High voltage electrical connection for a display screen

• US 6,594,145 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2001
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Williams, Robert M., Plourde, Richard H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, HUNG S
• Application Number:
  US09/977,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20020058435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 361/681, 361/680, 361/683, 361/686, 361/827, 361/785, 361/684, 439/165
• US Class Current: 361/679.41
• 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 computer system, comprising:

a panel display;

a housing configured to support a plurality of computing components comprising a high voltage inverter for the panel display;

a hinge structure rotatably coupled to the panel display and the housing about an axis; and

a high voltage cable electrically coupled to the high voltage inverter and the panel display, the high voltage cable comprising;

a twistable portion extending through the hinge structure and along the axis for a desired stress dissipation length.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the twistable portion is configured to spread rotational motion of the panel display over the desired stress dissipation length.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the desired stress dissipation length is configured to reduce fatigue associated with the rotational motion.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the high voltage cable comprises a twistably flexible assembly of conductors and insulative material.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the conductors comprise copper.

6. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the twistably flexible assembly comprises a protective external sleeve configured to reduce frictional wear.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the high voltage cable comprises a curved portion adjacent the twistable portion, the curved portion having a curve radius configured to facilitate twisting rather than bending of the high voltage cable.

8. A wiring system for a computing device comprising a display rotatably coupled to a housing, comprising:

a hinge structure having a rotational axis; and

a high voltage cable for the display, comprising;

a straight portion extending through the hinge structure for a desired length along the rotational axis; and

a curved portion adjacent the straight portion, wherein the curved potion comprises a gradual curvature.

9. The wiring system of claim 8, wherein the straight portion is twistable over the desired length.

10. The wiring system of claim 9, wherein the desired length is configured to reduce fatigue of the high voltage cable associated with rotational motion of the display about the housing.

11. The wiring system of claim 8, wherein the high voltage cable comprises a twistably flexible assembly of conductors and insulative material.

12. The wiring system of claim 11, wherein the twistably flexible assembly comprises a protective external sleeve.

13. The wiring system of claim 8, wherein the high voltage cable comprises the curved portion adjacent opposite ends of the straight portion.

14. The wiring system of claim 8, wherein the gradual curvature is configured to facilitate twisting rather than bending of the high voltage cable with rotational motion of the display about the housing.

15. A method for reducing fatigue in a high voltage electrical conductor between a portable computer housing and a rotatable display, comprising:

twistably extending a portion of the high voltage electrical conductor for a desired fatigue dissipation length along a rotational axis between the portable computer housing and the rotatable display; and

routing adjacent portions of the high voltage electrical conductor into the computer housing and the rotatable display.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein twistably extending the portion comprises preventing localized stresses in the high voltage electrical conductor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein preventing localized stresses comprise substantially reducing bending stresses.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein twistably extending the portion comprises spreading stresses over the desired fatigue dissipation length.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein routing the adjacent portions comprises preventing localized stresses in the high voltage electrical conductor.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein preventing localized stresses comprises eliminating sharp angles in the high voltage electrical conductor.

21. The method of claim 15, comprising selecting the desired fatigue dissipation length and the desired lengths and gradual curvatures to increase the cyclical life of the high voltage electrical conductor associated with rotational cycles of opening and closing the rotatable display relative to the portable computer housing.