Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7534120?dq=5,870,513
Timestamp: 2014-11-21 16:55:07
Document Index: 751834179

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2005', 'art 130', 'art 130', 'art 130', 'art 130', 'art 130']

Patent US7534120 - Foldable information processing apparatus having protected crank-type ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA foldable information processing apparatus includes a hinge part that foldably couples two housings with each other, a crank-type structured flexible printed circuit board that passes through the hinge part and electrically connects the two housings to each other, and a protector that protects an end...http://www.google.com/patents/US7534120?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7534120 - Foldable information processing apparatus having protected crank-type structured flexible printed circuit boardAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7534120 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/359,388Publication dateMay 19, 2009Filing dateFeb 23, 2006Priority dateNov 30, 2005Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS20070123078Publication number11359388, 359388, US 7534120 B2, US 7534120B2, US-B2-7534120, US7534120 B2, US7534120B2InventorsHaruyoshi Yada, Takashi Suzuki, Tomoyuki Nagamine, Manabu Hongo, Kazunori Murayama, Yoshiya MatsumotoOriginal AssigneeFujitsu LimitedExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (16), Referenced by (1), Classifications (10), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetFoldable information processing apparatus having protected crank-type structured flexible printed circuit boardUS 7534120 B2Abstract A foldable information processing apparatus includes a hinge part that foldably couples two housings with each other, a crank-type structured flexible printed circuit board that passes through the hinge part and electrically connects the two housings to each other, and a protector that protects an end surface of the flexible printed circuit board from a contact with the hinge part.
This application claims the right of foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. �119 based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-347247, filed on Nov. 30, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a foldable information processing apparatus, such as a cell phone (including a personal digital cellular (�PDC�), a personal handy phone system (�PHS�), and another mobile communication terminal, which are generally referred to as �mobile radio communication apparatuses�), and more particularly to an internal structure of its hinge part.
In general, the cell phone is classified into a foldable cell phone and a rod-type cell phone. Among them, the foldable cell phone typically has a movable-side housing with a liquid crystal display (�LCD� hereinafter) screen and a fixed-side housing with a ten-key, and make them foldable through a hinge part. A connector passes through the hinge part in the foldable cell phone between the movable-side housing and the fixed-side housing, and electrically connects the movable-side housing to the fixed-side housing to each other. In general, the connector is made of a cable line and a flexible printed circuit board (�FPC� hereinafter) between substrates. The cable includes, for example, a coaxial cable used to transmit a high-frequency signal. The FPC is used, for example, to connect both printed boards of the movable-side housing and fixed-side housing to each other, and transmit various signals between these printed boards.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an exemplified object of the present invention to provide a foldable information processing apparatus that adopts the crank-type FPC for the miniaturization of the apparatus and improves the operability and durability.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1A and 1B are side and front views when a cell phone as an inventive foldable information processing apparatus opens, and FIGS. 1C-1E are top, side and rear views when the cell phone closes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A description will be given of a cell phone 100 as one example of an inventive mobile radio communication apparatus, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, FIG. 1A is a left side view of the opening cell phone 100. FIG. 1B is a front view of the opening cell phone 100. FIG. 1C is a top view of the closed cell phone 100. FIG. 1D is a left side view of the closed cell phone 100. FIG. 1E is a rear view of the closed cell phone. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the cell phone 100.
The printed board 152 has a terminal to which an earphone is connected, and a connection terminal with an external apparatus, such as a personal computer (�PC�), and these terminals are covered by rubber covers 127 a and 127 b attached to the rear case 124.
The center pipe 163 secures a path through which the FPC 170 is introduced from the movable-side housing 110 into the hinge part 130 and extends along the longitudinal direction of the hinge part 130 to the center shaft 160. The center pipe 163 is made of a hollow cylinder member, and fixed onto the LCD holder 116. The center pipe 163 is made of polyoxymethylene (�POM�), and has a groove 164 and a projection 165. The center pipe 163 is partially engaged with the center shaft 160. While the center shaft 160 is fixed onto the key shaft 126 of the fixed-side housing 120, the center pipe 163 is fixed onto the LCD holder 116 of the movable-side housing 110 and rotates with the LCD holder 116. The FPC 170 passes through the groove 164 and the opening in the center pipe 163 at the side of the center shaft 160. The projection 165 extends perpendicularly from the groove 164 to the outside of the center pipe 163, and projects from and engages with the groove 116 b. The projection 165 is engaged with the groove 116 b, stabilizing a connection between the grooves 116 b and 164.
The FPC 170 electrically connects the printed board 144 to the printed board 152. The FPC 170 of this embodiment has a crank-type structure in which the FPC 170 is twisted and bent in the hinge part 130. The crank-type structure can make the hinge part 130 smaller than the curl-type structure in which the FPC 170 is curled once in the hinge part 130, and has an effect of miniaturization of the entire cell phone 100. The FPC 170 has a layered structure that coats plural parallel signal lines with an insulating member, such as polyimide resin. For example, the FPC 170 has a three-layer structure that includes a central layer as a signal line, and both layers as a frame ground (�FG�) line. The number of layers in the FPC 170 is not limited, and the signal line and the insulating material may apply any technology known in the art, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
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