MXPA99004475A - Articular assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

An articulated assembly (2800) for a wireless communication device (100) having a body (104) and a cover (102) including a body (216) formed integrally therein. In articulated assembly (2800) includes a follower (2802), a cam (2804) coupled to the follower (2802) and a spring (2806) coupled to the levae (2804) and wound around a segment of the follower (2802). The articulated components can be completely assembled and self-contained separately from the manufacture of the wireless communication device (10

Description

ARTICULATED ASSEMBLY Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to apparatus for articulating the housing of a portable portable wireless communication device. Although the invention is subject to a wide range of applications, it is especially suitable for use in a portable radiotelephone and will be particularly described in that connection. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Portable radiotelephones are used in an increased manner to allow the user to communicate by telephone through a wireless system in virtually any location. The portable telephone transmits a low-wattage radio frequency signal to a receiving station, which can be connected to conventional amber line telephone systems. Portable radiotelephones having two housings joined by a type of articulation that allows the housings to be bent over one another are known in the art. Some of such collapsible radiotelephones have most of the electronics in a so-called housing, the main housing and less electronic in the other housing, called the housing. Other such collapsible radiotelephones have all the electronics in the body, the cover serving only to cover the numeric keypad or the numeric keypad and the display screen of the telephone. Some known portable cellular radiotelephones use, as shown in Figure 6, an articulation mechanism with a spring 642 and articulation shafts 636, 648 placed on a tubular articulated arm 624 formed at one end of the cover 606, and caps 660 formed in the body 612. The spring 642 is positioned between the articulated shafts 636, 648 and at all times externally forces the articulation shafts 636, 648 from the cover 606 to the body 612. Examples of such known radiotelephones are described in the PCT Publication. No. P 93/18592, published on September 16, 1993 and in the US Patent No. 5,274,882, issued on January 4, 1994. Although suitable for some collapsible radiotelephones, such an articulated mechanism as described above is not suitable for miniaturized collapsible radiotelephones. The housings of the miniaturized radiotelephones do not have sufficient volume and material strength to withstand the externally directed compressive forces of the spring. Also, the smaller housing makes it more difficult to assemble the articulated elements.

The U.S. Patent No. 5,628,089 to Wilcox et al., Entitled "Radiotelephone having a self-contained articulation" ("Radiotelephone Having a Self Contained Hinge"), issued May 13, 1997 and assigned to Motorola, Inc. discloses a joint for use in a radiotelephone. miniaturized. The articulation 301 comprises a spring 405, a cam 404 and a follower 403 assembled within a cylindrically hollow container 303 through an open end thereof and held in assembly by a cover 305 coupled to the container 303 on the open end. The assembled joint 301 in the container 303 is placed in a cavity 307 in the cover 103 and a cavity 503 in the body 101. The self-contained articulation may be desirable for some radiotelephone manufacturers because it can be purchased as a separate unit, thus eliminating the stages associated with the assembly of the joint during manufacture. However, because the joint includes a container to hold the joint components together, the number of parts used and the cost of the joint are increased. In this way, there is a need for a self-contained articulation for use in a miniaturized collapsible device, such as a portable radiotelephone, which minimizes the number of parts and the cost of the joint. SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention provides an articulated assembly for a miniaturized wireless communication device, such as a portable radiotelephone. In the preferred embodiment, the articulated assembly includes a follower; a cam rotatably coupled to the follower; and a spring coupled at one end to the cam and wound around a segment of the follower. The joint configuration of the present invention eliminates a separate housing for maintaining the articulated components in assembly, thereby decreasing the cost and complexity of the joint. Additional advantages and new features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, where the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described. Reference will now be made in detail to a mode configured according to the present invention. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a folding radiotelephone in a closed position configured in accordance with the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a collapsible radiotelephone shown in Figure 1 in an open position configured according to the present invention, Figure 3 is an elevational view of an assembled joint configured in accordance with the present invention. Figure 4 is an exploded view of the articulated assembly shown in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the radiotelephone illustrated in Figure 1 taken along its axis of rotation. Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of a known radiotelephone. Description of the Preferred Modality The following detailed description is only exemplary and explanatory and is not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. Reference will now be made in detail to the current preferred embodiment of the invention. The exemplary mode of a radiotelephone 100 portable, foldable embodying the present invention, is shown in Figures 1 and 2. The portable radiotelephone includes two portions, a cover 102 and a body 104. The drawing of Figure 2 shows the cover 102 in an "open" position. so that a user of the radiotelephone 100 can listen through the earpiece 202 and speak into the microphone 204. The body includes a numeric keypad 206 having a plurality of buttons 208 numbered from one to zero, # and * in a telephone installation family. The numeric keypad 206 may also have additional buttons 208 such as, on, function, send and other buttons associated with redialing the telephone number. The body 104 also has an antenna 106 (Figure 1) that allows wireless communication between the radiotelephone 100 and a base station (not shown) of the cellular radiotelephone system. The body 104 further includes a port 210 allowing the radiotelephone 100 to be connected with peripheral components, for example, a battery charger and an external antenna, keypad, speaker or microphone. As embodied herein and referring to Figure 3, an articulated assembly 2800 joins the cover 102 to the body 104 (Figure 1). The articulation 2800, which is described in detail below, is shown fully assembled in the elevation view of Figure 3 and exploded in the perspective view of Figure 4. Figure 5, which shows a cross-sectional view of the radiotelephone 100 of the Figure 1 in the closed position, illustrates the coupling of the assembled joint 2800.

