Micro-hinge for an electronic device

• US 10,036,187 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2016
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Cheah, Bok Eng, Loo, Howe Yin, Lim, Min Suet, Kong, Chung Peng Jackson, Oh, Poh Tat
• Primary Examiner(s): Delisle, Roberta S
• Application Number:
  US14/996,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20160132077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 16366, 16368, 16369
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0081 for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/06 with two or more pins E05D7/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1618 the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3218 of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0226 Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An apparatus is provided including a docking device to accept a computing device, the docking device including a keyboard and a hinge to connect the computing device to the keyboard, the hinge is configured to allow the computing device, when connected to the hinge, to rotate relative to the keyboard in a laptop orientation. The hinge includes a plurality of interlinked parallel hinge segments at least partially enclosed in a flexible covering, and each hinge segment is to rotate about a respective one of a plurality of parallel axes of the hinge.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a docking device to accept a computing device, wherein the docking device comprises a keyboard and a hinge to connect the computing device to the keyboard,

wherein the hinge is configured to allow the computing device, when connected to the hinge, to rotate relative to the keyboard in a laptop orientation,

wherein the hinge comprises a plurality of interlinked parallel hinge segments, the hinge segments are enclosed in a flexible covering, and each hinge segment is to rotate about a respective one of a plurality of parallel axes of the hinge.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a tablet computer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hinge facilitates an electrical connection between the computing device and the keyboard.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the hinge comprises an electrical conduit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of hinge segments comprises at least four interlocked hinge segments.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein rotation of the hinge facilitates an open and closed position of the laptop orientation.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hinge further comprises a plurality of support rods.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hinge connects to a first end of the computing device, a first edge of the first end comprises a length of the first end, and the plurality of parallel axes of the hinge are each parallel to the first edge.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of parallel hinge segments forms a plurality of micro hinges.

10. A method comprising:

attaching a computing device to a docking device, wherein the docking device comprises a keyboard and a hinge to connect the computing device to the keyboard, wherein the hinge comprises a plurality of interlinked parallel hinge segments, the hinge segments are enclosed in a flexible covering, and each hinge segment is to rotate about a respective one of a plurality of parallel axes of the hinge;

rotating, using the hinge, the computing device relative to the keyboard in a laptop orientation; and

detaching the computing device from the docking device.

11. A system comprising:

a computing device;

a docking device to accept the computing device, wherein the docking device comprises a keyboard and a hinge to connect the computing device to the keyboard,

wherein the hinge is configured to allow the computing device, when connected to the hinge, to rotate relative to the keyboard in a laptop orientation,

wherein the hinge comprises a plurality of interlinked parallel hinge segments, the hinge segments are fully enclosed in a flexible external covering, and each hinge segment is to rotate about a respective one of a plurality of parallel axes of the hinge.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the computing device comprises a display.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the display comprises a touchscreen display.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the hinge comprises an electrical conduit.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the computing device comprises a tablet computer.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the hinge facilitates an electrical connection between the computing device and the keyboard.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of hinge segments comprises at least four interlocked hinge segments.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein rotation of the hinge facilitates an open and closed position of the laptop orientation.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the hinge further comprises a plurality of support rods.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the hinge connects to a first end of the computing device, a first edge of the first end comprises a length of the first end, and the plurality of parallel axes of the hinge are each parallel to the first edge.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of parallel hinge segments forms a plurality of micro hinges.