Hinge and an electronic device with the same

• US 8,490,248 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2010
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shin ZU Shing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Shin ZU Shing Company Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Kuan-Chih, Tseng, Chaio-Liang, Tsai, Tzung-Yang
• Primary Examiner(s): Batson, Victor
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORGAN, EMILY M
• Application Number:
  US12/803,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20110317338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 162/42, 162/39, 163/25, 163/35, 162/86, 163/42, 162/92, 162/99, 163/03, 162/81, 162/84, 163/89, 162/73, 162/83, 162/96, 403/383, 455/575.3, 361/679.06, 361/679.07, 361/679.27
• US Class Current: 16/342
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0226 Hinges

Abstract

A hinge is mounted between a cover and a body of an electronic device and has an eccentric sleeve and a resisting assembly abutting against each other. When the cover is pivoted, the eccentric sleeve is rotated as well. Because the eccentric sleeve has sectors with varied radiuses, the resisting assembly is compressed to conduct various resisting forces when the eccentric sleeve is rotated. When the cover is opened to a normal visual angle, the hinge provides a constant largest torque. Therefore, the cover is held at the normal visual angle even though the user hits the touch panel on the cover.

Claims

1. A hinge comprising:

a stationary frame;

a resisting assembly mounted in the stationary frame and having at least one resilient element;

an eccentric sleeve rotatably connected to the stationary frame and abutting against the resisting assembly, with the eccentric sleeve having an initial sector, a lifting sector, and a steady sector defined in sequence on the eccentric sleeve, with each sector having a radius, wherein the radius of the initial sector is smaller than that of the steady sector, wherein the radius of the lifting sector is gradually increased;

a pintle rotatably inserted into the eccentric sleeve and non-rotatably attached to the stationary frame; and

a connecting bracket connected to eccentric sleeve;

with the connecting bracket further comprising a connecting sleeve connecting with the eccentric sleeve, wherein the connecting sleeve has two protrusions formed separately on an end thereof;

wherein the eccentric sleeve has two protrusions formed separately on an end thereof and respectively engaging between the two protrusions of the connecting sleeve, wherein the stationary frame has a stop, and wherein the connecting sleeve further has an arc limit selectively abutting the stop.

2. The hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resisting assembly comprises a slide clamped between the at least one resilient element and the eccentric sleeve and having

a rib formed on an outer surface of the slide and selectively abutting the sectors of the eccentric sleeve.

3. The hinge as claimed in claim 1, with the connecting bracket further comprising a connecting sleeve connecting with the eccentric sleeve, wherein the connecting sleeve has two protrusions formed separately on an end thereof;

and wherein the eccentric sleeve has two protrusions formed separately on an end thereof and respectively engaging between the two protrusions of the connecting sleeve.

4. The hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radius of the initial sector of the eccentric sleeve is constant.

5. The hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radius of the steady sector of the eccentric sleeve is constant.

6. The hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein

an included angle of an arc length of the initial sector is at least 35 degrees;

an included angle of an arc length of the lifting sector is at least 55 degrees; and

an included angle of an arc length of the steady sector is at least 35 degrees.

7. The hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein

an included angle of an arc length of the initial sector is 125 degrees;

an included angle of an arc length of the lifting sector is 55 degrees; and

an included angle of an arc length of the steady sector is 180 degrees.

8. The hinge as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a torque generating assembly having a resilient sleeve mounted rotatably around the pintle and having a fastening wing extending from an edge thereof and attached securely to the connecting bracket.

9. The hinge as claimed in claim 8, wherein

the pintle has a flat surface formed on an outside wall thereof;

and

the resilient sleeve has a flat surface formed on an inside wall thereof and selectively flushing with the flat surface of the pintle.

10. The hinge as claimed in claim 8, wherein the slide has a rib formed on an outer surface of the slide and selectively abutting the sectors of the eccentric sleeve.

