JPH11143578A - Keyboard cover and information processor provided with the keyboard cover - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a keyboard cover capable of being used as a bookrest, etc., when a keyboard is not used without being attached/detached to/from and moved from an information processor immediately being used at the time of a keyboard operation and being moved and carried together with the information processor as one body. SOLUTION: This keyboard cover 1 is used for an information processor which has a computer body 10 and a display part 20 that is attached to the body 10 in a freely collapsible way and has a plate part 2 which covers a top of the keyboard 11, is a plate shape and is made of a member through which display content of the part 20 can be seen, turning parts 3 which are attached to one side of the part 2 in a freely turnable way, inserting parts 4 which are fixed to the parts 3, inserted into gaps on the side of folding parts between the body 10 and the part 20 in a freely insertable and pullable out way and spacers 5 which are projectingly provided on the part 2 and come into contact with the top of the body 10. The part 2 is turned to both the keyboard 11 and the part 20 through the parts 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a keyboard cover for use in an information processing apparatus such as a notebook or laptop personal computer in which a display unit is foldably attached to an apparatus main body having a keyboard.
By providing a plate-shaped keyboard cover for covering the keyboard of the apparatus main body so as to rotate on both the keyboard side and the display section side, the keyboard cover can be instantaneously attached and detached to and from the information processing apparatus without being moved. The present invention relates to a keyboard cover capable of switching use or non-use of a cover and capable of being moved and transported integrally with an information processing device, and an information processing device provided with the keyboard cover.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in information processing apparatuses such as personal computers called notebook type or laptop type,
Since the apparatus main body provided with the keyboard is installed on a desk and used, the occupancy of the area of the apparatus main body on the desk is large, which is one of the factors largely affecting the workability on the desk.

In particular, in today's offices and the like where space is being saved, improvement in the occupancy of the apparatus main body including such a keyboard is strongly demanded, and space, documents, books and the like for mouse operation are required. It is an important issue to secure the pace of various operations performed in parallel with the keyboard input operation on the same desk, such as the handling space, and to improve the operation environment.

[0004] On the other hand, in portable small information terminal devices and the like, operations are performed under extremely limited conditions such as outdoors or in a moving vehicle. In many cases, the operations are repeatedly and concurrently performed. For this reason, how to secure a working space for memo writing and the like in addition to the operation space for the keyboard is an extremely important problem, particularly in a small information terminal device.

Heretofore, in such an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer, there has been proposed a technique for effectively utilizing a space for installing a keyboard. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 64-24429 discloses an electronic information processing apparatus. There are known a data base for computers, a reading table for office equipment disclosed in JP-A-1-202478, and a current stand for a personal computer and the like described in JP-A-2-35218.

[0006] Each of the techniques described in these publications focuses on a space existing between an upper part of a keyboard and a lower part of a display of an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer.
In the space located between the keyboard and the display, the document mounting portion of the bookstand formed in a box shape or the like is projected so that the work of the information processing device can be performed while effectively using the limited work space of the office or the like. The goal is to improve efficiency.

[0007]

However, such a conventional technique requires a space between the keyboard and the display as a prerequisite, and is applicable to so-called desktop personal computers and the like. However, it cannot be used for an information processing apparatus such as a notebook personal computer or a portable information terminal in which the apparatus main body and the display unit are foldably integrated.

[0008] Further, such a conventional reading stand or the like is arranged below a large display unit installed on a desk, and therefore cannot be basically moved once installed. Therefore, it cannot be naturally applied to a portable information terminal device used outdoors or the like, and also in an office or the like, the information processing device is appropriately moved to use an empty space such as a desk. It could not be used effectively depending on the situation.

[0009] Furthermore, since the lectern stands protrude at a relatively high position in the space above the keyboard, it is not suitable for use in mouse operation, and as a result, the use is limited to devices such as word processors that do not involve mouse operation. There was also a problem.

