United States Patent
`
`[19]
`
`Ogami et al.
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`5,515,237
`
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`*May 7, 1996
`
`lllllllllllllllllIlllllllllIllllllllllllll|ll||ll||||||||||||||ll||||||||||
`US005515237A
`
`5,315,478
`5,402,309
`5,432,673
`
`5/1994 Cadwell et al.
`3/1995 Ohgami et al.
`7/1995 Ogami et al.
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`361/684
`361/685
`361/684
`
`Japanese Utility Model Appln. Kokai Publication No.
`63-39780, Mar. 1988.
`Japanese Utility Model Appln. Kokai Publication No.
`63—l95457, Dec., 1988.
`Japanese Utility Model Appln. Kokai Publication No.
`63—183673, Nov., 1988.
`Japanese Utility Model Appln. Kokai Publication No.
`63—l82078, Nov. 1988.
`Japanese Patent Appln. Kokoku Publication No. 62—184687,
`Aug. 1987.
`Japanese Patent Appln. Kokoku Publication No. 62-1 84686,
`Aug. 1987.
`Japanese Patent Appln. Kokoku Publication No. 624185293,
`Aug. 1987 .
`Japanese Patent Appln. Kokai Publication No. 58-66435,
`May. 1983.
`NEC Ultralite Laptop Computer brochure, copyright 1988.
`
`Primary Examiner—Michacl W. Phillips
`Attomey, Agent, or Firm—Limbach & Limbach
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A portable electronic apparatus includes a housing having a
`storing section which has an insertion opening opened to the
`outside the housing. A HDD pack is stored in the storing
`section and detachable through the insertion opening. A
`HDD holder is connected to the HDD pack and detachably
`fitted in the insertion opening. A pair of sliders are provided
`on the HDD holder and movable between an engaged
`position where the sliders are engaged engagement holes
`formed in the housing to hold the HDD holder in the
`insertion opening and a retreated position where the sliders
`are disengaged from the engagement holes to allow the
`HDD holder to come into and out of the insertion opening.
`A lock member is provided on the HDD holder and movable
`between a locking position where the sliders are locked in
`the engaged position and a releasing position where the
`sliders are allowed to move.
`
`24 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets
`
`[54] PORTABLE ELECTRONIC APPARATUS
`HAVING A REMOVABLE HARD DISK DRIVE
`INCLUDING AN EXTERNALLY OPERABLE
`LOCK MEMBER
`
`[75]
`
`Inventors: Keizo Ogami; Kohei Wada, both of
`Tokyo, Japan
`
`[73] Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Kanagawa,
`Japan
`
`[*] Notice:
`
`The term of the patent shall not extend
`beyond the expiration date of Pat. No.
`5,264,986.
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 320,981
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`Oct. 11, 1994
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`[63] Continuation of Ser. No. 195,604, Feb. 14, 1994, abandoned,
`which is a continuation of Ser. No. 960,590, Oct. 13, 1992,
`abandoned.
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`[30]
`Oct. 14, 1991
`[JP]
`Japan .................................. .. 3-264989
`
`........ ... G06F 1/16; H05K 7/14
`Int. Cl.6 ......
`[51]
`361/685; 361/726; 361/740
`[52] U.S. Cl. .......
`
`............... .. 364/708.1; 360/137;
`[58] Field of Search
`312/223.2; 361/683-686, 725—727, 732,
`740, 759, 801
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`1/1977 Zielinski.
`4,002,892
`3/1987 Fushirnoto .
`4,652,976
`9/1987 Kodai et al. .
`4,695,925
`9/1988 Dickie ..................................... 400/682
`4,773,783
`2/1989 Ashman et al. .
`4,807,955
`Z1990 Carter et a1.
`4,903,222
`5/1990 Hsieh .... .....
`4,926,365
`.7/1990 Darden et a1
`4,941,841
`5,058,045 l0/1991 Ma .........
`5,234,351
`8/1993 Dixon
`5,264,986
`11/1993 Ohgami et a1.
`
`..................... 364/708
`..... 364/708
`. 364/708 X
`. .... 364/708
`. 439/160
`361/685
`
`
`
`
`
`Apple 1039
`
`U.S. Pat. 9,189,437
`
`Apple 1039
`U.S. Pat. 9,189,437
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 7, 1996
`
`Sheet 1 of 9
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`5,515,237
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`

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`5,515,237
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`

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`5,515,237
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`May 7, 1996
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`Sheet 4 of 9
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`5,515,237
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`300
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`28C
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`{ob
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`26
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`280
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`F I G.
