Patent Application
20130308263
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to laptop computers, and particularly to a laptop keyboard tilting assembly that selectively slants the keyboard into a more comfortable position, thereby reducing potential fatigue and injuries.
2. Description of the Related Art
Laptop computers and other similar portable computing devices have become prevalent in many facets of life. These devices allow a person to be productive anywhere. While being very convenient and utilitarian, the ergonomics of the typical laptop computer has not changed much since its inception. The typical laptop computer consists of a base keyboard housing, which houses the majority of the internal electronics, inputs, ports, etc. and a foldable monitor. The keyboard is typically substantially flat or slightly angled, but this orientation is static or fixed. Over time, this orientation of the keyboard can stress and fatigue the user's arms, wrist, hands and fingers. Due to the amount of time one may spend using laptop computers, whether for work or personal enjoyment, there exists a real concern for potential harm from such maladies as carpal tunnel syndrome.
When typing on a keyboard for any extended length of time, it is generally more comfortable to have the keyboard angled more than a few degrees so that the hands can be placed in a more relaxed position. For example, many keyboards for desktop computers include foldable legs at the back of the keyboard that will elevate the rear of the keyboard when placed atop a desk and place the keyboard at a more comfortable position for most users.
Similar solutions have been proposed with respect to laptop computers. One solution involves a sub-base housing underlying the keyboard base. The sub-base housing includes an integrated levering mechanism that elevates and supports the rear portion of the keyboard base as the monitor unfolds. While functional, this adds bulk and additional hardware, which detracts from the portable aspects of laptop computers. Another solution involves the use of extensions or legs on the monitor that cause the keyboard base to assume an angled position as the monitor unfolds. These legs provide adequate support and facilitate the desired elevation, but any structural extension of this nature can be prone to accidental damage or breaks from normal wear.
Thus, a laptop keyboard tilting assembly solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
The laptop keyboard tilting assembly includes at least one friction articulating-hinge assembly pivotally attached to a monitor and keyboard base or section of a laptop computer. The articulating-hinge assembly includes at least two pivots, one pivot being connected to the monitor, and the other pivot being connected to the keyboard base. Rotation of the monitor in one direction unfolds the laptop computer, and rotation of the keyboard base in the opposite direction tilts the keyboard base into a more comfortable angle for typing, which reduces user strain and prevents potential injuries, especially for extended sessions.
These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.
The laptop keyboard tilting assembly, a first embodiment of which is generally referred to in
Each articulating hinge mechanism 20 is a friction hinge that includes an elongate leaf, beam or connector arm 22 having a relatively short cylindrical first pivot 24 at one end and a relatively short cylindrical second pivot 26 at the opposite end, each pivot defining respective first and second axes of rotation. The length of the connector arm 22 is preferably about the same as the thickness of the overall laptop computer in order to avoid protrusions that can potentially snag on objects, as well as for aesthetics. The first pivot 24 pivotally connects the connector arm 22 to the keyboard base 12, and the second pivot 26 pivotally connects the connector arm 22 to the monitor 14. The pivotal connections are preferably friction enhanced so that the relative positions of the keyboard base 12 and the monitor 14 can be maintained when folded and unfolded in the position desired by the user. The friction hinges are known in the art. The connector arm 22 can be a housing for the first and second pivots 24, 26 that has space therein permitting wires to be threaded between the keyboard base 12 and the monitor 14 in order to transmit power and data therebetween.
In use, the user unfolds the monitor 14 in one direction from the keyboard base 12 to or past perpendicular with respect to the keyboard base 12, as indicated by the arrow 17. While holding the monitor steady 14, the keyboard base 12 is pushed towards the monitor 14 to thereby cause the connector arm 22 to rotate about the second pivot 26 and simultaneously cause the keyboard base 12 to rotate about the first pivot 24 in the opposite direction from the unfolding monitor 14, as indicated by the arrow 19, until the desired inclination or tilt of the keyboard base 12 has been established by the user. Now the user is free to type more comfortably without undue strain. It has been found that a tilt angle of about 20°-30° degrees with respect to the support surface of the laptop computer is comfortable for most users. The above is a preferred manner of tilting the keyboard base 12, but it should be understood that other methods can be used to obtain similar results, such as resting the spine of the laptop computer on the support surface and simultaneously unfolding both sections of the laptop computer.
An alternative embodiment of a laptop keyboard tilting assembly 100 is shown in
Each articulating hinge mechanism 120 is a friction hinge that includes an elongate first connector arm 130 and an elongate second connector arm 140 pivotally connected to each other about a common pivot. The first connector arm 130 includes a cylindrical first pivot 132 at one end and a cylindrical second pivot 134 at the opposite end. Similarly, the second connector arm 140 includes a cylindrical first pivot 142 at one end and a cylindrical second pivot 144 at the opposite end. The first pivot 132 of the first connector arm 130 is pivotally attached to the keyboard base 112 and defines a first axis of rotation. The first pivot 142 of the second connector arm 140 is pivotally attached to the monitor 114 and defines a second axis of rotation. The first connector arm 130 and the second connector arm 140 are pivotally connected to each other at the second pivots 134, 144, which together define a third axis of rotation. All of the pivot connections are preferably friction enhanced, and both the first and second connector arms 130, 140 can include space for threading necessary wires.
In use, the laptop computer can be unfolded in a similar manner as that described above to set the desired tilt for the keyboard base 112, as indicated by the arrows 117, 119. However, the three different axes of rotation provide the user with finer adjustments of the tilt and of the relative positions of the keyboard base 112 and the monitor 114, e.g., in addition to the tilt, the relative distance between the keyboard 112 and the monitor 114 can be adjusted and set.
A further alternative embodiment of a laptop keyboard tilting assembly is shown in
A still further alternative embodiment of a laptop keyboard tilting assembly 300 is shown in
A still further alternative embodiment of a laptop keyboard tilting assembly 400 is shown in
The schematic diagrams of
The above embodiment is exemplary of a hinge mechanism where one end is fixed to the monitor or to the keyboard base of a laptop computer. As such, any of the previous embodiments can be similarly constructed so that one of the pivots is not a pivot, but rather a permanent, fixed connection to either the monitor or the keyboard.
A still further alternative embodiment of a laptop keyboard tilting assembly 500 is shown in
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
