Position-limiting mechanism

#This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 100107555, filed on Mar. 7, 2011. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

#1. Field of the Invention

#The invention relates to a position-limiting mechanism. More particularly, the invention relates to a position-limiting mechanism of a portable electronic device.

#The accompanying drawings constituting a part of this specification are incorporated herein to provide a further understanding of the invention. Here, the drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

#FIG. 1 is a bottom view illustrating a portable electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention.

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view partially illustrating the portable electronic device depicted in FIG. 1.

#FIG. 1 is a bottom view illustrating a portable electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view partially illustrating the portable electronic device depicted in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional view partially illustrating the portable electronic device depicted in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an explosive view illustrating some components of the position-limiting mechanism depicted in FIG. 2. With reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, the portable electronic device 100 of this embodiment includes a main body 110, a first component 120, a second component 130, and a position-limiting mechanism 140. The first component 120 and the second component 130 are configured on the main body 110. The position-limiting mechanism 140 includes a first position-limiting element 142, a second position-limiting element 144, a first protrusion 146, a second protrusion 148, and a knob 149. The first position-limiting element 142 is slidably configured on the main body 110 for securing the first component 120, and limits the position of the first component 120 on the main body 110. The second position-limiting element 144 is slidably configured on the main body 110 for securing the second component 130, and limits the position of the second component 130 on the main body 110.

#The first protrusion 146 is fixed to the first position-limiting element 142, and the second protrusion 148 is fixed to the second position-limiting element 144. The knob 149 is slidably configured on the main body 110 and has a first sliding slot 149a and a second sliding slot 149b. The first protrusion 146 is inserted into the first sliding slot 149a, and the second protrusion 148 is inserted into the second sliding slot 149b, such that the knob 149 is movably connected between the first position-limiting element 142 and the second position-limiting element 144. The portable electronic device 100 of this embodiment is a notebook computer, for instance. The first component 120 and the second component 130 are respectively a battery and a bottom cover, for instance. The first component 120 and the second component 130 are individual components and are not in direct contact with each other.

#FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are schematic operational views illustrating the position-limiting mechanism depicted in FIG. 3. When the knob 149 slides relatively to the main body 110 along a first direction D1 from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 5A, the knob 149 pushes the first protrusion 146 to drive the first position-limiting element 142 to release the first component 120, and the second sliding slot 149b provides a space which allows the knob 149 to move relatively to the second protrusion 148 along the first direction D1. When the knob 149 slides relatively to the main body 110 along a second direction D2 opposite to the first direction D1 from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 5B, the knob 149 pushes the second protrusion 148 to drive the second position-limiting element 144 to release the second component 130, and the first sliding slot 149a provides a space which allows the knob 149 to move relatively to the first protrusion 146 along the second direction D2.