Nokia patents compact devices with turn and slide concept

Abstract
The specification and drawings present a new apparatus and method for applying a turn and slide concept for opening and closing a device. A turning part of the device can rotate around a pivotal axis in an angle range, e.g., from a first position to a second position by a predetermined angle, the turning part is being pivotally connected to a first part (e.g., a base) of the device, thus opening the device by sliding a second part (e.g., a lid) from an initial position to a further position using an adjusting mechanism. The first part may comprise a first functional area and the second part may comprise a second functional area located on an exposed surface of the second part, wherein the second part is configured to cover the first functional area in the initial position and to reveal the first functional area in the second position.


Description
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to compact devices, and more specifically to applying a turn and slide concept for opening and closing the device.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Various devices (e.g., computers, mobile phones) comprise a processor, memory, circuitry, keyboard (typically with QWERTY), a display, etc. In portable computers, for example, the display is typically attached to the computer base by a hinge forming a single pivot axis, wherein the display can be folded down for carrying or up so that the user can select an appropriate viewing angle.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0003] According to a first aspect of the invention, a device, comprises: a first part comprising a first functional area; a second part comprising a second functional area located on an exposed surface of the lid; and a turning part, pivotally connected to the first part such that the turning part is configured to turn by rotating around a pivotal axis in an angle range, wherein the second part is in an initial position and configured to cover the first functional area when the turning part is in a first position and wherein the second part is configured to slide using an adjusting mechanism to a further position revealing the first functional area when the turning part is rotated by a predetermined angle in the angle range around the pivotal axis to a second position.

[0004] According further to the first aspect of the invention, the second functional area may be a display comprising a viewing surface and the first functional area may be a keyboard.

[0005] According further to the first aspect of the invention, the first functional area may be one of: a) a keyboard, b) a display comprising a viewing surface, and c) a touch screen.

[0006] Still further according to the first aspect of the invention, the second functional area may be one of: a) a keyboard, b) a display comprising a viewing surface, and c) a touch screen.

[0007] According further to the first aspect of the invention, the predetermined angle may be 180 degrees.

[0008] According still further to the first aspect of the invention, the turning part may comprise a camera which is configured to provide at least one of: a) a video image when the turning part is in the second position and b) photo pictures when the turning part is in the first position.

[0009] According further still to the first aspect of the invention, the turning part may be configured to have a groove on a side adjacent to the second part and the second part may be configured to have a pin on a second part side adjacent to the turning part, such that when the turning part is rotated between the first position and the second position, the second part is moved between the initial position covering the first functional area and the further position which reveals the first functional area using the pin which is configured to move along the groove.

[0010] According yet further still to the first aspect of the invention, the adjusting mechanism may comprise: a hinge plate comprising at least two hinges, wherein the hinge plate is attached to the base with one of the at least two hinges and to the second part with another of the at least two hinges and the hinge plate is configured to facilitate the sliding of the second part to the further position.

[0011] Yet still further according to the first aspect of the invention, the second part, when in the initial position, may be substantially parallel to the first functional area of the first part, and the second part, when in the further position, may form a predetermined angle with the first functional area of the first part.

[0012] Still yet further according to the first aspect of the invention, the device may be an electronic device, a mechanical device, an electromechanical device, a gaming device, a wireless communication device, a mobile phone, a camera-phone mobile device, a non-portable device, a computer, a video phone or a portable device.

[0013] Still further still according to the first aspect of the invention, the first part may be a base and the second part may be a lid.

[0014] According to a second aspect of the invention, a method, comprises: rotating a turning part of a device, the rotating part being pivotally connected to a first part of the device, from a first position to a second position by a predetermined angle around a pivotal axis, thus opening the device by sliding a second part from an initial position to a further position, thus opening the device, wherein the first part comprises a first functional area, the second part comprises a second functional area located on an exposed surface of the second part, the turning part is configured to turn by rotating around the pivotal axis in a pre-selected angle range and wherein the second part is configured to cover the first functional area in the initial position and the second part is configured to reveal the first functional area in the second position.

[0015] According further to the second aspect of the invention, the method may further comprise: rotating the turning part of the device from the second position to the first position by the predetermined angle around the pivotal axis, thus moving the second part from the further position to the initial position and closing the device by the lid.

[0016] Further according to the second aspect of the invention, the second functional area may be a display comprising a viewing surface and the first functional area is a keyboard.

[0017] Still further according to the second aspect of the invention, the first functional area may be one of: a) a keyboard, b) a display comprising a viewing surface, c) a touch screen.

[0018] According further to the second aspect of the invention, the second functional area may be one of: a) a keyboard, b) a display comprising a viewing surface, and c) a touch screen.

[0019] According still further to the second aspect of the invention, the predetermined angle may be 180 degrees.

[0020] According further still to the second aspect of the invention, the turning part may comprise a camera which is configured to provide an image when the turning part is in the second position.

[0021] According yet further still to the second aspect of the invention, the turning part may be configured to have a groove on a side adjacent to the second part and the second part may be configured to have a pin on a second part side adjacent to the turning part, such that when the turning part is rotated between the first position and the second position, the second part is moved between the initial position covering the first functional area and the further position which reveals the first functional area using the pin which is configured to move along the groove.

[0022] Yet still further according to the second aspect of the invention, the adjusting mechanism may comprise: a hinge plate comprising at least two hinges, wherein the hinge plate may be attached to the first part with one of the at least two hinges and to the second part with another of the at least two hinges and the hinge plate may be configured to facilitate the sliding of the second part to the further position.

[0023] Still yet further according to the second aspect of the invention, the second part, when in the initial position, may be substantially parallel to the first functional area of the first part, and the second part, when in the further position, may form a predetermined angle with the first functional area of the first part.

[0024] Still further still according to the second aspect of the invention, the device may be an electronic device, a mechanical device, an electromechanical device, a gaming device, a wireless communication device, a mobile phone, a camera-phone mobile device, a non-portable device, a computer, a videophone, or a portable device.

[0025] Yet still further still according to the second aspect of the invention, the first or the second functional area may be a display and the method may further comprise: indicating a status of the turning part after the rotating on a screen of the display.

[0026] According to a third aspect of the invention, a computer program product comprises: a computer readable storage structure embodying computer program code thereon for execution by a computer processor with the computer program code, wherein it includes indicating a status of the turning part after the rotating on a screen of the display after performing the method of the first aspect of the invention, as being performed by the device.

[0027] According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a turning part module of a device, comprises: a grasping part, pivotally connected to a first part of the electronic device such that the turning part module is configured to turn by rotating the grasping part by a user around a pivotal axis in an angle range, wherein the first part of the electronic device comprises a first functional area; a second part of the electronic device comprises a second functional area located on an exposed surface of the lid, and the second part is in an initial position and configured to cover the first functional area when the grasping part is in a first position and wherein the second part is configured to slide using an adjusting mechanism to a further position revealing the first functional area when the grasping part is rotated by a predetermined angle in the angle range around the pivotal axis to a second position; and a groove, adjacent to the second part and the second part is configured to have a pin on a second part side adjacent to the turning part, such that when the grasping part is rotated between the first position and the second position, the second part is moved between the initial position covering the first functional area and the further position which reveals the first functional area using the pin which is configured to move along the groove.

[0028] According further to the fourth aspect of the invention, the turning part may comprise a pivoting rod configured to provide a pivotal connection to the first part.

[0029] Further according to the fourth aspect of the invention, the grasping part may comprise a camera which may be configured to provide an image when the grasping part is in the second position.