Abstract:
A slidable and automatic rotatable apparatus disposed in a portable electronic device and providing the portable electronic device, which includes a first housing and a second housing, with a first status and a second status is provided. The apparatus includes a third housing, a protruding part disposed on the second housing and opposite to the first track, and a rotary module passing through the second track. The third housing, which is fixed on the first housing and movably connected with the second housing, includes a first track, a second track, and a first rib disposed on a first side of the second track. A first end of the rotary module is fixed on the second housing, while a second end is disposed between the first housing and the third housing. The rotary module has at least one protruding point positioned at the second end for contacting the first rib.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 93126262, filed Aug. 31, 2004, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates in general to a slidable and automatic rotatable apparatus, and more particularly to a slidable and automatic rotatable apparatus providing the portable electronic device with a first status and a second status. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Along with the rapid advance in electronic industry in recent years, portable electronic devices such as mobile phone and personal digital assistant (PDA) have become more and more popular. 
     Take the mobile phone for example. The mobile phone, which enables telecommunication whenever and wherever it is needed, has become an important telecommunication device to consumers. Apart from the basic conversation function, the mobile phone also provides transmission services such as voice mail and text message to encompass a wider range of functions. 
     For a user, sending/receiving a text message is a frequently used function of a mobile phone. Therefore, whether the input method of a text message is easy or not is directly relevant to the convenience of operation, hence becoming an important factor in purchasing a mobile phone. 
     The current practice regarding the arrangement of the key pad of a mobile phone is to add letter key function to the number keys of 0˜9. For example, the 26 English alphabets A˜Z are assigned to 10 number keys. Thus, each of the number keys also denotes at least 3 English alphabets, e.g., the number key ‘2’ also denotes English alphabet ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’. Since each number key also denote plural English alphabets, when using the number keys input a text message, the user has to press a number key first then pick up the desired English alphabet to be inputted. The more English alphabets to be inputted, the more selections have to be made. This is indeed annoying. Moreover, it is inconvenient for users who are not familiar with the arrange of English alphabet on the number keys to spend a large amount of time searching for the right letters to be inputted 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a slidable and automatic rotatable apparatus providing a portable electronic device with a first status and a second status to resolve the problems of inconvenience in input that conventional portable electronic devices would have. 
     The invention achieves the above object by providing a slidable and automatic rotatable apparatus, which is disposed in a portable electronic device and provides the portable electronic device with a first status and a second status, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a first housing and a second housing. The slidable and automatic rotatable apparatus comprises a third housing, a protruding part and a rotary module. The third housing is fixed on the first housing and movably connected with the second housing. The third housing comprises a first track, a second track and a first rib. The first track has a first position, a second position and a third position, wherein the second position is positioned between the first position and the third position. The second track has a fourth position and a fifth position. The first rib is disposed on a first side of the second track. The protruding part is disposed on the second housing and opposite to the first track. The rotary module passes through the second track. A first end of the rotary module is fixed on the second housing, and a second end of the rotary module is disposed between the first housing and the third housing, while the second end of the rotary module has at least a protruding point in contact with the first rib. 
     When the portable electronic device is operated under the first status, the protruding part and rotary module are respectively positioned at the first position and the fourth position. When the third housing slides against the second housing and causes the protruding part to slide to the second position from the first position along the first track, the rotary module also slides to the fifth position from the fourth position along the second track, and releases an elasticity force when the rotary module reaches the fifth position, wherein the elasticity force rotates the rotary module and enables the protruding point to push the first rib, so that the protruding part slides to the third position from the second position, and that the third housing moves against the second housing for the portable electronic device to be switched to the second status. When the protruding part slides to the second position from the third position, the protruding part causes the rotary module to rotate at the fifth position for the elasticity force to be stored in the rotary module. 
     Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiments. The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a decomposition diagram of a portable electronic device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 1B  is an assembly diagram of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2  is a decomposition diagram of the rotary hinge of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view when the third housing, rotary module and the second housing of  FIG. 1A  are assembled; 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIGS. 5A-5C  are sequential diagrams showing how the portable electronic device of  FIG. 1B  is switched to the second status from the first status. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The slidable and automatic rotatable apparatus of the invention is disposed in a portable electronic device to provide the portable electronic device with a first status and a second status. The embodiment below is exemplified by the apparatus being disposed inside a mobile phone. However, in practical application, the technological characteristics disclosed in the invention can be applied to other portable electronic devices such as a personal digital assistant (PDA). The present embodiment is an embodiment under the spirit of the invention. 
