JP3132538U6 - Portable computer - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a portable computer in which the height when the display unit is used can be adjusted, and in this case, the cable is hidden in a connecting device between the display unit and the main unit, so that the portable unit is portable. The computer is structurally more compact and more convenient to carry and operate. In addition, the safety of portable computers is increased.
The extendable connection device allows the display unit to be controlled at various heights relative to the main unit as needed to facilitate user operation. Further, by concealing part or all of the cable in the connecting device capable of extending the cable, the structure of the portable computer is simplified, and the portable computer is easy to carry and operate. Furthermore, safety is improved.
[Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable computer, and more particularly to a portable computer in which a display can be positioned at various heights and angles with respect to a main unit.

  Currently, the display unit of a portable computer is usually a flat panel and is hinged to the main unit for ease of carrying.

  That is, the bottom of the display unit is hinged to the main unit via a cushioning bearing like a notebook, and thus the portable computer is also called a “notebook computer”.

  Two main cables are used to electrically connect the display unit to the main unit. One is a power cable and the other is a signal cable.

  The disadvantages of such a direct hinge connection are as follows. The height of the center of the display unit relative to the main unit is only about 15 cm. However, the height of the hand and elbow relative to the eye when the user operates the computer is usually 30 to 50 cm.

  On the other hand, the best viewing angle for the human body is in the range of ± 15 ° from the horizontal line of sight. For objects that deviate from this range, the user must maintain a bad posture by straining the neck, back and hip muscles to concentrate attention (see FIG. 1).

  Poor posture over a long period of time can cause discomfort and cause disease.

  In order to solve a series of problems concerning the fixed relative distance between the display unit and the main unit, one patent document is a technology that can be used to lift the display unit to various heights relative to the main unit. Disclosed the method.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a portable computer including a main unit, a display unit, and display support means. The support means is attached to the main unit and the display unit via a pivot, and can be expanded and contracted in a controllable manner to support the display unit at various heights and angles relative to the main unit as required.

  Specifically, the support means mainly includes a tube and a rod that is inserted into the tube and can extend through the tube, and the tube is attached to the display unit, whereas the tube is attached to the hinge of the rod main unit. It has been.

  When the rod is withdrawn into the tube, the distance from the display unit to the main unit is reduced, and when the rod is withdrawn from the tube, the distance from the display unit to the main unit is increased.

  Therefore, the position of the display unit relative to the main unit can be easily controlled.

  The position of the rod in the tube (distance from the display unit to the main unit) can be maintained by the frictional force between the rod and the tube. Furthermore, the hinge on the main unit can be used to keep the angle relative to the main unit at various angles.

  In addition, a support bar is attached to the back of the main unit that can be pulled out to prevent the computer from falling over when the display unit is extended from the main unit.

  In the present invention, it can be seen that it is possible to keep various heights and angles relative to the main unit with a simple structure. Furthermore, the structure is reliable and the operation is easy.

  However, the inventor has found that the present invention still has certain problems.

  First, the display unit is connected to the main unit by a tube and a rod inserted into the tube, and the tube is mainly formed in the display unit, so that the thickness and size of the display unit will increase.

  This is a problem that should be solved urgently because portable computers are now increasingly miniaturized.

  Furthermore, since the cable is electrically connected between the display unit and the main unit without protection, the portable computer as a whole is considered to be electrically incomplete and may involve some risk.

  Furthermore, since the display unit can be raised to a certain height relative to the main unit, the cable must be long enough. However, when the display unit is confined to the main unit, there is no space to accommodate a cable that is too long. As a result, portable computers are inconvenient to carry.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a portable computer including a main unit, a display unit, and a hinge device that connects the display unit to the main unit. The hinge device can support the display unit at various heights and angles relative to the main unit as required.

  Further, the specification of the present invention describes that the cable for electrically connecting the display unit to the main unit is provided inside or outside the hinge device.

  However, this specification does not describe how to provide the cable in the hinge device, i.e. it does not disclose the technical method of cable routing. Furthermore, the embodiment of the hinge device described in this specification is a saddle type hinge, which is relatively complicated in structure, requires a large space, and is inconvenient in operation and control.

