Abstract:
A locking system is disclosed. The locking system comprises a locking bar rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position. A locking feature on the locking bar engages a tab when the locking bar is rotated into the locked position.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Touch screens are gaining in popularity. Many different types of computers are now shipping with touch screens, for example tablets, laptops and convertibles. A convertible is a tablet and a keyboard that can be joined together and used as a laptop, or pulled apart and used as a tablet. Touch screens allow a user to interact with the computer by dragging one or more of their fingers across the screen to complete an action. This allows a much more intuitive user interface (UI). For example a user can zoom in on an object by spreading two fingers apart over the object. Users typically interact with an outer layer of glass on most touch screens. The glass is generally mounted flush with the computer case which allows for the maximum touch screen area. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0002]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an example tablet  100 . 
           [0003]    FIG. AA is a sectional side view of tablet  100  as shown by arrows AA in  FIG. 1A . 
           [0004]      FIG. 1B  is an isometric view of example tablet  100 . 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is an isometric bottom view of display  102 . 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is an isometric top view of case  104  with locking bar  106  installed in the right side of ease  104 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of an example locking bar  106 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 5A-5C  are expanded sectional side views of the example tablet of figure AA. 
           [0009]      FIG. 6A  is another example of a locking bar  106 B. 
           [0010]      FIG. 6B  is another example of a locking bar  106 C. 
           [0011]      FIG. 7A  is a cutaway side view of an example locking bar  106  mounted in case  104  in the locked position. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7B  is a cutaway side view of another example locking bar  106  mounted in case  104  in the locked position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a side view of an example laptop computer  800 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    Mounting the glass in a touch screen display flush with the computer case can be done in a number of ways. One method uses adhesive around the bottom edges of the display to bond the display to the computer case. Unfortunately, gluing the display to the computer case makes it difficult to service the components in the computer case. With the display glued to the computer case, the user replaceable battery must be accessed from the bottom of the computer case. This puts additional design constraints on the internal structure of the computer case. Other screw based attachment methods have similar types of problems, they are too hard to open by a user and require access through the bottom of the computer case for user swappable components. In addition the visibility of the screws may be an issue once the product has been assembled. 
         [0015]    In one example a display can be removably mounted into a computer case using a rotating locking bar on one side of the computer case. The locking bar has at least one locking feature that holds/locks one edge of the display into the computer case when rotated into a locked position. The other edge of the display is coupled to the case, for example with a lip that slides under the edge of the case. When the locking bar is rotated to an unlocked position the locked edge of the display is released from the case. This allows the display to be rotated along the opposite edge of the display from a closed position into an opened position, allowing access into the computer case. In one example the locked edge of the display is moved away from the computer case when the locking bar is rotated from the locked position to the unlocked position. This makes it easier for a user to access the edge of the display and rotate the display from the closed position into the open position. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1A  is an isometric view of an example tablet  100 . Tablet  100  comprises a case  104 , a touch screen display  102  and a locking bar  106 . The touch screen display  102  is mounted in the top side of case  104  with the to surface of the display flush with the top surface of case  104 . The locking bar  106  is mounted on the right side of case  104  and is shown in the locked position, locking display  102  into case  104 . In this example locking bar  106  has a slot  120  formed at one end of the locking bar  106  such that the locking bar  106  can be rotated using a screwdriver. In other examples a ridge or knob may be used to enable the user to rotate the locking bar  106  without using a tool. 
         [0017]    FIG. AA is a sectional side view of tablet  100  as shown by arrows AA in  FIG. 1A . Case  104  has a floor and four side walls that form an enclosure. Display  102  is mounted in case  104  in the top of the enclosure. Display  102  comprises a block of transparent material  108 , display electronics  110 , a thin plate  114  and two locking tabs  112  (only one tab is visible in this view). Other components will be mounted inside the enclosure formed by ease  104 , for example computer electronics, a hard drive, a battery and the like, but these components are not shown for clarity. 
         [0018]    The block of transparent material  108  is typically fabricated from glass, but could be fabricated from transparent plastic. Display electronics  110  are attached to the bottom center section of the block of transparent material  108 . Display electronics project images up through the block of transparent material  108  for the user to interact with. 
