One inch notebook computer

• US 20010043457A1
• Filed: 08/02/2001
• Published: 11/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Foster, Mark J., Bovio, Michele
• Granted Patent: US 6,426,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/683
• 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 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• 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

Abstract

A portable notebook computer having a thickness of only one inch is obtained by provision of a computer housing containing a keyboard assembly and a motherboard positioned directly below the keyboard assembly, the keyboard assembly and the motherboard thereby defining a region in the enclosure. The other components comprising the computer; i.e. a hard disk drive, a PCMCIA option slot, a trackball assembly, and a DC to DC convertor, are positioned in an adjacent and generally co-planar relationship with this region. A battery housing is mounted externally on the computer housing for supplying electrical power to the computer.

Claims

1. A computer comprising:

a computer housing;

a keyboard assembly in the housing;

a motherboard positioned directly below the keyboard assembly, the keyboard assembly and the motherboard defining a region in the enclosure;

a hard disk drive in the enclosure positioned in adjacent generally co-planar relationship with the region; and

a battery housing mounted externally on the computer housing for supplying electrical power to the computer.

2. The computer of

claim 1

further comprising a PCMCIA option slot in the enclosure positioned in adjacent generally co-planar relationship with the region.

3. The computer of

claim 2

further comprising a trackball assembly in the enclosure positioned in adjacent generally co-planar relationship with the region.

4. The computer of

claim 3

further comprising a DC to DC convertor in the enclosure positioned in adjacent generally co-planar relationship with the region.

5. The computer of

claim 4

wherein the hard disk drive, the PCMCIA option slot, the trackball assembly, and the DC to DC convertor are located in a position forward of the region.

6. The computer of

claim 5

wherein the battery housing is movably attached to a rear side of the computer housing.

7. A computer comprising:

a computer housing;

a keyboard assembly in the housing;

a motherboard positioned directly below the keyboard assembly, the keyboard assembly and the motherboard defining a region in the enclosure;

a hard disk drive in the enclosure positioned in adjacent generally co-planar relationship with the region and forward of the region;

a PCMCIA option slot in the enclosure positioned in adjacent generally co-planar relationship with the region and forward of the region;

a trackball assembly in the enclosure positioned in adjacent generally co-planar relationship with the region and forward of the region;

a DC to DC convertor in the enclosure positioned in adjacent generally co-planar relationship with the region and forward of the region; and

a battery housing mounted externally on the computer housing for supplying electrical power to the computer.