Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-15
2001-10-23
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S679090, C400S682000, C400S693000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06307736
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to electronic apparatus and, in a preferred embodiments thereof, more particularly provides a portable computer having on the top side of its base housing a keyboard assembly which may be tilted up to and releasably locked in a generally vertical position to provide access to a portion of the base housing which was previously covered by the keyboard assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
Portable computers, such as the popular “notebook” computer, conventionally comprise a base housing in which various electronic components and circuitry are housed, and a lid or display screen housing which is hingedly secured to a rear edge portion of the base housing for pivotal movement relative thereto between open and closed positions. Mounted on the top side portion of the base housing is a keyboard assembly which may be removed for service and to provide access to the base housing.
Once the keyboard assembly is removed to provide access to the base housing a problem typically arises as to what to do with the removed keyboard until it is operatively reinstalled on the base housing. For example, it can simply be placed in a flat orientation on the work area surface to one side of the computer. This placement of the removed keyboard, however, gives rise to the possibility that it may be misplaced, or damaged by dropping other equipment on it or knocking it off the workspace area and damaging it. Another approach is to lean it up against a side edge or front side portion of the opened display housing. This technique, however, undesirably makes the removed keyboard susceptible to falling over and damaging the keyboard and/or contacting and scratching the display screen.
It can thus be seen from the foregoing that a need exists for a removed keyboard placement technique that eliminates or at least substantially reduces these potential problems. It is to this need that the present invention is directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In carrying out principles of the present invention, in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, an electronic device is provided which is representatively a portable notebook computer having a base housing having a top side and a rear side, a display housing secured to a rear portion of the base housing for pivotal movement relative thereto between open and closed positions, and a keyboard assembly representatively having a generally plate-like support structure upon which a series of keys are operatively mounted.
According to a primary aspect of the invention, cooperating means are provided on the base housing and a portion of the keyboard assembly, representatively the support structure, for selectively holding the keyboard assembly on the top side of the base housing in either an operating orientation or in an access orientation.
With the keyboard assembly in its operating orientation, the support structure extends along a portion of the base housing top side in a generally parallel relationship therewith. In the access orientation of the keyboard assembly, and with the display housing opened, the support structure upwardly extends generally transversely from the base housing top side to expose the portion of the base housing top side previously covered by the keyboard assembly, thereby permitting base housing access through such previously covered top side portion. Preferably, the keyboard assembly in its access orientation is positioned on a rear top side portion of the base housing inwardly adjacent the opened display housing.
The keyboard assembly is illustratively coupled to electronic circuitry within the base housing by a flexible ribbon cable interconnected between the keyboard assembly and an electrical connector in the base housing. Conveniently, the keyboard assembly may be moved between its operating and access orientations without having to disconnect the cable from either the keyboard assembly or the electrical connector.
In a preferred embodiment thereof the cooperating means include interlockable tab and slot means on the keyboard assembly and the base housing. These tab and slot means illustratively include rearwardly projecting tabs formed on a rear side edge portion of the keyboard assembly support structure, and horizontally and vertically extending slots formed in the base housing. With the keyboard assembly in its horizontal operating orientation, the support structure tabs are removably received in the horizontal base housing slots, and with the keyboard assembly in its upright access orientation on a rear top side portion of the base housing a pair of the support structure tabs are removably received in a corresponding pair of the vertical slots.
By being able to vertically support the keyboard assembly on the base housing during access thereto, the keyboard assembly cannot become separated from the balance of the computer and lost. Additionally, the removed keyboard assembly does not have to be placed on a work surface area to one side of the computer where the keyboard assembly can be damaged by other equipment or be knocked off onto the floor.
Also, although the removed keyboard assembly is held in a generally vertical orientation on the top side of the base housing it is not necessary that the keyboard assembly be leaned up against the opened lid housing to be supported in this orientation. Accordingly, the vertically supported keyboard assembly does not engage and potentially scratch the display screen carried on the front side of the opened display housing.
The specially designed support structure portion of the keyboard assembly, with its rear side edge tabs, and the associated base housing slots, are quite simple to fabricate, and do not appreciably add to the overall cost of the computer. Also, due to these interlocking tabs and slots means, the keyboard assembly may be quite easily and quickly be moved between its operating and access orientations.
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Kuo Ping-Huang
Song Sung-Ming
Compaq Computer Corporation
Lea-Edmonds Lisa
Picard Leo P.
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