초록 ▼

A portable electronic device (100) has a cover part (102) carrying a display (112) connected to a base part ( 104) carrying a keyboard (118) by means of a hinge arrangement (106). The cover part can move relatively to the base part from a closed configuration to an open configuration. The hinge arra

A portable electronic device (100) has a cover part (102) carrying a display (112) connected to a base part ( 104) carrying a keyboard (118) by means of a hinge arrangement (106). The cover part can move relatively to the base part from a closed configuration to an open configuration. The hinge arrangement comprises a plurality of elongate connecting elements (122, 124, 126, 128) connected at one end to the cover part and at another end to the base part. Each connecting element is relatively moveable about a first axis of rotation (134, 138) with respect to the cover part and relatively moveable about a second axis of rotation (136, 140) with respect to the base part. In moving from the closed configuration to the open configuration, the cover part is able to rotate about the first axis of rotation and move about the second axis of rotation.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A portable electronic device having a first part carrying a first display interface and a second part carrying a second user input interface, the first and second parts being relatively moveable from a closed configuration to an open configuration, said first and second parts

What is claimed is: 1. A portable electronic device having a first part carrying a first display interface and a second part carrying a second user input interface, the first and second parts being relatively moveable from a closed configuration to an open configuration, said first and second parts being connected by first and second pairs of connecting elements, the first pair of connecting elements being connected to a first side of the first and second parts and the second pair of connecting element being connected to a second side of the first and second parts, each end of each connecting element being connected to be simultaneously rotatable about respective rotational axes, wherein the respective rotational axes of the first pair are in common with the corresponding rotational axes of the second pair. 2. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the first part is able to move both translationally and rotationally with respect to the second part. 3. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the one of the rotational axes is able to move about the other of the rotational axes. 4. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the first part is a front part. 5. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the second part is a back part and the second user input interface comprises a keypad. 6. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the first display interface and the second user input interface are able to move into a preferred optimum configuration in which they are both visible to, and available for use by, a user at the same time. 7. A portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the connecting elements are in the form of a first straight portion connected to a second straight portion at an elbow region. 8. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the connecting elements are connected at connection points on the first part and the second part. 9. A portable electronic device according to claim 8 wherein each pair of connecting elements are connected on a common side of the first part and the second part and the connection points on the parts are separated by different amounts. 10. A portable electronic device according to claim 9 wherein having a difference in the separation of their connection points provides the first part with a greater rotational movement during a later stage of its movement relative to the second part. 11. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the distances between the connection points for the connecting elements in each pair are different. 12. A portable electronic device according to claim 11 wherein having a difference in the lengths of the connecting elements provides the first part with a greater rotational movement during a later stage of its movement relative to the second part. 13. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein in moving from the closed configuration to the open configuration, the first part and the second part remain substantially parallel during an initial stage of their relative movement. 14. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 selected from a group consisting of a laptop, palmtop, an electronic notebook, a mobile telephone, a personal organiser and a personal digital assistant. 15. A portable electronic device according to claim 7 wherein the at least some of the connecting elements are connected at connection points on the first part and the second part. 16. A portable electronic device having a first part carrying a first display interface and a second part carrying a second user input interface, the first and second parts being relatively moveable from a closed configuration to an open configuration, the first and second parts being connected by pairs of connecting elements, the first pair of connecting elements being connected to a first side of the first and second parts and the second pair of connecting elements being connected to a second side of the first and second parts, each end of each connecting element being connected to be simultaneously rotatable about respective rotational axes, wherein the respective rotational axes of the first pair are in common with the corresponding rotational axes of the second pair, the pairs of connecting elements being attached to the first part and the second part in such a way that the first part is constrained by its relative movement to the connecting elements such that it has a greater rotational movement during a later stage of the movement if the first part relative to the second part from the closed configuration to the open configuration. 17. A portable electronic device having a first part carrying a first display interface and a second part carrying a second user input interface, the first and second parts being relatively moveable from a closed configuration to an open configuration, the first and second parts being connected by a pairs of connecting elements, the first pair of connecting elements being connected to a first side of the first and second parts and the second pair of connecting elements being connected to a second side of the first and second parts, each end of each connecting element being connected to be simultaneously rotatable about respective rotational axes, wherein the respective rotational axes of the first pair are in common with the corresponding rotational axes of the second pair, respective ones of the pairs of connecting elements being in the form of a first straight portion connected to a second straight portion at an elbow region, the elbow regions serving to engage a surface on which the device sits and thus assists in supporting the device in an upright orientation. 18. A portable electronic device comprising first and second housings carrying respective display and user input interfaces, the first and second housings being configured to be relatively moveable between opened and closed configurations, the first and second parts being connected by respective first and second pairs of means for connecting, the first pair of means for connecting being connected to a first side of the first and second housings, and the second pair of means for connecting being connected to a second side of the first and second housings, each of the means for connecting being connected to respective first and second housings to be simultaneously rotatable about respective rotational axis, wherein the respective rotational axis of the first pair of means for connecting are in common with the corresponding rotational axis of the second pair of means for connecting.