Drainage structure
Patent Information
- Application Number
- TW114105185
- Authority / Receiving Office
- TW · TW
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-02-12
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-16
- Estimated Expiration
- 2045-02-11
AI Technical Summary
Current electronic devices, such as laptops, face issues with incomplete drainage of liquid from retention tanks, leading to device malfunctions due to residual liquid.
A drainage structure comprising a movable member, an elastic member, and a trigger member is implemented, allowing liquid to be pushed out through a through-hole by actuating the trigger and then pulled back to the initial position by the elastic member.
Effectively drains liquid from the electronic device casing, ensuring complete removal and preventing device malfunctions.
Smart Images
Figure TWG2TA001072249_001 
Figure TWG2TA001072249_002 
Figure TWG2TA001072249_003
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] This disclosure relates to a drain structure, and in particular to a drain structure used in the casing of a notebook computer. [Previous Technology]
[0002] Current electronic devices (such as laptops) may have liquid collection / retention tanks to prevent liquid leakage. These tanks typically have a sloping bottom to guide the liquid out. However, testing by industry professionals has revealed that some liquid remains in the collection / retention tank, causing device malfunctions. Therefore, completely draining liquid that has seeped into electronic devices without leaving residue is a key area of development for those in the field. [Summary of the Invention]
[0003] This disclosure aims to provide a novel drainage structure to provide drainage function for the bottom shell of a notebook computer (commonly known as the D-piece in the field of notebook computer technology), thereby draining liquid that has seeped into the electronic device.
[0004] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a draining structure suitable for a housing is provided. The draining structure includes a movable member, an elastic member, and a trigger member. The movable member is disposed on the housing. A first end of the elastic member is connected to a positioning structure on the housing. A second end of the elastic member opposite to the first end is connected to the movable member. The trigger member is connected to the movable member. As the trigger member is triggered to move in a first direction, the movable member moves in the first direction within a receiving groove on the housing, such that liquid in the receiving groove is pushed by the movable member to a through hole in the housing. As the trigger member is released, the elastic member pulls the movable member in a second direction opposite to the first direction, such that the movable member moves in the second direction within the receiving groove.
[0005] In order to have a better understanding of the above and other aspects of this disclosure, specific embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Implementation Method
[0006] The various embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition to these detailed descriptions, this disclosure can be widely implemented in other embodiments, and any easy substitutions, modifications, or equivalent changes to the described embodiments are included within the scope of this disclosure and are subject to the following patent claims. Furthermore, well-known steps or components are not described in detail to avoid creating unnecessary limitations to this disclosure. And, unless otherwise stated, the same element symbols in different drawings can be considered corresponding elements.
[0007] Please refer to Figures 1A and 1B. Figures 1A and 1B illustrate schematic diagrams of a drain structure 100 and a housing 10 to which the drain structure 100 is applied, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1A shows the inner surface of the housing 10, while Figure 1B shows the outer surface of the housing 10, and Figures 1A and 1B show partial portions of the housing 10.
[0008] The housing 10 is, for example, the bottom case of a notebook computer (commonly referred to as the D-piece in the field of notebook computer technology). That is, the drainage structure 100 in this embodiment can be applied to a notebook computer, but is not limited thereto. The drainage structure 100 can also be applied to the housing of other electronic devices. The drainage structure 100 may include a movable member 110, an elastic member 120, and a trigger member 130. The movable member 110 is disposed on the housing 10, specifically on the inner surface 1015 of the housing 10. For example, the movable member 110 is a plastic structural member. A positioning structure 11 may be formed on the housing 10.
[0009] The first end 121 of the elastic element 120 can be connected to the positioning structure 11. Specifically, the first end 121 has a hook-like shape, and the positioning structure 11 is a protruding post. The first end 121 can be hooked onto the positioning structure 11. The second end 122 of the elastic element 120, opposite to the first end 121, can be connected to the movable element 110. That is, the elastic element 120 is located between the positioning structure 11 and the movable element 110. For example, the elastic element 120 is a tension spring, which can deform according to the change in distance between the positioning structure 11 and the movable element 110.
