This application claims the benefit of Japanese Priority Patent Application JP 2013-112337 filed May 28, 2013, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to an electronic device.
JP-A-2009-230244, for example, describes an apparatus that slides and tilts up/down a display unit with respect to a main unit. This apparatus includes a main unit that has a keyboard on its upper face for inputting information, and a display unit that has on its upper face a display for displaying information. The apparatus slides and tilts up/down the display unit with respect to the main unit with a slide mechanism and a tilt up/down mechanism.
However, in the configuration described in JP-A-2009-230244, since the display unit is provided with a hinged support to the main unit at two locations on either end in the width direction of the main body, and a hinged support near the center in the depth direction of the main unit, the keyboard space can be severely restricted. Consequently, this makes it especially hard to widen the space in the depth direction of the apparatus, which can mean that only a very compact keyboard can be mounted in the flat space of the main unit. Therefore, it has been difficult to arrange constituent elements such as a touch pad or a palm rest in front of the keyboard.
Further, in the configuration described in JP-A-2009-230244, since a slide guide (groove) for sliding the display unit is provided at either end of the main unit, space in the main unit is taken up by this slide guide, which further hinders making the apparatus more compact and thin.
Consequently, a more compact and thinner apparatus with the maximum possible keyboard space has been expected.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an electronic device including a flat main unit provided with a keyboard, a flat display unit having a display face, the flat display unit configured to movably slide between a first state that overlaps the main unit and a second state that is erect with respect to the main unit, and a single hinge that is arranged so as to overlap the keyboard in the first state, and is configured to couple the main unit and the display unit together so that the display unit can move with respect to the main unit.
The hinge may be arranged so as to extend toward a center in a width direction of the keyboard in the first state.
A step may be provided so that an upper face of the keyboard is lower than an upper face of the main unit. In the first state a space may be formed between the main unit and a face of the display unit opposing the main unit.
In the first state, the hinge may be provided in the space.
An upper face of the keyboard may be slanted with respect to an upper face of the main unit.
The display unit may include a convex-shaped area on at least a part of a face opposing the main unit in the first state. In the first state, the convex-shaped area may take up at least a part of the space, and a predetermined module is arranged in the convex-shaped area.
In the first state, the convex-shaped area may be arranged on either side of the hinge in the space.
The predetermined module may include at least one of a circuit board on which an electronic part is mounted, a communication module, and a speaker.
A pointing device may be provided at an area on a near side of the keyboard.
Thus, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the maximum possible space for the keyboard can be obtained, and the apparatus can be made more compact and thinner.
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the appended drawings. Note that, in this specification and the appended drawings, structural elements that have substantially the same function and structure are denoted with the same reference numerals, and repeated explanation of these structural elements is omitted.
Hereinafter, the description will be given in the order as below.
1. Information processing apparatus appearance example
2. Link mechanism of main unit, display unit, and hinge
3. Utilization of the space provided between display unit and main unit
First, a schematic configuration of an information processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to
On the other hand,
For the purpose of a comparison with
On the other hand, in the present embodiment illustrated in
Further, by configuring so that the hinge 300 overlaps the keyboard 110, the usage area of the keyboard 110 can be increased without the position of the keyboard 110 being restricted by the position of the hinge 300. Consequently, the key pitch can also be increased. In addition, by configuring so that the hinge 300 overlaps the keyboard 110, the usage area of the hinge 300 widens, so that the lower edge of the display unit 200 can be moved as far as the back of the main unit 100 when in the state illustrated in
In addition, in the present embodiment, the hinge 300 is arranged at only one location in the center of the main unit 100. If, for example, the hinge 300 is arranged at two locations at either end of the main unit 100, a space for the hinges 300 would probably be provided at either end of the keyboard 110, meaning that the horizontal width of the main unit 100 would likely increase. Moreover, this may also mean that a concave portion, a groove or the like to avoid the hinges is provided on the main unit 100 at either end of the keyboard 110. Therefore, by arranging the hinge 300 at just one location in the center of the main unit 100, the information processing apparatus 1000 can be made as compact as possible, and the configuration of the information processing apparatus 1000 can be made simple so as to not harm the appearance.
