Portable computing device housing assembly, and associated methodology, providing for carriage of an external mass storage device
A housing assembly, and an associated methodology, for a laptop computer, or other portable computing device. A housing face of the laptop computer includes a slotted opening, and a support bay is formed to extend into the body of the laptop computer. The support bay is of dimensions permitting reception of a thumb, or other similar, drive in supportive and protective engagement thereof. When positioned at the support bay, the thumb drive is carriable, together with the laptop computer.
1 . A housing assembly of a portable computer processing device having an electronic operating element, said housing assembly comprising:
a housing face positioned to cover a portion of the electronic operating element, said housing face having a slotted opening formed therealong;
a support bay positioned to extend inwardly beneath the slotted opening formed along said housing face, said support bay configured to form an external drive holster for receiving an external drive in supportive and releasable positioning thereat.
2 . The housing assembly of claim 1 wherein said housing face comprises a first housing face of a housing enclosure that encloses and houses the electronic operating element.
3 . The housing assembly of claim 2 wherein the portable computer processing device comprises a laptop computer and wherein the first housing face comprising said housing face comprises a side face surface of the laptop computer.
4 . The housing assembly of claim 1 wherein the external drive that said support bay is configured to receive comprises a thumb drive.
5 . The housing assembly of claim 1 wherein the external drive holster formed of said support bay is of dimensions, relative to dimensions of the external drive, such that, when received at the external drive holster, the external drive substantially entirely is positioned beneath said housing face.
6 . The housing assembly of claim 1 wherein said support bay defines a first seating surface and wherein, when the external drive is received in the supportive and releasable positioning at said support bay, the external drive seats upon the first seating surface.
7 . The housing assembly of claim 6 wherein the external drive comprises a longitudinally extending tongue member and wherein the first seating surface of said support bay comprises a longitudinally extending groove, the tongue member of the external drive engaging with the groove member of the seating surface.
8 . The housing assembly of claim 1 further comprising electrical contacts dispersed at said support bay, said electrical contacts connected to the electronic operating element of the portable computer processing device, the external drive, when received at the external drive holster formed of said support bay, contacts with said electrical contacts.
9 . The housing assembly of claim 1 further comprising a spring actuator positioned at said support bay, said spring actuator configured selectably to generate a spring force to impart disengagement forces to disengage the external drive out of a received position at said support bay.
10 . the housing assembly of claim 9 further comprising a user-enabled actuator operable in conjunction with said spring actuator, said user-enabled actuator, when actuated, configured to initiate generation of the spring force to impart the disengagement forces to disengage the external drive.
11 . The housing assembly of claim 10 wherein initiation of the generation of the spring force responsive to actuation of said user-enabled actuator is delayed for a selected period subsequent to actuation of said user-enabled actuator.
12 . The housing assembly of claim 11 wherein the selected period of delay of the generation of the spring force is selected at the electronic operating element.
13 . A method for facilitating convenience of carriage of an external drive with a portable computer processing device having an electronic operating element, said method comprising the operations of:
providing a housing face surface for the portable computer processing device with a slotted opening therealong and a support bay extending beneath the slotted opening;
receiving the external drive at the support bay; and
carrying the portable computer processing device together with the external drive received at the support bay.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the external drive comprises a thumb drive and wherein the support bay provided during said operation of providing is of dimensions to receive and support the thumb drive.
15 . The method of claim 13 further comprising the operation of applying an ejection force to the external drive to facilitate removal of the external drive out of the support bay.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein said operation of applying the ejection force is performed responsive to user selection and wherein said method further comprises the operation of selecting to remove the external drive out of the support bay.
17 . The method of claim 16 wherein said operation of removing is performed a selected period subsequent to selection during said operation of selecting to remove the external drive.
18 . The method of claim 13 wherein said operation of receiving the external drive at the support bay further comprises electrically connecting the external drive to the portable computer processing device.
19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising the operation of accessing contents of the external drive when received at the support bay.
20 . A laptop computer comprising:
an electronic operating element;
a housing configured to supportively house said electronic operating element, said housing having a housing face that includes a slotted opening formed therealong;
a support bay positioned to extend inwardly beneath the slotted opening formed along the housing face;
a thumbwheel drive releasably supported at said support bay, said thumbwheel drive, when supported at said support bay, positioned substantially entirely beneath the housing face.