     Referring to both  FIGS. 1A  and  FIG. 1B , wherein  FIG. 1A  is a decomposition diagram of a portable electronic device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and  FIG. 1B  is an assembly diagram of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 1A . It can be seen from  FIG. 1A  that portable electronic device  100  comprises a first housing  110 , a second housing  120  and a slidable and automatic rotatable apparatus  130 . The first housing  110  has a plurality of number keys  112  and a plurality of application keys  114  disposed thereon. The application key  114  can be simple function keys such as menu, cancel or answer a call. The second housing  120  has a plurality of letter keys  122  disposed thereon. For user&#39;s convenience, the arrangement of the letter key  122  is preferably the arrangement of the qwerty keyboard. The portable electronic device  100  preferably further comprises a fourth housing  309  to be coupled with the second housing  120 . 
     The slidable and automatic rotatable apparatus  130  comprises a third housing  142 , a rotary module  162  and a protruding part  152 . The third housing  142  is fixed on the first housing  110  and is movably connected with the second housing  120 . Therefore, when the third housing  142  slides or moves against the second housing  120 , the third housing  142  drives and enables the first housing  110  to slide or move against the second housing  120 . 
     The third housing  142  comprises a first track  144 , a second track  146 , a first rib  147  and a second rib  148 . The first track  144 , which is disposed corresponding to the protruding part  152 , has a first position  144   a , a second position  144   b  and a third position  144   c , wherein the second position  144   b  is positioned between the first position  144   a  and the third position  144   c . The second track  146  has a fourth position  146   a  and a fifth position  146   b . The first rib  147  and the second rib  148  are respectively disposed on the two sides of the second track  146 . However, structure of the first track  144  and that of the second track  146  are not limited to the above exemplification. For example, the first track  144  and the second track  146  can be connected together. 
     The rotary module  162  comprises a rotary hinge  164  and a movable pulley  166 . The structure of the rotary hinge  164  is decomposed in  FIG. 2 , a decomposition diagram of the rotary hinge of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 1A . In  FIG. 2 , the rotary hinge  164  comprises a first end  164   a , a second end  164   b , a spring  172  and a cam  174 . When the second end  164   b  rotates against the first end  164   a , the cam  174  receives an upward force and compress the spring  172 , so that the spring  172  stores an elasticity force. When the second end  164   b  rotates against the first end  164   a  to a particular angle, say, 90 degrees, the upward force received by the cam  174  cause the cam  174  to be unstable. Meanwhile, the spring  172  can release the elasticity force stored therein to rotate the cam  174 . Refer to  FIG. 1A , the movable pulley  166  has a plurality of protruding points  168  in contact with the first rib  147  and the second rib  148  reducing the friction generated when the movable pulley slides. However, no restriction is imposed on the numbers of the protruding points  168  as long as each of the protruding points is capable of being contact with the first rib  147  or the second rib  148  so that the movable pulley  166  can slide along of the first rib  147  and the second rib  148 . 
     The connection relationships between elements of the portable electronic device  100  are disclosed in  FIG. 1A ,  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , wherein  FIG. 3  is a top view when the third housing  142 , rotary module  162  and the second housing  120  of  FIG. 1A  are assembled and  FIG. 4  is a bottom view of  FIG. 3 . It can be seen from  FIG. 3  that the third housing  142  is movably connected to the second housing  120 , the protruding part  152  is disposed on the second housing  120  and opposite to the first track  144 , the rotary hinge  164  passes through the second track  146 , and the second end  164   b  of the rotary hinge  164  is disposed between the first housing  110  and the third housing  142 , and the movable pulley  166  is disposed between the first end  164   a  and the second end  164   b  and is fixed on the second end  164   b . To reduce the friction generated when the protruding part  152  slides along the first track  144 , a slide booster  153  is preferably disposed on the second housing  120  and positioned in the vicinity of the protruding part  152 . 
     Besides, it can be seen from  FIG. 4  that the first end  164   a  of the rotary hinge  164  is fixed on the second housing  120 . The first end  164   a  and the second housing  120 , for example, are jointed via a screw. Therefore, only rotating movement, not sliding movement, is allowed between the rotary hinge  164  and the second housing  120 . 
