Hinge device for portable wireless terminal

• US 20040091101A1
• Filed: 01/14/2003
• Published: 05/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Sung-Sun, Bae, Jong-Gun
• Granted Patent: US 7,200,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/428.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes

Abstract

A hinge device for a portable wireless terminal with a first housing and a second housing being rotatably connected to the first housing is provided, comprising a double hinge arm rotatably connected respectively to the first and second housings and a pair of hinge modules for stopping the rotation of the double hinge arm at various angles. The hinge device includes a pair of rotary axes, allowing one selected housing to be rotated about the other housing by 360°. A portable wireless terminal employing the hinge device can accommodate various units such as a display device, an inputting unit, among others, and the functions of the terminal are easily modified and extended.. Furthermore, various information terminals are easily integrated as a single portable wireless terminal. Moreover, since a user can open or close the terminal at various angles, a portable wireless terminal employing the hinges is convenient to use.

Claims

1. A hinge device of a portable wireless terminal with a first housing and a second housing being rotatably connected to the first housing, comprising:

a double hinge arm extending in the longitudinal direction of the first and second housings and being rotatably connected to one side of each of the first and second housings;

a pair of hinge holes formed through one end of the double hinge arm; and

at least one hinge module accommodated by each hinge hole so as to rotatably connect the double hinge arm respectively to the first and second housings.

2. The hinge device of a portable wireless terminal as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hinge module includes:

a hinge housing being accommodated by the hinge hole, and having a guide groove formed on the inner wall of its one side so as to extend in a longitudinal direction, and a through hole formed through its one end;

a hinge cam being accommodated by the hinge housing, and having a guide protrusion formed on its outer circumference so as to correspond to the guide groove and perform a rectilinear motion along the longitudinal direction within the hinge housing, and a plurality of valley-shaped portions formed on its one end;

a hinge shaft being accommodated by the hinge housing, and having at least two mountain-shaped portions formed on its one end so as to correspond to the valley-shaped portions of the hinge cam, and a hinge protrusion extending from its the other end so as to be protruded to the outside via the through hole of the hinge housing, thereby rotating about a rotary axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the double hinge arm; and

a hinge spring interposed between the inner wall of the other end of the hinge housing and the hinge cam so as to supply an elastic force in a direction such that the valley-shaped portions of the hinge cam are closely engaged with the mountain-shaped portions of the hinge shaft.

3. The hinge device of a portable wireless terminal as set forth in claim 2, wherein in the case of at least one hinge module, the valley-shaped portions are spaced from each other by about 45°

and the hinge shaft stops its rotation at about 45°

intervals.

4. The hinge device of a portable wireless terminal as set forth in claim 2, wherein in one hinge module selected from the hinge modules, the valley-shaped portions are spaced from each other by about 90°

and the hinge shaft stops its rotation at about 90°

intervals.

5. The hinge device of a portable wireless terminal as set forth in claim 1, wherein the double hinge arm is rotated respectively from the first and second housings in the range of about 180°

.

6. The hinge device of a portable wireless terminal as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hinge modules are substantially parallelly installed on the double hinge arm.

7. A hinge device of a portable wireless terminal with a first housing and a second housing being rotatably connected to the first housing, comprising:

a double hinge arm including;

a first hinge arm extending in the longitudinal direction of the first housing and being rotatably connected to the first housing;

a second hinge arm being substantially parallelly connected to the first hinge arm, extending in the longitudinal direction of the second housing and being rotatably connected to the second housing; and

hinge holes respectively installed on one end of each of the first and second hinge arms;

a first hinge module accommodated by the hinge hole of the first hinge arm so as to rotatably connect the double hinge arm to the first housing; and

a second hinge module accommodated by the hinge hole of the second hinge arm so as to rotatably connect the double hinge arm to the second housing.

8. The hinge device of a portable wireless terminal as set forth in claim 7, wherein the first hinge module includes:

a first hinge housing being accommodated by the hinge hole of the first hinge arm, and having a guide groove formed on the inner wall of its one side so as to extend in a longitudinal direction and a through hole formed through its one end;

a first hinge cam being accommodated by the first hinge housing, and having a guide protrusion formed on its outer circumference so as to correspond to the guide groove of the first hinge housing and perform a rectilinear motion along the longitudinal direction within the first hinge housing and a plurality of valley-shaped portions formed on its one end;

a first hinge shaft being accommodated by the first hinge housing, and having at least two mountain-shaped portions formed on its one end so as to correspond to the valley-shaped portions of the first hinge cam and a hinge protrusion extending from its other end so as to be protruded to the outside via the through hole of the first hinge housing, thereby rotating about a rotary axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the double hinge arm; and

a first hinge spring interposed between the inner wall of the other end of the first hinge housing and the first hinge cam so as to supply an elastic force in a direction such that the valley-shaped portions of the first hinge cam are closely engaged with the mountain-shaped portions of the first hinge shaft.

9. The hinge device of a portable wireless terminal as set forth in claim 8, wherein the valley-shaped portions of the first hinge cam are spaced from each other by about 90°

and the first hinge shaft stops its rotation at about 90°

intervals.

10. The hinge device of a portable wireless terminal as set forth in claim 8, wherein the valley-shaped portions of the first hinge cam are spaced from each other by about 45°

and the first hinge shaft stops its rotation at about 45°

intervals.

11. The hinge device of a portable wireless terminal as set forth in claim 7, wherein the second hinge module includes:

a second hinge housing being accommodated by the hinge hole of the second hinge arm, and having a guide groove formed on the inner wall of its one side so as to extend in a longitudinal direction and a through hole formed through its one end;

a second hinge cam being accommodated by the second hinge housing, and having a guide protrusion formed on its outer circumference so as to correspond to the guide groove of the second hinge housing and perform a rectilinear motion along the longitudinal direction within the second hinge housing and a plurality of valley-shaped portions formed on its one end;

a second hinge shaft being accommodated by the second hinge housing, and having at least two mountain-shaped portions formed on its one end so as to correspond to the valley-shaped portions of the second hinge cam and a hinge protrusion extending from its the other end so as to be protruded to the outside via the through hole of the second hinge housing, thereby rotating about a rotary axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the double hinge arm; and

a second hinge spring interposed between the inner wall of the other end of the second hinge housing and the second hinge cam so as to supply an elastic force in a direction such that the valley-shaped portions of the second hinge cam are closely engaged with the mountain-shaped portions of the second hinge shaft.

12. The hinge device of a portable wireless terminal as set forth in claim 11, wherein the valley-shaped portions of the second hinge cam are spaced from each other by about 90°

and the second hinge shaft stops its rotation at about 90°

intervals.

13. The hinge device of a portable wireless terminal as set forth in claim 11, wherein the valley-shaped portions of the second hinge cam are spaced from each other by about 45°

and the second hinge shaft stops its rotation at about 45°

intervals.

14. The hinge device of a portable wireless terminal as set forth in claim 7, further comprising:

openings respectively formed on one side of each of the first and second housings so as to accommodate the double hinge arm;

fixing holes respectively formed on one ends of the openings;

supporting holes respectively formed on the other ends of the first and second hinge arms; and

hinge dummies respectively fixed to the fixing holes and inserted into the supporting holes so as to support the rotation of the double hinge arm.