Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-09
2002-08-06
Schuberg, Darren (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S679090, C361S689000, C361S689000, C361S724000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06430037
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer unit, a keyboard and a keyboard cover, and more particularly, is suitably applied to a desktop personal computer and a keyboard and a keyboard cover used therewith.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some personal computers are constructed by connecting a liquid crystal display to a main body part that executes various signal processing, with a prescribed first signal cable and to a keyboard with a prescribed second signal cable.
In such a personal computer, various commands entered with the keyboard are supplied to the main body part through the second cable, and the main body part executes signal processing according to these various commands.
At this time, furthermore, the main body part transmits a video signal indicating the content of the signal processing to the liquid crystal display through the first cable to display an image based on the video signals on a liquid crystal panel provided on the liquid crystal display. Thus, a operator can visually confirm the contents of the signal processing content.
The keyboard has spaces between the keyboard itself and a set of keys and between the keys, so that it is easy for dust to enter inside the keyboard and it is difficult to remove the entered dust because a keyboard of a desktop computer or the like does not have a cover when it is not used. Therefore, it has been tried to cover a surface having keys arranged thereon (hereinafter, referred to as a key-arranged surface) with a keyboard cover made of transparent resin which has a form suiting the arranged keys, and enabling key operation even if the cover is put on, or to cover the key-arranged surface with a keyboard cover made of cloth when the keyboard is not used.
On the other hand, since a surface on which a keyboard is put and the lowermost keys of the arranged keys are on different levels, the hands of a operator bend backward when using the keys and he often gets tired from pushing the keys. This is the reason a palm rest is utilized to get rid of the above difference.
By the way, in such a personal computer, a liquid crystal display is generally disposed at a stated position on a desk, and the keyboard is disposed at a desired position on the panel side of the liquid crystal display. The operator manipulates the keyboard under such an arrangement.
However, the case where a desk which a personal computer is put on is comparatively narrow and in addition, the case of spreading reference materials or the like on the desk during a pause in a keyboard operation, it is necessary to temporary stow the keyboard into some stowing place. However, it is difficult to keep a keyboard stowing space on such a comparatively-narrow desk.
To solve the above problem, some personal computer is constructed as shown in
FIGS. 1A and 1B
.
Such a personal computer
1
is constructed by connecting a main body part (not shown in the figure) to a cathode-ray tube
3
with a first signal cable
2
and to a keyboard
5
with a second signal cable
4
.
In this case, in the personal computer
1
, the cathode-ray tube
3
is disposed on a stand
6
having legs
6
A and
6
B. While using the keyboard
5
, this is disposed at a desired position on the panel side
3
A of the cathode-ray tube
3
(FIG.
1
A). On the other hand, while spreading materials on the desk as described above, the keyboard
5
is moved between the legs
6
A and
6
B of the stand
6
to be stowed under the cathode-ray tube
3
(FIGS.
1
A and
1
B).
However, space between the legs
6
A and
6
B of the stand
6
is decided depending on the longitudinal length of the keyboard
5
, and the stand
6
is made so as to be larger than the keyboard
5
. Therefore, setting space for the stand
6
that is larger than the keyboard
5
must be kept in order to keep the stowing space for the keyboard
5
under the cathode-ray tube
3
, so that the stowing efficiency is remarkably low.
On the other hand, a keyboard cover made of cloth which is used for preventing dust from entering needs its stowing space while being not used, and it is difficult to keep the stowing space, especially, on the narrow desk. Further, with reference to a keyboard cover made of transparent resin, keys can be seen even if the keyboard is covered with it, so that the keyboard does not look good while being not used. In addition, while the keyboard is covered with it, it is difficult to see letters written on the keys even if it is transparent. And the keyboard covered with it is no good to touch while being used, so that it is difficult to push the keys while the key-arranged surface is covered with it.
In addition, the conventional palm rest and the keyboard are not integrated, so that, off course, stowing space is required for the time when the palm rest is not used and it is difficult to keep the stowing space on, especially, the narrow space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, an object of this invention is to provide a computer unit, a keyboard and a keyboard cover which can improve the stowing efficiency for the keyboard.
The foregoing object and other objects of the invention have been achieved by the provision of a computer unit having a keyboard to give various commands to a main body part which execute various signal processing and a display means for displaying the contents of signal processing supplied from the main body part on a display panel. And the keyboard has a concavity to insert a base for supporting the display panel as the display means on the side opposite to the side on which various control keys are arranged to enter the various commands to be supplied to the main body part.
By bringing the keyboard close to the display panel and inserting the base into the concavity, the keyboard can be stowed effectively using the base without using any special storing member.
Moreover, in the present invention according to claim
4
to
6
, a concavity is provided on the other side of the keyboard, opposite to one side on which various control keys are disposed to enter prescribed commands, to insert the base for supporting a prescribed display panel.
By bringing the keyboard close to the display panel and inserting the base into the concavity, the keyboard can be stowed effectively using the keyboard and the base without using any storing member.
Further, in the present invention, for the keyboard according to claim
7
, a keyboard cover having a first and second parts connected to each other at a connecting portion is provided. The entire flat form of the first and second parts suits the form of the key-arranged surface of the keyboard, so that when the keyboard is not used, the first and the second parts open in a flat become the keyboard cover.
Furthermore, the first part has a first rocking shaft on the side opposite to that for connecting the second part, and is connected to the edge part on the lowest row of keys in the keyboard with the first rocking shaft. The part for connecting the first part to the second part is also a rocking shaft and referred to as a second rocking shaft. Therefore, by opening the first and the second parts covering the keyboard and bringing them close to an manipulator, they are bend in a mount shape by rocking centering the first and the second rocking shafts, and are folded on the operator's side rather than the keyboard.
In addition, the second part is wider than the first part in the vertical direction to the first and the second rocking shafts. Therefore, when the first and the second parts are folded, the edge part of the second part opposite to the first part is placed on the edge side of the lowest row of keys in the keyboard. That is, when the keyboard is used, a triangular space is formed by the first part and the second part which is slant from the edge of the keyboard on the lowest row of keys to the keyboard placing surface, so that the folded first and second parts are changed to the palm rest.
Furthermore, in the present invention, projections are provided on the both sides of the keyboard
Oba Haruo
Sawai Kunihito
Yoshino Hiroji
Chang Yean-Hsi
Maioli Jay H.
Schuberg Darren
Sony Corporation
LandOfFree
Computer unit keyboard and keyboard cover does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Computer unit keyboard and keyboard cover, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Computer unit keyboard and keyboard cover will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2933780