Foldable handy electronic device

• US 7,457,107 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2003
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kuroda, Mitsuru, Yasui, Kenichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi; Jayprakash N
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAUGHTON, ANTHONY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/674,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20040063474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: 361679-681, 361/683, 455/575.1, 455/575.3
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge

Abstract

A foldable electronic device includes a first body having a display and a screen for protecting the display, and a second body having a plurality of operation keys. The first and second are rotatable to each other through a hinge. The first and second bodies have first and second surfaces facing each other when the electronic device is folded. The operation keys project by a height from the second surface, and the first body is formed a recess at the first surface, the recess having a depth equal to or greater than the height. The second body has a projection projecting from the second surface. The first body has an elastic piece through which the screen is mounted on the first body such that the screen moves in the recess in a depth-wise direction of the recess. The projection pushes the screen when the electronic device is folded, thereby the elastic piece being compressed, and the elastic piece pushes the screen back when the electronic device is unfolded.

Claims

1. A foldable electronic device including a first body having a display covered by a screen and a second body having an interface through which a user can operate said electronic device,

said first body and said second body being rotatable to each other through a hinge,

said first body having a first surface facing said second body when said electronic device is folded, said second body having a second surface facing said first body when said electronic device is folded,

said interface projecting by a height from said second surface,

said first body comprising a recess with said first surface, said recess aligning with said interface when said electronic device is folded, and having a depth equal to or greater than said height, and

said display and said screen being located within said recess,

wherein said recess extends along an entire length of said interface.

2. The foldable electronic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electronic device comprises a cellular phone.

3. The foldable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said interface comprises a plurality of operation keys.

4. The foldable electronic device according to claim 3, wherein said operation keys are received into said recess when said electronic device is folded to reduce a space between said first body and said second body.

5. The foldable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said first body comprises at least one second recess.

6. A foldable electronic device including a first body having a display and a screen for protecting said display, and a second body having an interface through which a user can operate said electronic device, said interface including a plurality of operation keys,

said first body and said second body being rotatable to each other through a hinge,

said first body having a first surface facing said second body when said electronic device is folded, said second body having a second surface facing said first body when said electronic device is folded,

said operation keys projecting by a height from said second surface,

said first body comprising a recess at said first surface, said recess aligning with said operation keys when said electronic device is folded, and having a depth equal to or greater than said height,

said second body having at least one projection projecting from said second surface,

said first body having an elastic piece through which said screen is mounted on said first body such that said screen moves in said recess in a depth-wise direction of said recess,

said projection pushing said screen in said depth-wise direction when said electronic device is folded, thereby said elastic piece being compressed, and said elastic piece pushing said screen back when said electronic device is unfolded.

7. The foldable electronic device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said elastic piece is sandwiched between said screen and said display.

8. The foldable electronic device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said elastic piece is sandwiched between said screen and said first body.

9. The foldable electronic device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said screen and said display are fixed to each other.

10. The foldable electronic device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said first body comprises a hole into which said projection is inserted when said electronic device is folded, said projection pushing said screen through said hole when said electronic device is folded.

11. The foldable electronic device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said second body comprises two projections projecting from said second surface such that said projections push said screen at opposite sides of said screen.

12. The foldable electronic device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said screen comprises a thicker portion than the rest thereof, said projection pushing said screen at said thicker portion.

13. The foldable electronic device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said elastic piece is located around said recess.

14. The foldable electronic device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said elastic piece is fixedly adhered to said screen.

15. The foldable electronic device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said electronic device comprises a cellular phone.

16. A foldable electronic device including a first body having a display covered by a screen and a second body having an interface through which a user can operate said electronic device,

said first body and said second body being rotatable to each other through a hinge,

said first body having a first surface facing said second body when said electronic device is folded, said second body having a second surface facing said first body when said electronic device is folded,

said interface projecting by a height from said second surface,

said first body comprising a recess with said first surface, said recess aligning with said interface when said electronic device is folded, and having a depth equal to or greater than said height, and

said display and said screen being located within said recess,

wherein said first body comprises at least one second recess,

wherein said second body comprises at least one projection projecting from an inner surface of said second body, and

wherein said at least one projection is received by said at least one second recess.

17. A foldable electronic device including a first body having a display covered by a screen and a second body having an interface through which a user can operate said electronic device,

said first body and said second body being rotatable to each other through a hinge,

said first body having a first surface facing said second body when said electronic device is folded, said second body having a second surface facing said first body when said electronic device is folded,

said interface projecting by a height from said second surface,

said first body comprising a recess with said first surface, said recess aligning with said interface when said electronic device is folded, and having a depth equal to or greater than said height, and

said display and said screen being located within said recess, and

wherein said first body comprises at least one second recess,

said foldable electronic device further comprising an elastic member formed in said at least one second recess.

18. A foldable electronic device including a first body having a display and a second body having an interface through which a user can operate said electronic device,

said first body and said second body being rotatable to each other through a hinge,

said first body having a first surface facing said second body when said electronic device is folded, said second body having a second surface facing said first body when said electronic device is folded,

said interface comprising a plurality of operation keys projecting by a height from said second surface,

said first body comprising a recess with said first surface, said recess aligning with said interface when said electronic device is folded, and having a depth equal to or greater than said height, said operation keys being received into said recess when said electronic device is folded to reduce a space between said first body and said second body and

said display and said screen being located within said recess,

wherein said recess extends alone an entire length of said interface.

19. A foldable electronic device including a first body having a display and a screen for protecting said display, and a second body having an interface through which a user can operate said electronic device,

said first body and said second body being rotatable to each other through a hinge,

said first body having a first surface facing said second body when said electronic device is folded, said second body having a second surface facing said first body when said electronic device is folded,

said first body comprising a recess,

said second body having at least one projection projecting from said second surface,

said first body having an elastic piece through which said screen is mounted on said first body such that said screen moves in said recess in a depth-wise direction of said recess,

said projection pushing said screen in said depth-wise direction when said electronic device is folded, thereby said elastic piece being compressed, and said elastic piece pushing said screen back when said electronic device is unfolded.