Nec Corporation

Nec C Orporation

Kazuo Ohtsuta

Michio Nagai

Masatomo Mizuta

Mika Fujii

Masaki Shimamura

Kiyoshi Kohayakawa

Mitsuru Sendouda

A foldable portable information terminal includes an upper unit having a display unit on its one side, a lower unit having operation keys on its one side, and a movable connecting mechanism connecting the upper unit and the lower unit allowing the upper unit to be opened, closed, and freely rotated with respect to a longitudinal direction of the lower unit. The displaying mode of the display unit whose direction varies depending on a position of the upper unit is changed depending on a positional relationship of the upper unit and the lower unit.

Foldable portable information terminal

A portable device includes an upper unit, a lower unit having an operation section on an operation surface, and a movable connecting mechanism which connects the upper unit and the lower unit. The movable connecting mechanism includes a rotating hinge including a rotation axis which is securely and rotatably provided to the lower unit and which protrudes from the operation surface in a direction substantially normal to the operation surface, a projection protruding outward from the rotation axis, and a stopping member provided at a location where the projection comes in contact with the stopping member due to rotation of the rotation axis. The stopping member is movable within a predetermined range of movement due to the projection coming in contact with the stopping member.

A portable communication apparatus includes a first unit having at least a display section and a second unit having at least a main operation section, which are coupled by a slide coupling and are freely slidable in a longitudinal direction between a retracted state and an extended state. The first unit and the second unit are urged by an urging member in an extension direction and are releasably locked by a releasable lock mechanism in the retracted state. The locking is released by a predetermined operation. An optical aperture for optical function is provided in one of surfaces of the first and second units that face one another in the retracted state. The optical function section is made operable when the first and second units are positioned in the extended state.

Slide-type portable communication apparatus

A portable communication apparatus includes a main housing having at least a display section and an operation section and a movable housing that is engaged with the main housing slidably in a longitudinal direction between a retracted state and an extended state. The main housing and the movable housing are urged in an extension direction and are releasably locked in the retracted state. A portion of the display section is covered and protected by the movable housing when retracted. An optical aperture for optical function is provided in the main housing and its optical function is made operable when extended.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Kazuo Ohtsuta