US20050200249A1 - Storage compartment, and related computer systems and methods - Google Patents
Storage compartment, and related computer systems and methods Download PDFInfo
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- US20050200249A1 US20050200249A1 US10/800,234 US80023404A US2005200249A1 US 20050200249 A1 US20050200249 A1 US 20050200249A1 US 80023404 A US80023404 A US 80023404A US 2005200249 A1 US2005200249 A1 US 2005200249A1
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- Prior art keywords
- interior
- storage compartment
- lid
- housing
- item
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- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
- G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
- G06F1/1613—Constructional details or arrangements for portable computers
- G06F1/1632—External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
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- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
- G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
- G06F1/18—Packaging or power distribution
- G06F1/181—Enclosures
- G06F1/182—Enclosures with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
Definitions
- Many computer systems include processing circuitry for performing various computing functions, such as receiving and generating data and executing instructions, and include one or more portable devices, such as, for example, a personal data assistant (PDA) and/or a camera, that may be coupled to the circuitry.
- portable devices such as, for example, a personal data assistant (PDA) and/or a camera
- PDA personal data assistant
- the circuitry can write data to or read data from the device, or otherwise control the operation of the device.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a computer system 10 , which includes a housing 12 that protects processing circuitry (not shown) located inside the housing, a portable device 14 (here, a PDA), and a cable 16 that couples the PDA to the circuitry via an external connector (not shown).
- a portable device 14 here, a PDA
- the computer system 10 also includes a storage device 18 that reads data stored on a removable storage medium and that writes data to the medium, and a storage compartment 20 designed to store one or more removable storage media 22 when the media are not being used.
- the storage device 18 may be a disc drive, such as a compact disc read-write (CDRW) drive and/or a digital versatile disc (DVD) drive, that transfers data to and from the removable storage media 22 , such as, for example, a compact disc or a dvd, after the media has been inserted into the drive.
- the storage compartment 20 includes a support 24 with a shaft 26 to hold the compact disc 22 in an interior 28 of the compartment. To store the compact disc 22 in the compartment 20 , one typically pushes a hole 30 of the disc onto the shaft 26 .
- the PDA 14 is placed on top of the housing 12 , the PDA is exposed and susceptible to inadvertent contact with one's arm, hand or other object. Therefore, because the PDA 14 is not secured to the housing 12 , one may inadvertently knock the PDA over and/or off the housing and, thus, may inadvertently damage the PDA.
- the storage compartment 20 is designed to store one or more removable storage media 22 , not a device that is typically heavier and bulkier, the storage compartment typically does not have enough space to store the PDA 14 .
- the support 24 in the storage compartment 20 may occupy much of the space that the PDA 14 would otherwise occupy if stored in the compartment.
- a portion of the PDA typically remains exposed and susceptible to inadvertent contact.
- a storage compartment of a housing includes a body having an interior and a passage operable to allow an item disposed within the interior to be communicatively coupled to another item outside the interior, and a lid.
- the body includes a bottom and a sidewall that define the interior in which one or more items, such as a storage medium or a portable device, may be stored.
- the lid may be moved relative to the body to open and close the storage compartment. When opened, one may insert or remove an item from the storage compartment, and when closed, an item located in the storage compartment may be protected against inadvertent contact. With the storage compartment, one may securely and safely store a PDA, for example, that is coupled to processing circuitry of a computer system.
- a storage compartment of a housing includes a body having an interior, a bottom and a sidewall that define the interior, and a lid having an opening operable to allow access to an item disposed within the interior. With the opening in the lid, one may store an item that is larger than the interior by allowing the item to protrude through the opening. In addition, one may store a coupler in the interior and couple a device to the coupler through the opening.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional computer system that includes a PDA placed on top of the system's housing.
