JP2003169115A - Foldable portable telephone set - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a foldable portable telephone set whose costs are reduced, miniaturization is enabled and space is saved by controlling the volume of received voices by detecting the pressure of the ear to a receiving part while utilizing the mechanism of a hinge part conventionally provided in the portable telephone set for linking a casing on the side of the receiving part and a casing on the side of a transmitting part to freely turn without providing a special mechanism. <P>SOLUTION: The holdable portable telephone set utilizes the mechanism of the hinge part conventionally provided in the portable telephone set for linking the casing on the side of the receiving part and the casing on the side of the transmitting part to freely turn without providing a special mechanism, is provided with a control means for controlling the sound volume of the received voices and a detection means for detecting pressing in the opening direction of the hinge part, and controls the control means corresponding to the output of the detection means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a foldable mobile phone, and more particularly to a foldable mobile phone having a structure capable of adjusting a listening volume.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional mobile phone, when the preset listening volume is too low for external noise to make it unsuitable for a call, the user puts his / her ear on the earpiece of the mobile phone. Many mobile phones have been proposed that focus on the movement of the user who presses it to eliminate noise from the outside and listens to the call as much as possible, and detects the pressing force of the ear to the earpiece and automatically raises the listening volume. Was coming.

An example of this is Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 20765/1992.
No. 7 publication discloses a folding portable radiotelephone device in which a receiver pad of a receiver on the receiver housing side is configured to be retractable and urged from the receiver housing, and the receiver pad is pushed against the urging force. Equipped with a mechanism that converts the distance into a rotation angle and a variable resistor that changes the resistance value according to the rotation angle.The change in the resistance value of the variable resistor detects the pressure pressed by the receiver pad and controls the reception volume. Things are disclosed.

Another example is Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-4.
No. 2021 discloses a telephone, which is equipped with a mechanism for rotating an earpiece portion having a receiver portion around a holding shaft with respect to a case, and a pressure value of the earpiece portion according to a pressing force of a user's ear Has been disclosed which controls the output volume according to the detected pressure value.

[0005]

However, in the conventional art, the ear pad or the ear pad can be freely retracted or retracted by a predetermined angle in order to detect the pressing force of the ear to the ear. This requires a special mechanism that allows the mobile phone to go against the cost reduction, the size reduction, and the space saving required for the current mobile phone, and it has not been adopted in an actual product.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to rotatably connect a receiver-side casing and a transmitter-side casing, which are conventionally provided in a foldable portable telephone, without providing the above-mentioned special mechanism. An object of the present invention is to provide a foldable mobile phone that realizes low cost, small size, and space saving by detecting the pressing force of the ear to the earpiece by using the mechanism of the hinge part and controlling the earpiece volume.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a folding portable telephone according to the present invention is provided with a receiver-side housing provided with a receiver and a transmitter-side housing provided with a transmitter. A body, and a hinge part that rotatably connects the earpiece side housing and the transmitter side housing, wherein the earpiece side housing and the transmitter side housing are the hinge parts. In the foldable portable wireless device configured to be opened and closed by means of the above, an adjusting means for adjusting the receiving volume and a detecting means for detecting that stress is applied in the opening direction of the hinge portion are provided, and the output of the detecting means is provided. The adjusting means is controlled accordingly.

A pressure sensor, a touch-type switch, which operates by sensing that the stress is applied to the sensing means,
Alternatively, it is composed of a pressure sensitive switch.

[0009] Here, the receiving-side housing and the transmitting-side housing may be configured to be opened further after being opened to an angle suitable for a telephone call, and more than an angle suitable for a telephone call. It may be configured not to open. In the former case, the pressure at the time of further opening is detected, and in the latter case, the stress applied in the direction in which the receiver-side housing opens with respect to the transmitter-side housing is hinged. It is to be detected by the department.

Here, the adjusting means for adjusting the receiving volume adjusts the receiving volume by a predetermined amount by the output of the detecting means, or switches to a predetermined receiving volume set in advance and the receiving volume. The thing which adjusts etc. shall be included. Further, the listening volume is gradually increased according to the period during which the detecting means is outputting, and when the output of the detecting means is stopped, adjustment is made so that the immediately preceding listening volume is maintained. Good.

