Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates at least to accessories of a portable computer.  
           [0003]    2. Background of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Mobile computers (e.g. laptops) are useful to many computer users, allowing them to travel and use a computer. Desktop computers are also useful, because they generally have large keyboards and a wide variety of peripheral devices. Large keyboards or a wide variety of peripheral devices may not be practical in a mobile computer, because they may make the mobile computer prohibitively large or heavy (e.g. making them ill suited for traveling). Accordingly, there has been a long felt need for a computer that is mobile, but also has a capabilities of a larger keyboard and a broad range of peripheral device.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Advantages of embodiments of the present invention at least include solving disadvantages of the related art. Embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus including a dock and a stand. The dock is configured to receive a portable computer. A stand is pivotably attached to the dock. Some embodiments may have the advantage that a portable computer can be used during travel and used as a desktop computer having a larger keyboard and a wide range of peripheral devices. In some embodiments, the display of the portable computer is used when the portable computer is docked in the dock. Further, because the portable computer is pivotably attached to the dock the display can be selectively used in a landscape mode or a portrait mode. Particularly, the dock (with the portable computer attached) may be rotatable to change the angle at which a user can view the display. Additionally, because the dock is pivotably attached to the stand, there is unique versatility of viewable options of the display of the portable computer, when it is used as a desktop computer  
           [0006]    For example, if a user desires to view an output of a display in a manner that the display is longer in the vertical direction than in the horizontal direction, then the dock is rotated to cause the portable computer to display in portrait mode. Alternatively, if a user desires to view an output of a display in a manner that the display is longer in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction, then the dock is rotated 90 degrees from the portrait mode to the landscape mode.  
           [0007]    To achieve at least these and other advantages in whole or in part and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided an apparatus that includes a dock configured to receive a portable computer, and a stand pivotably attached to the dock.  
           [0008]    To further achieve at least these and other advantages in whole or in part and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a screen adjustment structure of a computer system for converting screen mode of the computer system from portrait mode to landscape mode or from the landscape mode to the portrait mode by rotating a cradle on which the computer system is cradled through a rotation guide member at a designated angle, the screen adjustment structure including an orientation switch that is on an outer surface of a through hole on a rear surface of the cradle configured to adjust the screen mode of the computer system to the portrait mode or the landscape mode by switching through rotation of the cradle, and a circumference projection that is on a circumferential surface of the rotation guide member configured to switch the orientation switch to make the screen mode of the computer system adjust to the portrait mode or the landscape mode when the cradle rotates past a predetermined angle.  
           [0009]    Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram illustrating coupling of a web pad cradle and a rotation guide member.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIGS. 2A, 2B, and  2 C are diagrams illustrating an exemplary web pad system.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary docking station where a web pad system is cradled on a cradle.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating an exemplary arm unit in operation, wherein a specific program may be for recognizing a writing function of a stylus pen which may be operated on a screen as a switch contact groove and/or a sliding switch may be switched with each other through rotation of the arm unit.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is an exemplary sectional perspective view of an exemplary cradle unit.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 are plane and bottom perspective views of exemplary components of a web pad cradle.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 7 is a plane perspective view of components of an exemplary cradle rear cover.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 8 is a sectional perspective view of exemplary components of a rotation guide member.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 9 a  is an exemplary diagram illustrating a state before a cradle unit is rotated.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9 b  is an exemplary diagram illustrating a cradle unit being rotated at a predetermined angle using a rotation guide member.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 9 c  is an exemplary diagram illustrating a state where the cradle unit is rotated at a designated angle.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 10 a  diagrammatically illustrates an exemplary screen mode at the portrait mode before it is converted to the landscape mode.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 10 b  diagrammatically illustrates an exemplary screen mode of the web pad system having been converted to the landscape mode from the portrait mode according to a rotation angle of the cradle unit.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 11 is a sectional perspective view of an exemplary web pad system separating apparatus.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 12 a  diagrammatically represents the state before the web pad system separating apparatus is operated.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 12 b  diagrammatically represents the state where a locking member locks the web pad system.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 12 c  diagrammatically represents the state where a locking member has been released. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0027]    [0027]FIG. 1 diagrammatically depicts a situation in which a web pad cradle and a rotation guide member, to which a web pad system with convertible screen is applied, can be coupled to each other. The web pad system with a convertible screen mode according to embodiments of the present invention can help users to more conveniently use the computer system at any place they want, by converting the screen mode from portrait to landscape or from landscape to portrait by rotating a cradle unit  410  on which the web pad system  700  is cradled through a rotation guide member  450  at a designated angle. An orientation switch  437 , which can be fixated on peripheral surface of a through hole on the rear surface of the web pad cradle and switched by rotation of the web pad cradle, can convert the screen mode of the web pad system  700  from portrait to landscape or from landscape to portrait by being switched by a circumference projection  454  of the rotation guide member  450 .  
