Portable electronic apparatus having a cover device with a stand unit for supporting a user interface device

• US 6,700,775 B1
• Filed: 01/23/2003
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Chuang, Wei-Pin, Cheng, Chih-Chuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Schuberg, Darren
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHANG, YEAN HSI
• Application Number:
  US10/348,946
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679, 361/680, 361/681, 361/683, 361/686
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer

Abstract

In a portable electronic apparatus, a cover device includes a stand unit provided on a cover body. The stand unit includes a support member connected to and pivotable relative to the cover body. A foldable limiting member is connected to the support member and is connected to the cover body for limiting the support member at the supporting position. The cover device is assembled removably on a user interface device for protecting an operating surface of the user interface device when the support member is in a collapsed position, where the support member lies on the cover body, and is removed from the user interface device to permit movement of the support member to a supporting position, where the support member forms an angle with the cover body for positioning the user interface device on the stand unit.

Claims

1. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a user interface device having a housing with an operating surface; and

a cover device including

a cover body having inner and outer surfaces, a front end, and a rear connecting end opposite to said front end in a first direction, and

a stand unit provided on said inner surface of said cover body, said stand unit including

a support member that has a pivot end connected to said inner surface of said cover body adjacent to said rear connecting end and pivotable about a first axis that extends in a second direction transverse to the first direction, and a movable end opposite to said pivot end, said support member being operable so as to move from a collapsed position, where said support member lies on said inner surface of said cover body, to a supporting position, where said movable end of said support member is spaced apart vertically from said inner surface of said cover body such that said support member forms an angle with said inner surface of said cover body, and

a foldable limiting member that has a first end connected to said movable end of said support member, and a second end opposite to said first end and connected to said inner surface of said cover body between said front end and said rear connecting end for limiting said support member at the supporting position;

said cover device being assembled removably on said housing for protecting said operating surface when said support member is in the collapsed position;

said cover device being removed from said housing to permit movement of said support member to the supporting position for positioning said housing on said stand unit when said support member is in the supporting position.

2. The portable electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stand unit further includes a stop member disposed on said inner surface of said cover body between said second end of said limiting member and said front end of said cover body such that said housing can lie against said limiting member and can be stopped by said stop member when said support member is in the supporting position.

3. The portable electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said stop member is pivotable relative to said cover body about a pivot axis parallel to the first axis so as to be foldable toward and away from said inner surface of said cover body.

4. The portable electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said limiting member includes an upper link formed with said first end and pivotable relative to said movable end about a second axis parallel to the first axis, and a lower link formed with said second end and pivotable relative to said cover body about a third axis parallel to the first axis, said upper link further having a lower link end, said lower link further having an upper link end coupled to and pivotable relative to said lower link end about a fourth axis parallel to the first axis.

5. The portable electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said support member is formed with an opening having a size not smaller than that of said upper link, said upper link being formed with a receiving groove having a size not smaller than that of said lower link, said upper link being received in said opening and said lower link being received in said receiving groove when said support member is in the collapsed position.

6. The portable electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover device further includes a keyboard unit mounted on said inner surface of said cover body between said second end of said limiting member and said front end of said cover body.

7. The portable electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said cover body is further provided with a first connector that is disposed pivotally on said inner surface and that is connected electrically to said keyboard unit, said housing of said user interface device being provided with a second connector that is connected electrically and removably to said first connector when said housing is positioned on said stand unit.

8. The portable electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said user interface device includes a touch-control display module mounted on said housing and accessible from said operating surface.