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a computer system that incorporates a storage compartment according to an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the storage compartment in FIG. 2 with a top in an open position according to an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 4 is a side view of a coupling element in FIG. 3 that couples the top to the body of the storage compartment in FIGS. 2 and 3 , according to an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a storage compartment according to another embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a computer system 40 that includes a storage compartment 42 according to an embodiment of the invention.
- the storage compartment 42 may be incorporated into a housing 44 of the computer system 40 as shown, or the storage compartment may be separate from the system.
- the storage compartment 42 includes a body 46 having a bottom 48 and a side 50 that define an interior 52 in which one or more items (not shown) may be securely stored.
- one or more portable electronic devices such as a PDA, personal information manager (PIM), a camera, and/or camera docking station, may be stored in the interior, as well as removable storage media.
- the storage compartment 42 also includes a lid 54 and a coupling element 56 (discussed in greater detail in conjunction with FIG.
- the storage compartment 42 is shown located along the top 55 of the housing 44 , the storage compartment may be located along the sides of the housing, or along the front of the housing 44 similar to the storage compartment 20 of the computer system 10 in FIG. 1 .
- the storage compartment 42 may include an item retention component, such as, for example, a strap (not shown) to help retain an item in the compartment.
- the computer system 40 is shown in FIG. 2 with the housing 44 in a tower configuration, the housing may be in a desktop configuration.
- the storage compartment 42 may also include a locking element 58 (discussed in greater detail in conjunction with FIG. 3 ) to retain the lid 54 in a position relative to the body 46 .
- the locking element 58 may retain the lid 54 in the closed position (dashed line), that is, the position where the lid is parallel to the top 55 and, thus, prevents access to the storage compartment.
- the lid 54 forms a barrier between the interior 52 and the outside environment above the interior 52 to prevent objects, such as, for example one's arm, from contacting an item stored in the interior.
- the lid 54 In the open position (solid line), the lid 54 allows one to remove an item stored in the interior 52 , or insert an item into the interior.
- the locking element 58 reduces the chance that the lid may be inadvertently moved to an open position.
- the storage compartment 42 can more securely store and better protect an item stored in the interior 52 .
- one or more of the sides 50 a - 50 d may include an passage 60 to allow a cable 62 to couple an electronic device (not shown in FIG. 2 ) to a processing circuitry (not shown) of the computer system 40 .
- a portable electronic device such as, for example, a PDA
- the passage 60 may be located in the back side 50 a .
- the passage 60 may also be aligned with an opening (not shown) of a conduit 66 that reduces the exposure of the cable 62 as it extends from the PDA to a connector, which is typically located on the back (not shown) of the housing 44 .
- the conduit 66 is further discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ titled HOUSING HAVING A CABLE CONDUIT AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS, and filed ______, which is incorporated by reference.
- one may insert the PDA into the storage compartment 42 , couple the cable 62 to the PDA, and close the lid 54 to protect the PDA.
- the storage compartment 42 may also include a positionable post 68 that may be positioned relative to the body 46 to retain one or more storage media (not shown in FIG. 2 ) such as compact discs, in the compartment, and that may be re-positioned to store other items, such as a PDA, in the compartment.
- the post may include a first component 70 and a second component 72 that may be positioned independently of each other. When each component 70 and 72 is positioned in a respective first position, each component lies in a receptacle 74 substantially parallel to the bottom 48 of the compartment 42 .
- each component 70 and 72 do not extend into the interior 52 , thus allowing one to store items, such as a PDA, other than a compact disc.
- each component 70 and 72 When each component 70 and 72 is positioned in a respective second position (not shown), each component extends into the interior 52 substantially perpendicular to the bottom 48 . In the second position the components 70 and 72 form a post that may retain one or more storage media by engaging a center hole of the media.
- the positionable post 68 is further discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ titled STORAGE COMPARTMENT WITH POSITIONABLE POST FOR HOLDING A COMPACT DISC AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS, and filed ______, which was previously incorporated by reference.
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the storage compartment 42 in FIG. 2 with the lid 54 in an open position according to an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 4 is a side view of the coupling element 56 in FIGS. 2 and 3 , according to an embodiment of the invention.
