JP2019049846A - Electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

To realize an electronic device that is easily held when its side portion is gripped to use.SOLUTION: An electronic device (100) having first and second housings (10, 20) and a hinge portion (30) can be in a form of a plate in which a display screen (14) is arranged on its front side and a key (24) is arranged on its back side. In a side surface portion of its housing, a concave portion with which user's palm can contact when the user grips the electronic device (100) is continuously formed along a longitudinal direction of the side surface portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly to an electronic device which has a display screen and can be used by being held by a user.

  Electronic devices having a display screen can be used in various places indoors and outdoors, and convenience as well as miniaturization are required. As such an electronic device, for example, an electronic device having a housing, a display screen disposed on the surface portion thereof, and a groove portion disposed on the periphery of the display screen in the surface portion is known. (See, for example, Patent Document 1). Further, as the electronic device, for example, an electronic device having a housing and a display screen and an operation unit disposed on the surface portion thereof is known. The electronic device includes a curved portion in which the side surface of the housing is smaller than the lateral dimension of the housing, and one or both of a non-slip concave portion and a convex portion (see, for example, Patent Document 2) ).

Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2008-233985 (October 2, 2008 publication) Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2001-069241 (March 16, 2001 publication)

  Among the electronic devices of the prior art described above, the former electronic device is larger than the electronic device without the groove portion when the electronic device is large enough to hold the finger on the surface portion when the user uses it. Improve the ease of holding. For example, the electronic device is a tablet personal computer.

  However, in the case of a smaller electronic device such as a smartphone, when the user holds the finger while holding the surface portion, the user's fingertip may reach the display screen and interfere with viewing of the display content. Further, when the size of the electronic device is small, the user may not hold his finger on the recess, and in such a case, the recess does not contribute to the ease of holding.

  Also, among the above-described conventional electronic devices, the latter electronic device can not make the display screen larger because of the curved portion. In the latter electronic device, since the user holds the electronic device by holding the case, the user's fingertips reaching the display screen may interfere with viewing of the display content.

  An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide an electronic device easy to hold when gripping and using a side portion.

  In order to solve the above problems, an electronic device according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises: a plate-shaped first case and a second case having a surface portion and a side portion; It is an electronic device which has a connecting part which connects a body and a second case, wherein the surface part of the first case includes a display screen, and the connecting part is the first case. The electronic device can be deformed into a configuration in which only one of the body and the second housing can be used and a configuration in which both the first housing and the second housing can be used. In the electronic device connecting the first housing and the second housing, the side portions of one or both of the first housing and the second housing are continuous along the longitudinal direction thereof. It is characterized in that it includes a recess that is formed at once or intermittently.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned subject, an electronic device concerning the 2nd mode of the present invention is the plate-like electronic device which has a plate-like case which has a surface part including a display screen and a side part. The side surface portion of at least one of the side surface portions in the housing is characterized by including a concave portion formed continuously or intermittently along the longitudinal direction.

  According to the above aspect of the present invention, it is possible to realize an electronic device that is easy to hold when gripping and using the side portion.

FIG. 1A is a view schematically showing one state before use of the electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a view when the electronic device is in use It is a figure which shows typically one state. (A) of FIG. 2 is a figure which expands the area | region A shown by (a) of FIG. 1, and is shown typically, (b) of FIG. 2 is a BB line of (a) of FIG. It is a figure which shows typically the principal part of the cross section of the 2nd housing | casing in FIG. (A) of FIG. 3 is a figure which shows typically one use condition of the said electronic device, (b) of FIG. 3 is a cross section of the said electronic device in the CC line of (a) of FIG. It is a figure which shows typically the principal part of. (A) of FIG. 4 is a figure which shows typically the principal part of the cross section of the 1st modification in the said electronic device, (b) of FIG. 4 is a cross section of the 2nd modification in the said electronic device. It is a figure which shows typically the principal part of. (A) of FIG. 5 is a figure which expands and schematically shows the 2nd housing | casing in the 3rd modification in the said electronic device, FIG. 5, (b) is a figure of (a) of FIG. It is a figure which shows typically the principal part of the cross section of the 2nd housing | casing in a DD line. (A) of FIG. 6 is a view schematically showing a state of use of the electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and (b) of FIG. 6 is a diagram showing E of (a) of FIG. It is a figure which shows typically the principal part of the cross section of the said electronic device in -E line | wire. (A) to (f) of FIG. 7 is a figure which shows typically the modification of the recessed part in embodiment of this invention, respectively.

