Personal computing device covers having stands

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11277929-B2
Application number	US-201916716867-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2019
Priority date	Nov 19, 2019
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

Personal computing device covers having stands are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a protective cover to at least partially cover a personal computing device. The cover includes a fixed panel to be thermally coupled to a chassis of the personal computing device to define a heatsink of the personal computing device, and a foldable panel to be rotatably coupled to the fixed panel via a hinge to support the personal computing device to stand at an angle from a surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A protective cover to at least partially cover a personal computing device, the cover comprising:
a first panel to be thermally coupled and fixed to a chassis of the personal computing device, the first panel to define a heatsink of the personal computing device; and
a second panel to be rotatably coupled to the first panel at a first fold line, to support the personal computing device to stand at an angle from a surface;
a third panel rotatably coupled to the second panel at a second fold line, at least one of the second or third panels including a kickstand; and
a fourth panel, the third panel rotatably coupled to the fourth panel at the first fold line, the first, second, third and fourth panels corresponding to four quadrants of an outer surface of the cover.

2. The cover as defined in claim 1 , further including a locking hinge operatively coupled between the second panel and the first panel.

3. The cover as defined in claim 1 , wherein when the second and third panels are folded together, a stand with a triangular cross-sectional profile is defined.

4. The cover as defined in claim 3 , wherein the first fold line is an angled fold line.

5. The cover as defined in claim 3 , further including a chamfered edge on at least one of the first or second panels.

6. The cover as defined in claim 1 , wherein the second and third panels define first and second kickstands, respectively, the first and second kickstands operatively coupled to a sync axle.

7. The cover as defined in claim 1 , further including a fifth panel to cover a display of the personal computing device, the fifth panel rotatably coupled to the third and fourth panels.

8. The cover as defined in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the second or third panels defines a compartment to receive and store a removable keyboard associated with the personal computing device.

9. The cover as defined in claim 1 , further including a graphite conductor extending from the first panel to the second panel to thermally couple the chassis to the second panel.

10. The cover as defined in claim 9 , further including a plate within the second panel, the plate thermally coupled to the graphite conductor.

11. The cover as defined in claim 1 , further including a heat pipe extending from the first panel to at least one of the second, third or fourth panels.

12. The cover as defined in claim 1 , further including a heat pipe extending from the first panel to the fourth panel, the first and fourth panels fixed to the chassis.

13. The cover as defined in claim 1 , wherein the fourth panel is rotatably coupled to the first panel at the second fold line.

14. A protective cover to at least partially cover a personal computing device, the cover comprising:
a first panel to be thermally coupled and fixed to a chassis of the personal computing device, the first panel to define a heatsink of the personal computing device; and
a second panel to be rotatably coupled to the first panel at a first fold line, to support the personal computing device to stand at an angle from a surface;
a third panel rotatably coupled to the second panel at a second fold line;
a fourth panel, the third panel rotatably coupled to the fourth panel at the first fold line, the first, second, third and fourth panels corresponding to four quadrants of an outer surface of the cover; and
a slide to accommodate a folding length variation associated with folding of at least one of the second, third or fourth panels.

15. A personal computing device comprising:
a chassis; and
a protective cover including:
a first panel thermally coupled and fixed to the chassis, the first panel to operate as a heat sink of the personal computing device,
a second panel rotatably coupled to the first panel at a first fold line, the second panel to support the personal computing device to stand at an angle from a surface,
a third panel rotatably coupled to the second panel at a second fold at least one of the second or third panels including a kickstand, and
a fourth panel, the third panel rotatably coupled to the fourth panel at the first fold line, the first, second, third and fourth panels respectively corresponding to first, second, third and fourth quadrants of an outer surface of the cover.

16. The personal computing device as defined in claim 15 , further including a slide to accommodate a folding length variation associated with at least one of the first or second panels.

17. The personal computing device as defined in claim 15 , wherein the second and third panels are to be folded into a stand having a triangular cross-sectional profile that contacts the surface.

18. The personal computing device as defined in claim 17 , wherein the second fold line is an angled fold line disposed between the second and third panels.

19. The personal computing device as defined in claim 17 , further including a chamfered edge on at least one of the second or third panels.

20. The personal computing device as defined in claim 15 , wherein the second and third panels define first and second kickstands, respectively, the first and second kickstands operatively coupled to a sync axle.

21. The personal computing device as defined in claim 15 , further including a fifth panel to cover a display of the personal computing device, the fifth panel rotatably coupled to the third and fourth panels.

22. The personal computing device as defined in claim 15 , wherein at least one of the second or third panels defines a compartment to receive and store a removable keyboard associated with the personal computing device.

23. The personal computing device as defined in claim 15 , further including a graphite conductor extending from the first panel to the second panel to thermally couple the chassis to the second panel.

24. The personal computing device as defined in claim 23 , further including a plate disposed within the second panel, the plate thermally coupled to the graphite conductor.

25. A method comprising:
coupling a heat generating source associated with a personal computing device to a chassis of the personal computing device;
thermally coupling a first panel of a protective cover of the personal computing device to the chassis to provide a heat sink of the personal computing device, the first panel fixed to the chassis; and
aligning the first panel, a second panel, a third panel and a fourth panel of the cover so that the second panel is deployed to support the personal computing device at an angle from a surface, the second panel rotatably coupled to the first panel at a first fold line, the third panel rotatably coupled to the second panel at a second fold line, at least one of the second or third panels including a kickstand, the third panel rotatably coupled to the fourth panel at the first fold line, the first, second, third and fourth panels corresponding to four quadrants of an outer surface of the cover.

26. The method as defined in claim 25 , further including defining the first fold line as an angled fold line.

27. The method as defined in claim 26 , further including defining a chamfered corner associated with the angled fold line on the second panel.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Ku Jeff
• Paavola Juha
• Carbone Mark
• Kulkarni Shantanu
• Makinen Mikko
• Fricke Gustavo

Classifications

• H05K5/03 Primary

  Covers · CPC title

• G06F1/1618

  the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure · CPC title

• H05K5/0226

  Hinges · CPC title

• G06F1/166

  related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle · CPC title

• G06F1/203 Primary

  for portable computers, e.g. for laptops · CPC title