US5764474A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Portable computer with tilting keyboard that exposes pointing device
Assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
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Filing: 1997-03-03
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Granted: 1998-06-09
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Expires: 2017-03-03
Abstract
Abstract A portable notebook computer has a base housing with a keyboard structure movably supported on its top side. The keyboard structure is movable relative to the base housing between a forwardly disposed, generally horizontal storage and transport orientation and a rearwardly shifted use orientation in which the keyboard structure is upwardly and rearwardly tilted. When the keyboard structure is in its storage and transport orientation a front side portion thereof covers an underlying pointing device, representatively a trackball device. When the keyboard structure is rearwardly shifted to its use orientation it uncovers the pointing device for operation by the computer user. Due to this vertical stacking of the keyboard structure and pointing device, the front-to-rear dimension of the computer base housing may be advantageously reduced. Additionally, due to the rearwardly and upwardly tilted use orientation of the keyboard structure its user operating comfort is enhanced.
Inventors
- 👤 John E. Youens
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 00:53
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/16; G06F1/1613; G06F1/1633; G06F1/1662; G06F1/1615; G06F1/1616; G06F1/1667; G06F1/1675; G06F1/1679; G06F1/1683; G06F1/1684; G06F1/169
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
Electronic apparatus comprising: a housing having a top side with front and rear portions; a user operable control structure disposed on said front portion of said top side; and a keyboard structure supported on said top side for movement relative thereto between: (1) a forwardly shifted storage and transport orientation in which a front side portion of said keyboard structure covers said user operable control structure; and (2) a rearwardly shifted use orientation in which said user operable control structure is exposed for user operation thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
Electronic apparatus comprising: a housing having a top side with front and rear portions; a user operable control structure disposed on said front portion of said top side; and a keyboard structure supported on said top side for movement relative thereto between: (1) a forwardly shifted storage and transport orientation in which a front side portion of said keyboard structure covers said user operable control structure; and (2) a rearwardly shifted use orientation in which said user operable control structure is exposed for user operation thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said user operable control structure is a pointing device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said keyboard structure in said use orientation thereof is upwardly and rearwardly tilted relative to said top side of said housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The electronic apparatus of claim 3 wherein said electronic apparatus is a portable computer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The electronic apparatus of claim 4 wherein: said portable computer is a notebook computer, and said housing is a base housing portion of said notebook computer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said keyboard structure has a generally flat configuration.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said keyboard structure has an upwardly dished configuration.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The electronic apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a latch structure associated with said housing and operative to releasably hold said keyboard structure in said rearwardly shifted use orientation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
132 words
A portable computer comprising: a base housing having a top side with front and rear portions; a lid housing pivotally secured to said base housing for movement relative thereto between open and closed positions, said lid housing having a display screen thereon; a user operable control structure disposed on said front portion of said top side; and a keyboard structure supported on said top side for movement relative thereto between: (1) a forwardly shifted storage and transport orientation in which a front side portion of said keyboard structure covers said user operable control structure, and (2) a rearwardly shifted use orientation in which said user operable control structure is exposed for user operation thereof and said keyboard structure is upwardly and rearwardly tilted relative to said top side of said base housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
132 words
A portable computer comprising: a base housing having a top side with front and rear portions; a lid housing pivotally secured to said base housing for movement relative thereto between open and closed positions, said lid housing having a display screen thereon; a user operable control structure disposed on said front portion of said top side; and a keyboard structure supported on said top side for movement relative thereto between: (1) a forwardly shifted storage and transport orientation in which a front side portion of said keyboard structure covers said user operable control structure, and (2) a rearwardly shifted use orientation in which said user operable control structure is exposed for user operation thereof and said keyboard structure is upwardly and rearwardly tilted relative to said top side of said base housing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The portable computer of claim 9 wherein said portable computer is a notebook computer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The portable computer of claim 9 wherein said user operable control structure is a pointing device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The portable computer of claim 9 further comprising a latch structure associated with said base housing and operative to releasably hold said keyboard structure in said rearwardly shifted use orientation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The portable computer of claim 9 wherein said keyboard structure has a generally flat configuration.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
59 words
The portable computer of claim 13 wherein: a front section of said keyboard structure is slidably retained by said base housing for front-to-rear movement relative thereto, and said portable computer further comprises a support member having an upper end pivotally connected to a rear section of said keyboard structure and a lower end pivotally connected to said base housing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The portable computer of claim 14 wherein said support member has a generally plate-shaped configuration.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
53 words
The portable computer of claim 15 wherein: said base housing has electronic circuitry therein, said support member has a passage extending therethrough between said upper and lower ends thereof, and said portable computer further comprises a ribbon cable member extending through said passage and electrically coupling said keyboard structure to said electronic circuitry.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
76 words
The portable computer of claim 13 wherein: said base housing has a cutout area formed in said top side thereof and having a rear edge portion, and said portable computer further comprises a spring structure operative to resiliently bias a rear section of said keyboard upwardly past said rear edge portion of said cutout area when said keyboard structure is in said storage and transport orientation thereof with said lid housing in said open position thereof.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
The portable computer of claim 9 wherein: said keyboard structure has an upwardly dished configuration, and said keyboard structure is slidably retained by said base housing for front-to-rear movement relative thereto along an arcuate path.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-06-08 | 2001-12-08 | 2002-06-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-08 | 2005-12-08 | 2006-06-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-08 | 2009-12-08 | 2010-06-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |