Pivotable display for portable electronic device

• US 5,973,915 A
• Filed: 12/13/1996
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Evans, D. Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): FEILD, LYNN DIANA
• Application Number:
  US08/766,702
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 361/680, 361/681, 361/682, 361/683, 361/684, 361/686, 345/156, 345/169, 345/905, 364/708.1, 248/917-920, 362/318, 349/58
• US Class Current: 361/679.23
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

A housing for a portable electronic device which produces output on a display. A first body contains a chamber which contains electronic apparatus. Adjacent the first body is a second body, but spaced therefrom, to define a pocket in the space. A pin extends between the first and second bodies. The display rotates about the pin, in a single plane. The display rotates into the pocket for storage, and out of the pocket, for deployment.

Claims

1. For an electronic device producing signals presentable on a visual display, an apparatus comprising:

a) a display;

b) a U-shaped housing having two legs which define a space between them; and

c) means for

i) connecting the display to the housing and

ii) enabling the display to rotate into and out of the space, in a single plane.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing contains a chamber for containing at least part of said electronic device.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising detent means for biasing said display in a predetermined position.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plane is parallel to a single plane defined within said housing.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display supports an acoustic transducer.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said acoustic transducer is suitable for use in a telephone handset.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said housing supports a second acoustic transducer, such that one of said transducers acts as a microphone, and the other acts as a low-power speaker in telephone communication.

15. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing supports input keys.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display comprises pixels arranged in (N×

8) rows and (M×

8) columns, and N and M are equal integers.

17. Apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising a keypad which is effective to deliver signals to the electronic device and which contains no more than one input key.

18. Apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising a keypad which is effective to deliver signals to the electronic device and which contains no more than five input keys.

19. Apparatus according to claim 1, which contains electronic circuitry which produces at least part of said signals and which is fastened to a circuit board which is sufficiently flexible to bend into a circle of diameter of six inches, at room temperature, without damage.

8. A housing for electronic apparatus:

( a) a first body, containing a chamber for containing at least part of said electronic apparatus;

b) a second body;

c) a display for producing output in response to signals received from the electronic apparatus;

d) a pocket defined between the first and second bodies;

and

e) pivot means for supporting the display in

i) a first position, wherein the display is located within the pocket, and

ii) a second position, wherein the display is visible to a user.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said pocket contains no electronic components, apart from said display.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8, and further comprising

i) an acoustic transducer, and

ii) means for attaching said acoustic transducer to the display.

11. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said acoustic transducer is suitable for use in a telephone handset.

12. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said housing supports a second acoustic transducer, such that one of said transducers acts as a microphone, and the other acts as a low-power speaker in telephone communication.

13. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a) two sheets, between which is confined a liquid crystal material;

b) a bushing, having its axis perpendicular to the sheets, and effective to rotatably support the sheets on a pin extending through the bushing; and

c) a housing which defines a pocket into which the two sheets can be moved during rotation.

14. Electronic apparatus according to claim 13, and further comprising:

c) one or more gussets which connect said one end with one of said sheets.