Handheld type electronic device

A handheld type electronic device includes a main device body, a screen body, and first and second limiting mechanisms provided between the main device body and the screen body. The main device body includes a depression. The screen body is provided between left and right inner walls of the depression. The first limiting mechanism includes a pair of first protrusions and a pair of second recesses. The first protrusions extend resiliently and respectively into the first recesses to limit the screen body at a flipped-up state. The second limiting mechanism includes at least one second protrusion, and a second recess. The second protrusion is disposed to extend into the second recess to limit the screen body at a folded state. The second protrusion is subjectable to a force to withdraw from the second recess to enable the screen body to be flipped upward relative to the depression.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application No. 097208466, filed on May 15, 2008.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a handheld type electronic device, more particularly to a handheld type electronic device with a screen that can be flipped up.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, a handheld type electronic device1disclosed in Taiwanese Publication No. 263698 includes a main device body11and a screen body12. The main device body11has a top face provided with a key or button set111. The screen body12has a top face provided with a display screen121. Slide grooves112and projecting axles122are correspondingly provided between the main device body11and the screen body12, whereby the screen body12is switchable between a first state, where the screen body12overlaps the main device body11to conceal the button set111, and a second state, where the screen body12is slid out relative to the main device body11to expose the button set111. When the screen body12is slid out relative to the main device body11, the screen body12is pivotable upwardly relative to the main device body11to adjust the angle of the display screen121so as to facilitate viewing of the display screen121.

One drawback of the aforementioned handheld type electronic device1is that, when the screen body12is pivoted upwardly relative to the main device body11to adjust the viewing angle, since there is no other positioning mechanism between the screen body12and the main device body11, the screen body12is likely to flip down back to a flat position due to its weight, so that stability is rather inadequate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a handheld type electronic device with a screen that has positioning functionality when pivotally turned to a flipped-up position so as to enhance stability.

Accordingly, the handheld type electronic device of this invention includes a main device body, a screen body, a first limiting mechanism, and a second limiting mechanism. The main device body includes a top face and a depression that is recessed from the top face. The depression has left and right inner walls.

The screen body includes left and right outer walls, is provided between the left and right inner walls of the depression, and is switchable between a folded state, where the screen body is accommodated in the depression, and a flipped-up state, where the screen body is flipped upward relative to the depression.

The first limiting mechanism includes a pair of first protrusions and a pair of first recesses. One of the pair of first protrusions and the pair of first recesses is provided on and proximate to front ends of the left and right inner walls of the depression. The other of the pair of first protrusions and the pair of first recesses is provided on and proximate to front ends of the left and right outer walls. The first protrusions are disposed to extend resiliently and respectively into the first recesses such that the screen body is limited at the flipped-up state.

The second limiting mechanism includes at least one second protrusion and a second recess corresponding to the second protrusion. One of the second protrusion and the second recess is provided on one of the left and right inner walls of the depression. The other of the second protrusion and the second recess is provided on a corresponding one of the left and right outer walls of the screen body. The second protrusion is disposed to extend into the second recess such that the screen body is limited at the folded state. The second protrusion is subjectable to a force to be withdrawn from the second recess so as to enable the screen body to be flipped up relative to the depression.

According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, the first protrusions project resiliently and respectively from the left and right outer walls of the screen body, and the first recesses are provided respectively in the left and right inner walls of the depression.

According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, the first limiting mechanism further includes a pair of third recesses provided respectively in the left and right inner walls. The first recess in each of the left and right inner walls is spaced apart from a corresponding one of the third recesses. When the first protrusions extend respectively into the third recesses, the screen body is limited at the folded state.

According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, the screen body further includes a plurality of resilient members and two connecting bodies. Each of the connecting bodies is connected to the first protrusion and the second protrusion on a same one of the left and right outer walls of the screen body. The resilient members are provided within the screen body for enabling the first protrusions and the second protrusions to project resiliently from the left and right outer walls of the screen body.