Embodiment 1
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. FIG. 1A is a view schematically showing one state before use of the electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a view when the electronic device is in use It is a figure which shows typically one state.

  As shown in (a) of FIG. 1 and (b) of FIG. 1, the electronic device 100 includes a first housing 10, a second housing 20, and a hinge portion 30.

  The first housing 10 has a plate-like shape, and includes a surface portion 11, a side surface portion 12 and a rounded portion 13. The surface portion 11 is a portion seen when the first housing 10 is viewed in plan. The surface portion 11 has a substantially rectangular planar shape, and has the widest plane in the first housing 10. The surface unit 11 includes a display screen 14. The display screen 14 is also a touch panel, and doubles as an operation unit for switching an image to be displayed on the display screen 14.

  The side surface portion 12 is a portion that can be seen when the first housing 10 is viewed along the longitudinal direction or the lateral direction of the surface portion 11. The side surface portion 12 is continuous with the long side or the short side of the surface portion. When the first housing 10 is viewed along the plane direction of the surface portion 11, a portion where the surface portion 11 and the side surface portion 12 overlap is referred to as the side surface portion 12. The rounded portion 13 is formed at each of the four corners in the planar shape of the surface portion 11 by rounding.

  The second housing 20 has a plate-like shape similar to that of the first housing 10 and includes a surface portion 21 similar to that of the first housing 10, a side surface portion 22, and a rounded portion 23.

  The surface portion 21 includes a plurality of keys 24. These keys 24 constitute an operation unit. The second housing 20 is slightly thicker than the first housing 10, and further includes a touch pen storage (not shown). In the touch pen storage unit, a touch pen (not shown) is freely accommodated.

  The side surface portion 22 will be described in detail later. Similar to the rounded portion 13, the rounded portion 23 is formed at each of the four corners in the planar shape of the surface portion 21 by rounding.

  The hinge portion 30 is disposed in part of the side surface portions 12 and 22 in the first housing 10 and the second housing 20. The hinge portion 30 extends from the position where the display screen 14 of the first housing 10 and the key 24 of the second housing 20 face each other (see (a) of FIG. 1) to the position where they face each other. The first housing 10 and the second housing 20 are relatively rotatably connected. The hinge portion 30 is disposed over most of the longitudinal direction of both casings of the side portions 12 and 22. The hinge portion 30 has a recess (not shown) recessed toward the outside of the electronic device 100 in the entire area in the longitudinal direction.

  For example, when the first housing 10 is rotated at an angle of less than 180 degrees with respect to the second housing 20, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. The operation by the operation of the key 24 is reflected on the display screen 14. That is, in this case, the electronic device 100 has a form in which both of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 can be used.

  (A) of FIG. 2 is a figure which expands the area | region A shown by (a) of FIG. 1, and is shown typically, (b) of FIG. 2 is a BB line of (a) of FIG. It is a figure which shows typically the principal part of the cross section of the 2nd housing | casing in FIG.

  The side surface portion 22 of the second housing 20 has a cross section slightly projecting outward, and the first inclined portion 25 on the surface portion 21 (key 24) side and the back surface side with respect to the surface portion 21. And a second inclined portion 26. The second inclined portion 26 is a portion including an inclined surface in which the above-mentioned protruding portion in the side surface portion 22 of the second housing 20 overhangs when the key 24 is up.

  Furthermore, the second housing 20 further includes a slope 27 and a recess 28. The sloped portion 27 and the recess 28 are both formed continuously over the entire area between the rounded portions 23 in the longitudinal direction of the side surface portion 22. In addition, the part containing the recessed part 28 among the side parts 22 is also called recessed part formation side part 220 especially.

  Furthermore, the contact between the display screen 14 and the key 24 when the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 are closed is performed between the key 24 and the recess forming side surface portion 220 in the surface portion 21. The protrusion which is a buffer member for preventing is arrange | positioned (for example, (a), (b) of FIG. 2).

