Foldable electronic apparatus with an enhanced pivotal mechanism

A portable electronic apparatus includes a first casing, a second casing, and an enhanced pivotal mechanism for folding/unfolding the second casing with respect to the first casing. The pivotal mechanism further includes a main pivot to pivot the first casing and the second casing; a combination constructed on the first casing and further including a first driving element driven by the main pivot, a first cam driven by the first driving element, and a first cover pivotally rotated by the first cam; and, another combination constructed on the second casing and further including a second driving element driven by the main pivot, a second cam driven by the second driving element, and a second cover pivotally rotated by the second cam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a foldable electronic apparatus, and more particularly to a foldable portable electronic apparatus that has a multi-purpose pivotal mechanism.

(2) Description of the Prior Art

A foldable formation is usually seen in a portable electronic apparatus, such as a notebook computer, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, and so on. The notebook, for example, includes a first casing (the computer portion) and a second casing (the display portion) pivoted to the first casing along adjacent pairing sides to achieve the foldable formation.

In an unfolded state of a typical notebook computer, the computer portion is usually to be rested on a flat surface, while the display portion is pivotal to an appropriate oblique pose for easing user's eyesight. A keypad is set with an almost flush style to top the computer portion. From such a keypad design, a user might meet wrist or forearm discomfort in operating the keypad. To ease the discomfort from typing the horizontal-posed keypad, the computer portion is usually lifted up slightly at the pivotal side that extending the display portion, such that better typing scenery resembling to a traditional typewriter can be obtained.

In addition, to meet the prosperity in game software industry, it is a trend to introduce a specialist notebook computer for video games. Also, to mimic a gaming environment, it is usually hoped that the specialist computer game for video games can produce some magnificently brilliant video and audio entertainment effects resembling to, for example, those seen in a traditional play station.

Accordingly, to meet the aforesaid typing and entertainment requirements, this invention is to present an electronic device, particularly the notebook computer, that can provide its user both typing comfort and sufficient entertainment simultaneously and automatically.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable electronic apparatus with an enhanced pivotal mechanism. The portable electronic apparatus mainly includes a first casing, a second casing, and a pivotal mechanism for folding/unfolding the second casing with respect to the first casing. The pivotal mechanism further includes a main pivot, a first cover, a first cam, a first driving element, a second cover, a second cam, and a second driving element.

The first cover is pivotal to the first casing through a first pivot shaft. The first cam to drive the first cover is located inside the first casing in a relevant place adjacent the first cover. The first driving element has a first end to connect pivotally with the main pivot and to be driven thereby, and a second end to connect pivotally with the first cam as a driving element to rotate the first cam.

The second cover is pivotal to the second casing through a second pivot shaft. The second cam to drive the second cover is located inside the second casing in a relevant place adjacent the second cover. The second driving element has a third end to connect pivotally with the main pivot and to be driven thereby, and a fourth end to connect pivotally with the second cam as a driving element to rotate the second cam.

In the present invention, in the case that the second casing is pivotally unfolded from the first casing through rotating about the main pivot (an unfolded state between the first casing and the second casing), the first cam is also rotated along with the main pivot through the first driving element so as to push and unfold the first cover from the first casing through rotating about the first pivot shaft.

Similarly, at the same time that the second casing is pivotally unfolded from the first casing through rotating about the main pivot, the second cam is also rotated along with the main pivot through the second driving element so as to push and unfold the second cover from the second casing through rotating about the second pivot shaft.

On the other hand, in the case that the first casing and the second casing are in a folded state, the second casing is to fold on top of the first casing through the main pivot, the first cover is to fold into the first casing, and the second cover is to fold into the second casing.

By providing the enhanced pivotal mechanism of the present invention to the foldable electronic apparatus, rotation of the main pivot can be further used, though the respective linking bars and cams, to wing-spread automatically the first cover and the second cover from the first casing and the second casing, respectively. Upon such an arrangement, the unfolding of the first cover can be used to stand obliquely the first casing, and the unfolding of the second cover can be used to form a space for generating some audio and video entertainment effects behind the second casing.

All these objects are achieved by the foldable electronic apparatus with an enhanced pivotal mechanism described below.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention disclosed herein is directed to a foldable electronic apparatus with an enhanced pivotal mechanism. In the following description, numerous details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that variations of these specific details are possible while still achieving the results of the present invention. In other instance, well-known components are not described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention.

