JP4424504B2 - Foldable mobile phone - Google Patents

Description

  According to the present invention, not only the second casing provided with the display unit is connected to the first casing provided with the operation unit so as to be freely opened and closed, but also connected so that the second casing can be reversed. The present invention relates to a foldable mobile phone having a biaxial hinge.

  A commonly used foldable mobile phone has a first housing with operation buttons and a microphone, etc., and a second housing with an LCD (liquid crystal display) and a receiver, etc., which can be freely opened and closed. And a hinge portion. In this type of mobile phone, considering the position of the ear and mouth during a call, the angle when the first housing and the second housing are fully opened is restricted to an appropriate angle (about 160 degrees). In many cases, a stopper is provided (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). Further, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, this stopper is composed of ribs (protrusions) formed on the abutting surfaces in the vicinity of the hinges of the first housing and the second housing, and the stopper is excessive. There is also an effect of preventing the load.

In addition, as disclosed in Patent Documents 3 and 4 and the like, there is also known a mobile phone in which a hinge portion connecting a first housing and a second housing is a biaxial hinge. According to this biaxial hinge, not only can the second housing be opened and closed with respect to the first housing, but also the second housing can be reversed. Therefore, in this type of mobile phone, the second housing can be overlaid on the first housing with the LCD facing outward. Furthermore, if a camera is provided on the back of the first housing, you can take a selfie by turning the second housing upside down and opening it 180 degrees and pointing the camera and LCD in the same direction Become.
JP 2002-111818 A JP 2002-344601 A JP 2002-209000 A JP 2003-239943 A

  Even in a folding mobile phone using a biaxial hinge, it is desirable to hold the first housing and the second housing at an angle suitable for a call during a call.

  However, in a mobile phone using a biaxial hinge of the type disclosed in Patent Document 3, ribs are provided on the abutting surfaces of the first housing and the second housing as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2. It was difficult to provide a stopper having a shape.

  The biaxial hinge of the type disclosed in Patent Document 3 has a structure in which a hinge for opening and closing the second casing rotates on the surface of the first casing. For this reason, if the rib which the back surface of the 2nd housing | casing of an open state bumps against the surface of the 1st housing | casing near hinges, it will become impossible to invert the 2nd housing. In addition, if a rib is provided on the back surface of the second housing, the second housing cannot be superimposed on the surface of the first housing with the LCD facing outward.

  In order to avoid such a problem, it is conceivable to provide a mechanism capable of fixing both housings at a predetermined angle on the hinge itself. In this case, however, the hinge size becomes large, which affects the overall size of the telephone.

  Therefore, in the mobile phone using the biaxial hinge of the type disclosed in Patent Document 3, the maximum opening angle between the first housing and the second housing during a call is not restricted to an appropriate angle. There are many things. That is, the opening angle between the first housing and the second housing is 180 degrees in the open state during a call, as in the open state during self-taking (see FIG. 3 of Patent Document 3). .

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the problem of a mobile phone using a biaxial hinge of the type disclosed in Patent Document 3, and is appropriate in a call state without affecting the overall size of the phone. An object of the present invention is to provide a foldable mobile phone that can be regulated to a wide opening angle.

  A foldable mobile phone according to the present invention includes a first casing provided with operation keys and a microphone, a second casing provided with a display screen and a receiver, and a hinge unit for connecting both casings so as to be opened and closed. The hinge unit is a telephone that is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the first surface of the first housing on which the operation keys and the microphone are provided.

  As a feature of the present invention, the first surface of the first housing and the first surface of the second housing on which the display screen and the receiver are provided face the same side. In the open call state, in order to regulate the angle between the second casing and the first casing, the first surface of the second casing is located near the hinge unit of the first casing. The rib is provided to abut the second surface on the opposite side. Furthermore, the hinge unit is provided with a tunnel through which a rib can pass when the hinge unit rotates.

  According to such a feature, since the rib can be passed through the tunnel when the hinge unit is rotated, the rotation of the hinge unit is not hindered. Therefore, the rib for restricting the angle between the second housing and the first housing in a call state to an appropriate angle can be disposed in the vicinity of the hinge unit of the first housing. Moreover, since the rib can be brought close to the hinge unit, the height of the rib can be reduced and the size of the first housing can be reduced.

  Specifically, the position of the protrusion is a position on the first surface of the first housing that is outside the hinge unit as viewed from the microphone.

