Opening-closing device

• US 7,832,056 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2007
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kudo, Yasuchika, Kuwajima, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Batson; Victor
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morgan; Emily M
• Application Number:
  US11/937,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 162/82, 162/87, 162/88, 162/94, 163/02, 16366-370, 163/30, 163/71, 163/74, 163/77, 163/54, 163/87, 361/679.06, 361/679.22, 361/679.27, 361/679.3, 361/683, 379/433.11, 379/433.13, 455/575.3
• US Class Current: 16/354
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/122 Gear hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/606 for electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0226 Hinges

Abstract

An opening-closing device includes a fixed gear of a fixed body, a conversion gear engaged with the fixed gear, a movable gear of a movable body, and a relay gear engaged with the conversion gear and with the movable gear, all of which are attached to a locking plate. The movable body can be held at a predetermined angle with respect to the fixed body by making an engaging portion in the locking plate is contacted with a locking portion in the fixed body and by making the conversion gear move to another position when the movable body is opened at the predetermined angle with respect to the fixed body. Moving the conversion gear to another position makes it possible to perform opening and closing operations in a greater angle. Thus, the opening-closing device can have a simple structure and perform a variety of opening and closing operations.

Claims

1. An opening-closing device comprising:

a fixed holder;

a fixed body connected to the fixed holder and including a fixed gear;

a movable holder;

a movable body connected to the movable holder and including a movable gear;

a conversion gear engaged with the fixed gear;

a relay gear engaged with the conversion gear and the movable gear;

a first locking plate coupled to the fixed gear, the first locking plate rotatably coupled to the fixed holder via a fixed shaft, the first locking plate further being pivotably coupled to the fixed shaft;

a first locking portion formed at one of the fixed body and the fixed holder; and

a first engaging portion projecting outwardly from the first locking plate in a radial direction of the fixed shaft, the first locking plate interacting with the first engaging portion along a radial side,

wherein when the movable holder is opened from a closed position to a first predetermined angle with respect to the fixed holder the first engaging portion engages the first locking portion such that the movable holder is not openable beyond the first predetermined angle with respect to the fixed holder unless the movable holder is partially closed from the first predetermined angle, and

when the movable holder is partially closed from the first predetermined angle the first engaging portion disengages from the first locking portion such that the movable holder is openable to a second predetermined angle greater than the first predetermined angle.

2. The opening-closing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second locking plate coupled to a center of the first locking plate, the second locking plate rotatably coupled to the movable holder via a movable shaft, the second locking plate further being pivotably coupled to the movable shaft;

a second locking portion formed at one of the movable body and the movable holder; and

a second engaging portion projecting outwardly from the second locking plate in a radial direction of the movable shaft,

wherein when the movable holder is opened from the closed position to the first predetermined angle with respect to the fixed holder the second engaging portion engages the second locking portion such that the movable holder is not openable beyond the first predetermined angle with respect to the fixed holder unless the movable holder is partially closed from the first predetermined angle, and

when the movable holder is partially closed from the first predetermined angle the second engaging portion disengages from the second locking portion such that the movable holder is openable to the second predetermined angle.

3. The opening-closing device of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined angle is about 160 degrees.

4. The opening-closing device of claim 1, wherein the second predetermined angle is about 360 degrees.

5. The opening-closing device of claim 2, wherein the first predetermined angle is about 160 degrees.

6. The opening-closing device of claim 2, wherein the second predetermined angle is about 360 degrees.

7. The opening-closing device of claim 1, wherein when the movable holder is partially closed from the first predetermined angle the first engaging portion disengages from the first locking portion such that the movable holder is openable to a second predetermined angle greater than the first predetermined angle absent the first engaging portion re-engaging the first locking portion at the first predetermined angle.

8. The opening-closing device of claim 2, wherein when the movable holder is partially closed from the first predetermined angle the second engaging portion disengages from the second locking portion such that the movable holder is openable to a second predetermined angle greater than the first predetermined angle absent the second engaging portion re-engaging the second locking portion at the first predetermined angle.

9. The opening-closing device of claim 1, wherein the first locking plate has first, second, third, and fourth holes,

the movable gear is coupled to the first locking plate via a movable shaft inserted into the movable gear and the first hole,

the relay gear is coupled to the first locking plate via a relay shaft inserted into the relay gear and the second hole,

the conversion gear is coupled to the first locking plate via a conversion shaft which is inserted into the conversion gear and is fixed to the third hole, and

the fixed gear is coupled to the first locking plate via the fixed shaft inserted into the fixed gear and the fourth hole, and

wherein the first hole has a larger diameter than a diameter of the movable shaft, the second hole has a non-circular shape having a larger diameter than a diameter of the relay shaft, the fourth hole has a non-circular shape having a larger diameter than a diameter of the fixed shaft such that when the movable holder is partially closed from the first predetermined angle the first locking plate moves with respect to the first locking portion so as for the first engaging portion to disengage from the first locking portion.

10. The opening-closing device of claim 2, wherein the first locking plate has first, second, third, and fourth holes,

the movable gear is coupled to the first locking plate via a movable shaft inserted into the movable gear and the first hole,

the relay gear is coupled to the first locking plate via a relay shaft inserted into the relay gear and the second hole,

the conversion gear is coupled to the first locking plate via a conversion shaft which is inserted into the conversion gear and is fixed to the third hole, and

the fixed gear is coupled to the first locking plate via the fixed shaft inserted into the fixed gear and the fourth hole, and

wherein the first hole has a larger diameter than a diameter of the movable shaft, the second hole has a non-circular shape having a larger diameter than a diameter of the relay shaft, the fourth hole has a non-circular shape having a larger diameter than a diameter of the fixed shaft such that when the movable holder is partially closed from the first predetermined angle the first locking plate moves with respect to the first locking portion so as for the first engaging portion to disengage from the first locking portion.

11. The opening-closing device of claim 10, wherein the second locking plate has fifth and sixth holes,

the movable gear is coupled to the second locking plate via the movable shaft inserted into the movable gear and the fifth hole, and

the fixed gear is coupled to the second locking plate via the fixed shaft inserted into the fixed gear and the sixth hole, and

wherein the fifth hole has a non-circular shape having a larger diameter than a diameter of the movable shaft, such that when the movable holder is partially closed from the first predetermined angle the second locking plate moves with respect to the second locking portion so as for the second engaging portion to disengage from the second locking portion.