Abstract:
A sliding mechanism with changeable paths and a cellular phone are disclosed. The sliding mechanism comprises a sliding plate, a V-shaped resilience device, and a fixed plate. The sliding plate is fixed to a sliding portion of the cellular phone, and the fixed plate is fixed on a holding base of the cellular phone. When the sliding plate is pushed to move a predetermined distance, the sliding plate can be driven by the resilient force of the V-shaped resilience device to automatically slide with respect to a V-shaped support having a turning ring and along guiding slots and guiding edges on the fixed plate. The sliding plate can automatically slide through a remaining portion of a path when the sliding plate is first pushed to move a predetermined distance, thereby enabling answering or hanging up of the cellular phone semi-automatically.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a sliding mechanism and a cellular phone having the same. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    The penetration rate of cellular phones is higher than ever, and such phones are ubiquitous in modern society. Therefore, cellular phone manufacturers produce a variety of cellular phones to provide more choices. For example, there are many ways to answer/hang up a call, such as clicking a button, folding up the phone, or sliding the cover. 
         [0005]    A traditional sliding mechanism for cellular phones is disclosed in Taiwan patents No. M348449 and No. M354994, in which a cover of the phone is opened or closed automatically by pressing a wire-wound spring or SA spring to generate a resilient force. However, the wire-wound spring could have problems such as spring fatigue, and the SA spring tends to increase the manufacturing cost. 
         [0006]    Additionally, other labor-saving techniques are disclosed in Taiwan patent No.I299075 and M348430. In these patents, a user has to push a cover or a sliding plate of the phone for more than half of the total distance for the cover/sliding sliding plate to finish the remaining portion of the path automatically, making it inconvenient for users. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a sliding mechanism with changeable paths, which uses the combination of a turning ring, guiding slots, and a guiding edge to guide a V-shaped resilience device to slide through different paths when a user opens or closes a cover of a cellular phone. The guiding edge is implemented such that a spring is compressed to generate a resilient force when the V-shaped resilience device is sliding along the guiding edge. Thereafter, the resilient force will be released to assist the V-shaped resilience device to slide through the remaining path automatically, while the user needs only to push a sliding plate of the cellular phone for a predetermined distance (for example, 30% of the total path, which is less than 50% of the path). In other words, the user can slightly push the cover to cause the cover to open/close automatically. Furthermore, the V-shaped resilience device solves the problems of high cost and spring fatigue that the wire-wound spring could encounter; and it can provide nearly automatic cover open/close operations for the cellular phone. 
         [0008]    In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a sliding mechanism with changeable paths for a cellular phone, wherein the cellular phone is provided for a user to answer or hang up a call by sliding the sliding mechanism of the cellular phone. The sliding mechanism comprises a sliding plate, a V-shaped resilience device, and a fixed plate. The sliding plate is fixed to the sliding portion of the cellular phone; the sliding plate comprises a plurality of fan-shaped spaces, wherein each one of the plurality of fan-shaped spaces is facing each other with respect to an axis. The V-shaped resilience device is fixed on the sliding plate. The V-shaped resilience device has each end disposed in each one of the plurality of fan-shaped spaces, respectively. 
         [0009]    The V-shaped resilience device comprises a plurality of spring elements, a V-shaped support, and a plurality of connectors. The V-shaped support comprises a turning ring having at least one guiding protrusion extending downward. The plurality of connectors each connect with one end of the V-shaped support respectively, and each one of the plurality of connectors has at least one supporting portion; each supporting portion corresponds to one spring element, and each spring element is disposed between one connector and the V-shaped support. The fixed plate is fixed to the holding base. The fixed plate comprises a plurality of guiding slots and a guiding edge, wherein the plurality of guiding slots and the guiding edge can be used to change a sliding path of the sliding plate. One of the connectors is in contact with the guiding edge to press at least one of the plurality of spring elements to generate a resilient force, which causes the at least one guiding protrusion in the plurality of guiding slots to slide along at least one of the plurality of guiding slots. 
