Hinge Mechanism with Preset Positions

• US 20150212553A1
• Filed: 01/28/2014
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Park, Daniel C., Raken, Jan, Huang, Yi-Min
• Granted Patent: US 9,317,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• 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 mechanism with preset positions is described. In at least some implementations, the hinge mechanism enables a support component to be adjustably attached to an apparatus, such as a computing device. The support component can be rotated via the hinge mechanism to various positions to provide support for different orientations of the computing device. In at least some embodiments, a hinge mechanism utilizes preset hinge positions that enable a support component to be placed at different preset positions. For instance, the hinge mechanism is configured such that an attached support component tends to “snap” into various preset positions.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a support component movably attached to a rear portion of a mobile device; and

at least one hinge mechanism that attaches a portion of the support component to the mobile device, the hinge mechanism being configured with at least two preset open positions such that the support component is positionable relative to the computing device according to the two or more preset open positions, and such that the hinge mechanism causes the support component to snap into one or more of the preset open positions when the support component is released in a position between the preset open positions.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the hinge mechanism comprises a cam that attaches the support component to the hinge mechanism, the cam being movably engaged with a cam follower within the hinge mechanism to assume the preset open positions.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the hinge mechanism further includes an emergency release feature such that if the support component is opened past a last preset open position, the support component is detached from the mobile device.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the hinge mechanism comprises:

a cam attached to the support component and that engages with the hinge mechanism; and

a cam follower positioned against the cam and that applies pressure from a hinge spring against the cam, a surface profile of the cam and a surface profile of the cam follower being such that variable torque forces occur when transitioning between the preset open positions.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the hinge mechanism comprises:

a hinge frame with a cam slidably mounted on a cam guide on an interior surface of the hinge frame, the cam including an inner cam surface and at least one outer cam surface and being attached to the support component;

a cam follower pivotably mounted within the hinge frame and positioned in contact with the cam, the cam follower including an inner follower surface configured to engage with the inner cam surface, and at least one outer follower surface configured to engage with the at least one outer cam surface; and

a hinge spring mounted within the hinge frame and that applies force to the cam follower such that the cam follower is held in contact with the cam.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the hinge mechanism is configured such that during movement of the cam, contact between the cam and the cam follower transitions between contact between the inner cam surface and the inner follower surface, to contact between the at least one outer cam surface and the at least one outer follower surface.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein an inner surface of the cam follower engages within an inner channel of the cam to stabilize the hinge mechanism.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the cam has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile and the cam follower has a T-shaped cross-sectional profile.

9. A hinge mechanism comprising:

a hinge frame with a cam slidably mounted on a cam guide on an interior surface of the hinge frame, the cam including an inner cam surface and at least one outer cam surface;

a cam follower pivotably mounted within the hinge frame and positioned in contact with the cam, the cam follower including an inner follower surface configured to engage with the inner cam surface, and at least one outer follower surface configured to engage with the at least one outer cam surface; and

a hinge spring mounted within the hinge frame and that applies force to the cam follower such that the cam follower is held in contact with the cam, the hinge mechanism being configured such that during movement of the cam, contact between the cam and the cam follower transitions between contact between the inner cam surface and the inner follower surface, to contact between the at least one outer cam surface and the at least one outer follower surface, thus enabling the hinge mechanism to snap into multiple preset open positions.

10. A hinge mechanism as recited in claim 9, wherein the cam is configured to be attached to a support component of an apparatus to enable the support component to be positioned in multiple preset open positions relative to the apparatus.

11. A hinge mechanism as recited in claim 9, wherein the outer cam surface and the at least one outer follower surface include surface features that enable the cam to be positioned at the multiple preset open positions.

12. A hinge mechanism as recited in claim 9, wherein the cam has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile and the cam follower has a T-shaped cross-sectional profile.

13. A hinge mechanism as recited in claim 9, wherein the hinge mechanism attaches a support component to a computing device to enable the computing device to be positioned in different orientations relative to an adjacent surface.

14. A hinge mechanism as recited in claim 13, wherein the computing device includes a display, and wherein the different orientations present the display at different angles relative to the adjacent surface.

15. A device comprising:

a chassis; and

at least one hinge mechanism that attaches a support component to the chassis such that the support component is positionable via the hinge mechanism at multiple preset open positions, the hinge mechanism being configured such that if the support component is released between a first preset open position and a second open preset position, the support component snaps into one of the first present open position or the second preset open position.

16. A device as described in claim 15, wherein the hinge mechanism comprises:

a cam that attaches the support component to the hinge mechanism; and

a cam follower positioned against the cam and that applies pressure from a hinge spring against the cam, a surface profile of the cam and a surface profile of the cam follower being such that variable torque forces occur when transitioning between the preset open positions, the variable torque forces causing the support component to snap into one of the first preset open position or the second preset open position.

17. A device as described in claim 15, wherein the hinge mechanism further includes:

a cam with an inner cam surface and at least one outer cam surface; and

a cam follower positioned against the cam and that includes an inner follower surface and at least one outer follower surface,

wherein during movement of the hinge mechanism from a closed position to the first preset open position, contact between the cam and the cam follower transitions from contact between the inner cam surface and the inner follower surface, to contact between the at least one outer cam surface and the at least one outer follower surface.

18. A device as described in claim 17, wherein the at least one outer surface of the cam includes a cam catch that engages with surface features of the at least one outer follower surface to hold the support component at one or more of the first preset open position or the second preset open position.

19. A device as described in claim 17, wherein at least one of the first preset open position or the second preset open position enables the support component to support the chassis at different angles relative to an adjacent surface.

20. A device as described in claim 15, wherein a torque profile that applies to movement of the hinge mechanism between the multiple preset open positions is such that movement from the first preset open position to the second preset open position requires a higher torque applied to the support component than movement from the second preset open position to the first preset open position.