Coupling device and folding electronic apparatus using the same

• US 6,857,879 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2002
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Tamotsu, Sawada, Masaki, Minami, Katsuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH TAM T
• Application Number:
  US10/123,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20020155740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 163/40, 163/42, 361/681, 361/818, 439/31, 439/164
• US Class Current: 439/31
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/10 with non-parallel pins
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1215 with a canted-coil torsion spring
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1284 with a leaf or similar spring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 35/02 Flexible line connectors without frictional contact members
• 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 hinge mechanism includes flanges 23A, 23B, and a swivel mechanism includes swiveling shaft 25. Spring 26 energizes the swiveling mechanism. Resilient repulsion of spring 26 energizes the swiveling mechanism to swivel toward either end of a swivelable range from a neutral position.

Claims

1. A coupling device for a folding electronic apparatus, said coupling device for coupling a first electronic apparatus, having first and second faces facing in opposite directions away from each other, to a second electronic apparatus of the folding electronic apparatus, said device comprising:

a hinge mechanism arranged to allow pivoting of the first electronic apparatus relative to the second electronic apparatus about a hinge axis for unfolding the folding electronic apparatus into the first electronic apparatus and the second electronic apparatus, and folding the first electronic apparatus and the second electronic apparatus into the folding electronic apparatus;

a swivel mechanism mounted to said hinge mechanism for retaining the first electronic apparatus in a swivelable way, within a predetermined swivelable range having two ends, such that the first electronic apparatus and the second electronic apparatus can be selectively folded into the folding electronic apparatus in either of a first position and a second position, the first position being with the first electronic apparatus occupying a predetermined location on the second electronic apparatus and having the first face of the first electronic apparatus facing toward the second electronic apparatus, and the second position being with the first electronic apparatus occupying said predetermined location on the second electronic apparatus and having the first face of the first electronic apparatus facing away from the second electronic apparatus; and

a torsion spring for energizing said swivel mechanism,

wherein said torsion spring is mounted to said swivel mechanism such that said torsion spring has a large torsional restoring force when the first electronic apparatus is at a middle point in the swivelable range and the restoring force of the spring lowers as the first electronic apparatus approaches either of the two ends of the swivelable range,

wherein, upon said torsion spring being released from the middle point of the swivelable range, resilient torsional repulsion of said torsion spring energizes said swivel mechanism such that the first electronic apparatus swivels toward one of the ends of the swivelable range, and

wherein said swivel mechanism is arranged for swiveling the first electronic apparatus relative to the second electronic apparatus about a swivel axis that is generally perpendicular to said hinge axis, and for selectively folding the first electronic apparatus so that said first face of the first electronic apparatus is turned outwardly, away from said second electronic apparatus or so that said first face of the first electronic apparatus is turned inwardly, toward said second electronic apparatus.

2. The coupling device of claim 1, wherein said swivel mechanism is arranged such that the predetermined swivelable range for swiveling of the first electronic apparatus is 180°

.

3. The coupling device of claim 1, wherein said swivel mechanism includes a swiveling shaft;

wherein said torsion spring for energizing said swivel mechanism is a torsion coil spring, and a first end of the torsion coil spring is retained at a movable point of the swiveling shaft, and a second end is retained at a static point of said coupling device; and

wherein both the ends of the torsion coil spring and a center of the swiveling shaft are arranged so as to be aligned when the first electronic apparatus swivels by a predetermined angle.

4. The coupling device of claim 3, wherein both the ends of the torsion coil spring and the center of the swiveling shaft are arranged so as to be aligned when the first electronic apparatus is at a middle point between a half-way point of the swivelable range and one of the two ends of the swivelable range.

5. The coupling device of claim 1, wherein said swivel mechanism includes a swiveling shaft which has a protrusion on an end portion of the shaft;

wherein said torsion spring for energizing said swiveling mechanism includes a linear section at a first end, the linear section elastically urging the protrusion of the shaft, and a second end of said torsion spring is retained stationary by said coupling device.

6. The coupling device of claim 5, wherein said torsion spring is made from elastic metal thin plate which has undergone punching and then bending process.

7. The coupling device of claim 5, wherein said torsion spring is made of resilient metal wire which has undergone bending process.

