Patent Publication Number: US-2004057196-A1

Title: Integral computer

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention relates to personal computers and more particularly to an integral computer having improved characteristics such as storage space saving, reserved space for future expansion, easy adjustment of monitor angle about a supporting ground, horizontal turning and height adjustment of monitor, and movement.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] One characteristic of notebook computer is compact for saving a storage space. However, one drawback of the notebook computer is a lack of space for future expansion. For taking advantage of the advantageous benefit of notebook computer, a number of major computer manufacturers such as IBM Corp., Apple Computer, Inc., etc. have developed integral computers for tailoring the needs of consumers. Unfortunately, such integral computers also have the same drawback of lacking space for future expansion as the notebook computer. Thus, continuing improvements in the field of integral computer are constantly being sought.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an integral computer comprising a keyboard; a monitor and computer assembly comprising a monitor, two side speakers, and a motherboard; a modular assembly disposed below the monitor and computer assembly and comprising a plurality of parallel first, second, and third racks from top to bottom wherein the first rack is used as a bottom plate for supporting the monitor and computer assembly, a first space formed between the first and the second racks for receiving a plurality of first electronic devices including at least one hard disk drive and a floppy disk drive, a second space formed between the second and the third racks for receiving a plurality of second electronic devices including a CD-ROM, a third space above the first rack at one side for receiving a plurality of third electronic devices including a power supply, a fourth space above the first rack at the other opposite side for receiving a plurality of cables interconnecting the monitor and computer assembly and a plurality of fourth electronic devices including a printer, a plurality of ports in the front, and a plurality of vent openings at either side for ventilation; and a frame mechanism sized to partially surround the modular assembly and comprising a front panel, a plurality of holes on the front panel for receiving the ports, and a wing plate at either side for clinging onto the modular assembly; and a rear cover comprising two side cabinets for enclosing the speakers and an intermediate opening for ventilation; wherein one or more of the plurality of spaces are reserved for future expansion.  
       [0004] It is another object of the present invention to provide an integral computer comprising a keyboard having two spaced metal members on a bottom; a monitor and computer assembly comprising a monitor, two side speakers, and a motherboard; a modular assembly disposed below the monitor and computer assembly and comprising a plurality of parallel first, second, and third racks from top to bottom wherein the first rack is used as a bottom plate for supporting the monitor and computer assembly, a first space formed between the first and the second racks for receiving a plurality of first electronic devices including at least one hard disk drive and a floppy disk drive, a second space formed between the second and the third racks for receiving a plurality of second electronic devices including a CD-ROM, a third space above the first rack at one side for receiving a plurality of third electronic devices including a power supply, a fourth space above the first rack at the other opposite side for receiving a plurality of cables interconnecting the monitor and computer assembly and a plurality of fourth electronic devices including a printer, a plurality of ports in the front, and a plurality of vent openings at either side for ventilation; a frame mechanism sized to partially surround the modular assembly and comprising a front panel, a plurality of holes on the front panel for receiving the ports, and a wing plate at either side for clinging onto the modular assembly; a rear cover comprising two side cabinets for enclosing the speakers and an intermediate opening for ventilation; and a lower support device comprising a pedestal comprising a shell on a top having a bore, a bottom thread hole, a side hole, and a first fastener driven through the side hole, a second fastener driven into the thread hole, two opposite openings, a cylindrical first connection mechanism sized to fit into the bore and including a cylindrical portion being rested on the second fastener and fastened by the first fastener, a top lug, and a lateral hole through the top lug, a second connection mechanism including a top disk, two spaced lower lugs for tightly receiving the top lug therebetween, each lower lug having a through hole, and a third fastener driven through the through holes of the lower lugs and the lateral holes of the top lug for fastening the first and the second connection mechanisms together, and two magnetic members fitted into the openings, the magnetic members being releasably, magnetically coupled to the metal members; and a support plate integrally formed with a bottom of the computer, the support plate being secured to the second connection mechanism; wherein one or more of the plurality of spaces are reserved for future expansion; an angle adjustment of the monitor about the first connection mechanism is done by unfastening the third fastener, pivoting the monitor until a predetermined angle is reached, and fastening the third fastener; a horizontal turning of the computer is done by unfastening the first fastener, turning the computer until a predetermined degree is reached, and fastening the first fastener; a height adjustment of the computer is done by unfastening the first fastener for removing the first connection mechanism from the bore, adjusting the second fastener to leave a predetermined portion thereof in the bottom thread hole, and putting the first connection mechanism in the bore prior to fastening the first fastener; and a movement of the computer is done by placing the keyboard on the pedestal to magnetically attract the metal members by the magnetic members prior to carrying the computer to a predetermined location.  
