Housing for a computing apparatus

• US 7,061,762 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2002
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hawkins, Jeffrey C., Twiss, Robert Gregory, Canova, Francis James Jr., Francavilla, Madeleine, Boyle, Dennis Joseph, Neist, Traci Angela, Tal, Elisha Avraham, Han, Amy Aimei
• Primary Examiner(s): DATSKOVSKIY, MICHAIL V
• Application Number:
  US10/080,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20020101707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 361/683, 361/686, 312/223.2, 312/223.3, 312/223.1, 345/181, 345/182, 345/183, 178/18, 250/227.13, D14/345, D14341-343, D14/347, 401/131, D19/35
• US Class Current: 361/696
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer

Abstract

A handheld computer having a housing with a midframe construction is described. The housing includes a front shell and a back shell coupled to a midframe. The handheld computer also includes two accessory slots for a stylus or other devices on the left and right sides of the housing. The handheld computer also includes an infrared port which is an integral portion of the housing.

Claims

1. A computing apparatus, comprising:

a housing comprising a front shell, a back shell and a midframe, wherein the midframe is positioned between the front shell and the back shell to form at least a portion of a perimeter of the housing, the housing further comprising a slot that extends at least a majority of a length of the housing and is at least partially exposed along a lateral side of the housing, the accessory slot being shaped to receive and accommodate at least one removable device; and

wherein slot is formed as part of the midframe.

2. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the slot is shaped to only partially enclose the removeable device along substantially a length of the removeable device.

3. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a bottom of the housing is flared out and acts as a stop for the removeable device when the removeable device is inserted into the slot.

4. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the removeable slot is substantially cylindrical.

5. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the removeable device is a stylus device.

6. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the removeable device is a spine portion of a cover device.

7. The computing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication port within an interior surface of the slot, the communication port having at least one communicative contact.

8. The computing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the removeable device is an input/output stylus device having a plurality of contacts which connect to the at least one contact of the communication when the input/output stylus device is inserted into the slot.

9. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the slot includes a retaining device for retaining removeable devices.

10. The computing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the retaining device is a notch which mates with a detent on the removeable device.

11. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the slot is shaped to receive a stylus as the removeable device.

12. The computing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the slot is shaped to receive a spine of one of a cover or encasement as the removeable device.

13. A computing apparatus comprising:

a display;

a housing formed at least in part by a front shell and a back shell, the front shell including a front face that provides access to a display, and the back shell including a back face opposing the front face, the housing including a midframe positioned at least partially between the front shell and the back shell, wherein the midframe is at least partially exposed along one or more peripheral surfaces of the housing, and wherein the midframe extends around one or more internal components of the computing apparatus, including the display; and

a first slot formed in the midframe of the housing, and wherein the first slot includes an opening that extends a majority of a length of the first slot, the opening of the first slot being provided on a first portion of the peripheral surface.

14. The computing apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a second slot formed in the midframe of the housing, and wherein the second slot includes an opening that extends a majority of a length of second slot, the opening of the second slot being provided on a second portion of the peripheral surface.

15. The computing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first peripheral portion and the second peripheral portion are positioned on opposite lateral sides of the housing.

16. The computing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first slot includes a substantially rounded interior.

17. The computing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first slot and the second slot each include a substantially rounded interior.

18. The computing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first slot is shaped to receive either a stylus or a spine of an accessory device.

19. The computing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the peripheral portion is formed from at least portions of the front shell and the back shell.

20. The computing apparatus of claim 13, wherein at least a third portion of the peripheral surface is formed from a material which is at least partially transmissive to infrared light.

21. The computing apparatus of claim 20, wherein the housing includes an interior space for accommodating an infrared communications component, and wherein the third portion of the peripheral surface is adjacent to the component.

22. The computing apparatus of claim 21, wherein the third portion of the peripheral surface is formed by the midframe.

23. The computing apparatus of claim 22, wherein the material for the third portion of the peripheral surface is polished.

24. The computing apparatus of claim 22, wherein the material for the third portion of the peripheral surface is opaque to visible light.

25. The computing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the peripheral surface is formed from a plurality of housing segments, which include the midframe.

26. The computing apparatus of claim 13, wherein midframe is constructed from a plurality of segments.

27. A computing apparatus comprising:

a housing formed at least in part by a front shell, a back shell, and a midframe, wherein midframe forms at least a portion of a periphery of the housing, and wherein the front shell includes a front face that provides access to a display, and the back shell includes a back face opposing the front face, and wherein the housing includes a peripheral surface that forms a thickness of the housing between the front face and the back face; and

a first slot formed in the midframe of the housing, wherein first slot is only partially formed so as to have an opening that extends at least a majority of a length of the first slot, the opening of the first slot being formed on a first portion of the peripheral surface, wherein the first slot is shaped to receive a first elongated removeable device so that at least a portion of an overall length of the first elongated removeable device is exposed by the opening of the first slot; and

a second slot formed in the midframe of the housing, wherein the second slot is only partially formed so as to have an opening that extends lengthwise a majority of a length of the second slot, the opening of the second slot being formed on a second potion of the peripheral surface, wherein the second slot is shaped to receive a second elongated removeable device so that at least a portion of an overall length of the second elongated removeable device is exposed by the opening of the second slot.

28. The computing apparatus of claim 27, wherein the peripheral surface is includes a third portion that is at least partially formed from a material which is at least partially transmissive to infrared light.

29. The computing apparatus of claim 27, wherein at least one of the first slot and the second slot includes a rounded interior.

30. The computing apparatus of claim 27, wherein at least one of the first slot and the second slot is integrally formed in the midframe.