         [0028]    [0028]FIGS. 2A, 2B, and  2 C diagrammatically depict a decomposed exemplary web pad system of a multi-type computer system being cradled in a docking station to which embodiments of the present invention can be applied. As shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and  2 C, the web pad system  700  can include a web pad  100  having a plurality of panels and a main system, and a keyboard  300  having a key pad  320  and a rotation member  330  being coupled to central portion of a rear end. The web pad  100  can be superposed to the keyboard  300  using the rotation member  330  to rotate around at a variable designated angle.  
         [0029]    If the keyboard  300  is superposed with the web pad system  700  as described above, the user can input data in the web pad system  700  by using a stylus pen  200  as input device, for example as shown in FIG. 2A. By rotating the web pad  100  around the keyboard  300  being superposed on the web pad  100  at a designated angle, the user can input vast amount of data because the input device of the web pad  100  is preferably not the stylus pen  200  at this time, but the keyboard  300  itself, for example as shown in FIG. 2C. In this case, the user can place the web pad system  700  on a desk or table, as he/she does with the conventional notebook PC, and input data more conveniently. In addition, since the web pad  100  and the keyboard  300  can be superposed with each other, the user can carry the web pad system  700  more conveniently and input data by selectively using the stylus pen  200  or the keyboard  300 .  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 3 is a perspective view representing an exemplary docking station where a web pad system is cradled on a cradle according to embodiments of the present invention. FIGS. 4A and 4B diagrammatically depict an arm unit in operation, wherein a specific program for recognizing a writing function of a stylus pen is being operated on a screen as a switch contact groove and a sliding switch are switched with each other through rotation of the arm unit.  
         [0031]    As depicted in FIG. 3, the stand unit  500  preferably acts as base for supporting the web pad&#39;s weight that is cradled in a web pad cradle  420  of the cradle unit  410  with help of a plate being the center of weight, and at the same time, can insert extension equipment  570  like CD-ROM or FDD disk mounted in the stand unit  500  to extend the web pad system&#39;s functions. Also, the arm unit  600 , as shown in FIG. 3 and FIGS. 4A and 4B, can support the cradle unit  410  to which the web pad system  700  is cradled by being coupled to the bottom surface of the cradle unit  410  and to the upper end of the stand unit  500 , respectively, and simultaneously, convert the screen of the web pad system  700  to one with a specific program that enables the user to write text by using the stylus pen  200  when the cradle unit  410  gets adhered closely to the upper end of the stand unit through the arm unit&#39;s rotation and then a sliding switch  535  of the stand unit  500  is switched with help of a switch contact groove  630  at a lower end of the arm unit  600 .  
         [0032]    Cradle unit  410 , another component of a docking station  400  to which the web pad system  700  is cradled while it being supported by the stand unit  500  through the connection with the arm unit  600 , can enable the user to utilize the web pad system  700  as a desktop computer. The cradle unit  410  also can include a built-in web pad system separating apparatus  460  for separating the web pad system  700  from the cradle unit  410 . Therefore, the user can easily separate the web pad system from the cradle unit  410  with help of a multi-step cam operation of the web pad system separating apparatus  460 .  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 5 is a sectional perspective view of a cradle unit according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a plane and bottom perspective view of a web pad cradle out of components of the cradle unit. FIG. 7 is a plane perspective view of a cradle rear cover out of components of the cradle unit. FIG. 8 is a sectional perspective view of a rotation guide member out of components of the cradle unit.  