  Further, the second housing is folded from the first surface of the second housing so that the first surface of the second housing overlaps the first surface of the first housing. Preferably, a recess is formed into which a rib can be inserted when the body is rotated 180 degrees about an axis perpendicular to the first surface of the first housing. With this configuration, the second surface of the second casing on which the display screen is provided and the second surface on the opposite side of the first surface of the first casing on which the operation keys are provided. With the surface opened to face the same side, the opening angle of the second housing relative to the first housing is 180 degrees. That is, when the camera is mounted on the second surface opposite to the first surface of the first housing, the angle is optimal for self-portrait.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the first casing having the operation key and the microphone and the second casing having the display screen and the receiver are connected to the first casing so as to be opened and closed. In a foldable mobile phone having a structure that rotates on the surface of the body, an appropriate opening angle can be regulated in a call state without affecting the overall size of the phone.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1A and 1B show an open state of a foldable mobile phone according to an embodiment of the present invention during a call, wherein FIG. 1A is a top view and FIG. 1B is a side view.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the cellular phone according to the present embodiment includes a first casing 2 having operation keys (not shown) such as numeric keys and function keys, a microphone 1, and the like, a receiver 3, an LCD 4, and the like. A second housing 5 is provided, and a hinge unit 6 that connects the housings 2 and 5 so as to be freely opened and closed. Here, “openable and closable” means that the second casing 5 can be raised from the surface of the first casing 2, or the second casing 5 can be faced down to the surface of the first casing 2. Say.

  The hinge unit 6 is disposed on the first surface 2 a of the first housing 2 on which the operation keys and the microphone 1 are provided, and at the end opposite to the microphone 1. The hinge unit 6 is rotatably attached to a first shaft (not shown) provided perpendicular to the first surface 2a of the first housing 2. However, the rotation range of the hinge unit 6 around the first axis is defined as 180 degrees clockwise from the state of FIG. Since the wiring for connecting the electrical components of the first housing 2 and the second housing 5 is passed through the hinge unit 6, the wiring may be damaged if the hinge unit 6 can freely rotate. It is.

  In addition, a pair of protrusions 8 forming a recess 7 therebetween is provided at the end of the second casing 5 on the side opposite to the receiver 3. A recess 7 of the second housing 5 is fitted to the hinge unit 6 attached to the first housing 2 as shown in FIG. 1A, and the protrusion 8 and the hinge unit of the second housing 5 are fitted. 6 are connected by a second axis (not shown) arranged in a direction perpendicular to the first axis. As a result, the second housing 5 can be opened and closed with respect to the first housing 2.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, ribs (protrusions) 9 are arranged on the first surface 2 a of the first housing 2 at positions outside the hinge unit 6 when viewed from the microphone 1. Thereby, the second housing 5 is arranged such that the first surface 2a of the first housing 2 and the first surface 5a of the second housing 5 on which the LCD 4 is provided face the same side. When the is opened, the second surface 5b of the second housing 5 opposite to the first surface 5a abuts against the rib 9. As a result, in the open state during a call, the first surface 5a of the second casing 5 does not open up to 180 degrees with respect to the first surface 2a of the first casing 2, and the mouth during the call And an angle (for example, 160 degrees) in consideration of the position of the ear.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mobile phone when the second casing 5 is folded on the first casing 2 from the state shown in FIG. FIG. 3 shows three views of the cellular phone when folded in the same manner ((a) is a top view, (b) is a front view, and (c) is a side view).

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rib 9 is arranged as close as possible to the hinge unit 6. This is because, as the rib 8 for holding the second housing 5 at an appropriate angle during a call is farther from the hinge unit 6, the size of the first housing 2 is increased and the height of the rib 9 is also required to be increased. This is because. For this reason, the rib 9 is disposed in the vicinity of the hinge unit 6 in order to reduce the size of the entire telephone.

  FIG. 4 shows a state where the second casing 5 is rotated around the first axis from the folded state as shown in FIG.

  In the present invention, when the hinge unit 6 is rotated around the first axis perpendicular to the first surface 2 a of the first housing 2, it is necessary to avoid the hinge unit 6 from being able to rotate by hitting the rib 9. There is. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, a tunnel 10 (see the dotted line portion in FIG. 1) through which the rib 9 can be passed when the hinge unit 6 is rotated is provided below the hinge unit 6. That is, when the hinge unit 6 is rotated in the direction shown in FIG. 4, the hinge unit 6 does not interfere with the rib 9 by the tunnel 10 passing under the hinge unit 6.

  In this example, in order to prevent damage to the wiring passing through the hinge unit 6, the rotation range of the second casing 5 around the first axis is limited to 180 degrees clockwise from the state of FIG. is doing. For this reason, the tunnel which can let the rib 9 pass when the hinge unit 6 is rotated in the direction opposite to the arrow shown in FIG. 4 is not provided. However, when the rotation range is not defined as in this example, it is necessary to provide such a tunnel.

  FIG. 5 shows a rotation locus of the second casing 5 when the second casing 5 is rotated around the first axis from the folded state as shown in FIG.

