Handheld electronic device having a cover turnable 360 degrees relative to a body thereof

• US 20060007648A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: High Tech Computer Corp (HTC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: High Tech Computer Corp (HTC Corporation)
• Inventors: Wang, John C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,345,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.270
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1618 the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes

Abstract

A handheld electronic device (300) mainly comprises a cover (310), a main body (320), a monitor (328) mounted on the main body, a keyboard (318) mounted on the cover and a hinge structure (330) to which pivot portions (312), (322) of the cover and main body are hinged. The pivot portions have teeth (314), (324) on circumferential peripheries thereof. The teeth mesh with each other. The cover can rotate for 360 degrees relative to the main body thereby moving from a first position to a second position, wherein at the first position, the cover abuts against a top surface (326) of the main body, and at the second position, the cover abuts against a bottom surface of the main body. The trajectory of the cover during its rotation relative to the main body follows a predetermined path.

Claims

1. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

a first casing having a first pivot portion;

a second casing having a second pivot portion, wherein the first and the second pivot portions each have has a plurality of teeth thereon, the teeth meshing with each other; and

a hinge structure to which the first pivot portion of the first casing and the second pivot portion of the second casing are pivotably connected, the first casing being free to rotate 360°

relative to the second casing, and a path of the first casing during its rotation relative to the second casing being predetermined.

2. The handheld electronic device of claim 1, wherein the hinge structure comprises a first axle cap and two axle rods each having an end secured to the first axle cap, the axle rods extending in the first pivot portion of the first casing and the second pivot portion of the second casing, respectively.

3. The handheld electronic device of claim 2, wherein the first casing is moved from a closed position of device in which the first casing abuts against the second casing to a position perpendicular to the second casing when one of the axle rods rotates 45°

relative to the other one of the axle rods.

4. The handheld electronic device of claim 2, wherein the hinge structure further comprises two axle bushings fixed in the first pivot portion of first casing and the second pivot portion of the second casing, respectively, the two axle rods extending in the respective axle bushings.

5. The handheld electronic device of claim 4, wherein the hinge structure further comprises a second axle cap connected to ends of the two axle rods distant from the first axle cap.

6. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

a first casing having a first pivot portion;

a second casing having a second pivot portion, the first and second pivot portions having teeth that mesh with each other;

a keyboard disposed on the first casing;

a monitor disposed on the second casing; and

a hinge structure to which the first and second pivot portions are hinged at a first hinged point and a hinged second point, respectively, wherein the keyboard moves from a position above the monitor to a position below the monitor after the first hinged point rotates an angle of 180°

relative to the second hinged point.

7. The handheld electronic device of claim 6, wherein the hinge structure comprises a first axle cap and two axle rods extending in the first pivot portion and the second pivot portion, respectively, the axle rods each having an end secured to the first axle cap.

8. The handheld electronic device of claim 7, wherein the monitor is a touch screen.

9. The handheld electronic device of claim 8, wherein the hinge structure further comprises a second axle cap securely connecting with ends of the two axle rods distant from the first axle cap.

10. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

a first casing having a first pivot portion;

a second casing having a second pivot portion;

a hinge structure to which the first and the second pivot portions are hinged at a first axis and a second axis, respectively; and

a lever having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end hinges to the first casing and the second end hinges to the second casing, and the first end and the second end are respectively located at different sides of a line joining the first and second axes.

11. The handheld electronic device of claim 10, wherein a distance between the first end of the lever and the first axis is X, a distance between the second end of the lever and the second axis is Y, a length of the lever between the two ends is S and a distance between the first and second axes is R, and values of X, Y, R and S substantially satisfy equations S+Y=R+X and S²=R²+(X+y)².

12. The handheld electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first casing has a monitor and the second casing has a keyboard disposed thereon.

13. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

a first casing having a first pivot portion;

a second casing having a second pivot portion;

a hinge structure to which the first pivot portion of the first casing and the second pivot portion of the second casing are hinged in a manner that the first casing can rotate up to 360 degrees relative to the second casing and move from a first position abutting against a top surface of the second casing to a second position abutting against a bottom surface of the second casing; and

means for ensuring a path of movement of the first casing during its rotation relative to the second casing to be predetermined.

14. The handheld electronic device of claim 13, wherein the means comprises a first set of protruding teeth formed on the first pivot portion and a second set of protruding teeth formed on the second pivot portion, the teeth meshing each other.

15. The handheld electronic device of claim 14, wherein the hinge structure comprises a first axle cap having two axle rods extending in the first pivot portion of the first casing and the second pivot portion of the second casing, respectively.

16. The handheld electronic device of claim 15, wherein the second casing is provided with a touch screen thereon.

17. The handheld electronic device of claim 16, wherein the first casing has a thickness equal to that of the second casing.

18. The handheld electronic device of claim 17, wherein the hinge structure further comprises a second axle cap that connects with ends of the two axle rods distant from the first axle cap.

19. The handheld electronic device of claim 13, wherein the means comprises a lever that connects the first and the second casings.

20. The handheld electronic device of claim 19, wherein the lever is pivoted to a first point on the first casing and a second point on the second casing, the first and the second points being respectively located at different sides of a line joining hinged points of the first and the second pivot portions with the hinge structure.

21. The handheld electronic device of claim 20, wherein a distance between the first point and the hinged point of the first pivot portion and the hinge structure is X, a distance between the second point and the hinged point of the second pivot portion and the hinge structure is Y, a length of the lever between the first and second points is S and a distance between the hinged points of the first and second pivot portions with the hinge structure is R, and values of X, Y, R and S satisfy equations S+Y=R+X and S²=R²+(X+Y)².

22. The handheld electronic device of claim 21, wherein the first casing is provided with a touch screen thereon.

23. The handheld electronic device of claim 22, wherein the first casing has a thickness smaller than that of the second casing.

24. The handheld electronic device of claim 22, wherein the first casing has a thickness equal to that of the second casing.