Multi-pivot hinge

• US 10,114,424 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2016
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Campbell, John, Bitz, Brian, Tazbaz, Errol Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Edmonds, Lisa Lea
• Application Number:
  US15/239,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20160357226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0054 Covers, e.g. for protection
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0081 for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/06 Devices for limiting the opening movement of hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1014 for maintaining the hinge in only one position, e.g. closed
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 2007/128 in a radial direction
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/06 with two or more pins E05D7/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/12 to allow easy detachment of the hinge from the wing or the frame E05D15/507 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• 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 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes

Abstract

The description relates to devices, such as computing devices that have hinged portions. One example can include a first portion and a second portion. This example can also include a sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly rotatably securing the first portion and the second portion. The sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly can include rotation control elements configured to control a relative order of rotation around axes of rotation of the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly.

Claims

1. A computing device, comprising:

a first portion and a second portion; and

,

a sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly rotatably securing the first portion and the second portion, the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly controlling sequential rotation around individual axes such that the sequential rotation starts at a first individual axis that is closer to the first portion than the second portion when rotating the first and second portions toward one another and starts at a second individual axis that is closer to the second portion than the first portion when moving the first and second portions apart.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly comprises rotation control elements, and wherein when the first and second portions are moving apart, the rotation control elements prevent rotation around the first individual axis until rotation around the second individual axis has completed a defined angle of rotation, and wherein when the first and second portions are moving toward one the rotation control elements prevent rotation around the second individual axis until rotation around the first individual axis has completed the defined angle of rotation.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly electrically connects the first portion and the second portion.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly comprises multiple hinge stacks.

5. The computing device of claim 4, wherein an individual hinge stack comprises a first portion element that connects the first portion, a second portion element that connects the second portion, and multiple links.

6. The computing device of claim 5, further comprising keyed shafts that pass through the hinge stacks.

7. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the keyed shafts define the individual axes.

8. A computing device, comprising:

a first portion and a second portion;

hinge stacks, comprising;

a first portion element that connects the first portion,

a second portion element that connects the second portion, and,

links that connect the first portion element and the second portion element;

keyed shafts that pass through the hinge stacks; and

,

sequencing pins that control a relative sequential order of rotation of the links about the keyed shafts.

9. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the keyed shafts define axes of rotation around which the links rotate.

10. The computing device of claim 9, further comprising rotation limiters that define an amount of rotation of the links around the axes of rotation.

11. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the hinge stacks electrically couple electronic components of the first and second portions of the computing device.

12. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the first portion of the computing device includes a display and the second portion of the computing device includes a keyboard.

13. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the first portion of the computing device includes a touchscreen.

14. A computing device, comprising:

a first portion and a second portion;

hinge stacks, comprising;

a first portion element that connects the first portion,

a second portion element that connects the second portion, and,

links that connect the first portion and the second portion;

keyed shafts that pass through the hinge stacks; and

,

rotation control elements that control a relative sequential order of rotation of the links about the keyed shafts and prevent simultaneous rotation of the links about the keyed shafts.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the relative sequential order of rotation comprises the rotation starting proximate to the second portion when rotating the first and second portions apart and the rotation starting proximate to the first portion when moving the first and second portions toward one another.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein, when rotating the first and second portions apart, rotation about an axis proximate the first portion is blocked until rotation about another axis proximate the second portion is complete.

17. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the rotation control elements comprise sequencing pins interposed between individual adjacent links of an individual hinge stack, the sequencing pins controlling an order of rotation of the individual adjacent links about individual axes of rotation.

18. The computing device of claim 17, further comprising rotation limiters that define an amount of rotation of the individual adjacent links around the individual axes of rotation.

19. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the links include cam surfaces, and the rotation control elements comprise sequencing pins interposed between individual adjacent links of an individual hinge stack that interact with the cam surfaces of the links.