Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-09
2001-07-03
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S689000, C312S223200, CD14S140400, CD14S140400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06256192
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an improved laptop computer which provides true desktop replacement performance in a portable system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional laptop computers utilize a “clam-shell” design. Although the “clam-shell” laptop is simple to set up, there are numerous drawbacks to the “clam-shell” design. The “clam-shell” design does not have adequate thermal management, is ergonomically unfriendly and lacks versatility. All of these disadvantages preclude currently available laptop computers from becoming true replacements for desktop computers.
Thermal management is a primary concern with any electronic device, especially with laptop computers which comprise heat-sensitive semi-conductor components, in addition to other electronic components, which generate the very heat which negatively impacts component performance, reducing the overall efficiency of the laptop. In the presence of too much heat, the semi-conductor components fail. Dissipating heat generated by laptop components is therefore essential. Although the “clam-shell” design utilizes heat sinks to draw heat away from the components, the location of these heat sinks underneath the keyboard renders them inadequate. For example, during operation of the laptop, the keyboard is laid flat against a surface in a horizontal position, thus trapping the heatsink between the keyboard and the surface. This design does not take advantage of convection cooling and reduces the efficiency of the heat sink because the heat radiating from the heat sink has no where to go. In addition, laptop batteries also generate heat, are enclosed in the same housing as other heat generating components and are also negatively affected by heat. The thermal management problem is further exacerbated by the plastic chassis of a “clam-shell” laptop which acts as an insulator, thus trapping heat inside the laptop housing. Although some laptop computers utilize fans to draw off heat, the fans further reduce battery performance.
The “clam-shell” design is also ergonomically unfriendly to the user because the keyboard is too high for comfort and there is an insufficient amount of space for the user's thumbs to rest between the keyboard and the glidepad to prevent unintended cursor movement. The keyboard is too high and the thumb rest space is too small because the keyboard housing contains virtually all of the laptop's electronic components other than the display, in addition to the keyboard, including the heat sink and receptacle for portable memory devices which increase the depth of the keyboard housing and take up space needed to increase the space between the keyboard and glidepad.
Since the “clam-shell” design is only made up of two housings that fold up like a clam, the versatility of the design is limited because there is no room for moving components around within the housings, such as the heat sink, to improve overall efficiencies and no room to accommodate additional desirable features such as improved ergonomics, more and/or larger batteries, an AC adaptor backpack and a CD ROM or DVD slot. In order to accommodate such components the footprint of the “clam-shell” design would need to be undesirably increased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a portable computer with true desktop replacement performance.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer with improved thermal management.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer with improved ergonomic features.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer with greater battery capacity.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer design that is capable of accommodating advances in computer technology without increasing the footprint of the laptop computer.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer design with an improved thermal management system, improved ergonomic features, increased battery capacity and design versatility, without substantially increasing the overall thickness or weight of the laptop computer.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer with improved performance and increased battery life.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an accordion-fold laptop computer.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer with an improved means for dissipating heat.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer in which the primary heat-generating electronics of the system are packaged vertically behind the LCD to optimize convection cooling.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer with a keyboard housing having a lower pivot point relative to the vertical display housing.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer with a lower keyboard height.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer with improved glidepad placement.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer with a detachable, wireless, battery-powered keyboard which is capable of recharging while attached to the main chassis.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer with small footprint docking capability.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer with an AC adaptor backpack.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer that is easier to set up and to use.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer with an auto-deploy mechanism.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a laptop computer which automatically boots upon deployment.
A preferred embodiment of the accordion-fold laptop computer of the invention comprises a first housing having a first edge and an opposing second edge, comprising at least one each of a processor, a hard disk drive and a display screen; a second housing, attached to the first housing proximate the first edge, comprising a keyboard; a third housing, pivotally attached to the first housing proximate the second edge. The first housing is substantially sandwiched between the second and third housings, and the second housing is pivotally attached to the first housing proximate the first edge. The second housing may be removably attached to the first housing proximate the first edge.
The laptop computer of the preferred embodiment may further comprise a means for automatically deploying the laptop computer from the closed position to an open position at which the first housing forms an angle along the first edge with the second housing of at least 90°, and a means for automatically booting a computer program resident in the first housing upon deployment. Similarly, the laptop computer may comprise a means for automatically deploying the laptop to an open position at which the first housing forms an angle along the first edge with the second housing of at least 90° and the first housing forms an acute angle along the second edge with the third housing.
When the laptop of the preferred embodiment is in an open position, the first housing is preferably at least perpendicular to the second housing and further comprises one or more means for receiving a portable memory storage device. The means for receiving a portable memory storage device may comprise at least one slot for receiving one or more floppy disks, CD-ROMs and/or DVD-ROMs.
The third housing of the preferred embodiment may further comprise a power source; the first housing may further comprise a means for dissipating heat, a metal chassis and/or a means for vertically docking to a desktop computer; and the second housing may further comprise a wireless means for communicating with the first housing when the second housing is detached from the first housing.
Another preferred embodiment of the laptop of the invention with an improved thermal management system, comprises, a first housing, comprising at least one each
Dingman Brian M.
Lea-Edmonds Lisa
Packard Bell NEC Inc.
Picard Leo P.
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