Abstract:
Disclosed is an electronic handheld device. The device has a first panel, a second panel rotatable relative to the first panel about an axis and a hinge. The hinge has first and second hinge members. The first member is engaged with the first panel. The second member is engaged with the second panel and rotatable relative to the first member about the axis. The first panel has a hole generally extending along the axis. The first hinge member is configured to linearly move within the hole. The first hinge member has an outer wall that has a curved surface and a key. The curved surface is a circular arc having a radius from the axis when viewed along the axis. The key is located outside an imaginary circle, a portion of the circumference line of which overlaps the circular arc.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a continuation application under 35 U.S.C. § 365(c) of International Application No. PCT/KR2007/000274, filed Jan. 17, 2007 designating the United States. International Application No. PCT/KR2007/000274 was published in English as WO2007/083916 A1 on Jul. 26, 2007. This application further claims the benefit of the earlier filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 365(b) of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0005322 filed Jan. 18, 2006. This application incorporates herein by reference the International Application No. PCT/KR2007/000274 including the International Publication No. WO2007/083916 A1 and the Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0005322 in their entirety. 

   BACKGROUND 
   1. Field 
   The present disclosure relates to a hinge device, and more particularly, to a hinge device for rotatably connecting two panels of in an electronic handheld device, such as a radio telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable computer or the like. 
   2. Discussion of Background Technology 
   A portable apparatus such as a folding-type radio telephone includes two case units coupled to each other by means of a hinge device. In general, one case unit is provided with a keypad, and the other case unit is provided with a liquid crystal display. When the telephone is in use, the keypad and the liquid crystal display are unfolded so that they can be exposed to the outside. The hinge device allows the two case units to be coupled to each other and to be smoothly folded or unfolded with respect to each other. 
   A related art hinge device is constructed as follows. The hinge device comprises a rotating member, a linearly moving member, an elastic member, and a housing member. The housing member contains the rotating member, the linearly moving member and the elastic member. The linearly moving member and the rotating member are generally provided with a cam surface and a cam follower, respectively, which interact with each other. The rotating member can rotate about a rotational axis within the housing member, and a portion of the rotating member protrudes outward from the housing member to form a coupling portion. The elastic member applies a force such that the linearly moving member and the rotating member can be brought into close contact with each other within the housing member. The linearly moving member, which is not rotating within the housing member, comes into contact with the rotating member but moves linearly along the rotational axis of the housing member. As a folding-type portable apparatus such as a radio telephone becomes slimmer, the hinge device for connecting the two case units is requested to be compact. 
   The discussion in the foregoing background section is to provide general background information, and does not constitute an admission of prior art. 
   SUMMARY 
   One aspect of the invention provides an electronic handheld device. The device comprises: a first panel; a second panel rotatable relative to the first panel about an axis such that the first and second panels are folded or unfolded with respect to each other; a hinge housing engaged with the first panel; a first hinge member received in the hinge housing and linearly movable relative to the hinge housing along the axis; a second hinge member engaged with the second panel and rotatable relative to the first hinge member about the axis, wherein one of the first and second hinge members comprises a cam having a cam surface, wherein the other comprises a cam follower in contact with the cam surface and configured to move along a path on the cam surface; and a resilient member configured to keep the cam follower and the cam surface in contact with each other, wherein the hinge housing comprises an inner wall defining a hole generally extending along the axis, wherein the first hinge member is configured to linearly move within the hole, wherein the inner wall comprises a curved surface and a key, wherein at least part of the curved surface is a circular arc having a first radius from the axis when viewed along the axis, wherein the key is configured to hinder the first hinge member from rotating relative to the hinge housing, wherein the key is located outside an imaginary circle, wherein a portion of the circumference line of the imaginary circle overlaps the circular arc. 
   In the foregoing device, the key may comprise a first surface and a second surface substantially parallel to the first surface. The key may comprise a first surface and a second surface substantially non-parallel to the first surface. The key may comprise a first surface and a second surface substantially perpendicular to the first surface. The key may comprise a first surface and a second surface, wherein the curved surface may interconnect the first and second surfaces without a substantially intervening surface between the curved surface and each of the first and second surfaces. The key may comprise a key surface that is substantially flat. The key may comprise a key surface extending along a tangential line of the imaginary circle when viewed along the axis. 
