Abstract:
A portable terminal device includes: a first member having a keyboard operation portion; and a second member having a display portion and attached to the first member via a coupling member movable in a horizontal direction relative to the first member, the second member being movable together with the coupling member in the horizontal direction relative to the first member. The second member is rotatably attached to the coupling member so that a side face or a rear face of the second member is allowed to face forward after the coupling member is moved in the horizontal direction relative to the first member. It is also possible to attach the coupling member to the first member so as to be slidable in one direction or rotatable in the horizontal direction, and to attach the second member to the coupling member to be rotatable in the horizontal direction.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a portable terminal device suitable for use as a cellular phone and a pocket computer.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     In a portable terminal device such as a cellular phone, such a structure is known that a first member having a keyboard operation portion and a microphone portion and a second member having a display portion and a speaker portion are disposed in separate cases, and these cases are coupled to each other via a hinge device so as to be openable/closable relative to each other, or so as to be slidable relative to each other in one direction. As portable terminal devices with such a structure, those disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-46625 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-65321 (Patent Document 2) are known.  
         [0005]     Patent Document 1 discloses the structure such that a first member having a keyboard operation portion and a second member having a display portion are coupled to each other at end portions thereof via a hinge device so as to be openable/closable, and Patent Document 2 discloses the structure such that a first member having a keyboard operation portion and a second member having a display portion are coupled to each other so as to be slidable relative to each other in one direction via a slide mechanism.  
         [0006]     In both of the portable terminal devices of the abovementioned patent documents, the second member cannot change its posture while it is at an open position or at a slided position. This poses a problem of poor operability since it is not possible to direct a camera forward while keeping the first member unmoved if the camera is disposed, for example, on a side face or a rear face of the second member.  
         [0007]     There is also a problem, especially in the structure disclosed in Patent Document 2, that a screen gets easily scratched since the display portion is constantly exposed outside.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable terminal device having a first member and a second member that are coupled to each other and structured such that the state of the second member covering the first member and the state of the second member moved in a horizontal direction relative to the first member can be both produced, the portable terminal device characterized in that the second member is further rotatable after moving in the horizontal direction relative to the first member so that a side face or a rear face of the second member can face forward.  
         [0009]     In order to achieve the object stated above, the present invention includes: a first member having a keyboard operation portion; and a second member having a display portion and attached to the first member via a coupling member movable in a horizontal direction relative to the first member, the second member being movable together with the coupling member in the horizontal direction relative to the first member, the present invention characterized in that the second member is rotatably attached to the coupling member so as to allow a side face or a rear face of the second member to face forward after the coupling member moves in the horizontal direction relative to the first member.  
         [0010]     The present invention may further include a rotating means with a friction mechanism for rotatably attaching the second member to the coupling member.  
         [0011]     Further, in the present invention, the coupling member may be attached to the first member to be slidable in one direction when the coupling member is attached to the first member to be movable in the horizontal direction.  
         [0012]     The present invention may further include a slide mechanism with a pressing means for slidably attaching the coupling member to the first member.  
         [0013]     Further, in the present invention, the coupling member may be attached to the first member to be rotatable in the horizontal direction when the coupling member is attached to the first member to be movable in the horizontal direction.  
         [0014]     The present invention may further include a rotating means with a friction mechanism for attaching the coupling member to the first member to be rotatable in the horizontal direction.  
         [0015]     Further, in the present invention, the rotating means may have a shaft with a hollow portion provided in an axial direction thereof and a lead wire may pass through an internal part of the hollow portion.  
         [0016]     Moreover, in the present invention, the second member may have a camera provided on a side face and/or a rear face thereof, in addition to the display portion provided on a front face thereof.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view schematically showing a portable terminal device according to the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view to explain the operation of the portable terminal device shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is similarly a perspective view to explain the operation of the portable terminal device shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view to explain a slide mechanism portion of a coupling member;  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a right side view to explain the slide mechanism portion of the coupling member;  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged cross-sectional view to explain the structure of a pressing means of the slide mechanism of the coupling member;  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged cross-sectional view to explain the structure of a rotating means of a second member;  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view to explain the operation of the portable terminal device shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 9  is similarly a perspective view to explain the operation of the portable terminal device shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view schematically showing another embodiment of the portable terminal device according to the present invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view to explain the operation of the portable terminal device shown in  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view to explain the operation of the portable terminal device shown in  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view to explain the operation of the portable terminal device shown in  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view to explain the operation of the portable terminal device shown in  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view to explain the operation of the portable terminal device shown in  FIG. 10 ; and  
         [0032]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view to explain the operation of the portable terminal device shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0033]     Hereinafter, a cellular phone as an embodiment of the present invention will be described, but the present invention may also be embodied as other portable terminals such as a pocket computer. From  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 9 , the reference numeral  1  denotes a first member having a keyboard operation portion  1  a and a microphone portion  1   b . The reference numeral  2  denotes a second member having a display portion  2   a  and a speaker portion  2   b  provided on a front face side thereof and a camera portion  2   c  such as, for example, a CCD camera provided on a rear face side thereof. Incidentally, the camera portion  2   c  may be disposed on a side face. The second member  2  is attached to the first member  1  via a coupling member  3  to be slidable in one direction relative to the first member  1 , and is also rotatably attached to the coupling member  3  via a later-described rotating means.  
