This application claims priority from, and incorporates by reference the entire disclosure of, Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-188260, filed on Jun. 28, 2005.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a folding-type information processing unit capable of being folded at a hinge mechanism. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvements in a hinge mechanism of a folding type information processing unit such as a folding type mobile phone, the entire shape of which becomes linear when the folding type mobile phone is opened so that it can be used in the same manner as that of a flat-shaped mobile phone.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, communication units, into which computers are built, have been miniaturized. Therefore, it becomes possible for users to handily carry information processing devices such as mobile phones. In the early stage of developing these information processing devices, the entire shape of each information processing device is formed into a flat-shape, the length of which is predetermined. A mobile phone, which is a rod-shaped information processing unit, is composed as follows. An earphone is arranged at the uppermost portion of a casing. An information display section composed of a liquid crystal display is arranged on the lower side of the earphone. An input operating section composed of dial buttons and other functional buttons is arranged in the lower half portion of the casing. A telephone microphone is arranged in the lowermost portion of the mobile phone.
However, after the above rod-shaped mobile phone was developed, a new mobile phone has appeared, which is composed in such a manner that the casing is divided into the upper and the lower half and these halves are connected to each other by a hinge mechanism and folded. At present, this folding type mobile phone has become the most popular. The reason is that the display section and the input section can be protected when this folding type mobile phone is folded and, further, the portability of this mobile phone is excellent when this folding type mobile phone is folded. The folding type information processing unit, which is represented by the above mobile phone, is usually carried by a user under the condition that the information processing unit is folded. When the folding type information processing unit is used, it is usually opened.
Examples of the above folding type information processing unit are disclosed in the official gazettes of JP-A-2004-274319 and JP-A-2000-312249.
However, in the case of the above information processing unit, which is folded when it is not used and which is opened by a user when it is used, it is inconvenient for physically handicapped people and construction workers working in the construction sites to use the above information processing unit.
Detailed explanations will be made into this problem as follows. For example, in the case of the folding type mobile phone, it is necessary for a user to open the folded mobile phone with both hands when the mobile phone is used. Therefore, it may be difficult for a physically handicapped person to use the folding type information processing unit because the folding type information processing unit must be opened by the user when it is used. For a construction worker working in a construction site who can not use both hands because of the working environment, the folding type mobile phone is inconvenient because the mobile phone must be opened by the construction worker when it is used and, further, the mobile phone must be closed after the completion of the use of the mobile phone.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a folding type information processing unit having a hinge mechanism characterized in that, although it is a folding type information processing unit, the folding type information processing unit cannot be easily closed after it has been once opened, so that the folding type information processing unit can be used in the same manner as that of a rod-shaped information processing unit.
In order to accomplish the above object, the first embodiment of the present invention provides an information processing unit, which is opened from a folded state when it is used, comprising: a first and a second casing connected to each other by a hinge mechanism; a first fixing mechanism arranged in the hinge mechanism, for temporarily fixing the first and the second casing by a predetermined holding force when an opening angle formed between the first and the second casing is a predetermined angle smaller than 180°; and a second fixing mechanism arranged in the hinge mechanism, for locking the first and the second casing by a stronger holding force than the holding force of the first fixing mechanism under the condition that the opening angle formed between the first and the second casing is 180°.
The second embodiment provides an information processing unit according to the first embodiment, wherein a first operating load for opening the first and the second casing from the closed state to the temporarily fixed state is set in the hinge mechanism, and a second operating load, which is heavier than the first operating load, for opening the first and the second casing from the temporarily fixed state to the lock state is also set in the hinge mechanism.
The third embodiment provides an information processing unit according to the second embodiment, wherein a third operating load, which is heavier than the second operating load, for returning the first and the second casing from the lock state to the temporarily fixed state is set in the hinge mechanism.
The fourth embodiment provides an information processing unit according to one of the first to the third embodiment, wherein the hinge mechanism is composed so that an information display face of the first casing and an input operating face of the second casing can be positioned on the same plane when the first and the second casing are opened by the angle of 180°.
The fifth embodiment provides an information processing unit according to one of the first to the fourth embodiment, wherein the predetermined angle is 160° to 170°.
According to the information processing unit of the present invention, although it is a folding type information processing unit, after the folding type information processing unit has been once opened, it can not be simply closed. Therefore, the folding type information processing unit of the present invention can be used as it is opened in the same manner as that a rod-shaped information processing unit.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example in, but is not limited by, the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements, in which:
Referring to the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained below on the basis of a specific example. In this connection, in the following explanations, a mobile phone is taken as an example of the information processing unit.
