Electronic apparatus having pivotable rod-shaped radio communication antenna

• US 20030002248A1
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakaya, Yuuji, Honda, Masami
• Application Number:
  US10/136,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20030002248A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/084 Pivotable antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2258 used with computer equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03

Abstract

An electronic apparatus comprises a main body having a top surface provided with a display screen, a bottom surface, a front surface, a rear surface and right and left lateral surfaces. At least an operating member to be manually operated is arranged at a first lateral area of the main body. A rod-shaped antenna for radio communication is arranged at a second lateral area of the main body longitudinally separated from the first lateral area of the main body. The rod-shaped antenna is adapted to pivot between a first position where it is stored along the main body and a second position where it projects outward from the main body.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a main body having a top surface provided with a display screen, the main body having first and second longitudinally separated lateral areas;

at least an operating member to be manually operated, said operating member being arranged in said first lateral area; and

a rod-shaped antenna for radio communication arranged in said second lateral area, said rod-shaped antenna being adapted to pivot between a first position where the antenna extends along said main body and a second position where the antenna projects outward from said main body.

2. An electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said main body has a rear surface extending in a longitudinal direction of the main body and said operating member is arranged along one of the longitudinally lateral end sections of said rear surface while said rod-shaped antenna is arranged along another longitudinally lateral end section of said rear surface.

3. An electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said rear surface of said main body has a recess at one of the end sections thereof and said operating member has a push button exposed to the outside of said main body and arranged in said recess.

4. An electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said main body includes an upper case having a top surface, a lower case arranged opposite to the upper case and a frame interposed between the upper case and the lower case, said upper case, said lower case and said frame being linked to each other by means of a plurality of screws.

5. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a main body, said main body having a bottom surface, a front surface, a rear surface, right and left lateral surfaces and a top surface provided with a display screen;

at least an operating member to be manually operated, said operating member being arranged on one longitudinally lateral end section of said rear surface; and

a rod-shaped antenna for radio communication arranged on another longitudinally lateral end section of said rear surface, said rod-shaped antenna being adapted to pivot between a first position where the antenna extends along said main body and a second position where the antenna projects outward from said main body.

6. An electronic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said rear surface of said main body has a recess at one of the end sections thereof and said operating member has a push button exposed to the outside of said main body and arranged in said recess.

7. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a main body having a top surface and a bottom surface, a display screen being arranged on said top surface;

a rod-shaped antenna for radio communication arranged at one longitudinally lateral area of the main body, said rod-shaped antenna being adapted to pivot between a first position where the antenna extends along said main body and a second position where the antenna projects outward from said main body; and

a cover which covers said main body, said cover including a first cover section covering the top surface of said main body, a second cover section covering the bottom surface of said main body, a third cover section bridging said first cover section and said second cover section, and a strap adapted for separably linking said first cover section to said second cover section with said main body interposed between said first cover section and said second cover section, said strap being arranged on said first cover section at a side opposite to said third cover section and located such that when said first cover section and said second cover section are linked by said strap, said strap does not obstruct the antenna from pivoting between the first and second positions.

8. An electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a rear surface carrying said rod-shaped antenna is arranged at a side opposite to a front surface, said rear surface and said front surface extending along the longitudinal direction of said main body, and wherein said third cover section of the cover is adapted to cover said front surface of said main body while said strap of the cover is adapted to bridge said rear surface.

9. An electronic apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said first and second cover sections have respective edges extending outward beyond said rear surface of said main body, and said rod-shaped antenna is located between said edges of said first and second cover sections.

10. An electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said rod-shaped antenna is adapted to extend outward from the cover beyond said edges of said first and second cover sections when said rod-shaped antenna is pivoted to said second position.

11. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a main body having an antenna containing section arranged at one longitudinally lateral area;

a rod-shaped antenna for radio communication arranged in said antenna containing section, said rod-shaped antenna being adapted to pivot between a first position where the antenna is stored in said antenna containing section and a second position where the antenna projects outward from said antenna containing section of said main body; and

a stopper arranged at said antenna containing section, said stopper being adapted to abut the rod-shaped antenna pivoted to said second position and define a standing angle of said rod-shaped antenna relative to said main body.

12. An electronic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said main body has a rear surface along the longitudinal direction thereof and said antenna containing section includes a groove formed in said rear surface, said rod-shaped antenna being stored in said groove and adapted to be pulled out from said groove.

13. An electronic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said antenna containing section has a linking section adapted for linking said rod-shaped antenna to said antenna containing section, and wherein said stopper is located adjacent to the linking section and has a stopper surface for contacting said rod-shaped antenna, said stopper surface of said stopper being inclined relative to the rear surface of said main body.

15. An electronic apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the cavity is adapted to receive a user'"'"'s left index finger.

14. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a main body having a top surface provided with a display screen and a bottom surface provided with a cavity adapted to receive a user'"'"'s finger;

at least an operating member to be manually operated, said operating member being arranged at a first lateral area of said main body;

a rod-shaped antenna for radio communication arranged at a second lateral area of said main body, the second lateral area being longitudinally separated from the first lateral area, said rod-shaped antenna being adapted to pivot between a first position where the antenna extends along said main body and a second position where the antenna projects outward from said main body; and

a fingerprint detection sensor arranged in the cavity, said fingerprint detection sensor adapted for optically detecting a fingerprint on the received finger.