Portable computer

• US 6,963,485 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2003
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hong, Seung-man
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US10/414,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20040066614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 361681-683, 361/686, 248917-924, 312/223.1, 312/223.2
• US Class Current: 361/679.55
• 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 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• 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: Y10S 248/917 Video display screen support

Abstract

A portable computer having a main body and a monitor coupled to the main body, by way of a pivoting link having a first end rotatably combined to the monitor so as to tilt and swivel the monitor relative to the main body, and a second end rotatably combined to the main body so as to pivot the monitor relative to the main body. With this configuration, the present invention provides a portable computer in which the monitor can be tilted, swiveled and pivoted relative to the main body, thereby allowing a user to view the monitor from various angles without moving the whole portable computer.

Claims

1. A portable computer having a main body and a monitor coupled to the main body, comprising:

a pivoting link having;

a first end rotatably combined with the monitor so as to tilt and swivel the monitor relative to the main body; and

a second end rotatably combined with the main body so as to pivot the monitor relative to the main body.

2. The portable computer according to claim 1, further comprising:

a tilting link having;

a first end rotatably combined with the monitor so as to swivel the monitor relative to the main body; and

a second end rotatably combined with the main body so as to tilt the monitor relative to the main body.

3. The portable computer according to claim 2, further comprising:

a monitor bracket having;

a first end combined to the monitor; and

a second end swivelably combined with the first end of the tilting link.

4. The portable computer according to claim 3, further comprising:

a main body bracket having;

a first end combined to the main body; and

a second end pivotably combined to the second end of the pivoting link.

5. The portable computer according to claim 4, further comprising:

a swiveling hinge provided between the monitor bracket and the tilting link, and allowing the monitor to swivel relative to the main body.

6. The portable computer according to claim 5, further comprising:

a tilting hinge provided between the tilting link and the pivoting link, and allowing the monitor to tilt relative to the main body.

7. The portable computer according to claim 6, further comprising:

a pivoting hinge provided between the pivoting link and the main body bracket, and allowing the monitor to pivot relative to the main body.

8. The portable computer according to claim 7, further comprising:

a cable to electrically connect the main body and the monitor, the cable being accommodated in the main body bracket, the pivoting link, the tilting link and the monitor bracket.

9. A portable computer, comprising:

a main body;

a monitor;

a member interposed between the main body and the monitor having a first end rotatably combined to the monitor, to tilt and swivel the monitor relative to the main body; and

a monitor bracket having a first end combined to the monitor and a second end swivelably combined to the first end of the tilting link,

wherein the first end of the member further comprises a tilting link having;

a first end rotatably combined with the monitor to swivel the monitor relative to the main body, and

a second end rotatably combined with the member to tilt the monitor relative to the main body.

10. The portable computer of claim 9, further comprising:

a swiveling hinge provided between the monitor bracket and the tilting link, to swivel the monitor relative to the main body.

11. The portable computer of claim 10, further comprising:

a tilting hinge provided between the tilting link and the member, to tilt the monitor relative to the main body.

12. A portable computer, comprising:

a main body;

a monitor; and

a member interposed between the main body and the monitor having a first end rotatably combined with the monitor, to tilt and swivel the monitor relative to the main body, and a second end rotatably combined to the main body to pivot the monitor relative to the main body.

13. The portable computer of claim 12, further comprising:

a main body bracket having;

a first end combined to the main body; and

a second end pivotably combined to the second end of the member.

14. The portable computer of claim 13, further comprising:

a pivoting hinge provided between the main body bracket and the second end of the member, to pivot the monitor relative to the main body.

15. The portable computer of claim 12, further comprising:

a cable to electrically connect the main body and the monitor, the cable being accommodated in the member.

16. A portable computer, comprising:

a main body;

a monitor;

a pivoting hinge;

a tilting hinge;

a swiveling hinge;

a monitor bracket having a first end combined to the monitor and a second end combined to a first end of the swiveling hinge;

a tilting link having a first end combined to a second end of the swiveling hinge and a second end combined to a first end of the tilting hinge;

a pivoting link having a first end combined to a second end of the tilting hinge and a second end combined to a first end of the pivoting hinge;

a main body bracket having a first end combined to a second end of the pivoting hinge and second end combined to the main body; and

a cable to electrically connect the main body and the monitor, the cable being accommodated in the main body bracket, the pivoting hinge, the pivoting link, the tilting hinge, the tilting link, the swiveling hinge, and the monitor bracket.

17. The portable computer of claim 16, wherein:

the second end of the monitor bracket has a swiveling hinge combining part;

the first end of the tilting link has a swiveling hinge accommodating part; and

the swiveling hinge comprises;

a first end having a splined cross-section that is fitted into the swiveling hinge combining part; and

a second end having a circular cross section that is inserted into the swiveling hinge accommodating part.

18. The portable computer of claim 16, wherein:

the second end of the tilting link has a tilting hinge combining part;

the first end of the pivoting link has a tilting hinge accommodating part; and

the tilting hinge comprises;

a first end having a splined cross-section that is fitted into the tilting hinge combining part; and

a second end having a circular cross section that is inserted into the tilting hinge accommodating part.

19. The portable computer of claim 16, wherein:

the second end of the main body bracket has a pivoting hinge combining part;

the second end of the pivoting link has a pivoting hinge accommodating part; and

the pivoting hinge comprises;

a first end having a splined cross-section that is fitted into the pivoting hinge combining part; and

a second end having a circular cross section that is inserted into the pivoting hinge accommodating part.

20. A system to connect a monitor and a main body, comprising:

a member having;

a first end rotatably combined to the monitor, to tilt and swivel the monitor relative to the main body; and

a second end rotatably combined to the main body to pivot the monitor relative to the main body.

21. A system to connect a monitor and a main body, comprising:

a member moveably connected with the main body and the monitor, allowing the monitor to move about first through third axes of rotation relative to the main body.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the monitor is movable about the first, second, and third axes simultaneously.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein monitor is movable about the first, second, and third axes separately.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the first axis is approximately perpendicular to the main body;

the second axis is approximately perpendicular to the first axis; and

the third axis is approximately perpendicular to both the second axis and the monitor.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the monitor is movable about the first, second, and third axes both simultaneously and separately.

25. A system to connect a monitor and a main body, comprising:

a member moveably connected to the main body and the monitor, allowing the monitor to move about multiple axes of rotation relative to the main body, wherein the multiple axes comprise;

a first axis approximately perpendicular to the main body;

a second axis approximately perpendicular to the first axis;

a third axis that is approximately parallel to the second axis, but not non-linear with the second axis; and

a fourth axis approximately perpendicular to the second axis, the third axis, and the monitor.

27. A system to connect a monitor and a main body of a portable computer, comprising:

a member moveably connected with the main body and the monitor, enabling rotation of the monitor relative to the main body, about three respectively orthogonal axes of rotation.