- the coupling element 56 couples the lid 54 to the body 46 and allows one to move the lid 54 relative to the body 46 to open and close the compartment 42 .
- the coupling element 56 may be a hinge 76 that releasably couples the lid 54 to the back side 50 a .
- the hinge 76 may include a shaft 78 , and a receiver 80 that retains the shaft and allows the shaft to rotate about the shaft's axis 82 .
- the receiver 80 To retain the shaft 78 , the receiver 80 includes a receptacle 84 to restrain movement of the shaft in the X direction, and a cantilevered member 86 to restrain movement of the shaft in the Y direction.
- the cantilevered member 86 includes an end 88 located above the receptacle 84 a distance that is less than the diameter of the shaft, and thus, the member urges the shaft to remain in the receptacle.
- To separate the shaft 78 from the receiver 80 and thus release the lid 54 from the back 50 a , one moves the end 88 away from the receptacle 84 and removes the shaft from the receptacle.
- To engage the shaft 78 with the receiver 80 one moves the end 88 away from the receptacle 84 and inserts the shaft into the receptacle.
- the hinge 76 may couple the lid 54 to other areas of the body 46 , such as the sides 50 a - 50 b ( FIG. 2 ) and/or the bottom 48 .
- the hinge 76 may permanently couple the lid 54 to the body 46 .
- the coupling element 56 may include a track that the lid 54 slides on to open and close the storage compartment 42 .
- the locking element 58 retains the lid 54 in a position relative to the body 46 .
- the locking element 58 retains the lid 54 in a closed position, and includes two locking-element protrusions 90 (only one shown for clarity) and two locking-element receptacles 92 (only one shown for clarity).
- each locking element protrusion 90 is aligned with a respective one of the locking-element receptacles 92 , and urged toward their respective receptacles 92 by a cantilevered post 94 to engage the receptacles.
- the locking element 58 retains the body 38 in the closed position.
- one pulls and/or pushes the top with sufficient force to cause the locking-element receptacles 92 to urge the respective locking-element protrusions 90 toward each other, and thus out of the receptacles.
- the locking element 58 may include one or more than two locking-element protrusions and corresponding locking-element receptacles.
- the locking element 58 may include a screw, snap and/or strap to retain the lid 54 at the closed position.
- the locking element 58 may retain the lid 54 in a position relative to the body 46 where the lid 54 does not close the storage compartment 42 .
- the storage compartment 42 may be made of any desirable material, and sized and formed as desired.
- the storage compartment 42 is formed by casting conventional plastic in a mold, is square shaped and approximately one inch deep.
- the lid 54 includes an outer surface (not shown) that is substantially flat and extends over substantially all of the interior 52 when closed.
- the lid 54 may also support an item when the lid 54 is closed, and thus, one may place one or more items on the lid 54 and store one or more items in the storage compartment 42 at the same time.
- the storage compartment 42 may have other shapes, such as circular, rectangular or polygonal, and may be more or less than one inch deep.
- the lid 54 may extend over only a portion of the interior 52 .
- the lid may include a receptacle in the outer surface sized to receive and retain an item, or the outer surface may be concave or convex.
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a storage compartment 100 that includes a lid 102 having an opening 104 according to another embodiment of the invention.
- the lid 102 may include a cover (not shown) to open and close the opening; or the lid may not include a cover.
- the opening 104 may be any shape and size desired to allow one to access an item stored in the storage compartment 100 . This may be desirable to store an item that is larger than the interior (not shown) of the storage compartment 100 , such that the item can protrude through the opening 104 . This may also be desirable to store a coupler in the storage compartment 100 and couple a device to the coupler through the opening 104 .
- a camera docking station 106 that may be used to couple a camera 108 to the processing circuitry and/or a power source (not shown).
- the camera docking station 106 may be coupled to the circuitry via a cable (not shown) as previously discussed in conjunction with FIG. 2 .