  The slope portion 27 is a portion of the slope connecting the surface portion 21 of the second housing 20 and the first inclined portion 25. The sloped portion 27 is, for example, a planar portion formed by chamfering the boundary between the surface portion 21 and the first sloped portion 25 and the width (length of the sloped surface) is, for example, 2 to 3 mm.

  The recess 28 is disposed in the second inclined portion 26 in the recess forming side surface portion 220. The recess 28 is formed so as to be in contact with the palm of a user, for example, a fingertip when the user of the electronic device 100 grips the electronic device 100. For example, the recess 28 is a round bottom groove, the width is 1 to 5 mm, and the depth is 0.1 to 0.5 mm.

  (A) of FIG. 3 is a figure which shows typically one use condition of the electronic device 100, and (b) of FIG. 3 is a cross section of the electronic device 100 in the CC line of (a) of FIG. It is a figure which shows typically the principal part of. When the first housing 10 rotates about 360 degrees around the hinge unit 30 with respect to the second housing 20, the electronic device 100 performs the above operation using the display screen 14 with the plurality of keys 24 on the front side. The first casing 10 and the second casing 20, which have the parts on the back side, are in the form of thin plates overlapping each other. In this form, the input to the display screen 14 is an operation by touch (touch panel) of the screen, and the form is a form in which only one of the first case 10 and the second case 20 can be used (hereinafter referred to as This form is also referred to as "screen input form".

  The user of the electronic device 100 faces the display screen 14 of the screen input type electronic device 100 and holds it from the operation unit side. In the electronic device 100 in the screen input mode, the hinge 30 side is a fixed end, and the opposite side is a free end. For this reason, when the user grips both the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 so that both the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 have fingers on the free end side, both housings are easily pivoted in the direction away from each other. Therefore, in order to hold the electronic device 100 stably, the user holds the thicker second housing 20. At this time, the palm of the user, for example, the tip of the finger, contacts the recess 28 and locks or closely contacts. Therefore, compared with the electronic device which does not have such a crevice 28, the ease of the user in electronic device 100 is raised more.

  Further, the sloped portion 27 of the second housing 20 easily contacts the palm of the user, for example, the joint of a finger, and the tip of the finger easily contacts the recess 28. Therefore, the slope portion 27 further improves the user's ease of holding. Furthermore, the above-mentioned concave streaks of the hinge portion 30 easily adhere to the tip of the user's finger. Therefore, the above-mentioned concave streak also further improves the user's ease of holding.

  In addition, the electronic device 100 may further have the recessed part 15 in the side part of the 1st housing | casing 10, as (a) of FIG. 4 shows. The recess 15 is configured similarly to the recess 28. The user's palm, for example, a finger different from the finger in contact with the recess 28 may contact with the recess 15 so as to be locked or in intimate contact therewith, so that the user's ease of holding is improved similarly to the recess 28 Can contribute to

  In addition, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 4, the electronic device 100 does not have the recess 28 in the second housing 20 as the recess, but has only the recess 15 in the first housing 10. It may be Also in this case, for the same reason as the recess 28, the user's ease of holding is enhanced.

  Furthermore, as shown in (a) of FIG. 5 and (b) of FIG. 5, the second housing 20 may not have the sloped portion 27. If the second housing 20 has the recess 28, the user's ease of holding can be sufficiently enhanced for the reasons described above.

Second Embodiment
Other embodiments of the present invention are described below. In addition, about the member which has the same function as the member demonstrated in the said embodiment for convenience of explanation, the same code | symbol is appended, and the description is not repeated. (A) of FIG. 6 is a figure which shows typically the use condition of the electronic device which concerns on this Embodiment, (b) of FIG. 6 is the said in the EE line of (a) of FIG. It is a figure which shows typically the principal part of the cross section of an electronic device.

  The electronic device 200 has a housing 40 as shown in (a) of FIG. 6 and (b) of FIG. The housing 40 is configured by the surface portion 41, the side surface portion 42, and the rounded portion 43, similarly to the housing described above. The surface portion 41 includes the display screen 14. The side surfaces 42 each include a slope 43, which includes a recess 28. The inclined portion 43 is configured in the same manner as the second inclined portion 26 described above, and is a sloped portion in which the protruding portion of the side surface portion 42 is an overhang when the display screen 14 is up.