The present invention has been proposed in order to solve such problems of the conventional technology. A plate-like keyboard cover for covering a keyboard of the apparatus body is provided on both the keyboard side and the display section side. By providing the keyboard cover to be rotated, the use or non-use of the keyboard cover can be switched instantly without attaching / detaching / moving the keyboard cover to / from the information processing apparatus. It can be used as a table or a mouse operation table, and when performing keyboard operations, the keyboard can be used immediately by simply turning the keyboard cover to the display side, and it can be moved and transported together with the information processing device. Especially small and portable information processing devices such as notebook personal computers and portable information terminals. And to provide an information processing device with a suitable keyboard cover and the keyboard cover.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a keyboard cover including an apparatus main body having a keyboard on an upper surface, and a display unit foldably attached to the apparatus main body. A keyboard cover for use in a folding foldable information processing device, wherein the plate cover is a plate-like member that covers an upper surface of the keyboard, and a plate portion through which display contents of the display unit can be seen through. Attaching means which is freely attached, and which is attached to the folding unit side of the device main body and the display unit,
And the plate unit is configured to rotate toward the keyboard and the display unit via the attachment unit.

According to the keyboard cover of the present invention having such a configuration, a plate-like keyboard cover for covering the keyboard of the apparatus main body is provided on both the keyboard side and the display unit side so as to be freely rotatable. When not performing keyboard operations, the keyboard cover can be turned to the keyboard side so that it can be used as a reading table or mouse operation table. The keyboard can be used immediately by simply turning it to the side.

[0013] This makes it possible to instantaneously switch between use and non-use of the keyboard cover according to the state of use of the information processing apparatus, eliminating the necessity of attaching / detaching or moving the keyboard cover to / from the information processing apparatus. The keyboard cover can be moved and transported integrally with the information processing device, and is particularly suitable for a small and portable information processing device such as a notebook personal computer or a portable information terminal.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the keyboard cover, the mounting means is rotatably mounted on the plate portion, and is fixed to the rotary portion. And an insertion portion that is inserted into and removed from the gap between the portions.

According to the keyboard cover of the present invention having such a configuration, the keyboard cover can be attached to the information processing apparatus only by inserting the attaching means into the gap of the folded portion of the information processing apparatus. Also, the attaching / detaching operation itself can be performed very easily.

The keyboard cover according to a third aspect of the present invention is configured such that a spacer is provided on the plate portion so as to protrude toward the apparatus main body and abut on the upper surface of the apparatus main body.

According to the keyboard cover of the present invention having such a configuration, when the plate portion is rotated toward the upper surface side of the keyboard, the spacer abuts on the upper surface of the apparatus main body, thereby moving the plate portion from the upper surface of the keyboard. It can be positioned at regular intervals, and even if you write a memo or operate the mouse on the plate, the plate does not touch the keyboard, and the keyboard may be pressed or damaged by the plate. Absent.

The keyboard cover according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is configured such that the plate portion is provided with a locking portion projecting toward the display portion side and locking the display portion.

According to the keyboard cover of the present invention having such a configuration, when the plate portion is rotated to the display portion, the locking portion is locked to the display portion, so that the plate portion is moved to the keyboard side. The plate portion can be fixed at a position where the display portion is easy to see without falling down, and the input operation of the keyboard can be performed with confidence. In addition, even when the plate portion is used as a reading table, the locking portion serves as a stopper for a document or the like, so that the document or the like does not fall off the plate portion.

Further, the keyboard cover according to claim 5 is configured such that the plate portion is slidably mounted on the mounting means in a horizontal direction.

According to the keyboard cover of the present invention having such a configuration, the plate portion can be slid in the horizontal direction. For example, the plate portion is further slid in the horizontal direction with the plate portion turned to the keyboard side. As a result, the input operation of the keyboard can be performed while using the plate portion for writing a memo or the like, so that a wider range of use can be performed according to the use situation.