- the circuitry When the circuitry is coupled to the camera 108 , the circuitry may write and/or read data from the camera to generate a picture, and the power source may recharge the camera's batteries.
- a plug (not shown) of the docking station 106 is typically inserted into a receptacle (not shown) of the camera 108 .
- the opening 104 Without the opening 104 , one would have to move the lid 102 to an open position to engage the camera's receptacle with the docking station's plug. If the camera is then knocked over, the docking station could easily follow, and thus both the camera and the docking station could be damaged. With the opening 104 , however, one can couple the camera 108 to the docking station 106 while the docking station is safely stored in the storage compartment 100 and the lid 102 is locked in the closed position.
Abstract
A storage compartment to store one or more items includes a body, a top, and a coupling element operable to couple the top to the body and allow the top to be moved relative to the body. The body includes a bottom and a sidewall that define an interior in which one or more items, such as a storage medium or a portable device, may be stored. The sidewall includes a passage to allow an item stored in the interior to be coupled to another item outside the interior. The top may be moved relative to the body to open and close the storage compartment. With the storage compartment, one may securely and safely store a PDA, for example, that is coupled with a processor of a computer system.
Description
- This application is related to the following patent applications: U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. ______ titled STORAGE COMPARTMENT WITH POSITIONABLE HOLDER FOR HOLDING A COMPACT DISC, attorney docket number 200314060-1 (1964-45-3), filed on 12 Mar. 2004; U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. ______ titled HOUSING HAVING A CABLE CONDUIT AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS, attorney docket number 200314056-1 (1964-49-3), filed on 12 Mar. 2004; U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. ______ titled PORTION OF A HOUSING FOR PROCESSING CIRCUITRY OR OTHER SIMILAR ITEM, attorney docket number 200314058-1 (1964-47-5), filed on 12 Mar. 2004; and U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. ______titled POWER SWITCH FOR PROCESSING CIRCUITRY OR OTHER SIMILAR ITEM, attorney docket number 200402715-1 (1964-47-6), filed on 12 Mar. 2004, which are incorporated by reference.
- Many computer systems include processing circuitry for performing various computing functions, such as receiving and generating data and executing instructions, and include one or more portable devices, such as, for example, a personal data assistant (PDA) and/or a camera, that may be coupled to the circuitry. When a portable device is coupled to the processing circuitry, the circuitry can write data to or read data from the device, or otherwise control the operation of the device.
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view of acomputer system 10, which includes ahousing 12 that protects processing circuitry (not shown) located inside the housing, a portable device 14 (here, a PDA), and acable 16 that couples the PDA to the circuitry via an external connector (not shown). When thePDA 14 is coupled to the processing circuitry, it is typically set on top of thehousing 12. Thecomputer system 10 also includes astorage device 18 that reads data stored on a removable storage medium and that writes data to the medium, and astorage compartment 20 designed to store one or moreremovable storage media 22 when the media are not being used. For example, thestorage device 18 may be a disc drive, such as a compact disc read-write (CDRW) drive and/or a digital versatile disc (DVD) drive, that transfers data to and from theremovable storage media 22, such as, for example, a compact disc or a dvd, after the media has been inserted into the drive. Thestorage compartment 20 includes asupport 24 with ashaft 26 to hold thecompact disc 22 in aninterior 28 of the compartment. To store thecompact disc 22 in thecompartment 20, one typically pushes ahole 30 of the disc onto theshaft 26. - Unfortunately, when the
PDA 14 is placed on top of thehousing 12, the PDA is exposed and susceptible to inadvertent contact with one's arm, hand or other object. Therefore, because thePDA 14 is not secured to thehousing 12, one may inadvertently knock the PDA over and/or off the housing and, thus, may inadvertently damage the PDA. - One way to protect the
PDA 14 is placing the PDA in thestorage compartment 20, but this typically will not adequately protect the PDA. Because thestorage compartment 20 is designed to store one or moreremovable storage media 22, not a device that is typically heavier and bulkier, the storage compartment typically does not have enough space to store thePDA 14. For example, thesupport 24 in thestorage compartment 20 may occupy much of the space that thePDA 14 would otherwise occupy if stored in the compartment. Thus, when thePDA 14 is placed in thestorage compartment 20, a portion of the PDA typically remains exposed and susceptible to inadvertent contact. - In one aspect of the invention, a storage compartment of a housing includes a body having an interior and a passage operable to allow an item disposed within the interior to be communicatively coupled to another item outside the interior, and a lid. The body includes a bottom and a sidewall that define the interior in which one or more items, such as a storage medium or a portable device, may be stored. The lid may be moved relative to the body to open and close the storage compartment. When opened, one may insert or remove an item from the storage compartment, and when closed, an item located in the storage compartment may be protected against inadvertent contact. With the storage compartment, one may securely and safely store a PDA, for example, that is coupled to processing circuitry of a computer system.
