Dual-directional hinge

• US 20050076474A1
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• 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 7,017,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/280
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/10 with non-parallel pins
• 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: 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 1/0212 with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, i.e. folding around a first axis and rotating around a second axis perpendicular to the first
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/917 Video display screen support

Abstract

A dual-directional hinge for a portable device with a body and a monitor such as a mobile phone, a notebook computer or a PDA is disclosed. The hinge is composed of a first supporting member, a second supporting member, a seat, a vertical axle, and a horizontal pintle. The first supporting member is mounted on the monitor, and is rotatably mounted on the second supporting member by the vertical axle. The second supporting member and the seat are rotatably mounted on the body by the horizontal pintle. Thus, the monitor can be turned about the horizontal pintle to be raised from the body, and can be turned left or right about the vertical axle to change the horizontal viewing angle.

Claims

1. A dual-directional hinge comprising:

a first supporting member having a first upright arm, a first lateral arm perpendicular to the first upright arm, and a non-circular opening defined through the first lateral arm;

a vertical axle with a non-circular cross section extending through the non-circular opening of the first supporting member, and having a first collar fastened at a distal end away from the first supporting member;

a second supporting member having a second upright arm, a second lateral arm perpendicular to the second upright arm, and a circular opening defined through the second lateral arm, the vertical axle extending through the circular opening to enable the first supporting member along with the vertical axle to rotate about the second supporting member;

a seat having a third lateral arm mounted on a distal end of the second lateral arm, a third upright arm perpendicular to the third lateral arm, and a circular hole defined through the third upright arm; and

a horizontal pintle having a first part rotatably extending through the circular hole of the seat, a second part, a flange between the first part and the second part, and a second collar fastened at a distal end of the first part.

2. The dual-directional hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vertical axle has a first washer provided outside the vertical axle and between the first supporting member and second supporting member;

and the second supporting member further has two apertures defined at two diametrically opposite sides of the circular opening and in communication with the circular opening, a positioning ring received in the circular opening and provided outside the vertical axle and having two protrusions formed at two diametrically opposite sides of an external circumference of the positioning ring and respectively located in the apertures, a first resilient member provided outside the vertical axle and between the first collar and the positioning ring, and a second washer provided between the first resilient member and the positioning ring.

3. The dual-directional hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first supporting member further has a first lug and a second lug formed on the first lateral arm and symmetrically at two diametrically opposite sides of the non-circular opening;

and the second supporting member further has a third lug formed on the second lateral arm and aligned with the second lug.

4. The dual-directional hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first part of the horizontal pintle is composed of a circular shaft formed at the distal end thereof, and a non-circular shaft formed between the circular shaft and the flange, and has a third washer, a positioning disk, a second resilient member, and a fourth washer in turn provided between the seat and the second collar.

5. The dual-directional hinge as claimed in claim 4, wherein the seat has two notches defined at two sides of the circular hole, and the third washer has two ears respectively located in the notches.

6. The dual-directional hinge as claimed in claim 4, wherein the third washer has at least one dome formed at a surface facing the positioning disk;

and

the positioning disk has multiple recesses defined at a surface facing the third washer for positioning the at least one dome.

7. The dual-directional hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second supporting member further has a tube rotatably mounted in the second upright arm.