Personal digital assistant assembly

• US 6,856,507 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Wei Chung, Yeh, Owen, Chiang, Jia-Jiunn, Wu, Jeng Hua, Chen, Yu-Hsin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lea-Edmonds, Lisa
• Application Number:
  US10/436,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20040066616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 361683-686, 361/680, 361/681, 400/82, 400/88, 400/89, 400/719, 400/472, 235/144.A, 235/145.R, 235/146, 455/575.1, 455/550.1, 455/575.3, 455/90.3, 455344-350
• 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 1/1626 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 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device

Abstract

In a personal digital assistant assembly, a coupling block disposed on an operating surface of a base module is rotatable about a pivot axle transverse to the operating surface. An elongated hinge unit interconnects pivotally a connecting end of a personal digital assistant and the coupling block such that the personal digital assistant is rotatable about a longitudinal axis parallel to the operating surface and transverse to the pivot axle and is movable to a desired angular position relative to the coupling block. The coupling block is movable between an expanded position, where the personal digital assistant uncovers a user input unit on the operating surface of the base module, and a closed position, where the personal digital assistant is capable of covering the user input unit.

Claims

1. A personal digital assistant assembly comprising:

a base module having front and rear ends, and an operating surface provided with a user input device thereon adjacent to said front end;

a pivot unit provided on said operating surface of said base module adjacent to said rear end and having a pivot axle transverse to said operating surface of said base module;

a coupling block disposed on said operating surface of said base module and connected pivotally to said pivot unit such that said coupling block is rotatable about said pivot axle;

a personal digital assistant having a connecting end; and

an elongated hinge unit defining a longitudinal axis parallel to said operating surface of said base module and transverse to said pivot axle of said pivot unit, said hinge unit being disposed on said coupling block and interconnecting pivotally said connecting end of said personal digital assistant and said coupling block such that said personal digital assistant is rotatable about the longitudinal axis and is movable to a desired angular position relative to said coupling block;

said coupling block being operable so as to move between an expanded position, where said coupling block is moved away from said front end of said base module such that said personal digital assistant uncovers said user input unit on said operating surface of said base module, and a closed position, where said coupling block is moved toward said front end of said base module such that said personal digital assistant can be rotated about the longitudinal axis so as to cover said user input unit on said operating surface of said base module.

2. The personal digital assistant assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said user input device includes at least one of a handwriting input unit and a keyboard unit, said keyboard unit having a plurality of keys.

3. The personal digital assistant assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base module includes a key matrix circuit, said personal digital assistant including a processing unit, a power supply unit coupled to said processing unit for supplying electrical power thereto, and a driving unit coupled to and controlled by said processing unit.

4. The personal digital assistant assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said driving unit includes a key controlling circuit, a system memory controller, a signal amplifying and converting circuit, a touch controller, a liquid crystal controller and a liquid crystal module.

5. A personal digital assistant assembly comprising:

a base module having front and rear ends, and an operating surface;

a pivot unit provided on said operating surface of said base module adjacent to said rear end and having a pivot axle transverse to said operating surface of said base module;

a coupling block disposed on said operating surface of said base module and connected pivotally to said pivot unit such that said coupling block is rotatable about said pivot axle;

a personal digital assistant module having a connecting end;

a user input device provided on one of said base module and said personal digital assistant module;

a liquid crystal module provided on the other one of said base module and said personal digital assistant module; and

an elongated hinge unit defining a longitudinal axis parallel to said operating surface of said base module and transverse to said pivot axle of said pivot unit, said hinge unit being disposed on said coupling block and interconnecting pivotally said connecting end of said personal digital assistant module and said coupling block such that said personal digital assistant module is rotatable about the longitudinal axis and is movable to a desired angular position relative to said coupling block;

said coupling block being operable so as to move between an expanded position, where said coupling block is moved away from said front end of said base module such that said personal digital assistant module uncovers said operating surface of said base module, and a closed position, where said coupling block is moved toward said front end of said base module such that said personal digital assistant module can be rotated about the longitudinal axis so as to be superimposed on said operating surface of said base module.