JP5376406B2 - Foldable electronics - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a foldable electronic device which does not cause dimension enlargement, without accompanying attainment of shielding external light to a display, blocking peeping of the display from others around a user, evading the sticking of sebum and sweat to the display and securing the installation space of a high performance camera, thereof. <P>SOLUTION: The foldable electronic device includes: a first casing having a first surface provided with a display portion; a second casing having a second surface provided with an operation portion; a hinge portion to which the first casing and the second casing are freely foldably connected; a rising wall portion provided other than the hinge portion on the outer edge portion of the first surface of the first casing; and a level difference portion formed other than the hinge portion on the outer edge portion of the second surface of the second casing. When the first casing and the second casing are folded, the rising wall portion and the opposing level difference portion are engaged to form a rectangular parallelepiped shape. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a foldable electronic device, and more particularly to its structure.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a foldable mobile phone terminal. Referring to FIG. 1, the foldable mobile phone terminal is roughly composed of a housing 6 on the display 2 side and a housing 7 on the button operation unit 4 side, and can be folded by the hinge 3. The display 2 is arranged on a plane where the housing 6 is opened, and the receiver 1 is arranged on the same plane as the display 2, that is, at the same height. In such a configuration, when strong light such as sunlight enters the display 2, it becomes difficult to see the display screen, the people around you look into the display screen, and the receiver 1 is pressed against the receiver 1 during a call. Thus, problems such as sebum and sweat adhere to the display 2 occur.

  In relation to the above description, Patent Document 1 discloses a mobile communication information terminal device. In this example, in a mobile communication information terminal device including a first housing having an information display screen, a second housing having an operation switch, and a hinge portion that can be opened and closed, the information display screen includes A first display area facing the operation switch in the closed state; and adjacent to the first display area; exposed from the second housing without facing the operation switch in the closed state. And a second display area.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a portable device with a built-in antenna. This includes an upper body having a display unit, a lower body having an operation unit, and an antenna fixed inside the upper body. The upper body and the lower body are connected to each other, and at least in the hinge portion In a foldable mobile phone that can be opened and closed, a protrusion for increasing the strength is formed on the upper body surface facing the lower body in the closed state.

  A portable terminal device is disclosed in Patent Document 3. This is a portable terminal device having a folding structure, a main body unit having operation keys, a display unit that is movably connected to the main body unit and has a display on the opposite surface that faces the operation keys when folded, and a display unit And a projection for preventing damage to the display, which is provided on the outer edge of the display and formed at a lower height on the connection side with the main unit than on the free end of the display unit.

JP 2004-207961 A JP 2006-109081 A JP 2008-79069 A

  In a foldable mobile phone terminal configured to arrange the receiver and display on the same plane of the open housing, the display screen becomes difficult to see when strong light such as sunlight enters the display, and others around the user There are problems such as peeping at the display screen and pressing the ear against the receiver during a call to cause sebum or sweat to adhere to the display.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to block external light to the display, prevent peeping of the display from others around the user, avoid the adhesion of sebum and sweat to the display, and the installation space of the high-performance camera. The present invention is to provide a foldable electronic device that realizes securing but does not cause an increase in dimensions associated therewith.

  A foldable electronic device according to the present invention includes a first housing having a first surface having a display portion, a second housing having a second surface having an operation portion, a first housing, and a first housing. A hinge part that is foldably coupled to the two cases, a standing wall provided on the outer edge of the first surface of the first case, other than the hinge part, and a second case A step portion formed on the outer edge portion of the second surface other than the hinge portion, and when the first housing and the second housing are folded, a step portion facing the standing wall portion, Mesh with each other to form a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

  According to the present invention, while blocking external light to the display, preventing peeping of the display from others around the user, avoiding the adhesion of sebum and sweat to the display, and securing the installation space of the high-performance camera, Accordingly, it is possible to provide a foldable electronic device that does not increase in size.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a foldable mobile phone terminal. FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing a state in which a folding structure of a folding mobile phone, which is an example of a folding electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention, is opened. FIG. 2B is a perspective view showing a state in which a folding structure of a folding mobile phone which is an example of a folding electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention is closed. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of mounting components in the housing on the display unit side in a state where the folding structure of the folding mobile phone which is an example of the folding electronic device in the embodiment of the present invention is opened.

