HINGE MECHANISM AND FOLDABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20130139355A1
• Filed: 08/17/2012
• Published: 06/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Chang, Hui-Lian, Lin, Ming-Wang, Wang, Chih-Chiang, Chang, Chun-Wei, Lee, Jui-Yuan, Shao, Hsin-Hsiang
• Application Number:
  US13/587,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20130139355A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/354
• 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 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes

Abstract

A hinge mechanism suitable for a foldable electronic device has a first body, a second body and a hinging-body. The hinge mechanism includes a first cradle, a second cradle, a pair of pivoting-shafts, a pair of position-limiting elements, a set of gears and a positioning element. The positioning-element is fixed to the hinging-body and structurally independent from the position-limiting elements, pivoted to the pivoting-shafts so as to be detachably assembled with the position-limiting elements. The first body rotates relatively to the hinging-body through the first cradle rotates the pivoting-shaft fixed to the first cradle relatively to the positioning element so as to rotate the set of gears, make the second cradle rotate the pivoting-shaft fixed to the second cradle relatively to the positioning-element and bring the second body for rotation relatively to the hinging-body. Additionally, a foldable electronic device is also provided.

Claims

1. A hinge mechanism, suitable for a foldable electronic device, wherein the foldable electronic device has a first body, a second body and a hinging-body;

the hinge mechanism comprising;

a first cradle, configured to be fixed to the first body;

a second cradle, configured to be fixed to the second body;

a pair of pivoting-shafts, respectively fixed to the first cradle and the second cradle;

a pair of position-limiting elements;

a set of gears, having a pair of primary gears and a pair of secondary gears, wherein the pair of primary gears is located between the pair of position-limiting elements, the pair of pivoting-shafts goes through the pair of position-limiting elements and respectively goes through the pair of primary gears to make the pair of primary gears pivoted between the pair of position-limiting elements, the pair of secondary gears is located between the pair of position-limiting elements and pivoted to the pair of position-limiting elements, the pair of primary gears is respectively engaged with the pair of secondary gears, and the pair of secondary gears is engaged with each other; and

a positioning-element, configured to be fixed to the hinging-body and structurally independent from the pair of position-limiting elements, wherein the positioning-element is pivoted to the pair of pivoting-shafts so as to be detachably assembled with the pair of position-limiting elements, the first body rotates relatively to the hinging-body through the first cradle rotates the pivoting-shaft fixed to the first cradle relatively to the positioning element so as to bring both the pair of primary gears and the pair of secondary gears for rotation, to make the second cradle rotate the pivoting-shaft fixed to the second cradle relatively to the positioning-element and to bring the second body for rotation relatively to the hinging-body.

2. The hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a pair of fastening washers, wherein the positioning-element has a pair of positioning shaft-holes, the pair of positioning shaft-holes allows the pair of pivoting-shafts respectively going through and allows the fastening washers respectively fastened to the pair of pivoting-shafts.

3. The hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the pair of pivoting-shafts has a fastening shaft-segment and a rotating shaft-segment;

when the fastening shaft-segments go through the fastening washers, external threads of the fastening shaft-segments are fitted with internal threads of the fastening washers;

when the pivoting-shafts go through the positioning shaft-holes, the rotating shaft-segments respectively rotate in the positioning shaft-holes.

4. The hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a torsion module, sheathed on the pair of pivoting-shafts, and when the first body and the second body rotate relatively to the hinging-body, the torsion module is able to limit the rotations of the first cradle and the second cradle on the pair of pivoting-shafts.

5. The hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein the torsion module has a pair of fasteners, the pair of fasteners allows the pair of pivoting-shafts respectively going through and fastening, each of the pair of pivoting-shafts has a deformed shaft-segment and parts of the deformed shaft-segments have external threads, when the deformed shaft-segments go through the fasteners, the external threads of the deformed shaft-segments are fitted with the internal threads of the fasteners.

6. The hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein the torsion module has a pair of torsion-washers, and the pair of torsion-washers is disposed between the positioning-element and the set of gears and respectively allows the pair of pivoting-shafts going through.

