JP2002344596A - Portable terminal apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve a diversified usage form by expanding the degree of freedom in the position relationship between first and second enclosures, allow an apparatus to be also used while each enclosure is being closed, and to achieve improved strength in the entire apparatus in a portable terminal apparatus where the first and second enclosures are connected so that they can be folded freely. SOLUTION: In the portable terminal apparatus where the first and second enclosures 2 and 3 are connected so that they can be folded freely, the second enclosure 3 is supported so that it can be rotated freely with a first turning axis line 11 facing the thickness direction of the first enclosure 2 to the first enclosure 2 as a center, and is supported so that it can be turned freely to a second turning axial line 12 that orthogonally crosses the first turning axis line 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable terminal device such as a portable telephone, and more particularly to a portable terminal device in which two housings are foldably connected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various types of portable terminal devices such as portable telephones have been provided in consideration of their functions, design, and the like. 2. Description of the Related Art A so-called foldable portable terminal device, which is composed of two housings and in which the two housings are foldably connected, has been widely used.

[0003] A general configuration of a mobile terminal device of this type is, for example, in the case of a mobile phone, a pair of housings having a flat and rectangular shape in a plan view are rotated relative to each other at one longitudinal end. When connected freely, an operation unit such as various operation keys is provided on the inner surface of one housing on the folding side, a liquid crystal display unit is provided on the inner surface of the other housing on the folding side, and each housing is opened. A microphone section and a speaker section appear on the screen. In this case, the connecting portion of each housing is configured such that each housing is rotatably connected by one hinge, and each housing rotates around one rotation axis.

[0004]

In the portable terminal device having the above structure, each housing is opened and closed about one rotation axis, so that one housing and the other housing are connected to each other. The positional relationship is limited around one rotation axis, and the positional relationship between the two housings is limited, so that there is a problem that the usage of the device is limited to a narrow range.

Further, according to the above-mentioned portable terminal device, since the microphone section and the speaker section appear when each casing is opened, the microphone section and the speaker section face each other when each casing is closed. There is a problem that the mobile phone cannot be used in this state because it is blocked by the housing. Further, similarly to this problem, in a state where each housing is closed, the liquid crystal display unit provided on the inner surface of the other housing is covered by the opposite housing, so that there is a reception display. However, this cannot be confirmed, and there has been a problem that the mode of use as a mobile phone is limited.

A portable terminal device such as the above-mentioned portable telephone has a transmitting / receiving antenna and a GPS (global positive).
An antenna such as an ioning system antenna is provided, and this antenna is usually provided on an antenna mounting portion formed on one of the housings. There is a problem of impairing the appearance. In this case, it is conceivable to provide the antenna inside the housing, but when each housing is closed, a part of the antenna is shielded by a component member of the device,
There is a problem that the performance of the antenna is deteriorated.

