Personal computing device covers having stands

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11930610-B2
Application number	US-202117543690-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2021
Priority date	Nov 19, 2019
Publication date	Mar 12, 2024
Grant date	Mar 12, 2024

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 cover for covering at least a portion of a computing device, the cover comprising:
a first panel rotatably coupled to a first chassis portion, the first chassis portion rotatably coupled to a second chassis portion at a first hinge defining a display fold line, the first and second chassis portions supporting first and second display portions that at least partially define a display, the first panel rotatably coupled to the first chassis portion at a second hinge; and
a second panel rotatably coupled to the second chassis portion at a third hinge, wherein the first and second panels are to rotate from the second hinge and the third hinge, respectively, to cause a first distal end of the first panel to contact and be releasably fixed to a second distal end of the second panel, the first panel and the second panel at least partially overlap one another and define a stand with a triangular cross-sectional profile, the stand to support the computing device in an upright position with an edge of the computing device on a surface, the edge perpendicular to the display fold line and spanning the first and second display portions.

2. The cover of claim 1 , wherein an outer portion of the first panel contacts an inner portion of the second panel when the first panel and the second panel at least partially overlap one another to define the stand with the triangular cross-sectional profile.

3. The cover of claim 1 , further including third and fourth panels, the third panel foldably coupled to a distal end of the first panel, the fourth panel foldably coupled to a distal end of the second panel.

4. The cover of claim 3 , wherein an inner surface of the third panel is to contact an outer surface of the fourth panel, and an outer surface of the fourth panel is to contact an inner surface of the first panel.

5. The cover of claim 1 , further including a chamfered corner on at least one of the first and second panels, the chamfered corner to define an angle at which the display is viewed.

6. The cover of claim 1 , wherein the first panel includes a compartment to receive a keyboard, the keyboard wirelessly coupled to the computing device.

7. The cover of claim 1 , wherein the third and fourth hinges are rigidly fixed to the first and second chassis portions, respectively.

8. A computing device comprising:
a first display portion;
a second display portion foldable relative to the first display portion at a first hinge defining a display fold line, the first and second display portions to at least partially define a display on a first side of the computing device; and
a foldable cover to be coupled to the computing device at a second side thereof opposite the first side, the foldable cover including:
a first panel rotatably coupled to the first display portion at a second hinge; and
a second panel rotatably coupled to the second display portion at a third hinge,

the first and second panels to rotate about the second hinge and the third hinge, respectively, to cause a first distal end of the first panel to contact and be releasably connected to a second distal end of the second panel, the first panel and the second panel at least partially overlap one another and define a stand with a triangular cross-sectional profile, the stand to support the computing device in an upright position with an edge of the computing device on a surface, the edge perpendicular to the display fold line and extending along the length of the first and second display portions, and
a first portion of the foldable cover has a first depth, a second portion of the foldable cover having a recess with a second depth smaller than the first depth to define a compartment having at least two walls to receive and retain a removable keyboard, the removable keyboard to wirelessly communicate with the computing device.

9. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the compartment includes a magnet to at least partially retain the keyboard at least partially within the compartment.

10. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the compartment includes a tab to retain the keyboard at least partially within the compartment.

11. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the compartment is in a fixed section of the cover, and the cover includes a folding section to retain the removable keyboard at least partially in the compartment when folded with respect to the fixed section.

12. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein, in response to the keyboard being detected in the compartment, the first display portion is to display content, and the second display portion is to display a virtual keyboard.

13. The computing device of claim 8 , further including a chamfered corner on at least one of the first display portion, the second display portion, or the cover.

14. The computing device of claim 8 , further including a tab on or proximate at least one of the first or second display portions, the tab to support the keyboard on the display when the keyboard is removed from the compartment.

15. A computing device comprising:
a first display portion;
a second display portion foldable relative to the first display portion at a first hinge along a display fold line, the first and second display portions to at least partially define a display of the computing device; and
a foldable cover to be coupled to the computing device, the foldable cover including:
a first panel rotatably coupled to the first display portion at a second hinge; and
a second panel rotatably coupled to the second display portion at a third hinge,

the first panel rotatable via the second hinge and the second panel rotatable via a third hinge to cause a first distal end of the first panel to releasably engage a second distal end of the second panel to define a stand with a triangular cross-sectional profile, the stand to support the computing device in an upright position with an edge of the computing device on a surface, the edge perpendicular to the display fold line and extending adjacent a length of the first and second display portions;
the first hinge including links to form a continuously curved profile extending from the first display portion to the second display portion, ones of the links arranged sequentially at rotatable ends thereof to define a curve that extends between the first and second display portions.

16. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the display extends across an inner side of the first hinge.

17. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein a first one of the links includes a protrusion to be received by an aperture of a second link of the links that is adjacent to the first link.

18. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein a first link of the links includes a first aperture and a second link of the links includes a second aperture, the first and second apertures to receive a pin to couple the first link to the second link.

19. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein a first angle between first and second links is identical to a second angle between third and fourth links of the links.

20. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the links are enclosed.

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

• G06F1/1656

  Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203) · CPC title

• G06F1/1669

  Detachable keyboards · CPC title

• G06F1/1681

  Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683) · CPC title