Arm portable information apparatus

• US 6,738,111 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kawata, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Choudhury, Tarifur R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong, Thoi V.
• Application Number:
  US09/915,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20020047952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 349/58, 349/200, 349/13, 368/82, 368/88, 368/294, 368/295, 368/296
• US Class Current: 349/58
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 17/045 Mounting of the display

Abstract

An arm portable information apparatus has a case and a film liquid crystal device disposed in the case and having a pair of opposite side edge portions. A pair of support members are connected to the case and support the film liquid crystal device. Each of the support members has at least one groove receiving a respective one of the side edge portion of the film liquid crystal device so that the film liquid crystal device does not contact any part of the arm portable information apparatus except for the contact between the support members and the side edge portions of the film liquid crystal device.

Claims

1. An arm portable information apparatus comprising:

a case;

a film liquid crystal device disposed in the case and having a pair of opposite side edge portions; and

a pair of support members connected to the case and supporting the film liquid crystal device, each of the support members having a preselected radius of curvature and having at least one groove receiving a respective one of the side edge portions of the film liquid crystal device so that the film liquid crystal device is supported by the support members in a bent state at the preselected radius of curvature and does not contact any part of the arm portable information apparatus except for the contact between the support members and the side edge portions of the film liquid crystal device.

2. An arm portable information apparatus according to claim 1;

further comprising an illumination panel supported in the case by the support members and having a pair of opposite side edge portions; and

wherein the at least one groove of each of the support members comprises a pair of grooves each receiving one of the side edge portions of a respective one of the film liquid crystal device and the illumination panel, the pair of grooves of each support member being spaced-apart from one another so that the film liquid crystal device does not contact the illumination panel.

3. An arm portable information apparatus according to claim 1;

wherein each of the support members is connected to a surface of the case having the preselected radius of curvature.

4. An arm portable information apparatus according to claim 1;

wherein each of the support members has a plurality of leg portions supporting the respective side edge portion of the film liquid crystal device.

5. An arm portable information apparatus according to claim 1;

wherein each of the grooves of the support members has the preselected radius of curvature and receives the respective side edge portion of the film liquid crystal device so that the film liquid crystal device is supported in a bent state at the preselected radius of curvature.

6. An arm portable information apparatus according to claim 2;

wherein both the film liquid crystal device and the illumination panel are supported by the support members in a bent state at the preselected radius of curvature.

7. An arm portable information apparatus according to claim 2;

wherein each groove of the support members has the preselected radius of curvature and receives the respective side edge portions of the film liquid crystal device and the illumination panel so that both the film liquid crystal device and the illumination panel are supported in a bent state at the preselected radius of curvature.

8. An arm portable information apparatus according to claim 2;

wherein the pair of grooves of each of the support members are spaced apart from one another at a distance in the range of 0.8 mm to 1.5 mm.

9. An arm portable information apparatus comprising:

a case;

a film liquid crystal device disposed in the case and having a pair of opposite side edge portions;

a polarizing plate disposed in the case and having a pair of opposite side edge portions; and

a pair of support members connected to the case in confronting relation to one another and supporting the film liquid crystal device and the polarizing plate in spaced-apart relation, the support members having a first pair of confronting grooves each receiving respective ones of the side edge portions of the polarizing plate and a second pair of confronting grooves spaced apart from the first pair of grooves and receiving respective ones of the side edge portions of the film liquid crystal device so that the film liquid crystal device does not contact the polarizing plate and does not contact any part of the arm portable information apparatus except for the contact between the support members and the side edge portions of the film liquid crystal device.

10. An arm portable information apparatus according to claim 9;

further comprising an illumination panel supported in the case by the support members and having a pair of opposite side edge portions; and

wherein the support members have a third pair of confronting grooves each receiving respective ones of the side edge portions of the illumination panel.

11. An arm portable information apparatus according to claim 9;

wherein each of the first and second grooves of the support members has a preselected radius of curvature and receives the respective side edge portion of the film liquid crystal device and the polarizing plate so that the film liquid crystal device and the polarizing plate are supported in a bent state at the preselected radius of curvature.

12. An arm portable information apparatus according to claim 9;

wherein each of the first and second grooves of the support members has a preselected radius of curvature and receives the respective side edge portion of the film liquid crystal device and the polarizing plate so that the film liquid crystal device and the polarizing plate are supported in a bent state at the preselected radius of curvature.

13. An arm portable information apparatus according to claim 9;

wherein the first and second grooves of each of the support members are spaced apart from one another at a distance in the range of 0.8 mm to 1.5 mm.

14. An arm portable information apparatus comprising:

a case;

a film liquid crystal device disposed in the case;

an illumination panel disposed in the case and overlapping the film liquid crystal device;

a first pair of support members connected to the case and supporting the film liquid crystal device so that the film liquid crystal device does not contact any part of the arm portable information apparatus except for the first pair of support members;

a second pair of support members connected to the case and supporting the illumination panel; and

a pair of spacing members disposed between the film liquid crystal device and the illumination panel and maintaining the film liquid crystal device and the illumination panel in spaced-apart relation to one another.

15. An arm portable information apparatus according to claim 14;

wherein each of the first and second pairs of support members has a preselected radius of curvature and are connected to a surface of the case having the preselected radius of curvature; and

wherein the film liquid crystal device and the illumination panel are supported by the first and second pairs of support members in a bent state at the preselected radius of curvature.

16. An arm portable information apparatus according to claim 14;

wherein each of the spacing members has a thickness in the range of 0.8 mm to 1.5 mm.

17. An arm portable information apparatus according to claim 14;

wherein the film liquid crystal device has a polarizing plate.