Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-09
2001-01-30
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S689000, C361S726000, C361S727000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06181550
ABSTRACT:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all rights accruing thereto under 35 U.S.C. §119 through my patent application entitled Structure for Mounting Speakers in a Portable Computer and Speaker Mounting Device Therefor earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Mar. 8, 1997 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 1997/7787.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for a computer and, more specifically, to a device for mounting speakers to a portable computer that increases the effect of the sound generated by speakers.
2. Background Art
A recent trend in personal computing has been toward the multimedia computer that provides high quality audio and video output. Such systems have typically included a pair of add-on speakers which are placed near the monitor and plugged into a sound board in the computer. Unfortunately, the use of add-on speakers consumes valuable desktop space and requires separate re-orientation of the monitor and the speakers when a user desires to change position. Furthermore, portable or notebook computers have become a popular alternative to traditional desktop computers, largely due to their superior movability, simplicity, and convenience. Portable computers are often equipped with various peripheral devices that aid in achieving a multimedia effect. These portable computers use speakers to reproduce sound generated by the sound system within the computer. Furthermore, the typical sound system has been improved to support stereophonic or three-dimensional stereophonic, and the speakers are usually incorporated into the main body of the portable computer. The speakers built into the portable computer are generally kept at an interval that facilitates simulating a stereophonic effect.
Some techniques for integrating speakers with a computer system are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,063 to Edgar entitled Personal Multimedia Speaker System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,263 to Mandate entitled Attaching a Speaker to a Computer Component, U.S. Pat. No. 5,583,743 to Levins entitled Appliance Housing and Speakers Mounted Thereto, U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,930 to Kuo entitled Rack Pair Mounting Speakers and System Board in a Monitor of a Computer System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,572 to Luo entitled Computer Peripheral Apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,347 to Daniels entitled Audio System for a Personal Computer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,258 to Yu entitled Articulated Support Assembly, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,391 to Chase entitled Speaker Cover and Snap-In Coupling Therefor. Contemporary speakers used with laptop computers are limited in the distance that the speakers can be separated from each other during operation without using wires to connect the speakers to the monitor.
I believe it may be possible to improve on the contemporary art by providing a device for attaching speakers to a portable computer's monitor, that is extendable to vary the distance between the speakers, that allows both the device and the attached speakers to be retracted flush with the computer to allow the portable computer and the associated speakers to be easily shipped and stored, that may be constructed with rigid components to connect the speakers to the monitor while avoiding the problem of tangled wires and imprecise symmetrical positioning, that doubles as a locking mechanism to secure the display section of the portable computer to the main housing when the portable computer is in a closed position, that does not require the use of wires exclusively to connect the speakers to the monitor, that connects to the monitor to allow for better audio and visual synchronization, and that enhances the stereophonic qualities of the speakers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for attaching speakers to a portable computer that is extendable to vary the distance between the attached speakers.
It is another object to provide a device for attaching speakers to a portable computer that allows both the device and the speakers to be retracted flush with the portable computer to allow the portable computer to be more easily shipped and stored.
It is still another object to provide a device for attaching speakers to a portable computer that is constructed substantially of rigid members to avoid the problem of tangled wires and to avoid the imprecise symmetrical positioning of speakers.
It is yet another object to provide a device for attaching speakers to a portable computer that does not exclusively use wires to connect the speakers to the monitor.
It is still yet another object to provide a device for attaching speakers to a portable computer that prevents the speakers from requiring separate repositioning when the portable computer is rotated.
It is a further object to provide a device for attaching speakers to a portable computer that allows the speakers to deliver an improved stereophonic sound.
It is a further object still to provide a device for attaching speakers to a portable computer that connects to the monitor to allow for better audio and visual synchronization.
It is yet a further object to provide a device for attaching speakers to a portable computer that doubles as a locking mechanism to secure the display section of the portable computer to the main housing when the portable computer is in a closed position.
To achieve these and other objects, a device for mounting a speaker on a portable computer is provided that hingably secures a speaker housing to the side of the display unit. The device and speaker housing move between a recessed and folded position and an unfolded and extended position. A channel shaped groove is formed in the side portion of the main body to allow the speaker housing to be folded into a recessed and flush position. The device may also be constructed with a latch that is attached to the speaker housing to secure the display unit to the main body in its folded position. To allow the distance between the speakers to be adjusted the device is constructed with an extendable bar that can slide in and out of the display unit.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5190258 (1993-03-01), Yu
patent: 5519572 (1996-05-01), Luo
patent: 5576930 (1996-11-01), Kuo et al.
patent: 5583743 (1996-12-01), Levins et al.
patent: 5588063 (1996-12-01), Edgar
patent: 5623391 (1997-04-01), Chase et al.
patent: 5666263 (1997-09-01), Mundt et al.
patent: 5668882 (1997-09-01), Hickman et al.
patent: 5675426 (1997-10-01), Meisner et al.
patent: 5701347 (1997-12-01), Daniels et al.
patent: 5838537 (1998-11-01), Lundgren et al.
patent: 6040978 (2000-03-01), Spencer
Bui Tung Minh
Picard Leo P.
Robert E. Bushnell, Esq.
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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