# US 2021/0242634 A1 · Reveal ports

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- Number: US 2021/0242634 A1
- Document ID: US20210242634A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/257,037
- Filed: 2018-09-25
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2018-09-25
- Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Inventors: Alan Reid Williamson; Clinton Troy Jensen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242634A1

## CPC

- H01R 13/6594: the shield being mounted on a PCB and connected to conductive members
- G06F 1/1633: {Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626}
- H01R 13/447: Shutter or cover plate
- H01R 13/60: Means for supporting coupling part when not engaged
- H01R 35/04: Turnable line connectors with limited rotation angle {with frictional contact members}
- G06F 1/1656: {Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203)}
- G06F 1/181: {Enclosures (for portable computers G06F1/1613)}
- G06F 1/182: {with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]}
- H01R 13/44: Means for preventing access to live contacts {(making use of a switch actuated by engagement of counterpart H01R13/7036)}
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

In an example, an apparatus includes a body moveable relative to a housing, a port coupled to the body, and a guide member to guide the body between positions to reveal the port. In another example, an electronics device includes a port area defined by a housing, a cover to cover the port area in a first orientation, a guide to allow the cover to rotate to a second orientation to reveal the port area, and a positioner member to bias the cover into the first orientation or the second orientation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a body moveable relative to the housing; the body including:
a first surface substantially parallel to a surface of the housing when the body is in a first position; and
a second surface substantially parallel to the surface of the housing when the body is in the first position;
a port coupled to the body, the port concealed within the housing when the body is in the first position; and
a guide member coupled to the body, the guide member to guide the body to move between the first position and a second position to reveal the port; the first surface to protrude from the housing when the body is in the second position and the second surface to withdraw into the housing when the body is in the second position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1; comprising:
a pivot about which rotates the body,
wherein:
an axis of rotation about the pivot is through the body aligned with the guide member; and
the first surface of the body and the second surface of the body are portions of a unitary cover.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:
the pivot is located in the center with respect to the body; and
the port is oriented at an angle that is less than 45 degrees with respect to the surface of the housing when the body is in the second position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, comprising:
a shroud around the unitary cover to contact walls of a cavity into which the second surface withdraws.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, comprising:
a positioner member coupled to the guide member, the positioner member having a detent to bias the guide member into a first orientation corresponding to the first position of the body or a second orientation corresponding to the second position of the body.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:
the positioner member is a spring arm, the spring arm having the detent that interfaces with a corresponding detent shape of a surface of the guide member; and
the guide member includes an over-center cam that follows the detent based on pressure placed on the body, such that sufficient pressure to flex the spring arm allows the guide member to rotate past the detent and lock the body into the first position or the second position depending on a location of the pressure placed on the body.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:
the positioner member includes a plurality of detents, the plurality of detents to bias the guide member into a plurality of positions corresponding to various degrees of orientation of the body.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, comprising:
a plurality of universal serial bus (USB) ports, each of the plurality of USB ports revealable based on a degree of orientation of the body member as guided by each of the plurality of positions of the guide member defined by the plurality of detents.

### Claim 9

An apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a first body member having:
a first surface that is substantially flush with the housing when the first body member is in a first orientation; and
a second surface that is oblique or perpendicular to the first surface;
a port integrated into the first body member and accessible on the second surface of the first body member; and
a second body member coupled to the first body member, the second body member to rotate in conjunction with rotation of the first body member, the second body member to rotate to a second orientation to reveal the port on the second surface of the first body member.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, comprising:
a multi-bar linkage comprising:
a bar connecting the first body member and the second body member, wherein:
the first body member is a first link of the multi-bar linkage that rotates about a first pivot coupled to the housing;
the second body member is a second link of the multi-bar linkage that rotates about a second pivot coupled to the housing; and
the bar is a third link of the multi-bar linkage.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, comprising:
a pinion coupled to the first body member and the second body member, such that movement of the first body member induces movement of the second body member via the pinion;
a first lip protruding from the first body member; and
a second lip protruding from the second body member, the first lip and second lip to rotate towards each other to reveal the port and away from each other to conceal the port.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:
the pinion; the first body member, and the second body member have teeth, where a gear ratio between the pinion to the first body member is different to the gear ratio between the pinion to the second body member.

### Claim 13

An electronics device, comprising:
a housing defining a port area; and
a cover to cover the port area when in a first orientation;
a guide to allow for rotation of the cover, the cover to rotate into a second orientation to reveal the port area such that at least part of the cover withdraws into the housing; and
a positioner member to bias the cover into the first orientation or the second orientation.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The electronics device of claim 13, comprising:
a button to rotate the cover via the guide; and
a port integrated in the cover, the port being an input/output port,
wherein the positioner member biases the cover into the first orientation when the button is inactive and the positioner member biases the cover into the second orientation when the button is active.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The electronics device of claim 14, wherein:
the positioner member includes a lock that secures the cover into the first orientation even when the button is activated.