Non-binding sliding display for a handheld electronic device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A handheld electronic device comprising:
- a body unit having a keyboard;
a display unit comprising a displaying facing away from said keyboard, wherein said display unit is slidably coupled to said body unit at a first sliding joint and at a second sliding joint, wherein said display unit can be moved between a first position exposing said keyboard and a second position covering part or all of said keyboard; and
a mechanical linkage coupled to said first and second sliding joints, wherein said linkage constrains motion at said first and second sliding joints to be substantially equal, and wherein said linkage comprises;
a first linear gear rack at said first sliding joint and on said display unit;
a second linerar gear at said second sliding joint and on said display unit;
a first gear at said first sliding joint and engaged with said first linear gear rack;
a second gear at said second sliding joint and engaged with said second linear gear rack; and
an axle connected to said first and second gears, wherein said axle and said first and second gears are capable of rotation as a unit about an axis of said axle, wherein said axle is disposed in a recess within said body unit such that motion of said axle other than said rotation is substantially inhibited.
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Abstract
A handheld electronic device having a slidable display is provided. A display unit is slidably connected to a body unit at two (or more) sliding joints. A mechanical linkage constrains motion at all of the sliding joints to be substantially equal. In this manner, binding of the slidable display is avoided, since binding occurs as a result of unequal motion at sliding joints. In one embodiment, the linkage includes a gear-axle-gear assembly disposed in a recess in the body unit and constrained to rotate as a unit about the axis of the axle. The gears of this assembly are engaged with linear gear racks on the display unit.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A handheld electronic device comprising:
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a body unit having a keyboard; a display unit comprising a displaying facing away from said keyboard, wherein said display unit is slidably coupled to said body unit at a first sliding joint and at a second sliding joint, wherein said display unit can be moved between a first position exposing said keyboard and a second position covering part or all of said keyboard; and a mechanical linkage coupled to said first and second sliding joints, wherein said linkage constrains motion at said first and second sliding joints to be substantially equal, and wherein said linkage comprises; a first linear gear rack at said first sliding joint and on said display unit; a second linerar gear at said second sliding joint and on said display unit; a first gear at said first sliding joint and engaged with said first linear gear rack; a second gear at said second sliding joint and engaged with said second linear gear rack; and an axle connected to said first and second gears, wherein said axle and said first and second gears are capable of rotation as a unit about an axis of said axle, wherein said axle is disposed in a recess within said body unit such that motion of said axle other than said rotation is substantially inhibited. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A handheld electronic device comprising:
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a body unit having a keyboard; a display unit comprising a display facing away from said keyboard, wherein said display unit is slidably coupled to said body unit at a first sliding joint and at a second sliding joint, wherein said display unit can be moved between a first position exposing said keyboard and a second position covering part or all of said keyboard; and a mechanical linkage coupled to said first and second sliding joints, wherein said linkage constrains motion at said first and second sliding joints to be substantially equal, and wherein said linkage comprises; a first linear gear rack at said first sliding joint and on said body unit; a second linear gear rack at said second sliding joint and on said body unit; a first gear at said first sliding joint and engaged with said first linear gear rack; a second gear at said second sliding joint and engaged with said second linear gear rack; and an axle connected to said first and second gears, wherein said axle and said first and second gears are capable of rotation as a unit about an axis of said axle, wherein said axle is disposed in a recess within said display unit such that motion of said axle other than said rotation is substantially inhibited. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A handheld electronic device comprising;
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a body unit having a keyboard; a display unit comprising a displaying facing away from said keyboard, wherein said display unit is slidably coupled to said body unit at a first sliding joint and at a second sliding joint, wherein said display unit can be moved between a first position exposing said keyboard and a second position covering part or all of said keyboard; and a mechanical linkage coupled to said first and second sliding joints, wherein said linkage constrains motion at said first and second sliding joints to be substantially equal, and wherein said linkage comprises; a first linear gear rack at said first sliding joint and on said body unit; a second linear gear rack at said second sliding joint and on said body unit; a third linear gear rack at said first sliding joint and on said display unit; a fourth linear gear rack at said second sliding joint and on said display unit; a first gear at said first sliding joint and engaged with said first linear gear rack and with said third linear gear rack; a second gear at said second sliding joint and engaged with said second linear gear rack and with said fourth linear gear rack; and an axle connected to said first and second gears, wherein said axle and said first and second gears are capable of rotation as a unit about an axis of said axle. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A handheld electronic device comprising:
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a body unit having a keyboard; a display unit comprising a displaying facing away from said keyboard, wherein said display unit is slidably coupled to said body unit at a first sliding joint and at a second sliding joint, wherein said display unit can be moved between a first position exposing said keyboard and a second position covering part or all of said keyboard; and a mechanical linkage coupled to said first and second sliding joints, wherein said linkage constrains motion at said first and second sliding joints to be substantially equal, and wherein said linkage comprises; a first rail at said first sliding joint and including a first linear gear rack facing said display unit and a second linear gear rack facing said body unit; a second rail at said second sliding joint and including a third linear gear rack facing said display unit and a fourth linear gear rack facing said body unit; a first gear at said first sliding joint and engaged with said first linear gear rack; a second gear at said first sliding joint and engaged with said second linear gear rack; a third gear at said second sliding joint and engaged with said third linear gear rack; a fourth gear at said second sliding joint and engaged with said fourth linear gear rack; a display axle connected to said first and third gears, wherein said display axle and said first and third gears are capable of a first rotation as a unit about an axis of said axle, wherein said display axle is disposed in a recess within said display unit such that motion of said display axle other than said first rotation is substantially inhibited; and a body axle connected to said second and fourth gears, wherein said body axle and said second and fourth gears are capable of a second rotation as a unit about an axis of said body axle, wherein said body axle is disposed in a recess within said body unit such that motion of said body axle other than said second rotation is substantially inhibited. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification