Portable electronic apparatus having a display unit rotating in vertical and horizontal directions

• US 5,168,423 A
• Filed: 09/07/1990
• Issued: 12/01/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohgami, Keizo, Hosoi, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US07/578,659
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 248/183, 248/278, 248/349, 248/919, 248/921, 248/922, 248/923, D14/100, D14/106, 364/708, 361/380, 361/390, 361/391, 361/392, 361/393, 361/394, 361/395, 361/399
• US Class Current: 361/679.07
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/921 Plural angular
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/923 Tilting

Abstract

A portable computer has a base unit and a flat panel display unit. The base unit has a keyboard and a turntable rotatably connecting to the base unit in a horizontal direction. A display support is fixed to the turntable. The flat panel display unit is pivotally connected to the display supporter. The flat panel display unit rotates in the vertical direction between a closed position for covering the keyboard and an open position for operating the keyboard. The flat panel display unit rotates with the turntable in a horizontal direction between the open position and a twisted position for twisting the flat panel display unit. A display stopper prevents the flat panel display from rotating in the vertical direction when it is in the twisted position.

Claims

1. A portable display apparatus comprising:

a base unit having a front upper surface;

a turntable rotatably connected to the base unit, and horizontally rotatable with respect thereto;

a display supporter fixed on the turntable; and

means adapted for housing a flat panel display unit, connected to the display supporter to be pivotable with respect thereto in a vertical direction, the housing means rotating in the vertical direction between a closed position for covering the front upper surface and an open position for exposing a portion of the housing means that is adapted to house the flat panel display unit and rotatable on the turntable in the horizontal direction between the open position and a twisted position for twisting the housing means relative to the open position.

2. A portable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing means comprises a flat panel display unit attached therein.

3. A portable apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the base unit further comprises a table mounting portion mounting the turntable.

4. A portable apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the base unit further comprises a rear portion including a rear upper surface and a recess having the table mounting portion.

5. A portable apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the housing means further includes an outer surface which is substantially flush with the rear upper surface when the housing means is in the closed position.

6. A portable apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the display supporter comprises an upper portion which is substantially flush with the rear upper surface and the outer surface when the housing means is in the closed position.

7. A portable apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising hinge means pivotally connecting the housing means display unit to the display supporter.

8. A portable apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the hinge means further comprises an axis fixed to the display supporter, an axis supporter fixed to the housing means and pivotally supporting the axis, and a coil spring, wound around the axis for generating a braking force to stop the housing means in an arbitrary position between the open position and the closed position.

9. A portable apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising a cable guide duct, fixed to the turntable and pivotally connected to the housing means, for guiding a cable electrically connecting the display unit to the base unit.

10. A portable apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for preventing the vertical rotating of the flat panel display unit when it is in the twisted position.

11. A portable apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the preventing means further comprises a display stopper, pivotally connected to the turntable, rotating by the vertical rotation of the flat panel display unit, a slide portion, slidably connected to the turntable, sliding by the rotation of the display stopper, and a preventing wall, fixed to the base unit, for preventing sliding of the slide portion in the twisted position.

12. A portable apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the preventing wall further comprises a recess for receiving the sliding portion when the housing means is in the closed position.

13. A portable apparatus comprising:

a base unit having a keyboard;

a flat panel display unit having a display screen;

means for rotating the display unit in a vertical direction between a closed position where it covers the keyboard and an open position where the keyboard can be operated and rotating the display unit in a horizontal direction between the open position and a twisted position for twisting the display screen relative to the open position.

14. A portable apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising means for preventing vertical rotation of the display unit when it is in the twisted position.

15. A portable apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the base unit further comprises a recess for mounting the rotating means.

16. A portable apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the rotating means further comprises a rotator rotatably connected to the base unit in the horizontal direction and a display supporter, fixed to the rotator, vertically pivotally connecting the flat panel display unit.

17. A portable apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the rotating means further comprises a display stopper, pivotally connected to the rotator, rotating by the vertical rotation of the flat panel display unit, a slide portion, slidably connected to the rotator, sliding by the rotation of the display stopper, and a preventing wall, fixed to the base unit, for preventing sliding of the slide portion in the twisted position.

18. A portable apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the rotating means further comprises a cable guide duct, fixed to the rotator and pivotally connected to the flat panel display unit, for guiding a cable for electrically connecting the base unit and the flat panel display unit, from the base unit to the flat panel display unit through the rotator.

19. A portable apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the base unit further comprises a rear upper surface and the flat panel display unit further comprises an outer surface which is substantially flush with the rear upper surface when the flat panel display unit is in the closed position.

20. A portable apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the display supporter further comprises an upper portion which is substantially flush with the rear upper surface and the outer surface when the flat panel display unit is in the closed position.

21. A method of forming a flat panel display unit, which rotates in a vertical and a horizontal direction and having an inner case and an outer case, on a base unit, comprising the steps of:

rotatably connecting a rotator on the base unit which rotates in the horizontal direction;

pivotally connecting the outer case on the rotator such that it pivots in the vertical direction; and

fixing the inner case on the outer case.