JPH0571954U - Portable electronic devices - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] Conventionally, portable electronic devices have been designed with a focus on portability and have a compact external shape. Difficulty occurred in operability. Further, if the visibility and operability during use are emphasized, the compact external shape is lacking and portability is a problem. We tried to enable both these conflicting visibility and operability and portability at the same time. [Structure] The main part of the portable electronic device is composed of four parts, and a display screen, pushbuttons, etc. are installed in each part, and each part is arranged in one vertical or horizontal row They are arranged in the shape of a letter, and the adjacent parts are connected by hinges so that they can be opened and closed.
It was folded into one and piled up, and when used, it was expanded into four and used.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention makes it possible to increase the installation space for the display screen and push buttons during use, and to reduce the vertical and horizontal dimensions during storage, thereby improving visibility and operability, improving portability, or both. At the same time, it relates to a structure of a portable electronic device which is going to be improved.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 As shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. 8 which is an external perspective view of a conventional portable electronic device opened in its use state, the conventional portable electronic device has a structure that opens and closes in half via a hinge and is opened when used. A display screen and pushbuttons necessary for operation are installed on the surface, and it is folded in half and stored together.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 The structure of the conventional portable electronic device that opens and closes in two folds, if portability is emphasized and the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the closed state are made small, the narrowness of the display screen when opened during use and the installation space for push buttons etc. Due to the narrow space, the amount of screen display was limited and the push buttons were difficult to push, which caused problems in visibility and operability. On the contrary, if the installation space of the display screen and pushbuttons is increased by focusing on the visibility and operability during use, the vertical and horizontal dimensions in the closed state become large, which causes a difficulty in portability. The present invention intends to solve the problems of the visibility operability or portability, which are the conventional drawbacks, and if necessary, to simultaneously solve the visibility operability and the portability problems contradictory thereto. Is.

[0004]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 According to the present invention, a main part of a portable electronic device is composed of four parts, and each part is connected by a hinge or an elastomer made of a flexible material. It has a structure in which it is unfolded in one and folded in four in the opposite direction when it is stored, and it is piled up in a reverse direction. Also, the vertical and horizontal dimensions during storage can be reduced, improving visibility, operability, and portability.

[0005]

[Action]

 According to the structure of the present invention, when the vertical and horizontal dimensions when folded and stored in a stack of four are made to be the same as conventional ones, a display screen and a push button etc. installation space when expanded to four when used are Approximately twice as large as the conventional double-open structure, the display screen can be made larger and the layout of pushbuttons etc. can be increased, improving visibility and operability while maintaining portability. .. Also, if the unfolded area when opened, that is, the installation space for the display screen and push buttons, etc., is the same as the conventional one, the vertical and horizontal dimensions when folded and stored in a stack of four are the same as the conventional two-fold structure. Compared with this, the area is reduced to about 1/2, and portability can be improved while maintaining visibility and operability. Further, if the size is set to the above-mentioned size, it is possible to improve the visibility, operability and portability at the same time.

[0006]

【Example】

 A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the external perspective view of the accompanying drawings. 1, 2 and 3 constitute one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the portable electronic device of the present invention in use, in which four main parts 1, 2, 3, 4 are arranged in a row, and adjacent parts are hinges 5, It is connected via 6 and 7 so that it can be opened and closed. Display screens 8 and 9 are installed in the parts 1 and 2, and push buttons 10 and 11 are installed in the parts 3 and 4. A fitting portion 12 having a lock structure for maintaining the folded state and a receiving portion (not shown) are installed in the portions 1 and 2 which are external when folded and stored. Further, the parts 1 and 2 are provided with hoods for the display screens 8 and 9 when opened and edges 13 and 14 for covering the parts 3 and 4 which come inside when folded and stored. FIG. 2 is a view for facilitating understanding of the opening / closing structure of FIG. When folding and storing, the parts 1 and 2 and the parts 3 and 4 are overlapped and closed via the hinge 5, and then the parts 1 and 3 and the parts 2 and 4 are overlapped via the hinges 6 and 7. close. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the sheets are folded, stacked and stored as described above. The parts 1 and 2 are fixed by the fitting part 12 and the receiving part of the lock structure installed in the parts 1 and 2 which become the outside, and the parts 3 and 4 are covered by the edges 13 and 14. By opening it in the reverse direction from the folded storage state, it is developed into the used state.

