Fantastic folding laptop designs

Double-screen, folding laptop

\n\tLaptops are thinner and lighter than they were in the past, but their basic clam-shell design has remained relatively unchanged. Even convertible laptops with their rotating or flippable touchscreens have a main body and lid, which are attached with a hinge.
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\n\tThere are those however, who have challenged the standard, two-piece laptop design. The U.S. patent drawings in this gallery show a few of the more interesting designs, from a three-layer device that folds up into a cube to a laptop with two screens.
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\n\tImage taken from U.S. Patent 6,667,878 – Digitized by Google

Accordion-fold Laptop computer (Figure 1)

\n\tU.S. Patent number: 6,256,192
\n\tFiled: Aug. 9, 1999
\n\tIssued: Jul. 3, 2001
\n\tInventor: Robert Shannon
\n\tAssignee: Packard Bell NEC, Inc.
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\n\tSeeking to move beyond the “clam-shell” design used by most laptops, Robert Shannon proposed an Accordion-Fold Laptop Computer. According to the patent, Shannon’s design would provide improved thermal management, ergonomic features, and greater battery capacity. The design would achieve these goals without “substantially increasing the overall thickness or weight of the laptop”.
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\n\tImage taken from U.S. Patent 6,256,192 – Digitized by Google

Accordion-fold Laptop computer (Figures 2A and 2B)

U.S. Patent number: 6,256,192
Filed: Aug. 9, 1999
Issued: Jul. 3, 2001
Inventor: Robert Shannon
Assignee: Packard Bell NEC, Inc.

Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,256,192 – Digitized by Google

Accordion-fold Laptop computer (Figure 3)

U.S. Patent number: 6,256,192
Filed: Aug. 9, 1999
Issued: Jul. 3, 2001
Inventor: Robert Shannon
Assignee: Packard Bell NEC, Inc.

Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,256,192 – Digitized by Google

Accordion-fold Laptop computer (Figures 4A and 4B)

U.S. Patent number: 6,256,192
Filed: Aug. 9, 1999
Issued: Jul. 3, 2001
Inventor: Robert Shannon
Assignee: Packard Bell NEC, Inc.

Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,256,192 – Digitized by Google

Accordion-fold Laptop computer (Figures 4C)

U.S. Patent number: 6,256,192
Filed: Aug. 9, 1999
Issued: Jul. 3, 2001
Inventor: Robert Shannon
Assignee: Packard Bell NEC, Inc.

Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,256,192 – Digitized by Google

Accordion-fold Laptop computer (Figures 5A and 5B)

U.S. Patent number: 6,256,192
Filed: Aug. 9, 1999
Issued: Jul. 3, 2001
Inventor: Robert Shannon
Assignee: Packard Bell NEC, Inc.

Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,256,192 – Digitized by Google

Accordion-fold Laptop computer (Figure 6)

\n\tU.S. Patent number: 6,256,192
\n\tFiled: Aug. 9, 1999
\n\tIssued: Jul. 3, 2001
\n\tInventor: Robert Shannon
\n\tAssignee: Packard Bell NEC, Inc.
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\n\tImage taken from U.S. Patent 6,256,192 – Digitized by Google

Three Layered Laptop Computer (Figure 1)

\n\tU.S. Patent number: 4,839,837
\n\tFiled: Oct. 27, 1987
\n\tIssued: Jun. 13, 1989
\n\tInventor: Bo E. Chang
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\n\tChang’s patent describes a “portable, three layered laptop computer”. The machine would be made of three sections; a main body and keyboard, screen, and output device (such as a printer). The hinged sections would fold up like a cube.
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\n\tImage taken from U.S. Patent 4,839,837 – Digitized by Google

Three Layered Laptop Computer (Figure 2)

\n\tU.S. Patent number: 4,839,837
\n\tFiled: Oct. 27, 1987
\n\tIssued: Jun. 13, 1989
\n\tInventor: Bo E. Chang
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\n\tImage taken from U.S. Patent 4,839,837 – Digitized by Google

Three Layered Laptop Computer (Figures 3 and 4)

U.S. Patent number: 4,839,837
Filed: Oct. 27, 1987
Issued: Jun. 13, 1989
Inventor: Bo E. Chang

Image taken from U.S. Patent 4,839,837 – Digitized by Google

Double screen laptop (Figure 1)

\n\tU.S. Patent number: 6,667,878
\n\tFiled: Jan. 30, 2002
\n\tIssued: Dec. 23 2003
\n\tInventor: David A. Ponx
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\n\tDavid Ponx submitted a four-section laptop design to the US Patent and Trademark Office in 1997. Ponx’s design consists of a main body, main screen, second (removable) screen, and outer screen cover. The second screen would display what’s on the main screen and be “ideal for business presentations, instruction, and other like uses”.
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\n\tImage taken from U.S. Patent 6,667,878 – Digitized by Google

Double screen laptop (Figure 2)

U.S. Patent number: 6,667,878
Filed: Jan. 30, 2002
Issued: Dec. 23 2003
Inventor: David A. Ponx

Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,667,878 – Digitized by Google

Double screen laptop (Figure 3)

U.S. Patent number: 6,667,878
Filed: Jan. 30, 2002
Issued: Dec. 23 2003
Inventor: David A. Ponx

Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,667,878 – Digitized by Google

Double screen laptop (Figure 4)

