Support mechanism for portable electronic device

• US 8,243,432 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2010
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FIH (Hong Kong) Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industrial Company Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: FIH (Hong Kong) Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industrial Company Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Duan, Chao, Chen, Chia-Hua
• Primary Examiner(s): Haughton, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US12/859,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20110164358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.3, 361/679.56, 361/679.59, 248/677, 248/686, 248/688, 248/188.8
• US Class Current: 361/679.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0234 Feet; Stands; Pedestals, e.g. wheels for moving casing on floor

Abstract

An exemplary support mechanism for a portable electronic device includes a seat, a button, a support member, and a hinge assembly. The seat defines a cavity. The button is received in the cavity. The support member includes a knuckle portion. The knuckle portion is received in the cavity. The button abuts against the support member. The hinge assembly connects the knuckle portion to the seat. When the button is pressed to force the hinge assembly to unlock, the hinge assembly drives the support member to rotate.

Claims

1. A support mechanism for a portable electronic device, comprising:

a seat defining a cavity;

a button received in the cavity;

a support member including a knuckle portion, the knuckle portion received in the cavity, the button abutting against the support member; and

a hinge assembly connecting the knuckle portion to the seat, the hinge assembly including a shaft, a cam, and a follower, the cam and the follower placed around the shaft, the cam non-rotatably connected to the support member, the follower non-rotatably connected to the seat, the follower including a cam surface, the cam including a latching cam surface engaging with the cam surface to rotate relative to each other along the shaft;

wherein when the button is pressed to unlock the hinge assembly, the cam automatically rotates relative to the follower, the cam rotates the support member to a predetermined position, the support member supports the weight of the portable electronic device and keeps the portable electronic device on a support surface.

2. The support mechanism of claim 1, wherein the follower is fixed to the seat.

3. The support mechanism of claim 1, wherein the seat includes a base plate and a frame, the frame is positioned on the base plate, the frame includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall and two opposite end walls, and the first, second sidewalls and the end walls cooperatively surround the cavity, the base plate defines a plurality of fastener holes configured for mounting the seat to a portable electronic device.

4. The support mechanism of claim 3, wherein the follower is integrally formed with the first sidewall.

5. The support mechanism of claim 4, wherein the follower defines a central hole, the second sidewall defines a through hole, and the central hole and the through hole are aligned with each other.

6. The support mechanism of claim 3, wherein an arm extends from one end wall, the arm includes a holding plate and a fixing plate, the holding plate is parallel to the base plate, the fixing plate perpendicularly extends from a distal end of the holding plate, and is further bent to be parallel to the base plate.

7. The support mechanism of claim 3, wherein the first, second sidewalls define a plurality of openings, a guide shaft protrudes from the base plate in the cavity, and is disposed between the openings.

8. The support mechanism of claim 7, wherein the button includes an operating portion and two legs extending from two sides of the operating portion, the operating portion resists the guide shaft, each leg includes a plurality of feet, and each foot is slidably latched in a corresponding opening.

9. The support mechanism of claim 1, wherein the hinge assembly includes a resilient member, the cam, the follower and the resilient member are received in the cavity, the shaft extends through one side of the seat, the resilient member, the knuckle portion, the cam, and the follower, and is fixed to the other side of the seat.

10. The support mechanism of claim 8, wherein the support member includes a protrusion and a lever, and the knuckle portion is positioned between the protrusion and the lever, the button includes a pressing end which presses the protrusion.

11. The support mechanism of claim 9, wherein the knuckle portion defines a circular hole at one side thereof, and a latching groove is defined at another side thereof, a block is positioned on a peripheral wall of the cam, the block is latched in the latching groove allow the cam to be non-rotatably received in the latching groove.

12. The support mechanism of claim 3, wherein a U-shaped receiving groove is defined in an outside of the first sidewall, the hinge assembly includes a washer, the washer is latched on the shaft, and is received in the receiving groove.

13. An electronic device comprising a support mechanism, the support mechanism comprising;

a seat configured for being fixed to the electronic device, the seat defining a cavity;

a button received in the cavity;

a support member including a knuckle portion, the knuckle portion received in the cavity, the button abutting against the support member; and

a hinge assembly connecting the knuckle portion to the seat, the hinge assembly including a shaft, a cam, and a follower, the cam and the follower placed around the shaft, the cam non-rotatable connected to the support member, the follower non-rotatable connected to the seat, the follower including a cam surface, the cam including a latching cam surface engaging with the cam surface to rotate relative to each other along the shaft;

wherein when the button is pressed to rotate the knuckle to unlock the hinge assembly, the cam automatically drives the support member to rotate relative to the follower to support the electronic device in an inclined position, the support member supports the weight of the portable electronic device and keeps the portable electronic device on a support surface.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the hinge assembly includes a resilient member, the cam, the follower and the resilient member are received in the cavity, the shaft extends through one side of the seat, the resilient member, the knuckle portion, the cam, and the follower, and is fixed to the other side of the seat.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the knuckle portion defines a circular hole at one side thereof, and a latching groove is defined at another side thereof, a block is positioned on a peripheral wall of the cam, the block is latched in the latching groove for allowing the cam to be non-rotatably received in the latching groove.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the seat includes a base plate and a frame, the frame is positioned on the base plate, the frame includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall and two opposite end walls, and the first, second sidewalls and the end walls cooperatively surround the cavity, and the follower is integrally formed with the first sidewall.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the follower defines a central hole, the second sidewall defines a through hole, and the central hole and the through hole are aligned with each other.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein an arm extends from one end wall, the arm includes a holding plate and a fixing plate, the holding plate is parallel to the base plate, the fixing plate perpendicularly extends from a distal end of the holding plate, and is further bent to be parallel to the base plate.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the first, second sidewalls define a plurality of openings, a guide shaft protrudes from the base plate in the cavity, and is disposed between the openings.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the button includes an operating portion and two legs extending from two sides of the operating portion, the operating portion resists the guide shaft, each leg includes a plurality of feet, and each foot is slidably latched in a corresponding opening.