Abstract:
An electronic device includes a housing. The housing includes a cavity for inserting a display monitor and a support module. When the display monitor is extended outside the housing, the support module is moves along the track while coupled to the track for loading the display monitor. When the display monitor is fully extended, the support module then rotates with a specific angle forming an open position to allow the display monitor to be viewed uncovered outside the housing. The display monitor can also be lodged within the housing to protect the monitor surface and to utilize electricity saving features.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly, to an electronic device with a sliding display monitor from its housing. When using the sliding display module, a user can pull the sliding display monitor out of the housing to a specific opening angle. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    In our modern society with advanced developments in communication systems, handheld electronic devices are widely used in everyday life. Wireless communication devices (e.g. cellular phones), for example, provide a means for communication while offering the benefit of convenience and portability. People can exchange information, ideas, and personal experiences through the use of various portable electronic devices. Portable electronic products are constantly improving as trends in popularity and technology continue. Therefore, it is critical that designers continue to improve relevant electronic portable products so that they appear more functional and accessible. 
         [0005]    Currently, many types handheld electronic devices (e.g. cell phones or personal digital assistants) contain display monitors (e.g. liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors) that are externally placed outside its housing. With this configuration, the surface of the display monitor is continually exposed due to its uncovered surface, potentially causing scrape/damage and inconvenience for users. The display monitors for some current handheld electronic devices have a significant portion of its housing covered, forcing the user interface of user command input module (e.g. keyboard) to be reduced in size in order to be adapted to the size of the display monitor. In this type of configuration, users may have difficulties in touching or operating the user interface when using such an electronics device. Moreover, since the display monitors of some portable electronic devices are on the same surface as the user command input modules (e.g. keyboard), it may cause an un-ideal viewing angle for the display module. Users viewing the display monitor may experience some operational difficulties when operating the user command input module due to under-optimization of the display monitor angle. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is therefore one of the many objectives of the claimed invention, to provide an electronic device with a sliding display monitor extending from inside its housing to solve the above-mentioned problems. 
         [0007]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device is disclosed. An electronic device includes a housing. The housing includes a cavity for inserting a display monitor and a support module. When the display monitor is extended outside the housing, the support module moves along the track while coupled to the track for loading the display monitor. When the display monitor is fully extended, the support module then rotates with a specific angle forming an open position to allow the display monitor to be viewed uncovered outside the housing. The display monitor can also be lodged within the housing to protect the monitor surface and to utilize electricity saving features. 
         [0008]    The display monitor of the present invention can move on a track by means of a support module, and can be lodged into the housing when not in use to protect the monitor surface. The power for the display monitor can be shut down while lodged into the housing. A supplemental display monitor can be further provided as an operational interface displaying affiliated functions (e.g. caller display, music media display, or digital camera) of the electronics device to thereby reduce power consumption. Additionally, because the main display monitor is not located on the external surface of the housing, the usable area for a user command input module (e.g. keyboard) is increased. Furthermore, inconveniences from conventional electronic devices (e.g. cellular phone) caused by poor viewing angles can be solved by adjusting the display angle of the display monitor in the electronic device of the present invention. Overall convenience, and flexibility in ergonomic design for an operational interface is therefore greatly improved. 
         [0009]    These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a display monitor of an electronic device in a closed position according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating the display monitor in an operating mode according to the electronic device as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is an assembly diagram illustrating various components of the electronic device as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of a display monitor of an electronic device in a closed position according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating the display monitor in an operating mode according to the electronics device as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is an assembly diagram illustrating components of the electronic device as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is an assembly diagram illustrating components of the support module as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    The following description draws reference from  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 1  illustrates a display monitor  120  of an electronic device  100  in a closed position according to a first embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating the display monitor  120  in an open position (for operating mode) according to the electronic device  100  shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is an assembly diagram illustrating the various components of the electronic device  100  as shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device  100  as shown in  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the electronic device  100  as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0020]    In the preferred embodiment, the electronic device  100  is a portable electronic device. For example, it can include a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and so forth. The electronic device  100  includes a housing  110 , a display monitor  120  (e.g. a liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor), and a support module  130 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the display monitor  120 , which is the main display monitor of the electronic device  100 , displays a user interface of the electronic device  100 . The display monitor  120  includes a ring handle  122  for users to easily pull the display monitor  120  out of the housing  110  for viewing. 
         [0021]    An opening  160  is located on the top surface of the housing  110 , while the housing  110  further includes a cavity  150  providing the required space for accommodating the display monitor  120  while in a closed position. In addition, at least a track  140  is located inside the housing  110  for providing an axis for sliding, and for placement of the support module  130 . In this preferred embodiment, the support module  130  having a first portion can slide while coupled to the track  140 , and carries the display monitor  120 . The support module  130  having a second portion can move along the track  140 , and is able to insert the display monitor  120  within the cavity  150 , or conversely can extend the display monitor  120  outside of the housing  110  through the opening  160 . 
         [0022]    Please note that, in this preferred embodiment, other auxiliary support devices or said second portion (e.g. a pulley  132  or a gear mechanism) can also be incorporated into the support module  130  to improve a sliding function for the support module  130  on the track  140 . However, the support module  130  is not limited to being configured with a pulley  132 . In other embodiments, a support module  130  without a pulley is adaptable and still belongs to the scope of the present invention therein. Moreover, only one track  140  is shown in  FIG. 3 , with the support module  130  showing only one pulley  132  on one side. However, in other embodiments, the housing  110  can include multiple tracks on both sides, and the support module  130  can also include multiple pulleys on both sides to help stabilize the sliding movement. In other words, the present invention is not limited to the number of tracks or pulleys presented. Additionally, the shapes, structure, and locations of the track  140  and pulley  132  shown in  FIG. 3  are shown only for exemplary purposes and should not be regarded as limitations for the present invention. 