         [0034]    The cradle unit  410 , as depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6, can include a web pad cradle  420  to which the web pad system  700  is cradled, a rear cover  440  being secured at the rear surface of the web pad cradle  420 , a rotation guide member  450  and the web pad system separating apparatus  460 . The rotation guide member  450  can be inserted and secured at each through hole  422 ,  442  formed on designated positions of the web pad cradle  420  and the cradle rear cover  440 , respectively, and preferably rotating the web pad system  700  placed on the web pad cradle  420  at a designated angle (e.g., circumferential direction) depending on different usage of the user. The web pad system separating apparatus  460  can be fixated at the inner side of the cradle rear cover  440  for separating the web pad system  700  from the web pad cradle  420  preferably with help of multi-step cam motion that is made by external force applied on a separating handle  461 .  
         [0035]    The web pad cradle  420 , as FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate, can include a square-shaped cradling plate  421  on which the web pad system  700  is adhered with the through hole  422  at the center for the guide upper plate  451  of the rotation guide member  450  to be inserted, and a plurality of cradling holders  425  with a certain height at the corners of the plate  421  for enabling the web pad system  700  to be cradled onto the cradling plate  421 . A fixing projection unit  429  can be inserted into the bottom surface of the web pad system  700  to reduce or prevent the web pad system  700  from moving up and down or right and left at the cradling plate  421 . A drive connector  434  can be inserted in the inner side of the fixing projection  429  and also coupled to the drive socket  140  on the bottom surface of the web pad system  700  for interfacing the disk drive (e.g. extension equipment) and the web pad system  700 . A plurality of angle limiting projections  436  can be formed at intervals (e.g., regular) at the circumference of the through hole  422  on the rear surface of the cradling plate  421  for limiting the web pad system  700  being cradled onto the web pad cradle  420  to rotate by more than a designated angle with help of the rotation guide member  450 . In addition, an orientation switch  437  can be fixed at the circumferential surface of the through hole  422  on the rear surface of the cradling plate  421  for switching the screen mode of the web pad system  700  to portrait or landscape mode as the cradling plate  421  rotates.  
         [0036]    Further, a ring-type guide rail  424  can be established on the through hole  422  formed on the cradling plate  421  for facilitating rotation of the web pad cradle  420  by the rotation guide member  450 . A curved surface projection unit  423  with part of it being cut open can be formed on the front ending portion of the circumferential surface of the through hole  422  on the rear surface of the cradling plate  421  for allowing connecter PCB wires  435  disposed inside of the rotation guide member  450  to move freely and at the same time, for preventing the ring-shaped guide rail  424  attached to the through hole  422  from being separated when the cradling plate  421  rotates at a designated angle with help of the rotation guide member  450 .  
         [0037]    A rubber band  426  or the like can be attached inside/outside of one side of the cradle holder unit  425 , respectively, for preventing the web pad system from being easily separated because of frictional force and elasticity of rubber as the web pad system  700  is cradled, and at the same time, for supporting the cradle unit  410  not to be slid onto the bottom surface as the cradle unit  410  is pulled down to be adhered closely to the bottom surface. Moreover, a hook-shaped fixing projection  427  or the like can be safely inserted inside of the lower end cradle holder unit  425  for more securely fixing the web pad system  700  on the web pad cradle  420 .  
         [0038]    In addition, a web pad settling projection  428  can be located inside of the cradle holder unit  425  for guiding and supporting the keyboard  300  of the web pad system  700 , and simultaneously, for helping the web pad coupled to the keyboard  300  to be more securely and safely settled. The web pad settling projection  428  may maintain the same height as the fixing projection  429  in order to make the web pad without the keyboard  300  and the web pad system  700  to which the keyboard is connected preferably have equal height when each is attached.  
