Patent Publication Number: US-2006002060-A1

Title: Notebook having a display apparatus with changeable shells

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a notebook having a display apparatus with changeable shells, and more particularly, to a notebook with diverse display apparatus shells that are easily assembled or disassembled.  
      2. Background of the Invention  
      Because of the improvement of manufacturing technology and the rationality of the price, notebooks have gradually replaced desktops and become main products in the computer market. Notebooks, once only seen in professional settings, now are used by individuals as well. Therefore, in addition to being convenient and having full functions, notebooks have to provide attractive exteriors to meet the interests of various consumers.  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , a conventional notebook includes a main body  6  and a display apparatus  7 . The display apparatus  7  includes a display panel  70 , shells, a pivot structure  72 , and a latching assembly  73 . The shells include an outer shell  8  and an inner shell  9 . The pivot structure  72  has an edge fixed on the outer shell  8  and another edge fixed on the main body  6 . The latching assembly  73  is fixed on the outer shell  8  to latch a latching hole  60  of the main body  6 . The outer shell  8  and the inner shell  9  form a receiving space therebetween. The display panel  70  is received in the receiving space, and has a cable (not shown) connecting to the main body  6 . The display panel  70  and the inner shell  9  are secured on the outer shell  8  by means of fastening elements  71 ,  91 , respectively.  
      As the outer shell  8  is fixed with the pivot structure  72 , the latching assembly  73  is fixed on the outer shell  8 , and the display panel  70  and the inner shell  9  are fixed on the outer shell  8 , it is difficult to disassemble or change the outer shell  8  and the inner shell  9 . The exteriors of notebooks having the same equipment lack diversity and the models of notebooks are limited. As a result, manufacturers are unable to promote various styles and competitive prices of products for consumers.  
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
      The primary object of the invention is therefore to specify a notebook having a display apparatus with changeable shells, so that the shells of the display apparatus are easily assembled or disassembled, and the exteriors of the shells are diverse.  
      According to the invention, the object is achieved via a notebook having a display apparatus with changeable shells, comprising a main body and a display apparatus. The display apparatus includes a display module and shells. The display module is pivotly connected with the main body. The display module has a rear face and a front face opposite the rear face. The shells include an outer shell and an inner shell. The outer shell is assembled on the rear face of the display module, and the inner shell is assembled on the front face of the display module.  
      As the display module is pivotly connected with the main body, the outer shell is assembled on the rear face of the display module, and the inner shell is assembled on the front face of the display module, the shells of the display apparatus are easily assembled or disassembled, and the exteriors of the shells are diverse.  
      To provide a further understanding of the invention, the following detailed description illustrates embodiments and examples of the invention. Examples of the more important features of the invention thus have been summarized rather broadly in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the contributions to the art may be appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention which will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a notebook of the prior art;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective assembly view of a notebook of a first embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a notebook of a first embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of an outer shell and a display module of a display apparatus of a notebook of a first embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of an inner shell and a display module of a display apparatus of a notebook of a first embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of an outer shell and an inner shell of a display apparatus of a notebook of a first embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 7  is a planar schematic view of an outer shell of a display apparatus of a notebook of a first embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 8  is a planar schematic view of a display module of a display apparatus of a notebook of a first embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 9  is a planar schematic view of an inner shell of a display apparatus of a notebook of a first embodiment of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view of a notebook of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
      With respect to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the present invention provides a notebook having a display apparatus with changeable shells. The notebook has a main body  1  and a display apparatus  2 .  
      The main body  1  has a latching hole  10 .  
