Swivel hinge and portable terminal using the same

• US 7,356,881 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2004
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Im, Sang-Hyuk, Park, Ji-Sung, Kang, Kwon-Jin, Oh, Red-Heat
• Primary Examiner(s): Engle; Patricia
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US10/784,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20050005400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 163/67, 163/71.X, 163/20, 163/61, 163/42, 163/63, 292/DIG.17, 292/251.5, 455/575.3, 455/575.1
• US Class Current: 16/367
• 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 swivel hinge can have a first hinge section and a second hinge section coupled to the first hinge section to rotate in a direction perpendicular to the first hinge section. The first and second hinge sections can include first and second magnets configured to relatively position the first and second hinge sections with respect to each other. The swivel can include a stopper engagement section provided at one end of a second hinge shaft to rotate together with the second hinge shaft and a stopper having a surface facing a locking surface of the stopper engagement section to restrict rotation of the second hinge section. The stopper can allow the locking surface of the stopper engagement section to freely rotate when the first hinge section rotates by a predetermined angle. The swivel hinge can operate in a portable terminal.

Claims

1. A swivel hinge, comprising:

a first hinge section configured to rotate about a first hinge shaft;

a second hinge section coupled to the first hinge section and configured to rotate about a second hinge shaft, wherein the second hinge shaft is substantially perpendicular to the first hinge shaft;

first and second magnets correspondingly provided at the first and second hinge sections, respectively, wherein a force is created between the first and second magnets when the first and second hinge sections are positioned in a predetermined relationship;

a stopper engagement section provided at the second hinge section to rotate together with the second hinge shaft; and

a stopper provided at the first hinge section, wherein the stopper prevents rotation of the second hinge section but allows the second hinge section to rotate after the first hinge section has rotated by a predetermined angle around the first hinge shaft.

2. The swivel hinge of claim 1, wherein the predetermined relationship is positioned parallel to each other.

3. The swivel hinge of claim 1, wherein the second hinge section is rotatably installed at one side of the first hinge section, and wherein the second hinge shaft is moved together with the first hinge section when the first hinge section rotates about the first hinge shaft.

4. The swivel hinge of claim 1, wherein the first magnets are located on both opposite ends of the first hinge section at positions spaced apart from the second hinge shaft, and wherein the second magnets are located on both opposite ends of the second hinge section at positions spaced apart from the second hinge shaft.

5. The swivel hinge of claim 1, wherein the first magnet comprises a first plurality of magnets and two or more magnets are installed at each end of the first hinge section and the second magnet comprises a second plurality of magnets and two or more magnets are installed at each end of the second hinge section.

6. The swivel hinge of claim 1, wherein the first magnet is formed at opposite end portions of a body plate of the first hinge section and the second magnet is formed at opposite side portions of a connecting plate of the second hinge section by magnetizing the portions of the body plate and the connecting plate, respectively.

7. A portable terminal comprising:

a first section;

a second section coupled to one end of the first section and having a display;

a first hinge section rotatably coupled to the first section;

a second hinge section rotatably coupled to the second section, wherein the second hinge section is coupled to the first hinge section, and wherein the second hinge rotates in a direction different than the first hinge;

first and second magnets provided at the first and second sections, respectively, wherein the first and second magnets operate to urge the first and second hinge sections to a position parallel to each other;

a stopper engagement section provided at the second hinge section to rotate together with the second hinge shaft; and

a stopper provided at the first hinge section, wherein the stopper prevents rotation of the second hinge section but allows the second hinge section to rotate after the first hinge section has rotated by a predetermined angle around the first hinge shaft.

8. The portable terminal of claim 7, wherein an attractive force is created between the first and second magnets when the first and second hinge sections are positioned in parallel to each other.

9. The portable terminal of claim 7, wherein the first magnet comprises a first plurality of magnets and two or more magnets are installed at both lateral edges of an upper side of the first section and the second magnet comprises a second plurality of magnets and two or more magnets are installed at both lateral edges of a lower side of the second section corresponding to the first magnets.

10. The portable terminal of claim 7, wherein the second hinge section is rotatably installed at one side of the first hinge section, and wherein the second hinge section is rotated together with the first hinge section when the first hinge section rotates about a first hinge axis.

11. The portable terminal of claim 7, wherein the first magnets are located on both opposite ends of the first hinge section at positions spaced apart from a second hinge shaft, and wherein the second magnets are located on both opposite ends of the second hinge section at positions spaced apart from the second hinge shaft.

