Component packaging for handheld communication devices

• US 8,019,394 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Alameh, Rachid M., Gitzinger, Thomas E., Pierce, Paul M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan; Yuwen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hai V
• Application Number:
  US11/771,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20090005131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.3
• 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 1/0281 for providing single handed use or left/right hand conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/18 including more than one keyboard unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera

Abstract

A handheld communication device may comprise a first housing and a second housing. The first housing may include a first keypad and a battery. The second housing may include a second keypad, at least one display, and a printed circuit board. The second housing may be rotatable relative to the first housing between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The second keypad may face in a substantially same direction as the first keypad in the open configuration, and the second keypad may face in a substantially opposite direction to the first keypad in the closed configuration.

Claims

1. A handheld communication device, comprising:

a first housing including a first keypad, and a battery and a first arm and a second arm each extending from a first end of a main portion of the first housing and each terminating in a free end, the first and second arms being spaced from one another in a width dimension of the device;

a second housing including a second keypad, at least one display, and a printed circuit board, the second housing being rotatable relative to the first housing between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the second keypad facing in a substantially same direction as the first keypad in the open configuration, and the second keypad facing in a substantially opposite direction to the first keypad in the closed configuration, the second keypad is between the first and second arms in the width dimension; and

a hinge assembly coupling the main portion of the first housing with the first arm and the second arm, the hinge assembly having a hinge axis offset from the free ends of the first and second arms and the first end of the main portion such that a user holding the device with one hand can place the device in an open configuration by applying an urging force with a finger of said one hand to the first end of the main portion in a direction toward the palm of said hand.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein between the first end of the main portion and the free ends of the first and second arms in a longitudinal dimension of the device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second arms comprises 20-30% of a longitudinal dimension of the device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first arm and the second arm has a first depth dimension at a free end thereof and a second depth dimension, less than the first dimension, where the at least one arm meets a base.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the second housing further includes a display portion including the at least one display, the display portion having a third depth, the third depth being less than the second depth of the main portion.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the display portion is configured to substantially overlie at least a portion of the first housing in the closed configuration, the combined first and third depths being substantially the same as the second depth.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the display portion of the second housing has a width that is less than the main portion of a base.

8. A handheld communication device, comprising:

a first housing comprising a main portion housing a first keypad and a battery, and a first arm and a second arm each extending from a first end of the main portion and each terminating in a free end, the first and second arms being spaced from one another in a width dimension of the device;

a second housing including a second keypad, at least one display, and a printed circuit board, the second housing being rotatable relative to the first housing between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the second keypad being between the first and second arms in the width dimension and being between the first end of the main portion and the free ends of the first and second arms in a longitudinal dimension of the device; and

a hinge assembly coupling the main portion of the first housing with the first arm and the second arm, the hinge assembly having a hinge axis offset from the free ends of the first and second arms and the first end of the main portion such that a user holding the device with one hand can place the device in an open configuration by applying an urging force with a finger of said one hand to the first end of the main portion in a direction toward the palm of said hand.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein each of the first and second arms comprises 20-30% of a longitudinal dimension of the device.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the second keypad is configured to face in a substantially same direction as the first keypad in the open configuration, and the second keypad is configured to face in a substantially opposite direction to the first keypad in the closed configuration.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the first housing has a first depth, the second housing comprising:

a main portion including the second keypad and the printed circuit board overlying one another in a depth dimension, the main portion having a second depth, the second depth being greater than the first depth.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the second housing further includes a display portion including the at least one display, the display portion having a third depth, the third depth being less than the second depth of the main portion.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the display portion is configured to substantially overlie at least a portion of the first housing in the closed configuration, the combined first and third depths being substantially the same as the second depth.

14. A handheld communication device, comprising:

a first housing including a first keypad, a battery and a first arm and a second arm each extending from a first end of a main portion and each terminating in a free end, the first and second arms being spaced from one another in a width dimension of the device, the first housing gave has a first depth;

a second housing comprising a main portion including a second keypad and a printed circuit board overlying one another in a depth dimension, the main portion having a second depth, the second depth being greater than the first depth, the second keypad is between the first and second arms in the width dimension; and

a display portion including at least one display, the display portion having a third depth, the third depth being less than the second depth of the main portion, the second housing being rotatable relative to the first housing between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the display portion substantially overlying at least a portion of the first housing in the closed configuration, the combined first and third depths being substantially the same as the second depth, and

a hinge assembly coupling the main portion of the first housing with the first arm and the second arm, the hinge assembly having a hinge axis offset from the free ends of the first and second arms and the first end of the main portion such that a user holding the device with one hand can place the device in an open configuration by applying an urging force with a finger of said one hand to the first end of the main portion in a direction toward the palm of said hand.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the first housing comprises:

a main portion housing the first keypad and the battery; and

a first arm and a second arm each extending from a first end of the main portion and each terminating in a free end, the first and second arms being spaced from one another in a width dimension of the device.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the second keypad is between the first and second arms in the width dimension and between the first end of the main portion and the free ends of the first and second arms in a longitudinal dimension of the device.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein each of the first and second arms comprises 20-30% of a longitudinal dimension of the device.

18. The device of claim 15, further comprising a hinge assembly coupling the main portion of the first housing with the first arm and the second arm, the hinge assembly having a hinge axis offset from the free ends of the first and second arms.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the second keypad is configured to face in a substantially same direction as the first keypad in the open configuration, and the second keypad is configured to face in a substantially opposite direction to the first keypad in the closed configuration.

20. A handheld communication device, comprising:

a first housing comprising a main portion housing, and

a first arm and a second arm each extending from a first end of the main portion and each terminating in a free end;

a second housing being rotatable relative to the first housing between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the second housing having a main portion between the first and second arms, the main portion having a first end substantially aligned with the free ends of the first and second arms; and

a hinge assembly coupling the second housing to the first and second arms, the hinge assembly having a hinge axis offset from the first and second arms and the first end of the main portion such that a user holding the device with one hand can place the device in an open configuration by applying an urging force with a finger of said one hand to the first end of the main portion in a direction toward the palm of said hand.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein at least one of the first arm and the second arm has a first depth dimension at a free end thereof and a second depth dimension, less than the first dimension, where the at least one arm meets a base.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the second housing includes a second keypad, at least one display, and a printed circuit board, the display portion of the second housing having a width that is less than the main portion housing of a base.