WO2006101344A1

WO2006101344A1 - Notebook computer having bidirectional monitor

Info

Publication number: WO2006101344A1
Application number: PCT/KR2006/001041
Authority: WO
Inventors: Suk Chang Yoon
Original assignee: Lee, Jang Ho
Priority date: 2005-03-23
Filing date: 2006-03-22
Publication date: 2006-09-28
Also published as: KR200386675Y1

Abstract

Disclosed is a notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor which additionally connects a connection monitor for a customer to a body monitor for a user so that various information can be visually provided comfortably and promptly to the customer through the screen of the connection monitor during a sales activity or a consultation in various fields. The notebook computer includes a body including a signal processing unit in the interior thereof, a body monitor visually displaying a signal processed result of the body to a user, a connection monitor connected to a tip end portion of the rear surface of the body monitor, for displaying the same content as that of the body monitor to a customer on the basis of a selection of the user, and a connecting assembly for rotatably and pivotally supporting the connection monitor with respect to the body monitor.

Description

NOTEBOOK COMPUTER HAVING BIDIRECTIONAL

MONITOR

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor, and more particularly to a notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor which additionally connects a connection monitor for a customer to a body monitor for a user so that various information can be visually provided comfortably and promptly to the customer through the screen of the connection monitor during a sales activity or a consultation in various fields. Background Art

[2] Notebook computers can be simply carried and can be used on laps, so they are occasionally called as lap top computers. The notebook computers can be easily carried and can be very conveniently used by people who go on business trips or conduct business while traveling.

[3] Further, since the notebook computers are more sophiscated and smaller than desk top computers of the same performance, they are rather expensive, but recently users of the notebook computer have been increasing as the wireless Internet and satellite/ ground wave DMB has been combined with the notebooks.

[4] Generally, the notebook includes a body having a main substrate having a keyboard on the upper surface and having a CPU in the interior thereof, a video card for processing graphics, and an auxiliary memory unit such as an HDD etc. for storing data of high capacity, and wired/wireless communication devices and peripheral devices, and a monitor for visually displaying a signal processed result of the body to a user.

[5] The monitor engaged with the body through a pair of hinge units for the visual interface with the user is a thin and light display with the lightness trend for increasing the portability, and a single LCD having a display surface on the inner surface thereof and a metal casing for protecting the display surface is used as the monitor.

[6] Therefore, according to the conventional notebook computer employing a monitor having a single display surface on the inner surface thereof, since the body of the notebook computer should be turned toward a partner or the body monitor mounted to the notebook computer should be repeatedly rotated by 180 degrees and then returned to the original position to provide visual information to a customer during a sales activity or a consultation, it is difficult to maintain the continuity of the consultation and unnecessary actions and time are wasted. [7] On the other hand, while since the monitor of a desk top computer is separated from the body thereof and does not need to be carried, a monitor having a two surface display LCD having display surfaces on the front and rear surfaces thereof or two LCDs can be realized, in a notebook computer in which the monitor is connected to the body through hinge units and the body and the inner surface of the monitor need to be protected while carrying the notebook computer, the two surface display LDC cannot be employed as the monitor of the notebook computer.

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[8] Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor which additionally connects a connection monitor for a customer to a body monitor for a user so that various information can be visually provided comfortably and promptly to the customer through the screen of the connection monitor during a sales activity or a consultation in various fields. Technical Solution

[9] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor according to the present invention comprises: a body including a signal processing unit in the interior thereof; a body monitor for visually displaying a signal processed result of the body to a user; a connection monitor connected to a tip end portion of the rear surface of the body monitor, for displaying the same content as that of the body monitor to a customer on the basis of a selection of the user; and a connecting assembly for rotatably and pivotally supporting the connection monitor with respect to the body monitor.

