Laptop computer with ergonomically enhanced interface features

• US 6,404,621 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2001
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Zamora, George G., Winarski, Daniel James
• Primary Examiner(s): Vortman, Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US09/824,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20010010620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 361/680-683, 361/686, 361/724-727, 400/472, 400/473, 400/477, 400/479, 400/488, 400/489, 400/492, 341/21, 341/22, 312/208.1, 312/208.4, D14/247, D18/1, D18/7, D18/52, 345/168, 345/169, 348/794
• US Class Current: 361/679.09
• 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 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• 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 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1667 Arrangements for adjusting the tilt angle of the integrated keyboard independently from the main body adjusting the tilt angle integrally with the main body G06F1/166
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/807 characterised by the spatial arrangement of the contact sites, e.g. superimposed sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/028 on planes with different or alterable inclination, e.g. convex plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/034 Support for hands or arms
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/037 using organic materials, e.g. organic LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/05 composed of hingedly connected sections
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/052 reductible in size, e.g. for transportation
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/03 Different type of switches

Abstract

A laptop computer has a base and a cover with a display monitor that are connected together by a hinge. The base and cover have congruent trapezoidal shapes that give the laptop a unique appearance. A pair of segregated right and left keyboards are mounted to the base. Each keyboard is rotated by a small angle from the center of the base to align with the natural position of the arms of the user. The keyboards are further articulated such that their front ends are elevated relative to their rearward ends. Alternate embodiments of the invention utilize various mechanisms for articulating the keyboards. In addition, the keys on each keyboard may be arranged in a curvilinear formation. The laptop has a wedge that is slidably mounted to the rearward end of the base for varying the angle of inclination of the keyboards. The wedge can raise or lower the angle of the keyboards to suit the preference of the user. The laptop also has a pair of touch pads with different sensitivities, as well as a track point or track ball for moving the screen cursor.

Claims

1. A laptop computer, comprising:

a substantially horizontal base having a front end, a rear end, and two lateral side edges;

a lid having a display monitor and pivotally mounted adjacent to the rear end of the base, the lid having an open position wherein it is pivoted away from the base, and a closed position wherein it is located adjacent to and faces the base;

a keyboard mounted to the base and having a front end, a rear end, and left and right portions that are spaced apart from each other, each of the keyboard portions having a plurality of keys;

a triangular array of function keys mounted to the base and located between the rear end of the keyboard and the rear end of the base; and

wherein

the keyboard portions are skewed relative to each other when the lid is in both the open and closed positions.

2. A laptop computer, comprising:

a substantially horizontal base having a front end, a rear end, two lateral side edges, and a centerline extending from the rear end to the front end;

a lid having a display monitor and pivotally mounted adjacent to the rear end of the base, the lid having an open position wherein it is pivoted away from the base, and a closed position wherein it is located adjacent to and faces the base;

a keyboard mounted to the base and having a front end, a rear end, and left and right portions that are spaced apart from each other, each of the keyboard portions having a plurality of keys and extending beyond the lateral side edges of the base when the lid is in both the open and closed positions, wherein each of the keyboard portions is symmetrically skewed an acute angle relative to the centerline of the base; and

a triangular shaped speaker on each lateral side of the lid.

3. A laptop computer, comprising:

a substantially horizontal base having a front end, a rear end, two lateral side edges, and a centerline extending from the rear end to the front end;

a lid having a display monitor and pivotally mounted adjacent to the rear end of the base, the lid having an open position wherein it is pivoted away from the base, and a closed position wherein it is located adjacent to and faces the base;

a keyboard mounted to the base and having a front end, a rear end, and left and right portions that are spaced apart from each other, each of the keyboard portions having a plurality of keys and extending beyond the lateral side edges of the base when the lid is in both the open and closed positions, wherein each of the keyboard portions is symmetrically skewed an acute angle relative to the centerline of the base; and

a triangular array of function keys mounted to the base and located between the rear end of the keyboard and the rear end of the base.

4. A laptop computer, comprising:

a substantially horizontal base having a front end, a rear end, two lateral side edges, and a centerline extending from the rear end to the front end;

a lid having a display monitor and pivotally mounted adjacent to the rear end of the base, the lid having an open position wherein it is pivoted away from the base, and a closed position wherein it is located adjacent to and faces the base;

a keyboard mounted to the base and having a front end, a rear end, and left and right portions that are spaced apart from each other, each of the keyboard portions having a plurality of keys and extending beyond the lateral side edges of the base when the lid is in the open position, wherein each of the keyboard portions is symmetrically skewed an acute angle relative to the centerline of the base;

a triangular array of function keys mounted to the base and located between the rear end of the keyboard and the rear end of the base; and

a pair of touch pads mounted to the base between the keyboard portions, wherein a first one of said touch pads has a different degree of sensitivity for controlling a cursor on the monitor than that of a second one of said touch pads.

5. The laptop computer of claim 4, further comprising a track point mounted adjacent to the rear end of the keyboard between the keyboard portions for controlling a cursor.

6. The laptop computer of claim 4, further comprising a track ball mounted adjacent to the rear end of the keyboard between the keyboard portions for controlling a cursor.

7. The laptop computer of claim 4 wherein the keys on each of the keyboard portions are arranged in a curvilinear formation.

8. The laptop computer of claim 4, further comprising a triangular shaped speaker on each lateral side of the lid.

9. The laptop computer of claim 4 wherein the base and the lid have congruent shapes when the lid is in both the open and closed positions.