Abstract:
To provide a portable terminal device which has an openable and closable part and an open/close detector which detects opening and closing of the part, where the portable terminal device has a reduced thickness when closed and allows easy position adjustment during assembly. A cell phone equipped with a lower part and an upper part openable and closable in relation to the lower part has a magnet and a magnetic sensor attached to the lower part; and a magnetic plate which is attached to the upper part and leads the magnetic force of the magnet attached to the lower part to the magnetic sensor attached to the lower part when the upper part is closed over the lower part.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a portable terminal device which has an openable and closable part as well as to an open/close detector which detects the opening and closing of the part.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Conventionally, various portable terminal devices such as folding phones are equipped with an open/close mechanism such as a folding mechanism and contains an open/close detector which detects the opening and closing of the open/close mechanism.  
         [0005]     For example, Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3 discloses a structure for use in a foldable device, such as a folding phone, equipped with a magnet on one of parts which face each other when the device is folded, and a magnetic sensor on the other part, so that the magnetic sensor will detect magnetic force of the magnet when the device is folded.  
         [0006]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are schematic diagrams showing an open/close detector disclosed in Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3, with FIG.  1  showing the folding phone when it is open and  FIG. 2  showing the folding phone when it is closed.  
         [0007]     The folding phone  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  consists of a lower part  11  and an upper part  12  pivotably supported by the lower part  11 . The upper part  12  folds in the direction of arrow A in  FIG. 1  and unfolds in the direction of arrow B with respect to the lower part  11 . The lower part  11  contains a circuit board  112  in its case  111 . A magnetic sensor  113  is attached securely to the circuit board  112 . The upper part  12  has a magnet  122  attached securely to a position in the case  121  which faces the magnetic sensor  113  when the folding phone  10  is folded (see  FIG. 2 ).  
         [0008]      FIGS. 3 and 4  are explanatory diagrams illustrating the principle of open/close detection of the folding phone shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  FIG. 3  shows a case in which the distance a between the magnetic sensor  113  and magnet  122  is sufficiently large while  FIG. 4  shows a case in which the distance a between the magnetic sensor  113  and magnet  122  is sufficiently small.  
         [0009]     When the magnet  122  is away from the magnetic sensor  113  as shown in  FIG. 3 , the magnetic sensor  113  cannot detect the magnetic force of the magnet  122 , and detects only that the upper part  12  of the folding phone  10  is away from the lower part  11  (i.e., the folding phone  10  is open). On the other hand, if the magnet  122  is close enough to the magnetic sensor  113  as shown in  FIG. 4 , the magnetic sensor  113  detects the magnetic force of the magnet  122  and detects that the upper part  12  is close enough to the lower part  11  (i.e., the upper part  12  is folded over the lower part  11  (the folding phone  10  is closed)).  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing a flip phone equipped with a conventional open/close detector.  
         [0011]     The flip phone  20  shown in  FIG. 5  consists of a main part  21  and a flipper  22  pivotably supported by the main part  21 . The flipper  22  opens and closes with respect to the main part  21  in the directions of arrows C and D.  
         [0012]     The main part  21  contains a circuit board  212  in its case  211 . A magnetic sensor  213  is mounted on the circuit board  212 . Within the case  221  of the flipper  22 , a magnet  222  secured to the case  221  is attached securely to a position which faces the magnetic sensor  213  when the flipper  22  is closed.  
         [0013]     With this flip phone, again the opening and closing of the flipper  22  is detected according to the principle described with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of a sliding phone equipped with a conventional open/close detector while  FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along line X-X in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0015]     The sliding phone  30  in  FIG. 6  consists of a main part  31  and sliding part  32 . The sliding part  32  fits over the main part  31  as shown in  FIG. 7  and can slide along the main part  31  in the direction perpendicular to the paper in  FIG. 7 , i.e., in the directions of arrows E and F in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0016]     The main part  31  of the sliding phone  30  contains a circuit board  312  in its case  311 . A magnetic sensor  313  is attached securely to that position of the circuit board  312  with which the sliding part  32  overlaps when the sliding part  32  is closed, i.e., when the sliding part  32  slides in the direction of arrow F in  FIG. 6 . Also, within the case  321  of the sliding part  32  of the sliding phone  30 , a magnet  322  is attached to a position which faces the magnetic sensor  313  when the sliding part  32  is closed.  
