Portable electronic device with adaptive sizing

• US 20040212958A1
• Filed: 04/23/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, Scott Thomas, Jones, Jeffrey Allen, Kaply, Michael Aaron, Sanchez-Cifuentes, Alvaro
• Granted Patent: US 7,012,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/686
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/166 related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops

Abstract

A portable device having improved configurability and adaptability. The portable device has a case or chassis that can be placed in either an open or closed position, to thereby allow for insertion and removal of other devices within the portable device. When increased functionality is required or desired, the device'"'"'s case is expanded by placing it in an open position, to allow additional devices to be operated in conjunction with the portable device. These devices can provide various types of electronic or computer operations, such as electronic adapters or media drives, as well as mechanical operations such as air movement with one or more additional fans or other types of heat sink. When decreased functionality is required or desired, such as to reduce the overall size and weight of the portable device, the device'"'"'s case is contracted by placing it in a closed position. This allows on-demand expansion and contraction capability for the portable device. The expandable case provides dual functionality by also providing improved cooling for the portable device when in an open position.

Claims

1. A housing for a portable electronic device, comprising:

a top surface;

a plurality of side surfaces extending from the top surface; and

a hinged lower surface extending from at least one of the plurality of side surfaces.

2. The housing of claim 1, wherein the hinged lower surface is operable to lock in an open position and lock in a closed position, wherein when locked in the open position at least one expansion bay is user accessible.

3. The housing of claim 2, further comprising a device coupled to the at least one expansion bay.

4. The housing of claim 3, wherein the device is an electronic device.

5. The housing of claim 3, wherein the device is a fan.

6. The housing of claim 3, wherein the device is a battery.

7. The housing of claim 1, wherein a collapsible bay is coupled to the hinged lower surface.

8. The housing of claim 7, further comprising a device coupled to the collapsible bay.

9. The housing of claim 1, wherein the hinged lower surface is operable to open and close.

10. The housing of claim 9, further comprising at least one fan that is moveable to a retracted position when the hinged lower surface is closed, and moveable to an extended position when the hinged lower surface is open.

11. The housing of claim 11, wherein the at least fan is coupled to the hinged lower surface by a lockable hinge to allow the at least one fan to be raised, lowered and locked into position.

12. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a hinged cover that is operable to open and close, wherein when open, an expansion bay is accessible by a user to add at least one additional device to the portable electronic device.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 12, wherein the at least one additional device is an electronic device.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 12, wherein the at least one additional device is a mechanical device.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the mechanical device is a fan.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 15, wherein the fan is moveable to a retracted position when the cover is closed, and moveable to an extended position when the cover is open.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the fan is coupled to the cover by a lockable hinge to allow the fan to be raised, lowered and locked into position.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 12, wherein the hinged cover is a bottom cover of the electronic device.

19. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a chassis; and

a cover that is fixedly attached to the chassis, and is operable to lock in an open position and lock in a closed position, wherein when locked in the open position at least one expansion bay is user accessible.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 19, further comprising an electronic device coupled to the at least one expansion bay.

21. The portable electronic device of claim 19, further comprising a mechanical device coupled to the at least one expansion bay.

22. The portable electronic device of claim 21, wherein the mechanical device is a fan.

23. The portable electronic device of claim 22, wherein the fan is moveable to a retracted position when the cover is in the closed position, and moveable to an extended position when the cover is in the open position.

24. The portable electronic device of claim 23, wherein the fan is coupled to the cover by a lockable hinge to allow the fan to be raised, lowered and locked into position.

25. The portable electronic device of claim 19, wherein the cover is a bottom cover of the electronic device.

26. The portable electronic device of claim 19, wherein the expansion bay collapses from an extended position when the cover is positioned to the closed position.

27. The portable electronic device of claim 19, wherein the expansion bay extends from a collapsed position when the cover is positioned to the open position.

28. A method of operating a portable electronic device, comprising the steps of:

unlatching a bottom cover of the portable electronic device;

opening the unlatched bottom cover; and

latching the unlatched bottom cover in an open position.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of adding an additional device to the portable electronic device through the open position.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the bottom cover has a plurality of sides, and at least one of the plurality of sides is hingedly attached to the portable electronic device, and the step of opening the unlatched bottom cover comprising the step of rotating the bottom cover about the hingedly attached side.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein the bottom cover has a plurality of sides, and the step of opening the unlatched bottom cover comprises translating at least one of the plurality of sides along a substantially linear path within the portable electronic device to a catched position.

32. A housing for a portable electronic device, comprising:

a top surface;

a perpendicular side around the perimeter of the top surface, wherein the perpendicular side has a height to physically accommodate internal components; and

an expandable bottom surface at least partially within the height of the perpendicular side when in a collapsed position, and at least partially outside the height of the perpendicular side when in an expanded position.

33. The housing of claim 32, further comprising a latching mechanism to latch the expandable bottom surface when in the collapsed position.

34. The housing of claim 32, further comprising a latching mechanism to latch the expandable bottom surface when in the expanded position.

35. The housing of claim 32, further comprising at least one additional internal component coupled to the expandable bottom surface.

36. The housing of claim 32 further comprising a collapsible bay coupled to the expandable bottom surface.

37. The housing of claim 36, further comprising at least one additional internal component coupled to the collapsible bay.