Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7032984?dq=4316055
Timestamp: 2017-01-22 12:12:38
Document Index: 190765409

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 156', 'art 156', 'art 168', 'art 168', 'art 174', 'art 174']

Patent US7032984 - Case for portable display devices - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA case for a portable display device is provided which can realize a large-sized screen by interconnecting a plurality of display elements. When the display elements are unfolded, the adjacent sides of the display elements closely contact each other, thereby minimizing the non-display area. When the...http://www.google.com/patents/US7032984?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7032984 - Case for portable display devicesAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS7032984 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/049,011PCT numberPCT/KR2001/001266Publication dateApr 25, 2006Filing dateJul 25, 2001Priority dateAug 9, 2000Fee statusLapsedAlso published asCN1252558C, CN1383503A, EP1307805A1, EP1307805A4, US7311366, US20020104769, US20060138913, WO2002017051A1Publication number049011, 10049011, PCT/2001/1266, PCT/KR/1/001266, PCT/KR/1/01266, PCT/KR/2001/001266, PCT/KR/2001/01266, PCT/KR1/001266, PCT/KR1/01266, PCT/KR1001266, PCT/KR101266, PCT/KR2001/001266, PCT/KR2001/01266, PCT/KR2001001266, PCT/KR200101266, US 7032984 B2, US 7032984B2, US-B2-7032984, US7032984 B2, US7032984B2InventorsSi Han Kim, Jang Ho Kim, Hyung Nyun KimOriginal AssigneeSi Han KimExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (16), Referenced by (12), Classifications (25), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetCase for portable display devices
US 7032984 B2Abstract
A case for a portable display device is provided which can realize a large-sized screen by interconnecting a plurality of display elements. When the display elements are unfolded, the adjacent sides of the display elements closely contact each other, thereby minimizing the non-display area. When the display elements are folded, the outer surface of the display elements can be protected. The case includes a foldable panel housing receiving at least two flat display panel elements. The panel housing is provided with an opening such that when the panel housing is unfolded, the adjacent sides of the fiat display elements closes contact each other. The case further includes a hinge supporting member for providing the folding/unfolding operation of the panel housing and a cover for covering a side of the flat display elements, which is exposed through the opening, to protect the display elements.
a cover means for covering the adjacent sidewalls of the flat panel display elements when the panel housing is folded; and
a sliding guide means for guiding the cover means behind the folding part of the panel housing when the panel housing is unfolded.
2. A case of claim 1 further comprising fixing means for fixing the cover means, the fixing means being an elastic member.
3. A case of claim 1 wherein the cover means comprises shock-absorbing means mounted on an inner surface of the cover means.
4. A case of claim 1 wherein the cover means comprises a center cover for covering the sidewalls of the flat panel display elements and bendable side covers extending from both sides of the center cover, the center cover being received in a shelter formed on the panel housing when the panel housing is unfolded.
5. A case of claim 4 wherein a flexible connecting member is disposed between the center cover and the side covers.
6. A case of claim 4 wherein the cover means further comprises a cover mounted on upper and lower portion of the center cover.
7. A case of claim 4 wherein the cover means further comprises a hinge shaft projected from the side covers and coupled to the panel housing.
8. A case of claim 4 further comprising cover-folding means for folding the cover means to the shelter when the panel housing is folded and unfolded.
9. A case of claim 8 wherein the cover-folding means comprises an elastic member coupled between an inner wall of the shelter and the side covers.
10. A case of claim 8 wherein the cover-folding means comprises a stopper for preventing the side covers from rotating outward.
11. A case of claim 8 wherein the cover-folding means comprises a guide projection formed on the side covers and a guide groove for guiding an inward rotation of the guide projection to the shelter.
12. A case of claim 4 wherein the side covers include plural unit covers between which connecting portions are formed so that the side covers are bendable.
13. A case of claim 4 wherein the side cover is formed of a flexible sheet.
14. A case of claim 1 wherein the cover means is designed to be flexible and received in a shelter of the panel housing, the shelter receiving the cover means so that the cover means is not exposed outside when the panel housing is unfolded.
15. A case for a portable display device, comprising:
a folding support member for supporting a folding operation of the panel housing; and
a cover means for covering the adjacent sidewalls of the flat panel display elements when the panel housing is folded;
wherein the panel housing is provided with a space in which the cover means is received when the panel housing is folded, the space being located on an inner or outer side of the panel housing.
The operation of the above-described foldable case of the portable display device is described hereinfter.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, to prevent the cover means 14 from being inclined, as shown in FIG. 9, a mounting part 156 is formed on upper and lower portions of the center cover 142′ in a shape. A longitudinal groove 156 a is formed on an inner surface of the mounting part 156, and a shaft projection 10 a supportably coupled to the longitudinal groove 156 a is formed on a folding supporting member 10.
When the panel housings 6 and 8 are folded (see a solid line in the drawing), the cover means 14 covers the sidewalls of the flat panel display elements 2 and 4, and when unfolded (see a broken fine in the drawing), extended outside.
