Electronic apparatus and method for grounding electronic apparatus

An electronic apparatus including a body provided with a grounding member and a cover having an electrical component and pivotally supported on said body to be opened and closed, said electronic apparatus being controlled to be in a standby state when said cover is fully closed, comprising:

• conductive body side contact means provided on said body and electrically connected to said grounding member of said body;
• conductive cover side contact means provided on said cover and electrically connected to a portion of said electrical component to be grounded, said cover side contact means being separated from said body side contact means so as to be electrically disconnected from said body side contact means when said cover is in an open position and being in contact with said body side contact means so as to electrically connect said electric component with said grounding member when said cover is in a fully closed position;
• a displacement element provided on at least one of said body side contact means and said cover side contact means, said displacement element being urged by a restorative force against the other one of said contact means to make a pressure contact with the other one of said contact means;
• and
• switch means for detecting opened and closed statuses of said cover on the basis of an actual mechanical movement of said displacement element.

An electronic apparatus including a body provided with a grounding member and a cover having an electrical component and pivotally supported on said body to be opened and closed, said electronic apparatus being controlled to be in a standby state when said cover is fully closed, comprising:

• conductive body side contact means provided on said body and electrically connected to said grounding member of said body;
• conductive cover side contact means provided on said cover and electrically connected to a portion of said electrical component to be grounded, said cover side contact means being separated from said body side contact means so as to be electrically disconnected from said body side contact means when said cover is in an open position and being in contact with said body side contact means so as to electrically connect said electric component with said grounding member when said cover is in a fully closed position;
• a displacement element provided on at least one of said body said contact means and said cover side contact means, said displacement element being urged by a restorative force against the other one of said contact means to make a pressure contact with the other one of said contact means;
• and
• switch means for detecting opened and closed statuses of said cover on the basis of a displacement movement of said displacement element,
• wherein said switch means includes at least one of said body side contact means and said cover side contact means and a switch unit having an actuator being disposed within an operational range of said displacement element on said one of the contact means.

An electronic apparatus including a body provided with a grounding member and a cover having an electrical component and pivotally supported on said body to be opened and closed, said electronic apparatus being controlled to be in a standby state when said cover is fully closed, comprising:

• conductive body side contact means provided on said body and electrically connected to said grounding member of said body;
• conductive cover side contact means provided on said cover and electrically connected to a portion of said electrical component to be grounded, said cover side contact means being separated from said body side contact means so as to be electrically disconnected from said body side contact means when said cover is in an open position and being in contact with said body side contact means so as to electrically connect said electric component with said grounding member when said cover is in a fully closed position;
• a displacement element provided on at least one of said body side contact means and said cover side contact means, said displacement element being urged by a restorative force against the other one of said contact means to make a pressure contact with the other one of said contact means;
• and
• switch means for detecting opened and closed statuses of said cover on the basis of a displacement movement of said displacement element,
• wherein said switch means includes at least one of said body side contact means and said cover side contact means, a movable contact mounted to said displacement element, and a fixed contact disposed at a position where said fixed contact is brought into contact with said movable contact when said cover is fully closed.

A method for grounding an electronic apparatus disposed on a cover pivotably supported on a body so as to be opened and closed, wherein the electronic apparatus is not grounded when the cover is in an open position, the method comprising the steps of:

• rotating the cover to a closed position;
• contacting conductive body side contact means provided on said body and electrically connected to a grounding member of said body with conductive cover side contact means provided on said cover and electrically connected to a portion of said electrical apparatus to be grounded;
• increasingly displacing a displacement element of at least one of said body side contact means and said cover side contact means as said cover is rotated until the cover is in a closed position;
• producing restorative force to urge said displacement element against the other of said two contact means to make a pressure contact with the other one of said contact means, and wherein said restorative force is continually present while said cover is closed such that the restorative force pushes said cover open when said cover is released;
• and
• pressure contacting said cover side contact means with said body side contact means so as to electrically connect said electrical apparatus to the grounding member of said body.