Free stopping hinge

• US 20070050943A1
• Filed: 09/07/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cheng UEI Precision Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Cheng UEI Precision Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Chiu, Chin-Te
• Application Number:
  US11/221,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20070050943A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/342
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/082 with substantially radial friction, e.g. cylindrical friction surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 2005/145 with elastically deformable parts
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/1055 with snap-fitted pins
• 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 free stopping hinge includes a sleeve and a rotary shaft. The sleeve has a mating portion with an axial hole defined therein. A wall of the hole has an axial slot and a perpendicular slot being perpendicular to and communicating with the axial slot. Both of the axial slot and the vertical slot penetrate the wall of the axial hole. The rotary shaft has an engaging portion pivotally installed in the axial hole. Constructed as mentioned-above, the present free stopping hinge has a simple structure. The axial slot and the vertical slot help to provide flexibility in engaging the shaft and the sleeve, thereby facilitating assembling of the hinge. The flexibility in turn helps to provide a proper friction as the rotary shaft rotates with respect to the sleeve for free stopping.

Claims

1. A free stopping hinge comprising:

a sleeve having a mating portion with an axial hole defined therein, a wall of the hole having an axial slot and a perpendicular slot being perpendicular to and communicating with the axial slot, both of the axial slot and the perpendicular slot penetrating the wall of the axial hole; and

a rotary shaft having an engaging portion pivotally installed in said axial hole.

2. The free stopping hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sleeve further has an annular recess defined in an inner surface of the wall of the axial hole, and said rotary shaft further has an annular projection formed around said engaging portion for engaging with the annular recess.

3. The free stopping hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sleeve further has a coupling portion opposite to the mating portion, and said rotary shaft further has a connecting portion opposite to the engaging portion.