Abstract:
An apparatus for securing a display housing to a base of a laptop computer. In one embodiment, the base has a widthwise dimension, a depthwise dimension, and a thickness and the display housing has a depthwise dimension that exceeds the depthwise dimension of the base. The laptop computer can further include a latch coupled to at least one of the display housing and the base. The latch can have an engaging portion that moves between a secured position to secure the display housing to the base, and an unsecured position to allow the display housing to be pivoted away from the base. The latch can translate or rotate between the secured position and the unsecured position.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention is directed to an apparatus for securing a display housing to a base of a laptop computer. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Laptop computers are portable computers that generally operate from either external or portable power sources. Conventional laptop computers typically have a base pivotally connected to a display housing. The base typically includes a primary input device, such as a keyboard, and a secondary input device, such as a computer mouse, roller ball or touch pad. The display housing typically includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) or other type of display. To access the keyboard and the display, a user positions the base on a surface (e.g., the user&#39;s lap or a fixed surface) and opens the computer by pivoting the display housing away from the base. To close and easily transport the computer after use, the user pivots the display housing toward the base and secures the housing to the base. 
     In conventional laptop computers, the display housing is generally relatively small so that the laptop computer can be easily transported. One drawback with this arrangement is that text and graphics on the display may be difficult to visually discern. Accordingly, it may be difficult to use the laptop computer. 
     One means for addressing this drawback is to enlarge the size of the display housing while keeping the size of the base approximately the same. Accordingly, the display can be made larger and easier to read without unnecessarily increasing the weight of the computer by also increasing the size of the base. However, one drawback with this approach is that it may be difficult to latch or otherwise secure the oversized display housing to the base. For example, it may be difficult to latch a display that overhangs the base without using a relatively complex mechanism that can be cumbersome and/or heavy. Another drawback is that the portion of the oversized display that overhangs the base is exposed even when the laptop computer is closed. Accordingly, the display may be susceptible to damage when the laptop computer is transported. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed toward laptop computers and latches for laptop computers. In one aspect of the invention, the laptop computer has a base with a widthwise dimension, a first depthwise dimension, and a thickness. The laptop computer can further include a display housing having a second depthwise dimension that exceeds the first depthwise dimension of the base. The display housing can be pivotally coupled to the base and movable relative to the base between a stowed position in which a first surface of the display housing faces the base and an unstowed position in which the first surface is accessible to a user. The laptop computer further can include a latch member coupled to at least one of the display housing and the base. The latch member can include an engaging portion that is movable between a secured position and an unsecured position. The engaging portion is removably engaged with the other of the display housing and the base when the latch member is in the secured position to secure the display housing to the base. 
     The latch member can have several different configurations. For example, in one aspect of the invention, the latch member can be slidably coupled to the display housing. In a further aspect of the invention, the latch member can include a cavity that receives a corresponding projection of the base, or the latch member can include a projection that is removably received by a corresponding cavity of the base when the latch member is in the secured position. In another aspect of the invention, the latch member can be pivotably coupled to either the display housing or the base to engage the other of the display housing and the base when the latch member is in the secured position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top isometric view of a laptop computer having an oversized display housing that can be releasably latched to a base of the laptop computer in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom isometric view of the computer of FIG. 1 with the display housing folded toward the base. 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom isometric view of a laptop computer having an oversized display housing releasably secured to a base in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a top isometric view of a laptop computer having an oversized display housing releasably secured to a base in accordance with still another embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 5A is a top isometric view of a laptop computer having an oversized display housing with a pivotal latch that releasably secures the display housing to a base of the laptop computer in accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 5B is a side elevation view of the laptop computer shown in FIG. 5A with the display housing folded toward the base. 