  Hereinafter, a foldable electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 2A is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a folding structure of a folding mobile phone, which is an example of a folding electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention, is opened. FIG. 2B is a perspective view showing a state in which a folding structure of a folding mobile phone which is an example of a folding electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention is closed. First, referring to FIG. 2A, a foldable mobile phone according to the present invention includes a housing on the side having the surface of the display 2 as a display unit, a housing on the side having a surface on which the button operation unit 4 is provided, And a hinge 3 coupled to one side corresponding to the end of each casing. 2B, in the foldable mobile phone according to the present invention, the casing 6 on the display 2 side and the casing 7 on the button operation unit 4 side can be folded by the hinge 3.

  In the present invention, first, on the surface of the display 2 in the housing on the display 2 side, a standing wall (trapezoidal step) 8 is provided on the upper side of the display 2, that is, on the opposite side of the hinge 3. Due to the standing wall 8, a step is generated between the surface of the display 2 and the upper surface of the standing wall 8. The receiver 1 is arranged near the upper surface inside the standing wall 8 by utilizing the space created by this step. The standing wall 8 forms a continuous body with the housing on the display 2 side.

  In addition, a camera 15 is provided inside the standing wall 8 at a position where it faces the bottom (bottom face) when viewed from the top surface of the standing wall 8, that is, at a further back side of the receiver 1 disposed inside the standing wall 8. The lens of the camera 15 is arranged such that a part of the back surface (the bottom surface of the standing wall 8) that is opposite to the surface of the display 2 in the housing on the display 2 side is opened. A sub-display 14 is provided on the rear surface of the housing on the display 2 side. This is also called a rear liquid crystal.

  Next, the standing wall 9 and the standing wall 10 are provided on both the left and right sides on the surface of the display 2, that is, on the pair of sides orthogonal to the pair of sides of the hinge 3 and the standing wall 8. The standing wall 9 and the standing wall 10 have a structure that is continuous with the above-described standing wall 8, and in particular, they are formed flush with each other at the upper surface of the joint portion. Further, the standing wall 9 and the standing wall 10 form a continuum with the casing on the display 2 side in the same manner as the standing wall 8 described above.

  The upper surfaces of the standing wall 9 and the standing wall 10 may be formed in parallel with the surface of the display 2. However, it is preferable that the standing wall 9 and the standing wall 10 are inclined as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. That is, the height from the surface of the display 2 on the upper surface of the standing wall 9 and the standing wall 10 is flush with the surface of the display 2 in the vicinity of the hinge 3 or more than that, and the junction with the standing wall 8. Is formed flush with the standing wall 8 as described above. The standing wall 9 and the standing wall 10 are formed with a gradient connecting the two points with a straight line.

  On the other hand, on the surface of the button operation unit 4 in the casing on the button operation unit 4 side, a notch (cutting step) 13 is provided on the lower side of the button operation unit 4, that is, on the opposite side of the hinge 3. The notch 13 provides a step between the surface of the button operation unit 4 and the bottom surface of the notch 13. This notch is hereinafter referred to as step 13. The depth from the surface of the button operation unit 4 to the bottom surface of the step 13 is the same as the height from the surface of the display 2 to the upper surface of the standing wall 8. A microphone 5 is provided inside the step 13.

  Next, a step 11 and a step 12 are provided on the left and right sides on the surface of the button operation unit 4, that is, on another pair of sides orthogonal to the pair of sides of the hinge 3 and the step 13. The step 11 and the step 12 have a structure that is continuous with the above-described step 13, and in particular, they are formed flush with each other at the bottom surface of the joint portion.

