Modular hinge for handheld electronic devices

• US 7,966,698 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Barnett, Ricky William
• Primary Examiner(s): Mah, Chuck Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/584,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20070107163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,380 Days
• Field of Search: 16337-339, 163/42, 163/30, 163/03, 163/74, 163/76, 163/77, 163/40, 163/68, 163/69, 361/679.06, 361/679.07, 361/679.11, 361/679.12, 361/679.28, 455/90.3, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.8, 379/433.12, 379/433.13, 348/373, 348/333.01, 348/333.06, 348/794, 248/919, 248/920, 248921-923
• US Class Current: 16/367
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/10 with non-parallel pins
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/12 with two parallel pins and one arm
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes

Abstract

A modular hinge for mechanically connecting first and second parts of a handheld electronic device, said modular hinge comprising at least two hinge elements, each hinge element comprising an arm and a boss with a through hole for receiving wiring for electrically connecting the first and second parts, said arm being rotatably mounted on said boss, and wherein the hinge elements are mounted on a bracket with said through holes in alignment.

Claims

1. A modular hinge assembly, comprising:

a bracket;

two hinge elements, each hinge element comprising an arm and a boss defining a through hole, at least one of which is configured for receiving wiring for electrically connecting first and second parts of a handheld electronic device, wherein said arm is rotatably mounted on said boss, and wherein the hinge elements are pivotally connected to the bracket; and

a third hinge element comprising a boss defining a through hole;

wherein the bracket comprises a C-shaped bracket which connects the three hinge elements together in the hinge module, wherein the two of the hinge elements share a first axis of rotation and the axis of rotation of the third hinge element is perpendicular to the first axis of rotation;

wherein the C-shaped bracket comprises a cross-piece and two lobes, each lobe and the cross-piece having a circular cut out portion for mounting on a respective one of the three bosses with the two bosses mounted on the lobes of the C-shaped bracket forming a pair sharing the first axis of rotation;

wherein the modular hinge comprising a further bracket, said further bracket being mounted to the third boss which does not share the first axis of rotation, thereby linking the C-shaped bracket and the further bracket;

wherein the further bracket comprises a second C-shaped bracket having a cross-piece and two lobes, each lobe and the cross-piece having a circular cut away portion for mounting the further bracket on three bosses with two of the bosses mounted on the lobes of the C-shaped bracket forming a pair sharing a common axis of rotation and the third boss being common with the third boss mounted to the first C-shaped bracket.

2. A modular hinge assembly according to claim 1, wherein each said through hole is 4 mm or larger.

3. A modular hinge assembly according to claim 1, wherein the arm of each hinge element has a circular cut out portion through which the boss extends, the circular cut out portion having an inner surface which slidably cooperates with an outer surface of the boss whereby the arm is supported on the boss and is rotatable relative to the boss.

4. A modular hinge assembly according to claim 1, wherein each hinge element further comprises an elastic member mounted on the boss for providing an urging force against a side surface of the arm to securely hold the arm on the boss.

5. A modular hinge assembly according to claim 4, wherein the elastic element is a spring.

6. A modular hinge for mechanically connecting first and second parts of a handheld electronic device, said modular hinge comprising:

two hinge elements, each hinge element comprising an arm and a boss defining a through hole for receiving wiring for electrically connecting the first and second parts, said arm being rotatably mounted on said boss, and wherein the hinge elements are connected by a bracket; and

a third hinge element comprising a boss and a through hole;

wherein the bracket comprises a C-shaped bracket which connects the three hinge elements together in the hinge module, wherein the two hinge elements share a first axis of rotation and the axis of rotation of the third hinge element is perpendicular to the first axis of rotation;

wherein the C-shaped bracket comprises a cross-piece and two lobes, each lobe and the cross-piece having a circular cut out portion for mounting the bracket on the three bosses with two of the bosses mounted on the lobes of the C-shaped bracket forming a pair sharing the first axis of rotation, the third boss mounted on the cross-piece of the C-shaped bracket and having a second axis of rotation that is perpendicular to the first axis of rotation;

wherein the modular hinge comprises comprising a further bracket, said further bracket being mounted to the third boss, thereby linking the C-shaped bracket and the further bracket; and

wherein the further bracket is a second C-shaped bracket having a cross-piece and two lobes.

7. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a first part;

a second part; and

a modular hinge mechanically connecting the first and second parts of a mobile electronic device, said modular hinge comprising;

first and second pairs of hinge elements, each hinge element comprising an arm and a boss defining a through hole for receiving wiring for electrically connecting the first and second parts, said arm being rotatably mounted on said boss; and

a bracket comprising a cross piece and four lobes, each lobe having a circular cut out portion wherein the circular cut out portions are mounted respectively on outer surfaces of the bosses,

wherein the bracket aligns the through holes of the hinge elements of the first pair of hinge elements in a first axis and aligns the through holes of the hinge elements of the second pair of hinge elements in a second axis of rotation, the first and second axes of rotation being parallel with respect to each other; and

wherein the wiring passes through the interior of the modular hinge via the through holes between the first part and the second part of the mobile electronic device.

8. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a first part;

a second part; and

a modular hinge mechanically connecting the first and second parts of a mobile electronic device, said modular hinge comprising;

a first pair of hinge elements, each hinge element comprising an arm and a boss defining a through hole for receiving wiring for electrically connecting the first and second parts, said arm being rotatably mounted on said boss;

a third hinge element comprising a boss defining a through hole; and

a bracket comprising a cross piece and two lobes, each lobe and the cross piece having a circular cut out portion wherein the circular cut out portions are mounted respectively on outer surfaces of the bosses;

wherein the first pair of the hinge elements are mounted on the lobes and the bracket aligns the through holes of the first pair of the hinge elements with a first axis of rotation and the third hinge element is mounted on the cross piece and the bracket aligns the through hole of the third hinge with a second axis of rotation perpendicular with respect to the first axis of rotation, and wherein the wiring passes through the interior of the modular hinge via the through holes between the first part and the second part of the mobile electronic device.