Personal computer with folding and sliding keyboard

A personal computer comprising:

• first and second housings each having a generally rectangular parallelepiped configuration with predetermined length, width and depth dimensions;
• a hinge joining said first and second housings for pivotal movement of said housings one relative to the other about a housing axis parallel to lengthwise dimensions thereof;
• computer operating components mounted in said housings;
• and
• a keyboard assembly operatively associated with said housings and comprising:
• first and second keyboard portions each bearing manually engageable elements for entering characters and commands;
• and
• a joint operatively coupling said keyboard portions one to the other for pivotal movement one relative to the other about a keyboard axis and operatively coupling said keyboard portions with one of said housings for sliding movement relative thereto between a position superposed on said coupled housing and a position partially displaced from said coupled housing and partially overlying a lengthwise side edge thereof;
• said keyboard assembly being pivotable about said keyboard axis to length and width dimensions no greater than those of said housings, and said keyboard assembly further being connected to said computer operating components for entry of data signals to be processed by said computer operating components.

A personal computer comprising:

• a first housing having a generally rectangular parallelepiped configuration with predetermined length, width and depth dimensions;
• a second housing having a generally rectangular parallelepiped configuration with predetermined length, width and depth dimensions;
• a hinge joining said first and second housings for pivotal movement of said housings one relative to the other about an axis parallel to lengthwise dimensions thereof;
• a display housed within said first housing;
• and
• a keyboard assembly operatively associated with said second housing, said keyboard assembly comprising:
• a first keyboard portion bearing manually engageable elements for entering characters and commands;
• a second keyboard portion bearing manually engageable elements for entering characters and commands;
• a pin operatively coupling said keyboard portions one to the other for pivotal movement one relative to the other about a predetermined axis and operatively coupling said keyboard portions with said other housing for sliding movement relative thereto between a position superposed on said coupled housing and a position displaced from said coupled housing and partially overlying a lengthwise side edge thereof;
• said keyboard assembly being pivotable to length and width dimensions no greater than those of said housings, and said keyboard assembly further being connected to said display for entry of data signals.

A computer keyboard comprising:

• a first keyboard portion bearing manually engageable elements for entering characters and commands;
• a second keyboard portion bearing manually engageable elements for entering characters and commands;
• said keyboard portions each having a generally rectangular parallelepiped configuration with predetermined length, width and depth dimensions;
• said length dimensions of said portions being greater than said widthwise dimensions of said portions;
• a pin operatively coupling said keyboard portions one to the other for pivotal movement one relative to the other about a keyboard axis extending parallel to the depthwise dimensions of said portions;
• said keyboard portions being movable between a folded position in which lengthwise side edges of said first and second portions adjoin and an opened use position in which widthwise side edges of said first and second portions adjoin.