Abstract:
A computer assembly that is configured as a wall. The computer includes a processor that is located within an inner cavity of a frame. The frame may be covered with a fabric and have a dimensional aspect ratio that simulates a wall. A video screen may be coupled to the frame. A bracket or other fastening system may be employed to mount the frame to another structure such as a wall, or a piece of furniture.

Description:
The application claims benefit of provisional application No. 60/141,473 filed Jun. 29, 1999 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a computer that is configured as a wall or a panel. 
     2. Background Information 
     Personal computers are typically packaged as a metal chassis that contains a microprocessor, memory devices, etc. A video monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc. may be connected to the chassis by external wires and electrical connectors. In an office environment the video monitor is located on a working surface such as a desk or cubicle. The chassis may be either on top, or below, the working surface. The video monitor and chassis occupy valuable workspace that increase the size of the working surface. The additional workspace required for the chassis and video monitor can increase the floor space of the office. The larger floor space increases the leasing cost of the office, particularly large areas with a plurality of cubicles. 
     The wires connecting the chassis to the peripheral devices are typically routed behind the desk to reduce clutter and improve the appearance of the office. Connecting the wires can be a difficult and time-consuming task. Additionally, the wires and corresponding connectors limit the arrangement of the computer. For example, the backside of a computer monitor is not typically directed toward guest chairs in an office. It would be desirable to provide a computer system that was easy to install and occupied a minimal amount of workspace. It would also be desirable to provide a system that was ergonomic and allowed the user to adjust features such as the height of the video screen. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One embodiment of the present invention may be a computer assembly that is configured as a wall. The computer includes a processor that is located within an inner cavity of a frame. The frame may be covered with a fabric and have a dimensional aspect ratio that simulates a wall. A video screen may be coupled to the frame. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a computer assembly of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is sectional perspective view of the computer assembly of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the computer assembly of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded front perspective view showing a mounting assembly that couples a computer assembly mounted to a desk; 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded front perspective view showing an alternate embodiment of a mounting assembly that couples a computer assembly to a desk; 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded front perspective view showing an alternate embodiment of a mounting assembly that couples a computer assembly to a desk; 
     FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view showing an alternate mounting assembly of a computer assembly; 
     FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view showing an alternate mounting assembly of a computer assembly; 
     FIG. 9 is a top perspective view showing a plurality of cubicles that each have a computer assembly; 
     FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of a workstation that includes a plurality of computer assemblies. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numbers, FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of a computer assembly  10  of the present invention. The assembly  10  may include a frame  12  that has an inner cavity  14 . The frame  12  may be constructed from a material such as metal or plastic. The frame  12  may include a plurality of vertical walls  16  and horizontal walls  18  that define a number of individual compartments  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26  and  28 . 
     Compartment  24  may include a printed circuit board assembly  30  commonly referred to as a motherboard. The assembly  30  may include a microprocessor  32 , a memory device(s)  34  and other circuits (not shown) that are mounted to a printed circuit board  36 . The printed circuit board  36  is fastened or otherwise secured to the frame  12 . 
     The computer system  10  may include a video screen  38  that is coupled to the frame  12  and the circuit board assembly  30 . The video screen  38  is preferably a flat panel display or other device that has a low profile. The screen  38  may be attached to a bezel  40  that is pressed into an outer case  42 . The bezel  40  may be pulled out of the case  42  so that the screen  38  can be replaced with another unit. The bezel  40  may have different sizes to accommodate different types of screens. For example, the screen  38  may be 15, 17 or 18 inches. 
     The case  42  may be attached to a pair of vertical guide blocks  44  that slide along vertical guide rails  46 . The guide rails  46  are attached to the frame  12 . The blocks  44  and rails  46  allow an end user to vertically adjust the position of the screen  38 . The screen  38  can be locked in place by a solenoid  48  that cooperates with a locator bar  50 . The locator  50  may be mounted to the frame  12 . The solenoid  48  can be mounted to a slide plate  52  that is attached to the guide blocks  44 . The assembly  10  may include a torque hinge  54  that allows an end user to adjust the angle of the screen  38 . 
     The solenoid  48  may have a plunger  58  that engages teeth  60  of the locator bar  50 . The solenoid  48  may be connected to a button  62  mounted to the case  42 . The end user can depress the button  62  SO that the plunger  58  is disengaged from the locator bar  50 . The user can then adjust the vertical position of the screen  38 . The screen  38  is locked in place by releasing the button  62  so that the plunger  58  again engages the locator bar  50 . 
     The computer assembly  10  may include a pair of drawers  64  and  66  that are pivotally connected to the frame  12 . The first drawer  64  may include a detachable hard disk drive  68 . The second drawer  66  may contain a detachable compact disc or floppy disk drive  70 . The drawers  64  and  66  can be rotated between a closed position which conceals the drives  68  and  70 , and an open position that provides access to the drives  68  and  70 . 
     The drawers  64  and  66  may each have an electrical connector (not shown) that allows the drives  68  or  70  to be coupled to, and detached from, the assembly  10 . The connectors may be connected to the printed circuit board assembly  30  by wires (not shown) within the frame  12 . Each drawer  64  and  66  may also have guide rails (not shown) and other features that align and detachably secure the drives  68  and  70 . 
     Each drawer  64  and  66  may be connected to a gas spring  72  that is mounted to the frame  12 . The drawers  64  and  66  can be secured in a closed position by a magnetic latch (not shown). The drive drawers  64  and  66  can be moved to an open position by initially pushing the drawers inward to disengage the magnetic latches. The gas springs  72  will then exert a spring force that rotates the drawers  64  and  66  to the open position so that the end user can access the drives  68  and  70 . Although a passive system is shown and described, it is to be understood that the drawers  64  and  66  can be connected to an active system to conceal and provide access to the drives. 