When the radiotelephone is assembled, the link 2800 is placed in a portion of the body 216 of the cover 102. The cover 102, with the link 2880 received therein, is rotatably engaged between two hinges 212, 214 (Figure 2) of the body 104. The design of the articulation 2800 allows the cover 102 to be held against the numeric keypad 206 in the closed position, as shown in Figure 1 and at an obtuse angle in the open position, as shown in Figure 2. An advantage of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is that the elements can be assembled independently of the radiotelephone housings. After assembly of the 2800 joint, the assembled components, rather than the individual components, can be handled by the assemblers by placing the articulation 2800 on the radiotelephone 100. Also, unlike the articulated assembly described in the US Patent. No. 5,628,089, the articulated assembly 2800 of the present invention does not include a separate element for holding together the components of the joint. The details of articulated assembly 2800 are now described. Referring to Figure 3, the articulated assembly includes a stationary member, such as a follower 2802, two movable members, such as a cam 2804 and a spring 2806, two friction washers 2808, 2810 and a rod 2812 held in a clutch to provide an articulated 2800 self-contained assembly. Referring to Figure 4, an exploded left perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the articulated assembly 2800 is shown. The follower 2802 includes three integrally formed portions: a connector 2901, preferably Y-shaped or other suitable shape, a body 2903 and an axis 2905. Preferably, the follower 2802 is injection molded using an acetal resin or Teflon material commercially available from many sources. The Y-shaped connector 2901 is coupled with an opening (not shown) in one of the hinges 212, 214 of the body 104 of the radiotelephone. The opening is formed to receive the Y-shaped connector 2901 and secure the articulated assembly in place. The body of the follower 2903 is formed of a cylindrical portion 2907 having a flat lower surface 2909 and a flat upper surface 2911. Coupled to the upper surface 2911 of the follower body 2903 is a plurality of projections 2913, preferably two (only one is shown). The projections 2913 have a first flat surface 2915 and a second curved surface 2917. In the preferred embodiment, the projections 2913 are 180 degrees apart from each other. Also coupled to the upper surface 2911 of the follower body 2903 and received between the projections 2913 is a tubular shaped shaft 2905. The shaft 2905 preferably includes a solid portion 2919 and a portion composed of a plurality of spring retaining tips 2921 spaced apart equally arranged in a circular manner. The number of spring retaining tips 2921 is preferably three. Each tip 2921 preferably forms a flange 2923 at one end of the tip. To ensure that the outside diameter of the shaft 2905 is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the spring 2806, a rod 2812 is received between the tips 2921 so that an inner surface of each tip is pressed firmly against the rod 2812. The rod is preferably made of ABS. The cam 2804 is preferably molded by injection using a Teflon-filled resin material commercially available from many sources and is generally cylindrical and hollow in shape. One end of the cam 2804 forms a flat ring surface 2925. The other end of the cam 2804 is formed with a profile 2927 having peaks 2929 and valleys 2931 (also illustrated in Figure 3) to engage with the upper surface 2911 of the follower body 2903. During the assembly of the articulated components, the end of the profile 2927 of the cam 2804 is inserted on the follower shaft 2905 and engages with the upper surface 2911 of the follower body 2903 so that the follower projections 2913 are received in the valleys 2931 of the cam 2804 as shown in Figure 3. The cam 2804 also includes a plurality of edges 2933. The edges 2933 are received in slots (not shown) formed in the inner surface of the portion of the web. body 216 of the cover 102 so that the cam 2804 rotates with the cover of the radiotelephone 102 as the cover 102 moves between the open and closed positions with respect to the body of the radiotel telephone 104. Because the connector of the follower 2901 is secured within one of the hinges 212, 214 of the body of the radiotelephone 104, the follower 2802 does not rotate when the cover 102 moves between the open and closed positions. The spring 2806 is composed of metal and is spiral shaped. During the assembly of the articulated components, the spring 2806 is positioned on the follower shaft 2905 and is engaged between the cam 2804 and the rim 2923 of the retaining tips of the spring 2921 of the follower shaft 2905. In the preferred embodiment, a first friction washer 2808 is placed between the flat ring surface 2925 of the cam 2804 and one end of the spring 2806, and a second friction washer 2810 is placed between the other end of the spring 2806 and the flanges 2923 of the tips retainers of the spring 2921. The friction washers 2808, 2810 minimize the wear and tear of the cam 2804 and the retaining tips of the spring 2921 during rotation of the radiotelephone cover 102 between the open and closed positions. Once the individual jointed components are assembled as described above, assembly 2800 provides a self-contained component that can be sold as a stock component or incorporated directly into a radiotelephone during manufacture. If it is incorporated into the telephone during manufacture, the articulated assembly 2800, as shown in Figure 5, is placed within the body portion 216 of the radiotelephone cover 102. As illustrated, the follower connector 2901 is received at one of the hinges of the telephone body 214 and secured therein to prevent the rotation of the follower 2802 as the cover of the telephone 102 is opened and closed. At the opposite end of the follower, the second friction washer 2810 makes contact with a retainer bracket 218 formed inside the body 216. As previously mentioned, the edges 2933 formed on the outer surface of the cam 2804 are received in grooves (not shown) in the interior of the body 216 so that the cam 2804 rotates with the cover 102 as it is opened and closed. As the cover 102 is rotated between the open and closed positions, the cam 2804 rotates around the follower body 2903 180 degrees, so that each projection 2913 (only one is shown) of the follower body 2903 is relocated from a valley 2931 (or detent position) of the cam 2804 to an adjacent valley 2931 (detent position) of the cam 2804. When the cover 102 moves from the open position to the closed position, the rotation of the peaks of the cam 2929 beyond the tips 2914 of the projections 2913 cause the cover 102 to be spring closed. In the same way, when the cover 102 moves from the closed position to the open position, the rotation of the peaks of the cam 2929 in the opposite direction beyond the tips 2914 of the projections 2913 cause the cover 102 to open by pier. This feature allows the cover 102 to open and close easily. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications and variations may be made in the apparatus of the present invention and in the construction of this apparatus without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention.

