Folding portable device and connecting mechanism

• US 8,855,726 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2008
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Ozawa, Jiro
• Primary Examiner(s): DEAN, RAYMOND S
• Application Number:
  US12/593,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20100144406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,391 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 379/428.01, 379/428.02, 379/433.01, 37943311-43313
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1618 the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• 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 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge

Abstract

A folding portable device is provided, in which a connecting mechanism that mechanically connects a first housing and a second housing to each other includes a plurality of first members including a first plane and two engaging pieces provided on the first plane, and a plurality of second members including a second plane, an engaging groove provided on the second plane for the engaging piece to be slidably fitted, and a stopper. The first member is engaged with one of the second members by means of one of the two engaging pieces, and with another second member adjacent to the one second member by means of the other of the two engaging pieces, and the connecting mechanism includes therein a hollow portion formed along an extending direction of the engaging groove, and the hollow portion includes therein the flexible printed circuit board.

Claims

1. A folding portable device, comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing; and

a connecting mechanism that mechanically connects said first housing and said second housing to each other; and

wherein said connecting mechanism includes;

at least two first members, each of the at least two first members including a first engaging piece and a second engaging piece which include columnar portions, and

a second member including an engaging groove on each of two opposing surfaces, the engaging groove extending in a first direction,

wherein one of the two opposing surfaces faces a first side away from the other of the two opposing surfaces and the other of the two opposing surfaces faces a second side away from the one of the two opposing surfaces,

wherein said columnar portions of said first engaging piece of said each of the at least two first members engage with said engaging groove of said second member such that said first engaging piece can be slidably and rotatably engaged in said engaging groove, and

wherein said columnar portions of said second engaging piece of said each of the at least two first members engage with another engaging groove of another second member such that said second engaging piece can be slidably and rotatably engaged in said another engaging groove,

wherein the first and second engaging pieces protrude from the each of the at least two first members in a same direction, and

wherein one of the at least two first members is arranged on only the first side and the other of the at least two first members is arranged on only on the second side.

2. The folding portable device according to claim 1, wherein

said connecting mechanism includes said at least two first members and said second member in a plurality of numbers respectively;

said at least two first members and said second member are set to slide toward or away from each other; and

inclining said at least two first members and said second member with respect to each other can cause said first housing and said second housing to mutually assume an open state or a closed state.

9. The folding portable device according to claim 1, wherein said folding portable device is a folding mobile phone unit.

18. The folding portable device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second engaging pieces protrude from the at least two first members in a direction perpendicular from the first direction.

19. The folding portable device according to claim 1, wherein the first engaging piece slides in the second member in the first direction and the second engaging piece slides in the another second member in the first direction.

3. A folding portable device, comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing;

a connecting mechanism that mechanically connects said first housing and said second housing to each other; and

a flexible printed circuit board that electrically connects said first housing and said second housing to each other;

wherein said connecting mechanism includes;

each of a plurality of first members including a first plane and two engaging pieces, each of said two engaging pieces comprising columnar portions, provided on said first plane;

each of a plurality of second members including a first interfacing plane and a second interfacing plane, the first and second interfacing planes arranged opposed from each other, an engaging groove extending in a first direction provided on each of said first and second interfacing planes for said columnar portions of said each engaging piece to be slidably and rotatably fitted, and a stopper that prevents said each engaging piece fitted in said engaging groove from coming off from said engaging groove;

wherein the first interfacing plane faces a first side away from the second interfacing plane and the second interfacing plane faces a second side away from the first interfacing plane,

wherein said each first member is engaged with one of said plurality of second members by means of one of said two engaging pieces, and with another second member adjacent to said one of said plurality of second members by means of the other of said two engaging pieces;

wherein said connecting mechanism includes a hollow portion formed along said first direction of said engaging groove in said connecting mechanism, and said hollow portion includes said flexible printed circuit board in said hollow portion,

wherein the two engaging pieces protrude from the first member in a same direction,

wherein the plurality of first members comprises a plurality of right first members configured to engage with the engaging groove on the first interfacing plane and a plurality of left first members configured to engage with the engaging groove on the second interfacing plane, and

wherein each of the plurality of right first members is arranged on only the first side and each of the plurality of left first members is arranged on only the second side.

4. The folding portable device according to claim 3, wherein said engaging piece is erected on said first plane;

and

said hollow portion is formed inside said second member so as to avoid interference with said engaging groove.

5. The folding portable device according to claim 3, wherein said engaging piece includes:

a first columnar portion erected on said first plane, and

a second columnar portion formed on said first columnar portion continuously from said first columnar portion and larger in diameter than said first columnar portion, and said engaging groove includes;

a first engaging groove formed on each of said first and second interfacing lanes for said first columnar portion to slide along said first engaging groove, and

a second engaging groove formed so as to extend from said first engaging groove, for said second columnar portion to slide along said second engaging groove.

6. The folding portable device according to claim 3, wherein

said hollow portion is formed inside said first member or said second member;

said first member or said second member including said hollow portion is respectively constituted of a combination of a plurality of block members;

at least one of said plurality of block members includes a recessed portion formed along an extending direction of said engaging groove, and

said hollow portion is formed inside said first member or said second member by combining said plurality of block members.

