Abstract:
A notebook computer include a base unit having a pivot end, a display unit piovtably attached to the pivot end of the base unit, and two support stands attached to the base unit near the pivot end. The base unit includes a top surface defining a recessed portion and two side surfaces. Each of the support stands includes a first supporting element slidable along the recessed portion includes a first and second boards. A first pivot post is formed on the first board to be slidably received in a first sliding slot defined in a first sidewall of the recessed portion, and pivotable when the first pivot post reaches an end of the recessed portion near the corresponding side surface, the first board pivotable to a position that is substantially perpendicular to a plane to seat the second board on a plane thereby tilting the base unit on the plane.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to notebook computers, and particularly to a notebook computer having a support stand. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Notebook computers are increasingly used by people. Typically, the bottom of a contemporary notebook computer is placed level on a desk, which blocks airflow flowing through ventilation through holes defined in the bottom of the notebook computer, thus lowering heat dissipation efficiency. Additionally an operator may feel uncomfortable having to use a keyboard set completely level. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a partial, exploded, isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a notebook computer, the notebook computer including two support stands. 
         FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but viewed from an inverted aspect. 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled, isometric view of one of the two support stands of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled, isometric view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric view of  FIG. 4 , but with the support stands in use. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  5 , an exemplary notebook computer  1  includes a base unit  3 , a display unit  9  pivotably connected to a pivot end of the base unit  3 , and two support stands  10  attached to two sides of the base unit  3  adjacent to the pivot end of base unit  3 . The base unit  3  includes an upper cover  30  and a lower cover  40  to engage with the upper cover  30 . 
     The upper cover  30  defines two U-shaped openings  32  in two sides thereof. For simplicity, only one opening  32  is shown and described. A first sliding slot  34  is defined in each of two opposite sidewalls of the opening  32 , communicating with the opening  32 . 
     The lower cover  40  includes a top surface  42 , two opposite side surfaces  43 , and a bottom surface  48 . Two sides of the top surface  42  define two recessed portions  44  corresponding to the openings  32  of the upper cover  30 . For simplicity, only one recessed portion  44  is shown and described. The bottom of the recessed portion  44  defines a plurality of ventilation holes  442  to communicate inner and outer spaces of the lower cover  40 . The bottom surface  48  defines through holes (not shown) to allow airflow through the ventilation holes  442  when the base unit  3  is tilted by the support stands  10 . Two first positioning holes  444  are defined in the bottom of the recessed portion  44 , away from the corresponding side surfaces  43  of the lower cover  40 . Two second sliding slots  46  corresponding to the first sliding slots  34  are defined in two opposite sidewalls of the recessed portion  44 , communicating with the recessed portion  44  of the lower cover  40 . Two sliding paths are formed by the first and second sliding slots  34  and  46 . A latching slot  482  is defined in the side surface  43  of the lower cover  40 , communicating with the recessed portion  44  and the bottom surface  48  of the lower cover  40 . Two second positioning holes  484  are defined in an end wall of the latching slot  482 . Two third positioning holes  486  are defined in the bottom surface  48 , near the latching slot  482 . 
     Configuration and function of the two support stands  10  are the same, therefore, only one support stand  10 , as an example, is described hereinafter. The support stand  10  includes a first supporting element  11 , a second supporting element  12  to engage with the first supporting element  11 , a circuit board  13 , a connecting unit  14 , a fixing element  15 , and a transparent board  16 . 
     The first supporting element  11  is L-shaped, and includes a first board  111  having a ridged operating portion  114  on a first end of the first board  111 , a second board  112  perpendicularity extending down from a second end opposite to the first end of the first board  111 , and a third board  113  extending downward and inward from the second board  112 . The first board  111  includes a first sidewall  116  and a second sidewall  117  opposite to the first sidewall  116 . A dented portion  1161  is defined in the first sidewall  116  to receive the connecting unit  14 . Two projections  1162  are set on the first sidewall of the first board  111  in the dented portion  1161  to engage with the connecting unit  14 . A semicircular pivot post  1171  extends from the second sidewall  117  near the first end of the first board  111 . A switch  1172  is set on the second sidewall  117  to connect to a power line  131  of the circuit board  13 . The outer surface of the switch  1172  and the second sidewall  117  are coplanar. The supporting portion  112  is rectangular. A cushion  115  is attached to an outside surface of the supporting portion  112  for anti-slipping. 
     The second supporting element  12  is to engage with the first supporting element  11 . The second supporting element  12  includes a first board  121  corresponding to the first board  111  of the first supporting element  11  and having a semicircular pivot post  1212  in a first end thereof, a second board  122  perpendicularity extending down from a second end of the first board  121  and corresponding to the second board  112  of the first supporting element  11 , and a third board  123  extending downward and inward from the second board  122  and then perpendicularity extending downward. A sidewall  124  extends downwards from a side edge of the first, second and third boards  121 ,  122 , and  123  to engage with the second sidewall  117  of the first supporting element  11 . The semicircular pivot post  1212  extends from the sidewall  124  of the second supporting element  12 . The first and second semicircular pivot posts  1171  and  1212  together form a first pivot post  17  (see  FIG. 3 ), and the first pivot post  17  defines a through hole therein to allow the power line  131  of the circuit board  13  to extend therethrough. A pair of first projections  1231  (see  FIG. 3 ) is set on a bottom of the third board  123 , to engage with the second and third positioning holes  484  and  486 . 