         [0023]    In the housing  110  the main control circuit for the electronic device  100  is disposed. For example, a processing unit (not shown) can be located within the housing  110  for controlling the operation of the electronic device  100 . A user command input module  112  can be located on the housing  110  for inputting user control signals to the processing unit. A supplementary display monitor  114  (e.g. an Organic Light Emitting Display, OLED) can also be placed on the housing  110  for providing specific affiliated functions (e.g. caller display interface or music media display interface) of the electronic device  100  when the display monitor  120  is lodged within the housing  110 . 
         [0024]    Please refer to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 . As described above, in the preferred embodiment the display monitor  120  is capable of sliding into the cavity  150  by means of the support module  130  moving along the track  140 . In the closed position, the display monitor  120  is protected within the housing  110  of the electronic device  100 . Furthermore, users are able to extend the display monitor  120  outside of the housing  110  by sliding it along the track  140  through pulling the ring handle  122 . This achieves an open position that allows the display monitor  120  to display to thereby make the electronic device  100  perform its functionality completely. Moreover, users are able to insert the display monitor  120  back into the housing  110  and turn off the power of the display monitor  120  if not required for specific functions of the electronic device  100 . These specific functions can include call display, music media display, or digital camera use. These are some of the functions that can have its operational interface displayed on the supplemental monitor  114  of the housing  110 . In practice, the supplemental monitor  114  (e.g. an Organic Light Emitting Display, OLED) requires less display area and consumes less power than the main display monitor  120  (e.g. a liquid crystal display monitor). In this way, the electronic device  100  possesses more usable area for the user command input module  112  (e.g. keyboard) on the housing  110  of the electronic device  100 , and also provides reduced power consumption. 
         [0025]    The following description makes reference from  FIGS. 6  to  FIG. 9 .  FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the display monitor  120  of the electronic device  200  in a closed position according to a second embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating the display monitor  120  in an operating mode according to the electronic device  200  as shown in  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 8  is an assembly diagram illustrating the components of the electronic device  200  as shown in  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 9  is an assembly diagram illustrating the components of the support module  230  as shown in  FIG. 6 . Please note that components having the same name in the electronic device  200  shown in  FIG. 6  and the electronic device  100  shown in  FIG. 1  possess the same function and operation. As such, a detailed description is omitted for the sake of brevity. The basic structure of the electronic device  200  of  FIG. 6  is similar to the structure of the electronic device  100  of  FIG. 1 . The main difference between the first and second embodiments is that the support module  230  in the second preferred embodiment includes a first supportive component  232 , a second supportive component  234 , an elastic element  236  (e.g. a spring) and a pulley  238 . 
         [0026]    Please note that, in this preferred embodiment, the support module  230  is not limited to having a pulley  238 . In other embodiments, a support module without having any pulleys is also adoptable. For instance, the support module  230  can move into the housing  110  by utilizing gear wheels. This alternative design also belongs to the claimed invention. Without affecting the disclosure of the present invention, only one track  140  is shown in  FIG. 8 , while the support module  230  contains only a single pulley  238  on one side. However, in other embodiments, the housing  110  can include tracks on both sides, and the support module  230  can also include multiple pulleys on both sides to help stabilize the sliding movement. In other words, the present invention is not limited to the number of tracks or pulleys presented. Additionally, the shapes, structures, and locations of the track  140  and the pulley  238  shown in  FIG. 8  are utilized only for exemplary purposes and should not be regarded as limitations of the present invention. 
         [0027]    As shown through  FIGS. 6  to  FIG. 9 , the first supportive component  232  is coupled to the display monitor  120  for carrying and fasting the display monitor  120 . The second supportive component  234  is coupled to the track  140  and is utilizing to move the support module  230  along the track  140  for inserting the display monitor  120  into the cavity  150 , or exposing the display monitor  120  outside of the housing  110  through the opening  160 . The elastic element  236  is coupled between the first supportive component  232  and the second supportive component  234 . When the display monitor  120  is extended outside of the housing  110  through the opening  160 , the elastic element  236  provides a retracting force to the first supportive component  232  to adjust the displaying angle of the display monitor  120 . In other words, as shown in  FIG. 7 , when the display monitor  120  slides along the track  140  and is exposed outside the housing  110 , the display monitor  120  is elevated by the elastic element  236  while being fixed to the first supportive component  232 , where the display monitor  120  is adjusted to a specific displaying angle to therefore provide an optimized viewing angle for its users. 
         [0028]    In contrast to the related art, the display monitor of the present invention can move on a track by means of a support module, and can be inserted within the housing to protect the monitor surface. Moreover, since power for the display monitor can be shut down while the display module is inserted into the housing, and a supplementary display monitor can be utilized for the operational interface display of affiliated functions (e.g. caller display, music media display, or digital camera use) for the electronics device. This thereby helps reduce power consumption. Additionally, because the main display monitor is not located directly on the housing surface, the available surface area for user command input module (e.g. keyboard) is increased. Finally, possible inconveniences caused by a bad viewing angle for a conventional electronic devices (e.g. cellular phone) can be solved through raising the display angle of the display monitor as described in the present invention. Overall convenience, and flexibility in ergonomic design for an operational interface is therefore greatly improved. 
         [0029]    Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.