Foldable and portable mobile communication terminal

• US 7,158,816 B1
• Filed: 04/10/2003
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Steel Manufacturing Company Limited, NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Steel Manufacturing Company Limited, NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Mizuta, Masatomo, Sendouda, Mitsuru, Sato, Hitoshi, Higano, Sakae, Ohiraki, Minoru, Ikeuchi, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHU, SANH D
• Application Number:
  US10/410,598
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 455/90.3, 379/433.13, 379/433.04, 379/433.07
• US Class Current: 455/575.3
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1078 the maintaining means acting parallel to the pivot
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/10 with non-parallel pins
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• 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 1/1622 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: H04M 1/021 using combined folding and rotation motions combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• 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

Abstract

A foldable and portable mobile communication terminal is formed as a two-folded type in which a lower-side body unit and upper-side unit are coupled openably and closably by a two-shaft hinge mechanism. The two-shaft hinge mechanism includes a first hinge unit that allows the upper-side body unit to rotate with respect to the lower-side body unit up to the open state defining a predetermined talking position, and a second hinge unit that allows the first hinge unit to rotate in a direction different from the aforementioned rotational direction of the first hinge unit. The first and second hinge units are coupled so that the rotational center axes thereof orthogonally intersect each other.

Claims

1. A foldable and portable mobile communication terminal configured as a two-folded type by openably and closably coupling, by a hinge mechanism, a lower-side body unit and an upper-side body unit, said foldable and portable mobile communication terminal comprising:

an operation section, located on said lower-side body unit, comprising a plurality of operation buttons;

a first display on a first side of said upper-side body unit, said first display displaying

a) processing of operational information, and

b) processing of communication information;

a second display on a second side of said upper-side body unit, said second side being opposite said first side, said second display displaying data including call notice; and

a two-shaft hinge mechanism as said hinge mechanism,

wherein said two-shaft hinge mechanism comprises a first hinge unit that allows said upper-side body unit to rotate with respect to said lower-side body unit up to the open state defining a predetermined talking position, and a second hinge unit that allows said first hinge unit to rotate in a direction different from said rotational direction of said first hinge unit; and

wherein said first and second hinge units are coupled so that the rotational center axes thereof orthogonally intersect each other.

2. The foldable and portable mobile communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein said first hinge unit is accommodated in said upper-side body unit, and wherein said second hinge unit is accommodated in said lower-side body unit so that a part thereof projects from said lower-side body unit.

3. The foldable and portable mobile communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein:

said first and second hinge units have first and second rotating shafts, respectively;

said two-shaft hinge mechanism defines said predetermined talking position by rotating said upper-side body unit about said first rotating shaft, and also allows said upper-side body unit to rotate about said second rotating shaft at a position within the surface of said lower-side body unit in either of the clockwise and counterclockwise directions; and

said two-shaft hinge mechanism has tilt-angle adjusting functions of controlling the open tilt-angle of said upper-side body unit according to the rotational angle thereof about said second rotating shaft so as to become an angle defining said predetermined talking position and an angle formed by said upper-side body unit rotating about said second rotating shaft off the angle defining said predetermined talking position.

4. A foldable and portable mobile communication terminal configured as a two-folded type by openably and closably coupling, by a hinge mechanism, a lower-side body unit that includes an operation section comprising a plurality of operation buttons, and an upper-side body unit that includes a display section for displaying data on the operational information processing associated with operation with respect to said operation section, and on the processing of communication information with an opposite party, related to said operational information processing, said foldable and portable mobile communication terminal comprising:

a two-shaft hinge mechanism as said hinge mechanism,

wherein said two-shaft hinge mechanism comprises a first hinge unit that allows said upper-side body unit to rotate with respect to said lower-side body unit up to the open state defining a predetermined talking position, and a second hinge unit that allows said first hinge unit to rotate in a direction different from said rotational direction of said first hinge unit;

wherein said first and second hinge units are coupled so that the rotational center axes thereof orthogonally intersect each other;

wherein said first hinge unit is accommodated in said upper-side body unit;

wherein said second hinge unit is accommodated in said lower-side body unit so that a part thereof projects from said lower-side body unit; and

wherein

said first and second hinge units have first and second rotating shafts, respectively;

said two-shaft hinge mechanism defines said predetermined talking position by rotating said upper-side body unit about said first rotating shaft, and also allows said upper-side body unit to rotate about said second rotating shaft at a position within the surface of said lower-side body unit in either of the clockwise and counterclockwise directions;

said two-shaft hinge mechanism has tilt-angle adjusting functions of controlling the open tilt-angle of said upper-side body unit according to the rotational angle thereof about said second rotating shaft so as to become an angle defining said predetermined talking position and an angle formed by said upper-side body unit rotating about said second rotating shaft off the angle defining said predetermined talking position;

wherein;

said tilt-angle adjusting functions of said two-shaft hinge mechanism rotate said upper-side body unit about said first rotating shaft from the closed state in which the rotational angle of each of said first and second rotating shafts is 0 degree, up to said open state, and thereafter, said tilt-angle adjusting functions can set said open tilt-angle for defining said predetermined talking position in a range of 160 to 170 degrees;

said tilt-angle adjusting functions can perform setting such that the upper-side body unit can rotate about said second rotating shaft from said open tilt-angle range of 160 to 170 degrees, in an angle range of 180 degrees in either of the clockwise and counterclockwise directions;

when the rotational angle of the upper-side body unit about said second rotating shaft is in a range of 0 to 90 degrees, said tilt-angle adjusting functions can rotate said upper-side body unit from said open tilt-angle range of 160 to 170 degrees up to an open tilt-angle of 180 degrees; and

when the rotational angle of the upper-side body unit about said second rotating shaft is in a range of 90 to 180 degrees, said tilt-angle adjusting functions can rotate said upper-side body unit while maintaining said open tilt-angle at 180 degrees.

