Flat panel computer having an integrally housed flat panel display

• US 20050243505A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Jackson, Louis R. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,149,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.210
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• 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 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1631 Panel PC, e.g. single housing hosting PC and display panel
• 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 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/917 Video display screen support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

One disclosed embodiment of a personal computer system includes a personal computer integrated entirely within a flat panel display having a single panel shaped housing. The personal computer system also includes a desktop mount integrated into a rear wall of the single panel shaped housing, wherein the desktop mount has a pivotal leg angled outwardly from the rear wall at a central region midway between left and right sides of the single panel shaped housing.

Claims

1. A personal computer system, comprising:

a personal computer integrated entirely within a flat panel display having a single panel shaped housing; and

a desktop mount integrated into a rear wall of the single panel shaped housing, wherein the desktop mount comprises a pivotal leg angled outwardly from the rear wall at a central region midway between left and right sides of the single panel shaped housing.

2. The personal computer system of claim 1, wherein the pivotal leg comprises a generally horizontal portion and an upwardly angled portion extending from the generally horizontal portion.

3. The personal computer system of claim 2, wherein the generally horizontal portion and the upwardly angled portion are a single leg structure.

4. The personal computer system of claim 3, comprising a supplemental pivotal leg interlockable with the pivotal leg at an intermediate region between the generally horizontal portion and the upwardly angled portion.

5. The personal computer system of claim 1, wherein the pivotal leg comprises a generally L-shaped profile.

6. The personal computer system of claim 1, comprising a horizontal leg diverging outwardly from a bottom of the pivotal leg in directions generally toward a front side of the single panel shaped housing.

7. The personal computer system of claim 1, wherein the pivotal leg comprises a vertically oriented hinge.

8. The personal computer system of claim 1, wherein the single panel shaped housing comprises an integral wall mount.

9. The personal computer system of claim 8, comprising a plurality of elongated fasteners each having a shaft and a head, wherein the integral wall mount comprises a plurality of wall fastener slots each configured to receive a head of one of the plurality of elongated fasteners, respectively.

10. The personal computer system of claim 1, comprising a computer disc drive disposed in a left or right side of the single panel shaped housing to enable insertion and removal of a computer disc in a lateral direction.

11. The personal computer system of claim 1, comprising an optical disc drive disposed in a side of the single panel shaped housing, wherein the optical disc drive comprises a disc receptacle to enable insertion and removal of an optical disc without insertion and removal of a supporting tray.

12. The personal computer system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of communication ports mounted in the single panel shaped housing, wherein the communication ports include a network port, or a wireless port, or a digital port, or an optical port, or a combination thereof.

13. The personal computer system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of communication ports mounted in the single panel shaped housing, wherein the communication ports include a universal serial bus (USB) port, or an IEEE 1394 port, or a combination thereof.

14. The personal computer system of claim 1, wherein the single panel shaped housing comprises a plurality of internal device access panels.

15. A personal computer system, comprising:

a panel personal computer having a flat panel display and a personal computer integrated into one shared panel enclosure; and

a leg coupled to a rear side of the one shared panel enclosure at a region midway between left and right sides of the one shared panel enclosure, wherein the leg comprises a first portion extending from the rear side outwardly to a base position behind the rear side, and the leg comprises a second portion extending from the base position in a direction toward a front side of the one shared panel enclosure.

16. The personal computer system of claim 15, wherein the second portion diverges from the base position in two generally horizontal directions toward the front side of the one shared panel enclosure.

17. The personal computer system of claim 15, wherein the first and second portions are a one-piece structure having a generally L-shaped profile.

18. The personal computer system of claim 15, wherein the leg is collapsible into a recess within the rear side of the one shared panel enclosure.

19. The personal computer system of claim 15, wherein the leg comprises a triangular support structure.

20. The personal support system of claim 15, comprising a bottommost structure having only three feet arranged in a triangular configuration.

21. The personal support system of claim 20, wherein the only three feet include a first foot and a second foot on a bottom side of the one shared panel enclosure, and a third foot on a bottom portion of the leg at the base position behind the rear side.

22. The personal computer system of claim 15, wherein the leg is rotatable about a generally vertical axis of rotation.

23. The personal computer system of claim 15, comprising a computer disc drive disposed in a left or right side of the one shared panel enclosure to enable insertion and removal of a computer disc in a lateral direction.

24. The personal computer system of claim 15, comprising an optical disc drive disposed in a side of the one shared panel enclosure, wherein the optical disc drive comprises a disc receptacle to enable insertion and removal of an optical disc without insertion and removal of a supporting tray.

25. The personal computer system of claim 15, comprising a plurality of keyhole mounting slots extending into the rear side of the one shared panel enclosure.

26. The personal computer system of claim 15, wherein the panel personal computer comprises a network port, a universal serial bus (USB) port, and a phone port.

27. A personal computer system, comprising:

a personal computer, comprising;

a computer enclosure consisting essentially of a single panel shaped structure;

a flat panel display integrally mounted inside the computer enclosure;

an optical disc drive disposed in a side of the computer enclosure, wherein the optical disc drive comprises a disc receptacle to enable insertion and removal of an optical disc without insertion and removal of a supporting tray; and

a desk mount comprising a one-piece leg having a generally L-shaped profile.

28. The personal computer system of claim 27, comprising a mouse and a keyboard physically separate from, and communicatively coupled to, the personal computer, wherein the mouse and keyboard are communicatively coupled by a communication cable.

29. The personal computer system of claim 27, wherein the single panel shaped structure comprises top, left, and rights sides that are mostly flat, rectangular, and flush with front and rear sides of the single panel shaped structure.

30. The personal computer system of claim 29, wherein the front and rear sides are mostly flat, rectangular, and flush with top, bottom, left, and right sides of the single panel shaped structure.

31. The personal computer system of claim 30, wherein the front side of the single panel shaped structure has only a display screen of the flat panel display and a continuous wall surrounding the display screen.

32. The personal computer system of claim 27, comprising at least one wall mounting slot extending into a rear side of the single panel shaped structure.

33. The personal computer system of claim 27, wherein the personal computer comprises a plurality of universal serial bus (USB) ports integrally mounted in the computer enclosure.

34. The personal computer system of claim 27, wherein the personal computer comprises a network port integrally mounted in the computer enclosure.

35. A personal computer system, comprising:

an all-in-one personal computer, comprising;

a computer enclosure consisting essentially of a single panel shaped structure;

a flat panel display integrally mounted inside the computer enclosure;

a computer disc drive disposed in a lateral side of the computer enclosure to enable insertion and removal of a computer disc in a lateral direction; and

a desk mount comprising a leg coupled to a rear side of the computer enclosure at a central region between lateral sides of the computer enclosure, wherein the leg comprises a first portion extending from the central region downwardly to a base position behind the rear side, and the leg comprises a second portion diverging from the base position in two generally horizontal directions toward a front side of the computer enclosure.

36. The personal computer system of claim 35, wherein the second portion has a generally V-shaped geometry.

37. The personal computer system of claim 35, comprising at least one wall mounting opening extending into a rear side of the single panel shaped structure.

38. The personal computer system of claim 37, wherein the at least one wall mounting opening is configured to receive a threaded fastener.

39. The personal computer system of claim 35, wherein the single panel shaped structure comprises a plurality of access panels disposed removably over internal computer components.

40. The personal computer system of claim 35, comprising a plurality of universal serial bus (USB) ports, a network port, an audio port, and a video port integrally mounted in the computer enclosure.

41. The personal computer system of claim 35, comprising an optical port integrally mounted in the computer enclosure.