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`4
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`May 7, 1996
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`Sheet 5 of 9
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`5,515,237
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`FIG.6
`
`

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`U.S. Patent
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`May 7, 1996
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`Sheet 6 of 9
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`5,515,237
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`46 54 61 47 67 Ti 47
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`61 54 38 46
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`

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`U.S. Patent I
`
`May 7, 1996
`
`Sheet 7 of 9
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`5,515,237
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`

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`U.S. Patent
`
`May 7, 1996
`
`Sheet 3 of 9
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`5,515,237
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`May 7, 1996
`
`Sheet 9 of 9
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`5,515,237
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`820 {OD
`
`88 87
`
`82
`
`
`
`88
`
`87
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`
`FIG.
`
`{2
`
`

`
`5,515,237
`
`1
`PORTABLE ELECTRONIC APPARATUS
`HAVING A REMOVABLE HARD DISK DRIVE
`INCLUDING AN EXTERNALLY OPERABLE
`LOCK MEIVIBER
`
`This is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/195,604, filed Feb.
`14, 1994, now abandoned, which was a continuation of Ser.
`No. 07/960,590, filed Oct. 13, 1992, now abandoned.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`
`The present invention relates to a portable electronic
`apparatus such as personal computers of the lap-top type
`and, more particularly, an electronic apparatus provided with
`a detachable unit such as a hard disk drive (which will be
`hereinafter referred to as I-IDD) unit and a battery pack,
`which are detachably set in a housing of the apparatus.
`2. Description of the Related Art
`Recently, a plurality of portable electronic apparatuses
`such as personal computers of book-type and lap-top types
`are on the market. Some of them have come to have such an
`
`arrangement that allows a 2.5-inch HDD to be set in them as
`an external memory unit with high speed and large capacity.
`The HDD is housed in a rectangular metal case and put on
`the market as an HDD pack. When this HDD pack is set in
`and connected to the computer, the memory capacity of the
`computer can be increased to a great extent.
`Conventionally, the housing of the computer comprises a
`storing portion for storing the HDD pack. The HDD pack
`can be fixed at a certain position in the housing by storing
`the HDD in the storing portion and fixing it by means of
`screws which are into the HDD pack through the bottom of
`the housing.
`When the HDD pack is fixed to the housing by using
`screws, however, it must be removed from the housing by
`using a tool such as the driver. Thus, the removing and
`attaching operations should be performed by using a tool in
`the every time when the HDD pack is exchanged with a new
`one with a greater capacity, the HDD pack is to be detached
`from the computer housing to make the computer itself so
`light as to more easily carry it, and the media in it are to be
`used for other computers.
`This makes it troublesome to set and detach the HDD
`
`pack in and from the computer housing and the setting and
`detaching of the HDD pack relative to the computer housing
`need time and labor. This trouble is caused in the case of
`other detachable parts such as a battery pack as well as in the
`case of the HDD pack.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention is therefore intended to eliminate
`the above-mentioned drawbacks and its object is to provide
`an electronic apparatus wherein a detachable unit can be
`easily attached to and detached from the housing of the
`apparatus and can be securely held in the housing.
`In order to achieve the object, an electronic apparatus
`according to the present invention comprises a housing
`having a storing section which includes an insertion opening
`opened outside the housing; a detachable unit stored in the
`storing section to be removable from the storing section
`through the insertion opening; and a holding mechanism for
`holding the detachable unit in the storing section, said
`holding mechanism including an engagement portion pro-
`vided on one of the housing and the detachable unit, an
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`engaging member provided on the other of the housing and
`the detachable unit and movable between a engaged position
`where the engaging member engages the engagement por-
`tion to hold the detachable unit in the storing section and a
`retreated position where the engaging member is disengaged
`from the engagement portion to allow the detachable unit to
`come into and out of the storing section, and a lock member
`provided on the other of the housing and the detachable unit
`and movable between a locking position where the lock
`member locks the engaging member in the engaged position
`and a release position where the lock member allows the
`engaging member to be moved.