The mobile phone 1 of this embodiment is of the folding type. In this mobile phone 1, the first casing 11 having a display is connected to the second casing 12 having an input section such as dial buttons via the hinge mechanism 10. An antenna is built in the mobile phone 1 of this embodiment. On the back side of the first casing 11, the sub-display 4 and the camera 5 are provided.
As shown in
In the present invention, the second operating load, by which the mobile phone 1 is further opened from the first degree of opening shown in
In this case, referring to
The first casing 11 is inserted into the second casing 12 so that the cylindrical portions 14 can be located in the gaps 19 formed by the cylindrical portions 16 and so that the pin hole 13 and the pin hole 15 can be overlapped with each other. In the above state, the lock member 20, which is a rotary shaft of the hinge mechanism 10, is inserted into the pin hole 15 from the outside. Therefore, the lock member 20 functions as a shaft pin. The lock member 20 includes: a movable portion 21 fixed to the pin hole 15 of the second casing 12; a stationary portion 22 fixed to the pin hole 13 of the first casing 11; and an engaging protrusion 23 for fixing the lock member 20 to the first casing 11 so that the lock member 20 can not be disconnected from the first casing 11.
When the lock member 20 is attached to the hinge mechanism 10, the first casing 11 can be rotated round the lock member 20 with respect to the second casing 12. Although not shown in the drawing, a torsion coil spring is built in this lock member 20. An operating load to be given when the folded mobile phone 1 is opened and an operating load to be given when the folded mobile phone 1 is closed are determined by a torsional force generated by this torsion coil spring. This lock member 20 is widely used for the folding type mobile phone and the structure is well known. Therefore, further detailed explanations are omitted here.
On the other hand, in this embodiment, the lock pin 30 is provided on each side which continues to each end face on the outside of the cylindrical portion 14 of the first casing 11. Therefore, these lock pins 30 are arranged on both sides of the first casing 11. As shown in
Further, the lock grooves 17 for receiving and locking the lock pins 30 are provided on the faces of the sides of the second casing 12 in portions opposed to the lock pins 30 in such a manner that the faces continue to the inner faces of the two outside cylindrical portions 16 among the three cylindrical portions 16 of the second casing 12. In this embodiment, when the first casing 11 and the second casing 12 are opened from each other by the angle 180°, the lock pins 30 provided in the first casing 11 are fitted into the lock grooves 17 of the second casing 12.
In the embodiment shown in
When the first casing 11 is opened from the state shown in
In order to further open the first casing 11 with respect to the second casing 12 from this state, it is necessary for the lock pin 30 to be pushed into the first casing 11 by the collision portion 12B and it is also necessary for the lock pin 30 to slide on the side of the casing 12 while the lock pin 30 is being pushed into the first casing 11. Therefore, the operating load necessary for further opening the first casing 11 with respect to the second casing 12 from the state shown in
When the first casing 11 is opened with respect to the second casing 12, by providing a large operating load, at the point of time when the lock pin 30 gets into the lock hole 18 as shown in
In order to disconnect the lock pin 30 from the lock hole 18 under the condition that the lock pin 30 is fitted into the lock hole 18, it is necessary to give a strong force (a high intensity torque). Therefore, the first casing 11 and the second casing 12 are locked to each other under the condition that the first casing 11 and the second casing 12 are opened from each other by the angle 180°. As a result, even in the case of a folding type mobile phone, when the first casing 11 and the second casing 12 are once opened by the angle 180°, the folding type mobile phone can be used in the same manner as that of the rod-shaped mobile phone.
In this connection, by devising the shape of the collision portion of the second casing 12 and also by devising the shapes of the lock hole 18 and the lock pin 30, the operating load necessary for returning the first casing 11 from the lock state to the first degree of opening can be made to be heavier than the operating load necessary for locking the first casing 11 and the second casing 12 to each other in the lock state in which the first casing 11 is opened with respect to the second casing 12 by the angle 180°. For example, when the contacting portion of the lock pin 30 of the collision portion 12B of the second casing 12 is tapered or curved, the lock pin 30 can easily move over the collision portion 12B. At the same time, the inner circumferential face of the lock hole 18 may be formed into a cylindrical shape with respect to the side of the second casing 12, so that the lock pin 30 can not be easily disconnected from the lock hole 18.
On the other hand, in order for the mobile phone 1, which is difficult to fold because the lock pin 30 is fitted into the lock hole 18, to be easily folded, as shown in another embodiment illustrated in
As shown in
When the mobile phone 1 is opened from the state shown in
The portion of the second casing 12 with which the lock pin 30 comes into contact, the face (the portion surrounded by the broken line in
Explanations are made above into a mobile phone which is an example of the information processing unit. However, it should be noted that the information processing unit is not limited to a mobile phone, that is, there are various types of information processing units.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2005-188260 | Jun 2005 | JP | national |