JP2002082737A - Electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the key input operability of notebook type electronic equipment which is excellent in portability and easy to use having its inner case automatically slanted when being used by separating the inner case provided with a key input part into right and left parts by slanting it associatively as lower and upper cases are opened. SOLUTION: The electronic equipment 1 has its upper case 3 and lower case 2 connected by hinges 5 and is equipped with the inner case 4 which is sandwiched between those lower case 2 and upper case 3 one over another and provided with the key input part 41, and the inner case 4 is divided into the right and left parts and the right and left inner cases 4 are rotatable in the right-left direction about the upper case 3 and connected to the upper case 2 so that when the upper case 3 and lower case 2 are opened the right and left inner cases 4 are associatively lifted toward the upper case 3. Then a guide means 7 which makes the right and left inner cases 4 to separate and approach in the right-left direction associatively with the opening/closing operation of the upper case 3 and lower case 2 is provided between the lower case 2 and right and left inner cases 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a notebook type electronic device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A notebook type electronic device can be compactly stored and portable when an upper case having a display unit is closed, and when the upper case is opened, a keyboard on the lower case appears and characters can be input. . Also, when the upper case is opened, a type in which the keyboard is tilted has been commercialized,
Input operations are easier.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present applicant has disclosed a foldable electronic device which can automatically arrange the middle case by inclining it when the lower case and the upper case are opened.
No. 2375. That is, an electronic device in which the lower case, the middle case, and the upper case overlap in that order, and the upper case and the lower case are connected by a hinge, and the upper case and the middle case are connected by the hinge, so that the upper case and the middle case are connected. When the lower case is opened, the middle case is linked to be pulled up toward the upper case. According to this,
When the lower case and the upper case are closed, the middle case is sandwiched between the lower case and the upper case, so that the entire device becomes compact and can be carried easily. Further, when the lower case and the upper case are opened, the middle case is pulled up in the direction of the upper case in conjunction with the middle case, and the middle case is arranged to be inclined on the lower case.
Therefore, usability of the key input operation on the middle case is good.

[0004] By the way, note-type electronic devices are considered to be compact when carried or stored.
There are also certain limitations on the size of the keyboard on the lower case or the middle case. Therefore, conventionally, a wide key pitch could not be obtained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a notebook-type electronic device which is easy to use by automatically inclining the middle case during use while having good portability. An object of the present invention is to improve the key input operability by performing a separating operation to the left and right while performing an inclining operation in conjunction with the opening operation of the upper case.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 connects an upper case 3 and a lower case 2 with a hinge 5 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, for example. An electronic device 1 including a middle case 4 provided with a key input unit 41, which is sandwiched and overlapped between the lower case 2 and the upper case 3, wherein the middle case 4 is divided into right and left,
The left and right middle cases 4 are rotatable in the left and right directions with respect to the upper case 3, and when the upper case 3 and the lower case 2 are opened, the left and right middle cases 4 are linked to be pulled up in the upper case 3 direction. The case 2 and the left and right middle cases 4 are connected, and the left and right middle cases 4 are linked to the opening and closing operations of the upper case 3 and the lower case 2.
Is provided between the lower case 2 and the left and right middle cases 4 to separate the right and left parts from each other in the right and left directions.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the upper case and the lower case are closed, the electronic device is sandwiched between the upper case and the lower case, so that the whole device is compact and can be carried easily. When the upper case and the lower case are opened, the middle case is interlocked and pulled up in the direction of the upper case, and the middle case is inclined and disposed on the lower case. Therefore, usability of the key input operation on the middle case is good. Then, the divided left and right middle cases are rotatable in the left and right direction with respect to the upper case, and the left and right middle cases are interposed between the left and right middle cases and the lower case in conjunction with the opening and closing operations of the upper and lower cases. Since the guide means for separating or approaching the case in the left and right direction is provided, simply opening the upper case and the lower case causes the left and right middle cases to interlock and separate in the left and right direction by the guide means. Accordingly, the key input operation on the key input section on the middle case that has been separated to the left and right can be easily performed in accordance with the left and right hands. In addition, the middle case having the key input section automatically separates left and right only by the operation for normal use of opening the upper case and the lower case, so that the use state can be set very easily.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the electronic apparatus 1 according to the first aspect, wherein, when the upper case 3 and the lower case 2 are opened as shown in FIG. The connection part 6 of the case 4 is located above the hinge part 5 connecting the upper case 3 and the lower case 2.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the electronic apparatus 1 according to the first aspect, wherein, as shown in FIG. 1, the guide means 7 includes a guide groove 22 formed on the upper surface of the lower case 2.
And a guide projection 42 provided on the lower surface of the left and right middle case 4 and engaged with the guide groove 22.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the electronic apparatus 1 according to the first aspect, wherein, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper case 3 and the lower case 2 are interlocked with each other on the upper surface of the lower case 2. A speaker 23 is provided in a portion exposed between the left and right middle cases 3 that have been separated.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the speaker is provided on the upper surface of the lower case according to the first aspect, which is exposed between the left and right middle cases separated and operated in conjunction with the opening operation of the upper case and the lower case. , The exposed portion of the lower case between the middle cases that separates left and right in conjunction with the opening operation of the upper case and the lower case can be effectively used as a speaker arrangement space.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the electronic apparatus 1 according to the first aspect, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, on the upper surface of the lower case 2, interlocking with the opening operation of the upper case 3 and the lower case 1. An operating portion 21 is provided in a portion exposed from the middle case 4 that has been pulled up to the front.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the operating portion is provided on the upper surface of the lower case according to the first aspect of the present invention, at a portion exposed from the middle case that has been pulled up in conjunction with the opening operation of the upper case and the lower case. With this arrangement, the exposed portion of the lower case from the middle case, which is raised in conjunction with the opening operation of the upper case and the lower case, can be effectively used as an operation unit.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. The electronic devices are shown in FIGS. 1 and 3
As shown in the figure, the electronic organizer 1 comprises a lower case 2, an upper case 3, and a middle case 4 which is divided into right and left, and is folded between the lower case 2 and the upper case 3 with the left and right middle cases 4 interposed therebetween. It is of the formula. That is, the lower case 2 and the upper case 3 are rotatably connected by the first hinge portion 5,
The left and right middle cases 4 are rotatably connected to the upper case 3 by a second hinge 6 at a position slightly above the first hinge 5. Specifically, at the rear end of the lower case 2, the upper case 3 is connected at the lower end by a first hinge 5. The lower case 2 has operation keys (operation unit) 21 arranged in the lateral direction on the near side of the upper surface. The upper case 3 has a liquid crystal display screen (display unit) 31 on a surface facing the lower case 2.

