Abstract:
A tilting portable electronic device includes a base, a cover, at least one connecting bar, a swinging plate and an elastic member. The connecting bar and the swinging plate respectively rotatably connect to the base and the cover. The elastic member is secured with the swinging plate and has an end portion slidably resisting against the cover. when the cover is opened relative to the base, the connecting bar and the swinging plate rotate to support one end of the cover in a slanted position relative to the base, the elastic member is compressed, the end portion slides and resists the cover to make the cover sliding automatically after the cover slides a predetermined distance.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is one of the eight related co-pending U.S. patent applications listed below. All listed applications have the same assignee and were concurrently filed herewith. The disclosure of each of the listed applications is incorporated by reference into all the other listed applications. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Attorney Docket No. 
                 Title 
                 Inventors 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 US31622 
                 TILTING PORTABLE 
                 Kun-Tsan Wu et al. 
               
               
                   
                 ELECTRONIC DEVICE 
               
               
                 US31623 
                 TILTING PORTABLE 
                 Kun-Tsan Wu et al. 
               
               
                   
                 ELECTRONIC DEVICE 
               
               
                 US31625 
                 TILTING PORTABLE 
                 Kun-Tsan Wu et al. 
               
               
                   
                 ELECTRONIC DEVICE 
               
               
                 US31630 
                 TILTING PORTABLE 
                 Kun-Tsan Wu et al. 
               
               
                   
                 ELECTRONIC DEVICE 
               
               
                 US31631 
                 TILTING PORTABLE 
                 Kun-Tsan Wu et al. 
               
               
                   
                 ELECTRONIC DEVICE 
               
               
                 US31809 
                 TILTING PORTABLE 
                 Kun-Tsan Wu et al. 
               
               
                   
                 ELECTRONIC DEVICE 
               
               
                 US32117 
                 TILTING PORTABLE 
                 Kun-Tsan Wu et al. 
               
               
                   
                 ELECTRONIC DEVICE 
               
               
                 US32128 
                 TILTING PORTABLE 
                 Kun-Tsan Wu et al. 
               
               
                   