         [0034]     As shown in, for example,  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , a slide mechanism  4  for slidably attaching the coupling member  3  to the first member  1  is structured such that guide grooves  5   a ,  5   a  are formed in a longitudinal direction on both sides of a case constituting the first member  1  and curved portions  3   a ,  3   a  of the coupling member  3  each having a cross section in a substantially C-channel shape are fitted in the guide grooves  5   a ,  5   a . This structure prevents the detachment of the coupling member  3  from the first member  1 , and pressing means  6  attached to the coupling member  3  side ensure a secure and smooth sliding movement.  
         [0035]     Each of the pressing means  6  is structured such that, as shown in  FIG. 6  in particular, a ball bearing  8  is attached at one end of a hinge case  7  fixedly inserted in a housing hole  3   b  provided in the coupling member  3 , so as to be rotatable and so as not to come off outward, and the ball bearing  8  protrudes from the housing hole  3   b  to be in pressure contact with a top face of the first member  1 . Incidentally, a guide groove for guiding the ball bearing  8  may be formed on the top face of the first member  1 . Further, the position where the pressing means  6  is attached is not limited to that shown in the drawing.  
         [0036]     The ball bearing  8  is supported by a seat portion  9  slidably housed in the hinge case  7 , and a compression spring  11  resiliently interposed between the seat portion  9  and a stopper member  10  attached at a back portion of the hinge case  7  biases the ball bearing  8  together with the seat portion  9  outward from the hinge case  7 . Incidentally, this ball bearing  8  may be replaced by a pin or the like.  
         [0037]     A rotating means  12  for rotatably attaching the second member  2  to the coupling member  3  has a friction mechanism A as shown in, for example,  FIG. 7 . This friction mechanism A is composed of a shaft  13 , a washer  14 , first and second friction washers  15 ,  16 , a flat washer  17 , and a clamping nut  18 . The shaft  13  is composed of a flange portion  13   b , a deformable mounting portion  13   c , a small-diameter portion  13   d , a deformable portion  13   e , and a male screw portion  13   f , and the shaft  13  further has an insertion hole  13   a  provided in an axial direction at a center portion thereof so that it is hollow. The washer  14  is interposed between the second member  2  and the coupling member  3 , with the deformable mounting portion  13   c  of the shaft  13  being engageably inserted to a deformable mounting hole  2   e  provided on a side of the case of the second member  2  and with the shaft  13  being inserted through an insertion hole  14   a  thereof provided in the axial direction at a center portion thereof. The first friction washer  15  and the second friction washer  16  are disposed with the small-diameter portion  13   d  of the shaft  13  being inserted through mounting holes  3   c  provided on the coupling member  3  side and with the small-diameter portion  13   d  being also inserted through insertion holes  15   a ,  16   a  provided in the axial direction at a center portions thereof. The flat washer  17  has a deformable insertion hole  17   a  provided in the axial direction at a center portion thereof, and through the deformable insertion hole  17   a , the deformable portion  13   e  of the shaft  13  is engageably inserted. The clamping nut  18  is screw-fitted to the male screw portion  13   f . Note that the first friction washer  15  has a lock piece  15   b  and the rotation of the first friction washer  15  is restrained by the second member  2  when the lock piece  15   b  is locked in a lock groove  3   e  provided on the coupling member  3  side, and the second friction washer  16  has a lock piece  16   b  and the rotation of the second friction washer  16  is restrained by the shaft  13  when the lock piece  16   b  is locked in a lock groove  17   b  provided in the flat washer  17  side. Further, lead wires  19  electrically or optically connecting the first member  1  and the second member  2  are inserted through the insertion hole  13   a  of the shaft  13 .  
         [0038]     Therefore, when the cellular phone is not in use, the coupling member  3  is positioned on a lower side in the drawing of the top face of the first member  1  so that the second member  2  covers the top face of the first member  1  as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0039]     When the first member  1  is held with one hand and the coupling member  3  is pushed with the thumb of this hand or with the other hand from this state, the coupling member  3  slides forward via the slide mechanism  4 , so that the keyboard operation portion  1   a  and the microphone portion  1   b  of the first member  1  are exposed as shown in  FIG. 2 , which is a standby state for use.  