  As described above, when the user grips the electronic device 200 so as to face the display screen 14, the palm of the user (for example, the tip of the finger) is in close contact with the recess 28 and easily engaged. Therefore, the electronic device 200 also has the user-friendliness more enhanced than the electronic device 100 does not have the recess 28 as in the electronic device 100.

Third Embodiment
[Modification]
In the above-mentioned embodiment, although the above-mentioned crevice is a form to which the palm (fingertip) of the user who holds the above-mentioned electronic equipment contacts closely, in the range which the palm of the above-mentioned user can contact, It may be in the form.

  For example, as shown in (a) of FIG. 7, the above-mentioned recess may be a recess having a plurality of arranged planar shapes of characters or symbols, as shown in (b) of FIG. The concave portion may have a corrugated planar shape. Further, as shown in (c), (e) and (f) of FIG. 7, it may be a recess having a plurality of specific planar shapes (for example, a circle, a rectangle, an ellipse, etc.) to be arranged. Furthermore, as shown in (d) of FIG. 7, a plurality of parallel linear recesses may be provided along the longitudinal direction of the side surface portion.

  Each of the plurality of recesses arranged or arranged in parallel may be in contact with the palm to such an extent that it can be identified by the palm, and may be formed such that the palm is in close contact. For example, each of the elliptical depressions shown in (e) of FIG. 7 may be formed such that the palm (for example, the inside of a finger) fits in the depressions.

  Thus, when the user grips the housing at any position where the recess would grip the housing on both sides for use of the electronic device, the tip of the finger of the user The part may be arranged to be in contact with at least one recess in the side part. More specifically, the recessed portions may be arranged continuously or intermittently in the longitudinal direction of the side portion.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the cross-sectional shape of a recessed part is round bottom shape, it is possible to determine the said cross-sectional shape suitably in the range which the palm of the user who grasps an electronic device can contact. For example, the cross-sectional shape may be V-shaped, rectangular or U-shaped.

  In the above embodiment, the concave portion is disposed in the side surface portion, but the side surface portion includes another shape, for example, a convex portion, in a range where the effect of the holding property by the concave portion is obtained. It is also good. For example, the side surface portion may further include the convex portion in addition to the concave portion, and the convex portion disposed to form the concave portion in the side surface portion as a result of the concave portion of the embodiment. May be included instead of

  Further, in the above embodiment, the recess is disposed in one of the side portions, but according to the possibility of the form of gripping by the user, not only one of the side portions but also the other of the side portions and It may further be disposed on at least one of the side portions. In this case, for example, the concave portion in the side surface portion also has the same effect as the effect of the ease of holding the concave portion (15, 28) in the side surface portion.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the cross-sectional shape of the said slope part is linear shape, although arrange | positioned between the said surface part and the said side part, the shape of the said slope part is a user by the said slope part It is possible to decide suitably in the range from which the effect of the ease of holding is obtained. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the slope portion may be an outwardly convex arc shape or a mountain shape.

  In the above embodiment, the first and second housings 10 and 20 are connected by the hinge portion 30. However, the connection between the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 is possible as long as one of both housings can be used and both housings can be used. The part may not be the hinge part 30. For example, the connection portion may be a slide mechanism that slidably connects the first housing 10 relative to the second housing 20.

  In this case, with the display screen 14 of the first housing 10 and the key 24 of the second housing 20 directed in the same direction (for example, upward), the first housing 10 is attached to the second housing 20. It is arranged to overlap. The configuration in which the first housing 10 completely overlaps the second housing 20 corresponds to a configuration in which only the first housing 10 can be used. The configuration in which the first housing 10 slides relative to the second housing 20 to expose both the display screen 14 and the key 24 is the same as in both the first housing 10 and the second housing 20. Corresponds to the usable form.

