Sliding/folding-type portable apparatus

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

0001The present invention relates to portable apparatuses with a digital communication mode including cellular phones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), HHPs (Hand Held Phones), game phones, TV phones, chatting phones, and camera phones, and more particularly to a portable apparatus combining a sliding motion with a folding motion.

2. Description of the Related Art

0002In general, "portable communication apparatus" refers to an electronic apparatus that a user can carry to perform wireless communication. To facilitate portability, designs of such portable communication apparatuses tend to be compact, slim, and light, and are moving toward providing multimedia availability, with a wider variety of functions. In particular, future portable communication apparatuses will incorporate greater multi-functionality and be capable of multi-purpose utilization, in addition to being even more compact and light. Future designs will also incorporate the ability for modificationto be suitable for various multimedia or Internet environments. Portable communication apparatuses are now commonly used by people of all ages and all walks of life throughout the world, and are recognized by most consumers as a nearly indispensable commodity to be carried all the time.

0003Conventional portable communication apparatuses may be classified into various categories according to appearance, such as a bar-type portable communication apparatus, a flip-type portable communication apparatus, and a folder-type portable communication apparatus. Portable communication apparatuses may also be classified as neck wearable or wrist wearable according to the position or way in which a user wears the portable communication apparatus. In addition, portable communication apparatuses may be classified into a rotation-type portable communication apparatus and a sliding-type portable communication apparatus according to the manner of opening and closing the portable communication apparatus. These variously classified portable communication apparatuses can be easily understood by those skilled in the art.

0004Conventional portable communication apparatuses can now transmit data wirelessly at a high speed in addition to performing basic voice communication function in response to consumers' demand.

0005Recent trends in portable communication apparatus design tend to include a camera lens to obtain video signals for transmission. Current portable communication apparatuses have an external or embedded camera lens module that enables a user to perform video communication with a desired partner or to photograph a desired subject.

0006However, sliding-type or folding-type conventional portable communication apparatuses have a problem in that, although they necessarily have a display device and a number of keys, the display device is difficult to watch while the apparatus is horizontal, and the keys are inconvenient to operate.

0007In a multimedia-oriented environment accommodating various consumer-friendly media, for example, a single portable apparatus is expected to incorporate not only a voice communication function, but also video communication, game, music listening, TV or video watching, chatting, and Internet functions as a whole. As a result of such change in telecommunication environments, it is desirable to actively cope with various user interfacing environments. In consideration of usability of portable apparatuses, the user interfacing environments dictate the convenience of portable apparatuses.

0008In the user interface environment of a single portable apparatus, therefore, the most critical factor is the convenience in the data input and output interfacing environments. The present invention provides the optimum interfacing environment from the viewpoint of users, in consideration of the advantages of sliding-type and folding-type portable apparatuses.

0009<patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="WO2004028010A1"><text>WO2004/028 010 A1</text></patcit> discloses a multi display device that is particularly suited to provide a large sized screen. Such a large sized screen is said to be possible without deteriorating from the mobility of a corresponding portable terminal. According to one embodiment of the corresponding portable terminal, this comprises a key input part and two further panel housings. The first panel housing is some kind of sliding housing, adapted to travel along a longitudinal direction of the key input part while continuously facing it to expose or hide a top surface of this key input part. The other panel housing is some kind of a folding housing, adapted to rotate about a first hinge axis to fold on or unfold from the other panel housing. The two panel housings are connected by a first and second connection means.

0010<patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="WO03100999A1"><text>WO03/1/00999 A1</text></patcit> discloses a joint which allows folding and rotating of corresponding housings relative to each other.

0011<patcit id="pcit0003" dnum="WO2004021681A2"><text>WO2004/021681 A2</text></patcit> discloses a mobile telephone with a dual-movement hinge. Mobile station comprises a first enclosure section and a second enclosure section. Both are connected by a hinge sleeve which allows a rotation of the corresponding sections relative to each other. It is also possible to longitudinally move the first enclosure section with respect to the second enclosure section by separating a hinge sleeve from another hinge sleeve.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

0012Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a portable apparatus which combines the advantages of a sliding-type portable apparatus with those of a folding-type portable apparatus and which, particularly, provides a wider display device, convenience in key operation, and adaptability to compactness.

0013Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable apparatus having convenient data input interfacing in various modes, including a game mode, a chatting mode, an Internet mode, a TV watching mode, a video watching mode, and a camera photographing mode.

0014Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable apparatus having a number of keyboards positioned on each of three housings for convenient key operation.

0015Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable apparatus having a numeric keyboard positioned on a body housing for convenient watching in the vertical direction, an alphabet character keyboard positioned on a sliding housing for convenient watching in the horizontal direction, and a function keyboard positioned on a folding housing for convenient watching in the vertical direction to optimize the user interfacing environment.

0016Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable apparatus having convenient user interfacing in a chatting mode.

0017In order to accomplish these objects, there is provided a portable apparatus according to independent claim 1. Further, preferred features may be found in the dependent claims appended thereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0018The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li><figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref> is a perspective view illustrating a sliding/folding-type portable apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0002">FIG. 2</figref> is a rear perspective view the portable apparatus of <figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref>;</li><li><figref idref="f0003">FIG. 3</figref> is a perspective view illustrating a sliding/folding-type portable apparatus, after sliding, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0004">FIG. 4</figref> is a perspective view illustrating a folding housing, after full movement about first and second hinge axes, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0005">FIG. 5</figref> is a perspective view illustrating the folding housing, when open, of <figref idref="f0004">FIG. 4</figref>; and</li><li><figref idref="f0006">FIG. 6</figref> is a rear perspective view of the folding housing of <figref idref="f0005">FIG. 5</figref>.</li></ul>

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

0019Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein is omitted to avoid making the subject matter of the present invention unclear.

