Slide case with pivotable stand member for handheld computing device

• US 20050264988A1
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Nicolosi, Matthew Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,042,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.440
• 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 1/166 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 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers

Abstract

A handheld computing device includes a display screen, a main housing portion, a removable case, and a stand member. The main housing retains the display screen. The removable case is adapted to slidably fit over at least part of the main housing. The stand member is pivotably coupled to the case. The stand member, the case, and the main housing are configured so that the main housing may be retained at a tilt angle relative to a surface by the stand member and the case when the case is laying on the surface and when the stand member is pivoted relative to the case to form a stand angle between the stand member and the case. Preferably, the handheld computing device is a system adapted to have a storage configuration, a laying usage configuration, and a tilted usage configuration. The handheld computing device may be a graphing calculator, for example.

Claims

1. A handheld computing device comprising:

a display screen;

a main housing portion that retains the display screen;

a removable case adapted to slidably fit over at least part of the main housing portion;

a stand member pivotably coupled to the case, wherein the stand member, the case, and the main housing portion are configured so that the main housing portion may be retained at a tilt angle relative to a surface by the stand member and the case when the case is laying on the surface and when the stand member is pivoted relative to the case to form a stand angle between the stand member and the case.

2. The handheld computing device of claim 1, wherein the stand member is removably coupled to the case.

3. The handheld computing device of claim 2, wherein the case has at least two stand attachment locations such that the stand member may be pivotable coupled to the case at any of the stand attachment locations.

4. The handheld computing device of claim 1, wherein the main housing portion comprises at least one slot adapted to accept a portion of the stand member therein and located on a back side of the main housing portion.

5. The handheld computing device of claim 1, wherein the handheld computing device is a graphing calculator.

6. The handheld computing device of claim 1, wherein the handheld computing device is adapted to have a storage configuration, such that in the storage configuration,

the case is slidably attached to the main housing portion to cover at least part of the display screen and a top side of the main housing portion,

the stand member is in a pivoted closed position relative to the case, and

the stand member is located between the case and the top side of the main housing portion.

7. The handheld computing device of claim 1, wherein the handheld computing device is adapted to have a laying usage configuration, such that in the laying usage configuration,

the case is slidably attached to the main housing portion to cover at least part of a bottom side of the main housing portion,

the stand member is in a pivoted closed position relative to the case, and

the stand member is located between the case and the bottom side of the main housing portion.

8. The handheld computing device of claim 1, wherein the main housing portion further retains a keypad, retains a processor therein, and is adapted to retain batteries therein.

9. The handheld computing device of claim 1, wherein the case and the stand member are made from plastic.

10. A handheld computing device system adapted to have a storage configuration, a laying usage configuration, and a tilted usage configuration, the system comprising:

a display screen;

a main housing portion having a top side and a bottom side, wherein the main housing portion retains the display screen on the top side;

a removable case adapted to slidably attach to the main housing portion;

a stand member having a distal end and an attachment end, the attachment end of the stand member being pivotably coupled to the case;

such that in the storage configuration,

the case is slidably attached to the main housing portion to cover at least part of the top side of the main housing portion,

the stand member is in a pivoted closed position relative to the case, and

the stand member is located between the case and the top side of the main housing portion;

such that in the laying usage configuration,

the case is slidably attached to the main housing portion to cover at least part of the bottom side of the main housing portion,

the stand member is in a pivoted closed position relative to the case, and

the stand member is located between the case and the bottom side of the main housing portion; and

such that in the tilted usage configuration,

the stand member is in a pivoted open position relative to the case so that a stand angle is formed between the stand member and the case,

the bottom side of the main housing portion rests on the distal end of the stand member, and

the main housing portion is retained at a tilt angle relative to a surface by the stand member and the case when the case is laying on the surface.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the stand member is removably coupled to the case.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the case has at least two stand attachment locations such that the stand member may be pivotable coupled to the case at any of the stand attachment locations.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the main housing portion comprises at least one slot adapted to accept at least part of the distal end of the stand member therein in the titled usage configuration and located on the bottom side of the main housing portion.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is adapted for use as a graphing calculator.

15. A handheld computing device system adapted to have a tilted usage configuration, the system comprising:

a display screen;

a main housing portion having a top side and a bottom side, wherein the main housing portion retains the display screen on the top side;

a removable case adapted to slidably attach to the main housing portion;

a stand member having a distal end and an attachment end, the attachment end of the stand member being pivotably coupled to the case; and

such that in the tilted usage configuration,

the stand member is in a pivoted open position relative to the case so that a stand angle is formed between the stand member and the case,

the bottom side of the main housing portion rests on the distal end of the stand member, and

the main housing portion is retained at a tilt angle relative to a surface by the stand member and the case when the case is laying on the surface.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the system is adapted to have a storage configuration, such that in the storage configuration,

the case is slidably attached to the main housing portion to cover at least part of the top side of the main housing portion,

the stand member is in a pivoted closed position relative to the case, and

the stand member is located between the case and the top side of the main housing portion.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the system is adapted to have a laying usage configuration, such that in the laying usage configuration,

the case is slidably attached to the main housing portion to cover at least part of the bottom side of the main housing portion,

the stand member is in a pivoted closed position relative to the case, and

the stand member is located between the case and the bottom side of the main housing portion.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the stand member is removably coupled to the case.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the case has at least two stand attachment locations such that the stand member may be pivotable coupled to the case at any of the stand attachment locations.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the main housing portion comprises at least one slot adapted to accept at least part of the distal end of the stand member therein in the titled usage configuration and located on the bottom side of the main housing portion.