Electronic device

• US 8,279,592 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Client Solutions CO., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Toshikatsu, Imamura, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tuan T
• Application Number:
  US12/973,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20110285647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 361683-688, 361752-753, 361/814, 36167901-67927
• US Class Current: 361/679.27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1649 the additional display being independently orientable, e.g. for presenting information to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a first main unit having a surface thereof provided with a display panel, a second main unit having a surface thereof provided with another display panel, a hinge mechanism coupling the first and second main units, and two operation buttons arranged symmetrical with respect to a center line passing through the respective centers of the first and second main units.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first display comprising a first screen;

a first housing comprising the first display;

a second display comprising a second screen;

a second housing comprising the second display;

a hinge mechanism coupling the first and second housings wherein the first and second housings are rotatable between a closed position at which the first and second screens are facing each other, and an open position at which the first and second screens are in side-by-side arrangement;

two operation buttons incorporated in the first housing and arranged symmetrical with respect to a center line extending in a direction of the side-by-side arrangement of the first and second screens;

a power button incorporated in the second housing at a position at which the power button is facing one of the two operation buttons when the first and second screens are at the closed position; and

a cover comprising a first projection configured to press a switch and a second projection closer to fixing portions than the first projection.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first housing comprises a battery, and the second housing comprises a circuit board.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a first touch panel provided on the first screen, and a second touch panel provided on the second screen.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the hinge mechanism is a biaxial hinge coupling the first and second housings.

5. An electronic device comprising:

a first display comprising a first screen;

a first housing comprising the first display;

a second display comprising a second screen;

a second housing comprising the second display;

a hinge mechanism coupling the first and second housings wherein the first and second housings are rotatable between a closed position at which the first and second screens are facing each other, and an open position at which the first and second screens are in side-by-side arrangement;

two operation buttons incorporated in the first housing and arranged symmetrical with respect to a center line extending in a direction of the side-by-side arrangement of the first and second screens;

a camera lens incorporated in the second housing at a position at which the camera lens is facing one of the two operation buttons when the first and second screens are at the closed position; and

a cover comprising a first projection configured to press a switch and a second projection closer to fixing portions than the first projection.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein:

said one of the two operation buttons comprises the cover in the first housing and the switch configured to be pressed through the cover; and

when the first and second screens are at the closed position, the camera lens faces the cover and is eccentric to the switch.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the cover has a D-shaped section.

8. The electronic device of claim 6, further comprising a frame covering the first display, wherein the frame comprises an opening configured to expose the cover.

9. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the cover comprises arms extending away from the center line and is configured to be supported by the first housing through the arms.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein:

ends of the arms away from the center line are fixed to the first housing through the fixing portions; and

the switch is closer to the center line than the fixing portions in an area covered by the cover.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein a component is provided between the first and second projections.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a first display comprising a first screen;

a first housing comprising the first display;

a second display comprising a second screen;

a second housing comprising the second display;

a hinge mechanism coupling the first and second housings wherein the first and second housings are rotatable between a closed position at which the first and second screens are facing each other, and an open position at which the first and second screens are in side-by-side arrangement;

two operation buttons incorporated in the first housing and arranged symmetrical with respect to a center line extending in a direction of the side-by-side arrangement of the first and second screens; and

a power button incorporated in the second housing at a position at which the power button is facing one of the two operation buttons when the first and second screens are at the closed position,

wherein said one of the two operation buttons comprises a cover in the first housing and a switch configured to be pressed through the cover,

when the first and second screens are at the closed position, a camera lens faces the cover and is eccentric to the switch,

the cover comprises arms extending away from the center line and is configured to be supported by the first housing through the arms,

ends of the arms away from the center line are fixed to the first housing through fixing portions,

the switch is closer to the center line than the fixing portions in an area covered by the cover, and

the cover comprises a first projection configured to press the switch and a second projection closer to the fixing portions than the first projection.

13. An electronic device comprising:

a first display comprising a first screen;

a first housing comprising the first display;

a second display comprising a second screen;

a second housing comprising the second display;

a hinge mechanism coupling the first and second housings wherein the first and second housings are rotatable between a closed position at which the first and second screens are facing each other, and an open position at which the first and second screens are in side-by-side arrangement;

two operation buttons incorporated in the first housing and arranged symmetrical with respect to a center line extending in a direction of the side-by-side arrangement of the first and second screens; and

a camera lens incorporated in the second housing at a position at which the camera lens is facing one of the two operation buttons when the first and second screens are at the closed position,

wherein said one of the two operation buttons comprises a cover in the first housing and a switch configured to be pressed through the cover,

when the first and second screens are at the closed position, the camera lens faces the cover and is eccentric to the switch,

the cover comprises arms extending away from the center line and is configured to be supported by the first housing through the arms,

ends of the arms away from the center line are fixed to the first housing through fixing portions,

the switch is closer to the center line than the fixing portions in an area covered by the cover, and

the cover comprises a first projection configured to press the switch and a second projection closer to the fixing portions than the first projection.