 23B support the housing 1 of the calculator 100. Furthermore, even if the height of one of the pair of leg members 24 changes and the housing 1 tilts in the left-right direction, the support structure 200 has a shape in which the first opposing surface 23A and the second opposing surface 23B are curved convexly in the left-right direction opposite to the mounting surface A. As a result, the contact points in a predetermined range of the first opposing surface 23A or a predetermined range of the second opposing surface 23B change in accordance with the tilt of the housing 1, maintaining three-point contact with the mounting surface A. By using such a support structure 200, for example, four-point support is provided with legs near the four corners of the housing, and similarly, if the height of one of the legs changes, only one point will be lifted, rattling when operating the calculator 100 can be suppressed. In this case, the predetermined range can be any range between the pair of leg members 24 in the left-right direction. Furthermore, rattling can be similarly suppressed by changing the contact points within a predetermined range of the first opposing surface 23A or the second opposing surface 23B depending on the tilt caused by operating the calculator 100 (for example, when operating the keys on the left and right ends of the operation unit 2) or the condition of the mounting surface, such as when the mounting surface is not horizontal.

[0022] As described above, the support structure 200 of this embodiment is a support structure for supporting the housing 1 of an electronic device (calculator 100) having an operating surface and a bottom surface located opposite the operating surface, and comprises a support member 21 that can change between an upright position in which it is standing upright relative to the bottom surface of the housing 1 and a non-upright position in which it is tilted relative to the bottom surface of the housing 1, an elastic member 23 provided on the support member 21 that extends in the width direction of the housing 1, and a pair of foot members 24 provided on both ends in the width direction of the bottom surface of the housing 1, wherein the elastic member 23 is in the non-upright position The support member 21 comprises a first opposing surface 23A that faces the mounting surface A on which the housing 1 is placed when in an upright position, and a second opposing surface 23B that faces the mounting surface A when in an upright position. In the non-upright position, the first opposing surface 23A has a convex curved shape facing the mounting surface A, and makes contact with the mounting surface A at three points: the first opposing surface 23A and a pair of leg members 24. In the upright position, the second opposing surface 23B has a convex curved shape facing the mounting surface A, and makes contact with the mounting surface A at three points: the second opposing surface 23B and a pair of leg members 24. Therefore, whether the support member 21 is in an upright or non-upright position, the calculator 100 makes contact with the mounting surface A at three points, thus suppressing rattling when operating the calculator 100. Furthermore, whether the support member 21 is in an upright or upright position, the calculator 100 makes contact with the mounting surface A by the elastic member 23, thus preventing it from sliding on the mounting surface A. This allows for stable operation of the electronic device (calculator 100). In addition, since the support member 21 makes contact with the mounting surface A by a common elastic member 23 whether it is in an upright or upright position, it is possible to reduce costs compared to providing separate elastic members on the calculator 100 for the upright and upright positions of the support member 21.

[0023] Furthermore, in the support structure 200 of this embodiment, the support member 21 is rotatably provided on the bottom surface of the housing 1 and is housed on the bottom surface in the non-upright position. The first opposing surface 23A protrudes from the bottom surface in the non-upright position. Therefore, when using the calculator 100 with the support member 21 in the non-upright position, the support member 21 does not get in the way.

[0024] Furthermore, the calculator 100 of this embodiment is equipped with a support structure 200. Therefore, the calculator 100 can be operated without wobbling.

[0025] Although the present invention has been described in detail based on embodiments above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified without departing from its essence. For example, in the above embodiments, a calculator was given as an example of an electronic device to which the present invention is applied, but the electronic device is not limited to a calculator. The electronic device may be, for example, a keyboard, a numeric keypad, a handheld terminal, an electronic dictionary, a notebook PC (personal computer), etc.

[0026] Furthermore, it goes without saying that the detailed configuration of each component of the calculator 100 in the above embodiment can be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0027] 100 Calculator (electronic device), 200 Support structure, 1 Housing, 21 Support member, 23 Elastic member, 23A First opposing surface, 23B Second opposing surface, 24 Foot member, A Mounting surface

Claims

1. A support structure for supporting the housing of an electronic device having an operating surface and a bottom surface located opposite the operating surface, A support member that can change between an upright position with respect to the base surface and a non-upright position with respect to the base surface, An elastic member extending in the width direction of the housing is provided in the support member, A pair of foot members provided on both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction, Equipped with, The elastic member comprises a first opposing surface that faces the mounting surface on which the housing is placed in the non-upright position, and a second opposing surface that faces the aforementioned mounting surface in the upright position. In the non-standing position, the first opposing surface has a convex curved shape opposite to the aforementioned resting surface, and the first opposing surface and the pair of foot members make contact with the aforementioned resting surface at three points. In the aforementioned upright position, the second opposing surface has a convex curved shape opposite to the aforementioned support surface, and the support structure makes contact with the aforementioned support surface at three points: the second opposing surface and the pair of foot members.

2. The support member is rotatably provided on the bottom surface and is housed on the bottom surface in the non-upright position. The support structure according to claim 1, wherein the first opposing surface protrudes from the bottom surface in the non-upright position.

3. An electronic device comprising the support structure described in claim 1 or 2.

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