12. The portable terminal of claim 7, wherein the first magnets are formed at opposite end portions of a body plate of the first hinge section and the second magnets are formed at opposite end portions of a connecting plate of the second hinge section by magnetizing the portions of the body plate and the connecting plate, respectively.

13. The portable terminal of claim 7, wherein the direction of rotation of the second hinge is substantially perpendicular to the first hinge rotation.

14. A swivel hinge comprising:

a first hinge section configured to rotate about a first hinge shaft;

a second hinge section coupled to the first hinge section and configured to rotate about a second hinge shaft, wherein the second hinge shaft extends in a direction perpendicular to the first hinge shaft;

a stopper engagement section provided at the second hinge section to rotate together with the second hinge shaft; and

a stopper provided at the first hinge section, wherein the stopper prevents rotation of the second hinge section but allows the second hinge section to freely rotate after the first hinge section has rotated by a predetermined angle around the first hinge shaft, wherein the stopper has a guide surface for allowing the stopper engagement section to rotate, and the guide surface of the stopper has a height allowing lower portions of the surfaces of the stopper engagement section along the length to pass beyond the guide surface when the first hinge section rotates by a predetermined angle, and wherein the guide surface is divided into a horizontal surface and an inclined surface, and an inclination angle of the inclined surface is in a range of more than 0° and

not more than 60°

.

15. The swivel of claim 14, wherein the stopper engagement section has an elongated plate shape with a length greater than a width and surfaces of sides of the stopper engagement section along the length contact the stopper to prevent rotation of the second hinge section when the first hinge section has not been rotated by the predetermined angle around the first hinge shaft.

16. The swivel of claim 14, wherein the first hinge section has a body plate provided at both ends thereof with the first hinge shaft having a cylindrical shape, and wherein the second hinge section has a connecting plate provided with the second hinge shaft rotatably coupled to the body plate.

17. A portable terminal comprising:

a main body section;

a folder section coupled to the main body section and movable from an open position where the folder section is shifted away from the main body section to a closed position where the folder section is adjacent to the main body section;

a first hinge section rotatably coupled to the main body section;

a second hinge section coupled to the folder section, wherein the second hinge section is rotatably coupled to the first hinge section, and wherein the second hinge section rotates about a second hinge shaft extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to a first hinge shaft;

a stopper engagement section provided along the second hinge shaft to rotate together with the second hinge shaft; and

a stopper configured to restrict movement of the stopper engagement section, wherein the stopper is affixed to the main section between a pair of rotation guide members,

wherein the stopper is fixed to the main body section to restrict the second hinge section from freely rotating until the first hinge section rotates by a predetermined angle from the closed position.

18. The portable terminal of claim 17, wherein the stopper engagement section has an elongated plate shape with a length greater than a width and locking surfaces of the engagement section are at least one side of the stopper engagement section.

19. The portable terminal of claim 17, wherein the stopper is formed at an upper portion of the main body section with a guide surface parallel to an upper surface of the main body section, and wherein the guide surface is positioned below the stopper engagement section when the guide surface is parallel to a lower surface of the stopper engagement section.

20. The portable terminal of claim 19, wherein the guide surface of the stopper is divided into a horizontal surface and an inclined surface, and wherein an inclination angle of the inclined surface is in a range of more than 0°

and riot more than 60°

.

21. The portable terminal of claim 19, wherein the stopper is provided at one end of a click hinge installed by passing through a center of the first hinge shaft of the first hinge section, and a fixing section is provided at one end of the click hinge for fixing the stopper to the main body section.

22. The portable terminal of claim 17, comprising:

first and second magnets correspondingly provided at first and second hinge sections, respectively, wherein an attractive force is created between the first and second magnets when the first and second hinge sections are positioned in parallel to each other.

23. A portable terminal comprising:

a main body section;

a folder section coupled to the main body section and movable from an open position where the folder section is shifted away from the main body section to a closed position where the folder section is adjacent to the main body section;

a first hinge section rotatably coupled to the main body section;

a second hinge section coupled to the folder section, wherein the second hinge section is rotatably coupled to the first hinge section, and wherein the second hinge section rotates about a second hinge shaft extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to a first hinge shaft;

a stopper engagement section provided along the second hinge shaft to rotate together with the second hinge shaft;

a stopper configured to restrict movement of the stopper engagement section, wherein the stopper is fixed to the main body section to restrict the second hinge section from freely rotating until the first hinge section rotates by a predetermined angle from the closed position; and

first and second magnets provided at the first and second hinge sections, respectively, wherein an attractive force is created between the first and second magnets when the first and second hinge sections are positioned in parallel to each other.