JP2001320459A - Wireless communication terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To significantly improve the operability of a wireless communication terminal. The present invention provides predetermined first and second housings,
A hinge portion for connecting the first and second housings so as to be foldable and expandable, an antenna element provided to be foldable and expandable in the first or second housing, and a first and a second antenna. By providing a housing and an interlocking means for interlocking the folding and deployment of the antenna element, the first and second housings,
By simply performing folding and unfolding operations on either one of the antenna elements and the other first element via the interlocking means.
In addition, folding and unfolding operations can be performed on the second housing or the antenna element, and thus the operability of the wireless communication terminal can be significantly improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a radio communication terminal, and is suitably applied to, for example, a foldable portable telephone.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of foldable portable telephone, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, box-shaped first and second housings 2 and 3 are folded via a hinge portion 4. As shown in FIG. The tatami mats and the tatami mats are connected so as to be freely deployable.

In the first housing 2, a plurality of operation keys 5 are provided on the front surface 2A thereof, and a circuit board (not shown) having a circuit element for wireless communication provided therein, and The microphone 6 and the like are stored.

In the second housing 3, a liquid crystal display 7 is provided on the front surface 3A, and an antenna device 8 having a predetermined antenna element is provided on a predetermined portion of the upper end face 3B. Houses a speaker 9 and the like.

Thus, in this kind of portable telephone 1, when the first and second housings 2 and 3 are folded, the whole portable telephone 1 can be made compact to improve portability. I have.

In this portable telephone 1, the first
When a predetermined portion of the front surface 3A of the second housing 3 facing the speaker 9 is pressed against the user's ear in a state where the second housings 2 and 3 are deployed, the first housing facing the microphone 6 is pressed. A predetermined portion of the front surface 2A of the housing 2 can be located near the mouth of the user, and thus can be used for a call.

[0007]

By the way, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, this type of portable telephone has a drawer-storing antenna device on an upper end surface 3B of a second housing 3. As shown in FIG. Some are provided with ten.

In this antenna device 10, a rod antenna 11 formed by forming a conductive wire into a rod and a helical antenna 12 formed by spirally winding a conductive wire are used as antenna elements. The rod antenna 11 and the helical antenna 12 are covered with a non-conductive antenna cover 13 that protects the rod antenna 11 and the helical antenna 12 through connection members (not shown).

In the portable telephone provided with the antenna device 10, when the rod antenna 11 is housed inside the second housing 3, the second housing 3
Only the helical antenna 12 protruding from the second housing 3 is electrically connected to a transmission / reception circuit and used for communication.
When the rod antenna 11 is pulled out from the antenna device, the rod antenna 11 and the helical antenna are connected to the transmitting / receiving circuit and used for communication so that the rod antenna 11 and the helical antenna are pulled out and stored according to the state of the extraction and storage of the antenna device 10. 12, and only one of them is used.

Actually, in the portable telephone provided with the antenna device 10, when the first and second housings 2 and 3 are folded, the rod antenna 11 is housed inside the second housing 3, The standby state is established using only the helical antenna 12.

Further, in this portable telephone, when the first and second housings 2 and 3 are deployed and used for a telephone call, wireless communication is performed using only the rod antenna 11 pulled out from the second housing 3. By performing communication, the rod antenna 11 is moved away from the human head, which is a shield for electromagnetic waves, as compared with the case where only the helical antenna 12 is used with the first and second housings 2 and 3 expanded. Thus, the antenna characteristics can be improved.

However, in this portable telephone, when the first and second housings 2 and 3 are used for a call after being folded by carrying or the like, the first and second housings 2 and 3 are not used.
In addition, there is a problem that the operation is complicated because the rod antenna 11 is pulled out in accordance with the expansion of the rod antenna 3 and the rod antenna 3.

[0013] Recently, in such a mobile phone, even when the mobile phone is used for a call, the operation is inconvenient.
There is a case where only the helical antenna 12 is used while the rod antenna 11 is housed inside the second housing 3. In this state, as described above, the helical antenna 12 is close to the human head. In some cases, it has been difficult to secure a favorable communication state because the antenna characteristics have deteriorated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to propose a radio communication terminal capable of significantly improving operability.

[0015]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, predetermined first and second housings are connected to the first and second housings so as to be foldable and expandable. A hinge portion, an antenna element provided to be foldable and expandable on the first or second housing, interlocking means for interlocking the folding and expansion of the first and second housings and the antenna element, and Was provided.

