Locking apparatus
A locking apparatus includes a handle, a hook and a handle magnetic device. The handle is pivotally connected to a cover of an electronic product. The hook has a first end pivotally connected to the handle and a second end with a locking part. The locking part is fastened to a base of the electronic product when the electronic product is locked. The handle magnetic device is located on a surface of the handle facing the cover of the electronic product for attracting a cover magnetic device of the cover of the electronic product after the locking part is fastened to the base of the electronic product. Furthermore, a folding electronic product with the locking apparatus is also disclosed in the specification.
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This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number 95142603, filed Nov. 17, 2006, which is herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a locking apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a locking apparatus used in a folding electronic product.
2. Description of Related Art
People recently increase the need for the portable electronic product to fulfill their requirements, enjoying movies and music anywhere and anytime. The portable electronic product can be a folding electronic product having a cover and a base, such as a notebook computer or a tablet personal computer (tablet PC) having a base and a display. An appropriately locking between the cover and the base is a basic requirement for any folding electronic product. Taking a notebook computer or a tablet PC as an example, the appropriate locking between the display and the base can prevent the display, the keyboard or the touch pad from directly hitting the ground when the notebook computer or the tablet PC falls to the ground. Therefore, accidental damage can further be minimized.
SUMMARYA locking apparatus includes a handle, a hook and a handle magnetic device. The handle is pivotally connected to a cover of an electronic product. The hook has a first end pivotally connected to the handle and a second end with a locking part. The locking part is fastened to a base of the electronic product when the electronic product is locked. The handle magnetic device is located on a surface of the handle facing the cover of the electronic product for attracting a cover magnetic device of the cover of the electronic product after the locking part is fastened to the base of the electronic product.
A folding electronic product includes a base, a cover, a fastener means, a handle means and a magnetic means. The cover is pivotally connected to the base. The fastener means is used for fastening the cover to the base. The handle means is used for handling the fastener means to fasten the cover to the base or to unfasten the cover from the base. The magnetic means is used for attaching the handle means to the cover after the fastener means fastens the cover to the base.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are by examples, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
The invention can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of the embodiment, with reference made to the accompanying drawings as follows:
The locking apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention can be applied in a folding electronic product including a cover and a base.
The handle magnetic device 112 can be a magnet or a ferromagnetic metal sheet. If the handle magnetic device 112 is a magnet, the cover magnetic device 212 can be a magnet or a ferromagnetic metal sheet. If the handle magnetic device 112 is a ferromagnetic metal sheet, the cover magnetic device 212 can be a magnet for attracting the handle magnetic device 112.
A folding electronic product including a locking apparatus is also disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention. The folding electronic product includes a base, a cover, a fastener means, a handle means and a magnetic means. The cover is pivotally connected to the base. The fastener means, such as the hook 130 shown in
The locking apparatus can further include an elastic means used for maintaining the relative position of the fastener means and the handle means, when the fastener means unfastens the cover from the base. Referring to
Reference is made to
The locking apparatus can further include a first connecting means for pivotally connecting the fastener means and the handle means. The first connecting means may include two coaxial channels 114, a rotary axis 136 and a pivotal pin 170 shown in
Referring to
The folding electronic product further includes a second connecting means for pivotally connecting the handle means and the cover of the folding electronic product. The second connecting means may include a handle fixed part 116 and a cover fixed part 216 shown in
The electronic product 200 shown in
Besides, the torsion spring of the locking apparatus may keep the locking part of the hook apart from the outer edges of the display and the computer. Therefore, the locking part of the hook would not bump into the computer while the user closes the cover of the notebook computer or the tablet PC.
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A locking apparatus, comprising:
- a handle pivotally connected to a cover of an electronic product;
- a hook having a first end pivotally connected to the handle and a second end with a locking part, wherein the locking part is fastened to a base of the electronic product when the electronic product is locked; and
- a handle magnetic device located on a surface of the handle facing the cover of the electronic product for attracting a cover magnetic device of the cover of the electronic product after the locking part fastened to the base of the electronic product.
2. The locking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handle magnetic device is a magnet or a ferromagnetic metal sheet for attracting the cover magnetic device of the cover of the electronic product.
3. The locking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the locking part has a protrusion inserted into an opening located on the base of the electronic product.
4. The locking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the locking part has a hook magnetic device for attracting a base magnetic device located on the base of the electronic product.
5. The locking apparatus of claim 4, wherein the hook magnetic device is a magnet or a ferromagnetic metal sheet.
6. The locking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a torsion spring having a first end connected to the handle and a second end connected to the hook to maintain the relative position of the handle and the hook.
7. The locking apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:
- two coaxial channels located on the handle;
- a rotary axis located on the hook and between the coaxial channels, wherein the axle center of the rotary axis is aligned with the axle center of the coaxial channels; and
- a pivotal pin passing through the coaxial channels and the rotary axis for pivotally connecting the hook and the handle.
8. The locking apparatus of claim 7, wherein the pivotal pin passes through the torsion spring for locating the torsion spring between the handle and the hook.
9. A folding electronic product, comprising:
- a base;
- a cover pivotally connected to the base;
- a fastener means for fastening the cover to the base;
- a handle means for handling the fastener means to fasten the cover to the base or to unfasten the cover from the base; and
- a magnetic means for attaching the handle means to the cover after the fastener means fastening the cover to the base.
10. The folding electronic product of claim 9, further comprising:
- a first bearing located on the cover;
- a second bearing located on the base; and
- at least one pivotal pin passing through the first bearing and the second bearing for pivotally connecting the cover and the base.
11. The folding electronic apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a connecting means for pivotally connecting the fastener means and the handle means.
12. The folding electronic apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a connecting means for pivotally connecting the handle means and the cover.
13. The folding electronic apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an elastic means for maintaining the relative position of the fastener means and the handle means when the fastener means unfastening the cover from the base.
14. The folding electronic apparatus of claim 9, wherein the cover is a display, and the base is a computer.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 26, 2007
Publication Date: May 22, 2008
Applicant: Quanta Computer Inc. (Tao Yuan Shien)
Inventors: Jung-Wen Chang (Tao Yuan City), Po-Feng Chuang (Tao Yuan City)
Application Number: 11/902,848
International Classification: B65D 55/02 (20060101);