Dual-axes hinge part for hinged components

• US 7,580,518 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2004
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harmon, Roger W., Ady, Roger W.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN DUC
• Application Number:
  US11/000,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20060112519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• Field of Search: 379/428.01, 379/433.01, 379/433.11, 379/433.13, 455/90.3, 455/575.1, 455/573.3, 248/917, 248/928, 248/287.1, 248/276.1
• US Class Current: 379/433.13
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/10 with non-parallel pins
• 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: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0222 Foldable in two directions, i.e. using a two degree of freedom hinge

Abstract

A dual-axes hinge part (106) defines a lower hinge (132) and an upper hinge (130) of an electronic device (100). The upper hinge (130) permits a component, such as a display member (102) to pivot with respect to the hinge part (106) in a portrait mode. The lower hinge (132) permits both the display member (102) and the hinge part (106) to pivot with respect to a base (104) in a landscape mode. The axes of the hinges (130, 132) cross one another and lie in different planes. The hinge part (106) conforms to the shapes of the housing of the display member (102) and the housing of the base (104) and has no parts that project substantially beyond the boundaries of the display member (102) and the base (104). Thus, the hinge part (106) provides dual-axes functionality while not detracting from the aesthetics of the electronic device (100).

Claims

1. A hinge part of an electronic device that includes a base and a hinged component, wherein the hinge part rotatably connects the hinged component to the base, and wherein the hinge part comprises:

a first hinge member that is adapted to rotate with respect to the base, wherein the first hinge member defines a first hinge axis, encompasses a passage disposed about the first hinge axis, and further comprises a slot disposed along the first hinge axis and arranged to provide access to the passage; and

a second hinge member that is fixed to the first hinge member, wherein the second hinge member defines a second hinge axis, which is perpendicular to the first hinge axis, and wherein the second hinge axis lies in a different plane than the first hinge axis.

2. The hinge part of claim 1 further comprising a conduit formed in the hinge part to permit passage of an electrical conductor, the conduit including the passage.

3. The hinge part of claim 1, wherein the hinge part is generally L-shaped.

4. The hinge part of claim 1, wherein an opening is formed in a distal end of the first hinge member to permit an electrical conductor to pass into the hinge part.

5. The hinge pert of claim 1, wherein the second hinge part includes a pair of pivot blocks, which are spaced apart from one another in the direction of the second axis.

6. The hinge part of claim 5, wherein the pivot blocks are adapted to mate with hinge parts of the hinged component to pivotally support the hinged component.

7. The hinge part of claim 5, wherein a conduit is formed through at least one of the pivot blocks to permit passage of an electrical conductor.

8. The hinge part of claim 5, wherein each of the pivot blocks forms part of a hinge for pivotally supporting the hinged component.

9. An electronic device comprising:

a base;

a flip; and

a hinge part that rotatably connects the flip to the base, wherein the hinge part includes;

a first hinge member that is rotatably connected to the base, wherein the first hinge member defines a first hinge axis and defines a first passage disposed along and intersected by the first hinge axis;

a second hinge member that is fixed to the first hinge member, wherein the second hinge member defines a second hinge axis, which is perpendicular to the first hinge axis,

a second hinge member that is fixed to the first hinge member, wherein the second hinge member defines a second hinge axis, which is perpendicular to the first hinge axis,

wherein the second hinge axis lies in a different plane than the first hinge,

wherein the second hinge member defines a second passage that is disposed along and intersected by the second hinge axis, the first and second passage included in a conduit through the hinge part, and

wherein the hinge part is constructed to allow the flip to pivot with respect to the base about both the first hinge axis and the second hinge axis.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein the conduit further comprises a connecting passage traversing within the hinge part between the first passage and the second passage, the conduit formed in the hinge part to permit passage of an electrical conductor that extends between the base and the flip.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 wherein the connecting passage includes a portion disposed at an angle of less than 90 degrees relative to the first hinge axis.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the hinge part is generally L-shaped.

13. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein a first hinge opening is formed in a distal end of the first hinge member to permit an electrical conductor to pass into the hinge part from the base.

14. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the second hinge member includes a pair of pivot blocks, which are spaced apart from one another in the direction of the second axis.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the pivot blocks are pivotally coupled to the flip.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the conduit is formed through at least one of the pivot blocks to permit an electrical conductor to pass from the hinge part to the flip.

17. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein each of the pivot blocks forms part of a hinge for pivotally supporting a proximal end of the flip.

18. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein an opening is formed in a distal end of the first hinge member to permit an electrical conductor to pass into the hinge part.

19. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the electronic device includes a housing, and the housing includes a right-angled corner, and the hinge part is located to conform with the right-angled corner such that the hinge part does not substantially project beyond the housing.

20. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the electronic device is a mobile telephone and wherein the mobile telephone includes a housing, and the housing includes a right-angled corner between a side of the telephone and an end of the telephone, and the hinge part is located to conform to the right-angled corner such that the first hinge member extends along and conforms to a side of the phone and the second hinge member extends along and conforms to an end of the telephone such that the hinge part does not substantially project beyond the housing.

21. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the flip is a display member that includes a display.

22. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the base includes a keypad.