The left and right middle cases 4 have a key input section 4
And upper case 3 at both outer ends of the rear end.
At a position slightly above the first hinge portion 5 of the second
They are connected by a hinge 6. As shown in FIG. 2 in an enlarged manner, a connecting member 60 is used for the second hinge 6. That is, the connecting member 60 is formed by forming the claw portions 62 diametrically opposed to each other at the lower end of the vertical axis portion 61, and integrally providing the horizontal axis portion 63 on the vertical axis portion 61. The connecting member 60 is formed with a hole 32 formed at the lower end of the upper case 3.
The claw portion 62 and the longitudinal axis portion 61 are inserted into the protruding portion 43, and the horizontal shaft portion 63 is rotatably assembled to the protrusion 43 provided at the rear end of the middle case 4. The hole 32 has a shape corresponding to the longitudinal axis 61 and the claw 62 of the connecting member 60, and when the longitudinal axis 61 and the claw 62 are inserted into the hole 32,
It does not come off at angular positions other than the predetermined position.

Guide grooves 22 are formed on both left and right portions of the upper surface of the lower case 2, and guide protrusions 4 engaging with the guide grooves 22 are formed on outer portions of the lower surface of the left and right middle cases 4.
2 (see the dotted line) are protruded. When the guide protrusion 42 slides smoothly in the front-rear direction along the guide groove 22, the left and right middle cases 4 perform the separating operation or the close operation in the left-right direction about the longitudinal axis 61 of the connecting member 60.
That is, these guide grooves 22 and guide projections 42
The guide means 7 is constituted by. A speaker 23 for voice response is provided on the upper surface of the lower case 2 and behind the central portion of the operation keys 21 arranged in the horizontal direction on the near side.

According to such an electronic organizer 1, when the upper case 3 is closed with respect to the lower case 2, the middle case 4 is sandwiched between the upper case 3 and the upper case 3 therebetween, so that the whole device is compact and can be carried easily. Then, when the upper case 3 is opened with respect to the lower case 2, as shown in FIG.
Is inclined on the lower case 2, so that the upper case 3
The user can easily use the key input operation on the key input unit 41 on the middle case 2 while watching the liquid crystal display screen 31.

