Folding portable telephone having enhanced operability

• US 6,708,046 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2000
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Takagi, Hisamitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, TUAN A
• Application Number:
  US09/670,161
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90-- 9, 455/351, 455/575--57, 455/550.1, 379/428, 379/428.1, 379/433, 379/433.01, 379/433.11, 379/433.13, 163/21, 163/26, 163/71, 163/74, 162/32, 163/42, 163/30, 162/84, 162/94, D14/138
• US Class Current: 455/575.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge

Abstract

A folding portable telephone is provided, including a first housing to be held in a hand of a user, a hinge attached to one end of the first housing, a second housing movably supported by the hinge, a damper unit incorporated into the hinge and a unidirectional clutch unit incorporated into the hinge. The unidirectional clutch unit is connected to the damper unit so as to allow the damper unit to generate given resistance with respect to a rotational movement of the second housing when the second housing is rotated in an opening direction thereof, and to prevent the damper unit from generating the given resistance with respect to the rotational movement thereof when the second housing is rotated in a closing direction thereof.

Claims

1. A folding portable telephone comprising:

a first housing to be held in a hand of a user;

a hinge attached to one end of said first housing;

a second housing movably supported by said hinge;

a damper unit incorporated into said hinge; and

a unidirectional clutch unit incorporated into said hinge,

wherein said unidirectional clutch unit is connected to said damper unit so as to allow said damper unit to generate given resistance with respect to a rotational movement of said second housing when said second housing is rotated in an opening direction thereof, and to prevent said damper unit from generating the given resistance with respect to the rotational movement thereof when said second housing is rotated in a closing direction thereof.

2. The folding portable telephone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said unidirectional clutch unit comprises:

a housing;

a clutch coil spring provided inside said housing with one end portion of said clutch coil spring fixed to said housing; and

an axis member which remains in contact with an inner surface of said clutch coil spring so as to be rotatably supported inside said housing,

said housing and said axis member being connected by a transmission path which transmits a rotational movement of said axis member to said housing when said clutch coil spring deforms in such a direction as to reduce a diameter thereof, and being disconnected by cutting off the transmission path when said clutch coil spring deforms in such a direction as to enlarge the diameter.

3. The folding portable telephone as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a space on each of respective longitudinal sides between said first and second housings when the folding portable telephone is folded so that said second housing is pried open by inserting a finger of the user into each of the spaces.

4. The folding portable telephone as claimed in claim 3, wherein the spaces are formed by arc-like shapes of said first and second housings, said arc-like shapes integrally forming an arc-like shape when the folding portable telephone is unfolded.

5. The folding portable telephone as claimed in claim 3, wherein the spaces are formed by arc-like surfaces of said first and second housings when the folding portable telephone is folded.

6. A folding portable telephone comprising:

a first housing to be held in a hand of a user;

a hinge attached to one end of said first housing;

a second housing movably supported by said hinge;

a damper unit incorporated into said hinge;

a unidirectional clutch unit incorporated into said hinge;

a lock mechanism which provides a lock on said second housing to keep said second housing closed down to said first housing, the lock being released when said second housing is pried open;

a spring which presses said second housing in an opening direction thereof; and

a space on each of respective longitudinal sides between said first and second housings when the folding portable telephone is folded so that said second housing is pried open by inserting a finger of the user into each of the spaces,

wherein said unidirectional unit is connected to said damper unit so as to allow said damper unit to generate given resistance with respect to a rotational movement of said second housing when said second housing is rotated in an opening direction thereof, and to prevent said damper unit from generating the given resistance with respect to the rotational movement thereof when said second housing is rotated in a closing direction thereof.

7. The folding portable telephone as claimed in claim 6, wherein one of said first and second housings is shaped like an arc so as to form the spaces.

8. The folding portable telephone as claimed in claim 6, wherein the spaces are formed by arc-like shapes of said first and second housings, said arc-like shapes integrally forming an arc-like shape when the folding portable telephone is unfolded.

9. The folding portable telephone as claimed in claim 6, wherein the spaces are formed by arc-like surfaces of said first and second housings when the folding portable telephone is folded.

10. The folding portable telephone as claimed in claim 6, wherein the spaces are formed by concave portions formed on respective longitudinal sides of said first and second housings.

11. A folding portable telephone comprising:

a first housing to be held in a hand of a user;

a hinge attached to one end of said first housing; and

a second housing movably supported by said hinge,

wherein a space is formed on each of respective longitudinal sides between said first and second housings when the folding portable telephone is folded so that said second housing is pried open by inserting a finger of the user into each of the spaces;

the space extending from a periphery of said hinge to a periphery of an end of the folding portable telephone which end is opposite to said hinge.

12. The folding portable telephone as claimed in claim 11, wherein one of said first and second housings is shaped like an arc so as to form the spaces.

13. The folding portable telephone as claimed in claim 11, wherein the spaces are formed by arc-like shapes of said first and second housings, said arc-like shapes integrally forming an arc-like shape when the folding portable telephone is unfolded.

14. The folding portable telephone as claimed in claim 11, wherein the spaces are formed by arc-like surfaces of said first and second housings when the folding portable telephone is folded.

15. The folding portable telephone as claimed in claim 11, wherein the spaces are formed by concave portions formed on respective longitudinal sides of said first and second housings.

17. The folding portable telephone as claimed in claim 12, wherein said lock mechanism is provided to said hinge.

16. A folding portable telephone comprising:

a first housing to be held in a hand of a user;

a hinge attached to one end of said first housing;

a second housing movably supported by said hinge;

a lock mechanism which provides a lock on said second housing to keep said second housing closed down to said first housing, the lock being released when said second housing is pried open; and

a spring which presses said second housing in an opening direction thereof,

wherein each of said first and second housings is shaped like an arc so as to form a space on each of respective longitudinal sides between said first and second housings when the folding portable telephone is folded so that said second housing is pried open by inserting a finger of the user into each of the spaces.