Patent ID: 8208249

Claim:
A portable information terminal comprising: a first panel which comprises a first flat board unit having a first accommodating unit that is formed by removing a part of an edge of the first flat board unit, and a first hinge unit that is formed on a lateral surface of the first accommodating unit; a connecting unit having a quadrangle-shaped cross section, a first portion of the connecting unit configured to be accommodated in the first accommodating unit so as to be rotatably connected to the first hinge unit; and a second panel which comprises a second flat board unit having a second accommodating unit that is formed by removing a part of an edge of the second flat board unit so as to accommodate a second portion of the connecting unit, and a second hinge unit that is formed on a lateral surface of the second accommodating unit so as to be rotatably connected to the second portion of the connecting unit; the first and second panels being rotatable with respect to the connecting unit between a first position and a second position, the first position being when first surfaces of the first and second flat board units face each other and are substantially parallel with each other, and the second position being when second surfaces of the first and second flat board units face each other and are substantially parallel with each other, the first surfaces being opposite to the second surfaces; and the connecting unit further comprising: a first face which is configured to contact an object surface when the first and second panels are in the first position so that the portable information terminal can be supported on the object surface; a second face which is an opposite surface to the first face, the second face configured to contact with the object surface when the first and second panels are in the second position so that the portable information terminal can be supported on the object surface; and a first button unit on the second face that is exposed to the outside when the first and second panels are in the second position, but not externally exposed when the first and second panels are in the first position.