         [0039]    A grounding member  430  for grounding the web pad system  700  can be inserted inside the fixing projection unit  429  in order to reduce or prevent any damage on the part caused by overcurrent or the like. Also, there are preferably through holes  431  at designated positions of the fixing projection unit  429  from which a locking member  468  and a separating member  472  of the separation apparatus  460  can be projected. The separation apparatus is for locking the web pad system  700  in an integrated position to web pad cradle  420  and simultaneously, for separating the web pad system  700  from the web pad cradle  420  with help of cam operation of the web pad system&#39;s separating apparatus  460 .  
         [0040]    In case of the fixing projection unit  429 , there can be a connector settling projection  432  preferably with the same height as the drive connector  434  ending portion for helping the connector PCB  435  to safely settle in a designated position as the drive connector  434  ending portion attaches to the inner surface of the fixing projection unit  429  especially when the drive connector  434  is inserted. Internal thread  433  can be projected on the upper end of the connector settling projection  432 , as the drive connector is inserted, is preferably slightly higher than the thickness of the connector PCB  435 . If screw fastened or the like, the connector PCB  435  can form a plurality of through holes  435   a  at its circumferential side that have a slightly larger diameter than the projected internal thread unit  433 . Therefore, when the drive connector  434  and the drive socket  140  are preferably locked to each other, the drive connector  434  can move up and down or right and left as much as the free space of the internal thread that is formed a little bit higher than the connector PCB  435 , and connect with the drive socket or the like inside of the web pad system  700 .  
         [0041]    As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 7, the cradle rear cover  440  can include a cover member  441  fastened, for example by being screwed down, on the rear surface of the cradle plate  421 . The cradle rear cover  440  can have a through hole  442  formed on an opposite position corresponding to the through hole  422  of the web pad cradle  420  for inserting a guide low plate  452  of the rotation guide member  450 . A ring-shaped guide rail  443  can be attached to the through hole  442  on the cover member  441  in order to facilitate the rotation of the cradle rear cover  440  with help of the rotation guide member  450 .  
         [0042]    A hammering member  444  can be mounted at the upper end of one side of the through hole  442  for preferably generating a hammering sound through which a user can realize that the cradle unit  410  is properly rotated at a designated angle with help of the rotation guide member  450 . The hammering member  444  can be fixed with help of a settling member  448  on one side of the circumferential front end of the through hole  442  to which the guide low plate  452  of the rotation guide member  450  is inserted. The hammering member  444  can have a front projection unit  445  inserted into a reentrant groove  449  at one side of the settling member  448  for enabling the hammering member  444  to hammer a hammering groove  456  on the circumferential surface of the rotation guide member  450 . The hammering member  444  can be returned to its original position by indentation of the circumferential surface of the rotation guide member  450  or elastic returning force of spring  447  when the cradle rear cover  440  rotates at a designated angle or the like. A supporting rest  445   a  can be inserted into the reentrant groove  449  of the other settling member  448  for supporting the front projection unit  445  with help of the spring  447 . A cradling jaw  446  can be formed on the circumferential surface of the front projection unit  445  for preventing the front projection unit  445  from being separated from the reentrant groove  449  on one side of the settling member  448  as it returns to the original position with help of elastic returning force of the spring  447 .  
         [0043]    Preferably, the hammering member  444  secured by the settling member  448  hits a hammering groove  456  formed on the circumferential surface of the rotation guide member  450  as it compresses/returns through the circumferential surface of the rotation guide member  450 , and generates a hammering sound. Accordingly, the user can confirm that the cradle unit  410  is properly rotated at a designated angle.  
