Hinge device for a display for rotation type mobile phone

• US 7,440,782 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2005
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cha, Moon-Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hai V
• Application Number:
  US11/185,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20060162123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/575.2, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 361/814, 162/39, 163/34
• US Class Current: 455/575.3
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/10 with non-parallel pins
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1284 with a leaf or similar spring
• 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 1/1681 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

Abstract

Disclosed is a hinge device for a display rotation type mobile phone comprising a main housing, a folder having a main display device and rotatable around a first hinge axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the length of the main housing and a connection member for rotatably connecting the folder to the main housing, said hinge device including a first hinge member; a second hinge member connected to the first hinge member which allows and restricts the rotation of the second hinge member; a swing washer interposed between the first and second hinge members to rotatably connect the second hinge member to the first hinge member and providing an elastic force acting to rotate the folder; and a swing bush engaged into the first hinge member sequentially connected to the swing washer and the second hinge member.

Claims

1. A hinge device for a rotation type mobile phone including a main housing, and a folder having a main display device and rotatable around a first hinge axis extending in a direction perpendicular to a length of the main housing, said hinge device comprising:

a connection member rotatably connecting the folder to the main housing, the connection member coupled to the folder so that the folder rotates about a second hinge axis perpendicular to the first hinge axis between a first position and a second position, the connection member having a sub-display device exposed at the first and second positions;

a first hinge member;

a second hinge member connected to the first hinge member in such a manner that allows and restricts the rotation of the second hinge member;

a swing washer interposed between the first and second hinge members to rotatably connect the second hinge member to the first hinge member and providing an elastic force acting to rotate the folder; and

a swing bush engaged into the first hinge member sequentially connected to the swing washer and the second hinge member.

2. The hinge device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connection member further has a disc-shaped mount panel provided below the sub-display device to mount the first hinge member thereunder, and wherein said folder additionally has a connection hole into which the second hinge member is fitted.

3. The hinge device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first hinge member includes:

a through hole formed at the center thereof;

a plurality of washer projections formed at equiangular intervals along an outer circumference of the through hole;

a stopper projection formed at a predetermined position on a periphery of the through hole; and

a plurality of screw connection portions formed at a periphery of the first hinge member to secure the first hinge member to the connection member by screws.

4. The hinge device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second hinge member includes:

a through hole formed at the center thereof;

a washer receiving groove formed along an outer circumference of the through hole to receive the swing washer and restrict rotation of the first hinge member;

a plurality of washer fixing holes formed at equiangular intervals on the surface of the washer receiving groove along the outer circumference of the through hole to receive washer recesses of the swing washer; and

a plurality of fixing projections formed adjacent to the washer fixing holes to be inserted and fixed into fixing holes formed on the swing washer.

5. The hinge device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said washer receiving groove includes on a surface thereof:

a first stopper portion interrupted by the stopper projection of the first hinge member where the swing washer is turned 90 degrees when the second hinge member is turned around a second hinge axis of the connection member; and

a second stopper portion interrupted by the stopper projection of the first hinge member where the swing washer is returned to its original position when the second hinge member is turned about the second hinge axis in a reverse direction.

6. The hinge device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said swing washer includes:

a plurality of washer recesses formed at equiangular intervals on a surface thereof to receive facing washer projections of the first hinge member;

a plurality of fixing holes formed adjacent to the washer recesses to receive the fixing projections of the second hinge member; and

a plurality of elastic members formed at equiangular intervals along a circumference of the swing washer to provide an elastic force acting to rotate the second hinge member.

7. The hinge device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said elastic members are plate springs each having one end fixed to the swing washer and an other end which is a free end protruding downward in the direction of the second hinge axis to apply pressure to the bottom surface of the washer receiving groove.

8. The hinge device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said plate springs are disposed symmetrically with respect to the second hinge axis.

9. The hinge device as claimed in claim 4, wherein, when the folder is turned 90 degrees around the second hinge axis, said second hinge member turns and causes the swing washer received in the washer receiving groove to be turned together until the first stopper portion is interrupted by the stopper projection of the first hinge member,

with the turning of the swing washer, the washer recesses releasing from the initially received washer projections of the first hinge member and moving to receive next washer projections and the plate springs formed at the periphery of the swing washer providing a clamping force to place the washer recesses to receive the next washer projections,

when the folder is turned 90 degrees around the second hinge axis in a reverse direction, said second hinge member and said swing washer turn together in the reverse direction until the second stopper portion is interrupted by the stopper projection of the first hinge member and the second hinge member and the swing washer return to the original positions thereof.

10. The hinge device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second hinge member further includes a plurality of screw connection portions formed at a periphery thereof to be secured to the folder by screws.

11. The hinge device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said folder, when turned about the second hinge axis, is placed in a direction perpendicular to the length of the connection member so that the connection member with the folder turned has a “

⊥

”

shape.

12. A hinge device for a rotation type mobile phone having a main housing, and a folder having a main display device and rotating about a first hinge axis, the hinge device comprising:

a connection member rotatably connecting the folder to the main housing, the connection member coupled to the folder so that the folder rotates about a second hinge axis perpendicular to the first hinge axis between a first position and a second position, the connection member having a sub-display device exposed at the first and second positions; and

a plate-type hinge module for connecting the folder to the connection member and including predetermined parts for performing both rotation and stopper functions.