HTC Patents new clamshell smartphone design
HTC’s engineers have been called hinge nerds, and have brought many iconic designs to market, including the Tilt of the Tilt and the amazing hinge of the HTC Universal.
Now they have patent a new hinge design that will make opening your clamshell smartphone a snap.
The design features a torsion hinge that is held closed by magnets (212 and 232). The whole of the top of the device can be pushed forward (214 on the figure).
Pushing the top of the device forward disengages the magnets which hold the torsion hinge closed.
The device now opens up, and the spring at 240 brings the top back to the rest position.
Now the self-opening clam shell is always pretty cool, but the best thing about the patent is that it looks like HTC is planning to make another large clam shell once again. Maybe this means the HTC Omni will actually be revived. Once can but dream …
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See the patent here.
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Yet another technology I dreamed up years ago being incorporated by one of the big guys.. I was I was an inventor with the resources to actually make things
Isn't this pretty much what the Motorola PEBL had? Albeit in a different and smaller form factor… I don't get these patents sometimes.
well, I don't really care much for clam shells but I guess this is good news to those who like this sort of form factor
l3v5y Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 10:36 pm
I agree, the form factor of the TP2, Kaiser etc are preferable to me, and probably lead to thinner devices.
Jos Dewey Reply:
February 6th, 2010 at 12:10 am
Except the TP2 and Kaiser are massively thick phones.
If the Droid is any indication, other form factors/hinge designs might lead to thinner devices. Have we ever seen a WM device with a slide-out-from-the-side keyboard that wasn't really thick?
l3v5y Reply:
February 6th, 2010 at 12:19 am
But, all of those designs have only one screen. The only clamshell devices I can think of (Toshiba G900) have two, which is thicker.
l3v5y Reply:
February 6th, 2010 at 12:19 am
But, all of those designs have only one screen. The only clamshell devices I can think of (Toshiba G900) have two, which is thicker.
Jos Dewey Reply:
February 6th, 2010 at 12:10 am
Except the TP2 and Kaiser are massively thick phones.
If the Droid is any indication, other form factors/hinge designs might lead to thinner devices. Have we ever seen a WM device with a slide-out-from-the-side keyboard that wasn't really thick?
l3v5y Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 10:36 pm
I agree, the form factor of the TP2, Kaiser etc are preferable to me, and probably lead to thinner devices.
Clam shell design? And there I was thinking IBM / Lenovo had some rights reserved on that termin in connection with mobile devices… oh well…
Deucalion Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Uhm… "term", not termin… excuse the typo plz.
Deucalion Reply:
February 5th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Uhm… "term", not termin… excuse the typo plz.
Would be pretty crazy if HTC and Nintendo worked together for the new DS. Nintendo was talking about internet everywhere being one of the next steps for the DS, so maybe HTC can help them manufacture it?
ohhhh Nano Courier mmm
Patent looks like a DS already.