Referring now toFIG. 1andFIG. 2, a folded sate and an unfolded sate of a preferred foldable electronic apparatus with an enhanced pivotal mechanism are perspective shown, respectively. It is noted that an example of a typical notebook computer is herein embodied as the foldable electronic apparatus30of the present invention.

As shown, the foldable electronic apparatus30includes an enhanced pivotal mechanism32to fold/unfold a first casing36and the second casing38, strictly about the main pivot34of the enhanced pivotal mechanism32. By taking the notebook computer as the embodiment, the first casing36is the computer portion having the keypad, the hard disc, the mother board, and so on, while, on the other hand, the second casing38is the display portion having an LCD screen.

In the case that the second casing38is folded on top of the first casing36as the folded state shown inFIG. 1, a first cover40and a second cover50of the apparatus30can be nested adjacent the main pivotal shaft34in a flush manner to the first casing36and the second casing38, respectively. While the second casing38is unfolded away from the first casing36through rotating about the main pivot34to the unfolded state as shown inFIG. 2, the first cover40and the second cover50can be further unfolded from the first casing36and the second casing38, respectively.

In the case that the first cover40and the second cover50are in their own unfolded states as shown inFIG. 2, the first cover40can stand or lift the first casing36at a rear portion thereof by a substantial height such that a better typing angle can be provided to the user of the apparatus30, and the unfolded second cover50would expose specific light sources60built in between the second casing38and the second cover50such that, by illuminating the light sources60, a better video effect behind the second casing38can be produced.

Referring now toFIG. 3andFIG. 4, schematic lateral views respectively upon the folded state and the unfolded state of the apparatus30inFIG. 1orFIG. 2are shown to elucidate a preferred composition of the enhanced pivotal mechanism32for the apparatus30.

As shown, the enhanced pivotal mechanism32of the present invention includes the main pivot34, a first driving element46, a first cam44, a first pivot shaft42, the first cover40, a second driving element56, a second cam54, a second pivot shaft52, and the second cover50. By pivoting to the main pivot34, the first casing36and the second casing38can fold/unfold with each other as an openable two-page structure.

The first cover40is pivotal to the first casing36through a first pivot shaft42located at a middle place of the first casing36. The first cam44to drive the first cover40is located inside the first casing36in a relevant place adjacent the first cover40so as to push the first cover40all the way in motion with the rotation of the main pivot34. The first driving element46has a first end461(please add toFIG. 3andFIG. 4) to connect pivotally to a first peripheral point341(please add toFIG. 3andFIG. 4) on the main pivot34and to be driven thereby in an offset manner, and a second end462(please add toFIG. 3andFIG. 4) to connect pivotally with the first cam44as a driving element to rotate the first cam44in an offset manner. Actually, the combination of the main pivot34, the first driving element46and the first cam44forms a four-bar linkage extended inside the first casing36for driving the first cover40, with the main pivot34as the driving element and the first cam44as the driven element.

The second cover50is pivotal to the second casing38through a second pivot shaft52located at an end portion of the second casing38adjacent the main pivot34. The second cam54to drive the second cover50is located inside the second casing38in a relevant place adjacent the second cover50so as to push the second cover50all the way in motion with the rotation of the main pivot34. The second driving element56has a third end561(please add toFIG. 3andFIG. 4) to connect pivotally with a second peripheral point342(please add toFIG. 3andFIG. 4) on the main pivot34and to be driven thereby in an offset manner, and a fourth end562(please add toFIG. 3andFIG. 4) to connect pivotally with the second cam54as a driving element to rotate the second cam44in an offset manner. Actually, the combination of the main pivot34, the second driving element56and the second cam54forms another four-bar linkage extended inside the second casing38for driving the second cover50, with the main pivot34as the driving element and the second cam54as the driven element.

As shown inFIG. 3andFIG. 4, in the present pivotal mechanism32, the construction of the first driving element46and the second driving element56is carefully arranged to offset the rotation centers of the main pivot34, the first cam44and the second cam54. Upon such an arrangement, the rotation of the main pivot34can be relevantly adopted to drive the first cam44and the second came54.