8. The coupling device of claim 5, wherein the protrusion provided on the end portion of the shaft is provided at an end face of the end portion of the shaft and includes a bowed side face to which the linear section of said torsion spring is elastically urged.

9. The coupling device of claim 5, wherein the protrusion on the end portion of the shaft is provided at a predetermined place such that said torsion spring has a largest restoring force when the first electronic apparatus is at a middle point between a half-way point of the swivelable range and one of the two ends of the swivelable range.

10. A folding electronic apparatus which connects a first electronic apparatus to a second electronic apparatus with the coupling device as defined in claim 1.

11. A coupling device for coupling a first electronic apparatus, having first and second faces facing in opposite directions away from each other, to a second electronic apparatus, having first and second faces facing in opposite directions away from each other, to form a folding electronic apparatus, said coupling device comprising:

a hinge mechanism for unfolding and folding the folding electronic apparatus by pivoting the first electronic apparatus relative to the second electronic apparatus between a closed position in which said first electronic apparatus is folded against the first face of the second electronic apparatus, and an open position in which the first electronic apparatus is unfolded away from the first face of the second electronic apparatus;

a swivel mechanism mounted to said hinge mechanism for retaining the first electronic apparatus in a swivelable way relative to the second electronic apparatus, for swiveling within a predetermined swivelable range having two ends, such that the folding electronic apparatus can selectively be manipulated into both first and second closed orientations in which the first electronic apparatus occupies the same position against the first face of the second electronic apparatus;

wherein, in said first closed orientation, said folding electronic apparatus is folded into said closed position with the first electronic apparatus so that the first face of the first electronic apparatus faces outwardly, away from the first face of the second electronic apparatus;

wherein, in said second closed orientation, said folding electronic apparatus is folded into said closed position with the first electronic apparatus oriented so that the first face of the first electronic apparatus faces inwardly, toward the first face of the second electronic apparatus,

a torsion spring for energizing said swivel mechanism;

wherein said torsion spring is mounted to said swivel mechanism such that said torsion spring has a large torsional restoring force when the first electronic apparatus is at a middle point in the swivelable range and the torsional restoring force of the spring lowers as the first electronic apparatus approaches either of the two ends of the swivelable range; and

wherein, upon said torsion spring being released from the middle point of the swivelable range, torsional resilient repulsion of said torsion spring energizes said swivel mechanism such that the first electronic apparatus swivels toward one of the ends of the swivelable range.

12. The coupling device of claim 11, wherein said swivel mechanism is arranged such that the predetermined swivelable range for swiveling of the first electronic apparatus is 180°

.

13. The coupling device of claim 11, wherein said swivel mechanism includes a swiveling shaft;

wherein said torsion spring for energizing said swivel mechanism is a torsion coil spring, and a first end of the torsion coil spring is retained at a movable point of the swiveling shaft, and a second end is retained at a static point of said coupling device; and

wherein both the ends of the torsion coil spring and a center of the swiveling shaft are arranged so as to be aligned when the first electronic apparatus swivels by a predetermined angle.

14. The coupling device of claim 13, wherein both the ends of the torsion coil spring and the center of the swiveling shaft are arranged so as to be aligned when the first electronic apparatus is at a middle point between a half-way point of the swivelable range and one of the two ends of the swivelable range.

15. The coupling device of claim 11, wherein said swivel mechanism includes a swiveling shaft which has a protrusion on an end portion of the shaft;

wherein said torsion spring for energizing said swiveling mechanism includes a linear section at a first end, the linear section elastically urging the protrusion of the shaft, and a second end of said spring is retained stationary by said coupling device.

16. The coupling device of claim 15, wherein said torsion spring is made from elastic metal thin plate which has undergone punching and then bending process.

17. The coupling device of claim 15, wherein said torsion spring is made of resilient metal wire which has undergone bending process.

18. The coupling device of claim 15, wherein the protrusion provided on the end portion of the shaft is provided at an end face of the end portion of the shaft and includes a bowed side face to which the linear section of said torsion spring is elastically urged.

19. The coupling device of claim 15, wherein the protrusion on the end portion of the shaft is provided at a predetermined place such that said spring has a largest restoring force when the first electronic apparatus is at a middle point between a half-way point of the swivelable range and one of the two ends of the swivelable range.

20. A folding electronic apparatus which connects a first electronic apparatus to a second electronic apparatus with the coupling device as defined in claim 11.