With this configuration, when the preset listening volume is too low for external noise to be suitable for a call, the user listens to the call as much as possible. By pressing it against the earpiece of the mobile phone, pressure is applied in the direction in which the housing on the earpiece side and the housing on the earpiece side open with the hinge as the center, and this pressure is detected by the detection means to determine the volume of the earpiece. Can be adjusted.

Further, with this configuration, in order to detect the pressing force of the ear on the earpiece, a special mechanism for freely retracting the earpiece pad, ear pad, etc. or rotating the earpiece by a predetermined angle is provided. Since it is possible to use the mechanism of the hinge part that rotatably connects the receiver-side housing and the transmitter-side housing, which is conventionally provided in the foldable mobile phone, without the need to provide it,
The volume of the earpiece can be adjusted at a lower cost and in a smaller space.

The foldable mobile phone of the present invention is
Locking means for locking the receiver-side housing and the transmitter-side housing at a predetermined angle suitable for a call, and the receiver-side housing and the transmitter-side housing are the predetermined units. A biasing unit that generates a restoring force that returns to the predetermined angle when opened from an angle, and the second portion of the voice receiving unit side casing and the voice transmitting unit side casing that are larger than the predetermined angle. An opening / closing detector for detecting the opening at an angle is provided, and the detection means includes the second unit against the restoring force of the urging unit between the receiver-side housing and the transmitter-side housing. The opening / closing detector for detecting the opening up to a predetermined angle.

Here, the locking means may be provided in the hinge portion or may be provided as a mechanism separate from the hinge portion. Further, the biasing means may be similarly provided on the hinge portion, or may be provided as a mechanism separate from the hinge portion.

With this configuration, when the preset listening volume is too low for external noise to be suitable for a call, the user should listen to the call as much as possible. By pressing it against the earpiece of the mobile phone, pressure is applied in a direction in which the earpiece-side housing and the transmitter-side housing open about the hinge portion, and the housing opens from a predetermined angle state to a second predetermined angle. Then, this state can be detected by the detector and the reception volume can be adjusted.

Further, with such a structure, a special mechanism for freely retracting the earpiece pad, ear pad, etc. or rotating the earpiece by a predetermined angle in order to detect the pressing force of the ear on the earpiece is provided. Since it is possible to use the mechanism of the hinge part that rotatably connects the receiver-side housing and the transmitter-side housing, which is conventionally provided in the foldable mobile phone, without the need to provide it,
The volume of the earpiece can be adjusted at a lower cost and in a smaller space.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the folding mobile phone of the present invention. Here, reference numeral 1 denotes a transmitter side housing, 2 denotes a receiver side housing, each of which includes a microphone 3 as a transmitter and a speaker 4 as a receiver. Also, a key operation unit 6 that receives a key operation of an operator is provided in the transmitter side casing 1, and a display unit configured by an LCD or the like for performing various displays for the operator is provided in the receiver side casing 2. 5 are provided.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 which is a side view, the transmitter side casing 1 and the receiver side casing 2 are rotatably connected by a hinge portion 7 and can be folded. There is. This hinge part 7 locks the transmitter-side housing 1 and the receiver-side housing 2 at a predetermined opening / closing angle suitable for a user's call as shown in FIG. 2 by a general hinge mechanism (not shown). In addition, the transmitter-side housing 1 and the receiver-side housing 2 are configured to be locked even in a folded state.

The hinge mechanism of the hinge portion 7 of the present invention is
Similar to a general hinge mechanism used in a foldable mobile phone, the hinge mechanism itself can be rotated in a direction of further opening from a state of being locked at the above predetermined opening / closing angle. The telephone is configured so as not to open and close at a predetermined opening / closing angle due to the contact between a part of the transmitter side casing and a part of the receiver side casing, whereas in the present invention, it is locked as described above. The difference is that it is configured so that it can be opened and closed from a predetermined opening and closing angle to a slightly opened angle.

3 and 4 are sectional views showing the vicinity of the hinge portion 7 of the foldable portable telephone. FIG. 3 is a hinge mechanism (not shown) of the hinge portion 7 locked at a predetermined opening / closing angle suitable for a call. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the opened state, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the opened state beyond the locked angle.

