Portable apparatus having cable electrically connecting display unit and base unit

• US 5,238,421 A
• Filed: 01/13/1992
• Issued: 08/24/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Takaichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US07/819,806
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 439/164, 439/165, 364/708, 312/7.2, 248/917, 16/223, 16/337, 361/380, 361/392-395
• US Class Current: 439/165
• 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 1/1681 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

Abstract

A portable apparatus comprising a base unit and a display unit rotatably connected to the base unit. The base unit has a recess, and the display unit has a first leg portion mounted in the recess. The first leg portion comprises a rear leg segment conjoining a base unit. The first leg portion has a front leg segment fastened to the rear leg segment, defining a guide path between the front leg segment and the rear leg segment. The leg segments, fastened together, form a shaft having a guide path communicating with the guide path. An opening is formed in one of the side walls defining the sides of the recess and also in the wall defining the bottom of the recess, thus allowing access into the base unit. A support segment is removably fitted in this opening, supporting the shaft such that the shaft can rotate. The portable apparatus further comprises a flexible cable which extends from the base unit into the display unit, guided through the opening, the guide path.

Claims

1. A portable computer comprising:

a display unit comprising a flat panel display, a first leg portion having a cable guide path, and a second leg portion having a first shaft hole;

a base unit comprising a printed circuit board and a top cover having a first receiving portion for receiving the first leg portion and a second receiving portion for receiving the second leg portion, the first receiving portion comprising a bottom surface, a first side surface continuous with the bottom surface, and an opening having a bottom opening portion in the bottom surface and a side opening portion in the first side surface, the side opening portion being continuous with the bottom opening portion, the second receiving portion having a second side surface having a second shaft hole;

a shaft device pivotally connecting the display unit to the base unit and having a shaft portion passing through the first and second shaft holes;

a cable assembly for electrically coupling the flat panel display to the printed circuit board, the cable assembly comprising a cable portion having a first end portion, a second end portion, a first connector fixed to the first end portion and a second connector fixed to the second end portion, the cable potion passing through the opening and the cable guide path; and

an opening cover removably fixed to the first receiving portion and comprising a bottom cover portion covering the bottom opening portion and a side cover portion partially covering the side opening portion, the side cover portion comprising a groove for receiving the cable portion and for aligning the cable portion with the side opening portion.

2. A portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the groove cooperates with the side opening portion to form a cable guide hole when the opening cover is fixed to the first receiving portion.

3. A portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the opening cover is fixed to the first receiving portion after the cable portion is inserted into the opening.