Media module locking and ejecting mechanism

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first spring is a beam spring.

Claim 4

An apparatus acceding to claim 1 wherein the locking device further includes: a release arm attached to the locking device, the rod engaging the release arm to disengage the locking device from the media module; and a first pivot physically coupled to the locking device and to the media bay, the locking device rotating on the first pivot upon engagement of the rod to the release arm.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the media module includes a first electrical connector physically and electrically coupled to the media module, the apparatus further comprising: a second electrical connector physically coupled to the media bay, the second electrical connector being attached to the first electrical connector so that the media module is electrically coupled to the second connector when the media module is in the locked position.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the rotation of the rotating body moving the media module from the locked position deattaches the first electrical connector from the second electrical connector.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the locking device includes a locking head; and as the media module is pushed to the locked position, a portion of the media module presses against the locking head forcing the locking head to move from a first position to second position so that the media module is further inserted into the media bay to the locked position.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising: a second spring physically coupled to the locking device, the second spring returning the locking head to the first position to lock the media module after the media module is in the locked position.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein: the second spring is attached to the rotating body.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the first spring includes a sliding knob; during the insertion of the media module into the media bay, the media module passes a first position at which the media module contacts the sliding knob, the sliding knob sliding across a portion of the media module as the media module is further inserted past the first position to a locked position.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising: a second locking device physically coupled to the media bay, the second locking device including a pin, the pin generating a force countering the first spring to prevent the rotating body from rotating during the insertion of the media module in the media bay, the rod engaging the second locking device to move the pin to rotate the rotating body.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising: a second spring physically coupled to the rotating body and physically coupled to the media bay, the second spring rotating the rotating body to an original position after the media module is moved from the locked position.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 1 where the rotating body further comprises: a head portion, the head portion having a surface at which a portion of the head portion contacts the media module during rotation of the rotating body when the locking device is disengaged, the head portion positioned on the rotating body to move the media module during the rotation of the rotating mechanism.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising: a button, located on an outer portion of the media module and coupled to the rod, the button for actuation from a first position to a second position causing the rod to engage the locking device; a spring, coupled to the button and coupled to the media module, the spring returning the button from the second position to the first position.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: the first spring generating a force against the media module.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first spring is physically coupled to the media bay via the first spring being attached to the rotating body, the rotating body being mounted on the pivot, and the pivot physically coupled to the media bay.

Claim 19

A method according to claim 16 wherein the step of disengaging the locking device further includes the steps of: engaging a release arm attached to the locking device with a rod causing the locking device to rotate on a pivot to disengage the locking device from the media module.

Claim 20

A method according to claim 17 wherein the step of disengaging the locking device includes the step of: actuating a button physically coupled to the rod, actuation of the button causing the rod to disengage the locking device from the media module.

Claim 21

A method according to claim 16 further comprising the step of: disconnecting an electrical connector physically and electrically coupled to the media module from an electrical connector physically coupled to the media bay.

Claim 22

A method according to claim 16 further comprising the steps of: generating a second force; applying the second force to the rotating body; and rotating the rotating body back in the opposite direction after the rotating body has moved the media module.

Claim 23

A method according to claim 16 farther comprising the steps of: grasping a portion of the media module after the media module is moved in the media bay by the rotating body; and removing the media module from the media bay.

Claim 24

A method according to claim 17 wherein: the step of applying the first force further includes applying the generated force against the media module.

Claim 25

A method according to claim 22 wherein: the first force is generated opposing the media module in a first direction; the first force is generated opposing the rotating body in a second direction; and the first and second directions are neither the same direction nor opposite directions.

Claim 26

A method according to claim 23, wherein the first direction and the second direction are generally perpendicular to each other.

Claim 27

A method according to claim 16 further comprising the steps of: locking the media module in the media bay, the locking steps including: inserting the media module in the media bay; pushing the media module into the media bay to a position where a portion of the media module contacts a locking head attached to the locking device, the locking head taking a first position; pushing the media module further into the media bay where the portion of the media module forces the locking head to a second position; pushing the media module into a locked position; and returning the locking device to the first position after the media module is in the locked position.

Claim 28

A method according to claim 16 further comprising the steps of generating a second force against the rotating body to counter the first force; and releasing the second force so that the first force causes the rotating body to rotate.

Claim 29

A method according to claim 26 wherein: a pin attached to an arm generates the second force, the releasing step further including the steps of: engaging a release arm with a rod, causing an arm to rotate so as to release the force from the pin against the rotating body.

