Granted Patent B2

US 8,121,659 · App. 12/005,039 · Granted Feb 21, 2012

Abstract

Claims (46)

1. A device, comprising:

a base part;

a cover; and

a slide module sandwiched between said base part and said cover part and arranged to provide a two stage sliding relative movement between said base part and said cover part, said slide module configured to slidingly move with said cover part with respect to said base part to extend said cover part a first distance from a closed position to a first open position to reveal at least a first portion of an upwardly facing surface of said base part, and to slidingly move said cover with respect to said slide module to extend said cover part a second distance from said first position to a second open position to additionally reveal a second portion of said upwardly facing surface of said base part.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said slide module further comprises:

a slide glide;

a slide base, and

a slide middle part;

said slide base further arranged for fixed attachment to said base part;

said slide base and said slide middle part arranged and configured to provide relative sliding engagement with respect to one another;

said slide middle part and said slide glide further arranged and configured to provide relative sliding engagement with respect to one another, and;

said slide base, slide middle part and slide glide further being arranged and configured such that said slide middle part is positioned and located between said slide glide and said slide base.

3. The device according to claim 2 wherein said slide middle part and said slide base are arranged and configured in a spaced apart relationship with respect to said slide glide for passage of at least one electrical conductor between said base part and said cover part.

4. The device according to claim 2 further including at least one operating spring arranged between said slide base and said middle slide part and configured to provide a continuous spring load between said slide base and said slide middle part to bias said middle slide part toward its open operative position relative to said slide base.

5. The device according to claim 2 further including at least one bi-stable operating spring arranged between said slide base and said slide glide and configured to bias and to maintain said slide glide in an open operative position relative to said base part when said at least one bi-stable operating spring is in its first operating state and in a closed operative position when said at least one bi-stable operating spring is in its second operating state relative to said base part.

6. The device according to claim 2 wherein said slide base includes spaced apart stopper pins arranged to define said first distance and configured to limit the relative sliding movement distance between said slide base and said slide middle part.

7. The device according to claim 2 wherein said slide glide includes spaced apart stopper pins arranged to define said second distance and configured to limit the relative sliding movement distance between said slide glide and said base part.

8. The device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one of a keypad, a touch pad, a display, an input area carried on said upwardly facing surface of said base part such that said at least one of said keypad, said touch pad, said display, said input area is concealed by said cover part when said device is in a closed position.

9. The device according to claim 8 wherein said keypad is a keyboard.

10. The device according to claim 9 wherein a first portion of said keyboard is revealed when said cover part is extended said first distance and a remaining portion of said keyboard is additionally revealed when said cover part is extended said second distance.

11. The device according to claim 1 further arranged and configured as a portable electronic device.

12. A module, comprising:

a slide glide;

a slide base, and

a slide middle part;

said slide base and said slide middle part arranged and configured to provide relative sliding engagement with respect to one another to move said middle part together with said slide guide a first distance with respect to said slide base;

said slide middle part and said slide glide further arranged and configured to provide relative sliding engagement with respect to one another to move said slide guide independent from said middle part a second distance with respect to said slide base; and

said slide base, slide middle part and slide glide further being arranged and configured such that said slide middle part is positioned and located between said slide glide and said slide base.

13. The module according to claim 12 wherein said slide base and said slide middle part are further arranged and configured to move a first predetermined distance with respect to one another, and

said slide glide and said slide middle part are further arranged and configured to extend said slide glide a second predetermined distance with respect to said slide middle part.

14. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a base part;

a cover part;

a slide module sandwiched between said base part and said cover part and arranged to provide a two stage sliding relative movement between said base part and said cover part;

said slide module configured to extend said cover a first distance from a closed operative position to a first open operative position to reveal at least a first portion of an upwardly facing surface of said base part and a second distance from said first open operative position to a second open operative position to additionally reveal a second portion of said upwardly facing surface of said base part;

said slide module further comprising:

a slide glide configured to attach to said cover;

a slide base configured to attach to said base part, and

a slide middle part;

said slide base and said slide middle part arranged and configured to provide relative sliding engagement with respect to one another;

said slide middle part and said slide glide further arranged and configured to provide relative sliding engagement with respect to one another, and

said slide base, slide middle part and slide glide further being arranged and configured such that said slide middle part is positioned and located between said slide glide and said slide base.

15. The portable electronic device according to claim 14 wherein:

said cover is arranged with a display and a communication keypad, and

said base part is arranged with a at least one of a keypad, a keyboard, a touch pad, a second display, an input area.

16. The portable electronic device according to claim 15 wherein said keyboard is a QWERTY keyboard.

Assignments (9)