Biaxial Hinge and Terminal Device Using the Same

• US 20150227175A1
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kem HongKong Limited
• Original Assignee: Kem HongKong Limited
• Inventors: MOTOSUGI, Hideki
• Granted Patent: US 9,778,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683

Abstract

A biaxial hinge which can meet the requirement that the first and the second casings should be able to keep a stable stopping state at any opening and closing angle within the 360 degrees range. A first hinge shaft attached to a first casing of a terminal device is coupled in parallel to a second hinge shaft attached to a second casing by way of multiple joint parts, a first module for selectively restricting rotation and a second module for selectively restricting rotation are provided for selectively allowing the first hinge shaft and the second hinge shaft to rotate, and a first slide plate and a second slide plate are used for the first module for selectively restricting rotation and the second module for selectively restricting rotation.

Claims

1. A biaxial hinge for allowing a first casing and a second casing to open and close relative to each other, comprising

a first hinge shaft provided on said first casing being coupled in parallel to a second hinge shaft provided on said second casing, said hinge shafts being thereby respectively rotatable;

a first means for selectively restricting rotation and a second means for selectively restricting rotation being provided between said first hinge shaft and said second hinge shaft, said hinge shafts being thereby selectively rotatable;

said first means for selectively restricting rotation comprising,

a first slide plate comprising a first locking portion movably provided in a radial direction of said first hinge shaft and said second hinge shaft, said first hinge shaft and said second hinge shaft passing through said first locking portion;

a first locking cam member attached to said first hinge shaft so as to be rotatable together with said first hinge shaft, said first locking cam member engaging with said first locking portion or not, depending on a rotation angle of said first hinge shaft; and

a second locking cam member attached to said second hinge shaft so as to be rotatable together with said second hinge shaft, said second locking cam member engaging with said first locking portion or not, depending on a rotation angle of said second hinge shaft;

said second means for selectively restricting rotation comprising,

a second slide plate comprising a second locking portion movably provided in a radial direction of said first hinge shaft and said second hinge shaft, said first hinge shaft and said second hinge shaft passing through said second locking portion;

a third locking cam member attached to said first hinge shaft so as to be rotatable together with said first hinge shaft, said third locking cam member engaging with said first locking portion or not, depending on a rotation angle of said second hinge shaft; and

a fourth locking cam member attached to said second hinge shaft so as to be rotatable together with said second hinge shaft, said fourth locking cam member engaging with said second locking portion or not, depending on a rotation angle of said second hinge shaft,

said first hinge shaft and said second hinge shaft being rotatable by said first means for selectively restricting rotation and said second means for selectively restricting rotation in a specific sequence, said first casing and said second casing being thereby openable and closable from 0 degree in a closed state to from 360 degrees in a fully opened state.

2. The biaxial hinge according to claim 1, comprising a stopper means consisting of a first stopper means and a second stopper means,

said first stopper means comprising,

a first A bearing hole provided in a lower position of a stopper plate also functioning as a first joint member, said first hinge shaft passing through said first A bearing hole, said first hinge shaft being thereby rotatable;

a first stopper piece provided on the outside of said first A bearing hole; and

a first projection provided on said first hinge shaft, said first projection abutting against said first stopper piece or not, depending on a rotation angle of said first hinge shaft;

said second stopper means comprising,

a first B bearing hole provided in an upper position of said stopper plate also functioning as said first joint member, said second hinge shaft passing through said first B bearing hole, said second hinge shaft being thereby rotatable;

a second stopper piece provided on the outside of said first B bearing hole; and

a second projection provided on said second hinge shaft, said second projection abutting against said second stopper piece or not, depending on a rotation angle of said second hinge shaft.

3. The biaxial hinge according to claim 1, comprising a means for generating friction torque consisting of a first means for generating friction torque and a second means for generating friction torque;

said first means for generating friction torque comprising,

a first friction portion provided at the periphery of one lateral side of a third A bearing hole, said first hinge shaft rotatably passing through said third A bearing hole in a lower position of a third joint member;

a first friction washer provided next to said first friction portion, a rotation of said first friction washer being restricted by said first hinge shaft;

a second friction portion provided at the periphery of one lateral side of a fourth A bearing hole, said first hinge shaft rotatably passing through said fourth A bearing hole in a lower position of a fourth joint member;

said second means for generating friction torque comprising,

a third friction portion provided at the periphery of one lateral side of a third B bearing hole, said second hinge shaft passing through said third B bearing hole in an upper position of a third joint member;

a second friction washer provided next to said third friction portion, a rotation of said second friction washer being restricted by said second hinge shaft; and

a fourth friction portion provided at the periphery of one lateral side of a fourth B bearing hole, said first hinge shaft passing through said fourth B bearing hole in an upper position of a fourth joint member.

4. The biaxial hinge according to claim 1, comprising a means for sucking consisting of a first means for sucking and a second means for sucking,

said first means for sucking comprising,

a first A curved cam concave portion provided at the periphery of other lateral side of said fourth A bearing hole of said fourth joint member, said first hinge shaft rotatably passing through said fourth A bearing hole,

a first B curved cam concave portion provided at the periphery of other lateral side of the fourth A bearing hole of the fourth joint member, said first hinge shaft rotatably passing through said fourth A bearing hole,

a first cam follower comprising a first A curved cam convex portion and a first B curved cam convex portion on a side facing said first A curved cam concave portion and said first B curved cam concave portion, a rotation of said first cam follower being restricted by said first hinge shaft and said first cam follower being thereby attached to said first hinge shaft, and

a first elastic means for bringing said first A curved cam concave portion and said first B curved cam concave portion into a pressurized contact with said first A curved cam convex portion and said first B curved cam convex portion,

said second means for sucking comprising,

a second A curved cam concave portion provided at the periphery of other lateral side of said fourth B bearing hole of said fourth joint member, said second hinge shaft rotatably passing through said fourth A bearing hole,

a second B curved cam concave portion provided at the periphery of other lateral side of the fourth B bearing hole of the fourth joint member, said second hinge shaft rotatably passing through said fourth A bearing hole,

a second cam follower comprising a second A curved cam convex portion and a second B curved cam convex portion on a side facing said second A curved cam concave portion and said second B curved cam concave portion, a rotation of said second cam follower being restricted by said second hinge shaft and said second cam follower being thereby attached to said second hinge shaft, and

a first elastic means for bringing said second A curved cam concave portion and said second B curved cam concave portion into a pressurized contact with said first A curved cam convex portion and said first B curved cam convex portion.

5. The biaxial hinge according to claim 1, comprising a hinge case for covering a main body part extending from a stopper plate also functioning as a first joint member,

said hinge case comprising an attaching portion provided in the interior thereof, said attaching portion being detachably attached to said main body part via an attaching shaft.

6. The biaxial hinge according to claim 1, comprising a hinge case for covering a main body part extending from a stopper plate also functioning as a first joint member,

said hinge case comprising an attaching portion provided in the interior thereof, said attaching portion being detachably attached to said main body part via an attaching shaft, and

one end portion of said attaching shaft being attached to a joint member of said means for generating friction torque of said main body part, and other end portion of said attaching shaft being attached to said attaching portion of said hinge case.

7. A terminal device, comprising the biaxial hinge according to claim 1.