According to a preferred embodiment of this invention, the outer walls of the screen body and the inner walls of the depression are interconnected slidably by virtue of the arrangement of guide slots and sliding axles.

The present invention utilizes the limiting function provided by the limiting mechanisms between the main device body and the screen body to enable the screen body to have a positioning function when adjusted and pivoted to a flipped-up state, thereby maintaining the stability of the screen body in the flipped-up state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 3 to 5, the preferred embodiment of a handheld type electronic device200according to this invention is embodied in a cell phone, but may actually be any other handheld type electronic device such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, etc. In this embodiment, the handheld type electronic device200includes a main device body2, a screen body3, a first limiting mechanism, and a second limiting mechanism.

The main device body2includes a main device casing23, a plurality of electronic components24disposed in the main device casing23, and a plurality of keys or buttons25. The main device casing23has a top face21and a depression22that is recessed from the top face21. The buttons25are provided on the main device casing23, and are exposed from the top face21. In terms of orientation, the buttons25are located in front of the depression22. The depression22has left and right inner walls222. Each of the left and right inner walls222is provided with a guide slot226proximate to a front end thereof.

The screen body3includes a screen casing32, a display panel33disposed within the screen casing32and connected electrically (through ribbon wires or a flexible circuit board300) to the electronic components24of the main device body2, and two sliding axles36. The display panel33may be a touch panel or an ordinary display panel. The screen casing32has a front edge321, a rear edge322, and left and right outer walls31. Each of the left and right outer walls31has a first opening311and a second opening312spaced apart from each other, the functions of which will be described hereinafter. The two sliding axles36respectively project from front ends of the left and right outer walls31of the screen casing32for extension into the guide slots226in the left and right inner walls222of the main device casing23, respectively.

The first limiting mechanism includes a first recess223and a third recess225provided in and proximate to a front end of each of the left and right inner walls222of the main device casing23, and two first protrusions4projecting resiliently and respectively from the left and right outer walls31of the screen casing32. In this embodiment, the first recesses223and the third recesses225are holes. The first protrusions4are respectively proximate to the front ends of the left and right outer walls31.

The second limiting mechanism includes two second recesses224provided respectively in the left and right inner walls222of the main device casing23and distal from the front ends of the left and right inner walls222, respectively, and two second protrusions5provided respectively on the left and right outer walls31of the screen casing32and corresponding respectively to the two second recesses224. In this embodiment, the second recesses224are through holes extending through the main device casing23. Moreover, each of the left and right inner walls222of the depression22is indented at a suitable position to form an indentation227. The second recesses224are respectively located in the indentations227in the left and right inner walls222.

In addition, in this embodiment, the screen body3further includes a plurality of resilient members34and two connecting bodies351. Each of the connecting bodies351is provided between one of left and right sides of the display panel33and a respective one of the left and right outer walls31. Each of the connecting bodies351is connected to the first and second protrusions4,5on a same one of the left and right outer walls31of the screen casing32. The resilient members34in this embodiment are compression springs. Each of the resilient members34abuts against and is disposed between a corresponding one of the left and right sides of the display panel33and a corresponding one of the connecting bodies351such that the first and second protrusions4,5extend resiliently and outwardly of the left and right outer walls31through the first and second openings311,312, respectively.

Referring toFIGS. 3,4,6and7, the screen body3has the two sliding axles36that extend into the two guide slots226in the main device body2and is disposed between the left and right inner walls222of the depression22. Thus, the screen body3may be switched between a folded state, where it is accommodated in and lies flat within the depression22(as shown inFIG. 6), and a flipped-up state, where it is flipped upward relative to the depression22(as shown inFIG. 7).

When the screen body3is disposed in the folded state, the first protrusions4on both sides of the screen body3extend respectively into the third recesses225in the left and right inner walls222of the depression22, whereas the second protrusions5extend respectively into the second recesses224, thereby limiting the screen body3at the folded state.