[0010] The trigger 130 is connected to the movable member 110. The trigger 130 protrudes from the outer surface 10OS of the housing 10. That is, the movable member 110 and the trigger 130 are located on the opposing inner surface 10IS and outer surface 10OS of the housing 10. The trigger 130 can serve as a switch for the drain structure 100, allowing the user to touch and operate it from the outer surface 10OS of the housing 10. A sliding groove structure 12 can be formed on the housing 10, specifically on the outer surface 10OS. The trigger 130 is movably disposed within the sliding groove structure 12. When the trigger 130 is triggered or released by the user, it can reciprocate within the sliding groove structure 12 accordingly.
[0011] Furthermore, please refer to Figures 2A and 2B. Figure 2A shows an assembly diagram of the drainage structure 100. Figure 2B shows an exploded view of the drainage structure 100.
[0012] The movable member 110 may have a bottom hole structure 110BH. The trigger member 130 may have a hook structure 130HK. The movable member 110 and the trigger member 130 may be fixedly connected by hooking the hook structure 130HK from bottom to top onto the bottom hole structure 110BH. Thus, the trigger member 130 is disposed below the movable member 110.
[0013] The movable member 110 may have two opposing side plate structures. These two side plate structures are a first side plate structure 110SP1 and a second side plate structure 110SP2. The first side plate structure 110SP1 and the second side plate structure 110SP2 are formed at both ends of the movable member 110. A receiving groove 13 may be formed on the housing 10. The first side plate structure 110SP1 may be located outside the receiving groove 13. The second side plate structure 110SP2 is located inside the receiving groove 13. The movable member 110 may have a side hole structure 110SH; specifically, it is formed in the first side plate structure 110SP1. The second end 122 of the elastic member 120 passes through the side hole structure 110SH on the first side plate structure 110SP1, so that the movable member 110 and the elastic member 120 are fixedly connected.
[0014] Further, please refer to Figures 3 and 4A-4B. Figure 3 shows a top view of the drain structure 100 and the housing 10. Figures 4A-4B show side views of the drain structure 100 and the housing 10.
[0015] The drainage mechanism of the drainage structure 100 will be explained below. During the use of electronic devices, liquid may inevitably seep into the device. In this case, the receiving groove 13 of the housing 10 can serve as a receiving area for collecting liquid. The drainage structure 100 is designed to drain the liquid in the receiving groove 13. As mentioned above, the trigger 130 can serve as a switch for the drainage structure 100. It is exposed on the outer surface 10OS of the housing 10, so the user can touch and operate it.
[0016] As shown in Figures 3 and 4A, the trigger 130 is in an untriggered state at this time. When the trigger 130 is untriggered, the first side plate structure 110SP1 is adjacent to the side wall of the receiving groove 13. Then, the trigger 130 can be triggered by the user to move in the first direction D1. As the trigger 130 is triggered to move in the first direction D1, the movable member 110 can move in the first direction D1 within the receiving groove 13, that is, the second side plate structure 110SP2 within the receiving groove 13 can gradually approach the through hole 10H, so that the liquid in the receiving groove 13 can be pushed to the through hole 10H by the second side plate structure 110SP2 of the movable member 110. The through hole 10H is formed on the housing 10 and provided in the receiving groove 13, which can serve as an outlet for the infiltrated liquid.
[0017] As shown in Figure 4B, the trigger 130 is in a state where it is triggered and moved to an extreme position. When the trigger 130 is triggered, the second side plate structure 110SP2 moves in the first direction until the second end 122 of the elastic member 120 contacts the receiving groove 13, that is, the trigger 130 and the movable member 110 move to the extreme position. When the movable member 110 moves to this extreme position in the first direction D1 within the receiving groove 13, the movable member 110 and the through hole 10H may not overlap in the longitudinal direction. Then, the trigger 130 can be released by the user from this extreme position.
