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Apparatus and methods for mounting a display panel of a portable information handling system such as a notebook or laptop computer. The apparatus and methods employ a display backing component having a stepwise-thickened central cross-sectional shape and distribution of mass that may be tailored to

Apparatus and methods for mounting a display panel of a portable information handling system such as a notebook or laptop computer. The apparatus and methods employ a display backing component having a stepwise-thickened central cross-sectional shape and distribution of mass that may be tailored to match the stress concentration of a display assembly.

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What is claimed is: 1. A portable information handling system, comprising: a base assembly comprising one or more processors, one or more input/output devices, and one or more data storage devices; a display assembly comprising a display panel and a display backing component configured with a stepw

What is claimed is: 1. A portable information handling system, comprising: a base assembly comprising one or more processors, one or more input/output devices, and one or more data storage devices; a display assembly comprising a display panel and a display backing component configured with a stepwise-thickened central support feature, said display panel being coupled to said display backing component such that said display panel is supported by said display backing component; and a hinge mechanism coupled between said display assembly and said base assembly; wherein said stepwise-thickened central support feature includes a thickened middle area that is surrounded on all sides by a thinner surrounding area. 2. The portable information handling system of claim 1, wherein said display backing component has a major plane; wherein said thickened middle area is intersected by a centerline of said display backing component that is oriented perpendicular to said major plane of said display backing component; wherein said display panel has a back surface and a front light-emitting surface; wherein said display backing component has a substantially planar back surface and a front surface that is shaped to define said stepwise-thickened central support feature thereon; and wherein said display panel is coupled to said display backing component with said front surface of said display backing component oriented to face said back surface of said display panel. 3. The portable information handling system of claim 1, wherein said display panel comprises an LCD display panel; and wherein said portable information handling system comprises a notebook computer. 4. The portable information handling system of claim 1, wherein said stepwise-thickened central support feature provides increased mass of display backing material at a position within said display panel assembly such that said display backing component is effective to support said display panel in a manner that resists or substantially prevents deformation of said display panel when said display assembly is subjected to one or more external forces. 5. The portable information handling system of claim 1, said thickened middle area providing an increased mass of display backing material at a portion of said display panel assembly at which a stress concentration is greatest when said display assembly is exposed to an external lateral force applied perpendicular to the major plane of said display assembly at the center of said display assembly, and said thinner surrounding area providing a decreased mass of display backing material at a portion of said display panel assembly at which a stress concentration is less than at said location of said thickened middle area when said display assembly is exposed to an external lateral force applied perpendicular to the major plane of said display assembly at the center of said display assembly. 6. The portable information handling system of claim 1, wherein said display backing component has a major axis length dimension (L) and a minor axis width dimension (W); wherein said stepwise-thickened central support feature has a major axis length (PL)=L/x, where x is from about 2 to about 4 and wherein said stepwise-thickened central support feature has a minor axis width (PW)=W/y, where y is from about 2 to about 4. 7. A display assembly for a portable information handling system, comprising: a display panel; and a display backing component configured with a stepwise-thickened central support feature, said stepwise-thickened central support feature including a thickened middle area that is surrounded on all sides by a thinner surrounding area; wherein said display panel is coupled to said display backing component such that said display panel is supported by said display backing component. 8. The display assembly of claim 7, wherein said display backing component has a major plane; and wherein said thickened middle area is intersected by a centerline of said display backing component that is oriented perpendicular to said major plane of said display backing component. 9. The display assembly of claim 8, wherein said display panel has a back surface and a front light-emitting surface; wherein said display backing component has a substantially planar back surface and a front surface that is shaped to define said stepwise-thickened central support feature thereon; and wherein said display panel is coupled to said display backing component with said front surface of said display backing component oriented to face said back surface of said display panel. 10. The display assembly of claim 9, further comprising a housing frame and a display bezel, said housing frame being coupled to said display bezel with said display backing component and said display panel positioned therebetween; wherein said housing frame is disposed adjacent said back surface of said display panel component and said display bezel is disposed adjacent said front light-emitting surface of said display panel. 11. The display assembly of claim 7, wherein said stepwise-thickened central support feature provides increased mass of display backing material at a position within said display panel assembly such that said display backing component is effective to support said display panel in a manner that resists or substantially prevents deformation of said display panel when said display assembly is subjected to one or more external forces. 