`According to the electronic apparatus arranged as
`described above, when the engaging member is moved to the
`engaged position to engage with the engagement pottion
`while the detachable unit is set in the storing section, the
`detachable unit is connected to the housing and held in the
`storing section when the lock member is then moved to its
`locking position, the engaging member can be locked in its
`engaged position, thereby keeping the engagement between
`the engaging member and the engagement portion. The
`detachable unit can be thus held in the storing section of the
`housing with higher reliability.
`When the detachable unit is to be detached from the
`
`storing section, the above process is reversely conducted. In
`short, after moving the lock member the release position, the
`engaging member is moved to the retreated position. Thus,
`the engaging member is disengaged from the engagement
`portion, thereby allowing the detachable unit to be detached
`from the storing section through the insertion opening.
`According to the electronic apparatus having the above-
`mentioned arrangement, the detachable unit can be fixed in
`the storing section of the housing without using any screw.
`Therefore, the setting and detaching of the detachable unit in
`and from the storing section of the housing can be achieved
`without using any tool such as the driver. Further,
`the
`engaging member can be locked by the lock member while
`keeping the detachable unit set in the storing section. The
`detachable unit can be thus held in the storing section with
`higher reliability and it carmot happen that the detachable
`unit wrongly comes out of the storing section.
`Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be
`set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be
`obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice
`of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention
`may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumen-
`talities and combinations particularly pointed out in the
`appended claims.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in
`and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate a pres-
`ently preferred embodiment of the invention, and together
`with the general description given above and the detailed
`description of the preferred embodiment given below, serve
`to explain the principles of the invention.
`FIGS. 1 through 12 show a personal computer according
`to an embodiment of the present invention, in which
`FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the computer;
`FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of a
`battery pack and a battery pack storing section;
`FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a part of the
`computer housing together with a hard disk drive pack and
`a memory card which are to be set in the computer housing;
`
`

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`4
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`FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a part of a function
`label and a holder groove enlarged;
`FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a HDD holder taken along
`a line V———V in FIG. 3;
`FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the HDD
`holder;
`
`FIG. 7 is a front view showing the HDD holder in a state
`wherein a slider is moved to its retreated position and a rear
`cover is removed;
`
`FIG. 8 is a front view showing the HDD holder in a state
`wherein the slider is moved to its latched position and the
`rear cover is removed;
`
`FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of
`the personal computer, including a memory card storing
`section and an ejecting plate;
`'
`FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the memory card
`storing section with a memory card inserted, but an upper
`case is removed;
`FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along a line XI—XI in
`FIG. 9; and
`FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along a line XlI—XII in
`FIG. 9.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`
`An embodiment of the present invention will be described
`in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
`As shown in FIG. 1, a lap-top type personal computer
`according to an embodiment of the present
`invention
`includes a flat rectangular housing 10 which comprises a
`combination of upper and lower cases 10a and 10b both
`made of synthetic resin. A rear end portion of the upper
`surface of the upper case 10b projects upward and consti-
`tutes a projected portion 10c which extends in the width
`direction of the housing 10. The projected portion 10c has a
`pair of recesses 12 separated from each other in the width
`direction of the housing 10. Akeyboard 16 having a plurality
`of keys 14 is attached to the upper case 10a and the keys 14
`are exposed outside through an opening which is formed at
`the front top portion of the upper case 10b.
`A display unit 18 of the flat type is rotatably mounted on
`the housing 10. The display unit 18 is shaped like a rectangle
`and a pair of legs 20 serving as pivotal portions project from
`the lower end of the display unit 18. These legs 20 are
`positioned in the recesses 12 of the projected portion 10c and
`rotatably attached to the housing 10 by means of hinges (not
`shown). The display unit 18 therefore is rotatable between
`an opened position where the keyboard 16 is exposed to
`enable the computer to be operated, as shown in FIG. 1, and
`a closed position where the keyboard 16 is covered by the
`display unit. When the display unit 18 is closed, its top face
`becomes flush with the top face of the projected portion 10c.
`Latch claws 19 are provided at upper right and left end
`portions of the display unit 18. These latch claws 19 are
`engaged with latch holes 21 on the front top of the upper
`case 10b to lock the display unit 18 in the closed position.
`As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 10 has a battery
`pack storing portion 22 formed of a rectangular recess 22
`which is open to the top face of the upper case 10b between
`the keyboard 16 and the projected portion 10c. The storing
`section 22 extends from the left side to the center of the
`
`housing 10. A battery pack 24 is detachably fitted in the
`storing section 22.
