Mobile communication device having rotating keypad assembly
View Patent ↗A mobile communication device comprises a housing having a keypad assembly including one or more arrangements of keys for keying information into the mobile communication device. The keypad assembly may rotate within the housing either about an axis generally perpendicular to the face of the keypad assembly or about an axis generally parallel to the face of the keypad assembly for presenting different arrangements of keys to the user of the mobile communication device.
1. A mobile communication device, comprising:
a housing; and
a keypad assembly disposed in the housing, the keypad assembly having at least a first arrangement of keys and a second arrangement of keys,
wherein the keypad assembly rotates for alternately presenting one of the first arrangement of keys and the second arrangement of keys to a user of the mobile communication device for keying information into the mobile communication device, the keypad assembly comprising a key face on which the first and second arrangements of keys are disposed and the keypad assembly rotates about an axis generally parallel to the key face, the keypad assembly further comprising a spindle and the first arrangement of keys and the second arranaement of keys comprise rows of keys disposed along the spindle.
2. The mobile communication device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the keypad assembly rotates so that one of the first arrangement of keys keypad and the second arrangement of keys is rotated to a first position accessible by the user while the other of the first arrangement of keys and the second arrangement of keys is rotated to a second position at least substantially inaccessible by the user for keying information into the mobile communication device.
3. The mobile communication device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a front surface and the keypad assembly protrudes from the front surface.
4. The mobile communication device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a motor assembly for rotating the keypad assembly.
5. The mobile communication device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the keypad assembly is removable from the housing.
6. A mobile communication device, comprising:
a housing having a keypad face;
a keypad assembly disposed in the housing, the keypad assembly including at least a first arrangement of keys and a second arrangement of keys for keying information into the mobile communication device,
wherein the keypad assembly rotates about an axis generally parallel to the keypad face for presenting one of the first arrangement of keys and the second arrangement of keys to a user of the mobile communication device for keying information into the mobile communication device, the keypad assembly comprising a spindle and the first arrangement of keys and the second arrangement of keys comprise rows of keys disposed along the spindle.
7. A mobile communication device, comprising:
a housing; and
a keypad assembly disposed in the housing, the keypad assembly including an arrangement of keys,
wherein the keypad assembly rotates within the housing so that the arrangement of keys is rotated between a first position accessible by the user for keying information into the mobile communication device and a second position at least substantially inaccessible by the user for keying information into the mobile communication device, the keypad assembly comprising a spindle and the arrangement of keys comprise rows of keys disposed alono the spindle.
8. The mobile communication device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the housing comprises a keypad face and the keypad assembly rotates about an axis generally parallel to the keypad face.
9. The mobile communication device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the keypad assembly is removable from the housing.
10. The mobile communication device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the keypad assembly rotates so that one of the first arrangement of keys and the second arrangement of keys is rotated to a first position accessible by the user while the other of the first arrangement of keys and the second arrangement of keys is rotated to a second position at least substantially inaccessible by the user for keying information into the mobile communication device.
11. The mobile communication device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the housing comprises a front surface and the keypad assembly protrudes from the front surface.
12. The mobile communication device as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising a motor assembly for rotating the keypad assembly.
13. The mobile communication device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the keypad assembly is removable from the housing.
14. The mobile communication device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the housing comprises a front surface and the keypad assembly protrudes from the front surface.
15. The mobile communication device as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising a motor assembly for rotating the keypad assembly.