         [0010]    Additionally, the present invention provides a cellular phone comprising a holding base, a sliding portion that is driven by a sliding mechanism to slide back and forth with respect to the holding base, and the sliding mechanism. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of a cellular phone of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates a 3D perspective view of a sliding mechanism of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates a 3D perspective view of a V-shaped resilience device of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4   a - c  illustrate diagrams showing the operation of the V-shaped resilience device and the guiding edge when the cover of the cellular phone is open; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5   a - c  illustrate diagrams showing the operation of the V-shaped resilience device and the guiding edge when the cover of the cellular phone is closed; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 6   a - g  illustrate diagrams showing the operation of the turning ring and the guiding slot of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]    The advantages and innovative features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
         [0018]    Please refer to  FIG. 1 ; the present invention provides a sliding mechanism  12  with changeable paths for a cellular phone  1 , wherein the cellular phone is designed such that a user can answer a call by pushing a sliding portion  11  (along the direction of the arrow) of the cellular phone  1  forward to cause the sliding portion  11  of the sliding mechanism  12  to slide with respect to a holding base  13 , or disconnect a call by pushing the sliding portion  11  backward to slide the sliding portion  11 . 
         [0019]    Please refer to  FIG. 2 ; the sliding mechanism  12  with changeable paths comprises a sliding plate  121 , a V-shaped resilience device  122 , and a fixed plate  123 . The sliding plate  121  has a plurality of fan-shaped spaces  1211  disposed with respect to an axis, and each of the fan-shaped spaces faces the other, thereby providing the space for the V-shaped resilience device  122  during operation. A shaft pin B 1  is used at the axis to connect the V-shaped resilience device  122  and the sliding plate  121  such that the V-shaped resilience device  122  can slide along with the sliding plate  121 . The sliding plate  121  is disposed with tooth-like Π-shaped grooves on both of its sides, with each Π-shaped groove comprising a guiding strip made of POM at its cover to prevent the sliding portion  11  of the sliding mechanism  12  from metal scratching when sliding along the holding base  13 . 
         [0020]    Please refer to  FIG. 3 ; the V-shaped resilience device  122  comprises a plurality of spring elements  1221 , a V-shaped support  1222 , and a plurality of connectors  1223 . Although in this embodiment, the spring elements  1221  are illustrated with wire-wound springs, the spring elements  1221  are not limited to wire-wound springs. The V-shaped support  1222  comprises a turning ring  12221  and at least one guiding protrusion  12222  extending downward. The turning ring  12221  is fixed to the V-shaped support  1222  by at least one fixing device such as a pin B 2 . Although in this embodiment the turning ring  12221  and the V-shaped support  1222  are separate components, those who are familiar with the art should know that the turning ring  12221  can be a part of the V-shaped support  1222  and does not need the pin B 1  to fix it to the V-shaped support  1222 . 
         [0021]    Each one of the plurality of connectors  1223  is connected to one side of the V-shaped support  1222  respectively, with each connector  1223  being disposed with at least one supporting portion  12231 . Each supporting portion  12231  corresponds with each spring element  1221  to dispose each spring element  1221  between each connector  1223  and the at least one supporting portion  12231 , thereby fixing the spring elements  1221  and making a space (such as a compressing space for the wire-wound spring) for the spring elements  1221  to be compressed to accumulate resilient force and to expand after compression. 
         [0022]    Please refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4   a - c ; the fixed plate  123  comprises a plurality of guiding slots  1231  and a guiding edge  1232 , wherein the plurality of guiding slots  1231  and the guiding edge  1232  can be used to change a sliding path of the sliding plate  121 . The plurality of guiding slots  1231  is designed with two loops of guiding slots for the sliding plate  121  and the V-shaped resilience device  122  to slide back and forth on the fixed plate  123 . Furthermore, the guiding edge  1232  is an irregular loop that helps to compress or release the connectors  1223  of the V-shaped resilience device  122  when the sliding plate  121  is sliding. A roller, as shown in  FIG. 3 , can be disposed for touching the guiding edge  1232  when sliding. When one of the connectors  1223  of the V-shaped resilience device  122  is first compressed and then released, the spring elements  1221  can generate a resilient force, while the fan-shaped spaces  1211  can provide spaces for the connectors  1223  of the V-shaped resilience device  122  to move, as shown in  FIG. 4   a - 4   c.  Therefore, the resilient force generated by the spring elements  1221  can cause the sliding plate  121  and the V-shaped resilience device  122  to slide automatically. Further operations of the guiding edge  1232  and the guiding slots  1231  are detailed below. 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIG. 4   a , when the cover of the cellular phone  1  is closed, only the roller  1224  of the connector  1223  at the right side will be in contact with the right guiding edge  1232 , wherein the relative positions of the plurality of guiding protrusions  12222  in the plurality of guiding slots  1231  are shown in  FIG. 6   a . Please refer back to  FIG. 4   a ; when the cover of a cellular phone is opening, that is, the sliding plate  121  is sliding upward, the plurality of the guiding protrusions  12222  are in the same guiding slot  1231 , also shown in  FIG. 6   b . Please refer to  FIG. 4   b ; when a user pushes the sliding portion  11  of the sliding plate  12  to cause the sliding plate  121  to slide to the P 1  point of the guiding edge  1232 , the V-shaped resilience device  122  will compress its connectors  1223 ; after the sliding plate  121  slides past the point P 1 , the connectors  1223  will be released, and the sliding plate  121  and V-shaped resilience device  122  will continue to slide upward on the fixed plate  123  with the resilient force provided by the spring element  1221 . 