         [0044]    As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 8, the rotation guide member  450  can include a rotation guide upper plate  451  to be inserted into the through hole  422  of the web pad cradle  420  for guiding rotation of the web pad cradle  420 , a rotation guide low plate  452  to be inserted into the through hole  442  of the cradle rear cover  440  for guiding rotation of the cradle rear cover  440  and a cut-open groove  453  with a designated length that is formed on the two touching circumferential surfaces preferably for allowing the connector PCB  435  wires projected between the rotation guide upper plate  451  and the rotation guide low plate  452  to move more freely. Circumferential projection units  454  can be formed on the circumferential surface of the rotation guide upper plate  451  and lower plate  452 , respectively, for switching the orientation fixed on the rear surface of the web pad cradle  420  preferably to convert the screen mode of the web pad system  700  to portrait mode or landscape mode when the cradle unit  410  rotates at a designated angle. A cradling projection unit  455  can be coupled to the end of the circumferential projection unit  454  for prohibiting the web pad system  700  placed on the web pad cradle  420  from being rotated more than a designated angle. The circumferential projection unit  454  can be locked to the angle limiting projection unit  436  that are regularly spaced by a designated angle on the rear surface of the cradle plate  421 . Hammering grooves  456  can be spaced by a designated angle on the circumferential surface of the rotation guide member  450  and used for recognizing whether the web pad system  700  has been rotated through hammering of the hammering member  444  that is preferably mounted on one side of the cradle rear cover  440  as the cradle unit  410  is rotated the desired amount. A cradle hinge unit  457  can be fastened (e.g., screwed down) onto the other upper end of the arm unit  600  and the other side of internal arm settling groove  459  with a certain length being formed at the center of the rotation guide low plate  452  for allowing the cradle unit  410  onto which the web pad system  700  is cradled to rotate bank and forth using at least the arm unit  600 . A cylindrical hinge unit  458  can be fastened at one side of the arm settling groove  459  in opposition to the cradle hinge unit  457  for supporting effluent connector PCB  435  wires from the arm settling groove  459  and at the same time, for reducing or preventing the turning force (or turning effect) of the cradle unit  410  from being placed or directed to one side only.  
         [0045]    A length of the circumferential projection unit  454  is preferably approximately one third of the designated rotation angle of the cradle unit  410 . Hence, when the cradle unit  410  rotates, the orientation switch  437  fastened on the rear surface of the web pad cradle  429  can be turned off up to ⅔ of the total length, which is shorter than the designated rotation angle of the cradle unit  410 , so the screen mode of the web pad system  700  remains at its original mode, e.g., portrait mode. However, if the rotation angle of the cradle unit  410  is greater than the ⅔, which can preferably be a contact point with the circumferential projection unit  454 , the orientation switch is turned on by the circumferential projection unit  454 , and the screen mode of the web pad system  700  converts to landscape mode from portrait mode.  
         [0046]    A fixing member  458   a  of the cylindrical hinge unit can fixate the cylindrical hinge unit. As described above, using the rotation guide member  450  and the cradle unit  410 , the web pad cradle  420  and cradle rear cover  440  can be rotated.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIGS. 9 a - 9   c  diagrammatically depict the operational state of the exemplary cradle unit being rotated at a designated angle with help of the rotation guide member according to preferred embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 9 a  diagrammatically shows the state before the cradle unit is rotated, FIG. 9 b  diagrammatically shows the cradle unit being rotated at a designated angle with help of the rotation guide member, and FIG. 9 c  diagrammatically shows the state where the cradle unit is rotated at a designated angle.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIGS. 10 a - 10   b  diagrammatically illustrate a situation in which a screen mode of the web pad system can be converted to a portrait mode or landscape mode in accordance with a rotation angle of the cradle unit with help of the rotation guide member according to preferred embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 10 a  diagrammatically shows the screen mode at the portrait mode before it is converted to the landscape mode, and FIG. 10 b  diagrammatically shows the screen mode of the web pad system having been converted to the landscape mode from the portrait mode according to a rotation angle of the cradle unit.  