Therefore, only the folding and unfolding operations are performed on one of the first and second housings and the antenna element, and the other first and second housings are linked via the interlocking means.
The operation of folding and unfolding can be performed on the housing or the antenna element.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, reference numeral 20 denotes a foldable portable telephone as a whole to which the present invention is applied, and first and second box-shaped housings 21 and 22 are folded through hinge portions 23. And are configured so as to be freely deployable.

A plurality of operation keys 24 are provided on the front surface 21A of the first housing 21, and a microphone hole 25 is formed below the front surface 21A.

A circuit board (not shown) provided with a circuit element for wireless communication is accommodated in the first housing 21, and the microphone is opposed to the microphone hole 25. 26 are stored.

A display window 27 is formed in the center of the front surface 22A of the second housing 22, and a speaker hole 28 is formed above the front surface 22A.

A display unit (not shown) having a liquid crystal display 29 is housed inside the second housing 22 with the liquid crystal display 29 facing the display window 27 and a speaker unit. The speaker 30 is housed facing the hole 28.

Thus, in the mobile phone 20,
When the first and second housings 21 and 22 are folded via the hinge portion 23, the whole mobile phone 20 can be made compact to improve portability, and the front 21A of the first housing 21 can be 2 are closed by the front surface 22A of the second housing 22, so that the front surfaces 21A and 22A of each other are closed.
A, the operation keys 24 provided on the
9 can be protected.

In this portable telephone 20, the first and second housings 21 and 22 are expanded through the hinge 23, and the speaker hole is formed on the front surface 22A of the second housing 22. 28 is pressed against the user's ear, the microphone hole 25 on the front surface 21A of the first housing 21 can be positioned near the user's mouth, and thus can be used for a call. Has been made.

In addition to this configuration, the mobile phone 20
In the case of, the antenna section 32 is provided on one side surface 22B of the second housing case 22 so as to be foldable and expandable.

That is, the antenna section 32 has a rod antenna 33 in which a conductive wire is formed in a rod shape, and one end of the rod antenna 33 (hereinafter, this is referred to as a rod end) is connected to the second housing case 22. Below the right side surface 22B of the
The rod antenna 33 is rotatably supported.
Is covered with a non-conductive antenna cover 34 for protecting it.

The rod end 3 of the rod antenna 33
3A is connected to a transmission / reception circuit for wireless communication on a circuit board via a predetermined transmission line (not shown) routed from inside the second housing 22 to inside the first housing 21. Connected.

The rod antenna 33 can rotate in association with the rotation of the hinge part 23 around the rod end 33A, and the first and second housings 21 and 22 are connected to each other. When folded, the rod end 33
By rotating the rod antenna 33 in a direction (hereinafter, referred to as a folding direction) in which the second antenna 22 is folded with respect to the second housing 22 indicated by an arrow x, the longitudinal direction of the rod antenna 33 (hereinafter, referred to as a folding direction) is taken. (Referred to as the longitudinal direction of the rod).
The second right side surface 22B is in a first posture substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the right side surface 22B (hereinafter, referred to as a side surface longitudinal direction), and is in a standby state.

When the first and second casings 21 and 22 are unfolded, the rod antenna 33 is turned on the second casing 22 opposite to the folding direction about the rod end 33A.
Direction to expand (hereinafter, this is called the expansion direction)
, The rod longitudinal direction is inclined at a predetermined angle to the back surface 22C side of the second housing 22 with respect to the side surface longitudinal direction, and the other end of the rod antenna 33 (hereinafter referred to as the rod other end). 33B is in a second position in which it is positioned on the back surface 22C side of the second housing 22, so that it can be used for telephone calls.

Incidentally, the second housing 22 is provided with the antenna unit 3
The width of the first housing 21 is smaller than the width of the first housing 21 in accordance with the thickness of the second housing 2. The rod antenna 33 is positioned in the first posture at the step formed by.

Thus, in the mobile phone 20,
When the second housing 22 is folded with respect to the first housing 21, as if the first housing 21 were apparently stacked in two steps,
The first and second housings 21 and 22 and the antenna unit 32 can be integrated, and thus the antenna device is more excellent than the conventional mobile phone 1 (FIGS. 5 and 6) described above with reference to FIGS. 8 (FIGS. 5 and 6) is eliminated so that the sense of unity is improved and portability is further improved.

