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Folding electric apparatusRelated Patent Categories: Electrical Connectors, Interrelated Connectors Relatively Movable During Use, Movement About Axis, HingeFolding electric apparatus description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070123064, Folding electric apparatus. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a folding electric apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a folding electric apparatus having a hinge (an opening and closing mechanism). The present invention can be applied to various folding electronic apparatus having a hinge, such as a stationary communication terminal and a portable electronic apparatus, for example, a mobile phone, a portable communication terminal, a portable electronic note, a portable electronic book, a portable electronic dictionary and so forth. [0003] The folding electronic apparatus includes: a first housing, for example, a stationary portion, in which an operation portion is mainly provided; and a second housing, a movable portion, in which a display portion such as a liquid crystal display is mainly provided, wherein the first housing and the second housing are connected with each other by a hinge, and the movable portion can be opened and closed with respect to the stationary portion being turned round the hinge. Since the folding electronic apparatus can be operated so as to be opened and closed, as described above, it has been conveniently used. Therefore, the number of the folding electronic apparatus to be used tends to remarkably increase every year. Especially according to the increase in the use of the folding electronic apparatus, there is a request for enhancing the mechanical strength of the hinge which is frequently opened and closed. Further, when the first housing and the second housing are electrically connected to each other by signal wires, the wiring must be devised so that the apparatus can endure opening and closing motions, which are frequently conducted, irrespective of a state of the apparatus to be opened and closed. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] In the conventional folding electronic apparatus in which the movable portion and the stationary portion are connected to each other by the hinge, the holding mechanism for holding the hinge is composed separately from the structure reinforcing member composing the movable portion and the stationary portion, that is, the holding mechanism for holding the hinge is composed separately from the chassis of the movable portion and the stationary portion. Therefore, the following problems may be encountered in the conventional folding electronic apparatus. In the conventional folding electronic apparatus, the hinge is not composed integrally with the chassis as described above. Therefore, the rigidity of the hinge is not sufficiently high compared with the rigidity of the structural members of the chassis. Accordingly, it is difficult to maintain the accuracy of a rotary shaft to be high. Further, when a shock is given to the apparatus, the hinge is independently deformed, and the rigidity of the hinge is lowered. [0006] Further, the following problem may be encountered. In the conventional folding electronic apparatus, when the movable portion and the stationary portion are connected to each other by the signal wires at the time of assembling, the assembling work is complicated. [0007] Concerning the structure of the conventional folding electronic apparatus, JP-A-2002-134938 discloses a folding housing structure having a water-proofing structure. According to this Patent Document, rising walls are formed round the hinge and on the side, and ribs for water-proofing are formed inside. When water absorption sheets are arranged inside an upper and a lower rear case, water can be prevented from entering from a gap of the hinge into a space. [0008] According to the folding electronic apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2003-304310, when a hinge cover is divided into a plurality of pieces, a main body portion can be classified. Further, the generation of rattling in the hinge can be prevented. [0009] As described above, in the conventional folding electronic apparatus, the hinge is not integrated with the chassis which is a structural reinforcing member composing the apparatus housing. Therefore, the rigidity of the hinge is not sufficiently high. Accordingly, it is difficult to maintain the accuracy of the rotary shaft to be sufficiently high. Further, there is a possibility that the hinge is independently deformed when a shock is given to the apparatus. Furthermore, in the conventional folding electronic apparatus, it is difficult to incorporate the signal wires extending between the movable portion and the stationary portion. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to propose a folding electronic apparatus characterized in that: the rigidity of the hinge is sufficiently high; and it is easy to incorporate into the apparatus the signal wires extending between the movable portion and the stationary portion. [0011] In order to accomplish the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a folding electronic apparatus in which a first housing and a second housing are connected to each other by a hinge, capable of being opened and closed with respect to each other, the hinge including: a pipe portion having a first slit on a side wall, the pipe portion being attached to one of the first housing and the second housing; and a hollow shaft having a second slit on the side wall, the hollow shaft being attached to the other of the first housing and the second housing, the hollow shaft