Storage compartment, and related computer systems and methods
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.
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.
BACKGROUNDMany 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.
Unfortunately, when 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.
One way to protect the PDA 14 is placing the PDA in the storage compartment 20, but this typically will not adequately protect the PDA. Because 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. For example, 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. Thus, when the PDA 14 is placed in the storage compartment 20, a portion of the PDA typically remains exposed and susceptible to inadvertent contact.
SUMMARYIn 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.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Although 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
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Other embodiments are contemplated. For example, the hinge 76 may couple the lid 54 to other areas of the body 46, such as the sides 50a-50b (
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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 locking element 58 may include a screw, snap and/or strap to retain the lid 54 at the closed position. In yet another example, 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.
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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, the lid 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.
For example, one may store 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). When stored in the storage compartment 100, the camera docking station 106 may be coupled to the circuitry via a cable (not shown) as previously discussed in conjunction with
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.
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
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.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 12, 2004
Publication Date: Sep 15, 2005
Inventors: Sze-Moey Voon (Cupertino, CA), Thomas Neal (Cupertino, CA), Ameer Karim (Cupertino, CA), Joel Jacobs (San Francisco, CA)
Application Number: 10/800,234