Portable computer comprising keyboard and coordinate input tablet hingedly connected to a main body case through a junction base having a cylindrical element defining a linear groove therethrough

• US 5,594,619 A
• Filed: 12/22/1994
• Issued: 01/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Koichi, Ishiura, Ryoichi, Kamio, Shizuo, Kunii, Shimpei, Sakamoto, Hiroyuki, Sato, Fumitaka, Miyagawa, Shigenori
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US08/362,008
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 364/708.1, 248/917-923, 361/680-686, 16/366, 16/367
• US Class Current: 361/679.09
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/087 with substantially axial friction, e.g. friction disks
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/582 with horizontal swinging axis E05D15/581 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1618 the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/162 changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• 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 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode

Abstract

A main body case encasing a keyboard and an upper case encasing an integrated display/input device are coupled by first and second hinge units and a junction base (with a cylindrical element defining a linear groove there through) to be arbitrarily pivotal from a state wherein the keyboard faces the integrated display/input device to a state wherein the back surface of the integrated display/input device faces the keyboard. Depending on the position of the integrated display/input device, a mode designation means designates one of first and second modes, the first mode being a mode in which the integrated display/input device performs an operation in an ordinary manner, the second mode being a mode in which the integrated display/input device performs an operation in a manner reversed 180° with reference to the coordinate system in the first mode.

Claims

1. A portable computer comprising:

a main body case having two lateral sides;

a keyboard encased by said main body case;

an integrated display/input device having a coordinate input tablet overlaid on on a display device;

an upper cover encasing said integrated display/input device;

a junction base disposed between said two lateral sides;

a first hinge rotatably coupling said junction base to said main body case; and

a second hinge rotatably coupling said upper cover to said junction base,

said junction base comprising a cylindrical element defining a linear groove therethrough and said upper cover connects to said junction base through a projection that connects to said second hinge within said junction base at said linear groove; and

wherein relative rotation of said upper cover and said junction base changes a form of said portable computer between a first closed form at which said keyboard and said integrated display/input device face each other, and a second closed form at which said upper cover overlays said keyboard to expose said integrated display/input device.

2. A portable computer comprising:

a keyboard;

a main body case with two lateral sides encasing said keyboard;

an integrated display/input device having a display and a coordinate input tablet, said display and said coordinate input tablet being overlapped;

an upper cover encasing said integrated display/input device, said upper cover having a first face in which said integrated display/input device is exposed, and a second face which is opposite to said first face;

a junction base disposed between said two lateral sides connecting said upper cover to said main body case;

a first hinge mechanism rotatably coupling said upper cover to said junction base along a first axis, said first hinge mechanism being rotatable between a closed position, at which said main body case and said upper cover face each other, and an open position at which said main body case and said upper cover do not face each other; and

a second hinge mechanism rotatably coupling said junction base to said main body case along a second axis perpendicular to said first axis,

said junction base comprising a cylindrical element defining a linear groove therethrough and said upper cover connects to said junction base through a projection that connects to said second hinge within said junction base at said linear groove; and

wherein relative rotation of said upper cover and said junction base changes said portable computer first closed form at which said keyboard and said integrated display/input device face each other, and a second closed form at which said upper cover overlays said keyboard to expose said integrated display/input device.

3. A portable computer according to claim 2, further comprising a holding mechanism to hold a rotational position of said junction base rotated by said second hinge mechanism at one of said first and second positions.

4. A portable computer according to claim 3, further comprising:

detection means for detecting an angle through which said upper cover is rotated;

determination means for determining whether said angle detected by the detection means has reached a predetermined angle; and

coordinate conversion means, operating when said determination means determines that said angle detected by said detection means has reached said predetermined angle, for performing coordinate conversion such that a display/input position at which data is displayed or input by said integrated display/input device is reversed 180°

with reference to an ordinary coordinate system.

5. A portable computer according to claim 2, further comprising:

mode designation means for designating one of first and second modes, said first mode being a mode in which said integrated display/input device performs a display/input operation in an ordinary manner, and said second mode being a mode in which said integrated display/input device performs a display/input operation where a coordinate system used in said second mode is reversed 180°

with reference to a coordinate system used in said first mode; and

coordinate conversion means, operating when said second mode is designated by said mode designation means, for performing coordinate conversion such that said coordinate system used in said second mode is reversed 180°

with reference to said coordinate system used in said first mode.

6. A portable computer comprising:

a main body case having two lateral sides;

a keyboard encased by said main body case;

an integrated display/input device having a coordinate input tablet overlaid on a display device;

an upper cover encasing said integrated display/input device;

junction base means between said two lateral sides;

first hinge means rotatably coupling said junction base means to said main body case; and

second hinge means rotatably coupling said upper cover to said junction base means,

said junction base comprising a cylindrical element defining a linear groove therethrough and said upper cover connects to said junction base through a projection that connects to said second hinge within said junction base at said linear groove; and

wherein relative rotation of said upper cover and said junction base means changes said portable computer between a first closed form, at which said keyboard and said integrated display/input device face each other, and a second closed form at which said upper cover overlays said keyboard to expose said integrated display/input device.