IP Library Granted Patent US 7,493,150
Granted Patent B2
US 7,493,150 · App. 10/801,575 · Granted Feb 17, 2009

Folding electric device having perpendicular and horizontal shafts

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,493,150
App. No.
10/801,575
Granted
Feb 17, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A folding electric has an upper unit and lower unit. A hinge connects the upper unit to the lower unit. The hinge includes at least a perpendicular opening and closing shaft to open and close the upper unit with respect to the lower unit and a horizontal rotation shaft, fixed vertically to the surface of the lower unit, to rotate the upper unit with respect to the lower unit coming in contact with each other.

Claims (68)

1. A folding electric device comprising:

an upper unit;

a lower unit;

a connecting member that electrically connects said upper unit to said lower unit; and

a hinge that connects said upper unit to said lower unit,

wherein said hinge comprises:

a perpendicular opening and closing shaft to perpendicularly open and close said upper unit with respect to said lower unit; and

a horizontal rotation shaft, connected to said lower unit, to horizontally rotate said upper unit with respect to said lower unit,

wherein said upper unit comprises:

a first engagement portion having said perpendicular opening and closing shaft inserted therein;

a second engagement portion having said connecting member arranged therein; and

first and second brackets which are fixed to the horizontal rotation shaft,

wherein the first brackets supports the perpendicular opening and closing shaft,

the connecting member is inserted into the second bracket, and

said connecting member is inserted into said second engagement portion but not into said first engagement portion.

2. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said horizontal rotation shaft is connected to said lower unit vertically to a surface of said lower unit.

3. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said horizontal rotation shaft is located between said first and second engagement portions.

4. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first engagement portion and second engagement portion are formed separately from each other.

5. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said connecting member is wound around said horizontal rotation shaft.

6. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said connecting member is a winding flexible board.

7. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising an operation input section, mounted on said hinge and electrically connected to said winding flexible board so that a user can operate said operation input section when said folding electric device is in a folded state.

8. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising a bobbin, arranged between said horizontal rotation shaft and said base, for winding said winding flexible board around said horizontal rotation shaft.

9. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising flexible board fixing member for fixing said flexible board to said hinge.

10. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said folding electric device is a folding mobile phone.

11. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a display arranged on said upper unit.

12. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising input keys arranged on said lower unit.

13. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first bracket is fixed on a first side of the horizontal rotation shaft in a direction of the perpendicular opening and closing shaft, and

the second bracket is fixed on a second side of the horizontal rotation shaft opposite to the first side.

14. A folding electric device comprising:

an upper unit;

a lower unit;

a connecting member that electrically connects said upper unit to said lower unit; and

a hinge that connects said upper unit to said lower unit,

wherein said hinge comprises:

a perpendicular opening and closing shaft to perpendicularly open and close said upper unit with respect to said lower unit; and

a horizontal rotation shaft, connected to said lower unit, to horizontally rotate said upper unit with respect to said lower unit,

wherein said upper unit comprises:

a first engagement portion having said perpendicular opening and closing shaft inserted therein; and

a second engagement portion having said connecting member arranged therein, further comprising:

first and second brackets which are fixed to the horizontal rotation shaft, wherein

the first bracket supports the perpendicular opening and closing shaft,

the connecting member is inserted into the second bracket, and

a part of the second bracket engages with the second engagement portion.

15. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the first bracket is fixed on a first side of the horizontal rotation shaft in a direction of the perpendicular opening and closing shaft, and

the second bracket is fixed on a second side of the horizontal rotation shaft opposite to the first side.

16. A folding electric device comprising:

an upper unit;

a lower unit;

a connecting member that electrically connects said upper unit to said lower unit; and

a hinge that connects said upper unit to said lower unit,

wherein said hinge comprises:

a perpendicular opening and closing shaft to perpendicularly open and close said upper unit with respect to said lower unit; and

a horizontal rotation shaft, connected to said lower unit, to horizontally rotate said upper unit with respect to said lower unit,

wherein said upper unit comprises:

a first engagement portion having said perpendicular opening and closing shaft inserted therein; and

first bracket and second bracket which are fixed to the horizontal rotation shaft, wherein the first bracket supports the perpendicular opening and closing shaft, the connecting member is inserted into the second bracket, and

the connecting member is wound in a space on an extension line of one end side of the perpendicular opening and closing shaft.

17. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said horizontal rotation shaft is connected to said lower unit vertically to a surface of said lower unit.

18. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said horizontal rotation shaft is located between said first and second engagement portions.

19. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said first engagement portion and second engagement portion are formed separately from each other.

20. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said connecting member is wound around said horizontal rotation shaft.

21. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said connecting member is a winding flexible board.

22. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 21 , further comprising an operation input section, mounted on said hinge and electrically connected to said winding flexible board so that a user can operate said operation input section when said folding electric device is in a folded state.

23. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 21 , further comprising a bobbin, arranged between said horizontal rotation shaft and said base, for winding said winding flexible board around said horizontal rotation shaft.

24. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 21 , further comprising flexible board fixing member for fixing said flexible board to said hinge.

25. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said folding electric device is a folding mobile phone.

26. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 16 , further comprising a display arranged on said upper unit.

27. The folding electric device as claimed in claim 16 , further comprising input keys arranged on said lower unit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2014
From: NEC CORPORATION
To: LENOVO INNOVATIONS LIMITED (HONG KONG)
Reel/Frame 033720/0767 →