Portable information device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10228724-B2
Application number	US-201715654242-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2017
Priority date	Jul 19, 2016
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

A portable information device is provided. The portable information device includes a first chassis and a second chassis, a display, a back part and a movable back plate. The display, which is configured to be foldable in half, is disposed over inner faces of the first and second chassis. The back part, includes a movable hinge configured to join the first and second chassis rotatably. When the first and second chassis are folded towards each other, the movable hinge moves on the inner faces of the chassis in a direction from open ends of the chassis to the back part that is located on an opposite side of the open ends. The movable back plate configured to support a rear face of the display at a part corresponding to the back part. When the first and second chassis are folded towards each other, the movable back plate moves in a direction from the open ends to the back part together with the movable hinge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable information device comprising:
a first chassis and a second chassis;
a display disposed over inner faces of said first and second chassis, wherein said display to be foldable in half;
a back part includes a movable binge for joining said first and second chassis rotatably; wherein when said first and second chassis are folded towards each other, said movable hinge moves on said inner faces of said chassis in a direction from open ends of said chassis to said back part that is located on an opposite side of said open ends, wherein said movable hinge includes
a first slide member supported slidably on said inner face of one of said chassis;
a second slide member supported slidably on said inner face of another one of said chassis; and
a hinge shaft configured to join said first slide member and said second slide member rotatably; and

a movable back plate for supporting a rear face of said display at a part corresponding to said back part, wherein when said first and second chassis are folded towards each other, said movable back plate moves in a direction from said open ends to said back part together with said movable hinge.

2. The portable information device of claim 1 , wherein said movable back plate includes
a first back plate joined rotatably with said first slide member; and
a second back plate joined rotatably with said first back plate and joined rotatably with said second slide member.

3. The portable information device of claim 2 , wherein when said first and second chassis are folded towards each other, said first and second slide members slide while rotating about said hinge shaft as a rotary center, so that said first and second back plates move in the direction from said open ends to said back part while mutually rotating.

4. The portable information device of claim 1 , wherein
said inner face of said one chassis includes a first inclined face inclining from a center between said first and second chassis to the outside in the direction from said open ends to said back part when said first and second chassis are folded towards each other; and
said inner face of said another chassis includes a second inclined face inclining from the center between said first and second chassis to the outside in the direction from said open ends to said back part when said first and second chassis are folded towards each other.

5. The portable information device of claim 4 , wherein when said first and second chassis are folded towards each other, said first and second back plate mutually rotate while sliding on said first and second inclined faces, respectively, so that said movable back plate moves in the direction from said open ends to said back part together with said movable hinge.

6. The portable information device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first elastic member configured to bias said first slide member in the direction from said back part to said open end of said one chassis; and
a second elastic member configured to bias said second slide member in the direction from said back part to said open end of said other chassis.

7. The portable information device of claim 1 , wherein said hinge shaft includes
a first rotary member joined rotatably with said first slide member; and
a second rotary member joined rotatably with said first rotary member and joined rotatably with said second slide member, wherein said first back plate is joined rotatably with said first rotary member, said second back plate is joined rotatably with said second rotary member, and a rotary axis of said first back plate and said second back plate and a rotary axis of said first rotary member and said second rotary member are disposed coaxially.

8. The portable information device of claim 1 , wherein a pair of the movable hinges is disposed at both ends of said back part.

9. The portable information device of claim 8 , wherein said movable back plate extends between said pair of movable hinges.

10. The portable information device of claim 1 , wherein said first chassis at a part closer to said open end is fixed in position to one end of said display, and said second chassis at a part closer to said open end is fixed in position to another end of said display.

11. The portable information device of claim 1 , wherein said movable back plate has a through hole, through which Wiring connecting said first and second chassis extends.

12. The portable information device of claim 1 , further comprising a pushup mechanism configured to, when said first and second chassis folded towards each other is opened, push up said display in an ascending direction from said inner faces of said chassis while being operatively associated with a motion of at least one of said movable hinge and said movable back plate.

13. The portable information device of claim 12 , further comprising a pushdown elastic member configured to push down said display in a descending direction towards said inner faces of said chassis.

14. The portable information device of claim 1 , further comprising a pushup mechanism configured to, when said first and second chassis folded in half is opened, push up said display in an ascending direction from said inner faces of said chassis while being operatively associated with a motion of said movable hinge.

15. The portable information device of claim 14 , wherein said pushup mechanism includes
a contacting part disposed at least one of said first and second slide members; and
a receiving member configured to be slidable with said contacting part, said receiving member being fixed to said display, at least one of said contacting part and said receiving member having an inclined face to let said receiving member ascend when said contacting part slides on said receiving member.

16. The portable information device of claim 15 , wherein said pushup mechanism includes a pushup plate disposed at least one of said first and second back plates, said pushup plate being configured to rotate with the rotation of said first back plate and said second back plate so as to push up said display.

Assignees

• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd
• Lenovo Singapore Ptd Lte

Inventors

• Nakamura Fusanobu
• Nagashima Atsushi

Classifications

• A45C2011/002

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• G06F2200/1634

  Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer · CPC title

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title

• A45C2200/15

  Articles convertible into a stand, e.g. for displaying purposes · CPC title

• G06F1/1677

  for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment · CPC title