Portable computer with detachable display module

Details Portable computer with detachable display module Portable computer with detachable display module

1999-09-27

2001-11-13

Tolin, Gerald (Department: 2835)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...

For electronic systems and devices

C348S836000, C312S208400, C312S007200, C312S223200, C016S254000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06317315

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a portable computer, such as a notebook computer, more particularly to a portable computer with a detachable display module.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, the display modules of notebook computers can be designed to have a screen size of more than 15 inches. As such, when operating the notebook computer, some inconvenience results in view of the relatively small distance between the computer keyboard and the display module. To overcome this drawback, it has been proposed heretofore to make the display module detachable from the main computer module and to place the display module on a display base member, thereby resulting in a stand-alone computer display. Due to the stand-alone capability of the display module, the cost of upgrading the notebook computer can be dramatically reduced since only the main computer module has to be replaced. The stand-alone capability of the display module also permits use of the latter with a desktop computer.
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, a conventional notebook computer is shown to include a main computer module
1
and a display module
2
mounted detachably on the main computer module
1
. The main computer module
1
includes a main housing
100
and a pivot base
10
. The pivot base
10
includes an elongate pivot block
13
that is mounted on a top side of the main housing
100
adjacent to a rear end of the main housing
100
. The pivot block
13
is pivotable relative to the main housing
100
about a horizontal axis that extends between opposite lateral sides of the main housing
100
. The pivot block
13
has opposite lateral end portions, each of which has an upright post
11
extending therefrom. Each of the upright posts
11
has a retaining notch
12
formed thereon. The display module
2
includes a display housing
200
having a bottom side formed with a pair of insert holes
20
that are aligned with the upright posts
11
to enable the latter to extend into the display housing
200
. The display housing
200
further has opposite lateral sides provided with a respective retainer member
21
. Each of the retainer members
21
is mounted pivotally on the display housing
200
and is movable to a locking position, where the retainer member
21
engages the retaining notch
12
of the corresponding one of the upright posts
11
to mount the display module
2
on the main computer module
1
.
It is noted that the presence of the pivot block
13
on the main computer module
1
increases the size of the notebook computer. In addition, the retainer members
21
on the opposite lateral sides of the display module
2
increases the size of the latter. As shown in FIG.
3
, when the display module
2
is detached from the main computer module
1
and is placed on a display base member
3
for use as a stand-alone computer display, the display base member
3
should be provided with a pivot base
10
similar to the one found on the main computer module
1
, thereby complicating the configuration of the display base member
3
. Furthermore, untimely removal of the display module
2
can occur due to the relatively weak engagement between the retainer members
21
and the upright posts
11
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a portable computer with a detachable display module, which is capable of overcoming the aforesaid disadvantages that are commonly associated with the above-described prior art.
According to the present invention, a personal computer comprises:
a display module including a display housing that has opposite lateral sides spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction, and a bottom side provided with an elongate first pivot axle extending in the longitudinal direction, the bottom side being further provided with a second pivot axle having a retaining portion mounted co-axially and rotatably on the first pivot axle, and a coupling portion which extends from the retaining portion and which has a mounting member provided thereon; and
a main computer module including a main housing having a top side, and a mounting block mounted on the top side of the main housing, the mounting block engaging detachably the mounting member such that the display module is pivotable relative to and is detachable from the main computer module.


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patent: 5262759 (1993-11-01), Moriconi et al.
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patent: 5724704 (1998-03-01), Seo
patent: 5745340 (1998-04-01), Landau
patent: 6006243 (1999-12-01), Karidis
patent: 6016171 (2000-01-01), Tsao
patent: 6128184 (2000-10-01), Ito et al.
patent: 6141208 (2000-10-01), Hong et al.
patent: 6-159347 (1994-06-01), None

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