7. The hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the pair of pivoting-shafts has a deformed shaft-segments, when the pair of pivoting-shafts respectively goes through the pair of the primary gears, a part of the deformed shaft-segment is respectively inserted into the primary gears so that each of the pair of pivoting-shafts together with the inserted primary gear rotate.

8. The hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the pair of pivoting-shafts has a deformed shaft-segments, each of the position-limiting elements has two position-limiting shaft-holes, when the deformed shaft-segments go through the pair of the position-limiting elements, the partial deformed shaft-segments of the pivoting-shafts are able to rotate in the position-limiting shaft-holes.

9. A foldable electronic device, comprising:

a first body;

a second body;

a hinging-body; and

a hinge mechanism, comprising;

a first cradle, fixed to the first body;

a second cradle, fixed to the second body;

a pair of pivoting-shafts, respectively fixed to the first cradle and the second cradle;

a pair of position-limiting elements;

a set of gears, having a pair of primary gears and a pair of secondary gears, wherein the pair of primary gears is located between the pair of position-limiting elements, the pair of pivoting-shafts goes through the pair of position-limiting elements and respectively goes through the pair of primary gears to make the pair of primary gears pivoted between the pair of position-limiting elements, the pair of secondary gears is located between the pair of position-limiting elements and pivoted to the pair of position-limiting elements, the pair of primary gears is respectively engaged with the pair of secondary gears, and the pair of secondary gears is engaged with each other; and

a positioning-element, fixed to the hinging-body and structurally independent from the pair of position-limiting elements, wherein the positioning-element is pivoted to the pair of pivoting-shafts so as to be detachably assembled with the pair of position-limiting elements, the first body rotates relatively to the hinging-body through the first cradle rotates the pivoting-shaft fixed to the first cradle rotate relatively to the positioning element so as to bring both the pair of primary gears and the pair of secondary gears for rotation, to make the second cradle rotate the pivoting-shaft fixed to the second cradle relatively to the positioning-element and to bring the second body for rotation relatively to the hinging-body.

10. The foldable electronic device as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

a pair of fastening washers, wherein the positioning-element has a pair of positioning shaft-holes, the pair of positioning shaft-holes allows the pair of pivoting-shafts respectively going through and allow the fastening washers respectively fastened to the pair of pivoting-shafts.

11. The foldable electronic device as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of the pair of pivoting-shafts has a fastening shaft-segment and a rotating shaft-segment;

when the fastening shaft-segments go through the fastening washers, external threads of the fastening shaft-segments are fitted with internal threads of the fastening washers;

when the pivoting-shafts go through the positioning shaft-holes, the rotating shaft-segments respectively rotate in the positioning shaft-holes.

12. The foldable electronic device as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

a torsion module, sheathed on the pair of pivoting-shafts, and when the first body and the second body rotate relatively to the hinging-body, the torsion module is able to limit the rotations of the first cradle and the second cradle on the pair of pivoting-shafts.

13. The foldable electronic device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the torsion module has a pair of fasteners, the pair of fasteners allows the pair of pivoting-shafts respectively going through and fastening, each of the pair of pivoting-shafts has a deformed shaft-segment and parts of the deformed shaft-segments have external threads, when the deformed shaft-segments go through the fasteners, the external threads of the deformed shaft-segments are fitted with the internal threads of the fasteners.

14. The foldable electronic device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the torsion module has a pair of torsion-washers, and the pair of torsion-washers is disposed between the positioning-element and the set of gears and respectively allows the pair of pivoting-shafts going through.

15. The foldable electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of the pair of pivoting-shafts has a deformed shaft-segments, when the pair of pivoting-shafts respectively goes through the pair of the primary gears, a part of the deformed shaft-segment of the pivoting-shafts is respectively inserted into the primary gears so that each of the pair of pivoting-shafts together with the inserted primary gear rotate.

16. The foldable electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of the pair of pivoting-shafts has a deformed shaft-segments, each of the position-limiting elements has two position-limiting shaft-holes, when the deformed shaft-segments go through the pair of the position-limiting elements, the partial deformed shaft-segments of the pivoting-shafts are able to rotate in the position-limiting shaft-holes.

17. The foldable electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first body comprises a display screen and the second body comprises a keyboard.