US5691880A — Portable electronic apparatus having a hinge mech…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 99 words

A portable electronic apparatus comprising: a flat display unit; a box-shaped housing having a bottom wall; a circuit unit incorporated in said housing, and having a circuit board and a frame to support the circuit board; a hinge mechanism rotatably connecting said display unit to said housing, and having a stay which extends parallel to the bottom wall of said housing and cooperates with said bottom wall to sandwich said circuit unit; and a screw driven into said bottom wall through said stay and said circuit unit to fasten said circuit unit and said hinge mechanism to said housing.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 99 words

A portable electronic apparatus comprising: a flat display unit; a box-shaped housing having a bottom wall; a circuit unit incorporated in said housing, and having a circuit board and a frame to support the circuit board; a hinge mechanism rotatably connecting said display unit to said housing, and having a stay which extends parallel to the bottom wall of said housing and cooperates with said bottom wall to sandwich said circuit unit; and a screw driven into said bottom wall through said stay and said circuit unit to fasten said circuit unit and said hinge mechanism to said housing.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 63 words

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said frame is provided with a support wall to support said circuit board and a fastening section which has a top surface on which said stay is mounted, said fastening section extending in a direction of depth of said housing, and said stay having a length approximately the same as a depth of said fastening section.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 39 words

The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said housing has a plurality of bosses which extend upward from said bottom wall to receive the fastening section of said frame, and a screw is driven into each of the bosses.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 38 words

The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said frame extends in the direction of the width of said housing and has first and second end portions separated in said direction, each of said ends having said fastening section.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 48 words

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing is provided with, as well as said bottom wall, a bottom case having an open top, and a top cover to cover the open top of the bottom case, and said circuit unit is incorporated in said bottom case.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising first and second shield plates which cover said circuit unit and are fastened to the fastening section of said frame by said screw.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the circuit board of said circuit unit has a ground wiring pattern which is electrically connected to said first and second shield plates.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 134 words

A portable electronic apparatus comprising: a flat display unit; a box-shaped housing having a side wall with an opening and a bottom wall continuous with the side wall; a circuit unit incorporated in said housing and having a circuit board and a frame to support the circuit board; a hinge mechanism rotatably connecting said display unit to said housing and having a stay parallel to said bottom wall, the stay extending in a direction of a depth of said housing along the side wall of said housing in a region corresponding in position to said opening and cooperating with said bottom wall to sandwich said circuit unit; and a screw driven into said bottom wall through said stay and said circuit unit to fasten said circuit unit and said hinge mechanism to said housing.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 134 words

A portable electronic apparatus comprising: a flat display unit; a box-shaped housing having a side wall with an opening and a bottom wall continuous with the side wall; a circuit unit incorporated in said housing and having a circuit board and a frame to support the circuit board; a hinge mechanism rotatably connecting said display unit to said housing and having a stay parallel to said bottom wall, the stay extending in a direction of a depth of said housing along the side wall of said housing in a region corresponding in position to said opening and cooperating with said bottom wall to sandwich said circuit unit; and a screw driven into said bottom wall through said stay and said circuit unit to fasten said circuit unit and said hinge mechanism to said housing.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 51 words

The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said frame is provided with a fastening section having a top surface where said stay is mounted and extending in the direction of the depth of said housing, and said stay has a length approximately the same as a depth of said fastening section.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising first and second shield plates which cover said circuit unit and are fastened to the fastening section of said frame by said screw.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 45 words

The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said housing is provided with a cover, which has a cover support fixed on said housing and a cover member supported by the cover support and rotatable from a closing position to an opening position of said opening.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 51 words

The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said housing is provided with a bottom case having said bottom wall, said side wall and an open top, and also provided with a top cover to cover the top of the bottom case, and said circuit unit is incorporated in said bottom case.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 161 words

A portable electronic apparatus comprising: a flat display unit; a box-shaped housing provided with a bottom wall and a top wall opposing the bottom wall, the top wall having a from half portion where a key board is provided and a back half portion which has a display-supporting portion; a circuit unit incorporated in said housing, having a circuit board and a frame to support the circuit board, and being located underneath the back half portion of said top wall; a hinge mechanism rotatably connecting said display unit to the display-supporting portion of said housing and having a stay parallel to said bottom wall, said stay extending in a direction of a depth of said housing from said keyboard to said display-supporting portion and cooperating with said bottom wall to sandwich said circuit unit; and a screw driven into said bottom wall through said stay and said circuit unit, to fasten said circuit unit and said hinge mechanism to said housing.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 161 words

A portable electronic apparatus comprising: a flat display unit; a box-shaped housing provided with a bottom wall and a top wall opposing the bottom wall, the top wall having a from half portion where a key board is provided and a back half portion which has a display-supporting portion; a circuit unit incorporated in said housing, having a circuit board and a frame to support the circuit board, and being located underneath the back half portion of said top wall; a hinge mechanism rotatably connecting said display unit to the display-supporting portion of said housing and having a stay parallel to said bottom wall, said stay extending in a direction of a depth of said housing from said keyboard to said display-supporting portion and cooperating with said bottom wall to sandwich said circuit unit; and a screw driven into said bottom wall through said stay and said circuit unit, to fasten said circuit unit and said hinge mechanism to said housing.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 46 words

The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said frame has a fastening section extending in the direction of the depth of said housing, and said stay is mounted on the fastening section and has a length approximately the same as a depth of said fastening section.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said housing and said frame are made of synthetic resin, and said stay is made of metal.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-11-24	2001-05-26	2001-11-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-11-24	2005-05-26	2005-11-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-11-24	2009-05-26	2009-11-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Portable electronic apparatus having a hinge mechanism which rotatably connects a flat display unit to a housing incorporating a frame for supporting a circuit board

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