   Still in the foregoing device, the first hinge member may comprise a curved outer surface having a second radius from the axis that is sized such that the first hinge member slidably fits into the hole. The first hinge member may comprise a curved outer surface having a second radius from the axis, wherein the second hinge member may comprise a curved outer surface having a third radius from the axis that is substantially same with the second radius. The electronic handheld device may comprise one selected from the group consisting of a mobile phone, a text messaging device, a wireless data communication device, a PDA, a GPS navigator, an electronic game device and a handheld computer. The electronic handheld device may comprise a display and a keypad, wherein the first panel may comprise one of the display and the keypad, wherein the second panel may comprise the other of the display and the keypad. 
   Another aspect of the invention comprises an electronic handheld device. The device comprise: a first panel; a second panel rotatable relative to the first panel about an axis such that the first and second panels are folded or unfolded with respect to each other; a first hinge member engaged with the first panel and linearly movable relative to the first panel along the axis; a second hinge member engaged with the second panel and rotatable relative to the first hinge member about the axis, wherein one of the first and second hinge members comprises a cam having a cam surface, wherein the other comprises a cam follower in contact with the cam surface and configured to move along a path on the cam surface; and a resilient member configured to keep the cam follower and the cam surface in contact with each other, wherein the first panel comprises an inner wall defining a hole generally extending along the axis, wherein the first hinge member is configured to linearly move within the hole, wherein the inner wall comprises a curved surface and a key, wherein at least part of the curved surface is a circular arc having a first radius from the axis when viewed along the axis, wherein the key is configured to hinder the first hinge member from rotating relative to the hinge housing, wherein the key is located outside an imaginary circle, wherein a portion of the circumference line of the imaginary circle overlaps the circular arc. The first panel may comprise a main body and a hinge housing engaged with the main body, wherein the hinge housing may comprise the inner wall. 
   Still another aspect of the invention provides an electronic handheld device. The device comprise: a first panel; a second panel rotatable relative to the first panel about an axis such that the first and second panels are folded or unfolded with respect to each other; a first hinge member engaged with the first panel and linearly movable relative to the first panel along the axis; a second hinge member engaged with the second panel and rotatable relative to the first hinge member about the axis, wherein one of the first and second hinge members comprises a cam having a cam surface, wherein the other comprises a cam follower in contact with the cam surface and configured to move along a path on the cam surface; and a resilient member configured to keep the cam follower and the cam surface in contact with each other, wherein the first panel comprises a hole generally extending along the axis, wherein the first hinge member is configured to linearly move within the hole, wherein the first hinge member comprises an outer wall which comprises a curved surface and a key, wherein at least part of the curved surface is a circular arc having a second radius from the axis when viewed along the axis, wherein the key is configured to hinder the first hinge member from rotating relative to the hinge housing, wherein the key is located outside an imaginary circle, wherein a portion of the circumference line of the imaginary circle overlaps the circular arc. 
   In the foregoing device, the key may comprise a first surface and a second surface substantially parallel to the first surface. The key may comprise a first surface and a second surface substantially perpendicular to the first surface. The key may comprise a key surface that is substantially flat. The key may comprise a key surface extending along a tangential line of the imaginary circle when viewed along the axis. The first panel may comprise a main body and a hinge housing engaged with the main body and defining the hole. The first panel may comprise an inner wall defining the hole, wherein the inner wall may comprise an inner curved surface having a first radius from the axis which is sized such that the first hinge member slidably fits into the hole. The second hinge member may comprise a curved outer surface having a third radius from the axis that is substantially same with the second radius. 
   An aspect of the present invention provides a hinge device for connecting two units, which is optimally configured to ensure a compact design and smooth operation of a radio telephone. 
   According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hinge device for connecting first and second units which can be relatively rotated about a rotational axis and folded or unfolded with respect to each other. The hinge device comprises a first connecting member connected with the first unit to be rotated together with the first unit and to be linearly moved along the rotational axis; a second connecting member connected with the second unit to be rotated together with the second unit; an elastic member for pushing the first connecting member toward the second connecting member to bring the first and second members into contact with each other; and a coupling member for coupling the first and second connecting members and the elastic member with one another, wherein one of the first and second connecting members includes a cam surface and the other includes a cam follower interacting with the cam surface; and the first connecting member includes an outer wall surface which has a circular-arc curved portion extending 180 degrees or more in a circumferential direction about the rotational axis, and first and second flat portions extending from both circumferential ends of the curved portion, respectively. 
   The first and second flat portions of the outer wall surface of the first connecting member may extend substantially in tangential directions from the both circumferential ends of the curved portion, respectively. 
   The outer wall surface of the first connecting member may further include a connection portion for connecting the first and second flat portions. 
   The connection portion of the outer wall surface of the first connecting member may be a third flat portion for connecting with the first and second flat portions. 
   The curved portion of the outer wall surface of the first connecting member may extend approximately 180 degrees in the circumferential direction about the rotational axis, and extension lengths of the first and second flat portions from the both circumferential ends of the curved portion may be substantially equal to each other. 
   The extension length of the first or second flat portion from the circumferential end of the curved portion of the outer wall surface of the first connecting member may be substantially equal to a distance from the rotational axis to the curved portion. 
   The connection portion of the outer wall surface of the first connecting member may further include a protrusion surface protruding in a radial direction from the rotational axis. 
   The curved portion of the outer wall surface of the first connecting member may extend greater than 180 degrees in the circumferential direction about the rotational axis and connect with the first and second flat portions of the outer wall surface of the first connecting member. 
   The curved portion of the outer wall surface of the first connecting member may extend approximately 270 degrees in the circumferential direction about the rotational axis. 
   An outer wall surface of the second connecting member may have a shape that is substantially the same as that of the outer wall surface of the first connecting member. 
   The hinge device may further comprise a housing member rotated together with the first unit and containing the first connecting member therein, wherein the housing member includes an end wall and a side wall extending from the end wall in a direction of the rotational axis. 
   The side wall of the housing member may have the shape that is substantially the same as that of the outer wall surface of the first connecting member. 
   Since the hinge device has a cam surface with an area great enough to implement smooth operation of the hinge device as well as a minimum shape for implementing linear movement of the hinge device, it is possible to manufacture a more compact and slim folding-type radio telephone which can be smoothly operated. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a folding-type radio telephone including a hinge device according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein first and second case units and the hinge device are shown to be separated from one another and the hinge device is shown to be enlarged. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the hinge device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIGS. 3  ( a ) and ( b ) are sectional views of the hinge device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a front view of a first connecting member shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 5  is a view of a hinge device according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein (a) is a perspective view of the hinge device and (b) is a front view of a first connecting member. 
       FIG. 6  is a view of a hinge device according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein (a) is a perspective view of the hinge device and (b) is a front view of a first connecting member. 
       FIG. 7  is a view of a hinge device according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein (a) is a perspective view of the hinge device and (b) is a front view of a first connecting member. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
   Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a folding-type radio telephone  10  comprises a first case unit  12  provided with a keypad and a second case unit  14  provided with a liquid crystal display. Hinge devices  20  are mounted to both side surfaces which serve as coupling portions between the first case unit  12  and the second case unit  14 . A housing member  30  of the hinge device  20  to be described below is inserted into a mounting hole  13  of the first case unit  12 . A coupling portion  22  of the second connecting member  40  of the hinge device  20  to be described below is inserted into a coupling hole  17  of the second case unit  14 . The mounting hole  13  is identical with the housing member  30  in view of their shapes, and is sized to allow the housing member  30  to be snugly fitted therein, so that the first case unit  12  and the housing member  30  may be rotated together. The coupling hole  17  is substantially the same as the coupling portion  22  of the hinge device  20  in view of theirs shapes, and is sized to allow the coupling portion  22  to be snugly fitted therein, so that the second case unit  14  and the coupling portion  22  may be rotated together. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the hinge device  20  includes the housing member  30 , a first connecting member  60 , a second connecting member  40 , an elastic member  80  and a coupling member  90 . The housing member  30  is formed into an elongated container. A longitudinal central line of the housing member  30  becomes a rotational axis  100  of the hinge device  20 . The housing member  30  includes an end wall  32  formed at one end thereof and a side wall  34  formed to extend from the end wall  32 . The shape of the end wall  32  is generally identical with that of an outer wall surface  62  of the first connecting member  60  to be described below. A side of the housing member  30  opposite to the end wall  32  is opened. A central portion of the end wall  32  is provided with a through-hole  33 . An end of the coupling member  90  to be described below protrudes through the through-hole  33  such that the coupling member can be coupled with the housing member by means of an E-ring  99 . The side wall  34  includes a first flat wall portion  35 , second and third opposite flat wall portions  36  and  37  connected to the first flat wall portion  35 , and a fourth semicircular wall portion  38  for connecting the second and third flat wall portions  36  and  37 . The first, second and third flat wall portions  35 ,  36  and  37  function as a key for preventing the housing member  30  from being rotated when they are fitted and assembled into the first case unit  12  of the folding-type radio telephone  10 . In addition, the first, second and third flat wall portions  35 ,  36  and  37  also serve to prevent the first connecting member  60  received in the housing member from being rotated, as will be described below. The housing member  30  may be made of metal (e.g., a brass plate) and manufactured through a deep drawing process. Alternatively, the housing member  30  may be formed through an injection molding process of a plastic resin material. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the first connecting member  60  includes the outer wall surface  62 , a cam surface  64  formed on a surface facing the second connecting member  40 , and a cylindrical boss  66  formed to extend from a central portion of a side of the first connecting member opposite to the cam surface  64 . The first connecting member  60  is provided with a through hole  68  which is bored through the first connecting member from the cam surface  64  to the boss  66  along the rotational axis  100 . The coupling member  90  penetrates though the through-hole  68 . Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the outer wall surface  62  has a circular-arc curved portion  621 , first and second flat portions  622  and  623  extending tangentially from both circumferential ends of the curved portion  621 , and a connection portion  624  for connecting the first and second flat portions  622  and  623 , similar to the shape of the side wall  34  of the housing member  30 . The curved portion  621  takes the shape of a circular-arc extending about 180 degrees in a circumferential direction about the rotational axis  100 . The third connection portion  624  is a third flat portion  624  which connects with the first and second flat portions  622  and  623 . A radial distance from the rotational axis  100  to the third flat portion  624  is substantially the same as that from the rotational axis  100  to the curved portion  621 . The first, second and third flat portions  622 ,  623  and  624  interact with the second, third and first flat wall portions  36 ,  37  and  35  of the side wall  34  of the housing member  30 , respectively, so that the outer wall surface  62  can be linearly moved but cannot be rotated within the housing member  30 . The shape of the outer wall surface  62  can provide an effective area of the cam surface  64  enough to operate the hinge device  20  as well as provide a reduced size of the first connecting member  60 , so that the size of the hinge device  20  in its entirety including the housing member  30  can be reduced. The first connecting member  60  is inserted through the open end of the housing member  30 . At this time, the cam surface  64  faces two cam follower projections  42  and  46  of the second connecting member  40 . The cam surface  64  has a peak section  641 , a valley section  642  and an inclined section  643 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the second connecting member  40  has the coupling portion  22  and the two cam follower projections  42  and  46  extending from the coupling portion  22 . The coupling portion  22  substantially takes the same shape as that of the outer wall surface  62  of the first connecting member  60 . The second connecting member  40  is provided with a passage hole  23  bored through the central portion of the second connecting member  40  along the rotational axis  100 . A coupling member  90  to be described below penetrates through the passage hole  23 . An entrance side of the passage hole  23  functions as a receiving portion  231  which is enlarged to receive a head  92  of the coupling member  90  to be described below. The two cam follower projections  42  and  46  are provided at diametrically opposite positions about the rotational axis  100 , respectively, on a rear side of the coupling portion  22  facing the first connecting member. Respective distal ends of the two cam follower projections  42  and  46  serve as cam followers  421  and  461  interacting with the cam surface  64  of the first connecting member  60 . The second connecting member  40  is inserted through the open end of the housing member  30  in such a manner that the coupling portion  22  can protrude outward from the housing member  30  and the two cam follower projections  42  and  46  can be received in the housing member  30 . The second connecting member  40  serving as a cam follower may be rotated about the rotational axis  100  with respect to the housing member  30  by means of the coupling member  90 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the elastic member  80  pushes the first connecting member  60  toward the second connecting member  40 . The elastic member  80  may be a compression coil spring. A boss  66  of the first connecting member  60  is fitted into one side of the elastic member  80 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the coupling member  90  includes the head  92  and a cylindrical body  94  extending lengthwise from the head  92  along the rotational axis  100 . An end portion of the cylindrical body  94  is provided with a ring-shaped coupling groove  941 . The head  92  is received in the receiving portion  231  which is provided in the entrance side of the passage hole  23  of the second connecting member  40 . The body  94  sequentially penetrates through the passage hole  23  of the second connecting member  40 , the through-hole  68  of the first connecting member  60 , and the interior of the elastic member  80 , so that the end of the body  94  can protrude outward though the through-hole  33  provided in the end wall  32  of the housing member  30 . At this time, the coupling groove  941  provided in the end portion of the body  94  also protrudes outward from the end wall  32  of the housing member  30 , and a stop ring  99  called an E-ring is coupled with the coupling groove  941  to thereby couple the coupling member  90  with the housing member  30 . The second connecting member  40  can be rotated about a longitudinal axis of the body  94  of the coupling member  90 . 