- In another aspect of the invention, a storage compartment of a housing includes a body having an interior, a bottom and a sidewall that define the interior, and a lid having an opening operable to allow access to an item disposed within the interior. With the opening in the lid, one may store an item that is larger than the interior by allowing the item to protrude through the opening. In addition, one may store a coupler in the interior and couple a device to the coupler through the opening.
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional computer system that includes a PDA placed on top of the system's housing. -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a computer system that incorporates a storage compartment according to an embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the storage compartment inFIG. 2 with a top in an open position according to an embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 4 is a side view of a coupling element inFIG. 3 that couples the top to the body of the storage compartment inFIGS. 2 and 3 , according to an embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a storage compartment according to another embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of acomputer system 40 that includes astorage compartment 42 according to an embodiment of the invention. Thestorage compartment 42 may be incorporated into ahousing 44 of thecomputer system 40 as shown, or the storage compartment may be separate from the system. Thestorage compartment 42 includes abody 46 having abottom 48 and a side 50 that define aninterior 52 in which one or more items (not shown) may be securely stored. For example, one or more portable electronic devices, such as a PDA, personal information manager (PIM), a camera, and/or camera docking station, may be stored in the interior, as well as removable storage media. Thestorage compartment 42 also includes alid 54 and a coupling element 56 (discussed in greater detail in conjunction withFIG. 3 ) to couple the top to thebody 46 and allow one to open and close the compartment by moving the top relative to the body. When thestorage compartment 42 is closed as illustrated here by thelid 54 shown in dashed lines, an item stored in theinterior 52 is protected against being inadvertently knocked over and/or off thehousing 44. Thus, with thestorage compartment 42, one may securely store a PDA, for example, that is coupled to (or uncoupled from) processing circuitry (not shown) of thesystem 40. - Although the
storage compartment 42 is shown located along thetop 55 of thehousing 44, the storage compartment may be located along the sides of the housing, or along the front of thehousing 44 similar to thestorage compartment 20 of thecomputer system 10 inFIG. 1 . When located along the sides or front of thehousing 44, thestorage compartment 42 may include an item retention component, such as, for example, a strap (not shown) to help retain an item in the compartment. In addition, although thecomputer system 40 is shown inFIG. 2 with thehousing 44 in a tower configuration, the housing may be in a desktop configuration. - Still referring to
FIG. 2 , thestorage compartment 42 may also include a locking element 58 (discussed in greater detail in conjunction withFIG. 3 ) to retain thelid 54 in a position relative to thebody 46. For example, in one embodiment, thelocking element 58 may retain thelid 54 in the closed position (dashed line), that is, the position where the lid is parallel to thetop 55 and, thus, prevents access to the storage compartment. Thus, in the closed position, thelid 54 forms a barrier between theinterior 52 and the outside environment above theinterior 52 to prevent objects, such as, for example one's arm, from contacting an item stored in the interior. In the open position (solid line), thelid 54 allows one to remove an item stored in theinterior 52, or insert an item into the interior. By retaining thelid 54 in the closed position, thelocking element 58 reduces the chance that the lid may be inadvertently moved to an open position. Thus, thestorage compartment 42 can more securely store and better protect an item stored in theinterior 52. - Still referring to
