FR2829351A1 - ARTICULATED HOUSING APPLICABLE TO THE PRODUCTION OF PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES COMPRISING A BINDING ARRANGED ON THE INTERNAL FACES OF THE SHUTTERS - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an articulated case that is used for portable electronic apparatus comprising a binding which is disposed on the internal faces of the flaps. The inventive case is of the type that comprises two flaps (1) which are articulated by means of hinges (2), said flaps being essentially parallelepiped in shape and of more or less the same thickness. At least one of the flaps (1) is at least partially covered on the internal face thereof (10) with a binding (3) which extends towards the edges of the flap (1) until it is at least in line with the four faces forming the foredge (12) of the flap (1). According to the invention, the device is intended in particular for the production of portable telephones and computers and for electronic books.

Description

<Desc / Clms Page number 1>

 The present invention relates to a housing made up of two articulated shutters and protected by materials such as binding, of the type used, for example, for a microcomputer and a portable telephone or an electronic book.

 Traditionally, the articulated housings of devices such as computers and mobile phones, electronic books, ... are made of plastic, composite or metal, with an unpleasant contact and a propensity to slip out of the hands, especially if these or these show signs of moisture or traces of grease.

 A first solution may consist of a binding covering the outside face of the shutters and having a pleasant touch as well as non-slip properties; it was the subject of patent number 01 02367.

 But it seems desirable to go further because the useful faces of the shutters (those which carry the screen or the keyboard) are, conventionally, the internal faces of the articulated housing, which, due to the presence of hinges, reduces the usable surface, also preventing a contact and a continuity however desirable especially those which, joining two screens, make practically only one twice as large.

 Another solution has been to place screens on the external faces of the shutters so as to occupy them entirely since they are free from any visible presence of a hinge (patent number 00 11294). The screens have therefore, by taking the place, removed a very useful binding elsewhere (see above). However, the non-slip contact of the binding, if it eliminates certain drawbacks, does not prevent the case from tipping over and falling from the hand holding it.

 The device according to the invention overcomes these drawbacks. It comprises, according to a first characteristic, a housing of the type composed of two flaps articulated by hinges, of generally parallelepipedal shape and substantially the same thickness, one at

<Desc / Clms Page number 2>

 less of said flaps being covered, at least in part, on its inner face, with a binding extending towards the edges of said flap until arriving at least in alignment with the four faces forming the edge of said flap.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the binding covers, at least in part, at least one of the four faces forming the edge of the corresponding flap.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, at least one of the hinges of the housing is hollowed out with at least one gutter, so as to allow the hand to apply to it a force balancing that, antagonistic, exerted by another part of the hand holding the case, on the edge of the flaps.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, at least one recess is arranged on at least one of the inner faces of the flap or on the edge, so as to serve as a point of application for the gripping and holding forces of the casing exerted by fingers.

- la figure 3 est une vue de face du dispositif en position ouverte, tenu par des côtés opposés ; - la figure 4 est une vue en perspective du dispositif en position ouverte, tenu par en dessous et par l'arrière ; - la figure 5 est une vue de la tranche d'un volet et de la reliure arrivant en alignement ; - la figure 6 est une vue de la tranche d'un volet et de la reliure parvenant au-delà de l'alignement ; - la figure 7 est une vue de gauche du dispositif en position ouverte. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear better in the detailed description which follows and which refers to the appended drawings, given only by way of example, and in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device according to l invention, in the open position; - Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device in the closed position;

- Figure 3 is a front view of the device in the open position, held by opposite sides; - Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device in the open position, held from below and from the rear; - Figure 5 is a view of the edge of a flap and the binding arriving in alignment; - Figure 6 is a view of the edge of a flap and the binding reaching beyond the alignment; - Figure 7 is a left view of the device in the open position.

 With reference to these drawings, the device comprises two

<Desc / Clms Page number 3>

 shutters (1) whose inner face (10) is covered by a binding (3) and whose outer face (11), free from any visible presence of hinge (2), allows a screen (4) to occupy it the entire surface. The screens (4) being contiguous, they can be seen as being only one twice as large, when the case is opened flat, to be held either vertically (portrait position) or horizontal (landscape position), as clearly shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4.

 If necessary, the box can be closed and this "macro screen" is sort of broken in half. The device can then fit in a chest pocket or in the inside pocket of a jacket to be immediately in reach and available for example to display, permanently or piecemeal, the time, a name and / or a correspondent number, ...

 Open as well as closed, the case, when its dimensions are reasonable, can be held by a hand which will only have contact with the binding material (3) as can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, with the advantage of a pleasant and safe contact because flexible, warm and non-slip (the word "binding" means any material that can be applied or fixed in a manner suitable for the nature of the shutters (1) and their geometry in view get the benefits of binding to a traditional book).

 According to a variant of the invention, the binding (3) arrives in alignment with the edge (12) as shown in Figure 6, without protruding from the inner face (10) of the corresponding flap (1) (Figure 5).

 When the case is opened and held from below, the holding force is exerted by hand on the edge (12) and / or on the edge of the binding (3). At the same time, an equilibrium force is applied on the side of the binding (3), at least one finger positioning itself either between the hinges (2) to rest on one and / or to wedge between two, or on the gutters (20) which are arranged therein, the direction of said gutters (20) possibly being parallel or not to the axis of said hinges (2), that is to say also in the recess (s)

<Desc / Clms Page number 4>

 fitted (s) on the inner face (10) of the flaps (1) or on the edge (12), all to prevent the housing from tipping over and falling. Various finger positions allow the case to be held securely; it is thus possible to use a finger or a thumb inserted into a recess provided on the edge (12). As for the said recesses, they have the position, the orientation, the shape and the interior lining most suited to their function and to their comfort.

 It also appears that when the flat open housing is pressed, for example to write on the screens (4) using a stylus or on the keyboard which can replace one of said screens (4), said housing remains open instead of tending to close as it would if the screens (4) or the keyboard were-arranged, in the traditional way, on the inner face (10) of the shutters (1).

 According to a variant not illustrated of the invention, the binding (3) still covers, at least in part, at least one of the four faces constituting the edge (12) of the corresponding flap (1).

 The device according to the invention is particularly intended for the production of portable microcomputers, mobile telephones and electronic books.

Claims (4)

 at least one of said flaps (l) is covered, at least in part, on its inner face (10), with a binding (3) extending towards the edges of said flap (1) until arriving at least in alignment with the four faces forming the edge (12) of said flap (1).

CLAIMS l) Case of the type composed of two flaps (l) articulated by hinges (2), of generally parallelepiped shape and substantially the same thickness, characterized in that  2) Housing according to claim l characterized in that the binding (3) covers, at least in part, at least one of the four faces forming the edge (12) of the corresponding flap (1).  3) Housing according to claims l and 2 characterized in that at least one of the hinges (2) of said housing is hollowed out with at least one gutter (20) so as to allow the hand to apply a force balancing that, antagonist, exerted, by another part of the hand holding the boot, on the edge of the flaps (l).  4) Housing according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one recess is provided on at least one of the internal faces (10) of flap (1) or on the edge (12), so as to serve as point of application to the gripping and holding forces exerted by the fingers.