  Another embodiment of the hinge device is a telescopic hinge, which is connected to the display unit and the main unit via respective hinge shafts so that the display unit is positioned at various heights and angles relative to the main unit. To be controlled.

  However, such a telescopic hinge is integrally formed on one side of the portable computer, thereby increasing the outer size of the portable computer.

  In addition, when the portable computer is closed, the entire hinge protrudes from both sides of the portable computer, and the structure is not neat and detracts from the overall aesthetic appearance of the portable computer.

US Pat. No. 6,1986,624 US Pat. No. 6,532,147

  The object of the present invention is to provide a portable computer in which the height of the display unit can be adjusted, and in this case the cable is hidden in the connection device between the display unit and the main unit. This makes the portable computer more structurally compact and more convenient to carry and operate. In addition, the safety of portable computers is increased.

  A portable computer provided in the present invention includes a main unit, a display unit, a connection device for mechanically connecting the display unit to the main unit, and electrically connecting the display unit to the main unit. And the connecting device is configured to be extendable, and at least a part of the cable is hidden in the extendable connecting device.

  Due to the extendable connection device, the display unit facilitates the user's operation to control various heights relative to the main unit as required. Further, the structure of the portable computer is simplified by partially or entirely hiding the cable in the connecting device that can be extended, and the portable computer is easy to carry and operate.

In the following, the invention will be described in detail on the basis of embodiments according to the attached drawings.
The present invention provides a portable computer that mainly includes a main unit, a display unit, a connection device that mechanically connects the display unit to the main unit, and a cable that electrically connects the display unit to the main unit.

  Moreover, the connecting device is an extendable device, and at least a part of the cable is hidden by the extendable connecting device.

  When the portable computer provided in the present invention is operated as shown in FIG. 2, the display unit can be lifted to an appropriate height to facilitate user operation and reduce fatigue.

  In the prior art, the extendable connection device can be implemented with various structures.

In the present invention, this is described in two embodiments.
However, those having ordinary knowledge in this field can understand that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.
For example, a slide plate structure, a ratchet wheel structure, a screw rod-gear structure, or the like can be used, and a motor drive structure can also be used.
For example, the display unit can be controlled to various heights with a step motor relative to the main unit.

In an embodiment of the extendable connection device, the present invention uses a telescopic sleeve (telescopic sleeve) as shown in FIG.
In the present invention, in order to obtain a stable structure and appropriate strength, the telescopic sleeves are respectively provided on the left and right sides of the back of the portable computer (that is, the portion farthest from the user when operating the portable computer).
The cable extends from the main unit and then passes through the telescopic sleeve and is electrically connected to the display screen of the display unit.

  The telescopic sleeve usually includes a plurality of bushings to implement a so-called telescopic structure, and a small-diameter bushing is attached to the large-diameter bushing and can slide in the axial direction into the large-diameter bushing. it can.

  In the present invention, the telescopic sleeve is hinged to at least the upper bushing 37 formed on the upper left and right sides of the display unit 01 and the main unit 02 (via a conventional buffer bearing 03). The display unit 01 is conveniently supported at various heights relative to the main unit 02 while the lower bushing 27 slides in the upper bushing 37. be able to.

As shown in FIG. 3, the telescopic sleeve for increasing the height of the display unit 01 relative to the main unit 02 includes at least an intermediate bushing 04 between the upper bushing 37 and the lower bushing 27. Can be included.
The intermediate bushing 04 is movable relative to the upper bushing 37 and the lower bushing 27, and is designed to support the display unit 01 at various heights relative to the main unit 02. Yes.
The intermediate bushing 04 preferably includes 1 to 3 bushings.
Each bushing of the telescopic sleeve preferably has a rectangular cross section to increase the strength of the bushing. However, the bushing can have other cross sections, such as circular and polygonal.

  In such a structure, since the upper bushing 37 is formed on both sides of the display unit 01, the thickness of the display unit 01 does not increase.

