Portable terminal device of the foldable type

• US 20040132513A1
• Filed: 10/21/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mushika, Motoaki, Taneda, Minoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,684,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

The invention provides a portable terminal device of the foldable type wherein a manipulation-side cabinet and a display-side cabinet each comprises a front cabinet segment and a rear cabinet segment joined thereto. The manipulation-side cabinet has its front cabinet segment connected at an end portion thereof to a hinge mechanism and has its rear cabinet segment engaged with the front cabinet segment thereof. The display-side cabinet has its rear cabinet segment connected at an end portion thereof to the hinge mechanism and has its front cabinet segment engaged with the rear cabinet segment thereof.

Claims

1. A portable terminal device of the foldable type comprising a pair of flat cabinets openably connected to each other by a hinge mechanism, each of the cabinets comprising a front cabinet segment to be opposed to the other cabinet when closed and a rear cabinet segment joined to the front cabinet segment, one of the pair of cabinets having the front cabinet segment thereof connected at an end portion thereof to the hinge mechanism and having the rear cabinet segment thereof engaged with the front cabinet segment thereof, the other cabinet having the rear cabinet segment thereof connected at an end portion thereof to the hinge mechanism and having the front cabinet segment thereof engaged with the rear cabinet segment thereof.

2. A portable terminal device of the foldable type according to claim 1 wherein one of the pair of flat cabinets is a manipulation-side cabinet provided with a plurality of manual keys, and the other cabinet is a display-side cabinet provided with a display, the front cabinet segment of the manipulation-side cabinet and the rear cabinet segment of the display-side cabinet being connected to each other by the hinge mechanism.

3. A portable terminal device of the foldable type according to claim 1 wherein the front cabinet segment of the manipulation-side cabinet is provided with a pair of annular pieces projecting from one end thereof and spaced apart from each other, and the rear cabinet segment of the display-side cabinet is provided with a pair of annular pieces projecting from one end thereof and spaced apart from each other, the annular piece of the manipulation-side cabinet and the annular piece of the display-side cabinet being arranged side by side in contact with each other and have fitted therein a first hinge unit, the other annular piece of the manipulation-side cabinet and the other annular piece of the display-side cabinet being arranged side by side in contact with each other and have fitted therein a second hinge unit.

4. A portable terminal device of the foldable type according to claim 3 wherein the front cabinet segment of the manipulation-side cabinet has a circular-arc piece projecting from the end thereof and positioned between the pair of annular pieces, and the rear cabinet segment of the manipulation-side cabinet is provided at one end thereof with a partial member joined to the circular-arc piece for forming a hollow cylinder.

5. A portable terminal device of the foldable type according to claim 3 wherein the front cabinet segment of the display-side cabinet is provided with a projecting circular-arc piece positioned between the pair of annular pieces, and the rear cabinet segment of the display-side cabinet is provided at the end thereof with a partial member joined to the circular-arc piece for forming a hollow cylinder.

6. A portable terminal device of the foldable type according to claim 4 wherein a circuit board in the manipulation-side cabinet and a display in the display-side cabinet are connected to each other by a flexible lead, and the flexible lead is helically wound inside the hollow cylinders formed by the circular-arc pieces and the partial members.

7. A portable terminal device of the foldable type according to claim 5 wherein a circuit board in the manipulation-side cabinet and a display in the display-side cabinet are connected to each other by a flexible lead, and the flexible lead is helically wound inside the hollow cylinders formed by the circular-arc pieces and the partial members.