Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Patent
1995-10-27
1997-08-26
Phillips, Michael W.
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
400692, G06F 116
Patent
active
056616333
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to computer equipment, and more particularly to a novel configuration of peripherals for a personal workstation or computer.
Conventionally, a computer comprises a main housing (central unit), and a keyboard and a screen both of which are physically separate from the central unit.
With portable computers, a single hinged housing has the central unit and the keyboard in a lower portion and a liquid crystal type screen in the other portion.
Such a configuration of the central unit and the peripherals is not optimal since in all cases the computer or its peripherals take up a large amount of space on the user's work surface. In addition, the presence of connecting cables between the various elements is simultaneously unattractive, impractical, and a source of problems in the event of disconnection or damage.
EP-A-0 398 055 discloses an electronic "notepad" having a flat, touch-sensitive screen. Such a device is small, being about the same size as a sheet of paper, and it is thick. It occupies a certain amount of space on a work surface. In addition, because its top surface is not plane, it can under no circumstances encourage the user to use it as a writing-desk or the like.
Document DE-A-35 11 353 describes an electronic notepad that can take the form of a flat keyboard and screen device. Which means that such an electronic notepad is similar to a portable computer of the type having a hinged screen when in its fully deployed position. Nothing suggests that such a device could be used as a writing-desk or the like, and it constitutes merely one more object taking up space on the user's work surface.
Finally, EP-A-0 251 492 discloses a microcomputer having all of its components mounted in a relatively thin housing and that presents a top surface that is generally plane.
However, since the housing contains all of the components of a microcomputer, that housing is necessarily relatively thick, thus remaining with the problem of taking up space, and not encouraging the user in any way to use it as a writing-desk or the like.
The present invention seeks to propose a novel configuration of peripherals for a personal computer, workstation, or the like, which is particularly practical and pleasing in appearance, and which does not pose problems of taking up space on the user's work surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention thus provides a peripheral device for a computer or the like, characterized in that it comprises: surface that is generally plane and smooth; a desk pad that permanently occupies a portion of a work surface.
Preferred, but non-limiting aspects of the device of the invention are the following: adjacent to the user; and the flat screen; transparent plate a generally smooth surface; and superposed on the flat screen (211); from one another by partitions, said keys and said partitions defining a generally plane and continuous top surface over which said membrane is applied; over the screen; cm, and it has thickness of about 15 mm; keyboard is received in removable manner, together with surface electrical contact means between the housing of the keyboard and the wall of the recess; keyboard being capable of being turned upside-down and placed in the recess in such a manner that said bottom surface lies substantially flush with the remainder of the top surface of the device; downwardly-projecting positioning portions for co-operating with the edge of a work surface: computer; auxiliary peripheral device, and in particular with a mouse.
Other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded diagrammatic perspective view of a portion of a device constituting a first embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a section view on line II--II of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a di
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patent: 3978297 (1976-08-01), Lynn et al.
patent: 5237486 (1993-08-01), LaPointe et al.
patent: 5241303 (1993-08-01), Register et al.
patent: 5307297 (1994-04-01), Iguchi et al.
patent: 5365230 (1994-11-01), Kikinis
patent: 5400055 (1995-03-01), Ma et al.
patent: 5442151 (1995-08-01), Strang et al.
Phillips Michael W.
Source Developpement
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