Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Tottori Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Kasatani Corp

Tomoki Ueyama

Jiro Osaki

Yoshitomo Sakai

Toshiya Ishibashi

A folding apparatus () having transmitter and receiver cases (), a hinge mechanism () for pivotally connecting one end of the transmitter case and that of the receiver case to each other, and a hinge cover (C). The hinge mechanism is connected to corners (-) of the one end of the transmitter case and of that of the receiver case. The corners (-) are projected in the direction orthogonal to the one end of each of the transmitter and receiver cases, and the hinge mechanism is installed between the projected corners of the cases. The hinge cover has a pair of box-shaped cover members (), and a cross-section of each cover member taken in the direction orthogonal to the one end has an ellipse shape. The cover members are arranged so as to face to each other, covering and holding the hinge mechanism located between the projected corners of the transmitter and receiver cases. A fixing means for fixing the pair of the cover members to each other is provided at the one side of the pair of the cover members that are arranged faced to each other, and this one side is a side close to the one end of at least either the transmitter case or the receiver case. Design and mechanical strength of the connection section of a folding apparatus having the pair of apparatus cases are improved.

Foldable device

A hinge mechanism () of a foldable device () for foldably connecting one end parts of a pair of device cases to each other, comprises a first frame () having first and second arm pieces (), a second frame () having third and fourth arm pieces (), and a third frame () having first and second connection pieces () with first to fourth joining parts () to (). The first to fourth arm pieces are rotatably connected to the first to fourth joining parts to form first to fourth connection parts () to (), and drive mechanisms () and link mechanisms are formed in the first to fourth connection parts. When the first frame is rotated in one direction relative to the third frame, the second frame is rotated by the same angle as the rotated angle of the first frame in the opposite direction of the third frame. Thus, the hinge mechanism of the foldable device can stably fold the device cases without producing a displacement between both housings thereof when the device cases are folded by providing different axes in the device cases. Furthermore, a foldable device having the hinge mechanism can be provided.

Hinge mechanism of foldable device, and foldable device provided with hinge mechanism

A hinge device having a first installation frame () installed on a first housing (); a second installation frame () installed on a second housing (); a third installation frame () for rotatably supporting a base end section of each of the frames, the base end sections being supported such that a head section side of each frame is rotatable in a direction to approach to and separate from each other, the base end sections being supported through a first main shaft () and a second main shaft () that are arranged parallel to each other and to which rotation of the frames is transmitted; a rotation force transmission mechanism () disposed between the main shafts () and including gears () having a function of transmitting reverse rotation force from one to the other and vice versa; and a rotation angle restriction means (). The hinge device enables stable closing operation in which displacement between the housings does not occur.

Hinge device

A flexible printed circuit board has first and second connection portionsandwhere contacts are exposed and first and second path portionsandwhere conductor patternsare arranged that connect the contactsandof the first and second connection portionsandtogether. The first and second path portionsandare formed so as to have substantially symmetrical shapes with each other about a predetermined straight line, and the flexible printed circuit board is folded up along the straight line Cand C. Alternatively, a flexible printed circuit board has a conductor patternformed between first and second insulating sheetsand, and has a shielding conductorfixed to the second insulating sheet. The flexible printed circuit board is folded up with the second insulating sheetoutside so that the conductor patternis enclosed inside the shielding conductor

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Tottori, Japan

Tomoki Ueyama