Multiple axis hinge assembly

• US 6,839,576 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Haley, John, Aagaard, Karsten, Lenchik, Vialty
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Persino, Raymond B.
• Application Number:
  US10/331,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20040127266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.8, 455/90.3, 455/550.1, 455/575.4, 379/433.13, D14/137, D14/138, 345/164
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0081 for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/10 with non-parallel pins
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/1066 requiring a specific angular position
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/606 for electronic devices
• 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 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0222 Foldable in two directions, i.e. using a two degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0241 using relative motion of the body parts to change the operational status of the telephone set, e.g. switching on/off, answering incoming call

Abstract

A self configuring multiple element portable electronic device (100) and method is provided. The device comprises at least a first electronic element (104) and a second electronic element (106) and a joint (112) connecting the first electronic element and the second electronic element, with the joint allowing movement in more than one plane of the first electronic element in relation to the second electronic element, wherein the self configuring multiple element portable electronic device is capable of self configuring an operational mode based on a relative position of the first electronic element with respect to the second electronic element. The first housing has a first retaining member (1406) which is engageable to a second retaining member (1408) of the second housing. The method comprises the steps of detecting a relative position of the first electronic element relative to the second electronic element, and selecting an operational mode of the device based on the relative position.

Claims

1. A portable electronic communication device, comprising:

a first housing portion and a second housing portion;

a hinge connecting said first housing portion and said second housing portion, said hinge allowing rotation of said first housing portion relative to said second housing portion about a first axis, and

said hinge allowing rotation of said first housing portion relative to said second housing portion about a second axis perpendicular to said first axis;

a first retaining portion protruding from said second housing portion, perpendicular to said second axis, and having a cylindrical shape; and

a second retaining portion of said first housing portion having a first notch forming a first opening in said first housing portion, said first notch perpendicular to said second axis, and said first notch adapted to receive said first retaining portion when said first opening of said first notch is in a plane substantially parallel to a plane of said second axis.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said notch retains said first retaining portion such that said first retaining portion is axially aligned with said first axis of rotation when said first housing portion rotates about said first axis relative to said second housing portion.

3. The device of claim 2, said notch having an inner portion surface, which is substantially uniform and forms a reciprocal shape to that of said cylindrically shaped first retaining portion.

4. The device of claim 1, said first retaining portion is disengageable from said second retaining portion when said first housing portion and said second housing portion are planarly adjacent.

5. The device of claim 4, said first retaining portion rotateably engaged to said second retaining portion when said opening of said notch and said second axis are on in parallel planes.

6. The device of claim 1,

a third retaining portion protruding from said first housing portion, perpendicular to said first axis, and having a cylindrical shape;

and

a fourth retaining portion of said second housing portion having a second notch forming a second opening in said second housing portion, perpendicular to said first axis, and adapted to receive said third retaining portion when said second opening of said second notch is in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said first axis.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said hinge comprises

an elbow joint;

a first hinge body coupled to a first end of said elbow, said first hinge body which rotates about said first axis relative to said elbow; and

a second hinge body coupled to a second end of said elbow, said second hinge body which rotates about said second axis relative to said elbow.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said first hinge body is coupled to a first side of said first housing portion, and

said second hinge body is coupled to a first side of said second housing portion which is perpendicular to said first side of said first housing portion, and wherein

said elbow is adjacent to a first corner of said first side of said first housing portion and said first side of said second housing portion.

9. A portable electronic device comprising:

a first housing portion and a second housing portion;

a hinge coupling said first housing portion and said second housing portion, said hinge allowing said first housing portion to rotate about a first axis relative to said second housing and allowing said first housing portion to rotate about a second axis relative to said second housing portion;

a first cylindrical pin disposed at a first corner of said second housing portion protruding perpendicular to said second axis of rotation; and

a second notch in a corner of said first housing portion adapted to retain said pin when said first housing portion and said second housing portion rotate about said first axis, said notch having an opening adapted to receive said pin when said first housing portion and said second housing portion are in a first position.

10. The device of claim 9, a second cylindrical pin disposed at a second corner of said first housing portion protruding perpendicular to said first axis of rotation;

and

a second notch in a second corner of said second housing portion adapted to retain said second pin when said first housing portion and said second housing portion rotate about said second axis, said second notch having a second opening adapted to receive said second pin when said first housing portion and said second housing portion are in said first position.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said first corner of said first housing portion is opposite to said second corner of said housing portion, and

wherein said first corner of said second housing portion is opposite to said second corner of said second housing portion.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said first notch radially aligns with a plane of rotation of said second axis, and wherein said second notch radially aligns with a plane of said first axis.

13. A handheld electronic device comprising:

a first housing portion;

a second housing portion;

a joint coupled to said first housing portion and said second housing portion comprising a dual axis hinge at a first corner of said first housing portion and a second corner of said second housing portion, allowing said first housing portion to rotate about a first axis and a second axis, perpendicular to said first axis, relative to said second housing portion,

wherein said joint comprises a first coupling member of said first housing and a second coupling member of said second housing adapted to receive said first coupling member, said first coupling member retained by said second coupling member in a first range of angular displacement about said first axis of said first housing and said second housing, and

wherein said first coupling member is disengageable from said second coupling member when said first housing and said second housing are not angularly displaced, and

wherein said joint comprises a third coupling member of said second housing and a fourth coupling member of said first housing adapted to receive said third coupling member, said third coupling member retained by said second coupling member in a second range of angular displacement about said second axis of said first housing and said second housing, and

wherein said third coupling member is disengageable from said fourth coupling member when said first housing and said second housing are not angularly displaced.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first coupling member is a first cylindrical pin and the second coupling member is a second cylindrical pin extending from said second housing portion.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the dual axis hinge is at a corner adjacent to said first second third and fourth coupling members.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the first coupling member is at an opposite corner of said first housing portion from said fourth coupling member, and

wherein the second coupling member is at an opposite corner of said second housing portion from said third coupling member.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the dual axis hinge is at a corner adjacent to said first second third and fourth coupling members.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the first coupling member is at an opposite corner of said first housing portion from said fourth coupling member, and

wherein the second coupling member is at an opposite corner of said second housing portion from said third coupling member.