         [0024]    When the sliding plate  121  continues to slide upward, the plurality of guiding protrusions  12222  also slide in the plurality of guiding slots  1231  to come to the position shown in  FIG. 6   c ; namely, the intersecting point of the two loops of guiding slots  1231 ; each one of the plurality of guiding protrusions  12222  will slide along a different loop of the guiding slot  1231  to the position shown in  FIG. 6   d  respectively. At this time, as shown in  FIG. 4   b , the V-shaped resilience device  122  will rotate in the counterclockwise direction until the cover of the cellular phone  1  is open, as shown in  FIG. 4   c , so that the user can make or answer a call. 
         [0025]    When the user wants to close the cover, before the sliding plate  121  slides, only the roller  1224  of the connector  1223  on the left side will be in contact with the left guiding edge  1232 . As shown in  FIG. 5   a - b , when the user pushes the sliding portion  11  of the sliding plate  121  downward, the sliding plate  121  slides downward to the P 2  point of the guiding edge  1232 , and the V-shaped resilience device  122  will compress its connectors  1223 ; after the sliding plate  121  slides past the point P 2 , the connectors  1223  will be released, and the sliding plate  121  and V-shaped resilience device  122  will continue to slide downward on the fixed plate  123  with the resilient force provided by the spring element  1221 . 
         [0026]    Please also refer to  FIG. 6   e ; resilience the relative positions of the plurality of the guiding protrusions  12222  in the plurality of guiding slots  1231  when the sliding plate  121  and the V-shaped resilience device  122  slide downward are shown in  FIG. 6   e . When the sliding plate  121  and the V-shaped resilience device  122  continue to slide to the positions shown in  FIG. 6   f , the turning ring  12221  comprising the guiding protrusion  12222  will rotate in the clockwise direction (as shown in  FIG. 5   b ) until the cover of the cellular phone  1  is closed, as shown in  FIG. 5   c  (and also shown in  FIG. 6   g ), such that the user can disconnect the call. 
         [0027]    In this embodiment, the guiding edge  1232  is outside the two loops of the guiding slots  1231 . Therefore, when the cover is opened or closed, at least one of the plurality of connectors  1223  will be in contact with the guiding edge  1232  and slide along the irregular loop of the guiding edge  1232  back and forth in one loop to compress and then release the spring element  1221 ; that is, when the spring element  1221  reaches the position about 30% of the total path (P 1  point), the connector  1223  releases the spring element  1221  and allows the spring element  1221  to release its accumulated resilient force, thereby driving the sliding plate  121  to continue sliding forward (or upward as shown in the figure) or backward (or downward as shown in the figure) to finish the remaining portion of the path. Since the cover open/close operations are performed on different sides of the guiding edge  1232 , the point where the spring element  1221  accumulates the most resilient force can be designed to be the position of about 30% of the total path (P 1  or P 2  point). Therefore, the user can push the sliding portion  11  of the sliding plate  121  for a distance of less than one half of the path to cause the sliding portion  11  automatically to finish the remaining portion of the path, thereby making it easier for the user to use the cellular phone. 
         [0028]    The present invention discloses a sliding mechanism for a cellular phone; as shown in  FIG. 1 , the present invention also provides a cellular phone  1  comprising a holding base  13 , a sliding portion  11 , and the sliding mechanism  12  as described above. The sliding portion  11  is driven by the sliding mechanism  12  to slide back and forth with respect to the holding base  13 ; the sliding portion  11  can automatically finish the remaining portion of the path after the user has pushed it for a distance of less than one half of the path, thereby facilitating the cover open/close operations and making it easier for the user to use the cellular phone. 
         [0029]    It is noted that the above-mentioned embodiments are only for illustration. It is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.