Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Patent
1992-02-24
1993-11-30
Picard, Leo P.
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
361681, 403 61, 403116, 16361, 439 31, 206305, H05K 503, H05K 716, G06F 116
Patent
active
052671232
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a case housing a computer and of the kind having a base incorporating a computer keyboard and a lid openable and closable relative to the base and incorpora ing a computer display. Such cased computers are gener lly intended to be portable, and may be of relatively small dimensions.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Computer cases of the above-described kind are well known, wherein, when the case is open, the keyboard is made available at the upper surface of the base and the display is visible on the inner surface of the lid, said lid hinging open into a position in which it makes an obtuse angle with the base. Thus, assuming the base is placed on a generally horizontal support and the lid opened, the display is visible in an inclined plane sloping back from the base.
THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer case of the kind described wherein the display is incorporated in the lid to be visible at the outer surface thereof when the lid is closed against the top of the base, and the lid is movably mounted to the base to open to a position in which the display on said outer surface is visible in an inclined plane sloping back upwardly from the base.
The arrangement in accordance with the invention has the advantage that the keyboard may be protected and rendered inactive when the lid is closed.
In a preferred arrangement, the keyboard occupies only the front part of the width of the base from front to back, and in the open position the lid slopes back upwardly from the base just to the rear of the keyboard. The connection between the base and the lid is thereby able to include a hinged support which is accommodated between the base and the lid when the case is closed and which acts as a stay between the lid and the part of the base to the rear of the keyboard when the lid is open. Thus, in this preferred arrangement, the front edge of the lid (when the lid is closed) is slidably connected to the base, as by means of a guide-pin/track construction, and the above-described supporting stay is arranged to cause the lid to assume an increasing inclined position as the lid is pushed rearwardly on its slidable connection to the base. The angle of inclination chosen for the lid in its open position may be selectable by such means as a friction stop or detent means in the track for the guide pin.
The preferred arrangement is preferably such that, in the open condition of the lid, the area occupied by the cased computer, when seen in plan view, is not to any substantial extent larger than the plan area occupied by the closed case.
Preferably, the connection between the lid and the base is a separable connection, whereby the lid can be detached from the base. Thus, in one arrangement, the lid has a hinge pin detachably engaging with a socket at the adjacent end of the stay, and the front end of the track has a socket with which the track-engaging pin on the lid detachably engages.
If desired, the display can be made transparent, with a small source of power built into the lid if necessary, so that when the connection between the lid and the base is a separable connection, the lid can be detached to enable the display to be used in an overhead projector or similar apparatus for projecting the display onto a screen.
Again the lid may include appropriate circuitry and addressing means to enable the lid to be used as a portable computing aid when detached from the base.
It will be appreciated that an advantage of the cased computer of the invention is that the display is visible even when the case is closed. However, the back of the display is protected, being on the underside adjacent the base in the closed condition of the case. The back of the display can thus be equipped to carry out additional functions when the lid is open.
Thus, an addressing means for the display, in the form of a miniature second keyboard or a socket into which a miniature keyboard can be plugged, may be provided on the back of the display.
Thus,
REFERENCES:
patent: 4438458 (1984-03-01), Munscher
patent: 4523087 (1985-06-01), Benton
patent: 4720781 (1988-01-01), Crossland et al.
patent: 4861970 (1989-08-01), Hwang
patent: 5002184 (1971-03-01), Lloyd
Boothroyd Allen
Jackson Martin
EO Europe Limited
Phillips Michael W.
Picard Leo P.
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