In the portable terminal device described above, the strength of each part of the housing is limited to a range that can withstand normal use due to a demand for weight reduction or the like. In particular, the strength of the device in the thickness direction is often insufficient. There is a problem that the housing may be deformed by the pressing force in the direction. The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a portable terminal device in which a first housing and a second housing are foldably connected to each other. By expanding the degree of freedom of the positional relationship between the housing and the second housing, it is possible to realize a variety of usage modes, and it is possible to use the device even when each housing is closed, and also for the entire device. An object of the present invention is to provide a mobile terminal device that can realize high strength.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention proposes the following means. The invention according to claim 1 is a portable terminal device in which a first housing and a second housing are foldably connected to each other, wherein the second housing is provided with respect to the first housing. It is supported rotatably around a first rotation axis that faces the thickness direction of the first housing,
And it is characterized by being rotatably supported on a second rotation axis orthogonal to the first rotation axis. According to the portable terminal device of the present invention, the second housing is rotatable about the first and second rotation axes with respect to the first housing. Therefore, the second housing can be placed at various positions with respect to the first housing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the portable terminal device according to the first aspect, when the first and second housings are opened, a first sound is generated which emits a sound to an inner surface that appears when the first and second housings are opened. Means, a second sound generating means for emitting a sound to the closed outer surface side when the first and second housings are closed, and
Open / close detection means for detecting the open state and the closed state of the second casing, and switching for switching supply of a sound signal to the first or second sound generation means based on the detection result of the open / close detection means And a driving means. According to the portable terminal device according to the present invention, when the first and second housings are opened and closed, the opening and closing detection means detects the opening and closing,
The switching drive unit supplies a sound signal to the first or second sound generation unit based on the detection result. Therefore, first,
The first sound generating means can function when the second housing is open, and the second sound generating means can function when the first and second housings are closed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the portable terminal device according to the first or second aspect, the first and second housings are opened in one of the first and second housings. A first display portion is provided on the inner surface that sometimes appears, and a second display portion is provided on the outer surface when the first and second housings are closed. According to the portable terminal device according to the present invention, even when the first and second housings are closed, the second display unit can be viewed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the portable terminal device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the first housing is positioned on the first rotation axis and has a head. The first shaft body is provided rotatably by projecting the portion from the first housing, and the second shaft is located on the second rotation axis at the head of the first shaft body. Is provided, and one end of the second housing is rotatably provided on the first shaft via the second shaft, and one end of the second housing is provided on one end of the second housing. ,
When the first and second housings are opened and closed, a notch is formed to relatively release the head of the first shaft body and always expose the head to the outside. An antenna is provided therein. According to the portable terminal device of the present invention, the head of the first shaft is always exposed to the outside even when the second housing is opened and closed with respect to the first housing. Therefore, the performance of the antenna does not deteriorate due to the open / close state of the first and second housings.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the portable terminal device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the first and second housings are provided when the first and second housings are closed. The side view contour between the connection side end of the first and second housings and the free end side opposite to the connection side end is an intermediate portion between the connection side end and the free end side. It is characterized by being bulged outward and gradually narrowing from the intermediate portion toward the connection end and the free end. ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the portable terminal device which concerns on this invention, the whole apparatus functions as a shell structure with respect to the external pressing force, and high mechanical strength can be implement | achieved.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described here is a case where the present invention is applied to a mobile phone. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the mobile phone 1 (mobile terminal device) includes a first housing 2 and a second housing 3,
The first and second housings 2 and 3 are rotatably connected to each other at their respective ends, and the first and second housings 2 and 3 are connected to each other.
Are constructed so that they can be folded together.

The first housing 2 is formed in a flat shape as a whole as shown in FIGS.
Various electronic components are provided inside. The housing 2 is provided with an operation unit 5 including a call key, an end key, and a numeric keypad on an inner surface 2A that appears when the housing 2 and the housing 3 are opened, that is, on the inner surface of the case 4. Microphone portions 6A and 6B are provided at the upper end and the lower end, respectively. The microphone units 6A and 6B each have a configuration in which a microphone (not shown) is provided on the back side of the opening formed in the case 4. The case 4 has a first shaft 7 on its upper end on the inner surface side.
The second housing 3 is attached to the shaft 7.

The first shaft 7 comprises a large-diameter head 8 and a small-diameter mounting shaft 9. With the head 8 exposed to the outside, the mounting shaft 9 is mounted on the case 4. Formed recess 10
The housing 2 is rotatably mounted around a first rotation axis 11 that faces the thickness direction of the housing 2. A second shaft 13 is rotatably mounted on the head 8 so as to be positioned on a second rotation axis 12 orthogonal to the first rotation axis 11. The second housing 3 is attached to the second shaft 13.

The second housing 3 is formed flat as a whole, and has a rectangular shape in plan view.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the housing 3 has a cutout 15 formed at the lower end of a case 14, and both sides of the cutout 15 serve as mounting walls 16. In the second housing 3, the head 8 of the shaft 7 is located in the cutout 15, and the mounting wall 16 is mounted on the shaft 13. Notch 1
Reference numeral 5 denotes a shape in which the head 8 of the first shaft 7 is relatively released when the second housing 3 is rotated about the axis 12, and the head 8 is always exposed. It is supposed to. Under this configuration, the second housing 3 is
, The first rotation axis 11 and the second rotation axis 1
2 is rotatable.

Here, the portable telephone 1 is configured to have a GPS function, and a GPS antenna is built in the head 8. That is, the first shaft body 7 has an outer surface side made of synthetic resin,
An antenna for S is provided. In the second housing 3,
As shown in FIG. 1, a large liquid crystal display unit 21 (first display unit) is provided on the inner surface 3A side that appears when the first and second housings 2 and 3 are opened. Further, the housing 3 is provided with a first speaker section 22 constituting a first sound generating means on an inner surface 3A side of a lower end portion thereof. Speaker section 22
Forms a plurality of openings 24 in the case 23 of the housing 3,
A speaker (not shown) is provided on the rear side of the case 23 where the opening 24 is formed.