being engaged inside the pipe portion, wherein the first and second slits extend to positions shifted from an engaging portion of the pipe portion with the hollow portion in the axial direction and define opening portions of the first and second slits. [0012] According to the above structure, in the case where the first housing and the second housing are electrically connected to each other by signal wires, the signal wires are laid in the pipe portion and the hollow shaft of the hinge, the signal wires are drawn out from the first and second slits opening portion and both end portions of the signal wires can be connected to the first and second housings. Therefore, the signal wires can be easily laid and incorporated. Further, even when the folding electronic apparatus is repeatedly opened and closed, the durability can be maintained. [0013] According to the present invention, a folding electronic apparatus further comprises: a first printed circuit board attached inside one of the housings; a second printed circuit board attached inside the other of the housings; and signal wires for electrically connecting the first printed circuit board with the second printed circuit board, wherein one end portion of the signal wires connects to the first printed circuit board, enters the first slit opening portion of the pipe portion, passes inside the pipe portion and the hollow shaft portion, comes out from the second slit opening portion of the hollow shaft portion and connects to the second printed circuit board. [0014] Due to the above structure, the signal wires can be smoothly connect the first printed circuit board with the second printed circuit board. Further, it is easy to lay and assemble the signal wires. Furthermore, even when the folding electronic apparatus is repeatedly opened and closed, the durability can be maintained. [0015] In a folding electronic apparatus of the present invention, the signal wires are formed into a flexible printed circuit. The flexible circuit plate includes: a first base portion connected to the first printed circuit board; a first portion extended from the first base portion in the direction perpendicular to the hinge axis; a portion bent from the first portion in the direction parallel with the hinge axis; a second portion bent from a portion which extends in the direction parallel with the hinge axis, extending again in the direction perpendicular to the hinge axis; and the second base portion connected to the second portion and connected to the second printed circuit board, wherein the flexible circuit plate is formed into a plane shape. [0016] Due to the above structure, while the slit of the pipe portion and the slit of the hollow shaft are being aligned with each other, a portion of the flexible circuit plate, which functions as signal wires and is parallel with the hinge shaft, is inserted into the slit, the first portion and the second portion are respectively drawn out from the slit opening portion of the pipe portion and the slit opening portion of the hollow shaft, and base portions at both end portions can be respectively connected to the first housing and the second housing. Accordingly, the flexible circuit plate can be easily incorporated. [0017] The pipe portion includes: a pipe formed portion integrally formed on the first chassis which is a structural reinforcing member composing one of the housings; and a pipe member engaged inside the pipe formed portion, wherein slit portions are respectively formed in the pipe formed portion and the pipe member at positions corresponding to each other, and these slits are aligned with each other to form the first slit. [0018] Due to the above structure, the hinge includes members which are portions of the first and second chassis which are the structural reinforcing members of the first housing and the second housing. Alternatively, the hinge includes members fixed to the first and the second chassis. Therefore, the rigidity of the hinge can be maintained high. Further, even when the folding electronic apparatus is repeatedly used over a long period of time, the accuracy of the hinge shaft can be maintained high. [0019] In the folding electronic apparatus of the invention, both sides of the pipe portion of one of the housings are open, the hollow shaft is engaged with the first opening portion, and a hinge module is inserted into the second opening portion and the bearing portion of the other of the housings. [0020] The present invention provides a folding electronic apparatus in which a first housing and a second housing are connected to each other by a hinge being capable of being opened and closed, the hinge including: a pipe portion integrally formed with a structural reinforcing member of the first housing; a bearing portion integrally formed with a structural reinforcing member of the second housing; and a hollow shaft fixed to the structural reinforcing member of the second housing, wherein the hollow shaft is pivotally inserted into and engaged with one of the opening portions of the pipe portion, and a hinge module penetrates the other side of the pipe portion and the bearing portion. [0021] Due to the above structure, the rigidity of the hinge can be maintained sufficiently high, and the signal wires for connecting the first housing with the second housing can be easily incorporated and laid. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Continue reading about Folding electric apparatus... Full patent description for Folding electric apparatus Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Folding electric apparatus patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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