[0018] As the trigger 130 is released, the elastic member 120 can pull the movable member 110 in a second direction D2, opposite to the first direction D1, based on its tensile characteristics. This causes the movable member 110 to move within the receiving groove 13 in the second direction D2, and finally, the movable member 110 and the trigger 130 return to their initial positions as shown in Figures 3 and 4A. As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the hook structure 130HK of the trigger 130 passes through the slotted structure 14 on the housing 10. That is, the hook structure 130HK passes through both the bottom hole structure 110BH of the movable member 110 and the slotted structure 14 on the housing 10. The width of the slot in the slotted structure 14 is the stroke of the trigger 130 during its reciprocating motion when triggered and released; that is, the hook structure 130HK is limited by the slotted structure 14.
[0019] As described above, the drainage structure provided in this embodiment can provide drainage functionality for the bottom casing of a notebook computer (commonly referred to as the D-component in the notebook computer technology field). When liquid seeps into the notebook computer casing, the user can move the trigger to drive the movable part on the inner surface of the casing to push the seeping liquid out through the through hole of the casing. After the user releases the trigger, the elastic member can pull the movable part to return the movable part and the trigger fixed to it to the initial position. Thus, the effect of draining liquid from inside the electronic device can be achieved.
[0020] Although this disclosure has been presented above with reference to embodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains can make various modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure shall be determined by the appended claims. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]
[0021] Figures 1A-1B illustrate schematic diagrams of a drain structure and its applicable housing according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2A illustrates an assembly view of the drain structure; Figure 2B illustrates an exploded view of the drain structure; Figure 3 illustrates a top view of the drain structure and the housing; and Figures 4A-4B illustrate side views of the drain structure and the housing.
Claims
1. A drain structure suitable for a housing, the drain structure comprising: A movable member having a bottom hole structure and disposed on the housing; an elastic member having a first end connected to a positioning structure on the housing and a second end opposite to the first end connected to the movable member; and a trigger member having a hook structure and connected to the movable member, wherein the hook structure hooks onto the bottom hole structure such that the movable member and the trigger member are fixedly connected; wherein, as the trigger member is triggered to move in a first direction, the movable member moves in the first direction within a receiving groove on the housing, such that liquid in the receiving groove is pushed by the movable member to a through hole in the housing; and as the trigger member is released, the elastic member pulls the movable member in a second direction opposite to the first direction, such that the movable member moves in the second direction within the receiving groove.
2. The drainage structure as described in claim 1, wherein the movable member has a side hole structure, and the second end of the elastic member passes through the side hole structure such that the movable member is fixedly connected to the elastic member.
3. The drain structure as described in claim 1, wherein the hook structure passes through a slotted structure on the housing.
4. The drainage structure as described in claim 1, wherein the movable member has opposing two side plate structures formed at both ends of the movable member, one of the two side plate structures being located within the receiving groove, and when the trigger is not triggered, that side plate structure is adjacent to the receiving groove.
5. The drainage structure as described in claim 4, wherein the other of the two side plate structures is located outside the receiving groove, the second end of the elastic member passes through the other of the two side plate structures, and when the trigger is triggered, the other of the two side plate structures moves toward the first direction until the second end of the elastic member contacts the receiving groove.
6. The drainage structure as described in claim 1, wherein the elastic element is a tension spring.
7. The drainage structure as described in claim 1, wherein the movable member and the trigger member are located on opposite inner and outer surfaces of the housing.
8. The draining structure as described in claim 1, wherein the trigger is movably disposed within a slide structure of the housing, and reciprocates accordingly within the slide structure when the trigger is triggered or released.
9. The drainage structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the movable member moves to a limit position in the receiving groove in the first direction, the movable member does not project to overlap with the through hole.