JP3490936B2 - Portable electronic devices - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to portable electronic equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, as a portable electronic device, a foldable type called a notebook type is predominant (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-283063).

This kind of electronic equipment has a main body in which various circuits such as a CPU, a memory, a battery, a power supply circuit, etc. are built in, a keyboard and the like are arranged on the upper surface, and a pivot is rotatably provided at the rear end of the main body by a hinge or the like. It comprises a display housing which is supported and serves as a lid so as to cover the keyboard and the like, and a display housing in which a display composed of a flat panel display such as an LCD is arranged on the surface facing the keyboard. When using the electronic device, the user can operate the keyboard or the like while looking at the display by opening the housing. Further, when the electronic device is not used or carried, the housing can be closed to enhance portability and prevent damage to the display device and the like.

[0004]

In this type of equipment, the size of the main body and the screen of the display have been increasing along with the enhancement of functions. Particularly, when the display has a larger screen, it is necessary to increase the size of the upper surface of the main body in accordance with the size of the display in order to prevent damage to the display. Such an increase in the size of the upper surface of the main body means an increase in the installation area when the electronic device is used. For this reason, conventionally, what can be used on a folding simple table such as a moving train or airplane, but the installation area of the electronic device is large compared to the above table area, it is difficult to use on the simple table Therefore, there arises a case where the characteristics of the portable electronic device cannot be fully exhibited.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is characterized by a foldable portable type in which a display housing is pivotally supported at one end of a main body. In the electronic device, the main body includes a first portion and a second portion that are mounted so as to be relatively rotatable on a line parallel to the rotation axis, and a top surface of the first portion has a first portion. 1 pointing means is mounted, and on the upper surface of the second portion, the second pointing means and the second switch means for instructing an operation related to the pointing operation of the second pointing means are mounted, and the first portion and the second portion. The first switch means for instructing an operation related to the pointing operation of the first pointing means is mounted on one surface of the first portion exposed when the lower surfaces of the second portion are brought into contact with each other.

[0006]

1 is an external perspective view showing an example of a notebook type portable electronic device to which the present invention is applied.

The electronic equipment of the apparatus of this embodiment includes various circuits such as a CPU, a memory, a battery, and a power supply circuit (all not shown).
A main body 2 having a built-in keyboard 1 and the like arranged on the upper surface thereof, and a rear end of the main body 2 rotatably supported by a hinge or the like to serve as a lid for covering the keyboard and the like. A display housing 4 in which a display 3 made up of a flat panel display such as an LCD is arranged on opposite surfaces. When the electronic device is used, the keyboard 1 and the like can be operated while viewing the display 3 by opening the housing 4 as shown in the drawing. Further, when the electronic device is not used or carried, the housing 4 can be closed to enhance portability and prevent damage to the display device 3.

The main body 2 is composed of a first portion 5 and a second portion 6 which are divided on a line parallel to the rotation axis of the housing 4. The keyboard 1 is provided on the upper surface of the first portion 5.
And the housing 4 is rotatably supported. A pointing stick 7 is attached to the center of the keyboard 1. On the other hand, the second portion 6
The touch pad 8 for pointing, and a pair of switch knobs 9 and 10 for instructing an operation related to the pointing operation of the pointing stick 7 or the touch pad 8 are arranged substantially in the center of the upper surface thereof. On the left and right edges of the upper surface, for example, rubber slip stoppers 1
1 and 12 are attached.

The first and second parts 5 and 6 are connected by a pair of hinge means 13 and 14 as shown in FIG. 2 and are relatively rotatable to a position where their lower surfaces come into contact with each other. . For convenience of description, a state in which the upper surfaces of the first and second portions 5 and 6 are substantially flush with each other as shown in FIG. 1 is referred to as a first state, and as shown in FIG. The state where the lower surfaces of the two parts 5 and 6 contact each other is called the second state.

A second pair of switch knobs 15 and 16 having the same function as the switch knobs 9 and 10 are mounted on the front edge of the first portion 5 exposed in the second state. Therefore, even when the switch knobs 9 and 10 face the mounting table and become difficult to operate as in the second state, the switch knobs 15 and 16 are used as substitutes to instruct the operation related to the pointing operation. can do. In this embodiment, in order to avoid erroneous operation of the touch panel 8 and the switch knobs 9 and 10 in the second state, the hinge means 1 accompanying the transition from the first state to the second state is performed.
The operation inputs of the touch panel 8 and the switch knobs 9 and 10 are invalidated in association with the rotational movements of 3 and 14.

In the second state, the upper surface of the second portion 6 faces the mounting table, but at this time, the slip stopper 1
It is possible to prevent the touch panels 8 and the switch knobs 9 and 10 from directly abutting on the mounting table by acting as slip stoppers and legs of the slides 1 and 12.

Further, in the second state, the area of the surface of the main body 2 facing the mounting table is about half of that in the first state, so that even if the display size becomes large, it is easy for airplanes, trains, etc. It can be used on the table.

Although not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the apparatus of this embodiment, they are mechanically held and fixed in the first and second states, respectively. This prevents undesired relative rotation of the first and second parts 5, 6.

[0014]

According to the present invention, since the installation area of the notebook type portable electronic device can be made sufficiently smaller than the display size of the display device when it is used, it is an electronic device having a large display device size. Can be used on a simple folding table such as an airplane or train.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view showing a main part of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 keyboard 2 body 3 display 4 Display case 5 First part 6 second part 7 pointing stick 8 touchpad 9 switch knob 10 switch knob 13 hinges 14 Hinge 15 switch knob 16 switch knob

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Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A foldable portable electronic device in which a display housing is rotatably supported at one end of a main body, wherein the main body is relatively on a line parallel to the rotation axis. first portion is rotatably mounted and Ri Do and a second portion, and the first pointing means on the upper surface of the first portion
And a second pointing pin on the upper surface of the second portion.
Pointing means of the pointing means and the second pointing means
A second switch means for instructing a motion related operation
The lower surface of the first part and the lower part of the second part come into contact with each other.
The first pointing surface on one surface of the first portion exposed when
Instructing actions related to pointing operation
A portable electronic device, characterized in that a first switch means for mounting is mounted . 2. The portable electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the second pointing device is interlocked with the rotation of the hinge means.
Means and means for prohibiting the input of the second switch means.