Portable electronic device

• US 20050237701A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventec Corporation
• Original Assignee: Inventec Corporation
• Inventors: Yu, Christine
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.270
• 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 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/917 Video display screen support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/919 Adjustably orientable video screen support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/92 Angular and linear video display screen support adjustment

Abstract

A portable electronic device includes a host, a display screen and a universal pivot member. The universal pivot member is mounted between the host and the display screen and can freely rotate to adjust the display screen to a comfortable viewing position for a user. In another embodiment, the portable electronic device includes a host having a display screen, and a universal holder member mounted below the host. The universal holder member can similarly freely rotate to adjust the display screen of the host to a comfortable viewing position for the user.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a host;

a display unit; and

a universal pivot member mounted between the host and the display unit so as to allow the display unit to be flexibly turned in position via the universal pivot member.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the universal pivot member is allowed to be flexibly turned to adjust the display unit to a predetermined position.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the universal pivot member comprises:

a mount mounted on the host and having an opening;

a first shaft component pivotally mounted in the opening of the mount so as to allow the first shaft component to swing back and forth, wherein the first shaft component is provided with a recess; and

a second shaft component pivotally mounted in the recess of the first shaft component so as to allow the second shaft component to swing laterally, wherein the second shaft component is provided with a rotatable shaft that is fastened to the display unit so as to allow the display unit to be turned along with the rotatable shaft.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 3, wherein the second shaft component is further provided with a position restricting mechanism for restricting the turning of the display unit at an angle within a predetermined range along with the rotatable shaft.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 4, wherein the position restricting mechanism comprises a protrusion provided on the rotatable shaft of the second shaft component, and a position restricting block mounted inside the display unit.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein signal wires for connection between the host and the display unit are located outside the universal pivot member.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the universal pivot member has a hollow structure where the signal wires are received.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the hollow structure comprises the opening of the mount, a first through hole formed through the host, and a second through hole formed in the first shaft component, and a third through hole formed in the second shaft component.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is one selected from the group consisting of notebook computer, laptop computer, portable computer, palmtop computer, flip-top dictionary, flip-top cellular phone, and flip-top calculator.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the display unit is a display screen.

11. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a host having a display unit; and

a universal holder member mounted below the host so as to allow the host to be flexibly turned in position via the universal holder member.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the universal holder member is allowed to be flexibly turned to adjust the host to a predetermined position.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the universal holder member comprises:

a base;

a mount provided on the base and having an opening;

a first shaft component pivotally mounted in the opening of the mount so as to allow the first shaft component to swing back and forth, wherein the first shaft component is provided with a recess; and

a second shaft component pivotally mounted in the recess of the first shaft component so as to allow the second shaft component to laterally swing, wherein a clip is provided on the second shaft component for clipping the host so as to allow the host to be turned along with the universal holder member.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the portable electronic device is one selected from the group consisting of tablet PC (personal computer), tablet electronic dictionary, tablet calculator, personal digital assistant (PDA), and palmtop computer.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the display unit is a display screen.