         [0017]     With this sliding phone, again the opening and closing of the sliding part  32  is detected according to the principle described with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  
         [0018]     Although not shown, another example of a cell phone equipped with an open/close mechanism is a cell phone consisting of an upper part and a lower part which pivots around a pivot shaft perpendicular to the front face of the upper part and equipped with a so-called turn-type open/close mechanism in which the lower part turns 180 degrees between a closed state in which the lower part covers the front face of the upper part completely and an open state in which the lower part reveals the front face of the upper part (see Patent Document 4). 
    [Patent Document 1]   
 
         [0020]     Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-166405 ( FIG. 2 ) 
    [Patent Document 2]   
 
         [0022]     Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-125025 ( FIG. 1 ) 
    [Patent Document 3]   
 
         [0024]     Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-204294 ( FIG. 1 ) 
    [Patent Document 4]   
 
         [0026]     Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-344592  
         [0027]     Although the configuration which is disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3 and detects opening and closing by means of a magnetic sensor attached to one part and a magnet attached to the other part is applicable to various types of cell phone and a wide range of other portable terminal devices as described with reference to FIGS.  1  to  7 , since the magnetic sensor and magnet, which are contained in different cases, must be disposed in opposing relation to each other when the phone is closed, there is the problem that extra man hours are required for position adjustment. There is also the problem that a drop or the like may cause misalignment between the magnetic sensor and magnet, resulting in detection failure. With this detection mechanism, the magnetic sensor and magnet align in the thickness direction of the closed cell phone in a closed state. This makes it necessary to internally mount the magnet using a dual structure, increasing the thickness of the closed cell phone because of a complicated magnet-fastening structure and the like, and thus goes against the demand for thickness reductions.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0028]     In view of the above circumstances, the present invention has an object to provide an open/close detector which has a reduced thickness and allows easy position adjustment during assembly as well as to provide a portable terminal device equipped with the open/close detector.  
         [0029]     To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a portable terminal device equipped with a first part and a second part openable and closable in relation to the first part, the portable terminal device including: a magnet and a magnetic sensor attached to one of the first part and the second part; and a magnetic body which is attached to the other of the first part and the second part and leads magnetic force of the magnet attached to the one of the two parts to the magnetic sensor attached to the one of the two parts when the second part is closed over the first part.  
         [0030]     The magnetic body here may be a magnetic plate attached to the other of the two parts or may constitute at least part of a casing of the other of the two parts.  
         [0031]     Preferably, the magnet and magnetic sensor may be combined into a single unit.  
         [0032]     Also, in the portable terminal device of the present invention, the second part maybe pivotably coupled to the first part and open and close as it pivots toward and away from the first part or it may be slidably coupled to the first part and open and close as it slides toward and away from the first part.  
         [0033]     Furthermore, in the portable terminal device of the present invention, any configuration may be used to pivotably couple the second part to the first part, including a folding-type, flip-type, and turn-type.  
         [0034]     To achieve the above object, the present invention also provides an open/close detector which is incorporated into a portable terminal device equipped with a first part and a second part openable and closable in relation to the first part and detects opening and closing of the second part in relation to the first part, the open/close detector including: a magnet and a magnetic sensor attached to one of the first part and the second part; and a magnetic body which is attached to the other of the first part and the second part and leads magnetic force of the magnet attached to the one of the two parts to the magnetic sensor attached to the one of the two parts when the second part is closed over the first part.  
         [0035]     According to the present invention, both magnet and magnetic sensor are attached to one of the first part and second part which opens and closes in relation to the first part. The other part needs only to be equipped with, for example, a very thin—e.g., foliate—magnetic plate. Then, by placing the magnetic sensor and magnet side by side, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the closed cell phone.  
