Mechanism for pivotably coupling notebook computer to its...

Details Mechanism for pivotably coupling notebook computer to its... Mechanism for pivotably coupling notebook computer to its...

2003-06-23

2004-03-30

Lea-Edmonds, Lisa (Department: 2835)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...

For electronic systems and devices

C345S156000, C016S333000, C248S918000, C292S358000, C292S209000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06714408

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to notebook computers and more particularly to an improved mechanism for pivotably coupling a notebook computer to its display.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electronics and material science have known a rapid, spectacular development in recent years. A wide variety of electronic products are commercially available due to the progress of electronic components manufacturing technology. As a result, manufacturing cost of electronic products is greatly reduced, functions of electronic products are more powerful, and most importantly, quality of electronic products are improved. Moreover, miniature semiconductor devices have replaced conventional bulky electronic elements (e.g., vacuum tubes) due to the progress of semiconductor technology. Nowadays, electronic products are characterized by slimness, lightweight, and portability so as to keep up with the trend and the demand. Further, convenience in use and popularity among vast consumers of electronic products are greatly increased. For example, many high performance, low price electronic products (e.g., notebook computers, etc.) are affordable by vast consumers.
Conventionally, a notebook computer and its display are hingedly coupled together. For opening the notebook computer, a user has to pivot the display upward. To the contrary for closing the notebook computer, a user has to pivot the display downward. As to relative positioning of the notebook computer and its display, it is not available yet. This is monotonous. Further, there is no way to adjust height of the display to be positioned at an optimum view angle. In view of the above, the prior notebook computers are unsatisfactory and lack diversity. Hence, a need for improvement exists.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for pivotably coupling a notebook computer to its display so that height and position adjustment of the display relative to the notebook computer can be carried out as desired. By utilizing this, the above drawbacks of the prior art can be overcome. These drawbacks are that there are no provision of both relative positioning of the notebook computer and the display and height adjustment of the display to be positioned at an optimum view angle.
In one aspect of the present invention a keyboard is received in a forward recess of a housing of the notebook computer, and a substantially rectangular pivot board is received in a rearward recess of the housing, the pivot board having a forward side hingedly coupled to the keyboard and a rearward side hingedly coupled to the display so that the display is adapted to pivot upward for adjusting height and position thereof relative to the housing.
In another aspect of the present invention a plate-shaped latch device is provided under the pivot board within the housing. The latch device comprises an elongated latch board at either side, a trigger between the latch boards, a finger tab on a top of the trigger, the finger tab being projected from an opening of the pivot board, and a latch member at an outer end of either latch board distal from the trigger, the latch members being projected from the housing to snap into side cavities of the pivot board for fastening the pivot board and the housing together. A forward movement of the trigger causes the latch members to move toward both left and right sides of the housing to disengage the latch members from the pivot board for being adapted to pivot both the pivot board and the display upward for adjusting both the height and the position of the display relative to the housing.
In a further aspect of the present invention, there are further provided two side holes in the rearward recess of the housing, a button in either hole, the button having an upper part protruded from the hole and a lower part concealed inside the housing, a disc-shaped seat having a diameter slightly larger than that of the hole disposed at a lower part of either button, and a resilient member (e.g., spring) under either button, a bottom of the resilient member being urged against the bottom of the housing so that in response to the disengagement of the latch members from the pivot board, the buttons are adapted to push the pivot board upward by an expansion of the second resilient members and clear the pivot board from the rearward recess of the housing.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5253142 (1993-10-01), Weng
patent: 6310766 (2001-10-01), Bae
patent: 6392871 (2002-05-01), Yanase
patent: 6430038 (2002-08-01), Helot et al.
patent: 2003/0034952 (2003-02-01), Wang et al.

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