Patent Publication Number: US-2009239594-A1

Title: Communication device

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to communication devices, and particularly to a communication device such as a mobile phone having a multi-position opening mechanism. 
     2. Description of related art 
     In general, mobile phones are classified into bar type phones, flip/fold type phones, and sliding type phones according to their structures. 
     The bar type phones are designed to integrate input units and output units in a single housing. The flip/fold type phones are designed to allow a cover to pivot relative to a body via a hinge module. Comparing with the flip/fold type phones, the sliding type phones operate by sliding a first housing relative to a second housing so as to open or close the phones. 
     However, regarding to the aforesaid three type of mobile phones, no opening mechanism is provided for the bar type phones, only one pivotable direction movement is provided in most flip/fold type phones, and only one sliding direction movement is provided for the sliding type phones. This one directional movement provides a limited degree of freedom for manipulating of the phones. 
     Therefore, it is desired to provide a communication device having a multi-position opening mechanism for facilitating users to open and close the communication device. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, a communication device having a multi-position opening mechanism for facilitating users to open and close the communication device is provided. The communication device includes a first housing and a second housing. The first housing is provided with a plurality of keys for inputting commands to the communication device. The first housing defines at least one guiding groove in a top surface of the first housing. The second housing is slidably and pivotably coupled to the first housing. The second housing is provided with at least one sliding member corresponding to the at least one guiding groove. The at least one sliding member is slidably fitted in at least one guiding groove for guiding the second housing to slide relative to the first housing sequentially from a first position, to a second position, and a third position. The second housing substantially covers all the top surface of the first housing in the first position. The second housing covers a part of the plurality of keys in the second position. The second housing inclines at an angle with respect to the first housing. Substantially all the plurality of keys is exposed to be viewable on the top surface of the first housing in the third position. 
     Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a first view of a communication device in a first position in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the communication device taken along a line II-II shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the communication device taken along a line III-III shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a first view of a communication device in a second position in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the communication device taken along a line V-V shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a first view of a communication device in a third position in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the communication device taken along a line VII-VII shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a first view of a communication device in a third position in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional view of the communication device taken along a line IX-IX shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a first view of a communication device in a first position in accordance with a third exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a sectional view of the communication device taken along a line XI-XI shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a sectional view of the communication device shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , a first communication device  10 , such as a mobile phone, in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment is illustrated. The first communication device  10  includes a first housing  102  and a second housing  104 . The first housing  102  and the second housing  104  are configured to have substantially the same lengths and widths. The second housing  104  is configured to be moveable relative to the first housing  102  sequentially from a first position, to a second position, and to a third position and vice versa. In each of the three positions, the first communication device  10  may be configured to perform different functions correspondingly. 
     For example, in the first position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the first housing  102  substantially covers a top surface of the second housing  104 . In the first position, the first communication device may be used for reproducing audible sounds. 
     In the second position, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the second housing  104  partially covers the top surface of the first housing  102 . In the second position, the first communication device  10  is capable of making phone calls and sending short messages. 
     In the third position, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the second housing  104  is pivoted to a predetermined angle with respect to the first housing  102 . The second housing  104  is substantially fully opened with respect to the first housing  102 . In this third position, the first communication device  10  is capable of extended functionality such as game playing or the display can act as a video output when the device is placed on a table or other flat surface. 
     Hereinafter, a detail structure of the first communication device  10  will be described. 
     The first housing  102  includes input units, such as a plurality of keys  128 . The plurality of keys  128  is provided on the top surface of the first housing  102 . The plurality of keys  128  is arranged for inputting commands to the first communication device  10 . The first housing  102  is substantially rectangular and further defines a pair of guiding grooves  122  adjacent to the longer sides of the top surface of the first housing  102  correspondingly. 
     The pair of guiding grooves  122  are formed parallel to each other for receiving a pair of sliding members  106  disposed in the second housing  104  correspondingly. Each of the guiding grooves  122  is formed by a straight groove  132  and a curved groove  134  communicating with each other. The straight grooves  132  extend parallel along the longer sides of the first housing  102  correspondingly for guiding a sliding movement of the second housing  104  relative to the first housing  102 . The curved grooves  134  communicate with the straight grooves  132  correspondingly, and extend in a direction towards the top surface and slant away from the first housing  132 . The curved groove  134  is configured for guiding the second housing  104  to pivotally rotate to a predetermined angle relative to the first housing  102 . 
     The first housing  102  further includes a first magnetic member  124  and a second magnetic member  126 . The first magnetic member  124  is disposed generally in or adjacent to a central portion of the straight groove  132 . The first magnetic member  124  is configured for facilitating the second housing  104  to move from the first position to the second position and preventing the second housing  104  from sliding pass the second position when moving from the first position. The second magnetic member  126  is disposed in the curved groove  134  for facilitating the second housing  104  to move relative to the first housing  102  from the second position to the third position, and preventing the second housing  104  from returning to the second position from the third position. 