     FIG. 6 is a top isometric view of a laptop computer having an oversized display housing that can be releasably secured to a base with a latch in accordance with still another embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a top isometric view of a laptop computer having an oversized display housing secured to a base with a latch in accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure describes laptop computers having an oversized display housing releasably secured to a base. In one embodiment, the display housing can include a latch that slides relative to the display housing to secure the display housing to the base. In another embodiment, the display housing can include a latch that pivots to secure the display housing to the base. Many specific details of certain embodiments of the invention are set forth in the following description and in FIGS. 1-7 to provide a thorough understanding of such embodiments. One skilled in the art, however, will understand that the present invention can have additional embodiments and can be practiced without several of the details described in the following description. 
     FIG. 1 is a top isometric view of a laptop computer  20  having a display housing  40  pivotably coupled to a base  30  by a pivot joint  41 . The base  30  can include a plurality of input keys  31  and a touch pad  32  or other input device, such as a roller ball, mouse or joystick. The base can further include a memory  33  and a processor  34 , both shown schematically in FIG.  1 . The display housing  40  can include a display  45 , such as an LCD screen, a field emission display or another visually accessible display device. The display housing  40  can be pivoted away from the base  30  to an unstowed position (arrow A), and it can be pivoted toward the base  30  to a stowed position (arrow B). 
     The display housing  40  can also include a latch  50  to releasably secure the display housing  40  to the base  30 . For example, when the display housing  40  is in the stowed position, the latch  50  can be translated toward the pivot joint  41  (arrow C) to engage a corresponding projection  42  of the base  30  and secure the display housing  40  to the base  30 . The latch  50  can also be translated in the opposite direction (arrow D) to release the display housing  40  from the base  30  and allow the display housing  40  to be pivoted to the unstowed position. 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom isometric view of the laptop computer  20  shown in FIG.  1 . The laptop computer  20  has an overall width w, an overall depth d 1 , and an overall thickness t. As shown in FIG. 2, the overall depth d 1  is also the depth of the display housing  40 , and exceeds a depth d 2  of the base  30  so that a forward portion of the display housing  40  overhangs the base  30 . In other embodiments, other portions of the display housing  40  can overhang other portions of the base  30  (e.g., side or rear portions of the base  30 ). 
     In one embodiment, the latch  50  includes an attachment portion  51  slidably coupled to the overhanging forward portion of the display housing  40 . For example, the attachment portion  51  can be configured to slide along a guide rail  43  of the display housing  40  between an unsecured position (shown in FIG. 2) and a secured position. The attachment portion  51  can include a locking device to hold the latch  50  in the secured position and/or the unsecured position. For example, the locking device can include two detents  57  (shown in FIG. 2 as a forward detent  57   a  and a rear detent  57   b ) that engage corresponding detent apertures  44  (shown as a forward detent aperture  44   a  and a rear detent aperture  44   b ) on the guide rail  43 . When the forward detent  57   a  is received in the forward detent aperture  44   a , the latch  50  is releasably held in the unsecured position (shown in FIG.  2 ). When the rear detent  57   b  is received in the rear detent aperture  44   b , the latch  50  is releasably held in the secured position. 
     The attachment portion  51  can further include finger grips  54  (one of which is shown in FIG. 2) having ribs or other texture elements to engage a user&#39;s fingers (not shown). The attachment portion  51  can also have access openings  55  through which the display housing  40  is accessible. Users can engage the display housing  40  through the access openings  55  with the thumbs of each hand while engaging the finger grips  54  with the index fingers of each hand. The users can then draw their index fingers toward them to move the latch  50  in the direction indicated by arrow D from the secured position to the unsecured position. In other embodiments, users can use other fingers to manipulate the latch  50 . 
     The latch  50  can further include an engaging portion  52  that engages the base  30  when the latch  50  is in the secured position. In one embodiment, the engaging portion  52  includes a cavity  53  configured to receive the protrusion  42  of the base  30  when the latch  50  is moved in the direction indicated by arrow C from the unsecured position (shown in FIG. 2) to the secured position. In other embodiments, the engaging portion  52  can have other configurations, as will be discussed in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 3-7. 