         [0019]    Two tabs  112  are attached to the bottom right side of the block of transparent material  108 . The tabs  112  engage with two locking features  116  in locking bar  106  (only one locking feature is visible in this view) and hold the display down into case  104 . In this example the locking features are 90 degree cutouts formed into locking bar  106 . The cutouts  116  capture the ends of the two locking tabs  112  when the locking bar is rotated into the locked position (as shown). In this example locking bar is a long cylinder that can be rotated along the cylindrical axis between a locked position (as shown) and an unlocked position (see  FIG. 5 ). 
         [0020]    A thin plate is attached to the left bottom edge of the block of transparent material  108  forming a lip that fits underneath the left side of ease  104 . The lip allows the display to be rotated along the left edge of the display from a closed position (as shown in  FIG. 1A ) to an open position (as shown in  FIG. 1B ) when the locking bar  106  is in the unlocked position. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1B  is an isometric view of example tablet  100 . Tablet  100  is shown with locking bar  106  rotated into the unlocked position with locking features  116  open upwards (only one locking feature is visible). Display  102  is shown rotated about the left edge  114  of display in a partially opened position. Once the display  102  is in the open position it can be completely removed/detached from case  104 . In some examples a cable between the display  102  and the computer electronics may need to be disconnected before the display  102  can be completely removed from case  104 . In other examples the display  102  may be attached to the case with a hinge along the left edge and may not be removable from case  102 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is an isometric bottom view of display  102 . Display  104  comprises a block of transparent material  108 , display electronics  110 , a thin plate  114  and two locking tabs  112 . Display electronics  110  are attached to the center section of the block of transparent material  108 . Two tabs  112 A and  112 B are attached to the right side of the block of transparent material  108 . The thin plate is attached to the left edge of the block of transparent material  108  forming a lip that fits underneath the left side of case  104 . In other examples the lip may be formed as part of the left edge of case  104 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is an isometric top view of case  104  with locking bar  106  installed in the right side of case  104 . Locking bar  106  is shown in the unlocked position with the two locking features  116  spaced apart along the length of locking bar  106 . In other examples there may be more of fewer locking features  116  along the length of locking bar  106 . Case  104  has two support rails  330  formed on the inside of the top and bottom side walls of case  104  (only the top support rail  330  is visible). The two support rails prevent the display from falling into the enclosure and support display  102  as the lip  114  mounted to display  102  is being coupled to the left side of case  104 . 
         [0024]    In this example locking bar  106  is a long cylindrical column that can be rotated between a locked position and an unlocked position. Locking bar may be mounted in case  104  by inserting locking bar  106  into a cylindrical hole formed in case  104 .  FIG. 4  is an isometric view of an example locking bar  106 . In this example, locking bar may be held into case  104  using a collar  440  that fits into a groove  442  formed in locking bar  106 . The collar couples to a slot formed in case  104 . Once the locking bar  106  has been inserted into the cylindrical hole formed in case  104  the collar can be slid into groove  442  and mated with the slot formed in case  104 . The collar holds locking bar  106  in place but allows locking bar  106  to be rotated about the cylindrical axis of locking bar  106 . In some examples features on locking bar may limit the rotation of locking bar  106  to less than 360 degrees, for example to between 90 degrees and 120 degrees. 
         [0025]      FIG. 5A-5C  are expanded sectional side views of the example tablet of FIG. AA.  FIG. 5A  shows the display in the closed position with locking bar  106  in the locked position. Locking bar  106  has a radius R. Tab  112  is engaged with locking feature  116  which holds the display  102  into case  104 . Tab  112  extends down below the bottom surface of the transparent material  108  by distance D 1 . In some examples D 1  is substantially the same as, or slightly longer than, R. This allows the top surface of the locking feature  116  to be parallel with the top surface of the tab  112  when the locking bar is in the locked position (i.e. when the two surfaces are engaged). 