As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 3 has a liquid crystal display unit smaller than the liquid crystal display unit 21 near the front end 25 on the outer surface 3B side when the housing 3 is closed. 26 (second display unit) is formed, and a second speaker unit 27 that constitutes a second sound generating unit is provided at the distal end portion 26. The speaker unit 27 has an opening 28 formed in the case 23, and a speaker (not shown) is provided on the back side of the case 23 where the opening 28 is formed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first and second housings 2 and 3 are connected to the connecting end 30 when the first and second housings 2 and 3 are closed, and are free on the opposite side. The side view contour between the end portion 31 side and the intermediate portion 32 between the connection side end portion 30 and the free end portion 31 side bulges outward, and the connection end portion 30 and The shape is gradually reduced toward the free end 31. That is, although the first housing 2 is formed to be flat as a whole, the outer housing 33 and the inner housing 34
The outer casing 33 is formed in a curved shape bulging outward. The second housing 3 is
Although it is formed flat as a whole, it is formed in a curved shape that swells outward as a whole.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the first and second housings 2 and 3 are closed, the upper end 35 of the first housing 2 is connected to the upper end of the second housing 3. The microphone unit 6A projects upward from the unit 36, and the microphone unit 6A is exposed to the outside. The second housing 3 is
As shown in FIG. 2, in a state where the first and second housings 2 and 3 are closed, the front end 37 is connected to the lower end 38 of the first housing 2.
It is located below.

The portable telephone 1 is used by capturing transmission audio by the microphone units 6A and 6B and generating reception audio by the speaker units 22 and 27. Of these microphone units and speaker units, In particular, the speaker units 22 and 27
Is switched by opening and closing the first and second housings 2 and 3. That is, this mobile phone 1
FIG. 7 shows a state where the second housing 3 is opened at a certain angle or more with respect to the first housing 2 and a state where the first and second housings 2 and 3 are closed. Open / close detection means 40 for detecting
And a switching drive unit 41 for switching the supply of the sound signal to the speaker units 22 and 27 based on the detection result of the open / close detection unit 40. With this configuration, when the first and second housings 2 and 3 are open, the speaker unit 22 is driven, and when the first and second housings 2 and 3 are closed, the speaker unit 27 is driven.

The mobile phone 1 having the above configuration is used by opening the first and second housings 2 and 3 as a normal usage. In this case, the second housing 3 is rotatable about the first rotation axis 11 and the second rotation axis 12 with respect to the first housing 2 as shown in FIGS. Because
For example, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1, the second housing 3 is fully opened and positioned so as to extend above the first housing 2, and as shown by a solid line in FIG. The tip of the second housing 3 is positioned toward the side of the first housing 2, and the angle at which the second housing 3 is expanded as shown in FIG. Can be placed at various positions, such as less than 180 degrees with respect to the plane on which Therefore, when the mobile phone 1 is used, there is an advantage that various various usage forms can be adopted.

When the first and second housings 2 and 3 are open, the open / close detecting means 40 detects the open state of the housings 2 and 3, and the switching driving means 41 turns on the open / close detecting means 40. The received sound signal is supplied to the speaker unit 22 based on the result of the detection. Accordingly, in this case, the user of the mobile phone 1 emits his own transmission sound toward the microphone unit 6B, captures the reception sound from the speaker unit 22, and
Use Also, in the mobile phone 1, communication is possible even when the first and second housings 2, 3 are closed. That is, in this case, the switching drive unit 41 shown in FIG.
The sound signal received based on the detection result of the opening / closing detection means 40 is supplied to the speaker unit 27. Therefore, in this case, the telephone 1 shown in FIG. 3 is turned upside down, the user emits a transmission sound toward the microphone unit 6A, and captures the reception sound from the speaker unit 27 for use.

In each of the above use states, the large liquid crystal display unit 21 can be seen when the casings 2 and 3 are opened, and the small liquid crystal display unit 2 is closed when the casings 2 and 3 are closed.
6 can be visually observed. Therefore, if the display unit is selected according to the type of the display data, data suitable for each of the display units 21 and 26 can be viewed. Further, in the mobile phone 1, even when the first and second housings 2 and 3 are opened and closed, the head 8 of the shaft 7 having the built-in GPS antenna is always exposed to the outside. The GPS function can always be ensured without deteriorating the antenna performance.

In this portable telephone 1, FIG.
As shown in the figure, the side view outline between the connection side end 30 when the first and second housings 2 and 3 are closed and the free end 31 side on the opposite side is the connection side end 30. The intermediate portion 32 between the free end portion 31 and the free end portion 31 bulges outward, and is gradually narrowed from the intermediate portion 32 toward the connecting end portion 30 and the free end portion 31. It functions as a shell structure and can achieve high mechanical strength. This type of equipment is often pressed under various environments when carried, and in this case, the shell structure opposes the pressing force compared to a simple flat plate structure,
Functions to prevent the deformation.

