Rotatable Member Handheld Device Portrait Landscape Switch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Handheld electronic devices face design challenges in balancing narrow width for easy handling with the need for wide keypads for text entry, and limited real estate makes it difficult to provide specialized interfaces for various functions.
Innovation Solution
A handheld electronic device design featuring a rotatable second device member that can switch between portrait and landscape orientations, allowing for different input/output elements to be suited for specific tasks, with a swivel mechanism that maintains a thin profile and allows for easy switching between configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the device is designed with a narrow width to facilitate holding, then ease of operation is improved, but the area available for input elements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The second device member is made rotatable about a rotation axis, allowing it to dynamically change orientation between portrait and landscape positions. This enables the input elements to adapt their effective area based on the device's operational mode, resolving the contradiction between narrow width for holding and sufficient area for text entry
Solution Approach 2:
The solution introduces rotational movement as an additional degree of freedom, transforming the device configuration from static to dynamic. By rotating the second device member about an axis substantially perpendicular to the first device member axis, the patent creates multiple usable orientations that effectively increase the available area for input elements without increasing the device's base footprint
2Adaptability or versatility
If the device provides multiple specialized interfaces for different functions, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable second device member serves multiple functions: it can be oriented in portrait mode for narrow-width holding, rotated to landscape mode for wide alphabetic keypad text entry, and positioned at intermediate angles for video viewing. This single mechanical component provides multiple specialized interfaces without requiring separate dedicated structures for each function
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable mechanism allows the device to dynamically reconfigure its interface orientation based on the task at hand. Rather than incorporating multiple static interfaces that would increase complexity, the patent uses a dynamic rotation capability to provide specialized interfaces on demand, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining versatility
3Adaptability or versatility
If the device allows rotation between portrait and landscape orientations, then adaptability is improved, but device thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into two separate device members: a first device member and a second device member that can rotate independently about a rotation axis. This segmentation allows the rotating portion to be optimized for thinness while the rotation mechanism itself is positioned to minimize the overall thickness increase, enabling orientation switching without significantly increasing device thickness
Data Source
Figure 1~1-2
Figure 2
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AI summary
A handheld electronic device (10) includes a first device member (12) and a second device member (14) that is connected to the first device member via a connector (40). The second device member is rotatable between a first position and a second position about a rotation axis (38) that is generally parallel to a first face (26) of the second device member and a second face (30) of the second device member. In the first position the second device member may have a portrait orientation in use. In the second position the second device member may have a landscape orientation in use.