Portable device

• US 7,184,617 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Korenaga, Tsuguhiro, Tomita, Yoshihiro, Karashima, Seiji, Tomekawa, Satoru, Nakagiri, Yasushi, Hibino, Kunio, Shimada, Mikihiro, Itoh, Nobuki
• Primary Examiner(s): CONNELLY, MICHELLE R
• Application Number:
  US11/076,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20050201693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 385/14
• US Class Current: 385/14
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1221 made from organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3608 Fibre wiring boards, i.e. where fibres are embedded or attached in a pattern on or to a substrate, e.g. flexible sheets optical ribbon cables in support members G02B6/4401
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4214 the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device G02B6/4246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4224 using visual alignment markings, e.g. index methods
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/43 Arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical interconnections
• 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

Abstract

A portable device has a configuration such that a plurality of housings are connected functionally, wherein the thickness of a connection section between the housings is reduced so that the portability is improved. The portable device includes a first housing; a first board provided in the first housing; a second housing; a second board provided in the second housing; a connection section for connecting the first housing with the second housing in such a manner that their relative position can be changed; and an optical waveguide film having at least one optical waveguide for connecting the first board with the second board through optical wiring.

Claims

1. A portable device comprising:

a first housing;

a first board provided in the first housing;

a second housing;

a second board provided in the second housing;

a connection section including a hinge for connecting the first housing with the second housing in such a manner that a position of the first housing relative to the second housing can be changed; and

an optical waveguide film having at least one optical waveguide for connecting the first board with the second board through optical wiring, the optical waveguide film being arranged obliquely relative to a pivot axis of the hinge, the optical waveguide film having a bend formed prior to connecting the first board with the second board by heating, softening, and bending the optical waveguide film.

2. A portable device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide film is arranged obliquely such that a helix angle between the optical waveguide film and the pivot axis of the hinge is an acute angle in a range of 15°

to 45°

.

3. A portable device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide film is arranged so that the bend of the optical waveguide film is bent around the pivot axis of the hinge.

4. A portable device comprising:

a first housing;

a first board provided in the first housing;

a second housing;

a second board provided in the second housing;

a connection section including a hinge for connecting the first housing with the second housing in a foldable manner such that a position of the first housing relative to the second housing can be changed; and

an optical waveguide film having at least one optical waveguide for connecting the first board with the second board through optical wiring;

wherein the optical waveguide film has a helix angle causing a helix pitch corresponding to a value obtained by dividing a maximum opening and closing angle between the first housing and the second housing by 360°

to be smaller than or equal to the width of the hinge in the direction of a pivot axis.

5. A portable device comprising:

a first housing;

a first board provided in the first housing;

a second housing;

a second board provided in the second housing;

a connection section for connecting the first housing with the second housing in such a manner that a position of the first housing relative to the second housing can be changed; and

an optical waveguide film having at least one optical waveguide for connecting the first board with the second board through optical wiring, the optical waveguide film including;

a core corresponding to the at least one waveguide; and

a clad arranged so as to surround the core; and

electric wiring arranged along with the core,

wherein a part of the electric wiring contacts with the core and thereby prevents the leakage of an optical signal from the core.

6. A portable device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the electric wiring contacts with the core in a portion where the optical waveguide film is bent in use.