JP2003227511A - Hinge structure for foldable portable equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hinge structure for foldable portable equipment which minimizes the clearance between hinge parts of both cases, prevents the looseness at the time of rotation operation, and improves the appearance. <P>SOLUTION: A washer-like hinge spacer 5 to be attached to a hinge part 4a of a KEY side case 2a is interposed in the clearance between the hinge part 4a of the KEY side case 2a and a hinge part 4b of a LCD side case 2b. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hinge structure for a foldable portable device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, mobile phones and PHS have been used as mobile devices.
However, foldable mobile devices that are both beautiful in terms of design and compact are becoming more popular.

FIG. 10 shows an example of a general foldable portable device. Reference numeral 1 is a mobile phone as a foldable portable device, 2 is a case of the mobile phone 1, and the foldable portable device. The telephone 1 divides the case 2 into a KEY side case 2a as a first case in which operation keys are arranged and an LCD side case 2b as a second case in which a liquid crystal screen is provided, and these are pinned to each other. Hinge part 4a connected by 3
It has a structure in which it can be rotatably assembled through 4b and can be folded.

[0004]

By the way, in the case of the conventional folding type portable telephone 1 as described above, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the hinge portions 4a and L of the KEY side case 2a are connected to each other.
It is necessary to provide a minimum operation gap for the rotation operation with the hinge portion 4a of the CD side case 2b, and in addition to this, in addition to this, the LCD side case 2b of the hinge portion 4a of the KEY side case 2a is provided. On the surface facing the hinge portion 4a,
Since the mold draft for forming the KEY side case 2a is formed, the external appearance gap becomes very large, which causes rattling at the time of rotation operation and has a drawback that the external appearance is deteriorated.

In view of the above situation, the present invention is a foldable portable device capable of minimizing the gap between the hinge portions of both cases, preventing rattling during rotation operation, and improving the appearance. It is intended to provide a hinge structure for a device.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a foldable portable device in which a first case and a second case are rotatably assembled via a hinge portion which is pin-connected to each other and are foldable. And a hinge structure of a washer-shaped hinge spacer attached to the hinge part of one case is interposed in the gap between the hinge parts of both cases. It is a thing.

According to the above means, the following effects can be obtained.

As described above, if a washer-shaped hinge spacer attached to the hinge portion of one case is interposed in the gap between the hinge portions of both cases, the outer appearance gap is reduced, and rattling is less likely to occur during rotation operation. With
The appearance will improve.

In the hinge structure of the foldable portable device, a mold draft for molding one case is formed on a surface of the hinge part of one case facing the hinge part of the other case. If one of the hinge spacers is attached to the hinge part of the case, the hinge spacer is set to an inclined surface that matches the mold draft of the one case, and the opposite surface of the hinge spacer to the hinge part of the other case is rotated. It can be a plane perpendicular to the axis, this way
Even if a die draft for molding one case is formed on the surface of the hinge part of one case facing the hinge part of the other case, the appearance gap will be very large. Becomes an avoidable form.

Further, in the hinge structure of the foldable portable device, the hinge spacer may be made of a material for reducing sliding resistance with respect to the other case.
Friction is reduced at the time of rotation operation, the movement is smooth, and it becomes possible to further reduce the setting of the operation gap between the hinge portions, which is also effective in preventing abnormal noise and the like.

Furthermore, in the hinge structure of the folding portable device, the thickness of the other side of the hinge spacer on the surface facing the hinge portion may be increased only at the outer peripheral edge portion. Friction during rotation is further reduced, making it possible to smoothen the movement.
It is also effective in preventing abnormal noise and the like and preventing foreign matter such as dust from entering the gap, and even if foreign matter enters the gap, the clearance inside is larger,
The influence of foreign matter is small.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 4 show an example of an embodiment for carrying out the present invention. In the drawings, the parts designated by the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. Figure 10
Although it is similar to the conventional one shown in FIG. 12, the feature of this illustrated example is that, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a hinge portion 4a of the KEY side case 2a and a hinge portion 4b of the LCD side case 2b are provided. A washer-shaped hinge spacer 5 attached to the hinge part 4a of the KEY side case 2a
It is in the point of interposing.

