Structural device cover

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10999944-B2
Application number	US-201615139197-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2016
Priority date	Apr 26, 2016
Publication date	May 4, 2021
Grant date	May 4, 2021

Abstract

The description relates to devices that can include a hollow arm that has an open side and a cover engaging region around the open side. The cover engaging region defines a first width at the open side, a second width farther from the open side, and a third width that is farther from the open side than the first width and the second width. The device can also include an arm cover that includes an arm engaging region. The arm engaging region can define a fourth width at the open side, a fifth width farther from the open side, and a sixth width that is farther from the open side than the fourth width and the fifth width. The sixth width can be greater than the fifth width and the second width and less than the first width and the fourth width.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
a base assembly that is configured to define a lower axis of rotation;
a display assembly including a display that is configured to rotate around an upper axis of rotation; and,
an arm assembly extending from the base assembly at the lower axis of rotation to the display assembly at the upper axis of rotation, the arm assembly comprising a hollow arm and an arm cover, wherein the hollow arm includes an open side for receiving the arm cover, an outward facing surface of the arm cover defining a protuberance, the hollow arm defining an undercut within the open side, the protuberance of the arm cover contacting the undercut of the hollow arm to secure the hollow arm and the arm cover without fasteners and where the protuberance is concealed by an outer surface of the hollow arm and an upper surface of the arm cover.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein a single cross section of the arm cover taken transverse to a long axis of the hollow arm defines a first width proximate the open side, a second width, and a third width at the protuberance, the second width in between the first width and the third width, and wherein the second width is less than the first width and the third width.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the hollow arm defines an outer surface and upper and lower inwardly facing surfaces that are neither parallel nor perpendicular to the outer surface, the lower inwardly facing surface being associated with the undercut, and wherein the first width is defined at an intersection of the outer surface and the upper inwardly facing surface.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the second width is defined at an intersection of the upper inwardly facing surface and the lower inwardly facing surface.

5. The device of claim 3 , wherein the third width is defined on the lower inwardly facing surface distal from the upper inwardly facing surface.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the arm cover defines an upper surface and upper and lower outwardly facing surfaces, the lower outwardly facing surface being associated with the protuberance.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein a single cross section of the arm cover taken transverse to a long axis of the hollow arm defines a first width at the upper outwardly facing surface and a second width in between the first width and a third width, the single cross section defining the third width at the lower outwardly facing surface, and wherein the second width is less than the first width and the third width.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the first width is defined at an intersection of the upper surface and the upper outwardly facing surface.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the second width is defined at an intersection of the upper outwardly facing surface and the lower outwardly facing surface.

10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the third width is defined on the lower outwardly facing surface distal from the upper outwardly facing surface.

11. The device of claim 7 , wherein the hollow arm defines upper and lower inwardly facing surfaces and contact between the lower inwardly facing surface and the lower outwardly facing surface creates a downward force on the arm cover.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the downward force keeps the upper outwardly facing surface in contact with the upper inwardly facing surface.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the hollow arm defines an outer surface and the arm cover defines an upper surface and wherein the upper surface and the outer surface define an edge of the arm assembly.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the outer surface and the upper surface are perpendicular to one another.

15. The device of claim 13 , wherein the outer surface and the upper surface form an oblique angle relative to one another.

16. A device, comprising:
a base assembly that is configured to define a lower axis of rotation;
a display assembly including a display that is configured to rotate around an upper axis of rotation; and,
an arm assembly extending from the base assembly at the lower axis of rotation to the display assembly at the upper axis of rotation, the arm assembly comprising:
a hollow arm defining a hollow interior space, the hollow arm having an outer surface and an inwardly facing surface, and
an arm cover having an upper surface and an outwardly facing surface, the hollow arm including an open side for receiving the arm cover, the outer surface of the hollow arm and the upper surface of the arm cover defining an outer perimeter of the arm assembly at a cross section of the arm assembly taken transverse to a long axis of the arm assembly, the inwardly facing surface of the hollow arm and the outwardly facing surface of the arm cover having a slanted profile that slopes back towards the outer surface of the hollow arm with increasing distance from the upper surface of the arm cover.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the outwardly facing surface is inclined relative to the upper surface of the arm cover.

18. The device of claim 16 , wherein the inwardly facing surface comprises an upper inwardly facing surface and the hollow arm includes an undercut below the upper inwardly facing surface and wherein the outwardly facing surface comprises an upper outwardly facing surface, and wherein the arm cover includes an arm engaging region below the upper outwardly facing surface, and wherein the arm engaging region engages the undercut to bias the upper outwardly facing surface against the upper inwardly facing surface.

19. A device, comprising:
a base assembly that defines a lower axis of rotation;
a display assembly including a display that rotates around an upper axis of rotation; and,
an arm assembly extending from the base assembly at the lower axis of rotation to the display assembly at the upper axis of rotation, the arm assembly comprising:
a hollow arm defining an opening along an open side, the hollow arm including protuberances on either side of the opening that define an opening width along a cross-section of the arm assembly taken transverse to a long axis of the arm assembly, and
a removable arm cover positioned inside the opening of the hollow arm and contributing structurally to the hollow arm, wherein, an arm cover width along the cross-section at a location on the removable arm cover further inside the opening than the protuberances is greater than the opening width of the hollow arm at the protuberances, such that the hollow arm is temporarily deflected outwardly to widen the opening width while the removable arm cover is allowed to pass through to be secured in the opening.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the opening width is the narrowest width of the opening at the cross-section.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Park Daniel C
• Hewett Anthony J

Classifications

• F16M11/10

  around a horizontal axis {(F16M11/12 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G06F1/1616

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title

• F16M2200/041

  for balancing rotational movement of the head · CPC title

• F16M11/2021

  around a horizontal axis (F16M11/2035 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1601

  Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays (constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64) · CPC title