Flip phone having a hinge mechanism with an auto-lock function

• US 20030172495A1
• Filed: 02/27/2003
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BenQ Corporation (Qisda Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BenQ Corporation (Qisda Corporation)
• Inventors: Pan, Long-Jyh
• Granted Patent: US 6,859,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/292
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1007 with positive locking
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1215 with a canted-coil torsion spring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge

Abstract

A flip phone having a hinge mechanism with an auto-lock function includes a main body, a flipper, a sleeve shaft, a torsion spring, a first bush and a second bush, a torsion spring, and a first chute and a second chute. The torsion spring having a first spring end and a second spring end is disposed between the first bush and the second bush. The first spring end connected to the first bush synchronously rotates with the first bush and the second spring end connected to the second bush synchronously rotates with the second bush. The first bush is rotatably coupled to the first chute, and the second bush is rotatably coupled to the torsion spring chamber so that the flipper is rotatable around the hinge mechanism longitudinal axis to be in an opened position or a closed position. When the rotating object remains in the closed position, the torsion spring stores energy for unfolding the rotating object.

Claims

1. A hinge mechanism with an auto-lock function for coupling a main body and a rotating object, the hinge mechanism comprising:

a sleeve shaft with a torsion spring chamber, located on the rotating object, wherein the torsion spring chamber extends along a hinge mechanism longitudinal axis and the sleeve shaft has a first opening and a second opening;

a first bush having a first bush connecting end, disposed within the torsion spring chamber, for sliding along the hinge mechanism longitudinal axis, wherein the first bush connecting end passes through the first opening and protrudes outside the sleeve shaft;

a second bush having a second bush connecting end, rotatably disposed within the torsion spring chamber, wherein the second bush connecting end passes through the second opening and protrudes outside the sleeve shaft;

a torsion spring having a first spring end and a second spring end, disposed between the first bush and the second bush, wherein the first spring end connected to the first bush synchronously rotates with the first bush and the second spring end connected to the second bush synchronously rotates with the second bush; and

a first chute and a second chute, disposed on the main body, wherein the first chute receives the first bush connecting end and the second chute receives the second bush connecting end;

wherein the first bush is rotatably coupled to the first chute, and the second bush is rotatably coupled to the torsion spring chamber, so that the flipper is rotatable around the hinge mechanism longitudinal axis to be in an opened position or a closed position, when the rotating object remains in the closed position, the torsion spring stores energy for unfolding the rotating object.

2. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first bush has a first non-circular bulge and the second bush has a second non-circular bulge, and wherein the first spring end of the torsion spring has a first non-circular hole for receiving the first non-circular bulge and the second spring end of the torsion spring has a second non-circular hole for receiving the second non-circular bulge.

3. The hinge mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the first and second non-circular holes are D-shaped holes, and the first and second non-circular bulges are D-shaped bulges.

4. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a first side of the sleeve shaft has a slot for fixing the first bush connecting end so that the first bush moves along the hinge mechanism longitudinal axis.

5. The hinge mechanism according to claim 4, wherein a second side of the sleeve shaft has a circular opening and the second bush connection end rotates within the circular opening so that the second bush rotates relative to the sleeve shaft.

6. The hinge mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first chute comprises a front section and a rear section, the first bush connecting end substantially extends for a first length along a first longitudinal axis, the width of the front section is smaller than the first length of the first bush connecting end, and the width of the rear section is larger than the first length of the first bush connecting end;

wherein the first bush is slidable within the first chute while the first bush connecting end is received within the front section and the first bush is rotatable within the first chute while the first bush connecting end is received within the rear section.

7. The hinge mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the first chute further comprises a rib disposed on a border between the front section and the rear section, for compressing the torsion spring while the first bush connecting end moves between the front section and the rear section.

8. The hinge mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the second bush connecting end substantially extends for a second length along a second longitudinal axis, and the width of the second chute is smaller than the second length of the second bush connecting end so that the second bush is slidable within the second chute while the second bush connecting end is received within the second chute.

9. A flip phone, comprising:

a main body;

a flipper;

a sleeve shaft with a torsion spring chamber, located on the rotating object, wherein the torsion spring chamber extends along a hinge mechanism longitudinal axis and the sleeve shaft has a first opening and a second opening;

a first bush having a first bush connecting end, disposed within the torsion spring chamber, for sliding along the hinge mechanism longitudinal axis, wherein the first bush connecting end passes through the first opening and protrudes outside the sleeve shaft;

a second bush having a second bush connecting end, rotatably disposed within the torsion spring chamber, wherein the second bush connecting end passes through the second opening and protrudes outside the sleeve shaft;

a torsion spring having a first spring end and a second spring end, disposed between the first bush and the second bush, wherein the first spring end connected to the first bush synchronously rotates with the first bush and the second spring end connected to the second bush synchronously rotates with the second bush; and

a first chute and a second chute, disposed on the main body, wherein the first chute receives the first bush connecting end and the second chute receives the second bush connecting end;

wherein the first bush is rotatably coupled to the first chute, and the second bush is rotatably coupled to the torsion spring chamber so that the flipper is rotatable around the hinge mechanism longitudinal axis to be in an opened position or a closed position, when the rotating object remains in the closed position, the torsion spring stores energy for unfolding the rotating object.

10. The flip phone according to claim 9, wherein the first bush has a first non-circular bulge and the second bush has a second non-circular bulge, and wherein the first spring end of the torsion spring has a first non-circular hole for receiving the first non-circular bulge and the second spring end of the torsion spring has a second non-circular hole for receiving the second non-circular bulge.

11. The flip phone according to claim 10, wherein the first and second non-circular holes are D-shaped holes, and the first and second non-circular bulges are D-shaped bulges.

12. The flip phone according to claim 9, wherein a first side of the sleeve shaft has a slot for fixing the first bush connecting end so that the first bush moves along the hinge mechanism longitudinal axis.

13. The flip phone according to claim 12, wherein a second side of the sleeve shaft has a circular opening and the second bush connection end rotates within the circular opening so that the second bush rotates relative to the sleeve shaft.

14. The flip phone according to claim 9, wherein the first chute comprises a front section and a rear section, the first bush connecting end substantially extends for a first length along a first longitudinal axis, the width of the front section is smaller than the first length of the first bush connecting end, and the width of the rear section is larger than the first length of the first bush connecting end, wherein the first bush is slidable within the first chute while the first bush connecting end is received within the front section and the first bush is rotatable within the first chute while the first bush connecting end is received within the rear section.

15. The flip phone according to claim 14, wherein the first chute further comprises a rib disposed on a border between the front section and the rear section, for compressing the torsion spring while the first bush connecting end moves between the front section and the rear section.

16. The flip phone according to claim 14, wherein the second bush connecting end substantially extends for a second length along a second longitudinal axis, and the width of the second chute is smaller than the second length of the second bush connecting end so that the second bush is slidable within the second chute while the second bush connecting end is received within the second chute.