       [0005] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0006]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a first preferred embodiment of an integral computer according to the invention where keyboard is not shown for the sake of simplicity;  
     [0007]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the yet fully assembled computer;  
     [0008]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the fully assembled computer taken from the rear;  
     [0009]FIG. 4 is a front view of the computer;  
     [0010]FIG. 5 is a side view of the computer;  
     [0011]FIG. 6 is an exploded view of support device of a second preferred embodiment of an integral computer according to the invention and keyboard;  
     [0012]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the assembled support device and keyboard shown in FIG. 6;  
     [0013]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the assembled computer of the second preferred embodiment of the invention; and  
     [0014]FIG. 9 is side view in part section of the computer shown in FIG. 8. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0015] Referring to FIGS.  1  to  5 , there is shown an integral computer constructed in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention comprising a keyboard (not shown), a monitor and computer assembly  1  comprising two side speakers  11 , a motherboard  12  having a plurality of expansion slots  14 , and a CPU cooler  13 ; a modular assembly  2  mounted under the monitor and computer assembly  1  by means of fasteners and comprising a plurality of parallel aluminium racks  21 ,  22 , and  23  from top to bottom, the first rack  21  being used as a bottom plate for supporting the monitor and computer assembly  1 , a first space  25  formed between the first and second racks  21  and  22  for receiving one or two hard disk drives  20  and a floppy disk drive  30 , a second space  26  formed between the second and third racks  22  and  23  for receiving an uninterruptable power supply (UPS)  40  and a CD-ROM or CD-R  50 , a third space  24  above the first rack  21  at one side for receiving a power supply  10 , a fourth space  27  above the first rack  21  at the other opposite side for receiving a number of cables  28  interconnecting the monitor and computer assembly  1  and a printer, a scanner, or the like, and a plurality of vent openings  29  at either side for communicating the modular assembly  2  with outside; a frame mechanism  3  sized to partially surround the modular assembly  2  and comprising a front panel  31 , a plurality of holes  32  on the front panel  31  for receiving sockets and/or ports on the front side of the modular assembly  2 , and a wing plate  33  at either side for clinging onto the modular assembly  2 ; and a rear cover  4  for enclosing the rear of the integral computer and comprising two side cabinets  41  for enclosing the speakers  11  an intermediate opening  42  facing the CPU cooler  13  for ventilation, and a rear aperture  43  for permitting the cables  28  to pass through. An assembled integral computer is shown in FIG. 3. A unique characteristic of the invention is the provision of the plurality of spaces  24 ,  25 ,  26 , and  27  in which one or more of them can be reserved for future expansion such as installations of a network adapter, a voice card, a  3 D acceleration card, or the like.  
     [0016] Referring to FIGS.  6  to  9 , there is shown an integral computer constructed in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention. The differences between the first and second preferred embodiments are the addition of a support device  5  and two spaced rectangular metal members  81  on the bottom of keyboard  8  in the latter as detailed below. The support device  5  is mounted under the computer and comprises a ring-shaped pedestal  6  comprising a shell  61  on top having a bore  611 , a bottom thread hole  612 , a side hole  614 , and a screw  615  driven through the hole  614 , a set screw  62  driven into the thread hole  612 , two opposite rectangular openings  13 , a cylindrical first connection mechanism  63  sized to fit into the bore  611  and including a cylindrical portion  631  being rested on the screw  62  and fastened by the screw  615 , a top lug  632 , and a lateral hole  633  through the lug  632 , a second connection mechanism  64  including a top disk  641 , a plurality of equally spaced peripheral holes  642  on the disk  641 , two spaced lugs  643  extended downward from the disk  641  for tightly receiving the lug  632  therebetween, each lug  643  having a through hole  644 , and a screw  645  driven through the holes  644  and  633  for fastening the first and the second connection mechanisms  63  and  64  together, and two rectangular magnetic members  65  fitted into the openings  613 , the magnetic members  65  being releasably, magnetically coupled to the metal members  81  on the bottom of the keyboard  8 ; and a rectangular support plate  7  integrally formed with the computer, the support plate  7  having a plurality of equally spaced peripheral holes  71  and a plurality of screws  72  driven through the holes  71  and  642  to fasten the support plate  7  and the pedestal  6  together.  
     [0017] Adjustment of monitor  9  angle about a supporting ground (e.g., a desk with the first connection mechanism  6  supported thereon) comprises slightly loosening the screw  645 , pivoting the monitor  9  until a desired angle is reached (i.e., adjusting a relative angle of the second connection mechanism  64  about the first connection mechanism  63 ), and fastening the screw  645  again. As to a horizontal turning of the computer, it comprises loosening the screw  615 , turning the computer until a desired degree is reached (i.e., adjusting a relative position of the first connection mechanism  63  about the shell  61 ), and fastening the screw  615  again. A height adjustment of the computer (i.e., monitor  9 ) comprises unfastening the screw  615  for removing the first connection mechanism  63  from the bore  611 , adjusting the screw  62  in the hole  612  to leave a desired portion of the shank of the screw  62  therein, and putting the first connection mechanism  63  in the bore  611  again prior to fastening the screw  615 . As to movement of the computer, it comprises placing the keyboard  8  on the pedestal  6  to cause the metal members  81  to be magnetically attracted by the magnetic members  65  prior to carrying the whole computer to a desired location by taking two recesses  91  on the monitor  9 .  
     [0018] While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.