Information handling system low profile housing and hinge assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9891672-B2
Application number	US-201615132362-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2016
Priority date	Apr 19, 2016
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

A portable information handling system has a hinge assembly that rotationally couples lid and main portions with one or more communication cables passing between the lid and main portions. A flexible cover over the hinge assembly protects the cables and offers free rotational motion by stretching and compressing responsive to rotation of the lid and main portions relative to each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable information handling system comprising:
a housing having first and second portions;
a processor disposed in the first housing portion and operable to execute instructions to process information;
a memory disposed in the first housing portion and interfaced with the processor, the memory operable to store the information;
a display disposed in the second housing portion and interfaced with the processor and memory, the display operable to present the information as visual images;
a hinge assembly coupled to the first and second housing portions and operable to rotate the first and second housing portions relative to each other; and
a flexible cover coupled to the first and second housing portions over the hinge assembly, the flexible cover stretching and compressing responsive to rotation of the first and second housing portions relative to each other;
wherein the flexible cover comprises an elastic thermoplastic having raised portions extending outward, the raised portions separating during the stretching and moving together during the compressing.

2. The portable information handling system of claim 1 further comprising a decorative material coupled to the elastic thermoplastic.

3. The portable information handling system of claim 1 further comprising:
a chipset having graphics processing disposed in the first housing portion;
a timing controller disposed in the second housing portion; and
one or more cables interfacing the display and the chipset to communicate graphics information for the graphics processing to the timing controller, the cables running through the hinge assembly.

4. The portable information handling system of claim 3 wherein the hinge assembly comprises plural hinges and the cables run between first and second of the plural hinges.

5. The portable information handling system of claim 4 wherein the plural hinges are disposed with at irregular spacing intervals.

6. The portable information handling system of claim 1 further comprising a base cover disposed to couple to the housing portion to capture the hinge assembly.

7. A portable information handling system comprising:
a housing having first and second portions;
a processor disposed in the first housing portion and operable to execute instructions to process information;
a memory disposed in the first housing portion and interfaced with the processor, the memory operable to store the information;
a display disposed in the second housing portion and interfaced with the processor and memory, the display operable to present the information as visual images;
a hinge assembly coupled to the first and second housing portions and operable to rotate the first and second housing portions relative to each other;
a flexible cover coupled to the first and second housing portions over the hinge assembly, the flexible cover stretching and compressing responsive to rotation of the first and second housing portions relative to each other; and
a base cover disposed to couple to the housing portion to capture the hinge assembly.

8. The portable information handling system of claim 7 wherein the flexible cover comprises an elastic thermoplastic.

9. The portable information handling system of claim 8 further comprising a decorative material coupled to the elastic thermoplastic.

10. The portable information handling system of claim 8 wherein the elastic thermoplastic comprises raised portions extending outward, the raised portions separating during the stretching and moving together during the compressing.

11. The portable information handling system of claim 7 further comprising:
a chipset having graphics processing disposed in the first housing portion;
a timing controller disposed in the second housing portion; and
one or more cables interfacing the display and the chipset to communicate graphics information for the graphics processing to the timing controller, the cables running through the hinge assembly.

12. The portable information handling system of claim 11 wherein the hinge assembly comprises plural hinges and the cables run between first and second of the plural hinges.

13. The portable information handling system of claim 12 wherein the plural hinges are disposed with at irregular spacing intervals.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Hampton Patrick A
• Morrison John T

Classifications

• G06F1/1681 Primary

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

• G06F1/1662

  Details related to the integrated keyboard · CPC title

• G06F1/182

  with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI] · 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

• G06F1/1683

  for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling · CPC title