Dual-directional hinge

• US 7,017,235 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shin ZU Shing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Shin ZU Shing Company Limited
• Inventors: Chien, Hsiang-Chi, Lu, Sheng-Nan
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrett, Suzanne Dino
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US10/682,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20050076474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 162/80, 163/02, 162/87, 162/97, 162/82, 162/92, 163/66.X, 163/67, 163/77, 361/681, 361/683, 248/922, 248/917, 248/284.1
• US Class Current: 16/367
• 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: 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 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0212 with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, i.e. folding around a first axis and rotating around a second axis perpendicular to the first
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/917 Video display screen support

Abstract

A dual-directional hinge for a portable device with a body and a monitor such as a mobile phone, a notebook computer or a PDA is disclosed. The hinge is composed of a first supporting member, a second supporting member, a seat, a vertical pin and a horizontal pintle. The first supporting member is mounted on the monitor and is rotatably mounted on the second supporting member by the vertical pin. The second supporting member and the seat are mounted rotatably on the body by the horizontal pintle. Thus, the monitor can be turned about the horizontal pintle to be raised from the body, and can be turned left or right about the vertical pin to change the horizontal viewing angle.

Claims

1. A dual-directional hinge comprising:

a first supporting member having a first upright arm, a first lateral arm perpendicular to the first upright arm and a non-circular opening defined through the first lateral arm;

a vertical pin with a non-circular cross section extending through the non-circular opening of the first supporting member and having a distal end;

a C-clip fastened at the distal end away from the first supporting member;

a second supporting member having a second upright arm, a second lateral arm perpendicular to the second upright arm, the second lateral arm having a distal end and a circular opening defined through the second lateral arm wherein the vertical pin extends through the circular opening to enable the first supporting member along with the vertical pin to rotate about the second supporting member;

a seat having a third lateral arm mounted on the distal end of the second lateral arm, a third upright arm perpendicular to the third lateral arm, a circular hole defined through the third upright arm and two notches defined at two sides of the circular hole;

a horizontal pintle having a flange having a distal end and a proximal end, a first part formed on the distal end of the flange, rotatably extending through the circular hole of the seat and having a distal end, a non-circular shaft formed on the distal end of the first part and a circular shaft portion formed on an end of the non-circular shaft portion, a second part formed on the proximal end of the flange, a shaft clip fastened to the distal end of the first part, a third washer having two ears located respectively in the notches, a positioning disk mounted around the non circular shaft portion, a second resilient member, and a fourth washer each in turn provided between the seat and the shaft clip.

2. The dual-directional hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the third washer has at least one protrusion formed on a surface facing the positioning disk and the positioning disk;

the positioning disk has a surface facing the third washer and multiple detents defined in the surface facing the third washer to hold the at least one protrusion.

3. The dual-directional hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the vertical pin has a first washer mounted around the vertical pin between the first supporting member and second supporting member; and

the second supporting member has two detents defined at and protruding radially out from diametrically opposite sides of the circular opening, a positioning ring mounted adjacent to the circular opening around the vertical pin, an external edge and two protrusions formed at two diametrically opposite sides of the external edge of the positioning ring selectively engaging the detents protruding from the circular opening, a first resilient member mounted around the vertical pin between the c-clip and the positioning ring and a second washer mounted around the vertical pin between the first resilient member and the positioning ring.

4. The dual-directional hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the first supporting member has a first lug and a second lug formed on the first lateral arm and symmetrically at two diametrically opposite sides of the non-circular opening; and

the second supporting member has a third lug formed on the second lateral arm and aligned with the second lug.

5. The dual-directional hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second supporting member further has a tube rotatably mounted in the second upright arm.