Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US4996522?dq=6,578,054
Timestamp: 2016-08-27 13:42:28
Document Index: 53790716

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 48', 'art 41', 'art 41', 'art 41', 'art 41', 'art 41']

Patent US4996522 - Folding electronic device - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA folding electronic device comprises a body and a cover member, rear walls of which are rotatably coupled with each other by hinges. When the cover member is closed, the rear wall of the cover member is positioned rearwardly beyond the rear wall of the body while the lower end of the rear wall of the...http://www.google.com/patents/US4996522?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US4996522 - Folding electronic deviceAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS4996522 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 07/408,274Publication dateFeb 26, 1991Filing dateSep 18, 1989Priority dateSep 26, 1988Fee statusPaidPublication number07408274, 408274, US 4996522 A, US 4996522A, US-A-4996522, US4996522 A, US4996522AInventorsHironori SunanoOriginal AssigneeSharp Kabushiki KaishaExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (3), Referenced by (25), Classifications (11), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetFolding electronic device
A folding electronic device comprises a body and a cover member, rear walls of which are rotatably coupled with each other by hinges. When the cover member is closed, the rear wall of the cover member is positioned rearwardly beyond the rear wall of the body while the lower end of the rear wall of the cover member is positioned downwardly beyond the upper end of the rear wall of the body. A clearance defined between the rear walls of the body and the cover member is blocked by a closing member which is provided in the body. A spring is mounted on the closing member to rearwardly urge the same. Due to the urging force of the spring, the closing member is in contact with the rear wall of the cover member when the cover member is closed and when the same is opened by 180�, as well as when the same is being opened/closed. Thus, no foreign matter enters the interior through the clearance defined between the rear walls of the body and the cover member to disconnect an interconnection sheet of the folding electronic device.
Further, the closing member is rearwardly urged by the urging means to be in contact with the rear wall of the cover member. Thus, the clearance defined between the rear walls of the body and the cover member is blocked by the closing member also when the cover member is being opened/closed as well as when the same is opened by 180�. The cover member is opened by 180� in a working state of the folding electronic device.
Thus, the interconnection sheet is prevented from disconnection caused by foreign matter entering the interior of the folding electronic device from the clearance defined between the rear walls of the body and the cover member when the cover member is closed and when the same is opened by 180�, as well as when the same is being opened/closed.
FIG. 18 is a partially fragmented sectional view illustrating the cover member shown in FIG. 17, which is rotated by 180�;
FIG. 20 is a partially fragmented sectional view illustrating the cover member shown in FIG. 19, which is rotated by 180�.
Referring again to FIG. 10, the spring support part 48 is coupled with the upwardly projecting part 41b of the closing member 41 by a coil spring 55. This coil spring 55 urges the closing member 41 along the arrow E. When the cover member 32 is closed, therefore, the end surface of the upper stage part 41c of the closing member 41 is in contact with the rear wall 34 of the cover member 32. Since the coil spring 55 thus urges the closing member 41 along the arrow E, the end surface of the upper stage part 41c of the closing member 41 also comes into contact with the rear wall 34 of the cover member 32 when the cover member 32 is being opened/closed as well as when the same is opened by 180�. This is now described with reference to FIG. 11.
FIG. 11 is a partially fragmented sectional view showing such a state that the cover member 32 is opened by 90� in FIG. 10. Two-dot chain lines show the position of the cover member 32 which is opened by 180�. As shown in FIG. 11, the end surface of the upper stage part 41c of the closing member 41 is in contact with the rear wall 34 of the cover member 32 when the cover member 32 is being opened/closed as well as when the same is opened by 180�. Thus, the clearance defined between the rear walls 33 and 34 of the body 31 and the cover member 32 is regularly blocked by the closing member 41.
However, the following problem is caused by the closing member 77, which is mounted in the aforementioned manner: When the cover member 72 is opened by 180�, the closing member 77 may pull the interconnection sheet 82 as shown in FIG. 18, to disconnect the same.
In order to prevent this, the closing member 77 may be removed from the rear wall 76 of the cover member 72 as shown in FIG. 19, so that no excessive force is applied to the interconnection sheet 82 when the cover member 72 is opened by 180� as shown in FIG. 20. If no closing member is provided, however, the clearance defined between the rear walls 75 and 76 of the body 71 and the cover member 72 cannot be blocked as shown in FIG. 19, and hence foreign matter may enter the interior of the folding electronic device through the clearance to disconnect the interconnection sheet 82.