     The second housing  104  is provided with the pair of sliding members  106  at a bottom surface of the second housing  104 . The pair of the sliding members  106  is configured for facilitating the multi-position movement of the second housing  104  relative to the first housing  102 . Each of the sliding members  106  is generally hook-shaped and formed by a planar plate  136  and a bent portion  138 . The planar plate  136  of each of the sliding members  106  is mounted to the bottom surface of the second housing  104  correspondingly. The bent portion  138  of each of the sliding members  106  is connected to an end of the planar plate  136 . The bent portions  138  fittingly engage with the guiding groove  122  of the first housing  102  correspondingly. 
     The second housing  104  further includes a second housing magnetic member  162  that is disposed in the bent portion  138  of the sliding member  106 . The second housing magnetic member  162  and the first magnetic member  124  produce a first magnetic attraction force  462  (see  FIG. 2 ) for facilitating the second housing  104  to move to the second position. The second housing magnetic member  162  and the second magnetic member  126  produce a second magnetic attraction force  464  (see  FIG. 7 ) for facilitating the second housing  104  to move from the second position to the third position. The first magnetic attraction force  462  and the second magnetic attraction force  464  are exerted in a first direction and a second direction that are different from each other for facilitating the parallel sliding movement and the pivotable movement of the second housing  104  relative to the first housing  102  respectively. 
     Hereinafter, an operation of the first communication device  10  will be described. 
     In operation, the first communication device  10  may be initially positioned in the first position. In the first position, the second housing  104  substantially covers the top surface of the first housing  102  as shown in  FIG.1 . When a given force is applied to the second housing  104  along a direction parallel to the bottom surface of the second housing  104 , the second housing  104  slides with respect to the first housing  102 , and one or more keys  128  of the first housing  102  become exposed. 
     Under this given force, the movement of the second housing  104  is guided by the bent portions  138  sliding in the straight grooves  132 , such that the second housing  104  keeps sliding relative to the first housing  102 . As the first magnetic member  124  and the second housing magnetic member  162  moves toward each other, a progressively increasing first magnetic attraction force  462  is produced between them. As such, the second housing  104  continues to slide with respect to the first housing  102 . When the first magnetic member  124  and the second housing magnetic member  162  are adjacent to each other, the first magnetic attractive force  462  is the strongest and this inhibits further movement of the second housing  104  relative to the first housing  102 . In this condition, the second housing  104  is in the second position. In the second position, the second housing  104  partially covers the first housing  102 , where some of the plurality of keys  128 , such as numeric keys of the first housing  102  are exposed. 
     When the second housing  104  is in the second position, a force to overcome the first attraction force between the second housing magnet member  162  and the first magnet member  124  can be applied to move the second housing  104  to the third position. The bent portion  138  are slidably guided in the straight grooves  132  away from the first magnetic member  124 , and moves to the second magnetic member  126 . When the second housing  104  moves from the second position to the third position, the first magnetic attraction force  462  (see  FIG. 2 ) progressively decreases, and the second magnetic attraction force  464  (see  FIG. 7 ) between the second housing magnetic member  162  and the second magnet member  126  progressively increases, thus, the bent portions  138  are actuated to move quickly, and slides in the curved grooves  134 . The curved grooves  134  make the second housing  104  pivot relative to the first housing  102 . Furthermore, the second magnetic attraction force  464  holds the second housing  104  in position in the third position. In the third position, substantially all the keys  128  are exposed on the top surface of the first housing  102 . The first housing  102  may be lie flat on a table, and the second housing  104  tilted relative to the first housing  102  and the table, so that the first communication device  10  may be conveniently operated to play video games, display movies and as a television in the third position. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 8-9 , a second communication device  20  such as a mobile phone in a third position in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment is illustrated. The second communication device  20  includes a first housing  202  and a second housing  204 . The first housing  202  and the second housing  204  are configured to have substantially the same lengths and widths. The second housing  102  is configured to be moveable relative to the second housing  204 , the movement is sequentially from a first position, to a second position, and to a third position. 
     A main difference between the second communication device  20  and the first communication device  10  is that a pair of guiding grooves  222  is defined in two relatively shorter sides of the top surface of the first housing  202 . The second communication device  20  has similar configurations of sliding members and magnetic members associated thereof with the first communication device  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10-11 , a third communication device  30  such as a mobile phone in accordance with a third exemplary embodiment is illustrated. The third communication device  30  includes a first housing  302  and a second housing  304 . The first housing  302  and the second housing  304  are configured to have substantially the same lengths and widths. The second housing  302  is configured to moveable relative to the second housing  304  sequentially from a first position, to a second position, and further to a third position. The third communication device  30  is configured with sliding members and a plurality of magnetic members similar to the first communication device  10 . 
     The first housing  302  further defines a retaining recess  328  in a top surface of the first housing  302 . The retaining recess  328  is located adjacent to a curved groove  323  for supporting the second housing  304  on the first housing  302  when the third communication device  30  is in the third position. More specifically, the retaining recess  328  receives an end of a planar plate  136  of the second housing  304  after a pivotable movement of the second housing  304  relative to the first housing  302  is completed. 
     The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiments described therein.