11. The hinge as claimed in claim 10, wherein

the pintle has a flat surface formed on an outside wall thereof;

and

the resilient sleeve has a flat surface formed on an inside wall thereof and selectively flushing with the flat surface of the pintle.

12. The hinge as claimed in claim 10, wherein

the stationary frame has

a first sidewall having a keyed hole;

a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall and having a through hole; and

an end wall formed between the first and second sidewalls;

the slide of the resisting assembly is located between the first and second sidewalls;

the at least one resilient element is clamped by the slide and the end wall;

the eccentric sleeve has an axial hole aligning with the keyed hole and the through hole; and

the pintle is rotatably mounted through the through hole of the second sidewall and the axial hole of the eccentric sleeve and non-rotatably engaging with the keyed hole.

13. The hinge as claimed in claim 12, wherein

the end wall of the stationary frame has at least one post formed on an inner surface of the end wall;

and

each one of the at least one resilient element of the resisting assembly is mounted around a corresponding post on the end wall of the stationary frame.

14. A hinge comprising:

a stationary frame;

a resisting assembly mounted in the stationary frame and having at least one resilient element;

an eccentric sleeve rotatably connected to the stationary frame and abutting against the resisting assembly, wherein the resisting assembly comprises a slide clamped between the at least one resilient element and the eccentric sleeve, with the eccentric sleeve having an initial sector, a lifting sector, and a steady sector defined in sequence on the eccentric sleeve, with each sector having a radius, wherein the radius of the initial sector is smaller than that of the steady sector, wherein the radius of the lifting sector is gradually increased;

a connecting bracket connected to eccentric sleeve; and

a torque generating assembly having a pintle rotatably inserted into the eccentric sleeve and non-rotatably attached to the stationary frame, and a resilient sleeve mounted rotatably around the pintle and having a fastening wing extending from an edge thereof and attached securely to the connecting bracket, wherein the stationary frame has a first sidewall having a keyed hole, a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall and having a through hole, and an end wall formed between the first and second sidewalls;

wherein the slide of the resisting assembly is located between the first and second sidewalls;

wherein the at least one resilient element is clamped by the slide and the end wall;

wherein the eccentric sleeve has an axial hole aligning with the keyed hole and the through hole;

wherein the pintle is rotatably mounted through the through hole of the second sidewall and the axial hole of the eccentric sleeve and non-rotatably engaging with the keyed hole, with the connecting bracket further comprising a connecting sleeve mounted on the second sidewall of the stationary frame, wherein the connecting sleeve has two protrusions formed separately on an end thereof; and

wherein the eccentric sleeve has two protrusions formed separately on an end thereof and respectively engaging between the two protrusions of the connecting sleeve.

15. The hinge as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second sidewall of the stationary frame has a stop, and wherein the connecting sleeve further has an arc limit selectively abutting the stop.

16. An electronic device comprising:

at least one hinge comprising;

a stationary frame;

a resisting assembly mounted in the stationary frame and having at least one resilient element;

an eccentric sleeve rotatably connected to the stationary frame and abutting against the resisting assembly, with the eccentric sleeve having an initial sector, a lifting sector, and a steady sector defined in sequence on the eccentric sleeve, with each sector having a radius, wherein the radius of the initial sector is smaller than that of the steady sector, wherein the radius of the lifting sector is gradually increased;

a connecting bracket connected to eccentric sleeve; and

a torque generating assembly comprising

a pintle rotatably inserted into the eccentric sleeve and non-rotatably attached to the stationary frame; and

a resilient sleeve mounted rotatably around the pintle and having a fastening wing extending from an edge thereof and attached securely to the connecting bracket;

a cover; and

a body, wherein the at least one hinge is mounted between the cover and the body, wherein the connecting bracket of each one of the at least one hinge is associated with the cover, and wherein the stationary frame of each one of the at least one hinge is connected to the body.

17. The electronic device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the resisting assembly comprises a slide clamped between the at least one resilient element and the eccentric sleeve and having

a rib formed on an outer surface of the slide and selectively abutting the sectors of the eccentric sleeve.