As shown inFIG. 4, in the case that the second casing38is pivotally unfolded from the first casing36through rotating about the main pivot34so as to obtain the unfolded state in between, the first cam44can also rotate, actually driven by the main pivot34through the first driving element46, to push and unfold or wing-spread the first cover40away from the first casing36through rotating about the first pivot shaft42. As illustrated, the wing-spreading of the first cover40can perform as a stand of the rear portion (adjacent the second casing38) of the first casing36on the surface10that rests the apparatus30. Upon such an arrangement, the first casing36can pose an oblique state so as to further prepare the user a better typing keypad (not shown in the figures) on the first casing36.

Referred also toFIG. 4, while in the unfolded state of the apparatus30, the second cam54is rotated, actually driven by the main pivot34through the second driving element56, to push and unfold or wing-spread the second cover50away from the second casing38through rotating about the second pivot shaft52.

While, from the aforesaid description,FIG. 4can be understood how the unfolded state of the apparatus30can be obtained fromFIG. 3by rotating the main pivot34, it is self-explained how the folded state of the apparatus inFIG. 3can be achieved by counter-rotating the main pivot34inFIG. 4. Namely, it is obvious that the folded state of the apparatus to have the second casing38folded upon the first casing36so as to nest the first cover40into the first casing36can be simply achieved by corresponding rotation from the main pivot34though the first driving element46and the first cam44. Also, in the folded state, the second cover50can be retrieved into the second casing38by rotating the main pivot34and the following co-motion of the second linkage bar56and the second cam54.

It is well known in the art to an ordinary cam-follower mechanism, like the combination of the first cam44and the first cover40or that of the second cam54and the second cover50, that a spring element shall be included to provide resilience for ensuring all-time contact between the cam surface and the follower, i.e. the first cover or the second cover. The spring element can be a torsion spring at the pivot shaft, a tension spring connecting the follower and a fix structure mounting the cam, or any the like.

In the present invention, for the maturity in contour design of the cam structure, the configurations for the first cam44and the second cam54are not elucidated herein. However, to a skill person in the art, the formation of the cams would be obvious after he/she understands the teaching of foregoing description of the present invention.

In the present invention, though not clearly seen fromFIG. 1throughFIG. 4, special considerations in manufacturing rotational parts, rotational edges, corners to knee the rotational parts, and so on shall be still carefully noticed, such that possible interference won't happen to the rotation parts of the present invention. However, those interference amendments in structuring the apparatus are well known to the art and thus omitted herein.

Although, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention described above, the first cover40performs as a stand of the first casing36and the second cover50is used to expose the video elements (light sources)60built in the second casing38, yet the application of these two driven elements40and50shall not be limited to the aforesaid embodiment. In other application not shown here but well understood from the aforesaid description, the video elements60can also be built in the space between the first casing36and the first cover40, such that additional video effects can be obtained in the unfolded state of the first cover40.

Further, to control any of the video elements60, an ON/OFF switch62, preferably a touch switch, shall be included. The ON/OFF switch62can be constructed adjacent to the driven element40(as shown inFIG. 4) or50, the main pivot34, the linking bar46or56, the cam shaft44or54, or any other place that can be touched or untouched along with the folding motion of the apparatus30.

By providing the aforesaid enhanced pivotal mechanism32to the foldable electronic apparatus30in accordance with the present invention, folding rotation of the main pivot34can be successfully utilized, through the linking bar-cam-follower (driven element) pairs, to wing-spread automatically the first cover40and the second cover50from the first casing36and the second casing38, respectively. Preferably, the unfolding of the first cover40can be used to stand obliquely the first casing36, and the unfolding of the second cover50can initiate some audio and video entertainment effects behind the second casing38.

In the aforesaid embodiment, the first cover40as a retrievable stand to the first casing36is embodied as a broad pivotal plate. Yet, in other application, the first cover40can also be embodied as a pair of pivotal stands, take-off gears, or any other structure able to perform the similar function of the first cover40described above.

Similarly, in the aforesaid embodiment, the second cover50as a door to expose the light sources/video elements60at the second casing38is embodied as a broad pivotal plate. Yet, in other application, the second cover50can also be embodied as a fork structure to just cover the video elements60, isolated plates to individually each of the video elements60, or any other structure able to perform the similar function of the second cover50described above.

Further, in the aforesaid embodiment, the foldable electronic apparatus30is embodied as a notebook computer. Yet, in other application, the foldable electronic apparatus30can also be embodied as a foldable mobile phone, a foldable PDA, or any other foldable electronic device.