Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method including the following steps. Attaching a display to a front cover. Attaching control circuitry to a back cover. Attaching the front cover and the back cover.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to at least a portable computer system. 2. Background of the Related Art  
           [0003]    Electronics are common in everyday life. Examples of electronics are portable computers, desktop computers, and handheld computers. When consumers choose to buy electronics, many considerations may be taken into account, such as the price of an electronic device, a warranty on the electronic, and a cost of repair of the electronic device. In some circumstances, an expected cost of repair can be a major factor in the consumer&#39;s selection of an electronic device. Likewise, if the manufacturer of an electronic device provides a warranty to the consumer and the expected cost for repair of electronic device is high, then this will raise of the electronic device.  
           [0004]    Some minor repairs to an electronic device may be cost prohibitive because the electronic device must be disassembled, fixed, and then reassembled again. In these prohibitively expensive circumstances, the reassembling of the electronic device may be much more expensive than actually correcting the minor problem. Accordingly, there is a long felt need for electronic devices to be designed such that expected repairs are not cost prohibitive.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method including the following steps. Attaching a display to a front cover. Attaching control circuitry to a back cover. Attaching the front covet and the back cover.  
           [0006]    In embodiments of the present invention, attaching the display to a front cover is a relatively expensive task. This may be due to the necessary care that must be taken to prevent dust from becoming trapped between the display and the front cover. Trapped dust may prohibit a clear view of the display through the front cover. However, in embodiments of the present invention, control circuitry (e.g. a variety of electrical devices working cooperatively) may be easily repaired if accessible without detaching the display from the front cover. Accordingly, in embodiments of the present invention, the display is attached to the front cover and the control circuitry is attached to the back cover. When the front cover and back cover are attached together, the display and the control circuitry will be connected. These embodiments may be advantageous, as if a component in the control circuitry is broken and can be easily fixed, the apparatus can be disassembled, fixed and reassembled at a relatively low cost. For instance, in many circumstances, a component of the control circuitry can be fixed without having to reassemble the display to the front cover which would be relatively expensive.  
           [0007]    Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is an exemplary exploded perspective view of a portable computer system having a frame on which a plurality of devices could be mounted.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is an exemplary exploded perspective view of a portable computer system.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are exemplary drawings illustrating examples of a joining process for a transparent panel and display panel in a portable computer system.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a backside perspective view of a front cover to which a transparent panel is attached in a portable computer system.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is an exemplary exploded perspective view for attaching a supporting member to a front cover to which a panel is joined.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 is an exemplary backside view of a front cover in a portable computer system.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 8 is an exemplary perspective view for joining of a portable computer system.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 9 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of FIG. 8, taken along line A-A′.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]    A notebook computer, portable computer, or a portable digital terminal can be roughly classified into different types. One type is a keyboard pad type where a keyboard, as a basic input unit is installed with operations performed mainly by the keyboard and pen playing an auxiliary function as a pointing device. Another type is a touch pad type where a computer is taken by one hand and the computer is operated by the other hand or pen taken by the other hand only, so that work may be performed conveniently while moving.  
         [0017]    A portable computer denoted by a notebook computer is light in its weight, small in its volume, and easy to carry compared with a general desktop type computer, which provides a lot of convenience not obtained by the general desktop type computer. A portable computer may have few limitations in the location of use, thereby greatly extending utilization scope of a computer.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wallet type PC (Personal Computer). Hardware of a wallet PC includes a front housing  20 , a rear housing  30 , a frame  40 , a screen  60 , and a board  70 . The frame  40 , the screen  60 , and the board  70  are installed in an inner space formed by joining of the front housing  20  and the rear housing  30 . The screen  60  and the board  70  are joined on the frame  40 .  
         [0019]    The screen  60  and the board  70  have a structure not directly joined to the front housing  20  or the rear housing  30 . Thanks to such structure, impulse is not directly transferred to the screen  60  and the board  70  in case that impulse is exerted on the housings  20  and  30  from the outside. Therefore, such structure could prevent the screen  60  and the board  70  from being destroyed due to impulse from the outside. The frame  40  is configured such that the frame is safely seated between the front housing  20  and the rear housing  30 . This frame  40  is joined to the front housing  20  by a screw  76 . The screw  76  is joined to a boss  24  formed on the front housing  20  through a fixed rib formed on the frame  40 . The frame  40  is configured such that the frame is jointed to the front housing by one single screw  76  only. Also, the frame  40  is possibly configured such that the frame is joined to the rear housing  30  and the frame  40  is possibly joined to the front housing  20  or the rear housing  30  by a variety of methods.  
