Combination laptop and pad computer

• US 6,219,681 B1
• Filed: 08/29/1995
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: AST Research, Inc. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Daly, John J., Hawkins, Jeff C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Malzahn, David H.
• Application Number:
  US08/520,629
• Time in Patent Office: 2,058 Days
• Field of Search: 364/708.1, 345/169, D14/6, D18/7, 708/100, 361/681
• US Class Current: 708/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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

Abstract

A portable lightweight combination laptop and pad computer has a display mounted on a main housing for movement between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, a keyboard is covered by the undersurface of the display and the display viewing surface remains visible so that the computer may be used in the pad mode with a conductive stylus for data and command entry. In the open position, the keyboard is exposed so that the computer may be used in a laptop or desk top mode, or in a combined mode including the pad mode. The display is mounted to the housing by a four bar hinge mechanism, and a pair of latches are provided approximately mid-way between the front and rear portions of the housing along the side margins to securely latch the display in the closed position for storage, transit or use in the pad mode.

A removable power pack, which attaches to the rear of the housing, carries battery power and a charging circuit for supplying power to the computer elements contained within the housing.

Claims

1. A portable computer comprising:

a computer housing having a front portion, a rear portion and first and second said margins extending therebetween;

a keyboard carried by said computer housing;

a display device having an obverse viewing surface and a reverse viewing surface; and

a mounting assembly for pivotally coupling said display device to said computer housing, said mounting assembly including an integral, single-piece, member extending between said display device and said computer housing, said integral, single-piece, member having a first end portion connected to said computer housing in a substantially non-slidable manner and a second end portion connected to said display device, said mounting assembly further including a rear hinge means coupled to said display device reverse surface and said computer housing at a position rearwardly of said keyboard, said display device being adjustable between a closed position in which the display device covers the keyboard with said reverse surface and an open position in which the keyboard is uncovered and the display device is positioned rearwardly of the keyboard at a viewing angle.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said rear hinge means comprises a relatively rigid sheet having a top edge coupled to said display device and a bottom edge coupled to said computer housing.

3. A portable computer comprising:

a computer housing;

a keyboard carried by said computer housing;

a display device having an obverse viewing surface and a reverse surface;

one or more electrical conductors extending between said display device to said computer housing; and

a mounting assembly for coupling said display device to said computer housing, said mounting assembly including a first mounting element extending between said display device and said computer housing, said mounting element having a first end portion connected to said computer housing and a second end portion connected to said display device, said mounting assembly further including a second mounting element having a first end portion coupled to said reverse surface of said display device and a second end portion coupled to said computer housing for supporting said electrical conductor;

wherein said display device is adjustable between a closed position in which the display device covers the keyboard and an open position in which the keyboard is uncovered and the display device is positioned rearwardly of the keyboard at a viewing angle.

4. The computer of claim 3 wherein the second mounting element comprises a relatively rigid sheet having a top edge fixed to said reverse surface of said display device and a bottom edge fixed to said computer housing.

5. The computer of claim 4 wherein the rigid sheet is pivotally attached to said display device and said computer housing to form a rear hinge.

6. The computer of claim 4 wherein the top edge is fixed to a portion of said reverse surface in both the open and closed positions and the bottom edge is fixed to a portion of said computer housing in both the open and closed positions.

7. A computer comprising:

a housing, said housing comprising logic means and an integral keyboard, said logic means connected to receive user input from said keyboard; and

a display connected to said housing, said logic means adapted to receive user input from said display and provide output to said display based on said input from said keyboard, said display being operable in conjunction with a stylus; and

first and second engagements for enabling removable attachment of a stylus to said computer in first and second positions, respectively, said first position relatively vertical to said housing, said second position relatively parallel to said housing.

8. The computer as recited in claim 7 wherein said first engagement comprises first and second slots for holding said stylus, said first slot to the left of said display, said second slot to the right of said display.

9. The computer as recited in claim 7 wherein said display is an LCD display with a conductive screen overlay.

10. The computer as recited claim 7 further comprising a latch for holding said display in said second position.

11. The computer as recited in claim 10 wherein said latch is positioned in approximately the center of at least one side of said display.

12. The computer as recited in claim 10 wherein said latch comprises a latch button movable from a first position to a second position, and a hook movable with said latch button from a first position to a second position, said hook engaging a surface of said housing in said first position and disengaged from said housing in said second position.

13. The computer as recited in claim 12 further comprising a biasing spring for biasing said hook toward said first position.

14. The computer as recited in claim 7 wherein said housing comprises a front, thin portion, and a rear, thicker portion, said thicker portion holding at least one hardware component of said computer and inclining said keyboard when placed on a flat surface.

15. The computer as recited in claim 7 wherein said computer weights less than about 4 pounds.