When the user intends to flip the screen body3upward from the folded state to the flipped-up state, the two second protrusions5of the screen body3at the second recesses224on both sides of the main device casing23are first pressed (as indicated by arrows61inFIG. 3), so that the two second protrusions5are withdrawn from the second recesses224of the main device casing23, respectively. Subsequently, the user can use the other hand to push a top face of the screen body3that is proximate to the front edge321to move the screen body3rearwardly (as indicated by the arrow62inFIG. 3),50that the sliding axles36on both sides of the screen body3slide downward along the guide slots226, respectively, and the entire screen body3is flipped up relative to the depression22until the first protrusions4extend respectively into the first recesses223, thereby limiting the screen body3at the flipped-up state.

It is additionally noted that, in this embodiment, the first protrusion4and the second protrusion5on the same side of the screen body3are connected through the corresponding connecting body351so as to be movable in association. Thus, when the second protrusions5are pressed, the first protrusions4will be moved in association therewith to withdraw from the third recesses225, thereby facilitating flipping of the screen body3from the folded state to the flipped-up state by the user. In addition, in this embodiment, since the second recesses224are located in the indentations227in the left and right inner walls222, the depth to which the through holes of the second recesses224extend respectively through the left and right inner walls222is decreased. Thus, when the screen body3is in the folded state, the user can cause the second protrusions5to withdraw respectively from the second recesses224to thereby release their interference with the main device casing23without being required to press the second protrusions5too deep.

When the user intends to fold the screen body3once again, it is merely necessary to press the two second protrusions5to withdraw the two first protrusions4respectively from the first recesses223and to subsequently pivot the screen body3downward such that the two second protrusions5extend respectively into the two second recesses224and that the two first protrusions4extend respectively into the two third recesses225. Thus, the screen body3can be restored to the folded state where it is accommodated in the depression22.

In this embodiment, distal ends of the first and second protrusion4,5are configured to be round-headed so that, when the second protrusions5are pressed and are simultaneously subjected to the pushing force applied to the front edge321of the screen body3, even if the second protrusions5are not completely withdrawn from the second recesses224, the round-headed distal ends can serve to guide the second protrusions5out of the second recesses224. Certainly, the distal ends of the first and second protrusions4,5may have other forms of guiding configurations other than the round-headed structure. In addition, parts of a bottom face of the screen casing32that are respectively proximate to the front edge321and the rear edge322may be configured to be curved in shape (as shown inFIGS. 6 and 7), so that the bottom face of the screen body3is not likely to get stuck in the depression22and cannot be flipped upward when the user applies a force to push the screen body3rearwardly.

In this embodiment, the second protrusions5are provided on left and right sides of the screen body3. However, the screen body3may be provided with only one second protrusion5in other embodiments of the invention. In this case, the user only needs to press one side of the screen body3. In addition, although the first protrusions4are provided to extend respectively into the third recesses225when the screen body3is in the folded state in this embodiment, the third recesses225may be dispensed with in practice, so that the first protrusions4are squeezed by the left and right inner walls222of the depression22to withdraw respectively into the left and right outer walls31of the screen casing32when the screen body3is in the folded state, and extend respectively into the first recesses223to effect the limiting function when the screen body3is pushed to the flipped-up state. Furthermore, in other embodiments of the invention, the first protrusions4may be provided respectively on the left and right inner walls222of the depression22, and the first and third recesses223,224maybe provided on the left and right outer walls31of the screen body3.

In sum, the handheld type electronic device200according to the present invention utilizes the above-described structure to enable the screen body3to be flipped up as desired for adjusting the viewing angle of the screen body3to facilitate viewing by the user. In addition, through the arrangement of the first and second limiting mechanisms, the screen body3can be positioned when in the flipped-up state, thereby enhancing stability of the screen body3in the flipped-up state.