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`The battery pack 24 is shaped like a rectangular box
`having same dimension as that of the battery pack storing
`section 22. A pair of projections 25 project from the right
`side of the battery pack 24 and fitted into engaging holes (not
`shown) of the upper case 10b. Terminals (not shown) are
`arranged on the left side of the battery pack 24 to contact
`receiving terminals 26 which are provided on the left side of
`the battery pack storing section 22. When the battery pack 24
`is set in the storing section 22, its top face is flush with that
`of the upper case 10b to form a part of the top of the housing
`10. It can be held in the battery pack storing section 22 by
`a lock mechanism (not shown).
`As described above,
`the battery pack 24 is located
`between the keyboard 16 and the supports or legs 20 of the
`display unit 18. When the display unit 18 is opened, there-
`fore, setting and releasing of the battery pack 24 into and
`from the battery pack storing section 22 of the housing 10
`cannot be disturbed by the display unit 18, thereby enabling
`the battery pack 24 to be easily set into and detached from
`the storing section 22 at the front side of the housing 10. In
`addition, the legs 20 of the display unit 18 can be arranged
`on the rear end of the housing 10, so that the size of the
`display unit 18 can be made as large as the housing 10.
`When the display unit 18 is rotated to its closed position,
`the battery pack 24 is covered by the display unit 18. Even
`when the lock mechanism for the battery pack 24 is wrongly
`unlocked during the computer is carried with the display unit
`18 being closed,
`therefore,
`the battery pack 24 can be
`prevented from being removed from the housing 10.
`A function label 26 for showing functions of function
`keys of the keyboard 16 is mounted, adjacent to the key-
`board 16, on the top face of the upper case 10b. It is made
`of synthetic resin and shaped like a strip extending along the
`whole length of the housing 10 in the width direction
`thereof.
`
`The function label 26 is fitted in a holding groove 28
`which is formed on the top face of the upper case 10b and
`has the same shape and dimension as those of the function
`label 26. The holding groove 28 extends onto the battery
`pack 24. Specifically, the groove 28 is comprised of a right
`half (or first portion) 280 formed on the top face of the upper
`case 10b and a left half (or second portion) 28b formed on
`the top face of the battery pack 24. When the battery pack
`24 is fitted in the battery pack storing section 22, therefore,
`the left half 28b is combined with the right one 28a to form
`the holding groove 28. The function label 26 is held in the
`holding groove 28 by a pair of first holding claws 30a
`projecting from the top face of the upper case 10b toward the
`right half 28a of the holding groove 28 and by a pair of
`second holding claws 30b projecting from the top face of the
`battery pack 24 toward the left half 28b thereof.
`When the battery pack 24 is in the battery pack storing
`section 22 of the housing 10, the left half of the function
`label 26 is on the battery pack 24, as shown in FIG. 1. When
`the battery pack 24 is to be detached from the pack storing
`section 22, therefore, the function label 26 disturbs this
`detaching of the battery pack 24. In order to overcome this,
`a right end edge 28c of the holding groove 28 which is in
`opposite to the battery pack 24 is tilted relative to the bottom
`of the holding groove 28, as shown in FIG. 4. When the
`battery pack 24 is to be fitted into and detached from the
`pack storing section 22, therefore, the function label 26 can
`be easily pulled out of the holding groove 28 from the right
`end 28c thereof and retreated from the battery pack 24, as
`shown by a two-dot and dash line in FIG. 2. The battery pack
`24 can be therefore fitted into and detached from the pack
`
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`storing section 22 without being disturbed by the function
`label 26.
`
`As shown in FIG. 3, in the housing 10 is formed a storing
`section 34 for storing a hard disk drive (which will be
`hereinafter referred to as HDD) pack 32, which has a
`box-shaped case 32, and a HDD holder 36. The storing
`section 34 is arranged side by side with the battery pack
`storing section 22 and provided with an insertion opening
`34a at the right rear side of the housing 10. As shown in
`FIGS. 1 and 2, the opening 34a of the storing section 34 is
`usually closed by the HDD holder 36. These HDD pack and
`holder 32 and 36 constitute a detachable unit of the present
`invention.