Actually, in the antenna section 32, FIG.
As shown in FIG.
Is fixed to one surface of a first gear 37 rotatably supported inside the second housing 22 and the first gear 3
7 is meshed with a second gear 38 pivotally supported on the lower side inside the second housing 22.

The second gear 38 is provided inside the hinge part 23 and is provided with the first and second housings 21 and 22.
Third gear 3 that rotates in conjunction with the operation of folding and unfolding
9 meshed.

Accordingly, when the first and second housings 21 and 22 are folded and the third gear 39 inside the hinge portion 23 is rotated in the folding direction, the rod antenna 33 is rotated by the second rotation. By being transmitted to the first gear 37 via the gear 38, the first gear 37 is rotated integrally with the first gear 37 in the folding direction to be in the first posture.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the first and second housings 21 and 22 are deployed and the third gear 39 inside the hinge portion 23 rotates in the deployment direction, as shown in FIG. When the rotation is transmitted to the first gear 37 via the second gear 38, the first gear 37 rotates integrally with the first gear 37 in the developing direction around the rod end 33A, and the second posture is established. Become.

Here, the first to third gears 37 to 39 are
When the first and second housings 21 and 22 are folded, the rod antenna 33 is set to the first posture, and when the first and second housings 21 and 22 are expanded, the rod antenna 33 is moved. The diameter and the teeth are tilted at a predetermined angle with respect to the rear surface 22C of the second housing 22 so that the second end of the rod 33B is separated from the rear surface 22C of the second housing 22 by a predetermined distance. Numbers are selected for each.

In the portable telephone 20, when the rod antenna 33 is relatively close to the human head when used for talking, the human head shields electromagnetic waves radiated from the rod antenna 33. And the antenna characteristics are degraded.

In recent years, in general, in mobile phones,
Among the electromagnetic waves radiated from the mobile phone, the absorptance of electromagnetic waves per unit time and per unit mass at a specific part (mainly the head) of the human body is a local average SAR (Specific Absor).
ption Rate) and its local average SA
It is required to suppress the maximum value of R to a specified value or less.

Incidentally, the local average SAR tends to increase as the antenna element serving as the radiation source of the electromagnetic wave approaches the human body.

Therefore, in the mobile phone 20 of the present embodiment, when the first and second housings 21 and 22 are deployed and used for a telephone call, the second housing 22 is placed on the human head. The rod antenna 33 is tilted toward the rear face 22C opposite to the front face 22A facing away from the human head, and
At this time, the rod antenna 33 with respect to the back surface 22C of the second housing 22 is designed to obtain good antenna characteristics and reduce the local average SAR of the human head due to electromagnetic waves radiated from the rod antenna 33 to a specified value or less. Is selected.

Thus, in the mobile phone 20,
Just by unfolding the first and second housings 21 and 22,
The rod antenna 33 is rotated to the second posture on the back surface 22C side of the second housing 22 in conjunction with the rotation of the hinge portion 23 at this time, and thus the second housing 22 is used during a call.
A predetermined area including the speaker hole portion 28 on the front surface 22A of the first housing 21 is pressed against the user's ear, and the front surface 2
Even if the microphone hole 25 of 1A is located near the mouth of the user, it is possible to greatly reduce the deterioration of the antenna characteristics, and to greatly reduce the local average SAR in the human head. It has been made like that.

In this portable telephone 20, when the first and second casings 21 and 22 are folded from the expanded state, the rod antenna 33 is moved in conjunction with the rotation of the hinge 23 at this time. The antenna unit 32 is rotated to the first position, and thus the antenna unit 32 having the rod antenna 33 is integrated with the first and second housings 21 and 22 to improve portability.

In the above-described configuration, in the mobile phone 20, the first and second housings 21 and 22 are foldably and unfoldably connected via the hinge portion 23, and the right and left sides of the second housing 22 are connected. A rod antenna 33 is foldably and unfoldably provided on the surface 22B, and a first gear 37 fixed to a rod end 33A of the rod antenna 33 is connected to a second gear 38.
Through the third gear 39 inside the hinge part 23.

In the portable telephone 20, when the first and second housings 21 and 22 are expanded from the folded state, the first to third gears 37 to 39 rotate in conjunction with this operation. The rod antenna 33 is connected to the second housing 2
2 from the first posture along the right side surface 22B to the second posture on the rear surface 22C side of the second housing 22 for deployment.