     It can be seen from the above disclosure that when assembling the portable electronic device  100 , by rotating the second end  164   b  of the rotary hinge  164  against the first end  164   a  to particular angle for the spring  172  to store an elasticity force and assembling the portable electronic device  100  of  FIG. 1A  according to the above assembly, an assembled portable electronic device  100  of  FIG. 1B  is obtained. Meanwhile, the protruding part  152  and the rotary module  162  are respectively positioned at the first position  144   a  and the fourth position  146   a , and the elasticity force stored in the spring  172  is restrained by the first track  144  and cannot be released. Besides, the number keys  112  and the application key  114  disposed on the first housing  100  are exposed for user to operate, but the letter keys  122  disposed on the second housing  120  are hidden underneath the first housing  110 , and this status is called the “first status”. When the portable electronic device  100  is operated under the first status, the user can use the number keys  112  to dial a telephone number, and use the application keys  114  to operate the basic functions of the portable electronic device  100  such as answering or disconnecting a call or making enquiries. 
     Referring to both  FIG. 3  and  FIGS. 5A˜5C .  FIGS. 5A˜5C  are sequential diagrams showing how the portable electronic device of  FIG. 1B  is switched to the second status from the first status. Firstly, as shown in  FIG. 5A , by applying an external force onto the first housing  110  or the third housing  142  along the direction of the arrow  10 , the first housing  110  and the third housing  142  are enabled to slide against the second housing  120 , causing the protruding part  152  to slides toward the second position  144   b  from the first position  144   a  along the first track  144 , and causing the rotary module  162  to slide towards the fifth position  146   b  from the fourth position  146   a  along the second track  146 . 
     Since the protruding part  152  can only slide along the first track  144 , the relative movement between the third housing  142  and the second housing  120  is restrained by the shape of the first track  144 . Therefore, the third housing  142  can only move against the second housing  120  when the protruding part  152  and the rotary module  162  are respectively positioned at the first position  144   a  and the fourth position  146   a , or before the protruding part  152  and the rotary module  162  respectively slide to the second position  144   b  and the fifth position  146   b  from the first position  144   a  and the fourth position  146   a  along the first track  144  and the second track  146 . Consequently, the elasticity force stored in the spring  172  cannot be released for the time being. 
     When the protruding part  152  slides to the second position  144   b  from the first position  144   a , the rotary module  162  also slides to the fifth position  146   b  from the fourth position  146   a , and when the rotary module  162  reaches the fifth position  146   b , the spring  172  disposed inside the rotary module  162  automatically releases the elasticity force stored therein, enabling the cam  174  to rotate. The rotating cam  174  drives the movable pulley  166  to rotate, meanwhile, the protruding point  168  disposed on the movable pulley  166  pushes the first rib  147  and the second rib  148 , enabling the first housing  110  to rotate against the second housing  120  as shown in  FIG. 5B . When the first housing  110  rotate against the second housing  120  along the direction of the arrow  20 , the protruding part  152  from the second position  144   b  slides towards the third position  144   c  along the first track  144 , while the rotary module  162  still remains positioned at the fifth position  146   b.    
     When the protruding part  152  slides to the third position  144   c , the portable electronic device  100  is at the second status as shown in  FIG. 5C . Meanwhile, apart from the number keys  112  and the application key  114 , the letter key  122  disposed on the second housing  120  is also exposed for the user to operate. Therefore, when the portable electronic device  100  is at the second status, through the number keys  112 , the application key  114  and the letter key  122  which are disposed on the first housing  110  and the second housing  120 , the user can input text message more efficiently. 
     That is to say, when the user would like to use the letter key  122  to input a text, the user only need to apply an external force onto the first housing  110 , enabling the protruding part  152  and rotary module  162  to respectively slide to the second position  144   b  and the fifth position  146   b  from the first position  144   a  and the fourth position  146   a  along the first track  144  and the second track  146 . The elasticity force stored in the spring  172  is released accordingly, causing the first housing  110  to automatically rotate against the second housing  120  and switch to the second status, which is indeed very convenient. 
     When the portable electronic device  100  would like to switch to the first status from the second status, the user only need to slide the protruding part  152  from the third position  144   c  to the first position  144   a  via the second position  144   b . When the protruding part  152  slides to the second position  144   b  from the third position  144   c , the protruding part  152  drives the rotary module  162 , enabling the rotary module  162  to rotate on the fifth position  146   b , so that the rotary module  162  stores an elasticity force in the spring  172 . 
     Compared with a conventional mobile phone, the portable electronic device of the present embodiment has the design of respectively disposing the number keys and the letter key on the first housing and the second housing, hence avoiding the inconvenience that would occur to the conventional mobile phone when inputting a text message. Besides, the portable electronic device of the present embodiment is capable of switching between the first status and the second status by a slidable and automatic rotatable apparatus according to practical needs, not only increasing operating convenience but also enhancing competitive capacity. 
     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.