Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-07
2002-10-29
Schuberg, Darren (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S740000, C070S057000, C292S148000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06473296
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information processing device having a display unit which is foldable with respect to a main unit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
In recent years, many portable information processing devices called note-type personal computers or mobile computers are available as products. Such an information processing device has a main unit and a display unit which can be opened and closed with respect to the main unit by hinges.
FIG. 28
is a perspective view of a computer as a conventional information processing device with a display unit opened with respect to a main unit, and
FIG. 29
is a side elevational view of the computer.
The computer, denoted by
500
, comprises a main unit
510
and a display unit
520
openably and closably attached thereto by a hinge
530
. The hinge
530
comprises a projection
531
mounted on a substantially central portion of the main unit
510
and a recess
532
defined in a substantially central portion of the display unit
520
and fitted over the projection
531
.
FIG. 30
is a perspective view of another computer as a conventional information processing device with a display unit opened with respect to a main unit, and
FIG. 31
is a side elevational view of the computer.
The computer, denoted by
600
, comprises a main unit
610
and a display unit
620
openably and closably attached thereto by a pair of hinges
630
. A battery pack
640
is detachably disposed between the hinges
630
.
When the conventional computers
500
,
600
are used on a desktop, the user moves its line of sight between keyboards
511
,
611
on the main units
510
,
610
and display panels
521
,
621
of the display units
520
,
620
as shown in
FIGS. 29 and 31
. It is assumed that the main units
510
,
610
and the display units
520
,
620
have the same width a, the display panels
521
,
621
have the same width b, the keyboards
511
,
611
have the same width c, and regions of the display units
520
,
620
beneath the display panels
521
,
610
where boards can be housed have the same distance d. It is also assumed that a central axis
630
a
of the hinges
630
is spaced from a lower end
621
a
of the display panel
621
by a distance d
2
.
It can be understood that minimum angles &agr;
1
, &agr;
2
through which the user's line of sight moves, i.e., angles formed at the viewpoint E between upper ends
511
a
,
611
a
of the keyboards
511
,
611
and lower ends
521
a
,
621
a
of the display panels
521
,
621
, and maximum angles &bgr;
1
, &bgr;
2
through which the user's line of sight moves, i.e., angles formed at the viewpoint E between lower ends
511
b,
611
b
of the keyboards
511
,
611
and upper ends
521
b,
621
b
of the display panels
521
,
621
are greatly affected by the relative positional relationship between the central axes
530
a
,
630
a
of the hinges
530
,
630
.
The central axes
530
a
,
630
a
of the hinges
530
,
630
are disposed outwardly and upwardly of the main units
510
,
610
on and parallel to extensions of the display panels
521
,
621
. The display panels
521
,
621
are spaced from the central axes
530
a
,
630
a
by the distance d across the regions where the board or the like can be housed. Therefore, both the minimum angles &agr;
1
, &agr;
2
through which the user's line of sight moves and the maximum angles &bgr;
1
, &bgr;
2
through which the user's line of sight moves are large. When the user uses the computer over a long period of time, the user tends to suffer from a growing fatigue and the efficiency with which to work with the computers is liable to decrease.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing device which eliminates the above drawbacks, can easily be used, and can be operated with increased efficiency.
According to the present invention, the above object can be achieved by an information processing device having a main unit for executing a predetermined information processing operation and a display unit openable and closable with respect to the main unit, characterized by a pair of projections joined to the display unit and angularly movable about an axis which is disposed in a position vertically spaced a predetermined distance from a display panel of the display unit, and a pair of supports, the projections being angularly movably supported by the supports such that the axis is positioned within the main unit.
With the above arrangement, since the display unit has a rear portion that is offset from the supports by the length of the projections, a front surface of the rear portion of the display unit is turned along a rear portion of the main unit. Therefore, if the display unit is unfolded to an angle for use, then the rear portion of the display unit is turned over behind the main unit, reducing the distance between the central axis of an opening and closing mechanism and the lower end of the display panel and hence reducing minimum and maximum angles through which the line of sight of the user moves. Consequently, the user is less liable to fatigue from using the information processing device over a long period of time, and the efficiency with which to work with the information processing device increases.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention by way of example.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4984706 (1991-01-01), Cadwell et al.
patent: 6175488 (2001-01-01), Seto et al.
patent: 6233138 (2001-05-01), Osgood
patent: 6262885 (2001-07-01), Emma et al.
patent: 6310768 (2001-10-01), Kung et al.
Amemiya Ryoji
Ogasawara Shinichi
Duong Hung Van
Frommer William S.
Frommer & Lawrence & Haug LLP
Ryan Matthew K.
Schuberg Darren
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