         [0036]     Also, by making the area of the magnetic body such as the magnetic plate a little larger, it is possible to do detection without problems even if the magnet and magnetic sensor are misaligned to some extent. This makes it easy to adjust placement locations during assembly, eliminating the need for special position adjustments. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0037]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing a folding phone equipped with a conventional open/close detector, where the phone is unfolded;  
         [0038]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram showing the folding phone equipped with the conventional open/close detector, where the phone is folded;  
         [0039]      FIG. 3  is an explanatory diagram illustrating the principle of open/close detection of the folding phone;  
         [0040]      FIG. 4  is an explanatory diagram illustrating the principle of open/close detection of the folding phone;  
         [0041]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing a flip phone equipped with a conventional open/close detector;  
         [0042]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of a sliding phone equipped with a conventional open/close detector;  
         [0043]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along line X-X in  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0044]      FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram showing a folding phone which is a first embodiment of a portable terminal device according to the present invention, where the phone is unfolded;  
         [0045]      FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram showing the folding phone which is the first embodiment of the portable terminal device according to the present invention, where the phone is folded;  
         [0046]      FIG. 10  is an explanatory diagram illustrating the principle of open/close detection of the folding phone;  
         [0047]      FIG. 11  is an explanatory diagram illustrating the principle of open/close detection of the folding phone;  
         [0048]      FIG. 12  is a schematic diagram showing a unitized sensor module;  
         [0049]      FIG. 13  is a diagram showing an example of how the sensor module is used;  
         [0050]      FIG. 14  is a schematic diagram showing a folding phone which is a second embodiment of a portable terminal device according to the present invention, where the phone is unfolded;  
         [0051]      FIG. 15  is a schematic diagram showing the folding phone which is the second embodiment of the portable terminal device according to the present invention, where the phone is folded;  
         [0052]      FIG. 16  is a schematic diagram showing a flip phone which is a third embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0053]      FIG. 17  is a schematic diagram showing a flip phone which is a fourth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0054]      FIG. 18  is a sectional view taken along line Y-Y in  FIG. 17 ;  
         [0055]      FIG. 19  is a schematic diagram showing a sliding phone which is a fifth embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0056]      FIG. 20  is a sectional view taken along line Z-Z in  FIG. 19 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0057]     Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.  
         [0058]      FIGS. 8 and 9  are schematic diagrams showing a folding phone which is a first embodiment of a portable terminal device according to the present invention, where  FIG. 8  shows an open state and  FIG. 9  shows a closed state.  
         [0059]     The folding phone  40  shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9  consists of a lower part  41  and an upper part  42  pivotably supported by the lower part  41 . The upper part  42  pivots with respect to the lower part  41  in the directions of arrows A and B in  FIG. 8  to switch between a closed state. (folded state) (see  FIG. 9 ) and open state (see  FIG. 8 ).  
         [0060]     The lower part  41  contains a circuit board  412  in its case  411 . A magnetic sensor  413  is mounted on the circuit board  412 . Within the case  411  of the lower part  41 , a magnet  414  is mounted securely alongside the magnetic sensor  413 .  
         [0061]     On the other hand, within the case  421  of the upper part  42 , a magnetic plate  422  is attached securely to a position which faces both the magnetic sensor  413  and magnet  414  when the folding phone  40  is folded as shown in  FIG. 9 .  
         [0062]      FIGS. 10 and 11  are explanatory diagrams illustrating the principle of open/close detection of the folding phone shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 .  
         [0063]      FIG. 10  shows a case in which the distance a of the magnetic plate  422  from both magnetic sensor  413  and magnet  414  is sufficiently large while  FIG. 11  shows a case in which the distance a of the magnetic plate  422  from both magnetic sensor  413  and magnet  414  is sufficiently small.  
         [0064]     The magnet  414  and magnetic sensor  413  are oriented with respect to each other in such a way that the magnetic force of the magnet  414  is not detected by the magnetic sensor  413 . When the magnetic plate  422  is distant as shown in  FIG. 10 , the magnetic sensor  413  does not detect the magnetic force of the magnet  414 , and thus determines that the upper part  42  is not folded over the lower part  41  of the folding phone  40  shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 .  
         [0065]     On the other hand, when the magnetic plate  422  is close enough to the magnetic sensor  413  and magnet  414  as shown in  FIG. 11 , the magnetic force of the magnet  414  is transmitted through the magnetic plate  422  to the magnetic sensor  413 . Consequently, the magnetic sensor  413  detects the magnetic force of the magnet  414 . Thus, the magnetic sensor  413  determines that the upper part  42  is folded over the lower part  41  (see  FIG. 9 ) of the folding phone  40  shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 .  