Further, an information processing apparatus provided with a keyboard cover according to claim 6 is a foldable information processing apparatus comprising a device main body having a keyboard on an upper surface and a display unit foldably attached to the device main body. So,
A plate-shaped member for covering the upper surface of the keyboard, a plate portion through which display contents of the display portion can be seen, and a plate portion rotatably attached to one side of the plate portion, and a folding portion between the device body and the display portion. A keyboard cover having a fixing means fixed to the side is provided, and the plate portion is configured to rotate toward the keyboard and the display unit via the mounting means.

According to the keyboard cover of the present invention having the above-described structure, the keyboard cover is designed and mounted integrally with the information processing apparatus by fixing the keyboard cover to the information processing apparatus side and integrally providing the keyboard cover. Can be made to correspond to the structure and shape of each information processing device using the keyboard cover,
For example, it can be stored in a foldable personal computer with the keyboard cover attached.

[0024]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the keyboard cover of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First Embodiment First, a first embodiment of the keyboard cover of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the keyboard cover according to the present embodiment before being attached to an information processing apparatus. 2 and 3 are perspective views of a state in which the keyboard cover is turned to the apparatus body side, and FIG. 3 is a state in which the keyboard cover is turned to the display unit side. It shows the state where it was turned on. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part showing an attachment unit of the keyboard cover according to the present embodiment.

As shown in these figures, the information processing apparatus used for the keyboard cover 1 according to the present embodiment is a notebook type including a computer main body 10 and a display section 20 which is foldably attached to the computer main body 10. ,
It is a foldable personal computer called a laptop.

The computer 1 has a keyboard 1
1 and various drives (not shown) are provided.
A display unit 20 foldably attached to the computer main body 10 has a display screen 21 made of a liquid crystal display device or the like, similar to an ordinary personal computer or the like.
And constitute a display unit in a general information processing apparatus.

The display section 20 is foldably attached to the computer main body 10 via a hinge section 30 at the lower end, thereby constituting a foldable personal computer.

The hinge portion 30 rotatably connecting the computer main body 10 and the display portion 20 has the same structure as that used in a normal folding personal computer, and has an arbitrary angle. Can be stopped at Also, as shown in FIG. 1, an indicator 12 for displaying the ON / OFF state of the power supply of the computer, the remaining amount of the battery, and the like is visually recognized by the user using the curved surface of the hinge portion on the rear end side of the computer main body 10. The speaker 13 is disposed in a vacant space on the front side of the upper surface of the computer main body 10 so as to be located near the user.

Then, the keyboard cover 1 according to the present embodiment is detachably attached to the foldable personal computer having such a configuration. This keyboard cover 1 has a plate 2
And mounting means (rotating part 3, insertion part 4) for attaching the plate part 2 to the computer main body 10 side.

The plate section 2 is formed of a plate-like member large enough to cover the upper surface of the keyboard 11 and the display screen 21 of the display section 20. That is, the plate portion 2 is a plate-like member having at least the same area as the upper surface of the keyboard 1 and the area of the display screen 21, and as described later,
The display screen 2 of the keyboard 11 or the display unit 20 is pivoted toward the keyboard 11 or the display unit 20 via the attachment means.
1 is covered. And this plate part 2
Is formed of a member through which the display contents of the display screen 21 of the display unit 20 can be seen through, for example, a colorless and transparent plastic plate or the like.

The mounting means is rotatably mounted on one side of the plate section 2 and is mounted on the folding section side of the computer main body 10 and the display section 20. 2 can be pivoted toward the keyboard 11 and the display unit 20, respectively.

More specifically, the mounting means includes a rotating portion 3 rotatably mounted on the plate portion 2 and a gap between the folding portion of the computer body 10 and the display portion 20 fixed to the rotating portion 3. And an insertion portion 4 that can be inserted into and removed from the insertion portion 4.

