Camera protection cover

• US 7,536,099 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2006
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Dalby, Anthony, Meyer, Axel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey; W. B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang; Fang-Chi
• Application Number:
  US11/442,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20070274710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.2, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 455/575.8, 455/550.1, 396/448, 396/535, 396/536, 396/541, 348/376
• US Class Current: 396/535
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0208 characterized by the relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/20 including a rotatable camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details

Abstract

A hand-portable electronic device 10 comprising: a first body part 11; a second body part 12 rotatably connected to the first body part, the second body part comprising a camera assembly 14 having an imaging axis 15 and an imaging window 16; and a slidable cover 13, the first and second body parts being rotatable with respect to each other about a rotation axis 17, the camera assembly being configured such that the imaging axis is orthogonal to the rotation axis, the slidable cover being adapted to slide between: i) a first position in which the first and second body parts are unlocked and are thereby able to rotate relative to one another; and ii) a second position in which the first and second body parts are locked by engagement of the slidable cover therebetween, relative rotation of the first and second body parts being thereby prevented, and in which the slidable cover covers the imaging window.

Claims

1. A hand-portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a first body part comprising one or more interfaces;

a second body part rotatably connected to the first body part, the second body part comprising a camera assembly having an imaging axis and an imaging window; and

a slidable cover,

the first and second body parts being rotatable with respect to each other about a rotation axis,

the apparatus being configured such that the slidable cover is able to slide between;

i) a first unlocked position, in which the first and second body parts are unlocked and are thereby able to rotate about the rotation axis relative to one another, wherein the slidable cover is disposed only within the first body part when in the first unlocked position; and

ii) a second locked position, in which the first and second body parts are locked by engagement of the slidable cover therebetween, relative rotation of the first and second body parts being thereby prevented, and in which the slidable cover substantially covers the imaging window;

and wherein the apparatus is configured such that the slidable cover covers the one or more interfaces when in the first unlocked position and reveals the one or more interfaces when in the second locked position.

2. The hand-portable electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the camera assembly is configured such that the imaging axis is orthogonal to the rotation axis.

3. The hand-portable electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the slidable cover is adapted to slide in a direction parallel to the rotation axis.

4. The hand-portable electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the slidable cover is adapted to engage with the second body part when the electronic apparatus is in a closed configuration.

5. The hand-portable electronic apparatus of claim 4 wherein the one or more interfaces comprise a socket for data transfer between the hand-portable electronic apparatus and an external apparatus.

6. The hand-portable electronic apparatus of claim 1, the second body part further comprising a flash module, wherein the slidable cover is adapted to substantially cover the flash module when the slidable cover is in the second locked position.

7. The hand-portable electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a device.

8. The hand-portable electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a device module.

9. A hand-portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a first means for housing comprising one or more means for interfacing;

a second means for housing rotatably connected to the first means for housing, the second means for housing comprising a means for capturing images having an imaging axis and a means for receiving the image; and

a means for slidably covering,

the first and second means for housing being rotatable with respect to each other about a rotation axis,

the apparatus being configured such that the means for slidably covering is able to slide between;

i) a first unlocked position, in which the first and second means for housing are unlocked and are thereby able to rotate about the rotation axis relative to one another, wherein the means for slidably covering is disposed only within the first means for housing when in the first unlocked position; and

ii) a second locked position, in which the first and second means for housing are locked by engagement of the means for slidably covering therebetween, relative rotation of the first and second means for housing being thereby prevented, and in which the means for slidably covering substantially covers the means for receiving the image;

and wherein the apparatus is configured such that the means for slidably covering covers the one or more means for interfacing when in the first unlocked position and reveals the one or more means for interfacing when in the second locked position.

10. The hand-portable electronic apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for capturing images is configured such that the imaging axis is orthogonal to the rotation axis.

11. The hand-portable electronic apparatus of claim 9, wherein the means for slidably covering is adapted to slide in a direction parallel to the rotation axis.

12. A method of assembling a hand-portable electronic apparatus, the hand-portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a first body part comprising one or more interfaces;

a second body part rotatably connected to the first body part, the second body part comprising a camera assembly having an imaging axis and an imaging window; and

a slidable cover,

the first and second body parts being rotatable with respect to each other about a rotation axis,

the apparatus configured such that the slidable cover is able to slide between;

i) a first unlocked position, in which the first and second body parts are unlocked and are thereby able to rotate about the rotation axis relative to one another wherein the slidable cover is disposed only within the first body part when in the first unlocked position; and

ii) a second locked position, in which the first and second body parts are locked by engagement of the slidable cover therebetween, relative rotation of the first and second body parts being thereby prevented, and in which the slidable cover substantially covers the imaging window,

the method comprising assembling together the first/second body parts and the slideable cover such that the slidable cover is able to slide between;

i) a first unlocked position, in which the first and second body parts are unlocked and are thereby able to rotate about the rotation axis relative to one another, wherein the slidable cover is disposed only within the first body part when in the first unlocked position; and

ii) a second locked position, in which the first and second body parts are locked by engagement of the slidable cover therebetween, relative rotation of the first and second body parts being thereby prevented, and in which the slidable cover substantially covers the imaging window,

and wherein the apparatus is configured such that the slidable cover covers the one or more interfaces when in the first unlocked position and to reveal the one or more interfaces when in the second locked position.