Crescent hinge

A portable electronic device includes a base or first member, a flip or second member, and a hinge mechanism pivotally connecting the second member to the first member for pivotal movement between a closed position and an open position. The hinge mechanism includes a first semi-annular elongated recess and a semi-annular elongated concave member with a semi-annular elongated concave surface, the semi-annular elongated rotation member being pivotally and slidably disposed within the first semi-annular elongated recess, and the semi-annular elongated concave surface of the semi-annular elongated rotation member being exposed when the first member and the second member are in the closed position and being not exposed when the first member and the second member are in the open position.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to portable electronic devices including first and second members pivotally connected together, and, in particular, to flip-phone or clamshell type wireless communication devices.

BACKGROUND

Flip phone or clamshell wireless communication devices are popular type of wireless communication device (e.g., cell phone). A flip phone includes a base and a flip pivotally connected to each other via a hinge having an axial support. To open the flip phone (e.g., to make a call or take an incoming call), the flip is rotated upward, away from the base, about the axial support of the hinge. To close the flip phone (e.g., after ending a call), the flip is rotated toward the base, about the axial support of the hinge, until the face of the flip and the face of the base come together.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the invention involves a portable electronic device including a new hinge mechanism for pivotally connecting a base or first member to a flip or second member. The portable electronic device includes a first member having a front with a display; a second member having a front with one or more input keys; and a hinge mechanism pivotally connecting the second member to the first member for pivotal movement between a closed position where the front of the second member is adjacent to and directly opposes the front of the first member, and an open position where the front of the first member and the front of the second member generally face in the same direction. The hinge mechanism includes a first semi-annular elongated recess and a semi-annular elongated concave member with a semi-annular elongated concave surface, the semi-annular elongated rotation member being pivotally and slidably disposed within the first semi-annular elongated recess, and the semi-annular elongated concave surface of the semi-annular elongated rotation member being exposed when the first member and the second member are in the closed position and being not exposed when the first member and the second member are in the open position.

Another aspect of the invention involves a method of using a portable electronic device, the portable electronic device including a first member including a front with a display, a second member including a front with one or more input keys, and a hinge mechanism pivotally connecting the second member to the first member, the hinge mechanism including a first semi-annular elongated recess and a semi-annular elongated concave member with a semi-annular elongated concave surface, the semi-annular elongated rotation member pivotally and slidably disposed within the first semi-annular elongated recess. The method includes opening the portable electronic device, based on user input, by pivoting the second member to an open position relative to the first member via the semi-annular elongated rotation member pivoting within the first semi-annular elongated recess, wherein in the open position the front of the first member and the front of the second member generally face in the same direction and the semi-annular elongated concave surface of the semi-annular elongated rotation member is not exposed; and closing the portable electronic device, based on user input, by pivoting the second member to a closed position relative to the first member via the semi-annular elongated rotation member pivoting within the first semi-annular elongated recess, wherein in the closed position the front of the second member is adjacent to and directly opposes the front of the first member and the semi-annular elongated concave surface of the semi-annular elongated concave member is exposed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference toFIGS. 1-8, an embodiment of portable electronic device100including a hinge mechanism constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention will be described. Although portable electronic device100is shown and described as being a flip phone or clamshell wireless communication device, in alternative embodiments, portable electronic device100is a portable electronic device other than a wireless communication device. For example, but not by way of limitation, in an alternative embodiment, portable electronic device100is a PDA.

Portable electronic device100includes base or first member (“base”)110and flip or second member (“flip”)120pivotally connected together via hinge mechanism130. Flip120of portable electronic device100includes front135with display/monitor/screen (“display”)140that is coupled to electronics within base110via one or more data cables150(FIGS. 4,5). Base110includes front152with a variety of input keys155(e.g., numeric keypad keys) that are used for inputting data into portable electronic device100. Base includes microphone158. Although not shown, portable electronic device100includes a speaker, an antenna, and appropriate electronic circuitry and/or software for controlling the wireless functions and other functions described herein.

Both base110and flip120include respective connection sections160,170adjacent hinge mechanism130that have a bent profile (seeFIGS. 4,7) relative to the remainder of base110and flip120. Connections sections160,170include respective opposing angled face sections180,190. Base110terminates in angled end200.