In the portable telephone 20, the first and the second
When the housings 21 and 22 are folded from the expanded state, the first to third gears 3 that rotate in conjunction with this operation
According to 7 to 39, the rod antenna 33 was rotated from the second posture to the first posture and folded.

Therefore, in this portable telephone 20, only the operation of folding and unfolding the first and second housings 21 and 22 is performed with respect to the rod antenna 33 with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B. The same operation as the antenna device 10 of the conventional mobile phone (FIGS. 7A and 7B) can be performed at the same time.

In the portable telephone 20, when the first and second housings 21 and 22 are deployed and the rod antenna 33 is deployed to the second posture on the back surface 22C side of the second housing 22. Even when the front surface 22A side of the second housing 22 is pressed against the human head and used for talking, it is possible to greatly reduce the deterioration of antenna characteristics by moving the rod antenna 33 away from the human head. In addition, the local average SAR in the human head can be significantly reduced.

In this portable telephone 20, when the first and second housings 21 and 22 are folded, the rod antenna 33 is moved along the right side surface 22B of the second housing 22 in conjunction with the operation. By rotating the rod antenna 33 to the first posture, the rod antenna 33 can be integrated with the first and second housings 21 and 22 in a folded state, thus improving the portability of the mobile phone 20. be able to.

By the way, in this portable telephone 20, the width of the second housing 22 is made narrower than the width of the first housing 21, and as a result, the first and second housings 21 and 22 are folded. Since the rod antenna 33 is located at the step portion that sometimes occurs, the sense of unity between the first and second housings 21 and 22 and the rod antenna 33 can be improved, so that portability can be further improved.

Further, in this portable telephone 20, the first to
The first and second housings 21 are moved by the third gears 37 to 39.
Since the rod antenna 33 is rotated in conjunction with the folding and unfolding operations of the rod antenna 33 and the rod antenna 33, the rod antenna 33 can be easily folded and unfolded with a simple configuration, and the first and the second Adjustment of the posture of 2 can also be easily performed.

According to the above-described structure, the first and second housings 21 and 22 are foldably and unfoldably connected via the hinge portion 23, and the right side surface 22B of the second housing 22 is connected.
The rod antenna 33 is provided to be freely foldable and deployable,
The folding and unfolding of the second housings 21 and 22 and the folding and unfolding of the rod antenna 33 are performed by first to third gears 37.
By linking through ~ 39, the first
By simply folding and unfolding the second housing 22 with respect to the first housing 21, the rod antenna 33 can be easily set in the first posture corresponding to the time of carrying and the second posture corresponding to the time of using a call. It is possible to realize a mobile phone that can be switched and positioned, and thus can significantly improve operability.

In the above embodiment, the second
Although the case where the antenna section 32 is provided on the right side surface 22B of the housing 22 has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and the left side surface and the rear surface of the second housing 22 and the first housing 22 The antenna portion 32 may be provided at various other portions of the first or second housing 21 or 22, such as a predetermined portion of the body 21.

Incidentally, the first or second housing 21 or 22
When the antenna unit 32 is provided on the back surface of the first or second housing 21 or 22, a groove corresponding to the antenna unit 32 is provided on the back surface of the first or second housing 21 or 22, and the first and second housings 21 and 22 are folded. At this time, if the antenna section 32 is housed in the groove, the first and second housings 21 and 22 and the antenna section 3
2 can be prevented from being compromised.

In the above-described embodiment, the rod end 33A, which is the center of rotation of the rod antenna 33, is rotatably supported below the right side surface 22B of the second housing 22. Although the case has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and the rod end 33A, which is the center of rotation of the rod antenna 33, is rotatably supported on various parts of the first or second housing 21 or 22. You may do it.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the rod antenna 33 is folded and unfolded in conjunction with the folding and unfolding operation of the first and second casings 21 and 22 will be described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the first and second housings 21 and 22 may be folded and unfolded in conjunction with the folding and unfolding operation of the rod antenna 33. In this case, As in the above-described embodiment, the operability can be remarkably improved.

