PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20090036179A1
• Filed: 05/14/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: High Tech Computer Corp (HTC Corporation)
• Inventors: Tun, Yun-Long, Chiou, Chang-Hwang, Chen, Ching-Shih
• Granted Patent: US 8,478,368 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.400
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0227 Rotatable in one plane, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0237 Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7136 Key initiated actuation of device

Abstract

A portable electronic device includes a main body, a cap body and a hinge assembly. The cap body is movably attached to the main body, and the hinge assembly is disposed between the main body and the cap body. The hinge assembly includes a sliding portion and a rotating portion connected to each other. When the cap body and the main body are totally overlapped, the cap body is selectively to rotate or to slide with respect to the main body over the hinge assembly.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a main body;

a cap body movably attached to the main body; and

a hinge assembly disposed between the main body and the cap body, at least including a sliding portion and a rotating portion connected to each other;

wherein when the cap body and the main body are totally overlapped, the cap body is selectively to rotate or slide with respect to the main body over the hinge assembly.

2. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the cap body comprises a first casing and a second casing coupled to each other, and the second casing is coupled to the main body.

3. The portable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the second casing is disposed between the first casing and the main body.

4. The portable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the first casing is slidably coupled to the second casing, and the second casing is rotatably coupled to the main body.

5. The portable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the first casing comprises a spline and an opening, the second casing is slidably disposed within the spline and slides in and out of the spline over the opening.

6. The portable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the hinge assembly further comprises a guiding pin, which is fixed to a bottom surface of the first casing, the sliding portion has a straight track disposed on a top surface of the main body, the rotating portion has a rotating pivot and an arc-shaped track, the rotating pivot is connected to the second casing and the main body, the arc-shaped track is disposed on an edge of the rotating pivot and on a bottom surface of the second casing, and the straight track is connected to the arc-shaped track.

7. The portable electronic device according to claim 6, wherein:

when the cap body and the main body are totally overlapped, the guiding pin is located at a connection portion between the straight track and the arc-shaped track;

when the guiding pin is moved to the straight track, the first casing is slidable with respect to the second casing and the main body; and

when the guiding pin is moved to the arc-shaped track, the cap body is rotatable with respect to the main body.

8. The portable electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the rotating pivot has a first end and a second end, the first end is rotatable with respect to the second end, the first end is connected to the top surface of the main body, and the second end is connected to the bottom surface of the second casing.

9. The portable electronic device according to claim 6, further comprising:

an elastic member disposed adjacent to the rotating pivot and the arc-shaped track, wherein an elastic force of the elastic member makes the cap body rotate automatically.

10. The portable electronic device according to claim 2, further comprising:

at least one elastic member having two ends respectively connected to the first casing and the second casing, wherein an elastic force of the elastic member makes the first casing automatically slide to a completely opened position or to a completely closed position.

11. The portable electronic device according to claim 2, further comprising:

an input element disposed on a top surface of the main body, wherein the input element is exposed when the cap body rotates with respect to the main body.

12. The portable electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the input element is a standard keyboard.

13. The portable electronic device according to claim 2, further comprising:

an input element disposed on a top surface of the second casing, wherein the input element is exposed when the first casing slides with respect to the second casing and the main body.

14. The portable electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the input element is a dialing keypad.