Input device provided with windable display and foldable keyboard, and personal computer provided with the input device

• US 20040061683A1
• Filed: 09/16/2003
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Takagi, Takeyuki, Mochizuki, Isao
• Granted Patent: US 7,196,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1612 Flat panel monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/021 Arrangements integrating additional peripherals in a keyboard, e.g. card or barcode reader, optical scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0216 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of a keyboard for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1664
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0221 Arrangements for reducing keyboard size for transport or storage, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F3/0216 takes precedence; for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1666
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/86 characterised by the casing, e.g. sealed casings or casings reducible in size
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/05 composed of hingedly connected sections
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

An input device 100 is structured such that a flexible display 102 is connected with a keyboard 1 through a control part disposed in a housing unit 101 only during use of the input device 100, in which a contact terminal 105 in the flexible display 102 is connected with a contact terminal 104 in a connector 103 which is electrically connected with a first and second keyboard units 3 and 4 when the flexible display 102 is drawn upward from the housing unit 101 through a slot 118 when required for use of the input device 100.

Claims

1. An input device including:

a foldable keyboard including a first keyboard unit, a second keyboard unit, and a rotatable connecting part provided between the first and second keyboard units, so that the first and second keyboard units are rotated to come apart from each other into an unfolded, horizontally arranged state through the connecting part for use of the keyboard, while the first and second keyboard units are rotated to come close to each other into a closed, folded state through the connecting part for nonuse of the keyboard;

a housing main body disposed at one side of the first or second keyboard unit and formed with a hole in an upper surface;

a flexible display which is windable so as to be housed in a rolled state in the housing main body during nonuse of the display and to be drawn upward from the housing main body through the hole during use of the display;

a first contact terminal formed in the flexible display; and

a connector which is electrically connected with the first and second keyboard units and provided with a second contact terminal,

the first contact terminal being connected with the second contact terminal of the connector when the flexible display is drawn upward from the housing main body through the hole for use of the flexible display.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the housing main body is attached to one side of the first or second keyboard unit along a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the connecting part.

3. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the hole formed in the housing main body is a curved elongate hole having a predetermined curvature, and a resilient metallic thin plate is laminated to a rear side of the flexible display, the resilient metallic thin plate being formed to provide a curved surface of a curvature equal to the predetermined curvature of the hole.

4. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the housing main body is constructed to be attachable and detachable with respect to the first or second keyboard unit, and the keyboard and the flexible display in the housing main body are constructed so as to communicate with each other by wireless communication.

5. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible display is constructed of an organic electroluminescence (EL) display.

6. A personal computer including:

a foldable keyboard including a first keyboard unit, a second keyboard unit, and a rotatable connecting part provided between the first and second keyboard units, so that the first and second keyboard units are rotated to come apart from each other into an unfolded, horizontally arranged state through the connecting part for use of the keyboard, while the first and second keyboard units are rotated to come close to each other into a closed, folded state through the connecting part for nonuse of the keyboard;

a computer main body disposed at one side of the first or second keyboard unit;

a housing main body disposed at one side of the computer main body and formed with a hole in an upper surface;

a flexible display which is windable so as to be housed in a rolled state in the housing main body during nonuse of the display and to be drawn upward from the housing main body through the hole during use of the display;

a first contact terminal formed in the flexible display; and

a connector which is electrically connected with the first and second keyboard units and provided with a second contact terminal,

the first contact terminal being connected with the second contact terminal of the connector when the flexible display is drawn out from the housing main body through the hole for use of the flexible display.

7. An input device including:

a foldable keyboard including a first keyboard unit, a second keyboard unit, and a rotatable connecting part provided between the first and second keyboard units, so that the first and second keyboard units are rotated to come apart from each other into an unfolded, horizontally arranged state through the connecting part for use of the keyboard, while the first and second keyboard units are rotated to come close to each other into a closed, folded state through the connecting part for nonuse of the keyboard;

a housing main body disposed at one side of the first or second keyboard unit and formed with a hole in an upper surface;

a flexible display which is windable so as to be housed in a rolled state in the housing main body during nonuse of the display and to be drawn out from the housing main body through the hole during use of the display;

wherein the hole formed in the housing main body is a curved elongate hole having a predetermined curvature, and a resilient metallic thin plate is laminated to a rear side of the flexible display, the resilient metallic thin plate being formed to provide a curved surface of a curvature equal to the predetermined curvature of the hole.