Next, the configuration in which the hinge 300 is housed between the main unit 100 and the display unit 200 in the state illustrated in
Further, since the hinge 300 is provided at only one location in the center of the main unit 100, the space V exists also on either side of the hinge 300. In the present embodiment, a bulge (convex-shaped area) 200a that protrudes toward the keyboard 110 is provided on the rear side of the display unit 200 so as to take up the space V on either side of the hinge 300.
Based on this configuration, various modules can be arranged on the convex-shaped area 200a of the display unit 200.
Further, other modules, such as a speaker and a battery, may also be arranged on the convex-shaped area 200a. If a speaker is arranged on the convex-shaped area 200a, since a very large space can be used compared with the space on the main unit 100 side, a high audio quality speaker can be arranged. Compared with when arranged on the main unit 100, sound can be transmitted from a higher position, so that audio quality can be increased. Further, if a battery is arranged on the convex-shaped area 200a, the battery capacity can be increased.
Generally, modules that are noise generation sources, such as a motherboard, are arranged on the main unit 100. Consequently, it is desirable to arrange communication system modules, antennas and the like that are susceptible to the effects of noise on the convex-shaped area 200a of the display unit 200. This enables the effects of noise from the main unit 100 to be suppressed. If arranging an antenna, the antenna can also be effectively employed as a countermeasure against SAR. Further, a NFC (near field communication) device may also be mounted on the convex-shaped area 200a.
Thus, by arranging the upper face 110a of the keyboard 110 at an angle with respect to the upper face 100a of the main unit 100, a space V can be provided between the keyboard 110 and the display unit 200, and the hinge 300 can be arranged overlapping the keyboard 110. Further, by providing the space V between the keyboard 110 and the display unit 200, the convex-shaped area 200a can be provided on either side of the hinge 300. Therefore, the information processing apparatus 1000 can be made as small as possible by effectively utilizing the space V by arranging modules on the convex-shaped area 200a. These modules can be arranged without increasing the overall thickness of the information processing apparatus 1000. By arranging modules that would normally be arranged on the main unit 100 on the display unit 200 side, wasted space can be eliminated, and the information processing apparatus 1000 can be made more compact and lighter.
According to the present embodiment described above, in a configuration in which the display unit 200 surface-slides with respect to the main unit 100, since the hinge 300 is provided at only one location in the center of the main unit 100, the image processing apparatus 1000 can be made even more compact than when the hinge 300 is provided at either side of the main unit 100. Further, when the display unit 200 overlaps the main unit 100 (state illustrated in
It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
Additionally, the present technology may also be configured as below.
(1) An electronic device including:
a flat main unit provided with a keyboard;
a flat display unit having a display face, the flat display unit configured to movably slide between a first state that overlaps the main unit and a second state that is erect with respect to the main unit; and
a single hinge that is arranged so as to overlap the keyboard in the first state, and is configured to couple the main unit and the display unit together so that the display unit can move with respect to the main unit.
(2) The electronic device according to (1), wherein the hinge is arranged so as to extend toward a center in a width direction of the keyboard in the first state.
(3) The electronic device according to (1),
wherein a step is provided so that an upper face of the keyboard is lower than an upper face of the main unit, and
wherein in the first state a space is formed between the main unit and a face of the display unit opposing the main unit.
(4) The electronic device according to (3), wherein in the first state, the hinge is provided in the space.
(5) The electronic device according to (3), wherein an upper face of the keyboard is slanted with respect to an upper face of the main unit.
(6) The electronic device according to (3),
wherein the display unit includes a convex-shaped area on at least a part of a face opposing the main unit in the first state, and
wherein in the first state, the convex-shaped area takes up at least a part of the space, and a predetermined module is arranged in the convex-shaped area.
(7) The electronic device according to (6), wherein in the first state, the convex-shaped area is arranged on either side of the hinge in the space.
(8) The electronic device according to (6), wherein the predetermined module includes at least one of a circuit board on which an electronic part is mounted, a communication module, and a speaker.
(9) The electronic device according to (1), wherein a pointing device is provided at an area on a near side of the keyboard.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2013-112337 | May 2013 | JP | national |