         [0066]     In the folding phone  40  shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the magnetic sensor  413  and magnet  414  are placed almost side by side in the lower part  41 , making it possible to use a thin sheet for the magnetic plate  422 . Consequently, the folding phone is made thinner than the conventional folding phone shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  where the magnetic sensor and magnet are placed in the direction of thickness.  
         [0067]     By making the magnetic plate  422  a little wider, it is possible to ensure reliable detection even if the magnetic sensor  413  and magnet  414  are a little out of alignment, reduce the man hours required for position adjustments during assembly, and provide a structure resistant to misalignment due to a drop or the like.  
         [0068]      FIG. 12  is a schematic diagram showing a unitized sensor module while  FIG. 13 a  diagram showing an example of how the sensor module is used.  
         [0069]     In  FIG. 12 , the magnetic sensor  413  and magnet  414  are contained in the same case  415  to compose a sensor unit  400 .  
         [0070]     The use of the sensor unit  400  further reduces the number of assembly operations because, as shown in  FIG. 13 , the sensor unit  400  can be mounted on the circuit board  412  using the same number of man hours as when mounting the magnetic sensor  413  shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9  on the circuit board  412  and there is no need to fasten the magnet  414  to the case  411  separately from the magnetic sensor  413  (see  FIGS. 8 and 9 ). Also, the integration of the magnetic sensor  413  and magnet  414  prevents their misalignment, and thus further improves the reliability of open/close detection.  
         [0071]      FIGS. 14 and 15  are schematic diagrams showing a folding phone which is a second embodiment of a portable terminal device according to the present invention, where  FIG. 14  shows an open state and  FIG. 15  shows a closed state.  
         [0072]     A folding phone  50  shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15  consists of a lower part  51  and an upper part  52  pivotably supported by the lower part  51 , as is the case with the folding phone according to the first embodiment shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . The upper part  52  pivots with respect to the lower part  51  in the directions of arrows A and B in  FIG. 14  to switch between a closed state (folded state) (see  FIG. 15 ) and open state (see  FIG. 14 ).  
         [0073]     The lower part  51  contains a circuit board  512  in its case  511 . A magnetic sensor  513  is mounted on the circuit board  512 . Within the case  511  of the lower part  51 , a magnet  514  is mounted securely alongside the magnetic sensor  513 .  
         [0074]     On the other hand, the case  521  of the upper part  52  contains no element for open/close detection. Instead, the case  521  itself of the upper part  52  is made of magnetic material.  
         [0075]     Thus, according to the second embodiment shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the case  521  itself of the upper part  52  operates in the same manner as the magnetic plate  422  shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , and the opening and closing of the upper part  52  with respect to the lower part  51  are detected again according to the principle described with reference to  FIGS. 10 and 11 .  
         [0076]     Incidentally, although the entire case  521  of the upper part  52  is made of magnetic material according to the second embodiment, alternatively only that part of the case  521  of the upper part  52  may be made of magnetic material which overlaps the magnetic sensor  513  and magnet  514  when the folding phone  50  is folded (closed) as shown in  FIG. 15 .  
         [0077]      FIG. 16  is a schematic diagram showing a flip phone which is a third embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0078]     The flip phone  60  shown in  FIG. 16  consists of a main part  61  and a flipper  62  pivotably supported by the main part  61 . The flipper  62  opens and closes with respect to the main part  61  in the directions of arrows C and D.  
         [0079]     The main part  61  contains a circuit board  612  in its case  611 . A magnetic sensor  613  is mounted on that position of the circuit board  612  with which the flipper  62  overlaps when the flipper  62  is closed. Within the case  611  of the main part  61 , a magnet  614  is mounted securely almost alongside the magnetic sensor  613  mounted on the circuit board  612 .  
         [0080]     Regarding the flipper  62 , a plate member  621  itself composing the flipper  62  is made of magnetic material.  
         [0081]     With this flip phone  60 , again the opening and closing of the flipper  62  is detected according to the principle described with reference to  FIGS. 10 and 11 .  
         [0082]     The flip phone  60  is thinner in overall thickness as well as in the thickness of the flipper than the flip phone  20  in  FIG. 5  equipped with a conventional open/close detector.  