The open / close angles of FIGS. 2 and 3 show predetermined open / close angles in a locked state, and the transmitter 1 side casing 1 and the receiver side side casing 2 are hinge mechanisms (not shown) of the hinge portion 7. Locked by.

On the other hand, the opening / closing angle of FIG. 4 shows a state in which it is opened and closed from the locked predetermined angle of FIG. 3 to a slightly opened angle, and a protrusion provided in the vicinity of the hinge portion 7 of the casing 2 on the earpiece side. It is shown that the portion 8 is in contact with a detector 9 provided in the vicinity of the hinge portion 7 of the transmitter side casing in a manner corresponding to the protrusion 8.

The projection 8 provided on the receiver side body 2
By contacting the detector 9 provided on the transmitter side casing 1, the transmitter side casing 1 and the receiver side casing 2 are separated from the locked predetermined angle to a slightly opened angle. It is configured so as not to open, and detects that stress is applied in the opening direction of the hinge portion 7.

The detector 7 is composed of a pressure sensor, a touch type switch, or a pressure sensitive switch. Further, the holes 10 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 are provided in the transmitter side casing, and the electrical signal outputs of these detectors 7 are conducted to the internal circuit of the foldable mobile phone (not shown). It is for.

Here, the foldable mobile phone of the present invention has a hinge portion 7 for rotatably connecting the receiver side housing 2 and the transmitter side housing 1, which are conventionally provided in the foldable mobile phone. The opening / closing mechanism is used to detect the pressing force of the user's ear to the earpiece to control the reception volume, and the above-described detector 7 hinges in response to the pressing force of the ear. The stress generated in the opening / closing mechanism of the portion 7 is detected.

This is because, when the user uses the mobile phone, if the preset listening volume is too low for external noise to be suitable for a call, the user carries his or her ear. It focuses on the operation of the user who presses the speaker 4 of the earpiece of the telephone to eliminate noise from the outside and listen to the call as much as possible. Then, in the first embodiment, by indirectly detecting the pressing force of the ear to the speaker 4, which is the receiving section, during a call,
Volume adjustment is performed by an output circuit (not shown) of the speaker 4 so as to automatically raise the listening volume by a predetermined volume with respect to the preset listening volume. The listening volume once adjusted is the period during the call. It is held and is operated so as to be returned to a preset reception volume when the call ends.

With this configuration, if the preset listening volume is too low for external noise to be suitable for a call, the user listens to the call as much as possible. By pressing it against the earpiece of the mobile phone, pressure is applied in the direction in which the housing on the earpiece side and the housing on the earpiece side open with the hinge as the center, and this pressure is detected by the detection means to determine the volume of the earpiece. Can be adjusted.

Further, with this configuration, a special mechanism for freely retracting the earpiece pad, the ear pad, and the like and rotating the earpiece by a predetermined angle is detected in order to detect the pressing force of the ear on the earpiece. Since it is possible to use the mechanism of the hinge part that rotatably connects the receiver-side housing and the transmitter-side housing, which is conventionally provided in the foldable mobile phone, without the need to provide it,
The volume of the earpiece can be adjusted at a lower cost and in a smaller space.

Here, in the first embodiment, the receiving-unit-side casing 2 and the transmitting-unit-side casing 1 are configured to be opened to a predetermined locking angle suitable for a call and then to be further opened. However, you may comprise so that it may not open more than the predetermined angle suitable for a telephone call. In this case, the predetermined angle at which the hinge mechanism of the hinge portion 7 locks is configured so as to correspond to the opening / closing angle state of FIG. 4 instead of the opening / closing angle state of FIG. The projecting portion 8 in FIG. 4 detects the stress applied to the side casing 1 in the opening direction by the detector 9 such as a pressure sensor.

Further, in the first embodiment, the protrusion 8 provided on the receiver side casing 2 is brought into contact with the detector 9 provided on the transmitter side casing 1 to lock the protrusion. From the predetermined angle to a slightly opened angle, the transmitter side housing 1
It is configured so that the receiver and the casing 2 on the side of the receiving section do not open.
Without being limited to this configuration, for example, the transmitter-side housing 1 and the receiver-side housing 2 may be opened only from a predetermined angle locked by a hinge mechanism (not shown) of the hinge portion 7 to an angle slightly opened. In addition, an angle slightly opened from a predetermined angle at which a member other than the protrusion 8 of the receiving-side housing 2 is locked by abutting on a part of the transmitting-side housing 1. The transmitter-side casing 1 and the receiver-side casing 2 may be configured to be opened only until then.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The same reference numerals as in the first embodiment indicate the same contents.