`
`As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 through 7, the HDD holder 36
`includes a plate-like holder body 38 having the same shape
`as that of the opening 34a of the storing section 34, and a
`rear cover 40 fixed to the rear side of the holder body 38 and
`having substantially the same dimension as that of the holder
`body 38. The rear cover 40 has a pair of parallel holder arms
`42 extending backwards and perpendicular to the holder
`body 38 from both ends of the rear cover 40. These paired
`holder arms 42 are spaced apart from each other by a
`distance substantially equal to the width of the case 31 of the
`HDD pack 32. Each of the holder arms 42 has a slit 42a
`extending in the longitudinal direction of the arm 42.
`The rear cover 40 includes a pair of through-holes 43 at
`upper both ends thereof, a pair of engagement holes 44 at the
`top thereof, and plural projections 45 at the bottom thereof.
`On the other hand, the holder body 38 includes a pair of
`threaded bosses 46, a pair of projections 47 corresponding to
`the engagement holes 44 of the rear cover 40, and plural
`engagement holes 48 corresponding to the projections 45 of
`the rear cover 40. The rear cover 40 is therefore fixed to the
`
`holder body 38 in such a way that screws 49 are screwed into
`bosses 46 of the holder body 38 through the through holes
`43 while engaging the projections 45 with the engagement
`holes 48 of the holder body 38 and the projections 47 of the
`holder body 38 with the engagement holes 44.
`A pair of sliders 50 and a lock member or plate 52 are
`slidably arranged between the holder body 38 and the rear
`cover 40. Each of the sliders 50 is slidably guided in the
`longitudinal direction of the holder body 38 or in a direction
`parallel to the top face of the upper case 10b by a guide rib
`54 on the rear side of the holder body 38. A latch claw 56
`made of metal is fixed to each of the sliders 50. Each slider
`50 can slide between a retreated position where its latch claw
`56 is retreated between the holder body 38 and the rear cover
`40, as shown in FIG. 7, and a latched position (or engaged
`position) where its latch claw 56 projects from the side rim
`of the holder body 38, as shown in FIG. 8. The sliders 50 and
`their latch claws 56 serve as engaging members of the
`present invention.
`A guide groove 58 is formed on the front side of the holder
`body 38, extending in the longitudinal direction of the body
`38. A pair of operation knobs 60 are slidably fitted in the
`guide groove 58. Each of the operation knobs 60 includes an
`engaging claw 61 projecting backwards passing through an
`opening 62 of the holder body 38 and engaged with an
`engagement hole 63 of the corresponding slider 50. The
`operation knobs 60 are thus connected to their correspond-
`ing sliders 50 and can slide together with them. By sliding
`the operation knobs 60, therefore, it is possible to slide the
`sliders 50 from the front side of the holder body 38.
`The lock plate 52 serving as a lock member of the present
`invention is arranged between the paired sliders 50 and
`guided by the guide ribs 54 to be slidable between a
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`releasing position shown in FIG. 7 and a locking position
`shown in FIG. 8 in a direction perpendicular to the direction
`in which the sliders 50 slide. The lock plate 52 has a pair of
`projections 52a projecting from its bottom end in directions
`opposite to each other and it is therefore shaped like a fallen
`T. The lock plate 52 also has an engaging projection 71
`projecting upwards from its top. When the lock plate 52 is
`in its releasing position, the projections 52a are positioned
`lower than inner ends of the sliders 50 and shifted from them
`to allow the sliders 50 to freely slide. When the sliders 50 are
`moved to the latched positions and the lock plate 52 is
`moved to the locking position, the projections 52a comes
`between the inner ends of the paired sliders 50 and prevent
`the sliders 50 from moving to the retreated positions. Pro-
`jections 52a are thus abutting portions of the locking mem-
`ber, and the inner ends of the sliders 50 are receiving
`portions which are engaged by the abutting portions to
`restrict the movement of the engaging member. The sliders
`can be thus locked at their latched positions. These sliders 50
`and the lock plate 52 form a holding mechanism for holding
`the detachable unit in the storing section 34.
`As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, an operation projection 65
`protrudes from the front side of the lock plate 52. The
`operation projection 65 projects outside the holder body 38,
`passing through an opening 66 of the body 38. The lock plate
`52 can thus slide between its releasing and locking positions
`by the operation projection 65 on the front side of the holder
`body 38.
