Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Yoshikazu Takemoto

Katsuharu Nagai

Masahiro Saito

An electronic appliance includes a first casing having an input portion, a second casing having a screen display portion on one face thereof, a coupling, and a controller portion for controlling screen display on the screen display portion. The first and second casings are coupled together such that the electronic appliance can be moved between a first state, in which the second casing is unfolded relative to the first casing with the screen display portion pointing in the direction of the input portion, and a second state, in which the second casing is folded over the first casing with the face of the second casing opposite to the screen display portion facing the face of the first casing on which the input portion is provided. When the appliance changes between the first and second states, the controller portion rotates the screen display by 90&#xb0; between the first and second states.

Electronic appliance

An optical communication unit includes a light emitting-receiving element provided in such a manner that an optical axis thereof is set perpendicular to an electric circuit substrate, a reflecting plate for changing a direction of the optical axis, and a filter. The reflecting plate is provide outside the filter so as to be freely rotatable around one end of the reflecting plate. Since the reflecting plate is arranged so as to be rotated to a position where the filter is covered when optical communication is not carried out, the filter can be protected from being scratched or accumulating dust, and the unit can be made thinner. On the other hand, when optical communication is carried out, by rotating the reflecting plate, the communication direction can be set as desired.

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Tenri, Japan

Yoshikazu Takemoto