# US 9,038,974 B2 · Connecting structure

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- Number: US 9,038,974 B2
- Document ID: US9038974B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/585,893
- Filed: 2012-08-15
- Published: 2013-06-27
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-23
- Assignees: Fu Tai Hua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.; Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Che-Yu Chou; Qun Huang; Tai-Shan Zhu; Tao Jiang; Wen-Chih Lan; Jun-Liang Zhang; Ji-Bing Guo; Hua-Yong Wang; Zhou Chen; Hai-Qian Ge; Wei-Wei Yu; Zhi-Jun Shi
- Inventors: Che-Yu Chou; Qun Huang; Tai-Shan Zhu; Tao Jiang; Wen-Chih Lan; Jun-Liang Zhang; Ji-Bing Guo; Hua-Yong Wang; Zhou Chen; Hai-Qian Ge; Wei-Wei Yu; Zhi-Jun Shi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038974B2

## CPC

- G06F 1/1656: {Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203)}
- G06F 3/0202: {Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device}
- G06F 3/03543: {Mice or pucks (G06F3/03541 takes precedence)}
- H04M 1/0254: {comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules}
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)

## Abstract

A connecting structure received in a main device for connecting an auxiliary apparatus. The connecting structure includes a retracting part formed on a bottom board of the main device and close to a sidewall of the main device and a clamping part. The clamping part is pivotablly mounted on the bottom board and pivotally connected to the retracting part. The retracting part drives the clamping part to extend out of the main device via an opening defined on the sidewall for connecting the auxiliary apparatus when the auxiliary apparatus needs to be mounted on the main device. The retracting part retracts the clamping part into the main device when the auxiliary apparatus is unmounted from the main device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A connecting structure received in a main device for connecting an auxiliary apparatus, the main device comprising a bottom board and a sidewall substantially perpendicularly connected to the bottom board, the main device defining an opening on the sidewall, the connecting structure comprising:
a retracting part formed on the bottom board and close to the sidewall; and
a clamping part pivotablly mounted on the bottom board and pivotally connected to the retracting part;
wherein the retracting part drives the clamping part to extend out of the main device via the opening defined on the sidewall for connecting the auxiliary apparatus when the auxiliary apparatus is mounted on the main device; the retracting part retracts the clamping part into the main device when the auxiliary apparatus is unmounted from the main device, the auxiliary apparatus comprises a pair of hooks formed on an outer sidewall of the auxiliary apparatus, and the clamping part engages with an engaging structure for connecting the auxiliary apparatus.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The connecting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retracting part comprises a door mechanism and a first button to control the door mechanism to expose or block the opening.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The connecting structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the door mechanism comprises a positioning board perpendicularly fixed on the bottom board and facing the opening, a movable board movably received in a receiving gap defined between the positioning board and the sidewall, and a plurality of restoring springs connecting a bottom periphery of the movable board with the bottom board, the movable board extends an engaging arm from a side surface of the movable board towards an interior of the main device, and the first button aligns with the engaging arm and drives the movable board to move downwards via the engaging arm when the first button is pressed downwards.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The connecting structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the positioning board defines a through hole corresponding to the opening, a shape of the through hole is substantially the same as the shape of the opening, the engaging arm passes through the through hole to engage with the first button, the positioning board defines a cutout at a middle part of a periphery of the through hole closest to the bottom board, the engaging arm moves in the cutout when the moveable board is pushed downwards.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The connecting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retracting part comprises a transmission mechanism and a second button to drive the transmission mechanism to retract the clamping part.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The connecting structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the transmission mechanism comprises a transmission block and a pair of first transmission rods, one end of the transmission block is connected to the second button, the pair of first transmission rods are correspondingly sleeved in a pair of guiding blocks formed on the bottom board and slide along a direction parallel to the sidewall in which the opening is defined, the transmission block is inserted into an engaging gap defined between the pair of first transmission rods to drive the pair of first transmission rods slide apart from each other when the second button is pressed downwards.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The connecting structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the transmission mechanism further comprises a pair of second transmission rods and a pair of third transmission rods, the pair of second transmission rods and the pair of third transmission rods are correspondingly pivotally connected head-to-tail in sequence to a pair of ends of the first transmission rods opposite to the engaging gap.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The connecting structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of the pair of second transmission rods is pivotally connected to a screwing bump at a rotation joint formed between the pair of first transmission rod and the pair of third transmission rod, the screwing bump is formed on the bottom board and positioned between the guiding blocks and the opening.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The connecting structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of the pair of second transmission rods comprises a second connecting end pivotally connected to the pair of first transmission rod and a third connecting end pivotally connected to the pair of third transmission rod, a distance between the rotation joint and the second connecting end is greater than the distance between the rotation joint and the third connecting end.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The connecting structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the clamping part comprises a pair of clamps and a pair of first screwing posts formed on the bottom board and positioned in an area abutting the pair of first transmission rods and the pair of second transmission rods, each of the clamps comprises a connecting end pivotally connected to a top end of one of the first screwing posts and a clamping end opposite to the connecting end.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The connecting structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the retracting part further comprises a pair of resilient elements, one end of each resilient element is correspondingly connected to a top end of a second screwing post, the other end of each resilient element is correspondingly connected to a connection joint of one of the clamps to provide a force to push the pair of clamps.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The connecting structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein the pair of third transmission rods are correspondingly pivotally connected to the pair of clamps at a position between the connection joint and the top end of the second screwing post.