Claim 30

A method according to claim 17 wherein: the step of applying the first force further includes applying the generated force against the media module.

Claim 31

A computer system comprising: a processor; a media bay, the media bay receiving a media module, the media module including a first electrical connector physically and electrically coupled to the media module; a second electrical connector physically coupled to the media bay and electrically coupled to the processor, when the media module is in the locked position, the first electrical connector is attached to the second electrical connector so that the media module is electrically coupled to the processor; a locking device physically coupled to the media bay, the locking device engaging the media module to lock the media module in a locked position in the media bay; a rod engaging the locking device to disengage the locking device from the media module; a rotating body mounted on a pivot, the pivot physically coupled to the media bay; and a first spring, the first spring physically coupled to the media bay, the first spring positioned to generate a force against the rotating body, the force against the rotating body rotates the rotating body on disengagement of the locking device from the media module, the rotation of the rotating body ejecting the media module from the locked position.

Claim 32

A computer system comprising: a processor; a media bay, the media bay receiving a media module, the media module including a first electrical connector physically and electrically coupled to the media module; a second electrical connector physically coupled to the media bay and electrically coupled to the processor, when the media module is in the locked position, the first electrical connector is attached to the second electrical connector so that the media module is electrically coupled to the processor; a locking device physically coupled to the media bay, the locking device engaging the media module to lock the media module in a locked position in the media bay; a rod engaging the locking device to disengage the locking device from the media module; a rotating body mounted on a pivot, the pivot physically coupled to the media bay; and a first spring, the first spring physically coupled to the media bay, the first spring positioned to generate a force against the rotating body, the force against the rotating body rotates the rotating body on disengagement of the locking device from the media module, the rotation of the rotating body ejecting the media module from the locked position.

Claim 33

A computer system according to claim 29 wherein: the computer system is a portable computer; the media bay is located in the base portion of the portable computer.

Claim 34

A computer system according to claim 29 wherein the first spring is a beam spring.

Claim 35

A computer system according to claim 29 wherein the locking device further includes: a release arm attached to the locking device, the rod engaging the release arm to disengage the locking device from the media module; and a first pivot physically coupled to the locking device and to the media bay, the locking device rotating on the first pivot upon engagement of the rod to the release arm.

Claim 36

A computer system according to claim 29, wherein the rotation of the rotating body moving the media module from the locked position deattaches the first electrical connector from the second electrical connector.

Claim 37

A computer system according to claim 29, wherein: the locking device includes a locking head; and as the media module is pushed to the locked position, a portion of the media module presses against the locking head forcing the locking head to move from a first position to second position so that the media module is further inserted into the media bay to the locked position.

Claim 38

A computer system according to claim 34 further comprising: a second spring physically coupled to the locking device, the second spring returning the locking head to the first position to lock the media module after the media module is in the locked position.

Claim 39

A computer system according to claim 35 wherein: the second spring is attached to the rotating body.

Claim 40

A computer system according to claim 29 wherein: the first spring includes a sliding knob; during the insertion of the media module into the media bay, the media module passes a first position at which the media module contacts the sliding knob, the sliding knob sliding across a portion of the media module as the media module is further inserted past the first position to a locked position.

Claim 41

A computer system according to claim 29 further comprising: a second locking device physically coupled to the media bay, the second locking device including a pin, the pin generating a force countering the first spring to prevent the rotating body from rotating during the insertion of the media module in the media bay, the rod engaging the second locking device to move the pin to rotate the rotating body.

Claim 42

A computer system according to claim 29 further comprising: a second spring physically coupled to the rotating body and physically coupled to the media bay, the second spring rotating the rotating body to an original position after the media module is moved from the locked position.

Claim 43

A computer system according to claim 29 where the rotating body further comprises: a head portion, the head portion having a surface at which a portion of the head portion contacts the media module during rotation of the rotating body when the locking device is disengaged, the head portion positioned on the rotating body to move the media module during the rotation of the rotating mechanism.

Claim 44

A computer system according to claim 29 further comprising: a button, located on an outer portion of the media module and coupled to the rod, the button for actuation from a first position to a second position causing the rod to engage the locking device; a spring, coupled to the button and coupled to the media module, the spring returning the button from the second position to the first position.

Claim 45

A computer system according to claim 29 wherein: the first spring generating a force against the media module.

Claim 46

A computer system according to claim 29 wherein the first spring is physically coupled to the media bay via the first spring being attached to the rotating body, the rotating body being mounted on the pivot, and the pivot physically coupled to the media bay.