   The first connecting member  60  and the second connecting member  40  are manufactured through an injection molding process of a plastic resin, and may be made of an engineering plastic resin. Furthermore, it is possible to manufacture the first connecting member  60  and the second connecting member  40  through a sintering process or a cold forging process of a metallic material. 
   Now, the operation of the hinge device  20  according to the aforementioned embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 4 . As the second connecting member  40  is rotated about the rotational axis  100  with respect to the housing member  30 , the two cam followers  421  and  461  of the second connecting member  40  interact with the cam surface  64  of the first connecting member  60 , so that the second connecting member  40  can be linearly moved along the rotational axis  100 .  FIG. 3  ( a ) shows a state where the first connecting member  60  is positioned closest to the second connecting member  40 , whereas  FIG. 3  ( b ) show a state where the first connecting member  60  is positioned farthest from the second connecting member  40 . At this time, the first connecting member  60  can be linearly moved along but cannot be rotated about the rotational axis  100  with respect to the housing member  30  due to the first, second and third flat portions  622 ,  623  and  624  of the first connecting member  60 . 
     FIG. 5  ( a ) shows a hinge device  20   a  according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 5  ( b ) shows a first connecting member  60   a  used in the hinge device shown in  FIG. 5  ( a ). Referring to  FIG. 5 , a third flat portion  624   a  of the first connecting member  60   a  is positioned farther than the third flat portion  624  shown in  FIG. 4  from the rotational axis  100  (shown in  FIG. 2 ). A housing member  30   a  and a second connecting member  40   a  have shapes that are substantially the same as that of the first connecting member  60   a . Since the other configurations and operations are identical with those of the previous embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted herein. 
     FIG. 6  ( a ) shows a hinge device  20   b  according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 6  ( b ) shows a first connecting member  60   b  used in the hinge device shown in  FIG. 6  ( a ). Referring to  FIG. 6 , a connection portion  624   b  of the first connecting member  60   b  has a protrusion surface  625   b  which protrudes in a radial direction from the rotational axis  100  (shown in  FIG. 2 ). A housing member  30   b  and a second connecting member  40   b  have shapes that are substantially the same as that of the first connecting member  60   b . Since the other configurations and operations are identical with those of the previous embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted herein. 
     FIG. 7  ( a ) shows a hinge device  20   c  according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 7  ( b ) shows a first connecting member  60   c  used in the hinge device shown in  FIG. 7  ( a ). Referring to  FIG. 7 , a curved portion  621   c  of the first connecting member  60   c  extends approximately 270 degrees in a circumferential direction, and connects with first and second flat portions  622   b  and  623   b . A housing member  30   c  and a second connecting member  40   c  have shapes that are substantially the same as that of the first connecting member  60   c . Since the other configurations and operations are identical with those of the previous embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted herein. 
   Although it has been described in the aforementioned embodiments that the hinge device is mounted to a radio telephone, the present invention is not limited thereto. It can be understood by those skilled in the art that the hinge according to embodiments of the present invention can be applied to an apparatus provided with two units that can be folded or unfolded with respect to each other about a single axis. 
   Although various embodiments of the present invention has been illustrated and described, the present invention is not limited thereto. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention and such various modifications and changes will also be included into the present invention.