5. The foldable and portable mobile communication terminal according to claim 4, wherein said first hinge unit in said two-shaft hinge mechanism has pull-in opening/closing cams incorporated therein, said pull-in opening/closing cams forcibly positioning the open tilt-angle position at an angular position of 180 degrees, when said upper-side body unit is rotated about said second rotating shaft in the range of 180 degrees in either of said clockwise and counterclockwise directions after said upper-side body unit has been set at said predetermined talking position at which said open tilt-angle thereof with respect to the lower-side body unit is in said range of 160 to 170 degrees.

6. The foldable and portable mobile communication terminal according to claim 5, wherein said two-shaft hinge mechanism comprises a click mechanism, said click mechanism generating a holding force for holding said upper-side body unit in the closed state, in which the rotational angle of each of said first and second rotating shafts is 0 degree, and in the open state defining said predetermined talking position.

7. The foldable and portable mobile communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein, even when said upper-side body unit is rotated about said second rotating shaft from the open state defining said predetermined talking position in either of said clockwise and counterclockwise directions, said click mechanism performs said holding operation at each of plural predetermined kinds of rotational angular positions.

8. The foldable and portable mobile communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein said lower-side body unit has said operation section and a microphone for collecting sounds disposed on the folded surface folded with respect to said upper-side body unit, and wherein said upper-side body unit includes, as said display section, a first display portion disposed on said folded surface with respect to said lower-side body unit and a second display portion disposed on the surface opposite to said folded surface for displaying simple data including at least call notice out of data on said communication information processing, said upper-side body unit further comprising an operation section for display selection comprising a plurality of operation buttons serving a selectable display operation function for users, and a speaker for uttering voices, said operation section for display selection and said speaker being disposed in the vicinity of said first display portion on said folded surface.

9. A foldable and portable mobile communication terminal configured as a two-folded type by openably and closably coupling, by a hinge mechanism, a lower-side body unit that includes an operation section comprising a plurality of operation buttons, and an upper-side body unit that includes a display section for displaying data on the operational information processing associated with operation with respect to said operation section, and on the processing of communication information with an opposite party, related to said operational information processing, said foldable and portable mobile communication terminal comprising:

a two-shaft hinge mechanism as said hinge mechanism,

wherein said two-shaft hinge mechanism comprises a first hinge unit that allows said upper-side body unit to rotate with respect to said lower-side body unit up to the open state defining a predetermined talking position, and a second hinge unit that allows said first hinge unit to rotate in a direction different from said rotational direction of said first hinge unit;

wherein said first and second hinge units are coupled so that the rotational center axes thereof orthogonally intersect each other; and

wherein said first hinge unit is accommodated in said upper-side body unit, and wherein said second hinge unit is accommodated in said lower-side body unit so that a part thereof projects from said lower-side body unit.

10. The foldable and portable mobile communication terminal according to claim 9, wherein:

said first and second hinge units have first and second rotating shafts, respectively;

said two-shaft hinge mechanism defines said predetermined talking position by rotating said upper-side body unit about said first rotating shaft, and also allows said upper-side body unit to rotate about said second rotating shaft at a position within the surface of said lower-side body unit in either of the clockwise and counterclockwise directions; and

said two-shaft hinge mechanism has tilt-angle adjusting functions of controlling the open tilt-angle of said upper-side body unit according to the rotational angle thereof about said second rotating shaft so as to become an angle defining said predetermined talking position and an angle formed by said upper-side body unit rotating about said second rotating shaft off the angle defining said predetermined talking position.

11. The foldable and portable mobile communication terminal according to claim 10 wherein said tilt-angle adjusting functions of said two-shaft hinge mechanism rotate said upper-side body unit about said first rotating shaft from the closed state in which the rotational angle of each of said first and second rotating shafts is 0 degree, up to said open state, and thereafter, said tilt-angle adjusting functions can set said open tilt-angle for defining said predetermined talking position in a range of 160 to 170 degrees;

said tilt-angle adjusting functions can perform setting such that the upper-side body unit can rotate about said second rotating shaft from said open tilt-angle range of 160 to 170 degrees, in an angle range of 180 degrees in either of the clockwise and counterclockwise directions;

when the rotational angle of the upper-side body unit about said second rotating shaft is in a range of 0 to 90 degrees, said tilt-angle adjusting functions can rotate said upper-side body unit from said open tilt-angle range of 160 to 170 degrees up to an open tilt-angle of 180 degrees; and

when the rotational angle of the upper-side body unit about said second rotating shaft is in a range of 90 to 180 degrees, said tilt-angle adjusting functions can rotate said upper-side body unit while maintaining said open tilt-angle at 180 degrees.