[Summary]
An electronic device according to aspect 1 of the present invention comprises connecting a plate-shaped first case and a second case having a surface portion and a side portion with the first case and the second case. And a connecting portion. The surface portion of the first housing includes a display screen, and the connecting portion is configured to use only one of the first housing and the second housing and the first The first housing and the second housing are coupled so that the electronic device can be deformed into a form that can use both the housing and the second housing. Furthermore, the side surface portion in one or both of the first housing and the second housing includes a recess formed continuously or intermittently along the longitudinal direction.

  According to the above configuration, regardless of any of the two forms of the electronic device described above, a part of the palm of the user holding the electronic device contacts the recess when using the electronic device. The ease of holding the side portion and using the electronic device is further enhanced as compared with the electronic device having no recessed portion.

  An electronic device according to aspect 2 of the present invention is a plate-like electronic device having a plate-like housing having a surface portion including a display screen and a side surface portion, wherein the side surface portion is continuous along its longitudinal direction. It includes recesses that are formed intermittently or intermittently.

  Even with the above configuration, for the same reason as the electronic device according to aspect 1, compared to the electronic device not having the recess, the ease of holding the side portion and using the electronic device is further enhanced. be able to.

  Further, having the rounded portion at the four corners of the surface portion is more effective in terms of the design of the electronic device and the ease of handling, and the concave portion has both ends in the side surface portion. The continuous formation over the entire area between the above rounded portions makes it easier for the user's palm holding the electronic device to touch the recess when using it, thereby enhancing the ease of holding the electronic device at the time of use It is even more effective from the point of view.

  In addition, it is more effective that the planar shape of the concave portion is linear from the viewpoint of making it easy to contact the concave portion of the user's palm holding the electronic device with the concave portion.

  Further, the electronic device is connected to the opposing surface between the side surface portion including the recess and the surface facing the surface portion, and a slope portion inclined toward the recess from the opposing surface. Is further effective from the viewpoint of enhancing the ease of holding the electronic device at the time of use.

  As apparent from the above description, according to the above embodiment, the ease of holding the electronic device at the time of use is enhanced, and furthermore, it is difficult for the finger of the user who holds the electronic device to reach the display screen Therefore, the user's holding of the electronic device is prevented from disturbing the observation of the display screen and the operation of the screen.

  In addition, since the electronic device has enhanced ease of use at the time of use, blurring of the display screen at the time of use is suppressed, and touch panel operation and screen reading on the display screen are easier. Furthermore, it is easy to prevent an erroneous operation or an erroneous input due to the holding finger touching the display screen. Therefore, the electronic device according to the present embodiment is more convenient than the electronic device having no recess.

  Further, the electronic device is suitable for a device that can be held by one user with one hand and operated by the other hand, and is suitable for an electronic dictionary or a smartphone, for example.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications may be made within the scope of the claims, including the detailed configurations, and technical means disclosed in different embodiments may be used as appropriate. Embodiments obtained by combining are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, new technical features can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 1st housing | casing 11, 21, 41 surface part 12, 22, 42 side part 13, 23 Rounded part 14 Display screen 15, 28 recessed part 20 2nd housing | casing 24 key 25 1st inclination part 26 2nd inclination part 27 sloped portion 40 casing 43 sloped portion 100, 200 electronic device 220 recessed portion forming side portion

Claims (5)

What is claimed is: 1. An electronic device comprising: a plate-like first case and a second case having a surface portion and a side portion; and a connecting portion connecting the first case and the second case. The surface portion of the first housing includes a display screen, and the connecting portion is configured to use only one of the first housing and the second housing and the first housing. In the electronic device connecting the first housing and the second housing so that the electronic device can be deformed into a form that can use both the body and the second housing.
An electronic device characterized in that the side surface portion in one or both of the first housing and the second housing includes a recess formed continuously or intermittently along the longitudinal direction thereof. . A plate-like electronic device having a plate-like casing having a surface portion including a display screen and a side portion
The electronic device characterized in that the side surface portion includes a concave portion formed continuously or intermittently along the longitudinal direction. The casing has rounded portions at four corners of the surface portion,
The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the recess is formed continuously over the entire area between the rounded portions at both ends of the side surface portion.   The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a planar shape of the concave portion is linear.   The slope part which continues in the said surface part and inclines toward the said recessed part from the said surface part is further included between the said side part including the said recessed part, and the surface which opposes the said surface part, The electronic device as described in any one.

Images