Coupled structure and electronic device

Abstract

A coupled structure capable of keeping the coupled state between coupled members without degrading the appearance, and an electronic device including such a coupled structure are disclosed. A coupled structure includes a keyboard unit coupled with a main body chassis. The coupled structure includes a hook mechanism which engages the keyboard unit with the main body chassis when the keyboard unit moves in one direction relative to the main body chassis, a locking part formed at the main body chassis, and an elastic part formed at the keyboard unit, and the elastic part biases the keyboard unit engaged with main body chassis in the one direction relative to the main body chassis when the locking part locks the elastic part.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates to a coupled structure including two coupled members and an electronic device including such a coupled structure.BACKGROUND[0002]An electronic device, such as a laptop personal computer (laptop PC), typically includes a keyboard unit attached to an upper face of the chassis (hereinafter called a main body chassis) of its main body. Patent Document 1, for example, discloses the structure having a recess at the upper face of the main body chassis so as to store a keyboard unit in this recess. This keyboard unit has a hook protruding from its lower face, and the keyboard unit is fixed to the main body chassis by engaging the hook with an engagement hole at the bottom face of the recess.[0003][Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-265251SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION[0004]Such a structure as in Patent Document 1, for coupling a keyboard unit with a main body chassis via a hook mechanism, however, may cause displaceme...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]With this configuration, the locking part locks the elastic part, and so the first member always receives a biasing force in the engagement direction (the one direction) of the hook mechanism. This can prevent the displacement of the first member relative to the second member during the manufacturing and operation, and so prevent the canceling of the engagement state of the hook mechanism, and the first and second members can keep their coupled state. Additionally, the first member is always biased in the one direction relative to the second member, and so a minimum gap is defined at the end toward the other direction, the gap corresponding to the engagement length of the hook mechanism. This gap does not change over time, and a gap at the end toward the one direction can be kept at substantially zero. This coupled structure therefore can suppress the deterioration in appearance as low as possible.

[0017]The above-described aspects of the present invention can keep the coupled state between the coupled members without degrading the appearance.

Problems solved by technology

Such a structure as in Patent Document 1, for coupling a keyboard unit with a main body chassis via a hook mechanism, however, may cause displacement of the keyboard unit during the manufacturing or operation of the electronic device.

This may lead to disengagement of the hook, and further may lead to deterioration of its appearance because the keyboard unit has a gap between its edge and the inner wall of the recess of the main body chassis.

This requires the cost for the lock member and degrades the appearance of the electronic device because such a lock member is disposed at only one of the edges of the keyboard unit.

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