      The display apparatus  2  includes a display module  3  and shells. The display module  3  includes a display panel  30 , a frame  31 , a pivot structure  32 , and a latching assembly  33 . The display panel  30  is assembled within the frame  31 . In this embodiment, the pivot structure  32  is a hinge. The pivot structure  32  has an edge fixed on the frame  31  and another edge fixed on the main body  1 , so that the display module  3  is pivotly connected with the main body  1 . The latching assembly  33  is assembled on the frame  31  to latch the latching hole  10  of the main body  1 . The display module  3  has a rear face  302  and a front face  301  opposite the rear face  302 . The front face  301  covers the main body  1 . The shells include an outer shell  4  and an inner shell  5 . The outer shell  4  has an outer-plate portion  40  and a first outer-peripheral wall  41  integrally connected with each other. The inner shell  5  has an inner-plate portion  50  and a second outer-peripheral wall  51  integrally connected with each other. The outer shell  4  and the inner shell  5  form a receiving space therebetween. The outer-plate portion  40  has an inside assembled on the rear face  302  of the display module  3 , and the inner-plate portion  50  has an inside assembled on the front face  301  of the display module  3 , so that the display module  3  is received in the receiving space. The display panel  30  has a cable (not showing) connecting to the main body  1 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 6 , the display apparatus  2  includes a first retaining structure  21 , a second retaining structure  22 , a third retaining structure  23 , a hooking structure  24 , and a positioning structure  25 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the first retaining structure  21  is disposed on the display module  3  and the outer-shell  4 , and assembles the outer shell  4  on the rear face  302  of the display module  3 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the second retaining structure  22  is disposed on the display module  3  and the inner shell  5 , and assembles the inner shell  5  on the front face  301  of the display module  3 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the third retaining structure  23  is disposed on the display module  3 , the outer shell  4 , and the inner shell  5 , and assembles the display module  3 , the outer shell  4 , and the inner shell  5  together. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the hooking structure  24  and the positioning structure  25  are disposed on the outer shell  4  and the inner shell  5 , and assemble the outer shell  4  and the inner shell  5  to form a receiving space therebetween to receive the display module  3 . The first retaining structure  21 , the second retaining structure  22 , the third retaining structure  23 , the hooking structure  24 , and the positioning structure  25  of this embodiment are described below.  
      Referring to  FIG. 7 , the outer-plate portion  40  of the outer shell  4  has a first positioning post  42 , a first retaining tab  43 , and a first fastening member  44  disposed thereinside. The first retaining tab  43  has a retaining protrusion  431 . The first outer-peripheral wall  41  of the outer shell  4  has a hooking protrusion  45  and a positioning tab  46  disposed thereinside. The positioning tab  46  and the first outer-peripheral wall  41  form a cutout  461  therebetween. The first outer-peripheral wall  41  of the outer shell  4  has a third through hole  47  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ).  
      Referring to  FIG. 8 , the display module  3  has a positioning hole  311 , a first through hole  312 , a second fastening member  313 , and a third fastening member  314  disposed at the frame  31  around a peripheral edge of the display module  3  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ).  
      Referring to  FIG. 9 , the inner-plate portion  50  of the inner shell  5  has a second positioning post  52 , a second retaining tab  53 , a second through hole  54 , and a window  55  disposed at the inside thereof. The second retaining tab  53  has a retaining hole  531  (as shown in  FIG. 6 ). The second outer-peripheral wall  51  of the inner shell  5  has a positioning flange  56 , a hooking tab  57 , and an ear portion  58 . The hooking tab  57  has a cavity  571  disposed in an outside thereof. The ear portion  58  has a fourth through hole  581 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 7 , and  FIG. 8 , the display apparatus  2  includes a first fastening element  211 . The first retaining structure  21  includes the first fastening element  211 , the first through hole  312  of the display module  3 , and the first fastening member  44  of the outer shell  4 . In this embodiment, the first fastening element  211  is a screw, and the first fastening member  44  is a thread base.  
      Referring to  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 8 , and  FIG. 9 , the display apparatus  2  includes a second fastening element  221 . The second retaining structure  22  includes the second fastening element  221 , the second through hole  54  of the inner shell  5 , and the second fastening member  313  of the display module  3 . In this embodiment, the second fastening element  221  is a screw, and the second fastening member  313  is a thread base.  
      Referring to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 7 , and  FIG. 9 , the display apparatus  2  includes a third fastening element  231 . The third retaining structure  23  includes the third fastening element  231 , the third through hole  47  of the outer shell  4 , the ear portion  58  of the inner shell  5 , and the third fastening member  314  of the display module  3 . In this embodiment, the third fastening element  231  is a screw, and the third fastening member  314  is a thread base.  
