Electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9594400-B2
Application number	US-201514726936-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2015
Priority date	Dec 15, 2014
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

An electronic device includes a main body and an input body. The main body has a display unit and a first contact portion rotatably connected to the display unit. The first contact portion has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and at least one part of the first contact portion has a thickness smaller than a thickness of the display unit. The input body includes a second contact portion with a contact surface. When the input body is detachably connected to the main body, the display unit is operable to rotate with respect to the input body, and the contact surface of the second contact portion is operable to engage with the first or second surfaces of the first contact portion by surface-to-surface contacting.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a main body that includes a display unit and a first contact portion rotatably connected to the display unit, wherein the first contact portion comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a cross section of the first contact portion perpendicular to a rotating axis thereof is wedge-shaped wherein a distal portion has a thickness smaller than a thickness of a proximal portion; and
an input body that is detachably connected to the main body and that includes a second contact portion with a contact surface, wherein a cross section of the second contact portion is wedge-shaped, such that the cross section of the second contact portion is a cross section cut in a direction perpendicular to the rotating axis of the first contact portion when the input body is assembled to the main body,
wherein, when the input body is connected to the main body, the display unit rotates with respect to the input body, and the contact surface of the second contact portion engages with the first or second surfaces of the first contact portion by surface-to-surface contact, wherein when the input body is connected to the main body a distal portion of the input body has a thickness greater than a thickness of a proximal portion.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein, when the first contact portion is engaged with the second contact portion, a thickness of overlapping parts of the first and second contact portions is smaller than or equal to the thickness of the display unit.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the first contact portion is connected to the display unit by a rotating connector.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3 , wherein, in a direction perpendicular to a rotating axis of the rotating connector, the first contact portion has a length shorter than that of the display unit.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein, in at least one position, the first contact portion supports the main body on a supporting platform when the input body is detached from the main body.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein, in at least one position, the input body supports the electronic device on a supporting platform when the input body is assembled to the main body.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6 , wherein, the input body is rotatable with respect to the main body from 0° to 360°.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7 , wherein, when the input body is assembled to the main body, the input body rotates with respect to the main body at a predefined angle, so that the input body is lying on a supporting platform to support the electronic device, or an edge of the input body and an edge of the main body are contacting the supporting platform to support the electronic device.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the second contact portion is an edge portion of a housing of the input body.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising a positioning hole formed on the first contact portion and a positioning projection formed on the second contact portion, the positioning projection cooperatively engages the positioning hole to fix the input body with the main body.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10 , wherein, the positioning hole is formed as an elongated through-hole, and the positioning projection is formed into two positioning posts with adjustable spacing, the spacing between the two positioning posts is reduced so that the two positioning posts cooperatively engage the elongated through-hole, and the spacing is increased thereafter so that the two positioning posts are locked onto two ends of the elongated through-hole, respectively.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11 , further comprising a spring attached to the positioning posts to automatically increase the spacing between the two positioning posts after the two positioning posts are inserted into the positioning hole.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the main body is tablet computer.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the input body is a keyboard.

15. An electronic device having a main body that comprises:
a display unit; and
a first contact portion coupled to the display unit and rotatable with respect to the display unit, wherein the first contact portion includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a cross section of the first contact portion perpendicular to a rotating axis thereof is wedge-shaped wherein a distal portion has a thickness smaller than a thickness of a proximal portion;
wherein the first or second surface of the first contact portion detachably engages with a contact surface of a second electronic device by surface-to-surface contacting and, in at least one position, the first contact portion supports the electronic device on a supporting platform and wherein a cross section of the second electronic device is wedge-shaped, such that the cross section of the second electronic device is a cross section cut in a direction perpendicular to the rotating axis of the first contact portion and such that a distal portion of the second electronic device has a thickness greater than a thickness of a proximal portion when the second electronic device is assembled to the first contact portion.

Assignees

• Lenovo Beijing Co Ltd

Inventors

• Li Fenglang
• Bai Peng

Classifications

• G06F1/1616 Primary

  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

• G06F1/1654

  the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use · CPC title

• G06F1/1669

  Detachable keyboards · CPC title

• G06F1/1662

  Details related to the integrated keyboard · CPC title

• G06F1/1632 Primary

  External expansion units, e.g. docking stations · CPC title