Electronic apparatus to which one or a plurality of child units are connected

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10103473-B2
Application number	US-201615287737-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2016
Priority date	Oct 8, 2015
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

An electronic apparatus, including a parent unit connector to which a child unit connector of a child unit is connected includes a cutaway portion formed in an upper edge portion of the electronic apparatus, a connector cover covering the parent unit connector and having an end portion extending into the inside the cutaway portion, and a pivoting mechanism configured to cause the connector cover to pivot in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the child unit connector of the child unit is connected to the parent unit connector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of openings formed in a face of the electronic apparatus;
a plurality of parent unit connectors to each of which a child unit connector of a child unit among a plurality of child units is to be connected, wherein each parent unit connector among the plurality of parent unit connectors is located in a corresponding opening among the plurality of openings;
a plurality of cutaway portions formed in an upper edge portion of the electronic apparatus, wherein the plurality of cutaway portions are distinct from the plurality of openings;
a plurality of connector covers respectively covering the plurality of parent unit connectors, each connector cover among the plurality of connector covers having one end portion extending into an inside of a corresponding cutaway portion among the plurality of cutaway portions; and
a plurality of pivoting mechanisms each configured to cause a corresponding connector cover among the plurality of connector covers to pivot in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the child unit connector of a child unit among the plurality of child units is to be connected to a parent unit connector among the plurality of parent unit connectors.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein each pivoting mechanism among the plurality of pivoting mechanisms includes:
a fulcrum that supports the corresponding connector cover with respect to the electronic apparatus, and
a sloped portion formed on the one end portion of the corresponding connector cover in the corresponding cutaway portion.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of elastic members respectively connected to the plurality of connector covers.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the sloped portion of each connector cover among the plurality of connector covers is configured to be directly engaged by a projection of a child unit among the plurality of child units when the projection of the child unit enters the corresponding cutaway portion, and
the connector cover is pivotable, by the direct engagement between the sloped portion and the projection of the child unit and by further movement of the projection into the corresponding cutaway portion, about the corresponding fulcrum to uncover the corresponding parent unit connector for subsequent connection of the uncovered parent unit connector with the child unit connector of the child unit.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
when each connector cover among the plurality of connector covers a corresponding parent unit connector among the plurality of parent unit connectors, said each connector cover has
the one end portion exposed in the corresponding cutaway portion,
an opposite end portion exposed in a corresponding opening among the plurality of openings while covering the corresponding parent unit connector, and
a middle portion between the one end portion and the opposite end portion, said middle portion being covered by a portion of said face of the electronic apparatus.

6. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of parent unit connectors to each of which a child unit connector of a child unit among a plurality of child units is to be connected;
a plurality of cutaway portions formed in an upper edge portion of the electronic apparatus;
a plurality of connector covers respectively covering the plurality of parent unit connectors, each connector cover among the plurality of connector covers having one end portion extending into an inside of a corresponding cutaway portion among the plurality of cutaway portions; and
a plurality of pivoting mechanisms each configured to cause a corresponding connector cover among the plurality of connector covers to pivot in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the child unit connector of a child unit among the plurality of child units is to be connected to the parent unit connector,
wherein
each pivoting mechanism among the plurality of pivoting mechanisms includes:
a fulcrum that supports the corresponding connector cover with respect to the electronic apparatus, and
a sloped portion formed on the one end portion of the corresponding connector cover in the corresponding cutaway portion,

the sloped portion of each connector cover among the plurality of connector covers is configured to be directly engaged by a projection of a child unit among the plurality of child units when the projection of the child unit enters the corresponding cutaway portion,
the connector cover is pivotable, by the direct engagement between the sloped portion and the projection of the child unit and by further movement of the projection into the corresponding cutaway portion, about the corresponding fulcrum to uncover the corresponding parent unit connector for subsequent connection of the uncovered parent unit connector with the child unit connector of the child unit, and
each cutaway portion among the plurality of cutaway portions extends inwardly from a side edge of the electronic apparatus.

Assignees

• Fanuc Corp

Inventors

• Yamanaka Masashi

Classifications

• H01R13/453 Primary

  Shutter or cover plate opened by engagement of counterpart · CPC title

• H01R13/4532 Primary

  Rotating shutter · CPC title

• G05B11/01

  electric · CPC title

• H01R13/5213

  Covers · CPC title

• H01R13/64 Primary

  Means for preventing incorrect coupling · CPC title