         [0040]     When the second member  2  is twisted from the state shown in  FIG. 2  relative to the coupling member  3 , the second member  2  rotates relative to the coupling member  3  via the rotating means  12 , and the second member  2  is capable of rotating 90° as shown in  FIG. 3  or 180° as shown in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0041]     The rotation of the second member  2  relative to the coupling member  3  can be click-stopped at 90° and is stopped at 180° by a stopper. A known click stopper and stopper provided in the rotating means  12  may be used, and moreover, the stopper in particular may be constituted of protruding portions formed on respective coupling end sides of the second member  2  and the coupling member  3 .  
         [0042]     As for the rotation operation, it is preferable that the second member  2  is not continuously rotated in the same direction but rotated in a reverse direction to return to its original position after 180° rotation, especially in a case where the lead wires  19  are inserted through the insertion hole  13   a  of the shaft  13 .  
         [0043]     In a case where a camera is also attached on the side face of the second member  2 , the camera can be directed forward after the second member  2  is rotated 90° relative to the coupling member  3  as shown in  FIG. 3 . In a case where a camera is attached on the rear face of the second member  2 , the camera  2   c  can be directed forward after the second member  2  is rotated 180° relative to the coupling member  3  as shown in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0044]     Further, it is possible to slide the coupling member  3  toward the lower side in the drawing relative to the first member  1 , thereby returning the second member  2  to its original position, as shown in  FIG. 9 , from the 180° rotated state relative to the coupling member  3  shown in  FIG. 8 . In this case, since the display portion  2   a  is not exposed to a front face side, the front face thereof can be protected.  
         [0045]      FIG. 10  to  FIG. 16  show another embodiment. This embodiment is the same as the above-described embodiment in that a first member  20  has a keyboard operation portion  20   a  and a microphone portion  20   b , a second member  21  has a display portion  21   a  and a speaker portion  21   b , the second member  21  is attached to the first member  20  via a coupling member  22 , and the second member  21  is rotatably attached to the coupling member  22 .  
         [0046]     However, this embodiment is different from the above-described embodiment in that the coupling member  22  is attached to the first member  20  to be rotatable in a horizontal direction.  
         [0047]     The same rotating means as that in the above-described embodiment is usable as rotating means for allowing the coupling member  22  to rotate relative to the first member  20  and for allowing the second member  21  to rotate relative to the coupling member  22 . It should be noted that the above-described slide mechanism and rotating means are only examples. They are not limited to those described above, and may be replaced by other mechanisms having various known structures.  
         [0048]     In this second embodiment, when the cellular phone is not in use, the coupling member  22  is positioned on an end side of a top face of the first member  20  and the second member  21  covers the top face of the first member  20  as shown in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0049]     When the first member  20  is held with one hand and the second member  21  is pushed leftward with the thumb of this hand or with the other hand from this state, the coupling member  22  horizontally rotates in a right direction via a not-shown rotating means, so that the keyboard operation portion  20   a  and the microphone portion  20   b  of the first member  20  are exposed and the second member  21  is brought into a 90° rotated state as shown in  FIG. 11  or into a 180° rotated state as shown in  FIG. 12  relative to the first member  20 , which is a standby state for use.  
         [0050]     When the second member  21  is twisted relative to the coupling member  22  from this state, the second member  21  rotates relative to the coupling member  22  via a not-shown rotating means, so that the second member is capable of rotating 90° as shown in  FIG. 13  or 180° as shown in  FIG. 14 .  
         [0051]     The rotation of the second member  21  relative to the coupling member  22  can be click-stopped at 90° and is stopped at 180° by a stopper. A known click stopper and stopper provided in the rotating means may be used as these click stopper and stopper, and moreover, the stopper may be constituted of protruding portions formed on respective coupling end sides of the second member  21  and the coupling member  22 .  
         [0052]     As for the rotation operation, it is preferable that the second member  21  is not continuously rotated in the same direction but rotated in a reverse direction to return to its original position after 180° rotation, especially in a case where the lead wires  19  are inserted through the insertion hole  13   a  of the shaft  13  as shown in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0053]     In a case where a camera is also attached on the side face of the second member  21 , the camera can be directed forward after the second member  21  is rotated 90° relative to the coupling member  22  as shown in  FIG. 13 . In a case where a camera is attached on the rear face of the second member  21 , the camera  21   c  can be directed forward after the second member  21  is rotated 180° relative to the coupling member  22  as shown in  FIG. 14 .  
         [0054]     Further, it is possible to rotate the coupling member  22  in a reverse direction relative to the first member  20 , thereby returning the second member  21  to its original position, as shown in  FIG. 15  and  FIG. 16  from the 180° rotated state relative to the coupling member  22  shown in  FIG. 14 .