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Mobile Phone Patent Abstract
A folding mobile phone comprises a panel housing, a motherboard
housing and a blocker. The panel housing is hingedly connected with
the motherboard housing by a pivot portion of the motherboard housing
to have the folding mobile phone in a closed position or in an open
position. The blocker includes a sliding track and a blocking mechanism,
wherein the sliding track is mounted at the motherboard housing,
perpendicular to the rotation axis of the pivot portion, and the
blocking mechanism moves back and forth between a first brake location
and a second brake location of the sliding track. When the blocking
mechanism moves to the first brake location and the second brake
location respectively, it produces respective interference in the
pivot portion such that the panel housing and the motherboard housing
are unfolded at different angles.
Mobile Phone Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A folding mobile phone, comprising: a panel housing; a motherboard
housing, having a pivot portion and hingedly connected with said
panel housing by said pivot portion; and a blocker, including a
sliding track and a blocking mechanism; wherein said sliding track
is mounted at said motherboard housing, perpendicular to a rotation
axis of said pivot portion and including a first brake location
and a second brake location, and said blocking mechanism moves back
and forth on said sliding track to interfere respectively at said
first brake location and said second brake location; wherein when
said blocking mechanism moves to said first brake location of said
sliding track, said blocking mechanism produces a first interference
in said pivot portion such that said panel housing and said motherboard
housing are unfolded at a first angle, and when said blocking mechanism
moves to said second brake location of said sliding track, said
blocking mechanism produces a second interference in said pivot
portion such that said panel housing and said motherboard housing
are unfolded at a second angle.
2. The folding mobile phone of claim 1, further including a braking
means which brakes said blocking mechanism when said blocking mechanism
of said blocker moves to said first brake location.
3. The folding mobile phone of claim 2, wherein said blocker further
including a first spring which pushes said blocking mechanism to
said second brake location after said blocking mechanism is released
from said braking means.
4. The folding mobile phone of claim 2, wherein said braking means
comprises a slide rail, a wedge slider and a second spring, wherein
said wedge slider moves back and forth between a first position
and a second position of said slide rail, in parallel with the rotation
axis of said pivot portion, and said second spring pushes said wedge
slider to said first position to brake said blocking mechanism when
said blocking mechanism moves to said first brake location.
5. The folding mobile phone of claim 4, wherein a slot corresponding
to said wedge slider is disposed at the lateral of said blocking
mechanism and said wedge slider is inserted into said slot of said
blocking mechanism when said blocking mechanism moves to said first
brake location.
6. The folding mobile phone of claim 4, wherein said wedge slider
is disposed at the interior side of said motherboard housing, adjacent
to said blocking mechanism and a brake knob is disposed at the exterior
side of said motherboard housing to be combined to said wedge slider
such that said brake knob can be pushed by a user from the outside
of said motherboard housing to moves synchronously with said wedge
slider on said slide rail so as to brake the unfolding angle between
said panel housing and said motherboard housing.
7. The folding mobile phone of claim 1, wherein said blocking mechanism
is disposed at the interior side of said motherboard housing and
an angle adjustment knob is disposed at the exterior side of said
motherboard housing to be combined to said blocking mechanism such
that said angle adjustment knob can be pushed by a user from the
outside of said motherboard housing to drive said blocking mechanism
to simultaneously move on said sliding track so as to adjust the
unfolding angle between said panel housing and said motherboard
housing.
8. The folding mobile phone of claim 1, wherein the inner surface
of said panel housing is stacked on the inner surface of said motherboard
housing face to face when said folding mobile phone is in a closed
position.
9. The folding mobile phone of claim 1, wherein a fixed blocking
mechanism is mounted at the exterior side of said motherboard housing
and produces less interference in said pivot portion than said first
interference produced by said blocking mechanism at said first brake
location.
10. A folding mobile phone, comprising: a first housing; a second
housing, having a pivot portion and hingedly connected with said
first housing by said pivot portion; and a blocker, having a sliding
track substantially perpendicular to a rotation axis of said pivot
portion, selectively interferes with said first housing at a first
brake location and a second brake location; wherein when said blocker
interferes with said first housing at said first brake location,
said first housing and said second housing are unfolded at a first
angled, and when said blocker interferes with said first housing
at said second brake location, said first housing and the second
housing are unfolded at a second angle.
11. The folding mobile phone of claim 10, wherein a blocking mechanism
is installed in said blocker and moves back and forth at said first
brake location and said second brake location on said sliding track
to interfere said first housing.
12. The folding mobile phone of claim 11, wherein said folding
mobile phone comprises a braking means which selectively brakes
said blocking mechanism at said first brake location or said second
brake location.