Further, by simply opening the upper case 3 with respect to the lower case 2, the right and left middle cases 4 are linked to each other, and the guide means, ie, the guide projections 42 slide rearward along the guide grooves 22 to be connected. The member 60 rotates around the longitudinal axis 61 of the member 60 and performs a separating operation in the left-right direction as shown in FIG. Therefore, the middle case 4 that has been separated to the left and right
Key input operation can be easily performed on the upper key input unit 41 in accordance with the left and right hands. In this case, the middle case 4 having the key input section 41 is automatically separated into right and left by only the operation for normal use of opening the upper case 3 with respect to the lower case 2, so that the use state can be extremely easily changed. Can be set.

In the lower case 2, the exposed portion between the middle cases 4, which separates left and right in conjunction with the opening operation of the upper case 3, can be effectively used as an arrangement space for the speakers 23. Further, in the lower case 2, the exposed portion in front of the middle case 4, which is raised in conjunction with the opening operation of the upper case 3, can be effectively used as the operation keys 21. That is, as described above, the operation key 21 as a function key can be arranged in an effective wide range using the front side portion of the lower case 2 while keeping the size when closed closed.

In the above embodiment, the electronic organizer is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be an information processing device such as a word processor, a personal computer, and a mobile. Further, it goes without saying that other specific detailed structures and the like can be appropriately changed.

[0021]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the upper case and the lower case are closed, the middle case is sandwiched between the upper case and the lower case, so that the entire device is compact and can be carried easily. When the upper case and the lower case are opened, the middle case is interlocked and pulled up in the direction of the upper case, and the middle case is inclined and disposed on the lower case. Therefore, usability of the key input operation on the middle case is good. By simply opening the upper case and the lower case, the left and right middle cases are separated in the left and right direction by the interlocking action of the guide means provided between the lower case. Key input operations can be easily performed on the input unit according to the left and right hands. Moreover, only by the operation for normal use of opening the upper case and the lower case,
Since the middle case having the key input section automatically separates right and left, it can be set to a use state very easily.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effect obtained by the first aspect of the present invention, the lower case is exposed between the middle cases which separate left and right in conjunction with the opening operation of the upper case and the lower case. This has the advantage that the portion can be effectively used as a speaker arrangement space.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the effects obtained by the first aspect of the present invention, the lower case is exposed from the middle case to the raising operation in conjunction with the opening operation of the upper case and the lower case. Can be effectively used as an operation unit.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a configuration of an embodiment to which the present invention is applied, and showing a state in which an electronic device is opened.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the upper case of FIG. 1 showing a connecting member to a middle case in a perspective view.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the connecting member before assembly in a view along the line AA of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electronic device 2 Lower case 21 Operation part 22 Guide groove 23 Speaker 3 Upper case 31 Display part 4 Middle case 41 Key input part 42 Guide protrusion 5 First hinge part 6 Second hinge part (connection part) 60 Connection member 7 Guide means

Claims (5)

[Claims] An upper case and a lower case are connected by a hinge, and are sandwiched between the lower case and the upper case to overlap with each other.
An electronic device including a middle case provided with a key input unit, wherein the middle case is divided into left and right, and the left and right middle cases are rotatable left and right with respect to the upper case, and the upper case and the lower case are opened. The upper case and the left and right middle cases are connected so that the left and right middle cases interlock with each other and can be raised in the upper case direction. An electronic device, wherein guide means for performing a separating operation or an approaching operation is provided between a lower case and left and right middle cases. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein when the upper case and the lower case are opened, a connecting portion of the left and right middle cases with respect to the upper case is located above a hinge portion connecting the upper case and the lower case. Electronic equipment. 3. The guide means is provided on a guide groove formed on an upper surface of a lower case and on a lower surface of the left and right middle cases.
2. The electronic device according to claim 1, comprising a guide projection engaged with the guide groove. 4. The speaker according to claim 1, wherein a speaker is provided on a portion of the upper surface of the lower case, which is exposed between the left and right middle cases separated and operated in conjunction with the opening operation of the upper case and the lower case. Electronics. 5. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising an operating portion on an upper portion of the upper surface of the lower case, the portion being exposed in front of the middle case that has been pulled up in conjunction with the opening operation of the upper case and the lower case. machine.