Foldable cellular phone set
View Patent ↗This invention relates to an electronic device or foldable cellular phone set in which boards arranged in two casings bendably connected to each other through a connecting portion are electrically connected to each other by a wireless communication unit using infrared rays or the like. As the wireless communication unit, either an optical method using infrared rays or the like, or a radio wave method using a radio wave can be used.
1. A foldable cellular phone set comprising:
first and second casings that are foldably connected to each other with two hinges along a folding axis, said two hinges being at opposite ends of said folding axis spaced apart from each other;
a first circuit board having a first longitudinal extension that extends into a space between said two hinges and a second circuit board having a second longitudinal extension that extends into the space between said two hinges, said first and second circuit boards being mounted in said first and second casings, respectively, and said first and second longitudinal extensions being directly adjacent to each other in the space between said two hinges and separate from said two hinges; and
a first infrared module mounted on said first longitudinal extension and a second infrared module mounted on said second longitudinal extension, said first and second infrared modules having light-receiving/emitting surfaces that face each other along said folding axis, said first and second infrared modules communicating with each other using infrared rays to provide a communication link between said first and second circuit boards.
2. The foldable cellular phone set of claim 1 , wherein said first and second infrared modules are mounted on respective ones of said first and second longitudinal extensions coaxially with said folding axis.
3. A foldable cellular phone set comprising:
first and second casings that are foldably connected to each other with two hinges along a folding axis, said two hinges being at opposite ends of said folding axis spaced apart from each other;
a first circuit board having a first longitudinal extension that extends into a space between said two hinges and a second circuit board having a second longitudinal extension that extends into the space between said two hinges, said first and second circuit boards being mounted in said first and second casings, respectively, and said first and second longitudinal extensions being directly adjacent to each other in the space between said two hinges and separate from said two hinges;
a first infrared module mounted on said first circuit board and a second infrared module mounted on said second circuit board, said first and second infrared modules having light-receiving/emitting surfaces; and
first and second optical fibers that are connected to respective said light receiving/emitting surfaces of said first and second infrared modules, said first and second optical fibers extending along respective ones of said first and second longitudinal extensions transverse to said folding axis and bending adjacent to said folding axis so that respective light receiving/emitting ends of said first and second optical fibers face each other along said folding axis, said first and second infrared modules communicating with each other using infrared rays to provide a communication link between said first and second circuit boards.