PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20080278897A1
• Filed: 05/09/2008
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jin-Soo, Jin, Jae-Chul
• Application Number:
  US12/118,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20080278897A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/681
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0233 Including a rotatable display body part
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0247 comprising more than two body parts

Abstract

Disclosed is a portable electronic device adapted to be used and watched conveniently. The device includes a first housing having a keypad, a second housing having a display device; and a connection unit to rotatably couple the first and second housings so that the second housing can be rotated about a first hinge axis relative to the first housing and then can be fixed at a specific angle of rotation.

Claims

1. A bar-type portable electronic device, comprising:

a first housing having a keypad;

a second housing having a display device; and

a connection unit to rotatably couple the first housing and the second housing so that the second housing can be rotated about a first hinge axis relative to the first housing and then fixed at a specific angle of rotation.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the display device is adapted to rotate in a transverse direction.

3. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a first housing having a keypad;

a second housing having a display device, the second housing being adapted to rotate about a first hinge axis so that the display device is positioned at the center of the first housing and then rotated about a second hinge axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the first hinge axis to be cradled at an angle; and

a connection unit to provide the first hinge axis and the second hinge axis and connect the first housing and the second housing so the second housing can rotate about the first hinge axis and the second hinge axis.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 3, wherein the first housing has a mounting recess that faces the second housing.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 4, wherein the keypad comprises:

a first keypad positioned inside the mounting recess so as to be exposed when the second housing rotates about the first hinge axis in a first direction and covered when the second housing rotates about the first hinge axis in a second direction,

a second keypad that is always exposed, and

a microphone device being positioned adjacent to the second keypad.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 3, wherein the first hinge axis is arranged away from the center of the second housing.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 3, wherein the connection unit comprises:

a hinge connection device coupled to hinge holes in the second housing and the connection unit, the hinge connection device being arranged away from the centers of the second housing and the connection unit while extending through the hinge holes so that the second housing can rotate about the first hinge axis while facing the connection unit;

a guide movement unit positioned between the second housing and the connection unit so that the second housing is guided to rotate and move linearly when the second housing rotates about the first hinge axis; and

a cradling hinge device having a pair of side hinge arms and a center hinge arm positioned on the first housing and the connection unit, respectively, and coupled so that respective hinge arms can rotate about the second hinge axis and that the second housing and the connection unit can be cradled at an angle relative to the first housing.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the hinge connection device comprises a rotation bush.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the guide movement unit comprises:

a guide roller unit positioned inside the second housing while being able to move;

a first guide hole in the second housing and coupled to the guide roller unit with the guide roller unit extending through the first guide hole so that the first guide hole guides a linear movement of the guide roller unit when the second housing rotates about the first hinge axis; and

a second guide hole in a first case of the connection unit, the second guide hole being positioned to correspond to the first guide hole and coupled to the guide roller unit, the guide roller unit extending through the second guide hole so that the guide roller unit moves linearly along the second guide hole.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the connection unit incorporates an elastic body to generate compressive/tensile force when the second housing rotates about the first hinge axis and when the guide roller unit moves linearly so that the second housing is rotated, and

wherein the elastic body comprises a coil spring, a first portion of the coil spring being disposed on a spring fixing unit disposed inside the connection unit, and a second portion of the coil spring being fastened to a fixing protrusion disposed on the guide roller unit so as to provide compressive/tensile force when the guide roller unit moves linearly.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the first guide hole has a curved shape and an inflection point so that when the second housing rotates, the guide roller unit moves away from the first hinge axis along a curve of the first guide hole,

wherein the elastic body exerts tensile force when the guide roller unit is positioned at the inflection point of the first guide hole, and

wherein the elastic body exerts compressive force when the guide roller unit moves away from the inflection point so that the guide roller unit moves towards the first hinge axis and the second housing is rotated.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the cradling hinge device comprises:

a pair of side hinge arms disposed on an end of the first housing;

a center hinge arm disposed on an end of the connection unit;

a hinge rod provided on the side hinge arms to rotatably couple respective hinge arms;

a cam housing provided inside the center hinge arm;

a hinge cam provided inside the cam housing, an end of the hinge cam being coupled to the side hinge arms, a first trough and a second trough on a surface of the hinge cam;

a hinge shaft arranged to move linearly inside the cam housing, the hinge shaft having a crest positioned to face the first trough and the second trough of the hinge cam and adapted to rotate when the second housing rotates about the second hinge axis and engage with/disengage from the first trough and the second trough; and

a coil spring to compress the hinge shaft so that the crest can engage with/disengage from curved surfaces of the first trough and the second trough.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 12, wherein the crest is adapted to engage with the first trough and maintain the second housing and the connection unit in a pre-cradling condition and,

wherein the crest disengages from the first trough and engages with the second trough so that the second housing and the connection unit are maintained in a cradling condition at an angle.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 3, wherein the display device comprises a touch screen.