         [0020]    The frame  40  has a first plane  42  opposing a second plane  44 . The first plane  42  and the second plane  44  could be one of arbitrary planes on the frame  40 . The screen  60  is joined on the first plane  42  and the board  70  is joined on the second plane  44 . A display of the screen is exposed to the outside through an opening  22  formed on the front housing  20 . For structure to join the screen  60  and the board  70  to the frame  40 , a variety of methods could be used.  
         [0021]    A plurality of supporting ribs  46  is used. The supporting ribs  46  are formed from a side of the frame  40 . Namely, the supporting ribs  46  are formed from sides of the first plane  42  and the second plane  44 . Such structure means that a plurality of devices could be jointed on the frame  40  in a stacking manner. The board  70  could maintain a constant height from the second plane  44 , which could be effectively used in case that electronic circuits are installed on both sides of the board  70 . Such structure could also be realized by a variety of methods. Ribs  46  are formed on the second plane  44  so that the ribs support the board  70 .  
         [0022]    A battery case  52  is formed on the frame  40  as one body. A battery (not shown) is insetted into the battery case  52 . The battery is attached and detached to and from the battery case  52  through a door  32  formed on the rear housing  30 . A speaker mounting portion  28  is formed so that a speaker is installed inside the front housing  20 , on which the battery case  52  is positioned. According to such structure, effective use of an inner space of the wallet PC  10  is possible and easy assembling or disassembling of the speaker is possible. The speaker is possibly joined or disassembled through the door  32  without disassembling of the wallet PC  10 . Battery terminals  74  could be mounted on the board  70 . The battery terminals  74  are directly joined to the battery case  52  when the board  70  is joined to the frame  40 .  
         [0023]    Switches  72  having a variety of functions could be installed on the board  70 . For example, a variety of function buttons are provided. Switches  72  are operated by buttons  26  installed on the front housing  20 . There is difficulty of constructing an electronic circuit in a small space, for the wallet PC  10  is manufactured in a small scale. Positions of the buttons  26  for operating the switches  72  are configured such that the positions correspond to the switches  72 . The switches  72  should be within a movement range of the corresponding buttons  26 . If not positioned in a movement range of the buttons  26 , the switches  72  will not operate properly. Mediums  50  are used in case that the switches  72  are not positioned in a movement range of the buttons  26 . The mediums  50  are formed together with the frame  40 . These mediums  50  are positioned respectively between the switches  72  and the buttons  26 . If a user from the outside presses one of the buttons  26  in order to operate a predetermined function, a medium corresponding to that button is operated. Then, a switch corresponding to that medium is operated. Therefore, thanks to the mediums  50 , the switches  72  are normally operated even in case that the switches  72  are not positioned in a movement range of the buttons  26 .  
         [0024]    The wallet PC  10  could use a data input method where data is input on the screen  60  through a stylus  80 . The stylus  80  is also called a pen or pen stylus. For a stylus input method, a variety of technologies could be used. For example, there is a technology using a conductive stylus for a stylus input method. The conductive stylus is connected to the wallet PC through a cord. The cord has an inner conductor for electrically connecting the stylus and the wallet PC so that a writing function on the screen is possible. The wallet PC  10  may use a screen write technology not requiring a cord. The screen used for such technology is also called a touch screen. Also, the wallet PC  10  could be equipped with the stylus  80  in its inside. The stylus  80  is mounted on a supporter  54  formed on the frame  40 . The supporter  54  could be constructed in a variety of forms. The supporter  54  is configured such that an inner plane of the supporter has the same shape as the outer periphery of the stylus  80 . The stylus is configured such that the stylus is fixed by a hook  56  when mounted on the supporter  54  so that it may not be detached arbitrarily from the supporter  54 . The hook  56  is joined to a groove  82  formed on the outer periphery of the stylus  80 , preventing the stylus  80  from being detached from the supporter  54 . The hook  56  is formed in a direction the stylus  80  is attached and detached to and from the supporter  54 . This hook  56  is formed in form of a free end.  
         [0025]    Due to such free end structure, the hook  56  could move elastically on an inner plane of the supporter  54 . Also, this hook  56  is formed such that the hook is projected in a direction it contacts the outer periphery of the stylus  80 . A first notch  29  is formed on the front housing  20  and a second notch  34  is formed on the rear housing  30 . The first and the second notches  29  and  34  form an opening when the front housing  20  and the rear housing  30  are joined. The stylus  80  is attached and detached to and from the supporter  54  through the opening formed by the first and the second notches  29  and  34 . The screen  60  and the board  70  of such wallet PC  10  are joined to the frame  40  and positioned in an inside of the wallet PC  10 . The screen  60  and the board  70  do not have joining relation with the front housing  20  and the rear housing  30 .  