12. The display assembly of claim 7, said thickened middle area providing an increased mass of display backing material at a portion of said display panel assembly at which a stress concentration is greatest when said display assembly is exposed to an external lateral force applied perpendicular to the major plane of said display assembly at the center of said display assembly, and said thinner surrounding area providing a decreased mass of display backing material at a portion of said display panel assembly at which a stress concentration is less than at said location of said thickened middle area when said display assembly is exposed to an external lateral force applied perpendicular to the major plane of said display assembly at the center of said display assembly. 13. The display assembly of claim 7, wherein said display backing component has a major axis length dimension (L) and a minor axis width dimension (W); wherein said stepwise-thickened central support feature has a major axis length (PL)=L/x, where x is from about 2 to about 4 and wherein said stepwise-thickened central support feature has a minor axis width (PW)=W/y, where y is from about 2 to about 4. 14. A method of mounting a display panel in a display assembly, comprising: providing a display panel, and a display backing component configured with a stepwise-thickened central support feature, said stepwise-thickened central support feature including a thickened middle area that is surrounded on all sides by a thinner surrounding area; and coupling said display panel to said display backing component to form a display assembly in which said display panel is supported by said display backing component. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said display backing component has a major plane; wherein said thickened middle area is intersected by a centerline of said display backing component that is oriented perpendicular to said major plane of said display backing component; wherein said display panel has a back surface and a front light-emitting surface; wherein said display backing component has a substantially planar back surface and a front surface that is shaped to define said stepwise-thickened central support feature thereon; and wherein said method further comprises coupling said display panel to said display backing component with said front surface of said display backing component oriented to face said back surface of said display panel. 16. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a portable information handling system base assembly that includes one or more processors, one or more input/output devices, and one or more data storage devices; and hingeably coupling said portable information handling system base assembly to said display assembly. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said display panel comprises an LCD display panel; and wherein said portable information handling system base assembly comprises a notebook computer. 18. The method of claim 14, wherein said stepwise-thickened central support feature provides increased mass of display backing material at a position within said display panel assembly such that said display backing component is effective to support said display panel in a manner that resists or substantially prevents deformation of said display panel when said display assembly is subjected to one or more external forces. 19. The method of claim 14, said thickened middle area providing an increased mass of display backing material at a portion of said display panel assembly at which a stress concentration is greatest when said display assembly is exposed to an external lateral force applied perpendicular to the major plane of said display assembly at the center of said display assembly, and said thinner surrounding area providing a decreased mass of display backing material at a portion of said display panel assembly at which a stress concentration is less than at said location of said thickened middle area when said display assembly is exposed to an external lateral force applied perpendicular to the major plane of said display assembly at the center of said display assembly. 20. The method of claim 14, wherein said display backing component has a major axis length dimension (L) and a minor axis width dimension (W); wherein said stepwise-thickened central support feature has a major axis length (PL)=L/x, where x is from about 2 to about 4 and wherein said stepwise-thickened central support feature has a minor axis width (PW)=W/y, where y is from about 2 to about 4. 21. An information handling system, comprising: a display panel; and a display backing component having front and back opposing sides, the front side of the display backing component having a surface that is shaped to define a stepwise-thickened central support feature thereon, and the opposing back side of the display backing component being shaped to be substantially planar across its surface; wherein said display panel is coupled to said display backing component to form a display assembly in which said display panel is supported by said display backing component. 22. The information handling system of claim 21, wherein said display panel has a back surface and a front light-emitting surface; and wherein said display panel is coupled to said display backing component with said front surface of said display backing component oriented to face said back surface of said display panel. 23. The information handling system of claim 21, further comprising: a base assembly comprising one or more processors, one or more input/output devices, and one or more data storage devices; and a hinge mechanism coupled between said display assembly and said base assembly. 24. A method of mounting a display panel in a display assembly, comprising: providing a display panel; providing a display backing component having front and back opposing sides, the front side of the display backing component having a surface that is shaped to define a stepwise-thickened central support feature thereon, and the opposing back side of the display backing component being shaped to be substantially planar across its entire surface; and coupling said display panel to said display backing component to form a display assembly in which said display panel is supported by said display backing component. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein said display panel has a back surface and a front light-emitting surface; and wherein said method further comprises coupling said display panel to said display backing component with said front surface of said display backing component oriented to face said back surface of said display panel. 26. The method of claim 24, further comprising providing a portable information handling system base assembly that includes one or more processors, one or more input/output devices, and one or more data storage devices; and hingeably coupling said portable information handling system base assembly to said display assembly.