Further, since the upper bushing 37 is a bushing having a large diameter among the bushings, the remaining bushings such as the lower bushing 27 and the intermediate bushing 04 are directly or indirectly inserted into the upper bushing 37, that is, from the stretchable sleeve. All the bushings that are pulled out have a “upper and lower bottom” structure.
Thus, when the portable computer is not used and when the display unit 01 is closed to the main unit 02 and all other bushings are slid or retracted into the upper bushing 37, all telescopic sleeve structures are left of the display unit. It is located on the right side and does not increase the thickness of the display unit or increase the size of the main unit.
Thus, the outer dimensions of the portable computer can be minimized.

  To ensure that the telescopic sleeve supports the weight of the display unit when the telescopic sleeve is in the extended state, the display unit must be supported at various heights relative to the main unit. A suitable locking mechanism or sufficient frictional force must be available during the bushing to allow This requirement can be met by various technical means.

The stretchable sleeve stretched as shown in FIG. 9 can be locked by a lock slot and a lock catch that can be combined with each other.
In particular, in the adjacent bushings of the telescopic sleeve (eg, the intermediate bushing 04 and the lower bushing 27), the lock slot 28 is opened through the side wall of the intermediate bushing 04 and can be coupled to the lock slot 28. Since 38 is provided on the side wall of the lower bushing 27, the lower bushing 27 can be fixed at various relative positions when the lock slot 28 and the elastic lock catch 38 are coupled to each other.

This means that when the elastic lock catch 38 is coupled with the lock slot 28, the two bushings are locked.
When the elastic lock catch 38 and the lock slot 28 are released from the locked state, the two bushings can move relative to each other.

In order to facilitate the operation of locking and releasing between the elastic lock catch 38 and the lock slot 28, the elastic lock catch 38 is desirably designed to be detachable from the lock slot 28 in the lateral direction of the bushing.
This can be done with the following structure. In particular, the elastic lock catch 38 includes a hook-type leaf spring 26 and a protrusion 05 formed on the hook head of the hook-type leaf spring 26, and the hook tail of the hook-type leaf spring 26 has the lower portion described above. It is fixed inside the bushing 27.
In such a structure, when the protrusion 05 is pressed and pressed, the protrusion 05 is retracted inward along the side surface direction of the bushing and is released from the lock slot 28, so that the two bushings are unlocked. The This is because the hook head and hook tail of the hook-type plate spring 26 change elastically at the same time.
Further, the hook leaf spring is smoother than a normal leaf spring and does not have a sharp edge, so that the cable 08 is not damaged.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 12, the display unit 01 can be provided with a diagonal through slot 30 and a stub wedge 29 that can move in the diagonal through slot 30.
The stub wedge 29 comes into contact with the wall of a bushing (for example, the lower bushing 27) inserted into the upper bushing 37, and presses the bushing against the upper bushing 37, thereby increasing the frictional force between the two bushings. Fixed to height.

In addition to the embodiment using the oblique through slot 30 and the stub wedge 29, the present invention can use any frictional force amplification structure.
For example, a simple diagonal wedge inserted between the bushing and the display unit or between adjacent bushings can be used.
However, any of these structures shall fall within the scope of the claimed invention.

As shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 12, there is a slot 19 extending along the inner side of the upper bushing 37 which contacts the inner side of the lower bushing 27 extending in the vertical direction of the display unit 01.
The slot 19 is open vertically to the inner side of the upper bushing 37, and the term “inward” as used herein means the side of the upper bushing 37 that is closer to the display screen 18 of the display unit 01.

The cable starts from the main unit 02, the lower bushing 27 and the upper bushing 37 (of course, when the intermediate bushing 04 is used, the cable also passes through the intermediate bushing 04), the slot 19. It penetrates and extends to the display screen 18 of the display unit 01 to form a natural U-shape.
In this case, all cables (eg, power and signal cables) of the portable computer are concealed in the telescopic sleeve. Therefore, the structure is very simple and neat, and the computer is convenient to carry and operate. Furthermore, since the slot 19 has a continuous shape in the vertical direction, there is no possibility of damaging the cable.

Further, as shown at the lower end of the telescopic sleeve in FIG. 5, the cable 08 passes through the cable hole 06 opened in the lower bushing near the lower end and enters the telescopic sleeve.
It can then extend through the slot 19 to the bottom of the display screen 18.

