Convertible mobile computing device

• US 6,903,927 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2002
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Anlauff, Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): DATSKOVSKIY, MICHAIL V
• Application Number:
  US10/322,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20040114315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 361/681, 361/683, 361/686, 361/687, 361/682, 361/679, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 348/794, 248917-923, 345/169, 345/905, 405/30, 400/689, 400/682, 400/641, 400/693, 455/90, 455/575
• US Class Current: 361/679.28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/162 changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• 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 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode

Abstract

A convertible mobile computing device has a display screen and cover supported at three points for stable movement between a closed position, a laptop PC operational position and a tablet PC operational position. A web hinge assembly pivotally couples along a folding axis on the cover side of the display screen and to the rear marginal edge of the base unit with which the display screen cooperates. The cover further includes means for pivotal and slideable engagement with guides at either side of the base unit wherein the lower portion of the display screen travels forward into a tablet operational position with the display screen facing substantially upward in a flat orientation for writing and viewing. The web hinge assembly nests within a recess portion of the cover and the base unit when the device is in the tablet operational position wherein the cover is in face-to-face relation with a keyboard carried on the base unit operational surface and when in the closed position wherein the display screen is in face-to-face relation with the keyboard to provide a slender profile.

Claims

1. A convertible portable electronic device comprising:

a base unit having a bottom and an oppositely disposed platform operational surface;

a lid having a viewing side and an oppositely disposed cover side and being mechanically coupled to said base unit;

a closed position wherein said lid is substantially flat and parallel with said base unit operational surface and said viewing side is in a downwardly facing face-to-face orientation with said base unit operational surface;

an open position wherein said lid is angled with respect to said base unit operational surface; and

a tablet position wherein said lid is substantially flat and parallel with said base unit operational surface and said viewing side is in an upwardly facing orientation with respect to said base unit operational surface and said cover side is in a downwardly facing face-to-face orientation with said base unit operational surface;

said lid having means at one end thereof for providing pivotal movement and support between said base unit and said lid for movement between said closed position, said open position and said tablet position, said lid pivotal support means further being arranged for slideable engagement with respective corresponding guide means located on said base unit, and

web hinge assembly means having one end pivotally coupled to one end region of said base unit and an opposite end coupled to said lid along a folding pivot axis extending transversely between oppositely disposed side edges of said lid and intermediate the upper end and lower end portions of said lid, said web hinge assembly providing a further support point between said base unit and said lid.

2. The convertible portable electronic device as set forth in claim 1 wherein-said viewing side is further characterized by a display screen.

3. The convertible portable electronic device as set forth in claim 1 wherein in said closed position said lid pivot support means are positioned in the most rearward location in said guide means on said base unit.

4. The convertible portable electronic device as set forth in claim 1 wherein in said open position said lid pivot support means are positioned in the most rearward location in said guide means on said base unit.

5. The convertible portable electronic device as set forth in claim 1 wherein in said tablet position said lid pivot support means are positioned in the most forward location in said guide means on said base unit so that the lid is substantially flat and parallel with the base unit operational surface and the viewing side is in an upwardly facing orientation with respect to said base unit operational surface.

6. The convertible portable electronic device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said guide means further comprise channels located along each respective side marginal region to define a linear path along which said lid pivotal support means slideably moves with a rectilinear movement.

7. The convertible portable electronic device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said channels further include grooves in walls extending upwardly from said platform operational surface.

8. The convertible portable electronic device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said channels further include grooves formed in said platform operational surface.

9. The convertible portable electronic device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said base unit operational surface is further characterized by a keyboard.

10. The convertible portable electronic device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said display screen is further characterized by a stylus input screen.

11. The convertible portable electronic device as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said portable electronic device is a notebook PC device.

12. The convertible portable electronic device as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said portable electronic device is a tablet PC device.

13. The convertible portable electronic device as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said portable electronic device is a webpad device.

14. A portable electronic computing device characterized by:

a base unit;

a display screen having means at one end thereof and arranged for slideable engagement with respective corresponding guide means located at opposite sides on said base unit for providing a first and second pivotal support point between said base unit and said display screen for movement between a closed position wherein said display screen is substantially flat and parallel with said base unit and in a downwardly facing face-to-face orientation with said base unit, a tablet position wherein said display screen is substantially flat and parallel with said base unit and in an upwardly facing orientation with respect to said base unit, and an open position wherein said display screen is angled with respect to said base unit and the angle between said base unit and said display screen being adjustable, said slideable engagement means and said guide means further being arranged for rectilinear movement with respect to one another, and

web hinge assembly means having one end pivotally coupled to one end region of said base unit and an opposite end coupled to the display screen along a folding pivot axis extending transversely between opposite sides of the display screen and intermediate the upper end and lower end portions of the display screen for providing a third support point between said base and said display screen.

15. A mobile computing device characterized by:

a base unit;

a lid having a display screen carried on one side and a protective cover carried on the side opposite the display screen side, said lid being mechanically coupled to said base unit for movement between a closed position in which said display screen side is in a downwardly facing orientation with respect to said base unit and said protective cover is in an upwardly facing orientation with respect to said base unit and an open position, said open position including a keyboard operation position in which said display screen side is in an angled orientation with respect to said base unit and a tablet operation position in which said display screen side is in an upwardly facing orientation with respect to said base unit and said protective cover is in a downwardly facing orientation with respect to said base unit, and

web hinge assembly means having one end coupled to a folding pivot axis defined transversely across said lid cover and to a pivot support axis defined transversely across the rear portion of said base unit, said web hinge assembly providing articulated movement of said lid between said closed position and said open keyboard and tablet positions, said lid cover further including a complementary shaped recess in its surface for receiving and nesting an upper portion of the web hinge assembly coextensive with the lid surface when said lid is in said tablet position and said closed position.

16. The mobile computing device as set forth in claim 15 further characterized by said display screen surface being in a face-to-face relation with an upwardly facing keypad carried by said base unit when said device is in its closed position and being in an upwardly facing orientation when said device is in its open tablet position.

17. The mobile computing device as set forth in claim 15 wherein said base unit is further characterized by means for limiting the rectilinear movement of the lower portion of the display screen between a front portion of the base unit at a rear portion of the base unit.

18. The mobile computing device as set forth in claim 15 further characterized in that said base unit has a complementary shaped recess in its rear surface for receiving and nesting a lower portion of the web hinge assembly when said lid is in said closed position and said tablet position.

19. The mobile computing device as set forth in claim 16 further characterized in that said web hinge assembly includes an upper web portion having an outwardly facing surface side and an oppositely disposed inwardly facing surface side wherein said inwardly facing surface side is in face-to-face relation with a lower portion of said complementary shaped lid recess surface when said device is in its closed position and in face-to-face relation with the upwardly facing keypad when said device is in its tablet position.

20. The mobile computing device as set forth in claim 19 further characterized in that said web hinge assembly outwardly facing surface side is in a face-to-face relation with an upper portion of said complementary shaped lid recess surface when said device is in its tablet position.

21. The mobile computing device as set forth in claim 15 further characterized by a laptop computer.

22. The mobile computing device as set forth in claim 15 further characterized by a webpad.