  The bottom surfaces of the step 11 and the step 12 may be formed in parallel with the surface of the button operation unit 4. However, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the steps 11 and 12 are preferably inclined. That is, the depth from the surface of the button operation unit 4 on the bottom surface of the step 11 and the step 12 is equal to or less than the surface of the button operation unit 4 in the vicinity of the hinge 3 and is joined to the step 13. The part is formed flush with the step 13 as described above. A step 11 and a step 12 are formed with a gradient connecting the two points with a straight line. Further, this gradient is the same as the gradient of the standing wall 9 and the standing wall 10 described above.

  The steps 11, 12, and 13 are positions that face the standing walls 9, 10, and 8 when the housing 6 on the display 2 side and the housing 7 on the button operation unit 4 side are folded by the hinge 3, respectively. Is formed. Accordingly, the casing on the button operation unit 4 side has the step 13 formed at the same depth as the height of the standing wall 8 and the steps 11 and 12 formed at the same gradient as the standing walls 9 and 10. 7 forms a rectangular parallelepiped shape when it is folded with the housing 6 on the display 2 side. Then, for example, the step 12 and the standing wall 10 can be stored without interfering with each other when the folding cellular phone is closed like the meshing position 16 shown in FIG. 2B.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the standing walls 8, 9 and 10 and the steps 11, 12 and 13 are all basically formed in a plane as a plane, a side as a straight line, and a corner as a right angle, It is also easy to produce. However, as described above, when the folding cellular phone is closed, if it can be stored without interfering with each other, the form is limited to beveling or using a curve. It does not add.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of mounting components in the housing on the display unit side in a state where the folding structure of the folding mobile phone which is an example of the folding electronic device according to the embodiment of the present invention is opened. Referring to FIG. 3, a substrate 17 is provided at the center of the housing on the display unit side. The board 17 is connected to the receiver 1, the camera 15, the display 2, and the sub-display 14 by cables (no symbols). Further, the substrate 17 is connected to the button operation unit 4 side by a cable 18 that passes through the hinge 3.

  Referring to FIG. 3, it is schematically shown that the degree of freedom of arrangement of the camera 15 under the receiver 1 is increased by arranging the receiver 1 at a position higher than the display 2. That is, by disposing the receiver 1 on the upper surface side of the standing wall 8, a larger space can be secured below the receiver 1, that is, on the rear surface side of the housing on the display 2 side, so that a larger camera 15 can be mounted. .

  With the structure shown above, it is possible to create a foldable electronic device according to the present invention as shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3. FIG.

  With the structure of the foldable electronic device of the present invention, a state in which the display 2 is easy to see is realized even in a situation where strong light enters the display 2, for example, in an environment such as sunlight. That is, the user can hold the cellular phone having the structure of the present embodiment in which the standing wall 8 having a step higher than the display 2 is provided on the upper side of the display 2 and the standing walls 9 and 10 are provided on the left and right sides of the display 2 When the display 2 is viewed from the front, outside light coming from the upper side of the display 2 is blocked by the standing walls 8, and outside light coming from the left and right sides of the display 2 is blocked by the standing walls 9 and 10. For this reason, it can be excluded in the present invention that the screen of the display 2 is difficult for the user to see due to external light and reflection coming from these directions.

  In addition, when browsing or creating an e-mail on the train, people around the user may be peeping at the display screen of the display 2. As countermeasures, measures such as lowering the illumination brightness or gradation of the display 2 and pasting a polarizing sheet on the display 2 have already been taken. However, these measures have a problem that it is difficult for the user himself to see the display content, and is not an essential solution. The standing walls 8, 9, and 10, which are the structure of the folding electronic device of the present invention, have the effect of preventing others around the user from peeping at the display screen of the display 2. is there.

  Since the user presses the ear against the receiver 2 during a call using the mobile phone having the receiver 1 and the display 2 on the same plane, the user's face (ear and cheek) contacts the display 2. Inevitable, sebum and sweat adhere to the display 2. However, the user and the display at the time of a call are received by the receiver 1 which is the structure of the foldable electronic device of the present invention and is arranged at a position (close to the user) corresponding to the height of the standing wall 8 from the surface of the display 2. Since a gap corresponding to the height of the standing walls 9 and 10 is secured between the display 2 and the user 2, the user's skin can be prevented from touching the display 2.