     Operation of an embodiment of the laptop computer  20  is best understood with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Beginning with FIG. 2, users can disengage the display housing  40  from the base  30  by contacting the display housing  40  through the access openings  55  of the latch  50 . Users can then slide the latch  50  in the direction indicated by arrow D, as discussed above, until the engaging portion  52  disengages from the protrusion  42 . At this point, the forward detent  57   a  is received in the forward detent aperture  44   a  to prevent users from inadvertently moving the latch  50  away from the unsecured position. 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, users can pivot the display housing  40  (arrow A) to its unstowed position to view the display  45  and access the input keys  31  and input device  32 . When the display housing  40  is moved to its unstowed position and the latch  50  is moved to its unsecured position, the latch  50  does not overlap the display  45 , so that the entire display  45  is accessible for viewing. 
     To stow and secure the display housing  40 , users can pivot the display housing  40  toward the base  30  (arrow B). Once the display housing  40  is folded flat against the base  30  (FIG.  2 ), users can slide the latch  50  in the direction indicated by arrow C until the cavity  53  receives the protrusion  42  and the rear detent aperture  44   b  receives the rear detent  57   b . When the latch  50  secures the display housing  40  to the base  30  in the stowed position, the display housing  40  cannot be easily pivoted away from the base  30 . Furthermore, when the latch  50  is in the secured position, it can cover the portion of the display  45  that overhangs the base  30 . 
     One advantage of the laptop computer  20  shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is that the latch  50  can easily secure the display housing  40  to the base  30  even though the oversized display housing  40  overhangs the base  30 . Moreover, because the latch  50  can be movably attached directly to the overhanging portion of the display housing  40 , another advantage is that the latch  50  can cover the portion of the display  45  overhanging the base  30  to protect the display  45  when the display housing  40  is in the stowed position. Furthermore, when the latch  50  is moved to the unsecured position, it does not obstruct the display  45 , allowing the user to take full advantage of the increased size of the display  45 . 
     Still a further advantage is that the latch  50  can include detents  57  to hold the latch  50  in either the secured position or the unsecured position. This is advantageous because it reduces the likelihood that the latch  50  will inadvertently slip from the unsecured position to a position where it can obscure a portion of the display  45 . In addition, the detents  57  reduce the likelihood that the latch  50  will slip from the secured position, which may cause the laptop computer  20  to inadvertently open. 
     Yet another advantage is that the latch  50  can include access openings  55  that allow users to more easily move the latch  50  from the secured position to the unsecured position. For example, because users can brace their fingers against the display housing  40  by contacting the display housing  40  through the access openings  55 , the users can more readily move the latch  55  relative to the display housing  40 . 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom isometric view of a laptop computer  120  having a latch  150  with two engaging portions  152  in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. As is shown in FIG. 3, each engaging portion  152  includes a projection  142  that can be removably inserted into a corresponding cavity  153  of the base  30 . Accordingly, the latch  150  can be translated away from the base  30  (arrow D) to move the latch  150  to the unsecured position. When in the unsecured position, the projections  142  are disengaged from the corresponding cavities  153  and the display  45  can be pivoted away from the base  30 . The latch  150  can also be translated toward the base  30  (arrow C) to the secured position to secure the display housing  40  to the base  30  in the stowed position. 
     FIG. 4 is a top isometric view of a laptop computer  220  having two latches  250  that slide transversely in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 4, each of the latches  250  can include a cavity  253  that removably receives a corresponding projection  242  of the base  30 . When the latches  250  are in the secured position (shown in FIG.  4 ), the projections  242  are received in the cavities  253 . To move the latches  250  to their unsecured positions, users can slide the latches away from the base  30  (arrow D) until the projections  242  are clear of the cavities  253 . At that point, the display housing  40  can be pivoted away from the base  30  to operate the computer. 
     An advantage of the laptop computer  220  shown in FIG. 4 is that the latches  250  may be smaller, and therefore less costly to manufacture than the latches  50  and  150  shown in FIGS. 1-3. Conversely, an advantage of the latches  50  and  150  shown in FIGS. 1-3 is that they extend across the entire width w (FIG. 2) of the laptop computer to protect the display  45  (FIGS. 1-3) when the display housing  40  is in the stowed position. 
