Sliding and rotating apparatus and device having same

A sliding and rotating portable electronic device comprising:

• a front section;
• a rear section;
• a sliding and rotating apparatus that slidably and rotationally couples the front section to the rear section, wherein the sliding and rotating apparatus comprises:
• a base member;
• a sliding member coupled to the base member so as to permit sliding thereon in a first linear direction and between a first position corresponding to a compact arrangement, and a second position corresponding to a deployed arrangement;
• a rotating member rotationally coupled to the sliding member;
• and
• the rotating member has an element with a protrusion such that the protrusion extends through both of a rotation window in the sliding member and a channel in the base member;
• wherein the rotating member and the base member are configured such that as the sliding member is slid and linearly forced into the second position, the channel pushes the protrusion and forces the rotating member to simultaneously rotat in a first angular direction;
• and the rotation window limits the rotation of the protrusion such that the rotating member can only rotate ninety degrees in the first angular direction;
• wherein the front section is attached to the base member and the rear section is attached to the rotating member;
• and
• a spring mechanism that forces the apparatus into the first position when the device is in the first position, and that forces the apparatus into the second position when the device is in the second position, wherein the spring mechanism has a characteristic trigger point such that when the apparatus is linearly forced from the first position beyond the trigger point, the spring mechanism forces the apparatus into the second position;
• and when the apparatus is linearly forced from the second position beyond the trigger point, the spring mechanism forces the apparatus into the first position.