Laptop Base Foot Structure for Touchscreen Tilt Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laptops with touch screen interfaces tend to tilt backwards due to the weight imbalance caused by the glass display screen, posing a usability issue as designers strive to transition to touch screen systems while maintaining portability.
Innovation Solution
A base support structure with at least one back foot and one front foot, attached to a base housing, separated by a predetermined spacing, featuring a front foot constructed from a first material bonded with a second material, including cavities for enhanced stability and suction/adhesive force to secure the laptop to a solid surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a glass display screen is used for touch screen interface, then touch screen functionality is achieved, but weight imbalance causes the laptop to tilt backwards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies counterweight principle by designing a base support structure with front feet positioned to balance the weight distribution. The front feet act as counterweights that offset the backward tilting force generated by the heavy glass display screen, thereby maintaining laptop stability while preserving touch screen functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent addresses the stability issue by introducing a spatial dimension solution - positioning support feet at specific locations in the base segment. This dimensional approach distributes the laptop's weight across multiple contact points with the surface, creating a stable geometric configuration that prevents backward tilting.
2Weight of moving object
If the laptop is made lighter for portability, then portability is improved, but the glass display screen becomes a significant weight causing tilting
Solution Approach 1:
The base support structure with strategically positioned front feet serves as a counterweight mechanism that compensates for the disproportionate weight of the glass display screen. This allows the laptop to maintain overall lightness for portability while the support structure locally balances the weight distribution to prevent tilting.
3Reliability
If the contact mechanism is designed to withstand touch screen interaction forces, then stability during interaction is improved, but the complexity of the base support structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base support structure is segmented into multiple independent feet (front feet and back feet) rather than a single monolithic support. This segmentation allows each foot to independently contact the surface and bear specific loads, simplifying the overall design while maintaining reliability during touch screen interactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The base support structure acts as an intermediary between the laptop body and the surface. It mediates the forces generated during touch screen interactions by distributing them across multiple contact points, thereby protecting the laptop's internal components from direct impact while maintaining stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The base support structure effectively prevents tilting of laptops by providing a stable contact mechanism that withstands touch screen interaction forces and radial forces, ensuring the laptop remains stable and balanced during use.
Implementation Method 1
The first material has at least one cavity and the at least one front foot is designed to provide a contact mechanism designed to withstand an impact of a touch screen interaction force and/or a radial force when opening or accessing the display. The contact mechanism secures the laptop to a solid surface on which the laptop is placed.
Implementation Method 2
molding into the first material at least one cavity, with each cavity configured to be a particular size and located at specific respective locations distributed within the first material in order to support a front foot design that can provide at least a pre-determined amount of suction/adhesive force placed on the solid surface
Implementation Method 3
the second material is bonded to the first material using an injection molding procedure
Implementation Method 4
the second material has a specific level of 'softness' and/or pliability which provides enhanced surface area contact with the solid surface when a downward force is applied to the enhanced front foot
Data Source
AI summary
A base support structure eliminates tilting of laptops and similar user devices. The base support structure comprises at least one back foot and at least one front foot that is constructed using a first material bonded to a second material. The first material has at least one cavity and is designed to provide a contact mechanism designed to withstand an impact of a touch screen interaction force and/or a radial force when opening or accessing the display. The contact mechanism secures the laptop to a solid surface on which the laptop is placed with at least a first amount of force. The front foot/feet and the back foot/feet are attached to a base housing of a base segment of the laptop and separated by a relative spacing pre-determined to enable enhanced stability of the laptop.