Portable terminal device of the foldable type

• US 7,684,836 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2003
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Taneda, Minoru, Mushika, Motoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah; Charles N
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US10/689,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20040132513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,345 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/550.1, 455/90, 455/90.1, 455/90.3, 455/433.13, 455/575, 379/433.13, 379/368, 348/376, 361/814, 361/807, 439/164
• US Class Current: 455/575.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

The invention provides a portable terminal device of the foldable type wherein a manipulation-side cabinet and a display-side cabinet each comprises a front cabinet segment and a rear cabinet segment joined thereto. The manipulation-side cabinet has its front cabinet segment connected at an end portion thereof to a hinge mechanism and has its rear cabinet segment engaged with the front cabinet segment thereof. The display-side cabinet has its rear cabinet segment connected at an end portion thereof to the hinge mechanism and has its front cabinet segment engaged with the rear cabinet segment thereof.

Claims

1. A portable terminal device of the foldable type comprising a pair of flat cabinets openably connected to each other by a hinge mechanism, each of the cabinets comprising a front cabinet half segment to be opposed to the other cabinet when closed and a rear cabinet half segment joined to the front cabinet half segment, said front cabinet half segment being a separate piece from said rear cabinet half segment, one of the pair of cabinets having the front cabinet half segment thereof connected at an end portion thereof to the hinge mechanism and having the rear cabinet half segment thereof engaged with the front cabinet half segment thereof, the other cabinet having the rear cabinet half segment thereof connected at an end portion thereof to the hinge mechanism and having the front cabinet half segment thereof engaged with the rear cabinet half segment thereof,

such that when the pair of cabinets are closed, with extraneous matter therebetween, no clearance is created in the joint between the front cabinet half segment and rear cabinet half segment of either of the pair of cabinets, wherein

the front cabinet half segment of the manipulation-side cabinet is provided with a pair of annular pieces projecting from one end thereof and spaced apart from each other, and the rear cabinet half segment of the display-side cabinet is provided with a pair of annular pieces projecting from one end thereof and spaced apart from each other, the annular piece of the manipulation-side cabinet and the annular piece of the display-side cabinet being arranged side by side in contact with each other and having fitted therein a first hinge unit, the other annular piece of the manipulation-side cabinet and the other annular piece of the display-side cabinet being arranged side by side in contact with each other and having fitted therein a second hinge unit, and

the front cabinet half segment of the manipulation-side cabinet has a circular-arc piece projecting from the end thereof and positioned between the pair of annular pieces, and the rear cabinet half segment of the manipulation-side cabinet is provided at one end thereof with a partial member joined to the circular-arc piece for forming a hollow cylinder.

2. A portable terminal device of the foldable type according to claim 1 wherein a circuit board in the manipulation-side cabinet and a display in the display-side cabinet are connected to each other by a flexible lead, and the flexible lead is helically wound inside the hollow cylinder formed by the circular-arc piece and the partial member.

3. A portable terminal device of the foldable type comprising a pair of flat cabinets openably connected to each other by a hinge mechanism, each of the cabinets comprising a front cabinet half segment to be opposed to the other cabinet when closed and a rear cabinet half segment joined to the front cabinet half segment, said front cabinet half segment being a separate piece from said rear cabinet half segment, one of the pair of cabinets having the front cabinet half segment thereof connected at an end portion thereof to the hinge mechanism and having the rear cabinet half segment thereof engaged with the front cabinet half segment thereof, the other cabinet having the rear cabinet half segment thereof connected at an end portion thereof to the hinge mechanism and having the front cabinet half segment thereof engaged with the rear cabinet half segment thereof,

such that when the pair of cabinets are closed, with extraneous matter therebetween, no clearance is created in the joint between the front cabinet half segment and rear cabinet half segment of either of the pair of cabinets, wherein

the front cabinet half segment of the manipulation-side cabinet is provided with a pair of annular pieces projecting from one end thereof and spaced apart from each other, and the rear cabinet half segment of the display-side cabinet is provided with a pair of annular pieces projecting from one end thereof and spaced apart from each other, the annular piece of the manipulation-side cabinet and the annular piece of the display-side cabinet being arranged side by side in contact with each other and having fitted therein a first hinge unit, the other annular piece of the manipulation-side cabinet and the other annular piece of the display-side cabinet being arranged side by side in contact with each other and having fitted therein a second hinge unit, and

the front cabinet half segment of the display-side cabinet is provided with a projecting circular-arc piece positioned between the pair of annular pieces, and the rear cabinet half segment of the display-side cabinet is provided at the end thereof with a partial member joined to the circular-arc piece for forming a hollow cylinder.

4. A portable terminal device of the foldable type according to claim 3 wherein a circuit board in the manipulation-side cabinet and a display in the display-side cabinet are connected to each other by a flexible lead, and the flexible lead is helically wound inside the hollow cylinder formed by the circular-arc piece and the partial member.