Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
  • G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
  • G06F1/1601—Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
  • G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
  • G06F1/18—Packaging or power distribution
  • G06F1/181—Enclosures

Definitions

• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of an electronic device in a display or operating position.
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the example of the electronic device in a servicing position.
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the example of the electronic device with an access panel in an open position.
• FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of an example of a lift assist.
• FIG. 5 shows a view of an example of a sliding support.
• FIG. 6 shows a view of an example of a rigid support in an extended position.
• FIG . 7 shows a view of the rigid support of FIG. 6 in a retracted position.
• FIG. 8 is a diagram of an example of a method of accessing an interior of a display device.
• Electronic devices such as all-in-one computers may need servicing to replace a component (e.g., a defective hard drive) or upgrade a component (e.g., add additional memory).
• This requires access to the interior of the housing or enclosure of the electronic device. Gaining such access to the interior can require lifting the electronic device which is oftentimes heavy for many end-users and placing it in a servicing position (e.g., a work surface).
• a servicing position e.g., a work surface.
• this can involve placing the screen of the device face-down in the servicing position which may damage the display screen if the end-user isn't careful. This position allows the end-user to gain access to the rear of the housing or enclosure where securing fasteners are located.
• FIG. 1 A perspective view of an electronic device 10 is shown in FIG. 1.
• electronic device 10 is an all-in-one computer.
• electronic device 10 includes a housing or enclosure 12 that is configured to be movable between an operating or display position (as shown in FIG.l) and a servicing position (as shown in FIG.2).
• electronic device 10 additionally includes a display screen 14 coupled to housing or enclosure 12 that displays information to an end-user.
• display screen 14 also allows end-user to enter touch input data and control commands as well. In other examples, the screen may just display information and not allow end-user input.
• electronic device 10 includes a stand 16 configured to have a support member or base 18 and an arm assembly 20.
• Arm assembly 20 is rotatably coupled to support member or base 18 by hinges 22 and 24 on support member 18 and to housing or enclosure 12 by hinges 23 and 25 on mount assembly 26.
• Stand 16 is additionally configured to lock so that housing or enclosure 12 remains in a servicing position shown in FIG. 2 where housing or enclosure 12 lies in a plane substantially parallel to support member or base 1 8, as shown.
• a biased button 28 of mount assembly 26 may be manually depressed to an unlocked state so that housing or enclosure 12 and stand 16 may be moved to the operating position shown in FIG. 5.
• FIG. 3 At times it may be desireable or even necessary to obtain access to interior 30 defined by housing or enclosure 32. For example, one or more of components 32 of electronic device 10 may need to be serviced or replaced (e.g., a defective hard drive). As another example, an end-user may desire to upgrade one or more components 32 of electronic device 10 (e.g., adding additional memory). Gaining such access to interior 30 is accomplished by manually engaging latch assemblies 34 and 36 that releaseably secure access panel or lid 38 in the closed position shown in FIG. 2. Access panel or door 38 is coupled to housing or enclosure 12 and is configured to have an open position that provides access to the interior 30 in the servicing position, as shown in FIG. 3.
• electronic device 10 additionally includes hinge assemblies 40 and 42 coupled to housing or enclosure 12 and access panel or door 40.
• Hinge assemblies 40 and 42 are configured to alIow r access panel or door 40 to be moved through an arc (generally indicated by arrow 44 in FIG. 3) from the closed position shown in FIGs. 1 and 2 to the open position shown in FIG. 3.
• arc generally indicated by arrow 44 in FIG. 3
• hinge assemblies 40 and 42 are shown, it is to be understood that other examples may utilize a single hinge assembly, more than two hinge assemblies, or a different hinge assembly.
• hinge assemblies may be eliminated and access panel or door 40 configured to translate up and down during movement between open and closed positions. Such yet other examples may utilize a track assembly for such translation.
• electronic device 10 also includes a lift assist 46 that is configured to help move access panel or door 38 from the closed position shown in FIGs. 1 and 2 to the open position shown in FIG. 3.
• a lift assist 46 that is configured to help move access panel or door 38 from the closed position shown in FIGs. 1 and 2 to the open position shown in FIG. 3.
