JP3366279B2 - Portable information terminal - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable information terminal, and more particularly to an open / close type portable information terminal which supports touch panel input.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a portable information terminal, an input unit such as a keyboard for inputting data and the like, and a display unit for displaying various information such as a processing result based on the data input from the input unit. There is an open-close type device that has a and, and closes the input section and the display section so as to face each other when stored, and opens one of the input section and the display section when used.

Alternatively, there is also a device in which a touch panel is attached to the display unit and data can be input from the touch panel. In this case, there are a device having only a touch panel as an input unit, a device having a touch panel and a keyboard as an input unit, and the like.

Examples of the portable information terminal as described above include the device disclosed in JP-A-7-325656 and the device disclosed in JP-A-9-212257.

[0005]

In the conventional portable information terminal described above, when the touch panel input is supported, the display unit is pushed and opened further during input, or the terminal itself is collapsed. There is a problem that touch panel input is difficult unless the parts are held down by hand.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide a portable information terminal capable of realizing a form of a touch panel which is easier to input while saving space.

[0007]

A portable information terminal according to the present invention is an open / close type portable information terminal which has a display section including a touch panel on its inner surface and covers a keyboard when closed, and is provided on the back surface of the display section. Further, a pillar member that supports the back surface side of the display unit when inputting on the touch panel is provided , and the pillar member is provided in an external housing and the external housing.
A freely extendable extension plate and one end of the extension plate
A pair of projecting members, provided inside the external housing and
It has a plurality of recesses into which a pair of protrusions fit at the same time.
There is .

That is, the portable information terminal of the present invention has a display on its inner surface and is an open / close type portable information terminal which covers the keyboard when closed so that the display does not fall backward when it is opened (when used). A mechanism for fixing is provided.

[0009] In a portable information terminal capable of touch panel input, the display may be pushed to open further during input, or the terminal itself may collapse. By providing the above mechanism, the display can be fixed, and the above-mentioned conventional problems can be solved. Further, even if the above-mentioned mechanism is provided, the portability of the terminal itself is not impaired.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a personal digital assistant according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1, a mobile information terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 1 including an input unit such as a keyboard and a processing unit, a display unit 2 including a display and a touch panel, and a support provided on the back side of the display unit 2. 3 and hinge members 6 and 7 that rotatably connect the main body 1 and the display unit 2.

The column 3 is elastic and has a pawl 3a for fixing it when it is stored in the display unit 2, and the extension plate 4 can be stored therein. By extending the extension plate 4 at the time of use, the fixed position of the display unit 2 can be changed,
It is stored in the column 3 when not in use. The extension plate 4 can be fixed at any stretched position.

Further, the support column 3 is rotatable about a fulcrum 5 that fits in a groove (not shown) of the display unit 2, and after the support column 3 is rotated to a specific angle in the direction of arrow A, the support column 3 is rotated. It is fixed by being pushed into the groove 2a of the display unit 2.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the column 3 of FIG. 1 is accommodated in the back surface of the display unit 2. In FIG. 2, when the support column 3 is housed on the back surface of the display unit 2, the extension plate 4 may be housed in the support column 3 and then the support column 3 may be rotated around the fulcrum 5 toward the back surface side of the display unit 2. At that time, the claw 3a of the support column 3 is displayed on the display unit 2.
Is fitted in a groove (not shown), and the column 3 is fixed to the back surface of the display unit 2 by the elastic force of the pawl 3a.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the structure of the column 3 of FIG. In FIG. 3, the column 3 is provided with a plurality of recesses 8 in the storage portion of the extension plate 4, and the protrusions 4a and 4b provided near one end of the extension plate 4 are recessed by the elastic force of a spring (not shown). It is designed so that it can be pressed into the inside. With this configuration, when the extension plate 4 is taken in and out in the direction of the arrow B, the protrusions 4a and 4b are fitted in the recess 8 one after another, and the extension plate 4 is fixed at the fitting position. It is also possible to configure the protrusions 4a and 4b themselves with springs.

The operation of the portable information terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention when it is used and when it is not used will be described with reference to FIGS.

When the portable information terminal is used, the fixation of the support 3 to the back surface of the display unit 2 by the pawl 3a is released, and the fulcrum 5
The pillar 3 is opened outward (in the direction of arrow A) about the axis, and the pillar 3 is rotated to a specific angle to insert the pillar 3 into the groove 2a of the display unit 2. After that, the extension plate 4 is pulled out from the inside of the column 3, and the extension plate 4 is extended to a required length.

In this state, the display unit 2 is opened, and the display unit 2 is rotated until the extension plate 4 reaches the installation surface of the main body 1, and an input is made on a touch panel (not shown) of the display unit 2. However, the display unit 2 will not be pushed and opened further during input, and the terminal itself will not fall down. Therefore,
It is possible to realize a form of a touch panel that is easier to input while saving space.

When the support 3 is to be housed on the back side of the display unit 2 after touch panel input, the extension plate 4 is housed in the support 3 and then the support 3 is pulled out from the groove 2a of the display 2 to form a fulcrum. 5 is rotated to the back side of the display unit 2 as an axis. When the support column 3 is housed in the display unit 2, the pawl 3a fits in the groove of the display unit 2 and is therefore fixed to the rear surface side of the display unit 2.

As described above, by providing the support column 3 for supporting the display 2 when the display unit 2 is opened and the touch panel input is performed, the portability of the mobile information terminal is not impaired without impairing the portability of the mobile information terminal. Since it is possible to prevent the display section 2 from opening and the terminal itself from falling, it is possible to perform stable touch panel input.

In the above description, the support column 3 is fixed to the back surface of the display unit 2 by the pawl 3a, and the support column 3 is fixed in the open state by pushing the support column 3 into the groove 2a of the display unit 2. However, it is also possible to use other locking mechanisms,
It is not limited to this.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the open / close type portable information terminal which has the display portion including the touch panel on the inner surface and covers the keyboard when closed, the back surface side of the display portion at the time of input on the touch panel. By providing the support pillar member for supporting the touch panel on the back surface of the display unit, there is an effect that it is possible to realize a form of the touch panel that is easier to input while saving space.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a personal digital assistant according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the column of FIG. 1 is housed in the back surface of the display unit.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a configuration of a column of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 body 2 Display 2a groove 3 props 3a claw 4 extension plate 4a, 4b protrusion 5 fulcrum 6,7 Hinge member 8 recess

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Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A portable information terminal of an open / close type having a display unit including a touch panel on an inner surface and covering a keyboard when closed, the back face of the display unit being provided on the back face of the display unit and inputting on the touch panel. have a post member for supporting the side, the strut member includes an external housing, the outer housing
An extension plate that can be put in and taken out from the body and installed at one end of the extension plate.
And a pair of protruding members that are mounted on the outer casing.
And a plurality of recesses into which the pair of projections are fitted at the same time.
A portable information terminal, which comprises a. 2. The pair of projecting members are respectively provided on the recess side.
The mobile information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the mobile information terminal is configured to be biased . 3. The strut when inputting on the touch panel
The mobile information terminal according to claim 1 or 2 , further comprising a mechanism for fixing the display unit on the back surface side of the display unit . 4. The support is housed on the back side of the display section.
The personal digital assistant according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a mechanism for fixing the support at the accommodation position when the portable information terminal is opened.