13. The folding mobile phone of claim 12, wherein said blocker
further comprises a first spring to push said blocking mechanism
back to said second location after said blocking mechanism is released
from said brake means.
14. The folding mobile phone of claim 12, wherein said braking
means comprises a slide rail parallel with said rotation axis, a
wedge slider and a second spring pushes said wedge slider to move
on said slide rail to brake said blocking mechanism.
15. The folding mobile phone of claim 14, wherein a slot corresponding
to said wedge slider is disposed at the lateral of said blocking
mechanism and said wedge slider is inserted into said slot to brake
said blocking mechanism.
Mobile Phone Patent Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a folding mobile phone, more particularly,
to a folding mobile phone whose panel housing and motherboard housing
can be unfolded at two different angles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With rapid advancement of the wireless communication technology,
a mobile phone has become the mainstream product in current technology.
Because of the very considerable potential of the mobile phone business,
the market competition for mobile phones is relatively fierce. The
products produced by the manufacturers must have both various functions
and impressing shapes to win in the mobile communication market.
Please refer to FIG. 1A illustrating a schematic perspective diagram
of a conventional folding mobile phone 10. The folding mobile phone
10 is a popular model in the current market and comprises a panel
housing 11 and a motherboard housing 12, wherein a display panel
and a receiver are disposed on the inner surface 110 of the panel
housing 11, and an operating panel (including numeral keys and function
keys) and a transmitter are disposed on the inner surface 120 of
the motherboard housing 12. Furthermore, the electronic components
having the function of wireless transmission are mounted inside
the motherboard housing 12.
As shown in FIG. 1A, the panel housing 11 and the motherboard housing
12 are hingedly connected together by a pivot portion 13. The pivot
portion 13 is mounted on the motherboard housing 12 and connected
with the panel housing 11. The panel housing 11 and the motherboard
housing 12 are in an open position or in a closed position by rotation
of the pivot portion 13. The inner surface 110 of the panel housing
11 corresponds to the inner surface 120 of the motherboard housing
12. When the folding mobile phone 10 is not in use, the inner surface
120 of the motherboard housing 12 is covered with the inner surface
110 of the panel housing 11, as shown in FIG. 1B. When the folding
mobile phone 10 is in use, the inner surface 120 of the motherboard
housing 12 and the inner surface 110 of the panel housing 111 are
unfolded for operation, as shown in FIG. 1A.
However, when the conventional folding mobile phone 10 is unfolded,
the panel housing 11 joins the motherboard housing 12 only at a
specific angle such as 170.degree. with a stopper 14 to constrain
the rotation of the pivot portion 13. Hence, the unfolding angle
between the panel housing 11 and the motherboard housing 12 is limited
to one. The stopper 14 can be mounted at the outer surface of the
motherboard housing 12 or at the outer surface of the panel housing
11 to interfere the rotating angle of the panel housing 111 such
that the unfolding angle between the panel housing 11 and the motherboard
housing 12 is limited to a specific one.
Since only one unfolding angle is formed between the panel housing
11 and the motherboard housing 12 of the conventional folding mobile
phone 10, it is not suitable for the face shape of every user. At
the same unfolding angle, it might be too large for some people
and too small for the other people. Hence, it is inconvenient for
the consumers to use.
In view of the above, those skilled in this art endeavor to improve
the products so as to solve the disadvantages in the prior art to
meet the needs of consumers and to enhance the market competition
of products.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objective of the present invention is to provide a folding
mobile phone having two-stage adjustment in its unfolding angle
so as to match the face shapes of different users and to facilitate
operation.
The folding mobile phone in this invention includes a panel housing,
a motherboard housing, a blocker and a braking means. The panel
housing and the motherboard housing are hingedly connected together
by a pivot portion. By means of rotation of the pivot portion, the
folding mobile phone is in an open position or in a closed position.
The blocker of this invention comprises a sliding track, a blocking
mechanism and a first spring. The sliding track having a first brake
location and a second brake location is mounted at the interior
side of the motherboard housing. The blocking mechanism slides back
and forth between the first brake location and the second brake
location of the sliding track, perpendicular to the rotation axis
of the pivot portion. Furthermore, the inner surface of the motherboard
housing has an opening corresponding to the sliding track. When
the blocking mechanism moves to the first brake location, the front
end of the blocking mechanism protrudes outward from the opening
and interferes in the rotation of the pivot portion to constrain
the unfolding angle constructed by the panel housing and the motherboard
housing. At this time, the braking means is activated to fix the
blocking mechanism at the first brake location of the sliding track,
and thus, the unfolding angle between the panel housing and the
motherboard housing is maintained at a first specific angle. If
the blocking mechanism is released from the braking means, the first
spring of the blocker will push the blocking mechanism to the second
brake location such that the front end of the blocking mechanism
will return to the interior of the motherboard housing. Hence, another
level of interference (or non-interference) in the rotation of the
pivot portion is produced to unfold the panel housing and the motherboard
housing at a second specific angle.
