Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6154359?dq=6004266
Timestamp: 2017-06-25 20:21:56
Document Index: 224331202

Matched Legal Cases: ['art.\n9', 'art.\n16', 'art 56', 'art 53', 'art 53', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 10', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 56', 'art 53', 'art 56', 'art 53', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 10', 'art 3', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 3', 'art 10', 'art 3', 'art 10', 'art 10']

Patent US6154359 - Portable information processing apparatus - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA portable electronic device has a main body, a display part having a display panel, and a connection part having a first rotary part respectively connected to and rotatably interconnecting a second rotary part and supporting the main body and the display part relatively to each other. The first rotary...http://www.google.com/patents/US6154359?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6154359 - Portable information processing apparatusAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS6154359 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 08/962,394Publication dateNov 28, 2000Filing dateOct 31, 1997Priority dateDec 2, 1996Fee statusLapsedPublication number08962394, 962394, US 6154359 A, US 6154359A, US-A-6154359, US6154359 A, US6154359AInventorsHideaki Kamikakai, Katsuichi GotoOriginal AssigneeFujitsu LimitedExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (63), Non-Patent Citations (12), Referenced by (132), Classifications (19), Legal Events (6) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetPortable information processing apparatus
US 6154359 AAbstract
A portable electronic device has a main body, a display part having a display panel, and a connection part having a first rotary part respectively connected to and rotatably interconnecting a second rotary part and supporting the main body and the display part relatively to each other. The first rotary part maintains a fixed angular relationship between the main body and the connection part and permits adjustment of the angle therebetween when a first rotary manipulation force is applied therebetween which exceeds a rotary manipulation force due to the weight of the main body itself. The second rotary part maintains a fixed angular relationship between the main body and the connection part and permits adjustment of the angle between the display part and the connector when a second rotary manipulation force is applied therebetween which exceeds a rotary manipulation force due to the weight of the main body itself.
1. An electronic device, comprising:a main body; a display part; and a connector comprising first and second rotary parts rotatably interconnecting said main body and said display part and affording independent rotation of each thereof in any sequence and through at least 180° relatively to the connector, in each of clockwise and counterclockwise directions, and a range of rotation of the main body relative to the display part of substantially 360°, and thus between fully closed and fully opened positions relatively to each other; said first rotary part being linked to said main body so that said connection part and said main body rotate, relatively to each other, when a first rotary manipulation force, greater than a first predetermined value, is applied therebetween; and said second rotary part being linked to said display part so that said connection part and said display part rotate, relatively to each other, when a second rotary manipulation force, greater than a second predetermined value, is applied therebetween. 2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connector connects to respective, confronting edge portions of said main body and said display part.
9. An electronic device, comprising:a main body having a main surface and an input device received on the main surface; a display part; and a connector comprising first and second rotary parts rotatably interconnecting said main body and said display part and affording selective, relative rotation therebetween of substantially 360°; said first rotary part being linked to said main body so that said connection part and said main body rotate, relatively to each other, when a rotary manipulation force greater than a first predetermined value is applied therebetween; said second rotary part being linked to said display part so that said connection part and said display part rotate, relatively to each other, when a rotary manipulation force greater than a second predetermined value is applied therebetween; and said main body forms a first angle with respect to said connection part when rotated relatively to said connection part and is tilted by a second angle with respect to a support surface on which the electronic device is placed, in a state where the input device faces in a direction opposite to the support surface and said display part forms a third angle with respect to the support surface, where the third angle is in the range from 0° to 90°. 10. The electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said input device is a keyboard.
11. An electronic device comprising:a main body having a first main surface with an input device thereon and an opposite, second main surface; a display part having a first main surface with a display screen thereon and an opposite, second main surface; a connection part, having a first rotary part and a second rotary part rotatably interconnecting said main body and said display part, said first rotary part being linked to said main body so that said connection part and said main body rotate, relatively to each other, when a first rotary manipulation force, greater than a first predetermined value, is applied therebetween, said second rotary part being linked to said display part so that said connection part and said display part rotate, relatively to each other, when a second rotary manipulation force, greater than a second predetermined value, is applied therebetween; and said main body and said display part are each rotatable with respect to said connection part and relatively to each other to a selected angle between the respective, second main surfaces thereof within an angular range of 0° to 90°. 12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said input device is a keyboard.
