Attachable/detachable keyboard apparatus of portable computer system

• US 6,781,819 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2002
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Dong Joon, Park, Joung Sea, Yang, Myeong Kyoo
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, HUNG V
• Application Number:
  US10/320,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20040042159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679-687, 361/724-727, 341/22, 400/489, 400/682, 400/691-693, 400/82, 400/88, 345/168-169, 345/905
• US Class Current: 361/679.09
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/162 changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

An attachable/detachable keyboard apparatus is provided for a portable multi-type computer system. The keyboard apparatus can be secured to an upper surface of main body of the computer system and selectively enable users to input data when the computer (e.g., web pad) is turned on. The keyboard apparatus can be used for a portable multi-type computer with web pad function and notebook personal computer in view that the keyboard apparatus can be easily attached to or detached from the main body of the computer system, thereby helping users to carry the computer more conveniently.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a keyboard case;

an input device exposed in an upper surface of the keyboard case; and

a connector mounted on the keyboard case for connection to a portable computer, wherein the connector is configured to rotate between a first position and a second position, and wherein the input device is electronically disabled unless the connector is in the second position.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the connector is configured to rotate in a plane substantially parallel with the upper surface of the keyboard case.

3. A system, comprising:

a keyboard case comprising a front case and a rear case that are coupled together to enclose a space therebetween;

an input device exposed in an upper surface of the keyboard case; and

a connector mounted on the keyboard case for connection to a portable computer, wherein the connector is configured to rotate between a first position and a second position, and wherein the input device is disabled unless the connector is in the second position, wherein the connector comprises;

a rotating member that is configured to rotate a web pad at a designated angle around the keyboard case being installed on an upper portion of the keyboard case;

a male connector for connection of the input device to transmit signals that are outputted from the input device; and

a keyboard docking projection at one side of the rotating member configured to secure the keyboard case to the web pad.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the keyboard docking projection is configured to connect with first and second different orientations to the web pad.

5. A system, comprising:

a keyboard case;

an input device exposed in an upper surface of the keyboard case; and

a connector mounted on the keyboard case for connection to a portable computer, wherein the connector is configured to rotate between a first position and a second position, and wherein the input device is disabled unless the connector is in the second position, wherein the connector comprises;

a rotational disk that rotates around a fixed point relative to the upper surface of the keyboard case; and

a hinge rigidly coupled to the rotational disk displaced a prescribed distanced from the fixed point.

6. A system, comprising:

a keyboard case;

an input device exposed in an upper surface of the keyboard case; and

a connector mounted on the keyboard case for connection to a portable computer, wherein the connector is configured to rotate between a first position and a second position, and wherein the input device is disabled unless the connector is in the second position, wherein a sensor is configured to sense when the portable computer is coupled to the connector, wherein the first position is a closed position and a second position is an open position, and wherein the keypad is disabled based on the sensor.

7. A keyboard apparatus, comprising:

a keyboard case;

an input device exposed in an upper surface of the keyboard case;

a connector mounted on the keyboard case for detachable connection to a portable computer, wherein the connector comprises;

a rotatable disk configured to rotate around a fixed point relative to the upper surface of the keyboard case; and

a hinge rigidly coupled to the rotatable disk displaced a prescribed distanced from the fixed point.

8. The keyboard apparatus of claim 7, wherein the rotatable disk rotates between a first position and a second position, wherein the input device is disabled unless the rotational disk is in the second position, and wherein the connector is configured to align with an outer edge of the keyboard case in the first position and align with an edge of the input device in the second position.

9. The keyboard apparatus of claim 7, wherein the rotatable disk comprises:

an upper rotation guide member coupled below the upper surface of the keyboard case;

a keyboard disk assembly that rotates along a guide rail formed on a rear surface of the upper rotation guide member; and

a lower rotation guide member fastened to the upper rotation guide member with the keyboard disk assembly therebetween, wherein the lower rotation guide member includes a data input mode switch at a designated position on a front surface.