As shown in FIG. 4, the rotating portion 3 is a tubular member rotatably mounted on one side of the plate portion 2. In the present embodiment, the rotating portion 3 has two portions on one side of the plate portion 2. Is provided with a rotating part 3.

As shown in FIG. 4, the insertion section 4 is a thin plate-like member having one end fixed to the rotating section 3, and as shown in FIGS. It can be inserted into the gap in the folded part.

The insertion portion 4 may be of any shape and material as long as it is thin enough to be inserted into and removed from the gap between the computer body 10 and the folded portion of the display portion 20. It is preferable that the main body 10 and the display section 20 are formed of a flexible member such as a leaf spring so that the main body 10 and the display section 20 can be inserted along the curved shape.

There are various improved embodiments of the mounting means. For example, a normal rotatable means such as a hinge can be used as the rotating portion 3. Further, such a configuration that the rotating part 3 and the plate part 2 are attached to each other so as to be able to stop at an arbitrary angle may be adopted. Further, in the present embodiment, the attachment means is provided at two places on one side of the plate portion 2, but the attachment means may be provided at one place or at three or more places depending on the shape and size of the information processing device used. It can also be.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the plate portion 2 has a spacer 5 protruding toward the computer main body 10 and abutting on the upper surface of the computer main body 10.
Is protruding. The spacer 5 allows the plate portion 2
When the is rotated to the upper surface side of the keyboard 11, the plate portion 2 can be positioned at a fixed interval from the upper surface of the keyboard 11 as shown in FIG.
Does not come into contact with the upper surface of the keyboard, so that the keyboard 11 is not pushed or the plate portion 2 is not damaged.

Therefore, it is desirable that the height of the spacer 5 be larger than at least the thickness of the keyboard 1. Note that, depending on the shape and height of the keyboard 11, the structure of the computer body 10, and the like, the protruding height and shape of the spacer 5 can be appropriately changed, and the spacer 5 can be omitted. For example, the keyboard 11 is set lower than the upper surface of the computer
In a case where the keyboard 11 does not contact the keyboard 11 even when it is rotated, the spacer 5 may be omitted.

Next, the operation of the keyboard cover of this embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described. First, when the keyboard cover of the present embodiment is attached to a personal computer using the computer body, the computer main body 10 and the display section 20 are unfolded as shown in FIG. And display unit 2
0 is inserted into the gap of the folded part.

Thus, the keyboard cover 1 can be attached to the personal computer side.
The keyboard cover 1 is detachable from the personal computer, and the detaching operation itself can be performed very easily.

Next, when the keyboard 11 is not used, as shown in FIG.
1 is rotated to the upper surface side to serve as a cover.

The plate portion 2 functioning as a cover is a flat plate and is located above the keyboard 11. Therefore, the plate portion 2 serves as a document table, a lectern, a memo, or the Internet. It can be used as a mouse operation console for operations that can be performed only with a mouse for operations and the like.

On the other hand, when the keyboard 11 is used, as shown in FIG. 3, the plate section 2 is rotated toward the display section 20 via the rotating section 3 of the mounting means. As a result, the keyboard 1 can be exposed and used.

At this time, since the display section 21 made of a plastic transparent plate or the like can be seen through the plate section 2, the user can view the display screen 2 through the plate section 2.
The keyboard operation can be performed while looking at the display content of 1.

As described above, according to the keyboard cover of this embodiment, the plate-like plate portion 2 covering the keyboard 11 of the computer main body 10 is connected to the keyboard 11 and the display portion 2.
When the keyboard operation is not performed, the plate portion 2 can be rotated to the keyboard side so that the plate portion 2 can be used as a reading table or a mouse operation table, and the keyboard operation is performed. In this case, the keyboard 11 can be used immediately by simply rotating the plate unit 2 toward the display unit.

