Collapsible hinge bracket for a laptop computer

• US 20040128795A1
• Filed: 01/06/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shin ZU Shing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Shin ZU Shing Company Limited
• Inventors: Chien, Hsiang-Chi, Lu, Sheng-Nan
• Granted Patent: US 6,813,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/342
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/087 with substantially axial friction, e.g. friction disks
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1078 the maintaining means acting parallel to the pivot
• 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 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683

Abstract

A hinge bracket has a pad immovable relative to the leg of the frame and has extensions protruding out from a surface of the pad. A positioning disk is pivotable relative to the pad and has two pairs of notches to alternately receive the extensions such that the frame which is adapted to support an LCD screen is able to be supported at an upright position or in parallel relative to the base.

Claims

1. In a collapsible hinge bracket having a frame provided with two legs respectively formed on opposite sides of the frame and each having a limit cutout defined in a periphery of the leg, a base pivotally connected to the frame, first washers provided on a side of one of the legs, a pad provided on the other side of the leg, a positioning disk adjacent to the pad and pivotable relative to the pad, wherein the positioning disk has a finger extending to the limit cutout to limit pivotal movement of the positioning disk relative to the pad, multiple leaf springs adjacent to the positioning disk to sandwich the positioning disk with the pad, a second washer adjacent to one of the leaf springs and a bolt one end of which extends through the first washers, the leg,

the pad, the positioning disk, the leaf springs, the second washer and into a nut to securely combine the first washers on one side of the leg and the pad, the positioning disk, the leaf springs and the second washer on the other side of the leg and other end of which securely connects to the base, wherein the improvement comprises:

the leg has multiple bosses formed on a side face of the leg and the pad has multiple cutouts peripherally defined in the pad to correspond to the bosses such that after the bosses are received in the corresponding cutouts of the pad, the pad is immovable relative to the leg,

the pad has a pair of extensions respectively extending to opposite directions and each extension protrudes out of a surface of the pad,

the positioning disk has a pair of first notches and a pair of second notches alternately corresponding to the pair of extensions so that the frame is able to be supported at an upright position or in parallel relative to the base.

2. The collapsible hinge bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the leg has multiple bosses formed on a side face of the leg and the pad has multiple cutouts peripherally defined in the pad to correspond to the bosses such that after the bosses are received in the corresponding cutouts of the pad, the pad is immovable relative to the leg.

3. The hinge bracket as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the extensions has a domed top face to facilitate movement of the extensions along the positioning disk.