         [0026]      FIG. 5B  shows the locking bar  106  in the unlocked position. In this example the unlocked position is rotated 90 degrees (clockwise in  FIG. 5B ) from the locked position. When the locking bar  106  is in the unlocked position, the display  102  has been translated upwards by the thickness t of tab  112 . The tab  112  is no longer captured by locking feature  112  and the display is free to be moved upwards.  FIG. 5C  shows the locking bar  106  rotated (clockwise in  FIG. 5C ) beyond the unlocked position. As locking bar  106  rotates beyond 90 degrees from the locked position the bottom side of locking feature  116  pushes tab  112  upwards. As tab 112  is pushed upwards, the right edge of display  102  is pushed above the right edge of case  104  allowing, the user to grab the edge and rotate the display to the open position (see  FIG. 1B ). 
         [0027]      FIG. 6A  is another example of a locking bar  106 B. Locking bar  106 B has a locking feature formed from two beams perpendicular to each other joined together along the ends of each beam. The beams rotate about the point where the ends are joined together. Locking has  106 B is shown in the locked position with one of the beams engaged with the tab  112  attached to the transparent block of material  108 . When the locking bar  106  is rotated to the unlocked position and beyond, the lower beam will push tab  112  upwards, thereby raising the edge of display  102  above the right edge of case  104  (not shown). 
         [0028]      FIG. 6B  is another example of a locking bar  106 C. Locking bar  106 C has a locking feature formed from a single beam. The beam rotates around on end. Locking bar  106 C is shown in the locked position with the beam engaged with the tab  112  attached to the transparent block of material  108 . When the locking bar  106  is rotated to the unlocked position and beyond the edge of display  102  remains resting on lip  660  and will need to be manually raised away from case  104 . 
         [0029]    In some examples the locking bar will be held in the locked position.  FIG. 7A  is a cutaway side view of an example locking bar  106  mounted in case  104  in the locked position. Locking bar  106  has a spring  770  loaded plug  772  loaded in a hole formed in locking bar  106 . A detent  774  is formed in the wall of case  104 . When the locking bar  106  is in the locked position, the spring loaded plug snaps into detent  774  holding locking bar in the locked position. Rotating the locking bar forces the plug back into the hole allowing the locking bar to be rotated into the unlocked position. 
         [0030]    In some examples the locking bar can be used as a security feature by preventing unauthorized users from accessing the components inside case  104 . The security feature will prevent the locking bar from rotating until the security feature is disengaged.  FIG. 7B  is a cutaway side view of another example locking bar  106  mounted in case  104  in the locked position. Locking bar  106  is shown in the locked position. A hole is formed in locking bar  106 . A spring  770  loaded pin  773  is mounted in a hole formed in case  104 . Pin  773  is made from a magnetic material, for example steel. To disengage the security feature and rotate the locking bar into the unlocked position, a magnet  780  is held against case  104  near where pin  773  is located. The magnet will pull pin  773  out of the hole formed in locking bar  106 , allowing the locking bar  106  to be rotated into the unlocked position. 
         [0031]    In other examples the locking bar may have a lock integrated into looking bar  106 . A key would be inserted into the lock to disengage the lock and allow the locking bar to be rotated. In yet another example an electromechanical device, for example a solenoid, may be used to inset a locking pin into the locking bar. The solenoid can be energized by typing in a password into tablet  100 . Once the solenoid is energized the locking pin will be removed from locking bar  106  allowing the locking bar to be rotated into the unlocked position. 
         [0032]    The rotating locking bar in the above examples has been described as holding a touch screen display into the case of a tablet. The locking bar describe above is not limited to a touch screen display or a tablet, other display types can also be held into a computer case. In fact any two computer components may be held together using the locking bar described above. The locking bar may also be used to hold a laptop or convertible computer closed. 
         [0033]      FIG. 8  is a side view of an example laptop computer  800 . Laptop computers are also known as portable computers. Laptop computer  800  has two components; a display component and a keyboard component  884 . The display component  882  is attached to the keyboard component  884  along one edge with a hinge  886 . Hinge  886  allows the display component  882  to be rotated from an open position to a closed position. Display component  882  is shown in a partially opened position. In the closed position display component  882  will be parallel with, and adjacent to, the keyboard component  884 . Keyboard component  884  has a locking bar installed along the right side (front edge) of the keyboard component. Display component  882  has one or more tabs  812  attached to the right bottom side of the display component  882 . When the display component is rotated into the closed position and the locking bar  884  is rotated into the locked position, locking features spaced along the locking bar  806  will engage with tab  812  thereby holding the display component  882  closed.