Cellular phone and cellular phone manufacturing method
View Patent ↗A cellular phone and a manufacturing method thereof capable of achieving attractive design as well as high operating efficiency in the assembly process. A cellular phone comprises a first housing, a second housing, a first circuit board, a second circuit board, a flexible cable to electrically connect the first and second circuit boards, and a hinge that rotates about a prescribed rotation axis. When the first and second housings are in their open positions resulting from the rotation of the hinge, one edge of the second housing is located vertically above one edge of the first housing. The hinge includes hinge semi-cylindrical portions that form a hollow part capable of accommodating the flexible cable. The first and second circuit boards are mounted on the first and second housings, respectively. The flexible cable is accommodated in the hollow part. One end of the flexible cable is threaded through an aperture formed at the one edge of the second housing. A protection cover is attached to the one edge of the second housing to cover over the aperture.
1. A cellular phone comprising a first housing, a second housing, a first circuit board mounted on the first housing, a second circuit board mounted on the second housing, a flexible cable to electrically connect the first and second circuit boards, a hinge to allow the first and second housings to rotate about a prescribed rotation axis, and a protection cover, wherein:
the hinge includes:
a first substantially semi-cylindrical portion whose central axis coincides with the rotation axis, which is provided at a first edge of the first housing disposed in parallel and above a horizontal plane; and
a second substantially semi-cylindrical portion whose central axis coincides with the rotation axis, which is provided at a second edge of the second housing;
when the first and second housings are in their open positions resulting from the rotation of the hinge, the second edge is located vertically above the first edge;
the first and second substantially semi-cylindrical portions form one hollow part having a substantially cylindrical shape;
the flexible cable is accommodated in the hollow part;
at the second edge is formed an aperture through which the flexible cable is threaded; and
the protection cover is attached to the second edge to cover over the aperture,
wherein a width of the aperture is wider than a width occupied by the flexible cable in a direction along the prescribed rotation axis when the flexible cable is twisted a full turn.
2. The cellular phone claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the protection cover has hooks to be fixedly attached to the second edge; and
the second edge has slots in which the hooks are engaged, respectively.
3. The cellular phone according to claim 1 , wherein when the first and second housings are in their open positions resulting from the rotation of the hinge, a center of rotation of the hinge is disposed between the first edge and the second edge.
4. A method of manufacturing a cellular phone comprising a first housing, a second housing, a first circuit board mounted on the first housing, a second circuit board mounted on the second housing, a flexible cable to electrically connect the first and second circuit boards, a hinge to allow the first and second housings to rotate about a prescribed rotation axis, and a protection cover, wherein:
the hinge includes:
a first substantially semi-cylindrical portion whose central axis coincides with the rotation axis, which is provided at a first edge of the first housing disposed in parallel and above a horizontal plane; and
a second substantially semi-cylindrical portion whose central axis coincides with the rotation axis, which is provided at a second edge of the second housing;
when the first and second housings are in their open positions resulting from the rotation of the hinge, the second edge is located vertically above the first edge; and
the first and second substantially semi-cylindrical portions form one hollow part having a substantially cylindrical shape in which the flexible cable is accommodated;
the method comprises the steps of:
mounting the first and second circuit boards on the first and second housings, respectively;
accommodating the flexible cable in the hollow part;
forming an aperture at the second edge;
threading one end of the flexible cable through the aperture; and
attaching the protection cover to the second edge to cover over the aperture,
wherein a width of the aperture is wider than a width occupied by the flexible cable in a direction along the prescribed rotation axis when the flexible cable is twisted a full turn.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein when the first and second housings are in their open positions resulting from the rotation of the hinge, a center of rotation of the hinge is disposed between the first edge and the second edge.