Portable Information Handling System Detachable Support and Attachment Device

• US 20160062411A1
• Filed: 08/29/2014
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Coolidge, Daniel, Kamphuis, Kevin L., Regimbal, Laurent A., Morrison, Jason S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,939,848 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards

Abstract

A tablet information handling system detachable base couples with a tablet information handling system by inserting a trapezoidal-shaped support into a trapezoidal-shaped opening of the tablet information handling system. The smaller perimeter of the support has room to fit in the larger perimeter opening of the tablet information handling system for ease of insertion, yet the support snuggly fits into the opening after complete insertion. A latch couples the support with an inclined lower surface so that pulling on the tablet information handling system without releasing of the latch translates into a more secure latch coupling. A latch release timer allows one-handed detachment by maintaining the latch in a released position for a predetermined time after latch release actuation.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

a planar housing having an opening disposed on one side, the opening tapering to a smaller size from an outer size at the housing exterior to an inner size at the housing interior;

a processor disposed in the housing and operable to process information;

memory disposed in the housing and interfaced with the processor, the memory operable to store the information;

a display integrated in the housing and operable to present the information as visual images; and

a base having a bottom surface operable to rest on a support surface and a keyboard disposed on an upper surface, the base having a support extending outwards with a tapered shape that inserts in the planar housing opening, the support bottom size substantially matching the opening outer size.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:

a hinge coupling the support to the base, the hinge operable to rotate the support between at least a position perpendicular to the base and parallel to the base;

wherein the support and the housing opening interact with substantially similar sized opposing trapezoidal shapes.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a latch extending outward from the support, the latch having an inclined upper surface and an inclined lower surface, the latch collapsing into the support when force is applied against the inclined upper surface, the latch biased in an outwards direction from the support when force is applied against the inclined lower surface.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

a latch release operable to retract the latch into the support; and

a latch release timer interfaced with the latch and operable to maintain the latch retracted into the support for a predetermined time after retraction of the latch in the support by the latch release.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising first and second latches disposed on opposing sides of the support.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the base has only one support that inserts into the housing opening to couple the housing to the base.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the support and latches have a symmetrical disposition to accept the housing in plural orientations relative to the base.

8. The system of claim 4 further comprising a wireless interface disposed in the support and the opening and operable to communicate inputs made at the keyboard to the processor.

9. The system of claim 4 further comprising a thermal interface disposed in the support and the opening and operable to conduct thermal energy from the housing to the base.

10. A method for supporting a display device having a display over a base, the method comprising:

aligning an opening in the side of the display device with a support extending upwards from the base, the support having a perimeter at a distal end of substantially less than a perimeter of the opening of the display device and a perimeter proximate the base of substantially equal to the perimeter of the opening of the display device;

inserting the support into the opening of the display device to bring the opening proximate the base; and

latching the display device to the support.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein latching further comprises:

pressing with the display device on an upper surface of a latch at the inserting to retract the latch into the support during the inserting; and

biasing the latch out of the support to engage the display device after the support enters the opening.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

pulling the display device away from the base after the biasing;

in response to pulling, engaging a portion of the display device with a bottom surface of the latch; and

translating the pulling through the bottom surface of the latch to a latching mechanism to further bias the latch out of the support.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

activating a release mechanism to retract the latch into the support;

releasing the release mechanism; and

keeping the latch retracted into the support for a predetermined time.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising automatically biasing the latch out of the support to engage the display device after the predetermined time.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the display device opening and the base support each have a trapezoidal shape so that the support surface engages substantially all of the opening surface after completion of the inserting.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the display device comprises a table information handling system, the method further comprising:

generating thermal energy in the tablet information handling system by processing information; and

transferring the thermal energy through a thermally-conductive material to a thermal transfer device integrated in the support.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein inserting the support further comprises inserting only one support from the base into the display device to couple the display device to the base.

18. A detachable base for holding a tablet information handling system, the detachable base comprising:

a base having a bottom surface operable to rest on a support surface and a keyboard disposed on an upper surface; and

a support extending outwards from the base with a tapered shape to insert in an opening of the tablet information handling system, the support perimeter proximate the base substantially matching a perimeter of the opening, the support perimeter tapering to a smallest perimeter furthest distal the base so that the support forms a trapezoidal shape.

19. The detachable base of claim 18 further comprising:

a latch disposed in the support and aligned to engage with the tablet information handling system in an engaged position within the opening;

a release operable to move the latch to a released position; and

a latch release timer interfaced with the latch and operable to maintain the latch in the released position for a predetermined time after the release moves the latch and to return the latch to the engaged position after the predetermined time.

20. The detachable base of claim 18 wherein the trapezoidal shape substantially fills the opening of the tablet information handling system upon insertion of the support in the opening.