Alternatively, the cable 08 can enter a telescopic sleeve through a hole opening in the center of the buffer bearing 03.
That is, the cable 08 can extend completely or partially into the telescopic sleeve.
Since the cable 08 is clamped by the hook-shaped leaf spring 26 in the lower bushing 27, the cable 08 maintains a U-shape in a portion between the lower bushing 27 and the lower portion of the display screen 18 regardless of the position of the lower bushing 27. be able to.
This mechanism prevents the cable from scratching or breaking.

  Further, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,1986,624, the display unit can be positioned relative to the main unit by designing the frictional force between the bushings of the telescopic sleeve to an appropriate value according to the weight of the display unit. It can be stably maintained at various heights.

In the first embodiment, by fixing the display unit to the main unit to the pair of telescopic sleeves, the display unit can be controlled to various heights and angles relatively easily with respect to the main unit, so that the user can control the portable computer. It can be used easily.
Furthermore, since the cable can be hidden in the telescopic sleeve, the portable computer can be easily carried and operated, and safety is improved.

If the display unit is at a relatively high position with respect to the main unit and tends to fall later relative to the main unit, the entire portable computer may fall later.
This is because the center of gravity of the display unit moves backward.

A support bar that can be pulled out to prevent this problem can be attached to the rear of the main unit, similar to the support bar described in US Pat. No. 6,1986,624.
This is not further described in the present invention.

  In the following, another embodiment of the extendable connecting device of the present invention will be described according to the accompanying drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in another embodiment of the present invention, the extendable connection device can be a link mechanism, and the display unit 01 can be used in various ways relative to the main unit 02. Can be supported at any height.

  In order to obtain a stable structure and appropriate strength in the same manner as in the first embodiment, in the present invention, link mechanisms are respectively attached to the left side and the right side behind the portable computer.

As shown in FIG. 4, the link mechanism preferably includes an upper link bar 09 whose upper end is hinged to the display unit 01, and a lower link bar 10 whose lower end is hinged to the main unit 02.
The lower end of the upper link bar 09 is hinged to the upper end of the lower link bar 10.
The display unit 01, the upper link bar 09, the lower link bar 10 and the main unit 02 are hinged via buffer bearings 11, 12 and 13.
The buffer bearing may be any of the prior art, such as the hinge used in US Pat. No. 6,1986,624.

The cable starts from the main unit 02 and then partly passes through the hollow lower link bar 10 and the upper link bar 09 and is connected to the display unit 01.
That is, the cable can partially pass through the cavities in the lower link bar 10 and the upper link bar 09 instead of passing through the cavities of the lower link bar 10 and the upper link bar 09 in the hole.
For example, the cable passes axially outside the buffer bearings 11, 12 and 13 or through these buffer bearings.

In the present invention, two exemplary buffer bearing embodiments are also shown.
In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the buffer bearing includes an annular bushing 24 and a shaft 23 in the bushing 24.
In operation, one link bar is connected to the bushing 24, while another link bar is connected to the shaft 23, so that the two link bars can rotate relative to each other between the bushing 24 and the shaft 23. it can.

There are a plurality of grooves 25 on the inner surface of the bushing 24, and a guide groove 22 on the outer surface of the shaft 23 that fits the groove 25 is provided.
Each of the guide grooves 22 has a ball fastener 20 and a spring 21 that is a mechanism for urging the ball fastener 20 toward the corresponding groove 25.
With such a structure, the buffering effect can be easily implemented.

  When the shaft 23 rotates, the ball fastener 20 is press-fitted into the corresponding groove 25 under the action of the spring force of the spring 21, so that resistance is generated with respect to the relative rotation of the shaft 23 and the bushing 24. Thereby, they can be held in a fixed position.

  According to the weight and height of the display unit 01 relative to the main unit 02, a suitable set of grooves 25 and guide grooves 22, ball fasteners 25 and springs 21 can be mounted, for example in four sets as shown in FIG. it can.

As shown in FIG. 6, the buffer bearing allows the majority of the cable 08 to be concealed in the link bar.
In particular, the cable hole 06 can be provided at a position close to each terminal on one side of the lower link bar 10 and the upper link bar 09, and the axial through hole 40 is formed in the upper link bar 09 and the lower link bar 10. Can be provided through the shaft 23 of the buffer bearing 13 (see FIG. 10).