`As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, an engaging projection 67
`projects from the rear side of the lock plate 52. The rear
`cover 40 has an elastic cantilevered piece 68 which is
`formed by cutting a part of the rear cover 40 and which is
`opposed to the lock plate 52. A protrusion 69 projects from
`a free end of the elastic cantilevered piece 68 toward the lock
`plate 52 when the lock plate 52 is moved from its releasing
`position to its locking position, the engaging projection 67
`abuts against the projection 69 of the piece 68 to elastically
`deform the piece 68 in a direction in which the piece 68 is
`separated from the lock plate 52. When the lock plate 52
`comes to its locking position, causing its projection 67 to
`slide upward over the protrusion 69 of the piece 68, the
`cantilevered piece 68 returns to its initial position due to its
`elasticity. The protrusion 69 is thus struck against the bottom
`rim of the engaging projection 67, so that the lock plate 52
`can be elastically held in its locking position shown in FIG.
`5. When the lock plate 52 is in its releasing position, the
`protrusion 69 is struck against the top rim of the projection
`67 to elastically hold the lock plate 52 in its releasing
`position.
`when the HDD pack 32 is to be set in the storing section
`34 of the housing 19, as shown in FIG. 3, the HDD holder
`36 is attached to the HDD pack 32, holding one end portion
`of the HDD pack 32 between the holder arms 42 thereof.
`Engaging projections 32a (only one of them is shown in
`FIG. 3) projecting from both sides of this end portion of the
`HDD pack 32 are engaged with their corresponding slits 42a
`of the holder arms. In this state, the paired sliders 50 of the
`HDD holder 36 are set in their retreated positions and the
`lock plate 52 is in its releasing position.
`The other end portion of the HDD pack 32 is then inserted
`into the storing section 34 through the insertion opening 34a
`and the HDD holder 36 is pushed together with the HDD
`pack 32 into the opening 34a. When the holder body 38 of
`the HDD holder 36 is fitted in the opening 34a, the paired
`sliders 50 are slid to their latched positions by the operation
`knobs 60. The latch claws 56 thus project from the side rims
`of the holder body 38 and fitted into and engagement portion
`
`

`
`7
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`8
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`5,515,237
`
`which includes latched holes 70 of the housing 10. The
`latched holes 70 serve as engagement portions of the present
`invention. The lock plate 52 is then moved to its locking
`position by the operation projection 65 so that the paired
`sliders 50 are locked in their latched positions. When the
`lock plate 52 is moved to its locking position, the engaging
`projection 71 of the lock plate 52 is engaged with an
`engaging hole 73 formed in a partition wall 72 of the
`housing 10 which will be described later.
`The HDD holder 36 is thus attached to the housing 10,
`keeping the opening 34a of the storing section 34 closed by
`the holder body 38. The HDD pack 32 is set at a certain
`position in the storing section 34. The holder body 38 forms,
`under this state, a part of the side wall of the housing 10 and
`it is exposed outside, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
`When the HDD pack 32 is to be detached from the
`housing 10,
`the above-described processes are reversely
`conducted.
`
`When the HDD holder 36 arranged as described above is
`kept attached to the housing 10, its holder body 38 forms a
`part of the side face of the housing 10. This makes it
`unnecessary to use a cover for covering the front side of the
`holder body 38, thereby enabling the number of parts used
`to be reduced and the housing 10 to be smaller-sized. When
`the operation knobs 60 are exposed outside together with the
`holder body 38, there is fear that they are wrongly pushed.
`However, the paired sliders 50 are locked in their latched
`positions by the lock plate 52. Their moving can be therefore
`prevented even when the operation knobs 61 are wrongly
`pushed. Thus, the detachable unit including the HDD pack
`and holder 32 and 36 can be stably set in the storing section
`34 without undesirably getting out of the housing 10.
`As shown in FIGS. 3, 9 and 10, a storing section 76 for
`storing a card-like electronic member such as a memory card
`74 is formed between the partition wall 72 of the housing 10,
`which forms the top of the HDD pack storing section 34, and
`the top wall of the upper case 10b. The memory card storing
`section 76 includes an insertion opening 76a opened at the
`top and the side faces of the housing 10. This insertion
`opening 76a is positioned on the opening 34a of the HDD
`pack storing section 34 and usually closed by a cover 77.