         [0049]    To convert the screen mode of the web pad system  700  being cradled onto the web pad cradle  420  from portrait mode to landscape mode, the web pad cradle  420  can be first rotated as shown in FIG. 9 a . Then as shown in FIGS. 9 a - 9   c , the web pad cradle  420  can be rotated by pressuring the front projection unit  445  of the hammering member  444  mounted at one side of the front end of the outer circumferential surface of the through hole  442  of the cradle rear cover  440  using the circumferential surface of the rotation guide member  450 . Later, when the web pad cradle  420  preferably rotates at a designated angle or amount and then reaches to one hammering groove  456  on the circumferential surface of the rotation guide member  450 , the front projection unit  445  of the hammering member  444 , as shown in FIG. 9 c , having been pressured by the circumferential surface of the rotation guide member  450  returns to its original position, and hits the hammering groove  456 . In the course of that, a hammering sound or vibration is preferably generated, and through the hammering sound or vibration, the user can preferably find out that the cradle unit  410  has been properly rotated, and he/she does not need to rotate the cradle unit  410  any further.  
         [0050]    Preferably, if the user rotates the cradle unit  410  by more than allowed, the cradling projection unit  455  of the rotation guide member  450  can be cradled onto the angle limiting projection unit  436  being spaced by the designated angle on the outer circumferential surface of the through hole  422  of the rear surface of the web pad cradle  420 . Accordingly, further rotation of the cradle unit  410  can be successfully prevented or reduced.  
         [0051]    As FIG. 10 a  illustrates, when the cradle unit  410  is rotated at a designated angle with help of the rotation guide member  450  while the web pad system is being cradled onto the cradle  410 , the orientation switch  437  fixed on the outer circumferential surface of the through hole  422  of the rear surface of the web pad cradle  420  is preferably switched with help of the circumferential projecting unit  454  formed on the circumferential surface of the rotation guide member  450 . The switched signal can be transferred to the web pad system  700 , for example, through the drive connector  434 . As a result, the screen mode of the web pad system  700  is preferably converted from portrait mode to landscape mode as shown in FIG. 10 b.    
         [0052]    Also, if the user rotates the cradle unit  410  to the opposite direction to return the screen mode in the landscape mode back to the portrait mode, the orientation switch having been switched by the circumferential projection unit  454  of the rotation guide member  450  is preferably released or switched back. Accordingly, the screen mode can be converted from landscape mode to portrait mode.  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 11 is a sectional perspective view of a web pad system separating apparatus out of components of the cradle unit according to preferred embodiments of the present invention. The web pad system separating apparatus  460 , as depicted in FIG. 5 and FIG. 11, can include a separating handle  461  for applying external force to separate the web pad system  700  from the web pad cradle  420 , an operational cam member  466 , a locking member  468  and a separating member  472 . An interlocking member  462  can be coupled to the separating handle  461  to preferably perform cam operations by moving downward in order to separate the web pad system  700  from the web pad cradle  420  as the external force is applied through the separating handle  461 , and returns to its original position with help of resilient force of the spring  464  or the like if no weight is present. The operational cam member  466  can pressure and release force of the locking member  468  that locks the web pad system  700  preferably through the cam operation with the cam  463  on the side of the interlocking member  462  by the interlocking member  462 . The locking member  468  preferably with a cradling projection  469  on the upper end can be inserted to a coupling projection  475  at a low end of the operational cam member  466 , of which locking force is released by a projection unit  467  of the other side of the operational cam member  466  that can be interlocked downward through the cam operation with the interlocking member  462 , or can lock with the web pad system  700  by the cradling projection  469  by returning to its original position with help of the resilient force of the spring  460  if no external force is present. The separating member  472  preferably fixated on the upper end of the projected cam  465  of the interlocking member  462  can be for separating the web pad system  700  when locking force of the locking member  468  has been released as the locking member  468  ascends through the cam operation with the projected cam  465  of the interlocking member  462 , from the web pad cradle  420 .  
         [0054]    There can be a plurality of inserting holes  471  at the lower end of the locking member  468  so that the locking member  468  can be inserted into the low end of the operational cam member  466 , e.g., the coupling projection  475  at the inner side of the cradle rear cover  440 . Preferably, the inserting hole  471  is long enough for the locking member  468  to interlock downward with help of the projection unit of the other side of the operational cam member  466  that interlocks downward through the cam operation with the interlocking member  462 .  