FIG. 2 , one or more of the sides 50 a-50 d may include anpassage 60 to allow acable 62 to couple an electronic device (not shown inFIG. 2 ) to a processing circuitry (not shown) of thecomputer system 40. With thepassage 60, one may store a portable electronic device such as, for example, a PDA, in thestorage compartment 42 to protect the PDA while the processor reads or writes data to the PDA. In one embodiment, thepassage 60 may be located in theback side 50 a. Thepassage 60 may also be aligned with an opening (not shown) of aconduit 66 that reduces the exposure of thecable 62 as it extends from the PDA to a connector, which is typically located on the back (not shown) of thehousing 44. Theconduit 66 is further discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ titled HOUSING HAVING A CABLE CONDUIT AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS, and filed ______, which is incorporated by reference. In operation, one may insert the PDA into thestorage compartment 42, couple thecable 62 to the PDA, and close thelid 54 to protect the PDA. - Still referring to
FIG. 2 , thestorage compartment 42 may also include apositionable post 68 that may be positioned relative to thebody 46 to retain one or more storage media (not shown inFIG. 2 ) such as compact discs, in the compartment, and that may be re-positioned to store other items, such as a PDA, in the compartment. For example, in one embodiment, the post may include afirst component 70 and asecond component 72 that may be positioned independently of each other. When eachcomponent receptacle 74 substantially parallel to thebottom 48 of thecompartment 42. In thereceptacle 74 thecomponents interior 52, thus allowing one to store items, such as a PDA, other than a compact disc. When eachcomponent interior 52 substantially perpendicular to thebottom 48. In the second position thecomponents positionable post 68 is further discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ titled STORAGE COMPARTMENT WITH POSITIONABLE POST FOR HOLDING A COMPACT DISC AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS, and filed ______, which was previously incorporated by reference. -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of thestorage compartment 42 inFIG. 2 with thelid 54 in an open position according to an embodiment of the invention.FIG. 4 is a side view of thecoupling element 56 inFIGS. 2 and 3 , according to an embodiment of the invention. - Referring to
FIGS. 3 and 4 , thecoupling element 56 couples thelid 54 to thebody 46 and allows one to move thelid 54 relative to thebody 46 to open and close thecompartment 42. In one embodiment, thecoupling element 56 may be ahinge 76 that releasably couples thelid 54 to theback side 50 a. Thehinge 76 may include ashaft 78, and areceiver 80 that retains the shaft and allows the shaft to rotate about the shaft'saxis 82. Thus, one pivots thelid 54 relative to the back 50 a to open and close thestorage compartment 42. To retain theshaft 78, thereceiver 80 includes areceptacle 84 to restrain movement of the shaft in the X direction, and a cantileveredmember 86 to restrain movement of the shaft in the Y direction. The cantileveredmember 86 includes anend 88 located above the receptacle 84 a distance that is less than the diameter of the shaft, and thus, the member urges the shaft to remain in the receptacle. To separate theshaft 78 from thereceiver 80, and thus release thelid 54 from the back 50 a, one moves theend 88 away from thereceptacle 84 and removes the shaft from the receptacle. To engage theshaft 78 with thereceiver 80, one moves theend 88 away from thereceptacle 84 and inserts the shaft into the receptacle. - Other embodiments are contemplated. For example, the
hinge 76 may couple thelid 54 to other areas of thebody 46, such as the sides 50 a-50 b (FIG. 2 ) and/or the bottom 48. In another example, thehinge 76 may permanently couple thelid 54 to thebody 46. In yet another example, thecoupling element 56 may include a track that thelid 54 slides on to open and close thestorage compartment 42. - Still referring to
FIG. 3 , the lockingelement 58 retains thelid 54 in a position relative to thebody 46. For example, in one embodiment, the lockingelement 58 retains thelid 54 in a closed position, and includes two locking-element protrusions 90 (only one shown for clarity) and two locking-element receptacles 92 (only one shown for clarity). When thelid 54 is closed, each lockingelement protrusion 90 is aligned with a respective one of the locking-element receptacles 92, and urged toward theirrespective receptacles 92 by acantilevered post 94 to engage the receptacles. With both locking-element protrusions 90 inserted into a locking-element receptacle 92, the lockingelement 58 retains the body 38 in the closed position. To unlock thelid 54, one pulls and/or pushes the top with sufficient force to cause the locking-element receptacles 92 to urge the respective locking-element protrusions 90 toward each other, and thus out of the receptacles. - Other embodiments are contemplated. For example, the locking
