Portable electronic apparatus with a latch mechanism including an interlock

A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

• a housing having a latch hole of a predetermined width;
• input means mounted on the housing for inputting information;
• a display unit mounted on the housing for movement between a closed position in which the input means is covered by the display unit and an open operative position in which the input means is accessible;
• lock means provided at the display unit for locking the display unit in the closed position when the display unit is moved to the closed position, the lock means including latch means movable between a latch position in which the latch means engages the latch hole of the housing and a release position in which the latch means is disengaged form the housing, and an interlocking member biased for movement with movement of the latch means, the latch means including (1) a hook portion adapted to penetrate the latch hole to engage the housing when the display unit is moved to the closed position, and (2) a sliding member slidably attached to the hook body so as to be movable between a restricted position in which the sliding member is situated in the latch hole to restrict disengagement of the hook portion from the housing, and a retracted position in which the sliding member is retracted from the latch hole, the interlocking member including a pressing portion for moving each of the sliding members from the restricted position to the retracted position in accordance with the movement of the hook bodies from the latch position to the release position;
• and
• means attached to the display unit for restraining the movement of the interlocking member so that the interlocking member does not move the sliding members from the restricted position so as to lock the latch means in the latch position.

A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

• a housing having a pair of latch holes;
• input means mounted on the housing, for inputting information;
• a display unit mounted on the housing for movement between a closed position in which the input means is covered by the display unit and an open operative position in which the input means is accessible;
• a pair of latch means provided at the display unit for holding the display unit in the closed position when the display unit is moved to the closed position, each of said latch means including (1) a latch body having a hook portion and movable between a latch position in which the hook portion penetrates the latch hole and engages the housing and a release position in which the hook portion is disengaged from the housing, and (2) a sliding member slidably engaged with the hook body and movable between a restricted position in which the sliding member is situated in the latch hole to restrict disengagement of the hook portion from the housing and a retracted position in which the sliding member is retracted from the latch hole;
• and
• an interlocking member provided at the display unit and movable in accordance with the movement of the latch body, the interlocking member having pressing portions for moving the sliding members from the restricted position to the retracted position in accordance with the movement of the latch bodies form the latch position to the release position.

A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

• a housing having a latch hole having a predetermined width;
• input means mounted on the housing for inputting information;
• a display unit mounted on the housing and movable between a closed position in which the input means is covered by the display unit and a desired opened position in which the input means is exposed;
• lock means provided at the display unit for locking the display unit in the closed position when the display unit is moved to the closed position, the lock means including (1) latch means movable between a latch position in which the latch means engages the housing and a release position in which the latch means is disengaged from the housing, the latch means including a latch hook attached to the display unit to be rockable between the latch position in which the latch hook engages the latch hole and the release position in which the latch hook does not engage the latch hole, and (2) an interlocking member movable from a first position corresponding to the latch position to a second position corresponding to the release position, the interlocking member having engaging portions engaged with the latch hooks and mounted on the display unit so as to be rockable between the first position and the second position with movement of the latch means from the latch position toward the release position;
• and
• means attached to the display unit for restraining the movement of the interlocking member from the first position, the restraining means including a lock member movable between a locked position in which the lock member engages the interlocking member to restrain the interlocking member from moving from the first position to the second position and an unlocked position in which the lock member is disengaged from the interlocking member and allows the interlocking member to move from the first position to the second position upon movement of the latch means from the latch position to the release position.