10. The keyboard apparatus of claim 9, wherein the keyboard disk assembly comprises:

a keyboard disk that rotates along the guide rail on the rear surface of the upper rotation guide member and includes a projection on a lower surface to selectively contact with the data input mode switch along the rotation between an open position and the closed position;

a hinge frame that is fastened onto the keyboard disk; and

a hinge assembly that rotates at a designated angle at one side of the hinge frame.

11. The keyboard apparatus of claim 10, wherein the hinge assembly comprises:

a first connector cover;

a second connector cover that is set up at an opposite side to the first connector cover;

a first and second hinges separated by a prescribed distance and disposed between the first connector cover and the second connector cover, wherein the first and second covers are securely coupled together; and

a hinge cover that fastens the first and second hinges onto the hinge frame while covering the first and second hinges.

12. The keyboard apparatus of claim 10, wherein the rotation of the connector causes the data input mode switch to convert the input device from a first mode to a second mode, wherein the input device is disabled in the first mode and enabled in the second mode.

13. A portable multi-type computer system, comprising:

a web pad-type computer; and

a keyboard apparatus that detachably connects to the web pad, wherein the keyboard apparatus comprises;

a keyboard case having a front case and a rear case that are coupled together to enclose a space therebetween;

a keypad exposed in an upper surface of the keyboard case; and

a keyboard opening/closing apparatus mounted on the keyboard case that selectively rigidly attaches the web pad to the keyboard apparatus, wherein the keypad is disabled unless the keyboard opening/closing apparatus is in an open position.

14. The portable multi-type computer system of claim 13, wherein the keyboard opening/closing apparatus comprises a rotating member that comprises:

a rotational disk that rotates around a fixed point relative to the upper surface of the keyboard case; and

a hinge rigidly coupled to the rotational disk displaced a prescribed distanced from the fixed point.

15. The portable multi-type computer system of claim 13, wherein the keyboard opening/closing apparatus comprises a docking projection on one side of the keyboard opening/closing apparatus that secures the web pad to the keyboard opening/closing apparatus, wherein the web pad is rotatably attached by the docking projection to cover the keypad in a closed position with a first surface in a first orientation and to cover the keypad with a second surface in a second orientation.

16. The portable multi-type computer system of claim 15, wherein the web pad has a touch sensitive display unit for viewing information processed by the web pad exposed in the first surface, and wherein the display unit can be used to operate the web pad in the second orientation when the keyboard apparatus is in a closed position.

17. The portable multi-type computer system of claim 16, wherein the keypad is accessible in the open position and covered in the closed position, and a fastener locks the web pad to the keyboard apparatus in the both first and second orientation when in the closed position.

18. The portable multi-type computer system of claim 17, wherein the rotational disk comprises:

an upper rotation guide member coupled to a rear surface of the front case;

a keyboard disk assembly that rotates along a guide rail formed on a rear surface of the upper rotation guide member; and

a lower rotation guide member fastened to the upper rotation guide member with the keyboard disk assembly therebetween, wherein the lower rotation guide member includes a data input mode switch at a designated position on a front surface.

19. The portable multi-type computer system of claim 18, wherein keyboard disk assembly comprises:

a keyboard disk that rotates along the guide rail on the rear surface of the upper rotation guide member and includes a projection on a lower surface to selectively contact with the data input mode switch along the rotation between an open position and the closed position;

a hinge frame that is fastened onto the keyboard disk; and

a hinge assembly that rotates at a designated angle at one side of the hinge frame.

20. The portable multi-type computer system of claim 19, wherein the hinge assembly comprises:

a first connector cover;

a second connector cover that is set up at an opposite side to the first connector cover;

a first and second hinges separated by a prescribed distance and disposed between the first connector cover and the second connector cover, wherein the first and second covers are securely coupled together at both ends thereof; and

a hinge cover that fastens the first and second hinges onto the hinge frame while covering the first and second hinges.