8. The input device according to claim 7, wherein the housing main body is attached to one side of the first or second keyboard unit along a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the connecting part.

9. The input device according to claim 7, wherein the housing main body is constructed to be attachable and detachable with respect to the first or second keyboard unit, and the keyboard and the flexible display in the housing main body are constructed so as to communicate with each other by wireless communication.

10. The input device according to claim 7, wherein the flexible display is constructed of an organic electroluminescence (EL) display.

11. A personal computer provided with an input device, wherein the input device includes:

a foldable keyboard including a first keyboard unit, a second keyboard unit, and a rotatable connecting part provided between the first and second keyboard units, so that the first and second keyboard units are rotated to come apart from each other into an unfolded, horizontally arranged state through the connecting part for use of the keyboard, while the first and second keyboard units are rotated to come close to each other into a closed, folded state through the connecting part for nonuse of the keyboard;

a computer main body disposed at one side of the first or second keyboard unit;

a housing main body disposed at one side of the computer main body and formed with a hole in an upper surface;

a flexible display which is windable so as to be housed in a rolled state in the housing main body during nonuse of the display and to be drawn out from the housing main body through the hole during use of the display, and

the hole formed in the housing main body is a curved elongate hole having a predetermined curvature, and a resilient metallic thin plate is laminated to a rear side of the flexible display, the resilient metallic thin plate being formed to provide a curved surface of a curvature equal to the predetermined curvature of the hole.

12. An input device including:

a foldable keyboard including a first keyboard unit, a second keyboard unit, and a rotatable connecting part provided between the first and second keyboard units, so that the first and second keyboard units are rotated to come apart from each other into an unfolded, horizontally arranged state through the connecting part for use of the keyboard, while the first and second keyboard units are rotated to come close to each other into a closed, folded state through the connecting part for nonuse of the keyboard;

a housing main body disposed at one side of the first or second keyboard unit and formed with a hole in an upper surface;

a flexible display which is windable so as to be housed in a rolled state in the housing main body during nonuse of the display and to be drawn out from the housing main body through the hole during use of the display,

wherein the housing main body is constructed to be attachable and detachable with respect to the first or second keyboard unit, and the keyboard and the flexible display in the housing main body are constructed so as to communicate with each other by wireless communication.

13. The input device according to claim 12, wherein the housing main body is attached to one side of the first or second keyboard unit along a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the connecting part.

14. The input device according to claim 12, wherein the hole formed in the housing main body is a curved elongate hole having a predetermined curvature, and a resilient metallic thin plate is laminated to a rear side of the flexible display, the resilient metallic thin plate being formed to provide a curved surface of a curvature equal to the predetermined curvature of the hole.

15. The input device according to claim 12, wherein the flexible display is constructed of an organic electroluminescence (EL) display.

16. A personal computer provided with an input device, wherein the input device includes:

a foldable keyboard including a first keyboard unit, a second keyboard unit, and a rotatable connecting part provided between the first and second keyboard units, so that the first and second keyboard units are rotated to come apart from each other into an unfolded, horizontally arranged state through the connecting part for use of the keyboard, while the first and second keyboard units are rotated to come close to each other into a closed, folded state through the connecting part for nonuse of the keyboard;

a computer main body disposed at one side of the first or second keyboard unit;

a housing main body disposed at one side of the computer main body and formed with a hole in an upper surface;

a flexible display which is windable so as to be housed in a rolled state in the housing main body during nonuse of the display and to be drawn out from the housing main body through the hole during use of the display, and

the housing main body is constructed to be attachable and detachable with respect to the first or second keyboard unit, and the keyboard and the flexible display in the housing main body are constructed so as to communicate with each other by wireless communication.