Hinge mechanism for cover panel of portable computer including slide mechanism
AssigneeBeaver Computer Corporation
InventorsJohn R. Hoving, Craig R. Davis, Michael J. Greaney, James R. Flom
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hinge mechanism for controlling the movement of the cover panel of a portable computer includes a pivot arm and a slide mechanism. The ends of the pivot arm are pivotally attached to the cover panel and to the housing of the computer, respectively. The cover panel is also pivotally attached to the slide mechanism, which slides along a track mounted in the housing of the computer. The pivot points provide a predetermined frictional resistance to rotational movement whereby the cover panel, which typically includes a display, may be stabilized in an upright position while the computer is in use.
Claims11
A portable computer comprising:
- a housing;
- a cover panel which covers a keyboard of said computer when said cover panel is in a closed position;
- a pivot arm pivotally connected to said cover panel at a first pivot point and pivotally connected to said housing at a second pivot point, said pivot arm allowing relative rotational movement between said cover panel and said housing so as to permit said cover panel to be lifted from said closed position to an upright position;
- a slide member pivotally connected to said cover panel at a third pivot point and slidably engaging a track in said housing, said slide member comprising a surface which mates with a surface of said track so as to maintain said slide member in a substantially fixed angular orientation as said cover panel is lifted to an upright position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.