Portable computer display tilt/swivel mechanism and method

• US 6,275,376 B1
• Filed: 10/18/1999
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Moon, Joung-Nam
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, HUNG V
• Application Number:
  US09/419,775
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 361/680, 361/681, 361/724-727, 361/679, 361/683, 345/168, 345/169, 345/905, 400/489, 400/682, 400/691-693, 312/208.1, 312/208.4, 341/22, 364/708.1
• US Class Current: 361/679.06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/162 changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user
• 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: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling

Abstract

A portable computer having a hinge assembly which allows the cover and display screen to be tilted from the base of the portable computer and then swivelled about a vertical axis. The hinge assembly can include a stopper to limit the amount of tilt and swivel. The cover of the portable computer can be tilted backwards from a closed position to 135° and swivelled 182° from a straight-forward position in a clockwise direction.

Claims

1. A portable computer, comprising:

a base;

a cover incorporating a display screen;

a hinge assembly connecting said cover and said base, said hinge assembly including a first shaft horizontally oriented relative to said base and a second shaft oriented perpendicularly relative to said first shaft, said hinge assembly being rotatively movable about two axes of rotation to permit said cover to tilt about a first axis of rotation and to swivel about a second axis of rotation relative to said base; and

a cable connecting said cover and said base electrically arranged to pass along and be wound about said hinge assembly.

2. The portable computer of claim 1, further comprised of said hinge assembly comprising:

a pair of first blocks respectively located at opposing ends of said first shaft, said pair of first blocks coupling said first shaft to said base and permitting said cover to tilt about said first axis of rotation;

a second block connecting said first shaft and permitting said cover to swivel about said second axis of rotation; and

a support provided within said cover coupled to said second block by said second shaft to support said cover.

3. The portable computer of claim 2, further comprised of said portable computer further including a panel assembly protecting and enclosing said second block, said panel assembly being located between said base and said cover.

4. The portable computer of claim 2, further comprised of said cable including a U-shaped bent at a point where said cable changes a direction of orientation from said second shaft to said first shaft.

5. The portable computer of claim 2, further comprised of said cable including a first part, a second part, a third part, and a fourth part, said first part and said third part being oriented horizontally relative to said base when said cover is oriented perpendicularly to said base in an open position, and said second part and said fourth part being oriented vertically relative to said base when said cover is oriented perpendicularly to said base in an open position, said cable being arranged to pass along said second shaft and a part of said cable being wound about said second shaft until a bent of said cable reaches said second shaft, said bent being positioned at a point where said cable changes a direction of orientation from said second shaft to said first shaft, said third part of said cable being folded so that said third part of said cable is positioned behind and along said first shaft as viewed from a front direction relative to said base, said fourth part of said cable being rotatively wound in part about said first shaft.

6. The portable computer of claim 4, further comprised of said cable being divided into two separate lines at a middle portion of said cable and then folded to couple said cable to said hinge assembly.

7. The portable computer of claim 5, further comprised of said bent including a U-shaped bent at said point where said cable changes a direction of orientation from said second shaft to said first shaft.

8. The portable computer of claim 5, further comprised of said cable being divided into two separate lines at a middle portion of said cable and then folded to couple said cable to said hinge assembly.

9. A portable computer, comprising:

a base;

a cover incorporating a display screen;

a hinge assembly connecting said cover and said base, said hinge assembly including a first shaft horizontally oriented relative to said base and a second shaft oriented perpendicularly relative to said first shaft, said hinge assembly being rotatively movable about two axes of rotation to permit said cover to tilt about a first axis of rotation and to swivel about a second axis of rotation relative to said base; and

a cable connecting said cover and said base electrically arranged to pass along and be wound about said hinge assembly, said cable including a first part, a second part, a third part, and a fourth part, said first part and said third part being oriented horizontally relative to said base when said cover is oriented perpendicularly to said base in an open position, and said second part and said fourth part being oriented vertically relative to said base when said cover is oriented perpendicularly to said base in an open position, said cable being arranged to pass along said second shaft and a part of said cable being wound about said second shaft until a bent of said cable reaches said second shaft, said bent being positioned at a point where said cable changes a direction of orientation from said second shaft to said first shaft, said third part of said cable being folded so that said third part of said cable is positioned behind and along said first shaft as viewed from a front direction relative to said base, said fourth part of said cable being rotatively wound in part about said first shaft.

10. The portable computer of claim 9, further comprised of said bent including a U-shaped bent at said point where said cable changes a direction of orientation from said second shaft to said first shaft.

11. The portable computer of claim 9, further comprised of said cable being divided into two separate lines at a middle portion of said cable and then folded to couple said cable to said hinge assembly.

12. The portable computer of claim 9, further comprised of said portable computer further including a panel assembly protecting and enclosing said first shaft, said panel assembly being located between said base and said cover.