Further, the closing member 41 is urged by the coil spring 55 along the arrow E so that the end surface of the upper stage part 41c of the closing member 41 is in contact with the rear wall 34 of the cover member 32 when the cover member 32 is being opened/closed as well as when the same is opened by 180�, as shown in FIG. 11. Thus, the clearance defined between the rear walls 33 and 34 of the body 31 and the cover member 32 is blocked by the closing member 41 when the cover member 32 is being opened/closed as well as when the same is opened by 180�.
Thus, no foreign matter enters the interior through the clearance defined between the rear walls 33 and 34 of the body 31 and the cover member 32 to disconnect the interconnection sheet 53 when the cover member 32 is closed and when the same is opened by 180�, as well as when the same is being opened/closed.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS4517660 *May 6, 1983May 14, 1985Canon Kabushiki KaishaFoldable electronic apparatusUS4703160 *Jun 9, 1986Oct 27, 1987Texas Instruments IncorporatedCasing structure of portable electronic applianceUS4825395 *May 29, 1986Apr 25, 1989Hewlett-Packard CompanyApparatus with torsionally stressed conductors routed through a hollow articulated hinge* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS5105068 *Jan 8, 1991Apr 14, 1992Chui Hoi BuiPocket calculatorUS5164887 *Aug 30, 1991Nov 17, 1992Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.Pocket size electronic device having x- and y-drivers separately arranged in cover and bodyUS5177672 *Jul 18, 1991Jan 5, 1993Sharp Kabushiki KaishaStructure for covering interconnection of a folding electronic deviceUS5457453 *Aug 16, 1993Oct 10, 1995Chiu; Wilson L.Folding keyboardUS6154359 *Oct 31, 1997Nov 28, 2000Fujitsu LimitedPortable information processing apparatusUS6174097Sep 21, 1999Jan 16, 2001Simon Richard DanielCollapsible keyboardUS6331850Nov 12, 1998Dec 18, 2001Think Outside, Inc.Collapsible keyboardUS6563434Nov 12, 1998May 13, 2003Think Outside, Inc.System and method for detecting key actuation in a keyboardUS6734809Mar 31, 2000May 11, 2004Think Outside, Inc.Foldable keyboardUS6781077Dec 14, 2000Aug 24, 2004Think Outside, Inc.Keyswitch and actuator structureUS6839002Nov 30, 2001Jan 4, 2005Think Outside, Inc.Foldable keyboardUS6879317May 11, 2001Apr 12, 2005Brian P. QuinnCollapsible data entry panelUS6894626Nov 30, 2001May 17, 2005Think Outside, Inc.Foldable keyboardUS6972699Mar 5, 2004Dec 6, 2005Think Outside, Inc.Foldable keyboardUS7084787Feb 14, 2003Aug 1, 2006Think Outside, Inc.System and method for detecting key actuation in a keyboardUS7782230Aug 24, 2010Robert OlodortDetecting key actuation in a keyboardUS8031087Oct 4, 2011Wakisoni Investments Pa, L.L.C.Detecting key actuation in a keyboardUS8068334 *Jul 14, 2009Nov 29, 2011Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.Electronic deviceUS20020050934 *Nov 30, 2001May 2, 2002Robert OlodortFoldable keyboardUS20030122691 *Feb 14, 2003Jul 3, 2003Robert OlodortSystem and method for detecting key actuation in a keyboardUS20040169593 *Mar 5, 2004Sep 2, 2004Robert OlodortFoldable keyboardUS20040169642 *Mar 5, 2004Sep 2, 2004Robert OlodortFoldable keyboardUS20060284742 *Jul 31, 2006Dec 21, 2006Robert OlodortSystem and method for detecting key actuation in a keyboardUS20100142131 *Jul 14, 2009Jun 10, 2010Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen)Co., Ltd.Electronic deviceWO2005008839A1 *Jun 7, 2004Jan 27, 2005Siemens AktiengesellschaftFlat cable provided with a contact device and electric device provided with said type of cable* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification361/679.09, 345/905, 235/1.00D, 361/748, 361/736, 361/679.27International ClassificationG06F1/16, G06F15/02Cooperative ClassificationY10S345/905, G06F15/0216European ClassificationG06F15/02CLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionNov 7, 1989ASAssignmentOwner name: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JAPANFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:SUNANO, HIRONORI;REEL/FRAME:005176/0950Effective date: 19891023Aug 3, 1994FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Aug 17, 1998FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8Aug 1, 2002FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 12RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services