Flip electronic equipment

• US 7,224,946 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2003
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2002
• 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: Abe, Tsutomu, Yoshida, Mamoru, Kubo, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Lana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tuan H.
• Application Number:
  US10/505,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20050159193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90.3, 455/575.1, 455/575.3
• US Class Current: 455/90.3
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0081 for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/606 for electronic devices
• 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 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724

Abstract

To provide a flip electronic device in which even when rain water or the like enters therein to a certain extent, it is absorbed and hence an electric circuit therein is not affected. In the flip electronic device, slight clearances are formed between bearings (3a), (3b), (4a), (4b) for rotatably connecting first and second enclosures (1), (2), and cylindrical members (13), (14) formed coaxially with the bearings (3a), (3b), (4a), (4b), and hence rain water may enter through these clearances. Therefore, water-absorbing members (19), (20) are mounted to an end of a printed wiring assembly (17), and rain water entered through the clearances is absorbed by the water absorbing members (19), (20), so as to prevent an electric circuit located in the enclosure from being affected.

Claims

1. A flip electronic device comprising bearings for supporting first and second enclosures rotatably with respect to each other, cylindrical members formed integrally on the first and second enclosures respectively and coaxially with the bearings, and a flexible substrate inserted into the cylindrical member at the midsection thereof and electrically connected to the electronic circuits provided in the first and second enclosures respectively at both ends thereof, wherein at least one of the electronic circuits provided respectively in the first and second enclosures includes a printed wiring assembly whereof the ends are located at the position in the vicinity of the cylindrical member, the printed wiring assembly and the flexible substrate are connected electrically with respect to each other at the portion located in the vicinity of the cylindrical member of the printed wiring assembly, and the portion of the printed wiring assembly located in the vicinity of the cylindrical member is provided with a water-absorbing member for absorbing water-drops entered into the cylindrical member.

2. A flip electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the printed wiring assembly and the flexible substrate are detachably connected electromechanically with respect to each other with a connector provided on the portion of the printed wiring assembly located in the vicinity of the cylindrical member and a connector provided at the end of the flexible substrate, and the water-absorbing member is provided on the printed wiring assembly located in the vicinity of the cylindrical member opposing to the flexible substrate.