Combination laptop and pad computer

• US 5,333,116 A
• Filed: 03/03/1993
• Issued: 07/26/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: AST Research, Inc. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Daly, John J., Hawkins, Jeff C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Malzahn, David H.
• Application Number:
  US08/025,900
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 364/708, 340/707, D14/106, D18/6, D18/7
• US Class Current: 361/679.06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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

Abstract

A portable lightweight combination laptop and pad computer has a display mounted on a main housing for movement between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, a keyboard is covered by the undersurface of the display and the display viewing surface remains visible so that the computer may be used in the pad mode with a conductive stylus for data and command entry. In the open position, the keyboard is exposed so that the computer may be used in a laptop or desk top mode, or in a combined mode including the pad mode. The display is mounted to the housing by a four bar hinge mechanism, and a pair of latches are provided approximately mid-way between the front and rear portions of the housing along the side margins to securely latch the display in the closed position for storage, transit or use in the pad mode.

A removable power pack, which attaches to the rear of the housing, carries battery power and a charging circuit for supplying power to the computer elements contained within the housing.

Claims

1. A portable computer comprising:

a computer housing;

a keyboard carried by said computer housing;

a display device having an obverse viewing surface an a reverse surface; and

mounting means for coupling said display device to said computer housing, said mounting means having a first portion pivotally connected to said computer housing and a second portion pivotally connected to said display device, said display device being adjustable between a closed position in which the display covers the keyboard with said reverse surface and an open position in which the keyboard is uncovered and the display device is positioned rearwardly of the keyboard at a viewing angle.

2. A portable computer comprising:

a computer housing having a front portion, a rear portion and a pair of side margins extending between said first portion and said rear portion;

a keyboard carried by said computer housing;

a display device having a viewing surface;

mounting means for coupling said display device to said computer housing, said mounting means having a first portion pivotally connected to said computer housing and a second portion pivotally connected to said display device, said display device being adjustable between a closed position in which the display device covers the keyboard and an open position in which the keyboard is uncovered and the display device is positioned rearwardly of the keyboard at a viewing angle; and

means for latching said display means to said computer housing, said latching means being located adjacent one of said side margins and approximately mid-way between said front portion and said rear portion, said latching means including a retractable latch member and a slotted wall for retractably receiving said latch member.

3. A portable computer comprising:

a computer housing having a rear wall portion with a recessed formed therein;

a keyboard carried by said computer housing;

a display device having an obverse viewing surface and a reverse surface;

mounting means for coupling said display device to said computer housing, said mounting means having a first portion pivotally connected to said computer housing and a second portion pivotally connected to said display device, said display device being adjustable between a closed position in which the display device covers the keyboard with said reverse surface and an open position in which the keyboard is uncovered and the display device is positioned rearwardly of the keyboard at a viewing angle; and

power pack means having a shape conformable with said recess in said computer housing rear wall portion for enabling removable attachment of a power source to said housing, said power pack means including a receptacle area for accommodating a battery power source.

4. A portable computer housing assembly comprising:

a computer housing having a top and a bottom;

a keyboard mounted to the top of the computer housing;

a display housing including a display housing top and a display housing bottom;

a pad computer display carried by the display housing; and

a connection assembly having a first portion pivotally connected to said computer housing and a second portion pivotally connected to said display housing for movably mounting the display housing to the computer housing for adjustable movement of the display between a closed position, with the display housing bottom covering the keyboard, and an open position, with the display housing at an inclined orientation relative to the computer housing, the pad computer display facing generally directly away from the keyboard when the display housing is in the closed position and facing away from the keyboard at an angle when the display housing is in the open position so that the pad computer display is accessible by a user at both of said positions.

5. A portable computer housing assembly comprising:

a computer housing having a top and a bottom;

a keyboard mounted to the top of the computer housing;

a display housing including a display housing top and a display housing bottom;

a pad computer display mounted to the display housing; and

hinge means having a first portion pivotally connected to said computer housing and a second portion pivotally connected to said display housing for mounting the display housing to the computer housing for adjustable movement between a closed position, with the display housing bottom covering the keyboard, and an open position, with the display housing at an inclined orientation relative to the computer housing, the pad computer display facing generally directly away from the keyboard when the display housing is in the closed position and facing away from the keyboard at an angle when the display housing is in the open position so that the pad computer display is accessible by the user at both said positions.

6. A portable computer comprising:

a computer keyboard housing assembly including a computer housing and an upperwardly facing keyboard mounted to the computer housing;

a display housing assembly including a display housing having a top and a bottom, and a pad computer display mounted to the display housing; and

hinge means having a first portion pivotally connected to said computer housing and a second portion pivotally connected to said display housing for mounting the display housing assembly to the computer keyboard housing assembly for adjustable movement between open and closed positions,

said display housing assembly lying adjacent the computer keyboard housing assembly to cover the keyboard in the closed position,

said display housing assembly positioned at an angle to the computer keyboard housing assembly to expose the keyboard in the open position,

said pad computer display facing away from the keyboard, so to be accessible by a user, when the display housing is in both the closed position and in the open position,

whereby said portable computer can be used as a pad computer when the display housing assembly is in either the open position or in the closed position and as a keyboard computer when the display housing assembly is in the open position.

7. A convertible notepad/laptop computer comprising:

a base having a top surface;

an alpha numeric keyboard disposed on a section of the top surface;

a stylus electrically coupled to said computer;

a display housing having an upper surface and a lower surface;

a display/overlay combination carried by said housing for displaying symbols generated by the computer and for detecting the position of said stylus over said display/overlay; and

a hinge assembly for coupling said display housing to said base, said hinge assembly having a first portion pivotally connected to said base and a second portion pivotally connected to said display housing, said hinge assembly having a closed position wherein the lower surface of the display housing substantially covers the upper surface of the base to configure the convertible computer as a notepad computer and the hinge assembly having an open position wherein the display/overlay combination is oriented at an angle relative to the upper surface of the base and the keyboard is exposed to configure the convertible computer as a laptop computer, said hinge assembly providing movement for said display housing between said closed position and said open position.