Devices and methods for aligning a display with a keyboard

摘要

Methods and devices are provided for aligning a display with a keyboard. In one exemplary embodiment, a device is provided that includes a lid and a based hingedly connected together to allow the computing device to be opened and closed. When the device is opened, the lid can be configured to automatically move relative to the base. In this way, a display included in the lid can be moved relative to a keyboard included in the base to align to display and the keyboard in an optimal orientation relative to one another, e.g., with the display centered relative to a center of an alphanumeric portion of the keyboard.

主权项

1. A device, comprising:
a lid including a display on an inner surface thereof, the lid having a longitudinal side and a latitudinal side; a base including a keyboard on an inner surface thereof, the base having a longitudinal side and a latitudinal side, the base and the lid being hingedly connected along the longitudinal sides such that the lid and the base can be moved between a closed configuration and an open configuration, the keyboard including an alphanumeric keypad and a numeric keypad, the numeric keypad being located to a side of the alphanumeric keypad in a longitudinal direction; and a sliding mechanism configured to automatically mechanically move the lid in a longitudinal direction relative to the base in response to the lid and the base being moved between the open and closed configurations, the sliding mechanism being configured to automatically mechanically move the lid in the longitudinal direction between a first position in which a central latitudinal axis of the display is offset from a central latitudinal axis of the alphanumeric keypad and a second position in which the central latitudinal axis of the display is coaxial with the central latitudinal axis of the alphanumeric keypad, wherein the sliding mechanism comprises a torque shaft having a groove formed therein, a cam configured to move within the groove, and a bias element configured to move between a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration, wherein the bias element moving from the compressed configuration to the expanded configuration causes the cam to move within the groove in a first direction and causes the lid to move from the first position to the second position, and wherein the bias element moving from the expanded configuration to the compressed configuration allows the cam to move within the groove in a second direction opposite to the first direction and allows the lid to move from the second position to the first position.