Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-04
2003-12-02
Datskovskiy, Michael (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S689000, C248S123110, C206S320000, C312S223200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06657853
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an information processing apparatus, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus which includes a keyboard and a display unit which is supported for pivotal motion on a stand.
An information processing apparatus is conventionally known which includes a keyboard having a plurality of operation keys provided thereon and a display unit having a display screen and supported for pivotal motion on a stand.
A conventional information processing apparatus of the type mentioned includes a base having a stand to be placed on a desk and a support arm mounted for pivotal motion on the base. A display unit is supported for pivotal motion at the upper end of the support arm. If the support arm is pivoted so as to be tilted forwardly with respect to the base and then the display unit is pivoted with respect to the support arm, then the display unit can be positioned in an inclined relationship such that a display screen thereof is directed substantially upwardly or obliquely forwardly upwards. In the state wherein the display unit is inclined in this manner, the user can, for example, use an annexed input pen to perform hand-written inputting or use such an annexed input pin and a keyboard to use both of hand-written inputting from the display screen and key inputting through operation keys to perform an inputting operation, an editing operation of inputted information and other necessary operations.
Where the display unit is inclined such that the display screen thereof is directed substantially upwardly or obliquely forwardly upwards in this manner, the user can perform an inputting operation and other necessary operations readily in a natural posture like a case wherein the user normally writes characters and so forth on a desk using a writing tool.
However, after the user performs its operation in a state wherein the display unit is inclined substantially upwardly or substantially obliquely upwards as described above, the user frequently interrupts or stops the operation while the state described above is maintained.
With the conventional information processing apparatus described above, however, when operation is to be interrupted or stopped in a state wherein the display unit is inclined, it cannot be avoided to leave the keyboard placed at a position other than the space occupied by the display unit. Therefore, when the information processing apparatus is not used, several components of the information processing apparatus including the keyboard and the display unit occupy a large space, which gives rises to a disadvantage that reduction in space cannot be achieved and the information apparatus occupies an unnecessary large area on a desk when it is intended to perform some other operation on the desk.
Not only where the display unit is inclined as described above, but such components of the information processing apparatus as the display unit and the keyboard individually occupy the space on the desk. Also this deteriorates the space efficiency similarly.
Further, if the keyboard does not include a keyboard cover, it is disadvantageous also in that foreign substances such as dust are liable to be admitted into the inside of the keyboard through the gaps between the operation keys and holes formed in the keyboard having the operation keys arranged therein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing apparatus which occupies a minimized space when it is not used.
In order to attain the object described above, according to the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus, comprising a stand including a base to be placed on a desk and a support arm extending uprightly from the base, a display unit having a display screen and supported for pivotal motion on the support arm of the stand, and a keyboard having a plurality of operation keys provided thereon, the support arm including an upper arm portion and a lower arm portion, the upper arm portion having an upper pivotal fulcrum at an upper end portion thereof for supporting the display unit for pivotal motion, the lower arm portion having a lower pivotal fulcrum provided at an upper end portion thereof for supporting the upper arm portion for pivotal motion, an accommodation space for accommodating the keyboard placed on the base being formed between the base of the stand and the display unit when the upper arm portion of the support arm is pivoted with respect to the lower arm portion around the lower pivotal fulcrum and the display unit is pivoted with respect to the upper arm portion around the upper pivotal fulcrum until the base is covered with the display unit.
With the information processing apparatus, when the upper arm portion of the support arm is pivoted with respect to the lower arm portion around the lower pivotal fulcrum and the display unit is pivoted with respect to the upper arm portion around the upper pivotal fulcrum until the base is covered with the display unit, the accommodation space in which the keyboard placed on the base can be accommodated is formed between the base of the stand and the display unit. Consequently, since the keyboard can be accommodated in the accommodation space when the keyboard is not used, the keyboard does not occupy an unnecessary space on the desk, and therefore, reduction of the space can be anticipated. Further, when the keyboard is not used, sticking of dust to the operation keys of the keyboard and admission of dust into the inside of the keyboard can be prevented.
Preferably, a keyboard cover is supported at a front end portion of the keyboard for pivotal motion between a covering position at which the keyboard cover covers over all or some of the operation keys of the keyboard and an uncovering position at which the keyboard cover does not cover all or some of the operation keys of the keyboard, and the keyboard and the keyboard cover can be accommodated in the accommodation space when the keyboard cover is in the covering position. With the information processing apparatus, when the keyboard is accommodated in the accommodation space, sticking of dust to the operation keys of the keyboard and admission of dust into the inside of the keyboard can be prevented further effectively.
Preferably, a keyboard cover is supported at a front end portion of the keyboard for pivotal motion between a covering position at which the keyboard cover covers over all or some of the operation keys of the keyboard and an uncovering position at which the keyboard cover does not cover all or some of the operation keys of the keyboard, and the keyboard and the keyboard cover can be accommodated in the accommodation space when the keyboard cover is in the uncovering position. With the information processing apparatus, also the keyboard cover which does not cover over the operation keys can be accommodated in the accommodation space, and consequently, augmentation of the convenience of use of the keyboard can be anticipated.
Preferably, when the accommodation space is formed, an end portion of a face of the display unit opposite to a face on which the display screen is provided contacts with the desk and part of the face of the display unit opposite to the face on which the display screen is provided contacts face-by-face with the upper arm portion of the support arm. With the information processing apparatus, the display unit can be disposed stably while preventing otherwise possible play of the display unit.
Preferably, when the upper arm portion is not pivoted with respect to the lower arm portion and therefore the upper arm portion and the lower arm portion extend along a line and the display screen of the display unit is directed substantially forwardly, an accommodation space for accommodating the keyboard is formed between a lower end of the display unit and the base of the stand. With the information processing apparatus, where the keyboard is placed on the base when the information processing apparatus is not used, the keyboard does not occup
Hosono Yoshimasa
Nishimura Koji
Oba Haruo
Yoshino Hiroji
Datskovskiy Michael
Frommer William S.
Frommer & Lawrence & Haug LLP
Sony Corporation
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