Claims (16)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as novelty and therefore what is described in the following claims is claimed as property. 1. An articulated assembly, characterized by: a follower; a cam rotatably coupled to the follower; a spring coupled at one end to the cam and wound around a segment of the follower. The articulated assembly according to claim 1, wherein the follower is characterized by: a connector; a body; and an elongated shaft. The articulated assembly according to claim 2, wherein the shaft is characterized by a solid portion and a portion defining a plurality of spring retaining tips. The articulated assembly according to claim 2, wherein the connector is characterized by a protrusion in the shape of a Y. The articulated assembly according to claim 2, wherein the body of the follower is characterized by a cylindrical portion having a surface lower flat and an upper surface having a plurality of projections fixedly coupled thereto. The articulated assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that the plurality of retaining tips of the spring each form a rim at one end of the tip 7. The articulated assembly according to claim 1, further characterized by a first friction washer that surrounds the follower and placed between the cam and a first end of the spring. The articulated assembly according to claim 7, further characterized by a second friction washer surrounding the follower and coupled to a second end of the spring. The articulated assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the plurality of projections is 2. The articulated assembly according to claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of projections is characterized by a linear surface and a curved surface. 11. In a wireless communication device having a body and a cover, an articulated assembly characterized by: a follower; a cam having a flat ring surface and a surface formed with a profile having peaks and valleys, the cam being rotatably coupled to the follower; and a spring coupled at one end to the cam and wound around a segment of the follower. The wireless communication device according to claim 11, wherein the follower is characterized by a body forming a flat ring surface having a plurality of projections integrally formed therein. The wireless communication device according to claim 12, characterized in that the rotation of the cover from an open position to a closed position with respect to the body of the device causes the cam to rotate around the follower so that the peaks of the cam pass through beyond the projections making the cover close by spring. The wireless communication device according to claim 12, characterized in that the rotation of the cover from a closed position to an open position with respect to the body of the device, causes the cam to rotate around the follower so that the peaks of the cam pass beyond the projections making the cover open by spring. The wireless communication device according to claim 12, characterized in that the rotation of the cover between an open position and a closed position with respect to the body of the device, causes the cam to rotate in such a way that the projections of the follower move from a detent position of the cam to an adjacent detent position of the cam. 16. A radiotelephone including a body, a cover and an articulated assembly coupled to the body and cover for attaching the body and the cover, to the articulated assembly, characterized by: a follower; a cam having a flat ring surface and a surface formed with a profile having peaks and valleys, the cam being rotatably coupled to the follower; and a spring coupled at one end to the cam and wound around a segment of the follower.