In the case of the illustrated example, the KEY side case 2a
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, KEY is provided on the surface of the hinge portion 4a facing the hinge portion 4b of the LCD side case 2b.
Since a mold draft for molding the side case 2a is formed, the mounting surface of the hinge spacer 5 on the KEY side case 2a with respect to the hinge portion 4a is, as shown in FIG.
The EY side case 2a has an inclined surface that matches the mold draft, and the surface of the hinge spacer 5 facing the hinge portion 4b of the LCD side case 2b is a vertical surface with respect to the rotation axis. On the slope side of the
A fitting convex portion 7 is formed in the concave groove 6 formed in the hinge portion 4a of the side case 2a, and an end surface of the fitting convex portion 7 is fitted into the concave groove 6 by using a double-sided tape or an adhesive agent. It is fixed. The angle θ of the inclined surface of the hinge spacer 5 is about 3 °.

The materials for the KEY side case 2a and LCD side case 2b are mainly ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer), PC (polycarbonate), or a mixture of PC and ABS. When the material of the LCD side case 2b which slides with respect to the hinge spacer 5 is ABS, the material of the hinge spacer 5 is PC, a mixture of PC and ABS, nylon. , PET (polyethylene terephthalate), or POM (polyacetal) is used to reduce the sliding resistance by using a different kind of material from the LCD case 2b, and the LCD case 2b is made of PC. In this case, the material of the hinge spacer 5 is ABS, a mixture of PC and ABS, or Emissions, PET, by using different kinds of materials and LCD side casing 2b of the POM, etc.,
In order to reduce the sliding resistance, and when the material of the LCD side case 2b is a mixture of PC and ABS, the material of the hinge spacer 5 is ABS, P.
LCD side case 2b such as C, nylon, PET, POM
The sliding resistance is reduced by using a material of a different type from the above.

Next, the operation of the illustrated example will be described.

As described above, the washer-shaped hinge spacer 5 attached to the hinge portion 4a of the KEY side case 2a is interposed in the gap between the hinge portion 4a of the KEY side case 2a and the hinge portion 4b of the LCD side case 2b. When mounted, the appearance gap becomes smaller, rattling is less likely to occur during the rotating operation, and the appearance is improved.

Here, on the surface of the hinge portion 4a of the KEY side case 2a facing the hinge portion 4b of the LCD side case 2b, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a metal for molding the KEY side case 2a. Although the die-cutting slope is formed, the mounting surface of the hinge spacer 5 to the hinge portion 4a of the KEY side case 2a is an inclined surface that matches the die-cutting slope of the KEY side case 2a, as shown in FIG. Moreover, since the surface of the hinge spacer 5 facing the hinge portion 4b of the LCD side case 2b is a vertical surface with respect to the rotation axis, it is possible to prevent the appearance gap from becoming very large.

Further, in the illustrated example, since the hinge spacers 5 are formed of the material for reducing the sliding resistance with respect to the LCD side case 2b, the friction during the rotation operation is reduced and the movement is smooth, and the hinge portion 4a is formed. It is possible to further reduce the setting of the operation gap between the first and the second control points 4b, which is also effective in preventing the generation of abnormal noise.

Thus, the gap between the hinge portion 4a of the KEY side case 2a and the hinge portion 4b of the LCD side case 2b can be minimized, rattling at the time of rotation operation can be prevented, and the appearance is improved. It can be planned.

KEY side case 2 of the hinge spacer 5
The attachment of “a” to the hinge portion 4a is not limited to the above-described method of fitting and fixing using a double-sided tape or an adhesive agent, for example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, on the inclined surface side of the hinge spacer 5. Hinge portions 4a of the KEY side case 2a are provided at a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction (four locations in the example of FIG. 6).
It is also possible to form a fitting claw portion 8 for the concave groove 6'formed in the above and to fit the fitting claw portion 8 into the concave groove 6 '.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the thickness of the hinge spacer 5 on the surface of the LCD side case 2b facing the hinge portion 4b can be increased by one step only at the outer peripheral edge portion. Friction during rotation can be further reduced and movement can be made even smoother, which is effective in preventing the generation of abnormal noise and the prevention of foreign matter such as dust from entering the gap. Even if it gets inside, the clearance inside is larger and the influence of foreign matter is less.

