Shaft slide-locking apparatus

• US 5,178,481 A
• Filed: 12/13/1991
• Issued: 01/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawamura, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Application Number:
  US07/807,416
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 403/92, 403/91, 403/166, 403/227, 403/146, 403/147, 403/409.1, 403/95, 403/97, 403/113, 403/120, 403/145, 16/337, 16/340, 16/342, 16/341, 16/339, 411/538
• US Class Current: 403/92
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/087 with substantially axial friction, e.g. friction disks
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1078 the maintaining means acting parallel to the pivot
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/606 for electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/024 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections
• 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 1/1679 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: Y10T 403/32327 including radially spaced detent or latch component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32368 including radial interengaging tongue and slot or serrations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32819 including tension or take-up means

Abstract

A shaft slide-locking apparatus comprises a stationary shaft housing, a rotary main shaft extending through the shaft housing and rotatably disposed in the shaft housing; a movable cam axially movable on the rotary main shaft; an elastic member disposed between the movable cam and the shaft housing; and a control cam opposing the movable cam and fixed to the rotary main shaft and pushing the movable cam on the side of the shaft housing to press the elastic member towards the shaft housing and the rotary main shaft when the rotary main shaft is rotated.

Claims

1. A shaft slide-locking apparatus comprising:

a shaft housing;

a rotary main shaft extending through the shaft housing and disposed for rotational movement in the shaft housing;

a movable cam axially movable on the rotary main shaft;

an elastic member disposed between the movable cam and the shaft housing; and

control cam means fixed to the rotary main shaft for engaging the movable cam to slide the movable cam against the elastic member in response to the rotational movement of the rotary main shaft.

2. A shaft slide-locking apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a rotary body wherein the rotary main shaft has opposed ends, one end being connected to the rotary body and the other end being connected to the control cam means.

3. A shaft slide-locking apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable cam has a projection projecting in the axial direction of the rotary main shaft, and the control cam means has a plurality of cam surfaces disposed to engage the projection.

4. A shaft slide-locking apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the elastic member comprises an expandable and compressible rubber annulus.

5. A shaft slide-locking apparatus for a portable computer having a main body and a display panel that is hinged to the main body through a stationary shaft housing disposed on the main body, the shaft slide-locking apparatus comprising:

a rotary main shaft extending from the display panel through the shaft housing and rotatably disposed in the shaft housing;

a movable cam axially movable on the rotary main shaft;

an elastic member disposed between the movable cam and the shaft housing;

control cam means fixed to the rotary main shaft for engaging the movable cam to axially move the movable cam against the elastic member in response to rotational movement of the rotary main shaft.

6. A shaft slide-locking apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a rotary body wherein the rotary main shaft has opposed ends, one end being connected to the display panel and the other end being connected to the control cam means.

7. A shaft slide-locking apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the movable cam has a projection projecting in the axial direction of the rotary main shaft, and the control cam means has a plurality of cam surfaces disposed to engage the projection.

8. A shaft slide-locking apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the elastic member comprises an expandable and compressible rubber annulus.

9. A shaft slide-locking apparatus for a portable computer having a main body and a display panel that is hinged to the main body through first and second stationary shaft housings disposed on opposing sides of the main body, the shaft slide-locking apparatus comprising:

first and second rotary main shafts each extending from the display panel through one of the first and second shaft housings, each of the shafts being rotatably disposed in one of the first and second shaft housings;

first and second movable cams axially movable on each of the rotary main shafts and each having a projection extending in the axial direction of the rotary main shafts;

first and second elastic members disposed between each of the movable cams and one of the first and second shaft housings;

first and second control cam means respectively fixed to the first and second rotary main shafts, each of the control cam means having a plurality of cam surfaces disposed to engage the projections of each respective movable cams against the elastic members in response to rotational movement of the rotary main shafts.

10. A shaft slide-locking apparatus comprising:

a shaft housing having an axial guide portion;

a rotary main shaft extending through the shaft housing and disposed for rotational movement in the shaft housing;

a movable cam axially movable on the rotary main shaft, the movable cam having a groove for engagement with the guide portion of the shaft housing to prevent the movable cam from rotating;

an elastic member disposed between the movable cam and the shaft housing; and

control cam means fixed to the rotary main shaft for engaging the movable cam to axially move the movable cam against the elastic member in response to the rotational movement of the rotary main shaft.

11. A shaft slide-locking apparatus for a portable computer having a main body and a display panel that is hinged to the main body through a stationary shaft housing disposed on the main body and having an axial guide portion, the shaft slide-locking apparatus comprising:

a rotary main shaft extending from the display panel through the shaft housing and rotatably disposed in the shaft housing;

a movable cam axially movable on the rotary main shaft, the movable cam having a groove for engagement with the guide portion of the shaft housing to prevent the movable cam from rotating;

an elastic member disposed between the movable cam and the shaft housing;

control cam means fixed to the rotary main shaft for engaging the movable cam to axially move the movable cam against the elastic member in response to rotational movement of the rotary main shaft.