Input device for a laptop computer
First Claim
1. A laptop computer, comprising:
- a base having a keyboard;
a display housing connected to the base to move between a stowed position in which the keyboard is inaccessible to a user and an unstowed position in which the keyboard is accessible to the user, one of the base and the display housing having an aperture therein;
a detachable input device having a housing configured to be received in the aperture, the input device being movable relative to the aperture between an attached position in which the input device housing is received in the aperture and a detached position in which the input device housing is separated from the aperture, the input device further having a plurality of controls accessible for operation when the input device is in the attached position and when the display housing is in the unstowed position, wherein the base, the display housing and the input device are configured to be transported when the display housing is in the stowed position and the input device is in the attached position;
a communication link operatively coupled between the input device and at least one of the base portion and the display housing to transmit signals therebetween; and
a latch mechanism having a first member attached to the display housing and a second member attached to the input device, the first member being positioned to releasably engage the second member and secure the display housing to the input device when the display housing is in the stowed position.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A detachable device for a laptop computer. The laptop computer has a base and a display housing coupled to the base. The display housing is movable relative to the base between a closed position in which the computer is in a stowed configuration and an open position in which the computer is in an unstowed configuration and the display housing and base are accessible to a user. The input device includes controls that receive commands from the user and transmit the commands to the computer via a communication link. In one embodiment, the input device may be attached to the computer by positioning it within an aperture of the base. The input device may be detached from the computer by removing it from the aperture. The controls of the input device may remain accessible to the user when the input device is either attached to or detached from the base. The computer may be placed in the stowed configuration when the input device is in the attached position.
115 Citations
37 Claims
-
1. A laptop computer, comprising:
-
a base having a keyboard; a display housing connected to the base to move between a stowed position in which the keyboard is inaccessible to a user and an unstowed position in which the keyboard is accessible to the user, one of the base and the display housing having an aperture therein; a detachable input device having a housing configured to be received in the aperture, the input device being movable relative to the aperture between an attached position in which the input device housing is received in the aperture and a detached position in which the input device housing is separated from the aperture, the input device further having a plurality of controls accessible for operation when the input device is in the attached position and when the display housing is in the unstowed position, wherein the base, the display housing and the input device are configured to be transported when the display housing is in the stowed position and the input device is in the attached position; a communication link operatively coupled between the input device and at least one of the base portion and the display housing to transmit signals therebetween; and a latch mechanism having a first member attached to the display housing and a second member attached to the input device, the first member being positioned to releasably engage the second member and secure the display housing to the input device when the display housing is in the stowed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 37)
-
-
32. An input assembly for a laptop computer having a base and a display housing coupled to the base, the display housing being movable relative to the base between a first position in which the computer is in a stowed configuration and a second position in which the computer is in an unstowed configuration, the computer having an aperture extending into one of the base and the display housing, wherein the computer is configured to be transported when in the stowed configuration, the input assembly comprising:
-
a detachable input device having a housing configured to be received in the aperture, the input device being movable relative to the aperture between an attached position in which the housing is received in the aperture and a detached position in which the housing is separated from the aperture, the input device further having a plurality of controls accessible for operation when the input device is in both the attached and the detached positions, the controls including a joystick, the housing of the input device having a depression configured to receive the joystick therein in a fold-down position, the joystick being moveable into the depression when the display housing is moved to the attached position, the display housing being movable to the first position when the input device is received in the aperture in the attached position; and a communication link operatively coupling the input device to the computer to transmit signals therebetween.
