Portable apparatus having cable electrically connecting display unit and base unit

• US 5,240,427 A
• Filed: 11/25/1992
• Issued: 08/31/1993
• 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:
  US07/981,387
• Time in Patent Office: 279 Days
• Field of Search: 16/223, 16/337, 248/917, 312/7.2, 361/380, 361/392-395, 364/708, 439/164, 439/165
• 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 base unit;

a display unit pivotally connected to the base unit along an axis, said display unit comprising a flat panel display, a first leg portion, and a second leg portion, the first leg portion having a cable guide path and a first leg side surface substantially perpendicular to said axis, the first leg side surface having a cable guide hole continuous with the cable guide path, the second leg portion having second and third leg side surfaces having first and second shaft holes therein, respectively, the cable guide hole and the first and second shaft holes being disposed along said axis;

said base unit comprising a printed circuit board and an upper surface 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 first bottom surface, a first side surface being substantially perpendicular to said axis, and an opening having a bottom opening portion and a side opening portion continuous with the bottom opening portion, the second receiving portion having a second bottom surface, second and third side surfaces substantially perpendicular to said axis and being continuous with the bottom surface, the second side surface having a third shaft hole, the third side surface having a fourth shaft hole, the third and fourth shaft holes being disposed along said axis;

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

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

a cable assembly for electrically coupling the flat panel display to the printed circuit board and 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; and

an opening cover removably covering said opening and comprising a bottom cover portion covering the bottom opening portion and a side cover portion disposed perpendicular to the bottom cover portion, the side cover portion partially covering the side opening portion and having a groove for receiving the cable portion and for aligning the cable portion with the side opening portion along said axis.

2. A portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the groove cooperates with the first side surface to form a hole along said axis when the opening cover covers the opening.