Flat panel computer having an integrally housed flat panel display

• US 20070041153A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Louis Jackson
• Original Assignee: Louis Jackson
• Inventors: Jackson, Louis
• Granted Patent: US 7,295,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.260
• 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

Certain embodiments of a personal computer system include an all-in-one personal computer or a panel personal computer. For example, the all-in-one computer may include a computer enclosure consisting essentially of a single panel shaped structure and a flat panel display integrally mounted inside the computer enclosure. By further example, the panel personal computer may include a flat panel display and a personal computer integrated at least substantially into one shared panel enclosure. Some embodiments of the computer have a center leg. In addition, some embodiments of the computer have substantially flat sides and faces that are substantially perpendicular to one another.

Claims

1. 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, wherein a viewable area of the flat panel display is disposed on a front side opposite from a rear side of the computer enclosure;

a leg having a first elongated portion coupled to a second elongated portion to define a L-shaped cross-section in a plane, wherein the plane is oriented generally vertical relative to a base of the computer enclosure, and the plane is centered between left and right sides of the computer enclosure.

2. The personal computer system of claim 1, wherein the first elongated portion is coupled to the rear side and extends outwardly from the rear side in a first direction away from the rear side to a rear bottommost support position, the second elongated portion is coupled to the first elongated portion at the rear bottommost support position, and the second elongated portion defines a bottom of the L-shaped cross-section.

3. The personal computer system of claim 1, wherein the left side, the right side, the base, and a top of the computer enclosure are flat between the front and rear sides and are perpendicular relative to the front and rear sides.

4. The personal computer system of claim 1, comprising an optical drive disposed in a lateral side of the computer enclosure to enable insertion and removal of an optical disc in a direction parallel to the base of the computer enclosure.

5. The personal computer system of claim 1, comprising at least one wall mount opening extending into the rear side of the computer enclosure.

6. The personal computer system of claim 5, wherein the at least one wall mount opening comprises a keyhole shaped slot.

7. The personal computer system of claim 1, comprising a network port, a wireless port, or a combination thereof, coupled to the computer enclosure.

8. The personal computer system of claim 1, comprising a complementary leg having a V-shaped cross-section in another plane generally crosswise to the plane.

9. A personal computer system, comprising:

a personal computer integrated at least substantially within a flat panel display having a single panel shaped housing configured to mount in a generally vertical orientation, wherein the single panel shaped housing has a front screen face, a rear face opposite the front screen face, a top side, a bottom side opposite the top side, a left side, and a right side opposite the left side;

a center leg coupled to the rear face at a position centered between the left and right sides of the single panel shaped housing, wherein the center leg extends downwardly in a first direction generally from the top side toward the bottom side to a bottommost support portion, the center leg extends frontwardly in a second direction generally from the bottommost support portion toward the front screen face and the bottom side, and the first and second directions are disposed in a common plane; and

an optical disc drive disposed in the single panel shaped housing, wherein the optical disc drive comprises a disc receptacle configured to enable insertion and removal of an optical disc without insertion and removal of a supporting tray.

10. The personal computer system of claim 9, wherein the center leg is configured to support the single panel shaped housing in the generally vertical orientation via placement of the bottommost support portion on a work surface underneath the bottom side of the single panel shaped housing.

11. The personal computer system of claim 9, wherein the center leg comprises a generally upright elongated portion coupled to a generally horizontal elongated portion, wherein the generally upright elongated portion and the generally horizontal elongated portion extend lengthwise in directions disposed in the common plane.

12. The personal computer system of claim 11, wherein the generally upright elongated portion and the generally horizontal elongated portion are a single leg structure.

13. The personal computer system of claim 9, wherein the center leg comprises a generally L-shaped cross-section oriented in the common plane.

14. The personal computer system of claim 9, wherein the single panel shaped housing comprises an integral wall mount.

15. The personal computer system of claim 14, wherein the integral wall mount comprises a plurality of wall fastener slots.

16. The personal computer system of claim 9, wherein the front screen face of the single panel shaped housing has only a display screen of the flat panel display and a continuous wall surrounding the display screen.

17. The personal computer system of claim 9, wherein the left, right, and top sides of the single panel shaped housing are substantially flat and substantially perpendicular relative to the front screen face and the rear face of the single panel shaped housing, wherein the front and rear faces are substantially flat and substantially rectangular.

18. A personal computer system, comprising:

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

a leg coupled to a rear side 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, the leg comprises a second portion extending from the base position in a direction toward a front side of the one shared panel enclosure, and the first and second portions extend lengthwise in directions along a substantially vertical plane centered between left and right sides of the one shared panel enclosure.

19. The personal computer system of claim 18, wherein the substantially vertical plane is substantially perpendicular to the rear side and is substantially parallel to the left and right sides.

20. The personal computer system of claim 18, wherein the first and second portions are a one-piece structure having a generally L-shaped cross-section oriented in the substantially vertical plane.

21. The personal computer system of claim 18, wherein the leg is collapsible toward the rear side of the one shared panel enclosure.

22. The personal computer system of claim 18, comprising a computer disc drive disposed in a lateral side of the one shared panel enclosure to enable insertion and removal of a computer disc in a lateral direction substantially parallel to a bottom side of the one shared panel enclosure.

23. The personal computer system of claim 18, comprising an optical disc drive disposed in 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.

24. The personal computer system of claim 18, wherein the left and right sides and a top side of the one shared panel enclosure are flat and perpendicular relative to the front and rear sides of the one shared panel enclosure.

25. The personal computer system of claim 24, wherein the front and rear sides are flat and rectangular.

26. The personal computer system of claim 25, wherein the front side of the one shared panel enclosure has only a display screen of the flat panel display and a continuous wall surrounding the display screen.

27. The personal computer system of claim 19, comprising at least one wall mounting slot extending into the rear side of the one shared panel enclosure.