     FIG. 5A is a top isometric view of a laptop computer  320  having a latch  350  that pivots between the secured position and the unsecured position in accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment, the latch  350  is pivotably connected to a forward edge of the display housing  40  with a latch pivot  358 . The latch  350  can be pivoted relative to the display housing  40  and away from the base  30  (arrow F) to the unsecured position to expose the display  45 . The latch  350  can be pivoted in the opposite direction toward the base  30  (arrow E) to secure the display housing  40  to the base  30 . 
     FIG. 5B is a side elevation view of the laptop computer  320  shown in FIG.  5 A. As shown in FIG. 5B, the display housing  40  is folded against the base  30  in the stowed position, and the latch  350  is shown in transition between the unsecured position and the secured position. In one embodiment, the latch  350  can include a cavity  353  that removably receives the projection  42  of the base  30  when the latch  350  is in the secured position. In a further aspect of this embodiment, walls of the cavity  353  can be configured to frictionally engage the projection  42  so that the latch  350  is not inadvertently pivoted away from the secured position. In still a further aspect of this embodiment, the latch  350  can include a detent  357  that is removably received in a detent aperture  344  when the latch  350  is moved to the unsecured position. Accordingly, the latch  350  can be prevented from inadvertently rotating in front of the display  45  (FIG. 5A) where it might obscure visibility of the display  45 . 
     FIG. 6 is a top isometric view of a laptop computer  420  in accordance with another embodiment of the invention having a pair of latches  452  in the display housing  40  that can be received in a corresponding pair of cavities  453  in the base  30 . In one aspect of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, each latch  450  can include a hook-shaped engagement portion  452  that slides transversely in a slot  460  of the display housing  40 . When the latch  450  is in the secured position, the hook-shaped engagement portion  452  engages the walls of the corresponding cavity  453 . 
     Each engagement portion  452  can be coupled to a contact portion  459  that is in turn accessible to users through an access opening  455  in the display housing  40 . When users press the contact portions  459  inward (arrow H), the engagement portions  452  move inwardly into the display housing  40  to the unsecured position. When users release the contact portions  459 , the engagement portions  452  slide outwardly with respect to the display housing  40  (arrow G). Accordingly, when the display housing  40  is closed against the base  30 , the engagement portions  452  other latches  450  can hook under the top panel of the base  30  in the secured position. In one embodiment, the latches  450  can be spring-loaded or otherwise biased toward the secured position. 
     FIG. 7 is a side isometric view of a laptop computer  520  having a pair of latches  550  (one of which is shown in FIG. 7) in accordance with still another embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 7, each latch  550  can include an attachment portion  551  that is pivotally attached to the base  30  with a latch pivot pin  558  to allow the latch  550  to rotate relative to the display housing  40  (arrows J and K). Each latch  550  can further include an engaging portion  552  that is configured to releasably engage a corresponding projection  542  extending away from the display housing  40 . When the latch  550  is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow K, the engaging portion  552  engages the projection  542  and secures the display housing  40  to the base  30 . When the latch  550  is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow J, the engaging portion  552  releases the projection  542  and the display housing  40  can be moved to the unstowed position. 
     In one aspect of this embodiment, the engaging portion  552  can have a hook shape to releasably engage the projection  542 . In still a further aspect of this embodiment, the engaging portion  552  can include an elastic, resilient material that can be elastically deformed to snap over and around the projection  542  to position the latch  550  in the secured position. The engaging portion  552  can be similarly elastically deformed to move the latch  550  away from the projection to the unsecured position. 
     An advantage of the latch  550  shown in FIG. 7 is that it does not depend from the display housing  40 , and accordingly may be less likely to block any portion of the display  45 . Conversely, an advantage of the latches that depend from the display housing  40 , for example, the latches shown in FIGS. 1-2 and  5 A- 5 B, is that they can cover and protect the overhanging portion of display  45  when the latches are in the secured position. 
     From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.