[10] The connecting assembly comprises: a rotational shaft having a screw thread formed on the outer peripheral surface of the upper end thereof, a first upwardly opened recess, and a through-hole formed from the first recess to the lower side thereof, a support shaft in which a tip end portion thereof is engaged with a female screw engagement recess formed in a connecting recess of the body through the first recess and the through-hole of the rotational shaft to resilien y and rotatably support the rotational shaft, a pivot shaft case in which the periphery of the rotational shaft is screw-coupled to a central engagement recess thereof and second and third circular recesses are formed at both end portions thereof in the lengthwise direction thereof, and first and second pivot shafts each of which has one end resilien y supported on the second and third recesses of the pivot shaft case and the other end pivotally supported by pivot shaft connecting recesses of the connection monitor. [11] In this case, it is preferable that the support shaft includes a fixation bolt having a screw thread formed at a tip end portion thereof and a head larger than the through- hole and formed at the other end thereof.

[12] Further, the notebook computer can further comprise a friction preventing ring for reducing the frictional force of the rotational shaft when the rotational shaft is rotated in the connecting recess of the body monitor.

[13] Furthermore, it is preferable that the notebook computer further comprises a power source switch installed in the connecting recess of the body monitor, for automatically turning on and off a function of the connection monitor by detecting the rotation angle of the rotational shaft.

[14] In this case, the connection monitor can be detachably engaged with the body monitor.

[15] According to the notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor, the connection monitor is connected to the body monitor. The connection monitor is rotatably supported by the body monitor so as to be rotated by 360 degrees and is mounted to the body monitor so as to be pivoted by 180 degrees.

[16] Therefore, if the screen of the connection monitor is to be used by a user, the screen of the connection monitor is turned on by raising the connection monitor about the pivot shaft and then rotating the connection monitor about the support shaft, with the connecting monitor facing the opposite direction of the body monitor. Consequently, the user can visually provide various information to a customer promptly and comfortably by utilizing the screen of the connection monitor.

[17] As mentioned above, since the notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor according to the present invention can provide the same information as that of a user to a customer in real time through the connection monitor during a sales activity or a consultation with the customer in various fields, the customer can be promptly provided with visual information in a comfortable state, thereby conveniently securing the reliability of the consultation with the customer and saving unnecessary movement and time of the customer. Brief Description of the Drawings

[18] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[19] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor according to the present invention in a folded state;

[20] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor according to the present invention, with a connection monitor thereof raised to be used;

[21] FlG. 3 is a perspective view showing the notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor according to the present invention, with the connection monitor thereof rotated by 180 degrees about a rotational shaft;

[22] FlG. 4 is a perspective view showing the notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor according to the present invention, with the connection monitor thereof moved in the pivot shaft direction;

[23] FlG. 5 is a perspective view showing the notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor according to the present invention in an installed state; and

[24] FlG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a constitution of a connecting assembly of the notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor according to the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[25] Hereinafter, the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[26] FlG. 1 is a perspective view showing a notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor according to the present invention in a folded state. FlG. 5 is a perspective view showing the notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor according to the present invention in an installed state. FlG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a constitution of a connecting assembly of the notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor according to the present invention.

[27] As shown in the figures, the notebook computer 1 having a bidirectional monitor according to the present invention includes a body 10 including a main substrate having a keyboard 3 on the upper surface and having a CPU in the interior thereof, a video card for processing graphics, and an auxiliary memory unit such as an HDD etc. for storing data of high capacity, and wired/wireless communication devices and peripheral devices, a body monitor 11 for visually displaying a signal processed result of the body 10 to a user, a connection monitor 12 connected to a tip end portion of the body monitor 11, for displaying the same content as the body monitor to a customer according to a selection of the user; and a connecting assembly 20 for rotatably and pivotally supporting the connection monitor 12 with respect to the body monitor 11.

[28] The body 10 and the body monitor 11 can be constituted by using a general notebook computer in which the body monitor 11 is pivotally supported by the body 10 in the front-rear direction through a pair of hinge units (not shown). In other words, Any body 10 including a signal processing unit capable of performing signal processing through an interface unit for a user can be used.

[29] The notebook computer 1 having a bidirectional monitor according to the present invention further includes the connection monitor 12 for a customer in addition to the body monitor 11 for a user.