     The assembly  10  may include a wireless detector  74  that is mounted to the frame  12  and coupled to the printed circuit board assembly  30 . By way of example, the wireless detector  74  may be an infrared detector. The wireless detector  74  may receive signals from a remote device such as a keyboard or a mouse. Providing a wireless interconnect eliminates routing wires between the remote devices and the assembly  10 . The elimination of wires reduces office clutter and allows a device such as a keyboard to be placed at a location that is not immediately adjacent to the computer as required in wired systems. 
     The assembly  10  may include a modem, a facsimile, or a modem/facsimile board  75  that is coupled to the printed circuit board assembly  30  and secured to the frame  12 . The board  75  may provide functions to transmit and receive information through phone lines as is known in the art. 
     The computer assembly  10  may also have a camera  76  that is mounted to the frame  12  and coupled to the printed circuit board assembly  30 . The camera  76  allows video conferencing with the computer assembly  10 . 
     The computer assembly  10  may have a plurality of fans  78  that are attached to the frame  10  and remove heat generated by the various electrical components of the assembly  10 . The assembly  10  may also contain a power supply  79  that is connected to the printed circuit board assembly  30  and other electrical components. 
     The frame  12  may be covered with a fabric  80  so that the assembly  10  has the appearance of a wall or a panel. The fabric  80  may be a woven material typically used as wallpaper for a wall or the outer material of a panel found in furniture, particularly office cubicles. The fabric  80  may be attached to the frame  12  in panels that can be easily removed to provide access to the inner cavity  14  of the frame  12 . The outside surface of the drawers  64  and  66  may also be covered with the fabric material. As shown in FIG. 1, the fabric  80  may have optical windows  81  aligned with the detector  74  and camera  76 . Alternatively, the covered areas may be powder coated. 
     The dimensional aspect ratio of the frame  12  may be such that the assembly more approximates a wall or panel. By way of example, the height of the frame  12  may be no less than 4 times the thickness of the assembly  10 . The length of the frame  12  may be no less than 7.5 times the thickness of the assembly  10 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the computer assembly  10  may have a plurality of electrical connectors  82 ,  84 ,  86 ,  88 ,  90 ,  92 ,  94 ,  96  and  98  that are coupled to the electrical components of the assembly  10 . Connector  82  may be a power receptacle, connector  84  may be a breaker switch. Connectors  86  and  88  may be RJ-11 phone jacks for dedicated phone lines utilized for network, modem, etc. Connectors  90  and  92  may be serial and parallel ports for the computer  10 . Connectors  94  and  96  may be 9 and 25 pin connectors, respectively. Connector  98  may be a USB receptacle. As shown in FIG. 2, the assembly  10  may also have an “on/off” switch  99  located on the front surface for easy access by the end user. 
     FIG. 4 shows a computer assembly  10  that can be mounted to a desk  100 . The assembly  10  may include a pair of brackets  102  that are mounted to the assembly  10 . The brackets  102  may have U-shaped end portions  104  that can clip onto a frame  106  of the desk  100 . The frame  106  may include a pair of C-shaped brackets  108  that can receive corresponding features of the assembly  10  to secure the lower portion of the computer  10 . The assembly  10  may be constructed to have the same appearance as other panels  110  of the desk  100 . Integrating the assembly  10  with the other panels  110  increases the amount of working space on the desktop  112 . 
     The computer  10  can be assembled by first attaching all of the external wires into the connectors  82 ,  84 ,  86 ,  88 ,  90 ,  92 ,  94 ,  96  and  98 . The bottom edge of the assembly  10  can be placed into the brackets  108  and the computer  10  can then be rotated until the brackets  102  snap onto the frame  106 . An existing panel  110  is typically removed from the desk  100  before assembly of the computer  10 . 
     FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of brackets  120  that allow the computer  10  to be suspended from a top edge  122  of the desk  100 . This embodiment allows the computer  10  to be mounted to the desk  100  without removing a desk panel  110 . The brackets  120  may be concealed with a secondary panel  124 . 
     FIG. 6 shows another embodiment wherein the computer  10  is attached to a plurality of adjustable slide plates  130  and  132 . The top plates  132  can be connected to a bracket  134  that is placed onto a top edge  136  of a wall  138 . A panel  140  can be installed to conceal the plates  130  and  132 . The height of the computer  10  can be varied relative to the wall  138  by adjusting the slide plates  130  and  132 . 
     FIG. 7 shows an embodiment having a plurality of mounting brackets  150  that can couple the computer  10  to a structure (not shown). The brackets  150  may have pins  152  that extend into corresponding slots  154  of the computer  10 . 
     FIG. 8 shows an embodiment having a pair of brackets  160  that can couple the computer  10  to a structure (not shown). Each bracket  160  may have a plurality of spring fingers  162  that can exert a corresponding spring force on the structure and secure the computer  10 . 
     FIG. 9 shows a plurality of computers  10  that are each located within a cubicle  170 . Configuring the computer as a wall reduces the amount of space required for each cubicle  170 . Reducing the size of each cubicle  170  lowers the space requirements for all of the cubicles  170 . Lowering the space requirements can lower the cost of staffing the personnel that reside at the cubicles  170 . 
     FIG. 10 shows a workstation  180  that has a plurality of computers  10 . Each computer  10  can be pivotally mounted to a workstation frame  182 . The workstation frame  182  can be attached to a desktop  184 . The workstations  182  can be connected by wires (not shown) that extend through the frame  182 . The computers  10  can be coupled to a wireless keyboard  186 . 
     While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that this invention not be limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art.