  The rib 9 is disposed in the vicinity of the hinge unit 6. However, the rib 9 is disposed in the rotation locus range (region between the two-dot chain lines A and B) of the second housing 5 as shown in FIG. It is not possible. In other words, in the present invention, the rib 9 is located on the first surface 2a of the first housing 2 on the outer side of the hinge unit 6 when viewed from the microphone 1 and in the vicinity of the hinge unit 6. Thus, it is limited to outside the rotation locus range of the second housing 5.

  FIG. 6 shows a state in which the second housing 5 is rotated 180 degrees around the first axis from the folded state as shown in FIG. 3, (a) is a top view, and (b) is a top view. It is a side view.

  In this state, as shown in FIG. 6, the first surface 5a of the second housing 5 on which the LCD 4 is provided, and the first surface 2a of the first housing 2 on which operation keys are provided. The second surface 2b on the opposite side faces the same side. For this reason, when the camera is provided on the second surface 2b of the first housing 2, the user can be seen on the LCD 4 and viewed. So-called selfies are possible. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6B, the opening angle of the second housing 5 with respect to the first housing 2 is 180 degrees that is optimal for self-portrait.

  In addition, as shown to Fig.1 (a), the 2nd housing | casing 5 is made into said 1st axis | shaft from the folded state as shown in FIG. A recess 11 is formed into which the rib 9 can enter when rotated 180 degrees around. For this reason, when the state shown in FIG. 6 is set, the opening angle of the second housing 5 with respect to the first housing 2 is 180 degrees.

  In addition, when the second casing 5 is overlaid on the first surface 2a of the first casing 2 from the state where the self-portrait is possible as shown in FIG. 6, the telephone is folded. The LCD 4 can be directed outward. Further, when the second casing 5 is rotated 180 degrees around the first axis from this state, the telephone is in an open state during a call as shown in FIG. During this rotation operation, both side portions 9a of the rib 9 (see FIG. 4) are arranged so that the second surface 5b of the second housing 5 can ride on the upper surface of the rib 9 without being damaged by the rib 9. It has a rounded shape with no corners.

  The foldable mobile phone according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the technical idea of the present invention is not limited to the mobile phone and can be applied to all mobile devices. In other words, the hinge that connects the first housing and the second housing so as to be freely opened and closed rotates on the surface of the first housing, and it is necessary to regulate the opening angle of the second housing. In a certain foldable portable device, in order to reduce the size of the entire device, the present invention is applied to all devices in which a protrusion that abuts the back surface of the second housing is disposed near the hinge of the surface of the first housing. be able to.

It is a figure which shows the open state at the time of the telephone call of the foldable mobile telephone which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows a mobile telephone when a 2nd housing | casing is folded on the 1st housing | casing from the state shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a three-view diagram illustrating a mobile phone when the second casing is folded onto the first casing from the state illustrated in FIG. 1. It is the figure which showed a mode when rotating a 2nd housing | casing around the 1st axis | shaft of a hinge unit from the folded state as shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the rotation locus | trajectory of a 2nd housing | casing when rotating a 2nd housing | casing around the 1st axis | shaft of a hinge unit from the folded state as shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the state which rotated the 2nd housing | casing 180 degree | times around the 1st axis | shaft of the hinge unit from the folded state as shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 microphone 2 first housing 3 receiver 4 LCD
5 Second housing 6 Hinge unit 7 Recess 8 Protrusion 9 Rib (protrusion)
10 Tunnel 11 Dimple

Claims (4)

A first casing having an operation key and a microphone; a second casing having a display screen and a receiver; and a hinge unit that connects both the casings so as to be freely opened and closed. In a foldable mobile phone that is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the first surface of the first housing provided with the operation key and the microphone,
In a call state in which the first surface of the first housing and the first surface of the second housing provided with the display screen and the receiver are open so as to face the same side, In order to regulate the angle between the second casing and the first casing, in the vicinity of the hinge unit of the first casing, opposite to the first surface of the second casing. A rib against the second surface of the side is provided,
The foldable mobile phone, wherein the hinge unit is provided with a tunnel through which the rib can pass when the hinge unit rotates.   2. The foldable mobile phone according to claim 1, wherein a position of the rib is a position on the first surface of the first housing that is outside the hinge unit as viewed from the microphone.   From the state where the first surface of the second housing is folded so that the first surface of the second housing overlaps the first surface of the first housing, The hollow in which the said rib can enter when the said 2nd housing | casing is rotated 180 degree | times around the axis | shaft perpendicular | vertical to the said 1st surface of the said 1st housing | casing is formed. The foldable mobile phone according to 2.   The foldable mobile phone according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a camera is mounted on a second surface opposite to the first surface in the one housing.

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