0020As shown in <figref idref="f0001">FIGs. 1</figref> and <figref idref="f0002">2</figref>, a sliding/folding-type portable apparatus according to the present invention includes a body housing 10, a sliding housing 20, and a folding housing 30, all of which have the shape of a plate. As shown in <figref idref="f0001">FIG 1</figref>, the folding housing 30 has a speaker device 310, a display device 312, and a third keyboard 314 positioned on the top surface 301 thereof. The speaker device 310 is adjacent to the display device 312, which is adjacent to the third keyboard 314. The third keyboard 314 is mainly composed of function keys. The display device 312 may be composed of an LCD or a touch screen.

0021As shown in <figref idref="f0002">FIG 2</figref>, the body housing 10 has a battery pack 120, a camera lens 122, and a lighting device 124 positioned on the bottom surface thereof 102. The battery pack 120 is adjacent to the camera lens 122, which is adjacent to the lighting device 124. The battery pack 120 is detachable.

0022As shown in <figref idref="f0003 f0004 f0005 f0006">FIGs. 3 to 6</figref>, a portable apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a body housing 10; a sliding housing 20 adapted to travel along the longitudinal direction of the body housing 10 while continuously facing it to expose or hide a predetermined region of the top surface 101 of the body housing 10; a folding housing 30 adapted to rotate about a first hinge axis A1 to fold on or unfold from the sliding housing 20 and to rotate about a second hinge axis A2, which is perpendicular to the first hinge axis A1, to reverse the top and bottom surfaces 301 and 302 thereof; and a dual-axis hinge sliding module 40 connected between the sliding housing 20 and the folding housing 30 to provide the folding housing 30 with the first and second hinge axes A1 and A2. <figref idref="f0003">FIG. 3</figref> shows the sliding housing 20 after sliding. <figref idref="f0004">FIG. 4</figref> shows the folding housing 30 with its top and bottom surfaces 301 and 302 fully reversed from a position shown in <figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref>. Particularly, the bottom surface 302 of the folding housing faces the top surface of the sliding housing in a state as shown in <figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref> and the top surface 301 of the folding housing faces the top surface of the sliding housing in a state as shown in <figref idref="f0004">FIG. 4</figref>.

0023The dual-axis hinge sliding module 40 is positioned on a lateral end of the sliding housing 20, particularly at the center of an lateral end thereof. <figref idref="f0005">FIG. 5</figref> shows a state wherein the sliding housing 20 is rotated about the first hinge axis A1.

0024Preferably, the first hinge axis A 1 is parallel to the sliding direction of the sliding housing 20 and the second hinge axis A2 is perpendicular both to the first hinge axis A1 and to the sliding direction.

0025As shown in <figref idref="f0003">FIG. 3</figref>, the top surface 101 of the body housing includes a first region 104 selectively exposed or hidden according to whether the sliding housing 20 is slid or not and a second region 106 hidden regardless of whether the sliding housing 20 is slid or not. The first and second regions 104 and 106 are adjacent to each other. The first region 104 has a first keyboard 110 composed of an array of a number of keys positioned thereon. The first keyboard 110 is composed of an array of keys convenient to watch in the vertical direction, particularly 3x4 array of numeric keys, as shown in <figref idref="f0003">FIG. 3</figref>. Reference numeral 112 refers to a microphone device.

0026As shown in <figref idref="f0005">FIG. 5</figref>, the sliding housing has a second keyboard 210 positioned on the top surface 201 thereof, which is composed of an array of a number of keys exposed or hidden according to whether the folding housing 30 is folded or not. Particularly, the top surface 201 of the sliding housing and, accordingly, the second keyboard 210 are exposed or hidden according to whether the folding housing 30 is folded or not. The second keyboard 210 is composed of QWERTY key array including alphabet characters, and particularly of an array of keys convenient to use when the apparatus is oriented in the horizontal direction as shown in <figref idref="f0005">FIG. 5</figref>.

0027The folding housing 30 is adapted to rotate 0-180° about the first hinge axis A1 and rotate 0-180° about the second hinge axis A2. As the folding housing 30 is rotated about the first hinge axis A1 from a position as shown in <figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref>, rotated 180° about the second hinge axis A2, and again rotated about the first hinge axis A1, it is folded on the sliding housing 20 as shown in <figref idref="f0004">FIG. 4</figref>. The bottom surface 302 of the folding housing is preferably a planar surface, as shown in <figref idref="f0006">FIG. 6</figref>.

0028When rotated about the first hinge axis A1 from a position as shown in <figref idref="f0004">FIG. 4</figref>, the folding housing 30 is positioned as shown in <figref idref="f0005">FIG. 5</figref> or <figref idref="f0006">6</figref>.

0029In summary, the state shown in <figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref> is suitable for a communication or camera mode, the state shown in <figref idref="f0003">FIG 3</figref> is suitable for a communication mode, and the state shown in <figref idref="f0005">FIG. 5</figref> is suitable for a mode requiring complicated key input operation, such as a chatting mode, which is an exchange of text messages.

0030As mentioned above, the portable apparatus according to the present invention has three housings connected to one another in such a manner that they can slide and fold and provided with respective keyboards. This provides a wider display device, convenience in key operation, and adaptation to compactness. Particularly, the inventive portable apparatus has a numeric keyboard positioned on a body housing for convenient watching of the display when the apparatus is in the vertical direction, an alphabet character keyboard positioned on a sliding housing for convenient use when the apparatus is in the horizontal direction, and a function keyboard positioned on a folding housing for convenient use when the apparatus is in the vertical direction to optimize the user's data input interfacing environment.

0031While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.