         [0055]    The separating member  472  can have a concave-convex shape. That is, a square pillar projection unit  471  can be projected on the upper side of the member, and a guide bar  474  can be inserted into both sides of the square pillar projection unit  473  for acting as a guide to help the separating member  472  to smoothly ascend/descend through the cam operation with the projection cam  465  of the interlocking member  462 . The separating member  472  can be united with the interlocking member  462  at its upper end, and have the projection cam  465  being inserted therein to facilitate ascending/descending of the square pillar projection unit  473  through the cam operation with the projection cam  465  that preferably moves to the same direction as the interlocking member  462  in conforming to the operation of the interlocking member  462 .  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 12 a  diagrammatically represents the state before a web pad system separating apparatus is operated. FIG. 12 b  diagrammatically represents the state where locking force of an exemplary locking member that locks the web pad system by the operation of the exemplary web pad system separating apparatus is being released. FIG. 12 c  diagrammatically represents the state where the web pad system of which locking force of the locking member having been released by the operation of the exemplary web pad system separating apparatus is being separated by a separating member.  
         [0057]    If the user wants to separate the web pad system  700  that is cradled onto the web pad cradle  420 , he/she can pull the separating handle  461 , as shown in FIG. 12 a . Then, the interlocking member  462  coupled to the separating handle  461  moves downward, and preferably one side of the operational cam member  466  where the cam operation involving a side cam  463  of the interlocking member  462  and the operational cam member  466  takes place, becomes open to the outside, and the projection unit  467  of the other side of the operational cam member  466  interlocks toward the locking member  468 , thereby pressuring the locking member  468 .  
         [0058]    Further, spring  470  of the locking member  468  having been pressuring by the projection unit  467  of the other side of the operational cam member  466  can be compressed, and the interlocking member  462  is pressured and downward, which is the same direction as the interlocking member  462 . At the same time, the cradling projection  469  of the locking member  468  can be pushed down, and, as FIG. 12 b  depicts, the locking force of the cradling projection  469  for locking the web pad system  700  can be released. In this manner, the web pad system  700  can be duly separated from the web pad cradle  420 .  
         [0059]    In case that the interlocking member  462  further descends despite of the locking force of the locking member  468  having already been released, as shown in FIG. 12 c , the square pillar projection unit  473  can ascend by traveling on the guide bars  474  on the both sides through the cam operation of the projection cam  465  and the separating member  472 . The square pillar projection unit  473  can push up the web pad system  700  without coupling force in the locking member  469 , and separates the web pad system  700  from the web pad cradle  420 .  
         [0060]    If the external force is no longer applied to the separating handle  461 , the interlocking member  462  and the locking member  468  can go back to their original positions preferably with help of resilient force of the spring  464  of the interlocking member  462  being freed from tension and the spring  470  of the locking member  468  being freed from compression. As described above, the web pad system  700  can be separated through the cam operation of the web pad system separating apparatus  460 .  
         [0061]    Embodiments of the present invention can provide a screen converting structure of a web pad system having a convertible screen from portrait mode to landscape mode or from landscape more to portrait mode, and a rotary cradle on which the web pad system is placed, and an arm attached to controllably pivot the rotary cradle to between prescribed heights related to a stand while providing a prescribed viewing angle relative to horizontal. Embodiments of the present invention can allow users to use the system in an appropriate mode more conveniently, for example, by rotating a cradle at a designated angle at anyplace.  
         [0062]    Embodiments of the present invention can provide a screen converting structure of a web pad system that includes an orientation switch that is fixated on peripheral surface for converting screen mode of the web pad system to portrait mode or landscape mode by switching by rotation of the web pad cradle, and a circumference projection that is formed on circumferential surface of the rotation guide member for switching the orientation switch to make the screen mode of the web pad system converted to portrait mode or landscape mode when the cradle rotates at a designated angle. Embodiments of the present invention provides more convenience to users with their work, in which the users can rotate a cradle and change a height on which the web pad system is cradled at a designated angle to be appropriate for users&#39; viewing angles or particular places, and a screen mode of the web pad system can be correspondingly updated.  
         [0063]    The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. The description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Technology Category: 3