element 58 may include one or more than two locking-element protrusions and corresponding locking-element receptacles. In another example, the lockingelement 58 may include a screw, snap and/or strap to retain thelid 54 at the closed position. In yet another example, the lockingelement 58 may retain thelid 54 in a position relative to thebody 46 where thelid 54 does not close thestorage compartment 42. - Still referring to
FIG. 3 , thestorage compartment 42 may be made of any desirable material, and sized and formed as desired. For example, in one embodiment thestorage compartment 42 is formed by casting conventional plastic in a mold, is square shaped and approximately one inch deep. Thelid 54 includes an outer surface (not shown) that is substantially flat and extends over substantially all of the interior 52 when closed. Thelid 54 may also support an item when thelid 54 is closed, and thus, one may place one or more items on thelid 54 and store one or more items in thestorage compartment 42 at the same time. - Other embodiments are contemplated. For example, the
storage compartment 42 may have other shapes, such as circular, rectangular or polygonal, and may be more or less than one inch deep. In another example, thelid 54 may extend over only a portion of the interior 52. In yet another example, the lid may include a receptacle in the outer surface sized to receive and retain an item, or the outer surface may be concave or convex. -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of astorage compartment 100 that includes alid 102 having anopening 104 according to another embodiment of the invention. Thelid 102 may include a cover (not shown) to open and close the opening; or the lid may not include a cover. Theopening 104 may be any shape and size desired to allow one to access an item stored in thestorage compartment 100. This may be desirable to store an item that is larger than the interior (not shown) of thestorage compartment 100, such that the item can protrude through theopening 104. This may also be desirable to store a coupler in thestorage compartment 100 and couple a device to the coupler through theopening 104. - For example, one may store a
camera docking station 106 that may be used to couple acamera 108 to the processing circuitry and/or a power source (not shown). When stored in thestorage compartment 100, thecamera docking station 106 may be coupled to the circuitry via a cable (not shown) as previously discussed in conjunction withFIG. 2 . When the circuitry is coupled to thecamera 108, the circuitry may write and/or read data from the camera to generate a picture, and the power source may recharge the camera's batteries. To couple thecamera 108 to the circuitry and/or power source, a plug (not shown) of thedocking station 106 is typically inserted into a receptacle (not shown) of thecamera 108. Thus, when the camera is frequently used, one can easily engage and disengage the camera's receptacle from the docking station's plug. - Without the
opening 104, one would have to move thelid 102 to an open position to engage the camera's receptacle with the docking station's plug. If the camera is then knocked over, the docking station could easily follow, and thus both the camera and the docking station could be damaged. With theopening 104, however, one can couple thecamera 108 to thedocking station 106 while the docking station is safely stored in thestorage compartment 100 and thelid 102 is locked in the closed position. - The preceding discussion is presented to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.
Claims (16)
1. A housing for a computer system, the housing comprising:
a storage compartment including:
a body having an interior, a bottom and a sidewall that define the interior, and a passage operable to allow an item disposed within the interior to be communicatively coupled to another item outside the interior; and
a lid.
