Portable electronic device capable of switching different statuses by centrifugal force

• US 9,196,440 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Hsu-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Squires, Brett
• Application Number:
  US13/760,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20140103741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 307/120
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/00 Switches operated by change of a physical condition operated by change of magnetic or electric field H01H36/00; thermally-actuated switches H01H37/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/10 Centrifugal switches level of mercury displaced by centrifugal action H01H29/26

Abstract

A portable electronic device includes a casing, four actuating mechanisms and a control module. The four actuating mechanisms are disposed inside the casing. Each actuating mechanism includes a slot structure and an actuating component. The actuating component is disposed on an end of the corresponding slot structure. The control module is electrically connected to the four actuating mechanisms. The control module is for switching from a first status to a second status of the portable electronic device as the portable electronic device rotates in a rotating direction so as to drive each actuating component from the end of the slot structure to the other end of the slot structure due to centrifugal force.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a casing;

four actuating mechanisms disposed inside the casing, each actuating mechanism comprising;

a slot structure; and

an actuating component disposed on an end of the corresponding slot structure; and

a control module electrically connected to the four actuating mechanisms for switching from a first status to a second status of the portable electronic device as the portable electronic device rotates in a rotating direction so as to drive each actuating component from the end of the slot structure to the other end of the slot structure due to centrifugal force, and when the portable electronic device stops rotating in the rotating direction, each actuating component is maintained at the other end of the slot structure, so as to remain the portable electronic device in the second status.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the four actuating mechanisms are electrically connected to the control module in an open-loop configuration as each actuating component is disposed on the end of each slot structure, so that the control module controls the portable electronic device to maintain in the first status.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 2, wherein the four actuating mechanisms are electrically connected to the control module in a closed-loop configuration as each actuating component moves from the end of each slot structure to the other end of each slot structure due to centrifugal force, so that the control module switches from the first status to the second status of the portable electronic device.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second status is a system reset status.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the control module controls the portable electronic device to maintain in the first status as not all of the four actuating components are disposed on the end of the four slot structures.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein each actuating mechanism further comprises a slip-resistant component disposed inside each slot structure, and the slip-resistant component is for resisting movement of the corresponding actuating component as the corresponding actuating component is disposed on the end of the corresponding slot structure.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the slip-resistant component is a sheathing component for sheathing the corresponding actuating component.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the four actuating mechanisms are respectively disposed on corners of the casing symmetrically.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the four actuating mechanisms are respectively disposed on four corners of the casing symmetrically.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a battery module electrically connected to the control module, and the control module being further for controlling the battery module to cut off electricity as each actuating component moves from the end of each slot structure to the other end of each slot structure due to centrifugal force, so that the portable electronic device switches from a power-on status to a power-off status.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a tablet computer or a smart phone.