13. A portable electronic device, comprising:a main body having first and second opposite main surfaces and an input device on the first main surface; a display part having first and second opposite main surfaces and a display panel on the second main surface; a connector having first and second rotary parts respectively connected to and rotatably interconnecting the main body and the display part and affording independent rotation of each thereof in any sequence and through at least 180° relatively to the connector, in each of clockwise and counterclockwise directions, and a range of rotation of the main body relative to the display part of substantially 360°, and thus between fully closed and fully opened positions relatively to each other; the first rotary part releaseably maintaining a fixed angular relationship between the main body and the connection part by exerting a first frictional force opposing a first, static rotary manipulation force therebetween produced by the weight of the main body itself and permitting adjustment of the angular relationship when a first, separate rotary manipulation force is applied therebetween which exceeds a combination of the first frictional force and the first, static rotary manipulation forces; and the second rotary part releaseably maintaining a fixed angular relationship between the main body and the connection part by exerting a second frictional force opposing a second, static rotary manipulation force therebetween produced by the weight of the display part itself and permitting adjustment of the angular relationship when a second, separate rotary manipulation force is applied therebetween which exceeds a combination of the second frictional force and the second, static rotary manipulation force. 14. The portable electronic device recited in claim 13, wherein the connector permits relative rotation of the main body and the display part to a selected angle between the respective first main surfaces thereof in a range substantially of from 0° to 360°.
15. The portable electronic device recited in claim 13, wherein the first and second rotary parts define respective first and second, parallel axes of rotation, the parallel axes lying in a common plate parallel to first edges of the main body and display part, the first and second rotary parts affording selective rotations of the main body and the display part about the respective first and second axes, respectively, from an angle of 0° between the respective first main surfaces thereof, corresponding to a closed relationship of the main body and the display part, each thereof through an angle of 180° and in opposite relative directions of rotation, to an angle of 0° between the respective, second main surfaces of the main body and the display part.
16. A portable electronic device, comprising:a main body having a first and second opposite main surface and an input device on the first main surface and an edge transverse to the first and second main surfaces and a first thickness; a display part having first and second, opposite main surfaces and a display panel on the first main surface and an edge transverse to the first and second main surfaces and a first thickness; a connector comprising a first rotary part defining a first axis of rotation and a second rotary part defining a second axis of rotation, parallel to the first axis of rotation and lying in a common plane therewith, the first rotary part being connected to the main body and the main body extending radially from the first axis of rotation and being selectively rotatable about the first axis through 180° from a first position transverse to and extending in a first direction from the common plane to a second position transverse to and extending from the common plane in a second, opposite direction and the second rotary part being connected to the display part and the display part extending radially from the second axis of rotation and being selectively rotatable about the second axis through 180° from a first position transverse to and extending from the common plane in the first direction to a second position transverse to and extending from the common plane in a second, opposite direction, each of the first and second rotary parts being rotatable relatively to the respective axes thereof through at least 180° in each of clockwise and counterclockwise directions, independently of each other and in any sequence, and the connector affording a range of rotation between the main body and the display part of substantially 360°, and thus between fully closed and fully opened positions relatively to each other. 17. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 16, wherein the main body and the display part are rotatable with the respective first and second rotary parts about the respective first and second axes in first and second, opposite senses between the respective first and second positions thereof.
18. An electronic device, comprising:a main body having a main surface; a display part; and a connector comprising first and second rotary parts rotatably interconnecting said main body and said display part and affording selective, relative rotation therebetween of substantially 360°; said first rotary part being lined to said main body so that said connection part and said main body rotate, relatively to each other; said second rotary part being linked to said display part so that said connection part and said display part rotate, relatively to each other; and said main body forms a first angle with respect to said connection part when rotated relatively to said connection part and is tilted by a second angle with respect to a support surface on which the electronic device is placed, in a state in which the main surface faces in a direction opposite to the support surface and said display part forms a third angle with respect to the support surface, wherein the third angle is in a range from 0° to 90°. 19. The electronic device as claimed in claim 18, wherein said main surface has an input device.
21. An electronic device comprising:a main body having a first main surface and a second main surface; a display part having a first main surface with a display screen thereon and an opposite, second main surface; and a connection part having a first rotary part and a second rotary part rotatably interconnecting said main body and said display part; said first rotary part being linked to said main body so that said connection part and said main body are rotatable, relatively to each other; said second rotary part being linked to said display part so that said connection part and said display part are rotatable, relatively to each other; said main body and said display part each being rotatable with respect to said connection part; and said display part being supported at a second angle between the respective, second main surfaces thereof, wherein the selected angle is greater than 0° and less than or equal to 90°. 22. The electronic device as claimed in claim 21, wherein said first main surface has an input device.
The present invention generally relates to portable information processing apparatuses and, more particularly, to an information processing apparatus having a display part which includes a display panel and a pen input part formed on the display panel, a main body which includes a keyboard, and a connection part which connects the display part and the main body.
