Cellular phone
View Patent ↗A cellular phone of the present invention comprises upper housing 10 and lower housing 20 connected together for displacement relative to each other. Upper housing 10 incorporates liquid crystal unit 30 which includes light source 35 and liquid crystal panel 34 illuminated by light emitted from light source 35 . Lower housing 20 incorporates an input device. Upper housing 10 comprises slit 13 which communicates with the interior and exterior of upper housing 10 , and light guide means for guiding light emitted from light source 35 to slit 35 . Operating unit 21 of the input device arranged on lower housing 20 is illuminated by light which is guided by the light guide means and which is emitted to the outside of upper housing 10 through slit 13.
1. A cellular phone comprising a first housing which incorporates a liquid crystal unit including a light source and a liquid crystal panel illuminated by light emitted from said light source, and a second housing which incorporates an input device, where said first housing and said second housing are coupled together for displacement relative to each other,
wherein said first housing comprises a slit communicating with the interior and exterior of said first housing, and light guide means for guiding light emitted from said light source to said slit, and
an operating portion of said input device disposed in said second housing is illuminated by light guided by said light guide means and emitted to the outside of said first housing through said slit,
wherein said liquid crystal unit comprises:
a frame which contains said light source;
a diffusion plate for diffusing light emitted from said light source;
a first reflective sheet for reflecting light diffused by said diffusion plate toward said liquid crystal panel; and
a second reflective sheet for reflecting the light diffused by said diffusion plate toward an opening formed on said frame,
wherein said opening formed at a position opposite to said slit, and
said diffusion plate, said first reflective sheet, and said second reflective sheet are contained in said frame.
2. The cellular phone according to claim 1 , wherein:
said diffusion plate is laminated on said first reflective sheet,
said liquid crystal panel is laminated on said diffusion plate;
said second reflective sheet is disposed between a second side wall of said frame opposite to a first side wall of said frame formed with said opening, and a side surface of said diffusion plate opposite to said second side wall, and
said light source is disposed between a third side wall which intersects with said first side wall and said second side wall of said frame, and a side surface of said diffusion plate opposite to said third side wall.
3. The cellular phone according to claim 1 , comprising first control means for changing luminance level of said light source in accordance with a displacement state of said first housing and said second housing.
4. The cellular phone according to claim 1 , comprising second control means for changing the luminance level of said light source when said operating portion is manipulated.
5. The cellular phone according to claim 1 , comprising first control means for changing luminance level of said light source in accordance with a displacement state of said first housing and said second housing,
wherein said first housing and said second housing can be changed to a closed state where said operating portion disposed on said second housing is covered with said first housing, and to an open state where said operating portion is exposed, and
said first control means increases the luminance level of said light source in the open state from that in the closed state.
6. The cellular phone according to claim 1 , comprising first control means for changing luminance level of said light source in accordance with a displacement state of said first housing and said second housing, and
second control means for changing the luminance level of said light source when said operating portion is manipulated,
wherein said first housing and said second housing can be changed to a closed state where said operating portion disposed on said second housing is covered with said first housing, and to an open state where said operating portion is exposed,
said first control means increases the luminance level of said light source in the open state from that in the closed state, and
said second control means increases the luminance level of said light source when said operating portion is manipulated, from the luminance level before said operating portion is manipulated.
7. The cellular phone according to claim 1 , comprising first control means for changing luminance level of said light source in accordance with a displacement state of said first housing and said second housing, and
second control means for changing the luminance level of said light source when said operating portion is manipulated,
wherein said first housing and said second housing can be changed to a closed state where said operating portion disposed on said second housing is covered with said first housing, and to an open state where said operating portion is exposed,
said first control means increases the luminance level of said light source in the open state from that in the closed state,
said second control means increases the luminance level of said light source when said operating portion is manipulated, from the luminance level before said operating portion is manipulated, and
said second control means restores the luminance level of said light source to the luminance level before said operating portion is manipulated if said operating portion is not manipulated again in a predetermined time after the luminance level of said light source has been increased.