Foldable cellular phone

• US 20050239522A1
• Filed: 04/11/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BenQ Corporation (Qisda Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BenQ Corporation (Qisda Corporation)
• Inventors: Ting, Jung-Feng
• Granted Patent: US 7,319,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge

Abstract

A foldable cellular phone includes a first housing, a first protruding portion, a second housing, and a second protruding portion. The first housing includes a first hinge part, the first protruding portion being disposed on the first hinge part. The second housing includes a second hinge part, the second protruding portion being disposed in the second hinge part. The first hinge part and the second hinge part couple with each other as a hinge. When the second housing rotates around the hinge relatively to the first housing, the second protruding portion corresponding to the first protruding portion is capable of acting as a stopper to stop the movement of the first protruding portion. Subsequently, the second housing is in a flip position with a predetermined maximum angle.

Claims

1. A foldable electronic device, comprising:

a first housing having a first hinge part;

a first protruding portion disposed on the first hinge part;

a second housing having a second hinge part, wherein the second housing can rotate against the first housing via a pivotal connection between the second hinge part and the first hinge part; and

a second protruding portion disposed on the second hinge part, wherein the second protruding portion corresponds to the first protruding portion of the first hinge part;

wherein when the second housing rotates against the first housing, the first protruding portion of the first hinge part can stop a movement of the second protruding portion of the second hinge part for the second housing to be positioned at a maximum flip angle.

2. The foldable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first protruding portion, the first hinge part and the first housing are formed in one block.

3. The foldable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second protruding portion, the second hinge part and the second housing are formed in one block.

4. The foldable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first hinge part has a shaft on which the first protruding portion is disposed the second hinge part has an axle hole in which the second protruding portion is disposed, the second hinge part and the first hinge part are pivotally connected via a joint between the axle hole and the shaft, and the second housing can rotate against the first housing around with the shaft.

5. The foldable electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the maximum flip angle is determined according to a relative position between the first protruding portion as disposed on the shaft and the second protruding portion as disposed inside the axle hole.

6. The foldable electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the axle hole has a third protruding portion disposed therein, via which the axle hole can be closely jointed with the shaft so that the second housing can rotate against the first housing firmly.

7. A foldable electronic device, comprising:

a main body having a shaft;

a first protruding portion disposed on the shaft;

a flip cover having an axle hole, wherein the flip cover and the main body are rotatable against each other via a pivotal connection between the axle hole and the shaft; and

a second protruding portion disposed inside the axle hole;

wherein when the flip cover rotates against the main body, the first protruding portion of the shaft can stop a movement of the second protruding portion of the axle hole for the flip cover to be positioned at a maximum flip angle.

8. The foldable electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the first protruding portion, the shaft and the main body are formed in one block.

9. The foldable electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the second protruding portion and the flip cover are formed in one block.

10. The foldable electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the maximum flip angle is determined according to a relative position between the first protruding portion as disposed on the shaft and the second protruding portion as disposed on the axle hole.

11. The foldable electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the axle hole has a third protruding portion disposed therein, via which the axle hole can be closely jointed with the shaft so that the flip cover can rotate against the main body firmly.

12. A pivotal joint, comprising:

a first hinge part having a shaft;

a first protruding portion disposed on the shaft;

a second hinge part having an axle hole, wherein the second hinge part can rotate against the first hinge part via a pivotal connection between the axle hole and the shaft; and

a second protruding portion disposed inside the axle hole;

wherein when the second hinge part rotates against the first hinge part to a maximum predetermined angle, the first protruding portion disposed on the shaft can stop the second protruding portion disposed inside the axle hole to stop rotating.

13. The pivotal joint according to claim 12, wherein the maximum predetermined angle is determined according to a relative position between the first protruding portion as disposed on the shaft and the second protruding portion as disposed inside the axle hole.

14. The pivotal joint according to claim 12, wherein the axle hole has a third protruding portion disposed therein, via which the axle hole and the shaft are closely jointed for the second hinge part to rotate against the first hinge part firmly.

15. The pivotal joint according to claim 12, wherein the first hinge part is disposed on the a first housing while the second hinge part is disposed on a second housing, wherein the first housing and the second housing can rotate relatively to a maximum flip angle via the pivotal connection between the first hinge part and the second hinge part.