[30] For this, according to the present invention, the connecting assembly 20 connecting the connection monitor 12 to the body monitor 11 includes a rotational shaft 30 rotatably installed in a connecting recess 32 formed in the body monitor 11, for rotating the connection monitor 12 by 0 to 360 degrees with respect to a plane surface of the body monitor 11, and a pair of pivot shafts 41a and 41b for pivoting the connection monitor 12 by an inclination angle of 0 to 180 degrees with respect to a plane surface of the body monitor 11.

[31] Hereinafter, the constitution of the connecting assembly of the body monitor and the connection monitor of the notebook computer according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6.

[32] The connecting assembly 20 includes a rotational shaft 30 having a screw thread

30a formed on the outer peripheral surface of the upper end thereof, an upwardly opened recess 30a, and a through-hole 30c formed from the recess 30b to the lower side thereof, a friction preventing ring 31 for reducing the frictional force of the rotational shaft 30 when the rotational shaft 30 is rotated in the connecting recess 32 of the body monitor 11, a first spring 22 inserted into the recess 30b of the rotational shaft 30, a support shaft 21 in which a screw portion 21a of a tip end portion thereof is inserted into the first spring 22 and is engaged with a female screw engagement recess 32a formed in the connecting recess 32 to resiliently and rotatably support the rotational shaft 30, a pivot shaft case 40 having an engagement recess 40c in which a female screw is formed at a central portion thereof to be engaged with the periphery of the rotational shaft 30 and a pair of circular recesses 40a and 40b formed at both end thereof, second and third springs 23 and 24 inserted into the recesses 40a and 40b of the pivot shaft case 40 respectively, and a pair of pivot shafts 41a and 41b each of which has one end resiliently supported on the recesses 40a and 40b of the pivot shaft case 40 by means of the second and third springs 23 and 24 and the other end pivotally supported by pivot shaft connecting recesses 42 of the connection monitor 12.

[33] Hereinafter, the assembling order of the connecting assembly 20 is described. First, after the support shaft 21 is inserted into the first spring 22, the first spring 22 and the support shaft 21 are inserted into the recess 30b of the rotational shaft 30. Thereafter, the support shaft 21 is engaged with the engagement recess 32a in the connecting recess 32 of the body monitor 11 together with the friction preventing ring 31, with the tip end screw portion 21a of the support shaft 21 protruding outside of the rotational shaft 30 to rotatably fix the rotational shaft 30 to the body monitor 11.

[34] Thereafter, the screw engagement recess 40c of the pivot shaft case 40 is engaged with the outer peripheral surface of the upper end of the rotational shaft 30 in which the screw thread 30a is formed, and the second and third springs 23 and 24 and one end of each pivot shafts 41 are inserted into the pivot shaft connecting recesses 40a and 40b of the pivot shaft case 40 and then the other end of each pivot shaft 41a and 41b is inserted into the pivot shaft connecting recesses 42 of the connection monitor 12.

[35] Further, the connecting recess 32 of the body monitor 11 may realize a function of a power source switch (not shown) for automatically turning on and off the function of the connection monitor 12, for example, by detecting the rotation angle of the rotational shaft 30, so that the connection monitor 12 can be turned off when only the screen of the body monitor 11 is used and can be turned on when the body monitor 11 and the connection monitor 12 are simultaneously as shown in FIG. 5.

[36] Furthermore, the connection monitor 12 can receive display information by wire through the body monitor 11 and the connecting assembly 20 or by using the well known short range wireless communication.

[37] Hereinafter, the operation of the above-mentioned notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor according to the present invention will be described in detail.

[38] As shown in FIG. 1, when folded, the notebook computer 1 having a bidirectional monitor according to the present invention connects the notebook body 10, the body monitor 11, and the connection monitor 12 in folder type to form a three fold structure.

[39] If a user is to use the connection monitor 12, as shown in FIG. 2, the user raises the connection monitor 12 of the notebook computer 1 from the body monitor 11, with the pivot shafts 41a and 41b functioning as hinge shafts.

