Handheld electronic device having shiftable pivot structure

• US 7,127,277 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2003
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Tsai, Chien-Li, Shiue, Jih-Jong
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zewari, Sayed T.
• Application Number:
  US10/655,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20050003871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.3, 455/575.2, 455/575.8, 455/550.1, 455/90.3, 4555751- 9, 455/403
• US Class Current: 455/575.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes

Abstract

A handheld electronic device comprises a shiftable pivot structure (230) interconnecting a flip cover (210) to a base (220) of the device. The base has a pivotal accommodation groove (224) and the flip cover has a pivot sleeve (212). The shiftable pivot structure comprises a sliding axle (240) slideably fitted in the pivotal accommodation groove. The shiftable pivot structure is hinged to the pivot sleeve. When the flip cover is closed, the pivot sleeve of the flip cover can be moved to be hidden within the pivotal accommodation groove to get protection and to keep the appearance of the device neat. For communication, the flip cover needs to be opened, which is accomplished by firstly shifting the pivot sleeve and the sliding axle outwardly to a position in which the pivot sleeve protrudes from the pivotal accommodation groove, and then pivoting the flip cover relative to the base to an open position.

Claims

1. A handheld electronic device having a shiftable pivot structure for joining a flip cover and a base of the device together, wherein the base comprises a pivotal accommodation groove and the cover comprises a pivot sleeve, the shiftable pivot structure comprising:

a sliding axle fitting in the pivotal accommodation groove, wherein the sliding axle comprises a lever and a pivot sleeve, two ends of the lever are respectively located on interior sidewalls of the pivotal accommodation groove, the pivot sleeve of the sliding axle extends from the lever to be hinged with the pivot sleeve of the cover at a connection point, the connection point being movable between positions inside and outside the pivotal accommodation groove, at the position outside the pivotal accommodation groove, the flip cover being pivotable relative to the base.

2. The handheld electronic device of claim 1, wherein the pivot sleeve of the sliding axle is hinged to the pivot sleeve of the cover by a shaft that extends in the two pivot sleeves.

3. The handheld electronic device of claim 1, wherein the flip cover is provided with a display and the base is provided with a keypad.

4. The handheld electronic device of claim 1, wherein the pivotal accommodation groove extends through an end of the base to form an opening in the base, and the connection point is moved from the position inside the pivotal accommodation groove to the position outside the pivotal accommodation groove through the opening.

5. The handheld electronics device of claim 1, wherein the pivotal accommodation groove extends through an end of the base to define an opening in the base, and wherein when the connection point moves from the position inside the pivotal accommodation groove to the position outside the pivotal accommodation groove, the connection point moves through the opening.

6. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

a base comprising a numerical keypad for inputting data and a pivotal accommodation groove located at one end of the base;

a shiftable pivot structure fitted in the pivotal accommodation groove and being shiftable from a first position to a second position, wherein the shiftable pivot structure comprises a first pivot joint located entirely within the pivotal accommodation groove when the shiftable pivot structure is shifted to the first position, and located outside the pivotal accommodation groove when the shiftable pivot structure is shifted to the second position; and

a flip cover comprising a display screen for displaying data, and a second pivot joint that is pivotably joined to the first pivot joint.

7. The handheld electronic device of claim 6, wherein the first pivot joint comprises two first pivot sleeves and a shaft, the second pivot joint comprises a second pivot sleeve, and the shaft extends in the first pivot sleeves and the second pivot sleeve.

8. The handheld electronic device of claim 6, wherein the flip cover is pivotable relative to the base when the shiftable pivot structure is shifled to the second position.

9. The handheld electronic device of claim 6, wherein the flip cover is pivotable relative to the base when the shiftable pivot structure is shifted to the second position.