Communication terminal

• US 7,158,083 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Kenichi, Satoh, Noriyoshi, Komukai, Yasunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Tho
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran; Chuc
• Application Number:
  US10/530,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20060097927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/906, 379/433.13, 455/550
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/084 Pivotable antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/244 extendable from a housing along a given path
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/32 Vertical arrangement of element H01Q9/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0212 with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, i.e. folding around a first axis and rotating around a second axis perpendicular to the first
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0218 The hinge comprising input and/or output user interface means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0241 using relative motion of the body parts to change the operational status of the telephone set, e.g. switching on/off, answering incoming call

Abstract

The invention aims at providing a communication terminal capable of suppressing degradation of an antenna gain irrespective of whether the casing of the communication terminal is opened or closed. The communication terminal includes a hinge for coupling in a foldable manner a first casing member and a second casing member, each including conductors such as a first printed board and a second printed board. In close proximity to the hinge in the second casing member is provides a second antenna. The hinge includes a first rotation axis composed of a conductive metal material working as an axis of rotation of two casing members in opposite directions and a second rotation axis composed of a conductive metal material working as an axis of rotation in a direction orthogonal to the direction of rotation about the first rotation axis. A predetermined clearance L to place the conductors of the first and second casing members in capacity coupling is formed and the hinge is insulated from the conductor of one of the two casing members.

Claims

1. A communication terminal, comprising:

a first casing member, which contains a first printed circuit board having a conductive portion;

a second casing member, which contains a second printed circuit board having a conductive portion;

a hinge portion, which connects the first casing member to the second casing member so as to freely open and close; and

an antenna, which is provided in the second casing member;

wherein the hinge portion includes a first rotating member formed by conductive material and a second rotating member formed by the conductive material;

wherein the first rotating member serves as an axis for rotating the first casing member and the second casing member in an opposed direction of the first and second casing members;

wherein the second rotating member has a first end portion rotatably supported on the first rotating member at right angles to each other and a second end portion away from the first rotating member;

wherein the second rotating member serves as an axis for rotating one casing member of the first and second casing members relative to the other casing member of the first and second casing members in a direction perpendicular to the rotating direction in which the first rotating member serves as the axis under a non-opposed state of the first and second casing members;

wherein the first casing member holds the second end portion of the second rotating member;

wherein the second casing member holds both end portions of the first rotating member;

wherein the antenna is provided along in an axis direction of the first rotating member;

wherein an end portion of the antenna which is arranged at one end side of the first rotating member is connected to a power feeding portion provided on the second printed circuit board;

wherein the second printed circuit board is electrically coupled with the first printed circuit board which is separated with a predetermined interval from the second printed circuit board; and

wherein the second printed circuit board is separated from the first rotating member and the second printed circuit board is isolated in direct current at an area near to the both end portions of the first rotating member.

2. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein a flexible conductor is disposed along a vicinity of a center of axis of the first rotating member and a vicinity of a center of axis of the second rotating member;

wherein the flexible conductor is extended to the first casing member side through the one end side of the first rotating member; and

wherein the flexible conductor is extended to the second casing member side through the other end side of the second rotating member.

3. The communication terminal according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a flexible conductor is extended along an axis direction of the second rotating member and extended along the axis direction of the first rotating member from a cross portion of the axes of the first and second rotating members to the other end side of the first rotating member;

and

wherein the flexible conductor electrically connects the first printed circuit board to the second printer circuit board.

4. The communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein a winding portion is formed on the flexible conductor disposed in the one end side of the first rotating member.

5. The communication terminal according to claim 4, wherein a cable which electrically connects the antenna to a transceiver portion provided on the second printed circuit board provided;

and

wherein the cable is inserted into the winding portion.

6. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is extended from the one end side to the other end side of the first rotating member.

7. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the antenna has a first element part having a first electric length and second element part having a second electric length;

wherein the one end sides of the first element part and the second element part are connected to each other by a reactance part having a reactance component; and

wherein the other end side of one element part of the two element parts serves a feeding part.

8. The communication terminal according to claim 7, wherein the electric length of the first element part is set to ¼

times as long as the wavelength 1 of a first frequency; and

wherein the electric length of the second element part is formed so that the sum of the electric length of the second element part and the electric length of the first element part is set to ¼

or ⅜

times as long as the wavelength 2 of a second frequency.

9. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein a receiving part and a transmitting part are provided in exposed surface sides of the two casing members which are exposed when the two casing members are changed from a closed state to a opened state;

and

wherein the antenna is disposed near the hinge portion provided in a back surface side opposite to the exposed surfaces.

10. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein a cable which electrically connects the first printed circuit board to the second printed circuit board is provided;

and

wherein the cable is inserted into the first rotating member and is arranged to be drawn out from the other end side of the first rotating member.