Portable computer with reverse draft on front side edge portion of display housing

• US 5,959,833 A
• Filed: 06/27/1997
• Issued: 09/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Youens, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picaro, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gandhi, Jayprakash N.
• Application Number:
  US08/884,565
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679, 361/681, 361/683, D14/100, D14/102, D14/104, D14/106, D14/113, 364/708.1, 248/917, 248/919, 248/923
• US Class Current: 361/679.27
• 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 1/1679 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 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675

Abstract

The front side edge of the display lid portion of a notebook computer has a relatively shallow reverse draft angle of approximately five to fifteen degrees thereon and, with the display lid in its downwardly pivoted closed position on the computer'"'"'s base housing, is rearwardly offset from the front side of the base housing in a manner exposing a relatively narrow front top side surface portion of the base housing. Because of the slight undercut in its front side edge resulting from the reverse draft thereon, the grasping of the front side edge, to upwardly pivot the display lid from its closed position to its open use orientation, is made appreciably easier. Additionally, when the closed computer is viewed from its front side the rearward and downward slope of the front side edge of the lid creates a shadow thereon which serves to highlight the exposed front top side surface portion of the base housing and give the overall housing structure the desirable appearance of being vertically thinner than it actually is. LCD operating lights are placed on the exposed front top side portion of the base housing and are thus visible to the user even when the display lid in its closed orientation.

Claims

1. An electronic device having a housing comprising:

a base section having a top side, a bottom side spaced apart from said top side, and a peripheral side portion extending between said top and bottom sides; and

a lid section secured to said base section for movement relative thereto between a closed position in which said lid section extends along and generally parallel to said top side of said base section, and an open position in which said lid section is moved away from said top side of said base section, said lid section having an outer side edge portion which, with said lid section in said closed position thereof, is inset from said peripheral side portion in a manner exposing, from above, a top side surface portion of said base section positioned between said outer side edge portion of said lid section and said peripheral side portion of said base section,

said outer side edge portion of said lid section, when said lid section is in said closed position thereof, being configured to create a shadow thereon which contrasts with the exposed top side surface portion of said base section in a manner decreasing the apparent visual vertical thickness of said housing adjacent said exposed top side surface portion of said base section.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said electronic device is a portable computer.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein said portable computer is a notebook computer.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said outer side edge portion of said lid section has an undercut configuration.

12. The electronic device of claim 4 wherein said outer side edge portion of said lid section slopes downwardly and away from said peripheral side portion of said base section.

5. A portable computer comprising:

a base housing having a top side, a bottom side spaced apart from said top side, and a front side extending between said top and bottom sides; and

a lid housing secured to a rear portion of said base housing for pivotal movement relative thereto between a closed position in which said lid housing extends along and generally parallel to said top side of said base housing, and an open position in which said lid housing is swung upwardly away from said top side of said base housing,

said lid housing having an undercut front side edge portion which, with said lid housing in said closed position thereof, (1) is rearwardly offset from said front side of said base housing in a manner exposing, from above, a front top side surface portion of said base housing, (2) facilitates the manual engagement and lifting of said front side edge portion to open said lid housing, and (3) creates a shadow on said front side edge portion which contrasts with the exposed front top side surface portion of said base housing in a manner which, when said portable computer is viewed from the front, contrasts with the exposed front top side surface portion of said base housing in a manner decreasing the apparent visual vertical thickness of said portable computer.

6. The portable computer of claim 5 wherein said undercut front side edge portion of said lid housing has a generally planar configuration.

7. The portable computer of claim 6 wherein, with said lid housing in said closed position thereof and said top side of said base housing facing upwardly, said undercut front side edge portion of said lid housing slopes in a downward and rearward direction.

8. The portable computer of claim 7 wherein said undercut front side edge portion of said lid housing slopes downwardly and rearwardly at a negative draft angle within the approximate range of from five degrees to fifteen degrees.

9. The portable computer of claim 5 further comprising an electronic component carried by said base housing and having an external portion disposed on the exposed front top side surface portion of said base housing so as to be visible when said lid housing is in said closed position thereof.

10. The portable computer of claim 9 wherein said electronic component is an indicator light.

11. The portable computer of claim 5 wherein said portable computer is a notebook computer.