                 ELECTRONIC DEVICE 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to tilting portable electronic devices. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Conventional portable electronic devices can be classified into three different categories, bar-type devices, rotating-type devices, and sliding-type devices. 
     All three types of these electronic devices have the same following problems. When a user wants to watch a display of the electronic device resting on a table, they must use external support to hold it in a tilted position to give the display a better viewing angle. Alternatively, the user may hold the electronic device with his hands to get the proper viewing angle, however, it may become uncomfortable after a long time of viewing. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present tilting portable electronic device can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the various drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present tilting portable electronic device. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the diagrams. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a tilting portable electronic device, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a back view of a cover of the electronic device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a base of the electronic device shown in  FIG. 1  in assembling. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the electronic device shown in  FIG. 1  in open state. 
         FIG. 5  is a closed schematic view of the electronic device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a tilting portable electronic device  100 , such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, including a base  10 , a cover  20 , and a swinging assembly  70  connecting to the base  10  and the cover  20 . 
     The base  10  has an upper surface  12  defining two first connecting grooves  122  and two second connecting grooves  124  thereon. The two first connecting grooves  122  are arranged along an end wall  123 . Each second connecting groove  124  is located adjacent to one side of the upper surface  12 . Each of the connecting grooves  122  and  124  has a connecting hole (not labeled) defined in the inner sidewall. The upper surface  12  has two stoppers  126  and two key pads  128  formed thereon. The two stoppers  126  protrude from the near middle of the upper surface  12  and are substantially parallel with the end wall  123 . The two key pads  128 , are located on opposite ends of the end walls  123 , and are used for operation. 
     The cover  20  has an outer surface  21  and an opposite inner surface  22  facing towards the upper surface  12  of the base  10 . The outer surface  21  has a display  212  set thereon. The inner surface  22  has two first receiving grooves  222  and two second receiving grooves  224  defined therein. Each first receiving groove  222  is arranged substantially adjacent to one of the sides of the cover  20 , extending along the sliding direction of the cover  20 . Each the second receiving groove  224  is located at a side of the first receiving groove  222  and is substantially parallel with the first receiving groove  222 . The space between Each second receiving grooves  224  is wider than the space between Each first receiving grooves  222 . Each of the receiving grooves  222  and  224  has an opposite receiving hole (not labeled) defined at the inner sidewall thereof. The inner surface  22  has two substantially parallel stopping blocks  226  formed substantially perpendicular with Each receiving grooves  222  and  224 . Accordingly, a resisting area  2262  is enclosed between Each stopping blocks  226 . 
     The swinging assembly  70  includes a swinging plate  30 , two connecting bars  40  and an elastic member  50 . The swinging plate  30  is substantially U-shaped and includes a plate portion  32  and two opposite extending arms  34 , each laterally extending from one of the ends of the plate portion  32 . The plate portion  32  forms two first hinge portions  322 , such as sleeves, at the bottom side. Each first hinge portions  322  is engaged into one of the first connecting grooves  124 , rotatably connecting the swinging plate  30  with the base  10 . The plate portion  32  defines a plurality of assembling holes  324  to secure one end of the elastic member  50 . Each extending arm  34  forms a second hinge portion  342  at the distal end. Each second hinge portion  342  respectively engage into one of the first receiving grooves  222 , rotatably connecting the swinging plate  30  with the cover  20 . The connecting bar  40  has a hinge end  42  at each end, with each hinge end  42  defining connecting hole (not labeled). Each hinge end  42  can be inserted into one of the second connecting groove  124  of the base  10  and the second receiving groove  224  of the cover  20 , allowing the connecting bar  40  to rotatably connect to the base  10  and the cover  20 . A pin  60  passes through the connecting hole of the second connecting groove  124  and the connecting hole of the hinge end  42 . The elastic member  50  can be an elastic leaf spring or an elastic strip. The elastic member  50  defines a plurality of fixing holes  52  adjacent to a side, and the fixing holes  52  latch into the assembling holes  324  of the swinging plate  30  to cause the elastic member  50  to be secured with the swinging plate  30 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , to assemble the portable electronic device  100 , the elastic member  50  is secured with the swinging plate  30 , with an end portion  54  of the elastic member  50  being tilted from the area between each extending arm  34 . The swinging plate  30  is assembled in the base  10  with each first hinge portion  322  engaging into one of the first connecting grooves  124 , rotatably connecting the swinging plate  30  with the base  10 . The two connecting bars  40  are installed. One hinge end  42  of each connecting bar  40  is placed into the second connecting groove  124  of the base  10  to rotatably connect the connecting bars  40  with the base  10 . Then, the cover  20  is assembled with each second hinge portions  342  being inserted respectively into one of the first receiving grooves  222  to rotatably connect the swinging plate  30  with the cover  20 . The other hinge end  42  of the connecting bar  40  is positioned into the second receiving groove  224  of the cover  20  to rotatably connect the connecting bar  40  with the cover  20 . The cover  20  is closed, and each extending arm  34  is received in an area defined by the first connecting groove  122  of the base  10  and the first receiving groove  222  of the cover  20 . Each connecting bar  40  is received in an area defined by the second connecting groove  124  and the second receiving groove  224 . The elastic member  50  is in an unstressed state, where the end portion  54  extends into the resisting area  2262  and resists against one of the stopping blocks  226 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , to open the cover  20 , the cover  20  can be pushed with an external force to slide along the upper surface  12  of the base  10 , allowing the two connecting bars  40  and the swinging plate  30  to rotate as a integral unit, and accordingly tilt the cover  20 . At the same time, the elastic member  50  rotates along with the swinging plate  30 . The end portion  54  of the elastic member  50  resists against and slides relative to the inner surface  22  of the cover  20 , accordingly, the elastic member  50  is compressed and potential energy is accumulated. After the end portion  54  slides over the middle position of the resisting area  2262 , the potential energy is released to cause the cover  20  to automatically slide until the end portion  54  resists against the other stopping block  226 . Meanwhile, the other end of the cover  20  slides along the upper surface  12  of the base  10  and abuts against the two stoppers  126  of the base  10  stopping the upper surface  12  from sliding further. The cover  20  is maintained in a slanted position relative to the base  10 . To close the cover  20 , the end distal of the upper surface  12  of the cover  20  is pressed down with an external force, and the other opposite end abuts against the upper surface  12  of the cover  20  and slides, until the cover  20  substantially covers and contacts the top surface  12 . In the process, the end portion  54  of the elastic member  50  slides and returns back to the original position. 
     It is noteworthy that, one of the two connecting bars  40  can be omitted. The swinging plate  30  can be formed into two individual extending arms  34 , one of the two extending arms  34  can be omitted, and the other extending arm  34  can secure with the elastic member  50 . 
     It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of structures and functions of various embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.