Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-25
2001-02-20
Fuller, Benjamin R. (Department: 2855)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S689000, C016S354000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06191937
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hinge for a display apparatus, and more particularly, to a portable display having a hinge rotatably coupling a lid to a main body.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hinge used in a conventional LCD is described with reference to
FIGS. 1 and 2
.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, the conventional LCD includes a main body
2
and a lid having a rear case
1
. A keyboard
15
for inputting data is retained in the main body. An LCD unit
30
is provided in the rear case
1
for displaying data that are input from the keyboard
15
.
A hinge
10
rotatably coupling the lid with the main body is attached to the side of the main body
2
and the side of the rear case
1
of the lid.
The dimension of the hinge
10
is proportional to the size of the computer.
The weight of the lid increases in proportion to the size of the portable information processing display. Therefore, as the weight of the lid increases, so too must the size of the hinges which support the lid when it is open.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, the hinge-shaft
11
is fixed within a cylindrical apparatus
12
in the conventional portable information processing display. The cylindrical apparatus
12
is attached to the edge of the main body
2
and the hinge-shaft
11
is fixed to the rear case
1
of the lid. Therefore, the hinge-shaft is capable of rotating so that the lid can open and close. The torque elements should have enough supporting strength to support the lid when it is open at a desired angle. In the conventional portable information processing display having a 12-inch screen, for example, the cylindrical apparatus which houses the hinge-shaft should be more than 6 mm in width and 8 mm in length.
Because the cylindrical apparatus having the above described dimensions is located at the top edge of the main body, the maximum size of the screen is limited by the space depicted by the letter “C” in FIG.
1
.
To solve this problem, another portable information processing display has a hinge
10
attached to each side of the lid and the main body as shown in FIG.
3
. This structure allows an increase in the size of the screen to some degree. However, because the cylindrical apparatus housing the hinge is located at the side of the main body and the lid, the apparatus is not flush with the main body and lid and juts out from the side. This results in an increased size of the unit, and an uneven profile that is neither ergonomic nor aesthetically pleasing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a liquid crystal display device that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a gear-like hinge having a small width to the inner portion of a side of a display device lid.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable display with a larger screen without having to increase the size of the apparatus.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure and method particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a portable information processing apparatus comprises a a lid including a rear case containing a display unit; a body containing a keyboard; and a hinge rotatably coupling the lid to the body, the hinge including: a frame secured to the body; a torque unit; a shaft surrounded by the torque unit, the shaft being fixed to the frame; and an arm secured to the rear case of the lid and rotatably connected to the frame, the arm having an interlocking joint at one end engaging the torque unit to rotate the shaft in response to a rotation of the arm.
In another aspect of the present invention, a portable information processing apparatus comprises a lid including a rear case containing a display unit; a body containing a keyboard; and a hinge rotatably coupling the lid to the body, the hinge including: a frame secured to the rear case of the lid; a torque unit; a shaft surrounded by the torque unit, the shaft being fixed to the frame; and an arm secured to the body and rotatably connected to the frame, the arm having an interlocking joint at one end engaging the torque unit to rotate the shaft in response to a rotation of the arm.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4781422 (1988-11-01), Kimble
patent: 5102084 (1992-04-01), Park
patent: 5121521 (1992-06-01), Hagiwara et al.
patent: 5195210 (1993-03-01), Lee
patent: 5363089 (1994-11-01), Goldenberg
patent: 5754395 (1998-05-01), Hsu et al.
patent: 5818360 (1998-10-01), Chu et al.
patent: 5847685 (1998-12-01), Otsuki
patent: 5987704 (1999-11-01), Tang
patent: 2305690 (1997-04-01), None
patent: 2305689 (1997-04-01), None
Fuller Benjamin R.
LG. Philips LCD Co. Ltd.
Long Aldridge & Norman LLP
Patel Jagdish
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