13. The portable computer of claim 9, further comprised of said cable being connected to a system unit located in said base.

14. The portable computer of claim 9, further comprised of said fourth part of said cable being connected to a system unit located in said base.

15. A portable computer, comprising:

a base;

a cover incorporating a display screen;

a hinge assembly connecting said cover and said base, said hinge assembly including a fixing shaft and a rotation shaft coupled to the fixing shaft, the rotation shaft being capable of tilting and swiveling; and

a cable connecting said base and said cover electrically arranged to pass along and be wound about said hinge assembly.

16. The portable computer of claim 15, further comprised of said hinge assembly comprising:

a pair of fixing members located at opposing ends of said fixing shaft, said pair of fixing members being coupled to said base to fix said fixing shaft;

a rotation block coupled to said rotation shaft, said rotation block including a pair of tilting members allowing the rotation shaft to be freely tilted within a predetermined regular angle; and

a support provided within said cover and supported by said rotation shaft.

17. A method for forming a tilt and swivel assembly for a portable computer, comprising the steps of:

providing a base;

providing a cover incorporating a display screen;

connecting said cover and said base by a hinge assembly, said hinge assembly including a first shaft horizontally oriented relative to said base and a second shaft oriented perpendicularly relative to said first shaft, said hinge assembly being rotatively movable about two axes of rotation to permit said cover to tilt about a first axis of rotation and to swivel about a second axis of rotation relative to said base; and

electrically connecting said cover and said base by a cable arranged to pass along and be wound about said hinge assembly.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprised of said step of connecting said cover and said base by said binge assembly further comprising the steps of:

coupling said first shaft to said base by a pair of first blocks respectively located at opposing ends of said first shaft to permit said cover to tilt about said first axis of rotation;

connecting said first shaft by a second block to permit said cover to swivel about said second axis of rotation; and

providing a support within said cover and coupling said support to said second block by said second shaft to support said cover.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of protecting and enclosing said second block by a panel assembly, said panel assembly being located between said base and said cover.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprised of said electrically connecting step further comprising the step of providing a U-shaped bent in said cable at a point where said cable changes a direction of orientation from said second shaft to said first shaft.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprised of said electrically connecting step further comprising the steps of:

forming said cable to include a first part, a second part, a third part and a fourth part, said first part and said third part of said cable being oriented horizontally relative to said base when said cover is oriented perpendicularly to said base in an open position, and said second part and said fourth part of said cable being oriented vertically relative to said base when said cover is oriented perpendicularly to said base in an open position;

passing said cable along said second shaft and winding a part of said cable about said second shaft until a bent of said cable reaches said second shaft, said bent being positioned at a point where said cable changes a direction of orientation from said second shaft to said first shaft;

folding said third part of said cable so that said third part of said cable is positioned behind and along said first shaft as viewed from a front direction relative to said base; and

winding rotatively said fourth part of said cable in part about said first shaft.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprised of said electrically connecting step further comprising the step of dividing said cable into two separate lines at a middle portion of said cable and then folding said cable to couple said cable to said hinge assembly.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprised of connecting said cable to a system unit located in said base.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprised of connecting said fourth part of said cable to a system unit located in said base.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of protecting and enclosing said second block by a panel assembly, said panel assembly being located between said base and said cover.

26. A method for forming a tilt and swivel assembly for a portable computer, comprising the steps of:

providing a base;

providing a cover incorporating a display screen;

connecting said cover and said base by a hinge assembly, said hinge assembly including a first shaft horizontally oriented relative to said base and a second shaft oriented perpendicularly relative to said first shaft, said hinge assembly being rotatively movable about two axes of rotation to permit said cover to tilt about a first axis of rotation and to swivel about a second axis of rotation relative to said base; and

electrically connecting said cover and said base by a cable arranged to pass along and be wound about said hinge assembly, said electrically connecting step further comprising the steps of;

forming said cable to include a first part, a second part, a third part and a fourth part, said first part and said third part of said cable being oriented horizontally relative to said base when said cover is oriented perpendicularly to said base in an open position, and said second part and said fourth part of said cable being oriented vertically relative to said base when said cover is oriented perpendicularly to said base in an open position;

passing said cable along said second shaft and winding a part of said cable about said second shaft until a bent of said cable reaches said second shaft, said bent being positioned at a point where said cable changes a direction of orientation from said second shaft to said first shaft;

folding said third part of said cable so that said third part of said cable is positioned behind and along said first shaft as viewed from a front direction relative to said base; and

winding rotatively said fourth part of said cable in part about said first shaft.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of protecting and enclosing said first shaft by a panel assembly, said panel assembly being located between said base and said cover.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprised of connecting said cable to a system unit located in said base.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of protecting and enclosing said first shaft by a panel assembly, said panel assembly being located between said base and said cover.