Portable computer with hand grip

• US 6,101,086 A
• Filed: 03/25/1998
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jung-Hoon, Kim, Young-Won
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reed, John D.
• Application Number:
  US09/047,521
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683, 361/685, 312/223.2, 364/108.1, 108/43, 206/45.23, 206/320
• US Class Current: 361/679.55
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203

Abstract

A portable computer is provided that has hand grips on both sides of the main body of the computer. The hand grips allow the computer to be carried with two hands when the display screen is in an open position and allow the computer to be carried with one hand when the display screen is in a closed position. Additionally, a rubber bumper may be installed around the hand grips and the side of the main body of the computer to increase the ability of the computer to withstand impacts with foreign object. Furthermore, the computer may be designed with any one of an elliptical prism shape, a circular prism shape, and an oblong prism shape to further reduce the stress experienced by the computer when the computer undergoes an impact with a foreign object.

For situations when a user wishes to transport the laptop computer without holding the computer in either hand, a shoulder strap may be fastened to the hand grips to allow the computer to be carried over a shoulder.

Claims

1. A computer, comprising:

a chassis having a main body and a monitor enclosing a variable visual display device, said main body having a keyboard, a memory, and a central processing unit driving said variable visual display device, said monitor being pivotally attached to said main body;

said main body having a base and having any one of an elliptical prism shape, a circular prism shape, and an oblong prism shape;

said monitor having a front side bearing a screen of said variable visual display device and having any one of an elliptical prism shape, a circular prism shape, and an oblong prism shape;

a hard grip having a substantially U-shape being mounted on a side of said main body, and extending parallel to a plane of said base of said main body;

an elastic bumper attached to both said handle and said portion of said side of said main body; and

said computer being carryable via said hand grip.

2. The computer of claim 1, further comprising of another said hand grip, with both hand grips being attached in diametric opposition along said side wall of said main body.

3. The computer of claim 1, further comprised of a space formed between said side wall and said hand grip accommodating an insertion of user'"'"'s hand.

4. The computer of claim 1, further comprised of a plurality of grooves formed on the inside of said hand grip to accommodate a user'"'"'s fingers.

5. A computer comprising:

a main body having a top surface a base, and a side wall connected between said top surface and said base, having a keyboard disposed on said top surface, a memory, and a central processing unit driving a variable visual display device said side wall having a first height;

a monitor having a front side bearing a screen of said variable visual display device pivotally attached to said main body; and

a hand grip mounted on a first portion of said side wall of said main body, having a second height substantially same as said first height of said side wall.

6. The computer of claim 5, further comprised of said main body having any one an elliptical prism shape, a circular prism shape, and an oblong prism shape.

7. The computer of claim 5, further comprised of:

two beams projecting outward from said side wall of said main body, having a second height; and

a traversing beam connecting said two beams to form said hand grip.

8. The computer of claim 5, further comprising two of said hand grips attached in diametric opposition along said side wall of said main body.

9. The computer of claim 5, further comprised of a space formed between said side wall and said hand grip accommodating an insertion of a user'"'"'s hand.

10. The computer of claim 7, further comprised of a plurality of grooves formed on the inside of said traversing beam to accommodate a user'"'"'s fingers.

11. The computer of claim 5, further comprised of an elastic bumper attached to outside of said hand grip and a second portion of said side wall.

12. A computer comprising:

a main body having a base a top surface, and a side wall connected between said base and said top surface, having, a keyboard disposed on said top surface, a memory, and a central processing unit driving a variable visual display device, said side wall having a first height, said top surface having a first length;

said monitor having a front side bearing a screen of said variable visual display device, pivotally attached to said main body;

a hand grip mounted on a portion of said side wall of said main body having a second height substantailly same as said first height of said side wall and a second length substantially same as said first length of said top surface.

13. The computer of claim 12, further comprised of said main body having any one an elliptical prism shape, a circular prism shape, and an oblong prism shape.

14. The computer of claim 12, further comprising two of said hand grip being attached on diametrically opposing sides of said main body.

15. The computer of claim 12, further further comprised of said hand grip including:

two beams projecting outward from said portion of said side wall of said main body; and

a traversing beam connecting said two beams to form a handle.

16. The computer of claim 15, further comprised of a plurality of grooves formed on said traversing beam to accommodate a user'"'"'s fingers.

17. The computer of claim 12, further comprised of an elastic bumper attached said outside of said hand grip and a second portion of said side wall.

18. A computer, comprising:

a chassis having an aggregate volume, comprising a main body exhibiting a second and lesser volume with an upper surface separated by an exterior periphery from a base, said main body being comprised of opposite ends each terminated by an exterior periphery exhibiting an approximately continuously curved arc, a keyboard supported by said main body and located within said upper surface between said opposite ends, a memory and a central processing unit encased by said main body, and a lid exhibiting a third and least volume supplementing said second volume to form said aggregate volume, pivotally attached to said main body at a location between said opposite ends to rotate between a closed orientation when engaging said main body and covering said keyboard, and an open orientation when exposing said keyboard and exposing said monitor while said monitor is driven by said central processing unit to illustrate variable visual displays; and

a handle extending outwardly from said periphery along one of said opposite ends and, in combination with said periphery, forming a closed through aperture accommodating passage of a human hand.

19. The computer of claim 18, further comprising said lid having an exterior terminal perimeter conforming in shape to said periphery while said lid is in said closed orientation.

20. The computer of claim 18, further comprising said periphery defining an ellipsoid and said lid having an exterior terminal perimeter conforming in shape to said ellipsoid while said lid is in said closed orientation.

21. The computer of claim 18, further comprising another handle, with both handles being attached in diametric opposition to said periphery along different ones of said opposite ends.

22. The computer of claim 18, with said handle comprising first and second beams extending outwardly from said periphery along said one of said opposite sides and joined at distal ends by a hand grip having a thickness approximately equal to said main body.

23. The computer of claim 18, further comprising another handle, with both handles being attached in diametric opposition to said periphery along different ones of said opposite ends and with each handle comprising first and second beams extending outwardly from said periphery along different ones of said opposite sides and joined at distal ends by a hand grip having a thickness approximately equal to said main body.

24. The computer of claim 22, further comprised of:

said upper surface having a width; and

said grip having a length substantially equal to said width.