CONTROL MECHANISM AND METHOD FOR A HYBRID HINGE FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20170068283A1
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Wei, Zhi, Liang, Xiaoguo, Feng, Cheng, Tao, Jiancheng, Zhang, Ming, Wong, Hong W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,857,848 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/082 with substantially radial friction, e.g. cylindrical friction surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/462 Electromagnets
• 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 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• 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: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A control mechanism and method for a hybrid hinge for electronic devices are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: a hybrid hinge for an electronic device, the hybrid hinge comprising: a pivot; and an auxiliary component including one or more electro-magnetic or electro-mechanical devices and a variable electrical power source, the one or more electro-magnetic or electro-mechanical devices being configured to apply a variable degree of torque force to the pivot based on a degree of electrical power supplied by the electrical power source.

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A hybrid hinge for an electronic device, the hybrid hinge comprising:

a pivot; and

an auxiliary component including one or more electro-magnetic or electro-mechanical devices and a variable electrical power source, the one or more electro-magnetic or electro-mechanical devices being configured to apply a variable degree of torque force to the pivot based on a degree of electrical power supplied by the electrical power source.

25. The hybrid hinge as claimed in claim 24 further including a mechanical component including the pivot, a lid fixture, and a base fixture, the pivot being coupled to or captured within the lid fixture and the base fixture.

26. The hybrid hinge as claimed in claim 24 wherein the auxiliary component further includes a rotation sensor coupled to the pivot to determine a degree of movement or speed of movement of the pivot.

27. The hybrid hinge as claimed in claim 24 wherein the auxiliary component is configured to apply a magnetic torque force to the pivot.

28. The hybrid hinge as claimed in claim 24 wherein the auxiliary component is configured to apply a mechanical torque force to the pivot.

29. The hybrid hinge as claimed in claim 25 wherein the mechanical component is configured to apply a torque force to the pivot by default.

30. The hybrid hinge as claimed in claim 24 wherein the degree of electrical power supplied by the electrical power source is programmatically controlled by a data processor in the electronic device.

31. The hybrid hinge as claimed in claim 24 wherein the degree of electrical power supplied by the electrical power source is based on a current user or system mode.

32. The hybrid hinge as claimed in claim 24 further including a sensor to detect an action of a user for configuring the hybrid hinge.

33. An electronic device system comprising:

a lid;

a base; and

a hybrid hinge coupling the lid with the base, the hybrid hinge including a mechanical component including a pivot, a lid fixture, and a base fixture, the pivot being coupled to or captured within the lid fixture and the base fixture; and

an auxiliary component including one or more electro-magnetic or electro-mechanical devices and a variable electrical power source, the one or more electro-magnetic or electro-mechanical devices being programmatically configured to apply a variable degree of torque force to the pivot based on a degree of electrical power supplied by the electrical power source.

34. The system as claimed in claim 33 further including a processing system to programmatically control a degree of electrical power supplied by the electrical power source.

35. The system as claimed in claim 33 wherein the auxiliary component further includes a rotation sensor coupled to the pivot to determine a degree of movement or speed of movement of the pivot.

36. The system as claimed in claim 33 wherein the auxiliary component is configured to apply a magnetic torque force to the pivot.

37. The system as claimed in claim 33 wherein the auxiliary component is configured to apply a mechanical torque force to the pivot.

38. A method comprising:

providing a hybrid hinge coupling a lid of an electronic device with a base of the electronic device, the hybrid hinge including a mechanical component including a pivot, a lid fixture, and a base fixture, the pivot being coupled to or captured within the lid fixture and the base fixture; and

an auxiliary component including one or more electro-magnetic or electro-mechanical devices and a variable electrical power source, the one or more electro-magnetic or electro-mechanical devices being configured to apply a variable degree of torque force to the pivot based on a degree of electrical power supplied by the electrical power source as programmed by a processing system of the electronic device;

detecting a user or system action related to the electronic device;

determining a current system operating mode of the electronic device associated with the detected user or system action; and

dynamically adjusting a torque force applied to the pivot of the hybrid hinge to conform with the torque force requirements for the current system operating mode.

39. The method as claimed in claim 38 wherein the auxiliary component is configured to apply a magnetic torque force to the pivot.

40. The method as claimed in claim 38 wherein the auxiliary component is configured to apply a mechanical torque force to the pivot.

41. The method as claimed in claim 38 wherein the mechanical component is configured to apply a torque force to the pivot by default.

42. The method as claimed in claim 38 wherein the degree of electrical power supplied by the electrical power source is programmatically controlled by a data processor in the electronic device.

43. The method as claimed in claim 38 wherein the degree of electrical power supplied by the electrical power source is based on a current user or system mode.

44. A non-transitory machine-useable storage medium embodying instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

detect a user or system action related to an electronic device, the electronic device having a hybrid hinge coupling a lid of the electronic device with a base of the electronic device, the hybrid hinge including a mechanical component including a pivot, a lid fixture, and a base fixture, the pivot being coupled to or captured within the lid fixture and the base fixture, the hybrid hinge including an auxiliary component including one or more electro-magnetic or electro-mechanical devices and a variable electrical power source, the one or more electro-magnetic or electro-mechanical devices being configured to apply a variable degree of torque force to the pivot based on a degree of electrical power supplied by the electrical power source as programmed by a processing system of the electronic device;

determine a current system operating mode of the electronic device associated with the detected user or system action; and

dynamically adjust a torque force applied to the pivot of the hybrid hinge to conform with the torque force requirements for the current system operating mode.

45. The machine-useable storage medium as claimed in claim 44 wherein the auxiliary component further includes a rotation sensor coupled to the pivot to determine a degree of movement or speed of movement of the pivot.

46. The machine-useable storage medium as claimed in claim 44 wherein the mechanical component further includes tensioners to apply a fixed level of torque force or drag to the pivot.

47. The machine-useable storage medium as claimed in claim 44 wherein the auxiliary component is configured to apply a magnetic torque force to the pivot.

48. The machine-useable storage medium as claimed in claim 44 wherein the auxiliary component is configured to apply a mechanical torque force to the pivot.