The braking means of this invention includes a slide rail, a wedge
slider and a second spring. The blocking mechanism has slots corresponding
to the wedge slider. The slide rail is mounted at the interior side
surface of the motherboard housing. The wedge slider slides back
and forth between a first position and a second position of the
slide rail, in parallel with the rotation axis of the pivot portion.
When the blocking mechanism moves to the first brake location of
the sliding track, the second spring pushes the wedge slider to
the first position such that the wedge slider can be inserted into
the slot of the blocking mechanism to hold up the blocking mechanism.
Moreover, when the wedge slider moves to the second position and
comes out from the slot to separates from the blocking mechanism,
the first spring of the blocker pushes the blocking mechanism to
the second brake location.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this
invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes
better understood by reference to the following detailed description,
when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic perspective diagrams of a folding
mobile phone in the prior art;
FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic perspective diagrams of a folding
mobile phone in accordance with this invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic exploded perspective diagram of a blocker
in accordance with this invention;
FIG. 4 a schematic exploded perspective diagram of a braking means
in accordance with this invention; and
FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective diagram illustrating that the
panel housing and the motherboard housing are unfolded at the second
specific angle through the blocking mechanism in accordance with
this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Please refer to FIGS. 2A and 2B, which are schematic perspective
diagrams of a folding mobile phone 20 in accordance with this invention.
The folding mobile phone 20 includes a panel housing 21, a motherboard
housing 22, a blocker 23 and a braking means 24. The panel housing
21 and the motherboard housing 22 are hingedly connected together
by a pivot portion 25. By rotation of the pivot portion 25, the
folding mobile phone 20 is in an open position or in a closed position.
The pivot portion 25 is mounted on the motherboard housing 22. Alternatively,
it can be mounted on the panel housing 21. When the mobile phone
20 is in a closed position, the inner surface 210 of the panel housing
21 is stacked on the inner surface 220 of the motherboard housing
22 face to face. At this time, the length of the mobile phone 20
is diminished to approximately half of the original unfolded length
so as to facilitate putting the folding mobile phone 20 away. Moreover,
the display panel and the operating panel can be hidden from damage
caused by an external force. The blocker 23 is mounted at the motherboard
housing 22 in which a blocking mechanism 231 can move back and forth
between a first brake location and a second brake location (the
details are described in the next paragraph) and can be positioned
by the braking means 24. Hence, the blocking mechanism 231 can produce
a first interference and a second interference in the rotation of
the pivot portion 25 and thus two different unfolding angles between
the panel housing 21 and the motherboard housing 22 can be produced
to facilitate the operation of the mobile phone 20. The interference
of the blocker 23 in the rotation of the pivot portion 25 and the
approach to brake the blocking mechanism 231 with the braking means
24 are described below.
Please refer to FIG. 3, which is a schematic exploded perspective
diagram of the blocker 23 in accordance with this invention. The
blocker 23 mounted inside the motherboard housing 22 comprises a
sliding track 230, the blocking mechanism 231, a first spring 232
and an angle adjustment knob 233. The sliding track 230 is mounted
at the interior side of the motherboard housing 22. The blocking
mechanism 231 slides back and forth between a first brake location
234 and a second brake location 235 of the sliding track 230, perpendicular
to the rotation axis of the pivot portion 25. Furthermore, the inner
surface 220 of the motherboard housing 22 has an opening 236 corresponding
to the sliding track 230. When the blocking mechanism 231 moves
to the first brake location 234, the front end of the blocking mechanism
231 protrudes from the opening 236 and interferes in the rotation
of the pivot portion 25 to constrain the unfolding angle constructed
by the panel housing 21 and the motherboard housing 22. Then, the
braking means 24 is activated to fix the blocking mechanism 231
at the first brake location 234 of the sliding track 230. Hence,
the panel housing 21 and the motherboard housing 22 are unfolded
at a first specific angle, as shown in FIG. 2A. If the blocking
mechanism 231 is released from the braking means 24, the first spring
232 of the blocker 23 will push the blocking mechanism 231 to the
second brake location 235 and the front end of the blocking mechanism
231 will return to the interior of the motherboard housing 22. Hence,
another level of interference (or non-interference) in the rotation
of the pivot portion 25 is produced to unfold the panel housing
21 and the motherboard housing 22 at a second specific angle, as
shown in FIG. 2B. Since the blocking mechanism 231 is mounted inside
motherboard housing 22, it is inconvenient for the user to adjust
the unfolding angle of the mobile phone 20 with the blocking mechanism
231. The angle adjustment knob 233 of the blocker 23 can be designed
to protrude out of the motherboard housing 22 and is integrally
combined to the blocking mechanism 231 in the motherboard housing
22 such that the angle adjustment knob 233 moves synchronously with
the blocking mechanism 231. During operation, as long as the angle
adjustment knob 233 is pushed from the outside of the motherboard
housing 22, the blocking mechanism 231 can be simultaneously driven
to move on the sliding track 230 to adjust the unfolding angle between
the panel housing 21 and the motherboard housing 22.
FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded perspective diagram of the braking
means 24 in accordance with this invention. The braking means 24
includes a slide rail 240, a wedge slider 241, a second spring 242
and a brake knob 243. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, slots 237 corresponding
to the wedge slider 241 are disposed at the lateral of the blocking
mechanism 231 so as to cooperate with the braking means 24. The
slide rail 240 is mounted at the interior side surface of the motherboard
housing 22. The wedge slider 241 slides back and forth between a
first position 244 and a second position 245 of the slide rail 240,
in parallel with the rotation axis of the pivot portion 25.
When the blocking mechanism 231 moves to the first brake location
234, the second spring 242 pushes the wedge slider 241 to the first
position 244 such that the wedge slider 241 can be inserted into
the slot 237 of the blocking mechanism 231 to hold up the blocking
mechanism 231. Moreover, when the wedge slider 241 moves to the
second position 245, it comes out from the slot 237 and separates
from the blocking mechanism 231. At this time, the first spring
232 of the blocker 23 pushes the blocking mechanism 231 to the second
brake location 235 such that the blocking mechanism 231 protruding
from the opening 236 returns to the interior of the motherboard
housing 22 to make another level of interference (or non-interference)
in the rotation of the pivot portion 25. Hence, the panel housing
21 and the motherboard housing 22 can be freely unfolded or folded.
Since the wedge slider 241 is mounted at the interior side of the
motherboard housing 22, it is inconvenient for the user to drive
the wedge slider 241 to brake the blocker 23. Therefore, the brake
knob 243 of the braking means 24 is disposed at the exterior side
of the motherboard housing 22 and is integrally combined to the
wedge slider 241 such that brake knob 243 moves synchronously with
the wedge slider 241. During operation, as long as the brake knob
243 is pushed from the outside of the motherboard housing 22, the
wedge slider 241 can be simultaneously driven to move on the slide
rail 240 to brake the unfolding angle between the panel housing
21 and the motherboard housing 22.
Referring to FIG. 2B again, a fixed stopper 26 can be mounted at
the exterior side of the motherboard housing 22 in this invention.
The fixed stopper 26 produces less interference in the pivot portion
25 than the blocking mechanism 231 at the first brake location 234
does. When the blocking mechanism 231 of the blocker 23 moves to
the second brake location 235, the panel housing 21 and the motherboard
housing 22 are unfolded at the second specific angle larger than
the first specific angle through the design of the fixed stopper
26.
Referring to FIG. 5, the second specific unfolding angle between
the panel housing 21 and the motherboard housing 22 can also be
achieved by the blocking mechanism 231 of the blocker 23 without
the design of the fixed stopper 26. That is, when the blocking mechanism
231 moves to the second brake location 235, part of the blocking
mechanism 231 still protrudes from the opening 236 to produce less
interference in the pivot portion 25 than the blocking mechanism
231 at the first brake location 234 does such that the panel housing
21 and the motherboard housing 22 are unfolded at the second specific
angle larger than the first specific angle.
Therefore, the folding mobile phone in this invention can provide
a selectively two-stage adjustment in the unfolding angles between
the panel housing and the motherboard housing through different
levels of interferences produced by the blocking mechanism in the
pivot portion so as to enhance the operation convenience for users
and to increase the market competition of mobile phones.
As is understood by a person skilled in the art, the foregoing
preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated of
the present invention rather than limiting of the present invention.
For instance, the blocker and the braking means of this invention
can also be mounted at the outside of the motherboard housing or
at the panel housing. Furthermore, the panel housing and the motherboard
housing could be a first housing and a second housing respectively.
The construction of the blocker and the braking means can be in
other forms. It is intended to cover various modifications and similar
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended
claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation
so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structure.
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