Positioning hinge

• US 6,553,625 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2001
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chung-Nan Hsieh
• Original Assignee: Chung-Nan Hsteh
• Inventors: Tai, Wen-Hao, Lin, Wen-Chi
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUTTON JR, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US10/014,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20030056327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 163/42, 163/41, 163/37, 163/38, 163/39, 361/680, 361/681, 403/119, 403/120, 379/433.13
• US Class Current: 16/342
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/082 with substantially radial friction, e.g. cylindrical friction surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1215 with a canted-coil torsion spring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/606 for electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0212 with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, i.e. folding around a first axis and rotating around a second axis perpendicular to the first

Abstract

A positioning hinge for providing pivotal positioning is disclosed.

The positioning hinge comprises a pivotal member, a pivotal base, a first torsion spring and a friction device. The friction device includes a positioning element and a slide-friction member, which are kept in a resilient friction contact with each other by means of a resilient mechanism. This enables the LCD display to be opened due to the pivoting action of the pivotal base under the results of resilience and frictional positioning. It is appreciated that the above features advantageously result in an appropriate reduction in the opening speed of the LCD display while at the same time obtaining a steady frictional pivotal positioning, thereby prolonging the working life of the positioning hinge.

Claims

1. A positioning hinge for pivoting between a main unit and an LCD display, comprising:

a pivotal member having a mounting end and a rotary shaft, wherein the mounting end is mounted on the main unit, and the rotary shaft has a rotary axis;

a pivotal base having a mounting part mounted on the display, and a first support through which the rotary shaft passes;

wherein the pivotal base is rotatable between a first position and a second position about the pivotal member;

a first torsion spring biasedly provided around the rotary shaft, the first torsion spring having a first and a second ends biasing against the pivotal member and the pivotal base, respectively, thereby providing a torsion force to allow the pivotal member to rotate with respect to the pivotal base;

a friction device comprising;

a positioning element having a friction surface and a through hole, wherein the friction surface generally shapes as a cam sidewall surrounding the rotary axis, and wherein the through hole allows the positioning element to be non-rotatably installed around the rotary shaft;

a resilient compression member comprising a slide-friction member and a resilient mechanism, wherein the slide-friction member has a longitudinal axis supported by the pivotal base and the resilient mechanism biases the slide-friction member between the pivotal base and the friction surface of the positioning element, so that, when the pivotal base is rotated, the slide-friction member will move along its longitudinal axis depending upon the contour of the friction surface and the biasing of the resilient mechanism;

wherein the pivotal member, pivotal base, first torsion spring and friction device are secured to the rotary shaft from a free end of the rotary shaft.

2. The positioning hinge as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pivotal member is formed with a notch for receiving the first end of the first torsion spring.

3. The positioning hinge as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pivotal member further comprises a notch-type mounting ring for receiving the first end of the first torsion spring.

4. The positioning hinge as set forth in claim 1, wherein the free end is coupled to a washer or a nut to facilitate the pivotal member, pivotal base, first torsion spring and friction device being secured thereto.

5. The positioning hinge as set forth in claim 1, wherein the resilient mechanism consists of at least one resilient washer.

6. The positioning hinge as set forth in claim 5, wherein the resilient washer has a slit.

7. The positioning hinge as set forth in claim 5, wherein the resilient washer is in an arc shape or in a wavy shape.

8. The positioning hinge as set forth in claim 5, wherein the resilient washer includes a spiral spring.

9. The positioning hinge as set forth in claim 1, wherein the resilient mechanism consists of at least one disk spring.

10. The positioning hinge as set forth in claim 9, wherein the disk spring has a slit.

11. The positioning hinge as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pivotal base further comprises a second through which the rotary shaft passes, said second support being substantially symmetrical, parallel to and spaced from the first support.

12. The positioning hinge as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a second torsion spring opposite the first torsion spring, wherein two ends of the second torsion spring bias against the pivotal member and the pivotal base, respectively.

13. The positioning hinge as set forth in claim 1, wherein the slide-friction member further comprises a tuning device, said tuning device coupling with the pivotal base for restricting the axial movement of the slide-friction member.

14. The positioning hinge as set forth in claim 13, wherein the tuning device consists of a threaded portion formed on the slide-friction member and a nut mating with the slide-friction member.