Hinge mechanism130is located in connection sections160,170of base110and flip120. Hinge mechanism130includes first semi-annular elongated recess210in connection section160of base110and semi-annular elongated rotation member220, which forms second semi-annular elongated recess225. Second semi-annular elongated recess225extends laterally across a rear of the flip120, from one side to an opposite side. Flip120terminates in semi-annular elongated rotation member220. Semi-annular elongated recess210and semi-annular elongated recess225include a radius of curvature that is substantially the same. First semi-annular elongated recess210is defined by first semi-annular concave elongated surface230. Semi-annular elongated rotation member220includes outer convex elongated surface240slidably disposed within first semi-annular concave elongated surface230. Semi-annular elongated rotation member220includes second semi-annular inner concave elongated surface250. Second semi-annular elongated recess225is defined by second semi-annular concave elongated surface250.

As used herein, “semi-annular” means partially annular (i.e., less than a full circle). As shown in the drawings, the semi-annular elements have substantially half circle cross-sections. In alternative embodiments, one or more elements of the hinge mechanism include semi-annular elements with cross sections (e.g., penannular, partially annular) that are other than half circles.

As shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, data cable(s)150extend from inside base110, between outer convex elongated surface240and first semi-annular concave elongated surface230, and into flip120.

With reference toFIGS. 4-6, semi-annular elongated rotation member220is pivotally and slidably connected to base connection section160, within semi-annular elongated recess210, via one or more jockey(s)260and slide slot(s)270. Jockey260forms a sliding mechanism that includes base member280and retaining member290connected via slide member300. Connection section160of base110includes retaining section310that houses and retains base member280of jockey260. Semi-annular elongated rotation member220includes a semi-annular slide pocket320that slidably receives retaining member290of jockey260. During pivot and sliding movement of semi-annular elongated rotation member220relative to semi-annular elongated recess210, slide slot270of semi-annular elongated rotation member220slides over and relative to slide member300of jockey260. Retaining member290includes a width that is wider than slide slot270, causing retaining member290to be retained within semi-annular slide pocket320as semi-annular elongated rotation member220pivots and slides relative to semi-annular elongated recess210.

In an alternative embodiment, hinge mechanism130includes a single jockey260and single slot270in a central part of semi-annular elongated rotation member220. In further embodiments, the hinge mechanism includes one or more jockeys260and/or slots270at one or more locations other than those described herein.

In a further embodiment, connection section160includes jockeys260disposed at opposite ends of connection section160with retaining members290that extend inwardly (into semi-annular slide pocket320) to retain semi-annular elongated rotation member220to semi-annular slide pocket320.

In a still further embodiment, second inner concave elongated surface250is made of a flexible material and/or includes a flexible material liner and is configured to receive an instrument such as, but not limited to, a stylus, a pen, and a pencil.

With reference to FIGS.1and6-8, in use, to open portable electronic device100, flip120is pivotally slid relative to base110from the position shown inFIGS. 2 and 7to the position shown inFIGS. 1 and 6. As flip120is moved from the closed position to the open position relative to base110, slide slot270of semi-annular elongated rotation member220slides over and relative to slide member300of jockey260. As this pivotal sliding movement occurs, retaining member290of jockey260retains semi-annular elongated rotation member220to semi-annular slide pocket320. In the open position, front135of flip120and front152of base110generally face in the same direction (e.g., towards the user). In the open position, second inner concave elongated surface250faces the is not exposed; second inner concave elongated surface250and first inner concave elongated surface250together form a substantially cylindrical void.

The portable electronic device100is closed in an opposite manner to that described above. Flip120is pivotally slid relative to base110from the open position shown inFIGS. 1 and 6to the closed position shown inFIGS. 2 and 7. As flip120is moved from the open position to the closed position relative to base110, slide slot270of semi-annular elongated rotation member220slides over and relative to slide member300of jockey260. As this pivotal sliding movement occurs, retaining member290of jockey260retains semi-annular elongated rotation member220to semi-annular slide pocket320. In the closed position, front135of flip120is adjacent to and directly opposes front152of base110and second semi-annular elongated recess225coincides with, is coaxial with, and is recessed within, and is concave in the same direction as first semi-annular elongated recess210. In the closed position, the second inner concave elongated surface250is exposed as shown inFIG. 2.