Incidentally, as described above, the rod antenna 33
When the first and second housings 21 and 22 are folded and unfolded in conjunction with the operation of folding and unfolding, the antenna unit 32 projects outside the upper end surface of the second housing 22. Or an antenna element such as a helical antenna for standby or the like is connected to the other end 33 </ b> B of the rod antenna 33, and this is used as a part of the antenna part 32, and the upper end face of the second housing 22. If it protrudes more outward, it is possible to easily perform folding and unfolding operations by holding the first housing 21 with one hand and holding the antenna portion 32 with the other hand at the protruding portion. Can be.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the rod antenna 33 is folded and unfolded in conjunction with the folding and unfolding operation of the first and second housings 21 and 22 will be described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the on-hook operation may be further linked to the unfolding operation, or the off-hook operation may be further linked to the folding operation, thereby further improving the operability of the mobile phone. Can be done.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which only the rod antenna 33 is provided in the mobile phone 20 and the rod antenna 33 is used for both the call and the standby. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
In addition to providing another antenna element such as a helical antenna at the other end 33B of the third rod 3, a predetermined antenna switching unit is provided inside the mobile phone so that the rod antenna is used during a call and another antenna element is used during a standby state. You may do it.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which the present invention is applied to the foldable portable telephone 20 described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, but the present invention is not limited to this. A predetermined first and second housing is hinged like a mobile phone with a flipper for closing and opening each operation key, or an information terminal such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance) provided with an openable lid. As long as it has a structure that is foldable and expandable via a unit and can perform wireless communication, it can be widely applied to various other wireless communication terminals.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the first housing 21 provided with a plurality of operation keys 24 and the like in the foldable mobile phone 20 is provided as the first and second predetermined housings. , The case where the second housing 22 provided with the liquid crystal display 29 and the like is applied, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the main body and the flipper of a mobile phone with a flipper, and the PDA Such as a main body and a lid of an information terminal, and various other first and second information terminals.
Can be widely applied.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which the rod antenna 33 is applied as the antenna element provided to be foldable and expandable in the first or second housing. The present invention is not limited to this, and if it can be provided in the first or second housing so as to be foldable and expandable, a helical antenna having a relatively small winding diameter and elongated, or a wire on an elongated printed board, may be used. Various other antenna elements such as an antenna element made of conductive metal foil formed in a shape can be widely applied.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the first to third gears 37 to 3 are used as interlocking means for interlocking the folding and deployment of the first and second housings and the antenna element.
9 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. If the folding and unfolding of the first and second housings and the antenna element can be linked, a gear and a belt etc. As described above, various other interlocking means can be widely applied.

[0063]

As described above, according to the present invention, a predetermined first and second housing, a hinge portion for connecting the first and second housings so as to be foldable and expandable, and An antenna element foldably and unfoldably provided on the first or second housing;
And the second housing, and the interlocking means for interlocking the folding and unfolding of the antenna element are provided, so that one of the first and second housings and the antenna element is provided. By simply performing folding and unfolding operations on the other hand, the other first and second housings or the antenna element can be folded and unfolded via the interlocking means. Operability of the terminal can be remarkably improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment of a configuration of a foldable mobile phone in an unfolded state according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment of a configuration of the foldable mobile phone in a folded state according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view partially showing a configuration of an antenna unit;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view with a part cut away for explaining the development of the rod antenna.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration of a conventional foldable mobile phone in an unfolded state.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration of a conventional foldable mobile phone in a folded state.

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration of a drawer-storing type antenna device provided in a conventional foldable mobile phone.

[Explanation of symbols]

20 mobile phone, 21 first housing, 22 second housing, 23 hinge part, 32 antenna part, 3
3 ... Rod antenna, 37 ... First gear, 38 ...
Second gear, 39... Third gear.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A first and second housing, a hinge portion for connecting the first and second housings so that the first and second housings can be folded and unfolded, and a first and a second housing. A wireless communication terminal, comprising: an antenna element provided to be tatami and expandable; a first and a second housing; and interlocking means for interlocking folding and expansion of the antenna element. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the interlocking means is configured to rotate the hinge when the first and second housings are folded and unfolded, and to rotate one end serving as a center of folding and unfolding of the antenna element. The wireless communication terminal according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of gears that are linked to movement. 3. The interlocking means, which is used for wireless communication when the first and second housings are deployed and faces one surface of the first or second housing facing the human body. The wireless communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein the antenna element is deployed on a surface side. 4. The interlocking means, when the first and second housings are folded, folds the antenna element along the first and / or second housings. The wireless communication terminal according to claim 2.