Clamshell phone with edge access

• US 8,204,560 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Alameh, Rachid, Castaneda, Julio, Pierce, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN PIERRE, PEGUY
• Application Number:
  US12/337,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20100151923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.3, 455/575.1, 455/575.4
• US Class Current: 455/575.3
• 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 1/0274 for an electrical connector module

Abstract

A handheld communication device (10) is provided. The handheld communication device (10) includes a first housing (102) having a circuit board portion (230) and a display portion (240) extending from a first end of the circuit board portion along a (230) predominant plane (239) of the first housing (102), a second housing (104) including a battery (342) and a keypad (124) where the battery (342) and keypad (124) are coextensive along a length and width of a predominant plane (227) of the second housing (104), a hinge assembly (106) that couples a midpoint of the circuit board portion (230) to an end (226) of the second housing (104) where the hinge assembly (106) defines a pivot axis that is mutually parallel to the predominant planes of the both the first and second housings (102, 104) and a user connector (130) located on a second end (128) of the circuit board portion (230) opposite the display portion (240) where an axis of insertion of the user connector is parallel to the predominant plane of the first housing (102) and wherein a total thickness of the display portion (240) and second housing (104) is substantially equal to a thickness of the circuit board portion (230).

Claims

1. A handheld communication device comprising:

a first housing having a length and width that define a predominant plane of the first housing, a circuit board portion disposed on a first end of the first housing and a display poion disposed on a second end of the first housing, the circuit board portion and display portion both extending parallel to the predominant plane of the first housing;

a circuit board disposed within the circuit board portion parallel to the predominant plane of the first housing;

a second housing including a battery and a keypad where the battery and keypad are coextensive along a length and width of a predominant plane of the second housing;

a hinge assembly that couples a midpoint of the circuit board portion to an end of the second housing where the hinge assembly defines a pivot axis that is mutually parallel to the predominant planes of the both the first and second housings; and

a user connector interface located on a distal end of the circuit board portion opposite the second portion, where an axis of insertion into the user connector interface is parallel to the predominant plane of the circuit board portion and perpendicular to the pivot axis and where a total thickness of the display portion and second housing is substantially equal to a thickness of the circuit board portion, wherein the user connector interface includes at least one of a subscriber identity module (SIM) connector and a secure digital (SD) memory card connector, wherein the one of the SIM or SD connector is disposed on the printed circuit board set back from the distal end and wherein the distal end further comprises an aperture adapted to receive a SIM or SD card inserted into the SIM or SD connector through the distal end.

2. The handheld communication device as in claim 1 wherein the user connector interface comprises a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

3. The handheld communication device as in claim 1 wherein the user connector interface comprises a subscriber identity module (SIM) connector.

4. The handheld communication device as in claim 1 wherein the user connector interface comprises a secure digital (SD) memory card connector.

5. The handheld communication device as in claim 1 further comprising a lock switch located on a second end of the circuit board portion opposite the display portion.

6. The handheld communication device as in claim 1 further comprising the user connector interface located between a pair of circuit boards within the circuit board portion.

7. A handheld communication device comprising:

a rectangular base portion housing having a length and width of a greater relative magnitude than a depth of the base portion housing, the length and width defining a predominant plane of the base portion, said rectangular base portion having a pair of mutually parallel aims extending outwards from opposing edges of the base portion along the predominant plane;

a flip portion housing having a length and width of a greater relative magnitude than a depth of the flip portion housing, the length and width defining a predominant plane of the flip portion housing, the flip portion housing including a circuit board portion including one or more circuit boards proximate a first end of the flip portion housing and a display module extending parallel to the predominant plane proximate a second, opposing end;

a circuit board disposed within the flip portion parallel to the predominant portion;

a hinge assembly that couples a midpoint of the mutually parallel arms to a midpoint of the circuit board portion wherein the hinge assembly defines a pivot axis that is parallel to the predominant planes of the base portion housing and flip portion housing;

a user connector interface located on a distal end of the flip portion housing opposite the base portion where an axis of insertion into the user connector is interface parallel to the predominant plane of the flip portion and perpendicular to the pivot axis,

wherein the user connector interface includes at least one of a subscriber identity module (SIM) connector and a secure digital (SD) memory card connector, wherein the one of the SIM or SD connector is disposed on the printed circuit board set back from the distal end and wherein the distal end further comprises an aperture adapted to receive a SIM or SD card inserted into the SIM or SD connector through the distal end.

8. The handheld communication device as in claim 7 further comprising a total thickness of the display module portion and base portion is substantially equal to a thickness of the circuit board portion.

9. The handheld communication device as in claim 7 wherein the user connector interface comprises a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

10. The handheld communication device as in claim 7 wherein the user connector interface comprises a subscriber identity module (SIM) connector.

11. The handheld communication device as in claim 7 wherein the user connector interface comprises a secure digital (SD) memory card connector.

12. The handheld communication device as in claim 7 further comprising a lock switch located on a second end of the circuit board portion opposite the display portion.

13. A handheld communication device comprising:

a flip portion having an elongated housing with a display module disposed on a predominant surface of the flip portion at a first end of the elongated housing and a circuit board portion disposed on an opposing, second end;

a base portion having an elongated housing with a keypad disposed on a predominant surface of the elongated housing and with a pair of mutually parallel arms extending from opposing edges of the keypad parallel with the predominant surface;

a circuit board disposed within the flip portion parallel to the predominant surface

a hinge assembly that couples a mid-point of the mutually parallel arms to opposing sides of the elongated flip portion midway along the circuit board portion wherein the hinge assembly defines a pivot axis that extends parallel to the predominant surface of the flip portion and keypad of the base portion; and

a user connector interface located on a distal end of the circuit board portion end of the flip portion housing opposite the base portion where an axis of insertion into the user connector interface is parallel to the predominant surface of the flip portion and perpendicular to a pivot axis of the hinge assembly and wherein when the communication device is in a closed position, the display module is juxtaposed with the keypad and when in an open position, the circuit board portion end of the flip portion is juxtaposed against the base portion between the parallel arms,

wherein the user connector interface includes at least one of a subscriber identity module (SIM) connector and a secure digital (SD) memory card connector, wherein the one of the SIM or SD connector is disposed on the printed circuit board set back from the distal end and wherein the distal end further comprises at least one aperture adapted to receive a SIM or SD card inserted into the SIM or SD connector through the distal end.

14. The handheld communication device as in claim 13 wherein the user connector interface comprises a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

15. The handheld communication device as in claim 13 wherein the user connector interface comprises a subscriber identity module (SIM) connector.

16. The handheld communication device as in claim 13 wherein the user connector interface comprises a secure digital (SD) memory card connector.

17. The handheld communication device as in claim 13 further comprising a lock switch located on a second end of the circuit board portion opposite the display portion.

18. The handheld communication device as in claim 13 further comprising the user connector interface located between a pair of circuit boards within the circuit board portion.

19. The handheld communication device as in claim 18 further comprising a user memory board that engages the user connector interface located between a pair of circuit boards within the circuit board portion.

20. The handheld communication device as in claim 13 further comprising a total thickness of the display portion and second housing is substantially equal to a thickness of the circuit board portion.