      Referring to  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 7 , and  FIG. 9 , the hooking structure  24  includes the hooking protrusion  45  of the outer shell  4  and the hooking tab  57  of the inner shell  5 . The positioning structure  25  includes the positioning tab  46  of the outer shell  4  and the positioning flange  56  of the inner shell  5 .  
      The procedure of assembling the notebook of the present invention is described in the following. First of all, the rear face  302  of the display module  3  is covered with the outer shell  4 . The display module  3  is received in the outer-plate portion  40  and the first outer-peripheral wall  41  of the outer shell  4 . The first positioning post  42  of the outer shell  4  penetrates through the positioning hole  311  of the display module  3 . The frame  31  has an edge retained between the first retaining tab  43  and the first outer-peripheral wall  41  of the outer shell  4 . The first fastening element  211  penetrates through the first through hole  312  of the display module  3  and secures at the first fastening member  44  of the outer shell  4 . Thereby, the outer shell  4  is firmly assembled on the rear face  302  of the display module  3 . Next, the inner shell  5  covers on the front face  301  of the display module  3 . The display module  3  is received in the inner-plate portion  50  and the second outer-peripheral wall  51  of the inner shell  5 , and the display panel  30  corresponds to the window  55  of the inner shell  5 . The second positioning post  52  of the inner shell  5  penetrates through the positioning hole  311  of the display module  3 . The retaining hole  531  of the second retaining tab  53  of the inner shell  5  hooks the retaining protrusion  431  of the first retaining tab  43  of the outer shell  4 . The ear portion  58  of the inner shell  5  inserts inside the first outer-peripheral wall  41  of the outer shell  4 . The positioning flange  56  of the inner shell  5  is locked in the cutout  461  of the outer shell  4 . The hooking protrusion  45  of the outer shell  4  hooks the cavity  571  of the inner shell  5 . Thereby, the inner shell  5  is firmly assembled with the outer shell  4 . Meanwhile, the second fastening element  221  penetrates through the second through hole  54  of the inner shell  5  and secures at the second fastening member  313  of the display module  3 . Thereby, the inner shell  5  is firmly assembled on the front face  301  of the display module  3 . Then, the third fastening element  231  penetrates through the third through hole  47  of the outer shell  4  and the fourth through hole  581  of the ear portion  58  of the inner shell  5  and secures at the third fastening member  314  of the display module  3 . Thereby, the display module  3 , the outer shell  4 , and the inner shell  5  are firmly assembled together.  
      The procedure of disassembling the notebook of the present invention is described as follows. First of all, the third fastening element  231  is detached to release the display module  3 , the outer shell  4 , and the inner shell  5 . Next, the second fastening element  221  is detached to disassemble the inner shell  5 . Then, the first fastening element  211  is detached to disassemble the outer shell  4 . Disassembly of the shells is thereby complete. As illustrated above, when the shells are assembled or disassembled, the display module  3  of the display apparatus  2  remains pivotly connected with the main body  1 , and the display panel  30  will not be affected. Therefore, it is easy to diversify the exteriors of the shells.  
      Referring to  FIG. 10 , the outer shell  4  can be made of transparent material, and a picture  26  can be placed between the outer shell  4  and the display module  3 . Therefore, it is easy for consumers to achieve visual changes of the display apparatus  2 .  
      As indicated above, the notebook having a display apparatus with changeable shells of the present invention has the following advantages:  
      (1) The display module is pivotly connected with the main body, the outer shell is assembled on the rear face of the display module, and the inner shell is assembled on the front face of the display module, so that the shells of the display apparatus are easily assembled or disassembled without affecting the display panel of the display apparatus. Therefore, a display apparatus with the same functions can simply have different shells, so as to provide great changes of combination and personalized design.  
      (2) The assembly and disassembly of shells of the display apparatus are easy, so that manufacturers can promote more models of notebooks having the same functions of display apparatus but with various exterior styles, so that the manufacturing costs are decreased and the products are able to satisfy the interests of consumers.  
      It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above description is only illustrative of specific embodiments and examples of the invention. The invention should therefore cover various modifications and variations made to the herein-described structure and operations of the invention, provided they fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the following appended claims.