         [0083]      FIG. 17  is a schematic diagram showing a flip phone which is a fourth embodiment of the present invention while  FIG. 18  is a sectional view taken along line Y-Y in  FIG. 17 .  
         [0084]     As with the flip phone  60  shown in  FIG. 16 , the flip phone  70  shown in  FIGS. 17 and 18  consists of a main part  71  and a flipper  72  pivotably supported by the main part  71 , where the flipper  72  opens and closes with respect to the main part  71  in the same directions as arrows C and D shown in  FIG. 16 .  
         [0085]     The main part  71  contains a circuit board  712  in its case  711 . A magnetic sensor  713  is mounted on that position of the circuit board  712  which faces the upper end face  721   a  of a plate member  721  composing the flipper  72  when the flipper  72  is closed. Also, within the case  711  of the main part  71 , a magnet  714  is attached securely to a position which is adjacent to the magnetic sensor  713  and which faces the upper end face  721   a  of the plate member  721  when the flipper  72  is closed. The magnetic sensor  713  and magnet  714  are placed in such a way as to almost overlap each other in a direction perpendicular to the paper in  FIG. 17 . On the other hand, the plate member  721  composing the flipper  72  is made of magnetic material.  
         [0086]     In the flip phone  70  shown in  FIGS. 17 and 18 , the magnetic sensor  713  and magnet  714  are oriented with respect to each other in such a way that the magnetic force of the magnet  714  enters the plate member  721  of the closed flipper  72  through the upper end face  721   a  and exits the plate member  721  through the upper end face  721   a  where it is detected by the magnetic sensor  713 .  
         [0087]     The flip phone  70  shown in  FIGS. 17 and 18  differs from, for example, the flip phone  60  shown in  FIG. 16  in the direction of the magnetic sensor  713  and magnet  714  and in that the upper end face  721   a  of the plate member  721  of the flipper  72  is used, but the opening and closing of the flipper  72  with respect to the main part  71  is detected according to the principle described with reference to  FIGS. 10 and 11 .  
         [0088]     Again, it is possible to avoid overlap between the magnetic sensor  713  and magnet  714  in the direction of thickness, and thus reduce the thickness of the flip phone  70 .  
         [0089]      FIG. 19  is a schematic diagram showing a sliding phone which is a fifth embodiment of the present invention while  FIG. 20  is a sectional view taken along line Z-Z in  FIG. 19 .  
         [0090]     The sliding phone  80  shown in  FIGS. 19 and 20  consists of a main part  81  and a sliding part  82 . The sliding part  82  fits over the main part  81  as shown in  FIG. 20  and can slide along the main part  81  in the direction perpendicular to the paper in  FIG. 20 , i.e., in the directions of arrows E and F in  FIG. 19 .  
         [0091]     The main part  81  of the sliding phone  80  contains a circuit board  812  in its case  811 . A magnetic sensor  813  is attached securely to that position of the circuit board  812  with which the sliding part  82  overlaps when the sliding part  82  is closed, i.e., when the sliding part  82  slides in the direction of arrow F in  FIG. 19 .  
         [0092]     Also, within the case  811  of the main part  81  of the sliding phone  80 , a magnet  814  is attached securely, side by side with the magnetic sensor  813  mounted on the circuit board  812  in such a way as to face a member  821  composing the sliding part  82  when the sliding part  82  is closed. Incidentally, the member  821  itself composing the sliding part  82  is made of magnetic material.  
         [0093]     With this sliding phone  80 , again the opening and closing of sliding part  82  is detected according to the principle described with reference to  FIGS. 10 and 11 . Also, since the magnetic sensor  813  and magnet  814  do not overlap in the direction of thickness, the sliding phone  80  can be made thinner in overall thickness as well as in the thickness of the sliding part than the conventional one shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . Besides, the sliding phone  80  has greater tolerance for misalignment of the magnetic sensor  813  and magnet  814  than do conventional sliding phones, as is the case with the other embodiments described above.  
         [0094]     Incidentally, although cell phones have been described above, the present invention is not limited to cell phones. It can be applied to any type of portable terminal device, such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), equipped with a part which opens and closes.