  In addition, the arrangement of the receiver 1 on the upper surface side of the standing wall 8 that is higher than the display 2, which is the structure of the foldable electronic device of the present invention, can secure a wider space below the receiver 1. A camera 15 can be mounted. This can be an advantage in a competitive era where further improvements in camera performance are required. Needless to say, the secured space is not limited to the camera, and various devices such as a television broadcast receiver can be arranged.

Steps 11 and 12 are provided on the left and right sides of the button operation unit 4 so as to engage with the standing walls 9, 10 and 8 when the housing on the display 2 side and the case on the button operation unit 4 side are folded by the hinge 3. In the structure of the folding electronic device of the present invention in which the step 13 is provided on the lower side of the button operation unit 4,
While having the effects described above, the folded state fits in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. This is an effect that can be regarded as important for folding electronic devices where portability is important.

  Therefore, in the present invention, an easy-to-see screen is displayed by blocking external light on the display 2 while preventing the peeking of the display 2 from others around the user, and sebum and sweat adhere to the display 2 Thus, it is possible to provide a foldable electronic device that does not increase in size when folded, while creating a space for placing a higher-performance camera 15.

  The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Receiver 2 Display 3 Hinge 4 Button operation part 5 Microphone 6 Case 2 on the display 2 side Case 7 on the button operation part 4 side Standing wall on the upper side of the display 2 (trapezoidal step)
9, 10 Standing walls 11, 12 on the left and right sides of the display 2 Steps 13 on the left and right sides of the button operating unit 4 Steps on the lower side of the button operating unit 4 (cutting steps, notches)
14 Sub display 15 Camera 16 Engagement position 17 Board 18 Cable

Claims (4)

A first housing having a first surface with a display;
A second housing having a second surface having an operating portion;
A hinge part in which the first casing and the second casing are foldably coupled;
A standing wall provided on the outer edge of the first surface of the first housing other than the hinge; and
A step portion formed on the outer edge portion of the second surface of the second casing other than the hinge portion;
The first to the housing and when folded and said second housing, a rectangular parallelepiped shape is formed in mesh with the stepped portion facing the upright wall is,
A receiver is provided on the upper surface of the standing wall portion located on the opposite side of the hinge portion,
A foldable electronic device comprising a camera on the back side of the receiver in the standing wall . The foldable electronic device according to claim 1 ,
The standing wall portion is
A foldable electronic device having a height that prevents the display unit and a user from contacting each other when the foldable electronic device is used. The foldable electronic device according to claim 1 or 2 ,
The standing wall portion is
The hinge portion has a pair of standing wall portions formed on opposite sides perpendicular to the hinge portion,
The pair of standing walls are
The standing wall portion whose height from the first surface is flush with or higher than the first surface in the vicinity of the hinge portion and on the opposite side of the hinge portion in the vicinity of the opposite side of the hinge portion. Each is formed with a continuous slope,
Further, when the first casing and the second casing are folded, the pair of standing wall portions and the stepped portions facing each other mesh with each other to form a rectangular parallelepiped shape. A foldable electronic device having the stepped portion. A first housing having a first surface with a display;
A second housing having a second surface having an operating portion;
A hinge part in which the first casing and the second casing are foldably coupled;
A standing wall provided on the outer edge of the first surface of the first housing other than the hinge; and
A step portion formed on the outer edge portion of the second surface of the second casing other than the hinge portion;
The first to the housing and when folded and said second housing, a rectangular parallelepiped shape is formed in mesh with the stepped portion facing the upright wall is,
The standing wall portion is
The hinge portion has a pair of standing wall portions formed on opposite sides perpendicular to the hinge portion,
The pair of standing walls are
The standing wall portion whose height from the first surface is flush with or higher than the first surface in the vicinity of the hinge portion and on the opposite side of the hinge portion in the vicinity of the opposite side of the hinge portion. And are formed so as to be inclined in the direction in which the height is continuously increased from the hinge part ,
Further, when the first casing and the second casing are folded, the pair of standing wall portions and the stepped portions facing each other mesh with each other to form a rectangular parallelepiped shape. A foldable electronic device having the stepped portion.

Images