The hinge spacer 5 in the example shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is attached to the hinge portion 4a of the KEY side case 2a by using a double-sided tape or an adhesive agent as in the example shown in FIGS. Although it is fixed,
As shown in FIG. 9, the hinge portion 4 of the KEY side case 2a is provided at a plurality of positions in the circumferential direction on the inclined surface side of the hinge spacer 5.
forming a fitting claw portion 8 for the concave groove 6 ′ formed in a,
It goes without saying that the fitting claw portion 8 may be fitted into the concave groove 6 ′.

The hinge structure of the foldable portable device of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned illustrated example, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. is there.

[0025]

As described above, the first aspect of the present invention is as described above.
According to the hinge structure of the foldable portable device described above, the gap between the hinge portions of both cases can be minimized, rattling at the time of rotation operation can be prevented, and the appearance can be improved. It can be effective.

According to the hinge structure of the foldable portable device according to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above effects, one of the hinge portions of one case is opposite to the hinge portion of the other case. When the mold draft for forming the case is formed, it is possible to effectively deal with the problem, and it is possible to achieve an excellent effect of avoiding an increase in the appearance gap.

According to the hinge structure of the foldable portable device according to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above effects, the hinge spacer is formed of a material for reducing the sliding resistance with respect to the other case, so that the hinge can be rotated. It is possible to obtain the excellent effects that the friction in the can be reduced and the movement can be made smoother, the setting of the operation gap between the hinge portions can be further reduced, and the occurrence of abnormal noise can be prevented.

According to the hinge structure of the folding portable device of the fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above effects, the thickness of the hinge spacer on the surface facing the hinge portion of the other case is limited only to the outer peripheral edge portion. By making it thicker, friction during rotation operation can be further reduced and movement can be further smoothed, abnormal noise, etc. can be prevented, foreign matter such as dust can be prevented from entering the gap, and if the gap is An excellent effect that the influence of foreign matter that has entered can be minimized can be achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an example of an embodiment of the present invention when a case is folded.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a part III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the shape of the hinge spacer in the example of the embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is an end view;
4B is a side view, FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 4A, and FIG.

5 is an enlarged view showing a modified example of the hinge spacer, which is a view corresponding to a part III in FIG. 2. FIG.

6A and 6B are shape explanatory views of the hinge spacer shown in FIG. 5, in which FIG. 6A is an end view, FIG. 6B is a side view, and FIG.
6A is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 7A, and FIG.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing another modification of the hinge spacer, which is a view corresponding to a part III in FIG. 2.

8A and 8B are explanatory views of the shape of the hinge spacer shown in FIG. 7, in which FIG. 8A is an end view, FIG. 8B is a side view, and FIG.
6A is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 7A, and FIG.

9 is an enlarged view showing still another modified example of the hinge spacer, which is a view corresponding to a part III in FIG. 2. FIG.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of a mobile phone as a general foldable mobile device.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the conventional case when the case is folded.

12 is a sectional view taken along line XII-XII of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Mobile phone (foldable mobile device) 2a KEY side case (first case) 2b LCD side case (second case) 3 pin 4a Hinge part 4b Hinge part 5 Hinge spacer

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A hinge structure for a foldable portable device, wherein a first case and a second case are rotatably assembled via hinge parts that are pin-connected to each other, and are foldable. A hinge structure for a foldable portable device, wherein a washer-shaped hinge spacer attached to a hinge portion of one case is interposed in a gap between the hinge portions of the cases. 2. One case of the hinge spacer when a die draft for molding the one case is formed on a surface of the hinge section of the one case facing the hinge section of the other case. The mounting surface for the hinge part of
An inclined surface that matches the mold draft of the one case,
The hinge structure for a foldable portable device according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the hinge spacer facing the hinge portion of the other case is a surface perpendicular to the rotation axis. 3. The hinge structure for a foldable portable device according to claim 1, wherein the hinge spacer is formed of a material that reduces sliding resistance with respect to the other case. 4. The hinge structure for a foldable portable device according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the hinge spacer on the surface facing the hinge portion of the other case is increased only at the outer peripheral edge portion.