         [0026]    The frame  40  is joined to the front housing  20  by one single screw  76  and the screen  60  and the board  70  are supported by the frame  40 . For the portion on which the screen  60  comes in contact with the front housing  20 , an insulating element (not shown) having elasticity could be used. Also, the battery case  52  could be formed together with the frame  40 . The battery terminals  74  (refer to FIG. 2) formed on the battery case  52  could be installed on the board  70 . The battery terminals  74  are directly joined to the battery case  52  when the board  70  is joined to the frame  40 .  
         [0027]    However, assembly process in which the screen and the board are jointed sequentially starting from one side (top or bottom case) and the rest case is fastened has disadvantages. In such process, all parts should be joined at a time during manufacturing process and a problem that all parts should be disassembled in case that repair for only the board or the screen is performed, emerges. Also, a supporting rib preparing for a collision of a lower case is provided, but it is vulnerable to impulse directly exerted on the screen. For example, as the screen is exposed to the outside through the opening portion of the wallet PC, there is a strong possibility of inflow of extraneous matter (e.g. dust) from the outside and a problem of destruction due to a direct impulse, emerges.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 2 through FIG. 9 are exemplary drawings illustrating embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exemplary exploded perspective view of a portable computer system. FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are exemplary drawings illustrating examples of joining process for a transparent panel and display panel. FIG. 5 is an exemplary backside perspective view of a front cover to which a transparent panel is attached. FIG. 6 is an exemplary exploded perspective view for attaching a supporting member to a front cover to which a display panel is joined. FIG. 7 is an exemplary backside view of a front cover. FIG. 8 is an exemplary perspective view for joining of a portable computer system. FIG. 9 is an exemplary cross-sectional view of FIG. 8, taken along line A-A′.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 2 illustrates a joining unit for different kinds of display panels of a portable computer system. For convenience, description will be made assuming a portrait direction, in which a longitudinal direction is longer than a width direction, for a default mode. Web pad  100  may include a front cover  110  and rear cover  210 . Front cover  110  may include different kinds of display panels  122  and  126 . A member for protecting and supporting display panels  122  and  126 , main board  180  for system operation, a HDD, a battery, and/or a stylus holder  220  may be joined on rear cover  210 .  
         [0030]    Front cover  110  may be made of plastics and rear cover  210  may be made of magnesium. Accordingly, heat generated may be protected and weight may be reduced. Front cover  110  may have an opened inner structure. Front cover  110  may have a transparent panel receiving groove  11   a  on its outer periphery for transparent panel  120  made of tempered glass to be stuck on its front side. LCD panel  122  and digitizer panel  126  may be joined to an interior of front cover  110 .  
         [0031]    On rear cover  210 , a system main machine (e.g. a HDD, a main board, etc.) for system driving, battery bracket  265 , bracket  250  for attaching and detaching the HDD, stylus holder  220  for receiving stylus  200 , and/or switches/buttons for controlling each function may be joined. If extraneous matter (e.g. dust) penetrates into front tempered glass  120  and LCD panel  122  mounted on the front cover  110 , product quality may be deteriorated. Accordingly, a joining process for tempered glass  120  and LCD panel  122  may be performed in a clean room in order to prevent influx of the extraneous matter.  
         [0032]    Tempered glass  120  may be made of transparent material having a predetermined strength. Tempered glass  120  may be stuck on tempered glass inserting groove  11   a  of front cover  110 . Double sided tape may be used according to embodiments as an adhesive. Double sided tape  121  may form a band shape having different widths in its horizontal direction and its vertical direction. Double sided tape  121  may be stuck on an outer periphery at the back of tempered glass  120 , as illustrated in FIG. 3. A lower portion of double sided tape  121  may be attached to the back of tempered glass  120  and may be inserted into tempered glass receiving groove  111   a . Tempered glass  120  may be stuck and fixed to front cover  110  without separate fastening with a screw.  
