HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE TRANSITIONABLE BETWEEN DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS

摘要

A handheld electronic device transitionable between different configurations includes a keyboard panel having a slot, a display panel, a coupler that rotary couples the keyboard panel and the display panel and slidingly engages the slot of the keyboard panel. The display panel is positioned such that is substantially parallel with the keyboard panel in a compact configuration. When the device is transitioned from the compact to translated configuration, the coupler engages the slot. When the device is transitioned from the translated to expanded configuration, the display panel is rotated about the coupler such that the centerpoint of the display panel is closer to the centerpoint of the keyboard panel in the expanded configuration as compared to the translated configuration. The coupler can comprise a rotation control mechanism coupled to a biasing member or can have teeth that engages a track or can be a cam that engages a t--shaped slot.