Apparatus providing for a curved device with hinged cover

A curved apparatus which remains stable when placed on a substantially flat surface is shown which has a base portion with an arcuately shaped back surface capable of resting on the substantially flat surface, a hinge rotatably fixed to the base portion, and a cover secured to the hinge and rotatable therewith, to prevent rocking of the base portion when the base portion's front surface is touched while the base portion is resting on the substantially flat surface. Other devices and systems are also disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to ergonomics, and more particularly to a method and 
apparatus for providing stability for a curved device with a hinged cover. 
Description of the Related Art 
Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in 
connection with telecommunication devices, strictly as an example, as 
there are many types of curved equipment that employ hinged covers. 
Heretofore, portable telecommunication handsets, such as cellular phones, 
have had backs which were relatively flat. These handsets were flat to 
prevent the phone from rocking when the pushbuttons on the front were 
depressed while it was positioned on a flat surface. 
Nevertheless, since human hands are curved, handsets with curved backs are 
more comfortable to use and easier to hold, from an ergonomics point of 
view, than handsets with flat backs. In designing such a handset, however, 
it was discovered that the unit rocked whenever a location on the front 
side of the handset were depressed while the unit were supported by a 
relatively flat surface. Accordingly, improvements which overcome this 
problem is presently desirable. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the above problem associated with the related art, it is an 
object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for providing 
stability for a curved device with a hinged cover. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a stable curved 
apparatus enabling one to use the apparatus while it is positioned on a 
relatively flat surface without the apparatus rocking or shifting. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which 
keeps the back of a curved telecommunications device from rocking or 
shifting whenever a user presses on the top surface of the curved device 
while it is positioned on a relatively flat surface. 
These and other objects are accomplished in a preferred embodiment by 
providing a curved apparatus which remains stable when placed on a 
substantially flat surface. The curved apparatus has a substantially flat 
surface, a base portion with an arcuately shaped back surface capable of 
resting on a substantially flat surface, a hinge rotatably fixed to the 
base portion, and a cover secured to the hinge and rotatable therewith, 
disposed on the flat surface to prevent rocking of the base portion when 
the base portion's front surface is touched while the base portion is 
resting on the substantially flat surface. 
These and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent 
to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of 
preferred embodiments, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in 
which:

Corresponding numerals and symbols in the different FIGURES refer to 
corresponding parts unless otherwise indicated. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
While numerous and varied apparatus which are normally operated while 
positioned on relatively flat surfaces, such as calculator type devices, 
portable video games, etc., would benefit from the present invention, the 
following description will detail an example apparatus from the 
telecommunications area in demonstrating preferred embodiments. 
Looking now at FIG. 1, which shows an example of a telecommunications 
device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
Handset 10 includes receiver 12 and LCD display area screen 15 (not 
shown). LCD cover 20 protects LCD screen 15 when handset 10 is not in use. 
FIG. 2 shows a side view of handset 10, in its "closed" position, resting 
face-down on surface 25. As can be seen, handset 10 is preferably 
arcuately shaped. Hinge 30 connects handset 10 to LCD cover 20. FIG. 3 
depicts an alternative side view of handset 10, this time with LCD cover 
20 in its "talk" position. When configured in this fashion, one may use 
handset 10 as a telephone. 
Looking now at FIG. 4, handset 10 is again resting on surface 25. This 
time, however, LCD cover 20 is in its "open" position, and handset 10 is 
laying on its back, with LCD screen 15 exposed. As can be seen, end 35 of 
LCD cover 20 is even with the center of hinge 30. FIG. 4 demonstrates the 
spatial relationship between hinge 30 and surface 25 upon which it rests, 
as well as how the invention prevents rocking or shifting by handset 10, 
namely the provision of two points of contact (A and B) to support handset 
10. 
FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment to that seen in FIG. 4, namely 
handset 10 is more sharply curved and LCD cover 20 connects to hinge 30 
such that end 35 extends beyond hinge 30. Again, rocking or shifting of 
handset 10 is prevented by the provision of two points of contact (A and 
B). It should be noted that the combination achieved by making handset 10 
more or less arcuate, together with the exact position of end 35 is 
determined by aesthetics and should in no way limit the present invention. 
Additionally, receiver 12 and LCD screen 15, as shown in FIGS. 3-5, are 
provided strictly for perspective and ease of understanding. 
It can be seen that according to a preferred embodiment of the present 
invention, LCD cover 20 of curved handset 10 pivots about point A such 
that LCD cover 20 supports handset 10 while allowing it to lay on a flat 
surface, such as a tabletop or dashboard, without rocking or movement. 
When handset 10 is laid on relatively flat surface 25 and LCD cover 20 
opened all the way, LCD screen 15 is exposed on the top surface, while the 
back of handset 10 is curved. Without the present invention, the handset 
will rock. Thus, according to the present invention, when someone presses 
desired locations on the top surface of handset 10, most likely on LCD 
screen 15, while handset 10 is laying flat (in its "open" position) on 
surface 25, it does not rock or shift. The opened LCD cover 20 supports 
curved handset 10 by providing two points at which handset 10 would touch 
surface 25, at point A corresponding to hinge 30 and at point B 
corresponding to the curved back of handset 10. 
Moving now to FIGS. 6a-b, hinge 30 is shown in greater detail. FIG. 6a 
depicts cover 20 separated from handset 10 to show the inner workings of 
hinge 30. Hinge ends 40a,d are identical and are situated on handset 10; 
similarly, identical hinge ends 40b,c are part of cover 20. Hinge end 40a 
is shown bearing hinge axis 45 and three indents 50,55,60 into which pin 
65 extends. Cover 20 bears pin 65 which engages indents 50,55,60 when 
cover 20 is moved circumferentially about hinge axis 45, thus enabling LCD 
cover 20 to lock into desired fixed positions as it rotates. Pin 65, which 
is shown only on hinge end 40c, because it cannot be seen in FIG. 6a on 
hinge end 40b, is held in engagement with the surface of hinge end 40, and 
indents 50,55,60 as they are encountered, by spring mechanism 70. 
Each indent corresponds to a particular desired position at which cover 20 
will stop. Indent 50 corresponds to the "closed" position seen in FIG. 2, 
indent 55 corresponds to the "talk" position of FIG. 3, while indent 60 
corresponds to the "open" position depicted in FIGS. 4 or 5. At this point 
it should be noted that the number of indents is based upon the desired 
closed and opening positions, is a matter of choice or preference, and 
should not limit the scope of the present invention. 
Continuing with FIG. 6b, hinge ends 40c,d are shown in fragmented 
perspective to demonstrate spring mechanism 70 holding pin 65 in direct 
engagement with indent 50. When such is the case, cover 20 is held in its 
"closed" position. 
Hinge 30 may also be aided by a cam or some other means that interupts 
cover 20 at least one preselected position during its rotational movement, 
rather than spring mechanism 70 and pin 65. FIG. 7 depicts yet a further 
alternate hinge according to a preferred embodiment of the present 
invention. Projection 75, positioned on handset 10, engages with indents 
50,55,60 located on cover 20 (indent 60 cannot be seen in FIG. 7 as 
drawn). Projection 75 is a resilient "bump" that remains in contact with 
hinge 30 as cover 20 rotates. Although not shown, it is also possible for 
projection 75 to be located on cover 20, with indents 50,55,60 positioned 
on handset 10. 
It should be realized that although the preferred embodiments shown herein 
involve telecommunication devices, the present invention would be 
applicable to any other curved product that needs to lie on a relatively 
flat surface without rocking, such as calculators, small notebook-sized 
computers, portable game processors, portable monitors, appliances, etc. 
While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, 
various modifications and alternate embodiments will occur to those 
skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be 
limited only in terms of the appended claims.