         [0033]    Outer peripheral frame  123  for supporting the LCD panel may have an “L” shape so that LCD panel  122  is fixed in an interior of outer peripheral frame  123 . A plurality of protuberances  122   a  projected on each side of an LCD panel, spaced by a predetermined interval, may be fit and joined into grooves  123   a  formed on outer peripheral frame  123 . Fixing frame  124  may be joined, by screw  101 , to right and left sides of outer peripheral frame  123  for supporting an LCD panel. For example, screw hole  102  may be formed on an edge at right and left sides of outer peripheral frame  123 . Screw hole  102  may be positioned so that it faces screw hole  102  of fixing frame  124  and they may be fastened from a front direction to a rear direction of LCD panel  122  by means of screw  101 .  
         [0034]    Nonwoven gasket  125  may be stuck between LCD panel  122  and outer peripheral frame  123  and may be stuck on front cover  110 , as illustrated in FIG. 3. Nonwoven gasket  125  stuck on LCD panel  122  may get stuck on double sided tape  121  attached to an edge of tempered glass  120 . LCD panel  122  may be fixed on front cover  110  by fastening screw  101  to boss  111   b  of front cover  110  through screw hole  102  formed on fixing frame  124 .  
         [0035]    Width of double sided tape  121  may be larger than that of the tempered glass receiving groove  111   a . Accordingly, part of double sided tape  121  may be exposed to an opening of front cover  110 . For example, double sided tape  121  may be divided into an external region attached to tempered glass receiving  111   a  and an internal region to which nonwoven gasket  125  is attached. A front plane of LCD panel  122  may be sealed up by nonwoven gasket  125  having a predetermined thickness, double sided tape  121 , and/or tempered glass  120 , so that influx of extraneous matter can be prevented.  
         [0036]    LCD panel  122  and digitizer panel  126  may be stacked and joined by a screw fastening through screw hole  102  formed on outer peripheral frame  123  and fixing frame  124 . Screw fastening structure may not be exposed to a front plane of front cover  110 , as LCD panel  122  may be supported by peripheral frame  123  and may be fastened by an inner boss.  
         [0037]    Peripheral tempered glass  120  may be joined to a front plane of front cover  110 . Accordingly, an external impulse may not directly transfer to LCD panel  122 . Double sided tape  121  may play a role in buffering an external impulse, minimizing the impulse transferred to the panel. Front and side portions of LCD panel  122  may be sealed up, so that a display portion of LCD  110  is sealed up. Accordingly, an influx of extraneous matter is prevented and reliability of a product may be improved.  
         [0038]    To prevent portions of different kinds of display panels  122  and  126 , joined to front cover  110  from hanging down, a supporting member  130  may be provided. Supporting member  130  may have an “L” shape, as illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. Supporting member  130  may support a central portion of display panels. Supporting member  130  may join front cover  110  by means of screw  101 , when panels are joined in an interior of front cover  110 . In embodiments, supporting member  130  may be for supporting a display panel and may be joined in form of a or “T” shape. Supporting member  130  may have a structure opposing a main board on a rear cover. Supporting member  130  may be made of material capable of emitting heat generated from main board  180 .  
         [0039]    An inverter circuit board and an inverter cable may be provided to drive LCD panel  122 . A LCD inverter circuit board and a digitizer controller board may be positioned and joined on a rear side of digitizer  126 . An inverter may be installed on an inner side of an upper portion of LCD panel  122  and digitizer  126 . An inverter may be for providing appropriate voltages. An auxiliary battery may be electrically connected to an inverter so that an auxiliary battery can provide power to LCD panel  122 . An auxiliary battery may be for minimum operation, in case replacement of a main battery or a capacity shortage of the main battery.  
         [0040]    Front cover  110  may be equipped with different kinds of display panels  122  and  126  inside. Front cover  110  may be joined to rear cover  210 . Rear cover  210  may be attached to main board  180 , a HDD, and/or a battery electrically connected to the main board. A HDD and a battery may be joined to a HDD attaching/detaching unit  250  and/or a battery attaching/detaching unit  265 . Stylus holder  220  may for receiving and providing stylus  200  in rear cover  210 . Button assembly  240  may include buttons for a variety of function control and a switch is joined on one side of the rear covet  210 .  
         [0041]    Mounted on main board  180  proximate to rear cover  210 . A disk drive socket may be provided for electrically interfacing with a CD-ROM drive and/or a floppy disk drive. If the disk drive socket is not used, a socket protecting lever which is opened when a drive connector is connected and which is closed when the drive connector is disconnected, may be provided in order to prevent influx of an extraneous matter. Front cover  110  and rear cover  210  may be attached to each other. Rear cover  210  may be fastened to an inner boss of front cover  110  by a screw. Accordingly, an interior of a web pad (e.g. including a main system) may be joined panels  122  and  126 .  
