Multi-pivot hinge

• US 10,174,534 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2015
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Tazbaz, Errol Mark, Bitz, Brian, Campbell, John, Ji, Bonggwon, Liao, Jeff, Zhang, Jingjiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Morgan, Emily M
• Application Number:
  US14/606,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20160215541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/14 with four parallel pins and two arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/00 Hinges or pivots of special construction used for special suspension arrangements E05D15/00; so as to be self-closing E05F1/06, E05F1/12; with means for raising wings before being turned E05F7/02
• 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 1/022 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 a first set of links configured to control a relative order of rotation around individual axes of rotation of the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly when the first and second portions are being rotated away from one another and a second different set of links configured to control the relative order of rotation around the individual axes of rotation of the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly when the first and second portions are being rotated toward one another.

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 from a storage position where the first portion is juxtaposed over the second portion to a deployed position where the first portion is oriented at an obtuse angle relative to the first portion, the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly comprising;

a first set of cammed links including cam tabs that are offset from a longitudinal axis of the cammed links and that control a sequential order of rotation about multiple hinge axes such that when the first portion and the second portion are being rotated from the storage position to the deployed position, rotation around a first individual hinge axis is completed before rotation around a second individual hinge axis begins, and

a separate second set of cammed links including cam tabs that are in line with the longitudinal axis such that the cam tabs of the cammed links of the separate second set have a different location on the cammed links than a location of the cam tabs on the cammed links of the first set, and the separate second set of cammed links control a reverse sequential order of rotation such that when the first portion and the second portion are being rotated from the deployed position to the storage position, rotation around the second individual hinge axis is completed before rotation around the first individual hinge axis begins.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first set of cammed links comprises a first subset of links that are arranged end-to end with one another and a second subset of links that are arranged end-to-end with one another, and wherein the first subset of links are offset one hinge axis from the second subset of links.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein individual cammed links comprise first and second portions, and wherein first individual cammed links of the first set of cammed links are arranged in an end-to-end manner so that a respective first portion of a first individual cammed link interacts with a respective second portion of a second individual cammed link.

4. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the cam tabs of the first set comprise a single cam tab on the first portion of each individual link, and each individual link further comprises an engagement surface on the second portion, and wherein interaction of the single cam tab of a first individual link and the engagement surface of an adjacent individual link prevents rotation around an adjacent hinge axis passing through the adjacent individual link until rotation around the individual hinge axis associated with the first individual link is completed.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly further comprises hinge shafts that define the hinge axes.

6. The computing device of claim 5, wherein the hinge shafts have a circular profile when viewed transverse an axis of rotation or wherein the hinge shafts are not circular.

7. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising rotation limiters that define an angle of rotation around an individual axis of rotation.

8. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the rotation limiters comprise a first portion that is non-rotatably secured to an individual hinge shaft and a second portion that is rotatably secured to the individual hinge shaft.

9. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device has a larger footprint in the deployed position than in the storage position.

10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly is visible when the computing device is in both the storage position and the deployed position.

11. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first portion includes a touchscreen and the second portion includes a keyboard or another touchscreen.

12. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising multiple rigid hinge covers or further comprising a hinge cover that extends from the first portion to the second portion.

13. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the deployed position is in a range from 90 degrees to 360 degrees from the storage position.

14. 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 and comprising;

a first set of cammed links including cam tabs that are offset from a longitudinal axis of the links and are configured to effect a relative order of rotation around individual axes of rotation of the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly when the first and second portions are being rotated away from one another, and

a second different set of cammed links including cam tabs that are in line with the longitudinal axis and are configured to effect a reverse relative order of rotation around the individual axes of rotation of the sequential multi-pivot hinge assembly when the first and second portions are being rotated toward one another,

wherein at least some of the cammed links further comprise a cam engagement surface, and

wherein a first location of a first cam tab and a first cam engagement surface on a first individual cammed link of the first set is different than a second location of a second cam tab and a second cam engagement surface on a second individual cammed link of the second set.