That is, in the keyboard of the present embodiment,
The use or non-use of the keyboard cover can be switched instantaneously according to the usage status of the personal computer, etc., so that there is no need to attach / detach / move the keyboard cover to / from the information processing device, and the keyboard cover is used for information processing. It can also be moved and transported integrally with the device. Thus, for example, even when a portable small information terminal device or the like is used outdoors or in a moving vehicle, the keyboard operation and other operations such as writing with a writing instrument are repeatedly and simultaneously performed in parallel. This is particularly suitable for a small and portable information processing device such as a notebook personal computer or a portable information terminal.

In this embodiment, the keyboard cover 1 is detachable from the personal computer.
The keyboard cover 1 may be fixed to the information processing device side and provided integrally therewith. By doing so, the keyboard cover 1 can be designed and mounted integrally with an information processing device such as a personal computer, and can be adapted to the structure and shape of each information processing device using the keyboard cover. For example, a structure or the like that can be stored in a foldable personal computer with the keyboard cover attached thereto may be employed.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the keyboard cover of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a keyboard cover according to a second embodiment of the present invention attached to an information processing apparatus, in which the keyboard cover is turned to the display unit side and the locking unit is locked to the outer edge of the display unit. FIG.

The keyboard cover of the present embodiment shown in the figure is an improved embodiment of the above-described first embodiment, and protrudes from the plate portion 2 toward the display portion 20 and is locked to the display portion side. The configuration is such that a locking portion 6 is provided. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the locking portion 6 is formed in a hook shape that locks to the outer edge of the display unit 20, as shown in FIG.

According to the keyboard cover of the present embodiment having such a configuration, when the plate portion 2 is rotated toward the display portion 20, the locking portion 6 is locked onto the display portion 20. Also, the plate unit 2 can be fixed at a position where the display unit 20 is easy to see without the plate unit 2 falling down to the keyboard 11 side, and the input operation of the keyboard 11 can be performed with confidence. In addition, even when the plate portion 2 is used as a reading table, the locking portion 6 serves as a stopper for documents and the like, and there is also an effect that the documents and the like do not drop off from the plate portion 2.

Note that the locking portion 6 of the present embodiment is
The hook 2 is formed in a hook shape to be locked to the outer edge of the keyboard 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any plate can be fixed without the plate 2 falling down to the keyboard side. For example, other means such as a magnet type or an uneven portion engaging with each other may be used.

Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the keyboard cover of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a keyboard cover according to a third embodiment of the present invention attached to an information processing apparatus, in which the keyboard cover is rotated toward the apparatus main body and further slid to the front left side of the apparatus. The state is shown. FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of the keyboard cover attaching means according to the embodiment shown in FIG.

The keyboard cover of the present embodiment shown in the figure is an improved embodiment of the above-described first embodiment. Slidably attached to

That is, in the present embodiment, FIGS.
As shown in (1), a slide holder 7 that is rotatably mounted is provided on the rotary unit 3 as mounting means. The slide holding portion 7 is formed of a flexible resin or the like capable of holding one side edge of the plate portion 2.
One side edge of the plate portion 2 is held in a press-fit state, and is slidably held in the horizontal direction. As a result, the plate portion 2 is rotatable with respect to the rotating portion 3 via the slide holding portion 7 and is slidable in the horizontal direction. Can be exposed.

The slide holder 7 is not particularly limited to this embodiment as long as it can hold the plate 2 slidably, and various embodiments are possible. For example, an uneven groove and a ridge that engage with each other may be formed in the plate portion 2 and the slide holding portion 7.

As described above, according to the keyboard cover of the present embodiment, the plate portion 2 can be slid in the horizontal direction. For example, the plate portion 2 is further slid in the horizontal direction with the plate portion 2 being rotated toward the keyboard. This makes it possible to perform an input operation by exposing a part of the keyboard 11 while using the plate portion 2 for writing a memo or the like, thereby enabling a wider range of use depending on the use situation.

