HINGED DEVICE

• US 20180209473A1
• Filed: 01/24/2017
• Published: 07/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: PARK, Daniel C., TAZBAZ, Errol M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,253,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/105 the maintaining means acting perpendicularly to the pivot axis
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/06 with two or more pins E05D7/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/606 for electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/04 Pivotal connections hinges for doors, windows or wings E05D
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• 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 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes

Abstract

The description relates to hinged devices, such as hinged computing devices. One example can include a first portion and a second portion. The example can also include a determinative hinge assembly rotatably securing hinge ends of the first and second portions around a first hinge axis associated with the first portion and a second hinge axis associated with the second portion. The determinative hinge assembly includes a detent-priority sub-assembly that controls an order of rotation around the first and second axes with a first detent associated with the first hinge axis that has a different depth than a second detent associated with the second hinge axis.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a first portion and a second portion; and

,

a determinative hinge assembly rotatably securing hinge ends of the first and second portions for a first range of rotation around a first hinge axis defined by a first hinge pin and a second range of rotation around a second hinge axis defined by a second hinge pin, the determinative hinge assembly comprising;

a first biased member extending from the first portion that engages a first detent of a first rotation-control element disposed on the first hinge axis, the first detent having a first depth, and,

a second biased member extending from the second portion that engages a second detent of a second rotation-control element disposed on the second hinge axis, the second detent having a second depth that is different than the first depth, such that with the first and second portions positioned against one another and rotated away from one another, the first range of rotation starts around the first hinge axis until the first biased member engages the first detent and then the second range of rotation is completed around the second hinge axis before rotation returns to the first hinge axis to complete the first range of rotation.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the second detent comprises second, third and fourth detents that are spaced 90 degrees apart from one another.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein rotation starts around the first hinge axis and continues for 90 degrees until the first biased member engages the first detent.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the second biased member is engaging the second detent for the 90 degrees of rotation starting with the first and second portions positioned against one another.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein rotation of the first portion relative to the second portion from 91 degrees to 270 degrees occurs around the second hinge axis where the second biased member is rotated out of the second detent, into the third detent, out of the third detent and into the fourth detent while the first biased member stays in the first detent.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein at 271 degrees rotation of the first portion relative to the second portion, the first biased member is forced out of the first detent and rotation of the first portion relative to the second portion from 271 degrees to 360 degrees occurs around the first hinge axis.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first detent is deeper than the second detent.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the second detent comprises second, third, and fourth detents, and wherein the second, third, and fourth detents are of equal depths to one another and shallower than the first detent.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the first biased member comprises a ball shape.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the first biased member comprises a roller-shaped follower.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the first biased member comprises a male shaped element and the first detent comprises a female shaped element.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the first biased member is biased toward the first rotation-control element by a compression spring.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the determinative hinge assembly further comprises a communication member that includes the first hinge pin and the second hinge pin.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first hinge pin includes the first rotation-control element and wherein the second hinge pin includes the second rotation-control element.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the first rotation-control element is attached to the first hinge pin and wherein the second rotation-control element is attached to the second hinge pin.

16. A device, comprising:

a first portion and a second portion; and

,

a determinative hinge assembly rotatably securing hinge ends of the first and second portions, the determinative hinge assembly comprising;

a first rotation-control element that defines a first hinge axis and includes a first detent that is engaged by a first biased member of the first portion, and

a second rotation-control element that defines a second hinge axis and includes a second detent that is engaged by a second biased member of the second portion, a difference in depth between the first detent and the second detent controlling an order of rotation of the first and second portions around the first and second hinge axes.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the first detent is deeper than the second detent.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the first detent offers more resistance to rotation than the second detent.

19. A device, comprising:

a first portion and a second portion; and

,

a determinative hinge assembly rotatably securing hinge ends of the first and second portions for a first range of rotation around a first hinge axis defined by a first rotation-control element of the determinative hinge assembly and a second range of rotation around a second hinge axis defined by a second rotation-control element of the determinative hinge assembly, the determinative hinge assembly comprising a first biased member extending from the first portion that engages a first detent of the first rotation-control element and a second biased member extending from the second portion that engages a second detent of the second rotation-control element, the determinative hinge assembly controlling an order of rotation around the first and second hinge axes by the first biased member engaging the first detent to provide a first resistance to rotation around the first hinge axis and the second biased member engaging the second detent to provide a second resistance to rotation around the second hinge axis that is relatively lower than the first resistance to rotation.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the second detent comprises second, third, and fourth detents that are spaced 90 degrees apart.