Portable terminal device with camera

• US 20040051779A1
• Filed: 02/13/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kino, Kenji, Kajiya, Ichiro, Yanagibashi, Hidehiro, Masutani, Yutaka, Tatehana, Masami
• Granted Patent: US 6,879,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.02
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/00 Additional features or accessories of hinges edge protecting devices E06B3/88
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/08 Friction devices between relatively-movable hinge parts E05D7/086 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0218 The hinge comprising input and/or output user interface means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils

Abstract

A portable terminal device with a camera capable of easily adjusting the orientation of the camera interlockingly with the opening and closing operation of an upper cabinet and protecting the camera from the outside interlockingly with the folding operation of the cabinet of the portable terminal device after completing a photographing operation by the camera, comprising a lower cabinet (1) having an operating part thereon, an upper cabinet (2) having a display part thereon, a hinge part (3) for foldably connecting the upper cabinet (2) to the lower cabinet (1), and an imaging part (6) rotatably installed on the hinge part (3), the imaging part (6) further comprising an interlocking mechanism (7) rotated interlockingly with the opening and closing operation of the upper cabinet (2).

Claims

1. (Amended) A mobile terminal device with a camera comprising a lower case provided with an operating part, an upper case provided with a display part, a hinge part for connecting said upper case with said lower case in a foldable manner, and a photographing part installed in said hinge part,

wherein there is provided an association mechanism by which said photographing part is rotated in association with opening and closing motions of said upper case, and

wherein said hinge part includes an upper hinge which is integral with said upper case and a lower hinge which is integral with said lower case, and

wherein said association mechanism includes a first friction member provided between said upper hinge and said photographing part, and

wherein said first friction member has friction coefficient which is larger than friction coefficient between said lower hinge and said photographing part:

3. (Amended) The mobile terminal device with a camera as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said association mechanism includes a second friction member provided between said first friction member, said lower hinge and said photographing part, and

wherein the friction coefficient of said first friction member is larger than friction coefficient of said second friction member.

4. (Amended) The mobile terminal device with a camera as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first friction member includes a C-ring or an E-ring.

5. The mobile terminal device with a camera as claimed in claim 4, wherein said C-ring or E-ring is provided with a bulging portion on a circumferential edge, said bulging portion being adapted to come into a point contact with said upper hinge.

6. (Amended) The mobile terminal device with a camera as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said upper hinge and said lower hinge are provided with restricting members for restricting rotation range of said photographing part, and

wherein said photographing part is provided with a member to be restricted by said restricting member so that said rotation range of said photographing part is restricted.

7. (Amended) The mobile terminal device with a camera as claimed in any one of claim 1, claim 3, claim 4, claim 5 and claim 6,

wherein a housing of said photographing part is formed by joining an upper housing and a lower housing, and

a flexible circuit board for electrical connection between an interior of said photographing part and said upper or lower case is drawn out through a joint portion between said upper and lower housings.

2. (Canceled)