Notebook computer with telescopic mechanism for adjusting inclination

• US 9,030,820 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2013
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Futaihua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Guo, Ji-Bing
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US13/753,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20130229763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.27, 361/679.59
• US Class Current: 361/679.59
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/166 related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle
• 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 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops

Abstract

A notebook computer includes a display connected to a base by a pivot. The base defines a receiving space by a cover and a housing. The notebook computer further includes a telescopic mechanism arranged near the pivot in the receiving space. The telescopic mechanism protrudes from the housing via a first through hole defined in a bottom of the housing to maintain the base at certain inclination on a supporting surface; the notebook computer is in a first working state. The notebook computer switches to a second working state from the first working state when the telescopic mechanism retracts into the housing.

Claims

1. A notebook computer, comprising:

a display connected to a base by a pivot;

the base comprising a cover and a housing defining a receiving space; and

a telescopic mechanism corresponded to the pivot in the receiving space, wherein the telescopic mechanism protrudes from the housing via a first through hole defined in a bottom of the housing, the telescopic mechanism being perpendicular to the bottom of the housing to support the base at a certain inclination angle relative to a supporting surface when the notebook computer is in a first working state;

the telescopic mechanism retracts into the housing when the notebook computer switches to a second working state from the first working state.

2. The notebook computer of claim 1, wherein the telescopic mechanism comprises an extending unit, when the notebook computer is closed, the extending unit is received in the receiving space;

when the display rotates away from the base, the extending unit protrudes out of the housing via the first through hole;

when the notebook computer is switched to the second working state, the extending unit retracts into the receiving space.

3. The notebook computer of claim 2, wherein the extending unit comprises a leg, a first gear, a second gear, and a position limiter, the first gear encircles the pivot and mates with the second gear;

the position limiter is arranged on the housing and defines a space to receive and fix the leg and the second gear;

the leg is capable of sliding in the position limiter along a first direction perpendicular to the housing.

4. The notebook computer of claim 3, wherein the leg comprises a rack formed on a surface adjacent to the second gear, the second gear mates with the rack;

when the notebook computer is opened, the second gear drives the leg to protrude from the base via the first through hole.

5. The notebook computer of claim 4, wherein the telescopic mechanism further comprises a retracting unit to control the notebook computer to switch to the second working state from the first working state.

6. The notebook computer of claim 5, wherein the retracting unit comprises a fixing portion, a connector, a first elastic member, and an operation portion;

the fixing portion is arranged on the housing and comprises two sidewalls extending perpendicularly from a bottom of the housing;

each sidewall defines a sliding groove parallel to the bottom of the housing;

the connector is latched in the two sliding grooves, the connector is capable of sliding along the two sliding grooves in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

7. The notebook computer of claim 6, wherein when the operating portion is operated, the operating portion drives the connector to move along the second direction to pull the first gear to separate from the second gear, and the first elastic member drives the leg to retract into the receiving space.

8. The notebook computer of claim 6, wherein the connector comprises a lid connected to a hook, the lid is latched between the two sliding grooves, the hook latches the first gear;

the lid defines a second through hole away from the hook.

9. The notebook computer of claim 8, wherein the operating portion comprises a button connected to a wedge, the button protrudes out of the cover via a third through hole defined in the cover, the wedge defines an inclined surface resisting one side of the second through hole;

when the button is pressed, the inclined surface applies a force to the lid, the lid slides along the two sliding grooves.

10. The notebook computer of claim 9, wherein the telescopic mechanism comprises a resetting unit to reset the first gear mate with the second gear when the notebook computer is closed from the second working state.

11. The notebook computer of claim 10, wherein the resetting unit comprises a latching portion, a second elastic member, and a third elastic member;

the latching portion latches the lid, the second elastic member drives the latching portion to move along the first direction, the third elastic member drives the first gear to mate with the second gear.

12. The notebook computer of claim 11, wherein the lid further defines a calabash-shaped hole between the second through hole and the hook to receive the latching portion;

the calabash-shaped hole comprises a position hole and a fixing hole, and a diameter of the position hole is smaller than a diameter of the fixing hole.

13. The notebook computer of claim 12, wherein the latching portion comprises a position bar, a fixing member, and a sleeve, the position bar and the fixing member are received in the position hole and the fixing hole respectively, and a diameter of the position bar is smaller than a diameter of the fixing member correspondingly.

14. The notebook computer of claim 13, wherein when the notebook computer is in the first working state the position bar is latched in the position hole;

when the notebook computer is in the second working state, the fixing member is latched in the fixing hole.

15. The notebook computer of claim 14, wherein when the notebook computer switches to the second working state from the first working state, the second elastic member drives the latching portion to move along the first direction, thus the fixing member is latched in the fixing hole.

16. The notebook computer of claim 14, wherein the notebook computer is in the second working state, the position bar protrudes out of the cover via a fourth through hole, and the third elastic member is compressed.

17. The notebook computer of claim 15, wherein when the notebook computer is closed, the display presses the position bar to move along the first direction, the third elastic member drives the first gear to mate with the second gear.

18. A notebook computer, comprising:

a display pivotally connected to a base by a pivot;

the base having a cover and a housing cooperatively defining a receiving space; and

a telescopic mechanism corresponding to the pivot in the receiving space, wherein the telescopic mechanism protrudes out the housing from a first through hole defined in a bottom of the housing, the telescopic mechanism being perpendicular to the bottom of the housing to support the base at a certain inclination angle relative to a supporting surface when the notebook computer is opened on the supporting surface.

19. A notebook computer, comprising:

a display connected to a base by a pivot;

the base comprising a cover and a housing defining a receiving space; and

a telescopic mechanism corresponding to the pivot in the receiving space, wherein the telescopic mechanism protrudes from the housing via a first through hole defined in a bottom of the housing to support the base at a certain inclination angle on a supporting surface when the notebook computer is in a first working state;

the telescopic mechanism retracts into the housing when the notebook computer switches to a second working state from the first working state; and

wherein the telescopic mechanism comprises an extending unit, the extending unit comprises a leg, a first gear, a second gear, and a position limiter, the first gear encircles the pivot and mates with the second gear;

the position limiter is arranged on the housing and defines a space to receive and fix the leg and the second gear; and

the leg is capable of sliding in the position limiter along a first direction perpendicular to the housing.