Importance

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Abstract

A portable computer system having automatic power cutoff function is disclosed. The main power supply of the portable computer is interrupted before connecting with an expansion system. The automatic power off operation is performed by a lever 50 and a power switch 41 arranged in the portable computer. The lever 50 is pivotally mounted adjacent to an expansion port 20 and the switch 41 is located on the circuit board 18 of the portable computer such that button 42 of the switch 41 is positioned underneath one end of the lever 50. An opening 46 is formed at one side of the mounting screw 24 of the expansion port 20 in order to pass through the other end of the lever 50. When the portable computer is placed in position on the docking station 14, a bracket 28 drawn out of the docking station 14 is lifted for a predetermined height where the top portion thereof contacts with the mounting screw 24 and the protrusion of the lever 50. With this, the lever 50 moves upwardly and thus rotates counterclockwise to press the button of the switch 41. This allows the power switch 41 to be in electrical off (open) state, just before coupling of the expansion port 20 of the portable computer 10 to the port replicator 22 of the docking station 14. Thus, the present invention provides for a basic protection of the portable computer against overvoltage applied from the docking station, and thereby preventing unexpected data loss in a semiconductor memory and damage of the computer mainboard.

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First Claim