Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a hermetic seal apparatus for a portable electronic device. According to one embodiment, the portable electronic device includes a housing for enclosing processing components. In addition, the portable electronic device includes a handle assembly affixed to the housing and having at least one integrated I/O port electrically coupled to the processing component.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The emergence and popularity of mobile computing has made portable electronic devices, due to their compact design and light weight, a staple in today&#39;s marketplace. Most portable electronic devices include an input/output port for providing additional functionality to the portable electronic device. For example, a universal serial port (USB) may be included with the portable electronic device for connecting to peripheral devices such as a printer or external mouse for example, and/or an Ethernet port may be included with the portable electronic device for connecting to a local area network. However, some portable electronic devices, particularly small notebook computers, are limited by their size as to the number of port solutions they can provide in addition to their means of transport. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0002]    The features and advantages of the inventions as well as additional features and advantages thereof will be more clearly understood hereinafter as a result of a detailed description of particular embodiments of the invention when taken in conjunction with the following drawings in which: 
           [0003]      FIG. 1  is a three-dimensional perspective view of a portable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0004]      FIG. 2A  is a three-dimensional perspective view of the handle assembly in a closed non-carrying position according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2B  is a three-dimensional perspective view of the handle assembly in an opened carrying position according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a simplified cross-sectional view of the handle assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  are views illustrating general operating environments of the handle assembly and portable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     NOTATION AND NOMENCLATURE 
       [0008]    Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular system components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, companies may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” and “e.g.” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . ”. The term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct connection. Thus, if a first component couples to a second component, that connection may be through a direct electrical connection, or through an indirect electrical connection via other components and connections, such as an optical electrical connection or wireless electrical connection. Furthermore, the term “system” refers to a collection of two or more hardware and/or software components, and may be used to refer to an electronic device or devices, or a sub-system thereof. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The following discussion is directed to various embodiments. Although one or more of these embodiments may be preferred, the embodiments disclosed should not be interpreted, or otherwise used, as limiting the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. In addition, one skilled in the art will understand that the following description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary of that embodiment, and not intended to intimate that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment. 
         [0010]    Prior solutions include port replicators in which a notebook computer is placed on top of a base station for extending the number of available ports. However, these port replicators are similar in size to the notebook computer to which it is connected and therefore inconvenient for transport. Furthermore, transporting a notebook computer can be tricky, especially in a school environment. For example, transporting a notebook computer in a backpack often takes up space for other items, such as schoolbooks. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a more efficient and intuitive solution for transporting and extending the connective abilities of a portable electronic device such as a notebook computer. 
         [0011]    Embodiments of the present invention provide a handle assembly for a portable electronic device. According to one embodiment, the handle assembly attaches to the chassis of a portable electronic device via brackets positioned on the bottom surface of the portable electronic device. The handle assembly includes an elongated gripping portion and arm portions configured to connect to the brackets. Furthermore, the handle assembly includes a plurality of ports horizontally-arranged along the gripping portion. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention help to supplement the number of available input/output ports of the portable electronic device while also providing a mechanism for easily transporting the portable electronic device. 
         [0012]    Referring now in more detail to the drawings in which like numerals identify corresponding parts throughout the views,  FIG. 1  is a three-dimensional perspective view of a portable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Portable computer  100  represents the portable electronic device having a chassis that includes an upper housing  105  and a base housing  110 . The upper housing, or display panel housing  105 , includes a display device  107  having electrical wiring adapted to provide graphical display to a user on its front surface side  104 . As further shown in  FIG. 1 , the base housing  110  includes a top surface  113  and bottom surface  117  that is opposite the top surface  113 . According to one embodiment, the top surface  113  of the base housing  110  may include an input means for operation by user such as a keyboard  106  and touch pad  108 . 
         [0013]      FIG. 2A  is a three-dimensional perspective view of the handle assembly in a closed non-carrying position according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown here, the portable electronic device includes a bottom surface side  217  and a front end side  225  opposite a back end side  230 . Furthermore, a pair of bracket members  222   a  and  222   b  are positioned on the bottom surface side  217  near the back end side  230  of the portable electronic device  200 . In addition, each bracket member  222   a  and  222   b  includes an aperture  224   a  and  224   b  respectively for receiving the handle assembly  210 . Still further, a pair of docking connectors  226   a  and  226   b  are positioned adjacent to the bracket members  222   a  and  222   b.  The handle assembly  210  includes an elongated gripping portion  211  and a pair of arm portions  213   a  and  213   b  formed at opposite ends of the gripping portion  211 . In the closed non-carrying position, the elongated gripping portion  211  of the handle assembly  210  is positioned in close proximity to the bottom surface side  217  of the portable electronic device  200 , while the arm portions  213   a  and  213   b  extend from the bracket members  222   a  and  222   b  towards the front end side  225  of the portable electronic device. Additionally, each arm portion  213   a  and  213   b  includes a protruding shaft portion  215   a  and  215   b  respectively for insertion into the aperture  224   a  and  224   b  of the bracket members  222   a  and  222   b.  According to one example, placement of the protruding shaft portions  215   a  and  215   b  within the apertures  224   a  and  224   b  of the bracket members  222   a  and  222   b  forms a flexible ratcheting mechanism so as to allow the handle assembly to be rotated and fixed to a usable position. As such, the handle assembly  210  is firmly affixed to the base housing via the bracket members and arm portions. Although the handle assembly is described as being separate from the bracket members  222   a  and  222   b,  the handle assembly  210  may also include bracket members  222   a  and  222   b  and/or docking connectors  226   a  and  226   b.    