-
-
33. A laptop computer, comprising:
-
a base having a keyboard; a display housing connected to the base to move between a stowed position in which the keyboard is inaccessible to a user and an unstowed position in which the keyboard is accessible to the user, one of the base and the display housing having an aperture therein; a detachable input device having a housing configured to be received in the aperture, the input device being movable relative to the aperture between an attached position in which the input device housing is received in the aperture and a detached position in which the housing is separated from the aperture, the input device further having a plurality of controls accessible for operation when the input device is in the attached position and when the display housing is in the unstowed position, wherein the base, the display housing and the input device are configured to be transported when the display housing is in the stowed position and the input device is in the attached position; a communication link operatively coupled between the input device and at least one of the base portion and the display housing to transmit signals therebetween; and a latch mechanism having a first member attached to the display housing and a second member attached to the input device, the first member comprising a tab extending away from a surface of the display housing and a projection at the end of the tab and being positioned to releasably engage the second member and secure the display housing to the input device when the display housing is in the stowed position, the second member comprising a surface of the input device having a hole to removably receive the projection.
-
-
34. A laptop computer, comprising:
-
a base having a keyboard, a display housing movably connected to the base to move between a stowed position in which the keyboard is inaccessible to a user and an unstowed position in which the keyboard is accessible to the user, one of the base and the display housing having an aperture therein; and a detachable input device having a housing configured to be received in the aperture, the input device being movable relative to the aperture between an attached position in which the input device housing is received in the aperture and a detached position in which the input device housing is separated from the aperture, the input device housing further having at least one surface configured to engage a substantially flat work surface and stably support the input device in a selected position relative to the work surface when the input device is in the detached position, the input device further having a plurality of controls accessible to receive commands from a user when the input device is in the attached position and when the input device is in the detached position, the controls including a sphere rotatable relative to the at least one surface, the sphere being positioned to engage the work surface when the at least one surface engages the work surface; and a communication link coupled between the input device and at least one of the base and the display housing to transmit signals therebetween.
-
-
35. A laptop computer, comprising:
-
a base having a keyboard; a display housing connected to the base to move between a stowed position in which the keyboard is inaccessible to a user and an unstowed position in which the keyboard is accessible to the user, one of the base and the display housing having an aperture therein; a detachable input device having a housing configured to be received in the aperture, the input device being movable relative to the aperture between an attached position in which the input device housing is received in the aperture and a detached position in which the housing is separated from the aperture, the input device further having a plurality of controls accessible for operation when the input device is in the attached position and when the display housing is in the unstowed position, wherein the base, the display housing and the input device are configured to be transported when the display housing is in the stowed position and the input device is in the attached position; a communication link operatively coupled between the input device and at least one of the base and the display housing to transmit signals therebetween; a latch mechanism having a first member attached to the display housing and a second member attached to the input device, the first member being positioned to releasably engage the second member and secure the display housing to the input device when the display housing is in the stowed position; and a biasing mechanism coupled to the base and the display housing to bias the display housing away from the base into the unstowed position, the display housing being secured to the input device in the stowed position only when the input device is in the attached position and the latch mechanism is engaged with the display housing and the input device.
-
-
36. A laptop computer, comprising:
-
a base having a keyboard; a display housing connected to the base to move between a stowed position in which the keyboard is inaccessible to a user and an unstowed position in which the keyboard is accessible to the user, one of the base and the display housing having an aperture therein; a detachable input device having a housing with a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the housing configured to be received in the aperture with the first surface facing outward, the input device being movable relative to the aperture between an attached position in which the input device housing is received in the aperture and a detached position in which the housing is separated from the aperture, the input device further having a plurality of controls accessible for operation when the input device is in the attached position and when the display housing is in the unstowed position, the controls including a sphere projecting through an opening in the first surface and accessible to a user when the input device is in the attached position, the first surface facing downward toward a work surface with the sphere watching the work surface when the input device is in the detached position wherein the base, the display housing and the input device are configured to be transported when the display housing is in the stowed position and the input device is in the attached position; a switch in the input device that automatically reverses signals generated by the sphere when the sphere is inverted from its attached position to its detached position; a communication link operatively coupled between the input device and at least one of the base portion and the display housing to transmit signals therebetween; and a latch mechanism having a first member attached to the display housing and a second member attached to the input device, the first member being positioned to releasably engage the second member and secure the display housing to the input device when the display housing is in the stowed position.
-
Specification