7. The folding portable device according to claim 4, wherein

said hollow portion is formed inside said first member or said second member;

said first member or said second member including said hollow portion is respectively constituted of a combination of a plurality of block members;

at least one of said plurality of block members includes a recessed portion formed along an extending direction of said engaging groove, and

said hollow portion is formed inside said first member or said second member by combining said plurality of block members.

8. The folding portable device according to claim 4, wherein said second member includes two block members;

said two block member each include a pair of planes parallel to each other;

one of said pair of planes includes said engaging groove, and the other of said pair of planes includes a recessed portion formed so as to avoid interference with said engaging groove; and

said second member is formed by combining said two block members via the respective latter planes.

10. A connecting mechanism that mechanically connects a first housing and a second housing to each other, in a folding portable device including said first housing and said second housing, comprising:

at least two first members, each of the at least two first members including a first engaging piece and a second engaging piece which include columnar portions, and

a second member including an engaging groove on each of two opposing surfaces, the engaging groove extending in a first direction,

wherein one of the two opposing surfaces faces a first side away from the other of the two opposing surfaces and the other of the two opposing surfaces faces a second side away from the one of the two opposing surfaces,

wherein said columnar portions of said first engaging piece of said each of the at least two first members engage with said engaging groove of said second member such that said first engaging piece can be slidably and rotatably engaged in said engaging groove, and

wherein said columnar portions of said second engaging piece of said each of the at least two first members engage with another engaging groove of another second member such that said second engaging piece can be slidably and rotatably engaged in said another engaging groove,

wherein the first and second engaging pieces protrude from the each of the at least two first members in a same direction, and

wherein one of the at least two first members is arranged on only the first side and the other of the at least two first members is arranged on only on the second side.

11. The connecting mechanism according to claim 10, comprising said at least two first members and said second member in a plurality of numbers respectively;

wherein

said at least two first members and said second member are set to slide toward or away from each other; and

inclining at least two first members and said second member with respect to each other can cause said first housing and said second housing to mutually assume an open state or a closed state.

12. A connecting mechanism that mechanically connects a first housing and a second housing to each other, in a folding portable device including said first housing, said second housing, and a flexible printed circuit board that electrically connects said first housing and said second housing to each other, comprising:

each of a plurality of first members including a first plane and two engaging pieces, each of said two engaging pieces comprising columnar portions, provided on said first plane;

each of a plurality of second members including a first interfacing plane and a second interfacing plane, the first and second interfacing planes arranged opposed from each other, an engaging groove extending in a first direction provided on each of said first and second interfacing planes for said columnar portions of said each engaging piece to be slidably and rotatably fitted, and a stopper that prevents said each engaging piece fitted in said engaging groove from coming off from said engaging groove;

wherein the first interfacing plane faces a first side away from the second interfacing plane and the second interfacing plane faces a second side away from the first interfacing plane.

wherein said each first member is engaged with one of said plurality of second members by means of one of said two engaging pieces, and with another second member adjacent to said one of said plurality of second members by means of the other of said two engaging pieces;

wherein said connecting mechanism includes a hollow portion formed along said first direction of said engaging groove in said connecting mechanism, and said hollow portion includes said flexible printed circuit board in said hollow portion,

wherein the two engaging pieces protrude from the first member in a same direction,

wherein the plurality of first members comprises a plurality of right first members configured to engage with the engaging groove on the first interfacing plane and a plurality of left first members configured to engage with the engaging groove on the second interfacing plane, and

wherein each of the plurality of right first members is arranged on the first side and each of the plurality of left first members is arranged on only the second side.

13. The connecting mechanism according to claim 12, wherein

said engaging piece is erected on said first plane;

and

said hollow portion is formed inside said second member so as to avoid interference with said engaging groove.

14. The connecting mechanism according to claim 12, wherein said engaging piece includes:

a first columnar portion erected on said first plane, and

a second columnar portion formed on said first columnar portion continuously from said first columnar portion and larger in diameter than said first columnar portion, and said engaging groove includes;

a first engaging groove formed on each of said first and second interfacing planes for said first columnar portion to slide along said first engaging groove, and

a second engaging groove formed so as to extend from said first engaging groove, for said second columnar portion to slide along said second engaging groove.

15. The connecting mechanism according to claim 12, wherein

said hollow portion is formed inside said first member or said second member;

said first member or said second member including said hollow portion is respectively constituted of a combination of a plurality of block members;

at least one of said plurality of block members includes a recessed portion formed along an extending direction of said engaging groove, and

said hollow portion is formed inside said first member or said second member by combining said plurality of block members.

16. The connecting mechanism according to claim 13, wherein said hollow portion is formed inside said first member or said second member;

said first member or said second member including said hollow portion is respectively constituted of a combination of a plurality of block members;

at least one of said plurality of block members includes a recessed portion formed along an extending direction of said engaging groove, and

said hollow portion is formed inside said first member or said second member by combining said plurality of block members.

17. The connecting mechanism according to claim 13, wherein said second member includes two block members;

said two block member each include a pair of planes parallel to each other;

one of said pair of planes includes said engaging groove, and the other of said pair of planes includes a recessed portion formed so as to avoid interference with said engaging groove; and

said second member is formed by combining said two block members via the respective latter planes.