This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-244111 filed with Japan Patent Office on Aug. 25, 2005, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic equipment, and more particularly to electronic equipment connectable to external equipment.
2. Description of the Background Art
Recently, electronic equipment including a connection terminal for connecting to a personal computer becomes widespread for data communications with personal computers. Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-91409 discloses a voice recording apparatus including a first housing forming a main body portion, a second housing having one end portion coupled to the first housing pivotally to the first housing, a third housing having one end portion coupled to the second housing pivotally to the second housing around the axis of rotation orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the second housing with respect to the first housing, and a connection terminal provided at the other end portion of the third housing for use in connection with an external device.
However, the connection terminal is exposed outside when used without being connected to a computer, so that the connection terminal needs to be protected by any dustproof measures such as a dedicated cap that covers the connection terminal. Therefore, the attaching/removing operation of the dedicated cap is cumbersome. In addition, since the cap is separated from the main body during connection with a computer, the cap may be lost during use.
The present invention is made to solve the aforementioned problem. An object of the present invention is to provide electronic equipment having a protected connection portion for connecting to external equipment.
In order to achieve the above-described objects, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, electronic equipment includes: a main body case having a first housing portion for housing a battery and a second housing portion arranged in line with the first housing portion; a connection member having a connection portion connectable to external equipment and being supported on the main body case in such a manner as to be displaceable between a first position in which at least the connection portion is housed in the second housing portion and a second position in which the connection portion is outside of the second housing portion; and a cover which may open and close the first housing portion and the second housing portion when the connection member is in the first position.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In the following, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the figures. In the following description, the same parts will be denoted with the same reference characters. Their designations and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.
In the present embodiment, a voice recording apparatus will be described as an example of electronic equipment.
Furthermore, voice recording apparatus 100 has a communication function to receive and transmit data from/to a personal computer and the like. Therefore, voice recording apparatus 100 has a connection portion for connecting to a personal computer. Here, the connection portion is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) terminal. The voice recording apparatus can transmit a voice signal processed by DSP or a voice signal recorded in the IC memory to a personal computer connected through the USB terminal and also can receive a voice signal from a personal computer through the USB terminal for recording into the IC memory.
In addition, voice recording apparatus 100 includes D/A (digital/analog) converter, an amplifier and a speaker and has a reproduction function. Voice recording apparatus 100 processes a digital voice signal read from the IC memory at DSP, converts the processed digital voice signal into an analog signal at the D/A converter, and then amplifies the analog signal at the amplifier for output to the speaker. Therefore, a voice signal recorded in the IC memory is reproduced so that voices are output from the speaker.
Base portion 50 has a rotation shaft 52, which is pivotally supported by a bearing portion 2 of main body case 1. Therefore, base portion 50 can rotate with respect to main body case 1 about rotation shaft 52. Connection portion 51 is a USB convex terminal fixed to base portion 50. Connection portion 51 and base portion 50 constitute a connection member. Connection portion 51 is inserted into a USB concave terminal included in a personal computer or the like, whereby voice recording apparatus 100 is connected to the personal computer.
Cover 30 includes a restriction portion 31 protruding from the back surface of cover 30 (the main body case side) at an end portion on the connection portion housing portion 20 side.
Main body case 1 has two guide grooves 3 extending in the direction in which battery housing portion 10 and connection portion housing portion 20 are arranged in line. Cover 30 has an engaging projection 33 on each of two end faces thereof in the longitudinal direction. Engaging projection 33 of cover 30 is engaged with guide groove 3 of main body case 1. Therefore, cover 30 can move in the longitudinal direction of main body case 1 with engaging projection 33 being engaged with guide groove 3.
Cover 30 has a coupling portion 32 extending under fixing portion 41 of spacer wall 40 from the battery housing portion 10 side to the connection portion housing portion 20 side when cover 30 is entirely coupled to main body case 1. Coupling portion 32 has an approximately triangle-shaped end portion, which has a tip end portion such that the distance from cover 30 is gradually reduced from the connection portion housing portion 20 side to the battery housing portion 10 side. When cover 30 is positioned to be entirely coupled to main body case 1, the end portion of coupling portion 32 is positioned to the connection portion housing portion 20 side from fixing portion 41 of spacer wall 40 so that coupling portion 32 and fixing portion 41 are coupled to each other. Since the end portion of coupling portion 32 is positioned to the connection portion housing portion 20 side from fixing portion 41 of spacer wall 40, the movement of cover 30 from the connection portion housing portion 20 side to the battery housing portion 10 side is restricted. Therefore, when cover 30 is positioned to be entirely coupled to main body case 1, cover 30 is prevented from dropping from main body case 1.
Cover 30 is preferably formed of a resin or the like. With cover 30 positioned to be entirely coupled to main body case 1, when a force is applied from the outside of main body case 1 at that position of cover 30 which is opposed to fixing portion 41 of spacer wall 40, cover 30 flexes inwardly of main body case 1. Thus, coupling portion 32 is displaced according to the amount of flexion of cover 30, so that the coupling with fixing portion 41 is released. Therefore, cover 30 becomes movable in the direction from connection portion housing portion 20 to battery housing portion 10.
As described above, in voice recording apparatus 100 in the present embodiment, when connection portion 51 is housed in connection portion housing portion 20, cover 30 closes connection portion housing portion 20, so that connection portion 51 is shielded from the outside by cover 30. This prevents connection portion 51 from being soiled with dirt or dust or damaged by an external great force.
In addition, since base portion 50 having connection portion 51 fixed thereto is rotatably supported on main body case, connection portion 51 can be directed outward of main body case 1 with an easy operation of rotating base portion 50 with respect to main body case 1.
Moreover, main body case 1 has guide groove 3 extending in the direction in which battery housing portion 10 and connection portion housing portion 20 are arranged in line, so that cover 30 is moved by guiding engaging projection 33 in engagement with guide groove 3 of main body case 1. Therefore, cover 30 is movable in the direction in which battery housing portion 10 and connection portion housing portion 20 are arranged in line, so that connection portion housing portion 20 can be open while battery housing portion 10 is kept closed.
In addition, cover 30 has restriction portion 31 in abutment with spacer wall 40. Therefore, if cover 30 is moved from the position in which connection portion housing portion 20 is closed, the movement of the cover is restricted when cover 30 reaches the position where battery housing portion 10 is closed and connection portion housing portion 20 is open. Thus, only connection portion housing portion 20 can easily be opened by moving cover 30.
Furthermore, when cover 30 is positioned such that battery housing portion 10 and connection portion housing portion 20 are closed, restriction portion 31 abuts on connection portion 51 housed in connection portion housing portion 20 to restrict the rotation of base portion 50. Therefore, the free movement of connection portion 51 inside connection portion housing portion 20 is restricted, and connection portion 51 can be fixed.
In addition, when cover 30 is positioned such that battery housing portion 10 and connection portion housing portion 20 are closed, coupling portion 32 is coupled to fixing portion 41 provided at main body case 1. Therefore, cover 30 can be fixed to main body case 1.
Moreover, when connection portion 51 is outside of connection portion housing portion 20, cover 30 closes battery housing portion 10 and connection portion housing portion 20, so that battery housing portion 10 and connection portion housing portion 20 can be closed while connection portion 51 is connected to a personal computer or the like, thereby preventing cover 30 from sticking out of main body case 1.
Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2005-244111 | Aug 2005 | JP | national |