• An enlarged view of lift assist 46 is shown in FIG. 4.
• lift assist, 46 includes a gas or pneumatic cylinder 48 movably coupled to access panel or door 38 via a mount assembly 50.
• Lift assist 46 additionally includes a rod 52 movably coupled to back 54 of housing or enclosure 12 via mount assembly 56.
• Lift assist 46 is configured to provide a force the pushes or urges access panel or door 38 into the open position, as generally indicated by arrow 58.
• This force 58 may be overcome by end-users by pushing on access panel or door 38 in a direction generally opposition that of arrow 58 which moves rod 52 within cylinder 48 and ultimately closes access panel or door 38.
• Mount assemblies 50 and 56 are configured so that lift assist 46 retracts into interior 30 of housing or enclosure 12 when access panel or door 38 is closed.
• sliding support 60 includes a casing 62 movably coupied to access panel or door 38 via a mount assembly 64.
• Sliding support 60 additionally includes a strut 66 movably coupled to back or rear 54 of housing or enclosure 12 via mount assembly 68.
• Strut 66 is designed to telescope out of casing 62 as access panel or door 38 is moved to the open position and collapse into casing 62 as access panel or door 38 is moved to the closed position.
• sliding support 60 is further configured to include a latch assembly 70 that secures sliding support 60 in the extended position shown.
• Latch assembly 70 ma ⁇ ' include a biased pin that is releasably disposed in an opening (not shown).
• latch assembly 70 may include a fastener that may be manually tightened in the extended position and manually released to retract and close access panel or door 38.
• Other configurations of latch assembly 70 are also possible.
• Mount, assemblies 64 and 68 are configured so that sliding support 60 retracts into interior 30 of housing or enclosure 12 when access panel or door 38 is closed.
• Sliding support 60 may also be configured to provide lift assist, as described above.
• a biasing assembly (not shown) that is disposed in casing 62 and configured to be compressed when access pane! or door 38 is in the closed position and uncompressed when access panel or door 39 is in the open position.
• rigid support 72 that may be used in place of lift assist 46 and sliding support 60 is shown in FIG. 6.
• rigid support 72 includes a strut 74 movably coupled to access panel or door 38 via a mount assembly 76.
• Rigid support 72 additionally includes a receptacle 78 in which end 80 may be disposed once access panel or door 38 is moved to the open position. This helps to secure rigid support 72 in the extended position shown.
• Mount assembly 76 is configured so that rigid support 72 may be retracted into interior 30 of housing or enclosure 12 when access panel or door 38 is closed by securing it with tab 81 , as shown in FIG. 7.
• FIG. 8 A diagram of an example of a method of accessing an electronic device (in this example a display device) 82 is shown in FIG. 8.
• method 82 begins or starts 84 by moving the housing of the display device from an operating position to a servicing position 86.
• method 82 continues by securing the housing in the servicing position 88 and unlatching an access panel coupled to the housing of the display device 90.
• method 82 additionally continues by translating the access panel from a closed position to an open position that provides access to the interior of the housing while retaining the coupling of the access panel to the housing 92.
• method 82 further continues by securing the access panel in the open position 94.
• Method 82 then may end 96.
• access panel or door 38 may be coupled to back or rear 54 of housing or enclosure 12 of electronic device 10 rather than to the front or screen-side of electronic device 10.
• method 82 ma ⁇ ' include additionally elements beyond those illustrated and other example methods may omit one or more of disclosed elements and potentially utilize other elements instead.
• the spirit and scope of the present invention are to be limited only by the terms of the following claims. [0022] Additionally, reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean one and one, unless explicitly so stated, but rather means one or more. Moreover, no element or component is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element or component is explicitly recited in the following claims.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Devices For Indicating Variable Information By Combining Individual Elements (AREA)
• Casings For Electric Apparatus (AREA)

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Family

ID=48652688

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Citations (4)

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• 2012
  • 2012-01-10 WO PCT/US2012/020797 patent/WO2013105934A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2012-06-21 CN CN2012102639650A patent/CN103197735A/zh active Pending
  • 2012-07-06 DE DE102012211881.0A patent/DE102012211881B4/de not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (4)

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