`A pair of guide ribs 78 are formed on the top face of the
`partition wall 72, extending from the insertion opening 76a
`into the housing 10. They are opposed to each other and
`separated from each other by a distance substantially equal
`to the width of the memory card 74. A connector 80 to which
`terminals (not shown) of the memory card 74 are connected
`is fixed on the top face of the partition wall 72. This
`connector 80 is positioned at the inner end portion of the
`storing section 76.
`As shown in FIGS. 9 through 12, an ejecting plate 82 for
`ejecting the memory card 74 out of the storing section 76 is
`attached to the underside of the top wall of the upper case
`10b and located above the storing section 76. Specifically,
`the ejecting plate 82 is slidably guided, by guide ribs 83
`projecting from the underside of the top wall of the upper
`case 10b, in a direction parallel to the card inserting and
`ejecting direction. It is also held on the underside of top wall
`of the upper case 10b by a holding plate 84, which is
`attached to the underside of the top wall of the upper case
`10b, covering a part of the ejecting plate 82.
`A metal plate 82a is attached to thatinner end of the
`ejecting plate 82 which is opposed to the insertion opening
`76a. The metal plate 82a has a pair of pressing claws 86 bent
`toward the partition wall 72 and these pressing claws 86 are
`separated from each other in the width direction of the
`memory card 74 and projecting into the storing section 76.
`
`10
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`20
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`25
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`30
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`35
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`SS
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`65
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`The ejecting plate 82 includes an operation knob 87
`projecting toward the upper case 10b and positioned in an
`opening 88 of the upper case 1011. The ejecting plate 82 can
`be therefore operated from outside the housing 10 by the
`operation knob 87. When the memory card 74 is inserted
`into the storing section 76 through the insertion opening 76a
`by a certain length, that end rim of the memory card 74
`which is inserted into the storing section 76 abuts against the
`pressing claws 86 of the ejecting plate 82. When the memory
`card 74 is further inserted into the storing section 76 until its
`terminals are connected to the connector 80, the ejecting
`plate 82 is also slid together with the memory card 74. The
`pressing claws 86 are then received into their corresponding
`recesses 90 of the connector 80.
`
`when the memory card 74 is to be ejected from the storing
`section 76, the ejecting plate 82 is slid toward the insertion
`opening 76a through the operation knob 87. The inner end
`rim of the memory card 74 is thus caught by the pressing
`claws 86 of the ejecting plate 82 and the memory card 74 is
`pushed out through the insertion opening 76a, associating
`with ejecting plate 82. When the memory card 74 is pushed
`out through the opening 76a by a certain length, it is pulled
`out of the storing section 76 by the operator.
`As described above, the ejecting plate 82 is flat and it is
`positioned close to the underside of the upper case 10b. In
`addition, it has a dimension smaller than the plane one of the
`storing section 76. Further, the ejecting plate 82 is arranged
`in the storing section and it is allowed to move in the storing
`section 76. Still further, the ejecting plate 82 can be directly
`operated from outside the housing 10 by the operation knob
`87 and this makes it unnecessary to use a link mechanism
`and another operation button attached to the side wall of the
`housing. The ejection mechanism realized by this ejecting
`plate can be made more compact and simpler in structure to
`occupy a smaller space.
`limited to the personal
`The present
`invention is not
`computers but it may be applied to other electronic appara-
`tus such as the word processor. The card-like electronic parts
`cannot be limited to the memory card but it may be a modem
`card.
`
`Although the detachable unit has included the HDD pack
`and the HDD holder detachably attached to the HDD pack
`in the above—described embodiment, the HDD holder may
`be omitted. In this case, the sliders (or engaging members)
`and the lock plate which constitute the holding mechanism
`will be attached directly to the case of the HDD pack.
`Further, the detachable unit is not limited to a combination
`of the HDD pack and holder, but a battery pack may be used.
`Still further, the holding mechanism may be formed by
`single engaging member and a single lock member. More-
`over, it may be arranged that an engaging member and a lock
`member of the holding mechanism are provided on the
`housing of the computer and that an engagement portion (or
`latch holes 70) for engaging with the engaging members is
`formed at the detachable unit.
`
`It should be understood that other various changes and
`modifications can be made without departing from the spirit
`and scope of the present invention.
`What is claimed is:
`
`1. An electronic apparatus comprising: a housing having
`an outer surface;
`a storing section formed in the housing and having an
`insertion opening opened to the outer sur