Electronic device with improved hinge

• US 20050122671A1
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Homer, Steven S.
• Application Number:
  US10/731,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20050122671A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.270
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1618 the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure
• 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

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device comprises a lid operable to pivot about at least one hinge from a protected orientation to a fully extended orientation.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising a lid operable to pivot about at least one hinge from a protected orientation to a fully extended orientation.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the lid is operable to releasably lock in a position where an angle between an inner surface of the lid and a top surface of a base is greater than one-hundred and eighty degrees.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one hinge facilitates reconfiguration of the electronic device from the protected orientation to the fully extended orientation by rotation of the lid about a longitudinal axis of the at least one hinge.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one hinge facilitates reconfiguration of the electronic device from the protected orientation to the fully extended orientation by rotation of the lid by more than one-hundred and eighty degrees with respect to a base.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the lid comprises a display device.

6. An electronic device, comprising:

a base;

a lid; and

at least one hinge, comprising;

a linking structure operable to couple the lid to the base; and

a pair of cooperatively engaged gears, a first gear of the pair of gears disposed in the base and a second gear of the pair of gears disposed in the lid to facilitate movement of the lid and the base relative to the linking structure.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, further comprising a mounting pin disposed in the base and operable to couple an end of the linking structure to the base.

8. The electronic device of claim 6, further comprising a mounting pin disposed in the lid and operable to couple an end of the linking structure to the lid.

9. The electronic device of claim 6, further comprising a mounting pin operable to couple an end of the linking structure to the base, such that rotation of the linking structure causes the mounting pin to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the mounting pin.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising a clutch structure associated with the mounting pin and operable to resist movement of the base relative to the mounting pin.

11. The electronic device of claim 6, further comprising a mounting pin operable to couple an end of the linking structure to the lid and operable to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the mounting pin.

12. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the first gear is fixedly secured to the base and the second gear is fixedly secured to the lid.

13. The electronic device of claim 6, further comprising a detent mechanism associated with a mounting pin disposed in the base, the detent mechanism operable to resist movement of the base relative to the mounting pin.

14. The electronic device of claim 6, further comprising a detent mechanism associated with a mounting pin disposed in the lid, the detent mechanism operable to resist movement of the lid relative to the mounting pin.

15. An electronic device, comprising:

a base; and

at least one hinge operable to couple a lid to the base, the lid operable to pivot about the at least one hinge from a protected orientation to a fully extended orientation.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the at least one hinge facilitates releasable locking of the lid in a position where an angle between an inner surface of the lid and a top surface of the base is greater than one-hundred and eighty degrees.