Portable computer with trackball keys mounted on an edge of a computer housing

• US 5,646,821 A
• Filed: 09/04/1996
• Issued: 07/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sun, Chen-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Field, Lynn D.
• Application Number:
  US08/707,504
• Time in Patent Office: 307 Days
• Field of Search: 361/680, 361/683, 364/708.1, 200/329, 200/330, 200/341, 345/157, 345/161, 345/163, 345/167
• US Class Current: 361/679.1
• 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 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033

Abstract

A portable computer includes a computer housing which has a top wall and a front wall, a pointing device which is mounted on the top wall and adjacent to the front wall, a concavity which is formed adjacent to the pointing device and which is open at the top and front walls, and a press button which is mounted resiliently in the concavity. The press button has a top press plate which is exposed from the top wall, and a front press plate which extends forwardly and downwardly of the top press plate and which is exposed from the front wall. The press button is operated when pressure is exerted on either the top press plate or the front press plate.

Claims

1. A portable computer comprising:

a computer housing having a top wall and a front wall;

a pointing device mounted on said top wall adjacent to said front wall;

a concavity formed adjacent to said pointing device and open at said top wall and said front wall; and

a press button mounted resiliently in said concavity, said press button having a top press plate exposed from said top wall and a front press plate extending forwardly and downwardly of said top press plate and exposed from said front wall, said press button being operated by exerting pressure on either said top press plate or said front press plate.

2. A portable computer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a computer mainboard disposed in said computer housing below said top wall, and a trackball key electric contact mounted on said computer mainboard, said press button further having a press projection which extends downward from said top press plate to contact said trackball key electric contact when said press button moves downward, said press button moving resiliently downward while being pressed rearward.

3. A portable computer as claimed in claim 2, wherein said top press plate has a rear terminating end, and said front top press plate has a lower terminating end.

4. A portable computer as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

said top wall has a first cutout and said front wall has a second cutout connected to said first cutout, said concavity being formed by said first and second cutouts;

said top wall further having a first edge confining said first cutout, said first edge including a rear edge portion which has a first tongue extending downwardly and then forwardly from said rear edge to form a first shoulder for seating said rear terminating end when said press button is pressed;

said front wall having a second edge confining said second cutout, said second edge including a lower edge portion which has a second tongue extending upwardly to form a second shoulder for seating said lower terminating end when said press button is pressed.

5. A portable computer as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

said first tongue has a tongue end to extend below said rear terminating end of said top press plate, said tongue end being beveled to form a cam face which extends downwardly and rearwardly;

said press button further having a rib which extends along inner surfaces of said top press plate and said front press plate and which projects downward from said top press plate and rearward from said front press plate, said rib having a stepped rear rib end which has a cam follower face associated operatively said cam face, said cam face causing said press button to move downward while said press button is pressed rearward.