Mobile terminal device protected against impact

• US 7,460,888 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Oyama, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Junpeng
• Application Number:
  US10/990,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20050107143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 349/58, 349/158, 349/56, 349/60, 349/65, 349/126, 349/153, 349/154, 349/155, 349/156, 349/190, 455/575.3, 455/566, 455/575.8, 362/632, 345/905
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence

Abstract

A display element, a holder and a substrate are stacked and housed in between a front case and a back case of a receiving section of a mobile terminal device. The front case has a rib, and the rib has a plurality of recesses shaped near four cases of the housed display element to reduce the rigidity against an impact.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal device comprising:

a transmitting section; and

a receiving section,

wherein the receiving section has a front case and a back case that are put together, and a display element, a holder, and a substrate which are housed in between the front case and the back case, the front case of said receiving section having a rib larger than a circumference of said display element, the rib having a plurality of recesses to reduce a rigidity against an impact, said holder for covering the circumference of the display element such that the holder is in between the display element and the rib;

wherein the rib extends from a portion of the front case;

wherein a portion of the rib extends between a bottom of a first recess of the plurality of recesses and the portion of the front case;

wherein the first recess provides an opening in the rib from an outer circumference of the rib to an inner circumference of the rib; and

wherein the display element is held apart from the rib.

2. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein at least some of said plurality of recesses are shaped near corners of said display element.

3. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein four recesses are shaped near four corners of said display element.

4. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting section and said receiving section are capable of mutually rotating about a hinge.

5. The mobile terminal device of claim 1,

wherein the rib protrudes from a surface of the front case in a direction toward the back case;

and

wherein the plurality of recesses extend only partially into the rib from an outer edge of the rib toward the surface of the front case.

6. The mobile terminal device of claim 1,

wherein the rib has a plurality of sides;

and

wherein each recess of the plurality of recesses is provided on only one corresponding side of the plurality of sides.

7. The mobile terminal device of claim 1,

wherein the first recess extends from an edge of the rib that is closest to the back case toward the front case.

8. The mobile terminal device of claim 1,

wherein at least a portion of the front case comprises a transparent material to allow a display area of the display element to be viewed;

and

wherein the display area of the display element is visible to a user.

9. The mobile terminal device of claim 1,

wherein the first recess is U-shaped.

10. The mobile terminal device of claim 1,

wherein the first recess is V-shaped.

11. The mobile terminal device of claim 1,

wherein the rib extends a given height from the portion of the front case;

and

wherein a depth of each recess of the plurality of recesses is less than the given height.

12. The mobile terminal device of claim 1,

wherein the first recess defines a completely empty space containing no additional elements.

13. The mobile terminal device of claim 1,

wherein the rib has a substantially rectangular shape with a pair of longer sides and a pair of shorter sides;

and

wherein the plurality of recesses are along the pair of longer sides of the rib.

14. The mobile terminal device of claim 1,

wherein the outer circumference of the rib is smaller than an outer circumference of the front case.

15. A mobile terminal device, comprising:

a display element;

a case that houses said display element, said case comprising a rib that at least substantially surrounds a circumference of the display element, said rib having a plurality of recesses that extend from an edge of the rib; and

a holder for covering the circumference of the display element such that the holder is in between the display element and the rib;

wherein the rib extends from a portion of the case;

wherein a portion of the rib extends between a bottom of a first recess of the plurality of recesses and the portion of the case;

wherein the first recess provides an opening in the rib from an outer circumference of the rib to an inner circumference of the rib; and

wherein the display element is held apart from the rib.

16. The mobile terminal device according to claim 15, wherein said plurality of recesses are shaped at four corners of said case.

17. The mobile terminal device according to claim 15, wherein said case is mutually rotatably connected to another case by a hinge.

18. The mobile terminal device of claim 15,

wherein the rib has plurality of sides;

and

wherein each recess of the plurality of recesses is provided on only one corresponding side of the plurality of sides.

19. The mobile terminal device of claim 15,

wherein the edge is an outer edge of the rib that is not directly in contact with the display element.

20. The mobile terminal device of claim 15,

wherein at least a portion of the case comprises a transparent material to allow a user to view a display area of the display element.