To prevent the cover means 14 from directing in only one direction during the folding and unfolding operation, a shaped mount part 168′b is mounted on the upper and lower portions of the second cover 168′, and a longitudinal groove 168′c is formed on an inner surface of the mount part 168′b. A shaft projection 10 a engaged with the longitudinal groove 168′c is formed on the folding support member 10.
The cover means 14 is located behind the border of the panel housings. And the cover means is formed in a shape.
Describing more in detail, the cover means 14 includes a cover body 172 and a mount part 174 formed on upper and lower portions of the cover body 172, thereby defining the shape. A longitudinal groove 174 a is formed on the mount part 174. A shaft projection 10 a is slidably coupled to the longitudinal groove 174 a. Accordingly, when the panel housings 6 and 8 are unfolded (see upper sides of FIG. 24), the cover means 14 is pushed rearward, and when folded (see lower sides of FIG. 23), is moved forward.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS1263895 *Jun 26, 1917Apr 23, 1918Richard W HubbardConcealed hinge.US1444398 *Dec 27, 1921Feb 6, 1923Shepherd Stonewall JHinge guardUS2481877 *Nov 22, 1944Sep 13, 1949Mason Box CompanyHingeUS3399782 *Feb 6, 1967Sep 3, 1968Raymond E. BascomBook endsUS4850143 *Mar 31, 1988Jul 25, 1989Anna Elizabeth CrooimansInter-panel hermetic sealUS4856141 *May 10, 1988Aug 15, 1989Karl Lautenschlager Gmbh & Co. KgCabinet hinge with cover in the form of an elongated bellowsUS5001862 *Nov 20, 1989Mar 26, 1991Abraham AlbendaSafety attachment for hinged side of doorsUS5220708 *Apr 1, 1992Jun 22, 1993Schlage Lock CompanySelf-trimming shield for a door heelUS5467102 *Mar 28, 1995Nov 14, 1995Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaPortable display device with at least two display screens controllable collectively or separatelyUS5778601 *Sep 10, 1996Jul 14, 1998Wu; I-TsungProtective device for a doorUS6107988 *Jun 5, 1997Aug 22, 2000Phillipps; John QuentinPortable electronic apparatusUS6298605 *Mar 7, 2000Oct 9, 2001Bruno DelefosseMechanical safety device for a door pivotally mounted on a frameUS6421235 *Mar 27, 2001Jul 16, 2002Richarad J. DitzikPortable electronic units including notebook computers, PDAs and battery operated unitsUSD397998 *Sep 29, 1997Sep 8, 1998 Closable display deviceJPH0530918A Title not availableJPH05197444A Title not available* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS7548415 *May 31, 2005Jun 16, 2009Kim Si-HanPortable display deviceUS8213167Jul 7, 2009Jul 3, 2012Kim Si-HanPortable display deviceUS8379378 *Apr 25, 2008Feb 19, 2013Creator Technology B.V.Hybrid hinge and an electronic device comprising the hybrid hingeUS9247796Jul 31, 2014Feb 2, 2016World Richman Manufacturing CorporationCradle-cassette apparatus for an electronic deviceUS9462864Mar 17, 2015Oct 11, 2016World Richman Manufacturing CorporationReversible case for an electronic deviceUS9504170 *Jul 18, 2014Nov 22, 2016Apple Inc.Flexible display devicesUS9541962 *Oct 16, 2014Jan 10, 2017Microsoft Technology Licensing, LlcMobile computing device having a flexible hinge structureUS20050248501 *Sep 16, 2003Nov 10, 2005Si Han KimMulti display deviceUS20080049389 *May 31, 2005Feb 28, 2008Si Han KimPortable Display DeviceUS20100053858 *Jul 7, 2009Mar 4, 2010Kim Si-HanPortable display deviceUS20100246103 *Apr 25, 2008Sep 30, 2010Polymer Vision Limitedhybrid hinge and an electronic device comprising the hybrid hingeUS20140328041 *Jul 18, 2014Nov 6, 2014Apple Inc.Flexible Display Devices* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification312/7.2, 312/223.2, 49/383International ClassificationG09F9/00, H04M1/02, F16C11/04, G09F9/40, F16C11/10, A47B81/00, A47B81/06, G06F1/16, G09F9/30Cooperative ClassificationG06F2200/1612, G06F1/1641, G06F1/1616, G06F1/1637, G09F9/30, G06F1/1681, G06F1/1601European ClassificationG06F1/16P9D2, G06F1/16P1F, G06F1/16P9M6, G06F1/16P9D, G09F9/30, G06F1/16DLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionFeb 5, 2002ASAssignmentOwner name: KIM, SI HAN, KOREA, REPUBLIC OFFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:KIM, SI HAN;KIM, JANG HO;KIM, HYUNG NYUN;REEL/FRAME:012815/0016Effective date: 20020205Oct 6, 2009FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Dec 6, 2013REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedApr 25, 2014LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesJun 17, 2014FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 20140425RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services