Ericsson Gmbh

Ericsson Ge Mobile Communications Inc.

Steven J Harms

Mark William Weadon

A radiotelephone having an asymmetric hinge configuration includes a housing having a door member, a handset member, and an asymmetric hinge connected to the door and handset members for enabling rotation therebetween about an axis of rotation that is substantially perpendicular to a plane bisecting the door member but preventing axial translation therebetween. The radiotelephone further includes a radiotelephone transceiver and a microphone positioned within the housing. The microphone is located on the pivot axis. The asymmetric hinge is configured so that the door and handset members are rotatable between a closed position, in which the door member overlies the handset member, and an operative open position, in which the handset member and the door member define an angle of between about 100 and 160 degrees.

Asymmetric hinged housing configuration

A portable radio includes a main housing having a first electrical circuit and a flip portion having a second electrical circuit. The flip portion is rotatively mounted with a hinge to the main housing for positioning the flip portion between a close position and an open position. The hinge includes a slot connected to the main housing and a rod connected to the flip portion. The slot includes a rod securing position where the rod is secured within the slot and a rod non-securing position where the rod is attachable and detachable from the slot to allow the flip portion to be detached from and reattached to the main housing. The radio further includes an electrical coupler mechanism that couples the first electrical circuit in the main housing with the second electrical circuit in the flip portion. The electrical coupler mechanism includes contacts that are freely separated from one another such that the electrical coupling mechanism is not damaged during the detachment and reattachment of the flip portion.

Portable radio having a detachable flip portion

A hinge configuration particularly suitable for use with a radiotelephone includes: an arcuate hinge body having a predetermined body length, a predetermined body thickness and a predetermined radius of curvature; and a pair of arms, a respective one of which is attached to and extends away from a respective end of the arcuate hinge body, the pair of arms each having predetermined arm lengths and predetermined arm thicknesses. The arms are pivotally mounted on a housing such that the arms twist upon pivotal movement of the arcuate hinge body relative to the housing. At least one of the predetermined body length, predetermined body thickness, predetermined radius of curvature, predetermined arm lengths and predetermined arm thicknesses should be selected to induce preferential deflection in the arcuate hinge body relative to the pair of arms upon twisting thereof during pivotal movement of the hinge body so that the arms resist fracture during such repeated pivotal movement.

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Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Steven J Harms