Similar to FIG. 3 of the first embodiment, FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the vicinity of the hinge portion 7 of the foldable portable telephone, which is suitable for a call by the hinge mechanism (not shown) of the hinge portion 7. It is sectional drawing of the state locked by the predetermined opening and closing angle.

As in the case of the first embodiment, the second embodiment is also constructed so that it can be opened and closed from a predetermined opening / closing angle locked to the predetermined opening / closing angle of FIG. 5 to a slightly opened angle. However, in the second embodiment, when it is opened and closed to this open angle by the pressing force of the user's ear, the urging member 11 urged by the urging mechanism described later receives the call. It is configured so that a restoring force is applied to press the protrusion 8 provided on the unit-side housing 2 to return the opening / closing angle of the transmitter-side housing 1 and the receiver-side housing 2 to the original predetermined angle. is doing.

6 and 7 are sectional views showing the vicinity of the above-mentioned biasing mechanism. FIG. 6 shows a state in which the hinge portion 7 is locked at a predetermined opening / closing angle suitable for a call by a hinge mechanism (not shown). FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view in a state in which it is further opened beyond its locked angle.

In FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the biasing member 11 is arranged so as to be retractable with respect to the transmitter side casing 1, and is biased by the spring 12. Further, a switch 13 is arranged behind the biasing member 11, and the receiver side housing 2
The switch is operated by the biasing member 11 by pushing the biasing member 11 rearward against the biasing force of the biasing member 11 by the protrusion 8 provided on the side. In FIG. 7, for convenience of explanation, the spring 1
2 is omitted.

Here, the protrusion 8 provided on the casing 2 on the receiving side abuts on the biasing member 11 provided on the casing 1 on the transmitting side, and is further pushed in against the restoring force. It is detected that the switch 13, which is a detector, is operated and the hinge portion 7 is opened from the first predetermined angle locked by the hinge mechanism (not shown) to the second predetermined angle slightly opened.

When the user uses the mobile phone, if the preset listening volume is too low for external noise to be suitable for a call, the user carries his / her ear during the call. If you press it on the speaker 4 of the earpiece of the telephone,
The pressing force is transmitted to the receiver-side housing 2. Here, assuming that the user holds the transmitter-side casing 1 with one hand, the pressing force transmitted to the receiver-side casing 2 is the transmitter held by the user with one hand. It is converted into an opening / closing force that further widens the opening / closing angle of the side case 1 and the earpiece side case 2 that is in contact with the ear, releases the locked state of the hinge part 7 (not shown), and applies the above-mentioned biasing means. It will operate to open further against the restoring force of the force mechanism.

Then, when it is detected that the hinge portion 7 has been opened from the first predetermined angle locked by the hinge mechanism (not shown) to the second predetermined angle that is slightly opened, the earpiece indirectly during a call. The pressing force of the ear on the barrel speaker 4 is detected, and the volume is adjusted by an output circuit (not shown) of the speaker 4 so as to automatically increase the listening volume by a predetermined volume with respect to the preset listening volume. .

Here, in the present embodiment, the once-adjusted listening volume is maintained for the duration of the call, and operates so as to be returned to the preset listening volume when the call ends. Is.

With this configuration, when the preset listening volume is too low for external noise to be suitable for a call, the user should listen to the call as much as possible. By pressing it against the earpiece of the mobile phone, pressure is applied in a direction in which the earpiece-side housing and the transmitter-side housing open about the hinge portion, and the housing opens from a predetermined angle state to a second predetermined angle. Then, this state can be detected by the detector and the reception volume can be adjusted.

Further, with this configuration, in order to detect the pressing force of the ear on the earpiece, a special mechanism for freely retracting the earpiece pad, ear pad, etc. or rotating the earpiece by a predetermined angle is provided. Since it is possible to use the mechanism of the hinge part that rotatably connects the receiver-side housing and the transmitter-side housing, which is conventionally provided in the foldable mobile phone, without the need to provide it,
The volume of the earpiece can be adjusted at a lower cost and in a smaller space.