     A light source such as a light emitting diode (LED)  133  is electronically coupled to the circuit board  13 . The power line  131  of the circuit board  13  is connected to the power line of the base unit  3  via the switch  1172  to receive power. 
     The connecting unit  14  includes a first connecting element  141 , a second connecting element  142 , a spring  143  to engage with the first connecting element  141  and second connecting element  142 , and a fastener  144 . The spring  143  is a torsion spring, and includes a coil portion, a first end  1431  and a second end  1432 . 
     The first connecting element  141  defines two through holes  1411  therein corresponding to the projections  1162  of the first supporting element  11 . A knob  1412  defining a hole therein is set on a side of the first connecting element  141 . A first engaging block  1413  is set on the side of the first connecting element  141  to engage with the first end  1431  of the spring  143 . A through hole  1421  is defined in one end of a side of the second connecting element  142 . A second pivot post  1422  perpendicularity extends from the other end of the side of the second connecting element  142 , and includes a bulging head. A second engaging block  1423  is set on the other side of the second connecting element  142  to engage with the second end  1432  of the spring  143 . The fastener  144  also includes a bulging head, and a post extending through the through hole  1421  of the second connecting element  142  and the coil portion of the spring  143  to be fastened to the knob  1412  of the first connecting element  141 . 
     The fixing element  15  is to engage with the first supporting element  11 . Two second projections  151  are set on a surface of the fixing element  15  to engage with the first positioning holes  444  of the lower cover  40 . 
     The transparent board  16  is engaged with the first supporting element  11  and the fixing element  15  to allow light from the LED  133  to pass through the transparent board  16  and light a keyboard area  50  of the notebook computer  1 . 
     In other embodiments, the fixing element  15  and the transparent board  16  can be omitted, while, extending the first board  121  of the second supporting element  12  to engage with the first board  111  of the first supporting element  11 . The first board  121  can be made of transparent material to allow the light from the LED  133  to pass through. Two blocks are set on the front end of the first board  121  to engage with the first positioning hole  444 . The first pivot post  17  can be mounted on the first supporting element  11  or the second supporting element  12 . When the notebook computer does not need light, the second supporting element  11  and the circuit board  13  can be omitted, while the second projections  151  are set on the front end of the operating portion  111 , and the first projections  1231  is set on the bottom of the fixing portion  113 . The sliding slot  46  can be defined in just one of the upper cover  30  and the lower cover  40 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , in assembling the support stand  10 , the first end  1431  of the spring  143  is engaged with the first engaging block  1413  of the first connecting element  141 , and the second end  1432  of the spring  143  is engaged with the second engaging block  1423  of the second connecting element  142 . The post of the fastener  144  passes through the through hole  1421  of the second connecting element  142  and the coil portion to be fastened to the knob  1412  of the first connecting element  141 , to pivotally connect the first connecting element  141  to the second connecting element  142 . The projections  1162  of the first supporting element  11  are engaged with the through holes  1411  of the second connecting element  142  of the assembled connecting unit  14 , to pivotally engage the connecting unit  14  in the first supporting element  11 . The circuit board  13  is set in the first supporting element  11 . The second supporting element  12  is engaged with the first supporting element  11  to receive the circuit board  13  in a receiving cavity formed by the first and second supporting elements  11  and  12 . The transparent board  16  is latched in the hole that is between the fixing element  15  and the second supporting element  12  to allow the light from the LED  133  to pass through the transparent board  16 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , assembling the assembled support stand  10  in the notebook computer  1 . The head of the second pivot post  1422  of the connecting unit  14  and the head of the fastener  144  are engaged in the second sliding slot  46  near the display  20 . The first pivot post  17  of the support stand  10  is engaged in the second sliding slot  46  away from the display  20 . The support stand  10  is received in the recessed portion  44  defined in the top of the lower cover  40  and the latching slot  482  defined in the side surface  43 . The second projections  151  of the fixing element  15  are engaged in the first positioning holes  444 . The first projections  1231  of the third board  123  are engaged in the second positioning holes  484 . The upper cover  30  is engaged with the lower cover  40 , to allow the fastener  144 , the first latching pole  17 , and the second latching pole  1422  to slide in the sliding path formed by the first and second sliding slots  34  and  46 . The opening  32  of the upper cover  30  corresponds to the operating portion  111 . An outside surface of the operating portion  111  and the upper surface of the upper cover  30  are coplanar. An outside surface of the supporting portion  112  and the outer surface of the sidewall  36  of the upper cover  30  are coplanar. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , in use, exerting force to the operating portion  114  of the first board  111  to disengage the second projections  151  of the fixing element  15  from the first positioning holes  444  of the lower cover  40 . The first projections  1231  of the third board  123  are disengaged from the second positioning hole  484  of the lower cover  40 . The first pivot post  17 , the second pivot post  1422 , and the fastener  144  of the support stand  10  slide forth to the end of the sliding path. Then the support stand  10  and the first connecting element  141  are rotated to be perpendicular to the second connecting element  142 . The second board  112  of the first supporting element  11  seats on a plane, thereby making the base unit  3  angled to the plane. The first projections  1231  of the third board  123  is engaged in the third positioning holes  486  defined in the bottom surface  48  of the lower cover  40 . The switch  1172  set on the sidewall  117  of the operating portion  111  can be operated to turn on and off the LED  133  to light the keyboard area  50  as desired. 
     To retract the support stand  10 , force should be exerted to the support stand  10  to make the support stand  10  and the first connecting element  141  rotate back to an original position. The upper surface of the operating portion  111  and the surface of the upper cover  30  are coplanar. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.