HINGED DEVICE

• US 20170145725A1
• Filed: 11/20/2015
• Published: 05/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: SIDDIQUI, Kabir
• Granted Patent: US 10,227,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 2005/106 with non-cylindrical portions
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/12 with two parallel pins and one arm
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 5/10 Pins, sockets or sleeves; Removable pins E05D15/522 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/20 in hinges
• 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 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• 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

The description relates to devices, such as computing devices that have hinged portions. One example can include a first portion and a second portion. This example can also include a hinge assembly and a magnetic assembly. The hinge assembly can rotatably secure the first portion to the second portion. The magnetic assembly can be positioned relative to the hinge assembly and the first and second portions that bias the first and second portions to a closed position where the first and second portions overlay one another and to an open position where the first and second portions are juxtaposed and coplanar.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a first portion and a second portion; and

,

a hinge assembly secured to a hinge end of the first portion and a hinge end of the second portion to rotatably secure the first and second portions, the hinge assembly comprising a cam, the cam configured to bring the hinge end of the first portion and the hinge end of the second portion toward one another when the device is opened and the first portion and the second portion are adjacent and coplanar, the cam further configured to extend the hinge end of the first portion and the hinge end of the second portion away from one another when the first and second portions are extended toward one another to define an oblique angle.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the cam is located in the hinge assembly, or wherein the cam is configured to move the hinge assembly into and out of one of the first and second portions during rotation.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the hinge assembly defines first and second axes of rotation and wherein the cam comprises a first cam that acts relative to the first axis of rotation and a second cam that acts relative to the second axis of rotation.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the hinge assembly comprises a first hinge sub-assembly at a first end of the first and second portions and a second hinge sub-assembly at a second end of the first and second portions.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising a spine extending between the first hinge sub-assembly and the second hinge sub-assembly.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the spine includes opposing recesses, and further comprising magnets positioned in the recesses.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising additional magnets positioned in the first and second portions that interact with the magnets to predispose the first and second portions to orient at angles of 0 degrees relative to one another, 180 degrees relative to one another, or 360 degrees relative to one another rather than intervening angles.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the hinge assembly predisposes the first and second portions to orient at angles of 0 degrees relative to one another, 180 degrees relative to one another, or 360 degrees relative to one another rather than intervening angles.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the hinge ends of the first and second portions define a recess and wherein the assembly defines first and second axes of rotation and wherein the cam comprises a first cam that acts relative to the first axis of rotation and a second cam that acts relative to the second axis of rotation.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the hinge assembly is contained in the first and second portions when the first and second portions are oriented at 180 degrees relative to one another.

11. A device, comprising:

a first portion having a major surface and a second portion having another major surface; and

,

a spine hingeably securing the first and second portions through a range of angular orientations, wherein at a closed angular orientation the first and second portions are adjacent to one another and the major surface overlays the another major surface and at an open angular orientation the major surface and the another major surface abut one another and are coplanar and the spine is contained in recesses in one or both of the first and second portions.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the spine biases the first and second portions to the closed angular orientation and the open angular orientation.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the spine includes magnets that are oriented to attract other magnets in the first and second portion to bias the first and second portions to the open orientation and wherein the other magnets in the first and second portions attract one another to bias the first and second portions to the closed orientation.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the major surface and the another major surface comprise displays.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the device further includes a processor that generates a single graphical user interface for collective presentation across the displays when the device is in the open angular orientation and separate graphical user interfaces when the device is in other orientations.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the spine is rotatably secured to a first hinge arm that is slideably secured to the first portion and rotatably secured to a second hinge arm that is slideably secured to the second portion.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the first and second hinge arms include cam surfaces that define a distance there between during rotation.

18. A device, comprising:

a first portion and a second portion;

a hinge assembly rotatably securing the first portion the second portion; and

,

a magnetic assembly positioned relative to the hinge assembly and the first and second portions that biases the first and second portions to a closed position where the first and second portions overlay one another and to a fully open position where the first and second portions are juxtaposed and coplanar.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the magnetic assembly further applies an attractive force to pull the first and second portions toward one another in the fully open position.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the attractive force pulls the first and second portions against one another in the fully open position.