         [0042]    Main board  180  may have a PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) card receiving portion  183 , a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, a serial communication port, communication port  184  which may include a LAN Local Area Network) port, a DC (Direct Current) input jack, and an IrDA (Infrared Data Association) port for infrared communication. Additionally, a port cover for protecting a communication port may be provided.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 2 through FIG. 6 illustrate an assembly having a smooth curved portion for performing a buffer function. The assembly may be joined to an edge portion of front cover  110  and rear cover  210 . A joining portion in each edge of front cover  110  and rear cover  210  may be opened in its curved portion so that each side forms a smooth curve. First and second curved assemblies  141  and  142  may be joined to a curved portion located on a portion of a cover. Third and fourth curved assemblies  143  and  144  may be joined to a curved portion of a cover. The joining of assemblies  141 ,  142 ,  143 , and  144  may use a hooking method. Assemblies  141 ,  142 , and  143  may be joined to front cover  110  before assembly  144  is joined to the rear cover  210 .  
         [0044]    Each curved assembly on front and the rear covers, may be joined in a hook-hook hooking groove manner without fastening of a screw. A curved portion on a cover may be smooth to buffer external impulses. Accordingly, if a strong impulse is exerted, a curved assembly may be destroyed and the impulse is absorbed, while protecting parts installed within the cover.  
         [0045]    [0045]FIGS. 8 and 9 are views of a web pad, in which a LCD panel may have the tempered glass attached to its front, spaced by a predetermined interval, and/or may have double sided tape and/or nonwoven gasket on its sides. Accordingly, a web pad may have front and sides sealed and able to absorb external impulses. LCD panel  121 , digitizer panel  122 , and/or main board  180  for system operation may be joined within one single pad on web pad  100 . A stylus may be provided as an input means.  
         [0046]    A web pad may be carried independently and used together with stylus  200 . A keyboard may be selectively mounted on the web pad  100 , so that a web pad may be used with the keyboard, the mouse, and/or the stylus  200 . A user may input a desired character on a web pad using stylus  200  in case of editing a simple document or accessing to the web sites. A user may select a specific menu with stylus  200 . Upon input of a character or selection from a specific menu with stylus  200 , a coordinate of a digitizer panel corresponding to a high frequency signal (RF signal) may be generated in stylus  200 , decoded at a digitizer&#39;s control unit, then transferred to main board  180 . Main board  180  may control operation in response to input information.  
         [0047]    If a key signal is input through input units (e.g. a keyboard and/or a mouse), a key signal input through a USB port and a keyboard connector may be transferred to a central processing part through a USB bus. A central processing part may display relevant information on LCD panel  122  in response to a key signal. If only web pad  100  is used, display information may be changed into a desired display mode, then the display mode may be changed into a portrait mode or a landscape mode. For example, if 1024*768 or 768*1024 is selected from display information, display status may be changed into a relevant display mode. As is apparent from foregoing embodiments of the present invention has a structure, in which elements are joined with the front and the rear covers separated, whereby disassembling of the cover and replacement of parts are easy to carry out.  
         [0048]    One object of embodiments of the present invention is to provide a portable computer system having improved durability, capable of preventing external impulse from being delivered to a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or a main board, while maintaining a clean status of a display part, thereby providing more improved image of high quality.  
         [0049]    Another object of embodiments of the present invention is to provide a portable computer system capable of achieving reduction in manufacturing costs and process efficiency by completing parts respectively through manufacture of primary elements constituting the portable computer system as a module, then finalizing at the final assembling process.  
         [0050]    The foregoing and other objects and advantages of embodiments of the present invention are realized by the portable computer system including: a front cover  110  whose interior is opened and on a periphery in a front of which a transparent panel receiving groove  11   a  is formed; a transparent panel  120  having a predetermined strength; a double sided tape  121  for attaching the transparent panel  120  to the receiving groove  111   a ; frames  123  and  124  for fixing and supporting a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel to the front cover  110 ; a nonwoven gasket  125  attached between the LCD panel and an outer peripheral frame, for being stuck on an internal region of the double sided tape; a digitizer panel  126  stacked on a backside of the LCD panel, for being joined to the front cover; a supporting member for supporting the LCD panel  122  and the digitizer panel  126 ; a rear cover  210  for being joined to the front cover; a main board  180  joined to the rear cover, for performing computing function; a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) attaching/detaching unit  250 ; a battery attaching/detaching unit  265 ; a button assembly  240  joined to the rear cover, equipped with a variety of function buttons; and a stylus holder  220  for receiving and providing a stylus  200 .  
         [0051]    The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. The description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.