POSITIONABLE STAND FOR COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20140036430A1
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gioscia, Richard, Wroblewski, Alexander, Bryan, Philip, Daley, Sean Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 8,917,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.4
• 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

Abstract

A stand assembly for a computing device is provided. The stand assembly includes a stand and a coupling mechanism to couple the stand to a rear face of the computing device. The coupling mechanism is structured to enable the stand to be moved under bias into multiple positions, including a first position in which the stand extends outward from the rear face at a first angle and retains the computing device upright at a first orientation, and a second position in which the stand extends outward from the rear face at a second angle and retains the computing device upright at a second orientation. The coupling mechanism is structured to return the stand, from at least each of the first position and the second position, into a closed position that abuts the rear face of the computing device when the coupling mechanism is relaxed.

Claims

1. A stand assembly comprising:

a stand;

a coupling mechanism to couple the stand to a rear face of a computing device; and

a hinge assembly being structured to enable the stand to be moved under bias into multiple positions, including a first position in which the stand extends outward from the rear face at a first angle and retains the computing device upright at a first orientation, and a second position in which the stand extends outward from the rear face at a second angle and retains the computing device upright at a second orientation;

wherein the hinge assembly is structured to return the stand, from at least each of the first position and the second position, into a closed position that abuts the rear face of the computing device when the hinge assembly is relaxed.

2. The stand assembly of claim 1, wherein the hinge assembly enables the stand to move from the closed position to a position greater than 90 degrees relative to the rear face of the computing device.

3. The stand assembly of claim 1, wherein the stand is positionable to orient a front face of the computing device between 90 and 170 degrees relative to an underlying surface for the stand.

4. The stand assembly of claim 1, wherein the coupling mechanism enables the stand assembly to be attachable and detachable from the rear face.

5. The stand assembly of claim 1, wherein the coupling mechanism integrally couples the stand to the rear face of a computing device.

6. The stand assembly of claim 1, wherein the hinge assembly includes at least one friction hinge to enable the stand to pivot away from the rear face.

7. The stand assembly of claim 6, wherein the hinge assembly includes a torsion spring that is coupled to the at least one friction hinge.

8. A computing device comprising:

a main housing having a front face and a rear face; and

a stand assembly coupled to the rear face of the main housing, the stand assembly including a stand and a hinge assembly that includes a coupling mechanism to couple the stand assembly to the main housing, the hinge assembly being structured to enable the stand to be moved under bias into multiple positions, including a first position in which the stand extends outward from the rear face at a first angle and retains the computing device upright at a first orientation, and a second position in which the stand extends outward from the rear face at a second angle and retains the computing device upright at a second orientation;

wherein the hinge assembly is structured to return the stand, from at least each of the first position and the second position, into a closed position that abuts the rear face of the computing device when the hinge assembly is relaxed.

9. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the stand is positionable to orient the front face between 90 and 170 degrees relative to an underlying surface for the stand.

10. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the hinge assembly enables the stand to move from the closed position to a position greater than 90 degrees relative to the rear face of the computing device.

11. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the stand is positioned in a mid-region of the rear face.

12. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the hinge assembly includes at least one friction hinge to enable the stand to pivot away from the rear face.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the hinge assembly includes a torsion spring that is coupled to the at least one friction hinge.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the stand includes one or more connector interfaces for coupling the computing device to one or more other connectors, and wherein the stand includes one or more connecting wires coupled to the one or more connector interfaces to connect the one or more connector interfaces to internal components of the computing device stored in the main housing, the one or more connecting wires being threaded through at least a portion of the hinge assembly.

15. A computing device assembly comprising:

a computing device; and

a stand assembly comprising;

a stand;

a coupling mechanism to couple the stand to a rear face of a computing device; and

a hinge assembly being structured to enable the stand to be moved under bias into multiple positions, including a first position in which the stand extends outward from the rear face at a first angle and retains the computing device upright at a first orientation, and a second position in which the stand extends outward from the rear face at a second angle and retains the computing device upright at a second orientation;

wherein the hinge assembly is structured to return the stand, from at least each of the first position and the second position, into a closed position that abuts the rear face of the computing device when the hinge assembly is relaxed.