Although the above embodiment is an example in which the present invention is applied to a mobile phone, the present invention is not limited to a mobile phone but can be applied to various other mobile terminal devices. is there.

[0027]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in the portable terminal device in which the first and second housings are foldably connected to each other, the second housing is the first housing. Since the first housing and the second housing can be freely opened around the two rotation axes with respect to one housing, it is possible to place the second housing at various positions and use the device. In this case, an effect that various various usage patterns can be adopted is obtained.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the portable terminal device according to the first aspect, a first sound generating means is provided on an inner side when the first and second housings are opened, and First, the second sound generating means is provided on the outer surface side when the second housing is closed, and each sound generating means is switched according to opening and closing of each housing, so that each housing is opened. Sound can be generated in both the closed state and the closed state, and the effect that the apparatus can be used in various usage forms is obtained.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the portable terminal device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the inner surface which appears when one of the first and second housings is opened is opened. Since the first display unit is provided, and the second display unit is provided on the outer surface side when each housing is closed, it is possible to make the display unit function both when opening and closing each housing. Thus, the effect that the device can be used in various usage forms can be obtained.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the portable terminal device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the first housing is provided on the first housing, and the second housing is provided on the first rotation axis. An antenna is provided at the head of the shaft that supports the antenna, and the head is always exposed to the outside regardless of the open / closed state of each housing, so that the effect that the performance of the antenna does not always deteriorate is obtained. Can be

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the portable terminal device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the first and second housings close the first and second housings. The side view contour between the connection side end of the first and second housings and the free end side opposite to the connection side end is an intermediate position between the connection side end and the free end side. Since the portion is bulged outward and gradually narrows from the intermediate portion toward the connecting end and the free end, the entire device functions as a shell structure against external pressing force. However, an effect that a high mechanical strength can be realized is obtained. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing a portable terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a front view in a state where each housing is opened.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the portable terminal device according to the embodiment of the present invention, and is a rear view in a state where each housing is closed.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the portable terminal device according to the embodiment of the present invention, and is a front view in a state where each housing is closed.

FIG. 4 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a first housing of the mobile terminal device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a first housing of the mobile terminal device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a control system of the portable terminal device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 First housing 2A Inner surface 3 Second housing 3B Outer surface 7 First shaft 8 Head 11 First rotation axis 12 Second rotation axis 13 Second shaft 15 Notch 22 One sound generating means (speaker part) 27 Second sound generating means (speaker part) 30 Connecting side end 31 Free end 32 Intermediate part 40 Open / close detecting means 41 Switching drive means

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5K011 AA04 AA06 AA07 JA01 KA12 5K023 AA07 BB11 DD08 KK10 LL05 PP01 PP16

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A portable terminal device in which a first housing and a second housing are foldably connected to each other, wherein the second housing is connected to the first housing with respect to the first housing. It is supported rotatably about a first rotation axis that faces the thickness direction of the housing, and is rotatably supported with respect to a second rotation axis orthogonal to the first rotation axis. A portable terminal device characterized in that: 2. The portable terminal device according to claim 1, wherein when the first and second housings are opened, first sound generating means for emitting a sound to an inner surface that appears when the first and second housings are opened; A second sound generating unit that emits a sound to the closed outer side when the second housing is closed, and an open / closed detection that detects an open state and a closed state of the first and second housings Means for switching the supply of a sound signal to the first or second sound generation means based on the detection result of the open / close detection means. 3. The mobile terminal device according to claim 1, wherein one of the first and second housings has an inner surface that appears when the first and second housings are opened. A portable terminal device comprising: a first display unit; and a second display unit provided on an outer surface side when the first and second housings are closed. 4. The portable terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the first housing is positioned on the first rotation axis and the head thereof is positioned in the first housing. A first shaft body is provided rotatably so as to protrude from the housing, and a second shaft body is provided at a head of the first shaft body on the second rotation axis. One end of the second housing is rotatably provided on the first shaft via the second shaft, and the first and second ends are provided on one end of the second housing. When the second housing is opened and closed, a notch is formed to relatively release the head of the first shaft body and always expose the head to the outside, and an antenna is arranged in the first head. A portable terminal device, which is provided. 5. The portable terminal device according to claim 1, wherein said first and second housings are closed when said first and second housings are closed. The outline of the side view between the connecting end of the two housings and the free end opposite thereto is such that an intermediate portion between the connecting end and the free end expands outward. A portable terminal device having a shape gradually tapered from the intermediate portion toward the connecting end portion and the free end portion.