         [0014]      FIG. 2B  is a three-dimensional perspective view of the handle assembly in an open carrying position according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present example, the portable electronic device  200  is rotated 180° with respect to the example shown in  FIG. 2A  such that the upper surface side  227  of the portable electronic device  200  is visible. Furthermore, the handle assembly  210  is rotated approximately 90° from a non-carrying position ( FIG. 2A ) to an opened carrying position in which the arm portions  213   a  and  213   b  extend from the bracket members towards the back end side  230  of the portable electronic device, and the gripping portion  211  is positioned away from bottom surface side  217  (shown in  FIG. 2A ) of the portable electronic device  200 . As shown here, the elongated gripping portion  211  includes a plurality of integrated input/output (I/O) ports  232   a - 232   g  formed horizontally-adjacent to one another. In the present example, ports  232   a - 232   g  represents a specialized outlet for interfacing a computer or peripheral device via a plug or cable. In the present example, ports  232   a - 232   c  may represent a universal serial bus (USB) port for receiving a USB cable, port  232   d  represents a IEEE 1398 interface port (e.g. “FireWire”) for receiving a compatible cable, port  232   e  represents an Ethernet port for receiving an Ethernet cable, port  232   f  represents a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port for receiving an HDMI cable, and port  232   g  represents a female headphone socket for receiving a jack plug associated with a pair of headphones. However, the I/O ports of the present embodiments are not limited therein and may include a serial port, parallel port, PS/2 port, or any other similar specialized female electrical contact or socket configured to communicate data between devices. 
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a simplified cross-sectional view of the handle assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the following example, the portable electronic device is in a closed non-carrying position in which an under area  308  of the handle assembly faces the bottom surface  317  of the portable electronic device. As in the previous example, the handle assembly  310  includes a gripping portion  311 , an arm portion  313 , and at least one electrical I/O port  332 . The port  332  is coupled to an electrical contact  335  configured to transmit and receive data to/from the portable electronic device via electrical wiring  328 . More particularly, electrical wiring  328  runs through the entire handle assembly, thereby allowing the handle assembly  310  to be populated with multiple ports and connectors. Furthermore, the cable is coupled to a male docking connector  345 , which is configured to seat into the female docking connector  347 . Moreover, and as shown in the present example, the female docking connector  347  is coupled to the printed circuit board  306  and integrated circuits  330  of the portable electronic device. The protruding shaft  343  of the arm potion  313  is configured to fit within the aperture  342  of the bracket member so as to form a rotatable hinge  341  for the handle assembly  310 . In particular, the handle assembly rotates about an axis of rotation  350  (indicated by dotted curved arrow) associated with hinge  341 . 
         [0016]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  are views illustrating general operating environments of the handle assembly and portable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 4A , the mounting bracket and arm portions  413  of the handle assembly  410  may serve as a foot rest for the portable electronic device when the gripping portion of the handle assembly is not in use (i.e. non-carrying position). That is, when the portable electronic device is in a normal operating position, the arm portion  413  of the handle assembly  410  abuts the operating surface  425  (associated with desk  423 ) so as to lift the back end side of the bottom surface  417  of the portable electronic device  405  from the operating surface  425 . For example, the keyboard of a notebook computer may be inclined in order to provide the operating user  402  with a more natural and convenient typing and viewing position. Alternatively, and as shown in the example of  FIG. 4B , the handle assembly  410  of the portable electronic device  405  may also be placed in an opened carrying position. That is, the gripping portion  411  of the handle assembly  410  may be rotated 90° about the hinge&#39;s axis of rotation such that the arm portions  413   a  and  413   b  of the handle assembly  410  extend away from the bracket members towards the back end side  410  of the portable electronic device  405 . As such, a user  402  may hold the handle assembly via the exposed gripping portion  411  in order to easily transport the portable electronic device  405 . 
         [0017]    Embodiments of the present invention provide a handle assembly for a portable electronic device. In particular, a handle assembly includes at least one I/O port for interfacing the portable electronic device with other devices while also functioning as a foot rest for the portable electronic device. Accordingly, many advantages are afforded by the handle assembly of embodiments of the present invention. For example, such a configuration provides additional functionality for the portable electronic device via the increased number of connectivity options and input/output ports, while also providing the user with an effective and convenient option for carrying the portable electronic device. 
         [0018]    Furthermore, while the invention has been described with respect to exemplary embodiments, one skilled in the art will recognize that numerous modifications are possible. For example, although exemplary embodiments depict a notebook computer as the portable electronic device, the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the portable electronic device may be a netbook, a tablet personal computer, a smartphone, or any similar electronic computing device having a chassis that houses processing components and is convenient in size for transport. 
         [0019]    Furthermore, the handle assembly may be formed at any position on the portable electronic device. For example, the handle assembly may be positioned on the back end side or the upper surface side of the portable electronic device, rather than the bottom surface side as described and depicted in the present examples. Thus, although the invention has been described with respect to exemplary embodiments, it will be appreciated that the invention is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.