  The cable 08 starts from the main unit, passes through the cable hole 06 at one end of the lower link bar 10, enters the lower link bar 10, exits from the cable hole 06 at the other end, and penetrates the shaft in the axial direction. It passes through the hole 40, passes through the cable hole at one end of the upper link bar 09, and is finally connected to the display unit 01.

  In this structure, the cable hole 06 is on one side of the link bar in the buffer bearing 13, and the cable 08 passes through the axial through hole 40 of the shaft 23, so that the two link bars are relatively relative to each other in the buffer bearing 13. The cable will not be adversely affected when rotating around.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 11, the present invention also shows another embodiment of the shock-absorbing bearing.
The buffer bearing includes a shaft 31, a bushing 33 covering an outer surface of the shaft 31 extending over 270 °, and a right-angle beam 34 extending vertically downward from one end of the bushing 33, and an extension plate at the other end of the bushing 33. Fasteners 32 (for example, screws and nuts) are used to secure the clearance 41 on the outer surface over the remaining 90 ° of the shaft 31.

  In practice, one link bar is fixed to the shaft 31 while the other link bar is connected to the bushing 33, so that the two link bars are relative to each other due to the relative rotation of the shaft 31 and the bushing 33. Can be rotated.

  Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 11, two bushings 33 can be provided on the shaft 31, so that the two link bars are respectively connected to the two bushings 33 and can therefore rotate relative to each other.

  In FIG. 11, reference numeral 36 denotes a flange on the shaft 31 designed to prevent relative axial movement between the shaft 31 and the bushing 33.

  In such a case, the cable 08 can pass through the cavity of the link bar, protrude from the buffer bearing, extend around the buffer bearing, and then enter the other link bar.

Further, a triangular pole 35 can be formed in the axial direction on the side surface of the buffer bearing. When the shaft 31 and the bushing 33 rotate relative to each other, the thin plate bushing 33 may be damaged by the strong frictional force between the shaft 31 and the bushing 33 and the gravity of the display unit 01.
By using the triangular pole 35, the strength of all the buffer bearings can be improved.
The clearance 41 and the triangular pole 35 define a cavity, which can be filled with lubricating oil for suppressing friction between the shaft 31 and the bushing 33.

Furthermore, the axial stability of the buffer bearing can be enhanced by using the triangular pole 35.
That is, when the shaft 31 and / or bushing 33 of the buffer bearing is subjected to the action of an axial force, the triangular pole 35 prevents them from moving in the axial direction, thereby increasing the stability.

  When such a buffer bearing is used, the cable 08 can be provided around the buffer bearing.

  When the portable computer is not used in the embodiment using the link bar, the display unit can be closed to the main unit by folding the link mechanism as in previous portable computers.

At this time, the rear end of the display unit 01 may tilt upward away from the main unit.
A fastener mechanism for preventing the rear end of the display unit 01 from separating from the main unit 02 and keeping the display unit 01 and the main unit 02 close to each other can be used.

As shown in FIG. 7, the present invention provides two embodiments of the fastener mechanism.
One of them is to provide a rear clamp 14 at the rear part of the main unit 02 in order to fix or hold the rear part of the display unit 01.
In another embodiment, the backboard 15 is held at the rear of the main unit, and the rear portion of the display unit 01 is held by providing a latch 16 at an appropriate position at the rear of the display unit for coupling with the backboard 15. can do.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, the details should not be considered limiting.
This is because it is clear that various embodiments, changes, and modifications can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and such equivalent embodiments are within the technical scope of the invention. It is intended to be included.

Schematic of a user's operation attitude when a user operates a normal portable computer. Schematic of the user's operation posture when the user operates the portable computer of the present invention. The figure which shows the structure of a telescopic sleeve. Structure diagram of the link mechanism. The partial structure figure of a telescopic sleeve. Structure diagram of the linkage mechanism. Schematic of the mechanism which fixes a display unit with a tail part. Sectional drawing of a telescopic sleeve. The vertical sectional view of a telescopic sleeve. The figure which shows the structure of a buffer bearing. The figure which shows the structure of another buffer bearing. FIG. 4 is a partial vertical sectional view of the telescopic sleeve. Fig. 3 shows a cable connected to the display screen of the display unit.

