Portable computer system having ergonomic keyboard and detachable display unit

• US 6,304,431 B1
• Filed: 09/08/1998
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Myung-Jung
• Primary Examiner(s): FEILD, LYNN DIANA
• Application Number:
  US09/148,903
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 361/681, 361/682, 361/686, 361/683, 361/680, 312/223.1, 345/149, 345/156, 248/918, 248/921-923, 400/488, 400/489, 400/472
• US Class Current: 361/679.09
• 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 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard

Abstract

A portable computer system enables a comfortable (more ergonomic) user environment without surrendering portability. The portable computer system includes a main body, a keyboard unit, and a display unit. The keyboard unit is attached to an upper surface of the main body and is structurally and operationally separated along a central axis into a left keyboard half and a right keyboard half, with the respective halves rotating on first and second hinges and being coupled to the main body at a rearward upper surface thereof. The display unit is mounted via a hinge unit to a rear side surface of the main body and is slidably detachable therefrom via a recess for receiving a portion of the hinge unit.

Claims

1. A portable computer system comprising:

a main body controlling said portable computer system;

a keyboard unit, attached to an upper surface of said main body, enabling manual input of information to said computer system while controlling said computer system, said keyboard unit being structurally and operationally separated into respective keyboard halves along a central axis with a left keyboard half and a right keyboard half, said respective keyboard halves independently rotating relative to said axis on first and second pivot points and being coupled to and supported by said main body at a rearward upper surface of said main body; and

a display unit, mounted via a hinge to a rear surface of said main body, displaying visual images varying in accordance with signals generated by said computer system.

2. The portable computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, upon rotation, the left and right keyboard halves may form an angle of symmetry along the central axis of said keyboard unit.

3. The portable computer system of claim 1, further comprised of a support rotatably coupled by said hinge to said display unit said rear surface bearing a socket removably receiving said support while accommodating rotation of said display unit from a closed position with said display unit covering said keyboard unit to an open position with said display unit exposing said keyboard unit to operational use.

4. The portable computer system as claimed in claim 1, where in said keyboard unit further comprises a palm rest.

5. The portable computer system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said palm rest is separated into left and right palm rests, said left and right palm rests being separately and integrally formed with the left and right keyboard halves, respectively.

14. The portable computer system of claim 1, wherein said display unit being slidably detachable from said main body via a recess formed in the rear side surface of said main body receiving a portion of the hinge unit, said display unit receiving an electrical signal from said main body via a communicating cable passing through the recess of said main body.

15. The portable computer system of claim 1, wherein said main body further comprises:

a main circuit board controlling said display unit; and

a communicating cable connecting said main circuit board with said display unit through a recess of said main body, said communicating cable of a length allowing said display unit to slidably detach from said main body, said display unit receiving an electrical signal from said main circuit board via said communicating cable.

16. The portable computer system of claim 1, with the hinge unit of said display unit comprising a display support, removably insertable into the recess of said main body, said support being rotatable about a hinge axis into a rearward position beneath said display unit to serve as a base supporting said display unit on a level surface that may underlie said support.

19. The portable computer system of claim 1, further comprised of:

a support rotatably coupled by said hinge to said display unit; and

said rear surface bearing a socket removably receiving said support.

20. The portable computer system of claim 1, further comprised of:

said rear surface bearing a socket; and

a support rotatably coupled by said hinge to said display unit, said support being removably insertable into said socket while support said display unit during rotation of said display unit between a first orientation covering said keyboard unit and a second orientation exposing said keyboard to operational use, said support being rotatable beneath said hinge and supporting said display unit in an upright and operational position established independently of any location occupied by said main body while said display unit displays said images in accordance with said signals, said support establishing electrical communications between said main body and said display unit.

6. A portable computer system, comprising:

a main body controlling said portable computer system;

a keyboard unit, attached to an upper surface of said main body, manually controlling said main body, said keyboard unit being structurally and operationally separated along a central axis into a left keyboard half and a right keyboard half, the left keyboard half and right keyboard half respectively rotating parallel with the upper surface of said main body on a first hinge and a second hinge, the left keyboard half and right keyboard half being coupled to the main body at a rearward upper surface thereof, the left keyboard half forming a maximum predetermined angle with the right keyboard half; and

a display unit, mounted via a hinge unit to a rear side surface of said main body, displaying images that vary in accordance with a control signal generated by said main body, said display unit being slidably detachable from said main body via a recess formed in the rear side surface of said main body receiving a portion of the hinge unit.

7. The portable computer system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said main body further comprises a main circuit board for controlling said display unit.

8. The portable computer system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said display unit receives an electrical signal from the main circuit board of said display unit via a communicating cable passing through the recess of said main body.

9. The portable computer system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the communicating cable passing through the recess of said main body is of a length which allows said display unit to be situated on a level surface behind said main body.

10. The portable computer system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the hinge unit of said display unit comprises a display support, for insertion into the recess of said main body, which is rotatable about a hinge axis into a rearward position to serve as a base for supporting said display unit on a level surface.

11. The portable computer system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said display unit receives an electrical signal from the main circuit board of said display unit via a wireless method.

12. The portable computer system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said main body comprises a light-emitting device electrically communicating with the main circuit board, and wherein said display unit comprises a light-receiving device for receiving a control signal of the main circuit board via the light-emitting device.

17. The portable computer system of claim 7, further comprised of, upon rotation, the left and right keyboard halves forming an angle of symmetry along the central axis of said keyboard unit, the angle of symmetry along the central axis of said keyboard unit is determined in accordance with ergonomic design criteria.

13. A portable computer system comprising:

a main body for controlling said portable computer system;

a keyboard unit, attached to an upper surface of said main body, for controlling said main body, said keyboard unit being structurally and operationally separated along a central axis into a left keyboard half and a right keyboard half, the respective halves rotating on first and second hinges and being coupled to the main body at a rearward upper surface thereof, said first and second hinges disposed on separate pivot points; and

a display unit, mounted via a hinge unit to a rear side surface of said main body, for displaying images in accordance with a control signal generated by said main body, said display unit being slidably detachable from said main body via a recess formed in the rear side surface of said main body for receiving a portion of the hinge unit.

18. The portable computer of claim 13, wherein said keyboard unit further comprises a left and right palm rests, the left and right palm rests being integrally formed with the left and right keyboard halves, respectively.