LIMITING MOVEMENT

• US 20130286553A1
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kosonen, Matti, Salo, Antti Oskari, Vnska, Anssi Ilmari
• Granted Patent: US 9,823,696 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0206 Portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts, e.g. hinged housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0208 characterized by the relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4984 Retaining clearance for motion between assembled parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32549 including limit means

Abstract

An apparatus including: a first portion; a second portion, where the first portion and the second portion are configured for relative movement; a compression transmission arrangement extending between the first portion and the second portion configured to enable movement of the first portion and the second portion towards each other and configured to transmit compression forces between the first portion and the second portion to limit movement of the first portion and the second portion towards each other; and a tension transmission arrangement extending between the first portion and the second portion configured to enable movement of the first portion and the second portion away from each other and configured to transmit tension forces between the first portion and the second portion to limit movement of the first portion and the second portion away from each other.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first portion;

a second portion, where the first portion and the second portion are configured for relative movement;

a compression transmission arrangement extending between the first portion and the second portion configured to enable movement of the first portion and the second portion towards each other and configured to transmit compression forces between the first portion and the second portion to limit movement of the first portion and the second portion towards each other;

and

a tension transmission arrangement extending between the first portion and the second portion configured to enable movement of the first portion and the second portion away from each other and configured to transmit tension forces between the first portion and the second portion to limit movement of the first portion and the second portion away from each other.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compression transmission arrangement and the tension transmission arrangement are on a first side of an equilibrium plane of the apparatus.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a link structure is configured to provide simultaneously the compression transmission arrangement and the tension transmission arrangement.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 further comprising:

a first compression resisting surface; and

a first tension resisting surface displaced from the first compression resisting surface, wherein

the link structure is configured to transmit compression forces and tension forces to the second portion and comprises a first compression abutment surface and a first tension abutment surface, and

wherein the first compression resisting surface, the first compression abutment surface, the first tension abutment surface and the first tension resisting surface are configured such that relative spacing between the first compression resisting surface and the first tension resisting surface and between the first compression abutment surface and the first tension abutment surface enables movement of the first portion and the second portion towards each other until abutment of the first compression resisting surface and the first compression abutment surface and enables movement of the first portion and the second portion away from each other until abutment of the first tension resisting surface and the first tension abutment surface.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the first compression resisting surface is configured to transmit a compression force to the first portion and the first tension resisting surface is configured to transmit a tension force to the first portion.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the first compression resisting surface, the first compression abutment surface, the first tension abutment surface and the first tension resisting surface are configured such that the relative spacing between the first compression resisting surface and the first tension resisting surface is fixed and the relative spacing between the first compression abutment surface and the first tension abutment surface is fixed.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the first compression resisting surface, the first compression abutment surface, the first tension abutment surface and the first tension resisting surface are configured such that a fixed relative spacing between the first compression resisting surface and the first tension resisting surface is greater than a fixed relative spacing between the first compression abutment surface and the first tension abutment surface and wherein the first compression resisting surface, the first compression abutment surface, the first tension abutment surface and the first tension resisting surface are configured such that the first compression resisting surface and the first tension resisting surface oppose one another.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein an enclosure defines the first compression resisting surface and the first tension resisting surface, the link structure comprises a head that is positioned within the enclosure and a gap in the enclosure receives a connector of the link structure and enables reciprocation of the link structure.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the first compression resisting surface, the first compression abutment surface, the first tension abutment surface and the first tension resisting surface are configured such that a fixed relative spacing between the first compression resisting surface and the first tension resisting surface is less than a fixed relative spacing between the first compression abutment surface and the first tension abutment surface and

wherein the first compression resisting surface, the first compression abutment surface, the first tension abutment surface and the first tension resisting surface are configured such that the first compression abutment surface and the first tension abutment surface oppose one another.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the link structure comprises a looped head that encloses a projection defining the first compression resisting surface and the first tension resisting surface.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein an interior surface of the looped head defines the first compression abutment surface and the first tension abutment surface.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein parallel link structures are configured to provide the compression transmission arrangement and the tension transmission arrangement.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein serially interconnected link structures are configured to provide the compression transmission arrangement and the tension transmission arrangement.

24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a ribbed structure defining a cavity, wherein the ribs extend laterally in parallel with gaps therebetween and are interconnected in series longitudinally wherein the first portion is a first rib, and the second portion is a second rib.

25. An apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein at least some of the centrally positioned ribs of the ribbed structure are aligned with interfaces between components housed within the ribbed structure.

26. An apparatus as claimed in claim 25, comprising a flexible exterior cover aligned with the at least some of the centrally positioned ribs of the ribbed structure that are aligned with interfaces between components housed within the ribbed structure.

27. A flexible electronic device comprising electronic components and the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to constrain flexibility of the flexible electronic device.

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

28. An apparatus comprising:

a first portion;

a second portion, where the first portion and the second portion are configured to move relative to one another;

a first compression resisting surface;

a first tension resisting surface displaced from the first compression resisting surface in first direction;

a link structure configured to transmit compression forces and tension forces to the second portion and comprising a first compression abutment surface and a first tension abutment surface;

wherein the first compression resisting surface, the first compression abutment surface, the first tension abutment surface and the first tension resisting surface are configured such that relative spacing between the first compression resisting surface and the first tension resisting surface and between the first compression abutment surface and the first tension abutment surface enables movement of the first portion and the second portion towards each other in the first direction to a minimum separation distance determined by abutment of the first compression resisting surface and the first compression abutment surface and enables movement of the first portion and the second portion away from each other in the first direction to a maximum separation distance determined by abutment of the first tension resisting surface and the first tension abutment surface.

29. A method comprising:

constraining flexibility of an apparatus by providing a compression transmission arrangement extending between a first portion and a second portion of the apparatus, wherein the compression transmission arrangement is configured to enable movement of the first portion and the second portion towards each other and is configured to transmit compression forces between the first portion and the second portion to limit movement of the first portion and the second portion towards each other;

and

constraining flexibility of an apparatus by providing a tension transmission arrangement extending between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the tension transmission arrangement is configured to enable movement of the first portion and the second portion away from each other and is configured to transmit tension forces between the first portion and the second portion to limit movement of the first portion and the second portion away from each other.

30. Protecting electronic components housed within an apparatus by using the method of claim 29.