Hinges

• US 20020001172A1
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Maatta, Esa-Sakari
• Granted Patent: US 6,807,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/683
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1014 for maintaining the hinge in only one position, e.g. closed
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1078 the maintaining means acting parallel to the pivot
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/1077 with snap-fitted pins
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/606 for electronic devices
• 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 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A portable electronic device (10) such as a mobile phone comprises two body parts (12, 14) moveably connected by hinges (16). Each hinge comprises a shaft part (22) and a housing part (20), the parts being relatively moveable about a common axis of rotation. The shaft part has a shaft pin (28) lying on the common axis of rotation and a leg (24) extending laterally with respect to the shaft pin. The housing part has an groove (36, 38) and a bore (32), the bore co-operating with the shaft pin and the groove engaging with the leg to restrain the shaft part from rotational movement. The shaft part is moveable relative to the housing part between a first position in which the leg is engaged with the groove and a second position in which the leg is not engaged with the groove.

Claims

1. A hinge comprising a shaft part and a housing part, the parts being relatively moveable about a common axis of rotation, the shaft part having a first portion lying on the common axis of rotation, the first portion carrying a bearing surface, and a second portion extending radially beyond the bearing surface of the first portion, the housing part having an engagement surface and a hinge surface, the hinge surface co-operating with the bearing surface of the first portion and the engagement surface engaging with the second portion to restrain the shaft part from rotational movement, the shaft part being moveable relative to the housing part between a first position in which the second portion is engaged with the engagement surface and a second position in which the second portion is not engaged with the engagement surface.

2. A hinge according to claim 1 in which the second portion is not enclosed by the hinge surface.

3. A hinge according to claim 1 in which the engagement surface is not enclosed by the hinge surface.

4. A hinge according to claim 1 in which, in the second position, the first portion is acted upon by a biasing force in a first direction parallel to the common axis of rotation.

5. A hinge according to claim 4 in which the shaft part comprises spring biasing means to provide the biasing force.

6. A hinge according to claim 1 in which the first and second portions are integrally formed.

7. A hinge according to claim 1 in which the engagement surface is provided by a groove having a pair of walls and a bottom.

8. A hinge according to claim 1 in which the shaft part comprises a pair of first portions and a pair of second portions.

9. A hinge according to claim 1 in which the hinge surface is associated with at least two engagement surfaces to provide at least two restraining angular orientations.

10. An electronic device comprising a first body element and a second body element connected by a hinge, the hinge comprising a shaft part and a housing part, the parts being relatively moveable about a common axis of rotation, the shaft part having a first portion lying on the common axis of rotation, the first portion carrying a bearing surface, and a second portion extending radially beyond the bearing surface of the first portion, the housing part having an engagement surface and a hinge surface, the hinge surface cooperating with the bearing surface of the first portion and the engagement surface engaging with the second portion to restrain the shaft part from rotational movement, the shaft part being moveable relative to the housing part between a first position in which the second portion is engaged with the engagement surface and a second position in which the second portion is not engaged with the engagement surface.

11. An electronic device according to claim 10 in which the shaft part is fixed to one body element and the housing part is fixed to another body element.