Here, in the first and second embodiments,
Although a hinge mechanism (not shown) of the hinge portion 7 is configured to lock at a predetermined opening / closing angle, it may be configured to lock at a mechanism different from the hinge mechanism. Although the urging means in the second embodiment is configured as a mechanism separate from the hinge portion 7, it may be configured so that the hinge mechanism of the hinge portion 7 urges.

Further, in the first and second embodiments, the folding type portable telephone in which the transmitter side casing 1 and the receiver side casing 2 having the key operation portion 6 are opened and closed is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and various modifications can be made. For example, the present invention can be applied to a so-called flipper type mobile phone.

Further, in the first and second embodiments, the adjusting means for adjusting the receiving volume is arranged in the direction of opening the transmitting side housing 1 and the receiving side housing 2 by the detector 9. When the application of stress is detected, the volume is adjusted so as to be increased by a predetermined amount from the current volume. However, the volume is adjusted from the current volume by a predetermined reception. It may be configured to switch to the volume and adjust the reception volume, and further, it is possible to detect that the detector 9 applies a stress in the opening direction to the transmission side housing 1 and the reception side housing 2. The volume of the received voice may be gradually increased from the current volume in accordance with the detected time.

In the latter case, if the detection time of the detector 9 is short, the sound volume is slightly increased, and if the detection time is long, the sound volume is further increased.
By controlling the stress applied to the foldable mobile phone while checking the listening volume, the user can adjust the listening volume to the most suitable listening volume.

In the latter case, the detection time of the detector 9 may be intermittent, and in the case of intermittent detection, the detection time is added.

Further, in the first and second embodiments, the adjusting means for adjusting the reception volume is the direction in which the detector 9 during a call opens the transmission-side housing 1 and the reception-side housing 2 in the opening direction. When it is detected that the stress is applied, the volume is adjusted as described above, and when the call ends, the reception volume is set back to a predetermined volume set in advance. However, even when the detector 9 detects that the stress in the opening direction applied to the transmitter-side housing 1 and the receiver-side housing 2 is lost even during a call, immediately or gradually. Alternatively, the reception volume may be returned to a preset predetermined volume.

[0048]

As described above, the folding type portable telephone of the present invention uses the mechanism of the hinge portion that has been conventionally provided in the folding type portable telephone to adjust the volume, so that the cost is low. It has a small space-saving effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a perspective view of a foldable mobile phone.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a side view of a foldable mobile phone.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional view of the folding mobile phone according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional view of the folding mobile phone according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional view of a foldable mobile phone according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a biasing mechanism according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the biasing mechanism of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Transmitter side housing 2 Earpiece side housing 3 microphone 4 speakers 5 Display 6 key operation part 7 Hinge part 8 protrusions 9 detectors 10 holes 11 Biasing member 12 spring 13 switch

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A receiver-side housing provided with a receiver, a transmitter-side housing provided with a transmitter, the receiver-side housing, and the transmitter-side housing are rotatable. A folding portable wireless device comprising a hinge section connected to the receiving section side housing and the transmitting section side housing which are configured to be openable and closable by the hinge section. A foldable mobile phone characterized in that detection means for detecting that stress is applied in the opening direction of the hinge part is provided, and the adjustment means is controlled according to the output of the detection means. 2. The foldable mobile phone according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means is composed of a pressure sensor, a touch-type switch or a pressure-sensitive switch, which operates by detecting that stress is applied. Telephone. 3. A locking means for locking the earpiece side casing and the transmitter side casing at a predetermined angle suitable for a call, the receiver side casing and the transmitter side casing. When the and are opened from the predetermined angle, the biasing means for generating a restoring force to return to the predetermined angle, the receiver-side housing and the transmitter-side housing are larger than the predetermined angle. An open / close detector for detecting opening at a second predetermined angle is provided, and the detection means is configured such that the receiver-side casing and the transmitter-side casing are used for restoring force of the urging means. The foldable mobile phone according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the foldable mobile phone is configured by the open / close detector that detects the opening to the second predetermined angle.