Hinge device

• US 6,175,990 B1
• Filed: 10/05/1998
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Katoh Electrical Machinery Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Katoh Electrical Machinery Company Limited
• Inventors: Kato, Hideo, Fujita, Oriya
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US09/166,407
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 163/03, 163/41, 163/34, 379/433
• US Class Current: 16/334
• 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: 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: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge

Abstract

In order to fabricate a hinge device for opening and closing an opening and closing member which is opened and closed one-sidedly or relatively in respect of a main body of the device in a small size, with a structure as simple as possible and inexpensively, the device is constituted by a shaft installed with a flange portion at one end portion thereof, a fixing member having a rotational lock which is engaged with other end portion of the shaft such that the fixing member does not come of f the other end portion and fixed to one connecting portion of the opening and closing member which is constituted to be rotatable along with the shaft, a fixed cam having a rotational lock which is fixed to other connecting portion of the opening and closing member while rotatably inserting the rotating shaft through a central portion thereof on a side of the flange portion of the rotating shaft, a rotary sliding cam which is installed between the fixed cam and the fixing member, engaged with the shaft inserted through a central portion thereof, is rotatable along with the shaft and slidable in the axial direction and a compression spring elastically installed between the rotary sliding cam and the fixing member by being wound around the shaft in which the fixed cam is installed with a pair of cam portions at opposed positions at one side face thereof and the rotary sliding cam is installed with projected portions which are brought into press contact with the cam portions of the fixed cam.

Claims

1. A hinge device for opening and closing an opening and closing member which is opened or closed one-sidedly or relatively in respect of a main body of the device, said hinge device comprising:

a shaft having a flange portion at one end thereof, a deformed shaft portion at a central portion thereof, and an engaging groove for attaching an engaging ring and a peripheral groove at other end thereof;

a fixing member having a rotational lock means which is fixed to a stepping hole of one connecting portion of the opening and closing member, the fixing member having a stepping hole which is engaged with the shaft such that the fixing member is prevented from coming off from the shaft;

a fixed cam having a rotational lock means which is fixed to an attaching hole of other connecting portion of the opening and closing member, the fixed cam also having a stepping hole which is rotatably inserted with the shaft and engaged with the flange portion;

a rotary sliding cam between the fixed cam and the fixing member, engaged with the shaft inserted through a central portion thereof and rotatable along with the shaft and slidable in an axial direction;

a compression spring elastically installed between the rotary sliding cam and the fixing member by being wound around the shaft; and

an E-ring fitted to a peripheral groove of the fixing member side of the shaft and engaged with a small diameter hole of one connecting portion of the opening and closing member;

the fixed cam having a pair of cam portions at opposed positions on one side face thereof and the rotary sliding cam having projected portions which are brought into pressing contact with the cam portions of the fixed cam.

2. A hinge device for opening and closing an opening and closing member which is opened and closed one-sidedly or relatively in respect of a main body of the device, said hinge device comprising:

a shaft made of a synthetic resin, the shaft having a flange portion at one end thereof, a deformed shaft portion at a central portion thereof, an engaging groove for attaching an engaging ring, and a peripheral groove at other end thereof;

a fixing member made of a synthetic resin having a rotational lock means which is fixed to a stepping hole of one connecting portion of the opening and closing member, the fixing member having a stepping hole which is engaged with the shaft such that the fixing member is prevented from coming off from the shaft;

a fixed cam having a rotational lock means a central portion of which is fixed to an attaching hole of other connecting portion of the opening and closing member, the fixed cam also having a stepping hole which is rotatably inserted with the shaft and engaged with the flange portion;

a rotary sliding cam made of a synthetic resin which is opposed to the fixed cam, engaged with the deformed shaft portion of the shaft and attached slidably in an axial direction;

a compression spring elastically installed between the rotary sliding cam and the fixing member by being wound around the shaft; and

an E-ring fitted to a peripheral groove of a fixing member side of the shaft and engaged with a small diameter hole of one connecting portion of the opening and closing member;

the fixed cam having cam portions at one side face thereof and the rotary sliding cam having a plurality of projected portions which are brought into pressing contact with the cam portions.

3. A hinge device for connecting a transmitting unit and a receiving unit of a portable telephone to each other, said hinge device comprising:

a shaft having a flange portion at one end thereof, a deformed shaft portion at a central portion thereof, an engaging groove for attaching an engaging ring, and a peripheral groove at other end thereof;

a fixing member having a rotational lock means which is fixed to a stepping hole of one connecting portion of the transmitting unit and the receiving unit, the fixing member having a stepping hole which is engaged with the shaft such that the fixing member is prevented from coming off from the shaft;

a fixed cam having a rotational lock means which is rotatably inserted with the shaft at an insertion hole installed in the axial direction of a central portion thereof at said other end of the shaft, locked by the flange portion of the shaft and fixedly contained in a containing hole installed in the axial direction of a connecting portion of either of the transmitting unit and the receiving unit to which the fixing member is not fixed;

a rotary sliding cam between the fixed cam and the fixing member, engaged with the shaft inserted through a central portion thereof, and rotatable along with the shaft and slidable in the axial direction;

a compression spring elastically installed between the rotary sliding cam and the fixing member by being wound around the shaft; and

an E-ring fitted to a peripheral groove of a fixing member side of the shaft and engaged with a small diameter hole of one connecting portion of either of the transmitting unit and the receiving unit;

the fixed cam having cam portions at one side face thereof and the rotary sliding cam having projected portions which are brought into pressing contact with the cam portions.