[40] Thereafter, the connection monitor 12 is rotated by 180 degrees about the support shaft 21 so that the screen 12a of the connection monitor 12 faces the opposite direction of the screen 1 Ia of the body monitor 11. In this case, since the rotational shaft 30 of the connection monitor 12 is rotatably supported by the support shaft 21, the connection monitor 12 can be easily rotated.

[41] Thereafter, the angle of the connection monitor 12 is regulated by rotating the connection monitor 12 about the pivot shaft 41a and 41b, so that the sides of the body monitor 11 and the connection monitor 12 forms an inverse V-shape as shown in FIGs. 4 and 5. Then, the tip end portion of a support 50 is separated from the connection monitor 12 to stably maintain the installed state of the connection monitor 12.

[42] As mentioned above, according to the present invention, in the case in which a user wants to use the screens 11a and 12a of the body monitor 11 and the connection monitor 12 simultaneously, if the connection monitor 12 is rotated by 180 degrees so that the tip end of the connection monitor 12 makes contact with the ground, the screens of the two monitors 11 and 12 face the opposite directions.

[43] In this case, since the screen 12a of the connection monitor 12 is turned on in addition to that of the body monitor 11, the user can visually provide various in- formation to a customer while consulting the customer comfortably and promptly, thereby saving unnecessary movement and time of the customer.

[44] In this case, it is preferable that the body 10 has a function by which the display information selected by the user from the display information displayed on the body monitor 11 is transferred to the connection monitor 12 to be displayed.

[45] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, although the constitution in which the connection monitor 12 is physically and continuously connected to the body monitor 11 through the connecting assembly 20 is exemplified, it is possible that the connection monitor 12 is separably connected to the body monitor 11 so as to be simply installed as shown in FlG. 5. Industrial Applicability

[46] As mentioned above, the present invention can be applied to a notebook computer which can provide the same information as that of a user to a customer in real time through a connection monitor during a sales activity or a consultation with the customer in various fields.

[47] While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

[ 1 ] A notebook computer having a bidirectional monitor comprising : a body including a signal processing unit in the interior thereof; a body monitor for visually displaying a signal processed result of the body to a user; a connection monitor connected to a tip end portion of a rear surface of the body monitor, for displaying the same content as that of the body monitor to a customer on the basis of a selection of the user; and a connecting assembly for rotatably and pivotally supporting the connection monitor with respect to the body monitor.

[2] A notebook computer according to claim 1, wherein the connecting assembly comprises: a rotational shaft having a screw thread formed on an outer peripheral surface of an upper end thereof, a first upwardly opened recess, and a through-hole formed from the first recess to a lower side thereof, a support shaft in which a tip end portion thereof is engaged with a female screw engagement recess formed in a connecting recess of the body through the first recess and the through-hole of the rotational shaft to resiliency and rotatably support the rotational shaft, a pivot shaft case in which the periphery of the rotational shaft is screw-coupled to a central engagement recess thereof and second and third circular recesses are formed at both end portions thereof in a longitudinal direction thereof, and first and second pivot shafts each of which has one end resilien y supported on the second and third recesses of the pivot shaft case and the other end pivotally supported by pivot shaft connecting recesses of the connection monitor.

[3] A notebook computer according to claim 1, wherein the support shaft includes a fixation bolt having a screw thread formed at a tip end portion thereof and a head which is larger than the through-hole and is formed at the other end thereof.

[4] A notebook computer according to claim 1, further comprising: a friction preventing ring for reducing a frictional force of the rotational shaft when the rotational shaft is rotated in the connecting recess of the body monitor.

[5] A notebook computer according to claim 2, further comprising: a power source switch installed in the connecting recess of the body monitor, for automatically turning on and off a function of the connection monitor by detecting a rotation angle of the rotational shaft.

[6] A notebook computer according to claim 1, wherein the connection monitor is detachably engaged with the body monitor.