\n\tU.S. Patent number: 6,667,878
\n\tFiled: Jan. 30, 2002
\n\tIssued: Dec. 23 2003
\n\tInventor: David A. Ponx
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\n\tImage taken from U.S. Patent 6,667,878 – Digitized by Google

Double screen laptop (Figure 5)

U.S. Patent number: 6,667,878
Filed: Jan. 30, 2002
Issued: Dec. 23 2003
Inventor: David A. Ponx

Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,667,878 – Digitized by Google

Double screen laptop (Figure 6)

U.S. Patent number: 6,667,878
Filed: Jan. 30, 2002
Issued: Dec. 23 2003
Inventor: David A. Ponx

Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,667,878 – Digitized by Google

Trifold Laptop Computer (Figures 1A and 1B)

\n\tU.S. Patent number: 7,511,950
\n\tFiled: Oct. 31, 2007
\n\tIssued: Mar. 31, 2009
\n\tInventors: Bobbi A. Brekke, Francisco Garcia, David Nevarez, Debora Velarde, and Marcos A. Villarreal
\n\tAssignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)
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\n\tIn 2007, a group of inventors from IBM filed a patent for a “Trifold Laptop Computer”. Their design consisted of a main body, a hinged screen, and a hinged keyboard. The designers envisioned several configurations for the device. In one embodiment, both the screen and keyboard would be attached to opposite ends of the main body. In another embodiment, the keyboard would be attached to the main body and the display would be attached to the screen.
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\n\tImage taken from U.S. Patent 7,511,950 – Digitized by Google

Trifold Laptop Computer (Figures 1C, 1D, and 1E)

\n\tU.S. Patent number: 7,511,950
\n\tFiled: Oct. 31, 2007
\n\tIssued: Mar. 31, 2009
\n\tInventors: Bobbi A. Brekke, Francisco Garcia, David Nevarez, Debora Velarde, and Marcos A. Villarreal
\n\tAssignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)
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\n\tImage taken from U.S. Patent 7,511,950 – Digitized by Google

Trifold Laptop Computer (Figures 2A and 2B)

\n\tU.S. Patent number: 7,511,950
\n\tFiled: Oct. 31, 2007
\n\tIssued: Mar. 31, 2009
\n\tInventors: Bobbi A. Brekke, Francisco Garcia, David Nevarez, Debora Velarde, and Marcos A. Villarreal
\n\tAssignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)
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\n\tImage taken from U.S. Patent 7,511,950 – Digitized by Google

Trifold Laptop Computer (Figures 2C, 2D, 2E)

\n\tU.S. Patent number: 7,511,950
\n\tFiled: Oct. 31, 2007
\n\tIssued: Mar. 31, 2009
\n\tInventors: Bobbi A. Brekke, Francisco Garcia, David Nevarez, Debora Velarde, and Marcos A. Villarreal
\n\tAssignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)
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\n\tImage taken from U.S. Patent 7,511,950 – Digitized by Google

Tri-layer Folding Laptop Computer (Figure 1)

\n\tU.S. Patent Application Publication No.: US 2009/0086424
\n\tFiled: Oct. 1, 2007
\n\tPublished: Apr. 2, 2009
\n\tInventor: Raymon Jette
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\n\tRaymon Jette envisioned a laptop that would help the user maintain “an ergonomically correct sitting position during use thereby eliminating neck, shoulder, back and eye strain”. His design included a main body, a middle “lectern” layer, and screen. Not only would the lectern section allow you to adjust the screen’s position and viewing angle, it could also serve as a handy book stand. He submitted his design to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 2007, but has not been granted a patent.
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\n\tImage taken from U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: US 2009/0086424 – Digitized by Google

Tri-layer Folding Laptop Computer (Figure 2)

U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: US 2009/0086424
Filed: Oct. 1, 2007
Published: Apr. 2, 2009

Image taken from Publication No.: US 2009/0086424 – Digitized by Google

Tri-layer Folding Laptop Computer (Figure 3)

U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: US 2009/0086424
Filed: Oct. 1, 2007
Published: Apr. 2, 2009

Image taken from Publication No.: US 2009/0086424 – Digitized by Google

Tri-layer Folding Laptop Computer (Figure 4)

U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: US 2009/0086424
Filed: Oct. 1, 2007
Published: Apr. 2, 2009

Image taken from Publication No.: US 2009/0086424 – Digitized by Google

Tri-layer Folding Laptop Computer (Figure 5)

U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: US 2009/0086424
Filed: Oct. 1, 2007
Published: Apr. 2, 2009

Image taken from Publication No.: US 2009/0086424 – Digitized by Google

Tri-layer Folding Laptop Computer (Figure 6)

U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: US 2009/0086424
Filed: Oct. 1, 2007
Published: Apr. 2, 2009

Image taken from Publication No.: US 2009/0086424 – Digitized by Google

Tri-layer Folding Laptop Computer (Figure 7)

U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: US 2009/0086424
Filed: Oct. 1, 2007
Published: Apr. 2, 2009

Image taken from Publication No.: US 2009/0086424 – Digitized by Google

Tri-layer Folding Laptop Computer (Figure 8)

U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: US 2009/0086424
Filed: Oct. 1, 2007
Published: Apr. 2, 2009

Image taken from Publication No.: US 2009/0086424 – Digitized by Google

Tri-layer Folding Laptop Computer (Figure 9)

U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: US 2009/0086424
Filed: Oct. 1, 2007
Published: Apr. 2, 2009

Image taken from Publication No.: US 2009/0086424 – Digitized by Google