Computer device having detachable keyboard mounted on a rotatable display

• US 5,229,757 A
• Filed: 10/11/1990
• Issued: 07/20/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Oda, Hideo, Inoue, Takuzi, Takamiya, Kuniomi, Miyazaki, Nobuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberley, Alvin E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CHANH DUY
• Application Number:
  US07/595,568
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 340/700, 340/706, 340/711, 400/682, 400/685, 400/691, 400/693, 400/680, 400/681, 248/916, 248/917, 248/918, 235/145 R, 361/380, 361/393, 292/83, 292/163, 292/175, 341/22, 364/708, 364/710, 312/208, 434/432
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/024 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections
• 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 1/1656 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 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• 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 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling

Abstract

A computer device with a display comprising a body, a display rotatably mounted on the body and a keyboard having input keys, wherein the keyboard is removably mounted on the display so as to cover an opening with the surface thereof turned toward the display, the keyboard having a size enough to cover the opening of the display and having a projection for attaching the keyboard to the display formed in an edge on the display side and a keyboard locking projection which can advance from and retreat into the surface of the keyboard formed in an edge on an operator'"'"'s side, the display having a lower keyboard receiving face provided below the opening, an upper keyboard receiving face provided above the opening and a keyboard contact portion provided on a peripheral edge of the opening, and the lower keyboard receiving face having a hole into which the projection can be inserted and which can rotate the keyboard with the projection inserted thereinto and the upper keyboard receiving face having a hole which can be engaged with the advancing keyboard locking projection.

Claims

1. A computer device with a display comprising:

a body;

a display rotatably mounted on the body; and

a keyboard having input keys and removably mounted on the display so as to cover a display opening when the keyboard is rotated toward the display,

the keyboard having a projection for attaching the keyboard to an edge of the display and a keyboard locking projection which can advance from and retreat beneath an edge surface of the keyboard,

the display having a lower keyboard receiving face provided below the display opening to receive a lower edge surface of the keyboard, an upper keyboard receiving face provided above the display opening to receive an upper edge surface of the keyboard,

the lower keyboard receiving face having a hole into which the keyboard projection can be inserted to allow rotation of the keyboard about the attaching projection and the upper keyboard receiving face having a hole which can be engaged by the keyboard locking projection, and

an opening in the back side of the keyboard into which the keyboard locking projection can be inserted, and

a port through which the keyboard locking projection may advance,

the opening including;

a guide which extends in advance and retreat direction of the keyboard locking projection, and

an elastic stopping member which presses an operation portion of the keyboard locking projection towards the back face of the keyboard,

wherein operation of the keyboard locking projection causes the locking projection to advance from and retreat into the surface of the keyboard through the keyboard port;

wherein an elastic engagement sliding portion slidably engages with a top end face of the guide and the keyboard locking projection is removed by moving it towards the bottom of the keyboard;

the stopping member and the keyboard locking projection having a locking engagement portion which is engaged with the keyboard locking projection at the time of advance and a locking release engagement portion which is engaged with the keyboard locking projection at the time of retreat.

2. A computer device with a display according to claim 1 wherein the back side of the display further includes at least one vent, the body further includes at least one vent formed on the front and back sides thereof respectively in approximate alignment with the vent on the display and wherein the body includes at least one cooling fan for directing air towards a back side body vent thereby simultaneously cooling internal cavities in both the body and display.

3. A computer device with a display according to claim 1 wherein one of the display and the body includes a projection and on the other includes a concave, the projection being engaged with the concave to permit controlled rotation of the display, and

wherein one of the display and the body includes a guide projection and the other includes a guide concave for engaging the guide projection.

4. A computer device with a display according to claim 1 wherein the body includes a tilt unit for rotatably supporting the display on an upper body portion formed on a front body face,

the tilt unit including:

a display receiving member removably attached to the display,

a hinge portion attached to an upper end of the display receiving member for rotatably connecting the display receiving member to the body,

and a rotary support unit provided between the body and the display receiving member for holding the display at an optional angle of inclination about the hinge portion.

5. A computer device with a display according to claim 4 wherein the rotary support unit includes two stays and an inclination support unit,

the ends of the two stays being rotatably connected to each other, the other end of one of the stays being rotatably connected to the display receiving member and the other end of the other stay being rotatably connected to the body, and

the inclination support unit being attached to both stays at the rotatable connection to hold the display at an optional angle of inclination when the display is rotated.

6. A computer device with a display according to claim 1 further comprising:

a key cord having one end connected to the keyboard and the other end connected to the body, and the keyboard includes a cord housing for housing the key cord.