Because the connection part 56 has the single-shaft structure 57, the display part 53 can be opened with respect to the main body 55 from the folded position to the open position for an angular range of 180°. If the portable information processing apparatus 51 is provided with a means for locking the display part 53 can be locked at a certain rotary position as shown in FIG. 1 so as to facilitate viewing of the liquid crystal display panel 52.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel and useful portable information processing apparatus in which the problems described above are eliminated.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional portable information processing apparatus;
FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a portable information processing apparatus according to the present invention in a state where a display part is opened with respect to a main body. In addition, FIGS.4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 4F respectively show a plan view, a rear view, a front view, a left side view, a right side view and a bottom view of the portable information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 3 in a state where the display part is closed with respect to the main body. Furthermore, FIG. 5 shows a cross section of an internal structure of the portable information processing apparatus shown in FIG. 3 in the state where the display part is closed with respect to the main body.
As shown in FIG. 5, the portable information processing apparatus 1 is normally carried by the user in a state where the display part 3 is folded, that is, closed, with respect to the main body 2. In this state, the display part 3 is stacked on top of the main body 2 so that the liquid crystal display panel 5 (pen input part 10) confronts the keyboard 6. In this state, an angle formed between the display part 3 and the main body 2 is 0°. In this state where the angle formed between the display part 3 and the main body 2 is 0°, an angle formed between the display part 3 and the connection part 4 is 90°, and an angle formed between the main body 2 and the connection part 4 is also 90°. Since the connection part 4 has the double-shaft structure, the display part 3 and the main body 2 can turn independently of each other, and both the display part 3 and the main body 2 can be turned to arbitrary rotary positions.
In FIG. 7, the main body 2 is turned by approximately 180° with respect to the display part 3 and the connection part 4. When the portable information processing apparatus 1 is set up on a flat set-up surface in this state, the connection part 4 supports the main body 2 in a tilted state on the flat set-up surface such that the main body 2 forms an angle θ to the flat set-up surface.
The angle θ is determined by a width D of the main body 2, a width W of the connection part 4 which is approximately the same as the thickness of the portable information processing apparatus 1, and an angle β which is determined by the extent of the turn of the main body 2 relative to part 4 and is formed between the main body 2 and the connection part 4. Hence, a tilt angle of the main body 2 with respect to the flat set-up surface can be arbitrarily selected within an angular range of 0° to θ.
In this case, a tilt angle α of the display part 3 with respect to the flat set-up surface can be arbitrarily selected within an angular range of 0° to (θ+β-90°), and the display part 3 can be set to a tilt angle which makes information displayed on the display part 3 easily visible by the user. The maximum tilt angle (θ+β-90°) includes the angle of 90° because in the folded or closed state of the display part 3, the angle formed between the display part 3 and the connection part 4 is 90°.
As may be seen from FIG. 2 described above, the main body 55 of the conventional portable information processing apparatus 51 cannot be tilted unless a special tilting mechanism is additionally provided, because of the single-shaft structure of the connection part 56 used to support the main body 55 and the display part 53. In other words, the single-shaft structure of the connection part 56 makes it impossible to turn one of the main body 55 and the display part 53 with respect to the other by an angle greater than 180°.
In FIG. 8, the main body 2 is set up on the flat set-up surface with the keyboard 6 facing down, and the display part 3 and the main body 2 form an angle within an angular range of 270° to 360° in this, state. Hence, an angle γ formed between the surface 3a of the display part 3, opposite to the surface 3b provided with the liquid crystal display panel 5 and the pen input part 10, and the surface 2a of the main body 2, opposite to the surface 2b provided with the keyboard 6, is within an angular range of 0° to 90°.
Preferably, the portable information processing apparatus 1 is provided with a mechanism for disabling the keyboard 6 when the angle γ formed between the surface, 3a of the display part 3, opposite to the surface 3b provided with the pen input part 10, and the surface 2a of the main body 2, opposite to the surface 2b provided with the keyboard 6, is within an angular range of 0° to 90°, so that the data input is only possible from the pen input part 10. A mechanism similar to a known mechanism for turning OFF power of the portable information processing apparatus 1 when the display part 3 is folded and closed with respect to the main body 2 may be used to disable the keyboard 6. In this case, it possible to prevent erroneous manipulation of the keyboard 6 and to prevent erroneous inputs from the keyboard 6 when making the data input from the pen input part 10 in the position of the portable information processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 8.
FIG. 9 shows the portable information processing apparatus 1 in a state where the angle γ described above is 0<γ<90°. However, the display part 3 may take an upright position (γ=90°) or a horizontal position (γ=0°) to suit the user's needs. The portable information processing apparatus 1 can be positively maintained in a stable state on a table, a surface having a relatively small area which may be smaller than the bottom surface area of the main body 2, the lap of the user, the palm of the user or the like, because of the relatively small area occupied by the portable information processing apparatus 1 in the state where only the pen input part 10 needs to be enabled and the keyboard 6 may be disabled. As a result, the data input can be made by the user with ease by manipulating a pen 31 with respect to the pen input part 10.
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