Claims (12)

A main unit; a display unit; a connection device that mechanically couples the display unit to the main unit; and a cable that electrically connects the display unit to the main unit;
The connecting device is configured to be extendable,
A portable computer, wherein at least a portion of the cable is hidden in the extendable connection device. The extendable connection device is a pair of telescopic sleeves attached to the left and right sides of the rear of the portable computer,
The telescopic sleeve comprises at least an upper bushing attached to the left and right sides of the display unit, respectively, and a lower bushing that is hinged to the main unit and can slide within the upper bushing,
The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the cable extends from the main unit, passes through the telescopic sleeve, and is connected to the display unit. The upper bushing is in contact with an inner side of the lower bushing with respect to the display unit;
A slot is formed along an inner side of the upper bushing extending in a vertical direction of the display unit with respect to the display unit;
The portable computer according to claim 2, wherein the cable extends from the main unit, passes through the lower bushing and the upper bushing, and is connected to the display unit through the slot. A lock slot formed in the upper bushing and an elastic lock catch that matches the lock slot formed in the lower bushing;
4. The portable computer according to claim 2, wherein the upper bushing and the lower bushing can be fixed at various relative positions when the elastic lock catch is coupled to the lock slot. The elastic lock catch includes a hook-shaped leaf spring and a protrusion formed on a hook head of the hook-shaped leaf spring,
5. The portable computer according to claim 4, wherein a hook tail of the hook type leaf spring is fixed to an inner surface of the lower bushing, and the protruding portion is movable in a side surface direction of the lower bushing. The display unit includes a diagonal penetration slot and a stub wedge that can move in the diagonal penetration slot;
The stub wedge contacts the wall of the lower bushing;
4. The portable computer according to claim 2, wherein the lower bushing is pressed against the upper bushing, and the two bushings are fixed at various heights. The extendable connection device is a pair of link mechanisms attached to the left and right sides of the rear of the portable computer,
Each of the link mechanisms includes an upper link bar hinged at least at the upper end to the display unit, and a lower link bar hinged at the lower end to the main unit;
The lower end of the upper link bar is hinged to the upper end of the lower link bar,
The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the cable extends from the main unit, passes through at least the upper link bar and the lower link bar, and is connected to the display unit. The display unit, the upper link bar, the lower link bar, and the main unit are hinged via a buffer bearing,
Each of said buffer bearings includes an annular bushing and a shaft therein;
A plurality of grooves are formed on the inner surface of the annular bushing,
The outer surface of the shaft is provided with a corresponding guide groove,
8. The portable computer of claim 7, wherein each of the guide grooves comprises a ball fastener and a spring that biases the ball fastener into the groove. Forming cable holes in one side of the lower link bar and in the upper link bar near each end,
Forming an axial through hole on the shaft of the shock bearing between the upper link bar and the lower link bar;
The cable extends from the main unit, passes through the cable hole at one end of the lower link bar, enters the lower link bar, exits the cable hole at the other end, passes through the axial through hole on the shaft, 9. The display device according to claim 8, wherein the cable passes through a cable hole at one end of the upper link bar, enters the upper link bar, exits from the cable hole at the other end, and is finally connected to the display unit. Portable computer. The display unit, the upper link bar, the lower link bar, and the main unit are hinged via a buffer bearing,
Buffer bearings each extend vertically downward from a shaft, a bushing covering the outer surface of the shaft over 270 °, and one end of the bushing,
The other end of the bushing is fixed to the extension plate by a fastener,
Including a right angle beam that forms a clearance on the outer surface over the remaining 90 ° of the shaft;
The portable computer according to claim 7, wherein an axial triangular pole is formed on one side of the buffer bearing. 8. A portable computer according to claim 7, wherein a rear clamp designed to hold the rear of the display unit is provided at the rear of the main unit. A backboard is provided at the rear of the main unit;
8. The portable computer of claim 7, wherein a latch is provided that is designed to hold a rear portion of the display unit that can be coupled with the backboard on a corresponding position on the rear portion of the display unit.

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