TRIM ELEMENT FOR HOUSING OF COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20090141436A1
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsuoka, Yoshimichi, Babella, Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/948,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20090141436A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.90
• 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: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate

Abstract

A trim element is provided for a housing assembly of a computing device. The trim element may be molded and shaped to circumvent a front facade of the housing assembly to form a perimeter trim

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a display assembly that includes a display surface;

a keypad assembly including an arrangement of keys;

a front facade on which the display surface and the arrangement of keys are provided, the front facade including one or more regions where a housing surface is provided to surround the display surface and the arrangement of keys; and

a trim element that is at least partially exposed to form a perimeter trim that is visibly present as part of the front facade, wherein the trim element is visually distinguishable from an adjoining portion of the front facade at any point on the perimeter.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the trim element is provided as a separate structure from the housing surface.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the trim element protrudes from a platform that underlies at least a majority of the front facade and spans a length and a width of the front facade.

4. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the platform includes an opening to accommodate the display assembly, and wherein the keypad assembly is provided on the platform.

5. The computing device of claim 4, further comprising a printed circuit board that interconnects the display assembly and the keypad assembly with one or more internal components of the computing device, and wherein the printed circuit board is mounted onto or over the platform.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the front facade and the trim element each have a different predominant color.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the trim element is visually distinguishable from an adjacent portion of the front facade as a result of a color, a shading or a texture provided on the trim element.

8. The computing device of claim 1, wherein trim element is contoured to transition the front facade into edge surfaces.

9. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the trim element is formed from a translucent and colored material.

10. A housing assembly for a computing device, the housing assembly comprising:

a front facade on which a display surface and an arrangement of keys are provided, the front facade including one or more regions where a housing surface is provided to surround the display surface and the arrangement of keys; and

a trim element that is at least partially exposed to form a perimeter trim that is visibly present as part of the front facade, and wherein the trim element is visually distinguishable from an adjoining portion of the front facade at any point on the perimeter.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the front facade and the trim element each have a different predominant color.

12. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the trim element is visually distinguishable as a result of a color, a shading or a texture provided on the trim element.

13. The computing device of claim 10, wherein trim element is contoured to transition the front facade into edge surfaces.

14. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the trim element is formed from a translucent and colored material.

15. A housing sub-assembly for a computing device, the housing sub-assembly comprising:

a platform; and

a trim element that protrudes from a perimeter of the platform, wherein the platform is dimensioned so that the trim element provides a perimeter that is visibly present as part of a front facade of the computing device.

16. The housing sub-assembly of claim 15, wherein the platform is rigid to support one or more of a display assembly and keypad assembly.

17. The housing sub-assembly of claim 15, wherein the trim element is formed from a plastic material.

18. The housing sub-assembly of claim 15, wherein the trim element is unitarily formed into a base structure that forms a portion of the platform, and wherein the trim element extends from the base structure.

19. The housing sub-assembly of claim 17, wherein the trim element is translucent.

20. The housing sub-assembly of claim 17, wherein the trim element is formed molded into shape.

21. A trim element for a housing assembly of a computing device, the trim element being molded and shaped to circumvent a front facade of the housing assembly to form a perimeter trim that is a visible part of the front facade.

22. The trim element of claim 21, wherein the trim element is translucent and/or colored.

23. The trim element of claim 21, wherein the trim element circumvents a perimeter of the front facade.

24. The computing device 6, wherein the keypad includes a set of keys that provide numeric values when the computing device is operated in a numeric mode, the set of keys having a color that is distinguishable from other keys in the keypad, and wherein the color of the trim element is same as the color of the select set of keys.