Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Kunihiro Ohki

Hidetoshi Tamaki

Keita Matsumoto

Yoshito Fujii

Keiichi Koyama

Osamu Akiyama

Ryohsuke Fukusada

Hidenori Takata

Digital information display

Video monitor

The mobile information terminal comprises a first casing having an operation unit on the surface, a second casing having a display unit on the surface, and a joint mechanism. This joint mechanism joints the first casing and the second casing in an openable manner, and joints the first casing and the second casing such that the display unit can be shifted in the open state between the transversely long state and the longitudinally long state with respect to the first casing. A hinge pin for jointing the first casing and the second casing in the openable manner is positioned in the closed state above the second casing with respect to the surface of the first casing.

Mobile information terminal

A portable information terminal includes a first casing having a manipulation unit at its surface, a second casing having a display unit at its surface, and a rotation link mechanism linking the first casing and the second casing such that the second casing rotates slidably with respect to the first casing. The rotation link mechanism is configured to allow transition, by one rotating operation, from one to another of a closed state in which the second casing entirely covers the manipulation unit of the first casing and an open state in which the manipulation unit of the first casing is exposed as a result of movement of the second casing that takes an axially symmetric orientation to the center line of the first casing in the open state. Thus, the operation from a closed state up to an open state can all be readily conducted with one hand.

Portable information terminal, opening/closing operation method, and display method

Personal digital assistant

Electronic calculator with printer

Electronic computer

Television set

Growing community of inventors

Kyoto, Japan

Kunihiro Ohki