High voltage electrical connection for a display screen

• US 6,488,517 B1
• Filed: 09/03/1998
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Information Technologies Group LP (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Williams, Robert M., Plourde, Richard H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, P. Austin
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRUC T
• Application Number:
  US09/146,869
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 439/165, 439/932, 439/31, 361/681, 364/708
• US Class Current: 439/165
• 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 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/53 Bases or cases for heavy duty; Bases or cases for high voltage with means for preventing corona or arcing
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/06 for computer periphery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 35/02 Flexible line connectors without frictional contact members

Abstract

A high voltage electrical connection between a base unit and a panel display in a portable computer wherein the base unit and the panel display are pivotably secured to each other about a hinge axis, includes a flexible high voltage electrical conductor extending from the base unit to the panel display. A portion of the electrical conductor extends along the hinge axis such that pivoting of the panel display relative to the base unit causes said portion of the flexible conductor to twist about the hinge axis rather than actively bend.

Claims

1. A high voltage electrical connection between a base unit and a panel display in a portable computer, the base unit and the panel display being pivotably secured to each other about a hinge axis, the electrical connection comprising:

a flexible high voltage electrical conductor extending from the base unit to the panel display, a portion of the electrical conductor extending along the hinge axis such that pivoting of the panel display relative to the base unit causes said portion of the flexible conductor to twist about the hinge axis rather than actively bend.

2. The electrical connection of claim 1 in which the flexible electrical conductor comprises a first insulated copper braided wire.

3. The electrical connection of claim 2 in which the flexible electrical conductor further comprises a second insulated copper braided wire positioned longitudinally adjacent to the first wire.

4. The electrical connection of claim 3 further comprising a sleeve surrounding a portion of the flexible conductor, said sleeve preventing wear of the flexible conductor due to twisting of the flexible conductor against components of the computer.

5. The electrical connection of claim 4 in which the sleeve comprises a braided material capable of being shrink fitted.

6. The electrical connection of claim 3 in which each wire includes 19 tinned annealed copper wire strands about 0.127 mm in diameter.

7. A system for providing high voltage power between a base unit and a panel display in a portable computer, the panel display being pivotable relative to the base unit about a hinge axis, the system comprising:

a high voltage power source housed within the base unit; and

a flexible high voltage electrical conductor in electrical communication with the power source extending from the base unit to the display screen, a portion of the electrical conductor extending along the hinge axis such that pivoting of the panel display relative to the base unit causes said portion of the flexible conductor to twist about the hinge axis rather than actively bend.

8. The system of claim 7 in which the power source is a high voltage inverter which provides power for backlighting the display screen.

9. The system of claim 7 in which the flexible electrical conductor comprises a first insulated copper braided wire.

10. The system of claim 9 in which the flexible electrical conductor further comprises a second insulated copper braided wire positioned longitudinally adjacent to the first wire.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising a sleeve surrounding a portion of the flexible conductor, said sleeve preventing wear of the flexible conductor due to twisting of the flexible conductor against components of the computer.

12. The system of claim 11 in which the sleeve comprises a braided material capable of being shrink fitted.

13. The system of claim 10 in which each wire includes 19 tinned annealed copper wire strands about 0.127 mm in diameter.

14. A method of forming a high voltage electrical connection between a base unit and a panel display in a portable computer, the base unit and the panel display being pivotably secured to each other about a hinge axis, the method comprising the steps of:

extending a high voltage flexible electrical conductor from the base unit to the panel display; and

extending a portion of the electrical conductor along the hinge axis such that pivoting of the panel display relative to the base unit causes said portion of the flexible conductor to twist about the hinge axis rather than actively bend.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of forming the flexible electrical conductor from a first insulated copper braided wire.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of providing the flexible electrical conductor with a second insulated copper braided wire positioned longitudinally adjacent to the first wire.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of surrounding a portion of the flexible conductor with a sleeve, said sleeve preventing wear of the flexible conductor due to twisting of the flexible conductor against components of the computer.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of forming each wire from 19 tinned annealed copper wire strands about 0.127 mm in diameter.