2. The housing of claim 1 wherein the interior is sized to retain a PDA.
3. The housing of claim 1 wherein the interior is sized to hold storage media.
4. The housing of claim 1 wherein the sidewall includes the passage.
5. The housing of claim 1 wherein the storage compartment includes a coupling element operable to couple the lid to the sidewall.
6. The housing of claim 1 wherein the storage compartment includes a locking element operable to retain the lid in a closed position.
7. The housing of claim 1 wherein:
the housing further comprises a conduit having an opening; and
the passage opens to the conduit's opening.
8. A housing for a computer system, the housing comprising:
a storage compartment including:
a body having an interior, a bottom and a sidewall that define the interior, and
a lid having an opening operable to allow access to an item disposed within the interior.
9. The housing of claim 8 wherein the interior is sized to retain a camera docking station, and when a camera is coupled to the docking station, the camera protrudes through the opening.
10. A computer system comprising:
a housing having a storage compartment to retain an item and including:
a body having an interior, a bottom and a sidewall that define the interior, and a passage operable to allow an item disposed within the interior to be communicatively coupled to another item outside the interior; and
a lid.
11. A computer system comprising:
a housing having a storage compartment to retain an item and including:
a body having an interior, a bottom and a sidewall that define the interior, and
a lid having an opening operable to allow an item disposed within the interior to protrude through the opening.
12. A method for storing an item, the method comprising:
placing an item in an interior of a storage compartment that includes a lid and a body having a bottom and a sidewall that define the interior;
extending a cable from the exterior of the storage compartment through a passage in the body; and
coupling the cable to the item in the interior.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein extending a cable from the exterior of the storage compartment includes extending the cable through an opening of a conduit.
14. The method of claim 12 further comprising closing the lid.
15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:
closing the lid, and
supporting another item on the lid.
16. A method for storing an item, the method comprising:
placing an item in an interior of a storage compartment that includes a lid having an opening, and a body having a bottom and a sidewall that define the interior;
inserting another item through the opening; and
coupling the items together.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US10/800,234 US20050200249A1 (en) | 2004-03-12 | 2004-03-12 | Storage compartment, and related computer systems and methods |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US10/800,234 US20050200249A1 (en) | 2004-03-12 | 2004-03-12 | Storage compartment, and related computer systems and methods |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20050200249A1 true US20050200249A1 (en) | 2005-09-15 |
Family
ID=34920677
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US10/800,234 Abandoned US20050200249A1 (en) | 2004-03-12 | 2004-03-12 | Storage compartment, and related computer systems and methods |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20050200249A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
USD762634S1 (en) * | 2013-10-22 | 2016-08-02 | Daifuku Co., Ltd. | Control panel for storage warehouse |
Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US6373697B1 (en) * | 1999-06-28 | 2002-04-16 | Sun Microsystems, Inc. | Computer system housing and configuration |
US6392872B1 (en) * | 1999-03-15 | 2002-05-21 | Emc Corporation | Computer system |
US6469904B1 (en) * | 2000-05-01 | 2002-10-22 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Housing for computer components |
-
2004
- 2004-03-12 US US10/800,234 patent/US20050200249A1/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US6392872B1 (en) * | 1999-03-15 | 2002-05-21 | Emc Corporation | Computer system |
US6373697B1 (en) * | 1999-06-28 | 2002-04-16 | Sun Microsystems, Inc. | Computer system housing and configuration |
US6469904B1 (en) * | 2000-05-01 | 2002-10-22 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Housing for computer components |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
USD762634S1 (en) * | 2013-10-22 | 2016-08-02 | Daifuku Co., Ltd. | Control panel for storage warehouse |
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Owner name: LUNAR DESIGN, INCORPORATED, CALIFORNIA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:JACOBS, JOEL;REEL/FRAME:015243/0966 Effective date: 20040526 |
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