Patent Application
20100026641
The present application is based on, and claims priority from, Taiwan Application Serial Number 97129337, filed Aug. 1, 2008, which is herein incorporated by reference.
The present invention generally relates to a fixation and ejection mechanism of a touchpad module. More particularly, this invention relates to a fixation and ejection mechanism of a touchpad module for a notebook computer.
With the improvements in electronic science and technology, portable electronic devices, such as notebook computers, are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Notebooks are convenient, portable, lightweight devices capable of processing a large number of digital data and are popular to the general public.
Since notebook computers are portable and powerful computation devices, notebook computers have become a necessity for most businessmen. In addition, for conveniently operating the notebook computer, some notebook computers are equipped with a touchpad instead of a mouse. A user's finger can slide on the touchpad to control the position of the cursor on the monitor.
Because the touchpad is a position input device, the cursor on the monitor can be moved according to the movement of user's finger on the touchpad. Therefore, the touchpad has a smooth surface to allow the user's finger smoothly sliding thereon. Furthermore, the touchpad is a thin device compared with the notebook computer and disposed on the top cover of the notebook computer base. Accordingly, some electronic components, e.g. a memory module or a display card, can be disposed below the touchpad in the notebook computer base to adequately utilize the space under the touchpad.
To install, remove or replace the electronic components disposed under the touchpad, users or manufacturers have to open the touchpad from the notebook computer base. However, the surface of the touchpad is very smooth, and therefore the touchpad is difficult to open from the notebook computer base without any auxiliary tools even after the screws of the touchpad are removed. Sometimes, the touchpad has to be opened from the notebook computer base after the notebook computer base is disassembled.
One objective of the present invention is to provide a fixation and ejection mechanism for a touchpad module to conveniently fix a touchpad module on a case of an electronic apparatus and open/release the touchpad module from the case of the electronic apparatus so as to easily install, remove or replace electronic components in proximity to the touchpad module.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the objective of the present invention, as the embodiment broadly describes herein, the present invention provides a fixation and ejection mechanism of a touchpad module for an electronic apparatus having a module fixing pillar and a fastener. The module fixing pillar is preferably disposed in proximity to the touchpad module. The fastener further includes a connecting portion and a locking portion, e.g. a screwed portion, to couple to the module fixing pillar through the case of the electronic apparatus. The fastener is able to act on the module fixing pillar to release the touchpad module from the case when the fastener is disengaged from the module fixing pillar. The fixation and ejection mechanism further includes a boss formed on the case of the electronic apparatus. For example, the boss is integrally formed with the case. The fixation and ejection mechanism further includes a stopper member to retain the fastener in the case. The fixation and ejection mechanism further includes an elastic element, e.g. a spring, to make the fastener protrude from the case when the fastener is disengaged from the module fixing pillar. Furthermore, a reservoir is preferably formed above the stopper member to accommodate the locking portion of the disengaged fastener. The module fixing pillar further includes a fixing hole to couple to the locking portion of the fastener. The outer diameter of the connecting portion of the fastener is preferably smaller than the inner diameter of the stop portion.
Accordingly, the fixation and ejection mechanism according to the present application can easily fix the touchpad module on the case of the electronic apparatus and easily release the touchpad module from the electronic apparatus by utilizing the fastener. Therefore, with the convenience in opening or removing the touchpad module from the case of the electronic apparatus it is easy to replace, remove or install electronic components in proximity to the touchpad module.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a touchpad module releasing method. The method can effectively release a touchpad module from an electronic apparatus having a case without dissembling the case of the electronic apparatus. First, an external force is applied at where the touchpad module and the case are fastened to separate the touchpad module from the case. Subsequently, the touchpad module is removed from the case. After that, the touchpad module or electronic components in proximity to the touchpad module can be repaired or replaced.
Accordingly, the touchpad module of an electronic apparatus, e.g. a notebook computer, can be released from the electronic apparatus without dissembling the case of the electronic apparatus so that the touchpad module or electronic components in proximity to the touchpad module can be easily repaired or replaced.
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description is of the best presently contemplated mode of carrying out the present invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined by referencing the appended claims.
Referring to
The module fixing pillar 120 preferably includes a fixing hole 122 formed in the module fixing pillar 120. The boss 130 preferably includes a supporting wall 136 and a stopper member 134. A reservoir 132 is formed on the stopper member 134. A fixing surface 138 is formed under the supporting wall 136. The boss 130 is preferably integrally formed with a lower cover 102. Alternatively, the boss 130 can be secured on the lower cover 102 with other coupling device without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, the stopper member 134 and the reservoir 132 can be integrally formed with the supporting wall 136 to form the boss 130 in one piece (as shown on the drawings), or they can be independent components assembled together. In addition, the stopper member 134 can be a stopper ring.
The fastener 110 preferably includes a head portion 112, a connecting portion 116 and a locking portion 118. The fastener 110 is coupled to the module fixing pillar 120 through the opening 131 of the case 101. The head portion 112 of the fastener 110 can be utilized to rotate the fastener 110 so that the locking portion 118 of the fastener 110 can pass through the stopper member 134 and be accommodated in the reservoir 132. The locking portion 118 passed through the stopper member 134 can hang above the stopper member 134 to be steadily accommodated in the reservoir 132. The outer diameter of the connecting portion 116 is preferably smaller than the inner diameter of the stopper member 134 so that the fastener 110 can move up and down easily.
To fix the touchpad module 104, the locking portion 118 is further moved into the fixing hole 122 of the module fixing pillar 120 for coupling. The locking portion 118 preferably has thread formed thereon to couple with the fixing hole 122, whereby the fastener 110 engages with the module fixing pillar 120, and thereby fixing the touchpad module 104 on the upper cover 108 of the case 101. The fixing hole 122 is not required to have corresponding thread formed therein for coupling with the locking portion 118, but having corresponding thread would be convenient. The fastener 110 can be a screw.
Referring to
Referring to
Therefore, the fixation and ejection mechanism of the touchpad module according to the present application can easily fix the touchpad module on the case of the electronic apparatus. In addition, the fixation and ejection mechanism can easily open or remove the touchpad module from the case of the electronic apparatus to easily replace, remove or install electronic components in proximity to the touchpad module.
As is understood by a person skilled in the art, the foregoing preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrative of the present invention rather than limiting of the present invention. It is intended that various modifications and similar arrangements be included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 97129337 | Aug 2008 | TW | national |