The above-described keyboard cover of the present invention and the information processing apparatus provided with the keyboard cover are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. It is. For example,
In the above-described embodiment, the keyboard cover is used for a foldable notebook personal computer. However, the present invention is applied to a portable small information terminal, a laptop-type relatively large personal computer, and the like. It is also Noh.

In the above-described embodiment, the plate portion of the keyboard cover is formed of a colorless and transparent plastic plate.
This may be formed of a colored and transparent plate-like member, or may have a function as a shield plate for blocking electromagnetic waves.

[0059]

As described above, according to the keyboard cover of the present invention, by providing a plate-like keyboard cover for covering the keyboard of the apparatus main body so as to rotate on both the keyboard side and the display section side, Without attaching / detaching / moving the keyboard cover to / from the information processing device,
You can instantly switch between use and non-use of the keyboard cover. When not using the keyboard, it can be used as a reading table or mouse operation table. When performing keyboard operation, the keyboard cover is displayed. The keyboard can be used immediately by simply turning it to the side.

Thus, for example, even when a portable small information terminal device or the like is used outdoors or in a moving vehicle, the keyboard operation and other operations such as writing notes with a writing instrument are repeatedly and simultaneously performed in parallel. This is particularly suitable for a small and portable information processing device such as a notebook personal computer or a portable information terminal.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a keyboard cover according to a first embodiment of the present invention before being attached to an information processing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a state in which the keyboard cover according to the first embodiment of the present invention is attached to the information processing apparatus, and shows a state in which the keyboard cover is rotated toward the apparatus main body.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a state in which the keyboard cover according to the first embodiment of the present invention is attached to the information processing apparatus, and shows a state in which the keyboard cover is turned to the display unit side.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part showing an attachment unit of the keyboard cover according to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a keyboard cover according to a second embodiment of the present invention attached to an information processing apparatus, in which the keyboard cover is turned to the display unit side to lock the locking unit to the outer edge of the display unit. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a keyboard cover according to a third embodiment of the present invention attached to an information processing apparatus, in which the keyboard cover is rotated toward the apparatus main body and further slid to the front left side of the apparatus. The state is shown.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part showing a keyboard cover attaching means according to a third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Keyboard cover 2 Plate part 3 Rotating part 4 Insertion part 5 Spacer 6 Locking part 7 Slide holding part 10 Computer main body 11 Keyboard 20 Display part

Claims (6)

[Claims] An apparatus main body having a keyboard on an upper surface thereof;
A keyboard cover for use in a foldable information processing device having a display unit that is foldably attached to the device body, a plate-like member that covers the keyboard upper surface, and the display content of the display unit is transparent. And a mounting means rotatably mounted on one side of the plate part, and mounting means mounted on a folding part side of the apparatus main body and the display part, wherein the plate part is connected via the mounting means. A keyboard cover that rotates toward the keyboard and the display unit. 2. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting unit is rotatably mounted on the plate unit, and is fixed to the rotary unit. The mounting unit is inserted into and removed from a gap between the apparatus main body and a folding unit of a display unit. 2. The keyboard cover according to claim 1, further comprising an insertion portion. 3. The keyboard cover according to claim 1, wherein a spacer protruding toward the apparatus main body and provided in contact with an upper surface of the apparatus main body is provided on the plate portion. 4. The keyboard cover according to claim 1, wherein said plate portion is provided with a locking portion projecting toward said display portion and locking with said display portion. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plate portion is slidably attached to said attachment means in a horizontal direction.
The keyboard cover according to 2, 3, or 4. 6. An apparatus main body having a keyboard on an upper surface,
A foldable information processing device including a display unit that is foldably attached to the device main body, a plate-like member that covers an upper surface of the keyboard, and a plate unit that allows display contents of the display unit to be seen through, A keyboard cover, which is rotatably attached to one side of the plate unit and has fixing means fixed to the folding unit side of the display unit and the display unit, wherein the plate unit includes An information processing device comprising a keyboard cover that rotates toward the keyboard and the display unit.