FIG. 4, FIG. 5, and FIG. 6 constitute an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an exploded view of another portable electronic device of the present invention in use. The four main parts 21, 22, 23, 24 are arranged in the shape of a square, and adjacent parts are openably and closably connected via elastomers 25, 26, 27 made of a flexible material. Display screens 28 and 29 are installed on the parts 21 and 22, and push buttons 30 and 31 are installed on the parts 23 and 24. A fitting portion 32 having a lock structure for maintaining a folded state and a receiving portion (not shown) are also installed on the portions 21 and 22 that are external when folded and stored. Further, the portions 21 and 22 are provided with hoods for the display screens 28 and 29 when unfolded to the use state, and rims 33 and 34 for covering the portions 23 and 24 which come inside when folded and stored. is there. FIG. 5 is a view for facilitating understanding of the opening / closing structure of FIG. When folded and stored, the parts 21, 22 and the parts 23, 24 are superposed and closed via the elastomer 25, and then the parts 21, 23 and the parts 22, 24 are superposed by the elastomers 26, 27. Close. FIG. 6 shows a state in which the sheets are folded, stacked and stored as described above. The fitting portions 32 and the receiving portions of the lock structure installed on the outer portions 21, 22 fix the portions 21, 22 and the edges 33, 34 cover the portions 23, 24. By opening it in the reverse direction from the folded storage state, it is developed into the used state.

In the whole of the present invention, the ratio of the arrangement state and the arrangement area of the display screen, the push buttons and the like to the four main parts is arbitrary as required. Also, the method of connecting the adjacent parts of the four parts so that each part can be opened and closed can be such that the illustrated hinge or the elastomer made of a flexible material, or the four parts can be folded and overlapped or even developed. Any method will do.

Although two preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated by the above description and the accompanying drawings, the actual embodiments are not limited to these, and according to the spirit of the claims or the embodiments. What is made by the application of is included in this invention.

[0010]

[Effect of the device]

 According to the configuration of the present invention, the area of the display screen and the installation space for the push buttons are increased to improve the visibility and operability while maintaining the compactness of the outer shape, and conversely, the visibility and operability are improved. It is possible to improve portability by reducing the vertical and horizontal dimensions when folded and stored while maintaining. Also, by taking a medium size, it is possible to improve both visibility and operability and portability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in which four main parts are arranged in one row and the four parts are unfolded.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 for facilitating understanding of an opening / closing structure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a state of being folded into four and stored in an overlapping manner.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in which four main parts are vertically and horizontally arranged in a square shape and the four parts are unfolded.

5 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 4 for facilitating the understanding of the opening / closing structure. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 4 in a state of being folded into four and stacked and stored.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a usage state in which the conventional example is opened in two.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing another usage state in which the conventional two examples are opened in two.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 21 part 1 2, 22 part 2 3, 23 part 3 4, 24 part 4 5, 6, 7 hinges 8, 9, 28, 29 display screen 10, 11, 30, 31 push button, etc. 12, 32 lock structure Fitting part 13, 14, 33, 34 Edge 25, 26, 27 Elastomer

Claims (5)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A main part is made up of four parts, and each part can be expanded into four parts or folded into four parts by connecting them with a hinge or an elastomer made of a flexible material. And a display screen, push buttons, etc. are installed in each part. 2. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the four main parts are arranged in a row in the vertical direction (or the horizontal direction) in the unfolded state. 3. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein four main parts are arranged in a vertical and horizontal direction in the shape of a square in a deployed state. 4. A lock structure, which is a combination of a fitting portion and a receiving portion for maintaining a folded state, is installed in two portions which are external when four main portions are folded and overlapped with each other. The portable electronic device according to claim 2. 5. A state in which the four main parts are folded and overlapped to cover two outer parts, and two or more of the two inner parts in the folded state cover all or part of the thickness of the two expanded parts. Then, the portable electronic device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein an edge is installed so as to hood the display screen.