Double-Hinged Laptop Display with Telescoping Sidebars
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Solution Overview
Problem
In confined spaces, such as airplane seats, it is difficult to fully open a display screen of electronic devices like laptops due to limited rear space, making it hard to view the screen while efficiently working on the keyboard.
Innovation Solution
A double-hinged system is implemented, with telescoping sidebars on both sides of the laptop, allowing the display screen to rotate and move towards the user, enabling full viewing and keyboard access by compressing the variable-length sidebar.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single fixed hinging system is used to couple the display unit and keyboard unit, then the structure is simple and reliable, but the display screen cannot be fully opened in confined spaces like airplane seats
Solution Approach 1:
The single hinging system is divided into two separate hinging systems: a first hinging system coupling the display unit to a first support portion, and a second hinging system coupling the keyboard unit to a second support portion. This segmentation allows independent movement of each component, enabling the display screen to open fully in confined spaces while maintaining structural simplicity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vertical support structure that extends upward from the keyboard unit, creating a new spatial dimension for the hinging systems to operate in. This vertical dimension allows the display screen to rotate and open without requiring horizontal space behind the laptop, solving the confined space problem while adding controlled complexity through the vertical support architecture.
2Ease of operation
If the laptop is moved closer to the user to enable keyboard access, then keyboard efficiency improves, but the display screen cannot be fully opened due to limited rear space
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the support structures into two independent portions with respective hinging systems, the patent enables the display unit and keyboard unit to move independently. This allows the laptop to be positioned closer to the user for optimal keyboard access while the display screen can still rotate fully open through the first hinging system, resolving the conflict between keyboard accessibility and display opening capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical support structure acts as an intermediary element that provides the necessary spatial buffer between the keyboard unit and the display unit. This intermediary structure enables both components to be optimally positioned for user interaction while maintaining full display opening capability through the dual hinging system architecture.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the display screen is rotated upward to enable viewing, then viewing capability improves, but the keyboard becomes inaccessible in confined spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The dual hinging system allows the display unit and keyboard unit to be supported by separate structures. The first hinging system enables the display screen to rotate upward for viewing, while the second hinging system maintains the keyboard unit in an accessible position. This segmentation decouples the movement of the display from the keyboard, allowing both viewing capability and keyboard accessibility to be optimized simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical support structure introduces a vertical dimension that allows the display screen to rotate upward without requiring horizontal space. This vertical movement dimension enables full display viewing capability while the keyboard unit remains horizontally accessible, resolving the conflict between viewing capability and keyboard accessibility in confined spaces.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system are provided in which a display screen of an electronic device such as a laptop computer is double-hinged to a base or keyboard unit in such a manner as to allow the display screen to be opened while the bottom portion of the display screen is free to rotate toward a user to enable the user to view the display screen when little or no space is available at the rear of the display screen. A double-hinged arrangement including an extendable coupling is provided at the sides of the laptop such that there is access to the keyboard when the display screen is rotated upwardly and the bottom of the display screen is moved toward the user.